World Oct 03 Researchers find alarming rise in autism diagnoses among Somali American children Diagnoses of autism have risen sharply in recent years across the U.S. The number of care providers has also grown, as have concerns about oversight. What's not in dispute is a public crisis around autism, acute among children of color,…
Nation Jul 25 Black Americans struggle with lack of mental health care access in communities There is a troubling rise in suicide deaths among young Black Americans. One of the drivers of that crisis is a shortage of mental health providers. Fred de Sam Lazaro reports from Chicago for our series, Race Matters. A warning:…
Nation Jul 24 More young, Black Americans taking their lives amid lack of resources, study finds For years, experts have warned about a growing mental health crisis among America’s young people. But within that trend, there are important signals about racial disparities. Between 2018 and 2022, the suicide rate among Black youth rose by more than…
World Jul 02 Scottish oil town hopes to be Europe’s green energy capital with transition to renewables A major issue in Britain’s general election is the cost of living crisis, caused by spiking inflation following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. That has put pressure on the country’s pledge, written into law, to become carbon neutral by 2050.
Nation Jun 20 How Scotch whisky producers are aiming to go carbon neutral The UK became the first country to set a deadline to become a carbon-neutral economy with zero emissions of greenhouse gasses. Britain’s target is 2050. Scotland’s is even earlier, by 2045. Fred de Sam Lazaro looks at the effort of…
World May 01 Agriculture school creates climate-aware approach to help small farmers feed Africa Africa faces challenges as varied as its vast landmass. But one that’s shared by all 54 countries is how to feed a population of 1.2 billion that’s expected to double by 2050. Fred de Sam Lazaro reports on one attempt…
World Apr 30 How an African university is connecting doctors to patients in remote communities Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for about 25 percent of all disease in the world, yet it has just three percent of the healthcare workforce. There are not enough medical and nursing schools and many of the continent’s graduates are recruited to…
World Apr 09 Rwanda marks 30 years of reconciliation after genocide, but major challenges remain Rwanda is holding observances to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the genocide in that East African nation that took one million lives. Rwanda has won praise for rebuilding efforts, but democratic backsliding and conflict just outside its borders have raised…
Nation Apr 08 Minneapolis becomes frontline in fight over fair pay for rideshare drivers The latest battle over fair pay for rideshare drivers is taking place in Minneapolis, where Uber and Lyft have threatened to leave the city over a new ordinance that sets minimum wages for drivers. As special correspondent Fred de Sam…
World Mar 01 Nobel Peace Prize winner defends reputation against corruption charges in Bangladesh Nearly a half-century after its birth from a bloody civil war, Bangladesh has made significant strides in reducing poverty. One of the best-known architects of this progress is Muhammad Yunus, who popularized the concept of microfinance. However, Yunus has run…