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Live updates: Indiana Senate prepares for a final vote on redistricting
The vote may come down to the wire as on-the-fence lawmakers hear final arguments.
NFL Week 15 Bet of the Week
FTN’s NFL Week 15 Bet of the Week is powered by our advanced model that simulates every game 10,000 times. Find this week’s top edge, complete with true odds and expert analysis. FTN’s NFL Bet of the Week: Cowboys -6…
Final Fantasy 7’s Nier Crossover Has Aerith Fans Acting Up
The look’s an odd choice considering Aerith and Kaine could not be more different
The Last Days of Matthews Arena, Boston’s Overlooked Sports Cathedral
Northeastern’s 115-year-old Matthews Arena will host its final game this weekend before demolition begins for a new facility.
Man Utd financial results: Cost-cutting having an impact in first quarter numbers for new financial year
Redundancies and other cost-cutting measures at Man Utd have been reflected in their latest quarterly financial results; there have been small losses that will not be significant for a business of their size; the results will also not affect their plans for the January transfer window
Water damage tops small business insurance claims, Hartford insurer finds
Water leaks and frozen pipes tied with burglary and slip-and-fall incidents as the most common small business insurance claims in 2025, each accounting for 20% of filings with The Hartford, […]
Google's Gemini AI comes to Chrome on iPhone and iPad
After rolling it out on desktop and Android earlier in 2025, Google is finally bringing its built-in Gemini AI experience to iPhone and iPad.
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.
Scientists find a massive hidden CO2 sponge beneath the ocean floor
Researchers found that eroded lava rubble beneath the South Atlantic can trap enormous amounts of CO2 for tens of millions of years. These porous breccia deposits store far more carbon than previously sampled ocean crust. The discovery reshapes how scientists view the long-term balance of carbon between the ocean, rocks, and atmosphere. It also reveals a hidden mechanism that helps stabilize Earth’s climate over geological timescales.
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.
From classroom to community: Student’s journey exemplifies ‘public health in action’
When Waveney Brooks transferred to the University of Kentucky as a sophomore, she never imagined that a classroom experience would open the door to real-world public heath practice across Kentucky. What started as a broad introduction to the many disciplines of well-being soon grew into a purposeful public health career path defined by mentorship, community engagement and purpose.
St Ergnat's dream of writing next great Moneyglass tale
St Ergnat's Moneyglass hope to become the County Antrim village's next sporting heroes in this weekend's All-Ireland Ladies Club final.
Sports Personality of the Year shortlist announced
Find out who is on the shortlist for the 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
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
Indiana redistricting is up for a final, deciding vote in the state Senate
Indiana state Senators are expected to take a final and deciding vote on redistricting Thursday, and the outcome is still uncertain
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
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
Chandler's Will Mencl named ALL-USA Football Team QB finalist
Chandler's Will Mencl is the definition of a dual-threat quarterback, and he has been named an ALL-USA Football Team finalist after a huge season.
🏆Champions: Huachipato crowned in the 2025 Copa Chile
Huachipato was crowned champion of the 2025 Copa Chile in a thrilling final against Deportes Limache, which was decided by penalties after a dramatic draw. The hero of the day was Carlo Villanueva, wh...
A jersey is cool, but these 24 best gifts for sports fans flex their fandom even more
We tapped our sports fans on staff to find out the best gifts they’d buy — and what they want themselves — for anyone devoted to cheering on their favorite team.
These plants can heat themselves up—scientists finally know why
Since the time of the dinosaurs, cycad plants may have attracted insects using infrared light. It may be the world's oldest form of pollination.
15 Of My Favorite Tech Gadgets Available On Amazon
See 15 essential pieces of technology that belong in any modern home or office. Find reliable, affordable gadgets reviewed by an experienced tech enthusiast.
Predators aim to keep climb going vs. shorthanded Blues
After staggering to a 6-12-4 start, the Nashville Predators have worked their way back toward the Western Conference playoff race. They finally gained confidence while winning five of their last seven games.
Fulfillment by Amazon and the Definition of Doing Business in California: An Analysis of In the Matter of the Appeal of Diet Standards LLC — Current Federal Tax Developments
The California Office of Tax Appeals (OTA) recently issued an opinion in In the Matter of the Appeal of Diet Standards LLC ( OTA Case No. 230613542 ), decided on October 7, 2025. This case serves as a critical reminder to tax practitioners regarding the scope of "doing business" in Cal
Registered nurses at St. Joseph hospital in Bryan, Texas vote decisively to join National Nurses Organizing Committee / National Nurses United
Nurses at the 316-bed facility say they voted to join the union because it is critical that nurses have a say in making decisions in patient care, staffing, and to help recruit and retain experienced nurses, which leads to improved patient care.
Mega Raichu Flies Around Like Superman, And It Rules
After a decade-long wait, Pokémon's mascot finally has two Mega Evolutions in Legends: Z-A's DLC
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
Comcast’s Xfinity Launches National Video Plans; The Best Entertainment Experience for One Simple Price
Xfinity announced the launch of all-new video plans, designed to deliver simplicity, transparency, and unbeatable value for customers.
Station Trio Back on Earth; Expedition 74 Keeps Up Science, Maintains Systems
Expedition 73 has ended and NASA astronaut Jonny Kim has returned to Houston and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky have returned to Moscow. Expedition 74 is now underway with veteran NASA astronaut Mike Fincke as commander.
Humans were making fire 350,000 years earlier than previously thought, study finds
LONDON (AP) — Scientists in Britain say ancient humans may have learned to make fire far earlier than previously believed, after uncovering evidence that deliberate fire-setting took place in what is now eastern England around 400,000 years ago. The findings, described in the journal Nature, push back the earliest known date for controlled fire-making by roughly 350,000 years. Until now, the oldest confirmed evidence had come from Neanderthal sites in what is now northern France
AI Business Deals Are Getting a Bit 2008-ish
The complex financial ties binding the sector together could become everyone’s collective downfall.
Adobe Just Landed Inside ChatGPT -- And It Could Change Everything
Photoshop, Acrobat, and Express now run inside ChatGPT, giving Adobe access to 800M users in a single bold move.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A’s DLC Alleviates The Shiny Grind For $30
Mega Dimension has a roundabout way to find more Shinies if you drop the cash
We may finally know what a healthy gut microbiome looks like
Our gut microbiome has a huge influence on our overall health, but we haven't been clear on the specific bacteria with good versus bad effects. Now, a study of more than 34,000 people is shedding light on what a healthy gut microbiome actually consists of
Unfinished business (part 2): fixing the “biggest problem” in physics
Our podcast on science and technology. This week, physicist Vlatko Vedral on how to bridge the quantum and classical worlds
How many wins will the 49ers finish with this season?
We walk through the remaining 49ers’ schedule and attempt to predict how many wins they’ll finish with.
What does Apollo CEO Marc Rowan want for Christmas? To define private credit
Apollo CEO Marc Rowan is planning to gift the definitive book on private credit to clarify risks and myths.
People made fire 350,000 years earlier than previously thought, scientists find
Stone Age site in English county of Suffolk shows evidence of crucial stage in human development
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
Scientists discover oldest evidence of human-made fire in a 400,000-year-old hearth
A new archaeological find pushes back the timeline on when humans mastered the ability to make fires, a transformative technology.
The Pixel Watch 4 is getting new one-handed gestures and better smart replies
It’s now easier to control your Pixel Watch by pinching your fingers or turning your wrist.
US Agrees on $1.7 Billion Health Funding Package With Uganda
The US and Uganda have agreed on a $1.7 billion health financing, part of a program that seeks to wean African nations off aid.
The Never-Seen-Before First Stars In The Universe Might Have Finally Been Spotted
They’re the very definition of live fast and die young!
AMD FSR 4 Redstone Review
AMD's FSR Redstone is finally here—and it's more than just another FSR update. With ML-powered frame generation that can match (and sometimes beat) DLSS, smarter ray tracing cleanup, and excellent driver-level support, Redstone turns FSR into a competitive performance solution.
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.
John Roberts’s Dream Is Finally Coming True
The Chief Justice has been working to neuter the Voting Rights Act since the beginning of his career.
School District Hires New Business Administrator
Verona Public Schools is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. James Riley as the district’s new business administrator and board secretary. Dr. Riley brings to Verona an exceptional record of leadership, extensive experience across school finance and operations, and a uniquely rich background in both educational administration and the arts. Dr. Riley holds an […]
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.
State championship football games set to produce lots of tears
Final high school football games for 2025 will produce emotional endings in Orange County this weekend.
Scientists discover a new state of matter at Earth’s center
New research reveals that Earth’s solid inner core is actually in a superionic state, where carbon atoms flow freely through a solid iron lattice. This unusual behavior makes the core soft, matching seismic observations that have puzzled scientists for decades. The mobility of these light elements may also contribute energy to Earth’s magnetic field. The findings reshape models of Earth’s interior and could apply to other rocky planets.
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.
Fed meeting updates: Federal Reserve to decide on interest rate cut at final 2025 meeting
The Federal Reserve is nearing a decision on interest rates. Jerome Powell could announce a third consecutive rate cut at December's Fed meeting.
Finland Needs More Reforms to Pay for Health Care, Report Says
Finland needs to fine tune how it provides basic health-care services in the midst of deeper budget deficits, according to a report assessing an overhaul carried out two years ago.
Safran Agrees to Sell In-Flight Entertainment Unit to Kingswood
French aircraft engine maker Safran SA, which supplies Airbus SE and Boeing Co., entered into a definitive agreement to sell its in-flight entertainment and connectivity business to private equity firm Kingswood Capital Management LP.
I went through early menopause at 29. It upended my work and life for nearly two decades — here's what finally helped.
After dealing with endometriosis since she was a teenager, Claudia Zimmerman had a hysterectomy at age 29. This was the start of a 17-year struggle.
Small-business owners are losing confidence
The Chamber of Commerce finds inflation the biggest challenge for small business.
Thursday’s health vote: GOP factions to watch
Senate Republicans are finally set to vote on a GOP health care plan Thursday — the same day that the Senate will vote on Democrats' proposal to extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies by three years.
Notre Dame to join a conference after CFP rejection? That's a joke
When the airing of grievances finally concludes, Notre Dame will do what it always does. The Irish will stay independent.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX ‘aiming for $1.5tn valuation’ in stock market flotation
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc (PLAY) Q3 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Navigating ...
Despite a net loss, Dave & Buster's focuses on new menu success, marketing revamp, and international expansion to drive future growth.
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
Prep basketball roundup: Freshman Major Williams makes 11 threes for Edison
Major Williams tied a school record with 11 threes and finished with 39 points in Edison's 96-82 victory over Long Beach Jordan on Tuesday night.
Thunder on the verge of setting another franchise record
How the Thunder has set the stage for an opportunity to make franchise history in Wednesday's NBA Cup quarter-final against the Suns.
Medical marijuana can curb opioid use, study finds
Knicks storm past Raptors to advance into NBA Cup semifinals in Las...
The streaking Knicks are taking their luck to Sin City.
NBA Cup: Desmond Bane drops 37 to rally Magic past Heat, Knicks blow past Raptors to reach semifinals
These Giants have the most to prove in final four games of season
No matter how much the Giants would like it to be the case, history says wins in December don’t carry over to the next season. But individual late-season performance can be a springboard for better...
House GOP leaders to pitch health care options for vote next week
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said Republican leaders will present their health care proposals to the full House GOP conference on Wednesday to find out which items have consensus for…
Lakers, Spurs square off in NBA Cup West semifinal
A pair of Western Conference powers, vying to become the primary threat to the defending NBA champions, will meet in an NBA Cup West semifinal Wednesday when the Los Angeles Lakers play host to the San Antonio Spurs.
Hegseth tells congressional leaders he is weighing release of boat strike video
Hegseth provided a classified briefing for congressional leaders alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other top national security officials.
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
Lawmakers ramp up pressure to see unedited footage of boat strikes
The 'Gang of Eight' met with top brass on Dec. 9 to discuss much-scrutinized September boat strikes.
Baldur's Gate 3 dev Larian says "There aren't currently any plans" for a Divinity: Original Sin 3 — but a new Definitive Edition for 2 just got leaked
Larian's next game may not be Divinity: Original Sin 3, but a new version of 2 may be on the way.
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.
Supreme Court poised to strike down Watergate-era campaign finance limits
The Supreme Court's conservatives signaled they are likely to rule for Republicans and President Trump by throwing out a Watergate-era limit on campaign funding by political parties. Such a ruling could allow parties to support their candidate's campaigns with help from wealthy donors.
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.'
Pizza chain once backed by NBA star Kevin Durant hits bankruptcy court
A pizza chain once backed by NBA star Kevin Durant has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after years of shrinking locations and financial struggles.
‘Crisis’ ebbs: Minnesota student mental health rebounds post-pandemic
Results from the 2025 Minnesota student survey released Tuesday show a turnaround from 2022 when nearly one-third of students reported long-term mental health struggles in the pandemic, a finding officials then described as a “crisis.”
Supreme Court weighs campaign finance limits in GOP-backed challenge
Small business optimism rises, but owners say qualified workers are still hard to find
Small business optimism rises despite ongoing labor quality concerns as well as inflation challenges, according to new NFIB data showing mixed economic signals.
Earth's crust hides enough 'gold' hydrogen to power the world for tens of thousands of years, emerging research suggests
Reservoirs of hydrogen gas that form naturally in Earth's crust could help humans decarbonize. The challenge now is finding these accumulations and working out how best to mine them, experts say.
Supreme Court weighs further loosening campaign finance limits
Republican leaders are asking the high court to remove limits on how much parties can spend in coordination with federal candidates on items like advertisements.
Prairie strips can rapidly improve soil health
Prairie strips can improve measures of soil health faster than expected, according to new research by Iowa State University scientists working in cooperation with the Soil Health Institute. Earlier studies have shown that prairie strips established in approximately 10% of a field can significantly increase biodiversity and pollinator habitat, reduce erosion and improve water quality. However, strips’ impacts on soil health have remained largely unexamined until now. Findings published recently in the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation showed that prairie strips improved a number of soil health measures within 10-12 years.
Supreme Court may scrap campaign finance limit challenged by Trump, GOP
The Republican Party wants the Supreme Court to overturn a 2001 decision aimed at preventing donors from bypassing limits on what they can give candidates.
First look: Android 17 may finally let you remap buttons on your game controller
2026's big Android 17 update could bring some major new gaming features like support for remapping the buttons on your favorite gamepad.
Microsoft rounds off 2025 with one final Windows 11 feature update — here's what's new and fixed
The Windows 11 December 2025 Security Update is now rolling out, and alongside it comes a number of new features and changes to round off the year.
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.
Political scientists launch the Berkeley Program on Finance and
Can finance serve democracy, or is it fated to play an adversarial role? UC Berkeley is launching a new initiative to investigate this question.The Berkeley Program on Finance and Democracy will
Are you an 'AI creeper?'
If you find yourself hiding your AI usage from your colleagues and boss, you might be an 'AI creeper.'
Supreme Court Questions Spending Curbs on Political Parties
The US Supreme Court weighed Republican calls for a fresh rollback of campaign-finance regulations, questioning federal caps that limit spending by political parties in coordination with candidates.
New studies show that AI can influence voters more than campaign ads
AI chatbots can significantly influence voters' political opinions, two studies find.
Watch: Man rips Christmas lights off tree outside Dallas business
Dallas police need help finding a holiday Grinch who destroyed a Christmas light display outside a small business.
Making it Easier to Create, Discover, and Share Content on Facebook
We’re improving Facebook’s Feed, search, and navigation so you can easily update your profile and find new content.
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.
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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