By Jordan Valinsky, CNN

New York (CNN) — The future for big booze might be smaller — literally.

Jameson maker Pernod Ricard, Patrón owner Bacardi Limited and Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila are just a few of the alcohol companies expanding their mini bottle selections. Shoppers looking to stretch a dollar are increasingly choosing smaller packages instead of abandoning their favorite premium brands, making minis one of the fastest-growing package sizes for alcohol.

The biggest gains in market share during the first quarter were brandy and tequila in 50-milliliter bottles, which is the size of a standard shot, as well as 375-milliliter tequila and cordials, according to NIQ data provided to CNN by Bump Williams Consulting. A standard bottle of alcohol is about 700 to 750 milliliters.

“We still see high-end brand interest, though perhaps frequency and pack size have become bigger parts of the purchase decision lately as consumers manage their discretionary income,” said Dave Williams, president of Bump Williams Consulting.

This month, Pernod Ricard expanded its Malibu rum liqueur into a new 100-milliliter format, adding to a growing lineup of smaller offerings that include Skrewball peanut butter whiskey and Absolut vodka.

Sales in the US market have been sluggish, dropping 12% in the third quarter, so the Paris-based company is hoping budget-conscious consumers are looking for more affordable and portable ways to enjoy premium spirits.

“What’s reassuring for us is people are not trading out of our brands, per se, but they are maybe taking a decision to switch from a larger size into a smaller size,” said Colin Kavanagh, chief marketing officer for Pernod Ricard North America.

Over the past year, Kavanagh said that a growing number of Pernod Ricard shoppers were buying 750-milliliter bottles instead of 1.75-liter bottles. Customers who typically bought a standard 750-milliliter bottle, better known as a “fifth,” were downsizing to 375-milliliter versions.

The company began to expand its smaller size offerings after the success of its mini Skrewball peanut butter whiskey a few years ago.

“That really drove us to think more about what we could do with that format and really tap into those trends, whether it’s around affordability, convenience, but also, quite frankly, just bringing some fun as well,” Kavanaugh said, noting that the small size lets consumers experiment with new flavors, like Absolut Tabasco and Malibu Pink.

Other brands are increasing their “nips,” too.

Patrón’s El Alto tequila launched a 50-milliliter version last year for $16.99. The company told CNN the smaller bottle gives drinkers another way to try its highest-end tequila, which typically sells at $135 for a standard size. That makes the mini more approachable for first-time buyers and occasions like gifting.

For 818 Tequila, there has been “strong early demand” for its expansion into “nips” priced at $3.99, said Lanay Jacobs, president of 818 Tequila’s parent company Calabasas Beverage Company.

“Consumers are drawn to the convenience of the format while also viewing it as an affordable way to experience a premium tequila,” she told CNN. “The format also lowers the barrier to trial, making it an easy entry point for consumers who may be discovering 818 for the first time.”

Pernod Ricard’s Kavanaugh calls it a “fast-moving sector” with plans to add more brands in the fall.

“You’re going to see even more activity in this space,” he said.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

The post Read more

By Michael Williams, CNN

(CNN) — The Department of Defense on Monday identified two US soldiers who were killed in Iranian strikes in Jordan.

1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, were killed as part of the Friday attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.

Gonzales, of Carrollton, Texas, died Friday, while Feehan, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, died Saturday, the Defense Department said.

The deaths mark the first American casualties resulting from Iranian strikes since March.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated with additional information.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

The post US military identifies 2 soldiers killed during Iranian strikes in Jordan appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

By Jack Guy, CNN

(CNN) — Firefighters in Scotland have been working to extinguish a wildfire at Arthur’s Seat, a famous hill near the center of the capital city, Edinburgh.

The blaze was reported on Sunday evening, according to a statement from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), published late on Monday morning.

“Operations Control mobilised six fire appliances and specialist resources to the scene where firefighters are working to extinguish a fire affecting an area of grass,” SFRS Area Commander David Dourley said in the statement.

“Our crews remain on scene this morning having worked tirelessly throughout the night fighting the fire. Operations will continue today until the fire is fully extinguished,” he said.

“There are no reported casualties,” added Dourley.

Arthur’s Seat is a landmark dormant volcano that rises 251 meters (823 feet) above sea level, according to the Scottish tourism board, offering hikers views of the country’s capital city.

It is also the site of a large fort dating back around 2,000 years, as well as St. Anthony’s Chapel, a picturesque 15th-century ruin, according to the tourism board.

It sits in Holyrood Park, close to the Scottish Parliament and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, King Charles’ official residence in Edinburgh.

Firefighters have responded to multiple blazes at Arthur’s Seat in recent years, tackling fires there in 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2025.

Dozens of firefighters have also been battling a fire in the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands over the past five days, according to a separate statement from the SFRS.

A “very high risk” wildfire warning is in place for the Central Highlands, Southern and Eastern Scotland until Monday, the service added.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

CNN’s Catherine Nicholls contributed to this report.

The post Firefighters battle blaze on Arthur’s Seat in the heart of Edinburgh appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

CNN, POOL

By Kyle Feldscher, CNN

(CNN) — Before this World Cup began, I kept thinking one thing over and over as the tournament grew closer: “This could be a disaster.”

Headlines from around the country swirled about how the lengthy US government shutdown left local municipalities without the necessary funds to prepare for millions of people coming to the US. There were concerns about the USA’s toxic political environment keeping many of the international visitors from coming for the tournament. Reports of price gouging around the games made it seem like the tournament could see thousands of empty seats as fans were priced out from traveling. The start of the war in Iran soured the reputation of the US government at home and abroad.

It was enough to make me, a World Cup enthusiast, be worried that this tournament would be huge letdown.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

From the moment that the first ball was kicked in Mexico City to the final whistle in the New Jersey Meadowlands, North America was the host of one of the most epic parties the world has ever seen. It was a total vibe shift, one that couldn’t have been more needed.

On that opening night in Mexico, we saw South Koreans and Mexicans bonding like long lost brothers. When the attention turned north of the border, we watched the Scots drink Boston dry; Norwegians row on every form of surface imaginable; Brazilians, Argentines and Colombians come out in droves and take over entire cities; and random tourists discover American delicacies like Buc-ee’s and Waffle House.

There were even a few weeks there when Americans could believe – however far-fetched it seemed – that the USA had suddenly turned a corner and became a World Cup contender after two inspiring wins to start the tournament.

The US, for years, had seen the political chaos from Washington, DC, radiate out and affect the mood of the country. For more than five weeks, the headlines from so many other cities – Algeria’s love affair with Lawrence, Kansas; Boston’s summer fling with Scottish fans and then their takeover of Miami; Seattle’s epic atmosphere; Atlanta’s downtown suddenly overrun with thousands of people as its fanfest became the hottest ticket in town, etc. – suddenly reminded millions of Americans of something that was true all along: This country is actually pretty great.

That’s not to say the politics that so often dominate our lives were absent or should have been ignored. The 39 days of the World Cup definitely had their moments of politics invading what was hoped to be a sporting sanctuary.

The Iranian team’s treatment by FIFA and the US government was rightly criticized as Iran was forced to move its training base at the last moment and then could only fly into and out of the US days before its games, not leaving it much time to prepare or recover. President Donald Trump’s intrusion into the saga around Folarin Balogun briefly made observers question the integrity of the whole tournament (at least until Belgium battered the US and sent the Americans home). One referee was not al

Por Chris Isidore, CNN

El precio promedio que los conductores estadounidenses pagan por un galón de gasolina alcanzó los US$ 4 este lunes, mientras se intensificaban los enfrentamientos entre Estados Unidos e Irán, lo que agravó la interrupción del flujo de petróleo a través del estrecho de Ormuz.

El precio promedio se sitúa ahora apenas por encima de los US$ 4 por galón, según la Asociación Estadounidense del Automóvil, o AAA. La gasolina superó por primera vez la marca de los US$ 4, un umbral psicológicamente importante, el 31 de marzo, un mes después de iniciado el conflicto.

Los precios saltaron desde un promedio de US$ 2,98 por galón antes de la guerra, ya que el conflicto interrumpió la mayor parte del flujo de petróleo a través del crítico estrecho de Ormuz.

A principios de mayo, los precios de la gasolina subieron a un máximo de cuatro años de US$ 4,56 antes de caer ante las esperanzas de que las negociaciones entre Irán y Estados Unidos reabrieran la vía marítima y liberaran los petroleros que habían quedado atrapados en el golfo Pérsico.

Los dos países firmaron un memorando de entendimiento el 14 de junio para detener las hostilidades, lo que provocó que la gasolina volviera a bajar de los US$ 4 unos días después.

Pero los precios en las estaciones de servicio comenzaron a subir nuevamente después de que Irán reanudó los ataques a barcos que intentaban salir del estrecho y después de que Estados Unidos respondió con represalias y estableció un bloqueo a los puertos iraníes. El precio promedio ha subido alrededor de 13 centavos en la última semana.

Los precios de la gasolina aumentaron junto con los del petróleo, con el crudo Brent superando brevemente los US$ 90 por barril por primera vez desde principios de junio este lunes. El Brent subió aproximadamente un 16 % en la última semana. El West Texas Intermediate, el referente estadounidense, subió alrededor de US$ 12 por barril este mes.

Los altos precios en las gasolineras son un dolor de cabeza para el presidente Donald Trump y el Partido Republicano de cara a las elecciones intermedias en noviembre.

Sin embargo, cerca de la mitad de los estados de Estados Unidos aún tienen un precio promedio inferior a los US$ 4 por galón. Indiana tiene el precio promedio más bajo, con US$ 3,35 por galón, mientras que California es el más caro, con US$ 5,49. El estado de Washington y Hawai también tienen un precio promedio superior a los US$ 5 por galón, según la AAA.

No se espera que los precios de la gasolina bajen en el corto plazo, según Tom Kloza, analista independiente de petróleo y asesor de Gulf Oil. El reciente aumento en los futuros de la gasolina indica que los precios subirán entre 10 y 25 centavos más en la próxima semana.

“Eso ya está descontado”, dijo.

La guerra con Irán y el renovado cierre del estrecho no son los únicos factores que impulsan los precios al alza. También están los recientes ataques con drones de Ucrania a refinerías rusas, señaló Kloza.

“Rusia ha tenido que importar gasolina, cuando durante muchos, muchos años ha sido un vendedor neto”, dijo. “Eso ha generado temores en los mercados sobre una escasez de productos refinados. Y no importa cuánta gasolina produzcamos aquí, es un mercado global”.

Todo esto ocurre en plena temporada alta de conducción en Estados Unidos, cuando la demanda de gasolina está en su punto máximo, indicó Kloza. Se espera que la mayor demanda mantenga la presión al alza sobre los precios de la gasolina hasta el Día del Trabajo.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

The post Los precios de la gasolina vuelven a estar a US$ 4 por galón appeared first on N