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Petra Kvitova says Russians, Belarusians should not be allowed back at Wimbledon

April 1, 2023 by indianexpress.com Leave a Comment

Twice Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova opposed the grasscourt Grand Slam’s decision to lift its ban on Russian and Belarusian players ahead of this year’s tournament, saying she felt for Ukrainians amid Moscow’s ongoing invasion of their country.

Wimbledon, the only Grand Slam to bar players from Russia and its ally Belarus, said on Friday it would allow them to compete as “neutral” athletes, reversing the ban it imposed after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

“I always state that I’m against the war. I’m just more worried about the Ukrainian people and players,” Kvitova said on Friday after her Miami Open semi-final win over Sorana Cirstea.

Wimbledon organisers AELTC, defending what they called “an incredibly difficult decision”, said they “condemn totally Russia’s illegal invasion” and would bar players from expressing support for it or receiving state funding from Russia or Belarus.

Due to last year’s ban, Wimbledon was stripped of its ranking points. Its organisers and Britain’ Lawn Tennis Association were hit with huge fines by the WTA and ATP Tours, which govern the men’s and women’s games.

“I appreciate that Wimbledon had a tough time last year not giving the points (after) Belarusians and Russians didn’t play,” world number 12 Kvitova said.

They should not be allowed in the Olympics either, she said. “I’m still a bit on the Ukrainian side of this.

Wimbledon did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The International Olympic Committee is set to decide later on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris Games.

Ukraine has threatened to boycott the Games if Russians are allowed to compete there.

Russia’s Daniil Medvedev said he was relishing the opportunity to return to Wimbledon.

“I always said that I love this tournament. It’s the only Grand Slam, which is surprising when we have Roland Garros, that I didn’t make quarter-finals yet and I want to do better,” said Medvedev, who has previously called for peace.

“I had some tough losses there. I want to try to turn this around. It’s a beautiful tournament, beautiful Grand Slam. I’m really happy I’m going to be able to play there this year.”

Medvedev said he was unsure how the British crowd would react to his presence.

What Decades of Providing Trans Health Care Have Taught Me

April 1, 2023 by www.nytimes.com Leave a Comment

This year more than 350 anti-transgender bills have been introduced in state legislatures, pushing discussion about treatment for trans and gender-diverse patients further into the national spotlight. It isn’t hard to surmise that politically convenient doubts about the validity of trans identities have come to take the form of prohibitions against trans health care.

In states where such anti-treatment bills have passed , families are already in despair. Some fear losing health care for their children or losing their children altogether. Some are simply moving. Doctors and mental health workers in some states would risk losing their licenses for providing medical care to an already chronically underserved population. And if more laws that limit or deny access to care pass, the lives of transgender and gender-diverse teenagers are likely to worsen.

To be sure, worthwhile questions about how best to address gender diversity, adolescent mental health and teens’ expectations about gender remain. But answers to them will not be found in legislation that will harm — not protect — children, families and their health care providers. We must ask ourselves: Why are legislators and politicians making medical decisions for patients and families instead of doctors?

Although gender diversity has existed for centuries, medical treatment of gender dysphoria — the diagnosis for those who experience discomfort when their gender identities do not match their sex assigned at birth — developed as transgender people became increasingly visible in the late 20th century. In 1979, a group of trans-knowledgeable professionals, surgeons and mental health experts met to establish standards for the health care needs of transgender patients. The standards provided order, objectivity and science to a process that was then poorly understood by the medical community. The authors of these guidelines founded an organization that would later become known as WPATH , the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, which I now lead.

Decades of medical experience and research since has found that when patients are treated for gender dysphoria, their self-esteem grows and their stress, anxiety, substance use and suicidality decrease. In 2018, Cornell University’s Center for the Study of Inequality released a comprehensive literature review finding that gender transition, including hormones and surgery, “improves the well-being of transgender people.” Nathaniel Frank, the project’s director, said that “a consensus like this is rare in social science.”

The Cornell review also found that regret — a decision to either stop treatment or express unhappiness about one’s decision to transition socially, medically or surgically — became even less common as surgical quality and social support improved. All procedures in medicine and surgery inspire some percentage of regret. But a study published in 2021 found that fewer than 1 percent of those who have received gender-affirming surgery say they regret their decision to do so, a much lower rate than has been reported for more common medical interventions like plastic surgery and orthopedic care. A separate analysis of a survey of more than 27,000 transgender and gender-diverse adults found that the vast majority of those who detransition from medical affirming treatment said they did so because of external factors (such as family pressure, financial reasons or a loss of access to care), not because they had been misdiagnosed or their gender identities had changed.

When considering the growing body of overwhelmingly positive data about adult transgender treatment, it makes sense that earlier intervention, which can lessen the permanent effects of puberty, would make gender transition easier for teenagers. Puberty blockers had been used with minimal concern about side effects since the 1980s. They have been approved by the F.D.A. to treat endometriosis, prostate cancer and precocious puberty. When used for adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria, they allow for an additional safeguard as gender-diverse patients become more certain about their identities through ongoing evaluation, family support and review. Offered shortly after puberty begins, blockers are typically used to delay puberty for as long as two years. Decreasing bone density — a side effect of puberty blockers — can return to normal once puberty resumes, either by withdrawing the blockers or administering cross-sex hormones.

While those who express gender nonconformity before puberty only receive supportive care, not medication or surgery, experts who treat gender dysphoria in early puberty consider the benefits of treating teenagers obvious, based on the effectiveness of adult treatments.

The presumption that gender-diverse identities are not real — that young people will eventually come to accept their birth assigned gender as their minds catch up to their maturing bodies — is not supported by the evidence and is likely harmful. There are, after all, more than 40 identified intersex variations representing diversity in the development of genitalia. Gender identity is similarly diverse. In nature, for every rule, there is an exception.

As is the case for any recommended treatment in medicine, set the bar too high and patients are left untreated. Set the bar too low and patients are treated unnecessarily or inaccurately. For transgender and gender-diverse patients, setting the bar too low would equate to allowing hormones or surgery with little evaluation. In those cases, patients could slip past the usual rigors of WPATH standards and evaluation, resulting in a higher percentage of patients who are treated and who might later stop treatment, regret their decisions or detransition altogether. On the other hand, a lowered bar could mean someone who is suicidal as a result of gender dysphoria might be prevented from self-harm. Such is the delicate balance that clinicians routinely negotiate, and why treatment recommendations must remain individualized.

Of late, in response to overwhelming demand, gender clinics are increasingly evaluating patients who must endure long wait lists and see further barriers to care as gatekeeping. It is not surprising, then, that some recently treated patients may have felt rushed or inadequately evaluated. Rising demand, and the complications it brings, suggests a need for more providers, not fewer. The medical community must address gaps in care, not allow for politicians to widen them.

Anti-treatment bills will not protect children, and they will not help the medical community provide better care for patients in need. We should instead take anti-transgender legislation for what it is: thinly veiled cruelty to a specific minority population of the country. These bills are symptoms of a larger problem, where belittlement and bullying are reminders of what many trans people endure as children, teenagers and young adults. In a country where the murder of transgender people — specifically transgender women of color — is far too frequent, these bills feel as if they are part of a larger aim: to rid the world of transgender people. Confronted with the growing visibility of those who seem to condone such violence, it is difficult not to feel as though our nation has lost its empathy and compassion.

The field of transgender medicine is evolving rapidly, but it is every bit as objective- and outcome-driven as any other specialty in medicine. Allow the remaining scientific questions to be answered by knowledgeable researchers, without the influence of politics and ideology. Leave delicate medical decisions faced by gender-diverse patients to those who truly care about these lives — patients, their families and their providers. Trans and gender-diverse people contribute positively to society and live ordinary lives. They deserve accessible medical care, not judgment and persecution.

Dr. Marci L. Bowers ( @marcibdoc ) is a gynecologic and reconstructive surgeon who was the first woman with trans history to perform gender-affirming vaginoplasty. She is a founder of Mt. Sinai’s Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery, is the president of WPATH and sits on the board of directors of the Trevor Project.

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Gwyneth Paltrow ski case juror explains celeb win

April 1, 2023 by www.thenews.com.pk Leave a Comment

Gwyneth Paltrow was found not guilty in the 2016 ski collision case.

One of the trial’s jurors explained how the jury was quick to conclude after testimony sessions ended.

During an interview with ABC News, Samantha Imrie — a nurse who served as Juror #11 in the trial, said that The Iron Man star testimony was compelling and she did not give any dishonesty signs.

“There was in the back of my mind that this woman is an actress… I did take that into account,” Imrie added.

“But I didn’t feel that she had a reason to lie under oath. She’s always in the spotlight so she always has to be honest.”

The juror explained that Grammy winner expert witness Dr. Irving Scher’s testimony was also crucially convinced of her acquittal.

“He’s a snow sports expert in many different ways,” she continued. “I think the fact that Dr. Scher could speak to the settings and he specifically studied snow science, that he had a stronger opinion.”

On the other hand, Imrie added that the accuser’s lavish lifestyle made his case weak about Paltrow’s ruined him financially.

“I think I wrote down something like, ‘I need to make more money so I can travel this way,’” she added.

“I wouldn’t have thought he was capable of those things based on the picture that he was painting.”

However, Imrie ruled out any of Paltrow’s stardom influence on the jury’s decision.

“I think it’s important that the public doesn’t just think this was a win because Gwyneth is a celebrity,” adding, “This is based on the evidence and this is based on the law. I do work in medicine and you have to look at everyone the same. That should apply in the courtroom as well.”

Paul O’Grady’s second act – dog’s best friend

March 29, 2023 by www.telegraph.co.uk Leave a Comment

It’s not often that a public figure dies and Buckingham Palace issues a statement thanking them for the “waggy-tailed memories”. However, Paul O’Grady wasn’t your average public figure. Camilla, the Queen Consort, had a special bond with the much-loved Merseyside TV presenter. The pair worked closely together in their support of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and she expressed her sadness at this morning’s news of his death, aged 67.

The Royal Family’s official Twitter account posted an image of Camilla with O’Grady, saying he’d “provided lots of laughter”. One of O’Grady’s final TV appearances was alongside Camilla in last year’s special edition of Paul O Grady: For The Love Of Dogs, marking 160 years of Battersea. A rerun has just been added to Wednesday’s ITV schedules in commemoration, while an already completed series will air from April 13.

As well as actual royalty, O’Grady bonded with Hollywood royalty over all things canine. When Tom Hardy , a fellow serial rescuer of unwanted hounds, appeared on For The Love Of Dogs in 2015, he and O’Grady formed an unlikely friendship. They continued to text each other years later and visited Battersea together whenever Hardy was in town. “Ah, he’s a lovely fella,” said O’Grady. “Tom’s not like a film star at all. He likes coming down to hang out with the dogs. People come in to look at the animals and you see them staring at him thinking ‘Hang on, is that Tom Hardy?’.”

The south London pet rescue institution was among the first to pay tribute when news broke of O’Grady’s passing. The charity’s chief executive, Peter Laurie, added: “Battersea will forever remember Paul as a devoted animal lover with the biggest heart, who fell head over heels in love with every dog he met at our centres.” Indeed, this became the running theme of ITV’s award-winning fly-on-the-kennel-wall series.

O’Grady had wanted to do such a show for decades and admitted he “took to it with an enthusiasm that surprised everyone except me”. It’s often said that dogs rescue their owners, as much as the other way around. That was certainly the case with O’Grady. He’d begin each series by promising not to adopt any more, insisting that “under no circumstances” was he allowed to take another dog home. Every episode found him drawn to one pooch in particular and sorely tempted to take it home, with viewers willing him to do so.

Deeply saddened to hear of the death of Paul O’Grady, who worked closely with Her Majesty in support of @Battersea_ , providing lots of laughter and many waggy-tailed memories. pic.twitter.com/N13aBuBYCm

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 29, 2023

Scheduled to initially film there for six days, O’Grady ended up staying as a volunteer for six months and became the charity’s enthusiastic ambassador. Over 11 series, he fostered countless dogs back to health, both physical and mental, and adopted several full-time. A Jack Russell-Chihuahua cross named Eddy was the first. He was soon joined by shih-tzu Boycie, Maltese Conchita, mongrel puppies Arfur and Nancy, and wire-haired dachshund Sausage. O’Grady’s tireless support and high public profile has raised millions for the charity and saved countless needy dogs’ lives. “I just wish I was as good with humans as I am with the dogs,” he said.

Dog might have taken over his life and career in later years, but O’Grady was a lifelong animal lover. Growing up in 1960s Birkenhead, he kept rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs and mice as pets. His Gerald Durrell-esque menagerie even included a ferret and a rat. His mother Molly, he once said, thought he was “a bit weird”.

As a former social worker and drag queen who campaigned for LGBT causes, O’Grady has long championed the underdog, be they human or four-legged. “Animals are good for the soul,” he insisted. “They change your life.” Such was his fondness for furry friends, he was once offered a theoretical choice between more sex, more money or more fame. O’Grady said he would choose “a mongoose”.

Back in his days as drag alter ego Lily Savage, he toured in a musical version Prisoner Cell Block H and insisted on taking his new puppy, a shih tzu bischon-frisé cross called Buster Elvis Savage, on the road with him. “Buster was never happier than in a TV studio or theatre,” said O’Grady. “He knew all the theatre doormen and loved being fussed over by them.”

When he landed his own chat vehicle, The Paul O’Grady Show, Buster’s starring role proved hugely popular with viewers. O’Grady would joke that the fluffy mutt got more fanmail than he did. O’Grady dedicated the second volume of his autobiography to Buster, describing him as “the greatest canine star since Lassie”.

When he announced Buster’s death from cancer on-air in 2009, O’Grady let slip a swear word for the first time in six years of live TV and admitted he’d “seen the weekend through the bottom of a whisky bottle”. The episode closed with a video montage of Buster’s life, soundtracked by The Golden Girls’ theme song Thank You For Being A Friend. O’Grady couldn’t bear to watch it, so walked off-set early with a tearful “ta-ra”. A bronze statue of Buster was later erected at Battersea. On-screen, he was replaced at O’Grady’s side by a Cairn Terrier called Olga.

O’Grady might have become synonymous with dogs but he was almost as passionate about other species. He made three series of Paul O’Grady’s Animal Orphans, which found him travelling to wildlife rescue centres in Africa and beyond. He was a patron of Orangutan Appeal UK and Wildlife SOS.

He and husband Andre Portasio divided their time between a central London flat and a Kent farmhouse with room to indulge O’Grady’s love of nature. He grew organic fruit and veg, cultivated an impressive herb garden and, of course, amassed a veritable Noah’s Ark of animals. At last count, there were five dogs, a donkey, three goats, six barn owls, 10 sheep, six pigs and eight chickens, as well as assorted alpacas, geese and ducks.

For Paul O’Grady, though, it was mainly puppy love. His affecting relationship with dogs came to define him in the public imagination, even more than Lily Savage or his other eclectic work. In a nation of dog lovers, O’Grady represented us all.

Forget Spring Sale, Amazon adds 15 big reasons to join Prime

March 31, 2023 by www.express.co.uk Leave a Comment

Wolfenstein New Order joins Amazon Prime Gaming in April

Wolfenstein New Order joins Amazon Prime Gaming in April (Image: BETHESDA)

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Amazon has announced the next batch of free games coming to Prime Gaming in April. One of the more underrated and overlooked benefits of Amazon Prime , Prime Gaming is packed with a ton of free gaming content each month. This includes in-game rewards and skins for games like Overwatch 2 and Hearthstone, to full game releases that can be downloaded and kept forever – even if you leave Amazon Prime. Indeed, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial for Amazon Prime by clicking the link below. Once you’ve signed up, simply visit the Prime Gaming hub to view all of the various rewards. The April 2023 free Prime Games include 15 full game releases, such as Bethesda’s excellent Wolfenstein: The New Order, which joins the service on April 6.

Get Amazon Prime for FREE

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Take advantage of Amazon’s next-day delivery by signing up for a free trial. In addition to free next-day delivery, Prime members receive unlimited photo backup to the cloud, access to all shows and films on Prime Video, and millions of songs via Prime Music. Cancel anytime during the month-long trial and you won’t pay a penny for Prime!

Fans of retro games will be pleased to hear that classic SNK Neo Geo titles are also coming to Prime Gaming, including Metal Slug 4, Art of Fighting 3, and Sengoku.

These arcade classics will be drip-fed to subscribers throughout the month, so make sure to claim them before they’re removed.

Elsewhere, highly-rated horror game The Beast Inside will be added to Prime Gaming on April 13, followed by gritty action-RPG Grime on April 27.

Fans of Overwatch 2 can claim the free Junkrat Circus Epic skin until April 20, while Hearthstone users can pick up a random Standard Epic Card until April 19. World of Warcraft’s Big Battle Bear mount is also available, but only until April 27.

Other freebies are available for titles like FIFA 23, Madden NFL 23, League of Legends, Rainbow Six Siege and Candy Crush Saga.

The full list of April 2023 Amazon Prime Gaming free downloads can be seen below.

Wolfenstein New Order gameplay (Image: BETHESDA)

Metal Slug 4 on Amazon Prime Gaming (Image: SNK)

Prime Gaming titles releasing on April 6…

• Wolfenstein: The New Order [GOG Code]

– Experience an exhilarating action-adventure in this first-person combat title with a deep narrative.

• Ninja Commando [Amazon Games App]

– Fight, shoot, use ninja tricks and death blows to protect history from death merchants planning to unleash chaos on the world.

• Art of Fighting 3 [Amazon Games App]

– Battle it out with various fighters using the ultimate KO system and other mechanics in this tangential side-story of the Art of Fighting series.

Prime Gaming titles releasing on April 13…

• The Beast Inside [GOG Code]

– Experience real terror through combating enemies and solving riddles in this story of long-buried secrets, personal tragedies and madness.

• Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition [Amazon Games App]

– Build a party of Dungeons & Dragons heroes and explore the frozen tundra in this retro fantasy adventure.

• Crossed Swords [Amazon Games App]

– Use weapon attacks, magic attacks and your defensive ability as you make your way through seven intense stages to defeat the demon Nausizz.

• Ghost Pilots [Amazon Games App]

– Fly an old-fashioned seaplane and fight an intense battle against a mysterious combat unit in this shooting game.

Grime is coming to Amazon Prime Gaming in April (Image: AMAZON)

Prime Gaming titles releasing on April 20…

• Beholder 2 [Amazon Games App]

– Take on the role of an intern at the central ministry to work your way up the ladder or turn against the state and expose corruption. The decision is yours to make!

• Terraformers [Amazon Games App]

– Explore the red planet, develop spectacular cities, spread life and terraform the planet with ambitious projects in this expansive turn-based colony builder.

• Metal Slug 4 [Amazon Games App]

– Join brand new characters, Trevor and Nadia and use the new items effectively to get the highest score with the new metallish system.

• Ninja Masters [Amazon Games App]

– Play as the main hero, Sasuke, on his quest to kill Nobunaga and end his reign of terror and war in this ninja-themed competitive fighting game.

Prime Gaming titles releasing on April 27…

• Looking for Aliens [Legacy Games Code]

– Prove the existence of alien civilizations as you find clues about them on Earth, the moon and the edges of the galaxy.

• Grime [Amazon Games App]

– Crush foes with living weapons that mutate form and function in this fast and unforgiving action-adventure RPG.

• Sengoku [Amazon Games App]

– Use your power as a feudal lord to unite the land of the rising sun under an iron fist.

• Magician Lord [Amazon Games App]

– Play as the magician Elta who is on a journey to save the world from Gal-Agiese, who came back to life once again in this side-scrolling action game.