Health & Safety

New Jersey has been distributing baby boxes — cardboard containers that double as cribs or bassinets — to new parents since January. Maisha Watson is currently living in a motel outside Atlantic City, N.J., with her infant son, Solomon Murphy. With no

As Popularity Of Baby Boxes Grows, Skeptics Say More Testing Is Needed

5:01am June 12, 2017

by Maureen Pao

New mom Maisha Watson uses one of the 20,000 cardboard boxes given out so far in New Jersey. She's glad to have a safe spot for her son to sleep. But some question the boxes' safety and effectiveness.

Charlene Yurgaitis gets health insurance through Medicaid in Pennsylvania. It covers the counseling and medication she and her doctors say she needs to recover from her opioid addiction.

GOP's Proposed Cuts To Medicaid Threaten Treatment For Opioid Addiction

8:26am June 11, 2017

by Ben Allen

Expanding Medicaid has helped many people caught up in the opioid epidemic get treatment. But doctors say the proposed Republican changes to the Affordable Care Act could jeopardize these programs.

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Jaha Dukureh walks down a street in Serrekunda, the sprawling urban area where she grew up in Gambia.

A Promise To Her Newborn Daughter: No More Female Genital Mutilation

7:00am June 11, 2017

by Diane Cole

Jaha Dukureh is featured in the documentary "Jaha's Promise." She got Gambia to outlaw the practice. But could she convince her father?

With an opioid addiction crisis that shows no sign of abating, how we describe addiction and dependence matters.

Why We Should Say Someone Is A 'Person With An Addiction,' Not An Addict

5:00am June 11, 2017

by Maia Szalavitz

Journalists should quit calling a person who uses drugs an "addict," according to The Associated Press Stylebook. This follows a trend toward "person first" descriptions of people with diseases.

Erik Vance holds his son while a pediatrician administers vaccinations.

A Dad Takes His Son To The Doctor And Discovers Fear Of Vaccines

3:09pm June 10, 2017

by Erik Vance

As a science journalist, I know vaccines are safe. But when it was time to take my son to get his shots, I suddenly found myself overwhelmed by fear. Does science stand a chance against emotion?

How To Play Basketball — At Any Age

8:14am June 10, 2017

by Sherrel Wheeler Stewart

The octogenarian Twomey brothers will be among thousands of athletes playing in the National Senior Games in Birmingham. They tell us what it takes to play basketball in your 80s.

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Children on the North Cape in Norway live in one of the top countries for kids, according to a Save the Children report. Norway is tied with Slovenia for the top spot.

The Best And Worst Places To Be A Kid

7:00am June 10, 2017

by Jason Beaubien

A new report delivers familiar — but important — data about the nature of childhood around the world.

FDA Asks Drug Maker To Pull Opioid Opana ER Off The Market

4:51pm June 09, 2017

The Food and Drug Administration requested drug maker Endo Pharmaceuticals stop selling Opana ER, which is an opioid. NPR's Robert Siegel speaks with Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, about the decision.

Health & Safety

Bald Men Are Being Hunted Down In Mozambique

4:19pm June 09, 2017

by Jose Tembe

Five have been killed since May. Police call it a "serious homicide crime" and are investigating the possible motives — which may have to do with cultural beliefs.

Wind turbines provide energy in Egypt's Sinai Desert. Helping developing countries harness energy from the wind is one of the Green Climate Fund's goals.

A Little-Known Climate Fund Is Suddenly In The Spotlight

3:49pm June 09, 2017

by Nurith Aizenman

It's the Green Climate Fund. It was called out last week by President Trump, who said he would cut off U.S. "billions." What does it do, exactly, and what will be the impact of the cutback?