Shania Twain breaks silence on 'very scary' bus crash amid 'Queen of Me' tour in Canada, says 'touring family are safe'
13 members of Shania Twain's touring team were hospitalized for injuries following a weather-related accident
2023-11-11 04:00
Tbilisi Pride festival canceled after violent anti-LGBTQ protests
A Pride festival was canceled in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi on Saturday by organizers who say authorities failed to prevent violent disruptions from Russian-affiliated far-right groups.
2023-07-09 00:53
Which is longer, Amazon or Nile? New quest aims to settle old debate
What's the longest river in the world, the Nile or the Amazon? The question has fueled a heated debate for years. Now, an expedition into the South American jungle...
2023-06-27 09:23
Top US military officer General Mark Milley retires
General Mark Milley steps down on Friday after a tumultuous term as the top US military officer that saw him face repeated...
2023-09-29 20:17
Why isn't Tom Hiddleston in Avengers group chat? Chris Hemsworth reveals why Loki isn't allowed
Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston's have their own sidechat going even though the latter isn't in the primary one
2023-06-22 17:54
Severe rainstorm triggers flooding in central Greece, 1 man dies. Police order a traffic ban
Greek police have ordered vehicles off the streets of the central town of Volos and the nearby mountain region of Pilion as a severe storm has hit the area, turning streets into flooded torrents
2023-09-05 17:29
Oklahoma approves first-ever taxpayer-funded religious school in case expected to draw legal battle
An Oklahoma school board has approved the creation of a publicly funded online Catholic school, teeing up a constitutional legal battle over whether taxpayers should foot the bill for religious schools. The nation’s first-ever religious charter school was approved by the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board on 5 June, authorising the St Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School to be run by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa – and supported by taxpayer dollars. Republican Governor Kevin Stitt, who has presided over a sweeping agenda against abortion access and transgender healthcare in the state, called the vote “a win for religious liberty and education freedom in our great state.” “Oklahomans support religious liberty for all and support an increasingly innovative educational system that expands choice,” he said in a statement. “Today, with the nation watching, our state showed that we will not stand for religious discrimination.” Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which led opposition in a recent US Supreme Court case involving whether a high school football coach can effectively force his student athletes to pray with him on the field, is preparing to take legal action in Oklahoma. “It’s hard to think of a clearer violation of the religious freedom of Oklahoma taxpayers and public-school families than the state establishing the nation’s first religious public charter school,” president and CEO Rachel Laser said in a statement. “This is a sea change for American democracy,” she added. The group and other civil rights organisations are expected “to take all possible legal action to fight this decision and defend the separation of church and state that’s promised in both the Oklahoma and US Constitutions,” Ms Laser said. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond also warned the board a vote to support a publicly funded religious school would clearly violate the state’s Constitution and expose the state to costly litigation. “The approval of any publicly funded religious school is contrary to Oklahoma law and not in the best interest of taxpayers,” he said in a statement. “It’s extremely disappointing that board members violated their oath in order to fund religious schools with our tax dollars. In doing so, these members have exposed themselves and the state to potential legal action that could be costly.” The move from the Republican-appointed board on 5 June comes as GOP officials and right-wing institutions across the country push for taxpayer dollars to support religious schools, with a Supreme Court signalling a willingness to direct public funds towards such schools despite explicit First Amendment protections. “State and federal law are clear: Charter schools are public schools that must be secular and open to all students,” Ms Laser added. “ In a country built on the principle of separation of church and state, public schools must never be allowed to become Sunday schools.” This is a developing story Read More Tennessee drag ban is struck down by federal judge: ‘Unconstitutionally vague and substantially overbroad’ Bible banned from Utah school district for ‘vulgarity and violence’ in revenge for conservative attacks on literature Oklahoma’s Supreme Court struck down two abortion bans. But a 113-year-old law is severely restricting access
2023-06-06 05:51
AI Amouranth provider Forever Voices plunges into darkness after 'emotionally disturbed' CEO is arrested over attempted arson
John Meyer, the CEO of Forever Voices, was arrested on October 22 after he tried to set fire to his own apartment
2023-11-21 15:28
Conservative former judge calls Trump support 'colossal political miscalculation'
NEW YORK Conservative former U.S. appeals court judge J. Michael Luttig in an opinion piece on Sunday said
2023-06-26 01:59
'GMA' host Rebecca Jarvis wows fans with 'spot on' leadership lessons from 'Barbie': 'How many takes did you do before posting'
'Such great lessons. Thanks again Rebecca for giving clarity to big ideas'
2023-08-08 16:55
Pokimane: History behind Twitch star's streaming name and how to pronounce it
Pokimane reveals most people pronounce her name wrong
2023-05-28 14:52
Ukraine war: Whole family shot dead in Russian-occupied Ukrainian town
Russian soldiers are suspected of killing nine people, including two children, in the town of Volnovakha.
2023-10-31 05:18
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