National

A Florida appeals court on Friday reinstated a new congressional map backed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, allowing the controversial new district boundaries to take effect for now.

Driving the news: "Based on a preliminary review, the court has determined there is a high likelihood that the temporary injunction is unlawful, because by awarding a preliminary remedy to the appellees' on their claim, the order 'frustrated the status quo, rather than preserved it,'" the appeals court said.

"Given the exigency of the circumstances and the need for certainty and continuity as election season approaches, on the court’s own motion, the stay of the temporary injunction is reinstated," per the ruling. 

The other side: The plaintiffs said Friday in a statement that the ruling  "does nothing to change the fact that the Governor's proposed map is a blatantly unconstitutional attack on Black representation in Florida," CNN reports.

The big picture: The move comes one week after a circuit judge struck down a portion of DeSantis's redistricting map, saying "it diminishes African Americans' ability to elect the representatives of their choice." 

The maps, which DeSantis called "race-neutral," make it harder for North Florida voters to elect a Black member of Congress in the 5th Congressional District, where nearly half its residents are Black.

The state appealed Leon County Circuit Judge Layne Smith's ruling last week, shortly after his decision.

What to watch: The case is likely to head to the Florida Supreme Court, per Dave Wasserman, senior editor at The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter. 

Go deeper ... Florida judge says DeSantis' redistricting map is unconstitutional

Appeals court reinstates DeSantis redistricting map

The move comes one week after a circuit judge struck down a portion of the controversial redistricting map.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference at the University of Miami Health System.

Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference at the University of Miami Health System on May 17. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Ron DeSantis

A Florida appeals court on Friday reinstated a new congressional map backed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, allowing the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="controversial new district boundaries" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/11/florida-judge-redistricting-desantis" data-vars-content-id="58a88426-ebc3-4613-b9a6-c218fbce69f2" data-vars-headline="Appeals court reinstates DeSantis redistricting map" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/11/florida-judge-redistricting-desantis" target="_self">controversial new district boundaries</a> to take effect for now.Driving the news: &quot;Based on a preliminary review, the court has determined there is a high likelihood that the temporary injunction is unlawful, because by awarding a preliminary remedy to the appellees&#x27; on their claim, the order &#x27;frustrated the status quo, rather than preserved it,&#x27;&quot; the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="appeals court said." data-vars-click-url="https://edca.1dca.org/DCADocs/2022/1470/221470_200_05202022_11024775_i.pdf" data-vars-content-id="58a88426-ebc3-4613-b9a6-c218fbce69f2" data-vars-headline="Appeals court reinstates DeSantis redistricting map" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://edca.1dca.org/DCADocs/2022/1470/221470_200_05202022_11024775_i.pdf" target="_blank">appeals court said.</a>

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

A Russian diplomat at the United Nations in Geneva said Monday that he resigned from his post over the "aggressive war unleashed" by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Why it matters: It's a rare public condemnation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine by a member of the Russian diplomatic corps.

Driving the news: "For twenty years of my diplomatic career I have seen different turns of our foreign policy, but never have I been so ashamed of my country as on February 24 of this year," Boris Bondarev wrote on LinkedIn in a post announcing his departure. 

"The aggressive war unleashed by Putin against Ukraine, and in fact against the entire Western world, is not only a crime against the Ukrainian people, but also, perhaps, the most serious crime against the people of Russia, with a bold letter Z crossing out all hopes and prospects for a prosperous free society in our country," he wrote. 

Bondarev, a diplomatic counselor, confirmed to the Associated Press that he turned in his resignation in a letter to ambassador Gennady Gatilov.

State of play: Bondarev also told AP that he is worried about the potential reaction from Moscow to his resignation. 

"Am I concerned about the possible reaction from Moscow? I have to be concerned about it," he said. 

What he's saying: "I studied to be a diplomat and have been a diplomat for twenty years. The Ministry has become my home and family," he wrote in the LinkedIn post. 

"But I simply cannot any longer share in this bloody, witless and absolutely needless ignominy."

Go deeper ... Russian soldier sentenced to life in prison in Ukraine war crimes trial

Russian UN diplomat resigns over invasion of Ukraine

"I simply cannot any longer share in this bloody, witless and absolutely needless ignominy."

A woman walks by a destroyed apartment building in Bakhmut in the eastern Ukranian region of Donbas on May 22, 2022

A woman walks by a destroyed apartment building in Bakhmut in the eastern Ukranian region of Donbas on May 22. Photo: Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images

Russian invasion of Ukraine

Russia

A Russian diplomat at the United Nations in Geneva said Monday that he resigned from his post over the &quot;aggressive war unleashed&quot; by <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Russian President Vladimir Putin." data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/02/22/russia-ukraine-invasion-putin-live-updates" data-vars-content-id="6f23efff-723c-48cf-9344-a61791b00466" data-vars-headline="Russian UN diplomat resigns over invasion of Ukraine" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/02/22/russia-ukraine-invasion-putin-live-updates" target="_self">Russian President Vladimir Putin.</a>Why it matters: It&#x27;s a rare public condemnation of Russia&#x27;s invasion of Ukraine by a member of the Russian diplomatic corps.

China is becoming the most formidable rival America has faced, and the risk of confrontation with Russia, North Korea or Iran still looms. Authoritarians are rising, the chaotic Afghanistan exit revealed the limits of U.S. power, and the pandemic, climate change and other critical challenges continue to pose grave threats.

World

A federal judge on Friday sanctioned MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell for what the judge called "frivolous" claims against Smartmatic Corp.

Driving the news: "The Court agrees with Smartmatic that Lindell has asserted at least some groundless claims," U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols wrote in the ruling.

"In particular, the Court concludes that at the very least Lindell’s claim against Smartmatic under the Support or Advocacy Clause falls on the frivolous side of the line (other claims do too)," he wrote. 

"As a result, the Court orders Lindell and his previous counsel to pay some of the fees and costs Smartmatic has incurred defending itself and moving for sanctions." 

The judge also granted motions from Smartmatic, Dominion Voting Systems and Hamilton Place to dismiss the lawsuits against them, per the filing. 

The big picture: Lindell filed his counter-suit after Dominion Voting Systems Inc. and Smartmatic sued him for defamation over his election-fraud claims.

Lindell told Bloomberg News that he is still deciding whether he will appeal. 

He's currently challenging the use of Dominion and Smartmatic voting machines across the U.S., he said. 

"Whatever the judge thinks, that’s his opinion," Lindell said. "I’ve got lawyers doing more important things like removing these machines from every state."

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell sanctioned over election suit

"The Court agrees with Smartmatic that Lindell has asserted at least some groundless claims."

Mike Lindell speaks during a rally hosted by former President Trump at the Delaware County Fairgrounds on April 23. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Voting

A federal judge on Friday sanctioned <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2021/02/22/dominion-mike-lindell-defamation" data-vars-content-id="9a1c9038-395b-48c1-8bb7-01ad3b5b8c42" data-vars-headline="MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell sanctioned over election suit" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2021/02/22/dominion-mike-lindell-defamation" target="_self">MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell</a> for what the judge called &quot;frivolous&quot; claims against Smartmatic Corp.Driving the news: &quot;The Court agrees with Smartmatic that Lindell has asserted at least some groundless claims,&quot; U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="wrote in the ruling." data-vars-click-url="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.227759/gov.uscourts.dcd.227759.135.0.pdf" data-vars-content-id="9a1c9038-395b-48c1-8bb7-01ad3b5b8c42" data-vars-headline="MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell sanctioned over election suit" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.227759/gov.uscourts.dcd.227759.135.0.pdf" target="_blank">wrote in the ruling.</a>

A Ukrainian court on Monday sentenced a 21-year-old Russian soldier to life in prison for committing war crimes during Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, per multiple reports.

For the record: It's believed to be the first war crimes trial since Russia's invasion began in February. 

Driving the news: Vadim Shishimarin was found guilty last week of firing several shots at and killing unarmed 62-year-old resident Oleksandr Shelipov, who was riding a bicycle by the roadside in a Sumy village near the Russian border. 

Shelipov "died on the spot just a few meters from his home," said Ukraine’s prosecutor general, Iryna Venediktova, per the Washington Post.

Shishimarin admitted that he fatally shot Shelipov, but said that he was following orders.

The big picture: Venediktova said last month that her office had opened 5,600 cases of alleged war crimes by Russian soldiers since the start of the invasion.

Prosecutors have also filed criminal charges against 10 Russian soldiers accused of war crimes in Bucha, where at least 300 Ukrainians were tortured and killed.

Go deeper... What counts as a war crime and why they're so hard to prosecute

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

Russian soldier sentenced to life in prison in Ukraine war crimes trial

He was found guilty last week of killing an unarmed 62-year-old Ukrainian.

Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin of the Russian army appears at a sentencing hearing on May 23, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin appears at a sentencing hearing on May 23 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Top Stories

A Ukrainian court on Monday sentenced a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="21-year-old Russian soldier" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/18/russia-soldier-pleads-guilty-killing-civilian" data-vars-content-id="cb2bef08-0f33-4d03-bde8-21df731282a5" data-vars-headline="Russian soldier sentenced to life in prison in Ukraine war crimes trial" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/18/russia-soldier-pleads-guilty-killing-civilian" target="_self">21-year-old Russian soldier</a> to life in prison for committing war crimes during Moscow&#x27;s invasion of Ukraine, per multiple reports.For the record: It&#x27;s believed to be the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="first war crimes trial" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/11/ukraine-russia-war-crime-trial" data-vars-content-id="cb2bef08-0f33-4d03-bde8-21df731282a5" data-vars-headline="Russian soldier sentenced to life in prison in Ukraine war crimes trial" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/11/ukraine-russia-war-crime-trial" target="_self">first war crimes trial</a> since Russia&#x27;s invasion began in February.

Data: Return to Learn; Chart: Axios Visuals

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on virtually every aspect of America's public schools and now parents are pulling their kids out of the system all together. 

Why it matters: With school funding directly tied to enrollment, experts warn that the decline in students may carry deeper repercussions, with some schools potentially forced to close completely. 

By the numbers: Districts in the country with the most remote classes lost 4.4% of their students, compared to a 1.1% drop for those who held school in person, according to a national survey by the American Enterprise Institute and the College Crisis Initiative at Davidson College.

New York saw the most significant drop in enrollment statewide from 2020 to 2022, with nearly 6% decline.

Enrollment in New York City's public schools, the country's largest school district, dropped by 9.5% over two years, the Washington Post reports.

Public school enrollment in California for the first time in two decades fell below six million this academic year, per statewide data.

Driving the news: "This school year has had continued uncertainty for parents: 'Will my kid be able to go to school and have stability in their learning environment?'" Thomas Dee, a professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Education, said.

"A likely explanation for the sustained or even accelerated enrollment loss is parents looking for safe harbor for their kids, looking for some continuity through this," Dee said. 

The uncertainty of schooling pushed some parents to send their children to private or parochial schools, while others opted for home-schooling.

Other parents delayed their child starting kindergarten, Dee said. The AEI study found that kindergarten enrollment in the most remote districts was hit the hardest, losing 8.1% of kids enrolling.

The big picture: AEI said that districts that offered in-person learning were more likely to experience an enrollment rebound than those that stayed virtual.

Between the lines: Dee sounded the alarm on those students who are not accounted for in statewide enrollment data. 

In California, for instance, public school enrollment over the last two years dropped by 271,000, while private school enrollment increased by only about 12,000 students.

Some of the discrepancy in the data may be attributed to students who switched to an alternative method of learning, such as homeschooling, and were not counted by the state, Dee said. 

"But the other concern is some kids may just be truant and if that's so, these are likely to be our most educationally vulnerable," he said. 

"From my perspective, that's one of the big unanswered questions, ... what do we know about kids who may have fallen through the cracks in the system?"

The bottom line: The decline in public school enrollment is likely to continue, at least for as long as the pandemic persists, Dee said. 

"There's going to be continued health uncertainty and I think parents are going to be concerned about whether public schools can provide a stable learning environment for the kids," Dee said. 

"For the planning horizon that most school districts have, this is the new normal."

Go deeper: Teacher burnout leaves schools scrambling

N.Y. Times, "With Plunging Enrollment, a ‘Seismic Hit’ to Public Schools" 

The pandemic pushed an exodus from public schools

"A likely explanation for the sustained ... enrollment loss is parents looking for safe harbor for their kids."

Education

A teacher interacts with students virtually at Hazelwood Elementary School on January 11.  

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on virtually <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="every" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/10/school-districts-brace-for-rising-lunch-prices" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/10/school-districts-brace-for-rising-lunch-prices" target="_self">every</a> <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="aspect" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2021/11/13/teacher-burnout-fatigue-pandemic-covid-schools" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2021/11/13/teacher-burnout-fatigue-pandemic-covid-schools" target="_self">aspect</a> of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="America&#x27;s" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/01/16/schools-closed-covid-omicron-teacher-shortages" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/01/16/schools-closed-covid-omicron-teacher-shortages" target="_self">America&#x27;s</a> public schools and now parents are pulling their kids out of the system all together. Why it matters: With school funding directly tied to enrollment, experts warn that the decline in students may carry deeper repercussions, with some schools potentially forced to close completely.

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Stories

Russian UN diplomat resigns over invasion of Ukraine

Russian soldier sentenced to life in prison in Ukraine war crimes trial

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell sanctioned over election suit

The pandemic pushed an exodus from public schools

Appeals court reinstates DeSantis redistricting map