NEED TO KNOW

20% Enrichment

Iran has begun enriching uranium at levels up to 20% at its underground Fordo facility using the country's most advanced reactor setup, officials revealed yesterday. Analysts said the sophisticated reactors allow the country to swiftly change between enrichment levels. 

Most commercial nuclear power reactors rely on natural uranium enriched with 3%-5% of the fissile uranium-235 isotope (watch overview). Reactors with 20% enrichment are typically used for research, while weapons-grade material requires 90% enrichment. However, experts say the move from low- to weapons-grade material can be made fairly quickly.

The country has gradually resumed enrichment activities following the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, and the announcement appears timed with President Joe Biden's upcoming trip to the Middle East, which begins Wednesday.

Recent reports suggest Iran has also stockpiled around 95 pounds of 60% enriched uranium, enough to convert into a single nuclear weapon should the country choose to pursue it. 

Crisis in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s top two leaders pledged to resign over the weekend amid mass protests, which saw demonstrators storm the presidential residence. Lawmakers met Sunday to form a new government as both President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe remained out of public view, with protesters occupying their homes.

The country has been gripped by a monthslong economic crisis spurred by a combination of tax cuts, significant public spending, and a pandemic-induced drop in tourism revenue. In May, Sri Lanka defaulted on $50B in foreign debt and now seeks an aid deal with the International Monetary Fund—an agreement that would come with significant curbs to public programs. Its default may signal a broader trend of nonpayment among developing countries, as experts warn (paywall, Bloomberg) the number of at-risk nations has doubled in six months.

Sri Lankans have faced severe shortages of food and fuel, among other necessities. See video of protesters storming the presidential compound here.

Elections in Japan

Japan's Liberal Democratic Party-led ruling coalition secured a supermajority in the upper chamber of the country's parliament yesterday, in elections held just two days after the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. 

Abe, who left office two years ago, was shot to death Friday by an attacker while publicly campaigning for a fellow LDP candidate. Gun ownership and firearm-related deaths are both exceptionally rare in Japan, which averages fewer than one gun death per 1 million people each year. Reports suggest the gunman used a homemade gun and held a grudge against Abe for purported links to a religious organization.  

The results may allow lawmakers to achieve one of Abe's longtime goals—revising the country's constitution to allow for a traditional military force. In principle, the document currently disallows permanent war-capable forces; read more about Article 9 here. 

Share with friends, earn swag.

In partnership with InsideTracker

WHY IS BLOOD TESTING IMPORTANT FOR ATHLETES?

InsideTracker's research has identified five main blood biomarkers that relate to performance and recovery. By tracking these five biomarkers throughout your training cycle, you can transform your overall health, performance, and recovery.

But let's back up ... what's InsideTracker? It's an ultra-personalized nutrition and performance system, offering plans to provide insights on your health (along with ways to meaningfully improve it). And all five of these performance and recovery biomarkers are measured as part of the Ultimate Plan. Blood analysis provides a unique window into the health and performance of athletes. You can now rely on blood testing to pinpoint biomarkers that may be helping or hurting your game and receive insights on implementing effective changes to improve your performance and recovery.

For a limited time, InsideTracker is offering 1440 subscribers its free e-book: "5 Blood Biomarkers All Athletes Should Know." Receive it for free today, and enjoy 31% off the InsideTracker store this week only.

Please support our sponsors!

IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

In partnership with The Ascent

> Elena Rybakina wins Wimbledon tennis tournament, becomes first Kazakhstan winner of a Grand Slam singles title (More) | Novak Djokovic tops Nick Kyrgios to win his fourth consecutive men's Wimbledon title (More)

> Tony Sirico, actor best known for role in "The Sopranos," dies at 79 (More) | LQ Jones, veteran character actor with more than 60 film credits, dies at 94 (More)

> Las Vegas Raiders tap Sandra Douglass Morgan as NFL's first Black female team president (More) | Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani among headliners announced as  MLB All-Star Game (July 19) starters (More)

From our partners: A cash back dream. This card hit the market offering 2% cash back on purchases (no more tracking categories) and a generous sign-up bonus. It's no wonder The Ascent's independent team of experts crowned it the best cash back card of 2022. Learn more today.

Science & Technology

> NASA announces the five targets captured in the first public batch of photos from the James Webb Space Telescope; images to be released tomorrow (More)

> Influenza B vaccine candidate found to stimulate a broad immune response against a number of different strains; influenza B variants accounted for roughly half of reported cases during the 2019-20 flu season (More)

> Engineers develop first synthetic heart model with muscle cells aligned in a natural spiral structure, a key step toward building an artificial human heart (More)

Business & Markets

> US stock markets close mixed Friday (S&P 500 -0.1%, Dow -0.2%, Nasdaq +0.1%); all three indices end the week higher (More)

> US gas prices fell to average of $4.72 per gallon Friday, down from June record of $5.01 per gallon (More)

> May housing-affordability index from the National Association of Realtors reaches most expensive month since 2006 to purchase a US home (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> At least 15 people killed, dozens believed trapped in rubble, after Russian missile strikes residential neighborhood in eastern Ukraine (More) | See updates on the war here (More)

> Louisiana abortion ban goes into effect after judge lifts block on law amid legal challenges (More) | See state-by-state laws following Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade (More)

> Steve Bannon, ex-adviser to former President Donald Trump, agrees to testify to House Jan. 6 committee (More) | Next committee hearing scheduled for tomorrow (More)

CHANGE IS AN INSIDE JOB

In partnership with InsideTracker

Founded in 2009 by top scientists from acclaimed universities in the fields of aging, genetics, and biology, InsideTracker is a truly personalized nutrition and performance system.

InsideTracker products have helped thousands of people improve their lives by improving their bodies from the inside out, using personalized recommendations for nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle. In addition to a free e-book, 1440 subscribers can save 31% off the entire InsideTracker store, this week only!

Please support our sponsors!

ETCETERA

Explaining how artists get paid from streaming music.

America's shrinking middle-class neighborhoods.

Mapping where America is getting older.

Excavations begin at King Arthur-linked tomb.

How to plan a cross-country road trip.

Waste time with these hidden fruit searches.

Picky penguins refuse cheap fish.

Meet the Pringles spider.

Clickbait: Why your wine smells like a wet dog.

Historybook: President John Q. Adams born (1767); Vice President Aaron Burr mortally wounds Alexander Hamilton in duel (1804); "To Kill a Mockingbird" is published (1960); RIP iconic actor Laurence Olivier (1989); RIP former first lady Lady Bird Johnson (2007).

"The clash of ideas is the sound of freedom."

- Lady Bird Johnson

Why 1440? The printing press was invented in the year 1440, spreading knowledge to the masses and changing the course of history. Guess what else? There are 1,440 minutes in a day and every one is precious. That’s why we scour hundreds of sources every day to provide a concise, comprehensive, and objective view of what's happening in the world. Reader feedback is a gift—shoot us a note at hello@join1440.com.

Interested in advertising to smart readers like you? Apply here!