EU leaders urge Putin to begin 'direct dialogue' with Zelensky for peace in Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke via phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, calling for a ceasefire and direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky amid Moscow’s continued invasion of Ukraine. The European leaders also pressed Putin to release roughly 2,5000 “defenders of Azovstal held as prisoners of war by Russian forces,” according to a pre
Read MoreAs summer begins, US COVID-19 cases six times higher than last year
As the US marks Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of summer, the seven-day average for COVID-19 cases in the U.S. are more than six times what they were a year ago. The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center showed a seven-day average of 119,725 cases as of Saturday. That figure held at 17,887 cases on May 28 of last year. Despite the rising infection rate, COVID-related deaths were down from last year, a sign of increased immunity through vaccines and prior infections, along with wider
Read MoreCNN's Acosta tells NRA to 'look into its soul' to protect kids
CNN’s Jim Acosta got into a heated exchange with a National Rifle Association (NRA) board member on Sunday afternoon over actions to counter gun violence following last week’s mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas. “I'm 51 years old,” Acosta said. “This has been going on for decades, and it just seems to me that the NRA just has to look into its soul.” “I'm sorry to say it that way, sir, but you and your other board members need to look into your souls and see what can be done
Read MoreThese three Democrat-led states are pushing ahead on gun control
Three Democratic-led states — California, New York and New Jersey — have pressed forward with gun reform legislation in the wake of the deadly shooting in Uvalde, Texas that left 19 children and two adults dead. The state action comes as Democrats in Congress eye votes on measures including a federal red-flag law and expanded background checks, however doubts remain over possible Republican cooperation. In California, Gov. Gav
Read MoreSchool counselors say students socially, emotionally frozen amid pandemic: NYT survey
Many students across the United States are socially and emotionally frozen at their age when the pandemic hit, according to school counselors surveyed by the New York Times. The Times interviewed 362 school counselors working with kindergarteners through high school seniors, with the unscientific survey painting a grim picture for young people’s ability to cope and relate amid the pandemic. Most counselors told the Times that they have noticed more students showing signs
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