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White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says the U.S. Office of Special Counsel's finding that she violated the Hatch Act is "retroactive," adding that she was "given the green light to actually say the comments that I made." She is seen here during Wednesday's daily briefing at the White House. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre violated the Hatch Act, watchdog says

The White House press secretary receives a warning, as a federal agency finds that the White House Counsel's Office "did not at the time believe that Ms. Jean‐Pierre's remarks were prohibited."

Police officers are pictured outside the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. United States Courthouse before the arraignment of former President Donald Trump in Miami on Tuesday. Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images

Here are the legal next steps in the Trump documents case

Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to the 37 counts against him. While special counsel Jack Smith wants a speedy trial, Trump's lawyers could file motions that would delay it.

Protesters filled the street in front of the Supreme Court after the court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022. Nearly a year later, 61% of respondents to a new Gallup poll said overturning Roe was a "bad thing." Jacquelyn Martin/AP hide caption

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Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Nearly a year later, most Americans oppose Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe

The latest Gallup poll also finds increased political polarization. Some 60% of Democrats said abortion should be legal under any circumstances, compared with 8% of Republicans.

The Pittsburgh Pride parade, celebrating 50 years of Pittsburgh Pride, crosses the Andy Warhol Bridge from downtown Pittsburgh on June 3. Longtime Pride sponsors have come under attack by conservatives for their LGBTQ-friendly marketing. Gene J. Puskar/AP hide caption

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Gene J. Puskar/AP

How companies can build trust with the LGBTQ+ community — during Pride and beyond

Target, The North Face, Bud Light and others are facing backlash for pro-LGBTQ+ campaigns. Some have stood fast, others stumbled. Experts say consistency and intentionality are key to true support.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is shown leaving 10 Downing Street to attend the weekly Prime Minister's Questions at the Houses of Parliament, in London, on May 25, 2022. Matt Dunham/AP hide caption

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Matt Dunham/AP

Inquiry finds Boris Johnson deliberately misled Parliament over 'partygate'

A U.K. parliamentary committee says the former PM's lies over COVID rule breaches were "unprecedented," and recommends he be denied a pass to ever enter the parliament building again.

How do Americans feel about the U.S. flag? It's complicated. Lynne Gilbert/Getty Images hide caption

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Lynne Gilbert/Getty Images

We asked Americans how they feel about the U.S. flag. It got interesting

There is a lot of love for the Stars and Stripes, but some people say the flag's meaning has changed in ways that make them uncomfortable.

We asked Americans how they feel about the U.S. flag. It got interesting

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State courts in every state highlighted on this map have cited cases involving enslaved people in the 1980s or later. Citing Slavery Project, Michigan State University hide caption

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Citing Slavery Project, Michigan State University

Slave cases are still cited as good law across the U.S. This team aims to change that

Michigan State law professor Justin Simard says 18% of all published American cases are within two steps of a slave case. His team has spent years documenting them, hoping to force a legal reckoning.

Congregants arrive at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif. The megachurch founded by Rick Warren was one of two churches affected by a vote Wednesday at the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting. Allison Dinner/AP hide caption

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Allison Dinner/AP

Southern Baptists say no to female pastors, uphold expulsion of Saddleback megachurch

The Southern Baptist Convention upheld the removal of two churches for having women as pastors. The nearly 13,000 voters, called "messengers," voted overwhelmingly to uphold the churches' removals.

The Mississippi police officer who shot and wounded the unarmed boy has been suspended without pay during an investigation, a city official said. Here, this December 2022 photo provided by Nakala Murry shows her 11-year-old son Aderrien Murry, who was shot and wounded by an Indianola, Miss., Police Department officer on May 20, 2023, during a domestic disturbance call at the family's home. AP hide caption

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AP

The Mississippi police officer who shot an 11-year-old is now suspended without pay

Sgt. Greg Capers had previously been suspended from the Indianola Police Department with pay, according to Carlos Moore, the family's attorney.

Concept art for Disney and Pixar's Elemental by the director Peter Sohn. Pixar hide caption

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Pixar

Earth, air, fire, water — and family — are all 'Elemental' for Pixar's Peter Sohn

In science class, Sohn saw the periodic table as an apartment building. The son of Korean immigrants, he felt the elements were a "beautiful metaphor" for cultures mixing in his New York hometown.

Earth, air, fire, water — and family — are all 'Elemental' for Pixar's Peter Sohn

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WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 31: Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell and his colleagues opted to pause interest rate hikes at their meeting Wednesday. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Mark Wilson/Getty Images hide caption

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Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Taking a breather: Fed holds interest rates steady in patient battle against inflation

After 10 straight rate hikes, The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged Wednesday, but hinted that additional rate hikes are possible if inflation remains stubbornly high.

(L-R): Miss June, Crystal Diamond; Miss July, Xola Tatubana; Miss April, Britney Misty Daniels in their evening wear outfits at Kersefontein Guest Farm in South Africa in 2019. Julia Gunther hide caption

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Julia Gunther

Power of the Sash: How a beauty pageant became a platform for change in South Africa

For most contestants, competing in Miss Calendar Girl, a pageant for LGBTQ South Africans, regardless of whether they've transitioned, is about being seen and heard.

This image released by Knopf shows Robert Gottlieb. Gottlieb, the inspired and eclectic literary editor whose brilliant career was launched with Joseph Heller's Catch-22 and continued for decades with such Pulitzer Prize-winning classics as Toni Morrison's Beloved and Robert Caro's The Power Broker, has died at age 92. Michael Lionstar/Knopf via AP hide caption

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Michael Lionstar/Knopf via AP

Robert Gottlieb, celebrated editor of Toni Morrison and Robert Caro, has died at 92

Gottlieb, whose work helped shape the modern publishing canon, edited fiction by future Nobel laureates, spy novels by John le Carré, essays by Nora Ephron and Caro's nonfiction epics.

Like country music classics before, Souled American's 1996 release, Notes Campfire, is preoccupied with loneliness, longing and loss. Jeff Hamand/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jeff Hamand/Courtesy of the artist

Where to start with country music weirdos Souled American? The end

Out of print, odd and obscure, Souled American's esoteric take on country music is now available digitally for the first time. We asked composer Sarah Hennies to pick a place to begin.

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