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In defense of safe spaces. And the right to be deaf
The world needs safe spaces to protect us against the oppression of the privileged. Think of Orwell’s “Animal Farm” — we have a right to be deaf!
News-Decoder podcast partnership to broadcast young voices
News-Decoder is partnering with a UK-based charity, Podium.me, to produce an eight-episode podcast on major international issues.
Ukraine: Two revolutions and a war later
Ukraine has had two revolutions and a war since 2004 but is still mired in conflict and graft.
What do we see when we see China?
How well do we know China? With the U.S. and China on the brink of a trade war, the answer to that question holds great importance for global well-being.
The homeless were not always so — and needn’t be
With homeless people strewn across cities, young Americans might think the problem is inevitable. But it was not always so — and need not be.
Not all Chinese students in the U.S. are rich and spoiled
Chinese students flaunting luxury cars and designer clothes fuel a stereotype that ignores the harsh reality for many compatriots on U.S. campuses.
Nicaragua: Déjà vu all over again
Watching news from Nicaragua, where protests are challenging the authoritarian rule of President Daniel Ortega, I’m transported back exactly 40 years.
Laggard Jordan advances slowly on women’s rights
In many countries, women live without the legal protection the West takes for granted. Jordan has made strides to protect women’s rights, but it still lags.
Your dream of an electric car will come true, some day
The electric car is here to stay. The shift from conventional vehicles will take time and not be an overnight revolution, but the tipping point will come.
Foreign students take Trump policies in stride
Moves by the Trump administration to curb immigration at first rattled university students, but Indiana University has worked to put foreigners at ease.
Three schools expand News-Decoder to 10 nations
Three schools on three continents are joining News-Decoder, expanding our footprint to 10 countries as we prepare a beefed-up program for young people.
Venezuela: A tale of riches to rags to disaster
Once one of the richest countries in the world, Venezuela now is plagued by hunger, poverty, shortages, crime and the highest inflation rate in the world.
Chinese language shaped my notion of time
I spent the past year in Beijing. The Chinese language has taught me that change is inevitable — and life will yield new loves for me.
The 1960s: The best, and worst, of times
It was the best of times and the worst of times. The 1960s stirred so many hopes — utopia was within reach! — only to see many crushed. The lessons?
EU’s Balkans expansion to go ahead despite concerns
Plans to expand the European Union to include the volatile Western Balkans appear to be going ahead after an agreement ending a 27-year dispute.
Soccer takes center stage with World Cup in Russia
All you need is a flat surface and a ball. Soccer, the world’s leading football sport, takes center stage in Russia with the 21st World Cup
Political earthquake in Spain rocks Europe’s boat
Spain has been hit by a political earthquake that has sent shock waves around the country and through Europe and financial markets.
Finding my identity meant fighting the urge to fit in
A Muslim in America, I drew away from my Arab culture. Now I know that being true to one’s identity means not always yielding to peer pressure.
Why the young feel pain in rich Hong Kong
Hong Kong is seriously rich. But sky-high property prices are keeping many young couples apart and, for many, dashing dreams of owning a home.
We take photos. And we care about big issues.
Censorship, civic protest, friendship, transgender rights, Cuba — five students at News-Decoder partner schools tackle issues they care about in photos.
What if Trump and Kim settled scores on the golf course?
What if North Korean leader Kim Jong-un challenged U.S. President Donald Trump to a round of golf in a high-stakes gamble at a historic summit?
Ads for action: Mumbai primary students protest plastic
Students at a school in India have joined the fight against plastic pollution with an ad campaign aligned with the goals of UN World Environment Day.
News-Decoder helps launch global media prize
The student publication at the U.S. school where 17 people were shot dead will receive a media award overseen by News-Decoder’s parent non-profit.
The Thomas Fire: Awakened from our indifference
We knew the dangers of California’s drought. Soon the rush of school life muffled the warning. Until a raging fire awakened us from our indifference.
Wildfires: Sensationalist media can miss the mark
The media sensationalizes wildfires, overlooking beneficial effects that fire can have nature. Journalists need to take a more sophisticated approach.
Corrected – Do you want change? Beware inertia
You’re a young person. You want change. You’re confident political winds are in your favor. Beware of the defenders of the status quo. They have inertia on their side.
Climate change: A dire situation captured in photos
Humans are driving climate change — a fact many ignore. So I have captured our changing landscape in photos that show the consequences.
How my city in Jordan made peace with Syrian refugees
When Syrian refugees started flooding into Jordan, citizens in my city were angry and concerned. But with time and investment, tensions have eased.
Azerbaijan: The world’s first Muslim democracy
A century ago, Azerbaijan declared independence, becoming the first democratic state in the Muslim world.
Overfishing demands that we show empathy
I’ve always wanted to show how overfishing harms ocean life and fish populations. My photo essay lets you know you can make a difference.
1968: Vietnam, France & U.S. – Did anything change?
I returned from the Vietnam War in 1968 and helped lead the anti-war movement that exploded in Chicago. Looking back, I wonder what we learned.
Carefree days growing up in Sri Lanka in the 1960s
We went without Coke in Sri Lanka in the 1960s. It was a simpler era, full of hope, before a civil war almost tore our society apart.
Iraq elections expose Iran’s vulnerability
The victory of a nationalist in Iraq’s elections has hit Iran’s interests and begs the question of whether Tehran’s influence in the Middle East has peaked.
The 1960s: Sport reflected the world’s changing ways
More than just a game, sport reflected wrenching changes in the 1960s — racial tension, the U.S. antiwar movement, women’s rights, decolonialization.
Contest winners “connect dots across the globe”
Students at King’s Academy, Westover School, La Jolla Country Day School and Thacher School have won News-Decoder’s writing contest.
My back-door escape with the Beatles
I spent an evening with the Beatles in 1963, escaping with them from their frenzied fans through a window after a concert that launched Beatlemania.
Lessons from Malaysia: Persistence and patience
Autocrat or nation-builder? Malaysia’s Mahathir still stirs mixed feelings even as he stuns the world by regaining power and reuniting with his nemesis.
Malaysia miracle as Mahathir, Anwar reunite
Malaysia has stunned the world with a political tremor that has reunited two foes and which bucks a trend towards authoritarianism in Southeast Asia.
Angels, demons, double standards in Trump’s Mideast
Donald Trump has withdrawn the U.S. from the Iran nuclear accord. But his criticism rings hollow in a region dripping in blood, where implacable foes jostle for power.
Prague, 1968: A knock on the door, tanks in the street
“Wake up! They’ve come!” A Russian-led invasion force riding tanks had rolled into Prague, crushing reform hopes and deepening the Cold War divide.
From the 1960s and Summer of Love to #MeToo
“Free love” of the 1960s fueled the sexual revolution, which liberated many women but failed to end violence and inequality. #MeToo is a needed next stage.
Vietnam remembered: I was there when Saigon fell
I covered the fall of Saigon when South Vietnam collapsed and North Vietnamese seized the city. I now ask myself: What was the sense of it all?
How I helped the Stones get rolling
It was 1963 in London. No one knew it, but we were witnessing the makings of a musical legend. And I wrote the first review of the Rolling Stones.
Decoder: Can pricing carbon brake climate change?
It costs nothing to pollute. That has long been the driving force of our economy. But a movement is growing to change that calculus by putting a price on carbon.
China on Iran nuclear deal: energy, U.S. & North Korea
China’s stance towards the Iran nuclear deal is rooted in three concepts: energy, its relationship with the U.S. and the North Korean nuclear issue.
U.S. firms back away from guns, but impact is unclear
Some U.S. firms have cut ties with manufacturers of guns following the mass shooting at a Florida high school. But the impact of the moves is unclear.
May ’68: France’s modern revolution & political theatrics
Fifty years ago in May ’68, angry students and workers brought France to a standstill in a bout of civil unrest that had a whiff of revolution.
Smartphones mean high school is just not the same
Smartphones can be great learning tools, but they can also be addictive, interfere with learning and contribute to bullying. I know — I teach high school.
Remembering Vietnam: More than just a war
I covered the Vietnam War as a rookie foreign correspondent in 1966 and 1967. There was death and destruction for sure, but it was not all war.
The 1960s: By one who was there – and still remembers it
The 1960s were a zeitgeist of anti-establishment values and alternative philosophies, an age of counter-culture, hippies and yippies. I was there.