Health & Safety

The J. Marvin Jones Federal Building and Mary Lou Robinson United States Courthouse in Amarillo, Texas, where U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk will decide on a lawsuit over the abortion drug mifepristone.

Read the transcript: What happened inside the federal hearing on abortion pills

4:50pm March 17, 2023

by Sarah McCammon

Read the transcript from Wednesday's hearing before Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in a federal case that could decide the future of access to a major abortion pill.

These two photos, taken in 2014 by scientist Eddie Holmes, show raccoon dogs and unknown birds caged in the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market. GPS coordinates of these images confirm that the animals were housed in the southwest corner of the market, where researchers found evidence of the coronavirus in January 2020.

WHO calls on China to share data on raccoon dog link to pandemic. Here's what we know

4:11pm March 17, 2023

Data was released briefly, then rescinded. As NPR reported previously, there is already strong evidence pointing to these animals in the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan.

Marcella Middleton speaks at NCDHHS town hall

Forsyth County residents speak out about lack of mental health services at town hall

3:21pm March 17, 2023

by Amy Diaz

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services hosted a mental health town hall in Forsyth County Thursday night. Many attendees raised concerns about the state’s lack of services.

Cases of babesiosis, a tick-borne illness, are on the rise throughout the northeast, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What is Babesiosis? A rare tick-borne disease is on the rise in the Northeast

2:54pm March 17, 2023

by Emily Olson

Lyme Disease isn't the only tick-driven illness that residents of the northeast should worry about. The CDC says cases of Babesiosis, which can cause flu-like symptoms, are on the rise in 8 states.

Clinics in rural areas with fewer doctors, dentists and nurses are turning to mobile health care clinics to take care to where it's most needed. The Healthy Communities Coalition organizes a few mobile dental events each year in Lyon County, Nev.

Clinics on wheels bring doctors and dentists to health care deserts

11:11am March 17, 2023

by Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez

Health care vans that provided COVID testing and vaccines in the pandemic are now providing a range of health services in hard-to-reach communities. New access to federal funds could expand the trend.

Balloons are seen wrapped around a tree in caution tape at Robb Elementary School on May 31, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas, a week after the school shooting.

With gun control far from sight, schools redesign for student safety

9:14am March 17, 2023

by Mallika Seshadri

In the wake of ongoing school shootings, architects are designing schools to minimize risk and increase student connection.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs a law to include the rights of LGBTQ people in Michigan's Civil Rights law on Thursday, March 16, 2023, in Lansing, Mich.

Michigan Democrats are getting their way for the first time in nearly 40 years

8:08am March 17, 2023

by Colin Jackson (Michigan Public Radio Network)

For the first time in decades, Democrats run the show in Michigan, passing legislative priorities they've been after for years: repealing a 1931 abortion law, repealing right-to-work and more.

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The extra SNAP benefits are gone now as the government winds down its pandemic assistance programs.

'Back to one meal a day': SNAP benefits drop as food prices climb

5:00am March 17, 2023

by Lauren Hodges

A lot of people don't think twice about buying milk, says Teresa Calderez. "But there are lots of us out here who can't buy a gallon of milk when we need it."

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China's younger citizens grow wary of strained supports for the aging

6:14pm March 16, 2023

by Emily Feng

China's society is aging quickly, straining public welfare and healthcare systems. Fearing the state may not be able to help them when they grow older, more young Chinese are turning to private pension funds.

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Wanda Irving holds her granddaughter, Soleil, in front of a portrait of Soleil's mother, Shalon Irving, at her home in Sandy Springs, Ga., in 2017. Wanda is raising Soleil since Shalon died of complications due to hypertension a few weeks after giving birth.

Health & Safety

Maternal deaths in the U.S. spiked in 2021, CDC reports

5:39pm March 16, 2023

After years of high rates, the country hit a new high during the pandemic, far exceeding rates in other developed nations. Black women are at especially high risk.

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