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The Two-Way

1:13 pm

Tue March 11, 2014

Libyan Premier Dismissed Over Oil Port Standoff With Rebels

The North Korean-flagged tanker "Morning Glory" is docked at Sidra's export terminal at Ras Lanuf earlier this week.

Credit Esam Omran Al-Fetori / Reuters/Landov

By Scott Neuman

Libya's prime minister lost a vote of confidence and has been dismissed after his government was unable to stop a North Korean-flagged tanker from loading oil at a rebel-held port and reportedly breaking through a naval blockade.

Ali Zeidan was replaced temporarily by the country's defense minister, Abdallah al-Thinni, parliamentary spokesman Omar Hmeidan said.

The Two-Way

11:22 am

Tue March 11, 2014

Reporter For Swedish Radio Shot Dead In Afghanistan

A photo from last year of Swedish Radio journalist Nils Horner, who was killed Tuesday in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Credit Mattias Ahlm / AP

By Scott Neuman

Originally published on Tue March 11, 2014 12:08 pm

A Swedish journalist was gunned down in a heavily guarded section of the Afghan capital that is home to Westerners working for aid agencies, embassies and news organizations.

Nils Horner, 51, who has dual British-Swedish nationality, worked for Swedish Radio and had been in Afghanistan for only a few days prior to Tuesday's attack in Kabul.

Code Switch

11:01 am

Tue March 11, 2014

These Cute Images Make Reading Chinese Characters 'Chineasy'

Next image Previous image

ShaoLan Hsueh worked with illustrators to develop pictograms that help readers learn Chinese characters.

Credit Rick Pushinsky / Courtesy of ShaoLan Hsueh

Cow

Credit Courtesy of Harper Design

Deer

Credit Courtesy of Harper Design

Horse (in traditional Chinese)

Credit Courtesy of Harper Design

Prison

Credit Courtesy of Harper Design

Sheep

Credit Courtesy of Harper Design

Bug (in simplified Chinese)

Credit Courtesy of Harper Design

By Hansi Lo Wang

Growing up in Taiwan, ShaoLan Hsueh stuck out.

She liked writing in Chinese.

"I know all the children hated it, but I was a bit odd in that I loved writing Chinese characters," says Hsueh, the daughter of a Chinese calligrapher.

Now living in London, she later discovered that the love she had for Chinese language felt like "torture" to her two British-born children. "I found it really challenging to try to convince them that it's really cool to read Chinese," she said. "No one in their environment would be interested or have contact with Chinese-speaking people."

World

9:28 am

Tue March 11, 2014

Why Is Locating A Lost Airliner So Hard?

By editor

Listen

Renee Montagne talks with aviation reporter Stephen Trimble about airplane technology and black boxes.

The Two-Way

9:20 am

Tue March 11, 2014

'Ringing' Phones Do Not Mean Malaysian Passengers Are OK

In Beijing, anxious relatives continue to wait for word about the fate of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The Beijing-bound jet disappeared on Saturday.

Credit Mark Ralston / AFP/Getty Images

By Mark Memmott

Originally published on Tue March 11, 2014 10:18 am

Already heartbreaking images of grieving family and friends only become more poignant when you hear this:

Some family members and friends of the 239 people who haven't been heard from since Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared Saturday say they've been calling their loved ones' cellphones and hearing rings — though no one picked up the calls.

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