Opinion

Gustavo Ocando Alex and his dad, Gilberto, in 1999. Last year, his father died of a heart attack at age 81.

Health & Safety

His Dad Died In A Venezuelan Hospital. What He Saw In The Morgue Still Haunts Him

1:11pm January 19, 2020

by Gustavo Ocando Alex

When this reporter's father died, he accompanied the body as it was taken to the morgue. The grieving son says it was the hardest walk of his life.

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 10: Dozens of anti-Donald Trump protesters stand along 5th Avenue in front of Trump Tower as New Yorkers react for a second night to the election of Trump as president of the United States on November 10, 2016 in New York City. Tru

Opinion: American Politics Is Messy. But Here's A Little Global Perspective

6:10pm January 18, 2020

by Scott Simon

NPR's Scott Simon offers some context to America's political chaos by looking at how authoritarian regimes around the world have tightened their grips on power.

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Protesters demonstrate over the U.S. killing in Iraq of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 4.

Opinion: The Danger From Iran Didn't Die With Soleimani

11:34am January 14, 2020

by Brett Bruen

We should be very worried about the new risks we will confront in a world where senior government officials are considered fair game, writes former diplomat Brett Bruen.

Afghan Army commandos attend their graduation ceremony after a 3 1/2-month training program, at the Commando Training Center on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, on Monday.

Opinion: In Iran Crisis, Iraq And Afghanistan Risk Becoming Collateral Damage

1:56pm January 13, 2020

by Nancy Lindborg

As this high-stakes situation plays out, the danger is that Iran's fragile neighbors, Iraq and Afghanistan, will become collateral damage, writes the head of the United States Institute of Peace.

Sports

Corporate Sponsorship Is Still Strong For College Football's Bowl Season

10:21am January 02, 2020

Bowl season is not over yet for college football teams. Commentator Mike Pesca says he's noticed that corporations love sponsoring bowl games.

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Ukrainian and U.S. flags fly in Kyiv, Ukraine.

World News

Opinion: Ukraine Used Diplomacy; Russia Used Disinformation. The Difference Is Key

9:20am January 02, 2020

by Brett Bruen

As we head into the 2020 elections, we must do a better job of distinguishing between diplomacy and destructive disinformation, writes former diplomat Brett Bruen.

On a trip to India, Abraar Karan (second from right) interviews a local woman to talk about the challenges of cataracts.

Opinion: It's Time To End The Colonial Mindset In Global Health

1:39pm December 30, 2019

by Abraar Karan

Health workers from rich countries who do short-term stints in poor countries are perpetuating the colonialist story in which the "white savior" comes to the rescue of the native population.

Columbia Journalism Review set up a misinformation newsstand in Manhattan in October 2018, in an effort to educate news consumers about the dangers of disinformation in the lead-up to the U.S. midterm elections.

Arts

'Disinformation' Is The Word Of The Year — And A Sign Of What's To Come

1:22pm December 30, 2019

by Geoff Nunberg

Foreign nations have been systematically spreading falsehoods on social media for years; in 2019, it seemed like the world began to fully grasp the ramifications of disinformation campaigns.

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A demonstrator holds a sign at a silent protest about U.S. immigration policy at Grand Central Station in New York City.

National

Opinion: Looking Back On 2019, I Think Of Fear

1:03pm December 28, 2019

by Leila Fadel

NPR's Leila Fadel reflects on stories she covered in 2019 on the race, identity and culture beat.

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The walls of the Golden Rose restaurant in Lviv, Ukraine, are covered with collages that tell detailed stories about the Jewish legacy of the city.

Reflections From A Jew At A Mock-Jewish Restaurant

11:43am December 28, 2019

by Alex Schmidt

On a trip to explore her Jewish-Ukrainian roots, one writer made a stop at a controversial Jewish-themed restaurant, where guests are served matzo at every meal and invited to haggle over the check.