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Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Astonishing number of gold medals trans athletes have 'stolen' from biological women revealed in new report
A new report has revealed that male-born athletes identifying as women have claimed an astonishing 1,941 gold medals in women's sporting events across the United States since the 1980s. The wins have essentially displaced thousands of biologically female athletes and siphoned nearly half a million dollars in prize money from them through competitions. The bombshell tally comes from a Concerned Women for America (CWA) report released this month which compiled data covering decades of athletic competition. It suggests more than 10,000 female sports events in both amateur and professional fields have featured male-born participants competing, and winning in categories designated for women and girls. 'For too long, trans-identifying males have displaced, disrupted, and injured women and girls in female sports categories,' Penny Nance, CEO and president of CWA, said to The Christian Post. 'Our research reveals the shocking truth of the matter - over 1,900 women have come in second place to men who claim to be women,' Nance went on. 'This is outrageously unjust. Women and girls must have sex-protected athletics under Title IX.' In California alone, the report found that at least 521 female athletes were forced to settle for second place behind male-born competitors in medal events. Nationally, those displaced women lost a total of $493,173 in prize winnings that instead went to trans-identifying male athletes. While the controversy over transgender participation in women's sports is not new, the sheer volume of data presented by the CWA has sparked fresh outrage and demands for sweeping reform. The group's findings add fuel to an already blazing fire stoked by Trump administration policies, recent NCAA reversals, and global scrutiny from the United Nations. The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has already responded by updating its 'Athlete Safety Policy' to reflect Executive Order 14201, signed by Donald Trump earlier this year. While the policy pointedly avoids using the term 'transgender,' it pledges to create a 'fair and safe competition environment consistent with Executive Order 14201 and the Ted Stevens Olympic & Amateur Sports Act.' CWA president Nance called the move 'a notable step,' but warned it might not be enough. 'It's a win for women, as it is inherently unfair for biological men to compete against women in any sport. Now, other national governing bodies (NGBs) must do the same.' The Trump administration has made the issue a defining plank of its second-term agenda. In February, Trump signed an executive order titled 'Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports,' prompting immediate pushback from progressive states and praise from conservative advocacy groups. By May, Trump was threatening to strip federal education funds from California after it failed to enforce the order. Attorney General Pam Bondi doubled down, warning that states defying the mandate 'could also face challenges by the federal government.' The administration also filed a high-profile lawsuit against California's Department of Education, arguing that the state's policies allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls' events were 'illegal and unfair,' and sent a message that 'girls' opportunities and achievements are secondary to accommodating boys.' Earlier this month, the University of Pennsylvania reached a stunning agreement with the US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, concluding that it violated Title IX by allowing Lia Thomas, a male-born swimmer, to compete in women's events. The resolution included the revocation of Thomas's titles and records, which will now be restored to the female athletes who were displaced. Thomas, who had previously competed on the men's team, became the first openly transgender athlete to win a Division I national title in 2022 after capturing gold in the 500-yard freestyle. The decision marks a turning point in the Title IX debate, and a symbolic victory for female athletes who say they've been denied fair play and recognition for years. While the CWA's report focused on American competitions, the controversy has been echoed globally. A separate study released by the United Nations last fall found more than 600 female athletes across 29 sports had lost more than 890 medals to male-born athletes. UN Special Rapporteur Reem Alsalem warned that policies enabling male-born participation in women's categories resulted in 'the loss of fair opportunity for biologically female competitors,' and called the failure to protect the female category 'one of the most egregious forms of violence against women and girls.' Transgender athletes who have won gold medals in sporting events include Canadian cyclist Veronica Ivy became the first transgender cycling champion when she won gold at the UCI Women's Masters Track Cycling World Championships in 2019, pictured She pointed to numerous examples, including Canadian cyclist Veronica Ivy, New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, and again, Lia Thomas, all of whom sparked worldwide debate for competing in women's events despite being born male. The issue is also exploding on college campuses. Earlier this month, the University of Nevada, Reno women's volleyball team refused to take the court against San Jose State University, citing the presence of trans-identified player Blaire Fleming as a safety concern. Nevada became the fifth team to forfeit a game against SJSU due to Fleming's participation. The NCAA, once a defender of trans inclusion, recently reversed course and announced it would comply with Trump's executive order. National governing bodies across sports are now under pressure to follow suit or risk losing federal funding. The CWA and other women's advocacy groups are now urging Congress to codify these reforms in federal law. PIctured, People hold Save Girls Sports signs in protest of transgender athlete AB Hernandez in May The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee has reportedly complied with Trump's order Even USA Fencing, criticized earlier this year for allowing a transgender woman to compete against females, has since revised its rules, effective August 1, to ban trans women from female events allowing them only in men's categories moving forward. The CWA and other women's advocacy groups are now urging Congress to codify these reforms in federal law. The proposed Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act would bar the USOPC and NGBs from receiving federal funds if they permit male-born athletes to compete in female divisions.
NZ Herald
21-07-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
How green finance rules could harm NZ farming: Dr Jacqueline Rowarth
Yet the finance taxonomy, proposed by the independent (but with Government funding) Centre for Sustainable Finance, bases the classification of farming being green (or not) on the amount of greenhouse gases per hectare. Not production. Not the number of people fed what they need. An area. Further, to be considered green, a farm would have to be emitting less than one tonne of greenhouse gases (measured as carbon dioxide equivalents) per hectare. Current estimates for dairy, responsible for over $26 billion in export revenue (45% of the total) from less than 7% of New Zealand's total area, are 3-19 tonnes/ha, with an average of around nine tonnes/ha. For sheep and beef, the average is approximately 3.6 tonnes/ha. To achieve the new 'green' threshold of below one tonne/ha would require a lot of new trees and not much animal production. The Government's goal of doubling the value of the export economy would fail. The economy would fail. So would New Zealand's commitment to the Paris Agreement – that we would do everything we could to improve adaptability and resilience while reducing greenhouse gases in a manner that does not threaten food production (Article 2.1.b). The Paris Agreement recognised that global population growth meant a rethink of food production. What it didn't mandate was 'how'. Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) were supposed to enable countries to choose their own reduction targets, recognising their different abilities to achieve them. At the same time, the Paris Agreement included (Article 2.1.c) 'Making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development'. This is what the Centre for Sustainable Finance has tried to do, starting with agriculture and forestry. The vision is admirable: 'An equitable, inclusive financial system that enables a resilient, sustainable Aotearoa New Zealand.' The strategy of achieving it, however, is more well-meaning than practical. Federated Farmers of New Zealand has warned that the taxonomy's 'green' finance rules are 'ideologically driven, unworkable, and risk doing real harm to rural communities'. The problem is that various suggestions, such as low-emissions fertiliser, are either already in use (coated urea) or rather more talked about than in existence – green urea, made from green ammonia, is an example. Investigations on green urea for Australia, led by the CSIRO, reported that it is very challenging for fertiliser production routes to use 'green' pathways to completely decarbonise agriculture and the food industry. Listen to Jamie Mackay interview Dr Jacqueline Rowarth on The Country below: The researchers concluded that achieving the goal would be difficult. (The actual words were 'would require proper energy management systems to synchronise and optimise such a multi-player orientation for a common objective of maximising the penetration of renewable sources at competitive costs'.) Without affordable new technologies, farmers can reduce greenhouse gases by reducing fertiliser and animal numbers. Doing this on a farm that is already efficient also reduces food production, with implications for the economy and for employment. It might also increase the greenhouse gases per unit of production. This has been shown for organic versus conventional production. In addition, the food produced from organic systems costs more than that from conventional systems. Is the world, let alone New Zealand, ready for higher food prices? The UK has decided that it is not and is halting plans for adopting a green taxonomy. Immediately, comments were made about the Government stalling on sustainability reporting requirements for companies. But the UK finance industry was already contending with other regulations, and the proposed taxonomy contained conditions that critics described as 'burdensome' and 'not useful in practice'. Similar negative comments are likely to be made if the Centre for Sustainable Finance's taxonomy is not adopted by New Zealand. But the reality is that banks are already making decisions on investments to assist farmers with implementing green technologies, and the decisions are made based on the individual farm and farmer. The result is included in the calculations that the meat and dairy processors are doing to show farmers what they are achieving in terms of greenhouse gases per unit of production. The data are used by the processors when negotiating with customers. Rewards then pass to those farmers achieving top results, gauged as greenhouse gases per kilogram of product. These products are in demand, as indicated by the prices being paid for meat and milk by overseas buyers. The internal competition and fascination with new technologies ensure that farmers continue to make the improvements that are appropriate for their soil-plant-animal-ecosystems. Food production is the goal, with minimum impact. Models that processors are using are under constant adjustment to ensure that they are capturing advances. It is difficult to imagine how a taxonomy, well-intentioned as it might be, could make a positive difference. Independent groups do their job by stimulating thinking about different possibilities; sometimes, they confirm that what is already being done is the best for the current times.
Boston Globe
11-07-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
‘This law is not working.' Mass. bills would allow abortions after 24 weeks.
At a hearing at the Massachusetts State House on July 10, patients, doctors, and advocates debated the merits of the legislation. Advertisement Nicole Martin, who sees doctors in Massachusetts but now lives out of state, said she had to travel to Washington, D.C., earlier this year in order to get an abortion. An MRI had revealed problems with her unborn son Daniel's brain, and a doctor said if the child lived past birth, he would be unable to walk, talk, or feed himself. Martin, who was 31 weeks pregnant, was devastated and chose to terminate the pregnancy. She went to D.C., because Daniel's condition could not be confirmed in time as 'grave.' Washington, D.C., along with nine states, has no restrictions on abortion. Advertisement 'The plan was to travel for the sad, merciful injection and then come home … and deliver Daniel stillborn at my home hospital,' Martin said. But the day after she got the injection, she had severe lower back pain and nausea. 'I was hundreds of miles from home, and I was afraid I was going to go into labor,' Martin said as she teared up. 'Up until five minutes before our flight, I was alone on the floor of the airport bathroom throwing up.' Other women who testified had traveled to states such as Colorado and Maryland in order to get abortions beyond 24 weeks. 'This was very meaningful progress,' Dineen said, 'but I'm heartbroken to tell you today that this law is not working.' Massachusetts liberalized its abortion laws in 2020 in anticipation of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. The state passed the Roe Act, which allowed for abortions at or after 24 weeks under certain conditions and lowered the age of required parental consent from 18 to 16. The current bills would bring Massachusetts law closer to Advertisement According to the Nationally, four Frances Hogan, an attorney and a member of the board of the Massachusetts Catholic Conference, testified against the bill on the grounds that purposeful taking of unborn human life is always morally wrong. '[This bill] removes four existing modest restraints … and essentially would allow abortion on demand for all nine months,' Hogan said. Dr. Anna Whelan, an OB-GYN from Worcester, spoke in favor of the bill. She told the story of one of her patients whose fetus was diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis at a routine scan during her third trimester. Tuberous 'Despite living in a state with some of the premier medical institutions, she had to fly to a different state to get the care that she needed,' Whelan said. Advertisement Angela Mathew can be reached at
Epoch Times
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
After Outpolling the Greens, Where Do Australia's Minor Conservative Parties Go From Here?
Disillusioned by the Liberal Party's perceived drift from its conservative roots, a surge of right- and conservative-leaning parties have emerged in recent years. And the 2025 election was no different. While Labor may have won the election, smaller parties on the right of the political spectrum (excluding the Liberal and National parties) absorbed about 12 percent of the overall vote—more than the Greens (11.9 percent), and the Climate 200 (Teal) independents. From the well-known One Nation, to the Christianity-focused Family First, they believe they can continue to make a difference. This is what they had to say about the result and their plans for the future. Ballots are seen during counting following the close of polls in Australia's general election at a polling station in Melbourne, Australia on May 3, 2025. Martin Keep/AFP via Getty Images One Nation to Continue Fight for the Bush, Tradies This election saw the well-known One Nation party receive 931,272 votes, a 1.4 percent improvement on the previous election in 2022. Senator Malcolm Roberts was also re-elected. Related Stories 5/12/2025 5/10/2025 Party Leader Pauline Hanson said she was pleased with the result, while criticising the Liberal Party for being too reactive to Labor's campaign. 'Their election campaign was ridiculous; [Peter Dutton] never fought back at all,' Hanson told Sky News Australia. The senator said there could be tough times ahead under the current economic agenda. 'But One Nation will be there to fight for you, and to fight for our nation's future,' she wrote on X. 'From the bush to the suburbs, from tradies to small business owners, from families doing it tough to communities feeling ignored we've heard you loud and clear. And we're not backing down.' Senator and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson speaks in Sydney at CPAC Australia on Aug. 20, 2023. Wade Zhong/The Epoch Times Family First to Contest South Australia, Victoria Elections Nationally, the Christian-based party, which built its brand in the 2000s and re-emerged to contest recent elections, received 256,363 votes, about 1.8 percent of the national vote. 'This is extraordinary and exceeded expectations,' National Leader Lyle Shelton said in a statement. 'It qualifies Family First for significant electoral funding, which otherwise would have gone to the major parties.' Shelton said that while the party had not won seats this time, a foundation had been laid, as well as brand awareness. 'A foundation has now been laid for success in South Australia next March where Deepa Mathew will run for the Upper House,' Shelton wrote 'Our chances are also good at next year's Victorian election, and I started work this week on the New South Wales election which is just 22 months away. 'And in breaking news, we have just received word from the NSW Electoral Commission that Family First is now registered in NSW, allowing us to contest the 2027 state election.' The party is known for tackling 'culture war' issues including abortion, euthanasia, transgenderism, and encouraging the development of nuclear families. Senate Candidate Lyle Shelton attends the Australian Conservatives campaign launch at the Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort on the Gold Coast, Australia, on April 30, 2019. Richard Szabo/The Epoch Times Libertarians Stand Behind Lower Taxes The Libertarians, which have traditionally focused on smaller government and lower taxes, received 79,205 votes, about 0.5 percent of the voting pool. The Libertarians weren't able to secure a single seat this time, despite a strong showing at the NSW council and state elections. 'When other political parties have a disappointing election result, they typically announce they will scrap the old policies and by the next election will have sparkling new ones,' Leader John Ruddick 'The Libertarian Party is a party of principle. When we get the votes to win, great ... but if we don't the principles unflinchingly remain.' Some of their more novel ideas include an income tax-free threshold of $50,000 for individuals, and $100,000 for couples, indexed to inflation. The minor party also suggests a flat tax rate of 20 percent for those above the threshold. Ruddick, a former Liberal member, intends to keep running Libertarian candidates in future elections, and encouraged interested individuals to join. Gerard Rennick Plans to Expand to Other States Gerard Rennick originally ran for the Liberals when he was elected as a senator. He later formed his own party, People First, which stands for lower income taxes, voluntary superannuation, the streamlining of government, and Australian asset ownership. It secured 0.5 percent of the national vote on its first outing, 67,688 votes. Rennick spoke to The Epoch Times about losing his Senate seat and what it meant for the party's future. 'At this stage, the intention is to keep the party going, but how it goes, time will tell,' he said. On Liberal Senator Gerard Rennick during Senate Estimates at Parliament House in Canberra, April 6, 2022. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas Rennick said he ran 'real candidates who worked really hard.' 'I did put a lot of effort into it,' he said. Many People First candidates were ex-military and had high qualifications. Rennick said his stance on the COVID vaccine likely cost him votes, but it was a cause he could not back away from. 'I knew I was a marked man when I went rogue on the COVID vaccine but I couldn't stand by and let people be injured,' he said.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bond Investing and Due Diligence
When you buy a bond, you're loaning money to the bond's issuer -- which could be a corporation, a local municipality, a government agency or the federal government -- with the intention of receiving back your initial investment and, in most cases, interest. But not all bonds are created equal. Before buying a bond, you should assess the many characteristics that are associated with these fixed-income securities, including maturity, security provisions, yield, call status, tax treatment and credit rating. Performing this due diligence will allow you to better gauge the likelihood of timely interest payments, principal repayment and overall suitability with your investing needs. Certain bonds -- notably U.S. Treasury securities -- are generally considered low risk since they're backed by the U.S. government. But this low risk status doesn't apply to other bonds. The type of bond, its credit rating, security provisions and whether you plan to hold it to maturity all shape the scope of your due diligence and the specific risks you need to evaluate. That's why it's important to consider when you expect to need access to the funds, as well as your investment goals and risk tolerance, before deciding which bonds to purchase. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » After you determine your investing preferences, you can then start the due diligence process. Review creditworthiness. Knowing how much debt an issuer has already offered can provide you with insights into their financial health and plays a major role in determining a bond's credit rating -- one of the most important measures of an issuer's ability to repay its debt. Bonds are evaluated by credit rating agencies. Those that have registered with and operate under the regulatory standards prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are known as Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations (NRSROs). Each NRSRO has its own rating systems to determine the ability of an issuer to make interest payments and pay back its debt in full at maturity. You can find a list of the current NRSROs and links to their websites at Credit ratings also impact a bond's yield -- issuers of high-yield bonds often have lower credit ratings, which typically means these bonds come with greater risk. Access real-time data. FINRA's Fixed Income Data offers an easy way to access real-time data and credit ratings for corporate and agency bonds, as well as important educational information. This data is provided by TRACE -- Trade Reporting and Compliance Engine -- which is FINRA's fixed income market price reporting and dissemination service. TRACE collects and disseminates time of execution, price, yield and transaction size for eligible fixed income securities, including public and private corporate bonds, agency debt, and securitized products such as asset-backed securities and mortgage-backed securities. You can search Fixed Income Data by product category for information about specific fixed income securities and view trade activity and volumes to help you compare and evaluate investments. Note that some bonds may have limited secondary market trading, an important consideration that can impact liquidity if you want to sell the bond before maturity. Monitor financial markets. Bond prices and interest rates have an inverse relationship, so it's vital to monitor economic activity and to understand how economic indicators impact interest rate decisions by the Federal Reserve. Stronger economic data, or higher inflation readings, could send bond prices lower if markets are anticipating higher interest rates. Conversely, if economic prints are weak, or weaker than expected, bond prices could rise as markets expect lower interest rates. These events impact a bond's duration -- the measure of the degree to which a bond investment is likely to change in value if interest rates were to rise or fall. Assess the bond's taxable status. Different bonds have varying types of tax treatment. Understanding if you'll need to pay taxes on a bond's interest or dividends is critical as it can significantly impact your after-tax return. Consider consulting with a tax and/or investment professional about your personal circumstances before making investment decisions. In addition to FINRA's Fixed Income Data, you can learn more about the different types of bonds using the following resources. Corporate Bonds -- The SEC's EDGAR database provides free public access to corporate information, allowing you to research a public company's financial information and operations. Corporate bonds, if publicly offered, must be registered with the SEC and will have their quarterly and annual reports posted online. These reports, along with balance sheets and income statements, can provide insights into a company's financial health, including debt schedules and debt ratios. Municipal Bonds -- EMMA, a free source of data for virtually all municipal bonds, is operated by the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) and is designated by the SEC as the official source for municipal securities data and disclosure documents. Government Bonds -- TreasuryDirect has information about U.S. Treasury bonds, including rates, calculators, and auction results, as well as the ability to buy or redeem Treasury savings bonds and notes. Agency Bonds -- The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) provides free resources on government agency and government-sponsored entity bonds, including issuance, trading volume and yield data. One of the primary risks of investing in bonds is the risk of the issuer failing to fulfill its obligation to pay the interest payments or the principal as agreed, also known as a default. A default could cause you to lose all or a substantial part of your investment, making an issuer's creditworthiness a vital consideration, Generally, the lower the credit rating, the higher the risk of default. As creditors, bondholders may have priority over other obligations of the issuers in the event of a default. You should carefully review a bond's offering documents to find out the issuer's terms and conditions in the event of a default. The fees you pay for buying or selling a bond depend on a number of factors, including the role of your investment professional in the transaction, and these costs may not always be clearly disclosed until after the transaction is complete. Find out the fees associated with buying a bond by asking your investment professional or by reviewing the issuer's offering documents. Performing due diligence before investing in any product is an important step. For example, stocks have distinct characteristics from bonds that requires separate due diligence. Read more about due diligence for stocks. In addition, be sure to use FINRA's BrokerCheck tool to research investment professionals and brokerage firms you're considering working with. You can also refer to the SEC's Public Alert: Unregistered Soliciting Entities (PAUSE) site to research intermediaries who might be involved in the solicitation of an investment opportunity without being properly registered. Any entity that solicits U.S. investors to buy or sell securities for their own accounts must be registered with the SEC. Learn more about bonds and investing. If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. One easy trick could pay you as much as $22,924 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Join Stock Advisor to learn more about these Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Bond Investing and Due Diligence was originally published by The Motley Fool
