Why are parents using melatonin to help their kids sleep?
What you should know about melatonin for sleep problems in children – International Pediatric Sleep Association
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Texas sues New York official for refusing to take action against abortion provider
Texas has sued a New York official for refusing to take action against an abortion provider, teeing up a state-versus-state battle that is widely expected to end up before the US supreme court. Ken Paxton, Texas's attorney general, has petitioned the New York state supreme court to order a county clerk to enforce a fine against Dr Margaret Carpenter, a New York doctor accused of mailing abortion pills across state lines. Paxton accused Carpenter last year of mailing abortion pills to a Texas woman in defiance of Texas's ban on virtually all abortions. After Carpenter failed to show up in a Texas court, a judge ordered her to pay more than $100,000 in penalties. But the acting Ulster county clerk, Taylor Bruck, in New York has twice rejected Paxton's efforts to levy that fine. Under New York's 'shield law', state law enforcement officials are blocked from complying with out-of-state prosecutions against abortion providers who ship pills to patients, even if those patients are located outside New York state. 'No matter where they reside, pro-abortion extremists who send drugs designed to kill the unborn into Texas will face the full force of our state's pro-life laws,' Paxton, a Republican, said in a statement announcing Monday's filing. Bruck, 34, said that he was just following New York state law. 'I'm just proud to live in a state that has something like the shield law here to protect our healthcare providers from out-of-state proceedings like this,' Bruck said. 'This has the potential of getting appealed up and up and up.' Paxton's petition marks the latest escalation in the burgeoning clash between states that protect abortion rights and those that do not. In the three years since the supreme court overturned Roe v Wade, abortion opponents in red states have repeatedly tried to push for legislation and litigation that would curtail people's ability to cross state lines for abortions or to receive abortion pills in the mail. Meanwhile, blue states, including New York, have enacted an array of shield laws to preserve people's abortion access. The US supreme court will probably be forced to step in to settle these debates between states, legal experts say. 'Ultimately, it's a states' rights argument,' Bruck said, adding that he remains 'still stunned by the whole thing'. 'It's not something I was really expecting, coming into this role,' Bruck said. 'It's really unprecedented for a clerk to be in this position.' The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select 'Secure Messaging'. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post See our guide at for alternative methods and the pros and cons of each.
The Independent
13 hours ago
- The Independent
Is the Philips sonicare 9900 prestige the ultimate travel companion?
Whether you're moving on from your manual or have decided your current model needs an upgrade, there's a world of choice when it comes to electric toothbrushes – and Philips is a leading brand in the crowded market. While some brushes feature an oscillating and rotating head, others use multiple sonic pulses to separate the plaque from the teeth. As the name suggests, all the brushes in the bestselling Philips sonicare range use the latter. In layman's terms, this means the brush head moves rapidly from side to side over the surfaces of the teeth, while sonic vibrations have an agitating effect on the mixture of toothpaste and fluids in the mouth, which in turn helps to loosen plaque. The 9900 prestige was the first electric toothbrush to combine this unique sonic approach with an app, run by Philips' Sense IQ technology. This provides real-time guidance on a number of criteria from duration and frequency, to pressure and position when brushing your teeth – and myriad brands have launched similar apps in the years since. As someone who takes oral health seriously and treats dental care as a non-negotiable part of my daily routine, I'm always on the lookout for tools that actually make a difference. I've tested a wide range of electric toothbrushes over the years – from stain busters to the most premium models on the market – so I've developed a sharp sense of what genuinely improves the brushing experience. That's why I was especially curious to try the Philips sonicare 9900 prestige, a toothbrush that costs as much as a porcelain crown – but will it save you that kind of expense in the long run? How I tested I've spent several weeks testing this toothbrush in order to really put it through its paces. Here's what I looked out for. Multiple testers: I'm an experienced electric toothbrush user and left my manual behind many years ago. So, I also enlisted the help of another tester who only recently started brushing their teeth with an electric. As a first-time user, I wanted to see how easy they got on with the Philips toothbrush, from the app to the brushing experience. App: Each of us spent a month with the electric toothbrush to get used to the product's app, testing the real-time guidance while assessing the model on from everything from duration and frequency, to pressure and position when brushing our teeth. Performance: Of course, the performance of the brush was all-important in testing. We wanted to notice any impact it had on our dental hygiene and how fresh and clean our mouths felt after brushing our teeth. Battery: It's annoying have to constantly charge your toothbrush, so we both considered how long the battery actually lasted (the brand claims it has a battery life of 14 days when used twice a day for two minutes each time) and how long it took to re-charge. Why you can trust IndyBest reviews Jon Axworthy is a writer with nearly three decades of experience. He has been contributing reviews to IndyBest since 2017, specialising in home, tech and garden. He applies the same rigorous testing approach to everything from grass strimmers to cordless drills and much more. Offering his honest opinions to help you find the best product, he's also reviewed countless electric toothbrushes, from Philips to Oral B.
Reuters
15 hours ago
- Reuters
In pictures: Gaza's worsening hunger crisis as famine warnings intensify
The World Food Programme said that almost 470,000 people in Gaza are enduring famine-like conditions, with 90,000 women and children in need of specialist nutrition treatments.
