Kids and Smartphones: A Constant Battle

Coming up on today’s show:

• It’s been 114 days since Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, but 40 percent of residents are still without power. Hospitals are struggling with a shortage of supplies, and thousands of police officers have called in sick to protest a lack of overtime pay. Danica Coto,a reporter for the Associated Press on the island, discusses the ongoing crisis on the island.

• When Hurricane Maria crippled the Caribbean, it also dealt a devastating blow to the daily supply of intravenous fluid bags, which are manufactured in Puerto Rico and stockpiled in hospitals across America. Deborah Pasko, director of medication safety and quality at the American Society of Health System Pharmacists, explains. 

• This year’s flu season is shaping up to be an especially nasty one. Data suggest that this year’s vaccine might only be 10 percent effective. Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, joins the show to talk about this year’s flu, and what action we might take in order to more effectively protect ourselves from a global pandemic.

• In Europe, insurance companies are increasingly debating whether they should be insuring industries that heavily pollute and contribute to climate change. Are U.S. insurers likely to follow their lead anytime soon? Oliver Ralph, insurance correspondent with the Financial Times, answers.

• Over the course of 2017, the Dakota Access Pipeline leaked at least five times, according to a recent report from The Intercept. These spills were relatively small by some standards, but they’re starting to add up. Alleen Brown,reporter for The Intercept, joins The Takeaway to give a closer look at the impact of these spills. 

• Last week, music streaming giant Spotify filed paperwork to be listed as a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. What does this move mean for the future of the music industry? Marc Hogan, a senior staff writer for Pitchfork, has the details. 

• Big investors have called on Apple to invest in software limiting time children spend using its smartphones. Is it needed? And could it work? Manoush Zomorodi, host of Note to Self from WNYC Studios, and author of “Bored and Brilliant.“

This episode is hosted by Todd Zwillich