Newsfeed
Christopher: “Life is not the same everywhere.”
“At the end of the summer, I felt I not only lived and studied in a foreign culture, but that I had become a part of that culture.”
Decoding U.S. Race Relations
More than a century after the end of the U.S. Civil War, race relations remain a problem, highlighted by the killing of black men by white policemen.
Liberalizing interest rates, is China changing?
China has drawn scorn for its efforts to propping up share prices. But President Xi Jinping may yet end up being the reformer China and the world need.
Decoding Human Rights
Human rights are relatively new to international law. But these values safeguard our dignity and protect against government oppression around the world.
Market contagion and herd mentality
World markets have been in turmoil in recent days. Betty Wong looks at the herd mentality that can trigger price volatility around the globe.
Africa: Time to stand up and not just stand by
An African defense force has long been a dream. The need is there. It’s time for African heavyweight nations to help fund their continent’s ability to defend itself.
Léa: Discovering “a very different world”
“Last spring I went to Morocco. I met people whose lives were very different from mine. I learned more in that week than in many months of studying.”
Decoding — without fear or favor
Today we wrote about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — among the thorniest issues that the next generation of leaders needs to tackle if there is any hope in improving the world.
Decoding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Palestinians and Israelis have been locked for decades in an intractable struggle. Its roots lie in history, religion and national identity.
Bacon and a rifle: a crash course in U.S. culture
The U.S. presidential campaign can be puzzling for a foreigner. But it’s a window on popular culture as Republican candidates jockey for position.
Big hurdle for new world athletics chief
Sebastian Coe, the new head of the world athletics federation, has his work cut out for him in restoring trust in a sport hit by drugs allegations.
The world’s biggest worry? Climate change — mostly
Climate change is considered the biggest global threat in much of the world — except in the West, where ISIS is the top worry.
Decoding U.S. Politics
The United States can seem a monolithic power. But its political system is a complex balancing of powers. Here’s the scoop.
Jasmine Horsey: From Kent to Connecticut
“Some of my best friends in school were international students,” said intern Jasmine Horsey. “I learned a lot about the world by talking to them.”
Decoding the Migration Crisis
The world is in the midst of the largest immigration crisis since World War Two. How is it being handled?
Decoding Climate Change
UN negotiators will meet in Paris in November to try to agree on steps to limit global warming, which threatens earth with a climatic disaster.
Backgrounders: Helping make sense of the world
Today we published our first backgrounder. We want your comments and suggestions.
Newsplanner: Our thoughts on the week ahead
Here are our thoughts at the start of the week as we look at the global news landscape. What do you think?
Decoding China
China has the largest population in the world and one of the fastest growing economies. Will it be the next superpower?
Transgender people still face an uphill battle
Transgender stars like Caitlyn Jenner have helped foster acceptance, but the path to civil rights for transgender people will be long and arduous.
Obama visit highlights Islamic threat in Africa
Obama’s visit to Kenya and Ethiopia was more than a nostalgic trip to his father’s homeland: both countries are key allies in the struggle against Islamic militancy.
Iran and Israel’s nuclear arsenal monopoly
By far the loudest cries of alarm about the Iran nuclear agreement are coming from the only country in the region that has a nuclear arsenal — Israel.
Can Xi Jinping turn China’s economy around?
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s dream threatens to become a nightmare. Waking up and clearing the head is the most sensible cure.
Syria: Are Kurdish rebels Turkey’s target?
Turkey’s decision to launch air strikes against Islamic State militants raises questions whether its main target is Kurdish rebels.
New barriers in Europe keep people out, not in
In 1989, Hungary opened its border with Austria in a move that helped bring down the Iron Curtain. Today new barriers are going up across Europe to keep migrants out.
Newsplanner: Connecting the dots in the news
Women in politics, Obama’s legacy, the prospect of war in the Middle East, Donald Trump’s popularity: some of our musings on the news agenda.
Letter from Italy: A frustrating place to love
Italy is vulnerable to contagion from Greece’s crisis. But reminders of how things never really change are everywhere.
Making sense of the 2003 U.S. occupation of Iraq
James Clad served as a senior U.S. official in Iraq after Saddam Hussein fell. He draws lessons from the occupation in an interview.
Beach, bread and why we care about Greece
Greece’s debt woes bring back memories to Tiziana Barghini, who says this small country can teach us a lot.
Reconciliation after Srebrenica: A dream?
Adversaries try to heal the wounds of Srebrenica, but the roots of the massacre persist.
An end to Iran’s unwanted exceptionalism
The historic deal signed by Iran this week is not simply nuclear. It paints the first portrait of a world in which the country is not a Middle East pariah.
The long shadow of Srebrenica still falls on Bosnia
Twenty years after Europe’s worst atrocity since World War Two, Bosnia is still split by ethnic divisions and questions persist about how to prevent such tragedies.
Are free markets compatible with Communist rule?
Chinese share markets have fallen sharply, raising a key question: Are free markets compatible with Communist Party rule in China?
Factbox: China’s stock market moves
China’s stock markets have been in turmoil since mid-June. Here are the basics you need to know.
News-Decoder: Staking out new ground
The problem? News without context. The solution? An exchange of viewpoints. The upshot? Global understanding.
The successes of Singapore’s founding father
Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first prime minister, died in March. LKY’s mix of tough governance and flexible statecraft will be needed in the future.
Grexit: What Greece can learn from Asia’s crises
Greece is a long way from Indonesia of 1997, but the European nation could learn from Asia’s own crisis.
Guns & the US: A baffling love affair
The Charleston massacre prompted shock and an emotional statement from U.S. President Obama — but guns are deeply rooted in American history.
Terrorism: a global phenomenon
Today marks anniversaries of armed attacks in London and Paris — part of a global phenomenon.
Greece & Europe: Shattered trust, game still on
The odds that Greece will quit the euro zone have shortened after Sunday’s decisive referendum. But ‘Grexit’ is not inevitable.
The U.S. and Cuba: Lifting a wall of mistrust
As flags go up at the new full Cuban and U.S. embassies, the path to full “normalization” is likely to be slow and rocky, potentially fraught with obstacles and even the possibility of slips back to the hostility of the Cold War years.
A new start
Today intern Pauline Bock and I moved into News-Decoder’s office space, which we share with an adventure travel not-for-profit in Paris.
Glimpses of everyday life in North Korea
Mindy Tan visited North Korea recently. The Singapore-based photographer has given us glimpses of life in one of the world’s most secretive countries.
What’s next after the Charleston massacre
The murder of nine African-Americans has raised uncomfortable questions about the persistence of racism in the United States.
How the world views the United States and Obama
The United States and President Obama win mostly favorable reviews around the world — with some notable exceptions.
Thailand: Living under martial law
Thailand is ruled by a military junta. Yet life carries on contentedly in what guidebooks call “the land of smiles.” For how long?
News-Decoder ambassadors
A special thanks to four young News-Decoder supporters for their work in promoting our mission.
Nouvelles-Découvertes and other updates!
News-Decoder has a new home — and legal guardians.
Bitter fruits of a split in Islam
Today’s upheavals across the Muslim world have their roots in a religious split dating back 14 centuries.
Why care about what’s happening in Turkey?
“Caught in a bad romance…” Lady Gaga’s hit song fits the strained relationship between Europe and Turkey.