The state of Louisiana requires that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public classroom.
Gov. Jeff Landry signed a bill Wednesday requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in all public classrooms in Louisiana, making the state the only state with such a requirement and reigniting a debate about how blurred the line between church and state should be. Critics, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the Freedom from Religion Foundation, have vowed a legal fight against the law. The bill is part of a broader campaign by conservative Christian groups to promote public expression of faith and provoke litigation that could reach the Supreme Court, where they hope for a friendlier response than in years past.
Congress debates expanding conscription amid recruitment challenges
The U.S. military hasn't drafted in more than 50 years, but Congress is considering proposals to update mandatory military service, including expanding it to women for the first time and automatically registering those eligible for the draft. The proposals under consideration in the House and Senate are unlikely to become law, and neither would immediately reinstate mandatory military service. But the discussions reflect lawmakers' rethinking of the draft as readiness issues surface and the Defense Department faces recruiting challenges amid multiple ongoing conflicts around the world.
U.S. acknowledges federal dams harm Native American communities
The federal government has released a report acknowledging for the first time the harms that dams in the Pacific Northwest have “caused and continue to cause” to Native American tribes. According to the report released by the Department of the Interior on Tuesday, the construction of large hydroelectric dams throughout the Columbia River Basin in the early 20th century has submerged thousands of acres of land, sacred sites and ancestral burial grounds, and altered ecosystems, including blocking fish migration. As a result, many tribal communities have been unable to fish and their traditional diets and cultural practices have changed.
Kennedy raised just $2.6 million, a sign of his reliance on VP candidate
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential campaign raised just $2.6 million in May. That paltry sum speaks to how dependent his campaign is on his running mate, wealthy Silicon Valley lawyer Nicole Shanahan. According to a filing Wednesday with the Federal Election Commission, the Kennedy campaign raised less in May than it did in any month so far in 2024. That's mainly because Shanahan contributed almost no additional funds in May. Kennedy's total contributions were essentially the same as he raised in April, excluding Shanahan. Kennedy raised $10.7 million that month, $8 million of which came from her.
Anarchy hinders aid efforts in Gaza despite daily halt in fighting
The extreme anarchy that has gripped the Gaza Strip has made it extremely dangerous and difficult to distribute badly needed aid in the south, aid groups said, even as Israel observes daily pauses in fighting along the strip's main roads. Days after the pause in fighting, more than 1,000 truckloads of supplies remain stranded in the Gaza Strip near the Kerem Shalom border crossing with Israel, leaving thousands of tons of food, medicine and other supplies just miles from the Palestinians who need them. Threats of looting and attacks by militant groups have forced aid groups to halt aid distribution in southern Gaza.
Insulin pen shortage in South Africa sees global supply shift to weight loss drugs
South Africa's public health care system is running out of human insulin pens to provide to people with diabetes as the pharmaceutical industry shifts priorities to producing weight-loss drugs that are administered using a similar device. Novo Nordisk, which has supplied South Africa with human insulin pens for 10 years, has chosen not to renew its contract to supply 14 million pens over the next three years. Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy, which are widely prescribed for weight loss in the United States, are sold in disposable pens made by many of the same manufacturers that make multi-dose insulin pens.
Speaker Pelosi meets with Dalai Lama despite Chinese criticism
A high-level congressional delegation, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), visited the Dalai Lama's residence in India on Wednesday, a visit that was condemned in advance by the Chinese government, which considers the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader a separatist. The delegation, led by Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, arrived on Tuesday in Dharamsala, the Himalayan city where the Dalai Lama has lived since the 1960s. The visit comes days after Congress passed a bill calling on China to open dialogue with Tibetan leaders to find a solution to the long-standing conflict.
From the news agency
