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Asking a Pennsylvania student to remove Christian content from her graduation remarks is a violation of the U.S. Constitution, according to the First Liberty Institute.

"The last lesson this school district taught its students is that they should hide their religious beliefs from public view. That fails the test of the First Amendment. School officials should remember that students retain their constitutional rights to freedom of expression from the schoolhouse gates, all the way through the graduation ceremony," said Jeremy Dys, First Liberty Institute's deputy general counsel, in a First Liberty Institute press release.

Moriah Bridges was asked to deliver the closing remarks at her high school graduation in Beaver, Penn. Dr. Carrie Rowe, Beaver Area School District superintendent, informed Bridges that she must take out religious references in her speech, according to a column by Fox News commentator Todd Starnes.

Bridges' words in the speech "constituted her private speech, not government speech," The First Liberty Institute wrote in a letter to school officials.

"I was shocked that the school said my personal remarks broke the law and saddened that I could not draw on my Christian identity to express my best wishes for my classmates on what should've been the happiest day of high school," Bridges said in Starnes' report.

The Institute posted a clip of Bridges' graduation remarks on YouTube.

2017 Newsmax. All rights reserved.

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First Liberty Institute: Censorship of Student's Christian Remarks Violates Constitution - Newsmax

Middle East Eye

Egypt trying to 'control narrative' with media shutdowns, rights groups say Middle East Eye "The latest clampdown on digital media is further evidence of Egypt's age-old police state tactics in motion. Even in the darkest days of the repressive Mubarak era the authorities didn't cut off access to all independent news sites," said Najia ... and more »

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Egypt trying to 'control narrative' with media shutdowns, rights groups say - Middle East Eye

The New York state legislative session is drawing to a close, and Democrats and Republicans are digging in on the remaining issues of 2017. Among them is a measure to extend the New York City mayors control of the public schools, which has now been linked to a number of diverse issues affecting people in the rest of the state.

Games of chicken are common at the Capitol whenever a deadline like the budget or the end of session draws near. This time, it was the state Senates turn to go first.

Republicans, who control the chamber, offered three bills extending New York City Mayor Bill de Blasios control of the public schools, for one, two or five years. The measures are linked to passage of an education tax credit that would benefit charter schools. Charter schools have long been championed by Republicans but are viewed with suspicion by some Democrats.

The three take-it-or-leave-it measures were angrily rejected by Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, who was asked about them by reporters.

God bless them, were not doing them, Heastie said. Next question.

Senate Deputy Majority Leader John DeFrancisco joked that he could easily walk away with the extension of mayoral control unresolved.

I can go home without it happening, DeFrancisco said. I live in Syracuse.

De Blasio unsuccessfully campaigned for Democrats to take the chamber away from Republicans in 2014, and some GOP members continue to hold some resentment.

But the Assembly has tied mayoral control to the renewal of sales tax in counties outside of New York City, in upstate and on Long Island, and including counties in DeFranciscos district.

Heastie defended the linkage, saying there is a certain logic to it.

We passed a bill that respected every localitys request for an extender, including the city (of New York), Heastie said. Were trying to treat every county with the same amount of respect and we wish the Senate Republicans would do the same for the city of New York.

Heastie said he hopes that there can be a three-way agreement among the Assembly, Senate and governor on another key end-of-session issue increasing oversight of the states economic development contracts in light of a scandal thats led to corruption charges against several of Cuomos former associates.

Well see what happens, Heastie said.

The bills supported by the Assembly and Senate reinstate the state comptrollers oversight over economic development contracts. Cuomo does not support that plan. He instead wants to create a new inspector general under the executive branch to root out potential corruption in procurement practices. DeFrancisco said that plan would not provide true oversight.

You just have to be somewhat sane to realize that thats not a check and balance over anybody, DeFrancisco said.

A spokesman for the governor responded that its a joke to think a comptrollers pre-audit of an economic development contract could flag a corrupt arrangement. Spokesman Rich Azzopardi dismissed DeFranciscos comments as a personal grudge against Cuomo because, he said, the governor criticized the senator for spending some time in Florida.

The session is scheduled to end June 21.

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Mayoral control, reform uncertain as session draws to close - WRVO Public Media

JOHANNESBURG Sparked by a controversialcolonialism tweet, it seems the Democratic Alliance and Western Cape Premier Helen Zille have reached a compromise. There were calls for her head from certain factions, including Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema, who threatened to disband the coalition if nothing was done. The announcement saw Zille retain her post as Western Cape Premier but shell be excluded from all DA structures, and has lost control of the medium that caused the fury. The party will control all her social media channels. Many will hope the party can now continue tackling levels of corruption and mismanagement in the African National Congress. Stuart Lowman

From News24

Cape Town The Democratic Alliance (DA) and Western Cape Premier Helen Zille have reached a settlement over her controversial remarks about colonialism.

Zille is expected to apologise unreservedly to the nation at a media conference in Johannesburg at 10:30 on Tuesday.

She will remain as premier of the Western Cape, but will no longer participate in any DA activity.

Zille will address the nation with DA leader Mmusi Maimane by her side.

Source: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/breaking-da-and-zille-reach-settlement-20170613

by Sam Mkokeli and Paul Vecchiatto,Bloomberg

Helen Zille, the former leader of South Africas main opposition Democratic Alliance, will remain as premier of the Western Cape province after publicly apologizing for tweets that appeared to defend colonialism.

Zilles comments about the allegedly positive aspects of colonialism were criticized as offensive to black people and by the ruling African National Congress and some members of her own party, and threatened to undermine the DAs campaign to shift away from being viewed as a mostly-white opposition group.

While the decision to keep Zille as premier may help to maintain support from white and mixed-race voters in the Western Cape province where she is seen as central to the partys success, it could alienate black supporters in the rest of the country. Removing her from the post would have led to a protracted legal battle and that may have hurt the party in the run up to elections in 2019,according to DA leader Mmusi Maimane.

Zille will be excluded from all party structures and the DA will control her communication on politics, including on social media, Maimane told reporters in Johannesburg on Tuesday. Zille has 1.14 million twitter followers, more than three times the number the partys official Twitter account has.

The DA is the countrys biggest opposition party and its seeking to capture more supporters from the black majority to broaden its appeal. Its in power in the Western Cape, which includes Cape Town and is the only province not controlled by the ANC. Gains in council elections in August saw it take over several cities including the capital, Pretoria, and economic hub, Johannesburg.

After a period of debate and reflection, I recognize the offense caused by my tweets, Zille said on Tuesday. I therefore apologize unreservedly to the South African public who were offended by the tweets and my subsequent explanation of it.

The tweets were also criticized by other opposition parties and Zille remaining in the top provincial post may put at risk the partys agreement that helps it run some of the countrys biggest cities.

Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, the second-largest opposition group, warned last week it will stop voting with the DA in city councils. That would leave the party without enough support to hold onto mayoral positions in Johannesburg and Pretoria. EFF spokespeople didnt answer calls or respond to text messages seeking comment.

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Zille remains WC Premier butexcluded from all DA structures, no control of social media - BizNews

Kim Kardashian is taking control. The reality star and social media phenomenon spoke out about her business, the secret to her social media success and future brand strategy with Forbes editor in chief Steve Forbes, at the Forbes Womens Summit in New York on Tuesday afternoon.

Kardashian who earlier in the day had announced the launch of her own makeup line, KKW, on Instagram said that after 10 years, its time to pull back on licensing deals and create a product on her own terms.

Theres nothing I would do now if I dont have creative control, she said. In the past, I found power in saying yes to so many things, whether it was tanning, shoes, cupcakes or fitness videos.

If I break it all down, I mean the percentage you would get from a licensing deal. I split everything with my two sisters, so thats three ways and I just thought, We work so hard to be getting so little, she explained, dressed in a businesslike black pantsuit. And it might seemand theres all this false information out there and numbers and I really wanted to create a business on my own and I know that was a lot of hard work.

But this year, Kardashian explained, she was forced to take some time off to reevaluate everything, including her licensing deals. Like her sister Kylie Jenner, Kardashian said she is going to focus only on her new makeup line, an upcoming fragrance coming out later this year, Kimoji her mega-successful app and the Kimoji Merch.

Kardashian, who was on the cover of Forbes last July with the cover line The New Mobile Moguls, spoke about turning fame into a larger-than-life brand.

If people think you post and its so easy, its really not, she said, explaining importance of authenticity on social media especially if youre a brand.

Forbes enthusiastically recapped the final episode of the previous season. See, this stuff captures everyone, he said, and wondered how the family has kept it going all these years.

Right when we think weve run out of gas, someone will get pregnant or married or divorced, Kardashian said.

Im really proud to be on a reality show, she said.

As a parting gift, Forbes, a rare books collector, gave Kardashian a book on the Armenian Genocide, and a contract signed by a 13-year-old Elizabeth Taylor.

When asked about where her business sense came from, Kardashian credited her parents example in particular her mothers hustle.

On Monday, Forbes released its 2017 list ranking the worlds highest-paid celebrities. Kardashian came in at number 47 with $45.5 million just $5.5 million less than Forbes reported she made in 2016.

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Kim Kardashian says she's taking control of her brand and business - Los Angeles Times