Max Abrahms, a professor at Northeastern University who has done research on so-called decapitation strikes targeting the leadership of terrorist groups, said the U.S. success in killing Islamic State leaders may have important consequences for how the group is run. It may empower lower-level militants who are less strategic in their thinking, Abrahms said, and […]

In another encouraging sign, the number of people working or seeking work grew by nearly 18,000 in November, the fifth consecutive month of labor force growth. Economists say an expanding labor force is another sign of an improving job market; when more jobs are available, more people seek or find employment. Over the past year, […]

Last Friday, by agreeing to hear arguments in Toca v. Louisiana, the U.S. Supreme Court opened the door for another important move toward rationalizing the administration of juvenile justice. Two years ago, the court ruled in Miller v. Alabama that the statues in 28 states mandating life imprisonment without parole eligibility for juvenile murderers were […]

An estimated eight out of every 1,000 Americans, or 2.5 million people, are severely speech-impaired due to a variety of conditions: head injuries, congenital disorders like cerebral palsy, or degenerative diseases like Hawking’s ALS. Many of them rely on text-to-speech machines, typing words that are then vocalized electronically. They sound like computers. And because computers […]

Daniel Medwed, a law professor at Northeastern University, said prosecutors seemed to have ensnared everyone involved, even those to a lesser degree, and he questioned whether all the defendants will go to trial. He also said that prosecutors appear to be trying to send a message to the defendants and others who work in the […]

Daniel Medwed, a law professor at Northeastern University, said prosecutors seemed to have ensnared everyone involved, even those to a lesser degree, and he questioned whether all the defendants will go to trial. He also said that prosecutors appear to be trying to send a message to the defendants and others who work in the […]

The highly acclaimed podcast “Serial” concludes this Thursday. To mark the occasion, longtime journalist Brian C. Jones argues what he believes are the series’ journalistic and ethical shortcomings, and WGBH News contributor Dan Kennedy offers his response.

Say what you will about Patrick’s lack of oversight when it comes to state agencies and the current budget deficit, but on the Massachusetts economy, he can leave Beacon Hill with his head held high. On his watch, the number of jobs increased by 4.1 percent in Massachusetts, compared with 1.7 percent nationally, according to […]

When picking other explicitly historical books for kids and young adults, look for stories that have rich period detail, like that pig’s tail. Victoria Cain, of Northeastern University and author (with Karen Rader) of Life on Display: Revolutionizing U.S. Museums of Science and Natural History in the Twentieth Century, called the Jean Fritz series on […]

It would be hard to come up with a shakier scenario for testing a prototype electric skateboard: slick sidewalks from recent rain, journalist who has never been on a longboard before, snow starting to blow, and a test course shared with bikers. The skateboard was designed by Dash Electric, a Boston startup founded by Northeastern […]

Marches, protests and demonstrations…we’ve seen them all in the last few weeks, and angry citizens continue to express outrage and dis-satisfaction with grand jury decisions in Ferguson, Missouri and New York City. Dr. Sarah Jackson, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies  at Northeastern University says, “we can likely expect to see much of what we’ve already […]

“I’ve coined the term ‘loon wolf’ terrorist to describe a mentally unstable or deranged terrorist acting independently of a terrorist group,” Max Abrahms, an analyst, said in a tweet. Being mentally unstable doesn’t absolve someone from being a terrorist if acting on a political motive, said Abrahms, a political science professor at Northeastern University in […]