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Readers respond: Help all business, not just Blazers
Letters to the Editor can be submitted to letters@oregonian.com with full name and place of residence.
Letters to Sports: Sam Darnold and his Super Bowl odyssey
Readers of the Los Angeles Times Sports Section give their thoughts about Sam Darnold leading the Seahawks to the Super Bowl win, Bad Bunny and more.
8 romance novels for readers who love science, too
Scientific American’s staff recommends eight books that are as full of science as they are of love
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics
Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here's an offering of the best of this week's crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.
Opinion | Olympians, leave politics at home
Readers on the Olympics, Football prayer, Billie Eilish’s Land acknowledgement, Sonny Jurgensen and more.
Vote for UT Health San Antonio in the 2026 YourSA SAEN Readers’ Choice Awards - UT Health San Antonio
Voting for the 2026 YourSA San Antonio Express-News’ Readers’ Choice Awards begins Monday, Feb. 9. Voters can submit their votes once a day, every day through 11:59 p.m. CST Sunday, Feb. 22, to help UT Health San Antonio practices retain their top spots as the best in San Antonio. Each year, the YourSA San Antonio Express-News’ Readers’ […]
The Corruption of Science
Some readers may remember from September when I posted the excellent presentation regarding the corruption of science by Erik Molvar at the 2025 Healthy Public Lands Conference. If you didn't watch...
Decent or disastrous? Starmer’s judgment and leadership divide opinion
Letters: Readers respond to a piece by Polly Toynbee in which she says she cannot understand the reason for this level of public dislike
Threadripper PRO 9995WX $12,000 mod turns heat spreader into a water block, stays under 50°C at 1,550W
Geekerwan machines custom IHS as a waterblock for Threadripper PRO 9995WX Geekerwan has published a new build video on AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper PRO
Don’t buy Broward Health’s ‘better’ hype | Letters to the editor
A Sun Sentinel reader smells another backroom deal involving Broward’s two public, tax-supported hospital district.
Letters to Sports: Dodgers visiting White House fires up usual debate
Readers of the Los Angeles Times Sports section give their thoughts on myriad topics, with a majority not wanting the franchise of Jackie Robinson visiting the White House.
After Almost a Century, Readers Close Mass Market Paperbacks
E-books and pricier formats push cheap pocket novels toward extinction
Experts Warn: The Dangerous Blur Between Science and Wellness in Mental Health Bestsellers
A marketplace where labels blur In many bookstores, titles rooted in clinical science sit inches from glossy self-help guides promising instant serenity. That proximity can make rigorous research look interchangeable with lifestyle advice, especially when everything shares the same bright displays. Readers encounter a single aisle labeled “psychology,” even when the content ranges from peer-reviewed evidence to spiritual rituals. The result is a subtle but pervasive blur, turning a complex health landscape into a grab-bag of mixed claims. Why the shelves can mislead Retail categories are built for convenience, not for methodological clarity or clinical accuracy. When “development personal” or “wellness” becomes the default bin, evidence-based psychology competes with coaching manifestos and mystical manuals. The visual language of covers—calming color palettes, confident subtitles, glowing endorsements—flattens the distinction between randomized trials and anecdotal wisdom. In that aesthetic harmony, a guide on cognitive behavioral therapy may appear no more “serious” than a book on moon manifestation. The stakes for readers and patients Confusion carries real risks, including delayed care when people self-treat serious symptoms with untested routines. Vulnerable readers—facing depression, trauma, or anxiety—may be swayed by charismatic voices over careful data. Some messages frame recovery as pure willpower, which can amplify shame when symptoms persist despite effort. Others overpromise universal solutions, ignoring cultural context, diagnostic nuance, and comorbidity. “Shelving is not neutral; it shapes beliefs, expectations, and choices.” What professionals and retailers are asking Clinicians and public-health experts argue for clear, readable signage that separates science-based mental health from broader wellness. Books by licensed psychiatrists or psychologists that cite peer-reviewed studies could be grouped under “Evidence-Based Mental Health.” Adjacent space might host reflective memoirs, coaching workbooks, or contemplative philosophy—valuable in their way, but clearly labeled as non-clinical guidance. Booksellers emphasize their dual role as cultural curators and commercial actors, noting they respond to demand while striving for quality standards. How clarity could look and feel The goal is not to police ideas, but to help readers navigate with confidence. Transparent categorization respects reader autonomy while lifting the signal of credible practice. Clear tags—such as “scientific references,” “clinical overview,” or “personal narrative”—can work like map legends, turning a maze into a route. And when a book blends modes, hybrid labels can acknowledge both insight and limitation. A practical checklist for choosing wisely Check the author’s credentials: clinical license, academic affiliation, or relevant training. Scan the references: citations to peer-reviewed journals or reputable guidelines. Look for scope limits: clear statements about who the book is and isn’t for, and when to seek care. Seek methods, not miracles: approaches tested across diverse groups, with measurable outcomes. Watch the language: be wary of absolute claims, stigmatizing tones, or one-size-fits-all promises. Cross-verify with trusted bodies: national psychology associations or public-health agencies. The publisher’s responsibility Publishers can raise the bar by standardizing disclosure on methods, sample sizes, and limitations. Editorial policies could require conflict-of-interest statements, transparent citations, and plain-language summaries of evidence. Marketing should avoid medicalized framing for books that lack clinical validation, even when sales incentives press for bold claims. When a manuscript mixes reflection with research, honest jacket copy can prevent false equivalence. Coexisting without confusion Wellness writing can offer genuine comfort, perspective, and daily habits that support well-being. Scientific texts can provide structured tools, validated therapies, and realistic expectations for progress. The aim is to let these strands coexist, while giving readers the navigational cues to tell them apart. With clearer shelves, informed labels, and modest design tweaks, we can protect reader trust—and keep the aisle both inviting and intelligent.
Opinion | The parents and coaches who have ruined youth sports
How to fix youth sports, the jobs market and the tax system, in readers’ eyes.
Reader's Choice Highlights
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This tiny pocket-friendly e-reader is packed with frustration and potential
The Xteink X4 is small enough to slip into a shirt pocket.
Readers respond: Bipartisanship not holding Legislature back on health care
Letters to the Editor can be submitted to letters@oregonian.com with full name and place of residence.
The best new popular science books of February 2026
Readers are spoiled for choice when it comes to popular science reading this month, with new titles by major names including Maggie Aderin and Michael Pollan
Letters to Sports: Rams came so close to proving Bill Plaschke right
Readers of the Los Angeles Times Sports section give their thoughts on the Rams' playoff loss and Bill Plaschke's prediction as well as UCLA, USC, the Lakers and Dodgers.
The video games industry is killing itself and no one seems to care
After a week of bad news for games companies, a reader worries that Western publishers are too far gone for any kind of recovery to be possible.
Opinion | Flirting is trickier than ever. Here’s how to approach it.
Dating and politics, in readers’ eyes.
Opinion | In Science We Trust. Or Do We?
Readers respond to a guest essay about the methods and reliability of science. Also: Opioid addiction; judges and presidents; cursive writing.
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics
Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here's an offering of the best of this week's crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.
Live Seahawks vs. Patriots Q&A with SB Nation’s Doug Farrar
SB Nation’s Doug Farrar is doing a live Super Bowl LX Q&A with Field Gulls readers this Friday. Add your questions in the comments!
SEC survey results: Fans on the state of the conference, Indiana and the future of the sport
By and large, SEC football fans are humbled. However, they’re not in a panic, based on the results of a reader survey by The Athletic.
Join the Conversation at Business Insider
Comments let readers react, question, and build on our journalism together, turning reading into a shared experience.
Syracuse council removes Flock license plate reader from intersection
The Syracuse Common Council on Monday voted to remove a license plate reader at the intersection of Headson Drive and Thompson Road.
Opinion | The major problem with clickbait science news
Taiwan’s silicon shield, the scientific process and house burping, in readers’ eyes.
Letters to the Editor: Yes, political extremists are dangerous, but more so when they’re in power
'Wingnuts are dangerous, but mainstream wingnuts even more so. It’s time we all wake up to the reality that there is nothing conservative about MAGA populism,' writes an L.A. Times reader.
Letters to Sports: Readers debate whether the Dodgers are ruining baseball
Readers of the Los Angeles Times give their thoughts on the Dodgers signing Kyle Tucker, the Rams, the LeBron James-Jeanie Buss rift and college football.
Here are the 5 best sports bars in the Portland area: Readers Choice Awards
Did your favorite spot make the list?
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics
Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here's an offering of the best of this week's crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.
Spotify is testing a feature that syncs audiobooks with paper editions
Getting readers on the same page.
When policing, football and politics collide
Letters: Readers reflect on the West Midlands police chief stepping down after the row over banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans
Opinion | The Troubling and Paradoxical Nature of Christian Nationalism
Readers respond to an Opinion guest essay by Molly Worthen and reflect on church, state and American politics. Also: After a therapist dies.
Readers respond: Don’t become a pawn to politics
Letters to the Editor can be submitted to letters@oregonian.com with full name and place of residence.
A take on the science of reading from a special educator
Beacon Journal readers write about the science of reader, a new state bill, energy-saving appliances and national politics.
Letters to Sports: Charging out of the NFL playoffs, again
Readers of the Los Angeles Times Sports section give their thoughts on the Chargers' playoff exit, the Dodgers signing Kyle Tucker, the, Lakers, Clippers and Chloe Kim.
Letters to Sports: Charging out of the NFL playoffs, again
Readers of the Los Angeles Times Sports section give their thoughts on the Chargers' playoff exit, the Dodgers signing Kyle Tucker, the, Lakers, Clippers and Chloe Kim.
Enquirer names Cincinnati high school athletes of the week for Jan. 16
Cincinnati.com readers selected the Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine's Athletes of the Week from high school sports action through Jan. 11.
Letters to the Editor: Some people will always find a way to downplay the importance of science
'Periodically, I’ve had chats with neighbors about the heat. Most of the talks have been thoughtful, but some have veered into cuckoo territory,' writes an L.A. Times reader.
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics
Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here's an offering of the best of this week's crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.
Opinion | I’m a business owner. Here’s what tariffs do.
Taxes, jobs and the November midterms, through readers’ eyes.
Maine political news sent right to your phone. Sign up for text alerts from our editor.
Our text alerts are free for all readers. Get connected for news and updates about Election 2026 and more by filling out the information below.
What most caused Packers' playoff demise? Here's what readers said
We polled readers to find out what they primarily blamed for the Packers' early exit, and here's what they told us.
Scott Adams, creator of comic strip 'Dilbert,' dies at 68
While Adams’ career fall seemed swift, careful readers of “Dilbert” saw a gradual darkening of the strip’s tone
An icy swim and luscious lupins– readers’ best photographs
A selection of Guardian readers’ photographs from around the world
Wild Center secures nomination for nation’s ‘best science museum’
TUPPER LAKE — Another year, another nomination of national prestige for The Wild Center. The museum was named on Monday as one of 20 nominees vying for the “Best Science Museum” in USA TODAY’s 2026 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. This is the fourth year in a row that The Wild Center has been nominated, and […]
2026 Best of Business
WBJ’s Best of Business awards are centered around one concept: referrals. Businesses will attract and retain new customers in all sorts of ways, but most will tell you the best way is to get your existing clients to do it for you. A recommendation from a trusted source goes a long way whenever a company leader is looking for a lawyer, an accountant, a place for lunch, a venue for a large event, or a fun place to take employees as a reward for all their hard work. Now in its 13th year, WBJ’s Best of Business awards are essentially recommendations from trusted sources for the organizations to best help your companies succeed. As we do every year, WBJ compiled this list of winners by asking our readers to vote in the various categories. From Nov. 1-28, more than 2,160 votes were cast. The top votegetters are the winners of this year’s 54 categories. To celebrate these winners and to meet the best of the best, I invite you to attend WBJ’s Best of Business awards event at 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 28 at the Beechwood Hotel in Worcester. Part celebration and part hyperactive networking event, the Best of Business awards is a unique experience in the local economic scene. Always a good time, the room is full of potential contacts, who can all help your business achieve that next level of excellence. You can register here. – Brad Kane, editor
The 5 Biggest No-Shows of CES 2026
As the Consumer Electronics Show of 2026 comes to an end, our field crew has done of a lot of work to keep readers updated. However, pre-CES expectations were high for several product launches, that sadly didn't happen. In today's piece we are ranking the top five things we didn't get at CES 2026, e...
Letters to Sports: Time for Mick Cronin to fix UCLA's problems
Readers of the Los Angeles Times Sports section give their thoughts on the state of UCLA basketball, USC football, the Lakers, Angels and Dodgers.
Hammer and Rails Reader Survey Results: Big Ten Champion Prediction
Will Braden Smith break more records?
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics
Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here's an offering of the best of this week's crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.
Readers respond: Good neighbors can transcend politics
Letters to the Editor can be submitted to letters@oregonian.com with full name and place of residence.
Nominate your favorite sports bar in the Portland area for our Readers Choice Awards
Nominations are open until 11 p.m. Monday, Jan. 12, 2026.
AI Prognosis readers' predictions for health AI in 2026. What's on your bingo card?
STAT's AI Prognosis newsletter is kicking off the new year with a look at what our readers have on their health AI bingo cards for 2026.
Vote for the Greater Cincinnati high school athlete of the week Jan. 5
Enquirer readers can now vote for this week's Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Athlete of the Week for activity through Jan. 4, 2026.
Letters to the Editor: Trump’s politics of unpredictability will have serious consequences
'We enter a period where intimidation replaces leadership, and spectacle substitutes foresight,' write an L.A. Times reader.
Philosophy to the Rescue of Science
The pessimistic meta-induction—the argument that since past scientific theories have been shown to be false, we should expect that today’s will turn out false, too—makes the New York Times. . Elay Shech, professor of philosophy at Auburn University, takes up the topic in the context of current political disputes about science and our government’s seemingly increasing disregard of expertise: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of health and human services, made a version of this argument in August when defending his decision to halt hundreds of millions of dollars in mRNA vaccine development despite the objections of vaccine scientists. He said that “science is always evolving” and the experts could not always be trusted. Shech accepts that “many widely accepted [scientific] theories have been discarded” but that the question, “why should we trust the ones we have now?” is misleading. Why? It implies that the only possible attitudes toward science are naïve faith and wholesale pessimism. It assumes that science is a single global entity that rises or falls all at once, when in reality, science is an array of local domains of inquiry, each with its own standards of evidence and degrees of reliability. In place of skepticism, Shech recommends “disciplined trust.” The first step in the direction of disciplined trust is recognizing that “there is no single scientific method used in all of science.” Shech writes: Newton’s deduction from observed phenomena is very different from Darwin’s inference to the best explanation, which in turn differs radically from Einstein’s thought experiments with light beams, trains and elevators. What people call “the scientific method” is really many distinct ways of investigating the world—different strategies for representing, experimenting and classifying. Since different areas of science employ different methods and rely on different kinds of evidence, to make a case for skepticism “you need to look at the evidence and methods in a specific area of inquiry.” And that case will not be “a sweeping claim about all of science” but rather about that particular area of inquiry with, for example, what might turn out to be “well-understood methodological problems.” Shech’s piece is “Science Keeps Changing, So Why Should We Trust It?” (NYT gift link). Discussion welcome (readers are advised to keep in..
Book Review: ‘Why We Drink Too Much,’ by Charles Knowles
In a useful entry in the growing canon of “quit lit,” Charles Knowles blends science and memoir to persuade readers to cut down on alcohol.
A PvP Analysis on Community Day Classic Empoleon
Happy New Year, dear readers! 🥳 There is barely time to catch up on the sleep lost watching New Year’s festivities 🥱 before our first event of 2026 is already upon us: Community Day Classic Empoleon is THIS weekend, Sunday the 4th, from 2:00pm to 5:00pm locally. And the only summary I think I need to provide […]
Letters to Sports: Times are tough for Lincoln Riley and his Trojans
Readers of the L.A. Times Sports section share their thoughts on USC losing in the Alamo Bowl, Lincoln Riley's coaching job, college bowl games, the Lakers and Bill Plaschke.
Opinion | A.C.A. Subsidies Have Expired. How Are You Affording Health Care?
Tell us how you’re managing increases to your health care insurance costs.
The Year the Newsletter Business Reached a Fever Pitch
Writers, investors and pop stars alike are building new media businesses to connect directly with readers and fans.
Top 10 of 2025: The Year’s Most Popular Politics Stories
In a politically charged year, which stories were most popular with readers?
Health care stories that resonated with our readers in 2025
Click in for more news from The Hill{beacon}View Online Health Care Health Care The Big Story Health care stories that resonated with our readers in 2025 2025 marked some of the most …
Save science funding so critical to Ohio’s future: John M. Herbert and Bern Kohler
For decades, federal science funding has enjoyed bipartisan support. We urge readers to contact their elected representatives and encourage them to pay it forward and resist the devastating proposed federal budget cuts, write guest columnists John M. Herbert, a Professor of Chemistry, and Bern Kohler, Ohio Eminent Scholar, both at Ohio State University.
Editors Pick: Sense, Nonsense and Science Columns
Seed World Europe features the columns of Dr. Joe Schwarcz, Director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society, for readers who appreciate science with clarity, curiosity, and wit. Known for demystifying chemistry and challenging misinformation, Joe brings an engaging, no-nonsense voice to topics spanning food, biotechnology, health claims, and the science behind everyday phenomena. Each column helps readers separate evidence from hype while exploring how science shapes our world—and the seed sector.
Eurogamer readers' top 50 games of 2025 - "It made me cry three times"
The best games of 2025 as voted for by Eurogamer readers.
'Crush' explores how gravity shapes life as we know it
James Riordan’s new book will help readers wrap their heads around this mysterious, fundamental force of nature.
2025's top political stories from KUNC News
KUNC News and the Colorado Capitol News Alliance take a look at the top stories that mattered to our readers and listeners this year.
My New Year's resolution: Record every book I read
Follow along as Danny Heitman attempts to record every book he reads in a journal, inspired by Louisiana readers and Pamela Paul's "My Life With Bob."
Readers Write: UCare, U President Rebecca Cunningham, science, moose, pedestrians
State must do right in wake of UCare’s collapse.
Letters to Sports: Playing the blame game in USC-Notre Dame debacle
Readers of the Los Angeles Times Sports section share their thoughts on the USC-Notre Dame rivalry, the Rams, UCLA, Angels and college football.
Diabetes, heart disease — and a super-spreader? Experts share fears...
Arts & Entertainment looks back at 2025
As we wind down another trip around the sun, dear readers, let’s take a look back at what the world of local Arts & Entertainment gave us in 2025. From cool art exhibits to a resident appearing in...
The nation’s cartoonists look back on the year that was.
Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here's a look back on the past year through the eyes of the cartoonists. Edited by Matt Wuerker.
Mad about Science: The solarwinds hack » Sandpoint Reader
By Brenden BobbyReader Columnist It’s important to practice good cybersecurity when you’re at home or at your job. Don’t click links you can’t verify. Don’t open emails from people you don’t recognize trying to...
The Most-Read Vogue Business Stories of 2025
Labubus, AI slop, exciting M&A deals and more designer debuts than ever before. Here’s what Vogue Business readers clicked on this year.
Nominate UT Health San Antonio in the 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards - UT Health San Antonio
The YourSA San Antonio Express-News’ Readers’ Choice Awards give the San Antonio community the opportunity to recognize the healthcare organizations they trust most. Thanks to the continued support of patients, faculty, staff and the San Antonio community, UT Health San Antonio has earned top honors in multiple categories in past years, reflecting its commitment […]
Book examines life purpose, from ancient wisdom to emerging science
In a new book, “Purpose in Life as Ancient but Nascent,” psychology professor Anthony Burrow and colleagues explore purpose through the lens of psychology, philosophy and human development to help readers cultivate a sense of purpose.
Readers respond: Get past politics; connect with humans
Letters to the Editor can be submitted to letters@oregonian.com with full name and place of residence.
Opinion | How to Reduce Surging Health Care Costs
Readers suggest ways to bring medical costs under control for average Americans. Also: Australia sets an example for the U.S. on gun laws.
Letters to Sports: No defense for the Rams, or Bill Plaschke's prediction
Readers of the Los Angeles Times Sports section share their thoughts on the Rams, Dodgers, UCLA and Mick Cronin, as well as the NBA Cup.
A letter from STAT's Rick Berke on a tumultuous year in health and science
A letter to readers from STAT Executive Editor Rick Berke on a tumultuous year in health and science.
Opinion | Weighing Politics and Morality in the Israel Debate
Readers respond to an essay criticizing U.S. Democrats’ failure to resolve the conflict in Gaza. Also: Trump’s Kennedy Center rebrand; blaming immigrants after the Brown shooting.
Letters to the Editor: For-profit healthcare, not the ACA, is to blame for our sky-high costs
'Until we stop hiding behind euphemisms and take steps to change, our healthcare costs will continue to escalate,' writes an L.A. Times reader.
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics
Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here's an offering of the best of this week's crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.
Letters to the Editor: Members of Congress should look at their own healthcare plans before cutting ours
'What is so hypocritical and unfair about the Republicans’ desire to slash health programs that serve most Americans is the fact that American citizens provide most of the money for the generous health benefits of Congress,' writes an L.A. Times reader.
My husband's stress around saving for retirement is exhausting. I know we'll be fine — how do I get through to him?
"For Love & Money" answers your relationship and money questions. This week, a reader struggles with her husband's stress about saving for retirement.
AI Prognosis: Were experts right about their 2025 health AI ‘bingo cards’?
AI Prognosis newsletter readers weigh in on 2025 predictions about ambient scribes, antibody design, AI agents, and more.
Letters to the Editor: Readers remember Rob Reiner’s contributions to both Hollywood and politics
'Rob Reiner's work has impacted generations of Americans. The characters, dialogue and visuals he brought to life in film and television are woven throughout our culture,' writes an L.A. Times reader.
Readers respond: Business-friendly Oregon falters on land development
Letters to the Editor can be submitted to letters@oregonian.com with full name and place of residence.
Readers respond: Political noise is drowning out proven science
Letters to the Editor can be submitted to letters@oregonian.com with full name and place of residence.
Enquirer names Cincinnati high school athletes of the week, Dec. 12
Cincinnati.com readers selected the Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine's Athletes of the Week from high school sports action through Dec. 7.
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics
Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here's an offering of the best of this week's crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.
BLOG: Who won big? Inside the Best of Central Valley Business 2025
It was an evening of firsts at Pardini’s in Fresno on Tuesday as the 2025 winners of the Best of Central Valley Business Readers’ Choice Awards were announced. Nearly 200 people attended the event to
The New WHO Pandemic Treaty and Global Health Governance: Incorporating Common but Differentiated Responsibilities into PABS - Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
On May 20, 2025, the World Health Assembly unanimously adopted the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement, an international treaty designed to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The product of three years of arduous negotiations, the treaty marks a new era of global cooperation in public health. However, core aspects of the agreement remain unresolved—notably the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) System, which is intended to ensure equitable access to pandemic-related materials and benefits. To support the successful implementation of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” should be formally incorporated into the negotiating agenda of the PABS annex. Introduction For the first time, an international treaty has enshrined the principle of “One Health,” the compelling idea that the health of animals, humans, and the environment all contribute to pandemic risks. SARS (2003), H1N1 (2009–10), Ebola (2014–16), and COVID-19 all emerged through zoonotic spillover from animal hosts—respectively, civets, hogs, and bats. Together, they underscore the need for a coordinated, cross-sectoral approach. The Pandemic Agreement responds to this call, requiring state parties to acknowledge the ecological interplay and commit to a comprehensive “One Health” strategy. Specifically, Article 5 charges governments to address “the drivers of pandemics and the emergence and re-emergence of infectious disease at the human-animal-environment interface,” including wild animal markets, deforestation, and antibiotic overuse. Yet the effectiveness of this “One Health” vision depends equally on the free flow of scientific information and data among countries and institutions. Just as environmental and animal health factors have been neglected in past global frameworks, so too has data sharing been marginalized, despite its centrality to timely detection and response. The Pandemic Agreement takes an important step by requiring governments to enhance data collection and cooperate with the World Health Organization (WHO). However, these provisions will remain aspirational without a robust Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex. The PABS system will determine whether countries and researchers can rapidly exchange pathogen samples and genetic data while ensuring equitable access to resulting research and development, including diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. Without such mechanisms, the treaty’s promise to operationalize “One Health” and strengthen global preparedness will risk becoming largely symbolic, echoing earlier failures to translate shared principles into coordinated action. Equity Concerns When the 2025 Health Assembly adopted the Pandemic Agreement, it left the difficult question of access to pathogens and the sharing of resulting benefits to be addressed in a separate agreement. Negotiations on this separate agreement, PABS, are now underway in Geneva. Yet governments remain divided over fundamental questions of equity between the countries that primarily contribute to the system and those that primarily draw from it—and consequently benefit. For example, wildlife in countries bordering the equator is likely to produce PABS materials, but companies in Europe are likely to use them to develop lucrative products. The most likely contributor countries are likely to be those biodiverse countries around the equator, such as Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Indonesia, where the number of human-mammalian viral host interactions is large. Conversely, countries most likely to benefit from this material are those with the technology, investors, and infrastructure to capitalize on genomic data, such as the United States, EU member states, and Japan. This imbalance reflects a broader pattern seen in prior international frameworks. Now, as in the past, the wealthiest countries in the world (a useful heuristic is membership of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)) disproportionately benefit from systems in which pathogens and genomic sequencing data are contributed to a common source. Under the International Agreement on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (the “Plant Treaty” or “Seed Treaty”) and the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework, companies from Europe and North America disproportionately withdraw biological samples and data for development into lucrative medical products. Their governments and companies have both statutory and contractual claims to the products that those companies correspondingly produce. PABS appears poised to follow the same pattern. The text calls for strong language on access to pathogens and associated data, but the corresponding benefits that should flow to poorer countries are couched in equivocal or non-binding language. Common but Differentiated Responsibilities To address these inequities, the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” should be formally incorporated into the negotiating agenda of the PABS annex. Common but differentiated responsibilities are often a feature of climate change negotiations. The basic principle is that, even though all countries should reduce carbon emissions, governments that became rich and powerful through massive carbon emissions (e.g., France, the United Kingdom, the United States) should have a greater obligation to address the resulting crises. Applied to PABS, it would require that governments hosting and supporting companies developing lucrative products carry greater obligations toward the cost of running the PABS system; share benefits or final medical products; and transfer technology to help countries worldwide develop their own capacities to innovate and manufacture vaccines during an emergency. For example, an annex could mandate that any company based in an OECD country that withdraws PABS material would be obligated to donate the resulting diagnostics, therapeutics, or vaccines to the WHO during a public health emergency or pandemic. Questions remain about how robust those donations would be, but the principle is that they should deliver highly significant lifesaving benefits to be equitably shared. Theoretically, this approach mirrors the PIP Framework, in which companies withdrawing influenza samples are required to pay half of the operating costs. In practice, however, the framework has fallen short. The PIP Framework Secretariat has struggled to secure payments from companies, with companies often disagreeing over how much is owed. Additionally, without another pandemic influenza to test the strength of the agreement during a public health emergency, corporate compliance with sharing mechanisms remains unknown. Even if these limitations did not characterize the PIP Framework, partially paying for operating expenses does not address the inequity in access to genetic data and pathogen samples that left less developed countries last in line for COVID-19 vaccines (and, before them, H1N1). Common but differentiated responsibilities would go further, addressing governments’ legitimate grievances regarding information sharing. It would make withdrawals of PABS material and resulting products more transparent, building trust across the board. Enforcement and Enduring Success A key implication of this approach is that the governing mechanism of the PABS must have real enforcement authority. The WHO Pandemic Agreement delegates its core governance responsibilities to a Conference of the Parties (COP)—a governing body composed of one representative from each participating government, similar to those established under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The proposed WHO Pandemic Agreement COP is charged with oversight functions but ultimately possesses no real authority to compel a government to take any action it does not wish to take. The text does not give the COP the ability to, for example, sanction a party that does not comply with either textual obligations or PABS provisions. In other words, there are no effective mechanisms in place to ensure compliance. Perhaps just as significant, establishing a meaningful enforcement mechanism within the PABS system would strengthen the WHO’s credibility and its ability to ensure compliance across global health governance. By setting a precedent for accountability, such a mechanism could enhance the organization’s authority not only within the Pandemic Agreement but also in enforcing the revised International Health Regulations and other frameworks for public health emergencies. Conclusion The PABS annex can—and should—be different. It should establish clear responsibilities for funding as well as for sharing the diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines that result from contributions to the system. The system, in turn, must include a dedicated body empowered to hold governments and the corporations they sponsor accountable for their responsibilities before, during, and after pandemics. Doing so would restore trust in the broader agreement, which was eroded as commitments were repeatedly diluted while parties scrambled to meet their own self-imposed deadlines during the Pandemic Agreement negotiations. A robust PABS Annex would cement a grand social bargain. Wealthier countries and their corporations would gain unimpeded access to scientific information essential for developing and manufacturing lifesaving medical products. As such, they would stand to gain considerable economic benefit. Yet that privilege must be matched with responsibility. The grand bargain must include not only the right to innovate, but also the duty to ensure that innovation serves all. As medical products are developed and produced through collective contributions, every person must have equal access. All human beings deserve an equitable chance to survive—to save their own life, the lives of their families, and the well-being of their communities. … Sam Halabi, JD, MPhil, is the Bette Jacobs Endowed Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Health and the Director of the Center for Transformational Health Law at Georgetown Law. He serves as the co-lead for the WHO’s Working Group on Regulatory Consideration on AI and Health’s training workstream. He earned his JD from Harvard, his MPhil from Oxford, and undergraduate degrees from Kansas State University. Lawrence Gostin, LLD (Hon.), JD, BA, is University Distinguished Professor and Founding Director and Timothy and Linda O’Neill Professor of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. He is the author of Global Health Security: A Blueprint for the Future (Harvard University Press, 2021); Global Health Law (Harvard University Press, 2014); Public Health Law: Power, Duty, Restraint (University of California Press, 3rd ed., 2016); Public Health Law and Ethics: A Reader (University of California Press, 3rd ed., 2018); Law and the Health System (Foundation Press, 2014); Principles of Mental Health Law & Practice (Oxford University Press, 2010). He also directs the WHO Collaborating Center at Georgetown University. Image Credit: United States Mission Geneva, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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