Good morning! Today’s edition is 633 words, a 3-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Reading scores plummet

• PGA Championship tees off

• What to do when you wake up at night

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Today’s Big Story

Murdaugh Murder Conviction Overturned

• The South Carolina Supreme Court unanimously overturned Alex Murdaugh's double murder convictions on Wednesday, ordering a new trial in the killings of his wife and son. The court found that Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill had improperly influenced the jury by suggesting jurors could not trust Murdaugh's testimony.

• Murdaugh was convicted in 2023 of killing his wife and son at their estate in June 2021. Prosecutors argued he carried out the killings to distract from financial crimes that threatened his reputation. The scion of a prominent South Carolina legal dynasty — his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were each top prosecutors in the region — Murdaugh had pleaded not guilty. South Carolina's attorney general vowed to retry him "as soon as possible."

• Murdaugh will not walk free. He is serving a 40-year federal sentence for stealing $12 million from clients and a concurrent 27-year state sentence for financial crimes. The case inspired a Hulu miniseries and drew national attention far beyond South Carolina.

Today’s Quick Hits

• Denise Powell won the Democratic primary in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District on Wednesday, setting up one of fall's most competitive House races. The Omaha-area seat is open after Republican Rep. Don Bacon retired, and Democrats see it as a top pickup opportunity. Powell will face Trump-endorsed Brinker Harding in November. The district has backed Democratic presidential candidates three of the last five cycles, earning it the nickname "blue dot. (More)

• Gunshots rang out Wednesday night in the Philippine Senate, where authorities have been trying to arrest Sen. Ronald dela Rosa on an International Criminal Court warrant charging him with murder as a crime against humanity. Dela Rosa, a former national police chief, is accused of overseeing the killing of at least 32 people during Rodrigo Duterte's anti-drug crackdowns from 2016 to 2018. (More)

• Reading scores dropped in 83% of US school districts over the past year, with math falling in 70%, according to a Stanford study of 5,000 districts in 38 states. Researchers say the decline predates the pandemic, with scores sliding since the mid-2010s. States that adopted phonics-based teaching saw gains. Louisiana and Alabama were the only states to show math improvement. (More)

• Madonna, Shakira, and BTS will headline the first-ever halftime show at a FIFA World Cup final, set for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Coldplay's Chris Martin, who is curating the show, announced the lineup in a video featuring Elmo and other Muppets. The show will raise money for a FIFA education fund aiming to collect $100 million for children worldwide. (More)

• Florida's "Alligator Alcatraz" detention center in the Everglades is closing, with its roughly 1,400 detainees expected to be transferred or deported by June. The facility opened in July 2025, costs about $1 million a day to operate, and was built with state tax money. It will reopen as a small airport for pilot training. (More)

• The PGA Championship tees off today at Aronimink Golf Club outside Philadelphia, the second major of the golf season. Players say the course's severely sloped, fast greens will be the biggest challenge — one bad approach shot, and you're facing an almost impossible putt. Scottie Scheffler, the world No. 1 and defending champion, is the betting favorite, followed by Rory McIlroy, coming off a second straight Masters win. (More)

Extra Credit

What to do if you wake up in the middle of the night?

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