Mountains of garbage encircling Beijing tell the story of a country whose infrastructure has not kept pace with its growing economy or population. River in Shunyi, Beijing, that led me to my first dump At a construction site in Shunyi Refuse behind a gated community...
By William Close Behind closed doors in the Saudi capital Riyadh, consultants and government officials are developing policies to prepare the country for what until recently seemed unthinkable: an economy without oil. For decades, Saudi Arabia has been the world’s...
By Ally Oh We’re always told to look for the good — the silver lining, the upside, the half-full glass — but it’s not always that easy or simple. On a recent weekend, listening to a heartbroken Turkish girl cry and yell at everyone in the bathroom to get...
By Abi Simpson Surrounded by “Keep Calm” posters, tea drinkers and all things stereotypically British, you wouldn’t know you were in anything but a quaint little café with a great view, sipping Earl Grey tea. Unless you looked behind you. The crumbling...
This story was runner-up in the high school category in News-Decoder’s inaugural essay contest. By Aisha Malhas The flag of Jordan includes a white star with seven points, one for each of the seven hills on which the capital Amman was built. Today those seven...
An American student visits the Middle East’s biggest refugee camp for Syrians in Jordan and discovers a restless and generous people. Zaatari Refugee Camp (Photo by Samantha Schmidt) This story, written and illustrated by Samantha Schmidt, was a runner-up in the...
This story, written and illustrated by John Cottrell from the Greek island of Lesvos, was a runner-up in the university category in News-Decoder’s inaugural reporting contest. Cottrell visited Lesvos in November 2015. By John Cottrell Travelling across the...
The terror attacks on Paris have prompted the media and nationalist movements to promote fear. To succumb to fear is to play into the hands of the terrorists. “Paix pour Paris,” by Ivy Turinsky, November 20, 2015 This story won first prize in the high school category...
As Hiroshima survivors age and die, the city’s desire to preserve architectural memories of the atomic bomb grows stronger. Fragment of the factory wall, Hiroshima, Japan (Photo by Sarah Neal-Estes) This story won first prize in the university category in...