Americans breathe in carcinogenic chemicals found in cars: study

Researchers have found that a source of carcinogenic chemicals is in Americans’ cars – but there may be a way to reduce your risk.

Environmental Science and Technology, a peer-reviewed scientific journal, published a study called “Flame Retardant Exposure in Vehicles Is Influenced by Use in Seat Foam and Temperature” on Tuesday.

The study explains that Americans breathe in chemicals from the flame retardants in their vehicles. The chemicals can cause issues ranging from developmental neurotoxicity to thyroid hormone dysregulation and even cancer.

The types of chemicals found in flame retardants range from polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which were common in cars until the early 2000s, to alternative brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and organophosphate ester flame retardants (OPEs). 

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The federal government requires a level of flame retardants in vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) mandated the use of flame retardants in the 1970s.

“Flame retardant (FR) chemicals are intentionally used in electronics, furnishings, and building materials to meet flammability standards,” the study explains.

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“Most [flame retardants] are used in an additive manner (i.e., not chemically bound), and many are semivolatile, indicating that they can be present in both the gas phase and partially in the condensed phase (e.g., particles and surfaces), depending on environmental conditions.”

Americans who drive professionally or face long commutes may be at a higher risk of harm from the chemicals.

“These findings highlight that commuters are likely to be exposed to [flame retardants], especially those with longer commutes or those who drive vehicles full time as part of their employment,” the paper read. 

“In addition, children, who breathe a greater amount of air per kg body weight compared to adults, would also be at risk of greater exposures for equivalent commuting times.”

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Drivers and passengers in warmer states may face a greater risk of breathing in the flame retardant chemicals. But rolling down car windows, turning off the AC and parking in covered garages may help reduce exposure to the dangerous chemicals, researchers say. 

“Increasing ventilation by opening vehicle windows and avoiding recirculating interior cabin air may also reduce exposures,” the study said. “However, the greatest reduction in exposure from vehicle air would come from significantly reducing the amount of FRs added to personal vehicles.”

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FBI interrogates Americans over social media posts 'every day, all day long,' agent says

FBI agents told an Oklahoma woman that the agency spends “every day, all day long” questioning people about their social media posts when they arrived at her house to ask about posts she made online.

Rolla Abdeljawad, of Stillwater, was told by FBI agents who showed up at her home on Wednesday that Facebook had handed over screenshots of her posts.

Abdeljawad told the agents she did not want to talk and asked them to show their badges on camera, but the agents refused, video posted to the social media platform X by her lawyer, Hassan Shibly, shows. The woman wrote on Facebook that she later confirmed with local police that the people who showed up at her home were actually FBI agents.

“Facebook gave us a couple of screenshots of your account,” one agent wearing a gray shirt was heard saying in the video.

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Abdeljawad replied, “So we no longer live in a free country, and we can’t say what we want?”

“No, we totally do,” another agent wearing a red shirt said. “That’s why we’re not here to arrest you or anything. We do this every day, all day long. It’s just an effort to keep everybody safe and make sure nobody has any ill will.”

The woman then said, “All I’ve done is exercise my right as an American citizen on a public social media platform with my personal opinions.”

It is unclear which posts caught the attention of the FBI, but Abdeljawad has made a series of posts in the past week expressing frustration about the ongoing war in Gaza between Israeli forces and Hamas terrorists, including referring to Israel as “Israhell.”

“Israhelli terrorist filth,” she said in one post. “They think Ramadan is a weakness for Muslims not, realizing Ramadan is the strength. #FreePalestine May Allah destroy every single despicable zionist, their supporters and backers. Ameen.”

Abdeljawad’s Facebook timeline is also public, meaning the FBI agents could have accessed her posts themselves without requesting screenshots from Facebook.

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One of her posts even warned the Muslim community and people who are pro-Palestinian to be wary of the U.S. government monitoring their activity.

“Don’t fall for their games. Our community is being watched & they are just waiting for any reason to round us up,” Abdeljawad wrote on March 24. “If you’re Muslim and/or pro-pal consider all your media accounts, Google searches, mail, messenger, local mosques & political events monitored. #NYC #usa #PoliceState #FreePalestine”

The official policy of Meta, Facebook’s parent company, is to give law enforcement Facebook data following a court order, subpoena, search warrant or emergency situation involving “imminent harm to a child or risk of death or serious physical injury to any person.”

In the first half of 2023, the social media giant received nearly 74,000 requests from law enforcement and handed over data 88% of the time, according to Meta’s website.

Abdeljawad said in a post on Thursday that her lawyer does not believe Facebook sent the FBI the screenshots of her posts.

“Rather, it seems like a fishing expedition,” she wrote. “I do not fear them. My only concern as, I told the cop is that, someone in my state will do something or that they would and then use my posts in a malicious attempt to ‘smear’ me. Just *remember, I am a Muslim, an obligated protector of creation. I enjoin what is good and forbid what is wrong.”

Shibly said in the caption on the social media video that Abdeljawad made the correct decision to refuse to speak without a lawyer, to not allow them in her house and to record the interaction. But, he says, she should not have gone outside her house to talk to the agents.

“You have the right never to speak to the FBI without a lawyer,” he said.

'Our country needs help': Americans in nation's biggest blue city grade President Biden's performance

Americans in the Big Apple offered lackluster grades for President Biden’s performance as he campaigns for re-election, with many citing the economy as a primary concern.

“Our country needs help,” Verdena from Nebraska told Fox News, awarding the president a failing grade. “And he’s not working for our country.”

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“The economy could be a little bit better,” Susan from New York said, citing high inflation. “But there are other things I do agree with. So it’s kind of like passable but not exceptional.” She gave the president a C.

A Quinnipiac University poll published Wednesday showed Biden with a 42% approval rating. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a Democrat challenging the president’s re-election bid, had a 31% approval, but 43% said they weren’t familiar enough with him.

Among Biden’s potential Republican challengers in the 2024 race, former President Trump’s approval was 37% and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ was 33%. The remainder were at 25% or below.

“I think he’s done a really good job of handling the Russia-Ukraine situation,” said Matt, giving the president a B-plus. “But domestically, there’s been some issues socially and economically that I haven’t been too happy with.”

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Richard from Nebraska was less forgiving of economic issues, giving Biden a flat F grade.

Biden has just 33% approval when it comes to economic issues, according to a poll released last month by the Associated Press and the National Opinion Research Center (AP-NORC) at the University of Chicago. Americans polled also doubted the president’s ability to handle gun policies and immigration, at 31% for both issues.

“He has screwed up our fuel prices,” Richard said. “He’s screwed up the environment, the territory, the border. He’s not doing his job. He’s too old.”

Former White House physician and current Texas GOP Rep. Ronny Jackson raised flags over Biden’s health earlier this month on Fox News Channel’s ‘Hannity.’ Jackson said the president is “not fit mentally or physically” after he fell on stage during a commencement ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

To hear more of Americans’ thoughts on Biden’s performance, click here.

Trump predicts coronavirus vaccine will be available to all Americans by April

Trump predicts coronavirus vaccine will be available to all Americans by April

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