These pages are a modest attempt to provide up-to-date news that is relevant to the areas of mathematics, education, computer science or information technology. Reader should keep in mind that old links often disappear.
5/26/17
TechNews for the week: May 26; May 24; May 22;
War, Politics and Reports (Also, see Finance and Economics)
Final stages of Mosul battle against ISIS likely to be 'extremely violent'; Inside the Air War Over Syria: A High Altitude 'Poker Game';
At least 19 people dead following 'terrorist incident' in Manchester; Islamic State claims responsibility for Manchester bombing attack;
Iranian President Rouhani wins reelection by a landslide;
Philippines: Duterte declares martial law in Mindanao amid clashes with Islamist militants;
German official warns that a U.S. exit from Paris accord could cause 'lasting damage';
The 'dementia tax' could cost Theresa May a landslide general election victory;
Donald Trump Visits Riyadh, Putting Saudi Royals Before American People; As Trump prepared for visit, Saudis blocked U.S. on terrorist sanctions;
Preparations for Trump's Visit Expose Political Rifts in Israel; Angry Netanayahu has to order Israeli ministers to meet Donald Trump at the airport;
Israeli minister expresses concern over U.S.-Saudi arms deal; 50 Years of Israeli occupation boil down to a single word for Palestinians: Frustration;
Trump holds back on U.S. commitment to NATO security guarantees, likely disappointing allies worried about his willingness to defend them;
White House adviser clarifies Trump criticism of Germany;
Federal appeals court largely maintains freeze of Trump's travel ban;
The US is finally telling the public who overstays their visas the most-and it's not Mexicans;
CIA director alerted FBI to pattern of contacts between Russian officials and Trump campaign associates;
NYT: Russians discussed how to influence Trump via aides; A dubious Russian document influenced the FBI's handling of the Clinton email probe;
Trump Told Russians That Firing 'Nut Job' Comey Eased Pressure From Investigation;
Trump asked intelligence chiefs to push back against FBI collusion probe after Comey revealed its existence;
Flynn takes the Fifth, declines to comply with Senate Intelligence Committee subpoena;
Jared Kushner now a focus in Russia investigation; Russian ambassador told Moscow that Kushner wanted secret communications channel with Kremlin;
Trump retains outside lawyer Marc Kasowitz to help fight Russia probes;
Hacker of Democrats' Emails Shared with Republican Political Operative; Sessions Was Advised Not to Disclose All Russia Meetings on Security Forms ;
Wall Street grows pessimistic about Trump's agenda amid turmoil;
The real threat of phony leaks from the White House;
U.S. House Democrats seek info from Deutsche Bank on Trump accounts; Prosecutors: Investigator tried to get Trump tax returns;
The official who let Trump keep his government hotel deal explains herself;
Analysis of Trump's Budget; Trump's Problematic Math: Budget Plan Adds Growth, but Doesn't Subtract Cost; White House denies 'egregious' budget accounting error;
A Freedom Caucus Republican, Mark Sanford, says the foundation of the Trump budget is 'a lie'; Republicans, Pushing Aside Trump's Budget, Find Few Alternatives;
Trump budget seeks huge cuts to science and medical research and disease prevention; Trump Seeks Delay of Ruling on Health Law Subsidies, Prolonging Uncertainty;
Trump to propose slashing Medicaid, giving states power to limit other benefits despite lawmakers' unease about cutting safety net;
At Trump's urging, states try to tilt Medicaid in conservative directions; Trump's plans to cut food stamps could hit his supporters hardest;
CBO concludes The health-care bill that passed the House would leave 23 million more Americans uninsured by 2026;
Border Tax's Apparent Demise Jeopardizes G.O.P. Overhaul Plan;
White House Moves to Block Ethics Inquiry Into Ex-Lobbyists on Payroll;
Justices rule North Carolina improperly relied on race in redistricting efforts;
Lawmaker apologizes after saying Louisiana leaders 'should be lynched' for removing Confederate statues;
Ben Carson Calls Poverty a 'State of Mind,' Igniting a Backlash;
Math, science and technology:
Security issues
A top FBI agent explains why hackers are 'a little ahead'; Ransomware and the Internet of Things;
Victims Call Hackers' Bluff as Ransomware Deadline Nears; Hackers Behind 'WannaCry' Attacks Fail to Gain Big Profits;
WannaCry Ransomware Worm Risk Continues As Exploit Lands in Metasploit; Security experts find clues to ransomware worm's lingering risks;
Symantec Says North Korea 'Highly Likely' Linked to 'WannaCry' Attack; UN Experts Probing Sanctions on North Korea Hit by Hackers;
North Korea's Unit 180, the cyber warfare cell that worries the West; US spy secrets revealed by WannaCry hackers; Researchers See New Type of 'WannaCry'-Type Threat;
'Wannacry' Ransomware Hackers Attack Russia's Postal Service;
Russian Cyber Criminals Target Bank Customers on Android; Fake Movie Subtitles May Let Hackers Spread Malware;
Companies Examine Insurance Policies to Cover Ransomware Attacks;
Report: The darknet contains a vast treasure trove of stolen Fortune 500 data;
Proposal Would Allow U.S. Government to Seize, Destroy Any Drone; US Court Of Appeals Strikes Down FAA's Drone Registry Requirement;
ICE is Using Stingray to Track Illegal Immigrants;
Extending the Airplane Laptop Ban;
Math and science
Controversial study suggests Ape that lived in Europe 7 million years ago could be human ancestor;
Roman military's secret weapon: Wailing slingshot bullets with the power of a .44 magnum;
New telescope has already found 3 rare mystery signals;
Lithium-Ion Pioneer Leads Research On New, Longer-Lasting Battery; Army Seeking New Algorithm For Apache Radar;
The mathematics of mind-time; How Do You Count Without Numbers?
In 'Enormous Success,' Scientists Tie 52 Genes to Human Intelligence;
Miami tackles sea level rise;
Web and computing issues
Supreme Court ends venue-shopping for 'patent trolls';
Republicans want to let robocallers spam your voicemail; Foreign Companies Confront China's New Cybersecurity Law;
How Blockchain could upend the world's most powerful companies;
Things to know about quantum computers;
Why and How to Make Your PDFs Searchable;
SC News and Politics
Navigating News In A Time Of Scandal And Hyperbole;
Do You Want A West Ashley Without Cars?
Finance and Economics
U.S., Saudi firms sign tens of billions of dollars of deals as Trump visits; Here's The Catch With The U.S.-Saudi Defense, Oil Deals;
Blackstone Works With Saudi Arabia on U.S. Infrastructure Investments; OPEC, Fighting Market Forces, Extends Production Cuts;
India now more populous than China; China's Addiction to Debt Now Threatens Its Growth;
The case for higher US taxes; Americans are proud to pay taxes, except when they think others are cheating;
Budget Would Cut $3.1 Billion From DOE Energy Research Programs; Reduce Spending On Climate Change; Cut Clean Air, Water Programs; Cut Clean Coal Research;
Trump Budget Would Cut E.P.A. Science Programs and Slash Cleanups; Sell Northwest's Transmission Grid; Scott Pruitt's E.P.A. Rollbacks Are a Boon to Oil and Gas;
Trump advisers weigh privatizing some public assets to build new infrastructure;
Planned Parenthood to close 10 health centers across Midwest, Southwest; A Vital Drug Runs Low, Though Its Base Ingredient Is in Many Kitchens;
Lack of Workers, Not Work, Weighs on Utah's Economy; Wyoming Wind Project Targets Coal Workers As Trainees;
Solar Group Disputes Nevada Utility's Analysis Of Net Metering Bill; Nevada Assembly Approves Solar Energy Consumer Rights, Fees;
Former Congressman Urges Conservative Support For Solar Power;
Advances In Auto Technology Will Force Insurance Industry To Adapt; Chinese Companies Partner To Begin 3D Printing Cars;
Investment Firm: Sale Of Equipment Would Stop Complaint Over Chinese Solar Cells;
Citi And Nasdaq Partner For Landmark Blockchain Payment System;
Loeb to call for changes to Dow-DuPont post-merger plan;
Other news
'This Doesn't Sound Legal': Inside Nike's Oregon Project;
The Seth Rich conspiracy shows how fake news still works;
A GOP congressman from Kentucky wonders: Is 'this Trump thing' sustainable? Trump hypocrisy continues at home and abroad;
Trump wasn't always so linguistically challenged. Why the change; The definitive book about the Trump administration was written in 1951;
The 5 books Bill Gates urges everyone to read this summer;
Education:
Students with Learning and Attention Issues Three Times More Likely to Drop Out; A Student 'Unit Record' System Could Change Higher Ed;
Education Dept. Says It Will Pick Single Loan Servicer; Trump Administration Considers Moving Student Loans from Education Department to Treasury;
What Trump's Proposed 2018 Budget Would Mean for Higher Ed ;
Five startling things Betsy DeVos just told Congress; Betsy DeVos won't say whether she'd withhold federal funds from private schools that discriminate;
A Fafsa Tool's Continued Outage Hits Community Colleges Hard; Top Federal Student-Aid Official Resigns Over Congressional Testimony;
5 Forces That Drive Administrative 'Bloat'; How to Revamp a Curriculum Quickly, but Not Too Quickly;
Mizzou's Freshman Enrollment Has Dropped by 35% in 2 Years;
5/19/17
TechNews for the week: May 19; May 17; May 15;
War, Politics and Reports (Also, see Finance and Economics)
Justice Department to appoint special counsel to oversee probe of Russian meddling in 2016 election; Donald Trump Lashes Out At 'Witch Hunt' After Special Prosecutor Named;
A White House official close to President Trump is now a person of interest in Russia probe;
Report reveals Trump campaign repeatedly met with Russia to set up secret communications channel; Lawmakers demand FBI, White House hand over records;
Trump claims 'no politician in history' has been 'treated worse or more unfairly';
Trump Keeps Acting Like He Has Something to Hide; Who told Trump he was in the clear? Not us, key senators say;
The White House's conflicting explanations for Comey's firing: A timeline; Trump's own words add fuel to questions about the legality of firing Comey;
According to former associates Trump has a long history of secretly recording calls; Why Congress probably will never see Trump's Comey 'tapes';
Donald Trump, White House still refuse to talk about the 'tapes'; Reporter grills Spicer: "Why won't you just explain whether or not there are recordings?';
Trump revealed highly classified information to Russian diplomats in their Oval Office meeting last week; Trump Says He Leaked ISIS Intel to Russia for 'Humanitarian' Reasons;
What We Know About The ISIS Plot At the Center of Trump's Russia Gaffe; No, Trump did not break the law in talking classified details with the Russians;
Trump pressured Comey to drop investigation into Flynn, former FBI director's private notes say; The Comey memo was also about Trump's request to arrest reporters;
Trump's disclosures might actually have been illegal; Trump made Pence and Sessions leave before he talked to Comey;
Trump Team Knew Flynn Was Under Investigation Before He Came to White House; Team Planning Possible Retaliation for Classified Leak Allegations;
What is 'wholly appropriate' to the White House? Pretty much whatever Trump says; Donald Trump reportedly urged Comey to jail journalists;
The Right Builds an Alternative Narrative About the Crises Around Trump; Right pushes Trump to make staff, press changes;
Chaffetz will resign, raising doubts about Trump probe;
Donald Trump says he fired James Comey because he was 'unpopular'; Valerie Plame on how the intelligence community really feels about Trump;
N.Korea launches ballistic missile that flies about 435 miles;
Syria and Russia condemn US-led attack on pro-Assad forces; Syria government has constructed a crematorium to dispose of thousands of prisoners it continues to execute;
Iran election: Everything you need to know; Iran's Hard-Line Populist, and He's on the Rise;
Angela Merkel's Party Scores Big Win in Key German State Election;
Israel Said to Be Source of Secret Intelligence; Israel-US spat erupts ahead of Trump visit to region;
Trump Cancels Visit to Ancient Masada Site after Israel Refuses Helicopter Landing; Netanyahu insists he told Trump to move embassy to Jerusalem;
U.S. appeals court grills lawyers on Trump's revised travel ban; Judge orders government to turn over documents from Rudy Giuliani on travel ban;
Immigration arrests up under Trump, including a sharp rise for those without criminal records;
Trump administration formally launches NAFTA renegotiation;
Amid Trump controversies, the GOP picks compartmentalization over confrontation; Lawmakers Say A Partisan Leader Not What FBI Needs;
There's a chance the House might have to vote again on the GOP healthcare bill because of a procedural mistake;
Trump to voluntarily file personal financial disclosure for 2016; At Mar-a-Lago, the star power of the presidency helps charities - and Trump - make more money;
Vice President Pence has a growing credibility problem; Jeff Sessions is in deep trouble;
Under Trump, inconvenient data that was previously public is being sidelined; Interior Dept. nominee says Trump's views could outweigh climate science;
As Trump's interior secretary enters the fight over Utah's Bears Ears, natives feel unheard;
Supreme Court will not consider reviving controversial N. Carolina voter ID law; In Wisconsin, ID law proved insurmountable for many voters;
Republicans in N.C. Senate cut education funding - but only in Democratic districts;
Court Rules Anti-Gay Attacks Not Covered by West Virginia Hate Crime Law; Lawmaker Running For Jeff Sessions' Old Seat Is Obsessed With 'War On Whites';
Texas Seeks Medicaid Money It Gave Up Over Planned Parenthood Ban; What happens when a small band of angry legislators takes control of the Texas House?
Math, science and technology:
Security issues
May Crypto-Gram Newsletter, Who is Publishing NSA and CIA Secrets, Securing Elections, Insecure Infrastructure and more; WannaCry Ransomware;
Experts warn WannaCry attacks are only the beginning; WannaCry ransomware loses its kill switch, so watch out; New WannaCrypt ransomware discovered in the wild;
If you're still using Windows XP, you're a menace to society; Despite security risks, older Windows versions plague thousands of businesses;
New Computer Attack, 'Adylkuzz,' Steals Processing Power; Oddities in WannaCry ransomware puzzle cybersecurity researchers; How WannaCrypt attacks;
Small Countries' New Weapon Against Goliaths: Hacking; North Korean Hackers Suspected in 'WannaCry' Ransomware Attacks;
Group linked to NSA spy leaks threatens sale of new tech secrets; Botnet using NSA's exploits could grow bigger than WannaCry;
Microsoft President Decries Practice of Weaponizing Software Flaws;
U.S. Senate Approves Use of Encrypted Messaging App Signal for its staff; NSA Brute-Force Keysearch Machine; NSA Abandons "About" Searches;
560 million more passwords were exposed;
Math and science
Earth's Magnetic Field Is about to Flip-and a 'Giant Lava Lamp' in Earth's Core Is Driving Force; Scientists finally have a decent guess as to why Earth exists;
Mars rover reaches site that scientists still can't explain;
Scientists identify the 50-foot creature that washed up on an Indonesian beach;
3D-printed ovaries allow infertile mice to give birth;
Noisy Knees? Arthritis May Be in Your Future;
Two Minute Money: Budgeting;
Web and computing issues
FCC Votes to Roll Back 2015 Decision on Net Neutrality; Sprint, Windstream Sue FCC Over Decision on Business Internet Services;
Windows 10 tip: Keep unwanted software off PCs you support;
SC News and Politics
The Legislature's Wild 2017 Ride;
The Charleston County Sheriff's Department needs a new pursuit policy;
Finance and Economics
Japan Is Set for Its Longest Run of Economic Growth in a Decade; U.S. Firms Want In on China's Global 'One Belt, One Road' Spending;
Economists Say Trump Tax Plan Will Not Bolster Growth; Household Debt Makes a Comeback in the U.S.;
Trump Won't Like What General Electric Is Doing to Its Workers, but Investors Should Be Thrilled;
Strapped Pension Funds, and the Hefty Investment Fees They Pay; The big squeeze: how money managers' fees crush state budgets;
Health insurance premiums will keep going up, under either ACA or AHCA; A Whistle-Blower Tells of Health Insurers Bilking Medicare;
Treasury secretary to call for rolling back regulations on thousands of banks;
Southern Co to manage construction of Georgia nuclear plant; Grassley Blasts DOE Electric Grid Study;
Lyft and Waymo Reach Deal to Collaborate on Self-Driving Cars;
Human Driver Habits Challenge Self-Driving Car Developers; Suggestions On How States Should Approach Autonomous Vehicles;
US Less Attractive For Renewable Energy Investment; States Move Forward With Limits On Greenhouse Gases;
Nevada Senate Vote Sends Resolution Opposing Yucca Mountain Use To Congress;
Amazon Focuses On Developing Air Traffic Control System For Drones;
Other news
Why Trump must be impeached; For Trump, the loyalty he demands is a one-way street;
This is why Trump is buried in scandals, Art of the Deal ghostwriter explains; For 101 members of Congress, life may soon get very awkward;
A congressman said making a man get maternity insurance was 'crazy.' A woman's reply went viral;
Bill Gates has a message for every college graduate;
Education:
Struggling Mills College Looks to a 'Signature Experience' to Boost Its Fortunes; The Successes (and Failures) of an Experimental College's New Approaches to Teaching;
U.S. Colleges Face Potential Loss of $250 Million from Drop in International Enrollments; Colleges Grapple With How to Help Students Still Left in Limbo by Trump's Travel Ban;
Major Statements Trump and DeVos Have Made on Higher Ed;
Trump's first full education budget: Deep cuts to public school programs in pursuit of school choice; Budget Could Eliminate Public-Service Loan Forgiveness;
Federal Lawmakers Begin New Push for Student-Outcomes Data; Senators Introduce Bill To Overturn Ban On College Graduate Tracking System;
Student Loan Experts Express Confusion About Loan Repayment Process;
States Should Pay First Two Years Of Higher Education;
A Rundown of The States Where Campus Free-Speech Bills Are Being Born;
5/12/17
TechNews for the week: May 12; May 10; May 8;
War, Politics and Reports (Also, see Finance and Economics)
President Trump dismisses FBI Director Comey; The Justice Department's case for firing James Comey, annotated; In Trump's Firing of James Comey, Echoes of Watergate;
Comey asked for more money for the FBI's investigation of Russian meddling days before he was fired by President Trump;
Firing Fuels Calls for Independent Investigator, Even From Republicans; James Comey is 'a canary in the coal mine' of Donald Trump presidency, lawyers warned in November;
Anger over Russia probe led Trump to fire Comey; Trump Says He Planned To Fire 'Grandstander' Comey 'Regardless Of Recommendation';
Deputy attorney general threatened to quit after being cast as impetus of Comey's firing, which was already decided, official says;
Inside the F.B.I., Stunned Agents Wonder About Future of Russia Inquiry; Acting FBI Chief Defends Ousted Comey, Vows Independent Russia Investigation;
In a Private Dinner, Trump Demanded Loyalty. Comey Demurred; Trump's warning to Comey deepens doubts about his respect for the rule of law;
Clapper on collusion between Russia, Trump aides: There could be evidence;
Oval Office meeting with Russian officials raises eyebrows; Russian fighter jet intercepts US spy plane over Black Sea on Victory Day;
Trump: "this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story"; threatens to cancel briefings WH because it is 'not possible' for his staff to speak with 'perfect accuracy';
Donald Trump's tax law firm has 'deep' ties to Russia; Trump lawyers outline president's Russian income but provide no documents;
Comey misstated key Clinton email evidence, say people close to investigation;
Senate Asks Trump Associates for Records of Communication With Russians; Donald Trump former aide Carter Page refuses to provide Russia contacts to Senate;
Senate Intelligence Committee subpoenas documents from Flynn in Russia probe after he declines to cooperate;
Ex-acting attorney general testifies she warned White House that Flynn created a 'compromise situation' and could be 'blackmailed';
This week's lesson: Sally Yates was right about everything; Sally Yates and Ted Cruz get into heated battle over Trump's immigration ban;
Sean Spicer resorts to rumor and innuendo in effort to smear Sally Yates;
GOP senator threatens to block Trump's CIA nominee;
U.S. poised to expand military effort against Taliban in Afghanistan; Trump administration approves plan to directly arm Syrian Kurds against Islamic State;
Erdogan calls on world Muslims to flood Jerusalem's iconic mosque to protect its Islamic identity; Indonesia Governor's Loss Shows Increasing Power of Islamists;
Bill to declare Israel a Jewish state back on national agenda; Hezbollah says future war would be on Israeli territory;
South Korea elects as its next president Moon Jae-in, who wants better relations with North Korea;
Le Pen concedes French presidential election, saying the country has 'chosen continuity';
Austrian coalition collapse opens way to far-right election challenge; Pro-Nazi Soldiers in German Army Raise Alarm;
In a Beijing ballroom, Kushner family flogs $500,000 'investor visa' to wealthy Chinese;
White House Proposes Cutting Drug Control Office Funding by 95% ; Attorney General Sessions directs prosecutors to seek toughest drug charges;
Ryan got a huge section of the bill to focus on Medicaid, not Obamacare; Price defends cutting nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid;
Senate conservatives lobby for changes that would drop millions of adults from Medicaid;
'Nobody dies because they don't have access to health care,' a GOP lawmaker said. The boos drowned him out; Why Congress exempted itself from the new healthcare bill;
U.S. Census director quits as funding crisis looms for 2020 count;
EPA dismisses half of key board's scientific advisers; Interior suspends more than 200 advisory panels; Grassley, Chaffetz rebuke HHS secretary for muzzling agency employees;
Mexico 'Called Donald Trump's Bluff' Over NAFTA Exit; Trump effect on full display in the Senate Thursday with a majority embracing a trade-deal opponent;
All of Trump's campaign statements just vanished from his website. So let's remember them;
Muslim ban language suddenly disappears from Trump campaign website after Spicer questioned;
Trump slammed this Indiana factory on Twitter. Union leaders say he's all talk; Trump blasts Navy's aircraft catapult;
Trump Picks Voter ID Advocate for Election Fraud Panel; In Wisconsin, ID law proved insurmountable for many voters;
Missouri State Congressman Claims "Homosexuals" and "Human Beings" Are Different;
Math, science and technology:
Security issues
Securing Elections; Trump's cybersecurity executive order: 4 things you need to know; U.S. Considers Banning Laptops on All Flights from Europe;
Massive hack hits computers worldwide, exploiting a vulnerability identified in leaked National Security Agency documents;
Hospitals across England hit by ransomware cyber attack, systems knocked offline; German Official Accuses Russia of Political Cyber Attacks;
Email Attack Hits Google: What to Do if You Clicked;
Zero day exploits: The smart person's guide; How to securely erase any hard drive, SSD, flash drive, iPhone, iPad or Android device;
West Point cadets play cyberwar games to prepare for real life;
Seattle Creates Privacy Rule for Internet Service Providers; Using Ultrasonic Beacons to Track Users;
Math and science
Humanity's strange new cousin is shockingly young and shaking up the family tree;
The Scientific Truth About Planet Nine, So Far;
After One EPA Science Board Is Trimmed, a Bigger One Awaits ;
Researchers: Autonomous Cars Are Rule-Based, Don't Understand "Social Graces"; Human- And Cost-Related Challenges Of Developing Self-Driving Cars Examined;
Israel Tests Wireless Charging Roads For Electric Vehicles;
Roger Penrose On Why Consciousness Does Not Compute;
Nike's Quest to Beat the Two-Hour Marathon Comes Up Oh So Short;
Web and computing issues
FCC chief wants a do-over on net neutrality; The future of net neutrality might rest on this obscure court case;
Using the latest Samsung smartphone to replace my work computer: I'm convinced it's the future;
How to delete your data from your old devices; Post photos and videos to Instagram from your computer;
SC News and Politics
South Carolina lawmakers reach deal to pay for repairing crumbling roads, including 12-cent gas tax hike;
Apartment moratorium wrong for James Island;
Finance and Economics
As U.S. pulls back in Asia, China pitches an ambitious global plan; China pitch by Kushner sister renews controversy over visa program for wealthy;
Senate hard-liners outline health-care demands with Medicaid in the crosshairs; Vote to Kill Retirement Account Rule Draws Criticism From State-Level Republicans ;
Puerto Rico: A Debt Problem That Kept Boiling Over;
Appalachia Coal Country Struggles With Economies Of Scale; NV Energy To Shut Down Last Coal-Fired Plant In Nevada;
U.S. blocks major pipeline after 18 leaks and a 2 million gallon spill of drilling mud;
Utility-Scale Solar Power Growing Quickly; Georgia May Seek White House Help to Get Nuclear Reactors Done;
Interior Department Moving Forward With Plans To Conduct Seismic Surveys In Atlantic; Pentagon Opposes Atlantic Offshore Drilling;
America's two biggest cable companies just struck a deal. Here's how it will affect you;
Increasing Truck Weight Limit Would Further Damage US Infrastructure;
Wells Fargo doubles cost-cut goal but offers soft revenue outlook;
Other news
What To Do When Machines Do Everything;
Researchers have answered a big question about the decline of the middle class; What a new report reveals about white economic hardship and Trump's big win;
Anderson Cooper Rolls His Eyes Over KellyAnne Conway's 'Alternative Facts' On Comey Firing;
Education:
Survey: Americans Losing Confidence In Higher Education System; Study Finds Students Don't Always Recognize Good Teaching;
Fannie Mae Makes Change To Help Student Loan Borrowers; Government Raises Rates On Student Loans;
Student Debt Prompts Some Millennials To Move Back Home; Student Loan Debt Collectors Increasingly Use Liens Against Default Borrowers;
DeVos Bans Rejection Of Grant Applications Over Formatting Errors;
Trump questions whether key funding source for historically black colleges is constitutional; Trump Walks Back Threat to Defund Black Colleges;
How Traditional Higher Education Institutions Can Implement Online Learning; Online "MOOCs" Evolve Into Career-Expanding Educational Offerings;
Trump administration formally withdrew rules that aimed to raise the bar for teacher training; Florida Moves to Slash Funds for Remedial Education, and College Leaders Protest;
Students Boo, Turn Their Backs on DeVos at Bethune-Cookman Speech; Faculty Strike at U. Illinois - Springfield Ends With Contract Agreement;
Duke Professor Resigns After Facing Discipline for Challenging Diversity Training; Faculty and Students Assail Texas A&M President's Criticism of Professor;
5/5/17
TechNews for the week: May 5; May 3; May 1;
War, Politics and Reports (Also, see Finance and Economics)
Syrian Civil War Map; Pentagon: U.S.-led fight on ISIS have killed 352 civilians; Iraqi Forces Open a Front in West Mosul, Trying to Squeeze ISIS;
Islamic State magazine steers followers to U.S. gun shows for 'easy' access to weapons;
Trump and Putin discuss cease-fire in Syria in first conversation since U.S. airstrikes;
Facing Military Pressure, Pakistan's Prime Minister Ousts 2 Top Aides;
S.Korea says U.S. reaffirms it will pay THAAD costs; Trump calls Asia allies; Controversial missile defense shield is now operational in South Korea;
It's not just North Korea. Trump has a South Korea problem, too; North Korea Targets Israel: Countries Threatened By Kim Jong Un's Regime;
Hamas to drop call for Israel's destruction; New Hamas program softens language, but some goals remain; Israeli strikes raise stakes in face-off with Hezbollah;
Netanyahu slams 'absurd' UN vote on Jerusalem;
Trump to visit Israel, Vatican and Saudi Arabia in effort to unite three of the world's leading religious faiths in fight against terror;
Trump calls infamous phone call with Australian leader 'fake news' - and then admits a 'testy' exchange;
Sean Spicer clashes with press over definition of a wall; 'No Asylum Here': Some Say U.S. Border Agents Rejected Them;
Hawaii loses bid for 11-judge 9th Circuit review of travel ban;
Supreme Court says cities can sue big banks over housing bubble damages; Supreme Court looking at decision to reject DNA expert;
Senate approves $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund government through September, sending measure to Trump ahead of deadline;
Trump: Our country 'needs' government shutdown to pass GOP agenda; Trump sees a way forward: Shutting it down;
NY lawmakers hatch plan to release Trump's state taxes;
Donald Trump slams 'archaic' US constitution that is 'really bad' for the country; Trump is now talking about consolidating his power;
Reagan adviser: Trump speech deeply disturbing; Trump abruptly ends interview after CBS anchor grills him on Obama wiretapping claims;
Trump could target 'carried interest' tax loophole;
Donald Trump freezes funding to groups fighting right-wing terror and white supremacism;
Trump administration weighing how to make it easier to sue the media; Trump to sign executive order making it easier for churches to support political candidates;
White House fires its chief usher - the first woman in that job;
An interview suggests Trump doesn't know what's in his health bill;
GOP health-care plan faces uncertain fate in Senate; House Republicans who voted against the healthcare bill;
The Republican healthcare bill is not about healthcare;
A bunch of House Republicans admitted they didn't read the GOP healthcare bill; GOP congressman: Greater risk, greater premium;
Republican Congressman suggests poor people don't deserve healthcare for not leading 'good lives'; NC GOP lawmaker: those with pre-existing conditions may need to move;
Here's what you need to know about preexisting conditions in the GOP health plan; In lieu of a CBO score, an overview of the expected effects of the GOP health-care bill;
While in White House, Trumps appeared in promotional materials for 'very special' Philippines project; State Dept. deletes retweet promoting Ivanka Trump's book;
Congress Allocates $120 Million for Trump Family's Security Costs;
Heritage Foundation board ousts president Jim DeMint;
Former Obama security adviser declines invite to testify;
Math, science and technology:
Security issues
How US cybersleuths decided Russia hacked the DNC; Are we heading for a new encryption war;
Reined-In N.S.A. Still Collected 151 Million Phone Records in '16; Who is Publishing NSA and CIA Secrets, and Why; Why Is the TSA Scanning Paper;
Turkey Blocks Wikipedia, Cites Law Against National Security Threats;
U Michigan Students Identify 1,632 Apps That Leave Smartphones Vulnerable; Hundreds of popular Android apps have open ports, making them prime targets for hacking;
Senators Introduce 'Preserving Government Data Act'; S&T Warns Congress About Security Threats To Phones;
Privacy Group Sues NYPD Over Facial-Recognition Technology;
Painting a history of abuse at Marine boot camp, newly released documents reveal disturbing injuries recruit suffered in 2012;
Phishing Scheme Tricks Users with Fake 'Google Docs'; Forging Voice;
Math and science
A Massive Lake Of Molten Carbon The Size Of Mexico Was Just Discovered Under The US; Researchers Could Use Drones To Explore Ocean Floor;
NASA-Backed Study: Mars Surface Material Could Be Used For Bricks;
EPA website removes climate science site from public view after two decades;
Lockheed Martin Continues Effort To Incorporate Blockchain Technology;
Want to Make More Baskets? Science Has the Answer;
Web and computing issues
In Europe's Election Season, Tech Vies to Fight Fake News;
3 ways to improve Chrome's performance;
Microsoft Surface Laptop: The smart person's guide;
SC News and Politics
Former S.C. officer to plead guilty in killing of Walter Scott, an unarmed black man whose shooting was caught on video;
South Carolina rolling out new driver's licenses to meet government's REAL ID rules;
A Pat On The Back To Grooms, Sheheen For Practical Roads Bill;
Paving Wetlands Is The Real Environmental Threat;
Finance and Economics
U.S. adds 211,000 jobs in April, calming fears of an economic slowdown; Puerto Rico Declares a Form of Bankruptcy;
This map shows where you're most likely to lose your job to robots; Interns at these 25 companies make more than the median U.S. worker;
Infosys, an Indian Outsourcing Company, Says It Will Create 10,000 U.S. Jobs; Trump visa crackdown spurs tech moves to Mexico;
Will Trump 'Do a Big Number' on the Big Banks;
GA Power And Westinghouse Extend Temp Nuclear Plant Construction Agreement Through May 12; SCANA: Nuclear Woes Make For Opportunity;
Dow, Dupont planned merger gets conditional nod from China; Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) and Sunoco Complete Merger;
Risen From the Grave, Keystone XL Pipeline Again Divides Nebraska;
FirstEnergy Hoping For Financial Incentives To Keep Nuclear, Coal Plants Open; Court Delays Ruling On Clean Power Plan Case;
DOE Research Programs Spared In Congressional Budget Deal;
Four Conservation Groups Sue To Stop Fracking In Wayne National Forest; Ohio Budget Approval Could Pave Way For Fracking In State Parks;
Other news
Dana Milbank: A deep dive into Trump's elaborate fantasyland;
Trump's totally bizarre claim about avoiding the Civil War; Historians react to Trump's Civil War comments: 'That's entirely wrong in every respect';
A New York Times op-ed just argued for what could become the GOP's next big lie;
Education:
More Men Enrolling In College As More Jobs Require Degrees; As Robots Displace Workers, Higher Ed 'Will Change a Great Deal';
The big idea from TED conference: Prioritize these 3 things to improve your life;
Complaints About Student Loan Servicers Mount As ED Rolls Back Protections.; Trump ED Gives New Contracts To Student Loan Collectors Dismissed Under Obama;
What the Congressional Budget Deal Means for Higher Ed; A Little-Noticed Target in the House Health Bill: Special Education;
School vouchers, rising in many GOP states, founder in Texas;
Purdue's Faculty Senate Seeks to Rescind Kaplan Deal; Who's Up and Who's Down in Online Education;
With Final Exams Looming, Faculty Strikes at U. of Illinois at Springfield; 3 Deans Are Suddenly Dismissed at Florida A&M;
Hateful Fliers Appear at U. of Texas Following Fatal Stabbing; Missouri College Locked Down Over Engineering Student's Assignment To Build Toy Gun;