Daily Briefing: An Iowa town is nearly flattened

It's a long road ahead for some Iowans after tornadoes ravaged their communities this week. The Senate is preparing to vote on a border bill on Thursday. And what's that buggy bzzz bzzz sound?! (It's the cicadas).

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert , Daily Briefing author. Hands up for a trip to Orlando with the Four Seasons Baby .

Deadly tornadoes slam Iowa

Cleanup continues Thursday in Greenfield, Iowa, after a series of tornadoes and powerful storms smashed through several Midwestern states, killing multiple residents and injuring dozens of others.

Greenfield was almost flattened by one of more than a dozen suspected tornadoes that struck the state this week.

• The damage to Greenfield , a town of about 2,000 people 60 miles southwest of the Des Moines, was consistent with at least an EF-3 tornado, meaning it had wind gusts of 136 to 165 mph.
• “I’m lucky to be here" : Standing near the ruins of their destroyed homes, the Greenfield community is still processing what just happened.
• "Ambulances are running north and south like crazy" : The extent of the damage is becoming more stark as authorities continue recovery efforts.

Second human infected with bird flu

Health officials identified an avian influenza case in a Michigan dairy farm worker. This is the second time a person working with dairy cows has developed the virus. The infection appears to have developed under similar circumstances as it did in March for a farm worker at a dairy in Texas. Although the two cases happened within a relatively short period, officials at the CDC said the new case doesn’t change their assessment that the risk to human health remains low. Read more

More news to know now

• More Americans smoke marijuana daily than they drink alcohol .
• Nikki Haley says she'll vote for Donald Trump in November .
• Court records reveal new details of alleged obstruction in Donald Trump's classified documents case .
• Loyal Red Lobster diners are mourning the Poseidon of seafood casual dining .
• On today's The Excerpt podcast , Ireland, Norway and Spain are recognizing a Palestinian state. Listen on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or your smart speaker.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here .

Senate border bill tees up campaign opportunity

The Senate will vote Thursday on border security legislation that is doomed to fail – but will provide a key opportunity for vulnerable Democrats to stake out a position that may protect them this fall. It marks the start of a phase of Congress when passing substantive policy is all but impossible. Instead, leaders focus on passing safe bills and helping out their vulnerable members who face tough re-elections by giving them the chance to vote on bills that may resonate with voters. Read more

Why is the UK having a special election on July 4?

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a surprise July 4 election, as his ruling Conservative Party seeks to hold on to its 14-year grip on power in the face of poor polling. Sunak is bound under British law to call an election before January, and he's going for it sooner than later as the opposition Labour Party has surged in polls in recent months. The British public has expressed deep frustration over a stagnant economy, overburdened welfare services and worn-out public infrastructure. Read more

Keep scrolling

• Matthew Perry's death from the "effects of ketamine" is under investigation .
• Charlie Colin, founding member of Train, has died at 58 .
• It could be a long wait for first-time home buyers .
• Helmet-wearing surfers could be a sight at the Paris Olympics.
• You can now find Southwest Airlines on Google Flights.

Here's where to spot Brood XIX and XIII cicadas

Hear that sound?! If you're in one of 17 states across the Midwest and Southeast, it could be the trillions of periodical cicadas making their way up after years spent underground. This year's cicada emergence is in full swing in two regions: the 13-year Brood XIX located mainly in the Southeast, and the 17-year Brood XIII in the Midwest. The two broods have not emerged at the same time since 1803, making 2024 a rare, double-brood year. Read more

Photo of the day: What's on the state dinner menu?

What's on the menu for Thursday's State Dinner at the White House for visiting Kenyan President William Ruto: Smoked short ribs and buttered lobster. Ruto’s trip is the first state visit by a Kenyan president to the United States in two decades. What's not on the menu: An invitation for the African leader to address a joint session of Congress. Read more

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here . Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com .

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Daily Briefing: An Iowa town is nearly flattened