Luigi Mangione to enter plea in federal court and low morale aboard USS Abraham Lincoln: Morning Rundown

Luigi Mangione is expected to plead guilty to federal stalking charges in connection with the killing of a healthcare CEO. An American’s home is among those besieged by Israeli settlers. And new research shows ticks that cause Lyme disease are migrating south.

Luigi Mangione expected to plead guilty in federal court hearing

This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.

The brazen killing of Thompson, who led the nation’s largest health insurer, put a spotlight on the industry and widespread public frustration over denied claims.

Sources familiar with the matter said negotiations over a potential plea agreement were ongoing and that nothing is final until Mangione accepts a deal. He could also change his decision during the hearing.

Mangione faces two federal charges — interstate stalking resulting in death and stalking through the use of interstate facilities resulting in death — but it remains unclear whether he will plead guilty to both. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

What else to know ahead of today’s hearing.

No supplies, a food shortage and low morale aboard USS Lincoln

One sailor’s mother described life aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln as a “scene out of ‘American Horror Story,’ where … everybody’s dead, but they don’t know it yet.” Another mother, whose daughter is also serving on the carrier, said sailors are receiving smaller portions of food. Both said their children had told them that a sailor jumped overboard.

They are among family members and lawmakers calling for accountability as the Lincoln’s deployment approaches 250 days with no end in sight. The carrier left San Diego on Nov. 21 and has been in the Middle East supporting the war against Iran. Its deployment was initially scheduled to end in May but was later extended.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said reports about conditions aboard the carrier have been “completely misrepresented,” while a Navy official rejected claims of an increase in mental health issues. The Defense Department plans to replace the Lincoln with another carrier, the USS George Washington, a U.S. official said, but the swap will take several weeks to complete.

Read more about the conditions on board.

More politics news:

Inside the village where an American’s home is among those besieged by Israeli settlers

Jewish settlers have infiltrated Palestinian homes in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, cutting off water and electricity and blocking access roads to prevent food from reaching residents. Mo Ridi, whose family owns a home in the village of Qusra, said his brother, Qusay, and 18-year-old nephew Ahmed are trapped inside. “What they’ve been telling us basically is the settlers want them to move out of the house so they can move in,” said Ridi, who lives in Toledo, Ohio.

Qusra is supposed to be under Palestinian civilian and security control, and Israeli civilians are barred from entering. Several settlers have been caught on camera encroaching on Palestinian territory and ignoring Israeli military orders to leave. Their actions drew condemnation from U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who called them “Israeli terrorists.”

Ticks that cause Lyme and other diseases have migrated south

Not long ago, Lyme disease was thought to be largely confined to the Northeast. But new CDC research shows that ticks have established a foothold farther south, carrying the bacteria that causes Lyme disease with them.

Of the 373 ticks collected in Biltmore Forest, North Carolina, 76.9% were deer ticks, and 39.6% of those tested positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. The study also found, for the first time in the state, ticks carrying other disease-causing bacteria. But the South isn’t the only region facing a growing risk of tick-borne illnesses.

Staff Pick: A record-breaking summer has turned green Britain brown

Summer in Britain might conjure images of verdant cricket pitches, lush wildflower meadows and reassuringly familiar drizzle. Today’s landscape is almost unrecognizable. Five successive heat waves this year and a lack of any significant rainfall in London since June have left the city — and much of the country — stultified and bewildered.

I’ve lived in London for 14 years and to see its famous parks transformed into effective deserts has been no less shocking. So on one baking-hot day this week, I took a walk and spoke with locals, tourists and the people who care for these green spaces . Most were dismayed by how quickly the effects of human-worsened climate change had arrived at their feet.

Experts say London’s grass will grow back — but “the trees — particularly the more mature trees — are particularly hard to replace,” one specialist told me . — Alexander Smith , senior reporter in London

Read All About It

NBC Selected: Online Shopping, Simplified

A summer sandal isn’t hard to find, but finding a comfortable, cute and durable one — that’s a whole other story. The viral Crocs Miami sandal is designed to fit that bill so we had five editors test the shoe for six weeks to see if it lives up to its fame. Here’s what happened.

Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week.

Thanks for reading today’s Morning Rundown. Today’s newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Robinson. If you’re a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign up here .