Good morning. In this edition:

• 🙏 America is undergoing religious change
• 📝 The FDA wants to put a label on America’s relationship with food
• 🤔 Our weekly news quiz

… and more.

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be a ~4.65-minute read (1,238 words).

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“Know yourself and you will win all battles.”

–Sun Tzu (544 B.C. - 496 B.C.)

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A growing number of US adults are moving away from organized religion while simultaneously embracing spirituality, according to new Pew Research Center findings.

The data comes from the latest Religious Landscape Study (RLS), a periodic 35,000-person survey that represents Pew’s single largest study.

What it found: ~69% of US adults were affiliated with an organized religion in 2023-24, split between denominations of Christian (62%) and other religions (7%). That’s down from 77% of Americans belonging to a religion in 2014 – when Pew last conducted its RLS – and 83% religious affiliation in 2007.

• On the flip side, nearly three-quarters of US adults (74%) called themselves spiritual in 2023-24, including half of Americans unaffiliated with any religion.
• About 1 in 3 US adults (32%) considered themselves "very" spiritual, a number that's increased since 2014.

Overall, the latest survey found 43% of Americans say their spirituality has grown stronger over the course of their lives, while just 11% say it has weakened.

What exactly is spirituality? While the interpretation of the word was left for respondents to decide, their answers to other related questions shed some light on their definitions. ~86% of US adults believe people have a soul or spirit; 83% believe in God or a universal spirit; 79% believe in something spiritual beyond the natural world; and 70% believe in an afterlife (heaven, hell, or both).

Looking ahead…Pew says its data suggests further declines in Americans participating in organized religion in the coming years, as younger adults remain far less religious than their older counterparts.

• 18-to-24-year-olds are about half as likely as adults aged 74+ to identify as Christian (46% vs. 80%), to pray daily (27% vs. 58%), and to attend religious services at least monthly (25% vs. 49%).

📊 Flash poll: Do you personally identify with an organized religion?

• Yes
• No

According to the online prediction marketplace, Kalshi, here’s the breakdown:

• $1B+: 38% chance
• $25B+: 31% chance
• $100B+: 25% chance
• $1T+: 5%

These figures are far lower than in early February, when many bettors were predicting $300B+ being cut.

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The US government is entering its healthy girl era. The FDA recently proposed a mandatory new label on the front of all packaged goods that clearly outlines their sugar, salt, and saturated fat content to help American consumers make healthier choices.

• The labels were first suggested earlier this year under the Biden administration; new Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to keep pursuing the matter.

Driving the move: Some 60% of Americans have at least one chronic disease. And a large body of research indicates excess consumption of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars serves a major role.

The idea is that the new nutritional labels – which list sugar, salt, and saturated fat content as a percentage of daily value, followed by a simple “low,” “medium,” or “high” ranking – would help Americans make healthier choices about the products they consume.

It’s been successful elsewhere. Similar nutrition labels have been implemented in countries across the world since the early 2010s.

• In Chile, the proportion of products high in sugar and sodium decreased by up to 3x after the labels were implemented.
• ~20% of all food products in the Netherlands were reformulated to score higher on the packaging labels after they came out.
• In New Zealand, salt content in cereals was reduced by 61% following the introduction of new labels.

👀 Looking ahead…The FDA is accepting public comments on its new nutrition label rule until May 16.

Big Slurpee is fighting to keep its hold on the frozen drink. 7-Eleven’s parent company, Japan’s Seven & i Holdings, yesterday announced a series of moves designed to keep both investor pressure and a $47 billion takeover offer from the Canada-based operator of the Circle K convenience store chain at bay:

• Former Walmart exec Stephen Dacus will take over as CEO, becoming the first American to hold the role.
• The company’s US unit, with 13,000+ 7-Eleven locations, will IPO by the second half of next year, a move designed to boost Seven & i’s overall value.
• A $13 billion share buyback will be enacted over the next five years.

Why fight the bid?

At the moment, Seven & i’s most profitable segment is its ~22,000 Japanese 7-Eleven stores.

And these stores, a point of national pride and deemed critical to national security by Japan’s government, look a little different than their American counterparts – namely, clean and offering a wide array of unpackaged food that doesn’t look like it’s been sitting under a heat lamp for days (one proofpoint: the stores were beloved by celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain).

😬 The big concern: Customers in Japan fear the chain’s service and quality would worsen under Western ownership. Previous efforts to fend off the takeover include a $50 billion bid from a son of Seven & i’s founder to take the company private, but it fell apart late last month.

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A mamba and a GOAT walk into an auction house…and walk out with ~$20 million.

At least that’s the story Sotheby’s is hoping to tell later this month, when it puts up for auction Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant rookie jerseys the bball legends wore during their first NBA games. Each is expected to fetch $10 million – and, if collected, would represent a hefty return for their owners.

The Kobe jersey, worn during his first game in both the regular season and preseason, last sold in 2012 for just $115,242, while the Jordan jersey, worn during his first preseason, last sold in 2009 for a measly $50,000. If offloaded at the estimated sale price, that would represent an 8,600% and 20,000% return, respectively.

Big picture: Rookie sports memorabilia has seen a recent surge in popularity and pricing, CNBC reports.

BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 📉 US markets fell across the board (S&P: -1.8%; Dow: -1.0%; Nasdaq: -2.6%); the Nasdaq entered correction territory.
• 💼 February’s jobs report is due this morning.
• 📝 President Trump delayed tariffs on Canada and Mexico products covered under the North American trade agreement until April 2; ~62% of Canada’s imports and ~50% of Mexico’s will still face the new tariffs, per the AP. | 📝 President Trump signed an executive order establishing a US strategic bitcoin reserve.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

in partnership with Niphtio

• ⚽🎤 The FIFA World Cup is getting its first-ever halftime show; the final match of the 2026 tournament, scheduled for MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, will feature a show with artists curated by Coldplay. | 🗣️ Stephen A. Smith reportedly signed a 5-year, $100+ million contract extension with ESPN.
• 🙏 Roy Ayers, a record producer and composer nicknamed the “Godfather of Neo Soul,” passed away at 84. | 🔍 Authorities are still investigating the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa; here’s what we know so far.
• 🤠 South by Southwest 2025 kicks off today in Austin, Texas (home of DONUT HQ); see a preview of the SXSW film and television festival.

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SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

• 🏆🤖 The inventors of reinforcement learning, a foundational AI technique, were awarded the Turing Award (known informally as the “Nobel Prize in Computing”).
• 🧠 Scientists observed for the first time how neurons in the human brain store memories independent of the context in which they are acquired; this trait is believed to enable the basis of human intelligence.
• 🌕 Intuitive’s Athena lunar lander arrived at the Moon’s surface yesterday; however, it wasn’t immediately clear whether Athena’s touchdown was smooth enough to perform its intended work. | 🚀 The FAA halted flights to several Florida airports following a SpaceX test of Starship where the rocket exploded.

MISCELLANEOUS

in partnership with 120/Life

• ⚖️ A second federal judge extended the block on President Trump’s order freezing all federal grants and loans while his administration reviews them. | 🏛 The US House censured Rep. Al Green (D, TX-9) for disrupting President Donald Trump's joint address to Congress; Green is the 28th member of the House to receive the congressional rebuke.
• 🇺🇸🇮🇱 President Trump issued an ultimatum to Hamas saying he’ll greenlight additional Israeli military strikes on Gaza unless the group releases its remaining hostages; Trump’s Middle East envoy also floated the idea of joint US-Israel action against Hamas.
• 🏳️‍⚧️🎙️ California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) described the practice of allowing transgender athletes to play women's sports as “deeply unfair” in the debut episode of his new podcast alongside guest Charlie Kirk. (From the Left | From the Center | From the Right)

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👆 You’re looking at kek lapis, an intricate form of pastry art made primarily during Ramadan in Malaysia (which concludes its first week today); the cake is an engineering and architectural feat, typically featuring a minimum of 12 layers.

🤔 Did You Know? Sweden has a 24-hour “sourdough hotel” where people can deposit their beloved sourdough starters to be fed and cared for while they’re on vacation.

📰 Worth a Read: It began with a rabbit: Unraveling the mystery of memory

🖱️ Clickbait: How midlife became a crisis

🦾 Seventeen-year-old Benjamin Choi invented a low-cost, mind-controlled prosthetic arm in his free time over the pandemic. He was recently honored as one of the top 40 finalists of this year’s Regeneron Science Talent Search.

🎟️ Actor Steve Carell is sending Southern California high school seniors affected by the Los Angeles wildfires to their proms for free.

🎵🥦🥕 Vienna’s Vegetable Orchestra earned a Guinness World Record for the most concerts by a vegetable orchestra, after playing their 344th show. The musicians carve fresh vegetables before every performance, as their instruments only last ~6 hours before losing shape.

🏈 The big question: Is Aaron Rodgers washed up? Here’s what the science says.

🦋 No need to wing it: See how butterflies are surviving, or not, near you.

🤔 That’s fun: Do you have better music intuitions or color intuitions? Find out here.

🚨 Win big: Our Spring Splurge contest offers a free chance to win up to $1,100 in cash and prizes; enter here.

🗞️ Hometown vibes: Wish there was something like the DONUT for your hometown? Around Town Media shares positive news with personality in several mid-American metros. Find out if they're in your hometown.*

*A message from our partners

Our weekly news quiz is live. How well did you pay attention this week? Let’s find out.

Below are three lists of ingredients. All you have to do is give us the completed dish they make.

☝️ Recipe #1:

• Russet potatoes
• Olive oil
• Minced garlic
• Onion powder
• Salt
• Paprika
• Black cracked pepper
• Parmesan cheese
• Parsley

✌️ Recipe #2:

• Moroccan couscous
• Salt
• Olive oil
• Lemon
• Dijon mustard
• Garlic clove
• Cherry tomatoes
• English cucumber
• Feta cheese
• Walnuts
• Green onion
• Italian parsley
• Fresh dill
• Pomegranate seeds

3️⃣ Recipe #3:

• Red onions
• Apple cider vinegar
• Cane sugar
• Salt
• Bay leaves

Last call! ⏳ Some of our favorite DONUT items are heading out for good, and this is your final shot to grab them. From ultra-soft tees to the perfect everyday tote, these deals won’t be back.

☝️ Recipe #1: Crispy garlic potato wedges

✌️ Recipe #2: Couscous salad

3️⃣ Recipe #3: Pickled red onions