Obesity Warps the Shape, Function of Young Hearts

MONDAY, July 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors have long known that obesity raises the risk for heart disease later in life, but new research reveals it can damage even young hearts.

British scientists found that young adults who had a higher body mass index (BMI) -- an estimate of body fat based on height and weight -- had higher blood pressure and thickened heart muscle.

"Our results simply suggest that any reduction of body mass index to a normal, healthy level from a young age is likely to prevent the development of adverse cardiovascular health in later life," said study author Kaitlin Wade, a research associate at the University of Bristol Medical School.

"If the obesity epidemic increases, or indeed maintains its current trajectory, it is likely that the future risk of cardiovascular events such as stroke and coronary heart disease will increase," she added.

For the study, Wade and her colleagues used a new genetic analysis to determine if an unhealthy BMI causes spikes in blood pressure or structural changes in the heart. Their analysis included several thousand healthy 17- and 21-year-olds who are participating in an ongoing study.

The researchers found that higher BMI caused higher blood pressure, or more force against the artery walls during and between heartbeats. Being overweight also caused the left ventricle, which is the heart's main pumping chamber, to become enlarged.

Excess weight can make the heart work harder, increasing the amount of blood it has to pump and the pressure it needs to pump against, the researchers explained.

These changes can trigger an increase in heart muscle mass, explained Dr. Gregg Fonarow, director of the Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center in Los Angeles.

Usually, the thickening of blood vessel walls is the first sign of atherosclerosis, a disease commonly known as "hardening of the arteries" that causes fatty plaques to build up within the arteries and block blood flow.

But the new study shows that young people who are overweight may develop even earlier warning signs of heart trouble.

"Our findings suggest that higher BMIs cause changes in the heart structure of the young that may precede changes in blood vessels," Wade explained.

Obese young people are at higher risk for heart failure and diabetes, and they're also more likely to have a heart attack or stroke at an earlier age, said Fonarow, who is also co-director of UCLA's Preventative Cardiology Program.

"If current trends in obesity continue without effective interventions, prior gains in reducing cardiovascular events and extending life may be lost," he said.

But losing weight can help protect the heart -- even later in life. Shedding extra pounds could slow or even reverse these worrisome heart-related changes among young people, Wade said.

Fonarow added that regular physical activity, maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels and not smoking can also help improve heart health.

The findings were published July 30 in the journal Circulation.

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine provides more information on heart disease prevention.

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AHA: Limit Diet Sodas and Drinks, Stick to Water Instead

MONDAY, July 30, 2018 (American Heart Association) -- People are drinking fewer diet drinks these days, and a panel of health experts agrees that's a good idea.

A science advisory from the American Heart Association (AHA) counsels against regular and long-term consumption of diet beverages, particularly in children. Instead, the group of leading nutritionists, doctors and researchers urged people to replace sugary and diet drinks with plain, carbonated or unsweetened flavored water.

The recommendations were published July 30 in the journal Circulation

The committee spent two years combing through dozens of studies -- some of which brought up associations between low-calorie sweetened drinks and weight gain, dementia, stroke and other health problems -- and concluded that the science was still too fuzzy to draw hard-and-fast conclusions about the health effects of diet drinks.

"There's not a huge body of literature, either observational or clinical trials," said the writing group's chair, Rachel K. Johnson, a professor emeritus of nutrition at the University of Vermont. "Based on the evidence available at this time, this is the best advice we have."

The advisory acknowledges the reality that many people might use diet drinks to wean off sugar-loaded drinks if they feel they can't make the wholesale leap to water. "This approach may be particularly helpful for individuals who are habituated to a sweet-tasting beverage and for whom water, at least initially, is not a desirable option," the report said.

Encouragingly, the report's writers pointed to federal data based on self-reported surveys showing adults and young people already are drinking less of both sugary and diet drinks.

In 2006, adults drank an average of about 5.6 ounces of low-calorie drinks a day. By 2014, that fell to 3.8 ounces a day, the federal data shows. Consumption for kids and teens declined during that time, too, in the range of less than an ounce a day. A serving size is about a cup, or 8 ounces. A can of soda is usually 12 ounces, although some come in 8-ounce sizes, too. Sports drinks come in a variety of bottle sizes, from 12 ounces to 32 ounces.

When it came to sugar-laden drinks, adults in 2000 drank about 16.2 ounces a day, according to the data. That declined to 8.4 ounces a day by 2014. Kids reported drinking 19 ounces each day in 2000, and 8.6 ounces a day in 2014. In 2016, the AHA issued its first scientific statement warning about added sugar intake for kids, saying children and teens should consume no more than 8 ounces of sugary beverages a week.

"We want to make crystal clear it's important to maintain that [downward] trend," said Alice H. Lichtenstein, vice chair of the writing group and director of the Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory at Tufts University in Boston.

"We hear a lot about potential adverse effects of low-calorie sweeteners, but much of it is speculation. We have to go with the available evidence," said Lichtenstein, the Gershoff Professor of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts. "The best advice we can give at this time is to ramp down intake and avoid excess consumption."

The advisory was more cautious in its advice for children because there is "virtually no data" on the long-term effects of low-calorie drinks, said writing group member Dr. Frank Hu, chair of the nutrition department at Harvard University and professor of nutrition and epidemiology.

"One question we discussed is whether for children who are obese and who drink regular soda on a regular basis, is it OK for them to drink diet soda instead?" Hu said. "The consensus is that for short-term weight control, it's OK. Certainly, it's not the best alternative … because we all know there are more healthy alternatives, such as water, low-fat and fat-free milk."

The report included an exception for one specific population: children with diabetes. The authors say those children who eat a balanced diet and who are closely monitoring their blood sugar may help keep their levels in check by substituting low-calorie drinks for sugary ones when needed.

In 2012, the AHA and the American Diabetes Association issued a scientific statement saying artificial sweeteners used "judiciously" in foods and beverages could help people lower added sugars intake, maintain a healthy weight, and lower the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. But it warned the science was "limited and inconclusive" about that strategy.

The new science advisory included eight low-calorie sweeteners -- six currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration and two extracts from plants.

AHA science advisories typically review and analyze recent research on topics related to heart and brain health, as a way to educate the public and synthesize the latest information.

While this new advisory pointed out the dearth of clear evidence from diet drink studies, nutrition researcher Christopher Gardner feels there is plenty that is clear.

"Artificial soda, there's nothing good about it," said Gardner, who was not an author on the latest advisory. He was lead author on the 2012 scientific statement and is director of Nutrition Studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center. "There's nothing health-promoting about it. The only health-related role it has is as a transition beverage, replacing or displacing sugar-sweetened beverages."

But even that, Gardner said, doesn't seem to be playing out in current trends, pointing to declining consumption of both regular and diet drinks.

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LGBQ Youth More Prone to Obesity

MONDAY, July 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Rates of obesity and inactivity are higher among lesbian, gay, bisexual and questioning (LGBQ) youth than among their heterosexual peers, a new study reports.

"Lesbian, gay, bisexual and questioning youth may not only be at risk for worse mental health, but also worse physical health outcomes compared to heterosexual youth," said study author Lauren Beach. She's a postdoctoral research fellow at Northwestern University's Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing, in Chicago.

The researchers analyzed data from nearly 351,000 high school students in the United States and found that LGBQ female students were 1.6 to 2.1 times more likely to be obese than heterosexual female students.

Compared to heterosexual students, LGBQ students reported about one less day per week of physical activity, were 38 to 53 percent less likely to meet physical activity guidelines, and averaged 30 more minutes of sedentary activity each school day.

The study was published July 23 in the journal Pediatric Diabetes.

LGBQ youth may be less likely to be physically active due to stress, according to Beach.

"Many of these youth might be taking part in sedentary activities -- like playing video games -- to escape the daily stress tied to being lesbian, gay, bisexual or questioning," she said in a Northwestern news release. "Our findings show that minority stress actually has a very broad-ranging and physical impact."

Cultural and environmental factors may also play a role.

"Previous research has shown that body image and standards of beauty might be different among LGBQ compared to heterosexual populations," Beach said. "We know very little about the physical environments of LGBQ youth. Are these youth less likely to live in areas that are safe for them to be active? We just don't know."

Teachers, parents and physicians should work together to ensure LGBQ youth stay healthy, Beach said. She noted that family support and identity affirmation -- developing positive feelings and a strong attachment to a group -- are associated with better health among LGBQ youth.

It's also a good idea for parents of LGBQ youth to ask their children about their levels of physical activity and to encourage them to be active. Doctors should assess their child's physical activity, screen time, diet and weight, Beach said.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on health risks faced by sexual minority youth.

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Sun's Harms Rise After Organ Transplant

MONDAY, July 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Organ transplant recipients are at increased risk for skin cancer and need to protect themselves, a dermatologist warns.

"Individuals who receive organ transplants need to take immunosuppressive medications for the rest of their lives, and this makes it more difficult for their bodies to fight disease, including skin cancer," said Dr. Christina Lee Chung. She is former director of the Drexel Dermatology Center for Transplant Patients in Philadelphia.

"On top of that, some of these medications make the skin more sensitive to the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays, which can further increase patients' skin cancer risk," she added in an American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) news release.

Transplant patients with the highest risk of skin cancer include those with lighter skin, men and anyone with a pre-transplant history of skin cancer. If they received their new organ at age 50 or older, or had a lung or heart transplant, they are also at higher risk.

"It's important for all organ transplant patients, regardless of skin tone, to recognize their skin cancer risk," Chung said. They need to avoid sun exposure, "which could further increase that risk, and regularly examine their entire body, including the genital area, for signs of skin cancer so they can detect the disease early, when it's most treatable."

In addition, organ transplant recipients "should establish a relationship with a board-certified dermatologist after their procedure," Chung recommended.

"A dermatologist can evaluate your unique risk factors and help you ensure the health of your largest organ: your skin," she said.

Everyone should protect their skin from the sun by wearing protective clothing, generously applying a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to exposed skin, and seeking shade when possible, the AAD advises.

The academy also recommends regular skin cancer self-exams, and asking a partner to help you check hard-to-see areas, including your back. If you notice any new spots, any suspicious spots that appear different from the others on your skin, or anything changing, itching or bleeding, see a doctor.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more on skin cancer.

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Media Reports of Celeb Suicides May Trigger 'Copycat' Tragedies

MONDAY, July 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- News reports on suicides may be quickly followed by a bump in suicide rates -- especially if they contain details that sensationalize the tragedy, a new study finds.

The research adds to evidence of a phenomenon known as "suicide contagion." It happens when vulnerable people identify with a person who died by suicide, and then see that route as a viable solution to their own problems.

Just last month, the deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain sparked widespread media coverage, with many stories describing details of their suicides. That was despite guidelines from various medical groups, including the World Health Organization, that discourage journalists from revealing such details.

"We've known for many years that media reports of suicide seem to increase rates of suicide for a time afterward," said lead researcher Dr. Mark Sinyor, a psychiatrist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center in Toronto.

His team found that Toronto's suicide rates tended to rise in the week following a news story on suicide -- depending on the way the story was reported.

Stories that detailed certain methods of suicide were more likely to be followed by an increase in the city's suicide rate.

The same was true of stories that put the method of suicide in the headline, and those on the suicide death of a celebrity.

There is "wide consensus," Sinyor said, on certain steps that the media can take to report on suicide responsibly.

Besides avoiding details on suicide methods, journalists should skip any speculation on the reasons for the death, the guidelines say. Front-page coverage and sensational headlines should also be avoided.

"Suicide should be treated as a public health issue," Sinyor said. So when a famous person dies by suicide, he added, it should not be covered as an "entertainment story," by an entertainment reporter.

On the other hand, guidelines also stress some elements that can help media reports have a positive impact, Sinyor said.

It's suggested that stories include interviews with suicide prevention experts; highlight resources for people who need help; and discuss the fact that the mental health conditions that drive suicidal behavior can be treated.

"Suicide is complex," Sinyor said. "But the conditions typically underlying it -- like depression and substance abuse -- are very treatable. The overwhelming majority of people who think about suicide ultimately find paths to resilience."

For the study, Sinyor and his colleagues analyzed nearly 6,400 news stories on suicide that ran in print and online in major publications between 2011 and 2014. Then they looked at whether Toronto's suicide rate changed in the week following each story.

Over that period, 947 deaths were determined to be suicides.

The study only found associations, but in general, the suicide rate was more likely to increase, rather than hold steady or decline, when stories contained certain elements.

For example, about half of articles on a celebrity suicide were followed by a quick rise in the city's suicide rate -- whereas 37 percent were followed by a decrease.

The report was published July 30 in CMAJ.

Clearly, Sinyor said, not all coverage of a well-known person's suicide has a negative impact.

He pointed to the media stories that followed musician Kurt Cobain's death in 1994 -- which Sinyor said typically emphasized the tragedy of it: Research has found there was no apparent increase in suicides afterward, but there was a rise in calls to suicide hotlines from people seeking help.

In the new study, however, few stories included any of the recommended elements for journalists reporting on suicide. Only 2 percent cited any local suicide-prevention resources, for instance.

In contrast, half divulged the method of suicide.

That's "disheartening," said Ian Colman, an associate professor at the University of Ottawa.

"I think it's very important to understand why journalists aren't following the guidelines," said Colman, who wrote an editorial published with the study. "Either they don't know the guidelines exist, or they are willingly ignoring them."

And in the age of social media, he noted, the reach of media has grown.

"I think everybody should think twice about sharing stories about a suicide," Colman said. "Sharing positive stories with information about how to get help has the potential to be really helpful. On the other hand, stories about a celebrity suicide or stories that describe a suicide method could be very dangerous."

More information

For resources, visit the Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

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Drinking While Breast-Feeding May Dampen Child's Brain Development

MONDAY, July 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Sorry, new moms, although you've already waited at least nine months, it's not time for a glass of wine just yet: New research suggests it might be best for baby's brain to wait until you've stopped breast-feeding.

That's because exposure to alcohol in breast milk was linked to a reduction in thinking and reasoning skills when kids were tested at ages 6 and 7.

The effect might not be lasting, however. When the children were retested between 10 and 11 years old, the link was no longer apparent.

The Australian researchers also noted that smoking while breast-feeding didn't seem to effect youngsters' thinking and reasoning abilities.

"The more alcohol women drank, or the riskier their drinking patterns -- binge drinking -- while breast-feeding, then the lower the child's abstract reasoning ability at age 6 to 7 years," said study author Louisa Gibson, a doctoral student in neuropsychology at Macquarie University in Sydney.

It's important to note that while the study found an association, it didn't prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

However, Gibson said there was no decline in thinking and reasoning skills seen in children of mothers who consumed alcohol but didn't breast-feed.

"This lack of association in babies who had never been breast-fed suggests that the reduction in [thinking and reasoning] abilities was a direct result of the alcohol in the breast milk, and not because of other social aspects related to drinking," she explained.

Dr. Michael Grosso, chair of pediatrics at Northwell Health's Huntington Hospital in Huntington, N.Y., said the findings should still be interpreted cautiously, "as the association between the risk factor and the outcome may be the result of something unmeasured."

Still, he said, avoiding alcohol while breast-feeding is likely the safest option for babies.

Gibson agreed. "The safest option is to abstain from alcohol completely during both pregnancy and breast-feeding. This study suggests that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption, with every extra drink causing a little bit more harm," she said.

Gibson pointed out that while the study didn't find an effect from tobacco use while breast-feeding, she said it might just be that this study wasn't able to capture those effects.

She said she suspects smoking probably has some detrimental effects during breast-feeding, as there's evidence that it does in pregnancy. She also suggests abstaining from smoking while breast-feeding.

The study included more than 5,000 babies and mothers from Australia. They were recruited in 2004. The researchers conducted assessments of the children every two years.

Gibson said there are a number of factors that could explain how alcohol while breast-feeding could affect a child's reasoning skills many years later.

One may be that alcohol may directly damage brain cells. Another is that alcohol may somehow change the nutritional content of breast milk, causing an early nutritional deficiency. Another is that alcohol in breast milk may affect the feeding and sleeping patterns of a baby, which could affect the infant's environmental stimulation, Gibson suggested.

Dr. Ron Marino, associate chair of pediatrics at NYU Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, N.Y., said that infancy is a time when the brain's synapses -- the connections between brain nerve cells -- are forming at a remarkable rate.

"The human brain is an extremely active organ in both prenatal and early postnatal life," he said.

Previous studies have also shown that exposure to alcohol or tobacco smoke during this time can have a negative impact, he added.

"The take-home message is quite clear: Do not smoke and avoid alcohol while breast-feeding," Marino said.

The study was published online July 30 in the journal Pediatrics.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about alcohol and breast-feeding.

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Yes, There Is Room for Chocolate in Your Diet

MONDAY, July 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Dark chocolate is soothing and satisfying, and it may have health benefits, including some for heart health. But can it fit into a weight-loss diet?

Yes … if you control portions.

Unsweetened cocoa -- the cacao bean product with tons of healthy flavonoids -- has only about 12 calories per tablespoon. It makes for a very low-calorie hot chocolate or chocolate milk when blended with fat-free milk and artificial sweetener.

Adding some pure cocoa to yogurt is also a great way to make your own chocolatey treat, with far fewer calories than dairy-aisle products, which can have as many as a candy bar. Just sprinkle it over the yogurt and use a spatula to fold it in.

Cocoa can also be the flavoring in a homemade gelato, the milk-based Italian frozen dessert that's lower in fat than ice cream. Experiment with recipes to limit the amount of sugar without sacrificing taste.

There are dozens of cocoa brands to choose, many from leading chocolate companies. Just read the labels carefully to be sure there's no added sugar.

If you love the richness of chocolate, dark or bittersweet varieties are considered better for you than semi-sweet because of their higher percentages of cocoa solids and flavonoids. Look for products with "70 percent cocoa" or higher.

Chocolate has an average of 150 calories per ounce (even with less sugar, these blends still have naturally occurring fat). Measure out one ounce per day to savor.

You can also cut calories by about a third by choosing chocolate sweetened with stevia, available in bars as well as chips for baking.

More information

Learn more about the benefits of flavonoids at the Linus Pauling Institute.

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New Drug Reverses Hair Loss in Mice

MONDAY, July 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- An experimental drug reversed hair loss, hair whitening and skin inflammation in mice that were first fed a diet high in fat and cholesterol.

Previous research has suggested a link between fatty diets and hair/skin issues in people.

The researchers emphasized that it's not known if the drug is safe and that the results in mice do not mean the drug would work in people.

However, the findings may point to possible treatments for hair loss/graying and skin wounds in people, the team from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore said.

"Further research is needed, but our findings show promise for someday using the drug we developed for skin diseases such as psoriasis, and wounds resulting from diabetes or plastic surgery," said researcher Subroto Chatterjee, a professor of pediatrics and medicine.

The experimental drug, called D-PDMP, stops production of fats called glycosphingolipids (GSLs), which are major components of skin and other cell membranes. Previous research has shown that GSLs are common in the cells that comprise the uppermost layer of the skin, and also in cells involved in pigmentation of the eyes, skin and hair.

In this study, mice that were fed a diet high in fat and cholesterol developed hair whitening, hair loss and skin lesions. But those problems were reversed when the mice were given the experimental drug.

"Our findings show that a Western diet causes hair loss, hair whitening and skin inflammation in mice, and we believe a similar process occurs in men who lose hair and experience hair whitening when they eat a diet high in fat and cholesterol," Chatterjee said in a Hopkins news release.

Further animal research is needed to determine how well and what amount of the drug might promote hair growth and heal wounds, the researchers noted.

Their study was published July 30 in the journal Scientific Reports.

"Hopefully someday in the future this can mean faster, more effective recovery from baldness, hair whitening in aging populations and wound healing," Chatterjee said.

More information

The American Heart Association offers advice on healthy eating.

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Majority in U.S. Support Medical Pot, Think It Could Fight Opioid Crisis

MONDAY, July 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Americans strongly support medical marijuana, and a majority also believe that pot should be legal for recreational purposes, a new HealthDay/Harris Poll has found.

Nearly nine out of every 10 adults -- 85 percent -- believe that marijuana should be legalized for medical use, the poll reports.

And more than half, 57 percent, support the legalization of recreational marijuana.

Many also believe there's a role for medical marijuana in easing America's ongoing opioid addiction crisis.

"Voters believe that ending America's failed marijuana prohibition laws is a common sense issue, not a partisan one," said Paul Armentano, deputy director of the reform advocacy group NORML.

"It's time for their elected officials to take a similar posture, and to move expeditiously to amend federal law in a manner that comports with public and scientific consensus, as well as with marijuana's rapidly changing cultural and legal status," Armentano added.

But the poll also found that people do not support a Wild West approach to pot either.

Four out of five said that medical marijuana should be regulated like other medicines, including U.S. Food and Drug Administration oversight and prescriptions from a medical professional.

The most common reason for lack of support for medical marijuana is concern about pot getting into the wrong hands (for example, kids and pets), with 57 percent of opponents citing that rationale.

Among those who don't support marijuana for recreational use, a little more than two in three believe legalization would allow marijuana to get into the wrong hands.

The online poll included more than 2,000 U.S. adults and was conducted in mid-July.

"Opposition to marijuana -- whether for medical or recreational use -- comes down to fear of it getting into the wrong hands," said Deana Percassi, managing director of the Harris Poll's public relations research practice.

Slightly more than two out of three adults (69 percent) believe the benefits of medical marijuana outweigh the risks, and a similar percentage believe pot should be viewed as a type of natural medicine, the findings showed.

Support is slightly softer for recreational pot, and skews toward younger adults.

Sixty-seven percent of those aged 18 to 34 support legalization of recreational marijuana, compared with 68 percent of 35- to 44-year-olds and 57 percent of those aged 55 to 64. That number dropped to 38 percent for those aged 65 and older.

Support for recreational cannabis appears to be driven in part by concerns over the opioid addiction epidemic in the United States.

Slightly more than half of adults, 53 percent, said if marijuana were legal, fewer people would die from opioid overdoses. Younger adults most strongly supported this line of reasoning: 65 percent of those aged 18 to 34 versus 54 percent of those aged 35 to 44, and about 45 percent of those aged 55 and older.

"Marijuana is seen as a way to ease the opioid crisis and even prevent opioid-related deaths," Percassi said.

But there are a lot of misperceptions out there regarding the usefulness of pot, argued Fred Muench, president and CEO of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.

There haven't been many clinical trials comparing medical marijuana to other pain-relief methods, such as over-the-counter painkillers, prescription opioids, physical therapy or medical devices, Muench said.

There's also "no evidence to support" the idea that using medical marijuana could help curb the opioid epidemic, he added.

"When you look at the recent reviews of the evidence of medical marijuana, it's not that great," Muench said. "Let's make sure we're opening the conversation up to really understand what all of the alternatives are, rather than making a dichotomous argument of opioids versus marijuana."

On the other hand, early studies out of legalization states have linked recreational marijuana to an increased number of emergency department visits and traffic accidents, Muench noted.

Early pot use among adolescents has been associated with poor school performance, higher dropout rates, unemployment, poor life satisfaction and an overall lack of motivation, he added.

"The problem here is we're at the beginning of this massive experiment with unknown outcomes," Muench said, "but we have a literature base on the effects of marijuana we're completely ignoring."

And, Muench noted, the public tends to confuse legalization of pot with decriminalization.

"Legalization and decriminalization are completely separate," he said.

"No person should ever be arrested for having marijuana. We would clean out our jail cells if we decriminalized," Muench said.

"Legalization is a very different model," he continued. "We are opening the floodgates. There are so many interests that have a financial incentive to make marijuana legal and they are pushing the agenda. They are pushing the conversation. People think they are fighting the man when they're really being led down a path of inaccurate and incomplete information."

This HealthDay/Harris Poll was conducted online within the United States July 12-16, 2018, among 2,020 U.S. adults (aged 18 and over). This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

More information

The U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse has more about marijuana.

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Anger as MH370 report offers no new clues to aviation's greatest mystery

Investigators said Monday they still do not know why Malaysia's Flight MH370 vanished four years ago in aviation's greatest mystery, sparking anger and disappointment among relatives of those on board. In a long-awaited report the official investigation team pointed to failings by air traffic controllers, said the course of the Malaysia Airlines plane was changed manually, and refused to rule out that someone other than the pilots had diverted the jet. "The team is unable to determine the real cause for the disappearance of MH370," concluded the largely technical 400-page report, noting that investigators were hindered in their probe as neither the plane's wreckage nor its black boxes had been found.

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'Not Just A Paper Pusher': Former White House Staff Secretaries Weigh In On Kavanaugh Fight

WASHINGTON ― Republicans say the Senate does not need to see documents related

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Julie Chen Addresses Husband Les Moonves' Sexual Misconduct Claims on The Talk

Six women have accused the CBS head of sexual harassment

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A Democratic Wave In The Midterms Is Looking More And More Likely

Can we really expect a blue-wave election in November, with Democrats taking

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How inhaling wildfire smoke can wreak havoc on your health

Fueled by the tremendous threat of wildfires raging in parts of the United States each year is the growing concern for adverse health effects resulting from smoke exposure.

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Anger as MH370 families say official report offers no new information

A long-awaited official report into the disappearance of Flight MH370 gave no new clues about why the plane vanished, relatives of those on board the aircraft said Monday, expressing anger and disappointment. Family members had been hoping that the official investigation team's report could provide them with some closure, over four years after the Malaysia Airlines flight carrying 239 people went missing. Some angry relatives walked out of the briefing.

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Vietnam minibus crash kills groom and 12 wedding guests

Thirteen people were killed and four injured when a minibus carrying guests on the way to a wedding in central Vietnam collided head-on with a large container truck on Monday, the government said in a statement. The bus was carrying the groom and his family members from Quang Tri province to the bride's home in Binh Dinh province during the early hours of the couple's wedding day. Traffic accidents are common in Vietnam, where traffic laws on busy and badly maintained roads are loosely enforced.

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Homeless man photographed handing out resumes lands job offers

Over the weekend, a photo of out-of-work web developer went viral, resulting in a flurry of job offers. The photo, which was tweeted by @jaysc0 on Friday, showed David Casarez standing on the side of the road in Mountain View, California, holding a placard telling people that he was homeless.  SEE ALSO: Architects are building floating neighborhoods on city canals to create affordable housing for students Despite his circumstances, Casarez didn't ask for money, instead asking people to take copies of his resume. Today I saw this young homeless man asking for people to take a resume rather than asking for money. If anyone in the Silicon Valley could help him out, that would be amazing. Please RT so we can help David out! pic.twitter.com/ewoE3PKFx7 — FullMakeup Alchemist (@jaysc0) July 27, 2018 A college graduate, Casarez told NBC Bay Area that he had moved to Silicon Valley last September with three years' experience as a software developer, with the goal of launching a startup. Those dreams faded when Casarez underestimated the cost of living in the area, and the difficulties of finding work. He stayed in his van, until that was taken in June when he couldn't afford the payments, leaving him sleeping in a park. "All I wanted was for one person to notice, take my resume and give me an opportunity," he told the news outlet. The photo amassed tens of thousands of retweets, resulting in offers of jobs and help. We’ll take care of him if no one else has stepped in yet. Have a nonprofit fund for this kind of thing, or housing, or industry connections, whatever he prefers — Austen Allred (@AustenAllred) July 28, 2018 Hello, I am VP Engineering at AncestryDNA and also an Aggie, class of 93. I would love to interview David Casarez for a Web developer or QA automation position. Can you please put me in touch with David ? — Paddy (@DeshmukhPaddy) July 28, 2018 On Sunday, Casarez thanked everyone for their support. Thank you everyone for the outpouring of support! I am completely floored by how many are interested in my #Hungry4Success story. I have met several who have been or currently are in the same situation tell me their story. I am glad to be an inspiration for you all. — David Casarez (@DavidCasarez17) July 29, 2018 The situation is indicative of the affordable housing crisis which has engulfed Silicon Valley and neighbouring San Francisco.  Even family of four earning $117,400 per year in San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo counties is considered "low income," and is eligible for affordable housing programs. It's also why big tech companies like Facebook and Google have looked to building housing for their employees, who too struggle with the cost of living. WATCH: Wait, who owns the moon? We found out

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Fox News Host Confronts Rudy Giuliani Over Michael Cohen 'Liar' Flip-Flop

Rudy Giuliani can't get his story straight on Michael Cohen -- and Fox News

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Iran's rial hits record-low 100,000 to the dollar

Iran's currency hit a record low on Sunday of 100,000 rials to the dollar amid a deepening economic crisis and the imminent return of full US sanctions. The rial has lost half its value against the dollar in just four months, having broken through the 50,000-mark for the first time in March.

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After Indonesian earthquake terror, hundreds trek down from volcano

By Agustinus Beo Da Costa and Fergus Jensen JAKARTA (Reuters) - Nearly 700 trekkers headed down Mount Rinjani on Indonesia's tourist island of Lombok on Monday, a day after a powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.4 terrified the climbers as boulders tumbled down the slopes of the volcano. Officials said the death toll from Sunday's earthquake, which was centered on the northern part of Lombok, but was also felt on the resort island of Bali to the west, stood at 16. "I thought I was going to die," said John Robyn Buenavista, a 23-year-old American, who was at the summit when the quake hit.

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Thomas Markle Attacks Meghan Markle, Royal Family In Brutal Interview

Despite assurances he would stop giving interviews about his daughter Meghan,

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The Latest: Minneapolis cops: Feared for lives in shooting

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Latest on the release of body-camera video in the June fatal shooting of a black man by Minneapolis police (all times local):

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Orphaned Fawn Saved From Raging California Wildfire Thanks Officer With a Kiss

The rapidly spreading Carr fire has killed at least 5 outside Redding.

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Northern California wildfire forces thousands to evacuate

California firefighters on Monday were gaining ground on a massive blaze that has killed six people and destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses, while rescuers searched for seven people unaccounted for in the wildfire. The Carr Fire, outside Redding, California, ignited a week ago and doubled in size over the weekend, charring an area the size of Detroit, forcing 38,000 people to flee their homes and claiming lives of two firefighters and another person, as well as a woman and her two young great-grandchildren. Centered 150 miles (240 km) north of Sacramento, it is the deadliest of the 90 wildfires burning across the United States.

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Ruth Bader Ginsburg Says She Will Serve 'At Least Another 5 Years' on the Supreme Court

The justice also called herself a "flaming feminist"

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Deadly California wildfire kills great-grandmother and two children

Grieving relatives described the panicked phone calls they received as fires closed in on their California neighbourhood and their desperate two-day search for an elderly woman and her two great-grandhildren, before discovering they died when flames engulfed their home. The death toll from California’s summer wildfires rose to five at the weekend when fire crews said they had found human remains at a charred home on the outskirts of Redding in the north of the state. More than 38,000 people remain under evacuation orders from a fire that has destroyed more than 500 buildings and continued to rage unchecked into a seventh day yesterday. Melody, 70, and two great-grandchildren – James Roberts, 5, and Emily Roberts, 4 died in the blaze Ed Bledsoe described how he left his home with the family’s only car to run errands on Thursday leaving his wife Melody, 70, and two great-grandchildren – James Roberts, 5, and Emily Roberts, 4 - behind. He told Capital Public Radio his wife telephoned an hour later. “She said, ‘You need to come home right now. The fire’s right next to our house,’” he said. Mr Bledsoe tried to race home but was turned back at roadblocks. The children were “screaming for their lives,” Jason Decker, the boyfriend of another of the Bledsoes’ granddaughters, told the New York Times. “The kids were saying: ‘Papa, papa, come home. The fire’s at the back door.’” Some 3500 firefighters are trying to contain the flames Credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Then the line went dead. For two days they searched hospitals and refuges after being told the three had been rescued. But on Saturday, officials said three bodies had been found at what was left of their home. Carla Bledsoe hugs her sister Sherri outside the sheriff's office after hearing news that Sherri's children and grandmother were killed  Credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP "My babies are dead," Sherry Bledsoe said through tears after she was given the news by sheriff’s deputies. Her children had been in the care of their great-grandparents while she had spent the past four months incarcerated at the county jail. Police tape blocks the house where relatives say three people were found dead following a wildfire in Redding Credit: Jonathan Cooper/AP Two fire service personnel also died last week. President Donald Trump declared the fire an emergency at the weekend, freeing federal funds for disaster relief efforts. Almost 90 fires are burning across western states – stretching from Texas to Oregon – but the most destructive so far is the Carr Fire which has blackened almost 90,000 acres of parched land in California since erupting last Monday. Cal Fire, the state fire brigade, says it was caused by the mechanical failure of a vehicle but has offered no further details about how it began. Homes leveled by the Carr Fire line the Lake Keswick Estates area of Redding Credit: Noah Berger/AP Since then, low humidity, high temperatures and gusting winds have accelerated it into a blazing, unpredictable storm. More than 5000 buildings are at risk as 3,500 firefighters and a squadron of 17 water-dropping helicopters try to contain its flames by carving buffer zones around its advancing fronts. By yesterday(SUN), they said they had managed to contain just 5 percent of the fire's perimeter. Anna Noland, 49, is among those staying at a shelter in Redding. She said she had been forced to flee twice in three days, before learning from video footage that her home had been destroyed. “I think I'm still in shock,” she told the Associated Press. “It's just unbelievable knowing you don't have a house to go back to.”

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Trump says he would 'certainly meet' with Iran's Rouhani

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday that he'd "certainly meet" with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, and without preconditions, if the Iranian leader were willing.

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Missing Iowa Jogger Mollie Tibbetts Was Doing Homework Late on the Night She Disappeared

It is unclear whether she returned home after her run.

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California wildfires: Six dead and tens of thousands forced to flee homes

Firefighters are rushing against uncertain weather forecasts to contain a multitude of wildfires in northern California that have already claimed the lives of at least six people and forced 50,000 to flee their homes. With hot, dry conditions and high winds fuelling the blazes, 12,000 firefighters have been drafted in to try to contain 17 wildfires that have destroyed buildings in its path – including the home of a fire chief. As those firefighters continued to fight the blaze, families of the dead on Sunday told their harrowing tales of loss.

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CBS' Board Will Meet Monday to Talk About the Les Moonves Allegations

Six women have accused the CBS CEO of sexual misconduct

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Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) Stock Rises on Record Earnings

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) stock traded by as much as 2.7 percent higher on Monday morning after the company reported record second-quarter earnings and raised its full-year guidance. Investors cheered the strong quarter, but analysts say there is clear evidence Caterpillar's growth is slowing. Caterpillar reported second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $2.97 on revenue of $14.01 billion.

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Cambodia ruling party claims landslide election win after opposition banned in 'sham' vote

Cambodia's ruling party said it had won a landslide in Sunday's one-horse election, an expected outcome after the main opposition was banned paving the way for leader Hun Sen to prolong his 33 years in power. Hun Sen, who came to power in 1985 in a country still plagued by civil war, has cracked down on dissent in the run-up to this year's poll, pressuring civil society, independent media and political opponents. That left him with little competition and no serious challengers. Cambodian People's Party (CPP) spokesman Sok Eysan told AFP late Sunday they expected to win "over 100 seats" in the 125-seat parliament, citing preliminary figures from the National Election Committee. "The CPP will get more than 80 percent of the popular vote," he said. "This is a huge victory for us." Hun Sen, 65, a one-time defector from the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, has pointed to stability and growth as the fruits of his rule - a message that resonates with his base. Freedom index rank: Cambodia "Compatriots have chosen the democratic path and used your rights," he said on his Facebook page after polls closed in an apparent swipe at the opposition, which called for a boycott. Voter turnout was 82 percent, according to the election committee, surpassing the final figure in 2013 of roughly 69 percent when the opposition took part. Pictures of spoiled ballots circulated on social media, though they could not be independently verified. AFP correspondents saw dozens of blank ballots set aside during counting. "I did not go to vote. I slept at home," said Khem Chan Vannak, a former commune chief elected with the now-banned opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). "A lot of my friends did not go to vote." The CNRP appealed to Cambodians not to vote in the "sham election that has no support and is not recognised by the international community".

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EU trying to 'swindle' UK in Brexit talks: report

Italy's far right deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini has accused the European Union of attempting to "swindle" the United Kingdom out of the Brexit people voted for in the landmark 2016 referendum, The Sunday Times reported. "My experience in the European parliament tells me you either impose yourself or they swindle you", Salvini told the weekly as he urged prime minister Theresa May to take a harder stance in negotiations to sever ties with the trading bloc. May and her ministers are scrambling to forge agreements with each of the EU's 27 member states after a week which saw her already fragile "Chequers plan" for Brexit knocked back by Brussels chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

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Trump Again Threatens To Shut Down His Own Government Over Wall Funding

President Donald Trump on Sunday embraced shutting down the federal government

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Firefighters gain on sprawling California wildfire, six dead

By Bob Strong REDDING, Calif. (Reuters) - California firefighters on Monday gained ground on a massive wildfire that has killed six people and destroyed hundreds of homes, while rescuers searched for at least seven missing people. The Carr Fire ignited a week ago outside Redding, about 150 miles (240 km) north of Sacramento, and doubled in size over the weekend, charring an area half the size of New York City and forcing 38,000 people to flee their homes. Two firefighters, a 70-year-old woman and her two young great-grandchildren were among the dead.

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Social Media Helped Italian Police Identify a French Skier Lost in the Alps for Decades

An Italian prosecutor asked Facebook users to help crack the cold case

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Six people killed as California wildfire spreads

By Alexandria Sage REDDING, Calif. (Reuters) - A 70-year-old woman and her two great-grandchildren were among six people killed when a wildfire engulfed entire communities in northern California, officials and family members said. Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko told a news conference near the city of Redding at the edge of the blaze on Sunday one more person had been killed in a residence consumed by fire, bringing the total to six, including two firefighters.

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Malaysia Flight 370 Was 'Steered Off Course Deliberately,' Report Says

MH370 vanished on March 8, 2014 with 239 people on board

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Missouri duck boat crash: Family of victims from boat capsizing sue operator for $100m

A duck boat operator has been sued for $100m in damages after a ship of theirs capsized in a lake, killing 17 passengers. The wrongful death lawsuit follows after one of the duck boats sank July 19 on a lake near Branson, Missouri. "The canopy of the Duck Boat entrapped passengers and dragged them to the bottom of the lake," the lawsuit says.

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'Come and get me,' boy pleaded before California fire death

A young boy pleaded for rescue before he died along with two others in a California wildfire, an anguished relative recounted Monday, while other shaken survivors told of their flight from a "tornado" of fire. Thousands of firefighters in California made some progress against several large-scale blazes that have turned around 200,000 acres (80,940 hectares) into an ashen wasteland, destroyed expensive homes, and killed eight fire personnel and civilians in the most populous US state. The worst blaze, northern California's Carr Fire, has killed six people since Thursday, including a 70-year-old woman and her two great-grandchildren, aged four and five.

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35 Foil-Pack Recipes For When You Feel Like Cooking Outside

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Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa accuses rival Chamisa of striking deal with Mugabe

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa accused his main rival Nelson Chamisa on Sunday of striking a deal with former leader Robert Mugabe on the eve of an election and cast doubt on Chamisa's intentions of rebuilding the country. Mnangagwa, who did not provide any evidence of his accusations, said in a Facebook post that voting for 40-year-old Chamisa was tantamount to bringing back Mugabe in disguise. He made the comments after Mugabe said he would vote for the opposition in Monday's election. (Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Adrian Croft)

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Paul Manafort earned more than $60 million from Ukraine, Robert Mueller says ahead of trial

Donald Trump's former campaign manager made $60 million from Ukrainian lobbyists to fund a lavish lifestyle of antiques and tailored suits, prosecutors claimed on the eve of his trial. The figures emerged in court filings ahead of Paul Manafort's trial on Tuesday on tax and bank fraud charges. It is the first full tally provided by Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, of Mr Manafort's income from his work as a political consultant in Ukraine. Prosecutors claim that Mr Manafort, who ran the US president's election campaign for five months, hid more than $30 million of that sum in offshore accounts to evade taxes. During his three-week trial, prosecutors plan to lay out Mr Manafort’s extensive dealings with the pro-Russian Ukrainian political party of Viktor Yanukovych, who was deposed as Ukraine's president in 2014. They claim that when Mr Manafort's income from consulting and foreign lobbying dried up, he lied to banks to get loans to maintain his lavish spending. Jurors will be shown photographs illustrating how he spent $6.4 million on properties in New York and Virginia, a further $7.3 million on renovating his homes and $820,000 on landscaping. In addition, he sent $2 million for rugs and antiques and almost $1.4 million on Beverly Hills tailored suits and designer clothes. In total $75 million flowed through his offshore accounts, according to court documents filed on Monday. It is the first trial to stem from Mr Mueller's extensive investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, and will give the American public its most detailed glimpse of what his team has found in the last year. Adding to the intrigue, Mr Manafort's deputy, Rick Gates, is expected to testify against him after cutting a plea deal with prosecutors. While the trial does not touch directly on Russian links to the Trump campaign, the outcome of the trial will be closely followed in Washington. An acquittal will boost the Trump administration's calls to have the Russia investigation - which they frequently refer to as a witch hunt - to be wound down. A conviction for Mr Manafort will add to Mr Mueller's credibility. Former New York City Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, is now on Mr Trump's legal team Credit: Getty Ahead of the trial, Mr Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, sought to distance Mr Manafort from the president, saying he "was not involved with intimate business relationships". "He has no information incriminating of the president. I know that for a fact. They can squeeze him - he doesn't know anything. He was with him for four months," he told CNN on Monday. Mr Giuliani went on to question whether collusion - the crux of Mr Mueller's investigation - is in fact a crime. "[Mr Trump's team are] not going to be colluding with Russia, which I don't even know if that's a crime, colluding about Russians," he said. "You start analysing the crime - the hacking is the crime. ... The President didn't hack." Russia investigation Legal experts have suggested that anyone found collaborating with Russia on the presidential election could be charged with crimes such as conspiracy or being an accessory to hacking. Since Mr Mueller took over the investigation last May, the special counsel has charged 32 people, including 26 Russians and several people linked to the Trump campaign. Five people, including Mr Gates, have pleaded guilty. Mr Manafort faces a second trial in Washington DC on related charges of acting as an unregistered foreign agent and lying to the government in September. The most serious charges against him carry prison sentences of up to 30 years each.  

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Ruth Bader Ginsburg Says She Will Serve 'At Least Another 5 Years' on the Supreme Court

The justice also called herself a "flaming feminist"

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Julie Chen Addresses Husband Les Moonves' Sexual Misconduct Claims on The Talk

Six women have accused the CBS head of sexual harassment

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After Indonesian earthquake terror, hundreds trek down from volcano

By Agustinus Beo Da Costa and Fergus Jensen JAKARTA (Reuters) - Nearly 700 trekkers headed down Mount Rinjani on Indonesia's tourist island of Lombok on Monday, a day after a powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.4 terrified the climbers as boulders tumbled down the slopes of the volcano. Officials said the death toll from Sunday's earthquake, which was centered on the northern part of Lombok, but was also felt on the resort island of Bali to the west, stood at 16. "I thought I was going to die," said John Robyn Buenavista, a 23-year-old American, who was at the summit when the quake hit.

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Woman Killed Alongside Her Great-Grandchildren in California Wildfire

The death toll from the growing blaze has reached 5, authorities said Saturday.

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After prison release, Palestinian teen considers law study

NABI SALEH, West Bank (AP) — Palestinian teen Ahed Tamimi, who became an international symbol of resistance to Israeli occupation after slapping two soldiers, walked out of an Israeli prison Sunday and told throngs of journalists and well-wishers that she now wants to study law to defend her people.

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Mugabe hopes his former party will lose Zimbabwe election

Zimbabwe’s former president Robert Mugabe, who was ousted by the military in November, made a surprise intervention Sunday on the eve of key elections, calling for voters to throw his old party out of office. In his first live appearance since being forced to resign by his generals, Mugabe, 94, spoke slowly but appeared in good health sitting in a pagoda in the grounds of "Blue Roof", his sprawling mansion in Harare. In the country's first election since Mugabe was ousted after 37 years in power, Zimbabwe goes to the polls on Monday amid mounting allegations of voter fraud and predictions of a disputed result.

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Lassie Got Help, Would Your Dog?

Dogs with an opportunity to free a distressed owner turned in a mixed performance.

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After Doctors Cut Their Opioids, Patients Turn to a Risky Treatment for Back Pain

The drive to reduce opioid use has led patients to clinics offering off-label painkiller injections. Pfizer asked the F.D.A. to ban the treatment years ago.

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Vaginal Laser Treatments Can Cause Burns and Scarring, the F.D.A. Says

The agency told seven companies that sell lasers for cosmetic gynecology and related procedures to stop marketing them for unapproved uses.

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On the Front Lines of Infertility

Two new memoirs — Elizabeth Katkin’s “Conceivability” and Emma Brockes’s “An Excellent Choice” — trace very different paths to motherhood.

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California wildfire: Firefighters gain ground on devastating inferno as victims' families reel from loss

Firefighters in northern California have finally begun gaining ground on the massive wildfire that has claimed at least six lives after doubling over the weekend – fuelled by hot, dry conditions and swift winds that pushed the flames. The family of a 70-year-old woman and two children killed by the massive fires, for instance, described the final moments of their loved ones, with the woman trying in vain to save her two great-grandchildren using a wet blanket at their house outside of Redding. The victims were identified by relatives as James Roberts, five, his sister Emily, four, and their great grandmother, Melody Bledsoe, 70.

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How inhaling wildfire smoke can wreak havoc on your health

Fueled by the tremendous threat of wildfires raging in parts of the United States each year is the growing concern for adverse health effects resulting from smoke exposure.

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Former FEMA Executive Investigated For Sexual Misconduct

A former personnel chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is being

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MH370 investigators say they can't rule out 'unlawful interference' as final report leaves relatives disappointed

Investigators released a report on missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 on Monday, saying the Boeing 777's controls were likely deliberately manipulated to take it off course but they were not able to determine who was responsible. The 495-page report draws no conclusion about what happened aboard the plane that vanished with 239 people on board en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur on March 8, 2014, leaving one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries unsolved. "The answer can only be conclusive if the wreckage is found," Kok Soo Chon, head of the MH370 safety investigation team, told reporters. On May 29, Malaysia called off a three-month search by US firm Ocean Infinity, which spanned 112,000 sq km (43,243 sq miles) in the southern Indian Ocean and ended with no significant findings. It was the second major search after Australia, China and Malaysia ended a fruitless A$200 million (£112.06 million) search across an area of 120,000 sq km (46,332 sq miles) last year. Sarah Nor, the mother of Norliakmar Hamid, a passenger on missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, cries as she arrives for the final investigation report Credit:  MOHD RASFAN/ AFP Malaysian and international investigators have been looking into why the jet veered thousands of miles off course from its scheduled route before eventually plunging into the Indian Ocean. The last communication from the plane was from the Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah who signed off with “Good night, Malaysian three seven zero”, as the plane left the Malaysian airspace and later turned off course. A 440-page final report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) last year showed that Zaharie had flown a route on his home flight simulator six weeks earlier that was "initially similar" to the one actually taken by MH370. The Malaysian police previously concluded there were no unusual activity on the home simulator. Kok said the investigators examined the history of the pilot and the first officer, and they were satisfied with their background and training and mental health. "We are not of the opinion it could have been an event committed by the pilots," he said, but added they were not ruling out any possibility since the in-air turn back was done manually and the systems in the plane were also manually turned off. "We cannot exclude that there was an unlawful interference by a third party," Kok said. He added all the passengers of the 15 countries had their backgrounds checked by their respective countries and all came back with a clean bill of health. Conspiracy theories The inability to locate MH370's crash site has fuelled conspiracy theories and online debates over the last four years. Theories range from mechanical error or a remote-controlled crash, to more bizarre explanations like alien abduction and a Russian plot. Kok said they looked into each theory and rumour raised on social media. "We had over 60 allegations...we removed them one-by-one and saw what remained behind," Kok said. Rayan Gharazeddine scans the water in the southern Indian Ocean off Australia from a Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion during a search for the missing plane in 2014 Credit: Rob Griffith/AP The report said there was no sign the plane was evading radar detection or that it was taken over by remote control. No irregularities were found in the on-board cargo, which included items like lithium batteries and about 2,500 kgs of mangosteen. Mistakes made In all, 27 pieces of aircraft debris have been collected from various places around the world but only three wing fragments that washed up along the Indian Ocean coast have been confirmed to be from MH370. Malaysia's newly elected Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has said Malaysia would consider resuming the search only if new clues come to light. Investigators highlighted some mistakes made by the Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh City air traffic control centres and made safety recommendations to ensure such incidents do not occur again. Transport Minister Antony Loke said in a statement that the Malaysia would investigate any misconduct committed based on the findings. Families of passengers on board the flight said on Monday that the report failed to give closure Credit:  Joshua Paul/AP The next-of-kin of the passengers were briefed on the final report by investigators earlier on Monday. "We hope that these mistakes will not be repeated and that measures are put in place to prevent them in the future," said Grace Nathan, a lawyer whose mother, Anne Daisy, was on the plane. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing had paid close attention to the MH370 investigation. "We hope that all sides can continue to remain in close contact and coordination, to properly carry out relevant follow-up work," he told a daily news briefing, without elaborating. The majority of passengers on board were Chinese.

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Trump says he’ll meet with Iran leaders with ‘no preconditions’

President Donald Trump has said that he would meet with the leaders of Iran without preconditions “whenever they want”. “I would certainly meet with Iran if they wanted to meet,” Mr Trump said during an event at the White House. Mr Trump, who has previously taken tough stances towards Iran and pulled the US out of the seven-party 2015 deal established to try and limit its nuclear weapons ambitions, continued: “No preconditions.

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'Not Just A Paper Pusher': Former White House Staff Secretaries Weigh In On Kavanaugh Fight

WASHINGTON ― Republicans say the Senate does not need to see documents related

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Thomas Markle Attacks Meghan Markle, Royal Family In Brutal Interview

Despite assurances he would stop giving interviews about his daughter Meghan,

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Missing Iowa Jogger Mollie Tibbetts Was Doing Homework Late on the Night She Disappeared

It is unclear whether she returned home after her run.

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Mugabe to hold press conference on eve of Zimbabwe election: spokesman

Zimbabwe's former president Robert Mugabe, 94, is to give a surprise press conference Sunday on the eve of the country's first election since he was ousted from office last year, a spokesman said. "He is giving a press conference at Blue Roof (his private residence in Harare)," the spokesman, who requested not to be named, told AFP. Zimbabwe goes to the polls Monday in its first election since Mugabe was forced to resign last November after 37 years in power, with allegations mounting of voter fraud and predictions of a disputed result.

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Family of Branson Duck Boat Victims Seeks $100 Million for Deadly Sinking

The suit alleges "decades of unacceptable, greed-driven, and willful ignorance"

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