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Decoder: We’ve made progress protecting Earth. So why am I gloomy?
I helped put nature conservation on the global agenda. But now I fear for Earth’s future. Will the next generation save us from disaster?
Being a good global citizen means using inclusive language
English may be the world’s lingua franca, but it can be full of bias. The words we choose can make us better global citizens — or destroy understanding.
What films should an aspiring journalist watch?
Last month we offered a list of books for aspiring journalists. Now, here's a selection of films all news journalism buffs should see.After compiling a list of books for aspiring...
Decoder: With Artemis, US aims to return humans to the Moon
It’s been 50 years since humans walked on the Moon. Now, the U.S. is launching a costly program to return there and possibly pave the way to Mars.
I wish I had thanked Mikhail Gorbachev for changing my life
I was in Berlin in 1989 when the Wall came down. I wish I had thanked Mikhail Gorbachev for changing my life and letting me witness history.
Buried underpants and tea bags help scientists evaluate soil
Swiss citizens are burying cotton underpants and tea bags in their gardens and fields to help scientists assess the quality of soil in the Alpine nation.
Gorbachev: Reflections on a statesman who shaped history
Alternately revered and vilified, Mikhail Gorbachev shaped history as the last Soviet leader. Our correspondents recall his impact and legacy.
In Africa, COVID spurs TV shows to teach kids about science
COVID-19 has given media firms in Africa a chance to create TV shows that teach science to children and challenge outdated gender norms.
Coffee has long enriched Trieste. It still reigns supreme.
Coffee is more than a beverage in the Italian city of Trieste. Over centuries, the commodity enriched the port, where cafés are ‘places of the soul.’
What books should an aspiring journalist read? Here’s our list.
News Decoder’s correspondents have covered the world’s biggest stories over decades. Here are books they suggest would-be journalists should read.
Meet our interns, who help propel News Decoder forward
Jessica Strickland and Stefani Aleksandrova join the ranks of interns who infuse our nonprofit with energy and ideas before tackling global challenges.
In Africa, rising youth unemployment is a ticking time bomb
One out of three young Africans is unemployed, and the youth population will double by 2050. How can Africa create jobs for the young and avoid unrest?
Decoder: Armenia in a bind as Ukraine war resets global order
A conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is heating up as the war in Ukraine prompts geopolitical realignments, with implications for outside powers including the West and Russia.
Is democracy really the form of government citizens want?
Democracy is in trouble around the world and autocrats are on the rise. Why is there such dismay over the West’s predominant form of government?
Media glare can enrich tennis pros yet imperil mental health
Tennis pros can leverage social media to win lucrative endorsements. But they can also be the target of abuse that threatens their mental health.
Decoder: Mining asteroids for minerals can help spare Earth
Technology depends on rare earth minerals, but their extraction can harm our planet. Asteroids offer a plentiful source of valuable elements.
Europe caught napping on climate change as heatwaves spread
There’s a disconnect between the urgency of climate science and the indifference of governments, media and business to act. Are we too late?
Decoder: Why you should be interested in interest rates now
Inflation is one of the biggest worries for Gen Z and Millennials. Here’s why you need to care about rising interest rates — and what you can do.
Marcy Burstiner named News Decoder Educational News Director
An experienced educator and journalist, Marcy Burstiner will become News Decoder’s Educational News Director and help lead our nonprofit forward.
The Sri Lanka paradise I have known is now a bankrupt island
My family can barely make ends meet amid runaway inflation and shortages of foodstuffs. No wonder Sri Lanka has kicked out a corrupt ruling clan.
Marie Colvin shined a light on war-torn corners of the world
Marie Colvin started as a journalist writing for a New York trade union. She ended up a war correspondent who changed people’s lives.
U.S. democracy recovered from Nixon. Will it survive Trump?
A half century ago, I watched Richard Nixon plunge the U.S. into a constitutional crisis. Now I wonder if American democracy will survive Donald Trump.
We are giving up on COVID. But has it given up on the world?
Most nations have rolled back steps to contain COVID-19. But the virus continues to kill. Many experts are frustrated governments are not doing more.
News Decoder Catalog helps teachers inspire students
Each month, News Decoder spotlights unique stories on big issues. The Educators’ Catalog helps teachers spur students to dig into tough topics.
Broken climate vows: Is it good to keep setting deadlines?
Governments often set, then fail to meet, goals for fighting global warming. Do deadlines help? Or does “blah blah blah” of unkept vows hurt the planet?
Decoder: This election is secretive, strange — and important
Questions about Pope Francis’s health are stoking speculation about who might succeed him one day as head of the powerful Roman Catholic Church.
Dream of an ‘Asian Century’ is fading amid new ‘Cold War’
Many have predicted this would be the ‘Asian Century.’ But the world is increasingly fractured as we enter a new “Cold War.”
Helping refugees when millions more are on the move
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has pushed the global total of refugees to over 100 million. Refugees are like you and me — but not always welcome.
This émigré finds meaning supplying war matériel to Ukraine
Dmytro Shelukhin is a Ukrainian working for a UK investment bank. But like many émigrés, he is finding meaning helping his home nation fight Russia.
The Tatnall School joins News Decoder’s global community
The Tatnall School in the U.S. state of Delaware becomes News Decoder’s 23rd academic partner with a focus on building 21st-century global skills.
‘Nightmare’ TV show ‘Euphoria’ — health threat or high art?
Drugs, self-harm and sex are its staples. Is the prize-winning U.S. TV show ‘Euphoria’ a threat to impressionable youth? If so, what to do?
‘News’ is never perfect. But it is necessary in democracies.
How we perceive events like the war in Ukraine depends on our news sources. While never perfect, news media perform invaluable services.
Immigrants: Often mistreated but crucial for our economies
Immigrants around the world often face discrimination. But they can help drive economic growth and in my country are among the best educated.
It’s easy to despise despots. But replacing them is tricky.
Dictators can be loathed. But their abrupt departure from office can trigger turmoil because they have put themselves alone at the centre of power.
Street harassment is harmful and no laughing matter
Catcalling, car honking and indecent exposure are rarely punished, but street harassment can seriously harm a woman’s mental health.
Do sports stars need protection from media intrusion?
Are sports stars pampered youth not mature enough to handle wealth and fame? Or do journalists pick on them? The truth is in the middle.
Technology has revolutionized news photos — not its values
I got my start as a news photographer in the analog age. Technology has reshaped the tools of the trade, but human trust remains its watchword.
News Decoder resumes in-person meetings with stakeholders
Crimped by COVID-19 restrictions for two years, News Decoder is connecting in person again with donors, correspondents and schools.
Propaganda protects Putin against his Russian opponents
Many Russians dream of a democratic future. But an onslaught of propaganda shields Vladimir Putin from opponents and obscures the truth.
Swiss student wins contest with video on fight against drugs
Kai Lengwiler of Realgymnasium Rämibühl Zürich examined Switzerland’s fight against drugs, winning News Decoder’s 11th Storytelling Contest.
Listen: How can we curb misinformation & defend free speech?
The world is awash in misinformation. But can we rein it in without eroding free speech? Our podcast explores this thorny issue facing our societies.
Will Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reverse globalization?
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is likely to prompt firms to re-examine supply chains and bring business closer to home, even if that means lower profits.
In Ukraine war, Red Cross defends neutrality against critics
For more than 150 years, the Red Cross has remained neutral in wars. Today, it still defends that stance against critics as Russia ravages Ukraine.
Youth-inspired protests rock strategically located Sri Lanka
Fed up with corruption and shortages of food and fuel, protesters are calling on Sri Lanka’s rulers to resign as the South Asian nation nears bankruptcy.
Decoder: What happens if you buy a carbon credit?
I am interested in carbon credits — permits that offset greenhouse emissions. So I bought a tonne of carbon. Here’s what I learned.
Watching Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, I saw logistics flaws
Logistics in war is hardly glamorous. But the first phase of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine exposed fateful failures in the attacker’s military support system.
At-home learning offers glimmer of hope to Afghan girls
The Taliban have barred girls from schools in Afghanistan. So some of them gather secretly in homes in Kabul, drawn together by a former teacher.
Is Putin crazed? Or is Russia’s assault of Ukraine rational?
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reflects Vladimir Putin’s unhinged state, some experts say. But his views of ‘Mother Russia’ provide a logical explanation.
War in Ukraine stirs empathy & angst in neighboring Romania
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sent millions of refugees into neighboring nations. I live in Romania, where the war has stirred compassion and fear.
Shaken by war in Ukraine, children turn to art for hope
News groups around the world are encouraging children shocked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to turn to art as an outlet for their worries.