Americans students falling behind international peers in math and science
American students are falling behind their international peers in math and science, according to a recently released government study. The National Center for Education Statistics conducted the study back in 2023.
Every four years, the group releases the results of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), which looks at fourth and eighth graders worldwide. The study was the first to be published since the COVID-19 pandemic, showing mixed outcomes across the globe.
The United States was among the countries that saw a decline. While American students still score above the international average, 4th graders’ math scores fell 18 points since 2019, and 8th graders’ scores went down 27 points. Researchers said this is the biggest drop the U.S. has seen since participating in 1995.
When it comes to science, American students’ scores weren’t measurably different between 2019 and 2023, but 4th graders’ scores have dropped since the TIMSS was first administered.
Overall, the gaps between the highest- and lowest-performing students are widening internationally. While there’s no consensus as to what’s causing the decline for American students, many educators say the rise of smartphones, changes in standards and pandemic-related school closures likely played a role.
Vaccine injury compensation program should be created to build trust: Report
The House Committee on the Coronavirus released its final 557-page report with key recommendations for how to handle the next pandemic. Overall, lawmakers said individual states need to better prepare and the U.S. needs to be less reliant on foreign supplies.
Here are the details of the recommendations:
The U.S. must reduce its reliance on other countries for pharmaceuticals and medical supplies.
Many of the medications Americans take are manufactured overseas, while the active ingredients and chemical compounds used to make them are overwhelmingly made in China.
The committee said in addition to reducing dependence on foreign nations, drug manufacturers must be more upfront with the Food and Drug Administration when they have supply issues.
The strategic national stockpile was designed as a “short-term, stopgap buffer” –– it was never meant to handle a national emergency.
States are not currently required to maintain their own stockpile, but the committee said they should because they’d have guaranteed access and faster deployment.
A robust and transparent vaccine injury compensation program is necessary for promoting trust in vaccines.
The committee said the federal government must foster trust in vaccines. To do that they should create an adjudication and compensation program for injuries vaccines may cause.
The report also touched on the shortcomings of the pandemic response. It said long-term school closures and six-foot social distancing weren’t supported by science, and lockdowns led to more than 160,000 businesses closing, 60% of which were permanent.
Cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah holding so far
The cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah marks a step toward peace in the Middle East, but what happens now in Gaza where Israel is still at war with Hamas? And rain or shine — but not wind — revelers get ready to celebrate in New York City at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024.
Cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah holding so far
A cease-fire deal between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon is holding, so far.
President Joe Biden announced the deal — which the United States and France helped broker — on Tuesday, Nov. 26. Israel and Hezbollah have agreed on an initial 60-day cease-fire, which sets the stage for a lasting truce.
Already, long-displaced residents of parts of Lebanon have started returning to their homes, hopeful the tenuous agreement will be extended beyond two months. That’s despite the Israeli military warning people to stay away from previously evacuated areas.
Israel has said if Hezbollah breaks the cease-fire agreement, it will attack.
Following the directive of the political echelon, the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon took effect at 04:00 today, and the IDF has been operating accordingly. IDF troops are stationed at their positions in southern Lebanon.
Over the past hour, the IDF identified a vehicle with…
During the 60-day truce, Hezbollah fighters are to retreat at least 25 miles from the border with Israel and Israeli forces will withdraw from Lebanese territory.
The agreement does not address the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, another Iran-backed militant group, in Gaza. However, Hamas has said it is ready for a truce.
“So, now Hamas has a choice to make,” President Biden said on Tuesday. “Their only way out is to release the hostages, including American citizens, which they hold. In the process, bring an end to the fighting, which would make possible a surge of humanitarian relief. Over the coming days, the United States will make another push with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.”
Biden told reporters he’s hopeful he’ll help achieve a cease-fire in Gaza before the end of his term in January. If not, President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East, though he has not yet said how.
Trump picks nominations for NIH, trade
President-elect Trump has kept busy this holiday week. On Tuesday night, he announced new picks to join his administration.
Among them, Trump nominated Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to serve as the director of the National Institutes of Health. As head of the NIH, the Stanford University professor would work alongside Trump’s pick for health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Bhattacharya, who also has a doctorate in economics, became known for opposing lockdown restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) November 27, 2024
Trump also selected Jamieson Greer to lead the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Greer is no stranger to the department, having served as chief of staff to the trade representative during Trump’s first term — which saw tariffs imposed on Chinese goods and the signing of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement.
Greer served as a lawyer in the Air Force and is currently a partner in international trade at the law firm King and Spalding.
Both of these nominations will need Senate confirmation.
Australia’s House passes bill to ban kids under 16 from social media
The bill would make platforms such as Tiktok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to $50 million ($33 million USD) for failing to prevent young children from holding accounts.
Australia’s communications minister Michelle Rowland introduced a world-first law into Parliament on Thursday that would ban children younger than 16 from social media, saying online safety was one of parents’ toughest challenges. pic.twitter.com/K0zui1wHLv
The legislation passed 102-13 in Australia’s House of Representatives and now moves on to the Senate. If the bill becomes law, social media companies would have one year to figure out how to implement the age restrictions before they are enforced.
More than 3,000 fake name-brand electric guitars seized in California
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it seized more than 3,000 fake electric guitars in Southern California. CBP said the knockoffs were destined for the e-commerce market, just in time for holiday gift shopping.
CBP said if the guitars were real, they would be worth about $18 million. Most of the fakes look like Gibson brand guitars, but some were supposedly from other well-known companies such as Fender.
Federal authorities would not release any details about suspects in the investigation or where the counterfeit guitars came from.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to go on, rain or shine
A Macy’s spokesperson told the New York Post the parade will proceed regardless of wet weather — good news for the expected 3.5 million people who will be along the parade route and the estimated 30 million watching at home. However, wind could pose a problem.
The spokesperson told the Post, “Based on the city’s guidelines, no giant character balloon will be operated when there are sustained wind conditions exceeding 23 miles per hour and wind gusts greater than 34 miles per hour on the parade route.”
So far, according to weather reports, the winds should not be a problem, and all 32 balloons should be able to fly. New ones this year include Minnie Mouse and Spider-Man, which is marking its return to the parade for the first time in a decade.
Happy Thanksgiving from Straight Arrow News
With Thursday being Thanksgiving, as you get ready to gather around the table with your family, we wanted to take this time for you to get to know ours a little better. In the video above, members of our Straight Arrow News team have special messages about what they’re thankful for this holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!
California health officials warn bird flu detected in batch of raw milk
Health officials raised concerns about the presence of bird flu in raw milk. California officials warned on Sunday, Nov. 24, that a batch of raw milks sold in the state tested positive for the virus.
State officials said that they found H5N1 in whole raw milk from “Raw Farm” with a “best by” date of Nov. 27, 2024.
There have been no reported illnesses linked to the specific product. Nationwide, there are not yet any known cases of humans contracting bird flu through drinking raw milk.
Still, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned against drinking raw milk because it does not undergo a pasteurization process that kills bacteria and viruses.
California’s health department maintains that pasteurized milk remains safe to drink.
Most U.S. bird flu cases in people have been discovered in farmworkers who worked directly with infected animals.
China grants visa-free access to more countries to boost tourism
China is opening up visa-free access to more countries in an effort to kickstart its struggling economy through tourism. Beijing announced on Friday, Nov. 22, that it will expand the visa-free program to nine additional countries including Japan, Bulgaria, Romania, Malta, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Estonia and Latvia.
China also announced it will be extending the possible length of stay from 15 days to 30 days for travelers from visa-free countries.
The new travel rules will go into effect on Saturday, Nov. 30.
Only three countries had visa-free privileges previously and that access was rescinded during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Japan was one of the three countries with visa-free access before the COVID-19 pandemic and had repeatedly asked for an early waiver to restart the program.
The countries have sparred over issues ranging from Taiwanese sovereignty to the release of treated yet still radioactive water into the sea from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
Meanwhile, travel agencies are reportedly preparing for an influx of tourists as the end of the month approaches.
From July through September of this year, China reported more than 8 million foreigners entering the country, and of those, nearly 5 million were from visa-free countries.
With the latest expansion, 38 countries now have visa-free access since last year.
Hospitalized Canadian teen with H5N1 had no known prior exposure to virus
A Canadian teen’s bird flu infection is raising questions about the transmission of the virus. As the teen slipped into critical condition on Tuesday, Nov. 12, with a life-threatening lung condition, doctors are still working to figure out how the infection occurred with no known exposure to infected people or animals.
The individual, who has not been identified by name or gender, reportedly never went on a farm and all pets in their home have tested negative for H5N1. Meanwhile, contact tracing is ongoing among 35 to 40 people including medical workers with known contact with the teen.
This is reportedly the first case of bird flu in Canada since 2014. It is similar to a case of a Missouri teen with no known prior exposure to H5N1 earlier this year.
U.S. officials are reportedly in contact with Canadian health authorities, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offered assistance to Canada if needed.
The CDC reported that 45 of the 46 confirmed bird flu cases in the United States have come from farm workers exposed to the infection.
The Canadian teen’s case comes as a U.S. Congressional report urged the United States to ready for a “pandemic influenza response” before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. The report pushing for more protective equipment, testing and antiviral treatments as virologists warn that the virus’ transmission may be evolving.
Despite the concerns, the World Health Organization (WHO) still rates the risk of human-to-human transmission of bird flu as “unlikely.”
However, the CDC has expanded bird flu testing to all farmworkers even those without symptoms of the virus, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has expanded the testing of milk.
Fauci received $15M in security since leaving office, documents reveal
Former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci received $15 million in taxpayer-funded security after his retirement in December 2022, documents obtained by Open the Books reveal. The protective detail, provided by the U.S. Marshals Service through an agreement with Health and Human Services, covered security services for Fauci from January 2023 through September 2024.
The security arrangement, unprecedented for a former federal employee, included a chauffeur, full security staff, and transportation services. The U.S. Marshals Service, which typically focuses on protecting judges and witnesses, has faced budget constraints in recent years, and this level of protection has raised concerns about resource allocation.
Fauci, who served as the face of the U.S. pandemic response, said he continues to receive death threats due to his high-profile role and frequent public criticism, which he claims has put him at greater risk.
AP Images
Critics question the fairness of the arrangement, pointing to other public figures who have not received similar taxpayer-funded security. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who ran for president earlier this year, had to pay for private security after being denied Secret Service protection multiple times, despite facing documented threats.
Fauci’s security funding contrasts with the Marshals Service’s recent request for $28 million to better fulfill its primary responsibilities, which include protecting federal judges.
US expands bird flu testing to all farm workers exposed to infected animals
Concerns over the spread of bird flu are prompting the United States government to make changes. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Thursday, Nov. 7, that all farm workers exposed to animals with bird flu should be tested for the virus even if they have not experienced symptoms.
The CDC’s new recommendation comes as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is also expanding testing of milk for bird flu.
The department announced last week that it would begin testing bulk milk for bird flu. This comes after mounting pressure from industry and veterinary groups.
Meanwhile, workers are reportedly avoiding testing over economic concerns or because their symptoms are mild. Infectious disease experts note that as the virus spreads, the risk of it moving to human-to-human increases, which could spark a pandemic.
The CDC has reported 46 human cases of bird flu since April. However, scientists believe the numbers are higher due to underreporting.
Recent tests among 115 dairy workers in Michigan and Colorado who were exposed to infected cows found evidence of a prior infection in eight workers. Of those eight workers who showed antibodies to H5N1, only half said they recalled experiencing symptoms from the virus.
These findings show the federal response to the outbreak has been lackluster, according to researchers. They added the studies should’ve been done months ago and should’ve been prioritized.
The CDC’s expanded testing comes after two pigs on an Oregon farm tested positive for the virus a week apart. Virologists say the findings are concerning because pig infections have been a source of prior human pandemics.
H5N1 has now reportedly been confirmed in at least 46 cattle herds in 15 states across the U.S.
Former California supervisor pleads guilty to COVID-19 bribery scheme
A recently resigned Orange County supervisor in California has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery in a COVID relief funds misuse scheme. Former supervisor Andrew Do resigned shortly after his plea, as part of plea agreement.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Do agreed to a plea agreement with federal authorities. In his plea, he admitted he accepted over $550,000 in bribes to cast votes on the board of supervisors starting in 2020.
These votes directed more than $10 million in COVID-19 relief funds to the Viet America Society. His daughter worked as an officer with the group.
Federal authorities say the Viet America Society is an organization that claimed to feed the elderly and disabled. Instead of using the funds for meals, the group spent some COVID relief funds on real estate.
Federal officials reported that only 15% of over $9 million allocated to the group was used for meals.
“I have great sorrow for my actions,” Do said in court Thursday.
He is facing up to five years in prison.
Do’s daughter is coopering with investigators, according to authorities. They don’t expect to charge with any crimes.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States in 2020, the federal government granted small businesses and unemployed workers funds to help them survive the disruption caused by the pandemic.
Earlier this year, LexisNexis Risk Management estimated COVID-19 aid fraud tops $1 trillion.
The Internal Revenue Service released figures in March of this year. The figures show that nearly 800 individuals have been indicted for possible COVID-related crimes and 373 have been sentenced to an average of 34 months in federal prison.
The concept of “gentle parenting” has become more and more popular in recent years. It’s the practice of moving away from the more traditional discipline-oriented style known as “authoritative parenting,” but what exactly does that entail and does it work?
A pair of researchers set out to learn more on gentle parenting and shared their findings.
The researchers found gentle parenting tends to focus on three things. The first is parents regulating their own emotions — like always staying calm even if they’re angry. The second is helping their children identify and manage their emotions. The third is a strong emphasis on physical and emotional affection.
This study is the first of its kind to see if the concept of gentle parenting actually works. It turns out, gentle parenting tactics may actually make things harder for parents in the long run.
The study’s researchers found more than 40% of self-proclaimed gentle parents they spoke to said they were experiencing burnout and self-doubt over the pressure to meet these parenting standards. When paired with the constant flood of advice from social media – where many parents turned amid the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic – it can ultimately do more harm than good.
In fact, parents are so stressed, the U.S. Surgeon General just released an advisory over it in August. According to the advisory, there are 63 million parents living with children under 18 in the United States. About 1 in 3 of them (33%) reported high levels of stress compared to 20% of other adults
When stress is severe or prolonged, experts say it can impact every aspect of life. It can cause physical symptoms, like headaches and digestive issues, mental symptoms such as irritability and difficulty concentrating, behavioral changes, like avoiding people or places, sleep issues and can lead to substance use and abuse — to name a few.
So, if gentle parenting is not effective, what should take its place?
Recently, there’s been a spike in interest in what’s called “lighthouse parenting.” It’s a concept that proponents say is the middle ground between being overprotective and overindulgent.
