Topic: Columbia University

Occupy Nigeria victory: president to cut fuel prices

The initial removal of an estimated $7 billion annual fuel subsidy impacted an entire population and crippled the Nigerian economy.

Carbon dioxide super-scrubber? Potential good news in global warming fight.

Scientists have announced a potential breakthrough in developing a new material that removes carbon dioxide from the air. CO2 scrubbing could be a useful tool against global warming.

Parading back to Rio de Janeiro: the bookish and brainy

In a reversal, many Brazilians who left the country are coming back amid a strong economy and sense of expectation. In Rio, some are inspired, others disappointed.

Is France's Armenian Genocide law merely a domestic ploy for votes?

The diplomatic repercussions of the vote in France to criminalize denying the Armenian Genocide have been substantial, but so are the domestic benefits.

Higgs boson: What scientists are saying about the 'God particle'

Scientists at CERN say that they are closing in on the Higgs boson, the elusive subatomic particle that, if discovered, could help explain why particles have mass. Here's what some of the world's leading physicists have to say about the announcement.

6 stories that made Christmas what it is today

Where would Christmas be today without Ebenezer Scrooge or the Nutcracker? Here are six ways in which literature has given Christmas its groove.

3 great photo books

Each proving that a picture is worth far more than a thousand words, here are three favorite 2011 photo books chosen by the Monitor's photo staff. They offer images that range from the Great Depression to a behind-the-headlines view of Africa to a study of humanity's impact on the Earth.

Ai-jen Poo organizes labor with love

She battles for those on the economy's bottom rung – nannies and housekeepers.

Is American dream fragile? History says it's strong.

Michael Jackson doctor declines to testify. Was that his last, best chance?

Both the prosecution and the defense rested in the involuntary murder trial of Michael Jackson's physician as Dr. Conrad Murray declined to testify. Cross examination would have been brutal, analysts say.

Doctor's defense expert: It's plausible Michael Jackson caused his own death

An expert in anesthesiology testified in defense of Michael Jackson's doctor, saying the pop star may have given himself a fatal dose of drugs and that the prosecution's theory does not fit the evidence.

Which GOP flat tax plan is fairest of them all?

So far, Herman Cain, Rick Perry, and Newt Gingrich have all introduced flat tax plans, which would lead to less revenue and broader spending cuts, analysts say.

Ouster of Syria's Assad would be 'opportunity' for Israel (video)

Michael Oren, Israel's ambassador to the US, said Tuesday it will take more time to know how the democratic uprisings in Arab nations will affect relations with Israel. But 'possible ouster' of President Assad in Syria would afford 'an opportunity to us,' he said.

Secrets are safe as WikiLeaks, starved of funds, halts operations

WikiLeaks will not release any more secrets until it can raise enough money to keep going, according to the clandestine group's website. It has been choked by financial institutions that no longer process online donations to WikiLeaks.

Tax the rich: Should millionaires really pay more?

The fight over raising levies on the wealthy, a theme of the 'Occupy Wall Street' protests, is about more than money. It's a clash over fundamental American values.

Herman Cain: Who came up with the 999 plan?

With Herman Cain now a GOP front-runner in some polls, DCDecoder offers a four-point primer on Cain's 999 plan.

5 non-fiction 2011 National Book Award finalists

The 2011 National Book Award winners will be announced on Nov. 16. Which of these five books will be the winner of the award for non-fiction?

Wall Street protests lead to hundreds of arrests on Brooklyn Bridge (VIDEO)

The group Occupy Wall Street has been camped out in Manhattan’s Financial District. More than 700 protesters demonstrating against corporate greed, global warming, and social inequality were arrested Saturday after they shut down a lane of traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge.

Herman Cain's '999 plan': long overdue tax reform or job killer?

Herman Cain's political star is lately on the rise, thanks in no small part to the persistent marketing of his '9-9-9 plan' to reform the tax code. Independent economists say the plan takes us into uncharted territory.

Opinion: Anti-Israel speech should be protected, not banned, on American campuses

An Israel-based legal group has sent a letter to 100 university and college presidents asking them to crack down on anti-Israel abuse. Fair enough, except that anti-Israel speech – anger directed at a government – is protected by the First Amendment.

College rankings: Princeton, Harvard best colleges

College rankings from U.S. News & World Report put five Ivy League schools in Top 10 best colleges. University of Maryland-Baltimore is up-and-comer in college rankings.

US funding for Pakistani journalists raises questions of transparency

US State Department funding, supplied through a nonprofit intermediary, supports the presence of two Pakistani journalists in Washington. Some observers say the relationship should be more transparent.

Three earthquakes in three days. More than coincidence?

First came an earthquake in Colorado. Then Virginia's quake shook the US from South Carolina to New England. Finally, San Francisco had a rattler as well. Are they connected?

Report: Child poverty rate hits 20 percent in US as families struggle

Over the past decade, child poverty grew in 38 states. Economic recession and housing foreclosures are among the major reasons, wiping out earlier gains, a new report finds.