Skittles Allegedly "Unfit For Human Consumption," Lawsuit Claims

Bloomberg Law reports a new lawsuit filed in California claims that Skittles contain a dangerous toxin called "titanium dioxide," rendering the candy "unfit for human consumption."

On Thursday, plaintiff Jenile Thames filed a lawsuit in the Northern District of California against Skittles-maker Mars Inc., alleging consumers who "taste the rainbow" of sugar "are at heightened risk of a host of health effects for which they were unaware stemming from genotoxicity – the ability of a chemical substance to change DNA."

Mars uses titanium dioxide as food coloring to make the candy more visually appealing. The toxin is also used in industrial applications such as plastics, adhesives, printer inks, and roofing materials.

The civil suit argues Mars understood the risks of using titanium dioxide in candy-making and, in 2016, even publicly announced that it would eliminate the toxin from food. In Europe, France banned the toxin from food in 2019, and in 2021, the European Food Safety Authority determined it couldn't be considered safe for consumption.

"Incredibly, Defendant even claimed that '[a]rtificial colors pose no known risks to human health or safety,'" Thames's lawsuit alleges. "In doing so, Defendant concealed from consumers material information it knew."

Thames said Skittles sold in the US still contain titanium dioxide and Mars is "failing to inform consumers of the implications of consuming the toxin."

"Instead, Defendant relies on the ingredient list which is provided in minuscule print on the back of the Products, the reading of which is made even more challenging by the lack of contrast in color between the font and packaging, as set out below in a manner in which consumers would normally view the product in the store," court papers said.

Thames seeks class-action status for all US consumers and unspecified damages from Mars.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/skittles-unfit-human-consumption-lawsuit-claims

Pennsylvania ex-cop Brent Getz sentenced up to 32 years for child rape

A former Pennsylvania police chief convicted of raping a child will spend at least the next 16 years behind bars.

Brent Getz, 30, was sentenced to 16 to 32 years in prison Friday after his March conviction on rape and sexual abuse charges.

Getz, was arrested in 2019 and fired as police chief in Weissport, a town of about 400 northwest of Philadelphia. Gregory Wagner, a codefendant, pleaded guilty to child rape in November 2020 and testified against Getz.

The men were adolescents when they wereaccused of beginning to abuse the victim who was then 4. The victim said she was abused hundreds of times during a seven-year period.

Getz repeatedly denied during his trial that he had ever sexually assaulted the victim.

https://nypost.com/2022/07/16/ex-cop-brent-getz-sentenced-up-to-32-years-for-child-rape/

Stealth attack on ICE: Left seeks abolition by other means, ex-agency boss warns

"They are abolishing ICE's mission, making the agency ineffective," said Tom Homan.

Progressives may have not technically gotten their wish to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, better known as ICE, but their efforts are making it increasingly difficult for agents to enforce the law, according to a former head of the government agency.

"They are abolishing ICE's mission, making the agency ineffective," said former acting ICE Director Tom Homan in an interview with Just the News. "ICE's morale is in the toilet."

The job of ICE is to execute orders by judges and detain or move migrants accordingly, continued Homan, who added "the progressive left wants [illegal immigrants] to stay [in the U.S.] and for there to be no more ICE."

While formally abolishing ICE is not in the cards right now, budgetary issues are hurting the agency's ability to fulfill its mission — in part due to those who wish to see ICE's demise, Homan argues.

"Congress almost never funds ICE enough as it should, and a Democrat-led Congress is always trying to decrease funding for ICE's detention resources," said Homan.

His comments came after Axios reported ICE will run out of money before October unless the Department of Homeland Security pulls millions of dollars from other programs. The current budget shortfall is severe — an estimated $345 million — and comes as ICE is poised to spend more taxpayer money than ever.

Homan said DHS will reprogram money to keep the agency's "head above water" but expressed frustration at how things got to this point.

"ICE is funded to have 34,000 beds, but they currently have about 24,00-25,000 people in custody," he explained. "You would think they would have a lot of money left over, but ultimately this is just an attempt to justify cutting ICE's budget even more next year and getting rid of ICE detention."

https://justthenews.com/government/federal-agencies/progressive-left-abolishing-ice-other-means-says-former-director

Iran issues warning to US and Israel

Threats of “force” against Tehran will incur a heavy price, the country’s military has said

The Iranian military has warned the US and Israel against threatening the country after President Joe Biden said Washington would “use all elements of its national power” to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

“The Americans and Zionists know very well the price for using the word ‘force’ against Iran,” Abolfazl Shekarchi, a spokesman for the Iranian Armed Forces, said on Friday, as quoted by local media.

The official also aimed a personal jibe at Biden, questioning his cognitive capabilities and mocking the US military as a whole, with apparent references to multiple past run-ins between the Iranian and the American forces in the Persian Gulf.

“Biden must have been drowsy when he threatened Iran,” Shekarchi said. “Watch your soldiers’ pants – they might get wet in the Persian Gulf!”

The stern remarks came in response to threats made by Biden during his visit to Israel earlier this week. On Thursday, the US president and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid signed a joint declaration on the two countries’ continued strategic partnership.

Washington pledged “never to allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon,” confirming it “is prepared to use all elements of its national power to ensure that outcome,” according to the declaration. Tehran, however, maintains that it has never sought to develop such weaponry.

Biden made additional threats during a press conference alongside Lapid, stating that the US is “not going to wait forever” for Iran to accept its demands and return to the 2015 nuclear deal. The landmark agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has effectively fallen apart after former President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled out of the deal in 2018, reimposing old and slapping new sanctions on Tehran.

Diplomatic efforts to revive the deal have yielded no result so far, with the US and Iran repeatedly trading blame for the stalled negotiations. While US officials have claimed that Iran has been rolling out new demands during talks, Tehran maintains it is Washington’s responsibility to return to the original agreement and lift all the “snap-back” sanctions in full.

https://www.rt.com/news/559111-iran-us-israel-threats/

Newsnight photographer claims to have picture of Prince Andrew that would rock the Monarchy if it was ever made public

Mark Harrison refused to reveal what the unpublished photograph shows

It is said to be 'so shocking' and 'embarrassing', it made staff's 'jaws drop'

'It's the kind of thing which would make the public drop their cornflakes'

A photographer working for the BBC during Prince Andrew's car-crash Newsnight interview claims to have taken a shocking picture of the Royal that would shake the monarchy if it ever became public.

Mark Harrison declined to reveal what he captured, but said it would 'embarrass Prince Andrew and the Royal Family' if it were released.

It is understood the Duke insisted the picture never become public, but Mr Harrison hinted that it may feature in a forthcoming film about how the BBC secured the interview. As a dramatisation, producers may feel free to recreate their own version of the 'jaw-dropping' image.

A source close to the Newsnight interview who has seen the original photograph said that if it became public 'it will be so shocking, especially if it is decontextualised.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11020905/Newsnight-photographer-claims-picture-Prince-Andrew-rock-Monarchy.html

Better not be anything illegal as that's a crime to withhold