Newsfeed
Walls of conflict and controversy
There are walls, fences, trenches and berms. In Iraq, Israel, Morocco, China and elsewhere. They are admissions of the breakdown of diplomacy and destined to fail.
Opening doors for children with disabilities
Children with disabilities are less likely to go to school than other children. Tunisia has made progress, but the story of a nearsighted boy illustrates the challenges to building an inclusive society.
Trump, in tune with global economic angst
Whatever his takeover of the Republican party says about U.S. politics, Donald Trump is capitalizing on anxiety over changes in the global economy.
Fighting inequality in India
Nolwazi Mjwara is a South African woman who recently worked at an NGO in India that fosters community unity, empowers women and combats caste inequities.
Trump and Berlusconi, cut from the same cloth
Strange hair, billions in fortune and a magical ability to climb the polls despite statements that would sink other politicians. Long before Donald Trump terrified the U.S. establishment, Silvio Berlusconi was doing it in Italy.
What the truce in Syria means to Russia
Russia has emerged as a kingpin in Syria’s civil war, but Vladimir Putin has not yet won what he wants — diplomatic parity with the United States.
U.S. should look before it leaps in Libya
As the United States mulls military intervention in Libya, it should consider how it helped destabilize the country.
Have Castro and Chávez met their match in Trump?
Latin American demagogues such as Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez have made careers with invective and outlandish accusations. Have they met their match in Donald Trump?
Cold at home despite falling energy prices
“To heat or to eat.” That’s the choice that millions in energy poverty face despite falling oil and gas prices.
Youth unemployment spurs Greek emigration
Record unemployment has forced many young Greeks to leave their country, but the decision to uproot is not an easy one to take.
Many failures in Syria but no time to give up
There have been many failures in Syria, and youth need to find solutions to future conflicts, two women helping refugees tell a News-Decoder panel.
Ebola exposes flaws in public health policies
The recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa illustrated a fundamental flaw in public health policies.
Curious campaign highlights divisions in the U.S.
The most bizarre U.S. presidential election in generations underscores the country’s political and social divisions.
Let’s look at conflict with different eyes
Mainstream media depicts conflict as a violent struggle between good and bad. A Danish professor suggests a different way of thinking about conflict.
Greece: Art under austerity
In Greece, art, like the country’s economy, is in suffering from austerity. The question is whether it is going to evolve or hit the skids.
U.S. politics after Antonin Scalia
The death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has greatly raised the stakes in the presidential and congressional elections.
Notes from the race for the U.S. presidency
Plugging for Hillary Clinton in the New Hampshire primary, I glimpsed the passion behind U.S. politics and the dynamics of the race for the presidency.
What are the prospects for peace in Syria?
Fighting rages in Syria despite international efforts to impose a ceasefire and advance a peace plan. How remote are the prospects for peace in Syria?
Why the U.S. Supreme Court is so important
U.S. Supreme Court rulings can have a sweeping impact on business, society and politics. Here’s a primer.
A woman on the U.S. campaign bus
Obama, Bush, Clinton, Palin — Deborah Charles covered them all. Here’s what it was like for a woman on the campaign bus.
Britain: In or out of Europe?
Britain will decide soon whether to stay in the European Union. A decision to quit the 28-member bloc — “Brexit” — would alter the future for the UK and the EU.
Mideast conflicts threaten to redraw borders
Fighting across the Middle East threatens to reshape the region and redraw borders along religious lines — rolling back history by almost a century.
Is the world doing enough for Syrian refugees?
Are Arab nations doing enough to help Middle Eastern refugees, especially from Syria? Should Europe be doing more?
The danger of pushing Putin into a corner
Russia’s economic woes seem to make it an easy target, but the West runs a risk in trying to paint Vladimir Putin into a corner.
Learning diplomacy — to help the world
“The atmosphere blew me away.” Giuliana represented Denmark at the model United Nations and quickly learned the arts of diplomacy.
There’s hope in the battle against cancer
David Bowie, Joe Cocker, Alan Rickman. Cancer remains a leading cause of death, but medical researchers are making the dread disease less lethal.
Cheap oil need not doom global climate deal
A glut of crude oil and the dramatic price drop would seem to bode ill for the global climate accord. But it isn’t necessarily so.
Marjan: “It hurts to see destruction in the Middle East”
Marjan moved to Canada from the Middle East as a young girl. She returned two years ago to discover a magical place. But she suffers seeing the destruction. “It hurts.”
There’s no predicting who will succeed Barack Obama
Gene Gibbons saw lots of politics during three decades covering the White House. But there’s no predicting who will succeed U.S. President Obama.
Italy covers up but no hiding from brickbats
Diplomatic deference or crass kowtowing? Italy’s decision to cover up nude statues during a visit by Iran’s president provokes scorn, glee and irony.
I watched presidents from a privileged perch
Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton — Gene Gibbons watched six presidents from one of the venerable vantage points of U.S. journalism.
Two experts join News-Decoder’s team
Two new experts have agreed to join News-Decoder’s team of correspondents, adding depth in defense issues and international affairs to our pool of writers.
Let us youth have a say in peace talks
We are the world’s youth. We make up a huge share of its population. We demand a voice in peace talks.
Just how low can stock markets go?
Stock markets around the world have fallen sharply. The question is: How vicious can the bear become?
Nolwazi: Helping bridge the digital divide
“By helping people have access to information, we can potentially promote positive change.”
Europe’s refugee crisis?
Is Europe facing a refugee crisis? Is it Europe’s crisis? The answer to both questions is “no,” according to two experts who spoke to News-Decoder.
Mali Nyeta and building a school: Progress in Africa
Mali Nyeta, a U.S.-based NGO, has built a school in Mali. It’s their mission to support the health and welfare of Africans, hungry for education.
Climate: Can China and the U.S. keep their pledges?
The end of 2015 saw a successful conclusion to the Paris Climate Change Conference. Six weeks later, clouds are already on the horizon.
A humanitarian crisis in landlocked Nepal
The UN warned of the potential for a serious humanitarian crisis. But from what we witnessed in Nepal, the crisis had already begun.
Freya: Helping children in New Orleans
After living in Vietnam and a stint in the U.S. Peace Corps, Freya is helping children in New Orleans. “I think empathy is the most critical life skill.”
China watch: A journey towards ambiguity
David Schlesinger has observed China for three decades. In an interview, the former Reuters editor-in-chief reflects on China’s complexities.
Bowie and the pantheon of icons
David Bowie has been lionized as a creative genius and trend-setter. Here’s what he meant to our young readers. And their thoughts on the music pantheon of tomorrow.
It could have been our families and us
We wonder how many more times we can do this — but we cannot stop. We keep coming back.
North Korea: defiance and chutzpah
North Korea has defied the world again. What does its latest nuclear blast mean for regional and global security?
Lucile: Curiosity and amazement
“Living abroad, or simply visiting a foreign place, is always both a discovery and a challenge.”
Non-voters matter, so please vote!
Voters who don’t show up abdicate their voice to militants and zealots.
Iran and Saudi Arabia at daggers drawn — again
The execution of a Muslim cleric has inflamed an ancient sectarian rift dividing two Mideast powers — Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Fear, ignorance and the U.S. elections
Bomb a fictional city? U.S. presidential candidates exploit fear and ignorance among voters.
Starting a new year with refugees
After the refugees crossed the border, we offered them warm coffee, and their expressions changed completely.