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Ankara (Turkey), Dec 14 (AP) Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says that Turkey's Embassy in Syria's capital of Damascus will reopen on Saturday, for the first time since 2012. In an interview with Turkey's NTV television Fidan said a newly appointed interim charge d'affaires had left for Damascus on Friday together with his delegation. Also Read | Indian Students Killed in Canada: India Describes Recent Murder of Students As 'Terrible Tragedies', Demands Thorough Investigation. "It will be operational as of tomorrow," he said. The Embassy in Damascus had suspended operations in 2012 due to the escalating security conditions during the Syrian civil war. All embassy staff and their families were recalled to Turkey. Also Read | MFN Clause Suspension by Switzerland: India Needs Strategic Approach for International Taxation Treaties, Says GTRI. Earlier on Friday, thousands of Syrians gathered in Damascus' historic main mosque for the first Muslim Friday prayers since the ouster of President Bashar Assad, while giant crowds celebrated in the capital's largest square and across the country. The gatherings were a major symbolic moment for the dramatic change of power in Syria, nearly a week after insurgents swept into Damascus, ousting the Assad-led state that had ruled the country for a half century with an iron grip. It came as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with allies around the region looking to shape the transition, calling for an “inclusive and non-sectarian” interim government. Blinken arrived in Iraq on a previously unannounced stop after talks in Jordan and Turkey — which backs some of the Syrian insurgent factions. So far, US officials have not talked of direct meetings with Syria's new rulers. The main insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has been working to establish security and start a political transition after seizing Damascus early Sunday. The group has tried to reassure a public both stunned by Assad's fall and concerned over extremist jihadis among the rebels. The insurgents' leadership says it has broken with its extremist past, though HTS is still labeled a terrorist group by the United States and European countries. HTS's leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, appeared in a video message Friday congratulating “the great Syrian people for the victory of the blessed revolution”. “I invite them to head to the squares to show their happiness without shooting bullets and scaring people,” he said. “And then after we will work to build this country and as I said in the beginning, we will be victorious by the help of God.” Huge crowds, including some insurgents, packed Damascus' historic Umayyad Mosque in the capital's old city, many waving the rebel opposition flag — with its three red stars — which has swiftly replaced the Assad-era flag with with its two green stars. According to Arab TV stations, the Friday sermon was delivered by Mohammed al-Bashir, the interim prime minister installed by HTS this week. The scene resonated on multiple levels. The mosque, one of the world's oldest dating back some 1,200 years, is a beloved symbol of Syria, and sermons there like all mosque sermons across Syria had been tightly controlled under Assad's rule. Also, in the early days of the anti-government uprising in 2011, protesters would leave Friday prayers to march in rallies against Assad — before he launched a brutal crackdown that turned the uprising into a long and bloody civil war. The interim prime minister, al-Bashir, had been the head of a de facto administration created by HTS in Idlib, the opposition's enclave in northwest Syria. The rebels had been bottled up in Idlib for years before fighters broke out in a shock offensive and marched across Syria in 10 days. Al-Sharaa, HTS' leader, has promised to bring a pluralistic government to Syria, seeking to dispel fears among many Syrians — especially its many minority communities — that the insurgents will bring a hard-line, extremist rule. Another key factor will be winning international recognition for a new government in Syria, a country where multiple foreign powers have their hands in the mix. The Sunni Arab insurgents who overthrew Assad did so with vital help from Turkey, a longtime foe of the US-backed Kurds. Turkey controls a strip of Syrian territory along the shared border and backs an insurgent faction uneasily allied to HTS — and is deeply opposed to any gains by Syria's Kurds. The US has troops in eastern Syria to combat remnants of the Islamic State group and supports Kurdish-led fighters who rule most of the east. Since Assad's fall, Israel has bombed sites all over Syria, saying it is trying to prevent weapons from falling into extremist hands, and has seized a swath of southern Syria along the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, calling it a buffer zone. After talks with Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Blinken said there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the US on what they would like to see in Syria. That starts with an "interim government in Syria, one that is inclusive and non-sectarian and one that protects the rights of minorities and women” and does not “pose any kind of threat to any of Syria's neighbors,” Blinken said. Fidan said the priority was “establishing stability in Syria as soon as possible, preventing terrorism from gaining ground, and ensuring that IS and the PKK aren't dominant” — referring to the Islamic State group and the Kurdistan Workers Party. Ankara considers the PKK within Turkey's borders a terrorist group — as it does the Kurdish-backed forces in Syria backed by the US. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)

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The U.S. House of Representatives, on Thursday, refused a Democratic-led effort to quickly release the findings of an ethics investigation into former Representative Matt Gaetz. This probe revolved around allegations of sexual misconduct with a teenage girl and drug abuse. The vote, which ended 206-198, highlighted the chamber's Republican majority stance against the measure. Gaetz resigned in November, complicating the ethics committee's decision on whether to release the findings since he is no longer a member of Congress. Earlier discussions within the House Ethics Committee showed a lack of consensus on the matter, with a party-line deadlock. Democratic Representative Sean Casten argued for releasing findings post-resignation based on historical precedents. However, the committee remains at an impasse. (With inputs from agencies.)

Crashes WILLMAR — A report of a semitractor possibly backing into a stop sign was made at 10:25 a.m. Wednesday at the intersection of 23rd Street and Technology Drive. WILLMAR — A caller reported going off road into the ditch at 4:50 p.m. Tuesday near the intersection of U.S. Highway 71 and 60th Avenue Northeast. According to the report, the driver stated they had contacted another party to help them out. No injuries were listed in the report. NEW LONDON — A caller reported at 4:29 p.m. Tuesday that a red pickup truck had run them off the road near the intersection of Minnesota Highway 9 and 10th Street Northeast in New London. No injuries were listed in the report. WILLMAR — A caller reported a crash at 3:58 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Fourth Street and Robbins Avenue Southwest. No injuries were listed in the report.

US President-elect Donald Trump has said he wants to end daylight saving time (DST), arguing that it is "inconvenient" and "very costly" to Americans. DST is the practice of moving the clock ahead by one hour in the spring and back an hour in the autumn to make better use of natural daylight. It is observed in one third of the world's countries, according to Pew Research Centre, including the majority of Europe. Some in the US, however, have long advocated to end the practice, arguing that doing so would lead to brighter afternoons and more economic activity. In a post on his platform Truth Social on Friday, Trump said DST had "a small but strong constituency, but shouldn't". He said his Republican party would work to end it. It is not the first attempt to alter the practice of changing clocks seasonally in the US. In 2022, the Democratic-controlled Senate passed a bill that would have called for the US to move to daylight saving time permanently to make use of brighter evenings, especially for those commuting from work or school. But The Sunshine Protection Act, which was introduced by Republican Senator Marco Rubio, never made it to President Joe Biden's desk. Rubio, who has since been picked by Trump for the role of secretary of state under his incoming administration, said at the time that studies had shown a permanent DST could benefit the economy.AKRON, Ohio, Dec. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) today declared an unchanged quarterly dividend of $0.425 per share of outstanding common stock payable March 1, 2025, to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 7, 2025. FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp . Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes forward-looking statements based on information currently available to management. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These statements include declarations regarding management's intents, beliefs and current expectations. These statements typically contain, but are not limited to, the terms "anticipate," "potential," "expect," "forecast," "target," "will," "intend," "believe," "project," "estimate," "plan" and similar words. Forward-looking statements involve estimates, assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, which may include the following: the potential liabilities, increased costs and unanticipated developments resulting from government investigations and agreements, including those associated with compliance with or failure to comply with the Deferred Prosecution Agreement entered into July 21, 2021 with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio; the risks and uncertainties associated with government investigations and audits regarding Ohio House Bill 6, as passed by Ohio's 133rd General Assembly ("HB 6") and related matters, including potential adverse impacts on federal or state regulatory matters, including, but not limited to, matters relating to rates; the risks and uncertainties associated with litigation, arbitration, mediation and similar proceedings, particularly regarding HB 6 related matters; changes in national and regional economic conditions, including recession, volatile interest rates, inflationary pressure, supply chain disruptions, higher fuel costs, and workforce impacts, affecting us and/or our customers and those vendors with which we do business; variations in weather, such as mild seasonal weather variations and severe weather conditions (including events caused, or exacerbated, by climate change, such as wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, droughts, high wind events and extreme heat events) and other natural disasters affecting future operating results and associated regulatory actions or outcomes in response to such conditions; legislative and regulatory developments, including, but not limited to, matters related to rates, energy regulatory policies, compliance and enforcement activity, cyber security, and climate change; the risks associated with physical attacks, such as acts of war, terrorism, sabotage or other acts of violence, and cyber-attacks and other disruptions to our, or our vendors', information technology system, which may compromise our operations, and data security breaches of sensitive data, intellectual property and proprietary or personally identifiable information; the ability to meet our goals relating to employee, environmental, social and corporate governance opportunities, improvements, and efficiencies, including our greenhouse gas ("GHG") reduction goals; the ability to accomplish or realize anticipated benefits through establishing a culture of continuous improvement and our other strategic and financial goals, including, but not limited to, overcoming current uncertainties and challenges associated with the ongoing government investigations, executing Energize365, our transmission and distribution investment plan, executing on our rate filing strategy, controlling costs, improving credit metrics, maintaining investment grade ratings, and growing earnings; changing market conditions affecting the measurement of certain liabilities and the value of assets held in our pension trusts may negatively impact our forecasted growth rate, results of operations, and may also cause us to make contributions to our pension sooner or in amounts that are larger than currently anticipated; mitigating exposure for remedial activities associated with retired and formerly owned electric generation assets, including those sites impacted by the legacy coal combustion residual rules that were finalized during 2024; changes to environmental laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, rules finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") related to climate change; changes in customers' demand for power, including, but not limited to, economic conditions, the impact of climate change, emerging technology, particularly with respect to electrification, energy storage and distributed sources of generation; the ability to access the public securities and other capital and credit markets in accordance with our financial plans, the cost of such capital and overall condition of the capital and credit markets affecting us, including the increasing number of financial institutions evaluating the impact of climate change on their investment decisions; future actions taken by credit rating agencies that could negatively affect either our access to or terms of financing or our financial condition and liquidity; changes in assumptions regarding factors such as economic conditions within our territories, the reliability of our transmission and distribution system, generation resource planning, or the availability of capital or other resources supporting identified transmission and distribution investment opportunities; the potential of non-compliance with debt covenants in our credit facilities; the ability to comply with applicable reliability standards and energy efficiency and peak demand reduction mandates; human capital management challenges, including among other things, attracting and retaining appropriately trained and qualified employees and labor disruptions by our unionized workforce; changes to significant accounting policies; any changes in tax laws or regulations, including, but not limited to, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, or adverse tax audit results or rulings; and the risks and other factors discussed from time to time in our SEC filings. Dividends declared from time to time on FirstEnergy Corp.'s common stock during any period may in the aggregate vary from prior periods due to circumstances considered by FirstEnergy Corp.'s Board of Directors at the time of the actual declarations. A security rating is not a recommendation to buy or hold securities and is subject to revision or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating agency. Each rating should be evaluated independently of any other rating. These forward-looking statements are also qualified by, and should be read together with, the risk factors included in FirstEnergy Corp.'s Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and in FirstEnergy's other filings with the SEC. The foregoing review of factors also should not be construed as exhaustive. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all such factors, nor assess the impact of any such factor on FirstEnergy Corp.'s business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. FirstEnergy Corp. expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise, except as required by law, any forward-looking statements contained herein or in the information incorporated by reference as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/firstenergy-corp-declares-unchanged-common-stock-dividend-of-0-425-per-share-302335334.html SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.Why Trump's attempt to dismiss the New York hush money case warrants attention

Rick Palacio, the former chair of the Colorado Democratic Party, violated the state’s ethics law when he became a consultant for Gov. Jared Polis in late 2020 because he had too recently served as the governor’s chief of staff, the state’s Independent Ethics Commission ruled. Former Colorado Democratic Party chairman Rick Palacio. (Handout) The commission did not levy any financial penalties against Palacio, who led Colorado Democrats from 2011 to 2017. That is because commissioners determined he had not “violated the public trust,” according to a report issued by the commission last week. A complaint was filed against Palacio in 2021 by Defend Colorado, a conservative group, alleging he’d violated ethics rules the year before when he was hired as a consultant for Polis’ office immediately after serving as the governor’s interim chief of staff. Palacio served as interim chief in late 2020, while the governor’s permanent chief of staff was on maternity leave. After then-chief Lisa Kaufmann returned to work in November 2020, Palacio remained on staff for the rest of the month. He was then given a contract as a consultant beginning Dec. 1, 2020, to continue working on pandemic-related issues. Colorado’s ethics law requires recently separated state employees to wait six months before they can be contracted by a state agency to work on anything they had previously been directly involved with, as Palacio was with pandemic efforts. Still, the commission found that Palacio did not need to face any penalties because he had not violated the public trust. Commissioners found that he did not violate a state law barring state employees from using official acts to enrich themselves. According to the report, Defend Colorado agreed that “Mr. Palacio’s consulting contract did not create a conflict of interest or a potential for unfair advantage in Mr. Palacio’s favor.” In an emailed statement Friday, Palacio said the state was “confronted with a once-in-a-century pandemic” during his work with Polis’ office. When “my state needed help, I was honored to step up and serve,” he wrote. “In moments of crisis, I have always believed it is our duty to contribute however we can, and I would hope that anyone else would do the same if called upon by their governor or president.” In a statement, Polis spokesman Eric Maruyama said the governor’s office was “deeply grateful for (Palacio’s) exceptional contributions” and said the office was pleased that the ethics commission found that “Palacio’s actions never compromised the public trust or caused harm to the state.” Stay up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly newsletter, The Spot.Maria Laura Zucchi mother of Julián Zucchi, surprised everyone by offering a public apology to Yiddá Eslava for his recent statements, in which he harshly criticized her. Through her social networks, the mother of the Argentine actor expressed her regret for the “unfortunate” comments she made in an interview with the portal Instarándula, seeking to clarify that his words were impulsive and born from family tension. In your message, Maria Laura He noted that his only intention is to achieve peace for his grandchildren, after the intense conflicts that have involved his son and the mother of his grandchildren. Although his statements generated controversy, he assured that his regret is sincere and apologized to Yiddá for any misunderstanding, seeking to close the chapter on public confrontations. Julián Zucchi’s mother sends a message of apology to Yiddá Eslava Through a message on the Instarándula portal, María Laura Zucchi expressed her regret for the words she used in the conversations that Samuel Suárez exposed, in which she accused Slavic Yidda of overacting and questioned his mental health. For his part, the Argentine actor also apologized on his social networks for the incident that occurred in Magdalena, in which he was involved with his children’s lullabies, as well as for the argument in public with his ex-partner. “Sorry Yiddá, I know this can be interpreted in many ways, but I want to do it for my peace and that of my grandchildren,” María Laura commented in her publication. Furthermore, he added that after so much “tension and injustice” he had lost his calm, sincerely asking the mother of his grandchildren for forgiveness for his “unfortunate” comments. Why did Julián Zucchi’s mother fall out with Yiddá Eslava? The conflict between María Laura Zucchi and her daughter-in-law broke out after a series of family and public tensions between Julián Zucchi and his ex-partner, Yiddá. In the midst of this mess, María Laura Zucchi came out to defend her son, accusing the mother of her two grandchildren of playing the victim and discrediting her autism diagnosis. The controversy intensified when on December 12, 2023, both got into a heated argument in the middle of a public street, which culminated with both of them in a police station in Magdalena. The conflict began when Julián tried to take his children without the presence of his nannies, which angered Yiddá, who alleged that there was a prior agreement that the children would be accompanied by their caregivers. In addition, the former reality girl accused Julián of not complying with her support, something that was denied by him, showing text messages that evidenced his attempt to communicate to see his children. María Laura Zucchi, upon learning of Yiddá’s accusations, published a series of chats between Julián and the Peruvian actress on social networks, where it was evident that she had denied Julián to see his children on several occasions. In one of the messages, Yiddá tells him: “They won’t sleep with you tomorrow, Julián. I don’t trust you at all,” to which Julián responded, visibly surprised, since both had previously agreed that the children would stay with him. Join our entertainment channel

Dorchester Minerals CFO Leslie Moriyama buys $414,640 in stockFARGO, N.D. (AP) — Jacksen Moni's 25 points helped North Dakota State defeat Wisconsin-Stout 91-62 on Friday for its sixth straight win. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Jacksen Moni's 25 points helped North Dakota State defeat Wisconsin-Stout 91-62 on Friday for its sixth straight win. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Jacksen Moni’s 25 points helped North Dakota State defeat Wisconsin-Stout 91-62 on Friday for its sixth straight win. Moni shot 9 for 13 (4 for 6 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line for the Bison (9-4). Treyson Anderson scored eight points and added seven rebounds. Darik Dissette shot 3 of 3 from the field to finish with eight points. Carson Hoffman led the Blue Devils in scoring, finishing with 11 points. Justin Nelson added nine points and Dominic Croci recorded eight points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. Advertisement, the president and chief executive officer of the (AGA), has shared his thoughts on the rapid growth of betting. In a publication published by , he expressed his opinions on the matter and provided insight into the association’s view of the market. Legal Betting Continues to Grow and That’s a Good Thing Since the repeal of the PASPA, have launched at least some form of betting. While some have critiqued the industry’s expansion, Miller emphasized that it is a voluntary entertainment option that is supported by 9 in 10 Americans. He also pointed out that legal gaming is one of America’s most regulated industries as the government and operators want to . Because of that, customers of legal operators are provided access to a variety of tools to moderate their playtime and shield themselves from risk. Miller noted that prior to that, players would play with unlicensed black market companies that intentionally offered none of these player protections. Legal Gaming Does Not Necessarily Cause Financial Strain Miller furthermore insisted that the idea that legal betting leads to widespread financial hardship is simply wrong and contradicts recent research. He suggested that Americans face greater financial challenges from healthcare and housing expenses than from discretionary spending on entertainment. Additionally, data shows that sports betting represents a small fraction of all spending on entertainment, with the average bettors putting no more than $100 on the line a month. For perspective, he noted that Americans spend $141 a month on phone bills, $300 on dining out, and $734 on car payments. Despite that, Miller still recognized the fact that a small portion of bettors do experience gambling problems. Because of that, however, the legal market invests almost half a billion dollars a year in the study of gambling addiction and the creation of better responsible gambling tools. America Trusts Its Citizens to Make Informed Choices Miller reiterated that the expansion of betting is ultimately good for America because of the significant tax revenue it provides and the fact that bettors now have a legal outlet to entertain themselves and do not have to seek out dangerous offshore companies. At its core, legal sports betting reflects a trust in the ability of American adults to make informed choices about how they engage with entertainment. The vast majority of sports bettors participate responsibly, enjoying the excitement and camaraderie that come with rooting for their favorite teams. The Path Forward Lies in Collaboration Miller suggested that the demonization of the industry and its consumers based on a few worst-case scenarios is counterproductive. Instead, he believes that the US should focus on advancing the understanding of gambling harms and devising better safer gambling tools. The AGA CEO firmly stated that legal betting is not a “societal ill or a threat to the fabric of America” but rather a great success story that shows how moderate regulation and sustainability can benefit both players and communities. Miller concluded that he believes the path forward “lies in collaboration, transparency and commitment to enhancing consumer safeguard while embracing the economic and social benefits of this thriving industry.”A celebrated author argues that it's not at all impractical to study subjects like writing, languages, music and history

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Missouri Republican lawmaker wants every public and charter school classroom in the state to display the Ten Commandments, sparking concern from at least one Kansas City area school district. A bill filed this month by Rep. Hardy Billington, a Poplar Bluff Republican, would require public school districts and charter schools to display copies of the Ten Commandments, a set of ethical directions from the Old Testament, in every building and classroom. The legislation is part of a broader push to inject religious teachings into schools and comes as a growing number of Republicans nationally have openly embraced arguments that American politics and culture are rooted in the Christian faith. Billington’s bill also follows similar legislation in other GOP-led states, such as Louisiana , which recently passed a law to require the Ten Commandments in schools. A federal judge last month blocked the Louisiana law on constitutional grounds. “The Ten Commandments is basically throughout our country, right?” said Billington, who serves as majority whip in the House. “I think that would be a good thing for kids to see, not that they got to promote it, or do anything about it, but it’s good to be there, right? To, you know, walk by and see it in the hallway.” “If we all obeyed the Ten Commandments, wouldn’t our country be a lot better off? Be a lot safer, wouldn’t it?” he added. Billington’s legislation would allow, but not require, school boards to pay for displays of the Ten Commandments. It would also allow the districts to accept donated copies. School boards and charter school governing boards would have the power to determine “the nature of the display.” However, Billington’s legislation would set some requirements. Each classroom display would have to be a poster or framed document at least 11 inches by 14 inches large. The text of the Ten Commandments would also have to be the central focus of the display and printed in a “large, easily readable font.” The displays would be required to include the full text of the Ten Commandments, which begins with the phrase “I AM the LORD thy God” followed by the commandments. The displays would include phrases such as: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me,” “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy,” “Thou shalt not kill,” and “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife.” Kelly Wachel, a spokesperson for the Park Hill School District in Kansas City, said the legislation raised a number of questions, including whether the bill supports the ability for school boards to make decisions about what’s best for students of all backgrounds, religions and beliefs. “How does this legislation impact the enshrined rights in our U.S. and state constitution around keeping church and state separate?” Wachel said in an email. In addition to those concerns, Wachel said her district wants lawmakers to focus on crafting legislation that addresses several issues that currently affect schools such as: increased funding, access to resources and opportunities for students, money to support safety measures to protect students and staff, and teacher development. Billington filed the legislation ahead of the upcoming legislative session, which begins next month. While it’s still unclear how much attention the bill will receive throughout the year — particularly among members of Republican leadership — at least two Republican lawmakers expressed general support. “I would be supportive of that legislation,” said Rep. Brian Seitz, a Branson Republican. “We have not discussed it as a caucus yet, but I know that other states recently have decided to do that.” Seitz added that he felt the bill was “wholly appropriate. There’s nothing offensive in the Ten Commandments.” But Billington’s legislation would also certainly face legal challenges if lawmakers pass it this upcoming session, just as the law in Louisiana has. Tom Bastian, a spokesperson for the ACLU of Missouri, ripped the legislation as unconstitutional in a statement. He pointed to a 1980 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found a similar Kentucky law violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. “Public schools are meant to provide students with equal access to education, free from discrimination based on religion, race, and ethnicity, or the official endorsement of any religion,” Bastian said. “The use of political power to force students to adopt the preferred religious beliefs of a state representative is the proselytization of our children and a violation of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause.” Billington, however, appeared to signal that he felt his bill would hold up in court. He pointed to the makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court, which has grown more conservative in recent years. “Everybody disagrees with some point, but I think it’s something the Supreme Court would agree with now,” he said. “We got a very — a lot more conservative Supreme Court than we’ve had in the past.” ©2024 The Kansas City Star. Visit kansascity.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Valladolid beats fellow struggler Valencia to move off the bottom of La Liga