World

William Wong (standing) poses with his parents and nephew in an old family photo. Wong's mother immigrated to the U.S. from China as his father's "sister" to bypass the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

Chinese-American Descendants Uncover Forged Family Histories

12:30am December 18, 2013

by Hansi Lo Wang

The Chinese Exclusion Act, designed to prevent Chinese laborers from entering the country, prompted tens of thousands of people to use forged papers to enter the U.S. The law was repealed 70 years ago, but many Chinese-Americans are still piecing together their ancestors' true identities.

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Freshly caught catfish wriggle in large nets in Doddsville, Miss.

Battle Of The Bottom Feeder: U.S., Vietnam In Catfish Fight

1:17pm December 16, 2013

by Jackie Northam

When the popularity of catfish moved from the South across the U.S. in the 1980s, American catfish farmers could barely keep up with demand. But Vietnam has flooded the U.S. market with cheaper catfish, driving many catfish farms out of business and sparking a dispute that threatens a major trade deal.

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Blasting through powder on wooden, horsehide-bottomed skis, with a single pole for balance, an Altai skier shows off the skills and equipment his distant ancestors perfected.

Deep In China, 'Cowboys' Have Skied For Thousands Of Years

10:21am December 16, 2013

by NPR Staff

On wooden skis, the Tuvan people of Central Asia have been traversing the snow for at least 4,000 years. Travel writer Mark Jenkins went to the region for National Geographic, where he joined a group of lasso-wielding men on skis tracking elk.

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On Sunday, Ireland became the first country to formally exit the bailout program funded by the International Monetary Fund and the European Union.

Ireland Exits Bailout Program, But Economy Still On The Mend

8:24am December 16, 2013

by Jim Zarroli

Ireland has big budget deficits, low growth rates and high unemployment. But the country is ready to take a big step toward getting back to normal. On Sunday, it became the first country to exit the bailout program put in place by the International Monetary Fund and the European Union.

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Boulevard Brewing's lineup includes seven year-round beers, five seasonal beers and 13 beers in its Smokestack series.

When Craft Beer Goes Global: A Kansas City Brewery's Tale

8:07am December 16, 2013

by Frank Morris

Boulevard Brewing has become a Kansas City staple since its founding in the 1980s. It has many loyal local fans — and soon, a new international owner, Duvel. The deal says a lot about how the world now values a product made with a firm sense of place.

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World News

Germany's Merkel To Be Sworn In Again As Chancellor

6:46am December 16, 2013

by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

Weeks of post-election political limbo have ended in Germany. The country's main center-left party has voted to join the coalition government of Angela Merkel. The move clears the way for her to start her third term as chancellor.

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Since recording in the 1970s and '80s, Nigerian William Onyeabor has dropped off the music map.

Nine Months In Nigeria, One Brilliant, Difficult Funk Musician

6:07pm December 15, 2013

by NPR Staff

Nigerian funk musician William Onyeabor has been a mystery for years. Since recording in the 1970s and '80s, he has completely dropped off the music map. When Luaka Bop Records wanted to assemble some of his work, the road to securing a signed contract took on its own twists.

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Science Becomes 'Sexy' With Fast Cars And Gangsta Physics

6:19pm December 14, 2013

Can science be cool? This week, Ozy co-founder Carlos Watson tells NPR about a gangster-turned-astrophysicist and a race car driver working to making science "sexy" again. Plus, a look at the changing landscape of African art — no tribal masks allowed.

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A South African boy stands in front of a mural of Nelson Mandela in Soweto, South Africa, earlier this month.

World News

South Africans Reflect On Mandela's 'Rainbow Nation'

7:39pm December 13, 2013

by Ofeibea Quist-Arcton

Equality for all South Africans, regardless of race or color, was at the core of the struggle against apartheid. Nineteen years after Nelson Mandela was sworn in as the first black president in the country's first democratic elections, what is the status of race relations?

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The creators of 1979 Revolution interviewed fellow Iranians to create accurate scenes of Iran.

World News

Game Director Shifts From 'Grand Theft Auto' To Iranian Revolution

6:56pm December 13, 2013

by Alan Yu

A blockbuster video game director is working on a game where you don't shoot back. It puts the player inside the Iranian Revolution of 1979, and it's a financial and personal risk to the game makers.

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