Latest news with #Middleton
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Advocates for transgender Texans hold rally against private spaces ban bill
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Representatives of several activist groups held a press conference Wednesday to oppose a special session bill, which they say would create an 'unenforceable' ban on transgender women's use of restrooms and shelters. 'Women and survivors of violence have been repeatedly used as justification to exclude trans women from public restrooms. Now, women from all walks of life are coming together to say, 'not in my name,'' reads a Tuesday press release from liberal advocacy group Equality Texas. Previous: Texas' special session on floods, taxes, THC, redistricting could also spend time targeting transgender life The rally included speakers from Texas AFL-CIO, Black Freedom Factory, Austin LGBTQ Chamber, Human Rights Campaign, Democrasexy, the Transgender Education Network of Texas, Texas Freedom Network and Equality Texas. Former candidate for Texas governor Wendy Davis is also scheduled to speak. 'We know that trans women are four times more likely than cisgender women to be the victims of violent crimes,' the release reads. 'There is no way to police bathrooms without subjecting women and girls to invasive investigations demanding 'proof' of gender.' The press conference was livestreamed. What's in the bill House Bill 32, filed by Rep. Valoree Swanson, R-Spring, is titled the 'Texas Women's Privacy Act.' It would require the state's political subdivisions to prevent people from using sex-segregated 'multiple-occupancy private spaces' that don't align with their sex assigned at birth. The law would apply to restrooms in government buildings and public schools, as well as jails and prisons. Gender definition bill passes in Texas Senate, heads to governor 'A political subdivision or state agency shall ensure each multiple-occupancy private space in a building the political subdivision or state agency owns, operates, or controls is designated for and used only by individuals of the same biological sex,' HB 32 reads. 'A political subdivision or state agency shall take every reasonable step to ensure an individual whose biological sex isopposite to the biological sex designated … does not enter the private space.' The bill would allow Texas's Attorney General to investigate and fine any political subdivision for violations. As introduced, HB 32 wouldn't allow for fines or legal actions against individual persons. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced this week that Senate Bill 7, authored by Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, will be his chamber's companion to the bill. 'This is about safety,' Middleton said. 'This is about privacy.' It hasn't been filed yet. Both bills fall under Gov. Greg Abbott's special session topic of 'legislation protecting women's privacy in sex-segregated spaces.' 'It's ridiculous, [opponents of this type of legislation] are literally arguing that we need to put the rights of men pretending to be women above those of women themselves,' Middleton said. 'It's not right. It's not common sense.' HB 32 was one of the first bills filed ahead of the session. Prior attempts ended in failure, lacked evidence The text is near-identical to SB 240, which Middleton filed during the regular session of the legislature. It passed in the Texas Senate but died in the Texas House. During floor debate, Democratic senators asked for evidence supporting his bill's necessity. Middleton didn't provide any and instead repeatedly called it 'common sense.' He also pushed back against the idea of commissioning a study related to the topic. State Sen. Mayes Middleton running for Texas Attorney General Back in the 2017 regular session of the state legislature, bill with a similar goal failed. Abbott called a special session in 2017 that included the topic; it also failed to pass. 2017 | Transgender veteran fears for safety if forced to use men's bathroom The 2017 bill was filed by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham. It was also met with requests for her to provide data or evidence of a problem. 'In the crimes that I've looked at, in the most intimate settings, none have identified as a transgender,' Kolkorst said during a 2017 committee hearing on her bill. A more narrowed focus during special legislative sessions Research and data nonpartisan nonprofit Texas 2036 said it's not uncommon for similar legislation to be filed. 'There are a number of reasons why a bill may not pass during a regular session,' Jordan Wat, director of government affairs at Texas 2036 said. 'Maybe time ran out on that bill while it was being considered in one of the chambers. Perhaps there were some procedural issues related to it. Maybe the political winds were just not there.' Watt said similar legislation filed that previously failed, can be more successful in special sessions, depending on the topic. 'Because there's a bit more focus,' Wat said. 'In comparison to 140 day regular session, [Abbott] has laid out an 18-item agenda for members to consider and cover over the course of these next 28 days.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Pears strike late against Hants on rain-affected day
Rothesay County Championship Division One, Visit Worcestershire New Road (day one)Hampshire 146-2: Middleton 79, Weatherley 62Worcestershire: Yet to batHants (0 pts), Worcs (0 pts)Match scorecard Worcestershire struck two late blows after Hampshire's batters had laid a solid foundation on a truncated first day of their County Championship match at Visit Worcestershire New in search of their first championship victory since mid-May, closed on 146 for two having reached 127 without loss before losing openers Fletcha Middleston (79, 101 balls) and Joe Weatherley (62, 130) in a late burst of play in poor were blows badly needed by Worcestershire, bottom of Division One and desperate for a win to sustain their slender hopes of a wet outfield prevented play before lunch, the home side chose to bowl in conditions still damp from morning rain, but the assistance for the seamers they hoped for did not materialise. Pakistan pace spearhead Khurram Shahzad was expensive as Weatherley and Middleton put 50 on the board by the 14th Winchester-born openers were little troubled by a Worcestershire attack bruised by last week's heartbreaking defeat to neighbours Warwickshire. Having dominated the first half of the match at Edgbaston, the Pears suffered a devastating defeat as Warwickshire chased down 393 on the last on home turf, the Worcestershire attack, with Matthew Waite returning from paternity leave in place of Sussex loanee Bertie Foreman, again toiled. Middleton hurried to his half-century from 51 balls and Weatherley followed to his from openers were looking forward to a productive evening session only for the rain to return during the tea interval and prevent play until a late resumption at 6pm. Hampshire's openers ventured back out with little to gain and everything to lose – and the home side took advantage of the murky, moist conditions. Middleton edged Tom Taylor to wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick, who took a superb catch in front of first slip, and Weatherly edged Ben Allison to Ethan Brookes at second wickets were an unwelcome postscript to a hitherto excellent day for Hampshire but they have still set down a solid platform from which to push for a victory that would lift them away from the relegation zone – and pretty much sentence Worcestershire to end the season in it. ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay
Kuwait Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Kuwait Times
TEF Kuwait hosts its 5th technical seminar
The Tamilnadu Engineers Forum (TEF) Kuwait successfully hosted its 5th Technical Seminar at Park Inn Hotel, Mahboula on July 22, 2025, with an evening packed with innovation, knowledge sharing and key announcements. A key highlight of the evening was the launch of the InnoEX 2025 flyer, officially announcing TEF Kuwait's flagship science and technology fair in association with Indians in Kuwait (IIK). The event flyer was jointly released by President Eng Raja and past presidents Eng AN Natrarajan and Eng Krishna Jegan. Also revealed that the esteemed Nigar Shaji, Project Director of Aditya-L1, India's pioneering solar mission under ISRO, will be the Chief Guest at the upcoming InnoEX 2025, scheduled for November 7, 2025 at Al-Zumerida Hall, Salwa. Highlights of the 5th technical seminar The evening commenced at 6 pm with the reverent rendition of Tamil Thai Vaazhthu, followed by a Safety Moment presented by Eng Vadivelan and a Thirukkural recitation by Eng Subbu. The event was gracefully anchored by Eng Suresh Anand and Eng Middleton, who guided the proceedings with professionalism and enthusiasm. In his welcome address, Eng Gem Prasanna greeted attendees and set a vibrant tone for the evening. The seminar then proceeded with three highly engaging technical sessions: The seminar featured three distinguished technical sessions: 1 'How Acoustic Emission and AI Can Reduce Seat Leakage in Valves' Delivered by Michael Hetteger, CEO of Senseven GmbH, this session highlighted how AI-driven acoustic analysis can revolutionize valve monitoring and predictive maintenance. 2 'Smart Strategies for Mutual Fund Investment in Turbulent Times' Financial expert Lalitha Thamaraipandi, Managing Director of Panaimaram Fintech Pvt Ltd, shared valuable insights into navigating investment strategies during economic uncertainties. 3. 'Ensuring Valve Reliability Through Precision Actuation – The Kinetrol Advantage' Jointly presented by Akshay Anand, GM, and Gopiram Krishnaraj, Area Manager of Kinetrol Middle East, this session focused on the importance of actuation precision in enhancing industrial valve reliability. Each session speakers were introduced by TEF members Eng Middleton, Eng Maniyarasu, and Eng Reckston, respectively. Each session was followed by an interactive Q&A segment, enabling participants to engage directly with the speakers and deepen their understanding. The event concluded on a high note with a heartfelt vote of thanks by Vice President Eng Subramanian, followed by a delicious dinner, fostering networking and camaraderie among attendees. TEF Kuwait continues to be a vibrant platform for engineering professionals, students, and innovators - promoting technical excellence, knowledge sharing, and community development. The upcoming InnoEX 2025 promises to be a landmark event that will further TEF's mission of inspiring the next generation of tech leaders.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Corrie star reveals return to off-screen job after horror fire burned down their business
CORONATION Street actress Georgia May Foote has returned to her off-screen job just weeks after a horrific fire put a stop to her business. The glam actress was once living the high life as a prolific UK star following her portrayal of Katy Armstrong in the ITV soap opera. 6 6 She soon enjoyed a stint on Strictly and had a flurry of modelling jobs but soon found herself struggling financially and as such turned her back on fame for a regular job. Georgia found herself being a nail technician and ploughed what she left of her celebrity earnings into opening her own salon, GMF Nails. But she was left devastated when the salon caught fire and burned down earlier this year. It left her without work once again but she has now revealed that she is back up and running and is due to open a brand new salon very soon. She took to her salon's Instagram site to give her fans an update where she confirmed they could still book in for nail appointment ahead of announcing her next venture. Georgia said: "So sorry I have been so quiet! You guys have literally booked me right up so thank you! "Also the salon is coming along nicely! "I will be announcing the name and the page to follow today so keep your eyes peeled! "Work starts tomorrow to get it all going and I cannot wait!!" Georgia was left crushed when the salon, based in a Middleton storage unit, burned to the ground. The fire occurred at a difficult time for Georgia as she was navigating a shock split from her husband of two years and considering a divorce. Speaking about the fire earlier this year, the soap siren said: "Now as some of you may know I've been a nail technician now for the past 4 years alongside my acting. "Unfortunately my beautiful little studio was affected by a huge fire within the storage world unit in Middleton last night. "Not only has my business burnt down, but so has many other peoples. "Along with peoples most loved possessions. My heart goes out to them all." She continued: "Even though as beauticians we can move into a new space, our stock and tools, which we spend years collecting have all gone. We can no longer work. 6 6 "My friends and fellow beauticians have to literally start again. "With no way of even making the money to buy these tools. "Some of them have children. "I am asking if you could please help us all by just giving a little towards helping my friends rebuild their businesses. "We would be eternally grateful. "Fire is the most devastating thing. Thousands of pounds of stock has gone in seconds." Georgia launched a GoFundMe earlier this year to raise cash following the fire and her marriage split. It is not explicitly clear if this is the cash which has been used to fund Georgia's new salon. 6
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Police statement on video circulating on social media following death of teenager
Extra patrols have been stepped up following the death of teenager. Officers were called to reports of crash between an e-bike and a car on Rowrah Crescent at 11.55am on Tuesday, July 22. The investigation is on-going into the death of Devon Simmonds-Caines, 15, and police said that officers are continuing to support the family and more officers in the area are providing reassurance for the local community Officers working on the case say they are also aware of footage online purporting to show preceding events leading up to the incident – and add that footage is not currently connected to the investigation. READ MORE: Man charged with murder over death of boy, 15, in Middleton Family tribute to 'bubbly' teen killed in Middleton crash Chief Inspector Jennifer Partington, from GMP's Rochdale district, said: 'The investigation into the death of Devon is continuing, with multiple officers working through all the relevant evidence in the case. 'We are aware of footage circulating online alleging to show immediate precursory events leading to the incident, and which we are not considering to be connected to the investigation at this stage. 'We would like to remind people that this is an active case and there is a grieving family, and would ask the community to not share footage or speculate on what is an ongoing investigation.' We continue our appeal for information that may assist our enquiries and any information can be submitted through the major incident portal, linked here: You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. Paying tribute to him, Devon's family described him as an 'outgoing bubbly person'. Terrence King, 59, of Middleton, will appear at Minshull Street Crown Court tomorrow charged with murder.
