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We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
A man facing charges for the murder of a Loyola University freshman is scheduled to appear in court on Monday in Chicago.
The Department of Homeland Security has identified the suspect as Jose Medina, an undocumented immigrant hailing from Venezuela.
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Medina was taken into custody by Chicago police on Friday.
Authorities allege that Medina, aged 25, is responsible for the death of Sheridan Gorman, a student from Loyola University.
Police reports indicate that Medina approached a group of friends near Pratt Boulevard last Thursday, drew a firearm, and opened fire. Gorman was struck in the head and succumbed to her injuries.
RELATED: Family of Loyola student gunned down in Rogers Park speaks out; shooter at large: ‘This was murder’
An attorney representing Gorman’s family releasing a statement, saying in part: “Sheridan was 18. She had her entire life ahead of her-her education, her future, her family, the countless lives she would have touched. All of that was taken in a moment, and there is no way to repair that loss.”
The Department of Homeland Security is urging Illinois officials to keep Medina behind bars, while also issuing an Ice detainer for allegedly being undocumented.
DHS said Medina entered the country illegally in 2023, and was arrested for shoplifting in Chicago that year.
Court records also show that Medina never showed up to court for that retail theft charge, so an arrest warrant was issued.
Medina is now facing first degree murder and weapon charges. His court hearing is later Monday.
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Gary Reynolds, a lumberyard worker hailing from the United States, has survived an extraordinary ordeal, having been struck by lightning four times. He describes feeling transformed internally after enduring these electrifying encounters.
Reynolds’ first electrifying encounter dates back to 2007, and the most recent strike occurred in 2022. These incidents have left him grappling with significant physical and emotional trauma. His experiences highlight the unpredictable nature of lightning strikes, which impact approximately 240,000 individuals globally each year. Of those affected, about 10% tragically succumb to their injuries.
The effects of a lightning strike can vary widely among survivors. While some report intense pain, others suggest that the surge of adrenaline from the electricity coursing through their bodies can dull the sensation. Reynolds’ first brush with lightning happened nearly two decades ago while he was reaching for a soft drink from an outdoor fridge in his garage.
Impacts from being struck by the bolts often vary, with some describing excruciating pain while others claim the adrenaline of the electricity pulsing through the body masks the feeling.
Mr Reynolds was first struck almost 20 years ago while he was grabbing a soft drink from his outdoor fridge in the garage of his home.
Speaking to The Atlantic, he recalled being unable to move from his bed for months after the surge due to the agonising pain it left him in.
However, it was not only physical pain Mr Reynolds was left with. He also had difficulty concentrating and performing simple tasks became far more difficult than they were before.
‘You still look the same and everything else, but it’s like a different person inside,’ he told the magazine.
It is estimated that around 240,000 people are injured by lightning strikes across the world every year, with around 10 per cent of people likely to die as a result
Mr Reynolds was diagnosed with PTSD as a result of the strike before he was shockingly struck again just 11 months later – despite the chances of such an occurrence being around one in 1.2million.
He had woken up at around 2am with a pulsing headache next to his open bedroom window when he felt a surge go through his hand, half of which immediately turned bright red.
Mr Reynolds recalled how, at that point, he had still not paid his treatment bills from the previous strike which left him unable to seek further help this time around.
This meant his condition quickly deteriorated and he was left feeling dizzy and unable to grip – which impacted his ability to hold a chainsaw at work.
It also affected his family life as he and his wife divorced the following year – just months before their 20th anniversary.
Over time, Mr Reynolds claimed his wife lost sympathy with him and would ask why he was ‘not over this yet’.
It prompted him to move more than 600 miles away to North Carolina with his family, taking up a new position at a lumberyard and eventually remarrying.
However, he was devastatingly struck by lightning for a third time in 2016 – in his mountainside home on a summer’s afternoon – and a fourth time in 2022 when he was watching TV on his sofa with his grandchildren.
‘It’s like it’s looking for me,’ Mr Reynolds told his therapist. ‘It’s like it’s a living, breathing creature.’
In the UK, around 30-60 people – most commonly those often outdoors such as hill walkers, fishers and golfers – will be struck by the electric discharge per year, with between two to three deaths reported.
In the US, since 2006 there have been at least 444 fatalities as a result of a lightning strike, with around 400 people likely to be struck every year in the US.
The combination of intense heats, extreme humidity and sea breezes in locations such as Florida make the US a hotbed for lightning strikes and thus, increases residents’ likelihood of being struck.
In many cases, it is the after-effects of being struck by lightning that often leave people with the most trauma or, in some cases, an even better life.
While some are left with chronic burns, PTSD and nerve damage, others say they have walked away with better vision and miraculously healed injuries.
One anonymous survivor of the strikes, who The Atlantic named as Matt, described how he could barely feel pain or temperature changes due to the severe damage caused to his nerves from being struck by lightning. He has since undergone laser therapy to try and regain some of the sensations.
Matt also previously slept in a Faraday cage, which blocks electricity from conducting through it. To this day he pours salt in his mouth to stop his traumatic intrusive thoughts from taking over.
Another anonymous woman named as Caroline, said she tried a similar tactic but with sour Warhead sweets.
Both reported being unable to sweat after being struck by lightning, no matter how hot it is outside or how hard they exercise.
Caroline is now so exhausted and forgetful as a result of the strike that she has to leave sticky notes as reminders of her to-do list and often needs help to get through her day’s tasks.
She used to love hosting her family for dinner, but no longer uses her oven to cook because she left it on ‘so many times that I even ended up burning the element out’.
Steve Marshburn Sr, the founder of Lightning Strike and Electrical Shock Survivors International, was struck by lightning aged 25 when he was working at a bank in North Carolina.
For years, he said doctors and even his family did not believe his story and he says he even understands why.
‘It’s so unbelievable that it’s hard to talk about,’ he told the magazine.
Mr Marshburn Sr now organises a conference for lightning strike survivors to attend, including Mr Reynolds, Matt and Caroline.
One attendee, Susan Deatrick told the magazine: ‘I don’t think luck has anything to do with it, but at the same time, God is in control over everything down to the minutest detail.’
What to know about lightning strikes in Britain…
How many people die from lightning strikes in the UK every year?
Around 30 to 60 people are struck by lightning in Britain per year, with between five and 10 per cent of them dying as a result.
Who are most at risk of being struck?
Golfers
Hill walkers
Swimmers
Construction workers
Rock climbers
Fishers
Boaters
Campers
Outdoors DIY
Agricultural workers
How does lightning strike a person?
There are three main ways of being struck by lightning: directly, as a result of the flash bouncing off another object, or by it pulsing through the ground.
How do I protect myself from a lightning strike?
There are various ways to protect yourself from being struck by lightning.
The first piece of advice provided by experts is to always check the weather forecast before setting off outdoors for the day.
If camping, for example, it is advisable to choose a site where a tent is not placed at a high point, and to avoid placing poles near other metal objects as these can be conduits for electricity.
It is also important to seek shelter inside a large building or a vehicle, with the inside of cars being a safe place.
Sheltering outside is to be avoided, particularly near trees. However, if you are stuck outside, it is advisable to make yourself as small a target as possible by crouching down with your feet together, putting your hands on your knees and tucking your head in.
Source: The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
Sarah Ferguson has refuted rumors suggesting she intended to participate in a reality TV series that would feature the cloning of Queen Elizabeth’s beloved corgis.
The 66-year-old former Duchess of York was rumored to have been involved in a show focused on cloning Muick and Sandy, the corgis she and her ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, also 66, adopted following the Queen’s passing in 2022.
Sarah Ferguson has denied claims she planned to take part in a reality television series involving cloning Queen Elizabeth’s corgis
However, in a statement to PEOPLE, a spokesperson for Sarah Ferguson clarified that she opted out of the project after preliminary discussions with Halcyon Studios, which were regarding a more general program about dogs.
The representative explained, “Ms. Ferguson frequently receives various TV offers, particularly for reality shows, which she consistently turns down.”
The former duchess’ representative said: “Ms. Ferguson regularly receives varied TV offers and proposals – often for reality shows which she always declines.”
The spokesperson added “to be absolutely clear” she “declined the proposal” regarding a reality TV show involving the late Queen’s corgis.
They admitted Sarah “received the proposal following some initial conversations with Halcyon media to discuss a potential programme on dogs generally”, but stressed “conversations ended following her declining the opportunity suggested”.
It was reported Sarah had spoken with multiple production companies in the United States in May 2023 about a possible series involving the corgis.
A spokesperson for Halcyon Studios did not respond to a request for comment from PEOPLE.
According to the Daily Mail, a synopsis for the proposed show stated: “With the help of a team of scientists and investors, Fergie sets up a company called The Queen’s Corgis, which aims to clone the Queen’s corgis and sell them to other dog lovers around the world.”
It continued: “But as she dives deeper into the world of genetics and cloning, Fergie realizes that her business venture is not without controversy… .”
The synopsis added: “As the series unfolds, viewers will be taken on a journey through the fascinating world of genetics and cloning, as well as the inner workings of the royal family.
“They will witness the highs and lows of Fergie’s business venture, and see how her determination and resilience are put to the test.”
Queen Elizabeth was known for her long-standing affection for corgis, having owned more than 30 during her lifetime. Muick and Sandy were the two dogs that outlived her and were present at her funeral in September 2022.
The corgis have remained a subject of public attention following reports that Sarah and Andrew moved out of their home, Royal Lodge, in February.
Sarah last publicly addressed the dogs in September 2025, sharing an Instagram post in tribute to Queen Elizabeth.
She wrote: “Her Majesty will be forever loved, always missed, and never forgotten.”
Sarah added: “Not a day goes by when I don’t think of the kindness I was unstintingly shown in good times and bad.”
In an interview with PEOPLE in March 2023, Sarah said of the dogs: “They are national icons, so every time they run chasing a squirrel, I panic.”
On Monday, Iran issued a warning that it would target power plants throughout the Middle East should U.S. President Donald Trump proceed with his threat to bomb key infrastructure within Iran. Additionally, Iran hinted at the possibility of laying mines across the “entire Persian Gulf” in the event of an invasion.
This warning from Tehran presents a significant threat to the electricity and water supply of Gulf Arab nations, where power stations are often integrated with desalination plants essential for providing potable water in these arid regions.
Smoke and flames rise from an Israeli airstrike that hit the Qasmiyeh Bridge near the coastal city of Tyre, Lebanon, Sunday, March 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammad Zaatari)
In conjunction with this threat, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency released a list of such facilities, highlighting the United Arab Emirates’ nuclear power plant among them. Recently, Iran fired missiles at Dimona in Israel, a site linked to a long-speculated nuclear weapons program. Fortunately, the Israeli installation remained unharmed in the attack.
In response, Israel announced on Monday that it had commenced a “wide-scale wave of strikes” targeting infrastructure in Tehran, though details on the specific targets were not immediately provided.
Tehran says it will mine Persian Gulf if invaded
Amid growing anxiety in Tehran over the possible deployment of U.S. Marines to the region, Iran’s Defense Council issued a stern warning against the notion of an invasion.
“Any attempt by the enemy to target Iran’s coasts or islands will, naturally and in accordance with established military practice, lead to the mining of all access routes … in the Persian Gulf and along the coasts,” it said in a statement.
The U.S. has been trying to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, to energy shipments. Iran has shut the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is shipped along with other important commodities, in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes. A trickle of ships has been getting through the strait and Iran insists it remains open — just not to the U.S., Israel or their allies.
The Marines could come ashore to seize either islands or territory in Iran to support that mission. Israel also has suggested its ground forces could take part in the war.
Trump and Tehran exchange threats
Tehran’s signal is part of a back and forth series of threats that escalated this weekend with Trump saying in a social media post that if Tehran didn’t open the strategic waterway to all ships, the United States would “obliterate” Iran’s power plants. He gave Tehran a 48-hour deadline that expires late Monday, Washington time, further raising the stakes of the ongoing war with Iran that has already disrupted global energy supplies, sending natural gas and gasoline prices soaring.
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said Monday that if the U.S. did that, Iran would respond by hitting power plants in all areas that supply electricity to American bases, “as well as the economic, industrial and energy infrastructures in which Americans have shares.”
“Do not doubt that we will do this,” the Guard said in a statement read on Iranian state television.
The Fars news agency, which is close to the Revolutionary Guard, published a list of such sites in what appeared to be a veiled threat, including desalination plants as well as the UAE’s Barakah nuclear power plant, which has four reactors out in the western deserts of the country near its border with Saudi Arabia. The judiciary’s Mizan news agency also published the list.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Iran would consider vital infrastructure across the region to be legitimate targets, including energy and desalination facilities critical for drinking water in Gulf nations.
Oil prices up more than 50% since start of the war
Oil prices remained stubbornly high in early trading, with the price of Brent crude, the international standard, at around $112 a barrel, up nearly 55% since Israel and the U.S. started the war on Feb. 28 by attacking Iran.
“No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues to go in this direction,” said Fatih Birol, the head of the Paris-based International Energy Agency.
He told Australia’s National Press Club in Canberra on Monday that the crisis in the Middle East has had a worse impact on energy markets than the two oil shocks of the 1970s and the Russia-Ukraine war combined.
Jorge Moreira da Silva, a senior United Nations official, said the world has already seen a ripple effect, including “exponential price hikes in oil, fuel and gas,” having a far reaching impact on millions, primarily in Asian and African developing countries.
“There is no military solution,” he said.
The war has also caused wild fluctuations in global stock markets as traders grow increasingly concerned about a world energy crisis and other issues.
US commander warns Iranians civilians
United States Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper claimed in an interview that Iran was launching missiles and drones from populated areas, and suggested those areas would be targeted.
“You need to stay inside for right now,” Cooper told Iranian civilians in the interview with the Farsi-language satellite network Iran International which aired early Monday.
“There will be a clear signal at some point, as the president has indicated, for you to be able to come out.”
In his first one-on-one interview since the war started, Adm. Cooper said the campaign against Iran is “ahead or on plan” and that the U.S. and Israel were targeting infrastructure and manufacturing facilities to destroy Iran’s capabilities to rebuild its military.
“It’s not just about the threat today,” he said. “We’re eliminating the threat of the future, both in terms of the drones, the missiles as well as the navy.”
He suggested Iran could bring a quick end to the war if it stopped firing back, but did not say whether that would prompt Israel and the U.S. to relent before all infrastructure targets have been destroyed.
Iran’s death toll in the war has surpassed 1,500, its health ministry has said. In Israel, 15 people have been killed by Iranian strikes. More than a dozen civilians in the occupied West Bank and Gulf Arab states have been killed in strikes.
In Lebanon, authorities say Israeli strikes targeting Iran-linked militia Hezbollah have killed more than 1,000 people and displaced more than 1 million. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has fired hundreds of rockets into Israel.
RANTOUL, Ill. (WCIA) — In an effort to enhance both academic and extracurricular offerings, Rantoul City Schools is inviting residents to a community engagement session later this month.
The school district is focused on aligning its programs and services with the needs of students, families, staff, and the wider community as part of its “District Improvement Plan.” During the session, attendees will participate in small group discussions to evaluate which programs should be maintained, enhanced, initiated, or discontinued.
Recently released air traffic control audio captures the harrowing moments of a tragic incident at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, where a collision with a fire truck resulted in the deaths of two pilots and injuries to at least 42 people.
Just before the crash, the audio reveals an air traffic controller in communication about an emergency vehicle’s request to cross the tarmac, followed by urgent attempts to halt the vehicle’s movement.
The repeated command, “Stop, Truck 1. Stop,” echoes through the transmission, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
In the tense moments that followed, the controller can be heard desperately redirecting an incoming aircraft to prevent further disaster.
The collision tragically claimed the lives of the pilot and copilot and severely damaged the aircraft’s nose. Among the 39 passengers and crew members who were transported to local hospitals, several sustained serious injuries. Most have been discharged, according to authorities’ statements on Monday.
Two Port Authority employees who were traveling in the fire truck also suffered injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, said Kathryn Garcia, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport.
The pilot and copilot were both based out of Canada, Garcia said during a news conference early Monday.
Officials examine the area around an airport firetruck on the runway at LaGuardia Airport after a collision with an Air Canada jet that had just landed, Monday, March 23, 2026, in New York.(AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)
The airport will remain closed until at least 2 p.m. Monday to facilitate the investigation, which is being led by the National Transportation Safety Board.
There were 72 passengers and four crew members aboard the aircraft, a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada, according to a statement from the airline. The flight originated at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, the major airport serving Montreal.
Photos and videos from the scene showed severe damage to the front of the aircraft, with cables and debris hanging from a mangled cockpit. Nearby, a damaged emergency vehicle lay on its side.
Stairways used to evacuate passengers from the aircraft were pushed up to the emergency exits on the jet, a Bombardier CRJ. The impact left the jet with its crumpled nose tilted upward.
Eric Mack is a writer for Fox News Digital covering breaking news.
Bullock and her husband Ian, who jointly own two other investment properties, bought the four-bedroom home in Yamba in NSW’s Northern Rivers region on February 3 and finalised the transaction on the day the RBA board hiked interest rates to 4.1 per cent.
Details of Bullock’s recent property acquisition have emerged in her updated declaration of material interests, as seen on the Reserve Bank of Australia’s website, released on March 17.
Michele Bullock bought the four-bedroom home in Yamba in February and settled on the purchase on March 17. (Alex Ellinghausen)
Bullock’s latest purchase, a $2.05 million home, boasts four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and features a wine cellar.
The expansive property, situated approximately 90 minutes from Byron Bay, is marketed by the selling agent as offering “luxurious coastal living.”
The RBA document also provides information on Bullock’s other real estate holdings, which include her main residence in Russell Lea and two investment properties located in Chiswick and Drummoyne, Sydney.
The RBA voted to raise the cash rate by 0.25 per cent to 4.10 per cent on March 17. (9News)
In her role, funded by taxpayers, Bullock earns an annual salary of $1.195 million.
The RBA declined to comment.
RBA’s monetary policy board decided to increase the cash rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4.10 per cent, citing high inflation and the oil price spike caused by the war in the Middle East as deciding factors.
Australia’s big four banks have predicted triple rate hike pain, with economists forecasting yet another cash rate increase at the RBA’s meeting in May.
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As debates intensify worldwide over the access to medical pathways for transgender youth, a pressing question emerges: Have we struck the right balance? This issue is gaining traction in countries like Australia, where restrictions are becoming more pronounced. The discussion takes center stage in the Insight episode titled “Trans Medicine,” airing Tuesday, March 24, at 8:30 p.m. on SBS and SBS On Demand.
One voice in this conversation is Kyro, who, at the age of 16, approached his mother, Sandi, with a heartfelt request for gender-affirming care. His mother, however, insisted that he wait until he turned 18. This decision stemmed from her belief that he was too young to make such a significant choice.
“It was incredibly challenging to hear that the one person I felt closest to didn’t believe my feelings were genuine,” Kyro, who was assigned female at birth, shared with Insight. “I felt very isolated, constantly battling the sense that no one was taking me seriously.”
Now 19, Kyro reflects on his mother’s decision, which, although made with his best interests at heart, left him feeling misunderstood and alone during those formative years.
Sandi wanted Kyro to wait until he was 18 as she felt that her son, now age 19, was too young at the time to make the decision.
“It was really sad and hard … We thought ‘What have we done wrong? Why is Kyro going through this sort of stuff?’” Sandi told Insight.
“We doubted ourselves as a family.”
Sandi is not alone as a parent in Australia who has been in the position of deciding whether to consent to their child receiving gender-affirming medical treatment.
An estimated 2 to 3 per cent of people aged 10-24 in Australia identify as transgender or gender diverse, according to Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Australia’s largest child health research institute.
Puberty blockers, hormone therapy and top surgery
In Australia, people under 18 generally require guardian consent and a diagnosis of gender dysphoria (also referred to as gender incongruence) for medical practitioners to provide gender-affirming treatments.
However, legislative changes in Queensland and the Northern Territory mean doctors in the public system can no longer prescribe gender-affirming medication to new trans patients under 18. Patients already accessing this care can continue their treatment.
Not all trans and gender diverse people experience gender dysphoria, and the term itself is contentious due to the concern it stigmatises trans healthcare as a mental health condition.
In 2019, the World Health Organization approved changes to its ICD-11 manual (effective 2022) to declassify transgender health issues as mental disorders and reclassified “gender incongruence” under sexual health.
“Gender dysphoria” still appears in the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual (DSM-5) as a diagnosis of distress that can help provide access to medical treatment and support.
Gender-affirming medical treatments currently available in Australia to trans youth include puberty blockers, gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), typically from age 16, and in rare cases, gender-affirming chest surgery (more commonly known as ‘top surgery’).
Puberty blockers, administered in the early stages of puberty, are a medication that temporarily suppresses sex hormone production to delay puberty and its physical changes, such as breast development or voice deepening.
Teens usually around age 16 and adults can be prescribed GAHT, which is the medical administration of estrogen or testosterone to help align a person’s secondary sex characteristics (such as body fat distribution, voice pitch and body hair) with their gender identity.
‘I didn’t have to watch my body morph into a man’
Grace, 25, was assigned male at birth but knew she “did want to become a girl” at age 12. The thought of having to wait until she was 18 to access gender-affirming care was a scary one for her.
“I knew that I was going to transition. I knew it in my soul, and so I was able to save myself a world of further trauma.”
With the support and consent of her parents, Grace started puberty blockers when she was 13 years old and was able to start GAHT two years later under Victorian laws.
“Just knowing that, biologically, I would be able to progress in a way that really felt like me, was something of almost a miracle,” Grace said.
“I now have the privilege of being able to walk through my life, and not having people just know that I’m trans by looking at me … I didn’t have to watch my body morph into a man during my adolescence.”
Grace says that accessing gender-affirming care at a young age made a world of difference. Source: Supplied
How accessible is gender-affirming care for trans youth?
There are currently no national clinical guidelines for gender-affirming care for trans and gender diverse youth in Australia.
The Australian Standards of Care and Treatment Guidelines for Trans and Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents,developed in 2018 by the Royal Children’s Hospital Gender Service in Melbourne, is used widely used in public services and has been endorsed by the Australian Professional Association for Trans Health. The federal government has not formally endorsed these guidelines.
The Australian government requested last year that the National Health and Medical Research Council, the country’s primary statutory authority for medical research and funding health develop guidelines on trans healthcare for young people.
Looking internationally, there have been several reviews that have led other countries to limit the use of medical treatment for trans youth.
Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) commissioned the Cass Review in 2020, which gave its final report in April 2024.
The review, led by Dr Hilary Cass found that the evidence base that had been historically used to support medical interventions for trans youth was weak. England subsequently banned puberty blockers for patients under age 18 in both the private and public systems.
Other European countries, including Sweden, Denmark, Norway and France, have also adopted a more cautious approach by limiting the use of puberty blockers.
However, peak medical bodies in Australia — including the Australian Medical Association and Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) — have not endorsed the Cass review due to the belief its findings could be used to restrict and reshape youth gender-affirming care.
“Data is currently limited because trans healthcare research was not given the funding it deserved until relatively recently, but to then use this as a reason to deny trans people access to certain treatments is cruel and unethical,” said Dr Michelle Dutton, RACGP’s Specific Interests Transgender and Gender-Diverse Healthcare Group chair, in 2024.
Differing care approaches from psychologists
Queensland-based psychologist Vanessa Spiller believes that a gender-affirming approach for trans and gender diverse youth is problematic — due to what she says is limited evidence.
“We now have these systematic reviews that have been conducted around the world by independent countries and organisations that have really found that there isn’t a good evidence base for gender-affirming care,” she told Insight.
Spiller believes that it is better to pick from a range of different models rather than adopting a gender-affirming approach.
“Once I’ve got to know the person … I then pick the model that’s going to work best for that individual,” she said.
“And this is quite different with the directions from the [Australian Psychological Society]. They say you must use a gender affirming model.”
Olivia Donaghy, a founding clinician at the Queensland Children’s Gender Service at the Brisbane Royal Children’s Hospital and is contemplating resigning because of the state’s ban on puberty blockers in the public system.
“If you don’t have enough money to go to private care, you don’t have [gender-affirming] care in Queensland anymore,” Donaghy told Insight.
“You can access puberty blockers and hormones privately, but of course you have to pay. It’s created this real inequity.”
Donaghy, who is currently completing a PhD that examines the satisfaction of people who have received gender-affirming medical treatment, said that many of her adult patients who didn’t have puberty blockers were negatively affected.
“One of the things that I hear over and over from young adults who come to see me is a real sorrow that they didn’t have access to puberty blockers.
“And that they now have to look at surgery if they’re wanting to make changes.”
It’s not an easy decision
Hugo, 23, came out as trans in late high school and at age 17 had a double mastectomy, under special circumstances.
His gender identity was something that had been on his mind for a long time.
“I thought about it my entire life … ‘How will I feel about it in five years, 10 years and 50 years?’” Hugo told Insight.
“I can confidently say, yes, [accessing treatment] was right for me. At the same time, it would be very irresponsible for me to say that it’s the right thing for everybody.”
Hugo had top surgery when he was 17 years old as part of his gender-affirming treatment. Source: SBS
Hugo believes that gender dysphoria is a disorder because it is something that causes a lot of distress.
“I think when something is impacting you to the point that your cognition is impacted, your mental health is impacted, your relationships, and your ability to function in the world, that, by definition, is a disorder.”
“I don’t think it should be an easy decision for anybody at any age at all. The ideal situation is if there were a magic pill that would have made me happy to be a woman.”
Life after accessing trans healthcare
After starting GAHT last year, Kyro feels more confident in himself and is planning his top surgery in the next 12 months.
“I can go into the bathroom without being looked at weirdly,” he said.
“I like my body more.”
Kyro (right) with his mum Sandi. Source: SBS
Seeing Kyro’s wellbeing improve has helped his mum better understand his decision to transition.
“I’m still saying ‘she’ a lot, and I know I’ve got to change that,” Sandi said.
“But as I’ve seen him change, I’m starting to feel like it’s more him.”
LGBTIQ+ Australians seeking support with mental health can contact QLife on 1800 184 527 or visit qlife.org.au. ReachOut.com also has a list of support services.
US marines head to war-torn region ahead of mooted Kharg Island invasion
Thousands of US Marines are being deployed to the conflict-ridden Middle East as Washington evaluates strategies to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open.
The US is considering a possible operation on Kharg Island, a crucial territory through which 90 percent of Iran’s crude oil is exported, aiming to pressure Tehran into compliance.
Recently, discussions at the White House have centered around either occupying or blockading this strategic island.
A senior official informed Axios, “Under every administration, including Trump’s, we’ve had ground forces in conflict zones. I understand the media’s focus and the political implications, but the president will make the right decision.”
At the end of last week, the US announced the deployment of 5,000 marines and sailors, along with the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault vessel, to the Middle East, indicating that a ground operation might be on the horizon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also hinted at putting boots on the ground as war rages on, admitting there must be a ‘ground component’ involved in forcing the Iranian regime to crumble.
James McCoy Taylor, known for his stint on “The Bachelorette,” found himself back in the legal spotlight in Texas, facing re-arrest related to a 2024 assault case for which he had previously admitted guilt and received sentencing.
The 39-year-old was detained in Brazos County on Friday, yet managed to secure his release on the same day by posting a $10,000 bond, as reported by the Brazos County Sheriff’s Department via Fox News.
Taylor, who gained fame during season 12 of “The Bachelorette” in 2016, was apprehended under a warrant connected to an incident from April 2024. In this case, he was accused by a 19-year-old college student of assaulting her and restricting her movement within his Texas home.
Initially taken into custody in August 2024, Taylor faced charges of assault causing bodily harm and unlawful restraint related to the alleged event.
In April 2025, Taylor entered a guilty plea to the assault of a 19-year-old Blinn College student. As part of his sentence, he was required to complete 80 hours of community service, pay fines totaling $750 along with $350 in court costs, and participate in anger management sessions.
He was also barred from having any contact with the victim and prohibited from entering the Northgate Entertainment District.
“The Bachelorette” alum was arrested again on Friday after a court revoked his probation and issued a warrant on Feb. 17 over his apparent failure to pay the full amount of his fines.
The country singer paid $884 of the $1,184 in fines but still owes $300 and made a final $80 payment shortly before his arrest, according to court records obtained by Fox News.
In the wake of his August 2024 arrest, Taylor issued a statement to People denying any wrongdoing.
“I’m a pretty big guy but I was trying to ‘unlawfully restraining’ a girl and she just … got away?… and walked right to her Uber right outside my house? With no injuries?” he told the outlet.
“I would never hurt anybody. I’m nice to EVERY person I meet.”
A probable cause document obtained by the outlet states Taylor met the woman at a College Station bar before bringing her back to his condo, where they began kissing — until she said she wanted to leave.
The woman told investigators he allegedly tackled her and pinned her down.
She also claimed Taylor “groped her vagina” and “used his body weight to hold her down and kiss her more,” before she was able to wiggle free, escape through the front door and flee before calling police.
This is not Taylor’s first run-in with the law.
In September 2022, he was arrested for driving while intoxicated and unlawfully carrying a weapon.
He was sentenced in November 2023 to five days in the Brazos County Detention Center and ordered to pay a $500 fine and $585 in court fees.
The DWI case also led to the temporary suspension of his driver’s license.
Taylor’s Friday arrest comes on the heels of ABC axing the next season of “The Bachelorette” after a disturbing video tied to Taylor Frankie Paul’s past domestic dispute surfaced.
The move comes as allegations involving her ex, Dakota Mortensen, continue to unfold and affect her reality TV projects.
