Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 21h

Remarkable admission in an obscure Labor Dept filing:

Trump's immigration crackdown is threatening “the stability of domestic food production and prices for U.S. consumers”

Trump administration says immigration enforcement threatens higher food prices

U.S. farmers face labor shortages and potential food price hikes due to Trump’s immigration policy, the administration acknowledged in a Federal Registry document.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 1d

Columbia's Knight Institute won a landmark free speech ruling defending a campus activist targeted by ICE - while the university cut a deal with the administration

“In some ways, it’s rescued Columbia’s reputation," a former ACLU director says of the Knight Institute

This free speech group at Columbia is taking on Trump when the university won’t – and winning

The Knight Institute is defending free speech at a school now synonymous with compromising on it

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Sasha Chavkin

Jason Koebler @jasonkoebler.bsky.social · 2d

Some exciting news: 404 Media just won a grant via Muckrock to investigate book bans and educational censorship in the U.S. The plan is to file hundreds of public records requests around the country and to report on and archive all the documents for public use:

www.404media.co/help-us-inve...

Help Us Investigate Book Bans and Educational Censorship Around America

404 Media has gotten a grant to unearth public records about systematic censorship of books, schools, and libraries in the U.S.

www.404media.co

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Reposted by Sasha Chavkin

paris martineau @paris.nyc · 2d

after the 10th radioactive shrimp recall in 7 weeks, i decided to do some digging

little did i know it would lead me to an underreported industrial accident that may have released an airborne plume of radioactive debris over swaths of indonesia
www.consumerreports.org/health/food-...

What Is Really Going on With All This Radioactive Shrimp? - Consumer Reports

Here’s the latest on how shrimp and spices got contaminated with cesium-137, how the FDA has responded, and why consumers should not panic.

www.consumerreports.org

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 2d

One caveat: Its not clear from the story if the social media post itself was paid for, though "unboxing" videos are a common type of paid promotion

Free samples are included as a "material connection" that must be clearly disclosed
www.ftc.gov/business-gui...

Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers

Do you work with brands to recommend or endorse products? If so, you need to comply with the law when making these recommendations. One key is to make a good disclosure of your relationship to the bra...

www.ftc.gov

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 2d

“We're disappointed to see this kind of influencer marketing,” a top FTC official said at the time

Here's our story with @caitlingilbert.bsky.social & Anahad O'Connor
www.theexamination.org/articles/ftc...

FTC crackdown

The agency said food and sugar industry trade groups and nutrition influencers failed to adequately disclose who was behind paid advertising.

www.theexamination.org

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 2d

This violates FTC guidelines requiring "clear and conspicuous disclosures" of sponsors in paid social media messages

When @theexamination.org reported with WaPo about registered dietitians who posted paid promotions without naming their sponsors, the FTC sent them warning letters

Fenit Nirappil @fenitn.bsky.social · 3d

NEW: A Washington Post deep dive into surgeon general nominee Casey Means found she blurred sponsorship lines as she promoted supplements and products outside the medical mainstream.

Here’s one example.

And a gift link to read more: wapo.st/46LWoKQ

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 3d

A new law moves California to the forefront of state action on UPFs

The policy will phase out "UPFs of concern" based on "addictive potential, scientific evidence of their health risks and existing bans, restrictions or warning labels in other states or countries"

California becomes the first state to phase ultraprocessed food out of school meals

The law, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed on Wednesday, sets a 10-year deadline for the change to take place.

www.nbcnews.com

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Reposted by Sasha Chavkin

Amanda Katz @katzish.bsky.social · 4d

Horrific reporting from the AP on the Myanmar families watching their kids starve to death from Trump and Musk’s aid cuts apnews.com/article/myan...

Starving children screaming for food as US aid cuts unleash devastation and death across Myanmar

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly said “no one has died" because of his government’s decision to gut its foreign aid program.

apnews.com

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 3d

This is why we started @theexamination.org, an investigative newsroom that holds powerful actors accountable for the world's leading causes of death

Our core beats are Big Food (linked to #1 killer), Big Tobacco (linked to #2) and Industrial Pollution (linked to #2, #5 & more)

Our World in Data @ourworldindata.org · 4d

Does the news reflect what we die from?

The image presents a comparison of the leading causes of death in the United States for 2023 and the media coverage these causes receive from three news outlets: The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Fox News.

In the footer, it notes the data sources, indicating that the information is based on media mentions from Media Cloud (2025) and death data from the US CDC (2025) and the Global Terrorism Index, with a clarification that values are normalized to sum to 100%.

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 4d

Good @civileats.com rundown of industry ties in Trump's food policy leadership. Among them:

- Undersecretary for Food Safety nominee described by Congress as "meat industry's go to fixer"
- Food Safety Inspection Service administrator helped w controversial "climate-friendly beef" label at Tyson

The Industry Ties Within Trump’s Food and Ag Leadership

Many of the president’s top officials at USDA, EPA, HHS, and FDA have connections to chemical, agribusiness, or fossil fuel interests.

civileats.com

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 4d

JBS Aves, the poultry division of meat giant JBS, was excluded from Brazil's newest "Dirty List" for slave labor despite an inspection finding modern slavery conditions in its supply chain

The Labor Minister personally intervened to keep the company off the list

Governo divulga nova Lista Suja da escravidão e JBS fica de fora

Cadastro oficial de empregadores responsabilizados por trabalho escravo foi atualizado e conta agora om 691 nomes ao todo

reporterbrasil.org.br

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 6d

“We were heard" - CEO of pesticide trade group CropLife America praises last month's MAHA report

Language criticizing the health effects of pesticides in an earlier MAHA report was eliminated after a lobbying blitz

How Big Agriculture got its way in the latest MAHA report

Alarmed by the first MAHA commission report, the agriculture industry mobilized to shape the next installment. Those efforts seemingly paid off.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 6d

Niche brands selling higher-end, more specialized products are beating out Big Food

These "insurgent brands" make up less than 2% of products but drove almost 39% of category gains in 2024, WSJ reports, while Big Food's market share erodes

Startups Are Eating Big Food’s Lunch

Smaller brands are capturing much of the growth in packaged foods.

www.wsj.com

Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 8d

Brazil's Justice Department orders JBS Aves, the poultry division of the world's biggest meat producer, to take 17 actions to ensure its supply chain is free of forced labor

An inspection found forced labor at a JBS Aves supplier last December, @reporterbrasil.org.br is on top of the story

Justiça obriga JBS a agir contra trabalho escravo em granjas

Decisão liminar da Vara do Trabalho de Soledade (RS) obriga JBS Aves a adotar 17 medidas para monitorar granjas fornecedoras

reporterbrasil.org.br

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 10d

Nicotine-infused energy drinks are marketing themselves as "clean fuel" to customers seeking better cognitive performance

Welcome to 2025, everyone

Beverages: Nicotine-Infused Energy Drinks: The Rise of Cognitive Fuel for Performance Users

What is the Nicotine-Infused Beverage Trend?The Nicotine-Infused Beverage Trend is the emergence of ready-to-drink (RTD) products that combine microdosed nicotine with conventional energy ingredients ...

www.insighttrendsworld.com

Reposted by Sasha Chavkin

Chelsea M. Cameron (she/they) @chel-c-cam.bsky.social · 11d

Since they’ve cut food inspections at the FDA, the burden is now more on consumers to protect ourselves from contaminated food: www.consumerreports.org/health/food-...

10 Really Risky Foods Right Now - Consumer Reports

In this look at 10 really risky foods right now, CR shows you how to protect yourself from food poisoning from these foods and in general.

www.consumerreports.org

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 11d

Walmart is getting rid of synthetic dyes and cutting 30 ingredients from preservatives to artificial sweeteners from store brand foods by January 2027, changes likely to ripple through the US food supply chain

“The customer is just getting louder and louder on this,” a Walmart VP tells WSJ

Walmart Ditching Dyes, Other Artificial Ingredients in Its Food Brands

The retail giant said it is working to remove synthetic dyes from all its store-brand foods, including Great Value, Marketside, Freshness Guaranteed and Bettergoods.

www.wsj.com

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Reposted by Sasha Chavkin

Dan Diamond @ddiamond.bsky.social · 11d

The real-life impact of Trump and Musk’s freeze on USAID

Drugs and food, intended for global aid, instead languished and rotted in warehouses — and some children withered and died.

Sweeping, damning investigation by my @washingtonpost.com colleagues.

Trump’s USAID pause stranded lifesaving drugs. Children died waiting.

USAID antimalarial and HIV supplies valued at nearly $140 million were delayed in the first half of the year or not delivered at all due to the Trump administration’s foreign aid pause, The Post found...

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Sasha Chavkin

Lindsay Beyerstein @beyerstein.bsky.social · 12d

The CDC made reporting listeria optional. Listeria in ready-to-eat pasta has killed four and hospitalized 19.

Trader Joe’s and Walmart Frozen Meals May Have Listeria Linked to Outbreak

www.nytimes.com

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 12d

One policy that California and Texas have in common: cracking down on ultraprocessed foods

At least 30 states across partisan lines have passed or are considering limits on chemicals in food or food packaging, advocates tell @kffhealthnews.org

States Target Ultraprocessed Foods in Bipartisan Push - KFF Health News

States are taking aim at chemicals and additives in foods as Republican and Democrats alike embrace at least one aspect of the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” push. It’s a shift fo...

kffhealthnews.org

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 12d

The contractor that provided more than 600k kilos of chicken blood to government soup kitchens in Lima, Peru had no sanitary license and operated in filthy conditions

Soup kitchen leaders said the product smelled like dead dogs, finds a stomach-turning investigation from @saludconlupa.com

Sin licencia y en un local insalubre: así operaba el proveedor de sangre de pollo para las ollas comunes de Lima

Salud con lupa revela que el Consorcio San JoseMaría procesaba sangre de pollo refrigerada sin la licencia sanitaria correspondiente y en un local que incumplía las normas de higiene. La Municipalidad...

saludconlupa.com

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 15d

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins suggests at an agriculture industry forum that the upcoming Dietary Guidelines for Americans will "boost demand for U.S. beef and whole milk"

Officially, they are being revamped to remove industry influence and give Americans unbiased nutrition advice

Food Policy Tracker

The Civil Eats Food Policy Tracker is your daily, go-to source for actions taken by the President, federal agencies, and Congress that directly relate to or have significant implications for the food ...

civileats.com

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 15d

At least nine auditors in Brazil's Labor Ministry jointly resigned in protest of Labor Minister's personal intercession to keep JBS - the world's largest meat producer - off the "Dirty List" for forced labor and modern day slavery

Contra decisão de Marinho sobre JBS, fiscais deixam cargos

Fiscais deixam cargos em protesto contra medida de Luiz Marinho de puxar para si decisão final sobre entrada da JBS Aves na Lista Suja

reporterbrasil.org.br

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 15d

After demanding that health systems be revamped to tackle chronic disease, RFK Jr rejects a global declaration calling for the same.

He offered few details and the objections he did make - on gender & abortion - aren't even mentioned in the text

@foodfixco.bsky.social digs in

‘Too much and too little’: U.S. rejects U.N. declaration on non-communicable diseases

Why is the U.S. splitting from the rest of the world on tackling chronic diseases?

foodfix.co

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