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NASA Teams Up With India to Launch First-of-Its-Kind $1.5B Satellite (Maria)
The author writes, “In a few days, a new satellite that can detect changes on Earth’s surface down to the centimeter, in almost real time and no matter the time of day or weather conditions, is set to launch from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre near Chennai. Weighing almost 3 tons and boasting a 39-foot radar antenna, the $1.5B NISAR satellite will track the ground under our feet and the water that flows over and through it in unprecedented detail, providing valuable information for farmers, climate scientists and natural disaster response teams.”
Protests, Parades and Pride: One Week in June 2025 Is Drawing Stark American Fault Lines (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “Today’s United States — its possibility, its strength, its divisiveness, its polarization and fragmentation — is encapsulated in a single week in June 2025, its triumphs and frictions on vivid display. As events both planned and chaotically spontaneous play out, many Americans are frantically and sometimes furiously pondering assorted iterations of two questions: What is this country right now? And what should it be?”
Rep. Melissa Hortman, Killed in Targeted Attack, Was a Champion for Minnesotan Families (Dana)
From The 19th: “Melissa Hortman, a former Minnesota House speaker who championed the passage of ambitious progressive policies in the state, was assassinated early Saturday in what Gov. Tim Walz called ‘an act of targeted political violence.’ … Hortman played a key role in shaping what legislation the chamber would prioritize, working closely with Walz to enact a slew of progressive policies that included major investments in children and families, as well as expanded protections for abortion and gender-affirming care. She left the post in March.”
Iran Shatters Israel’s Invincibility (Sean)
From the Daily Islamabad Post: “What was thought to be invincible — the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow-3, and Patriot batteries — was overwhelmed. Iranian missiles, including the newly unveiled Fattah-2 and Qassem Bassir hypersonic variants, reached speeds of up to Mach 15, maneuvered mid-flight, and evaded radar detection with alarming precision. These missiles, equipped with electro-optical guidance, penetrated the very core of Israel’s defense network. For a state that prided itself on technological supremacy and unmatched military intelligence, the breach was both tactical and psychological.”
Trump Says China Will Supply Rare Earths, US To Allow Students (Reader Jim)
The author writes, “President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the U.S. deal with China is done, with Beijing to supply magnets and rare earth minerals while the U.S. will allow Chinese students in its colleges and universities. … A White House official said the agreement allows the U.S. to charge a 55% tariff on imported Chinese goods. This includes a 10% baseline ‘reciprocal’ tariff, a 20% tariff for fentanyl trafficking and a 25% tariff reflecting pre-existing tariffs. China would charge a 10% tariff on U.S. imports, the official said.”
El Paso Hasn’t Seen This Many Dust Storms Since the Dust Bowl (Laura)
From Inside Climate News: “Scientists say drought and climate change are driving the severe dust storms pummeling the border region of Chihuahua, New Mexico and Texas.”
Could This City Be the Model for How To Tackle the Housing Crisis and Climate Change? (DonkeyHotey)
From NPR: “At the edge of a wide, grassy park in Vienna, there’s a modern building with lots of windows and a sleek wood facade. For the past six years, Sebastian Schublach has lived here with his family in a light-filled four-bedroom apartment on the fourth floor. Up on the roof, where Schublach can relax in the communal library with a view of the city and park, there are solar panels to reduce climate pollution. There’s a rooftop garden full of rosemary — the greenery helps keep the building cool in summer. Thick, insulated walls reduce the need for heating and cooling — Schublach’s apartment doesn’t even need an air conditioner. … In the United States, high-quality, climate-friendly apartments like this are mostly rare and unaffordable, says Daniel Aldana Cohen, professor of sociology at the University of California, Berkeley and co-director of the think tank the Climate and Community Institute. But in Vienna, sustainable buildings like Schublach’s aren’t just affordable, they’re widespread.”
