Random story: In one of the International Studies courses I took at Baylor, the instructor assigned a subscription to The Economist as part of our required reading for the semester. Her logic? Following news is an on-going process; to truly understand the consequences of news as it plays out, one needs to acquire a wider perspective on what political or financial interests are at play. Interesting, no? The world’s issues are hardly ever black and white and her lesson has helped me develop discerning opinions, even in the midst of difficult events.

I’ll be honest and admit I no longer have a subscription to The Economist, and my media consumption is limited to real estate or social media or whatever topic is hot at the moment.  I’m missing out on so many Things Worth Reading and I’m not following any of it! In an attempt to be intentional, I’m going to make a concerted effort to search for quality articles that embrace good journalism and encourage deep thought. I’m continuously clicking away at articles – why not keep current and share my favorites here, with you?

Here are 12 Things Worth Reading this week:

CHARLESTON SHOOTING | Will the Charleston Shooting Change America? (Slate.com)

The Confederate battle flag and three other symbols of the Confederacy were taken down Wednesday from the Capitol grounds in Montgomery, Ala., after their removal was ordered by Gov. Robert Bentley amid a growing backlash against the symbols following last week’s racially motivated mass shooting at a black church in South Carolina… (read more)

NEW HOSTAGE POLICY | Reporters Without Borders hails Obama administration’s new hostage policy (POLITICO)

The new policy includes the possibility of negotiating with terrorist groups, a provision that families of hostages have long advocated for. The families of the four hostages killed at the hands of ISIL were forced to ban together, with assistance from The Atlantic’s David Shipley, after the U.S. government largely abandoned the effort on the grounds that it would not negotiate with hostage takers…  (read more)

PR | The Revolution Will Be Curated: Here’s What That Means for PR (Marketing Profs)

These days PR is not just about getting the immediate coverage: It is also about the “next shot,” or secondary (read: curated) coverage that can make all the difference in winning the attention of the desired audience…  (read more)

PR | PR’s Reputation Crisis: What Would Olivia Pope Do? (PR Newser)

PR? Not on the same plane in many people’s minds. Even though it’s proven to be the most effective and cost-efficient marketing function, PR is just not given the same amount of respect as channel marketing, advertising or even search….  (read more)

SOCIAL | Instagram is now the go-to social network for US teens (Business Insider)

In the last twice-yearly Piper Jaffray survey of US teens, 32% of respondents named Instagram as the most important social network, while only 24% said Twitter was most important, and only 14% pointed to Facebook…  (read more)

INT’L | Russia overtakes Saudi Arabia as largest supplier of oil to China (The Guardian)

Russia has overtaken Saudi Arabia as the largest supplier of oil to China for the first time, sending almost 930,000 barrels a day last month – up 21% on April… (read more)

INT’L | How 50 Reporters Exposed the World Bank’s Broken Promises (ICIJ)

These kinds of encounters aren’t unusual when it comes to boots-in-the-mud foreign reporting. What’s different is that all these journalists were working together, on the same story, as a part of a reporting partnership involving more than 50 journalists led by ICIJ, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists… (read more) 

SOCIAL | London Stock Exchange Group Launches ELITE Connect, a new social platform for the finance industry (LSEG)

London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) today announces the launch, in beta phase, of ELITE Connect, a new social network for public companies, intermediaries and institutional investors. The open access platform facilitates interaction between global stakeholders, promoting connections, engagement and business… (read more – press release)

TECH | Lexus says its hoverboard really flies, but it won’t soar into stores (LA Times)

Lexus unveiled an online ad featuring a hoverboard Wednesday, but “Back to the Future” fans won’t be getting their hands on it. The futuristic skateboard that seems to levitate was not invented to be sold, a spokeswoman said after Lexus released a video demonstrating a prototype at a Barcelona skatepark… (read more)

Science | The way we get electricity is about to change forever

The renewable-energy boom is here. Trillions of dollars will be invested over the next 25 years, driving some of the most profound changes yet in how humans get their electricity. That’s according to a new forecast by Bloomberg New Energy Finance that plots out global power markets to 2040… (read more)

SCIENCE | Parkinson’s May Begin in Gut and Spread to the Brain Via the Vagus Nerve (Neuroscience News)