Tensions between Ukraine and Russia have been escalating for several years. Russia has been amassing troops near the Ukraine border, now there are concerns that Russia might invade Ukraine.

US Intel: Russia calls up for reservists for invasion in Ukraine

Since the departure of US troops, the remnants of war remain a serious threat to Afghans’ safety. An NGO is now racing against time to decontaminate one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. For more on this, watch South Asia Diary with Mariam Wardak.

South Asia Diary | Deaths from landmines on the rise in Afghanistan

Adding the United States to its annual list of "backsliding" democracies, the International think tank International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) on Monday, cited a "visible deterioration" it said began in 2019.

"This year we coded the United States as backsliding for the first time, but our data suggest that the backsliding episode began at least in 2019," it said in its report titled "Global State of Democracy 2021".

"A historic turning point came in 2020–21 when former president Donald Trump questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 election results in the United States," the report noted.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-defines-his-underlying-challenge-with-china-prove-democracy-works-373763">Biden defines his underlying challenge with China: ‘Prove democracy works’</a>

Globally, over one in four people live in backsliding democracies, a figure that grows to two out of three with the addition of authoritarian or "hybrid" regimes.

"The United States is a high-performing democracy, and even improved its performance in indicators of impartial administration (corruption and predictable enforcement) in 2020. However, the declines in civil liberties and checks on government indicate that there are serious problems with the fundamentals of democracy," Alexander Hudson, a co-author of the report.

Hudson also noted a deterioration in the quality of freedom of association and assembly after the police killing of George Floyd.

In its assessments, International IDEA draws on 50 years of democratic indicators from around 160 countries, categorising them as democracies (including those that are "backsliding"), hybrid governments, and authoritarian regimes.

'Runaway polarisation'&nbsp;

"The visible deterioration of democracy in the United States, as seen in the increasing tendency to contest credible election results, the efforts to suppress participation (in elections), and the runaway polarisation... is one of the most concerning developments," said International IDEA secretary-general Kevin Casas-Zamora.

He warned of a knock-on effect, noting: "The violent contestation of the 2020 election without any evidence of fraud has been replicated, in different ways, in places as diverse as Myanmar, Peru and Israel."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/aukus-us-australia-uk-sign-key-deal-in-nuclear-submarine-alliance-431078" hreflang="en">AUKUS: US, Australia, UK sign key deal in nuclear submarine alliance</a>

In the past decade, the number of backsliding democracies has doubled, making up a quarter of the world's population. Aside from "established democracies" like the US, the list also includes EU member states of Hungary, Poland and Slovenia.&nbsp;

As Myanmar transitioned from democracy to authoritarianism, Afghanistan and Mali also moved from hybrid governments to this category.

Turning authoritarian&nbsp;

In 2020, countries edging towards authoritarian outnumbered those enjoying democratisation for the fifth consecutive year.

This trend is expected to continue in 2021, according to International IDEA.

As of 2021, the world will have 98 democracies, the lowest number in many years, as well as 20 "hybrid" governments including Russia, Morocco and Turkey, and 47 authoritarian regimes including China, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and Iran.

When backslidden democracies are added to hybrid and authoritarian states, we are talking about 70 percent of the world's population, says Casas-Zamora.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-interior-secretary-deb-haaland-declares-word-squaw-as-derogatory-term-430999" hreflang="en">US Interior Secretary Deb Haaland declares word 'squaw' as derogatory term</a>

"That tells you that there is something fundamentally serious happening with the quality of democracy," he added.

Reports said there has been an escalation in democratic erosion since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Some countries, particularly Hungary, India, the Philippines and the USA, have (imposed) measures that amount to democratic violations -- that is, measures that were disproportionate, illegal, indefinite or unconnected to the nature of the emergency," the report said.

"The pandemic has certainly accelerated and magnified some of the negative trends, particularly in places where democracy and the rule of law were ailing before the pandemic," Casas-Zamora said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Adding the United States to its annual list of "backsliding" democracies, the International think tank International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) on Monday, cited a "visible deterioration" it said began in 2019.

Adding the United States to its annual list of "backsliding" democracies, the International think tank International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) on Monday, cited a "visible deterioration" it said began in 2019. "This year we coded the United States as backsliding for the first time, but our data suggest that the backsliding episode began at least in 2019," it said in its report titled "Global State of Democracy 2021". "A historic turning point came in 2020–21 when former president Donald Trump questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 election results in the United States," the report noted. Also read | Biden defines his underlying challenge with China: ‘Prove democracy works’ Globally, over one in four people live in backsliding democracies, a figure that grows to two out of three with the addition of authoritarian or "hybrid" regimes. "The United States is a high-performing democracy, and even improved its performance in indicators of impartial administration (corruption and predictable enforcement) in 2020. However, the declines in civil liberties and checks on government indicate that there are serious problems with the fundamentals of democracy," Alexander Hudson, a co-author of the report. Hudson also noted a deterioration in the quality of freedom of association and assembly after the police killing of George Floyd. In its assessments, International IDEA draws on 50 years of democratic indicators from around 160 countries, categorising them as democracies (including those that are "backsliding"), hybrid governments, and authoritarian regimes. 'Runaway polarisation' "The visible deterioration of democracy in the United States, as seen in the increasing tendency to contest credible election results, the efforts to suppress participation (in elections), and the runaway polarisation... is one of the most concerning developments," said International IDEA secretary-general Kevin Casas-Zamora. He warned of a knock-on effect, noting: "The violent contestation of the 2020 election without any evidence of fraud has been replicated, in different ways, in places as diverse as Myanmar, Peru and Israel." Also read | AUKUS: US, Australia, UK sign key deal in nuclear submarine alliance In the past decade, the number of backsliding democracies has doubled, making up a quarter of the world's population. Aside from "established democracies" like the US, the list also includes EU member states of Hungary, Poland and Slovenia. As Myanmar transitioned from democracy to authoritarianism, Afghanistan and Mali also moved from hybrid governments to this category. Turning authoritarian In 2020, countries edging towards authoritarian outnumbered those enjoying democratisation for the fifth consecutive year. This trend is expected to continue in 2021, according to International IDEA. As of 2021, the world will have 98 democracies, the lowest number in many years, as well as 20 "hybrid" governments including Russia, Morocco and Turkey, and 47 authoritarian regimes including China, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and Iran. When backslidden democracies are added to hybrid and authoritarian states, we are talking about 70 percent of the world's population, says Casas-Zamora. Also read | US Interior Secretary Deb Haaland declares word 'squaw' as derogatory term "That tells you that there is something fundamentally serious happening with the quality of democracy," he added. Reports said there has been an escalation in democratic erosion since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Some countries, particularly Hungary, India, the Philippines and the USA, have (imposed) measures that amount to democratic violations -- that is, measures that were disproportionate, illegal, indefinite or unconnected to the nature of the emergency," the report said. "The pandemic has certainly accelerated and magnified some of the negative trends, particularly in places where democracy and the rule of law were ailing before the pandemic," Casas-Zamora said. (With inputs from agencies)

'Visible deterioration of democracy': US joins annual list of 'backsliding' democracies

US Congress introduced a resolution to end the United States' recognition of Vladimir Putin as president of Russia if he remains in power after 2024.

U.S. Congressmen introduce resolution to end recognition of Putin as president after 2024

Republican lawmaker Ted Cruz wants Texas to secede "if things become hopeless". Can "Texit" become a reality? A surprising share of American citizens wants to break up the country. Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Texit after Brexit? Why some Texans want to leave the US

In the United States, more people are dying from drugs than guns, car crashes or the flu. In one year, more than 100,000 Americans died from an overdose. Palki Sharma tells you about America's silent pandemic.

Gravitas: In the US, drugs are taking more lives than guns, car crashes or the flu

A 38-year-old man from the United States was admitted to a hospital because of altered mental status and a seizure, which happened due to the presence of tapeworms in his brain as per a case study published in The New England Journal of Medicine on November 11.

A 38-year-old man from the United States was admitted to a hospital because of altered mental status and a seizure, which happened due to the presence of tapeworms in his brain as per a case study published in The New England Journal of Medicine on November 11. The man from Boston, whose name hasn't been made public, was taken to the hospital after his wife reported that he fell out of bed at approximately 4:00am (local time) and was "shaking" on the floor, also speaking "gibberish". He appeared to be confused and disoriented. In an immediate response, police were called to the patient's apartment and emergency medical services were activated. He was taken to the Massachusetts General Hospital, where doctors conducted various examinations, running tests and scans. "The patient was combative and disoriented, and he actively resisted being placed in the ambulance. On arrival at the emergency department, he had a witnessed generalized tonic–clonic seizure, lasting 2 minutes, for which lorazepam was administered intravenously," a part of the study read. ALSO READ | Study claims pandemic stress affects women's periods and sex lives Scanning of the brain suggested neurocysticercosis is the most likely diagnosis in this case as there was swelling and three lesions in his brain. The symptoms were typical of a parasitic infection known as neurocysticercosis, which can cause seizures and headaches and sometimes lead to death. The case study further revealed that the patient was treated with antiparasitic and anti-inflammatory drugs and was discharged on the fifth day of the hospital, with normal results on a neurologic examination and no further seizure activity. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, A person can get cysticercosis by "swallowing eggs found in the feces of a person who has an intestinal tapeworm." CDC also informed that the highest rates of cysticercosis are found in areas that have poor sanitation and free-range pigs that have access to human feces. Patient's history The report mentioned that the patient had appeared well the day before the seizure and there's no evidence of a provoked event in this patient's history or examination. Also, there is no evidence of a previous neurologic, medical, or psychiatric condition that would have put him at increased risk for seizures. What possibly can be the reason is, he had emigrated from a rural area of Guatemala, which could have been the endemic infectious diseases that could have increased this patient's risk for seizures even years after exposure, such as parasitic brain infection. Cysticercosis The study had revealed that Cysticercosis is the most common cause of acquired epilepsy worldwide. The disease results from the ingestion of eggs from the tapeworm. This disease is endemic in areas of Asia and Central America; in these areas, 10 to 50% of patients with epilepsy have evidence of neurocysticercosis on cerebral imaging. There are also locations in the United States where cysticercosis is highly prevalent, including Southern California, Texas, and New York City.

Tapeworms in brain reason behind man's altered mental status and unexplained seizures, study reveals

United States hosted its North American neighbors Mexico and Canada for the first time since 2016 in what was called as the three amigos summit, here are all the details.

United States hosts Mexico, Canada, aims to restore normalcy in ties

Scientists across the world are raising alarms about the deadly effects of climate change, on one hand, some parts of the world are witnessing unprecedented flooding, meanwhile, other regions are being devastated by wildfires. Now, a fresh wildfire has forced evacuations in US's Colorado.

United States: Wildfire ravages forest area in Colorado, two people reported dead

The drug crisis in the United States continues, more than 100,000 people have died from drug overdoses in the United States during the 12-month period. According to the data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost 30% uptick in fatalities is from the previous year.

United States: Drug overdose deaths crosses 100,000-mark, 12,000 pounds of Fentanyl seized in 2021

The United States is mulling over the diplomatic boycott of the winter Olympics which was scheduled to be held in Beijing in February 2022. The diplomatic boycott aims to protest against human rights violations by the Chinese government.

US mulls over boycotting Beijing winter Olympics, step against human rights violations in China

A Russian anti-satellite test has put the world on edge. Moscow destroyed a satellite that has disintegrated into thousands of pieces in space. The space junk could put several other satellites in peril. Palki Sharma tells you why anti-satellite tests are problematic.

Gravitas: Russia destroys satellite, releases big cloud of 'space junk'

China has surpassed the US to become the richest nation in the world. But can China stay rich? The Communist Party's crackdown on the rich has scared investors. They are now turning to India. Palki Sharma tells you how global investors are now putting more money in India.

Gravitas: China is now the richest country in the world. Can it stay rich?

America calls itself a 'beacon' of human rights, but it covered up a 2019 war crime in Syria. An airstrike killed 60 civilians, the U.S. military downplayed the deaths & 'sanitised' the reports. Palki Sharma asks: Who will sanction the US for its war crimes?

Gravitas: US hid a 2019 war crime in Syria that killed civilians

An Auction house in New York is hosting their annual 'Icons and Idols: Rock and Roll' auction, featuring 900 historic items from music history, with some priced at up to $650k.

United States: Julien's Auction hold 'Icons and Idols: Rock and Roll' auction

Russia's anti-satellite weapon test has garnered a lot of backlashes, the US has branded it 'a reckless mention', here we break it down for you!

Russia tests anti-satellite missile, US slams for 'irresponsible act'

Northern American businesses are ordering robots to meet consumer demands amid a labour shortage in the country. But are robots coming after the jobs of humans? Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: US companies hire robots to fill jobs amid labour shortage

Amid waves of coronavirus pandemic and crippling US sanctions, Iran’s economy is shrinking and witnessing losses just before the country is set to resume the nuclear deal talks. Iran's currency Rial has declined by nearly 2.8% in the past week.

US sanctions cripple Iranian economy, more than 31% decline in last six months

Former President Donald Trump's family has reached a deal to sell the rights to its Washington DC hotel for 375 million dollars.

United States: Donald Trump reaches $375M deal to sell Washington DC hotel

UK is not corrupt, PM Johnson says as parliament engulfed in sleaze row. Boris Johnson has told the world’s media that Britain is not a corrupt country despite the controversy over Conservative MPs’ paid lobbying and other second jobs.

Is United Kingdom, a corrupt nation?

As world powers ramp up efforts to resume talks on the crucial 2015 nuclear deal, Iran said that it seeks assurances from the United States that it will never again pull out of the accord.

Iran sets conditions for United States ahead of resumption of Nuclear talks

With 20 months of travel restrictions, the United States has reopened its land and air borders to foreign visitors who are fully vaccinated against covid-19.

US lifts Covid-19 restrictions, opens door to international travellers

A series of bomb threats of targeted Ivy league universities in the United States resulted in evacuations and prompted police responses, the threats were made at three of the Ivy League college campuses.

Bomb threats at Ivy League universities, threats not credible''says Police

US house of representatives will vote on some of the major bills that form the backbone of president Joe Biden's 'Build Back Better'agenda, which includes social spending plan, climate change bill and bipartisan infrastructure bill.

US house of representatives to vote on Prez Joe Biden's major bills of 'Build Back Better'agenda

U.S. is introducing a bill to declare Diwali as a federal holiday, If passed, 5 Mn Indian Americans will have the chance to celebrate Diwali thousands of miles away from home. Diwali is already a national holiday in many countries. Palki Sharma tells you about the soft power of Diwali.

Gravitas: The soft power of Diwali

The United States has approved Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for children from the ages of 5 to 11, it is a major milestone in country's fight against the pandemic.

United States: CDC approves Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for children

The United States will be rolling out a 4th dose of the Wuhan virus vaccine for the immunocompromised. Is a booster shot really needed? or is it America's way of selling vaccines that are nearing expiry? Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas | COVID-19 Vaccines: Immunocompromised Americans to get a 4th shot

Pentagon officials say ISIS-K could strike America in 6 to 12 months. What's worse, they are banking on the Taliban to stop it. What happened to Joe Biden's claim of vanquishing terrorists in Afghanistan? Is this another 9/11 in the making? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: ISIS-K could attack America in 6 months

With food prices surging, many Americans have found their household budgets upended, forcing difficult choices at the supermarket and putting new demands on programs intended to help.

Food banks and pantries, too, are struggling with the increase in costs, substituting or pulling the most expensive products, such as beef, from offerings. What’s more, donations of food are down, even as the number of people seeking help remains elevated.

Even well-off Americans have noticed that many items are commanding higher prices, but they can still manage. It is different for people with limited means.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-allows-sharp-rise-in-food-prices-to-ease-shortages-419123">Sri Lanka allows sharp rise in food prices to ease shortages</a>

“Any time someone is low income, that means they’re spending a higher percentage on needs like food and housing,” said Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach, director of the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University. “When prices go up, they have less slack in their budgets to offset, and they are quick to fall into hardship.”

Before the run-up in prices — driven by supply chain knots and rising labour costs — Robin Mueller would buy ground beef for meatloaf or hamburgers to serve once or twice a week for her family in Indianapolis. Now she can afford to cook it only once or twice a month.

“You have to pick and choose,” said Mueller, 52, who is disabled and lives with her daughter and her husband. “Before, you didn’t have to do that. You could just go in and buy a week or two’s worth of food. Now I can barely buy a week’s worth.”

She has turned to food banks in Indianapolis for help, but they, too, are feeling the pinch.

A case of peanut butter that was $13 to $14 before the pandemic now costs $16 to $19, according to Alexandra McMahon, director of food strategy for the Gleaners Food Bank of Indianapolis. Green beans that used to retail for $9 a case now sell for $14.

“It has a big impact,” said Joseph Slater, chief operating officer of Gleaners. “It's on our minds, and it’s on the minds of our hungry neighbors as well.”

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-warns-climate-poses-emerging-threat-to-financial-system-422957">US warns climate poses ‘emerging threat’ to financial system</a>

In New York, Tynicole Lewis and her daughter, Lanese, depend on food stamps, but Lewis said that the aid runs out well before the end of the month now. Lanese is diabetic, and Lewis serves as much protein and vegetables as possible — foodstuffs that have become especially pricey.

“Food is expensive, and when the food stamps are gone, they’re gone,” said Lewis, who lives on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and earns $12,000 a year as a grocery store worker. “I have to wait.”

She, too, depends on food pantries and has given up buying meat for the most part. “I eat a lot from the pantry, whatever they get,” Lewis said. “I like fish, and I’ll treat myself when I get the food stamps.”

While overall consumer prices in September were up 5.4&nbsp;per cent from a year ago, the cost of meat is up slightly more than that. Prices of staples like dairy products, fruits, grains and oils are also rising.

Prices of meat, poultry, fish and eggs in US&nbsp;cities are up 15 per cent&nbsp;since the start of 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The run-up in costs at the supermarket comes even as gasoline prices have risen and natural gas and heating oil prices are predicted to be higher this winter, putting further pressure on those with low incomes.

In addition, the mammoth assistance programs rolled out by the federal government in response to the pandemic in 2020 have largely lapsed. While some households built up savings from government payments, others have little room for extra expenses.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/surging-food-prices-fuel-40-per-cent-jump-in-global-hunger-un-396840">Surging food prices fuel 40 per cent jump in global hunger: UN</a>

The forces behind higher food prices have been building for some time and aren’t going away anytime soon, said Michael Swanson, chief agricultural economist at Wells Fargo.

“People are shocked, but this is a slow-motion train wreck,” he said. “The scary thing is that food companies haven’t passed along all of their costs yet.”

Higher transportation and warehousing expenses lead the list of causes, along with rising labor costs at meat processing centers and other nodes in the food supply chain.

To be sure, there are some winners as a result of the cost squeeze. While meat prices are up sharply for consumers, prices for cattle and other livestock haven’t moved as much. The result is buoyant profits for beef processors, Swanson said.

“This is not going to go backwards anytime soon,” he added. “As soon as producers and retailers get these price increases, they are very sticky.”

Behind the scenes, logistics expenses have jumped even more sharply than prices for foodstuffs, along with the costs of unglamorous items that few gave much thought to a few years ago.

A refrigerated truck shipment from California to New York that cost $2,500 to $3,000 before the pandemic now goes for $10,000, according to Swanson. Big wooden pallets used to move meat or vegetables that sold for $7 to $9 are now priced at $25 to $30 apiece.

Also read |&nbsp;​​​​​​​<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-food-day-2021-here-are-few-ways-to-end-global-hunger-and-reduce-food-wastage-421293">World Food Day 2021: Here are few ways to end global hunger and reduce food wastage</a>

The recent trend reverses a decade of relatively low food price inflation, Swanson added, a period in which many Americans got used to buying ample supplies of beef, chicken, turkey and fish. Now that is more of a challenge.

“We do a lot of pasta and beans,” Mueller said. “It’s a lot cheaper. I miss making big meals, but it’s too hard price-wise.”

For food banks, more expensive meat and produce has stretched budgets even as the number of people seeking help has increased. At the Oregon Food Bank, which distributes food to partners across Oregon and southwest Washington, 1.7 million people sought assistance in 2020, compared with 860,000 in 2019, said Susannah Morgan, the group’s CEO.

Recently, demand has abated somewhat, but things are nowhere near pre-COVID conditions. While the number of people coming for help in Oregon will probably be closer to 1.3 million this year, “the need is still ridiculously high,” Morgan said. “Your dollar goes less far in a grocery store.”

With food prices surging, many Americans have found their household budgets upended, forcing difficult choices at the supermarket and putting new demands on programs intended to help.

With food prices surging, many Americans have found their household budgets upended, forcing difficult choices at the supermarket and putting new demands on programs intended to help. Food banks and pantries, too, are struggling with the increase in costs, substituting or pulling the most expensive products, such as beef, from offerings. What’s more, donations of food are down, even as the number of people seeking help remains elevated. Even well-off Americans have noticed that many items are commanding higher prices, but they can still manage. It is different for people with limited means. Also Read | Sri Lanka allows sharp rise in food prices to ease shortages “Any time someone is low income, that means they’re spending a higher percentage on needs like food and housing,” said Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach, director of the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University. “When prices go up, they have less slack in their budgets to offset, and they are quick to fall into hardship.” Before the run-up in prices — driven by supply chain knots and rising labour costs — Robin Mueller would buy ground beef for meatloaf or hamburgers to serve once or twice a week for her family in Indianapolis. Now she can afford to cook it only once or twice a month. “You have to pick and choose,” said Mueller, 52, who is disabled and lives with her daughter and her husband. “Before, you didn’t have to do that. You could just go in and buy a week or two’s worth of food. Now I can barely buy a week’s worth.” She has turned to food banks in Indianapolis for help, but they, too, are feeling the pinch. A case of peanut butter that was $13 to $14 before the pandemic now costs $16 to $19, according to Alexandra McMahon, director of food strategy for the Gleaners Food Bank of Indianapolis. Green beans that used to retail for $9 a case now sell for $14. “It has a big impact,” said Joseph Slater, chief operating officer of Gleaners. “It's on our minds, and it’s on the minds of our hungry neighbors as well.” Also Read | US warns climate poses ‘emerging threat’ to financial system In New York, Tynicole Lewis and her daughter, Lanese, depend on food stamps, but Lewis said that the aid runs out well before the end of the month now. Lanese is diabetic, and Lewis serves as much protein and vegetables as possible — foodstuffs that have become especially pricey. “Food is expensive, and when the food stamps are gone, they’re gone,” said Lewis, who lives on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and earns $12,000 a year as a grocery store worker. “I have to wait.” She, too, depends on food pantries and has given up buying meat for the most part. “I eat a lot from the pantry, whatever they get,” Lewis said. “I like fish, and I’ll treat myself when I get the food stamps.” While overall consumer prices in September were up 5.4 per cent from a year ago, the cost of meat is up slightly more than that. Prices of staples like dairy products, fruits, grains and oils are also rising. Prices of meat, poultry, fish and eggs in US cities are up 15 per cent since the start of 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The run-up in costs at the supermarket comes even as gasoline prices have risen and natural gas and heating oil prices are predicted to be higher this winter, putting further pressure on those with low incomes. In addition, the mammoth assistance programs rolled out by the federal government in response to the pandemic in 2020 have largely lapsed. While some households built up savings from government payments, others have little room for extra expenses. Also read | Surging food prices fuel 40 per cent jump in global hunger: UN The forces behind higher food prices have been building for some time and aren’t going away anytime soon, said Michael Swanson, chief agricultural economist at Wells Fargo. “People are shocked, but this is a slow-motion train wreck,” he said. “The scary thing is that food companies haven’t passed along all of their costs yet.” Higher transportation and warehousing expenses lead the list of causes, along with rising labor costs at meat processing centers and other nodes in the food supply chain. To be sure, there are some winners as a result of the cost squeeze. While meat prices are up sharply for consumers, prices for cattle and other livestock haven’t moved as much. The result is buoyant profits for beef processors, Swanson said. “This is not going to go backwards anytime soon,” he added. “As soon as producers and retailers get these price increases, they are very sticky.” Behind the scenes, logistics expenses have jumped even more sharply than prices for foodstuffs, along with the costs of unglamorous items that few gave much thought to a few years ago. A refrigerated truck shipment from California to New York that cost $2,500 to $3,000 before the pandemic now goes for $10,000, according to Swanson. Big wooden pallets used to move meat or vegetables that sold for $7 to $9 are now priced at $25 to $30 apiece. Also read | World Food Day 2021: Here are few ways to end global hunger and reduce food wastage The recent trend reverses a decade of relatively low food price inflation, Swanson added, a period in which many Americans got used to buying ample supplies of beef, chicken, turkey and fish. Now that is more of a challenge. “We do a lot of pasta and beans,” Mueller said. “It’s a lot cheaper. I miss making big meals, but it’s too hard price-wise.” For food banks, more expensive meat and produce has stretched budgets even as the number of people seeking help has increased. At the Oregon Food Bank, which distributes food to partners across Oregon and southwest Washington, 1.7 million people sought assistance in 2020, compared with 860,000 in 2019, said Susannah Morgan, the group’s CEO. Recently, demand has abated somewhat, but things are nowhere near pre-COVID conditions. While the number of people coming for help in Oregon will probably be closer to 1.3 million this year, “the need is still ridiculously high,” Morgan said. “Your dollar goes less far in a grocery store.”

Higher food prices hit the poor and those who help them

The United States has voiced 'strong' opposition toward the Israeli government’s push to expand settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. This comes after Israel announced construction tenders for 1,355 housing units in the West Bank.

Israel to build over 3,000 settler homes, US denounces expansion plans

Joe Biden's team is voicing rare support for the Palestinian community, the US president's plan to reach out to them is facing quite a lot of obstructions.

US mission Palestine to remain shut, Republicans block team Biden's efforts

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