Education | GlobalPost

Commission to propose 5-point plan to speed introduction of digital learning in US classrooms

The Canadian PressJune 12, 2013 20:31

WASHINGTON - A week after President Barack Obama's call for U.S. schools to be outfitted with high-speed Internet within five years, an independent panel that studied the lack of technology at school says digital learning, including the super-fast Internet connections, can be introduced even sooner. The LEAD Commission is finalizing a five-point plan to speed the adoption of digital learning in schools by 2016. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the panel's blueprint on Wednesday; the full plan is expected to be formally released in the coming weeks.

Palestinian boycott leaders say peace talks 'useless'

Agence France-PresseJune 12, 2013 11:36

Leaders of a growing Palestinian movement to boycott Israel oppose any peace talks, even if they include a long-demanded freeze of Jewish settlements on Palestinian land. "We have no faith... in the so-called negotiations," said Omar Barghouti, head of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which lobbies worldwide for the economic, cultural and academic boycott of Israel.

Father of Snowden's girlfriend says he's 'shocked' by news; says daughter is 'holding on'

The Canadian PressJune 12, 2013 05:34

LAUREL, Md. - The father of the girlfriend of Edward Snowden described the leaker of national secrets as a shy man with convictions, but said Tuesday he's "still shocked" by the news about him. Jonathan Mills, speaking to reporters Tuesday evening outside his home in Laurel, Maryland, described 29-year-old Edward Snowden as "very nice. Shy, and reserved." "He's always had strong convictions of right and wrong, and it kind of makes sense. But still shocked," Mills said, describing his reaction to the news about Snowden.

Father of Snowden's girlfriend says he's 'shocked' by news; says daughter is 'holding on'

The Canadian PressJune 12, 2013 03:34

Palestinian boycott leaders say peace talks 'useless'

Agence France-PresseJune 12, 2013 00:32

Former Ontario premier McGuinty to resign legislature seat on Wednesday: sources

The Canadian PressJune 11, 2013 22:48

TORONTO - Former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty will resign his seat in the legislature Wednesday, according to government sources, despite saying just last month that he would remain the MPP for Ottawa-South until the next general election. McGuinty had only shown up in the legislature twice since he was replaced by Kathleen Wynne as premier in February — both times for confidence votes — but he did not attend Tuesday's vote on the minority government's budget, which passed with support from the New Democrats.

Shine wearing off Kerry's Mideast peace bid

Agence France-PresseJune 11, 2013 22:44

Hopes the new and indefatigable Secretary of State John Kerry could charm Israel and the Palestinians back into talks are fading at the edges as months pass with no sign of a breakthrough, analysts say. True, the top US diplomat has visited the region four times since coming to office in February, and he has also been warmly received and on the whole spared the usual insidious whispering campaigns in the local media.

GSK offers discount to win UK green light for platelet drug

Thomson ReutersJune 11, 2013 22:38

LONDON (Reuters) - GlaxoSmithKline has finally won a green light from Britain's healthcare cost agency NICE for its platelet-boosting drug Revolade, after offering a price discount to the country's state-run healthcare service. Revolade, also known as eltrombopag, was originally rejected in 2010 by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as not cost-effective.

Hundreds of Alberta students cut class to protest education funding

The Canadian PressJune 11, 2013 19:36

EDMONTON - About 500 high school students skipped class Tuesday to protest education funding in the Alberta capital. The students, many of them transported to the legislature by unions, listened to speeches and to music from a rock band under sunny skies over the lunch hour. Some waved protest signs that read "Taking Back Our Education" while some splashed around in the wading pool and a few brought skateboards. Organizers said it's time to call attention to years of underfunding that is sapping the education system of its vital resources.

Bomb threat forces evacuation at Princeton

Agence France-PresseJune 11, 2013 15:35

Princeton University ordered the evacuation of its New Jersey campus Tuesday after receiving bomb threats to "multiple and unspecified campus buildings." Students were alerted to the threat through university's emergency notification system, and instructed to "evacuate the campus and all University offices immediately" and not to return for any reason. "There has been a bomb threat to multiple unspecified campus buildings," it said. Emails carried the subject line "Princeton Alert - Bomb Threat - Evacuate!"