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By refusing to pay, Sicilians keep the Mafia away
In Palermo, paying “pizzo” or protection money used to be common practice. But now businesses say to the Mafia: Addiopizzo!
One man’s quest to protect Romania’s virgin forests for all
Florin Stoican tirelessly worked to create Romania’s first citizen-led national park in a country that’s home to 65% of Europe’s virgin forests.
A pop-up museum inspires people to take climate action
In New York’s Soho neighborhood, a small museum hopes to stimulate dialogue and spur the public to push for change across the globe.
Protesting becomes the new lingua franca in France
Weekly protests in France are now about more than pensions. For French citizens it is about democratic ideals and a government that represents its people.
Teens show us that you can find climate heroes across the globe
News Decoder and Global Youth & News Media challenged teens to find and profile people working on systems-level solutions to climate change. They stepped up.
Decoder: One day to celebrate a planet, 53 times
More than half a century ago, the world began devoting one day a year to celebrate the earth. For Kathleen Rogers, that turned into a decades-long mission.
Living in a post-truth world
When the business model for news corporations depends on blurring the lines between fact and opinion, how can we move from partisanship to problem solving?
Britain works to rebuild relationships Brexit severed
Brexit gave the British people independence from Europe. But can the value of national sovereignty be quantified and is it worth more than economic stability?
Helping students discover their own big story
We ask young people what they want to be in life. But do we allow them to become the best person they can be? This can’t be done in a single class lesson.
A worldwide movement to protect the Spanish Greyhound
The galgo is a popular hunting dog in Spain. But a worldwide network of dog lovers march each year to stop a practice they believe is inhumane.
Decoder: Can the world see China as the top peace broker?
Even as the U.S. and China stare each other down, China is bridging conflicts in regions the U.S. once dominated. Are we looking at a new world order?
Paving the way for period poverty reform
Women and girls across the world are lobbying to make menstrual products free or at least tax-free.
Decoder: Seeing the forest for the trees
Redwood forests exist only in the Pacific Northwest. But these carbon suckers will grow just about anywhere if you give them a little land and a lot of love.
Decoder: 25 years of a peace many thought impossible
Both sides of the Irish border mark a quarter century since the Good Friday Agreement. But can a divide that lasted generations be permanently bridged?
Energy as the key to the climate crisis: Our third Ecologue
Four experts exchanged perspectives on how to tackle the energy sector and its 40 gigatonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
Ukrainians displaced by war struggle in exile
France has spent hundred of millions to help Ukrainian refugees with housing, schooling and jobs. But for those who aren’t fluent in French, life remains difficult.
Award to honor those who teach the value of a free press
Journalists are in danger in many parts of the world. Young people must be taught why we should protect and support the news media.
Decoder: Can Indonesia bid farewell to coal?
Billions in international funds has gone to weaning the populous nation off coal. But the country continues to build coal plants despite its pledge to go green.
Faculty in the Spotlight: Daniele Gatti
Daniele Gatti of School Year Abroad in Italy wins this month’s Faculty Spotlight award for his commitment to youth literacy and News Decoder’s local-global mission.
Deforestation in Sierra Leone: Hills slide and people die
Overdevelopment has caused so much destruction. It is time to replant the trees we have cut down and be better stewards of our land.
Decoder: The world thirsts for clean, safe water
Some 785 million people worldwide lack a basic drinking water supply. Experts came together at the UN to find solutions to our planet’s worsening water crisis.
Student athletes face added pressure to succeed
Extracurricular activities and sports can help students gain admission to university. But is the need to ace exams and win one for the team too much pressure?
A new forum for climate change discussions
With an emphasis on solutions to the environmental crisis, Ecologues creates a much-needed space to debate and educate.
Decoder: World Bank is key to averting climate catastrophe
We need to mitigate climate change for developing countries who have done comparatively little to harm the planet. Is there cash in the bank for that?
Trans rights becomes a life and death issue in Peru
With the killing of six trans women in Lima this year already, people are calling on the government to address the unequal treatment of trans people.
The City of Light is momentarily the City of Trash
Think of Paris and your mind brings up the scent of fresh baked baguettes, not the reek of rubbish on the Rue de Rivoli.
To empower high school students, don’t censor them
To much of the world the U.S. is a beacon of free speech. But how much freedom teens have depends on where they live and what school they attend.
The chaotic new world of abortion access
If you are in need of an abortion in the United States, you might have to travel cross the country to get one. Or a clinic could be just blocks away.
We trust that medical implants are safe
I had five screws implanted in my back at age 13. Then I learned of devices implanted without proper tests. Can we know if medical procedures are safe?
Decoder: The West looks on as Putin pals with Xi Jinping
The relationship between China and Russia seems to grow closer as the U.S. and China look at each other with hostile eyes. Should the world worry?
With an economy in crisis, Sri Lankans migrate out for jobs
An historic number of workers are seeking work in other countries, many of them professionals. Should a nation depend on the export of its human capital?
Keeping abandoned animals alive
It isn’t difficult to find a caring home for one cat or dog. But millions roam the world and there aren’t enough shelters. What do we do with them all?
Alumni in the Spotlight: Li Keira Yin
Equestrian, artist and writer Li Keira Yin is finding her footing in Boston after graduating from News Decoder partner school The Thacher School.
Kenya tries again to digitally register all residents
If a government agency stores the DNA and fingerprints of its residents can it serve them more efficiently or control them more effectively?
In pursuit of environmental justice at the second Ecologues discussion
The second of six monthly climate conversations, the event brought together three voices from education, activism and storytelling.
On maps, borders pop out. Up above, lines get fuzzy.
Many of the more than five thousand satellites orbiting the earth are capable of producing high-resolution images. International agreements aren’t as clear.
In food deserts, residents thirst for healthy eats
People of lesser means have few food buying choices where they live, while supermarkets seem to crop up where markets already thrive. Can we change that?
Decoder: Confronting the consequence of slavery
The legacy of slavery still haunts the descendants of both perpetrators and victims. Some say reparations are long overdue.Protester calls for reparations for slavery at a rally...
Decoder: War in Ukraine should have come as no surprise
It was naive to think Russia’s long history as an empire would end peaceably in just two decades. One year after the invasion, our correspondent looks back.
One year into a seemingly endless war, we decode the conflict.
Our correspondents and youth voices tackled many facets of this complicated conflict. We give out the breadth of our Ukraine coverage to help you sort it out.
Students curious about sex find few answers in class
Few countries have policies on sex education. In the United States, policies vary from state to state and might depend on whether a school is public or private.
When the lights black out, the night sky turns on
Light pollution interferes with the breeding patterns of animals and insects. How can we look to the stars if we can’t even see them?
Participating in sports by remote control
There are health benefits to an active lifestyle. But if you like to sit in the stands or watch from the sofa, perhaps a different kind of workout takes place.
Climate change is stressing us out. Can good come of that?
Anxiety about the fate of the planet is harming the mental health of young people. Can we help them funnel their frustration into a force for change?
Girls helping girls across the world
Though girls in different countries wear different cloths and follow different customs, in many ways they share the same thoughts and speak the same language.
Schools waking to the idea that teens need more sleep
With classes, homework, sports and other extracurricular activities, some students have difficulty fitting sleep into their hectic schedule.
Decoder: When protecting the environment makes more cents
The planet’s largest coral reef system isn’t just an endangered world wonder. For Australia, it is a key to the country’s economic growth.
Baguette me not: Energy costs endanger beloved boulangeries
The Ukraine war has caused energy prices to skyrocket across Europe. In France, if costs don’t go down soon, some bakers might have to shut their doors.
Back in classes, teachers find post-Covid exhaustion lingers
In-person classes have resumed at most schools. Covid infections have leveled off. But teachers are exhausted and increasing numbers are heading out.
Decoder: The most effective tool bolstering Ukrainian unity
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine ends its first year, the Kremlin might like to reflect on what this has done for Ukrainian national identity .