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Ed Ward takes a look at Philadelphia's long and complex history of black pop music. Specifically, he looks at small labels like Arctic, where several famous artists got their start — and which has just released a set of CDs covering all 60 of its single releases.

Inspecting seafood for safety hazards is currently the job of the Food and Drug Administration. But U.S. catfish producers want the Department of Agriculture involved, too. Critics say it's just a crackdown on foreign producers who are taking over the U.S. market.

One reason North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had his uncle executed, some analysts say, is that he felt disrespected. The uncle, Jang Song Thaek, allegedly failed to applaud with enough enthusiasm when Kim was given a key post. It's also thought that Kim wanted to send a message: Don't mess with me.

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.

For 27 years, Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island for his fight against South Africa's apartheid regime. Saki Macozoma served time on Robben Island alongside Mandela in the 1970s, and he joins Robert Siegel to remember Mandela, who died Thursday at age 95.

Imagine flying around the world in a span of days for the sole purpose of earning frequent flyer miles. That's the idea behind mileage runs.

The Senate this week pushed through the nomination of Democrat Mel Watt to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The FHFA controls Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Watt replaces an official who was a thorn in the side of Democrats, and the move changes the landscape of housing finance reform.

The Shenzhen-based company BYD started producing cellphone batteries and moved to electric cars. Now, it's rolling out a fleet of electric buses in the U.S., a first for a Chinese auto manufacturer.

Saturday is the day the White House promised the website for the Affordable Care Act will work for the "vast majority of users." NPR's health policy correspondent Julie Rovner explains what that means, and whether the deadline is going to be met.

Iran's economy is in terrible shape. Inflation is rampant, Iran's currency — the rial — has plunged in value and oil exports have fallen dramatically. There's wide agreement that sanctions have squeezed Iran financially and increased pressure on its leaders to negotiate over the country's nuclear program.