World News

World News

Designing State Symbols For The World's Newest Country

11:39am December 20, 2014

From flags to currency, a new country needs new symbols. NPR's Scott Simon talks with Anne Quito, who traveled to the world's newest country, South Sudan, to observe as they designed theirs.

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Kurdish Troops Free Yazidis, But Major Battles Remain

11:39am December 20, 2014

by Deborah Amos

With the help of U.S. airstrikes, Iraqi Kurdish forces have made significant advances against the self-proclaimed Islamic State, or ISIS.

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Author: Cuban Dissidents Feel Betrayed By Obama's Action

11:39am December 20, 2014

In the wake of the announcement that the U.S. is restoring relations with Cuba, some Cuban exiles are wary. NPR's Scott Simon talks to Cuban-American author Carlos Eire about his reaction to the news.

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Youth Who Led Tunisia's Uprising Frustrated With Pace Of Change

11:39am December 20, 2014

by Leila Fadel

The Arab Spring began in Tunisia in 2011 with the ousting of a dictator, but youth in that country seem unenthusiastic about elections on Sunday.

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In 1959, Fidel Castro imposed a law forbidding the import of foreign cars, so many Cubans drive and maintain older models.

World News

Despite Its Beauty, Cuba Isn't Quite Ready For Tourists

11:39am December 20, 2014

by Scott Simon

When NPR's Scott Simon has visited Cuba, he saw two economies — one for tourists and one for residents. He reflects on whether the thaw between the U.S. and Cuba can really transform that country.

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Obama: Sony Should Have Talked To Him Before Pulling 'The Interview'

11:28am December 20, 2014

The FBI has concluded North Korea was responsible for the cyber attack on Sony Pictures. NPR's Scott Simon talks with White House correspondent Scott Horsley about what happens now.

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The Africa I Know Isn't The Africa In The Headlines Today

7:47am December 20, 2014

by Todd Moss

In 1990, our commentator visited Africa and fell in love with the energy and dreams of its people. Today he sees a land full of promise. But Ebola has revived the image of Africa in chaos.

The author, Dr. Gavin Francis, arrived at Halley base on Christmas Eve 2002, at the height of the Antarctic midsummer, when 24-hour sunlight illuminates the vast swathes of empty ice.

Antarctic Holiday: A Christmas Feast In The Loneliest Spot On Earth

5:17am December 20, 2014

by Gavin Francis

For Dr. Gavin Francis, Christmas Eve marked the start of a year-long stay in an icy research base 8,700 miles from home. In this "empire of ice and isolation," he says, food is essential to morale.

The two candidates in Sunday's runoff presidential election are incumbent Moncef Marzouki (left), who has been serving on an interim basis, and Beji Caid Essebsi, 88, who held posts in the old regime that was ousted in 2011.

World News

With A Presidential Vote, Tunisia Seeks A Peaceful Transition

8:32pm December 19, 2014

by Leila Fadel

Tunisia launched the Arab uprisings four years ago when it ousted a dictator. Sunday's presidential election heralds the country's steady, but not-yet-guaranteed progress.

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Restoring Diplomatic Relations With Cuba Is A Complicated Process

7:37pm December 19, 2014

Melissa Block talks to Roberta Jacobson, assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, about the first steps toward restoring diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba.

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