Religious

The city of Jerusalem froze the bank accounts of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The move is the latest development in a long-standing dispute between the church and the municipality over the church’s large landholdings. The Greek Orthodox Church is one of the biggest landowners in Israel, controlling large areas of land well beyond historic churches and religious sites. The Knesset, Israel’s parliament, is built on land leased from the Orthodox Church. — RNS, 8/15/2025

Religiously unaffiliated Americans make up about 28% of the U.S. population, according to 2024 Pew Research Center data. As this group has grown, so has the number of religiously unaffiliated chaplains. They work on college campuses, offering a listening ear and guidance to students as they navigate young adulthood. For the past 250 years, they have also provided spiritual support to service members in the U.S. military. As religious demographics evolve, so does the diversity of religious identities they represent. The Humanist Society, which is active across and beyond the U.S., currently endorses 139 chaplains and receives about four applications for endorsement each month. — RNS, 8/8/2025

New York Democrats have introduced a bill to implement a federal rule that bans tax-exempt nonprofits, including churches and charities, from participating in political campaigns. The Nonpartisan Pulpit Act would create a state process to enforce the 1945 Johnson Amendment, which prevents 501(c)(3) organizations from endorsing or opposing political candidates. The bill defines “political campaign activity” and outlines specific violations, while allowing lobbying and nonpartisan voter education. The legislation also establishes a separate certification process at the state level, making the requirements for tax-exempt organizations governed by state law. — Capitol News, 8/15/2025

The Secular Coalition for America and 18 allied groups urged the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to withdraw its new guidelines on religious expression in government workplaces. The groups expressed “alarm” over a memorandum from the OPM Director that they claimed would support each federal employee’s right to express their religion at work. The coalition warned that this could lead to criticism of employees’ religious beliefs and give supervisors the opportunity to pressure subordinates to convert. “Employees may engage in conversations regarding religious topics with fellow employees, including attempting to persuade others of the correctness of their own religious views, provided that such efforts are not harassing in nature,” the memo states. — RNS, 8/13/2025

Social

For the first time, scientists have observed a human embryo implanting into a womb in real time. This milestone researchers hope will lead to new treatments for infertility and prevent miscarriages. The scientists were surprised by how forceful human embryos are, especially compared to mouse embryos, which seem to lie passively as a womb surrounds them. The researchers believe these experiments will help uncover why implantation fails, which is a significant cause of infertility and miscarriages. According to the researchers, about two thirds of embryos either fail to implant or are lost shortly after implantation. — NPR, 8/18/2025

Researchers have identified eight new genes associated with schizophrenia in the largest exome-sequencing study of the disorder to date. Conducted by scientists at the Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics (CNGG) at Cardiff University, this breakthrough provides new insights and improves understanding and potential treatments for schizophrenia. The international study, published in Nature Communications, analyzed genetic data from 28,898 individuals with schizophrenia, 103,041 without the condition, and 3,444 families affected by the disorder. Researchers focused on identifying rare, high-impact mutations in protein-coding genes that are significantly more common in people with schizophrenia. — Cardiff (University) News, 8/15/2025

Scientists have developed the first artificial tongue capable of sensing and identifying flavors entirely in liquid environments — mimicking how human taste buds function. The breakthrough could enable automated systems for food safety and early disease detection through chemical analysis, researchers say. The technology could also be incorporated into laboratory equipment for analyzing liquid samples. Additionally, the researchers view it as a step toward “neuromorphic computing” — AI systems that imitate the brain’s learning process. The artificial tongue is constructed from graphene oxide membranes, ultra-thin sheets of carbon that serve as molecular filters for ionic versions of tastes. Instead of separating large particles, these membranes slow the movement of ions, allowing the device to identify and remember tastes introduced into it. In the recent study, the device identified four basic tastes — sweet, sour, salty, and bitter — with 72.5% to 87.5% accuracy, and reached 96% accuracy with drinks containing multiple flavor profiles. — Live Science, 8/11/2025.

Research shows that genetic sex — defined biologically as having XX chromosomes in females and XY chromosomes in males—affects vulnerability to certain diseases. Women are more likely to develop autoimmune diseases, while men face higher risks of infectious diseases, partly because sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone influence immune cell behavior. Asthma usually affects men earlier in life, but more women develop asthma as they get older. Parkinson’s is more common in men, while Alzheimer’s is more frequent in women. These differences become even more pronounced with autoimmune diseases. Women are about two and a half times more likely than men to develop multiple sclerosis and nine times more likely to develop lupus. — Technology Networks, 8/8/2025

An Australian scientist claims that probabilities mainly cause disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle. The United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) agrees with this perspective. The disappearances of ships and planes are attributed to probabilities. Add unpredictable weather and questionable navigation skills, and Karl Kruszelnicki argues there’s no reason to believe in the Bermuda Triangle phenomenon. NOAA explains that environmental factors can account for most of these disappearances, mentioning the Gulf Stream’s tendency for sudden, violent weather changes, the complex navigation challenges of the many Caribbean islands, and evidence suggesting the Bermuda Triangle may disrupt magnetic compasses, leading to navigation confusion. Both agree that the high volume of traffic in such a difficult area shows “the number [of ships and planes] that go missing in the Bermuda Triangle is the same as anywhere in the world on a percentage basis.” He states that Lloyd’s of London and the U.S. Coast Guard support this view. As The Independent notes, Lloyd’s of London has held this same theory since the 1970s. — Popular Mechanics, 8/9/2025

Students at Purdue University have built a robot that can solve a Rubik’s Cube faster than any other robot. The robot, which they call “Purdubik’s Cube,” solves the cube in just 0.103 seconds. That’s quicker than blinking an eye. The Rubik’s Cube was invented in 1974 by Erno Rubik and quickly became a popular puzzle worldwide. Initially, people just wanted to solve it. But soon, a new goal emerged—solving the cube as fast as possible. Those are known as “speedcubers.” Human speedcubers can solve a Rubik’s Cube in just a few seconds, with the fastest record around 3.05 seconds. — News For Kids, 6.25/2025

Political

Lithuania’s government announced plans to establish nine drone training centers over the next three years to teach thousands of people, including schoolchildren, skills in flying and building drones. Drones have become increasingly common in daily life and warfare recently. Lithuania’s initiative aims to enhance the public’s abilities in drone operation and engineering and to “expand civil resistance training,” according to statements from its defense and education ministries. As a NATO member with about 2.8 million people on the alliance’s eastern flank, Lithuania borders both Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave and Moscow-allied Belarus, making it aware of potential security threats. Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said that by 2028, 15,500 adults and 7,000 children will learn drone skills. Third- and fourth-grade students will learn to build and pilot simple drones, while high school students will design and manufacture drone parts and learn to build and operate advanced “first-person view” drones. — AP, 8/12/2025

The wife of South Korea’s former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is currently in jail, has been arrested as investigators aim to charge her with multiple suspected crimes, including bribery, stock manipulation, and interference in the candidate selection process. The investigation into Kim is among three special prosecutor probes launched by Seoul’s new liberal government targeting Yoon’s presidency. Yoon, a conservative who was removed from office in April and re-arrested last month for his brief imposition of martial law in December, faces these charges. While Yoon’s downfall marked the end of a long string of South Korean presidencies ending poorly, he and Kim are the first former presidential couple to be jailed simultaneously over criminal allegations. — AP, 8/12/2025

China is restricting the flow of critical minerals to Western defense manufacturers, causing delays in production and forcing companies to search worldwide for stockpiles of minerals needed to produce everything from bullets to jet fighters. Earlier this year, amid rising U.S.-China trade tensions, Beijing tightened controls on the export of rare earths. Although they resumed flow after the Trump administration agreed to trade concessions in June, China continues to hold onto critical minerals for defense use. China supplies about 90% of the world’s rare earths and leads in the production of many other essential minerals. One company was recently offered samarium—an element used to make magnets that withstand the extreme temperatures of jet engines—for 60 times the usual price. — Wall Street Journal, 8/4/2025

Financial

TAs the global economy becomes wealthier, the United States and mainland China together hold more than half of the world’s personal wealth. They are expected to lead global wealth growth over the next five years. The US holds 35% of the world’s wealth, thanks to high wealth per adult and its large population. Additionally, 39.7% of the world’s millionaires are based in the US—four times as many as in mainland China, Israel, and the Middle East. — UBS, 7/28/2025

Flying private has become the ultimate luxury splurge for many wealthy individuals, surpassing Ferraris, Hermès Birkin bags costing over $14,000, or even waterfront Hamptons homes. For many aspiring to join the ranks of the truly rich, having “private-jet money” is the new goal, dividing the 1% from the 0.1%. The number of wealthy people has increased significantly. The club of ultrahigh net worth individuals with more than $30 million in assets reached a record high in 2024, according to estimates from the wealth intelligence provider Altrata. The U.S. gained more than 1,000 millionaires every day on average last year, according to UBS. The billionaire club grew more than 50% between 2015 and 2024. — Wall Street Journal, 8/4/2025

Global insured losses from natural disasters reached $80 billion in the first half of the year due to California’s wildfires and U.S. thunderstorms. That estimate nearly doubles the 10-year average. —Swiss Re, 8/2025

Cryptocurrency entrepreneur Kwon Do-hyung, better known as Do Kwon, pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy and wire fraud charges, three years after his company’s collapse wiped out over $40 billion in investor assets. Kwon co-founded Terraform Labs in 2018, creating a digital currency he claimed was pegged to the US dollar, a type of stablecoin. That promise unraveled in May 2022, when a wave of withdrawals caused the currency’s value to plummet to nearly zero within days. This is separate from a $4.5 billion civil settlement Kwon and Terraform reached with the US last year. — MSN, 8/17/2025

Israel and the Middle East

A collection of ivory plaques has been uncovered in Jerusalem, dating back to the First Temple period. These intricately crafted ivory pieces likely decorated a seat or couch in the home of a wealthy and influential Jerusalemite. Usually found only in Capitals of powerful kingdoms, these ivories demonstrate Jerusalem’s wealth and political ties to the Assyrian empire. Decorated ivory is rare and costly, previously found only in capitals of major Iron Age kingdoms (c. 1200-586 BC). Similar ivories have been discovered at the Assyrian capitals of Nimrud and Dur-Sharrukin, and at Samaria, capital of Israel’s northern kingdom. Now Jerusalem has joined this esteemed list. Located in the City of David Archaeological Park, the ivories were recovered from a large palace belonging to a member of the city’s elite. The building, originally built in the eighth century BC., was probably destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. — Bible History Daily, 8/8/2025

While examining material previously discarded into the Kidron Valley from the ancient Temple Mount area, archaeologist Mordechai Ehrlich made an exciting discovery: a small clay bulla bearing the seal impression of a man named Yeda’yah, son of Asayahu. Marks on the back of the bulla suggest it was used to seal a bag or other storage container. The front of the bulla displays Yeda’yah’s seal, likely indicating that he authorized the sealing of the container. Based on the paleography of the inscription— the shape of its letters — the archaeologists date the bulla to the late seventh or early sixth century BC. Though Yeda’yah is not in the Bible, his father, Asayahu, whose name also appears on the seal impression, is mentioned. In the story of Josiah’s discovery of the Book of the Law (possibly Deuteronomy), 2 Kings 22:12 and 2 Chronicles 34:20 record that the king sent a small group of officials to consult Huldah the prophetess. Among those officials was Asaiah, a short form of Asayahu, who was the king’s attendant. — BAR, 9/27/2025

Amid increasing tensions between Israel and Iran, more Iranians are calling for Israel to take military action against their own government. Citizens frustrated with the harsh regime believe such an attack could help end a leadership that has long suppressed their freedoms. Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi urges Iran’s Middle Eastern neighbors to oppose Tehran’s influence, support Israel’s efforts, and overthrow the dictatorship. “The regime in Tehran is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocents: Iranians, Arabs, Israelis, Christians, Muslims, and Jews,” said Reza Pahlavi, exiled Crown Prince of Iran. Pahlavi, son of Iran’s last shah. He posted on social media that most Iranians want to see their oppressive government removed. While some Iranians support military action against Israel, Pahlavi claims most of his countrymen would welcome targeted action against the regime. He tells Iranians that their true enemy is their own government, led by Ali Khamenei. “When Iran is finally free — and that moment will come much sooner than people expect — everything will be different,” Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, said in a video address to the Iranian people. “Our two ancient peoples, the Jewish people and the Persian people, will finally be at peace.” — Iransform, 8/18/2025