However sceptical you might be about the UK governments case against Russia over the Skripals poisoning, the diplomatic damage is clear for all to see. Following the prime ministers statement in the House of Commons this week and the naming of two Russian suspects, relations between our two countries are now even worse than when Theresa May gave her initial statement pinning the blame on Russia. Short of severing diplomatic ties altogether, it is hard to imagine how much worse relations could be.

Two points stood out from Mays latest statement that illustrate how bad things are. The first was the utter certainty with which she insisted on Russias guilt. The other was the prominent part played by intelligence information  undisclosed, of course  in linking the two suspects to the Russian military intelligence service (the GRU) and from there to the Kremlin.

There was a brief nod to the idea that the UK has no quarrel with the Russian people, but otherwise, the burden of her statement was that relations would get even worse, as she rehearsed the usual string of complaints against Russia for its behaviour and set out the further action that the UK would take.

It would not try to extradite the two suspects  there, at least, something has been learned from the Litvinenko case, when the Russian authorities ran rings around the British, whose vain pursuit of the two chief suspects elevated them to stardom in their home country.

But it would make the two suspects liable to arrest in Europe and in countries signed up to Interpol. And it had called a session of the UN Security Council, and would seek additional measures through other international organisations  most of these measures, it has to be said, related to Russian badness generally, rather than to the Salisbury case in particular.

It is understandable that the UK would try to work through international organisations, rather than bilaterally, given the lamentable failure of this approach in the Litvinenko case. There might also be the hope of reproducing what was seen as something of a diplomatic coup for the Foreign Office in persuading 28 countries to agree to joint action, including the expulsion of Russian diplomats, very soon after the attack on the Skripals. But it is not at all evident that the necessary support will be forthcoming this time around.

It has been apparent for a while that some EU countries have become unhappy about the lack of additional evidence, including intelligence information, supplied by the British to support their accusations. What is more, the particular claim that only Russia had the access to the novichok nerve agent has been discredited, with both Germany and the Czech Republic confirmed to have had the capability, and even scientists at the UKs defence laboratory, Porton Down, saying that they could not establish the poisons provenance.

It is possible that this weeks release by the police of CCTV footage and the naming of suspects  or at least the release of their presumed aliases  will quieten some international misgivings. But it is hard to see what more action can be taken. Further diplomatic expulsions look doubtful; some countries were reluctant to join in last time around, expelling only a token one or two, while others  it is thought  may have seized the opportunity to boot out suspected spies using the Skripal affair as a convenient pretext.

And while Theresa May said in her statement that the UK would argue for imposing further sanctions  as the US is in the process of doing  this may be difficult. For a start, sanctions are something the EU has to agree as a bloc, so the UK cannot act unilaterally. But a consensus may also be more difficult to achieve than it was. European solidarity on isolating Russia is not what it was, with some arguing that even existing sanctions, imposed over Moscows annexation of Crimea, are doing more harm to other EU countries than to Russia.

Thus we have the strange situation where the US is actually imposing more sanctions against Russia because of the Skripal case than either the UK or the EU. Nor are the US sanctions connected to any new evidence about Salisbury; while it has suited Washington to present them as the US getting tough on Russia, they are actually triggered automatically by the chemical weapons aspect of the attack. These sanctions are less new than a result of procedural wheels turning.

In the absence of new sanctions or diplomatic expulsions, the UK might hope for a general cold-shouldering of Russia internationally. But this is not happening either. US policy towards Russia remains hard to fathom, with the president and the Washington establishment seemingly on opposite sides. On the one hand, the US says (not without reason) that the Trump administration has been tougher on Russia than its predecessors. A lot seems to be happening bilaterally behind the scenes  on Syria, arms control and cyber issues.

Meanwhile  with the US deemed a less reliable ally in Europe  Germany, France and Austria have all started to mend fences with Russia. Putin has been in Austria twice in recent months; he held talks with Angela Merkel outside Berlin last month, and Macron met Putin when he was in Moscow for the final of the World Cup final.

With EU-UK relations now approaching the countdown to Brexit, the UK risks being left stranded between the sides of the Atlantic, doggedly pursuing an ultra-hardline policy towards Russia all by itself. Nor, despite some initial success for the UK in strengthening the regime at the chemical weapons watchdog, the OPCW, do broader international organisations necessarily offer any better prospect of support, given that Russia has a veto in the UN Security Council.

There may also be another weak link for the UK government in its hope of escalating action against Russia  and this is domestic opinion. While the atmosphere in parliament for the prime ministers two statements on the Salisbury attack has been fervently united against Russia, and much of the mainstream media has backed this, the official version of what happened is not universally accepted.

Comments on phone-ins and social media, and the positive experience of football fans at the World Cup, may all have contributed to the slightly defensive tone of Mays latest Commons statement, where she accused Russia of trying to sow doubt and uncertainty about the evidence we presented to this house  and some were minded to believe them. Todays announcement shows we were right.

It is not at all clear that the CCTV and the intelligence conclusion of GRU guilt has done much to change sceptics minds. And this may also be one reason why Russia has not felt it necessary to do more than reiterate its original protestation of innocence. It also has at least some judicial rights on its side when it demands to know where Yulia Skripal  a Russian citizen  is, and for a sample of the nerve agent to be provided to the OPCW.

In sum, the latest chapter of the Skripal case leaves UK-Russia relations as frigid as they have been since collapse of communism. Yet, strangely, it also looks like a rather one-sided cold war, which  rather like the sanctions imposed by the west  may be harming the UK rather more than it harms Russia.

 The Independent has launched its #FinalSay campaign to demand that voters are given a voice on the final Brexit deal.

 Sign our petition here

Escalating action against Russia over the Skripalsapos poisoning will hurt the UK in the end


The federal Tories are warning that a bill banning unhealthy food ads aimed at children could create unintended consequences for sports team sponsorships and events if it isnt amended.

But the Liberals insist the way the bill is worded is fine as it is and only affects marketing targeting kids under the age of 13, despite testimony warning it could make it harder for teams to get sponsorships.

Conservative health critic Marilyn Gladu said shes very concerned about unintended consequences after hearing how the bill could affect hundreds of thousand of kids involved with amateur sports teams in Canada.

She said it needs to be clarified that whats been proposed wouldnt apply to food companies sponsoring teams and events, and not leave it up to the whim of the regulators.

However, Liberal MP Doug Eyolfson insists its not the case the bill would affect sponsorships.

He said the regulations  which are being developed by Health Canada  will address events and sponsorships, as well as other definitions of key wording in the bill, including the kind of foods that are considered unhealthy.

Eyolfson said doing it that way would give the government more flexibility than writing it in the bill itself.

If you found the regulation was too stringent and caused problems, or found it wasnt stringent enough and there were loopholes, then youd have to go through the legislative process, which we all know takes lots of time, he said.

Earlier this week, Lindsay Hugenholtz Sherk from the Sports Matters Group warned the House of Commons health committee that some national sports organizations are already feeling the effects of the bill and could stand to lose millions of dollars of investments in programming.

We have heard from more than a few national sport organizations which have already been informed by existing sponsors that they do not intend to renew their investments as a result of Bill S-228, she said.

Eyolfson said those concerns seem to have come out of nowhere and again insisted the bill wont affect sports sponsorships.

I dont know what the issue is  the whole purpose of this law is [to deal with] advertising to children.

Bill S-228, which started in the Senate, would ban advertising unhealthy food directed primarily at children under the age of 13.

The Commons health committee is nearly done amending the proposed legislation after a short two weeks of study, and should quickly finish with it on Monday next week before sending it back to the Commons.

The health committee lowered the age in the bill on Wednesday to marketing targeting Canadians under the age of 13, down from under the age of 17. The NDP opposed that move, saying a higher age threshold would be more effective and reduce loopholes.

Eyolfson said that change was made to avoid a challenge under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms after the governments legal counsel advised them it could be a problem. He pointed to Quebecs law banning marketing aimed at kids under 13, which withstood a challenge that made it to the Supreme Court in 1989. In the case of Irwin Toy Ltd. v. Quebec, Canadas highest court upheld the Quebec law in the face of a challenge it was an unreasonable limit on freedom of expression under s.2(b) of the Charter.

Earlier this week, representatives from Canadas advertising industry warned theyre considering taking legal action if the bill has the unintended effect of also preventing food marketing aimed at adults.

Ronald Lund, president and CEO of the Association of Canadian Advertisers, told MPs that if our businesses are significantly harmed in an unreasonable way, such as banning food [marketing] directed at adults, then thats a route that we would take.

The Senate public bill, originally sponsored by Conservative Sen. Nancy Greene Raine, is expected to pass with government support.

It would fulfil one of the health ministers mandate commitments by introducing new restrictions on the commercial marketing of unhealthy food and beverages to children, which falls among a number of measures aimed at tackling obesity rates.

A number of public health groups and officials have applauded the bill.

Dr. Tom Warshawski, chair of the Stop Marketing to Kids Coalition, told the committee Monday that according to estimates from the Global Burden of Disease, diet-related diseases now kill more Canadians than smoking tobacco does.

A brief inter-party spat at the end of Wednesdays committee meeting related to a series of votes in the House of Commons delayed the committee from finishing on the bill until Monday.

Liberals insist junk food ad bill wont hurt sports sponsorships


A toxic feud between two rival camps at a troubled heart-surgery unit left staff feeling a high death rate was inevitable, according to a leaked report.

St Georges Hospital heart unit was consumed by a dark force and patients were put at risk by a dysfunctional team of surgeons, an investigation concluded last month.

The damning review was written by former NHS England deputy medical director Mike Bewick in response to higher mortality rates at the hospital.

He found the south London facility had a cardiac surgery death rate of 3.7 per cent - above the national 2 per cent average, reports said.

Internal scrutiny was said to be inadequate and the department was riven between two camps exhibiting tribal-like activity.

Professor Bewicks review was quoted as saying: Some felt that there was a persistent toxic atmosphere and stated that there was a dark force in the unit.

It added: In our view the whole team shares responsibility for the failure to significantly improve professional relationships and to a degree surgical mortality.

Conversations with 39 staff revealed they were shocked by the death rate, but most felt that poor performance was inevitable due to the pervading atmosphere.

The independent reviewer examined disturbing and often difficult information, concluding an existential threat was posed to the unit because staff and patients would go elsewhere if problems persisted.

The surgical team is viewed as dysfunctional both internally and externally, he said.

Stronger leadership and new blood were called for, while the defensive approach the unit took to death rate data was criticised, according to reports.

The review was additionally said to have called for radical solutions to breaking up the current surgical team.

A spokesman for St Georges Hospital said recommendations from Professor Bewick were being implemented at pace, including the immediate relocation of all cardiac surgeons to a single-speciality practice.

The investigation commissioned in June after the National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (NICOR) issued an alert over the units lower surgery survival rates.

The hospital spokesman said: We would like to stress that the cardiac surgery service we provide for patients is safe. However, it is very clear that major and urgent improvements are required, which we are already taking action to deliver.

St Georges, one of the biggest teaching hospitals in the country, has advertised for an additional consultant cardiologist to join the team.

Fellow London hospital Guys and St Thomass Foundation Trust will send on the ground leadership support in the form of cardiac surgeons, the spokesman said.

Officials are additionally addressing concerns about the way surgery data is managed.

Hospital heart unit was consumed by aposdark forceapos as patients were put at risk by a dysfunc


If special counsel Robert Mueller indicts the former Trump adviser, it could mark a turning point in the Russia investigation.

Is Roger Stone Next


#  Concerns Over Radicalization Rise in French Schools

###  Officials describe as war against secularism


Demand for gold in technology and industrial sectors grew for the eighth consecutive quarter in Q3, according to the World Gold Council Global Demand Trends Q3 report.

Overall, gold used in technological applications grew 1% to 85.3 tons in the third quarter. That marked the eighth consecutive quarter of year-on-year growth. Strong demand in the electronics sector helped drive overall industrial and tech demand for the yellow metal higher.

The traditional technology hubs of Mainland China and Hong Kong, Japan and the US all registered growth in gold volumes in Q3  1.9%, 1.0% and 3.0% respectively. Taiwan and Singapore registered minor falls in demand, but both they are relatively small players in the sector.

The amount of gold used in electronics fabrication increased by 2% year-on-year to 68.5 tons. The memory sector continued its recent strong performance. The WGC report estimated growth was in the range of 2-5% overall. Strong demand for servers and smartphones drove the increase. Both require ever growing amounts of memory.

The demand for printed circuit boards (PCBs) also pushed industrial demand for gold higher.  The strong market for servers supported demand, together with growth in the automotive industry and 5G infrastructure deployment. Gold used in PCBs was estimated to be 5-7% higher year-on-year.

Gold remains a key metal in R&D activities. During the recent GOLD2018 conference held in Paris last summer, over 500 attendees from around the world gathered to share their gold-based research. There were many examples of technologies moving towards commercialization.

As weve reported on extensively, gold is increasingly being used in the healthcare field. For instance, scientists have discovered a process using gold nanoparticles that helps reduce inflammation and speeds healing in damaged muscles. Scientists have also developed a blood test using gold nanoparticles that could help with cancer treatment. In fact, scientists have developed a number of cancer treatments using gold nanoparticles over the last few years. Scientists at UC Berkeley have developed a process using gold to repair the mutation that causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy. And earlier this year, a team of Chinese researchers announced they were able to partially restored the sight of blind mice by replacing their deteriorated photoreceptors  sensory structures inside the eye that respond to light  with nano-wires made of gold and titanium.

We generally think of gold as an investment as well as money, but it is increasingly being used to improve our quality of life and heal the sick. The use of gold in the field of medicine, and more broadly in technology and industry, will likely put upward pressure on demand for the yellow metal in the future.

Over the past decade, the tech sector accounted for more than 380 tons of gold demand annually. Thats 13% ahead of central bank purchases during the same time period.

Tech demand for both gold and silver will likely continue to increase over the next several decades. Silver demand has always been heavily influenced by industrial use, but gold is becoming more and more important in industry, especially in high tech applications. Its important to consider these supply and demand fundamentals as you analyze the broader precious metals markets.

Gold Demand Rocks Tech Industry


(Natural News) Researchers from West Virginia have come across a connection between the sense of smell and the chances of developing brain disorders. In their recently published study, they found that movement of the wings of moths affected the animals olfactory sense, which in turn affected their brains, an article in News Wise stated.

This discovery could shed light on the root cause of human neurological disorders like schizophrenia and Parkinsons disease.

The West Virginia University (WVU) researchers explained that the nervous system dispatches two messages whenever it wants the muscles to do something. The first is the actual command, which it sends to the muscles.

The other is a corollary discharge, an exact copy of that command that is sent to the part of the brain that interprets the data provided by the senses. The brain uses this corollary discharge to distinguish which sensation is coming from the bodys movement and which one is produced by other sources.

Earlier studies have examined the function of a corollary discharge for the senses of sight and hearing. However, there is a sparseness of scientific literature regarding the olfactory senses. (Related: You could lose your sense of smell: It is just another side effect of eating high-fat foods.)

WVU doctorate candidate Phil Chapman and his fellow researchers studied the role that corollary discharges fulfilled for the sense of smell. They reported how the motor control center uses those discharges to keep the olfactory system appraised about the movement of the moths wings. The movement would be directly affecting or even disrupting the sense of smell by disturbing the air that carries the scent.

The power of the elements: Discover Colloidal Silver Mouthwash with quality, natural ingredients like Sangre de Drago sap, black walnut hulls, menthol crystals and more. Zero artificial sweeteners, colors or alcohol. Learn more at the Health Ranger Store and help support this news site.

Based on their findings, Chapman explained that many neurological disorders are implied to be linked to the failure of corollary discharges. Furthermore, there are more than one type of corollary discharge connected to the sense of smell. The WVU team is determining the identity and specific function of each type of discharge.

The WVU researchers reported that failed corollary discharges do not filter out the movements of the insect. Instead, they increase the ability of the olfactory system to encode data.

Interestingly, the olfactory system is organized along similar lines in both vertebrates and invertebrates. This is most evident when comparing the olfactory system of insects to that of humans. The strong analogy makes an insects olfactory system a good substitute for its human equivalent.

Chapman related how movement and other physical actions can very well change the perception of ones environment. The nervous system has evolved to ensure the stability of that perception.

Still, he acknowledged that there is a lot to learn about the way humans perceive their surroundings, especially with regards to the movements they are making.

This study pushes the field of neuroscience forward by understanding that when we ask questions about how sensory systems function, said Chapman. We must also think about how animals move throughout their environment and actually experience it.

Chapman is working alongside WVU researchers Kevin Daly and Andrew Dacks, who acted as the co-authors of the research paper. Their study is supported by a grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

This publication is the culmination of several years of coordinated effort across two labs and several students, explained Daly, who served as an adviser to Chapman for the study. Our research highlights how fundamental insights about how the brain works can be made by the study of animals like insects, which use relatively simplified nervous systems to tackle many of the same real word problems that our own brains must solve.

Read more studies and stories on human neurological disorders at Brain.news.

Our sense of smell may be linked to our risk of neurological disorders


There are media rumblings that Secretary of Defense General Mattis may leave the administration.

Trump was asked about this in his interview with Leslie Stahl on 60 Minutes that will air on Sunday night.

 Trump said Mattis is sort of a Democrat.

Leslie Stahl: What about General Mattis, is he going to leave? President Trump: I dont know, he hasnt told me, but I have a very good relationship with him. I had lunch with him two days ago. Leslie Stahl: Do you want him to? President Trump: It could be that he is, I think hes sort of a Democrat if you want to know the truth. But General Mattis is a good guy, we get along very well. He may leave, I mean at some point, everybody leaves.

Here is the preview video:

Trump on Rumors General Mattis May Leave I Think Mattis Is Sort of a Democrat VIDEO


One of the most remarkable features of the 2017 election was that Labour ceased to be the predominantly working class party. Despite being led by its supposedly most left-wing leader ever, one who rejected the allegedly middle-class or even pro-rich politics of Tony Blair, there was hardly any class difference between Labour and Conservative voters.

That means that many of the old assumptions about how British electoral politics work no longer applied. If class isnt the main predictor of voting behaviour what is? One answer, which has attracted a lot of attention, is age, in that most people under the age of 42 voted Labour and most people above that age voted Conservative. But there is obviously more to the shifting patterns of voting than that.

Todays huge research survey by BMG Research, the polling company, reported exclusively by The Independent, provides the fullest picture yet of the 10 clans of voters held together by shared values. Instead of class identity, BMG says it is identities based on values that are highly predictive of how people vote.

This kind of analysis shows why some non-traditional political subjects became surprisingly important in the election campaign: the ban on fox hunting, the law on the ivory trade and Tim Farrons views of gay sex. All of these are highly symbolic of the kinds of values that used to be regarded as non-party political, and that would be the subject of free votes in the House of Commons.

This survey sheds new light on what happened in 2017. Despite much talk at the time about the youthquake  a sharp increase in turnout among young people who nearly delivered victory to Jeremy Corbyn  the new analysis finds no evidence for it. BMG says its research instead points to a liberal tremor, with more liberal-minded voters more likely to turnout in 2017.

The survey provides several other insights into the 2017 election. It shows how the re-ordering of allegiance on Leave versus Remain lines contributed to a polarising of support among the value clans most identified with either side of the Brexit debate.

The strongest Leave-voting clan, the Bastions of Tradition and the Individual, the most Thatcherite group, were also the most likely to vote Conservative.

The most Remain-inclined clan, on the other hand, the Orange Bookers  named after the pro-globalisation tendency of the Liberal Democrats  gave Tim Farrons party its solid core. The problem for the Lib Dems is that this clan is small: accounting for just 8 per cent of the electorate.

Labour gained support from another heavily Remain clan, the Global Green Community, which makes up 10 per cent of voters. But Corbyns ambivalence on Europe allowed Labour to increase its support among clans that were much less enthusiastic about the EU, Common-Sense Solidarity, which was one-third Leave, and Modern Working Life, which was divided down the middle by the Brexit referendum.

As ever, the names of the various clans are a brave and partially successful attempt to capture the value clusters thrown up by statistical analysis  in this case latent-class analysis, which is a model-based segmentation approach. This means identifying the opinion poll questions that best divide the population into value-based groups. This research, designed with the help of academics from Manchester and Bristol universities, has produced 27 golden questions that allow everyone to be categorised in one of 10 groups.

This means that the research lends itself to an accessible online questionnaire that allows everyone to find out to which group they belong. I was disappointed to end up in The Measured Middle. The description says my clan members are known for not having very strong political views. But I prefer to imagine that this category is a dumping ground for people whose opinions cannot be easily classified.

However, many of the other clans are recognisable groups of voters, which are a useful reminder of how the common assumptions about how political beliefs are organised are mistaken. Several of the groups hold what are conventionally considered to be left-wing views on the economy, yet are sharply divided on the liberal-authoritarian or nationalist-globalist spectrums. This helps to explain both why Corbyns policies are so popular and why Theresa May fitfully advocates policies such as workers on company boards and help for those on low pay.

Anything that provides us with better ways of understanding voter behaviour than the old left-right labels and the old assumptions of class politics is to be welcomed. But you would expect one of the Measured Middle to say that.

 The Independent has launched its #FinalSay campaign to demand that voters are given a voice on the final Brexit deal.

 Sign our petition here

Research shows class doesnapost explain voting any more hereaposs how we should we analyse pol


We refuse to let anything get in the way of a good night's sleep at IndyBest. Our team of reviewers are constantly testing out products   from mattresses to eye masks, pillows to herbal teas  to find the best ones. Here, we've rounded up the best of the best.

This American-made foam-core mattress, with memory foam layer, has support from designer Steven Alan and actors Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio, and has recently launched in the UK as a bed-in-a-box option.

A particular hit with our testers, its marginally softer than the Simba, one of its closest rivals, and great for all types of sleepers, including people who sleep on their backs  and if you treat it well, it should last you a decade or more. Its stable and breathable, but there aren't any handles on the side, just the bottom, so rotating or turning this mattress (which should be done every three to six months) is no mean feat.

Available in sizes single, double, king or super king.

Kate Hilpern

Best of the rest

You wont have to argue over whether to go for a soft or firmer tension mattress anymore as this airbed allows each sleeper to fine tune the firmness on their side.

The handy side effect of this is greater stability, with less chance of the edges lifting off the floor when two people lie on it  an annoying feature of many double air beds. Made of robust PVC, with a soft velour top  its comfy and quick to inflate, as well as deflate.

Kate Hilpern

Best of the rest

This topper ticked all the boxes. Most importantly, the foam layer combined with the 2cm cooling layer made for a supportive and extremely comfortable nights sleep - you dont sink into it like with some foam products as this one is fairly firm.

We also found that the cooling layer helped increase breathability, as we didnt experience overheating in the night. It also features an anti-slip bottom layer so we didnt have to remake the bed each morning. It was surprising to see just how much toppers can move in the night while you toss and turn but this product defiantly stayed put.

Add to this the fact its hypoallergenic and comes with a three-year guarantee, if your budget allows, its worth investing in.

Isobel Bryant

Best of the rest

This pillows 250 thread-count cotton case is fine enough to block bugs (the higher the thread count, the softer the material and the harder for dust mites to penetrate) and has been treated with Sanitised  an anti-bacterial chemical that protects it from sweat, limiting the damp conditions that dust mites enjoy.

Its filled with springy hollow fibre  a type of polyester that traps air  and bounces back well after use, minimising the need for plumping and the disappointment of a flat pillow a few weeks later.

Its medium-firm feel gives good support to side sleepers without being too rigid if you turn onto your front sometimes too. It fits well into a standard rectangular pillowcase and comes in a storage bag, great for hygiene if you need to keep it in a dank loft for a while.

Jess Denham

Best of the rest

This is the king of winter duvets, offering whipped-cream softness. The down of Hungarian geese has long been known for its warmth and lightness and The White Company has added feather (20 per cent) to give it a dash of weight. We also like the internal box construction that avoids any cold spots.

We recommend the 13.5 tog for ultimate toastiness  or buy the 4.5 and 10.5 for other seasons, then join them together for frostier nights.

Kate Hilpern

Best of the rest

Stonewashing takes the stiffness out of linen, so this comfortable set was ready to sleep on straight out of the pack. Each piece is printed with two colours  one each side  which creates that mix-and-match look without you having to buy multiple sets.

You currently only have a choice of three Scandi-inspired colour combos in shades of grey, white and an Ikea yellow option, but were told the brand is adding six colours to the range shortly. Youll find that each duvet cover is finished with a single yellow button, a nod to the eve branding, but it isnt overbearing. We did find the fitted sheet quite large for our UK double mattress, however, once tucked in properly it didnt budge and it would allow for a generous mattress topper.

You can buy the components of the set separately, too  ideal if youve spilt a mug of tea on one pillow, for example.

Stacey Smith

Best of the rest

The White Company has an excellent selection of nightwear, ranging from silk PJs to cashmere robes.

Our pick is this classic-looking pair in a grey heart print on soft brushed cotton flannel. The top is long and doesn't ride up your back while sleeping (there really is nothing worse than grappling with a thick wedge of pyjama mid-sleep) and will keep you warm and snuggly under the duvet and the bottoms are more flattering than some.

Available in sizes XS-XL, fitting from size 6 up to 18.

Linda Taylor

Best of the rest

A fifth of all proceeds from these chunky, rocking slippers go to the charity Habitat for Humanity. In navy and grey or this teddy-brown, with big Rudolph-red pom-poms, theyre the perfect Christmas gift thatll contribute to the fight to provide safe, warm homes for vulnerable families worldwide.

Lesley Jones

Best of the rest

Go full Marilyn Monroe with this vintage-style mask made solely from the finest, allergy-friendly mulberry silk. The decadent, lightweight material feels cool and delicate against your skin, letting the eye area breathe to prevent puffiness the next day. There is a thin flap of fabric that covers the nose to keep all light out.

The strap is not adjustable, but the mask does fit larger heads. It comes in three other neutral colours, including baby pink.

Jess Denham

Best of the rest

If its real depth of aroma you are after, this gorgeous loose leaf blend from new tea emporium Kanuka will blow you away. The classic citrus flavours of orange and grapefruit are mingled with a mild hint of spearmint for a wonderfully fresh edge, while its base comes from the leaves of the calcium-rich rooibos plant, grown under the South African sun and known for helping to ease hypertension.

Heap two teaspoons into 250ml of nearly boiling water and allow it to infuse for four minutes before straining. Opening the easily resealable pouch is a sensory delight, with the added joy of finding whole chunks of fragrant orange in the mix.

Kanuka has a tea house in St Albans, just north of London, as well as an online store, so dig and delve for original gift ideas.

Jess Denham

Best of the rest

IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing.

10 best products for a good nightaposs sleep mattresses to eye masks


NEW YORK (AP)  Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg plans to testify before Congress about the companys privacy practices in coming weeks, according to a person familiar with the matter.

This person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Zuckerberg is aware there is intense pressure on him to testify, this person said.

Zuckerberg said last week in a CNN interview that hed be happy to testify, but didnt commit to appear. Facebook is facing unprecedented scrutiny following reports that a data mining firm used ill-gotten data from tens of millions of its users to try to influence elections.

A spokeswoman for the House Energy and Commerce Committee said Tuesday that the committee is working with Facebook to determine a day and time for Zuckerberg to testify.

Meanwhile, Zuckerberg snubbed a summons from a British Parliamentary committee investigating the rise of fake news, offering to send senior Facebook executives instead.

This would be the first time Zuckerberg has ever testified before Congress. Last fall, the company sent its top lawyer to speak before Congress about Russian interference in the 2016 elections. Google and Twitter also sent lower-level executives to the three public hearings on the matter.

Separately, Facebook announced a privacy settings makeover on Wednesday. While the move is intended to prepare for tighter European privacy regulations going into effect in May, Facebook said that recent events underscore their importance.

The changes wont affect Facebooks privacy policies or the types of data it gathers on users. But the company hopes its 2.2 billion users will have an easier time navigating its complex and often confusing privacy and security settings. Facebook says it also wants to give users a simpler way to access and download the data it collects on them.

Chris Cox, Facebooks chief product officer, called the new settings the first of many steps the company is taking to address privacy concerns.

Facebook CEO Zuckerberg To Testify Before Congress Amid Data Scandal


LONDON, September 14. /TASS/. A spokesman for UK Prime Minister Theresa May on
Thursday described an interview by Skripal case suspects to Russias RT
channel as an insult to the public's intelligence.

"The lies and blatant fabrications in this interview given to a Russian state-
sponsored TV station are an insult to the public's intelligence. More
importantly they are deeply offensive to the victims and loved ones of this
horrific attack," he said.

The official added that this is what the UK authorities have come to expect.

The prime minister's spokesman also said that police had set out "very
clearly" the evidence against the two Russians.

"They are wanted men and we have taken all steps to ensure they are
apprehended and brought to justice in the UK if they ever again step foot
outside Russia," he said.

The UK Foreign Office earlier claimed that the two suspects, Russian nationals
Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, deliberately lied and distorted facts in
the interview to RT earlier in the day. A Foreign Office spokesperson told
TASS that the Russians are still being viewed as main suspects in the case.

## Petrov and Boshirovs interview

In an interview with Russias RT TV channel released on September 13, Petrov
and Boshirov said they had visited Great Britain for tourist purposes.
According to them, they are businessmen not linked to the GRU and have nothing
to do with the Skripal case. The two men stressed they wanted the media and
everyone else to leave them be.

According to London, former Russian military intelligence (GRU) Colonel Sergei
Skripal, 66, who had been convicted in Russia of spying for Great Britain and
later swapped for Russian intelligence officers, and his daughter Yulia, 33,
suffered the effects of an alleged nerve agent in the British city of
Salisbury on March 4. Claiming that the substance used in the attack had been
a Novichok-class nerve agent developed in the Soviet Union, London rushed to
accuse Russia of being involved in the incident. Moscow rejected all of the
United Kingdoms accusations, saying that neither the Soviet Union nor Russia
ever had any program aimed at developing such a substance.

On September 5, British Prime Minister Theresa May informed the countrys
parliament about the conclusions that investigators looking into the Salisbury
incident had come to, saying that two Russians, believed to be GRU agents,
were suspected of conspiracy to murder the Skripals. According to May, the
assassination attempt was approved at "a senior level of the Russian state."
The Metropolitan Police published the suspects photos, saying their names
were Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov.

UK official calls Skripal case suspects interview insult to the publics intelligence


On Friday, the Special Counsel released the names of 35 witnesses in Paul Manaforts trial in Alexandria, Virginia which is set for July 31st.

Manaforts trial in Alexandria is based on charges of tax fraud and bank fraud.

None of the charges against Manafort have anything to do with Russian collusion during the 2016 presidential election.

Judge T.S. Ellis recently granted immunity to five witnesses in the Alexandria case on the condition their names be made public.

On Monday, the immunized witnesses were revealed to be, James Brennan, Conor OBrien, Donna Duggan, Cindy Laporta, Dennis Raico.

Below is the list of 35 witnesses who may testify against Paul Manafort, via Axios:

Mueller also filed 100 blank subpoenas on Wednesday, according to a new filing.

Fox News Tucker Carlson announced last Thursday evening that two separate sources confirmed to him Mueller offered Tony Podesta immunity, however; Podesta was not named in the unsealed documents Monday.

Podesta was reportedly given immunity in the DC case where Manafort is being charged for failing to file a FARA form for his Ukrainian lobbying efforts.

Mueller Releases Names of 35 Witnesses Who May Testify Against Paul Manafort


Donald Trump is, hands down, the most hated president in history. Nothing he does is in the citizens, nations, nor planets best interest, and in fact, he has shown that his love of money and power trumps all else. Since becoming president, Trumps Walk of Fame star in Los Angeles has been vandalized a record number of times, leading to a vote for the removal of the star.

Now, its happened again, and this time, its safe to say that the activists take on Trumps star will get under the presidents skin worse than all the others. Check out this piece of work below:

The artist himself had this to say about the piece:

Although it was very quickly damaged by a Trump supporter trying to remove it the bars did appear to be stuck fast and were there several hours later  to the amusement of thousands of passing tourists. I wanted them to stay down but didnt want a bill for thousands of dollars to repair the footpath.

HuffPo reports that, Trumps star, installed in 2007, has been attacked by vandals and street artists repeatedly since he took office. West Hollywood City Council voted unanimously over the summer for its removal, but the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which controls the Walk of Fame, says it has never taken away a star.

Trumps Hollywood Walk Of Fame Star Hit By Another Activist This Time Its Felonious


President Trumps lawyer, Michael Cohen is becoming increasingly stressed out, even expressing his anguish to those in his inner circle. According to NY Times, Cohen has complained about feeling isolated after the recent FBI raid on his office and hotel room in which federal agents took a multitude of evidence that could be used against him in a court of law.

The mounting pressure is certainly building up on Cohen, who has always been a whipping boy for Trump to take out his anger, and to ridicule to make himself feel bigger. According to The Times:

Even Trumps talking head, Roger Stone has said that Trump treats Cohen like garbage.

Now, it seems that the tides have turned and the power now lies in Michael Cohens hands. The family man with a wife and two children will likely not be going down to save Trumps hide.

Ex-Trump aide Sam Nunberg had this to say about the sudden shift in power:

The pressures on Cohen are pretty evident, and now, reports of an attempted apology to Melanie Trump for paying off a porn star who had slept with her husband. According to Newsweek:

The report did not say what Melanias response was, if anything, but one can surmise that this is pretty much business as usual for Melania, who married Trump with the sole intention of being a trophy wife.

VP of policy and litigation for watchdog group Common Cause says that this may have all been for Melanias benefit, and nothing else:

Further investigation may ... undercut any argument by Michael Cohen that this payment wasnt about keeping the information from voters but to keep the information from Melania. I think to the extent that Cohen argues this was about keeping the information from Melania, then what Melania knew and when she knew it will certainly be relevant.

Melania has remained silent on the whole Stormy saga.

NY Times Drops CohenMelania Apology Bombshell Michael Begs Forgiveness For Stormy


With the historic recount happening right now in the state of Florida, Americans are on high alert for any news pertaining to the scandalous incidents of voter suppression, and now apparently, possible recount violations. Even Floridas U.S. Senate candidate Rick Scott is joining in, releasing the following tweet, a ridiculous message to law enforcement, asking that they keep an extra close eye out for any issues with the recount.

Floridas Sheriffs selflessly serve our communities each day and are dedicated to protecting the safety and rights of all Floridians. I am urging every Sheriff in the State of Florida to watch for any violations during the recount process as outlined in Florida law.

The fact that he thinks he has to remind Florida sheriffs of the state laws regarding recounts and violations is staggering. According to Rick Scott for Florida:

With a recount beginning in Florida today, Governor Scott is encouraging every Florida Sheriff to watch for any violations and take appropriate action. Under Florida Statue 102.091, Sheriffs shall exercise strict vigilance in the detection of any violations of the election laws.

The people responding to Scotts tweet have a lot to say. Check out some of those reactions below:

JUST IN Rick Scott Issues Florida Recount Violation Announcement


Pod Hunters: all of the cool podcasts that we recommend Find your next auditory obsession

There are a ton of podcasts out there, but finding the right one can be difficult. In our new bi-weekly column Pod Hunters, we cover what weve been listening to that we cant stop thinking about.

Pod Hunters all of the cool podcasts that we recommend


MOSCOW, November 30. /TASS/. Moscow is outraged with the new tightening of
prison conditions for Russian Maria Butina held in a US prison, Russian
Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.

"We express our deepest indignation with new tightening of prison conditions
for Russian citizen Maria Butina, who was arrested in the US last summer under
fabricated charges and whom we treat as a political detainee," she said.

"All the introduced restrictions provide for total isolation for 22 hours per
day," Zakharova added. The diplomat explained that the Russian may leave the
cell, make calls and stay in common premises only for two hours a day solely
at night.

"It definitely negatively affects her health, not just in connection with
individual peculiarities. That said, she is not receiving quality medical
treatment. On November 27, Russian diplomats visited Maria Butina, expressed
resolute protest to the prison management and demanded that violence against
Butina be stopped," Zakharova went on to say, reiterating that on November 27
the Russian side sent a strict note to the US Department of State on this
situation.

According to Zakharova, Moscow regards such actions of US authorities as a
tool for exerting pressure over the Russian citizen ahead of a court session
scheduled for December 19.

"We will definitely continue to demand the release of the Russian citizen who
is a victim of direct lawlessness. Maria Butina is not just a political
detainee. Today we can affirm that she is a hostage of US authorities. She is
a hostage for one purpose - for manipulation in political goals," Zakharova
concluded.

Butina was arrested in Washington on July 15 ahead of the meeting between
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Helsinki.
The Russian is charged with participation in a plot aimed at conducting
activities on US territory for the benefit of a foreign state. The US
intelligence services also state that the Russian carried this activity while
being registered with the US Department of Justice as a foreign state agent.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov demanded Butinas urgent release and
called charges against her fabricated in a telephone conversation with US
Secretary of State Michael Pompeo held on July 21.

In other media

Diplomat outraged by tightening of prison conditions for Maria Butina


The various Digital Wellbeing features that Google revealed last spring  a dashboard to show your smartphone usage habits, app limit timers, and a wind down mode to help you focus on going to sleep  are not included in todays release of Android 9 Pie. But if you have a Pixel device and youve already installed the latest OS update on it, youll be able to try out those software tools ahead of their official launch sometime this fall. The beta starts right now.

Google says that trying out these Digital Wellbeing features does not require joining the Android beta program; you can continue running a stable version of Android 9 Pie while testing the Dashboard, app timers, and wind down. So thats pretty great.

To get started, follow these steps:

Note that Digital Wellbeing is in beta until the fall, so you might run into some bugs and encounter some snags every now and then. According to Google, these software tools were designed with the goal of giving you a complete picture of your digital habits and helping you disconnect when you want to.

Apple is also integrating similar features into its upcoming iOS 12 update, and social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram are also working on adding new sections to their apps that transparently show how much time we all spend using them. 2018 is certainly the year of technology self-reflection. But ultimately, these companies are just giving you the data; itll be up to you to make changes and adjust your device usage if youre alarmed by what you see.

Digital Wellbeing will launch first on the Pixel lineup this fall before expanding to Android One and other devices later this year.

How to test out Googles Digital Wellbeing features on Android 9 Pie right now


Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) said its decision not to provide a new round of funding for a high-profile research centre was made following a robust process.

SFI has decided not to provide a new round of funding to the University College Cork-based INFANT centre once its current allocation comes to an end next year, RTE reported on Monday.

Director general of SFI and Government chief scientific advisor Professor Mark Ferguson told RTEs Morning Ireland it was very transparent in all of its dealings with INFANT.

INFANT is Irelands first perinatal research centre. It states its mission is to make pregnancy safer and to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies.

Sometimes that means making kind of tough decisions like this one where you say actually here are some things that need to be done and heres an opportunity to compete again, Prof Ferguson said.

This is a robust process, but it is a competition and in all competitions some people are at the top of the list and some are at the bottom.

But I think it is really important to emphasise that INFANT is a really good centre. It just needs to address some things.

However founding director of INFANT, Professor Louise Kenny,claimed the centre was not given an adequate explanation of what those things are.

Prof Kenny, who is now an adjunct professor at the centre and pro-vice chancellor at the University of Liverpool told RTE that she was very shocked and disappointed at the decision.

It came as a complete surprise because up until that point we had no real idea that we had been ranked so low.

Over the last five years since INFANT was funded, consistently we have been ranked or rated as one of the best performing SFI research centres and in fact the expert scientific review that we had in December strongly and enthusiastically recommended refunding. So it came as a complete shock.

However, we werent given any reasons, really. We did have the independent expert scientific review of the panel that was composed of experts such as obstetricians and neonatologists and researchers in our area.

That enthusiastically recommended refunding. We scored very highly. We didnt have any insight and I still dont have any insight as to the make-up of the oversight panel that then adjusted those scores and then ranked INFANT as the lowest centre.

Former minister of state with responsibility for research Sean Sherlock is calling for greater transparency and an explanation for the decision by SFI.

It is a world class institute, it is a new institute and I am worried about the fact that SFI has, despite the fact that INFANT has subjected itself to international peer-review, has decided through its own oversight review to defund the centre, Mr Sherlock told RTEs Morning Ireland.

SFI decision to pull funding from INFANT centre follows robust process


When the small band of neo-Nazis approached a park in front of the White House, there were several hundred counterprotesters awaiting them. In some ways, the scene was a victory for anti-racist organizers. Unlike last year, when racists overwhelmed the city of Charlottesville, white supremacist organizer Jason Kessler could scarcely pull together enough racists this year to fill a train car.

But that tiny gathering of white nationalists managed to completely hijack Washington, D.C.s public infrastructure and the attention of the national media. And the districts handling of the event created some discomfiting resonances: American racists getting bundled into the capital on a segregated train car and escorted through a racists-only entrance into a park across from the White House.

Metropolitan Police Department officers said their goal on Sunday was to keep the white supremacists away from the counterprotesters to prevent violence. To that end, hundreds of taxpayer-funded law enforcement officials separated white nationalists from the public on a private train car and provided them with a private entrance into Lafayette Park.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority briefly floated the idea of dedicating separate train cars for white nationalists, but it retreated from the idea after the transit union said its members would not provide unprecedented special accommodations for a hate group. WMATA told HuffPost that it left all trains open to the public. The decision to separate the white nationalists is a law enforcement matter, the transit authority said.

One Black Lives Matter protester who identified himself as Black Soul expressed anger that the police were protecting the racists, but that they seemed to do nothing to protect people in the citys predominantly black areas.

Its crazy how the police can come up here and protect these motherfucker racist bastards, but we got little girls and little boys getting killed in Southeast and Northeast in the inner city right there in the fucking hood, everyday snatched up, he said. Theyre here to protect these sheet-wearing racist-ass bastards.

The dismal turnout of the so-called Unite the Right II rally put on full display the fractured state of the white nationalist movement. Kessler, who organized last years rally in Virginia, moved this years white civil rights rally to D.C. after failing to obtain another permit from the city of Charlottesville. And several of the movements top figures  who are facing crippling legal fees in a lawsuit related to their role in planning last years violent event  chose to sit out this years event.

Richard Spencer, who once celebrated the election of Donald Trump with a Nazi salute, appears to have fled the region. Christopher Cantwell, best known for sobbing on camera when he found out he was wanted for arrest after pepper-spraying protesters in Charlottesville, said this years rally would be too fucking dangerous for him to attend, and blamed Kessler for his lack of management skills.

Days before the rally, Kessler appeared to be losing the support of even the lesser-known Nazis he had said would speak. Patrick Little, the failed neo-Nazi Senate candidate who was slated to speak at Kesslers event, said on Thursday that he would not attend, even though he was in D.C. spreading his message of expel the Jews.

Leaked Facebook Messenger chats obtained by the media collective Unicorn Riot show that Kessler barely managed to pull off this years very small rally. He pleaded for help figuring out transportation to D.C. and said that he had given up finding housing arrangements because its too complicated for me to deal with.

The chats also show Kesslers efforts to rebrand a movement now best known for murdering a peaceful protester. Kessler and his fellow racists discussed including nonwhite speakers, a move Kessler said would give us political cover to bring on [David] Duke, a former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. HuffPost could not independently confirm the authenticity of the messages.

As the fragile alliance between a collection of unstable white supremacists splintered, their presence in D.C. became a rallying point for anti-racism protesters. Members of Black Lives Matter, anarchists, anti-fascists, and union workers spent weeks organizing protests. By Sunday, the anti-racist coalition raised over $20,000 to pay speakers and organizers, the group said on Facebook.

A Couple Dozen Neo-Nazis Got The Red Carpet Treatment From DC Law Enforcement


When your average Hollywood star sits down to their breakfast granola, opens The New York Times, and finds one of their colleagues has been exposed, shamed and duly fired, the response has been one of silence and deference. Calmly finish bowl; contact agent; monitor social media response; consider tweet distancing oneself from the accused.

All that changed in July with Disneys exile of Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, who was abruptly fired after the discovery of dumb, tasteless and provocative jokes tweeted years earlier. Never mind that these were unearthed by an alt-right blogger relying on this very reaction; Disney declared his tweets inconsistent with our studios values and severed [its] business relationship with him.

But if it expected the franchises cast  who are the gateway to fans on social media and therefore box office sales  to fall in line, Disney was mistaken. In a jointly undersigned open letter, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper et al started by offering their full support for Gunn and expressing a hope that he be reinstated, before going off on a quite stunning tirade against weaponised mob mentality and a lack of due process in the court of public opinion. They drew a line in the sand, but Disney met them at it, doubling down on its policy of zero tolerance towards both potentially offensive jokes and the concept of forgiveness.

The future of the franchise is now in limbo, and whatever happens next will be written in Hollywood history. The cast, who may or may not have mounted such a staunch and collegiate defence of free speech had Gunn not been quite so vital to the GOTG series, have for the most part gone quiet, after Disneys Old Yeller-evoking courtesy meeting with Gunn to reaffirm his firing. Perhaps they will return with another screen-grabbed missive, but right now it seems as though all are accepting that their brave skirmish has been defeated.

All that is, except Dave Bautista.

One of the lesser known Guardians, Bautista potentially has the most to lose by sticking up for Gunn. A fall from favour within Hollywood could quite easily cut his blossoming film career short and send him back to the WWE ring. This would be particularly sad to see, as he is showing signs of adapting to acting better than perhaps any professional wrestler before him.

And yet, undeterred and unintimidated, he has continued to be vocal on the matter, describing Disneys actions as pretty nauseating and accusing them of empowering a smear campaign by fascists. Most dramatically  during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show this week  Bautista suggested he might not return for a potential GOTG 3, saying: [The films] on hold indefinitely. To be honest with you I dont know if I want to work for Disney.

He may be six foot six, weigh 290 pounds and look as though he could punch Mickey Mouse into the sun, but Bautista is proving an unlikely hero for what seems to be a silent majority in Hollywood: one fearful of the industrys move toward a one-punishment-fits-all stance. Contractual obligations may ultimately compel the actor and his co-stars back to the set, but, if he rallies them to stand firm, Bautista could be the man who derailed a billion-dollar franchise, and put a stop to corporations being the moral arbiters of Hollywood.

Is Dave Bautista the unlikely hero to save Hollywood from itself


(Natural News) It is truly unavoidable to catch a cold or contract a disease, especially with todays lifestyle trends and medical misinformation. A lot of the medicine we use to treat our health conditions may actually cause more harm than good. A St. Josephs Healthcare Hamilton and McMaster University joint study found that low doses of penicillin administered to pregnant mice and their young results in behavioral changes that have long-term effects.

The study, which was published in Nature Communications, reports that the behavioral changes noted in the mice included elevated levels of aggression, characteristic neurochemical changes in the brain, and imbalance in the gut microbiome of the mice. On the bright side, giving the mice a lactobacillus strain of bacteria managed to prevent the effects of the administered penicillin.

Low-dose penicillin taken in late pregnancy and early life of mice offspring results in behavioral changes and imbalances in the microbes of the gut. While the tests were done on mice, there are increasing concerns about the long-term effects of antiobiotics in humans, according to Dr. John Bienenstock, director of the Brain-Body Institute at St. Josephs Healthcare Hamilton and distinguished professor at McMaster University.

Large doses of multipurpose antibiotics in adult animals have been shown to affect behavior, but none have been able to test the effects of clinical doses of commonly used antibiotics, such as penicillin, on the bacteria in the gut and in behavior. Almost all babies in North America have received some dose of antibiotics during their first year of life. Researchers are looking into analyzing the effects of the drug on the offspring of the mice if given only to the pregnant mothers (teratogenesis).

Mother Nature's micronutrient secret: Organic Broccoli Sprout Capsules now available, delivering 280mg of high-density nutrition, including the extraordinary "sulforaphane" and "glucosinolate" nutrients found only in cruciferous healing foods. Every lot laboratory tested. See availability here.

Penicillin, PCN, or pen, is a group of antibiotics discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928. Penicillin has many types including: Penicillin G, for intravenous use; penicillin V, for oral ingestion; procaine penicillin; and benzathine penicillin, which is injected into the muscles. It is the first type of medication that is effective against bacterial infections caused by staphylococci and streptococci, but is however, easy to build resistance against. Almost 10 percent of all people around the world are allergic to penicillin.

The study titled Low-dose penicillin in early life induces long-term changes in murine gut microbiota, brain cytokines and behavior was funded by the United States Office of Naval Research.

Whenever we fall ill, most of us automatically turn to our doctors for prescription medicine. However, many diseases and illnesses can be treated or remedied with natural techniques. In fact, following a healthy daily regimen is known to prevent the onset of diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and what not. Keeping healthy should be easy as:

Read PrescriptionDrugs.news for more articles on the risks vs. benefits of prescription drugs.

Use of penicillin early in life even in low doses affects the gut microbiome contributing to brai


(Natural News) The U.S. Attorney for North Carolinas Eastern District has launched an investigation into alleged GenX contamination at the Fayetteville Works. The feds have served subpoenas to DuPont and its Chemours spinoff. They are also seeking information from the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

Chemours indicated in its 2017 annual report released in February that it is cooperating with regulators at the federal, state, and local level as well as reponding to subpoenas from three federal grand juries. Several class action lawsuits have also been filed in the situation.

StarNewsOnline explains the background on this controversy.

A sprawling facility about 100 miles up the Cape Fear River from Wilmington, Fayetteville Works was the property of DuPont until 2015, when it created Chemours as a separate company. Since then, Chemours has owned the industrial site and chemical manufacturing lines blamed for contamination by GenX and related substances in the river, downstream drinking water, nearby private wells and the air.

The Cape Fear River provides much of the drinking water for southeastern North Carolina. According to the News&Observer, North Carolina officials suspect that the facility secretly dumped GenX into the river for many years. In addition to the DEQ, agencies participating in the probe include the EPA,  the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, and North Carolinas Bureau of Investigation.

GenX  (which has nothing whatsoever to do with the Generation X demographic cohort) is a compound used in the manufacture of nonstick cookware such as Teflon. Although intended to replace PFOA or PFOS, the chemical process has reportedly been identified as a carcinogen in several animal studies. Its exact effects on humans have yet to be determined, however as Natural News previously explained.

Tests conducted by Chemours itself have reportedly revealed that approximately two-thirds of the wells in the area near the plant tested positive for GenX and one-third of them allegedly contained unsafe levels of the chemical. Last November, the DEQ pulled Chemours permit to discharge wastewater into the Cape Fear River.

Legislation is pending in the state legislature to address the GenX pollution issue, although it is subject to partisan squabbling over its funding mechanism and other concerns.  (Read more about water pollution-related developments at WaterWars.news.)

Chemours is complying with an EPA request to test water for GenX in Ohio and West Virginia. The tests are occurring within the same waterways that had been polluted during past decades by a carcinogenic GenX precursor chemical, called PFOA, DelawareOnline explained.

Check Pollution.news for further news on the GenX pollution controversy.

Feds looking into allegations about GenX chemical contamination have issued subpoenas to DuPont Che


On Wednesday Tom Fitton from Judicial Watch posted an update.

House Republican leaders are AFRAID of holding Maxine Waters to account for her threats against conservatives.

Judicial Watch House Republican Leadership Is HORRIFIED of Holding Maxine Waters to Account


A former student activist for conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA on Monday called the organization a shithole with increasing levels of drama and some of the most incompetent, lazy, and downright dishonest people I have ever encountered.

The following is the resignation letter I handed into my bosses earlier this morning, Kaitlin Bennett, formerly the president of Kent State Universitys chapter of Turning Point USA, wrote.

She addressed her resignation to Frankie OLaughlin and Alana Mastrangelo. A Facebook page under OLaughlins name lists him as a field director at Turning Point USA, and a Twitter page under Mastrangelos name lists her as a regional manager for the organization.

Bennett posted her resignation on Liberty Hangout, a website that bills itself as a libertarian media outlet and alternative news source that seeks to promote Austrian economics and property rights. The letter appears to be her only post on the website.

In her resignation, Bennett said she was highly disappointed in the organizations leadership for taking zero responsibility  in the aftermath of a widely mocked event in October 2017 where members of the universitys Turning Point USA chapter dressed up in diapers to protest safe spaces.

According to Bennett, OLaughlin and Mastrangelo approved the event but failed to show any leadership when the chapter faced the consequences of online harassment.

I was embarrassed to have been left alone to deal with the aftermath of the safe space event, Bennett wrote. Although I thought the safe space event was funny and have zero remorse for holding it, I took full responsibility for it when Turning Point failed to show any leadership.

Bennett said she was deeply saddened that Turning Point USA did not turn out to be the organization I thought it was.

I have realized how much of a shithole organization Turning Point USA is, and am glad I got out of this bullshit before I invested my whole life into it, let alone just my senior year of college, Bennett wrote. I expect to be paid in full for my hours worked, since the organization is also too incompetent to multiply 10 by 12.50 every week.

She advised the groups leaders to find real jobs.

Maybe answering to business professionals rather than college dropouts, egotistic enough to put their face on stupid memes, will give you the leadership skills you desperately need for your positions, she wrote. Maybe after this is published on Liberty Hangout and Occupy Democrats Logic, to audiences that reach 17 million people on a bad week, I too can be verified on Twitter like you, Alana.

Bennett signed off with good riddance, and added, If you need a safe space after everyone hears about this, I still have the diapers.

The Twitter account for the universitys chapter of Turning Point USA tweeted at Charlie Kirk, the nonprofits executive director and founder, several hours after Bennett posted her resignation.

Kent State Activist Quits Turning Point USA Calls It A Shthole Organization


TOPEKA, Kan. (AP)  Kansas schools that refuse to allow teachers to carry guns could be held legally responsible in the event of a tragedy under a proposal drafted after last months mass shooting at a Florida high school.

Opponents of the measure, which got its first hearing Tuesday in front of the House Insurance Committee, expressed concern it could effectively mandate arming teachers rather than allowing it, as several states have done.

It would certainly open the door for that conversation, said Democratic Rep. Brett Parker, an Overland Park school teacher. The further we go down this rabbit hole, the more chance there is for even more obnoxious legislation moving forward.

Even if that provision is stripped, as some advocates suggested during the hearing, the bill would prohibit insurers from denying coverage to a school because it lets its teachers or staff members carry weapons.

At least nine other states have provisions in place giving teachers the option of carrying guns in schools, but the Kansas plan seems to go further than most other laws in place or under consideration.

The proposal is separate from one embraced by Republican leaders in the House that focuses on improving school infrastructure instead of arming staff. That measure, which appears to have broader support, won first-round approval on Tuesday.

Rep. Blake Carpenter, a conservative Derby Republican who helped write the legislation that holds schools liable, said he is confident armed and trained teachers will save lives. Police could be minutes away, and in smaller districts where modest funding means school-resource officers arent hired, the bill would allow for next best thing, he told the committee.

It is not, if our kids will be killed. It is, when will they be killed and what are we doing to prevent it? Carpenter said.

Kansas legislators started working on school safety legislation a week after a Valentines Day shooting in Parkland, Florida, left 17 students and staff dead.

Gun control advocates say the portion that presumes negligence against school districts is highly unusual and seems to match closely with concealed carry laws typically applied to businesses in some states, and not schools.

Kansas law has allowed teachers to carry concealed guns since 2013 but school districts across the state have disallowed the practice after EMC Insurance Companies, the states primary school insurer, refused to provide coverage to schools with armed staff.

Kansas Association of School Boards lobbyist Mark Tallman opposed the bill. He said insurance providers could still choose to deny coverage, yet schools would have no choice but to allow staff to arm themselves regardless. Even if an insurer is willing to provide under such circumstances, Tallman said, the rates would become very expensive.

Carpenter said for an insurance company to increase rates or to outright refuse to provide coverage to a school, it would have to prove that having an armed staff creates a higher risk environment.

According to the State Department of Education, the 286 local school districts expect to spend $23.7 million on insurance in the current school year, not including health insurance. No testimony provided during the hearing predicted what that expense would become if the legislation passes.

Parker said he has received 284 pieces of written testimony opposing the bill, much of it from teachers unhappy with the prospect of being armed and working alongside others who may or may not be.

Were inventing new ways, it seems, to drive people out of the teaching profession in Kansas, Parker said.

Kansas Considers Making Schools Liable For Not Arming Staff


Theresa May has admitted she was wrong to accuse EU nationals of jumping the queue for jobs and rights in the UK. Following days of criticism, the Prime Minister conceded that she should not have made her remarks to business chiefs last week. May had shocked the CBI conference when she declared that Brexit would mean that EU citizens regardless of the skills or experience they have to offer, can jump the queue ahead of engineers from Sydney or software developers from Delhi. SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said the comment was disgraceful, while campaigners for the three million EU citizens in the UK said it could fuel hate crime against them.

Under pressure from the SNP in the Commons on Monday, May said: I should not have used that language in that speech. SNP MP Philippa Whitford told the PM that her remarks had insulted people like her husband, a German national and a doctor who had lived in Britain for more than 30 years. May replied that she had been trying to point out that the public want a skills-based immigration system that decides if people should enter the country based on the contribution that they can make. Labour MP Rupa Huq told May that her crass comments about jumping the queue are a tragedy.

The PM has made clear that curbing EU migration is central to her Brexit deal, claiming it would bring an end to free movement, once and for all. Jeremy Corbyn last week accused her of dog whistle politics by raising the issue, and the 3Million campaign on behalf of EU citizens accused her of trying to scapegoat those who had spent years living and working in the UK. The European Parliaments Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt also criticised May at the time. EU citizens living, working, contributing to UK communities, didnt jump the queue and neither did UK nationals in Europe, he said. They were exercising rights which provided freedom and opportunities. We will fight to ensure these continue in the future, especially after any transition. The Government says it wants the estimated 3.5 million citizens of other EU nations already living in the UK to stay after Brexit but they will have to apply for leave to remain. The Home Office is expected to finally set out its immigration proposals next week, the second strand of its PR strategy to sell the PMs deal. May has previously said that over time EU citizens will be treated the same as those arriving from outside the EU.

Theresa May Admits She Was Wrong To Accuse EU Nationals Of Jumping The Queue


A Facebook ad for the smartphone app Natural Cycles promising a highly accurate birth control method has been banned for making misleading claims by the UKs advertising regulatory body today.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) investigated the claims made in a Facebook ad after it received complaints about the app. The ad said the app was clinically tested and highly accurate, but the ASAs investigation found that the ad exaggerated how effective the app is.

The words clinically tested and highly accurate together could be falsely interpreted by consumers to mean that Natural Cycles is an effective means of birth control that could replace other established birth control methods, said the ASA.

The Natural Cycles app, which costs $79.99 a year on Android and iOS, has been promoted as a birth control method that tracks a users cycle to say which days the user is fertile. To use it, you have to take your temperature every morning at the same time to track ovulation and menstrual cycles. (Smoking, drinking, and other activities can disrupt the temperature reading.) The app was approved by the US Federal Drug Administration this month and has been EU certified since February.

In January, Natural Cycles was reported to Swedish authorities by a womens clinic, after 37 women visited the clinic for abortions after getting unwanted pregnancies using the app.

The evidence did not demonstrate that in typical-use it was highly accurate.

When the app is used correctly, only 10 out of 1,000 women who used the app for one year would become pregnant. This works out to a perfect-use effectiveness of 99 percent, which is the same perfect-use number as birth control pills. Still, perfect use of the Natural Cycles app has been notably uncommon. In evidence submitted to ASA, less than 10 percent of cycles were perfect-use.

The apps typical-use effectiveness is lower: 68 out of 1,000 women become pregnant after using the app for a year, which works out to an effectiveness rate of 93 percent. That number suggests that the app beats condoms effectiveness rate, which is 82 percent in typical use, and that of hormonal birth control pills, which are 91 percent effective in typical use. The app isnt as good as a patch or an IUD.

The evidence did not demonstrate that in typical-use it was highly accurate, the ASA wrote in its ruling to ban the Facebook ad. Natural Cycles responded in a statement that it respected the outcome of the investigation and that the ad was removed in mid-2017 as soon as the company was notified of the complaint.

Birth control app Natural Cycles ran a misleading Facebook ad claiming to be highly accurate


The House Civil Justice Subcommittee held a hearing on the State of Intellectual Freedom in America

The Gateway Pundits Jim Hoft discussed and brought evidence of the widespread censorship and elimination of conservative content on Facebook.

The witness panel includes:

Jim Hoft Founder and Editor The Gateway Pundit

Adriana Cohen Syndicated Columnist Boston Herald Radio Host

Jeremy Tedesco Vice President of U.S. Advocacy Alliance Defending Freedom

Ari Waldman Professor of Law New York Law School

Harmeet K. Dhillon, Esq. Partner Dhillon Law Group Inc.

There were two sessions today discussing the targeting of conservative voices online. The Democrats on the panel complained about how much money Congress was wasting by holding the hearing. (I paid my own way there.)

The first panel included: Dr. mike Adams, Dr. Peter Wood, Mike Simkovic, and Dr. Tim Groseclose.

After listening to Democrats today it is clear they are very satisfied with Facebook and the tech giants eliminating conservative voices online.

 There is no doubt about this.

And here is the complete text of Hofts testimony today.

Jim Hoft Statement for the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice

Thank you, Chairman King and subcommittee members for organizing this important hearing today.

Your colleagues in Congress have provided a lot of airtime recently to prominent CEOs of tech companies who are trying to put me, and others with my politics, out of business. I thank you for allowing me to speak, instead of the perpetrators.

My testimony today is how the purification of thought has been accomplished by one company with a monopoly-like hold on the public commons in our internet era.

My name is Jim Hoft and I am the owner and editor of The Gateway Pundit (TGP) website based in St. Louis, Missouri.

Im somewhat known in my business for my headlines. Here is the headline I bring to you: In the run-up to the 2016 election Americans got to choose what they read on Facebook. Today, Facebook chooses for them.

It is your constituents, left and right, rich and poor, who are impacted by this thought-filter imposed on what most believe is an unfiltered forum. It is they who are unknowingly cut off

I grew up in Iowa, and I understand the pulse, the struggles, the hopes and dreams of Middle America. I came to find out Facebook doesnt like my type.

I launched Gateway Pundit in 2004 as a way to report on news that I didnt see the

mainstream media covering. At first, I had two or three daily readers, including my friend Chris and my twin brother, Joe. I was humbled and amazed to see our content grow in popularity over the years to nearly one million readers a day thanks to promotions by Michelle Malkin, Glenn Reynolds, The Drudge Report and others.  We provide news coverage and opinion that Americans could not find elsewhere.

There is no way to account for the demand for our content, on a shoestring budget we

offered something the American people desired: real news. We were ranked by Harvard and Columbia Journalism Review as the 4th most influential conservative publisher in the 2016 election.[1]

Our readers: smart, patriotic, and diverse, have not given up on the promise of America.  This is who I represent in speaking with you today.

This was the first election where Americans rejected, en masse, their legacy media options and turned to the freedom of choice and lack of filter on social media instead, through which

they would share, comment on, and connect with content like mine.

We may not be invited to gala dinners and attend award shows, but our reporting is fulfilling a vital role of providing truthful content that is competition to the sanitized, on-message news of legacy media.

In fact, it was our readers who, on Election Day, were not surprised by the outcome.

The Gateway Pundit business cultivated its audience on Facebook, spending roughly $70,000 advertising on Facebook in 2015 resulting in 600,000 Facebook likes and supporters.

Over the past 19 months, Gateway Pundit saw a decline in our Facebook traffic from 24% of total website traffic in January 2017 to 2% of total website traffic in June 2018.

This is an 88% decrease in traffic from Facebook.

Recently we analyzed traffic numbers for some of the top conservative publishers in the U.S. What we found was simply shocking. Just as Gateway Pundit had been eliminated by Facebook from being seen by its readers, Facebook eliminated 93% [2]of combined referral traffic to these websites from January 2017 to May 2018.

The site Western Journal and other conservative websites under their umbrella had more than a billion page views in 2016. Since then the organization lost 75% of its Facebook traffic. Likewise, Klicked Media, host of over 60 conservative websites, lost 400 million page views from Facebook in the last six months when compared to the prior year. The total number of pageviews lost[3] by just these two conservative online publishers is more than 1.5 billion pageviews from Facebook in one year.

After the 2016 election, Facebook began making algorithm changes to ensure conservative news was no longer an option for their users. Two studies released in March of 2018 confirm this. A study by The Outline Organization[4] found conservative publishers were hit the hardest by recent Facebook algorithm changes  and that The Gateway Pundit was hit the hardest.

A Western Journal study[5] in March revealed the same startling statistics. Further, this study found that liberal publishers actually saw a 2 percent increase in traffic.

In fact, we found that every prominent conservative website from 2016 has either had their Facebook traffic diminished or entirely eliminated[6].

If Facebook were seeking to hold a book burning, they wouldnt have been half as successful as they were in eliminating contrary points of view from being accessed by the American people.

In fact, book burning is benign when compared to what Facebook has silently done to restrict and eliminate diversity of thought; in book burnings, you can see the flames and watch the words disappear. In our case, we were silently and effectively disappeared.  Several top conservative sites have already closed their doors since 2017.

If our Fourth Estate is to remain an effective check as our Founders intended, we must ensure that the political purification of thoughts by one communication corporation, Facebook, is given ample competition. Today that competition is being eliminated. Tomorrow there will only be one sanctioned form of thought the American people will be allowed to hold.

This is not America.

Gateway Pundits Jim Hoft Testifies to Congress on Facebook Censorship Full Statement VIDEO


West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini has ruled out a summer move for former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure, insisting his squad is complete.

While the transfer deadline closed ahead of their Premier League opener, Toure remains an option being a free agent after leaving City at the end of last season. Clubs submitted thier squad lists to the Premier League ahead of the new season, which will not be published until next month, and can still be added to if there is the space.

The midfielder, 35, made 133 appearances under the Chilean during his tenure at Manchester City, scoring 44 goals and winning the Premier League title and League Cup.

The Hammers have spent over 100million on their squad with nine new senior arrivals following Pellegrinis appointment, and he insists he has the group needed for the season ahead.

Yaya Toure is a good player, [but] in this position we have our players, Pellegrini said.

He will always be a good player but for the moment he is not for West Ham. For the moment, the squad is complete.

Since the close of the window both Edimilson Fernandes and Toni Martinez have left the club on loan and, while Pellegrini knows his squad needed to be trimmed, but he feels there will be no more departures.

When we built up a squad we knew that some players had to go out also because of the new nine players, he added.

Especially young players need to play, they knew from the beginning they would go out on loan. The squad is the squad I want for the season.

I dont think any other players going out at the moment.

Manuel Pellegrini rules out Yaya Toure deal with West Ham squad aposcompleteapos


(Natural News) Tomatoes are among the most popular crops in the world, but they are also a magnet for pests and plant diseases. A study published in the journal Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection evaluates the potential uses of pomegranate peel extracts for controlling Meloidogyne javanica, a tomato pest, offering farmers a safe and organic solution to an infestation by this specific pest species.

Whether you call tomatoes fruits or vegetables, there is no denying their importance as a crop. Not only are they a crucial ingredient in many cuisines, but their nutritional benefits are also well recognized. They are so important that they are planted in virtually every country on the planet, with China single-handedly yielding almost a third of the global production. China harvested more than 40 million tons of tomatoes in 2014 alone.

Tomatoes attract multiple kinds of pests and diseases, which can vary depending on geography. One of these pests is M. javanica, also known as the sugarcane eelworm. They are one of several root-knot nematode (roundworm) species, so-called because of how they infect the roots of plants and cause the formation of root-knot galls, which drain plants of nutrients.

The sugarcane eelworm is found in many regions around the world but is considered the dominant representative of their genus in areas with warm and tropical climates, such as Central Africa and West Africa. As a group, root-knot nematodes infect up to 2,000 plant species and cause about five percent of global crop loss.

Sugarcane eelworms are controlled using various biocontrol agents, including specific fungal and bacterial species. Juglone, a compound derived from plants like henna and black walnut, is also utilized for this purpose. The authors of the published study examined the possibility of using the extracts from pomegranate peel against sugarcane eelworms.

Sponsored solution from CWC Labs: This heavy metals test kit allows you to test almost anything for 20+ heavy metals and nutritive minerals, including lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, aluminum and more. You can test your own hair, vitamins, well water, garden soil, superfoods, pet hair, beverages and other samples (no blood or urine). ISO accredited laboratory using ICP-MS (mass spec) analysis with parts per billion sensitivity. Learn more here.

They treated M. javanica eggs and juveniles with varying concentrations of methanolic, ethanolic, and aqueous extracts from pomegranate peel. While all extracts successfully prevented more than 75 percent of the eggs from hatching, the ethanolic extract failed in inhibiting the viability of second-stage juveniles.

The researchers also tested aqueous extracts on tomato plants at concentrations of 10, 25, and 50 percent in greenhouse trials. They also used pomegranate peel powder as a soil amendment at concentrations of three, six, and nine grams. Both of these measures resulted in significant reductions in nematode infestation. The aqueous extract was also observed to enhance plant growth, but the pomegranate peel powder was noted to have a phytotoxic effect on the tomato plants.

The authors concluded that the extracts of pomegranate peels were effective in reducing the number of galls and egg masses, as well as the nematodes rate of reproduction.

The innate ability of tomatoes to fight off pests is actually admirable, but this doesnt mean you should leave your plants to the mercy of insect parasites. You dont have to use toxic chemical pesticides either. Here are natural ways to prevent insect attacks on your tomato plants:

Learn how to keep pests away from your plants the natural way at HomeGardeningNews.com.

Pomegranate peel extract found to be a safe and natural pesticide