More from Zachary Hill
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California declares state of emergency over H5N1 virus in dairy cattle
California has declared a state of emergency after it reportedly has the country’s highest rate of H5N1 virus, also known as bird flu, affecting dairy cattle. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a proclamation Wednesday, Dec. 18, to “further enhance the state’s preparedness and accelerate the ongoing cross-agency response efforts” to mitigate the spread of the virus.… -
Indiana executes Joseph Corcoran in state’s first death penalty in 15 years
Indiana executed Joseph Corcoran overnight on Wednesday, Dec. 18. His execution is the first to occur in the state in 15 years. Corcoran was convicted for killing his brother and three others in 1997. In the years since, Corcoran has repeatedly admitted to the crime. He shot each victim multiple times after hearing them allege… -
ICE deports mother and four children, including newborn twins, to Mexico
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported a mother and her four children, including newborn twins, from Texas to Reynosa, Mexico, earlier this month. Christina Salazar, 23, was born in Mexico and married Federico Arellano Jr., a U.S. citizen, in 2019. Authorities took Salazar and her children into custody on Dec. 11. Arellano said he… -
Republicans reject Speaker Johnson’s bill to avoid government shutdown
Republicans rejected House Speaker Mike Johnson’s, R-La., bipartisan plan to avoid a government shutdown. With three days until the funding deadline, Johnson needs a new solution that earns the support of President-elect Donald Trump. Trump and House Republicans criticized Johnson’s deal, released Tuesday, Dec. 17, for its concessions to Democrats, including an extension to the… -
2 people kidnapped, tortured in Colo. apartment by alleged TdA gang: Police
Suspected members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) kidnapped and tortured a man and a woman inside an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado, according to the city’s police chief, Todd Chamberlain. Chamberlain said the suspects put the victims, both immigrants from Venezuela, into a separate unit while they burglarized their home. “The victims… -
UK police were too slow reacting to summer riots: Report
A new government report in the United Kingdom (UK) found police were too slow to respond to anti-immigrant riots that rattled the country over the summer. The report shows police underestimated the threat from the protests and the power of misinformation. In August, a 17-year-old killed three girls and injured eight others during an attack… -
CNN reports finding Syrian prisoner, fact-checker says source lied about identity
CNN is re-examining a recent report featuring a man described as a Syrian prisoner after a fact-checking group, Verify-Sy, claimed the man is actually a member of Syria’s air force intelligence, not a prisoner. In the original report, CNN’s chief international correspondent, Clarissa Ward, and her crew, escorted by Syrian rebels, found the man hiding… -
Pennsylvania prison accused of abusing inmates by depriving them of basic rights
Prison staff in Pennsylvania allegedly waged a “campaign of mass torture,” according to a lawsuit filed on Tuesday, Dec. 17. It alleges that guards outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in Dauphin County Prison, punished entire cell blocks after suspecting some inmates were smoking synthetic marijuana. The lawsuit says that top jail officials cut power and heat.… -
Judge rules Chauvin’s defense may examine George Floyd’s autopsy
A judge has ruled that the defense team for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin may examine George Floyd’s autopsy, heart tissue and fluids as part of Chauvin’s appeal. With a new defense team in place, Chauvin’s appeal seeks to test a new theory regarding Floyd’s cause of death. In 2021, a jury convicted Chauvin… -
Estonia on edge as Russian blimps fuel border provocations
Suspicious blimps have appeared near Narva, Estonia, a key border city on NATO’s eastern edge, raising concerns about Russian intentions. Estonian officials report these incidents have become frequent, occurring almost weekly. One blimp, first spotted in June on the Russian side of the border, bore the letter “Z,” a symbol widely associated with Russia’s invasion… -
Scientists discover plastic-eating insect with potential to combat pollution
Researchers in Kenya have identified a species of insect that could play a role in reducing global plastic pollution. The Kenyan lesser mealworm, the larval stage of the Alphitobius darkling beetle, has demonstrated the ability to consume and break down polystyrene, commonly known as Styrofoam. Polystyrene is notoriously difficult to recycle due to its durability… -
Trump’s incoming security adviser ready to get hackers to ‘knock it off’
Donald Trump’s incoming national security adviser said America needs to take a stronger stance on cyberattacks. Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., said he’s ready to get hackers to “knock it off” during an interview with CBS News on Sunday, Dec. 15. The comments follow a series of threats and cyberattacks on America’s digital infrastructure in recent… -
British navy struggles to stay afloat, only 2 destroyers operational
The British Royal Navy’s operational capacity has reached a historic low, with only two of its six advanced Type 45 destroyers available for deployment, according to the U.K.’s Ministry of Defense. The other four destroyers are undergoing extensive repairs and maintenance at Portsmouth. The decline leaves the fleet at its smallest operational size in over…