Over the past two years, Earth has endured some of the most widespread and destructive droughts ever recorded, according to a new analysis by the U.S. National Drought Mitigation Center and the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification.

Texas

A recent report by the U.S. National Drought Mitigation Center and the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification reveals that Earth has experienced some of the most extensive and damaging droughts on record over the past two years. The analysis highlights that extreme temperatures have significantly affected food and water supplies, as well as energy production worldwide.

In the United States, approximately 31 percent of the mainland is experiencing at least moderate drought, impacting over 71 million people. The report emphasizes the importance of improved data collection on drought impacts and calls for increased efficiency in water use and nature-based solutions to help ecosystems adapt.

Earth has seen worst droughts ever recorded in last two years

Last two years, Earth has endured some of the most widespread and destructive droughts ever recorded. That is according to a new analysis by the U.S. National Drought Mitigation Center and the U.N. Convention to Combat De-certification. The report found extreme temperatures are hurting food and water supplies, as well as energy production around the world. Here at home, around 31 percent of the mainland U.S. is enduring at least a moderate drought, affecting more than 71 million Americans. Mark Svoboda joins us now. He is a director and professor at the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is one of the authors of the report. Mark, thank you for being with us. Thanks for having me. You mentioned in the report that this is a slow-moving global catastrophe. Can you explain why? Well, I think that's an old adage that droughts, they cover very large areas, potentially, and they can last from days to decades. So, it's a real conundrum on how we manage those. I think, however, it's most analogous with climate change and gives us an opportunity to learn how to deal with this change in drought behavior, which is going more from just long-term to also rapid-onset droughts, droughts we call flash droughts. So, what parts of the U.S. are we talking about? Which ones are affected the most? Well, here at home, we're looking primarily, the area that's taking the brunt of it is the Four Corners region, parts of Nevada and Southern California. And we've seen a lot of improvement in the Central Plains, thankfully, and the major corn and bean belt area. So, this area didn't receive a lot of snowpack. We've got low runoff. We've already got a drawn-down Lake Mead and Lake Powell on the Colorado system. But that's not the only area that's been in trouble lately. We're seeing this up in the Columbia Basin. And in the last couple of years, we've had really low flows, even in the Mississippi River Basin. So, Mark, how can we address some of the damage? Well, one of the things we're trying to advocate for, and we mentioned in the report, is to emphasize the collection of impacts. This tells us where we're at risk and vulnerable to drought or other hazards. So, the better job we can do of that, we should be collecting impact information just the way we do precipitation or temperature. So, it's a real gap. So, if we don't take action right now, what happens? What is your biggest concern? Well, I think the concern is we're drawing down water resources, which is a relatively finite resource. We only have so many options in play in terms of producing alternate water resources. So, how do we increase efficiency, of course? How do we optimize irrigation such that we're not robbing from the future to pay the present when it comes to pumping out of groundwater? And then nature-based approaches to provide buffers to help ecosystems deal with drought. All right, Mark Svoboda, thank you so much.

President Donald Trump said Washington will start sending letters to countries on Friday specifying what tariff rates they will face on imports to the United States, a clear shift from earlier pledges to strike scores of individual deals.

Washington

Global Tariffs

Trump: Letters telling countries their tariff rate going out Friday

Indonesian rescuers on Thursday (July 3) temporarily halted a search for 30 people still missing after a ferry carrying 65 people sank near the island of Bali with the loss of six lives, the national search and rescue agency said.

Gilimanuk

Indonesia suspends search for 30 missing after ferry sinks near Bali

After marathon debate sessions in the Senate and House, President Donald Trump’s budget bill passed in the House. Republicans secured the biggest win of Trump’s presidency.

Trump’s landmark ‘big, beautiful bill’ narrowly passes U.S. House

Florida says the first group of migrant detainees have arrived at the new immigration detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz." CBS News correspondent Shanelle Kaul has more.

Ochopee

First group of detainees arrive at "Alligator Alcatraz," Florida says

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday (July 3) that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that he plans to hold a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. CBS News White House reporter Willie James Inman has more.

Ukraine Invasion

Trump speaks with Putin, plans call with Zelenskyy

CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez reports on a lawsuit from lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia alleging he suffered “torture and mistreatment” after he was wrongfully deported and held in El Salvador’s notorious mega prison.

Tecoluca

Kilmar Abrego Garcia claims he was tortured in El Salvadoran prison

The Kremlin welcomed the development, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov claiming it proves Western arsenals are being depleted and predicting that less aid will hasten the end of the conflict.

U.S. pauses military aid to Ukraine over depleted weapons stockpile

Two contractors employed by UG Solutions spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity as they were revealing their employers’ internal operations.

Jerusalem

U.S. contractors say live ammo used at Gaza aid distribution site

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke for hours on the House floor about potential impacts of President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" that Republicans are looking to pass before July 4. Following debate, the House is set for a final vote on the massive budget bill.

House debates Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' ahead of final vote

CBS News political contributor Caroline Polisi joins "CBS Mornings" to break down the jury's verdict in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal trial and the judge's decision to deny bail for the music mogul ahead of his sentencing.

Manhattan

Sean "Diddy" Combs denied bail after split verdict

Liverpool soccer player Diogo Jota has died aged 28, just weeks after marrying his childhood sweetheart. The footballer passed away in a car crash in northern Spain.

Madrid

Liverpool soccer player dies in car crash 10 days after wedding

The Pentagon said that U.S. strikes 10 days ago had degraded Iran's nuclear program by up to two years, suggesting the U.S. military operation likely achieved its goals despite a far more cautious initial assessment that leaked to the public.

Tehran

Iran Strikes

Iran nuclear program degraded by up to two years: Pentagon

Days before his 90th birthday, the Dalai Lama announced the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a non-profit he founded, will have the sole authority to recognize his future reincarnation, but China insists it will choose the successor of the Tibetan spiritual leader.

Lhasa

China rejects Dalai Lama’s succession plan

The U.S. Congress inched towards approving President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, despite attempts by Democrats to stop it. The bill is Trump’s signature legislation which includes massive spending increases on the military and immigration enforcement while slashing social programs.

Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill nears approval

Sean (Diddy) Combs was found guilty on prostitution-related charges, but was acquitted on more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking giving him a maximum sentence of 20 years. But the courtroom victory was subdued following a judge’s ruling to deny him bail.

New York

Diddy denied bail, avoids life in prison

President Trump says Israel has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, but it remains unclear if Hamas will accept the terms. CBS News senior foreign correspondent Debora Patta has more.

Trump says Israel has agreed to Gaza ceasefire conditions

Bryan Kohberger changed his plea to guilty Wednesday for the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students. CBS News national correspondent Carter Evans has more on the case.

Boise

New details revealed as Kohberger pleads guilty for 2022 Idaho murders

The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down a state abortion law that was adopted in 1849 in a 4-3 landmark decision. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul reports.

Madison

Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down 176-year-old state abortion ban

Macron and Putin held regular discussions around the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Macron visiting Putin in Russia in February 2022, but dialogue eventually stalled.

Paris

Macron held 'substantial' phone call with Putin

President Trump toured “Alligator Alcatraz,” a migrant detention center he teamed up with Ron DeSantis to build in the Everglades.

Everglades

Protesters gather around ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ as President Trump visits

Jurors in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal criminal trial said they have reached a verdict on four of the five counts, but they cannot reach a verdict on Count 1, which is racketeering conspiracy. The judge has instructed the jury to keep deliberating. Deliberations will resume Wednesday (July 2).

Jury reaches partial verdict in Sean "Diddy" Combs case

The U.S. Senate passed the Republicans' reconciliation bill on Tuesday (July 1) after more than 24 hours of marathon voting on amendments. Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote.

U.S. Senate passes Trump's "big, beautiful bill"

The new order does not rescind existing sanctions on ousted longtime President Bashar al-Assad, his top aides, officials and family members who are accused of having committed war crimes and human rights violations against Syrian civilians.

Trump signs executive order lifting U.S. sanctions on Syria

Former criminology graduate student Bryan Kohberger has agreed to plead guilty to killing four Idaho college students in 2022, a move that would spare him the death penalty under a deal with prosecutors, ABC News reported on Monday (June 30).

Moscow

Suspect in murders of four Idaho college students to plead guilty

Thailand's Constitutional Court on Tuesday suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from duty pending a case seeking her dismissal, adding to mounting pressure on a government fighting for survival on multiple fronts.

Bangkok

Thai court suspends PM from duty pending case seeking her dismissal

Israeli strikes killed at least 60 people across Gaza on June 30 in some of the heaviest attacks in weeks as Israeli officials were due in Washington for a new ceasefire push by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Israel strikes pound Gaza, killing 60, ahead of U.S. talks

U.S. President Donald Trump says he's not planning to extend the pause on global tariffs set to expire on July 9. Brian Schwartz, reporter for the Wall Street Journal, joins CBS News to discuss.

Trump says he's not planning to extend July 9 global tariff deadline

The jury has informed the judge in Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking trial that they have concerns about one juror's ability to follow the court's instructions. Deliberations in the trial are underway.

Jury in Sean "Diddy" Combs trial sends note to judge

Jury deliberations are set to begin in the Sean "Diddy" Combs sex trafficking and racketeering trial. CBS News' Katrina Kaufman has the latest updates.

Jury deliberations set to begin in Sean "Diddy" Combs trial

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Iran's nuclear sites were "obliterated," but the U.N.'s top nuclear inspector says the country can quickly resume uranium production.