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Health and safety rules holding UK infrastructure back, says writer of government report
Exclusive: John Fingleton says regulators need to change their attitude to risk to end the country’s economic stagnation
Connections: Sports Edition hints for Dec. 12, 2025, puzzle No. 445
Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.
The Game Awards’ grand finale reveal was a game you’ve never heard of coming out in a month
Highguard comes from the creators of Apex Legends and Titanfall
Everything announced and all the winners at The Game Awards 2025
This year at The Game Awards, if your game wasn’t melodramatic, mechanically innovative, beautifully presented and aggressively French, it really didn’t stand a chance.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's expansion is available right now, adding a photo mode and vibrant new world
The previously revealed expansion to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has finally been properly unveiled, plus the game is heading to Switch 2.
Get Ready to Ride the Light: Diablo 4's Next Expansion Adds Paladin Class, Revamps the Endgame
A second new class will also be included in the expansion, which focuses on the fight against Mephisto.
The Game Awards statue was for Larian's new game, Divinity, a new RPG that's "even larger than Baldur's Gate 3
Larian has announced Divinity.
A political year in review with Melissa Clarke and Michael Read
In the final episode for 2025, political editor Tom McIlroy speaks with Melissa Clarke from ABC RN Breakfast and Michael Read from the Australian Financial Review about criticisms of Albanese’s ambition for reform and the future of Sussan Ley’s leadership
Michael Jordan was already a basketball legend. Now, he’s one in NASCAR too
Thursday's settlement was that significant for NASCAR's teams that Jordan just made himself a transformative figure in yet another sport.
AI Bubble Or Business Revolution? Essential Business Insights
Most AI companies will fail, yet the industry will transform business. The trial and error economy drives today's AI revolution alongside significant risks.
Alexei Navalny’s wife and political heir still has ‘big hopes’ for Russia
The exiled widow of Russia’s late opposition leader Alexei Navalny told POLITICO on Thursday that remaining hopeful about her home country is part of her job. “I really have big hopes for Rus…
BBC Audio | BBC Inside Science | Would our ancestors have benefited from early neanderthals making fire?
New evidence shows that early neanderthals made fire 350 thousand years before we thought.
Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for Dec. 12 #445
Here's today's Connections: Sports Edition answer and hints for groups. These clues will help you solve The New York Times' popular puzzle game, Connections: Sports Edition, every day.
Asked about The Donald’s national security strategy, the Commons was remarkable for its absences
You’d think MPs would be lining up to decry the US president’s threat to destabilise Europe. Instead, only backbenchers and a few junior ministers bothered to turn up
How prioritizing wellbeing can boost retention, innovation, and your business's bottom line
Workplace wellbeing, energy, and belonging drive retention, innovation, and higher profits, as revealed by Indeed's employee happiness survey.
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Spies Solar Wind ‘U-Turn’
Images captured by NASA’s Parker Solar Probe as the spacecraft made its record-breaking closest approach to the Sun in December 2024 have now revealed new
Penske Entertainment establishes formal Independent Officiating Board for IndyCar
Comprised of three members tasked with presiding over the IndyCar Series and its Indy NXT development series, the IOB reports to a new non-profit entity, IndyCar Officiating, Inc, created by Penske Entertainment.
Chico's big fashion and entertainment show on Dec. 13 benefits FUR's cat rescue work • Chico News & Review
We are a group of award-winning free alternative weekly newspapers published by Chico Community Publishing, Inc. We publish the Chico News & Review in Chico, California, the Sacramento News & Review in Sacramento, California and the Reno News & Review in Reno, Nevada. In addition to the 3 weeklies, we also have a Custom Publication division dedicated to producing high quality publications for government agencies, nonprofits and more.
Breakthrough 3D wiring architecture enables 10,000-qubit quantum processors
The novel 3D wiring architecture and chip fabrication method enable quantum processing units containing 10,000 qubits to fit in a smaller space than today's 100-qubit chips.
Major Tomb Raider announcement leaks ahead of The Game Awards
A number of Tomb Raider leaks have started circulating ahead of tonight's The Game Awards show.
This Week in Sports Trivia: December 11, 2025
How closely were you following the sports news this week? Find out and test your knowledge by taking The Athletic's weekly quiz.
Lawmakers move to phase out health-specific retirement benefit
Lawmakers may instead bulk up Hoosier START, the state's defined benefit plans. They say that would offer retirees and current staff greater flexibility.
I stopped dyeing my hair and was suddenly treated differently. One recruiter told me I was too mature for a role.
A recruiter told Jillian Bowman, 52, that her maturity wasn't a fit for the team she would be working with.
Monster Hunter Wilds finally gets PC optimisation roadmap to coincide with Title Update 4, but players still aren't really happy
"They’re even drip feeding optimization lmao," says one player.
Better Business Bureau: Scams impersonating Amazon, retailers during holidays
Randy Hutchinson, president of Better Business Bureau, educates consumers weekly about how to avoid scams and protect investments.
Maker’s Mark nets first sports league sponsorship with Unrivaled
The bourbon brand will have a significant presence around the women's basketball league both on-premise and digitally.
Disappointing Oracle results knock $70bn off value amid AI bubble fears
Weaker-than-forecast quarterly data for Larry Ellison’s tech company shows slowdown in revenue growth but big rise in spending
Peers told they risk ‘constitutional crisis’ after surprise vote to continue blocking employment rights bill
Government lost Lords vote on employment rights bill by 24 votes, just hours after the creation of 25 new Labour peers
Sports Personality of the Year 2025: Lionesses square off on six-strong shortlist
England teammates Chloe Kelly and Hannah Hampton are up against one another for BBC Sports Personality of the Year on a shortlist that also includes Lando Norris, Rory McIlroy, Luke Littler and Ellie Kildunne.
Democrats voice concerns about Venezuelan tanker seizure: ‘sounds a lot like the beginning of a war’
Senator Rand Paul said it was ‘not the job of the American government to go looking for monsters around the world’
Oracle shares slide as earnings fail to ease AI bubble fears
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
Oracle shares slide as earnings fail to ease AI bubble fears
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
After 'Disagreeing With <i>Dhurandhar's</i> Politics', Hrithik Roshan Says "I Cant Wait For Part 2"
In his first post, though Hrithik Roshan lauded the storytelling, he admitted that he might disagree with the "politics" of the film
Social media and ADHD diagnosis, new mpox strain in England and early firestarters
Science editor Ian Sample sits down with co-host Madeleine Finlay to discuss three eye-catching stories from the week
Connections: Sports Edition hints for Dec. 11, 2025, puzzle No. 444
Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.
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
New group seeks to improve local business environment through work with government
A new business initiative led by Salem attorney Mark Hoyt was unveiled during a Salem Area Chamber of Commerce event on Monday. The group hopes to benefit the community by working with government on behalf of local businesses.
AI to accelerate national renewal and growth as Google DeepMind backs UK tech and science sectors
A new partnership with Google DeepMind will help to turn cutting-edge AI into real benefits for working people.
What defines a league-leading management team? Win today AND tomorrow: MoneyCall
Read the cheat sheet of all of the biggest sports-business stories in The Athletic's free newsletter, MoneyCall
Businesses tout advantages of downtown office locations
Where you go to work matters: As these three organizations found out, moving their offices downtown brought big benefits.
Health experts criticise NHS chief’s remarks that people with flu symptoms ‘must wear face masks’
Exclusive: Experts warn mixed messaging from Daniel Elkeles causes confusion and could undermine public faith in official guidance
GLOBE Expands with Landsat Land Cover Comparisons
The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program has launched a new feature that connects citizen scientists directly to Landsat observations.
More A than I: Testing for Large Language Model Plagiarism in Political Science -
More A than I: Testing for Large Language Model Plagiarism in Political Science By Robert Keener, The University of Tennessee This article shows how the sudden introduction of large language models (LLMs) has allowed a [...]
YouTube TV to launch a new sports package next year
Early in 2026, YouTube TV will launch 10 genre-specific packages, including a YouTube TV Sports Plan.
Here are our PS Plus Extra and Premium games for December
Sony has lifted the lid on its PS Plus Premium and Extra game offerings for December.
Several Milwaukee restaurants sounded the alarm on business, here's how you can help
Local restaurant owners at Strange Town, Mekong Cafe, Seven Swans Creperie and more share how business has slowed and they're struggling.
Man made fire 350,000 years earlier than previously thought, discovery in Suffolk suggests
Groundbreaking find makes compelling case that humans were lighting fires much earlier than originally believed
Private equity makes its first college sports play
The University of Utah has agreed to a for-profit deal with Otro Capital.
I sold my house and moved my kid across the US to live with my parents. I'm not sure the benefits are worth all I gave up.
Selling my house and moving cross-country to live with my parents has been good for my kid, her grandparents, and my finances, but I'm struggling.
The scientific method: It’s not just for science anymore
The same exercises in logic and reason can extend to assignments in the social sciences, humanities and more.
Mini brains, big questions: science is racing ahead of ethics
Brain organoids are revolutionising research, but their growing complexity raises unsettling ethical questions.
US politics live: most Americans blame Trump for high prices, poll shows
New poll shows 55% of Americans hold Trump administration accountable for cost of living rises – a day after Trump makes false claims on economy
Don't Wait for the iPhone 18, It's Fine to Buy the iPhone 17
Commentary: If you want a new iPhone within the next year, go ahead and buy the iPhone 17. Current iPhone 18 rumors don't provide enough compelling reasons to wait.
Pre-budget leaks ‘unacceptable’, Rachel Reeves tells MPs
Chancellor says income tax U-turn was agreed in partnership with Keir Starmer
‘Boo-yah!’: Stuart Scott’s unique voice, sportscasting rise documented in new ’30 for 30′
Scott burst onto the broadcasting scene with an authentic voice and style in the late 1980s after graduating from North Carolina.
US health officials re-examine RSV shots despite documented safety and efficacy
Officials from RFK Jr’s HHS are scrutinizing vaccines that have dramatically lowered infant hospitalizations
Mason Athletics to Host National Girls and Women in Sports Celebration with Carnival on Jan. 31 - George Mason University Athletics
FAIRFAX, Va. – George Mason Athletics is celebrating its annual Sue Collins National Girls and Women in Sports Day along with Homecoming on January 31 at the women's basketball game against Saint Louis with a Youth Sports Carnival.
Minnesota survey shows post-pandemic gains in student mental health
The 2025 statewide survey was first to ask in detail about social media usage, and many students think they have a problem with it.
In Wisconsin, health care costs are overwhelming teacher salaries
A new analysis of teacher pay and benefits by WEA Trust suggests the majority of teachers are one health care crisis away from financial ruin.
7 Quick Wins To Put AI To Work In Your Small Business
Small business leaders are put off AI by perceptions they need to master a sophisticated technology. But simple AI tools are easy to use and will deliver quick results
Alvin and Yvette Harris Sports Peformance Center Pays Off For Student-Athletes
Augusta, Ga- When the Alvin and Paulette Harris Sports Performance Center opened before the start of the first semester at Augusta University, most everyone knew it would be a game changer for student-athletes. They now had a dedicated space for them to get faster, stronger and more fit for their athletic seasons. Now, after a full semester of its utilization, the student-athletes are seeing the dividends.
Small Business of the Year: Hercules Express Wash, Pinnacle Building Services win big
Hank Keller never dreamed of owning a car wash, but the unexpected path led him to what he now calls “the things we cherish most.”
The search is on for Business Report's Influential Women in Business
Business Report is now accepting nominations for its 2025 Influential Women in Business recognition. The awards annually honor professional women in the Capital Region who have distinguished themselves in business or through government or nonprofit work. Get everything you need to know about nominating someone here. The deadline for nominations is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7. Honorees will be profiled […]
Four Things Every Business Leader Should Know About Quantum Computing, According to an MIT Quantum Engineer
Quantum computing will not transform corporate IT in the short term, but today's decisions will determine which companies benefit.
Reeves faces Treasury committee before Tory censure motion in Commons saying she misled voters about budget
The chancellor will give evidence to the Commons Treasury committee about the budget from 10am
Investment Firm APEX Is Raising $350 Million To Target European Sports Assets
Large private equity funds have mostly scorned the continent’s smaller teams and leagues, but CEO António Caçorino thinks he can generate outsize returns with deals from $15 million to $50 million.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX ‘aiming for $1.5tn valuation’ in stock market flotation
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
Paul Pogba partners with world’s first professional camel racing team
The 32-year-old Monaco midfielder, formerly of Manchester United and Juventus, has joined Al Haboob as an ambassador and shareholder.
I Watched Science Change the World. Here's What Could Stop It.
As we mark the 45th anniversary of Bayh-Dole, we must remember its origins: a bipartisan solution that allowed science and taxpayer-funded research to deliver public benefits.
7 Media Trends That Will Redefine Entertainment In 2026
Learn how AI-driven video, synthetic talent, immersive experiences, and new IP protection technologies will transform the industry and influence global audiences.
Synthetic chemicals in food system creating health burden of $2.2tn a year, report finds
Scientists issue urgent warning about chemicals, found to cause cancer and infertility as well as harming environment
MacKenzie Scott donated $7.1 billion to nonprofits in 2025, a major increase
The author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott revealed $7.1 billion in donations to nonprofits in 2025 Tuesday, marking a significant increase in her annual giving from recent years.
Alaska Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 includes Sean Rash, Dick Griffith and Butch Lincoln
There were also two moments inducted for the 18th Hall of Fame class.
IRS Issues Guidance For Expanded Health Savings Accounts Under New Tax Law
The IRS has issued guidance on HSAs, answering questions about telehealth services, bronze and catastrophic plans under the ACA, and direct primary care arrangements.
Lawmakers spar over future of health insurance costs as subsidies are set to expire
Millions could see their health care costs double or lose benefits when Obamacare tax credits expire at the end of the year. NBC News’ Ryan Nobles details the latest in the fight over extending ACA premium tax credits.
Humans rank among leading monogamous mammals, study finds
Human beings in 7th place out of 35 species on monogamy scale but behind moustached tamarins and Eurasian beavers
I Tried the Galaxy Z TriFold at a Dubai Store and Its Design Made Me a Fan
Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold impressed me with its smart design choices despite being a less versatile folding phone than the Huawei Mate XT.
These Multnomah County jobs are on the chopping block, and more could follow
A sizable reduction in contracts from CareOregon, which manages Oregon Health Plan benefits, is trickling down to the county’s mental health network.
Texas Association of Business CEO Glenn Hamer resigns
An unidentified woman sued Hamer two weeks ago, accusing him of sexually assaulting and harassing her before retaliating against her using his position at the powerful business group.
Russell Crowe Blasts ‘Gladiator II’ ― And 1 Character Choice Has Him Fuming
Crowe called out the 2024 film, which starred Paul Mescal, for twisting Maximus’s “moral core” and story.
Charlie Kirk's focus on God, not politics, in his final book is fitting, his close friend explains
Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet discusses Charlie Kirk's final book on faith and the Sabbath on 'The Story.'
Trump offers farmers $12-billion bailout to offset pain from trade war : The NPR Politics Podcast
President Trump has announced a $12-billion bailout plan for farmers, designed to offset the impacts they have felt from a trade war with China. We discuss how this program fits into Trump’s broader economic policy agenda, and whether it detracts from his message that tariffs will be a boon for the country’s economy.This episode: national political correspondent Sarah McCammon, White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson.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.Please let us know what you think of our show and how we can make it better by filling out this quick survey. As a token of our appreciation, three respondents will be randomly selected to receive a $25 gift card.
I wore Google's upcoming Android XR smart glasses, and it's a future I'd actually want to live in
From multimodal AI glasses to immersive headsets, Google's Android XR vision is more ambitious - yet clearer - than ever.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition Out Now on Nintendo Switch 2
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is available now on Nintendo Switch 2, bringing the epic adventure to the next generation of portable systems with new technical enhancements!
Czech billionaire Babis becomes PM with promise to cut ties to business empire
If he honours his pledge, he will no longer benefit from the sale of any Agrofert product, from frankfurters to fertiliser.
University of Utah approves groundbreaking athletics plan to pursue private equity
While other schools like Clemson and Kentucky have spun off similar entities, Utah would be the first to include outside investors.
Mission Valley Bank Unveils Sleek, Bold, Contactless Mastercard® Business Debit Card
Mission Valley Bank today announced the launch of its new Mastercard® Business Debit Card, a major enhancement to the Bank's suite of business banking solutions. Designed with sleek, bold, contactless functionality and built for entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and business professionals who demand speed, security, and control, the new debit card reinforces Mission Valley Bank's commitment to delivering high-touch, high-performance financial tools that move at the pace of modern business.
I Tried the New Android XR Smart Glasses From Google and XReal. I Didn't Expect to Be This Impressed
Google's Android XR platform and XReal's Project Aura are bringing smart glasses closer to mainstream reality, offering developers powerful tools to create practical, everyday wearable experiences that go far beyond novelty gadgets.
Organizers submit enough signatures to block gerrymandered Missouri map
More than 300,000 signatures delivered to secretary of state to force referendum on Republican-drawn map
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle update adds an outfit suitable to eat chilled monkey brains in
The team at MachineGames has issued a new update for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
Vitable Health and DirectShifts Partner to Expand Clinicians’ Access to Care and Coverage
PHILADELPHIA, December 09, 2025--Vitable Health, an all-in-one health benefits platform redefining care for the American workforce, today announced a new partnership with DirectShifts, a leading clinician staffing platform, to make it easier for clinicians nationwide to access everyday healthcare and insurance coverage.
Nancy Mace escalated airport incident into ‘spectacle’, police investigation says
Republican congresswoman berated TSA personnel in October with profanity and insults, leaving facility employees ‘visibly upset’
The Politics Of Superintelligence
Today’s tech “prophets” push a narrative that God-like artificial superintelligence is inevitable, and only they can ensure humanity’s safety from their creations.
Parasite cleanses: why are so many people obsessed with intestinal worms?
Probably the most disgusting online trend of 2025, this has led to pictures of people’s excrement all over the internet. Please make it stop ...
Skyrim Switch 2 edition announced, so yes you can play Bethesda's RPG yet another way before Elder Scrolls 6
A Switch 2 version of Bethesda's Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is available now.
Netflix says Warner Bros' games arm is "relatively minor in the grand scheme of things"
But the streaming giant does believe it'll accelerate its own interactive entertainment business
FGCU, FOX Sports Radio Team Up for Basketball Coverage
Florida Gulf Coast and Sun Broadcasting's FOX Sports Radio have partnered to broadcast four men's and four women's basketball games in 2026.
Pebble's founder introduces a $75 AI smart ring for recording brief notes with a press of a button
After rebooting the Pebble smartwatch, founder Eric Migicovsky is expanding his company's device lineup with a new smart wearable: an AI-powered smart ring known as Index 01. Named for the finger where the ring is meant to be worn, the new $75 ring is not meant to be a competitor to the always-on, always-listening AI devices, like the AI pendant Friend, but instead offers a way to record quick notes and reminders with a press of a button on the ring's side. AI only comes into play via the open source, speech-to-text, and AI models that run locally on your smartphone, via the open source Pebble mobile app. That is, if the Ring's button is not being pressed, it's not recording. (And this is a press-and-hold gesture, too, which means you can't start the ring's recording and then let go to surreptitiously record a conversation.) You can wear the stainless steel ring while in the shower, washing hands, doing dishes, or in the rain, but you would have to take it off for other water-related activities, like swimming. At launch, it's water-resistant to 1 meter. The ring is also not a fitness tracker or sleep monitor. It doesn't record details about your heart rate or health. And it's not there to be your AI friend. "I'm not trying to build some AI assistant thing," Migicovsky told TechCrunch in an interview. "I build things that solve one main problem, and they solve it really well," he explains. "I think of as external memory for my brain...that's what this is. It's always with you." Plus, the ring has been designed to be highly reliable and privacy-preserving, he says, as all your thoughts are stored on your phone, not in the cloud. There is no subscription. Migicovsky has been wearing the ring for three months now and says he cannot imagine going back to a world where he doesn't always have a memory device with him. "The problem is that, during the day, I get ideas or I remember something, and if I don't write it down that second, I forget it," he says. The ring solves this problem, he adds, without becoming another device you need to charge. "The battery lasts for years," Migicovsky claims. Technically, the ring is said to support roughly 12 to 14 hours of recording. On average, the founder says he uses it 10-20 times per day to record 3-6 second thoughts. At that rate, he'll get about two years of usage. When the ring's battery dies, you can ship it back to the company for recycling. When using Index, you can record up to five minutes of audio, which can be saved to the ring and synced to your phone later. This makes sense for recording briefer, personal thoughts and notes, even when you don't have your phone handy, but it wouldn't work for recording a longer chat, like a presentation, meeting, or in-person interview of some kind. The ring also supports 99+ languages and has a bit of on-device memory, in case you're not in Bluetooth range of your device, where the recording is ultimately saved and transcribed. (The raw audio is retained, too, in case the speech-to-text is garbled due to loud background noise). If you own a Pebble smartwatch or one from another brand, your recorded thought can even appear on the watch's screen so you can verify it's correct. The ring works with Pebble's mobile app, which offers notes and reminders, but can optionally integrate with your phone's calendaring system, too, or other apps, like Notion. And the ring's software is open source, which makes it hackable by the community, the founder points out. Because of its open nature, the ring's button is already programmable. In addition to the press-and-hold gesture, you can program the ring to do other things with a single or double press, like play or pause your music or control the shutter on your phone's camera. You could use it to send a message through the universal chat app Beeper, which Migicovsky also created, or you could add your own voice actions via MCP. A new approach to hardware Migicovsky acknowledges that hardware can be difficult to get right -- as the previous exit of Pebble to Fitbit showed. (Fitbit, too, was later acquired by Google in 2021). "I didn't earn any money during Pebble -- we exited, but it was not a great exit," Migicovsky admits. This year, however, he decided to reboot the Pebble project after Google open sourced the PebbleOS, which opened up the door to new hardware. With his new company, Core Devices, Migicovsky plans to do things differently. Still, the founder doesn't regret his previous choices, he clarifies. "I wouldn't have gone back and changed anything. I loved what we built. I loved what we did. I love the company that we built, but it's not the only way to build a company," he told TechCrunch. " And, speaking as an ex-YC partner, there are -- there's a time and a place for building a venture-backed startup. Some companies are phenomenal when they raise money and build a big team, and I tried that...I think what I'm doing now is trying an alternative path, which is start from profitability," he says. The new company is a small team of five, self-funded, and focused on sustainability. So far, Core Devices has shipped the Pebble 2 Duo smartwatch with a black-and-white display. Its first run sold out, and the company is now preparing to ship the upgraded version, the Pebble Time 2. The newer device, which has seen 25,000 pre-orders, is a stainless steel watch with a larger, color e-ink screen. As for the Index 01, the ring's pre-order offer ends in March 2026. After that, the price increases to $99. It currently comes in silver, polished gold, and matte black and works with iOS and Android devices. Customers can select from eight ring sizes and three colors.
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