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Tamil Nadu bans cotton candy over cancer risk

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Can cotton candy give you cancer?

Some Indian states think so and have banned the sale of the pink, wispy, sugary-sweet treat.

Last week, the southern state of Tamil Nadu implemented the ban after lab tests confirmed the presence of a cancer-causing substance, Rhodamine-B, in samples sent for testing.

Earlier this month, the union territory of Puducherry banned the sweet treat while other states have begun testing samples of it.

Cotton candy, also called buddi-ka-baal (old woman’s hair) in India because of its appearance, is popular with children the world over.

It’s a fixture in amusement parks, fairs and other places of entertainment frequented by children, who like it because of its sticky, melt-in-the-mouth texture.

But some Indian officials say that the candy is more sinister than it seems.

P Satheesh Kumar, food safety officer in Chennai city in Tamil Nadu, told The Indian Express newspaper that the contaminants in cotton candy “could lead to cancer and affect all organs of the body”.

His team raided candy sellers at a beach in the city last week. Mr Kumar said the sweet sold in the city was made by independent sellers and not registered factories.

A few days later, the government announced a ban on its sale after lab tests detected the presence of Rhodamine-B, a chemical compound, in the samples. The chemical imparts a fluorescent pink hue and is used to dye textiles, cosmetics and inks.

Studies have shown that the chemical can increase the risk of cancer and Europe and California have made its use as a food dye illegal.

While banning cotton candy in Tamil Nadu, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said in a statement that using Rhodamine-B in the “packaging, import, sale of food or serving food containing it at weddings and other public events would be punishable under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006”.

Taking a cue from Tamil Nadu, the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh has also reportedly started testing samples of the candy to check for the presence of the carcinogen.

And earlier this week, the New India Express newspaper reported that food safety officials in Delhi too were pushing for a ban on cotton candy.

(BBC News)

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Trump gives Elon Musk and Fox News host key jobs

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Elon Musk has been made head of a new “Department of Government Efficiency” by Donald Trump, the latest appointment to his emerging new team.

Trump says the billionaire businessman will co-lead the organisation with former Republican primary candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

It will “provide advice and guidance from outside of government” to “dismantle government bureaucracy” and cut spending – though it is not yet fully clear what form it will take.

Trump has also picked Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host and Army veteran, to be defence secretary, and John Ratcliffe as his director of national intelligence.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has been chosen as Homeland Security Secretary.

Property developer Steve Witkoff – Trump’s long-time golf partner and a major campaign donor – has been named as special envoy to the Middle East, while former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee will be nominated as ambassador to Israel.

(BBC News)

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Zhuhai Airshow kicks off

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Zhuhai Airshow kicks offThe 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China or the Zhuhai Airshow, opened on Tuesday in Zhuhai City of south China’s Guangdong Province. 

The highly-anticipated biennial aerospace trade show will run until Sunday, and a four-hour flight demonstration, including performances of aerobatic teams and military jets, will be staged each day of the event. 

On the first day, China’s J-20 and J-35A stealth fighters, along with Russia’s Su-57 stealth fighter, performed stunning aerobatics on the same aerial stage for the first time. 

At the outdoor and indoor exhibition areas of the airshow, equipment of China’s army, navy and air forces are on display, including the debut of the J-15D carrier-based fighter, the debut of the HQ-19 surface-to-air missile weapon system, and the new reconnaissance and strike drone. 

This year’s airshow also features the debut of lunar soil samples brought back by China’s Chang’e-6 mission from the far side of the moon in June this year and a separate exhibition zone displaying unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned ships. 

The airshow has attracted 1,022 companies from 47 countries and regions to showcase their star aviation and aerospace products, including a record number of products being debuted to the public at the event. 

On the sidelines of the airshow, domestic airlines signed orders with Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) for a total of 130 C909 and C919 passenger planes. 

Meanwhile, Air China has signed an intention agreement with COMAC to become the first customer of the C929 wide-body aircraft.

(CCTV +)

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Car plows into crowds, killing 35, injuring 43 in Zhuhai

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Thirty-five people died and 43 were injured after a car plowed into crowds at a stadium in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, local police reported on Tuesday.

At 19:48 pm on Monday, a divorced man surnamed Fan, 62, allegedly drove a small SUV through a barrier and forced his way into a sports center in Zhuhai, ramming people who were exercising on the road inside the venue, the city’s public security bureau said in a statement, adding that the injured were immediately sent to hospitals for medical treatment.

Fan was caught as he tried to cut himself with a knife in his car, the statement said, revealing that he is currently in a coma as a result of the serious self-inflicted injuries in his neck and other parts of his body.

Due to the coma, the police has been unable to question him, it added.

A preliminary investigation showed that the incident was allegedly triggered by Fan’s dissatisfaction with the split of financial assets in his divorce, police said.

Fan has been detained on suspicion of endangering public security, and further investigation into the incident and medical treatment of the injured are ongoing, it said.

(chinadaily.com.cn)

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