SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " ability " 3,363 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Google Now Allows Users to Change Your @gmail.com Email Address
For years, one of the most persistent frustrations for Google users has been the inability to alter their primary email address without creating an entirely new account.
I refuse to use a new Android phone without installing this free app first
It fixes Android's biggest everyday usability gap
New York Enacts FAIR Business Practices Act Expanding State Consumer Protection Law
On December 19, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law S8416, amending New York’s General Business Law to enact the Fostering Affordability and
The top 5 major African cities with the best health care at the end of 2025
A high healthcare index was more indicative of long-term national competitiveness, social stability, and economic resilience than it was of hospital quality or doctor accessibility
Sony WF-1000XM6 rears its head as launch information surfaces in new leak
The long-awaited Sony WF-1000XM6 has reappeared before the end of the year in a new leak. This time, a retailer has hinted at availability and launch colour options ahead of schedule.
Bill from Rep. Deluzio targets 'ripoff' of costly sports stadiums hot dogs and beer
As President Donald Trump calls affordability concerns a “hoax” and Democrats look to highlight the issue in the upcoming midterm elections,...
ASTP/ONC seeks relaxation of health IT certification criteria with HTI-5
The proposed rule aims to reduce burdens and costs on health IT developers. It also includes measures to promote FHIR-based interoperability, strengthen information blocking rules and simplify certification of AI models.
The disunity of science is a feature, not a bug
Mathematical models wield miraculous power, but mistaking them for reality has trapped science in a destructive quest for a “Theory of Everything.” Physicist and philosopher Ragner Fjelland argues that this leads to bloated, Frankenstein theories kept alive by clumsy, ad-hoc amendments, which reduce rather than boost science’s power. Fjelland calls for a radical shift in our attitude: we must reorientate towards creating entirely new theories, celebrating rather than lamenting disunity and diversity in science. Science, from the scientific revolution in the seventeenth century to the present day, has more or less developed in a “reductionist” way. The fundamental assumption is that all sciences may be ordered in a hierarchy that can be represented as an upside-down pyramid. At the top we find the human sciences, and at the bottom physics. Strong (or “ontological”) reductionism maintains that all theories at one level can be completely reduced to the lower level, all the way down to theories of atoms and elementary particles, or whatever is “at the bottom.” In the end, all diversity in the world can be unified in one fundamental theory. Hence it is called a final theory, or a Theory of Everything.One of the central figures in developing the idea of a Theory of Everything is the Dutch theoretical physicist Gerard 't Hooft, who received a Nobel Prize in physics in 1999 for his work. He emphasizes the non-empirical status of the theory:There exists no closely resembling alternative theory. This means that any slight change brought about in the rules would make the theory unlikely or inelegant. The theory will be a "package deal": take it, or leave it. This should hold both for the local laws and for the boundary conditions.This endeavor is not new. On the contrary, it goes all the way back to the birth of Western philosophy 2,500 years ago. The Babylonians made regular astronomical observations during a period of 600 years, from 747 BCE until 150 ACE. They developed mathematical techniques to predict astronomical phenomena, but they made no attempts at explaining them. However, the Greeks developed models, both material and theoretical, to explain the observed phenomena.The best example is Plato’s late dialogue Timaeus. Here he introduces a divine craftsman, the Demiurge, who has constructed the universe according to an original plan. Plato seems to have thought that the original plan is what is actually real, while the material world is merely an imperfect realization of it. He therefore does not, in the Timaeus, reconstruct the material universe, but the original plan, which can then be used to explain the material universe.Plato’s aim in producing a theoretical model is to reconstruct the original plan. That is what he carries out in Timaeus—and some modern physicists have embarked on the same project. For example, Einstein’s basic attitude is reflected in the title of Abraham Pais’ biography: “Subtle is the Lord...,” echoing Einstein’s comment, “Subtle is the Lord, but malicious He is not.” In an interview Einstein compared our situation to a child who enters a huge library. The child knows that someone has written the books, but he does not know the languages in which they are written. He suspects that there is a mysterious order, but he does not know what it is.___“We have all been working in what Husserl called the Galilean style; that is, we have all been making abstract mathematical models of the universe to which at least the physicists give a higher degree of reality than they accord the ordinary world of sensation.”Steven Weinberg, Nobel Prize in Physics (1979)___This Platonist view is contrary to a widespread impression of science, symbolized by the picture of the “father” of modern science, Galileo Galilei, with his telescope. According to this impression, Galileo liberated himself from the dominating metaphysics of his day—basically Aristotelian philosophy—and constructed a telescope that he directed towards the sky, showing that Jupiter has four moons. He also performed experiments with bronze balls rolling down inclined planes and found the law of freely falling bodies.However, in other cases Galileo emphasized the unreliability of our senses. It is easy to see why. He defended Copernicus’ heliocentric hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, we are not at rest at the center of the universe, but moving at a tremendous speed through space. Why don’t we observe this motion? Galileo praises Copernicus because “with reason as his guide he resolutely continued to affirm what sensible experience seemed to contradict.” In other places he directly refers to Plato. SUGGESTED VIEWING The quest for a final theory With Michio Kaku Galileo’s Platonism goes back to his early writings. In The Assayer, published as early as 1623, Galileo compared the universe to a grand book that is written in the language of mathematics, and “its characters are triangles, circles, and other geometric figures without which it is humanly impossible to understand a single word of it.” Therefore, things that cannot be described by mathematics—for example, colors, smells and odors—are not real. They are merely subjective.This division into subjective and objective, advocated by Galileo and his younger contemporary René Descartes, is normally associated with a mechanistic world view, which is regarded as the opposite of Platonism. When we reduce something to, for example, molecules and atoms, we move “downwards.” In contrast, the Platonist moves “upwards,” to abstract entities. However, it only shows that when we address fundamental questions, we should be careful in applying everyday spatial metaphors like “up” and “down.”___Nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world.___The endeavor of finding a Theory of Everything has been heavily criticized. In 2006, the theoretical physicist Lee Smolin published “The Crisis in Fundamental Physics.” He argued that one of the most fundamental principles of science is that we should only regard theories as scientific if we have the possibility to show that they are false by experiments. Although he did not refer to Karl Popper, other critics have referred to Popper and argued that a theory is not scientific if it cannot be falsified (see for example Ellis & Silk 2014).These were not the first physicists to be anti-reductionists. In 1972, the journal Science published an article by the physicist Philip Anderson with the title “More Is Different.” This is the kind of article a scientist would normally write only after he has won a Nobel Prize. However, Anderson won the Nobel Prize for physics five years later, in 1977. The article is amazing, not primarily because it argues in favor of anti-reductionism in general, but because it argues for anti-reductionism within physics itself. Anderson’s conclusion was:At each stage entirely new laws, concepts, and generalizations are necessary, requiring inspiration and creativity to just as great a degree as in the previous one. Psychology is not applied biology, nor is biology applied chemistry.We may say that Plato started the “unity of science movement,” based on Euclidean geometry as the model of all knowledge. A distinguishing mark of geometry is that all possible constructions can be reduced to a few fundamental principles. We have to acknowledge that this approach has limitations. In general, we can easily model technological systems. In addition, we may construct simplified and idealized models that capture important aspects of systems, from various perspectives and for various purposes. But nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world. In a complex system, each level has its distinct, emergent, properties that are characteristic of this level. Therefore, a complex system should be investigated at different levels and from different perspectives. Instead of exclusively pursuing a scientific ideal based on the unity of science, we should acknowledge the diversity—or even the disunity—of science.
Velo 2025 Road Bike of the Year Winner: The Cannondale Synapse
We could have picked a Tour de France-winning superbike. Instead, we chose the bike that redefines usability for the rest of us.
Vogue Business’s Top 10 Words of the Year
The terms that influenced and defined culture in 2025 across fashion, beauty, sustainability and tech.
How Climate Instability and Extreme Heat Could Upend High School Sports | Nonprofit Quarterly | Civic News. Empowering Nonprofits. Advancing Justice.
Coaches, scientists, and advocates are sounding the alarm about heat stroke—the leading cause of heat-related deaths in high school athletes.
Paying More, Getting Less: Rising health care costs, poor outcomes, and harmful federal policy decisions are putting New Yorkers at risk
Paying More, Getting Less: Rising health care costs, poor outcomes, and harmful federal policy decisions are putting New Yorkers at risk Key Takeaways Health care costs are rising sharply across all forms of coverage, while federal policy decisions are worsening affordability and access. Enhanced ACA premium tax credits are set...
2025 was a tumultuous year in New Orleans politics
2025 was full of historic events, including a deadly terrorist attack, a snowstorm and hosting Super Bowl LIX. But ironically enough, it was the inability of city government to perform seemingly simple duties, like following through on deals and staying on budget, that revealed the true dysfunction at City Hall.
Science Platform Sustainability 2030: Bridging science and policy for sustainable transformation
Julian Trutz Müller, Scientific Officer at GERICS/wpn2030, discusses the importance of bridging science and policy for sustainable transformation
Galaxy S25 One UI 8.5 beta now available in more countries
Samsung has expanded the availability of the One UI 8.5 beta program to additional markets, giving more users a chance to provide feedback.
Critical RCE flaw impacts over 115,000 WatchGuard firewalls
Over 115,000 WatchGuard Firebox devices exposed online remain unpatched against a critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability actively exploited in attacks.
In affordability speech, President Trump mentions his neuroses, his favorite armchair, and the First Lady’s underwear
Steam’s December update finally brings a fully 64‑bit client to Windows, modernizing the platform after years of partial support
The Steam client finally makes the move to 64 bit on Windows, laying the groundwork for better performance, stability, and future updates across PC gaming’s largest platform.
Thousands of gamers are installing Bazzite instead of sticking with Windows — and the reasons behind the shift are surprisingly compelling
With weekly installs rising and SteamOS-style usability, Bazzite is quietly carving out a space for gamers tired of Windows friction.
Strengthening U.S.-Nigerian Health Cooperation under the America First Global Health Strategy - U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria
Strengthening U.S.-Nigerian Health Cooperation under the America First Global Health Strategy The United States signed a five-year, $5.1 billion bilateral health cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Federal Republic of Nigeria December 19 to advance the America First Global Health Strategy, supporting resilient, self-reliant, and durable health systems while promoting accountability and shared responsibility. Under the five-year MOU, the United States intends to commit nearly $2.1 billion in health assistance, with nearly $3.0 billion in new domestic health expenditures by the Government of Nigeria over the same five-year period. This represents the largest co-investment any country has made to date under the America First Global Health Strategy and underscore Nigeria’s commitment to greater national ownership of its health system. Under the MOU, the United States will continue to support surveillance and outbreak response, laboratory systems, health commodities; frontline healthcare workers, and data systems. Nigeria faces significant health challenges, including one of the highest maternal and child mortality rates globally and approximately30 percent of the global malaria burden. U.S. assistance under the MOU will expand access to affordable, preventive and curative services for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), malaria, polio, and maternal and child health, strengthening health outcomes across Nigeria. The MOU places a strong emphasis on Christian faith-based healthcare providers, recognizing their indispensable role in delivering care to communities in need. Nigeria’s more than 900 faith-based clinics and hospitals serve more than 30 percent of the country’s 230 million people, often in areas where healthcare facilities are limited or absent. The MOU provides approximately $200 million in dedicated support to strengthen and support these Christian facilities, enhance workforce capacity, and expand access to integrated HIV, TB, malaria, and maternal child health services. Investments in Christian faith-based health institutions are uniquely positioned to complement public-sector facilities and reinforce Nigeria’s overall health infrastructure. The MOU was negotiated in connection with reforms undertaken by the Government of Nigeria to prioritize the protection of Christian populations from extremist violence. As with all U.S. foreign assistance, the President and Secretary of State retain the right to pause or terminate programs that do not align with U.S. national interests, and the United States expects Nigeria to continue making measurable progress in combating religiously motivated violence against Christian communities. This five-year MOU is the latest of several health cooperation MOUs signed in Africa this month. The United States will continue to sign multi-year Bilateral Agreements on Global Health Cooperation with countries receiving U.S. health assistance to advance the America First Global Health Strategy.
3 markers of health could help with weight-loss strategies, obesity expert reveals
Obesity medicine specialist Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen, M.D., author of the new book "Weightless," shared that the best way to determine the suitability of a GLP-1 is through body composition testing.
Hand on Government: Rising health insurance costs and subsidy expiration threaten coverage for 1.5 million Floridians
As 2026 approaches, affordability remains a dominant concern for Americans, with health insurance costs poised to rise sharply, especially in Florida. Government law attorney Chris Hand explained on This Week in Jacksonville that the end of COVID-era subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) could have severe consequences.
Trump makes affordability pitch in struggling corner of N.C., his last rally of 2025
Trump used the rally to hammer the issue his advisers want him to emphasize as his poll numbers lag.
Trump talks about neuroses, purchasing chairs and his wife’s underwear drawer in latest affordability speech
President Donald Trump came to North Carolina on Friday to talk about the economy.
The Risks of Democrats Embracing Eat-the-Rich Populism
The more President Donald Trump stumbles while trying to talk about affordability — Wednesday night’s bizarre speech was just the latest example — the more Democrats believe they have a winning issue in next year’s midterm elections. And why not? Trump’s approval rating on the economy is the lowest it has ever been, and a string of polls show many Americans are angry and worried about stubbornly high prices for groceries, housing and utilities.
Lawmakers concerned about VA rollout of electronic health record system in Michigan
The system has been blamed for patient safety risks, productivity loss, usability challenges, delays in care and issues with medication management.
ModRetro Sells Handheld Made Of The Same Metal As Attack Drones
The Anduril Chromatic device is made for ‘performance and reliability’ in case you’re playing Tetris in a warzone, I guess?
Supreme Court revives free speech lawsuit from immigration judges in loss for Trump
The Supreme Court on Friday sided against the Trump administration, keeping alive a federal lawsuit from immigration judges who are attempting to challenge a policy that limits their ability to speak publicly.
Why Using Your Home Address for Your Business Can Be a Costly Mistake
One early decision many founders overlook can quietly affect their privacy, credibility and ability to scale.
Evaluation of WHO’s coordination in health emergencies helps guide humanitarian reforms
The recent evaluation of the Global Health Cluster sheds new light on how WHO, in its unique role as the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Cluster Lead Agency (CLA) for health, coordinates life-saving health responses in humanitarian crises. It highlights how WHO works through partnerships to reach the most vulnerable crisis-affected populations and strengthen collective action in increasingly complex emergencies. Serving both learning and accountability purposes, the evaluation provided timely and actionable recommendations that are helping to strategically position WHO during the ongoing IASC Humanitarian Reset and the broader UN 2.0 reforms, where prioritization and new ways of working are taking shape. The evaluation was conducted between 2024 and 2025, at a time when humanitarian action funding was plummeting by more than 50%, triggering the launch of the IASC Humanitarian Reset. While restructuring and prioritization across the humanitarian landscape were underway, the evaluation, through iterative feedback loops, shared emerging findings that helped identify the most crucial coordination functions needed. This was especially important at a time when humanitarian needs and health risks due to armed conflict and natural hazards were increasing, while the capacity of health partners to support Member States to equitably reach all populations affected by crises and deliver response was at risk. The evaluation found that the Global Health Cluster (GHC) remains a highly relevant mechanism for strengthening health coordination in crises and has delivered efficiently despite limited resources. It noted strong collaboration with partners and highlighted opportunities to deepen integration within WHO structures and further enhance inter-cluster cooperation. The evaluation also identified areas where greater emphasis on transition planning, national coordination capacity and linkages between humanitarian response and health system strengthening would bring added value. While the GHC has achieved many of its strategic objectives, improvements in monitoring systems would help better demonstrate collective impact. The recommendations will help strengthen the IASC CLA coordination function across WHO, at all levels, and with all partners. It is noted that going forward WHO needs to continue to support capacity to fulfil coordination functions, in line with the IASC Humanitarian Reset whilst ensuring collective prioritization of health cluster action and quality coverage of the health response. The evaluation will help WHO strengthen locally-led action, national ownership and leadership of the sector, and linkages between health system strengthening activities. Additionally, the evaluation evidence will be used to optimize resource mobilization for the GHC and strengthen WHO’s capacity to deliver, plan for and monitor and evaluate results across the Organization. Read the evaluation Global Health Cluster https://healthcluster.who.int/ WHO’s work in health emergencies https://www.who.int/emergencies/overview
Trump debuted a new affordability script. It’s unclear to advisers whether he’ll stick to it
The White House is heading into a critical midterm year beset by economic challenges, as it tries to manage stubbornly high prices, a frustrated electorate and a commander-in-chief who struggles to show sympathy toward voters’ pain.
Republicans are trying to change the subject on health care affordability
In a spate of votes and announcements, the GOP is tacking hard to an issue where the party sees an advantage.
Olive Garden plans nationwide rollout of lighter portions menu following successful testing
Olive Garden to roll out lighter portion entrées nationwide in January after successful testing shows double-digit boost in affordability perceptions.
NASA Instrument Reveals New Ability to Gather Nighttime Light Data
Since launching in 2023, TEMPO data has set a record at the Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC) for most mission data downloads by users in a single year –
Small businesses face their own affordability crunch because of tariffs and health insurance costs
Small businesses face their own affordability crunch because of tariffs and health insurance costs
'There is no accountability.' Lawmakers, advocates call for more oversight of prison health care
A Sun-Times investigation found the state's new prison health care provider comes with a disturbing track record.
How climate goals create business value
Atlassian, Cox, Workday and 6 other companies reflect on how sustainability strategy drives new revenue, attracts talent and closes deals.
Column | Trump tweets, White House staff disruptions trigger 2017 déjà vu
GOP lawmakers are battling the same distractions as in Trump’s first term despite talk of stability in the West Wing.
Poll: The affordability crisis is disrupting politics in 1 country after another
The international poll illustrates the uphill battle many leaders face in trying to contain the intertwined economic and political backlash.
Trump plays the blame game in White House address. Here are the takeaways.
"Boy are we making progress," Trump said in a speech focused heavily on the affordability issue that has increasingly bedeviled his administration.
Semlitz Fellowship builds bridges between sustainability science and business
The Semlitz Family Sustainability Fellows program brings together MBA and early career science students to strengthen the intersection between sustainability science and business decision making.
Who Has the Best Idea to Improve Denver? CU Denver Business School Launches Sustainability Competition to Find Out.
The new challenge, funded by Dr. Blair Gifford, calls on students and local partners to deliver real-world solutions for climate, housing, and urban
What it costs to live in America’s iconic holiday movie towns
Redfin Real Estate reports on the affordability of iconic holiday movie towns, revealing high prices in places like Winnetka, Illinois, and NYC, while others are more accessible.
From Television Host To Media Mogul: How Scott Evans Is Expanding His Entertainment Empire
After years of dominating within the entertainment industry as an in-demand, beloved, and lauded Emmy-nominated television host, he has made shockwaves with his own brand and Webby-award-winning and self-funded show, ‘House Guest’ hosted on YouTube. His success lies in his infectious, warm personality and effortless ability to connect deeply with people, especially celebrities, through his show, ‘House Guest.’ The show filmed at his home with a small but mighty production crew, and curates an intimate environment that fosters authentic, genuine conversations, which typically go viral.
Sonicwall warns of new SMA1000 zero-day exploited in attacks
SonicWall warned customers today to patch a vulnerability in the SonicWall SMA1000 Appliance Management Console (AMC) that was chained in zero-day attacks to escalate privileges.
Generational Divide & Antisemitism; City Politics; Artists & Affordability; Rob Reiner Tributes | The Brian Lehrer Show
A Generational Divide on Antisemitism; This Week in City Politics; The Affordability Crisis for Creative New Yorkers; Rob Reiner's Legacy and Your Tributes
ACA subsidy fraud is 'rampant,' Republicans say. Some health policy experts disagree
The GOP is pointing to a new Government Accountability Office report on subsidy fraud to argue against extending enhanced ACA subsidies.
iPhone 17e Will Reportedly Fix iPhone 16e's Biggest Limitation
In February, Apple discontinued the iPhone SE and released a new entry-level iPhone 16e. The device features a 6.1-inch OLED display, an A18 chip with Apple Intelligence support, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, an Action button, a USB-C port, and more, but one capability that it lacks is MagSafe wireless charging. In a wide-ranging report today about future iPhone models, The Information's Wayne Ma and Qianer Liu said that the iPhone 17e will address this limitation.
Youth Mental Health Spotlighted at U.S. Launch of the Second Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing | Johns Hopkins Center for Global Mental Health
In October 2025, global health leaders, policymakers, youth advocates, and researchers convened in the nation’s capital for a two-day A Call to Action for Youth Mental Health. The event served as the U.S. launch of the report of the Second Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing, an international effort to address the urgent and escalating challenges facing adolescents worldwide. Hosted by the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Mental Health, the convening followed the World Health Assembly launch in May 2025. The next steps will be to continue collaborating with partners across the U.S. and the world to support the actions responsive to youth needs, including, Integrate youth lived experience expertise into mental health research, policy, and practiceApply data-driven accountability for equitable access to quality careShape urban environments to promote youth mental healthUnderstand gendered drivers and tailored responses to support youth mental healthCatalyze intersectoral engagement for youth mental health: health, education, and social support systems
Chincoteague Island featured in Business View Magazine
Chincoteague has been featured in Business View Magazine as part of the publication’s ongoing series highlighting economic growth and best practices in cities and towns across North America. The feature is based on an in-depth interview between Chincoteague Mayor Denise Bowden and Business View Magazine Editor-in-Chief Karen Surca, focusing on how the island community balances tourism-driven prosperity with long-term sustainability ... Read More
One Big Beautiful Bill Act Complicates State Health Care Affordability Efforts
The federal budget bill President Donald Trump signed into law in July is creating uncertainty for states trying to rein in health care spending. In California, a lawsuit by the hospital industry challenging state spending caps cites the law, which will slash Medicaid spending, as one of many financial pressures.
Snap CEO says he's gotten better at managing stress — and suggests reframing it as a 'gift' and 'opportunity'
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel said that reframing stress as positive can have a "huge impact on your ability to manage it."
The Emerging Science of Being Hangry
The Emerging Science of Being Hangry: Your ability to tune into your body’s internal signals shapes hunger-driven mood swings.
Florida Poly tops state in computer science, with data science program in top 20 nationally
'Being among the nation’s best and most affordable programs strengthens our ability to attract ambitious students who want to innovate and lead.'
Governance and responsible business
We're integrating sustainability and responsible business conduct into all our processes and decision-making
Windows Remote Access Connection Manager Vulnerability Enables Arbitrary Code Execution
A critical security issue involving the Windows Remote Access Connection Manager (RasMan) that allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code with System privileges.
Meloni’s rise and Italian political stability
Giorgia Meloni is emerging as Europe’s unexpectedly resilient leader, reshaping Italy’s politics and influencing continental dynamics.
For Republicans, Trump’s Hands-Off Approach to Health Care Is a Problem
The prospect of soaring health care costs could exacerbate Americans’ feelings about affordability, an issue that President Trump has tried to downplay. But Democrats plan to keep the issue front and center.
The Republicans’ Endangered Health
The refusal to extend ACA subsidies becomes a huge political liability and signals deepening splits.
Trump’s Affordability Weave
The president can’t seem to stay focused on the issue that voters care about most.
'Necessary for the future of humankind': Who was honored at the first-ever Global Space Awards?
The winners of the inaugural Global Space Awards were recently announced at a star-studded ceremony at London's Natural History Museum. The event championed innovation and sustainability, while also celebrating the life of a late NASA astronaut.
Are we in a new era for EHRs?
The healthcare industry is experiencing a fundamental shift in digital health infrastructure, one that prioritizes interoperability, clinician efficiency and patient-centered care – and where AI and advanced analytics play key roles.
Why affordability is the 'beating heart' of the ACA enhanced subsidy debate, health policy experts say
Health plans proposed by Senate Democrats and Republicans failed on Thursday, making it more likely enhanced ACA subsidies would expire at year end.
Supporting Breakthrough Health Advancements in Eswatini Under the America First Global Health Strategy - United States Department of State
Today, the United States and the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on global health cooperation that includes strategic investments to strengthen national health efforts, leverage American technology, and facilitate the long-term sustainability of Eswatini’s health system. The Department of State, working with Congress, intends to provide up […]
Week in politics: Indiana rejects redistricting, health care in limbo and Trump mocks affordability
Polling indicates most Americans are unhappy with how President Trump is handling the economy.
Week in politics: Indiana rejects redistricting, health care in limbo and Trump mocks affordability
Polling indicates most Americans are unhappy with how President Trump is handling the economy.
Trump calls affordability a "hoax"; Democrats take note
In the first year of his second term, President Donald Trump has focused his attention on foreign policy and made numerous trips abroad – with an eye toward the Nobel Peace Prize. But as he discusses peace deals with foreign leaders, his ratings domestically have fallen. Critics say that he isn’t doing enough to ease American’s economic concerns. So, this week, Trump returned his attention stateside and kicked off his affordability tour in Pennsylvania, while simultaneously branding “affordability” as a democratic “hoax.” Today on the politics roundtable, we discuss why Trump’s tour signals the administration’s concerns about the politics of affordability, and how some Democrats could use this as a way to gain an edge during the 2026 midterms. Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with Dan Merica, the co-anchor of our politics newsletter, The Early Brief, and White House Bureau Chief Matt Viser.
Benin settles after failed coup attempt, but regional concerns remain
Loyalist troops aided by Nigeria's air force foiled putsch, but confidence in nation's democratic stability is shaken.
Scientists have been studying the exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 e. Could it harbor alien life? : Short Wave
Want to be a top notch candidate for hosting alien life? Then there's a few key requirements you should be aware of: Ideally, you're a large object like a moon or a planet; scientists suspect you also have an atmosphere and water; plus, you should orbit your star from a nice mid-range distance — in the "Goldilocks Zone" of habitability. Until recently, you would be competing against TRAPPIST-1 e. It's a planet outside of our solar system. TRAPPIST-1 e is also only 40 light years away, rocky and the same size as Earth, which prompted researchers to investigate whether it also has an atmosphere — and the potential for alien life. A team of researchers has been investigating TRAPPIST-1 e to learn more about its potential. Their answers, recently published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, say a lot not just about this exoplanet, but about how scientists should refocus their hunt for alien life.Interested in more space 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.
Stand up and take a stand, ACC. Call Notre Dame's bluff after CFP brouhaha
After brouhaha with the College Football Playoff selection of Miami, the ACC must play hardball with Notre Dame and regain respectability.
Dueling Senate bills to address health care affordability fail to pass
The Senate today failed to pass legislation to address health care affordability. The chamber first voted on a Republican-backed bill that failed by a 51-48 vote. The bill would have disbursed $1,000 in health spending accounts for individuals age 18-49 and $1,500 for those age 50-64. A Democrat-led plan that would have extended the enhanced premium tax credits for three years also failed by a 51-48 tally. The bills needed 60 votes to pass.
Trump’s affordability argument just got the unlikeliest champion
The main reason Americans are upset about the economy: They are still adjusting to high prices that surged during years of runaway inflation that took place during former President Joe Biden’s term.
Poll paints dire picture on affordability as Trump touts economy
As President Trump mocks the term "affordability," a new poll found Americans are making major sacrifices to keep up with the cost of living.
Republicans worry Trump is missing the mark on affordability
President Donald Trump’s high-profile economic speech on Tuesday night was meant to alleviate Americans’ concerns about the cost of living. Instead, it mainly appeared to deepen fears within the GOP that he’s not quite getting it.
The health care affordability wars
The Senate will vote on competing health care bills today, and both Democrats and Republicans claim their plans are the more affordable option for tens of millions of enrollees.
Trump calls affordability crisis a "hoax," touts the economy ahead of midterms
As Democrats campaigning on affordability pick up wins, Trump's messaging about a strong economy is at odds with widespread voter sentiment that he's not doing enough to tackle rising costs.
Mental health needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can't be ignored
William Skipworth’s three-part investigation in the New Hampshire Bulletin has laid bare the ongoing traumas experienced by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The community’s response has been swift — shock, grief, and a collective demand for action to prevent future harm. As the dust settles, pressing questions are emerging about oversight and accountability: Which […]
The New WHO Pandemic Treaty and Global Health Governance: Incorporating Common but Differentiated Responsibilities into PABS - Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
On May 20, 2025, the World Health Assembly unanimously adopted the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement, an international treaty designed to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The product of three years of arduous negotiations, the treaty marks a new era of global cooperation in public health. However, core aspects of the agreement remain unresolved—notably the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) System, which is intended to ensure equitable access to pandemic-related materials and benefits. To support the successful implementation of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” should be formally incorporated into the negotiating agenda of the PABS annex. Introduction For the first time, an international treaty has enshrined the principle of “One Health,” the compelling idea that the health of animals, humans, and the environment all contribute to pandemic risks. SARS (2003), H1N1 (2009–10), Ebola (2014–16), and COVID-19 all emerged through zoonotic spillover from animal hosts—respectively, civets, hogs, and bats. Together, they underscore the need for a coordinated, cross-sectoral approach. The Pandemic Agreement responds to this call, requiring state parties to acknowledge the ecological interplay and commit to a comprehensive “One Health” strategy. Specifically, Article 5 charges governments to address “the drivers of pandemics and the emergence and re-emergence of infectious disease at the human-animal-environment interface,” including wild animal markets, deforestation, and antibiotic overuse. Yet the effectiveness of this “One Health” vision depends equally on the free flow of scientific information and data among countries and institutions. Just as environmental and animal health factors have been neglected in past global frameworks, so too has data sharing been marginalized, despite its centrality to timely detection and response. The Pandemic Agreement takes an important step by requiring governments to enhance data collection and cooperate with the World Health Organization (WHO). However, these provisions will remain aspirational without a robust Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex. The PABS system will determine whether countries and researchers can rapidly exchange pathogen samples and genetic data while ensuring equitable access to resulting research and development, including diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. Without such mechanisms, the treaty’s promise to operationalize “One Health” and strengthen global preparedness will risk becoming largely symbolic, echoing earlier failures to translate shared principles into coordinated action. Equity Concerns When the 2025 Health Assembly adopted the Pandemic Agreement, it left the difficult question of access to pathogens and the sharing of resulting benefits to be addressed in a separate agreement. Negotiations on this separate agreement, PABS, are now underway in Geneva. Yet governments remain divided over fundamental questions of equity between the countries that primarily contribute to the system and those that primarily draw from it—and consequently benefit. For example, wildlife in countries bordering the equator is likely to produce PABS materials, but companies in Europe are likely to use them to develop lucrative products. The most likely contributor countries are likely to be those biodiverse countries around the equator, such as Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Indonesia, where the number of human-mammalian viral host interactions is large. Conversely, countries most likely to benefit from this material are those with the technology, investors, and infrastructure to capitalize on genomic data, such as the United States, EU member states, and Japan. This imbalance reflects a broader pattern seen in prior international frameworks. Now, as in the past, the wealthiest countries in the world (a useful heuristic is membership of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)) disproportionately benefit from systems in which pathogens and genomic sequencing data are contributed to a common source. Under the International Agreement on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (the “Plant Treaty” or “Seed Treaty”) and the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework, companies from Europe and North America disproportionately withdraw biological samples and data for development into lucrative medical products. Their governments and companies have both statutory and contractual claims to the products that those companies correspondingly produce. PABS appears poised to follow the same pattern. The text calls for strong language on access to pathogens and associated data, but the corresponding benefits that should flow to poorer countries are couched in equivocal or non-binding language. Common but Differentiated Responsibilities To address these inequities, the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” should be formally incorporated into the negotiating agenda of the PABS annex. Common but differentiated responsibilities are often a feature of climate change negotiations. The basic principle is that, even though all countries should reduce carbon emissions, governments that became rich and powerful through massive carbon emissions (e.g., France, the United Kingdom, the United States) should have a greater obligation to address the resulting crises. Applied to PABS, it would require that governments hosting and supporting companies developing lucrative products carry greater obligations toward the cost of running the PABS system; share benefits or final medical products; and transfer technology to help countries worldwide develop their own capacities to innovate and manufacture vaccines during an emergency. For example, an annex could mandate that any company based in an OECD country that withdraws PABS material would be obligated to donate the resulting diagnostics, therapeutics, or vaccines to the WHO during a public health emergency or pandemic. Questions remain about how robust those donations would be, but the principle is that they should deliver highly significant lifesaving benefits to be equitably shared. Theoretically, this approach mirrors the PIP Framework, in which companies withdrawing influenza samples are required to pay half of the operating costs. In practice, however, the framework has fallen short. The PIP Framework Secretariat has struggled to secure payments from companies, with companies often disagreeing over how much is owed. Additionally, without another pandemic influenza to test the strength of the agreement during a public health emergency, corporate compliance with sharing mechanisms remains unknown. Even if these limitations did not characterize the PIP Framework, partially paying for operating expenses does not address the inequity in access to genetic data and pathogen samples that left less developed countries last in line for COVID-19 vaccines (and, before them, H1N1). Common but differentiated responsibilities would go further, addressing governments’ legitimate grievances regarding information sharing. It would make withdrawals of PABS material and resulting products more transparent, building trust across the board. Enforcement and Enduring Success A key implication of this approach is that the governing mechanism of the PABS must have real enforcement authority. The WHO Pandemic Agreement delegates its core governance responsibilities to a Conference of the Parties (COP)—a governing body composed of one representative from each participating government, similar to those established under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The proposed WHO Pandemic Agreement COP is charged with oversight functions but ultimately possesses no real authority to compel a government to take any action it does not wish to take. The text does not give the COP the ability to, for example, sanction a party that does not comply with either textual obligations or PABS provisions. In other words, there are no effective mechanisms in place to ensure compliance. Perhaps just as significant, establishing a meaningful enforcement mechanism within the PABS system would strengthen the WHO’s credibility and its ability to ensure compliance across global health governance. By setting a precedent for accountability, such a mechanism could enhance the organization’s authority not only within the Pandemic Agreement but also in enforcing the revised International Health Regulations and other frameworks for public health emergencies. Conclusion The PABS annex can—and should—be different. It should establish clear responsibilities for funding as well as for sharing the diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines that result from contributions to the system. The system, in turn, must include a dedicated body empowered to hold governments and the corporations they sponsor accountable for their responsibilities before, during, and after pandemics. Doing so would restore trust in the broader agreement, which was eroded as commitments were repeatedly diluted while parties scrambled to meet their own self-imposed deadlines during the Pandemic Agreement negotiations. A robust PABS Annex would cement a grand social bargain. Wealthier countries and their corporations would gain unimpeded access to scientific information essential for developing and manufacturing lifesaving medical products. As such, they would stand to gain considerable economic benefit. Yet that privilege must be matched with responsibility. The grand bargain must include not only the right to innovate, but also the duty to ensure that innovation serves all. As medical products are developed and produced through collective contributions, every person must have equal access. All human beings deserve an equitable chance to survive—to save their own life, the lives of their families, and the well-being of their communities. … Sam Halabi, JD, MPhil, is the Bette Jacobs Endowed Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Health and the Director of the Center for Transformational Health Law at Georgetown Law. He serves as the co-lead for the WHO’s Working Group on Regulatory Consideration on AI and Health’s training workstream. He earned his JD from Harvard, his MPhil from Oxford, and undergraduate degrees from Kansas State University. Lawrence Gostin, LLD (Hon.), JD, BA, is University Distinguished Professor and Founding Director and Timothy and Linda O’Neill Professor of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. He is the author of Global Health Security: A Blueprint for the Future (Harvard University Press, 2021); Global Health Law (Harvard University Press, 2014); Public Health Law: Power, Duty, Restraint (University of California Press, 3rd ed., 2016); Public Health Law and Ethics: A Reader (University of California Press, 3rd ed., 2018); Law and the Health System (Foundation Press, 2014); Principles of Mental Health Law & Practice (Oxford University Press, 2010). He also directs the WHO Collaborating Center at Georgetown University. Image Credit: United States Mission Geneva, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How New Growth Drivers Are Shaping What Analysts Think Gives BrightSpring Health Services The Edge
BrightSpring Health Services latest update nudges its fair value estimate slightly higher to about $40.54 per share, underpinned by steady revenue growth expectations of roughly 12.49% and a largely unchanged discount rate near 6.96%. The modest bump reflects growing conviction in the companys ability to win additional limited distribution drug contracts and unlock further upside from generic conversions and Provider Services opportunities. Read on to see what is driving this evolving...
Republicans are torn over health care. Here’s what we know
In about 22 days, a large portion of government health care subsidies expire, affecting the cost and availability of insurance for no less than millions of people. And yet, Congress is set to leave Washington in two weeks.
More big warning signs for the GOP after Trump ‘weaves’ on affordability
At some point, Republicans might want to ask themselves what happens if President Donald Trump simply refuses to help himself – and them – on affordability ahead of next year’s midterms.
Two Business Students Visit the Amazon, Network with Sustainability Experts, Gain New Perspectives at COP30 Summit
‘The Most Wonderful and Insane Experience of My Life!’
DAVID MARCUS: Somali power surge raises the question Minnesota avoids
Somali community continues to gain political power in Minnesota amid billion-dollar fraud scandal involving tied organizations, raising accountability questions.
Scientists discover oldest evidence of human-made fire in a 400,000-year-old hearth
A new archaeological find pushes back the timeline on when humans mastered the ability to make fires, a transformative technology.
Hartford: 10-Year Analysis Shows Shifts in Common, Expensive Small-Business Claims
Liability risks for small businesses have shifted over the last decade, with fire and slip-and-falls becoming more expensive while water and freezing
Political consultant talks about Trump's stance on affordability
President Trump minimized concerns about the economy during a Pennsylvania rally Tuesday. NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with political consultant Frank Luntz about Trump's latest take.
All GTA Online Vehicles Given The Missile Lock-On Jammer In A Safehouse in the Hills Update
As part of the new GTA Online update titled A Safehouse in the Hills, Rockstar Games have given an additional 50 vehicles the ability to equip the Missile Lock-On Jammer.
Google Maps Quietly Added This Long-Overdue Feature for Drivers
Google Maps on iOS quietly gained a new feature recently that automatically recognizes where you've parked your vehicle and saves the location for you. Announced on LinkedIn by Rio Akasaka, Google Maps' senior product manager, the new feature auto-detects your parked location even if you don't use the parking pin function, saves it for up to 48 hours, and then automatically removes it once you start driving again. Saving your parking spot in Maps isn't a new ability in itself.
Vance expected to travel to Pennsylvania next week to continue administration’s push on affordability
Vice President JD Vance is expected to travel to Pennsylvania next week to deliver remarks on the economy and the cost of living, continuing the administration’s newfound push to convince voters that the White House is focused on affordability concerns, a spokesperson said.
A new threat to affordability – just in time for winter
A new problem is threatening to worsen the affordability squeeze this winter: Natural gas prices have raced back up just as extreme cold forces Americans to crank up the heat.
At the first stop on his affordability tour, Trump mocks affordability
What was supposed to be a speaking tour to connect with Americans struggling with higher prices and stagnant wages was instead a greatest hits campaign speech.
Trump's approval sees slight bump in poll amid focus on affordability
In the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, the president had a small overall approval rating bump, while Republicans' views on one key issue jumped.
Pebble's founder introduces a $75 AI smart ring for recording brief notes with a press of a button
After rebooting the Pebble smartwatch, founder Eric Migicovsky is expanding his company's device lineup with a new smart wearable: an AI-powered smart ring known as Index 01. Named for the finger where the ring is meant to be worn, the new $75 ring is not meant to be a competitor to the always-on, always-listening AI devices, like the AI pendant Friend, but instead offers a way to record quick notes and reminders with a press of a button on the ring's side. AI only comes into play via the open source, speech-to-text, and AI models that run locally on your smartphone, via the open source Pebble mobile app. That is, if the Ring's button is not being pressed, it's not recording. (And this is a press-and-hold gesture, too, which means you can't start the ring's recording and then let go to surreptitiously record a conversation.) You can wear the stainless steel ring while in the shower, washing hands, doing dishes, or in the rain, but you would have to take it off for other water-related activities, like swimming. At launch, it's water-resistant to 1 meter. The ring is also not a fitness tracker or sleep monitor. It doesn't record details about your heart rate or health. And it's not there to be your AI friend. "I'm not trying to build some AI assistant thing," Migicovsky told TechCrunch in an interview. "I build things that solve one main problem, and they solve it really well," he explains. "I think of as external memory for my brain...that's what this is. It's always with you." Plus, the ring has been designed to be highly reliable and privacy-preserving, he says, as all your thoughts are stored on your phone, not in the cloud. There is no subscription. Migicovsky has been wearing the ring for three months now and says he cannot imagine going back to a world where he doesn't always have a memory device with him. "The problem is that, during the day, I get ideas or I remember something, and if I don't write it down that second, I forget it," he says. The ring solves this problem, he adds, without becoming another device you need to charge. "The battery lasts for years," Migicovsky claims. Technically, the ring is said to support roughly 12 to 14 hours of recording. On average, the founder says he uses it 10-20 times per day to record 3-6 second thoughts. At that rate, he'll get about two years of usage. When the ring's battery dies, you can ship it back to the company for recycling. When using Index, you can record up to five minutes of audio, which can be saved to the ring and synced to your phone later. This makes sense for recording briefer, personal thoughts and notes, even when you don't have your phone handy, but it wouldn't work for recording a longer chat, like a presentation, meeting, or in-person interview of some kind. The ring also supports 99+ languages and has a bit of on-device memory, in case you're not in Bluetooth range of your device, where the recording is ultimately saved and transcribed. (The raw audio is retained, too, in case the speech-to-text is garbled due to loud background noise). If you own a Pebble smartwatch or one from another brand, your recorded thought can even appear on the watch's screen so you can verify it's correct. The ring works with Pebble's mobile app, which offers notes and reminders, but can optionally integrate with your phone's calendaring system, too, or other apps, like Notion. And the ring's software is open source, which makes it hackable by the community, the founder points out. Because of its open nature, the ring's button is already programmable. In addition to the press-and-hold gesture, you can program the ring to do other things with a single or double press, like play or pause your music or control the shutter on your phone's camera. You could use it to send a message through the universal chat app Beeper, which Migicovsky also created, or you could add your own voice actions via MCP. A new approach to hardware Migicovsky acknowledges that hardware can be difficult to get right -- as the previous exit of Pebble to Fitbit showed. (Fitbit, too, was later acquired by Google in 2021). "I didn't earn any money during Pebble -- we exited, but it was not a great exit," Migicovsky admits. This year, however, he decided to reboot the Pebble project after Google open sourced the PebbleOS, which opened up the door to new hardware. With his new company, Core Devices, Migicovsky plans to do things differently. Still, the founder doesn't regret his previous choices, he clarifies. "I wouldn't have gone back and changed anything. I loved what we built. I loved what we did. I love the company that we built, but it's not the only way to build a company," he told TechCrunch. " And, speaking as an ex-YC partner, there are -- there's a time and a place for building a venture-backed startup. Some companies are phenomenal when they raise money and build a big team, and I tried that...I think what I'm doing now is trying an alternative path, which is start from profitability," he says. The new company is a small team of five, self-funded, and focused on sustainability. So far, Core Devices has shipped the Pebble 2 Duo smartwatch with a black-and-white display. Its first run sold out, and the company is now preparing to ship the upgraded version, the Pebble Time 2. The newer device, which has seen 25,000 pre-orders, is a stainless steel watch with a larger, color e-ink screen. As for the Index 01, the ring's pre-order offer ends in March 2026. After that, the price increases to $99. It currently comes in silver, polished gold, and matte black and works with iOS and Android devices. Customers can select from eight ring sizes and three colors.
Fairbuds XL Gen 2 bring improved drivers, ANC and battery while retaining modular design
Fairphone's latest over-ear headphones are built with repairability in mind. Over two years since launching its first over-ear headphones, Fairphone has a...
Trump to address affordability concerns in Pennsylvania speech - live updates
President Donald Trump is heading to Pennsylvania to tout the economy as the administration faces pressure on affordability. Follow for live updates.
These Health Centers Are Supposed to Make Care Affordable. One Has Sued Patients for as Little as $59 in Unpaid Bills.
Federally funded community health centers receive grants in exchange for serving patients regardless of their ability to pay. But ProPublica found at least five across the country garnishing patients’ paychecks to collect unpaid bills.
Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch 21.1.0 update out now, patch notes
Another system update has been released for both the Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2. Version 21.1.0 should be rolling out now. The big N has stricken once again with unspecified adjustments in this update, with the patch notes headliner being more stability. It is likely that we’ll be seeing more backwards compatibility patches with this update however, so we’ll...
Supreme Court seems likely to give Trump more power over agencies
President Trump wants the Supreme Court to overturn a 90-year-old precedent limiting his ability to remove leaders of independent agencies.