Palm Desert

How Syrian refugees strain – and strengthen – Jordan

Down to one janitor, four administrators, and a handful of teachers for more than 1,000 students, administrator Manal al Adwan says she is fighting “an uphill battle” each day to keep Al Hussein Secondary School running. It now also copes with 500 more – refugees from Syria – and Al Hussein has been forced onto a two-shift system, rotating Jordanian and Syrian students in and out in half-days to relieve the overcrowded classrooms. With only one day off a week to set their syllabus, grade papers, and invent ways to educate Syrian children who have been out of school for years, teachers are exhausted.

Rent control on ballot as California seeks a fix for housing costs

The startling dimensions of California’s housing crisis take shape through numbers. The state needs to add an estimated 3.5 million new housing units by 2025 to satisfy demand as the population grows. The proposed solutions, on the other hand, elicit conflicting opinions as reflected by the expensive fight over a ballot measure to remove restrictions on rent control that California voters will decide Nov. 6.

Readers write: Scottish phrases, more photos, reading habits, learning about the Amazon

Scottish phrases

African leadership should speak out at the UN, US commercial embargo of Cuba should end, Fan Bingbing’s tax practices are not unusual, India’s ties with Russia can survive American interference, Women’s rights are co-opted for their political impact

“It is ... disheartening to observe that not even one of the African leaders in attendance [at the 73rd General Assembly of the United Nations] plucked up the courage to speak poignant truths to the superpowers...,” writes Afam Nkemdiche.