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Here's What Spotify Looks Like on Apple's HomeView
Apple's new HomeView smart home hub lacks an App Store, but it can still run some third-party audio and video apps that support CarPlay. HomeView can automatically mirror CarPlay-enabled audio and video apps from a nearby, paired iPhone, with no modifications to the app required. In a post shared on Mastodon, Broadcasts app developer Steve Troughton-Smith demonstrated what Spotify looks like on a virtualized HomeView.
iOS 27.3 introduces new iPhone Duo feature for one-handed use
iOS 27.3 beta 1 launched today with a variety of new features, including a big upgrade for one-handed iPhone Duo use thanks to Reachability.
iOS 27.3 expands Siri AI to these new languages
Alongside new Siri app actions, Siri Recaps, and developer features, iOS 27.3 expands Siri AI to several additional languages.
macOS 27.3 includes cool-looking ‘Pro’ screensaver from new touchscreen MacBook Pro
Included in today’s macOS 27.3 beta 1 is a great-looking screensaver featuring an animated version of the new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display wallpaper.
CVS to Split Off Pharmacy Business, Ending the Healthcare Conglomerate Era
In a breakup planned for 2028, CVS Health intends to split off its pharmacies into a new company, while keeping together its businesses in insurance and pharmacy benefits.
CVS Health is splitting into two companies, separating its pharmacies from insurance
CVS Health expects the separation of Aetna and Caremark from about 9,000 pharmacies to be completed in the first half of 2028
Here's what's coming for the MacBook Pro next year, per report
Apple just unveiled a huge update to the Mac lineup last week, introducing the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display....
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.
Apple Isn't Done With 2026: Here's What's Still Coming
Apple's busiest season isn't over yet. Far from it. With two hardware launch dates still to come in November, plus software updates and new smart home accessories running into December, there's more on the way from Apple before the end of 2026, so be sure to stick around. Below, we've rounded up what's still coming, along with one date in particular that's worth watching if you're a holiday shopper.
Cats and dogs in restaurants: cute or a health hazard?
Critic MacKenzie Chung Fegan ate at a restaurant with a resident cat. Cute, or a health hazard?
Protalix BioTherapeutics to Announce Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results and Business Update on November 10, 2026
Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. (NYSE American: PLX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, production, and commercialization of innovative therapeutics for rare diseases with significant unmet needs, today announced that it will release its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 and provide a business update on November 10, 2026.
iOS 27.3 Beta Brings Back Apple's Redesigned Health App
iOS 27.3 reintroduces the redesigned Health app previewed in September. Apple tested the new Health app in the iOS 27.2 beta, but it was removed before the update launched. The Health app has been updated, and there are new Insights and Longevity tabs that show more information about your health and fitness metrics. The Insights tab includes your most recent health data, like Activity Rings, heart rate, sleep score, and vitals. Apple Intelligence will use that information to offer Personal Guidance.
CVS Health to split in two, separating pharmacy business from insurance
Nov 4 (Reuters) - CVS Health said on Wednesday it will split into two companies, separating retail pharmacy from its insurance and pharmacy-benefit operations in a major unwinding of the healthcare conglomerate it spent years building through acquisiti...
CVS Health to split in two, separating pharmacy business from insurance
Health insurers have grappled with higher medical costs recently, while drugstores face mounting competition from Amazon and a declining foot-traffic.
CVS Health to split into two publicly traded companies by 2028, FT reports
Investing.com-- CVS Health Corp (NYSE:CVS) is planning to split its retail pharmacy business from its insurance operations, potentially unwinding one of the U.S. healthcare industry's largest vertical integration deals, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
CVS Health to split in two, separating pharmacy business from insurance
Health insurers have grappled with higher medical costs recently, while drugstores face mounting competition from Amazon and a declining foot-traffic.
Boston Symphony Orchestra's grand AI experiment is a boon to democracy
In this year’s election season orchestras have been practicing the call for democratic thinking on a global scale, including in Los Angeles, Leipzig, Germany and Boston, where the Boston Symphony Orchestra is experimenting with AI —to great effect.
iPad Mini 8 Reviewer Isn't Satisfied With Apple's Excuse for Lack of 120Hz Display
The new iPad mini has an OLED display, but the device does not support ProMotion, meaning the display's refresh rate is limited to 60Hz instead of 120Hz. Apple said OLED displays still have significantly faster pixel response times compared to LCDs, resulting in reduced motion blur, but The Verge's David Pierce is not entirely satisfied.
Accel Entertainment (NYSE:ACEL) posts better-than-expected sales in Q3 2026
Slot machine and terminal operator Accel Entertainment NYSE:ACELreported revenue ahead of Wall Street’s expectations in Q3 2026, with revenue up 10.3% year on year to $363.6 million. Its GAAP profit of $0.25 per share was 39.4% above analysts’ consensus estimates.For more on Accel Entertainment, re…
UEFI bootkit infected fully patched Windows machines. Is Microsoft to blame?
UEFI bootkit BlackX exploits Microsoft's lack of clarity around Secure Boot protections.
The Guardian view on Poland’s political turmoil: an ominous portent of bigger battles to come
Editorial: Donald Tusk is attempting to restore legitimacy to the country’s constitutional court. In a polarised country and continent, that carries political risks
1 trade Seahawks must make after MNF mauling by Bears
Coach Mike Macdonald’s team lost a 34-17 game to the Chicago Bears at home in Week 8 that led to stark comments from the Seahawks coach afterward . Defensive end Leonard Williams left the game with a stinger that gave him a questionable status for the future. The Seahawks are now 4-4 on the season, suddenly tied with Matt Stafford’s Los Angeles […] The post 1 trade Seahawks must make after MNF mauling by Bears appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Merck to Divest CDMO Business to Lonza
Merck to Divest CDMO Business to Lonza Darmstadt, Germany, Nov. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lonza, a global contract development and manufacturing organization, to acquire the CDMO business of Merck Transaction sharpens the focus of Merck’s Life Science business sector and provides the CDMO business with a strong platform for its next phase of development Life Science sector’s broad portfolio of consumables, technologies and services will continue to equip pharmaceutical, biotechnology and CDMO
New iPad mini hands-on: Refreshed design, OLED display, more
Apple’s smallest iPad has gotten its biggest update in years. The new iPad mini features a much thinner and lighter...
John Ternus addresses iPhone Duo supply constraints, display issue
Apple CEO John Ternus spoke to Reuters about iPhone Duo supply constraints and also the units that have been returned for display issues.
Mark Gurman: Apple Initially Aimed to Release iPhone Duo in November
Apple initially aimed to "wait until November" to release the iPhone Duo in the U.S. and China only, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, but it ultimately launched the device in more than 70 countries on Friday, October 23. "Apple rushed the Duo to market without enough inventory to meet demand," he said. "Apple rushed the Duo to market without enough inventory to meet demand," he said.
CVS announces plan to split into 2 companies, separating pharmacy from insurance
CVS announced plans to separate into two independent, publicly traded companies on Wednesday, reshaping one of the largest healthcare companies in the US.
International Business Machines vs. Synopsys: Which Technology Stock Is a Better Buy for 2027?
IBM trades at a lower valuation but carries heavier debt, while Synopsys boasts stronger margins and a cleaner balance sheet.
The Election-Denier Backpedal
The president is not getting the political cover he once enjoyed from Republicans.
Apple CEO Ternus Says iPhone Duo Shortages Have No End Date in Sight
Apple is unable to meet demand for the iPhone Duo and there's no timeline for when the company will catch up, CEO John Ternus told Reuters following today's earnings report. Duo is constrained as of today. The ramp is going well, and we're working hard to get it to as many customers as quickly as possible, but at this point, we're not able to predict when supply and demand will be in balance.
CVS plans to break up $117B healthcare conglomerate
A CVS split would follow a decade-long trend of consolidation, with health insurers combining with pharmacy benefits firms and medical providers.
Early Black Friday Brings Steep Price Drops on Apple's Latest iPhone Cases
Amazon this week has big discounts across Apple's Clear, Silicone, and TechWoven Cases for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup. These deals are part of ongoing early Black Friday deals, which we've begun keeping tabs on in our main post on all the best early Black Friday Apple deals. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
iOS 27.3 expands Siri AI with many new capabilities across Apple apps
iOS 27.3 has just entered beta testing and includes major new features for Siri AI across iPhone, iPad and Mac....
CVS to split into two companies, in major breakup of its $117 billion healthcare empire
CVS Health said Wednesday it is splitting into two companies, marking one of the largest shakeups in the healthcare industry. It’s a major reversal of the mergers that brought together the nation’s largest drugstore retailer along with health insurance giant Aetna and pharmacy benefit manager Caremark.
CVS Health moves to dismantle $117bn healthcare empire
Potential spin-off of drugstore business comes as political pressure mounts on pharmacy benefit managers and health insurers
watchOS 27.3 Brings Live Rewind and Siri Recap to Apple Watch
With the first beta of watchOS 27.3, Apple is introducing new Audio Intelligence features it previewed for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 earlier this year. Powered by the S11 chip, Audio Intelligence includes Live Rewind, Siri Recap, Sound Recognition, and Shazam Music Recognition. Sound Recognition and Shazam are already on the watch, but Live Rewind and Siri Recap are now available in the beta. Live Rewind can show you a transcript of the last 15 seconds of a conversation.
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.
CVS to break up $117B business, separating pharmacies from insurance
The split comes amid growing scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators of vertically integrated health care companies such as CVS.
Apple TV just added a ton of free classic movies, here’s everything new
Apple TV just added 20 beloved classic movies to its catalog that you can stream for a limited time, here’s everything new.
6K views · 84 reactions | The last time a Democrat won a statewide...
The last time a Democrat won a statewide election in Texas, it was the 1990s. Our national political correspondent Shane Goldmacher explains why Democrats think this year could be different.
Apple releases first iOS 27.3 developer beta for iPhone
Apple has released the first iOS 27.3 developer beta for iPhone. The update starts a new round of testing as...
CVS confirms it will split pharmacy business from insurance
The 2018 merger of insurance behemoth Aetna and a 9,000-store retail pharmacy chain had built a $117 billion empire.
iOS 27.3 adds all-new Apple Health app, details here
Apple released iOS 27.3 beta 1 today, and it reintroduces the all-new Health app that was first available for testing in the iOS 27.2 beta.
Microsoft AI CEO warns industry against trying to build conscious machines
Should artificial intelligence systems be given rights? One of the leading thinkers on the fast-evolving technology weighed in over the weekend. Microsoft AI Chief Executive Mustafa Suleyman, in an X
Hollywood's King of Culture Is Building a Billion-Dollar Entertainment Empire
Macro CEO Charles D. King is the 2027 ADWEEK | Adcolor Beacon Award winner.
iPadOS 27.2 adds convenient new multitasking option on iPad
iPadOS 27.2 launched last week with a variety of new features for iPad, including a convenient change for multitasking.
CVS Health to split in two, separating pharmacy business from insurance
Nov 4 (Reuters) - CVS Health said on Wednesday it will split into two companies, separating retail pharmacy from its insurance and pharmacy-benefit operations in a major unwinding of the healthcare conglomerate it spent years building through acquisiti...
Vote-scanning machine malfunction expected to delay counting in New York's Westchester County
A judge has granted permission for elections officials in a major New York county to move thousands of paper ballots to a secure warehouse after a technical problem caused vote-scanning machines to malfunction.
CVS Jumps on Report It Plans to Break Up Health Conglomerate
CVS Health Corp. is discussing plans to spin off its retail pharmacy business, according to the Financial Times, a shocking retreat for the country’s largest drugstore chain.
World of Warcraft: Forever – How Controller Support Reimagines the Way We Can Play in Azeroth
My approach to World of Warcraft has largely been one of logging in and enjoying a casual adventure in Azeroth. I’m not messing around with macros or On November 4, players can return to a nostalgic world many grew up with – now with the freedom to play wherever and whenever they choose with Gamepad (Alpha) support.
Martha Stewart's ventures, from Entertaining to Martha Stewart Living Radio
These 10 Martha Stewart business ventures, from a Connecticut catering company to a Macy's home line, trace how she turned entertaining know-how into a media and retail brand
CVS to split into two companies, in major breakup of its $117 billion healthcare empire
CVS Health said Wednesday it is splitting into two companies, marking one of the largest shakeups in the healthcare industry. It’s a major reversal of the mergers that brought together the nation’s largest drugstore retailer along with health insurance giant Aetna and pharmacy benefit manager Caremark.
macOS 27.3 adds native Markdown rendering to Quick Look
Starting with macOS 27.3, users can preview Markdown files with proper formatting directly in Quick Look. Here are the details.
Science for Public Service: How One Entomologist Found Her Calling in Extension
Meet Sara Salgado MacDonald, Ph.D., entomologist and extension agent at the University of Florida, expert in public science communication, and subject of the next installment of our "Standout Early Career Professionals" series.
iOS 27.2.1 could launch soon as next iPhone update
Apple has confirmed it’s releasing the iOS 27.3 beta this week, but a separate software update might launch soon for all users: iOS 27.2.1.
Report: CVS explores splitting pharmacy, insurance businesses
The Financial Times reported Tuesday that Woonsocket-based CVS is considering a plan to break up by separating its pharmacy chain from its insurance business.
iOS 27.2 adds two new features I’ve been really loving
iOS 27.2 arrived last week with a variety of new features and changes for iPhone. Here are two new iOS 27.2 features I’ve been loving lately.
Apple's first touchscreen MacBook comes at a price
Apple's first touchscreen MacBook Pro starts at $2,899 with a PROLED XDR OLED display, but the non-touch M6 model costs $900 less at $1,999.
iOS 27.2’s clever new Messages feature can be tailored to your needs
iOS 27.2 has a clever new Messages feature called ‘Suggested Actions,’ here’s how you can customize the feature to your liking.
Apple posts record September quarter under new CEO as iPhone, Mac sales surge
Apple reported record September-quarter revenue of $114.5 billion, driven by strong iPhone 18 Pro and Mac sales despite price increases.
CVS to Split Off Pharmacy Business, Ending the Healthcare Conglomerate Era
In a breakup planned for 2028, CVS Health intends to split off its pharmacies into a new company, while keeping together its businesses in insurance and pharmacy benefits.
Bringing World-Class Sports and Entertainment to Sands’ Regions: The NBA China Games 2026 in Review
Sands China’s presentation of the NBA China Games 2026 brought world-class sports and entertainment to Macao.
iPhone 18 will have two upgrades inspired by ‘Pro’ models, per leak
A new leak points to two iPhone 18 upgrades coming early next year that will follow the pattern of the iPhone 18 Pro.
University of Toledo to launch online master’s degree in data science and AI in spring 2027
According to UToledo, graduates will be prepared for jobs that use advanced analytics, machine learning and AI to drive better decisions, inform strategy and advance innovation.
iPhone Duo Gets Reachability in iOS 27.3 Beta
With today's iOS 27.3 beta, Apple expanded Reachability to the iPhone Duo. Reachability lets iPhone Duo users shift the content on the left or right side of the outer screen to make it easier to reach with a thumb. Reachability can be turned on or off by going to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Reachability. It is on by default after updating to the new software. It is on by default after updating to the new software.
Best Early Black Friday Mac Deals: Save Hundreds on MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and More
We're getting closer to Black Friday, which lands on Friday, November 27 this year. In the lead-up to the shopping holiday, we're tracking a few lowest-ever prices on Apple's most popular Macs, including the M5 MacBook Air, MacBook Neo, and the new Mac mini and Mac Studio. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
CVS Health moves to dismantle $117bn healthcare empire
CVS Health is plotting a break-up of its $117bn healthcare empire, separating its retail pharmacy chain from its insurance business in what would...
One of Nintendo's Switch and Switch 2 cartridge manufacturers is exiting the business, which could make physical games more expensive
Macronix, one of the companies that create components in Switch and Switch 2 cartridges, is calling it quits.
Apple announces Fitness+ Gym Strength program with personalized workout plans
Apple wants to help you get stronger. Apple Fitness+ is expanding to the gym with a new strength training experience....
As Bayer spots pharma recovery, questions resurface over potential crop science split
Bayer’s pharmaceutical business may finally be entering a long-awaited growth cycle, but CEO Bill Anderson still can’t quite escape the lingering questions around a potential crop science split.
CVS Health explores splitting retail pharmacy, insurance businesses, FT reports
Nov 3 (Reuters) - CVS Health is considering a breakup of its healthcare empire that could separate its retail pharmacy chain from its insurance business, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. A separation wo...
CVS Health is splitting in two, according to news reports
The retail pharmacies will be in one company and Aetna and CVS Caremark, the PBM, in another, according to news reports.
I was afraid of layoffs. So I started my own company.
Erika Sinner grew up in poverty in Missouri before starting as a receptionist and building a $13 million pharmaceutical marketing firm.
iOS 27.2.1 Coming Soon, iOS 27.3 Beta Likely Available Tomorrow
Apple has started testing iOS 27.2.1, according to the MacRumors visitor logs, which have been a reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. iOS 27.2.1 should be a minor update that includes bug fixes and/or security patches, including for the iPhone Duo that launched Friday, October 23. We do not know exactly when the update will be released, but usually upcoming iOS versions begin to show up in our logs a few days to a few weeks before they are made available to the public.
iOS 27.3 Adds Vertical Tabs and Adaptive Dark Mode to Safari
With iOS 27.3, iPadOS 27.3, and macOS Golden Gate 27.3, Apple is making major updates to Safari. The browser is getting a Vertical Tabs layout, which can be used instead of the standard horizontal tab bar. It's a change that pairs well with the iPhone Duo's larger display, but it is available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Ohio State hosts researchers, business leaders to share AI strategies
Students, scholars and business leaders from across the country recently gathered at The Ohio State University to discuss how academic institutions and companies are implementing AI.Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business convened the AI in Business Conference at The Blackwell Inn and Pfahl Conference Center on the Columbus campus. The confere...
Mack Hollins to return to Patriots practice on Wednesday
Hollins’ 21-day window to return from injured reserve is about to open.
CVS Health to split in two, separating pharmacy business from insurance
Nov 4 (Reuters) - CVS Health said on Wednesday it will split into two companies, separating retail pharmacy from its insurance and pharmacy-benefit operations in a major unwinding of the
Apple releases new tvOS 27.2 build ahead of updated Apple TV 4K launch
Ahead of the new Apple TV 4K’s November 13 launch, Apple today released an updated build of tvOS 27.2 exclusively for the fourth-generation model.
Pennymac Made $29M. Its Origination Business Lost Money.
Pennymac is cutting jobs and accelerating automation after its mortgage production business swung to a third-quarter loss, even as servicing income kept the company profitable.The lender reported $29 million in net income for the quarter, but its production segment posted a $7 million pretax loss, reversing a $38 million profit in the second quarter and a $123 million profit a year earlier.
CVS Health to split in two, separating pharmacy business from insurance
Nov 4 (Reuters) - CVS Health said on Wednesday it will split into two companies, separating retail pharmacy from its insurance and pharmacy-benefit operations in a major unwinding of the healthcare conglomerate it spent years building through acquisiti...
CVS Raises Guidance After Announcing Plan to Split in Two
CVS Health raised its full-year guidance on gains in its health-care benefits and pharmacy segments, but said it remains cautious amid high costs and potential macroeconomic headwinds.
CVS Health to split pharmacy chain from health insurance
CVS Pharmacy will be separate from CVS Health, housing major insurer Aetna and benefits manager Caremark
CVS Health explores splitting retail pharmacy, insurance businesses, FT reports
Nov 3 (Reuters) - CVS Health is considering a breakup of its healthcare empire that could separate its retail pharmacy chain from its insurance business, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. A separation wo...
Lonza bets big on US growth, snaps up Merck KGaA’s CDMO business
In a major reshaping of the pharmaceutical contract manufacturing landscape, Lonza has struck a deal to acquire the CDMO business of Merck KGaA. | Lonza will purchase the German Merck’s U.S.-based CDMO network for mid-triple-digit million euros. Besides five sites, the deal will bolster Lonza’s prowess in rapidly growing sectors such as cell and gene therapy, bioconjugates, viral vectors and advanced drug-delivery technologies.
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp reports results for the quarter ended September 30
FORECAST CHANGESRECOMMENDATIONSThis summary was machine generated from LSEG data November 4 at 02:32 p.m. UTC. All figures in US dollars unless otherwise stated. (For questions concerning the data in this report, contact Estimates.Support@lseg.com. For any other questions or feedback, contact Refi…
Apple explains the $400 premium for the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display
Apple argued that the touchscreen isn’t the headline feature of the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, merely a bonus. The headline should...
Siri AI Gets More Capable in iOS 27.3
Apple is expanding what Siri AI can do in and across apps in iOS 27.3, which is available to developers as of today. Siri can complete tasks across Calendar, Files, Finder, Journal, Mail, Maps, Messages, Music, Notes, Photos, Preview, Reminders, Safari, Shortcuts, and Weather. You can ask Siri AI what you can do with each app to get more information on what's possible. In Mail, for example, Siri can unsubscribe you from mailing lists and undo recently sent messages.
iPhone 18 Rumored to Get Larger Battery and Potential Price Increase
Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 will feature a larger battery and potentially a higher price, according to the leaker known as "Digital Chat Station". In a new post on Weibo today, the leaker claimed that the standard iPhone 18 will continue to feature a high-resolution 6.3-inch OLED display with a refresh rate up to 120Hz, the Dynamic Island, and Face ID.
Your Apple Watch Can Automatically Identify Songs Around You
Ever been in a situation where you hear a song in a cafe, a shop, or a car, and wonder what it is? On the latest Apple Watch models, your watch can work it out for you, and you don't even need to ask. The music doesn't have to be playing on the watch. It just needs to be audible around you. Apple Watch does the rest. It's all thanks to a new automatic feature in iOS 27 called Music Recognition, which is just one of Apple's new Audio Intelligence features.
Melco Resorts & Entertainment: Disciplined spending and lower CapEx anchor plans amid softer Macau demand
Q3 adjusted property EBITDA was $288 million, while Macau demand softened in October amid broader China economic weakness and intense competition. Deleveraging and disciplined reinvestment remain priorities; FY2027 CapEx guidance fell to ~$275 million.Based on Melco Resorts & Entertainment Q3 2026…
Best Early Black Friday Deals on Apple Products Available Now
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 27 in 2026. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
CVS Health To Split Into Two Companies As Pressure Mounts On Vertical Integration
CVS Health will split into two companies, putting the more than 9,000 drugstores under one business and its Aetna health insurance and pharmacy benefit operations into another.
Democrat Bob Brooks wins election to U.S. House in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District
2026 ELECTION COVERAGE: Watch Live | Poll Closing Times | All Live Results | Live Updates | Live Fact Check Democrat Bob Brooks won election Tuesday to the U.S. House of Representatives representing Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District, defeating Republican incumbent Ryan Mackenzie. Brooks, who worked as a firefighter and union leader, concentrated on his blue-collar background, saying he understood the affordability issues facing voters in the Lehigh Valley battleground district. Mackenzie's ties to President Donald