Today's News: March 27, 2019

World News
Sixth Birmingham school suspends sex ed lessons on LGBT families amid pressure from parents
RT – A sixth Birmingham primary school has suspended some of its ‘personal, social, health and economic’ (PSHE) lessons after complaints from parents about relationships and sex education (RSE) lessons.
The City Road Primary School has suspended the lessons teaching pupils about “different types of families” following similar decisions by at least five other Birmingham primary schools who halted lessons regarding LGBT relationships following a spate of protests by parents who claim their children are too young for such material.
Principals in the area have called on the government to intervene after new guidance was issued calling on schools to teach pupils about LGBT families as part of an initiative to promote respect and tolerance.
The Inspire Education Community Trust, which runs the City Road primary school, wrote a letter to concerned parents announcing they would postpone introduction of “some aspects of the curriculum” until the next academic year.
“School leaders shouldn’t have to be brave to deliver these subjects in their schools, or have to put their personal safety and wellbeing at risk,” Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said in a press release.
France Deploys Drones to Monitor English Channel Migrants
Breitbart – The French government, in cooperation with the UK, has launched a number of airborne drones to monitor potential illegal immigration in the English Channel.
The planned deployment was announced by the prefect of the Pas-de-Calais region in January, and according to a press release this week, the drones are now ready to be used, La Voix du Nord reports.
“Eight gendarmes undertook drone pilot training, from March 11th to the 22nd,” the press release said and added that six drone pilots from Pas-de-Calais, alongside another two, would be able to support on-the-ground patrols as well as helicopters and vessels at sea to spot potential illegal migrants.
All Options On Table When It Comes to Getting Russia Out of Venezuela – Trump
Sputnik – Earlier in the week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said during a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that the US would not stand by with respect to Russia’s actions in Venezuela.
Luxembourg court delivers setback to 9/11 families’ Iran claims
Reuters – A Luxembourg court refused on Wednesday to enforce a U.S. ruling that would have helped families of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks claim Iranian assets held with a Luxembourg-based clearing house.
Theresa May to resign before next phase of Brexit
The Guardian – Theresa May has promised Tory MPs she will step down as prime minister before the next phase of Brexit negotiations in a bid to get Eurosceptics to back her withdrawal deal.
The prime minister said she would make way for another Conservative leader, after listening to the demands of MPs for a new leadership team
U.S. News, Politics & Government
Nolte: Barbara Bush Blamed Trump for Her ‘Heart Attack’
Breitbart – Today’s fake news is that the late Barbara Bush blamed President Trump for a heart attack that wasn’t really a heart attack, but because facts no longer matter to our fake news media, that’s the headline.
The matriarch of the Bush dynasty, the wife of one president (George H.W. Bush, who died in November of last year) and the mother of another (George W. Bush), passed away in April of last year at the age of 92 after a years-long fight with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Nevertheless, in June of 2016, Trump gave her a heart attack — sorry, I mean, a “heart attack.”
Trump Uses Executive Order To Demand Study On Electromagnetic Weapons Risks
SHFT Plan – President Donald Trump signed an executive order demanding a study be done on the risks of electromagnetic weapons. An electromagnetic pulse could disable the entire power grid in the United States using in an extreme SHTF situation for a vast majority of people.
According to Bloomberg, Trump wants increased awareness in both the private and public sectors of the dangers of such a weapon’s deployment. The president wants all people to increase their planning for an EMP, whether it’s produced by a bomb or a cosmic event, administration officials said in a conference call. The officials had also said the order was driven by concern about the general risks of an EMP, not a specific threat.
The White House confirmed that the president has signed the executive order titled Coordinating National Resilience to Electromagnetic Pulse. “This executive order advances increased resilience to Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) events by directing better data gathering, testing, and private-sector coordination to implement protective measures,” the announcement said, according to WND. “President Trump will always do what it takes to keep Americans safe. Today’s executive order – the first ever to establish a comprehensive policy to improve resilience to EMPs – is one more example of how the administration is keeping its promise to always be vigilant against present dangers and future threats,” the White House said
Have You Ever Been “Gaslight-ed”?
Inspire to Change – Gaslighting is so terrible because most times, you don’t even realize what’s going on.
After the 1938 Patrick Hamilton play, Gas Light, the term gaslighting came into global use [1]. The play depicts victimization through false information and psychological manipulation. The intent is always to make the victim doubt their own memory and perception. It portrays a man who uses psychological deceit to convince his wife that she has gone crazy, all in a bid to cover his criminal tracks.
A proper definition has gaslighting to mean, “A form of psychological manipulation that seeks to sow seeds of doubt in a targeted individual or in members of a targeted group, making them question their own memory, perception, and sanity [2].”
Gaslighting deals with psychological manipulation so strong that a person begins to doubt the reality and truth he knows.
People in positions of power, authority, and respect will always find it easy to manipulate others. Most people who refuse to walk away from abusive relationships can be described as being gaslighted sometimes. They feel they’re the problem, and they are always quick to forgive their partners for lashing out.
Jussie Smollett Charges Dropped; ‘His Record Has Been Wiped Clean’
CBS – Less than two weeks after “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly lying to police about a hate crime, prosecutors have dropped charges in the case.
“I would not be my mothers son if I was capable of doing what I was accused of,” Smollett said after prosecutors dropped all the charges. “I’d like nothing more than to just get back to work and move on with my life, but make no mistakes I will always continue to fight for the justice, equality, and betterment of marginalized people everywhere.”
Republicans block U.S. Senate Democrats’ move on making Mueller report public
Reuters – U.S. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell on Monday blocked a second attempt by Democrats to pass a measure aimed at prodding the Justice Department to release to the public Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Papadopoulos: Lawyers Are Requesting Pardon — ‘I Would Honorably Accept’
Breitbart News
Breitbart – During Wednesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “New Day,” President Donald Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos revealed his lawyers are requesting a pardon to clear up some of “disinformation and misunderstanding” about him after he was sentenced to 14 days in prison for pleading guilty to one count of making false statements to the FBI.
“There’s been so much disinformation and misunderstanding about who George Papadopoulos is, how he actually fits into [FBI special counsel] Robert Mueller’s investigation in the proper context and what he was doing for the Trump campaign and Trump transition team,” Papadopoulos explained.
He added, “I am simply getting the facts out there for the public to consume, for the media to consume and then for them to articulate something completely different than has been said about me for the past two years. And, based on that, my lawyers believe, as they are the ones who formally submitted the application, that there’s a basis for a pardon.”
Papadopoulos said if he were to be offered a pardon that he would “honorably accept it.”
Economy & Business
Trade Deficit Fell 15% as China Tariffs Took Hold
Breitbart – The U.S. trade deficit fell by nearly 15 percent in January as higher tariffs held back imports from China and the price of oil fell.
The deficit in goods and services dropped to $51.1 billion from a revised $59.9 billion in December, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. That was the narrowest trade gap in five months and smaller than the $57.3 billion economists expected.
The trade deficits in goods with China fell to $33.2 billion as imports from the nation plunged 12.3 percent.
Report: Google Will Fund Local News Outlets with McClatchy
Breitbart – Google is reportedly launching a project with McClatchy that will fund local news outlets in an effort to combat the decline of local news. The tech titan claims it will have no editorial control over the outlets.
According to Axios, the Local Experiments Project will “fund dozens of new local news websites around the country and eventually around the world,” however Google claims it will “have no editorial control over the sites.” Google is partnering in the effort with McClatchy, a publisher that owns 29 daily newspapers around the country.
“Big tech companies like Google and Facebook are often blamed for the demise of the local news business model. Now, both are trying to fix the broken local news ecosystem for the sake of their audiences, which they say crave more local news,” Axios reported, adding that a “partnership between Google and McClatchy” will “launch three new, digital-only local news operations on multiple platforms.”
Democrats introduce bill to rein in Trump on tariffs
The Hill – Senate Democrats are moving to try to rein in President Trump‘s tariff authority, marking the latest sign of pushback on Capitol Hill over the administration’s trade policies.
Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) are introducing legislation on Wednesday that would require Congress to vote to approve tariff’s implemented for national security reasons, known as Section 232 of the trade laws.
Under the bill, obtained by The Hill ahead of its release, a president could implement tariffs for national security reasons but Congress would have to vote within 120 days to continue them or the financial penalties would sunset. A resolution approving the tariffs would need to win over a simple majority of both chambers.
“What we’ve seen from the Trump Administration is an abuse of that power. … This bill will protect the American economy by ensuring Congress reclaims its oversight of trade decisions,” Kaine said in a statement.
Carper added that the legislation was needed after Congress has “slowly but surely ceded” their authority “allowing presidents to take steps that impact American consumers without consulting Congress.”
The president used Section 232 to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, including slapping the financial penalties on key trading allies like the European Union, Canada and Mexico.
Science & Technology
Researchers develop high-energy magnesium batteries that can store more energy
NaturalNews – recent breakthrough in magnesium-based energy storage technology promised to make the tried-and-tested design much more competitive with lithium-ion systems. The updated battery achieved its vast increase in storage capacity and energy discharge by using an organic electrode alongside chloride-free electrolytes.
High-energy magnesium batteries derived from the new design can be used in all kinds of roles. They could be fitted aboard increasing numbers of electric cars, planes, and boats to provide power to engines and electrical system. Or they could store excess electricity produced by renewable energy sources for later distribution to the power grid.
It was the very first magnesium battery designed to use this combination of organic-based electrical conductor and a reduced number of electrolytes. Researchers at the University of Houston (UH) decided to dispense with the common use of chloride to store and transport electric charges.
Facebook And YouTube Sued And Face Threat Of Jail As Microsoft Joins Attack
Fobes – In the wake of Christchurch, demands for stricter regulation of social media took a serious turn on Wednesday, with the threat of jail for execs who don’t effectively police their platforms and even Microsoft President Brad Smith speaking out. “Is there some base level of standards of decency or civilization we are going to ask these networks or platforms to be bound to?” he asked, after discussing events with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern earlier in the week.
Well, is there?
Facebook and its peers have admitted they can’t police or control what is ‘published’ on their platforms. And Monday’s news that Facebook is still allowing Neo-Nazi hatred to be ‘published’ even after Christchurch makes matters worse. This week, a Facebook spokesperson told me that “we want Facebook to be a safe place and we will continue to invest in keeping harm, terrorism, and hate speech off the platform.” Time to find out.
It now seems that lawmakers could make sure that happens before the companies get to back up words with deeds. Australia has become the first country post-Christchurch to threaten to jail social media executives who cannot control their platforms. “If social media companies fail to demonstrate a willingness to immediately institute changes to prevent the use of their platforms,”In the wake of Christchurch, demands for stricter regulation of social media took a serious turn on Wednesday, with the threat of jail for execs who don’t effectively police their platforms and even Microsoft President Brad Smith speaking out. “Is there some base level of standards of decency or civilization we are going to ask these networks or platforms to be bound to?” he asked, after discussing events with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern earlier in the week.
Well, is there?
Facebook and its peers have admitted they can’t police or control what is ‘published’ on their platforms. And Monday’s news that Facebook is still allowing Neo-Nazi hatred to be ‘published’ even after Christchurch makes matters worse. This week, a Facebook spokesperson told me that “we want Facebook to be a safe place and we will continue to invest in keeping harm, terrorism, and hate speech off the platform.” Time to find out.
It now seems that lawmakers could make sure that happens before the companies get to back up words with deeds. Australia has become the first country post-Christchurch to threaten to jail social media executives who cannot control their platforms. “If social media companies fail to demonstrate a willingness to immediately institute changes to prevent the use of their platforms,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday, “like what was filmed and shared by the perpetrators of the terrible offenses in Christchurch, we will take action.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday, “like what was filmed and shared by the perpetrators of the terrible offenses in Christchurch, we will take action.”
Facebook Will Start Banning White Nationalists, Separatists
Variety – Facebook is tightening the rules around content produced by the fringe right: The company is going to ban “praise, support and representation of white nationalism and separatism” on both Facebook and Instagram, it announced Wednesday.
“Going forward, while people will still be able to demonstrate pride in their ethnic heritage, we will not tolerate praise or support for white nationalism and separatism,” the company said in a blog post. Facebook said that it would start enforcing the new rules next week.
The ban on white nationalism comes two weeks after the deadly mass shooting in New Zealand, which had been live streamed on Facebook. While critics initially focused on Facebook’s and its competitors struggles to remove footage shot by the perpetrator of the shooting, a self-declared white supremacist, many have since also asked how the kind of ideology shared by the shooter and his supporters was being allowed on social media in the first place.
Health
Natural compounds in apple peel, berries, red grapes and turmeric can help address prostate cancer, suggests study
NaturalNews – Eating at least one apple a day – including and especially the peel – could keep the threat of prostate cancer away from older men. Along with berries, red grapes, and turmeric, apple peel contains natural compounds that could halt the spread of cancer by killing tumorous cells.
Since the 1960s, many studies have shown that natural compounds like resveratrol can destroy cancerous cells. Foods that contained plenty of these compounds offered a possible way to reduce the size of a tumor without resorting to surgery or chemotherapy.
These compounds were tested on all kinds of cancer, including prostate cancer. One of these many studies was performed by researchers from the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin).
Report: Diapers and Menstrual Pads Laced with Toxic Chemicals
Health Impact News – Presence of endocrine disrupting chemicals in most brands is a major hazard. Action Alert!
A new report highlighted by Environmental Health News demonstrates that most diapers and menstrual pads contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and phthalates, endangering millions of babies and seniors who may be absorbing these chemicals through the genitalia. Congress and the FDA must take action to protect these populations.
The study came about as a result of an investigation and class action lawsuit in South Korea after thousands of women claimed that new sanitary pads were causing menstrual problems and irregularities. The scientists tested a handful of diaper and menstrual pad brands for the presence of VOCs and phthalates, though they don’t name the brands.
The study’s authors concluded, “The physical location of the exposure site, the high absorption rate of the genitalia for chemicals, and the long-term exposure period demand a thorough investigation on the potential impact of the exposure to VOCs and phthalates.”
All four brands of diapers and all eleven brands of menstrual pads tested positive for at least two phthalates. Two brands of menstrual pads contained VOCs, along with all four diaper brands.
The levels of these chemicals in the different brands varied drastically. There was a 6,000-fold difference in levels of VOCs, and a 130-fold difference in the levels of phthalates found in the various brands. So some brands are clearly better than others—though it’s a shame we don’t know which were the worst offenders.
Exposure to VOCs can cause headaches, dizziness, visual problems, and memory problems in the short term, but long-term impacts include damage to the liver, kidneys, and the central nervous system, asthma, brain impairment, and cancer.
Phthalates—common plasticizers used in toys and other products—come with a similarly long list of risks: they’ve been linked with asthma, ADHD, breast cancer, obesity, type II diabetes, low IQ, neurodevelopmental issues, behavioral issues, and altered reproductive development. A recent study found that children exposed to phthalates before birth and shortly after had reduced lung function at 6 and 12 years old.
Aging adults are also at risk. Sales of adult diapers are skyrocketing as the baby boomer generation ages. In Japan, more adult diapers are sold than baby diapers. Aside from the previously mentioned risks, some scientists think that Alzheimer’s is in part caused by exposure to environmental contaminants, including phthalates.
These results are shocking and outrageous. Women begin using menstrual pads at the start of puberty until menopause—almost four decades—every month. This is prolonged, chronic exposure to these dangerous chemicals at an area of the body that is particularly vulnerable to absorption. Babies wear diapers every day for the first few years of life. Senior citizens may wear adult diapers for years.
Nor are these the only feminine products that pose a risk. Tampons have been found to contain dioxin, a toxic chemical used to bleach the products white. Tampons and other feminine care products are often made from cotton, which is typically genetically engineered and soaked in pesticides, or rayon, which is made from wood pulp and then bleached. Again, the highly permeable nature of the vaginal wall means that these toxins are likely getting absorbed with each use over a prolonged period of time.
This Study Just Linked A Chemical In Sunscreen To Birth Defects
Mind Body Green – You may remember the last time oxybenzone, a UV trapper used in 70 percent of sunscreen, was in the news: It was last summer, and Hawaii announced it would ban the compound by 2021 due to its toxicity to coral reefs. And now, new research has emerged on the oxybenzone’s potential threat to humans too, particularly pregnant women.
According to a study published today in Reproductive Toxicology, it may increase the risk for a birth defect called Hirschsprung’s disease (HSCR), a condition that affects the colon and leads to bowel obstruction in newborns. A rare disorder that requires surgery to treat, its underlying cause has stumped physicians for years. This is the first study to link it to oxybenzone exposure.
Researchers tested a group of 423 Chinese patients and their mothers; 101 had been diagnosed with HSCR, 103 required surgery for other digestive disorders, and 219 were otherwise healthy. Their data shows that there was a positive association between women who had medium to high levels of oxybenzone in urine and children who had HSCR.
This isn’t the first time oxybenzone has been under fire in the health world: It’s previously been linked to hormone disruption and increased risk of endometriosis.
Since oxybenzone is small enough to pass through the skin and placenta barriers, the study’s authors, and a handful of others in the medical community, are calling for pregnant women to avoid it altogether.
“Oxybenzone and other soluble petroleum-based sunscreen filters permeate human skin and will contaminate even the unborn, representing a major exposure to hormone disrupters for all of us,” Denis Dudley, M.D., an OB/GYN, said in response to the study. The authors of this study also advise women who are trying to get pregnant to avoid the chemical since it can stay in the body for weeks after exposure.
Last month, the FDA announced it would review a dozen chemicals in sunscreen, oxybenzone included, to determine whether stricter regulations or bans on them are necessary. So the jury is still out on whether they’ll confirm that the compound is in fact harmful to our health. If you want to avoid oxybenzone the next time you head out in the sun just in case, it’s easy enough to do: Look for sunscreens that use titanium oxide or zinc oxide instead.