Plus: Plea Deal In Idaho Student Killings Sparks Backlash From Some Victims' Families

Good afternoon,

Who doesn’t wanna look cool a la the Queen of Cool Rhianna? In a new study, researchers have identified six traits that “cool” people tend to exhibit — extroversion, hedonism, power, adventurousness, openness, and autonomy.

How was it whittled down? The study was published Monday in the Journal of Experimental Psychology. It examined nearly 6,000 people across 12 countries and found that across regions, age, gender, education, and income levels, people had similar ideas of what makes someone cool.

Or, as the adage goes, fake it until you make it.

Lauren
Producer

🚨 ONE THING THAT PASSED

Vice President JD Vance Breaks 50-50 Tie To Pass Trump Tax Bill

The Senate narrowly passed President Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ 51-50 Tuesday, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.

GOP Sens. Rand Paul (KY), Thom Tillis (NC), and Susan Collins (ME) joined Democrats in voting no. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) ultimately voted yes at the 11th hour after overnight negotiation granted her state of Alaska special carve-outs on Medicaid that eventually won her vote.

The amended legislation, which will now return to the House for a second vote, extends trillions of dollars in tax cuts from Trump’s first term and allocates billions to his immigration and border crackdown agenda.

WHAT’S IN THE BILL
In total, those measures reduce government revenue by $4.5 trillion. To offset the cost, the legislation imposes new requirements on Medicaid and food stamps that are expected to save about $1 trillion — but it is still set to increase the national debt by more than $3 trillion over the next decade. Government borrowing limit were raised by $5 trillion to $40+ trillion — $1 trillion more than the House version — in order for the U.S. not to default on the growing debt.

New work requirements for Medicaid recipients could also leave more than 12 million Americans uninsured over the next 10 years, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
In the end, the controversial AI moratorium was killed from the bill.

Overall bill impact: The Senate bill would cost the bottom 20% of taxpayers an average of $560 a year, while putting an average of about $6,000 in the pockets of the top 20%, according to Yale University’s Budget Lab.

WHAT’S NEXT
The House is expected to vote on the updated bill as soon as Wednesday, with Republicans able to lose no more than three votes. The Freedom Caucus and other fiscal conservatives have voiced concerns over the Senate's increase to the bill's price tag. Trump has pushed for passage by Friday but said Tuesday, “I’d love to do July 4, but I think it’s very hard to do July 4.”

🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING

Families Divided Over Plea Deal In University Of Idaho Murders Case

Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of murdering four University of Idaho students in 2022, agreed Monday to plead guilty which allows him to avoid facing the death penalty. Some of the victims’ families are upset, criticizing the prosecution for not going to trial, which was scheduled for August.

Kohberger was charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary in connection with the Nov. 13, 2022 killings of roommates Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle and Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin.
Under the agreement, he would waive his right to future appeals and face four consecutive life sentences — but he won’t have to face a jury or explain why he committed the crimes.

He will appear in court Wednesday for a change of plea hearing where he is expected to plead guilty and the judge is expected to move forward with the plea deal.

INSIDE THE MURDERS
Kohberger, a 30-year-old former Ph.D. student in criminology at Washington State University, had previously pleaded not guilty.

DNA found on a knife sheath next to one of the victims’ bodies at the off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho where the four victims were stabbed to death helped lead to the plea agreement. Prosecutors also said they had cellphone data and surveillance footage placing Kohberger near the crime scene.
Kohberger was arrested more than a month after the attacks in his home state of Pennsylvania, after weeks of limited information from police.
The trial faced several delays, including venue changes and disputes over evidence.
- Now, the plea deal could secure a conviction and avoid a prolonged trial, though the deal has drawn mixed reactions from the victims’ families.

FAMILIES REACT
The Goncalves family said they did not approve of the plea deal and suggested prosecutors failed their family. In a Facebook post, they said they heard about the deal in an email.

Kim Kernodle, victim Kernodle’s aunt, told TMZ that she agrees with the Goncalves family that Kohberger should have faced a jury. “We know the graphics. They were not trying to spare us,” she said.
Madison Mogen’s father, Ben, expressed support for the deal, telling CBS News that the plea agreement would allow his family to begin healing.
The family of victim Ethan Chapin said in a brief statement that they’ll be at Kohberger’s hearing on Wednesday “in support of the plea bargain.”

Bottom line: Prosecutors are state employees — not hired by the victims’ families. Different offices vary in how much they include victims in the process, but ultimately, it is up to the prosecution to decide whether to cut a deal. According to the American Bar Association, plea bargaining accounts for nearly 98 percent of federal convictions and 95 percent of state convictions in the U.S.

⏳ THE SPEED READ

🚨NATION

Trump asked about deporting Elon: says he might have the DOGE “monster eat Elon” (MO NEWS)
Zohran Mamdani clinches NYC mayoral primary by 12 points in final vote count (MO NEWS)
Trump says migrants would need to know ‘how to run away from an alligator’ to flee Florida facility (AP)
Trump administration raises possibility of stripping Mamdani of US citizenship (GUARDIAN)
Newsom signs sweeping rollbacks of key California environmental review law (THE HILL)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

Denmark arrests a man wanted in Germany for allegedly gathering information on Jews for Iran (AP)
170 NGOs urge end to US-backed Gaza aid system; Israel says Hamas firing at civilians (TIMES OF ISRAEL)
Turkey arrests journalists over alleged cartoon of Prophet Muhammad (BBC)
Thailand’s prime minister suspended over leaked phone call with former strongman (CNN)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

Powell confirms that the Fed would have cut by now were it not for tariffs (CNBC)
Apple’s AI-enhanced Siri might be powered by OpenAI (THE VERGE)
Car sales plummet following pre-tariffs panic buying (NY POST)
Paralyzed man speaks and sings with AI brain-computer interface (FOX)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial live updates: Jury asks for Cassie testimony transcript as they deliberate verdict (NBC)
Jennifer Aniston to star in TV project based on child actor Jennette McCurdy’s memoir (CNN)
BTS members reunite after military service, announce new album (ABC)
The Cat in the Hat trailer reveals new backstory for the Dr. Seuss character (ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY)

ICYMI FROM THE 📲

In case you missed it… Lululemon has filed a lawsuit against Costco, claiming the retailer is selling copies of at least six of their athletic wear products under the Kirkland brand.

The suit, filed in federal court in California, says Costco “unlawfully traded” on Lululemon’s “reputation” by offering similar items like the “Define jacket” and “Scuba hoodie” for around $20 — a fraction of Lululemon’s $100+ price tags. Costco hasn’t responded to the lawsuit yet.

As the battle over “dupes” moves from social media to the courtroom, the outcome could shape how far brands can go to protect their designs.