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Fact-checking Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address

Fact-checking Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address

President Donald Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address in history Tuesday night, touting his administration’s economic policies and immigration enforcement, while condemning Democrats and the previous administration.

Trump also made a series of exaggerated, misleading and false claims throughout the course of the evening on topics ranging from the economy to crime to elections.

Here’s what the president got right — and wrong — in his address.

Did Trump lift millions off food stamps?

“We have lifted 2.4 million Americans — a record — off of food stamps,” Trump said.

Verdict

This needs context.

Analysis

Nearly 42 million Americans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, informally known as food stamps.

Around 2.4 million people are expected to lose eligibility for the program because of new work requirements passed in Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, according to the Center on Budget Policy and Priorities, a nonpartisan think tank.

But the timeline for making sure that people meet those requirements varies by state, so some of the cuts haven’t happened yet. And there is no proposed federal program to supplement the loss of food assistance.

Under the new work requirements, adults ages 55 to 64 and parents whose youngest children are at least 14 years old must document 80 hours per month of work, education or volunteering to maintain SNAP benefits. Without such documentation, they are eligible for food stamps for only three months within a three-year period. The law also gets rid of exemptions for veterans and people experiencing homelessness.

Did the ‘Warrior Dividend’ money come from tariffs?

“Every service member recently received a Warrior Dividend of $1,776. They put it on my desk. We got the money from tariffs and other things. A lot of money we have,” Trump said.

Verdict

The claim that “Warrior Dividend” payments came from tariffs is false.

Analysis

According to a Pentagon release in December, the money to pay 1.28 million active-duty service members and 174,000 reserve members $1,776 each came from a supplemental housing fund that Congress appropriated as part of Trump’s massive domestic spending bill last summer.

The funds were delivered to recipients “as a nontaxable supplement to their regular monthly housing allowance,” the internal Pentagon News Service reported in December.

As part of the announcement, Jules W. Hurst III, the acting comptroller for the Defense Department, said at the time, “We are grateful to President Trump, Chairman [Roger] Wicker, Chairman [Mike] Rogers and the other members of Congress who have made this Warrior Dividend possible through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”

Trump says there’s almost ‘no crime anymore’ in D.C.

“[W]e have almost no crime anymore in Washington, D.C. How did that happen? In fact, crime in Washington is now at the lowest level ever recorded, and murders in D.C. this January were down close to 100% from a year ago,” Trump said.

Verdict

This is exaggerated.

Analysis

Crime in Washington has fallen in all but one category in 2026 so far, according to data published by the Metropolitan Police Department. (Assault with a dangerous weapon is the only category that has increased in 2026.) That data also showed declines in 2025 from 2024 in all violent crime and property crime categories.

But it is not accurate to say there is “almost no crime” in Washington.

Since Jan. 1, there have been nine homicides, 126 assaults with a dangerous weapon and 322 motor vehicle thefts in the city. Year-to-date, homicides are down 67%.

Trump claims other presidents failed to lower drug prices

“I am also ending the wildly inflated cost of prescription drugs. Other presidents tried to do it, but they never could. They didn’t even come close,” Trump said.

Verdict

This is false.

Analysis

In 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, capping insulin at $35 a month for people on Medicare, placing a $2,000 annual cap on out-of-pocket drug costs for people on Medicare and, for the first time, allowing Medicare to negotiate the prices of some of its most expensive medications. On Jan. 1, the first negotiated prices took effect, including for the blockbuster blood thinner Eliquis and the cancer drug Imbruvica. After the law capped insulin costs for Medicare patients, drugmakers also extended $35 monthly caps to privately insured patients.

By contrast, Trump has stuck voluntary deals with at least 16 drugmakers in exchange for tariff relief. He launched the self-pay platform TrumpRx, which so far offers cash prices on 43 medications. Most of those deals, however, don’t change what people with private insurance or Medicare pay at the pharmacy counter. Medicaid patients already tend to pay little or nothing for prescriptions. And many of the drugs listed on TrumpRx have generic versions that cost less than the advertised prices.

Was inflation at record levels when Trump assumed office?

“The Biden administration and its allies in Congress gave us the worst inflation in history of our country. But in 12 months, my administration has driven core inflation down to the lowest level in more than five years, and in the last three months of 2025 it was down to 1.7%,” Trump said.

Verdict

This is false.

Analysis

Inflation is not typically measured in just three-month periods. The consumer-price index, the most cited inflation metric, includes food and energy. While energy prices have been dropping, food prices have been on the rise over the last year.

On an annual basis, inflation when Trump took office was 2.9%, which is not a record high level.

Inflation fell as low as 2.3% in April before it spiked again after his sweeping worldwide tariffs were introduced.

Recent record inflation was experienced in 2022 when it hit 8.9%. The highest inflation ever experienced happened in the 1980s, when it reached as high as around 14%.

Trump said more Americans are working now than ever before

“More Americans are working today than at any time in the history of our country.” Trump said.

Verdict

This is true.

Analysis

The statement is correct, though the labor market’s rate of growth has slowed sharply since Trump took office, and 2025 was the worst year for job creation since 2020. Excluding recessions, 2025 was actually the worst year for job creation since 2003.

A total of 584,000 jobs were created last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s down significantly from more than 2 million in both 2024 and 2023. In 2022, as the economy bounced back from the pandemic, more than 4.5 million jobs were created. The pace of job creation is also slower than it was in each of the first three years of Trump’s first term.

President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address on Tuesday, touting his administration’s policies on immigration and trade.

Did Trump secure $18 trillion in investments in U.S.?

“I secured commitments for more than $18 trillion, pouring in from all over the globe,” Trump said.

Verdict

This is false.

Analysis

While a number of companies, such as tech firms, semiconductor companies and pharmaceutical manufacturers, have made public commitments to invest in the U.S., many of those commitments are either only slight increases from previous announcements or in line with previous plans. In addition, the commitments and investments the White House touted on its own website total $9.7 trillion.

A review of the White House list also found the $9.7 trillion figure to be misleading. More than $2.5 trillion of that is not investments, Bloomberg Economics found in November. About $3.5 trillion of that comes from opaque sovereign pledges, and another $3.5 trillion is corporate investments. Of those corporate investments, $2.9 trillion is planned for data centers.

“More than $250 billion of the White House pledges were announced or planned before Trump retook office in January,” Bloomberg Economics researchers also found.

Many of the commitments are also over the long term and are likely to be subject to change. For example, it recently took drugmaker Fujifilm Biotechnologies five years to open one factory in North Carolina.

Did Trump eliminate taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security?

“We held strong, and with the Great Big Beautiful Bill, we gave you no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no tax on Social Security for our great seniors,” Trump said.

Verdict

This needs context.

Analysis

It’s true that Trump cut taxes for seniors and hourly workers with the bill he signed into law last year, but he didn’t eliminate all the taxes he mentioned here. Some workers can now deduct overtime and tips, though there are income caps and maximum deduction limits. While some seniors may pay less in tax thanks to a new deduction, Social Security income is still taxed.

Trump says the murder rate is the lowest it’s been in 125 years

“Last year, the murder rate saw its single largest decline in recorded history. This is the biggest decline, think of it, in recorded history, the lowest number in over 125 years,” Trump said.

Verdict

This is true.

Analysis

This is true, according to an analysis of crime data published last month by the Council on Criminal Justice, an independent, nonpartisan group.

The group’s January analysis predicted that “when nationwide data for jurisdictions of all sizes is reported by the FBI later this year, there is a strong possibility” that the homicide level “would be the lowest rate ever recorded in law enforcement or public health data going back to 1900, and would mark the largest single-year percentage drop in the homicide rate on record.”

However, it’s important to note that crime did not suddenly begin falling when Trump returned to office in January 2025; it has been declining gradually for years. Several years of national data show that crime has consistently been falling in cities and towns across the U.S.

Trump says the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ was the largest tax cut in history

“Last year, I urged this Congress to begin the mission by passing the largest tax cut in American history, and our Republican majority delivered so beautifully,” Trump said.

Verdict

This is false.

Analysis

Trump is referring in this statement to his “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which he signed into law in July. The law cut taxes for many people and businesses while also significantly cutting an array of federal programs.

Trump’s claim that the law represents the largest tax cut in American history, however, is false. While the cuts are significant, they are the sixth largest in American history, according to a November analysis published by the nonpartisan Tax Foundation.

Trump says 70,000 new construction jobs have been added

“We have added 70,000 new construction jobs in just a very short period of time,” Trump said.

Verdict

This is exaggerated.

Analysis

From January 2025 to January 2026, 44,000 construction jobs were added, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, far fewer than the 70,000 Trump touted.

Did Biden allow millions of migrants, including murderers, into the U.S.?

“They poured in by the millions and millions — from prisons, from mental institutions. There were murders — 11,888 murders. They came into our country. You allowed that to happen,” Trump said, in reference to Biden.

Verdict

This needs context.

Analysis

It’s true that 10 million people entered the U.S. illegally under the Biden administration, but there’s no evidence that millions of migrants were coming from prisons and mental institutions, as Trump claims.

As for the claim about 11,888 murders, there are more than 13,000 convicted murderers without legal status who are not in ICE custody, but that figure can’t be blamed exclusively on Biden. It’s not clear when those migrants arrived in the U.S. — they could have entered at any point over the last four decades or even earlier, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The 13,000 number also includes noncitizens in state and federal prisons.

Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota shouted in dissent at President Trump as he urged the House to prohibit sanctuary cities.

Trump claims $19 billion in fraud committed in Minnesota

“When it comes to the corruption that is plundering, it really is plundering, America, there’s been no more stunning example than Minnesota, where members of the Somali community have pillaged an estimated $19 billion dollars from the American taxpayer. We have all the information, and in actuality, the number is much higher than that,” Trump said.

Verdict

This lacks evidence.

Analysis

The figure far exceeds estimates from the Justice Department, which has so far charged 98 people in Minnesota, 85 of whom are Somali, with $1 billion of fraud. The House Oversight Committee has estimated the fraud “could exceed $9 billion” as investigations continue.

Federal prosecutors, who began investigating the fraud allegations during the Biden administration, have also indicated that the total amount of federal taxpayer money that was misused could be as much as about $9 billion. That number stems from a federal prosecutor’s public statement that estimated that half of the $18 billion in federal funds paid out to 14 programs in the state may have been fraudulent.

Trump says egg and beef prices are declining

“The price of eggs is down 60%,” Trump said. “And even beef, which was very high, is starting to come down significantly.”

Verdict

This needs context.

Analysis

Egg prices came down over the last year — dipping around 48% from January 2025 to January 2026, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Meanwhile, beef prices keep hitting all-time highs — with ground beef reaching a fresh record at $6.75 per pound last month, up nearly 22% from the year before, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Has Trump ended 8 wars?

“I ended eight wars,” Trump said.

Verdict

This is exaggerated.

Analysis

There is no consensus about how many wars or potential wars Trump has ended. And where peace has prevailed, Trump’s impact as a mediator is up for debate.

Trump has claimed credit for ending conflicts between Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, Thailand and Cambodia, Serbia and Kosovo, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and India and Pakistan.

In some cases, fighting has resumed after declarations of peace or ceasefires, including between Thailand and Cambodia and Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. And in other cases, there was no shooting war in the first place, as with Egypt and Ethiopia, but Trump’s envoys sought to defuse tensions that could trigger a conflict over a dam project.

Trump has claimed that in his first term, a U.S.-brokered economic secured peace between Serbia and Kosovo. The two sides have not been in a shooting war since the 1990s, but deep political tensions persist, despite the deal agreed upon during Trump’s first term.

Some of the countries’ leaders have said Trump helped end the fighting, including between Israel and Iran, Thailand and Cambodia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and Pakistan and India. Pakistan has described Trump as having played an instrumental role in ending a war with India. But India’s government has denied that the U.S. played a role in negotiating the ceasefire, saying the fighting ended as a result of direct talks between the two countries.

Israel and regional experts have credited Trump with helping end a 12-day war between Israel and Iran after he ordered airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear sites. Trump is now threatening another U.S. air attack on Iran depending on the outcome of diplomatic talks with Iranian officials Thursday.

Even some of Trump’s critics have praised his role in helping broker a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, though the ceasefire remains fragile.

Will the SAVE America Act get rid of mail voting?

“I’m asking you to approve the SAVE America Act,” Trump said. “It’s very simple. All voters must show voter ID. All voters must show proof of citizenship. No more crooked mail-in ballots, except for illness, disability, military or travel.”

Verdict

Trump’s comments about mail-in ballots are false.

Analysis

The SAVE America Act, which was approved by the House but has not passed the Senate, proposes adding significant new proof of citizenship and voter ID requirements, but it wouldn’t eliminate mail voting.

Trump claims cheating in elections is ‘rampant’

“Cheating is rampant in our elections. It’s rampant,” Trump said.

Verdict

This is false.

Analysis

There is no evidence of widespread fraud in American elections. The conservative Heritage Foundation has collected only dozens of cases of fraud in key swing states amid tens of millions of ballots cast over decades.

Aria Bendix , Dan De Luce, Kayla Steinberg, Julia Ainsley, Berkeley Lovelace Jr. , Steve Kopack and Christina Wilkie contributed.

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivered the Democratic rebuttal to President Trump’s State of the Union address, slamming the White House over cost of living concerns.

Great Job Jane C. Timm and Adam Edelman | NBC News & the Team @ NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth for sharing this story.

Russia’s Eliminationist Rhetoric Against Ukraine: A Collection

Russia’s Eliminationist Rhetoric Against Ukraine: A Collection

  • Russia fights for a “world order” in which there is “no place for frostbitten Nazis, historical lies and genocide [against the Russian people].” (March 17, 2022)
  • Negotiations with Ukraine aim to “fix the neutral status of Ukraine, its demilitarization, the rejection of the use of Nazi ideological laws that were adopted in this country. Well, and a number of positions that the Russian Federation considers to be most important.” (March 26, 2022)
  • “Deep Ukrainianism” is a fictional concept “fueled by anti-Russian poison and an all-consuming lie about its identity, is one big fake. This phenomenon has never happened in history. And it doesn’t exist now.” (April 5, 2022)
  • Ukraine will “suffer its own fate” after having “mentally transformed into the Third Reich, having written down the names of Jews and Nazi henchmen into history books. This is its path, of such Ukraine.” (April 5, 2022)
  • Russia’s “most important goal” is to “change the bloody and full of false myths consciousness of a part of today’s Ukrainians.” (April 5, 2022)
  • “History will put everything in its place and show which side the truth is on. Who became the custodian of true Christian values, protecting them from atheists, bandits, and nationalists.” (April 27, 2022)
  • “Zelensky has no other way to stay in office. If, of course, the position itself remains.” (May 3, 2022)
  • “I am often asked why my Telegram posts are so harsh. The answer is I hate them. They are bastards and geeks. They want death for us, Russia. And as long as I’m alive, I will do everything to make them disappear.” (June 7, 2022)
  • “I saw a message that Ukraine, under Lend-Lease, wants to receive SPG-9 from its overseas owners with payment for delivery in 2 years. Otherwise, next winter it will simply freeze. Just a question. And who said that in two years Ukraine will even exist on the world map?” (June 15, 2022)
  • Putin’s special military operation aims to “protect the citizens of Donbass and to denazify and demilitarize Ukraine. Everything is clear here, and they will be achieved.” (July 9, 2022)
  • “As a result of Western involvement, “Ukraine may lose the remnants of state sovereignty and disappear from the world map” and “Ukrainian criminals will definitely be tried for the atrocities committed against the people of Ukraine and Russia (July 21, 2022)
  • “The Ukrainian state in its current configuration with the Nazi political regime will pose a constant, direct and clear threat to Russia. Therefore, in addition to protecting our people and protecting the borders of the country, the goal of our future actions, in my opinion, should be the complete dismantling of the political regime of Ukraine.” (Oct. 10, 2022)
  • “Here, various cockroaches that have bred in the Kiev insectarium constantly threaten to ‘return the Crimea.’ Well, the goals are clear: to cheer up the tame insects around and show the owner of the insectarium that they are still very capable of running cockroaches for a piece of food. Almost like a cockroach – favorite Janissaries in the play of the famous Kyivian Mikhail Bulgakov ‘Running.’ Therefore, I want to remind them of indisputable facts:
    • “Kiev is the capital of Ancient Russia.
    • “Kyiv is a large Little Russian city within the Russian Empire.
    • “Kyiv is the republican capital of the USSR.
    • “And finally, Kyiv is just a Russian city where people always thought and spoke Russian. To make everything very clear what and how to return…” (Nov. 20, 2022)
  • “Pseudo-Ukrainian rabid mongrels with Russian surnames, choking on their toxic saliva, declare that their enemy is located within the borders of Russia, from the West to Vladivostok. Rabies has no cure.” (Dec. 11, 2022)
  • “The termination of life, or death, of the former state will be accompanied by insane laughter, indecent antics and vile clown antics of the Nazi gang, completely crazy from the abundance of blood and drugs. And the deathly silence of Western doctors, looking with cold contempt at the agony of their own tortured patient…” (Feb. 3, 2023)
  • “It is so important to achieve all the goals of a special military operation. Push the borders of threats to our country as far as possible, even if these are the borders of Poland. Destroy neo-Nazism to the ground. In order not to waste time later on catching the remnants of Bandera gangs in the Little Russian forests. So that the world will find long-awaited peace.” (Feb. 24, 2023)
  • “Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that Ukraine is financially a non-existent country. As soon as funding from the US and Europe ends, the war will end. Well done, boldly and accurately for a European politician. One can only add that as soon as Western funding ends, Ukraine itself will end. She doesn’t need anyone.” (April 14, 2023)
  • “The Kyiv dog continues to bark. Saliva flows down the hairy muzzle so that the owners see his fighting qualities… Do not underestimate even delusional performances. It is also a hysterical manifesto of the Kiev regime in order to consolidate the Nazi elite, maintain the morale of the troops and receive new support from their sponsors. And the answer to it can only be this:
    • Massive destruction of personnel and military equipment used by the Nazi regime during the counteroffensive, with the infliction of the maximum military defeat of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
    • The complete defeat of the enemy and the final overthrow of the Nazi regime in Kiev with its complete demilitarization throughout the Ukraine.
    • The implementation of acts of retribution against key figures of the Nazi regime, regardless of their location and without statute of limitations.” (April 29, 2023)
  • “Our main task is … to inflict a devastating defeat on all enemies – the Ukronazis, the United States, their minions in NATO, including vile Poland, and other Western nits. We must finally return our lands.” (May 1, 2023)
  • “After today’s terrorist attack, there are no options left except for the physical elimination of Zelensky and his cabal. It is not even needed to sign the act of unconditional surrender. Hitler, as you know, did not sign it either.” (May 3, 2023)
  • “Now is the time to say how Ukraine will disappear, as well as what is the risk of renewed conflict in Europe and in the world. This will depend on which path the process of disintegration of this dying state will follow as a result of a lost military conflict. There are two of them. Or the path of relatively slow erosion of Ukrainian statehood with the gradual loss of the remaining elements of state sovereignty. Or the path of its instant collapse with the simultaneous annihilation of all signs of statehood.” (May 25, 2023)
  • “We do not need Ukraine in NATO. In any case, as long as at least a stump of this state is preserved in its current form. Consequently, for Nazi Ukraine, the conflict will be permanent. And the new political regime in Kiev (if it exists at all) will definitely not be asked for in NATO.” (June 16, 2023)
  • “The Ukrainian junta keeps saying that the condition for negotiations is access to some of their 1991 borders. These are the borders of the regions of Russia and once the provinces of the Russian Empire, and not the mythical Ukraine. Ukraine is the Land of Sannikov, founded by Lenin. It didn’t last long and disappeared from the map. There is no such land. Whatever they think in the West and in the occupied Russian city of Kyiv.” (July 2, 2023)
  • “The special military operation will continue with the same goals. One of them: refusal of the Kiev Nazi group from membership in NATO, which we insisted on from the very beginning (which is impossible). This means that this group will have to be eliminated (which is possible and necessary).” (July 11, 2023)
  • “We must not stop until the current inherently terrorist Ukrainian state is completely dismantled. It must be destroyed completely. Or rather, so that not even ashes remain from it. So that this abomination can never, under any circumstances, be reborn… This is the only way — the complete disposal of the state machine of a hostile country and absolute guarantees of loyalty for the future.” (Aug. 19, 2023)
  • “Judging by simple arithmetic, this ‘country’ [of Ukraine] had a mythical past, a sad present and no future… The decay vector is clearly visible. With so many people abandoning their state, the Kyiv regime and its ‘Ukraine’ will soon have nothing to support themselves, let alone fight. Therefore, the most noticeable number in Ukrainian reports will be the number 404. Computer error code: people fled, country not found.” (Aug. 31, 2023)
  • “Today is the Day of reunification of new regions with Russia. A year ago, at referendums, their residents made a fateful decision – to be with their Fatherland. This choice became a symbol not only of the restoration of historical justice, but also of the unity of the Russian people, their colossal will and dedication. The special military operation will continue until the Nazi Kyiv regime is completely destroyed and the original Russian territories are liberated from the enemy. Victory will be ours. And there will be more new regions within Russia.” (Sept. 30, 2023)
  • “We must admit that Odessa, Nikolaev, Kyiv, and practically everything else is not Ukraine at all. After this, there are only three steps before admitting the obvious:
    • Zelensky, who does not go to the polls, is NOT the president, but a usurper.
    • The Ukrainian language is NOT a language, but a surzhik [Ukrainian-Russian pidgin language].
    • Ukraine is NOT a country, but artificially collected territories.” (Nov. 12, 2023)
  • “That’s all. The masks have finally been dropped. The Rada canceled the presidential elections. After all, while there is a war going on until the last Ukrainian, there are no elections, there are Zelensky ones… Hence the hysteria of the cocaine clown with the aim of refusing to elect a president of the still existing country 404. However, every cloud has a silver lining. After all, the bottom line is that such a ‘Ukraine’ will not have a  ‘president,’ nor will such a ‘president’ have a ‘Ukraine.’” (Nov. 23, 2023)
  • “What about negotiations in 2024? Everything is quite obvious.
    • 1. The special operation will continue, its goal will remain the disarmament of Ukrainian troops and the rejection of the current Ukrainian state from the ideology of neo-Nazism.
    • 2. The removal of the ruling Bandera regime is clearly not declared, but the most important and inevitable goal that must and will be achieved.
    • 3. Odessa, Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkov, Nikolaev, Kyiv are Russian cities, like many other temporarily occupied ones. All of them are still marked in yellow-blue on paper maps and on electronic tablets.
    • And so – yes. ‘Negotiations’ are, of course, possible. Russia has never rejected them, unlike the crazy Ukrainian authorities. Such ‘negotiations’ are not limited by time. They can continue until the complete defeat and capitulation of the Bandera troops of the North Atlantic Alliance.” (Dec. 28, 2023)
  • “Why Ukraine is dangerous for its residents: The Existence of Ukraine [is] deadly dangerous for the Ukrainians. And I am referring not only to the current state, the Bandera political regime. I’m talking about any Ukraine. Why? Why? The presence of an independent state in the historical Russian territories will now be a constant reason for the resumption of hostilities. It’s late. Whoever stood at the steering of the cancerous neoplasm under the name of Ukraine, this will not add legitimacy to his rule and the legal viability of the country itself. And, therefore, the probability of a new contraction will remain uncertainly long… that is why the existence of Ukraine [is] fatal for Ukrainians.” (Jan. 17, 2024)
  • “The senior Ukrainian drug addict made an unpretentious propaganda move caused by a failure at the front. Having mercilessly blown the double dose, he signed a decree on territorial claims to Russia on the lands historically populated by Ukrainians. There is nothing to comment, because the Ukrainians are Russians, and Malorossia is part of Russia.” (Jan. 22, 2024)
  • “This is not just an operation to return [to] our official territories and punish the Nazis. It is possible and necessary to go to the land of the existing Ukraine. To Odessa, to Kharkiv, to Dnepropetrovsk, to Nikolaev. To Kiev and beyond. There should be no restrictions in the sense of some recognized borders of the Ukrainian reich.” (Aug. 8, 2024)
  • “This story will not go unpunished for Ukraine. The country will be destroyed, like Sodom and Gomorrah, and the demons will inevitably fall. Moreover, retribution will cover them not in the distant future – after the transition to another world. On the contrary, the punishment will be earthly, cruel, painful and will happen soon. For it is said: “Then Jesus struck them and killed them and hung them on five trees; and they hung on the trees until evening” (Josh. 10:26). And the True Orthodox Church in the former Ukrainian lands will shine in its former glory.” (Aug. 23, 2024)
  • “Western corpse-eaters can continue to pour endless funds into their Kyiv bastards and reap their sad harvest. But the fact remains: the economic foundation of Ukrainian statehood has been undermined. The resource base illegally obtained by Bandera’s creatures at the end of the 20th century has returned to their native country. There is nothing left to parasitize on. The abundant Western aid will soon end for quite prosaic reasons. There is very little of our own left. And then there is only rapid decomposition and inevitable collapse…” (Aug. 30, 2024)
  • “Tomorrow will be three years since the beginning of the special military operation. We had to take this step when the point of no return was finally passed in the confrontation with the so-called collective West. And there was only one way to protect our Motherland and its citizens, to push the enemy away from our borders… 80 years ago, our country defeated fascism. Its vile descendants will not escape retribution. And this retribution will not be in a new Nuremberg. It will be on the battlefield. It is shorter and fairer…. We will not allow a worldwide Apocalypse. We must make the revenge of Nazism on the planet impossible. Burn out its roots with a hot iron. Preserve historical memory and leave a worthy legacy for new generations on Earth.” (Feb. 23, 2025)
  • (Discussing the Ukrainian drone attack on a pumping station of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, referring to Ukraine as an “animal.”) “The bite must prove to the breadwinner that the animal has ceased to be domestic and now poses a danger to the entire barnyard. And even to the owner himself… Now the owner of the aggressive creature will have to check whether the animal suffers from rabies in order to protect his health. As is known, there are two ways to do this. The first is to immediately treat yourself, having received a painful vaccination, six injections from a deadly disease, while simultaneously observing the behavior of the suspicious creature. And the second, most reliable way to prevent the spread of rabies is to quickly euthanize the sick animal for a posthumous study of brain tissue, just in case. Which of them the new US administration will choose, the near future will show.” (Feb. 18, 2025)
  • “During the Bright Easter week, the Kursk region was completely liberated. On the eve of the Great Victory Day, our heroic soldiers continue to crush the enemy in other areas. The Nazi scum must disappear from our land forever!” (April 27, 2025)
  • “The shagreen skin of the Bandera state is shrinking. Disinfection against parasites continues.” (June 8, 2025)
  • “The pinworms from Bankova cannot confirm that the Ukrainian Armed Forces received about 30% of the weapons and military equipment supplied by the Americans. I have already written that these deadly gifts become trophies of various criminals around the world, including international terrorist groups. Finally, this banal truth is beginning to reach the suppliers themselves, who until recently were zealous advocates of helping the parasitic Ukrainian democracy with pork and dwarf tapeworms. And this is only the beginning. If the US continues the audit, they will probably learn many more interesting things. This means that the main intestinal worm with a community of roundworms and other helminths will face an investigation in Congress. In this case, the final outcome for the Kiev parasites will be disastrous. They will inevitably meet their end with the help of antihelminthic therapy.” (June 23, 2025)
  • “The so-called Ukraine in the EU is a danger for our country. There are two ways to stop this danger: a) either the EU itself must realize that it does not need the Kiev quasi-state in principle; b) or, which is certainly preferable, if there is simply no one to join the EU…” (June 25, 2025)
  • “We’re no longer talking about simply lanced suppuration, but about the gas gangrene of the Bandera regime. Therefore, it will have to self-amputate and cut off the rotting part of its body. Otherwise, the entire deformed KKK organism will inevitably perish. However, if the amputation proves insufficient, the putrefactive decomposition will continue – and then the death of the Kyiv neo-Nazi regime is inevitable. However, that’s where it deserves to be…” (November 19, 2025)

Great Job Clara Apt & the Team @ Just Security for sharing this story.

In State of the Union address, Trump used women to prove his point

In State of the Union address, Trump used women to prove his point

Published

2026-02-24 22:38

10:38

February 24, 2026

pm

America/Chicago

As President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech sought to boost his economic message amid a turbulent season of high prices and unemployment, he primarily highlighted women and girls as beneficiaries of policy successes in his almost two-hour address.

Nearly every example of his policy wins was accompanied by reference to a woman, either hypothetical or present in the chamber. He named a woman who bought IVF drugs through TrumpRX after struggling with infertility; a mother with children who could qualify for money through his “Trump accounts”; and a mother he said will benefit from an expanded child tax credit and no tax on tips.

“I met Megan Hemhauser, a devoted mom who homeschools her children, beautiful, two children during the day while waiting tables at night as her husband works overtime,” Trump said during his speech. “Megan is here this evening, and she’s happy to tell you that she is so, so much richer … Megan and her husband will take home more than $5,000 extra just for the year, cutting her tax bill in more than half.”

His other shout-outs concentrated on women and girls who had faced violence and tragedy, including: Erika Kirk, widow of conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk; Milly Cate, a survivor of the Camp Mystic flooding in Texas; and “angel moms,” his term for the mothers of children who were killed by undocumented immigrants.

The medals and honors awarded to guests during the ceremony primarily went to men service members. One exception was a posthumous Purple Heart awarded to Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, the member of the National Guard who was killed in Washington, D.C., last year.

Absent from the president’s speech were the Jeffrey Epstein files, the release of which is currently roiling congressional lawmakers. An NPR investigation found that the Justice Department has withheld some of the documents related to allegations that Trump sexually abused a minor, and also removed files from the public database where accusations against Epstein mention the president. The files appear to include more than 50 pages of FBI interviews and notes concerning accusations against Trump. A spokesperson for the Department of Justice told NPR that the removed files were privileged, duplicates or related to an investigation.

Lawmakers’ guests to Tuesday night’s speech included several people who survived abuse under the purview of Epstein, a convicted sex offender with ties to many powerful people who died while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who was one of the most vocal proponents of releasing more batches of documents concerning the late financier’s sex offenses, brought Haley Robson, who says Epstein trafficked her starting when she was 16. In the chamber, he sat alongside Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie, who partnered with Khanna to force the DOJ to release more files. 

Other Democrats wore pins, including “Release the files” white pins with a redaction line in the middle.

A number of Democratic lawmakers boycotted the event, attending counterprogramming like the “People’s State of the Union” earlier in the day, while a section of Democratic women wore white, in a reference to a voting bill that could make it more difficult for married women and LGBTQ+ people to vote.

During the counter-event, Democratic lawmakers addressed a small crowd near the Lincoln Memorial, framed by the Capitol building. Some brought guests, while others, like Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee, spoke about their constituents, including one in her district whose son-in-law was detained by immigrant officers, 

“That is the real state of our union, where families are being torn apart and traumatized,” Lee said. “Where the government would rather protect powerful people in the Epstein files than the women and the girls who were sexually abused.”

Lee also announced she would be introducing articles of impeachment against Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Trump’s approval rating among women has dropped since his last State of the Union address. One recent CNN poll showed a nine-point drop for women respondents since February 2025, while a Quinnipiac poll from this February showed a 30 percent approval rating for the president among women, with 64 percent disapproving.

Great Job Ajohnston & the Team @ The 19th Source link for sharing this story.

Trump vows ‘we will always protect Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid,’ but his signature tax cut shortened their lifespans | Fortune

Trump vows ‘we will always protect Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid,’ but his signature tax cut shortened their lifespans | Fortune

In his State of the Union address, President Donald Trump proudly proclaimed to members of Congress and the public that the United States is “bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before,” touting the benefits of his signature tax policy in particular, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). He also claimed that his administration is working to make it easier for Americans to save for retirement. “Under this administration,” he said, “we will always protect Social Security and Medicare … We will always protect Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.”

But both things cannot be true.

Despite Trump’s ongoing pledges to protect the nation’s vital social safety nets, recent economic projections reveal a starkly different reality. Sweeping legislative changes spearheaded by his administration have drastically shortened the financial lifespans of both Medicare and Social Security, accelerating their paths toward insolvency.

For decades, surplus payroll tax revenue was socked away in trust funds, which were designed to be tapped when revenue was no longer sufficient to cover benefits.

According to a newly updated report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), recent policy shifts have erased 12 years of projected solvency from the Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund, which pays for Medicare Part A. The fund is now expected to be entirely exhausted by 2040, rather than 2052, as projected in March 2025. The primary culprit behind this rapid financial deterioration is the OBBBA into law, lowering tax rates and creating a temporary deduction for taxpayers aged 65 and older. While politically popular, these tax cuts significantly starved the trust fund of the revenues it normally receives from taxing Social Security benefits.

The HI Trust Fund serves as the financial backbone for essential health services, including inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing facility stays, home health care, and hospice care. If that fund is exhausted in 2040, Medicare would be legally restricted to paying out only what it collects in revenue, triggering automatic benefit cuts. The CBO estimates these reductions would begin at an 8% cut in 2040 and steadily climb to a 10% cut by 2056.

Meanwhile, Social Security faces a similarly accelerated timeline toward crisis. The CBO estimates that the Social Security trust fund will run out of money even sooner, by fiscal year 2032, which begins in October 2031. If Congress fails to intervene before this insolvency date, benefits would be strictly limited to incoming revenue. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that a typical couple turning 60 today would face a devastating $18,400 annual cut to their retirement benefits when the fund runs dry.

Trump laid into Democrats for voting against OBBBA, which he called “these really important and very necessary massive tax cuts. They wanted large-scale tax increases to hurt the people instead. But we held strong and with the great Big Beautiful Bill we gave you no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and no tax on Social Security for our great country.”

Reducing tax revenue for these programs, though, is hastening their looming fiscal crisis. Alongside lower projected payroll tax revenues, this policy shift enacted during the Trump administration has starved the safety net of critical future funding.

Cuts to come in the future?

Once the trust funds are exhausted, additional money must be found somewhere or else benefits must be slashed. Another source is discretionary money.

But Bernard Yaros, lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, has warned that funding Social Security and Medicare with general revenue could trigger a negative reaction in the bond market, sparking a sustained increase in interest rates, ultimately forcing lawmakers to make painful, drastic cuts to nondiscretionary programs to head off a full-blown fiscal crisis.

Faced with these looming cliffs, lawmakers may be tempted to simply finance the shortfalls with more national debt rather than making tough political choices to hike taxes or reduce benefits. However, economists warn this could spark a severe financial crisis. Veronique de Rugy, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center, cautioned in a Creators Syndicate op-ed that financial markets will quickly account for the additional borrowing.

“Inflation may not wait for debt to pile up,” de Rugy warned, noting it could “arrive the moment Congress commits to that debt-ridden path”.

Addressing this looming shortfall will require significant legislative action. To restore the 12 years of lost Medicare solvency alone, lawmakers will be forced to increase taxes, slash health care payments, or implement a politically fraught combination of these approaches—eventually. That flies directly in the face of the politically popular tax cuts that Trump hailed as so significant, on the year of the United States’ 250th birthday.

Great Job Nick Lichtenberg & the Team @ Fortune | FORTUNE for sharing this story.

Wu-Tang Clan’s Oliver “Power” Grant Passes Away

Wu-Tang Clan’s Oliver “Power” Grant Passes Away

Source: SOPA Images / Getty

Oliver “Power” Grant, an instrumental figure in the rise of Wu-Tang Clan from local Staten Island rappers to international Hip-Hop superstars, has passed away.

“Paradise my Brother safe Travels!!,” wrote Method Man on Instagram as a caption to a photo of him and Power.

If you check the liner notes of all your classic Wu-Tang Clan albums, “Power” was listed as an executive producer. The mythology is that Power was childhood friends with RZA’s older brother, Divine. So when the Abbot decided to bring together a group of talented lyricists like Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Raekwon and Ghosftace Killah to bumrush the music industry under the Wu-Tang Clan banner, Grant was on board as an early financial backer.

While Power never craved the spotlight, his behind-the-scenes hustle was paramount. He is the founder of Wu-Wear, the streetwear clothing brand co-signed by the WTC that enjoyed immense success during the Wu’s initial run — at one point it boasted four brick and mortar stores in the United States and pieces could be purchased in Macy’s. In the following years, it remained a reputable (though heavily bootlegged) brand and in 2008, Power switched its name to Wu-Tang Brand. But Wu-Wear would relaunch in 2017, with Live Nation, to serve as Wu-Tang Clan’s official merchandise.

Power also saw success as an actor. He starred as “Rich Bower” in 1999’s Black and White and was first seen on the big screen as “Knowledge” in Hype Williams’ Belly.

At the time of this report, no cause of death has been shared. Rest in powerful peace Oliver “Power” Grant.

This story is developing.

Great Job Alvin aqua Blanco & the Team @ Black America Web for sharing this story.

UIL playoffs hoops heat up, San Antonio-area teams punch ticket to regional finals

UIL playoffs hoops heat up, San Antonio-area teams punch ticket to regional finals

SAN ANTONIO – The 2026 UIL girls’ basketball playoffs are on to the regional finals after a big group of San Antonio-area programs advanced out of the third round.

The Brennan girls’ basketball team defeated Buda Johnson 56-38 in the Class 6A-DI regional semifinals.

In 6A-DI, Judson advanced with a 64-46 victory over Vandegrift.

Wagner continued its historic undefeated season with a win over Corpus Christi. Veterans Memorial 66-33 to move on in the 5A-DI bracket.

In Class 5A-DII, Kerrville Tivy downed Sharyland 54-48.

In the 4A-DI bracket, Davenport overcame Jones 38-26 to continue their state title quest.

Carrizo Springs and Fredericksburg won their regional semifinal games in Class 4A-DII, setting up a regional final clash against each other in the fourth round.

In Class 3A-DII, Jourdanton toppled Aransas Pass 66-41. The Squaws will face Taft in the next round. The Red Raiders defeated Cole in the regional semifinals.

Read more reporting and watch highlights and full games on the Big Game Coverage page.

Copyright 2026 by KSAT – All rights reserved.

Great Job Mary Rominger & the Team @ KSAT San Antonio for sharing this story.

Meet Abigail Spanberger: Virginia’s governor will respond to Trump’s State of the Union

Meet Abigail Spanberger: Virginia’s governor will respond to Trump’s State of the Union

Published

2026-02-24 17:32

5:32

February 24, 2026

pm

America/Chicago

Abigail Spanberger, the first-term governor of Virginia, is set to deliver the Democratic rebuttal to President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address of his second term. Spanberger has positioned herself as antithetical to Trump’s policies and last year flipped Virginia’s highest state office by double digits. 

“On Tuesday, I look forward to joining Virginians in this historic place to lay out the next chapter of our story — a clear vision for a stronger, safer, and more affordable future for every American who calls our nation home,” Spanberger said in a statement announcing her speech. In response, Trump called her a “Radical Left lunatic” and derided the policy positions that won her office. 

Spanberger made headlines last year when she became the first woman governor of the state, part of a wave of Democratic electoral wins. She focused her campaign on affordability and education, leaning on her law enforcement background and identity as a mother to appeal to voters. 

Before running for governor, Spanberger served three terms representing Virginia in the U.S. House of Representatives, part of a wave of women who won office in 2018. She was one of a group of Democratic women who ran on national security backgrounds and won; she formerly worked for the CIA. She flipped the seat after her frustration with incumbent Rep. Dave Brat’s vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act motivated her to run for office. 

Spanberger was elected following term-limited Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. She won against then-Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who centered her campaign on trans-exclusionary policies, mimicking the Trump administration’s “protecting women” language. 

Youngkin leaned into the language of “parental rights” to fan panic over transgender students in public schools. Spanberger’s education policies throughout her campaign instead focused on addressing Virginia’s teacher shortage, boosting learning outcomes and physically repairing school buildings. 

She also zeroed in on the failures of Trump’s year in office. She was endorsed by the largest union of federal workers, the members of which saw potentially illegal mass firings and layoffs in the first few months of the Trump administration. She spoke against Trump’s trade war: “Virginians are already being squeezed by high prices — and these reckless tariffs are doing nothing to make life more affordable,” she said last August. 

On her first day in office, Spanberger signed executive orders overturning a directive for state law enforcement to prioritize cooperation with federal immigration authorities, establishing a nondiscrimination policy in state government and initiating several commissions to assess possible affordability measures. 

She has pledged to raise the state minimum wage to $15 by 2028 and further ordered the end to state partnerships with federal immigration enforcement. 

Democratic counterprogramming is in full force on Tuesday before, during and after Trump’s speech. Sen. Alex Padilla of California will deliver a Democratic response in Spanish. He was thrown to the floor, handcuffed and forcibly removed from a Los Angeles event where Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was speaking last June. 

Great Job Jasmine Mithani & the Team @ The 19th Source link for sharing this story.

Reheating plastic food containers: what science says about microplastics and chemicals in ready meals – Greenpeace Australia Pacific

Reheating plastic food containers: what science says about microplastics and chemicals in ready meals – Greenpeace Australia Pacific

How often do you eat takeaway food? What about pre-prepared ready meals? Or maybe just microwaving some leftovers you had in the fridge? In any of these cases, there’s a pretty good chance the container was made out of plastic. Considering that they can be an extremely affordable option, are there any potential downsides we need to be aware of? We decided to investigate.

Scientific research increasingly shows that heating food in plastic packaging can release microplastics and plastic chemicals into the food we eat. A new Greenpeace International review of peer-reviewed studies finds that microwaving plastic food containers significantly increases this release, raising concerns about long-term human health impacts. This article summarises what the science says, what remains uncertain, and what needs to change. 

There’s no shortage of research showing how microplastics and nanoplastics have made their way throughout the environment, from snowy mountaintops and Arctic ice, into the beetles, slugs, snails and earthworms at the bottom of the food chain. It’s a similar story with humans, with microplastics found in blood, placenta, lungs, liver and plenty of other places. On top of this, there’s some 16,000 chemicals known to be either present or used in plastic, with a bit over a quarter of those chemicals already identified as being of concern. And there are already just under 1,400 chemicals that have been found in people.

Not just food packaging, but plenty of household items either contain or are made from plastic, meaning they potentially could be a source of exposure as well. So if microplastics and chemicals are everywhere (including inside us), how are they getting there? Should we be concerned that a lot of our food is packaged in plastic? 

Ready meals, takeaway containers and plastic packaging can release microplastics and toxic chemicals into our food.

Greenpeace analysis of 24 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals found that the plastics we use to package our food are directly risking our health.

Heating food in plastic packaging dramatically increases the levels of microplastics and chemicals that leach into our food.

© Jack Taylor Gotch / Greenpeac

Plastic food packaging: the good, the bad, and the ugly

The growing trend towards ready meals, online shopping and restaurant delivery, and away from home-prepared meals and individual grocery shopping, is happening in every region of the world. Since the first microwaveable TV dinners were introduced in the US in the 1950s to sell off excess stock of turkey meat after Thanksgiving holidays, pre-packaged ready meals have grown hugely in sales. The global market is worth $190bn in 2025, and is expected to reach a total volume of 71.5 million tonnes by 2030. It’s also predicted that the top five global markets for convenience food (China, USA, Japan, Mexico and Russia) will remain relatively unchanged up to 2030, with the most revenue in 2019 generated by the North America region.

A new report from Greenpeace International set out to analyse articles in peer-reviewed, scientific journals to look at what exactly the research has to say about plastic food packaging and food contact plastics.

Here’s what we found.

Our review of 24 recent articles highlights a consistent picture that regulators, businesses and

consumers should be concerned about: when food is packaged in plastic and then microwaved, this significantly increases the risk of both microplastic and chemical release, and that these microplastics and chemicals will leach into the food inside the packaging. 

And not just some, but a lot of microplastics and chemicals.

When polystyrene and polypropylene containers filled with water were microwaved after being stored in the fridge or freezer, one study found they released anywhere between 100,000-260,000 microplastic particles, and another found that five minutes of microwave heating could release between 326,000-534,000 particles into food. 

Similarly there are a wide range of chemicals that can be and are released when plastic is heated. Across different plastic types, there are estimated to be around 16,000 different chemicals that can either be used or present in plastics, and of these around 4,200 are identified as being hazardous, whilst many others lack any form of identification (hazardous or otherwise) at all.

The research also showed that 1,396 food contact plastic chemicals have been found in humans, several of which are known to be hazardous to human health. At the same time, there are many chemicals for which no research into the long-term effects on human health exists.

Ultimately, we are left with evidence pointing towards increased release of microplastics and plastic chemicals into food from heating, the regular migration of microplastics and chemicals into food, and concerns around what long-term impacts these substances have on human health, which range from uncertain to identified harm.

Reheating plastic food containers: what science says about microplastics and chemicals in ready meals – Greenpeace Australia Pacific
Heating food in plastic containers, even those labelled “microwave safe” or “oven safe”, can release microplastics, nanoplastics and toxic chemicals into our meals. From ready meals to leftovers, common plastics like PET, PP and PS break down under heat, contaminating food we eat every day. This visual explains how plastic packaging turns heat into hidden exposure. © William Morris-Julien / Greenpeace 

The known unknowns of plastic chemicals and microplastics

The problem here (aside from the fact that plastic chemicals are routinely migrating into our food), is that often we don’t have any clear research or information on what long-term impacts these chemicals have on human health. This is true of both the chemicals deliberately used in plastic production (some of which are absolutely toxic, like antimony which is used to make PET plastic), as well as in what’s called non-intentionally added substances (NIAS).

NIAS refers to chemicals which have been found in plastic, and typically originate as impurities, reaction by-products, or can even form later when meals are heated. One study found that a UV stabiliser plastic additive reacted with potato starch when microwaved to create a previously unknown chemical compound. 

We’ve been here before: lessons from tobacco, asbestos and lead

Although none of this sounds particularly great, this is not without precedence. Between what we do and don’t know, waiting for perfect evidence is costly both economically and in terms of human health. With tobacco, asbestos, and lead, a similar story to what we’re seeing now has played out before. After initial evidence suggesting problems and toxicity, lobbyists from these industries pushed back to sow doubt about the scientific validity of the findings, delaying meaningful action. And all the while, between 1950-2000, tobacco alone led to the deaths of around 60 million people. Whilst distinguishing between correlation and causation, and finding proper evidence is certainly important, it’s also important to take preventative action early, rather than wait for more people to be hurt in order to definitively prove the point.

Where to from here?

This is where adopting the precautionary principle comes in. This means shifting the burden of proof away from consumers and everyone else to prove that a product is definitely harmful (e.g. it’s definitely this particular plastic that caused this particular problem), and onto the manufacturer to prove that their product is definitely safe. This is not a new idea, and plenty of examples of this exist already, such as the EU’s REACH regulation, which is centred around the idea of “no data, no market” – manufacturers are obligated to provide data demonstrating the safety of their product in order to be sold.

Ready meals, takeaway containers and plastic packaging can release microplastics and toxic chemicals into our food.

Greenpeace analysis of 24 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals found that the plastics we use to package our food are directly risking our health.

Heating food in plastic packaging dramatically increases the levels of microplastics and chemicals that leach into our food.

© Jack Taylor Gotch / Greenpeac

But as it stands currently, the precautionary principle isn’t applied to plastics. For REACH in particular, plastics are assessed on a risk-based approach, which means that, as the plastic industry itself has pointed out, something can be identified as being extremely hazardous, but is still allowed to be used in production if the leached chemical stays below “safe” levels, despite that for some chemicals a “safe” low dose is either undefined, unknown, or doesn’t exist.

A better path forward

Governments aren’t acting fast enough to reduce our exposure and protect our health. There’s no shortage of things we can do to improve this situation. The most critical one is to make and consume less plastic. This is a global problem that requires a strong Global Plastics Treaty that reduces global plastic production by at least 75% by 2040 and eliminates harmful plastics and chemicals. And it’s time that corporations take this growing threat to their customers’ health seriously, starting with their food packaging and food contact products. Here are a number of specific actions policymakers and companies can take, and helpful hints for consumers.

Policymakers & companies

  • Implement the precautionary principle:
    • For policymakers – Stop the use of hazardous plastics and chemicals, on the basis of their intrinsic risk, rather than an assessment of “safe” levels of exposure.
    • For companies – Commit to ensure that there is a “zero release” of microplastics and hazardous chemicals from packaging into food, alongside an Action Plan with milestones to achieve this by 2035
  • Stop giving false assurances to consumers about “microwave safe” containers
  • Stop the use of single-use and plastic packaging, and implement policies and incentives to foster the uptake of reuse systems and non-toxic packaging alternatives.

Consumers

  • Encourage your local supermarkets and shops to shift away from plastic where possible
  • Avoid using plastic containers when heating/reheating food
  • Use non-plastic refill containers

Trying to dodge plastic can be exhausting. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. We can only do so much in this broken plastic-obsessed system. Plastic producers and polluters need to be held accountable, and governments need to act faster to protect the health of people and the planet. We urgently need global governments to accelerate a justice-centred transition to a healthier, reuse-based, zero-waste future. Ensure your government doesn’t waste this once-in-a-generation opportunity to end the age of plastic.

Great Job Daniel Read & the Team @ Article – Greenpeace Australia Pacific for sharing this story.

‘Cover Care for Coogs’ pushes for health care coverage – The Cougar

‘Cover Care for Coogs’ pushes for health care coverage – The Cougar

Representatives from Graduate Student Solidarity host a press conference outside the University of Houston on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026 in Houston, Texas. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar

Editor’s note, 2/25/26: A quote by history doctoral candidate Erica Augenstein has been edited for clarity. 

UH graduate students gathered in Butler Plaza on Feb. 17 for a press conference by students from Graduate Student Solidarity and the Graduate & Professional Students Association. 

Their campaign, Cover Care for Coogs, advocates for UH to fully subsidize health care for graduate student employees.

“The university’s attitude at the level of the chancellor’s office all the way down has been that this is simply not an important issue,” said third-year history doctoral candidate Seth Uzman, an organizer with GSS. “They have essentially approached the ask for universal coverage for health care with the idea that it’s a ridiculous demand to expect basic dignity and respect from the university.”

The University said it increased graduate assistant base pay in 2021 to account for health insurance premiums, but students said that their ongoing concerns have been neglected.

In his opening remarks, Uzman said that a survey conducted on graduate students’ concerns was sent to the chancellor but never answered. 

“The University ignored us,” Uzman said. “This is coming from a chancellor who regularly invites undergraduate students to email the chancellor’s office if they have issues or problems. But for some reason, when graduate students want to have a conversation after we get these testimonials that are essentially a cry for help, we’re not given five minutes.”

‘Cover Care for Coogs’ pushes for health care coverage – The Cougar

Representatives from Graduate Student Solidarity host a press conference outside the University of Houston on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026 in Houston, Texas. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar

Uzman demanded not only full health care subsidization but also an apology from the University.

The conference touched on the ongoing Centennial Project, which Uzman said felt like a “slap in the face” to graduate students.

“Ultimately, this is a question of priorities,” Uzman said. “That’s what a university budget always reflects. When you look at the year-by-year reports, it’s what the university thinks is important and what they don’t.”

Following Uzman’s speech, students from the Colleges of Education, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Engineering and Liberal Arts and Social Sciences gave solidarity statements.

“We heard stories of a shocking number of people who have said they, for financial reasons, will go without care when they should not,” said fifth-year mathematics doctoral candidate Łukasz Krzywon, who is also an organizer with GSS. “I know personally and then informally, I know more. It’s a serious issue.”

Graduate students from the University of Texas and Rice University also spoke.

History doctoral candidate Erica Augenstein, representing the Rice Grad Campaign, emphasized the need for UH to align with other R1 institutions in Texas and for increased accountability at every level.

“This is being enabled by a lot of different people,” Augenstein said. “It’s all of these department chairs that are actively recruiting students and not being transparent about the quality of life that’s available here. It’s dangerous.”

In addition to financial stressors, international students face heightened risks, including visa complications and the threat of deportation. 

Much of the conference focused on solidarity with international students.

“When we fight for the most vulnerable people on campus, all of us win,” Uzman said. “When we fight for the most vulnerable people, every single person benefits.”

History professor David McNally delivered the closing remarks, calling for ongoing pressure on senior administration and deeming Cover Care for Coogs a “winnable campaign.”

news@thedailycougar.com

Great Job Karen Wei & the Team @ The Cougar for sharing this story.

Who Should Take Probiotics: 5 Potential Benefits

Who Should Take Probiotics: 5 Potential Benefits

1. Probiotics May Help Irritable Bowel Conditions

If you have a digestive issue such as an irritable bowel condition, ask your doctor if they recommend probiotics. These supplements are widely recognized for potentially supporting overall digestive function, says Mai Nguyen, RDN, with Hoag’s Mary and Dick Allen Diabetes Center in Newport Beach, California.

One systematic review and meta-analysis from England that evaluated 82 trials, including 10,332 people with IBS, established moderate certainty that Escherichia strains may help overall symptoms. However, there were limitations in this study: There were inconsistent results across trials, and not all results from individual studies were published, so more research is needed.

Another systematic review that looked at 18 randomized, controlled trials and two observational studies, involving 2,675 adults with IBS or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), found that probiotics may help some people with IBS and IBD (particularly those with ulcerative colitis), but the results were inconsistent, so more research is needed.

More research is needed to establish both which strains work best and for which digestive conditions. Because of the limited research, current major guidelines don’t broadly recommend probiotic supplements as part of standardized treatments for most digestive conditions.

“In most cases, we don’t know specifically which of the probiotics are exuding this beneficial effect,” Peek says. “And we don’t know how much people would have to take to gain these [possible] benefits.”

2. Certain Lactobacillus Strains May Help With Oral Health

The same probiotics that benefit your gut health may affect your mouth, Peek says. Specifically, those with poor gum health or oral infections may want to ask their doctor if probiotics could help.

A systematic review and meta-analysis from Portugal analyzed 33 randomized, controlled trials, involving 1,290 people, and found that adding probiotics to professional dental cleaning significantly improved gum health, with Lactobacillus strains showing the most substantial benefit.

Another systematic review from China of 13 randomized, controlled trials, including a total of 898 participants, found that those who took probiotics were 62 percent less likely to develop the oral infection thrush versus those who didn’t. However, 75 percent of the review’s studies used multistrain combinations of probiotics, so it’s unclear which strain works best. Most of these studies also recruited healthy people, so more research is needed, as thrush primarily affects immunocompromised people.

3. Probiotics May Help With Weight Loss

You may want to talk to your doctor about probiotics if you’re looking to lose weight. One meta-analysis from China of eight randomized, controlled trials, involving 412 people with obesity, found that people who took probiotics lost more weight, had greater reductions in waist circumference, and lost more visceral fat than control groups who didn’t take probiotic supplements.

“Probiotics help maintain a healthy gut microbiome, which plays a key role in nutrient absorption and fat storage,” Nguyen says. “However, while they can be helpful as part of a comprehensive, healthy lifestyle, they should not be considered a substitute for balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and overall healthy habits.”

Great Job Beth W. Orenstein & the Team @ google-discover for sharing this story.

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