Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump’s promised crackdown on immigrationFreezing rain hits Lincoln at drive-time Friday; city treating streets
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. Local Weather Get the daily forecast and severe weather alerts in your inbox!Cosy hostelry off Cornmarket is our pub of the week
All amounts in US dollars unless otherwise indicated BROOKFIELD, News, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brookfield Renewable today announced that the Toronto Stock Exchange (the " TSX ”) has accepted notices filed by Under BEP's normal course issuer bid for LP Units, BEP is authorized to repurchase up to 14,255,578 LP Units, representing 5% of its issued and outstanding LP Units. At the close of business on December 5, 2024, there were 285,111,569 LP Units issued and outstanding. Under BEP's normal course issuer bid, it may repurchase up to 74,937 LP Units on the TSX during any trading day, which represents 25% of the average daily trading volume of 299,749 LP Units for the six months ended November 30, 2024. Under BEPC's normal course issuer bid for Exchangeable Shares, BEPC is authorized to repurchase up to 8,982,042 Exchangeable Shares, representing 5% of its issued and outstanding Exchangeable Shares. At the close of business on December 5, 2024, there were 179,640,851 Exchangeable Shares issued and outstanding. Under BEPC's normal course issuer bid, it may repurchase up to 70,747 Exchangeable Shares on the TSX during any trading day, which represents 25% of the average daily trading volume of 282,988 Exchangeable Shares for the six months ended November 30, 2024. Under BEP's normal course issuer bid for Preferred Units, BEP is authorized to repurchase a total of approximately 10% of the public float of each respective series of the Preferred Units as follows: 2. For the 6 months ended November 30 , 20 2 4 . 3. In accordance with TSX rules, any daily repurchases with respect to t he Series 18 Preferred Units would be limited to 1,000 Series 18 Preferred Units . Under BRP Equity's normal course issuer bid for Preferred Shares, BRP Equity is authorized to repurchase a total of approximately 10% of the public float of each respective series of the Preferred Shares as follows: 5. For the 6 months ended November 30 , 20 2 4 . 6. In accordance with TSX rules, any daily repurchases with respect to the Series 2 Preferred Shares , the Series 5 Preferred Shares and the Series 6 Preferred Shares would be limited to 1,000 Preferred Shares of such series . Repurchases under each normal course issuer bid are authorized to commence on December 18, 2024 and each normal course issuer bid will terminate on December 17, 2025, or earlier should Brookfield Renewable or BRP Equity, as applicable, complete repurchases under its respective normal course issuer bids prior to such date. Under BEP's prior normal course issuer bid for LP Units that commenced on December 18, 2023 and expires on December 17, 2024, BEP previously sought and received approval from the TSX to repurchase up to 14,361,497 LP Units. As of December 5, 2024, BEP has repurchased 2,279,654 LP Units under its current normal course issuer bid through open market transactions on the TSX and alternative trading systems at a weighted average price per LP Unit of approximately CDN$30.86. Under BEPC's prior normal course issuer bid that commenced on December 18, 2023 and expires on December 17, 2024, BEPC previously sought and received approval from the TSX to repurchase up to 8,982,586 Exchangeable Shares. BEPC has not repurchased any Exchangeable Shares under its existing normal course issuer bid in the past 12 months. Under BEP's prior normal course issuer bid for Preferred Units that commenced on December 18, 2023 and expires on December 17, 2024, BEP previously sought and received approval from the TSX to repurchase up to 700,000 Series 7 Preferred Units, 1,000,000 Series 13 Preferred Units, 700,000 Series 15 Preferred Units and 600,000 Series 18 Preferred Units. BEP did not repurchase any Preferred Units under this normal course issuer bid. Under BRP Equity's prior normal course issuer bid that commenced on December 18, 2023 and expires on December 17, 2023, BRP Equity previously sought and received approval from the TSX to repurchase up to 684,953 Series 1 Preferred Shares, 311,053 Series 2 Preferred Shares, 996,139 Series 3 Preferred Shares, 411,450 Series 5 Preferred Shares and 700,000 Series 6 Preferred Shares. BRP Equity did not repurchase any Preferred Shares under this normal course issuer bid. All purchases of the LP Units and Exchangeable Shares will be effected through the facilities of the TSX and/or the New York Stock Exchange and/or alternative trading systems in Canada and/or the United States. All purchases of Preferred Units and Preferred Shares will be effected through facilities of the TSX and/or alternative trading systems in Canada. All LP Units, Preferred Units, Exchangeable Shares and Preferred Shares acquired under the applicable normal course issuer bid will be cancelled. Repurchases will be subject to compliance with applicable Canadian securities laws. BEP and BEPC intend to enter into automatic share purchase plans, which have been pre-cleared by the TSX, on or about the week of December 23, 2024 in relation to their respective normal course issuer bids. The automatic share purchase plans will allow for the purchase of LP Units, Preferred Units and Exchangeable Shares, as applicable, subject to certain trading parameters, at times when BEP or BEPC, as applicable, ordinarily would not be active in the market due to its own internal trading blackout periods, insider trading rules or otherwise. Outside these periods, LP Units, Preferred Units or Exchangeable Shares, as applicable, will be repurchased in accordance with management's discretion, in compliance with applicable law. Brookfield Renewable Brookfield Renewable operates one of the world's largest publicly traded platforms for renewable power and sustainable solutions. Our renewable power portfolio consists of hydroelectric, wind, utility-scale solar, distributed generation and storage facilities in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Our operating capacity totals over 35,000 megawatts and our development pipeline stands at approximately 200,000 megawatts. Our portfolio of sustainable solutions assets includes our investments in Westinghouse (a leading global nuclear services business) and a utility and independent power producer with operations in the Caribbean and Latin America, as well as both operating assets and a development pipeline of carbon capture and storage capacity, agricultural renewable natural gas and materials recycling. Investors can access the portfolio either through Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P. (NYSE: BEP; TSX: BEP.UN), a Bermuda-based limited partnership, or Brookfield Renewable Corporation (NYSE, TSX: BEPC), a Canadian corporation. Brookfield Renewable is the flagship listed renewable power and transition company of Brookfield Asset Management, a leading global alternative asset manager with over $1 trillion of assets under management. Please note that Brookfield Renewable's previous audited annual and unaudited quarterly reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (" SEC ”) and securities regulators in Canada, are available on our website at https://bep.brookfield.com , on SEC's website at www.sec.gov and on SEDAR+'s website at www.sedarplus.com . Hard copies of the annual and quarterly reports can be obtained free of charge upon request. This news release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws and "forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information may include estimates, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "will”, "believes” and "may” or variations of such words and phrases and include statements regarding the potential future purchases by BEP of its LP Units and Preferred Units, by BEPC of its Exchangeable Shares and by BRP Equity of its Preferred Shares pursuant to their respective normal course issuer bids and, as applicable, automatic repurchase plans. Although Brookfield Renewable believes that these forward-looking statements and information are based upon reasonable assumptions and expectations, the reader should not place undue reliance on them, or any other forward-looking statements or information in this news release. The future performance and prospects of Brookfield Renewable are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results of Brookfield Renewable to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by the statements in this news release include: general economic conditions; interest rate changes; availability of equity and debt financing; the performance of the LP Units, the Preferred Units, the Exchangeable Shares or the Preferred Shares or the stock exchanges generally; and other risks and factors described in the documents filed by Brookfield Renewable with securities regulators in Canada and the United States including under "Risk Factors” in Brookfield Renewable's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F and other risks and factors that are described therein. Except as required by law, Brookfield Renewable does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether written or oral, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.The US government has awarded Intel a whopping $7.85 billion in CHIPS Act funding, as part of its plan to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing. This is the biggest award under the CHIPS Act to date, although it is less than the maximum $8.5 billion allocated for Intel in March this year. White House's Deputy Chief of Staff Natalie Quillian announced it, calling it an important step in implementing President Joe Biden's CHIPS and Science Act and Investing in America agenda. Expansion plans and job creation The CHIPS investment will go into building and expanding Intel's semiconductor fabrication plants in Arizona, New Mexico , Ohio , as well as Oregon. This expansion is expected to create as many as 30,000 jobs in these four states. According to The Wall Street Journal , Intel will get at least $1 billion in funds later this year. In exchange for the funding, the chipmaker has promised no stock buybacks for five years. Separate $3B contract and project timeline extensions According to The New York Times , the funding was cut because Intel had secured a separate $3 billion contract in September. This contract involves the development of chips for national security products as well as military applications for the US government. Some of Intel's project timelines also extended beyond a 2030 government deadline, which contributed to the funding cut. Revised investment plans and job estimates Despite the funding, Intel has adjusted some of its plans. The company's expansion in Ohio will now generate 3,500 lesser jobs than the previously estimated 10,000. Additionally, Intel has reduced its planned US manufacturing investments from $100 billion over five years, to $90 billion by the end of this decade. These changes come amid difficulties with its next-gen 18A manufacturing process, and a record quarterly loss of $16.6 billion - the largest since its founding in 1968. Intel's decision to not finalize a separate $11B loan Intel has decided against finalizing a separate $11 billion low-cost government loan that was offered in March. The company said today that the loan terms "were less favorable than anticipated for Intel's shareholders and did not align with Intel's long-term growth and market interests." It said it would discuss utilizing loan provisions with the incoming administration in the future.
Flag football scours nation with talent camps to uncover next wave of starsCPI(M) to strengthen its social media presence in Bengal
New U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff marked the start of his Senate tenure on Monday , Dec. 9, by taking the oath of office with his hand on an ancient Jewish text. The book used in Schiff’s swearing-in ceremony is the Mishneh Torah , written by the renowned Jewish philosopher and scholar Moses Maimonides. A comprehensive 12th-century codification of Jewish religious law , the Mishneh Torah summarizes all aspects of Jewish law in clear and accessible Hebrew. California Senator, Congressman Adam Schiff, right, was sworn in today, Dec. 9, 2024, conducted by Vice President and former California Senator Kamala Harris. (Photo C-SPAN2) (L-R) Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), his wife Eve Schiff and Vice President Kamala Harris pose for photographs following his ceremonial swearing-in in the Old Senate Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 09, 2024 in Washington, DC. Schiff was officially sworn in earlier by Harris in the Senate Chamber. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) (L) is congratulated by Vice President Kamala Harris as his wife Eve Schiff looks on following his ceremonial swearing-in in the Old Senate Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 09, 2024 in Washington, DC. Schiff was officially sworn in earlier by Harris in the Senate Chamber. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) California Senator, Congressman Adam Schiff, right, was sworn in today, Dec. 9, 2024, conducted by Vice President and former California Senator Kamala Harris. (Photo C-SPAN2) When sworn into office, newly elected officials often use religious texts or other meaningful books that hold personal or symbolic significance to them. For instance, in 2021 President Joe Biden took his oath of office on a 19th-century Bible that has been in his family since the late 1800s, while Vice President Kamala Harris swore in on two Bibles: one that belonged to former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and another that belonged to a former neighbor close to Harris, according to CNN . Former President Donald Trump also used two Bibles at his 2017 swearing-in ceremony : the Lincoln Bible used by Abraham Lincoln at his first inauguration in 1861, and a family Bible given to Trump by his mother in 1955. The Mishneh Torah used by Schiff translates into “repetition of the Torah” or “the second Torah” in English. It was printed in Italy in 1490, according to his office. Schiff, a pro-Israel Democrat, has been open about his Jewish heritage and faith and has strongly condemned antisemitism. “Growing up in a Jewish household with strong ties to the Jewish community, I learned to revere a passage from Micah — that instructs us to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God,” Schiff previously said, according to the Jewish Democratic Council of America’s website . “I am very proud of my Jewish heritage, our traditions and values and the work our community does to build a more just and equitable world for the next generation.” In his swearing-in statement, Schiff said he will be a “tireless advocate for Californians in every part of the state and work across the aisle to deliver on day one.” Schiff, who represented an LA-area district in Congress for nearly 24 years, will complete the remainder of the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s term before being sworn in for a full six-year term on Jan. 3. Sen. Laphonza Butler, who Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed in October 2023 to complete Feinstein’s remaining term, resigned Sunday, Dec. 8 . Related ArticlesHere’s what development around the Virginia Beach Convention Center could look like