Scott Neuman - NPR
After years of trying, the U.S. government may finally mandate safer table saws
After years of false starts, the Consumer Product Safety Commission looks poised to mandate a blade safety brake on all new table saws sold in the U.S.
The CDC is helping states address gun injuries after years of political roadblocks
Federal research funds are being used to speed up dissemination of data on gun injuries in nine states and the District of Columbia.
Airline passengers could be in for a rougher ride, thanks to climate change
Researchers say there's evidence that clear air turbulence, which may have rattled an Alaska Airlines flight in March, is becoming more frequent.
The culture wars are pushing some teachers to leave the classroom
Some teachers and administrators — already facing long hours and low pay — now find themselves under pressure from politicians, parents and even their own school districts.
As King Charles III takes the crown, here’s how he may focus his reign
As King Charles III begins his reign as Britain's new monarch, focus turns to how he may use his position as head of state to promote causes that he's been passionate about for decades — the environment and climate change, in particular, as well as other philanthropic efforts.
In Ukraine, the road to war was paved by the failure of diplomacy
The invasion of Ukraine occurred despite weeks of diplomatic efforts, including calls between President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin and European leaders' visits to Putin in Moscow.
First aid flights arrive in Tonga after massive volcanic eruption and tsunami
The eruption severed Tonga's single fiber-optic cable, rendering the Pacific archipelago offline and unable to communicate with the rest of the world. Flights brought bottled water and other supplies.
The U.N. says it has verified a new record high temperature for the Arctic
The United Nations has officially recognized a new record high temperature for the Arctic, confirming a reading of 100.4 Fahrenheit taken in June of last year.
The World Health Organization warns of very high risk posed by the omicron variant
The World Health Organization is warning that the new omicron variant of the coronavirus poses a "very high" global risk because of the possibility that it spreads more easily and might resist vaccines and immunity in people who were infected with previous strains.
Cigarette sales went up last year for the first time in 20 years
The Federal Trade Commission says sales in 2020 were up slightly, and analysts say the increase was due to the coronavirus pandemic. But the gain looks unlikely to represent a long-term trend.
Birds thrived where humans feared to tread during the pandemic, scientists say
A new study shows that as people mostly remained indoors during lockdowns last year, many bird species found less noisy and polluted cities more inviting.
COVID-19 booster shots will roll out in September in the U.S.
People will be eligible for a booster shot eight months after their second dose of their vaccines from Pfizer or Moderna, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
1st live Asian giant ‘murder hornet’ of 2021 spotted in Washington state
Entomologists confirm the report of the world's largest hornet — a worrisome invasive species that originates from East Asia and Japan — by a person in a rural area near the Canadian border.
Fauci says COVID-19 booster shots are needed for those who are immunocompromised
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical adviser to President Biden, says an additional COVID-19 vaccine dose is needed for people who have compromised immune systems.
Supreme Court to take up first major gun rights case in more than a decade
At issue in the case, NY State Rifle & Pistol Assoc. v. Corlett, is how much the Second Amendment protects the right of individuals to carry concealed weapons outside their home for self-defense. The case will likely be argued in the fall.