9.11.2024

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Good morning. It's Wednesday, Sept. 11, and we're covering the first (and possibly only) Trump-Harris debate, commemorating the 23rd anniversary of 9/11, and much more. First time reading? Join over 3.8 million intellectually curious readers. Sign up here.

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Need To Know
 

Presidential Debate Redux

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump went head-to-head in their first debate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, last night. The ABC-hosted event was the second presidential debate of the 2024 election season but marked the first—and only scheduled—in-person encounter between the two presidential hopefuls following President Joe Biden's exit from the race. 

 

The roughly 90-minute debate—moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis—featured back-and-forth exchanges on issues, including the economy, abortion, immigration, and foreign policy (see takeaways). Trump and Harris also took jabs at each other; Trump criticized Harris for changing her stance on issues like fracking and joked he wanted to send her a "Make America Great Again" hat for her policy positions, while Harris commented on Trump's legal battles and criticized his rallies. The moderators appeared to only fact-check Trump, including when he falsely claimed immigrants were eating their neighbors' pets in Springfield, Ohio. Rewatch the debate here.

 

With eight weeks until Election Day, Harris is ahead of Trump by roughly one percentage point (see polling data). Next up is a CBS-hosted vice presidential debate between Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) and Ohio Sen. JD Vance (R), who will face off in New York City Oct. 1.  

 

America Remembers 9/11

The US will recognize the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks today, with a number of memorials being held around the country. In New York City, families will gather at the 9/11 Memorial Plaza to read aloud the names of the thousands of victims killed, followed by the annual Tribute in Light ceremony. 

 

The day is the deadliest terrorist attack in US history (see day-of photos, warning—sensitive), with 2,977 people directly killed—2,606 in the World Trade Center, 246 across four hijacked planes, and 125 at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. The remains of roughly 40% of the victims have not yet been identified. Over 25,000 people were injured in the aftermath, many suffering long-term health consequences from toxic contaminants and trauma. 

 

The attacks caused protracted wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (see timelines here and here), which ended in 2021 and 2011, respectively. Roughly 15,000 US troops and contractors were killed across post-9/11 missions, with estimates projecting a total combined cost exceeding $3T, with interest on the debt used to finance operations reaching $6.5T by 2050. 

 

See newspaper headlines from the day after the attacks here. Listen to voicemails recorded by people who lost loved ones on 9/11 and what they wished to say. And view Smithsonian artifacts that tell the story of 9/11 here.

 

Polaris Dawn Blasts Off

SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission successfully launched early yesterday morning from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission aims to take its four-person civilian crew 870 miles above Earth—farther than any human has traveled since NASA's Apollo moon missions and more than three times higher than the International Space Station.

 

Made up of billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Scott Poteet, and SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, the mission will attempt the first-ever civilian spacewalk Thursday conducted by two of the crew members. The crew will spend the next five days testing a Starlink laser-based communications system, medical technologies, and new SpaceX-designed spacesuits. See a history of spacesuit designs here.

 

The mission is the first of the Polaris Program, a series of three planned spaceflights with SpaceX aimed at advancing space technology and exploration for missions to the moon and Mars.

In partnership with EnergyX

Why GM Backed This 'Unlisted' Lithium Stock

 

For General Motors to succeed in meeting its EV transition target by 2035, they’ll need up to 414,469 tons of lithium per year. That’s why the automaking behemoth led a $50M investment round for lithium extraction startup EnergyX

 

Their patented tech extracts lithium 300% more efficiently than conventional methods. Plus, where modern methods take 12+ months, EnergyX needs just two days. That’s why EnergyX has been entrusted with the rights to 100,000+ acres of lithium-rich Chilean land and a $5M DOE grant toward a recently announced US lithium plant.

 

It’s not just cars that need batteries, either. The entire $546B energy storage market will depend on securing reliable sources of lithium. EnergyX’s plan to produce 65,000 tons per year will help them lead the charge. However, EnergyX is only accepting shareholders until October 3.*

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In The Know
 

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Mauricio Pochettino, former manager of Chelsea and Tottenham, named coach of US men's national soccer team; former coach Gregg Berhalter was fired in June after leading Team USA for nearly six years (More

> Sean "Diddy" Combs ordered to pay $100M over alleged sexual assault at a 1997 party (More) | NFL reviewing allegations of sexual assault against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, which were filed in a civil lawsuit Monday (More)

> Tiger Woods and PGA Tour officials meet with members of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund over potential $1B investment from the PIF (More

 

Science & Technology

> NASA greenlights launch of mission to search for signs of life on Jupiter's moon Europa; the largest spacecraft ever built for a planetary mission, the Europa Clipper could launch as early as Oct. 10 (More) | NASA 101 (More, w/video)

> Microsoft demonstrates logical operations using the highest number of error-corrected quantum computing bits to date (More) | How quantum computing works (More, w/video)

> Researchers discover multiple species of fungi, bacteria, and viruses floating in the air at altitudes close to 10,000 feet; may represent a new pathway for the regional spread of pathogens (More

 

Business & Markets

> US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 +0.5%, Dow -0.2%, Nasdaq +0.8%) (More) | Oil prices drop more than 3% to lowest levels since 2021 following OPEC monthly report lowering growth forecast for 2024, 2025 (More) | What is OPEC? (More)

> Federal Reserve proposes rules reducing by about half the amount of extra capital banks will be required to have on hand following threat of litigation; updated rules will be finalized in coming months, were developed in response to 2008 financial crisis (More) | EU's highest court upholds 2016 tax fines for Apple, Google (More)

> Southwest Airlines chairman, six board directors to exit following pressure from Elliott Investment Management, which holds 10% stake; Elliott blames board for stock dropping over 50% in three years (More) | FAA investigates Delta Air Lines ground collision in Atlanta; no injuries reported (More)

In partnership with The Ascent

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Politics & World Affairs

> Tropical Storm Francine turns into Category 1 hurricane, expected to strike Louisiana today as Category 2 hurricane; storm surge warnings also in effect for Texas (More) | See live updates (More)

> Israeli airstrikes hit humanitarian zone in Gaza, killing at least 19 people and wounding at least 60 others, per Hamas-run Health Ministry; Israel says it targeted senior militants culpable in Oct. 7 attacks (More) | Ukraine targets inland Russia, including Moscow with 140 drones, killing one woman and sparking building fires in largest attack of its kind (More)

> Artillery attack in southeastern Sudan market kills 21 people, wounds over 70 others, per doctors' union; attack comes after US- and Saudi-brokered peace talks fail to end civil war, government rejects international peacekeeping force (More)

In partnership with EnergyX

Meeting the Projected 20X Lithium Demand

 

Each EV battery needs ~70 kg of lithium—10,000x the amount of a smartphone. With more than 1 billion EVs projected on roads by 2050, current lithium production can’t meet soaring demand. 

 

Enter EnergyX. Their tech can extract up to 300% more lithium than traditional methods, earning them $100M+ of investments from GM and others. They also just announced Project Lonestar, a US lithium plant supported by a $5M DOE grant. Join EnergyX as a shareholder before their raise ends October 3.*

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Etcetera
 

The whale-shaped plane designed to carry aircraft parts.

 

Ranking America's best colleges for 2025.

 

International Space Station captures orbital sunrise. (w/video)

 

Viral Australian Raygun officially ranked world's No. 1 breakdancer.

 

Three-pack of Fukushima peaches sells for $100.

 

A traveler's recommendation for dramatic places to cry.

 

... and eccentric room service requests include Evian-filled bathtub.

 

Dog excels at combo sport of beach soccer-volleyball.

 

Clickbait: Why earlobes exist.

 

Historybook: College football coach Bear Bryant born (1913); Chilean President Salvador Allende dies by suicide in midst of coup d'état (1973); Pete Rose breaks baseball’s all-time hits record (1985); Coordinated terrorist attacks in the US kill 2,977, injure over 6,000 others (2001); US diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, attacked resulting in death of four Americans (2012).

"So many names, there is barely room on the walls of the heart."

- Billy Collins*

 

*The final line from the poem, The Names, US poet laureate Billy Collins' ode to the victims of the 9/11 attack.

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*Disclosure: This is a paid advertisement for EnergyX's Regulation A+ Offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.energyx.com/.

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