Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,025 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Dalai Lama succession

• Wisconsin abortion ban

• Leftover hotel soaps’ afterlife

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Editor’s note: I’ll be off tomorrow and Saturday to celebrate America. Monday’s edition will be the next in your inbox. Enjoy the long weekend, and happy 4th! -Adam

Big Stories

“Diddy” Did (Some) of It

Hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was convicted on prostitution charges in a split verdict.

• "Diddy" was convicted of transporting two women for prostitution but acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges in a split verdict. The convictions involved former girlfriend Cassie Ventura and another woman who testified as "Jane," with each count carrying up to 10 years in prison. A racketeering or sex trafficking conviction would have put him behind bars for life.

• The judge denied Combs bail, citing 2016 hotel security footage showing him physically assaulting Ventura as evidence of his "propensity for violence." After the verdict was read, Combs knelt on the courtroom floor, appearing to pray.

• Prosecutors estimate Combs will face more than four years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines, while his defense team believes it will be closer to two years. The judge set sentencing for October 3rd.

Billion Fly Plan

The US plans to breed billions of flies to fight flesh-eating maggots threatening livestock.

• The Agriculture Department plans to breed billions of sterile flies and release them over Mexico and southern Texas to combat the New World Screwworm, whose larvae feed on live flesh and can kill livestock in two weeks. The pest reappeared in southern Mexico late last year after being eradicated decades ago, prompting the US to close its border to live cattle imports through at least mid-September.

• The technique works by flooding wild populations with sterile males that mate with females but produce no offspring, eventually causing the population to collapse. Female screwworm flies mate only once, making the strategy highly effective and more environmentally friendly than pesticides. The same method successfully eliminated screwworm flies from North America in the 1970s.

• The USDA will spend $30 million on facilities capable of producing 400 million flies weekly to cover the affected regions of Mexico and southern Texas. A temporary distribution center in Texas will open by year's end to import flies from an existing Panama facility, while a permanent factory in southern Mexico is built. Workers will raise the flies on cattle blood and egg powder, then drop them from small aircraft over target areas.

Dalai Lama Succession

The Dalai Lama confirmed he will have a successor, setting up a showdown with China.

• The 90-year-old Tibetan Buddhist leader announced during his birthday celebrations that the 600-year-old institution will continue after his death, ending years of speculation. He had previously suggested there might be no successor. But speaking to hundreds of followers in India, he said that his trust will find the next Dalai Lama and “no one else has any authority to interfere.”

• China immediately rejected the announcement, insisting any future leader must be born in China and approved by Beijing. The current Dalai Lama has lived in exile since China annexed Tibet in 1950 and maintains that his successor must be born outside Chinese control.

• The dispute will likely result in two competing Dalai Lamas, one chosen by the exile community and another by China, splitting Tibetan Buddhism between those loyal to Beijing and those aligned with the traditional Tibetan leadership in exile.

Quick Stories

US News

• Wisconsin's Supreme Court overturned a 176-year-old abortion ban Wednesday, with liberal justices ruling 4-3 that newer state laws allowing abortion until viability had replaced the outdated 1849 restriction. (More)

• The Pentagon halted Patriot air defense and precision weapons shipments to Ukraine last month, citing dangerously low US stockpiles. (More)

• President Trump announced a trade deal with Vietnam, imposing 20% tariffs on Vietnamese imports while securing tariff-free U.S. access to Vietnamese markets and effectively cracking down on Chinese transshipping. (More)

World

• South Korea's population could plummet to just 15% of current levels by 2125, dropping from 51.68 million to as low as 7.53 million due to the world's lowest fertility rate. (More)

• Prada acknowledged its new leather sandals were inspired by traditional Indian Kolhapuri chappals after facing cultural appropriation criticism for featuring virtually identical footwear without crediting the centuries-old handcrafted design's origins. (More)

• European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen faces a parliamentary no-confidence vote next Thursday, the first such challenge in over a decade. She is expected to survive. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed mixed on Wednesday (S&P +0.47%, Nasdaq +0.94%, Dow -0.02%). The S&P scored another all-time high and closed at a record. (More)

• Waffle House dropped its egg surcharge Tuesday after egg prices fell 27% from their peak. The chain added the markup in February when avian flu drove up costs. (More)

• Microsoft announced Wednesday it will lay off approximately 9,000 employees, affecting less than 4% of its global workforce. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• The US men’s national team advanced to the Gold Cup final with a nervy 2-1 win over Guatemala, jumping to an early lead behind two goals from Diego Luna. (More)

• Braves ace Spencer Schwellenbach suffered a fractured pitching elbow and will miss at least four weeks, becoming the latest Atlanta starting pitcher sidelined alongside injured Cy Young winner Chris Sale. (More)

• The New York Knicks are expected to hire two-time NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown as their next head coach after a thorough search following Tom Thibodeau's firing last month. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• Air pollution actually causes lung cancer in people who never smoked by creating the same harmful DNA mutations as cigarettes, according to a study of 871 non-smokers across multiple countries worldwide. (More)

• Scientists created an AI called Centaur that can predict how people will behave and make decisions by studying data from over 60,000 people, outperforming traditional computer models used for decades. (More)

• Astronomers found a space rock racing through our solar system at 152,000 mph that likely came from another star system, making it only the third such visitor ever spotted. (More)

Extra Credit

What happens to leftover hotel soap?

Taking a nap could help you solve tough problems.

Ranking the most expensive states to raise a child.

Why are strawberries and cream served at Wimbledon?