Gov. Greg Abbott announced Saturday that he signed the bill, which is expected to draw a legal challenge from critics who consider it an unconstitutional violation of the separation of church and state. A similar law in Louisiana was blocked when a federal appeals court ruled Friday that it was unconstitutional. Arkansas also has a similar law that has been challenged in federal court. (Vertuno, Religion News Service)
Read MoreThe Supreme Court announced Monday it will take up the case of a devout Rastafarian whose head was forcibly shaved by Louisiana prison guards despite the man’s religious vow not to cut his dreadlocks. Louisiana’s attorney general, who is defending the state prison officials, and the lower-court judges who ruled against Damon Landor all strongly condemn what happened to him in prison. (Marimow, The Washington Post)
Read MoreThe attack took place in Dweil’a on the outskirts of Damascus inside the Mar Elias Church, according to state media SANA, citing the Health Ministry for the toll of dead and wounded. Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said there were at least 19 peopled killed and dozens wounded, but did not give exact numbers. Some local media reported that children were among the casualties. (Shaheen & Chehayeb, AP News)
Read MoreOne week after its streaming debut, the video also racked up more than 3 million views on Kalshi's X account. It's also raising questions about how AI might reshape advertising budgets. "We are incredibly pleased with the outcome and effectiveness of the ad so far," Kalshi media representative Jack Such told NPR. "It has generated a lot of buzz on social media." (Chappell, NPR)
Read MoreThe number of abortions in the U.S. accessed through telemedicine is growing. So are the challenges to this mechanism that has allowed patients in states with near-total abortion bans to acquire the abortion pill. Abortions are on the rise in the U.S. despite more than a dozen states enforcing near-total bans on the procedure. (Clafas, The Wall Street Journal)
Read MoreAfter hours of impassioned debate, British lawmakers in the House of Commons voted Friday to pass a bill that would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales to choose to end their lives. The bill passed by 23 votes, with hundreds protesting about the divisive issue outside of parliament, from both sides of the debate. (Andrews, CBS News)
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