In The News

PISA Results Can Mislead Policymakers: Economist

December 9, 2019
The OECD initiated the Programme for International Student Assessment, or PISA, about two decades ago, and students in select schools of member and some non-member states take the test every three years. PISA analyzes reading, math, and science skills of 15- and 16-year-old students. OECD released the newest results and although the expenditure per pupil in the OECD has increased by 15 percent in...

41 Percent of World’s People Under Age 24: Guardian

Simon Tisdall November 30, 2019
More than 40 percent of the world’s population is under age 24, and many hold concerns about globalization, rising inequality, corruption, fewer democratic protections and a warming climate. So the young, like so many from history hungry for change, are protesting. “Yet while younger people, in any era, are predisposed to shake up the established order, extreme demographic, social and political...

Lawful Settlements in West Bank? New York Times

Lara Jakes and David M. Halbfinger November 19, 2019
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reversed 40 years of US policy by suggesting Israeli settlements in the West Bank do not violate international law. The move dashes Palestinian hopes for a peace settlement providing land for their own state. The New York Times suggests the internet is to influence politics in Israel, lending support to Benjamin Netanyahu and prompting need for a third election....

Fake Media Outlets on India Topics: EU DisinfoLab

EU DisinfoLab November 18, 2019
A EU Disinformation Task Force exposed a publication that purports to cover the European Parliament, eptoday.com, and is managed by Indian interests. The magazine has “ties to a large network of think tanks, NGOs, and companies from the Srivastava Group.” The task force quickly figured out the network produced a number of odd publications, hosted by the same server and sharing staff. A tip by an...

Russia's Internet Law: DW

Timothy Jones November 3, 2019
The internet is a required tool for most workers in advanced economies, helpful for connecting with others and exploring data, systems and methods. A new law in Russia allows the government to isolate the country from parts of the global internet. “The government says the law aims to keep the Russian network functioning smoothly in the event of a crisis or external attack,” reports Timothy Jones...

Impeachment Rules Set: Time

Alana Abramson November 1, 2019
The US House of Representatives voted along party lines, except for two votes, to set rules for the impeachment inquiry of US President Donald Trump. Even supporters of impeachment express concern that the partisan divide will doom the effort to remove Trump from office: “the partisan breakdown of the vote shows the uphill battle Democrats will face as they try to convince their Republican...

Breaking Movie Boundaries: Wall Street Journal

Joe Flint October 30, 2019
The Hollywood movie “Green Book” has enjoyed a surprising box-office success in China, showing that superhero and action films aren’t the only content that do well with Chinese audiences. Over the past decade, Hollywood has embraced the fast-growing demand of the Chinese market. However, there are still sensitivities over how US films are edited for presentation and approval by China’s censors....