BEIJING (AFP) – China reported the world’s first human infection of the H10N3 bird flu strain yesterday but said the risk of it spreading widely among people was low.
A 41-year-old man was admitted to hospital with fever symptoms in the eastern city of Zhenjiang on April 28 and was diagnosed with H10N3 a month later, China’s National Health Commission (NHC) said in an online statement.
“The risk of large-scale spread is extremely low,” the NHC said, adding that the man was in a stable condition and his close contacts had reported no “abnormalities.”
It described H10N3 as low pathogenic – less likely to cause death or severe illness – in birds.
The NHC said there had been no human cases of H10N3 previously reported in the world.
Women head to work on a rainy morning during rush hour in Beijing. PHOTO: AP
Traditional meat processor JBS, with which the plant-based food company competes, has fallen victim to a cyberattack.
Evan Niu, CFA(TMFNewCow)Jun 2, 2021 at 1:39PMAuthor Biohttps://platform.twitter.com/widgets/follow_button.06c6ee58c3810956b7509218508c7b56.en.html#dnt=false&id=twitter-widget-0&lang=en&screen_name=TMFNewCow&show_count=true&show_screen_name=true&size=l&time=1622665833680
What happened
Shares ofBeyond Meat(NASDAQ:BYND)were up by 7.9% as of 1:21 p.m. EST Wednesday after traditional meat processing companyJBS(OTC:JBSAY)had its operations disrupted by a ransomware attack. Based on Brazil, JBS is the largest meat processor in the world.
So what
The cyberattack, which JBS disclosed earlier this week, impacted the company’s servers and IT infrastructure in North America and Australia. The company immediately suspended the use of all affected systems and has been working diligently to restore them. In an update provided on Tuesday, JBS said that its operations in Mexico and the U.K. were not affected. Nine of JBS’s plants in the U.S. were shut down on Tuesday, but the company said that it…
Traditional meat processor JBS, with which the plant-based food company competes, has fallen victim to a cyberattack.
Evan Niu, CFA(TMFNewCow)Jun 2, 2021 at 1:39PMAuthor Biohttps://platform.twitter.com/widgets/follow_button.06c6ee58c3810956b7509218508c7b56.en.html#dnt=false&id=twitter-widget-0&lang=en&screen_name=TMFNewCow&show_count=true&show_screen_name=true&size=l&time=1622665833680
What happened
Shares of Beyond Meat (NASDAQ:BYND) were up by 7.9% as of 1:21 p.m. EST Wednesday after traditional meat processing company JBS (OTC:JBSAY) had its operations disrupted by a ransomware attack. Based on Brazil, JBS is the largest meat processor in the world.
So what
The cyberattack, which JBS disclosed earlier this week, impacted the company’s servers and IT infrastructure in North America and Australia. The company immediately suspended the use of all affected systems and has been working diligently to restore them. In an update provided on Tuesday, JBS said that its operations in Mexico and the U.K. were not affected. Nine of JBS’s plants in the U.S. were shut down on Tuesday, but the company said that it expected the “vast majority” of its food plants to be fully operational Wednesday.
IMAGE SOURCE: BEYOND MEAT.
The hackers are believed to be based in Russia, according to JBS and the U.S. government. This ransomware attack comes just a month after a similar incursion temporarily crippled Colonial Pipeline, which significantly disrupted the supply of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel to the East Coast. The attacks highlight vulnerabilities in the underlying infrastructure that many U.S. businesses rely on.
Now what
Pipeline stocks jumped last month on Colonial Pipeline’s woes, and some rival food producers’ stocks are similarly rising in light of JBS’s troubles. While a protracted disruption of the company’s operations could lead to higher meat prices, potentially making plant-based alternatives more attractive, any meat shortages caused by the attack are expected to be short term in nature.
Since the shutdowns of JBS’s meat processing plants should only last a day or two, it’s unlikely that the attack will translate into a meaningful boost for Beyond Meat’s business.
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Brazil-based JBS, the world’s largest meat producer, has shuttered all of its US-based beef plants as of Tuesday while responding to a cyberattack.
The shutdowns impacted all nine beef plants, located in Arizona, Texas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wisconsin, Utah, Michigan and Pennsylvania, according to officials from the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International Union, which represents more than 25,000 JBS employees. JBS’s US-based pork plants are still operational.
The shuttered plants produce nearly one-quarter of U.S. beef supplies. In total, JBS employs more than 66,000 workers across 84 US-based locations.
The attack raised concerns of a potential meat shortage in the U.S. and several other countries impacted by the situation. It wasn’t immediately clear how the shutdown would affect meat prices.
JBS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Bloomberg was first to report on the shutdowns.
IHS Markit vice chairman Daniel Yergin weighs in on the impact of the colonial pipeline shutdown and his outlook for renewable energy.
JBS USA said it discovered on Sunday that an “organized cybersecurity attack” had impacted some of its computer systems in North America and Australia. The company noted it would “take time” to resolve the cybersecurity breach and warned it “may delay certain transactions with customers and suppliers.”
UFCW called on the company to pay workers impacted by the plant shutdowns.
“As the union for JBS meatpacking workers across the country, UFCW is pleased JBS is working around the clock to resolve this, and UFCW is urging JBS to ensure that all of its meatpacking workers receive their contractually guaranteed pay as these plant shutdowns continue,” UFCW International President Marc Perrone said in a statement.
JBS has yet to publicly disclose that it was targeted by a ransomware attack. The White House said it was aware of the situation and indicated a criminal group likely based in Russia was believed to be responsible.
“JBS notified the administration that the ransom demand came from a criminal organization likely based in Russia. The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals,” White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a press briefing.
A criminal organization likely based in Russia is believed to be behind a ransomware attack on JBS, one of the largest meat producers in the world, White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Tuesday.
The news came just weeks after a ransomware attack shut down the Colonial Pipeline, which provides fuel to much of the eastern United States. The attack caused gas shortages in some places on the East Coast and the company eventually paid the ransom to restart the flow of gas.
“Meat producer JBS notified us on Sunday that they are the victims of a ransomware attack. The White House has offered assistance to JBS and our team and the Department of Agriculture have spoken to their leadership several times,” Jean-Pierre said.
“JBS notified the administration that the ransom demand came from a criminal organization likely based in Russia. The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals,” she added.
The logo of global meatpacker JBS is seen in the city of Jundiai, Brazil June 1, 2017. A ransomware attack on the company is reportedly affecting its operations in Australia and the United States. (REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker/File Photo)
Jean-Pierre said the FBI is investigating the ransomware attack along with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). She also said the Department of Agriculture is in touch with other meat processors and that the administration is “assessing” whether the attack may cause supply shortages.
“Combating ransomware is a priority for the administration. President Biden has already launched a rapid strategic review to address the increased threat of ransomware,” Jean-Pierre added.
JBS publicly said it was the victim of “an organized cybersecurity attack” in a Monday press release. It said the attack affected “some of the servers supporting its North American and Australian IT systems.”
Thousands of the workers for the company in Australia haven’t been able to go to work and the country’s agricultural minister said he expects only “limited capacity” to return in “the next couple of days.”
Bloomberg Law reported the company has seen widespread shutdowns in the United States too.
JBS did not immediately return a request for comment asking how widespread the ransomware attack’s effects on its U.S. operations are and whether it would pay the ransom.
The USDA did not immediately answer questions about how widespread the attack’s effects on JBS’ operations in the U.S. are and whether it is pushing JBS not to pay the ransom – as the government advises companies hit by such attacks to avoid incentivizing more hacking.
Maryland has become the eighth state to ban Wildlife Killing Contests, joining Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Vermont, and Washington. Last Friday, Governor Larry Hogan allowed HB 293/SB 200—which passed the state legislature in April—to become law.Thanks to all of our Maryland supporters who took action on this bill and to our coalition partners who collaborated in enabling this momentous achievement for wildlife.
The accused were fined Rs 6,000 as per the Wildlife Act.
Our Correspondent Gurugram, May 31
The wildlife team nabbed two bird hunters from the DLF Phase-3 area. The Wildlife Department imposed a fine of Rs 6,000 on the hunters and released them after giving a warning.
The department seized the carcass of owls and pigeons and buried them at a safe place. Wildlife Department Inspector Rajesh Chahal said on Sunday evening, he was informed by Bhaichara group president Bhola Gujjar that two youth had hunted owls and pigeons in the F block of DLF Phase-3. As soon as the information was received, a special team was sent to the spot to investigate the matter. The team caught both the youths who were from Jharkhand. The youths during interrogation confessed hunting of birds and said they had…
ByTerry Otto, for The ColumbianPublished:June 1, 2021, 6:03amShare:
A bear helps itself to a birdfeeder in a backyard. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Officer Tom Moats contends that if you are feeding birds in bear country during the spring, you are bound to draw bears. Birds have plenty of wild food available in the spring. (Contributed by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife)Photo Gallery
This the time of year when humans encounter wildlife. Deer and other animals are having babies, and bears are emerging from their winter dens hungry. The bears are desperately seeking sources of food, and are drawn to bird feeders, trash cans and pet food near homes. Also, deer are having fawns, sometimes in close proximity to people who think they need to swoop in to help when they shouldn’t.
According to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Officer Tom Moats, people discover fawns…
