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646 jili A Nov. 14 Instagram post ( , ) uses a meme with an image of former President Jimmy Carter to claim U.S. educational achievement has plummeted. “In 1979 I created the Department of Education,” reads on-screen text in the image. “Since then America went from 1st to 24th in education.” X owner Elon Musk made the same claim in a on X, formerly Twitter, that was reposted 98,000 times. The claim also circulated widely on . How we pick and research claims | | There is no evidence to support the claim. While multiple studies have compared U.S. students to their peers in other countries, none show they ranked first in 1979, nor do any say they ranked 24th in 2024. There isn’t a definitive way to rank a country’s education quality, but multiple studies show results contrary to the trend claimed in the post. , a professor at Stanford’s Graduate School of Education, told USA TODAY that the claim is “completely inaccurate.” “These are very rough comparisons, but it can be said that U.S. middle school and secondary students have always done poorly on international tests of mathematics compared to students in other developed countries and have done better in science and reading,” Carnoy said. Many U.S. adults believe the country is either average or below average at teaching students science, technology, engineering and math, according to a released in April. : But the measuring students' reading, math and science skills from countries show more of a mixed bag. In 2022, the test – called the – found five education systems with higher average reading scores than the U.S., 25 with higher math scores and nine with higher science scores. The test has , when 32 countries participated. That year, eight countries had higher math scores than the U.S. and seven countries had higher science scores. U.S. students performed “about as well on average” in reading compared to students in other participating countries. U.S. News & World Report ranked the U.S. as the in 2024 as part of its , which are based on an international survey of nearly 17,000 people who were asked “whether a country has a well-developed public education system, whether respondents would consider attending university there and if that country has a reputation for top-quality universities.” The news outlet has only ranked countries in that way for . There is no evidence of any widespread decline in student achievement in the U.S. since 1979, Carnoy said. U.S. math scores have been below many other countries for decades. In the mid-1960s, U.S. 13-year-olds were outperformed in math by students in all but one of the 11 other countries that participated in the First International Mathematics Study, while U.S. students in their last year of high school were ranked last, according to a published in 1992. A similar study of math skills conducted in the early 1980s broke the results down by category, and found the U.S. was near the bottom in most of them. A different published by the National Center for Education Statistics in 1993 analyzed two decades of results. It says “overall trends in science, mathematics and reading suggest few changes in levels of educational achievement.” National Center for Education Statistics charts of reading and math scores for and in the U.S. don’t show significant declines since 1979. Rather, math scores are up since then while reading is at about the same level, according to the latest test results from 2022 and 2023. The rate in the U.S. for the 1979-80 school year was 71.5%, far below the 87% reported for the . The college enrollment rate for those who completed high school has risen from to , according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is important to recognize the U.S. doesn’t have only one education system – instead, each state has its own, Carnoy said. “Student performance in some states has increased greatly in the past 30 years, and not so much in other states,” he said. Carter that created the Department of Education on Oct. 17, 1979, the federal government had “for too long failed to play its own supporting role in education as effectively as it could.” It wasn’t the first time that the U.S. had a Department of Education, though. In 1867, President Andrew Johnson signed a bill that created the country’s first Department of Education, but it was in the Department of the Interior about a year later “due to concern that the department would exercise over local schools,” according to the current Education Department website. President-elect Donald Trump has eliminating the Department of Education, calling it a “bloated and radical bureaucracy.” USA TODAY reached out to the social media user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response. also debunked the claim. , Nov. 19, Email exchange with USA TODAY Pew Research Center, April 24, National Center for Education Statistics, accessed Nov. 20, National Center for Education Statistics, accessed Nov. 20, National Center for Education Statistics, accessed Nov. 20, National Center for Education Statistics, accessed Nov. 20, National Center for Education Statistics, accessed Nov. 20, National Center for Education Statistics, accessed Nov. 21, National Assessment of Educational Progress, accessed Nov. 21, U.S. News & World Report, accessed Nov. 20, Bureau of Labor Statistics, April 23, Bureau of Labor Statistics, accessed Nov. 21,The Sean Carrolls Explain the Universe

( MENAFN - Gulf Times) The Qatar International Art Festival (QIAF) wrapped up its 6th edition Saturday, with a celebration of creativity, collaboration, and cultural exchange. Organised by MAPS International WLL and hosted in collaboration with Katara – the Cultural Village, the British Council Qatar, ICOM, and Qatar Sports and Olympic Museum 3-2-1, this year's festival showcased the diversity of global artistry with the participation of more than 360 artists from 73 countries. The festival ran from November 25-30, captivating thousands of art enthusiasts and visitors who flocked to witness an exhibition featuring over 1,000 paintings and sculptures. The week-long event was marked by 14 activities, ranging from interactive art workshops to engaging panel discussions, inviting both seasoned art connoisseurs and casual visitors to immerse themselves in the vibrant world of art. The opening ceremony on November 25 featured a red carpet event attended by Katara general manager Prof Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti as the chief guest, alongside ambassadors and representatives from over 70 nations. Dignitaries and art lovers were treated to a showcase that set the tone for the week ahead. This year's festival was distinguished by its diversity, with 16 art galleries and 22 exclusive art pavilions from every continent contributing to an inclusive dialogue that transcended geographical and cultural boundaries. Each exhibition and event harboured unique artistic expressions and perspectives, including street art, contemporary installations, and traditional crafts, fostering meaningful connections among creators and audiences alike. One of the highlights of the QIAF 2024 was the cultural evening, where attendees indulged in the rich tapestry of global traditions. The special performance by DJ Mo Ayoub from the UK, was mesmerising. This year's festival also emphasised cultural appreciation through curated city and museum tours, allowing participants to experience Doha's vibrant art scene and historical narratives first-hand. Additionally, guests were given the opportunity to partake in thrilling desert safari tours that offered a glimpse into Qatar's breathtaking landscapes. For aspiring artists, the QIAF 2024 hosted 12 art workshops and 10 dedicated masterclasses, where participants learned directly from experts in their respective fields. This hands-on approach created a nurturing environment for creativity and passion to flourish, ensuring that both seasoned practitioners and emerging talents left the festival inspired and equipped with new skills. The Artistic Fashion Show, a unique feature this year, blended art with haute couture. Designers presented visionary works that transformed the runway into a living canvas, celebrating the intersection of fashion and creative expression. As the festival drew to a close yesterday, the award and felicitation ceremony recognised the outstanding contributions of participants and valued partners. Awards were presented to individuals and groups who demonstrated exceptional skills and creativity throughout the week. Their works, reflecting the essence of cultural diversity and artistic innovation, served as a testament to the festival's mission of fostering dialogue and collaboration among artists from all backgrounds. MENAFN30112024000067011011ID1108942199 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Jujutsu Kaisen x Regular Show Clash in Wild Crossover: Watch

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The two-day 11th Annual Gulf Studies Forum, held by the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies in Doha, began Saturday. The first roundopf the forum is organised into two tracks and the first is “Arab Gulf States and the Palestine Question” and the second is “The Gulf City as a Structure and Social Agent”. Researchers from the Gulf, other Arab states, and beyond will present a total of 40 research papers across 14 sessions and a keynote. The forum began with opening remarks from HE the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, introduced by Alanoud Al-Khalifa, researcher at the ACRPS Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies Unit. HE Al-Khulaifi noted the pioneering role of the Arab Center in raising public awareness about issues of concern to the Arab region, in particular the Gulf. He stressed that the Gulf States and other Arab and Islamic countries will remain focused on the Palestine question. These countries seek to harness all their capabilities to support the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and their just efforts to achieve self-determination. The stability and security of the region are closely linked to a just solution to the Palestine question. He pointed to the pivotal role played by the State of Qatar in promoting dialogue and peacemaking and stressed the importance of mediation as a principal tool for resolving conflicts. He went on to review Qatar’s efforts in resolving regional and international conflicts, including its mediation in humanitarian issues; such as supporting families affected by conflicts. He called for transforming the ideas emerging from the forum into practical steps to enhance stability and sustainable peace in the region. He also spoke about Qatar’s efforts regarding the Palestine question, stressing the need to reach a just and comprehensive solution that guarantees the rights of the Palestinians in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and the two-state solution. Proceedings started with the first session of the first track titled “The Attitudes of the Gulf States toward the Palestine Question”, chaired by Ghanim Al-Najjar. Abdulaziz bin Othman bin Saqr analysed the Saudi stance on the Israeli war on Gaza, emphasising its core demand for Palestinian self-determination and the establishment of an independent state within the pre-1967 borders. Abdullah Al-Ghailani explored Gulf positions on the Palestine issue, tracing their evolution from the 1948 Nakba to Al-Aqsa Flood. The session concluded with Sultan Al Khulaifi’s paper on Qatari foreign policy under Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani (1972-1995), addressing the complexities of Qatar’s approach to the Palestine question during this period. The second session of the first track was chaired by Chaired by Hatem Al-Shanfari and began with Asaad Saleh Al-Shamlan discussing Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan's announcement of the “International Alliance to Implement the Two-State Solution” during the 2024 UN General Assembly. Sherine Mubarak explored US-Saudi relations from 1933 to 1953, highlighting tensions due to differing views on Palestine. Hossam Elsayed Zaki Shalabi reviewed the Trucial States and Oman’s positions on Palestine from 1917 to 1948, examining their responses to key events like the Balfour Declaration, the Great Palestinian Revolt, the 1947 partition plan, and their role in the 1948 war. The first session of the second track, chaired by Saad Albazei and titled “The City and Nation-Building (1): The Saudi Case” featured three papers. The first paper by Ulrike Freitag focused on the cosmopolitan city of Jeddah to examine the different ways in which people have created affective links with cities and ways of expressing identity in the city through certain types of civic engagement. Alanoud Al-Khalifa’s paper elucidated how the historical narrative of Diriyah is employed to affirm political legitimacy in Saudi Arabia and reinforce the vision of the contemporary nation-state. In the third paper, Rufei Li argued that the urban transformation process of al-Balad, Jeddan, is the outcome of state-building and nation-building processes, which in turn impacted al-Balad significantly regarding its role in Saudi Arabia’s nation-building. The third session of the first track and second session of the second track were also organized simultaneously. Dania Dhafer chaired the first track, which was organized in collaboration with the Gulf International Forum. Kristian Ulrichsen presented a paper on the potential impact of the 2024 US presidential elections on US policy towards the Gulf. Mohammad Ghanem Al-Rumaihi analysed the challenges in Gulf-US relations following the Gaza war, focusing on the Gulf’s effort to balance East-West relations amid political complexities. Inderjit Parmar discussed the implications of the 2024 US election results, predicting that a second Trump administration would oppose international institutions and escalate tensions with China, potentially destabilizing the Middle East and global energy supplies. In the second track titled “The City and Nation-Building (2): Khaliji Cases”, chaired by Amal Ghazal, three papers were presented: Sundus Al-Rashid discussed the history of the Kuwait National Museum, beginning with its location in the city and its relationship with surrounding facilities as a cultural and social institution, as well as its national symbolism. Saoud Abdulaziz Al Ahmad, Amnah Abdullah Alshammari, and Betul Uzun examined the strategic use of urban spaces in shaping national identity in Qatar, focusing on Msheireb and Souq Waqif. Djamel Boussaa focused on the role of heritage tourism and its implications for urban regeneration in the context of Doha, Jeddah, and Dubai to demonstrate how the resilient historic urban centres are struggling to survive in a fast global environment. Modern Urbanism in the Gulf In the next two sessions, only papers of the second track were presented. In its third session titled “Urban Modernization Structures as a Social Agent”, chaired by Yagoub Al-Kandari, Yasser Mahgoub explored the complex interplay between urban structures and social dynamics in Kuwait City and Doha to show how urban development shapes and is shaped by social processes. Mahdi Laadhari investigated the changes tied to urban and societal development in Kuwaiti society, focusing on the Diwaniya and the modernization process it underwent. Abdulrahman Albaker chaired the fourth session titled “The Gulf City and Modern Urbanism”, which featured Davide Ponzini, who presented recent plans and mega-projects in Gulf cities and limitations and opportunities to advance planning knowledge, as well as Mustapha Ben-Hamouche, who examined the future of GCC cities through urban planning frameworks, referencing the “Life Cycle of Cities” hypothesis. The forum will continue conclude Sunday, as outlined in the agenda. On Sunday, there will be three sessions on the forum’s first track, and four sessions and a keynote on the forum’s second track. Related Story Liwan Library Forum second edition opens Tuesday Gulf Association for Family Medicine Hold Meeting in DohaDoctor Love: Failing at school

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‘This is a great win’: Forever chemicals to be filtered from tap waterHezbollah fired into a disputed border zone held by Israel on Monday. The militant group said the volley, its first during the truce, was a warning shot in response to what it called repeated Israeli truce violations . Israeli leaders threatened to retaliate and within hours, Israel’s military carried out its biggest wave of strikes in southern Lebanon. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said an Israeli airstrike on a village killed five people, while another airstrike killed four. Israeli strikes had already killed two people on Monday before the Hezbollah attack. Both sides accuse each other of violating the ceasefire, which began Wednesday. Israel says that under the truce deal it reserves the right to retaliate for Hezbollah violations. Hezbollah began launching its attacks on Israel last year in solidarity with Hamas militants who are fighting in the Gaza Strip. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage . Israel’s blistering retaliatory offensive has killed at least 44,429 Palestinians , more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The war in Gaza has destroyed vast areas of the coastal enclave and displaced 90% of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times . WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders says Israel “is committing war crimes & ethnic cleansing in Gaza.” The Vermont lawmaker said he agreed with a former top Israeli general and defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, who accused the government of ethnic cleansing in northern Gaza , where the army has sealed off the towns of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya and the Jabaliya refugee camp and allowed almost no humanitarian aid to enter. “You don’t fight terrorism by starving people & killing tens of thousands of civilians,” Sanders said Monday in a post on social media. Last month, the Senate rejected attempts by Sanders to block sales of offensive weapons to Israel over mounting civilian deaths in Gaza. WASHINGTON — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is demanding the immediate release of Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza, saying that if they are not freed before he is sworn into office for a second term there will be “HELL TO PAY.” “Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social site . He added that, “Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!” It was not immediately clear whether Trump was threatening to directly involve the U.S. military in Israel’s ongoing campaign against Hamas in Gaza. Trump allies have said he hopes there will be a ceasefire and hostage release deal before he returns to office early next year. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage on Oct. 7, 2023. Some 100 are still held inside Gaza , around two-thirds believed to be alive. WASHINGTON — Senior American officials have had conversations with Israelis to raise questions about some of the strikes they have carried out against Hezbollah since a ceasefire went into place but have not found the Israelis to be in gross violation of the terms of the ceasefire, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly about the sensitive conversations with the Israelis, said those conversations were part of a mechanism that was created to ensure that ceasefire agreement is implemented. “This is that mechanism working,” the official added. White House national security spokesman John Kirby on Monday that “largely speaking the ceasefire is holding.” “We’ve gone from, you know dozens of strikes, you know, down to one a day maybe two a day,” Kirby told told reporters aboard Air Force One as President Joe Biden made his way for a visit to Angola. “That’s a tremendous, tremendous reduction. And we’re going to keep trying and see what we can do to get it down to zero so that both sides are fully implementing it. But, this is, this is the only it’s only a, a week or so old.” — By Aamer Madhani JERUSALEM — Hezbollah fired into a disputed border zone held by Israel on Monday, the militant group’s first attack since its ceasefire with Israel took hold last week, after Lebanon accused Israel of violating the truce more than 50 times in recent days. The Israeli military said two projectiles were launched toward Mount Dov, a disputed Israeli-held territory known as Shebaa Farms in Lebanon, where the borders of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel meet. Israel said the projectiles fell in open areas and no injuries were reported. Hezbollah said in a statement that it fired on an Israeli military position in the area as a “defensive and warning response” after what it called “repeated violations” of the ceasefire deal by Israel. It said complaints to mediators tasked with monitoring the ceasefire “were futile in stopping these violations.” The U.S.- and French-brokered ceasefire came into effect on Wednesday calling for a 60-day halt in fighting, aiming to end more than a year of exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel. Since then, Israel has carried out a number of strikes in Lebanon, most recently on Monday, when a drone strike killed a man on a motorcycle in southern Lebanon and another hit a Lebanese army bulldozer in the northeastern town of Hermel, wounding a soldier. The Lebanese army had stayed on the sidelines of the war between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel says the strikes are in response to Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire, without giving specifics. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s parliament speaker on Monday accused Israel of committing 54 breaches of the ceasefire that ended the war between Hezbollah and Israel, demanding urgent intervention to halt what he called “flagrant violations.” Speaking to the Lebanese newspaper Al Joumhouria, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri condemned Israel’s “aggressive actions,” including the alleged demolition of homes in border villages, the persistent overflight of Israeli reconnaissance drones, and airstrikes that have caused casualties. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Berri’s assertions. Israel says it reserves the right under the ceasefire deal to respond to perceived ceasefire violations. Story continues below video An Israeli drone strike on Monday hit a Lebanese army military bulldozer in the northeastern town of Hermel, wounding a soldier, the Lebanese army said in a statement. Also on Monday, an Israeli drone strike targeting a motorcycle in Jdeidet Marjayoun in southern Lebanon killed one person, the Lebanese Health Ministry said. In Bint Jbeil province, a drone strike injured one person, the state-run National News Agency said. On Saturday, two people were killed in an airstrike on Marjayoun province, Lebanon’s state media said. Berri called on the technical committee established to monitor the ceasefire to take immediate action, urging it to “oblige Israel to halt its violations and withdraw from Lebanese territories without delay.” He said that Lebanon and Hezbollah have fully adhered to the terms of the ceasefire since the early hours of Wednesday. Berri is the leader of the Shiite Amal movement, which is closely allied with the Shiite militant group Hezbollah. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said Monday one person was killed in an Israeli drone strike that hit a motorcycle, while the Lebanese army said that a soldier was wounded in an Israeli strike on a military bulldozer at an army base. The Israeli military said that it carried out a series of strikes in Lebanon on Sunday and Monday, including one in the same area where the soldier was said to have been wounded. It said it struck several military vehicles in Lebanon’s Bekaa province as well as strikes on Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon. The incidents underscored the fragility of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah reached after nearly 14 months of cross-border fighting. Since the ceasefire went into effect on Wednesday, Israel has struck several times in response to what it says have been ceasefire violations by Hezbollah. Lebanon has accused Israel of violating the deal but so far Hezbollah has not resumed its rocket fire. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Monday rejected accusations that Israel is violating the tenuous ceasefire agreement, saying it was responding to Hezbollah violations. In a post on X, Saar said that he made that point in a call with his French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot. France, along with the U.S., helped broker the deal and is part of an international monitoring committee meant to ensure the sides uphold their commitments. Israel says that it reserves the right under the deal to respond to perceived ceasefire violations. TEL AVIV, Israel — The Israeli military said Monday an Israeli American soldier who was believed to have been taken hostage alive on Oct. 7, 2023, is now presumed to have been killed during Hamas’ attack and his body taken into Gaza. Neutra, 21, was a New York native who enlisted in the Israeli military and was captured when Hamas attacked southern Israel. Neutra’s parents, Ronen and Orna, led a public campaign while he was thought to be alive for their son’s freedom. They spoke at protests in the U.S. and Israel, addressed the Republican National Convention this year and kept up ties with the Biden administration in their crusade to secure their son’s release. In a statement announcing the death, the military did not say how it came to the conclusion over Neutra’s fate. He was one of seven American Israelis still held in Gaza, four of whom are now said to be dead. Hamas released a video of one, Edan Alexander, over the weekend, indicating he was still alive. In late summer, Israel said Hamas killed Hersh Goldberg-Polin , another prominent Israeli American hostage, along with five other captives, whose bodies the Israeli military recovered. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostage. Some 100 captives are still held inside Gaza , around two-thirds believed to be alive. Iraqi militias supported by Iran deployed in Syria on Monday to back the government’s counteroffensive against a surprise advance by insurgents who seized the largest city of Aleppo, a militia official and a war monitor said. Insurgents led by jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham launched a two-pronged attack on Aleppo last week and the countryside around Idlib before moving toward neighboring Hama province. Government troops built a fortified defensive line in northern Hama in an attempt to stall the insurgents’ momentum while jets on Sunday pounded rebel-held lines. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus Sunday and announced Tehran’s full support for his government. He later arrived for talks in Ankara, Turkey, one of the rebels' main backers. Iran has been of Assad’s principal political and military supporters and deployed military advisers and forces after 2011 protests against Assad’s rule turned into an all-out war. Tehran-backed Iraqi militias already in Syria mobilized and additional forces crossed the border to support them, said the Iraqi militia official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. According to Britain-based opposition war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, some 200 Iraqi militiamen on pickups crossed into Syria overnight through the strategic Bou Kamal. They were expected to deploy in Aleppo to support the Syrian army’s pushback against the insurgents, the monitor said. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — U.S. Navy destroyers shot down seven missiles and drones fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels at the warships and three American merchant vessels they were escorting through the Gulf of Aden. No damage or injuries were reported. U.S. Central Command said late Sunday that the destroyers USS Stockdale and USS O’Kane shot down and destroyed three anti-ship ballistic missiles, three drones and one anti-ship cruise missile. The merchant ships were not identified. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement and said they had targeted the U.S. destroyers and “three supply ships belonging to the American army in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden.” Houthi attacks for months have targeted shipping through a waterway where $1 trillion in goods pass annually over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and Israel’s ground offensive in Lebanon. A ceasefire was announced in Lebanon last week. The USS Stockdale was involved in a similar attack on Nov. 12 . Read more of the AP's coverage of the Middle East wars: https://apnews.com/hub/mideast-wars

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