Gender dysphoria diagnoses among children in England rise fiftyfold over 10 years

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Study of GP records finds prevalence rose from one in 60,000 in 2011 to one in 1,200 in 2021 – but numbers still low overall

The number of children and young people in England with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria recorded by a GP has risen fiftyfold over 10 years, researchers have found, though numbers are still relatively small.

The growing number of birth-registered females seeking referrals to gender clinics has raised concerns in recent years, with tensions over how best to tackle gender dysphoria in children resulting in the Cass review last year.

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Irish-language cinema has bright future despite Oscars snub, says Kneecap director

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Comedy film loosely based on lives of Belfast hip-hop trio missed out on nominations for best international feature and original song

Hollywood may not have been quite ready to see Kneecap “walking down the red carpet smoking a joint” but the makers of the comedy biopic about the hip-hop trio say it has shown there is a “bright future” for Irish-language cinema and an indigenous industry in Belfast.

The producers of the film – which is named after the group – and their family and friends turned out to watch the Academy Awards nominations announcement in Madden’s bar in Belfast with the band tuning in on Zoom from London, where they are recording a new album.

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Nature lovers urged to take part in UK bird count amid fears over climate and disease

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Birdwatch survey comes as concerns grow over infection risks posed by garden bird feeders

People are being urged to spend an hour this weekend counting the birds in their garden, park or local green space for the world’s largest survey of garden wildlife.

More than 9m birds were counted last year by 600,000 participants in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch, providing a vital snapshot of how wild birds are faring.

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Rubio vows to work ‘tirelessly’ to free hostages during call with FM Sa’ar – The Jerusalem Post

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  1. Rubio vows to work 'tirelessly' to free hostages during call with FM Sa'ar  The Jerusalem Post
  2. US top diplomat Rubio discusses Iran, Gaza hostages with Israeli PM Netanyahu  Reuters
  3. FM Sa’ar thanks US Secretary of State Rubio for actions against ICC, Houthis and more  The Times of Israel
  4. Middle East crisis: hundreds leaving their homes in Jenin, says Palestinian official, as Israel continues West Bank raid – as it happened  The Guardian
  5. Rubio holds first call with Netanyahu as secretary of state  CBS News
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Amanda Knox slander conviction upheld in Italian court, ending legal saga – The Washington Post

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  1. Amanda Knox slander conviction upheld in Italian court, ending legal saga  The Washington Post
  2. Amanda Knox’s Slander Case in in the Hands of an Italian Court: Here’s What to Know  PEOPLE
  3. Rubio’s First Official Visit Will Be to a Country Trump Already Offended  The Daily Beast
  4. Amanda Knox Slander Conviction Is Upheld by Italy’s Highest Court  The New York Times
  5. Amanda Knox fails to overturn slander conviction in Italy  Sky News
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Firefighters battle to keep upper hand on new wildfire north of Los Angeles

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Hughes fire near Castaic Lake broke out on Wednesday and led to evacuation orders or warnings for more than 50,000

Firefighters fought to maintain the upper hand on a huge and rapidly moving wildfire that swept through rugged mountains north of Los Angeles and resulted in more than 50,000 people being put under evacuation orders or warnings.

The Hughes fire broke out late Wednesday morning and in less than a day had charred nearly 16 sq miles (41 sq km) of trees and brush near Castaic Lake, a popular recreation area about 40 miles (64km) from the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires that are burning for a third week.

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California governor signs $2.5bn relief package for LA wildfire recovery

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Announcement comes day before Donald Trump will visit fire-torn areas and amid criticism around state water supply

Gavin Newsom has signed a $2.5bn relief package to help areas of Los Angeles recover from the devastating fires that have been burning for nearly two weeks. The funds were announced during a press conference on Thursday in Pasadena, just outside of Altadena, the town hit hardest by the Eaton fire, which ignited on 7 January.

The signing of the bipartisan aid package comes a day before Donald Trump is set to visit the fire-torn areas and amid continued criticism of the California governor and other state officials’ management of the state’s water supply. It also follows a new blaze, the Hughes fire, which sparked on Wednesday morning and quickly grew. It is now 36% contained and has burned nearly 10,400 acres (4,209 hectares), according to Cal Fire.

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Newark mayor condemns warrantless immigration raid that ‘terrorized’ people

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Ras Baraka and other state lawmakers express outrage as sanctuary cities nationwide brace for similar Ice actions

The mayor of Newark, New Jersey, said an immigration raid in the city was done without a warrant, and led to the detainment of undocumented residents as well as citizens.

Newark mayor Ras Baraka said that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) had raided a local establishment. “Newark will not stand by idly while people are being unlawfully terrorized,” he wrote in a statement.

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French man on death row in Indonesia expected to return home in two weeks, minister says

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Serge Atlaoui is expected to be transferred after an agreement was reached with the government in Paris, Yusril Ihza Mahendra says

A French man who has been on death row in Indonesia since 2007 for alleged drug offences is expected to return home in weeks after an Indonesian minister said an agreement would be signed on Friday to allow his transfer.

Serge Atlaoui is expected to return to France on 5 or 6 February, the senior minister for law and human rights affairs, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, told Reuters on Friday.

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ICC prosecutor requests warrants for Afghan Taliban leaders over persecution of women – The Associated Press

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  1. ICC prosecutor requests warrants for Afghan Taliban leaders over persecution of women  The Associated Press
  2. Afghan women’s group hails court's move to arrest Taliban leaders for persecution of women  ABC News
  3. Taliban hits out at ICC over Khan's arrest warrant requests  The Jerusalem Post
  4. Taliban reject court move to arrest top officials for persecuting Afghan women and girls  The Associated Press
  5. ICC Prosecutor’s application for arrest warrants against Taliban leaders is an important step towards justice  Amnesty International
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Columbia suspends affiliate for participation in disruption of History of Modern Israel class – CU Columbia Spectator

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  1. Columbia suspends affiliate for participation in disruption of History of Modern Israel class  CU Columbia Spectator
  2. Letter to the Editor: Faculty denounce class disruption and hate speech at recent protest  CU Columbia Spectator
  3. Columbia University says it is increasing campus security after class on Israel disrupted by protesters  CBS News
  4. Columbia deploys security after Israel history class disrupted by anti-Israel activists  The Jerusalem Post
  5. Groups with ‘direct’ terror ties planned anti-Israel protests at Columbia, per Canary Mission report  JNS.org
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Jenin is ‘only the beginning’: Israel moves its war on Palestinians to the West Bank – Mondoweiss

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  1. Jenin is ‘only the beginning’: Israel moves its war on Palestinians to the West Bank  Mondoweiss
  2. Nada Bashir witnesses Israel’s deepening military operations in the West Bank  CNN
  3. Updates: Israel continues attacks in West Bank’s Jenin as Gaza truce holds  Al Jazeera English
  4. New Israeli "large scale" offensive in West Bank underway as Trump drops sanctions on settlers  CBS News
  5. UN rights office raises alarm over escalating violence in occupied West Bank  UN News
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Middle East latest: Gaza ceasefire holds as Israel cracks down in the West Bank – The Associated Press

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  1. Middle East latest: Gaza ceasefire holds as Israel cracks down in the West Bank  The Associated Press
  2. Ceasefire brings flood of aid to Gaza, but security challenges remain  The Washington Post
  3. Gaza: 2,400 Aid Trucks Entered Since Ceasefire, Hamas Accused Of Theft  i24NEWS
  4. Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Colombia  OCHA
  5. Aid Is Rushing Into Gaza While the Cease-Fire Holds  The Wall Street Journal
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Belarusian opposition denounces Lukashenko and Sunday’s election – BBC.com

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  1. Belarusian opposition denounces Lukashenko and Sunday's election  BBC.com
  2. ‘A ritual for a dictator’: Lukashenko critics decry Belarus election  The Guardian
  3. What another Lukashenko ‘victory’ will mean for Europe’s security – and that of Belarus’ citizenry  The Conversation Indonesia
  4. Putin ally Alexander Lukashenko to cement grip on Belarus in ‘sham’ elections  Financial Times
  5. Parliament denounces the upcoming sham presidential election in Belarus  European Parliament
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Italy says Libya war crimes suspect was sent home due to ‘social dangerousness’

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General Osama Najim was released on a technicality and repatriated by Italy without any prior consultation, says international criminal court

Italy’s interior minister said on Thursday a Libyan man detained under an international war crimes arrest warrant and then unexpectedly released had been swiftly repatriated because of his “social dangerousness“.

Osama Najim, also known as Almasri, was detained on Sunday in Turin under an arrest warrant issued by The Hague-based international criminal court (ICC).

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