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Friday

Sidelined By Brain Injury, Ex-NFL Player Copes With 'Desperation'

Sean Morey, then with the Arizona Cardinals, celebrates after blocking a punt against the Seattle Seahawks in 2007. Morey, who suffers from post-concussion syndrome, retired from the NFL in 2010 on the advice of doctors. Stephen Dunn/Getty Images hide caption

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Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Health

Sidelined By Brain Injury, Ex-NFL Player Copes With 'Desperation'

During his 10-year career, Sean Morey absorbed countless hits, more than a few of which resulted in concussions. "Every time I hit somebody it was like getting tasered," he says. Now, he suffers from lingering conditions, like debilitating headaches, and is an advocate for players' health.

Sidelined By Brain Injury, Ex-NFL Player Copes With 'Desperation'

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After Overcoming Early Obstacles, Yellen Assumes Fed's Top Job

Janet Yellen smiles as President Obama announces her nomination for Federal Reserve chairwoman on Oct. 9. Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images

Economy

After Overcoming Early Obstacles, Yellen Assumes Fed's Top Job

The world of central banking is largely a man's world. But Janet Yellen, the Federal Reserve's new leader, has been undeterred by such barriers since she was in high school in Brooklyn. Now global financial markets will be watching her every move.

After Overcoming Early Obstacles, Yellen Assumes Fed's Top Job

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Southern Fishermen Cash In On Asia's Taste For Jellyfish

Cannonball jellyfish soak up the sun on a South Carolina beach. Fishermen are now pursuing the pest that used to clog their shrimping nets. Courtesy of Steven Giese hide caption

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Courtesy of Steven Giese

The Salt

Southern Fishermen Cash In On Asia's Taste For Jellyfish

After the worst year for shrimping in recent memory, fishermen in the Southeast U.S. say they're thankful to catch jellyfish for the Asian market. But conservationists say the expanding jellyfish fishery is a sign of the ocean's decline.

More Republicans Push For Fixing, Not Repealing, Obamacare

Linda Door protested outside the U.S. Supreme Court as it began hearing arguments on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act in March 2012. Carolyn Kaster/AP hide caption

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Carolyn Kaster/AP

Shots - Health News

More Republicans Push For Fixing, Not Repealing, Obamacare

Some conservatives say the health care law is here to stay. They're urging Republicans to shift their focus from repealing it to changing parts they don't like. The Tea Party wing calls that capitulation. And it's pushing primary challengers against Republicans they say are soft on repeal.

More Republicans Push For Fixing, Not Repealing, Obamacare

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Middle East

Afghan Security Agreement Is Still Unsigned — Who's At Fault?

Delays continue to beset a proposed bilateral security agreement between the U.S. and Afghanistan. The pact would govern U.S. troops if they remain in Afghanistan past 2014. Deadlines have come and gone, but still no agreement has been signed by the two parties. Now, the situation seems to have deepened into a political standoff between the Pentagon and Afghan President Hamid Karzai. To understand how it got to this point, Robert Siegel turns to Sean Carberry, reporting from Kabul, and Tom Bowman, NPR's Pentagon correspondent.

Afghan Security Agreement Is Still Unsigned — Who's At Fault?

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Politics

Obama Hosts Business Leaders, Hopes They Change How They Hire

President Obama is hosting business leaders at the White House in order to discuss possible solutions to long-term unemployment. The president says that he hopes for companies to revise their hiring practices, which often appear to be stacked against those who have been unemployed for six months or more.

Obama Hosts Business Leaders, Hopes They Change How They Hire

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The Great Plains Oil Rush

Homeless In Fargo At The Heart Of An Oil Boom

North Dakota's booming economy has created a modern-day wagon trail of people coming to the state for oil jobs. But finding affordable housing is a sometimes insurmountable challenge, and the number of homeless people, has risen dramatically. Meg Luther Lindholm reports that even cities like Fargo-Moorhead, where there are several shelters and services, are often stretched beyond their capacity. Some, like Fargo's mayor, say the cities can't do it all and more help is needed from the state.

Homeless In Fargo At The Heart Of An Oil Boom

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Politics

Former Christie Appointee Claims N.J. Gov. Knew About Lane Closures

In a letter released by his attorney, the Port Authority official who personally oversaw the George Washington Bridge lane closures is alleging that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie knew about the action. David Wildstein asserts that evidence exists that will contradict Christie's claims to ignorance about the motives behind the lane closures.

Former Christie Appointee Claims N.J. Gov. Knew About Lane Closures

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'Still Turning Heads' At Lunar New Year, An All-Female Lion Dance Troupe

Gund Kwok troupe member Heang Ly takes a break next to her lion costume during a rehearsal in Boston's Chinatown. Hansi Lo Wang/NPR hide caption

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Hansi Lo Wang/NPR

Code Switch

'Still Turning Heads' At Lunar New Year, An All-Female Lion Dance Troupe

A group of Asian-American women in Boston are redefining a Lunar New Year tradition every year by performing in an all-female lion and dragon dance troupe. The Chinese martial art is traditionally performed by men, often during new year's parades. The Lunar New Year starts Friday.

'Still Turning Heads' At Lunar New Year, An All-Female Lion Dance Troupe

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State Dept. Delivers Unwelcome News For Keystone Opponents

A protest of the Keystone XL pipeline last March along its proposed route near Bradshaw, Nebraska. NH/AP hide caption

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NH/AP

Energy

State Dept. Delivers Unwelcome News For Keystone Opponents

The department's final environmental assessment of the Keystone XL pipeline found that blocking the project probably wouldn't stop the development of Canada's tar sands. But the review didn't endorse the pipeline either. Secretary Kerry — and, ultimately, President Obama — will have the final say.

State Dept. Delivers Unwelcome News For Keystone Opponents

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School's Out For Online Students In 'State Sponsors Of Terrorism'

Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, Stanford University computer science professors who started Coursera, pose for a photo at the Coursera office in Mountain View, Calif., on Aug. 2, 2012. Jeff Chiu/AP hide caption

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Jeff Chiu/AP

The Two-Way

School's Out For Online Students In 'State Sponsors Of Terrorism'

Students in Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria — countries under U.S. trade and economic sanctions — were blocked from accessing material on Coursera this week. The company, one of the largest providers of massive open online courses, says it's working with the U.S. government on a resolution.

It's True: Snowiest Places Are Least Likely To Close Schools

Dark blue: It's going to take a foot or more of snow to close schools. Green: Any snow's going to shut things down. reddit.com/user/atrubetskoy hide caption

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reddit.com/user/atrubetskoy

The Two-Way

It's True: Snowiest Places Are Least Likely To Close Schools

Crunching some data, a Reddit user has come up with a map that sure seems to confirm what many have been saying: It doesn't doesn't take much, if any, snow to close schools in much of the South. But up North? A foot or more is going to have to fall before the kids get to stay home.