Good Morning! Today’s edition is 915 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Russia hits Ukraine hard

• Tucker Carlson wants a new political party

• A 28-toed kitten

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*Editor’s Note: This will be our final edition of the week as our team takes a short break for the Fourth of July holiday. We'll be back with your next edition on Monday.

Big Stories

US Death Rate Hits Record Low

• New federal data suggests US life expectancy likely reached a record high in 2025 after the nation's age-adjusted death rate fell to its lowest level in more than a century of recordkeeping. The provisional CDC data recorded about 689 deaths per 100,000 people, down 22% from 2021 and roughly 4% below the pre-pandemic rate in 2019.

• Heart disease and cancer remained the nation's leading causes of death, but experts say a sharp decline in fatal drug overdoses likely played a major role in reducing overall mortality. Preliminary CDC data estimates about 70,000 overdose deaths in 2025, still a leading cause of preventable death but well below recent pandemic-era peaks.

• The improvement was broad-based, with death rates declining across every age group compared with 2024. Researchers cautioned that major health challenges remain, including heart disease, suicide, firearms, and persistent racial disparities in mortality, but said the new figures mark a significant milestone in the nation's recovery from the pandemic.

Russia Pounds Kyiv

• Russia launched one of its deadliest attacks on Kyiv in recent months overnight Thursday, killing at least 21 people and injuring 85 in a barrage of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones. The strikes damaged at least 20 residential buildings and dozens of civilian sites across the Ukrainian capital.

• The assault hit about 30 locations across Kyiv, triggering fires, collapsing apartment buildings and trapping residents beneath the rubble. Nearly 500 emergency personnel and 100 specialized vehicles, including a helicopter, were deployed as rescue operations continued and officials warned the death toll could rise.

• The attack comes as Russia intensifies strikes on Kyiv while Ukraine expands its long-range drone campaign inside Russia. Ukrainian officials urged Western allies to accelerate deliveries of air defense systems, arguing that stronger defenses are needed to protect civilians from increasingly frequent missile and drone attacks.

Vatican Declares New Schism

• The Vatican excommunicated six bishops yesterday after the ultra-conservative Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) ordained four new bishops without Pope Leo XIV's approval, declaring the consecrations a "schismatic act" that formally breaks communion with the Catholic Church. Under canon law, only the pope may authorize the appointment of bishops.

• The decision effectively ends years of attempts to reconcile the SSPX, which split from Rome over reforms introduced after the Second Vatican Council. Pope Leo made a personal last-minute appeal urging the group to abandon the consecrations, but the ceremony proceeded before an estimated 15,000 supporters in Écône, Switzerland.

• The Vatican also revoked the SSPX's authority to validly celebrate the sacraments of confession and marriage, reversing permissions previously granted by Pope Benedict XVI during reconciliation efforts. The society, which estimates it has 600,000 followers worldwide, now faces its deepest rupture with Rome since its founder was excommunicated for unauthorized bishop consecrations in 1988.

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Quick Stories

US News

• The Trump administration proposed limiting hospital markups on discounted drugs for Medicare patients, estimating the change would save consumers $1.1 billion next year. (More)

• Tucker Carlson said he plans to help launch a third political party, citing disagreements with President Donald Trump and Republicans over the US war in Iran. (More)

• Former Olympian David Hearn was indicted on a felony property destruction charge after his arrest at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, where he denies damaging the landmark. (More)

World

• Outgoing British PM Minister Keir Starmer apologized for Britain's forced adoption scandal, in which an estimated 185,000 babies were taken from unmarried mothers between 1949 and 1976. (More)

• Separatist rebels said they killed an American pilot and burned a civilian plane in Indonesia's Papua region, calling the attack a message to the US and Indonesian governments. (More)

• A Venezuelan security guard was rescued after surviving eight days beneath earthquake rubble in an air pocket inside his collapsed workstation. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed mixed on Thursday (S&P -0.13%, Nasdaq -0.80%, Dow +1.14%) after a weaker-than-expected June nonfarm payrolls report. (More)

• Tesla reported 480,126 second-quarter vehicle deliveries, beating Wall Street expectations by nearly 18% and reversing two consecutive annual sales declines. (More)

• Jersey Mike's filed for an IPO after reporting 50% cumulative same-store sales growth since 2020 and $4.3 billion in systemwide sales last year. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• The NBA will test a one-free-throw rule and a sensor-equipped basketball during this month's summer leagues to improve game flow and officiating. (More)

• Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first World Cup knockout-stage goal before Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 on a stoppage-time winner. (More)

• Jaylen Brown was traded from the Boston Celtics to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• Scientists discovered an unexpected antiviral defense in sea anemones, challenging the long-held belief that animals share a single ancestral immune strategy against viruses. (More)

• Sorghum compounds reduced toxic Alzheimer's-related protein buildup and protected brain cells in laboratory experiments, adding to evidence that the grain may have neuroprotective potential. (More)

• Male marathon runners were twice as likely as women to "hit the wall," with researchers suggesting a slower start and more even pacing could reduce the risk. (More)

Extra Credit

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Meet Toby, the kitten with a record 28 toes.