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Students around the world suffered huge learning setbacks during the pandemic, study finds

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:51 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Students around the world suffered historic setbacks in reading and math during the COVID-19 pandemic, with declines in test scores so widespread that the United States climbed in global rankings simply by falling behind less sharply, a new study finds.The state of global education was given a bleak appraisal in the Program for International Student Assessment, the first study to examine the academic progress of students in dozens of countries during the pandemic. Released Tuesday, it finds the average international math score fell by the equivalent of three-quarters of a year of learning. Reading scores fell by the equivalent of half a year.The setbacks spanned nations rich and poor, big and small, with few making progress. In the countries where students were tested, a quarter are now considered low performers in math, reading and science, meaning they struggle to perform basic math problems or interpret simple texts.Usually given every three years, the latest te...

Senior EU official warns of huge security risk in Europe over Christmas as Israel-Hamas war rages

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:51 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe faces a “huge risk of terrorist attacks” over the Christmas holiday period due to the fallout from the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, the European Union’s home affairs commissioner warned on Tuesday.The warning came as French investigators probe a fatal weekend attack near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Questions were raised about the mental health of the suspect, who swore allegiance to the extremist Islamic State group before stabbing a German-Filipino tourist to death and injuring two other people with a hammer.“With the war between Israel and Hamas, and the polarization it causes in our society, with the upcoming holiday season, there is a huge risk of terrorist attacks in the European Union,” EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson told reporters.“We saw (it happening) recently in Paris, unfortunately we have seen it earlier as well,” she said, as EU interior ministers gathered in Brussels....

Greater Toronto home sales fall amid affordability challenges but relief forecasted

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:51 GMT

TORONTO — Greater Toronto home sales fell six per cent last month compared with November 2022 despite an influx in new listings, as high borrowing costs and uncertain economic conditions persisted.The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board says last month’s 4,236 home sales were also down 8.7 per cent from the 4,640 sales in October.The board says a lack of affordability has taken its toll on the market, which remains sensitive to the current environment of high interest rates, but that relief seems to be on the horizon.TRREB president Paul Baron says that with an increasing number of forecasters anticipating Bank of Canada rate cuts in the first half of 2024, this would “help alleviate affordability issues for existing homeowners and those looking to enter the market.”The average home price reached $1,082,179, which was essentially flat compared with November 2022 as the market saw more supply come online.New listings rose 16.5 per cent to 10,545 in November compared ...

Crash on I-88 closes all lanes between exits 24, 25

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:51 GMT

DUANESBURG, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- According to 511 NY, a crash on I-88 has closed all lanes in both directions between Exit 24; US 20; NY 7 in Duanesburg, and Exit 25; NY 7 in Rotterdam. All lanes are closed eastbound, with one left lane of two closed westbound. Drivers in the area should seek alternate routes. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Check out NEWS10's traffic tracker. You can plan your route and see traffic delays in real-time!Little is known about the crash at this time. Stick with NEWS10 as more information becomes available on the crash.

EU education and training shows some encouraging trends but challenges remain, new report reveals

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:51 GMT

More and more young Europeans obtain a tertiary degree and the average number of early leavers from education and training is in decline. Those are some of the encouraging developments revealed by the 2023 edition of the Commission's Education and Training Monitor, launched by Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Commissioner Iliana Ivanova (pictured) at the European Education Summit last week.The Monitor also shows that almost two thirds of recent graduates from vocational education and training (VET) experienced work-based learning. On the other hand, the report highlights remaining challenges, such as the prevalent underachievement in basic skills, widespread inequity in education access and performance, the gender gap in tertiary qualifications, and the lack of women in STEM disciplines.The 2023 edition of the report zooms in on teacher shortages in Europe and the various efforts to make the teaching profession more attractive. Teacher shortages are an increasing c...

Horoscopes Dec. 5, 2023: Margaret Cho, eliminate delays and restrictions

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:51 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Frankie Muniz, 38; Amy Acker, 47; Margaret Cho, 55; John Rzeznik, 58.Happy Birthday: Slow down, consider your options and don’t let anyone sway you in the wrong direction. Eliminate delays and restrictions by handling matters yourself. The fewer people you involve in your plans, the easier it will be to reach your destination on time and successfully this year. Trusting your instincts and getting firsthand information will positively impact what you achieve this year. Your numbers are 4, 12, 15, 28, 36, 42, 49.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Put your money to good use and target what’s important to you. Update documents, contracts and investments to ensure you don’t miss an opportunity. Protect what you do to earn a living and how you handle your cash from people offering misleading information. 3 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Live, learn and move forward. Establish who and what you want to support and initiate your interest and contributi...

Word Game: Dec. 5, 2023

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:51 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — PURPORTS (PURPORTS: per-PORTS: Presents the often false appearance of being or intending.)Average mark 22 wordsTime limit 30 minutesCan you find 28 or more words in PURPORTS? The list will be published tomorrow.YESTERDAY’S WORD — MESCAL mace male meal mesa sale same scale scam seal seam slam calm came camel case clam acme alms lace lame laseTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at [email protected].

Ask Amy: Now I realize what stay-at-home spouses are complaining about

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:51 GMT

Dear Amy: I have a common question, but now that it has come up in my own household, it feels unique to our family.Related ArticlesAdvice | Ask Amy: Now we’re feeling weird about our daughter’s favorite toy Advice | Ask Amy: I’ll never forgive my sister-in-law for her question to my little girl Advice | Ask Amy: How can I avoid the vortex of the other grandmother? Advice | Ask Amy: He has resurrected this wedding drama and is using it against me Advice | Ask Amy: Should I tell my neighbor about her child’s bullying behavior? Before having children, my wife and I agreed that I would be the stay-at-home parent, and she would continue with her career.Fortunately, she has a fulfilling career that also pays enough to fully support our household.When we adopted our first child, I left my job and stayed home. It worked out well.Now we have two young children. My wife’s career has also in...

“The Squad,” Part 1: The Rise and (First) Fall of Bernie

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:51 GMT

When Bernie Sanders launched his first presidential campaign in early 2015, the political world could not have been more different than it is today. His run set in motion a movement — or, really, a series of movements that clashed and blended over the ensuing years, reshaping both the Democratic Party and the country. On today’s episode of Deconstructed, we’re trying something new: Host Ryan Grim narrates the audio version of his new book “The Squad: AOC and the Hope of a Political Revolution.” Macmillan Audio has allowed Deconstructed to run edited excerpts. But we’ve spliced Grim’s audiobook with interviews, speeches, and newscasts, making it into an audio documentary for the podcast. Our first episode takes you inside the first Sanders campaign, where we explore the tension between the right wing of the Democratic Party and Sanders’s “political revolution.” Part 2, coming out later this week, will look back at the historical forces that pushed members of the Squad into politics...

Freezing rain causes accidents that leave 3 dead in Germany while Munich airport suspends flights

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:51 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Freezing rain and cold weather buffeting Germany were blamed for traffic accidents that left three dead on Tuesday while Munich Airport temporarily suspended flights.One student was killed in a crash involving a school bus in the Erzgebirge mountains in the eastern German state of Saxony, police said. At least 10 other schoolchildren were taken to a hospital. Two adults, including the bus driver, were seriously injured. The bus skidded into the side of a winter road maintenance vehicle in Sehmatal county near the Czech border, German news agency dpa reported. It then crashed head-on into a tree and and the impact was so strong that it completely destroyed the front of the vehicle. In Munich, all flights were either canceled or postponed between 6 a.m. and noon (0500-1100 GMT), with the airport warning that many flights scheduled for later in the day might also be affected by the severe weather conditions.The airport, Germany’s second-biggest, announced the tempor...