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Ivory Coast Leader Cements Hold on Power in Parliamentary Vote
Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara’s party secured an outright majority in Dec. 27 parliamentary elections, giving him more leeway to implement a policy agenda that prioritizes growing the economy and attracting investment.
'Crush' explores how gravity shapes life as we know it
James Riordan’s new book will help readers wrap their heads around this mysterious, fundamental force of nature.
New Iraqi parliament holds first session, elects speaker
Haybat al-Halbousi, from the Taqaddum (Progress) Party, has been elected as speaker of the new parliament.
Research expenditures ranking underscores ASU’s dramatic growth in high-impact science
Arizona State University has surpassed $1 billion in annual research funding for the first time, placing the university among the top 4% of research institutions nationwide, according to the latest National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development, or HERD, survey.The milestone is a testament to ASU’s success at transforming research dollars into tangible benefits for people — from improved health care to safer communities to more powerful computer chips and more.
'Putting the servers in orbit is a stupid idea': Could data centers in space help avoid an AI energy crisis? Experts are torn.
Google’s proposal to explore space-based AI infrastructure raises fundamental questions about energy, physics and feasibility – and whether Earth has really run out of options.
Los Angeles hosts Sacramento after Leonard's 55-point game
Sacramento Kings (8-24, 14th in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (10-21, 13th in the Western Conference)
Rationalism in Conservative Politics
Ideas about the political conditions for human flourishing sometimes have unforeseen consequences. But the consequences of refusing to traffic in these ideas are foreseeably very bad indeed.
Old physics, new materials: The science behind how winter jackets keep you warm
Modern winter jackets are a testament to centuries-old physics and cutting-edge materials science.
2025 Golfweek Awards: Tournaments of the Year
This year in golf was a crazy one. From major championship history to insane playoffs and more, here are Golfweek’s best Tournaments of the Year.
Nemo releases Street Fighter 6 tier list where C. Viper is not looking too hot at all
The third competitive season for Street Fighter 6 is already almost complete in terms of official tournaments with 46 out of 48 players qualified for Capcom Cup 12, and we've seen the game's meta shift a decent bit ...
Trump’s Second Term Is Reshaping US Science
Unprecedented cuts and destabilizing policy changes are causing fundamental shifts in scientific research and outcomes.
Aberdeen 1-1 Dundee United: What the manager said
Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin is content with the 1-1 draw with Aberdeen but admits that his side's inability to convert draws into wins is holding them back in the Scottish Premiership. "I think the draw is probably the right result," he told Premier Sports. While Goodwin lamented the six draws in the latest 10 games, he added: "It is better a draw than a defeat and we have played four top-six teams in the last four games and haven't been beaten."
The hottest amenity in ultra-luxury buildings isn't the spa — it's a private restaurant downstairs
Luxury condos are offering resident-only dining as an exclusive amenity for added privacy and convenience.
Forest analysis: Still progressing under Dyche
The feeling around the City Ground should be one of pride, and the belief Nottingham Forest are continuing to move in the right direction. The chaos of the start of the season - when Ange Postecoglou replaced Nuno Espirito Santo and barely lasted six weeks - has been replaced by the almost serene nature of the past two months under Sean Dyche. Defeat meant it is successive losses for the first time under Dyche, a testament to how quickly he got to grips with a floundering team, but Forest cannot afford to allow it to become a habit.
Lincoln boys basketball cruises past Cumberland Friday, 58-47
Lincoln remained undefeated Friday with a 58-47 victory against Cumberland in their opening game of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Northern Rhode Island Holiday Tournament.
Something fundamental about black holes may be changing
New observations reveal that the relationship between ultraviolet and X-ray light in quasars has changed over billions of years. This unexpected shift suggests the structure around supermassive black holes may evolve with time, challenging a decades-old assumption.
Astronomers discover one of the Universe’s largest spinning structures
Scientists have discovered a giant cosmic filament where galaxies spin in sync with the structure that holds them together. The razor-thin chain of galaxies sits inside a much larger filament that appears to be slowly rotating as a whole. This coordinated motion is far stronger than expected by chance and hints that galaxy spin may be inherited from the cosmic web itself. The finding opens a new window into how galaxies formed and how matter flows across the Universe.
Did 2025 mark the end of British parliamentary democracy as we know it?
The conventions and rituals that define the way we do politics rapidly eroded this year – setting the UK on a course into the unknown, says Guardian columnist Andy Beckett
New York Enacts FAIR Business Practices Act Expanding State Consumer Protection Law
On December 19, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law S8416, amending New York’s General Business Law to enact the Fostering Affordability and
Penguins prospect selected for Team USA’s World Junior team
Will Horcoff, the Penguins’ 24th overall selection in the First Round of the 2025 NHL Draft, will compete for Team USA for the tournament, which runs from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Minneapolis.
Republicans must hold the line: No Hyde Amendment, no deal on health care
Any plan that does not include Hyde can never be viewed as “clean.”
The Occupation of Venezuela Is No Easy Task for Washington
Venezuela ranks 50th in terms of military strength with 123,000 active military personnel, 220,000 militiamen and 8,000 reservists.
A’s adding ‘Severino Room’ at Sutter Health Park. Here’s why pitcher wanted it
More changes are coming to Sutter Health Park for the Athletics’ second season in West Sacramento in 2026.
New Jersey Science Olympiad Tournament Coming in January
In January, NJIT will host the New Jersey Science Olympiad tournament, at the university's Campus Center Ballroom and Makerspace.
The disunity of science is a feature, not a bug
Mathematical models wield miraculous power, but mistaking them for reality has trapped science in a destructive quest for a “Theory of Everything.” Physicist and philosopher Ragner Fjelland argues that this leads to bloated, Frankenstein theories kept alive by clumsy, ad-hoc amendments, which reduce rather than boost science’s power. Fjelland calls for a radical shift in our attitude: we must reorientate towards creating entirely new theories, celebrating rather than lamenting disunity and diversity in science. Science, from the scientific revolution in the seventeenth century to the present day, has more or less developed in a “reductionist” way. The fundamental assumption is that all sciences may be ordered in a hierarchy that can be represented as an upside-down pyramid. At the top we find the human sciences, and at the bottom physics. Strong (or “ontological”) reductionism maintains that all theories at one level can be completely reduced to the lower level, all the way down to theories of atoms and elementary particles, or whatever is “at the bottom.” In the end, all diversity in the world can be unified in one fundamental theory. Hence it is called a final theory, or a Theory of Everything.One of the central figures in developing the idea of a Theory of Everything is the Dutch theoretical physicist Gerard 't Hooft, who received a Nobel Prize in physics in 1999 for his work. He emphasizes the non-empirical status of the theory:There exists no closely resembling alternative theory. This means that any slight change brought about in the rules would make the theory unlikely or inelegant. The theory will be a "package deal": take it, or leave it. This should hold both for the local laws and for the boundary conditions.This endeavor is not new. On the contrary, it goes all the way back to the birth of Western philosophy 2,500 years ago. The Babylonians made regular astronomical observations during a period of 600 years, from 747 BCE until 150 ACE. They developed mathematical techniques to predict astronomical phenomena, but they made no attempts at explaining them. However, the Greeks developed models, both material and theoretical, to explain the observed phenomena.The best example is Plato’s late dialogue Timaeus. Here he introduces a divine craftsman, the Demiurge, who has constructed the universe according to an original plan. Plato seems to have thought that the original plan is what is actually real, while the material world is merely an imperfect realization of it. He therefore does not, in the Timaeus, reconstruct the material universe, but the original plan, which can then be used to explain the material universe.Plato’s aim in producing a theoretical model is to reconstruct the original plan. That is what he carries out in Timaeus—and some modern physicists have embarked on the same project. For example, Einstein’s basic attitude is reflected in the title of Abraham Pais’ biography: “Subtle is the Lord...,” echoing Einstein’s comment, “Subtle is the Lord, but malicious He is not.” In an interview Einstein compared our situation to a child who enters a huge library. The child knows that someone has written the books, but he does not know the languages in which they are written. He suspects that there is a mysterious order, but he does not know what it is.___“We have all been working in what Husserl called the Galilean style; that is, we have all been making abstract mathematical models of the universe to which at least the physicists give a higher degree of reality than they accord the ordinary world of sensation.”Steven Weinberg, Nobel Prize in Physics (1979)___This Platonist view is contrary to a widespread impression of science, symbolized by the picture of the “father” of modern science, Galileo Galilei, with his telescope. According to this impression, Galileo liberated himself from the dominating metaphysics of his day—basically Aristotelian philosophy—and constructed a telescope that he directed towards the sky, showing that Jupiter has four moons. He also performed experiments with bronze balls rolling down inclined planes and found the law of freely falling bodies.However, in other cases Galileo emphasized the unreliability of our senses. It is easy to see why. He defended Copernicus’ heliocentric hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, we are not at rest at the center of the universe, but moving at a tremendous speed through space. Why don’t we observe this motion? Galileo praises Copernicus because “with reason as his guide he resolutely continued to affirm what sensible experience seemed to contradict.” In other places he directly refers to Plato. SUGGESTED VIEWING The quest for a final theory With Michio Kaku Galileo’s Platonism goes back to his early writings. In The Assayer, published as early as 1623, Galileo compared the universe to a grand book that is written in the language of mathematics, and “its characters are triangles, circles, and other geometric figures without which it is humanly impossible to understand a single word of it.” Therefore, things that cannot be described by mathematics—for example, colors, smells and odors—are not real. They are merely subjective.This division into subjective and objective, advocated by Galileo and his younger contemporary René Descartes, is normally associated with a mechanistic world view, which is regarded as the opposite of Platonism. When we reduce something to, for example, molecules and atoms, we move “downwards.” In contrast, the Platonist moves “upwards,” to abstract entities. However, it only shows that when we address fundamental questions, we should be careful in applying everyday spatial metaphors like “up” and “down.”___Nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world.___The endeavor of finding a Theory of Everything has been heavily criticized. In 2006, the theoretical physicist Lee Smolin published “The Crisis in Fundamental Physics.” He argued that one of the most fundamental principles of science is that we should only regard theories as scientific if we have the possibility to show that they are false by experiments. Although he did not refer to Karl Popper, other critics have referred to Popper and argued that a theory is not scientific if it cannot be falsified (see for example Ellis & Silk 2014).These were not the first physicists to be anti-reductionists. In 1972, the journal Science published an article by the physicist Philip Anderson with the title “More Is Different.” This is the kind of article a scientist would normally write only after he has won a Nobel Prize. However, Anderson won the Nobel Prize for physics five years later, in 1977. The article is amazing, not primarily because it argues in favor of anti-reductionism in general, but because it argues for anti-reductionism within physics itself. Anderson’s conclusion was:At each stage entirely new laws, concepts, and generalizations are necessary, requiring inspiration and creativity to just as great a degree as in the previous one. Psychology is not applied biology, nor is biology applied chemistry.We may say that Plato started the “unity of science movement,” based on Euclidean geometry as the model of all knowledge. A distinguishing mark of geometry is that all possible constructions can be reduced to a few fundamental principles. We have to acknowledge that this approach has limitations. In general, we can easily model technological systems. In addition, we may construct simplified and idealized models that capture important aspects of systems, from various perspectives and for various purposes. But nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world. In a complex system, each level has its distinct, emergent, properties that are characteristic of this level. Therefore, a complex system should be investigated at different levels and from different perspectives. Instead of exclusively pursuing a scientific ideal based on the unity of science, we should acknowledge the diversity—or even the disunity—of science.
YOUR INPUT WANTED: Help shape the 2026 Delta Science Plan
The Delta Stewardship Council’s Delta Science Program has released the third iteration of the Delta Science Plan for public review. The Delta Science Plan outlines the vision, principles, and strategies guiding science in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. All members of the Delta science community and interested stakeholders are encouraged to provide input. This includes federal, state, and local agency scientists, tribes, non-governmental organizations, academic researchers, and members of the public who care about the future of the Delta. The Delta […]
Zorts Sports Announces Strategic Partnership With GAME Network to Expand Youth and Amateur Sports Visibility
LAS VEGAS, Dec. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zorts Sports, a leading sports-technology platform powering youth and amateur tournaments nationwide, today announced a strategic partnership with GAME Network, a rapidly growing sports-streaming and athlete-driven content network. The partnership brings together Zorts’ tournament infrastructure and GAME Network’s media and broadcasting capabilities to create a more connected ecosystem for athletes, event operators, families, and fans. Zorts provides
Aggies win school's first NCAA volleyball title
Texas A&M won its first NCAA volleyball championship after sweeping Kentucky, one of three No. 1 seeds the Aggies beat in the tournament,.
The Return of the Antebellum Constitution
The Supreme Court and the president are undermining the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments.
Algeria bill seeks to criminalise French colonial rule: What to know
Algerian parliament is set to vote on Wednesday on the draft law, which speaker calls a 'defining milestone'.
Exclusive | ‘No need to explain’: leading mRNA vaccine expert Hu Haitao leaves US for China
China is catching up fast in mRNA-related fundamental research and technological development, Hu says.
Iraq's political future in limbo as factions vie for power
Political factions in Iraq have been maneuvering since the parliamentary election more than a month ago to form alliances that will shape the next government
Afcon quiz: Name every Africa Cup of Nations winner
With the Africa Cup of Nations kicking off on Sunday, 21 December, can you name every tournament winner?
How a Year of Political Peril Could Unfold for Keir Starmer
Prime Minister Keir Starmer told his cabinet this week that 2026 would be the year Britain’s fortunes turn around and year Labour gains the upper hand. For his skeptical Members of Parliament the question is whether they oust him.
'A one-of-a-kind gift': Last-minute holiday shoppers boost Sacramento's local businesses
For small business owners, this final weekend is about more than just sales; it's an opportunity to make a lasting impression.
Is winter warmer in Sacramento than it was 50 years ago? What the science says
Climate change has warmed Sacramento’s winters, shrinking Sierra snowpack and threatening water supplies statewide.
Bracketology: Where UNC, Kentucky are projected to land in NCAA Tournament
Our newest CBS Sports Bracketology projects champions from the power conferences
Sir Keir as Eliot Ness, Radon Liz proving TV gold – all in another year of Westminster psychodrama
With the Christmas recess stopping our politicians causing more havoc, it’s time for the Guardian’s parliamentarian of the year awards
Sky Sports remains exclusive home of The Masters Tournament with more live coverage than ever before
Sky Sports will remain the exclusive home of the Masters tournament in a new multi-year extension with Augusta National Golf Club; the 2026 Masters will take place from April 6-12 as Rory McIlroy returns as defending champion after completing the career Grand Slam in 2025
Trump tests the First Amendment: A timeline
Within weeks of retaking the White House, President Donald Trump boasted that he had “brought free speech back to America.” But since then, he has tested the limits of the First Amendment time and again.
Sacramento Restaurants Pay Less After Entertainment Permit Changes
Changes made to the city’s entertainment permits will raise prices for some, while lowering the difficulty and cost enough for others to finally become aboveboard
Retired cop jailed for 37 days over Charlie Kirk meme sues, saying his First Amendment rights were violated
A retired Tennessee law enforcement officer was held in jail for more than a month this fall after police arrested him because of a Facebook post of a meme related to the September assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Korea’s long-term strategy for 2D materials: fundamental science is the secret of success
An interview with Moon-Ho Jo, director of the IBS Center for Van der Waals Quantum Solids in Korea
Stars, hype on the rise as the NCAA volleyball tournament reaches the Final Four
The championship tournament semifinals are Thursday, with Texas A&M facing Pittsburgh and Wisconsin against Kentucky.
Live updates: GOP health care bill comes to House floor; Senate takes up NDAA
The House is set to vote Wednesday on a narrow, GOP-crafted health care bill, having shut down any chance of an amendment that includes an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies. A contentious …
What's working and what isn't three years into the NBA Cup?
Some aspects of the league's in-season tournament are clicking... and some still need improvement
Tennessee crushes Louisville 83-62
Tennessee delivered just what the doctor ordered to end their losing streak, dismantling the #11 Louisville Cardinals 83-62 inside the Food City Center. Ja’Kobi Gillespie led all scorers with 23 points, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds, going a perfect 10-10 from the free throw line. Nate Ament had 13 points and 7 rebounds, and Jaylen […]
Nick Gross joins Westbrook in leading $1B OKC entertainment district, soccer stadium
U.S. investor Nick Gross is joining Sacramento Kings G Russell Westbrook in backing a new entertainment district in Oklahoma City anchored by a new soccer stadium.
The Year in Computer Science
Explore the year’s most surprising computational revelations, including a new fundamental relationship between time and space, an undergraduate who overthrew a 40-year-old conjecture, and the unexpectedly effortless triggers that can turn AI evil.
World Juniors Pre-Tournament Series comes to North Star Sports and Entertainment Network
World Juniors Pre-Tournament Series comes to North Star Sports and Entertainment Network
World Juniors Pre-Tournament Series comes to North Star Sports and Entertainment Network
World Juniors Pre-Tournament Series comes to North Star Sports and Entertainment Network
Colorado Law Adopting Uniform Utilization Review Standards for Behavioral Health Treatment Goes into Effect January 1, 2026
Colorado House Bill 25-1002, effective January 1, 2026, amends Colorado Revised Statutes § 10-16-104(5.5) to require health benefit plans to use
Local business surprised with order for ornaments that ended up on the White House Christmas Tree
A small 3D printing shop in Miami unknowingly helped to decorate the White House for this year’s holiday season.
A Physics Renaissance Is Coming
The field can no longer ignore the fundamental mystery posed by living things.
Sacramento Kings depth chart: This season and in the future
How the Sacramento Kings are projected to look like this season and beyond
Aggies shock unbeaten volleyball No. 1 Huskers
The NCAA women's volleyball tournament was rocked Sunday as Texas A&M upset previously unbeaten No. 1 Nebraska 3-2, sending the Aggies to the program's first final four.
History behind California's first state Legislature
It's been 176 years since the representatives in California's first state Legislature met in San Jose, the Golden State's first capital, before it ultimately moved to Sacramento.
Knicks reach NBA Cup final as Brunson sinks Magic
Jalen Brunson powered the New York Knicks to their first NBA Cup final with a 132-120 win over the Orlando Magic in Las Vegas Saturday.The reigning NBA champions Thunder will face Victor Wembanyama's Spurs in the second semi-final later Saturday, before the tournament concludes Tuesday.
One win in 10 - should Dundee Utd fans be worried?
BBC Scotland analyses the severity of Dundee United's current predicament.
Foothill College's Physics Show puts the fun in science fundamentals
Are we in a new era for EHRs?
The healthcare industry is experiencing a fundamental shift in digital health infrastructure, one that prioritizes interoperability, clinician efficiency and patient-centered care – and where AI and advanced analytics play key roles.
Mosquitos use it to suck blood. Researchers used it to 3-D print
A mosquito proboscis repurposed as a 3-D printing nozzle can print filaments around 20 micrometers wide, half the width of a fine human hair.
When do the playoffs for Michigan high school winter sports start?
Here's a timeline on when each winter sport's playoff tournament is expected to begin.
Thailand dissolves parliament, heightening political turmoil as Trump seeks to salvage ceasefire with Cambodia
The escalation broke the ceasefire brokered in July by Trump who threatened to halt trade talks with the two countries unless they ended the fight.
Amendment 29: F.6 Science Activation Final Text and Due Date.
The Science Mission Directorate Science Activation Program encourages all people to actively participate in science through activities and resources developed
Bulgarian government resigns after mass protests
Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov says cabinet stepping down before parliament had been due to hold no-confidence vote.
Chico's big fashion and entertainment show on Dec. 13 benefits FUR's cat rescue work • Chico News & Review
We are a group of award-winning free alternative weekly newspapers published by Chico Community Publishing, Inc. We publish the Chico News & Review in Chico, California, the Sacramento News & Review in Sacramento, California and the Reno News & Review in Reno, Nevada. In addition to the 3 weeklies, we also have a Custom Publication division dedicated to producing high quality publications for government agencies, nonprofits and more.
The New WHO Pandemic Treaty and Global Health Governance: Incorporating Common but Differentiated Responsibilities into PABS - Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
On May 20, 2025, the World Health Assembly unanimously adopted the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement, an international treaty designed to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The product of three years of arduous negotiations, the treaty marks a new era of global cooperation in public health. However, core aspects of the agreement remain unresolved—notably the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) System, which is intended to ensure equitable access to pandemic-related materials and benefits. To support the successful implementation of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” should be formally incorporated into the negotiating agenda of the PABS annex. Introduction For the first time, an international treaty has enshrined the principle of “One Health,” the compelling idea that the health of animals, humans, and the environment all contribute to pandemic risks. SARS (2003), H1N1 (2009–10), Ebola (2014–16), and COVID-19 all emerged through zoonotic spillover from animal hosts—respectively, civets, hogs, and bats. Together, they underscore the need for a coordinated, cross-sectoral approach. The Pandemic Agreement responds to this call, requiring state parties to acknowledge the ecological interplay and commit to a comprehensive “One Health” strategy. Specifically, Article 5 charges governments to address “the drivers of pandemics and the emergence and re-emergence of infectious disease at the human-animal-environment interface,” including wild animal markets, deforestation, and antibiotic overuse. Yet the effectiveness of this “One Health” vision depends equally on the free flow of scientific information and data among countries and institutions. Just as environmental and animal health factors have been neglected in past global frameworks, so too has data sharing been marginalized, despite its centrality to timely detection and response. The Pandemic Agreement takes an important step by requiring governments to enhance data collection and cooperate with the World Health Organization (WHO). However, these provisions will remain aspirational without a robust Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex. The PABS system will determine whether countries and researchers can rapidly exchange pathogen samples and genetic data while ensuring equitable access to resulting research and development, including diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. Without such mechanisms, the treaty’s promise to operationalize “One Health” and strengthen global preparedness will risk becoming largely symbolic, echoing earlier failures to translate shared principles into coordinated action. Equity Concerns When the 2025 Health Assembly adopted the Pandemic Agreement, it left the difficult question of access to pathogens and the sharing of resulting benefits to be addressed in a separate agreement. Negotiations on this separate agreement, PABS, are now underway in Geneva. Yet governments remain divided over fundamental questions of equity between the countries that primarily contribute to the system and those that primarily draw from it—and consequently benefit. For example, wildlife in countries bordering the equator is likely to produce PABS materials, but companies in Europe are likely to use them to develop lucrative products. The most likely contributor countries are likely to be those biodiverse countries around the equator, such as Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Indonesia, where the number of human-mammalian viral host interactions is large. Conversely, countries most likely to benefit from this material are those with the technology, investors, and infrastructure to capitalize on genomic data, such as the United States, EU member states, and Japan. This imbalance reflects a broader pattern seen in prior international frameworks. Now, as in the past, the wealthiest countries in the world (a useful heuristic is membership of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)) disproportionately benefit from systems in which pathogens and genomic sequencing data are contributed to a common source. Under the International Agreement on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (the “Plant Treaty” or “Seed Treaty”) and the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework, companies from Europe and North America disproportionately withdraw biological samples and data for development into lucrative medical products. Their governments and companies have both statutory and contractual claims to the products that those companies correspondingly produce. PABS appears poised to follow the same pattern. The text calls for strong language on access to pathogens and associated data, but the corresponding benefits that should flow to poorer countries are couched in equivocal or non-binding language. Common but Differentiated Responsibilities To address these inequities, the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” should be formally incorporated into the negotiating agenda of the PABS annex. Common but differentiated responsibilities are often a feature of climate change negotiations. The basic principle is that, even though all countries should reduce carbon emissions, governments that became rich and powerful through massive carbon emissions (e.g., France, the United Kingdom, the United States) should have a greater obligation to address the resulting crises. Applied to PABS, it would require that governments hosting and supporting companies developing lucrative products carry greater obligations toward the cost of running the PABS system; share benefits or final medical products; and transfer technology to help countries worldwide develop their own capacities to innovate and manufacture vaccines during an emergency. For example, an annex could mandate that any company based in an OECD country that withdraws PABS material would be obligated to donate the resulting diagnostics, therapeutics, or vaccines to the WHO during a public health emergency or pandemic. Questions remain about how robust those donations would be, but the principle is that they should deliver highly significant lifesaving benefits to be equitably shared. Theoretically, this approach mirrors the PIP Framework, in which companies withdrawing influenza samples are required to pay half of the operating costs. In practice, however, the framework has fallen short. The PIP Framework Secretariat has struggled to secure payments from companies, with companies often disagreeing over how much is owed. Additionally, without another pandemic influenza to test the strength of the agreement during a public health emergency, corporate compliance with sharing mechanisms remains unknown. Even if these limitations did not characterize the PIP Framework, partially paying for operating expenses does not address the inequity in access to genetic data and pathogen samples that left less developed countries last in line for COVID-19 vaccines (and, before them, H1N1). Common but differentiated responsibilities would go further, addressing governments’ legitimate grievances regarding information sharing. It would make withdrawals of PABS material and resulting products more transparent, building trust across the board. Enforcement and Enduring Success A key implication of this approach is that the governing mechanism of the PABS must have real enforcement authority. The WHO Pandemic Agreement delegates its core governance responsibilities to a Conference of the Parties (COP)—a governing body composed of one representative from each participating government, similar to those established under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The proposed WHO Pandemic Agreement COP is charged with oversight functions but ultimately possesses no real authority to compel a government to take any action it does not wish to take. The text does not give the COP the ability to, for example, sanction a party that does not comply with either textual obligations or PABS provisions. In other words, there are no effective mechanisms in place to ensure compliance. Perhaps just as significant, establishing a meaningful enforcement mechanism within the PABS system would strengthen the WHO’s credibility and its ability to ensure compliance across global health governance. By setting a precedent for accountability, such a mechanism could enhance the organization’s authority not only within the Pandemic Agreement but also in enforcing the revised International Health Regulations and other frameworks for public health emergencies. Conclusion The PABS annex can—and should—be different. It should establish clear responsibilities for funding as well as for sharing the diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines that result from contributions to the system. The system, in turn, must include a dedicated body empowered to hold governments and the corporations they sponsor accountable for their responsibilities before, during, and after pandemics. Doing so would restore trust in the broader agreement, which was eroded as commitments were repeatedly diluted while parties scrambled to meet their own self-imposed deadlines during the Pandemic Agreement negotiations. A robust PABS Annex would cement a grand social bargain. Wealthier countries and their corporations would gain unimpeded access to scientific information essential for developing and manufacturing lifesaving medical products. As such, they would stand to gain considerable economic benefit. Yet that privilege must be matched with responsibility. The grand bargain must include not only the right to innovate, but also the duty to ensure that innovation serves all. As medical products are developed and produced through collective contributions, every person must have equal access. All human beings deserve an equitable chance to survive—to save their own life, the lives of their families, and the well-being of their communities. … Sam Halabi, JD, MPhil, is the Bette Jacobs Endowed Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Health and the Director of the Center for Transformational Health Law at Georgetown Law. He serves as the co-lead for the WHO’s Working Group on Regulatory Consideration on AI and Health’s training workstream. He earned his JD from Harvard, his MPhil from Oxford, and undergraduate degrees from Kansas State University. Lawrence Gostin, LLD (Hon.), JD, BA, is University Distinguished Professor and Founding Director and Timothy and Linda O’Neill Professor of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. He is the author of Global Health Security: A Blueprint for the Future (Harvard University Press, 2021); Global Health Law (Harvard University Press, 2014); Public Health Law: Power, Duty, Restraint (University of California Press, 3rd ed., 2016); Public Health Law and Ethics: A Reader (University of California Press, 3rd ed., 2018); Law and the Health System (Foundation Press, 2014); Principles of Mental Health Law & Practice (Oxford University Press, 2010). He also directs the WHO Collaborating Center at Georgetown University. Image Credit: United States Mission Geneva, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Yankees news: New York leaves meetings empty-handed
Cashman laments offseason’s slow pace, asking prices; Yankees, Mets check in on Tucker; O’s splash the cash for Alonso.
Nuggets, Kings clash for 4th time in 6 weeks
Two teams quite familiar with one another meet for the fourth time in less than six weeks when the Denver Nuggets visit the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night.
Wafer set for Quins debut after World Cup injury
Ireland's Aoife Wafer is expected to play her first game since breaking her collarbone and rupturing a medial ligament in September.
AI and the Entertainment Industry
In a dramatic reversal that signals a fundamental shift in how the music industry approaches artificial intelligence (AI), Warner Music Group (WMG) announced on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, that it...
WATCH: Sen. Ossoff Urges Republicans to Put Politics Aside, Extend Affordable Care Act Tax Credits
“In this building, maybe it’s about the politics, but in the real world and in Georgia, this is life or death,” Sen. Ossoff said In June, Sen. Ossoff offered an amendment to the Trump budget bill to extend key Affordable Care Act tax credits, but Republicans blocked Sen. Ossoff’s amendment Washington, D.C. — Ahead of this week’s Senate […]
France’s prime minister faces crunch vote in parliament
Sébastien Lecornu faces a vital test to his premiership over the social security budget bill.
Dayton business leaders lament loss of SBIR funding
Dayton business advocates are concerned about the future of SBIR funding
"Is Square Enix really giving birth to something genuinely new?" Major shareholder urges a fundamental reassessment of Final Fantasy maker's future
A major shareholder in Square Enix has released a 100-page document criticising the company for its poor sales and urging for a "fundamental reassessment".
Sacramento students at St. Francis to send science experiment to the International Space Station
Freshman Charlotte Huang and Megan Atkinson, a junior, are part of an elite team of 12 at St. Francis, interviewed and chosen from a pool of over 100 applicants at their school alone to be part of what's called the International Space Station Program or ISSP.
2026 World Cup Playoffs: Schedule, Bracket, Teams
2026 World Cup playoff guide with schedule, bracket breakdown and the teams battling for the final spots in the expanded tournament.
‘We’ll need to see a warrant’: the group teaching businesses vital tool to fight ICE raids
Siembra in North Carolina gives owners fourth amendment rights trainings should federal agents show up at their door
2026 World Cup to feature three-minute hydration breaks in every half throughout tournament
Every game will pause for three minutes in the middle of each half, which will essentially split the match into quarters.
Raptors and Knicks meet Tuesday in NBA Cup group stage
The Toronto Raptors host the New York Knicks in an NBA Cup in-season tournament group play matchup
Prep basketball roundup: Ontario Christian girls win their ninth consecutive game
Knights defeat JSerra to win Troy tournament championship behind MVP Kaleena Smith
Natalie Ring leads Marquette to win in NCAA volleyball tournament
The Golden Eagles won a match in the first round of the NCAA tournament for ninth time in program history.
NCAA Tournament Bracketology: Michigan takes over No. 1 national seed
Bracketology: Michigan earns No. 1 national seed after run at Players Era
2026 World Cup draw: England and Scotland learn group stage opponents for tournament in USA, Canada and Mexico
2026 World Cup co-hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico and takes place from June 11 to July 19; biggest-ever World Cup sees 48 teams competing across 104 matches; nations will find out venues and kick-off times for their games on Saturday at 5pm UK time, when FIFA will unveil match schedule
2026 World Cup groups confirmed: Full draw, groups, details
The 2026 World Cup draw has taken place with the 12 groups confirmed for the tournament next summer.
Kroenke Sports and SoFi Stadium are new defendants in Rose Bowl lawsuit against UCLA
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment and SoFi Stadium have been added as defendants in an amended complaint filed by the Rose Bowl Operating Co. and the City of Pasadena in Los Angeles Superior Court.
FIFA World Cup draw live updates: What countries will the U.S. play next summer?
Follow live coverage as teams are drawn for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The tournament will take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada next summer.
Column | The World Cup has always been about politics
The tournament played a role in early 20th century nation building, Jonathan Wilson says in a new book, and it is still political today.
Rebecca Heineman, Transgender Video Game Pioneer, Dies at 62
Fleeing an abusive home life, she went on to win a national Space Invaders tournament, taught herself to program and left a trail of popular games in her wake.
Famenity's Brain Factor-7® Sets New Benchmark for Clinically Validated Cognitive-Health Solutions
SEOUL, South Korea, December 04, 2025--Famenity's BF-7® gains global attention as a cognitive-health ingredient backed by more than 12 human studies and major regulatory approvals.
Kelly Sheffield says volleyball is 'held back' with NCAA tournament TV deal
Kelly Sheffield believes volleyball is 'held back' with a TV deal that puts the first two rounds of NCAA tournament entirely on a streaming service.
Giant rotating string of 14 galaxies is 'probably the largest spinning object' in the known universe
A giant rotating filament of the cosmic web may be the largest spinning structure ever seen, and could help reveal how galaxies form.
Sacramento Kings at Houston Rockets odds, picks and predictions
The Sacramento Kings and Houston Rockets clash Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
NCAA women's volleyball tournament: Bold predictions, must-watch players and more
Ahead of the tournament, our ESPN college volleyball experts give their take on five big questions.
Women's Euros 2029: Germany chosen to host Uefa tournament
Germany will host the 2029 Women's European Championship, Uefa announces.
DevvStream and Southern Energy Renewables Announce Business Combination Targeting Low-Cost Production of Carbon-Negative SAF and Green Methanol
SACRAMENTO, Calif. & NEW ORLEANS, December 03, 2025--DevvStream Corp. (Nasdaq: DEVS) ("DevvStream"), a leading carbon management and environmental-asset monetization firm, and Southern Energy Renewables Inc. ("Southern"), a U.S.-based producer of low-cost fuels made from biomass, with a flagship Louisiana project that plans to utilize regional wood-waste biomass to deliver green methanol and carbon-negative sustainable aviation fuel ("SAF") at scale, today announced that they have entered into a
I flew in Air India's posh business-class seat for 15 hours. I didn't want to get off the plane.
My long-haul international flight in Air India's business class had great suite-style seats, storage, and amenities that made the upgrade worth it.
2026 World Cup: The Most-Watched Sporting Event in History?
Excitement is building ahead of the tournament staged in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Supreme Court to debate if sidewalk preacher may pursue First Amendment suit
Gabriel Olivier’s lawyers will tell the Supreme Court on Wednesday that his sidewalk ministry is about sharing his faith with his fellow citizens – and should be protected by the First Amendment.