Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,014 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Supreme Court hears religious charter school funding case

• High school lacrosse hazing

• Kid damages a $57M painting

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Big Story

Ukraine Minerals Deal

The US and Ukraine signed an economic partnership agreement focused on developing Ukraine’s mineral resources.

• Under the agreement, leaders will create the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund with 50/50 contributions and governance from both nations.

• Each country will invest equally in the fund, with future US military assistance counting toward America's contribution. Revenue from extracted resources will be split evenly, with profits likely reinvested into Ukraine for the first decade rather than distributed, according to Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Svyrydenko.

• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the deal signals to Russia that "the US is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine."

• Ukraine's mineral wealth represents significant strategic value. Its rare earth minerals are essential for electronics, clean energy technologies, and weapon systems – sectors where production has long been dominated by China.

Big Story

3D-printed Starbucks

Starbucks is opening its first 3D-printed store in Brownsville, Texas.

• The printing process uses a computer-controlled robotic arm that deposits layers of specialized concrete, one on top of another, gradually forming the structure's walls and creating the ridged appearance that resembles stacked tubes. (Watch how 3D printing is used for construction)

• Starbucks hasn't revealed why it chose Brownsville (population 190,000) for the experiment or whether more 3D-printed locations are planned. This makes Starbucks one of the few major retailers to explore 3D printing for commercial construction, a technology more commonly tested in residential buildings to address housing affordability.

• It is currently more expensive than traditional wood framing, but industry professionals expect the technology to become more cost-competitive as it continues to develop. It also solves for labor shortages and potentially speeds up construction.

Big Story

Publicly Funded Religious Charter School Case

The US Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in a landmark case about whether public money can fund St. Isidore of Seville, a Catholic virtual charter school in Oklahoma.

• At the center of the dispute is whether charter schools are public schools (as they're designated in most states) or if they can be considered private entities eligible for public funding while maintaining religious identities.

• The Oklahoma Supreme Court previously ruled against the school, finding that as a public charter school, St. Isidore would violate both state law requiring charter schools to be non-sectarian and the First Amendment's Establishment Clause.

• Oklahoma's Republican Attorney General Gentner Drummond opposes the school, arguing it could open floodgates for taxpayer funding of various religious schools. "If the Catholic church is free to indoctrinate charter students in Catholic doctrine," he warned, "substitute satanic beliefs, Wiccan, Muslim, Sharia, Jewish—whatever you want to substitute."

• A decision is expected by late June or early July.

Quick Stories

US News

• Eleven high school lacrosse players in upstate New York turned themselves in after allegedly hazing younger teammates, with at least one victim reportedly tied up in remote woods. (More)

• LA County is paying a record $4 billion to settle nearly 7,000 claims of child sexual abuse in juvenile facilities and foster homes, where staff abused kids they were supposed to protect over decades. (More)

• A federal judge freed Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi after two weeks in ICE custody following his citizenship interview, ruling his detention caused "great harm" to someone facing no criminal charges. (More)

World

• Kuwait has freed 10 more American detainees, totaling 23 releases since March – the largest single-country release of US citizens in years. Many were military contractors and veterans held on various charges. (More)

• Syrian forces deployed to calm violence near Damascus, Syria, that killed over 16 people. The clashes erupted after someone shared an audio recording allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad. (More)

• Vietnam celebrated the 50th anniversary of the war's end with a military parade in Ho Chi Minh City. Thousands gathered near Independence Palace to watch performances, speeches, and jets fly overhead. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed mixed on Wednesday (S&P +0.15%, Nasdaq -0.09%, Dow +0.35%). The S&P rebounded from being down 2.3% to post its seventh consecutive green day. (More)

• The US economy shrank 0.3% in Q1 2025, the first contraction since 2022, as companies rushed imports ahead of Trump's April tariffs. Forecasters predicted 0.4% growth. (More)

• UPS is cutting 20,000 jobs this year (4% of workforce) due to delivering fewer Amazon packages. This follows 12,000 layoffs last year as the global shipping company continues cost-cutting efforts. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• Barcelona and Inter Milan's Champions League semifinal opener ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw, featuring amazing goals from Yamal, Thuram, Raphinha, and two from Dumfries, setting up next week's rematch. (More)

• Singer Michael Bolton just revealed he has glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He got the diagnosis in December 2023 after emergency surgery to remove a brain tumor. (More)

• Tennis legend Andre Agassi won his pro pickleball debut Wednesday, teaming with star Anna Leigh Waters in mixed doubles at the US Open Pickleball. They beat Dussault and Petropouleas 2-1. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• A doctor nearly lost her eye to a mysterious infection until a groundbreaking metagenomics test identified the rare bacteria. Antibiotics quickly restored her sight after five years. (More)

• Scientists finally proved a 70-year-old theory about vitamin B1 by creating stable carbenes in water, something previously thought impossible. This breakthrough could lead to greener chemistry for making drugs and fuels. (More)

• The European Space Agency has successfully launched Biomass, a new satellite specifically designed to study forests and their impact on Earth's carbon cycle. (More)

Extra Credit

🚗 Ranking the most reliable used car brands in 2025.

🎨 Child damages a $57M Mark Rothko painting in a Dutch museum.

🏄️ Watch: Pups catching waves at the Dog Surfing Festival.

🚲️ A new flying bike right out of a Star Wars movie.