by Jonathan Sharp | 4 Sep 2024 | China, Decoder Replay, History, North Korea, Politics, Sports, United States
A selfie on the Olympic podium of competing ping pong players from North and South Korea reminds us of the ability of sports to bridge political divides. North Korea’s Ri Jong Sik, left, and Kim Kum, foreground left, with their bronze medals, China’s Wang...
by Bernd Debusmann | 28 Aug 2024 | Decoder Replay, History, Politics
Drones are being used in warfare in Ukraine, Sudan and the Middle East. Other nations have them. How did we get to this point and how much should it worry us? Ukrainian servicemen of the Ochi reconnaissance unit launch a drone to fly over Russian positions at the...
by John West | 21 Aug 2024 | Asia, Decoder Replay, Economy, Japan, Politics
As China and Russia tighten their alliance, Japan has emerged as an important partner to the West. A sudden change in leadership there has wider implications. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shakes hands with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in Tokyo on 26...
by Paul Radford | 14 Aug 2024 | Decoder Replay, Politics, Sports
As athletes compete in the Olympics and Paralympics, we see the possibility of competition without fear or hatred. Can we all learn from their example? Turkey’s Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu, left, and Poland’s Wiktoria Choluj compete during their women’s...
by Bernd Debusmann | 7 Aug 2024 | Decoder Replay, Economy, History, Politics, Wh-Y Vote
The chaos taking place in Venezuela over its recent election feels like a rerun. Why can’t a nation rich in oil satisfy the needs and desires of its people? Nicolas Maduro dances outside the Miraflores presidential palace after electoral authorities declared him...
by Alistair Lyon | 31 Jul 2024 | Asia, Decoder Replay, History, Politics
Change in leadership in the two countries brings the possibility of rapport. But there is a long history of hostility that is hard to overcome. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, left, speaks after giving his official seal of approval to newly-elected President...
by Lance Roller II | 24 Jul 2024 | Decoder Replay, Sports
The Olympics are the pinnacle of an athletic career. But after athletes step off the podium a deeper challenge awaits. Who are they when the uniforms come off? Olympic rower Christine Roper (frontside) hugging her teammate as they celebrate their gold medal victory....
by Deborah Charles | 17 Jul 2024 | Decoder Replay, History, Journalism, Sports
Journalists don’t win medals. But to cover the Olympics takes extraordinary stamina. You don’t want to let down the team. The author (left) before tackling the Beijing velodrome. (Photo courtesy of Deborah Charles) Editor’s note: The 2024 Summer...
by Lauren Heuser | 10 Jul 2024 | Decoder Replay, Government, History, Politics
When the rule of law doesn’t apply to world leaders, can they be reined in? Should a president or prime minister be above the law? A man takes a bribe. (Photo by Kazakov Anatoliy Pavlovich/Getty Images) Editor’s note: On 2 July 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court...
by Bernd Debusmann | 3 Jul 2024 | Decoder Replay, Education, Human Rights, Media Literacy, Politics
The term “woke” is caught up in a divisive culture war in the United States. Why is the idea of social justice not universally accepted? A protest about book banning at the capitol building in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States, 12 February 2022....