FDA Report on Vaccine Deaths, Amazon USPS Split, Canada's Euthanasia Record, and Immigration Freeze

FDA Acknowledges COVID-19 Vaccine Deaths

• 💡 A high-ranking FDA official, Vignet Prasad, has called for accountability following a report linking COVID-19 vaccines to the deaths of at least 10 children.
• 🔬 These cases were identified through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), with Prasad noting the actual number of deaths is likely underestimated due to the reporting process.
• ⚠️ Trust in the FDA is low, with only 37% of Americans believing it acts independently, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll.

Amazon's Departure from USPS

• 📦 E-commerce giant Amazon is significantly reducing its reliance on the US Postal Service (USPS) as it expands its own delivery network.
• 💰 Amazon has been a major revenue source for USPS, contributing over $6 billion annually, while USPS itself reported a $9.5 billion loss last year.
• 📉 Analysts suggest USPS needs Amazon more than Amazon needs USPS, indicating Amazon holds the stronger negotiating position.

Canada's Euthanasia Program Expansion

• 🇨🇦 Canada's annual report on its euthanasia program, Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), revealed 16,499 people were killed in 2024, a 6.9% increase and a new global record.
• 📈 MAID is now the fourth leading cause of death in Canada, accounting for one in 20 deaths annually.
• ⚠️ There are ongoing discussions to expand the program to include "mature minors" and even children as young as 12, raising ethical concerns about a "slippery slope."

US Immigration Policy Changes

• 🛂 Following a deadly attack in D.C. allegedly by an Afghan national, the White House is halting immigration from 19 "high-risk" countries.
• 🚫 This measure will cease green card and citizenship applications, and also restrict asylum applications for foreigners from these nations.
• 🇺🇸 Former President Trump has proposed a permanent ban on migration from "third world countries" to allow the US system to recover.

Quick Hits: Diverse Societal Shifts

• 🏳️‍⚧️ A Methodist pastor in New York announced their transition during a Sunday service.
• 🎄 Portland's annual tree lighting ceremony omitted Christmas references and included chants of "Free Palestine."
• 🏛️ An individual is charged with throwing Molotov cocktails at a federal building in Los Angeles housing ICE.
• 💰 California Governor Gavin Newsom is proposing a retroactive billionaire tax, even for those who leave the state.
• 🕊️ A Catholic church in Massachusetts displayed a nativity scene with an empty manger and a sign referencing ICE.
• 🚗 A Wimo in Los Angeles drove through a police standoff unharmed.