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Transgender Troops Now Allowed in the U.S. Military

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In an unprecedented move, the U.S. military has decided to retract on its previously-held policy of banning transgender individuals from joining the military. Starting next month, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter is said to be announcing the repudiation of this ban.

This change in policy was suggested by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter in July, but due to the changes in administration, it was put off until now.

While it is more than likely that this ban will be repealed, there has been some push back stemming largely from the U.S. Marine Corps, arguing that the projected costs, that would arise as a result of this policy change, would be deleterious to the status quo.

An independent study from the RAND Corporation has revealed that there are no major obstacles to implementing this change and that it would do no harm. Many opponents to the repudiation of this ban suggest that attempting to integrate transgenders into the military to reduce the cohesive social dynamic that the military has worked to create thus far since its inception.

In addition, they argue that the healthcare costs will rise as a result of the treatments that transgenders will require such as undergoing hormone therapy and transitional treatments.

Such arguments, however, as argued by proponents of repealing the ban, appear to fall somewhat short as the costs associated with transgender healthcare in the military would be negligible. Take for instance the F-35, a new generation aircraft that has been mass produced by the U.S. military; the cost of a single F-35 multi-role fighter jet would be able to finance up to 30 years of transgender healthcare associated costs.

According to the Defense Department, they confirm that there are at least 77 transgender individuals who openly identify as such, while the true number may be even higher reaching in the thousands. So in essence, this policy would not affect that many individuals thus resulting in a minimal burden to the U.S. military in terms of costs.

Since the Obama administration has came to power, ‘progressive’ policies such as the ban on “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” allowing women to be in combat infantry positions, and most recently, the removal of the transgender ban have all been a component of President Obama’s attempt to not only create a more inclusive military, but an inclusive society as well.

 

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Biden tells Netanyahu that a 3-day fighting pause could help secure the release of hostages -Axios.

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Axios reported on Tuesday, citing two U.S. and Israeli sources, that U.S. President Joe Biden informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call on Monday that a three-day ceasefire may aid in securing the release of certain captives.

According to Axios, which cited a U.S. official, a plan under discussion between the U.S., Israel, and Qatar calls for Hamas to free ten to fifteen hostages, utilize the interim period to confirm the identity of each captive and provide a list of the names of the individuals it is detaining.

Both Biden and Netanyahu, according to a statement released by the White House on Monday, talked about “the possibility of tactical pauses to provide civilians with opportunities to safely depart from areas of ongoing fighting, to ensure assistance is reaching civilians in need, and to enable potential hostage releases.”

In conclusion, President Biden’s initiative to negotiate a three-day ceasefire with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to secure the release of hostages in the Middle East is a significant and complex undertaking. It is a crucial diplomatic endeavor with potential ramifications beyond the immediate release of the hostages, making it a subject of global interest and concern.

The White House did not immediately answer a request for comment about the Axios article.

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No ceasefire in Gaza, no votes, Muslim Americans tell Biden

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They claim they will seek to rally millions of Muslim voters to withhold money and votes toward President Joe Biden’s reelection in 2024 if he does not take urgent actions to ensure a ceasefire in Gaza. Muslim Americans and some Democratic Party activists say they will strive to accomplish this.

The National Muslim Democratic Council, which comprises Democratic Party officials from states that are likely to determine the election, such as Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, has issued a demand on Vice President Biden to use his influence with Israel to negotiate a truce by Tuesday at 2100 GMT, which is 5 p.m. Eastern Time (5 p.m. ET). The deadline for the National Muslim Democratic Council’s request is Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET (2100 GMT).

In an open letter titled “2023 Ceasefire Ultimatum,” Muslim leaders committed to organizing Muslim voters to “withhold endorsement, support, or votes for any candidate who endorses the Israeli offensive against the Palestinian people.” This promise was made in a call for a ceasefire in 2023.

“Your administration’s unconditional support, encompassing funding and armaments, has played a significant role in perpetuating the violence that is causing civilian casualties and has eroded trust in voters who previously put their faith in you,” the council stated in its letter.

Keith Ellison, a former member of the United States House of Representatives who is now the attorney general of Minnesota and was the first Muslim elected to Congress, and Andre Carson, a member of the House from Indiana, are the founding co-chairs of this group.

The letter is the latest symptom of rising anger and frustration in Arab and Muslim American communities about Biden’s reluctance to condemn Israel’s assaults on the Gaza Strip after an offensive on October 7 by Hamas terrorists from Gaza that Israeli officials say killed 1,400 people and seized 239 hostages. The letter is the latest sign of growing anger and frustration in Arab and Muslim American communities regarding Biden’s failure to denounce Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip.

On Monday, medical officials in Gaza reported that 8,306 individuals, including 3,457 children, had been killed as a result of Israel’s air and military attack that has been going on for three weeks.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, made it clear on Monday that he would not consent to any suspension of Israel’s airstrikes on Gaza. John Kirby, a spokesperson for the United States Department of Homeland Security, stated that “Hamas is the only one that would gain from that right now.”

On Monday, Representative Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian-American politician from Minnesota, uploaded a 90-second video on X, the social networking site once known as Twitter. In the video, she condemned Vice President Joe Biden for his support of what she referred to as “Israel’s genocidal campaign in Palestine,” adding, “Don’t count on our vote in 2024.”

Noting that Michigan’s 16 electoral votes were won by a small margin of just 2.6% in 2020, Basim Elkarra, executive director of the Sacramento Valley Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), claimed that Muslim votes might be vital for Biden in his 2024 attempt for a second term. Elkarra made this statement because a narrow margin won the state of Michigan.

The Muslim American community in Minnesota, where Vice President Biden wants to visit on Wednesday, issued a similar ceasefire request last week, with a deadline of noon on Tuesday. They stated that they intended to have a demonstration on Wednesday, which was the day when the president would be visiting their state.

The reelection campaign for Biden did not immediately provide a reaction.

An official from the White House claimed that Vice President Biden met with a small group of Muslim leaders the previous Thursday. The person also said that administration officials continue to meet with Arab and Muslim community members who are worried about Biden’s handling of the problem.

Even though he identifies as a Zionist, Vice President Joe Biden has selected a more significant number of Arab Americans and Muslims for political roles than any other president in history, in addition to the first two Muslim judges on the federal bench.

According to Jaylani Hussein, who serves as the executive director of CAIR in Minnesota, Muslim American activists in other disputed states essential to Joe Biden’s reelection in 2024 would make similar requests.

“We expect Wisconsin, Ohio and other states to do the same this week,” according to Hussein.

In 2024, Hussein stated that he had no choice but to vote against Biden until the latter called for an end to the conflict. He said he was speaking as himself and not on behalf of CAIR in his remarks.

According to Hussein, over seventy percent of Muslim Americans supported Biden for president in 2020.

Community leaders who identify as Muslim in the United States of America in the states of Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin did not reply promptly to calls for comment.

According to Ahmet Tekelioglu, the executive director of CAIR in Philadelphia, Muslim Americans in the state are demanding an immediate ceasefire; however, he was unaware of any preparations to establish a timeframe for this demand.

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US state senator acquitted of illegal firearms possession in Hong Kong.

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Given that he avoided trouble for the following two years, a Hong Kong court cleared U.S. State Senator Jeff Wilson of illegally possessing a handgun in the Chinese-controlled city.

Wilson, a representative for the 19th district in the Washington State Senate, was detained in Hong Kong on October 21 as he entered the airport carrying a handgun in his carry-on bag. He is a member of the Republican Party, a commissioner for the Port of Longview, and has been a member of the state senate since 2021.

Wilson was cleared of all charges of unlawful firearm possession by Hong Kong Principal Magistrate Don So. Wilson was also given a “bind-over order” requiring him to maintain peace and behave well for two years, in addition to a monetary fine of HKD$2,000 ($256).

He said he leaned toward thinking Wilson did not intentionally breach the law.

“He used to be a trade representative to China and Hong Kong, so this is not the first time he has visited either country. He ought to have known that China and Hong Kong had stringent inspection policies,” he stated.

Wilson was on the first phase of a five-week holiday in Southeast Asia, traveling with his spouse. The court was informed that he made a self-declaration of arms at customs and unintentionally transported a handgun.

According to a statement on his website, he did not realize his weapon was in his briefcase when he went through airport security in Portland, Oregon, and baggage screeners missed it.

According to the statement, the firearm was found when he went inside his bag for a piece of gum in mid-air between San Francisco and Hong Kong and touched his empty pistol.

In Hong Kong, it is against the law to carry a handgun without a license. Offenders risk a maximum sentence of 14 years in jail and a fine of up to $100,000 ($12,800).

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