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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.
'Every day something's coming down the pipe': How the CEO of Booking Holdings responds to a crisis
Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel told Business Insider that the company's experience navigating crises helps it respond to new challenges.
Faith-based entertainment sees a revival in Hollywood. Defining what it is can be a challenge
At the movies this fall, Josh O’Connor plays a hot priest with a complicated past, Keanu Reeves is an angel who lost his wings and Elizabeth Olsen has a romantic
'Congress is in a coma.' Former lawmakers sound alarm on health of the House
Congress is wrapping up the year without a lot of legislative accomplishments under its belt and a growing list of lawmakers who are retiring. Former members say the challenges on Capitol Hill have been brewing for a long time.
'Congress is in a coma.' Former lawmakers sound alarm on health of the House
Congress is wrapping up the year without a lot of legislative accomplishments under its belt and a growing list of lawmakers who are retiring. Former members say the challenges on Capitol Hill have been brewing for a long time.
Unemployment is low, but companies are slow to hire: How job seekers faced a Great Frustration in 2025
Job seekers in 2025 faced long searches, slow hiring, and growing frustration. They shared their biggest challenges and how they're coping.
Pennsylvania's role in ACA subsidies debate crystalized health care as a dominating political force in 2026 midterms
WASHINGTON — Lynn Weidner, a 42-year-old home care worker from Allentown, had already spent much of this year frustrated with her congressman...
Pennsylvania's role in ACA subsidies debate crystalized health care as a dominating political force in 2026 midterms
WASHINGTON — Lynn Weidner, a 42-year-old home care worker from Allentown, had already spent much of this year frustrated with her congressman...
We share some of the 'most' challenging stories we've worked on (Politics+) : The NPR Politics Podcast
It's another installment of our series, "Political Mosts," where we answer a superlative-type question about covering politics and our careers in journalism. Today, Sarah McCammon (national political correspondent) and Sam Gringlas (Congress reporter) each take a turn answering this question: "What's been the 'most' challenging political story you’ve worked on?" They also answer this question from a listener: “Who is the politician, living or dead, you’d 'most' like to interview?” Listen to find out how you can submit a most-type question for us to answer in a future bonus episode!
Faith-based entertainment sees a revival in Hollywood. Defining what it is can be a challenge
LOS ANGELES – At the movies this fall, Josh O’Connor plays a hot priest with a complicated past, Keanu Reeves is an angel who lost his wings, and Elizabeth Olsen has a romantic dilemma in the afterlif...
Trump endorses Bruce Blakeman in New York governor race after Elise Stefanik drops bid
Blakeman became Stefanik's first notable challenger after entering the primary earlier this month.
Men, boys meet to address mental health challenges at South Side breakfast event
Fellowshipping with one another on the city's South Side, boys and men are sitting down to talk about a pressing issue that often goes undiscussed.
UH: $2M Moore Foundation grant backs new postdoctoral science fellowship
Eleven emerging scientists will soon take on some of Hawaiʻi’s most urgent environmental and scientific challenges through a new University of Hawaiʻi systemwide postdoctoral fellowship program, funded by a $2 million grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
Trump's 'A+++++' economy collides with the reality in a Pennsylvania city critical to the midterms
Idalia Bisbal moved from New York City to Allentown, Pennsylvania, hoping for a cheaper life.
Trump's 'A+++++' economy collides with the reality in a Pennsylvania city critical to the midterms
Idalia Bisbal moved from New York City to Allentown, Pennsylvania, hoping for a cheaper life.
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.
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.
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.
Slaughtneil set out to banish All-Ireland demons
Chrissy McKaigue says Slaughtneil 'can't look beyond' the challenge of Galway champions Loughrea in Sunday's All-Ireland club Hurling semi-final at Parnell Park (13:30 GMT).
Paxtons agree to unseal records in divorce case after media challenge
A group of eight media organizations had requested records in the divorce case between Paxton, who is running for U.S. Senate, and his wife be made public.
Bills-Browns Preview
Josh Allen will attempt to reach a couple of milestones on Sunday while also not becoming part of what Myles Garrett hopes is a record-setting day.
Trump uses prime-time speech to blame Biden, immigrants for economy woes : The NPR Politics Podcast
President Trump used his prime-time speech Wednesday night to blame the country’s ongoing economic challenges on the Biden administration. We discuss what we learned from the speech and whether it is likely to sway Americans who don’t already support Trump. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
Spears Business HTM students excel at ICHRIE competitions testing hotel management skills
Students in OSU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management excelled in two recent International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education competitions. Mel Gelnar won the ICHRIE Hotel Challenge, while Carrie Bailey placed second in the ICHRIE Hotel Challenge and the LEVEL UP competition.
Survey: AI’s role in business ideation is growing
Generative AI is beginning to reshape not just business operations but the way companies think, according to a new analysis in the Harvard Business Review. While many executives focus on efficiency and cost reduction, the authors argue that the technology’s greater promise lies in the ideation phase—the early stage of innovation where assumptions are challenged […]
Kuo: iPhone Fold Production Challenges Could Limit Supply Next Year
Apple's highly anticipated foldable iPhone could face supply shortages into 2027 despite a planned launch next year, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo said in a new research note: "Development of the foldable iPhone is behind earlier expectations, but the product is still expected to [sic] announce in 2H26. Due to early-stage yield and ramp-up challenges, smooth shipments may not occur until 2027.
Faith-based entertainment sees a revival in Hollywood
As more movies and TV series about Biblical characters crop up, defining what counts as 'faith-based' can be a challenge.
House Republicans move to repeal proposed Biden-era heat-safety rule, citing burdens on small businesses
GOP lawmakers and business advocacy groups challenge proposed Biden-era federal heat safety standards, calling the requirements on employers nationwide 'heavy-handed.'
China offers ‘wonderful opportunity’ for scientists: top European neurologist
Consciousness expert Steven Laureys has taken on a role at Hangzhou Normal University amid ‘challenging times’ for science in the US.
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
Schmidt Gives Keynote Address for Political Trust Conference
Professor Vivien Ann Schmidt gave the opening keynote address, titled Political Trust and Legitimacy in the Age of Populism, for the Political Trust conference, organized by CEVIPOF at the French Political Science School at Sciences Po in Paris on December 5, 2025. This year’s conference, named Political Trust: A Challenge for Democracies, brought together researchers from…
Young Democrat launches primary challenge against U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson in Mississippi
A 33-year-old antitrust lawyer with ties to major Democratic politicians is challenging U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson to represent Mississippi's 2nd congressional district.
MIT-Hood Pediatric Innovation Hub convenes leaders to advance pediatric health
At the 2025 MIT-Hood Pediatric Innovation event, more than 100 leaders from academia, hospitals, and industry gathered at Boston’s Museum of Science to confront the challenges facing pediatric medicine — and to explore new, collaborative models for turning breakthroughs into better care for children.
How much the bankers are getting paid in the Warner Bros. Discovery deal
Warner Bros. Discovery's sale could rake $225 million in fees for Allen & Co., J.P. Morgan, and Evercore.
Faith-based entertainment sees a revival in Hollywood. Defining what it is can be a challenge
Faith-based films are gaining traction in Hollywood, with recent successes sparking renewed interest. Angel Studios' animated biblical film "David" has already exceeded $14 million in pre-sale tickets. "The Chosen," a popular drama about Jesus, has grossed over $116 million domestically since Fat...
Faith-based entertainment sees a revival in Hollywood. Defining what it is can be a challenge
Faith-based films are gaining traction in Hollywood, with recent successes sparking renewed interest.
Week 16 NFL QB Power Rankings: Shedeur Sanders tumbles; Josh Allen into top three
Evaluating all the NFL's starting signal-callers.
Musk’s doubts about DOGE spotlight political risks for U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans
Republican U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans of Virginia Beach is heading into the 2026 election cycle with one of the most precarious political balancing acts in the country, as her strong support for the Department of Government Efficiency collides with new doubts about the program — and the realities of representing a district heavily reliant on federal jobs.The challenge sharpened last week when Elon Musk, the billionaire tech executive who helped architect DOGE, told GOP podcaster Katie Miller that the initiative had been only “somewhat successful” and said bluntly that he would not do it again. In the interview, Musk acknowledged the political and practical blowback from DOGE, which was launched early in President Donald Trump’s second term with the stated goal of slashing government spending and reshaping the federal workforce.
Faith-based entertainment sees a revival in Hollywood. Defining what it is can be a challenge
LOS ANGELES — At the movies this fall, Josh O’Connor plays a hot priest with a complicated past, Keanu Reeves is an angel who lost his wings, and Elizabeth Olsen has a romantic dilemma in the afterlife. Hollywood, it seems, has found God. But it’s not just starry big-budget Netflix
Germany’s Business Outlook Deteriorates More Than Expected
German business confidence dipped in December, underscoring the challenges for Europe’s largest economy to overcome years of economic weakness.
Politics and Disasters Challenge Thai, Indonesian Central Banks
Central banks in Thailand and Indonesia will make their last interest rate decisions of 2025 under a cloud of economic challenges from politics to weather.
DEI Challenge Hits State Small Business Credit Initiative, Threatens Funding Opportunities
Takeaways
The Party Politics of Sovereign House
Nick Allen’s venue in Dimes Square was a popular gathering spot for right-wing Zoomers. Now, he’s opening a new club called Reign, an attempt to build a lasting cultural institution.
McAllen floats rezoning downtown entertainment district following fatal crash
McAllen’s downtown entertainment district has been the centerfold of a polarizing conversation here lately – and it hasn’t been pretty.
AI Is Getting Better at Science. OpenAI Is Testing How Far It Can Go
OpenAI’s new FrontierScience benchmark shows AI advancing in physics, chemistry, and biology—and exposes the challenge of testing these systems.
The Most Underrated Movie Santa Claus Is...
Who is the best movie Santa Claus? Lots of people will say Tim Allen, Ed Asner or even Jack Skellington. But the most underrated movie Santa of all time? Definitely Kurt Russell from 'The Christmas Chronicles' on Netflix.
2025 Week 16 QB Rankings: Fantasy Sleepers, Streamers, Busts
See the top projected fantasy quarterbacks for Week 16. Our rankings highlight the best QB options to start in your fantasy football lineup.
AP All-American teams include pair of Penn State stars
Kaytron Allen and Olaivavega Ioane received All-American honors from the Associated Press for the 2025 season
Book prepares K-12 leaders for the next public health crisis
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In a new book, a team of experts in educational policy, epidemiology and public health chronicles the challenges faced by educators, public health authorities and school officials during the COVID-19 pandemic and offers a guide to some of the lessons learned as K-12 schools weathered that crisis. One key message: Collaboration between […]
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
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.
World leaders adopt a historic global declaration on noncommunicable diseases and mental health
Leaders from across the world at the Eightieth United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) have adopted the political declaration to combat noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health challenges through a fully integrated approach. This is the outcome of the intergovernmental negotiations in advance of and considered by the fourth high-level meeting of the UNGA on the prevention and control of NCDs and the promotion of mental health and well-being, held on 25 September 2025.
Why Dan Crenshaw, a celebrity in Congress, is fighting for his job
Redistricting has made Dan Crenshaw's district more conservative and teed up competitive challengers in the March 2026 primary.
Clair Obscur's new Endless Tower bosses are providing quite the challenge for returning players
Whether it's rust or because the bosses are just artificially hard, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 players are reeling at the free DLC's difficulty.
More South Korean actors seek Hollywood dream after global success of Korean entertainment
The global success of “Parasite,” “Minari” and “Squid Game” has opened Hollywood’s doors to South Korean actors, but for those without major agency backing, navigating the American industry remains a challenge.
More South Korean actors seek Hollywood dream after global success of Korean entertainment
The global success of “Parasite,” “Minari” and “Squid Game” has opened Hollywood’s doors to South Korean actors, but for those without major agency backing, navigating the American industry remains a challenge
The Week Ahead: Republicans face a health care dilemma
Republicans are staring down a major health care challenge as Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies are set to expire at the end of the month. With a two-week recess beginning Dec. 22, they only have…
Rep. Kevin Kiley talks about this week's vote to extend the ACA subsidies
Some lawmakers are filing discharge petitions to bring plans to extend ACA subsidies to a vote this week. NPR's A Martinez speaks to Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., about challenging House leadership.
Incoming health care changes mean more overall struggles for Ohioans, advocates say
Health care advocates and researchers say the new year will be a challenging one for Ohioans with federal changes to health care coming with surety but uncertainty.
Irrelevant Hickenlooper draws a challenger
State Sen. Julie Gonzales should be ashamed of herself. Doesn’t Gonzales understand that U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper is entitled to the Democratic nomination for Senate? Doesn’t Gonzales know that, just like in 2020, Hickenlooper “needs his sleep” and cannot be bothered with some pesky, young state senator who actually knows why she is running? And […]
Patriots’ loss to Josh Allen, Bills is a slice of ‘humble pie’ — and maybe exactly what Drake Maye and Co. need
AI Is Getting Dangerously Good at Political Persuasion
For a while last year, scientists offered a glimmer of hope that artificial intelligence would make a positive contribution to democracy. They showed that chatbots could address conspiracy theories racing across social media, challenging misinformation around beliefs in issues such as chemtrails and the flat Earth with a stream of reasonable facts in conversation. But two new studies suggest a disturbing flipside: The latest AI models are getting even better at persuading people at the expense o
Refugee and migrant health system review in Lithuania
Lithuania has experienced a substantial increase in the number of refugees and migrants, particularly following the 2021 Belarus border situation and the mass displacement from Ukraine in 2022. By late 2024, over 91,000 Ukrainians had been cumulatively registered in Lithuania, with about 47,000 holding valid temporary protection status. This increase, alongside sizeable communities of Belarusian nationals, Russian citizens and other regular migrants covered under compulsory health insurance contributions, has brought new challenges for Lithuania’s health system, especially related to continuity of care, interpretation support and equitable access across municipalities. This report presents the findings of a joint review of the health system in Lithuania, conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Lithuania, and other partners. The review examines the capacity of Lithuania’s health system to provide services for refugees and migrants. It focuses on the health challenges facing refugees and migrants, the policies and systems in place to address these challenges, and the opportunities to strengthen long-term health system capacity. Furthermore, the report offers practical recommendations for addressing the barriers refugees and migrants face in accessing health services.
4 Takeaways From the Bills' Win Over the Patriots
The Bills spotted the Patriots a big lead and then came roaring back to keep their AFC East chances alive. Here's what we learned.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 fans can't get over just how difficult the Update's new bosses and challenges are now
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's new patch shadow-dropped earlier this week, and Sandfall Interactive sure wasn't kidding …
Shabana Mahmood dismisses White House’s ‘civilisational erasure’ claims
Home secretary says UK has managed the challenges of multiculturalism ‘very well’
Samsung Is in Talks With AMD to Supply 2nm Chips, Potentially for EPYC Venice CPUs, as the Foundry Emerges as a Serious TSMC Challenger
Samsung is now in talks with AMD to supply its SF2 (2nm) process for next-gen CPUs, as the Korean giant aims for a massive foundry comeback.
Shore Sports Insider Girls Basketball 2025-26 Preseason Top 10
RBC enters the girls basketball season as the favorite to rule the Shore Conference in 2025-26. Which Top 10 teams are best positioned to challenge?
The day the creator of Tetris met the inventor of the Rubik’s Cube: ‘We have to look for entertainment that challenges us’
Alexey Pajitnov and Ernő Rubik had a conversation with EL PAÍS in Spain, where the video game designer received an honorary award
California Politics 360 Full Episode | Prop 50 court hearing, California Men's Service Challenge
California leaders and Republicans will try to make their case in court as to whether the state should keep its new congressional maps.
Eight-try Connacht back on track in Challenge Cup
Back row Paul Boyle scores a first-half hat-trick as Connacht ease to a 52-0 Challenge Cup victory over Black Lion in Galway.
Teen’s video a ‘Breakthrough’ in science communication
Seventeen-year-old Grace Lee from Chula Vista is gaining national attention as a finalist in the global Breakthrough Junior Challenge, an annual competition that invites students to create original videos explaining complex scientific ideas in creative and engaging ways. Founded in 2015, the contest encourages young people to break down advanced scientific theories using imagination and storytelling— “Steven Spielberg meets Albert Einstein,” as organizers describe it. Lee’s submission centers on the principle of least time in physics, a concept that explains why light always travels the path that takes the least amount of time. To bring the idea to life, she used intricate origami characters and stop-motion animation, along with simple at-home experiments, she said. “The fact that light always travels via the path that takes the least amount of time sounds simple at first, but nature is full of surprises,” she said. “This principle is actually very profound and underlies many different fields in physics that seem completely unrelated, from optics to Newton’s laws to Einstein’s theory of relativity.” Also, origami has long been one of her passions and integrating it into her project felt natural. She often makes origami gifts for friends and teaches origami in her school clubs. “A single 10-second scene would take hours to craft,” she said, noting the mixture of stop-motion and post-production editing required to animate expressions and movement. To ensure the science remained accurate and accessible, she spent time reading books and online resources, writing a script, creating a storyboard, and filming and editing repeatedly until the visuals worked.The experiments were among the biggest challenges. To demonstrate water waves, she used everyday household items — “a spatula and an electric toothbrush to vibrate the waves, glass in a baking pan for different depths, and an iPhone flashlight so the waves would be visible.” She also put careful thought into explaining the principle through analogies, including a gingerbread man and a fox. “Analogies and visuals are incredibly important,” she said. “Visual demonstrations allow viewers to see how the science actually works.” Beyond the competition, Lee is deeply involved in science leadership and advocacy. She serves as International President of miRcore, the world’s largest student computational biology organization, with 136 chapters across five countries. She leads a 20-member executive board, organizes outreach connecting schools worldwide, and has helped run workshops at locations including Scripps Research Institute and the University of Michigan. “I used to be intimidated,” she said, but she gradually grew her skills and confidence. “Now I am no longer afraid to use my voice and enthusiasm to bring out the best in others.” Her research experience includes two peer-reviewed papers on asthma and vaping. Misconceptions around vaping, she said, show why clear science communication matters. “Our research shows that there is long-term harm to your lungs on the cellular level that isn’t obvious unless you come down with an illness like the flu,” she said. Lee also founded Full Hearts at Eastlake High School, transforming the small club into one of the school’s largest, with hands-on service projects in partnership with local nonprofits. She continues mentoring younger students to sustain the mission. If she wins the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, Grace hopes the $100,000 science lab prize for her school will expand opportunities for students who have limited access to equipment and hands-on science outside the classroom.
Democrats want to win back Congress. First they need to weather their primary battles
At least a dozen US House Democrats are already facing primary challenges, as progressives seek to transform a party regaining its footing after 2024 by tapping into voters’ frustration with its leaders ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
My husband and I decided not to post our son's face on social media. It has its challenges, but we think it's worth it.
My husband and I aren't posting photos of our son's face on social media. We understand why other people do, but this is what's right for us.
NASA Satellite Images Could Soon Lead to Safer Bridges Worldwide
Researchers are turning to satellite data to monitor the world’s longest bridges. Due to high costs and logistical challenges, fewer than 1 in 5 bridges
Campus Radicals: Their childhoods disrupted by politics, courageous girls are fighting back
High school swimmers challenge transgender athletics policies as campus radicals expose extremism in K-12 schools and universities nationwide this week.
Mounts of Mayhem challenges
Take on two challenges in the Mobs of Mayhem drop and earn dashing rewards! Defeat five mobs with a spear, or help the community spawn 75 million zombie horses! The challenges run from Friday Dec 12, 8:00 AM PT to Monday Dec 15, 10:00 AM PT.
Health Technologies: Where We Are Now and a Look Ahead to 2026
More than ever before, digital solutions are transforming how health care is accessed and delivered. The potential of health technologies to bring about transformative change is especially pronounced in rural areas where health care challenges such as hospital closures and health workforce shortages are acute.
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.
2026 Flathead Valley Winter Sports Preview
The snow has fallen and the sun is officially on hiatus, which means Flathead Valley athletes are trading in their cleats and knee pads for goggles, headgear and basketball shoes. Area teams and athletes over the last few weeks have been amping up their preparation ahead of the start of the high school winter sports […]
Bills defense presents a multitude of challenges for Patriots
The Bills defense is ranked in the top 10 in several statistical metrics.
First-year Huskers boost MotoAmerica through inaugural Business Battle
"Most business schools wait until junior and senior year before introducing students to industry professionals, but we wanted to do that for our freshmen. Day one, we introduced them to corporate partners, real-world business challenges and mentors from our business community." —Laurie Miller, associate dean of undergraduate programs and curriculum, College of Business
Revived Patriots face Bills test in hunt for playoffs
High-flying New England face a mouth-watering test against Josh Allen's Buffalo Bills Sunday, seeking a win over their AFC East rivals that would secure the Patriots a playoff berth and the divisional title.They face a mountain to climb against their divisional rivals, the Los Angeles Chargers, who sit three wins ahead in the AFC West.
In a setback for Trump, Indiana lawmakers defeat redistricting plan
Republicans resisted the call by President Trump for redistricting. He and the state's Republican governor threatened to back primary challenges against Senators who wouldn't get on board.
Einstein was right: Time ticks faster on Mars, posing new challenges for future missions
Clocks on Mars tick faster by about 477 microseconds each Earth day, a new study suggests. This difference is significantly more than that for our moon, posing potential challenges for future crewed missions.
Goldman on Lander challenge: ‘Politics will have to wait ’til 2026′
Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday declined to comment on New York City Comptroller Brad Lander’s (D) decision to challenge him in the party primary, instead homing in on legislative tasks to c…
HR's big challenge with AI will force HR people to reinvent themselves
Workers fear AI, so one of HR's biggest challenges is getting workers to trust and adopt it by building credibility and addressing employee concerns.
Brazil’s Business Elite Keeps Hope Alive for Centrist Candidate
A key member of one of Brazil’s most prominent business groups is holding out hope for a centrist candidate to emerge in next year’s presidential election, criticizing the left and right for failing to address the South American nation’s economic and social challenges.
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
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