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Godzilla Minus Zero Is a Magnificent Entertainment With a Melancholy Heart
Takashi Yamazaki’s follow-up to 2023's 'Godzilla Minus One' is a serious fantasy with two gorgeous monsters.
Tennessee needs to lean into its identity to defeat Kentucky
The Tennessee Volunteers have an enormous opportunity on Saturday night against the Kentucky Wildcats. A battle of top 13 teams in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, it’s a game with huge playoff implications for both teams, as well as SEC Championship Game stakes. The No. 6 Wildcats’ only blemish this year is a 45-17 […]
HONOR Magic9 Pro Max First Look – ARRI Color Science at a Fraction of the Price
HONOR Magic9 Pro Max first look: Johnnie films with ARRI LogC3 and ARRI Looks on a phone with dual 200MP cameras and 4K 60p.
Shedeur Sanders likely starting
Cleveland Browns QB Shedeur Sanders is likely to draw the start Sunday against the New Orleans Saints in place of QB Deshaun Watson (concussion).
G5 Entertainment (Q3 Review): Leaner cost base, growth levers taking shape
Redeye’s analyst published a Research Update on G5 Entertainment.Click here to read the articleMake sure to add G5 Entertainment to your Watchlist at Redeye and our analysts will notify you if anything relevant happens regarding your companiesAbout Redeye Nordic Growth ABThis is a press release fro…
3 things on Packers offense vs Patriots: Catch the ball!
Matthew Golden and Christian Watson must have a clean game catching the ball against a New England defense which contests passes at a very high rate.
Chamber honors business and community leaders at annual awards banquet
Photo by Tom Rivers LYNDONVILLE – The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce held its 28th annual awards dinner this evening at the White Birch Golf Course. About 80 people attended the event. Pictured from left, front row: Erin Hackenberg, owner of EH Collectives, New Business of the Year; Brandon Johnson, owner of Dance Theater Premier […]
Deep Dive on the Pelicans’ Future Draft Picks
Watching a team blow up and trade away or cut all the fans' favorite players is as hurtful as a bad breakup. The New Orleans Pelicans had to move on from Anthony Davis's time in the Crescent City after he told them that it was not them; it was him. With a small haul of …
Open for Business: Stanley Steemer does more than clean carpets
This segment is sponsored by Stanley Steemer.
Priority review: Austin considering business subsidies that target local needs, resources
City Council discussion on economic development leans toward boosting small, local projects over the usual business big dogs.
Building a Drone Cleaning Business: SkyPSI CEO Vic Pellicano on the Drone Radio Show!
SkyPSI CEO Vic Pellicano joins the Drone Radio Show: drone cleaning businesses, finding customers, winning contracts, and entrepreneurship.
Guide to New Orleans live theater and stage shows in November 2026
From uplifting musicals like "Come From Away" to compelling dramas like "Something Cloudy, Something Clear," the New Orleans and northshore stages are set for a diverse and captivating fall season!
Election 2026: A Political Earthquake
Tuesday's election puts Democrats in position to block some of Trump's anti-environmental efforts while expanding state clean energy policies.
QBE promotes Leanne Nel to Pacific CEO
Australian firm QBE Insurance Group Ltd. has appointed Leanne Nel as Pacific chief executive officer and managing director, effective Dec. 3, Insurance News reported. Nel has more than three decades…
Shedeur Sanders Has Something to Say Amid Browns QB Report
Shedeur Sanders may get another shot to start for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Deshaun Watson is in concussion protocol, leaving the door open for the second-year quarterback to be named the QB1 against the New Orleans Saints. He had something to say about the development and shared it with the media. Sanders entered the […] The post Shedeur Sanders Has Something to Say Amid Browns QB Report appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.
Unfinished business for Cantero as Pearson chases a Chilean double
Last Sunday in San Pedro de la Paz, five men came off the bike together and only 44 seconds separated them at the line. Seven days later, almost all of them…
How Ron Nirenberg prepared to become Bexar County Judge
While Ron Nirenberg's job may be different, his approach will be the same. The former mayor will lean on collaboration in his new role.
North Korea digs in for US stand-off as Democratic midterm wins dim summit hopes
Recent weapons tests signal Pyongyang will lean on Moscow and Beijing rather than bank on Washington talks amid shifting US politics.
New Orleans Pelicans Survive Second Straight Overtime To Beat Utah Jazz In Rematch
The New Orleans Pelicans survive their second straight overtime to beat the Utah Jazz 120-113, improving to 4-4 this season.
Moderate Democrats Increase Their Numbers, and Their Clout
Victories by moderates in competitive or Republican-leaning states and districts paved the way for large new Democratic majorities likely to be shaped by their priorities.
Why presidential hopefuls are gathering in Denver next week
CNN’s Kasie Hunt explains why a meeting of prominent Democrats in Denver could provide a glimpse into who will be the party’s presidential contenders for 2028.
Florida Governor-elect says GOP must focus on lowering costs
While Republicans saw losses in the midterms, Florida Governor-elect Byron Donalds told CNN’s Dana Bash that if the party focuses on affordability and prices, the “elections will take care of themselves.”
‘Rent is due’: Mamdani on Americans rebuking Trump administration
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani told CNN’s Jake Tapper that the midterm election results reflect working-class Americans’ frustration over the government’s failure to address their concerns.
La Plata County Public Health warns health hazards may lurk in aftermath of floods
Department advises clean up crews to remain wary of debris and possible contaminants
Springfield longstanding business to close this November after nearly 80 years
After nearly eight decades serving the Springfield community, Glo Dry Cleaning Specialists is closing its doors for good on Nov. 16, leaving devoted customers and neighbors stunned by the sudden departure.
Democrats win full control of more state governments and the Texas House
Democrats in Texas took control of the state House after historic wins for governor and U.S. Senate, part of a series of sweeping gains nationwide in Tuesday’s elections that shifted the balance of power across several battleground and Republican-leaning states.
New Orioles GM Jared Banner Has Message About Club Legend
Jared Banner is leaning on a familiar Baltimore name as the Orioles start reshaping their roster this winter.
Phoenix business owner hosts shed giveaway for tornado victim
As residents in Heber-Overgaard continue cleanup, a local business owner is donating a storage shed to someone impacted by the tornado.
Lurie's "Clean Up City Hall" measures ahead
Four supervisor candidates the mayor endorsed also leading.
New Orleans company, Robinson Carbon, to invest $16M in biochar facility in central Louisiana
"Biochar has been around long time. We're not reinventing the wheel; we're just putting together a bigger wheel that spins more consistently as we develop commercial markets for these products."
Fidel Estrada Jr., East Austin business owner and community elder, dies at 90
Fidel Estrada Jr. spent decades running Estrada's Cleaners and helping lead an East Austin community network.
Patriots News: Defense must play clean, force punts vs. Packers
Daily news and links for Wednesday, 11/04/26
Fitness studio Swoot with nightclub-inspired classes to open second location Uptown
The upbeat, boutique fitness studio Swoot plans to open a second location this weekend in Uptown New Orleans, near Loyola and Tulane universities.
AI boosts operational efficiency but not systemic climate action, global study finds
Artificial intelligence (AI) is widely promoted as a tool for sustainable development, but whether its operational gains translate into deeper ecological transformation remains uncertain. A new global assessment examines how AI diffusion relates to seven core United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), covering health, education, clean energy, industry and infrastructure, sustainable cities, responsible consumption and production, and climate action. It also explores the channels behind
AFGHS co-signatory countries ask health care users to help fill the financing gap
Hundreds of thousands of Ugandans living with HIV on antiretrovirals could be targeted for user fees or community health insurance schemes requiring modest premium payments, according to the April 2026 version of the country’s America First Global Health Strategy implementation narrative.1 As part of the “sustainable financing for the private not for profit sector” strategy, 491 facilities will be targeted for a phased introduction of user fees and scale up of community health insurance programs.2 In the Ugandan context, PNFP facilities include faith-based hospitals and other health facilities, US missionary organizations and centers of excellence—services that are often co-located at government facilities but run with additional financial and technical resources. 402,000 people—or about 28 percent of the total Ugandan adult PLHIV population on treatment—get ART from the private not for profit sector. The selected facilities provide the majority of ART and prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) services. The plan doesn’t give the total number of clients served by the 491 facilities, so it is not possible to give a precise number. But the majority of 402,000 is a figure in the hundreds of thousands—hence the estimate I’m using.3 The April draft of the Ugandan implementation plan narrative is the only one I’ve been able to review. But the government of Uganda is not alone in turning to health care users to help fill the financing gaps caused by the abrupt withdrawal of US funds. In July 2025, the Government of Liberia introduced user fees for previously free services including “registration, accommodation, patient feeding, hospitalization, and a wide range of surgical and diagnostic procedures.”4 Earlier that year, Liberia rolled out a revolving drug fund designed to stabilize drug supplies by “allowing patients to pay a small fee for standardized, quality medications,” according to a Ministry of Health press release.5 (Both of these approaches had been proposed in the National Health Policy 2022-2031; media coverage explicitly connects the launch with the US foreign aid cuts.) The health financing strategies proposed by Uganda and established in Liberia are qualitatively different from user fees officially adopted by specific health facilities to cover funding shortfalls caused by the new US approach.6 The latter is a stopgap, adhoc change. The former is a national governmental adoption of policies that pass costs on to health care users, despite evidence that such approaches can exacerbate inequities and leave deficits unfilled. Two countries does not make a pattern, but they do point to urgent questions: Have other countries, including Liberia, included user fees or community health insurance schemes in their implementation plans? If so, do any of these narratives have what Uganda’s lacks: a fall-back plan in place in case these strategies for sustainable health systems fail to deliver—as they have before? I wonder if you think about it Subscribe Predictable pitfalls Both community-based health insurance and user fees are as old as the hills. And after decades of people climbing up these hills, duking it out, climbing back down—neither strategy has shown the results the Ugandan implementation plan is counting on. This is, in fact, a hill some folks are willing to die on. (You knew I’d get there, right?) In November 2025, an African-led team of health system experts published a paper directed at low- and middle income country governments trying to figure out how to create self-sustaining health systems. The money wasn’t coming back. It had been more than nine months since the season of freezing, waivering and wood-chippering; two months since AFGHS tumbled into the world touting co-financing requirements and reductions in future US government health aid. Governments were looking for strategies for sustainable, self-financed health systems, the authors wrote. For countries considering user fees and community health insurance to fill the financing gaps, they had a simple message: Don’t. On user fees, the paper states: “Reliance on user fees is ultimately a regressive and inequitable approach. It places a disproportionate burden on the poor and undermines health system goals of equity and financial protection. […] There is overwhelming evidence that user fees mobilise very limited resources for the public health sector, making it an inefficient mechanism for revenue mobilisation.” On community health insurance: “Attempting to shift the burden of funding previously donor-funded services, such as HIV care and management, and TB treatment, onto contributory schemes would exacerbate their fragility and fail to protect the population.”7 The WHO says that community-based health insurance “cannot be expected to provide a major source of funding or coverage,” and noted that most schemes offer only moderate benefit to individuals paying into them, and exclude the poorest segment of the population.8 And yet, the US-Ugandan implementation plan says that community health insurance is “the central pillar of this [PNFP] sustainability strategy” and that this approach that will generate “pre-paid pooled funding at facility and community level [that] improves financial risk protection for households, reduces catastrophic out-of-pocket expenditure, and generates structured, transparent revenue streams that can progressively absorb recurrent costs including health worker salaries.” Unfortunately, Uganda’s own history suggests the pillar might not be able to bear this weight. Ugandans Have Been to this Rodeo Before—and Some Want Their Money Back Uganda introduced its first community health insurance scheme in 1996 with support from international donors.9 Thirty years later, somewhere between 0.2 and 0.3 percent of the population is covered by CHI; just over 1 percent has any kind of health insurance.10 User fees were universally introduced in 1993 as a condition of a World Bank loan.11 They were abandoned in 2001, and in 2004—the year I moved to Uganda to watch the free HIV program get underway—a definitive study found that the fees did not improve health systems and outcomes.12 In 2004, most clinics and hospitals had ‘free’ and ‘fee for service’ options for getting care.13 The fee for service, or “cash and carry” programs had often been established in the years prior to PEPFAR and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. People who could afford to paid for the drugs, often at facilities in the private-not-for-profit (PNFP) sector. When free drugs arrived, some people who’d been paying kept on doing so, perhaps because of shorter wait times, greater confidentiality, convenience or other factors. But in the year that I spent visiting the same clinics around the country week after week—including a “center of excellence” that maintained separate days for cash and carry clients and those accessing free ARVs—lots of people who had been paying tried to switch to the free option. They’d paid because they had no other choice. They’d sold pieces of family land, begged family members for loans, bought pills by the week, and sometimes by the day. Or they were just cash-strapped, like most of us, and wanted the funds for other things. 14 Twenty-two years later, this hasn’t changed. Ugandans pay out of pocket for 30-40 percent of their health care costs, leading one paper to declare that “falling ill is more than a health crisis. It is a financial emergency.”15 One recent study found that up to 48.5 percent of households dealing with tuberculosis sold something, took out a loan or dug into savings to defray the costs of TB care—which is supposed to be universally free.16 The Ugandan implementation plan does anticipate challenges. It proposes a phased approach, with 187 facilities introducing user contribution systems in Year 1, 152 in Year 2, and 153 in Year 3. Willingness to pay and feasibility studies will precede roll out; fees will be tiered by region, and a waiver system is proposed to ensure that no one has to pay who is unable to. Moreover, the plan provides for quarterly reviews of epidemiological data to “ensure that user contributions do not compromise epidemic control gains, ART continuity for the client cohort, TB case management, or PMTCT services.” Alt text: A screenshot of a table included in the implementation plan narrative that is the subject of this stack. It’s got a fetching pink bar at the top. It uses the abbreviation “CHI” which is Community Health Insurance, and FBO which is Faith Based Organizations, and it details the number of facilities that will implement user fees with waivers and community health insurance schemes over the five years of the agreement. As I said in the footnote, this is a super interesting document with a lot of other rich material. Tell me what you see—and what you would have focused on. And if you’ve seen something like this, or anything else that strikes you, in another implementation plan, tell me that too. You can use the Substack message platform or try me on Signal at @endaplague_again.25 (because @mercoonfan was, weirdly, taken). But the plan doesn’t fully explain what will happen if this approach doesn’t work out. Yes, progress will be monitored, and corrective action triggered. However, there is no specified funding replacement if premium and fee revenue prove inadequate. Instead, the authors write, “Currently, COEs serve a total client cohort of over 180,000 across 28 facilities. In the initial years, the U.S. Government (USG) will provide financial support for clients; over time, user fees generated by COEs will become the primary source of funding for sustaining their services.” Failure does not really seem to be an option. Health insurance schemes are more acceptable to the Ugandan population than user fees. Members of Parliament and civil society traveled to Ethiopia to see how that country’s scheme worked. In a follow up report, a veteran civil society group recommended allowing the “health insurance ecosystem to grow organically and [to] keep reviewing the law and regulations as this growth takes root.”17 One study found that more than three-quarters of Ugandans were willing to join a health insurance program.18 However, coverage of community-based health insurance is minimal, as is coverage of any kind of insurance—including private plans.19 A national health insurance scheme bill has been stalled for several years and presently sits with President Yoweri Museveni.20 Community-based health insurance scheme that do exist are expanding in number, but losing enrollees. Between 2022 and 2026, the number of community-based health financing schemes across the country increased by 42 percent, while the number of people enrolled decreased by nearly 11 percent.21 None of this means that community-based health insurance should not happen in Uganda—or that people do not want insurance. It doesn’t even mean that user fees and waivers won’t ever work. But there is highly relevant evidence from Uganda and the surrounding region that it is quite optimistic to describe community health insurance and user fees as central supports for sustainable financing in any sector of the health system. And now for the best-case scenario In the best-case scenario22, the Ugandan approach does exactly what it sets out to do, and so does the Liberian fee structure and revolving pharmacy fund—though I’ve not confirmed that these are in the MoU. In one best-case scenario, Uganda is an outlier, and user fees and community health insurance are not recurrent pillars of self-sustaining financing in other countries’ implementation plans. In another best-case scenario, all countries that include these strategies enjoy success beyond anyone’s evidence-informed wildest dreams: reliable funding generated by health care users fees, great health care outcomes for everyone, no exacerbation of inequities, no crippling household debt. No sold land, repurposed school tuition or high-interest loans. In the best-case scenario, not one of the hundreds of thousands of Ugandans living with HIV receiving antiretrovirals from 491 PNFP facilities misses a refill or leaves care because of user fees or community health insurance premiums. This is the best-case scenario for these people for their own health, and for their families. It is also the best-case scenario if Uganda wants to stay on the path to eliminating HIV as a public health threat. According to the country’s most recent data, 96.5 percent of people living with HIV on antiretrovirals are virologically suppressed. Epidemic control depends ensuring that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95 percent of those individuals are on ART, and 95% of those individuals are virologically suppressed. Uganda is still struggling with the first “95"—a frankly abysmal 85.3 percent. If HIV epidemic control and the attendant prevention of new infections, avoidable suffering and premature death matter, the country cannot afford to lose any clients who are currently in care.23 As I write this a couple hours before the polls close for the US elections in the city I live in, I say with soul-deep sincerity: I am rooting for the best-case scenario. I think it’s safe to say that we all are.24 I think it’s also safe to say that if the US and co-signatory governments have inked plans that lead to successful expansion of community health insurance and strategic use of user fees, we all would like to know, now, so that we don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate when success happens. The implementation plan narratives have to enter the public domain. They are the fullest expression of a strategy co-created by two governments. There are assumptions and details that people living in the US and co-signatory countries need to understand that are not available in the MoUs or, to date, in the Congressional Notifications. Some of these details can help other countries that are, as I write this, still working on implementation plans. Others, like a solid count of how many other countries have plans for expanding user fees or health insurance, are important for regional and global health architecture reform initiatives. No matter how this election night turns out, there will be a slew of new Congressional member orientations, briefings and talking points papers in the next few months. Release of implementation narratives should be a bullet point in every context that AFGHS is discussed. These documents can be redacted so that procurement sensitive information isn’t disclosed. There is much more historical precedent for sharing such documents than there is for relying on user fees to fill health financing gaps. Let’s look at the information together so we can hope for the best and prepare for, you know, the other thing. Alt text: A substack first: a bicep selfie! It’s my arm - peachy-white skin, black shirt (flannel, notch neck, too hot for this appallingly balmy November weather, if you’re wondering) and a sticker that says I VOTED 2026. Beige letters on red for I voted. Beige on blue for 2026. You bet I did.25 In your wildest dreams. Subscribe 1 This is a really, really rich 95 page document. There are fascinating ideas and detailed plans in it. It is all worth reading AND I have, in this post, highlighted an instance of content that could pose challenges and certainly posits success of strategies that haven’t worked before. I would love to hear what readers’ see that’s interesting and should be lifted up as something to check for in other implementation plans. I will also shortly be adding a static page to the substack site where implementation plan documents will live. I will put the url into this footnote and it will also be there on emilybass.substack.com by the end of the week. Uganda Implementation Narrative Section 4 April 22 2026 Draft 1.51MB ∙ PDF file Download Download 2 User fees are costs charged for visits, labs, medicines or other health services, usually at the time they are provided. Community health insurance, or community-based health insurance, is what the World Health Organization calls “micro insurance,” which is health insurance targeted at low-income people. 3 As usual (by which I mean always), please prove me wrong. 4 https://smartnewsliberia.com/liberias-ministry-of-health-announces-2025-hospital-service-fees-for-public-facilities/?utm 5 https://moh.gov.lr/news/2025/grand-cape-mount-leaders-residents-embrace-new-community-pharmacy-program/?utm 6 https://www.christianitytoday.com/2026/09/hiv-usaid-pepfar-africa-foreign-aid-cuts-mission-hospitals/?utm 7 https://gh.bmj.com/content/10/11/e021270 8 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/community-based-health-insurance-CBHI 9 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2827475/ 10 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10861328/#b3-jpmph-23-110 11 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC527704/ 12 Same citation as the footnote 2 - the article is called “Learning from failed health care reform in Uganda.” To which I say: If only. If. Only. 13 There is a whole taxonomy of user fees to be aware of, if not commit to memory. Out of pocket costs are everything that someone pays for themselves. In this Stack, user fees are planned and policy-supported out of pocket costs. There are also out of pocket costs that people pay to buy drugs or receive tests or health care assessments that would be free if the drugs were on the shelves, or the machines or kits were available, or the staff were on site. A user fee is usually designed to be modest, pegged to willingness to pay, and may be waiveable at the point of care for anyone who is unable to do so. The costs for things that would otherwise be free are whatever the market will bear and people either have to pay them or go without. Out of pocket costs for services and stuff that aren’t available in public facilities are different again from bribes or unofficial fees that some health workers may impose, even though most are indefatigable, tireless and tired, and devoted to their clients. 14 For the record—which really is these footnotes—I would give a whole stack of fridge magnets for a systematic analysis of the economic and social impact of the Mass Unemployment Event in AFGHS countries among the very people who used to be able to afford and cover user fees, both for themselves and vast family networks. Locally employed USAID technical staff, house cleaners, caregivers, drivers and technicians were financial anchors for cousins, friends, friends’ children, friends’ childrens’ cousins, teachers, pastors, neighbors and so many other kinds of kin. Aid recipients lost direct funding; many other people who had not been aid recipients, but parts of the elaborate care webs that function as safety nets for so many people, lost crucial support too. And that’s even before we get to the people who worked at the hotels and restaurants and bars where people employed by the US and its implementing partners used to spend disposable income. Those businesses have lost revenue; those folks have lost jobs. It will be some time coming—and someone will have to fund this work—but I do hope it happens. And I hope, as usual, to be proven wrong. 15 https://eprcug.org/blog/how-out-of-pocket-healthcare-costs-keep-driving-ugandans-into-poverty/ 16 Another straight-to-the-point journal article title. Households experiencing catastrophic costs due to tuberculosis in Uganda: magnitude and cost drivers. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32938411 17 https://www.cehurd.org/download/technical-policy-brief-on-community-health-insurance-scheme/?wpdmdl=13661&refresh=6ae9122f5d4ed1793659439 18 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10125197/ 19 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10861328/#b3-jpmph-23-110 20 https://ugandapost.news/uganda-to-make-health-insurance-mandatory-by-2026/ 21 https://shu.org.ug/download/235 22 With a nod, tip of the stack hat, and wag of the Mercoon tail to a deeply valued reader who told me that I have a tendency to speculate about the worst-case scenarios a little too much of the time. 23 https://news.mak.ac.ug/2026/10/uphia-2025-shows-ugandas-hiv-status-awareness-gap-despite-strong-treatment-outcomes/ As you’ll see in the next footnote, I’ve already written a subSubstack on another topic, so I will be brief with regard to the study referenced in this article. The Uganda Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment, or UPHIA, will never happen in this way again. For more than a decade, PHIAs have been supported by the US government as a way to generate accurate estimates of country progress on key HIV indicators. They are a holdover from the PEPFAR program that was laser focused on ensuring US taxpayer dollars subsidized progress in pandemic control. There may be other population-level surveys and the data may even be publicly released, as the entire set of FY2026 MER data have not. But PHIAs will never happen again. If you’re wondering whether the estimates of HIV progress at country level might get less reliable….you’re not alone. 24 Ooh baby, I hate “we” in almost all forms. But sometimes I go there, when I am looking for company, which I am. Because this Stack moves into the somewhat-uncharted territory of assessing what the implementation plan narratives may suggest about co-signatory countries’ roles and responsibilities to the people living within their borders. The MoUs, specimen and data sharing agreements were templates. Countries’ answers fit into pre-specified questions that did not include, “how are you going to fill financing gaps and stabilize your health system as this plan unfolds?” In contrast, the implementation narratives are open form—the product of co-creation between the two governments. Co-creation can mean lots of things, but nothing leads me to believe that implementation plans are ghost-written by the US government, or that contents were imposed by the US counterparts. Instead, I think the parts of the plans that read like country government initiatives are endorsed, if not initiated by, those governments. For instance, the Ugandan implementation plan narrative describes plans for revenue-generation through fees charged for equipment calibration, repair and maintenance provided through Uganda’s National Equipment Calibration Laboratory, and laboratory accreditation through the Uganda National Accreditation Service (UGANAS), targeting private sector, PNFP, research and academic clients. That’s super specific and also quite ambitious. It doesn’t read like an American idea. There’s also a provision for solar panels, and other stuff that feels country owned and driven. This is where it gets interesting. If co-creation is the case, then both the US and co-signatory governments are accountable for the contents and the outcomes. Most discourse about AFGHS to date has focused on the decisions that America has made, or demanded that other countries make. The AFGHS architects have monopolized the hot seat. As they should, in so many ways. America absolutely created the conditions under which countries needed to come up with health financing strategies to fill unanticipated, catastrophic funding gaps. And with not-too-long a lens, we can look back and see that America is also on the hook for its role in the Bretton Woods institutions that made user fees and health system fiscal austerity conditions of loans during the era of structural adjustment. But in the here and now, it is not at all clear to me that the US is requiring Uganda or any other country to implement specific approaches to sustainable financing. Instead, it is as the authors of that paper up in footnote 6 suggest: African governments have agency. As implementation plans roll out—whether or not the narratives are shared—it will be important to understand what this agency looks like and what it means for people, including the poorest of the poor. And it will be important to figure out how to talk about it safely, respectfully and critically in places other than the literal and metaphorical footnotes. 25 This week’s song is “Once upon a time” by the Moody Blues. (I know, this is gonna be a weird, largely banger-free end of 2026 playlist. HMU with requests.) AND please do watch the video and appreciate the truly amazing opening sequence—a drum kit wasteland, a coupla plastic bags, a bit of sand. Sort of like the hill where fiscal austerity policies that put costs on health care users might go to perish. But then there’s a lady with amazing hair. It’s worth it.
Study of janitors explores the safety and health impacts of working alone
To supervisors, finishing work on time is more important than finishing the job safely, many participants said.
Rural, religious Americans lost faith in science — science can win them back
STANFORD, Calif. (TNS) — In July 2014, a man sick with Ebola flew from Liberia into Lagos, Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest and busiest cities. One imported case in a place like that could have sparked an urban epidemic. Instead, Nigeria stopped the outbreak at 20 cases. Health workers tracked down nearly 900 people who had been exposed and made some 18,500 face-to-face visits to check on them. Each of...
MLB roster cleanup has begun. No Dodgers moves yet
The Major League Baseball offseason technically began last week, after the Milwaukee Brewers closed out the World Series last Wednesday, and free agency began on Thursday. Nine Dodgers became free agents last week, headlined by Tarik Skubal and four relievers who were the longest-tenured pitchers on the team’s 40-man roster. By Monday, all major league […]
Bank of America, nation's second-largest, expanding with new branches planned for New Orleans area
Banks of this size generally don't make retail investments to stay small. When a bank with trillions in assets expands into a market where it has been underrepresented, management is usually thinking in decades, not quarters.
Commentary: Alaska fishers need clean energy solutions to lower fuel costs
The war in Iran has sent fuel prices soaring, and that increase took a toll on my business and all the other small-scale fishing businesses that power Alaska’s rural economy.
NC political campaigns make final push before Election Day
Attention turns to Tuesday, as parties work to mobilize their bases and reach unaffiliated voters in several closely watched races.
Las Vegas Arts District businesses seek support after flooding
Las Vegas Arts District businesses are cleaning up after Friday’s flooding, with some reopening and others seeking help with repairs.
Michigan Senate race shifts to ‘lean Democrat’ in final Cook Political Report rating
The Cook Political Report upgraded the Michigan Senate race to lean Democratic, citing Abdul El-Sayed's surge in recent polling data.
As Michigan Moves to Lean Democrat, Here Are Our Final Senate Ratings — and What Else We're Watching
Election Day is finally upon us — and while Senate control could still swing either way, Democrats have the momentum in the final stretch.They are in a strong position to take back the upper chamber, and we are making one final ratings change in their favor: the open Democratic-held Michigan seat moves from Toss Up to Lean Democrat.
Smyth in contention as Saints evaluate kicker slot
Head coach Kellen Moore says the New Orleans Saints will "evaluate" kickers Dan Carlson and Charlie Smyth ahead of Sunday's game with the Cleveland Browns.
International Business Machines vs. Synopsys: Which Technology Stock Is a Better Buy for 2027?
IBM trades at a lower valuation but carries heavier debt, while Synopsys boasts stronger margins and a cleaner balance sheet.
NASA’s Mission to Study Sunlight Completes Vacuum, Vibration Testing
Bright white lights reflect off the metallic hardware of a satellite poised for inspection. Engineers outfitted with bunny suits traverse the clean room, past
Republicans were hoping to flip this New Hampshire Senate seat – will Trump get in the way?
Republican John Sununu tries to distance himself from unpopular president in race against Chris Pappas that has gone from ‘toss-up to ‘lean Democrat’
Clean bills of health: Which Central Florida restaurants had perfect inspections in October?
After 2,063 restaurant inspections across Central Florida in October, only 290 had no issues for the entire month, according to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
‘Politics of electricity’ over rising bills could power Democratic win, say clean energy advocates
Concerns about datacenters and high energy bills could help Democrats clinch races in Ohio, Arizona and Michigan
This vacuum easily cleans up after one shopper’s 3 shedding dogs and 2 cats — and now it’s 50% off
It works on hard wood, tile and carpet.
“Start the Rebuild 4 Next Season”: Shannon Sharpe Sets Record Straight on Trading Lamar Jackson While Calling Baltimore To Clean House by Trade Deadline
Lamar Jackson returned for the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday after a three-game absence due to a high-ankle sprain. However, the return was short-lived after the quarterback suffered a fresh injury.
Theatres to dim lights in honour of Sir Patrick Stewart
Sir Patrick Stewart will be honoured with a poignant tribute in London’s West End as theatres prepare to dim their lights in memory of the acclaimed British actor, who died at age 86. The Star Trek and X-Men star died at his Los Angeles home on Wednesday, October 28. He was diagnosed wirh Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia.
One-of-a kind musical farewell for Jackie Jackson
WESTERN BUREAU: Had it not been for the thick walls of the historic St James Parish Church, all of Montego Bay might have heard saxophonist Dean Fraser pouring his heart into Dance With My Father on Saturday. It was that kind of farewell. Not simply a funeral service, but an extraordinary musical tribute to Clifton ‘Jackie’ Jackson, the legendary Jamaican bassist whose fingers helped create the heartbeat of some of the world’s most recognisable reggae and rocksteady recordings.
JCDC celebrates partners and sponsors
Last Tuesday’s affair on the Roof Terrace, Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport was “not an occasion for speechification”, as Jamaica Cultural Development (JCDC) Executive Director, Lenford Salmon, said. It was a time to celebrate partnerships, show gratitude, and simply have a good time. Under the theme ‘Celebrating the Partners Behind the Success’ the ministry and the JCDC showed their appreciation to sponsors and media that continue to support the development and promotion of Jamaica’s cultural and creative industries.
Mets flex Nolan McLean’s Gold Glove award with awesome message
The New York Mets did not hold back in celebrating Nolan McLean’s latest accomplishment . McLean won the 2026 National League Gold Glove Award for pitchers on Sunday, and the Mets marked the occasion with a fitting message on social media. “Nolan is Golden! Nolan McLean has won the Gold Glove for National League Pitchers!” the team wrote on X . It […] The post Mets flex Nolan McLean’s Gold Glove award with awesome message appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Rockingham gains $250M battery investment
Prospect Power Storage in Rockingham County boosts Dominion Energy's capacity with a $250 million battery facility, supporting Virginia's clean energy goals.
Top California Democrats rally in unity
Top California Democrats including former Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Gavin Newsom appeared in a Los Angeles rally to boost the Democratic CA governor candidate Xavier Becerra. CNN’s Elex Michaelson reports from the scene.
Arsenal ride out Liverpool storm to top Premier League
Arsenal moved to the top of the Premier League with their first win away to Liverpool in 14 years as Kai Havertz's early strike secured a 1-0 victory for the Gunners.That intervention counted for little as Arsenal rode out the closing stages to register another clean sheet and an eighth win in nine league games.
The earliest Saints’ Jordyn Tyson could return from hamstring injury
The New Orleans Saints are currently enjoying a bye week as they gear up for next week’s clash against the Cleveland Browns. The Saints sit at 2-5 on the season, having played every game so far without first round draft pick wide receiver Jordyn Tyson , who has been dealing with a prolonged hamstring issue. Now, the team has gotten the latest […] The post The earliest Saints’ Jordyn Tyson could return from hamstring injury appeared first on ClutchPoints.
You might be neglecting the one thing that keeps your PC healthy
Windows offers Disk Cleanup, easy app uninstalls and Storage Sense, but Microsoft PC Manager did a more thorough job freeing up storage space in our tests.
Two New Orleans 'Lion King' Broadway stars missed home: 'Grateful to be back'
New Orleans natives Jennifer Theriot, 35, and Vernon Brooks III, 28, have spent years living out of a few suitcases and a trunk. Touring with Disney’s Broadway musical “The Lion
NFL Drops Hammer With Punishment Over New York Giants Game
In Week 7, the New York Giants won 27-21 over the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium.For New York, it was likely their most impressive win of the season. After a disappointing loss against the New Orleans Saints, the team rallied behind quarterback J.J. McCarthy and nearly outgained the Texans by 200 total yards.The win increased […] The post NFL Drops Hammer With Punishment Over New York Giants Game appeared first on HEAVY.
Business leaders are leaning into AI, but they can’t do it without hiring humans. Where are the profits?
Professionals who can help companies implement AI and cope with its complexity are in high demand.
Yankees news: New York cleans house, sort of
Yankees part with Minaya, Sabean; Big expectations for Jones and Lombard in 2027; Ashby’s postseason rivals that of Yankees greats.
Winston Ewart: A remarkable journey
When the National Chorale of Jamaica (NCOJ) opens its classical season with Songs of Faith & Freedom today, Winston Ewart will be among those in the audience at the University Chapel in Mona, St Andrew. Rather than standing in the spotlight enthusiastically directing the chorale, the ensemble’s founding member will be taking in the performance from his seat.
Business Owners Have a Window. Most Aren't Ready to Use It. by Tully Ryan
I spend my working life on both sides of a business sale. As an M&A advisor based in Wilmington, I help lower middle market owners across North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia sell what they've built. As the founder and CEO of IQExit, I work with the bankers, wealth advisors, CPAs and attorneys who sit beside those owners for years before a sale ever comes up. From both seats, I keep seeing the same thing. The market is ready for our owners. Too many of our owners aren't ready for the market. Start with our own backyard. Wilmington's metro area added more than 12,000 residents between July 2024 and July 2025, a 2.6% jump that ranked seventh in the country. It also posted the highest job growth rate of any metro in North Carolina. I see the same pattern in the growth markets I work in across the Southeast. New residents mean new customers and new workers. They also mean new buyers: people who moved here from corporate jobs and want to own something, private equity groups looking for add-ons in HVAC, electrical, landscaping and other trade services, and younger entrepreneurs who would rather buy a running business than start one from scratch. The ownership numbers are hard to ignore. About half of North Carolina's small businesses have an owner who is 55 or older, and roughly 85% of those owners have no succession plan, according to the North Carolina Employee Ownership Center. Nationally, more than half of Baby Boomer business owners have no documented transition plan. That isn't a crisis yet. It's a timing problem. A lot of businesses will change hands over the next decade, and the prepared ones will get the better buyers and the better terms. Buyers have money and they're using it. But an active market doesn't mean a fast one. The IBBA's latest Market Pulse survey found that Main Street deals took six to 10 months from engagement to close in the second quarter, and lower middle market deals took 11 to 12 months. That clock starts after the owner decides to sell. In my experience, the real preparation has to start years before. Two clocks, two playbooks When I sit down with an owner or their advisor, my first question isn't “What's it worth?” It's “When?” The answer puts the owner in one of two groups. If the owner wants out within 24 months, we're in execution mode. There's no time to rebuild the business. The work is cleaning up what a buyer will test: three years of financials that tie to the tax returns, an add-back schedule you can prove, customer and vendor contracts in writing, a lease that can be assigned, and a price the market will actually pay. The goal is certainty to close. If the exit is two to five years away, the owner has something worth more than time. They have choices. That window is where most value gets built, and most owners waste it by waiting. What kills deals In the lower middle market, deals rarely die over the headline price. They die in diligence, or they get retraded late in the process. I see the same causes again and again. The owner is the business. If every key customer relationship runs through the owner's cell phone, a buyer sees risk and a lender sees more of it. The books don't hold up. Buyers spot weak accounting fast. Statements that get revised mid-process, a revolving door in the bookkeeper's chair, revenue tracked on a side spreadsheet, and margins that slip while sales climb with no clear reason all make a buyer nervous. So does an owner who pushes back when asked for documents. And plenty of private owners run personal expenses through the company. Add-backs are normal. Add-backs you can't document turn into a lower offer. The real estate isn't sorted out. Many owners hold their building in a separate LLC. That's fine, but the lease terms or the property sale should be settled before a buyer shows up, not halfway through diligence. Revenue sits in too few hands. Picture a contractor with 40% of its work coming from one builder, or a service company running on handshake deals. Buyers will still look, but the terms shift toward more seller financing, an earnout, or less cash at closing. Owners and advisors: if your exit is three to five years out • Get a baseline now. Find out where the business really stands today: what a buyer would pay, who that buyer is likely to be, and which gaps would hurt you in diligence. You can't fix what you haven't measured, and the answer is often different from what the owner expects. • Make yourself less necessary. Spend the next few years building a manager or small team that can run daily operations and own customer relationships. Put handshake deals into written contracts. A business that runs without its owner is worth more and is far easier to finance. • Clean the books for three straight years. Buyers and lenders look back at least three years. Separate personal expenses, keep the financials tied to the tax returns, track every add-back as you go, and settle the real estate plan early. A word to CPAs CPAs often see a sale coming before anyone else, and you're usually the most trusted voice an owner has. Year-end meetings are the right time to start this conversation. Here's what I'd ask every CPA to do this season with business owner clients over 55: • Ask the timing question. “Do you see yourself owning this business in five years? If not, who takes it over?” Write down the answer and bring it up again at next year's meeting. • Run a proof of cash and review revenue recognition. Make sure the cash in the bank ties to the revenue on the books. Pay close attention to contractors with work in progress and to companies selling memberships or service plans. These issues are easy to fix with years of lead time and painful to fix a month before closing. • Pair the tax return with an exit readiness review. Invite clients to complete IQExit's Exit Readiness Intelligence (ERI) process as part of year-end planning. It gives you and the client a shared picture of readiness gaps and an indicative value range, and the results come back to you as the advisor. That turns a tax meeting into a planning relationship, and it puts you in position to bring in tax and M&A help early, when choices like purchase price allocation can still save the client real money. Changing the conversation For bankers, wealth advisors and attorneys, the hard part is raising the subject without seeming to nudge a client toward the door. I understand that. Nobody wants to tell a 60-year-old owner it's time to sell. So don't. Ask a different question: “If a buyer called tomorrow, what would they find?” That's a planning question, not a pitch, and it's useful whether the exit is two years out or 15. It's the question we built IQExit to help advisors answer. Whether you're in Wilmington, Raleigh, Charleston, Richmond or anywhere else, owners have a real opening right now. The buyers are out there and so is the capital. The owners who come out ahead will be the ones who start getting ready before they're ready to sell.
Alaska Sen. Sullivan accuses Democrats of same-name voter deceit
CNN’s Jake Tapper sits down with Republican Senator Dan Sullivan ahead of the midterms where he’s seeking a third term. He discusses the “double Dan Sullivan” controversy, involving two candidates with the same name running for the same seat. Watch the full interview on CNN at 9a ET.
Orlando Magic's Desmond Bane Highlights Team's Resilience Following NBA Cup Win
Desmond Bane’s 28-point explosion fueled a gritty rebound over Toronto, proving Orlando can thrive through injuries and adversity by leaning on perimeter depth and defensive connectivity.
Old Forge Dry Cleaning business destroyed by early morning fire
Just after 1 AM on Halloween Morning, crews responded to a large fire inside of the Lease Dry Cleaners building on Oak Street that is now demolished.
North Carolina early voting tops 2 million as voters cite economy, health care concerns
More than 2 million North Carolinians cast ballots during early voting ahead of Election Day.
Second alarm fire destroys Old Forge dry cleaning business
OLD FORGE – A second alarm fire leveled a commercial building on Oak Street early Saturday morning, following a collapse of part of what was a dry cleaning business. Firefighters called to the business at 307 Oak Street just after 1…
New Orleans business sustainably preserves furniture pieces through caning, weaving
The ancient heritage craft of caning requires weaving with the glossy, flexible bark or skin of the rattan palm (Calamus rotan). The practice dates back thousands of years. Archaeologists found
Phillies Owner Makes Political Lean Clear Ahead Of Contentious Midterm Elections
Philadelphia Phillies principal owner John Middleton offered significant backing to a polarizing Pennsylvania politician.
Former Red Wings Exec Puts Larkin on Blast
Doug MacLean was the assistant GM of the Detroit Red Wings when Steve Yzerman was captain of the team. He’s […]
Kifisia vs. Olympiacos: Super League Greece Preview
Olympiacos chase the league summit, boasting eight consecutive clean sheets, while Kifisia aims to extend their winning form and upset the title contenders in Athens.
Kerzner CEO on luxury hospitality, crisis and global expansion
Kerzner International CEO Philippe Zuber discusses how the luxury hospitality group navigated the disruption to Dubai’s tourism market in 2026 while protecting its brands and pursuing global growth. He explores the business behind Atlantis, One&Only, SIRO and Rare Finds, how the definition of luxury is changing, and why international expansion and branded residences are central to the company’s next phase.
How could Democrats win the Senate?
CNN’s Harry Enten breaks down what it would take for Democrats to take control of the Senate.
Nebraska’s Anthony Colandrea makes official decision amid transfer portal interest
Coach Matt Rhule’s Nebraska Cornhuskers are 5-2 on the season, 2-2 in the Big Ten behind starting QB Anthony Coleandrea, who beat out TJ Lateef for the starting job earlier this season. Rhule said he made a mistake he will never make again in his team’s loss to Oregon on October 17, which came against his former QB Dylan Raiola. ESPN’s Pete Thamel […] The post Nebraska’s Anthony Colandrea makes official decision amid transfer portal interest appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Facing political headwinds, Oregon Republicans lean into ‘ballot harvesting’
Members of the party have recently criticized the practice of turning in ballots on behalf of sympathetic voters.
Examining Anthony Davis’ Legacy In New Orleans
Lost in Washington, Anthony Davis still has not signed an extension with the Washington Wizards and is trying to reinvigorate his career in Washington after a down year in Dallas. However, in his early years, he lived through various stages as a player in New Orleans. As Harvey Dent said in the Nolan Batman trilogy, …
Why Do People Feel the Presence of 'Ghosts'? Scientists Are Starting to Understand
New research reveals how spirituality and psychology shape our encounters with unseen presences.
Gayle Benson buys the iconic Windsor Court hotel, plans to spend millions on renovations
It's the latest addition to Benson's growing portfolio of real estate in downtown New Orleans, which also includes Poydras Street skyscrapers, Harmony Circle properties and the nearby Hyatt Regency.
Louisiana health officials warn about rare amoeba infections after certain tap water use
The Louisiana Department of Health is warning residents about the risks of using tap water to rinse nasal passages and clean contact lenses after rare amoeba infections.
Three Takeaways As Kings Remain Winless, Fall to Pelicans
The Sacramento Kings drop to 0-5 on the season after falling to the New Orleans Pelicans 132-120.
Three customers suffer chemical burns after cleaning solution mistakenly used in drinks, health officials say
Three customers at a Western North Carolina Chili's Grill & Bar experienced chemical burns after cleaning solution was mistakenly added to drinks, health officials report.
NASA’s TSIS-2 Mission Aces Vacuum, Vibration Testing
The bright white lights reflect off the metallic hardware of a satellite poised for inspection. Engineers outfitted with bunny suits traverse the clean room,
Bill Cowher to advise NC State in football coaching search
The road to NC State’s head coaching job now runs through The NFL Today. In a letter to “Wolfpack Nation,” athletic director Boo Corrigan and Chancellor Kevin Howell said Corrigan will lead the school’s search for Dave Doeren’s replacement while leaning on the “counsel and expertise of trusted advisors.” That group includes two former Wolfpack…
Pumpkinville is recognized by state’s Historic Business Preservation Registry
GREAT VALLEY — State Senator George Borrello visited Pumpkinville Tuesday to present owners Dan and Diane Pawlowski with a certificate recognizing the popular fall destination’s inclusi…
Vote posters glued to buildings leave local business owners with cleanup bill
Large posters plastered around town urging people to vote have irked some business owners and prompted police to investigate. Rob Matzell first noticed the bright yellow and orange signs the morning of Oct. 28 when he arrived for work at Willow Lawn Service Center on West Broad Street in Henrico'