(2019-12-03). UK climbs rankings for maths, science and reading — but students are 'less happy'. thecanary.co 
Students in the UK are continuing to lag behind their peers from smaller European countries such as Estonia and Finland when it comes to maths, reading and science, a bellwether study of global education trends has suggested.Asian nations, including Singapore and Hong Kong, continue to dominate the latest triennial Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) report, a survey of 15-year-old students from around the world to assess the extent to which they have acquired key skills and knowledge.And while the UK's ranking across the three disciplines has improved on the score from three years ago, the coun…
(2019-12-03). By Any Measure, Capital Punishment Is a Failed Policy. theintercept.com 
The death penalty, they say, is dying. And in many important respects, this is true. Support for capital punishment has decreased dramatically. In 1998, there were nearly 300 new death sentences imposed in the United States. In 2018, there were just 43. In the past decade alone, six states have abolished…
(2019-12-03). What Happens When a Reform Prosecutor Stands Up to the Death Penalty. theintercept.com 
Standing behind a podium outside the Orlando courthouse, Aramis Ayala, the elected state prosecuting attorney for Florida's Orange and Osceola counties, announced that after extensive research, discussion, and reflection, she had decided that she could no longer seek the death penalty for defendants charged by her office. "My duty is to seek justice, which is fairness, objectivity, and decency," she said. "I am prohibited from making the severity of sentences the index of my effectiveness." | In many ways, Ayala's announcement in the winter of 2017 should not have been a terribly newsworthy event. Death penalty p…
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(2019-12-03). Our Vanishing World: Wildlife. globalresearch.ca Throughout its history, Earth has experienced five mass extinction events. See, for example, 'Timeline Of Mass Extinction Events On Earth'. It is now experiencing the sixth. | The Ordovician-Silurian Extinction, which occurred about 439 million years ago, wiped out 86% …
(2019-12-03). Bolivia's Russiagate Scandal. Alleged Moscow "Meddling" in Bolivia Election. globalresearch.ca The fake news allegations that Russia "meddled" in Bolivia's recent election in order to help ("former") President Morales win and the more recent claims late last month that its soldiers are supposedly "waiting for his return" in order to presumably …
(2019-12-03). Syria Slams US Meddling in the Syrian Constitution Committee Talks. globalresearch.ca The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs slammed the regime of Donald Trump for its attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries after the US State Department issued a statement to interfere in the works of the Syrian …
(2019-12-03). China Retaliates Against Hostile US Legislation. globalresearch.ca In late November, House and Senate members unanimously passed the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act (HKHRDA) of 2019. | Trump signed the measure into law, along with a companion bill, restricting exports of US crowd control devices to …
(2019-12-03). Quo Vadis, Lebanon? globalresearch.ca Good bye, Lebanon, metaphorically and truly. | Good bye to a country which, many believe, actually has already ceased to exist. | For five long years I have been commuting between the Asia Pacific and the Middle East.And Beirut, for all that …
(2019-12-03). Hunter Biden an Embarrassment to His Father and Dead Brother. globalresearch.ca Before becoming Barak Obama's Vice President, Joe Biden was a senator from Delaware. Delaware is a small state of 961,000, where everyone knows everyone else and everyone knows all the major office holders. Here, all politics are local and Joe …
(2019-12-03). Failed Action on the Climate Crisis Makes Resistance Imperative. Worldwide Protest against Neoliberalism. globalresearch.ca On December 2, the 25th two-week long United Nations climate conference begins in Madrid, Spain. The stated task of the conference, referred to as COP 25 (Conference Of Parties), is to make sure there are plans to meet the goals …
(2019-12-03). NATO: "Brain Dead" and Divided. globalresearch.ca The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is both brain dead and divided as it holds latest annual meeting in London, with nothing but uncertainty surrounding its future and many questioning whether it can even remain functional in its present form. | This …
(2019-12-03). Companies Planning 5G Satellites. Global Day of Protest against 5G: January 25, 2020. globalresearch.ca So far, groups in the following countries have announced that they are organizing events on January 25, 2020 as part of the Global Day of Protest against 5G: | . | . | Australia | Austria | Canada | Croatia | Czech Republic | Denmark | France | Germany | Ireland…
(2019-12-03). The Right to Mobility. Public Transport in the UK and Labour's Manifesto. globalresearch.ca The idea of mobility as a human right has come to be synonymous with private transport. For decades, the car has come first: what right does any government have to encroach on the freedom and autonomy of individual motorists? Labour …
(2019-12-03). Syria's Post-War Reconstruction: 600 Establishments Resume Work at Aleppo Industrial City, Sheikh Najjar. globalresearch.ca Aleppo, Syria's second-largest city and the region's economic power horse is getting back on its feet again, despite all the efforts by the US and its NATO stooges and terrorists. | It's moving forward slowly but steadily, with over 600 establishments …
(2019-12-03). Bilateral Trade Relations Between Iran and EU Suffer Under Harsh US Sanctions. globalresearch.ca Trade between the European Union (EU) and the Islamic Republic of Iran has dropped roughly 74.92% percent this year from January to September compared to last year during the same timeframe, due to US-imposed sanctions, according to the European statistical …
(2019-12-03). UN to Resolve the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis. globalresearch.ca The Rohingya refugees have, for decades now, been fleeing their homeland, the Rakhine province in Myanmar. Mostly through Yangon's inaction, elements of the military and members of the majority Buddhist population were left to run rampage amongst this helpless Muslim …
(2019-12-03). Nigeria: Sowore Versus Buhari, A Question of Revolution and Treason. globalresearch.ca The impending trial in Nigeria of Omoleye Sowore on charges including treason is promising to stir a hornet's nest. Sowore, a high-profile media publisher, was arrested in August of this year because he called for a revolution after the February …
(2019-12-03). Lebanon Protesters: Ensure a Unified 'B-Team' Runs Any New, Responsive Government. globalresearch.ca As Lebanon's massive, countrywide, anti-government demonstrations continue, the vacuum provides time for those ardent, long suffering protesters to create the most responsive anti-austerity government in the Middle East. If any populace in that region could do it, it's Lebanon's well-educated, …
(2019-12-03). Video: Syrian Army Repels Major Attack by Idlib Al Qaeda Affiliated Mercenaries. globalresearch.ca Last weekend, the province of Idlib once again turned into the main hot point in Syria. | On November 30, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Turkish-backed National Front for Liberation and several foreign Jihadi groups, including the Turkistan Islamic Party and Ajnad …
(2019-12-03). Hong Kong —— Pure Western Insanity. globalresearch.ca The impunity with which the US aggresses Hong Kong is insane. Equally or more insane is western media coverage of what is going on in Hong Kong. Not one word on how the incredible "pro-democracy" vote of the rather unimportant …
(2019-12-03). NATO's Deep Political and Legal Crisis: Madness and Irrationality. globalresearch.ca Political | NATO's London Summit on December 3 and 4, 2019 displays the deep political crisis of the 70-year-old alliance: Only a dinner and a short meeting, no statement to be issued, quarrels among the leading military members, accusations, substantial differences …
(2019-12-03). Syria's Pharmaceutical Industry Rebuilds Following the Defeat of US-NATO Sponsored Terrorists. globalresearch.ca The first factory of its kind in Syria and the Arab world opened November 21, 2019, in Damascus. Central Pharmaceutical Industries Company, 'Mainpharma', celebrated the opening of its factory for the manufacturing of anticancer drugs at Adra Industrial City, in …
(2019-12-03). Betraying the US Constitution: Who Will Protect Us from an Unpatriotic Patriot Act? globalresearch.ca "It is the responsibility of the patriot to protect his country from its government."—Thomas Paine | While Congress subjects the nation to its impeachment-flavored brand of bread-and-circus politics, our civil liberties continue to die a slow, painful death by a …
(2019-12-03). Pompeo Says US Will "Help Prevent" Protests For "Legitimate" Governments & US Bombs Afghan Family. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (12/2/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2019-12-03). NATO's Continuing Enlargement Aims at Further Weakening of Russian Influence in the Balkans. globalresearch.ca Of the 29 NATO member states, 22 have already ratified the accession protocol of North Macedonia into the anti-Russian alliance. The ratification process will likely be completed before the end of NATO's summit taking place in London this week, which …
(2019-12-03). National Climate Strike in Livermore. indybay.org Las Positas College, 3000 Campus Hill Drive, Livermore, CA 94551…
(2019-12-03). Harvard University grad students set to strike over pay, grievance procedures, healthcare. wsws.org Harvard officials' hard line in relation to collective bargaining on grad students' pay is in line with a recent NLRB proposal that would curb the establishment of graduate student unions at private universities.
(2019-12-03). End the Wars, Win the Antiwar Vote. counterpunch.org Like anyone else who was around that day, I can tell you exactly where I was on 9/11. I was a Catholic school eighth grader, fresh off my 14th birthday. The school day lurched along for a while, but eventually we dropped the pretense of carrying on. Teachers ushered us into the adjoining church for More
(2019-12-03). US Navy Places $22 Billion Cyber Monday Order for Nuclear Submarines, But Who Is Asking How We Gonna Pay For It? commondreams.org "$22 billion could fund a lot of kids learning," said Albert Lee, a Democrat running for Congress in Oregon. "We need an education race; not a wasted arms race." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2019-12-03). Brown University Committee Votes to Divest From Companies Complicit in Human Rights Abuses in Palestine. commondreams.org Brown University is poised to become the first Ivy League college to divest from companies that are complicit in human rights abuses against Palestinians, after an advisory committee voted in agreement with students who have spent months demanding the divestment. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2019-12-03). 'We've come full circle': Twitter balks at $60 AirPod carrying straps that defeat original purpose of in-ears. rt.com 
The Apple AirPods' unique selling point is their wireless design, affording users unparalleled freedom. However, anxiety over losing the tiny in-ears prompted e-tailers Nordstrom and Amazon to sell 'carrying straps'… facepalm. | Ahead of the Christmas gift-buying extravaganza, Nordstrom and Amazon have begun selling $60 Carrying Straps for the $150 AirPods, thus undoing all of the "revolutionary" research and development by Apple in one fell, low-tech swoop. | "Avoid losing your wireless AirPods by attaching them to this magnetic-locking l…
(2019-12-03). Selected Articles: A Future Without NATO? globalresearch.ca 
A future without independent media leaves us with an upside down reality where according to the corporate media "NATO deserves a Nobel Peace Prize", and where "nuclear weapons and wars make us safer". | . | . | | | If, like us, this is …
(2019-12-02). How a Mass Bot Network is Pushing the Coup in Bolivia. mintpressnews.com 
New research found that, of the 17,427 accounts studied using anti-Morales hashtag #BoliviaNoHayGolpe, almost a third were created on November 11, the day of the coup.
(2019-12-02). Protesters call for action after woman gang-raped and killed in India. thecanary.co 
Hundreds of people gathered in New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and other Indian cities on 2 December to demand justice in the case of a veterinarian who was gang-raped and killed last week.The protesters demanded a fast-track investigation of the case and stringent laws for the safety of women in India."We are not safe anymore in India. We are scared to move out of our homes," said Sejal Kumar, a college student from New Delhi.The burned body of the 27-year-old woman was found on 28 November by a passer-by in an underpass in the southern city of Hyderabad after she went missing the previous night.University students…
(2019-12-02). Disabled workers paid 88p for each pound made by non-disabled colleagues, new data shows. thecanary.co 
Employers across the UK pay their disabled staff 12.2% less than those without disabilities, new government data has shown.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the median hourly wage for disabled employees was £10.63 in 2018, lower than the £12.11 paid to their non-disabled counterparts.The gap was the widest, at 18.6%, for those with mental impairments, which include depression, anxiety, epilepsy and learning difficulties.(PA Graphics)A physical impairment led to a 9.7% gap while those with other impairments faced the narrowest gap, at 7.4%. The other impairments include cancer, HIV and mult…
(2019-12-02). Washington's Grand Design: Draw NATO into Confronting Russia and China. globalresearch.ca The December 3-4 summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in London resembles a family reunion after the acrimony over the issue of military spending by America's European allies. | The trend is up for defence spending across European Allies …
(2019-12-02). Nicaragua Marked Next For US "Liberation", Trump Blames "Vicious World" For Khashoggi Murder & More. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (12/1/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2019-12-02). Global Research End Of Year Fundraiser: Help Us Meet Our Goal! globalresearch.ca Dear Readers, | In late October we sent you a message asking for your help in raising $25,000 before the year ends. Our goal with this being simply to cover the costs we incur in bringing you investigative reports and analysis …
(2019-12-02). Chilean President Piñera Has Lowest Approval Rating Ever. telesurenglish.net Many Chileans are wondering just how much further Chilean President Sebastian Piñera's popularity can fall, after polls revealed the lowest approval ratings for a president since the country's return to democracy. | RELATED: | Chile: Municipalities Call Citizens to Independent Consultation | The Pulso Ciudadano poll, conducted by consulting firm Criteria Research, and that undertaken by Cadem's Plaza Pública, differ in terms of the ratings of the president's administration, but…
(2019-12-02). Many unanswered questions as Tories exploit London terror attack. wsws.org The brutal murder of the two young students was seized on by Boris Johnson and the pro-Tory media, with the Sunday Times leading on a promise from the prime minister to "lock terrorists up and throw away the key."
(2019-12-02). Meet the Green who could join Caroline Lucas in parliament. thecanary.co The most interesting campaigns in a general election are those on a local level. Few are more interesting than the one currently underway on the Isle of Wight. | It's the biggest constituency in the country by population, with over 110,000 people registered to vote in 2017. An estimated 62% of people voted leave…
(2019-12-02). Tariq Ali on U.K. Elections, Corbyn's "Radical Social-Democratic Program" & Rise of Extreme Right. democracynow.org 
The British general election is just 10 days away and will have huge implications for the future of the country as well as Brexit. When voters cast their ballots later this month, they will choose between two dramatically different candidates: right-wing Conservative Party leader Boris Johnson and left-wing Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. Corbyn recently unveiled an ambitious election manifesto promising to transform the country and resuscitate its public sector. The plan proposed a $100-billion tax increase on the wealthy to fund investment in infrastructure as well as increased spending on education and heal…
(2019-12-02). These LGBTQ Students Say Their School Treats Them Like Second-Class Citizens. thenation.com These LGBTQ Students Say Their School Treats Them Like Second-Class Citizens…
(2019-12-01). The Usual Incoherence on Student Benefits Is Back. peoplespolicyproject.org 
Of all the welfare state topics, student benefits manages to consistently attract the most incoherent and weird arguments, and the recent spate of arguments on this front are no exception. In the last week, a student benefit dustup has been instigated by Pete Buttigieg ostensibly being against free public college for millionaires and billionaires while Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are ostensibly for it. | This has set off the usual round of commentary about how Buttigieg is arguing for means-testing while Warren and Sanders are arguing f…
(2019-11-30). DPRK tests new weapon system and strengthens defenses. fightbacknews.org Washington DC — The Democratic People's Republic of Korea tested a new rocket launching system on November 29. | According to a report from the Korean Central News Agency, "Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, inspected the test-fire of the super-large multiple launch rocket system conducted by the Academy of Defense Science." | In a related development, Kim Kye Gwan, advisor to the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK, commented on past meetin…
(2019-11-30). Irresponsible Charter School Promoters Blocked from Further Lowering Teaching and Learning Standards. dissidentvoice.org 
Despite the vehement objections of thousands of teachers, parents, college professors, public school advocates, state officials, and teachers' unions, in late 2017 the State University of New York (SUNY) Board of Trustee's charter school committee voted 4 to 1 to unilaterally and illegally lower training and preparation standards for teachers employed at privately-operated charter schools …
(2019-11-29). Fingerprint Analysis Is High-Stakes Work — but It Doesn't Take Much to Qualify as an Expert. theintercept.com 
One wrong fingerprint match could send an innocent person to prison or see a killer go free. But proficiency tests are frighteningly easy to pass.
(2019-11-27). In defence of human rights in Chile: An open letter to the Australian community. greenleft.org.au 
international solidarityIssue 1247 Australia ChileNovember 27, 2019We express our deep concerns about human rights violations taking place in Chile, including the de facto war that billionaire President Sebastian Piñera has unleashed on his people. | On October 18, Chilean students took to the streets to protest a hike in public transport…
(2019-11-27). Entrapment? ICE created fake universities to lure foreign students before arresting & deporting them. rt.com 
US immigration authorities created fake universities, lured foreign-born students to enroll, and took large sums of their money — before arresting and deporting them for immigration violations, a new report has revealed. | In recent months, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deported 90 students enrolled in a fake Michigan-based university, the Detroit Free Press reported on Wednesday. As many as 250 people, mostly from India, have been arrested since January, as part of the sting operation concocted by federal agents. | The scammed students had arrived in the US legally on student visas, but…