Good morning and welcome to Thursday. Consider this sentence your weekly reminder that if you ever have any comments, questions, feedback, etc., we’re always one “reply” button away. (And we don’t bite, promise.🙃)

Some other things you’ll know after reading this email:

• ✌️🇬🇧 Why UK lawmakers are resigning en masse
• 💰🎓 What changes are coming to the federal student loan program
• 💨 Is Juul actually in the clear?

… and more.

🚀⏰ Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news takes 3.92 minutes to read.

“Often we pass beside happiness without seeing it, without looking at it, or even if we have seen and looked at it, without recognizing it.”

–Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870)

More than 40 officials in Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government resigned over a 24-hour period ending yesterday, with many saying they no longer have confidence in him to lead the country.

🇬🇧🤔 What’s going on?… Johnson’s government has been in crisis mode for months, first over lockdown-flaunting parties attended by top politicians (including the PM himself).

• But the most recent catalyst came when Downing Street officials admitted this week that Johnson was aware of some of the sexual misconduct allegations against now-disgraced Tory MP Chris Pincher before giving him a job overseeing party discipline and welfare.
• Many Conservative lawmakers normally loyal to Johnson are now calling for his exit on social media, while a group of Johnson’s cabinet members reportedly gathered yesterday to personally tell him he should quit before they resigned en masse.

✋ Yes, but: Unless Johnson caves, there’s no immediate way for him to be removed… even by members of his own party. He narrowly survived a vote of no-confidence last month, and under current Conservative Party rules he’s immune from another challenge for the next year – though the rules could soon be changed.

💬 The view from Boris’ side: When an ally reportedly asked this week if he would resign, the prime minister replied: "F*** that." He also said publicly Wednesday that it wouldn’t be “responsible” to quit amid ongoing economic pressures and the war in Ukraine.

🚨 BREAKING: Around 20 minutes before our final editorial check this morning, the BBC reported that Boris Johnson is expected to officially resign as Prime Minister later today, citing sources within Downing Street. This is a developing story, we'll have the latest for you tomorrow.

The Biden administration announced new changes to the federal student loan system yesterday that would affect nearly all of the more than 40 million Americans who hold federal student debt. All told, borrowers owe ~$1.6 trillion in student loans – an amount larger than credit-card or auto debt.

🔑📝 Key elements of the Education Department’s proposal include:

• Expanding a program that forgives debt completely for borrowers who commit to working for the government or a nonprofit for 10 years or more, and have already made 120 qualifying payments.
• Eliminating interest capitalization — aka adding unpaid interest to the principal of the loan so that it also accrues interest — almost entirely.
• Extending more generous standards for borrowers seeking debt relief on fraud claims, or those who are permanently disabled.

👀 Looking ahead… The proposed changes will be open for public comment for 30 days, after which the Education Department plans to finalize them so they can take effect by July 1, 2023.

🎓💰 Zoom out: The WSJ reported last month that Biden is expected to announce a final decision on student debt forgiveness sometime in July or August. But whether that’s true or not, the White House isn’t saying: ever since denying a WaPo article published in late May claiming that Biden had decided to cancel $10,000 in student debt for ~97% of lower-income borrowers, they’ve kept anything resembling federal student debt forgiveness out of their mouths.

+Dig deeper: To Forgive or Not to Forgive: The Student Loan Question

A Northwestern-led team of researchers has developed a first-of-its-kind implant that can relieve pain on demand and without the use of drugs, potentially removing the need for opioids, according to a new peer-reviewed study published in Science.

⚙️ How it works… The implant targets the nerves that send pain signals throughout the body, while leaving the other ones untouched.

• After identifying the correct nerves, the device wraps around them and releases a cooling liquid that stops the pain. But if you’re afraid of an Independence Day tentacle situation, never fear: the patient is able to increase or decrease the intensity as they see fit.
• The device is also low stress and no mess. After it’s served its purpose, the implant naturally dissolves into the body – similar to absorbable stitches.

👀 Looking ahead… The study’s researchers believe the device will ultimately prove most useful for patients undergoing routine surgeries that commonly require post-op prescription painkillers – but first, they’ll have to prove it works in more than just animals.

💊 Zoom out: A record-high 100,000 Americans died from drug overdoses between May 2020 and April 2021, with more than three-quarters of those deaths coming from opioids.

🎅 No, seriously… and just think about how not long ago last Christmas felt. We're now closer to next Christmas than last!🤯⌛

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Plus, there’s something for everyone on TheWMarketplace:

• Browse their large selection of candles & accessories, including scented, unscented, and natural.
• For chocolate lovers, check out the Christmas selection from Biens Chocolate.
• And for stocking stuffers, grab some handmade bookmarks, hilarious wooden spoons, and much more.

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Amazon is partnering with JustEatTakeaway to offer free Grubhub delivery to all ~153 million US Prime members across the country, the two companies announced yesterday.

🌯🚗💨 More deets… Prime members, prepare for more nights of takeout on the couch – because you’ve effectively been granted one free year of Grubhub+, the food delivery app’s premium subscription service.

• This entitles each member to unlimited free delivery on orders above $12, as well as other perks like “double donations” and VIP access to events and experiences.
• The offer is good for one full year, after which we’ll automatically be charged the usual $9.99/month for Grubhub+.

☝️🤔 One interesting thing: The deal between the companies was structured to give Amazon the option to buy a 2% stake in Grubhub, with the possibility to acquire up to 15% if certain performance metrics are reached.

🥡📈 The big picture: Growth of food delivery apps like Grubhub has slowed following an early pandemic food delivery boom, as diners return to in-person eating and ordering takeout, which jumped from comprising ~35% of restaurant orders in January 2020 to more than half in March of 2022.

+In the know: DoorDash owns 59% of America’s meal-delivery market, according to data published last month by Bloomberg’s Second Measure. Uber Eats is second with a 24% market share, while Grubhub ranks third with 13%.

• ☝️ A 76 million-year-old fossilized skeleton of a Gorgosaurus – which predated its relative the T. Rex by 10 million years – will be auctioned by Sotheby's later this month; presale estimates mark its value from $5 million to $8 million.

BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 💼 Overall US job openings fell to 11.25 million at the end of May from 11.68 million in April, per new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, though there were still nearly twice as many open jobs as individuals looking for work.
• 🚫✈️ British Airways announced the cancellation of 10,000+ more flights from its summer schedule, bringing the running total of removed flights to around 30,000 (~13% of its overall capacity).
• 🔒📱 Apple is adding a "lockdown" mode to its devices for individuals like dissidents, journalists, or human rights workers who believe they’re at risk of being targeted by advanced spyware.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

• ⚖️ Eric Ronald Holder Jr. was found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2019 killing of LA rapper Nipsey Hussle. | Cheer star Jerry Harris was sentenced to 12 years in prison for charges involving child sexual abuse images.
• 🏈 The Cleveland Browns traded QB Baker Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers for a conditional 4th-round draft pick in 2024.
• ✈️ The dominos start to fall: The ACC and Pac-12 are currently discussing a “loose partnership” that could include a combined championship game in Las Vegas, per CBS Sports.

SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

• 🐬💩 Dolphin excrement may be a secret ingredient to improving the resilience of coral reefs, according to a new peer-reviewed study.
• 🌌 Quantum communication across interstellar space is theoretically possible, according to new mathematical calculations published in the peer-reviewed journal Physical Review D.
• 🦠 Covid was the third leading cause of death in America in 2020 and 2021, accounting for one in every eight deaths, per a new scientific review of death certificate data.

EVERYTHING ELSE

• 🚬 The FDA and Juul agreed yesterday to suspend their court case while the agency conducts a review of Juul's e-cigarettes; the move comes a day after the FDA temporarily paused its order banning Juul from the US market.
• 🚨 The suspected July 4 Highland Park parade shooter confessed to the killings yesterday; he also told investigators that he considered a second attack in Madison, WI, before he was apprehended.
• 🏥 Jackson Women's Health Organization, the only abortion clinic in Mississippi, officially shut down yesterday, one day before the state's abortion trigger ban took effect.
• 🤖🍕 Robots are about to revolutionize the $155 billion pizza industry, and you can invest in the company making it happen. Learn more about Piestro.*

*Sponsored post

💬 Quoted… ​​ “Please change this my performance fee is 8 million."

Kanye West reportedly DM’d the Instagram account RapThoughtsDaily this week to correct a graphic they posted claiming the rapper ‘only’ made $1 million per show.

🇺🇸 Stat of the Day: About 1 in every 30 American adolescents were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder as of 2020, a more than 50% increase from 2017, according to new peer-reviewed research.

🤯 Did You Know?... Cats and dogs can get pregnant by multiple fathers at the same time, which is why kittens and puppies from the same litter sometimes look completely different.

📖 Worth a Read: The Sleep Debt Collector is Here → (NY Times)

👍 I’m more likely to watch now (14%): “I’m sick and tired of always seeing the same five teams in the College Football Playoff discussion. Maybe now other schools will be able to break into the top echelon.”

👎 I’m less likely to watch now (31%): “I fear NIL is taking away the drive to play because these kids love the game. Now, many will play for money as if they are professionals. Paychecks and power will overtake the thirst for excellence.”

🙅‍♀️ It probably won’t change anything for me (49%): “I love watching sports – it’s the competition that matters. Whether or not an athlete/school gets paid or stays in their conference has no effect on me. As long as the game on the field remains unchanged, I’ll keep on watching.”

🤷‍♀️ Unsure/Other (6%): “Ah yes, sport. I know sport.”

+Note on sample size: We received 7,614 responses.👏🥳 Some may have been lightly edited for grammar or clarity.

48-year-old Andrew Bedwell is a self-proclaimed daredevil. "All my life, I’ve done unusual challenges," shared the adventurous dad. 

His newest goal is nothing short of unusual – last week, Andrew launched from the UK in an attempt to sail his tiny three-foot-long boat some 1,900 miles across the Atlantic Ocean.

🛶 Tiny boat, big record... If he's successful in his three-month Atlantic crossing, Andrew will beat the world record for smallest ship to ever finish the voyage.🤯 

• He plans to survive off a cold protein-rich substance that’s molded around the internal walls of the boat to save space.

Let's just hope he doesn't get seasick...

❓ Trivia: What is Bob Dylan’s real name?

🕷️😱 True or False?... Acrophobia is an extreme fear of spiders

🤔 Riddle Me This: What is as light as air, but the strongest people can’t hold it for five minutes?

(keep scrolling for the answers)

👆 Check out the referral prizes you can get just for introducing people you know to little old us. 

What to do: Copy your unique link below, then send it to anyone you think would like the DONUT.

❓ Trivia: Robert Allen Zimmerman. He adopted the last name Dylan after Welsh poet Dylan Thomas.

😱 T/F: False. Acrophobia is an extreme fear of heights, while arachnophobia is an extreme fear of spiders.

🤔 Riddle: Breath, unless this is you. (And if it is, our apologies Budimir!🙏)