- Wildfires in B.C.'s Okanagan have forced more than 20,000 people to evacuate, killed at least one person and caused widespread smoke and property damage.
- Smoke-taint has ruined this year's grapes—winemakers face costly disposals and years of lost production; one owner urges shoppers to buy Okanagan wine to help.
- Orchard crops are spoiling and ranchers are racing to save livestock—about C$300,000 in peaches lost in one case and roughly 50,000 animals are in evacuation zones.
Latest stories in Food & Drink.
- A Utah couple was hit with a surcharge after they didn’t tip at a Shake Shack in the Salt Lake City airport.
- A video of the interaction went viral, drawing lots of online attention.
- The incident has reignited debate about tipping culture, service fees and expectations at restaurants and airports.
- Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled salsas and guacamole after jalapeños from a supplier were tied to a potential salmonella contamination.
- The outbreak has sickened about 345 people in 27 states (36 hospitalized), and chains like Chipotle and Qdoba stopped using the implicated jalapeños.
- The recall comes as Taylor Farms already suspended lettuce sourcing from central Mexico amid a separate cyclospora investigation.
- Zelenskiy said Russian strikes on Odesa’s seaport — a key route for Ukraine’s grain — are threatening global food security after missile and drone attacks on the city.
- Fighting spilled across the border and inside Ukraine: a multi‑storey apartment was hit in Kharkiv (many wounded) and Russia’s Belgorod reported fatalities after a drone strike.
- Attacks have also targeted shipping, fuel and power infrastructure (causing outages and hits on tankers), and the Pope renewed calls for an end to the war.
- Sugary drinks (sodas, energy drinks, sweetened coffees/teas) are a major source of added sugar and have been linked to higher risks of diabetes, heart disease, obesity and even some cancers.
- Diet sodas cut calories but aren’t risk‑free — some studies tie artificial sweeteners to gut microbiome changes and possible long‑term health concerns.
- Easy swaps: plain water, seltzer, 100% juice in moderation, or coffee/tea without sugar — and oddly, dietitians say a scoop of ice cream can be a smarter treat than a sugary soda since it fills you up.
- British Columbia declared a state of emergency as the Bald Range wildfire nearly doubled overnight, forcing 20,000+ people to evacuate towns like Summerland and Peachland and triggering power outages and boil‑water notices.
- The blaze is threatening the province’s southern interior wine region (Canada’s second‑largest), farms and homes, with reports of structures lost and people rescued.
- Officials likened the fire to “a bomb going off,” saying it’s creating its own weather, and international crews from Mexico, Australia, France and New Zealand have joined the fight.
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