US health officials crack down on kratom-related products after complaints from supplement industry
The chemical, known as 7- hydroxymitragynine , is a component of kratom , a plant native to Southeast Asia that has gained popularity in the U.S. as an unapproved treatment for pain, anxiety and drug dependence.
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Boston Globe
8 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
For some, return of Presidential Fitness Test revives painful memories
'I never did a pullup,' she said. 'My jam was just to hang there and cut jokes.' President Donald Trump's announcement Thursday that he was reviving the fitness test, which President Barack Obama did away with in 2012, has stirred up strong feelings and powerful memories for generations of Americans who were forced to complete the annual measure of their physical abilities. Advertisement While some still proudly remember passing the test with flying colors and receiving a presidential certificate, many others recoil at the mere mention of the test. For them, it was an early introduction to public humiliation. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'You would see it,' Burnett said. Her classmates 'would feel body shamed if they didn't perform as well.' Born of Cold War-era fears that America was becoming 'soft,' the test was introduced by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966. Although it changed forms over the years, the most recent version included a 1-mile run, modified situps, a 30-foot shuttle run, the sit-and-reach flexibility test and a choice between pushups or pullups. Children who scored in the top 15% nationwide earned a Presidential Physical Fitness Award. Advertisement When Obama abolished the test, he replaced it with the FitnessGram, a program that emphasized overall student health, goal setting and personal progress -- not beating your classmates on the track or the pullup bar. Trump signed an executive order that revived the test and reestablished the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. The order cited 'the threat to the vitality and longevity of our country that is posed by America's declining health and physical fitness.' The health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said at a White House event where Trump signed the order that he had fond memories of taking the fitness test as a child. 'It was a huge item of pride when I was growing up, and we need to re-instill that spirit of competition and that commitment to nutrition and physical fitness,' he said. Trump did not say what elements the new test would include, but the announcement came as his administration has also rolled out new physical fitness standards for soldiers in combat roles. News that the test was returning sent many Americans back to a time when they were frightened children in gym shorts and sneakers. Robin Gray, 60, who grew up in Tempe, Arizona, said she remembered being marched into her elementary school gym and told to complete a series of physical tests that she had never prepared for. As a bookish, asthmatic child, she struggled. 'There was this hanging on a bar,' she said. 'We weren't built up to learn how to hang on a bar. It was just how long can you hang here on this one random day?' The test did not encourage her to become physically active, something she did later in life by taking up swing dancing and yoga, she said. Advertisement 'It was survive or fail,' she said. 'It was Darwinist.' Some gym teachers said they never liked giving the test, knowing the effect it had on children who did not excel at sports. 'To tell you the truth, I dreaded it because I knew for some kids, it was one of the units they hated,' said Anita Chavez, who retired last year after 33 years as an elementary school physical education teacher in Minnesota. Chavez said she would offer some students the option of taking the test in the morning without other students present, so they would not feel embarrassed. She also set up stations in the gym so children would stay on the move and not gawk as their classmates struggled to do a pullup. Megaera Regan, who retired in 2021 after 32 years as an elementary school physical education teacher in Port Washington, New York, on Long Island, called the return of the test 'a giant step backward.' 'It really breaks my heart that it's coming back,' she said. 'If our mission is to help kids love being physically active and love moving, we have to do more than testing them in ways in which the majority are going to fail, and they're going to feel ashamed, and they're not going to like physical education.' Still, the test has its supporters, who describe it as a rite of passage -- and even a transformative experience. Steve Magness, 40, an author of books about performance and the science of running, said that he 'wasn't your typical athlete' as a child growing up outside Houston. Advertisement Then he won the mile run and the shuttle run during the Presidential Fitness Test in second grade. Pretty soon, he was known as the fastest runner in his class. He went on to run a 4:01 mile in high school and win a state championship in track, he said. 'That was my introduction to, 'Oh, I'm good at something,' and it pushed me into endurance sports and running,' he said. But even he found one part of the test to be insurmountable. 'I would ace everything else but couldn't touch my toes,' he said. 'That was my nemesis.' This article originally appeared in
Economic Times
9 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Is a US recession imminent? A wake-up call as Trump's tariff shock meets collapsing job growth and Wall Street flashes crisis signals
Synopsis US recession fears are rising fast as President Donald Trump's new tariffs clash with shockingly weak job numbers, sparking fresh panic on Wall Street. The July jobs report missed badly, and Trump's sweeping tariff order on 60+ countries is shaking markets even more. With stocks sliding, inflation risks growing, and the labor market slowing, experts warn a perfect economic storm may already be forming. Americans now face rising prices, job insecurity, and falling investments—all at once. "US recession imminent"—this once-hypothetical phrase is now turning into a grim reality. A chilling combination of weak job numbers, aggressive new tariffs from President Donald Trump, and sharp market declines is sending shockwaves through the economy. Wall Street is flashing warning signs, economists are raising red flags, and everyday Americans are starting to feel the pressure in their wallets. As uncertainty builds and confidence crumbles, the country may be on the brink of what experts are calling a 'perfect economic storm.' US recession fears grow as Trump's new tariffs hit amid shocking job losses—Wall Street warns of a perfect economic storm- The phrase 'US recession imminent' is no longer just a headline—it's a growing reality both on Wall Street and in American households. President Donald Trump's sweeping new tariffs, combined with surprisingly weak job data and heightened market volatility, are creating what many economists now call a 'perfect economic storm.' From job losses to trade disruption and tumbling markets, the signals are flashing red—and the stakes couldn't be higher for your wallet, your job, and the future of the U.S. economy. The July jobs report landed like a bombshell. The U.S. added only 73,000 jobs, far short of projections. Adding to the concern, job gains from May and June were slashed by a combined 258,000—essentially erasing most of the perceived progress from earlier months. Crucially, this wasn't limited to one sector. Even typically stable areas like government hiring and services showed declines. With the unemployment rate rising to 4.2% and labor force participation dropping for the third month straight, economists now warn that these aren't seasonal trends—they may point to a long-term economic slowdown. Just hours after the job report, President Trump signed an executive order on July 31, triggering 'reciprocal tariffs' on imports from over 60 countries. New tariffs include: Canada: 35% India: 25% Switzerland: 39% Taiwan: 20% Rates are set to take effect within days, with the White House insisting the move will 'level the playing field.' But economists and trade experts warn that raising import costs right now could backfire—driving up prices for consumers and businesses, curbing investment, and deepening the downturn. Markets reacted swiftly to the double blow of the job data and tariffs: Dow Jones fell 1.2% S&P 500 dropped 1.6% Nasdaq plunged 2.2%—marking its worst day in over three months The VIX index, known as Wall Street's 'fear gauge,' spiked. Meanwhile, Treasury yields collapsed, with the 2-year yield dropping at its fastest pace since 2001—a clear signal of recession fears. Investors are now betting on the Federal Reserve slashing interest rates by September, suggesting the need for emergency intervention to prevent a full-scale economic downturn. In a dramatic twist, Trump fired Erika McEntarfer, the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), just hours after the jobs report was released. The White House claimed the numbers were 'manipulated' to damage the administration's image. This has sparked major concerns about the credibility of official economic data. Many fear this move could undermine public trust at a time when accurate, transparent reporting is more critical than ever. This isn't just about Wall Street. Everyday Americans are already feeling the pressure: Job prospects are weakening, especially in industries exposed to global trade are weakening, especially in industries exposed to global trade Prices are rising as tariffs take hold—from electronics to groceries as tariffs take hold—from electronics to groceries 401(k)s and retirement savings are vulnerable as markets wobble are vulnerable as markets wobble Mortgage rates might fall, but that may not offset the pain of job insecurity The mix of rising costs and falling job security is putting serious pressure on working families, even before any official recession is declared. Here's what could shape the coming weeks: August jobs report : Continued weakness could confirm that a recession is already underway : Continued weakness could confirm that a recession is already underway Federal Reserve response : Rate cut signals will be key market movers : Rate cut signals will be key market movers Tariff negotiations : Some countries may seek exemptions, but Trump warns it's 'too late' : Some countries may seek exemptions, but Trump warns it's 'too late' Consumer spending: A major pullback could tip the economy into full contraction Many experts believe we're no longer waiting for a recession—we may already be in the early stages of one. The combination of slowing job growth, trade tensions, falling market confidence, and policy uncertainty is creating a fragile and volatile environment. This so-called 'perfect economic storm' is no longer hypothetical—it's forming before our eyes. What happens next will depend on policy decisions from Washington, the strength of the U.S. consumer, and how the global economy reacts in the critical weeks ahead. Q: What caused the latest US recession fears? Trump's new tariffs and weak job data triggered rising concerns of a U.S. recession. Q: How do Trump's tariffs affect average Americans? They raise prices on imports, making everyday goods more expensive.
See - Sada Elbalad
12 minutes ago
- See - Sada Elbalad
Trump Threatens UK Drugmakers With 60-Day Deadline to Cut US Prices, 'We'll Use Every Tool We Have'
Taarek Refaat President Donald Trump has issued a stark ultimatum to British pharmaceutical giants, warning they have 60 days to slash the prices of their medicines in the U.S. market or face aggressive action from his administration. 'We will use every tool in our arsenal,' Trump vowed on Saturday, targeting 17 drug companies in an escalating campaign to force them to match the reduced prices they offer in developing nations for the U.S. healthcare system. The move comes as the administration rolls out a wave of new tariffs on dozens of countries, including punitive duties on neighboring Canada, intensifying an already heated global trade climate. British drugmakers AstraZeneca and GSK saw their shares tumble amid investor fears over White House pressure, as Trump seeks to deliver on his pledge to bring down prescription costs for Americans. Analysts warn the policy could have ripple effects across the UK's National Health Service (NHS), which benefits from strong bargaining power with suppliers due to its massive purchasing scale, an advantage that could erode if companies are forced to harmonize prices globally. Trump is pushing for drugmakers to apply a 'most-favored nation' pricing model to Medicaid, the program serving low-income Americans, effectively demanding that the U.S. pay no more than the lowest price offered internationally. 'Cooperation toward global price parity in medicines would be the most effective path for companies, governments, and American patients alike,' Trump said in a statement. But his letter to pharmaceutical executives carried a blunt warning, 'If you refuse, we will use every tool in our arsenal to protect American families from unfair and excessive pricing practices. Americans need lower drug prices today, not tomorrow.' The president's remarks rattled markets, wiping an estimated £16 billion off the European pharmaceutical sector's market value amid concerns that lower U.S. prices could be offset by higher costs elsewhere in the world. Skeptics question whether Trump has the legal authority to impose direct drug price cuts, noting a similar effort during his first term was struck down in court. Back then, Trump accused current pricing models of 'subsidizing socialism abroad' by selling identical medicines, made in the same factories, at cheaper rates overseas, fueling inflated prices at home. Saturday's warning coincided with Trump signing an executive order imposing new tariffs on 68 countries plus the European Union. Canada was hit particularly hard, with duties raised from 25% to 35%, over what the White House called Ottawa's 'failure to cooperate' in halting the flow of illicit drugs, especially fentanyl, into the U.S. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney defended his country's efforts, citing 'historic investments in border security to apprehend drug traffickers and end migrant smuggling.' Switzerland, stunned by tariffs of 39%, far higher than anticipated, said it would continue negotiations with Washington to defuse the trade escalation. read more CBE: Deposits in Local Currency Hit EGP 5.25 Trillion Morocco Plans to Spend $1 Billion to Mitigate Drought Effect Gov't Approves Final Version of State Ownership Policy Document Egypt's Economy Expected to Grow 5% by the end of 2022/23- Minister Qatar Agrees to Supply Germany with LNG for 15 Years Business Oil Prices Descend amid Anticipation of Additional US Strategic Petroleum Reserves Business Suez Canal Records $704 Million, Historically Highest Monthly Revenue Business Egypt's Stock Exchange Earns EGP 4.9 Billion on Tuesday Business Wheat delivery season commences on April 15 News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters Arts & Culture "Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Business Egyptian Pound Undervalued by 30%, Says Goldman Sachs Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle Arts & Culture Lebanese Media: Fayrouz Collapses after Death of Ziad Rahbani Sports Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results
