Names marked with an asterisk* have been changed to protect identities. London, United Kingdom – As debates over gender identities rage in the United Kingdom, several medical professionals have told Al Jazeera that they fear speaking on the issue, worried that by doing so they could face bullying, harassment, and threats of disciplinary action for alleged discrimination. They also warned that health services could be changed in a way that ultimately harms patients and the wider society, should sex-based medical terminology and practices be eroded while gender identities are favoured. The three experts Al Jazeera spoke to for this article…
Author: National Tone
Novak Djokovic will be allowed to play at the US Open this year, after the Senate voted to end Covid-19 measures.The former world No 1 has not played tennis in the United States since losing the 2021 US Open final because of Covid measures introduced by the government during the height of the pandemic. The United States requires international visitors to show proof of vaccination, and the 22-time Grand Slam champion has not had the jab.However, on Wednesday, the US Senate passed a bill that will end Covid-19 declarations that were put in place by former President Donald Trump on…
Laura Muir and Jemma Reekie were undergoing altitude training in South Africa ahead of the World Championships later this year; the pair have left the camp and returned to the UK, where they are working in Loughborough. Last Updated: 30/03/23 11:45am Laura Muir (right) and Jemma Reekie were in South Africa for a training camp Laura Muir and Jemma Reekie’s coach, Andy Young, has denied he has had a bust-up with the pair after they left their training camp in South Africa. Muir and Reekie have been training in South Africa as they step up preparations for the World Championships…
Hyderabad, India – Once when Nikhat Zareen came home with a bleeding nose, her mother burst into tears. “Your face will be spoiled,” she said, worrying how her girl would find a groom. Nearly a decade later, Zareen on Sunday became the second Indian after Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom to win the world women’s boxing championship two years in a row. It was a formidable victory for the unseeded player who, after having won the 2022 World Championship in the 52kg category, dropped down to 50kg for this year’s tournament held in New Delhi. The drop was motivated by her…
In mid-March, Bangladesh started testing the transmission of electricity from a massive 1,600 MW coal-fired plant in neighbouring India that has stirred major controversy in both countries. While the supply of electricity for commercial use from this plant is likely to begin next month, confusion and secrecy around the terms of the agreement and how much Bangladesh could be forced to pay have intensified discontent in the country. Built by Adani Power Ltd – India’s largest private power company founded by Gautam Adani – the $1.7bn Godda plant in India’s Jharkhand state has drawn flak in Dhaka for the “lopsided…
Hurricane Fiona was the costliest weather event on record in Atlantic Canada, while Ian was the third most devastating in the US.The death and destruction caused by Hurricanes Fiona and Ian in North and Central America last year have prompted the United Nations to retire those names from a rotating list of storm titles. The UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Wednesday that “Farrah” would replace “Fiona”, while “Idris” would replace “Ian”. The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30 and storms – also known as tropical cyclones – are named to make them easier…
Indonesian President Joko Widodo (right) said on Tuesday that his administration was trying to save the tournament, and that people should not mix “political affairs and sports affairs”Fifa has stripped Indonesia of hosting rights for the Under-20 World Cup. The decision follows the cancellation of the official draw for the tournament, which was due to be held in Bali last Friday.The Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) said Fifa was forced to cancel the draw after Bali’s governor Wayan Koster refused to host the Israeli team.The U20 World Cup is set to take place from 20 May to 11 June. Indonesia…
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim is expected to navigate between deepening economic ties with his country’s biggest trading partner and tackling thorny issues such as the South China Sea during his first visit to China as prime minister, analysts say. Anwar will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday as part of a four-day visit that will also see him hold talks with Chinese business leaders and Premier Li Qiang. Anwar’s talks with Xi are expected to focus on “concrete measures that can be taken in the fields of trade, political cooperation, prevention of corruption and civilisational issues,”…
Sovann ThidaAva was abandoned as a baby on the streets of Cambodian capital Phnom PenhSovann ThidaAva has never met her parents. Born in the mid-2000s, she was found abandoned as a baby on the street in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. She was taken in by a local non-governmental organisation (NGO) for disadvantaged children, where she was raised.”I have no idea where my mum went,” says ThidaAva, who goes by the name Ava.Life in care was crowded and chaotic, but over the years she built up a close bond with the other girls there. “We were like sisters because we grew…
Medan, Indonesia – Indonesia’s presidential and general elections have been thrown into jeopardy following a surprise ruling to delay voting by a court in Jakarta, prompting widespread condemnation of the shock, and seemingly unconstitutional, decision. The Central Jakarta District Court ruled earlier this month that the elections – scheduled to take place in February 2024 – should be delayed for two and a half years, meaning that the earliest the elections could go ahead would be in 2025. The judge’s ruling followed after a lawsuit was brought by a relatively unknown political party – Prima – which had complained about…