United States | News & Politics

A Grays Harbor County resident died Friday after earlier testing positive for a type of bird flu never before detected in humans, state health officials reported.

The death was the second from bird flu recorded in the U.S. since 2022. It was also the first human case in the state this year — and the first in the country in at least eight months.

The University of Washington virology lab revealed this month the virus is H5N5, a variant previously reported in animals but not in humans.

The risk to the public remains low, according to state health officials. No other people have tested positive, and monitoring of those who were in close contact with the patient continues.

Bird flu rarely infects people and makes them sick. When it does, symptoms are typically mild, health officials said. Most cases in people have occurred after they exposure to sick or infected animals. No person-to-person transmission has been documented in the U.S.

The Washington resident, an older adult with underlying health conditions, was hospitalized in early November with a high fever, confusion and respiratory distress, health officials have said. They were treated at a King County hospital. Other details about the patient were not disclosed.

The patient had a mixed backyard flock of domestic poultry that was exposed to wild birds, and was likely exposed to the virus through domestic or wild birds, health officials said.

Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia announced on Friday that she will resign her seat in the House of Representatives in early January, after a dramatic falling out with President Donald Trump over the Jeffrey Epstein files and other issues.

Prosecutors said Friday that Luigi Mangione’s death penalty case in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson should carry on unimpeded, urging a judge to reject a defense push to dismiss charges and rule out capital punishment over Attorney General Pam Bondi’s public statements suggesting Mangione deserves execution.

The U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan also asked U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett to deny the defense’s bid to suppress certain evidence collected during the arrest last year, including a 9 mm handgun, a notebook in which authorities say Mangione described his intent to “wack” an insurance executive and statements he made to police.

“Pretrial publicity, even when intense, is not itself a constitutional defect,” prosecutors wrote in a 121-page court filing, citing prior rulings from the Supreme Court and the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

As for the evidence, which Mangione’s lawyers contend was collected without a warrant and without him being read his rights, prosecutors said police officers were justified in searching the suspect’s backpack to make sure there were no dangerous items. His statements to officers, they said, were made voluntarily and before he was taken into police custody.

Rather than dismissing the case outright or barring the government from seeking the death penalty, prosecutors argued, the defense’s concerns can best be alleviated by carefully questioning prospective jurors about their knowledge of the case and ensuring Mangione’s rights are respected at trial.

Using Their Own Energy Against Them

cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/6815510

cross-posted from: https://news.abolish.capital/post/9185

Just a day after President Donald Trump suggested that six congressional Democrats should be hanged for reminding members of the US military and intelligence community of their duty not to obey illegal orders, one of those lawmakers was the target of multiple bomb threats.

A spokesperson for US Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) said Friday afternoon that his "district offices in Carnegie and Beaver County were both the targets of bomb threats this afternoon. The congressman and congressional staff are safe, and thank law enforcement for swiftly responding. Political violence and threats like this are unacceptable."

On Tuesday, the former US Navy officer had joined Democratic Reps. Jason Crow (Colo.), Maggie Goodlander (NH), and Chrissy Houlahan (Pa.), along with Sens. Mark Kelly (Ariz.) and Elissa Slotkin (Mich.), for the 90-second video.

Trump—who notably incited the deadly January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol while trying to overturn his loss in the 2020 presidential contest—lashed out at the six veterans of the military and intelligence agencies on his Truth Social platform Thursday, accusing them of "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!" and reposting a call to "HANG THEM."

— (@)

Deluzio and the others have doubled down on their message that, as he says in the video, "you must refuse illegal orders."

In a joint statement responding to Trump's remarks, the six Democrats reiterated their commitment to upholding the oaths they took "to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States," urged every American to "unite and condemn the president's calls for our murder and political violence," and stressed that "we will continue to lead and will not be intimidated."

Deluzio also addressed Trump's comments on CNN, denouncing his "outrageous call for political violence."

Other lawmakers, veterans, and political observers have also condemned Trump's comments—and the grassroots vet group Common Defense pointed to them on social media Friday, after Deluzio's staff confirmed the bomb threats.

"First: Common Defense unequivocally condemns political violence in all shapes, forms, and from any party. Violence has no place in our democracy. We believe in the rule of law. But we cannot ignore the cause and effect here," the organization said.

"The response to quoting the Constitution was a call for execution," the group continued. "Now, Rep. Deluzio, an Iraq War veteran, is facing actual bomb threats. When leaders normalize violence against political opponents, this or worse is the inevitable result."

"We stand with Rep. Deluzio and every patriot holding the line," Common Defense added. "We reject violence. We reject intimidation. And we will never apologize for defending the oath."

From Common Dreams via This RSS Feed.

Democratic US Congressman Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania received bomb threats at two of his offices Friday after Donald Trump accused him and five other congresspeople of seditious behavior over a video encouraging US military members to refuse illegal orders. A post from Deluzio’s spokesperson reported that the congressman and his staff are safe. Local outlet WTAE reported that at least one of Deluzio’s offices has been deemed clear of threats.

A massive cache of Flock lookups collated by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) shows as many as 50 federal, state, and local agencies used Flock during protests over the last year.

Archived version: https://archive.is/20251121013626/https://www.404media.co/cops-used-flock-to-monitor-no-kings-protests-around-the-country/

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a once-loyal supporter of President Donald Trump who has become a critic, says she is resigning from Congress in January.

US House Democrats joining Republicans to denounce socialism, despite GOP's loose use of the term to attack a variety of social welfare programs.

"I feel very confident that he can do a very good job," Trump said of Mamdani after their White House meeting. "I think he is going to surprise some conservative people, actually.”

In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi last week, Michigan Republicans asked the federal government to provide “comprehensive oversight” of the state’s 2026 election.

But the letter doesn’t specify what “comprehensive oversight” means. And it’s not clear that the people who signed the letter agree on the meaning either.

A total of 22 Republican state legislators from both the Senate and the House signed on to the letter, including Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, Sen. Ruth Johnson — a former Michigan secretary of state — and Rep. Rachelle Smit, who leads the House Election Integrity Committee.

https://archive.ph/sNJPT

The Richardson Waiver which prohibited regulatory decisions being made without sufficient public input with the Department of Health and Human Services was repealed back in February by RFK Jr. Critics claim these changes enable the department to make drastic changes to Medicaid that would negatively impact many Americans. Others argue that this change allows faster implementation of necessary policies. Is public participation always necessary in policymaking?

Next-generation vaccines could make the flu season less of a snot-filled nightmare—if they ever reach the public, that is. Trial data out this week shows that Pfizer’s mRNA-based flu vaccine performed markedly better than a traditional shot.

On Wednesday, researchers published the results of a Phase III trial on the vaccine, funded by Pfizer, in the New England Journal of Medicine. The experimental vaccine was significantly more effective at preventing flu than a standard vaccine, the researchers found. The vaccine appears to cause slightly more side effects than others, but there’s a bigger concern: It’s uncertain whether it will be approved in the U.S., given the government’s current skepticism and fearmongering around mRNA vaccine technology.

There were noticeably fewer confirmed cases of influenza in the modRNA group compared to the control vaccine group (57 vs 87), the study showed. Overall, the modRNA vaccine was 34.5% more effective at preventing flu-like illness.

Latest news on Starbucks strike in #USA
[from email sent to supporters on Nov. 20, 2025]

https://mailchi.mp/8cf687a615fc/is-starbucks-chocolate-a-dirty-trick-or-a-clean-treat-14249299?e=ba3d82e1e1

Yesterday, we escalated our #UnfairLaborPractice #strike by heading straight to York, Pennsylvania, home to #Starbucks’ biggest East Coast distribution center with a message: If Starbucks won’t meet us at the table, we’ll meet them at their supply chain. We'll keep escalating, or we'll bring the picket line to them.

#WorkersRights #Workers #Unions #Labor #LaborMovement #LaborUnions #TradeUnions #US
#news #politics #USpol #ULP

https://archive.ph/IICZp

By Sarah Wildman
Nov. 21, 2025

The videos circulating on social media are brutal and terrifying — the often violent arrests, people pulled screaming from their cars, out of day care centers, away from their children and their spouses. What should give Americans equal pause is the inhumanity happening beyond the cameras, away from the view of judges and lawyers and the media. Due process is not a constitutional right afforded only to citizens; legal restrictions on unlawful detention apply to all people on U.S. soil.

The stories we were told call into question both the constitutionality and the morality of how the Trump administration is directing immigration policy. That immorality, once unleashed, may ultimately be aimed at others in this country, regardless of immigration status. If a woman returning from vacation with her young children can be suddenly removed from her family and her life, how can we believe that any of us will remain safe?

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association union said only 311 of its more than 10,000 members will receive the bonuses. The union said these workers with perfect attendance deserve recognition but so do the others.

“For the Trump administration to not give a bonus to every single one of these hardworking women and men is wrong; they all deserve a bonus and back pay,” said Larsen, who is the ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/39107846

One federal employee said in a court filing that they "cannot in good conscience pretend to agree with President Trump’s policies."

Government employees asked a federal judge Wednesday to block the Trump administration from encouraging job applicants to demonstrate their loyalty to the president’s agenda.

In a lawsuit filed earlier this month, a group of federal labor unions argues that the White House’s “[merit hiring plan](https://www.opm.gov/chcoc/transmittals/2025/Merit Hiring Plan 5-29-2025 FINAL.pdf)” violates applicants’ First Amendment rights. The plan, put forth by the Office of Personnel Management, includes the following short essay question: 

“How would you help advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.”

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/55550318

The extent of dependence on the USA in the digital sector is currently being experienced by a French judge. Nicolas Guillou, one of six judges and three prosecutors of the International Criminal Court (ICC), was sanctioned by the USA in August. He described his current situation as a digital time travel back to the 1990s, before the internet age, in a recent interview.

The reason for the US sanctions are the arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. They were indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the context of the destruction of the Gaza Strip. The USA condemned this decision by the court, whereupon the US Treasury Department sanctioned six judges and three prosecutors.

Digitally excluded from almost everything In Guillou's daily life, this means that he is excluded from digital life and much of what is considered standard today, he told the French newspaper Le Monde. All his accounts with US companies such as Amazon, Airbnb, or PayPal were immediately closed by the providers. Online bookings, such as through Expedia, are immediately canceled, even if they concern hotels in France. Participation in e-commerce is also practically no longer possible for him, as US companies always play a role in one way or another, and they are strictly forbidden to enter into any trade relationship with sanctioned individuals.

President Donald Trump stepped up his attacks against ABC and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel on Thursday, urging the network to “get the bum off the air” in a social media post sent shortly after the comic’s latest episode ended.

The president this week had also expressed anger at the network’s chief White House correspondent, Mary Bruce, for questions she asked in an Oval Office meeting, which his press staff followed with a 17-point memo listing grievances against ABC News.