News in Brief Archives

News in Brief

FCC Votes to Repeal Net Neutrality Rules

The now-repealed Obama administration regulations treated Internet service providers like a utility, preventing them from charging different rates for higher loading speeds or blocking access to specific websites.

Jack Denton

Jake Glaser, dressed as Santa Claus, skateboards at Venice Beach on December 13th, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. Residents are preparing for Christmas in the wake of a series of destructive wildfires across Southern California.

News in Brief

Viewfinder: Christmas Spirit on Venice Beach in California

Jake Glaser, dressed as Santa Claus, skateboards at Venice Beach on December 13th, 2017, in Los Angeles, California.

Pacific Standard Staff

News in Brief

Palestinian President Calls on U.N. to Replace U.S. in Peace Mediation

The U.S. has led efforts to negotiate a peace treaty between Israel and Palestine for over 20 years.

Morgan Baskin

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on November 1st, 2017

News in Brief

Assessing the Threat of a Cyberwar With Iran

The country's increased use of cyberattacks against the United States is a worrying sign toward potential future conflicts.

Dorothy Denning

News in Brief

Trump Reportedly Watches Four-Plus Hours of TV a Day. Science Says That’s Not a Great Idea.

Pacific Standard checks out the studies.

Francie Diep

President Donald Trump holds up a proclamation signed December 6th, 2017, saying the U.S. government will formally recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

News in Brief

Does Trump Want Peace in the Middle East?

Some analysts aren't so certain.

Massoud Hayoun

News in Brief

Dull Minds Are Gullible to Fake News

Cognitive ability drives our ability to recalibrate our views after reading a correction.

Tom Jacobs

Voters exit after casting their ballots at a polling station setup in the Fire Department on December 11th, 2017, in Gallant, Alabama. Alabama voters are casting their ballot for either Republican Roy Moore or his Democratic challenger Doug Jones in a special election to decide who will replace Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the U.S. Senate.

News in Brief

Viewfinder: A Special Election in Alabama

Voters exit after casting their ballots at a polling station set-up in the fire department on December 11th, 2017, in Gallant, Alabama.

Pacific Standard Staff

Democratic Senatorial candidate Doug Jones (right) and his wife Louise Jones greet supporters in Birmingham, Alabama, on December 11th, 2017.

News in Brief

Democrat Doug Jones Wins Alabama Senate Seat

Jones, a pro-choice civil rights attorney, successfully prosecuted two members of the Ku Klux Klan in the late 1990s for the bombing of a black church.

Morgan Baskin

News in Brief

The Brains of Jazz and Classical Musicians Respond Differently to Surprising Sounds

The way we mentally process the unexpected may be a key to creativity.

Tom Jacobs