Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. St George’s flag and county flags on council buildings I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Reform UK will ban councils from flying Ukraine’s flag in support of the war-torn country, allowing only the union, county and St George’s flags on council buildings Councils across the country have flown the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people “No other flags will be permitted to be flown on its flagpoles, balconies, reception desks or council chamber walls,” chairman Zia Yusuf said. Reform’s plan would prevent councils from displaying pride flags After a stunning set of local elections last week, Reform has taken control of 10 councils – Durham, Kent, Lancashire, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Doncaster Labour MP and veteran Mike Tapp said: “As VE Day reminds us Britain has a proud history of working with allies to defeat dictators and tyrants “It tells you all you need to know about Nigel Farage’s Reform that their very first act after winning elections is to ban the Ukrainian flag from our town halls “But while it is sickening, it should come as no surprise: Farage told us that Vladimir Putin is the world leader he most admires “Farage and Reform councillors should stop sucking up to Moscow and drop their ban on flying the Ukrainian flag immediately.” Labour has repeatedly attacked Reform over Mr Farage’s past comments about Putin including saying he is the leader he most admires and saying the West “provoked” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine Sir Keir Starmer said recently: “Nigel Farage is fawning over Putin we remember Britain’s proud tradition of standing with allies against tyrants “It speaks volumes that Reform’s first act after their election gains is to ban the Ukrainian flag in the very week we honour the fight against dictatorship “Farage and his councillors should stop pandering to Moscow and scrap this disgraceful ban now.” The Liberal Democrats said the party is “really proud of the way communities across the country have come together to show our support for Ukraine or Armed Forces Day” A spokesman added: “It would be a real shame if Reform councillors block their communities from flying the flag for our brave British troops and our allies against Putin all for the sake of some meaningless virtue-signalling.” A Reform spokesman said: “Reform UK will proudly fly the union jack, St George’s flag and county flags. Unlike Labour, we are proud of our country and history.” Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world The EU is moving ahead with a long-held intention to phase out Russian fossil fuels, after earlier this year delaying the release of its “road map” in order to assess the impact of US efforts to end the war in Ukraine, according to people familiar with the matter. Russian gas flows to Europe dropped sharply in the wake of Moscow’s full invasion in 2022, but it remains a substantial supplier, through a pipeline via Turkey and shipments of liquefied natural gas. German sourcesPublished 05/03/2025Published May 3 2025last updated 05/04/2025last updated May 4 2025Forty-percent of respondents to an INSA survey were in favor of banning the far-right party Germany's incoming interior minister has vowed tighter border controls This blog is now closed. Below is a roundup of the main news from Germany on Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4: 05/04/2025May 4, 2025Driver in deadly Stuttgart traffic accident apologizes to familyThe Mercedes G-Class SUV that veered off course Image: Marco Krefting/dpa/picture allianceThe man behind the wheel of the car that drove into a group of people at a tram stop in Stuttgart on Friday has expressed his deep condolences to the family of the woman who died in the tragic accident. "Her death is also an unbearable loss for him, one that will stay with him for the rest of his life," the driver's attorney told Germany's DPA news agency on Sunday. "My client is shocked, stunned and deeply affected by this horrific accident and its tragic consequences." The 42-year-old man, a German national, was detained, following the accident where a total of eight people were injured, with a 46-year-old having died at the hospital from her injuries. "Knowing that his words cannot alleviate the pain of those affected and their families, my client expresses his sincere sympathy and wishes the injured a speedy and full recovery. My client deeply regrets what happened," the lawyer said. The man has since been released, a spokesman for the public prosecutor's office said on Saturday. An investigation into the incident is still ongoing, and the circumstances under which the accident took place are yet to be made clear. 05/04/2025May 4, 2025German Air Force receives Israeli air defense systemThe chief of the German Air Force was in Israel this weekend to officially procure components for the Israeli-manufactured Arrow 3 air defense system Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz visited Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in Tel Aviv to receive the central communication element of the weapons system "Arrow 3" can shoot down enemy missiles at an altitude of over 100 kilometers (62 miles) – in other words, beyond the Earth's atmosphere – a capability which Germany wants to add to its arsenal as it looks to boost its air defenses in light of a changing security landscape in Europe Germany is procuring an Israeli weapons system on my initiative that will help to protect Germany against threats from the air," Gerhartz told the German DPA news agency With Russia having significantly ramped up its military industrial complex to support its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, fears are growing in Europe that Moscow may be preparing to attack a NATO member in the near future In response, Germany has also launched the so-called "European Sky Shield Initiative," a European air defense system which can act independently of the United States After seven years in command, Lieutenant General Gerhartz is set to hand over responsibility for Germany's air force in the coming weeks before taking the the helm at NATO's Allied Joint Force Command in Brunssum in the Netherlands. 05/04/2025May 4, 2025Incoming interior minister announces stricter border checksGermany is set to tighten its border checks and add several thousand additional police officers as soon as the new coalition government takes office next week, incoming Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said "The numbers must come down in terms of illegal migration," Dobrindt told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper That's why we are preparing decisions at the national and European level." Dobrindt received backing from the regional interior minister for the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg who promised "even tighter border checks by state police." State police in Baden-Württemberg already carry out checks on the Swiss border including with the use of surveillance drones The coalition agreement signed by the CDU, CSU and the Social Democrats (SPD) states that even asylum seekers are to be turned away from German borders "in coordination with European neighbors" — a policy that could run afoul of EU asylum law. 05/04/2025May 4, 2025AfD extremist label: Almost half of Germans in favor of banAlmost half of Germans favor banning the Alternative for Germany (AfD) after the far-right party was officially categorized as a right-wing extremist organization by the domestic intelligence service According to a representative survey conducted by the polling institute INSA for the Bild am Sonntag newspaper this weekend 61% of Germans agreed with the categorization of the AfD by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) as "confirmed right-wing extremist endeavor," with 48% supporting a ban Thirty-seven percent said they would oppose a ban; 15% said they didn't know As for the effects of any potential AfD ban 35% of respondents said they thought such a measure would bolster democracy while 39% thought it would damage democracy Some 16% didn't think there would be any effect What does designated as 'extremist' mean for Germany's AfD?To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 05/04/2025May 4, 2025Welcome back to our Germany coverageMatt Ford With AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters | Rana Taha editorWe are resuming our coverage of the German spy agency's labeling of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as an extremist entity. This blog will bring you further reactions to the decision and analysis of it. We will also keep you updated with all the latest in Germany, be it political, social or cultural.  05/03/2025May 3, 2025Olaf Scholz calls for European unity at World War II commemorationOutgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Europe should never fall back into war during a speech at the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial in Hamburg "One of the very central lessons from the war instigated by Germans, from the National Socialist tyranny from the murder of millions of innocent women children and men is our deep conviction that our continent that we Europeans must leave war between our peoples behind us once and for all," Scholz said at the event to commemorate the liberation of concentration camps and the end of World War II "It is all the more tragic that Russian President Vladimir Putin has brought war back to Europe adding: "We must not and will not resign ourselves to this."  Europe celebrates the end of World War II on the continent Victory in Europe (VE) Day, on June 8 when Allied powers defeated Nazi Germany in 1945 after six years of war that cost millions of lives and turned homes to rubble extremists and populists around the world and also in our countries want to attack and destroy this peaceful and united Europe," Scholz said in possibly his last major public appearance as chancellor.  Germany in particular must not allow this to happen "because we must be aware of the depths that imperialism disenfranchisement and racial hatred can lead to," the departing chancellor said Scholz is set to be replaced by Friedrich Merz who is to be sworn in as chancellor next week.  Germany marks 80th anniversary of Auschwitz liberationTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 05/03/2025May 3, 2025Sahra Wagenknecht denounces AfD 'extremist' labelSahra Wagenknecht, leader of her self-titled populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) expressed outrage following the Friday judgment that classified the Alternative for Germany party (AfD) as a right-wing extremist organization "The fact is that the parties of the self-appointed 'democratic center' have for years pushed an authoritarian restructuring of our society that restricts freedom of speech combats inconvenient political forces with undemocratic means and exerts massive pressure to conform," Wagenknecht said on Saturday Wagenknecht launched the party last year in January after she grew disaffected with the Left Party that she was part of, arguing that the party focused far too much on identity politics and abandoned issues important to working-class voters with its anti-immigration and pro-Russia policies attempted to tap into voter frustration in a manner similar to the AfD.  Though the party celebrated three successful regional election results in eastern Germany in September 2024, BSW failed to enter parliament in national elections held in February. 05/03/2025May 3, 2025Head of German software giant SAP says Trump 'listens'Christian Klein, chief executive of German software giant SAP said that US President Donald Trump knows how to listen in an interview with German media In comments published by news magazine Der Spiegel, Klein said he had been part of a group of executives who held a confidential discussion with Trump. "It was a constructive exchange. And it's definitely the case that he listens and provides feedback," Klein said of his experience with Trump. Klein said the talks had been a "roundtable of selected, primarily American business leaders."  "I'm part of it, because SAP plays a critical role in business and public administration in the United States," he said. "There is a close exchange there that I could wish for more intensively in Europe as well," the SAP boss said. Klein also expressed concern over the trade conflict initiated by Trump and his administration. "We see how our customers have to battle with this and that there is great uncertainty," he said. But, he added, "We are in demand there." 05/03/2025May 3, 2025Wrong-way driver causes fatal accidentA man driving his car the wrong way up an autobahn caused a fatal accident in western Germanyin the early hours. The crash happened near the town of Landscheid, between Koblenz and Trier. Police said the man's car slammed head-on into another car carrying three women. The 23-year-old female driver was killed and her two 24-year-old passengers suffered serious injuries. The man driving in the opposite direction was slightly injured. The accident occurred on the A60, heading toward the Belgian border. The local newspaper Volksfreund said the man had driven against the direction of travel for 5 kilometers (3 miles). Police said that a number of people on the motorway had reported the car was traveling the wrong way. The information had been relayed on the traffic message channel, they said. The autobahn was closed off for hours. 05/03/2025May 3, 2025Germany hits its own Earth Overshoot day, think tank saysGermany has used up a year's worth of natural resources in the first four months of the year according to an environmental calculator The Global Footprint Network think tank worked out that if everyone on Earth were to use as much in the way of natural resources and emit as much CO2 as Germans do the biocapacity of the Earth would have been used up by May 3 As part of the wider fight against climate change, the think tank has calculated a theoretical date for every country around the world. The date represents the point in the year when humanity's demand for natural resources exceeds the Earth's capacity to regenerate them. Germany's BUND environmental organization pointed to high energy consumption, private vehicle use, industrial livestock farming and construction as the culprits for Germany's date being so early in the year. It called for legislation to conserve resources "to halt the waste and pollution of the basis for life." 05/03/2025May 3, 2025German carmakers now face US tariffs on auto parts Germany's automakers are bracing for higher costs after US President Donald Trump's tariffs on automobile parts took effect at midnight The 25% levy on engines, transmissions and electrical components follows a similar tariff on imported vehicles agree to soften the blow with credits and exemptions from the tariff The tariffs are a major blow to German automakers The tariffs are meant to pressure automakers to move more of their production to the US but the process is expensive and takes many years Several German car producers have recently announced profit warnings and job cuts, due to falling demand, skepticism over electric vehicles (EV) and intense competition from China. So they may loathe making those investments right now. The parts tariffs could also erode margins at major German parts suppliers like Bosch and Continental as their goods are often shipped from Germany or outside the US. 05/03/2025May 3, 2025Germany hits back over Washington's AfD remarksGermany's Foreign Ministry rejected US criticism over the labeling by the domestic spy agency of the AfD as an extremist organization. The Ministry was reacting to comments by US Secretary of State Mark Rubio who labeled the move undemocratic. "This is democracy," the German Foreign Office said in an English-language X response to Rubio. "This decision is the result of a thorough & independent investigation to protect our Constitution & the rule of law." "We have learnt from our history that right-wing extremism needs to be stopped," the ministry continued, in reference to the Nazi era. On Friday, the BfV domestic intelligence agency, which had already designated several local AfD branches as right-wing extremist groups, said it decided to give the entire party the label. The BfV said the party was attempting to "undermine the free, democratic" order in Germany. 05/03/2025May 3, 2025Trump officials lash out at Germany over AfD designationHere's a reminder of the reaction overnight from Washington to Germany's designation of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as an extremist organization "Germany just gave its spy agency new powers to surveil the opposition," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X "That's not democracy -- it's tyranny in disguise." "Germany should reverse course," said Rubio who is also Trump's national security advisor "What is truly extremist is not the popular AfD -- which took second in the recent election -- but rather the establishment's deadly open border immigration policies that the AfD opposes," Rubio said Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance drew an analogy to the fall of the Berlin Wall, in his remarks: "The West tore down the Berlin Wall together. And it has been rebuilt -- not by the Soviets or the Russians, but by the German establishment," Vance wrote on X. He described the AfD as "the most popular party in Germany," referring to the party recently overtaking the conservatives in the polls. The AfD came second in February's election. Network operator Deutsche Bahn said it is carrying out the installation of a new electronic signal box It said the disruption meant that trains to Brussels were being diverted via the city of Krefeld six regional railway lines and several suburban railway routes will also be impacted.  However, services connecting Hamburg, Bremen and Cologne will run as normal.  Cologne Central Station, one of Europe's busiest transport hubs, serves around 180,000 passengers daily. 05/03/2025May 3, 2025Injured in Stuttgart car tragedy 'out of danger'Two people seriously injured when a luxury SUV hit a group waiting at a tram stop in the southwestern German city of  Stuttgart are out of danger Several children were among the eight people injured A 46-year-old woman died in hospital due to injury at the incident at the Olgaeck tram stop The 42-year-old driver of a dark Mercedes G class luxury SUV was arrested Police and the public prosecutor's office issued a joint statement saying there were "currently no indications that this was a deliberate act of violence or an attack." LGBTQ advocates are celebrating several bills — including one that could have banned Pride flags flown at government buildings — stalling out this Session “Once again, we’ve done what many thought was impossible: not one anti-LGBTQ bill passed this session,” Equality Florida’s Executive Director Nadine Smith said in a statement Saturday The Legislative Session ended Friday although lawmakers failed to pass a balanced budget from flying flags that represented a “political viewpoint.” The proposal was sponsored by outgoing state Sen “How would we feel if the city of Palm Bay or the city of Ormond Beach flew the Make America Great Again flag from City Hall? How would we feel if a teacher hung that in their classroom?” Fine said during a March committee hearing “The idea is whether it’s political viewpoints that we agree with or we disagree with let’s keep that stuff out of government buildings.” Equality Florida lobbied against the bill with its public policy director Jon Harris Maurer calling the flag ban “unnecessary “It does not help Floridians struggling with insurance and housing affordability,” he said it is a made-up solution to a culture war for political purposes The organization pointed to its grassroots campaign this Session with 400 LGBTQ activists lobbying during “our largest largest advocacy week ever,” 16,000 emails sent to lawmakers and about 325 in-person meetings with legislators standing together and making sure lawmakers hear us loud and clear: we will not back down,” Smith said in a statement Reply I’ve gotten 2 checks for a total of $9,200…this is the best decision I made in a long time This extra cash has changed my life in so many ways Reply Reply Reply Government buildings exist to keep the workers and the customers dry and to prevent the filing cabinets from rusting Ya wanna have a billboard for the values you’re peddling Do not try to highjack the walls in taxpayer-supported government buildings Reply Reply CHASTIZED for disrespecting my Buddy Larry Reply Reply Reply Reply A “fine” and deserving “”tribute” and farewell to Randy Fine Will be interesting to watch him act out among his Republican peers in the halls of Congress Reply Time to stop the irrational fear and hatred toward people who are our family members I hope Mr Fine spends some time getting to know the truly fine gay people who serve with distinction in the US House and Senate And maybe he’ll learn something about tolerance from some of DCs extraordinary museums Reply It’s the same ol’ whine from these TQ-er types Nobody cares what you do in the privacy of your own homes quit wasting the time of lawmakers with your efforts to get regular Americans to put up with your stupid peculiarities and if you were a decent American you would admit it Reply I’m not asking you to turn queer (it’s not a choice) Just asking to stop the hating and follow your own dvice: I’m not telling you how to live your life Please don’t dictate how I live mine Reply Reply YOU:: “Nobody cares what you do in the privacy of your own homes” “regular Americans” Reply Time to primary and vote out pathetic spineless Republicans that refuse to return sanity to Florida and end the woke freak show This war is far from over leftist bedwetters Reply Diversity has been a lynchpin to our American way of life Reply Reply Reply Reply and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL © Copyright by Extensive-Enterprises 2025. All rights reserved. STAFF LOGIN Indiana’s bid to make it harder for college students to vote is being challenged in court Last month, Gov. Mike Braun (R) signed into law Senate Bill 10 (SB 10) which bans the use of university-issued IDs as valid voter identification at the polls A new lawsuit calls this a “surgical attack” on student voting access as Indiana continues to allow other claim the new law is targeted and discriminatory “There is no justification for SB 10’s sui generis treatment of student IDs a surgical attack on young voters,” the complaint alleges “Legislators have attempted to justify the sudden change as a way to ensure that only U.S citizens and Indiana residents can vote in Indiana elections But there is no evidence that these are actual problems in Indiana SB 10 does not require people to use IDs that prove citizenship or residency.” “As one legislator described,” the complaint adds “the Student ID Ban is ‘about controlling who gets to vote The lawsuit claims the ban violates the 26th Amendment A spokesperson for Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales (R) did not immediately respond to a request for comment.  Monroe County’s election supervisor, Kylie Farris, estimated to Bolts that two-thirds of the people who voted at the only on-campus polling place at Indiana University Bloomington used student IDs to vote in 2024 thousands more students have relied on their student IDs to vote for decades Nearly 40% of all 18 and 19-year-olds do not have a driver’s license the most commonly accepted form of voter ID Indiana’s move follows a growing national pattern to suppress the youth vote. At least 19 GOP-led states, including Indiana, have supported restrictions that disproportionately affect student voters “College students are vital members of the communities they live in, and they deserve to have a say in the elections that affect their futures,” Indiana state Rep. Sue Errington (D) said in a statement opposing SB 10 before it passed “Denying them the ability to vote with the IDs they use every day would be a step backward for our democracy.” The plaintiffs are asking the court to block enforcement of the ban before the 2026 election cycle.  Legal experts and voting rights groups are watching closely as the outcome of the case could change the conversation on youth access to the ballot box nationwide.  a federal court has halted Republican Judge Jefferson Griffin’s efforts to overturn an election and disenfranchise thousands of voters A federal judge has ordered the state to certify Democratic Justice Allison Riggs’ victory The decision comes exactly six months after Election Day and was handed down by a judge appointed […] We depend on your support to keep bringing you the latest information and insight on the fight for democracy – always free and available for all we can’t fight for the future of our democracy unless we know what’s happening What happens if Trump defies court orders? Here's what we know The Transportation Security Administration has banned another travel item ahead of the May 7 Real ID deadline Travelers using portable chargers or power banks should double-check their batteries for lithium which is now prohibited in checked luggage Here's what to know before your next flight Portable chargers and power banks containing a lithium-ion battery can be packed in carry-on bags only and kept inside the aircraft cabin, according to the Federal Aviation Administration's latest guidance Lithium batteries can pose a fire hazard and are subject to overheating and creating sparks The rule applies to electronics and external battery chargers that contain a lithium-ion battery which cannot be stored inside checked bags Power banksCellphone battery charging casesRechargeable and non-rechargeable lithium batteriesCellphone batteriesLaptop batteriesExternal batteriesPortable rechargersTo check which items are allowed or banned on board, check the TSA's online search function More: Gov. Meyer plans to repeal the EV mandate if federal government doesn’t beat him to it What's Delaware's summer forecast? Here's what AccuWeather and Old Farmer's Almanac say The requirement comes from the Real ID Act which Congress passed in 2005 to improve national security following 9/11 How much does it cost to get a Real ID?In Delaware upgrading a current driver's license or ID costs $20 Driver's licenses that are not Real ID-compliant are still valid for operating vehicles and can still be used to verify one's age to purchase alcohol or firearms The tush push is about to get shoved out of the rulebook Mark Maske of the Washington Post reports that, when the owners meet in Minneapolis on May 20 and 21, they are “expected to consider a revised proposal that would prohibit a teammate from pushing or pulling a ballcarrier anywhere on the field.” The Packers made a proposal for the March meetings that was hopelessly flawed (it prohibited only an “immediate” push of the player receiving the snap) Given the league’s role in nudging the Lions to propose an altered playoff seeding formula it’s reasonable to wonder whether the NFL also quietly partnered with the Packers to pulverize the tush push have not yet submitted their revised proposal It is expected to be much broader than their prior proposal with any and all pushing of the player with the ball banned It’s the only way for the NFL to get rid of the tush push without looking like the league is getting rid of the tush push no pushing in the tackle box) would be too obviously directed at the Eagles the officials will not consistently call pushing that happens down the field it will be overlooked — just as pulling (which is currently against the rules) has been ignored (The last flag for assisting a runner was thrown during the 1991 playoffs.) the Eagles will still run the quarterback sneak on a regular basis but for the mini-cluster of players around and behind quarterback Jalen Hurts And it will still be effective — because it’s far more about the push that happens at the front of the play and less about the push that happens behind it The whole thing makes the league look petty One team has cracked the code on how to get an easy yard or two the league is sounding a safety alarm and/or citing aesthetics and trying to level the playing field by taking away the Eagles’ signature play Here’s hoping that the likely change won’t change anything and that the best strategy will be to tell the other teams to: (1) come up with a way to stop it; and/or (2) figure out how to use it Here’s also hoping that the Packers have gotten something valuable from the league for becoming the anti-tush push poster child We doubt that coach Matt LaFleur relishes the perception that he’s the one who got this ball rolling Our guess is that he had nothing to do with it — and that he’d prefer to keep it that way A Division of NBCUniversal DISCLAIMER: This site and the products offered are for entertainment purposes only and there is no gambling offered on this site This service is intended for adult audiences No guarantees are made for any specific outcome If you or someone you know has a gambling problem playWhy is Michigan's Sherrone Moore being suspended now (2:09)Dan Wetzel reports on Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore being suspended for two games in 2025 as part of self-imposed sanctions by the university for the Connor Stalions advanced scouting scandal Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore is expected to be suspended for two games for the upcoming 2025 season as part of self-imposed sanctions by the university for the Connor Stalions advanced scouting scandal The suspensions will be for Michigan's Week 3 and Week 4 games against Central Michigan and Nebraska Moore will also be barred from any team-related duties during those weeks and will receive additional recruiting-related penalties The NCAA can still punish Moore in addition to the self-imposed school penalties A final resolution is expected before the start of the season Michigan opens the season by hosting New Mexico before hitting the road for a high-profile nonconference game at Oklahoma The second-year head coach was offensive coordinator in 2023 when Stalions was first accused of operating an advanced scouting operation by having friends and family attend games around the country and videotape the sideline play signals of future Wolverines opponents Stalions was alleged to have used that tape to decipher their playcalling signals The school and the NCAA are working toward a resolution Moore's suspension ties back to allegations that he deleted a thread of 52 text messages with Stalions The alleged deletions came in October 2023 on the same day that media reports revealed Stalions was leading an effort to capture the playcalling signals of future opponents According to a draft of the notice of allegations obtained by ESPN last year the texts were recovered via "device imaging" and Moore "subsequently produced them to enforcement staff." Moore is accused of committing a Level 2 violation Moore was suspended for Michigan's 2023 season-opening game against East Carolina as part of self-imposed penalties by the university in a different NCAA case The structure of this penalty coming in the third and fourth games of the season gives Moore a chance to coach at Oklahoma where he played offensive guard during the 2006 and 2007 seasons and graduated in 2008 A source confirmed to ESPN that the Committee on Infractions (COI) hearing in Michigan's Stalions case will be on June 6 and 7 Sports Illustrated first reported the dates earlier on Monday There's no guarantee that the COI will accept the self-imposed punishment for Moore as the full extent of the punishment They could levy additional games to the suspension there's no certainty that they'd allow the specific games Michigan is offering There's precedent in the previous Michigan case for the COI to disagree with a proposal for a negotiated resolution that the NCAA staff had agreed to It had been widely expected that the COI would accept the four-game suspension to start the 2023 season Michigan ended up imposing a three-game ban on Harbaugh and the NCAA later suspended Harbaugh for a full year after he left for the NFL The distinction in Harbaugh's penalty and the one Michigan is planning to self-impose with Moore comes with practice time Harbaugh was allowed to coach practice during the week during both the sanction tied to the NCAA case and the Big Ten's punishment later that year tied to the Stalions case Because of an NCAA rule change in January 2024 Moore will not be able to coach in practice for the game weeks of the games in the school's self-imposed suspension That rule expanded the suspension for coaches to include "all athletics activities between contests rather than just the contests themselves." Faculty at Schoharie Junior/Senior High School in New York knew something had to change when students began texting during a history class presentation by a Holocaust survivor “This was an opportunity that the students were missing out on to check out what’s on Instagram,” said David Russell a school for grades six through 12 in upstate New York “These people weren’t going to be around forever.” Teachers were exhausted from constantly policing the phone use and instead of talking to each other during recess the Schoharie Central School District began to take action held community forums and after months of vibrant and sometimes heated discussions reached a district-wide consensus to ban phones throughout the full school day — ”bell to bell.” the school communicated the purpose behind the policy: “It’s not just about taking phones away,” he said “It’s about showing students what they gain when the phone isn’t in their hand.” Schoharie is part of a growing national movement to curb phone use during the school day At least 17 states have passed policies to limit or ban cellphones in class Virginia and South Carolina — have already implemented bell-to-bell phone bans and others are considering similar policies Some states are opting for more flexible restrictions allowing school districts to choose how they want to implement the restrictions Spencer Cox signed a bill prohibiting cellphone use during “classroom hours” in the state’s public schools as well as restricting smartwatches and other “emerging technologies.” Cox expressed hope that the state would continue working toward the full-day phone ban and this bill thoughtfully resets the default to encourage healthier more connected learning environments — while still leaving room for local decision-making,” Cox said While Americans across both blue and red states support phone restrictions in schools opinions differ on how strict those limits should be About 7 in 10 Americans favor a ban during class time but only a third support a bell-to-bell ban As consensus builds around the need to limit phone use educators and administrators are still figuring out what those rules should look like in practice — and how to make sure they’re consistently enforced At a recent meeting on school phone policies in Florida Fiona McFarland described the need for effectively applying the policies this way: “We can make the greatest law in the world which is meaningless if it’s not executed and enforced properly.” The debate over phone use in schools — and how to best regulate it — has gained renewed urgency following last year’s release of Jonathan Haidt’s buzzed-about book “The Anxious Generation,” which links early smartphone use to rising mental health risks and advocates for a play-based have been sounding the alarm about the impact of phones and social media Vivek Murthy issued a public advisory on social media and youth mental health called for warning labels on social media platforms — drawing parallels to tobacco and firearms “The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor,” Murthy wrote in The New York Times The movement is gaining traction beyond the U.S. Australia enacted one of the strictest measures yet banning social media access for children under 16 The first few days of the no-phone policy were rocky at New York’s Schoharie Junior/Senior High School students lined up at the school’s entrance to receive their magnet-sealed pouches where they’d lock up their phones for the day “For the first three days of the school week it was a long line to get the kids in just to verify the process,” Russell told me While the younger kids adapted smoothly to the new rules the transition was rougher for the older high school students The school worked closely with social workers and counselors The transition turned out to be smoother than the administrators expected at Timber Creek High School in Orlando where the school implemented a district-wide bell-to-bell policy in 2023 following the state’s legislation Florida was the first state to pass the bill restricting phone use and Orange County District was the first district to adopt a full-day ban “We were nervous at first,” said Marc Wasko The idea that a team of about 10 administrators could manage nearly 3,400 students during lunch and passing periods seemed impossible The school had a six-week grace period filled with constant reminders about the new policy teachers offered games during lunch to help restless teens unplug: spikeball and two newly painted pickleball courts in the courtyard “They’re starting to find other avenues to talk to each other and begin to not be so preoccupied with their phones,” said Wasko Timber Creek opted not to use locking pouches students are simply asked to keep phones out of sight have adopted their own “phone jails,” as students call them — everything from phone locker cases to wall-mounted shoe organizers for storing devices during class For districts considering stricter phone policies who are often reluctant to lose a direct line of communication with their children Since the Columbine High School shooting in 1999 and the attacks of 9/11 there’s been a growing sense that danger looms over children at all times a former educator who is now a director of community partnerships at Bark Technologies a company that offers parental controls for families The instinct to hand kids smartphones — sometimes as early as third grade — with the goal of keeping them safe “It’s sort of a backwards message about safety,” said McPherson who travels around the country speaking to school communities and parents Experts say that student phone use during emergencies can actually hinder crisis response efforts “Student use of cellphones during an unfolding emergency can distract their attention from safety and emergency response directions being given by school staff,” according to the National School Safety and Security Services At Schoharie Junior/Senior High School in New York each classroom is equipped with an internal phone system and parents can contact their children through the main office at any time The school also has a resource officer on-site for emergencies “We don’t want the cellphone lines flooded with miscommunication about something that’s taking place in the building,” said David Russell Still, some educators and advocates argue that banning phones outright may overlook a critical opportunity. For many students, especially in under-resourced schools, smartphones double as essential learning tools — serving as calculators, translators and research aids, wrote Brandon Cardet-Hernandez a former public school principal and education adviser English language learners and students with disabilities may also rely on apps and translation tools to help them navigate schoolwork raising questions about how blanket bans might unintentionally disadvantage certain groups Schools that have implemented phone restrictions successfully “You need to have all the voices at the table so you have the buy-in and you don’t have the backlash,” she said Enforcing a no-phone policy was accompanied by a kind of “grieving process” for students at Riverton High School in Utah where the teacher has to have a little bit of a backbone in order to continue to maintain that policy throughout the school,” Adrian Ramjoue Before the district-wide mandate took effect earlier this year allowing students to self-manage their phone use he quickly noticed a shift: Students were more engaged less anxious and better able to finish their work during class rather than one person being punished or one teacher being stricter than another,” he said Ramjoue believes a full-day ban would go even further — freeing teachers from the role of daily enforcer “I used to walk into the cafeteria and see everyone in headphones,” he said some educators caution that schools are only one piece of a larger puzzle “It’s easy to make schools the focal point when the bigger problem is phone use outside of school hours,” said Shari Camhi superintendent of the Baldwin Union Free School District in New York “I’m not sure a pouch is going to help that,” she said phone-free classroom supports better learning phones aren’t allowed from bell to bell for grades K–8 Camhi isn’t firmly for or against school phone bans but she’d like the conversation to go deeper: “What exactly are we trying to accomplish?” Rather than focusing solely on schools she advocates for stronger parental involvement and cultivating healthy media habits at home “Banning phones in schools — or even passing a law — isn’t really dealing with the source of the problem which is just being addicted to phones in the first place,” she said Principal Marc Wasko says his school’s success with phone restrictions comes down to clarity and consistency “I think it’s because it’s across the board and everybody knows the expectation,” he said andrea.alexander@rutgers.edu A Rutgers health expert weighs in on what the research says about food dyes and whether phasing them out will make a difference The federal government recently announced plans to phase out eight artificial food dyes and colorings from the food supply by the end of 2026 citing concerns they cause a range of health conditions including obesity attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and cancer The ban has been a priority for health secretary Robert F a professor in the School of Public Health to explain what the research says about food dyes and how they became a cause for concern The current initiatives would revoke authorization for two synthetic dyes (citrus red no 2 and orange b) and phase out six more (FD&C Green No These are petroleum-based food dyes made in factories that have been implicated as potentially harmful to health in either human studies or Some evidence has linked food dyes to a variety of outcomes including most notably cancer risks and behavioral problems in children Suspicions about the health impacts of food dyes have been around for many decades and received much more attention from the research community in the 1970s The current administration has propelled them back into the public eye Much of the research has focused on high dose exposure to food dyes in animal models there have been several dozen studies on whether food dyes may contribute to problem behaviors in children and there is some evidence that is the case But there is also a lot of room for improvement using state-of-the-art research methods and looking at exposures that better reflect the way Americans eat today Taking petroleum-based food dyes out of our food supply certainly can’t hurt and may have some health benefits but it is unlikely to appreciably reduce the burden of chronic disease in the United States we are simultaneously deregulating many other environmental contaminants that are most strongly linked to chronic disease such as “forever chemicals” (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and air pollutants These synthetic food dyes make foods brighter and more appealing to consumers – they are cosmetics for your food They don’t add any nutritional value and are mainly used to sell products It’s no surprise that many products containing food dyes are marketed to kids – snack foods Synthetic food dyes are used in other countries though there are differences in terms of restrictions and regulations the EU requires that foods containing certain synthetic dyes have warning labels about the potential to cause hyperactivity in children Removing these synthetic food dyes would cause no change in nutritional content and minimal (if any) changes to the taste of affected foods The administration is proposing to fast-track natural replacement dyes While some potential replacements are pretty well vetted and likely to be safe (such as beetroot) others have not been extensively studied yet so we need to be very cautious about introducing replacement dyes that could end up being harmful to our health You would be surprised at how many foods contain petroleum-based dyes – it’s not just brightly colored candies Many other types of processed foods also have food dyes including prepared meals (think mac and cheese) Sometimes it is not obvious from a product’s appearance that it contains food dyes – white cake frosting and brown cereals (like Life which contains yellow 5 and yellow 6) are good examples of that Rutgers is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to direct suggestions, comments, or complaints concerning any accessibility issues with Rutgers websites to accessibility@rutgers.edu or complete the Report Accessibility Barrier / Provide Feedback form Copyright ©2025, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. All rights reserved. Contact webmaster Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker A bill that would ban social media for minors has gained traction in the Texas Legislature as lawmakers prepare to take a tougher stance on online safety Lawmakers have suggested several initiatives this session to address the online dangers affecting Texas children, but among those progressing through the lower chamber include House Bill 186 filed by Rep. Jared Patterson It would prohibit minors from creating accounts on social media sites and require age verification for new users the bill would grant parents the right to request the deletion of their child’s social media account “This legislation will allow today’s kids to be kids again,” Patterson told lawmakers on Tuesday calling this bill "one of the most important pieces of legislation” he has carried Patterson’s bill passed the House on Tuesday with 116 votes, the same day as lawmakers passed House Bill 499, by Rep. Mary González which would require social media platforms to have a warning label concerning the association between a minor’s social media usage and significant mental health issues “We do know warning labels have an effect,” Gonzalez told lawmakers on Monday “We are using the same concept for social media.” Both of these bills are expected to receive support from the more conservative Senate meaning new rules on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram might be implemented later this year or early next year it is expected to face lawsuits from tech companies who have consistently challenged government mandates on the industry saying it’s unconstitutional under the First Amendment free speech right House Bill 4456, which would require social media platforms to verify the age of account holders, and House Bill 4338 which would require social media platforms to create and maintain third-party safety software to manage online interactions for children These bills are part of a larger effort that Texas and other states have undertaken over the past few years to mitigate the harmful effects of social media “The harms we are seeing in today’s children will only be exacerbated if steps are not taken,” Patterson said Studies show that 95% of youth aged 13 to 17 report using social media with more than a third stating they use social media “almost constantly.” Nearly 40% of children aged 8 to 12 use social media despite most platforms requiring a minimum age of 13 to sign up This has created a generation of chronically online children and the medical community is still unsure of their long-term effects The same year, in an attempt to hold social media companies more accountable, Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law House Bill 18 known as the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment Act The SCOPE Act requires covered digital service providers to provide minors with certain data protections prevent minors from accessing harmful content and give parents tools to manage their child’s use of the service It also required school districts to obtain parental consent for most software and social media applications used in the classroom and to look for alternatives to the internet for instruction For 24/7 mental health support in English or Spanish, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s free help line at 800-662-4357. You can also reach a trained crisis counselor through the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 Tickets are on sale now for the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival Texas’ breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase Choose an amount or learn more about membership Modern history is littered with acts of tribute that would make imperial Rome proud.  When Vladimir Putin cut the oligarchs down to size by imprisoning Mikhail Khodorkovsky, one of his colleagues presented the Russian state, and by implication the president himself, with a Faberge egg British Prime Minister Keir Starmer turns out to be a consummate groveller before US President Donald Trump In the same vein, King Abdullah of Jordan could have presented Trump with a carpet or a pair of falcons. But he decided on something far more effective: he banned the Muslim Brotherhood.  as Middle East adviser on his National Security Council In his first term, Trump toyed with the idea of banning the Brotherhood in the US Abdullah’s move firmly places Jordan in the western camp’s push against political Islam The move has already paid off. Millions of US dollars for Jordan’s largest desalination plant, which dried up when Trump dramatically cut the foreign aid budget, have been restored, Reuters reports In banning an organisation that has been around officially in the kingdom since 1945 Abdullah has crossed a line that his father was careful not to transgress in 47 years of rule Hussein’s relationship with the Brotherhood was complex but he was a master of balancing global alliances with the challenges he faced domestically but they took no part in the conflict itself.  Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990 was another crisis for the king Jordan suffered from the pressure the West put on it.  To face this huge challenge, Hussein was keen to keep the unity of his people behind him, so he formed a government in which five ministers were from the Muslim Brotherhood Hussein saw the Brotherhood as a safety valve defusing anger in the nation at a time of big conflicts But Hussein never banned the group, even when he was pressured to do so by Arab leaders like Egypt’s Gamal Abdel Nasser and Syria’s Hafez al-Assad Hussein was no sympathiser and always had his own vision of Palestine But he realised the Brotherhood was peaceful defusing anger in the nation at a time of big conflicts. It also had one asset he cherished: the Brotherhood straddled the Palestinian-Jordanian divide within the kingdom.  Famously, when Mossad attempted to poison Hamas’s Khaled Meshaal on the streets of Amman, Hussein demanded the antidote from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatening to sever diplomatic relations and put the Israeli perpetrators on trial He even strong-armed Netanyahu into releasing Hamas’s spiritual leader, Ahmed Yassin No other Arab leader has managed to do this with Israel relations with the Brotherhood went into steady decline.  Within months of becoming king in 1999, he expelled Hamas and agreed with the Qataris that their political bureau should move to Doha. He later stripped the Brotherhood’s charitable status and stopped their work He thought he had weakened the Brotherhood to the point where he could contain it even though the Brotherhood has never challenged the regime even when that was happening around the Arab world The Brotherhood did not raise the ceiling of its demands and chants during the Arab Spring. It did not call for the overthrow of the regime, unlike its cousins in Egypt and Tunisia The regime’s other tactic was to encourage splits Jordan granted a licence to a splinter group led by Abdul Majid Thuneibat under the name of the Muslim Brotherhood Association It has used “licences” to crack down on the media arm of the affiliated political party But each time Abdullah thought he had political Islamists licked In recent days, journalists, commentators and former officials have all called for the Brotherhood to be banned. The Brotherhood’s calls to head towards the border and to besiege the Israeli embassy have been special irritants to the regime.  But no media campaign is launched in Jordan without someone planning it. There is nothing spontaneous about such campaigns. Just like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE no writer in Jordan is truly free to say what they want - and if they do What we are seeing is not a popular campaign against the Brotherhood but rather something that has been planned for a long time.  There have always been two currents of thinking in the royal court and defence establishment.  The first is to see Israel as Jordan’s existential enemy. This has been loudly voiced by Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, who declared that Israel had killed 30 years of effort to convince people that peace is possible noting that the country is the third-poorest in terms of water in the world The same current can be seen in other, less official ways. When Maher al-Jazi, a retired Jordanian soldier, killed three Israelis in September 2024 at the border crossing between Jordan and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, members of the army went to the family’s mourning ceremony in uniform.  The second current is to see Iran and political Islam as the kingdom’s main enemy - and this has a formidable proponent: Jordan’s General Intelligence Department (GID) an organisation so vast that it was described to me by one former foreign minister as Jordan’s parallel government.  is essentially a creation of Britain’s MI6 and today serves as the CIA’s main Arab partner in the region The CIA provides undeclared financial assistance to the GID over and above the aid that Jordan gets from the US. The relationship between the two agencies is so close that the CIA has operatives permanently stationed at GID headquarters.  In fact, the GID has been regarded as so essential to the CIA’s regional intelligence-gathering on al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group during the “war on terror”, and on Syria and Yemen today, that one former CIA official told The Los Angeles Times he was allowed to roam the halls of the GID unescorted.  told the newspaper that GID interrogators were the best: “They’re going to get more information [from a terrorism suspect] because they’re going to know his language his associates - and more about the network he belongs to.” Another ex-CIA man, Michael Scheuer, who spent four years tracking Osama Bin Laden, told The Times in 2005: “Jordan is at the top of our list of foreign partners and they are willing to help any way they can.” The GID was as capable and professional as Mossad the GID will use the brave defiance of Safadi and others as cover but it will itself pursue a very different agenda closer to that of the US and Israel.  There are clear dangers to Abdullah in following this path. He has not yet gone down the full length of it, as the ban on the Muslim Brotherhood has not extended to the 31 deputies of the IAF - for the moment But the ban is significant enough in itself. For one, the timing could not have been worse, coming around the Jewish festival of Passover, a celebration of joy and thanks, which became in the hands of religious Zionists at Al-Aqsa Mosque a crude show of religious conquest and hatred More than 6,700 Jews entered the mosque’s courtyards to pray according to the Waqf - more than all the Jewish worshippers who visited during the holidays last year Israeli settler incursions at Al-Aqsa Mosque complex have increased by more than 18,000 percent since 2003 when Israeli authorities began allowing settlers to bypass the Islamic Waqf management and enter Islam’s third-holiest site This was also a particularly bad year for Palestinian Christians. Reverend Munther Isaac, a Christian pastor and theologian, told MEE Live that this Easter was “the worst ever”.  secular - has left all ideas of living with its Arab neighbours and being part of the region behind Israel is in full Crusader mode. It is clearly bent on dominating the region and taking control of the holy sites over which the Hashemite kingdom has legal international and historical custodianship Netanyahu’s government is openly flouting the status quo. He boasted about the number of times he had defied former US President Joe Biden’s administration during a recent speech at a Jewish News Syndicate conference in Jerusalem which the king in Amman has a duty to protect Islamists are providing the only defence against a sustained attack by religious Zionists Abdullah is patently failing to speak out against the blatant erosion of his custodianship of Jerusalem’s holy sites which include Christian churches as well as the mosque when all Muslims and Christians in the region are under sustained attack is nothing less than an act of sabotage at a time of war Abdullah has removed a safety valve that he needs more than ever before.  His father fostered the unity of the nation in moments of peril and with each move that Netanyahu makes towards the annexation and ethnic cleansing of the West Bank the anger of Jordanians is mounting.  The presence of the Brotherhood stopped Hamas recruiting in Jordan because of the agreement between them There is nothing to stop either Hamas or any other resistance group from using Jordan as a base for attacks on Israel Jordan’s ban of the Muslim Brotherhood is proof that the king can be bullied Israel does not see a strong man in Jordan It sees a shaky man who is under a lot of stress If Israel sees that such a king prioritises a ban on the Brotherhood over speaking out against what is happening at Al-Aqsa it can calculate that it could get away with its next project King Abdullah should be careful not to follow Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s footsteps down the plughole of history. Even in his dying days Abbas has not for one moment become less stubborn.  He will pathologically not reconcile with Hamas and other resistance groups nor allow a government of national unity to form in either the West Bank or Gaza - even though it’s patently in the interests of Fatah and the PLO to do so.  The result is that Ramallah is crushed, ignored and despised by both Netanyahu and Trump, who now plans to eliminate the US security coordinator’s office to further downgrade ties with the Palestinian Authority Trump’s contempt is the reward Abbas has received for prioritising a relationship with Washington over his fellow Palestinians History will not treat him or the Hashemite kingdom kindly The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye Copyright © 2014 - 2025. Middle East Eye Only England and Wales jurisdiction apply in all legal matters Middle East Eye          ISSN 2634-2456                      Racing Louisville FC midfielder Ary Borges has been suspended for an additional three matches for pushing the center referee after a recent match Borges, a Brazilian international, had already served a one-match ban over the weekend after receiving a red card at the conclusion of Louisville's 3-3 draw with the Portland Thorns on April 27 The match featured 41 combined fouls, a new NWSL record The National Women's Soccer League announced on Monday that its Disciplinary Committee issued the additional three-game sentence following review of the altercation "The NWSL has a zero-tolerance policy regarding abuse of officials and will continue to uphold the integrity of the game and the conduct expected of all players coaches and club personnel," the league said in a statement Portland scored an equalizer from the penalty spot in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time to earn a 3-3 draw Louisville led 3-1 in the first half before conceding penalty kicks in stoppage time of each half The Thorns' equalizer came following a sequence in stoppage time in which referee Corbyn May initially called a foul on Portland defender Reyna Reyes, but reversed the call to a Thorns penalty kick after video review showed Louisville forward Emma Sears stepped on Reyes' foot Racing Louisville assistant coach Sergio González was also ejected after the second penalty was awarded Borges posted a story to her Instagram account calling May's refereeing "a shame." it is not acceptable to have someone commanding a match like it was today," Borges wrote Louisville's Ary Borges battles for the ball with Portland's Mallie Mackenzie. Photo by Al Sermeno/ISI Photos/Getty ImagesThorns midfielder and Canada captain Jessie Fleming lamented both the refereeing and her opponents after the match "I do think that match can't keep happening in this league," Fleming said and I think it's embarrassing for Louisville as a club so I think I'm very proud that we were able to find a way to come back from that and to get points out of that game probably one of -- if not the most -- frustrating match I've ever been a part of as a player I think the league needs to look at that closely I think Louisville should be embarrassed." Borges posted to Instagram after Fleming's comments "For those who had two questionable penalties and spent the whole game throwing themselves in and around the penalty box please take a moment to reflect and not talk about my team," Borges wrote On Monday, the NWSL Disciplinary Committee also issued an additional one-match ban to Washington Spirit head coach Jonatan Giráldez for his actions in a 3-0 loss to NJ/NY Gotham FC on April 26 Giráldez was ejected from the match in stoppage time of the match. He served his suspension for the red card on Friday, in Washington's 4-3 loss to Angel City FC The NWSL Disciplinary Committee issued the additional suspension, which Giráldez will serve on Saturday against Chicago Stars FC because he "failed to exit the field as required" following his ejection ROME -- Rarely has an athlete been welcomed back from a doping ban with so much fanfare Top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner was treated to a stadium filled with nearly 5,000 fans for his first practice session at the Italian Open on Monday -- the day his three-month banishment from the sport expired The training session -- which was shown live on local TV -- came after Sinner was the most celebrated player in a ceremony to honor the Italian teams that swept the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup last year Both trophies were on hand and the Campo Centrale crowd belted out Italy's national anthem It's the first time that Italy has had a No Sinner was at a loss to explain why he attracts so much attention "I always remember that I come from a small town of 2,000 people Being here in Rome and playing in front of so many people is a big deal." With a conclave to elect a new pope set to begin just down the road at the Vatican on Wednesday, Sinner's return prompted local headlines that declared "Habemus Sinner" -- a variant of the Latin words "Habemus Papam!" that are announced from the balcony of St The scene at the Foro Italico came in sharp contrast to how Sinner felt back in February when he received a three-month ban in a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency "At the start I was a bit confused because I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do," Sinner said "Then I went home and stayed with my family I tried to understand better what was really important to me "I know how many sacrifices I made and my daily routine was always practice But at that moment I didn't have any of that I came to understand that what's important to me are the people by your side That they give you the strength to move forward and continue smiling." Besides his family in the German-speaking Alto Adige region of northern Italy Sinner also spent more time with friends at home in Monaco and then only gradually came back to tennis "We went about a month without touching [a racket] and then we restarted really softly," Sinner said That was something I hadn't experienced in a long time." The settlement was made after WADA appealed a decision last year by the International Tennis Integrity Agency to fully exonerate Sinner for what it deemed to be an accidental contamination by a banned anabolic steroid in March 2024 since it conveniently allowed Sinner not to miss any Grand Slams and return at his home tournament The Italian Open is the last big clay-court event before the French Open and also it was a bit not easy for me to accept it because I know what really happened," Sinner said of the ban "But sometimes we have to choose the best in a very bad moment Many fellow pros feel Sinner was treated too lightly Serena Williams told Time magazine she "would have gotten 20 years" if she was involved in a similar case: "Let's be honest I would have gotten Grand Slams taken away from me." "I just arrived 45 minutes ago," Sinner said Sinner hasn't played a match since January when he won his second straight Australian Open title After a first-round bye in Rome, he will be play his opening match on Saturday against No. 99 Mariano Navone or 18-year-old Italian wild card Federico Cinà. The last Italian man to win the Rome title was Adriano Panatta in 1976. "It's a very, very low expectation tournament in general for me," Sinner said. "It's a very strange feeling again in the beginning to be around so many people and attention. But it's nice to be back." These updates have been closed. Thank you for reading. Below you find a roundup of news from Germany on Friday, May 2. 05/02/2025May 2, 2025AfD 'works openly against democratic institutions,' constitutional law professor tells DWAntje von Ungern-Sternberg, a professor of constitutional law at Trier University, spoke to DW about the renewed discussions about banning the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party She said she supportsbanning the party and explained that Germany has a concept of "militant democracy." we want to defend our democracy against its opponents and enemies and we have the instrument of a party ban," von Ungern-Sternberg said As for how the AfD can be considered in violation of the German constitution, the professor said most arguments focus on the party's approach to human dignity for all people. She said denying equality to people with a migratory background or who have a different religion "amounts to denying them human dignity."  The professor also said that "the party and many of its adherents openly work against democratic institutions and delegitimizes them by saying they don't work properly." She acknowledged that considerable support for the AfD comes from people feeling left behind. "Of course, all the political parties have to work together to try to help solve problems so that this feeling of being left behind and other serious issues are also solved politically," von Ungern-Sternberg told DW. 05/02/2025May 2, 2025Germany to US: Extremist label for AfD 'is democracy'Germany's Foreign Ministry defended the decision to label the far-right AfD party as a right-wing extremist group after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the move "tyranny in disguise." "This is democracy. This decision is the result of a thorough & independent investigation to protect our Constitution & the rule of law," the ministry wrote in a reply to Rubio on X. "It is independent courts that will have the final say. We have learnt from our history that rightwing extremism needs to be stopped." 2025WATCH: AfD's Von Storch condemns 'dangerous precedent'Germany's spy agency has designated the Alternative for Germany party (AfD) "extremist." The party has slammed the label as "nonsense" and has vowed to mount a legal challenge AfD lawmaker Beatrix von Storch vowed to escalate the move "into an international issue." Von Storch: 'This sets a very dangerous precedent'To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 2025Stuttgart: 3 injured after car drives into crowdPolice and firefighters were working at the scene of the incident in the center of StuttgartImage: Marco Krefting/dpa/picture allianceAt least three people have been injured after a car drove into a crowd of people in the southern German city of Stuttgart Police said they had deployed a large number of officers to the scene and the driver had already been arrested It was not immediately clear if the incident was intentional or how it had happened. Germany has experienced a number of car ramming incidents in the past couple of years You can read the full story here. 2025US Secretary of State Rubio says 'Germany should reverse course'US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has criticized the branding of the far-right AfD party as right-wing extremist by Germany's intelligence agency "Germany just gave its spy agency new powers to surveil the opposition," Rubio said on X "That's not democracy — it's tyranny in disguise." The Trump administration has appeared favorable to the far-right party, with Trump ally Elon Musk hosting AfD co-leader Alice Weidel for an online talk just before Germany's February election "What is truly extremist is not the popular AfD — which took second in the recent election — but rather the establishment’s deadly open border immigration policies that the AfD opposes," the US top diplomat added While high-level diplomats have often refrained from commenting on the internal politics of other countries this has not been the case under the Trump administration Rubio went on to suggest that "Germany should reverse course." Analyst: US technocrats' liking for AfD is driven by profitTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 05/02/2025May 2, 2025Journalists' union says media should adjust reporting on AfDResponding to the AfD being confirmed as an extremist entity by the county's domestic intelligence agency a major union of journalists urged media outlets to tweak their coverage of Germany's top opposition party The AfD "is not a normal party in a democratic spectrum," according to the head of the German Journalists' Association (DJV) Mika Beuster "We journalists have to underline the party's nationalist racists and far-right aspirations more clearly," Beuster said adding that journalists need to report on the AfD "objectively and critically." "The AfD provides simple answers to complex problems the side effect is a slow poisoning of the democratic discourse This should be highlighted in all reporting on the AfD," he added The AfD has often complained ofbeing treated unfairly compared to other, more established German parties. 2025Head of Scholz's SPD wants new ruling coalition to decide on AfDWith Germany's new government due to take office in days the leader of Olaf Scholz's center-left SPD party called for a joint decision on dealing with the AfD "The AfD is an attack on Germany," Lars Klingbeil, a co-chief of the SPD and incoming finance minister He also said elected politicians have a responsibility to decide how to protect democracy from its enemies "And we have to very quickly make decisions in the new government While banning AfD could be seen as an option Klingbeil also said that thorough consideration was needed before taking any dramatic steps Earlier today, outgoing Chancellor Scholz also warned any ban on the AfD "must not be rushed." 05/02/2025May 2, 2025Former Russian President Medvedev mocks AfD 'extremist' labelDmitry Medvedev, who served as Russia's president between 2008 and 2012 and then prime minister under Vladimir Putin until 2020, dismissed the move to label Germany's AfD as an extremist entity. "Strong words to use against a parliamentary party," he wrote on X. "Apparently, the CDU/CSU, SPD and other German party trivia consider those with higher ratings to be extremists." 2025Will Germany's far-right AfD party be banned?What happens now That's the question many are asking following the move to designate the AfD as a "right-wing extremist" organization Several lawmakers from across the political spectrum have been working to get enough support for a ban of the AfD party The domestic intelligence agency's decision to classify the AfD as extremist may give that effort new momentum DW's politics desk takes a deeper dive into what it takes for a party to be banned in accordance with the constitution and also looks at some of the positives and negatives of such a move. Read more here. 05/02/2025May 2, 2025Left party lawmaker calls for banning AfDHeidi Reichinnek, the Left Party's top ranking lawmaker in Germany's parliament pledged to do "everything" to bring about the ban on the AfD "It must be clear to everyone: A democracy does not survive power sharing with right-wing extremists like the AfD," said the 36-year-old head of the Left party faction in the Bundestag "Everyone who has campaigned for the normalization of the AfD and continues to do so are reinforcing right-wing extremists and endangering democracy," she said 05/02/2025May 2, 2025What has led to this point? DW's chief political correspondent takes a lookNina Haase BerlinThe Alternative for Germany (AfD), previously labeled a "suspected" extremist group by Germany’s intelligence agency, challenged the designation in court but lost. After a three-year investigation, the agency in its 1,100-page report now says it has concrete evidence that the AfD’s actions threaten Germany’s democratic order. The report highlights the party’s use of hateful rhetoric and incitement to undermine democratic institutions. The agency concludes that the AfD’s ethnocentric ideology is incompatible with Germany’s constitution, violating the principle of human dignity. An example includes AfD MP Stephan Brandner, who, in an interview with the extremist blog PI-NEWS, discussed the alleged threat posed by Muslim population growth, describing it as a "problem" for Germany despite distancing himself from the term "birth jihad." The report also cites the party’s authoritarian rhetoric, which casts doubt on democratic structures and the rule of law. The AfD is now Germany’s largest opposition party, especially in the east, but remains excluded from government due to the other parties' refusal to collaborate with a party with extremist tendencies, a situation known as the "firewall." Friedrich Merz, the incoming chancellor, faced criticism — also from within his own party — for passing a non-binding motion in the Bundestag with AfD support during the election campaign. Two issues now need to be considered as the latest developments begin to sink in: Firstly, the AfD has called the move "politically motivated" and announced it will challenge its extremist classification in court. Secondly, legal hurdles to ban a party are very high in Germany because of the country’s history, but the agency’s move has intensified calls for an AfD ban. 05/02/2025May 2, 2025How the far-right AfD creates divisions in German society Hans PfeiferAs the world appears to have become increasingly polarized the gaps between different social groups and entire countries are deepening social issues and problems surrounding technological progress which affect the entire world and pay no heed to divisions and gaps DW's Hans Pfeifer writes about how the far-right have used issues like migration as a vehicle to sow division. You can read more about that here. 05/02/2025May 2, 2025AfD says extremist label a 'heavy blow' against German democracyChrupalla (l) and Weidel (r) are chairpeople of AfDImage: Liesa Johannssen/REUTERSFollowing the official decision to label the entirety of Germany's AfD as "extremist," the far-right party decried the "targeted interference" in the democratic process. "Today's decision by [the domestic intelligence agency] is a serious blow against German democracy,"  party leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla said in a statement. They pointed out that the current government is due to leave office in four days and pledged to fight "defamation" in court. "And yet, the AfD is being discredited and criminalized as an opposition party shortly before the change of government," Weidel and Chrupalla said, adding that attacks on the "democratic process of opinion building is therefore clearly politically motivated." 05/02/2025May 2, 2025Who is Alice Weidel, co-leader of Germany's far-right AfD party?The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party achieved its best results ever in the 2025 election giving a more prominent role to its co-leader Alice Weidel DW takes a closer look at the woman who's become the public face of Germany's far right.  Who is Alice Weidel, co-leader of Germany's far-right AfD?To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 2025Jewish representative Schuster wants AfD kept out of governmentJosef Schuster the head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany said AfD officials should not be trusted with state power reacting to the party's labeling as extremist "AfD representatives should never reach governmental positions not even via important positions in parliamentary committees or similar and they should also never get access to information related to security," Schuster said Following the parliamentary election in February, the AfD has officially become Germany's strongest opposition party second only to Friedrich Merz's conservative bloc "Who could have imagined that in the year 2025 a confirmed right-wing extremist party will be holding almost a quarter of lawmakers in Germany's parliament?" Schuster added on Friday Florida is poised to ban fluoride from its drinking water under new legislation passed by state lawmakers The bill now heads to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' desk for a signature. If signed, Florida would become the second state after Utah to ban fluoride from its public water supply DeSantis has called water fluoridation "forced medication." His office did not comment on whether DeSantis would sign the measure Water authorities in states across the U.S have added a small amount of fluoride to water supplies for decades and experts say it has prevented millions of cavities Florida's Republican-led House of Representatives passed the measure on Tuesday as part of a broader farm bill The Senate passed the ban earlier in April the legislation would prohibit municipal authorities from adding "water quality additives" to the water supply erroneously described fluoride as an "industrial waste" and said the White House would recommend banning the mineral from drinking water Kennedy — who subscribes to a number of debunked conspiracies surrounding health and wellness — also blamed the fluoridation of water for a myriad of health problems neurodevelopmental disorders and thyroid disease But dentists and other health experts agree that controlled exposure to the mineral is key to preventing tooth decay and holds minimal risks for negative side effects In addition to breakthroughs like vaccines and seatbelts, public water fluoridation is considered one of the greatest public health innovations of the 20th century according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Earlier in April, the HHS, under Kennedy's guidance, announced that it had directed the CDC to reconvene an independent panel of 15 health experts to examine the role fluoride plays in water sources and whether it can be detrimental to public health The use of fluoride in water has been debated elsewhere Calgary, Canada, voted in 2011 to ban the mineral from its water supply, but after a notable spike in dental cavities in the city's children, the legislature last year reversed its decision Become an NPR sponsor Iowa school districts must adopt policies banning cell phones during class time Kim Reynolds said will reduce distractions in the classroom Reynolds signed the legislation, House File 782 at a ceremony April 30 in the Iowa Capitol rotunda surrounded by students from the Des Moines Ankeny and Clarion-Goldfield-Dows school districts The law requires Iowa’s public K-12 school districts to implement rules limiting cell phones during classroom instructional time They can adopt stricter standards if they choose It does not require private schools and charter schools to adopt policies restricting cell phones but it directs the Iowa Department of Education to develop model policies that could be adopted by public Several school districts around the state have already enacted their on policies restricting cell phone use and Reynolds called the law a "floor" for districts to build on said the school's decision last summer to ban cell phones during class has helped him improve his grades and made students happier by getting rid of distractions "I wasn't happy that they were taking away our cell phones," he said "But now I can see that it's really improved our school." "My grandchildren weren’t very happy with me either for talking about taking the cell phones out of school," she joked Reynolds proposed the legislation in her Condition of the State address in January as a centerpiece of her legislative agenda The measure passed the Iowa Legislature with broad bipartisan support "What I'm really proud about is this bill received very strong bipartisan support," she said "And I think it's a great example of how we can come together to support simple common sense solutions that can make an overwhelmingly positive difference." School districts must have their policies in place by July 1 The Department of Education must provide model policy language to districts by May 1 The law allows parents to petition to schools to argue that their child needs a cell phone during the school day for “a legitimate reason related to the student’s physical or mental health.” It also makes exceptions for students with disabilities Schools’ policies must identify methods for students to communicate with their parent or guardian during an emergency And school districts must amend their emergency operations plans to take into account the law restricting cell phone use during classes portable media players and electronic communication equipment in its definition of “personal electronic devices” that must be restricted during class time In addition to identifying methods for students to communicate with parents during an emergency the law says school policies must specify how a student can communicate with their parents during school hours or while participating in school-sponsored activities Schools’ policies must make clear which electronic devices and technologies will be able to be used by students for instructional purposes Policies must also include the school’s protocol for securely storing students’ phones And they must address what discipline students will face for violating the policy schools across the Des Moines metro area began looking at policies meant to curb cell phone use during school hours Dallas Center-Grimes and Ankeny are among the school districts which have approved cell phone policies Des Moines' policy will take effect this fall for the 2025-26 school year Des Moines' Hoover High School launched the Hoover Mental Health Movement program in August in an effort to limit cell phone use during instructional time build a stronger school community and improve students' mental health Hoover officials say they have achieved many of their goals a huge decrease in class failures,” said Assistant Principal Robert Randazzo “… Another huge one is a major decrease in out-of-school suspensions.” Attendance is also up by about 4% compared with last year This could be due to the push to help students connect and build community “The number one factor on why students attend school is if they have a friend at school,” he said Reynolds touted the improved grades and attendance and the drop in suspensions and student discipline that Hoover has seen as a result of the policy I was told that there's been a complete culture shift at Hoover this year," she said Ottumwa Superintendent Mike McGrory said his school district has seen "truly profound" results since implementing a policy last year that bans cell phones for the entire school day He said the law will "empower" school board members and administrators to put similar policies in place "This bill will create learning environments in our schools that will allow our students to thrive by supporting their academic and social-emotional success," he said And it's really a win for the future of education." Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller Samantha Hernandez covers education for the Register. Reach her at (515) 851-0982 or svhernandez@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @svhernandez or Facebook at facebook.com/svhernandezreporter An expert explains how the ban is "performative" — and there was "no regulatory action" taken (AP) — Florida is poised to become the second state to ban fluoride in public drinking water over the concerns of dentists and public health advocates who say the mineral is a safe effective way to protect people of all ages from developing cavities we see the direct consequences fluoride removal has on our patients and it’s a real tragedy when policymakers’ decisions hurt vulnerable kids and adults in the long term,” Brett Kessler president of the American Dental Association “Blindly calling for a ban on fluoridated water hurts people While Florida’s bill doesn’t specifically reference fluoride it will require the mineral and some other additives be removed from water sources across the state Some local officials in Florida have already voted to remove the mineral from their community water systems ahead of state lawmakers’ push to ban fluoride Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said Tuesday she is “deeply disappointed” by the passage of the bill adding that it disregards “the overwhelming consensus of dentists doctors and medical experts and will end a practice that has been in place for decades to protect our health.” which is a safe and cost-effective way to prevent tooth decay will have “long-lasting health consequences especially for our most vulnerable families.” The mayor said the decision should be left to local communities About one-third of community water systems A year into Florida’s ban on most abortions after six weeks’ gestation the network of groups and doctors providing access to pregnancy terminations hasn’t vanished Still, the six-week ban led to a sharp decline in the number of abortions. By the state’s count, there were 19,198 fewer abortions in 2024 than in 2023. Another estimate from the Guttmacher Institute a reproductive health policy and research organization tracking medication abortions from pills shipped through the mail places the decrease in abortions at 12,100 the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration reported 8,682 abortions representatives of Planned Parenthood this week stressed that its clinics are still providing people with access to health care services that run the gamut I cannot imagine it not being around,” said Dr chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood of South I think it’s important for the community to know we do much more than abortion care It’s not just abortions and STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) But I think the community is learning that There’s a large need for Planned Parenthood.” Contraception and reproductive health changes The Florida Supreme Court last year upheld a 15-week abortion ban which cleared the way for a more restrictive six-week ban Gov Ron DeSantis signed into law in 2023 to take effect May 1 The law bans abortions after six weeks’ gestation There are exceptions for people who get pregnant as a result of rape or court document showing that a crime is the reason they want to terminate the pregnancy Other exceptions to the state’s six-week ban require two doctors to certify that the termination of the pregnancy is necessary to “save the pregnant woman’s life or avert a serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman.” A single physician can approve the procedure if no other doctor is available. Abortions in the third trimester are legal if the fetus has a fatal abnormality. A proposed constitutional amendment to allow abortions up to the point of viability was approved by a majority of voters but didn’t receive the necessary 60% approval to pass In the year since the restrictive six-week ban took effect more of her patients are requesting longer-acting reversible contraception (LARC) implants And some patients are asking for more permanent birth control “Something I didn’t expect is to see an increase in vasectomy patients — men that are seeking vasectomies because it’s not safe anymore to not have really good contraception on board “So we see a lot of men who are there who aren’t really willing to leave it up to chance anymore and so they are starting to be a lot more involved in contraception as well.” Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida (photo via Planned Parenthood.) Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida Chief Medical Officer Dr Robyn Schickler says that since the six-week ban she’s seen an uptick in patients with miscarriages diagnosed by other physicians who refer them to a Planned Parenthood center because “they don’t know if they can take care of them” under Florida law The clinic is seeing patients seeking exceptions to the six-week ban either because they were raped or are having maternal health complications or their fetus has a fetal abnormality Florida law defines a fatal fetal abnormality as a terminal condition that regardless of the provision of life-saving medical treatment is incompatible with life outside the womb and will result in death upon birth or imminently thereafter Two physicians must certify in writing that there is a fatal fetal abnormality in order to qualify for an exception to the six-week ban The definition is narrow and leaves pregnant people in a tough situation Schickler said that it locks out some women with fetuses with genetic or chromosomal abnormalities in the uterus or right after birth.’ There’s some things you can’t And so it doesn’t fit that narrow exception,” Schickler said Some of Schickler’s patients aren’t even aware of the six-week abortion ban and are shocked when they first present and are told they cannot obtain an abortion “I would say the most common is they just start crying like they can’t believe it asking if you can make an exception and just do this one Planned Parenthood affiliates across Florida refer patients to their patient navigation program which indentifies clinics in states where they can still obtain an abortion more than 3,000 Florida patients have used the system in the last year Additional groups in Florida provide money for abortions in and out of the state the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund has helped around 1,100 people end pregnancies the organization’s director for case management Most of the people the fund helps end up obtaining appointments in D.C so it’s definitely more expensive,” Wallace said and if someone wants to bring someone with them TBAF’s logistical support to help people get to their appointments added up to $91,000 last year but you could definitely spend almost $2,000 alone on travel for someone going out of state,” Wallace said there are other restrictions in Florida’s abortion laws Only doctors are authorized to provide abortions and telehealth is banned which means physicians must be in the room when women are administered abortion medication Florida has a 24-hour waiting period and a requirement that patients undergo a sonogram exam before obtaining an abortion Minors must notify their parents and secure their approval but a judge can waive those requirements The Tampa fund helps minors connect with The Jane Network which provides free legal services to get a judicial bypass While the rate of approval for a judicial bypasses remained steady since the six-week ban went into effect the number of petitions declined by 43% from 2022 to 2024 according to annual reports from the Office of the State Courts Administrator Out of 130 petitions minors filed for a court’s approval to seek an abortion last year founder and executive director of The Jane Network said minors seek judicial bypass because their parents are abusive or they may be estranged and not living at home “Often a young person will reach out to us and they will have an attorney and be able to go to court get that judicial bypass granted,” Greenfield said minors have been contacting the pro bono group before they know they’re pregnant “We are seeing a lot of fear with young people because they think there’s a chance that they’re pregnant,” she said they wanna make sure they will be able to meet all the requirements before six weeks.” Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com Complete your personal information for a more tailored experience for the best life sciences journalism in the industry As a professor of physiology, I study how scientific evidence gets translated, sometimes clumsily, from the lab to real life. Whether it’s scaling dietary supplements to humans or using biomimicry to mitigate sports concussion my work often centers on the fine line between meaningful evidence and misleading extrapolation That’s why I was immediately skeptical when the Food and Drug Administration announced its decision to ban synthetic food dyes like the controversial red dye No I see no health benefit to adding petroleum-derived pigments to food and I personally avoid using them when I bake (which I do!) — no one needs petroleum products to make cupcakes festive But focusing national attention on them risks missing the real story 3 to remotely approach the doses used in rodent studies a child would need to eat enormous amounts of ultra-processed foods like candy Parents may feel reassured that lunchboxes are dye-free but the real danger isn’t the artificial color itself — it’s the sugar and refined carbohydrates that deliver it The FDA’s decision to ban dyes and other synthetic substances often rests on the Delaney clause a 49‑word law from 1958 that forbids approval of any food additive that “induces cancer in man or animal.”  Delaney conflates hazard (a substance could cause harm) with risk (harm at the dose people actually encounter) or 1,500 mg dye per kilogram of body mass (1,500mg/kg) the rats taking in a dye-diet got more tumors —but paradoxically the highest dose group actually outlived rats that didn’t get any dye That’s not the kind of clear-cut toxicology result most people assume lies behind an FDA ban Delaney was passed during a wave of midcentury chemical anxiety But it doesn’t allow regulators to consider whether those findings are relevant to human physiology — or to typical human exposure Translating those doses to the food that fits in a lunchbox is difficult bordering on absurd It’s hard to know: Manufacturers don’t disclose the concentration of dye in commercial coloring gels which are mostly made of glycerin and corn syrup Industry estimates suggest these gels contain 1% to  10% dye by weight That means a 20 gram tube of food coloring (approximately 4 teaspoons) may include 200 to 2,000 mg of actual dye — roughly the same as the rat studies While most headlines focus on potential cancer risks, there is also emerging evidence that synthetic dyes may influence behavior in some children. A California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) review identified modest associations between food dye exposure and hyperactivity or attention issues But this research is far from definitive cause-and-direct evidence Many of the studies involved small sample sizes and challenges in distinguishing real effects from expectancy bias — even in double-blinded Animal toxicology adds mechanistic plausibility but often relies on exposure levels and life-stage models that do not map cleanly onto typical human use but the evidence remains too limited and inconsistent to drive population-wide policy synthetic dye bans are a trivial drop in a much larger bucket Removing artificial food colors may clean up ingredient labels but it won’t clean up the metabolic toll of ultra-processed sugar-laden foods — the very vehicles that typically carry these dyes Focusing on dye bans without addressing sugar is like banning confetti at a fireworks show and thinking you’ve solved the noise problem It’s also important to note that diet is only one piece of the puzzle — sedentary lifestyles amplify the harm of ultra-processed foods Instead of celebrating a dye-free snack as “healthier,” policymakers should encourage better food choices alongside increased movement A child who eats that frosted cupcake after an afternoon of soccer is in a different position than one who eats the same snack after hours in front of a screen Campaigners for a dye ban argue that any carcinogen should be removed when safer substitutes exist — a sensible stance Fixating on synthetic dyes alone risks swapping a hypothetical peril for a confirmed one we need policies and programs that address the bigger health threats: poor diets (regardless of how they obtain their color) and sedentary lifestyles we need to get to the root socioeconomic causes which underlie each of these factors Let’s not settle for a dye-free illusion of progress when real is a professor at Tufts University School of Medicine who studies translational science and how scientific evidence is applied in clinical practice and public health policy Have an opinion on this essay? Submit a letter to the editor The smartest thinkers in life sciences on what's happening — and what's to come By Mario Aguilar By Megan Molteni By Daniel Payne By Helen Branswell Reporting from the frontiers of health and medicine A Texas House panel late Wednesday advanced a bill to tighten regulations on Texas' consumable hemp industry who are pursuing a total ban on THC products The latest draft of the lower chamber’s THC regulation bill would allow retailers to continue selling edibles and drinks It would ban vapes and allow counties to vote to ban consumable hemp The bill calls for a much tighter regulatory system than what exists today, six years after the GOP-controlled Legislature inadvertently set off the state’s booming consumable hemp market It would require products to be sold in child-resistant packaging that does not resemble popular snacks or otherwise appear marketed to kids And it would establish an age limit that does not exist under the current law Sales would also be barred within 1,000 feet of a school or certain other areas frequented by children Patrick, a Republican who presides over the Senate, has threatened to force an overtime legislative session if lawmakers failed to pass an all-out THC ban a Canadian Republican who chairs the House State Affairs Committee described his latest draft as a “regulatory bill” that is “substantially different” from earlier versions The committee advanced the bill on a 15-0 vote It now heads to the House Calendars Committee which will decide whether to schedule it for a floor vote Since Patrick launched his crusade to ban THC products in December hemp industry leaders have turned to the House as the bulwark that would pass tighter regulations rather than quash the industry altogether Hemp retailers have largely backed calls for the regulations included in King’s latest draft of SB 3 such as restrictions aimed at keeping hemp products out of the hands of minors The legislation comes in response to the more than 8,000 cannabis retailers that have popped up across Texas since 2019 when the GOP-controlled Legislature authorized the sale of consumable hemp passed one year after hemp was legalized nationwide was intended to boost Texas agriculture by allowing the commercialization of hemp containing trace amounts of non-intoxicating delta-9 THC While hemp products are not allowed to contain more than a 0.3% concentration of delta-9 THC — anything higher is classified as marijuana — critics say the industry has exploited a loophole that set the 0.3% threshold for delta-9 THC but not other hemp derivatives These other hemp-derived products still look taste and sometimes have intoxicating effects similar to their more potent sibling (Hemp and marijuana plants are both cannabis plants; the difference lies in their THC levels.) Tickets are on sale now for the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page By Wilborn P. Nobles IIIStaff writer The House voted 116-25 Wednesday to advance legislation that would require tech companies to verify a user’s age when they are creating their social media accounts. House Bill 186 Although HB186 had little resistance during Tuesday’s initial vote Patterson encountered pushback from several Democrats just before the House’s final passage on Wednesday Political PointsGet the latest politics news from North Texas and beyond GoogleFacebookBy signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy Patterson said his proposal is one of the most important pieces of legislation he’s introduced Social media exposes children to violent and explicit content that often contributes to bullying and depression “Social media companies don’t care about what content they’re feeding you and your children,” Patterson said saying that while she appreciates efforts to address the harms of social media she’s concerned the legislation instead would help tech companies collect more data on people Users would have to submit government IDs to verify ages That could hinder social media access for Texans without such IDs and put anonymity and privacy at risk on some social media platforms “Most social media companies don’t actually have our driver’s license number,” Zwiener said Patterson countered that tech companies likely already know the identities of the people on their platforms Those companies can use commercially and publicly available data to help people verify their identity without an ID Zwiener said the measure would prevent minors from using social media to stay in touch with relatives or obtain academic assistance Tech companies already give parents the ability to control online accounts for minors He argued that algorithms often direct people to sexual content and violence rather than educational materials “It’s not a safe product for children,” Patterson said “It would be if all we could do is connect with people that we know and connect with our family members … It is not that anymore.” said requiring IDs could hinder an adult’s ability to create anonymous accounts for political commentary or parodies which could hinder political speech that is protected Wu said data breaches could expose a person’s identifying information Patterson noted that tech companies could use financial information and facial recognition for verification The bill would require companies to delete the related data after the verification process is completed People could still use fake or parody social media accounts as long as companies verified the person is an adult said the Legislature can amend and perfect the proposal during the next session based on its impact over the next two years He wants social media to be regulated in the same way as other adult-oriented products — such as cigarettes on Tuesday questioned the bill’s impact on young entrepreneurs and athletes who use social media for business purposes Patterson said parents can manage those accounts for children But HB186’s possible passage also matters for businesses because evolving regulations around minors’ digital access in Texas may prompt tech companies to reassess platform policies and compliance expectations social media companies must delete a child’s account upon a parent’s or guardian’s request The companies could face penalties from the Texas attorney general’s consumer protection division for failing to verify age allowing the use of its platform by underage children misusing personal data or not removing accounts While the bill classifies violations as deceptive trade practices under Texas law instead referring to existing statutes that outline potential remedies and consequences These existing laws allow the attorney general to take action Meta, X, TikTok and Snap declined invitations to testify at the Texas Joint Committee to Study the Effects of Media on Minors at the state Capitol in January “We’ve allowed social media companies unfiltered access to our children without these companies ever showing up to the table to testify on any legislation this body has attempted to pass,” Patterson said a high school student in Austin and federal policy director for Students Engaged in Advancing Texas told lawmakers he opposes the bill because it threatens free speech rights upheld by court rulings Moledina told The Dallas Morning News Texas should require mental health warning labels on social platforms and the implementation of digital literacy education to help young people navigate social media safely while preserving their agency and rights “We need to be pushing for more mental health solutions that educate rather than restrict,” Moledina said “Because if we just lock it up and act like it doesn’t exist Pinterest users have been complaining about mass bans for days many claiming that they've been locked out of their accounts without clear justification The social media platform finally addressed the furore on Thursday after Mashable reached out however the response is unlikely to appease many users Pinterest enables users to save images in virtual pinboards making it particularly popular with people gathering inspiration for creative projects or event planning as well as collating fashion or home decoration ideas an unexpected ban can mean the loss of years of careful work and curation On Monday, moderators for the r/Pinterest subreddit pinned a thread about the mass bans noting that "there isn't anything we can do here other than talk about it." The thread has gathered over 200 comments in the days since with people expressing anger and frustration at the situation Many have accused Pinterest of a lack of transparency regarding the bans claiming that they have no idea what they could have done that warranted losing their accounts.  who stated that they used Pinterest for innocuous content such as fashion some users have been warning others to stop using Pinterest and search for alternatives as they no longer trust that people are reliably able to access their saved content Pinterest finally broke its silence after Mashable reached out for comment on Thursday morning there's little in Pinterest's statement to appease upset users Pinterest also issued a similar statement directly to Mashable though it didn't specifically address the mass bans Pinterest's statement on X hasn't satisfied its disgruntled users particularly considering the lack of success many have had with their appeals Users are lambasting the response in replies to the post calling for Pinterest to scrap or at least overhaul its AI moderation Others are looking to take it even further. After Pinterest posted its statement, Reddit user wighthamster began gauging interest in a potential class action lawsuit noting that people may have not only lost income from Pinterest ad campaigns or traffic but also personal archives containing irreplaceable content such as personal projects or family photos.  "Pinterest promotes itself as a platform for saving ideas and conducting business… things many users invest significant time and trust in," wrote wighthamster recent actions suggest a pattern of arbitrary mass account suspensions directly contradicting its own marketed image and the reasonable expectations of its users." Mashable has reached out to wighthamster for comment multiple users have already expressed interest in being involved in the proposed legal action some claiming that Pinterest's bans have had repercussions beyond merely losing a few saved pictures "I’ve had to postpone shoots and scramble to reassemble projects Years and years of curating down the drain and multiple projects stuck in limbo." Regardless of whether a lawsuit is filed or not it's clear that Pinterest has a lot of work to do to win back users' trust and goodwill Amanda Yeo is an Assistant Editor at Mashable she writes about everything from video games and K-pop to movies and gadgets School districts in Iowa will have to ban cellphones during instructional time starting this upcoming school year. Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill that establishes a ban but lets schools have tougher policies if they choose The legislation makes exceptions for students with disabilities and with individualized education plans Reynolds says Hoover High School in Des Moines has already implemented a similar policy and has seen higher grades I was told that there's been a complete culture shift at Hoover this year — more joy parents and guardians would also be able to request exceptions for their child due to mental or physical health reasons Hard-right party says only St George’s and union jack flags to be permitted on or in its English council properties Reform UK has been accused of seeking to “ban” the flying of Ukrainian flags over council buildings after the hard-right party said only the St George’s and union flags would be flown by English councils it controls The party’s chair, Zia Yusuf, sparked controversy on Monday with a foray into the political culture wars by announcing that the policy would be followed by the 10 local authorities in England it took control of in last week’s local elections “Reform-controlled English councils will move at speed to resolve that the only flags permitted to be flown on or in its buildings will be the union jack and St George’s flag,” he said on X “No other flags will be permitted to be flown on its flagpoles reception desks or council chamber walls.” While Yusuf’s announcement was seen as targeting rainbow or pride flags the party was later forced to respond to attacks by Labour and Conservative MPs who criticised the idea that county flags would not be allowed to fly A Reform spokesperson later said: “Reform UK will proudly fly the union jack the party was also attacked for a policy that would apparently spell the end of councils flying Ukrainian flags in solidarity with the country after Russia launched its full-scale invasion The Ukrainian flag was flying above Grimsby town hall last week where the party celebrated one of its key victories the taking of the newly created Greater Lincolnshire mayoralty “It tells you all you need to know about Nigel Farage’s Reform that their very first act after winning elections is to ban the Ukrainian flag from our town halls “Farage and Reform councillors should stop sucking up to Moscow and drop their ban on flying the Ukrainian flag immediately.” The position of Farage and others associated with Reform towards Russia has long been one of the party’s achilles heels One of Labour’s regular attack lines against Farage, who was criticised for suggesting the west “provoked” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by expanding the EU and Nato eastwards has been to accuse him of “fawning” over Vladimir Putin Reform UK took control of 10 councils in England at last week’s local elections It is also the largest party in a number of local authorities including Leicestershire county council The Conservative MP for Hinckley and Bosworth asked whether it meant “Leicestershire county council would not be able to fly the Leicestershire county flag” An Iowa law imposing new regulations on the sale of e-cigarette products has been blocked by a federal judge who found it unlawfully conflicts with federal regulatory authority The bill, House File 2677 and directed officials to create a "vapor products directory" listing permissible e-cigarette products or which have been on the market since at least 2016 and sought FDA approval by 2020 Opponents of the law had warned that these rules would eliminate "over 99%" of vaping products currently offered for sale and likely force many retailers to close "Our clients are very pleased that the court’s decision will allow them to remain in business and continue providing a wide variety of substantially less harmful alternative products to cigarette smokers," plaintiffs' attorney Eric N District Judge Stephanie Rose filed her order blocking nearly all the law from taking effect Rose found the law violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S Constitution by conflicting with the federal Food That law reserves for the federal government the right to regulate the manufacture and safety of tobacco and related products although it permits states to impose their own regulations on their sale Related: Are you trying to quit vaping? So are a lot of Americans. Attorneys for the state argued the law fell into that exception found that the law was "parasitic on the FDCA" and amounted to giving Iowa officials the power to enforce federal regulations in cases where the Food and Drug Administration have previously exercised discretion not to "Iowa’s acknowledged purpose in enacting House File 2677 — to address 'federal non-enforcement' — precisely illustrates why Congress vested enforcement authority exclusively with the federal government," Rose wrote While the state has the authority to simply bar the sale of some product categories it can't do so based on the FDA approval process that only the FDA has the authority to enforce Rose's order will block the law from taking effect except for separate provisions requiring manufacturers selling products in Iowa to have a registered agent in the state The Iowa Attorney General's Office did not say whether it would appeal the ruling Attorney General Bird understands these unregulated vapes target children," Zach Hoffman "Iowa’s vape registry law is crucial in protecting our kids from toxic contaminants found in illegal Chinese vapes." While the court sided with the plaintiffs on the issue of preemption that the law impermissibly treated tobacco-based products more favorably than non-tobacco-based synthetic nicotine The plaintiffs had argued that the law was written in such a way as to privilege the tobacco-based vaping products sold by major tobacco companies at the expense of mostly smaller start-up competitors Rose wrote that the state can rationally conclude non-tobacco-based products present unique risks to public health noting research finding that products labelled "tobacco-free," even with similar nicotine content are incorrectly perceived as safer by young adults William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com or 715-573-8166 This story has been updated to add new information and a video A Texas House subcommittee just unanimously passed a bill that would prevent a total ban on consumable hemp products an issue that arose from a gray area in the 2018 Farm Bill At the time, the bill legalized hemp cultivation for agricultural purposes such as fiber and it did not specifically address the sale or regulation of consumable hemp products Critics have since argued that state leaders failed to anticipate or respond to the legal confusion that followed "When you don't have a thoughtful, large bill passing to regulate cannabis, you get a hot mess, gray markets that we have all over Texas," Susan Hays, an attorney with a focus on hemp and marijuana, told the American-Statesman last May when Texas held a Senate hearing on the issue "So it's very much the result of policy choices by the leadership." and Republican officials have pushed to ban what they call "intoxicating hemp" products which can cause similar effects to cannabis Counties would default to allowing hemp sales but could opt out through elections the hemp program would shift from state health officials to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission its chances of passing the Texas Senate appear slim Dan Patrick and other Republican leaders who have called for a total ban on these products Last spring, Patrick released a list of legislative priorities that included revisiting the Senate’s 2019 decision to allow sales of cannabis-derived products in Texas He’s remained firm in his stance and even visited a dispensary in Austin this March The bill also comes at a crucial time as the clock ticks down on the new Farm Bill Although new drafts for 2025 have not yet been published House Committee on Agriculture passed its version of the bill which excluded "intoxicating hemp" products — such as delta-8 and THCa — while the Senate committee's initial draft made no changes to hemp production from the 2018 Farm Bill necessitating a second extension of the 2018 Farm Bill which was originally meant to last only five years and presidency now under Republican control it is likely that hemp-derived products will still face a ban due to the Farm Bill The bill still needs to move through the full Texas House of Representatives it would then need to be considered by the Texas Senate Dan Patrick and others pushing for a total ban it could go to a conference committee to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions it would need final approval from both chambers before heading to the governor’s desk for signature or veto The effects of delta-8 and THCa are strikingly similar to delta-9 THC Both delta-8 and THCa are legal under state and federal hemp laws which define legal hemp as cannabis products containing 0.3% or less of delta-9 THC The main difference between delta-8 and delta-9 THC is the location of a double bond: delta-8 has it on the eighth carbon when heated — a necessary step for smoking the product — it converts into delta-9 THC KIRO NEWSRADIO OPINION Numerous students' smartphones (Photo: Hauke-Christian Dittrich/Getty Images) (Photo: Hauke-Christian Dittrich/Getty Images) BY JAKE SKORHEIM AND SPIKE O'NEILL SHOW co-host of “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio agrees that phones can negatively affect children “I love the idea that schools will allow kids to have their phones for social interactions during lunchtime “I like teachers who confiscate phones I think kids are far too exposed to social media and everything else about them and it is to the detriment of social skills.” Spike argued that parents who worry they won’t be able to reach their children at school should know kids were reached during emergencies without cell phone access.” He also added that phones take away from the present moment “Kids who spend so much time looking down at their phones or interacting or talking kids can be sitting in the same room and talking to each other by text,” Spike said “I’ve seen it happen in my own home for years Instead of looking across the room and talking to people and chuckling at the expense of the adults in the room.” Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here by Tyonna Baxter WSBT 22 Reporter (WSBT) — Indiana's controversial crackdown on cannabis ads state lawmakers have passed a bill banning marijuana dispensary advertising despite it being legal just across the border in Michigan some of the billboards in Indiana for those dispensaries there aren't going anywhere Bill Author and State Representative Jim Pressel says this new law comes after complaints from Hoosiers fed-up with billboard and flyer ads for marijuana While the state isn’t legalizing weed anytime soon it is drawing a hard line on how it's marketed It’s a familiar sight near the Indiana-Michigan border billboards advertising Michigan marijuana dispensaries like Green Stem "Something that's illegal in Indiana should not be able to be advertised in Indiana," said Pressel Tucked into an unrelated motor vehicles bill the new law bans marijuana advertising across Indiana It takes effect the moment Governor Mike Braun signs it Pressel says constituents were frustrated by weekly mailers and some even believed Indiana had legalized marijuana "It has nothing to do with making marijuana illegal or not making it illegal or legal Its really about advertising and illegal substance It's illegal in this state," said Pressel Many tell me the rule might cut into some Indiana foot traffic but they emphasize that online advertising is the new wave in this time the new law makes it clear: advertising cannabis in any form -- including social media and geo-targeted promotions -- will be illegal in Indiana Dispensaries like Green Stem in Niles locked in decade-long billboard contracts just weeks before the law passed Since the bill cannot cancel active agreements those ads are grandfathered in and can legally remain up until 2035 "I don't think anybody in the general assembly myself included anticipated somebody going out and buying a 10-year contract I would also say that those outdoor advertisers knew the intent of this law," said Pressel Enforcement will come from the Attorney General’s office with fines starting at $5,000 and climbing to $15,000 for repeat violations As for when we might start seeing the ads disappear enforcement begins as soon as the governor signs the bill into law President Trump and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries But their public support of legislation to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks could revive prospects for a bipartisan effort that's stalled on Capitol Hill for years Earlier in April around Trump's tariff announcement a flurry of lawmakers' stock trades raised questions about whether they got any advance notice Some of the specific stocks she purchased increased in value significantly Greene's office did not respond to a request for comment but she recently told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that her financial adviser handles her trades More disclosures about lawmakers' investment moves around the tariffs are expected later this month Trades like those are not surprising to lawmakers advocating for the ban "I think that this happens all the time. I do think that it makes the point," Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley told NPR. He introduced legislation to bar lawmakers from investing in individual stocks He backed a bipartisan bill last year that made it through committee but never got a floor vote both parties — members of both parties — enjoy trading stock and enjoy the profits they get off of it," he said "This is something that we ought to set aside for the good of the American people It is a source of potential corruption at worst." Trump reinvigorated efforts to change the law last week when he told Time magazine that he would sign a bill that ends the ability of members of Congress to buy or sell individual stocks — "absolutely." Hawley sees that development as "hugely helpful" and "a big deal." "It takes away a talking point of some people who say this will never get signed.' He said he would sign it," Hawley said in the interview Hawley also noted that a lot of members campaigned on the issue in 2024 — and he's going to those who talked about it to urge them to sponsor his bill. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., led the effort in the last Congress and Hawley says he's talking to him and other senators from both parties about pressing for a vote on the floor the lead sponsor on a bipartisan House proposal points out that Jeffries — the top House Democrat — became the first leader of either party to endorse a ban recently "I think we've gained more momentum in the last two weeks than had been achieved in the last two years," Magaziner says initially opposed proposals to change rules around congressional trading Jeffries says he hasn't talked to other leaders about moving a bill but argues that this is something he's "long supported." Magaziner told NPR that "we clearly have a surge of momentum He says he and Democrats like New York Democratic Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are working across the aisle with Republican Reps Chip Roy of Texas and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania to build support and finalize details that meld different bill versions into one that could advance with significant support like the public supports it in polling by a 90 to 10 margin," he says "It's one of the highest polling issues I have ever seen." Magaziner says chatter has picked up on the House floor and it's consistently an issue constituents raise back home at town halls He acknowledged the issue has been building support behind the scenes over time But now he believes a combination of factors build political pressure for action Magaziner called news around Trump's tariffs a "catalyst," saying "whether anybody with inside information traded off of those announcements or not they were just a very stark example of what could be possible when it comes to insider trading in Washington." President Trump is the leader of the Republican Party They pay a lot of attention to what he says And the president was very clear that this is something he supports." He argues that the ball is in House Speaker Mike Johnson's court Johnson told NPR that he is not opposed to the idea and if there's a consensus "It's been talked about for quite some time But there's probably a reason that the bill hasn't moved in all those years because there's never been a consensus built around it," he said Johnson also noted he personally does trade stocks Roy told NPR he's given the speaker some time to get through the process of passing the big bill with the bulk of Trump's tax he said "we're well past time to do it" and insisted "we're going to have a vote on the floor of the United States House this year." Hawley named his bill the "PELOSI act" — Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments Act — a dig at the former speaker who doesn't trade personally but under the law reports regular investments from her husband whose portfolio is among the top performing of lawmakers and their spouses But Hawley notes that Republican senators were investigated about their trades during the COVID-19 pandemic because of information they learned in briefings but Hawley says "members of Congress really do have advantages in the way that they are presented with information." He said he doesn't believe it necessarily means they are engaging in insider trading but says the information is "sort of served up to you on a silver platter and all of that is true Both the House and Senate bills would ban lawmakers and their spouses from trading individual stocks Hawley says there's resistance from members of both parties Magaziner said he believes some just don't want to give up the ability to make money "there are plenty of other members who are not active stock traders but have honest questions about will I still be able to save for retirement Will I still be able to save for my kid's college tuition The proposals set out a transition period for current lawmakers to shift to either blind trusts or mutual funds And they lay out a similar period for newly elected members to divest Some argue current rules that require lawmakers to disclose any trades of stocks over $1,000 within 30 days are a sufficient guardrail pointed to those rules when asked by NPR about his position who would like more strict limitations on that Proponents admit their chances of moving forward mean they have to address concerns around how the rules impact people who have investments who want to run for Congress but worry about being forced to divest and take a financial loss or tax penalty And they say they need to iron out details about how lawmakers would divest in a new system and educate their colleagues about how it will all work Hawley dismissed the argument that changing ethics rules about investing would impact the kinds of people willing to run for elected office And if you are not willing to serve in Congress because you can't day trade anymore The Texas House passed House Bill 186 today which prohibits kids under 18 from using social media The bill was penned by 42-year-old staunch conservative Rep who believes "social media is the most harmful product that our kids have legal access to in Texas." Patterson believes that the recent increase in teen suicide directly correlates with social media use and dedicated the bill to those who have taken their lives after dealing with "social media addiction." He also believes social media companies are getting too much information from our kids through the collected data Eric Zwiener argues that the data companies would need to verify a person's age would give even MORE important information to social media companies than what they are already getting called the law "unconstitutional" because parents would have no say in whether or not their children could use social media He also pointed out that lots of young people use social media apps for things like youth organizations and all of those things would be banned under this bill I think it's ridiculous to try to ban teens from using social media for many reasons but I'd argue it could be even more dangerous to a child's mental health for them to be banned from the place where they communicate with their peers most often Social media apps keep teens connected with their friends Not all kids are social butterflies at school Some thrive in online interactions instead and depend on social media to be able to communicate with friends far away taking away social media will probably make teenagers MORE suicidal I'm not buying into the notion that they will be happier without it and they also won't be able to see the BIG PICTURE of what's going on in the world in the news and opinions shared in social media feeds I have a sneaking suspicion that's what it's really all about I feel like there are serious ulterior motives with this bill Also, I don't know if you've ever tried to take a phone from a teenager (or an adult, for that matter), but it's not easy. There will be war. Not to mention, 25% of Texas's population is under 18 and most teens know how to use the internet and their phone better than adults.. There will be war.\nRead More The Texas House passed House Bill 186 today Also, I don't know if you've ever tried to take a phone from a teenager (or an adult, for that matter), but it's not easy. There will be war. Not to mention, 25% of Texas's population is under 18 Creators of Skin Deep Database Tapwater Database EWG Verified The New Lede EWG Podcast Search Thousands of chemicals are allowed for use in food and beverages sold in this country But some have been linked to serious health harms The potential health risks of each of these chemicals are well documented * These health harms are associated with the consumption of titanium dioxide in food not with the use of titanium dioxide in personal care products and sunscreens applied topically ✝ EWG will reevaluate the use of titanium dioxide in cosmetic lip and oral care products during the next EWG Verified® annual science review The Food and Drug Administration has repeatedly failed to act when it comes to regulating potentially harmful food ingredients Nearly 99 percent of food chemicals introduced since 2000 were approved by the food and chemical industry Even when the FDA does assess food chemicals for safety it has been extremely slow and rarely reevaluates earlier decisions So the vast majority of chemicals in our food supply haven’t been reviewed for safety for decades The FDA’s most recent list of chemicals “under review” includes only three of the 13 chemicals targeted by state bills: potassium bromate The agency’s plan for post-market assessments remains unclear and the process as a whole lacks transparency And it could be years before the FDA concludes its review of these chemicals – if it ever doesStates with active legislation H.B. 491 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing Blue 1 H.B. 580 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing BVO H.B. 1962 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing potassium bromate S.B. 9 would ban the sale distribution and production of food products containing potassium bromate A.B. 1264 would define ultra-processed food and direct state scientists to determine a subset of “particularly harmful UPFs” to be restricted in schools H.B. 147 would ban the sale distribution and production of food products  containing BVO H.B. 6808 would ban the sale distribution and production of food products containing BVO S.B. 968 would ban the sale distribution and production of food products containing Red 2 S.B. 69 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing Red 40 H.B. 641 would prohibit public schools from serving food containing Blue 1 propyl paraben or titanium dioxide and would require warning labels for a long list of additives S.B. 1826 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing potassium bromate S.B. 644 would ban the use of single-use food packaging and serving containers that contain intentionally added “forever chemicals” known as PFAS S.B. 683 would further restrict PFAS use in food packaging S.B. 791 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing Blue 1 H.B. 2516 would ban the use of PFAS in food packaging S.B. 0073 would ban the sale and distribution of baby food that contains toxic heavy metals at levels above the limits established by the FDA S.B. 0093 would ban the sale H.B. 1247 would ban the sale H.B. 1655 would ban the sale distribution and production of food products containing BHA H.B. 212 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing margarine H.B. 117 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods that contain aspartame S.B. 14 would prohibit public schools from serving food containing Blue 1 It would require warning labels for a long list of additives H.B. 3959 would ban the sale of foods containing potassium bromate and propyl paraben as well as ban public schools from distributing or selling foods that contain Blue 1 S.B. 1531/ H.D. 2496 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing harmful food dyes S.D. 2521/ H.D. 4095 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing Blue 1 H.B. 4369 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing potassium bromate S.B. 228 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing BVO S.F. 188/H.F. 44 would require packaged food product manufacturers and brand owners to test for and report ortho-phthalates.  H.B. 260 would require a warning on any food containing acrylamide S.B. 802 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing potassium bromate A. 4132 would ban the sale A. 4367/ S.B. 3135 would restrict a number of substances from food packaging: PFAS halogenated and organophosphorus flame retardants (HFRS oxo-degradable additives including oxo-biodegradable additives or any other ultraviolet light absorbers including benzophenone and its derivatives A.B. 6520 would require businesses to label certain foods and beverages containing harmful ingredients S. 1239/ A.B. 1556 would require disclosure of secret GRAS chemicals and ban the sale It would also ban in public schools the sale of food that contains Blue 1 S.B. 6668 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing synthetic dyes such as Blue 1 H. 440 would ban the sale distribution and production of food products containing harmful food additives.  H. 874 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods that contain potassium bromate S.B. 4 would ban the sale H.B. 3015 would ban the sale in public schools of foods that contain Red 3 H.B. 1131 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing Blue 1 H.B. 1132 would define UPF and prohibit the sale or distribution of competitive foods in public schools if they are not healthy H.B. 1134 would require foods with Blue 1 Yellow 5 or Yellow 6 to include a label that states which may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.” H.B. 507 requires the testing of baby food for heavy metals and establishes limits on heavy metal content H.B. 1133 would require foods containing BHA to include a label that states: “WARNING: This product contains BHA H. 5115 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing Blue 1 H. 4263 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing Blue 1 H. 4439 would prohibit public schools participating in federally funded or assisted meal programs from serving or selling foods containing potassium bromate S. 589 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing potassium bromate The bill would also submit a request to deny Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program H.B. 0134 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing Red 40 H.B. 1637 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing Blue 1 H.B. 3137 would ban the sale distribution and production of food products containing aspartame H.B. 3736 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing Blue 1 H.B. 4787 would prohibit school districts from providing food and drinks that contain any of nine synthetic dyes: Blue 1 H.B. 4971 would prohibit the use of SNAP benefits to buy food or drink items containing BVO H.B. 5378 would require school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to make available to parents and guardians of students a list of foods served in the school that contain BHA H.B. 5548 would prohibit public schools from serving or selling foods containing BVO or anything substantially similar to these chemicals S.B. 25 would require food manufacturers to label products containing artificial colors S.B. 314 would ban food with ADA Red 3 and titanium dioxide from free or reduced-price meals provided by schools H. 260 would prohibit the manufacture delivery or distribution of food containing BVO S. 26 would prohibit the use of Blue 1 Yellow 5 or Yellow 6 in competitive food and food and beverages served as part of a school district or an approved independent school’s food programs H.B. 1844 would ban the sale and distribution of baby food that contains toxic heavy metals at levels above FDA limits H.B. 1921 would ban the sale S.B. 545 would ban the sale Until the FDA takes action on toxic food chemicals states should continue to take measures to protect their consumers from these toxic food chemicals.  But while we await state and federal regulation if you want to lower your intake of harmful food ingredients Americans who regularly eat brown rice instead of white may be exposing themselves to higher levels of the heavy metal arsenic, a recent study from Michigan State University finds.  Propyl gallate is a preservative used in foods like chewing gum It helps prevent fat and oil from spoiling and is frequently used together with the food.. potentially harmful chemicals have been allowed for use in our food Contact Us EWG is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, EIN 52-2148600. Copyright © 2025, Environmental Working Group. All rights reserved.Visit EWG's 501(c)(4) organization, EWG Action Fund I don't know how to send this to the media covering the circus of the Tush Push I just wanted to weigh in on the Packers' request to eliminate the Tush Push I know I sound like an old man yelling at clouds The Flying Wedge play was introduced in 1892 It basically had the runner take the ball and sneak up the middle with his blockers concentrating on a single man This led to the brutality of the game creating numerous fatalities so bad that the Flying Wedge was outlawed in 1894 and in 1905 President Teddy Roosevelt had to step in to tell football it had to clean up its act or be outlawed altogether Brotherly Shove whatever you wish to call it is essentially the Flying Wedge all over again Your question immediately brought to mind those two likeable Irishmen with the handlebar mustaches in the Guinness commercials of the early 2000s Comparing the "Tush Push" to the Flying Wedge had never crossed my mind The pioneers of football – visionaries such as Walter Camp Pop Warner and Fielding Yost – supported the ban on similar tactics more than 100 years ago to make it a safer and better game But coaches responded by designing other mass plays to circumvent the rules over the next decade One was the "Turtle-Back Wedge," or "Turtle-Back Formation." First used by Princeton in a 19th-century upset of Yale it was resurrected by Walter Booth when he became coach at Nebraska and led the Cornhuskers to a 19-0 record in 1902 and '03 "Nebraska's success on the football field in the past four years has depended almost entirely on one play the turtle back," the Sunday State Journal in Lincoln From what I could glean through pictures and early 1900s descriptions of the play the "Turtle-Back Wedge" was not that much different from the "Tush Push." "The play derives its name from the peculiar appearance of the team formation," the State Journal explained Before passage of a 1910 rule requiring seven men to be on the line of scrimmage Nebraska's backs would bunch together while the two ends would drop a step behind the line and they'd push the ball carrier into the line "No team has ever showed a defense that could stop this play without at least a small gain," the State Journal stated With college presidents threatening to abolish football as a sport at their schools and President Teddy Roosevelt summoning Camp and others to a meeting at the White House where he told them "football is on trial," sweeping rule changes were adopted before the 1906 season that all but eliminated such mass plays "Under the old football rules and football methods open play was minimized to favor mass play and possession of the ball Inordinate desire to retain possession of the ball was killing the game," the Cleveland Plain Dealer stated on Oct "Under the new rules possession of the ball shifts constantly and teams must do something other than use mass plays." a rule was adopted that explicitly prohibited "pushing or pulling runner having the ball." "This rule against pushing the runner was created by the Intercollegiate Rules Committee in 1910," Joel Bussert former senior vice president of player personnel and football operations for the NFL and now the league's historian we played by college rules and inherited the prohibition against pushing the runner." The first NFL rulebook was published in 1939 in "Spalding's Official Guide of the National Football League – Professional Football Rules," the rule was covered under the section titled "Conduct of Players" and subtitled Article 1 of the NFL rulebook read: "No player of the team in possession of the ball may help the runner except by interfering for him and there shall be no interlocked interference." The penalty was 15 yards One of the Supplemental Notes under Article 1 read: "Pushing the runner or lifting runner from ground by teammate is infraction of the rule." Another read: "Interlocked interference means the grasping of one another by the hands or arms of the players of the team in possession of the ball." the "Tush Push" would have been illegal for 96 years "The rule was removed from the NFL rulebook in 2006 though official enforcement had been lax for several years prior to that." your take here is based in simple common sense My particular beef is that the "Tush Push" is just another boring play Extra points have been a bore forever and now 50-yard field goals for teams other than the few with kicking woes are becoming almost as automatic Punts routinely turn into fair catches and kickoffs into touchbacks fourth-and-short situations in at least some games The current debate over the "Tush Push" has centered on player-safety concerns and that In a study of the "Gridiron Crisis of 1905," John Watterson of the Department of History at James Madison University reported there were three deaths and 88 serious injuries in college football that year The injury triggering the outcry that came to a head that season occurred during a series of mass plays and tandem formations that were being run by New York University in a game against Union College In a desperate attempt to try and stop the drive Union halfback Harold Moore suffered a cerebral hemorrhage when his head struck the knee of a NYU player Recently my family visited a friend in San Francisco and I took a short walk around Kezar Stadium I'd known the 49ers called it home before Candlestick Park but was curious about the Packers' history there and came across a gem of an article from your column a few years back about the 1965 tie game there's something to those old stadium grounds that gives a certain vibe Even though it was a Saturday and the track was choked with runners you could practically feel the ghosts of games past going on in an eerie sense There was something special about that era when stadiums were only about the sport and spectators no need for any of the modern distractions of former NFL stadiums you'd describe similarly Kezar is my favorite just because the Packers played there throughout my youth and there were distinct features to it that are embedded in my memory starting with the scoreboard and its old analog game clock the Kezar Stadium where the Packers played every year from 1950-66 and then for the final two times in 1968 and '70 was demolished after being severely damaged during the 1989 earthquake in San Francisco But the 10,000-seat reconstruction still transmits the vibes of old-school football and the ghosts of yesteryear Along with being located in or adjacent to Golden Gate Park one also can soak in Kezar's pink-cast concrete columns and arches They look like they could have been there in 1946 when the 49ers started playing there as members of the All-America Football Conference was where was basketball legend Bill Russell made his collegiate debut for the University of San Francisco and played nearly a fourth of his games during the program's 60-game winning streak And then just across Stanyan Street is Kezar Pub The walls are filled with 49ers photos and memorabilia from the 25 years they played at Kezar Stadium Another favorite of mine is Franklin Field where the Packers lost the 1960 NFL Championship Game to the Philadelphia Eagles It dates to 1895 and is still home to the University of Pennsylvania football team making it the oldest college stadium in the country home to the Packers from 1925-56 and still the home field for East High School Portsmouth Ohio's Spartan Municipal Stadium was the site where the NFL Portsmouth Spartans played from 1930-33 The powerhouse Packers of those years were 0-2-1 in what was then named Universal Stadium I haven't been in Portsmouth in maybe two decades or more but there's still a state historical marker on the property although I've read where the old concrete walls reminiscent of pre-World War II stadiums have been demolished and replaced where the Packers played the Dallas Texans in 1952 and beat the Cowboys in the 1966 NFL Championship Game; the Yale Bowl where the Packers played the New York Giants in 1973; and Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum where the Packers played in Super Bowl I and where they played the Rams close to 30 times Wrigley Field was the site of the first Packers-Staleys game in 1921 and home to the Chicago Bears through 1970 while the Packers have played the Bears in Soldier Field since 1971 except for 2002 when the rivalry was played in Champaign it's my understanding that RFK Stadium in Washington Three other favorites of mine are Racine's Horlick Field where the Packers played the Racine Legion from 1922-24; Douglas Park in Rock Island where that city's Independents played host to the Packers in the early 1920s; and Wade Municipal Stadium which was built in 1941 and is still in use as a baseball park on the grounds where the Packers played the Duluth Kelleys in their 1924 season opener Horlick Field arguably emits a better old-time feel because it's still partly enclosed by a stone wall was the site of the 1939 NFL Championship Game and a second home to the Packers from 1934-51 There's a renovated racetrack there today on the same site It has been years since I stopped at some of the following stadiums where the Packers played preseason games but as I recall it was worth my time when I did I don't know if that would still be true today where the Packers played exhibition games in 1961 and '62; Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem where they played from 1955-60; Hershey (Pa.) Stadium where they played in 1945 and '54; and Latrobe (Pa.) Memorial Stadium Green Bay offers the best pilgrimage of all I was 17 years old at the time of 1957 draft 1 with the so-called "Lottery Bonus Pick," then got Ron Kramer at No Legendary Cleveland coach Paul Brown once alluded to it and based on my interviews with maybe 15 or more players and coaches on the Packers' 1961 championship team Hornung and Ron Kramer were arguably the two best of Vince Lombardi's 36 players that year the second day of that year's annual meeting NFL owners voted unanimously to institute a "bonus pick," to be determined by lottery and starting with the 1947 draft the decision was reached to perk up the selection process but it was reported at the time that NFL owners had an ulterior motive They wanted to enhance their chances of winning a bidding war for the nation's best prospect in their competition with the All-America Football Conference The older league's best teams were the ones with the most cash and also far more attractive to most players than perennial losers like the Boston Yanks and Chicago Cardinals 1 overall pick in five of the previous eight drafts Here's how the bonus rule worked the first year Ten pieces of paper numbered from 1 to 10 were placed in a hat That determined the order for the next draw 10 more pieces of paper were placed in a hat: Nine were blank and one was marked with an X 1 pick a day after winning the NFL championship with a 24-14 victory over the Giants the result of the NFL adding two more teams in the 1950s a halfback from what was then Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Oklahoma State) was Halas' choice in the 1947 draft The last bonus pick was Rice quarterback King Hill by the Chicago Cardinals in the 1958 draft Here was a recent post of mine on the 1957 NFL Draft I need your first names and the cities or towns where you live in order to post your questions My mailbox is filled with questions I've saved but can't answer without a hometown Packers fans should be particularly thankful for Thanksgiving "He was just a punk," said Packers cofounder George Calhoun One expert's algorithm leaves it an open question Experts weigh in on probability of a threepeat in a 32-team league compared to yesteryear Billy Howton as a Pro Football Hall of Fame candidate Ex-Bears QB Bobby Douglass threw his last pass as a Packer teammates had him wear cowbells at practice for their own safety When Menasha was the site of the Packers' intrasquad game