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First U.S. Bird Flu Death Reported

A Louisiana resident over age 65 has died from bird flu, marking the first death from the virus in the United States, state health officials reported on Monday.

The patient, who had underlying medical conditions, contracted the H5N1 virus after exposure to infected backyard poultry and wild birds. The case was first reported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on December 18.

No additional cases have been identified in Louisiana, and health officials found no evidence of human-to-human transmission. The state health department maintains that the general public health risk remains low.

You can read more on the matter here.

What’s going on?

• Millions In Taxpayer Dollars Allegedly Used To Fund Anti-Conservative Research (theDeepDive)

• The Liberals open the door to foreign interference (Globe)

• Trump Escalates Bid for Greenland, Says He Won’t Rule Out Force (theDeepDive)

• Indonesia says $1bn offer from Apple not enough to lift iPhone 16 ban (FT)

• Six Former Apple Employees Face Charges Over Charity Match Scheme (theDeepDive)

• Trump Asks Supreme Court to Block Hush-Money Sentencing (WSJ)

• Key Trump Ally Dana White’s Appointment To Meta Board Sparks Debate Over Expertise and Politics (theDeepDive)

• Amazon workers in North Carolina to vote on unionization next month (CNBC)

• IBKR Increases Margin Requirements for MicroStrategy Products (theDeepDive)

• US Justice Department accuses six major landlords of scheming to keep rents high (AP)

• Enron’s Back? It Is—As Satire—With Nuclear Reactor Egg Launch (theDeepDive)

• Wildfires rage through L.A., forcing thousands to flee as homes, businesses burn (CBC)

• Pentagon Creates Board to Secure Critical Materials Supply (theDeepDive)

What’s the latest?

• Apple: Apple's AI notification feature inaccurately summarized events, including falsely claiming Luke Littler won a darts championship early and misreporting on Rafael Nadal and other news. The BBC reported similar issues, including a false headline about a murder suspect in December. Apple acknowledged the errors, citing AI "hallucinations," and plans to update the feature to clarify when notifications are AI-generated within the coming weeks.

• Mortgage: Mortgage rates rose for the fourth consecutive week, with the 30-year fixed-rate average climbing to 6.99%, its highest since July 2024. Mortgage applications fell 3.7% week-over-week, with purchase applications dropping 7% and refinance applications rising 2%, though refinance activity remains 6% lower year-over-year. High rates and home prices continue to suppress buyer demand, despite increased housing supply compared to January 2024. Economic data, including the Federal Reserve’s meeting minutes and the monthly employment report, will likely influence future rate trends.

• Wholesale: U.S. wholesale inventories fell 0.2% in November, matching estimates, driven by a 2.2% drop in motor vehicle stocks and a 1.3% decline in computer equipment. Nondurable goods inventories rose 0.2%, supported by increases in groceries and petroleum. Wholesale sales rebounded 0.6% after a 0.3% decline in October, reducing the inventory-to-sales ratio to 1.33 months. Annualized GDP growth for Q3 remained at 3.1%, with inventory investment being a slight drag.

• Unemployment: The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell to 201,000 last week, the lowest level in 11 months, indicating a stable labor market despite slowing hiring. The four-week moving average dropped to 213,000, signaling persistently low layoffs. Meanwhile, job openings increased slightly to 1.13 vacancies per unemployed person in November, reflecting continued labor market tightness. Economists forecast nonfarm payrolls to grow by 160,000 in December, with the unemployment rate remaining at 4.2%.

• Altman: Ann Altman, sister of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, filed a lawsuit accusing him of sexual abuse between 1997 and 2006, seeking at least $75,000 in damages for injuries including PTSD and depression. Sam Altman, 39, and family members denied the claims, calling them "utterly untrue" and citing ongoing financial support for Ann. Sam Altman co-founded OpenAI, valued at $157 billion in 2023, and has a net worth of $1.1 billion, per Forbes.

Volkswagen invests in Patriot Battery Metals

The stock market and stuff

• Ivanhoe Mines Sees Record Production At Kamoa-Kakula In 2024 (theDeepDive)

• EBay shares soar after Meta allows listings on Facebook Marketplace in U.S., Europe (CNBC)

• G Mining Sees 2024 Production Of 63,566 Gold Ounces (theDeepDive)

• Exxon expects reduced Q4 earnings from lower oil prices, refining squeeze (SA)

• Equinox Gold Extends Fazenda Mine Life To 2033 Following Reserve Update (theDeepDive)

In the juniors

• GoGold Reports Q4 Production Of 551,337 Silver Equivalent Ounces (theDeepDive)

• Sandstorm Gold Reports 2024 Production Of 72,800 Gold Equivalent Ounces (theDeepDive)

• Exploration Permit Fuels PTX Metals’ Drive to Unlock W2 Project Potential (theDeepDive)

• Jaguar Mining Fined US$52.5 Million For Tailings Collapse In Brazil (theDeepDive)

FULL DISCLOSURE: Cytophage Technologies is a client of Canacom Group, the parent company of The Deep Dive. Canacom Group is currently long the equity of Cytophage Technologies. The author has been compensated to cover Cytophage Technologies on The Deep Dive, with The Deep Dive having full editorial control. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security.