Newsfeed
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.
In Africa, storytellers are the truth tellers
While around the world misinformation and lies abound, in Africa, stories transmit morals, acceptable behavior and universal truths.
I’m Catholic. The Church should welcome everyone — gays too.
I’m a staunch Catholic. But I object when the Church rejects gays. Everyone should be celebrated regardless of their sexuality.
Trying to provide a glimmer of hope to Ukrainian refugees
I’m a medic with a team helping Ukrainian refugees who are fleeing their country. Tonight, we hope we’ve given one young man a chance to survive.
A meal — and a beating — that changed my life forever
I have always wondered why my Mom gave me a merciless beating over a piece of meat. But that meal changed my life for the better.
Why have many nations not condemned the war in Ukraine?
More than two-thirds of the world’s population live in nations that have not denounced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Some Cold War bonds endure.
‘We Flap Our Wings Of Fire’ – in honor of Ukrainian refugees
A poem by an Indian humanitarian honors refugees fleeing the destruction wrought by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
My relatives in Poland welcome Ukrainians with open arms
More Ukrainians have fled to Poland than any other country. Like so many Poles, my relatives are doing what they can to help.
News Decoder is looking for a new educational news leader
Seven years after its launch, News Decoder is searching for a new Educational News Director to succeed founder Nelson Graves.
Meet a Russian who is helping Ukrainian refugees in Hungary
Ukrainian refugees come to Anastasia in Hungary for a night or two before moving on. This Russian is helping refugees while war rages at home.
How I made friends and grew up at study camp in West Africa
We studied together ahead of exams. What I learned about friendship and adversity at study camp in West Africa will serve me for life.
Decoder: Love of economic growth can hinder climate action
Efforts to combat global warming can clash with our addiction to economic growth. Even the global benchmark of success, GDP, is flawed.
Decoder Spotlight: Realgymnasium Rämibühl in Zurich
Zurich’s oldest high school wins News Decoder’s Spotlight award for its creative engagement and its students’ exemplary, multimedia work.
My grandmother recalls living behind the Iron Curtain
My grandmother has spent her entire life in Georgia. The Soviet Union was not all bad, she said, but Georgia’s dawning independence was beautiful.
Extreme weather events call for better global forecasting
Poor nations are hardest hit by extreme weather, but they can lack resources to produce forecasts that can save lives. Now something is being done.
Decoder: With war in Ukraine, spectre of nuclear war returns
Three decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has revived dormant fears of a catastrophic nuclear war.
Self-harm is a growing problem among young people worldwide
Cutting, burning, hitting oneself are all forms of self-harm. It’s important to grasp why young people do it and for schools to help them manage stress.
COVID-19 has stoked pet trade — and created pet problems
To combat loneliness, many people have bought pets during the COVID-19 pandemic. That has meant more abandoned pets and a surge in illicit trade.
Entrepreneurs step in as Australia lags on climate change
Australia has been slow to combat global warming. Now wealthy entrepreneurs are picking up the mantle to drive change.
CORRECTED-Canadians nurture ties to their former home, Ukraine
Thousands of miles from war in Ukraine, Canadian students study the language, culture and religion of their ancestors in Eastern Europe.
Watch: Here’s how Switzerland has tackled its heroin problem
What’s the best way for a country to curb heroin addiction? My nation, Switzerland, offers an example for the world to follow.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine imperils Arctic cooperation
The Arctic has long been a region of peace. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is jeopardizing cooperation in the vast zone threatened by climate change.
Listen: There’s no Plan B if our friends the bees perish
Some consider them a nuisance, but bees are critically important. Our podcast, “Plan Bee,” explains how climate change and humans put bees at risk.
Does China’s Paralympics coverage mask rights flaws?
China is spotlighting the Paralympic Games and winning medals. But do its broadcast coverage and athletes’ success mask inequitable rights?
Decoder: What was the Soviet Union? Why does Putin miss it?
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the fall of the Soviet Union was a catastrophe. What was the USSR, and what does Putin really want?
Human-made debris is accumulating even on the moon
Part of a rocket from a Chinese mission will crash onto the moon this week, adding to debris from humans that is accumulating on the lunar surface.