Drop smartphones around children, Sweden tells parents

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — In a major expansion of its nationwide battle against digital distractions, the Swedish government is taking its anti-screen campaign directly into the home. The Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten) issued a sweeping directive to parents: drop your smartphones, put away your devices, and eliminate screens when spending time with your children.

The aggressive guidelines mark a shift from advising parents to merely "reflect" on their device habits to establishing concrete behavioral rules. The agency explicitly warned that parental smartphone addiction is actively damaging early childhood development, fracturing family interactions, and inadvertently teaching children unhealthy screen habits.

Lead by Example: The New Directives for ParentsThe updated public health framework places the responsibility of the "screen crisis" directly on adults. Health officials emphasize that children mimic what adults do, not just what they say, making parental self-regulation the first line of defense. The Public Health Agency's concrete mandates for parents include:

The "Put It Away" Rule: Put smartphones completely out of sight during dedicated time with children. Devices should only be accessed for emergency needs or during a shared, collaborative digital activity with the child.

Sanctuary Zones: Establish absolute "screen-free zones" within the household. Smartphones, tablets, and televisions are completely banned from the dining table during meals and inside bedrooms at night.

Modeling Habits: Parents must consciously build and display healthy boundaries with their own digital consumption to interrupt the generational cycle of screen reliance.

"Children are not only affected by what adults say, but also by what adults do. That's why small changes in everyday life can make a difference both for interactions in the present and for the child's own habits over time."
— Helena Frielingsdorf, Psychiatrist at the Public Health Agency of Sweden

The Strict Age Thresholds
The new guidelines for parents complement Sweden's strict, age-specific leisure screen-time limits for children and adolescents. The health authority continues to push back against tech platforms, maintaining some of the most stringent recommendations in Europe:

Age Group Recommended Daily Screen Limit Key Institutional Rule

Under 2 Years Old 0 Hours (Zero Exposure) Complete digital media abstinence

2 to 5 Years Old Maximum 1 Hour High parental co-viewing encouraged

6 to 12 Years Old Maximum 2 Hours No devices permitted in bedrooms

13 to 18 Years Old Maximum 3 Hours Mandatory device cutoff before bedtime


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you are a journalist, do a news report on Oyo abduction: NUT strike begins as Tinubu sends 1,000 forest guards

IBADAN, Nigeria — An atmosphere of profound anxiety and industrial gridlock has gripped Oyo State today, Monday, June 1, 2026, as public schools shut down completely. This followed an indefinite strike action ordered by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) over the prolonged captivity of dozens of schoolchildren and educators.
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The sweeping school closures coincide with an aggressive response from the presidency, which has approved the recruitment of 1,000 localized forest guards and deployed a high-tier tactical rescue squad to comb the South-West state’s vast border woodlands.
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Federal delegation assesses the security situation in Oyo State, AI generated
Federal delegation assesses the security situation in Oyo State. Source: Channels TV

Empty Classrooms as Teachers Withdraw Services
The NUT issued a binding directive on Sunday evening, forcing an absolute withdrawal of services across all public primary and secondary schools in Oyo State.
- OGUN STATE TELEVISION

The industrial action is a direct response to the traumatic mid-May mass kidnapping in Oriire Local Government Area near Ogbomoso. On May 15, armed bandits simultaneously raided three educational centers:
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Community Grammar School (Ahoro-Esiele)
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Baptist Nursery and Primary School
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L.A. Primary School
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The gunmen vanished into the dense thickets with 39 students—some as young as two years old—and 7 teachers. The raid turned violent when a mathematics teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was brutally beheaded, while a motorcyclist and a security operative tracking the attackers were also killed.
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In a joint circular by NUT National President Comrade Audu Titus Amba and Secretary General Dr. Clinton J. Ikpitibo, the union condemned the "horrifying, inhumane, and nightmarish conditions" facing the hostages.
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"Our members cannot return to the classrooms while their colleagues and children are being held at gunpoint in the forests. The strike is an absolute necessity to force urgent, coordinated state intervention."
— Statement from the NUT National Leadership
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The NUT has additionally ordered its state branches nationwide to organize mass solidarity rallies to demand radical improvements to school security architecture.
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The Presidency Fires Back: 1,000 Forest Guards and Tactical Intervention
In a bid to stem the rising panic and de-escalate the standoff with organized labor, a high-powered Federal Government delegation arrived in the affected Oriire communities on Sunday.
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Led by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, the team included National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu, and Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa.
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Femi Gbajabiamila leads a high-level security team to commiserate with families in Oriire LGA, AI generated
Femi Gbajabiamila leads a high-level security team to commiserate with families in Oriire LGA. Source: African Business Travel News Nigeria

Addressing terrified parents, local chiefs, and the Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, Gbajabiamila delivered an emergency executive order directly from President Bola Tinubu.

The federal emergency response strategy centers on three immediate directives:

1,000 Forest Rangers: President Tinubu approved the immediate recruitment and training of 1,000 forest guards, financed and managed in direct collaboration with Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration, to permanently clear the old Oyo National Park belt of criminal elements.
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Specialized Rescue Deployment: A heavily armed security squad with advanced tracking and rescue capabilities has been inserted into the zone. Officials emphasized the operation will be strictly "intelligence-led" to guarantee the safety of the young hostages.
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Permanent Military Footprint: The presidency is formally reviewing a desperate appeal by the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Alao, and other community stakeholders to build a permanent military base inside the porous Oriire boundary.
The Sun Nigeria

Regional Blame-Game Appears to Soften
The sheer scale of the crisis has temporarily silenced political finger-pointing. Governor Seyi Makinde expressed deep grief over the losses, revealing that the regional Amotekun security corps has lost over 200 operatives in ongoing anti-banditry struggles across Oyo State.
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"This is not the time to trade blame between federal, state, or local authorities," Makinde stated, standing alongside the federal delegates. "This is a moment for absolute unity to bring our children and teachers back alive."
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The delegation also paid an emotional visit to Mary Oyedokun, the widow of the slain mathematics teacher. Gbajabiamila extended the President’s personal condolences and a formal pledge that the government would provide long-term material support for her two young children.
The Sun Nigeria

As night falls on day one of the total school shutdown, the state remains at a complete standstill. All eyes are now fixed on the fringe forests of Ogbomoso, where a delicate, high-stakes tactical rescue mission is underway.
The Sun Nigeria

you are a journalist, do a news report on Otti hosts Super Eagles Chukwueze, unveils Abia stadium city plan

UMUAHIA, Nigeria — Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has officially unveiled a multi-billion naira blueprint for an ultra-modern "Abia Stadium City"—a flagship sports infrastructure project designed to position the state as a premier regional hub for sports development, tourism, and youth empowerment.

The ambitious master plan was announced at the Government House in Umuahia during a high-profile reception hosted by the Governor for Super Eagles and AC Milan winger, Samuel Chukwueze, who hails from the state.
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, AI generated
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti. Source: Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation

A Vision Beyond Football: The 'Stadium City' Blueprint
Speaking during th