Americans lag behind their international competition when it comes to math. That’s according to a new OECD report comparing developed countries’ literacy, numeracy and technological skill rates, which found that Americans ranked 21st out of 23 on the latter. Worse, the younger generation is losing ground compared to older generations. American boomers actually performed better […]

We’re already well into the second week of open enrollment, and the errors that plagued Obamacare’s federal exchanges last week don’t seem to be going away yet. A number of news sites trying to access the exchanges report continued technical difficulties. One blogger trying to get coverage for his family has been trying to sign up […]

India signed an agreement in Sri Lanka’s capital on Monday to construct a $500 million coal-powered plant. The move seems designed to counter China’s increased influence in the island nation just off India’s coast. The Wall Street Journal reports: India, a traditional political and economic ally of its southern neighbor, is worried about increasing Chinese […]

Britain’s largest pharmaceutical company believes it will have an effective vaccine for malaria as early as 2015. London-based GlaxoSmithKline has published the results of the most recent trials on its vaccine, RTS,S. The results show that the treatment nearly halved the number of cases of malaria experienced by young children. The Guardian: The dossier will […]

Argentina’s wild and wacky quest to avoid paying its creditors—a saga that at one point saw the “pride of Argentina’s navy” seized at a Ghanaian port by an American hedge fund—is nearing its sorry end. Earlier this summer the IMF and US Treasury left Argentina for dead; yesterday the US Supreme Court smacked down Argentina’s petition to avoid […]

Malthus may have just been blasted by the focused power of 192 laser beams.Scientists at the California-based Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory made a huge breakthrough in nuclear fusion technology late last month. For the first time, a fusion reaction reportedly produced more energy than it consumed.Nuclear fusion has long been seen as energy’s holy grail; […]

In many US states, more people die from prescription drug overdoses than from car crashes. That’s the finding of a new report on the explosive growth in prescription drug abuse. Kaiser Health News: Researchers at the Trust for America’s Health found that rates of overdose and addiction doubled since 1999 in most states. In West […]

Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, ended speculation regarding his future as he announced his retirement yesterday, surprising many and relieving some. The New York Times reports: The announcement was significant because it paves the way for the appointment of a new army chief — always a delicate matter in a country that has suffered four […]

Cities don’t need more reasons not to go bankrupt, but here’s another one anyways: it’s extremely expensive. Detroit is learning that lesson the hard way.As the city prepares for bankruptcy, it is hiring lawyers, consultants, administrators and appraisers, racking up massive bills in the process. The city has already spent $19 million in this manner, […]

Vladimir Putin’s moment to dazzle on the world stage is being marred by an uncooperative Olympic torch, which just won’t stay lit across an epic 123-day, 40,000 mile relay across Russia. And the pesky torch didn’t go out just once, but twice. The torchbearer, accompanied by a police car, an SUV, a small van and […]