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Report advises on how investors can make public health a safe bet
The “Investor Action on Health” report examines how investors can move the dial on health areas to make them ripe for investment.
STEM students gather on campus to participate in annual Science Olympiad
Middle and high schoolers from around the country traveled to Purdue’s campus for the invitational competition of the Science Olympiad. Students participated in events, practicals, and exams on various STEM-related topics to prepare for further competitions and expand their scientific expertise.
Ancient tools in China are forcing scientists to rethink early humans
Archaeologists in central China have uncovered evidence that early humans were far more inventive than long assumed. Excavations at the Xigou site reveal advanced stone tools, including the earliest known examples of tools fitted with handles in East Asia, dating back as far as 160,000 years. These discoveries show that ancient populations in the region carefully planned, crafted, and adapted their tools to meet changing environments.
Of mice and humans: What to know about the diseases mice can spread in the region
This is the latest installment of Pittsburgh Pests, an occasional series examining the insects and other creatures that pose health risks in our region. As...
Former State Sen. Brett Lindstrom out of Nebraska’s 2nd District GOP race
Omaha City Councilman Brinker Harding is now the likely GOP nominee to defend the seat Bacon holds in the 2nd District.
🎥Guido: his first hours at Valencia
From his arrival at the airport to putting on his boots and training with his teammates, the Argentine hasn't stopped.He arrived at night at Valencia airport, the next day he underwent a medical exami...
The Observatory and WHO Ukraine reflect on productive partnership and continued collaboration
Why have some health systems coped better than others during the COVID-19 pandemic? Some answers might become clear if we could assess how resilient health systems are in response to crises or shocks, such as the current pandemic and other emergencies, including financial ones, or how well health systems were prepared for such events in the first place. The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies has just published a new policy brief, “Strengthening health systems resilience”, which includes a framework to help policy-makers understand health system resilience and how to strengthen it. This policy brief highlights the key features of resilience and provides examples of strategies which have been applied in different countries.
AARP Examines the Importance of State Health Insurance Assistance Programs
Last month, the AARP Public Policy Institute released a report on the State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs), outlining the critical role these Medicare counselors have in improving beneficiary health and well-being. SHIPs provide objective, free, one-on-one assistance to Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers. With locations in every state, over 2,000 offices in communities […]
SF: Zoo Penguins Receive Annual Health Check-Up
Dozens of penguins at the San Francisco Zoo and Gardens received their annual physical exam Thursday, getting their health checked from head to toe.
Task force: Cut SF commissions, empower mayor
Legislation due to supes March 1.
Teen Mental Health and School-Based Services in California
About 3 in 10 California teens report serious psychological distress, yet significant gaps exist between the need for mental health care and receipt of services. This report examines teen mental health and access to care across demographic groups and describes how state and district funding have expanded school-based solutions.
New Doc by Former Colleagues Explores Asian Americans' Growing Political Leadership
Two Asian American professors with ties to York College have collaborated on a timely and engaging new documentary examining the growing political influence of Asian Americans.
The Entertainment District Focus Group examining long term future of Berglund Center complex
Its called the Entertainment District Focus Group, a mostly citizen group asked to weigh in on a possible casino at the Berglund Center - just for starters. The Entertainment District Focus Group is centered around the Berglund Center Complex, as the city looks to generate more revenue. Is there sup
AEYE Health Expands Epic Integration for Portable Fully-Autonomous AI Eye Screening Across the US Healthcare System
/PRNewswire/ -- AEYE Health, the leading company in retinal diagnostics and developer of AEYE-DS, the fastest growing solution for diabetic eye exams in the...
Investment and Statecraft: The International Politics of Sovereign Wealth Funds - Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
In 1953, Kuwait established the world’s first sovereign wealth fund to invest the country’s oil revenues and generate returns that would reduce its reliance on a single resource. Since then, over 100 separate funds have been created to preserve national wealth and ensure long-term fiscal sustainability. Today, they manage over $10 trillion in global assets. In this discussion with GJIA, political economist Kathryn Lavelle explains the increasingly novel dynamics that surround fund behavior and what the world can come to expect from their growing presence in international financial markets. GJIA: When it comes to the roles sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) play in global markets and politics, what would you say makes them unique? Kathryn Lavelle: Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) operate on behalf of governments as investors. That in itself is a strange relationship. Within them, a core contest takes place between the state’s interests (or sovereign) part of the dynamic, and the money interests (or wealth) part of it, and these two aspects are frequently in contradiction, serving fundamentally different goals. SWFs are also quite fascinating because when you talk to the people who manage these funds, they have an interest in convincing you that the decisions are made almost exclusively on a financial basis—they really will go to great lengths to differentiate their government owners and those who make the management decisions. At the same time, these people ultimately answer to someone in power. Therefore, for most SWFs, it remains deeply unclear who is actually making the investment decisions and for what purposes. Of course, it is not always clear how other vehicles, such as hedge funds and private equity make the decisions they do, but I think what a lot of people find particularly disconcerting about SWFs is that they seem to act on behalf of people who have a different identity from their own. People who could be trying to manipulate politics and markets in a way that would have a long-term effect on their own populations. Regular investors come and go at will, and they only share an interest in profit as far as most of us understand. However, SWFs have that extra “sovereign” part right behind them that obscures their true interest. GJIA: These funds can be found in countries all across the globe, in both authoritarian states and democracies. Would you say SWFs differ in their goals and structures between regime-type? KL: It is not necessarily regime type that makes the goals and structures of SWFs different. It has to do with their economies. Let’s look at a country like China. There’s going to be a debate about exactly how to characterize the regime, but it is a country with many different kinds of sovereign wealth funds, and a particularly opaque state connection to each. At one time, some of the state-owned Chinese oil companies created specialized investment vehicles listed outside Chinese markets that excluded parts of the firms that were more associated with human rights violations. At the same time, the China Investment Corporation (CIC)—China’s largest SWF—draws a lot of concern, not necessarily because of its investment activities, but because of the dynamics of global politics. So, I wouldn’t really tie differences to regime types themselves in a wholesale way, but rather to how such funds are perceived and how they are structured. Saudi Arabia’s SWF is getting all kinds of attention for its involvement in Hollywood, and this takes me right back to when I was a student in the 1980s, when people were concerned about Japanese investment entities buying assets in Hollywood. They aren’t quite the same in financial terms, but it’s the same kind of concern about foreign investment that drives people to be suspicious, and the whole idea that “foreigners are influencing Hollywood.” This holds true across industries, and it reflects where politics are in places like the United States right now. One metric we can try to look at is transparency, where all the funds will tell you, “we are transparent.” The problem you’ll keep running into with this approach is how you value things. When trying to do comparative studies of equity markets, you’ll find that every country doesn’t use Generally Accepted Accounting Principles like we do in the United States. A fund may appear opaque politically and not want people to show what they’re invested in or what their intent with that investment is, but they could also just not be able to report it because of the way it was purchased, or the kinds of shares they purchased. There are some assets out there that really are difficult to put a monetary value on. GJIA: To what extent do domestic politics shape SWF behavior in both the investing “home” country and the recipient “host” country? KL: This depends on the type of fund present and also on the extent to which voters’ political views are able to influence the fund. For example, in a democratic home state like Norway, the SWF doesn’t invest in nuclear weapons or tobacco because of social concerns, but there is a continuing debate over whether it should invest in oil, even though that’s where most of the money comes from. The degree to which Norway will continue to make those investments, and whether they contradict the government’s overall climate goals, is an open question in Norwegian politics. Because of the way the fund’s governance is structured, it may not be easy to resolve. On the other hand, some people consider pension funds, like the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) in Ohio, to be quasi-SWF. They have a very strict separation between the people who make up the management division and the fund owners. No teacher or professor would want to invest in things that may harm the future of their students. At the same time, a fund manager might see an opportunity in a diversified multinational corporation that offers a good return, despite it deriving part of its revenue from e-cigarettes. These contests are very apparent. Domestic politics can work in host countries too. A good example is Singapore’s SWF, Temasek, investing in Thailand’s telecommunications sector. If you study political economy, you already know that countries everywhere are uncomfortable with foreign ownership of their telecom sectors because a foreign entity could monitor or manipulate our communications with each other. In the case of Temasek, there was significant pushback from Thai citizens surrounding the deal, which went on to influence national political sentiment toward Singapore as a whole, underscoring the risks some SWFs may face with their investment choices. In this case, fund behavior led to the dissolution of the entire Thai government in 2006 and a subsequent coup d’état. GJIA: To address some of this unease, the Santiago Principles were established in 2009 to ostensibly promote trust and transparency. From your perspective, have these mechanisms actually changed fund behavior? KL: In international relations theory, we always like to have a clear set of norms and best practices—the orientation we want the proverbial ship to be going in. In that regard, the Santiago Principles at least got the discussion going about which direction SWFs should take at a time when people were very skittish about the growing size of these funds. Nobody wanted them to be out there and potentially destabilizing economies, so talks about disclosure, conditions for withdrawal, and the independence of managers were helpful when initiated. The biggest stumbling block was that there wasn’t exactly a good way to measure compliance with the Principles, let alone how to hold funds to them. If you read the Principles, they’re overall quite vague. In general, a fund doesn’t want to reveal how and why they make certain investment decisions because that information is proprietary—a fund makes money off of how and why it makes decisions—so how do you reconcile that with loosely-defined ideas of openness? Some decisions might have a political purpose. The bottom line is that trying to figure out and assign a score to compliance is not easy, and it is therefore the reason why the Santiago Principles never really got off the ground to the point where they could truly direct fund behavior. GJIA: Many emerging markets are looking to build their own SWFs from mineral and oil revenues. Historically, have funds shaped development trajectories in these countries? KL: I think the big story in international emerging markets investment is that the investment is increasingly no longer unidirectional. In the past multinational corporations of primarily Western background were the main form of foreign direct investment in a country. That has changed dramatically, to the point where you have companies from so-called “developing countries” taking over companies in the United States. Therefore, the landscape of international investment has changed, and I think SWFs are certainly a possibility to be the next step in the game. Historically, you didn’t need an entire financial vehicle to reinvest commodity revenues in your country, but as emerging markets get more financially sophisticated, their capacity to operate such funds has increased. SWFs would allow treasuries to move from relying on holding foreign exchange assets like cash or government bonds to having broader financial markets and targeted growth areas, while easing pressure on welfare expenditures. GJIA: With their increasing financial weight, do you see the presence of SWFs being a factor in the political choices leaders will have to make with regard to domestic and foreign policy? KL: It will depend on just how big the funds get. One of the reasons people are already apprehensive is because of their scale, and if certain SWFs in certain countries achieve a large-enough size, the presence will absolutely be cause for concern. The other factor political leaders will have to consider are their objectives. It’s not always clear how to define a SWF, or even where its activity is concentrated, but it is certainly a worry from the perspective of national security of opaque external investment. More than that, I think one of the most interesting questions going forward is whether the United States, the home to the world’s largest financial markets, will develop its own fund, for which the Trump administration announced a plan. There have also been several proposals in Congress. Were it to come into being, it would have tremendous weight. At the same time, one of the hallmarks of U.S. capitalism is a lack of government ownership of shares, so it would not be clear how such a fund would be received in domestic politics, or which direction it would take. Given how politically fragmented the country is, a Democratic administration would likely be concerned about different sectors of the economy, such as healthcare, and want investment there, rather than a Republican administration, which might prefer defense industries. No investment vehicle could thrive under conditions of such instability. Moreover, it remains unclear where the money to fund a theoretical U.S. SWF would come from. It would be a fundamentally different entity depending on whether it is financed with debt, economic surplus, commodities, or the sale of state companies, as in the case of Singapore. If it is debt, or government borrowing of some form, then the fund would have to outperform whatever the cost of that debt is, which is not an easy thing to do. I think our political leaders have enough on their plate. Our system has worked well keeping political and investment functions generally separate. We have seen different forms of business rise and fall, and even the perception of different countries, all of which funds are tied to. Unless a major SWF either starts—like in the case of the United States—or collapses—an issue that concerns the Saudis, I don’t see any political tsunamis on the horizon. . . . Kathryn Lavelle is the Ellen and Dixon Long Professor of World Affairs at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Her research explores the exchange between domestic and international and political institutions with a particular emphasis on political economy and multilateralism. Dr. Lavelle’s first book, The Politics of Equity Finance in Emerging Markets, explored the political circumstances that surround large issues of stock in the developing world. After being granted tenure at Case Western, she was awarded an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship and named the William A. Steiger fellow, a designation given to the most promising political scientist in her class of fellows. While in Washington during 2006-2007, she worked on the staff of the House Committee on Financial Services on issues related to domestic and international monetary policy. Dr. Lavelle holds a PhD in political science from Northwestern University; an M.A. in government and foreign affairs from the University of Virginia; and a bachelor’s degree in international economics from Georgetown University. She is a permanent member of the New York Council on Foreign Relations. This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and length. Interview conducted by Sid Mehrotra. Image Credit: Jason Leung, Unsplash Content Licenses, via Unsplash
Climate-risk scores shape billion-dollar decisions, and new study says science behind them needs to be more transparent
A new paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences argues that trustworthiness of climate-risk scores depends not just on the sophistication of the models used to produce the scores but also on whether the science behind them is open, reusable and transparent enough for others to examine, test and improve.
Report: In Some Urban Districts, Science of Reading Limits ‘Robust Comprehension’
Four school districts in major urban areas using the science of reading found while students are grasping basic literacy skills, limitations toward deeper comprehension still exist, according to a new study. The “Robust Reading Comprehension” report, conducted by nonprofit research organization SRI, examined literacy instruction in districts in Texas, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia that […]
Radiology practice SimonMed Imaging launches new ‘longevity screening’ division
The elective exams have previously been delivered under the SimonONE brand and will be folded into the rest of the radiology practice for greater service integration.
Under Biden Administration, Justice Dept. Began Examining Ilhan Omar’s Finances
The inquiry, initiated by the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, appears to have stalled for lack of evidence.
Odd anomaly caused Microsoft's network to mishandle example.com traffic
Company's autodiscover caused users' test credentials to be sent outside Microsoft networks.
Eberechi Eze: Arsenal £67m buy now battling to get minutes
Arsenal spent a lot of money to sign Eberechi Eze in August - but his Premier League game time has dropped off of late. BBC Sport examines why.
TOTO (TSE:5332) Is Up 8.8% After Goldman Highlights AI-Focused Electrostatic Chuck Business
Earlier this week, Goldman Sachs upgraded Toto Ltd. to a buy rating, highlighting the company’s electrostatic chucks used in NAND chipmaking and AI-related data centers as a potential profit driver. This spotlight on Toto’s lesser-known semiconductor equipment business underlines how a traditional bathroom-fixture manufacturer is increasingly tied to AI infrastructure spending. Next, we’ll examine how Toto’s growing role in electrostatic chucks for AI data centers shapes its investment...
Scientists call for urgent action as dangerous amoebas spread globally
Scientists are warning that a little-known group of microbes called free-living amoebae may pose a growing global health threat. Found in soil and water, some species can survive extreme heat, chlorine, and even modern water systems—conditions that kill most germs. One infamous example, the “brain-eating amoeba,” can cause deadly infections after contaminated water enters the nose. Even more concerning, these amoebae can act as hiding places for dangerous bacteria and viruses, helping them evade disinfection and spread.
What Elevance Health (ELV)'s Scale-Driven Efficiency Amid Membership Declines Means For Shareholders
In recent weeks, analysts including RBC Capital and Wolfe Research have reiterated positive views on Elevance Health, citing its scale advantages and strong capital efficiency ahead of its late-January 2026 earnings release. At the same time, Elevance’s shrinking customer base over the past two years raises important questions about how competition and product positioning are affecting long-term demand. We’ll now examine how analyst optimism around Elevance’s scale-driven efficiency shapes...
It sounds like something out of a science fiction series, but it's real: at just 15 years old, Laurent Simons has already completed a PhD and is now researching how to defeat aging with artificial intelligence
At 15, most teenagers are worrying about exams or learning to drive. Belgian researcher Laurent Simons has already defended a PhD in quantum physics at the
Will PENN Entertainment's (PENN) Leadership and Tech Shake-Up Redefine Its Integrated Gaming Narrative?
PENN Entertainment recently announced an overhaul of its corporate leadership and technology structure, aiming to cut overheads, streamline decision-making, and more tightly integrate its digital wagering and brick‑and‑mortar casino operations. The company’s focus on eliminating duplicative executive roles and tightening cost controls highlights management’s attempt to address efficiency concerns amid mixed earnings expectations and industry views. Next, we’ll examine how PENN...
Alarm as US mulls prioritising citizens in research funding
A senior White House official said the Trump administration is considering ways to prioritise research funding to American citizens, triggering alarm in the research community that the country could destroy its century-long status as a magnet for overseas talent.Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), said last week that it is “important for us to continue to emphasise the use of federal R&D dollars towards American scientists and technologists that are staffed by Americans in their labs.” Asked about support for Chinese students during a Congressional hearing, Kratsios went on to say that in future funding announcements, the OSTP would “emphasise” that “we're funding American students.”The precise meaning of his impromptu comments, and what they could mean in policy terms, isn’t yet clear. The OSTP did not respond to multiple requests for clarification from Science|Business.But given that US science and technology has relied on overseas talent for the past century, Kratsios’s words have alarmed former US science officials.Immigrants have made up around 30-40% of US Nobel Prize winners since the 1940s, for example. Except for some sensitive projects, countries typically grant research funding on a nationality-blind basis, lest they deter foreign scientists from immigrating. “If director Kratsios’s statements are taken literally and become official policy of the White House, [research-intensive] universities will likely have to close labs if not entire research divisions,” said David Biggs, a former science and technology official in the US State Department. In their most extreme interpretation, Kratsios’s comments would imply that foreign scientists established in the US would see access to funding curtailed. This would “result in many world-leading professors who work in the United States in fields that this administration considers a priority (like fusion energy, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing) leaving the country,” said Cole Donovan, a former US science diplomat, and now associate director at the Federation of American Scientists.CripplingHowever, given the context of the conversation, Kratsios may have been referring more narrowly to funding for doctoral or postdoctoral students. At the hearing, he said he wanted to see labs staffed by US citizens. But even this would have devastating consequences for the US science system, say former officials, because the country is so dependent on early-career foreign researchers. Recent statistics show that nearly half of those in the US with a PhD in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) are considered short-term visitors, or non-residents in the official terminology. If this included residents who are not yet citizens, the proportion would likely be even higher. “Foreign PhD students are really a significant and core part of the university STEM workforce, and postdocs is similarly large,” said Donovan. Preventing US-based academics from hiring them from overseas would be a serious blow, he said. “If it's the case that this administration intends to limit funding to labs staffed only with US citizens, the effect will be to cripple the American scientific enterprise,” said Chris Marcum, a former OSTP official. “To think that these researchers can simply be replaced is a pipe dream. The labs will close,” said Marcum. Go elsewhereAround half of US-trained postdocs are foreign-born, said Biggs. “If these top international students cannot get funding to do their research, or even if they hear that funding for foreign students has been greatly restricted and will be super competitive, they will no longer choose to study in the US and will go elsewhere.” It’s unclear for now if Kratsios’s comments will translate into a real policy shift. But they could add to turmoil in the US science system since Donald Trump took over as president one year ago. Related articlesNIH turmoil risks reciprocal EU-US access to health research fundingUS set to close office responsible for global science and technology dealsTrump halts new NIH grants to international health-research partnersSince then, nearly 8,000 grants at the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation have been frozen or terminated, Naturereports. Courts have overturned most of these cancellations, but the disruption caused remains significant. Both those agencies have also dished out around a quarter fewer grants this year than normal, the journal reported. International student enrolment is also down by 17%. The Trump administration also proposes to cut research budgets by around a third, although Congress may mollify the cuts.
Chairman Griffith Delivers Opening Statement at Subcommittee on Health Hearing Examining Health Insurance Affordability
The Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest standing legislative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives and is vested with the broadest jurisdiction of any congressional authorizing committee.
Alarm over US plan to prioritise citizens in research funding
The US’s leading science official has said the country will focus its research spending on scientists with US citizenship, triggering alarm that the country could destroy its century-long status as a magnet for overseas talent.Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), said last week that it is “important for us to continue to emphasise the use of federal R&D dollars towards American scientists and technologists that are staffed by Americans in their labs.” Asked about support for Chinese students during a Congressional hearing, Kratsios went on to say that in future funding announcements, the OSTP would “emphasise” that “we're funding American students.”Kratsios’s precise meaning, and what it could mean in policy terms, isn’t yet clear. The OSTP did not respond to multiple requests for clarification from Science|Business.But given that US science and technology has relied on overseas talent for the past century, Kratsios’s words have stunned former US science officials.Immigrants have made up around 30-40% of US Nobel Prize winners since the 1940s, for example. Except for some sensitive projects, countries typically grant research funding on a nationality-blind basis, lest they deter foreign scientists from immigrating. “If director Kratsios’s statements are taken literally and become official policy of the White House, [research-intensive] universities will likely have to close labs if not entire research divisions,” said David Biggs, a former science and technology official in the US State Department. In their most extreme interpretation, Kratsios’s comments would imply that foreign scientists established in the US would see access to funding curtailed. This would “result in many world-leading professors who work in the United States in fields that this administration considers a priority (like fusion energy, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing) leaving the country,” said Cole Donovan, a former US science diplomat, and now associate director at the Federation of American Scientists.CripplingHowever, given the context of the conversation, Kratsios may have been referring more narrowly to funding for doctoral or postdoctoral students. At the hearing, he said he wanted to see labs staffed by US citizens. But even this would have devastating consequences for the US science system, say former officials, because the country is so dependent on early-career foreign researchers. Recent statistics show that nearly half of those in the US with a PhD in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) are considered short-term visitors, or non-residents in the official terminology. If this included residents who are not yet citizens, the proportion would likely be even higher. “Foreign PhD students are really a significant and core part of the university STEM workforce, and postdocs is similarly large,” said Donovan. Preventing US-based academics from hiring them from overseas would be a serious blow, he said. “If it's the case that this administration intends to limit funding to labs staffed only with US citizens, the effect will be to cripple the American scientific enterprise,” said Chris Marcum, a former OSTP official. “To think that these researchers can simply be replaced is a pipe dream. The labs will close,” said Marcum. Go elsewhereAround half of US-trained postdocs are foreign-born, said Biggs. “If these top international students cannot get funding to do their research, or even if they hear that funding for foreign students has been greatly restricted and will be super competitive, they will no longer choose to study in the US and will go elsewhere.” It’s unclear for now if Kratsios’s comments will translate into a real policy shift. But they could add to turmoil in the US science system since Donald Trump took over as president one year ago. Since then, nearly 8,000 grants at the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation have been frozen or terminated, Naturereports. Courts have overturned most of these cancellations, but the disruption caused remains significant. Both those agencies have also dished out around a quarter fewer grants this year than normal, the journal reported. International student enrolment is also down by 17%. The Trump administration also proposes to cut research budgets by around a third, although Congress may mollify the cuts.
Do Caesars Palace Luxury Upgrades Reveal a Strategic Shift in Caesars Entertainment’s (CZR) Risk Profile?
In recent weeks, Caesars Entertainment has drawn mixed analyst reactions and increased insider buying while unveiling major luxury villa expansions and renovation plans at Caesars Palace as part of its 60th anniversary. Despite these visible investments in high-end hospitality, investors remain focused on Caesars’ weak long-term revenue growth, thin free cash flow, and sizeable debt load that heightens financial risk. We’ll now examine how the tension between Caesars’ new luxury...
Turns out grandma was wrong: 6 everyday habits debunked by science
Every day, we rely on habits shaped by upbringing and tradition, assuming they protect our health; but modern science challenges that assumption; here are six everyday examples that expose the gap between common sense and scientific evidence
Getting laid off at 58 changed how I think about retirement
After being laid off at 58, she reexamined retirement myths and learned that cash flow matters more than hitting a magic savings number.
Iran on the Brink: Trump's Pressure Politics
As mass protests in Iran enter a decisive phase and are met with escalating violence from a regime fighting for survival, the country is approaching a tipping point. With US President Donald Trump publicly floating options ranging from diplomatic pressure and sanctions to the use of military force, we examine the stakes for Iran, the choices facing US policymakers, and the wider regional and global ramifications.
The mental health impact of landslide disasters
A new study (Akhila et al. 2025) in the the journal Development in Practice examines the mental health impact of landslide disasters.
Economic Policy and Political Science: Examining Armenian Students’ Understanding of the Intersection Between Two Fields -
Economic Policy and Political Science: Examining Armenian Students’ Understanding of the Intersection Between Two Fields By Vardan Atoyan, Aghavni Hakobyan, Nane Movsisyan and Argam Artashyan, Armenian State University of Economics This study investigates how economics [...]
Naomi Watts ignored this menopause symptom. It had a simple fix.
Naomi Watts ignored her dry eyes because she didn't know it was part of menopause. Now the actress is advocating for women to get a yearly eye exam.
India shows health and digital health is the best investment
Examples from India present a growing body of evidence that investing in interoperable systems, preventive care and digital health yields rising returns.
Lamont Takes Questions, Plans to Tackle 'Unfinished Business'
HARTFORD – Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont sat down on Thursday for a chance to talk one on one about his run for a third term, telling CT Examiner he welcomed […]
Ron DeSantis, James Uthmeier take illegal immigration fight to cable news
'We're going to make an example here.'
Kirk Nahra Authors an Article on "Privacy and Security Law for Business Lawyers"
WilmerHale Partner Kirk Nahra examines the expanding and increasingly complex patchwork of U.S. privacy and security regulations in his recently published article, “Privacy and Security Law for Business Lawyers.”
TBICoE Education Series: Performance Nutrition After TBI
This TBICoE virtual training examines the critical role of nutrition, supplementation, and gut health in optimizing recovery and performance following TBI. Participants will learn how specific diets and evidence-based supplements can help heal the brain, lower inflammation, and improve thinking and energy.
Authorities to the left, German courts to the right: The politics and law of transborder data transfers in the EU
The article examines how the EU’s traditionally strict stance on cross-border data flows is diverging into two paths: one led by data protection authorities enforcing an absolutist view of surveillance risk, and another by national courts adopting a more pragmatic and geopolitically aware approach to GDPR enforcement.
Youths sports facility arises as a use for North Omaha business park project
A sports facility has come up as another potential use as part of a North Omaha business park site to be developed with a $90M state grant.
Youths sports facility arises as a use for North Omaha business park project
A sports facility has come up as another potential use as part of a North Omaha business park site to be developed with a $90M state grant.
Fuelling the Future: How Business, Finance and Policy can Accelerate the Clean Fuels Market
Amid rising global energy demand and evolving market dynamics, clean fuels are a key pillar for a more secure, affordable and sustainable energy system. Examples ranging from biofuels, e-fuels and hydrogen derivatives to lower-carbon fossil fuels offer multiple sources of economic and societal value. This report, produced in collaboration with Bain & Company, highlights the important role of expanding clean fuels in our future energy system. Clean fuels have been shown to reduce import dependence on fossil fuels by 5-15%, while providing two to three times the job intensity of conventional fuels. They can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions and support productive land use – provided well-designed policies protect land, biodiversity and water resources. The report’s analysis builds on consultations with expert stakeholders to present success stories and key insights to help business leaders and policy-makers overcome barriers to greater investment in the sector. The paper is complemented by a digital playbook of solutions drawing from real-world case studies and success stories from across the clean fuels industry. For more information or to inquire about joining the initiative, please visit the Future of Clean Fuels initiative page.
Aging populations are redefining the value of a healthy life year
Researchers examine how considering age and regional factors to QALY estimates can improve healthcare policy decisions and resource allocation.
New Super Bowl 2026 odds entering divisional round: Patriots make big jump
Examining the latest Super Bowl odds
The ozone layer is still healing…thanks to science : Short Wave
In the mid-1980s, scientists published a startling finding–a giant hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. That’s the protective shield that blocks large amounts of harmful UV radiation. And without it, the rate of cancer, cataracts and crop failure would skyrocket. Today on the show, we dive into ozone science and examine how scientists successfully sounded the alarm and solved an Antarctic mystery.Check out our episode on an Antarctic plankton mystery. And, listen to our monthly series Nature Quest.Interested in more atmospheric science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.This episode was produced by Berly McCoy. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineer was Becky Brown.
Teaching Legislative Politics Through a Game: Active Learning, Assignment Co-creation, and Assessment Across Modalities -
Teaching Legislative Politics Through a Game: Active Learning, Assignment Co-creation, and Assessment Across Modalities By Jennifer L. Clemens, University of Wisconsin–Parkside and Michael A. Hansen, University of Turku This article examines a legislative politics simulation [...]
Tenderloin grant program sparks new business openings
Vacant storefronts in the area to get new life in the coming weeks.
Sound Smart: 8 Observations From NFL Wild-Card Weekend
Examining all the chaos from one of the most chaotic wild-card weekends in recent memory.
Western Pacific Region achieves milestone: 19 countries complete comprehensive health information system assessments
The Health Information and Digital Health (HID) unit in the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific has successfully supported 19 countries, covering 99% of the Region’s population, to conduct comprehensive health information system (HIS) assessments, surpassing the regional target of 15 set for 2025 and advancing efforts toward universal health coverage. Using SCORE, a technical package of essential interventions, recommended actions, tool and resources developed by WHO and partners to address challenges in meeting HIS needs, these assessments systematically assess health data availability and quality, enabling countries to monitor trends, identify and respond to emerging health challenges, and improve policies and programmes for healthier families, communities and societies. The first round of SCORE assessments were conducted between 2019-2021 in 14 countries in the Region and over 130 countries globally. The second round of SCORE assessments were conducted between 2024-2025.SCORE assessments are a key priority identified by Member States and WHO at all levels, including within WHO-Country/Multi-Country Cooperation Strategies, the Regional Vision Weaving Health for Families, Communities and Societies in the Western Pacific Region (2025–2029), and the WHO Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW 14, 2025–2028). Within the Regional Vision, implementing SCORE assessments is a key action for technology and innovation to advance health equity (strand 5).The SCORE for Health Data technical package is based on five key interventions, represented by the acronym SCORE. Interventions S, C and O focus on strengthening core data sources. Survey (S) covers population-based health surveys, surveillance systems and censuses, including their capacity to monitor health-related SDGs. Count (C) focuses on birth, death and cause of death registration as parts of a functional CRVS system. Optimize (O) addresses routine health service data and key health service inputs such as health financing and health workforce.Interventions R and E focus on data use for action. Review (R) examines regular analytical reviews of health sector progress and performance, together with national analytical capacity. Enable (E) looks at the policy, governance, and digital foundations needed to support effective data use.The Western Pacific Region shows relatively strong performance in the Review (R) and Count (C) interventions. Most countries in the Region demonstrate good analytical reporting and institutional capacity for analysis and learning. More than two-thirds of countries show more mature CRVS systems, driven by improvements in birth and death registration. However, medical certification of cause-of-death remains a key gap, with limited or low coverage in over half of countries in the Region.Performance under the Survey (S) intervention is mixed. While surveillance systems are generally strong, several countries in the Region continue to face challenges in implementing their surveys and censuses. Monitoring health-related SDGs is still a challenge for more than a third of countries in the Region.The greatest challenges are observed in the Optimize (O) and Enable (E) interventions. More than half of countries have lower maturity levels in routine health service and resource systems. Two-thirds of countries also face challenges with effective use of data and evidence for policy and action, largely due to gaps in digital infrastructure, governance and legislation for health data systems, and especially in data and sharing.  As part of the SCORE methodology, multi-stakeholder consultations and validation workshops were conducted in many countries to review findings and plan strategies for HIS strengthening. The HID unit continues to provide targeted support to facilitate dialogue and assist countries in developing HIS improvement plans. These plans guide governments and partners to align investments and coordinate efforts for maximum impact.WHO also assists countries with tailored technical support to address key gaps as requested by countries/national health authorities. SCORE assessments should be conducted periodically to monitor progress in HIS strengthening, although progress across addressing gaps identified in SCORE should be continually tracked as countries implement improvements.Additional countries will be supported to implement SCORE in 2026. The Regional Vision delivery-for-impact target, endorsed by Member States, is for all countries and areas to have implemented SCORE assessments and have an increased SCORE index by 2029 while WHO is aiming for 80% of Member States in the Region to conduct round two assessments. Countries yet to complete assessments are therefore encouraged to contact the HID unit at the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific for tailored support.The implementation of SCORE HIS assessments in the Western Pacific Region was supported by The Gates Family Foundation.
Nintendo now mentioned in Call of Duty game launcher code
Dataminers have been examining the latest update to the Call of Duty game launcher, which is titled Call of Duty HQ, and have discovered Nintendo platform references within the code.
Fur store in Detroit to close after 132 years in business
Are Diverging Analyst Views Reframing the Policy Risk Narrative Around Universal Health Services (UHS)?
In early January 2026, Wells Fargo downgraded Universal Health Services’ rating and expressed a more cautious view on the hospital operator’s operating outlook, while TD Cowen reaffirmed a positive stance but trimmed its expectations. This divergence in analyst opinions highlights growing uncertainty around how sector-wide policy and reimbursement risks could influence Universal Health Services’ long-term positioning. We’ll now examine how this more cautious stance on hospital operating...
Supreme Court to decide fate of transgender athletes in women’s sports
The two cases examine Equal Protection issues and how far states may extend sex‑based rules in school sports.
Business, state lawmaker groups call child care subsidy bill vital to Nebraska workforce
State business and lawmaker groups call a proposed child care subsidy bill vital to stability of Nebraska's workforce.
Superconductors, an opportunity for science and society
Superconductive technologies have long been central to particle physics, but they have also repeatedly moved beyond the laboratory, most notably with the emergence of magnetic resonance imaging scanners (MRI), demonstrating how breakthroughs in fundamental research can benefit society. Today, as global energy, climate and healthcare pressures grow, the conversation is shifting from “What can science give to society?” to “How can science and industry jointly develop technologies that benefit society while advancing research?” The event “Catalysing Impact – Superconductivity for Global Challenges” held at CERN in December was aimed precisely at answering this question. The workshop brought together leading researchers, industry representatives, investors and policymakers to explore how collaboration on superconducting technologies can advance particle physics while addressing some of the world’s most pressing societal challenges. The event sought to bridge fundamental research with real-world deployment and to accelerate collaborative pathways. Across keynotes, panels and round tables, participants examined both the current technological landscape and the opportunities ahead. Introducing the discussions, Frédérick Bordry, Chief Technology Officer of the Gauss Fusion company and former CERN Director for Accelerator and Technology, noted that “Superconductivity has become the silent engine of discovery science.” While the research community needs more capable and more resilient superconductors for the next generation of experiments, they also have significant potential for societal applications. Beyond their role in collider magnets, high-temperature superconductors (HTS) now promise lossless power transmission, compact fusion magnets, efficient renewable systems and new capabilities in healthcare, transport, computing and quantum technologies - all aligned with SDG-17’s emphasis on partnership-driven innovation. Participants also stressed that major hurdles remain. Global competition is accelerating, and Europe must act quickly to secure technological and economic leadership. Doing so will require coordinated investment and supportive policies, including stronger risk capital investment and mechanisms to bridge the gap between laboratory innovation and industrial deployment. The summit set in motion several concrete follow-up priorities, including aligning R&D roadmaps with societal goals and the UN Sustainable Development Goals; making it easier for public–private consortia to build demonstrators that serve both industry and research needs; and advancing investment pathways that better connect research institutions, governments and the private sector. A series of interviews of key participants is available here: Frédérick Bordry & Milena Roveda Mike Lamont Francesca Ferrazza Peter Schroth Ziad Melhem Pietro Corsaro
Deco: No serious knee injury for Barca keeper Ter Stegen
Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen has no serious knee injury, the club's sporting director Deco has said after medical examinations. German international Ter Stegen left the Barca camp at the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia to have the knee examined back in Spain.
Citrus Burn Examined (Report 2026) Recalling Emerging Conversations on Metabolic Health and Nutrition
An increased examination of the way Citrus Burn is being framed within broader discourse on the topic of metabolic health, dietary supplements and informed wellness decisions Citrus Burn Citrus Burn Find out more about Citrus Burn and how it works exactly! St. Petersburg, Fl, Jan. 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The discussions concerning metabolic well-being, energy management, and the nutritional policies individuals follow in their everyday activities have been gaining popularity in the popular
Recent $11 Million Grant to Hallmark Farms Highlights Economic Partnerships Between Business and State, Federal Government - Alabama Department of Labor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 7, 2026 Recent $11 Million Grant to Hallmark Farms Highlights Economic Partnerships Between Business and State, Federal Government Montgomery, Ala. – The recent award of $11 million in federal Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Program funding to the Alabama Farm Center is a shining example of cooperation and strategic partnerships […]
Stuart Varney: Identity politics has killed Walz's career
FOX Business’ Stuart Varney examines the rise and fallout of identity politics in Minnesota, arguing Gov. Tim Walz’s handling of unrest, a major fraud scandal and political positioning ultimately ended his career.
Robot Vacuum Maker Roborock Shows Off Stair-Climbing Model With Legs
Roborock, a Chinese robotic vacuum cleaner brand, unveiled a concept device with two legs that can climb stairs in people’s homes, a flashy example of efforts to sell ordinary consumers on the idea of home robots.
West Ham v Nottingham Forest: Key stats and talking points
West Ham will slip seven points adrift of safety if they lose to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday (20:00 GMT) in a game which sees Hammers boss Nuno Espirito Santo face the club that sacked him in September. BBC Sport examines some of the key themes before the match. Saturday's 3-0 defeat by bottom club Wolves - previously winless - marked a new low for West Ham under Nuno.
Bobby Olszewski's new book reflects on the intersection of politics, business and baseball
The 55-chapter book blends short stories from baseball history with modern leadership examples.
NASA's Hubble Examines Cloud-9, First of New Type of Object
A team using Hubble uncovered a new type of astronomical object — a starless, gas-rich, dark-matter cloud, a remnant of early galaxy formation.
Here’s what’s coming to SF ballots this year
Pelosi’s seat, hot ballot measures and more.
Philosophy to the Rescue of Science
The pessimistic meta-induction—the argument that since past scientific theories have been shown to be false, we should expect that today’s will turn out false, too—makes the New York Times. . Elay Shech, professor of philosophy at Auburn University, takes up the topic in the context of current political disputes about science and our government’s seemingly increasing disregard of expertise: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of health and human services, made a version of this argument in August when defending his decision to halt hundreds of millions of dollars in mRNA vaccine development despite the objections of vaccine scientists. He said that “science is always evolving” and the experts could not always be trusted. Shech accepts that “many widely accepted [scientific] theories have been discarded” but that the question, “why should we trust the ones we have now?” is misleading. Why? It implies that the only possible attitudes toward science are naïve faith and wholesale pessimism. It assumes that science is a single global entity that rises or falls all at once, when in reality, science is an array of local domains of inquiry, each with its own standards of evidence and degrees of reliability. In place of skepticism, Shech recommends “disciplined trust.” The first step in the direction of disciplined trust is recognizing that “there is no single scientific method used in all of science.” Shech writes: Newton’s deduction from observed phenomena is very different from Darwin’s inference to the best explanation, which in turn differs radically from Einstein’s thought experiments with light beams, trains and elevators. What people call “the scientific method” is really many distinct ways of investigating the world—different strategies for representing, experimenting and classifying. Since different areas of science employ different methods and rely on different kinds of evidence, to make a case for skepticism “you need to look at the evidence and methods in a specific area of inquiry.” And that case will not be “a sweeping claim about all of science” but rather about that particular area of inquiry with, for example, what might turn out to be “well-understood methodological problems.” Shech’s piece is “Science Keeps Changing, So Why Should We Trust It?” (NYT gift link). Discussion welcome (readers are advised to keep in..
SF preps for big year in sports entertainment
Championship games and a pro women's baseball team are on tap for The City.
SF preps for big year in sports entertainment
Championship games and a pro women's baseball team are on tap for The City.
NYU professor uses AI oral exams to outsmart AI-written assignments
When student work looked like McKinsey memos, an NYU business school professor used AI oral exams to test real learning.
Sound Smart: 8 Observations from NFL Week 18
Examining the NFL postseason field, Black Monday, Super Bowl favorites and the MVP race in Sound Smart from Week 18.
The politics of asylum: How local exposure reshaped UK voting
The UK has seen a sharp rise in asylum applications since the Covid-19 pandemic. This column examines how exposure to asylum seekers affects voter behaviour. The authors find that increases in dispersed asylum seekers – who are provided with accommodation but cannot choose their destination – lead to a sizeable rightward shift in local election outcomes. While migration has become more salient for both of the UK’s main political parties, only Conservative MPs appear to effectively channel local discontent, helping explain why these rightward electoral shifts occur despite little observable change in public attitudes.
10 Famous Celebrities And Their Forgotten First Cars
From David Beckham's Ford Escort Mk5 to Taylor Swift's pink Chevy Silverado, these are a few famous examples of celebrities' first cars.
Sponsored: Louisiana’s Fisheries Are Complex. Let’s Base Decisions on Science, Not Assumptions.
A recent Advocate/Times-Picayune article examined what Louisiana anglers caught in 2025 and what those numbers could suggest about the health of our most popular sport fish. It highlighted an important
Sponsored: Louisiana’s Fisheries Are Complex. Let’s Base Decisions on Science, Not Assumptions.
A recent Advocate/Times-Picayune article examined what Louisiana anglers caught in 2025 and what those numbers could suggest about the health of our most popular sport fish. It highlighted an important
‘Speaking the language of science’: Father Spitzer on Guadalupe tilma, Eucharistic miracles at SEEK
College students at SEEK 2026 packed a hall to hear Father Robert Spitzer, SJ, examine scientific research into Eucharistic miracles and the tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Trump claims he’s in ‘perfect health’ after interview on aspirin regimen, compression socks
Trump boasted Friday that he "aced" his cognitive exam for the "third straight time."
Trump says he ‘aced’ third cognitive exam in defense of ‘perfect’ health
President Trump said he is in “perfect health” and “aced” a cognitive exam for the third time in a row in a TruthSocial post on Friday. “The White House Doctors have just reported that I am i…
Corsair Reportedly Cancels User's PC Order, Hikes The Price By $800
It appears that these companies can take advantage of market volatility without facing meaningful repercussions Corsair is Reportedly Changing PC Prices Significantly; Cancels User's Order Without Reason So, it appears that PC vendors are no longer hesitant to hike prices of their products, and Corsair is a recent example. While PC price hikes are common these days, what's not acceptable is cancelling the already placed order without any valid reason. A Redditor just reported that he became a victim of such an incident after he placed an order for a Corsair pre-built system two days ago. Related Story ASUS Announces […]
5 takeaways from Trump's defiant WSJ interview on his health
Trump says he had a CT scan during a recent medical exam and not an MRI scan, as he previously claimed.
PSU coaching change among top sports stories
There is no doubt that life can be extremely unpredictable and never holds any guarantees. The Penn State football program provided a glaring example of that over the last 12 months. Penn State went from reaching the semifinal round of the College Football Playoffs at the beginning of the 2025 calendar year, to starting the […]
Trump defends his health and energy while revealing new details on medical screenings he underwent
President Donald Trump defended his energy and health in an interview with The Wall Street Journal and disclosed that he had a CT scan, not an MRI scan, during an October examination about which he and the White House delayed offering details.
Trump defends his energy and health in interview
President Trump said he had a CT scan during an examination in October, and he said his health is good overall.
Trump defends his energy, offers details on health screening
President Donald Trump defended his energy and health in an interview with The Wall Street Journal and disclosed that he had a CT scan, not an MRI scan, during an October examination about which he and the White House delayed offering details
Trump, in interview, defends his energy and health, offers new details on screening he underwent
President Donald Trump defended his energy and health in an interview with The Wall Street Journal and disclosed that he had a CT scan, not an MRI scan, during an October examination about which he and the White House delayed offering details.
Trump, in Interview, Defends His Energy and Health, Offers New Details on Screening He Underwent
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump defended his energy and health in an interview with The Wall Street Journal and disclosed that he had a CT scan, not an MRI scan, during an October examination about which he and the White House delayed offering details. Trump, in the interview, said he ...
Trump loomed over Nebraska’s top political stories of 2025
Nebraska and the Omaha area prepare for national close-ups in 2026, including midterm races for governor, U.S. House and Senate.
A Mayor’s Health Journey Sparks a Townwide Awakening as Irvington Enters 2026!
A Mayor’s Health Journey Sparks a Townwide Awakening as Irvington Enters 2026! As Irvington prepares to turn the calendar from 2025 to 2026, something extraordinary has taken place — not through a ribbon cutting or a campaign slogan, but through example. This holiday season, Mayor Tony Vauss did something rare in public life: he made[...]
Raycast is finally on Windows, and it totally changed how I use my PC
Raycast is a superpower once you get comfortable with it—and its best features are completely free!
In 2026, resolve to become a citizen scientist
Monitoring nest boxes for Southeastern American kestrels is one example of citizen science.
Review | 3 utterly brilliant science fiction novels
New books by William Alexander, Claire North and qntm examine new technologies and unexplored worlds with verve.
The politics before the elections: How 2025 sets the stage for a new year
The biggest stories of 2025 involved politics and set the stage for the New Year, 2026, when Wisconsin will vote for a new governor.
Researchers Examine Social Determinants of Health Screening Tools Used at Arkansas Health Facilities
A coalition of researchers, led by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, conducted a survey that examined how Arkansas health care facilities screen for and respond to social determinants of health. Social determinants of health are non-medical factors that influence a…
Restaurateurs’ ‘25 takeaway? SF ‘has bounced back’
“It’s like there’s a renewed excitement on the street.”
New research into Cookiecutter shark bridges Hawai‘i knowledge with modern science
The study analyzed a larger dataset than previous research, examining bite patterns recorded across Hawaiʻi’s longline fisheries over many years.
New research into Cookiecutter shark bridges Hawai‘i knowledge with modern science
The study analyzed a larger dataset than previous research, examining bite patterns recorded across Hawaiʻi’s longline fisheries over many years.
Staten Island owner of plumbing and HVAC business is recognized for positive attitude, leading by example
For his accomplishments, Eric Campione is being honored with a Louis R. Miller Business Leadership Award, which he will receive in the Established Businessperson category.