Headline

Controversy As US State, Louisiana Asks Schools To Display Ten Commandments

Published

1 year ago

June 20, 2024

Louisiana has become the first U.S. state to mandate that every public school classroom, from elementary to university level, must display a poster of the Ten Commandments.

The measure, backed by Republicans and signed into law by Governor Jeff Landry on Wednesday, described the commandments as “the foundational documents of our state and national government.”

The law is expected to face challenges from civil rights groups, The American Civil Liberties Union, who argue that it contravenes the separation between church and state enshrined in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, specifically the Establishment Clause.

It reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

Ten Commandments new law

The state law requires that a poster include the sacred text in “large, easily readable font” on a poster that is 11 inches by 14 inches (28cm by 35.5cm) and that the commandments are “the central focus” of the display.

It will also be shown alongside a four-paragraph “context statement” which will describe how the commandments “were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries”.

The posters must be on display in all classrooms receiving state funding by 2025 – but no state funding is being offered to pay for the posters themselves.

Similar laws have recently been proposed by other Republican-led states, including Texas, Oklahoma and Utah.

Landry says

On his X account late Wednesday, the governor, #LAGovJeffLandry posted on X, “Today, we fulfilled our promise to bring drastic reform to our education system and bring common sense back to our classrooms.

“A strong education system leads to a strong economy and a strong state.

“Our historic Dream Big Package puts the focus back on our kids, and allows Louisiana to follow in the footsteps of our neighbors in the South.

“I am thankful to the legislature for their commitment to making the education system in Louisiana one that students, parents, and teachers can all be proud of.”

There have been numerous legal battles over the display of the Ten Commandments in public buildings, including schools, courthouses and police stations.

An X user, MicheleMaybe, #michele4_t, posted, “What about a Muslim child in that classroom? Or a Buddhist? Or Atheist?

“This is completely illegal and an affront to our US Constitution. Thankfully you’re getting the snot sued out of you, as you should. We are NOT a Theocracy.”

Another X user, Marjorie, #MTGsbigtoe, wrote, “You should keep your lifestyle choice of being a Christian to yourself. The Bible has no place in the classroom.”

Also, carte blanche kitty with account #mrswhiskeykitty, said, “Vouchers will demolish our public schools. This is just a taxpayer bailout for failing religious schools with minimal oversight.”

In 1980, the US Supreme Court struck down a similar Kentucky law requiring that the document be displayed in elementary and high schools.

In a 5-4 vote, the high court ruled that the requirement that the Ten Commandments be posted “had no secular legislative purpose” and was “plainly religious in nature”.

The court noted that in addition to criminal matters like killing and stealing, the Ten Commandments also made references to worshipping God including observing the Sabbath day.

The PUNCH reports that the Ten Commandments are a set of ethical guidelines and principles foundational to the Jewish, Christian, and maybe even Islamic traditions.

Headline

Canada Flags Nigeria, 16 African Countries As High-risk In New Travel Advisory

Published

2 hours ago

November 26, 2025

Editor

The Government of Canada has issued a new advisory urging citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Nigeria, including the capital city, Abuja, citing an increasingly unpredictable security environment marked by terrorism, crime, armed attacks, and kidnappings.

The Canadian government dropped one of its biggest travel‑risk updates in years, warning citizens to steer clear of 17 African countries because of spiraling insecurity, political turmoil and extremist violence.

Canadian officials point to a perfect storm of threats: expanding extremist networks in the Sahel and Horn of Africa, a wave of military coups, communal clashes, mass protests, cross‑border crime, and fragile governance that leaves many states barely holding together.

On the ‘Avoid All Travel’ hot spots destinations are: South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Libya, Mali, Niger, Somalia and Sudan while the ‘Avoid Non‑Essential Travel’ list includes Madagascar, Ethiopia, Burundi, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Mauritania, Nigeria and Tanzania.

The advisory, released yesterday, highlights that while the entire country faces elevated risks, certain regions are considered so dangerous that Canadians are urged to avoid all travel.

The only exceptions to the broader warning are the cities of Lagos and Calabar, where travellers are advised to exercise a high degree of caution rather than avoid travel altogether.

According to the travel advice, wide swaths of northern and central Nigeria are experiencing sustained instability driven by extremist violence, banditry, and inter-communal clashes.

The government specifically names the northwestern states of Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara; the northcentral states of Plateau, Niger and Kogi; and much of the northeast, including Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Taraba and Yobe.

According to the travel advice, the Niger Delta region also remains volatile. Canada advises avoiding all travel to Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo and Rivers states, though it stops short of a blanket ban on Port Harcourt itself, recommending instead that travellers avoid non-essential trips there.

Canada’s updated advisory places Nigeria among the most high-risk destinations for Canadians worldwide. The government urges anyone currently in the country to remain vigilant, limit movement, and monitor local media for developing threats.

Headline

Condom Distribution Dalls 55% In Nigeria

Published

3 hours ago

November 26, 2025

Editor

The agency launched its 2025 World AIDS Day report, Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response, on Tuesday, warning that the global HIV response is experiencing its most significant setback in decades.

In its report, UNAIDS highlighted widespread disruption to HIV prevention, testing, and community-led programmes.

The agency noted that across 13 countries, the number of people newly initiated on treatment has also declined.

“Nigeria recorded a 55 per cent drop in condom distribution,” the report stated. The agency also drew attention to the effect on women in sub-Saharan Africa, noting that approximately 450,000 women have lost access to “mother mentors,” community workers who support their connection to care.

Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS, said the decline is linked to abrupt funding cuts and a worsening human rights environment.

Speaking from Geneva, she said, “The funding crisis has exposed the fragility of the progress we fought so hard to achieve. Behind every data point in this report are people. Babies missed for HIV screening, young women cut off from prevention support, and communities suddenly left without services and care. We cannot abandon them.”

UNAIDS stressed the particular vulnerability of adolescent girls and young women, who were already severely affected prior to the crisis, with an estimated 570 new HIV infections occurring daily among females aged 15 to 24.

“This is our moment to choose,” Byanyima said. “We can allow these shocks to undo decades of hard-won gains, or we can unite behind the shared vision of ending AIDS. Millions of lives depend on the choices we make today.”

The report indicated that dismantled prevention programmes have increased risk for young women and that community-led organisations, essential to HIV outreach, are under severe pressure.

More than 60 per cent of women-led organisations reported having to suspend essential services. UNAIDS modelling suggests that continued disruption could result in an additional 3.3 million new HIV infections between 2025 and 2030.

The agency warned that international assistance has declined sharply, with Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development projections indicating external health funding may drop by 30 to 40 per cent in 2025 compared with 2023.

“The impact has been immediate and severe, especially in low- and middle-income countries highly affected by HIV,” the report noted.

UNAIDS urged world leaders to maintain and increase HIV funding, particularly for countries reliant on external support, while investing in innovations such as affordable long-acting prevention.

The agency noted the importance of upholding human rights and empowering communities as central to an effective response to HIV.

Headline

UK Rejects Nigeria’s Request To Transfer Ekweremadu

Published

2 days ago

November 24, 2025

Editor

The United Kingdom has rejected a request from the Nigerian government to transfer former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu to Nigeria to complete his prison sentence.

Ekweremadu is serving time in a UK facility after he was found guilty in 2023 of plotting to harvest the kidney of a young man.

He received a jail term of nine years and eight months following the conviction, which stemmed from a high-profile organ-trafficking case that drew international attention.

With the latest decision, Ekweremadu will remain in the UK to serve out the remainder of his sentence.