Mar 9, 2019

Obama-era regulation approved in court, despite 2-year delay

Betsy DeVos. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

An Obama-era regulation — aiming to prevent children of color from being unfairly disciplined and sent to special education classrooms at higher rates than other students — will go into effect immediately, per a federal court ruling issued this week in defiance of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

The backdrop: DeVos delayed this regulation for 2 years, per the Washington Post. The regulation, which moved forward after a lawsuit was filed by the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, changes how states implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and requires that states develop plans to prevent students of color from being disproportionately targeted or over-represented in special education programs.

Go deeper: Another lawsuit-driven Obama-era rule delayed by Betsy DeVos

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Mike Allen, Margaret Talev
43 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Post-debate poll finds Biden strong on every major issue

Joe Biden speaks Friday about "The Biden Plan to Beat COVID-19," at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

This is one of the bigger signs of trouble for President Trump that we've seen in a poll: Of the final debate's seven topics, Joe Biden won or tied on all seven when viewers in a massive Axios-SurveyMonkey sample were asked who they trusted more to handle the issue.

Why it matters: In a time of unprecedented colliding crises for the nation, the polling considered Biden to be vastly more competent.

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Axios
Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

  1. Politics: COVID-19 looms over White House Halloween celebrations — Fauci: Trump hasn't been to a COVID task force meeting in months.
  2. Health: Fauci says if people won't wear masks, maybe it should be mandated — America was sick well before it ever got COVID-19 —U.S. hits highest daily COVID-19 case count since pandemic began —AstraZeneca to resume vaccine trial in U.S. — How to help save 130,000 lives.
  3. World: Polish president Andrzej Duda tests positive for COVID-19.
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Bryan Walsh, author of Future
4 hours ago - Science

The murder hornets are here

A braver man than me holds a speciment of the Asian giant hornet. Photo: Karen Ducey/Getty Images

Entomologists in Washington state on Thursday discovered the first Asian giant hornet nest in the U.S.

Why it matters: You may know this insect species by its nom de guerre: "the murder hornet." While the threat they pose to humans has been overstated, the invading hornets could decimate local honeybee populations if they establish themselves.

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