Players must be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female before going through male puberty to compete in LPGA tournaments or the eight USGA championships for females under new gender policies published Wednesday. The policies, which begin in 2025, follow more than a year of study involving medicine, science, sport physiology and gender policy law. The updated policies would rule out eligibility for Hailey Davidson, who missed qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open this year by one shot and came up short in LPGA Q-school. Davidson, who turned 32 on Tuesday, began hormone treatments when she was in her early 20s in 2015 and in 2021 underwent gender-affirming surgery, which was required under the LPGA's previous gender policy. She had won this year on a Florida mini-tour called NXXT Golf until the circuit announced in March that players had to be assigned female at birth. “Can't say I didn't see this coming,” Davidson wrote Wednesday on an Instagram story. “Banned from the Epson and the LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.” LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who is resigning in January, said the new gender policy "is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach." By making it to the second stage of Q-school, Davidson would have had very limited status on the Epson Tour, the pathway to the LPGA. The LPGA and USGA say their policies were geared toward being inclusive of gender identities and expression while striving for equity in competition. The LPGA said its working group of experts advised that the effects of male puberty allowed for competitive advantages in golf compared with players who had not gone through puberty. “Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who announced Monday that she is resigning in January. "The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.” Mike Whan, the former LPGA commissioner and now CEO of the USGA, said it developed the updated policy independently and later discovered it was similar to those used by swimming, track and field, and other sports. United States Golf Association CEO Mike Whan said the new policy will prevent anyone from having "a competitive advantage based on their gender." “It starts with competitive fairness as the North star,” Whan said in a telephone interview. “We tried not to get into politics, or state by state or any of that stuff. We just simply said, ‘Where would somebody — at least medically today — where do we believe somebody would have a competitive advantage in the field?’ And we needed to draw a line. “We needed to be able to walk into any women's event and say with confidence that nobody here has a competitive advantage based on their gender. And this policy delivers that.” The “Competitive Fairness Gender Policy” for the USGA takes effect for the 2025 championship season that starts with the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball on May 10-14. Qualifying began late this year, though there were no transgender players who took part. “Will that change in the years to come as medicine changes? Probably,” Whan said. “But I think today this stacks up.” The LPGA “Gender Policy for Competition Eligibility” would apply to the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour and qualifying for the tours. Players assigned male at birth must prove they have not experienced any part of puberty beyond the first stage or after age 12, whichever comes first, and then meet limitation standards for testosterone levels. The LPGA begins its 75th season on Jan. 30 with the Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, foreground right, dives toward the end zone to score past San Francisco 49ers defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (51) and linebacker Dee Winters during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green goes up for a dunk during the second half of an Emirates NBA cup basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) South Carolina guard Maddy McDaniel (1) drives to the basket against UCLA forward Janiah Barker (0) and center Lauren Betts (51) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Mari Fukada of Japan falls as she competes in the women's Snowboard Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) LSU punter Peyton Todd (38) kneels in prayer before an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. LSU won 37-17. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma misses a catch during the fourth day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, left, is hit by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, center, as Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell (80) looks on during a touchdown run by Barkley in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Los Angeles Kings left wing Warren Foegele, left, trips San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, center, during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Olympiacos' Francisco Ortega, right, challenges for the ball with FCSB's David Miculescu during the Europa League league phase soccer match between FCSB and Olympiacos at the National Arena stadium, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Brazil's Botafogo soccer fans react during the Copa Libertadores title match against Atletico Mineiro in Argentina, during a watch party at Nilton Santos Stadium, in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) Seattle Kraken fans react after a goal by center Matty Beniers against the San Jose Sharks was disallowed due to goaltender interference during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Seattle. The Sharks won 4-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27), center, fight for the puck with Boston Bruins defensemen Parker Wotherspoon (29), left, and Brandon Carlo (25), right during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Jiyai Shin of Korea watches her shot on the 10th hole during the final round of the Australian Open golf championship at the Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland competes in the women's Freeski Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Lara Gut-Behrami, of Switzerland, competes during a women's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin cools off during first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Brazil's Amanda Gutierres, second right, is congratulated by teammate Yasmin, right, after scoring her team's first goal during a soccer international between Brazil and Australia in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher) Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) tries to leap over Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams (2) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Luiz Henrique of Brazil's Botafogo, right. is fouled by goalkeeper Everson of Brazil's Atletico Mineiro inside the penalty area during a Copa Libertadores final soccer match at Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) England's Alessia Russo, left, and United States' Naomi Girma challenge for the ball during the International friendly women soccer match between England and United States at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Gold medalists Team Netherlands competes in the Team Sprint Women race of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Beijing 2024 held at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) reaches for an incomplete pass ahead of Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Melanie Meillard, center, of Switzerland, competes during the second run in a women's World Cup slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Sent weekly directly to your inbox!Teleflex Incorporated: Compelling Only On One Metric10jili latest version 。

Hallmark continues to try and outdo itself in the realm of the classic holiday rom-com with Christmas on Call . The movie took the premise of Christmas in Philadelphia, PA and ran with it, concocting an ode to the city full of Eagles paraphernalia, local references, and even a cameo by Donna Kelce, mother of retired Eagles center Jason Kelce . Sara Canning and Ser’Darius Blain star in this title as busy First Responders attempting to find a sense of belonging and holiday cheer in the City of Brotherly Love. CHRISTMAS ON CALL : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT? The Gist: Talented emergency room doctor Hannah Michaels (Sara Canning) has recently moved to Philadelphia to follow in her doctor father’s footsteps, but she hasn’t had time to explore the city or meet people outside of work due to her demanding work schedule. While on the job, she meets EMT Wes Sullivan (Ser’Darius Blain), a born and raised Philadelphian who stays calm under pressure and serves as a pillar of his local community. Wes shows immediate interest in Hannah, and when he learns that she’s new in town, he offers to show her the wonders of Philly at Christmastime. Wes starts introducing Hannah to the community, which helps her feel less alone while she’s far from the rest of her family in Seattle. Although the two sometimes struggle to find time for each other due to their equally busy work schedules, they still manage to grow closer while decorating a tree, eating cheesesteaks, singing a capella, and serving their community. At the same time, there is a subplot following cops Danielle (Reena Jolly) and Sanjay (Erik Athavale), whose temporary partnership proves initially awkward and combative as they reconnect a year after the former seemingly ghosted the latter. There’s also a subplot revolving around hospital front desk worker Emerson (Monique Marcker) as she goes through the holidays missing her daughter, Chloe (Juliette Schroeder), who is in the armed forces and stationed overseas for Christmas. There’s even an additional subplot tracking new EMT Julia Sanchez (Tamara Almeida) as she fights to overcome her own self-doubts in order to figure out if this intense and arduous career path is for her. Can all of these people find community, happiness, and peace over the holidays? And will Hannah’s grueling career prevent her from falling in love with both Wes and Philadelphia? What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Rather than movies, Christmas on Call felt more reminiscent of TV shows like St. Denis Medical , Grey’s Anatomy , and Brooklyn Nine-Nine , combining the comedy, drama, and workplaces of each title with a Hallmark holiday flare and a fixation on Philadelphia. Performance Worth Watching: I thought that John B. Lowe was consistently affable, if not suspiciously Santa-like, as Hannah’s talented and nurturing superior at the hospital, Dr. Stanfield. His calm, jolly demeanor was always pretty pleasant to behold. Memorable Dialogue: “Philly is literally like the best Christmas city in the world!” In the WORLD, Wes, really?! A Holiday Tradition: Station House 21 has an annual holiday open house for both First Responders and the local community, full of festive food, beverages, and lots of holiday karaoke. Does the Title Make Any Sense?: It’s Christmastime and our leading lad and lady are basically constantly on call with their jobs so, yes, Christmas on Call is perfectly apt. Our Take: Disclaimer: I am from Pittsburgh, PA so I’m admittedly biased (Philly is our cross-state rival) but will maybe kind of try to be impartial here. I’ll just begin with the obvious: Christmas on Call is pro-Philly propaganda. From the b-roll of major monuments and local attractions to the incessant Eagles references to all of the people saying how amazing the city is, especially during the holidays, this is clearly a movie by and for Philadelphians. Or it’s by the Philadelphia Tourism Bureau trying to get Hallmark viewers to visit for Christmas. Either way, there’s no doubt that Christmas on Call is, at the very least, an effective love letter to Philadelphia, and you can practically feel the affection for the city and its culture through the screen. But if you have no strong feelings about Philly, or if you have strong feelings against the city, this may not be the movie for you. The movie relies so heavily on Philadelphia references that you could easily make a potentially deadly drinking game out of all the times the city or some sort of local activity, sports team, or food item is mentioned. Take the city aspect out of it, and you also get a somewhat bland love story that’s hindered by Wes seeming way more into Hannah than she’s into him from the start, making them seem better as friends than lovers by the end. In fact, I found that Wes might have made more sense romantically with his coworker, Julia, since they spend so much time together on the job and also seem to bond throughout the movie. There are also so many subplots that it ends up detracting from the overall impact of each one and makes it hard to feel fully invested in and emotionally connected to the characters. When the only things that make Christmas on Call stand out from all the other Hallmark movies out there are the Philadelphia setting and Donna Kelce cameo (which isn’t even THAT unique since she also appears at a food joint in Hallmark’s Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story ), then maybe this isn’t worth making time for unless those two factors particularly pique your interest. Our Call: If you’re from or love Philadelphia, you should definitely STREAM IT just for the joy of all the local shoutouts and Easter eggs, but for everyone else, perhaps SKIP IT — Christmas on Call was not made with us in mind.

Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie scored to lead Juventus to a 2-0 Champions League win over Manchester City on Wednesday, a major blow to the English champion’s hopes of clinching a top-eight spot in the group stage of Europe’s elite competition. City, which lifted the 2023 Champions League title, continued a poor run of form which has brought only one victory in its last 10 games across all competitions. “(Confidence) is a big part of it, obviously it’s a mental issue as well. You can see that. You can see that sometimes one action we miss the ball or lose a duel and you can see that we drop immediately,” City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan told Amazon Prime . “It has such a big effect on us right now. At the crucial moment right now we are doing the wrong things.” Vlahovic scored by the narrowest of margins in the 53rd minute when Kenan Yildiz swung the ball in and City ‘keeper Ederson fumbled the Serb’s header from close range and the ball sneaked just across the line, according to the goalline technology. Vlahovic of Juventus celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match against Manchester City. | Photo Credit: Getty Images “The whole team played an excellent match, we prepared well and did everything what we had to do,” Vlahovic told Amazon . “The result is amazing and can give us a great boost for the rest of the season.” City picked up the tempo in a desperate attempt to equalise and sent numbers forward, but Juve capitalised to double its lead against the run of play when McKennie hooked Timothy Weah’s cross in with a sumptuous volley in the 75th minute. Pep Guardiola’s team squandered several chances, one of the best falling to Erling Haaland late in first half. ALSO READ: Griezmann brace powers Atletico Madrid to 3-1 win over Slovan Bratislava Kevin De Bruyne sent a beautiful through ball to the Norwegian who got in behind the defence before trying to chip goalkeeper Michele di Gregorio who threw up his arm to block the shot. Gundogan unleashed a blistering strike from long range that Di Gregorio stretched to just push wide. “We have done it really, really well, we didn’t lose many balls that happened in the past, and we arrived in the positions,” Guardiola said. “But the Italian teams that defend so deep and so compact it is not easy, they are masters of these kinds of situations.” Manchester City’s head coach Pep Guardiola reacts during the Champions League, opening phase match against Juventus at the Allianz stadium in Turin, Italy. | Photo Credit: AP With two games remaining in the group phase, Juventus is 14th in the table while City plummeted to 22nd, three places out of automatic elimination from the competition. Since the start of November, City has conceded more goals (21) across all competitions than any other team in Europe’s big five leagues, the worst spell in Guardiola’s otherwise sparkling managerial career. ALSO READ: Saka brace powers Arsenal to 3-0 win over Monaco; Feyenoord eases past Sparta Prague City, which hosts Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday, continues its Champions League campaign at Paris St Germain on January 22. Juventus travels to Brugge on January 21. Wasteful Benfica struggled to a 0-0 home against Bologna in the Champions League on Wednesday as visiting ‘keeper Lukasz Skorupski made crucial saves to keep the hosts out. Benfica is 15th in the standings with 10 points while Bologna’s campaign is on the brink of ending with only two points and a six-point gap to the last playoff spot. Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis shoots at goal as Bologna’s Lukasz Skorupski makes a save in their UEFA Champions League group phase match. | Photo Credit: REUTERS Benfica thought it had got off to a flying start after two minutes when Vangelis Pavlidis scored, but a VAR check ruled out the effort for offside. ALSO READ: Super-sub Torres helps Barcelona beat Dortmund 3-2; Stuttgart scores five past Young Boys Pavlidis was denied from close range by Skorupski with a superb reflex save in the second half and Benfica wasted late chances as the points were shared in the first-ever meeting between the teams. Comments Related Topics UEFA Champions League 2024-25 / Manchester City / Pep Guardiola / Juventus / Bologna / Benfica Latest on Sportstar

House approves mammoth annual defense policy billWindsor Middle School modernization committee plans renovations around potential grant funding

- Vince Dunn has been outspoken about the Kraken’s recent struggles—and, for the most part, he’s been right. The candid defenseman wasn’t alone in his frustration after the team dropped three straight games, including two consecutive losses to the San Jose Sharks. But whether it was Dunn's words or Head Coach Dan Bylsma’s message, the Kraken responded with a new sense of urgency, turning the tides on the Hurricanes with a big Tuesday night in Carolina. Dunn returned to the lineup this week after missing 19 games due to . Tuesday night he earned his third assist of the season with a pass to Eeli Tolvanen, giving the Kraken a 2-1 lead in the second period. Upcoming Games: Thurs.Dec. 5th @ , Fri. Dec. 6th @ , and Sun. Dec. 8th @ Make sure you bookmark site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Want to join the discussion with others in your hockey community? Check out the !

Sunday Links: Barbara Lee For Oakland Mayor?

Argentina's Kirchner returns as Peronists eye comeback against Milei

NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of the people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO in a targeted killing on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, ran the insurance arm of the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc. since 2021 and had worked at the company for 20 years. He previously led its Medicare and retirement businesses. As CEO, Thompson led a business that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. The University of Iowa graduate began his career as a certified public accountant at Pricewaterhouse Coopers and had little name recognition beyond the industry. Even to investors who own its stock, the parent company's face belonged to CEO Andrew Witty, a knighted British triathlete who has testified before Congress. Thompson’s few moments of public attention stood in contrast to his role in reshaping the way Americans get health care. At an investor meeting last year, he outlined his company's shift to “value-based care,” paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy, rather than focusing on treating them when they get sick. “Health care should be easier for people,” Thompson said at the time. “We are cognizant of the challenges. But navigating a future through value-based care unlocks a situation where the ... family doesn’t have to make the decisions on their own.” Thompson also drew attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, was widely criticized for a plan to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” the chief executive of the American Hospital Association wrote in an open letter addressed to Thompson. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.” United Healthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change. Thompson was scheduled to speak at an investor meeting when he was shot around 6:45 a.m. outside the New York Hilton Midtown by a masked assailant who fled on foot, the New York Police Department said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were looking at Thompson's social media accounts and interviewing employees and family members. He said Thompson walked out of the hotel alone. “Didn’t seem like he had any issues at all,” Kenny said. "He did not have a security detail.” AP reporter Michael R. Sisak contributed to this report. This story corrects the style of the company’s name to UnitedHealthcare.WASHINGTON — FBI Director Christopher Wray told the bureau workforce Wednesday he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden’s term in January, an announcement that came a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump said he would nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the job. Wray said at a town hall meeting that he would step down “after weeks of careful thought,” three years short of the completion of a 10-year term marked by high-profile and politically charged investigations, including that those led to two separate indictments of Trump last year. Wray’s intended resignation is not unexpected considering that Trump settled on Patel to be director and repeatedly aired his ire at Wray. By stepping down rather than waiting to be fired, Wray is trying to avert a collision with the new Trump administration that he said would have further entangled the FBI “deeper into the fray.” Wray was put in the job by Trump and began the 10-year term — a length meant to insulate the agency from the political influence of changing administrations — in 2017, after Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey. Get local news delivered to your inbox!