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In Brazil, populism takes root in corruption
The presidential candidacy of an outspoken populist in Brazil is a sign that Latin America’s biggest nation is still struggling with corruption and poverty.
Japan’s Okinawa rediscovers its roots in fusion cooking
Japan’s Okinawa is rediscovering its roots. But the renaissance doesn’t ignore foreign influences, and in the kitchen, there’s a revival of hybrid cooking.
Resetting records clock amidst drug scandals
A proposal to scrap world track and field records set before 2005 has divided the athletics community and exposed the sport’s vexing doping problem.
France has rejected fear. But danger lurks
France has rejected fear-based politics in its presidential election. But the fight does not stop with the election of Emmanuel Macron. Danger still lurks.
I’m relieved France refused to succumb to fear
I was convinced France would follow America’s lead and elect Marine Le Pen. But the French refused to succumb to fear and instead chose hope.
I rediscovered hope with the election in France
I feared France would go the way of the U.S. and elect a populist president. Instead, French voters rejected bigotry and hatred — and restored my hope.
France’s Macron: Finally, hope wins the day
By electing Emmanuel Macron president, France has rejected the pessimism pervading liberal democracies. Because choosing Macron meant choosing hope.
France’s Macron: Europe is relieved, for now
Emmanuel Macron as French president proves that embracing Europe and globalization need not be a political death wish. But he must deliver.
Black Fly: Moody, joyful, pulsing music from Vermont
“Deep in the wilderness of Vermont sits a house. Inside that house is a bedroom, and inside that bedroom works the mysterious Black Fly.”
Spain is under pressure from inside and out
As the world frets about Brexit and Donald Trump, few countries are facing the future more nervously than Spain and its minority government.
North Korea: Genuine reasons for global anxiety
North Korea is the world’s most dangerous flash point. If the U.S. faces an existential threat, will Donald Trump reach for military options?
While Africa grows, Congo’s torment endures
Many African countries have cast off the painful legacy of colonialism. But Congo remains mired in horror, violence, corruption and misgovernment.
Here are three lessons from France’s first round
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen may not win France’s presidential election. But her party keeps making gains while traditional ruling groups lick their wounds.
Why I’m anxious after France’s “historic” first round
I voted for the first time in French elections this week. I felt pride and responsibility — and anxiety over the possibility that Marine Le Pen could win.
Complacency, biggest threat to France’s Macron?
With Europe in the balance, centrist independent Emmanuel Macron could win France’s presidential election. His biggest worry could be voter complacency.
Becoming a citizen: Not just filling out a form
Becoming a U.S. citizen can be complicated — both clearing the procedural hurdles and assimilating. Quan Tran, who moved from Vietnam to the U.S., knows.
In Italy, it’s déjà vu all over again
When U.S. baseball legend Yogi Berra uttered the tautology, “It’s déjà vu all over again,” he could have been referring to Italy’s tortured politics.
The challenges of integration amid Brexit & Trump
All immigrants face challenges when integrating into a new culture. Brexit and Donald Trump have compounded integration difficulties for many migrants.
UK’s Labour Party needs to heal its Brexit split
Britain’s Labour Party languishes under the controversial leadership of Jeremy Corbyn. It needs to reconcile divergent camps, at odds over Brexit.
Will Donald Trump smother free trade?
Donald Trump has denounced free trade. But protectionism will not solve America’s problems and could contribute to the breakup of the EU.
Syria missile strike hits U.S.-Russia relations
The U.S. strike against Syria has drawn Washington deeper into a messy conflict and set back ties with Russia. But a military escalation is not sure.
Kashmir crisis game yields real world lessons
It was only a game about Kashmir. But in a world keen to avoid nuclear war, the lesson was clear: the U.S. can foster peace by wielding a big stick.
Two nuclear powers face off over Kashmir
India and Pakistan — both nuclear powers — have fought three wars over Kashmir. But neither will yield in one of the world’s intractable conflicts.
Italy’s Lampedusa wants to spread peace through drum beat
Italy’s Lampedusa island has become a symbol of the desperate flight of migrants and refugees. Now it wants to promote understanding through “peace drums.”
Hopes rise for end to long dispute over Western Sahara
Morocco has been readmitted to the African Union, raising hopes for a resolution of a territorial dispute over the Western Sahara.
Fake News: Be selective and responsible
Fake news is not going to go away. We need to be selective and responsible. And support news organizations that are credible and trust-worthy.
Why the European Union is bound to survive
The European Union symbolizes the victory of unity over discord and bloodshed. It might tremble, but it will not collapse.
Why the European Union will not survive
Populist opponents of the European Union are fired up, EU supporters more complacent. Impassioned euro-skeptics will cause the EU to collapse.
Ambitious road maps for kicking the carbon habit
Although the U.S. is embracing fossil fuels under Donald Trump, environmentalists say industrial economies can be weaned off carbon by 2050. Here’s how.
The ambiguity of the European Union dream
Students in France, Italy and Spain spent months examining the European Union. In a world in flux, they found that uncertainty hangs over the bloc’s future.
How Trump plans to loosen U.S. bank regulations
U.S. President Donald Trump wants to roll back U.S. bank regulations. But will he draw a lesson from his failure to clinch health care reform?
London attack: Solidarity, disgust and vigilance
Students at King’s College London — near the site of Wednesday’s attack in which five people died — reflect on Europe’s latest terrorist act.
Will U.S. smother global trade and undermine the dollar?
Under Donald Trump, the U.S. is mounting an assault on free trade that could undermine the system that has underpinned global prosperity for years.
How U.S.-British policy helps starve Yemenis
Saudi-led intervention in Yemen’s civil war, now in its third year, has provoked a humanitarian catastrophe. The U.S. and Britain are making it worse.
A Country Called Scotland? A Briton’s Identity Crisis
Britain’s vote to leave the EU has stirred separatist passions in Scotland and Northern Ireland — and plunged me and many others into an identity crisis.
Ancient wisdom in today’s electoral system in France
France will choose a new president using an electoral system that would have pleased Greek historian Herodotus — and which advocates say averts extremism.
Fake News: A Threat To Democratic Society
Fake news threatens democracy by eroding trust. Students and media experts discussed what to do about fake news in three News-Decoder webinars.
Fake news: To beat your enemy, get to know them
The U.S. moon landing was a hoax. Trump wears a wig. The new iPhone is transparent. Fake news or real? News-Decoder students know.
Spotting fake news and doing something about it
What is fake news? How does it spread? What can we do about it? News-Decoder has been working with students around the world to address these questions.
Northern Ireland poll revives united Ireland issue
Northern Ireland refused to join Ireland when it won independence in 1922. Could recent elections in the North reopen the question of reunification?
Here are France’s presidential candidates
France will elect a new president this spring. Here’s a run-down on the four leading candidates and their key policy positions.
France’s Macron: from outsider to president?
Emmanuel Macron, an independent outsider, has emerged as a front-runner in France’s presidential race with major implications for Europe and the world.
France’s Le Pen: Populism à la Trump, but with a twist
Sometimes called “France’s Trump,” populist Marine Le Pen is a leading candidate to become president. She’s an outsider, but she cannot be counted out.
Trump’s America: More guns, less diplomacy?
Donald Trump is calling for the “greatest military buildup in American history,” to be financed in part by cuts in funding for foreign aid. In a nutshell: more guns, less diplomacy.
High stakes for Europe in France’s presidential vote
French voters will soon choose a new president in one of several elections in Europe that could change the face of a continent that is reeling from Brexit and a surge in populism.
Far-right parties put European unity under siege
First Brexit, then Donald Trump. Now the post-war push for greater European unity is under siege in crucial elections this year in France, Germany and the Netherlands.
Students at King’s College London tackle big issues
Students at King’s College London are writing a series of articles for News-Decoder on politics and public policy, the latest example of our engagement with young adults around the world on critical issues.
The Mayans collapsed. We could too.
The ancient Mayan civilization collapsed amid deforestation, overpopulation, drought and conflict. Are we headed in the same direction?
In Tunis, a workshop for young citizens
In the heart of Tunisia’s capital, Tunis, children flock to a crowded workshop to make public art. It’s less aesthetics than a lesson in citizenship.