The Trump administration is proposing a new rule to keep hospitals from charging markups on discounted drugs for Medicare patients and says that could save consumers $1.1 billion next year, according to estimates obtained by the AP. The rule expected Thursday comes as the Republican administration tries to show it’s tackling the challenges of affordability for U.S. families.

VATICAN CITY (AP) – The Vatican responded aggressively Thursday to a traditionalist group that consecrated bishops without the pope’s consent, declaring the Society of St. Pius X had formally broken with the Catholic Church. It excommunicated its bishops and priests, and warned its faithful that they too face the harshest sanctions in the church.

Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad:

Indian Prime Minister welcomes Japanese Prime Minister to New Delhi

HONG KONG (AP) – China and the European Union will hold ministerial-level trade talks once or twice a year, China’s Commerce Ministry said Thursday, as the two sides work to increase and rebalance trade. The EU faces growing pressure to reduce its trade deficit with China, which widened to about 360 billion euros ($410 billion) last year, nearly 1 billion euros a day.

WASHINGTON (AP) – On Saturday, President Donald Trump’s administration plans to launch Trump Accounts, tying the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence to an effort to boost financial independence for American kids.

Today in History. Today is Thursday, July 2, the 183rd day of 2026. There are 182 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law a sweeping civil rights bill passed by Congress prohibiting discrimination and segregation based on race, color, sex, religion or national origin.

LONDON (AP) – Prime Minister Keir Starmer formally apologized Thursday for the British state’s role in separating tens of thousands of unmarried mothers from their babies, a practice that lasted for decades until the 1970s.