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Many students will remain undereducated in basic skills post-pandemic

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:36 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) —The pandemic, for most, is in the rear-view mirror, but some of its impacts are still lingering in our schools.  According to a new study, nearly every student in grades K-12 experienced some kind of COVID learning loss. The year and a half or two years that kids were out of school or in an untraditional environment really hurt their progress long-term. It seems that the programs, like tutoring and summer school, weren’t enough.   DougCo school board member resigns during meeting, walks out The Center For Research On Education Outcomes team at Stanford University conducted a study and tracked learning patterns in 16 states to see how recovery efforts will affect students’ academic careers and found that only about 75% percent of students will hit 12th-grade benchmarks – meaning one-quarter will remain undereducated.  Teachers said they’ve noticed a basic lack of study skills, digital distractions, mental health burdens, and lack of skills in collaborating with oth...

Man arrested at Virginia preschool with an AK-47 in his vehicle after saying he was headed to the CIA, police say

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:36 GMT

(CNN) — A man who told police he was headed for the CIA has been arrested at a Virginia preschool for felony possession of a firearm on school property, Fairfax County police said.Florida resident Eric Sandow, 32, was arrested Tuesday at Dolley Madison Preschool in McLean after police said he was trespassing on school grounds.Fairfax County Police say they recovered two weapons, including an AK-47, after they conducted a search of his vehicle.Sandow told police he was headed to the CIA, they said.This is a developing story and will be updated.

Man accused of ramming U-Haul into barriers near White House praised Hitler after his arrest, court filings say

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:36 GMT

(CNN) — The man accused of crashing a U-Haul truck into a security barrier near the White House Monday night praised Adolf Hitler to investigators after his arrest and said that he aimed to “kill the President” if necessary to overthrow the government and install himself in power, according to court documents.Sai Varshith Kandula, 19, of Chesterfield, Missouri, is in custody and has been charged in federal court with one count of depredation of property of the United States in excess of $1,000. US Park Police originally arrested Kandula on several charges, including threatening to kill or harm a president, vice president or family member. It’s possible that prosecutors add additional charges as the case progresses.Kandula, in handcuffs and wearing a t-shirt and shorts, appeared in DC Superior Court Tuesday afternoon, US Park Police told CNN, and was held in custody without bail. He has not yet entered a formal plea in federal court – where his case is expected to continue with an in...

PMQs scorecard: Starmer and Sunak test out election lines but dodge Braverman and Boris rows

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:36 GMT

Prime minister’s questions: a shouty, jeery, very occasionally useful advert for British politics. Here’s what you need to know from this week’s session in POLITICO’s weekly run-through.What they sparred about: Turns out PMQs is good for something: the two leaders at least offered a useful preview of the next election campaign Wednesday lunchtime. Keir Starmer pressed Rishi Sunak on migration — ahead of an official stats drop Thursday that is expected to show a big rise in numbers coming to the U.K. Labour timed a handy policy announcement to go with the clash too, promising to end a discount for employers on hiring overseas workers to jobs where there are labor shortages. The opposition boss then moved on to the (arguably) more comfortable terrain for his party of increasing training and apprenticeships for British workers. Sunak hit back, claiming Starmer has “no ideas” on migration. And he seized on some more positive economic news for a government that’s made c...

Germany cracks down on climate activists after Scholz calls protest group ‘nutty’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:36 GMT

By GEIR MOULSON and FRANK JORDANS (Associated Press)BERLIN (AP) — German police raided 15 properties linked to the Last Generation climate activist group Wednesday, seizing assets as part of an investigation into its finances in a sign of growing impatience with disruptive protest tactics also seen in other European countries.Members of the group have repeatedly blocked roads across Germany in an effort to pressure the government to take more drastic action against climate change. In recent weeks, they have brought traffic to a halt on an almost daily basis in Berlin, gluing themselves to busy intersections and highways. Over the past year, they have also targeted various artworks and exhibits. The raids, ordered by Munich prosecutors, come days after Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that he thought it was “completely nutty to somehow stick yourself to a painting or on the street.” Leading figures with the environmentalist Green party, part of his governing coalition, h...

Gallery: Armed Forces Day and Military Spouse Appreciation Day

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:36 GMT

Armed Forces Day and Military Spouse Appreciation Day celebrated at Boston City Hall

Bye-bye Bay State: High housing costs and low transportation reliability driving outmigration

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:36 GMT

Congestion, cost of living, transportation reliability, workforce shortages, and talent outflow have led to the highest rate of outmigration Massachusetts has experienced in the last three decades, according to a report released Monday.The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation found that more than 110,900 people left the state between April 2020 and July 2022. And some of the trends pushing residents out of Massachusetts might sound all too familiar to those still here.“We’re seeing the future of our workforce, people aged 26 to 35, high wage residents, and those in key sectors, dominate the outflow of residents and talent. Massachusetts is facing a critical moment and it is imperative we address these challenges promptly to secure a prosperous future for our commonwealth,” Mass. Taxpayers Foundation President Doug Howgate said in a statement.With people leaving, Howgate said the historical abundance of highly educated and skilled workers and continuous influx of fresh talent from loca...

Stock market today: US futures follow global markets lower as US debt worries mount

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:36 GMT

BEIJING — U.S. markets followed global stock markets lower early Wednesday as the U.S. government crept closer to a catastrophic debt default.Futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined more than 0.3%.The longstanding Washington debate over the size and scope of the federal government now has just days to be resolved, with the Treasury Department saying the government risks running out of cash to pay its bills next week. Negotiators are expected to convene Wednesday for another round of talks as frustration mounts.The political standoff is tipping the country closer to a crisis, roiling financial markets and threatening the global economy. Anxious retirees and social service groups are among those making default contingency plans.Failure to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, now at $31 trillion, would risk a potentially chaotic federal default, almost certain to inflict economic turmoil at home and abroad. Republicans in Washington are pressing for cuts i...

Man, woman, 2 boys facing more than 30 charges in Toronto robbery investigation

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:36 GMT

Four people are under arrest and facing more than 30 charges following an armed robbery investigation in Toronto.Toronto police responded to a robbery at a retail store on Monday in the Finch Avenue East and Kennedy Road area of Scarborough.It is alleged that a group of four suspects drove to the store in the same vehicle. Upon arrival, two boys from the vehicle entered the store while wearing masks.Police say one of the boys pulled a knife on a worker inside and the pair left the business with the employee’s cellphone, cannabis, and a quantity of cash. The group of four drove away from the scene.Investigators from the Toronto police Hold Up Squad were able to track down the vehicle and took the group into custody. Police say officers seized a number of items related to the investigation at the time of the arrests.Police also executed a search warrant at an address where they recovered two loaded guns.The following four suspects are facing a combined 31 charges.Brandon William...

CPP Investments reports 1.3 per cent return for its latest fiscal year

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:36 GMT

TORONTO — The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board earned a net return of 1.3 per cent in its latest fiscal year as inflation and rising interest rates weighed on both stock and fixed-income markets.The board says the investment gains combined with net transfers from the Canada Pension Plan brought its net assets to $570 billion at March 31, up from $539 billion a year earlier.CPP Investments says the increase included $8 billion in net income and $23 billion in net transfers from the Canada Pension Plan.It says the gain for its latest fiscal year reflected returns on investments in infrastructure and certain U.S. dollar-denominated private equity and credit assets, which benefited from foreign exchange, while external investment managers using quantitative, equity, and fixed-income trading strategies also contributed positively to results. CPP Investments says its performance was partially offset by declines in both equities and fixed income across major markets as high inflation a...