This year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia attracted the lowest number of pilgrims for 30 years, excluding the Covid-19 pandemic period, according to figures released on Thursday. The annual Islamic pilgrimage attracted just 1,673,230 Muslims, the majority of them from outside Saudi Arabia, according to a post from the country’s Hajj Ministry on the social platform X. (Butt, Associated Press)
Read MoreThe Supreme Court says a Catholic charity in Wisconsin doesn’t have to pay unemployment taxes in one of a set of religious-rights cases the justices are considering this term. The Thursday ruling comes in a case filed by the Catholic Charities Bureau. The organization says the state violated the First Amendment’s religious freedom guarantee when it required the organization to pay the tax while exempting other faith groups. Wisconsin argues the organization doesn’t qualify for an exemption because its day-to-day work doesn’t involve religious teachings. (Whitehurst, ABC News)
Read MoreGambling has swallowed American sports culture whole. Until early 2018, sports betting was illegal under federal law; today, it’s legal in 39 states and Washington, D.C. (and easy enough to access through backdoor channels even in the states where it isn’t). Commentators analyze not just whether a team can win, but if they might win by at least the number of points by which they’re favored on betting apps. Nearly half of men younger than 50 now have an account with an online sports book, and Americans spent about $150 billion on sports wagers last year. (Kiros, The Atlantic)
Read MoreThe decision came two years after the Supreme Court struck down race-conscious admissions programs in higher education and amid the Trump administration’s fierce efforts to root out programs that promote diversity. The ruling will place further pressure on employers and others to eliminate affirmative action and other initiatives that seek to provide opportunities to members of historically disadvantaged groups. (Liptak, The New York Times)
Read MoreKirk Stange keeps a close eye on the calendar — and right now, he's enjoying the summer break. Stange isn't a student. He's a family law attorney with 25 years in the business. During a recent interview, he told NPR he has noticed a pattern: Divorce filings hit two peaks per year — one in late summer and the other in early spring. "It's a very seasonal business," the divorced father of two said, adding that it's similar to the rush CPAs face come Tax Day in April. (Romo, NPR)
Read MoreWhen thinking about the number of people attending their church each week, the experience of the average pastor is vastly different from that of the average churchgoer. The most recent Faith Communities Today (FACT) study revealed 7 in 10 U.S. congregations have 100 or fewer weekly service attendees. The average U.S. congregation sees 65 people gather each week. Similarly, the most recent National Congregations Study (NCS) found the median congregation in the U.S. welcomes 70 regular participants, including adults and children, and has an annual budget of $100,000. At the same time, however, the NCS found the average churchgoer worshiped in a congregation with 360 regular attendees and a $450,000 budget. (Earls, Baptist Press)
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