WORLD NEWS

Cheerio, Starmer

Downing Street’s revolving door is spinning again.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation as leader of the governing Labour party Monday, clearing the path for the U.K.’s seventh PM in ten years. The move came after Starmer faced a plummeting approval rating and intense pressure from Labour leaders to stand down; he’ll remain as caretaker PM until his party chooses a new leader.

Nominations for the next Labour leader open July 9, and some politicians have signaled they may run (which, in Britain, means gaining the support of 81 other Labour lawmakers).

All eyes are on Andy Burnham, a recently-elected member of parliament and former mayor of Greater Manchester who announced his leadership bid Monday, as Starmer’s likely replacement. If no formal contest arises from nominations, Burnham’s expected to be selected by default.

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Verse to consider whether you’re invested in, detached from, or unaware of foreign elections: “ was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.”
Daniel 7:14 (CSB) (read full passage)

U.S. NEWS

Unsolved

Details of ransom notes in the Nancy Guthrie case have gone public.

The mother of Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie vanished from her Tucson home on February 1. Investigators received two ransom notes after her abduction, both believed to be credible, but tracing efforts were unsuccessful. The first note demanded millions in Bitcoin for Guthrie’s return, but CNN and a Tucson TV station held the details of the second note for months at law enforcement’s request.

The recently released second note claimed Guthrie died shortly after being taken and was “buried with nature.” Savannah responded in February with an emotional video: “We received your message, and we understand.”

The story resurfaced Monday after TMZ’s founder posted a video clarifying claims about the ransom note and addressing emails from someone claiming to know the kidnapper.

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CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
The injustice in our world stirs up longing in us for a better world, where justice always wins and righteousness is never corrupted. As you wait, reflect on the patience of your merciful Father and live holy lives in anticipation of his coming.

“I will turn their mourning into joy, give them consolation, and bring happiness out of grief.”
Jeremiah 31:13b (CSB) (read full passage)

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SPORTS

Messi Magic

Argentina’s #10 is the #1 scorer in World Cup history with 18 goals… and counting.

Lionel Messi scored twice in Argentina’s win over Austria Monday, passing Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the all-time men’s record and Brazil’s femme-phenom Marta for the overall crown (see the history-making moment). Even with Messi’s five total goals, this year’s Golden Boot race is tight as France’s Kylian Mbappé and Norway’s Erling Haaland have four net-bulges apiece.

Sunday, Cape Verde’s fairytale continued as the archipelago debutants drew 2-2 with Uruguay, setting up a win-and-you’re-in match with Saudi Arabia on Friday.

In basketball news, the Milwaukee Bucks traded two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat Monday for a players-plus-picks package that included the 13th pick in last night’s NBA Draft, where the Washington Wizards selected BYU’s AJ Dybantsa first overall.

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RADIATE HOPE
Whether you’re lighting up a packed stadium or walking through the ordinary rhythms of life as a worker, parent, or student, we all have an opportunity to honor God with our lives and bring the eternal hope of Christ into every interaction. Even if it feels small, the audience of One is cheering you on.

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31 (CSB) (read full passage)

Uncle Sam’s asking for a bigger allowance. The Pentagon has told Congress it needs roughly $80B (on top of the record $1.5T defense budget already requested), mostly to cover costs from the Iran war, warning it could start running out of money for operations this summer. The request is expected to face pushback from lawmakers who oppose the war.

(We’re covering this story tomorrow at a 7th-grade reading level with biblical reflection and action steps in Decaf: The Pour Over for Families. Sign up free to get it in your inbox!)

A heat dome parked over Europe is baking countries for the second time this summer, with the U.K. and France on track to break June temp records (102-113°F). In France, 40 people have drowned trying to cool off since Thursday; the country had its hottest day ever recorded yesterday (a country-wide average of 85.6°F).

Abelardo “The Tiger” De La Espriella appears to have won Colombia’s presidential election by the skin of his teeth. The Trump-backed criminal defense lawyer ran a tough-on-crime campaign, promising mega prisons and an end to peace talks with drug cartels and rebel groups. The sub-1% victory aligns Colombia with Argentina, Chile, and Ecuador in Latin America’s broader rightward turn.

Autopay is starting to pay off… literally. The Department of Education announced a 1% interest rate reduction (a 4x increase from the normal autopay discount) for federal Direct Loan borrowers enrolled in autopay, starting next month through June 2028. Non-autopayers have until September 30 to qualify. About 10.3% of student loans are currently past due, the most in six years.

Lights, camera, AI-ction: Google’s DeepMind is investing $75M in indie film studio A24 to build AI filmmaking tools. Monday’s deal, which is Google’s first stake in a movie studio, is a scene change for two industries often at odds. Filmmakers and fans are pushing back, wary the move threatens the Backrooms and Everything Everywhere All at Once studio’s artist-first identity.

WHIPPED CREAM ON TOP

TPO team horsing around...

What We’re Subscribing To
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