Skin bleaching is terribly popular — and takes a terrible toll The government in Nigeria is warning about the health risks of skin lightening, where potent chemicals can thin and damage skin. It's a booming business in that country and others. Emmanuel Akinwotu
Pete Marocco tried to upend USAID in 2020 -- and failed. In 2025, he dismantled it This Trump administration official was a key figure in the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development — and will help set the agenda for the future of foreign aid. Fatma Tanis
Trump's back-to-office order will hurt veterans, VA docs and therapists say The Department of Veterans Affairs embraced telehealth, especially for mental health care, in recent years. Now, staffers hired to give therapy and other health care remotely are ordered to do it from offices lacking privacy, VA clinicians told NPR. Katia Riddle
Feeling scatterbrained? 5 ways to focus your attention What would you do if you had more hours in a day? Here's how to carve out time for your interests and passions — even when you have a lot of responsibilities. Malaka Gharib
How a rise in vaccine skepticism could affect our preparedness for the next pandemic Americans have become more polarized about vaccines since the COVID-19 pandemic began. That makes it harder to combat public health threats.
Reporter's notebook: 8 theories why fentanyl deaths are plummeting Some 30,000 fewer people are dying every year in the U.S. from fentanyl and other street drugs. This shift has stunned addiction experts, reversing decades of rising death. Brian Mann
Could legal weed make you sick? Here's how California tries to keep it safe With no help from the federal government, states are trying to regulate recreational marijuana. California's Department of Cannabis Control works to keep contaminants out of joints, vapes and edibles. Sydney Lupkin
TikTok is full of ADHD advice — just don't trust it for a diagnosis TikTok has become the go-to-source on ADHD for teens and young adults. But a new study finds a lot of the information is misleading and can make people's symptoms worse. Will Stone
What happens when a Chicago children's hospital bows to pressure to stop gender-affirming care Patients and parents speak out after Chicago's Lurie Children's Hospital joined other hospitals in stopping gender-affirming surgeries after an executive order threatening loss of federal funding. Kristen Schorsch
COVID-19 gave rise to vaccine skepticism. That may affect our preparedness for the next pandemic Public health officials are concerned about increasing polarization among Americans over vaccines. Jude Joffe-Block
