The Dutch school system is one of the best in the OECD, but raising standards will require further reforms to improve early childhood education, motivate students to excel and develop a career structure that attracts more high performers to the teaching profession, according to a new OECD report.

To boost growth, productivity and earnings, the UK should encourage lifelong learning among adults and promote better skills utilisation, according to a new OECD report.

France’s economy is growing and the labour market is gradually improving. However, the share of people out of work for more than 12 months remains high and many young people are on temporary contracts, with weak long-term job prospects and little opportunity for training.

Historic Royal Palaces has argued that the project will block protected views of the tower which is part of a system introduced in 1938 to also guard views of St Paul's vistas and the Palace of Westminster.

Ahead of the 2020 F1 season, here's a look at what the racers would be driving if they had to pilot the best road cars made by their respective teams - and where they'd be on the grid.

INTERVIEW BY MARTHA KELNER: Jessica Ennis-Hill accepts that, through no fault of her own, some people might be deterred from voting for her because of the doping crisis engulfing athletics.

Historic Royal Palaces has argued that the project will block protected views of the tower which is part of a system introduced in 1938 to also guard views of St Paul's vistas and the Palace of Westminster.

JEFF POWELL IN LAS VEGAS AND PICTURE EXCLUSIVE BY KEVIN QUIGLEY: There are some dark quarters of Sin City hidden away behind the glamour and the glitz.

Mike Tyson's potential return to the ring will end in 'embarrassment', promoter Frank Warren has warned. A video of Tyson hitting the pads with trademark tenacity went viral last week

EXCLUSIVE: Billy Vunipola has played a supporting role in rugby's version of House of Cards. The No 8 turned political pawn as his name was touted in promises for World Rugby elections

Brad Pitt has high hopes for a big family affair with all his children under one roof on the occasion of his daughter Shiloh's 14th birthday later this month.

The Manchester United striker, 22, was subject to a barrage of abuse after missing a penalty in a 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace last year.

In response to an earlier op-ed by Leo Saldanha on India Together, Prakash Belawadi argues that many of the points raised by Saldanha in particular, may not be so incriminating after all.

Sania Mirza took to social media to post a picture with her son Izhaan.

The tennis season was suspended in early March due to the Covid-19 outbreak, and the hiatus will continue at least until mid-July with many countries in lockdown to contain the virus.

The Aarogya Setu has helped the government with its twin objective -- "whom to test" and "where to test more" in its battle against Covid-19.

The coronavirus lockdown has separated many of us from our families, including our mothers. However, Sophie Choudhry is one lucky celeb who is able to spend her quarantine and Mothers' Day with her supermom. In fact, she told us all about her plans for the day.

One of the closest galaxies to the Milky Way almost got away with theft....

The post Galactic thief: “I would have gotten away with it but for those meddling astronomers!” appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise…and you know the rest, probably even if you’re not a huge fan of […]

The post Five things only a conservator would know about the USS Enterprise appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post Device at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center examines how phytoplankton would react if the ozone layer vanished appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

If a supernova vaporized Earth’s ozone layer, what would happen to life in the ocean? Smithsonian biologist Pat Neale shows how UV rays could harm […]

The post If a supernova vaporized our ozone layer, what would happen to life on Earth? appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

A new large-scale, multidisciplinary ocean exploration program would increase the pace of discovery of new species - ecosystems, energy sources, seafloor features, pharmaceutical products, and artifacts, as well as improve understanding of the role oceans play in climate change.

A new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine proposes updated revisions to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to better align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and promote and support breast-feeding.

The science questions that could be answered by an electron ion collider (EIC) – a very large-scale particle accelerator – are significant to advancing our understanding of the atomic nuclei that make up all visible matter in the universe, says a new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Approximately 88 megatonnes (Mt) of food are wasted every year in the European Union, causing 186 metric tons (Mt) carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-eq) — a universal measure for all greenhouse gases. The impact of food waste on the climate, acidification and eutrophication is around 15–16% of the environmental impact of the entire food chain. In developed countries, food waste is high at the point of consumption— so significantly reducing food losses would require a food-waste reduction in households and the food-services sector.

Large-scale cultivation of bioenergy crops on marginal land is unfeasible, according to a recent study. While limiting bioenergy crops to less productive land could cut the sector’s impact on food prices, the financial incentive to grow crops on more productive land may be too strong for landowners to ignore, the researchers suggest.

A study on how diet can affect water usage in the EU has concluded that a vegetarian diet is the most sustainable, but any reduction in meat consumption would be a move towards more sustainable water use.

Farmers in one of Europe’s most water-stressed regions would be willing to pay double the current amount for irrigation water in order to ensure a reliable supply, new research from Spain suggests. The study also shows that they appear unsupportive of new policies proposed by the researchers, such as water markets and tighter controls on groundwater pumping, which could help enable a guaranteed supply of water.

The economic viability of wastewater reuse projects could be better determined using methodology from a new study. The authors developed a five-step cost-benefit analysis framework to assess a planned wastewater reuse project within the catchment of the Yarqon River, in Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area, Israel. It was found that the scheme could have a net present value of $4.83 (€4.34) million per year. The authors highlight the relevance of identifying external as well as internal economic, social and environmental costs of such projects.

The EU would not be breaking World Trade Organization (WTO) rules if it chose to extend REACH’s authorisation scheme on substances of very high concern (SVHC) to products imported to Europe, a recent legal analysis concludes. At present, the scheme — which is effectively a ban on SVHC, with some exceptions — applies only to products made within the European Economic Area (EEA).

Extending the Montreal Protocol on ozone-depleting substances to include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) could have important benefits for climate change action, say scientists in a recent analysis. HFCs are currently part of the Kyoto Protocol as greenhouse gases, but this protection will end with the expiry of Kyoto commitments this year.

EU air pollution legislation to reduce sulphur dioxide (SO₂) has effectively reduced rates of premature deaths, new research suggests. Moreover, additional reductions would lead to even further public health benefits, the researchers say.

Professional cuddling businesses are popping up across the country, and the world's first cuddling convention will take place this Valentine's Day.

The oil cleansing method has women everywhere ditching face soap in favor of oil — but why?

With an estimated price tag of nearly a billion dollars, the 7-mile bike highway would help alleviate London's traffic and air pollution woes.

Actress Kim Cattrall claims this new yoga hybrid practice saved her life.

Two proposed energy projects (each with a $7 billion price tag) present two very different directions for America's future. Which would you choose?

NASA's video of New Horizons photos constructs what it would be like to touch down on Pluto — and not just fly by it. It's inspiring.

If organic foods can’t contain genetically modified ingredients, you’d think organic food companies wouldn’t have a problem with labeling foods that conta

Markku Lahdesmaki's photo series 'Avanto' illuminates the Finnish hobby of ice swimming.

As the season of giving approaches, support your local food bank's commitment to give less junk food and donate only nutritious food.

Not every dog goes straight from the shelter to a happy ending, but Baloo's story is the most unlikely of all.

The cloud wastes an awful lot of energy as heat. One company is putting it to good use.