Supreme Court sees a free-speech problem with laws that ban 'conversion therapy' for minors

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court justices on Tuesday heard a free-speech challenge to state laws against "conversion therapy" and sounded likely to rule the measures violate the 1st Amendment.

California and more than 20 other states have adopted laws to forbid licensed counselors from urging or encouraging gay or transgender teens to change their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The laws were adopted in reaction to a history of dangerous and discredited practices, including treatments that induced nausea and vomiting or administered electric shocks.

Lawmakers and medical experts said such efforts to "cure" LGBTQ+ teens were cruel and ineffective and caused lasting harm. But these "talk therapy" laws have been challenged by a number of Christian counselors who believe they can help young people who want to talk about their feelings and their sexual identity.

—Los Angeles Times

Democrats find unlikely ally in Marjorie Taylor Greene on Obamacare issue in shutdown fight

Democrats Tuesday claimed they have grabbed the political upper hand in the fight over the government shutdown as Republican cracks are emerging on skyrocketing health insurance costs.

House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries spotlighted comments by outspoken right-wing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, that she is “absolutely disgusted” by her own party’s refusal to negotiate an extension of subsidies for the Obamacare program.

“Tens of millions of Americans are about to experience dramatically increased health insurance costs,” Jeffries told reporters on Capitol Hill. “A growing number of Republicans are adopting the enlightened Democratic view that this is unacceptable.”

Flanked by a posterboard depicting Greene’s tweet about the shutdown, Jeffries said the American public supports the Democratic position that the GOP must negotiate over the Obamacare issue immediately to prevent many plans from doubling in cost as soon as open enrollment starts in November.

—New York Daily News

Florida bill would require universities to rename streets in honor of Charlie Kirk

Some Florida universities may need to rename certain streets after Charlie Kirk or risk losing state funding, if a state lawmaker gets his way.

Republican Rep. Kevin Steele of Dade City filed a bill Tuesday that would require trustees at dozens of Florida colleges to rename roadways, or portions of roadways, in honor of Kirk, a conservative activist who was shot and killed at a Utah college last month.

Under the bill, which did not have a Senate companion as of Tuesday afternoon, schools that fail to rename the roadways could see their state funding withheld. If the bill passes, the University of Florida will need to redesignate Stadium Road as Charlie James Kirk Road.

The University of South Florida’s Alumni Drive and New College’s College Drive could both become Charlie James Kirk Drive. Nearly 40 other road name changes are also proposed.

—Tampa Bay Times

Israel's Netanyahu: our enemies did not break us

TEL AVIV, Israel — Marking the second anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to keep pursuing Israel's war goals.

"Our bloodthirsty enemies struck us hard, but they did not break us," he said in a statement quoted by Israeli media on Tuesday. "Whoever raises a hand against us receives unprecedented crushing blows."

Netanyahu said Israel was "in days of historic decision," vowing to "continue to act in every way to bring back all the hostages — both the living and those who were killed."

"We will continue to act to achieve all the goals of the war," Netanyahu added, citing "the return of all our hostages, the elimination of Hamas rule and ensuring that Gaza will never again pose a threat to Israel."

—dpa