"I'm here because I'm very worried about the future for my children," Frances Aramovich of Denver told CNN on May 1, 1999. Aramovich was one of thousands of protesters at the NRA 's annual meeting that day, less than two weeks after the Columbine High School shootings had taken place on April 20. "I despair if guns are going to remain as readily available as they are now." More than two decades on, the pro-gun National Rifle Association (NRA) is holding its 2022 annual meeting in Houston, Texas, from May 27, just three days after a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, also in Texas, that killed 19 children and two teachers. The meeting is set to feature a host of prominent NRA members as well as former president Donald Trump , who is close to the group. The timing of this year's convention has proved controversial in the wake of a mass shooting that has sparked renewed discussion about rights to gun ownership in the United States. Among those who have … [Read more...] about NRA convention was also held just days after Columbine
Education k 12
India’s GDP to take a big hit due to pandemic-linked learning losses for students: ADB study
The gross domestic product (GDP) of India, which is among the countries with the longest school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, would see the highest decline in South Asia due to learning losses for the young, a new working paper published by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has reckoned. Starting with a $10.5 billion dent in 2023, the country’s economy could take a nearly $99 billion hit by 2030, translating into a 3.19% reduction in GDP from the baseline growth trends, according to the paper on ‘Potential Economic Impact of COVID-19 related School Closures’. India may thus account for over 10% of the global GDP decline of $943 billion estimated by the ADB on account of earning losses in 2030, with jobs for skilled labour expected to decline by 1%, and unskilled labour by 2% that year. “India has notable enrolment in secondary education and among students in rural areas. Pandemic-induced school closures have also been more extensive there,” the paper noted. Economies … [Read more...] about India’s GDP to take a big hit due to pandemic-linked learning losses for students: ADB study
Airline launches ticket sales for Gatwick-New York return flights from £255
A Norwegian airline has started selling tickets for budget transatlantic flights from Gatwick. Norse Atlantic Airways is offering return trips to New York JFK from £255. Daily flights on the route begin on August 12 using Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Other US destinations to be served by the carrier will be announced shortly. Recommended What Rishi Sunak announced to tackle the cost of living crisis More Tory MPs withdraw support from PM over ‘shameful’ parties The airline is hoping to succeed where Norwegian Air Shuttle failed. Norwegian operated transatlantic flights with low fares but axed its long-haul operations in January 2021 due to heavy losses. It was founded by Bjorn Kjos , who resigned as chief executive in July 2019 and holds a minority stake in Norse. Bjorn Tore Larsen, boss of Norse, said: “We are very pleased to now be able to welcome customers looking to book great value flights between London Gatwick … [Read more...] about Airline launches ticket sales for Gatwick-New York return flights from £255
The names: 19 children, 2 teachers killed in Uvalde school
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 12 ULVALDE, Texas (AP) — Nineteen children were looking forward to a summer filled with Girl Scouts and soccer and video games. Two teachers were closing out a school year that they started with joy and that had held such promise. They're the 21 people who were killed Tuesday when an 18-year-old gunman barricaded himself in a fourth-grade classroom at Robb Elementary School in the southwestern Texas town of Uvalde. Some families have been willing to share their stories with The Associated Press and other media. Others asked for privacy. Here are their names. Nevaeh Alyssa Bravo, 10 Her aunt noted that Nevaeh’s first name is heaven spelled backward. In a Facebook posting, Yvonne White described Nevaeh and her friend Jailah Silguero as “Our Angels.” ___ Jacklyn Cazares, 9 Javier Cazares said his daughter was someone who would … [Read more...] about The names: 19 children, 2 teachers killed in Uvalde school
Donald Trump and the Rise of Plutocracy
Of the things Donald Trump has said since he began hinting at a presidential candidacy, the one that most requires challenging is his assertion that people keep asking him to run. Journalists are vigilant defenders of truth when the subject is President Obama's birthplace or OPEC prices. They are credulous when it comes to explaining populist movements. They assume the impetus always comes from the demand side. People are "fed up"! There is an "anti-incumbent sentiment" in the air! Such demand-side sentiments can explain a lot—but not why certain members of the public might wish to be governed by a billionaire yahoo. For that, it is just as important to look at the supply side. Trump's candidacy comes from a sociological fact—the steady rise of plutocracy over the last quarter century—as well as a public sentiment. The truth is not universally enough acknowledged that a man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of political influence. Diversifying one's portfolio to include … [Read more...] about Donald Trump and the Rise of Plutocracy
Viral tweet of Ted Cruz using template for all mass shootings debunked
A viral tweet that claims to show Senator Ted Cruz using a template to identically respond to mass shootings in the U.S. has been debunked by a CNN reporter. The tweet in question contains an image that appears to show 12 tweets from the Texas Republican using the same language to react to mass shootings, changing only the name of the location where they occur. "These mass shootings happen so much that Ted Cruz really got a template ready to tweet whenever they occur," Twitter user @1DOPEKEV wrote. Responding to the tweet, CNN reporter Daniel Dale, who fact checks political claims wrote Thursday: "This viral tweet is filled with phony images of stuff Ted Cruz didn't actually tweet. The pictured Cruz tweet about the Uvalde shooting is real, but the rest of the images are fake. I added Xs over the phony ones." Cruz's tweet immediately reacting to the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that claimed the lives of 21 people including 19 children at Robb Elementary School on … [Read more...] about Viral tweet of Ted Cruz using template for all mass shootings debunked
Julianne Moore and Melissa Joan Hart joined activists for a march to end gun violence
On the eve of Mother's Day, actresses Julianne Moore and Melissa Joan Hart joined hundreds of other activists in marching across New York City's Brooklyn Bridge to demand an end to gun violence in the country. "I fervently believe this is not a partisan issue. This is not an anti-gun or pro-gun argument. This is not a Second Amendment issue, and does not deserve to be hotly debated as such. It is a safety issue," Moore told the crowd gathered in Manhattan Saturday afternoon. The New York chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, which advocates for reforms to reduce gun violence, organized the annual event, now in its fourth year, to spread the organization's message that the country needs stronger gun laws. Hundreds of supporters—parents, children, celebrities and survivors of gun violence—marched from the base of the bridge in Brooklyn into Manhattan, chanting, "What do we want? Gun sense! When do we want it? Now!" They carried photos of gun-violence victims and … [Read more...] about Julianne Moore and Melissa Joan Hart joined activists for a march to end gun violence
Her daughter was shot on live TV. Now she’s marching to demand gun control
Alison Parker had a close relationship with her mom. On Mother's Day in 2015, she took both of her parents wine-tasting and hiking around the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. And every Monday, she met her mom after her morning shift ended at the local news station to share lunch and do some shopping. "Those are the things I miss," Barbara Parker tells Newsweek . The world watched in horror when Alison, a 24-year-old reporter, was fatally shot on live TV on August 26, 2015, along with her colleague Adam Ward, a 27-year-old photojournalist, both with WDBJ7. The two were conducting a live interview at Bridgewater Plaza in Moneta, Virginia, when a gunman approached and killed them. The suspect, later identified as a former employee at their Roanoke news station, fatally shot himself before police could apprehend him. Much of the aftermath of the shooting played out on social media, as the suspect posted video footage and updates to Twitter as he fled. "For lack of better words, … [Read more...] about Her daughter was shot on live TV. Now she’s marching to demand gun control
Trump in 2012 on Newtown shootings: “Obama spoke for me and every American”
President Barack Obama spoke at a vigil on December 16, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut, two days after the fatal shooting of 20 first-graders and six educators in the town's Sandy Hook Elementary School. "We can't tolerate this anymore," he said. "These tragedies must end. And to end them, we must change. We will be told that the causes of such violence are complex, and that is true. No single law—no set of laws—can eliminate evil from the world, or prevent every senseless act of violence in our society. But that can't be an excuse for inaction. Surely, we can do better than this." The massacre prompted Obama and the victims' families to launch a huge political campaign for stronger gun laws, which abruptly ended four months later when the Senate failed to pass a comprehensive background-checks bill. In response to Obama's speech three and a half years ago, Donald Trump—who then was simply a private citizen, not running for the highest office in the land— tweeted in support of … [Read more...] about Trump in 2012 on Newtown shootings: “Obama spoke for me and every American”
Russia-Ukraine live updates | Stop playing with Russia, end war: Zelensky tells West
Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the West to stop playing around with Russia and impose tougher sanctions on Moscow to end its "senseless war" in Ukraine, adding his country would remain independent, the only question was at what price. Mr. Zelensky's criticism of the West has mounted in recent days as the European Union moves slowly towards a possible Russian oil embargo and as thousands of Russian forces try to encircle two key eastern cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk. Meanwhile, United States officials say the Biden administration is aiming to lead the international bloc opposed to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine into a broader coalition to counter what it sees as a more serious, long-term threat to global order from China. Read more news on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis here. MOSCOW More than 5,000 Ukrainian prisoners held in breakaway region, says separatist leader A pro-Russian separatist leader in East Ukraine said that more than 5,000 … [Read more...] about Russia-Ukraine live updates | Stop playing with Russia, end war: Zelensky tells West