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ÉCÔNE, Switzerland (RNS) — A group of traditionalists directly defied Pope Leo XIV by ordaining four new bishops without his consent, calling it their "sacred duty" during a ritual-laden ceremony at the society's seminary in the Swiss village of Écône. The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) had received repeated warnings from the Vatican that the ordinations would constitute a schismatic act and trigger the automatic excommunication of all bishops involved.

In an important scene in the new middle-grade graphic novel Opting Out, 12-year-old Saachi's father is giving her a pep talk: "You don't start off good at something. You get better and better until it changes! Then the cycle repeats." Saachi is having a hard time in seventh grade, though neither of her parents have a clear sense of exactly what is going on.

From watch parties outside the stadium in Santa Clara to gathering places across the San Francisco Bay Area, supporters of the United States and Bosnia-Herzegovina teams came together for a FIFA World Cup match that ended in a 2-0 U.S. victory and a place in the Round of 16. From pre-match anticipation to post-match celebrations for U.S. fans, photographers Beth LeBerge and Gina Castro of member station KQED documented the anticipation, community and celebration.

Much of the U.S. is in the midst of dangerous and potentially record-breaking daytime temperatures as a heat dome has settled over the Midwest and the Atlantic Coast. But nighttime temperatures are staying unusually warm, too, raising the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke even higher, especially for people without access to air conditioning. "We're seeing temperatures well into the evening that are staying shockingly high and, in some cases, never dropping below 80 or 75 degrees.

Kennedy Ryan first fell in love with romance novels in middle school. She'd sneak the books past her mom, who was a preacher, and keep a stash hidden at the back of her closet. Ryan drifted from the books after high school and went on to build a career in journalism and autism advocacy. But she returned to the novels in her 30s, drawn by the sense of escape they provided.

Eric Farley, of the Boys and Girls Club, sears a piece of grilled pork at the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, Friday, May 17, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (George Walker IV/AP) Our love of the iconic American meal — the hamburger — may have implications for the environment. Michael Grunwald, author of “We Are Eating the Earth: The Race to Fix Our Food System and Save Our Climate,” argues that agriculture is a massive and overlooked contributor to climate change.

Megan Kate Nelson, author of “The Westerners,” wants to shatter the myth of the frontier, one of white easterners coming west in covered wagons with a nuclear family. Colorado Public Radio’s Ryan Warner reports. This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

A ProPublica investigation re-examines the 1981 rape of Syracuse University student Alice Sebold and the wrongful conviction of Anthony Broadwater, who was exonerated decades later. What does this case say about the state of the local Syracuse justice and law enforcement systems? Host Scott Tong puts that question and more to ProPublica reporter Joaquin Sapien. This article was originally published on WBUR.org. Copyright 2026 WBUR

A heat dome has sent temperatures spiraling across the country. In urban areas, local governments have issued warnings and set up ways for residents to cool off in an effort to prevent heat-related deaths. A 1995 heat wave in Chicago killed more than 700 people. WBEZ’s Alex Degman reports on changes the city has made to prepare for this week’s extreme weather. This article was originally published on WBUR.org. Copyright 2026 WBUR

Ali Velshi, chief data reporter for MS NOW and host of “The 11th Hour with Ali Velshi,” joins host Indira Lakshmanan to look at the Trump family’s accumulated wealth over the past year and the ethical questions it poses. This article was originally published on WBUR.org.