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Decoder: How are food and climate change connected?
Food systems contribute greatly to climate change. Cooling the planet might require shaking up our meal plans.
Alumni in the Spotlight: Alexandra Gray
She loves immersing herself in diverse settings and learning foreign languages. Alexandra Gray epitomizes News Decoder’s global mission.
Don’t let writing scare you. It’s just speaking on paper.
Writing should not tie you up in knots. It is no more formal than speaking. Write as you would speak. Think of writing as speaking on paper.
Decoder: Renewables soar, but fossil fuels give no ground
It’s not too late to switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy, decarbonize industry and adapt land-use to trap carbon in soil and plants.
Alumni in the Spotlight: Varlee S. Fofana
From living in a refugee camp to starting a nonprofit while at the African Leadership Academy, this News Decoder alumnus aspires to be a writer.
Teens talk about mental health: A Decoder Dialogue
In a Decoder Dialogue webinar, News Decoder gathered five teens from four continents to share their thoughts and experiences around mental health.
I will not let the kids of “Forgotten Schools” be forgotten
My parents bring school supplies and health necessities to rural China. “The Forgotten Schools of Ghost Town” is my calling, too.
Tory chaos shakes UK unity and stirs mockery abroad
Britain’s Conservative Party won a landslide in 2019. Now the Tories and their elite are the butt of jokes overseas as polls point to possible humiliation.
Democrats aren’t the only defenders of democracy in the U.S.
I find a political home in neither the Democratic nor the Republican Party. Instead, saving U.S. democracy is my call to action.
Alumni in the Spotlight: Lughano Bupe Kabaghe
She has launched a nonprofit and researched democracy in Zambia, all while studying in the U.S. This News Decoder alumna has set her sights high.
Decoder: To battle climate change, go local and be vocal
Climate change requires global, systemic action if we are to save Earth. But each of us can help bring pressure for the painful changes needed.
Could Ukraine war spread to space and endanger satellites?
Despite conflicts on Earth, satellites orbit in peace. But use of Elon Musk’s Starlink to aid Ukraine has Russia looking to the sky with hostile eyes.
A woman’s place is on a tank: thoughts about war and sexism
A reporter recalls riding in the first Soviet tank convoy pulling out of Afghanistan in 1988 and considers the barriers women overcame to report on war.
My poetry has a common theme: It is ok to be sad and angry.
Writing poetry helps 14-year-old Jaeda Liddell handle pent-up emotions. She gives voice to the anxieties and concerns of an entire generation.
Decoder: “Greenwashing” poses challenges to investors, consumers
Big business is eager to show its environmental and social credentials. But how can you tell if a firm is genuine — or merely greenwashing?
Should diplomats stay in place during war — or evacuate?
Before Russia invaded Ukraine, Canadian diplomats fled Kyiv, leaving Ukrainian staff behind and raising questions about their role in war.
Military coups, jihadists threaten democracy in West Africa
Soldiers have seized power in Burkina Faso and Mali, setting back democracy as jihadists threaten security in West Africa.
Seoul-bound: Social media makers head to the hub of K-Pop
Social media influencers from Europe and North America are flocking to South Korea’s capital, Seoul, to tap into the K-pop craze and boost earnings.
Decoder: Vulnerable nations to press rich at climate summit
At next month’s climate summit in Egypt, poorer nations coping with disasters will press wealthier states for a fund to help them ride out catastrophes.
Decoder: Tackling climate change with good COPs, bad COPs
For years, governments have engaged in marathon annual talks to try to end global warming. But they often fall frustratingly short.
Can it be legal to use, or threaten to use, nuclear weapons?
Russia’s president has raised the prospect of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine. That’s a frightful notion. But it might not violate international law.
You may misunderstand Canada, but here’s why it matters.
Canada lives in the shadow of its superpower neighbor. But it’s the U.S.’s biggest trading partner and admits many immigrants. Canada matters.
Decoder: Watch Brazil’s election. The Amazon depends on it.
The presidential election in Brazil means more than the future of the country. The Amazon and the fight against climate change could depend on it.
Publishers look to News Decoder to explain issues to youth
When leading educational publishers look for articles that decode complex issues for youth authoritatively and clearly, they turn to News Decoder.
Decoder: Exchange rates are canaries in the coal mine.
The exchange rates of countries’ currencies such as the U.S. dollar, euro or British pound may seem obscure. But they matter a great deal to all of us.
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?