USA TODAY is reporting that leading hurricane forecasters are issuing grave warnings for the 2026 hurricane season, which has begun with hot water ready to fuel activity. It said that devastating early season storms can occur even during El Niño, citing Hurricane Agnes in 1972 as a historical example of a costly storm that struck the U.S. mainland during a strong El Niño. Ken Graham, director of the National Weather Service, emphasized the dangers of this year's hurricane season for those living far inland.
The newspaper also reported that President Donald Trump convened his cabinet as hostilities with Iran flared up. An analyst indicated that no immediate relief on gas prices is expected. In Washington, two people were confirmed dead and nine are presumed killed after a chemical tank explosion. The tank, containing about 600,000 gallons of "white liquor," ruptured and spilled its contents across the plant.
USA TODAY said a U.S. judge declined to block Trump's rules on mail-in voting, a decision seen as a loss for the Democratic Party, which argued the rules could disenfranchise millions. Additionally, Alabama is pushing the Supreme Court to allow a House map that a lower court ruled unfair to Black voters. Thirty-five former federal judges have asked a court to investigate whether Trump's settlement with the IRS was an act of fraud.
In other news, former Attorney General Pam Bondi was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and new details emerged regarding NASCAR driver Kyle Busch's cause of death. The 98th Scripps National Spelling Bee continues Thursday in Washington, D.C., with nearly 250 students competing.