NPR News

Pages

U.S.
1:24 pm
Mon February 13, 2012

U.S. Watches Closely As Oil Drilling Begins Off Cuba

There are big plans for oil exploration in the Caribbean, not far off the coast of Florida. A Spanish company recently began drilling in Cuban waters — just 55 miles from Key West.

The well is the first of several exploratory wells planned in Cuba and the Bahamas. The drilling has officials and researchers in Florida scrambling to make plans for how they'll respond in case of a spill.

Read more
The Two-Way
1:04 pm
Mon February 13, 2012

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer Robbed By Man Armed With Machete

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer was the victim of an armed robbery while he was on vacation on Caribbean island of Nevis.

Justice Breyer, his wife Joanna and a friend were at the Breyer home on Nevis last Thursday when a man armed with a machete broke in, took about $1,000 in cash and fled.

According to a supreme court spokeswoman, nobody was hurt, and to date, nobody has been apprehended. Local news outlets in Geneva have reported the FBI is investigating the crime, in addition to local authroities.

Read more
Energy
1:03 pm
Mon February 13, 2012

Natural Gas Boom Energizing The Chemical Industry

Credit Courtesy of Shell Chemicals
A Shell-owned ethylene cracker plant on Pulau Bukom, Singapore. Several U.S. states are competing for a similar plant the company plans to build in northern Appalachia.

Originally published on Mon February 13, 2012 5:19 pm

Just outside of West Virginia's capital city, Charleston, on the banks of the Kanawha River, sits the Institute Industrial Park. Chemical plants have operated here continuously since World War II, when the local factories cranked out synthetic rubber. Today there are industrial pipes, tanks and buildings stretching in just about every direction.

Soon, there could be more.

Read more
The Two-Way
12:55 pm
Mon February 13, 2012

Judge Rules Jerry Sandusky Can Receive Visits From Most Grandchildren

Credit Alex Brandon / AP
Jerry Sandusky, a former Penn State assistant football coach charged with sexually abusing boys, pauses while speaking to the media at the Centre County Courthouse.

A Pennsylvania judge eased some restrictions on Jerry Sandusky's house arrest today. Judge John Cleland said today that Sandusky will be allowed visits by most of his 11 grandchildren, as well as be allowed to walk out onto his porch and in some cases leave his house to assist in his defense.

Read more
Shots - Health Blog
12:36 pm
Mon February 13, 2012

How Much Should Kids Sleep? Nobody Knows For Sure

Credit iStockphoto.com
However much he's sleeping, it's not enough. Right?

Like most parents, I worry that my child isn't getting enough sleep.

Now it turns out doctors have been warning that kids don't get enough sleep for over a century — long before iPads, texting, and YouTube robbed children of peaceful slumber.

What's more, there's no solid scientific basis for pediatricians' recommendations on the amount of time children need to sleep. That's the word from researchers in Australia, who combed the literature to find out how children's sleep time — and doctors' sleep recommendations — have changed over decades.

Read more

Pages