US concludes plans to remove transgender soldiers from military

The US will soon remove transgender troops from the military unless they obtain a waiver on a case-by-case basis, the Pentagon said in a Wednesday memo.

 

The memo became public on February 26, as part of a court filing in a case challenging President Donald Trump's late January executive order that was aimed at barring military service by transgender personnel.

 

"Service members who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria will be processed for separation from military service," the memo said.

These troops may be "considered for a waiver on a case-by-case basis, provided there is a compelling government interest in retaining the service member that directly supports warfighting capabilities," it said.

 

To obtain such a waiver, troops must show that they have never attempted to transition, as well as demonstrate "36 consecutive months of stability in the service member's sex without clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning."

 

Another Pentagon memo issued earlier this month barred transgender people from joining the military and halted gender transition treatment for others who are already in uniform.

 

The latest memo also states that "applicants for military service... who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria are disqualified for military service," as are those with "a history of cross-sex hormone therapy or sex reassignment or genital reconstruction surgery as treatment for gender dysphoria."

Disqualified applicants can also obtain a waiver if there is a "compelling government interest" in them joining the military and they are "willing and able to adhere to all applicable standards, including the standards associated with the applicant's s£x."

 

Transgender Americans have faced changing policies on military service in recent years, with Democratic administrations seeking to permit them to serve openly, while Trump has repeatedly sought to keep them out of the ranks.

 

The US military lifted a ban on transgender troops in 2016, during Democrat Barack Obama's second term as president.

 

Under that policy, trans troops already serving were permitted to do so openly, and transgender recruits were set to start being accepted by July 1, 2017.

But the first Trump administration postponed that date to 2018 before deciding to reverse the policy entirely.

Trump's controversial restrictions on transgender military service, which underwent changes in response to various court challenges, eventually came into force in April 2019 following a protracted legal battle that went all the way to the nation's top court.

 

Trump's Democratic successor Joe Biden moved to reverse the restrictions just days after he took office in 2021, saying all Americans qualified to serve should be able to do so.

 

After returning to office in January, Trump issued an executive order executive order that again took aim at transgender troops, saying: "Expressing a false 'gender identity' divergent from an individual's sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service."

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Photos: Houses, churches and schools destroyed as Boko Haram attacks Adamawa villages

A group of heavily armed Boko Haram terrorists attacked Kwapre and other communities in Adamawa State's New Yadul District, Hong Local Government Area during the night.

The attack, which began at about 7:30pm on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 and raged past midnight, left a trail of destruction in its wake.

Locals said worship places, schools, houses and business premises were set ablaze, and properties worth millions of naira looted.

Mr Joel Kulaha, the village head of Kwapre, and Abalis Jawaja, the village head of King, said the insurgents descended on the communities, torching buildings and carting away valuables.

They said fortunately, no lives were lost in the assault, as residents, forewarned by the escalating threat, fled their homes before the attackers arrived.

“We escaped with our lives, but everything we own is gone,” Kulaha lamented, describing the chaos that unfolded.

It was gathered that military forces stationed in nearby Garaha responded to the attack in the early hours, engaging the insurgents and forcing them to retreat.

However, residents said the military intervention came too late to prevent the widespread destruction that has left the villages in ruins.

See more photos below…

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JUST IN: Billionaire Folorunsho Alakija reportedly goes blind After Near Air Incident

Nigerian billionaire Folorunsho Alakija, 73, founder and Executive Vice Chairman of Famfa Oil, has reportedly lost her sight entirely.

According to an exclusive report by Sahara Reporters, medical sources say her vision deteriorated after a near-air mishap while traveling with her husband, Modupe Alakija, who chairs Famfa Oil. The stressful incident allegedly triggered a severe spike in her bl@od pressure, which adversely affected her eyes.

Following the ordeal, Alakija is said to have ordered a new jet to avoid flying on the same aircraft as her husband. Despite this precaution, her eyesight continued to worsen until she eventually became bl+nd.

One source explained, “She had a near-air mishap with her husband onboard and her bl@od pressure sh+t up, affecting her eyes. Instead of treating the condition, she chose to start a church. Now she can’t see.”

Beyond her health challenges, Alakija is renowned for her business success and philanthropic efforts. She founded the Rose of Sharon Glorious Ministry International, which evolved from a small home fellowship in 2004 into a full-fledged ministry, and she was ordained as an apostle on her 69th birthday. Famfa Oil, her flagship company, holds a significant stake in Nigeria’s lucrative OML 127 oil block.

Starting her career in the 1970s after studying secretarial skills in London and working as an executive secretary in Lagos, Alakija’s accomplishments have earned her a Forbes-estimated net worth of about $1 billion (as of 2020). She has also been recognized as one of Africa’s richest and most influential women.

Her story serves as a stark reminder that even the most accomplished individuals can face unexpected personal challenges.

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Taylor Swift breaks new records and becomes the first female artist to achieve 100 billion streams on Spotify

Taylor Swift, a well-known American music icon, has broken a record by becoming the first female artist to receive over 100 billion streams on Spotify.

This milestone is confirmed by her Spotify profile, showing her considerable influence in the music business.

This accomplishment puts Taylor Swift among the top-streamed artists in the world, highlighting her strong influence and large fan base.

Chart Masters, a music stats site, reports that she is the second-highest earner on Spotify in the last year, making about $7,713,106.

The only artist who has made more money than her is Canadian rapper Drake, who is said to have earned $7,717,904 during the same time frame.

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In return for a massive US military aid, Ukraine agrees to US exploration and mining of natural resources

 

US President Trump has succeeded in persuading Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky to agree to allow US explore and mine his country's natural resources in exchange for massive military aid.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky will reportedly travel to Washington, DC in the coming days, after the United States and Ukraine agreed to terms on a deal over natural resources and reconstruction, according to a Ukrainian official.

Negotiations have been ongoing for days over a deal that could grant the US access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as part of wider negotiations to end Russia’s invasion, as well as US involvement in a reconstruction fund for Ukraine.


According to Reuters, a Ukrainian official said the terms were agreed upon after “everything unacceptable was taken out of the text and it is now more clearly spelt out how this agreement will contribute to Ukraine’s security and peace.”


Details of the agreement are not yet known, but a major sticking point had been a demand from the Trump administration for a $500 billion share of Ukraine’s rare earth and other minerals in exchange for the aid the US had already provided Kyiv, which was previously rejected by Zelensky.


As at press time, the US has not confirmed whether the terms of a deal have been agreed.

“I hear that (Zelensky is) coming on Friday. Certainly, it’s OK with me if he’d like to, and he would like to sign it together with me. And I understand that’s a big deal, very big deal,” US President Donald Trump said from the Oval Office on Tuesday, February 25.
 

Asked what Ukraine would receive in the mineral deal, Trump said: “$350 billion and lots of equipment, military equipment, and the right to fight on.”

 “We’ve pretty much negotiated our deal on rare earth and various other things,” Trump told reporters, adding that “we’ll be looking to” future security for Ukraine “later on.”

“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem,” Trump said. “I spoke with Russia about it. They didn’t seem to have a problem with it. So I think they understand … once we do this, they’re not going back in.”
 

Ukraine has been pushing for security guarantees, with Kyiv not only keen to see the return of lost territory but also protection against a possible future Russian attack if a peace deal is agreed on.


European leaders have also stressed the necessity for security guarantees for Ukraine as a condition for any future peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv. Following his meeting with Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday proposed boosting Ukraine’s military capabilities, and if requested to deploy British and French troops to keep the peace.


British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who will visit the White House on Thursday, has said a US “backstop” is needed for any Ukraine peace deal, which could potentially include security guarantees, American intelligence cooperation, air support and heavy lift transport.


According to CNN, a source said at the weekend that Zelensky could not accept an earlier version of the deal because it contained no American “obligations” while Ukraine was “expected to provide everything.”


During a visit to the White House on Monday, Macron commended Trump for his “decision to work with President Zelensky, and to conclude this agreement that’s so important for the US and Ukraine on rare earths, critical minerals.”

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