Texas Senate approves religious objections bill

Texas Senate approves religious objections bill

AUSTIN, Texas

The Texas Senate voted overwhelmingly Monday to allow clergy members to refuse performing marriages that violate their religious beliefs, as top Republicans move to further shield the nation’s largest conservative state from a possible U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing gay couples to wed.

The bill, approved 21-10, requires a final, largely procedural Senate vote before heading to the state House.

Democrats were quick to point out that existing constitutional guarantees separating church and state already allow houses of worship to set their own religious policies regarding marriage ceremonies and all other aspects of faith.

Kerry heads to Russia in first visit since Ukraine crisis

WASHINGTON

Secretary of State John Kerry departed Monday for Russia to meet with President Vladimir Putin, on his first visit to the country since relations between Washington and Moscow plummeted to post-Cold War lows amid disagreements over Ukraine and Syria.

The State Department said Kerry would meet Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today at the Black Sea resort of Sochi. But in a sign of the considerable strains, the Kremlin said Putin’s attendance had yet to be confirmed, and the Russian Foreign Ministry previewed the talks by blaming Washington for the breakdown in relations.

Ore. governor signs bill expanding gun background checks

SALEM, Ore.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown signed a bill Monday requiring background checks on firearm transfers between private parties, making Oregon the eighth state to require screening on nearly all gun sales.

The law, which takes effect immediately, requires gun buyers and sellers who aren’t related to visit a licensed gun dealer who can run a background check.

“We have an obligation to protect Oregonians from gun violence,” said Brown, a Democrat. “If we want to keep our kids, schools and communities safe we must make it harder for dangerous people to get guns.”

Republicans vehemently opposed the measure. They say it will only burden gun owners who are committed to following the law without changing the behavior of people willing to break it.

Liberians mark end of Ebola epidemic

MONROVIA, Liberia

Liberians gathered in the streets of the capital Monday to celebrate the end of the Ebola epidemic in this West African country.

The festivities came after the World Health Organization declared over the weekend that Liberia was finally Ebola-free.

More than 4,700 people died during the Ebola crisis in Liberia, the country hardest hit by the outbreak. Ebola continues to claim victims in Sierra Leone and Guinea, where health officials have had difficulty tracing new cases.

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf closed the celebrations by recommitting herself to helping the governments and people of Sierra Leone and Guinea to overcome the disease.

The effort to achieve that has already started. “We are going to intensify that effort because we know that until they are free, totally free, we are not free,” she said.

Associated Press