The Bulletin

Welcome to the Bulletin (we're off for 4th of July celebrations so we'll see you on Wednesday),

• China will tighten exports of two minerals, gallium and germanium, that are widely used in the semiconductor industry, intensifying a trade war over access to advanced microchips between Beijing and Washington.
• At least five people have been injured—with one in critical condition—after a suspected vehicle-ramming attack in Tel Aviv, Israel. Local reports suggest the alleged attacker was shot and killed at the scene.
• An armed gunman opened fire in the Kingsessing neighborhood of Philadelphia, killing five people and injuring two minors. Police officers have apprehended a male suspect and recovered two firearms.
• Jens Stoltenberg's term as Secretary-General of NATO has been extended until October 2024. The Norwegian was due to step down this October, but the bloc cited the war in Ukraine as a reason for extending his term.
• With Independence Day here, numerous fireworks are scheduled to light up the skies across the U.S. Although fun to watch, the displays may worsen air quality in areas already dealing with wildfire smoke from the Canadian fires.
• The Taliban's Vice and Virtue Ministry has ordered the nationwide closure of hair and beauty salons in Afghanistan, as the group continues to curtail women's rights in the country.
• Video posted online over the weekend appeared to show an attempted arson attack on the Indian consulate in San Francisco. The attack was reportedly carried out by Khalistani separatists, who advocate for an independent, Sikh-majority Punjab separate from India and Pakistan.
• In the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Russian military's failures in Ukraine are pitting the Kremlin against its war supporters, the Institute for the Study of War said. Russian President Vladimir Putin may have to choose between his defense ministry and maintaining support among Russian military bloggers.

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At least five people have died and 20 others injured after the Israeli army began a major military operation in the West Bank - the largest such operation in years - sparking protests across Palestine and escalating tensions in the region. Israelis said the air and ground assault targeted Palestinian militants in a Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. "We will not stand by idle while terrorists continue to harm civilians using Jenin Camp as a hideout," Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.

The raid is the second such IDF operation in Jenin in as many months. The Israeli government has accused the camp, with a population of ~14,000, of being a lawless region harboring fighters from Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Fatah and operating outside the Palestinian Authority's jurisdiction. "Our heroic people will confront this aggression that is taking place under the eyes of the international community," Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh said. "Where innocent people are bombed by planes, our people will not kneel and will not surrender, and we will remain in confrontation until this criminal occupation is over."

TL/DR: A drone attack from Israeli forces has targeted a large refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, with many casualties expected

What happens now? IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the operation was expected to last between one and three days, and that Israel did not intend to take territory in Jenin. Jenin’s deputy governor Kamal Abu al-Rub, meanwhile, claimed the IDF is indiscriminately targeting civilians, having “cut off all electricity, telecommunications and water” in the camp. Abu al-Rub added that Israel had been able to launch the raid without opposition because “Arab governments and the Arab League” have “turned their backs” on Palestine.

Deeper reading Videos Show Dozens of Rockets Flying as Israel Strikes Hamas in Lebanon

French protests appeared to ease following an appeal for "calm" from the grandmother of Nahel M, an unarmed 17-year-old delivery boy of Algerian and Moroccan descent who was shot by a police officer last Tuesday. The shooting — the third during traffic stops this year — added fuel to France's deep-rooted perception of police brutality, rampant racism, and racial profiling. In 2022, 13 men, mostly Black or of Arab descent, were killed at traffic stops.

The incident highlights the struggle of French governments to address issues within a department bounded by influential unions. While the Biden Administration pushed for policing reforms after the 2020 death of George Floyd, the officially color-blind France rarely acknowledges that racial discrimination is at play. In recent decades, Paris has introduced several pieces of legislation aimed at law and order, but activists blame a 2017 reform for a rise in shootings, saying it gave the police more leeway to use their firearms.

TL/DR: "Riots in the U.S. and Britain in the 60s and 80s have led to deep reforms of the police. In France? Nothing for the past 40 years,” historian Cedric Mas tweeted.

What happens now? Police authorities acknowledge that there was less damage during the early hours of Monday, but it could be too early to say if the unrest was over. As politicians scramble to find ways to quell protests, French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to meet with leaders of parliament later today. He will meet with the mayors of 220 affected towns and cities on Tuesday. An attempted murder investigation has been opened by prosecutor Stephane Hardouin after a burned-out car was driven into the home of L’Haÿ-les-Roses Mayor Vincent Jeanbrun.

Deeper reading Videos Show Buildings on Fire in France Amid Riots Over Police Shooting

The next milestone in cancer research could be the development of vaccines, scientists believe, with researchers testing a variety of shots they say could shrink tumors prior to surgery. Multiple vaccines are currently under development in an attempt to tackle advanced lung, ovarian, and breast cancer, with results expected as soon as 2024. These vaccines are used to treat patients who already have advanced cancer, often in tandem with other interventions like chemotherapy.

Two such vaccines are currently in use: one for early-stage prostate cancer, and another for bladder cancer. Drugmakers Moderna and Merck are jointly developing a "personalized mRNA vaccine" for patients with melanoma, customized to each patient. But doctors have stressed that creating a personalized vaccine will be extremely expensive. "You basically have to make every vaccine from scratch," Dr. Patrick Ott of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, told AP. "If this wasn't personalized, the vaccine could probably be made for pennies."

TL/DR: Many remain unaware that cancer vaccines already exist but their impact and use are expected to grow quickly.

What happens now? Despite the technical difficulty and costs associated with personalized cancer vaccines, doctors have high hopes for the development of new shots. Dr. Vinod Balachandran of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, which is developing its own personalized cancer vaccine, said: “It’s exciting to see that a personalized vaccine could enlist the immune system to fight pancreatic cancer—which urgently needs better treatments. It’s also motivating as we may be able to use such personalized vaccines to treat other deadly cancers.”

Deeper reading Human Injected With Cancer-killing Virus Vaxinia

As Buckingham Palace undergoes a £369 million ($467m) reservicing, there is growing pressure on the Royal Family to justify such a costly project. King Charles doesn't care to move in, he's lived about five minutes away in Clarence House for 20 years. "None of the royals liked living at BP... it's vast and impersonal," author of Prince Philip Revealed Ingrid Seward told Newsweek. He will eventually move into the iconic building, a Royal spokesperson said, the home to every monarch since Queen Victoria.

New data shows the monarchy received £86.3 million last year, £34.5 million of which was allocated for the project. Some argue that there should be more public access to the palace since the public is footing the bill. The British government factored in increases to the annual sovereign grant to cover the project, which began in 2017 to overhaul the palace's infrastructure. However, the monarchy has had to dip into reserve funds to keep up with costs as the pandemic hit and the cost of living increase in the U.K.

TL/DR: "The King and Queen would be reluctant to leave Clarence House, but after the refurbishment is complete it does seem likely," royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Newsweek.

What happens now? There is speculation Charles may open the staterooms for public access year-round once the project is completed in 2027. It remains to be seen whether the palace will be used differently in years to come – potentially serving as a destination for official Royal business and visitors, rather than a home for the monarchy.

Deeper reading King Charles Has a $460M Buckingham Palace Problem

In a breakthrough that could shape our understanding of the formation of the Universe, researchers found clear evidence of a background of cosmic gravitational waves, creating a "hum." "We have found evidence for a stochastic background of gravitational waves, which we suspect is coming from the largest binaries of the largest black holes in the Universe," lead researcher Xavier Siemens, a co-director of NANOGrav, tells Newsweek.

"These are a billion solar mass black holes that are in orbit around one another. They form when galaxies merge." (If you want a full explanation, our sister newsletter Infinite Scroll has the full rundown.) It opens up a whole new "type" of data to research, with astronomers typically relying on the study of light, which has proved limiting for several reasons. Analysts are most excited about the possibilities of the earliest waves. While light has been observed 400,000 years after the Big Bang, waves could have originated only seconds after the formation of the Universe.

TL/DR: Scientists have discovered a “background hum” of gravitational waves that could lead to groundbreaking revelations about the structure of our universe.

What happens now? In the years to come, the international teams will continue to work together to study the waves and their potential sources. "We're excited to discover what secrets they will reveal about our universe." Chiara Mingarelli, an assistant professor at Yale and NANOGrav scientist, added: "What's next is everything. This is just the beginning."

Deeper reading Symphony of Most Powerful Gravitational Waves Ever Discovered By Scientists

A huge, hidden underground lake spreads throughout the center of the U.S., supporting farming across the Great Plains and providing drinking water for millions, but the ongoing drought is threatening to dry it up. The Ogallala Aquifer lies beneath South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas. It makes up about 30% of the groundwater used for irrigation while providing drinking water to over 80% of the people living across the Great Plains.

After years of warnings, experts said water levels were "mostly in decline" by 2019 from Kansas through the aquifer's southernmost spots. While reservoirs partially refill during rain-heavy winters, it takes much longer to replenish aquifers. Expert predictions vary wildly, with the risk of it running dry as early as 2028 or lasting until the end of the century. Once it has gone, it would take over 6,000 years to replenish naturally through rainfall. Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska are all dealing with extreme drought conditions, which is worsening the situation.

TL/DR: The “underground lake” with water responsible for over $20 billion of agricultural production risks running dry

What happens now? The main way to save the underwater lake is to restrict water use. A study from the USDA in 2020 showed that farmers may be able to use half the amount of water that they usually need to water their crops. But as drought worsens, this may be easier said than done.

Deeper reading The Hidden Underground Lake in the Center of the U.S. Threatening Farming