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Share on Pinterest A dangerous new trend is gaining popularity on TikTok. People are drinking borax cleaning powder, claiming it has benefits. But experts warn this can have serious effects on your health and even cause death. mokjc/ShutterstockTheres a new TikTok trend that has people drinking the cleaning agent borax.Promoters say it can help health conditions like joint pain and inflammation.Medical professionals, however, say this practice can be dangerous.While boron is a normal part of our diet, borax provides toxic amounts of this substance.Experts say to stop drinking borax and seek help right away if you show signs of toxicity.

Theres a new health trend on TikTok that medical professionals want people to stop following right away: drinking borax.

Borax is a white powder that also goes by the names of sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, and disodium tetraborate. It is used as a household cleaner and as a booster for laundry detergent.

People on the social media platform are adding a pinch of borax powder to water and drinking it daily then reporting back to TikTok with their results. Why are people drinking borax?

Why would someone think its a good idea to drink a chemical thats commonly reserved for getting stains out of your laundry?

Proponents of drinking borax believe that its actually good for health, providing benefits such as relieving arthritis pain, reducing inflammation, and balancing hormones.

Some even believe that there is a conspiracy to keep this knowledge away from the public so that people will buy prescription drugs instead.

Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor, a medical toxicology physician and Executive Director at National Capital Poison Center, said that people believe the perceived benefits are due to its boron content.

However, Johnson-Arbor said, There is no defined recommended boron intake for humans and most of us get boron from eating fruits and vegetables in our normal diet.

There are also boron supplements marketed for bone and joint health, she said, but there are few human studies backing their use.

In other words: Theres no evidence that we need more boron. In fact, it could be harmful if we get more boron than what is generally obtained through food. Why drinking borax is dangerous

Johnson-Arbor further explained that boron binds with other elements to form compounds like boric acid (commonly used as a pesticide) or borax.

Household formulations of borax are not intended for human consumption, and toxicity can occur after consumption of borax or boric acid due to the boron contained in these formulations, she said.

Its toxicity really comes down to the amount of boron thats present and the form its in. Too much boron, like what people are consuming when they drink borax, is harmful and can even lead to death.

Dr. Zeeshan Afzal, Medical Officer at Welzo, said that drinking borax can lead to symptoms such as: nauseavomitingdiarrheadehydrationelectrolyte imbalances

If breathed in, it can also irritate the respiratory tract, he said, causing problems with breathing.

If you consume too much borax, it can further cause damage to organs like your kidneys and liver.

Additionally, it could cause symptoms like confusion, seizures, and coma, he noted.

There are also long-term health issues that people can experience when consuming large amounts of borax, Afzal added.

It is essential to understand that ingesting borax, even in small amounts, is not safe and should never be attempted, concluded Afzal. This challenge poses a significant risk to the health and well-being of those involved. What to do if someone drinks borax

Johnson-Arbor said, If someone eats or drinks borax or suspects that a loved one is doing this, contact Poison Control immediately for expert advice.

She explained that there are two ways to contact Poison Control: They can be reached online at www.poison.org or by phone at 1-800-222-1222.

Johnson-Arbor further noted that both options are free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day.

Afzel additionally advises sharing educational information with the person and encouraging them to stop.

However, if they are showing any signs of borax poisoning like nausea, vomiting, or breathing difficulties Afzel said it is urgent that you call 911 or go to the nearest hospital right away.

Additional steps that Afzel suggests for dealing with misinformation about borax include:Sharing information about the dangers to raise awareness about the risks.Reporting harmful content like the borax challenge to the social media platforms where they are found.Promoting educational content on these platforms that emphasizes health and safety.

In response to the TikTok trend of drinking borax, borax manufacturer 20 Mule Team Borax has issued a statement on its Facebook account cautioning that people should refrain from drinking its product.

They also advise against using borax on your skin as a detox bath, which is another popular TikTok trend. According to Johnson-Arbor, even when borax is diluted in water, it still has the power to cause rashes, skin irritation, and peeling.The bottom line

Although drinking borax is a popular TikTok trend with people on the platform claiming that it can provide health benefits like relief from pain and inflammation, the experts say there is no proof that it can help and the practice is actually dangerous.

If you are drinking borax, you should immediately stop.

You should also obtain professional help immediately if you are experiencing any signs of toxicity like nausea, vomiting, or breathing problems.

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Technology

Amazon CEO Jassy says AI will lead to ‘fewer people doing some of the jobs’ that get automated

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Amazon CEO Jassy says AI will lead to 'fewer people doing some of the jobs' that get automated

AI will change the workforce, says Amazon CEO Andy Jassy

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said the rapid rollout of generative artificial intelligence means the company will one day require fewer employees to do some of the work that computers can handle.

“Like with every technical transformation, there will be fewer people doing some of the jobs that the technology actually starts to automate,” Jassy told CNBC’s Jim Cramer in an interview on Monday. “But there’s going to be other jobs.”

Even as AI eliminates the need for some roles, Amazon will continue to hire more employees in AI, robotics and elsewhere, Jassy said.

Earlier this month, Jassy admitted that he expects the company’s workforce to decline in the next few years as Amazon embraces generative AI and AI-powered software agents. He told staffers in a memo that it will be “hard to know exactly where this nets out over time” but that the corporate workforce will shrink as Amazon wrings more efficiencies out of the technology.

It’s a message that’s making its way across the tech sector. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff last week claimed AI is doing 30% to 50% of the work at his software vendor. Other companies such as Shopify and Microsoft have urged employees to adopt the technology in their daily work. The CEO of Klarna said in May that the online lender has managed to shrink its headcount by about 40%, in part due to investments in AI and natural attrition in its workforce.

Jassy said on Monday that AI will free employees from “rote work” and “make all our jobs more interesting,” while enabling staffers to invent better services more quickly than before.

Amazon and other tech companies have also been shrinking their workforces through rolling layoffs over the past several years. Amazon has cut more than 27,000 jobs since the start of 2022, and it’s announced smaller, more targeted layoffs in its retail and devices units in recent months.

Amazon shares are flat so far this year, underperforming the Nasdaq, which has gained 5.5%. The stock is about 10% below its record reached in February, while fellow megacaps Meta, Microsoft and Nvidia are all trading at or very near record highs.

WATCH: Jassy says robots that will eventually do delivery and transportation

Over time we will have robots that will do delivery and transportation, says Amazon CEO Andy Jassy

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Politics

PM faces threat of major rebellion during key vote today

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PM faces threat of major rebellion during key vote today

Sir Keir Starmer continues to face the threat of a major rebellion during a key vote on welfare reforms later – despite making last-minute concessions to disgruntled Labour MPs.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has confirmed that all existing claimants of the personal independence payment (PIP), the main disability benefit, will be protected from changes to eligibility.

The combined value of the standard Universal Credit allowance and the health top-up will rise “at least in line with inflation” every year of this parliament.

And an additional £300m for employment support for sick and disabled people in 2026 has been announced, which will rise every year after.

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Welfare cuts ‘needed to be made’

Ms Kendall has also promised that a consultation into PIP – “co-produced” with disabled people – will be published next autumn.

She said the U-turn on welfare cuts will cost taxpayers about £2.5bn by 2030 – less than half the £4.8bn the government had expected to save with its initial proposals.

Modelling by Ms Kendall’s own department, released yesterday, suggested the proposals would push 150,000 more people into poverty by 2030, down from the 250,000 estimated under the original plan.

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But after announcing the U-turns, Labour MPs were still publicly saying they could not back the plans as they do not go far enough to allay their concerns.

Disabilities minister Stephen Timms would not say he was “confident” the proposals would pass the Commons when asked on Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge.

“We’ve got a very strong package, I certainly hope it passes,” he replied.

Read more: What are the concessions to the welfare reform bill?

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‘Disabled people thrown under the bus’

A total of 86 charities united yesterday to call on MPs to reject the reforms, saying they will harm disabled people and calling it “a political choice”.

The likes of Oxfam, Child Action Poverty Group, Mind and Shelter said the bill has been brought to a vote without consulting disabled people and without any assessment “of its impact on health and employment outcomes”.

When asked to name “a single” disability organisation in favour of the reforms, Ms Kendall declined to do so.

Several Labour MPs indicated they would still vote against the changes, leaving the government in the dark over how big a rebellion it still may face.

Ms Kendall tried to allay their fears, telling MPs: “I believe we have a fair package, a package that protects existing claimants because they’ve come to rely on that support.”

Richard Burgon presented a petition to parliament yesterday evening against the cuts, signed by more than 77,000 people.

Several Labour MPs questioned why the vote was going ahead before the review into PIP is published – including Rachael Maskell, who said she could not “countenance sick and disabled people being denied support” and added: “It is a matter of conscience.”

Connor Naismith said the concessions “undoubtedly improve efforts to secure welfare reform which is fair”, but added: “Unfortunately, I do not believe these concessions yet go far enough.”

Nadia Whittome
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Labour rebel Nadia Whittome said the government was ‘ignoring’ disabled people

Nadia Whittome accused the government of “ignoring” disabled people and urged ministers to go “back to the drawing board”.

Ian Byrne told the Commons he will vote against the “cruel cuts” to disability benefits because the “so-called concessions go nowhere near far enough”.

The vote will take place this evening, with coverage on Sky News’ Politics Hub live blog and on TV.

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World

Benjamin Netanyahu to meet Donald Trump next week amid calls for Gaza ceasefire

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Benjamin Netanyahu to meet Donald Trump next week amid calls for Gaza ceasefire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be meeting Donald Trump next Monday, according to US officials.

The visit on 7 July comes after Mr Trump suggested it was possible a ceasefire in Gaza could be reached within a week.

On Sunday, he wrote on social media: “MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!”

At least 60 people killed across Gaza on Monday, in what turned out to be some of the heaviest attacks in weeks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, with US President Donald Trump. Pic: Reuters
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Benjamin Netanyahu, left, with Donald Trump during a previous meeting. Pic: Reuters

According to the Hamas-run health ministry, 56,500 people have been killed in the 20-month war.

The visit by Mr Netanyahu to Washington has not been formally announced and the officials who said it would be going ahead spoke on condition of anonymity.

An Israeli official in Washington also confirmed the meeting next Monday.

More on Benjamin Netanyahu

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was in constant communication with the Israeli government.

She said Mr Trump viewed ending the war in Gaza and returning remaining hostages held by Hamas as a top priority.

Read more from Sky News:
Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite form of transport to be scrapped
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The war in Gaza broke out in retaliation for Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attacks on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw a further 250 taken hostage.

An eight-week ceasefire was reached in the final days of Joe Biden’s US presidency, but Israel resumed the war in March after trying to get Hamas to accept new terms on next steps.

Talks between Israel and Hamas have stalled over whether the war should end as part of any ceasefire.

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