by Tom Heneghan | 27 Feb 2025 | Catholicism, History, Politics, Religion
With many fearing Pope Francis won’t survive his latest illness, the Catholic Church prepares for the world’s most secretive election. Here’s what to expect. On his first Sunday as pontiff, Pope Francis greets faithful during an impromptu appearance...
by Tom Heneghan | 4 Nov 2024 | Human Rights, Politics, Religion
New laws that affect what church people can pray in could cost Ukraine support from those who believe in religious freedom. Metropolitan Epiphanius, the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, blesses water during a traditional Epiphany celebration in Kyiv, Ukraine, 6...
by Tom Heneghan | 26 Apr 2024 | Journalism, Media Literacy
The movie “Civil War” gives little backstory, leaving viewers to experience war in the moment, the way the reporters in the film cover it. Scene from the movie Civil War. Credit: A24 This article was produced exclusively for News Decoder’s global news...
by Tom Heneghan | 11 Oct 2023 | Educators' Catalog, Journalism, Media Literacy
The 24/7 news cycle turns every news item into a headline without context. The more we consume the news the less we understand. Can we break out of that cycle? A TV screen fills with the words “Breaking News” while headlines scroll over. (Illustration by...
In this article, ND correspondent Tom Heneghan explains the tension between the immediate and the eventual in journalistic reporting. In this vein, what is “urgent incrementalism”? Help boost students’ media literacy skills with this text and accompanying classroom activity.
Exercise: Read the article and define “urgent incrementalism” as a class. Then, have students scan today’s headlines and each pick one story to read. Does their story lean “urgent” or “incremental”? How might that change the way a reader understands the issue at hand?
by Tom Heneghan | 19 Jan 2023 | Europe, Nationalism, Religion, Ukraine
Orthodox Christians find themselves in a tug of war in Ukraine. When you celebrate Christmas is political and the language of prayer belies national loyalties. Clerics conduct a service in St.Volodymyr Cathedral on Orthodox Christmas eve in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan....