The southeastern United States is on alert as forecasters monitor Invest 97L, a developing system in the Atlantic that could become Hurricane Erin — the first named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported Monday morning that the disturbance has a 90% chance of forming into a tropical depression or storm within the next seven days, with possible development as early as today.
China and Brazil signed a memorandum of understanding this week to study the creation of a transcontinental railroad from Brazil’s Atlantic coast to Peru’s Pacific coast. Chinese state media heralded the plan as a strategic alternative to the Panama Canal and a step toward tightening Beijing’s grip on Latin American infrastructure.