As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, 33% of U.S. adults say they are “extremely proud” to be an American, the lowest reading in Gallup's trend dating back to 2001. Another 20% say they are “very proud,” which means just over half of Americans express high levels of pride in their country. (Brenan, Gallup)
Read MoreThe Vatican responded aggressively Thursday to a traditionalist society that consecrated bishops without the pope’s consent, declaring the Society of St. Pius X in schism, excommunicating its bishops and priests and warning its faithful they too face the harshest sanctions in the Catholic Church. (Winfield, AP News)
Read MoreThe court’s six-justice conservative majority, which has repeatedly ruled against transgender Americans in the past year, ruled that state bans in Idaho and West Virginia don’t violate the Constitution. The court unanimously agreed that barring transgender girls and women also doesn’t run afoul of the federal law known as Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education. (Sherman & Whitehurst, AP News)
Read MoreSurvivors of clergy sexual abuse reached a nearly $400 million settlement with the Archdiocese of San Francisco, advocates announced Monday. The agreement impacts approximately 530 people who have brought abuse claims against former or current members of the city’s Catholic clergy, and is among the largest per survivor settlement in a clerical bankruptcy to date, according to attorneys. (DeBenedetti, KQED)
Read MorePeople have increasingly been turning to AI for emotional support. In certain cases, that has led to dangerous consequences, particularly with mass-market technology that isn’t specifically built for mental health. (Janin & Petersen, The Wall Street Journal)
Read MoreReversing Roe didn't calm debate or heal division. A confusing patchwork of state laws began to take shape hours after the Supreme Court ruled — which was, perhaps, predictable. States had passed "trigger laws," ready to restrict abortion as soon as the high court allowed. (Simmons-Duffin, NPR)
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