First half of 2017 ranks 2nd hottest globally, behind 2016 WASHINGTON, July 19 (AP): The first half of 2017 was the second warmest on record for Earth, only behind last year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Tuesday Earth’s average temperature from January to June was 57.9 degrees (14.4 degrees Celsius). That’s 1.6 degrees warmer than the 20th century average. Natural El Ninos spike global temperatures. But NOAA climate scientist Ahira Sanchez-Lugo says it is remarkable that 2017 without an El Nino so far beats all but the super El Nino year of 2016. She says that’s the world changing into an ever warming climate. Record warmth was measured in much of Mexico, western Europe, eastern Russia, eastern Africa and eastern China. The U.S. had its second warmest start. Globally, June was the third warmest on record. Records go back to 1880. SKorean police investigating defector’s return to NKorea SEOUL, July 19 (AP): South Korean police are investigating how a North Korean woman who defected and appeared on cable television shows in South Korea ended up back in the North. An official from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Wednesday the woman who was known as Lim Ji-hyeon in South Korea left the country earlier this year for China. The official says police will try to determine whether the woman returned to the North willingly or was abducted. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of office rules. The police official also said Lim is clearly the same woman who appeared in a North Korean propaganda video on Sunday. The woman said was living with her parents again after returning to the North in June and described her life in the South as hellish.
