While some leaked Sony emails seemed racist, NPR TV critic Eric Deggans says they hint at a wider issue: an acceptance of practices, habits and perceptions that limit diversity in Hollywood.
This week we celebrated not only Christmas, but also the solstice — the shortest day of the year. In honor of this wintry weather, author Edward Carey recommends his favorite winter fairy tale.
The FDA recommends overturning a lifetime ban on blood donations by men who have sex with men. It's the right solution, but it still won't help me donate.
Seen as indestructible in the West, fruitcakes are indispensable in the bustling Hindu city. Bakers of all faiths have the ovens running round the clock to feed Calcutta's appetite for the cakes.
Linking sports and the Christmas spirit is a true challenge, says commentator Frank Deford. "The idea of sports is to beat the other fellow," he says, "while the idea of Christmas is to be giving."
This week, President Obama announced that he will begin to normalize relations with Cuba. Cuban-American writer Richard Blanco recommends a book about Cuba's imprint on the American imagination.
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.
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.