Screwworm Returns, Mount Everest Survivor, and a Lego Scandal

 Need To Know 

Pest From the Past Returns

US officials have confirmed the first case of New World screwworm in US cattle in more than 60 years, found in a 3-week-old calf in Texas near the border with Mexico.

The parasitic fly’s larvae feed on living tissue, infesting open wounds in livestock and causing severe injury or death. It can also affect pets, wildlife, and, rarely, people; the most recent US case involved a traveler returning from El Salvador last year. While officials say the parasite does not threaten the food supply, they warn a broader outbreak could cost the livestock industry billions and raise prices. The US cattle herd stands at about 86 million head, its lowest level in 75 years (see why).

Officials are releasing millions of sterile males to halt reproduction, a method that eradicated the pest in the 1960s by ensuring females—which mate only once but can lay up to 3,000 eggs over a 10- to 30-day lifespan—produce no viable offspring. A 12-mile quarantine zone has also been established, restricting animal movement. See map here.

Border Bill Vote-A-Rama 

The Senate began voting yesterday on a $70B Republican-backed bill that funds both Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection through 2029. Passage is expected as soon as today, before the bill heads to the House. 

The legislation (see text here) includes more than $38B for ICE, $26B for CBP, and additional funding for the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice. The money would go toward hiring and training additional personnel, upgrading technology, and supporting state and local law enforcement. The bill was delayed for weeks by GOP infighting over two provisions that were ultimately stripped: the $1B White House ballroom security and a nearly $1.8B DOJ anti-weaponization fund. 

Republicans are using budget reconciliation to bypass the Senate's 60-vote threshold, allowing the bill to advance with a simple majority rather than requiring bipartisan support. It must first clear a "vote-a-rama," where senators can propose unlimited amendments to change or strike parts of the bill, often used to force political votes.

Six-Day Survival

A missing Nepali guide was found alive on Mount Everest six days after he was last seen. A cleaning crew discovered 52-year-old Dawa Sherpa while closing up routes at the end of Everest’s climbing season. 

A British climber said Sherpa had paused to rest during the descent, and although it was common to take rests, this time the guide didn’t catch back up. He was last seen on May 29 above Camp 3, at an altitude of roughly 24,000 feet, where oxygen is low. Search efforts were reportedly delayed, and helicopters failed to find him. When Sherpa was spotted days later, he was on Khumbu Icefall, crawling toward Base Camp (see how far he’d traveled, scroll for map). He was airlifted to a hospital with frostbite but was otherwise reportedly in good health.

This year's climbing season was the busiest on record, with more than 1,000 climbers reaching the summit. Nepali guides typically earn around $5K per season; explore the commercialization of Mount Everest here (w/charts).

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> World No. 114 Maja Chwalińska becomes the lowest-ranked French Open finalist in history after defeating Diana Shnaider in the semifinals; will face Mirra Andreeva tomorrow (More) | See preview of men's semifinals today (More)

> Marjane Satrapi, the French-Iranian graphic artist and author behind the "Persepolis" series, dies at age 56; no cause of death given though French media said she died "of sadness" (More) | Watch a trailer for the film adaptation of "Persepolis" (More)

> Texas beats Texas Tech 4-1 to win the Women's College World Series for the second consecutive year (More) 

Science & Technology

> Astrophysicists find first evidence of a cosmic "wind" blowing outward from the Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way; effect had been theorized for 50 years but not confirmed (More) 

> Electrical pulses delivered to sea squirts reverse damage in the creatures' stem cells, extending their lifespan by more than a year; findings could shed light on anti-aging therapies for humans (More) | Why do we age? (More, w/video)

> Artificial leaf produces methanol using only sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide as inputs (More) | A simple explanation of artificial photosynthesis (More, w/video)

Business & Markets

> US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 +0.4%, Dow +1.7%, Nasdaq -0.1%) (More) | Quantinuum, a quantum computing firm, debuts on Nasdaq after raising nearly $1.7B in an upsized initial public offering (More) 

> Private equity firm Blackstone reinstates 5% withdrawal limit on its $79B flagship private-credit fund after investors seek to pull out $4.4B amid concerns over access to cash in the private market (More) | What's private credit? (More, w/video) 

> Database startup Supabase raises $500M in funding at $10.5B valuation; the company makes back-end tools for building AI apps (More) 

Politics & World Affairs

> House Oversight Committee releases full, 111-page transcript of interview with former Attorney General Pam Bondi about the Epstein files (More) | Read it (More)

> President Donald Trump says he will nominate acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to serve in the role permanently; Blanche previously worked as Trump's personal lawyer (More) | See his background (More)

> Former national security adviser John Bolton will plead guilty later this month to one count of retaining classified national security information, pay $2.3M fine; Bolton criticized President Donald Trump in his 2020 memoir (More) 

In-Depth

> Inside FIFA's Power Structure

1440 Explores | Sony Kassam. The world's most popular sport is run by a Swiss organization with no real oversight, a tiny voting committee, and billions of dollars flowing in every four years. For decades, nobody looked too closely. Then came Qatar—and the FBI. (Watch) 

Prefer audio only? Subscribe and listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

> How to Stop a Killer Asteroid

MIT Press | Govert Schilling. An exploding meteor over Massachusetts last week released the energy equivalent of over 230 tons of TNT, despite being just 5 feet wide. Do we have the tools (and political will) to protect us from much larger asteroids? (Read) 

> The First Family of Balloon Racing

Texas Monthly | Katy Vine and Meher Yeda. The Heartsills are revered in the obscure world of hot air balloon racing, which is less racing and more an airborne game of cornhole. (Read)

> The Lost Lyme Vaccine

Unexplainable | Meradith Hoddinott. In the tiny town after which Lyme disease was named, a seemingly successful vaccine for the beguiling condition was once trialed—but never brought to market. (Listen) 

Do you know more about personal finance than a high schooler? (w/quiz)

Rare meteorite could come from a giant, early planet. (w/image)

See winning images from the World Food Photography Awards.

... and the world's most beautiful restaurants.

Which states might be able to see the Northern Lights tonight?

Finland resort launches a treasure hunt for a $23K gold bar.

Twenty-five buildings that showcase America at 250.

With a protein powder shortage looming, will we have to eat real protein?

In partnership: This fast-growing startup’s share price is set to change after June 18.*

Clickbait: What's going on with the Lego scandal in Utah?

Historybook: The US repeals the domestic gold standard (1933); Bobby Kennedy is shot at campaign rally, dies next day (1968); President Ronald Reagan dies (2004); Science fiction writer Ray Bradbury dies (2012); Fashion designer Kate Spade dies (2018).

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