The UK Met Office says a developing Pacific El Niño could be unprecedented in modern records, with sea surface temperatures forecast to exceed 3C above average. Forecasters warn it will raise risks of drought, flooding, storms and global heat, making 2027 very likely to become the hottest year on record.
News Mash
Navy leaders are discussing renaming a future aircraft carrier planned to honor Pearl Harbor hero Doris Miller and possibly naming it after President Donald Trump. The reports have drawn criticism, including from Sen. Mark Kelly, a retired Navy officer.
The State Department has designated American citizen and Myanmar scholar Min Zin as wrongfully detained by China after his June 3 arrest in Yunnan province. Beijing rejected the claim, saying he is suspected of endangering national security.
An Alabama jury awarded former University of Alabama basketball player Kai Spears $9.25 million after finding The New York Times defamed him in a report about a fatal Tuscaloosa shooting. The Times said it is reviewing its legal options and called the report an “honest mistake.”
Iran says it has finalized a preferential trade agreement with Oman as Washington prepares a wider economic campaign against Tehran. U.S. officials say allies and rivals will be pressed to join sanctions efforts, while Iran is urging regional partners to expand trade and reduce reliance on the dollar.
The Panama Canal Authority will cut daily ship transits to 32 by Sept. 15 as El Niño threatens lower water levels. Officials said the limits are needed to conserve water and maintain reliable operations on the key global trade route.
A charter aircraft carrying two pilots and six passengers crashed at Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport in western Alaska, killing everyone on board. The NTSB will lead the investigation, with the FAA assisting.
Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung were convicted of inciting subversion over their role in annual Hong Kong vigils marking the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. They face up to 10 years in prison under the national security law.