This shrinkage coincides with a period of prolonged drought in eastern Africa, and was probably caused by it.

ECONOMIST: Human evolution: Before the exodus | The

Using it, he has built up a series of tree-ring chronologies from Thailand and Vietnam that indicate a period of severe drought across mainland South-East Asia in the early 1400s.

ECONOMIST: Tree rings are laying bare the climatic history of Asia

The bad weather does not bode well for Chinese inflation, as important agricultural products like cabbage and rape leaf prices have risen 16.1% and 18.2%, respectively, in the May 21 to May 30 period because of the drought, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

FORBES: China Corn Safe From Massive Drought, Floods

"In the period ahead, growth is likely to remain modest, reflecting the effects of the severe drought, " said Australia's finance minister Peter Costello.

BBC: Australian farmer overlooks land impacted by drought

Foligno snapped a 20-game scoring drought with two goals, Enroth made 18 of his 32 saves in the third period to earn his first NHL win in more than a year, and the Sabres beat the Rangers 3-1 on Tuesday night.

WSJ: Foligno scores 2 in Sabres' 3-1 win over Rangers