AP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:28 p.m. ESTI Brought You Back to Life, Wike Slams Odili Accusing Him of Sycophancy
NASHVILLE — The Supreme Court on Wednesday will consider for the first time whether states can ban certain gender transition medical treatments for young people – a closely watched case brought by three transgender teens, their parents and a doctor, all seeking to ensure health care access they say is critical. At issue is a Tennessee law barring transgender minors from using puberty blockers and hormones, treatments the state characterizes as risky and unproven. Lawmakers said the state should instead encourage adolescents to “appreciate their sex, particularly as they undergo puberty.” The court’s ruling might have implications for the more than 100,000 transgender adolescents living in Tennessee or one of the 23 other states that has banned using the drugs to treat minors with gender dysphoria. The question of whether and how to medically treat young people whose gender identity is different than their sex assigned at birth has become a polarizing issue, one President-elect Donald Trump seized on in advertisements targeting transgender people during his campaign. The Supreme Court in 2020 extended employment protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workers, but it has yet to rule on the constitutionality of lower court decisions involving bathroom access, athletes and medical treatment for transgender minors like 16-year-old L.W., one of the Tennessee teens behind the case at the high court. Her parents, Brian and Samantha Williams, now drive her five hours to receive care in North Carolina. The teen started gender care treatments when she was 12 and said they have allowed her to “get to be myself a little bit more.” “It took a huge stressor off my back,” L.W. said in an interview. “I have more friends now because I’m more confident, and I’m more able to socialize.” The Biden administration and the American Civil Liberties Union are representing the parents and teens, who are referred to in court filings by their initials or a pseudonym to protect their identity. The families say the Tennessee law amounts to unconstitutional sex discrimination and a broad restriction on treatments that nearly every major medical association says are appropriate and effective for minors. ACLU attorney Chase Strangio, who is arguing on behalf of the families, will be the first openly transgender lawyer to present a case before the Supreme Court. Tennessee’s Republican attorney general Jonathan Skrmetti says in court filings that states have long had the power to regulate medicine and that there is nothing unconstitutional about restricting the use of a drug for certain purposes, even when it can be used for treating other conditions, or imposing age limits for health treatments when the risks and rewards are too uncertain. One potential wild card in the resolution of the case is the incoming Trump administration and the possibility that the next solicitor general will flip the federal government’s position to align with Tennessee’s view. If that were to happen, the court could allow the ACLU to continue challenging the law on its own, which would keep the justices on track to issue a ruling by the end of June. Trump transition officials did not immediately respond to questions about the case before the court, but his team has said Trump intends to fulfill his campaign promises, which included a crackdown on gender transition care for minors. PATIENTS AND LAWMAKERS CLASH L.W. said she began to suspect she was trans in 2019, when she was 11. She’d long felt as if she were “drowning,” but she didn’t understand why. She wore baggy clothes to obscure her body, and she panicked the first time she saw a few facial hairs above her lip. She was so uncomfortable in boys bathrooms, she avoided ever using one at school. Eventually, she developed urinary tract infections. After a cousin came out as trans, L.W. began researching on YouTube and Google. But she was scared, so she didn’t tell her parents she thought she was trans until just after Thanksgiving in 2020, more than a year after she’d first put a name to her feelings. Brian and Samantha Williams both had gay friends, and they told L.W. they supported her, but neither felt comfortable immediately taking her to a doctor. L.W. was 12, and Brian worried the distress she felt might be normal puberty angst. “It’s not like we took this thing lightly and just did it,” Brian said. The family went to a progressive church, and the church had a therapist on staff who specialized in trans youth, so Samantha and Brian signed L.W. up for counseling. After roughly six months, the therapist diagnosed L.W. with gender dysphoria and recommended a team of doctors at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. At Vanderbilt, L.W. underwent tests, then, in the summer of 2021, her doctors prescribed the drug Lupron to stop her body from going through male puberty. The medication, which has been used for at least 30 years on patients who start puberty too early, is largely reversible, but it can affect a young person’s bone density if taken long term without hormone therapy. The teen said she felt instantly relieved. To her, the benefits “strongly outweighed” any side effects. At the time, no state had banned trans adolescents from receiving the kind of care Vanderbilt’s team offered. Doctors nationwide had been treating a few thousand young people a year with hormones and puberty blockers, according to data compiled for Reuters – a tiny fraction of America’s adolescent population. They faced little pushback. Multiple peer-reviewed studies have found that a majority of trans adolescents experience “satisfaction,” “confidence” and “improvements in psychosocial functioning” after such treatment. Almost as soon as L.W. left her first appointment, she asked to start estrogen, but her doctors and her parents decided to wait. L.W. went in for regular evaluations, and in September 2022, more than a year after she started Lupron, her doctors agreed to prescribe estrogen. Hormone therapy made life feel possible in ways it never had before, L.W. said. She started hugging her family. She recorded music and built Lego models. She and her younger brother staged Airsoft matches with other teenagers. Neighbors even told Samantha that L.W. talked to them for the first time. L.W.’s journey felt personal to her, a singular distress followed by her own unique wins. But her time at Vanderbilt coincided with a historic rise in gender dysphoria diagnoses. In 2021, about 42,000 young people nationwide received a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, nearly triple the number in 2017, according to data the technology company Komodo Health Inc. compiled for Reuters. The vast majority were not prescribed hormones or puberty blockers, the data shows. Still, as the numbers rose, lawmakers and activists across the country began to raise questions about gender clinics and the treatments doctors were offering. The same month L.W. started estrogen, the conservative podcast host Matt Walsh accused Vanderbilt of castrating, sterilizing and mutilating children for profit. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) promised to investigate the hospital. That fall, Walsh and a group of Republican state legislators held a “Rally to End Child Mutilation” in downtown Nashville. Only Arkansas and Alabama had passed bans on transition-related care at that point. But lawmakers in other conservative states signaled that they intended to prioritize similar restrictions. In March 2023, Tennessee adopted the legislation now before the Supreme Court. The law, known as SB 1, prohibits health-care providers from prescribing any puberty blocker or hormone for the purpose of enabling a minor to identify or live as “a purported identity inconsistent with the minor’s sex.” Providers who violate the law can be fined $25,000 for each prohibited treatment and are subject to disciplinary measures and potential civil liability in private lawsuits. Throughout the hearings on the legislation, Republican lawmakers treated gender dysphoria as if it were an illusion. A co-sponsor of the House bill described transitioning as a “fiction” and “fantasy.” Another representative said, “If you don’t know what you are, a boy or girl, male or female, just go in the bathroom and take your clothes off and look in the mirror and you’ll find out.” The Williams family watched the hearings, and Brian was infuriated. The lawmakers didn’t know his daughter. He and Samantha had taken L.W. to experts. They’d had what felt like a million hard conversations, and they’d followed the best evidence available. “All of a sudden to have a state come down and say that that’s not the right thing to do, that’s it’s abusive, that it’s wrongheaded, it’s just infuriating because I feel like I’m doing all the right stuff,” Brian said. EXPERIMENTATION OR DISCRIMINATION? After the bill became law, everyone in the Williams family agreed that discontinuing care wasn’t an option. L.W. was happy in ways she’d never been before she transitioned. If she stopped taking puberty blockers and estrogen, her body would begin to go through male puberty. She told her parents that was too painful to contemplate, let alone experience. Moving didn’t feel possible either. L.W.’s brother sobbed every time he thought about leaving his friends, and Brian’s elderly parents live in Nashville and rely on his help. That spring, Samantha saw an ACLU form that invited families to describe how they’d been affected by the legislation. She didn’t imagine, as she filled out the form, that she was signing up for a lawsuit that would eventually make its way to the Supreme Court. She only knew that she wanted to protect her daughter and she didn’t want to feel helpless anymore. Tennessee gave families four months to wean kids like L.W. off the medications, but in June, before the ban even took effect, Vanderbilt shut down its clinic. In June 2023, a District Court judge temporarily blocked the law, saying it discriminates based on sex and treats some teens differently because they are transgender. The judge said the benefits of the treatments are well-established and noted that Tennessee’s law bans the medications for a small subset of minors while making them available for adolescents who use them for other health issues. “If Tennessee wishes to regulate access to certain medical procedures,” wrote U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson, a Trump nominee, “it must do so in a manner that does not infringe on the rights conferred by the United States Constitution, which is of course supreme to all other laws of the land.” A divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit soon reversed Richardson’s decision, rejecting the families’ claims of discrimination and allowing the state to enforce the law while litigation continues. Chief Judge Jeffrey Sutton said the law regulates gender transition treatments for all minors, regardless of sex, and concluded that Tennessee lawmakers could have rationally determined that the law was an appropriate response to perceived risks associated with the treatments. Sutton, a nominee of George W. Bush, also said courts should be wary of intervening in a highly contested political dispute. Judge Helene N. White, another Bush nominee, agreed with the majority that the Constitution envisions states acting as laboratories for democracies to resolve political debates, but dissented from the majority ruling. “When a fundamental right or freedom from discrimination is involved, experimentation has no place,” she wrote. At the Supreme Court, Solicitor General Elizabeth B. Prelogar is asking the justices to return the case to the 6th Circuit to apply a more stringent level of review, which she says should be triggered by a law that discriminates based on sex. The state, she wrote, ignores the benefits of gender-transition care and overstates the health risks. She also said the law’s stated goal of having teens “appreciate their sex” is based on stereotypical understandings of gender and cannot be used to justify the ban. Skrmetti, the Tennessee attorney general, said the state has the authority to protect minors from the risks of gender-transition treatment, and the federal government should not discount lawmakers’ concerns. He also objected to Prelogar’s characterization of the law as driven by stereotypes. It is not unconstitutional discrimination, Skrmetti argued, to say that drugs can be prescribed for one reason, but not another. L.W. will be in the courtroom on Wednesday, but she said she can’t comprehend the gravity of the case she’s a part of. Mostly, she has tried to continue to live the life gender care has made possible. The day the ACLU filed its petition, she went to high school, and she only told a few people in the Gender-Sexualities Alliance, or GSA, about the case. That night, she worried, briefly, that her name would be on a case that might be remembered along the same lines as Plessy v. Ferguson, the 1896 Supreme Court case that ruled it was constitutional for states to enact segregation laws. Eventually, L.W. decided it was out of her control, and plus, she had the drivers’ test for her learner’s permit to worry about, so she set aside her fears and let her lawyers handle the hard parts. She is a junior in high school now. She DJed a party this Halloween. She has broadened her social life, and she adopted a kitten the family named Mushroom. She wants to spend her free time traveling to look at colleges with aviation programs, but for now, she and her mother still make regular trips to get treatment in North Carolina. Traveling out of state for health-care she’d rather get at home is arduous. Until recently, her mother had to take unpaid time off work, and L.W. has to call in sick to the magnet high school where she takes three Advanced Placement classes. “I hate taking days off school, it’s, like, the worst thing ever,” she said. “I have very, very difficult classes. So I’ve got a lot to catch up on if I miss a single day.” The drive used to take five hours each way, but Hurricane Helene washed out one of the roads they take, and now, the journey will be much longer. Comments are not available on this story. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous Next »
Draisaitl sparks Oilers with NHL-leading 21st goal and 3 assists in 7-1 win over Wild
Monday, December 30, 2024 Facebook Instagram Twitter WhatsApp Youtube Personal Finance Education Entertainment Jobs Alert Sports Hindi Technology Complaint Redressal. Fact-Checking Policy Correction policy Authors and Team DNPA Code of Ethics Onwership and Funding Cookie Policy Terms of Service Disclaimer Contact US About Us More Search Home Personal Finance UPI Rule Change: RBI allows UPI access for prepaid payment instruments via... Personal Finance UPI Rule Change: RBI allows UPI access for prepaid payment instruments via third party applications; know full details By Shyamu Maurya December 30, 2024 0 4 Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Telegram UPI Rule Change: RBI allows UPI access for prepaid payment instruments via third party applications; know full details UPI Rule Change: According to the circular issued by RBI, only full-KYC PPIs will be allowed to be linked for UPI payments. UPI transactions initiated from a PPI will first be verified through the customer’s existing PPI credentials. RBI: To promote digital payments, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has taken a big decision. Now it will be possible to make payments using prepaid payment instruments (PPIs) through third party UPI apps. The central bank has claimed that this change will promote interoperability in the digital payments ecosystem. What are Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs)? Prepaid Payment Instruments is a system in which users can save funds in a card or digital wallet for upcoming transactions. It is usually used for subscriptions and remittances. This new rule of RBI connects PPIs to the UPI ecosystem. UPI is India’s strongest digital payment platform. What is the new UPI rule? Earlier, PPIs such as digital wallets, gift cards and metro cards could only be used through their respective apps. But now, PPI holders with full-KYC (Know Your Customer) can link their instruments to popular UPI apps such as Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm and BHIM, just like bank accounts are linked. According to the circular issued by RBI, only full-KYC PPIs will be allowed to be linked for UPI payments. UPI transactions initiated from the PPI will first be verified through the customer’s existing PPI credentials. This pre-authorization process ensures that the transaction is verified before it is set up in the UPI system. Will make digital payments more convenient RBI has also clarified that PPI issuers, in the role of payment system provider, cannot onboard customers of any other bank or PPI issuer. This step has been taken to prevent potential conflict of interest and maintain a clear rule. This change will not only make digital payments more convenient but will also give new heights to the Digital India mission by making UPI stronger. Tags rbi RBI New Rules UPI Rule Change Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Telegram Previous article iPhone banned: Now these three iPhone models will not be sold, Apple has banned their sale, what is the reason? Shyamu Maurya Shyamu has done Degree in Fine Arts and has knowledge about bollywood industry. He started writing in 2018. Since then he has been associated with Informalnewz. In case of any complain or feedback, please contact me @informalnewz@gmail.com RELATED ARTICLES Technology iPhone banned: Now these three iPhone models will not be sold, Apple has banned their sale, what is the reason? December 30, 2024 Personal Finance Credit Card Link UPI: Link your credit card to UPI from home, know step-by-step guide December 30, 2024 Personal Finance School Closed: Big relief for school students! Now schools will remain closed for so many days, timings of these schools changed December 30, 2024 - Advertisment - Most Popular iPhone banned: Now these three iPhone models will not be sold, Apple has banned their sale, what is the reason? December 30, 2024 Credit Card Link UPI: Link your credit card to UPI from home, know step-by-step guide December 30, 2024 School Closed: Big relief for school students! Now schools will remain closed for so many days, timings of these schools changed December 30, 2024 New Rule 2025: From LPG to PF, these big changes will be implemented from January 1, it will affect every pocket December 30, 2024 Load more Recent Comments Gul Mohiudin on Kavita sister-in-law wore a sari without a blouse, seeing the pictures you will also be... 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Now schools will remain closed for so many days, timings of these schools changed December 30, 2024 POPULAR POSTS iPhone banned: Now these three iPhone models will not be sold, Apple has banned their sale, what is the reason? December 30, 2024 Credit Card Link UPI: Link your credit card to UPI from home, know step-by-step guide December 30, 2024 School Closed: Big relief for school students! Now schools will remain closed for so many days, timings of these schools changed December 30, 2024 POPULAR CATEGORY Personal Finance 18155 Entertainment 17065 India 4565 News 3786 Technology 2272 Jobs Alert 794 Travel 652 Education 451 ABOUT US INFORMALNEWZ brings the Latest News & Top Breaking headlines on Politics and Current Affairs. Up-to-date news coverage, aggregated from sources all over the world by informal Newz. Find latest news coverage of breaking news events, trending topics, and compelling articles. 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On the brisk night, Santa arrived just in time, at the tail end of the two hour spectacle, for everyone to rush home, or out, and enjoy some hot chocolate.
Media monitoring service Streem has conducted a ranking of Australia’s Top ten most prominent CMOs/marketing leaders from 20 November 2023 through to 19 November 2024, across print and online coverage. KFC’s Tami Cunningham took out the top spot with 307 mentions. Key drivers of her media presence included the global “Kentucky Fly Chicken” campaign, new menu innovations like double-breaded chicken waffles, and a creative competition allowing fans to stay at “The Colonel’s Lodge.” “We’ve had a great year, not only with all our retail brand work but also having unique experiences in the mix to bring our brand and products to life for our customers,” A KFC spokesperson told Mediaweek . “This year, we launched several experiential campaigns that saw mass engagement across earned and social media, and we’re excited to see brand love continue to grow locally. It takes an army to execute big creative ideas, and thanks must go to the entire KFC marketing team and our agency partners.” Australia’s highest-profile marketing chiefs from 20 November 2023 through to 19 November 2024 across print and online coverage. Coming in second, Volkswagen’s Nathan Johnson made headlines with 300 mentions. His coverage was propelled by the tech-heavy Australian update of the VW Crafter in November 2023 and discussions around a potential electric Amarok launch in May 2024. “You’re only as good as your vehicles and ours are the best, ones that a marketer and a strong team can drive to success,” Johnson told Mediaweek . “This data shows which Australian CMOs are thought leaders within the industry, successfully leveraging earned media to build brand awareness and credibility, spotlighting the campaigns and initiatives that cut through the noise in 2024,” Lauren Jefferies , head of insights at Streem said. Next in third place was Telstra’s Brent Smart , who achieved 210 mentions. His media presence was driven by consistent coverage of campaigns such as “Better on a Better Network” and “Wherever We Go,” his Black T-Shirts podcast with Adam Ferrier, and his involvement in The Marketing Academy’s 2024 scholarship program. In fourth place was Liana Dubois of Nine, with 189 mentions. Her coverage was primarily fueled by Nine Network’s role as the broadcaster for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, which generated significant national media interest. Ranked fifth, Chargefox’s Rob Asselman secured 179 mentions, largely due to the launch of Australia’s first “fuel card” for low-emission vehicles in partnership with Corpay. Andrew Hicks from Woolworths claimed sixth place with 169 mentions, driven by campaigns like the launch of limited-edition Olympics and Paralympics $2 coins and the festive “Make This Christmas a Classic” initiative. In seventh place was Michelle Klein of IAG, who garnered 156 mentions. Her media presence was supported by NRMA’s 100th-anniversary rebranding, the appointment of Accenture Song to enhance customer experience, and her participation at SXSW Sydney. Coming in eighth, Coca-Cola South Pacific’s Kate Miller received 143 mentions. Her standout moments included the launch of the “K-Wave” K-Pop-inspired Coca-Cola drink and an Oreo collaboration featuring Oreo-flavored Coke Zero and Coke-flavored Oreo cookies. Tony Quarmby of Tourism Northern Territory ranked ninth with 113 mentions. His media coverage was bolstered by Netflix’s Territory series and related advertising campaigns, as well as a collaboration with Bonds Pride. Rounding out the top ten was Yolanda Uys from Crown Resorts, with 107 mentions. Highlights included Crown’s strategic partnership with Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, the appointment of Initiative as its new media agency, and the MasterChef x Crown pop-up restaurant “ALUMNI.” Mediaweek Morning Report: Sign up here for the most important media, marketing and agency news delivered to your inbox every dayElon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy say they’re hunting for ways to make American government more efficient. One possible target: the semiannual changing of the clock that so many Americans dislike. “Looks like the people want to abolish the annoying time changes!” Musk wrote last week on his social platform, X, linking to another user’s online poll that found most respondents wanted to end daylight saving time. The practice of shifting clocks forward one hour in March and back one hour in November is intended to maximize Americans’ exposure to sunlight during working hours but has long been derided for causing groggy mornings, missed appointments and even some public health problems. “It’s inefficient & easy to change,” Ramaswamy wrote in a reply to Musk. It was not immediately clear whether the two men, whom President-elect Donald Trump has tapped to run a new effort dubbed the “Department of Government Efficiency” were seriously floating a new policy priority or just spitballing on social media. It was also unclear how a Trump White House would seek to end clock changes, given that Congress – not the executive branch – has controlled the nation’s time shifts, and lawmakers’ recent legislation has stalled. Ramaswamy did not respond to a request for comment. X and Tesla, which Musk also owns, did not immediately respond to requests sent to them asking for comment from Musk. In a follow-up post, Musk told Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) that he did indeed want to end the time changes. The simmering fight over how Americans set their clocks, and when they must do it, has drawn unusual coalitions in Washington based more on geography than on politics. Republicans and Democrats, mostly from the coasts, have called for year-round daylight saving time, saying that permanently advancing the clocks one hour and never “falling back” would allow more people to enjoy sunshine and avoid the frustrations involved with resetting clocks. “Switching the clocks just doesn’t make sense for a country on the move,” Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Massachusetts) said in a statement to The Washington Post. “But we need permanent daylight saving time – more hours of daylight in the evening means more hours to get things done.” Politicians in the center of the country have often balked at the idea, warning that a year-round “spring forward” would mean winter sunrises that could creep past 9 a.m. in cities such as Indianapolis and Detroit. Meanwhile, public health groups have said that permanent standard time would be more natural for our circadian rhythms, citing research that the clock changes increase the risk of heart attacks, stroke and other health problems. “There is a significant stress on the body, and changes that occur, when we are not aligned to the right internal clock,” Lourdes DelRosso, a sleep medicine physician at the University of California at San Francisco-Fresno and co-chair of this year’s World Sleep Day awareness event, said in an interview earlier this year. A March 2023 YouGov poll found that 62% of Americans want to end the practice of changing the clocks, but there was little consensus over what to do next. Half of respondents said they wanted year-round daylight saving time, just under one-third wanted permanent standard time and the remainder said they were unsure or had no opinion. For more than a century, Americans have shifted their clocks forward every spring and back every fall, a tradition that was eventually enshrined in federal law. Voters’ complaints about those clock changes are not new. Lawmakers in the early 1970s moved to permanently adopt daylight saving time, but the decision almost immediately backfired with nationwide complaints, such as children waiting in the dark for school buses to arrive. Congress rolled back the change after 10 months. That defeat has not stopped Markey and other lawmakers who have steadily pushed to lengthen the number of days that Americans spend under daylight saving time, extending that period in 1985, and again in 2005. Most Americans now live with daylight saving time for 238 days a year – nearly eight months. (Two states, Hawaii and most of Arizona, have opted out of the semiannual time changes and remain on permanent standard time, which states are allowed to do.) But states cannot adopt permanent daylight saving time unless Congress passes a bill that allows them to do so. There is a growing political movement attempting to do just that; the Senate in 2022 passed a bill that died in the House. Twenty states have also approved measures that would allow them to adopt year-round daylight saving time if Congress passed a bill making it permanent nationwide, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Other countries have ended their own clock changes, including Mexico, which moved to abolish daylight saving time in 2022. Musk was born and spent his childhood in South Africa – which does not follow daylight saving time – and has previously mocked America’s semiannual time changes. “Finally, an explanation for daylight savings that makes sense ...” the billionaire entrepreneur wrote on social media in 2017, linking to a video by the Onion, a satirical news site, that lampooned the practice. President Biden’s views on time changes are unclear. The White House has not responded to questions in the past two years about whether Biden supported efforts in Congress to adopt year-round daylight saving time, which may have stifled lawmakers’ attempts to attract support for their bill. But the next president appears more receptive. “Making Daylight Saving Time permanent is O.K. with me!” Trump wrote on social media in March 2019, the Monday morning after the “spring forward” took effect that year. The Transportation Department oversees the implementation of daylight saving time, and agency officials have said DOT does not have the authority to change it without an act of Congress. It is not clear whether Musk and Ramaswamy, who have argued that recent Supreme Court decisions would allow the White House to make regulatory changes without going through Congress, see a path to doing so with daylight saving time. Their commission is supposed to make its recommendations to the president by July 4, 2026 – the date they’ve targeted to wind down their panel. Musk and Ramaswamy may have other allies in Trump’s emerging administration. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Trump’s pick to serve as secretary of state, has spent years calling to end clock changes and make daylight saving time year-round. “My Sunshine Protection Act would end this stupid practice of changing our clocks back and forth,” Rubio said in a statement in March, referencing his legislation. His office did not respond to a request for comment about whether Rubio had spoken with Musk and Ramaswamy about ending the semiannual clock changes. “Can we just stop changing our clocks twice a year?” Jim O’Neill, Trump’s pick to be deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, wrote on X in 2022. “The one industry that doesn’t need disruption is daylight.” We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Sun Journal account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous Next »WASHINGTON, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said on Thursday his office launched investigations into over a dozen technology platforms over their privacy and safety practices for minors. Those being probed included artificial Intelligence chatbot startup Character.AI and fourteen other platforms like Reddit, Instagram (META.O) , opens new tab and Discord, the Texas attorney general added. Tech platforms have come under increasing scrutiny over their impact on children. Top U.S. social media platforms made an estimated $11 billion in advertising revenue from users younger than 18 in 2022, according to a Harvard study published last year. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy last year warned that young people using social media risked suffering body image issues, disordered eating, poor sleep quality and low self-esteem, especially among adolescent girls. "Technology companies are on notice that my office is vigorously enforcing Texas' strong data privacy laws," Paxton said. Social media companies have said they will work with officials to protect young users, and say they have introduced new tools designed to protect teens online, including parental control features. The firms had no immediate comment on Thursday. Paxton's statement said the probes would focus on the platforms' compliance with two Texas laws - the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act and the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA). The SCOPE Act bans digital service providers from sharing, disclosing, or selling a minor's personal identifying information without permission from the child's parent or legal guardian. The legislation requires firms to provide parents with tools to manage and control the privacy settings on their child's account. The TDPSA imposes notice and consent requirements on companies that collect and use minors' personal data, Paxton's office said. Sign up here. Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington;Editing by Alistair Bell Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab Thomson Reuters Kanishka Singh is a breaking news reporter for Reuters in Washington DC, who primarily covers US politics and national affairs in his current role. His past breaking news coverage has spanned across a range of topics like the Black Lives Matter movement; the US elections; the 2021 Capitol riots and their follow up probes; the Brexit deal; US-China trade tensions; the NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan; the COVID-19 pandemic; and a 2019 Supreme Court verdict on a religious dispute site in his native India.
Amylyx Pharmaceuticals chief medical officer sells $30,007 in stockNone
1. An Apple Airtag so you never have to wonder again, "Where the heck is my luggage?" Just connect this nifty gadget to your "Find My" app on your iPhone and track where your stuff is. It's also great to attach to your keys or slip in your wallet too, so you never lose the essentials again! Promising review: "A few months back I went to leave for work. My keys were nowhere to be found. Upon checking my phone, I found that my keys had been taken to my aunt's house. Without this AirTag I would’ve never known that. I love that I keep track of my things without a hassle. Definitely will be buying more." — Bre Price: $24.99 (originally $29.99) 2. An adjustable olive green baseball cap embroidered with a tiny mushroom because you wanna keep the sun out of your eyes while you're picking out a Christmas tree. Promising review: " I have so many of these hats. They are so cute!! I have a small to average size head and they are perfect for me." — Kitty S. Price: $15 3. A faux-pearl embellished claw clip that'll add a glamorous touch to any winter-weather outfit. Who knew a messy bun could look so fancy? Promising review: "This is a beautiful faux-pearl hair clip that is also very functional. It holds all of my long, thick hair up nicely. This is very cute and I would highly recommend it." — Mgaffney248 Price: $5 4. And a pack of six mini flower-shaped claw clips to add a playful vibe to your look and help you switch up your typical ponytail or half-up hairdo. Promising review: "My daughters love these and it’s fun looking up different styles to try with these! Super cute colors." — KC1303 Price: $5.49 for a 12-pack 5. A Popsocket magnetic phone grip so you can scroll for hours and hours without your hands getting sore (please don't scroll for hours). Also, you can use it as a little kickstand to prop your phone up for optimal show-watching. Promising review: "Love this! Bought this style to replace one that I lost. The magnet is super strong. I don’t need that little adapter thing it came with, I just stuck it to my case and voila. The only time I remove my pop socket is at night, when I put my phone on my magsafe charging stand. Highly recommend!" — ESV Price: $14.99 (originally $29.99, available in eight patterns) 6. A pair of bow stud earrings you're going to feel so smug telling people you got from Target because of how high-end they look. Plus, they're nickel-free and safe for sensitive ears! Promising review: " I love these earrings! They feel so feminine and cute. Comfy and not too heavy. They elevate any outfit I wear." — Natasha Price: $12.99 7. A pair of lettuce-edge socks for adding a little whimsy to your favorite pair of ballet flats or dress up your go-to sneakers. These are designed to fit women's sizes 4–10. Promising review: "These are so cute. I’ve had my eyes on them for a while, and I thought I had lost my chance when they went out of stock. Luckily, there was a restock, and I was able to snag them. I love having several options for socks, a bold color can really pull an outfit together with minimal effort. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more colors in the future. Great job, Target!" — Rue Bee Price: $9 for six pairs (available in four color combos) 8. A hot and cold gel bead eye mask you can throw in the fridge or microwave for relaxing temperature therapy on the super delicate skin around your eyes. I have one of these and love keeping it in the freezer, so after a night out with friends, I can use this to help de-puff my under-eye area. Promising review: "As someone who has a lot of eye strain and pain, I find that this is an amazing product to use for relief in the evenings. The warming option is very soothing, and it's nice to have around for relaxation time after a long day at work." — PartywithKarti Price: $8.79 9. Some “bust dust” anti-boob-sweat powder formulated with soothing lavender and chamomile to absorb sweat because there is nothing worse than a swampy bra situation when you're just trying to exist. Promising review: “ This has become a summertime staple for me! Living in humid south Florida, that means May–October. A little shake, a little spray, a little pat, and I'm good to go for the day. It helps so much! I have sensitive skin and haven't had any adverse effects.” — Cate Price: $15.99 10. A pair of elegant, expensive-looking oval sunglasses for blocking out the eggnog haters who are trying to yuck your yum. Promising reviews: "Literally so chic I am shooketh they cost under $20." — Sky "SUPER CUTE and fashionable!!! Love these glasses so much. I highly recommend to anyone because these go with any outfit and are comfortable plus affordable." — D Price: $15 11. An Olive & June nail polish designed to last just as long as gel polish, so you can save time *and* money by skipping the bi-monthly salon visit. Promising review: "I normally avoid painting my own nails because it never turns out well. However, this nail polish is very easy to use. I love the shape of the brush. It makes for a mess-free application. I used two coats to get the look I was going for with a light purple." — Murr Price: $8.99 (available in eight colors) 12. A cute hardcover notebook with lined pages you can use as a journal, a space for to-do lists, future goals, or just a free-writing space to get the creative juices flowing. Promising review: "It’s a very good little notebook. The pages are nice and sturdy; the cover is too. Probably one of the best notebooks I’ve had. It’s really good quality for such a low price." — Courtneyacbdc Price: $4.99 13. A fizzy floral-scented bath bomb — there's a small prize inside (either a cute charm or ring) to please the adult in you who needs to unwind *and* your inner child who just wants a special little treat. Promising review: "I love these bath bombs , and it always makes taking a bath extra enjoyable!! So cute." — Carly Price: $5.49 14. A makeup primer if you spent hours getting your makeup juuust right for the holiday party and don't want your face melting off by your third glass of eggnog. It features hyaluronic acid to add an extra dose of moisture. Promising review: "This has been the best primer I’ve ever bought. I didn’t really know how good a primer was supposed to be until I tried this one. I come home after my serving shift, and my makeup is still on as if I just recently applied it. It doesn’t let me sweat, which is great because oils eat up my makeup! I recommend! ❣️" — Emiliana Price: $10 15. A refreshing facial mist from La Roche-Posay that utilizes thermal spring water full of antioxidants and minerals to help hydrate heat-flushed skin with just a quick spray! Promising review: “Was skeptical to buy at first because I thought it’s just water in a can, but upon using it, I found it leaves my face feeling and looking TOTALLY different than it does with tap water. It’s so soothing and refreshing! I like to use it as a toner. Because me and my skin love this so much, I’ll continue to repurchase it the price is worth it to me.” — Courtney Price: $13.99 16. Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Bronzer if you want to maintain your summer glow all year round. With this, you can always look like the beachy fairy you are! Plus, it works just as well as the more expensive stuff. Promising review: "Hands-down the best bronzer I’ve ever used. It’s lasted me so long. It blends like a dream, and it smells even better. Don’t waste your money on high end. This is worth every penny." — Sg Price : $13.49 (available in five shades) 17. A mini first aid kit that comes with 18 colorful bandages in two sizes, three antiseptic packets, and three hand sanitizer packets for any little accidents that may come up while you're on the go. Promising review: "Great quality! This item was the perfect size for travel. I bought it in case I ended up getting blisters on my heels." — AM01 Price: $6.99 18. A 10-pack of Lip Smackers made with moisturizing castor oil and beeswax featuring classic flavors like blue raspberry, mango, and vanilla if you're looking for a little childhood nostalgia that'll have your pout looking (and smelling) absolutely divine. Promising review: "Best product of all time!!! Lip Smackers are extremely moisturizing and keep your lips hydrated better than anything else I have tried." — Soft Lips Price: $10.99 19. A Fuji film camera that prints out your pictures instantly, so you'll be able to actually frame all your beloved memories instead of just letting them sit on your phone. There's even a selfie mirror so you can snap some pics of yourself, too! Get the film for $8.99 . Promising review: "I’m not a professional photographer by any means. I just like instant photos and taking pictures with my smartphone. I found it was really easy to use, and it may take a few instant photos to get comfortable with where to look and what angles look best. But it’s still very fun! It would be a cute graduation gift or birthday gift for someone who likes to take photos." — Kovi Price: $69.99 (originally $79.99, available in five colors) 20. And a pack of mini faux-succulent magnets if you plan on taking tons of cute pictures this holiday season and want to hang them on your fridge with pride. Promising review: "These are my favorite! I always give them for friend’s birthdays or thank-you gifts. And I’ve got a few on my own fridge. Love the look and the magnets are strong. Can’t go wrong. Buy these for yourself!" — target fan Price: $5.99 21. A 100% mulberry silk pillowcase that provides a smooth surface while you snooze to reduce friction on your hair and skin, so you wake up looking (and, more importantly, feeling) well-rested. I exclusively sleep with a silk pillowcase, and I can tell you, bedhead is now a thing of the past. Promising review: "I really like 100% mulberry pillowcases and nothing else on my pillow. This pillowcase stays cool while sleeping. My hair did not seem as dry and messy in the morning." — Agie Price: $48.99+ (available in three sizes and five colors) 22. A vitamin C resurfacing face mask packed with lactic, glycolic, and salicylic acid and enzymes to help brighten up dull skin and leave your face feeling fresh and glowy in just 2–3 minutes. Promising review: "Don’t walk to Target, RUN, and buy this mask. From the first use, you will see your skin’s surface more even, your acne (hyperpigmentation) will start clearing right away, and your skin will brighten. This is the only product that has helped my hormonal acne and huge pores. I love it and will continue to use it forever!" — Beautiful Collection Price: $18.99 23. And a vegan niacinamide serum that can help reduce the appearance of enlarged pores, refine uneven texture, and balance excess oil production so your skin can look *and* feel its best. Promising review: "Only been using this for a week, but I really feel like it has made my skin look so much better. I’m way less oily, my skin texture is better, and I feel like it’s helping with milia as well. I had no reaction to it." — S Price: $16.99 24. A super sheer SPF 30 sunscreen — it has a slightly green tint so you can also use it as a primer to cancel out redness. And since it's lightweight and mineral-free, you don't have to worry about a cakey white cast left behind. Promising review: "I'm the one always saying 'put sunscreen on your face' in the morning. What follows is usually much complaining from my family. THIS, however, goes on without a cast and is lightweight, and the complaining has just...stopped. Poof." — Anonymous Price: $19.99 25. A pair of Pacifica vitamin C eye patches made with a 100% vegan formula because you want to look like you got a full eight hours of sleep even if you only got five (oops). The vitamin C helps brighten while marine plant extracts boost hydration. Just pop them on for 10–20 minutes, then remove and pat in remaining serum. Promising review: "I love these vitamin C spot serum masks. They really do what they say. And they give my eyes the extra oomph that they need on days that I wasn't able to get as much sleep." — iambecki0922 Price: $4.99 26. And a mini jade roller for a little at-home spa moment that'll promote drainage and help ease any facial tension. Pro tip: leave it in the fridge for maximum de-puffing power! Promising review: "This roller really helps my TMJ facial tightness! I use this on my jaw, temples, and brows almost every day for a deep massage in my face, and, wow, has this helped! Buying a second one as a backup just in case. Very sturdy for pushing HARD on tight jaw muscles; I also use the bottom to target knots!" — Biff Price: $9.99 Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.China's independently-developed deep-sea scientific research, archaeological vessel officially commissioned in SanyaWomen's representation in tech sector improving in 2024, says report
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Sunday, went head-to-head with a former governor of Rivers State, and his estranged benefactor, Dr. Peter Odili, saying he brought Odili back to life, after his retirement into oblivion. Wike, the immediate past governor of the state, warned that as an elder statesman, Odili should not be a trader and sycophant all the time. He said he had shown immense respect to Odili all along, including refusing to invite former President Olusegun Obasanjo to commission projects in the state when he was governor, just to avoid embarrassing Odili. A statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said Wike dropped the firestorm on Sunday, at a Special Thanksgiving Service organised by Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Amaewhule, at the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Oro-Igwe/Eliogbolo Archdeaconry Church of the Holy Spirit, Eliozu Parish, Port Harcourt. The no-holds-barred riposte on Odili was in response to the latter’s praises for Governor Siminalayi Fubara for stopping Wike from converting Rivers State to his private fiefdom. The FCT minister said it was unfortunate for Odili, who was supposed to be seen as an elder statesman and called a father, to reduce himself to a sycophant and trader. He stated, “Must you be a trader all the time? As governor for eight years, what else are you looking for? You know, I didn’t want to say anything. But somebody called me last night, and told me what someone said in the social media. “I said until I read it myself. This morning, I read in the newspapers what our former governor, Sir Dr Peter Odili, said. What did he say? He said the present governor has been able to stop one man who wanted to convert Rivers State to his personal estate. “Between him and myself, who has turned Rivers State to his personal estate? His wife is a Chairman of Governing Council, his daughter is a commissioner, his other daughter is a judge and he is the general overseer. “Who has now turned Rivers State to his private estate? I am sure if care is not taken, if there is a chance, he can even arrange a marriage for the governor. “It was his nephew, his late senior brother’s son, that was recommended for commissioner. He took the slot and gave it to his own daughter. Someone who didn’t remember to stand for the son of his late elder brother, is that an elder statesman?” The FCT minister said it was painful that Odili, out of political sycophancy, forgot all that he had said in the past. He stated that when he was governor, the same Odili had praised him to high heaven, and said all past governors in Rivers State combined did not do better than him (Wike). According to Wike, “In 2007 after he left office, he couldn’t come near power in the state because Amaechi was the governor then. He was gone! “Like somebody said that God will use someone to lift up someone. When I came in as governor in 2015, I won’t use the word resurrected, but I brought him back to life. “All of us know about PAMO University. But for us, there wouldn’t have been anything called PAMO University. Rivers State was sponsoring 100 students per session and for every semester, each of the students was paying nothing less than N5 million. Then, Rivers people were attacking me up and down. “I personally called Julius Berger to build a mansion for him to live. He was calling everyone to the house then, telling them, ‘come and see what Wike has done for me. Wike has shown me love.’ He was taking them round the house. “Now, because you have organised a Christmas Carol for the governor, I didn’t say you should not do your Christmas Carol. But why reduce yourself to such a laughing stock? People will still see it on television how he was telling the whole world then how God used me to bring him back to life politically. “Why not do your Christmas Carol, collect what you can collect and leave me alone? The governor that all of us made has not spent one year in office and the same Odili was already saying that the governor has beaten the records of all the past governors of Rivers State. “When I was there, he said I had surpassed the records of all the past governors, including himself. What can he even show that he did in his eight years as governor? But a governor has not spent one year, you are saying he has done more than all the past governors. “You spent eight years as governor and someone who hasn’t spent one year has surpassed your records, what manner of elder talks like that? Is that what an elder statesman should be known for? “When I was governor, my pictures were everywhere in his house. Sitting room, bedroom, kitchen, even in the toilet, my picture was everywhere. But today, all the pictures have been removed.” Wike asked what could be learned from such a sycophantic elder statesman. “What can I learn from this kind of elder? What kind of advice can one get from him? This moment you are saying something; the next moment you are saying something else,” he stated. “You see, if your children begin to ask you, is this not the same man you were praising before? What would you tell them?” The minister also weighed in on the River State governorship issue, saying, “When I was plotting who will be governor after me, was he (Odili) there? “Then, he was complaining about this governor, saying that he couldn’t stand before the public to talk. But today, he is organising Christmas Carol for the same governor he was against then. “He has forgotten all that he said in the past. I named this after you, I named that after your wife. What have I not done? You said we should not be part of the government, we have left. “We are managing, you have taken assembly money, they are not dying of hunger and they will not die of hunger. We are okay. I’m focusing on my job in Abuja and all these sycophancy won’t take him to the level I have attained. “This is a man who wanted to run for president then, he didn’t have the balls, he chickened out. Simply because Obasanjo said no, he will not contest, he ran away. Because of him, I never invited Obasanjo to Rivers State to commission projects. I felt it will humiliate him.” Olawale Ajimotokan Follow us on:Comedian Duncan Norvelle, famed for ‘chase me’ catchphrase, dies aged 66
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