UCLA has canceled an upcoming lecture featuring CBS News chief Bari Weiss. Weiss was scheduled to give the annual Daniel Pearl Memorial lecture on Feb. 27, about “The Future of Journalism.” But according to the university, the program will not move forward as scheduled, after Weiss’ team withdrew from the event. A source familiar with the UCLA program said the lecture was canceled due to security concerns from Weiss, despite the public university offering to obtain additional security for the event, the source said. The Daniel Pearl Memorial lecture series honors the late journalist and is considered the capstone of the university’s Burkle Center for International Relations. Previous speakers include journalists Jake Tapper, Anderson Cooper and Bob Woodward. According to the source, several employees at both the Burkle Center and the International Institute expressed opposition to Weiss speaking on campus. The university was also expecting a large number of students to protest the event. Neither Weiss nor CBS immediately responded to a request for comment. Weiss founded the media company, The Free Press, which was purchased in October by Paramount, CBS’ parent company. Following the $150 million purchase, Weiss was installed as editor-in-chief of CBS News. Two months after taking on the new role, Weiss made the widely panned decision to pull a “60 Minutes” episode that examined the alleged abuse of deportees sent from the U. S. to an El Salvador prison. The decision earned Weiss heavy criticism and accusations that the move was politically motivated.
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2026-02-18/cbss-bari-weiss-pulls-out-of-ucla-lecture
Category Archives: education
YOU make the difference in the annual Catholic Appeal
“This annual effort puts faith into action by supporting all the parishes, schools, and communities all across our state and beyond,” he wrote.
Jacqueline LaPan Edgerton is executive director of the Catholic Community Foundation of South Carolina and the acting head of the Office of Stewardship and Mission Advancement, which spearheads the appeal. She explained that CASC “provides financial support for ministry and outreach support programs throughout the state.”
“We cannot know who Jesus Christ is, or follow his way, or discern his will if we are not well-versed in the Scriptures that contain the prophecies and promises of his arrival,” Bishop Fabre said in his pastoral letter. “Our parishes should be vibrant places where the Word of God is regularly read and studied,” the bishop wrote.
Knowledge of God and his creations is at the root of Catholic beliefs: to know, love, and serve Jesus is paramount to fostering a holy and productive relationship with our brothers and sisters. In giving of ourselves, we come to know the God who came to save us.
We are further encouraged to invite others, including friends and family, to join in and share our faith through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) and help them prepare for reception into the Catholic faith.
Retreats, speaking events, and other diocesan programs further encourage learning and living the Gospel, alongside CASC giving to programs and ministries that help further the faith through good works.
All of these initiatives are encapsulated in the three overarching projects of the appeal: Givers of His Love, Teachers of His Children, and Servants of His People (see sidebar).
### This Year’s Goal: $5.5 Million
The goal for CASC this year is raised to $5.5 million, a 10% increase over the past several years. A number of factors led to the need to increase the goal, including the growth of parish communities, an increase in the number of seminarians under formation, and continued expansion of diocesan ministries and programs.
The diocese consists of about 250,000 Catholics in nearly 100,000 households. It is served by 113 diocesan, 46 religious, and 22 missionary priests in 96 parishes and 20 missions. There are also 32 diocesan schools, 16 campus ministries, and 85 youth ministry programs across the state, plus eight offices for Catholic Charities of South Carolina.
The Diocese of Charleston is unique in that it encompasses an entire state.
“As we continue to welcome so many new seminarians, open the doors of Catholic education to more families, and expand our ministerial outreach across the state, the need for your support has never been greater,” the bishop wrote.
### Supporting Catholic Education
Shaileen Riginos, associate superintendent for the Office of Catholic Schools, expressed gratitude for the support received from CASC.
“The Catholic Appeal of S.C. has a profound impact on Catholic education throughout our diocese, strengthening our ability to form young disciples of Christ,” Riginos said.
“Through tuition assistance, the appeal enables Catholic families to provide their children with a faith-centered education rooted in Gospel values. Additionally, the appeal empowers our schools to address critical needs from science labs and facility upgrades to curriculum resources and technology, allowing each school to fulfill its strategic mission in service to its unique community.”
By answering Christ’s call to carry forth his mission and be good stewards, supporters of the Catholic Appeal of South Carolina are lighting the way for our Church to remain ever-present across the Palmetto State.
As we read in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.”
“I am overjoyed with the success of last year’s Catholic Appeal of South Carolina, and I am encouraged to see that there are so many families that are on fire with zeal for the Catholic faith,” Bishop Fabre said.
“Our diocese is experiencing exponential growth in our vocations, in building Catholic schools, and in our visible presence in society. Please join together to continue what the great saints have dedicated their lives to building. God bless you and thank you for your participation in this year’s appeal.”
Every gift makes a difference. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of others and in our Church family.
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## GOALS OF OUR APPEAL
### GIVERS OF HIS LOVE
This facet includes Multi-Ethnic Ministries, catechetical and evangelization programs, communications, Youth and Child Protection Services, and Family Life ministries, along with parish outreach programs that focus on the homeless and those experiencing food insecurity.
### TEACHERS OF HIS CHILDREN
CASC supports increased access to affordable, Christ-centered education through grants to Catholic schools and tuition assistance. The appeal also dedicates funds to over 20 college campus ministries across South Carolina, as well as FOCUS missionaries, chaplains, and campus ministers.
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## GIVING OPTIONS
– A one-time gift
– A pledge payable over 10 months
– An automatically recurring gift that continues until you elect otherwise
—
## DONATE
Visit [charlestondiocese.org/catholic-appeal](https://charlestondiocese.org/catholic-appeal) or fill out the envelope in your parish pew.
Thank you for your generosity and commitment to the Catholic Appeal of South Carolina!
https://themiscellany.org/you-make-difference-annual-catholic-appeal
Body of missing CPS teacher recovered from Lake Michigan
The body of a Chicago Public Schools teacher who had been missing for more than a week was pulled from Lake Michigan on Monday, authorities confirmed.
Police recovered the body of a woman from the water in the 3100 block of South Lake Shore Drive on Chicago’s South Side just before noon, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office and school officials. The woman, identified as 53-year-old Linda Brown, was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:53 p.m.
Brown was a special education teacher at Robert Healy Elementary School in Bridgeport. She had been missing since January 3, Chicago police said. Since her disappearance, family and friends had issued public pleas for her safe return and organized their own search efforts, according to multiple reports.
In the initial missing persons alert, police stated that Brown was last seen near the 4500 block of South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in the Bronzeville neighborhood. Days later, the alert was updated to say she was sighted in the 3500 block of South Lake Park Avenue, approximately half a mile from where her body was ultimately found.
Police noted Brown may have been in need of immediate medical attention at the time. On Monday, they updated the alert again to confirm that Brown had been located but did not provide additional details.
Robert Healy Elementary Principal Erin Kamradt informed the school community of Brown’s passing in an email. “Our thoughts are with her family during this difficult time,” Kamradt wrote. “We know that this loss will raise many emotions, concerns, and questions for our entire school, especially our students.”
The school is collaborating with the Chicago Public Schools crisis management unit to offer grief counseling and support to students and staff. Additionally, the campus’ school-based mental health professionals will be available for students needing ongoing assistance.
“We are deeply saddened by this loss,” Kamradt said. “We will do everything we can to help our school community heal.”
Attempts to reach Brown’s family were unsuccessful as of the time of the report. An autopsy has been scheduled for Tuesday.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/12/missing-cps-teacher-lake-michigan/
Australia’s top universities say Horizon association is ‘a strategic necessity’
Despite the EU being Australia’s largest foreign research funder, granting €1. 8 billion between 2015 and 2024, the country has never been an associate member of Europe’s Framework Programmes for research and innovation. That could change if exploratory talks launched in September bear fruit. The prize for Australia’s universities was spelled out in a Horizon Europe Capability Statement released on.
https://sciencebusiness.net/news/r-d-funding/international-news/australias-top-universities-say-horizon-association-strategic-necessity
AI code means more critical thinking, not less
Secure Code Warrior empowers development teams by enhancing their skills to protect companies against potential cybersecurity threats.
By upskilling developers, organizations can build more secure software and reduce vulnerabilities from the ground up.
Connect with Matias on LinkedIn to learn more about how Secure Code Warrior can help your team stay protected in today’s evolving cybersecurity landscape.
https://stackoverflow.blog/2025/11/11/ai-code-means-more-critical-thinking-not-less/
Nurses at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital take young patients trick-or-treating
The Halloween spirit was thriving at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Southwest Miami-Dade.
The hospital’s nurses and young patients enjoyed a fun-filled day of dressing up, embracing the festive atmosphere together.
From colorful costumes to cheerful decorations, the celebration brought smiles and laughter throughout the hospital, creating memorable moments for everyone involved.
https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/nurses-at-nicklaus-childrens-hospital-take-young-patients-trick-or-treating/
Nutley’s Meya Ranges takes third in Essex XC Championships
Up until last week, Meya Ranges’ senior season has been all about pacing and patience. Throughout the offseason, Ranges focused on improving her pacing on the course to ensure she could finish races stronger. During the regular season, she was strategically held out of some of Nutley’s dual meets, keeping bigger goals in mind—namely the Essex County and upcoming NJSIAA state and sectional championships.
On Friday at Cedar Grove Park, that training and approach paid off in a big way. Ranges smashed her previous career best by running a 19:09.07 to claim third place at the Essex County Championships. Her medal-winning performance earned her The Observer Athlete of the Week honors.
For Ranges, this marked her second consecutive third-place finish at the Essex County Championships. Last fall, she took third with a time of 19:41.50.
“Going into Friday, I was really confident in myself, and now I have more experience running a 5K,” Ranges said. “I knew how to pace it, and I pretty much ran my own race. I definitely think I’m hitting my stride right now. I think a lot of the credit goes to my training and my coaches. At the beginning of the year, I didn’t run as many dual meets as I did before, just to save my legs for the championship season. I’ve been doing a lot of tempo runs during the dual meets, and that has definitely helped.”
Head coach Kara McNish added, “With Meya, we kind of mapped out the whole season, looking at invitationals and recovery time. I gave her certain days that she wasn’t going to race, like the Essex County Invitational and some dual meets. Last year, we didn’t do that at all, which I think, in the end, weighed heavy on her legs. By the time we got to sectionals and groups, she was feeling it.”
For Ranges, sitting out those dual meets wasn’t always easy. She admitted to feeling a bit of FOMO (fear of missing out) as she did her work separately from her teammates.
“I want to save my legs, but I want to be running. I want to be with them,” Ranges said, also crediting swimming and cross-training for helping her get stronger heading into the season. “But I know it’s for the better because Cedar Grove is all concrete, so it’s definitely harsh on your legs. Saving my energy, going to the track, and doing a tempo workout really did help. I felt really fresh on Friday.”
With her legs fresh and another year of experience under her belt, Ranges felt much more comfortable heading into this year’s county meet. Just ten days earlier, at the Super Essex Conference Championships, she set a then-personal best with a time of 19:19.40 at Cedar Grove.
According to Ranges, she didn’t start with the front pack in the field of 106 runners. Instead, she gradually made her way toward the front while saving a strong kick for the end.
“I definitely wanted to go under 19:20, but I really had no idea what was going to happen because everybody in Essex County is so good—everyone’s improving,” Ranges said. “So I just wanted to stay up, run my own race, try to catch up to the lead pack, and then kick at the end. That was my goal, and I executed it pretty well.”
https://www.theobserver.com/2025/10/29/nutleys-meya-ranges-takes-third-in-essex-xc-championships/
El terror que dejan en niños de Chicago las redadas migratorias: “Esto no es vida”
Un operativo federal contra inmigrantes sembró el miedo en un vecindario de Chicago cuando agentes enmascarados lanzaron gas lacrimógeno cerca de una escuela primaria, dejando a decenas de niños aterrorizados.
La agencia Associated Press informó que el hecho ocurrió en el barrio de Logan Square, una zona históricamente hispana, durante una acción de la Patrulla Fronteriza en el marco de la Operación Midway Blitz de la administración Trump.
Entre las víctimas del caos estaban los hijos de Molly Kucich, de 2 años y 14 meses, que se encontraban en un café infantil cercano. “Mi hijo solo repetía ‘mami, mami’ y no podía dejar de temblar”, relató Kucich a AP. La madre corrió desde el supermercado tras recibir la llamada de su esposo, quien mencionó “una redada” y “gas lacrimógeno”.
Testigos dijeron a AP que los agentes federales actuaron desde una camioneta blanca sin identificación. Videos, señaló la agencia de noticias, muestran cómo el gas se dispersó en medio del tráfico y alcanzó a peatones y escolares. Padres desesperados condujeron por las aceras para rescatar a sus hijos.
La propietaria del Café Infantil Luna y Cielo, Vanessa Aguirre-Ávalos, contó que las niñeras escondieron a los niños en una habitación trasera mientras se escuchaban gritos y bocinas. “Una de ellas me rogó que si se la llevaban, me asegurara de que los niños llegaran a casa”, narró la mujer a AP.
### El DHS defiende el operativo migratorio
El Departamento de Seguridad Nacional defendió el operativo y alegó que los agentes “fueron obstaculizados por manifestantes”, según una declaración citada por la agencia. Sin embargo, vecinos y maestras afirmaron que no hubo aviso previo ni advertencias antes del uso del gas.
La maestra Liza Oliva-Pérez, ciudadana estadounidense, contó que vio cómo un hombre enmascarado lanzaba las bombas lacrimógenas mientras ella almorzaba frente a la escuela. “Me trataron como si fuera una criminal”, dijo a AP. “Tuve que fingir que no pasaba nada para no asustar a mis alumnos”, añadió.
Niños pequeños asocian las sirenas con agentes de inmigración y padres consultan terapeutas para manejar la ansiedad de sus hijos.
Las calles de Logan Square, según constató AP, ahora lucen vacías, con carteles que dicen: “ICE lanzó gas lacrimógeno en este vecindario. Nadie está a salvo hasta que todos lo estemos”.
Aguirre-Ávalos, quien abrió su centro para enseñar español a niños, dijo que considera mudarse: “No nos quieren aquí. Siempre seremos blanco de ataques”.
Mientras tanto, familias de ciudadanos y migrantes —legales e indocumentados— viven con un temor constante. “Esto no es vida”, dijo una de las niñeras entrevistadas por AP. “Ya huimos una vez de la guerra, y ahora parece que la guerra volvió a alcanzarnos”, expresó.
https://eldiariony.com/2025/10/29/el-terror-que-dejan-en-ninos-de-chicago-las-redadas-migratorias-esto-no-es-vida/
Mass. House targets ‘troubling trends’ with early literacy reform push
BOSTON — The House is set to vote Wednesday on a sweeping early literacy reform bill.
The legislation aims to address and reverse what leaders are describing as “troubling trends” in student reading rates across the state.
Roanoke educator recalls students who broke racial barriers in 1960s
“Better late than never,” Dolores Johns said, emphasizing the importance of recognizing her students who played a significant role in integrating Roanoke’s retail stores during the 1960s.
She expressed that their courageous efforts should be acknowledged and remembered, highlighting their contribution to the progress within the community. Their actions helped pave the way for greater equality and inclusion in Roanoke’s retail sector, marking an important chapter in the city’s history.
https://roanoke.com/news/local/education/k-12/article_7cb490dd-ddc2-4a79-a177-be1b649c46ae.html