Good morning, all. Joro spiders could pop up all over the eastern U.S. this summer. Here’s what to do if you see one. Now, on to the news.
NEED TO KNOW
Earth breaks heat records for a full year
The European Union’s climate change service announced yesterday that the world had just broken a full year of consecutive monthly heat records.
What else: May was also the 11th consecutive month in which the global average temperature was at least 1.5 degrees Celsius above the preindustrial average — a key target in the Paris Agreement. [CBS News]
What it means: Experts said that while a single year above that threshold doesn’t technically breach the agreement, it shows that we’re inching closer to extended periods above it. [Fox Weather]
Severe weather: Climate change has already created increasingly unpredictable weather swings and major heat waves, which researchers say will continue to worsen amid rising temperatures. [AP]
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
⚖️ Trump’s Georgia case
An appeals court halted Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference case in Georgia as it reviews Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’s involvement. The trial is unlikely to begin before the election. [New York Times]
🏛️ Senate contraception bill
Senate Republicans blocked a vote on Democrats’ Right to Contraception Act, which aimed to establish a federal right to birth control. They called the bill overly broad and unnecessary. [The Hill]
➡️ Salmonella outbreak
The FDA and CDC said they’re investigating if cucumbers are the source of a salmonella outbreak that has sickened 162 people in 25 states, including 54 people who had to be hospitalized. [NBC News]
🚀 Starliner launch
Boeing launched its first crewed Starliner rocket. Since entering orbit, NASA has detected helium leaks in the vessel but said the mission to the International Space Station can proceed. [CNN]
📚 New ‘Hunger Games’
Author Suzanne Collins announced that she’ll be releasing a new Hunger Games novel, Sunrise on the Reaping, next year. She teased that it’ll begin 24 years before the original trilogy. [AP]
WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY
📺 Season 2 of Criminal Minds: Evolution premiered on Paramount+. It was also just renewed for a third season. [Variety]
🏀 The Mavericks and the Celtics play Game 1 of the NBA Finals at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. (More on that below.) [NBC Sports]
⚾ In the MLB, the Dodgers play the Pirates again at 6:40 p.m. ET on the MLB app. [Yahoo Sports]
☀️ And don’t forget to: Read your daily horoscope. Play the Crossword. Check the forecast in your area.
TODAY IN HISTORY
In 1944, during World War II, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, on D-Day, beginning the liberation of Nazi-occupied Western Europe. Here’s how veterans are keeping their memories of the day alive. [AP]
3 QUESTIONS
...about the NBA Finals
The NBA Finals kick off tonight between the Celtics and the Mavericks. I asked Dan Devine, our resident NBA expert, to tell us why it’ll be such a thrilling showdown.
Lily: What’s so exciting about this NBA Finals matchup?
Dan: On one side: the Celtics, the NBA's best team all season. On the other: Dallas's Luka Dončić, staking his claim for recognition as the best player in the world.
Lily: Who’s going to make the biggest difference on the court?
Dan: For Boston, Kristaps Porziņģis’s shooting at the center spot makes the Celtics’ offense so dynamic, but he was injured and hasn't played in five weeks. For Dallas, Dončić leads the postseason in points, rebounds and assists.
Lily: What else is special about this year’s NBA Finals?
Dan: The Celtics could win their 18th NBA championship, moving them ahead of the Lakers for the most titles in league history. If Dallas wins, Dončić could become the first player named MVP of both the EuroLeague Final Four and the NBA Finals.
Get excited about the NBA Finals: Read Dan’s preview.
FEEL-GOOD MOMENT
Sisters Karen Sandine and Jennifer Johnson recently reunited after 50 years thanks to DNA testing. The two share the same biological mother but didn’t know about each other growing up. Sandine said their meeting was “surreal, happy, emotional.” [People]
Have a great day. See you tomorrow!
💡 P.S. Before you go, your daily advice: Want to do more effective crunches? A personal trainer says to make sure you’re not pulling your neck forward with your hands. [Today]
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