Monday morning news: June 24, 2024

SOUND: [Weather siren]

KENT COVINGTON, NEWS ANCHOR: Weather » Authorities in northwestern Iowa sounded tornado sirens over the weekend to get the attention of residents after a levee broke amid heavy rains.

SOUND: [Rushing water]

That sent a torrent of water gushing through the town of Rock Valley.

SOUND: [Rushing water]

The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office posted on social media."We are setting off sirens in [Rock Valley]. This means to evacuate your house if able."

Mayor Kevin Van Otterloo:

OTTERLOO:  People were going on the roofs because the current was getting too strong. Um, until Sioux city rescue got here.

Flood waters continued to rise through the weekend in Iowa and in South Dakota where Union County emergency management director Jason Wescott told residents:

WESCOTT:  If you feel that you're in harm's way at your residence and you see water coming at you, leave at that time. Um, the county currently is about maxed out on being able to do water rescues at this point.

South Dakota declared an emergency after days of torrential rains. And Iowa has declared a disaster in more than 20 counties.

Israel Defense Minister in Washington » Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is in Washington today. He’s set to meet with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Gallant is a rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu inside the ruling Likud party. His visit comes as Netanyahu says the Biden administration is choking off the supply of ammunition to his country amid the war in Gaza.

NETANYAHU: [Speaking Hebrew]

The prime minister said Sunday that “four months ago, there was a dramatic decline in arms supplies from the U.S. to Israel.”

The White House says it has only withheld heavy bombs over concerns about civilian casualties in Gaza but insists everything else is being shipped as it ordinarily would be.

Presidential debate » President Biden and former President Trump will face off this week in their first debate of 2024. CNN will host it in Atlanta on Thursday.

LANDRIEU:  I expect President Biden to do an excellent job, just like he did in the last two debates.

Mitch Landrieu is co-chair of President Biden's campaign. He told NBC’s Meet the Press:

LANDRIEU:  This race is going to be tight, everybody knows that. And it's important for the country to see the difference between these two men.

Landrieu asserted that President Biden is fighting for everyday Americans, while Donald Trump only cares about himself.

Trump in Philly, polling update » Meantime, Trump campaigned in a critical swing state.

TRUMP:  Hello Pennsylvania, it’s good to be with you.

He rallied supporters in Philadelphia Saturday night.

TRUMP: I’m thrilled to be back in the birthplace of American freedom with thousands and thousands of proud, hard-working American patriots, which is what you are.

Polls show Trump leading in Pennsylvania by about 2 points.

He’s up by roughly the same margin in Wisconsin and by about 5 points in Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada.

Michigan is effectively tied, but recent polls suggest Trump may be expanding the map. A GOP presidential candidate hasn’t carried Virginia in 20 years, but the two most recent polls show the race there tied.

UK election » Meantime, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Conservative party are facing an uphill battle in next month’s election in the UK.

SUNAK:  Can you really afford Labour's thousands of pounds of tax rises? I want to keep cutting your taxes. That's a choice that everyone has in front of them in a couple of weeks time.

Sunak appealed to voters again Sunday with Labour Party leader Keir Starmer hoping to oust him from the prime minister’s residence at Number 10 Downing Street.

SUNAK:  So as I'd say, don't let Labour sleepwalk into Number 10, scrutinize their plans, ask what it means for you and your family.

But with polls showing the Labour Party up by as much as 25 points, Starmer says Sunak can start boxing up his belongings.

STARMER: This election is effectively over. The Conservatives are gone. They're doomed. They're on the way down. They're going to fall even further. They will lose the vast majority of their seats.

Sunak recently called an election for July 4th, much earlier than many expected.

Russian police, civilians killed by gunmen » In Russia, gunmen opened fire on two Orthodox churches, a synagogue and a police post in two cities on Sunday. The attackers struck in Russia’s southern republic of Dagestan. The largely Muslim region has a history of armed militancy as terrorist acts.

No group immediately claimed responsibility, but the local governor suggested terrorist cells were behind the attack.

I’m Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Big decisions from the Supreme Court on this week’s Legal Docket. Plus, the Monday Moneybeat.

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