Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Supreme Court Declines AFPI Parental Rights Case -- But the Fight Isn't Over
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 -- America First Policies issued the following news release on Oct. 14, 2025:
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Supreme Court Declines AFPI Parental Rights Case -- But the Fight Isn't Over
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) today responded to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision not to hear Lee v. Poudre School District R-1, a critical case involving parental rights in public education.
The case centers on two Colorado families whose sixth-grade daughters were encouraged to attend a school-sponsored Genders and Sexualities Alliance meeting. According to court records, a teacher distributed transgender
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 -- America First Policies issued the following news release on Oct. 14, 2025:
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Supreme Court Declines AFPI Parental Rights Case -- But the Fight Isn't Over
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) today responded to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision not to hear Lee v. Poudre School District R-1, a critical case involving parental rights in public education.
The case centers on two Colorado families whose sixth-grade daughters were encouraged to attend a school-sponsored Genders and Sexualities Alliance meeting. According to court records, a teacher distributed transgenderflags, urged students to "come out," and told them not to inform their parents. Both families later withdrew their children from the school, citing emotional distress and loss of trust.
Although the Court declined to take up the case, AFPI remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting the rights of families and exposing the growing trend of ideological overreach in schools.
"We're disappointed the Court didn't take this case--but our mission doesn't end here," said Gina D'Andrea, Interim General Counsel at AFPI. "Schools should never be allowed to introduce complex, identity-shaping ideas in secret. And we will continue holding them accountable."
In a statement accompanying the denial, Justice Alito noted that public school policies such as the one in this case are "troubling" and "tragic" and "underscore the great and growing national importance" of the parental rights question.
"Every parent deserves the right to know what their child is being taught," D'Andrea added, "We won't stop fighting until that right is honored in every classroom in America."
AFPI continues to support the families at the center of this case and will continue the fight to ensure no school system is allowed to unfairly promote a harmful ideological agenda without being held accountable.
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Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/supreme-court-declines-afpi-parental-rights-case-but-the-fight-isnt-over
[Category: Political]
Portage Canal Re-listed in the National Register of Historic Places
PORTAGE, Wisconsin, Oct. 15 -- The Wisconsin Historical Society issued the following news release:
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Portage Canal Re-listed in the National Register of Historic Places
The Wisconsin Historical Society announces the additional documentation for the Portage Canal in the National Register of Historic Places on September 24, 2025 at the statewide level of significance. The Portage Canal extends from Portage, Columbia County along the Fox River.
The Portage Canal was originally listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 as a statewide example of transportation. Additional documentation
... Show Full Article
PORTAGE, Wisconsin, Oct. 15 -- The Wisconsin Historical Society issued the following news release:
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Portage Canal Re-listed in the National Register of Historic Places
The Wisconsin Historical Society announces the additional documentation for the Portage Canal in the National Register of Historic Places on September 24, 2025 at the statewide level of significance. The Portage Canal extends from Portage, Columbia County along the Fox River.
The Portage Canal was originally listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 as a statewide example of transportation. Additional documentationwas accepted at the National Park Service to relist the canal at the statewide level of significance because the old nomination had limited information about the property and its history, and research revealed it is also a statewide example of engineering. The additional documentation provides a better understanding of canals in the state and how innovative the design was for its time.
The Portage Canal location derives from the old Portage trail, which was used by Native Americans, French fur traders and British soldiers. The importance of the portage between the Wisconsin and Fox rivers was recorded in the late seventeenth century. Shortly thereafter followed the early years of Euro-American settlement, which identified the need for a canal. The Portage Canal was planned to be one of Wisconsin's major water routes, connecting the American West to the eastern markets and population centers. State, private, and federal agencies developed the waterway in the nineteenth century to construct a transportation corridor connecting the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River. Planning for and constructing the canal was a large undertaking. Planning efforts began in the 1920s, and in 1835, it opened for canoe navigation. The canal was an integral part of the Fox Waterway that was utilized by steam barges from 1851 and operated until 1951, when it was decommissioned.
Additional information for the Portage Canal is available at:
https://wisconsinhistory.org/Records/NationalRegister/NR2826
To learn more about the State and National Register programs in Wisconsin, visit: https://wisconsinhistory.org/hp/register/
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About the Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit wisconsinhistory.org.
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Original text here: https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS17413
Plaintiffs Seek Emergency Actions to Protect Imperiled Columbia Basin Salmon
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Oct. 15 [Category: Environment] -- Earthjustice posted the following news release on Oct. 14, 2025:
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Plaintiffs Seek Emergency Actions to Protect Imperiled Columbia Basin Salmon
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Seattle, WA -- Conservation, fishing, and clean energy groups represented by Earthjustice filed a preliminary injunction request today with a federal court in Oregon seeking emergency measures to protect endangered salmon and steelhead from harms caused by lower Snake and Columbia River dam operations. The State of Oregon filed a similar request today, while the Nez Perce Tribe and
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SAN FRANCISCO, California, Oct. 15 [Category: Environment] -- Earthjustice posted the following news release on Oct. 14, 2025:
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Plaintiffs Seek Emergency Actions to Protect Imperiled Columbia Basin Salmon
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Seattle, WA -- Conservation, fishing, and clean energy groups represented by Earthjustice filed a preliminary injunction request today with a federal court in Oregon seeking emergency measures to protect endangered salmon and steelhead from harms caused by lower Snake and Columbia River dam operations. The State of Oregon filed a similar request today, while the Nez Perce Tribe andthe State of Washington plan to file soon as amici parties (friends of the court) in support of the requested relief.
The requested operational changes are science-based measures recommended by state and tribal fishery managers that change operations of the current Columbia Basin hydropower system to improve salmon survival as they migrate past dams and reservoirs in the Columbia and Snake Rivers. These changes include increased "spill," which allows juvenile fish to pass over the dams instead of through lethal turbines, and lowered reservoir elevations, which decreases the time salmon spend migrating through stagnant, overheated waters.
The groups and Oregon are also requesting a set of emergency conservation measures for some of the most imperiled populations that are on the brink of collapse. These include removing passage barriers slowing the migration of Tucannon River spring Chinook, a population that is rapidly approaching extinction, as well as increasing federal efforts to control predators like invasive walleye and some birds that prey on salmon and steelhead.
The return to court became necessary after the Trump administration in June unilaterally and abruptly ended the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement. That historic agreement, signed in December 2023, committed federal agencies to begin implementing a long-term plan to restore imperiled native fisheries to healthy abundance while investing $1 billion over a decade in the region. Those investments were aimed at improving fish habitat, building new sources of reliable and affordable clean energy, modernizing regional infrastructure and planning for the eventual removal of dams on the lower Snake River that continue to thwart salmon and steelhead recovery.
"When the Trump administration reneged on this carefully negotiated agreement -- and offered no alternative plan to restore imperiled salmon and steelhead -- we had no option but to resume our longstanding litigation to protect endangered salmon," said Earthjustice Attorney Amanda Goodin. "The motion we filed today requests the court to order federal agencies to take the most important, immediate, and reasonable steps that are possible within the Columbia Basin's current hydropower operating system to ensure our Northwest salmon don't go extinct."
"Fish biologists say Snake River salmon are running out of time. Oregon, Washington, and four Tribes came up with a good plan to save them, but the federal government threw it out, so returning to court is the best tool we have left to prevent the collapse of these imperiled fish populations," said Mike Leahy, senior director of wildlife, hunting and fishing policy for the National Wildlife Federation. "Salmon are central to the people, wildlife, and ecosystem of the Northwest, and they are a national treasure. The federal government should be helping the Tribes and the states restore Snake River salmon for the generations to come."
"The wild salmon and steelhead of the Columbia Basin that are essential to Tribal cultures and our Northwest heritage are in dire straits," said Club Snake/Columbia River Salmon Campaign Director Bill Arthur. "The Columbia Basin Agreement that provided a path to recovery was terminated by the Trump administration in June with support from some short-sighted power and agricultural interests. The stagnant, hot water reservoirs created by the dams on the lower Snake River continue to drive these fish toward extinction. Because there is no longer an effective plan in place to prevent extinction, we must return to court to secure badly needed improvements to hydropower operations to protect these iconic runs. We can and must do more to avoid extinction and restore healthy salmon runs while making investments to assure reliable energy."
"For those paying attention, the science and reality that Columbia and Snake River salmon and steelhead populations face is abundantly clear," said Idaho Rivers United Conservation Director Nick Kunath. "They are headed for extinction. It is past time to provide immediate and decisive actions that these iconic keystone species so desperately need and overwhelmingly deserve and that are reflected in the relief that we are seeking. It's time we listen to the advice that fisheries managers and scientists have been sharing for decades before it's too late."
"The spiraling declines of wild Snake River salmon and steelhead strangle most all fisheries from Canada back to the Snake Basin, especially in river sport and Tribal fisheries," said Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association Policy Director Liz Hamilton. "The requested emergency measures will benefit the baby salmon leaving the river next year and provide hope for those whose livelihoods and culture depend on their success. These measures help keep fish in the game while we continue our work with others in the region on a comprehensive solution."
"The Trump administration's decision to abandon the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement without any alternative plan is a serious setback for salmon, orcas, Tribes, and communities across the Northwest," said Idaho Conservation League Salmon Program Senior Associate Abbie Abramovich. "Walking away from it pushes already fragile salmon populations closer to extinction and continues a troubling legacy of the federal government not upholding promises to Tribes. We must do everything we can in the meantime to avoid detrimental setbacks for fish while investing in solutions for the region."
"The Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement represented a win-win for salmon and clean energy," said NW Energy Coalition Regional and State Policy Director Zachariah Baker. "With the administration's withdrawal from the agreement, immediate action is needed to support salmon recovery while the region continues to collaborate on the comprehensive, strategic solutions envisioned in the agreement, including how to ensure abundant, affordable, and reliable clean energy across the Northwest."
Background
Earthjustice has represented conservation, fishing, and renewable energy groups, who have fought alongside the Nez Perce Tribe, other Columbia Basin Tribes, and the State of Oregon, in successful court battles for more than 30 years to protect threatened and endangered salmon in the Columbia River Basin. These groups are the National Wildlife Federation, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations, Institute for Fisheries Resources, Sierra Club, Idaho Rivers United, Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association, NW Energy Coalition, Columbia Riverkeeper, Idaho Conservation League and Fly Fishers International, Inc.
The changes requested to hydropower operations in today's preliminary injunction request would affect the following lower Snake and lower Columbia River dams: Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose, Lower Granite, Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day, and McNary.
Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead, particularly those that return to the Snake River to spawn, persist at dangerously low abundance and many continue to decline toward extinction. Of the 16 salmon and steelhead stocks that historically return to spawn above Bonneville Dam, four are extinct, and seven more are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as endangered or threatened, including all that return to the Snake River. For most of these ESA-listed salmon species, by far the largest threat in their freshwater life stage is the harm caused by federal dams. These dams kill and harm salmon as they attempt to migrate past each dam and by transforming the river into a series of slack water, warm reservoirs.
The Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement, which stemmed from mediation efforts with the federal government, was based on a comprehensive salmon recovery plan developed by the states of Washington and Oregon and four lower Columbia River Treaty Tribes -- the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Nez Perce Tribe, and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon. That plan is called the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative ; the states and tribes have stated they remain committed to the plan, despite the Trump administration reneging on the agreement that was intended to begin implementing and funding it.
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Original text here: https://earthjustice.org/press/2025/plaintiffs-seek-emergency-actions-to-protect-imperiled-columbia-basin-salmon
LIBRE Launches Countdown to America's 250th Anniversary With 7-Figure Investment Prompting Latinos to Protect Our Freedoms
ARLINGTON, Virginia, Oct. 15 -- LIBRE Initiative issued the following news release on Oct. 14, 2025:
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LIBRE Launches Countdown to America's 250th Anniversary with 7-Figure Investment Prompting Latinos to Protect our Freedoms
Today, The LIBRE Initiative (LIBRE), the nation's largest center-right Hispanic grassroots organization committed to empowering the Latino community, kicked off its multiyear celebration of America's 250th anniversary with a new campaign initiative in partnership with Americans for Prosperity called "One Small Step."
The 7-figure initiative aims to educate, inspire,
... Show Full Article
ARLINGTON, Virginia, Oct. 15 -- LIBRE Initiative issued the following news release on Oct. 14, 2025:
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LIBRE Launches Countdown to America's 250th Anniversary with 7-Figure Investment Prompting Latinos to Protect our Freedoms
Today, The LIBRE Initiative (LIBRE), the nation's largest center-right Hispanic grassroots organization committed to empowering the Latino community, kicked off its multiyear celebration of America's 250th anniversary with a new campaign initiative in partnership with Americans for Prosperity called "One Small Step."
The 7-figure initiative aims to educate, inspire,and mobilize Americans to advance our founding principles that expand freedom and opportunity for all. This new campaign initiative is part of LIBRE's ongoing celebration of Hispanic Heritage and encourages the Latino community to take 'one small step' to protect those principles by joining LIBRE to take action.
Since its launch in July, LIBRE's Quiero ser LIBRE campaign has engaged millions of Latinos to embrace America's founding principles, including natural rights, individual liberty, and limited government. Now, the One Small Step initiative builds on the momentum, inviting every Latino to take a simple action that protects our democracy and moves us closer to the American Dream.
America's 250th anniversary in 2026 is a historic moment to reflect on our shared past and present commitment to freedom. Through ongoing outreach, education, and grassroots action, LIBRE aims to ensure that Latinos continue to play a leading role in shaping America's legacy of freedom. The One Small Step initiative includes nationwide events in LIBRE's state chapters, paid media efforts, civics classes hosted by The LIBRE Institute and many more exciting activities and events will be announced throughout the year.
Latinos have been part of the American story since our nation took its first breath. Today, LIBRE continues that legacy by empowering the next generation of Latinos to uphold those same ideals. The newly released video, "LIBRE Voices, Lasting Impact," highlights the efforts of Latinos in their fight for freedom alongside fellow patriots since the beginning.
"Make no mistake: Latinos will continue to shape America's future," said LIBRE's Founding President, Daniel Garza."As we have seen in recent years, a growing number of Latinos are rejecting victimhood and identity politics and embracing hard work, the rule of law, and equality of opportunity, rather than equality of outcome.
But we know that considerable work remains, which is why our efforts are geared toward helping the U.S. Latino community know that America's principles, anchored by freedom, limited government, and consent of the governed, are the pillars of our country's success and indispensable for its future.We couldn't be more excited about this campaign and look forward to educating, mobilizing, and activating Latinos around this historic milestone in our country's relatively young history."
Watch Video "LIBRE Voices, Lasting Impact" here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gURfPvDoLO0). To learn more about LIBRE's campaign visit: YoQuieroSerLIBRE.org
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Original text here: https://thelibreinitiative.com/press-releases/libre-launches-countdown-to-americas-250th-anniversary-with-7-figure-investment-prompting-latinos-to-protect-our-freedoms/
[Category: Sociological]
Environmental Working Group: Newsom's Veto of PFAS Ban for Cookware, Other Products Puts Millions of Californians at Risk
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 -- The Environmental Working Group issued the following news release:
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Newsom's veto of PFAS ban for cookware, other products puts millions of Californians at risk
SACRAMENTO - Gov. Gavin Newsom's veto of Senate Bill 682, which would have banned the "forever chemicals" known as PFAS from consumer products, is a deeply disappointing setback for health and environmental protection in California, the Environmental Working Group says.
By rejecting this commonsense legislation, the governor is siding with chemical industry interests over the safety of California families.
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 -- The Environmental Working Group issued the following news release:
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Newsom's veto of PFAS ban for cookware, other products puts millions of Californians at risk
SACRAMENTO - Gov. Gavin Newsom's veto of Senate Bill 682, which would have banned the "forever chemicals" known as PFAS from consumer products, is a deeply disappointing setback for health and environmental protection in California, the Environmental Working Group says.
By rejecting this commonsense legislation, the governor is siding with chemical industry interests over the safety of California families.And this veto will ultimately shift the costs of cleaning up PFAS contamination of tap water to consumers, rather than ending a source of PFAS pollution.
SB 682, authored by Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), would have banned toxic PFAS from cookware, cleaning products, dental floss and other everyday household items. These harmful substances are linked to cancer, immune system harm, reproductive and developmental problems, and reduced vaccine effectiveness.
"Californians deserve protection from toxic PFAS in the products they use to cook, clean and care for their families," said Susan Little, EWG's California Legislative Director. "Instead, the governor's veto leaves consumers unnecessarily exposed to these dangerous chemicals - and paying dearly for their clean up - for years to come."
While other states like Colorado, Connecticut and Minnesota have already banned PFAS in consumer products, including cookware, California now falls behind, said Little. And the veto ignores calls from EWG and many other groups urging enactment of the bill. Support for the measure included many public health and environmental advocacy organizations, some celebrity chefs and California local government, water and sanitation agencies.
"This veto is a major step backward for California's leadership in protecting people and the planet from toxic PFAS," said Little. "These chemicals have no place in everyday items like cookware. Millions of Americans safely cook without them since non-PFAS pots and pans are available, cook well and are affordable.
"Gov. Newsom had the opportunity to protect millions of Californians from toxic 'forever chemicals' and he chose not to," she added.
PFAS contamination in drinking water is one of the most widespread and dangerous routes of exposure. Industrial discharges, landfills, and everyday products like cookware and cleaning supplies contribute to persistent water contamination across California. Removing these chemicals requires expensive treatment technologies that water utilities must install, with costs ultimately passed on to consumers.
"By allowing PFAS to remain in everyday products, Gov. Newsom's veto perpetuates a cycle where international corporations profit while families are exposed at home and left footing the bill to remove these chemicals from their tap water," Little said.
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The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.
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Original text here: https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news-release/2025/10/newsoms-veto-pfas-ban-cookware-other-products-puts-millions
[Category: Environment]
Consumer Reports Calls on FDA to Set Strict Limits on Lead in Protein Powders
YONKERS, New York, Oct. 15 -- Consumer Reports posted the following news release on Oct. 14, 2025:
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Consumer Reports calls on FDA to set strict limits on lead in protein powders
CR investigation finds two-thirds of protein powders and shakes tested contained high levels of lead in a single serving
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Consumer Reports urged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today to establish strict limits on lead in popular protein powders and shakes in light of its new investigation that found troubling levels of toxic heavy metals in the samples it tested. CR recently analyzed 23 protein powders
... Show Full Article
YONKERS, New York, Oct. 15 -- Consumer Reports posted the following news release on Oct. 14, 2025:
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Consumer Reports calls on FDA to set strict limits on lead in protein powders
CR investigation finds two-thirds of protein powders and shakes tested contained high levels of lead in a single serving
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Consumer Reports urged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today to establish strict limits on lead in popular protein powders and shakes in light of its new investigation that found troubling levels of toxic heavy metals in the samples it tested. CR recently analyzed 23 protein powdersand shakes and found that more than two-thirds of the products contained more lead in a single serving than what its experts say is safe to consume in a day - some by more than ten times.
"Protein powders and shakes have become immensely popular and are part of a daily routine for many people who are focused on consuming more protein in their diet," said Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, which launched a petition today calling on the FDA to take action once the government shutdown is over. "Our tests found that toxic heavy metal contamination in protein supplements is widespread and has worsened since we first analyzed these products 15 years ago."
Ronholm continued, "No one should have to worry that their protein shake could expose them to dangerous levels of lead. It's time for the FDA to protect the public and hold industry accountable by setting strong limits on lead in protein powders and shakes."
Unlike prescription and over-the-counter drugs, the FDA doesn't review, approve, or test supplements like protein powders before they are sold. Federal regulations also don't generally require supplement makers to prove their products are safe, and there are no federal limits for the amount of heavy metals they can contain.
No amount of lead exposure is considered safe, but the greatest danger comes from repeated or continuous exposure, particularly at high doses. Children and pregnant people are most vulnerable because lead can damage the developing brain and nervous system, which has the potential to cause neurological issues, learning delays, and behavioral problems. Chronic lead exposure has been linked to immune suppression, reproductive problems, kidney damage, and high blood pressure in adults. Since lead lingers in the body, even small amounts can add up over time and contribute to health risks.
CR tested a range of best-selling dairy, beef, and plant-based protein supplements, including protein powders and ready-to-drink protein shakes. About 70 percent of the products tested contained over 120 percent of CR's level of concern for lead, which is 0.5 micrograms per day.
Two plant-based protein powders contained enough lead that CR's experts advise not to consume them. Naked Nutrition's Mass Gainer powder contained 7.7 micrograms of lead per serving, which is roughly 1,570 percent of CR's level of concern for the heavy metal. One serving of Huel's Black Edition powder contained 6.3 micrograms of lead, or about 1,290 percent of CR's daily lead limit.
Two other powders contained lead between 400 and 600 percent of CR's level of concern. Garden of Life's Sport Organic Plant-Based Protein and Momentous' 100% Plant Protein. CR's experts advise users to limit consumption to once a week.
The lead levels in plant-based products were, on average, nine times the amount found in those made with dairy-based proteins, like whey, and twice as great as beef-based ones. Dairy-based protein powders and shakes generally had the lowest amounts of lead, but half of the products CR tested still had high enough levels of contamination that its experts advise against daily use.
"There's no reason to panic if you've been taking any of the products we tested, since many of these protein powders are fine to use occasionally and none of them will cause immediate harm," said Tunde Akinleye, the CR food safety researcher who led the testing project. "But regular users of protein supplements should consider reducing their consumption."
Two other products exceed CR's level of concern for cadmium, classified as a probable human carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency. One serving of Huel's Black Edition plant-based protein powder contained 9.2 micrograms of cadmium, more than double the level that public health authorities and CR experts say may be harmful, which is 4.1 micrograms. Vega's Premium Sport brand powder had enough cadmium that one serving would also put you just over that level.
CR detected 8.5 micrograms of inorganic arsenic, a known human carcinogen according to the EPA, in a single serving of Optimum Nutrition's Serious Mass whey protein powder, which is twice the limit its scientists say is safe to consume daily.
For a more detailed explanation of CR's findings, company responses, and tips for consumers on avoiding harmful exposure to lead in protein supplements, see Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead.
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Original text here: https://advocacy.consumerreports.org/press_release/consumer-reports-investigation-finds-two-thirds-of-protein-powders-and-shakes-tested-contained-high-levels-of-lead-in-a-single-serving/
[Category: Business]
B'nai B'rith Welcomes Home Living Hostages Held by Hamas
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 -- B'nai B'rith International issued the following news release on Oct. 13, 2025:
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B'nai B'rith Welcomes Home Living Hostages Held by Hamas
Urges Vigilance in Ensuring Terms of Peace Deal Are Upheld
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B'nai B'rith President Robert Spitzer and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:
B'nai B'rith International welcomes with profound relief and emotion the long-awaited return of 20 living hostages kidnapped and held by Hamas for two agonizing years.
A moment of immense joy mixed with deep sorrow
Their freedom is a moment of immense joy mixed with
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 -- B'nai B'rith International issued the following news release on Oct. 13, 2025:
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B'nai B'rith Welcomes Home Living Hostages Held by Hamas
Urges Vigilance in Ensuring Terms of Peace Deal Are Upheld
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B'nai B'rith President Robert Spitzer and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:
B'nai B'rith International welcomes with profound relief and emotion the long-awaited return of 20 living hostages kidnapped and held by Hamas for two agonizing years.
A moment of immense joy mixed with deep sorrow
Their freedom is a moment of immense joy mixed withdeep sorrow--joy for the hostages for surviving to return home and joy for the families finally reunited. Yet profound sorrow for the trauma endured by those who suffered so greatly in captivity and by the loved ones of those who will never return. We offer our deepest condolences to the families of those hostages killed by Hamas. And we await the return of the 28 remains of those killed by Hamas and held these last two years.
For two long years, these human beings were held in horrific conditions, often with little outcry from the international community. Their courage and endurance are a testament to the human spirit and to the unbreakable resilience of the Jewish people and the State of Israel.
Concerned about Hamas' commitment to Peace
As we welcome this moment of light after so much darkness, we remain deeply concerned about Hamas' commitment to abide by the full terms of a peace agreement. History has shown that Hamas' words too often mask continued violence and deception. The world must not turn away now--it must hold Hamas fully accountable, for the physical and mental condition of the freed hostages and for the two years of war unleashed by Hamas after its barbaric attack against Israel. The international community must ensure that peace is more than just a promise on paper.
Solidarity with Israel
B'nai B'rith stands in solidarity with Israel and the global Jewish community, united in grief and relieved these souls have finally returned homes, even as we await the return of the final 28 who had been held captive.
We also express our gratitude to President Donald Trump and all of the negotiators for getting us to this moment.
We remain committed to working for a future where no family must again endure such pain.
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Original text here: https://www.bnaibrith.org/welcomes-home-living-hostages-held-by-hamas/
[Category: Religion]
