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Election Month Ruling By Supreme Court Regrettable
FAIRFAX, Virginia, June 29 [Category: Government/Public Administration] -- Americans for Limited Government posted the following statement:
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Election Month Ruling By Supreme Court Regrettable
Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano today issued the following statement on the Supreme Court's ruling in Watson v. Republican National Committee :
"In an apparent bid to avert Democrats' threatened Supreme Court packing scheme, Republican-appointed justices John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett have apparently opted to just give Democrats everything they want including
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FAIRFAX, Virginia, June 29 [Category: Government/Public Administration] -- Americans for Limited Government posted the following statement:
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Election Month Ruling By Supreme Court Regrettable
Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano today issued the following statement on the Supreme Court's ruling in Watson v. Republican National Committee :
"In an apparent bid to avert Democrats' threatened Supreme Court packing scheme, Republican-appointed justices John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett have apparently opted to just give Democrats everything they want includingan election month voting where ballots are counted no matter how late they arrive after Election Day. Arguing there is no prohibition against late ballots, the nation's highest court has effectively made Election Day a dead letter. Now, the only resort for the American people who want to restore same-day voting is for Congress to pass another statute to clarify what federal law has already stated for more than a century was 'the day for the election...' This ruling is regrettable and will prove Stalin's maxim that it is not those who vote, but those who count the ballots that decide everything."
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View ruling here: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-1260_g3cn.pdf
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Original text here: https://getliberty.org/2026/06/election-month-ruling-by-supreme-court-regrettable/
FRC's Tony Perkins on Lindsey Graham's Passing: He Embodied Moral Courage
WASHINGTON, July 12 [Category: Sociological] -- The Family Research Council issued the following news release:
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FRC's Tony Perkins on Lindsey Graham's Passing: He Embodied Moral Courage
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July 12, 2026
CONTACT: J.P. Duffy or Alice Chao, (866) FRC-NEWS or (866)-372-6397
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released the following statement regarding the passing of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) last night:
"Lindsey Graham was a true leader. Lindsey did the hard, often unseen work of accomplishing what has lasting value.
"Lindsey Graham was not
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WASHINGTON, July 12 [Category: Sociological] -- The Family Research Council issued the following news release:
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FRC's Tony Perkins on Lindsey Graham's Passing: He Embodied Moral Courage
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July 12, 2026
CONTACT: J.P. Duffy or Alice Chao, (866) FRC-NEWS or (866)-372-6397
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released the following statement regarding the passing of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) last night:
"Lindsey Graham was a true leader. Lindsey did the hard, often unseen work of accomplishing what has lasting value.
"Lindsey Graham was notjust a vote; he was a voice, a voice for the defenseless. He used his influence to advance the cause of life. When others grew quiet, Lindsey stepped forward and gave his colleagues a way to speak - clearly, courageously, and compassionately about the dignity of every human life.
"He was also a consistent advocate for persecuted Christians around the world, those who suffer simply because they refuse to deny their faith.
"He saw the global landscape the way a chess master sees the board, thinking several moves ahead. He remained steady, because he knew what is at stake-not just for us, but for our children and grandchildren. That is moral courage. And that same conviction was seen in his steadfast support for the State of Israel.
"He used his voice, and his influence, not for himself, but to protect and advance faith, family, and freedom. Lindsey Graham delivered on all three.
"I offer my deepest condolences -and my deepest gratitude -to the Graham family. America could use more leaders like Lindsey Graham who embodied moral courage: doing what is right for others, even when it may cost you personally," concluded Perkins.
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Original text here: https://www.frc.org/newsroom/frcs-tony-perkins-on-lindsey-grahams-passing-he-embodied-moral-courage
Triple Trouble: Geopolitics, Illicit Economies, and the Risks of the "War Against Narco-Terrorism" in the Colombia-Ecuador-Peru Tri-Border
OAKLAND, California, July 11 [Category: Environment] (TNSrpt) -- Amazon Watch, an organization that says it protects the rainforest and advances the rights of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin, issued the following news release:
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Triple Trouble: Geopolitics, Illicit Economies, and the Risks of the "War Against Narco-Terrorism" in the Colombia-Ecuador-Peru Tri-Border
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A new report by Amazon Watch and Amazon Underworld documents how U.S.-backed militarization, expanding criminal economies, and incoming right-wing governments are converging in one of the most volatile regions of the
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OAKLAND, California, July 11 [Category: Environment] (TNSrpt) -- Amazon Watch, an organization that says it protects the rainforest and advances the rights of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin, issued the following news release:
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Triple Trouble: Geopolitics, Illicit Economies, and the Risks of the "War Against Narco-Terrorism" in the Colombia-Ecuador-Peru Tri-Border
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A new report by Amazon Watch and Amazon Underworld documents how U.S.-backed militarization, expanding criminal economies, and incoming right-wing governments are converging in one of the most volatile regions of theAmazon. Indigenous and Amazonian communities are bearing the disproportionate cost - caught between armed group control and government violence.
Lima, Peru - A new investigation by Amazon Watch and Amazon Underworld reveals how organized crime, U.S.-led militarization, and extractive expansion are converging in the Colombia-Ecuador-Peru tri-border region, with Indigenous peoples and Amazonian communities caught in the middle.
Triple Trouble: Geopolitics, illicit economies, and the risks of the "war against narco-terrorism" in the Colombia-Ecuador-Peru tri-border draws on four recent field trips, interviews with government officials, community leaders, and researchers, and a review of security documents and journalistic materials. It documents how the United States has deepened its military involvement through the Shield of the Americas initiative and the designation of criminal groups in all three countries as foreign terrorist organizations.
A hardline political realignment is sweeping the region. The rise to power of Abelardo De la Espriella in Colombia and Keiko Fujimori in Peru, joining Daniel Noboa in Ecuador, is cementing 'mano dura,' or 'iron fist,' policies as the dominant response to armed groups and illicit economies, in close alignment with the United States' Shield of Americas initiative.
Gold displaces cocaine as the dominant criminal economy
The report documents a structural shift in the tri-border region's illicit economy. Illegal gold mining has emerged as the primary revenue stream for armed groups, reshaping territorial control, environmental destruction, and community dynamics across all three countries. As one community leader from the Napo-Orellana area in Ecuador told researchers: "The strong [economy] now is illegal mining, because even in Colombia there is not much talk of coca anymore, as they are not buying, there is no commercialization of it."
Comandos de la Frontera (CDF), the most influential armed group in the region, has moved from providing security to mining operations to directly controlling production and commercialization. In June 2026, CDF issued warnings that no one could buy gold locally without the group's prior approval, while also setting prices for approved buyers. Mercury from illegal gold mining has spread across major waterways - including the Putumayo, Napo, Caqueta, and Nanay rivers - causing neurological disorders, skin conditions, and cognitive impairment in affected Amazonian communities.
Bram Ebus, Co-Director of Amazon Underworld said:
"With a shift in the region's geopolitical landscape, the risk of militarized security responses is increasing - responses that tend to fail without a comprehensive government strategy. If community security is not prioritized, there will be no real solution to the current crisis of criminal governance."
Raphael Hoetmer, Western Amazon Program Director at Amazon Watch added:
"The consolidation of organized crime across the Colombia-Ecuador-Peru tri-border region is one of the most urgent threats facing the Amazon today. Indigenous communities are being caught between armed groups and state security operations, yet they are also the region's strongest line of defense. Lasting security will only be possible if governments invest in Indigenous-led community protection, strengthen local sustainable economies, and recognize Indigenous peoples as essential partners - not bystanders - in confronting organized crime."
Indigenous communities caught between armed groups and government security forces
Armed groups have imposed codes of conduct on Indigenous and Amazonian communities, ordered lockdowns and movement restrictions, required residents to carry group-issued identity cards, and inserted themselves into internal decision-making.
Government forces have also committed serious abuses. In June 2026, an operation in Shuar communities of Taruka and Etsa in Ecuador's Cascales canton killed three Shuar men, with community members disputing the military's account. In January 2024, Indigenous guards from the Kichwa community of San Jose de Wisuya were arbitrarily arrested without evidence, legal justification, or access to counsel.
A regional inflection point
The report concludes that criminal dynamics, militarization, and state violence could harden into open armed conflict involving three countries, or the region could become a testing ground for trinational cooperation that prioritizes community wellbeing. It calls for de-escalation and a regional agenda of conflict mitigation and peacebuilding, placing community safeguards and environmental protection at its centre.
Among its ten recommendations, the report calls on governments and international institutions to:
* Mandate joint financial investigations targeting cross-border illegal gold flows, including mercury trading networks and equipment supply chains
* Maintain peace negotiations with the CDF with necessary adjustments, including a cross-border monitoring arrangement involving the UN Verification Mission
* Condition crop substitution funding on maintaining existing agreements and expanding coverage to communities involved in gold mining
* Ensure international security cooperation frameworks - including the Shield of the Americas - include binding human rights safeguards and exclude foreign military deployments from Indigenous and civilian-populated border areas, in accordance with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
* Fund and formalize Indigenous territorial monitoring networks as a front-line security and early-warning layer
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REPORT: https://amazonwatch.org/assets/files/2026-triple-trouble.pdf
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Original text here: https://amazonwatch.org/news/2026/0709-triple-trouble-geopolitics-illicit-economies-and-the-risks-of-the-war-against-narco-terrorism-in-the-colombia-ecuador-peru-tri-border
Northwell Experts Warn Children are Extra Vulnerable to Burns From TikTok Challenge
NEW HYDE PARK, New York, July 11 -- Northwell Health issued the following news release:
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Northwell experts warn children are extra vulnerable to burns from TikTok challenge
The dangerous "NeeDoh" challenge involves microwaving gel fidget toys, which explode and cause severe, lasting burns to children's skin
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This TikTok trend is sending children to emergency departments across the nation, and one Long Island fire official is sounding the alarm after a spate of nationwide incidents resulted in burns - including one close to home.
The social media challenge asks users to microwave gel-filled
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NEW HYDE PARK, New York, July 11 -- Northwell Health issued the following news release:
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Northwell experts warn children are extra vulnerable to burns from TikTok challenge
The dangerous "NeeDoh" challenge involves microwaving gel fidget toys, which explode and cause severe, lasting burns to children's skin
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This TikTok trend is sending children to emergency departments across the nation, and one Long Island fire official is sounding the alarm after a spate of nationwide incidents resulted in burns - including one close to home.
The social media challenge asks users to microwave gel-filledfidget toys known as NeeDohs. While the company warns against exposing squish toys to extreme temperatures, several people have been burned after the gel exploded when heated in the microwave.
Two Nassau County girls, aged 4 and 8, were burned when their toy exploded, and they needed to be rushed to the hospital on July 2, Nassau Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro told media.
Two Northwell Health physicians weighed in on the dangerous TikTok trend.
Adam Berman, MD, associate chair of emergency medicine at Northwell's Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, spoke with CBS's Jennifer McLogan. "Burns, especially with growing children, can be devastating, can cause permanent visual issues, airway issues, and trouble swallowing and breathing," said Berman. "Something that should seem harmless, but, really, these toys are not intended to be used in this way."
Michael Cooper, MD, director of trauma and surgery for the burn unit at Northwell's Staten Island University Hospital, told the NY Post's Patrice Peck that children are especially vulnerable to burns because their skin is thinner and more delicate. "Even a brief contact with a hot substance can cause significant tissue damage," said Cooper.
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Original text here: https://www.northwell.edu/news/the-latest/northwell-experts-warn-children-vulnerable-burn-challenge-tiktok
[Category: Health Care]
K-9's Hot Car Death Prompts PETA Plea to Junction City Police: Replace Dogs With Technology
NORFOLK, Virginia, July 11 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release:
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K-9's Hot Car Death Prompts PETA Plea to Junction City Police: Replace Dogs With Technology
Junction City, Kan. - Following the death of Vethos, a K-9 who died after he was reportedly left unattended in a hot patrol vehicle on Monday, PETA sent a letter today to Junction City Police Chief Kirt Nichols, urging him to help protect other dogs by phasing out the use of K-9s. In the letter, PETA encourages the department to prevent future tragedies by replacing K-9s with state-of-the-art
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NORFOLK, Virginia, July 11 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release:
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K-9's Hot Car Death Prompts PETA Plea to Junction City Police: Replace Dogs With Technology
Junction City, Kan. - Following the death of Vethos, a K-9 who died after he was reportedly left unattended in a hot patrol vehicle on Monday, PETA sent a letter today to Junction City Police Chief Kirt Nichols, urging him to help protect other dogs by phasing out the use of K-9s. In the letter, PETA encourages the department to prevent future tragedies by replacing K-9s with state-of-the-artpolicing technology, such as tactical robots, drones, and portable mass spectrometers.
According to the Junction City Police Department, Vethos, a Belgian Malinois, was found unresponsive in a patrol vehicle, and preliminary findings indicate he died of heat exposure. According to weather reports, the temperature in Junction City reached about 90 degrees on Monday, which means the vehicle's interior could have reached 109 degrees in just 10 minutes. His death is being investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and Vethos's handler is on administrative leave pending the outcome.
"Vethos surely panicked as he couldn't escape the heat and his organs shut down," says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. "K-9s deaths skyrocket every summer as dogs are left in hot cars and subjected to situations considered far too dangerous for human officers, and PETA is urging the Junction City Police Department to phase out its K-9 program and adopt innovative technology that helps police, protects the community, and keeps dogs safe."
Vethos's death is part of an ongoing epidemic affecting K-9s: Hot patrol cars are among the top causes of death for dogs used by police departments; many sustain fatal injuries in the field, and some even suffer abuse from their own handlers. PETA is calling on law enforcement agencies nationwide to end these preventable tragedies by retiring K-9 programs in favor of advanced technology.
PETA--whose motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to abuse in any way"--points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
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PETA's letter to Nichols follows.
July 10, 2026
Kirt Nichols
Chief of Police
Via e-mail
Dear Chief Nichols:
I hope this message finds you well. I'm writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) regarding the tragic death of K-9 Vethos in a hot patrol vehicle. Please accept our condolences during this difficult time.
We understand that his death is currently under investigation, and we hope that your agency will take all warranted internal disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. We strongly recommend implementing and enforcing standard operating procedures that prevent animals from being left unattended in vehicles. Given that no technology or procedure is guaranteed to protect dogs, we also urge you to phase out the use of dogs altogether.
Will you please plan now to use state-of-the-art technology, such as tactical robots, drones, or portable mass spectrometers, which enhance safety and operational efficiency without risking anyone's life, once your current K-9s have been retired? Your department may be able to secure grant funding for new technology through the Kansas Governor's Grants Program, the DOJ Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. You might also find private or equipment-specific grant funding opportunities through PoliceGrantsHelp.com.
Thank you for your consideration and for all that you do to keep your community safe.
Most respectfully,
Allison Fandl
Manager of Special Projects
Cruelty Investigations Department | PETA
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Original text here: https://www.peta.org/media/news-releases/k-9s-hot-car-death-prompts-peta-plea-to-junction-city-police-replace-dogs-with-technology/
[Category: Animals]
COVID Vaccine in Early Pregnancy Led to Higher Rates of Two Birth Defects
FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, July 11 -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following news:
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COVID Vaccine in Early Pregnancy Led to Higher Rates of Two Birth Defects
A new study from Iran found that two rare birth defects -- atrioventricular septal defects and cleft palate -- occurred more often in infants whose mothers received an aluminum-containing COVID-19 vaccine during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy compared with mothers who received the vaccine later or not
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FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, July 11 -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following news:
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COVID Vaccine in Early Pregnancy Led to Higher Rates of Two Birth Defects
A new study from Iran found that two rare birth defects -- atrioventricular septal defects and cleft palate -- occurred more often in infants whose mothers received an aluminum-containing COVID-19 vaccine during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy compared with mothers who received the vaccine later or notat all.
by Brenda Baletti, Ph.D.
A new study from Iran found that two rare birth defects -- atrioventricular septal defects (AVSD) and cleft palate -- occurred more often in infants whose mothers received a COVID-19 vaccine during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy compared with mothers who received the vaccine later or not at all.
Unlike studies conducted in the U.S. and Europe, none of the women in the Iranian study received mRNA vaccines -- however, all of the COVID-19 vaccines available in Iran contain 0.25-0.50 milligrams of aluminum adjuvant, Children's Health Defense Senior Research Scientist Karl Jablonowski told The Defender.
Shots containing aluminum are not typically recommended for pregnant women in their first trimester, Jablonowski said.
Participants in the new study received either inactivated-virus or viral-vector COVID-19 vaccines. Researchers anonymized the specific vaccine brands "due to ethical and regulatory constraints."
Other Iranian studies indicate that China's Covilo, also known as Sinopharm, is the most commonly administered COVID-19 vaccine in Iran. That shot, Coviran Barkat, and the India-produced Covaxin were available in Iran at the time of the study.
The study, published last month in Sage Open Medicine, analyzed 1,352 pregnancies from two Iranian cities between 2022 and 2023.
Researchers compared three groups: 303 women who received no COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy, 262 women who received at least one dose between conception and 11 weeks, 6 days of gestation -- the window when fetal organs form -- and 787 women vaccinated after the first trimester.
The authors said they were motivated by a gap in the research: COVID-19 vaccination is widely recommended for pregnant women worldwide, yet few studies have examined the link between early-pregnancy vaccination and birth defects.
"Research assessing whether these vaccines could influence embryonic development is crucial," they wrote.
The authors cautioned that their findings are preliminary, based on small numbers of cases, and do not establish that vaccination caused the birth defects.
Jablonowski agreed that the study can't establish causation but said it offers a starting point.
"It can generate hypotheses, and with this study, we've been handed a really good argument to start generating hypotheses," particularly about vaccines that contain aluminum adjuvants.
Birth defects rare, but more common among women vaccinated in first trimester
Researchers evaluated birth defects detected during routine prenatal ultrasound examinations performed between 18 and 20 weeks of pregnancy between 2022 and 2023 among women in two major Iranian cities.
Demographic and pregnancy characteristics were relatively balanced across the groups, as were previous COVID-19 infection rates.
Although birth defects were uncommon overall, the researchers found that women vaccinated during the first trimester had babies who had them at higher rates.
Among the findings:
* Six cases of AVSD, a congenital heart defect, occurred in the first trimester, compared with none in the unvaccinated group and one in the group of women who received the vaccine after the first trimester.
* Two cases of cleft palate occurred among women vaccinated before 12 weeks, compared with no cases in either comparison group.
The study did not capture spontaneous abortions occurring before routine ultrasound screening, or pregnancies terminated before anomaly scans, the authors said.
Authors caution against drawing causal conclusions, but call for further research
The researchers noted that other studies, including a large observational cohort study using data from the U.S. Vaccine Safety Datalink, had found no meaningful increase -- 1.02 times the risk -- for birth defects among women vaccinated in the first trimester versus those vaccinated later.
Although the Iranian study found statistically significant differences in AVSD and cleft palate rates, the authors repeatedly described their work as exploratory.
"Our descriptive analysis found slightly higher frequencies of atrioventricular septal defects (AVSD) and cleft palate in women vaccinated inside the teratogenic window," they wrote, adding that "given the limited event counts and descriptive design, causal inference cannot be drawn."
Still, they wrote, the results "underscore the importance of continued surveillance and pooled data analyses to investigate rare congenital outcomes." Larger studies with more early-pregnancy exposures are needed to determine whether the differences are real or due to chance, they said.
Jablonowski said the findings raise a narrower question for future research: the effects of aluminum-adjuvanted vaccines specifically in early pregnancy.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the Sinopharm vaccine for pregnant women, even though the agency acknowledged at the time that the data were "insufficient to assess either vaccine efficacy or vaccine-associated risks in pregnancy."
The WHO said the vaccine's inactivated-virus design and common adjuvant meant it was expected to be safe and effective for pregnant and breastfeeding women, and did not recommend pregnancy testing before vaccination.
Jablonowski said it's uncommon in the U.S. and much of the world to give pregnant women aluminum-adjuvanted vaccines in the first trimester.
The Tdap vaccine, which contains an aluminum adjuvant, is not typically given until 27 to 36 weeks of gestation. The flu vaccine is recommended at any point during pregnancy but contains no aluminum.
The only women typically advised to get an aluminum-adjuvanted vaccine in the first trimester are those at risk of hepatitis B -- "and even that should give most providers pause," Jablonowski said.
The study's data showed a significant association between aluminum exposure and an increase in septal defects, a subset of AVSD, Jablonowski said, adding that the findings raise questions about administering aluminum-adjuvanted vaccines early in pregnancy that warrant further research.
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Brenda Baletti, Ph.D., is a senior reporter for The Defender. She wrote and taught about capitalism and politics for 10 years in the writing program at Duke University. She holds a Ph.D. in human geography from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master's from the University of Texas at Austin.
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Original text here: https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/covid-vaccine-early-pregnancy-higher-rates-two-birth-defects/
[Category: Health Care]
Agudath Israel New York Legislative Meet and Greet Affirms Strength and Resolve Amidst Rising Antisemitism
NEW YORK, July 11 -- Agudath Israel of America, an arm and voice of American Orthodox Jewry, issued the following news:
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Agudath Israel New York Legislative Meet and Greet Affirms Strength and Resolve Amidst Rising Antisemitism
Agudath Israel of America welcomed more than 200 community leaders, activists, elected officials, and government representatives to its New York Legislative Meet and Greet on Tuesday evening, reaffirming the organization's commitment to advocacy and the enduring strength of New York's Orthodox Jewish community.
Against the backdrop of the New York City skyline,
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, July 11 -- Agudath Israel of America, an arm and voice of American Orthodox Jewry, issued the following news:
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Agudath Israel New York Legislative Meet and Greet Affirms Strength and Resolve Amidst Rising Antisemitism
Agudath Israel of America welcomed more than 200 community leaders, activists, elected officials, and government representatives to its New York Legislative Meet and Greet on Tuesday evening, reaffirming the organization's commitment to advocacy and the enduring strength of New York's Orthodox Jewish community.
Against the backdrop of the New York City skyline,and against the backdrop of rising antisemitism both in New York and around the world, the evening carried a message of resilience and determination.
Setting the tone in his opening remarks, Agudath Israel board member Chaskel Bennett declared, "We are not going anywhere."
He continued, "We will stand up for ourselves. We will stand up for our community. We will stand up for the Jewish people and for our Jewish identity. We will do so with grace, dignity, courage, and confidence. We will never be intimidated into silence, and we will never apologize for who we are or for standing up for what is right."
Mr. Sol Werdiger, Agudath Israel's Chairman of the Board highlighted Agudath Israel's role as a national advocacy organization, including its efforts across 13 states and its continued work with government leaders in Albany, New York City Hall, Washington, D.C., and beyond. He pointed to recent advocacy successes, including New York Governor Kathy Hochul's intention to opt into the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program, which will provide new opportunities to support students and families across the state.
During the program, Agudath Israel presented a mezuzah to New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin in recognition of her steadfast friendship and unwavering support of the Jewish community, particularly her leadership in advancing initiatives to help keep Jewish New Yorkers safe.
Speaker Menin addressed the alarming rise in antisemitism and reflected on her personal connection to the issue as the daughter and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, reaffirming her commitment to standing with the Jewish community.
New York City Comptroller Mark Levine was also honored with a mezuzah in appreciation of his many years of friendship and consistent support for the Jewish community. In his remarks, Comptroller Levine praised the Jewish community's enduring contributions to New York City and echoed the evening's central theme.
"We are not going anywhere," he said. "We are part of the past of this city. We are part of the present of this city. We will be a part of the future of this city."
Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D NY-9) also addressed attendees, reaffirming her commitment to combating antisemitism and protecting Jewish communities.
"I am resolute that bigotry, violence, discrimination, and any prejudices toward the Jewish communities of America and our world will never be tolerated, never be accepted, and I will continue to fight to ensure that Jewish families and communities are respected and protected," she said.
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Original text here: https://agudah.org/agudath-israel-new-york-legislative-meet-and-greet-affirms-strength-and-resolve-amidst-rising-antisemitism
[Category: Religion]
