Category Archives: Post Human

A doctor has warned that rapidly declining sperm counts could result in humans becoming extinct.

Dr Hagai Levine led a team of researchers who analysed the sperm counts of men from North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.Results showed they halved between 1973 and 2011.

Dr Levine told the BBC: If we will not change the ways that we are living and the environment and the chemicals that we are exposed to, I am very worried about what will happen in the future.

Eventually we may have a problem, and with reproduction in general, and it may be the extinction of the human species.

Dr_Microbe via Getty Images

The study suggested the rate of decline in sperm counts among men living in Western countries is continuing and possibly even increasing.Meanwhile, there was no significant decline in South America, Asia and Africa.

Having a low sperm count can make it more difficult to conceive naturally, although successful pregnancies can still occur.

Some experts were critical of the new studys findings, noting various flaws, and added it may be too soon to draw such conclusions about human extinction.

But writing in the journalHuman Reproduction Update, the studys authors said further research is urgently needed to get to the bottom of why mens sperm counts are declining so much.

According to the NHS, problems with sperm, including a low sperm count and problems with sperm quality, are quite common in the UK - affecting one in three couples who are struggling to get pregnant.

The studys authors linked a range of lifestyle and environmental factors to the problem including:endocrine disrupting chemicals, pesticides, diet, stress, smoking and obesity.

Dr Helen Webberley, who runs the online healthcare serviceMy Web Doctor, said the results of the research were alarming but added there are various lifestyle changes men can make to improve sperm health.

Few of these will come as much of a surprise: maintaining a healthy diet, limiting alcohol consumption, stopping smoking and taking regular exercise, she told HuffPost UK.

Having a clear overview of your reproductive health can be useful and relevant tests - such as testosterone levels and knowing your sperm count - can provide a clearer indication of the situation.

She added:The environmental factors are worrying and feel a little out of our control, so more research in this area would be good. There are new studies ongoing into whether anti-oestrogen medications that we use in the treatment of female breast cancer, or even the female fertility drug, Clomid, can help when used in male patients - and we have seen some encouraging results.

Having said that, prevention is always better than cure and we, as a nation, need to accept that we can have a positive impact on our reproductive health by adjusting our lifestyle.

Professor Geeta Nargund, medical director ofCREATE Fertility,said more needs to be done to educate men and boys about their fertility.

The findings of this study are extremely important and raise public health concerns when it comes to male fertility, she told HuffPost UK.

It is about time that we start educating boys and men about the effects of smoking, obesity, exposure to pesticides and plastics, and sedentary lifestyle on their reproductive health.

We also need to address the possible effects of maternal smoking and exposure to hormones in pregnancy, during a critical window of foetal testicular development.

I urge the Department of Education to include fertility education as part of the curriculum in secondary schools, as it can help raise awareness and prevent future infertility.

10 Things You May Not Know About Your Fertility

1. Your fertility is mostly determined by genetics, which influences how many eggs you are born with. Doctors believe that the number of eggs you have at birth determines the length of time you will remain fertile. At birth, women have about two million eggs in their ovaries. For every egg ovulated during your reproductive life, about 1,000 eggs undergo programmed cell death. Other things, such as smoking cigarettes and certain types of chemotherapy, can accelerate egg cell death and promote an earlier menopause.

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Plummeting Sperm Counts Could Result In Human Extinction, Doctor Warns - HuffPost UK

Pyle Transportation the Schaller, Iowa-based trucking company whose name was on a trailer found to be carrying dozens of undocumented immigrantsin San Antonio on Sunday has a history of legal trouble and unpaid taxes, according to records.

Owner Brian Pyle told an Iowa news station that truck driver James Bradley, who has been charged with smuggling immigrants for financial gain, had worked with Pyle Transportation on and off for about five years. But Pyle said he did not know what Bradley was hauling when the trailer was discovered in a Walmart parking lot Sunday with eight of the migrants inside dead.

The federal government charged in March 2015 that Pyle Transportation Inc. had avoided tax obligations by continually neglecting to timely file employment tax returns since at least 2009, according to the complaint. Though the family-owned company withheld federal tax payments from its employees, it did not send that money to the federal government, the government alleged. The complaint also claimed that the company failed to pay taxes for heavy highway vehicle use. As of May 13, 2014, the government claimed that the company owed $151,223 in unpaid taxes.

Absent an injunction, based on its past tax history, it is reasonable to expect that PTIs noncompliance with the tax laws will continue, the complaint reads.

In fact, the individual defendants previously operated two other trucking businesses, Horizon Logistics and Pyle Truck Line, which did the same thing, the complaint continues, referring to Brian Pyle and other Pyles listed as officers or employees of the company. After accruing and failing to pay those tax liabilities, the operations and customers of the previous businesses were transferred to [Pyle Transportation].

[19-year-old who died on truck in Texas grew up in Northern Va., was deported]

Pyle Truck Lines also faced felony charges in 2000 for falsifying a report or records to the secretary of transportation. A federal judge ordered the company to serve five years of probation and pay $42,254 in restitution, according to federal court documents.

Federal prosecutors say Bradley carried dozens of undocumented immigrants in a trailer with no cooling or ventilation. By the time Bradley stopped the trailer in a Walmart parking lot early Sunday, eight of the migrants inside were dead and many others were suffering from the critical effects of heat stroke, the government said. Two of them died later at hospitals.

Mexicos Foreign Ministry has said that 25 of 39 migrants were Mexican nationals, based on preliminary information from its consulate in San Antonio.

Bradley could face the death penalty because people died while in transit. Bradley told investigators that he was traveling from Iowa at the request of his boss to deliver the trailer to Brownsville, Tex., and didnt know what was inside. Hehad said that his boss, who wasnt named in the document, had sold the trailer to a person in Brownsville.

Reached Sunday by a reporter, Brian Pyle saidBradleywas an owner-operator involved in a standard trucking practice in which Bradley owned the truck and managed his own deliveries but used Pyles insurance and company name and paid Pyle a percentage of his earnings.

Without naming Bradley, Pyle had told a Washington Post reporter on Sunday that this was the truck drivers very first trip and that he didnt know what he was hauling. However, Pyle told an Iowa television news station Monday that he had worked with Bradley for years and had hired Bradley to deliver a trailer he had sold in May. He said Bradley was scheduled to drop it off in Brownsville, Texas on Friday.

[After deadly smuggling case, officials charge truck driver and decry crime against humanity]

He has worked here before, Pyle told the reporter. He is an owner-operator now, or he was at the time. . . . He did everything on his own bought his own fuel, made his own decisions.

The WHO-TV reporter said Pyle regretted not taking the logo off his trailer before selling it.

Bradley is pictured in his Facebook profile photo wearing a Pyle T-shirtand was Facebook friends with Pyle, whose Facebook page has now been removed, and other Pyle employees and truck drivers.

Pyle Transportation has 18 trucks and 15 drivers, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Authorized for hire and interstate driving, Pyle is listed as a carrier of general freight, refrigerated food and beverages, meat, fresh produce and paper products.

[Horrific episode of human smuggling fuels both sides of immigration debate]

Owner-operator trucking can be a financially challenging job, said Norita Taylor, a spokeswoman for the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association, a trade association with more than 150,000 truck-driver members. The average annual income for such drivers is around $43,000, she said,and while drivers operate with considerably more discretion over their hours and assignments than company drivers, they are also responsible for a wider range of costs.

The long and short of it is being a small business trucker entails not just the cost of your equipment but also the insurance and taxes and fees, Taylor said. And fuel is like the number-one expense after equipment.

Bradley bought the truck a 1999 Peterbilt model that had been refurbished and given a new paint job in March for $90,000, said Justin McDaniel of Outlaw Iron in West Bend, Wis., who sold him the truck. Bradley had taken out a pair of loans earlier this year to buy a truck and trailer for which he needed to make payments of almost $2,000 a month, according to records.

Avi Selk and Todd Frankel contributed to this report.

Editors note: A previous version of this story included complaints about Pyle Transportation left on a Facebook page.Because the allegations in those complaints could not be corroborated, they have been removed.

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Company whose trailer was used in human smuggling case has history of legal problems - Washington Post

By Nicole Lewis By Nicole Lewis July 25 at 7:35 PM

Before Donald Trump became president, he made a name for himself as a reality television sensation on The Apprentice. At the end of each episode, Trump would send one contestant packing by turninghis hand into a finger gun, fixing it on the contestant, and saying, youre fired."

Since taking office in January, Trump has doubled down on his signature move. Just more than a week into his presidency, he fired acting attorney general Sally Yates. Then, it was U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara,whodid not comply when asked to submit his resignation along with 46 other U.S. attorneys in March. And most infamously, he dismissed FBI Director James B. Comey in May.

Hes teased about firing many more members of his administration, often joking about canning them during meetings or public appearances.

At a Boy Scout Jamboree in West Virginia on Monday,Trump broke out the finger gun once againwhen he joked that if Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price didnt get the votes to win on the health-care bill, he would be out of a job. Trump told the scouts: "And hopefully he is going to get the votes tomorrow He better get them. He better get them. Otherwise Ill say Tom, you're fired!"

But some who know the president well say thepersona he created on The Apprentice, where he seemed to relish letting people go, is not the Trump they know in real life. Sam Nunberg, Trumps policy adviser during his presidential campaign told Politico in June: I dont think he likes to gratuitously fire people, he said. He wants to give people chances. Trump fired Nunberg when his racially charged Facebook posts were made public.

Heres a look atotherpeople Trump has fired or threatened to fire -- complete with a finger gun tally.

James B. Comey, Sally Yates and Preet Bharara were all law enforcement officials until President Trump fired them and they were all investigating Trump or his administration at the time of their firing. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)

Acting attorney general Sally Yates Fired on: Jan. 30, 2017 Reason: Yates sent a memo to Justice Department employees asking themnot to defend Trumps initial travel ban on people from seven majority-Muslim countries. Method:Yates was given a hand-delivered letter just a few hours before the White House released a statement to reporters. Finger gun involved: No.

U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara Fired on:March 11, 2017 Reason: TheTrump administration asked all remaining Obama-era attorneys to resign, clearing the way for new appointments. Method:After refusing to hand in his resignation, Bharara was officially fired. Finger gun involved:No.

FBI Director James B. Comey Fired on: May 9, 2017 Reason: Trump said he fired Comey for his handling of the investigation of Hillary Clintons emails. But Comey testified that he believes he was fired to change the way the Russia investigation was being conducted. Method:A hand-delivered letter was sent to Comeys office while he was visiting California. Comey heard about his firing on the news. Finger gun involved:No.

Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump

President-elect Donald Trump ended his first news conference since the election by telling his sons he'll "fire" them if they don't do a good job running his company. Trump made the catchphrase "you're fired" popular during his time hosting "The Apprentice." (The Washington Post)

Reason: Trump put his sons in charge of the family business. If they dont run it well while Trump is president, he says theyll be out of a job. Was he joking?For the most part, yes. Finger gun involved: Oh, yes.

Special ProsecutorRobert S. Mueller III Reason: Trump told New York Times reporters that if Mueller began investigating his businesses itwould cross a red line. But he did not answer the reporters questions as to whether he would fire Mueller because he didnt think that line would be crossed. It has been crossed. Bloomberg News reported on July 20 that Mueller is focusing on Trumps transactions in Russia. Was he joking?Not a chance. Finger gun involved: No.

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price

President Trump quipped that he would fire health and human services secretary Tom Price if he did not round up enough votes to repeal Obamacare. (Reuters)

Reason: At a Boy Scout Jamboree in West Virginia on July 24, Trump joked that if Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price didnt secure enough Senate votes to proceed with dismantling Obamacare, he would be out of a job. Trump told the scouts: And hopefully he is going to get the votes tomorrow ... He better get them. He better get them. Otherwise I'll say, Tom, youre fired!" Was he joking? The Senate did vote to proceed on a health-care bill, so we may never know. Finger gun involved: Absolutely.

U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley Reason: Trump questioned Haleys colleagueson whether shewas doing a good job during a lunch with members of the Security Council. Was he joking? It seems that way. I want to thank Ambassador Nikki Haley for her outstanding leadership and for acting as my personal envoy on the Security Council. She is doing a good job. Now, does everybody like Nikki?," he said. Otherwise she could be easily replaced, right? No, we wont do that. I promise you we wont do that. Shes doing a fantastic job. Finger gun involved: Only the metaphorical one of being burned at your own work lunch.

White House adviser Stephen K. Bannon Reason: During an exchange withNew York Post reporter Michael Goodwin, Trump distanced himself from Bannon, minimizing his role as an adviser. Was he joking? This might be serious. Bannon was removed from the National Security Council in April, and his role in the White House is increasingly unclear. Finger gun involved: As far as we know, no.

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus Reason: In June, Politicoreportedthat Trump set a deadline of July 4 to remove several staff members, including Priebus. I dont want them to come into this mess. If Im going to clean house, they will come in as fresh blood, Trump said, according to Politico's source. Was he joking? No, though he has not yet actedon the threat. Finger gun involved:The source did not specify.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer

White House press secretary Sean Spicer resigned on July 21, the same day Anthony Scaramucci became the new communications director. The Post's Callum Borchers looks at Spicier's tenure as the White House spokesman and the difficulties he faced representing the president. (Erin Patrick O'Connor,Meg Kelly/The Washington Post)

Reason: Rumors about Trump wanting to replace Spicer circulated throughout his tenure before he resigned on July 20. Reports includedTrump mulling a replacement such as Laura Ingraham or Kimberly Guilfoyle. Method: Spicer submitted his resignation. Finger gun involved: No, but Trump did tease him for his work in front of the camera. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders read the presidents remarks during a press briefing: "I wish him continued success as he moves on to pursue new opportunities. Just look at his great television ratings."

Attorney General Jeff Sessions

President Trump said he would have "picked someone else" had he known that Attorney General Jeff Sessions would recuse himself from the Russia probe. (The Washington Post)

Reason: Trump is frustrated with Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia investigation, saying if he knew Sessions would step away from the probe he would have picked someone else. On Tuesday, Trump reiterated his frustrations with Sessions, accusing him of taking a very weak stance on Hillary Clinton and people who have leaked intelligence. Method:The Fixs Aaron Blake writes that Trump seems to be choosing the make your life hell until you quit method. Finger gun involved: No, but Sessions will have to deal with the sting of knowing Trump is disappointed by his actions.

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Here's a list of people Trump has fired or threatened to fire - Washington Post

The discovery of a stifling tractor-trailer in San Antonio this weekend packed with nearly 40 undocumented immigrants is reverberating across the country. Ten people have died as a result of the possible human trafficking incident.

Since the case first came to light, some sources in the media have been using the terms 'human trafficking' and 'human smuggling' interchangeably. But they're two very different crimes.

"I think people are confused about the difference between human smuggling and human trafficking because they often blend into each other," says Kerry Ward, an associate professor of history at Rice University who studies forced migration. "But they're distinct crimes. Human trafficking is a crime against a person while human smuggling is a crime against a border."

Human trafficking doesn't necessarily involve movement. People can be trafficked for forced labor purposes anywhere, even in their own homes.

Smuggling, on the other hand, involves transporting people illegally across a border.

"Now sometimes the people who are engaged in being smuggled have done so voluntarily, so they've paid money to be shipped across the border," Ward says. "What often happens is that these people become vulnerable to further exploitation and become trafficked when they are held against their will, often for labor purposes."

Human trafficking victims have more options for legal recourse according to Stacie Jonas, Managing Attorney for Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid.

"Victims of human trafficking are eligible for certain legal remedies and protections that are not always available to people who were smuggled," says Jonas.

Right now, Jonas says it appears the case in San Antonio is being charged as a crime involving smuggling. She says she hopes that the people recovered from the tractor trailer should be screened to determine if they are also victims of trafficking.

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Human Smuggling or Human Trafficking? They're Two Very Different Crimes - Texas Public Radio

Close-Up Of Burning Coal On Metal Grill. Photo: Mathias Genterczewsky / EyeEm

Everyone whos ever grilled has what they consider to be the best way to barbecue. Some say gas is the best, while others point to charcoal as the betteroption. Its a debate thatlllikelycontinue for generations and generations.

Based on whats happening out in Kenya, the charcoal side might have just gained some steam in the argument in the most unexpected way possible. What theyre doing is quite literally the shit.

According to a video published by the New York Post, human feces is being converted into charcoal, and the results are positive both for the community and environment.

As it turns out,human crap has a lot more advantages than just clearing a room. Feces has shown to burn longer than firewood or your typical bag of charcoal. It also apparently creates less smoke and surprise, surprise has NO SMELL. Bet you didnt see that coming, huh?

Sadly, only 27 percent of people in Nakaru, Kenya have access tosewer systems. Its a problem that is being flipped into opportunity because the sludge from the area is being collected and transformed into charcoal briquettes. The process includes drying out the poop, heating it, then mixing it with molasses and sawdust for binding.

As a result of all this, charcoal poop has turned into cash-money. Roughly one kilo of briquettes is worth 50 cents. Based on projected goals, they hope to produce ten tons a monthby the end of 2017, eventually moving to ten tons a day when they have the right equipment. Thistranslates to $4,500 per ten tons, a good amount of money for the largely poor villagers in the area.

So as you can see, human crap isnt so bad after all.Remember that the next time you blow up the bathroom.

Originally posted here:
Cooking With Human Poop Charcoal Is Now A Thing In Parts Of Kenya - Crave Online

Its rare if not unheard of to hear someone question Mark Zuckerbergs comprehension skills.

The Facebook chief executive and social media icon is frequently lauded for his critical thinking and global vision, qualities that have helped him maintain his reign atop one of the worlds most successful companies.

Yet on Tuesday, Tesla chief executive and fellow billionaire Elon Musk said in a tweet that Zuckerbergs understanding of the threat posted by artificial intelligence is limited.

Ouch.

In Silicon Valley, at least, thems tech titan fightin words.

[Elon Musk doesnt think were prepared to face humanitys biggest threat: Artificial intelligence]

Musks tweet was a response to a Facebook live broadcast that Zuckerbergdid during a backyard grilling session Sunday in which he was asked about Musks strident warnings surroundingAI. Without mentioning Musk by name, Zuckerberg called such warnings really negative and pretty irresponsible.

As he waited for his wood-burning stove to finish slow-cooking a brisket, Zuckerberg fielded a variety of questions, including on economic opportunity and thefuture of AI.

I think that people who are naysayers and try to drum up these doomsday scenarios. I dont understand it. Its really negative, and, in some ways, I actually think its pretty irresponsible, said Zuckerberg, who also argued that people can build things and the world gets better.

Zuckerberg pointed out some of the ways in which he believes AI can save human lives, such as helping to enhance the safety of self-driving cars and to diagnose medical conditions. He argued that technology can be used for good or bad and that its incumbent upon inventors to innovate with caution.

But people who are arguing for slowing down the process of building AI, I just find that really questionable, he added. I have a hard time wrapping my head around that. If youre arguing against AI, then youre arguing against safer cars that arent going to have accidents and youre arguing against being able to better diagnose people when theyre sick.

[YouTube is tricking people who search for ISIS videos]

Musk has been warning for years about the risk posed by AI, most recentlytelling a group of governorsthis month that they need to start regulating artificial intelligence, which he called a fundamental risk to the existence of human civilization.

When pressed for concrete guidance, Musk said the government must get a better understanding of AI before its too late.

Once there is awareness, people will be extremely afraid, as they should be, Musk said. AI is a fundamental risk to the future of human civilization in a way that car accidents, airplane crashes, faulty drugs or bad food were not. They were harmful to a set of individuals in society, but they were not harmful to individuals as a whole.

After Musk dropped his dig at Zuckerberg on Twitter, thousands of retweets and likes followed. Musk followed up his statement by noting that a movie on the subject is coming soon, but he did not providedetails.

More reading:

How doctors used virtual reality to save the lives of conjoined twin sisters

Google Street Views latest destination: The International Space Station

Why I remain optimistic about Tesla

Read more:
Billionaire burn: Musk says Zuckerberg's understanding of AI threat 'is limited' - Washington Post

Washington Times

Human microchips coming to Wisconsin company near you Washington Times Eventually, this technology will become standardized, allowing you to use this as your passport, public transit, all purchasing opportunities, etc., wrote Todd Westby, Three Square Market's chief executive, in a blog post announcing the voluntary ... Wisconsin company Three Square Market to microchip employeesBBC News all 215 news articles »

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Human microchips coming to Wisconsin company near you - Washington Times

The discovery of dozens of migrants in a dangerously overheated trailer in San Antonio this weekend has further inflamed the national debate over illegal immigration, particularly sanctuary cities that limit cooperation with federal authorities.

In a Facebook post late Sunday, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) appeared to blame the tragedy on sanctuary policies like those adopted by San Antonio, San Francisco, Chicago and other jurisdictions, which he said entice people to illegally cross the border by creating the impression that local authorities will shield them from deportation.

He praised a Texas law currently under court challenge that would impose harsh penalties on jurisdictions that do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

Immigrant rights groups, in contrast, pointed the finger at increasingly harsh U.S. tactics toward undocumented immigrants, which they said drive would-be migrants to turn to unsafe methods to enter the United States.

They cited the Texas law, which will take effect Sept. 1 unless the lawsuit against it is successful, as an example of that worsening treatment.

Authorities say the tractor-trailer found in the parking lot of a San Antonio Walmart on Sunday was used to illegally transport more than 100 immigrants from Mexico as part of a smuggling operation.

There was little ventilation and no cooling in the cargo bay, creating punishing conditions as temperatures soared into the triple digits. Ten of the trucks occupants have died, and dozens of others remain hospitalized, some in critical condition.

The incident comes at a time of stepped-up immigration enforcement by the Trump administration, which has made it a priority to deport those in the country illegally and pledged to dramatically increase border security.

In Texas, tensions also are rising over the anti-sanctuary-city law known as S.B. 4. The measure requires local authorities to hold and turn over undocumented immigrants who have been ordered detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It carries harsh penalties, including fines and even jail time, for officials who refuse to comply.

Several cities and counties, including San Antonio, have sued to block the measure, arguing that it violates the U.S. Constitution. Critics of the law say cooperating closely with federal immigration authorities erodes public trust and often forces them to keep people in jail beyond their sentences.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) suggested Sunday on Twitter that better border security would have forestalled this weekends human-smuggling episode.

Compassion is called for, he wrote. But lawlessness ensures cartels will continue to profit from these tragedies. Status quo is not compassionate.

In his Facebook statement, Patrick wrote, Sanctuary cities entice people to believe they can come to America and Texas and live outside the law. Sanctuary cities also enable human smugglers and cartels. Today, these people paid a terrible price and demonstrate why we need a secure border and legal immigration reform so we can control who enters our country.

The posting which was shared more than 1,500 times drew immediate rebukes from immigrant rights advocates, who argued that the anti-sanctuary-cities law would make such tragedies more common.

We think that it is policies like S.B. 4 and the growing criminalization of immigrants and the growing militarization of our border that ... pushes people into shadows, sometimes literally to the back of the truck to hide from authorities, said Amy Fischer, policy director for the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services.

In 2003, 19 people died in the trailer of an 18-wheeler during a 120-mile journey across the U.S.-Mexico border.

Two weeks ago, Houston police discovered 12 immigrants who had been locked in a sweltering box truck for hours and were seeking help by banging on the walls. And in May, border agents discovered 18 immigrants locked in a refrigerated produce truck, the temperature set at 51 degrees.

At a vigil for the victims Sunday night, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Tex.), said U.S. lawmakers should bear some of the blame for this and other smuggling disasters.

This represents a symptom of a broken immigration system that Congress, of which I am a part, has had the chance to fix but has not, Castro said. Thats a colossal failure that has a human cost.

Rey Saldaa, the San Antonio City Council member who represents the area where the truck was discovered, said it would be a mistake to conclude that people are drawn to the United States because of sanctuary policies. He said they come because of larger and more complex desires for a better life pressures that have existed for decades.

I would lay a lot of this on people who have ignored a system that has incentivized this one kind of entry, Saldaa said. And so people turn to the danger of human smugglers.

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Horrific episode of human smuggling fuels both sides of immigration debate - Washington Post

High animal welfare standards used in producing meats such as beef could be threatened by post-Brexit trade deals. Photograph: Jeff Morgan/Alamy

Overwhelming support in the UK for high animal welfare standards is under threat from Brexit, an influential parliamentary committee has said.

The report from the House of Lords warns the standards of UK producers could be put under pressure by demands from other countries to allow an influx of cheap and lower-standard food as part of trade deals.

It was published as the prime ministers spokesperson said that allowing imports of US products such as chicken meat washed with chlorine would not be ruled out in trade deals. This came from No 10, despite assurances to the Guardian last week from the Department of Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) that any trade deal would maintain or raise food standards.

Preserving food standards would be of the highest priority Defra told the Guardian, and trade deals in agriculture would not be a race to the bottom.

Livestock welfare and crop-growing standards in the UK are among the worlds highest, but that could be subject to sudden change if farmers are challenged by imports from countries that produce meat and other food with much lower standards. Without firm and explicit support for agricultural standards in any post-Brexit trade agreements, the UKs high standards would be at risk.

The governments wish for the UK to become a global leader in free trade is not necessarily compatible with its desire to maintain high animal welfare standards

The House of Lords subcommittee on EU Energy and Environment found that if imports from other countries were allowed without the current EU safeguards, then the standards of UK producers would come under pressure.

The governments wish for the UK to become a global leader in free trade is not necessarily compatible with its desire to maintain high animal welfare standards, the committee found.

Liam Fox, one of the ministers leading the governments Brexit strategy, is in the US for talks on a new trade agreement that is almost certain to include agricultural products, including meat and genetically modified vegetables.

At present, the UK is protected from controversial US-produced agricultural goods, by EU standards that deter imports of products such as meat that has been washed in chlorine, which has a high bacterial content related to low animal welfare standards. EU rules also barmeat that has been fed with hormones and growth-promoting antibiotics.

Such products are allowed for sale in the US and attempts by the UK to impose higher standards on any imports would be a difficult part of trade deal negotiations.

Lord Teverson, chairman of the sub-committee that wrote the House of Lords report, said Brexit would threaten the UKs high standards of food for human consumption.

We heard overwhelming support for farm animal welfare standards to be maintained or improved. We urge the government to secure the inclusion of high farm animal welfare standards in any free trade agreements it negotiates after Brexit.

But he warned: The government will need to consider the effect of increasing standards on the competitiveness of UK producers as well as the future trading relationship with the EU.

The committee said that while consumers are currently protected by the high welfare standards required by the EU, which are much more stringent than those in countries such as the US and China, most people buying food are unaware of this.

Food labelling standards may also confuse consumers, the committee said, as they do not make it clear where and to what standards meat and vegetables have been produced.

Keith Taylor, an MEP and spokesman for the Green party, said: Fox is promising to discard the vital precautionary principle that guides EU policy-making and protects citizens from any process, procedure or product that carries with it a plausible risk of harm.

He pointed to the example of pesticides, dozens of which are permitted in the US but banned in the EU on health and environmental grounds.

In the US,antibiotics are routinely used to improve animals growth, sparking fears that meat consumption could increase human resistance to antibiotics. They are also used to limit diseases that could otherwise spread in the megafarms, holding tens of thousands of animals, that are commonplace in US farming.

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Post-Brexit trade deals 'threaten UK's animal welfare standards' - The Guardian

This post has been updated to reflect that Michael Phelps did not actually race a shark.

A few monthsafter embarrassing Adolf Hitler by winning four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Jesse Owens traveled to Cuba for an exhibition race against Julio McCaw.

Owens was the fastest runner in the world, but when he lined up against his opponent during halftime of a soccer game, helooked clearly outmatched. McCaw was bigger, more muscular.

He also had four legs.

McCaw was a chestnut gelding.

The history of sports and the history of marketing stunts is filled with stories like this, somewhat to the non-delight of animal rights activists.

Human vs. horse. Human vs. cheetah. Human vs. ostrich. Human vs. dog.

And on Sunday, human (Michael Phelps) vs. shark.

Well, as it turns out, not really.

The motivation for these challenges are typically commercial and often silly none more so than the short-lived Fox TV show, Man vs. Beast. Dwarfs race an elephant pulling an airplane. Pro eaterchallenges bear to hot dog eating contest. Champion sprinter beats giraffein race but loses to a zebra.

Phelps, the winner of 23 Olympic gold medals in swimming, was supposed to race a shark during the Discovery Channels annual Shark Week, which also includes programs titled SHALLOW WATER INVASION, SHARKS AMONG US, and AIR JAWS: NIGHT STALKER. (Anyone who watches these shows while vacationing at the beach is missing a few sea shells upstairs.)

Ive raced the fastest swimmers on the planet, Phelps says in a (ahem) promotional video. Except for one.

Except it was all simulated. (At least his golds werent. We think.)

[Blood in the water: Four dead, a coast terrified and the birth of modern shark mania]

While most human vs. animal races are promotional, at least one was to settle a bar bet. Thats how the annual Man vs. Horse Marathon got started more than 35 years ago in Wales, a place not lacking in collective alcohol consumption. Sports bookies take bets. The horses have a rider. The runners have their shoes. It goes on for 22 miles.

In 2004, on the 25th anniversary of the race, a known marathoner named Huw Lobb became the first of just two humans to win.

It is a very unusual event with men running against horses, he said after the race.

Giddy up.

And then theres cheetahs.

Why race a cheetah? Because its a cheetah! Dictionary entry: It is the fastest animal on land. Sarah the cheetah has the worldwide land record in the 100-meter dash, at 5.95 seconds. Olympic sprinter Usain Bolts time at the same distance: 9.58.

Devin Hester and Chris Johnson, both zippy NFL players, raced a cheetah for National Geographic a few years ago. These guys werent exactly brave there was a wall separating them from the cheetah. (At least they did it live.) Johnson, racing just two laps, lost. Hester won. He had an advantage over the cheetah by racing four laps. (Cheetahs cant make quick turns.)

Back in 1936, facing the Cuban horse, Jesse Owens was also given an advantage a 40-yard head start.

A crowd of 3,000 cheered the Negro flash enthusiastically, the Associated Press reported.

Owens beat the horse by a few lengths. (You can watch a short video here.) Though McCaw had nothing to say after losing, Owens was ecstatic, telling reporters, I would be willing to race a horse without a handicap, even from scratch.

But there was a but: Provided, he said, that the animal selected is not remarkably fast.

It was not the last time Owens raced a horse. Unlike Phelps, Owens struggled to earn a living for years, even as a symbol of freedom trouncing Hitlers hate. Owens appeared at promotional events around the world, racing not just horses but trains, cars, and dogs.

Those races made me sick, he said late in life. I felt like a freak.

Jesse Owens, a legend, was reduced to what these competitions ultimately are a sideshow.

Read more Retropolis:

Blood in the water: Four dead, a coast terrified and the birth of modern shark mania

The disturbing history of cat abuse: Public hangings, pipe beatings and The Great Cat Massacre

O.J.s last defender F. Lee Bailey is broke, disbarred and working above a hair salon

Before Venus and Serena, another tennis diva ruled Wimbledon in red lipstick, sipping cognac between sets

She was attacked 50 years ago for being a woman in the Boston Marathon. This year she ran it again at 70.

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The Phelps vs. shark charade was another bizarre episode of humans racing animals - Washington Post