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Former president Donald Trump reportedly further strained his relationship with Republican party leadership in Iowa after failing to show up for senator Joni Ernst's annual "Roast and Ride" charity. Except for Mr Trump, eight of the GOP 2024 presidential election hopefuls were present at the senator's charity event last month – a combination of barbecue-rally and motorcycle rides that kick off a busy summer campaign season heading into the first-in-the-nation caucuses. Florida governor Ron DeSantis, former vice president Mike Pence, US senator Tim Scott, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley and other candidates dressed for the occasion in leather and reached out to supporters. Mr Trump declared that he would not participate in the event but his campaign had expressed interest in sending videotaped remarks to be played for the crowd, according to a New York Times report. However, the former president failed to send the videotape, allegedly leaving Ms Ernst’s operation with a large bill that was wasted on renting screens for the purpose of showing the tape. The former president also potentially ruined the senator's plan to use a motorcycle helmet signed by all of the Republican candidates to sell tickets to the event. The event organisers sent the helmet to Mr Trump, who returned it later than expected and had added the numbers '45' and '47,' signaling he would be the next president. The helmet was never used, the newspaper said. The presidential hopefuls during the event all tiptoed around mentions of the 45th president. Ms Haley repeated a version of a line she has been using as a candidate that seems to allude to Mr Trump and his political career as replete with controversies. “It’s time for a new-generation leader. We’ve got to leave the baggage of the negativity behind,” she said. Meanwhile, Mr Trump in Iowa earlier this week attacked the Florida governor as an enemy of corn-based ethanol in his largest campaign event in the state. The former president spoke to more than 1,000 Iowans and Nebraskans packed into the event hall inside Mid-America Center. Mr Trump declared himself “the most pro-farmer president that you’ve ever had” at the event, which was aimed at promoting his administration’s agricultural record. “I fought for Iowa ethanol like no president in history,” he said. Read More Trump and DeSantis begin eyeing Super Tuesday states as they prepare for 2024 long game Trump says ‘damaged’ DeSantis is ‘desperately trying to get out’ of 2024 race Trump lawyer Alina Habba leaves his defence team in New York fraud case Mexico's president breaks with tradition in quarrel with scrappy opposition upstart A competitive race for an open House seat is taking shape in a Michigan battleground district Trump wanted to tap phones of White House aides, new book claims

Fans of Diet Coke have reacted with despair at reports that the World Health Organisation (WHO) may catagorise aspartame – an artificial sweetener in the drink – a potential carcinogen. It was reported on Thursday (29 June) that the health organisation’s cancer research unit, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), is preparing to label aspartame as potentially cancerous from July. Aspartame is a low-calorie artificial sweetener that is approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar and is used in a huge number of soft drinks, including Diet Coke, Pepsi Max, Diet Irn Bru, and Sprite Zero, among others. It is also used in foods such as chewing gum, candy, breakfast cereal, frozen desserts and puddings, and gelatins. Although the IARC’s ruling on the sweetener remains confidential until July, Diet Coke fans are already wondering if they might have to give up their favourite fizzy drink. “If they interfere with Diet Coke it will be the final straw for me I’m afraid,” one person warned. Another joked they have already “drunk the Diet Coke equivalent of swimming at a superfund site” in their lifetime. “You can take away my Diet Coke when you pry it out of my cold dead hands,” a third mordantly added. “Listen, if you’re going to take away Diet Coke from us, you better be prepared for 72 per cent of women aged 25-45 to quit their jobs,” another person claimed. “That’s all I’m saying. *Cracks open third Diet Coke before noon*” Others appeared smug that they had never switched from regular full-fat Coke – which contains around 10.6g of sugar per 100ml, equating to 35g per 330ml can – to the low-sugar version. One person referred to a scene from hit series Friends that showed Chandler (Matthew Perry) shouting: “I knew it!” Another said: “I told you all that Diet Coke was just as bad as regular Coke.” The IARC is expected to make its decision over aspartame public on 14 July, the same day as the Joint WHO and Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), which is also reviewing aspartame use this year. JECFA has said it is safe to consume aspartame within accepted daily limits since 1981. An adult weighing 60kg (132 pounds) would have to drink between 12 and 36 cans of diet soda every day to be at risk, a view widely shared by national regulators. The additives committee “conducts risk assessment, which determines the probability of a specific type of harm (eg., cancer) to occur under certain conditions and levels of exposure”. The review of aspartame comes after a study conducted by experts from the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research, and Sorbonne Paris Nord University, published on March 2022, claimed it could increase the risk of cancer in people who consume it. But previous large-scale studies on humans have not revealed similar associations. A separate study published last December found that aspartame was linked to anxiety in mice. The deputy chief scientific adviser of the UK’s Food Standards Agency, Rick Mumford, commented on reports and said: “Our view is that the safety of this sweetener has been evaluated by various Scientific Committees and it is considered safe at current permitted use levels. “The IARC report has not yet been published and, when it is, it will be examined by the JECFA, who will put together a risk assessment by the end of July. We will closely study JECFA’s report and decide whether any further actions are needed.” The Independent has contacted Coca-Cola for comment. Read More Walk this way... but not like that: How men’s walks became sexualised Colleen Ballinger: Everything we know about the ‘grooming’ allegations against YouTuber Miranda Sings Kevin Costner’s estranged wife says she’ll move out of their $145m home on one condition ‘My small rash turned out to be a parasite living in my leg after a beach trip’ Chrissy Teigen welcomes fourth child – how does surrogacy actually work? Heart disease digital check-ups for over 40s being rolled out

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