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Two children—ages 8 and 10—were killed Wednesday in a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. Three adults and 14 children were injured. 

The shooter, a 23-year-old former student, barricaded church doors and opened fire through a window during morning mass. Children hid under pews as teachers and older students shielded them. The attacker—armed with a legally purchased rifle, shotgun, and pistol—died by suicide.

Federal authorities say the shooter, identified as a transgender woman, is under investigation for a scheduled manifesto video posted after the attack. The video referenced Sandy Hook, other mass shooters, and targeting Catholics and children specifically. It also showed weapons inscribed with dozens of phrases, including “for the children” and threats towards Israel, President Trump, and God. 

The FBI is investigating the attack as an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime.

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CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
The promise of heaven does not remove the pains of this world. Join us in praying for hope, strength, and peace for the families and first responders in Minneapolis.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God." 
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (CSB) (read full passage)

America’s top diplomat in Copenhagen has been called to the principal’s foreign secretary’s office.

Acting ambassador to Denmark, Mark Stroh, was summoned on Wednesday over intelligence reports alleging that at least three U.S. citizens in Greenland have been stirring up opposition to Danish governance and promoting secession. 

The U.S. has expressed interest in the Arctic island for its mineral wealth and strategic defense location, and President Trump has proposed annexing it. Spies were reportedly directed to gather intel on the growing independence movement and attitudes toward U.S. involvement—a leak National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard vowed to find and plug.

The State Department said Stroh had a “productive conversation” with the foreign secretary, where he reaffirmed Greenland’s right to self-determination and said Uncle Sam can’t control “private citizens.” The White House said, “The Danes need to calm down.”

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Verse to consider whether you’re negotiating with a top diplomat, an uncooperative coworker, or a cranky teenager… “Seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry for help.” 
Psalm 34:14–15 (CSB) (read full passage)

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The CDC’s fighting an outbreak of open leadership positions.

On Wednesday, the HHS Department said newly sworn-in CDC Director Susan Monarez was “no longer director,” prompting four other senior health officials to resign in protest.

Monarez’s lawyers said she was targeted for refusing to “rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives,” but that “an email from an HR staffer” was insufficient—President Trump had to personally fire her. Yesterday, the White House said he did, and a new CDC Director would be announced “very soon.”

The events come amid the FDA's repeal of pandemic-era emergency use authorizations for COVID vaccines. HHS Secretary RFK Jr. has long petitioned to remove the faster-but-less-thorough approval processes intended to increase vaccine availability during public health emergencies. New guidelines limit vaccine eligibility to patients who are 65+, have certain health conditions, or who must consult a doctor first.

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CHOOSE HUMILITY
It’s easy to throw stones at messy government dynamics… But how are the dynamics in your own home? Be patient and humble in all your discussions, demonstrating faith and contentment in Christ.

“Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another.”  
Romans 12:10 (CSB) (read full passage)

Cracker Barrel put their new look back in the barrel. After rolling out a new logo last week, the chain faced strong backlash, plunging stock prices, and was even urged by President Trump to “go back to the old logo.” On Tuesday, Cracker Barrel announced the minimalist rebrand is gone, and the “Old Timer” logo is here to stay.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is donning the conductor’s hat. The Transportation Department will take over management of D.C.’s Union Station from Amtrak as part of President Trump’s safety and beautification project. Mayor Bowser praised the decision, saying Washington can’t afford the station’s $8B renovation. Duffy also celebrated Amtrak’s new high-speed trains for the Washington-Boston corridor, leaving the station this week.

Argentina’s police are chasing “Portrait of a Lady.” Nazis took the 17th-century master painting from a late Jewish art dealer in the 1940s. Post-war, high-ranking Nazi Friedrich Kadgien fled to Argentina… seemingly with the painting. The Lady was spotted in a 3D tour of Kadgien's daughter’s for-sale home, but police found only a tapestry where the painting had hung.

Nvidia’s chips are still sizzling. The company’s Q2 sales jumped 56% year-over-year to $46.7 billion, powered by unrelenting demand for artificial intelligence. Wall Street still wasn’t impressed; the stock dipped over concerns that Nvidia's data center division missed expectations and the company didn’t sell a single one of its specially-designed-for-China H20 chips amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

Netflix has a new top flick. KPop Demon Hunters—the animated film about a girlband trio that bops by day and hunts monsters by night—has topped 236M views, making it the former DVD deliverer’s most-streamed movie. The hit’s also dominating theaters and music charts; its sing-a-long version raked in ~$18M in box-office sales, and four tracks made the Billboard Top 10.

A mesmerizing nine-point spiral...

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