Saturday, 1 August 2020

India scraps English as mandatory language in primary schools amid nationalist surge

India scraps English as mandatory language in primary schools amid nationalist surgeIndia will scrap the mandatory use of English in its primary schools, with subjects instead taught in Hindi or regional languages like Punjabi, for the first time since its independence in 1947. The controversial move is part of the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the largest educational shake-up in India in 34 years, which was spearheaded by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Hindu-nationalist youth wing, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). As part of the reforms, school syllabuses will focus on “ancient Indian knowledge”. Abolishing compulsory English is seen as a way to promote a united Indian identity from an early age. For much of the BJP’s support base, English is associated with colonial times and the old corrupt ruling Indian elite which followed afterwards and its abolishment as a mandatory language fits Mr. Modi’s wider policy of driving Indian nationalism. While only 0.02 percent of India’s 1.38 billion citizens speak English as a mother tongue, it was seen as the vital bridge in a diverse country where 19,500 different languages and dialects are spoken. Parents took to social media to express their anger at the decision, saying it would reduce their children’s future employment prospects, with fluent English considered essential for highly-coveted and well-paid jobs overseas. “Why would any progressive country want to eliminate [the] English language from primary school? India enjoys a global advantage for we have the highest English speaking workforce, we are heading towards disaster,” wrote one user on Twitter.




Thousands march in Berlin against coronavirus curbs

Thousands march in Berlin against coronavirus curbsThousands marched in Berlin on Saturday to protest against measures imposed in Germany to stem the coronavirus pandemic, saying they violated people's rights and freedoms. The gathering, estimated by police at 17,000, included libertarians, constitutional loyalists and anti-vaccination activists. There was also a small far-right presence with some marchers carrying Germany's black, white and red imperial flag.




US election 2020: The war hero who could be Biden's running mate

US election 2020: The war hero who could be Biden's running mateSenator Tammy Duckworth is an Iraq war veteran and the first Thai-American woman elected to Congress.




Democratic congressman calls out maskless GOP colleagues after positive coronavirus test

Democratic congressman calls out maskless GOP colleagues after positive coronavirus testRep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) on Saturday announced he is the latest member of Congress to test positive for COVID-19. The 72-year-old congressman, who said he currently has no symptoms and feels fine, had been isolating after coming into contact with Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), who tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this week.Grijalva did not call Gohmert out by name, but said that this week has revealed the consequences of the actions of Republican lawmakers who have gone to work at the Capitol without wearing a mask and taking the virus seriously, something which Gohmert has been accused of throughout the pandemic.> Grijalva added: “Numerous Republican members routinely strut around the Capitol without a mask to selfishly make a political statement at the expense of their colleagues, staff, and their families.” pic.twitter.com/BJM72gRYbj> > — Manu Raju (@mkraju) August 1, 2020Three lawmakers, including Grijalva, were self-isolating after exposure to Gohmert. One of the others, Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) has since tested negative for the virus.More stories from theweek.com Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez picked the wrong statue to criticize Is Western Europe losing its grip on the coronavirus? New Lincoln Project video imagines what it's like to wake up from a coma in 2020




Coronavirus spreads to hundreds of youth who attended an overnight summer camp in Georgia: CDC

Coronavirus spreads to hundreds of youth who attended an overnight summer camp in Georgia: CDCUnlike staffers, campers — who engaged in a variety of activities like "daily vigorous singing and cheering" — were not required to wear masks, according to a CDC report




The Portland 'Wall of Moms' movement is falling apart after a local Black Lives Matter group accused it of 'anti-Blackness'

The Portland 'Wall of Moms' movement is falling apart after a local Black Lives Matter group accused it of 'anti-Blackness'The Wall of Moms was started two weeks ago to protect protesters in downtown Portland after federal agents were sent to the city to quell the unrest.




Boston Marathon bomber's death sentence overturned, new trial ordered for sentencing phase

Boston Marathon bomber's death sentence overturned, new trial ordered for sentencing phaseA federal appeals court said the new trial for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will only decide whether he's executed. He remains in prison for life.