Good Morning! Today’s edition is 760 words, a 3-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• FTC rule makes canceling subscriptions easier

• US Navy searches for missing plane and crew

• Exotic cat found in Chicago suburbs

First-time reader? Sign up here!

Big Story

FTC “Cancels” Subscriptions

The FTC has made a new rule to help people cancel subscriptions and memberships more easily.

• It’s called “click to cancel.” FTC Commissioner Lina Khan said that if you signed up online, you should be able to cancel the same way, and it should take the same number of steps.

• The FTC gets about 70 daily complaints from people frustrated with canceling subscriptions. Many say signing up is easy but it’s painful to cancel, costing time and money.

• The US Chamber of Commerce argues that the government shouldn't control how businesses operate. But Khan says companies shouldn’t rely on tricking people into staying in subscriptions.

• The FTC is also suing Amazon for making it hard to cancel Prime subscriptions.

Big Story

Italy Clamps Down on Surrogacy Tourism

Italy has made it illegal for its citizens to have children through surrogacy in other countries, even where surrogacy is legal.

• The new law punishes people who seek surrogacy abroad with up to two years in jail and large fines. The law builds on a surrogacy ban in Italy since 2004, and the government says it’s meant to protect women’s dignity.

• While the ban applies to all couples, it especially affects same-sex couples in Italy, where they already face difficulties gaining parental rights. Same-sex marriages and adoption are not allowed, so LGBTQ+ families see the new law as a setback.

• The Catholic Church strongly opposes surrogacy. Pope Francis called for a worldwide ban, saying it “monetizes” pregnancy. However, the Church does allow children born through surrogacy to be baptized.

• Surrogacy contracts are common in the US but remain banned in many European countries.

Big Story

Shaken Baby Syndrome Case

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles decided not to recommend clemency for Robert Roberson, who faces execution for a 2002 murder conviction.

• Roberson was convicted of killing his 2-year-old daughter but claims innocence. Roberson’s lawyers argue that Nikki died of natural causes, not abuse, and they are asking Governor Greg Abbott for a 30-day delay to allow more evidence to be heard. Abbott hasn’t responded to the request yet.

• Roberson’s conviction was based on the diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome, which was used to explain Nikki's injuries. However, since Roberson's 2003 trial, medical experts have questioned this diagnosis, saying that other conditions, like infections or accidents, could cause similar symptoms.

• Roberson has always maintained his innocence, saying that Nikki fell out of bed and had been sick for most of her life. The detective who arrested him, Brian Wharton, now believes Roberson is innocent.

Little Stories

• Kamala Harris appeared on Fox News as part of her campaign's effort to attract independent voters and moderate Republicans before the election. Harris and Fox News host Bret Baier argued about topics like immigration, Biden's mental fitness, transgender prisoners, and migrant crime cases. (More)

• The Nebraska Supreme Court decided that felons who have served their sentences can vote. The court rejected an attempt by state officials to stop them from voting in the upcoming election. Nebraska used to make former felons wait two years after finishing their sentences before voting. (More)

• Former Las Vegas official Robert Telles was sentenced to nearly 30 years in prison for killing a journalist named Jeff German in 2022. The journalist had written critical articles about Telles' work and exposed a co-worker relationship. Telles was found guilty of murder and will serve at least 28 years, with the chance of parole after 20 years. (More)

• The US Navy is searching for two crew members after their plane crashed during a training flight near Mount Rainier in Washington. The aircraft went down on Tuesday, but neither the crew nor the wreckage has been found yet. (More)

• Former One Direction singer Liam Payne died after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Payne rose to worldwide fame as a member of the now-disbanded pop group One Direction, which included Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson. (More)

Extra Credit

👴 Has the human lifespan reached its peak?

🏔️ 18-year-old become the youngest to climb world’s 14 highest peaks. 

🐱 Exotic cat found on the loose in Chicago suburb.

🐸 Seven new species of frogs discovered.