French! That’s according to writer Freddie DeBoer, who cites the hundreds of millions of French speakers across Africa. DeBoer argues that “safe majors” like business or computer science often suffer from high competition, low educational standards, volatile demand and susceptibility to artificial intelligence (AI). Furthermore, the idea of a “practical major” is meaningless, constantly changing…
K-Pop Star Moon Bin Found Dead at Home
Moon Bin, a singer from South Korean boy band Astro, was found dead at his home in Seoul, his management agency said Thursday. The 25-year-old was reportedly found by his manager who went to the singer’s home Wednesday evening because he wasn’t responding to contacts. Police are investigating his death but have so far found…
Why Does the United Nations Think Global Education is ‘Seriously off Track’?
The latest session of the U.N. Commission on Population and Development is happening this week in New York. Attendees have discussed how women and girls are still denied equal access to education, how aging in rich countries and high birth rates in poorer ones affect public schooling, and how the pandemic may have punched a…
Taraji P. Henson Partners With HBCUs on Mental Wellness
Alabama State University is partnering on a new project to make free mental health resources more widely available to students at historically Black colleges and universities, The Associated Press reported. The “She Care Wellness Pods” will give students access to therapy sessions, workshops, yoga and quiet spaces. Actress Taraji P. Henson’s Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation…
Panama’s Geisha Coffee Fetches $100 a Cup
People worldwide have long been paying more for a premium cup of coffee. But what about a cost of over $100 for a cup? From Panama City, Panama, Oscar Sulbarán has the story, narrated by Cristina Caicedo Smit. …
Is College in the US a ‘Business’?
The authors of a new book, “Campus Economics: How Economic Thinking Can Help Improve College and University Decisions,” think so. Sandy Baum and Michael McPherson weigh in on the future of tenure, the effects of high inflation and why colleges don’t shut down unpopular majors. Weigh their arguments for yourself in this interview with Scott…
Native American Artist’s Work Stolen, Copied Around the World
Like most Facebook users, I am targeted by advertisements relating to my interests, particularly Native American. So, when an ad popped up recently advertising a “Navajo Tufa Cast Corn Stalk Design Bracelet” cast from 55 grams of sterling silver, it got my attention, especially because its price was an implausible $6.48. “Because of Black Friday,…
Could Gun Violence in the US Drive International Students Away?
In a 2019 survey, more than 40% of East and South Asian students said gun violence is their biggest fear when it comes to studying in the U.S. Meanwhile, English-speaking countries with less gun violence, such as Canada, Australia and Britain, have seen a rise in international education. Are the two related? Liam Knox of…
Pandemic Hurt Volunteerism in Most Parts of US
The share of Americans who volunteer their time to help charities build houses, serve food, do environmental cleanup, and much else has been on the decline nationwide but nowhere as sharply as in Florida, where only 16% of residents donate their free hours to local organizations, according to the latest available statistics. That’s a drop…
How Much Should the US Government Interfere With the Colleges It Helps Fund?
Florida is home to New College, whose roughly 700 students largely devise their own degree programs. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has accused Florida’s public education system of indoctrinating students in left-wing ideas and has removed New College’s president and board. (DeSantis is expected to announce this summer as a Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential…
Senegal Musician Maal Named UN Ambassador on Desertification
Senegalese singer-songwriter Baaba Maal on Monday was named a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification. Maal has long been an activist on climate change and refugees. Since 2003, he has been committed to various development challenges in Africa, working with different U.N. family organizations. His NANN-K Trust recently opened a solar-powered irrigation…
Does Joint Research Between the US and China Have a Future?
The Biden administration announced it would end the China Initiative, a Trump-era plan to investigate academic espionage by China. However, the Biden administration has set new compliance, disclosure and privacy rules, and research collaboration has declined. Many researchers, especially Asian American ones, report being afraid to work alongside their Chinese peers. Can the U.S. balance…
‘The Phantom of the Opera’ Closes on Broadway After 35 Years
The final curtain came down Sunday on New York’s production of “The Phantom of the Opera,” ending Broadway’s longest-running show with thunderous standing ovations, champagne toasts and gold and silver confetti bursting from its famous chandelier. It was show No. 13,981 at the Majestic Theatre and it ended with a reprise of “The Music of…
Boston Marathon Poses New Challenge for Kipchoge: Slow Down
World record-holder Eliud Kipchoge has the speed to outclass the rest of the field when he makes his Boston Marathon debut on Monday. To win, he may have to slow things down. The two-time Olympic gold medalist and 12-time major marathon champion knows that the 26.2-mile route from Hopkinton to Boston’s Back Bay isn’t like…
American Jazz Piano Great Ahmad Jamal Dead at 92
Ahmad Jamal, a towering and influential U.S. jazz pianist, composer and band leader whose career spanned more than seven decades, died at age 92 on Sunday, according to news reports. Jamal’s widow Laura Hess-Hey confirmed his death, The Washington Post reported, while his daughter Sumayah Jamal told The New York Times the cause was prostate…
‘Mario’ Tops Charts Again; ‘Beau Is Afraid’ Wins in Limited
“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” scored the best second weekend ever for an animated movie in North American theaters with $87 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. The family-friendly Universal release dropped a slim 41% from its record-making opening weekend. With $94 million from international showings, “Mario’s” global total now stands at…
Pickleball Is Booming in the US, and Not Everyone Is Happy
Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States. It’s simple and can be played in small spaces so popular with all age groups. But not everyone loves it. Maxim Moskalkov reports. …
Guitarist Mark Sheehan of Irish Band The Script Dies At 46
Ireland’s president has led tributes to Mark Sheehan, guitarist with Irish rock band The Script, after his death at 46. The band said Sheehan died in a hospital Friday after a brief illness. In a statement, The Script called him a “much-loved husband, father, brother, band mate and friend.” Formed in Dublin in 2001 by…
Is AI a Curse for College Educators or a Gift?
Tulane University President Michael Fitts thinks that AI can make creative work easier but will never replace human creativity itself. AI “can find an answer, but it can’t be the first to ask the question,” he wrote. As long as that remains the case, universities will need to train human minds, he added. Read the…
Are College Rankings Useful?
U.S. News & World Report publishes the most influential college rankings in the U.S. But last year, Yale Law School – the No. 1 legal program in the country for years – chose not to participate. Twelve of the top 14 law schools followed suit, though most still made it into this year’s rankings despite…
Should Government Employees Be Hired Based on Skills? Or Degrees?
Many college graduates aspire to work in government because of the stability, benefits and sense of purpose. But at least six states have tried to reduce the importance of a college degree in getting a job, arguing that the requirements are a burden on poorer applicants and result in turning away many gifted ones –…
US Visa Costs Are Going Up; How Will That Affect Students?
The cost of U.S. tourist and student visas, among other kinds, is increasing on May 30. See the full breakdown in this news release from the U.S. State Department. (March 2023) …
Russian and Belarusian Exiles Prepare for Another Year in Lithuania
Hundreds of thousands of Russians opposed to Putin’s war in Ukraine have left to find refuge in Baltic countries, where they have joined Belarusians who have fled Lukashenko’s repression. Ricardo Marquina has more from the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, in this report narrated by Marcus Harton. …
Academic Coaches Help Students Finish Community College
Two-year community colleges, which serve many of the students who need the most support, have the lowest completion rates of any kind of university or college, The Associated Press reported. The availability of advisers, students say, is often a deciding factor in who succeeds, the AP says in its story. (April 2023) …
Al Jaffee, Longtime Mad Magazine Cartoonist, Dead at 102
Al Jaffee, Mad magazine’s award-winning cartoonist and ageless wise guy who delighted millions of kids with the sneaky fun of the Fold-In and the snark of “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions,” has died. He was 102. Jaffee died Monday in Manhattan from multiple organ failure, according to his granddaughter, Fani Thomson. He had retired at…
Muslim Businessmen Volunteer to Feed DC Homeless
The instruction to feed the hungry is a common philosophy among most major world religions. Muslims are no exception, especially while the observe the fasting month of Ramadan. VOA’s Irfan Ihsan reports. Alam Burhanan and Ronan Zakaria contributed. …
In India, Revision of History in School Texts Stirs Controversy
A group of historians from India’s leading universities have slammed recent revisions to school textbooks that include removing or trimming references to Islamic rule in the subcontinent and to the anger among some Hindu extremists at independence leader Mahatma Gandhi’s pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity. Education authorities have said the history, political science and sociology texts…
Show Stopper: Singalong Fans Ejected, ‘Bodyguard’ Halted
A British performance of “The Bodyguard” musical ended in unrequited love for some audience members who couldn’t refrain from singing along to the anthemic finale. The show at the Palace Theatre in Manchester screeched to a halt Friday when two unruly patrons were ejected for joining the lead in singing “I Will Always Love You,”…