[MUSIC FADES IN]
Good morning! It's Thursday, December 15th. I'm Shumita Basu. This is "Apple News Today." On today's show, Biden pledges billions of dollars of investments in Africa, the brutal market for people who want to buy a house, and why scientists are excited about a new extraterrestrial sound.
[MUSIC FADES OUT]
But first, at least three people are dead in Louisiana after a string of powerful tornadoes hit the southeast. There are dozens of tornado reports, including in Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, and Florida. This is the latest impact of a massive, severe weather system that's brought heavy snow and dangerous storms to multiple states, with more in the forecast.
Louisiana resident Beth Tabor told "CNN" that she took cover in a bathtub with her roommate and a baby as a twister tore through their neighborhood.
[START CNN ARCHIVAL CLIP]
It was pretty bad, just hearing all the… everything flying around, and you can't do anything about it.
[END CNN ARCHIVAL CLIP]
"CNN" looks at research into what impact climate change may have on tornadoes. One pattern in recent years is that the places that are hit hardest are changing. There have been big increases in the southern Midwest and Southeast. And there haven't been as many tornadoes in the central and southern Great Plains, which is the region nicknamed Tornado Alley. Recent research says climate change could be a factor in this shift.
Climate change may also be messing with the jet stream in a way that creates conditions where tornadoes are more likely. But here, it's important to be straight about what we know and what we don't know. There are well-documented links between climate change and more extreme heat waves, floods, and hurricanes. With tornadoes though, it's not as clear cut. Scientists have long struggled to predict tornadoes, and because they happen so suddenly and record-keeping isn't that great, it's hard to draw long-term conclusions about how climate change may be changing how tornadoes behave.
As for the larger storm system, more than 15 million people in the southeast could see severe weather today as it moves east. You can get updates on the Apple News app.
[MELLOW MUSIC]
[MUSIC FADES OUT]
President Biden says the U.S. is "all in on Africa's future." He announced $55 billion in new investments at a summit of African leaders in Washington yesterday.
[START THE WASHINGTON POST ARCHIVAL CLIP]
Improving Africa's infrastructure is essential to our vision of building a stronger global economy.
[END THE WASHINGTON POST ARCHIVAL CLIP]
This is the second summit of its kind. The first was in 2014, when Barack Obama was president. Under Donald Trump, relations between America and many African countries were strained. In recent years, other nations were eager to step in with investments, fighting for influence on a continent with ample natural resources and economic potential. Emmanuel Akinwotu reported for "NPR" on who's been strengthening relationships in Africa lately.
[START NPR ARCHIVAL CLIP]
Over the last decade, we've seen the importance of Africa to other powers like the EU, Turkey, Russia really grow. Meanwhile, U.S. engagement has really lagged behind.
[END NPR ARCHIVAL CLIP]
And of course, China has showered the continent with $700 billion in infrastructure loans. The U.S. is wary of Beijing buying influence, and this summit is a bid to turn the heads of African countries westward.
Now, American diplomats have to walk a fine line here. They want African countries to prefer deals with U.S. interests. But they can't exactly tell them to turn down China, one of the world's largest economies. African nations and businesses want deals with China, just like American or European leaders do. African diplomats are making it clear that they want to be global economic players. And they'll need action, not just talk, from the U.S.
There are flashy press releases about trade and infrastructure. But the real test may be in the years ahead, as African leaders look at what America, and the rest of the world, has to offer them.
[MELLOW MUSIC]
[MUSIC FADES OUT]
This is a good moment to take stock of the housing market because it's a big week for economic news. Earlier, we got data showing overall inflation slowing a bit, but still running pretty hot. And Fed Chair Jay Powell just announced another rate hike to cool things off further.
[START CNBC ARCHIVAL CLIP]
We've covered a lot of ground, and the full effects of our rapid tightening so far are yet to be felt. Even so, we have more work do to.
[END CNBC ARCHIVAL CLIP]
That's Fed speak for "buckle up." More rate hikes that could rock the economy are still coming, even if they might be smaller. Federal Reserve moves are part of what's making real estate extra rocky right now, but that's not the whole story. "The Atlantic" takes a look at data and expert analysis and says there are many people who may want to wait before trying to enter this housing market.
For one, I almost don't even need to tell you this, prices are still super high. This is largely a supply problem. People want to live in places that haven't built enough new homes to meet demand. And many people in existing homes are not selling. The real-estate brokerage Redfin says listings are down 20% from last year.
Also, mortgage rates are near historic highs. The Fed's moves are a big driver of that. Not many people pay cash for their homes. So when interest rates double in two years, it puts home ownership out of reach for a lot of families.
Another reason? Economists will tell you that uncertainty and volatility are both elevated. What that means is, it is wild out there right now. People just aren't sure whether the economy is gonna be strong or weak in the year ahead, or how much it'll cost to live. And it looks like some are hitting pause on buying a house, with home sales down by half in two years.
[MELLOW MUSIC]
[MUSIC FADES OUT]
This week, there was a breakthrough in outer space. And we were kind of excited about it because it involves audio. So here, take a listen.
[START POPULAR SCIENCE ARCHIVAL CLIP]
[MUFFLED SOUNDS]
[END POPULAR SCIENCE ARCHIVAL CLIP]
Now, I realize that sounds like an uneventful butt-dial. But actually, that was Mars. Specifically, a dust devil moving across the surface of the planet. The sound was captured by NASA's Perseverance rover. And scientists say this audio is a big deal because it gives them a stronger sense of what Mars is like.
These swirls of dust and dirt happen all the time on Mars. And if you've ever tried to clean a gunky computer keyboard, you know that dust and hardware don't play nicely together. So understanding the ways that dust moves across Mars will help scientists design future rovers.
And "Popular Science" explains, all of this means that one day, if we manage to put astronauts on Mars, they'll be well prepared for the different weather patterns. Having ears on the ground now might help a future astronaut find her footing on the Red Planet.
[MUSIC FADES IN]
You can find all these stories and more in the Apple News app. And if you're already in the News app right now, keep listening. We have a narrated article coming up next. "Mother Jones" digs into the dirty secrets of the admissions process at America's elite colleges and universities. So that'll start in just a moment. I'll be back with the news tomorrow.
[MUSIC FADES OUT]