Exploring all angles to events that shape the world

BERLIN— In a third-floor conference room here overlooking the famous Potsdamer Platz, once bisected by the Berlin Wall, the future of academic publishing is being negotiated. The backdrop is fitting, because if the librarians and academic leaders at the table get their way, another major divide will soon fall: the paywall that surrounds most research papers. Over the past 2 years, more than 150 German libraries, universities, and research institutes have formed a united front trying to force academic publishers into a new way of doing business. Instead of buying subscriptions to specific journals, consortium members want to pay publishers an annual lump sum that covers publication costs of all papers whose first authors are at German institutions. Those papers would be freely available around the world; meanwhile, German institutions would receive access to all the publishers' online content. Consortia of libraries and universities in the Netherlands, Finland, Austr

A massive peer-review fraud has triggered a tough response from the Chinese government. Officials last week announced that more than 400 researchers listed as authors on some 100 now-retracted papers will face disciplinary action because their misconduct has seriously damaged China’s scientific reputation. Some institutions have barred the scientists linked to the fraud from pursuing their research, at least temporarily. And they have imposed other penalties, including canceling promotions, honors, and grants. Government ministries have also announced new “zero tolerance” policies aimed at stamping out research fraud. "We should eradicate the problem from its roots," said He Defang, director of the Ministry of Science and Technology’s (MOST’s) regulatory division in Beijing. Although China has previously cracked down on scientific misconduct, a chronic problem. These penalties "are the harshest ever," says Chen Bikun, an information scientist at the Nanjing

Russia's President Vladimir Putin (centre) walks with officials as he attends  a ceremony for Russia's Navy Day in Saint Petersburg on July 30, 2017 (AFP Photo/Alexey NIKOLSKY) President Vladimir Putin on Sunday oversaw a pomp-filled display of Russia's naval might as the Kremlin paraded its sea power from the Baltic Sea to the shores of Syria. Some 50 warships and submarines were on show along the Neva River and in the Gulf of Finland off the country's second city of Saint Petersburg after Putin ordered the navy to hold its first ever parade on such a grand scale. "Today much is being done to develop and modernise the navy," Putin told servicemen after surveying the military hardware from his presidential cutter. "The navy is not only dealing with its traditional tasks but also responding with merit to new challenges, making a significant contribution to the fight against terrorism and piracy." Read more

Russian President Vladimir Putin © Sergey Guneev / Sputnik More than 750 American diplomats will have to leave Russia as a result of Washington's own policies, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said in an exclusive interview with the Rossiya 1 TV channel. " The American side has made a move which, it is important to note, hasn't been provoked by anything, to worsen Russian-US relations. [It includes] unlawful restrictions, attempts to influence other states of the world, including our allies, who are interested in developing and keeping relations with Russia ," Putin told channel host, Vladimir Solovyov, Sunday. " We've been waiting for quite a long time that maybe something would change for the better, we had hopes that the situation would change. But it looks like, it's not going to change in the near future... I decided that it is time for us to show that we will not leave anything unanswered ," the Russian president added. Earlie

South Korea announced Saturday that it will soon start talks with the Trump administration about allowing Seoul to build more powerful ballistic missiles to counter the North, but current and former American officials said the move would have little effect on the most urgent problem facing Washington: North Korea ’s apparent ability to strike California and beyond. The South’s newly elected president, Moon Jae-in, called for the relaxation of limits on its missile arsenal hours after the North launched an intercontinental ballistic missile , or ICBM, 2,200 miles into space. Experts quickly calculated that the demonstrated range of that test shot, if flattened out over the Pacific, could easily reach Los Angeles and perhaps as far as Chicago and New York, though its accuracy is in doubt. Read more

The Trump administration slapped sanctions on 13 Venezuelans associated with President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday, days ahead ahead of a controversial vote that may allow him to further consolidate his power. Senior U.S. officials issued another warning: If Maduro goes through with the vote, President Trump would follow up with "strong and swift economic action," though they declined to elaborate. On Sunday, Maduro is set to hold a vote that critics say could further erode democracy in Venezuela. If it goes through, Maduro could replace the current National Assembly with an entirely new institution filled with his supporters. He could then rewrite the constitution to his liking -- his main aim.   Read more

Tucker Carlson sparred a member of an immigration advocacy group over his decision to join 500 others to protest President Trump's anti-gang speech. Daniel Altschuler, of "Make the Road New York," said he was one of 500 people "rejecting the use of a local tragedy to score points in his broader anti-immigrant agenda." Read more

Al-Shabaab terrorist group calls Trump 'brainless billionaire'

Syria Propaganda War Will Ultimately Fall Apart