Latest news with #Kasper
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pentagon Insiders Reveal Hegseth Is Angry and Unshaven Post Leak Scandal
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has appeared angry, unkempt, and tentative since March's Signalgate scandal, Pentagon insiders told New York magazine. Six sources close to Hegseth described a changed man after the defense secretary shared war plans on a Signal group chat that mistakenly included Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic. 'He was more prone to anger and less likely to be clean-shaven in the morning,' New York's story reads. 'He seemed reluctant to make decisions; scared of doing the wrong thing, paralyzed as he awaited orders from the White House.' Until the Signalgate scandal broke, Hegseth had been eager to execute his vision for the military. Afterward, the Pentagon chief has been less 'creative,' the sources said. The department became a 'mechanism for implementing executive orders.' The New York profile reveals new details of the well-documented chaos, infighting, and scandals of Hegseth's shaky tenure atop the Department of Defense. Sources said that Joe Kasper, who was until late April Hegseth's chief of staff, rankled other Pentagon staffers for his occasional refusal to wear socks—even in a meeting with the Japanese prime minister. Kasper, who was ousted from his top role in April after a 'knife-fight' battle with other Pentagon aides, defended his unconventional wardrobe decisions to the magazine. 'Rare for me to wear no socks!' he said. 'It's gotta be the right shoe, man. There are people in there wearing SpongeBob socks.' Kasper, whom Hegseth tasked with investigating Pentagon leaks, also faced swirling rumors of his drug use, which he has vehemently denied. As news reports citing inside sources continued to pile up, Kasper appeared 'jittery,' like he was 'bouncing off the walls,' the insiders said. Kasper was locked in a power struggle with the other aides to win Hegseth's ear. The battle reached its culmination when three top aides—Dan Caldwell, Colin Carroll, and Darin Selnick—were fired in the leak investigation. Soon after, the three men jointly declared their ouster 'unconscionable,' hinting that it wasn't actually because of the leaks. Carroll revealed to New York that it didn't take long for him to form an opinion of Kasper. 'I knew he was a moron within 30 seconds of meeting him,' Carroll said. The six sources told New York that this was the prevailing opinion of Kasper inside the Pentagon—that he was ineffective, struggling to schedule meetings and refusing to arrive early or stay late. While Carroll, Caldwell, and Selnick all complained to Hegseth about Kasper, the secretary refused to fire him. One source said this was because Hegseth 'sees everything through the lens of media' and worried that ditching Kasper would be viewed as 'an early L.' At the same time, Hegseth was becoming more and more paranoid about the leaks. The situation was 'consuming his whole life,' an insider told New York, 'when he should have been focused on, you know, our national security.' One by one, the trio of aides—Caldwell, then Selnick, then Carroll—were escorted out of the Pentagon in April. Afterward, Carroll confronted Kasper about his firing over text, calling him a 'f---ing coward,' according to New York. 'Hey man,' Kasper reportedly wrote back, 'I previously delegated the investigation stuff and have nothing to do with decisions … I have zero insight into the decision space here.' It wasn't long before Kasper was gone as well. Caldwell and Selnick, both longtime friends of Hegseth's, told New York that they were 'devastated' when he turned on them. 'He was a good friend of mine for 13 years,' Selnick said. 'How could he so callously throw us under the bus like this?' Asked for comment on New York's story, chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell pushed back. 'Claims of chaos at the Pentagon under Secretary Hegseth are false, and the American people are tired of this debunked narrative,' he told the Daily Beast. 'When members of the legacy media lie, they disrespect the brave servicemembers and civilians who selflessly serve our country at the Department of Defense.' The White House dismissed the story and asserted its unwavering commitment to Hegseth as defense secretary. 'While New York magazine is focused on propagating gossip, Secretary Hegseth is focused on restoring military readiness and lethality, which is why he has President Trump's full support,' said spokesperson Anna Kelly. Over the last week, Hegseth has helped carry out Trump's push to deploy the National Guard and Marines against protestors in Los Angeles. However, Hegseth still remains without a chief of staff or a deputy chief of staff. This is reportedly because people keep turning top defense jobs down—and also because Hegseth has vetoed the White House's candidates.
Scotsman
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Gender row Scotland: Public 'none the wiser' about Police Scotland's gender ruling stance
Concern raised over public confidence in Police Scotland and its stance on the gender ruling from the Supreme Court. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... People are still 'none the wiser' as to how Scotland's national police force has amended its policies in light of the landmark Supreme Court ruling on gender, according to a board member of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA). The comment made at a SPA committee meeting on Tuesday comes amid warnings the force's stance risked impacting its operational impact and public confidence. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Katharina Kasper said while Police Scotland was working in a 'dynamic environment', she had a 'degree of frustration' that after the Supreme Court ruling, its position was still unclear. Celebrations outside the Supreme Court in London after the ruling on gender. Picture:Addressing a meeting of the SPA's policing performance committee, which discussed the ongoing review in relation to sex and gender within Scottish policing, Ms Kasper said: 'For a member of the public at this stage looking at this, I don't think anybody is still none the wiser as to whether or not the Supreme Court judgement, which was very, very clear, has been adopted into Police Scotland's policies 'When it comes to recording the sex or gender of people who come into contact with the police, what is the current policy?' Asking if there was a 'policy vacuum", Ms Kasper, who also chairs the SPA's complaints and conduct committee, said while she understood the reasons for the process taking time, she had misgivings about the knock-on effects. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Police Scotland officers | PA 'I am concerned about the operational implications on this,' she said. 'I'm concerned about the public confidence in Police Scotland because this process has been taking so long, and I'm also concerned about the impact on officers and staff.' The force's deputy chief constable, Alan Speirs, said last month that Police Scotland planned to bring forward an 'extensive and advanced' document to this week's SPA meeting. But the six page-long document in question does not set out a definitive stance, noting the force was continuing with its ongoing review. The report, prepared by Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton, states: 'It is critical that we take time to consider all relevant legislation, national guidance and stakeholder feedback, to ensure our proposals are well-informed and evidence based. Our aim is to conduct this review carefully and to do it right and in a way which builds trust and confidence across all communities.' Reflecting on the report, Ms Kasper said she was 'a little bit disappointed' by it. She said: 'We had been promised a substantial product by DCC Spiers and having read this paper, it is an interim update on all the work that's been done. But I'm still none the wiser as to the actual substance of the issue.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Responding to Ms Kasper's criticisms, Ms Paton stressed 'context is everything', telling her: 'I appreciate your comments around the approach we've taken and I certainly acknowledge aspects of your frustration around pace. 'I think the Chief [Constable Jo Farrell] also acknowledged the desire for people to move quickly in this space, and the importance to get it right when we do that. Policing is not immune to the reality and the complexity of this, around how our terminology and understanding, as it is related to sex and gender, has changed, has at times been used interchangeably.
Scotsman
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Gender row Scotland: Public 'none the wiser' about Police Scotland's gender ruling stance
Concern raised over public confidence in Police Scotland and its stance on the gender ruling from the Supreme Court. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... People are still 'none the wiser' as to how Scotland's national police force has amended its policies in light of the landmark Supreme Court ruling on gender, according to a board member of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA). The comment made at a SPA committee meeting on Tuesday comes amid warnings the force's stance risked impacting its operational impact and public confidence. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Katharina Kasper said while Police Scotland was working in a 'dynamic environment', she had a 'degree of frustration' that after the Supreme Court ruling, its position was still unclear. Celebrations outside the Supreme Court in London after the ruling on gender. Picture:Addressing a meeting of the SPA's policing performance committee, which discussed the ongoing review in relation to sex and gender within Scottish policing, Ms Kasper said: 'For a member of the public at this stage looking at this, I don't think anybody is still none the wiser as to whether or not the Supreme Court judgement, which was very, very clear, has been adopted into Police Scotland's policies 'When it comes to recording the sex or gender of people who come into contact with the police, what is the current policy?' Asking if there was a 'policy vacuum", Ms Kasper, who also chairs the SPA's complaints and conduct committee, said while she understood the reasons for the process taking time, she had misgivings about the knock-on effects. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Police Scotland officers | PA 'I am concerned about the operational implications on this,' she said. 'I'm concerned about the public confidence in Police Scotland because this process has been taking so long, and I'm also concerned about the impact on officers and staff.' The force's deputy chief constable, Alan Speirs, said last month that Police Scotland planned to bring forward an 'extensive and advanced' document to this week's SPA meeting. But the six page-long document in question does not set out a definitive stance, noting the force was continuing with its ongoing review. The report, prepared by Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton, states: 'It is critical that we take time to consider all relevant legislation, national guidance and stakeholder feedback, to ensure our proposals are well-informed and evidence based. Our aim is to conduct this review carefully and to do it right and in a way which builds trust and confidence across all communities.' Reflecting on the report, Ms Kasper said she was 'a little bit disappointed' by it. She said: 'We had been promised a substantial product by DCC Spiers and having read this paper, it is an interim update on all the work that's been done. But I'm still none the wiser as to the actual substance of the issue.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Responding to Ms Kasper's criticisms, Ms Paton stressed 'context is everything', telling her: 'I appreciate your comments around the approach we've taken and I certainly acknowledge aspects of your frustration around pace. 'I think the Chief [Constable Jo Farrell] also acknowledged the desire for people to move quickly in this space, and the importance to get it right when we do that. Policing is not immune to the reality and the complexity of this, around how our terminology and understanding, as it is related to sex and gender, has changed, has at times been used interchangeably.
Euronews
09-06-2025
- Health
- Euronews
Sperm donation policies in Europe questioned after cancer scare
The disparity of sperm donor laws in Europe has been called into question after a Danish sperm donor with an inherited cancer mutation is said to have helped conceive at least 67 children across Europe, mostly in Belgium. The European Sperm Bank (ESB) allegedly used gametes from a Danish donor who unknowingly carried a rare variation of the TP53 gene that increases the risk of early cancer. Out of the 67 children he helped to conceive, 23 of them are carriers of the variant, 10 of whom have developed cancer. The case was revealed at the end of May by Dr. Edwige Kasper, a biologist at Rouen University Hospital, at a meeting of the European Society of Human Genetics in Milan. "It's a syndrome called Li-Fraumeni syndrome, which will give rise to multiple cancers with a very broad spectrum, so children who are carriers of this variant need to be monitored very closely," the specialist in hereditary predispositions to cancer told Euronews. Of the 10 children who have developed a form of cancer, the doctor counts four haemopathies, four brain tumours and two types of sarcoma that affect the muscles. The case has highlighted the shortcomings of sperm donation policies across Europe. While most European countries limit the number of children fathered by a single donor, or the number of families that can be helped by a single donor, there is no limit at international or European level. The conditions around anonymity also vary from country to country. "We will end up with an abnormal spread of a genetic pathology, because the sperm bank involved in this case has set a limit of 75 families from the donor. Other sperm banks have not set a limit," explained Kasper. Although donors are subject to medical examinations and genetic tests, "there is no perfect pre-selection," explained Ayo Wahlberg, researcher and a member of the Danish Council on Ethics. "Technology is developing so fast. Genetic testing technologies and their costs are falling so fast that, if we compare 10 or 15 years ago and today in terms of recruitment and the types of genetic tests that can be carried out as part of the screening process, a lot has changed," the professor explained. The rules governing sperm donation vary from one European country to another. The maximum number of children from a single donor varies from 15 in Germany to one in Cyprus. Other countries prefer to limit the number of families that can use the same donor to give them the opportunity to have brothers and sisters. For example, the same donor can help 12 families in Denmark and six families in Sweden or Belgium. In addition, donations are kept anonymous in countries such as France and Greece. In other member states such as Austria, the person born of a gamete donation may have access to the identity of his or her parent. In Germany and Bulgaria, donations may or may not be anonymous, depending on the circumstances. In the Netherlands, the process is not anonymous. Danish, Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian National Medical Ethics Councils raised concerns over a lack of regulation at an international and European level, claiming it increases the risk of the spread of genetic diseases and consanguinity. "The risk that a genetic disease will unknowingly spread much more widely (with a large number of offspring) than if the number (of offspring) had been smaller," Wahlberg said. "The first step is therefore to establish or introduce a limit of families per donor. The second step is to create a national register. And the third step is of course to have a European register based on the national registers," Sven-Erik Söder, President of the Swedish National Council on Medical Ethics, told Euronews. In the age of social media and thorough DNA testing, donor anonymity can no longer be 100% guaranteed, which some have argued could put off people from donating. When asked if the introduction of regulations could lead to a shortage of sperm donations, Söder said the solution is not the absence of restrictions, but instead encourage people to donate. A referendum in Italy on citizenship requirements and job protection is likely to have failed, as turnout was far below the required threshold, polling agency YouTrend said on Monday. Turnout needed to be at least 50% plus one vote to make the referendum results binding, but based on data collected from 60,000 polling stations, turnout was around 30%. The referendum, proposed by trade unions and civic organisations, addresses issues that have generated political debate in Italy in recent years, particularly labour market reform, primarily the 2016 Labour Act, as well as migrant reception and integration policies. The first four questions relate to labour issues and concern the increasing protection of workers, small enterprises and their obligations towards employees, short-term contracts, and the responsibility of clients towards subcontracting parties and employees' safety. The fifth question concerns the period of time necessary for non-EU nationals residing in the country to be eligible for Italian citizenship, proposing to reduce it from 10 to five years. The parties of the ruling coalition, led by Premier Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy, opposed the referendum, with some politicians urging citizens not to participate in the vote. According to the advocacy group International Democracy Community, although opposition parties have supported the referendum, it is primarily a citizens' initiative and not a political matter. "The referendum questions were proposed through a bottom-up approach, and did not come from parliament," the International Democracy Community said in a statement. "Members of the Europa+ party launched the initiative on the citizenship question, whilst the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL) has been the initiator of the Labour Act ones, with support from the Democratic Party, the Five Star Movement, and the Green and Left Alliance." According to exit data after polls closed at 3 pm, the "yes" vote for the four labour law questions stood at around 85%, while 60% of voters said yes to the citizenship question. The referendum coincided with local elections in several Italian regions and municipalities.
The Herald Scotland
07-06-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Sinisalo sets out Celtic plan as keeper makes Kasper Schmeichel claim
He's also back up with Finland to Lukas Hradecky and is currently on international duty, but he's made it clear his ambition is to become Schmeichel's successor. Read more: Sinisalo said: "Kasper has one year left on his contract. I have four. We are proceeding according to plan. I am 15 years younger than him. "Hopefully next season I'll get more minutes. I'll just try to play as well as I can when the opportunity arises. We'll see what happens. "Kasper is an excellent guy. He supported our team well and gave us tips when he was out with an injury. We are a good team together. "Every footballer wants to play. However, I knew that in front of me was an experienced top goalkeeper who is, so to speak, coming to the end of his career. "And that I am the young goalkeeper who is more of a project behind him. "There must be some patience from me. "But the plan is to be the first-choice goalkeeper at Celtic one day and hopefully that will open doors for me here on the national team as well. "Sinisalo impressed during his spell as the veteran Dane's replacement, which included an Old Firm game at Ibrox. He said: "Even though the end of the season was disappointing because we didn't win all three trophies, I enjoyed it. "I played seven of the last ten games. I'm quite happy with what I achieved towards the end of the season. "I got to experience what it's like to be a Celtic goalkeeper and I got to play in the match that won the league. "I lifted that trophy with a slightly better conscience because I had played a part in winning it myself. "And it was cool to experience the game at Ibrox. There were a few nerves before the game - 95 per cent of the crowd were home fans, every one of whom hates you. "I will definitely remember the experience forever."
