However, the eight annual National College Progression Rates report indicates the pandemic had little impact on high school graduation in the school year 2019–2020. In fact, the change on high school graduation over last year was less than plus or minus 1.0 percent, regardless of income level, poverty level, minority level, or urbanicity of high schools. But those same distinctions of income and location show COVID-19 had a remarkably larger impact on immediate college enrollments rates for graduates of high-poverty, low-income and urban high schools....

This is a tragedy. But there is another, untold story about the toll the pandemic has taken—on the correctional officers in charge of these prisoners. There have been at least 105,777 cases and 193 deaths among prison and jail staff. Beyond the personal tragedy, this has resulted in a lack of available staff, which has led to correctional officers working inhumane hours. NBC recently reported that correctional officers on Rikers Island have been working triple shifts....

Health officials are scrambling to investigate how the worker at Academia Sinica’s Genomics Research Center, a high-security laboratory, became infected with COVID-19 as the island’s borders remain shut. The worker, a fully vaccinated woman in her 20s, tested positive for COVID-19 last week after coming into contact with the virus at the country’s top research institute in mid-November. Taiwan has reported just above 16,700 local cases and 848 deaths in total....

An examination of 8 million calls made to helplines across 19 countries, published by Nature on Wednesday, illustrated the impact of the pandemic on mental health around the world. Swiss and German researchers who conducted the analysis looked into suicide-prevention and crisis counseling helplines in 14 European nations, the U.S., China, Hong Kong, Israel and Lebanon. Using data from the first 12 weeks of the pandemic in 2020, the researchers determined that the number of calls was highest at six weeks and 35 percent higher than calls fielded during the same period in the previous year, the Associated Press reported....

But she won’t be first in line if, as expected, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves COVID-19 vaccines for children under 12 early next month. She’s not sure if she’ll get in line at all. “I’m really conflicted,” she says. “Is the level of illness that significant in children? I don’t know what the answer to that is. Initially you hear, ‘This is not serious for kids at all....

Jason Kelk, 49, has been at an intensive care unit in the English city of Leeds since March 31 2020. He is thought to be one of the longest known COVID patients in the U.K. Sue Kelk, his wife, told U.K. broadcaster Sky News he has been experiencing “fainting attacks” for the first time in the past week. Doctors do not know why Jason has been losing consciousness. Jason has been “having quite a few problems,” said his wife, as he appears to be more confused, is unable to sleep properly, and is interacting with people online less than he used to....

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar stated Friday: “It is nothing short of a medical miracle to have FDA authorization of a vaccine for COVID-19 just over 11 months since the virus was made known to the world.” When will all states receive the vaccine? “We expect 145 sites across all the states to receive the vaccine on Monday,” Army Gen. Gustave F. Perna said at a press briefing Saturday, followed by “another 425 sites on Tuesday and the final 66 sites on Wednesday, which will complete the initial delivery of the Pfizer orders for the vaccine....

The scene looked more like a special-forces operation than an animal rescue. Experts had judged it was impossible to simply lead the cow to safety. Facing two options - euthanizing the cow on the spot or removing it - the rescue team opted for the latter rather than the health risk that a decomposing animal would pose. So, firefighters and a veterinarian had to get down to the bottom of the drop, where they sedated the cow and wrapped it in a sling net....

Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey took the No. 1 and No. 2 slots, respectively, ahead of Ezekiel Elliott, though the 24-year-old did earn several first-place votes. One NFL personnel evaluator went so far as to say Elliott may have “the best natural traits” of any back in the league. MORE: Richard Sherman notes NFL’s hypocrisy with new coronavirus protocols He also received some criticism from an anonymous NFL offensive coach, who didn’t place the Cowboys star in his top 10 and noted Elliott “doesn’t look as strong anymore....

It’s part of the deal the NFL team signed with the city of Frisco and its independent school district to form a year-round tourist attraction for all things Cowboys. The agreement is believed to be the first of its kind. “The big story is you have a pro team partnering with a school district,” said Byron Chambers, sports practice area leader for Gensler, the architect designing the stadium, hotel and the Cowboys’ headquarters....

In an image originally posted on his niece’s Instagram account, the longtime Cowboys’ owner was pictured dressed up as a referee with glasses and a walking stick. Take a look: “Oh, yeah, I had the cane and everything!’’ Jones told Sports Illustrated. “And I used it on some people, too!'' Fans mostly appreciated Jones’ sense of humor in the Twitter replies. However, the NFL might not take the joke quite as well....

During Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers, Hardy was seen taking his helmet off while trying to incite the crowd, and he had to be separated from teammate Demarcus Lawrence. That plus he reportedly missed meetings leading up to the game. MORE: Worst of NFL Week 10 | Romo-less Cowboys lose seventh straight According to Fox Sports and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Hardy missed “nearly all” of Thursday morning’s meetings. His absence came a day after he received a talking to from Cowboys coach Jason Garrett after controversially changing his Twitter profile....

The Cowboys’ passing offense has been unstoppable early with Dak Prescott, while the Saints continue with troubles against downfield passing games. The Saints will need more from backup QB Teddy Bridgewater dueling Prescott after making big plays on defense and special teams to win in Week 4. Here’s everything to know about betting on Cowboys vs. Saints, including updated odds, trends and our prediction for “Sunday Night Football” in Week 4....

What Is ‘Martha Is Dead’? Martha Is Dead is described by its creator, Luca Dalcò, as a psychological thriller with a few horror elements. In the game, you will play as Giulia, whose twin sister recently died under suspicious circumstances. Risking your own life to get to the bottom of what happened, you will conduct an investigation into a supernatural entity that is lurking beneath a nearby lake. Not to mention, you will also have to contend with the perils of WW2, as the story takes place in Tuscany, circa 1944....

Ruggedly handsome, with cropped silver hair and steely blue eyes, de Vries could be the John Walsh of Dutch TV, hosting a weekly hourlong crime show in the Netherlands. “Peter de Vries, Crime Reporter” focuses on cold cases, unsolved crimes and missing persons. De Vries began his reporting career in the late 1970s at de Telegraaf, the largest Dutch daily newspaper; he soon became the paper’s crime reporter. In the 1990s he switched to television and in 1995 got his own program....

While Netflix has not officially green-lit the project, the showrunner of Squid Game, Hwang Dong-hyuk, all but confirmed a second season himself. During a red carpet celebration for the show Monday in Los Angeles, Dong-hyuk told the Associated Press that “[the fans of the show] leave us no choice.” “There’s been so much pressure, so much demand and so much love for a second season,” Dong-hyuk continued. “It’s in my head right now....

The news was also encouraging for Bluejays leading scorer Doug McDermott, who was diagnosed with an AC sprain in his left shoulder but should be able to return for Saturday’s home game vs. Xavier. Both injuries were sustained in Creighton’s win Tuesday night at DePaul. Source: Creighton Athletics Of the two injuries, the greater longer-term fear involved Gibbs, who was granted a sixth year of eligibility last July. Coach Greg McDermott broached the idea that Gibbs may have torn an ACL after Tuesday’s game, but that the MRI would tell the full story....

The Indian batsman will call time on his career after his 200th Test in November, having plundered a record 15,837 runs in 198 Test appearances. Here is some of the reaction via Twitter to Tendulkar's decision to quit the game at the age of 40. "Words can not define his greatness...greatest batsman ever and even better human being. u will be missed paji" – Fellow Indian cricketer Parthiv Patel described Tendulkar as paji, which translates to bigger or elder brother in Punjab....

Protests have been frequent since the October 25 coup when Hamdok was forced out of office. He was reinstated just a month later after a deal with the military to try to calm the protests, but he stepped down Sunday. Protesters, who said authorities are trying to prevent the movement, shut down major roads in the capital Khartoum and Omdurman as a way to prevent them from getting to government buildings....