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WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors . The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people , including which sports competitions they can join and which bathrooms they can use . The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people, showcasing the uneasy intersection between law, politics and individual rights. The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors. In arguments that lasted more than two hours, five of the six conservative justices voiced varying degrees of skepticism of arguments made by the administration and Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer for Tennessee families challenging the ban. Chief Justice John Roberts, who voted in the majority in a 2020 case in favor of transgender rights , questioned whether judges, rather than lawmakers, should be weighing in on a question of regulating medical procedures, an area usually left to the states. ”The Constitution leaves that question to the people’s representatives, rather than to nine people, none of whom is a doctor,” Roberts said in an exchange with Strangio. The court’s three liberal justices seemed firmly on the side of the challengers. But it’s not clear that any of the conservatives will go along. Justice Sonia Sotomayor pushed back against the assertion that the democratic process would be the best way to address objections to the law. She cited a history of laws discriminating against others, noting that transgender people make up less than 1% of the U.S. population, according to studies. There are an estimated 1.3 million adults and 300,000 adolescents aged 13 to 17 who identify as transgender, according the UCLA law school's Williams Institute. “Blacks were a much larger part of the population and it didn’t protect them. It didn’t protect women for whole centuries,” Sotomayor said in an exchange with Tennessee Solicitor General Matt Rice. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said she saw some troubling parallels between arguments made by Tennessee and those advanced by Virginia and rejected by a unanimous court, in the 1967 Loving decision that legalized interracial marriage nationwide. Quoting from the 57-year-old decision, Jackson noted that Virginia argued then that “the scientific evidence is substantially in doubt and, consequently, the court should defer to the wisdom of the state legislature.” Justice Neil Gorsuch, who wrote the majority opinion in 2020, said nothing during the arguments. The arguments produced some riveting moments. Justice Samuel Alito repeatedly pressed Strangio, the first openly transgender lawyer to argue at the nation's highest court, about whether transgender people should be legally designated as a group that’s susceptible to discrimination. Strangio answered that being transgender does fit that legal definition, though he acknowledged under Alito’s questioning there are a small number of people who de-transition. “So it's not an immutable characteristic, is it?” Alito said. Strangio did not retreat from his view, though he said the court did not have to decide the issue to resolve the case in his clients' favor. There were dueling rallies outside the court in the hours before the arguments. Speeches and music filled the air on the sidewalk below the court’s marble steps. Advocates of the ban bore signs like “Champion God’s Design” and “Kids Health Matters,” while the other side proclaimed “Fight like a Mother for Trans Rights” and “Freedom to be Ourselves." Four years ago, the court ruled in favor of Aimee Stephens, who was fired by a Michigan funeral home after she informed its owner that she was a transgender woman. The court held that transgender people, as well as gay and lesbian people, are protected by a landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in the workplace. The Biden administration and the families and health care providers who challenged the Tennessee law urged the justices to apply the same sort of analysis that the majority, made up of liberal and conservative justices, embraced in the case four years ago when it found that “sex plays an unmistakable role” in employers' decisions to punish transgender people for traits and behavior they otherwise tolerate. The issue in the Tennessee case is whether the law violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, which requires the government to treat similarly situated people the same. Tennessee's law bans puberty blockers and hormone treatments for transgender minors, but allows the same drugs to be used for other purposes. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, called the law sex-based line drawing to ban the use of drugs that have been safely prescribed for decades and said the state “decided to completely override the views of the patients, the parents, the doctors.” She contrasted the Tennessee law with one enacted by West Virginia, which set conditions for the health care for transgender minors, but stopped short of an outright ban. Rice countered that lawmakers acted to regulate “risky, unproven medical interventions” and, at one point, likened the use of puberty blockers and hormone treatments to lobotomies and eugenics, now thoroughly discredited but once endorsed by large segments of the medical community. Rice argued that the Tennessee law doesn’t discriminate based on sex, but rather based on the purpose of the treatment. Children can get puberty blockers to treat early onset puberty, but not as a treatment for gender dysphoria. “Our fundamental point is there is no sex-based line here,” Rice said. While the challengers invoked the 2020 ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County for support, Tennessee relied on the court's precedent-shattering Dobbs decision in 2022 that ended nationwide protections for abortion and returned the issue to the states. The two sides battled in their legal filings over the appropriate level of scrutiny the court should apply. It's more than an academic exercise. The lowest level is known as rational basis review and almost every law looked at that way is ultimately upheld. Indeed, the federal appeals court in Cincinnati that allowed the Tennessee law to be enforced held that lawmakers acted rationally to regulate medical procedures, well within their authority. The appeals court reversed a trial court that employed a higher level of review, heightened scrutiny, that applies in cases of sex discrimination. Under this more searching examination, the state must identify an important objective and show that the law helps accomplish it. If the justices opt for heightened scrutiny, they could return the case to the appeals court to apply it. That's the course Prelogar and Strangio pushed for on Wednesday, though there did not seem to be much support for it. Gender-affirming care for youth is supported by every major medical organization, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association. But Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh all highlighted a point made by Tennessee in its legal briefs claiming that health authorities in Sweden, Finland, Norway and the United Kingdom found that the medical treatments "pose significant risks with unproven benefits.” If those countries “are pumping the brakes on this kind of treatment," Kavanaugh said, why should the Supreme Court question Tennessee's actions? None of those countries has adopted a ban similar to the one in Tennessee and individuals can still obtain treatment, Prelogar said. Kavanaugh, who has coached his daughters’ youth basketball teams, also wondered whether a ruling against Tennessee would give transgender athletes "a constitutional right to participate in girls' sports.” Prelogar said a narrow decision would not affect the sports issue. Associated Press writers Lindsay Whitehurst, Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas, Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville, Tennessee contributed to this report.For the past 14 years, Alex Vynokur, the co-founder of Betashares, has quietly built his company into one of the largest local providers of exchange-traded funds and one of the country’s fastest growing asset managers. In 2024, Betashares attracted inflows of $16 billion, lifting its total funds under management to $46 billion. “The focus for the past decade has very much been about building out the core ETF capability,” explains Vynokur. “We are now a steward of significant capital on behalf of more than 1 million Australian investors and over two-thirds of financial advisors.” Betashares now accounts for one-third of every dollar that goes into the Australian ETF industry, according to Vynokur, and is eyeing growth in Asia. Alex Vynokur, the chief executive of Betashares. Credit: Louie Douvis An ETF is a basket of securities that are pooled into one fund, which is traded on a stock exchange. An investor in an ETF doesn’t own the securities, instead owning units in the ETF, while the ETF provider owns the shares or assets. ETFs have grown in popularity with investors because they are cost-effective and offer exposure to thousands of diversified assets, such as a group of defence stocks, or the ASX200 index, or a variety of bonds. Globally, ETFs have had a banner year with more than $1 trillion invested into the sector, which is now worth an estimated $14 trillion. Vynokur and his family arrived in Australia from Ukraine more than three decades ago, at the time when ETFs launched. He was a teenager, and his family came with just a few hundred dollars in their pockets. Vynokur became a lawyer, then moved into venture capital, before co-founding Betashares with David Nathanson, also a former lawyer and investment banker, who had worked at Goldman Sachs and Macquarie. We’re definitely, very cautiously, studying opportunities outside of Australia. As with any start-up, Vynokur and Nathanson put in enormous hours to build the company to where it is today, as Australia’s second-largest ETF provider behind market leader Vanguard. Both are now multi-millionaires, though there has been a physical cost, says 46-year-old Vynokur: “I didn’t have any grey hair 14 years ago.” The pay-off for both as come in the past few years. In 2021, private equity group TA Associates became Betashares’ majority shareholder, with at least 53.5 per cent ownership. In the middle of this year, Singapore’s Temasek, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, bought a minority stake. Temasek paid $300 million for that shareholding, the size of which was undisclosed. The deal ascribed a multi-billion-dollar valuation to Betashares. It was Temasek’s first investment in a financial services business in Australia. In a global portfolio valued at $S389 billion ($459 billion), Temasek has just over half invested in private assets. “They have invested with the objective of maybe having more ownership,” says Vynokur. “We’re building this business for the long term, and they are genuinely interested in long-term value creation. We’ve never been about building something up quickly and flogging it. It doesn’t mean I’m opposed to being listed one day, but we’re definitely not in a hurry to go down that path.” The proceeds are expected to help fund Betashares’ growth into new products. In the past year, the company launched retail investment platform Betashares Direct and bought a superannuation business from Bendigo and Adelaide Bank. Vynokur also believes that Betashares has more room to expand its main ETF business. “According to the ASX data, there are 8 million Australians who invest outside their superannuation,” he says. “Also, if you think about younger Australians, who are locked out of the property ownership game, you know being smart with money outside of property is absolutely crucial. We have a real role to play in that.” There is also the opportunity for Betashares to expand its ETF business into Asia but, as for a priority, Vynokur won’t nominate a country. “We’re definitely, very cautiously, studying opportunities outside of Australia ... and that’s going to form part of our longer-term growth.” The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning .
WASHINGTON — As U.S. officials engage with the rebel group now in control of Syria, they are mindful of a painful episode in recent U.S. foreign policy whose consequences continue to unfold: the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Three U.S. diplomats met last week in Damascus, Syria’s capital, with leaders of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the rebel militia that recently toppled the dictatorship of Bashar Assad. Their goal was to persuade the militant group — the successor to an affiliate of al-Qaida — to govern the country with an inclusive and moderate hand. That is the best hope, U.S. officials believe, for preventing Syria from descending into fresh violence and chaos that could further destabilize the Middle East and empower anti-American terrorist groups. So far, U.S. officials think that the rebels are saying the right things. U.S. Officials Remain Wary of New Leader The senior State Department official for the Middle East, Barbara Leaf, said the group’s battle-tested leader, Ahmed al-Shara, “came across as pragmatic” in the meeting in Damascus. Al-Shara had offered “moderate statements” on a range of matters, including the rights of women and minority groups, and given assurances that terrorist groups would not operate within Syria, she said. Even so, U.S. officials remain wary of al-Shara. They fear he might be sweet-talking to win international backing as he plots to consolidate power and perhaps impose strict Islamic rule, much as Taliban leaders did in 2021 in Afghanistan. As U.S. troops prepared to withdraw that year, U.S. negotiators worked to bring the Taliban into a power-sharing deal with other Afghan factions and urged them to abandon the goal of imposing strict Islamic law on the entire country. Some U.S. officials believed that the group had become less doctrinaire since its overthrow by U.S. forces in 2001. Taliban leaders, they thought, might be willing to make concessions — like allowing girls to attend school — to win international recognition and help rebuild their shattered nation. That effort failed completely. After the last U.S. troops departed and Afghanistan’s president fled, the Taliban overran Kabul and seized power. They wasted little time imposing harsh restrictions on daily life — banning music, closing girls’ schools, persecuting minority groups and political rivals, and barring women from most public places. As it turned out, Taliban leaders cared more about their religious ideology and wielding total power than about what the United States and its allies might provide for them. The episode has not been forgotten by top Biden administration officials. Related Story: “There is a lesson there,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week during an appearance at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City. “The Taliban projected a more moderate face — or at least tried to — in taking over Afghanistan, and then its true colors came out. The result is it remains terribly isolated around the world.” Blinken framed the example as a cautionary tale for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. But some analysts warn that the United States should have learned from its experience in Afghanistan also. “People at the State Department were the ones telling us the Taliban would moderate, that they were seeking legitimacy,” said Bill Roggio, a former U.S. Army soldier who edits The Long War Journal, an online publication that focuses on counterterrorism. “But we failed to understand that what they seek first and foremost is power, and holding onto it, and imposing their version of Shariah law on their people.” On the same day that the U.S. officials held their meetings in Damascus, the United States and several other governments issued a joint statement expressing “grave concern” over the Taliban’s recent barring of women and girls from attending medical schools. The statement also noted that “some terrorist groups still reside safely inside Afghanistan” and are capable of striking beyond the country’s borders. But so long as the Taliban are willing to reject America’s recognition and aid, and even access to $10 billion in central bank reserves frozen by the United States, there is little that Washington can do to change their behavior. “The lesson from Afghanistan is that Western leverage is limited,” said Colin Clarke, director of research at The Soufan Group, a consulting firm that tracks global terrorism. Roggio is particularly skeptical that al-Shara has abandoned the al-Qaida worldview he once publicly endorsed. Related Story: Once a senior al-Qaida fighter in Iraq during the U.S. occupation, al-Shara became the leader of a Syrian rebel group called the Nusra Front, an official affiliate of al-Qaida. In January of 2017, he founded a new group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which he declared independent. Soon after al-Shara founded HTS, the State Department designated it a terrorist group, warning that the United States was not fooled by its “attempt to rebrand itself.” U.S. officials take some reassurance from the way Hayat Tahrir al-Sham governed Syrian territory under its control before Assad was ousted. Analysts say that HTS no longer uses terrorist tactics such as suicide bombings and does not call for attacks on other countries. After visiting Damascus, Leaf said the United States was suspending a $10 million bounty announced years ago for information about al-Shara. She framed the decision not as a reward for any particular actions, but as a practical matter. Biden Officials Remain Guarded Still, Biden officials remain guarded. They say they will remove HTS from the U.S. terrorist list only if the group backs up its words with action. “Deeds are the critical thing,” Leaf said Friday. One critical test is whether al-Shara’s new government prevents terrorists from using Syria as a base. The HTS ranks include thousands of radicalized foreign fighters who may want to use a post-Assad Syria as a base to pursue other targets. For some foreign policy experts, the lesson of the Taliban is not that the United States should keep a wary distance, but that it must engage more actively in Syria. Zalmay Khalilzad, who served as the U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan under President Donald Trump and, until late 2021, under President Joe Biden, said the Biden administration made a mistake by not having more direct contact with the Taliban after they took power in Kabul. Related Story: Khalilzad said that he had urged senior Biden officials to take a more active approach toward Syria and that last week’s meeting with al-Shara and his associates was a positive step. “Not that prematurely engaging doesn’t have risks,” Khalilzad said. “But I think there is an element of timing, of shaping things.” He added that Syria is “more strategically important” to the United States than Afghanistan, making the task more urgent. Clarke of the Soufan Group and other analysts said there was little room for trust when it came to the promises of militants. “Talk is cheap,” he said. “So no matter what these groups say, believe their actions, not their words.” — This article originally appeared in . By Michael Crowley/Daniel Berehulak c. 2024 The New York Times Company
GLENDALE, Ariz. — A Glendale police officer has been injured while working off-duty, according to authorities. >> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone. The Glendale Police Department said the officer was working at a department store at Arrowhead Towne Center near 77th Avenue and Bell Road when he suffered an arm injury. The officer was "assigned to a shoplifting call for service," police said. The officer is expected to be okay and told the department, "...overall, I'm ok." Other details are not available at this time. This is a developing story and more details will be added as they are made available. Watch 12News+ for free You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12News+ app! The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV . 12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona. Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives. Roku : Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX." Amazon Fire TV : Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account , or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app. More ways to get 12News On your phone: Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone. iTunes Google Play On your streaming device: Download 12News+ to your streaming device The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV. 12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona. On social media: Find us on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and YouTube . Up to Speed Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.
HOUSTON, Dec. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BridgingApps ® , a program of Easter Seals Greater Houston, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is partnering with Sentara Health Plans to create a revolutionary transition tool for children and youth with special health needs. Through this project, BridgingApps has created an online resource to assist Virginia families with children who have special health care needs access information to prepare and successfully help them transition to adulthood. The interactive tool, Virginia Youth2Adult , will empower youth with special health care needs to grow successfully into adulthood. Transition planning requires addressing many areas of need for a child with chronic health conditions, yet there is currently no simple method that tackles areas as wide ranging as health care to age appropriate social activities, independent living or employment in any meaningful way. Families will be able to use Virginia Youth2Adult to begin planning early, ask the right questions, and find resources on many areas of life as an adult. "BridgingApps is uniquely positioned to create an innovative, easy to use and sustainable online tool that will empower families to plan early, obtain assistance with the right questions to ask, and access current information to allow their children to live as fully participating members of our community," says Easter Seals Greater Houston's CEO Elise Hough. A focal point of Virginia Youth2Adult is the connection with BridgingApps' App Search Tool, a free online tool that allows users to find a variety of smartphone/tablet applications, or apps, to assist with many areas of transition, such as education, managing health information, and independent living. The database of apps is trialed and reviewed by therapists, special education teachers, experts, and special needs users and focuses on skill, rather than age or diagnosis. "Sentara Health Plans is proud to introduce the Virginia Youth2Adult website, in collaboration with BridgingApps, as an interactive tool designed to support youth and caregivers across Virginia,” said Randy Ricker, Medicaid Plan President and Vice President of Sentara Health Plans. "This comprehensive resource empowers all Virginians to actively participate in this critical life state, providing confidence and support as they navigate education, employment, health care and independent living for themselves and loved ones.” Earlier this year, BridgingApps created Sentara Health Plans' Member Profile App Lists which transformed the way that their members manage their health decisions and develop important skillsets, ultimately improving their health and quality of life. BridgingApps will seek input from the local Easter Seals affiliate, organizations, and subject matter experts throughout Virginia to create this resource. Virginia Youth2Adult will be available in 2024 on a variety of platforms and distributed widely in Virginia with partners in the areas of health care, education, disability advocacy and housing. About BridgingApps BridgingApps, a program of Easter Seals Greater Houston, provides the access, education, and resources needed to effectively use mobile, touch-based devices to help people with disabilities communicate, exceed educational goals, and reach their fullest potential. BridgingApps includes a website, app reviews by therapists and special education teachers, a custom app search engine, assistive technology labs, training and certification options for parents, organizations and schools. For more information, visit www.bridgingapps.org . About Easter Seals Greater Houston Since 1947, Easter Seals of Greater Houston, Inc. has provided help, hope, and answers to Veterans, Service Members, children and adults with any type of disability, and the families who love them. The local non-profit is leading the way to 100% equity, inclusion, and access through essential resources and supports for every stage of life. Through therapy, training, education, and support services, Easter Seals Greater Houston creates life-changing solutions so that people with disabilities can live, learn, work, and play in our community. For more information, visit www.eastersealshouston.org . About Sentara Health Sentara Health , an integrated, not-for-profit health care delivery system, celebrates more than 130 years in pursuit of its mission - "we improve health every day." Sentara is one of the largest health systems in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, and among the top 20 largest not-for-profit integrated health systems in the country, with 30,000 employees, 12 hospitals in Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina, and the Sentara Health Plans division which serves more than 1 million members in Virginia and Florida. Sentara is recognized nationally for clinical quality and safety, and is strategically focused on innovation and creating an extraordinary health care experience for our patients and members. Sentara was named to IBM Watson Health's "Top 15 Health Systems" (2021, 2018), and was recognized by Forbes as a "Best Employer for New Grads" (2022), "Best Employer for Veterans" (2022, 2023), and "Best Employer for Women" (2020). About Sentara Health Plans Sentara Health Plans provides health plan coverage to nearly one million members in Virginia and Florida. Sentara Health Plans offers a full suite of commercial products including employee-owned and employer-sponsored plans, as well as Individual & Family Health Plans, Employee Assistance Programs and plans serving Dual-Eligible, Medicare, and Medicaid enrollees. Media Contacts : Easter Seals Greater Houston Public Relations Sadie Eckenrod [email protected] Sentara Corporate Communications & Public Relations [email protected]
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Tributes were paid to the former Scottish first minister, who died suddenly in North Macedonia in October at the age of 69. A private family funeral has already taken place, with Saturday’s memorial service in Edinburgh held to celebrate his love of Scotland and his commitment to the cause of independence. But while some 500 people, including family, friends and politicians from across the spectrum attended the service at St Giles’ Cathedral, his successor Nicola Sturgeon was not present. A rift between her and Mr Salmond – who she had previously described as her mentor – developed during her term as SNP leader. Ms Sturgeon attended the funeral of Scottish comedian Janey Godley in Glasgow on Saturday morning. Her successor, Mr Swinney, was met with boos as he arrived at the service – held on St Andrew’s Day – with at least one person in the crowd outside on the Royal Mile shouting “traitor”. Mr Salmond stood down as SNP leader and first minister after the 2014 referendum in which Scots voted to stay part of the UK. He helped found and went on to lead another pro-independence party, Alba, with Kenny MacAskill, a long-time friend who served as justice secretary in Holyrood under Mr Salmond. Mr MacAskill, now the acting Alba leader, told the congregation – which included Mr Salmond’s widow Moira as well as Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, former Labour first minister Henry McLeish and Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay – that Mr Salmond had been a “giant of man”. Mr MacAskill, who quit the SNP to join Alba, hailed Mr Salmond as “an inspiration, a political genius” and being “most of all a man who had the cause of independence burned into his heart and seared in his soul”. The cause of independence was Mr Salmond’s “guiding light, his north star”, the former justice secretary said, adding that “he came so close to achieving it”. He added: “Those of us who share his dream must conclude that journey on his behalf. That’s the legacy he’d expect and the duty we owe him.” Recalling Mr Salmond’s words from when he stood down as first minister that “the dream shall never die”, Mr MacAskill concluded his address with the words: “Your dream shall be delivered.” Former Conservative Brexit minister and long-time friend of Mr Salmond, David Davis, gave a reading as did former Scottish government minister SNP MSP Fergus Ewing. Scottish folk singer Dougie MacLean performed his famous song Caledonia, while singer Sheena Wellington led mourners in a rendition of Robert Burns’ classic A Man’s A Man For A’ That. Scottish rock duo the Proclaimers were applauded for their performance of Cap in Hand – a pro-independence song which features the line “I can’t understand why we let someone else rule our land, cap in hand”. Brothers Craig and Charlie Reid said: “We’re going to do this for Alex, with love and respect and eternal gratitude for everything you did for our country.” Christina Hendry described her Uncle Alex as a “political giant, a strong leader, a fearless campaigner” but also remembered his as a “dearly loved husband, brother and uncle”. While she said he had been “the top man in Scotland”, he had “always made time for his family”, recalling how he phoned her brother on his birthday – the day after the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 – to apologise for not posting a card “as he’d been busy”, before telling them he would “resigning in 10 minutes”. She told the congregation: “As his family, we always felt loved no matter how far away he was or the time that passed before we saw him next. “We always knew he was standing up for our country, and for that we were grateful.” Ms Hendry continued: “The world will be a much quieter place without Uncle Alex, for Moira, for the wider family and for Scotland. “Uncle Alex passing means a great loss for many. A loss of Scotland’s voice on the international stage. A loss of integrity in Scottish politics. And a great loss to Scotland’s independence movement. “As a family it is likely a loss we will never get over.” Duncan Hamilton KC, who was an SNP MSP after the first Scottish Parliament elections, but also served as a political adviser and legal counsel to Mr Salmond, said the former first minister had “rightly been hailed as one of the greatest Scottish politicians of this, or any, generation”. He told how Mr Salmond took the SNP from being “a fringe act trying to get onto the main stage” to a party of government. “In Scottish politics, his success was both spectacular and unrivalled,” Mr Hamilton said. “Alex Salmond will forever be a pivotal figure in Scotland’s story. He changed a nation. He inspired a country. “History will certainly remember him as a man of talent, charisma and substance. But also as a political leader of courage, vision and intelligence. “He dared to dream. And so should we.” As the service finished the crowd gathered outside applauded and chanted “Alex, Alex” before singing Flower Of Scotland.Tyler Herro scores 27 before ejection in Heat's 104-100 win over Houston Rockets
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