The end of the ‘murder hornets’: Officials say species eradicated in US
Officials say the ominously-named “murder hornet” has been eradicated in the U.S. Five years after the world’s largest hornet species made its first appearance in Washington state near the Canadian border, the U.S. and Washington Departments of Agriculture announced Wednesday, Dec. 18, that they have officially stamped out the invasive breed.
The “murder hornets”—otherwise known by their official name, northern giant hornets—get the moniker from their powerful stings, which can threaten humans, and their ability to quickly destroy entire hives of honey bees.
Officials worried about their potential to destroy honeybee populations, a key part of many plant and animal ecosystems. However, the officials said they had not spotted the hornets anywhere since 2021, prompting the recent declaration.
Residents helped prevent their spread by reporting sightings and placing traps on their properties.
One effort involved finding a hornet and tying a radio tag around it with dental floss. That allowed officials to find a hive of murder hornets and destroy it just as its queens began to emerge.
Washington state officials say they will continue to place traps in the area next year as a precaution.
Arkansas Gov. Sanders calls for a ban on buying junk food with SNAP
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is calling for a ban on buying junk food with food stamps. Sanders sent a letter to the incoming Health and Agriculture departments, asking for a waiver to reform the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program –– also known as SNAP.
The program allows low-income families to buy a large variety of foods. However, Sanders cites a study from the Department of Agriculture that shows almost 23% of a SNAP household’s grocery bill is spent on unhealthier foods like candy, snacks, desserts and soda.
“Unfortunately, this nutrition assistance program is undermining the health of millions of Americans, on the taxpayer’s dime, by encouraging families to eat highly processed, unhealthy junk food,” Sanders wrote in the letter.
Sanders went on to say, “Given the relationship between junk food and poor health, our federal food assistance policies are fueling obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and a wide range of chronic health conditions across America.”
Sanders also mentioned a study by Stanford University that found taking away sugary drinks and soda from SNAP would prevent obesity in 141,000 children and Type 2 diabetes in 240,000 adults.
Debate over junk food and food stamps
The conversation around restricting SNAP purchases has been debated for years. People who support it say the program should more closely align with its original goal of improving nutrition amongst low-income families.
Meanwhile, people against the restrictions say it would be too complicated to categorize foods as “healthy” and “unhealthy.”
“Make America Healthy Again”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is lined up to lead President-elect Donald Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services, is likely to be receptive to Sanders’ proposal.
He recently introduced his “Make America Healthy Again” movement, which is focused on increasing access to healthier food. He is also vowing to crack down on food dyes and pesticides.
H5N1 mutation may make it easier for virus to latch to human cells: Study
Scientists are warning the bird flu virus may be able to more easily spread to human cells than previously thought. Researchers with Scripps Research Institute found it may take just a single mutation for this version of H5N1 to become capable of latching onto human cells.
In a study published on Thursday, Dec. 5, scientists noted that the virus could attach to people’s cells through proteins in a way much simpler than previously known.
A professor of infectious disease at Vanderbilt University called the findings “sobering” but points out the mutation has not yet been observed by other researchers despite repeated efforts. The authors of the study believe despite the lack of peer evidence that the mutation is likely already occurring in the current strain of bird flu.
The research comes as nearly 60 Americans have reportedly tested positive for H5N1. Although there is yet to be a confirmed case of human-to-human transmission.
As Straight Arrow News previously reported, the virus has spread to more than 700 dairy herds across the United States with California at the epicenter with around 500 infected herds.
Health officials are urging farm workers to wear protective equipment because most human bird flu cases have been people working directly with livestock. The Golden State also issued a statewide voluntary recall of raw milk on Tuesday, Dec. 3, after discovering bird flu contamination in retail samples of Raw Farm raw milk.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns against drinking raw milk because of bird flu and other illnesses associated with its consumption.
Calif issues statewide recall of raw milk after H5N1 found in retail samples
The latest hotspot for the bird flu in the United States, California, announced on Tuesday, Dec. 3, that it is expanding a recall of raw milk products to cover the entire state. The voluntary recall comes after recent tests reportedly detected H5N1 in two more samples from the nation’s largest raw milk dairy, Raw Farm, based out of Fresno, California.
The California Health Department says the products include all milk and cream from Raw Farm. The company’s owner estimates the company produces 70,000 gallons of milk weekly from more than 1,700 cows.
California health officials say they put the company’s operation under quarantine. They’ve also halted any distribution of all of its products, including cheeses and butter, made on or after Nov. 27.
Last month, the state issued two voluntary batch-specific recalls for raw milk produced by Raw Farm. The recall came after bird flu was discovered at the company’s bottling and retail sites.
The California Health Department urges anyone working with raw milk or potentially infected cows to wear protective gear.
The Golden State is the epicenter of the avian flu. California has reportedly 31 of the nation’s 57 confirmed cases of bird flu. The state is also home to 500 of the United States’ more than 700 infected dairy herds.
So far, no human cases have been linked to raw milk consumption in California. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that people avoid drinking raw milk due to the risk of bird flu and other illnesses associated with its consumption.
Health officials also warn pet owners not to feed their animals Raw Farm products, citing cases of cats on farms with infected cows developing brain damage and some dying after drinking contaminated raw milk.
The FDA maintains that pasteurized milk is still safe to drink as it says the pasteurization process kills the virus.
Cargill also confirmed the move on Monday, Dec. 2, to CNN, that it plans to let go of an estimated 8,000 employees as a result of falling profits.
The trading giant says workforce cuts will take place this year as it streamlines its organizational structure after missing its internal earnings goals. The move is reportedly part of Cargill’s 2030 strategy.
The corporation maintains “impacts to our operations and frontline teams will be kept to a minimum” as the business continues delivering products to customers.
Cargill distributes grains, meats and other agricultural products around the globe. The company reportedly has more than 160,000 workers.
Cargill pulled in record profits during the COVID-19 pandemic, as inflation and conflicts around the world drove up the price of farm products.
With an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, and as inflation slows, the company’s profits reportedly fell to $2.4 billion in the fiscal year ending in May 2024, which is less than half of the record $6.7 billion the company made from 2021 to 2022, and its lowest profit since 2016.
Adding to troubles, Cargill has reportedly invested heavily in one of the largest beef processors in North America as the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports the number of cattle across the United States is down.
Mexico’s president refutes Trump’s claim she promised to close the border
President-elect Donald Trump said Mexico has agreed to stem the tide of migrants flowing into the United States, but Mexico’s president is now saying that’s not quite accurate. And Amazon workers are using Black Friday to make a statement about their labor situation. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Nov. 29, 2024.
Mexico’s president refutes Trump’s claim she promised to close the border
As President-elect Donald Trump gets ready to return to office, he’s already making moves to follow through on some of his biggest campaign promises. After announcing this week his plans to impose tariffs on goods from China, Canada and Mexico, he turned his attention to another hot-button issue: immigration.
It’s a bit of a case of “he said, she said” after Trump had a call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday, Nov. 27. President-elect Trump posted on his Truth Social platform after the call saying Sheinbaum agreed to stop migration into the U.S. through Mexico, “effectively closing our southern border.”
Sheinbaum appeared to contradict Trump in a post of her own on X, saying in part, “Mexico’s position is not to close borders…”
She did, however, lay out Mexico’s “comprehensive strategy” for addressing the migration issue. In a separate post on X, Sheinbaum said during the call, she told President-elect Trump, “No caravans are arriving at the border because they are being attended to in Mexico.”
En nuestra conversación con el presidente Trump, le expuse la estrategia integral que ha seguido México para atender el fenómeno migratorio, respetando los derechos humanos. Gracias a ello se atiende a las personas migrantes y a las caravanas previo a que lleguen a la frontera.…
The two leaders also talked about how they’re addressing the U.S. fentanyl crisis.
The call was scheduled after Trump unveiled plans to slap 25% tariffs on all imports from Mexico to the U.S. as part of the effort to stem the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. through Mexico.
Not only would that impact the prices of avocados and agave — both very popular in the U.S. — Mexico’s economy secretary said Wednesday 88% of all North American pickup trucks come from Mexico. Sheinbaum then suggested Mexico could retaliate with tariffs of its own.
“I hope he rethinks it,” Biden said. “I think it’s a counterproductive thing to do. You know, one of the things you’ve heard me say before is that we are – we have an unusual situation in America. We’re surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and two allies: Mexico and Canada. The last thing we need to do is begin to screw up those relationships.”
Economists forecast Trump’s planned tariffs would increase prices for American shoppers, costing the average U.S. household about $2,600 per year, according to an estimate from the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
Israel and Hezbollah both claim ceasefire violations
Barely three days into a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, both sides are claiming violations.
Yesterday, Hezbollah had a precision-guided missile manufacturing site—today, they don’t.
Hezbollah’s largest precision-guided missiles manufacturing site, 1.4km wide and 70m underground, was struck and dismantled by IAF fighter jets yesterday.
Lebanese authorities also said two people, who were trying to return to southern Lebanon, were shot and wounded by Israeli forces. Lebanon’s health ministry said they were civilians, but the IDF claimed they were suspected of violating terms of the truce.
The agreement, brokered by the United States and France, includes an initial two-month ceasefire during which Hezbollah militants will withdraw north of the Litani River and Israeli forces are to return to their side of the border.
Thousands of Amazon workers to strike from Black Friday to Cyber Monday
Amazon workers in more than 20 countries, including the U.S., are on strike on some of the busiest pre-Christmas shopping days across the world. It started on Black Friday, Nov. 29, a day for bargain hunters to score some of the biggest discounts from stores across the country as holiday shopping kicks into high gear.
Organizers told the United Nations the so-called “days of resistance” are to hold Amazon accountable for alleged labor abuses, as well as “environmental degradation and threats to democracy.” According to ABC News, the strike could delay holiday deliveries.
The organizers said this is their fifth year of labor action against Amazon during the beginning of the holiday shopping season.
In a statement, Amazon said the group that organized the strikes is being “intentionally misleading” and promoting a “false narrative.” Management said the company offers great pay and benefits.
Canada sues Google over control of online ads
Canada’s antitrust watchdog said it is suing Google over alleged anti-competitive conduct in the company’s online advertising business. They’re calling for Google to sell off two of its ad tech services and pay a penalty.
The Competition Bureau said it’s necessary because an investigation into Google found the company “unlawfully” tied together its ad tech tools to maintain its dominant market position. Google insists the online advertising market is a highly competitive sector and is fighting the allegations.
This comes just a week after the U.S. Department of Justice asked a federal judge to force Google to sell its Chrome web browser, saying it continues to crush the competition through its dominant search engine.
America facing a live Christmas tree shortage again
As millions of Americans get ready to begin their search for the perfect Christmas tree, growers are having historic challenges getting them to sale lots, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The day after Thanksgiving is usually the biggest day for live tree sales, but since Thanksgiving came so late this year, it’s a very short selling season. On top of that, a nationwide shortage is expected thanks to severe weather across the country this year, such as a northeastern drought and North Carolina floods caused by Hurricane Helene. North Carolina is the second-biggest supplier of Christmas trees in the country.
Shoppers bought roughly 21.6 million real Christmas trees in the U.S. last year, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. The Department of Agriculture said the number of trees harvested in the U.S. has declined 30% since 2002, while the American population has grown 16% over the same period.
Alaska native air drops Thanksgiving turkeys to families in remote areas
In the most remote parts of Alaska a Thanksgiving turkey is hard to come by. So, one woman made sure families in roadless parts of the state had their holiday feast.
Pilot Esther Keim calls it “Alaska Turkey Bomb.” She flies in a small plane to off-the-grid homes and air drops frozen turkeys for families to enjoy for Thanksgiving.
Keim said it’s a tribute to a family friend who did the same thing for her family when she was growing up.
She started the tradition in 2022 after somebody that she knew told her they did not have much of a holiday dinner — and no turkey at all. Since then, she has delivered 30 to 40 turkeys every year to families living in remote areas of Alaska.
California health officials warn bird flu detected in batch of raw milk
Health officials raised concerns about the presence of bird flu in raw milk. California officials warned on Sunday, Nov. 24, that a batch of raw milks sold in the state tested positive for the virus.
State officials said that they found H5N1 in whole raw milk from “Raw Farm” with a “best by” date of Nov. 27, 2024.
There have been no reported illnesses linked to the specific product. Nationwide, there are not yet any known cases of humans contracting bird flu through drinking raw milk.
Still, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned against drinking raw milk because it does not undergo a pasteurization process that kills bacteria and viruses.
California’s health department maintains that pasteurized milk remains safe to drink.
Most U.S. bird flu cases in people have been discovered in farmworkers who worked directly with infected animals.
Trump rounds out his cabinet with picks to lead USDA, CDC, FDA
President-elect Donald Trump continued to stock his cabinet in quick fashion over the weekend. And as travel cranks up before Thanksgiving, stormy weather might hamper some people’s plans. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Monday, Nov. 25, 2024.
Trump rounds out his cabinet with picks to lead USDA, CDC, FDA
Over the weekend, President-elect Donald Trump rounded out his cabinet selections. He picked several names to fill key roles in his second administration.
Trump selected Brooke Rollins as the secretary of agriculture. Rollins served under Trump in his first term, first as the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental and Technology Initiatives and then later as the acting director of the Domestic Policy Council.
Rollins, a Texas lawyer, is currently the president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank consisting of former Trump staff members. As agriculture secretary, Rollins would oversee the 10,000 employees of the USDA and be only the second woman to lead this department.
Trump also chose hedge fund manager Scott Bessent for treasury secretary. Bessent is the founder of investment firm Key Square Capital Management and has recently become one of Trump’s top economic advisers.
He is a former protégé of Democratic donor George Soros and was once the chief investment officer of Soros Fund Management. As treasury secretary, Bessent would oversee Trump’s tax policies and the nation’s sanctions programs.
During Trump’s first term, Turner served as the first executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council. Turner is currently the chair for the Center for Education Opportunity at America First Policy Institute.
President-elect Trump also announced his choices for three top health positions.
Marty Makary, a Johns Hopkins surgeon and a member of the National Academy of Medicine, has been tapped to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In this role, Makary would oversee the FDA’s $7 billion budget and report to Trump’s pick for health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Former Florida Congressman Dr. Dave Weldon is Trump’s pick to be director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Weldon is a physician and Army veteran who served in the House from 1995 to 2009.
Finally, Trump picked Dr. Janette Nesheiwat to be the next U.S. Surgeon General. The doctor is a Fox News contributor and the medical director of CityMD, a network of urgent centers in New York and New Jersey.
All of these positions will need Senate confirmation.
Israel and Hezbollah trade attacks as cease-fire deal is in the works
Monday morning, Nov. 25, reports said Hezbollah attacked Galilee from Lebanon, while Israel continued to focus on the Lebanese capital of Beirut.
⭕️ 12 Hezbollah command centers were struck by the IAF in Dahieh, Beirut, including sites used by Hezbollah's Intelligence Unit, coast-to-sea missile unit, and Unit 4400—responsible for smuggling weapons from Iran through Syria into Lebanon.
The latest round of attacks started with an Israeli strike on Beirut Saturday night, Nov. 23, that left more than two dozen people dead, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Hezbollah responded to that strike by launching more than 200 rockets and drones at Israel, marking one of the heaviest bombardments of Israel since fighting intensified in September.
Israel said its goal is to return tens of thousands of people home, who evacuated from the northern part of the country due to rocket attacks by Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Israeli attacks on Beirut have led the Lebanese education ministry to postpone school there until January.
On Sunday, Nov. 24, the European Union’s foreign policy chief said a U.S. cease-fire proposal was awaiting final approval from Israel.
At least 1 killed after cargo plane crashes, skids into home in Lithuania
The flight had taken off from Germany and crashed around 5:30 a.m. local time while approaching its final destination in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Officials said the person who was killed was a member of the flight crew but was not a pilot. Three other people on board were injured. Nobody on the ground got hurt.
Officials said at least 12 people had to be evacuated from the home.
Investigators are looking into the cause of the crash and have not yet ruled out it being an act of terrorism.
Winter storms expected across the U.S. this Thanksgiving week
In California, where two bodies were recovered from floodwaters on Saturday, authorities are bracing for more downpours while still dealing with flooding and landslides from last week’s “bomb cyclone.” On top of that, the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for the Sierra Nevada through Tuesday, Nov. 26, with heavy snow expected at higher elevations and wind gusts potentially reaching 55 MPH. That area is expected to get up to four feet of snow by Wednesday. Nov. 27.
Periods of rain showers are expected for the Valley through Wednesday. 1 to 2 feet of additional snow up to 4 feet at the highest peaks is forecast to fall on the mountains. Make sure to travel safe and visit https://t.co/WjKBsJmSfA for updates! #CAwxpic.twitter.com/QyrmHZJFzR
Forecasters said the Midwest and Great Lakes regions will see rain and snow Monday, while the east coast will feel the effects on Thanksgiving and Black Friday.
So far, this upcoming weekend is shaping up to have pretty clear conditions for travelers heading home.
Biden set to issue his final Thanksgiving turkey pardon
President Joe Biden will take part in a Thanksgiving tradition at the White House Monday: his final turkey pardon.
The two lucky birds getting spared this year are Peach and Blossom from Minnesota. They got to live in the lap of luxury at the famed Willard Intercontinental Washington hotel near the White House while waiting for their permanent clemency from becoming a Thanksgiving feast.
The annual pardon of the turkeys will take place at 11 a.m. ET. The birds will then return to Minnesota to live out their days on a farm.
‘Wicked’ has best opening weekend for Broadway to film adaption
It was a magical weekend at the box office as the movie “Wicked” proved to be quite popular with audiences.
The film, based on the Broadway hit about the land of Oz before, during and after Dorothy’s famous visit, was number one in North America. It raked in $114 million, making it the third-biggest domestic opening of the year.
The film, which stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, is now the number one Broadway-to-film adaptation and ranks fourth for the biggest debuts for a musical in history.
Hospitalized Canadian teen with H5N1 had no known prior exposure to virus
A Canadian teen’s bird flu infection is raising questions about the transmission of the virus. As the teen slipped into critical condition on Tuesday, Nov. 12, with a life-threatening lung condition, doctors are still working to figure out how the infection occurred with no known exposure to infected people or animals.
The individual, who has not been identified by name or gender, reportedly never went on a farm and all pets in their home have tested negative for H5N1. Meanwhile, contact tracing is ongoing among 35 to 40 people including medical workers with known contact with the teen.
This is reportedly the first case of bird flu in Canada since 2014. It is similar to a case of a Missouri teen with no known prior exposure to H5N1 earlier this year.
U.S. officials are reportedly in contact with Canadian health authorities, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offered assistance to Canada if needed.
The CDC reported that 45 of the 46 confirmed bird flu cases in the United States have come from farm workers exposed to the infection.
The Canadian teen’s case comes as a U.S. Congressional report urged the United States to ready for a “pandemic influenza response” before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. The report pushing for more protective equipment, testing and antiviral treatments as virologists warn that the virus’ transmission may be evolving.
Despite the concerns, the World Health Organization (WHO) still rates the risk of human-to-human transmission of bird flu as “unlikely.”
However, the CDC has expanded bird flu testing to all farmworkers even those without symptoms of the virus, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has expanded the testing of milk.
Failures and delays mark Biden’s $325M effort to disrupt meatpacking industry
Three years after the Biden administration launched a program to inject competition into the $200 billion U.S. meatpacking industry, the results are far from promising. One of the program’s recipients, Pure Prairie Poultry, declared bankruptcy and culled 1.3 million chickens in northern Iowa after the company couldn’t afford to feed them, despite receiving nearly $46 million in grants and loans from the USDA.
Pure Prairie, which had ambitions to market premium air-chilled chicken to supermarkets, was part of a broader government effort to reduce the power of industry giants like Tyson Foods, JBS and Cargill, which control 85% of U.S. beef processing.
The initiative was launched after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in the supply chain, prompting some farmers to euthanize livestock when meatpacking plants shut down.
Getty Images
Despite the infusion of funds, including a $6.9 million grant and a $38.7 million loan guarantee for Pure Prairie, the company’s financial struggles led to bankruptcy. The failure has raised serious concerns about the government’s oversight of taxpayer dollars and the viability of small meatpacking ventures.
Smaller meatpacking projects have faced significant challenges, including securing supply agreements, attracting customers and competing with established industry players. Industry analysts noted that the market conditions have been difficult, with rising costs and declining cattle herds complicating the viability of new packing plants.
While some projects are still underway, including a beef plant in Amarillo, Texas, delays are common, with timelines extending to 2027.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack defended the program, saying that it is still too early to assess its success.
However, the situation at Pure Prairie serves as a stark reminder of the risks involved in trying to disrupt an industry dominated by a few large companies.
With many projects still in the early stages, it remains unclear whether the administration’s plan will ultimately succeed in creating meaningful competition in the meatpacking industry.
