Nearly 52 record-high temperatures for 2012 have been reached in the past seven days, according to CNN meteorologist Sean Morris.
Summer has definitely arrived in the United States with record-breaking temperatures soaring into the triple digits, and relief is slow to follow. The sizzling heat may not subside for a week, possibly longer.
From Kansas to Washington, heat warnings, watches and advisories spanned 730,000 square miles, affecting about 100 million people on Friday alone.
Excessive heat warnings were posted for 12 states, from Nebraska to New Jersey, on Friday by the National Weather Service.
As fierce thunderstorms battered their way across the Midwest to the Atlantic Seaboard on Friday night, the wicked weather caused mass power outages, leaving residents to suffer the heat without air conditioning.
Deaths possibly related to the heat are still being investigated. People are checking on their neighbors, and cities are putting cooling centers into place and extending pool hours.
The temperatures soaring above 100 degrees are nowhere near normal for this time of year in the United States, Morris said.
But we've experienced hideously hot ones before the dog days of summer officially set in before.
Last year - which was declared the hottest summer on record in Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico by The Weather Channel - featured some wicked days.
In its list of all-time record highs, The Weather Channel reported that Childress, Texas, climbed to 117 degrees on June 26 last year, beating any temperature on record for any month, dating back to 1893.
Borger, Texas, and Gage, Oklahoma, both hit 113 degrees on June 26, while Fort Smith, Arkansas, hit 115 degrees on August 3.
If the temperatures are climbing dangerously high in your city, be sure to check our five tips to survive extreme heat.
How are you beating the heat in your area? Let us know in the comments below.
Editor's note: This post is part of the Overheard on CNN.com series, a regular feature that examines interesting comments and thought-provoking conversations posted by the community.
"Today Blackberry changed its name to Blackbury"
–QthePower
As readers discussed three popular and whimsically named mobile platforms, their commentary turned mouth-watering. Readers were reacting to a story about decline of the BlackBerry mobile device in a world of iPhones, Androids and Windows 8 phones.
"A blackberry was squished by an apple," said RKW29.
"Apples suck. Jelly Beans Rule," said Another_Fine_Mess, referring to the latest dessert-themed Android update.
From 'CrackBerry' to depressing: The BlackBerry's 5-year fall
One reader noted that the BlackBerry is popular in business settings.
jimbo0117: "People need to keep these kinds of headlines in perspective. The VAST majority of BB's users have always been business users. And for the most part, they still use the BB. BB tried, but never really got a large consumer base. Mainly because their products weren't tailored to the average teen/early 20's user – and they were/are expensive. So it isn't like BB has lost as much, but more like it never gained – just basically stagnated. And for most business watchers, they equate that with decline."
On the other hand, plenty of readers say businesses are warming up to other devices and adding support for people to "BYOD," as in "bring your own device." FULL POST
The candidates for the 2012 presidential election appear to be set in stone. Watch CNN.com Live for continuing coverage of all the news and views from the campaign trail.
Today's programming highlights...
9:30 am ET - George Zimmerman bond hearing - The Florida man accused of fatally shooting unarmed teen Trayvon Martin is back in court this morning. He will again ask for bond in his case.
European leaders reached a "breakthrough" deal early Friday to ease the recapitalization of struggling banks that should help draw the eurozone back from the brink of a gathering crisis.
Under the deal, European leaders agreed to create a single supervisory body to oversee the eurozone's banks which could use the single currency area's rescue funds, the European Financial Stability Facility or European Stability Mechanism, to aid banks directly without adding to governments' debt.
European Union leaders are hoping for implementation of the agreement by July 9, an EU statement said.
The deal means Spain's formal request this week for eurozone bailout funds to recapitalize its troubled banking sector will not add to its sovereign debt. Madrid had feared the increased debt load would send its borrowing costs even higher.
Ireland, which hopes to rework the terms of its bailout deal, and Italy, which like Spain is battling with spiraling government borrowing costs, could also benefit from the new deal.
FULL STORYExplosions rocked the Syrian capital Friday morning, opposition activists said, hours before U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets her Russian counterpart to raise pressure on the crisis in the Middle East nation.
Clinton meets Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in St. Petersburg amid their nations' deep divisions over Syria.
The meeting is expected to include talks on Russian arm sales to Syria, the State Department said.
U.S. officials have advocated a political transition plan in Syria, but Russia opposes the idea of foreign intervention in the violence-hit nation.
After the meeting, Clinton will attend an emergency gathering led by international envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan, in Geneva on Saturday. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he hopes the meeting marks a "turning point" in diplomatic efforts.
FULL STORYGeorge Zimmerman and his attorney will be back before a Florida judge Friday to argue Zimmerman should be allowed bond a second time despite misrepresenting his finances.
Zimmerman, charged with second-degree murder in the February shooting death of Trayvon Martin, will attend the morning hearing unshackled and in civilian clothing.
Video and photos of Zimmerman wearing jail garb could prejudice prospective jurors, defense attorney Mark O'Mara argued in a motion.
Zimmerman was released on a $150,000 bond after his arrest. But he was ordered back to jail early this month after the judge revoked his bail, citing about $150,000 in donations in an account controlled by Zimmerman that he had not disclosed at the first bond hearing in April.
O'Mara is asking Seminole County Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. to set a similar bond.
FULL STORYMuch of the Central and Eastern United States will bake under intense heat Friday, prompting warnings about air quality and fears about the health of those unable to find refuge in cooler confines.
The blistering conditions won't be fleeting: High temperatures not only are expected to be around or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in locales from Topeka, Kansas, to Washington, DC, on Friday, but they're expected to stay at about that level in many places through next week if not longer.
"Heat-related illness such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke are a real threat, dehydration can occur quickly," the National Weather Service's bureau in Indianapolis, where highs should hit 101 on Friday, noted in issuing an excessive heat warning. "The extended period of heat also will cause drought conditions to worsen and raise the concern for wildfire development."
The thermostat in St. Louis, Missouri, is forecast to hit 108 degrees and remain above 100 through next Thursday, at least, according to the weather service.
That's prompted the city health department to remind residents to limit outdoor activities, not to leave children or pets in vehicles and to watch out for signs of heat exhaustion.
FULL STORYThe CNN Daily Mash-up is a roundup of some of the most interesting, surprising, curious, poignant or significant items to appear on CNN.com in the past 24 hours. We top it with a collection of the day's most striking photographs from around the world.
Your quote of the day comes from a Supreme Court decision you may have heard about. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, wrote in the opinion's pivotal paragraph:
The federal government does not have the power to order people to buy health insurance. ... The federal government does have the power to impose a tax on those without health insurance.
CNN iReporter Jannet Walsh of Murdock, Minnesota, was both pleased and disappointed by different parts of the Supreme Court's health care ruling. She's unemployed and Catholic, and she questions whether religious institutions can be forced to provide access to birth control.
It's going to be great for people to get health care, but I still think we're going to wonder how we're going to pay for it. ... I'm left wanting to know more, and want someone to address those points.
The House of Representatives voted Thursday to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in criminal contempt for refusing to turn over documents tied to the botched Fast and Furious gun-running sting - a discredited operation that has become a sharp point of contention between Democrats and Republicans in Washington.
The 255-67 vote marked the first time in American history that the head of the Justice Department has been held in contempt by Congress. Almost every House Republican backed the measure, along with nearly 20 Democrats.
A large number of Democrats - including members of the Congressional Black Caucus and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi - walked off the House floor in protest and refused to participate in the vote.
The criminal contempt charge refers the dispute to District of Columbia U.S. Attorney Ronald Machen, who will decide whether to file charges against Holder. Most legal analysts do not expect Machen - an Obama appointee who ultimately answers to Holder - to take any action.
House members are also expected to pass a civil contempt measure Thursday afternoon. The civil measure would allow the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to file a lawsuit asking the courts to examine the Justice Department's failure to produce certain subpoenaed documents, as well as the validity of the administration's recent assertion of executive privilege over the documents in question.
Legal experts contacted by CNN have said, based on recent precedent, that it could take years for the courts to reach any final decision.
Fast and Furious, a so-called "gun-walking" operation, allowed roughly 2,000 guns into Mexico with the goal of tracking them to Mexican drug cartels. Two guns found at the scene of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry's fatal shooting were linked to the operation. Guns from the operation have also been linked to an unknown number of Mexican civilians' deaths.
FULL STORYOn June 28, the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act in a 5-4 ruling. In the hours after, CNN’s audience was incredibly active in expressing their opinions on the decision.
Some CNN commenters and iReport contributors had personal stories to share:
roaringwoman
As a cancer survivor… my life would have been over without health insurance. It's a necessary evil, but without it, hospitals would be closing their doors, and people would be dying. And don't blame Obama or any other political force because the insurance monster has been around for a long, long, time ruling patients, doctors and hospitals.
Amelia
If you own a vehicle you are required to have it insured. If you don't you pay fines...I don't see the big deal, if they make it affordable I would jump at the chance to insure my family. I work for an attorney, and since it is a small firm, he does not offer insurance.
Natfka
I have 62 employees currently, and since I will be mandated to provide healthcare, I have two options now: Cut deeply into the pockets of the company, myself and its employees, or cut my staffing down to 49 people so as to not hit that 50 person benchmark for mandatory coverage. So 13 people are gone, or 62 (plus myself) take cuts in vacation and or pay raises. I have not made the decision yet, but I won't let my company and all of its employees take such a big hit.
iReport assignment: Your reaction to health care ruling
darb123
As a person with a pre-existing condition that was hereditary, I am glad. Maybe [now] I can purchase insurance. No insurance company will insure me. I have to use my state Medicare-type program. I don't mind paying at all. I still pay for my own prescriptions to the tune of $200 a month. I had no choice a few months back when I had gotten extremely ill and had to go to a regular local hospital. I stayed overnight and the cost was $6,000. Not an Obama fan either!
Many readers pointed out the potential benefits of the law’s implementation:
c_apples
Most of you that have a problem with health care reform have no issues paying your Social Security and Medicare taxes on your paycheck. In fact, I'm sure the majority is counting down the days until they can take advantage of the Social Security and Medicare they have paid into. How is this health care as a tax any different?
flannelgal
People against this law have chosen to limit where they get their information about this law. Currently, when a person who has no insurance requires emergency care, tax payers pay for it, and the [federal] debt mounts. Now, all least the coffers will be replenished by all people, and all people get health care, preventative health care to boot. Thank you, President Obama, and everyone who worked hard to make this happen for all Americans.
Leeford68
I don’t like being forced to pay for wars I don’t want.
I don’t like being forced to pay for roads I don’t drive on.
I don’t like being forced to pay for schools when I don’t have kids....
But I accept the fact that I have to pay for all of these things that create a better community for all of us to live in.
Obama: Supreme Court ruling on health care a victory for all Americans
The Supreme Court is expected to rule today on the constitutionality of President Obama's health care law. Once a ruling is issued, watch CNN.com Live for reaction and fallout to the decision.
Today's programming highlights...
9:00 am ET - Anti-health care law rally - The Supreme Court will be the place to be today because of the health care ruling. Before the ruling is announced, conservative groups opposed to the Affordable Care Act will stage rally outside the Court.
10:00 am ET (est.) - Health care ruling revealed
An Indiana man is demanding a direct apology from a Transportation Security Administration agent in Florida who, the man says, spilled his grandfather's ashes during an airport bag check - and then laughed off the incident.
And John Gross is also demanding that the TSA release any security surveillance tapes of the incident - tapes that the federal agency claims simply don't exist.
Gross, 30, was returning home from visiting family in Orlando, Florida, on June 19, carrying with him a portion of his grandfather's ashes that had been passed along by an uncle - a "real sentimental kind of guy," says Gross - when he approached TSA screeners. A female agent wearing blue latex gloves inspected the contents of his bag, says Gross, including the jar clearly labeled "Human Remains."
"I said, 'Please be careful, these are my grandpa's ashes,'" Gross told CNN Wednesday. But, he said, the agent proceeded to stick her finger in the jar then accidentally spilled its contents on the airport floor.
She then laughed, according to Gross - not an uproarious cackle, but a chuckle that he found offensive nonetheless.
"She thought it was funny," he said. "I wanted to smack her."
FULL STORYThe CNN Daily Mash-up is a roundup of some of the most interesting, surprising, curious, poignant or significant items to appear on CNN.com in the past 24 hours. We top it with a collection of the day's most striking photographs from around the world.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, dressed in green, shook hands Wednesday with former Irish Republican Army commander Martin McGuinness. It was a historic gesture as Northern Ireland continues to heal from decades of violence over British rule. Gerry Adams, president of the Irish republican party Sinn Fein, welcomed the meeting:
All in all, it's a good day for Ireland and a good day for the people of these islands. It brings our journey of relationship building within this island and between these islands onto a new plane. I would like to think we will build upon that.
The death Tuesday of screenwriter and author Nora Ephron has brought forth an outpouring of grief from celebrities who knew her and worked with her, but regular folks appreciated Ephron too, as evidenced by CNN users' comments. An example:
djreilly
I never saw a Nora Ephron picture I didn't enjoy and I'm a guy. I like guns and body counts in my movies. But, Nora could tell a story even I could enjoy. The warmth, depth and humor she brought to the screen was barely matched, Nora you will be missed. I know Harry and Sally will miss you even more.
Two regular guys, both named Thompson, in different cities are being hailed as heroes after coming to the rescue of people in trouble along their routes.
The U.S. House will proceed with a vote Thursday on whether to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress. Holder has been cited for withholding documents in the "Operation Fast and Furious" weapons operation.
Fast and Furious was a federal operation that involved agents' allowing illegal sales of guns believed to be destined for Mexican drug cartels. The idea was to track the sellers and purchasers, but things went awry when weapons found at murder scenes were traced back to the program.
Fast and Furious: By the numbers
As the proceedings continue with Holder, here's a bit of background on his time as Attorney General, as well as a timeline of the events involving Fast and Furious. (For an in-depth breakdown, you can also read more about the Fast and Furious investigation, which started with an agent's death.):
Jews and Muslims are joining forces in outrage over a German court's decision that could prohibit parents from having their children circumcised for religious reasons. The court deemed the oft-religious procedure an act of "bodily harm" to children, according to German media reports.
The Tuesday ruling says doctors who perform the procedure for religious reasons could be charged with committing bodily injury, sparking a debate that pits parents' religious freedom against a child's right to self-determination. The court essentially ruled that circumcision is not in a child's best interests, according to the German newspaper Der Spiegel.
"The body of the child is irreparably and permanently changed by a circumcision," the court said. "This change contravenes the interests of the child to decide later on his religious beliefs."
While the ruling is expected to influence other courts, it is not legally binding, Der Spiegel noted.
The procedure, which is relatively common in the United States (roughly six in 10 newborn boys are circumcised), is not so prevalent in Europe. In Germany, only 11% of boys are circumcised, according to 2007 figures. However, many of Germany's 4 million Muslims and its 100,000 Jews consider circumcision a religious rite.
The case began in Cologne in 2010 after a doctor performed a circumcision on a 4-year-old Muslim boy. His parents took him to a hospital two days later because he was bleeding heavily, the Medical Daily website reported. When prosecutors learned of the emergency room visit, they brought criminal charges against the doctor.
Bombers killed at least seven people at a pro-regime Syrian satellite channel Wednesday, the government said, as world diplomats were making another try at ending the violence raging across the country.
"Terrorists planted explosive devices" in the headquarters of al-Ikhbaria, located near Damascus, killing three journalists and four security guards, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency reported. The attackers also ransacked and destroyed studios, the news outlet said.
"The massacre won't go unpunished," Information Minister Amre al-Zoubi said.
FULL STORYBELFAST, Northern Ireland (CNN) - Britain's Queen Elizabeth II shook hands Wednesday with former IRA commander Martin McGuinness in a historic gesture marking a giant step forward in the peace process around British rule of Northern Ireland.
The handshake comes 14 years after the end of a conflict that claimed about 3,500 lives, including that of the queen's cousin Lord Louis Mountbatten in an IRA bombing.
McGuinness spoke to the queen in Irish as they clasped hands and made eye contact for several seconds in the ground-breaking event.
"Goodbye and godspeed," McGuinness then said, translating his comment for the queen. She smiled throughout the encounter but did not speak.
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