Chandrayaan-3: Indian lunar mission inches closer to Moon
Chandrayaan-3 may not be the first to land on the south pole if it's beaten by Russia's new Moon mission.
2023-08-17 14:26
Maui fire survivors are confronting huge mental health hurdles, many while still living in shelters
Many survivors of the wildfire that consumed Lahaina are experiencing depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder even while still living in mass shelters filled with grim reminders of their escape
2023-08-17 13:20
How old is Alabama Barker? Travis Barker's daughter twerks in video, Internet says she's 'too grown for her age'
Alabama Barker says she posted the video of her twerking to distract her friends' boyfriends
2023-08-17 09:51
3 people have died after infection with rare flesh-eating bacteria in Connecticut and New York
At least three people have died in Connecticut and New York after contracting a rare flesh-eating bacteria that can be found in warm, brackish waters or raw shellfish, officials confirmed Wednesday.
2023-08-17 09:23
Inmates at California women's prison sue federal government over sexual abuse
Eight inmates of an abuse-plagued federal women’s prison have filed a lawsuit against the federal Bureau of Prisons
2023-08-17 08:20
Common arthritis drug could boost effectiveness of morning-after pill, study finds
Taking a common arthritis drug along with the morning-after pill Plan B could boost the contraceptive’s effectiveness
2023-08-17 06:55
Combining Morning-After Pill With Another Common Drug Makes It More Effective
Emergency contraceptive pills like Plan B are more effective when taken together with a common anti-inflammatory drug called
2023-08-17 06:53
US FDA approves French drugmaker Ipsen's rare bone disorder drug
By Bhanvi Satija and Sriparna Roy (Reuters) -The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday approved French drugmaker Ipsen's
2023-08-17 06:48
The Lost Library of Herculaneum: Unravelling the Scrolls That Mount Vesuvius Almost Destroyed
Historians were struck by the tantalizing possibility that this library might contain missing works of some of history’s greatest writers—works thought to have been lost forever.
2023-08-17 05:19
Kentucky gubernatorial rivals Andy Beshear and Daniel Cameron offer competing education plans
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear proposed awarding the largest pay raise in decades to Kentucky's public school personnel, upping the ante Wednesday in his competition with Republican challenger Daniel Cameron, who offered his own plan to boost salaries and overcome pandemic learning setbacks. The rivals in the November election outlined ideas for boosting K-12 education on back-to-back days, staking out positions on an overarching issue. Their gubernatorial showdown is one of the nation's most closely watched this year as the Democratic incumbent tries to win reelection in the red state. Beshear garnered strong support from teachers in winning the governorship in 2019, naming an educator as his running mate and vowing to make education his top priority. Cameron is trying to make inroads, having apologized for an ex-GOP governor's feud with educators and unveiling a plan to boost starting teacher pay and develop tutoring programs for students who fell behind during the pandemic. Beshear countered Wednesday with his own plan highlighted by an 11% pay raise for teachers and all school personnel, including bus drivers, janitors and cafeteria staff. It would amount to the single largest raise for Kentucky public school educators in at least 40 years, the governor said. “You can’t catch a kid up on math without a math teacher, and we cannot remain competitive with other states if we don’t pay teachers closer to what they’re worth,” the governor said at a news conference. The governor said his plan would fully fund student transportation. He said that funding, along with the pay raise, would help avoid problems like what occurred in Louisville's district, where schools closed for more than a week after a redesign of bus routes resulted in long delays on the first day of classes. Beshear's plan was in the works long before Cameron unveiled his proposals Tuesday, the governor's office said. Kentucky ranks 44th nationally in average teacher starting pay and 40th in average teacher pay, Beshear said, citing statistics from the National Education Association. An 11% raise — a $1.1 billion expense over two years — would vault Kentucky to the middle of the pack. With a record budget surplus and strong economy, the governor's proposals are affordable with “plenty of space” to meet other demands, State Budget Director John Hicks said. On Tuesday, Cameron proposed setting the statewide base starting pay for new teachers at $41,500. That would have a ripple effect by lifting pay for other teachers, he said. “What our plan entails is making sure that we get every county in our commonwealth up to that number, so we can ensure that our teachers are in a position to take care of themselves and be confident in the classroom as they work with our students,” Cameron said. Beshear said the average teacher starting salary in Kentucky is $38,010, based on NEA statistics. He said his proposal would raise that to $42,191. The governor pledged to continue pushing for state-funded pre-K for all 4-year-olds if he wins a second term. The proposal made no headway previously in the Republican-dominated legislature. Beshear said his plan includes fully funding teachers’ pensions and medical benefits to ensure there's no increase in health insurance premiums for school employees. A key part of Cameron's plan would develop an optional, 16-week tutoring program for math and reading instruction. Students falling behind grade level would get first priority, he said. The proposal mirrors initiatives already started by some school districts. It's a response to statewide test scores last fall that showed fewer than half of students were reading at grade level. Lower across-the-board scores were posted in math, science and social studies. National test scores showed it’s a problem across the U.S. as schools try to recover from the pandemic. Cameron blames Beshear for learning setbacks during the pandemic, when schools shifted to virtual learning, saying it put many students at risk of losing “their God-given potential.” The governor supported school closures during the height of the pandemic to protect people from the virus. He prioritized vaccinating teachers to get schools reopened and says his policies reflected recommendations from then-President Donald Trump's coronavirus task force. Kentucky lawmakers have generally followed their own course in setting education policies. The two-year budget passed last year funded full-day kindergarten and poured money into teacher pensions and infrastructure. They increased the state’s main funding formula for K-12 schools, but the amount was considerably less than what Beshear proposed. The governor chided lawmakers Wednesday for “shorting” districts in allocations for school transportation. “If you want to solve transportation issues, then we need to pay bus drivers enough,” Beshear said. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Kentucky governor's efforts to help storm-ravaged towns may dilute GOP advantage in rural areas Kentucky candidates trade barbs at Fancy Farm picnic, the state's premier political event McConnell is warmly embraced by Kentucky Republicans amid questions about his health
2023-08-17 04:57
Explainer-How new abortion pill restrictions could affect US patients
By Brendan Pierson Access to the abortion pill mifepristone must be restricted, a U.S. appeals court ruled on
2023-08-17 04:45
4 of the Best Ergonomic Office Chairs, According to Experts
The best ergonomic office chairs on Amazon and other sites can be pricey, but experts say these picks are well worth the investment.
2023-08-17 04:25