EU May Shrink to Point Where it No Longer Has Major States – Juncker – Sputnik International

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is due to visit the United States on July 25, in a bid to add to improving EU-US relations, which were tarnished after President Donald Trump slapped import duties on steel and 10 percent duties on aluminum.

Speaking at the Carlos de Amberes Foundation in Madrid, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned that against the backdrop of a growing global population, Europe may finally “shrink” to the threshold when there will be no major states there.

Describing Europe as “the closest continent,” Juncker predicted that no EU member will make up more than one percent of the global population within the next few years.

 

Source: EU May Shrink to Point Where it No Longer Has Major States – Juncker – Sputnik International

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ADHD drugs do not improve cognition in healthy college students — ScienceDaily

Contrary to popular belief across college campuses, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications may fail to improve cognition in healthy students and actually can impair functioning, according to a study by researchers at the University of Rhode Island and Brown University.

Study co-investigators Lisa Weyandt, professor of psychology and a faculty member with URI’s George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, and Tara White, assistant professor of research in behavioral and social sciences at Brown University, had anticipated different findings. “We hypothesized that Adderall would enhance cognition in the healthy students, but instead, the medication did not improve reading comprehension or fluency, and it impaired working memory,” she said. “Not only are they not benefiting from it academically, but it could be negatively affecting their performance.”

This first-ever multisite pilot study of the impact of so-called “study drugs” on college students who do not have ADHD comes at a time when use of prescription stimulants such as Adderall, Ritalin and Vyvanse is common among young adults who believe the drugs will improve their academic performance. Research by Weyandt and others has estimated that 5 to 35 percent of college students in the United States and European countries without ADHD illegally use these controlled substances, buying or receiving them from peers, friends, or family.

Results of the new study, published last month in the journal Pharmacy, show that the standard 30 mg dose of Adderall did

 

Source: ADHD drugs do not improve cognition in healthy college students — ScienceDaily

Why has Trump decided to bully Montenegro? – The Washington Post

President Trump is showing us his cards, at each turn revealing the pieces of a plan that would amount to a once unthinkable victory for Russia, greatly increasing instability in Europe and the rest of the world.

Among the many alarming statements Trump has made in recent days was his comment to Fox News’ Tucker Carlson about the Balkan nation Montenegro, NATO’s newest member. Carlson asked the president why, if Montenegro is attacked, his son should go to war to defend it. Under NATO’s Article 5, an attack on one member is an attack on all. The allies have invoked it only once, in defense of the United States after 9/11.

Trump’s response to Carlson was a stunner. “I’ve asked the same question,” he said, adding an offensive quip about how the minuscule Montenegro has “very aggressive people,” which he somehow linked with the idea that it could start World War III.

 

Source: Why has Trump decided to bully Montenegro? – The Washington Post

DWP ‘adding to suffering’ of terminally ill benefit claimants

The UK Government has faced strong condemnation after it rejected a cross-party proposal to amend a controversial element of disability benefit legislation for terminally ill claimants, with one commentator describing the decision as “cruel” and unjustifiable.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants who have been told they have less than six months to live can be fast tracked through the application process, but critics argue that this policy is too restrictive and should be rescinded or amended.

The SNP Scottish Government has already brought forward new legislation to rescind the six month limit, and now politicians from other political parties are calling on the UK Government to do the same across the UK.

However, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has rejected the cross-party request, claiming the current system already provides sufficient levels of support for terminally ill PIP claimants.

Labour MP Madeleine Moon, whose husband died from motor neurone disease, gave an emotional speech in Parliament, calling for the law to be changed so that terminally ill patients don’t have to spend their last weeks of life worrying about how to pay household bills.

She told MPs: “I’ve talked to people who are worried about losing their homes, worried about how they’re going to pay fuel bills, how they’re going to provide food.

 

Source: DWP ‘adding to suffering’ of terminally ill benefit claimants

Trump criticizes Federal Reserve for rate hikes, breaking with tradition

President Donald Trump attacked the Federal Reserve on Thursday, saying he disagreed with the course taken by the central bank and its chairman, Jerome Powell, whom Trump nominated to the position last year.

“I don’t necessarily agree with it,” Trump told CNBC about the Fed’s two rate hikes so far this year. “I’m not thrilled, because every time we go up, they want to raise rates again. But at the same time I’m letting them do what they feel is best.”

Markets whiplashed on Trump’s comments, with the Dow Jones dropping more than 100 points and the dollar taking a brief stumble.

The White House released a statement shortly after the president’s statement was released.

 

Source: Trump criticizes Federal Reserve for rate hikes, breaking with tradition

More thoughts from Roger Hargreaves on the Bill

The Small Places

Roger Hargreaves has kindly given me permission to reproduce two more posts for a Facebook discussion group on the DoLS about the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill.  I was going to stick them at the bottom of another post, but I think they deserve their a post of their own:

In support of the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill, the government notes in the Impact Assessment that “only about 4-8% of those assessed under DoLS are thought to have improved care as a result of the process.  For over 90% the staff could not identify benefits.”  The Briefing Note to the Lords then sets out one of the main reasons, that the stable door is being shut long after the horse has bolted: “DoLS require that the care home or hospital in which a person is deprived of liberty must apply to a local authority for authorisation. The Law Commission notes that…

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What’s in the mind of a megalomaniac? — The Secular Jurist

Whatever it is with Trump, then we all need to know and know soon, before any further damage is done in world relations.

Does Trump even know what day it is and where he is.

sdbast

By Robert A. Vella Donald Trump has been in the White House for a year and a half, yet the turmoil surrounding his presidency began from his first day in office and has grown into a perpetual firestorm that has singed every continent on the face of our planet. That’s quite a feat for one […]

via What’s in the mind of a megalomaniac? — The Secular Jurist

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Fact Checking Fail: Trump Makes Blunder Over Queen’s Honor Guard Review – Sputnik International

During his visit to the United Kingdom, US President Donald Trump met with the queen of England, Elizabeth II, as well as with UK Prime Minister Theresa May, amid mass street protests staged by Britons angry at the American leader.

Shortly after concluding his official visit to Britain, US President Donald Trump told the media that the queen of England had reviewed the royal guard on the occasion for the first time in the last several decades.

“We met with the Queen who is absolutely a terrific person, where she reviewed her honor guard for the first time in 70 years, they tell me,” Trump said.

 

Source: Fact Checking Fail: Trump Makes Blunder Over Queen’s Honor Guard Review – Sputnik International

“The president was saying no to answering questions,” says @PressSec, clarifying earlier response from @POTUS when he was asked about whether Russia is still a threat. “He does believe they would certainly target U.S. elections again.” | Ace Newsroom Live

The president was saying no to answering questions,” says @PressSec, clarifying earlier response from @POTUS when he was asked about whether Russia is still a threat. “He does believe they would certainly target U.S. elections again.”

from News from District Columbia, U.S in English on live map – dc.liveuamap.com https://ift.tt/2Lk9c26
via IFTTT

 

Source: “The president was saying no to answering questions,” says @PressSec, clarifying earlier response from @POTUS when he was asked about whether Russia is still a threat. “He does believe they would certainly target U.S. elections again.” | Ace Newsroom Live

Thousands owed £340m in underpaid benefits after ‘major’ DWP error

MPs have criticised a “culture of indifference” at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), after a “major” error resulted in thousands of people being underpaid in benefits for several years.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) estimates that 70,000 Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimants have been underpaid a shocking £340 million in ESA, with those affected owed an average £5,000 each and some owed as much as £20,000.

However, some people look set to miss out entirely, because the DWP has only agreed to backdate payments to 2014, even though the errors in payments go back much further.

In a damning report published today, the PAC blast the Department for taking longer than 6 years to rectify the problems that were causing the underpayments, “even when it was painfully obvious that it was underpaying a significant number of people”.

“It failed to design a process that reflected its own legislation”, the PAC said. “It failed to subject that process to proper scrutiny. It failed to listen to its own staff, claimants, or external stakeholders and experts who told it things were going wrong and that it needed to slow down.”

The DWP are now finally beginning to repay the arrears, but there is no plan to compensate sick and disabled ESA claimants who have missed out on passported benefits like free prescriptions and free school meals.

 

Source: Thousands owed £340m in underpaid benefits after ‘major’ DWP error