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President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he was "so proud" that a women's health research initiative he launched last year at his wife's urging has already invested nearly $1 billion because a healthy female population improves U.S. prosperity. "That's a fact," he said in closing remarks at the first White House Conference on Women's Health Research. "We haven't gotten that through to the other team yet," Biden said, referencing President-elect Donald Trump and his incoming administration. Trump's three conservative nominees to the Supreme Court from his first term as president voted to overturn a woman's constitutional right to an abortion. Democrats campaigned on reproductive rights and women's health issues in this year's elections. Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump's transition team, said the president-elect would keep his promise to improve health in the U.S. "President Trump campaigned on making America healthy again for ALL Americans including men, women, and children, and he will deliver on that promise," Leavitt said in an email. Women make up half of the U.S. population, about 168 million people, but medical research into their unique health circumstances has largely been underfunded and understudied, officials have said. First lady Jill Biden has said she brought the idea for the White House Initiative on Women's Health Research to the president after Maria Shriver, herself a women's health advocate and member of the influential Kennedy political family, brought it to her. The first lady told the researchers, advocates, and business and philanthropic leaders attending the conference that she would keep pressing the issue. "My work doesn't stop in January when Joe and I leave this house," she said. "I will keep building alliances, like the ones that brought us here today, and I will keep pushing for funding for innovative research." Jill Biden said the U.S. economy loses about $1.8 billion in working time every year because of how menopause affects women. And she is interested in learning more about extreme morning sickness during pregnancy. "I heard this a couple weeks ago and I was particularly interested because my own granddaughter was going through the same thing, because we're going to be great-grandparents," Jill Biden said. Granddaughter Naomi Biden Neal and her husband, Peter Neal, are expecting their first child. Since its launch, the women's health research initiative has attracted nearly $1 billion in federal funding, including from the Defense Department and National Institutes of Health. "In one year, everybody in this room kicked butt," Shriver said at the conference. "Not until the Bidens did anyone ever think to make women's health and research a priority for the federal government, so let that sink in." President Biden closed the conference with a nod to the influence of his wife, who, after her remarks, sat in the front row beside their daughter, Ashley Biden, who runs a women's shelter in Philadelphia. 'You stepped up, kid," Biden told the first lady. Then he told the audience, "In case you wonder, when she speaks, I listen."Poulin scores game winner as Montreal Victoire hold off Minnesota FrostPlayers must be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female before going through male puberty to compete in LPGA tournaments or the eight USGA championships for females under new gender policies published Wednesday. The policies, which begin in 2025, follow more than a year of study involving medicine, science, sport physiology and gender policy law. The updated policies would rule out eligibility for Hailey Davidson, who missed qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open this year by one shot and came up short in LPGA Q-school. Davidson, who turned 32 on Tuesday, began hormone treatments when she was in her early 20s in 2015 and in 2021 underwent gender-affirming surgery, which was required under the LPGA's previous gender policy. She had won this year on a Florida mini-tour called NXXT Golf until the circuit announced in March that players had to be assigned female at birth. “Can't say I didn't see this coming,” Davidson wrote Wednesday on an Instagram story. “Banned from the Epson and the LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.” By making it to the second stage of Q-school, Davidson would have had very limited status on the Epson Tour, the pathway to the LPGA. The LPGA and USGA say their policies were geared toward being inclusive of gender identities and expression while striving for equity in competition. The LPGA said its working group of experts advised that the effects of male puberty allowed for competitive advantages in golf compared with players who had not gone through puberty. “Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who announced Monday that she is resigning in January. "The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.” Mike Whan, the former LPGA commissioner and now CEO of the USGA, said it developed the updated policy independently and later discovered it was similar to those used by swimming, track and field, and other sports. “It starts with competitive fairness as the North star,” Whan said in a telephone interview. “We tried not to get into politics, or state by state or any of that stuff. We just simply said, ‘Where would somebody — at least medically today — where do we believe somebody would have a competitive advantage in the field?’ And we needed to draw a line. “We needed to be able to walk into any women's event and say with confidence that nobody here has a competitive advantage based on their gender. And this policy delivers that.” The “Competitive Fairness Gender Policy” for the USGA takes effect for the 2025 championship season that starts with the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball on May 10-14. Qualifying began late this year, though there were no transgender players who took part. “Will that change in the years to come as medicine changes? Probably,” Whan said. “But I think today this stacks up.” The LPGA “Gender Policy for Competition Eligibility” would apply to the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour and qualifying for the tours. Players assigned male at birth must prove they have not experienced any part of puberty beyond the first stage or after age 12, whichever comes first, and then meet limitation standards for testosterone levels. The LPGA begins its 75th season on Jan. 30 with the Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida.Home builders are defying the Building Commission’s orders at an alarming rate
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NEW YORK (AP) — Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa scored 27 points as Columbia beat Fairfield 85-72 on Saturday night. De La Rosa shot 8 of 15 from the field, including 5 for 11 from 3-point range, and went 6 for 6 from the line for the Lions (11-1). Avery Brown shot 5 of 8 from the field and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line to add 16 points. Kenny Noland went 5 of 12 from the field (3 for 7 from 3-point range) to finish with 15 points. The Stags (5-8, 1-1 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) were led by Louis Bleechmore, who recorded 12 points. Fairfield also got 12 points and seven assists from Jamie Bergens. Deon Perry had 12 points and five assists. Columbia's next game is Monday against Rutgers on the road, and Fairfield visits Merrimack on Friday. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by and data from . The Associated PressNebraska's Dylan Raiola talks key late hit on day he sets school freshman season passing mark
Mono Next Plc (MONO) is considering legal action against the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), saying the bourse's announcement on Dec 3 about MONO's irregular trading caused unnecessary panic among investors and affected its share price. Navamin Prasopnet, acting chief executive of the media and content firm, clarified that the changes in the trading conditions of its ordinary shares are based on external factors and circumstances beyond the company's control. MONO considers the SET's actions to be excessive and lacking appropriate consideration of their impact on both investors and the company, he said. The company is considering exercising its legal rights regarding actions that caused damage to the company and its shareholders in order to protect their interests, Mr Navamin reported via the SET website yesterday. The SET on Tuesday announced that MONO is subject to Level 1 trading control measures from Nov 27 to Dec 17, 2024, as the bourse identified certain groups of individuals who may reasonably be believed to have acted in concert, engaging in substantial daily transactions of the shares. Mr Navamin said the investor warning caused unnecessary panic and disproportionate harm, adversely affecting the company's stock price and investor confidence in the company and its securities, without sufficient legal justification. "Should the SET possess clear evidence indicating violations of applicable laws, it is obligated to report such incidents to the Securities and Exchange Commission for further legal action," he said. Such warnings require a higher degree of caution because they may have a widespread impact on investors, said Mr Navamin. According to the SET's statement, MONO's share price and trading value soared daily for four business days until Dec 2, rising 31.5% since the trading control measures were implemented without any new material information during the period. The high turnover rate may indicate higher speculation, as the daily turnover percentage increased continuously from an average of 0.75% before the measures to 3.04%, noted the bourse. The SET identified a group of people trading roughly 15% of the total trading value each day, contributing to the upward price movement. The bourse said if the trading conditions of MONO securities are still abnormal without supporting fundamental factors, the stock will be upgraded from Level 1 control measures to Level 2, in accordance with market surveillance protocols. Level 1 trading control measures prohibit credit limit calculation and requires 100% cash payment for trading of such shares. Level 2 measures comprise the prohibition of net settlement, exclusion from credit limit calculation, a cash balance requirement and use of the auction-only trade method.
( MENAFN - GetNews) With Texas facing another potentially severe winter, the state's power grid is once again under scrutiny. In light of the catastrophic failures during Winter Storm Uri in 2021 and Hurricane Beryl this past summer, residents are increasingly adopting innovative energy solutions to safeguard against outages. Tesla Energy, in partnership with installation leader Vikta Energy, is spearheading efforts to bolster energy resilience and sustainability for Texas homes and businesses. Extreme weather events have become a recurring challenge in Texas. This past summer, Hurricane Beryl left Houston residents without power for nearly two weeks, exposing significant vulnerabilities in the state's unregulated energy grid. As forecasters predict harsh winter conditions, the need for dependable, self-reliant energy systems has never been more urgent. “Texans deserve the security of knowing their homes can weather any storm,” said Angela Zatopek, SVP of Strategic Partnerships at Vikta Energy.“With advanced solar and battery technologies, we can empower homeowners to take control of their power and safeguard their families in the face of grid failures.” Tesla's Role in Creating Resilient Energy Solutions Tesla Energy's suite of products, including the Tesla Solar Roof, Powerwall battery storage, and the Cybertruck Powershare, offers a clean and sustainable alternative to traditional energy sources. These solutions allow homeowners to generate, store, and manage their own electricity, reducing reliance on an often-unreliable grid. Houston residents now have access to Tesla Electric's Virtual Power Plant program, enabling them to sell excess energy back to the grid and contribute to a more stable energy ecosystem. Vikta Energy, Tesla's certified partner, ensures seamless installation and integration of these systems, bringing Tesla's vision of energy independence to life. Addressing Safety and Sustainability The Tesla Powerwall has proven to be a safer alternative to traditional generators, which can pose risks such as carbon monoxide poisoning. Following Hurricane Beryl, Houston saw a concerning rise in generator-related incidents, highlighting the critical need for reliable, non-polluting backup power solutions. The Powerwall provides uninterrupted power during outages, offering peace of mind to families across Texas. A Strategic Shift Toward Renewable Energy Investing in renewable energy is a growing trend among Texans, not only as a safeguard against outages but also as a means to reduce energy costs and environmental impact. Tesla's Solar Roofs and Powerwalls offer long-term solutions that prioritize sustainability and resilience. These systems align with Texas's push toward clean energy while addressing the challenges posed by climate change and infrastructure limitations. “Energy independence is no longer a luxury but a necessity for Texans,” Zatopek added.“We're proud to lead the charge in providing cutting-edge solutions that protect our communities and support a greener future.” MENAFN23122024003238003268ID1109025370 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.New Robotic Inventions Freak You Out! Bizarre Uses for Advanced Robots in 2023
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanian lawmakers on Monday voted narrowly in favor of a new pro-European coalition government led by incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The move could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the annulment of a presidential election by a top court. Parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote in Romania's 466-seat legislature. The new coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party, or PSD, the center-right National Liberal Party, PNL, the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and national minorities. It caps a month-long period of turmoil in which far-right nationalists made significant gains in a Dec. 1 parliamentary election , a week after a first-round presidential race saw the far-right outsider Calin Georgescu emerge as the front-runner. “It will not be an easy mandate for the future government,” Ciolacu, whose PSD party topped the polls in the parliamentary election, said in a statement Monday. “We are aware that we are in the midst of a deep political crisis," he said. "It is also a crisis of trust, and this coalition aims to regain the trust of citizens, the trust of the people.” Romani's 16 ministerial positions will be shared among the parties, which will hold a slim majority in the legislature. It's widely seen as a tactical partnership to shut out far-right nationalists whose voices found fertile ground amid high living costs and a sluggish economy. Ciolacu, who came third in the first-round presidential ballot despite polls indicating he would win the most votes, has served as prime minister since June 2023. After parliament’s approval, President Klaus Iohannis swore in the new government and warned the new Cabinet that it's entering a “difficult new period” in which “for many Romanians, there are major concerns.” Romania was plunged into turmoil after Georgescu’s surprise success in the presidential race, after allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference emerged. Days before the Dec. 8 runoff, the Constitutional Court made the unprecedented move to annul the presidential race . “We go through complicated times, but I think we all learned from mistakes of the past,” Ciolacu said. “I hope that together with my colleagues in the coalition, we’ll find the best solutions to get past the challenges we have in front of us.” Ciolacu said that the new government would aim to quickly organize the rerun of the presidential election in which the new coalition has agreed to put forward an agreed common pro-European candidate. Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, said that the new government made up of the same political parties will likely embrace “soft populist” rhetoric such as economic patriotism, anti-austerity, and a peace solution in neighboring Ukraine to counter the rise of far-right populism. “This will be a way to answer the concerns of many Romanians who voted for populists ... but will not solve the fundamental problem of trust,” he said. “The only decisive factor now will be who and how convincing the pro-European candidates will be against this popular revolt.” George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, which came second in the parliamentary election, said that all lawmakers from his party on Monday would vote against the Ciolacu government. In 2021, the PSD and the PNL also formed an unlikely but increasingly strained coalition together with UDMR, which exited the Cabinet last year after a power-sharing dispute. Stephen McGrath reported from Warwick, England.
Football clubs ‘alarmed’ by lack of consultation on regulator – Karren BradyMajor European energy companies doubled down on oil and gas in 2024 to focus on near-term profits, slowing down - and at times reversing - climate commitments in a shift that they are likely to stick with in 2025. The retrenchment by oil majors comes after governments around the world slowed the rollout of clean energy policies and delayed targets as energy costs soared following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Big European energy companies that had invested heavily in the clean energy transition found their share performance lagging US rivals Exxon and Chevron, which had kept their focus on oil and gas. Against this backdrop, the likes of BP and Shell this year sharply slowed their plans to spend billions on wind and solar power projects and shifted spending to higher-margin oil and gas projects. BP, which had aimed for a 20-fold growth in renewable power this decade to 50 gigawatts, announced in December it would spin off, opens new tab almost all its offshore wind projects into a joint venture with Japanese power generator JERA. Shell, which once pledged to become the world's largest electricity company, largely stopped investments in new offshore wind projects, exited power markets in Europe and China and weakened carbon reduction targets. Norway's state-controlled Equinor also slowed spending on renewables. "Geopolitical disruptions like the invasion of Ukraine have weakened CEO incentives to prioritise the low-carbon transition amid high oil prices and evolving investor expectations," Rohan Bowater, analyst at Accela Research, told Reuters. He said BP, Shell and Equinor reduced low-carbon spending by 8 percent in 2024. Shell told Reuters it remained committed to becoming a net zero emissions energy business by 2050 and continues to invest in the energy transition. Equinor said: "The offshore wind segment has been through demanding times in the last couple of years due to inflation, cost increase, bottlenecks in the supply chain, and Equinor will continue to be selective and disciplined in our approach." BP did not respond to a request for comment. The oil companies' retrenchment is bad news for efforts to mitigate climate change. Global heat-trapping carbon emissions are forecast to climb to a new high in 2024, which will be the warmest year on record. And 2025 is shaping up to be another tumultuous year for the $3 trillion energy sector, with climate-sceptic Donald Trump returning to the White House. China, the world's biggest crude oil importer, is trying to revive its faltering economy, potentially boosting oil demand. Europe faces continued uncertainty over the war in Ukraine and political turmoil in Germany and France. All those tensions were laid bare at the annual United Nations climate conference in Baku in Azerbaijan in November, when the host country's President Ilham Aliyev, hailed oil and gas as "a gift from God". That summit yielded a global climate finance deal but disappointed climate advocates who had hoped governments would coalesce around a phase-out of oil, gas and coal. The energy companies will be watching to see if Trump follows through on promises to repeal President Joe Biden's landmark green energy policies, which have spurred investments in renewables across the United States. Trump has vowed to remove the United States from global climate efforts, and has appointed another climate sceptic, oil executive Chris Wright, as his energy secretary. There are potential pitfalls in the energy majors' renewed emphasis on oil and gas. Demand growth in China, which has driven global prices for two decades, is slowing, with growing signs that its gasoline and diesel consumption is plateauing. At the same time, OPEC and top oil producing allies have repeatedly delayed plans to unwind supply cuts as other countries, led by the United States, increase oil output. As a result, analysts expect oil companies to face tighter financial constraints next year. Net debt for the top five western oil giants is expected to rise to $148 billion in 2024 from $92 billion in 2022, based on LSEG estimates. Major European energy companies doubled down on oil and gas in 2024 to focus on near-term profits, slowing down - and at times reversing - climate commitments in a shift that they are likely to stick with in 2025. The retrenchment by oil majors comes after governments around the world slowed the rollout of clean energy policies and delayed targets as energy costs soared following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Big European energy companies that had invested heavily in the clean energy transition found their share performance lagging US rivals Exxon and Chevron, which had kept their focus on oil and gas. Against this backdrop, the likes of BP and Shell this year sharply slowed their plans to spend billions on wind and solar power projects and shifted spending to higher-margin oil and gas projects. BP, which had aimed for a 20-fold growth in renewable power this decade to 50 gigawatts, announced in December it would spin off, opens new tab almost all its offshore wind projects into a joint venture with Japanese power generator JERA. Shell, which once pledged to become the world's largest electricity company, largely stopped investments in new offshore wind projects, exited power markets in Europe and China and weakened carbon reduction targets. Norway's state-controlled Equinor also slowed spending on renewables. "Geopolitical disruptions like the invasion of Ukraine have weakened CEO incentives to prioritise the low-carbon transition amid high oil prices and evolving investor expectations," Rohan Bowater, analyst at Accela Research, told Reuters. He said BP, Shell and Equinor reduced low-carbon spending by 8 percent in 2024. Shell told Reuters it remained committed to becoming a net zero emissions energy business by 2050 and continues to invest in the energy transition. Equinor said: "The offshore wind segment has been through demanding times in the last couple of years due to inflation, cost increase, bottlenecks in the supply chain, and Equinor will continue to be selective and disciplined in our approach." BP did not respond to a request for comment. The oil companies' retrenchment is bad news for efforts to mitigate climate change. Global heat-trapping carbon emissions are forecast to climb to a new high in 2024, which will be the warmest year on record. And 2025 is shaping up to be another tumultuous year for the $3 trillion energy sector, with climate-sceptic Donald Trump returning to the White House. China, the world's biggest crude oil importer, is trying to revive its faltering economy, potentially boosting oil demand. Europe faces continued uncertainty over the war in Ukraine and political turmoil in Germany and France. All those tensions were laid bare at the annual United Nations climate conference in Baku in Azerbaijan in November, when the host country's President Ilham Aliyev, hailed oil and gas as "a gift from God". That summit yielded a global climate finance deal but disappointed climate advocates who had hoped governments would coalesce around a phase-out of oil, gas and coal. The energy companies will be watching to see if Trump follows through on promises to repeal President Joe Biden's landmark green energy policies, which have spurred investments in renewables across the United States. Trump has vowed to remove the United States from global climate efforts, and has appointed another climate sceptic, oil executive Chris Wright, as his energy secretary. There are potential pitfalls in the energy majors' renewed emphasis on oil and gas. Demand growth in China, which has driven global prices for two decades, is slowing, with growing signs that its gasoline and diesel consumption is plateauing. At the same time, OPEC and top oil producing allies have repeatedly delayed plans to unwind supply cuts as other countries, led by the United States, increase oil output. As a result, analysts expect oil companies to face tighter financial constraints next year. Net debt for the top five western oil giants is expected to rise to $148 billion in 2024 from $92 billion in 2022, based on LSEG estimates.
‘Drill, baby, drill’: What Trump’s directive for public land management means for Colorado