Controversial Louisiana Law Is Approved

Good morning and happy Thursday. Virginia Hislop left Stanford University right before handing in her final thesis in 1941. Eighty-three years later, she has earned her master's degree at age 103. Have a great day!

In Today’s Brief

• Ohio: Train pollution breadth

• Iran: Nuke expansion

• Veepstakes: Burgum stats

• Ferrari: Expensive EVs

• NBA: Eye-popping valuation

... and more

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Top Tips

1) Biblical brouhaha

Louisiana has passed a law mandating the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school.

• The bill: Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, signed the law yesterday after the state's GOP-controlled legislature passed it. The law requires the text be presented in every classroom at public elementary, middle and high schools and colleges, with mandates about font and poster size. A context statement must accompany the text.

• Immediate pushback: The ACLU and other civil liberties groups have already announced they will file a legal challengeagainst the law. They argue it is unconstitutional and violates religious freedoms protected by the First Amendment. Supporters of the bill argue the text has historic and religious significance. Landry reportedly told attendees at a political fundraiser that, "I can't wait to be sued" before signing the bill.

• Big picture: The Supreme Court ruled a nearly identical Kentucky law was unconstitutional in 1980's Stone v. Graham, finding its purpose was essentially religious and violated the separation of church and state. But advocates say a 2022 high court decision permitting a high school football coach to pray with his team in public could open the door for the Louisiana law.

2) Two fronts?

Concerns about an Israel-Hezbollah war are growing again.

• War of words: The Israeli military said it has "operational plans" to engage the Iranian-backed militia in Lebanon. Hezbollah has been launching cross-border attacks into northern Israel since the Gaza war began; the group's leader threatened there will be "no rules" if Israel launches a major offensive and no part of the country would be safe.

• The stakes: Analysts believe Hezbollah's military might is tenfold greater than Hamas; some estimates give the group 50K active soldiers and up to 200K missiles. There are questions about whether Israel has the capacity to fight as it would desire. Hezbollah is also deeply intertwined with Lebanese society, raising fears the country would be devastated by the war.

• Third party: Hezbollah has threatened to attack nearby Cyprus if it assists Israel. The Mediterranean island nation is not a member of NATO, but is a member of the European Union (which also has a collective defense pact). Such a move could create the potential for the type of wider Middle East conflict the Biden Administration has worked to prevent.

3) State scrimmage

Kansas and Missouri may throw down over a pair of professional sports teams.

• The news: Kansas legislators have approved a plan to lure the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs and MLB's Kansas City Royals into a short move across the Missouri border. The proposal, which still needs Gov. Laura Kelly's blessing, would issue bonds to pay for up to 70% of new stadiums for the teams. The maneuver comes two months after Missouri voters rejected a ballot measure to extend a sales tax that funded current stadium upkeep. 

• Next steps: Kelly is expected to sign the bill and Kansas lawmakers say they are ready to negotiate with the teams. Missouri lawmakers have indicated they would fight to keep the clubs, but they also feel Kansas has violated an agreement between the states to end their long-running economic battles. Fears that one or both teams could leave the Kansas City metropolitan area entirely will likely be fanned as well.

• Big picture: It seems far-fetched that either team, and especially the two-time reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs, will leave the region. But Kansas has to be considered a real threat to land both teams beyond the legislation. The state has legalized sports betting (Missouri does not) and the close proximity would be no different than the New York Giants and Jets playing in New Jersey or the San Francisco 49ers residing in Santa Clara.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

• The 2023 East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment spread hazardous pollutants in 16 states. A new study found 110M people were impacted, about a third of the national population; pollution also reached Canada (More) 

• A slim majority of Americans approve of preserving Confederate history, according to a new survey. The Public Religion Research Institute found 52% support the efforts while 44% oppose them (More)

• Arkansas State Police said last night an Alabama man suspected of three homicides is on the loose. Stacy Lee Drake, 50, allegedly killed three people in a pair of carjackings in Oklahoma; he faces numerous violent charges in other jurisdictions and is considered armed and dangerous (More)

World News

• Iran could soon triple its enriched uranium production capacity at its main nuclear facility. Underground construction activity suggests the expansion would provide more options to accelerate the development of nuclearweapons (More)

• A national blackout hit Ecuador, leaving 17M without electricity. The South American country has been under an energy emergency for months; drought conditions have impacted power generation (More)

• China is removing cultural and religious mentions and renaming villages in its Xinjiang region. Human Rights Watch alleges it is part of a government campaign to attack Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities; the new names reflect Chinese Communist Party ideology (More)

Campaign News

• North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has been former President Trump's most-deployed surrogate, campaigning in at least 10 states. The workload comes amid reports Burgum is the top contender to be former President Donald Trump's running mate (More)

• Democrats are fighting the recognition of a new left-wing party in North Carolina. Clear Choice Action, a group that targets third parties, claims the Justice For All Party is tied to Republicans and aims to harm President Joe Biden's re-election campaign (More)

• Vice President Kamala Harris will hold campaign events blaming Trump for the overturn of Roe v. Wade. She will speak in Arizona and Maryland next week; the two-year anniversary of the Supreme Court decision is Monday (More)

Business & Markets

• Markets were closed yesterday due to the Juneteenth holiday. The S&P 500 will aim to hit a new record close for the sixth straight session when trading resumes today.

• Ferrari's first electric vehicle is expected to cost at least $535K. The Italian luxury automaker will inaugurate an EV plant tomorrow; the anticipated sticker price is well above rivals in the sector (More)

• Inflation in the United Kingdom was 2% YoY in May. It is the first time the economy has hit the Bank of England's target in three years; interest rate cuts across the pond are not considered imminent due to service prices continuing to rise (More)

Entertainment & Sports

• Billionaire Julia Koch and her family bought a 15% interest in BSE Global, which operates the Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty and Barclays Center. The parent company was valued at $6B in the deal, almost double what majority owner Joe Tsai paid and one of the biggest for any professional sports team (More)

• A Spaceballs sequel is in development. Actor Josh Gad will start in the follow-up to the 1987 science-fiction parody film; Mel Brooks will be a producer (More)

• All Major League games had a moment of silence to honor the late Willie Mays. Tonight's St. Louis Cardinals-San Francisco Giants game in Birmingham will have a pregame memorial ceremony (More)

Quick Hitters

• Fun Stuff: Kevin, a Great Dane from Iowa, is the world's tallest dog. The record has done nothing to improve his relationship with the vacuum cleaner, though.

• Go Deep: Stores in Japan often have more sushi than they can sell. Volunteers are organizing to combat food waste and keep excess products out of the dumpster.

• New Trend: Railbiking -- where you pedal a four-seat, four-wheel bicycle along railroad tracks -- has become popular. You can take them for a spin in the Rocky Mountains, New England and many other places.

• Simple Plea: Bakers have begun creating all kinds of concept croissants. One columnist wishes they would stop.

• Life Hack: It is possible to take an extended summer vacation with just a carry-on bag. These tips will help, starting with getting selective about your footwear.

• OPTIMIZE ME: Researchers “found convincing evidence that higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with 50% increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, a 48% to 53% higher risk of anxiety and common mental disorders, and a 12% greater risk of type 2 diabetes.”

Want more health and wellness news? Subscribe to our brand new newsletter, Optimize Me, and start living a healthier life through diet, exercise, sleep, and mindfulness:

Watch This

You should think twice about throwing those old cassette tapes out.

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Looking Ahead …

Scientists are using the London Underground to develop and test a quantum compass -- "an instrument that will exploit the behaviour of subatomic matter in order to develop devices that can accurately pinpoint their locations no matter where they are placed" -- that could eventually replace GPS systems.

Question of the Day

Yesterday’s results:

Has your healthcare information been compromised in a cyberattack in the last year?

• No (69%)

• Yes (31%)