Latest News Digest - November 3, 2025

CalFresh Benefits Are Delayed Due to Federal Shutdown.  As the federal government shutdown continues, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits were threatened for November; however, two Federal Courts ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to release contingency funds of $4.65 billion to provide about half of the SNAP benefits to eligible recipients.  California's CalFresh program, California’s version of SNAP, serves nearly 4 million residents, with approximately 31,000 people in Shasta County receiving this benefit - about 17% of the county's population of roughly 178,000.  Shasta County's participation rate is higher than the state average (13.5%), reflecting rural food insecurity challenges in Northern California. 

Oakland Museum Hit by Theft of Indigenous Artifacts Thieves targeted the Oakland Museum of California's storage facility on October 30, stealing over 1,000 items, including priceless Native American baskets, jewelry, and historical items.  The robbery, discovered amid inventory checks, has prompted a multi-agency probe and renewed calls for enhanced security at cultural institutions housing sacred artifacts. – AP News

Mayor Karen Bass Requests Probe into LAFD's Handling of Lachman Fire After a Los Angeles Times Report Raised Questions. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on November 1 demanded a full investigation into the Los Angeles Fire Department's response to the Lachman Fire, which escalated into the devastating Palisades Fire.  The Los Angeles Times article revealed that text messages show firefighters warned that the ground was smoldering and called leaving the area “a bad idea,” yet they were ordered to depart anyway.

President Trump Warns Nigeria After Continued Reports of Christians Being Killed by Islamic Terrorists.  “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.  CatholicOnLine.News reported that approximately 56,000 people were killed in Nigeria between October 2019 and September 2023 and recent reports from the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law report that 100 Christians were killed and 120 were abducted during the last couple of months by Islamic Jihadists across all six regions of Nigeria. (Nigerian Voice). 

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Announces Mercury Has Now Been Removed from All Vaccines in the U.S.  As Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., made the announcement that the U.S. has removed thirmerosal, a mercury-based preservative from all vaccines, he called on the rest of the world to do the same, stating that “Hundreds of peer-reviewed studies identify it as a potent neurotoxin, a mutagen, a carcinogen, and an endocrine disruptor.” – posted on HHSGov account on X

President Trump Finalizes Trade Deals During Whirlwind Asian Tour. President Donald Trump's weeklong diplomatic tour across Southeast and East Asia—spanning Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea—marked a high-profile push for trade deals, regional stability, and strengthened U.S. alliances amid ongoing tensions with China. Framed by Trump as a "triumph of American deal-making," the trip yielded over $1 trillion in investment commitments, tariff concessions, and symbolic honors, while showcasing U.S. leadership at key summits. Despite domestic distractions like a government shutdown, the tour was widely hailed by supporters as a strategic win, bolstering economic ties and countering Chinese influence.

President Trump Appears on CBS’ 60 Minutes – On the Topic of Upcoming Supreme Court Case on Tariffs – Says It’s One of the Most Important Decisions in the History of the Supreme Court -  Many foreign and domestic topics were covered during the interview by Nora O’Donnell on CBS ‘s 60 Minutes but on the topic of his ability to impose tariffs,  Trump repeatedly described the case as "one of the most important decisions in the history of the Supreme Court," warning that a loss would leave the U.S. "defenseless" and "reduced to almost third world status." "If a president was not able to quickly and nimbly use the power of tariffs, we would be defenseless, leading perhaps even to the ruination of our nation." President Trump has also said the threat of imposing tariffs has helped him negotiate peace deals between Cambodia and Thailand, India and Pakistan, and others. The case on tariffs is set to be heard on Wednesday. - ABC News; CBS News