tank fish
If there was any doubt about who the real "King of Cringe" is in MMA, Colby Covington reminded fans Wednesday that he still holds that title. Covington, who headlines UFC on ESPN 63 against Joaquin Buckley on Saturday, attended a media day for the first time since losing his third undisputed title fight almost one year ago, and right off the bat, he attacked NBA star LeBron James. Why? Because back in September, a video from four years ago of James and disgraced hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs resurfaced in which The clip from an Instagram Live stream resurfaced shortly after Combs was indicted and arrested on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. awaiting a trial after a plethora of women alleged he sexually abused them, including at his now-infamous "white parties." Armed with that information, No. 1 Donald Trump supporter Covington, who's gone after James in the past for his left-leaning political views and stance against police brutality, opened his UFC on ESPN 63 media day by going after him once again. "I'm gonna start this off since I'm the man of the hour, the man of the show," Covington told MMA Junkie and other reporters without a question being asked. "I want to ask LeBron: What does he mean by 'there's no party like a Diddy party'? I truly want to know. And not only that, LeBron, how many Diddy parties have you actually been to? I'm really curious to know. Is that the reason you left social media? Because all the backlash you were getting for going to so many Diddy parties? It's just pathetic, man. "People think this guy is a role model. He wants to defund the police, the most patriotic people in America serving and protecting our country. Lebron, you're a f*cking scumbag, and I hope you get locked up in the same cell with Diddy." This was only the beginning. For the next 20-plus minutes, Covington rambled about Shavkat Rakhmonov, Khamzat Chimaev, Ian Machado Garry, and made even . To Covington's credit, he did speak mostly respectfully of his opponent, Buckley, when discussing Saturday's headliner. Perhaps the cringe-worthiest of Covington's diatribes came at the end, when he was asked what he thought of Jon Jones' performance in his to retain his heavyweight title. Rather than answer the question, Covington used it as an opportunity to go down an unexpected road regarding . "Jon has some fruity tendencies. I think the media needs to look into some of the fruity things that he does. It's very strange," Covington said. "But I can tell you that I know he has been with some women, because I remember in college he always used to get the fattest girls in the school. I'm talking 300 pounds-plus. Dude, he knows deep down inside, this is not a joke. He knows deep down inside, like, I know his dark, hidden secrets that are in his closet. He's been with some of the fattest, 300-pound slobs. It's disgusting. Dude, Jon Jones is an absolute f*cking disgrace to this earth. He's a f*cking joke." Then Covington got to addressing the question before finishing off with one more tangent as he took a shot at Jones for his in a Las Vegas hotel room. "Yeah, he beat Stipe," he continued. "Respect to Stipe first off because he's a first responder and he puts his life on the line for the people and for his community. So shout out to Stipe, the greatest heavyweight of all time, but he was past his time. He shouldn't have even been there, man. He knows he was old. He was just showing up for a paycheck. That's not the Stipe of old that was in his prime anymore. I don't think anything special of that performance. "I think Jon needs to stop ducking Tom Aspinall, just like he ducked Ngannou. He ducked Ngannou a few years ago, now he's ducking Aspinall. He doesn't want to fight the guys he knows he's gonna get his ass whooped against, so I don't think anything special of Jon Jones. "He's a f*cking coward, he's a cheat, and he's a woman beater. He needs to stop beating his wife and leaving her bloody in Las Vegas hotel rooms."
Thomas uses big drives and putts to hold lead in Bahamas
Southern California jumped to No. 4 in The Associated Press women's college basketball poll on Monday after edging UConn. The Trojans moved up three spots in the AP Top 25 after beating the then-No. 4 Huskies 72-70 on Saturday night in a rematch of last season's Elite Eight game that UConn won. "It feels great to get the dub always," USC star JuJu Watkins said after the victory. "I think it hit a little different knowing the history of last year and how they sent us home." This was the Trojans' first win ever over UConn. "This is a really significant win, and it's a really significant win because of the stature of UConn's program and what Geno Auriemma has done for our sport," USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. "It doesn't matter to me that they haven't won a championship in a couple years. There's still a way that they prepare, a way that they play, that makes you better, and it made us better." People are also reading... UCLA, South Carolina and Notre Dame remained the top three teams. The Bruins received 30 of the 32 first-place votes from a national media panel. The Gamecocks and the Fighting Irish each got one first-place vote. UConn fell to seventh behind Texas and LSU. Maryland, Oklahoma and Ohio State rounded out the top 10 teams. Falling Blue Devils Duke dropped five spots to No. 14 after losing to South Florida on Saturday. The Blue Devils' other two losses this season were to Maryland and South Carolina. The Bulls are 7-6 on the season, with four of those losses coming against ranked opponents (UConn, Louisville, TCU and South Carolina). Welcome back Alabama jumped back into the poll at No. 20 two weeks after falling out. The Crimson Tide had an impressive 82-67 victory over Michigan State, handing the Spartans their first loss of the season. It was Alabama's first victory over a ranked opponent this year. Conference breakdown The Southeastern Conference has eight teams in the poll this week with Alabama's return. The Big Ten is next with seven. The ACC has six while the Big 12 has three and the Big East one. Game of the week No. 23 Michigan at No. 4 USC, Sunday. The Wolverines start Big Ten play with a trip to Los Angeles to face the Trojans on Sunday and then the Bruins a few days later. Coach Kim Barnes Arico's young team is off to a 10-2 start. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!Apple is closing in on a historic $4 trillion stock market valuation, powered by investors cheering progress in the company’s long-awaited AI enhancements to rejuvenate sluggish iPhone sales. The company has pulled ahead of Nvidia and Microsoft in the race to the monumental milestone, thanks to an about 16% jump in shares since early November that has added about $500 billion to its market capitalization. The latest rally in Apple shares reflects “investor enthusiasm for artificial intelligence and an expectation that it will result in a supercycle of iPhone upgrades,” said Tom Forte, an analyst at Maxim Group, who has a “hold” rating. Valued at about $3.85 trillion as of the last close, Apple dwarfs the combined value of Germany and Switzerland’s main stock markets. The Silicon Valley firm, driven by the so-called iPhone supercycles, was the first U.S. company to hit previous trillion-dollar milestones. In recent years, the company has attracted criticism for being slow to map out its artificial intelligence strategy, while Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon and Meta Platforms have pulled ahead to dominate the emerging technology. Shares of Nvidia, the biggest AI beneficiary, have surged more than 800% over the past two years, compared to the near doubling in shares of Apple during the same period. Apple earlier in December started integrating OpenAI’s ChatGPT into its devices after unveiling plans in June to integrate generative AI technology across its app suite. The company expects overall revenue to increase “low- to mid-single digits” during its fiscal first quarter – a modest growth forecast for the holiday shopping season – sparking questions about the momentum for the iPhone 16 series. However, LSEG data showed analysts expect revenue from iPhones to rebound in 2025. “Although near-term iPhone demand is still muted ... it is a function of limited Apple Intelligence features and geographic availability, and as both broaden, it will help to drive an improvement in iPhone demand,” Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring said in a note, reiterating Apple as the brokerage’s “top pick” heading into 2025. The recent surge in shares has pushed Apple’s price-to-earnings ratio to a near three-year high of 33.5, compared to 31.3 for Microsoft and 31.7 for Nvidia, according to LSEG data. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has sold shares of Apple – its top holding – this year, as the conglomerate broadly retreated from equities on concerns over stretched valuations. “I suspect the stock in three years will not look as expensive as it does today,” said Eric Clark, portfolio manager of the Rational Dynamic Brands Fund, which holds Apple shares. Apple faces the risk of retaliatory tariffs if U.S. President-elect Donald Trump delivers on his promise to slap tariffs of at least 10% on goods coming from China. “We believe it’s likely Apple gets exclusions on products like iPhone, Mac and iPad, similar to the first round of China tariffs in 2018,” Woodring said. Apple’s shares tumbled last Wednesday amid a Wall Street selloff after the Federal Reserve forecast a slower pace of rate cuts next year but investors expect the broad trend of monetary easing to support stock markets next year. “Technology has been regarded by investors as a new form of a defensive sector because of their earnings growth,” said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research. The Fed’s action “could end up having a greater impact on some of the other cyclical areas such as consumer discretionary and financials and less so on technology.” “Apple’s approach to $4 trillion market cap is a testament to its enduring dominance in the tech sector. This milestone reinforces Apple’s position as a market leader and innovator,” said Adam Sarhan, chief executive officer of 50 Park Investments.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law , as most ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The scrapping of the motion is expected to intensify public protests calling for Yoon’s ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative People Power Party, but it is also determined to oppose Yoon’s impeachment apparently because it fears losing the presidency to liberals. After the motion fell through, members of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party rallied inside the National Assembly, chanting slogans calling for Yoon's impeachment or resignation. The party's floor leader, Park Chan-dae, said it will soon prepare for a new impeachment motion. “We'll surely impeach Yoon Suk Yeol, who is the greatest risk to Republic of Korea,” party leader Lee Jae-myung said. “We'll surely bring back this country to normal before Christmas Day or year's end.” Despite escaping the impeachment attempt, many experts worry Yoon won’t be able to serve out his remaining 2 1/2 years in office. They say some ruling party lawmakers could eventually join opposition parties’ efforts to impeach Yoon if public demands for it grow further. Protests against Yoon are swelling On Saturday, tens of thousands of people densely packed several blocks of roads leading up to the National Assembly, waving banners, shouting slogans and dancing. Protesters also gathered in front of PPP’s headquarters near the Assembly, angrily shouting for its lawmakers to vote to impeach Yoon. A smaller crowd of Yoon’s supporters, which still seemed to be in the thousands, rallied in separate streets in Seoul, decrying the impeachment attempt they saw as unconstitutional. Impeaching Yoon required support from two-thirds of the National Assembly, or 200 of its 300 members. The Democratic Party and five other small opposition parties, which filed the motion, have 192 seats combined. But only three lawmakers from PPP participated in the vote. The motion was scrapped without ballot counting because the number of votes didn’t reach 200. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik called the result “very regrettable” and an embarrassing moment for the country’s democracy that has been closely watched by the world. “The failure to hold a qualified vote on this matter means we were not even able to exercise the democratic procedure of deciding on a critical national issue,” he said. Opposition parties could submit a new impeachment motion after a new parliamentary session opens next Wednesday. If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. If he is removed, an election to replace him must take place within 60 days. Yoon apologizes for turmoil Earlier Saturday, Yoon issued a public apology over the martial law decree, saying he won’t shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promising not to make another attempt to impose martial law. He said would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country’s political turmoil, “including matters related to my term in office.” “The declaration of this martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologize to the people who must have been shocked a lot,” Yoon said. Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament and grappled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving himself and his wife. In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon called parliament a “den of criminals” bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces.” The turmoil resulting from Yoon’s bizarre and poorly-thought-out stunt has paralyzed South Korean politics and sparked alarm among key diplomatic partners like the U.S. and Japan. Tuesday night saw special forces troops encircling the parliament building and army helicopters hovering over it, but the military withdrew after the National Assembly unanimously voted to overturn the decree, forcing Yoon to lift it before daybreak Wednesday. The declaration of martial law was the first of its kind in more than 40 years in South Korea. Eighteen lawmakers from the ruling party voted to reject Yoon’s martial law decree along with opposition lawmakers. PPP later decided to oppose Yoon's impeachment motion. Yoon’s speech fueled speculation that he and his party may push for a constitutional amendment to shorten his term, instead of accepting impeachment, as a way to ease public anger over the marital law and facilitate Yoon’s early exit from office. Lee told reporters that Yoon’s speech was “greatly disappointing” and that the only way forward is his immediate resignation or impeachment. His party called Yoon’s martial law “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup.” Lawmakers on Saturday first voted on a bill appointing a special prosecutor to investigate stock price manipulation allegations surrounding Yoon’s wife. Some lawmakers from Yoon’s party were seen leaving the hall after that vote, triggering angry shouts from opposition lawmakers. Yoon accused of ordering arrests of politicians On Friday, PPP chair Han Dong-hun, who criticized Yoon’s martial law declaration, said he had received intelligence that during the brief period of martial law Yoon ordered the country’s defense counterintelligence commander to arrest and detain unspecified key politicians based on accusations of “anti-state activities.” Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing Friday that Yoon had ordered him to help the defense counterintelligence unit to detain key politicians. The targeted politicians included Han, Lee and Woo, according to Kim Byung-kee, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting. The Defense Ministry said Friday it suspended three military commanders including the head of the defense counterintelligence unit over their involvement in enforcing martial law. Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon Ho has told parliament that Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun ordered the deployment of troops to the National Assembly after Yoon imposed martial law. Opposition parties accused Kim of recommending to Yoon to enforce martial law. Kim resigned Thursday, and prosecutors imposed an overseas travel ban on him. Kim Tong-hyung And Hyung-jin Kim, The Associated Press
Google on Wednesday announced the launch of Gemini 2.0, its most advanced artificial intelligence model to date, as the world's tech giants race to take the lead in the fast developing technology. CEO Sundar Pichai said the new model would mark what the company calls "a new agentic era" in AI development, with AI models designed to understand and make decisions about the world around you. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays.
Stock market today: Wall Street ends little changed after giving up a big morning gainNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes got back to climbing on Wednesday after the latest update on inflation appeared to clear the way for more help for the economy from the Federal Reserve . The S&P 500 rose 0.8% to break its first two-day losing streak in nearly a month and finished just short of its all-time high. Big Tech stocks led the way, which drove the Nasdaq composite up 1.8% to top the 20,000 level for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, meanwhile, lagged the market with a dip of 99 points, or 0.2%. Stocks got a boost as expectations built that Wednesday’s inflation data will allow the Fed to deliver another cut to interest rates at its meeting next week. Traders are betting on a nearly 99% probability of that, according to data from CME Group, up from 89% a day before. If they’re correct, it would be a third straight cut by the Fed after it began lowering rates in September from a two-decade high. It’s hoping to support a slowing job market after getting inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower rates would give a boost to the economy and to prices for investments, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. “The data have given the Fed the ‘all clear’ for next week, and today’s inflation data keep a January cut in active discussion,” according to Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Expectations for a series of cuts to rates by the Fed have been one of the main reasons the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 57 times this year , with the latest coming last week. The biggest boosts for the index on Wednesday came from Nvidia and other Big Tech stocks. Their massive growth has made them Wall Street’s biggest stars for years, though other kinds of stocks have recently been catching up somewhat amid hopes for the broader U.S. economy. Tesla jumped 5.9% to finish above $420 at $424.77. It’s a level that Elon Musk made famous in a 2018 tweet when he said he had secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 per share . Stitch Fix soared 44.3% after the company that sends clothes to your door reported a smaller loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also gave financial forecasts for the current quarter that were better than expected, including for revenue. GE Vernova rallied 5% for one of the biggest gains in the S&P 500. The energy company that spun out of General Electric said it would pay a 25 cent dividend every three months, and it approved a plan to send up to another $6 billion to its shareholders by buying back its own stock. On the losing end of Wall Street, Dave & Buster’s Entertainment tumbled 20.1% after reporting a worse loss for the latest quarter than expected. It also said CEO Chris Morris has resigned, and the board has been working with an executive-search firm for the last few months to find its next permanent leader. Albertsons fell 1.5% after filing a lawsuit against Kroger, saying it didn’t do enough for their proposed $24.6 billion merger agreement to win regulatory clearance. Albertsons said it’s seeking billions of dollars in damages from Kroger, whose stock rose 1%. A day earlier, judges in separate cases in Oregon and Washington nixed the supermarket giants’ merger. The grocers contended a combination could have helped them compete with big retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon, but critics said it would hurt competition. After terminating the merger agreement with Kroger, Albertsons said it plans to boost its dividend 25% and increased the size of its program to buy back its own stock. Macy’s slipped 0.8% after cutting some of its financial forecasts for the full year of 2024, including for how much profit it expects to make off each $1 of revenue. All told, the S&P 500 rose 49.28 points to 6,084.19. The Dow dipped 99.27 to 44,148.56, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 347.65 to 20,034.89. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.27% from 4.23% late Tuesday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, edged up to 4.15% from 4.14%. In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was an outlier and slipped 0.8% as Chinese leaders convened an annual planning meeting in Beijing that is expected to set economic policies and growth targets for the coming year. South Korea’s Kospi rose 1%, up for a second straight day as it climbs back following last week’s political turmoil where its president briefly declared martial law. AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed.
NTD Film ‘Where Are You’ to Premiere on Gan Jing WorldLucknow: Leading cardiologists from across India, including head of cardiology department at SGPGIMS Prof Aditya Kapoor, have come up with a Revive CPR mobile app to bolster the battle against sudden cardiac deaths. Prof Kapoor said over 15 lakh people die of sudden cardiac arrest annually in India. Only less than 1% can be saved as there is lack of availability of timely CPR. "Doctors felt that covering the entire country was a mammoth task, and there was a need for technological aid to bridge the gap. Their effort was strengthened by the fact that India is the second-largest user of smartphones, with over 700 million users (including 425 mn are in rural areas)," he said. The app is available on both Android and iOS platforms. "It provides step-by-step audio-visual guidance for performing CPR. It provides expert's insights about how timely CPR can save lives, besides explaining key issues like the difference between heart attack and cardiac arrest, along with simple audio/visual cues for accurate identification for timely intervention," Kapoor said. The app allows one-touch calling to 108 ambulance service, a nearby automated external defibrillator (AED) locator app with automatic AED detection and usage guidance, and linkage to a nationwide trained volunteer network. TNN Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .
( MENAFN - Investor Brand Network) IBN , a multifaceted communications organization, today announced release of the latest CryptoNewsAudio Production as part of its sustained effort to provide specialized content distribution via widespread syndication channels. The production features Tanya Solati, VP of Business Development at Propy Title Agency, a company working to revolutionize the Real estate industry through innovative technology and blockchain transparency. During the interview, Solati shared Propy's mission to streamline real estate transactions by eliminating middlemen, a significant differentiator she recently discussed during a panel alongside representatives from Google and Broadridge at Benzinga's Future of Digital Assets event. “I think a lot of Web3 firms are focused on removing middlemen, and that's our aim at Propy. Anyone who has bought a home knows how outdated the process can be – paperwork, delays and a lack of clear timeframes. With Propy's AI-powered software, buyers can track every stage of the deal and access a clear timeline that outlines when each step will occur. At the same time, our technology allows deals to close 24/7. That's something the industry is truly lacking.” To view the full press release, visit About IBN IBN consists of financial brands introduced to the investment public over the course of 18+ years. With IBN, we have amassed a collective audience of millions of social media followers. These distinctive investor brands aim to fulfill the unique needs of a growing base of client-partners. IBN will continue to expand our branded network of highly influential properties, leveraging the knowledge and energy of specialized teams of experts to serve our increasingly diversified list of clients. Through our Dynamic Brand Portfolio (“DBP”) , IBN provides: (1) access to a network of wire solutions via InvestorWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible; (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets ; (3) Press Release Enhancement to ensure maximum impact; (4) full-scale distribution to a growing social media audience; (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions ; and (6) total news coverage solutions. For more information, please visit Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the InvestorBrandNetwork website applicable to all content provided by IBN, wherever published or re-published: About CryptoCurrencyWire (“CCW”) CryptoCurrencyWire (CCW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via InvestorWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with CCW Prime . As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, CCW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today's market, CCW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. To receive instant SMS alerts, text CRYPTO to 888-902-4192 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only) CryptoCurrency News Wire is where News, content and information converge via Crypto. For more information, please visit Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CryptoCurrencyWire (CCW) website applicable to all content provided by CCW, wherever published or re-published: CryptoCurrencyWire (CCW) New York, New York 212.994.9818 Office CryptoCurrencyWire is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork . MENAFN19122024000224011066ID1109014790 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Just over a year ago, a study published in the Advances in Infectious Diseases journal detailed that 95% of the wearable straps for smartwatches and fitness bands were infected with different kinds of harmful bacteria . Now, another research published in a reputed journal has revealed an even more sinister trend in straps sold for wrist-worn smart wearables. The paper, published in the ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology Letters, highlights the presence of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) in fluoroelastomer bands offered by various top brands. The bands tested as part of the chemical analysis include those offered by big names like Google, Samsung, Apple, Fitbit, and CASETiFY. Interestingly, Samsung and Apple both sell watch bands made out of fluoroelastomers, the core problematic chemical at the center of the research, and even mention its “benefits” on their websites. The research paper raises concern about “the very high concentration of PFHxA that can be readily extracted from the surfaces of watch bands made from fluoroelastomers.” The more worrisome part is that people wear these smart devices for more than daytime activities. NOTE : The American Chemical Society (ACS) provided Digital Trends with a copy of the research paper and the supporting information covering the test protocol and analysis methodology for their assessment. As features like sleep-quality monitoring and sleep apnea detection enter the mainstream, people are supposed to wear them even while sleeping. “Wearing these items for more than 12 hours per day poses an opportunity for significant transfer to the dermis and subsequent human exposure,” surmises the research team. This is a serious threat The research highlights how multiple straps were advertised to “sports and fitness” enthusiasts, which means they are worn during exercise. It could lead to increased sweat contact and open skin pores. That’s concerning because related research suggests that a staggering 50% of PFHxA exposure is absorbed through the skin, and over a third enters the bloodstream. “One study reported PFHxA was the third highest PFAS concentration measured in whole blood samples,” says the research team. PFHxAs fall in a particularly dangerous class of chemicals known as forever chemicals, and have gained the infamous name because they persist and avoid the regular cycle of environmental breakdown. What’s worrisome is that their detrimental impact is yet to be explored fully. A frequent presence in everything from cosmetics and cookware to clothing and electronics, they have been used for decades in consumer as well as industrial items, particularly owing to their resilience against heat, water, oil, and grease exposure. However, in recent years, their destructive impact has gained widespread recognition. Forever chemicals have been linked to a wide range of health issues, including cancer , and their presence has been documented in potable water supplies, soil, and even food items. As per the United States Environmental Protection Agency, PFHxA is one of the breakdown outcomes of per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Expensive is not always good As part of the research, the team focused on fluoroelastomers, which are essentially a class of synthetic rubbers made from PFAS, looking for the presence of fluorine and over a dozen other harmful chemicals. Interestingly, the more expensive bands exhibited a stronger presence of harmful chemicals than the cheaper ones. Of the 22 bands and straps analyzed by the team, all the fluoroelastomer bands showed the presence of fluorine. Interestingly, bands that were not even explicitly made out of fluoroelastomer revealed the presence of fluorine, which is a strong sign of PFAS presence. A subsequent chemical extraction process revealed the presence of PFHxA as the most common forever chemical in nine out of the 22 straps. On average, the PFHxA concentration came in at 800 parts per billion (ppb), which is four times higher than cosmetics. In one case, the concentration was as high as 16,000 parts per billion (ppb). As per the research team, the high levels of PFHxA detected in the wristbands may be due to the use of this compound as a surfactant during the fluoroelastomer manufacturing process. Alyssa Wicks, co-author of the research paper, recommends that customers should focus on lower-priced bands for their smartwatches and fitness bands if they seek to avoid PFHxA exposure. “If the consumer wishes to purchase a higher-priced band, we suggest that they read the product descriptions and avoid any that are listed as containing fluoroelastomers,” Wicks was quoted as saying. She suggests that the next time you go shopping for straps and bands, look for the word fluoroelastomer and avoid them, if possible.