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This past week, Somali-born actor Barkhad Abdi received an Academy Award nomination for his role opposite Tom Hanks in the film Captain Phillips. The part was his first acting role. Abdi plays a Somali pirate who leads the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama. He spoke with NPR's Arun Rath in October about learning to relate to his character. (This story originally aired onAll Things Considered on Oct. 20, 2013.)

Two researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have looked into "Oscar baiting" — making films that are reliable picks for Oscar nods.

Nick Kroll's sketch comedy TV series, Kroll Show, kicked off its second season this month. One of his signature characters is a seedy, wannabe ladies man named Bobby Bottleservice. Kroll says playing a variety of characters keeps him from being pigeon-holed by his role as Ruxin on the FX show The League.

According to a National Science Foundation study, only five percent of scientists and engineers in the U.S. are African-American. Host Michel Martin speaks with Freeman Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County about the challenges blacks face in the tech world. They're joined by Silicon Valley techie Ayori Selassie and digital lifestyle expert Mario Armstrong. This segment originally aired Nov. 27, 2013 on Tell Me More.

Michigan is one of only a handful of Republican-led states that is expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. It did it by forging a plan that worked for Republicans, Democrats and business interests, as well as doctors and hospitals.

President Obama has a couple tools at his disposal that let him bypass congressional approval — and he's using them to advance his economic agenda. The administration says the president is still willing to work with Congress, but some on Capitol Hill are taking issue with the executive tactic.

Going to the gym can be intimidating, especially for people who are obese and worry that people will judge them by their appearance. But more companies are catering to plus-sized exercisers with fitness centers that are just for them.

Attacks on undocumented day workers have frustrated police agencies for years. Workers carry wads of cash and rarely report the crimes. In a controversial move, some banks have been stepping in to help some of the workers open bank accounts to make them less of a target.

Also: Lewis Wolpert admits lifting material from other authors; E. L. Doctorow on reading; the best books coming out this week.

The 45-year-old missionary who was convicted and sentenced on charges of subversion appeared before a select group of journalists from Western agencies to make his plea.