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Decoder: Can we fix nature’s crisis and protect Earth?
Without a push to protect nature, Earth faces the worst extinction crisis since dinosaurs were wiped out. A summit next year offers a dwindling chance.
Can a school punish a student for online speech off campus?
A U.S. school district wants the Supreme Court to overturn a landmark free speech case and let it punish a student for criticizing her school online.
Listen: Youth! You can drive political change!
Two savvy Africans urge frustrated youth activists to drive political change by holding officials to their word and harnessing innovative ideas and words.
The West is failing democracy — and the world is watching
There were huge hopes for democracy at the end of the Cold War. But the West has squandered its leadership, leaving the world rudderless.
Decoder: Why a young person should not ignore the stock market
On any day, the stock market can go up or down. But in the long run, a young person cannot afford to ignore the chance to invest in company shares.
Chatbot in Rwanda answers young people’s questions about sex
A Canadian tech firm and foundation have teamed up with an NGO in Rwanda to offer a chatbot that answers young people’s questions about sex.
Decoder: How does the U.S. Electoral College work?
A candidate can win the U.S. presidency without winning the most votes. Americans don’t like the Electoral College, but it seems here to stay.
Voters put populists under pressure in the U.S. and UK
Donald Trump and Boris Johnson won power as populists, backed by angry voters. Now COVID-19 is exposing their shortcomings in the U.S. and UK.
Here’s how Nigeria can improve its sickly healthcare system
Oil-rich Nigeria is Africa’s biggest economy but spends little on healthcare, with dire consequences for its teeming population. Its census could help.
COVID-19 and 1918 flu pandemic share much in common
Both the 1918 flu pandemic and COVID-19 struck during crucial U.S. elections, infecting the nation’s leaders. But in 1918, a world war was raging.
Being stateless means being condemned to the margins
Millions of people around the world are stateless, with no rights and condemned to living in the shadows, on the margins of society.
Palm oil: Consumers love it, but it costs the environment
It makes potato chips crispier, soap frothier, lipstick smoother and fried foods crunchier. Consumers love palm oil — but at a cost to our environment.
Listen: Why are so many Black Americans dying from COVID-19?
Black Americans are dying at a higher rate from COVID-19 than whites. “The Kids Are Alright” podcast looks at the disparities in mortality.
Girls invited to global seminar on democracy
How is democracy faring around the world? What effect is it having on girls? News Decoder is teaming up with Miss Porter’s School in a global seminar.
Monkeys in Indonesia reveal COVID-19’s risks to environment
COVID-19 has slashed incomes in Indonesia, spurring illegal logging, poaching and mining. The environment and wildlife habitats are taking a hit.
We will reduce inequality if firms offer workers company shares
The rich and the poor are growing farther apart. If workers own shares in the firms where they are employed, we can reduce inequality, economists say.
Decoder: Why China and the U.S. are on a collision course
They are the world’s two most powerful economies, deeply interlocked. But China and the U.S. are increasingly at odds — with vast implications.
Decoder Spotlight: Dogged Moroccan wins chat with ambassador
Marouane El Bahraoui worked months on an article on Libya. The Moroccan’s efforts won him a chat with the U.S. envoy — and a Decoder award.
Listen: How to reshape stereotypes of Africa in the media?
Africa is often misrepresented in the media as a poverty-stricken safari-land. Who benefits from such stereotypes? How can we reshape the image?
Want to take news photos? Then always be prepared.
Technology has revolutionized news photos since I launched my career decades ago. But the maxim “always be prepared” still holds true.
Hashtag campaign spotlights violence against women in Turkey
A viral campaign on Instagram meant to empower women has its recent roots in a bleak reality familiar to women who are victims of violence in Turkey.
COVID-19 and the people the world loves to hate – Jews
Jews were blamed by some for spreading the Black Death plague in the Middle Ages. Now, incidents of antisemitism are on the rise during COVID-19.
Will we exercise more at home after COVID-19?
Lockdowns under COVID-19 have kept many people away from gyms. But many are working out more. Is at-home exercise here to stay?
Should I have ridden that helicopter during the Vietnam War?
Good journalists try to remain neutral. I once hopped on a U.S. military helicopter during the Vietnam War. Had I abandoned my principles?
Welcome News Decoder’s newest intern, Malik Figaro
News Decoder’s first intern from a partner school, Malik Figaro has an enriching gap year ahead of him.
Listen: Want to create a global climate movement?
Teenagers in the U.S. are mobilizing and using advocacy tools at the grassroots level as part of a global movement to fight climate change.
Will international sports survive COVID-19?
Sports are emerging from the wreckage of a year of disruption not seen in 75 years. With COVID-19 still a threat, uncertainty and frustration prevail.
Why do conspiracy theories thrive during a crisis?
They’ve been around for a long time and flourish in a crisis. Conspiracy theories may seem absurd and harmless to some — but they can do damage.
Israel-UAE deal gives Trump a chance to cry victory
Donald Trump has scored few foreign policy wins with his transactional approach. A peace deal between Israel and the UAE is a feather in his cap.
Distrust of COVID-19 vaccine has roots in history
Many Americans say they will not get inoculated if a vaccine against COVID-19 is discovered. Such distrust in science is nothing new.
Hong Kong has long been caught in the middle
When I arrived in Hong Kong half a century ago, it was just starting its explosive growth. Now it’s caught again in the middle of a big-power dispute.
Why does China fear the Uighurs so much?
The Uighurs are not the only ethnic minority in China. Beijing’s repressive tactics reflect fears a separatist movement could threaten the state.
UK publisher reprints two News Decoder articles in books
News Decoder and a publisher in Cambridge, England have teamed up to explore contemporary social issues and encourage critical thinking among youth.
Political dynasty stirs worries in strategic Sri Lanka
South Asia is no stranger to political dynasties. Sri Lanka’s ruling family is prompting worries about human rights and ethnic tensions.
A political solution is the only option in war-torn Libya
Once ruled with an iron fist by a dictator, oil-rich Libya is now ravaged by war. With foreign powers meddling, a political solution is badly needed.
#MeToo in the Catholic Church? Not yet, but trends are there
Men have long dominated the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. But there is a whiff of change in the air as women eye positions of power.
Lebanon explosion hits nation already on its knees
Disaster was awaiting Lebanon, its finances in tatters. Now a chemical explosion has compounded the challenges facing the tiny but pivotal nation.
COVID-19 overturns stereotypes in Italy and Britain
Italy is all chaos, while Britain epitomises civility, right? Think twice, because COVID-19 has helped to turn clichés upside down.
A cleaner, faster, zippier website is coming at News Decoder
To reach more young people, we’re redesigning News Decoder’s website so it’s cleaner, faster and better looking. Deadline? End of August.
News Decoder fetes 5th birthday with eye on the future
Correspondents, trustees and advisors held a virtual birthday party to celebrate News Decoder’s 5th birthday and to look to future challenges.
Black Lives Matter, COVID-19 alter sport of cricket
International cricket resumed play this month, significantly altered by COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Can plant-based meat help save the planet?
Meat production contributes to global warming. Will the planet shift to plant-based meat to help avert catastrophic climate change?
Youth must be heard as the world rebuilds after COVID-19
The world’s youth will shoulder the long-term costs of COVID-19. They must play a central role in shaping the global economy and averting climate disaster.
Changes afoot as News Decoder looks to the future
As News Decoder celebrates its 5th birthday, our communications manager tackles new challenges while her successor will help position us for future growth.
When did fake news start? A long, long time ago!
Propaganda, advertising, political spin, storytelling — fake news can take many shapes. It got its start a long time ago, and there’s no quick fix.
Tiny Iceland is a dogged adversary in COVID-19 fight
Iceland has had only 10 deaths so far due to COVID-19. Testing and early use of track-and-trace have kept the new coronavirus in check.
We teenagers need to learn to use technology wisely
U.S. teenagers are increasingly depressed and spending more and more time on smartphones. But technology, used wisely, can make us smarter, safer and happier.
Time again for a U.S. election to rivet the world
We foreigners often scoff at Americans. But like it or not, the world always pays rapt attention to the U.S. election, and this year is no exception.
She left Colombia for safety and opportunities in the U.S.
We wanted to learn about immigration. So Sabina told us her story about leaving Colombia for the U.S. to escape violence and embrace opportunities.
I survived COVID-19 after observing SARS and HIV
I covered SARS and watched the spread of HIV. For me, COVID-19 has been altogether different — in part because I had to fight it off.