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Walmart's DEI rollback signals a profound shift in the wake of Trump's election victorySMU has plenty to play for when it closes the regular season against California on Saturday afternoon in Dallas. The Mustangs (10-1, 7-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who checked in at No. 9 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday, would like to send their seniors off the right way. They would also like to complete a perfect regular season before appearing in the ACC title game in their first year in the conference. Most importantly, they want to continue to strengthen their playoff case. "You've got the College Football Playoff, so every game matters. That's what's so cool about it now. The regular season is important," SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. "We'd like to finish well in everything we do, particularly on Saturday, to finish off the regular season, continue our momentum into the following week. Hopefully, continue to show the committee and others that we're worthy of continuing to play this year." The Mustangs are a worthy playoff team to date. Kevin Jennings has established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the country, throwing for 2,521 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also has rushed for 315 yards and four TDs. Brashard Smith has been another standout, rushing for 1,089 yards and 13 TDs. Defensively, the Mustangs rank tied for 14th in the country with 20 takeaways. "Obviously they've had a phenomenal season," Cal coach Justin Wilcox said of SMU. "As soon as you turn the tape on, it doesn't take very long to see why their record is what it is. They're very, very good really in every phase of the game - extremely explosive and quick and fast. They've got a dominant D-line. We've got a lot of challenges in front of us and our guys are excited for that." Cal (6-5, 2-5) is coming off an emotional win, defeating rival Stanford 24-21 on Saturday to secure a bowl berth. The Golden Bears will appear in consecutive bowls for the first time since 2018-19 and are now looking to clinch their first winning season since 2019. SMU is not overlooking Cal, as all five of the Golden Bears' losses have come by one score. "You'd be hard-pressed to find a better 6-5 team in America," Lashlee said. "I think you can conservatively say they very, very easily could be 9-2." Cal is led by quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who has thrown for 3,004 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. Tight end Jack Endries leads the team with 555 yards receiving, while wide receiver Nyziah Hunter has caught a team-leading five touchdowns. Defensively, Cal has the ACC's top scoring defense (20.7 points per game) and is tied with Clemson for the ACC's best turnover margin (plus-13). Defensive back Nohl Williams is the star of the group -- he leads the country with seven interceptions. Even though oddsmakers are heavily favoring SMU, Cal is going into the game with a simple mindset. "Our task at hand is to make the best bowl game right now," Mendoza said. "And the way to do that is to go into Dallas, give it our best and ruin SMU's season." Saturday will mark the first conference meeting between these ACC newcomers, and just the second meeting between the programs all time. SMU won a 13-6 game back in 1957. --Field Level Media
Rohtak: A nearlty two-decade demand of Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) students was finally met on Friday as a life-size statue of Dr B R Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Constitution, was unveiled on the university campus during a memorial programme to mark his “Mahaparinirvan Diwas”. The unveiling was carried out by minister of social justice & empowerment, SCs and BCs Welfare (Antyodaya), Krishan Kumar Bedi, in the presence of MDU vice-chancellor Prof Rajbir Singh and other university officials. Students welcomed the statue’s installation, calling it the realisation of a two-decade-old demand for a lasting symbol of equality and equity on campus. Bedi praised Dr Ambedkar’s transformative contributions to the nation. “Dr Ambedkar was a beacon of wisdom whose ideas enlightened millions. His role in drafting the Indian Constitution and promoting national integration remains unparalleled. The nation owes him a deep debt of gratitude,” the minister said. VC Prof Rajbir Singh, in his address, described Dr Ambedkar as the “real architect of the Indian Constitution” and a tireless advocate for the marginalised. “Dr Ambedkar's life is a source of inspiration for those striving for justice and equality. The university will further his constitutional ideals through various initiatives,” he added, encouraging students to emulate Dr Ambedkar’s commitment to societal upliftment. Students expressed satisfaction at the statue’s installation, noting that the demand for such a tribute had been raised by successive student bodies for over 20 years. We also published the following articles recently 2-decade-old demand fulfilled as Dr. Ambedkar's statue unveiled at Maharshi Dayanand University A long-awaited statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was unveiled at Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) on his Mahaparinirvan Diwas. Minister Krishan Kumar Bedi led the ceremony, attended by university officials and students. The statue fulfills a 20-year-old student demand, symbolizing equality and inclusion. Speakers lauded Ambedkar's contributions to the Indian Constitution and his advocacy for the marginalized. Ambedkar a symbol of justice, equality: BJP MLA In Lucknow, MLA Rajeshwar Singh commemorated B.R. Ambedkar's death anniversary by inaugurating a memorial and praising his contributions to social justice and the Indian Constitution. Simultaneously, Singh launched the 34th Ramrath Yatra, a free bus service transporting devotees to Ayodhya for Ram temple darshan. Ambedkars 68th Mahaparinirvan Diwas commemorated Mandya officials commemorated B.R. Ambedkar's 68th Mahaparinirvan Diwas on Friday. Deputy Commissioner Kumara led the tributes, urging citizens to embody Ambedkar's values of justice, equality, and liberty. He emphasized the significance of Ambedkar's contribution to the Indian Constitution. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next
Selden scores 29, Gardner-Webb takes down Bethune-Cookman 79-64
STOCKHOLM, Dec 3 — Sales by major arms makers were boosted last year by wars in Ukraine and Gaza and tensions in Asia, with marked increases for manufacturers based in Russia and the Middle East, a report said Monday. Sales of arms and military services by the world’s 100 largest arms companies totalled US$632 billion R(2.8 trillion) in 2023, up 4.2 per cent, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Revenues had dipped in 2022 as global weapons makers struggled to meet the increase in demand, but many of them managed to increase production last year, the authors of the report noted. In a sign of this surge in demand, all 100 companies tracked achieved sales in excess of US$1 billion last year for the first time. “There was a marked rise in arms revenues in 2023, and this is likely to continue in 2024,” Lorenzo Scarazzato, a researcher with the SIPRI Military Expenditure and Arms Production, said in a statement. Sales from the world’s top 100 arms companies “still did not fully reflect the scale of demand, and many companies have launched recruitment drives, suggesting they are optimistic about future sales,” Scarazzato added. Smaller producers have been more effective in meeting the demand linked to the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, growing tensions in East Asia and rearmament programmes in other regions, the institute said. “A lot of them specialise in either a component of something or build systems that require one set of supply chains,” allowing them to react more quickly, Nan Tian, Director of SIPRI’s Military Expenditure and Arms Production Programme, told AFP. Among the leading producers, US companies recorded a 2.5 per cent increase in their sales last year and still account for half the world’s arms revenues, with 41 US weapons producers in the world’s top 100. Lockheed Martin and RTX (formerly Raytheon Technologies), the world’s two largest arms makers, on the other hand, reported a fall in revenue of 1.6 per cent and 1.3 per cent respectively. Such behemoths “often depend on complex, multi-tiered supply chains, which made them vulnerable to lingering supply chain challenges in 2023,” Tian said. Russia’s Rostec surges In Europe, home to 27 of the top 100, arms makers on average saw an increase of just 0.2 per cent. But European groups manufacturing complex weapons systems were still in the process of honouring old contracts last year, so the revenues do not reflect the influx of orders since then. “At the same time, a number of other European producers saw their arms revenues grow substantially, driven by demand linked to the war in Ukraine, particularly for ammunition, artillery and air defence and land systems,” SIPRI noted. The figures for Russia, though incomplete, give a clear signal of an economy increasingly geared toward war. Sales by the two Russian groups in the ranking rose by 40 per cent, mainly thanks to a 49 per cent increase in sales for state-owned conglomerate Rostec, according to the report. Manufacturers in the Middle East were buoyed by the war in Ukraine and by the first months of the Israeli offensive in Gaza after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack — and saw on average an 18 per cent lift in sales. The three Israeli manufacturers in the ranking posted record sales of US$13.6 billion, up 15 per cent from the year before, while the three groups based in Turkey, such as drone producer Baykar, saw their sales jump by 24 per cent — boosted by Ukraine and Turkey’s investments in its defence. In Asia, the trend toward rearmament was particularly evident in the growth in sales by the four South Korean manufacturers, with revenues rising 39 per cent on average, and five Japanese firms that saw an average increase of 35 per cent. The nine Chinese producers meanwhile saw revenue increase by only 0.7 per cent “amid a slowing economy,” but their sales still totalled US$103 billion. — AFP
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian Senate on Thursday began considering a ban on children younger than 16 years old from social media after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly supported the age restriction. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian Senate on Thursday began considering a ban on children younger than 16 years old from social media after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly supported the age restriction. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian Senate on Thursday began considering a ban on children younger than 16 years old from social media after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly supported the age restriction. The world-first bill that would make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts is likely to be passed by the Senate on Thursday, the Parliament’s final session for the year and potentially the last before elections, which are due within months. The major parties’ support for the ban all but guarantees the legislation will become law. But many child welfare and mental health advocates are concerned about unintended consequences. Unaligned Sen. Jacqui Lambie complained about the limited amount of time the government gave the Senate to debate the age restriction, which she described as “undercooked.” “I thought this was a good idea. A lot of people out there thought it was a good idea until we looked at the detail and, let’s be honest, there’s no detail,” Lambie told the Senate. The House of Representatives on Wednesday overwhelmingly carried the bill 102 votes to 13. 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. Once the legislation becomes law, the platforms would have one year to work out how they could implement the ban before penalties are enforced. The platforms complained that the law would be unworkable, and urged the Senate to delay the vote until at least June next year when a government-commissioned evaluation of age assurance technologies made its report on how young children could be excluded. Critics argue the government is attempting to convince parents it is protecting their children ahead of general elections due by May. The government hopes that voters will reward it for responding to parents’ concerns about their children’s addiction to social media. Some argue the legislation could cause more harm than it prevents. Criticisms include that the legislation was rushed through Parliament without adequate scrutiny, is ineffective, poses privacy risks for all users, and undermines parental authority to make decisions for their children. Opponents of the bill also argue the ban would isolate children, deprive them of the positive aspects of social media, drive them to the dark web, discourage children too young for social media to report harm and reduce incentives for platforms to improve online safety. Advertisement AdvertisementGhana’s opposition leader John Mahama officially won the country’s election on Monday, easily defeating the ruling party candidate after voters punished the government’s economic management and high living costs. Mahama won 56 percent of the votes in Saturday’s presidential ballot, compared to the ruling party candidate and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, who secured 41 percent, the electoral commission said announcing official results. The landslide comeback for former president Mahama ended eight years in power for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) under President Nana Akufo-Addo, whose last term was marked by Ghana’s worst economic turmoil in years, an IMF bailout and a debt default. “These eight years have witnessed some of the darkest periods of our governance,” Mahama told crowds of supporters blowing horns and whistles in his party office in Accra. “This mandate also serves as a constant reminder of what fate awaits us if we fail to meet the aspirations of our people.” Bawumia, a former central banker, had already quickly conceded defeat on Sunday, acknowledging Ghanaians wanted change after the government failed to shake off widespread frustration. Bawumia also said the Mahama’s National Democratic Congress (NDC) party had won the parliamentary vote in Saturday’s election. Official results for the parliament are still being tallied. Mahama, 66, had previously failed twice to secure the presidency, but in Saturday’s election he managed to tap into expectations of change among Ghanaians. – Back on track – He promised to “reset” Ghana, usher in economic revival and renegotiate parts of the country’s $3 billion IMF accord. In his acceptance speech, Mahama promised reforms and “severe” measures to bring Ghana back on track. “The journey is not going to be easy... because the outgoing government has plunged our dear nation into the abyss,” he said. “I am certain that we shall win the battle.” With a history of democratic stability, Ghana’s two major parties, the NPP and NDC, have alternated in power equally since the return to multi-party politics in 1992. But Ghana’s economic woes dominated the 2024 election, after the continent’s top gold producer and world’s second cacao exporter went through a debt crisis, the default and currency devaluation. Turnout for Saturday election was 60.9 percent, a slide in participation from 79 percent in the 2020 election, results showed. With a slogan “Break the 8” — a reference to two, four-year terms in power — Bawumia had sought to take the NPP to an unprecedented third mandate. But he struggled to break from criticism of Akufo-Addo’s economic record. While inflation slowed from more than 50 percent to around 23 percent, and other indicators stabilised, economic concerns were still a clear election issue for most Ghanaians. That frustration opened the way for a comeback from Mahama, who first came to the presidency in 2012 when he was serving as vice president and then President John Atta Mills died in office. During campaigning, the former president also faced criticism from those who remember his government’s own financial tribulations and especially the massive power blackouts that marred his time in office. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.After three straight losses, including back-to-back blowouts, the San Francisco 49ers needed a get-right game. The Chicago Bears helped provide just that. Brock Purdy carved up Chicago's defense to lead San Francisco to its best offensive output of the season and the defense dominated the Bears in a 38-13 win Sunday that looked a lot more like the team that went to the Super Bowl last season than the one that has struggled in 2024. "I think just the biggest thing was just getting some energy and momentum," Purdy said. "This league is hard. It's tough. If you don't have momentum or energy and belief within a building, it can be really tough." The problem for San Francisco (6-7) is it might be too late to salvage its playoff hopes. Three blown fourth-quarter leads to division rivals and the lopsided losses at Green Bay and Buffalo the previous two weeks leave the Niners two games out of the playoffs with only four games to go. They might need to win out to get back to the postseason for a fourth straight season, and even then they could need some help because their three division losses will make it tough to win any tiebreakers in the tightly packed NFC West. "If we win every single game, I think we've put ourselves in a very good position to either win the division or somehow sneak our way into playoff contention," tight end George Kittle said. "I thought everyone's focused on this one week. ... Forget the whole season whether you've played like crap the entire season, whether you've had missed opportunities, or whether you have a bunch of touchdowns. Whatever it is, flush all that and just focus on this one game." Big plays. The Niners repeatedly gashed the Bears for big plays as the passing game looked as good as it has all season. Purdy had eight completions go for at least 20 yards — tied for the most in any game for the 49ers since at least 1991 — with Kittle catching four of them, Isaac Guerendo two and one each for Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings. Kickoffs. Jake Moody attempted two line-drive kicks as San Francisco tried to pin Chicago deep instead of allowing a touchback. But both kicks landed shy of the landing zone at the 20, giving the Bears the ball at the 40. DL Yetur Gross-Matos. The Niners have been struggling to generate a pass rush with Nick Bosa sidelined, but Gross-Matos made a big impact on Sunday. He had a career-high three sacks in the game after coming into the game with just one this season. S Ji'Ayir Brown. The second-year safety lost his starting job with the return of Talanoa Hufanga from a wrist injury. Brown played 15 defensive snaps in a spot role and was beat on a TD pass to Rome Odunze in his limited action. Guerendo has a sprained foot and will be evaluated later this week to see if he can play. ... OL Ben Bartch will likely go on IR after suffering a high ankle sprain Sunday. ... LB Dre Greenlaw could return this week for the first time since tearing his Achilles tendon in the Super Bowl. ... DL Nick Bosa (hip, oblique) and LT Trent Williams (ankle) will be evaluated this week but there is no timeline on when they will return. ... LG Aaron Banks cleared the concussion protocol and should play this week. ... LB Dee Winters (ankle), S Malik Mustapha (chest, shoulder) and LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles are day-to-day. 305 — The 49ers outgained the Bears by 305 yards in the first half for the ninth best advantage in a first half since at least 1991. The 319 yards for San Francisco were the most by any team in a first half this season and the 4 yards allowed were the fewest. The 49ers host the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night.
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Analysis: Protecting QBs from violent late hits like the one that leveled Trevor Lawrence isn't easyJuan Soto could decide on his next team before or during baseball's winter meetings
Analysis: Protecting QBs from violent late hits like the one that leveled Trevor Lawrence isn't easy
Carragher was one of many who were mighty impressed with the full-backs performance against two of Real Madrid's galacticos. Jamie Carragher has heaped praise on Conor Bradley after the right-back’s outstanding display for Liverpool in Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Real Madrid. The 21-year-old marked his maiden Champions League start with a clean sheet and his first assist of the season. His ball to Alexis Mac Allister led to the Argentine’s opener on 52 minutes, nine minutes before Caoimhin Kelleher saved Kylian Mabppe’s penalty. Mohamed Salah then won and missed his own spot kick on 70 minutes. But Cody Gakpo’s second goal in as many Champions League games six minutes later secured Liverpool’s status as table-toppers. Bradley’s night would end three minutes from time due to injury. Having kept Mbappe quiet and got the better of Jude Bellingham throughout the match, Bradley was forced off before the end while feeling his hamstring. He was seen walking around the pitch after full-time, in what fans will hope is a sign his issue is not severe. He duly received praise from Carragher for his showing, with his sturdy display allowing Trent Alexander-Arnold a whole game’s rest with Joe Gomez replacing Bradley upon his injury. Taking to X, Carragher wrote: “What a performance @conorbradley03”, with fire and runing emojis attached. Liverpool will assess Bradley and his fitness ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Manchester City, when Alexander-Arnold is expected to return. He has not played for two-and-a-half weeks since picking up his hamstring problem in the 2-0 win over Aston Villa. The Reds, meanwhile, also have concern over Ibrahima Konate, who finished the game on the turf holding his leg. He managed to walk off the pitch but sported a limp on the way back to the dressing room.Why Miami’s Pop-Tarts Bowl appearance is important even after missing College Football PlayoffImagining a potential megadeal for 49ers QB Brock PurdyDENVER — So you're the most valuable player of that annual Thanksgiving Day backyard flag football game. Or played tackle football on any level. Or ran track. Or dabbled in basketball. Or toyed with any sport, really. Well, this may be just for you: USA Football is holding talent identification camps all over the country to find that next flag football star. It's "America's Got Talent" meets "American Idol," with the stage being the field and the grand prize a chance to compete for a spot on a national team. Because it's never too early to start planning for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where flag football will make its Summer Games debut. Know this, though — it's not an easy team to make. The men's and women's national team rosters are at "Dream Team" status given the men's side has captured six of the last seven world championships and the women three in a row. To remain on top, the sport's national governing body is scouring every football field, park, track, basketball court and gym to find hidden talent to cultivate. USA Football has organized camps and tryouts from coast to coast for anyone ages 11 to 23. There are more than a dozen sites set up so far, ranging from Dallas (Sunday) to Chicago (Dec. 14) to Tampa (March 29) to Los Angeles (TBD) and the Boston area (April 27), where it will be held at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. The organization has already partnered with the NFL on flag football initiatives and programs. The numbers have been through the roof, with engagement on social media platforms increasing by 86% since flag football was announced as an Olympic invitational sport in October 2023. The participation of boys and girls ages 6 to 17 in flag football last year peaked at more than 1.6 million, according to USA Football research. "We pride ourselves on elevating the gold standard across the sport," said Eric Mayes, the managing director of the high performance and national teams for USA Football. "We want to be the best in the world — and stay the best in the world." Flag football was one of five new sports added to the LA28 program. The already soaring profile of American football only figures to be enhanced by an Olympic appearance. Imagine, say, a few familiar faces take the field, too. Perhaps even NFL stars such as Tyreek Hill or Patrick Mahomes, maybe even past pro football greats donning a flag belt for a country to which they may have ties. Soon after flag football's inclusion, there was chatter of NFL players possibly joining in on the fun. Of course, there are logistical issues to tackle before their inclusion at the LA Olympics, which open July 14, 2028. Among them, training camp, because the Olympics will be right in the middle of it. The big question is this: Will owners permit high-priced players to duck out for a gold-medal pursuit? No decisions have yet been made on the status of NFL players for the Olympics. For now, it's simply about growing the game. There are currently 13 states that sanction girls flag football as a high school varsity sport. Just recently, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles helped pave the way to get it adopted in Pennsylvania. Around the world, it's catching on, too. The women's team from Japan took third at the recent word championships, while one of the best players on the planet is Mexico quarterback Diana Flores. "Could flag football globally become the new soccer? That's something to aspire to," said Stephanie Kwok, the NFL's vice president of flag football. This type of flag football though, isn't your Thanksgiving Day game with family and friends. There's a learning curve. And given the small roster sizes, versatility is essential. Most national team members need to be a version of Colorado's two-way standout and Heisman hopeful Travis Hunter. Forget bump-and-run coverage, too, because there's no contact. None. That took some adjusting for Mike Daniels, a defensive back out of West Virginia who earned a rookie minicamp invitation with the Cleveland Browns in 2017. "If a receiver is running around, I'm thinking, 'OK, I can kind of bump him here and there and nudge him,'" Daniels explained. "They're like, 'No, you can't.' I'm just like, 'So I'm supposed to let this guy just run?!' I really rebelled at the idea at first. But you learn." The competition for an Olympic roster spot is going to be fierce because only 10 players are expected to make a squad. The best 10 will earn it, too, as credentials such as college All-American or NFL All-Pro take a backseat. "I would actually love" seeing NFL players try out, said Daniels, who's also a personal trainer in Miami. "I'm not going to let you just waltz in here, thinking, 'I played NFL football for five years. I'm popular. I have a huge name.' I'm still better than you and I'm going to prove it — until you prove otherwise." Around the house, Bruce Mapp constantly swivels his hips when turning a hallway corner or if his daughter tries to reach for a hug. It's his way of working on avoiding a "defender" trying to snare the flag. That approach has earned the receiver out of Coastal Carolina four gold medals with USA Football. The 31-year-old fully plans on going for more gold in Los Angeles. "You grow up watching Usain Bolt (win gold) and the 'Redeem Team' led by Kobe Bryant win a gold medal, you're always thinking, 'That's insane.' Obviously, you couldn't do it in your sport, because I played football," said Mapp, who owns a food truck in the Dallas area. "With the Olympics approaching, that (gold medal) is what my mind is set on." It's a common thought, which is why everything — including talent camps — starts now. "Everybody thinks, 'Yeah, the U.S. just wins,'" Daniels said. "But we work hard all the time. We don't just walk in. We don't just get off the bus thinking, 'We're going to beat people.'" Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Juan Soto could decide on his next team before or during baseball's winter meetings
Animals Don't miss out on the headlines from Animals. Followed categories will be added to My News. Summer means a lot of things: hot weather, long nights and loud cicadas. But are those noisy insects turning up the decibels this year? You’re not alone in thinking the cicadas are louder than usual, and it’s because there are simply more of them around, according to Dr Michael Elias of the CSIRO’s Australian National Insect Collection. There have been a lot more cicadas this year than usual. This could be a result of the drought from 2017 to 2019 when there was significantly less rainfall than usual, leaving the cicadas – which thrive on tropical conditions – in drastically reduced numbers. However, that all changed this year, with heavy rainfall creating wet enough conditions for the insects to feed and breed. Cicadas live off sap from tree roots and other plants and require moist conditions for their nymphs, which burrow deep into soil and spend up to seven years underground before hatching. Once the soil has reached a certain moisture, a cicada will emerge out of the ground, climb a nearby plant and grow its wings, leaving behind a the nymph’s exoskeleton. After the nymph has hatched into a cicada, its lifespan is usually a few weeks. “I think what’s causing it is partly, if you think about the amount of rainfall we’ve had this century, (we) started off in a bit of a drought there and then had a few rain years and back into drought,” Dr Elias told 9News. It’s been five years since the 2019 drought ended, giving cicadas a chance to get back in action and at a much faster rate. “So the cicadas are becoming more noisy than they have been for quite a while, just because we haven’t really had a good patch of seven years,” Dr Elias said. “It’s really probably just the fact that the ground is very wet, so there’s a lot of tree roots out there for them to feed on.” Cicadas have likely been thriving amid the warm and wet weather. Increased moisture in the soil had also decreased the mortality rates in juveniles, Dr Elias added. Years of ongoing hot weather may also play a role in the insect’s life cycle, as warmer conditions can lead to shorter lifespans in adult cicadas. “It is possible that we’re getting multiple generations emerging this year, just because we’ve had a few warm years,” Dr Elias said. While cicadas are widely known for their raucous songs, only male cicadas make noise during summer. Their rhythmical song, used to attract a mate and scare off predators, is created by rubbing their wings against a ribbed membrane on their abdomen, called a tymbal. While the intensity of their buzzing can depend on the species, time of day and temperature, larger cicadas can produce sounds of up to 120 decibels – the same intensity as a concert, thunder or a jet plane departing. Australia has about 250 different species of cicadas, though Dr Elias believes there could be up to 1000 undescribed species researchers aren’t aware of yet. “Unless it’s like, an economically important species or super charismatic species, we probably don’t know a lot about it,” Dr Elias said. Originally published as Reason cicadas sound so much noisier this year More related stories Animals Huge breakthrough in Chernobyl dog mystery It’s believed the packs are descendant from pets left behind in the wake of the 1986 nuclear disaster – scientists want to know how they’ve thrived. Read more Breaking News Shark attacks spear fisherman A man aged in his 60s was spearfishing when he was bitten by a shark off Curtis Island receiving injuries to both of his arms. Read more
Bank of America Corp. stock underperforms Friday when compared to competitors despite daily gains