The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo has formed an internal artificial intelligence research team as part of his continued focus on emerging technology concerns. This month’s announcement comes as the Pope prepares to issue his inaugural encyclical, which is anticipated to stress the importance of ethical AI development that puts human dignity and peace at the forefront. In a historic decision, the pontiff has asked Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah to participate in the encyclical’s unveiling. Recent months have seen increased collaboration between technology executives and religious leaders.
The United Nations has voiced serious concerns regarding new marriage separation legislation from Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership that contains child marriage allowances. The most disputed element of the law states that when a girl who has reached puberty remains silent, this can be viewed as marriage consent. Another section addresses the separation of married girls who have reached puberty, suggesting child marriage acceptance. Taliban officials dispute these claims, asserting the law aligns with Islamic principles and maintaining that Afghanistan has already prohibited forced marriage of girls.
Poland has recorded its first same-sex marriage registration in Warsaw, following court decisions requiring recognition of gay unions performed in other countries. The European Union’s top court ruled last autumn that Poland must acknowledge same-sex marriages conducted in fellow EU nations, despite current Polish law prohibiting such unions. Poland’s Supreme Administrative Court referenced this decision in March when directing officials to recognize a German marriage between two Polish men. Prime Minister Donald Tusk has pledged to legalize gay marriage in Poland, though he encounters resistance from members of his governing alliance.
The House has voted down plans for a new Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum on the National Mall due to disagreements over transgender representation. Democrats chose to abandon the widely supported proposal after Republicans insisted on excluding exhibits about men living as women from the women’s museum. Republican modifications to the legislation also grant President Trump authority over the building’s location. The Democratic Women’s Caucus spearheaded efforts to defeat the bill without transgender inclusion. This Democratic decision has left the proposed museum’s future uncertain.
