Upon spotting the injured cow, villagers wasted no time in alerting the local authorities and wildlife conservation teams. Their swift response led to the immediate dispatch of a team of experts to the village to assess the situation and provide necessary assistance. The team, armed with tranquilizer guns and emergency medical supplies, quickly set to work in locating the injured cow and securing the surrounding area to prevent any potential further attacks.
Pittsburgh was truly the Steel City. Coke plants, tar plants, steel mills, glass manufacturers and other ancillary heavy industry lined the banks of the rivers, producing the raw products of the country’s industrial revolution. A remnant of these days are the current U.S. Steel facilities still occupying their locations in the Mon Valley. These facilities have been part of the area’s history in place for over a century — the early 1900 Clairton Coke Works and byproducts facility and the Edgar Thomson Steel Works that has been active since the late 1800s in Braddock. Hulking dinosaurs of the past with almost unimaginable forces at work, the sheer volume of raw material input, energy use and generation, pressures, heat, size of the equipment, products and byproducts generated by these activities and harnessed by man are awe-inspiring. The ongoing debate regarding the sale of these symbols of American industrial might and Pittsburgh’s namesake to Japan’s Nippon Steel has shone a national spotlight on the Mon Valley. Missing from the debate are recent events that would likely have served to avoid the current Mon Valley saga. In early 2020, U.S. Steel announced that it would invest $1.2 billion in its Braddock and Clairton facilities. This investment not only would have created and/or retained thousands of jobs and made the company more competitive globally, but it would also introduce first-of-its-kind, innovative technology to address air emissions. U.S. Steel committed to collaborating with the regulating authority, the Allegheny County Health Department, to develop these state-of-the-art technologies and significantly reduce air emissions. Not only would these innovative technologies have benefited U.S. Steel, employment prospects and air quality in the Mon Valley, these same technologies could be adopted by the world’s developing and largest coal-burning countries to mitigate both local pollution in their countries and greenhouse gases which have no global boundary. Reflexively, in an apparent pique of myopia, the usual list of environmental zealots worked to shut this huge investment and benefit to all parties down. Congratulations on the pyrrhic victory over the “evil” American corporation. The rest of the world has and will happily pick up the slack with lesser technologies and continue to pollute unabated by the American environmental zealotry. Who would wonder why U.S. Steel desires to sell off these facilities when faced with the anti-industrial activists and diminished benefits of ownership? Is it the appropriate role of government to prohibit this sale? Alternatively, one must wonder why Nippon Steel does not see the same confrontation with the usual cast of characters on the eco-left as they contemplate taking over these allegedly evil, polluting facilities in the Mon Valley. Nippon Steel claims that it will invest $1 billion to upgrade the Mon Valley facilities. Where have we heard this before? The headwinds any ongoing operation of these heavy industrial facilities will face, whether it be a foreign or domestic operator, are not only the usual pedestrian types of criteria air emissions, but also the current world war on the very building block of life, carbon. We continue to expend more and more efforts to seek those last molecules of contamination to satisfy our environmental appetite for cleaner, with the add-on feature of now alleging carbon as a pollutant. If the past is prologue, the Mon Valley industrial saga is not coming to an inflexion point for future ongoing operations by any owner; it is only a matter of who will be holding ownership when these activities are brought down by the irrational lust for ever cleaner. Robert T. Smith is an environmental scientist and co-owner of a Pittsburgh-area environmental consulting company.Recently, a new Android Trojan horse named DroidBot has been exposed by cybersecurity researchers. This malicious malware is posing as counterfeit applications and targeting customers of 77 overseas banks. The discovery of this sophisticated threat has raised concerns in the cybersecurity community and shed light on the growing sophistication of mobile malware.
Receive the ultimate handheld gaming device for free, valued at CA$899, with the purchase of ASUS or ROG laptops or desktops over CA$1,499 in selected retailers until December 19, 2024 KEY POINTS Exclusive Offer, Limited Time: Receive a free ROG Ally gaming handheld, valued at $899 with eligible purchases over $1,499, from December 6 to 19, 2024 Available Across Canada: Participating retailers include the ASUS Store, Best Buy, Canada Computers, Costco, Memory Express, and selected retailers in Canada. Full HD AAA gaming in the palm of your hand: Next-gen hardware powers an unbeatable handheld experience Play All Your Games: Supports any Windows title from Steam, Epic, Xbox Game Pass, and more TORONTO, Dec. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ASUS today announced an exciting holiday promotion that combines premium performance with unmatched gaming portability, at an incredible value making it one of this year’s most exciting deal. From December 6 to December 19, 2024, customers purchasing any ASUS or ROG laptops or desktops 1 priced at CA$1,499 or more will receive a complimentary ROG Ally 2 . This promotion is valid only while supplies last and cannot be combined with other offers. Valued at CA$899, the ROG Ally is the perfect addition to any tech enthusiast's or gamer’s arsenal, offering unparalleled gaming on the go. This exclusive promotion is available on the ASUS Store , Best Buy , Canada Computers , Costco , Memory Express , and selected retailers. For Best Buy Canada , this promotion is available upon a list of predefined products only, available here . Full Gaming Performance in the Palm of Your Hands The ROG Ally is the ultimate handheld gaming device, powered by the Ryzen TM Z1 Extreme processor from AMD. Built on the "Zen 4" architecture combined with AMD RDNA 3 architecture-based graphics, the Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor rivals the prowess of game consoles, featuring 8 cores, 16 threads, and up to 8.6 teraflops of graphics processing power. The AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme supports AMD FidelityFX TM Super Resolution and AMD Radeon Super Resolution upscaling technologies for excellent performance and stunning visuals in demanding AAA and indie titles, whether you’re playing solo or with friends. The Ally also comes equipped with 16 GB of high speed LPDDR5 6400 MHz memory, 512 GB of PCIe ® Gen 4 storage, and a UHS-II microSD card slot to further expand its storage capacity and WiFi 6E. All this flagship gaming performance demands a display to match, and the Ally does not disappoint. Equipped with a 120 Hz FHD (1080p) touchscreen with AMD FreeSync TM Premium technology 3 , gamers will enjoy supreme motion clarity in fast-paced games, with no tearing or stuttering. Since it runs Windows 11, it can play any game from any platform and includes three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate right out of the box. This holiday season, elevate your productivity with a high-performance ASUS laptop or desktop, and take your gaming experience to new heights, all at no additional cost. How to Claim Your Complementary ROG Ally Purchase an ASUS or ROG laptop or desktop priced at CA$1,499 or more from December 6 to December 19, 2024, at participating retailers. Check each retailer's specific terms to understand how the promotion applies, as eligibility and requirements may vary. Offer valid while supplies last. Terms & Conditions Both the purchased product and the complimentary ROG Ally must be returned together in the event of a product return. This promotion is valid only while supplies last and cannot be combined with other offers. Don’t miss this chance to enhance your tech setup with the best of ASUS and ROG! AVAILABILITY & PRICING This promotion is available on the ASUS Store , Best Buy , Canada Computers , Costco , Memory Express , and selected retailers in Canada from December 6 to December 19, 2024, or while supplies last. For more details about this offer, visit ASUS Canada or contact your nearest participating retailer. Please contact your local ASUS representative for further information. NOTES TO EDITORS ROG Ally Product Page: https://rog.asus.com/ca-en/gaming-handhelds/rog-ally/rog-ally-2023/ ASUS Store Promo Page: https://www.asus.com/ca-en/deals/rog-ally-bundle/ Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/collection/asus-rog-ally-offer/611701?mnp=1287423216_24-12-06_dsmdf_ch_asus_homepage_dailytakeover_grid4 Canada Computers: https://www.canadacomputers.com/en/listing/asus-bundles-20241205 Costco: https://www.costco.ca/asus-rog-ally-7-in.-touchscreen-handheld-gaming-computer%2c-amd-ryzen-z1-extreme---16-gb-ram%2c-512-ssd.product.4000321895.html Memory Express: https://www.memoryexpress.com/Brand/asus/ROGAllyHoliday.Offer.aspx ASUS Pressroom: http://press.asus.com ASUS Canada Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asuscanada/ ASUS Canada Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asus_ca ASUS Canada YouTube: https://ca.asus.click/youtube ASUS Global X (Twitter): https://www.x.com/asus SPECIFICATIONS 4 ASUS ROG Ally About ROG Republic of Gamers (ROG) is an ASUS sub-brand dedicated to creating the world’s best gaming hardware and software. Formed in 2006, ROG offers a complete line of innovative products known for performance and quality, including motherboards, graphics cards, system components, laptops, desktops, monitors, smartphones, audio equipment, routers, peripherals and accessories. ROG participates in and sponsors major international gaming events. ROG gear has been used to set hundreds of overclocking records and it continues to be the preferred choice of gamers and enthusiasts around the world. To become one of those who dare, learn more about ROG at http://rog.asus.com . 1 Some online retailers may apply this promotion exclusively to a selected range of laptops and desktops. Please refer to the retailer’s promotional page for a complete list of eligible products. Check with the online retailer for more information. 2 Both the purchased product and the complimentary ROG Ally must be returned together in the event of a product return. This promotion is valid only while supplies last and cannot be combined with other offers. 3 AMD FreeSync/FreeSync Premium/FreeSync Premium Pro technology requires AMD Radeon graphics and a display certified by AMD. See www.amd.com/freesync for complete details. Confirm capability with your system or display manufacturer before purchase. GD-127 4 Specifications, content and product availability are all subject to change without notice and may differ from country to country. Actual performance may vary depending on applications, usage, environment and other factors. Full specifications are available at http://www.asus.com 5 Bluetooth version may vary according to OS version 6 Terms and exclusions apply. Offer only available in eligible markets for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Eligible markets are determined at activation. Game catalog varies by region, device, and time A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3aa79808-37c2-40cb-b768-2796b9829d36Men’s basketball notes: Assane Diop giving productive minutes for CU Buffs
As the epic clash between Real Madrid and their formidable foes looms on the horizon, the football world holds its breath in anticipation of a showdown for the ages. The stage is set, the stakes are high, and the drama unfolds as the two titans lock horns in a battle of wills and skill. In this moment of truth, where legends are born and fates are decided, only one thing is certain – the pursuit of glory knows no bounds, and the quest for redemption spares none in its unrelenting march towards greatness.In November, China's total import and export value increased by 1.2% year-on-year. This steady growth in trade reflects the resilience and strength of China's economy amidst global uncertainties and challenges.
In conclusion, the announcement of the US Department of State to provide gear for 18-year-old citizens of Ukraine joining the fight is a powerful expression of solidarity and support for the people of Ukraine in their struggle for peace and security. It reinforces the strong bond between the United States and Ukraine and underscores the shared commitment to defending the principles of sovereignty and self-determination. With this initiative, the US is sending a clear message that it stands ready to assist Ukraine in the defense of its homeland and the preservation of its independence.Boeing Announces Layoffs of Nearly a Thousand Employees in California and Washington
NoneIn the unpredictable world of football, anything is possible. The same coach who suffered his career's biggest defeat with Barcelona four years ago may just be the one to lead Beijing Guoan to greatness in the years to come. Only time will tell what the future holds for Quique Setien, but one thing is for sure: he will never forget that fateful night when Barcelona fell to Bayern Munich in a match that will go down in history as one of the sport's most shocking upsets.
NoneIn addition to its technological prowess, the island was also commended for its commitment to environmental sustainability and green development. Through the integration of renewable energy sources and eco-friendly practices, Broad Domain Ming Island is setting a new standard for ecological responsibility in the industrial sector, serving as a model for sustainable development in the 21st century.
The Iron Hammer Wolves, known for their ruthless efficiency and relentless pursuit of victory, have been dominating the Century Grip 2.0 tournament with their signature style of play. Led by the enigmatic captain, Alex "The Hammer" Johnson, the Wolves have left a trail of destruction in their wake, crushing opponents with sheer force and power.
Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year
Will TikTok be banned in January? Here's where things stand as deadline nearsGiants receiver Malik Nabers could miss Saints game after MRI confirms hip flexorUnrivaled, the new 3-on-3 women's basketball league launching this winter, signed LSU star guard Flau'jae Johnson to a name, image and likeness deal. Johnson is the second college player to ink an agreement with Unrivaled, following UConn's Paige Bueckers. They won't be participating in the upcoming inaugural season, but Johnson and Bueckers will have equity stakes in the league. Unrivaled dropped a video on social media Thursday showing Johnson -- who also has a burgeoning rap career -- performing a song while wearing a shirt that reads, "The Future is Unrivaled." The deal will see Johnson create additional promotional content for the league. Johnson, 21, was a freshman on the LSU team that won the 2023 national championship. Now in her junior year, Johnson is averaging career highs of 22.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game through 10 games for the No. 5 Tigers (10-0). She ranks eighth in Division I in scoring. Johnson has career averages of 14.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in 82 career appearances (80 starts) for LSU. --Field Level MediaTALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Republican state lawmakers in Florida have filed two bills that would roll back gun control measures passed in the wake of the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Even with a conservative supermajority in the Legislature, the measures are expected to face some resistance in the state Senate, where the chamber’s new president has expressed opposition to certain gun rights proposals. After a gunman killed 17 people and injured 17 others at the suburban Broward County high school in 2018, survivors of the Parkland massacre and family members of the victims descended on the state capitol in an extraordinary feat of advocacy, demanding action from the Republican-led legislature that had previously shunned gun control measures but nonetheless passed wide-ranging legislation just weeks after the shooting. That included establishing a red flag law , which allows courts to take away guns from people who pose a danger to themselves or others, and a measure raising the age for buying a rifle from 18 to 21. Since then, gun rights advocates have been working to undo those provisions . RELATED COVERAGE Florida lawmaker’s party switch increases Republican supermajority in the House Trump’s Cabinet picks set off political chain reaction in Florida congressional races DeSantis appointee says he won’t help his elected replacement take office “I look forward to our state once again earning the title of the Gunshine State, where citizens are no longer asked to trade God-given freedoms for a politician’s empty promise of security,” Republican State Rep. Joel Rudman said in a statement announcing a bill he’s sponsoring that would allow the open carry of firearms and repeal the red flag law . Republican Sen. Randy Fine filed a measure that would roll back the law preventing people under the age of 21 from buying rifles. Both Rudman and Fine are running in crowded primaries for seats in the U.S. House after President-elect Donald Trump nominated two congressmen from Florida to serve in his incoming administration . While the Florida House has advanced gun rights bills in the years since Parkland, leaders in the state Senate have blocked certain measures . Last month, newly-sworn in Senate President Ben Albritton told reporters that he doesn’t support open carry and is skeptical of rolling back other measures passed in the wake of the 2018 shooting. “I’ve supported law enforcement my entire life (...) And I stand with them today in opposition,” Albritton said of open carry. ___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
But the question remains: is it actually fun to fight Nazis in a video game? While some may argue that the subject matter is too serious and sensitive to be portrayed in a gaming context, others believe that games like "Indiana Jones: The Ancient Ring" offer a unique opportunity to engage with history in an interactive and impactful way. By putting players in the shoes of a hero fighting against a real-world evil, the game allows for a sense of catharsis and empowerment that is both entertaining and thought-provoking.Novel fluorescent materials developed for real-time visualization of multi-component solvents and temperature
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The roof at the home of the Dallas Cowboys opened without incident and will stay that way for a Monday night meeting with the Cincinnati Bengals. It was to be the first game with the roof open at AT&T Stadium since Oct. 30, 2022, a 49-29 Dallas victory over Chicago. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a weekIs masked Aadhaar valid everywhere? Know how to download and use masked Aadhaar to avoid fraudsEarth just experienced its second-warmest November on record — second only to 2023 — making it all but certain that 2024 will end as the hottest year ever measured, according to a report Monday by European climate service Copernicus. Last year was the hottest on record due to human-caused climate change coupled with the effects of an El Nino. But after this summer registered as the hottest on record — Phoenix sweltered through 113 consecutive days with a high temperature of at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit — scientists anticipated 2024 would set a new annual record as well. In November, global temperatures averaged 14.10C (57.38F). Last year's global average temperature was 14.98C (59F). FILE - People are silhouetted against the sky at sunset Nov. 12 as they run in a park in Shawnee, Kan. Jennifer Francis, a climate scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Cape Cod, who wasn't involved in the report, said the big story about November is that "like 2023, it beat out previous Novembers by a large margin." This also likely will be the first calendar year in which the average temperature was more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times, the report said. The 2015 Paris Agreement said human-caused warming should be limited to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and ideally below 1.5. In the following years, the world's top scientist said limiting to 1.5 was crucial to stave off the worst impacts of climate change, such as increasing destructive and frequent extreme weather events. Scientists say the main cause of climate change is the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. That "does not mean that the Paris Agreement has been breached, but it does mean ambitious climate action is more urgent than ever," said Copernicus Deputy Director Samantha Burgess. A young family visiting Washington cools off from the warm weather in a fountain Nov. 6 at the base of the Washington Monument. Francis said the new records are "terrible news for people and ecosystems." "The pace of warming is so fast that plants and animals cannot adapt as they always have during previous changes in the Earth's climate. More species will go extinct, which disrupts natural food webs they're a part of. Agriculture will suffer as pollinators decline and pests flourish," she said, also warning that coastal communities will be vulnerable to sea-level rise. Heat waves over the oceans and a loss of reflective sea ice and snow cover probably contributed to the temperature increase this year, experts said. Copernicus said the extent of Antarctic sea ice in November was 10% below average, a record. Oceans absorb about 90% of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases, later releasing heat and water vapor back into the atmosphere. Last year's record heat was caused partly by an El Nino — a temporary natural warming of parts of the central Pacific that alters weather worldwide. People walk Nov. 27 on an autumn-colored ginkgo tree-lined avenue in Tokyo. But that ended this year and a cooling effect that often follows, called La Nina, failed to materialize, leaving the scientific community "a little perplexed by what's going on here ... why temperatures are staying high," said Jonathan Overpeck, a climate scientist at the University of Michigan. One explanation is that an El Nino releases more heat to the atmosphere because of warmer ocean waters, then "we're not getting the cooling effect that often in decades gone by helps bring the temperature back down," Overpeck said. "So it does look like this could be contributing to the acceleration of global warming. But this year, he said, "is such a big jump following yet another jump, and that's a scary thing." It's no secret that a warming world will drive food prices higher, a phenomenon increasingly known as " heatflation ." What's less known, but a growing area of interest among economists and scientists alike, is the role individual extreme weather events — blistering temperatures in Texas , a destructive tornado in Iowa — may have on what U.S. consumers pay at the supermarket. At first glance, the answer might seem logical: A drought or flood that impacts agricultural production will, eventually, drive up prices. But it's not that simple, because what consumers pay for groceries isn't only reflective of crop yields or herd sizes, but the whole supply chain. As Grist reports, that's where it gets interesting: Economists are beginning to see a growing trend that suggests weather forecasts play a part in sticker shock. Sometimes the mere prediction of an extreme event — like the record-breaking temperatures, hurricanes, and wildfires forecasters are bracing for this summer — can prompt a spike in prices. It isn't the forecast itself to blame, but concerns about what the weather to come might mean for the entire supply chain, as food manufacturers manage their risks and the expected future value of their goods, said Seungki Lee, an agricultural economist at Ohio State University. "When it comes to the climate risk on food prices, people typically look at the production side. But over the last two years, we learned that extreme weather can raise food prices, [cause] transportation disruptions, as well as production disruptions," said Lee. How much we pay for the food we buy is determined by retailers, who consider the producer's price, labor costs, and other factors. Any increases in what producers charge is typically passed on to consumers because grocery stores operate on thin profit margins. And if manufacturers expect to pay more for commodities like beef or specialty crops like avocados in the future, they may boost prices now to cover those anticipated increases. "The whole discussion about the climate risks on the food supply chain is based on probabilities," Lee said. "It is possible that we do not see extreme temperatures this summer, or even later this year. We may realize there was no significant weather shock hitting the supply chain, but unfortunately that will not be the end of the story." Supply chain disruptions and labor shortages are among the reasons food prices have climbed 25 percent since 2020 . Climate change may be contributing as well. A study published earlier this year found " heatflation " could push them up by as much as 3 percentage points per year worldwide in just over a decade and by about 2 percentage points in North America. Simultaneous disasters in major crop and cattle producing regions around the world — known as multi-breadbasket failure — are among the primary forces driving these costs. Crop shortages in these regions may also squeeze prices, which can create volatility in the global market and bump up consumer costs. Historically, a single, localized heat wave or storm typically wouldn't disrupt the supply chain enough to prompt price hikes. But a warming world might be changing that dynamic as extreme weather events intensify and simultaneous occurrences of them become the norm. How much this adds to consumers' grocery bills will vary, and depends upon whether these climate-fueled disasters hit what Lee calls "supply chain chokepoints" like vital shipping channels during harvest seasons. "As the weather is getting more and more volatile because of climate change, we are seeing this issue more frequently," he said. "So what that means is the supply chain is getting more likely to be jeopardized by these types of risks that we have never seen before." An ongoing drought that plagued the Mississippi River system from the fall of 2022 until February provides an excellent example of this. The Mississippi River basin, which covers 31 states, is a linchpin of America's agricultural supply chain. It produces 92 percent of the nation's agricultural exports, 78 percent of the world's feed grains and soybeans , and most of the country's livestock. Vessels navigating its roughly 2,350 miles of channels carry 589 million tons of cargo annually . Transportation barriers created by low water, seen above, hampered the ability of crop-producing states in the Corn Belt to send commodities like corn and soybeans, primarily used for cattle feed, to livestock producers in the South. Thus emerged a high demand, low supply situation as shipping and commodity prices shot up , with economists expecting consumers to absorb those costs . Past research showing that retail prices increase alongside commodity prices suggests that the drought probably contributed to higher overall food costs last year — and because droughts have a lingering impact on production even after they end, it may be fueling stubbornly high grocery prices today. But although it seems clear that the drought contributed to higher prices, particularly for meat and dairy products, just how much remains to be gauged. One reason for that is a lack of research analyzing the relationship between this particular weather event and the consumer market. Another is it's often difficult to tease out which of several possible factors, including global trade, war, and export bans , influence specific examples of sticker shock. While droughts definitely prompt decreases in agricultural production, Metin Çakır, an economist at the University of Minnesota, says whether that is felt by consumers depends on myriad factors. "This would mean higher raw ingredient costs for foods sold in groceries, and part of those higher costs will be passed onto consumers via higher prices. However, will consumer prices actually increase? The answer depends on many other supply and demand factors that might be happening at the same time as the impact of the drought," said Çakır. In a forthcoming analysis previewed by Grist, Çakır examined the relationship between an enduring drought in California, which produces a third of the nation's vegetables and nearly two-thirds of its fruits and nuts , and costs of produce purchased at large grocery retailers nationwide. While the event raised consumer vegetable prices to a statistically significant degree, they didn't increase as much as Çakır expected. This capricious consumer cost effect is due largely to the resiliency of America's food system . Public safety nets like crop insurance and other federal programs have played a large part in mitigating the impacts of adverse weather and bolstering the food supply chain against climate change and other shocks. By ensuring farmers and producers don't bear the brunt of those losses, these programs reduce the costs passed on to consumers. Advanced agricultural technology, modern infrastructure, substantial storage, and efficient transport links also help ensure retail price stability. A 2024 study of the role climate change played on the U.S. wheat market from 1950 to 2018 found that although the impact of weather shocks on price variability has increased with the frequency of extreme weather, adaptive mechanisms, like a well-developed production and distribution infrastructure with sufficient storage capacity, have minimized the impact on consumers. Still, the paper warns that such systems may collapse when faced with "unprecedented levels of weather variability." Last year was the world's warmest on record , creating an onslaught of challenges for crop and livestock producers nationwide. And this year is primed to be even more brutal , with the transition from El Niño — an atmospheric phenomenon that warms ocean temperatures — to La Niña , its counterpart that cools them. This cyclical change in global weather patterns is another potential threat for crop yields and source of supply chain pressures that economists and scientists are keeping an eye on. They will be particularly focused on the Midwest and stretches of the Corn Belt, two regions prone to drought as an El Niño cycle gives way to a La Niña, according to Weston Anderson, an assistant research scientist at the University of Maryland and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Those growing regions for corn and soybeans are what he'll be watching closely as La Niña develops. It's something Jennifer Ifft, an agricultural economist at Kansas State University, is also thinking about. "If you have a very severe drought in the Corn Belt ... that's going to be the biggest deal, because that's gonna raise the cost of production for cattle, hogs, poultry," said Ifft. "So that would probably have the largest inflationary impacts." As of January , U.S. beef herd inventory was at its lowest in 73 years, which multiple reports noted is due to the persisting drought that began in 2020 . Americans, the majority of whom are already spending more on groceries than last year, are poised to soon see "record" beef prices at the supermarket. Food prices are also expected to rise another 2.2 percent in 2024 , according to the USDA's Economic Research Service. In a world enmeshed in extremes, our already-fragile food supply chain could be the next system teetering on the edge of collapse because of human-caused climate change. And costlier groceries linked to impending risk is the first of many warning signs that it is already splintering. This story was produced by Grist and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. Get the daily forecast and severe weather alerts in your inbox!
One of the standout features of "Dark Myth: Wukong" is its meticulous attention to detail when it comes to visual design. The game's stunning graphics and meticulously crafted environments transport players to a world that is as visually captivating as it is immersive. From lush forests to imposing mountains and mystical temples, every corner of this fantastical realm is brought to life with jaw-dropping realism and artistic flair.What is the religious book used during new Sen. Adam Schiff’s swearing-in?