A conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is heating up as the war in Ukraine prompts geopolitical realignments, with implications for outside powers including the West and Russia. Azerbaijani soldiers carry portraits of soldiers killed during fighting over...
It’s been 60 years since Algeria won freedom. The nation’s former ruler, France, is still struggling with its colonial legacy, national identity and values. Abdelkrim Sid, son of a “harki” who fought for France in Algeria, stands in a derelict...
French voters may have their minds on other matters ahead of April’s election, but President Emmanuel Macron stands firmly for a strong Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, 19 January 2022 (Bertrans Guay,...
Islamist extremists are threatening fragile nations in West Africa. Will Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban yield lessons for France in the Sahel? A soldier guards a Western military base in Gao, Mali on 6 June 2021, days after France announced the end of its...
When it comes to world politics, major news outlets often focus on one place at a time, obscuring important events unfolding elsewhere that can cause geopolitical ripples. In this article, News Decoder’s Jessica Moody shines a light on extremist violence plaguing West African nations in the Sahel, the semi-arid region below the Sahara. She draws parallels between French military involvement in the region and the United States’ recent withdrawal from Afghanistan, highlighting the global challenge of preventing extremist groups from proliferating in fragile states.
Exercise: Ask students to search news sites or newspapers for a global story that is not on the front page, then have them share their findings and explain why we should pay attention.
Wesley Mukerinkindi and Gaetan Ekoondo wanted to help youth pitch their skills to professional sports teams. Here’s what they created. Senegalese boys play football in Dakar, Senegal, 26 January 2005. (EPA Photo/Nic Bothma) Wesley Mukerinkindi was just two years old...
Students often wonder how they can make a difference in the world. Wanting to give back to their communities, young entrepreneurs Wesley Mukerinkindi and Gaetan Ekoondo — whose families fled from violence in Rwanda and the Congo when they were children — launched Search Your Team to create equal opportunities for other refugees and underprivileged youth through sports. News Decoder correspondent John Mehaffey interviews Mukerinkindi to learn how the pair were inspired to start the online platform, which helps youth athletes reach their dreams by showcasing their abilities to professional soccer clubs or college basketball teams.
Exercise: Ask students how their personal passions or experiences might be an inspiration to start their own community project and support other young people.