Iowa Floods, Starship Stuck, and the World's Ugliest Dog

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Rivers Swell in Iowa

A number of towns across Iowa's northwest and north-central regions were evacuated over the weekend as torrential rains swelled rivers and caused widespread flooding. Sioux County's Rock Valley, home to around 4,000 people, suffered severe flooding after a levee breach—official measurements showed the river cresting more than a foot above record levels (see data).

Many residents remain cut off from power and water treatment facilities. Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) declared a state of emergency and requested expedited federal aid. 

Separately, much of the eastern US endured high temperatures and humidity, with more than 100 million Americans under either a heat warning or heat advisory over the weekend. Thermometers reached the upper 90s along the I-95 corridor from Virginia to the Northeast, with Washington, DC, reaching triple digits. The heat is expected to recede toward the latter half of the week. 

Tel Aviv Protests

Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in downtown Tel Aviv over the weekend, calling for the government's resignation and for the return of around 120 hostages still believed to be held by Hamas. Organizers said the crowds were the largest since the beginning of the war.  

Despite the demonstrations, recent polling suggests a significant majority of Israelis support the current effort, saying the response to Hamas' Oct. 7 attack has either been about right (39%) or hasn't gone far enough (34%).

Separately, at least 65 Palestinians were killed in a series of Israeli strikes in both the northern and southern parts of Gaza. The death toll in Gaza has risen to above 37,400, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry (see background on the agency); the number does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant arrived in the US, where funding for the war has become a political flashpoint ahead of the November elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address Congress in person July 24. 

See further updates on the war here.

Stuck in Space

NASA officials said Friday the return of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft would be delayed indefinitely as engineers reviewed data from the inbound flight to the International Space Station. The vehicle reportedly suffered a number of small helium leaks and experienced issues with five (of 28) thrusters as it docked with the station in early June. 

While the mission was Boeing's first successful crewed launch of the Starliner, the overall effort endured a long series of delays (see timeline). Among other challenges, the first crewed mission was scrubbed in June 2023 after inspectors found flammable tape used aboard the spacecraft, while the current mission was delayed by a month due to a faulty relief valve.

SpaceX, operating under the same NASA contract awarded in 2014, first transported astronauts to the ISS in 2020. The vehicle is rated to stay in outer space for 45 days—a window that began ticking June 6. 

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The Lithium Boom

In partnership with EnergyX

How GM Is Securing Its Lithium Supply

The world will need to produce 3.8 million tons of lithium per year by 2035 to meet the demand for EVs. GM is turning to one startup to unlock US-based lithium supply: EnergyX. EnergyX’s technology can extract up to 300% more lithium than traditional methods.

GM led a $50 million funding round in EnergyX last year.  Now, EnergyX has opened the opportunity to investors. Take advantage of their limited-time $9/share price before June 27.

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