NY attorney general demands hospital resume gender-affirming treatment for trans youth

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Attorney General Letitia James is ordering one of Manhattan's largest hospitals to resume providing gender-affirming care to transgender youth, weeks after the hospital ended such treatments amidfunding threatsfrom the federal government.

In a letter sent to NYU Langone, the attorney general's office said the hospital's decision to shutter its Transgender Youth Health Program violated the state's anti-discrimination laws by "jeopardizing access to medically necessary healthcare for some of the most vulnerable New Yorkers."

James' office promised "further action" if the hospital does not immediately resume offering hormone therapies, puberty blockers and other care to transgender youth.

A spokesperson for NYU Langone declined to comment on the letter, which was sent on Feb. 25 but first made public this week.

One of the city's largest hospital systems, NYU Langone announced last month that it would phase out certain gender-affirming treatments for patients under the age of 19 because of the "current regulatory environment" and recent departure of a medical director.

"We are committed to helping patients in our care manage this change," the hospital said at the time.

The move came weeks after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a proposal tocut federal Medicaid and Medicare funding to hospitalsthat provide gender-affirming care to minors, part of a suite of regulatory actions targeting transgender Americans.

Advertisement

The proposals, however, did not officially change federal law, and did not impact a "medical institutions' existing duties and obligations under New York law," according to the Feb. 25 letter signed by the attorney general's health care bureau chief, Darsana Srinivasan.

"The sudden discontinuation of medically necessary transgender healthcare can have severe, negative health outcomes," Srinivasan added. "Accordingly, the Attorney General is extremely concerned by your institution's decision to cease the provision of care to this vulnerable, minority population."

The letter gives NYU Langone until March 11 to demonstrate its compliance.

A spokesperson for the attorney general's office declined to say what steps it would take if the hospital does not change its policy.

Severalhospitals across the countryhave already paused transgender youth treatments following anexecutive orderissued by President Donald Trump last year that promised to withhold research and education grants to hospitals that allow the "chemical and surgical mutilation of children."

The move — along with language used in the letter — was roundly condemned by trans groups and major medical associations.

"This sets a very dangerous precedent for all areas of health care, if the government can cherry-pick one area of medicine to use to withhold necessary funding from entire groups of people," Dr. Scott Leibowitz, a psychiatrist and board member for the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, said at the time.

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 03, 2026

NY attorney general demands hospital resume gender-affirming treatment for trans youth

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Attorney General Letitia James is ordering one of Manhattan's largest hospitals to resume pr...

Read More

A beloved brother, a ‘superstar student’ and a ‘fantastic fighter’: What we know about the Austin mass shooting victims

One was on the brink of earning dual degrees and starting a prestigious job. Another was a mixed martial arts fighter whose grit was matched by his humor and charm. Another was a teenager with a bright future ahead.

Their lives intersected at the end when they werekilled in a mass shootingin Austin's bustling Sixth Street entertainment district.

"These were young people with their whole lives ahead of them," saidBuford's Backyard Beer Garden, near the site of the shootings.

Another 13 people were injured in the attack early Sunday morning, including several University of Texas at Austin students, the school's president said.

While the motive remains uncertain, investigators are digging into whether the suspect, 53-year-oldNdiaga Diagne, was spurred by recentUS and Israeli strikes on Iran.

The anguish quickly spread across the country, as loved ones from Texas to Minnesota grieve the loss of three promising young lives. Here's what we know about the victims:

An only child and 'superstar student' volunteered to serve others

Savitha Shan was just two months away from graduating from UT Austin and already had a distinguished job lined up, according to her LinkedIn profile and a professor.

Shan was "one of our superstar students at the UT Austin McCombs school of business,"professor Russ Finneywrote on X.

The 21-year-old "was set to graduate this May, and then she was on to start her career at a big professional services firm," Finney wrote. "She was a double major with honors. Involved in student organizations - a light in the classroom. Absolutely crushing to lose her."

Shan's parents are now grieving the death of their only child.

"Our hearts are broken beyond words," the family said in a statement released by UT Austin. "The loss feels unreal and profoundly unfair, and the space she once brightened now echoes with sorrow."

While Shan was lauded for her academic achievements, it was her selfless compassion that touched the lives of those less fortunate.

She "generously gave her time through volunteer service and community involvement, always seeking to uplift those around her," Shan's parents said.

UT Austin President Jim Davis said Shan was "a loyal friend to many."

"It is devastating, and I know all of us are grieved by this horrible news and we will remember her," Davis wrote in astatement.

He said several other UT Austin students were injured in the shooting, some with "very serious" injuries.

A community vigil is scheduled for Tuesday evening, the university's Students Demand Action chapter said. UT Austin's student government will also host a candlelight vigil Wednesday evening, wherecampus resources will be availablefor all students.

A little brother was 'robbed of a great future'

Ryder Harrington was a vivacious 19-year-old who made every day brighter for those around him, family and friends said.

Advertisement

His sister, Reagan Harrington, paid tribute to her "best friend" on Instagram.

"We understood each other in a way that no one else quite could, and everyone who knew us knew that we were partners in crime in everything,"she wrote. "I'm not sure how we're meant to work through this — all I can think about is seeing you again."

Ryder's brother Reed Harrington said, it was unfair "that my little brother was only given 19 years on this earth."

"Watching the man he had become, and seeing all the lives he touched, leaves me certain that this world was robbed of a great future," Reed posted onFacebook.

In an open letter to his slain brother, Reed thanked Ryder for "being the best brother I could ever ask for."

"I love you more than you will ever know," he wrote. "No matter how old you get, or how much taller than me you are, you will always be my little brother."

Ryder Harrington was a student at Texas Tech University last fall, the school said, in a statement shared with CNN affiliateKCBD. He was a member of the Beta Theta Pi at Texas Tech, the chapter said.

Harrington "had a rare ability to truly enjoy life to make people laugh, to make moments feel bigger, and to make ordinary days unforgettable," the fraternity posted onInstagram.

"He made the world around him better simply by being in it."

A 'fantastic fighter' from Minnesota 'made us laugh constantly'

Jorge Pederson was a respected fighter and fought until the end.

The 30-year-old was mortally wounded Sunday and died Monday after he was taken off life support,CNN affiliate KVUEreported.

The MMA fighter from Minnesota was "very funny and a genuinely nice guy," said Matthew Vogt, co-owner of Med City Fighting Championships.

Pederson wasn't just "on point in regard to fighting," Vogt told CNN. He also brought humor and personality to the sport.

"We adored him. He made us laugh constantly," Vogt said.

Pederson's personality was so infectious that "Immediately after meeting him, both owners and people that work our events all immediately loved him,"Med City Fighting Championshipswrote on Facebook.

"He was a fantastic fighter. One of our favorite people to interact with, throughout the years of our existence," the organization said. "Our condolences to all of his friends and family. It was an honor to have known him."

CNN's Amanda Musa, Ed Lavandera, Elise Hammond, Jeremy Grisham and Karina Tsui contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 03, 2026

A beloved brother, a ‘superstar student’ and a ‘fantastic fighter’: What we know about the Austin mass shooting victims

One was on the brink of earning dual degrees and starting a prestigious job. Another was a mixed martial arts fighter who...

Read More

Epstein estate's $35 million settlement with accusers wins preliminary judge approval

By Luc Cohen

NEW YORK, March 3 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge granted preliminary approval on Tuesday to an agreement for Jeffrey Epstein's estate ‌to pay as much as $35 million to resolve a class action ‌lawsuit that accused two of the disgraced financier's advisers of aiding and abetting his sex trafficking ​of young women and teenage girls.

Boies Schiller Flexner, a law firm representing Epstein victims, announced the settlement on February 19. On Tuesday, Manhattan-based U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian said the agreement appeared fair. The judge scheduled a hearing for September ‌16 to consider granting final ⁠approval.

The deal would bring an end to a 2024 lawsuit filed against Epstein's former personal lawyer Darren Indyke and former accountant ⁠Richard Kahn, who are co-executors of Epstein's estate.

Epstein's estate previously set up a restitution fund that paid out $121 million to victims. The estate also paid $49 million in ​additional settlements ​to victims.

Advertisement

Lawyers for Indyke and Kahn ​did not immediately respond to requests ‌for comment. One of their lawyers had previously said neither Indyke nor Kahn "made any admission or concession of misconduct" as part of the settlement.

Epstein died in a New York jail in August 2019. His death was ruled a suicide.

Millions of documents released this year by the Justice Department from its investigation ‌into Epstein have shed light on his ​social ties to wealthy and powerful people around ​the world.

In the 2024 lawsuit, ​lawyers at Boies Schiller Flexner said Indyke and Kahn helped ‌Epstein create a complex web of ​corporations and bank accounts ​that let him hide his abuses and pay victims and recruiters, while leaving them "richly compensated" for their work.

The Boies law firm previously helped ​obtain $365 million of settlements ‌with JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank after accusing them of missing red ​flags about Epstein, once a lucrative client.

(Reporting by Luc Cohen ​in New York; Editing by Daniel Wallis)

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 03, 2026

Epstein estate's $35 million settlement with accusers wins preliminary judge approval

By Luc Cohen NEW YORK, March 3 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge granted preliminary approval on Tuesday to an agreemen...

Read More

Rahm says European tour is 'extorting' LIV players by making them play more events to rejoin tour

Jon Rahm tore into the European tour Tuesday over its offer for him and other LIV Golf players to rejoin, claiming the tour was "extorting players" by forcing them to play additional tournaments.

LIV Golf

Rahm, competing this week in LIV Golf Hong Kong, spoke publicly for the first timesince the European tour announced a dealthat would require LIV players to pay previous fines for not getting releases and to compete in additional events designated by the tour.

Eight players from LIV, including Tyrrell Hatton, accepted the deal. Rahm did not.

"I don't know what game they're trying to play right now," Rahm said. "But it just seems like in a way they're using our impact in tournaments and fining us and trying to benefit both ways from what we have to offer. In a way, they're extorting players like myself and young players that have nothing to do with the politics of the game.

"So I don't like the situation and I'm not going to agree to that."

Players are required to play four tournaments, not including the majors, to keep membership on the European tour. Rahm said the deal would have required LIV members to play six tournaments.

"And they dictate where two of those have to be, among other things that I don't agree with," Rahm said. "I've been a dual member my whole career — PGA Tour and DP World Tour. ... Never once have I been asked for a release to play either one of those tours. So why is it now that we need to be offering this and there's all these penalties?

"I just don't like the situation," he said. "I think we should be able to freely play where we want and have the choice to play where we want and not be dictated what we do."

The fines stem from playing LIV Golf events opposite European tour events without getting a conflicting-event release. Rahm was able to use the "home tour" policy on the PGA Tour to play in European tour events.

Advertisement

Rahm said he told the European tour — known as the DP World Tour commercially — that if it lowered the minimum requirement to four tournaments, he would sign the deal.

"They haven't agreed to that," he said. "I just refuse to play six events. I don't want to, and that's not what the rules say."

Rahm and Hatton were among those who appealed their fines for playing LIV. That case has not been heard, but the appeal allowed them to play in the Ryder Cup last year at Bethpage Black.

Now the Spaniard's participation in the 2027 matches in Ireland are in question.

An arbitrational panel in Britain, Sports Resolution, ruled in April 2023 the tour had the right to penalize players as a membership organization. If the panel rules in favor of the tour again, Rahm would be required to settle his fines or lose his membership, which would keep him off the Ryder Cup team next year.

Rory McIlroy said in January about the fines Rahm and Hatton were facing, "We went really hard on the Americans about being paid to play the Ryder Cup, and we also said that we would pay to play in Ryder Cups. There's two guys that can prove it."

Rahm fired back by saying his comment would make more sense if all 12 players were asked to pay, not just him and Hatton.

"There's more intricacy that goes into this whole situation," Rahm said. "I'll gladly pay my way to go on the Ryder Cup, not have to pay to still be a member of the DP World Tour and fulfill a commitment that I'm fully willing to commit."

AP golf:https://apnews.com/hub/golf

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 03, 2026

Rahm says European tour is 'extorting' LIV players by making them play more events to rejoin tour

Jon Rahm tore into the European tour Tuesday over its offer for him and other LIV Golf players to rejoin, claiming the to...

Read More

What China's response to the U.S. attack on Iran says about its foreign policy

BEIJING (AP) — The day the U.S. and Israelattacked Iran, China waited several hours before taking its first official position. It said it was "highly concerned" and called for an immediate halt to military operations and the resumption of dialogue.

China Congress

The next day, Foreign Minister Wang Yi condemned the strikes as unacceptable and again called for more talks.

There were no indications of direct intervention — but such an expectation wouldn't be realistic. As in other recent conflicts, includinglast year's attackon Iran, China has condemned the use of force while remaining on the sidelines, keeping in mind its long-term interests.

This time, those interests include a highly anticipated visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to Beijing, expected to take place around early April.

Why China is staying out of the fight

China's military has grown rapidly. It has conductedmilitary drillswith Iran and established a base in Djibouti in East Africa in 2017. But its overwhelming focus is defending its interests in Asia, from Taiwan to the South China Sea.

It has waded into Middle East diplomacy where it sees an opportunity, helping tobroker a rapprochementbetween Iran and Saudi Arabia in 2023. But it views the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as cautionary tales to be avoided, said William Yang, an analyst with the International Crisis Group.

"China is reluctant to project military power beyond its immediate periphery and it is also unwilling to play the role of security guarantor in unstable regions like the Middle East," he said.

Likewise, it has provided diplomatic and economicsupport to Russiaand Venezuela, but steered away from any military actionin Ukraineor Latin America.

China's position on the sidelines shows the limits to its influence in global geopolitics, said Craig Singleton, a senior China fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based research institute.

"Beijing's response has been predictably restrained, underscoring China's limited ability to shape events once hard power is in motion," he said. "Beijing can signal unease; however, it cannot meaningfully deter or influence U.S.-Israeli military action."

Ties with U.S. outweigh those with Iran

China's unhappiness with the strikes against Iran is unlikely to upendties with the U.S.or plans for Trump to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing in about a month, analysts say.

For Chinese leaders, the relationship with the U.S. is much more crucial than with Iran on multiple fronts, from trade and the economy to Taiwan.

Beijing may have a war of words with Washington over Iran, but the downside to creating a new conflict with Trump outweighs the upside, said George Chen, a partner at The Asia Group.

Advertisement

"U.S.-China relations are already complicated enough for President Trump and Xi to handle," he said. Adding Iran to the mix "won't be something that both sides are keen to do."

Still, it is possible that Beijing could postpone the Trump visit, he said.

Energy concerns go beyond Iran's oil

China is the top importer of oil from Iran, but the government is deeply concerned with energy security and has developed alternatives. What's most worrisome is rising prices and potentially losing access to oil and natural gas from the broader Middle East.

China imported about 1.4 million barrels a day — or 13% of China's total seaborne oil imports — from Iran last year, according to Kpler, a data and analytics company. But the firm estimates that enough oil is already in transit to last another four to five months. That would give China's independent refineries time to adjust and seek alternatives, with discounted Russian oil as their primary option, said Muyu Xu, a senior analyst with Kpler.

China has spent years diversifying its supplies and building up its reserves, Singleton said. "The loss of Iranian oil appears marginal, not material, at least in the short-term," he said.

Iran's attempts to shut down theStrait of Hormuz— the narrow mouth to the Persian Gulf — is of greater concern, as are any attacks on liquefied natural gas facilities in the Gulf states.

QatarEnergy, a major supplier,halted productionof liquefied natural gas Monday after its facilities were attacked.

Why China may not help arm Iran

China is unlikely to send arms to Iran to help it fight the U.S. for several reasons, analysts say.

"Tangible military aid, if any, would be limited to existing long-term defense trade arrangements rather than rapid battlefield support, and it would be constrained by Beijing's interest in avoiding direct confrontation with the U.S. and its allies," said Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, a researcher at the Center of Economic and Law Studies in Indonesia.

China has criticized the U.S. for supplying arms to Ukraine, saying it prolongs the fighting.

Iran's missile program is based on Chinese technology, said James M. Dorsey, an adjunct senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. But he predicted that China would err on the side of caution rather than sell any missiles to the country's military.

"What China wants is this to end," he said.

Associated Press writers Kanis Leung in Hong Kong, Didi Tang in Washington, E. Eduardo Castillo in Beijing and Simina Mistreanu in Taipei, Taiwan, contributed.

byDaniel Coleman

in

March 03, 2026

What China's response to the U.S. attack on Iran says about its foreign policy

BEIJING (AP) — The day the U.S. and Israelattacked Iran, China waited several hours before taking its first official posi...

Read More