'One of the most consequential media failures in recent history'

‘A glaring example of major outlets messing up on a very consequential event’

Yascha Mounk in The Atlantic

An inexcusable reporting error momentarily increased the threat of a “wider” Middle East war, says Yascha Mounk in The Atlantic. An explosion killed hundreds at a Gaza hospital, and news outlets, including The New York Times, immediately “broadcast Hamas’ claims” an Israeli airstrike was to blame, without verifying the “dubious” allegation. Evidence soon pointed to an errant Palestinian Islamic Jihad missile, and corrections followed. No wonder “trust in traditional news media has been falling fast.”

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‘A government shutdown next month would greatly increase the chances of a recession’

Desmond Lachman in the New York Post

There’s “never a good time” for a government shutdown, says Desmond Lachman in the New York Post. But now would be particularly disastrous. Interest rate shock is threatening to inflict broad economic pain, and “heightened Middle Eastern uncertainty” is sending “oil prices through the roof.” If the House, mired in a Republican squabble over electing a House speaker, doesn’t approve a deal to avert a shutdown before the Nov. 18 deadline, “brace for an economic recession.”

‘The development of AI has reached a crucial juncture’

James Manyika and Michael Spence in Foreign Affairs

Artificial intelligence could “bring enormous human and economic gains,” said James Manyika and Michael Spence in Foreign Affairs. A June 2023 study found it could add $4 trillion annually to the global economy. But the technology also could “cause very real harms.” It will take “effective guidance” to “prioritize augmenting human skills rather than replacing them.” Otherwise, AI could “simply magnify current economic disparities,” instead of strengthening the global economy “for generations to come.”

‘Great education systems create cultures of opportunity for all’

Adam Grant in The New York Times

One secret to improving students’ academic performance “doesn’t cost a dime,” says Adam Grant in The New York Times. It’s called “looping,” when teachers “move up a grade or more with their students.” Economists found looping to be the common thread in 7,000 North Carolina classrooms with big math and reading performance gains. It gives teachers “more opportunities to tailor their instructional and emotional support to help all the students in the class reach their potential.”