News

Quite a few employers now offer specialized insurance that pays a lump sum to help cover high deductibles triggered by treatment for serious illnesses.

Are Health Plans That Pay A Lump Sum For Critical Illnesses Worth It?

5:16pm January 05, 2016

by Michelle Andrews

Many employers offer workers specialized insurance coverage for serious diseases, such as cancer, that kicks in with a big payment to help cover high deductibles for care.

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley To Give GOP's State Of The Union Response

4:56pm January 05, 2016

by Jessica Taylor

The choice of the young Indian-American governor fuels speculation that she could be a possible vice presidential pick. But the high-profile slot hasn't been kind to other rising stars in the past.

Iran's president Hassan Rouhani addresses the nation in a televised speech last July. He has condemned the attack on the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Tehran, but the episode gave the appearance that he's unable to keep hardliners in check.

World News

The Potential Losers In The Iran-Saudi Arabia Feud

4:39pm January 05, 2016

by Peter Kenyon

The bitter rivalry may be more bad news for the long-suffering people of Syria. Also, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has come off looking ineffectual.

President Barack Obama announces steps the administration is taking to reduce gun violence while delivering a statement today in the East Room of the White House.

Watch: President Obama Gets Emotional Talking About Gun Control

4:38pm January 05, 2016

by Eyder Peralta

Obama cried after he remembered the children who were killed by a mass shooter in Newtown, Conn. "Every time I think about those kids, it makes me mad," he said.

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National

What Were San Bernardino Shooters Doing During 18-Minute Gap?

4:36pm January 05, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

The FBI says they've accounted for 3 hours and 42 minutes in the timeline after more than 550 interviews. Now they're asking if someone else can fill in the rest.

Men identified as victims of police torture under the command of retired Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge stand to be recognized by the Chicago City Council in May.

National

Decades Later, Victims Of Chicago Police Torture Paid Reparations

4:21pm January 05, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

Fifty-seven people received payments totaling $5.5 million. "Reparations is not a necessity. But it is a moral compunction and a moral reckoning to right a wrong," said Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Andy Raymond demonstrates the Armatix iP1, a .22 caliber smart gun that has a safety interlock at Engage Armaments, May 1, 2014, in Rockville, Md.

National

Will Obama's Action Create A Market For 'Smart' Guns?

4:13pm January 05, 2016

by Alina Selyukh

Supporters of "smart" gun technology hope that President Obama's initiative will prompt federal agencies to put in big purchase orders, unleashing the new market. Will it make us safer?

Bupropion, sold under the name Wellbutrin, is an antidepressant often prescribed to help a person quit smoking.

Medicaid Programs Fall Short When It Comes To Helping Smokers Quit

4:08pm January 05, 2016

by Nancy Shute

People who have Medicaid insurance are much more likely to be smokers, and the program pays for medication to help them quit. But just 10 percent of Medicaid recipients get that help, a study finds.

Steven Avery served 18 years in prison for sexual assault. He was exonerated by DNA evidence in 2003.

Arts

Over 10 Years, 2 Filmmakers Documented The 'Making' Of A Murderer

3:57pm January 05, 2016

by NPR Staff

Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi were film students when they started working on their 10-part Netflix series about Steven Avery. "We had no money, but what we did have was time," Demos says.

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What Hashtagged In 2015? Periods, Refugees And Nigerians At Hogwarts

3:39pm January 05, 2016

If it didn't hashtag, did it really happen? We look back on the trendiest hashtags in global development in 2015.