US court blocks Texas law requiring Ten Commandments in school classrooms
A US judge has blocked a Texas law that would have required public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom, Al Jazeera reported.
District Judge Fred Biery ruled the mandate unconstitutional, citing the First Amendment’s separation of church and state. He said even passive displays could pressure students into religious observance and stifle diverse beliefs.
The lawsuit was filed by parents, faith leaders, and civil liberties groups who argued religion should be guided by families, not imposed by the state.
Texas officials defended the law as part of America’s heritage, with Attorney General Ken Paxton vowing to appeal. The case is likely to move toward the Supreme Court, according to Al Jazeera.
Israel calls up 60,000 reservists ahead of planned Gaza City offensive
The Israeli military says it is calling up about 60,000 reservists ahead of a planned ground offensive to capture and occupy all of Gaza City, BBC reported.
A military official said the reservists would report for duty in September and that most of the troops mobilised for the offensive would be active-duty personnel.
They added that troops were already operating in the Zeitoun and Jabalia areas as part of the preparations for the plan, which Defence Minister Israel Katz approved on Tuesday and will be put to the security cabinet later this week.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza City are expected to be ordered to evacuate and head to shelters in southern Gaza, according to BBC.
UK signs deal with Iraq to speed up migrant returns
The UK has signed a new deal with Iraq aimed at speeding up the return of migrants with no right to be in the country, BBC reported.
It builds on previous efforts to cooperate on tackling smuggling gangs and deterring people from crossing the Channel in small boats.
More than 27,000 people have made the dangerous journey so far this year, up from around 18,000 in the same period last year.
The Conservatives described the deal as "measly" , saying "barely any" small boat arrivals are now Iraqi, according to BBC.
DR Congo rebels killed 140 civilians despite peace process, rights group says
M23 rebels killed at least 140 people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo last month in one of the worst atrocities by the armed group since its resurgence in late 2021, Human Rights Watch has said in a report, BBC reported.
This is despite a peace process, brokered by the US and Qatar, to end the conflict in the region.
Witnesses told the advocacy group that the Rwanda-backed rebels "summarily executed" local residents, including women and children, largely from the ethnic Hutu group in the Rutshuru area, near the Virunga National Park, according to BBC.
The rebels have previously strongly denied any role in these killings, calling the charges a "blatant misrepresentation of the facts".
