Good Morning! Today’s edition is 875 words, a 3-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• NBA legend & philanthropist Dikembe Mutombo dies

• California bans legacy & donor admissions at all universities

• Comedy wildlife photography finalists

First-time reader? Sign up here!

Big Story

VP Debate

Senator JD Vance from Ohio and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will face off today in the only scheduled vice presidential debate before the November election.

• Walz is running with Vice President Kamala Harris, while Vance is the running mate of former President Donald Trump. The debate will air today from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. ET.

• The debate will have two moderators: Norah O'Donnell from "CBS Evening News" and Margaret Brennan from "Face the Nation." There won't be an audience, and the candidates will have two minutes to answer questions, with a chance for rebuttals. Candidates will not be given questions ahead of time, and their microphones won't be muted unless CBS decides to do so.

• Walz is known for his optimism in “fiery” debate style but has been criticized for delivering "word salad" responses. JD Vance is expected to stick closely to Trump’s messaging and deflect on sensitive topics like abortion during the debate.

Big Story

Dikembe Mutombo Dies

Dikembe Mutombo, an NBA Hall of Fame center known for his defensive & magnetic personality, passed away at 58 from brain cancer.

• He became a household name for rejecting 3,289 shots — the second most in NBA history — and using his signature finger wag to warn opponents not to challenge him. Mutombo played from 1991 to 2009 and won NBA Defensive Player of the Year four times.

• Born in Kinshasa, Mutombo originally went to Georgetown University to become a doctor but was persuaded to pursue basketball by coach John Thompson. He became a star in the NBA and reached the finals in 2001 with the Philadelphia 76ers. Mutombo inspired many through his contributions on and off the court, including current NBA star Joel Embiid, who said Mutombo's impact went beyond basketball.

• After retiring, Mutombo focused on charity work, especially in his homeland, the Democratic Republic of Congo. He built the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital in the capital, Kinshasa. He aimed to reduce the mortality rate and improve lives in developing countries.

Big Story

California Bans Legacy and Donor Admissions

Public and private universities in California can no longer consider applicants' connections to alumni or donors when deciding admissions.

• The new law affects schools like Stanford and USC and aims to make college admissions fairer. California is the fifth state to pass such a ban and the second to include private schools. It goes into effect Sept. 1, 2025.

• The law encourages merit-based admissions granting spots to students through hard work and talent rather than family ties. Although schools won’t face financial penalties for violating the law, they will be named on the state Department of Justice’s website. Additionally, schools must report detailed information about their admitted students, including race and income.

• Studies show that legacy students are admitted at higher rates than non-legacy students, even though they aren't more qualified. These students tend to come from wealthier families and are less diverse. Research from MIT and the University of Colorado-Boulder found that 34.2% of legacy applicants were admitted compared to 13.9% of non-legacy applicants.

Little Stories

• Rwanda is facing its first outbreak of Marburg virus, a deadly disease similar to Ebola but with no treatment or vaccines. Marburg has an 88% fatality rate. So far, 26 people have gotten sick, 18 are being treated, and eight have died. The World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control are sending experts to help with testing, contact tracing, and treatment efforts. (More)

• A Georgia judge ruled that the state's law banning abortions after six weeks is unconstitutional. Abortions in Georgia will now go back to being allowed until about 22 weeks of pregnancy, like before the 2019 law. The judge said the state constitution protects a person's right to make decisions about their own health care. (More)

• The U.S. is sending a few thousand more troops to the Middle East to increase security and protect Israel if needed, according to the Pentagon. With the new troops, there could be up to 43,000 U.S. troops in the area. The increase also includes fighter jets, attack aircraft, and other small groups of soldiers. (More)

• EchoStar is selling its Dish TV and Sling businesses to DirecTV, one of its main competitors, for $1. DirecTV will also take on about $9.75 billion in Dish's debt. The deal is set to finish by the end of 2025, and together, the two companies will serve nearly 20 million customers. (More)

• Two Boeing Starliner astronauts are getting closer to coming home after a much longer stay on the International Space Station than planned. Their original Starliner spacecraft was deemed unsafe, so a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule has arrived at the ISS to bring them back. The capsule docked on Sunday and will begin its return trip next year. (More)

Extra Credit

👃 How chain restaurants use smells to entice us. 

📸 See the finalists for comedy wildlife photography award. 

🦛 Viral hippo Moo Deng now has 24-hour livestream.

🚗 Worst cities for rush hour traffic worldwide.