Charissa Koh
Charissa is a graduate of the World Journalism Institute and a reporter for WORLD.
Papered over
Higher Education | Biblical truth-telling at college newspapers can sometimes conflict with the way administrators want to portray the school. Here's a case study of how Liberty University handled the tension last spring
by Charissa Koh, Elizabeth Rieth & Isaiah Johnson
Liberty University junior Jack Panyard rejoiced on March 16 when newspaper adviser Deborah Huff told him he would be 2018-19 editor-in-chief of the weekly Liberty Champion—circulation 16,000.
For Panyard and the 15 other undergrad students on the college newspaper staff, the Champion was a beloved part of their daily lives. They hustled to the newspaper office between classes to write, edit, or just hang out. They spent weekends there. Panyard kept textbooks in the office and extra clothes in his desk in case he had to work through the night.
Sexual revolution cannibalism
Culture | The transgender movement cringes at Hollywood's embrace
by Charissa Koh
Activists and onlookers are still talking about Scarlett Johansson's withdrawal last month from a movie about a woman who identifies as a man and wondering what it means for future portrayals of transgender characters.
News broke in July that Johansson would play a transgender person in the new film Rub & Tug. Strong public backlash ensued, especially from activists who said portraying transgender characters was not good enough—transgender actors should play the roles as well.
Nigeria leads the world in extreme poverty
International | The African nation overtakes India as the problem shifts from Asia to Africa
Nigeria has overtaken India as the country with the most people living in extreme poverty, according to a report released last month by the Brookings Institution. The study found 87 million people in the African nation living in such conditions, a number growing by six people per minute, compared to a steadily decreasing 73 million people in India.
Inflating poverty
Compassion | The UN takes aim at American ideals with flawed economic study
Charissa Koh & Lynde Langdon | 7/25/18, 03:23 pm
The United Nations claims 18.5 million Americans live in extreme poverty, an estimate that U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley called "patently ridiculous."
Haley commented on the UN report in June at the request of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. She chided the report's author, special rapporteur Philip Alston, for spending UN time and resources to investigate poverty in "the wealthiest and freest country in the world."
Skill beats scrap
Sports | After surprises and upsets, France wins the World Cup
Charissa Koh | 7/16/18, 11:32 am
France, the second-youngest team in the FIFA World Cup tournament, yesterday beat Croatia 4-2 to win the cup for the first time since 1998. Croatia had won each of its three previous matches either during the 30 minutes of extra time when the first 90 minutes ended in a tie, or past that in a shootout.
Rushing to retell the Thai cave rescue
Culture | Two movies and a museum are in the works
Now that 12 boys and their soccer coach have made it safely out of a cave in northern Thailand, the race is on to repackage one of the year's most compelling human interest stories into an entertainment vehicle.
God's Not Dead producer Michael Scott hopes to make a movie about the rescue. On Tuesday, he posted a video of himself outside the cave. "I think we're here really looking at this as a movie that could inspire millions of people across the globe," he said. Scott is a managing partner of Pure Flix, an American film studio that makes Christian movies.
Hope for Andrew Brunson
International | Turkish newspaper says government authorities might release the jailed American pastor
Charissa Koh | 7/10/18, 02:12 pm
American Pastor Andrew Brunson might be released from a Turkish prison after his July 18 hearing, according to a report in Hurriyet, a state-sanctioned daily news outlet.
Society | A small-city funeral belies a cremation-trending country
Morgan Channels, Charissa Koh, Tabitha DeHart & Harvest Prude | 7/05/17, 04:14 pm
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa—When Mary Van De Berg, the "meat lady" of Sioux Center, Iowa, died at age 72 a week before Memorial Day, 250 people in the city of 7,400 came to her funeral. Among the crowd sat about 35 of her co-workers from the closed-for-the-day Fareway supermarket, where for 26 years she had a reputation for knowing everything there is to know about meat.
Effective Compassion | 2019 Hope Awards Northwest winner Watered Gardens | At a gospel rescue mission, men have a chance to escape the spiral of drugs, homelessness, and joblessness. But it isn't easy, and many do not make it to the end
Effective Compassion 2019 Hope Awards Northeast winner Purposeful Design | A carpentry shop offers ex-addicts and homeless the chance to build furniture, friendship, and a future
Effective Compassion 2019 Hope Awards International winner 20schemes | How a Scottish ministry works in hard places to show the poor and addicted the riches of new life in Christ
Letting them shine
Effective Compassion 2019 Hope Awards Southwest winner Little Light Christian School | This Christian school's mission is to love the children of prisoners—but traumatic backgrounds make the work a marathon of trusting God
New or recent albums
Music Sanctified Soldiers for the Transfiguration of Light
Seeing eye to eye
Race Issues Why an Asian American band took its controversial trademark battle to the Supreme Court—and how its frontman saw humanity in others