Monday, June 1, 2026

Top Stories: Emerging El Niño shows signs of strong pattern. Here's how it may impact weather by region.

A developing El Niño is already altering Pacific winds and ocean heat, setting up possible shifts in U.S. weather and hurricane seasons in 2026. ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ 
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     Mon Jun 1 2026

 
Pedestrians walk around with umbrellas as rain begins to fall in downtown Paterson on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025.
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US-Iran peace talks halted

Plus: Marking Pride Month and a trip along the Mississippi River as part of our American Journeys series. ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ 
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The Short List

Mon Jun 1 2026

 

Phaedra Trethan National Correspondent

@wordsbyphaedra

👋🏼 Hi and welcome to June! I'm Phaedra Trethan, wishing Serena Williams all the best as she attempts a comeback at age 44. 🎾 🍀

In Monday's news:

Iran suspended talks with the U.S. amid Israel's ongoing attacks in Lebanon.
Multiple artists have pulled out of the Freedom 250 Great American State Fair, leaving President Trump fuming and a cloud of confusion over the event.
June is Pride Month, and one advocacy group gave USA TODAY an exclusive list of the most LGBTQ+ friendly places in the country ‒ and the least. 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️

But first: Summer jobs are a teen rite of passage. But this year, it might be harder for them to find a part-time gig than in years past. Here are some industries that might be looking for summer help. 📥

Peace talks halted

An Iranian news agency said that country has halted peace talks with the U.S. aimed at ending the three-month-long war, over Israel's escalating attacks in Lebanon. Israel is widening its ground invasion of Lebanon as it fights Iran-backed Hezbollah.

The reported breakdown comes after President Donald Trump and top administration officials had expressed optimism about ending the conflict, which has killed thousands across the Middle East region and rocked global energy markets.

Watch: Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth says the U.S. military is prepared to reengage in the war with Iran.
What Trump said about peace talks with Iran.
Israel captured a historic castle in Lebanon.
Watch: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talks about the operation in Lebanon.

Iran Crisis

A man holds an Iranian flag near an anti-U.S. billboard depicting U.S. President Donald Trump and the Strait of Hormuz, in Tehran, Iran, May 30, 2026.

Majid-Asgaripour, via REUTERS

Freedom 250 shows in limbo 🤔

Martina McBride. The Commodores. Morris Day and The Time. Bret Michaels. Young MC.

The performers span musical genres, from hip hop and soul to country and rock. What they all have in common, though, is what they aren't doing : Appearing at the Great American State Fair, a 16-day festival in Washington, DC, presented by the Trump-backed Freedom 250. Some of the artists said they were led to believe the event was nonpartisan, but one, McBride, said in a statement that "that turned out to be misleading."

Over the weekend, Trump responded in a social media post blasting the artists and vowing that he would instead headline the event and make it into an "AMERICA IS BACK rally."

But he's also threatening to cancel the event.

Watch: What artists said about backing out of the event. 📺
Comedian John Oliver took aim at Trump's plans for America's 250th. 🎙️
Sooooo... Is this event still happening? What we know.
The Excerpt: After 250 years, we're still asking the same question. 🎧

Freedom 250 artists.png

Morris Day, from left, Young MC and Freedom Williams, who were slated to perform at President Donald Trump's upcoming Great American State Fair, have reportedly pulled out of the event.

Getty Images, Wireimage

Real quick

The nation's top hurricane forecaster offered five key tips to ensure you're prepared for severe storms. 📋
A fugitive suspected of killing a sheriff's deputy in Virginia has been captured in North Carolina.
The death toll from a chemical tank rupture in Washington has risen to 11, and all the victims have been identified.
The race for California governor is too close to call just ahead of tomorrow's primary. 🗳️

Where LGBTQ+ people feel welcome ‒ and where they don't 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️

A leading LGBTQ+ advocacy group shared its index of the states most (and least) accepting of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people with USA TODAY, amid what it suggests is a steep decline of civil rights advances for that community.

As Pride Month gets underway, Out Leadership's CEO Todd Sears told USA TODAY exclusively that Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut and New Jersey topped its list, while Idaho, Tennessee and Arkansas ranked at the bottom of LGBTQ+ friendly states.

“Something Americans had come to take for granted, that LGBTQ+ people exist and deserve civil rights, has been thrown back into question,” Sears said.

The Mighty Mississippi ⛴️

Flowing about 2,350 miles from Minnesota to the Gulf in Louisiana, the Mississippi River borders 10 states and drains an area stretching from western New York to most of Wyoming.

But it's more than a vital artery connecting the western and eastern halves of the U.S.: The Mississippi River is a part of our culture and collective consciousness , a place Native Americans called the "Misi-ziibi," ("Big River" or "Father of Waters"), where adventurers explored the new land, where Samuel Clemens "marked the twain" and found inspiration that spawned his unforgettable stories.

Explore our entire American Journeys series.
America's 250th is almost here! We have it covered from coast to coast, past to present. 🥳

Scenes From The Mississippi River

The paddlewheeler New Orleans travels along the Mississippi River outside the city of New Orleans.

Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY

A break from the news

Sing it with me: "Blue moon / You saw me standing alone / Without a dream in my heart / Without a love of my own..." 🎵 🌕 🎶
Myles Garrett is on the move. Where the all-time single-season sack leader is headed. 🧳 🏈
Today is Marilyn Monroe's 100th birthday. Take a look back at the ultimate Hollywood blond bombshell's life, onscreen and off. 🤩 🎬

Phaedra Trethan is a national correspondent at USA TODAY. She'd love to hear from readers about The Short List, story ideas from across the nation and who you'd like to see perform to mark America's 250th. Email her at ptrethan@usatoday.com.

Charlie Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA, speaks before former President Donald Trump's arrival during a Turning Point USA Believers Summit conference at the Palm Beach Convention Center on July 26, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Hundreds of public and private employees were fired for social media posts following Charlie Kirk's death. Now, some of them are getting big payouts.

May 29, 2026; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; The glove belonging to Alabama third baseman Jason Torres (32) sits on the dugout ledge as the team warms up before the Tuscaloosa NCAA Regional baseball game between Alabama and Alabama State in Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
 

New Jersey boy, 12, critical after freak baseball accident

A 12 year old New Jersey boy remains in critical condition after being struck in the neck by a baseball during warmups.

Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino looks on after a driver of a vehicle was shot in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., January 7, 2026.
 

Ex-border chief rips Trump aides for 'pushing to dial back' deportations

Greg Bovino was ousted from his post as U.S. Border Patrol commander-at-large in January after the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.

Pancreatic cancer has one of the highest mortality rates of all known cancers.
 

'Miracle' drug for pancreatic cancer doubles survival rate in new trial

The drug daraxonrasib nearly doubled the overall survival rates of pancreatic cancer patients. Here's how it works and who can get it.

The newly added lettering for U.S. President Donald Trump's name is displayed at the facade of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a day after its board announced it would rename the institution The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 19, 2025
 

Will Trump’s name be removed from Kennedy Center? Appeal may cause delays

The center has two weeks to remove all references to Trump from the performing arts center, a judge ruled on May 29. The administration has vowed an appeal.

Shelby Police Chief gives a statement during a press conference held at city hall chambers on May 29, 2026, after a Shelby Police officer is seen in a video punching a woman repeatedly while he attempts to arrest her,
 

Former officer charged after viral video shows him punching woman

A North Carolina police officer has been charged with assault after video of the officer punching a woman during an arrest on May 29 went viral.

President Donald Trump delivers remarks about health care costs and affordability in Washington, D.C., on May 18, 2026.
 

Beyond Comey, Trump administration takes on DC group over '8647'

The ACLU of DC alleged the incident was retaliatory, but the government characterized it as a security issue amid a "heightened threat environment."

Welcome sign to the Carson National Forest along highway 68 near Taos, New Mexico.
 

Remains found in forest identified as scientist missing for a year

Melissa Casias has been missing for nearly a year. A hiker reported finding her remains at the the Carson National Forest in New Mexico.

A.J. Brown #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs the ball while under pressure by Shavon Revel Jr. #34 of the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter of a game at AT&T Stadium on November 23, 2025 in Arlington, Texas.
 

Blockbuster NFL trade materializes after monthslong wait

A.J. Brown is finally on the move. After a monthslong wait, the Eagles are trading the star wide receiver to the Patriots.

FBI investigators make their way through the landscape outside Nancy Guthrie's home in Catalina Foothills, Tucson, Arizona, on Feb. 11, 2026.
 

Nancy Guthrie search uncovers 1,000-year-old human remains

Experts have pinpointed the age of a skeleton found near the search site for Savannah Guthrie's missing mother Nancy.

Play Your Way to a Relaxing Break

Unwind with crosswords and challenges that recharge you. 

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