Farmers in Aksu City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, are employing drones and a smart irrigation system to support the healthy growth of over 80,000 hectares of cotton at its critical budding stage.
The budding stage is when cotton forms flower buds, laying the foundation for blooming. Priorities in field management at this stage include pest control, growth stabilization, and bud promotion.
Farmers use drones equipped with the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System to cover up to 133 hectares a day, while an integrated water-fertilizer system enables precise, automated field management.
"Once the fertilizer is applied, little labor is needed; it goes directly into the soil," said Wang Guibin, a farmer.
Aksu City has planted over 180,000 hectares of cotton this year, and the budding stage is expected to end by late June. In early July, the cotton fields will enter the flowering and boll-setting stage, during which topping operations will be carried out.
Drones support cotton growth at budding stage in China's Xinjiang
Mounting inflation and household strain are amplifying calls across the United States to end the war with Iran, with residents urging the government to shift focus to restoring economic stability at home.
The war, which U.S. President Donald Trump claimed "could be ended in four days," has now dragged on for more than 100, fueling domestic inflation and public frustration.
Across Massachusetts, residents described how rising costs for fuel, food and utilities are straining household budgets and sharpening frustration with the conflict.
"I commute about 20 miles to work every day, luckily I do have a Prius, but the prices have gone up significantly. And for hardworking Americans like me and a lot of people out there, the prices can hurt the bank account," said one resident.
Beyond gasoline, consumers are reporting sharp increases in grocery bills and utility costs.
"Most especially, energy prices, natural gas that we use to heat the house," another local resident in Massachusetts said.
"Absolutely. I have noticed so many increases in like gas prices. You go over to the gas (station), it's like 4 U.S. dollars or 5 U.S. dollars (per gallon). You know what I mean? How are you supposed to live on this? It's insane. Food. You know (compared to) just a couple of months ago, you go to a grocery store and food is just so much more expensive. It's just the price of taxes going up," said a third.
While Trump defended the strikes on Iran as a necessary measure to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats, residents said that the government's top priority should be restoring economic stability for the sake of people's livelihoods.
"I mean I understand where Trump is coming from, trying to blot out, as you would say, Iran's capabilities of having nuclear possibilities. However, at the same time, we're suffering in the wake of everything that he has done thus far. So economically, energy, all those things are making the American people upset and unhappy. So he should concentrate on dealing with America first," said a resident.
"I also think that the priority should always be the American people. And I think the American people have already been struggling. And I think it's just the price of living has just gone up. It has become even harder to live and just to make ends meet. So I think the priority first and foremost should always be to helping the American people (to have) a stable economy," another resident said.
On Feb 28, the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, hitting Tehran, Isfahan and Karaj, and killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with senior officials. Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps retaliated the same day with missile and drone attacks on U.S. bases in the Middle East and Israeli targets.
After more than a month of fighting, a temporary ceasefire was announced on April 8, followed by talks in Pakistan on April 11-12 that produced no breakthrough. Sporadic clashes resumed in May and intensified toward the end of the month. Since May 30, U.S. forces have struck Iranian positions along the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran has repeatedly targeted American bases across the region.
US residents voice frustration as costs climb amid Iran war
