Brown Professor Suspects Majority of His Class Used AI to Cheat; Inside Higher Ed, July 8, 2026

 Emma Whitford, Inside Higher Ed; Brown Professor Suspects Majority of His Class Used AI to Cheat

"For the first time since he started teaching Welfare Economics and Social Choice Theory nearly two decades ago, Brown University economics professor Roberto Serrano gave his students a take-home midterm this spring. Quite a few students had expressed anxiety about being in a classroom after a gunman killed two students and injured nine in a December mass shooting at Brown, and so “it was appropriate,” he said, to allow students to take their exams at home.

But by the end of the semester, Serrano regretted the decision. Dozens of students in the class likely used artificial intelligence to cheat and earn perfect or near-perfect scores on their midterm, he said. Serrano in turn made the final exam in-person, which led more than a dozen students to drop the course and even more to fail it. Administrators’ response to the widespread cheating event has been “meek,” he said, and the incident has raised questions about how universities can—and should—respond to AI-enabled cheating at scale.

His welfare economics class typically attracted up to 30 students, but this spring he taught 86—an increase he attributes to the promised take-home exams. When the midterm came along, the average score was 96 percent."

North Dakota Power Trio Opens Up About Trump, the Filibuster and Teddy Roosevelt; Politico, July 8, 2026

 JONATHAN MARTIN , Politico; North Dakota Power Trio Opens Up About Trump, the Filibuster and Teddy Roosevelt

"Roosevelt’s birthplace in Manhattan’s Flatiron and his sprawling Oyster Bay summer estate on Long Island are both run by the National Park Service. Yet because he served before the National Archives took over the presidential library system, Roosevelt was the most famous American president post-Lincoln without his own dedicated library.

Enter Burgum, Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Sen. Kevin Cramer and the other North Dakotans who saw opportunity — and dollar signs — at the foot of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park here.

Raising over $350 million, overwhelmingly from private donors, the North Dakotans met their goal of opening the library for America’s 250th birthday. And it is a gem. Sitting atop a butte, with a beige color matching the sandstone land, Teddy’s temple offers resplendent views outside and a vivid, high-tech retelling of his life therein. As the remarkably lifelike AI Roosevelt inside might say, he’d be “deeee-lighted.”"

Residents pack Monroeville council chambers in response to controversy over Pride Month display at library; Trib Live, July 7, 2026

 Patrick Varine, Trib Live; Residents pack Monroeville council chambers in response to controversy over Pride Month display at library

"Members of the Monroeville community spoke at Tuesday night’s council meeting with passion on both sides of a decision to remove a Pride Month book display from the children’s section of the Monroeville Public Library.

“Not every collection will appeal to all people, but we remain committed to providing the public with materials that reflect their experiences,” library board President Kelly Meredith said.

Meredith was referring to a special section of LGBTQ-themed books put up during Pride Month in June. Meredith said several members of Monroeville council who objected to the display directed Monroeville Municipal Manager Alex Graziani to have the display removed a few days before the end of the month. Councilmen Bill Krut and Bob Williams also spoke out against the display at the library’s June 22 board meeting."

New York man sues ICE for sending officers to his house after he emailed agency head; Associated Press via The Guardian, July 7, 2026

 Associated Press viaThe Guardian ; New York man sues ICE for sending officers to his house after he emailed agency head

David Streever had emailed acting ICE director after an immigration officer fatally shot Renee Good in Minneapolis

"An upstate New York resident sued US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for sending federal officers to his house with a warning over an email he sent to the agency’s one-time head.

David Streever, who is a US citizen, was on a trip to Finland when two officers showed up to his Rochester home in June and presented his wife with a warning notice informing him that the email he sent months earlier was considered a threat, his attorneys said. Streever sent the email in January to Todd Lyons, then the acting director of ICE, after an immigration officer fatally shot Minneapolis resident Renee Good in a confrontation caught on video during an anti-ICE demonstration.

In the email, Streever called Lyons “a monstrous human being” who “will never know peace”. He said the agency violated his rights under the US constitution’s first amendment – which include free speech – in a lawsuit filed on Monday in Washington DC.

Streever is one of at least two residents of upstate New York who was served with a federal warning in June in the wake of criticizing ICE online. The Philadelphia-based Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression is representing Streever – and said it filed the lawsuit because Streever’s right to free expression was violated.

“This is very clearly within the protection of the first amendment,” said Adam Steinbaugh, an attorney with the foundation. “It was in the context of political speech.”"

Taylor Swift wins copyright lawsuit days after wedding; USA TODAY, July 6, 2026

 Liza Esquibias, USA TODAY; Taylor Swift wins copyright lawsuit days after wedding

"Days after tying the knot with Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift has emerged victorious in a Florida legal battle over copyright claims.

Federal judge Aileen Cannon dismissed a lawsuit with prejudice on Monday, July 6, after poet Kimberly Marasco sued Swift, Aaron Dessner, Republic Records and Universal Music Group in February 2025, according to documents obtained by USA TODAY."

Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library to Return Off-Broadway; Playbill, July 7, 2026

 Margaret Hall, Playbill ; Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library to Return Off-Broadway

"Off-Broadway's 59E59 Theaters has added Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library to its upcoming programming.

Presented by Luna Stage and Richard Jordan Productions with Traverse Theatre, the drama will run September 12-October 25 in Theater A...

Set in 1933 Berlin, with martial law in effect and political activism having become a capital crime, the production follows a young Gestapo officer who arrests a philosophy graduate student, whose interrogation will endanger them both. Inspired by the real life arrest of Hannah Arendt, Bader's play illuminates the struggle for human connection and perseverance in even the darkest of times."

Columbus Metropolitan latest among central Ohio libraries to form union; The Columbus Dispatch, July 7, 2026

 Dean Narciso , The Columbus Dispatch; Columbus Metropolitan latest among central Ohio libraries to form union

"More than 80% of Columbus Metropolitan Library's eligible staff voted to form their union — to be called CML United — now the largest of among five other local library systems in recent years to do so.

According to secret ballot election results released July 7 by Ohio’s State Employment Relations Board (SERB), 86% of valid ballots agreed to unionize. The new union includes about 600 librarians, customer service specialists, youth engagement specialists, materials services associates, drivers, sorters, and other library workers. It does not include management or security staff.

The vote count was 368-60, with roughly 428 employees casting mail-in ballots, according to The Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT), which began organizing the library's union in 2024. The union also represents many of central Ohio's suburban public libraries, including Worthington, Grandview Heights, Pickerington, Upper Arlington Public Library and Delaware County District Library. All six now have labor contracts."

We Are Losing the Ability to Discover What We Didn’t Know to Ask; The New York Times, July 8, 2026

  Anne-Laure Le Cunff, The New York Times; We Are Losing the Ability to Discover What We Didn’t Know to Ask

"More than 60 percent of Google searches in the United States now end without the user clicking on a link. We type a question, read an artificial intelligence-generated summary of the results and leave with our answer.

Google is hardly alone. Claude, ChatGPT and upstart competitors like Perplexity do roughly the same thing: They take a question and swiftly return an answer, compressing what used to be a meandering journey through the internet into an immediate arrival at your destination. The explorative phase of searches — clicking through links, stumbling onto unexpected pages, following a reference that leads to somewhere unplanned — is disappearing.

For anyone who publishes on the internet, this is a troubling development, since it lowers website traffic and makes it hard to protect and profit from your intellectual property. But you might think it is good news for internet users. Could there be anything wrong with getting a reliable answer more quickly?

There is. By shortening the time between asking a question and getting an answer, these tools are actually undermining curiosity — and paradoxically threatening our ability to understand the world...

I hope my former colleagues at Google and the engineers building similar tools elsewhere take these suggestions to heart, and that the industry develops best practices that protect curiosity rather than treating it as an afterthought. The space between a question and an answer has value, and that value should not be engineered away.

The most important discoveries are often not the ones we set out to make. If we build a world that delivers only what is asked for, we will lose the capacity to discover what we didn’t know to ask."

Historians Reject White House’s Criticism of Smithsonian Museum; The New York Times, July 6, 2026

 Jennifer Schuessler, The New York Times ; Historians Reject White House’s Criticism of Smithsonian Museum

The nation’s largest group of scholars of U.S. history denounced a White House report attacking the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

"On July 4, the White House posted a lengthy report condemning the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History, accusing it of promoting “extreme ideological activism” while denigrating the nation’s founders and its founding.

Historians have started to reply with failing grades of their own.

The Organization of American Historians, the nation’s largest group of scholars of U.S. history, blasted the report in a statement on Monday, accusing the administration of presenting a partisan ideological attack in the guise of historical critique."

Upstate public library one of few to house rare book collection; Spectrum News 1, July 7, 2026

 VIKTORIA HALLIKAAR , Spectrum News 1; Upstate public library one of few to house rare book collection

"The resources you can find at public libraries seem to be ever-growing. One collection is keeping an eye on the future by preserving the past.

Deep in the stacks of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library is a massive collection of books.

“We're contemporary. We're of the moment,” explained Heather Gring, the rare book curator for Buffalo & Erie County Public Library.

But these books aren’t your standard page-turners.

“The oldest thing in our collection is 4,000 years old, and the most contemporary is local press that has been made this year,” said Gring.

Spectrum News 1 was given a rare look inside the rare book vaults.

“The difference between an old book and a rare book is who wants to buy it,” Gring explained.

Cameras, locks and key codes are trying to not repeat the mistakes of the past.

“This collection is worth, collectively, millions of dollars,” said Gring. "The way the Rare Books department was even started was because of a theft in the 1930s. [...] They worked with the FBI, and they did successfully retrieve almost all of the books that had been stolen.”

Keeping these treasures safe doesn’t mean keeping them hidden. This is one of only about 25 rare book departments in the country to be housed in a public library."

Leveraging an LLM in Intellectual Property for a Career Pivot; American Bar Association (ABA), May 18, 2026

 Meredith Williams ,Jacob, Christine , Haight Farley, and Michael Carroll, American Bar Association (ABA) ; Leveraging an LLM in Intellectual Property for a Career Pivot

"As markets rapidly change, many lawyers are looking to specialize, differentiate themselves from their peers, and pivot into practice areas with space for career growth. For lawyers looking to transition into or deepen their expertise in intellectual property law, an LLM in intellectual property offers a strategic stepping stone for a diverse set of career paths.

LLM Expands Career Pathways in a High-Growth Field

The Master of Laws (LLM) in Intellectual Property (IP) is a postgraduate degree designed for lawyers who have already earned their JD or equivalent law degree. The LLM in IP law goes beyond the core areas of patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secrets, intersecting with law and regulation of privacy, technology, health care, advertising, free speech, and national security. An LLM program provides the technical knowledge and perspective needed to practice successfully in this rapidly evolving field."

Beyond the Mirage: Beware of Generative AI and Hallucinations; New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), June 26, 2026

 Cynthia Feathers , New York State Bar Association (NYSBA); Beyond the Mirage: Beware of Generative AI and Hallucinations

"The work of attorneys can be arduous. With demanding caseloads comes an openness to tools that can help us do our jobs more efficiently. The advent of online legal research was a game changer for attorneys decades ago. In recent years, generative artificial intelligence – AI that can create original content such as text, images, video, audio or software code in response to a user’s prompt or request – has begun to revolutionize legal practice.[1] This development has included the integration of AI into legal research and writing.

The focus here is on the risks inherent in popular generative AI models used to complete such tasks: They are prone to producing false legal information, so-called hallucinations, including false case citations and false reasoning, quotes and holdings. A nationwide epidemic of cases involving such fabrications has made the risks of unverified AI use well known. Hundreds of decisions have touched on this issue.[2] Thus, the legal profession has been alerted that blind faith in generative AI results is misplaced.

This article makes no attempt to be exhaustive as to the rapidly unfolding case law but does seek to highlight some emblematic decisions issued by state, federal, trial and appellate courts throughout the country over the last two years and to bring attention to the dangers of failing to check AI results...

Evolving technology is seductive in creating the illusion that it can save us from the hard work. But our ethical duties to our clients and the courts still require that we rigorously verify every case cited. When generative AI output becomes more reliable, new questions will arise about how far we can go in abdicating our lawyerly judgment to new technology.[20]

For now, New York attorneys should be aware of a new rule on AI adopted by the New York State Unified Court System. Effective June 1, Part 161 of the Rules of the Chief Administrator of the Courts permits the use of AI tools in preparing submissions to a court and does not require the disclosure of such use. However, Part 161 sets forth a model rule that does require attorneys using such tools to “carefully review” each submission and “independently ensure” that they do not contain “fabricated or fictitious cases, statutes, or other material.”[21]  Individual judges retain discretion to implement their own AI-related rules, adopt the model rule or impose no additional requirements through their part rules.

Perhaps soon we will see more standing orders on AI use and updated ethics rules nationwide targeting AI issues.[22]  In the meantime, in the use of AI, we can be guided by the new court rule and longstanding mandates regarding competence, diligence, accuracy and candor and the supervision of lawyers and nonlawyers."

I’m the Man; The Hastings Center for Bioethics, July 6, 2026

 Arthur Caplan, The Hastings Center for Bioethics; I’m the Man

"Why should we in bioethics care about what image of masculinity is being promoted in American or other cultures? There are many reasons.

Views of masculinity are closely tied to male health. Doctors are concerned about how the online emphasis on looksmaxxing is harming teenage boys’ mental health. When men are told they ought to be stoic, bottle up their feelings, and tough out stress and anxiety, they wind up sicker and miss out on support they would benefit from. When a politician is chided as unmanly and unfit for leadership for crying in public–as has happened to Tim Walz, John Boehner, Chuck Schumer, Adam Kinzinger, and Joe Biden, just to mention a few–it sends a lousy message about emotional health, and about leaders who take appropriate pride in the virtues of empathy and solicitude.

Manliness is defined these days by MAGA and MAHA as being swole and jacked. Role models come from phony sports like pro wrestling, vicious ones like UFC and professional slapping, and the recent steroid-infused enhanced games. When the President and his staff use AI to turn him into a muscle-bound fantasy in social media posts or promote testosterone replacement therapy for men young and old, then the culture begins to believe that only a muscular build, however constructed, is desirable as manly. The implications for inclusivity and authenticity are significant.

Extolling dominance, assertiveness, power, promiscuity, and violence may lead to abuse, sexual misconduct, repression, exclusion, and thwarting the opportunities of others. The toxic masculinity on display too often in American politics, business, social media, and sports means that men, and especially young men, see extreme caricatures of huge, domineering tough guys and a lack of positive, constructive uninflated male role models. 

Toxic masculinity distorts the ethos of healthcare and the ethical perspective that men bring to policy formation. Toxic masculinity is fertile soil for the increasing turn among MAHA and tech bros toward an unapologetic eugenics.

The depiction of men and what the current culture deems manly will be with us long after Andrew Tate, David Goggins, and looksmaxxers become passe. Articulating an alternative view and promoting it as manly (and very cool) is an important bioethical project.

Bioethics must remain alert and identify toxic masculinity when it rears its ugly head in prescriptions about how boys and men ought to behave. And bioethics must continue to explore, articulate, and disseminate views of masculinity in healthcare and health policy that are inclusive, are scientifically grounded, foster possibilities, and are ethically just."

Motorcyclists deserve right to repair what they own | Opinion; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July 6, 2026

 Steve Panten, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Motorcyclists deserve right to repair what they own | Opinion

"Manufacturers have twisted a 1998 copyright law to lock independent repair shops out of the market. Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) was written to prevent music and movie piracy. At the time, nobody was thinking about motorcycle diagnostics.

But today, manufacturers embed encrypted locks in their products and use Section 1201 to make bypassing those locks illegal, even when the repair itself is lawful. Your local independent mechanic, no matter how skilled, cannot legally access the diagnostic software needed to service your bike. You are forced back to the dealership, on their timeline and at their price.

Momentum building in statehouses across the country

ABATE of Wisconsin has been fighting this at the state level, working with legislators to require manufacturers to provide necessary tools and diagnostic information at a reasonable cost. Momentum is building in statehouses across the country, and we are pleased that federal lawmakers have also taken preliminary steps to include right-to-repair provisions that recognize and include the motorcycle community."

Orchestra Locks Horns With Copyright Cops Over Works by Long-Dead Composers; Wall Street Journal, July 5, 2026

 Caroline Kimeu, Wall Street Journal; Orchestra Locks Horns With Copyright Cops Over Works by Long-Dead Composers

"The Nairobi Orchestra walked on stage for a recent afternoon concert ready to perform a demanding selection of pieces, including Hector Berlioz’s moody 1830 “Symphonie Fantastique.” But conductor Levi Wataka was nowhere to be found.

The musicians sat awkwardly as the minutes ticked by. Audience members talked among themselves. Some wondered whether he had forgotten he had a concert to conduct or had ripped his trousers.

A viola player eventually wandered out of the auditorium and returned offering an apology for the unexplained holdup: Wataka was locked in a tense exchange in the lobby with officers from the Performing and Audio Visual Rights Society of Kenya, who were demanding the orchestra pay royalties for performing pieces by classical composers long in the public domain.

And they had brought along some police officers for back up."

Former FIFA president questions ‘political power’ after Trump-Infantino call over Balogun red card; The Hill, July 6, 2026

 MAX REGO , The Hill ; Former FIFA president questions ‘political power’ after Trump-Infantino call over Balogun red card

"Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter on Monday joined those raising questions about soccer’s governing body overturning the one-game suspension of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun after President Trump spoke to Blatter’s successor, Gianni Infantino, about the matter...

Trump on Monday confirmed he spoke to Infantino after the U.S.-Belgium game and “asked for a review” of the play, which saw Balogun and Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemović collide while battling for the ball. Trump also questioned the officiating crew’s use of instant replay to dole out the penalty."

Ethics journal retracts paper by high school student for AI, peer review manipulation; Retraction Watch, July 6, 2026

 Retraction Watch; Ethics journal retracts paper by high school student for AI, peer review manipulation

"The Journal of Medical Ethics has retracted a paper on the use of AI in the pharmaceutical industry for containing references that don’t exist. The article’s sole author: a high school student. 

The paper, which argues biased algorithms can exacerbate inequities in health care, was published in September. The author, Irfan Biswas, listed his affiliation as Shrewsbury Public Schools in Massachusetts.

According to the May 28 retraction notice, an investigation by the journal found Biswas used generative AI to “identify and understand referenced sources” and did not verify the references prior to submission. 

“The journal investigated concerns about the quality of the work and the accuracy of the references, including concerns that several references did not exist,” the notice reads. 

Last year another ethics journal made a similar retraction after a reader found fabricated references in a paper on whistleblowing. The Biswas article joins the estimated one in 277 papers indexed in PubMed with fabricated references, a phenomenon that came about with the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT.

The retraction notice for the latest paper also cites “evidence of peer review manipulation.”

Caroline White, media relations manager for BMJ Group, which publishes the journal, declined to elaborate on the problematic peer review. Biswas confirmed to the journal he was a high school student, and agreed to the retraction, White said. 

Biswas did not respond to our emails or LinkedIn message asking for clarification on how the references ended up in the paper. 

In an August 2025 paper in Frontiers in Genome Editing, “Ethical dimensions and societal implications: ensuring the social responsibility of CRISPR technology,” Biswas listed affiliations with the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester and the University of Rhode Island in Kingston. A representative from UMass told Retraction Watch they have no record of Biswas attending the school. URI said a student by the same name is enrolled as an undergraduate, but said they were “unable to confirm whether or not it is the same individual.” 

They built the world’s most powerful AI. They’re facing a mystery they can’t explain.; The Washington Post, July 1, 2026

 Nitasha Tiku, The Washington Post ; They built the world’s most powerful AI. They’re facing a mystery they can’t explain.

"Anthropic, Google and Meta have over the past year hired computer scientists, neuroscientists and philosophers to study concepts like the welfare of AI models or whether chatbots have forms of emotion. AI companies are collaborating with nonprofits, researchers and academic centers, who warn of an ethical crisis if the digital helpers used by millions of people for homework, coding, office work and therapy one day begin to feel that they hate their job."

The Revenge of the Philosophy Majors; The New York Times Magazine, July 5, 2026

 Benjamin Wallace, The New York Times Magazine; The Revenge of the Philosophy Majors

"One of humanity’s oldest disciplines and one of its newest inventions feel distinctly made for each other. A.I. presents a fresh way for philosophers to ask ancient questions, and its own set of new ones that they are uniquely trained to engage with: of truth and belief and knowledge (epistemologists); of reasoning (logicians); of mind and consciousness (philosophers of mind and consciousness). For ethicists, in particular, A.I. is a bonanza. How should models act toward us? How should humans interact with them? Where would purpose come from in a post-work society?"

American Library Association Council Introduces Resolution to Establish Librarians’ and Library Workers’ Bill of Rights; American Library Association (ALA), June 28, 2026

 American Library Association (ALA) ; American Library Association Council Introduces Resolution to Establish Librarians’ and Library Workers’ Bill of Rights

" The American Library Association (ALA) Council passed a resolution calling for the adoption and recognition of the Librarians’ and Library Workers’ Bill of Rights, a landmark framework affirming the dignity, safety and professional rights of library workers across all sectors.

The resolution, presented at Council Meeting I during the 2026 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, responds to growing concerns about the treatment and working conditions of library professionals nationwide. It underscores the essential role librarians and library workers play as champions of intellectual freedom, equitable access to information, and lifelong learning. 

“The passage of this resolution marks an important step forward in recognizing the rights, safety and professional dignity of library workers everywhere,” said ALA President Sam Helmick. “At a time when library professionals are facing unprecedented challenges, ALA is affirming that those who serve our communities deserve respect, support and protection as they uphold intellectual freedom and access to information for all.

The resolution highlights the escalating challenges faced by library workers, including harassment, censorship pressures, and workplace inequities and calls on library systems at all levels to formally adopt the Bill of Rights as a guiding document for policy and practice. 

The Librarians’ and Library Workers’ Bill of Rights 

Article I: The Right to a Safe, Respectful, and Discrimination-Free Workplace 

All library workers have the right to perform their duties in an environment free from harassment, bullying, discrimination, and threats to personal safety. 

Article II: The Right to Recognition and Respect for the Librarian’s Role in Fostering Intellectual Freedom

Librarians and library workers shall not be censored, silenced, or punished for upholding intellectual freedom and professional ethics. 

Article III: The Right to Fair Compensation and Ongoing Professional Development 

All library workers deserve fair pay, professional respect, and opportunities for continued growth within their field. 

Article IV: The Right to Reflect and Respect the Diversity of the Human Experience. 

Librarians and library workers shall strive to represent the diversity of their communities in the materials they collect, in the displays they create, and the programs and services that they offer. 

Article V: The Right to Protection from Workplace Harassment and Threats 

No library worker shall endure intimidation, violence, or bullying from patrons, colleagues, or administrators. 

Article VI: The Right to Fair Treatment and Due Process 

Library workers shall be guaranteed transparency, fairness, and access to representation in all disciplinary or termination actions. Together, these principles aim to create stronger, more inclusive library environments that benefit both staff and the communities they serve.

The resolution urges libraries, governing boards, and affiliated organizations to formally endorse and integrate the Bill of Rights into organizational policies, training, and strategic planning."

Actor Sean Astin and Entertainment Industry Executives Testify on Digital Piracy; C-SPAN, June 30, 2026

 C-SPAN ; Actor Sean Astin and Entertainment Industry Executives Testify on Digital Piracy

"Actor Sean Astin and entertainment industry executives testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, AI, and the Internet on digital piracy and intellectual property enforcement. The witnesses discussed several topics, including artificial intelligence's role in intellectual property theft, efforts to protect content creators, and the use of judicial site blocking to combat online piracy."

NHS app to use AI to determine which service best for patients; BBC, July 5, 2026

 Emily Atkinson, BBC; NHS app to use AI to determine which service best for patients

"Artificial intelligence software will be used on the NHS app to determine which service is most appropriate for patients in England, the health service has announced.

A new triage tool will ask patients a series of questions, and will use the responses to direct them to a GP appointment, pharmacy, A&E, community service or offer self-care advice.

NHS England said the update would reach more than 200,000 patients in the next 12 months and be available to all app users by April 2028 as part of a "major overhaul" of its technology. 

The rollout has been largely welcomed, but some health bodies urged the NHS to prioritise patient safety, confidentiality and inclusion as it grows more reliant on AI.

According to NHS England, the triage tool will provide advice and suggest services or book appointments. Part of its aim is to reduce waiting on the phone when GP surgeries typically open their lines at 08:00."

Chess Federation Suspends Former World Champion for Violating Ethics Code After He Accused Other Players of Cheating; People, July 4, 2026

 Kimberlee Speakman, People ; Chess Federation Suspends Former World Champion for Violating Ethics Code After He Accused Other Players of Cheating

"Former chess world champion Vladimir Kramnik has been suspended. 

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) announced on Friday, July 3, that it suspended Kramnik, 51, over “multiple violations” of the federations' ethics code and disciplinary code due to previous comments he made.

Kramnik — who held the world chess champion title from 2000 to 2007 —  has been banned from participating in worldwide FIDE chess competitions or acting in official chess functions for at least one year...

“The Chamber found that his conduct breached provisions relating to the right to dignity and respectful treatment, safeguarding the dignity of individuals, bullying and cyberbullying, psychological abuse, responsibility as a role model, failure to cooperate with the Fair Play Commission’s investigation, and false or unjustified public accusations,” the FIDE said in a statement."

Has Trump Changed Democracy Forever? We Asked 11 Historians.; Politico, July 4, 2026

 POLITICO MAGAZINE, Politico;  Has Trump Changed Democracy Forever? We Asked 11 Historians.

Experts on U.S. history look to the past — and the future.

"From a fledgling republic to a global superpower, the United States has constantly reinvented itself over the last 250 years.

Americans have expanded democracy and driven innovation. They’ve also confronted war, economic upheaval and long struggles over equality and justice.

Now, the country faces a new era of uncertainty: Americans are debating the United States’ role in the world, losing faith in its institutions and grappling with deep political and cultural divisions. In this moment, the semiquincentennial gives us the opportunity to evaluate the latest iteration of America — and how we got here.

To mark America 250, we asked 11 historians and writers to reflect on the lessons U.S. history has taught us. They told us what grade they’d give the current state of American democracy, what it means to be an American today and what the country needs to last another 250 years."

Full Text: Pope Leo XIV’s Letter on the 250th Anniversary of America’s Founding; National Catholic Register, July 3, 2026

  National Catholic Register; Full Text: Pope Leo XIV’s Letter on the 250th Anniversary of America’s Founding

"Editor's Note: Ahead of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, Pope Leo XIV penned a letter marking the historic moment. The letter, dated June 25 and released by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Friday, is reprinted in full below."