CDC mask mandate for travelers struck down by federal judge
This post was originally published on this siteA federal judge in Florida struck down on Monday the Biden administration’s mask mandate for airplanes and other public transport methods.
World Bank cuts annual global growth forecast, blaming Ukraine war, inflation
The World Bank cut its annual global growth forecast for 2022 from 4.1 percent to 3.2 percent on Monday, as record levels of inflation and the Russian invasion of Ukraine continue to impact the world’s economic prospects, CNBC reports.
The single largest factor in the reduced growth forecast was a projected contraction of 4.1 percent across Europe and Central Asia, World Bank President David Malpass told reporters, per Reuters. The region in question comprises both Ukraine and Russia.
Malpass also cited higher food and fuel costs in developed countries — developments both exacerbated in part by Russia’s invasion — as factors in the economic slowdown. Western sanctions on Russian energy imports have “driven up the price of oil and gas worldwide,” while disruptions to Ukraine’s agricultural exports have done the same for food, CNBC writes.
The revised projection, down almost a full percentage point, arrives as global policymakers gather in Washington, D.C. this week for spring meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, The New York Times reports.
“We begin this spring meeting facing severe overlapping crisis,” Malpass told reporters, per the Times. “There’s COVID, inflation, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
Such disruptions are also expected to cause a surge in global poverty rates, Malpass said.
Prior to the war, “analysts had predicted that Ukraine’s GDP would rise sharply in the coming years,” CNBC writes. Now both the Russi and Ukrainian economies are expected to take major hits.
Florida rejects 71 percent of K-5 math textbook submissions, citing concerns about critical race theory
Florida’s department of education announced Friday that it had rejected 54 of the 132 math textbooks submitted for adoption by the state’s public education system, claiming some of them taught critical race theory, NPR reported Monday.
According to a press release, Florida Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran rejected 41 percent of the textbooks submitted — the most in Florida history — including 71 percent of books intended for grades kindergarten through five.
“Reasons for rejecting textbooks included references to Critical Race Theory (CRT), inclusions of Common Core, and the unsolicited addition of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in mathematics,” the press release reads.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) banned the teaching of critical race theory in Florida schools last year after replacing the national Common Core targets in math and reading with Florida’s Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (BEST) standards the year before, per NPR. Social emotional learning is an educational practice that aims to help students develop social and emotional skills as they engage with the curriculum. One teaching blog suggests incorporating SEL into math classes by asking students, “How did today’s math make you feel?”
DeSantis praised Corcoran for rejecting such a large percentage of the submitted textbooks. “It seems that some publishers attempted to slap a coat of paint on an old house built on the foundation of Common Core, and indoctrinating concepts like race essentialism, especially, bizarrely, for elementary school students,” the governor said.
On Monday, DeSantis’ press secretary Christina Pushaw shared a tweet from anti-CRT activist Christopher Rufo. Rufo’s screenshot shows a “K-12 Math Ethnic Studies Framework” used by Seattle public schools. The framework requires students to be able to “identify how math has been and continues to be used to oppress and marginalize people and communities of color.”
“This is what we want to avoid in Florida,” Pushaw wrote. “The corporate media will gaslight you by claiming CRT isn’t really in math instruction, but it is.”
This is what we want to avoid in Florida. The corporate media will gaslight you by claiming CRT isn't really in math instruction, but it is. And it would be here if we didn't have @GovRonDeSantis @EducationFL taking action to prevent it. https://t.co/qwsqbFUVo0— Christina Pushaw 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) April 18, 2022
Democrats Reject GOP Attempts to Upload Hunter Biden’s Laptop into Congressional Record: Report
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Missiles Rain Down on Lviv as Russia Steps Up Attacks in Ukraine
This post was originally published on this sitePAVLO PALAMARCHUK/Reuters At least six people were killed Monday as Russian rockets rained down on Lviv, the western Ukrainian city that has seen a huge influx of refugees from the war-ravaged east. The bombardment came as the Russian invaders, still smarting after the...
Congress seeks compromise to boost computer chip industry
This post was originally published on this siteCongress is looking to boost computer chip manufacturing and research in the United States with billions of dollars from the federal government.
Zelensky: Russia wants to destroy Donbas region
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Beto O’Rourke threads careful needle on border policy as Democrats grapple with the issue
This post was originally published on this site By James Barragán and Patrick Svitek, The Texas Tribune April 18, 2022. Beto O’Rourke had called for an end to Title 42 for months. He said the emergency health order from the federal government, which allows officials to turn away migrants at...
Utilities Want to Convert Coal Plants to Nuclear; Skeptics Abound
This post was originally published on this siteStates and utilities are looking at placing small nuclear reactors at former coal plants, but the technology and economics remain unproven.
As Roe v. Wade hangs in the balance, Democratic candidates prioritize abortion rights in 2022
This post was originally published on this siteStates across the country are rolling back access to abortion, and the fate of Roe v. Wade is up in the air — two factors that Democrats believe could elevate the issue of abortion rights this midterm cycle to a level not reached...
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