New preliminary research suggests that a combination of higher atmospheric CO2 and hotter temperatures contribute to a reduction in nutritional quality in food crops, with serious implications for human health and wellbeing.

Los Angeles

Recent preliminary studies have found that increased atmospheric CO2 and higher temperatures are leading to a decline in the nutritional value of food crops such as kale, arugula, and spinach. The research observed that while plant growth increased, key minerals like calcium and antioxidants decreased, and sugar content rose, potentially impacting human health.

A separate study from Boston University examined the effects of reduced snowpack on tree growth in New England forests. Results showed that less snowpack led to slower tree growth and reduced carbon uptake, suggesting that climate change could limit the ability of forests to absorb carbon, contrary to some existing models.

Climate change linked to decline in nutritional quality of food

We're covering two climate stories today, all things green. We'll talk about plants and trees. Brett, our first story from food manufacturing about the impacts of climate change and the nutritional quality of the foods we eat, specifically different types of crops. Yes, a study looked at leafy greens such as spinach and kale, and wanted to see what the impact of higher CO2 and more extreme temperatures, higher temperatures had on those crops. What they found was part of that was expected, Dan, higher plant growth, but the nutritional level decreased. And nutritional value, obviously a significant part of the food we eat. A lot of studies had looked at the crop yield. This one looked at the nutritional value specifically for kale, arugula, and spinach, three types of vegetables. What types of details did they find about the nutrition of these crops? Yeah, when they applied extreme temperatures, what they saw was a decrease in key minerals such as calcium, also antioxidant levels were lowered. And when you combined increased CO2 with heat stress, they saw slower growth rates with that, and also a decrease, once again, nutrition. Increased sugar is not a good thing. That was also found, and that's definitely a potential impact on health that could increase the risk for type two diabetes potentially. So certainly a very interesting finding and a new way to look at food being impacted by climate change. Our second study today, this is from Boston University. This study looked at the impact of climate change and snowpack on how trees absorb carbon across New England. Yeah, so with New England temperate forest here, typically as we've been talking about, increased CO2 means plants will grow more and larger and faster, but they wanted to look at what is the impact of snowpack on these trees, and what they found was less snowpack during the winter has a significant impact on the growth of trees, and that's also gonna affect how much carbon they take up. And so when there's less snowpack, you seem to get more freeze-thaw cycles, and that actually slows the growth of the trees. How did they do this study to find out these results? Yeah, it's interesting. They used heated plots in a big chamber. They grew the trees, and so with the increased heat, Dan, the trees all grew faster than normal, but what they found was the trees that were insulated with snow and ice grew about 63% larger, faster, versus 31% with no snow. Yeah, so if there's less snowpack in the future with climate change, there may be slower growth, or there may not be as much growth of these trees that we had previously thought because we believe that warmer summers will allow for further growth. Yeah, and models may be overestimating the carbon uptake of these trees, especially in the Northeast. Yeah, so the overestimate is certainly an issue and something more to study in terms of how trees grow and how that growth impacts the amount of carbon they absorb. Thank you, Brad, for more stories about climate and other information. You can find that at accuweather.com slash climate.

The United Kingdom is to lower its voting age in general elections from 18 to 16, giving the country one of the lowest voting ages in the world in what the government says is a bid to “modernise our democracy”.

London

UK to lower voting age to 16 in landmark electoral reform

Following a call with President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a rare apology, saying the only Catholic church in Gaza was hit by stray ammunition. The blast killed three civilians. Ramy Inocencio reports.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Netanyahu apologizes for deadly strike on Catholic church in Gaza

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has suggested that TSA may soon end its restrictions on liquids in carry-on bags.

Washington

TSA may eliminate liquid restrictions on planes

A Tennessee judge on Thursday set Kilmar Abrego Garcia's criminal trial date for January 27, 2026. Abrego Garcia is facing human smuggling charges. CBS News justice correspondent Scott MacFarlane reports.

Tennessee

Judge sets Kilmar Abrego Garcia's criminal trial date for January 2026

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that President Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency.

Trump diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency

Black-box recording indicates that the flight's captain switched off fuel flow to both engines of the recently crashed Air India airplane, according to media reports on Wednesday, citing preliminary U.S. assessment of evidence.

Ahmedabad

Flight captain switched off fuel flow to engines in Air India crash

The Department of Justice has fired Maurene Comey, a federal prosecutor and the daughter of ex-FBI director James Comey. This comes as the White House tries to mitigate demands for the Jeffrey Epstein files to be released.

DOJ fires Maurene Comey, who helped prosecute Jeffrey Epstein

The Senate approved a $9.4 billion rescissions request, sending it back to the House of Representatives for approval.

Senate approves spending cuts to foreign aid, public broadcasting

Israel has faced international condemnation over its three days of airstrikes in Syria. The European Union and the United Nations have called for a return to calm, while Iran has urged countries in the region to respond against Israel.

Damascus

World reacts to Israeli attacks on Syria’s Damascus

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz makes his first state visit to the United Kingdom to sign a historic defence cooperation treaty—the first of its kind between Germany and Britain since the Second World War. The agreement includes plans for joint defence efforts, boosting economic collaboration, and tackling illegal migration.

Germany and UK seal historic defence pact

Donald Trump says American-made weapons bought by NATO are being shipped to Ukraine. Trump's also threatening sanctions, saying his aim is to force Putin to negotiate an end to the war. But with Ukraine under nightly attack, there’s scepticism over whether he'll achieve anything.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

U.S. ships NATO purchased Patriot missiles to Ukraine

Syria condemns Israel for fatal strikes on several government buildings in Damascus. The escalation threatens to disrupt new U.S.-brokered security talks between Israel and Syria, with both sides expressing concerns over stability in the region.

Israeli airstrikes on Syria threaten security talks

U.S. President Donald Trump is still dealing with fallout from his own supporters over his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. CBS News Department of Justice reporter Jake Rosen has more.

Trump says Epstein conspiracy theory is hoax started by Democrats

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that she spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and that the two had agreed to strengthen trade collaboration, particularly in light of the tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump set to go in effect on August 1.

Mexico City

Global Tariffs

Mexico plans to strengthen trade with Canada

Former President Barack Obama joined his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, on her latest podcast episode with her brother Craig Robinson to address divorce rumors.

Obamas address divorce rumors on Michelle’s podcast

Israel struck Syrian military targets as well as central Damascus on Wednesday (July 16) as it continued its campaign to protect Druze minority communities in southern Syria.

Israel strikes Damascus as fighting rages in southern Syria

U.S. ambassador Mike Huckabee's appearance at Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial follows President Trump's call for Israel to throw out the case or pardon the Israeli prime minister.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

U.S. ambassador attends Netanyahu trial to show support from Trump

President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the U.S. would impose a 19% tariff on goods from Indonesia under a new agreement with the Southeast Asian country and more deals were in the works as he continued to press for what he views as better terms with trading partners.

Trump eyes more trade deals soon as EU readies retaliation

At least 20 Palestinians were killed on Wednesday (July 16) at an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in what the U.S.-backed group said was a crowd surge instigated by armed agitators. This video contains graphic images.

Crush at Gaza aid site kills at least 20, GHF blames agitators

Police in Los Angeles have arrested a 22-year-old suspect in the double homicide of American Idol executive Robin Kaye and her husband, Thomas Deluca. The couple, both 70 years old, was found shot to death in their home earlier this week.

Encino

Police make arrest in murders of American Idol executive, husband

Streaming shows dominated nominations for the 2025 Emmy Awards. "Severance" earned the most series nominations with 27. Meanwhile, "The Studio" earned the most-ever nominations for a debut comedy series with 23.

Hollywood

'Severance' and 'The Studio' earn top Emmy nominations

The United Torah Judaism party has decided to quit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition over its failure to secure military service exemptions. Members of the ultra-orthodox community have been exempted from enlisting in the army since 1948.

Major cracks in Netanyahu coalition as ultra-Orthodox party quits

New information about the Jeffrey Epstein case may soon be made public after a reversal from U.S. President Donald Trump and weeks of criticism — the loudest of which has come from within the MAGA movement.

Epstein files may be released after Trump reversal

Russia's Vladimir Putin has rejected President Trump's ultimatum for Moscow to sign a ceasefire deal with Ukraine in the next 50 days. Trump has threatened to issue a 100% tariff on any country that does business with Russia if no ceasefire deal is reached.

Moscow

Russia rejects Trump's ultimatum for ceasefire in Ukraine

Fighting has erupted in the southern Syrian city of As Suwayda just six hours after a ceasefire was announced. Earlier on Tuesday, Syrian government forces withdrew heavy vehicles from the city, hoping to ease tensions.

As Suwayda

Fighting erupts in Syria’s As Suwayda hours after ceasefire deal

Two laptops and hard drives containing watermarked and unreleased music by Beyoncé were stolen from her choreographer’s rental car in Atlanta, according to police.

Atlanta

Unreleased Beyoncé music stolen from choreographer’s rental car

The House Committee on Education and Workforce is holding its ninth hearing in 18 months on antisemitism on college campuses. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul has more details.

Anger at House committee hearing on antisemitism in college campuses

An Air India Boeing airplane crashed in northwestern India in June, killing all people on board but one passenger. India's aviation regulator has now ordered airlines to examine fuel control switches on several Boeing models.

New Delhi

India orders airlines to inspect Boeing airplane models after crash

Controversy on Capitol Hill over the so-called Epstein Files is seemingly not going away anytime soon.

House Republicans block Democratic push to release Epstein documents

An Israeli scheme to move hundreds of thousands of already uprooted Palestinians to a so-called "humanitarian city" in Gaza has led politicians to spar with the defense establishment. Critics inside and outside Israel have denounced the proposal.

Breakdown