News Wrap: Oppressive heat, extreme weather conditions sweep across the U.S.

John Yang:

Good evening, I'm John Yang. It's a tale of extremes across the United States oppressive heat, wildfires and flooding hitting many parts of the country. From the Midwest to the East Coast, millions of people are searching for relief from record setting temperatures.

In many places it feels hotter than 100 degrees. And it's only the beginning. Heat Wave is expected to last all weekend affecting people from the Ohio Valley to the Mid-Atlantic and prompting health warnings.

Woman:

I don't know how long this is going to continue. It's just horrible.

Man:

You have to be outside, be outside for only a minimal amount of time as much as needed. Definitely drink a lot of water. Always stay hydrated.

John Yang:

The extreme weather is affecting travelers to Amtrak warns customers that some Northeast Corridor trains are traveling at slower speeds because of the heat that's causing delays of up to an hour.

In the West, a wildfire in New Mexico has taken root and spread quickly. Residents said an orange and black haze quickly fill the skies. The village of Ruidoso ordered residents to evacuate. The town's mayor said entire neighborhoods have been destroyed.

And in northeast Iowa, a different kind of extreme weather. Weeks of rain have sent the Rock River overflowing its banks forcing people out of their homes. An Arkansas man is facing capital murder charges stemming from the grocery store shooting that killed three people and wounded 11 others several of them critically. Police a 44-year old Travis Eugene Posey opened fire yesterday inside the store in the small Arkansas community of Fordyce. It's about 70 miles south of Little Rock.

Authority say Posey only stopped firing when he was wounded in a gunfight with police that injured two officers.

The death toll in Gaza climbed higher today following two Israeli airstrikes on separate locations. One hit a refugee camp and another struck an Eastern neighborhood of Gaza City. Palestinian and hospital officials said at least 39 people were killed. Israel's military said they were targeting to Hamas military sites.

And in Tel Aviv tonight thousands of people rallied to demand new elections and call for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a deal to bring hostages home.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia has launched more than 2,400 guided missiles at Ukrainian targets this month alone. His remarks followed a deadly day of attacks that killed three people and injured dozens more in Kharkiv. That's Ukraine second largest city. Zelenskyy said Ukraine needs more help from Western allies.

And a new chapter in an unsolved mystery. Las Vegas police said they removed a tall monolith from a remote part of Nevada desert. They said the six foot four structure was a public safety and environmental hazard.

Just how it got there is anybody's guess. It's the latest in a series of mysterious monolith placements around the world since 2020, including in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in Turkey.

The Nevada monolith made of sheet metal rebar and concrete is being held at an undisclosed location. Police are trying to figure out how to best store it or dispose of it.

Still to come on PBS News Weekend, struggles renters in Austin, Texas are facing as they hunt for affordable housing and the big environmental cost of Big Data.