Southern Baptist Convention delegates overwhelmingly approved a resolution on June 10 calling for the reversal of Obergefell v. Hodges. It refers to the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage.  Meeting in Dallas, Texas, more than 10,000 church representatives, known as messengers, backed language urging lawmakers and courts to roll back decisions and statutes that affirm marriage equality. The resolution affirms support for marriage “between one man...

Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello is one of the most beloved sites in America, drawing more than 300,000 visitors a year up a steep mountain road to enjoy majestic views of the Virginia Piedmont and house tours that can feel like stepping into its creator’s complicated mind. But in 1775, it was a muddy construction site — and, as a guide told a tour group gathered on its front portico on a recent morning, a pretty good metaphor for the not-quite-born United States itself. “Things were just...

President Donald Trump says in a new podcast interview that he is open to reconciling with Elon Musk over their falling out due to Trump’s "big, beautiful bill." "Look, I have no hard feelings," Trump said during an interview on "Pod Force One with Miranda Devine" that was published Wednesday. "I was really surprised that that happened. He went after a bill that’s phenomenal. He just — I think he feels very badly that he said that, actually." Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla...

My hometown of Los Angeles has witnessed an outpouring of intense, and to varying degrees violent, protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers who are engaged in detaining illegal/undocumented immigrants. The protests have precipitated a mobilization of the National Guard, and even the dispatching of a small contingent of Marines, as protesters collide with ICE and other law enforcement officers.

The European country of Kosovo has agreed to a Trump administration request to allow the U.S. to deport a small group of migrants to the landlocked Balkan nation who are not from there, U.S. and Kosovar officials told CBS News.  Officials in Kosovo, Europe's youngest country, agreed to host 50 deportees from other countries, the latest agreement in a broader and aggressive effort by the Trump administration to convince countries around the world to accept migrants ...

Lefitsts quickly turned on Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, calling her “transphobic” and a “traitor” after she apologized for several posts attacking — and attempting to body-shame — former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines. Biles issued the apology after a tense back-and-forth during which she’d called Gaines a “bully” and insinuated that she looked masculine over the Outkick host’s (“Gaines for Girls”) vocal opposition to trans-identifying men competing in women’s sports. And while Gaines was...

The tally of government credit cards dismantled by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has now reached over 600,000. The department said it had cut over 13 percent of all credit cards used by federal officials, but that there was still "more work to do" on the issue.

As protests and violence continue in Los Angeles over the Trump administration’s immigration policies, some news outlets are doing a good job of laying everything out: examples of peaceful demonstrations, examples of violence, critics of the Trump administration, supporters of an immigrant crackdown, etc. Conversely, many other news outlets seem to be endorsing one extreme or absolute narrative over any others. What Some Left Media Did Suggested violence was minimal...

Are you having a hard time falling asleep? If so, you're not the only one. Falling and staying asleep typically becomes more difficult as adults get older. We spend less time in deep sleep and REM sleep, and we struggle to fight off our worries and anxieties while lying in silence. Did you know there's actually a name for the phenomenon where you keep yourself awake by lying there and wondering why you're still awake? It's called "spectatoring" and it's incredibly frustrating.Worse yet, the older we get the more likely we are to wake in the night and have trouble falling back asleep. This is why more and more Americans are turning to white noise, melatonin, meditation apps, special pillows, and anything they think can help them get most rest.Fortunately, a doctor has shared the “most powerful” relaxation technique he knows, and it doesn’t require any equipment or cost a dime. Ever stare at the clock and repeatedly wonder why you can't fall asleep? It's called "spectatoring." Photo by Mpho Mojapelo on Unsplash Dr. Andrew Weil has dubbed it the 4-7-8 method and it’s backed up by science.Dr. Weil is an expert in integrative medicine and the founder and director of the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona.The technique is simple: Breathe in through your nose while you count to 4.Hold your breath while you count to 7.Exhale while you count to 8.It's a unique protocol, especially when compared to another popular technique like Box Breathing. Box Breathing calls for an inhale, hold, exhale, and another hold of equal time (4 seconds). The extended exhale, in particular, is what makes Dr. Weil's 4-7-8 so original.Here's Dr. Weil explaining his method: - YouTube www.youtube.com Dr. Weil says the method creates a "very pleasant, altered state of consciousness" that you may not experience the first time but will come as a "reward" of regular practice. Dr. Weil insists that the 4-7-8 technique is a practice, and you must do four breath cycles at least twice a day to get the benefits. "After a month, you can increase to 8 breath cycles if you're comfortable with it," adding that's the "absolute maximum."Dr. Weil says that 4 to 6 weeks of doing the practice can lower heart rate, improve blood pressure, digestion and circulation and can promote sleep. A study published in Physiological Reports agrees, saying that practicing the 4-7-8 technique reduces heart rate and blood pressure for several minutes. It's important to note, though, that research is limited on the longterm benefits of 4-7-8 and experts urge us not to overhype it as more than it is.4-7-8 is also an easy, fast, and effective way to help you fall asleep. Deep, intentional breathing may jumpstart melatonin production, helping us sleep. Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash "If you get up in the middle of the night for any reason, it is the most effective anti-anxiety technique that I've found,” Dr. Weil says.Deep breathing, interestingly enough, has been shown to increase melatonin production in our bodies; that's the hormone that signals to our body that it's time to sleep. Combined with its ability to calm our mind and body, it's no wonder that intentional breathing exercises can put us to sleep in no time.Why does deep breathing help us calm down and relax so effectively? There are a few reasons. First, when we're stressed or anxious, our breathing naturally becomes more shallow and irregular. Breaking that anxious breath pattern signals to our body that things are OK, that we're in control. Counting and being mindful of our breath also gives our mind something neutral to focus on instead of the usual chaotic images, intrusive thoughts, or worries. Third, deep breath settles down the part of our nervous system that controls our "fight-or-flight" response — and helps with elevated heart rate and muscle tension.Remember again that 4-7-8 breathing is a practice. It can be used situationally to great effect, but for the best benefits its founder urges you to try it every single day for a cycle of 2-8 cycles. This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.