Trump signs executive order banning transgender athletes in women's sports
Washington: US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday banning transgender athletes from participating in women's sports, stating that it marks the end of the "war on women's sports."
Surrounded by female athletes and children at the White House, Trump declared, "We will not allow men to beat up, injure, and cheat our women and girls. From now on, women's sports will be only for women."
The order directs government agencies to withhold federal funds from schools that permit transgender athletes in women's sports. "It is the policy of the United States to rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, endanger their safety, and violate their privacy," the executive order states.
Trump also announced plans to pressure the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to change its rules on transgender athletes ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been directed to push the IOC for policy changes, while Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem has been instructed to deny visas to "men fraudulently identifying as women athletes" seeking to compete in the Games.
Since his return to office on January 20, Trump has aggressively targeted transgender rights through a series of executive orders. These include reversing policies on transgender military service and restricting gender transition procedures for individuals under 19.
During the 2024 election campaign, Trump repeatedly attacked Democrats on transgender rights, branding his opponent Kamala Harris as a supporter of "they/them ideology." The Republican-led House of Representatives had earlier passed a bill restricting transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports, aligning with conservative concerns over fairness in competition.
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17,969 acres Wakf property encroached in Karnataka, mostly by Muslims: Minister Khan
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister for Wakf & Minority Welfare B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan told the Legislative Assembly on Monday that 17,969 acres of Wakf property have been encroached upon in the state, mostly by Muslims themselves.
The minister was responding to a question by Afzalpur Congress MLA M Y Patil during the Question Hour.
"Total Wakf property across the state is 1,12,860 acres, out of which only 20,054 acres is in our hands. As many as 17,969 acres have been encroached, 47,263 acres have gone under the Inam Abolition Act and 23,627 acres have gone under the Land Reforms Act," Khan said.
He said that after the Congress government came to power and he became the department's minister, Wakf Adalats were held across the state aimed at removing encroachments.
Noting that 1,12,860 acres of Wakf land were given not by the government, but by private individuals and organisations for the welfare of the community, the minister said encroachments on Wakf property are mostly by the Muslim community itself, not by temples or other communities.
"Encroachments on Wakf land are not by others, they are done by Muslims themselves. Wakf Adalats were held to remove those encroachments, but the BJP made it an issue," he said, adding that encroachment issues are being resolved.
Leader of Opposition R Ashoka intervened and said the BJP's objections were not about removing encroachments by Muslims on Wakf land, but about farmers' land, land belonging to schools such as the one studied by Bharat Ratna Sir M Visvesvaraya, and in some cases land belonging to temples, among others, being claimed as Wakf land.
The BJP is in fact in favour of an investigation into the encroachment of Wakf properties, he said.
Responding to this, the minister clarified that the government is not laying hands on any temples or educational institutions by claiming them as Wakf property.
"To identify encroachments by private people, mostly Muslims, Wakf Adalats were held," he added.
