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"This is the earliest evidence for the loss of seasonal egg laying yet identified in the archaeological record," says Dr Robert Spengler, leader of the Domestication and Anthropogenic Evolution research group at the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Germany, and principal investigator on the study."This is an important clue for better understanding the mutualistic relationships between humans and animals that resulted in domestication."The research team collected tens of thousands of eggshell fragments from archaeological sites along the main Central Asian corridor of the Silk Road. Using a method of biomolecular analysis known as ZooMS (Zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry) they were...

The largest egg producer in the United States announced it is halting production at its Texas plant and culling the flock of nearly two million chickens. Cal-Maine Foods announced it would halt production at its Parmer County, Texas facility after it detected bird flu at the plant. The company destroyed 1.6 million egg-laying hens and 337,000 pullets (female chickens not yet mature enough to lay eggs) at the plant.

Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., recognized as the country’s largest producer of fresh eggs, announced on Tuesday that it has temporarily suspended operations at one of its major facilities located in Parmer County, Texas. This drastic measure comes in the wake of a detected outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The outbreak has led to the culling of approximately 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets. This action represents about 3.6% of Cal-Maine Foods’ total flock as of early March 2024, marking a significant loss for the company and the egg industry as a whole. Cal-Maine released the following statement: Cal-Maine...

As avian influenza (bird flu) continues to spread among wild birds in the European Union, officials are warning of the potential for a future human pandemic. On Wednesday, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued an alert noting that "transmission between bird and mammal species has been observed, particularly in fur animal farms, where outbreaks have been reported."

The largest producer of fresh eggs in the U.S. said Tuesday it had temporarily halted production at a Texas plant after bird flu was found in chickens, and officials said the virus had also been detected at a poultry facility in Michigan. In Texas, Ridgeland, Mississippi-based Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. said in a statement that approximately 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets, about 3.6% of its total flock, were destroyed after the infection, avian influenza, was found at the facility in Parmer County, Texas. The plant is on the Texas-New Mexico border in the Texas Panhandle about 85 miles southwest...

Just in time for Easter too.In 2023, egg prices hit an all-time high, topping out at about $7 per dozen in some parts of the country. That number was reached thanks to a perfect storm of inflation and a severe bird flu epidemic. Fortunately, by mid-summer, prices had returned to somewhat normal rates. But, according to new reports, we may be headed for yet another expensive egg season, just in time for Easter. According to Nerdwallet, egg prices are once again on the rise due to another outbreak of bird flu and inclement weather. The Centers for Disease Control and...

President Joe Biden’s Democrat administration is taking flak for prohibiting children from submitting Easter eggs featuring religious artwork for a contest. The event, which is part of the White House’s annual Easter Egg Roll, is called “Celebrating National Guard Families” but will not allow submissions to feature symbols related to the holiday that Christians celebrate all over the world, the Daily Caller reported Friday. The 2024 “Call for Youth Art” flyer said: On behalf of First Lady Jill Biden, The Adjutants General of the National Guard are asking youth from National Guard families across the United States and all U.S....

Russian President Vladimir Putin says he was surprised by a lack of sharp questions from U.S. television host Tucker Carlson in an interview that made headlines around the world last week. Putin told a Russian TV interviewer, Pavel Zarubin, that he had wanted Carlson to behave more aggressively, which would have given him the right to reply just as pointedly. "To be honest, I thought that he would behave aggressively and ask so-called sharp questions. I was not just prepared for this, I wanted it, because it would give me the opportunity to respond in the same way," Putin said...

Russians have been told to grow their own bananas as a shortage looms, days after President Vladimir Putin issued a ban on imports from Ecuador, its largest supplier of the fruit, seemingly over an arms shipment spat. Oleg Knyazkov, the head of the industry expertise center at Rosselkhoznadzor, the Russian consumer watchdog, told local news outlet Gazeta that he predicts there will be a nationwide shortage of bananas in a month. He advised Russians to start growing them domestically. His comments come after Putin suspended banana imports from five Ecuadorian companies on February 2, saying the decision was made due...

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson's visit to Moscow has received near-constant coverage in Russia's state media, amid speculation that he may interview President Vladimir Putin. Social media has also been awash with images of him visiting sites around Moscow, as his every move is followed. The conservative journalist has been an outspoken defender of Mr Putin. -snip- Breaking news Telegram channel Mash was the first to report that Carlson had arrived in the Russian capital, posting a photo of him boarding a flight from Istanbul, and another of him reportedly visiting Moscow's famous Bolshoi Theatre to watch the ballet...

Russia has reduced gasoline exports to non-CIS countries to compensate for unplanned repairs at refineries, the Ministry of Energy said on Wednesday, as the country grappled with the impact of fires and drone attacks on its energy infrastructure. It said gasoline and diesel exports have been reduced in January by 37% and 23% respectively from the same month in 2023. Russia and Ukraine have targeted each other's energy infrastructure in strikes designed to disrupt supply lines and logistics and to demoralise their opponent as they seek the edge in a nearly two-year-old conflict that shows no sign of ending.

Russian opposition leader challenging Vladimir Putin in March's presidential election can expect to be poisoned or imprisoned, according to prominent Putin ally Vladimir Solovyov. Boris Nadezhdin, a former State Duma member who is known for opposing Russia's war in Ukraine, announced on Wednesday that he was filing papers to challenge Putin in the election. The announcement came after a successful campaign to collect at least 100,000 voter signatures required to appear on the ballot. Solovyov, the host of a popular Russian state television show known for pushing Kremlin propaganda, warned Nadezhdin during a broadcast a short time later that his...

UKRAINE is claiming to have sunk another Russian warship - with 50 sailors on board - using kamikaze sea drones. Footage shared today by Ukraine's ministry of defence showed the dramatic moment its boats sped toward Vladimir Putin's £55million Black Sea missile ship "Ivanovets" and sent it up in flames. The Ukrainian government's defence intelligence announced the hit on the 184ft warship via messaging service Telegram. It stated: "'Ivanovets' at the bottom - as a result of a special operation of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense, an enemy missile boat was destroyed." The department alleged soldiers of its...

A large fire broke out at a Texas chicken farm this week, and firefighters are expected to tackle the blaze for several days. The massive fire broke out at Feather Crest Farms fire in Kurten, Texas, roughly 100 miles north of Houston, in Brazos County. KXXV-TV reported that no workers or other people were injured or killed in the incident. So far, the cause of the fire is unknown. Watch: VIDEO AT LINK................ Firefighters from multiple local departments have been battling the blaze since Monday. “Upon arrival there were two buildings on Feather Crest Farms property,” Jason Ware, deputy emergency...

Russian President Vladimir Putin claims he has earned less than $1 million during the past six years as president, according to financial documents published Tuesday by Russia's election authority. The documents from the Central Election Commission (CEC) show Putin reported making 67.6 million rubles, which is approximately $753,000, between 2018 and 2024. Along with his salary as president, this figure includes income from bank deposits, a military pension and money made from property sales. -snip- According to information Putin provided to the CEC, he has savings of 54.5 million rubles ($606,000) spread across 10 different bank accounts and owns a...

Russian presidential aide on Monday revealed that President Vladimir Putin's visit to Türkiye is planned for February. "Yes, a visit is being prepared," Yuri Ushakov told reporters in St. Petersburg in response to a question on the visit. Ushakov said Ukraine, where Russia launched a "special military operation" nearly two years ago, will be one of the key points of the meeting between Putin and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. -snip- Ushakov also said Moscow is ready to enter into negotiations with Ukraine.

Moscow and Tehran will strengthen their security partnership and team up to counter sanctions imposed by the West, a key architect of Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has said. Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russia's Security Council, announced closer cooperation between the allies after a meeting with the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Akbar Ahmadian. Ties between Tehran and Moscow have deepened since the start of the war in Ukraine, with Iran supplying Russian forces with Shahed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) which have wreaked havoc on Ukrainian infrastructure.

A bird flu outbreak is ravaging California’s massive poultry industry, forcing businesses to kill more than one million chickens and causing egg prices to soar. Mike Weber, who owns Sunrise Farms in Sonoma County, learned last month that his chickens had become infected with the highly-contagious virus. Per government rules, he had to slaughter his entire flock of 550,000 egg-laying hens. “It’s a trauma. We’re all going through grief as a result of it,” Weber told the Associated Press inside an empty hen house. “Petaluma is known as the Egg Basket of the World. It’s devastating to see that egg...

Russian President Vladimir Putin castigated Europe on Saturday for "Russophobia" and criticized the Baltic States over human rights at the unveiling of a World War Two memorial. -snip- In his speech, Putin also lambasted the Baltic States over human rights. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - ruled from Moscow during the Cold War but now members of the European Union and NATO military alliance - have been among the strongest critics of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin is allegedly putting out feelers to see if America is ready for talks on ending the war in Ukraine. The Russian president is also 'prepared to drop opposition to Kyiv joining Nato', according to a new Bloomberg report.