Africa

A masked Somali pirate stands near a Taiwanese fishing vessel that washed up in 2012 after the pirates were paid a ransom and released the crew. The image appears on the cover of Michael Scott Moore's new book The Desert and the Sea.

What It's Like To Be Held Hostage By Somali Pirates For 2 1/2 Years

4:39pm July 24, 2018

by Ari Shapiro

Journalist Michael Scott Moore went to East Africa to write about piracy. Then he got kidnapped and imprisoned for 977 days. The Desert and the Sea chronicles his incredible ordeal.

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Why A Drop Of 4 Degrees Made A Big Difference For A Garment Maker's Bottom Line

5:32pm July 23, 2018

by Nurith Aizenman

Clothing factories in India can get pretty hot. How does that affect worker productivity? Researchers looked to the lights and gained an unexpected insight.

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Katiyo's hat and crutch on a seat in the Counselling Services Unit waiting room. Katiyo's left knee was replaced after he was beaten and tortured during the 2008 election.

World News

Survivors Of Political Violence 'Will Make Sure There's Peace' In Zimbabwe's Election

5:03pm July 20, 2018

Survivors of political violence in Zimbabwe are being trained to serve as election monitors in the country's July 30 vote. Past elections have been marred by violence and allegations of rigging.

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World News

Survivors Of Past Political Violence Will Monitor This Year's Elections In Zimbabwe

4:28pm July 19, 2018

by Ari Shapiro

Zimbabwe goes to the polls July 30, for its first election post-Mugabe. A new program is training survivors of past political violence to be citizen monitors for this year's elections.

Dumisani Muleya, editor-in-chief of The Zimbabwe Independent.

World News

With Mugabe Out Of Power, This Zimbabwean Newspaper Editor Looks Ahead

7:07pm July 18, 2018

by Ari Shapiro

Most media outlets in Zimbabwe are state-run, and working as an independent journalist under Robert Mugabe came with serious risks. With Mugabe's rule over Dumisani Muleya speaks about his hopes as a journalist.

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The people of Rwanda are required to take part in the national cleanup day, Umuganda, on the last Saturday of every month. (Above) Getting grass under control in Kigali, the capital city.

Health & Safety

How Rwanda Tidied Up Its Streets (And The Rest Of The Country, Too)

4:12pm July 18, 2018

by Amy Yee

On the last Saturday of the month, citizens must spend three hours beautifying the nation. Some people question the authoritarian approach. But the results are impressive.

Nelson Mandela's Prison Letters: 'One Day I Will Be Back At Home'

12:48pm July 18, 2018

by Greg Myre

The late South African leader would have turned 100 on Wednesday. As part of the commemorations, a new book brings together many of the deeply personal letters he wrote during his 27 years in prison.

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Passengers pose for a selfie picture inside an Ethiopian Airlines plane that departed from Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and flew to Eritrea's capital, Asmara, on Wednesday. It was the first commercial flight between the two African

World News

Commercial Plane Flies From Ethiopia To Eritrea For First Time In 20 Years

11:36am July 18, 2018

by Camila Domonoske

After two decades of deadly conflict, the neighboring countries are rapidly reconciling. Demand was huge for the historic commercial flight, which was marked with champagne and roses.

World News

Marking Nelson Mandela's 100th Birthday

5:27am July 18, 2018

by Ofeibea Quist-Arcton

The late statesman Nelson Mandela would have turned 100 years old Wednesday. Writers, politicians, and activists are marking the date with readings from a collection of his letters.

World News

Why Cash Is King In Zimbabwe

5:53pm July 17, 2018

by Ari Shapiro

In Zimbabwe, getting paper currency can be a major problem due to a country-wide shortage. NPR looks at how that's playing out on the ground, and what it takes for people there to get their hands on cash.

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