Russian voters back referendum banning same-sex marriage

Russian voters supported a national referendum defining marriage exclusively as a union between one man and one woman.

The referendum, which included more than 200 constitutional amendments, also paves the way for Russian President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036 if he so chooses. 

The proposals, voted on by the public over the past seven days, were supported by more than two-thirds of voters, though the opposition maintains that the referendum was rigged from the start.

Alphonso David, president of the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy organization, slammed the gay marriage ban and said Putin is a "threat to the human rights of all."

“Russia is tripling down on its attacks on the basic human rights and dignity of LGBTQ people by adding constitutional prohibitions against marriage equality,” David said in a statement. “Putin and his administration used propaganda brochures leading up to the election promising a return to ‘traditional family values,’ using marriage between loving couples as a wedge to push through his nefarious agenda. It is shameful, manipulative and malicious."

The constitutional amendment comes after decades of legal and social oppression of LGBTQ people in Russia.

NBC News

NCDC blames rising cases on youths

INFECTED young people within age 20 and 40 bracket are responsible for the rapid spread of Coronavirus in the country, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said on Thursday.

The agency also restated that the elderly are the most vulnerable and urged the youth to take responsibility by ensuring they did  not get too close to the elderly.Director-General of the NCDC Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu stated this during Thursday’s briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 Control in Abuja

He said: “It is increasingly obvious that transmission among young people – between the age of 20 and 40 years – as far as we know, are really driving the spread of this virus. But those that are bearing the brunt of it are people aged 50 years and above.

“Three out of five people will die from COVID-19 at 50 and above. So, we have to work harder collectively to protect our elders.”

Chairman of the PTF Boss Musyapha warned that the Federal Government would not hesitate to change the course of its response to the disease, should the need arose.

Mustapha said the likely introduction of more measures to contain the virus was precipitated by observation  that the gradual  easing of restrictions globally  had led   a rise in positive cases .

The Nation