FDA Upgrades Frozen Blueberry Recall To Highest Health Risk LevelThe Food and Drug Administration has upgraded a recall of frozen blueberries sold at Publix supermarkets in 8 states to Class I, its highest warning level, reserved for situations in which a product “will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”The FDA initiated the recall at the end of July, but upgraded its severity level this week. According to the CDC, 12 E. coli infections have been reported in two states.The offending frozen organic blueberries were sold under the brand name GreenWise in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, with the following universal product codes:GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries, 10-ounce, UPC 41415-06453GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries, 48-ounce, UPC 41415-12053GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries, 10-ounce, UPC 41415-06753GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries, 48-ounce, UPC 41415-12153According to the FDA, the berries may be contaminated with a strain of Shiga toxin-producing E.coli “that can cause illness characterized by severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (which may be bloody) and vomiting.”The product was manufactured by Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. in San Carlos, Chile. After conducting a “remote inspection,” the FDA said it had additional concerns about other products manufactured there that have not entered the U.S. market.As a result, the FDA said, “additional products may be added to this advisory as the investigation continues.”More Than 750 U.S. Troops Wounded In Iran War Since FebruaryMore than 750 U.S. service members have been wounded in the U.S. war on Iran, the Defense Department’s war casualty database said, based on a Wednesday update. Eighteen service members have died when combining “overseas operations casualties starting July 7th 2026” and “Operation Epic Fury.”The Trump administration said the war, which began in February, would only last a few weeks. But six months later, the conflict continues, causing oil prices to rise (again). President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the U.S. will apply extreme economic pressure on Iran and punish other nations that provide “any type of lifeline.”“If we are doing the maximum economic pressure, then that means that likely there will not be a large-scale kinetic restart,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Thursday.More Than 750 U.S. Troops Wounded In Iran War Since FebruaryMore than 750 U.S. service members have been wounded in the U.S. war on Iran, the Defense Department’s war casualty database said, based on a Wednesday update. Eighteen service members have died when combining “overseas operations casualties starting July 7th 2026” and “Operation Epic Fury.”The Trump administration said the war, which began in February, would only last a few weeks. But six months later, the conflict continues, causing oil prices to rise (again). President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the U.S. will apply extreme economic pressure on Iran and punish other nations that provide “any type of lifeline.”“If we are doing the maximum economic pressure, then that means that likely there will not be a large-scale kinetic restart,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Thursday.ICE Arrests Captain Of Boat That Capsized In New York HarborImmigration and Customs Enforcement arrested the captain of a boat that capsized in New York Harbor on Aug. 8, the Department of Homeland Security said Thursday.The boat was over capacity at the time of capsizing and did not contain child- or infant-sized life jackets. The boat accident led to two deaths: Sara Sanchez, a 27-year-old mother, and Antonella Garcia, her 5-month-old baby.DHS said that the captain, Manuel Ernesto Hernandez-Umana, who is originally from El Salvador, claims he has been in the U.S. illegally since 2007. DHS also claimed that the Coast Guard Investigative Services confirmed that he was not a U.S. citizen.The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York charged Hernandez-Umana with two counts of misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death. “Once he faces justice for his crimes, we will make sure that he is swiftly removed from our country,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement to HuffPost.Progressive Aisha Wahab Wins California Special Election To Replace Eric SwalwellCalifornia state Sen. Aisha Wahab (D) won the special election to replace the disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), The Associated Press reported Thursday.In another win for progressives across the country, Wahab defeated Bay Area Rapid Transit Board President Melissa Hernandez (D), who had amassed $2.5 million in support from the pro-Israel lobbying organization, American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Swalwell resigned and dropped his gubernatorial bid after being accused of sexual assault. He has denied the allegations.Wahab will fill the vacant seat until January, but both Wahab and Hernandez are set to face off again in November for a full term.Navy Considers Renaming Carrier After Trump Rather Than Black War Hero: CNNThe U.S. Navy is considering whether to rename an aircraft carrier after President Donald Trump instead of a Black war hero hailed for his actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor, three sources close to the discussions told CNN.The Navy announced during Trump’s first term that it would name the carrier under construction after Doris “Dorie” Miller, an enlisted sailor from Texas who, as a mess attendant, helped his wounded commanding officer during the attack before taking control of an anti-aircraft gun and opening fire on Japanese planes. He was the first African American recipient of the Navy Cross.Two sources told CNN that there have been internal conversations about renaming the carrier to honor Trump, and one source said the Navy was looking into naming another warship after Miller. Miller’s family has not been informed of a change, his great-nephew told the outlet.Read more from CNN:Bernie Sanders Endorses Angie Nixon In Florida Senate RaceSen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is endorsing Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon (D) after her upset win in the Democratic Senate primary earlier this week. Nixon, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, defeated former national security official Alex Vindman on Tuesday despite being heavily outspent during the campaign. Sanders lauded her victory and stressed that it pointed to how hungry voters were for a different type of leadership. “Angie Nixon is proof that organized people can take on organized money — and win. Outspent more than 16 to 1, she won in a landslide,” Sanders said in a social media post on Thursday. “Working people all over this country are sick and tired of status quo politics and status quo policies. They want change, real change.”Sanders and Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) are expected to join Nixon on a mass call she’s holding for supporters on Thursday night. Plans For Kennedy Center, White House Ballroom Reveal More Gaudy DetailsThe latest filings in President Donald Trump’s court battles over the Kennedy Center renovation and White House ballroom construction reveal more of his typical decor decisions, including columns carved in Italy and a plaza named after him.Along with putting Trump’s name on the building – in defiance of a judge’s earlier ruling – the performing arts center’s board of Trump allies approved a resolution that requires the “physical site and grounds” of the center to be named “President Donald J. Trump Plaza.”White House Management and Administration director Joshua Fisher recently submitted a declaration to the Supreme Court in an effort to get emergency relief amid the D.C. Circuit’s ruling that Trump cannot construct his ballroom where the East Wing once stood without congressional authorization. The declaration said the ballroom construction involves millions of pounds of steel and rebar, with hundreds of crew members working around the clock. The White House has acquired 1 million pounds of steel just for the facades.Included with the declaration were renderings of the ballroom showing gold-plated presidential seals affixed to the outside of the building, as well as Corinthian columns similar to those at the high court. Fisher said the columns were made from “the highest-grade” Indiana limestone, which was shipped to Italy to be carved “by some of the greatest artists anywhere in the world.”Over 2,300 Mexicans Sent To Guatemala, Honduras As Trump Ramps Up Third-Country DeportationsThe United States has deported nearly 2,300 Mexicans to Guatemala this year and sent at least dozens more to Honduras, according to official data, a shift from the beginning of U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term when such transfers were minimal.Until now, Mexicans deported from the United States were sent almost exclusively back to their country by air and land. Only a handful arrived in other countries.Read more from The Associated Press:Academic At Center Of Jason Arday Allegations Is SuspendedThe academic who first accused the late British professor Jason Arday of plagiarism has been suspended by Ghent University, the institution said Thursday.The Belgian university said it had suspended Nathan Cofnas, a postdoctoral researcher, as a “precautionary measure” while it looks at his recent public statements as part of a disciplinary probe.The investigation follows Arday, a former Cambridge professor, being found dead in his home in London on Friday days after resigning from his post. He was 41.Last month, Cofnas wrote about Arday, who was Black, on his Substack page, accusing him of plagiarism in his academic work — an attack which triggered a British media firestorm, and led to questions about some of Arday’s claims about his background, fundraising and sporting achievements.Arday denied the allegation of plagiarism but acknowledged making mistakes.Cambridge initially dismissed the plagiarism allegations against Arday but later said it opened an investigation “following new information.”Before his death, Arday acknowledged the public criticism was taking a toll on him and his family.Cofnas, a former Cambridge scholar, has faced backlash for a post where he argued that in a meritocracy, Black people “would disappear from almost all high-profile positions outside of sports and entertainment.”On X, Cofnas confirmed the Ghent University suspension and said “they will almost certainly fire me.”Mark Zuckerberg Just Bought A CastleIt’s been a tough stretch for Meta.The tech giant is staring down the barrel of a massive lawsuit alleging it deliberately designed platforms to addict its youngest users and harvest their data while exposing them to harmful content.Its new glasses have been nicknamed “pervert glasses” for obvious reasons.And CEO Mark Zuckerberg just got run through the PR ringer after his yacht repeatedly refused to respond to the distress call of a nearby vessel.But don’t worry — he’s still got castle money.A spokesperson for Zuckerberg told Reuters Thursday he just bought a 19th-century Gothic-style castle in Ireland overlooking a river in southeast Ireland.Strancally Castle was built circa 1830, with “extensive renovation” in 2003, according to an archive maintained by Ireland’s National Built Heritage Service.Per the Irish Times, which first reported the transaction, it also comes with an accompanying 440-acre estate and likely sold for between €20 to €30 million.See All Updates