Washington
Political TV ad spending expected to rise to $4.4B
Spending on political television advertising is expected to jump 16 percent, to a record $4.4 billion, in the 2016 presidential cycle compared with four years ago, showing a continued belief by candidates that broadcast and cable TV is the best way to reach voters, according to a report Monday from the Kantar Media research firm. Since the Supreme Court's Citizens United vs. FEC decision in 2010 opened the way for unlimited spending by corporations and unions, analysts say, key states have been seeing a sharp growth in spending on political ads. Already, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton has reserved $8 million in TV advertising that could begin as early as November. In 2012, total television political ad spending was $3.8 billion, and in 2008 it was $2.75 billion.
Washington
Planet's fever shows no sign of relief
Earth dialed the heat up in June, smashing temperature records for both the month and the first half of the year. Off-the-charts heat is "getting to be a monthly thing," said Jessica Blunden, a climate scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. June was the fourth month of 2015 that set a record, she said. "There is almost no way that 2015 isn't going to be the warmest on record," she added. NOAA calculated that the world's average temperature in June hit 61.48 degrees, breaking the record set last year by 0.22 degree. Usually, temperature records are broken by one or two one-hundredths of a degree, not nearly a quarter of a degree, Blunden said.
China
Feathered dinosaur called new species
A nearly intact, new species of dinosaur fossil has been found in China, the first in its family to have unusually short feathered wings. Zhenyuanlong suni is a close cousin of the dinosaur predator Velociraptor. Scientists said the new addition, which lived around 125 million years ago, had multiple layers of dense feathers covering both its wings and tail. Experts think the feathers are more for display than flying. Steve Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh said the dinosaur "looks just like a bird." The skeleton was found in the western part of Liaoning province.
Elsewhere
Washington: President Barack Obama on Monday celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, which he said has ushered in a "bright new era of equality" for millions of Americans.
Afghanistan: A U.S. airstrike in eastern Afghanistan killed eight Afghan soldiers at a military outpost Monday in one of the deadliest friendly-fire incidents in years, officials said.
Times wires