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Inside PEOPLE, “Entertainment Weekly” and DIRECTV’s Star-Studded Party Celebrating Reality TV’s Biggest Names
Stars from ‘The Real Housewives of Orange County’, ‘Vanderpump Rules’, ‘Love Island’, ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and more gathered for a night of fun in Beverly Hills on Nov. 5
El-Sayed launches Habibi PAC
Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed (D-Mich.) has launched Habibi PAC, his own political action committee, just days after punching his ticket to the upper chamber, Federal Election Commission filings show. …
'Beverly Hills, 90210' actress Kimmarie Johnson dies at 50
Kimmarie Johnson attends the 6th annual Television Academy Honors on May 9, 2013, in Beverly Hills, California. (Mark Davis/Getty Images)
Harmeet Dhillon resigns after radical reshape of Justice Department's Civil Rights Division
Dhillon has been a powerful and divisive figure inside President Donald Trump’s Justice Department since her confirmation last year as assistant attorney general, where she dramatically changed the direction of a division created during the country’s Civil Rights Movement to protect the rights of minorities.
Empiricists strike back: Midterms propel scientists and physicians to Capitol Hill
Undoing the White House’s war on science won’t be easy. Having new Democratic scientists and doctors in Congress will be a big help.
Annual gingerbread house contest to have folk art feel
Gingerbread architects of all ages have a new muse this holiday season: a Hillsborough couple’s collection of more than 1,400 miniature American buildings.
The Risks of Decentralizing Your Organization
In order to make faster decisions, be more agile, and keep the business closer to customers, companies like Unilever, Citigroup, and Phillips are shifting away from centralized corporate centers to a business unit model. Along the way, they run into three common challenges: 1) General managers aren’t ready for the job; 2) GMs are even less ready for AI; and 3) the shift triggers a talent exodus from the centralized functions that are still necessary for the enterprise. Companies that stop at the structural shift without rethinking talent, AI readiness, and the role of the center are trading one set of vulnerabilities for another.
What's the 411?
We remember British actor Sir Patrick Stewart. He was best known as Capt. Picard on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and also as Professor Charles Xavier in the "X-Men" series.
Philadelphia's Two Charter Changes Passed. Here's What They Do Now as the Official Count Begins
Philadelphia voters approved both charter amendments on Nov. 3, one letting the city favor small and local businesses on mid-size contracts and one making Creative Philadelphia a permanent office, PhillyVoice and Billy Penn reported. Neither takes effect until results are certified.
'Hard yards' and a Prague summit
How hundreds of Bournemouth fans were able to enjoy a come-from-behind win at Sparta Prague, after ascending a steep hill to get there.
8th Annual Dodgeball Tournament at Haverhill Chamber Business After Hours
Members of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce will soon gather for the eighth Annual Business After Hours Dodgeball Tournament. What has become tradition—and legend—Chamber members and guests in teams of at least six members compete for bragging rights in the competition benefitting the Haverhill YMCA. The tournament takes place Wednesday, Dec. 2, starting at
Washington voters approve transgender athlete ban
Washington voters are projected to reverse the state’s long-standing policy that has allowed transgender girls to compete on girls’ and women’s school sports teams, according to Decision Desk HQ.&n…
Phillies lose pitcher to Rays three days into free agency
The right-hander didn't allow a run in 2026.
Deshaun Watson sidelined again Thursday
Browns QB Deshaun Watson may be facing uphill battle to play in Week 9 after another DNP
'A disaster': Copperhill, McCaysville businesses slammed by Ocoee flash flooding
Freezers and display cases were flipped over, and soda bottles covered the floor Thursday at the Hometown Foods IGA in McCaysville, Georgia.
Chinese scientists chill atoms to record low on Tiangong space station
Scientists brought thousands of rubidium atoms to less than 10 trillionths of a degree above absolute zero.
After Career in Business, Dave Winter Serves Hometown as Parish Life Director
The former investment manager and local shoe store owner now turns his skills, education, and experience to leading Holy Cross Parish in Springfield, Delaware County.
2026 TSSAA Football Playoffs Hardin Valley Academy vs. Science Hill High School - 11/06/2026
Watch the 2026 TSSAA Football Playoffs Hardin Valley Academy vs. Science Hill High School - 11/06/2026 live and on demand online on the NFHS Network
North Carolina: Investigation Into Football Program Cost Nearly $1 Million
Internal records reveal a massive financial toll following misconduct claims and high-profile resignations, leaving Bill Belichick fighting for bowl eligibility to secure his future in Chapel Hill.
German pension fund raided in probe of troubled real estate deals, including Chicago
At the heart of the probe are “loss making” investments by BVK in seven US real estate projects spanning Chicago, New York, Miami Beach, Beverly Hills and San Francisco.
The Blue Wave hits Sand Hill Road
Elon Musk, venture capital, MAGA politics, and AI data centers collide as Democrats win big in the Midterm elections.
I lost my period for two decades — I wish I had known what I know now
A former patient shares her struggle with hypothalamic amenorrhea and advocates for better education on the menstrual cycle as a vital sign.
MLB lockout tracker: What CBA talks mean for Phillies baseball
From a proposed salary cap to free agency and playoff changes, follow every development before the current CBA expires Dec. 1.
Phillies News: Dave Dombrowski, Cristopher Sánchez, Albert Pujols
Will we see some action soon?
Vail Resorts facing a proxy fight over its board, business strategy
Oasis Management, which owns 10% of the resort operator’s stock, is calling for a strategic shift, saying “Vail Resorts has gone downhill”.
Kamala Harris urges Dems to 'be ruthless' with power after midterms, demands Trump accountability
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and former President Bill Clinton offered their thoughts on the heels of the midterm elections.
Healthcare powers Democrats’ midterm rout: 4 takeaways
Voters sent a strong rebuke of the GOP health agenda on Tuesday night as Democrats took control of both chambers of Congress, rejecting Republicans who pushed sweeping healthcare cuts. Here are f…
Wild Birds in Lincoln Heights changes ownership
Wild Birds Unlimited Inc., operating on Spokane's South Hill, is under new ownership following the acquisition of the avian product shop by longtime Montana franchisee operators John and Kathy Haigh.
UConn football needs strong finish to reach bowl game
STORRS, Conn. (WTNH) — The UConn football program hasn’t been to a bowl game in three consecutive seasons since 2007-09. If the Huskies reach a bowl game this season, it would be a great momentum builder for coach Jason Candle. But after last Saturday’s loss to Air Force, the Huskies may have an uphill climb. […]
Democrats get their health agenda ready ahead of takeover
Presented by AstraZeneca{beacon} Healthcare Healthcare The Big Story Democrats get their health agenda ready ahead of takeover Reinstating the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium ta…
'Doors to the world of global health': Science Hill senior presents research at national conference
Science Hill High School senior Hanna E. presented research examining resilience and retrafficking risks among Ugandan human trafficking survivors at a national social work conference in Atlanta alongside an East Tennessee State University research team.
Phillies Could Target Slugger In Attempt to Improve Offense
The Phillies need more consistency from their offense next season.
PS5's Massive Black Friday 2026 Sale Is Loaded With Deals
Silent Hill 2, God of War Ragnarok, Astro Bot, Disco Elysium, Well Dweller, and many more PS5 games are currently on sale
Why a pink potato-like robot is wheeling around Philadelphia
In a city where robots get kicked, graffitied, and decapitated, an artist built a friendlier alternative. Is it enough?
Philly anti-Israel groups plan boycott of Jewish businesses before Kristallnacht anniversary
The graphic explicitly singles out several dining locations in the city, displaying crossed-out warning icons over the names Mac Mart, K'Far Cafe, Huda, Goldie, Dizengoff, and Schlesinger's.
Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center breaks ground on new building on Old Road
A ceremony was held last Thursday (Oct. 29) to break ground at the future site of a 49,000-square-foot, three-story building on Old Road that will house operations of the existing Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center on Blue Hill Avenue.
CData Software Recognized as Challenger in Gartner's 2026 Magic Quadrant for Data Integration Tools
CData’s platform connects and governs access to hundreds of enterprise systems for people, applications and AI agents CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Nov. 4, 2026 — CData Software today announced that it has been positioned as a Challenger in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Data Integration Tools. CData is the only vendor positioned in the Challenger […]
Heavy police response responds to Hillsborough County business complex
Another report indicated at least one subject on the ground.
Incumbent DA reelected by 3 to 1 margin in Hancock County
Incumbent District 7 top prosecutor Bob Granger of East Blue Hill swept up nearly three times as many Hancock County votes as his challenger, Steven Juskewitch, a Dedham attorney, on
Kraft Heinz to divest its North American coffee business in $650 million deal
Kraft Heinz will divest its North American coffee business to private equity firm One Rock Capital Partners as CEO Steve Cahillane works to revive the company.
The Universe Should Be Empty. A Single Trapped Antiparticle Might Finally Reveal Why It Isn’t.
Scientists chilled a single positron to its quantum ground state, chasing physics’ biggest mystery.
UGA celebrates Science and Ag Hill modernization
The University of Georgia completed the second phase of its Science and Ag Hill modernization initiative and celebrated with a ribbon-cutting and tour of the renovated facility on Oct. 28,
🍷 The sip heard ‘round town| Sports Daily Newsletter
And Caitlin Clark loves Philly, y'all.
Ex-UK political aide Steve Hilton loses bid for California governor
Hilton, who was endorsed by President Trump, faced an uphill battle as a Republican in the widely liberal state.
AFGHS co-signatory countries ask health care users to help fill the financing gap
Hundreds of thousands of Ugandans living with HIV on antiretrovirals could be targeted for user fees or community health insurance schemes requiring modest premium payments, according to the April 2026 version of the country’s America First Global Health Strategy implementation narrative.1 As part of the “sustainable financing for the private not for profit sector” strategy, 491 facilities will be targeted for a phased introduction of user fees and scale up of community health insurance programs.2 In the Ugandan context, PNFP facilities include faith-based hospitals and other health facilities, US missionary organizations and centers of excellence—services that are often co-located at government facilities but run with additional financial and technical resources. 402,000 people—or about 28 percent of the total Ugandan adult PLHIV population on treatment—get ART from the private not for profit sector. The selected facilities provide the majority of ART and prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) services. The plan doesn’t give the total number of clients served by the 491 facilities, so it is not possible to give a precise number. But the majority of 402,000 is a figure in the hundreds of thousands—hence the estimate I’m using.3 The April draft of the Ugandan implementation plan narrative is the only one I’ve been able to review. But the government of Uganda is not alone in turning to health care users to help fill the financing gaps caused by the abrupt withdrawal of US funds. In July 2025, the Government of Liberia introduced user fees for previously free services including “registration, accommodation, patient feeding, hospitalization, and a wide range of surgical and diagnostic procedures.”4 Earlier that year, Liberia rolled out a revolving drug fund designed to stabilize drug supplies by “allowing patients to pay a small fee for standardized, quality medications,” according to a Ministry of Health press release.5 (Both of these approaches had been proposed in the National Health Policy 2022-2031; media coverage explicitly connects the launch with the US foreign aid cuts.) The health financing strategies proposed by Uganda and established in Liberia are qualitatively different from user fees officially adopted by specific health facilities to cover funding shortfalls caused by the new US approach.6 The latter is a stopgap, adhoc change. The former is a national governmental adoption of policies that pass costs on to health care users, despite evidence that such approaches can exacerbate inequities and leave deficits unfilled. Two countries does not make a pattern, but they do point to urgent questions: Have other countries, including Liberia, included user fees or community health insurance schemes in their implementation plans? If so, do any of these narratives have what Uganda’s lacks: a fall-back plan in place in case these strategies for sustainable health systems fail to deliver—as they have before? I wonder if you think about it Subscribe Predictable pitfalls Both community-based health insurance and user fees are as old as the hills. And after decades of people climbing up these hills, duking it out, climbing back down—neither strategy has shown the results the Ugandan implementation plan is counting on. This is, in fact, a hill some folks are willing to die on. (You knew I’d get there, right?) In November 2025, an African-led team of health system experts published a paper directed at low- and middle income country governments trying to figure out how to create self-sustaining health systems. The money wasn’t coming back. It had been more than nine months since the season of freezing, waivering and wood-chippering; two months since AFGHS tumbled into the world touting co-financing requirements and reductions in future US government health aid. Governments were looking for strategies for sustainable, self-financed health systems, the authors wrote. For countries considering user fees and community health insurance to fill the financing gaps, they had a simple message: Don’t. On user fees, the paper states: “Reliance on user fees is ultimately a regressive and inequitable approach. It places a disproportionate burden on the poor and undermines health system goals of equity and financial protection. […] There is overwhelming evidence that user fees mobilise very limited resources for the public health sector, making it an inefficient mechanism for revenue mobilisation.” On community health insurance: “Attempting to shift the burden of funding previously donor-funded services, such as HIV care and management, and TB treatment, onto contributory schemes would exacerbate their fragility and fail to protect the population.”7 The WHO says that community-based health insurance “cannot be expected to provide a major source of funding or coverage,” and noted that most schemes offer only moderate benefit to individuals paying into them, and exclude the poorest segment of the population.8 And yet, the US-Ugandan implementation plan says that community health insurance is “the central pillar of this [PNFP] sustainability strategy” and that this approach that will generate “pre-paid pooled funding at facility and community level [that] improves financial risk protection for households, reduces catastrophic out-of-pocket expenditure, and generates structured, transparent revenue streams that can progressively absorb recurrent costs including health worker salaries.” Unfortunately, Uganda’s own history suggests the pillar might not be able to bear this weight. Ugandans Have Been to this Rodeo Before—and Some Want Their Money Back Uganda introduced its first community health insurance scheme in 1996 with support from international donors.9 Thirty years later, somewhere between 0.2 and 0.3 percent of the population is covered by CHI; just over 1 percent has any kind of health insurance.10 User fees were universally introduced in 1993 as a condition of a World Bank loan.11 They were abandoned in 2001, and in 2004—the year I moved to Uganda to watch the free HIV program get underway—a definitive study found that the fees did not improve health systems and outcomes.12 In 2004, most clinics and hospitals had ‘free’ and ‘fee for service’ options for getting care.13 The fee for service, or “cash and carry” programs had often been established in the years prior to PEPFAR and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. People who could afford to paid for the drugs, often at facilities in the private-not-for-profit (PNFP) sector. When free drugs arrived, some people who’d been paying kept on doing so, perhaps because of shorter wait times, greater confidentiality, convenience or other factors. But in the year that I spent visiting the same clinics around the country week after week—including a “center of excellence” that maintained separate days for cash and carry clients and those accessing free ARVs—lots of people who had been paying tried to switch to the free option. They’d paid because they had no other choice. They’d sold pieces of family land, begged family members for loans, bought pills by the week, and sometimes by the day. Or they were just cash-strapped, like most of us, and wanted the funds for other things. 14 Twenty-two years later, this hasn’t changed. Ugandans pay out of pocket for 30-40 percent of their health care costs, leading one paper to declare that “falling ill is more than a health crisis. It is a financial emergency.”15 One recent study found that up to 48.5 percent of households dealing with tuberculosis sold something, took out a loan or dug into savings to defray the costs of TB care—which is supposed to be universally free.16 The Ugandan implementation plan does anticipate challenges. It proposes a phased approach, with 187 facilities introducing user contribution systems in Year 1, 152 in Year 2, and 153 in Year 3. Willingness to pay and feasibility studies will precede roll out; fees will be tiered by region, and a waiver system is proposed to ensure that no one has to pay who is unable to. Moreover, the plan provides for quarterly reviews of epidemiological data to “ensure that user contributions do not compromise epidemic control gains, ART continuity for the client cohort, TB case management, or PMTCT services.” Alt text: A screenshot of a table included in the implementation plan narrative that is the subject of this stack. It’s got a fetching pink bar at the top. It uses the abbreviation “CHI” which is Community Health Insurance, and FBO which is Faith Based Organizations, and it details the number of facilities that will implement user fees with waivers and community health insurance schemes over the five years of the agreement. As I said in the footnote, this is a super interesting document with a lot of other rich material. Tell me what you see—and what you would have focused on. And if you’ve seen something like this, or anything else that strikes you, in another implementation plan, tell me that too. You can use the Substack message platform or try me on Signal at @endaplague_again.25 (because @mercoonfan was, weirdly, taken). But the plan doesn’t fully explain what will happen if this approach doesn’t work out. Yes, progress will be monitored, and corrective action triggered. However, there is no specified funding replacement if premium and fee revenue prove inadequate. Instead, the authors write, “Currently, COEs serve a total client cohort of over 180,000 across 28 facilities. In the initial years, the U.S. Government (USG) will provide financial support for clients; over time, user fees generated by COEs will become the primary source of funding for sustaining their services.” Failure does not really seem to be an option. Health insurance schemes are more acceptable to the Ugandan population than user fees. Members of Parliament and civil society traveled to Ethiopia to see how that country’s scheme worked. In a follow up report, a veteran civil society group recommended allowing the “health insurance ecosystem to grow organically and [to] keep reviewing the law and regulations as this growth takes root.”17 One study found that more than three-quarters of Ugandans were willing to join a health insurance program.18 However, coverage of community-based health insurance is minimal, as is coverage of any kind of insurance—including private plans.19 A national health insurance scheme bill has been stalled for several years and presently sits with President Yoweri Museveni.20 Community-based health insurance scheme that do exist are expanding in number, but losing enrollees. Between 2022 and 2026, the number of community-based health financing schemes across the country increased by 42 percent, while the number of people enrolled decreased by nearly 11 percent.21 None of this means that community-based health insurance should not happen in Uganda—or that people do not want insurance. It doesn’t even mean that user fees and waivers won’t ever work. But there is highly relevant evidence from Uganda and the surrounding region that it is quite optimistic to describe community health insurance and user fees as central supports for sustainable financing in any sector of the health system. And now for the best-case scenario In the best-case scenario22, the Ugandan approach does exactly what it sets out to do, and so does the Liberian fee structure and revolving pharmacy fund—though I’ve not confirmed that these are in the MoU. In one best-case scenario, Uganda is an outlier, and user fees and community health insurance are not recurrent pillars of self-sustaining financing in other countries’ implementation plans. In another best-case scenario, all countries that include these strategies enjoy success beyond anyone’s evidence-informed wildest dreams: reliable funding generated by health care users fees, great health care outcomes for everyone, no exacerbation of inequities, no crippling household debt. No sold land, repurposed school tuition or high-interest loans. In the best-case scenario, not one of the hundreds of thousands of Ugandans living with HIV receiving antiretrovirals from 491 PNFP facilities misses a refill or leaves care because of user fees or community health insurance premiums. This is the best-case scenario for these people for their own health, and for their families. It is also the best-case scenario if Uganda wants to stay on the path to eliminating HIV as a public health threat. According to the country’s most recent data, 96.5 percent of people living with HIV on antiretrovirals are virologically suppressed. Epidemic control depends ensuring that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95 percent of those individuals are on ART, and 95% of those individuals are virologically suppressed. Uganda is still struggling with the first “95"—a frankly abysmal 85.3 percent. If HIV epidemic control and the attendant prevention of new infections, avoidable suffering and premature death matter, the country cannot afford to lose any clients who are currently in care.23 As I write this a couple hours before the polls close for the US elections in the city I live in, I say with soul-deep sincerity: I am rooting for the best-case scenario. I think it’s safe to say that we all are.24 I think it’s also safe to say that if the US and co-signatory governments have inked plans that lead to successful expansion of community health insurance and strategic use of user fees, we all would like to know, now, so that we don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate when success happens. The implementation plan narratives have to enter the public domain. They are the fullest expression of a strategy co-created by two governments. There are assumptions and details that people living in the US and co-signatory countries need to understand that are not available in the MoUs or, to date, in the Congressional Notifications. Some of these details can help other countries that are, as I write this, still working on implementation plans. Others, like a solid count of how many other countries have plans for expanding user fees or health insurance, are important for regional and global health architecture reform initiatives. No matter how this election night turns out, there will be a slew of new Congressional member orientations, briefings and talking points papers in the next few months. Release of implementation narratives should be a bullet point in every context that AFGHS is discussed. These documents can be redacted so that procurement sensitive information isn’t disclosed. There is much more historical precedent for sharing such documents than there is for relying on user fees to fill health financing gaps. Let’s look at the information together so we can hope for the best and prepare for, you know, the other thing. Alt text: A substack first: a bicep selfie! It’s my arm - peachy-white skin, black shirt (flannel, notch neck, too hot for this appallingly balmy November weather, if you’re wondering) and a sticker that says I VOTED 2026. Beige letters on red for I voted. Beige on blue for 2026. You bet I did.25 In your wildest dreams. Subscribe 1 This is a really, really rich 95 page document. There are fascinating ideas and detailed plans in it. It is all worth reading AND I have, in this post, highlighted an instance of content that could pose challenges and certainly posits success of strategies that haven’t worked before. I would love to hear what readers’ see that’s interesting and should be lifted up as something to check for in other implementation plans. I will also shortly be adding a static page to the substack site where implementation plan documents will live. I will put the url into this footnote and it will also be there on emilybass.substack.com by the end of the week. Uganda Implementation Narrative Section 4 April 22 2026 Draft 1.51MB ∙ PDF file Download Download 2 User fees are costs charged for visits, labs, medicines or other health services, usually at the time they are provided. Community health insurance, or community-based health insurance, is what the World Health Organization calls “micro insurance,” which is health insurance targeted at low-income people. 3 As usual (by which I mean always), please prove me wrong. 4 https://smartnewsliberia.com/liberias-ministry-of-health-announces-2025-hospital-service-fees-for-public-facilities/?utm 5 https://moh.gov.lr/news/2025/grand-cape-mount-leaders-residents-embrace-new-community-pharmacy-program/?utm 6 https://www.christianitytoday.com/2026/09/hiv-usaid-pepfar-africa-foreign-aid-cuts-mission-hospitals/?utm 7 https://gh.bmj.com/content/10/11/e021270 8 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/community-based-health-insurance-CBHI 9 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2827475/ 10 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10861328/#b3-jpmph-23-110 11 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC527704/ 12 Same citation as the footnote 2 - the article is called “Learning from failed health care reform in Uganda.” To which I say: If only. If. Only. 13 There is a whole taxonomy of user fees to be aware of, if not commit to memory. Out of pocket costs are everything that someone pays for themselves. In this Stack, user fees are planned and policy-supported out of pocket costs. There are also out of pocket costs that people pay to buy drugs or receive tests or health care assessments that would be free if the drugs were on the shelves, or the machines or kits were available, or the staff were on site. A user fee is usually designed to be modest, pegged to willingness to pay, and may be waiveable at the point of care for anyone who is unable to do so. The costs for things that would otherwise be free are whatever the market will bear and people either have to pay them or go without. Out of pocket costs for services and stuff that aren’t available in public facilities are different again from bribes or unofficial fees that some health workers may impose, even though most are indefatigable, tireless and tired, and devoted to their clients. 14 For the record—which really is these footnotes—I would give a whole stack of fridge magnets for a systematic analysis of the economic and social impact of the Mass Unemployment Event in AFGHS countries among the very people who used to be able to afford and cover user fees, both for themselves and vast family networks. Locally employed USAID technical staff, house cleaners, caregivers, drivers and technicians were financial anchors for cousins, friends, friends’ children, friends’ childrens’ cousins, teachers, pastors, neighbors and so many other kinds of kin. Aid recipients lost direct funding; many other people who had not been aid recipients, but parts of the elaborate care webs that function as safety nets for so many people, lost crucial support too. And that’s even before we get to the people who worked at the hotels and restaurants and bars where people employed by the US and its implementing partners used to spend disposable income. Those businesses have lost revenue; those folks have lost jobs. It will be some time coming—and someone will have to fund this work—but I do hope it happens. And I hope, as usual, to be proven wrong. 15 https://eprcug.org/blog/how-out-of-pocket-healthcare-costs-keep-driving-ugandans-into-poverty/ 16 Another straight-to-the-point journal article title. Households experiencing catastrophic costs due to tuberculosis in Uganda: magnitude and cost drivers. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32938411 17 https://www.cehurd.org/download/technical-policy-brief-on-community-health-insurance-scheme/?wpdmdl=13661&refresh=6ae9122f5d4ed1793659439 18 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10125197/ 19 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10861328/#b3-jpmph-23-110 20 https://ugandapost.news/uganda-to-make-health-insurance-mandatory-by-2026/ 21 https://shu.org.ug/download/235 22 With a nod, tip of the stack hat, and wag of the Mercoon tail to a deeply valued reader who told me that I have a tendency to speculate about the worst-case scenarios a little too much of the time. 23 https://news.mak.ac.ug/2026/10/uphia-2025-shows-ugandas-hiv-status-awareness-gap-despite-strong-treatment-outcomes/ As you’ll see in the next footnote, I’ve already written a subSubstack on another topic, so I will be brief with regard to the study referenced in this article. The Uganda Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment, or UPHIA, will never happen in this way again. For more than a decade, PHIAs have been supported by the US government as a way to generate accurate estimates of country progress on key HIV indicators. They are a holdover from the PEPFAR program that was laser focused on ensuring US taxpayer dollars subsidized progress in pandemic control. There may be other population-level surveys and the data may even be publicly released, as the entire set of FY2026 MER data have not. But PHIAs will never happen again. If you’re wondering whether the estimates of HIV progress at country level might get less reliable….you’re not alone. 24 Ooh baby, I hate “we” in almost all forms. But sometimes I go there, when I am looking for company, which I am. Because this Stack moves into the somewhat-uncharted territory of assessing what the implementation plan narratives may suggest about co-signatory countries’ roles and responsibilities to the people living within their borders. The MoUs, specimen and data sharing agreements were templates. Countries’ answers fit into pre-specified questions that did not include, “how are you going to fill financing gaps and stabilize your health system as this plan unfolds?” In contrast, the implementation narratives are open form—the product of co-creation between the two governments. Co-creation can mean lots of things, but nothing leads me to believe that implementation plans are ghost-written by the US government, or that contents were imposed by the US counterparts. Instead, I think the parts of the plans that read like country government initiatives are endorsed, if not initiated by, those governments. For instance, the Ugandan implementation plan narrative describes plans for revenue-generation through fees charged for equipment calibration, repair and maintenance provided through Uganda’s National Equipment Calibration Laboratory, and laboratory accreditation through the Uganda National Accreditation Service (UGANAS), targeting private sector, PNFP, research and academic clients. That’s super specific and also quite ambitious. It doesn’t read like an American idea. There’s also a provision for solar panels, and other stuff that feels country owned and driven. This is where it gets interesting. If co-creation is the case, then both the US and co-signatory governments are accountable for the contents and the outcomes. Most discourse about AFGHS to date has focused on the decisions that America has made, or demanded that other countries make. The AFGHS architects have monopolized the hot seat. As they should, in so many ways. America absolutely created the conditions under which countries needed to come up with health financing strategies to fill unanticipated, catastrophic funding gaps. And with not-too-long a lens, we can look back and see that America is also on the hook for its role in the Bretton Woods institutions that made user fees and health system fiscal austerity conditions of loans during the era of structural adjustment. But in the here and now, it is not at all clear to me that the US is requiring Uganda or any other country to implement specific approaches to sustainable financing. Instead, it is as the authors of that paper up in footnote 6 suggest: African governments have agency. As implementation plans roll out—whether or not the narratives are shared—it will be important to understand what this agency looks like and what it means for people, including the poorest of the poor. And it will be important to figure out how to talk about it safely, respectfully and critically in places other than the literal and metaphorical footnotes. 25 This week’s song is “Once upon a time” by the Moody Blues. (I know, this is gonna be a weird, largely banger-free end of 2026 playlist. HMU with requests.) AND please do watch the video and appreciate the truly amazing opening sequence—a drum kit wasteland, a coupla plastic bags, a bit of sand. Sort of like the hill where fiscal austerity policies that put costs on health care users might go to perish. But then there’s a lady with amazing hair. It’s worth it.
‘One Tree Hill’ star Bethany Joy Lenz recalls ‘worst audition of my life’ for Broadway role
‘One Tree Hill’ star Bethany Joy Lenz was so close to landing the starring role of Satine in Broadway’s ‘Moulin Rouge,’ until the ‘worst audition’ of her life dashed those dreams.
Phillies Talk: The end of Alec Bohm with the Phillies?
The Phillies enter a pivotal offseason after declining to extend Bohm an offer, raising questions about whether his time in Philadelphia is over.
Chilling Health Update On Former Penguins Veteran Forward
While he is not best remembered for his time with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Hall of Fame forward Jarome Iginla spent part of his career in the Steel City after Pittsburgh acquired him from the Calgary Flames at the 2013 NHL Trade Deadline. Iginla helped the Penguins reach the Eastern Conference Final, where they were swept […] The post Chilling Health Update On Former Penguins Veteran Forward appeared first on HEAVY.
A Bull and a Male Donkey Kept Having Sex. Scientists Say Their Relationship Was About More Than Mating
This is making biologists question what they know about evolution.
Disney’s “Suite Life” star Phill Lewis claims show filmed extra episodes without having to pay cast
The actor, who played Mr. Moseby, brought up “wraparound episodes” on a recent episode of Dylan Sprouse’s “Wildmen” podcast.
Chilling Health Update On Former Bruins Forward Jarome Iginla
While he isn’t known for his time with the organization, Hall of Fame NHL forward Jarome Iginla did spend one season of his illustrious career as a member of the Boston Bruins in 2013-14. Iginla, who was reportedly going to be traded to the Bruins from the Calgary Flames at the 2013 NHL Trade Deadline, […] The post Chilling Health Update On Former Bruins Forward Jarome Iginla appeared first on HEAVY.
Energy drinks put healthy, young people at heightened risk of cardiac arrest, heart attacks, research shows
Many people assume energy drinks 'contain no real risk,' researchers say. But their study suggests otherwise.
Federal Bill Would Bar Certain Website Tracking Litigation Plaguing Businesses – What You Need to Know
New federal legislation would give businesses some relief from a recent deluge of litigation targeting commonplace website tracking tools like cookies and tracking pixels. The Halt Abusive Internet Lawsuits Act, introduced by Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) in September, would bar lawsuits brought under federal and state wiretapping and related surveillance laws for the collection, processing, or disclosure of information when it is used for a commercial purpose. If passed, the legislation would significantly reduce exposure for businesses small and large who have faced expensive litigation for utilizing everyday website tools. Here’s what you need to know about the bill and its chances of becoming law – and some steps you can take while we wait to see what happens.
Favorite 'Dogs: Back Panthers Over Broncos; Minnesota To Cover vs. UCLA
Will Hill delivers his best underdog bets for the weekend ahead, including the Broncos' good fortune to hit a snag.
NYS Rural Health welcomes new board member
FORT EDWARD, NY — New York State Association for Rural Health (NYSARH) announced the election of Elizabeth L. Phillips, MPH and vice president of community engagement at Sun River Health, to its …
Your Website May Be Sharing Health Data Even If You’re Not a Healthcare Company: 7 Steps to Take After Landmark Appeals Court Ruling
In what appears to be the first federal appellate decision addressing pixel tracking on a health-related website, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals just revived a class action accusing an eyewear retailer of sharing its website visitors’ health information with a social media company. In its October 23 Rand v Eyesmart decision, the 5th Circuit held that everyday shopping and scheduling activity on a healthcare-adjacent website can possibly count as protected health information, even when customers never typed in a diagnosis or symptom. For businesses like optical chains, pharmacies, dental practices, wellness providers, and telehealth platforms, the decision means higher litigation risk tied to particular data flows and identification practices, rather than a categorical prohibition on website analytics or advertising tools. Here’s what happened, what the court decided, and seven steps to consider now.
Zane Phillips goes viral for his jacked muscles in 'Animal Control'
The handsome actor's latest TV appearance and beefy physique has fans going wild online.
Phillies news: Orion Kerkering, trades, Teruaki Sato
Do you think the Phillies can get any value back with Orion Kerkering?
Where Phillies could shop this winter: 20 free-agent targets to watch
An impending lockout adds another complication to yet another pivotal offseason in Philadelphia.
Today’s Papers – Inter confrontation, Roma look for revenge vs. Man United
La Gazzetta dello SportChampions chill in RotterdamInter self-reflectThe future in Europe passes from Feyenoord. Thuram: ‘We said things to our face; it would be serious if we ignored the problems.�...
Phillies ace named among finalists for NL Cy Young award
Cristopher Sanchez was among the shortlist nominated for the Cy Young award.
North Dakota entertainment legend Bill Sorensen, also known as 'Mr. Medora,' dies at 76
Bill Sorensen was known for his ability to entertain crowds. Over five decades, he performed in more than 1,000 shows, including North Dakota’s famous Medora Musical at the Burning Hills Amphitheatre.
Michigan Senate race shifts to ‘lean Democrat’ in final Cook Political Report rating
The Cook Political Report upgraded the Michigan Senate race to lean Democratic, citing Abdul El-Sayed's surge in recent polling data.
Donte DiVincenzo Receives Major Injury Update Amid Torn Achilles Recovery
Donte DiVincenzo expects to be back at some point in the regular season.
Medora entertainment legend, former Bismarck Mayor Bill Sorensen dies at 76
Sorensen, who entertained millions of visitors in Medora over five decades, also served as Bismarck mayor, state legislator and manager of world champion boxer Virgil Hill.
Democratic doctors on the ballot amid health policy changes
Presented by AstraZeneca{beacon} Healthcare Healthcare The Big Story Doctors command the stage ahead of Election Day Dozens of Democratic medical professionals are on the ballot for Congress a…
East Cobb business events for the month of November
Last week we noted that the last meeting for 2o26 of the East Cobb Area Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce is set for Nov. 12 at Indian Hills Country
Forward Theater’s chilly ‘Gaslight’ has an active imagination
A man slowly drives his wife mad in this new adaptation of a 1938 play, onstage now in the Overture Center Playhouse through Nov. 22.
In Focus SoCal: Affordable pet care; 1-on-1 with Agoura Hills mayor
Host Tanya McRae visits an ASPCA clinic
Hillary Clinton warns “The View ”that Donald Trump will get ‘even more out of control’ if Democrats win midterms
“I think he’s going to feel cornered, I think he’s going to feel angry, I think he’s going to be lashing out,” Clinton claimed.
‘It’s really, really unusual’: tender bond between male donkey and bull baffles scientists
Patroclo and Achille’s interspecies affair sheds new light on social and sexual relations between animals, scientists say
Scientists Witness a Mysterious Sexual Bond Between a Bull And a Male Donkey
"Animal behavior is not a picture painted in black and white: It uses the whole palette, with all the colors of the rainbow."
Ryan Phillippe swears off ‘politics,’ ‘fake love,’ ‘being used,’ and Halloween
The day after Halloween, Ryan Phillippe shared a list of 18 ‘things I no longer engage with,’ including ‘fake love,’ ‘being used,’ ‘liars and ever being one again myself’ — and Halloween.
Inside Apple’s Slog to Create Its First Robot
Apple’s new CEO John Ternus wants the company to get serious about robots, but judging by Apple’s plodding progress on the first one it hopes to sell—a device with a nine-inch screen that swivels around on an arm and resembles the Pixar lamp—he could face an uphill battle. Apple initially began ...
Melting permafrost has birthed a new type of large landslide
Permafrost detachment slides involve large slabs of frozen earth thawing from below and then sliding downhill.
A prison sentence is not a death sentence — fix the correctional health care crisis now
No state, including Arizona, likes having a judge tell it how to run its prisons. But they all have a choice: live up to their constitutional responsibilities and provide adequate medical care on t…
Hillsboro FFA attends Farm Science Review
On Sept. 24, 2026, 42 Hillsboro FFA members attended the Farm Science Review at the Molly Careen Agricultural Center in London, Ohio.
The Protect College Sports Act Isn’t Enough
A much-hyped piece of legislation is more bark than bite.
SBA Plans Changes to Small Business Subcontracting Rules
SBA plans to revise limitations on subcontracting rules for small business set-asides, with new thresholds, oversight, reporting, and enforcement ahead.
Defense, healthcare, crypto and AI: How the midterm election could affect stocks
Democratic gains in Congress could bring tougher oversight of major companies and shift billions of dollars in federal spending and regulatory policy.
Bank, hotel, luxury sportswear retailer among new NJ businesses
The 101-room boutique Hotel Troy is in Parsippany. Chase has a new bank branch in Clifton. Peter Millar is now in The Mall at Short Hills.
Builders Movement may find their moment in an election full of ticket-splitters
Daniel Lubetzki and Ashley Phillips from the Builders Movement joins Lone Star Politics to talk about how ticket splitters likely will decide these close Texas elections. The Builders aim to get beyond “us vs. them” thinking and get people to vote for the individual not the party label.
VOTE: Times-Union High School Girls Athlete of the Week, Nov. 2
Nease diver Kamiyah Hill is the Times-Union Girls Athlete of the Week in Jacksonville-area high school sports for Oct. 19-24, 2026.
Philly sports team owners are sending big checks to Josh Shapiro. But he’s not the only one.
An Inquirer analysis of campaign finance data explored how owners of Philly sports team are spending on politics. Josh Shapiro is one of the big winners.
Skill games removal leaves Philly stores struggling, experts split
Skill games are being removed from Philly stores after a state court ruling. Business owners worry about lost income as advocates raise gambling concerns.
Dozens of Commonwealth leaders descend on Antigua during global political turbulence
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Leaders representing nearly a third of the world’s population are meeting on the tiny Caribbean island of Antigua this week to strengthen ties during a time of global p…
Suburban business, volunteers help domestic violence survivors begin a new chapter
Irv’s Luggage in Vernon Hills is an ongoing supporter of Luggage for Freedom, which provides women leaving shelters with a gently used suitcase packed with new towels, sheets and toiletries.
Caldwell Mayor gives update on city business before heading to Israel
Caldwell is moving ahead with major public safety projects, park improvements and a search for a new police chief, Mayor Eric Phillips said in a series of updat
Ranking Phillies' Luis Arraez Landing Spots Entering Offseason
Should the Phillies try to re-sign Luis Arraez this offseason?
Why you can’t wear, bring political gear to a polling place in these states
States have different guidance regarding electioneering at or near a polling place.
Phillies news: Justin Crawford, Randy Flores, Kaima Taira
It’s going to be a long offseason
How the law protecting Americans from surprise medical bills is driving up healthcare costs
Some healthcare providers are using the No Surprises Act to extract large payments from health insurers. And that's increasing the cost of coverage.