Donald Trump has said transgender we're not allowed from serving in US military

He based the decision on ‘tremendous medical costs and disruption’.

He said in a tweet: ‘After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military.

‘Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you.’

After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow……

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017

….Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming…..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017

….victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017

Around this time last year, the Pentagon agreed it would allow transgender people to serve in the US military.

There are an estimated 250 transgender troops currently serving.

Since October last year, transgender troops have been able to receive medical care and start formally changing their gender identifications in the Pentagon’s personnel system.

But former defense secretary Ash Carter also gave the services until July 1 to develop policies to allow people already identifying as transgender to newly join the military, if they meet physical, medical and other standards, and have been stable in their identified genders for 18 months.

A report by the nonpartisan RAND Corp last year found that treating transgender troops would cost as much as $8million annually, according to USA Today.

Trump’s defense secretary, James Mattis, delayed implementing a plan to accept transgender troops by six months while the report was carried out.

At the time, he said: ‘Since becoming the Secretary of Defense, I have emphasized that the Department of Defense must measure each policy decision against one critical standard: will the decision affect the readiness and lethality of the force?

‘Put another way, how will the decision affect the ability of America’s military to defend the nation? It is against this standard that I provide the following guidance on the way forward in accessing transgender individuals into the military Services.’

It is not clear when the ban will come into force.

The decision is a huge U-turn on what the Obama administration had put in place.

Earth’s mysterious ‘lost’ continent – Zealandia, Scientists expedition

But it turns out there’s new one to add to the list: ‘Zealandia’.

Thirty scientists will sail from Australia on July 27 on a two-month ocean drilling expedition to explore the submerged continent.

Islands such as New Zealand and New Caledonia form part of the continent, which is a three million square mile region in the southwest Pacific.

The islands are connected by submerged continental crust across a large area of Earth’s surface – hence it qualifies as a separate continent.

Gerald Dickens, professor of Earth, environmental and planetary science at Rice University, said, ‘This expedition will answer a lot of lingering questions about Zealandia.

‘If you go way back, about 100 million years ago, Antarctica, Australia, and Zealandia were all one continent,’ Dickens said.

‘Around 85 million years ago, Zealandia split off on its own, and for a time, the sea floor between it and Australia was spreading on either side of an ocean ridge that separated the two.’

Expedition scientists will join more than 20 scientific crew members in drilling at six Tasman Sea sites at water depths ranging from 3,280 feet to 16,400 feet.

The cores hold fossil evidence the scientists can use to assemble a detailed record of Zealandia’s past.

‘Some 50 million years ago a massive shift in plate movement happened in the Pacific Ocean,’ said Jamie Allan, program director in the National Science Foundation’s Division of Ocean Sciences, which supports IODP.

‘It resulted in the diving of the Pacific Plate under New Zealand, the uplift of New Zealand above the waterline and the development of a new arc of volcanoes.

‘This IODP expedition will look at the timing and causes of these changes, as well as related changes in ocean circulation patterns and ultimately Earth’s climate.’

Justin Bieber says sorry for cancelling his Purpose world tour

The 23-year-old announced that he was canceling his remaining 14 tour dates ‘due to unforeseen circumstances’ on Monday.

And TMZ has now managed to get hold of a video in which Justin hints that the strain of being on tour for two years became too much for Biebs to handle.

In the video, he says: ‘Everything’s fine. I’ve been on tour for two years. I love you guys. I think you guys are awesome. Sorry for anybody who feels disappointed or betrayed, it’s not my heart or anything. Have a blessed day.’

It”s believed Bieber will now take some time out to relax and rest up following his grueling touring.

A statement posted on Justin’s website on Monday read: ‘Due to unforeseen circumstances, Justin Bieber will cancel the remainder of the Purpose World Tour concerts.

‘Justin loves his fans and hates to disappoint them. He thanks his fans for the incredible experience of the Purpose World Tour over last 18 months.

‘He is grateful and honored to have shared that experience with his cast and crew for over 150 successful shows across 6 continents during this run. However, after careful consideration, he has decided he will not be performing any further dates. Tickets will be refunded at point of purchase.’

The world tour started on March 9 in Seattle and he only had 14 dates left Texas, Denver and the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

Justin’s manager Scooter Braun took to Instagram to express his support of Bieber’s decision.

The 36-year-old wrote: ‘An incredible run. Congrats to @justinbieber on an incredible tour and thank you to the entire cast and crew for your unending support. To the promoters who believed around the world thank you.

‘To the fans from all over the world who took part over the last 16 months over 6 continents thank you. To Justin who gave it his all night after night thank you. And to those that won’t be able to see it … on behalf of myself, Justin and the team, we are sorry.