Afghanistan is one of the countries most affected by climate change. But it was not invited to COP28. A young Afghan student came and advocated for his homeland. Did he make any progress?
Our most popular global stories of 2023 offer insights into the stereotypes of male hunters/female gatherers, the biases of AI, the best way to end poverty and the impact of a stranger's greeting.
"Alloparents" means "other parents" — family, friends, community folk, even strangers — who lend a hand to a parent. Here are stories you shared about your own encounters with alloparents.
The pandemic state of emergency was lifted but there are still plenty of viruses to worry about. Here are some highlights of our viral coverage this year, including NPR's "Hidden Viruses" series.
The targeting of hospitals and medical workers is a fact of modern warfare — in Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Gaza and Israel. International law say such attacks are unacceptable. Are there any consequences?
Umesh Balal is determined to make the voices of people with disabilities, young people and Indigenous people heard at the world's largest meeting on climate change.
A trained gynecologist, Gao became well-known across China for her relentless activism in exposing a man-made AIDS crisis and for her educational work to remove the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS.
India outlawed this form of forced labor: An employer pays a cash sum in exchange for weeks of labor and extracts penalties if terms are not met. But it persists — and appears to be on the rise.
Dozens of makeshift centers were built and now stand empty. Now authorities want to revive a stagnating economy and attract young workers to cities by turning the structures into affordable housing.
It's considered the world's most polluted megacity. The air is so bad that a new report estimates that on average each resident loses 12 years of life. Here's what they're doing about it.
The eldest grandchild of Nelson Mandela had a busy week — speaking at the climate summit COP28 about the need to aid the Global South and throwing a party to mark the 10th anniversary of his passing.
In sub-Saharan Africa, women are at high risk of contracting HIV. Some protective measures carry a stigma but this device enables them to take control without anyone knowing.
Lina Lyte Plioplyte sees menstruation as a "beautiful cycle" that happens to half of the world's population — one that "we're not supposed to talk about it." Her new film aims to break the stigma.