Oil prices are rising; battles could become more destructive as Russians bomb cities

Latest News / By

Mixed reports about Kherson; Mariupol came under heavy fire

Russian forces say they have entered the city of Kherson in southwestern Ukraine, which, if confirmed, would be a major victory for Moscow.

Russia’s Defense Ministry posted a statement on Facebook Wednesday morning saying its forces had taken Kherson’s center “under full control” and added that civilian infrastructure, livelihoods and public transport were operating on a daily basis. does not run out of food and essential goods. “

It says talks are under way between the Russian command and local authorities “to resolve issues related to maintaining the functioning of social infrastructure facilities, ensuring law and order and safety of the population.”

Ukrainian authorities have not yet confirmed Russia’s claims that it has taken control of Kherson, and the Kherson mayor said earlier this morning that the city “needs a miracle” after Russian troops reportedly surrounded the city.

“It’s hard to call it good this morning, but let’s try. We’re still Ukraine. We’re still stubborn. But there’s a lot of smoke,” said Igor Kolikhaev, mayor of Kherson, according to NBC News.

“Last night, when my team and I were at the town hall, the building was shelled. Everyone is alive. But again, please don’t leave the house. Do not provoke shooting with your actions and behavior. a very difficult situation, we don’t need to make it worse. “

“Today I will work to find a way to collect the dead, how to restore light, gas, water and heat where it is damaged. But I warn you: to perform these tasks today is to perform a miracle. We are all waiting for a miracle now. We need him, “he said.

According to Ukrainian authorities and confirmed by the Russian Ministry of Defense and the United Kingdom, the port city of Maripol has come under heavy shelling from Russia.

“We are fighting, we are not stopping to defend our homeland,” Mariupol Mayor Vadim Boychenko said live on Ukrainian television, Reuters reported.

– Holly Eliat

Oil prices rise by nearly 7% due to supply concerns amid Russia-Ukraine conflict

Oil prices rose during afternoon trading in Asia as markets were shaken by supply-side concerns amid the Russia-Ukraine war. At one point, both the futures of crude Brent and US crude oil rose nearly 8% higher.

Brent cut some losses last time, jumping 6.88% higher to $ 112.19 a barrel. It briefly reached $ 113.02 a barrel, a level not seen since December 2013, according to Refinitiv Eikon.

US crude futures also made big gains, last trading 6.98% higher at $ 110.63 a barrel. It rose to $ 111.50, the highest level since May 2011, according to Refinitiv Eikon.

“Eustace Huang.”

“Limited” total profits for Russia in the last 24 hours, said the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom

In its latest update on intelligence on the crisis in Ukraine, the UK Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday that Russian forces have seen slow progress in their military attack on Ukraine over the past 24 hours.

Posting an update on Twitter, the Defense Ministry said that “while Russian forces have reportedly moved south to the center of Kherson, total axis gains have been limited in the last 24 hours.”

Russia’s slow progress is probably due to “a combination of continuing logistical difficulties and strong Ukrainian resistance.”

The ministry noted that heavy Russian artillery and air strikes continue to hit populated areas, mainly in the cities of Kharkiv, Kyiv, Mariupol and Chernihiv.

– Holly Eliat

The war in Ukraine is probably heading for a more destructive phase

The next phase of the war in Ukraine is likely to cost a terrible price, as Russia turns to larger, more indiscriminate weapons to bomb cities and prepare for brutal urban battles.

If Russian troops manage to encircle Kyiv, they are likely to use artillery, missiles and similar weapons against the city, retired US Army Colonel Jack Jacobs told CNBC.

Such an approach is the approach that the Russians “did not want to do because they wanted to take the city intact,” Jacobs said. Nevertheless, they will use missiles, “artillery, missiles and other indirect fire to subdue the Ukrainians in the city. And then try to move.”

Indirect fire refers to weapons that do not require direct visibility of the target. Weapons such as artillery can be used in large numbers to destroy large areas.

But such a battle is the one that Ukrainians are preparing for.

“Ukrainians knew from the beginning that this could ultimately be reduced to their ability to destroy Russian forces in built-up areas,” said Jacobs, who survived the city battles as an officer in the Vietnam War.

NBC News reported earlier that Russian troops have already begun shelling Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.

Sanctions against Russia are not broad or deep enough, said the former finance minister of Ukraine

Western sanctions against Russia have not been strong enough, according to Natalie Jaresco, a former Ukrainian finance minister.

“The sanctions are not deep enough and not wide enough,” she told CNBC’s Squawk Box Asia on Wednesday.

She suggested that all Russian and Belarusian state-owned banks be sanctioned, not just elected.

“We have done a very good job with the Central Bank of Russia – so I think we see the reaction we are seeing – but I think we need to move beyond that to energy companies,” said Jaresco, who is now executive director of the Financial Supervision and Management Council. of Puerto Rico.

“We need to stop financing the war,” she said, citing millions of dollars worth of goods imported from Russia, Britain and Europe.

“This money directly or indirectly finances the bombs that fall on the heads of every Ukrainian today,” she said.

The sanctions are intended to persuade Russia’s people, including the elite, to make President Vladimir Putin stop the war, she added.

“He controls it, he can stop it,” she said.

– Abigail Ng

Ukraine issues military bonds, raising about $ 270 million

The Ukrainian government raised about $ 270 million from military bonds it issued on Tuesday.

“The proceeds from the bonds will be used to meet the needs of Ukraine’s armed forces and to ensure the continued provision of the country’s financial needs during the war,” the Ukrainian Finance Ministry tweeted.

The Ministry of Finance of Ukraine said that the bonds have a yield of 11% with a maturity of one year.

Ukraine has tried to raise funds in a number of ways, such as accepting funds through crypto wallets as its conflict with Russia deepens.

“Weigen Tan, Christine Wang.”

The United States and its allies promise to make Putin’s military “useless”

Biden gathered allies on Tuesday night and praised the joint economic measures imposed on the economy of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“We are cutting off Russia’s largest banks from the international financial system,” Biden said. “Putin is now isolated from the world more than ever,” he added, referring to the retaliatory measures taken for the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine.

Biden said the United States and its allies were making “Putin’s $ 630 billion military fund useless” by preventing Russia’s central bank from defending the Russian ruble.

“We are stifling Russia’s access to technologies that will reduce its economic strength and weaken its military for years to come,” he added.

“Amanda Macias.”

Life in a bomb shelter in the Donetsk region

Residents remain in a bomb shelter after recent shelling in separatist-controlled settlements in Nikolaevka (Nikolaevka) and Bugas in the Donetsk region (DNR) of Ukraine on March 1st.

Residents remain in a bomb shelter after recent shelling of separatist-controlled settlements in Nikolaevka and Bugas in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on March 1, 2022.

Anatolian Agency Getty Images

Residents remain in a bomb shelter after recent shelling of separatist-controlled settlements in Nikolaevka and Bugas in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on March 1, 2022.

Anatolian Agency Getty Images

Residents remain in a bomb shelter after recent shelling of separatist-controlled settlements in Nikolaevka and Bugas in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on March 1, 2022.

Anatolian Agency Getty Images

Residents remain in a bomb shelter after recent shelling of separatist-controlled settlements in Nikolaevka and Bugas in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on March 1, 2022.

Anatolian Agency Getty Images

Residents remain in a bomb shelter after recent shelling of separatist-controlled settlements in Nikolaevka and Bugas in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on March 1, 2022.

Anatolian Agency Getty Images

Oil prices are rising; battles could become more destructive as Russians bomb cities Read More »

Ukraine: Joe Manchin criticizes “hypocritical” White House for buying 500,000 Russian oil barrels a day

Latest News / By

Joe Manchin raids the “hypocritical” White House to buy 500,000 Russian oil barrels a day, while Putin uses “energy bombs” and urges the United States to increase domestic production

  • West Virginia Democrat called Russian oil imports “hypocritical” after invading Ukraine
  • He said Russian President Putin was using energy as a “weapon”.
  • Other sanctions cut Russian banks off the global financial system
  • The United States imports Russian oil into American refineries, although it is the world’s largest oil exporter
  • Manchin has long argued for energy from his own country
  • The White House says the market determines “where it gets raw or refined products”, but does not rule out action

from Jeff Earl, US Deputy Political Editor for Dailymail.com

Published: 20:17 GMT, March 1, 2022 | Updated: 21:23 GMT, March 1, 2022

west Virginia Senator Joe Manchin urges Biden administration to take even tougher action to punish Russia by banning its oil imports amid its invasion of Ukraine

Manchin, a democrat who presides Senate The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources said it was hypocritical to ask other countries to do “what we can do for ourselves” – and asked the administration to stop imports, which it said exceeded 500,000 barrels a day of oil and other Petrol products.

“It is hypocritical to keep asking other countries to do what we can do for ourselves in a cleaner way. “It is pointless to continue to rely on Russian energy while attacking Ukraine,” Manchin said.

“It simply came to our notice then Vladimir Putin uses energy as a weapon in an attempt to blackmail and coerce our European allies. “While the Americans condemn what is happening in Ukraine, the United States continues to allow imports of more than half a million barrels a day of crude oil and other petroleum products from Russia during this time of war,” the senator said in a statement Monday.

Senator Joe Manchin (DW.Va.) called

Senator Joe Manchin (DW.Va.) called “hypocritical” to continue importing Russian oil and gas after its invasion of Ukraine

His pressure came when the United States and European allies announced a series of sanctions aimed at targeting Russia’s financial sector and punishing Putin and his inner circle.

However, others, including former national security aide Dr. Fiona Hill, have called on nations and individual companies to suspend all business with Russia to avoid fostering its conquest of its neighbor through purchases of goods and other trade.

Manchin, whose resistance helped Biden stop Biden’s $ 1.8 trillion Build Better plan, has long advocated for his country’s coal-based energy resources.

He said that the continuation of imports from Russia makes no sense and poses a clear and current threat to the energy security of our nation. The United States can and must increase domestic energy production and increase access to our abundant resources and technologies to protect its energy independence and support our allies around the world.

Manchin called for blocking Russian oil and gas exports to the United States

Manchin called for blocking Russian oil and gas exports to the United States

Although the world's largest energy producer, the United States imports oil and gas from Russia and other countries for its refineries and other purposes.

Although the world’s largest energy producer, the United States imports oil and gas from Russia and other countries for its refineries and other purposes.

President Joe Biden will address inflation in his address on the state of the Union

President Joe Biden will address inflation in his address on the state of the Union

Locals load sandbags on a truck to protect the city, Odessa, southern Ukraine. Sandbags for the protection of the city, prepared in Odessa, Ukraine

Locals load sandbags on a truck to protect the city, Odessa, southern Ukraine. Sandbags for the protection of the city, prepared in Odessa, Ukraine

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told the White House on Monday that “all options are on the table” but would not predict whether the United States would join Canada in banning Russian oil and gas. She read a long description of the state of the game.

“As far as Russian gas is concerned, the US government does not dictate where the US market sells our own oil and gas products, or where it acquires raw materials or refined products for domestic consumption. It all depends on the private sector, with the exception of countries under sanctions, she said.

“So American refineries, which currently import Russian products, are largely inherited refineries used in Hawaii and Alaska for certain supplies due to geography; and imports into the Persian Gulf of both some refined products and raw crude, as Gulf refineries mix supplies of raw to meet the needs of their specific refinery projects, ”she added. She said the United States welcomes private companies that have made their own statements and does not rule out further action.

Although the United States is the world’s largest exporter of oil, it imports about 672,000 barrels a day of oil and refined products from Russia, according to Wall Street Journal.

Gulf refineries are not connected to the east or west coast by pipelines, and refineries need certain types of crude oil. U.S. law also limits the size of cargo ships between U.S. ports.

The United States and its allies in the International Energy Agency (IEA) agreed on Tuesday to launch 60 million barrels of oil to try to stem rising prices.

Amid calls for action on Russian oil and gas, President Joe Biden must also fight rising inflation – with oil affecting prices in general – as well as his own commitments to use more green energy and reduce fossils. fuels.

Advertising

Ukraine: Joe Manchin criticizes “hypocritical” White House for buying 500,000 Russian oil barrels a day Read More »

The economic dangers of the Russian invasion are spreading around the world

Business News / By

WASHINGTON (AP) – Moscow’s war against Ukraine and the fierce financial reaction it unleashed not only caused an economic catastrophe for President Vladimir Putin’s Russia. The consequences also threaten the global economy, shake up financial markets and make life more dangerous for everyone from Uzbek migrant workers to European consumers to hungry Yemeni families.

Even before Putin’s troops invaded Ukraine, the world economy was strained under a number of burdens: rising inflation. Intricate supply chains. Falling stock prices.

The crisis in Ukraine has simultaneously increased any threat and complicated potential solutions.

“We’re actually in unexplored territory,” said Clay Lowry, executive vice president of the Institute of International Finance, a trade group of global banks. “We know there are consequences we can’t foresee.”

At least for now, the damage to the overall global economy seems relatively minor, if only because Russia and Ukraine are not economically powerful centers. As important as exporters of energy, precious metals, wheat and other commodities are, they together account for less than 2% of the world’s gross domestic product. Most large economies have only limited trade exposure to Russia: for the United States, this is 0.5% of total trade. For China about 2.4%.

With the exception of a major escalation of the war – far from impossible – “the effects on the United States, China and much of the emerging world must be limited,” said Adam Slater, a leading economist at Oxford Economics. He predicts only a 0.2% drop in world GDP this year.

However, Russia is a vital supplier of oil, natural gas and metals, and higher prices for these goods are sure to cause economic damage around the world. Europe relies on Russia for nearly 40% of its natural gas and 25% of its oil. For the European continent, Russia’s war has significantly increased the likelihood of rapid inflation, another economic crisis – or both.

Here’s a deeper look:

___

ECONOMIC SIEGE

Enraged by Putin’s aggression, the United States and other Western nations have turned to Russia with unprecedentedly broad and severe sanctions on a major economy. They have expelled major Russian banks from the international payment system SWIFT, restricted high-tech exports to Russia and severely restricted Moscow’s use of its foreign exchange reserves.

The rapid and united international revenge against Russia seems to surprise the Putin regime.

“The world – or most of it – is putting an economic siege on Russia,” wrote Karl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics.

The sanctions quickly damaged. The Russian ruble fell to a record low on Monday. Depositors lined up in front of ATMs to try to withdraw their money from the troubled banking system. Detached from Google Pay and Apple Pay, the Russians were stuck in the ticket booths of the subway railways.

The Institute of International Finance predicts that the Russian economy will double-digit this year, even worse than its 7.8% decline in the year of the Great Recession in 2009.

Oxford Economics said evidence of wars ranging from the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-1988 to NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999 suggests a staggering 50% to 60% collapse in the Russian economy.

___

DIFFICULT TIMES FOR EUROPE

Due to its dependence on energy from Russia, the European economy is now particularly threatened.

Natural gas prices have risen by 20% since the start of the war, in addition to earlier increases, and are now approximately six times higher than in early 2021. The gas price shock fuels higher inflation and the increase in utility bills. As a result, households have less money to spend, and hopes of a jump in consumer spending as a result of fewer pandemic restrictions and COVID-19 cases have diminished.

Rising gas prices have triggered what economists call “demand-wasting” among industrial enterprises, such as fertilizer producers who use a lot of gas and have now reduced production. Farmers pay more to drive machinery and buy manure. Germany’s economy, which fell 0.7% in the fourth quarter of 2021, will face a technical recession if it shrinks again in the first three months of 2022.

The economic downturn can be offset by an increase in German defense spending. In response to the Russian invasion, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the government would allocate 100 billion euros ($ 111 billion) to a special fund for its armed forces and increase defense spending by more than 2% of GDP.

“The impact of higher prices and the negative impact of confidence could reduce real GDP growth in the euro area from 4.3% to 3.7% in 2022,” said Holger Schmiding, chief economist at Berenberg bank.

___

NO RELIEF ON THE SUPPLY CHAIN

The unexpectedly stable recovery of the world from the pandemic recession has forced companies to struggle to find enough raw materials and components to produce goods to meet growing customer demand. Congested factories, ports and freight plants mean shortages, delays in deliveries and higher prices. Interruptions in Russian and Ukrainian industry may delay any return to normal.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, noted that Russia and Ukraine together produce 70% of the world’s neon, which is important in semiconductor production. This is particularly worrying because the world, and in particular car manufacturers, are already experiencing a shortage of computer chips.

When Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine eight years ago, neon prices jumped 600 percent, although Zandi noted that since then, chipmakers have stored neon and sought alternatives to Russian supplies.

Russia and Ukraine together supply 13% of the world’s titanium, which is used to make passenger planes, and 30% of palladium, which goes to cars, cell phones and dental fillings, Zandi said. Russia is also a major producer of nickel, used to make batteries for electric cars and steel.

“It’s impossible to catch up,” said Vanessa Miller, a partner at Foley & Lardner LLP, which specializes in supply chains.

___

QUALITY PROBLEM

Conflict and sanctions will also damage Russia’s neighbors in Central Asia. As its own workforce grows older, Russia has turned to younger migrant workers from countries such as Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The families of these workers began to rely on the money they sent home – remittances.

Even in the midst of COVID-19 in 2020, remittances from Russia to Uzbekistan exceeded $ 3.9 billion and to Kyrgyzstan $ 2 billion, according to Russia’s central bank.

“The pressure on the ruble, bank restrictions on foreigners and – in the long run – the collapse of Russia’s labor market will have an immediate and profound economic impact on Central Asia,” Gavin Helf, a Central Asia expert at the US Peace Institute, wrote this week. .

___

DIRECTION OF FOOD SUPPLIES

Ukraine and Russia account for 30% of world exports of wheat, 19% of corn and 80% of sunflower oil, which is used in the food industry. Much of the Russian and Ukrainian awards go to poor, volatile countries such as Yemen and Libya.

The threat to farms in eastern Ukraine and the disruption of exports through Black Sea ports could reduce food supplies just when prices are at their highest levels since 2011 and some countries are suffering from food shortages.

Anna Nagarney, a professor of management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, described the consequences as “extremely worrying”.

“Wheat, corn, oil, barley, flour are extremely important for food security,” Nagarney said, “especially in the poorer parts of the globe.”

With closed ports, airports and railways, and young Ukrainians battling the Russian invasion, she asked, “Who will harvest? Who will do the transport? “

___

GROWING PRICES

The war in Ukraine coincides with a high-risk moment for the Federal Reserve and other central banks. They have been caught unprepared by the rise in inflation over the past year, largely as a result of the unexpectedly strong economic recovery.

In January, consumer prices in the US rose 7.5% from a year earlier, the biggest such jump since 1982. In Europe, Wednesday’s data is likely to show that inflation accelerated to 6% last month from 5.1 % in January for the 19 countries that use the euro.

Now the fighting and sanctions, which have disrupted Russia’s trade with the global economy, threaten to raise prices, especially energy: Russia and Ukraine, Zandi said, together produce 12% of world oil and 17% of natural gas.

To fight inflation, the Fed will start raising interest rates when it comes together in two weeks, reversing the ultra-low interest rate policies it adopted in 2020 to help save the economy from a pandemic recession. Similarly, the European Central Bank is gradually withdrawing its efforts to stimulate the pandemic.

But now? Central bankers must assess the growing inflationary pressures against the risk of the crisis in Ukraine weakening economies. In Europe so far, “there are no hints of rising interest rates,” said Carsten Brzeski, head of global macros at ING Bank.

Yet the Fed, rudely accused of slowly acknowledging the resurgence of inflation, may continue to deviate from easy money policies.

With the exception of a stock market crash or an expansion of the war outside Ukraine, Zandi said: “I do not expect any change in the Fed’s monetary policy as a result of the economic crossroads created by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

____

McHugh reported from Frankfurt, Germany. AP New York writer Ken Sweet contributed to this report.

The economic dangers of the Russian invasion are spreading around the world Read More »

Texas launches investigation into parents of trans children for child abuse, starting with agency employee

Latest News / By

Texas Employees of the Child Protection Agency have launched an investigation into the parents of transgender children for possible allegations of child abuse, including one of the agency’s own employees who has a 16-year-old trans daughter.

republican Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the U.S. Department of Family and Welfare Services to investigate reports of “gender reassignment procedures” such as anti-puberty drugs last Tuesday.

This came a day after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is also a Republican, issued a statement declaring such proceedings to be child abuse under existing Texas law.

One of the agency’s employees, who has a transgender daughter, was visited by agency staff on Friday, according to a lawsuit filed on behalf of the woman identified as Jane Doe by the American Civil Liberties Union in Texas and LGBTQ Lambda Legal Civil Rights Group.

Texas Child Protection Agency officials have begun investigating parents of transgender children for possible allegations of child abuse under an order issued last week by Gov. Greg Abbott

Texas Child Protection Agency officials have begun investigating parents of transgender children for possible allegations of child abuse under an order issued last week by Gov. Greg Abbott

One of the agency's employees, who has a transgender daughter, was among the first to be investigated. A group of health workers protested against the governor's order in the state Capitol building on Tuesday.

One of the agency’s employees, who has a transgender daughter, was among the first to be investigated. A group of health workers protested against the governor’s order in the state Capitol building on Tuesday.

Since then, the employee has filed a lawsuit in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union in Texas and the LGBTQ civil rights group Lambda Legal.

Since then, the employee has filed a lawsuit in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union in Texas and the LGBTQ civil rights group Lambda Legal.

The court aims to block the agency's request for medical records and challenge the constitutionality of the governor's order.

The court aims to block the agency’s request for medical records and challenge the constitutionality of the governor’s order.

The abuse and negligence report was taken on administrative leave the day after Abbott’s order and has since been asked by agency officials to submit medical records related to her child, who was identified in the case as Mary. Doe.

The court aims to block the agency’s request for medical records and challenge the constitutionality of both the investigation and the governor’s order.

“We are appalled by Mary’s health and well-being, as well as our family,” Jane Doe said in a statement filed with the case. “I feel betrayed by my country and the agency I work for. Not providing Mary with the medical care she needs is not an option for us. “

Jane Doe, who refused to voluntarily hand over her daughter’s medical records, spoke to her DFPS chief the day after Abbott issued his order, the lawsuit said. It is unclear whether she disclosed any information about her transgender child, but she was released on administrative leave the same day.

“The issuance of Paxton’s opinion and Abbott’s letter, together with their implementation by the DFPS, terrorized Dow’s family and caused permanent and irreparable damage,” the lawsuit said.

Mary Doe has long been in the care of Dr. Megan Mooney, a licensed psychologist in Houston, who is also a plaintiff in the case, the document said.

Mooney diagnosed Mary with sexual dysphoria and referred the family to other medical professionals, who confirmed the diagnosis, according to the case.

54823957 10565979 image a 14 1646170809698

Transgender advocacy groups protest governor’s order at Texas Capitol building Tuesday

A group of defenders were spotted protesting in support of transgender children

A group of defenders were spotted protesting in support of transgender children

Sexual dysphoria is referred to in the Manual of Diagnosis and Statistics of Mental Disorders as someone’s “pronounced discrepancy between their experienced or expressed sex and that which was determined at birth.”

It can lead to “symptoms of depression and anxiety, substance use disorders, a negative feeling of well-being and low self-esteem and an increased risk of self-harm and suicide” and can be treated with psychiatric support, hormone therapy and surgery. from the individual case and the needs of the patient “, according to the National Center for Biotechnological Information.

Following Mary’s diagnosis, her doctors recommended that she receive medical treatment, which includes prescription drugs to delay puberty and hormone therapy, “to start puberty according to her female gender,” the trial said.

“Mary was worried that she would have to go through puberty, which would lead to permanent physical characteristics that did not correspond to her female gender. “Jane and John are watching the prospect of this puberty cause Mary serious suffering and exacerbate her dysphoria,” the trial said.

“The ability to be confirmed as what it is, including through the course of treatment prescribed by her doctors, has brought Mary considerable relief and allowed her to thrive,” it added.

Abbott issued the order in a letter Tuesday to the Texas Department of Family and Welfare Services

Abbott issued the order in a letter Tuesday to the Texas Department of Family and Welfare Services

Abbott wrote in his letter that “it is now illegal to subject children in Texas to a wide variety of optional gender reassignment procedures, including relocation surgeries that can cause sterilization, mastectomy, removal of otherwise healthy body parts and application. of puberty – blocking drugs or supraphysiological doses of testosterone or estrogen. ‘

The order requires the DFPS to “conduct a swift and thorough investigation into all reported cases of these abuses.”

The letter notes that doctors, nurses and teachers are authorized reporters who must report alleged child abuse, not to mention that there are “criminal sanctions for not reporting such violence against children.”

It is unclear whether Abbott’s order will remain under judicial scrutiny, and some Texas prosecutors have already rejected the idea of ​​prosecuting child abuse cases against parents, while government agencies have remained largely silent on how to interpret the new guidelines.

Legislation has been introduced in more than 20 states to ban gender-based procedures for teenagers, according to New York Times. However, no such bills have passed their respective legislative sessions, including one in Texas that seeks to redefine violence against children to include gender-sensitive treatment for transgender children.

Last summer, Abbott ordered the state protection agency to investigate whether such medical procedures would constitute violence against children.

Around the same time, the agency succumbed to pressure from one of Abbott’s main Republican opponents, Don Huffins, by removing a list of LGBTQ resources and a suicide prevention hotline from its website.

exas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is also a Republican, issued a statement last week declaring that some transition procedures are child abuse under existing Texas law

exas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is also a Republican, issued a statement last week declaring that some transition procedures are child abuse under existing Texas law

The move, first announced by Houston Chroniclecame when Huffines attacked the governor online for “promoting transgender sexual policies among young people in Texas.”

Adri Perez, a political strategist for the ACLU in Texas, accused the governor and the attorney general of issuing their statements about transgender children in order to yield to their party before the upcoming primary.

“No family should be afraid of being torn apart because they support their trance child,” Perez told the New York Times. “One week before the election, Governor Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton launched a guerrilla political attack that is not rooted in the needs of families.”

Paul Castillo, a senior adviser at Lambda Legal, told the New York Times that the two Republicans “are joining a politically motivated disinformation campaign without regard to medical science and appear determined to criminalize parents who seek care and care.” provide for their children.

He added: “Gender-promoting care for the treatment of sexual dysphoria is medically necessary care, period.”

The case cites a number of advocacy groups for children who have spoken out against the governor’s order, including Prevent Child Abuse America, which said in a statement that “providing the necessary and adequate medical care to your child is not violence against children.”

“Therefore, PCA America opposes legislation and laws that would deny access to health care to any child, regardless of their gender identity. “Such laws threaten the safety and security of the most vulnerable citizens of our nation – children and young people,” the statement added.

The Biden administration has also reacted vehemently to the Texas order, calling a White House spokesman unnecessary and dangerous.

“Conservative officials in Texas and other states across the country must stop engaging in health care decisions that create unnecessary tension between pediatricians and their patients,” White House Chief of Staff Karin Jean-Pierre told Dallas Morning News.

“No parent should face the agony of a politician who hinders access to life-saving care for their child,” added Jean-Pierre.

Admiral Rachel L. Levine, a transgender woman who is Biden’s assistant secretary of health, also denied Abbott’s move.

“Leading pediatricians in our nation support evidence-based care for transgender young people who are gender-sensitive. The HHS supports transgender youth and their health care providers, “Levine told Morning News.

The movements of the officials were praised by other Texas groups. “Minors are forbidden to buy paint, cigarettes, alcohol or even get a tattoo. “We can’t allow minors or their parents to make life-changing decisions about mutilation procedures and irreversible hormonal treatments,” Jonathan Covey, Texas Values’ political director, told the New York Times last week.

And Abbott’s Republican allies in the Texas legislature praised his move. “This (Paxton) opinion means nothing if it is not necessary,” Republican Republican Representative Matt Schaefer told the head of state.

“The truth is, however, that we need a special session immediately to look into this, now that we have the support of the Attorney General’s office. We will not back down from this – this is a hill where we are ready to die, “he added.

Texas launches investigation into parents of trans children for child abuse, starting with agency employee Read More »

Kanye West seemingly confirms his romance with Cheney Jones in a new Instagram post

Entertainment News / By
Kanye West, Cheney Jones

Kanye West, Cheney Jones

mega

Kanye West is seemingly becoming official on Instagram with his latest flame!

IN Donda The 44-year-old rapper shared a screenshot from The Shade Room on his Instagram on Tuesday, which includes a recent paparazzi photo with Cheney Jones and a caption that reads: “It looks like #Ye and his new #ChaneyJones boom are getting stronger.

The photo shows West with the 24-year-old model while looking to shop.

In his own caption, West simply uses black emoji hearts.

RELATED: Cheney Jones shares a favorite photo with hearing boyfriend Kanye West

RELATED: Kanye West and Cheney Jones spotted shopping together at Ball Harbor in Miami

In addition to the heart in his own Instagram, West added black heart emojis to the comment section of The Shade Room’s post; and Jones wrote “My Love” with emojis with a black heart and emojis with crossed thumbs.

Last Thursday, West was spotted shopping with Jones at Ball Harbor in Miami while in the area to perform his latest album. Donda 2.

RELATED VIDEO: Kanye West’s social media publishes “Create emotional stress” for Kim Kardashian

Never miss a story – sign up PEOPLEis a free daily newsletter stay up to date with the best of what PEOPLE have to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling stories of human interest.

The photo, which the Grammy winner re-released on Tuesday, shows the couple wearing slightly different clothes from the time they were spotted last week.

On Monday, Jones showed West a little more love on his own Instagram account by adding a photo to his story with the music star along with black-hearted emojis.

In the photo, the couple was all in black, with Jones wearing a classic tank top and sunglasses and West wearing a leather jacket. It was the same outfit seen in the photo published by West a day later.

The musician, who is currently involved in divorce proceedings with his expropriated wife Kim Kardashian, was also recently linked to Uncut gemstones actress Julia Fox.

West and Fox withdrew last month. On Valentine’s Day, a representative of the actress confirmed to PEOPLE in a statement: “Julia and Kanye remain good friends and collaborators, but they are no longer together.”

Kanye West seemingly confirms his romance with Cheney Jones in a new Instagram post Read More »

Former UFC heavyweight champion Kane Velazquez arrested for attempted murder

Sports News / By

Former UFC heavyweight champion Kane Velazquez has been arrested for trying to shoot a man accused of harassing one of the fighter’s close relatives, it became clear on Tuesday.

Velázquez was aiming to shoot Harry Eugene Goularte when he opened fire on a car occupied by Goularte and two others on Monday, according to The Denver Post.

Instead, the bullet is said to have struck Goularte’s stepfather.

Goularte, 43, was charged Friday with fornication and lewd acts with a child under the age of 14, the newspaper reported.

Goularte’s prosecutor is a relative of Velazquez, the newspaper said, citing court records and sources. The child was abused by Gularte at his mother’s day center, where the suspect also lived, according to the report.

The alleged sex abuser was released under supervision, despite the objections of California prosecutors, the newspaper writes.

Cain Velázquez tried to shoot Harry Eugene Goularte, but instead opened fire on Goularte's stepfather.
Cain Velázquez tried to shoot Harry Eugene Goularte, but instead opened fire on Goularte’s stepfather.
Julie Jacobson

Velazquez, 39, is charged with attempted murder. The man he shot was expected to survive, police said as they released a photo of the retired MMA fighter looking smug and content.

Velazquez was held behind bars without bail and was reportedly due on Wednesday.

“We’re all fighters and I know what you see on TV is that we beat people,” said Amador Rosales, a fighter at the American Kickboxing Academy, the gym where the Mexican trains and trains.

The man shot by Cain Velasque, Goularte's stepfather, is expected to survive as the former UFC fighter was held behind bars without bail.
The man shot by Cain Velasque, Goularte’s stepfather, is expected to survive as the former UFC fighter was held behind bars without bail.
Josh Hedges / Zuffa LLC

“But we are humble,” and Cain Velázquez has always been a humble man, in defeat and victory. I’ve never seen him here in my whole life, to faint ever – not once hysterical, nothing. He is not an angry man at all. “

Former UFC heavyweight champion Kane Velazquez arrested for attempted murder Read More »

Americans Deported from Ukraine by Lieutenant Commander Serving in Iraq and Afghanistan While Russia Invaded

Latest News / By

The Road to Hell: A lieutenant commander who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan takes Americans out of Ukraine while air raid sirens ring

  • Brian Stern has so far organized six buses to leave Ukraine, carrying mostly American citizens
  • Stern is a veteran of the U.S. Army and Navy who has served in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
  • He created Project Dynamo in August 2021 while overseeing the catastrophic evacuation from Afghanistan
  • The State Department told the Americans that it would not come to save them from Ukraine
  • On February 10, Biden warned that the Americans should leave Ukraine, but many remained
  • A spokesman for Project Dynamo said efforts were slowing and hampered by air strikes
  • Three buses are now leaving Ukraine; three others have already left the area

from Jennifer Smith, chief reporter for Dailymail.Com

Published: 21:24 GMT, March 1, 2022 | Updated: 9:54 PM GMT, March 1, 2022

Advertising

Project Dynamo founder Brian Stern, carrying the American passports of those from the group that evacuated this week

Project Dynamo founder Brian Stern, carrying the American passports of those from the group that evacuated this week

A lieutenant commander who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan for the navy and army has brought more Americans out of war-torn Ukraine today and is scheduled to return to the conflict zone to learn more this week.

Brian Stern is taking Americans out of Ukrainian cities last Friday, a day after Putin launched his first attack on Ukraine with donor-funded Project Dynamo.

He has taken out at least 60 people since then. Three more buses are due to leave today. The groups drive 18 hours from Kyiv and other cities to the Romanian border, where they then cross and plan their next move.

Photos and videos provided to the DailyMail.com by the group show them leaving Kyiv with Stern carrying a stack of US passports.

They are taking quieter routes to Romania to try to avoid becoming a target on the road to Russian air strikes.

The group has received 2,000 evacuation requests since Russia invaded last week.

That number includes several hundred Americans and their families, but it also includes foreigners who have no way out.

In Ukraine, it is almost impossible to get to cars, let alone gas. Trains are full and often stop or cancel at the last minute.

The International Committee of the Red Cross estimates that 500,000 people have already fled the country to escape the war, and that hundreds more could go.

The Americans were among those evacuated from Ukraine by Project Dynamo today. The group has already evacuated six buses with people

The Americans were among those evacuated from Ukraine by Project Dynamo today. The group has already evacuated six buses with people

Some of those waiting to be rescued on Tuesday had to take shelter during an air strike, according to the group's organizers. They will now drive 18 hours to the Romanian border

Some of those waiting to be rescued on Tuesday had to take shelter during an air strike, according to the group’s organizers. They will now drive 18 hours to the Romanian border

The group also accepts requests from non-Americans who need help to escape from a war-torn country. The group also accepts requests from non-Americans who need help to escape from a war-torn country.

The group also accepts requests from non-Americans who need help to escape from a war-torn country.

Once the group reaches the Romanian border, they will have to make their own measures to return to America. Once the group reaches the Romanian border, they will have to make their own measures to return to America.

Once the group reaches the Romanian border, they will have to make their own measures to return to America.

As they drove through Ukraine on Monday, the group observed Ukrainians trying to bolster their homes and businesses with sandbags.

As they drove through Ukraine on Monday, the group observed Ukrainians trying to bolster their homes and businesses with sandbags.

The group now has an 18-hour drive to reach the Romanian border, after which they must find their own way back to the United States - if they want to.

The group now has an 18-hour drive to reach the Romanian border, after which they must find their own way back to the United States – if they want to.

Stern filmed air strike as he and the group left Kyiv earlier this week in one of their six evacuations

Stern filmed air strike as he and the group left Kyiv earlier this week in one of their six evacuations

Stern with part of the group as they left Ukraine yesterday. He said he could not watch helplessly as Americans needed help in the region

Stern with part of the group as they left Ukraine yesterday. He said he could not watch helplessly as Americans needed help in the region

The latest group of American evacuees includes a pastor from Alabama, dogs and cats. In some of the videos, Stern tries to talk about air raid sirens.

Once the groups reach the border, they should try to return to the United States or other European countries.

It is unclear what everyone in the region was doing when the fighting broke out. It is estimated that 23,000 Americans live in Ukraine.

“We are working to save people as quickly as possible and we will have a few more busy buses in the next few hours,” said James Judge, a spokesman for Project DYNAMO.

“Attacks by Russian forces have delayed transport routes and civilians waiting to be rescued had to be sheltered during those attacks.

“We continue to conduct and plan rescue operations between these attacks, while bringing in additional team members to set up reception points in neighboring countries.”

Stern and his group rely on donations that can be made on their website here.

Advertising

Americans Deported from Ukraine by Lieutenant Commander Serving in Iraq and Afghanistan While Russia Invaded Read More »

Russia aims to wipe us out, Ukraine’s Zelensky said on the 7th day of the war

Latest News / By

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky poses after an interview with Reuters in Kyiv, Ukraine, March 1, 2022. REUTERS / Umit Bektas

LVIV, Ukraine, March 2 – Russia is seeking to wipe out Ukraine, its history and people, President Vladimir Zelensky said in a video Wednesday as the seventh day of Moscow’s invasion of its neighbor began with heavy shelling of Mariupol’s Black Sea port. .

Moscow turned to strikes on Ukrainian cities on Tuesday and seemed ready to advance against Kyiv as the West tightened the economic noose around Russia in retaliation. Read more

But Zelensky, unshaven and wearing a khaki T-shirt, said the West’s response was not enough, calling for more international support, including support for Ukraine’s bid to join the European Union.

“This is not the time to be neutral,” said Zelensky, whose provocative and emotional tone in regular video addresses offered his country support and leadership in the war, which he said killed nearly 6,000 Russian soldiers so far.

Referring to Tuesday’s shelling in Kyiv near Babin Yar, the site of the World War II massacre of tens of thousands of Jews by German occupation forces and Ukrainian aides, Zelensky said: “This strike proves that for many people in Russia, our Kyiv is absolutely alien ”.

“They know nothing about Kyiv, about our history. But everyone has an order to erase our history, to erase our country, to erase us all. “

The port of Mariupol in Ukraine’s southeastern Sea of ​​Azov has come under constant fire and could not evacuate the wounded while Kherson, west of the Black Sea, was completely surrounded by invading Russian forces, local authorities said on Wednesday.

“We all died again at Babin Yar. “Although the world has promised again and again that this will never happen again,” Zelenski said.

“Don’t you see what’s going on?” That is why it is very important for you, millions of Jews around the world, not to remain silent. Because Nazism is born in silence. Shout for the killing of civilians, shout for the murder of Ukrainians “

Report by Natalia Zinets and Pavel Polityuk, Written by Gabriela Bachinska, Edited by Andrew Havens and Philippa Fletcher

Our standards: ‘ principles of trust.

Russia aims to wipe us out, Ukraine’s Zelensky said on the 7th day of the war Read More »