by John West | 14 Jan 2026 | Decoder Replay, Europe, History, Nationalism, Politics, United States
Under NATO, 32 countries have pledged to defend each other. Is the United States the glue that holds it all together? Service members from nine NATO countries display flags. (Photo by Spc. Seth LaCount) Editor’s note: On 11 January 2025, the British newspaper...
by Daniel Warner | 12 Jan 2026 | Americas, Decoders, History, Politics, United States
Can national sovereignty be dismissed when a superpower claims a sphere of influence? Can U.S. economic interests in Venezuela be considered national security? A map shows the U.S. flag planted on Venezuela. (Illustration by News Decoder) This article was produced...
by Bernd Debusmann | 7 Jan 2026 | Americas, Decoder Replay, Human Rights, Politics
To understand how the United States could send troops to capture Nicolás Maduro, it helps to review the relationship during Donald Trump’s first term in office. Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro handcuffed after his arrival in New York under U.S. custody. (Photo...
by Jurriaan van Eerten | 5 Jan 2026 | Government, Media Literacy, Politics, Spain
With corruption scandals rife in Spain, the spread of false rumors is eroding people’s trust in their government. Can anything be done to restore la confianza? Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sànchez gestures next to his wife, Begoña Gomez in Seville, Spain,...
by Bernd Debusmann | 17 Dec 2025 | Decoder Replay, History, Politics
Representatives for U.S. President Donald Trump shuttle between Ukraine and Russia to try to end the war. But how much influence can diplomats wield? U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law (second and third on the...
by Martin Langfield | 10 Nov 2025 | Americas, History, Politics
The people of El Salvador, and Donald Trump, love Nayib Bukele’s iron fist approach to fighting crime. But how long can a state of emergency last? El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and U.S. President Donald Trump embrace at a meeting at the White House 14 April...
by Helen Womack | 27 Oct 2025 | Music, Politics, Russia, Ukraine
When a Russian pop star told the world, and Putin, that the Ukraine war must end, she had to go into exile. But her message went out. Russian President Vladimir Putin and singer Alla Pugacheva at an awards ceremony in the Kremlin in Moscow, December 2014. (Credit:...
by Alister Doyle | 7 Oct 2025 | History, Human Rights, Israel-Palestine, Politics
Each year a committee of Norwegians awards the Nobel Peace Prize to someone who has fought for peace. Is Donald Trump worthy? Terumi Tanaka delivers a speech during the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony at the City Hall in Oslo, Norway, 10 December 2024 on behalf of...
by Tom Heneghan | 1 Oct 2025 | Decoder Replay, Politics, Religion
In parts of Eastern Europe there is little separation between church and state. But what happens when the church becomes an instrument of a different nation? The head of the Moldovan Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Vladimir holds a religious service in Chisinau,...
by Daniel Warner | 22 Sep 2025 | History, Politics, United States
Young people led political revolutions in the 50s and 60s but now seem to throw their support to those past retirement age. Former President of Ireland and Former UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson at COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 9 December...