Bird flu cases are rising in the United States, affecting several states. This increase in bird flu could influence grocery prices, especially for eggs, during the holiday season. While there may be some impact on egg prices, it's unlikely to affect Thanksgiving turkey costs.
Key Facts
Bird flu, also known as avian influenza, is spreading again in the U.S., impacting states like California, Minnesota, and Michigan.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports this as a usual pattern related to wild bird migrations.
0.06 million birds were affected in August, rising to 3.95 million by October.
Increased cases could lead to higher egg prices but are less likely to affect turkey prices for Thanksgiving.
The ongoing federal government shutdown may slightly hinder bird flu monitoring efforts.
Turkeys for Thanksgiving have already been harvested and are stored, reducing the impact on holiday costs.
USDA monitoring programs are important for tracking the spread of bird flu.
Experts note that bird population and supply changes could affect future turkey product availability.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has criticized President Trump's immigration policies, calling for an end to harmful language and actions towards migrants. The bishops expressed worry about the impact of current policies on migrant communities, including fear, anxiety, and the loss of legal status for some immigrants.
Key Facts
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops criticized President Trump's immigration policies.
The bishops called for an end to "dehumanizing rhetoric and violence" against migrants.
The bishops nearly unanimously voted to condemn the Trump administration's immigration policies.
They expressed concern about the fear and anxiety among migrant communities.
The bishops highlighted poor conditions in detention centers and lack of pastoral care.
They also noted concerns about immigrants losing their legal status.
The bishops mentioned threats against houses of worship, hospitals, and schools regarding immigration issues.
The U.S. House of Representatives plans to vote on making the documents related to Jeffrey Epstein public, according to Speaker Mike Johnson. The vote is backed by a bipartisan petition and follows Democrat Adelita Grijalva's recent addition to Congress. The vote aims to ensure transparency and address public concern over the case.
Key Facts
The House will vote to release Jeffrey Epstein's documents next week.
Speaker Mike Johnson announced the vote.
A bipartisan petition, signed by 218 members, facilitated the vote.
Adelita Grijalva, a new Congress member, signed the petition immediately after being sworn in.
The petition needed support from both Republicans and Democrats.
Republicans have a narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The House recently voted on Senate-passed legislation to end the government shutdown.
Tennessee Republican Tim Burchett wants a quicker vote on the Epstein files but faced procedural challenges.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the Trump administration has sped up the processing of green cards and visas. Despite this claim, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is facing the largest backlog of immigration applications in its history. Processing times for many immigration forms have increased, leaving applicants waiting longer than expected.
Key Facts
Kristi Noem stated the Trump administration improved the speed of green card and visa processing.
USCIS is handling the largest backlog of 11.3 million pending immigration applications.
Processing times for key immigration forms have risen, causing delays.
USCIS manages processes for green cards, work permits, citizenship, and visas.
The agency is funded mainly by application and petition fees.
An effort is being made to present a supportive view of legal immigration.
Immigrant workers face an average wait of 3.5 years for green cards.
The Trump administration continues to enforce strict immigration laws.
President Donald Trump signed a spending bill to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, lasting 43 days. The bill allows government services to resume, but only funds the government until January 30. Democrats initially opposed the bill, demanding health insurance subsidies for low-income Americans.
Key Facts
President Trump signed a bill to end the 43-day U.S. government shutdown.
The House of Representatives approved the bill with a 222-209 vote.
Around 1.4 million federal workers were affected, either on unpaid leave or working without pay.
Critical services like food aid and air travel were disrupted due to the shutdown.
The bill funds the government until January 30, requiring more negotiation soon.
Democrats wanted healthcare subsidies extended, causing initial opposition to the bill.
Some Senate Democrats eventually voted for the package with a promise of a future vote on healthcare subsidies.
Wisconsin Republican Derrick Van Orden traveled a long distance to participate in the House vote.
Katie Wilson won the Seattle mayoral election, narrowly defeating the current mayor, Bruce Harrell. Her victory aligns Seattle with other major U.S. cities moving towards left-wing leadership, focusing on issues like housing and public safety.
Key Facts
Katie Wilson won the Seattle mayoral race against incumbent Bruce Harrell.
Late ballots helped Wilson widen her lead, leading to her victory.
Wilson is a progressive activist without previous elected office experience.
Her win is part of a trend in major U.S. cities toward more left-wing leadership.
Key issues in her campaign included housing affordability and public safety.
The results led some to compare her victory to that of Zohran Mamdani, a socialist mayor in New York.
The longest U.S. government shutdown in history, lasting 43 days, has ended. Federal workers will return to their jobs, and government services will resume. Democrats triggered the shutdown over demands for health insurance subsidies but did not secure significant concessions.
Key Facts
The U.S. government shutdown lasted 43 days, the longest in history.
Federal workers will return to work and receive pay, and National Parks will reopen.
Senate Democrats caused the shutdown by not agreeing to a Republican funding measure.
Democrats demanded health insurance subsidies, but only got a promise for a Senate vote without guarantees.
Some Democrats are unhappy with their party's results from the shutdown.
President Trump celebrated the reopening as a victory for Republicans.
Trump's public comments included criticism of Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer during the shutdown.
Rev. Jesse Jackson, a well-known civil rights leader, was hospitalized in Chicago. He is showing symptoms of a serious condition called progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), which affects movement and control.
Key Facts
Rev. Jesse Jackson was hospitalized in Chicago on a Wednesday night.
He is showing symptoms of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).
PSP is a neurodegenerative condition, meaning it affects the brain and gets worse over time.
Jackson was initially diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, but his PSP diagnosis was confirmed in April.
Jackson has faced past health issues, including gallbladder surgery and Covid-19 hospitalization in 2021.
He retired as president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition in July 2023.
The Rainbow PUSH Coalition focuses on financial improvement and equality for black communities.
Republican U.S. Representative Nancy Mace kept her support for a petition to release the investigation files on Jeffrey Epstein, going against President Donald Trump's pressure to withdraw her name. Trump and his team had tried to convince her and another Republican, Lauren Boebert, to stop supporting the petition. The U.S. House of Representatives will now vote on whether to release the files.
Key Facts
Nancy Mace is a Republican U.S. Representative.
Mace supported a petition to release the Jeffrey Epstein investigation files.
President Trump pressured Mace to remove her support but she did not.
A House vote will take place to decide on the release of the Epstein files.
Trump claims the Epstein investigation is a "hoax" against him.
The petition needed 218 signatures and got them when Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva signed it.
House Speaker Mike Johnson must now schedule the vote.
A new part added to a bill meant to end the government shutdown has upset many Republicans. This part lets senators sue the federal government for up to $500,000 over phone searches related to the January 6 investigation. Both Democrats and Republicans are unhappy because they feel it gives special legal rights to certain lawmakers.
Key Facts
A provision was added last-minute to a bill to stop the government shutdown.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune introduced this provision.
It allows certain senators to sue the government for $500,000 over phone record searches.
These searches are tied to investigations into the January 6 Capitol riot.
The FBI had subpoenaed phone records of eight senators over calls near the time of the riot.
Both political parties are upset about this provision, saying it is unfair.
House Speaker Mike Johnson publicly disagrees with the provision.
The House of Representatives passed a funding package to end the longest federal government shutdown in history. The shutdown lasted 43 days and affected many federal workers and services. The bill now awaits President Trump's signature to officially reopen the government.
Key Facts
The House passed the funding package with a vote of 222-209.
The bill marks the end of a government shutdown that lasted 43 days.
Thousands of federal workers went unpaid and services were disrupted during the shutdown.
Two Republicans voted with most Democrats against the bill, while six Democrats voted in favor of it.
The package funds the government until January 30 and reverses federal layoffs since October 1.
The House Democratic leadership opposed the bill for not extending Affordable Care Act subsidies.
The deal faced division within both parties, especially among Democrats seeking healthcare assurances.
The bill is now pending President Trump's signature to officially reopen the government.
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a spending bill to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The bill received 222 votes in favor and 209 against and will now be sent to President Donald Trump to sign into law. However, the bill does not resolve healthcare subsidy issues that were part of the shutdown debate.
Key Facts
The House passed the spending bill with 222 votes, including support from six Democrats.
The bill aims to end a shutdown that lasted 42 days, the longest in U.S. history.
The Senate had already approved the bill with a 60 to 40 vote.
The bill provides funding through January 30, restoring pay to federal workers.
Healthcare subsidies under the Affordable Care Act remain unresolved.
Republicans and Democrats disagreed on addressing healthcare costs.
Senate Republicans agreed to discuss healthcare subsidies by December.
Some Democrats consider the agreement a temporary fix and fear another shutdown in January.
U.S. Catholic bishops released a message expressing concern for immigrants and criticized aggressive immigration policies without naming President Trump. They called for more humane treatment and communication about immigration issues. The bishops emphasized the importance of immigration reform and highlighted immigrants' contributions to the U.S.
Key Facts
U.S. Catholic bishops issued a special message about immigration concerns.
The message indirectly criticizes President Trump's immigration policies.
U.S. border crossings have decreased significantly under Trump's administration.
The message is the first of its kind from the bishops in 12 years.
216 bishops supported issuing the message, with 5 opposing and 3 abstaining.
The message opposes mass deportation and negative language about immigrants.
The bishops call for ongoing dialogue with leaders for immigration reform.
The bishops acknowledge immigrants' significant contributions to the U.S.
A disagreement arose in the U.S. House of Representatives when Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez attempted to condemn Rep. Chuy García for actions related to his retirement. This happened just before a vote on a government funding bill. The move led to a debate among Democrats, with some questioning the timing and need for the resolution.
Key Facts
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez moved to condemn Rep. Chuy García.
García announced his retirement unexpectedly, leaving his chief of staff as the only candidate for his seat.
Perez's actions caused a heated exchange on the House floor.
House Minority Whip Katherine Clark tried to persuade Perez to delay her actions.
Democrats are focused on voting to reopen the government, with many opposing the bill.
The resolution against García criticizes him for appointing an heir, calling it undemocratic.
Gluesenkamp Perez is a centrist Democrat from a Republican-leaning district.
García cited health reasons influenced by his family for his retirement decision.
The U.S. House of Representatives is moving toward a vote on releasing files related to Jeffrey Epstein after Rep. Adelita Grijalva was sworn in. Her signature was the last needed to move forward with the vote, which some Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson, oppose. The vote on the Epstein files is expected soon, and Grijalva's swearing-in had been delayed by 50 days.
Key Facts
Rep. Adelita Grijalva was sworn in after a 50-day delay.
Grijalva signed a petition that triggered a vote to release Epstein files.
President Trump and House GOP leaders oppose releasing the files.
Speaker Mike Johnson plans a floor vote on the petition next week.
Johnson can omit the typical waiting period for the vote.
Johnson stated the delay was due to House being out of session.
Grijalva's delay was the longest for a special election winner in over a decade.
President Donald Trump is facing renewed scrutiny over past connections to Jeffrey Epstein, a known sex offender. New emails from Epstein's estate and a bipartisan push in the House for file release have increased attention on this matter. Some legal analysts suggest this could impact Trump's political standing.
Key Facts
President Trump is involved in controversy due to his past connections with Jeffrey Epstein.
Recently released emails from Epstein’s estate have attracted public and political attention.
These emails mention Trump allegedly spending time at Epstein's home and relate to past misconduct allegations.
Democrat and Republican lawmakers are pushing for the release of thousands of government files related to Epstein.
Legal analysts discuss potential impacts on Trump's political image due to these developments.
The House is set to vote on the release of Epstein-related records, with enough signatures for a petition.
President Trump argues that the focus on Epstein is a diversion from other political issues.
House Democratic and Republican leaders seek full transparency to address public concerns.
President Donald Trump is considering suing the BBC over how they edited a part of his speech from January 6, 2021, in a documentary. Trump has given the BBC a deadline to respond by Friday, threatening a lawsuit for one billion dollars. The situation also includes discussions of new allegations involving Trump, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Jeffrey Epstein.
Key Facts
President Trump stated in a Fox News interview that he feels he must sue the BBC.
The lawsuit threat concerns how the BBC edited a segment of Trump’s January 6, 2021, speech.
The BBC Chair, Samir Shah, apologized for the editing error.
Trump has threatened to sue the BBC for one billion dollars if they don’t respond by Friday.
CNN’s Senior Legal Analyst, Elie Honig, discussed the potential legal outcomes of the case.
New emails were released alleging Trump spent time with an Epstein victim, which he denies.
Trump has accused Democrats of using these allegations to distract from other political issues.
U.S. lawmakers have released emails from Jeffrey Epstein's estate mentioning President Donald Trump. These emails include exchanges between Epstein, his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and author Michael Wolff. The emails touch on relations and discussions involving Trump, while the White House maintains that President Trump was not involved in any wrongdoing.
Key Facts
More than 20,000 pages of documents from Jeffrey Epstein's estate have been released by U.S. lawmakers.
Some of these documents include emails that mention President Donald Trump.
Three email exchanges were specifically highlighted by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee.
The emails are between Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, and between Epstein and author Michael Wolff.
Epstein mentioned the "dog that hasn't barked," referring to Trump, and discussed crafting responses about their relationship.
The White House states that Virginia Giuffre, an Epstein accuser, never mentioned Trump in any wrongdoing.
Republicans released additional documents to counter claims and narratives from the Democrats' release.
Further updates are expected as more documents are reviewed.
Some prominent figures in the MAGA movement have been quiet after Democrats released new emails involving President Trump and the late Jeffrey Epstein. The emails allege that Trump knew about Epstein's criminal activities, which Trump has denied. The political debate continues as Democrats and some Republicans push for further investigation into Epstein's connections.
Key Facts
New emails were released by Democrats mentioning President Trump in connection with Jeffrey Epstein.
The emails claim Trump "knew about the girls" and had spent time at Epstein's house.
President Trump denies any involvement in Epstein's crimes and notes a past disagreement with Epstein.
Prominent MAGA figures were mostly silent on social media after the email release.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released these emails as part of their investigation.
House Republicans also released their documents and are debating next steps on probing the Epstein case.
A new House vote might force the Justice Department to release more documents on the Epstein investigation.
The Senate, led by Republicans, is unlikely to pass this measure if it clears the House.
A judge ordered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to release over 300 people held without proper warrants in several states. This decision follows a lawsuit claiming ICE violated an agreement that prohibits detaining people without warrants in Illinois. The judge also instructed ICE to provide information on more detainees possibly held without warrants.
Key Facts
Judge Jeffrey Cummings ordered the release of 313 people detained by ICE without warrants.
The decision follows a lawsuit by the ACLU of Illinois and the National Immigrant Justice Center.
The lawsuit claims ICE violated an agreement against warrantless arrests in Illinois.
ICE must release 13 detainees immediately, who were agreed by both parties to be held improperly.
ICE must provide a status and risk assessment of 615 people they suspect were also detained without warrants.
By specific November deadlines, ICE must update lists and release more detainees deemed low risk.
Government lawyers may appeal the decision due to difficulties in gathering documents.
High-risk individuals among the detainees will remain in detention.
