A heat dome is forecast to cover most of the Lower 48 states beginning this weekend and lasting at least one week, with daytime temperatures 15–25°F above normal and limited nighttime cooling. Associated Press and CBS News report that tens of millions of people are under heat alerts, and University of California climate scientist Daniel Swain described the event as long-duration and high-intensity.
U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson ordered Patrick Byrne to pay Hunter Biden $1.7 million in punitive damages plus $1 in nominal damages after Byrne failed to appear for trial. The ruling stems from statements Byrne made in a 2023 interview alleging Hunter Biden sought an $800 million bribe from Iran. Byrne, former Overstock.com CEO, also faces enforcement of $34,969.20 in prior sanctions.
The Hindusearing heatwave, increasingly frequent and intense
CBS Newsblistering heat, skrocketed
Severe Weather EuropeHeat Dome Locks, Excessive Heatwave
Western Europe recorded its hottest June on record in 2026 at an average of 20.74°C, exceeding the 1991-2020 baseline by more than 3°C and surpassing the June 2025 record. June 2026 ranked as the second-hottest June globally and for Europe overall, with ocean temperatures also reaching a June record. An earlier heat spell occurred in May 2026 and another began in July 2026.
Judge Tony Graf presided over the preliminary hearing for Tyler Robinson, charged with the murder of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. The hearing occurred on Friday, after which the judge delayed any decision on whether the case proceeds to trial until at least September 1 and barred media from broadcasting exhibits. Multiple claims regarding evidence and statements remain unverified or supported only by limited sourcing.
Wally Funk died at age 87 in Grapevine, Texas, after recent falls and a leg infection. She was one of the Mercury 13 women pilots tested in the 1960s and flew aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle in 2021 at age 82, becoming the oldest woman in space at that time. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and Grapevine City Councilwoman Duff O'Dell issued statements following her death.
China launched a ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine into the Pacific Ocean on July 6 after providing the United States with only a few hours of advance notice that included limited details. The test drew criticism from the United States and several Indo-Pacific governments. Chinese state media reported the event while the episode occurred during Beijing's ongoing nuclear modernization.
The US Climate Prediction Center reported an 81 percent chance that the current El Niño will rank among the strongest on record when it peaks between October and December, with sea surface temperatures 1.2°C above average in the Niño 3.4 region. The agency also assessed a 97 percent probability that the event will continue through early spring 2027. Typical regional effects include drier conditions in Australia, wetter winters in East Africa and the southern United States, and higher global temperatures.
France 24cracks in Europe's climate resilience, caught out
Euronews
The European Parliament declared a climate emergency in 2019. Western Europe recorded an average June temperature of 20.74°C, more than 3°C above the 1991-2020 norm, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service. Global and ocean temperatures also reached high levels for the month.
Washington Timesabused the ESA, obstruct lawful land use
The Trump administration finalized a rule on Friday that repeals the regulatory definition of 'harm' under the Endangered Species Act, eliminating habitat modification from the scope of prohibited actions. The change reverses an interpretation in place for decades and upheld by the Supreme Court in 1995. Public comments opposing the rule numbered in the hundreds of thousands.
Tyler Robinson faces charges in the killing of Charlie Kirk. A one-week pre-trial hearing ended on Friday with the defense presenting a final witness. Multiple details remain unverified beyond two initial reports.
The Washington Postreversing 50 years, Death sentence
CNNreversing 50 years of environmental law
The Trump administration issued a regulatory revision to the Endangered Species Act that redefined the term harm to require direct injury or death to listed species rather than habitat modification alone. The change affected federal reviews of logging, mining, and development projects on lands previously subject to broader restrictions. Multiple lawsuits followed, and the rule was later reversed by the subsequent administration.