Walmart has recalled nearly 10,000 cases of apple juice sold in stores across the United States due to high levels of arsenic. “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave the recall a more urgent classification Friday after making its original announcement Aug. 15,” the Associated Press noted. The agency changed the recall from ‘unclassified’ to ‘class II.’ A ‘class II’ recall indicates a “situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.” Apple juice sold in Walmart across the US recalled over arsenic levels https://t.co/Ii13XzybNq pic.twitter.com/NNS6YcF0Xm — New York Post (@nypost) August 25, 2024 From the Associated Press: The recall applies to 9,535 cases of Great Value brand apple juice sold in 25 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Florida-based manufacturer Refresco Beverages US Inc. voluntarily recalled the contaminated six-packs of 8-ounce (227-gram) juice bottles after discovering levels of the chemical contaminant that exceeded industry standards. A spokesperson for Refresco did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment Sunday. “The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority,” Walmart spokesperson Molly Blakeman said in a statement. “We have removed this product from our impacted stores and are working with the supplier to investigate.” Very low levels of inorganic and organic arsenic are found in many food products, according to the National Institutes of Health. Testing is routine, as slightly elevated levels of either form can cause symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, numbness and muscle cramping. The impacted states and territories include: AL, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, PR, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV CHECK THE LABEL: Walmart is recalling more than 9,500 cases of Great Value brand 8oz apple juice due to an elevated level of “inorganic arsenic.” The recalled juices have a "best if used by" date of December 28, 2024. https://t.co/dwG6xwAdl4 pic.twitter.com/IORd7IcaiT — Fox News (@FoxNews) August 25, 2024 Per Good Morning America: A representative for Refresco told ABC News in a statement, “We are aware that certain lots of the 100% apple juice we previously manufactured contains inorganic arsenic slightly above the FDA’s 10 ppb (parts per billion) action level in the FDA Final Guidance to Industry on Action Level for Inorganic Arsenic in Apple Juice, which aims at reducing the dietary exposure of contaminants to as low as possible. As a result, impacted products are being voluntarily recalled.” The statement continued, “At this time there are no reported complaints or incidents of illness caused by the product. Per the FDA, it is not possible to completely prevent arsenic from entering the food supply, yet exposure to high levels of inorganic arsenic can have adverse health effects.” The representative added that “the safety of consumers and the satisfaction of our customers are our top priorities” and that the company is “working diligently to address the situation.” The contaminated Great Value beverages in question were sold in six-packs of 8-ounce plastic bottles with the UPC code 0-78742-29655-5. The recalled apple juice has a “Best if used by” date code of DEC2824 CT89-6. Read the FDA recall notice HERE.

Japanese tennis sensation Yoshihito Nishioka collapsed during his first-round match at the U.S. Open. In the final set of the contest against Serbian Miomir Kecmanović, the 28-year-old fell to the ground on the court. Medical personnel and trainers rushed to the aid of Nishioka and provided care. Nishioka, the top-ranked Japanese player, was helped off the court using a wheelchair. Yoshihito Nishioka collapses at US Open in frightening scene: ‘Trouble breathing’ https://t.co/MQPolHorYt pic.twitter.com/2CZwZjNv99 — New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) August 27, 2024 US Open rocked by Yoshihito Nishioka’s ‘very scary’ collapse during loss to Miomir KecmanovicMedical staff rushed to the player when he suddenly dropped to the ground in the fifth set.https://t.co/CNojru9JDP pic.twitter.com/xgH6IwOEYE — “Sudden And Unexpected” (@toobaffled) August 27, 2024 From the New York Post: Nishioka needed a wheelchair to get off Court 8 as Kecmanović advanced to the second round due to the retirement. “Thank you very much for your support…,” Nishioka wrote in Japanese on X. “I was already feeling cramps around 3-3 in the 4th set, and my serve at 5-4 (there) was already cramping. In the final (game), my lower back was more convulsive than my legs, and I couldn’t stand up, and then my legs also convulsed. I was having repeated spasms in my shoulder blades, hips, flanks, and thighs. “I started having trouble breathing, but with the help of the team, I was able to get into a wheelchair, and they carried me away despite my convulsions. The convulsions didn’t stop for about an hour, but they’ve subsided now. My body parts are hurting a lot, so I’m planning to skip doubles and go back to Japan.” 沢山の応援ありがとうございました。ご心配をおかけ致しました。4セット目の33あたりから既に痙攣を感じており、5-4のサーブは既に痙攣しておりました。ファイナル0-1では足よりも腰が痙攣して立てなくなりそのまま足も痙攣をしました。そのまま肩甲骨や両腰、脇腹、太腿を繰り返し痙攣を起こしており — YOSHIHITO NISHIOKA (@yoshihitotennis) August 27, 2024 Per Fox News: Nishioka entered the match as the No. 53 player in the world rankings. After dropping the first set to Kecmanović, Nishioka rallied in the second and third sets. Kecmanović bounced back in the fourth set to force a fifth set. Nishioka expressed optimism about his prospects in the Davis Cup, an international team event. “It’s a shame that it ended so badly and we looked like we could have won the match, but this American (hard-court) season we rose in the rankings and there were many moments that gave us confidence, so we will continue to do our best in the Asian season,” Nishioka wrote. “First of all, I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at the Davis Cup.” WATCH:

UK chamber proggers Gryphon will release Gryphon Live – A Sonic Tonic in September

Robin DiAngelo, the controversial author known for her book White Fragility, is facing serious accusations of plagiarism. Several minority writers claim that DiAngelo has lifted significant portions of their work without proper attribution, sparking outrage among those who have long criticized her approach to discussing race and “white privilege”. The allegations emerged after multiple authors of color noticed striking similarities between their published works and passages in DiAngelo’s newer writings, including her book Nice Racism, which was released in 2021. The writers, who have remained anonymous, provided evidence to back up their claims, showing that DiAngelo allegedly copied not just ideas, but also specific language and structure, often without crediting the original authors. So it's just come out that Robin D'Angelo, the woman who invented the concept of white fragility, which launched a thousand progressive ships, plagiarized several sections of the PhD paper in which she coined the term, including an ENTIRE PAGE https://t.co/CascS8meTU — Claire (@ClairedeLuned) August 26, 2024 This controversy adds to the already heated debate surrounding DiAngelo's approach to race relations. Critics argue that her work perpetuates a simplistic, binary view of race, which not only marginalizes complex racial identities but also centers whiteness in discussions about racism. These plagiarism allegations further complicate her legacy, as they seem to confirm suspicions that her work exploits the very communities it purports to support. The accusations have led to a deep dive into DiAngelo's work, with scholars and journalists uncovering what they describe as undeniable examples of plagiarism. One writer, a Black academic who focuses on racial justice, pointed out that a passage from DiAngelo’s Nice Racism closely mirrors an article they published years earlier. The similarities are so glaring, they argue, that it’s hard to believe it was coincidental. ‘White Fragility’ author Robin DiAngelo accused of plagiarizing minority scholars in Ph.D thesis https://t.co/xN7Mw1W1p0 pic.twitter.com/bS5faXBVIF — New York Post (@nypost) August 26, 2024 Another writer, a “Latinx” author, has accused DiAngelo of lifting entire sections from their essays, which discuss the complexities of racial identity in America. They allege that DiAngelo reworded their ideas without giving credit, effectively silencing the voices of people of color while profiting from their intellectual labor. These revelations have prompted calls for DiAngelo to acknowledge her sources publicly and compensate the affected authors. Some are even suggesting that her publishers should pull her books from the shelves until the matter is resolved. DiAngelo’s rise to fame came in 2018 with the release of White Fragility, a book that quickly became a bestseller and a staple in corporate diversity training. The book argues that white people react defensively when confronted with their own racism, a reaction she labels "white fragility." While White Fragility was praised by some as a groundbreaking work that forces uncomfortable conversations about race, others criticized it for oversimplifying complex issues and promoting a victim mentality among people of color. The backlash intensified as DiAngelo, a white woman, became one of the most prominent voices in the conversation about race in America. Critics argued that her approach commodified “anti-racism” work, turning it into a profitable industry for white liberals while sidelining the perspectives of minority writers and activists. The post “White Fragility” Author Faces Plagiarism Allegations from Minority Writers appeared first on The Conservative Brief.

In recent years, concerns about Big Tech's influence over media and elections have escalated, and Google has found itself at the center of this controversy. A recent article from The Washington Examiner highlights the troubling relationship between Google, the Democratic Party, and the media—a relationship that poses significant risks to journalistic integrity and the democratic process. The issue came to light with the proposed California Journalism Preservation Act, which originally aimed to support local journalism by allowing publishers to collectively negotiate with tech giants like Google and Meta. However, this legislation was thwarted by intense lobbying from Google, which resulted in a new, more insidious arrangement. Under the new deal, Google and Meta agreed to provide $55 million each over five years to the University of California, Berkeley. The university would then distribute these funds as grants to local news organizations, particularly those in "news deserts" or serving "underserved communities." The Democratic Party’s Google cartel https://t.co/tP1Bs1rEm9 — Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) August 26, 2024 While this might appear to be a benevolent gesture, critics argue that it effectively transforms these grants into a slush fund, controlled by left-leaning academics, to bolster media outlets that align with Democratic Party values. This arrangement not only undermines the original intent of supporting independent journalism but also entrenches the influence of Big Tech and the Democratic Party over the press. California Governor Gavin Newsom has praised the deal, claiming it will help rebuild a "robust and dynamic" press corps in the state. However, Republicans and media watchdogs warn that this is a dangerous consolidation of power, one that threatens to turn the press into a mere mouthpiece for Democratic agendas. As The Washington Examiner reports, this deal represents a "cartel" that further diminishes the already dwindling independence of American journalism. The Democratic Party’s Google Cartel Archive – https://t.co/9OotgyFsmU "In other words, leftist professors at a leftist university[University of California, Berkeley] would sluice the money to leftist organizations that support the Democratic Party… "https://t.co/G9IPpxGJVe — Earl Jackson (@earljackson1776) August 26, 2024 Beyond this, Google's involvement in elections has also drawn scrutiny. Reports indicate that Google has interfered in U.S. elections at least 41 times since 2008, often censoring conservative voices while boosting liberal candidates. For example, during the 2016 presidential election, Google was accused of manipulating search algorithms to favor Hillary Clinton, potentially swaying millions of votes in her favor. This pattern of behavior has persisted, with Google continuing to exert its influence over electoral outcomes, often in favor of Democratic candidates. The implications of these actions are profound. Google's control over the digital advertising market and its ability to manipulate search results give it unparalleled power to shape public discourse and influence elections. A federal court recently ruled that Google violated antitrust laws by maintaining a monopoly in the online search market, reinforcing concerns that the company’s dominance is not only harmful to competition but also to democracy itself. The alliance between Big Tech and the Democratic Party is more than just a political convenience; it is a concerted effort to control the flow of information in America. With California Republicans unlikely to dismantle this powerful "Google-Meta-Democratic Party cartel," there is an urgent need for conservatives to push for federal legislation like the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act, which would help restore balance to the media landscape. As the 2024 elections approach, the influence of Big Tech on the democratic process cannot be overstated. The ongoing collaboration between Google and the Democratic Party is a stark reminder of the dangers posed by the concentration of media power in the hands of a few, and the need for robust legal and regulatory frameworks to protect the integrity of American democracy. The post The Democratic Party’s Google Cartel: A Threat to Free Press and Fair Elections appeared first on The Conservative Brief.