A Story of Humanity, Heroism and Forgotten History Opens at Laemmle Monica Center Nov 22-28 to Qualify LOS ANGELES , Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sinking of The Lisbon Maru , directed by Fang Li, had its North American Premiere at the Asian World Film Festival on November 18, 2024 , where it screened to a packed theatre and received an enthusiastic response from the audience. The feature documentary " The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru" begins its Oscar® qualifying run at the Laemmle Monica Film Center in Santa Monica on Friday, Nov 22 – 28. While filming on Dongji Island, Director Fang Li heard a story of the sinking of the Japanese freighter the Lisbon Maru. Wondering why this story was unknown he set out to find the ship's final resting place. This was a second world war story that had been swept under the carpet, the men who perished mostly forgotten. Fang could not shake the thought that the young men who drowned could have been his children. He knew he had to bring their story and memory to life. "As I learned more about the Lisbon Maru , I realized it was more than a forgotten tragedy—it is a story about courage and how strong we can be even when facing the unimaginable. Bringing this story to life is my way of honoring the young men who died and making sure that their bravery and that of the Chinese fishermen will not be forgotten," Director Fang Li stated. SYNOPSIS : On Oct 2, 1942 , the Japanese freighter Lisbon Maru , carrying 1,816 British POWs, was spotted off the coast of China by a U.S. submarine. Normally avoiding civilian freighters, the submarine crew saw armed Japanese troops on deck and fired a torpedo, unaware of the prisoners locked in the ship's three holds. As the ship began to sink, Japanese troops covered the holds with planks and canvas, trapping the POWs. Some prisoners managed to break free and jumped overboard, but many drowned or were shot by Japanese soldiers. Shortly afterwards, a Japanese Navy vessel arrived and evacuated the soldiers, leaving the remaining POWs as the freighter sunk. Braving gunfire, fishermen from Zhoushan Island launched their boats and rescued 384 survivors, while 828 perished. Later, the Japanese military arrived in Zhoushan to retrieve the POWs and transport them to Japanese camps. ABOUT FANG LI . PRODUCER / DIRECTOR Fang Li, producer/director of The Sinking of Lisbon Mary, has the right background and tools to bring this story to the screen. Fascinated by what goes on beneath the waves and over them, he has worked in geophysical exploration, marine survey and has been in the underwater intervention equipment for more than 30 years. Since 2010 he has been a designer of autonomous surface vehicles and remotely operated vehicles. This is his first film as a director. However, as an independent producer and writer in China he has made 15 films since 2000. He holds a BS degree in applied geophysics from East China University of Technology and an MBA from Wake Forest University . Press Contact: Rick Markovitz Weissman/Markovitz Communications 818-760-8995 [email protected] SOURCE Fang Lix YouTube Video Listen to our archived episodes: Pandora | LibSyn | YouTube Support the show: Patreon | PayPal: 1x or monthly | Square Cash * David Waldman counts the days until our next big national funding crisis . Crises more than two weeks off seem like science fiction, don’t they? Won’t we have solved it with AI by then? AI might be a lousy search engine , but it will argue with you as well as any idiot. “Giving a woman an orgasm on purpose is gay” is not AI, but an actual idiot’s opinion . AI also could never have predicted what really motivated economically anxious Republicans in the election. President Joe Biden will hopefully prioritize KITM staff pardons, but Liz Cheney and Anthony Fauci are probably next in line . The " Deny, Defend, Depose " shooter is still at large, flashing his dashing Gyllenhaalian smile while cleverly changing his backpack color, number of coat pockets, and means of transportation to elude the authorities, while ballads are sung of his exploits . We are reminded that it’s unseemly to pattern one’s social movement on the acts of law breakers. Now someone else at United Healthcare will need to sign off on hundreds of millions in ransomware payments . Devout breeder Elon Musk isn’t quite a devout Christian but is ok with you worshiping him . Elon sits at the right hand of Trump, because he outbid all of the other saviors . Musk spent $20 million on a fake “RBG” PAC, because the only thing more important than control to Elon is trolling . Trump’s working on the budget as well, helping weed out any funding not going to an Elon Musk venture , even if it means firing Louis DeJoy . Instead of a gold standard, perhaps we can base our economy on pump and dumping meme stocks ? Hawk Tuah ! House Republicans blocked release of the Matt Gaetz ethics report, because they can . Democratic Representative Sean Casten might still force them to release it, though.
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DMACC plans to offer a certificate and associate degree in AI starting in the fall for students, working with national partners and mentors. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Des Moines Area Community College has expanded its partnerships in developing curriculum for education on artificial intelligence to better prepare students for a changing professional world. The community college announced last week that it has been selected to join the National Applied AI Consortium Mentorship program, which will provide DMACC with support and resources from colleges and universities with their own established AI curriculum. Executive Academic Dean for Business and Information Technology Anne Power said DMACC is also working to expand its AI education from non-credit, basic courses into an associate degree and certificate to help students and employers across the state gain the necessary knowledge and skills to deal with AI in their work. “I think it’s important that our education system in general does take the lead on AI in the state of Iowa, so that we can help educate our industry partners, governmental agencies on AI and how they can use it effectively in their organizations,” Power said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The consortium, developed by Miami Dade College, Houston Community College and Maricopa County Community College District, will give DMACC access to mentorship and resources from the colleges’ already-established AI curriculum, Power said. Only two other community colleges are involved on the mentee side of the consortium. Miami Dade College AI faculty member Norge Pena Perez has been assigned to work with DMACC, Power said, and in group meetings they have already discussed what courses and competencies should be included in curriculum and barriers that students have dealt with in the past in other programs. “It is all mentorship — how to develop the curriculum, how to market the program,” Power said. DMACC this fall became the first Intel AI for Workforce college partner in Iowa, aiding the college in developing curriculum for introductory, non-credit courses on AI. The first course, which started in October with 22 enrolled continuing education students, filled up within a couple of days, said Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence faculty member Becky Deitenbeck. The class is eight weeks long. A second course starting in November was offered to meet demand, which also met capacity. As it is an introductory class to the topic and industry of artificial intelligence, she said students are given broad strokes of its history, different ways it is utilized and where it has already been applied in the real world, like the Christmas Coca-Cola ad that was developed with AI graphics. “I always like to call it the 5,000-foot view of AI,” Deitenbeck said. When AI is brought up in conversation, Deitenbeck said people’s thoughts usually go to generative programs like ChatGPT, but in reality artificial intelligence has been around in different fashions for around 50 years. Deitenbeck said students are shown AI’s presence in different industries and its functions, and how and why it has become more popular. “It’s recently gained traction because we have not only the computing power, but also the resources in order to utilize the capabilities of these large language models,” Deitenbeck said. A separate, non-credit course on the ethics of AI will be available to students starting next semester alongside the introductory class. Power said the community college is currently working to get AI certificate and associate degree programs approved so students can enroll for the fall semester. One area of concern surrounding AI is the idea that people’s jobs will disappear as a result of these programs, Deitenbeck said, but she doesn’t believe this is true. Industry leaders have requested AI training for their employees, Power said, which served as a sort of catalyst for the college’s delve into AI education possibilities. AI is in the “forefront of everyone’s minds at this point in time,” Power said, with it impacting many, if not all, aspects of people’s lives. Deitenbeck said it affects how people create graphics, write code and complete other tasks, but that doesn’t mean that people’s careers or ways of life will go away. “There’s a lot of opportunities and exciting items on the horizon, even from an educational standpoint, in being able to ensure that students going into the workforce have the skills necessary that they need to be successful,” Deitenbeck said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
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NoneBy Stephanie Lai and Hadriana Lowenkron, Bloomberg News Donald Trump says he is selecting venture capitalist David Sacks of Craft Ventures LLC to serve as his artificial intelligence and crypto czar, a newly created position that underscores the president-elect’s intent to boost two rapidly developing industries. “David will guide policy for the Administration in Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrency, two areas critical to the future of American competitiveness. David will focus on making America the clear global leader in both areas,” Trump said Thursday in a post on his Truth Social network. Trump said that Sacks would also lead the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. In Sacks, Trump is tapping one of his most prominent Silicon Valley supporters and fundraisers for a prime position in his administration. Sacks played a key role in bolstering Trump’s fundraising among technology industry donors, including co-hosting an event at his San Francisco home in June, with tickets at $300,000 a head. He is also closely associated with Vice President-elect JD Vance, the investor-turned-Ohio senator. Sacks is a venture capitalist and part of Silicon Valley’s “PayPal Mafia.” He first made his name in the technology industry during a stint as the chief operating officer of PayPal, the payments company whose founders in the late 1990s included billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and investor Peter Thiel. After it was sold to eBay, Sacks turned to Hollywood, where he produced the 2005 satire Thank You for Smoking. Back in Silicon Valley, he founded workplace communications company Yammer, which was bought by Microsoft Corp. in 2012 for $1.2 billion. He founded his own venture capital firm, Craft Ventures, in 2017 and has invested in Musk-owned businesses, including SpaceX. Sacks said on a recent episode of his All-In podcast that a “key man” clause in the agreements of his venture firm’s legal documents would likely prevent him from taking a full-time position, but he might consider an advisory role in the new administration. A Craft spokeswoman said Sacks would not be leaving Craft. In his post, Trump said Sacks “will safeguard Free Speech online, and steer us away from Big Tech bias and censorship.” Protecting free speech is a keen interest of Sacks. He regularly speaks about “woke” interests that try to muzzle unpopular opinions and positions. The new post is expected to help spearhead the crypto industry deregulation Trump promised on the campaign trail. The role is expected to provide cryptocurrency advocates a direct line to the White House and serve as a liaison between Trump, Congress and the federal agencies that interface with digital assets, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Trump heavily campaigned on supporting crypto, after previously disparaging digital assets during his first White House term, saying their “value is highly volatile and based on thin air.” The president-elect on Thursday said Sacks would “work on a legal framework so the Crypto industry has the clarity it has been asking for, and can thrive in the U.S.” During the campaign, Trump spoke at a Bitcoin conference, accepted crypto campaign donations and met with executives from Bitcoin mining companies and crypto exchanges multiple times. Trump’s desire to give priority to the digital asset industry is also reflected in his close allies and cabinet selections, including his Commerce secretary pick, Howard Lutnick, and Treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent. On the AI front, Sacks would help Trump put his imprint on an emerging technology whose popular use has exploded in recent years. Sacks is poised to be at the front lines in determining how the federal government both adopts AI and regulates its use as advances in the technology and adoption by consumers pose a wide array of benefits as well as risks touching on national security, privacy, jobs and other areas. The president-elect has expressed both awe at the power of AI technology as well as concern over the potential harms from its use. During his first term, he signed executive orders that sought to maintain US leadership in the field and directed the federal government to prioritize AI in research and development spending. As AI has become more mainstream in recent years and with Congress slow to act, President Joe Biden has sought to fill that void. Biden signed an executive order in 2023 that establishes security and privacy protections and requires developers to safety-test new models, casting the sweeping regulatory order as necessary to safeguard consumers. A number of technology giants have also agreed to adopt a set of voluntary safeguards which call for them to test AI systems for discriminatory tendencies or security flaws and to share those results. Trump has vowed to repeal Biden’s order. The Republican Party’s 2024 platform dismissed Biden’s executive order as one that “hinders AI Innovation, and imposes Radical Leftwing ideas on the development of this technology.” Sacks can be expected to work closely with Musk, the world’s richest person and one of the president-elect’s most prominent supporters. Musk is also a player in the AI space with his company xAI and a chatbot named Grok — efforts which pit him against Silicon Valley’s giants — and he stands to wield significant influence within the incoming administration. The appointment won’t require Sacks to divest or publicly disclose his assets. Like Musk, Sacks will be a special government employee. He can serve a maximum of 130 days per year, with or without compensation. However, conflict of interest rules apply to special government employees, meaning Sacks will have to recuse himself from matters that could impact his holdings. Sacks’s Craft Ventures is known more for enterprise software investing than for crypto, but it has made a few crypto investments, including BitGo and Bitwise. Still, Sacks has firm opinions on the sector. Speaking last month on All-In, Sacks praised a bill on crypto regulation that had passed in the U.S. House but not the Senate earlier this year. The Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act would regulate certain types of digital assets as a commodity, regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. “The crypto industry basically wants a really clear line for knowing when they’re a commodity and they want commodities to be governed, like all other commodities, by the CFTC,” he said on the November podcast. He also disparaged some of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s positions on crypto under its chair, Gary Gensler. “The days of Gensler terrifying crypto companies,” he said. “Those days are about to be over.” Earlier this week, Trump nominated crypto advocate Paul Atkins to lead the SEC. With assistance from Zoe Ma, Bill Allison, Sarah McBride, Anne VanderMey and stacy-marie ishmael. ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.The Winnipeg Jets have been getting a glimpse of life without Nikolaj Ehlers lately as the flashy winger remains sidelined with a lower-body injury. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * The Winnipeg Jets have been getting a glimpse of life without Nikolaj Ehlers lately as the flashy winger remains sidelined with a lower-body injury. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? The Winnipeg Jets have been getting a glimpse of life without Nikolaj Ehlers lately as the flashy winger remains sidelined with a lower-body injury. It hasn’t been pretty. They’ve only won two of the (mostly) six games he’s missed, scoring just 13 goals in the process. The power play has gone from potent to punchless in the form of an ugly two-for-18 rut. Jeff McIntosh / THE CANADIAN PRESS files Nikolaj Ehlers, second from left, celebrates a power play goal with teammates in October. The Jets have been pedestrian at best with the man advantage since Ehlers was injured in late November. In three of the four Winnipeg losses — in Vegas (the game Ehlers got hurt), in Dallas and on Sunday at home against Columbus — the score was tied in the third period, the outcome still very much up for grabs. Those are ones where a game-breaker like Ehlers can be so valuable. Instead, the Jets came away with nothing. Might they have been able to snatch a victory or two along the way if Ehlers was in the lineup? We’ll never know, but it certainly would have increased their odds. Ehlers, 28, was off to a terrific start and on track to have the best season of his now decade-long career, with 25 points (9G, 16A) in his first 24 games. He’s never been a point-per-game player, coming closest during the COVID-impacted campaign in 2021 with 46 points (21G, 25A) in 47 games. When he’s healthy — and that’s unfortunately been an issue now in parts of five different years even though he did play all 82 last year — Ehlers is as dynamic as they come, with a mix of speed and skill and savvy instinct that is hard to replace. Impossible, really. When it comes to the power play, Ehlers was feasting in the “pop” position and was a major reason the Jets had the No. 1 unit in the league. Without him, those numbers have taken a hit as they often struggle even to gain entry into the offensive zone and get set up. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Cole Perfetti has replaced him on the top unit and simply doesn’t have the experience, nor the speed, to replicate what he does. Ehlers is never afraid to shoot the puck, either, and the Jets have been guilty of over-passing and trying to get too cute at times in his absence. At five-on-five, Brad Lambert was summoned from the Manitoba Moose to take Ehlers’ spot beside Perfetti and Vlad Namestnikov. Although he showed some promising glimpses — the dynamic Lambert might be the closest thing the Jets have to a reasonable facsimile of Ehlers — the 20-year-old didn’t record a point in four games and was sent back to the AHL on Monday afternoon. Nikita Chibrikov, 21, was called up to take his spot, and the Moose’s leading scorer (13 points in 19 games) appears next in line to try to help fill the void. Ehlers is in the final year of his seven-year, US$42-million contract and set to become an unrestricted free agent next July 1. A compelling argument can be made that seeing how the team looks without him lately has increased his value. No doubt his agent will have that mindset. Paul Vernon / The Associated Press files Before his injury, Ehlers was off to a terrific start this season with 25 points in his first 24 games. A multi-game stretch without Ehlers in November and December is one thing. Are the Jets prepared to absorb his loss for good? If so, how? It’s impossible to predict how this might play out. Other drafted-and-developed core players such as Mark Scheifele, Connor Hellebuyck, Josh Morrissey and Kyle Connor never got to the point of playing a single game in their pending UFA seasons as they inked lengthy contract extensions. In that sense, has this already reached the point of no return for Ehlers, the ninth-overall pick from 2014? The Jets did lock up trade addition Nino Niederreiter last December after he’d played a couple months in the final year of his deal, so perhaps that could happen with Ehlers. It’s also possible the Jets simply let this play out, the way they did with defenceman Dylan DeMelo last year, and then re-engage before he can hit the open market. Of course, you need two to tango, and there’s no telling how Ehlers feels about all of this. He’s brushed off questions since training camp about the issue and clearly has no interest in discussing it publicly. One thing is clear: With the salary cap set to rise significantly, Winnipeg should have no problems finding a way to make the money work. With the Jets still in great shape at 20-9-0 overall, we can probably rule out moving Ehlers at the trade deadline, the way they did with UFA Andrew Copp a few seasons ago when they were not in the playoff race. The worst-case scenario here is they use him as their own “rental,” even if it ultimately means getting no assets in return should he eventually sign with another club. Ehlers has plenty of company, as forwards Namestnikov, Mason Appleton and Alex Iafallo and defencemen Neal Pionk, Haydn Fleury and Dylan Coghlan are also pending UFAs. If nothing else, that’s a lot of motivated skaters who are playing for their next contracts. The good news for the Jets is their sizzling start to the year, winning 15 of the first 16 games, gave them plenty of cushion to absorb some bumps along the way such as the temporary loss of Ehlers, who went down awkwardly after trying to hit Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev on Nov. 30. There’s also hope that his absence won’t extend much longer. Initially listed as day-to-day, he was placed on injured reserve last week but is eligible to come off at any time now. Following the 4-1 defeat to the Blue Jackets to open a four-game homestand, coach Scott Arniel was asked by the for an update. Paul Vernon / The Associated Press files Ehlers, centre, celebrates a goal with linemates Cole Perfetti and Vlad Namestnikov. Ehlers is in the final year of his seven-year contract with the Jets and set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2025. “There’ll be a chance he might be skating this week. We’ll see,” he said. “Good chance he’ll be out on the ice this week.” The Jets took Monday off after a busy stretch which saw them play 10 times over a 17-day stretch. In addition to losing Ehlers, shutdown defenceman Dylan Samberg also suffered a broken foot and is out at least another couple of weeks, while the likes of Scheifele, Namestnikov and DeMelo have been playing through various ailments. With just three games now over an eight-day span, it’s a good chance to rest up and hopefully heal up. The Jets will return to the ice on Tuesday as they host the Boston Bruins. Might Ehlers be ready to at least take a twirl at the morning skate? Winnipeg also has practices set for Wednesday and Friday this week in between games against Vegas (Thursday) and the Montreal Canadiens (Saturday). Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and the Jets (and their fans) should certainly be pining for the speedy return of the guy known as “Fly.” mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the before joining the in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. . Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Earth 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." People are also reading... OSU football: A prediction gone badly wrong The real reason Corvallis' Pastega Lights moved to Linn County Corvallis decides layout for new civic campus — with a side of strife Albany man pleads to numerous sex crimes 2025 to bring rate increases, new fee for hauling Corvallis waste Court dismisses jail-related Benton County whistleblower complaint As I See It: Six reasons why Trump won again Corvallis Samaritan hospital has new CEO Graduate employees reach deal with OSU to end strike Graduate strike at OSU continues. What's the holdup? OSU football: Beavers add 18 players as signing period opens Agreement reached (again), GAPS teachers get new contract Corvallis woman cuts hair for homeless: 'The Lord gave me a calling' Family objects to Jefferson man’s sex offense sentence OSU women's basketball: Beavers earn home win over Grambling State 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." How forecasts of bad weather can drive up your grocery bill How forecasts of bad weather can drive up your grocery bill 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." Lower water levels slow down barges on the Mississippi River 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!
Enugu Crashes External Debt By $39.8m As Mbah Leads 17 New Govs In Reduction – StatiSenseAn illegal alien, wanted in Ecuador for his ties to the rape of a child, was released into the United States by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Adrian Patricio Huerta-Nivelo, a 25-year-old illegal alien from Ecuador, first crossed the border near San Luis, Arizona, and was apprehended by Border Patrol on June 4, 2021. Huerta-Nivelo, like millions of illegal aliens under Biden and Harris, was given a Notice to Appear (NTA) before a federal immigration judge and was released on an order of recognizance that same day. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents learned days after Huerta-Nivelo’s release from DHS custody that he was wanted in connection to the rape of a child in Ecuador. ICE agents arrested Huerta-Nivelo on June 12, 2021, in Boston, Massachusetts. Huerta-Nivelo remained in ICE custody pending deportation proceedings. A federal immigration judge ordered Huerta-Nivelo deported from the U.S. on October 22 of this year. He was deported on December 3 and turned over to Ecuadoran law enforcement. John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here .
Rubrik's chief revenue officer sells $1.6 million in stock
Priority Income Fund Announces 12.0% Annualized Total Cash Distribution Rate (on Class R Offering Price) with “Bonus” and “Base” Common Shareholder Distributions for December 2024 through February 2025 and Declaration of Preferred Stock Distributions for December 2024
Hyperchanging Tech Markets Demand Smarter Procurement and Agile Evaluation, Says Info-Tech Research GroupOTTAWA - TikTok is challenging the federal government’s order to shut down its operations in Canada. The company filed documents in Federal Court in Vancouver last Thursday. In November, Ottawa ordered the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform. That means TikTok must “wind down” its operations in Canada, though the app will continue to be available to Canadians. TikTok is asking the court to overturn the government’s order and to put a pause on the order going into effect while the court hears the case. It is claiming the decision was “unreasonable” and “driven by improper purposes.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2024.
Conservative Texas lawmakers and power brokers in recent years have criticized university professors for being “woke” activists who indoctrinate college students with far-left teachings and ideas. Now, as state lawmakers head back to the Capitol for the 2025 legislative session, they could limit the influence faculty have over campus culture and curriculum. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants lawmakers to recommend potential changes to the roles of faculty senates, which traditionally take the lead on developing curriculum — and ensuring professors have the academic freedom to teach and research their subject areas without fear of political interference. But conservatives say university curriculum has been infused with ideologies that have helped take higher education in Texas in an overly liberal direction. “If we’re going to refocus our universities on their mission of open inquiry and freedom of speech, we’ve got to take a look at the curriculum and who’s controlling it,” Sherry Sylvester, a fellow at the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation, told state senators in November. Some Texas professors, though, fear the Republican-controlled Legislature could undermine a long-standing balance of power at universities that’s meant to protect higher education from politicization. Their concerns are that without a proper voice on campus, and a guarantee that faculty have control over their teaching and research, faculty might leave Texas or be less likely to take a job at a Texas university, research would be imperiled, and there would be no checks and balances on university leadership. “There’s very clearly an ideological based attack against higher education and more specifically against faculty,” said Michael Harris, a professor of higher education at Southern Methodist University, a private institution in Dallas. “A place where faculty are most noticeable is a faculty senate.” Here’s a look at faculty senates in Texas and the role they play in higher education. What faculty senates do Faculty senates are made up of professors from across a university. The body approves academic policies, curriculum design, faculty hiring and evaluation, and other issues that impact the academic mission. They also relay university-wide news and plans back to their colleagues.. The senates often meet monthly and invite guests from the administration to speak directly to faculty on university issues. “They provide a critical advisory voice on so many things we do on campus,” Texas A&M University President Mark Welsh recently told reporters. “The faculty senate does work that is fundamentally important to what we do as a university.” Faculty at many Texas universities elect a professor in their specific college to serve as a representative on the senate. Faculty will typically elect a chair or co-chairs for a one or two year term. Other faculty members can serve on specific committees that provide recommendations to leadership on specific issues, such as budget, research or facility planning. Faculty say that it’s vital that they have a voice in the decision making processes and that university boards of regents listen to those on the ground when making decisions that impact their work. “At a Fortune 500 company, you wouldn’t want the CEO to make every single decision,” said Harris, the SMU professor. “They don’t have time. People close to the product line or business aspect are best able to do that. The same thing is true here. You want your faculty who teach undergrads to make policy (about undergrads). They know the issues there better.” Bill Carroll served as president of the University of Texas at Arlington’s faculty senate four years ago. He said administrators often haven’t taught in a classroom in years and rely on current faculty to share their experiences that can help shape decision-making. “The faculty senate can provide that input and that information to administration so they can understand how the faculty are perceiving things and understand what faculty needs to do their job in an effective way,” he said. How faculty senates fit into a university’s power structure Public universities and university systems are overseen by boards of regents, who are appointed by the governor. Those boards hire university presidents, who serve as a CEO of the institution. While there is nothing in state law that specifies how faculty senates should be organized or function, many universities have adopted rules based on the American Association of University Professors’ guidance that faculty have academic freedom in the classroom and in research. They also rely on the 1966 Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities to guide how boards, presidents and faculty senates interact to operate the university. This statement was developed by national organizations that represent faculty, university presidents and governing boards. The statement spells out who should handle each sector of university operations. “It’s not something that was just drawn up by faculty saying, ‘Here is our best practice, deal with it,’” said Joey Velasco, president of the Texas Council of Faculty Senates who also teaches at Sul Ross State University in Far West Texas. “It really was a joint effort.” Faculty should be responsible for curriculum, methods of instruction and research, the statement reads. If the governing board or university president ultimately makes a decision that goes against the faculty’s wishes, that statement urges the board or president to communicate those reasons with the faculty. “It’s through open dialogue and mutual respect and a shared vision that faculty, administrators and governing boards can ensure their institutions continue to thrive,” Velasco said. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has routinely criticized faculty senates Faculty senates found themselves in Patrick’s crosshairs three years ago when he boldly declared he wanted to end tenure for new faculty hires at Texas’ public universities. It was a radical legislative priority condemned by faculty groups across the country. At the time, Patrick was honest about his motivations: he was angry at The Faculty Council at the University of Texas at Austin. The elected group of faculty had passed a nonbinding resolution reaffirming their right to teach critical race theory in the college classroom after the state banned its teaching in K-12 schools. In the statement, faculty at UT-Austin said they will “stand firm against any and all encroachment on faculty authority including by the legislature or the Board of Regents.” Patrick called the professors “Loony Marxists” on social media and accused them of poisoning the minds of college students with such teaching. Ending tenure would make it easier to terminate or punish faculty who were teaching these ideas. Patrick ultimately was unable to outright ban tenure at Texas’ public universities. But Harris said it’s clear that the Faculty Council “poked the bear.” “I do wonder, were it not for that, would it have been as much on the radar,” Harris said, though he feels like the wave of similar actions at universities in other states, such as Florida , would’ve led Texas to take similar routes. Faculty senates can formally voice a lack of confidence in university leadership Faculty senates largely garner the most attention outside the university when they issue a vote of no confidence in a school leader. These votes are non binding, but are meant as a way for faculty to express their discontent with the direction a president is taking the school. Sometimes, they can lead to the resignation of a university leader. Other times, they’re completely ignored. Last year, most faculty members at West Texas A&M University in Canyon said they lost confidence in the president for a variety of issues, including his decision to cancel a student drag show on campus. Nothing happened after the vote and Walter Wendler remained president. At Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, faculty took a vote of no confidence in the leadership of former President Scott Gordon after he accepted an $85,000 pay bump amid a COVID-19 budget shortfall. In that case, the board of regents stood behind Gordon despite the no confidence vote. Still, he stepped down six months later. Nationally, a Chronicle of Higher Education analysis found that a president ends up leaving office within a year of a no-confidence vote about half of the time. This spring, more than 600 faculty at UT-Austin signed a letter stating they had no confidence in President Jay Hartzell’s leadership after police arrested a swath of pro-Palestinian demonstrators protesting the war in Gaza. However, that letter came from the UT-Austin chapter of the American Association of University Professors, not the Faculty Council. Other states have moved to limit faculty power Across the country, other states have sought to curtail the power and freedoms of faculty. The Arizona Legislature passed a law that would reduce the power of faculty senates. The bill eliminated language in the state that says the faculty “shall participate in” or “share responsibility” for academic and personnel decisions. Instead, professors could only “consult with” university leaders on decisions. Arizona’s Democratic governor vetoed the bill. When Florida passed a higher education bill that banned diversity, equity and inclusion programs at public institutions last year, it also included language that said public university presidents and administrators are not bound by faculty recommendations or opinions in hiring decisions. In Texas, at a November state Senate Higher Education Subcommittee meeting, Sylvestor, with the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation, suggested that the Legislature require all faculty senate votes to be public, all meetings be open to the public and live streamed, and all curriculum changes made public. Many faculty senates at Texas universities already livestream their meetings and post agendas and minutes online. Velasco with the Texas Council for Faculty Senates said many votes are taken publicly, too. But there are instances when private voting is better, he said, such as when faculty vote whether to award tenure. This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Earth 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!
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