Health Oct 15 How ‘thinly veiled’ social media ads are influencing what we eat and drink News about food safety can be hard to keep straight. That’s been complicated by a little-known tactic used by the food and beverage industry to influence what we eat and drink through social media, the subject of a joint investigation…
Health Oct 07 Why prescription medication to treat alcoholism is ‘vastly underutilized’ Nearly 30 million Americans struggle with alcohol addiction. Medication used to treat alcohol-use disorder have been on the market for decades, but is rarely prescribed. Dr. Sarah Wakeman, medical director of the Substance Use Disorder Initiative at Mass General Brigham,…
Nation Oct 01 Hispanic? Latino? How the language of identity is shifting over time Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates a U.S. population of 64 million that’s diverse, growing and constantly changing. But can a single term like Hispanic or Latino describe a group with such varied ancestry and geographic origin? Mark Hugo Lopez from the…
Nation Oct 01 Jovita Idar’s fight for the rights of women and Mexican immigrants For Hispanic Heritage Month, as part of our “Hidden Histories” series, we bring you the story of Jovita Idar, a journalist and activist who spent her life improving the lives of women and Mexican immigrants at the turn of the…
Health Sep 24 How a lack of regulation for tattoo ink puts Americans’ health at risk Nearly one in three Americans surveyed this summer said they have at least one tattoo, according to the Pew Research Center. But while tattoo artists are required to have a license in all 50 states and the District of Columbia,…
Health Sep 17 Proposed WIC funding cuts raise nutrition concerns for low-income families With a possible government shutdown looming, one federal program facing funding cuts is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), which helps low-income families buy healthy foods. Nell Menefee-Libey, public policy manager for the nonprofit National…
Nation Sep 16 Key takeaways from Texas Senate’s acquittal of AG Paxton’s corruption charges The GOP-controlled Texas Senate voted Saturday to acquit state Attorney General Ken Paxton on 16 articles of impeachment, including bribery, obstruction of justice, conspiracy and abuse of the public trust. The charges largely centered on Paxton’s relationship with a wealthy…
World Sep 10 Key global developments as world leaders depart G20 summit in India This weekend’s G20 summit in India concluded with the African Union joining as a new member, an ambitious new plan to build a railway connecting Europe and India through the Middle East, and an acknowledgement of the atrocities in Ukraine,…
Science Sep 09 New report sheds light on environmental, financial costs of invasive species Invasive species harm ecosystems around the world and cost the global economy $423 billion a year, according to a new report backed by the UN. A number of researchers believe that estimate may be just the tip of the iceberg.
Economy Sep 03 Is the era of inexpensive cars over? Why auto prices are on the rise in America The average price of cars has soared in recent years, and buyers are being further squeezed by rising interest rates. It’s hitting Gen Z and millennials particularly hard — in 2022, people aged 18 to 39 had over $20 billion…