SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " iol " 3,630 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Proposition 134: Colorado voters asked to ban transgender kids from gendered sports
The measure would require that kids from kindergarten through college play on school sports teams that match their biological sex, not their preferred gender
September Monthly Review: Health MCP Guy?
For all the time I spend talking about APIs and data exchange, this newsletter has had embarrassingly little interoperability of its own. It’s old-school SaaS, baby - UI or bust. Not all of that is my fault! Substack, for all its popularity, is (as mentioned before) really frustrating as my system of record. The primary user it optimizes towards is the reader, whose attention feeds the app, the Notes feed, and the recommendation network that Substack is actually selling. Health API Guy is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe They’re falling into the same trap that Medium once sprinted into, albeit at a much more glacial speed. Younger generations may not remember (or never knew) it, but Medium once lured publications like The Ringer and Signal v. Noise onto its platform, only to lose them as it rebuilt itself around a paywall and an algorithmic feed. Substack’s original pitch circa 2020 was the antidote (you own your list), but every new feed feature chips away at it. I get it: writers are generic supply in the eyes of the Substack product team. Generic supply follows demand, so the consistent pressure on the PMs is to generate demand, which leads to every product cycle going toward discovery (Notes, recommendations, the app, live video). The end result lackluster author tools (laggy and broken analytics are truly crippling) all despite the premium price point. The archive is where it crosses from authorial gripes to actual reader impact, though. Across Substack and LinkedIn, I’ve published 1,218 posts and nearly 900,000 words since 2018. Substack’s native search can see only the 464 posts that live on Substack, and even there it’s woefully inadequate at surfacing relevant content (even for the guy who wrote it)! Readers have the same problem, writ large. Ask the Archive Fixing search (for both my readers and my own use) turned out to be extremely non-trivial, unfortunately: There’s no public API for readers to access content RSS exists for new content notification, but it only carries the 20 most recent posts and cuts paid ones off at the preview The only Substack MCP is an admin tool for analytics The export exists for authors, but it’s painfully awkward and slow. So I built something to work around that: the Health API Guy MCP. It’s a private MCP server holding the full text of everything I’ve written across Substack and LinkedIn. Add it to Claude or ChatGPT as a connector and you can ask things like: It pairs keyword search (for acronyms and case names, of which we have many) with semantic search. Every post is also labeled by topic, form, and court case, so you can pull a lawsuit’s (or multiple cases’) entire docket across Substack and LinkedIn in one query: Hail, Healthapiguyhydra This is also a bit of me eating my own cooking. I’ve spent the year arguing that headless healthcare is arriving and that developers want primitives over abstractions. Last week in Hail, Benihydra, I watched Salesforce plug its platform into Claude and bet that the records underneath outlive whatever interface sits on top: Salesforce must believe that the Hydra’s immortal head is the records, permissions, and business logic (in that they will survive whatever happens to the interface). It felt a bit hypocritical to keep my own archive behind a Substack search bar. The archive is the body. Substack is one head, and now whatever tool you might use is another. Will the EHRs follow my lead? Probably not imminently, but one can hope! Why Founding Members Only The MCP is available to Founding Member subscribers. A few reasons: It costs money and time to run. Hosting, the database, Clerk usage and AI compute for search and labeling are significant operational costs (that increase with usage). Substack gives me no way to automate access. There’s no API to check whether someone is a paid subscriber, so every user is manual operations for now. It’s a beta. We’ll need to improve things and parts will break. I’d rather they break for a small group of dedicated readers who will tell me about it. The Founding tier deserved a real benefit. Until now it was mostly a generous tip. Now it comes with something. If you’re already a Founding Member, reply to this email with the address you’d like provisioned. If you’re not and want in, upgrade here. Larger teams (such as companies) can get access too: group subscriptions at the Founding tier come with the group discount. The admin for the subscription can reply with the list of addresses to provision. Get 20% off a group subscription Pricing Founding membership is now a flat $200 a year, replacing the old suggested $150 that readers could adjust. Existing Founding Members will have access grandfathered in at their previous rate. Month in Review Articles Published Make Networks Dumb Again (Sep 11): AI is making old analog networks cheaper to use and flooding them with machine traffic in the process. A plea for agent-native rails with the intelligence at the endpoints, and for Washington to drag them to ubiquity. Interoperability, Unbuttoned (Sep 29): Interoperability is a series of workflows in a trenchcoat, and this post finally takes the trenchcoat off. A color-coded map shows which provider workflows went digital, which are fragmented, and which still run on fax. Video Content Antitrust’s System of Record Problem (Sep 3): The FTC’s investigation into Epic prompted a ninety-minute webinar, now posted with chapters and a smoothed transcript. We get into why market definition, missing B2B share data, and the SSNIP test leave antitrust poorly suited to systems of record, plus why information blocking may be doing more than any pending lawsuit. The Information Exchange: Cerner Milking Edition (Sep 18): This was so fucking fun. Ryan Tucker, Ryan Brickner, Brad Thorson, and I try an Around the Horn format, complete with points, penalties, and a mute button. We debate whether Oracle Health is dead, who would actually buy Cerner (IBM enters the chat), p(Doom), and why the front desk still hands you a clipboard. Regulatory Ask Not What Your Network Can Do (Sep 23): CDC’s RFI on public health data intermediaries lists use cases already served, unevenly, by eCR, lab reporting, IZ Gateway, and syndromic surveillance. The real opportunity sits in one question about AI: a network that can handle the next emergency without another interface project. Court cases Particle v. Epic: The Naughty Schoolteacher (Sep 4): After a summer-long vigil, the answer on Epic’s early summary judgment bid is two paragraphs and a remedial assignment. Particle advances to the next grade, and market definition gets another year of discovery. The Epic Discovery Files (Sep 8): Texas’s motions to compel arrive with a 251-page appendix of requests, objections, and meet-and-confer letters with Cravath. Inside: Epic using generative AI for document review, denied interoperability requests in scope, and Noerr-Pennington raised against lobbying discovery. Epic v. Health Gorilla: “Working as Designed” (Sep 9): Epic wants nothing to do with the data breach MDL, and explaining why puts fresh discovery on the public docket. The spiciest allegation: Health Gorilla told GuardDog to scrub its law firm business from its website instead of cutting off access. Veeva v. Epic: Legal Bypass Surgery (Sep 15): Veeva asks the Wisconsin Supreme Court to skip the Court of Appeals, while law professors and three policy groups line up as amici. Meanwhile, Epic’s lawyers apologize for another round of citation errors, including a quote that never existed. Texas v. Epic: Behind the Black Bars (Sep 17): The court portal served up Epic’s unredacted filings, revealing a $5 million document review budget and the AI workflow behind it. Also inside: the 200-plus company names Texas wants searched, and one very expensive Zoom invitation. OpenEvidence v. Doximity: Consequences Will Follow (Sep 25): OpenEvidence tells the court it will not comply with a discovery order, and its own lawyers at Quinn Emanuel say they won’t defend the choice. Add years of Slack reported unrecoverable, and Rule 37 sanctions come into view. Health Tech Keeps Choosing Violence (Sep 28): Doximity moves to end OpenEvidence’s case, Epic asks Texas to show its work, and a sleepy Audacious Inquiry patent fight sprouts antitrust and information blocking counterclaims. The main event is a long-sealed Cognizant v. Infosys ruling that hints where system of record antitrust claims can survive. EHRs One Verb for Oracle Health (Sep 14): Oracle’s earnings call quantifies every data center to the decimal point, while Oracle Health gets a single verb: “accelerate.” Panning the few healthcare mentions turns up an agentic care management system, a research-to-care ledger play, and the question of whether healthcare gets Larry’s patience. Epic’s Forretress Under Siege (Sep 30): Judy Faulkner tells a panel Epic paused hundreds of projects to harden its software and calls it a “shame,” while a spokesperson insists the roadmap hasn’t changed. Project Glasswing, a Pokémon-branded QAN sprint, and a trove of Jodel grievances reconcile the two Epics and preview the Jevons paradox coming for all software. Industry Analysis Scanning for a Network (Sep 1): Scan.com raises $220M to build the imaging network labs never got, speedrunning Zocdoc’s consumer-to-B2B pivot. Its wedge to network density may be the most American one available: personal injury litigation. The Front Desk Wants the Damn Whole Building (Sep 16): Hello Patient buys Converse Health, pushing its AI front desk into referrals, chart work, and prior auth. The copilot categories keep blurring, and your distribution partner is still your final boss. Cross-industry Comparisons A Different Patchwork Quilt (Sep 10): Healthcare loves to envy open banking, but the US version has no mandate, a toll booth at Chase, and data quality problems of its own. The grass isn’t greener; it’s another American patchwork quilt, and perhaps a worse one. Hail, Benihydra (Sep 21): Salesforce brings its platform into Claude, Slack, and its own agent, inviting the interfaces that might replace it. Cut off one head and more grow back, so long as the records underneath stay put. Living on A Trade Secret Prayer (Sep 22): Six credit unions are suing Fiserv, the Epic of core banking, by claiming their own member records as trade secrets. Banking has no Cures Act, so its lawyers reach for legal alchemy that healthcare has already tried. Other News None this month External Media Nabla Accelerate NYC: I kicked off fall conference season at Nabla’s Accelerate event in New York, where Delphine Groll opened by asking the room to picture the company it wants to become and the one it doesn’t. I liked her framework of bureaucracy, fear, and ego as the blockers. I also love vendor conferences/events in general - different vibe than industry biggies. Healthcare 101 with Nikhil Krishnan: I briefly guest lectured Out-Of-Pocket’s Healthcare 101 class. Appreciated Nikhil’s takeaways cover whether AI doctors can query HIEs, why healthcare’s data-liberation rules beat most industries’, and the hi-res graphic is in the comments. HCN: Epic Probed by the FTC: I joined the HCN guys to talk through the FTC’s investigation into Epic. Cedric’s new hairdo was an unexpected plot twist. The episode also covers MFN drug pricing, healthcare M&A and Eli Lilly’s acquisition streak. Fall Conferences: At eHealth Exchange’s Annual Meeting in Austin on Oct 27, I’ll moderate a panel on the tensions between AI, HIEs, and timely patient access with Jean Ross (Primary Record), Therasa Bell (Kno2), Byron Crowe (Doctronic), and Michael Marchant (Freenome). Here’s the rest of my schedule if you want to meet up: CommonWell (Redwood Shores, CA): Oct 13-14 Will be participating in a fun Jeopardy event Open@Epic (Madison, WI): Oct 20-23 Will be enjoying Verona, Willy Street, and other local adventures eHealth Exchange and Sequoia Project (Austin, TX): Oct 27-29 Yeehaw HLTH (Vegas): Nov 15-18 Groundhog Day, Venetian Edition RSNA (Chicago): Nov 30-Dec 2 See me at “Governing AI in Breast Imaging: What Health Systems Are Actually Doing” Digital Health Counsel 2026 AI Summit (Seattle): December 2-3 Will likely be speaking to a bunch of lawyers about information blocking Posts I Liked ChatGPT’s Epic integration: game changer or nothing burger?: Joshua Liu, MD offers five thoughts on OpenAI’s Epic launch, starting from the point that it rides the same open APIs available to anyone. He argues read-only access leaves ordering to Art and the ambient startups, and asks why HCA is piloting it alongside Commure. He’s sorta a must-follow at this point - consistently excellent, thought-provoking takes. Epic, Lilly, and the Discovery pass: Seth Chaney reads Epic’s first major Discovery deal (with Eli Lilly), as well as its revised developer terms on commercial displays, as the pipe finally opening between EHRs and pharma. Life sciences and health continue to collide. Scott Rossignol on EHR payer platforms and ePA fees: Scott argues the top ambulatory EHR vendors are turning the prior auth mandate into a per-member-per-year toll on payers, for an API whose operating cost has nothing to do with covered lives. His fix is two lines of regulatory text: put the CRD/DTR/PAS certification criteria in the Base EHR definition, and bring payer-facing ePA connectivity under § 170.404’s cost-based fee rules. It’s a good solution. Health API Guy is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Widespread AI adoption in private practice produces measurable efficiency gains
European imaging experts recently conducted an expansive study, involving 10 different AI tools from seven separate vendors, implemented across 20 centers staffed by 58 rads.
Center on Science and Technology being evaluated due to budget constraints
Princeton is reviewing the Center on Science and Technology as part of broader budget reductions, though its courses and StudioLab operations will continue through the current academic year.
How Trump’s AI-Generated Memes Impact Political Authority and Masculinity
A new article by sociologists Tristan Bridges (University of California-Santa Barbara) and James W. Messerschmidt (University of Southern Maine) examines how AI–generated memes circulated on social media by President Donald Trump represent a significant transformation in the visual politics of masculinity
What Does Your Office Say About Your Business? by Jennifer Kraner
What does your space say about you and your business? More importantly, does it give you the best possible first impression? The minute a client, customer or patient walks through your door, they’re forming an opinion about your business – sometimes consciously, sometimes without even realizing it. Your space is communicating something about you, whether you intend it to or not. At Big Sky Design, we work with all kinds of commercial businesses, including many medical practices, law firms and other corporate offices, and I’ve seen first hand how much thoughtful design can influence that first impression. For businesses in medical, legal, and financial fields, three things are particularly important: trust, privacy and professionalism. Your space should communicate all three while also reflecting who you are as a business. That can be challenging, especially in a new construction project. Often, so much of the budget goes toward the actual construction that things like lighting, comfortable seating, artwork and finishing touches get pushed to the side. But those are often the elements that make a space feel complete – and memorable. Think about your waiting room. Is it comfortable? Is the lighting welcoming? Does the layout make sense? When someone walks through the door, do they immediately know where to go and whom to speak with? In a medical office, there’s another important consideration: privacy. Reception areas can become surprisingly noisy places, with phone calls, conversations between staff and patients, and people discussing personal information. Hard surfaces throughout a space allow sound to bounce around, making it difficult to maintain privacy. We recently worked with an eye doctor's office that had exactly this problem. The reception desk had a large opening, and staff were making and taking phone calls right next to patients who were waiting. We designed an acoustic treatment that acted as a divider between the staff and waiting areas. It absorbed sound, but it also became a branded design element. It was a visual reminder to everyone in the space to be mindful of their voices and what others might be able to hear. Those kinds of thoughtful details can make a tremendous difference. And good commercial design doesn't have to mean making your space flashy. Sometimes it’s as simple as a calming color palette, beautiful artwork, plants, carefully selected lighting or comfortable upholstered furniture. In a medical setting, those touches can help soften what might otherwise feel clinical and reduce anxiety for patients who are already nervous about an appointment. I’ve been in waiting rooms where everyone feels packed together, and you can hear every conversation – even what’s happening in the restroom next door. That’s not the experience you want to create. Your office should also feel like your business. Are you telling people that you’re clean and modern? Sophisticated and unique? Warm and welcoming? Or, unintentionally, are you telling them that your business is outdated? You don’t necessarily need a complete renovation to change that message. Fresh paint, updated lighting, new artwork, better seating or a few branded design elements can make a space feel current and intentional. At Big Sky Design, we’ve worked with radiology, dermatology, and dental practices, among many others. Every practice is different, but the goal is always the same: creating a space that reflects the business behind it and gives every person who walks through the door a positive first impression. Because your office is part of your brand. Make sure it’s telling the story you want people to hear. Read more at bigskydesignonline.com.
CMRHD Public Health Topics: October 2026
The Central MA Regional Health Dept. is pleased to feature four public health topics for the month of October 2026: Respiratory Illness Season, Domestic Violence, Breast Cancer Awareness, and Hallowee
Fahy plans new bill to address chronic absenteeism
An effort last year in response to violence in Albany yielded two bills, now Fahy is preparing to introduce a third in response to the killings of four children in Mechanicville over the summer.
Fahy plans new bill to address chronic absenteeism
An effort last year in response to violence in Albany yielded two bills, now Fahy is preparing to introduce a third in response to the killings of four children in Mechanicville over the summer.
State committee meets to stop 'revolving door' or mental health crises, violence
Microsoft Pushes AI Deeper Into Scientific Discovery With Quine
AI can already help scientists make sense of large amounts of data. Microsoft Research is now testing whether it can play a bigger role in deciding what scientists should investigate next. Its new experimental system, Quine, brings together biological data, computational models and research tools to make predictions that researchers can put to the test […]
CDC's Latest Youth Behavior Report Offers a Narrower Look at Teen Health
The new report leaves out national findings on substance use, sexual behavior, violence, and disparities.
Overall dietary patterns matter more for heart health than nutrients
A healthy, balanced dietary pattern, rather than one focused on individual nutrients or foods is key to maintaining heart health, according to a Scientific Statement issued by the American College of Cardiology and published in JACC, its flagship journal.
Secret phone-record seizure sparks personal lawsuit from GOP senator
Marsha Blackburn's lawsuit targets Jack Smith personally, arguing the special counsel was never lawfully appointed and violated her constitutional rights.
Researchers find ‘broad decrease’ in support for political violence in the US
Despite an increasingly volatile and fraught political climate in the United States, researchers have found a “broad decrease” in support…
Broward Health Medical Center Dedicates Boyce Haller Family Cardiac Catheterization and Electrophysiology Suite, Made Possible by $5.2 Million Family Gift
(L-R): Michelle Thoman, chief operating officer, Broward Health Medical Center, Eileen LaMarca, consultant for the Broward Health Foundation, philanthropist Linda Haller, Shane Strum, president and CEO of Broward Health, Stacy Angier, commissioner on the North Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners, and Lauri Littleton, associate chief nursing officer, Broward Health Medical Center, cut the ribbon […]
Trump’s nominee to be nation’s top doctor clears key hurdle in Senate committee
Nicole Saphier, a radiologist and former Fox News contributor, is the third person the president has nominated to be surgeon general in his second term.
An MIT-Trained Engineer Spent 5 Years Using Science to Rethink How We Smell
Jasmina Aganovic is using science to rethink personal scent, turning biology and tech into a beauty product with Future Society’s Base Scent.
HEALTH & WELLNESS @ HOME: Cardiologist discusses heart attack risks ahead of winter
Doctor explains why heart attack cases rise in colder months
'We will get through this together'
Former Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has posted a message on social media following the news of his former club being found guilty of financial breaches. Guardiola led City to 17 major trophies, including six Premier League titles and a Champions League victory, during his 10-year reign at the club. Among reaction elsewhere, ex-City defender and academy graduate Micah Richards said he felt "absolutely devastated" after reading the Premier League's "damning" guilty verdict on the club's financial charges.
Senate blocks measure requiring report on Israeli violence in West Bank
Nearly all Senate Democrats voted to require the State Department to report on Israeli settler violence in the West Bank.
Pep Guardiola gives backing to Man City after guilty verdict: ‘We will get through this’
Pep Guardiola has broken his silence after Manchester City were found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges against them, reiterating his backing of the owners and the chairman. An independent commission, which was appointed following a four-year investigation to rule over the charges which stretch between 2009 and 2018, ruled that the current Premier League leaders had "sham contracts" arranged for a number of its commercial partners, finding that their income over eight seasons was “hugely overstated by over £830m”. The club vehemently deny the breaches with chief executive Ferran Soriano branding the process a “Premier League conspiracy theory” in a message to players and staff, while City have confirmed they will appeal against the ruling.
Social media’s impact on teens, mental health and cyberbullying
Steve Scaffidi begins a new Scaffidiology series examining the impact of social media on our culture, mental health and everyday lives. He is joined by
Cannabis users were twice as likely to commit violence, review finds
A review of more than 265,000 people found that cannabis use was associated with higher rates of both committing violence and becoming a victim of it. The researchers say the link is significant but does not prove cannabis itself is the cause.
Orioles news: More upgrades are coming to Camden Yards
The playoffs are underway, and the Orioles assess what went wrong.
When “DEI” research is cut, what happens to community health?
“I’m just going to run to the grocery store!” How many times have we said this without thinking about it? For most of us, it's usually an easy walk or a short drive to get the cheese we forgot. In reality, though, 13% of the U.S. population (about 39 million people) live in “food deserts,” which means living more than a mile from a grocery store in urban areas and more than 10 miles in rural areas. This was the case for people in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, where a quick run to buy food wasn’t an option. In the 1930s, federal maps marked the Hill as "hazardous" for lending, a practice known as redlining that steered investment away from Black neighborhoods. Decades of disinvestment followed, and residents went about 30 years without a nearby grocery store. This made it hard to keep healthy eating habits and contributed to chronic disease. When a grocery store finally opened in the area in 2013, researchers saw the opportunity and launched the PHRESH study, which initially compared the health of participants from the Hill district to those in the Homewood district. Over time, the study expanded to other factors such as brain health and Alzheimer's risk. Residents like Roderick Blair overcame initial hesitation to share their health data, trusting it would benefit their neighborhood. Then, in August 2026, the NIH abruptly canceled the study’s grant, citing that it was “subjective” and fell outside their scientific scope—an effect of the administration’s interpretation of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Research like PHRESH can help determine what changes in a neighborhood actually improve health, so cutting it has left that question unanswered. Other canceled studies have examined health issues like maternal health, preterm birth rates, or sickle cell disease. Courts have reversed some of these grant cancellations, but not all of them. If we really want America to be healthier, research into why some communities get sicker than others is absolutely critical. The law that created the federal minority health research institute passed with bipartisan support in 2000. But these days, as evidenced by grant cancellations, the political shift in attitudes toward DEI means we often lose access to the health information we need to help all communities thrive. DEI vs. health equity vs. equality and the overlap (or lack thereof) The letters “DEI” evoke very different reactions depending on who you are in the U.S. DEI programs can address gender, disability, age, and other factors, but the fiercest debate centers on race. For some people, hearing DEI brings to mind policies that may have cost them a job or a college seat because they are white. Others see DEI as a matter of justice: a way to expand representation and opportunity for groups that have been historically marginalized. Both perspectives are rooted in lived experience, and both center on the same question: whether hiring and admissions practices are fair. Hiring and admission practices, though related, are not the same as health equity. Health equity is “the attainment of the highest level of health for all people.” It’s the recognition that some groups of people consistently experience worse health outcomes than others. For instance, black mothers die from pregnancy-related complications at three times the rate of white mothers, and rural Americans are more likely to die from issues such as heart disease and cancer. Equity is also often conflated with “equality,” which leads to misunderstanding of how to actually best support communities. Equality ignores the fact that we aren’t all starting life with the same resources or circumstances, whereas equity is about helping people get what they specifically need based on their situation so they have the chance to achieve the same outcome as anyone else. For example, if every household in Pittsburgh got a $30 grocery gift card, that would be equal. But during the decades the Hill District went without a grocery store, that card wouldn’t have helped much. Equity means making sure everyone can actually access a store in the first place. DEI policies can overlap with health equity in many ways. For example, they may help expand access to quality education and stable, well-paying jobs, which in turn can provide health insurance, safer housing, and improved finances—all of which can reduce health disparities. But to make that happen, we first need data to identify disparities in communities and to develop solutions that effectively address them. What we lose when the research stops Community data is important to health equity because: You can’t fix what you don’t see: Data show which communities are most affected by health factors such as infection, heart disease, and cancer. If we don’t know what is happening and where, then we can’t develop interventions to help. Poor health costs everyone: Chronic disease is expensive—both to the individual person and to the overall economy. Understanding what groups of people are most at risk allows us to develop interventions that can save everyone money. Disparities exist for many communities: Health equity includes disparities that exist due to a whole host of factors, such as family background, race and ethnicity, rural vs. suburban residence, gender and sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, and lower income. This means many Americans can benefit from research into differences in health outcomes and how to improve them. Trust is easy to lose: Some participants in the PHRESH study were initially vocal about their concerns about participating. But that trust was earned because the researchers kept their promises and centered their work on the community. When projects are canceled mid-cycle, researchers have no choice but to leave behind communities they had promised to help. This hurts trust in the long run. It’s also a very inefficient use of resources, and it will take significant time and effort to redo the work when the government realizes this work is important again. How should we talk about health equity? This is hard because the words “equity” and “DEI” are currently very politically charged. So whether you’re a public health professional, teacher, or friend, how we talk about this topic matters. The right framing can help people who might otherwise be skeptical see why health equity research is important and deserves funding. Here are some suggestions to help your conversations: Choose your words strategically: Who are you trying to reach with your message? Are they likely to be resistant to terms like “diversity” and “equity”? If so, find alternative words to use to still get the message across. It is frustrating to be in that position, but the goal of improving health is too important not to try to make inroads. Sometimes simply reframing can help the message reach those who need to hear it. Focus on the problem: The terms “health equity” and “DEI” are abstract. Make it more specific. For example, discuss differences in maternal death or ways to improve health outcomes in rural communities. These still have equity at their core but will likely be better understood by those you’re talking with. Focus on systems: Disparities exist, but if they are communicated poorly, people can mistakenly think the issue is the individual’s fault. Disparities are largely driven by failures of the system—such as lack of access to health care and a long legacy of racism. When discussing the disparities, frame them around these systemic issues to ensure blame isn’t placed on the individuals impacted. Tell stories: Personalize these policies by using stories from those impacted that connect to the data you’re trying to convey. This helps make the policies and outcomes more concrete and meaningful. Bottom line Some communities end up sicker than others. That’s just the facts. We can argue about the best way to do that research, but canceling it simply because it may be linked to DEI doesn’t make anyone healthier. It just leaves communities like the Hill district behind. And in the end, it causes us all to move backward in our efforts to improve health in this country. Love, EM Big thanks to MacKenzie Isaac & Legairre Radden, who reviewed this piece and generously shared their expertise and lived experience to help improve it. Dr. Liz Marnik, PhD, is Executive Director of The Evidence Collective and a science communicator and immunologist working at the intersection of public trust, science, and public health. To discuss communication training on topics like health equity and storytelling, email Liz at liz@yle.health or learn more on our website. Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) comprises a team of experts, ranging from physicians to immunologists to epidemiologists to nutritionists, working together with one goal: to “translate” ever-evolving public health science so that people are well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. The YLE suite of newsletters reaches over 475,000 people across more than 132 countries. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below: Your Local Epidemiologist is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
As Violence Falls, Crime Isn’t Paying as a Republican Line of Attack
Across the country, especially in the North Carolina Senate race, Republicans have charged opponents with being soft on crime, even as President Trump brags over plunging crime rates.
Health inspectors find fruit flies, roaches, trapped mouse in Dearborn
Wayne County health inspectors found pests and temperature violations at several Dearborn restaurants recently.
A Microbiologist Dissects the Science of Infection in Movies
An infection control scientist binge-watches decades of outbreaks, pathogens, and pandemic drama to find out which shows and films hit the mark with infections.
SU Catering failed county health inspection during ‘Citrus in the City’
SU Catering failed a surprise inspection at SU’s August 2026 “Citrus in the City” event, for improperly stored food and other violations.
SU Catering failed county health inspection during ‘Citrus in the City’
SU Catering failed a surprise inspection at SU’s August 2026 “Citrus in the City” event, for improperly stored food and other violations.
Graffiti in Turners Falls causes damage, business owners perplexed by messages
What struck several people in downtown Turners Falls when their businesses were defaced with graffiti is — it seemed targeted, but misplaced. In this western Massachusetts village in the town of Montague, the numerous messages were connected to the violence in Gaza, to children dying, and notably to the eating of brunch.
Science begins for Smile
On 23 September, the European-Chinese Smile mission was declared ready to start revealing how Earth responds to the wind of charged particles from the Sun. This follows a busy in-space commissioning period since the spacecraft launched on 19 May and reached its target orbit for science operations on 20 June.
Moment of Science: Cassowary headgear glows under UV light, study finds
Shedding some light on a very large bird! Dan Smith shows how ultraviolet light may play a role in helping cassowaries communicate.
Among the Academies: A Lifelong Fascination with Fish
For Peter Wainwright, the academic path was simple: he simply followed his fascination with fish."I dare say there wasn't a lot of deep thought about what direction I should go in my life," he said. "It was more, I like fish, let's see if I can do something with fish. It was all very organic."
9 Best Fruits to Help Reduce Blood Pressure, Cholesterol and Heart Disease Risk
The soluble fiber in fruit can improve cholesterol, a cardiologist says. Certain fruits show “potent cardiovascular protective action” thanks to their beneficial plant compounds.
Officials recover $17K in unpaid wages from McDonald’s franchisee for 23 minors
DWD and DOJ said Iron Arch had multiple child labor law violations.
Moment of Science: Cassowary headgear glows under UV light, study finds
Shedding some light on a very large bird! Dan Smith shows how ultraviolet light may play a role in helping cassowaries communicate.
Trump government ads draw scrutiny weeks before midterm elections
Critics say the campaign may violate longstanding restrictions on government propaganda and political activity
Meet our new faculty: Lesley Park
Dr. Lesley Park is an epidemiologist whose research focuses on HIV, cancer, and aging using large-scale data from the US Veterans Health Administration.
‘Perhaps the worst’ – Aymeric Laporte makes stunning Pep Guardiola admission
Aymeric Laporte has described Pep Guardiola as potentially the “worst” coach for interpersonal relationships despite ranking his former Manchester City manager among football’s finest tacticians...
Ukraine’s Academy of Sciences warns against Russian cooperation after attack
The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine has urged the international scientific community not to “restore or legitimise institutional cooperation with Russian state scientific and educational structures,” after a Russian drone hit its Presidium building in central Kyiv, killing at least two people and injuring several others. The drone strike took place in the early afternoon on September 28 while staff were working.The academy called the strike, one of several Russian attacks on Ukraine’s capital using jet-powered drones in recent days, an act of terrorism. “It is a strike [. . .] on the very idea that knowledge, research, and the search for truth should serve life, not its destruction,” it said in a statement.The academy thanked the global scientific community for its solidarity following the attack and warned against any temptation to normalise scientific relations with Russia.“Science cannot exist outside of moral responsibility. There can be no ‘ordinary scientific cooperation’ with a state that kills people and destroys scientific institutions of another country,” it said.“We urge not to create opportunities for Russian state institutions to return to the international scientific community as if nothing happened. There can be no ‘science beyond politics’ when science is attacked with weapons.”After the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Europe almost entirely cut institutional ties and joint programmes with Russian science, although personal academic contacts are still ongoing.Related articlesRussia widens targeting of European research centresHow geopolitical rifts cut scientific collaborationThe European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities (ALLEA), for instance, continues to exclude the Russian Academy of Sciences from its network.ALLEA condemned the latest attack as a “barbaric act” and part of a broader “systematic targeting of Ukraine’s scientific and cultural infrastructure.” This is a “deliberate attempt to erase the conditions under which free inquiry, knowledge, and democratic life are possible,” it said in a statement.Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, more than 4,650 educational institutions across Ukraine have been damaged, and a further 423 have been destroyed, according to ALLEA.National academies across Europe joined ALLEA in condemning the attack. “Science is about the pursuit of knowledge for the benefit of humanity, so this is an attack on civilisation itself,” said Paul Nurse, president of the UK’s Royal Society.Attacks on scientific, university and cultural institutions “are attacks on the foundations of society and constitute a clear violation of international law,” wrote the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.The presidents of the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine also released a joint statement condemning the attack and pledging to continue to support the Ukrainian research community.The targeting of the Ukrainian academy prompted outcry from European leaders. “Today, science became a target for Russia,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on social media.“These strikes are the latest illustration of the Russian regime’s hostile contempt for science and truth,” said French President Emmanuel Macron.
Lesbian Bar Project Co-Founder: Purity Politics Could Destroy Our Remaining Spaces
Subscribe As a professional lesbian and Massachusetts native, I’ve recently been asked by a lot of folks what I think about the saga unfolding at Last Ditch. The now-viral story, first reported by The Boston Globe, centers on a Western Massachusetts lesbian bar that lifted its mask requirement for one night a week to help drum up business. The decision ignited an intra-queer controversy that has been feasted on by media outlets across the political spectrum—from the New York Post to LGBTQ Nation—and is even reportedly being eyed for a Hollywood adaptation. Apparently nothing is more entertaining than a bunch of lesbians and queers fighting with each other over KN-95s. What has been lost in all of the chatter and media coverage is the very real possibility that Last Ditch, which just opened in April 2025, will have to close its doors. The venue’s one remaining founder, Jackie Matellian, revealed in a community Zoom meeting that she’s working four jobs, is now solely responsible for the bar’s $50,000 business loan and is struggling to keep up with the bills. So as we laugh about the controversy’s similarity to a “Portlandia” skit and how one of the bar’s founders left to enroll in clown school, we forget that yet another lesbian bar is facing an existential crisis—and this time the call is coming from inside the house. In 2020, my friend Elina Street and I created The Lesbian Bar Project, an Emmy-, Webby- and GLAAD Media Award-winning docuseries and initiative that tells the stories of lesbian queer bars around the world. We were moved to act because at the time there were only an estimated 16 lesbian bars in the United States, and the pandemic threatened to bring that number down even further. There are now more sapphic bars than there were just before the pandemic—about 36 of them in total—but this is down from approximately 200 in 1980. Maybe that doesn’t mean much to you, but for the millions of sapphics living in the U.S., this number is calamitous. As the world laughs at lesbians and sapphics, I want to take a second and tell you what I feel when I walk into one of these bars, which are all unique and irreplaceable in their own way: I feel seen. Sometimes I think Cubbyhole in New York City’s West Village neighborhood knew I was gay before I did. When I walked in there for the first time, before I was even out, I was transfixed by the colorful array of tchotchkes hanging from the ceiling and how the women standing next to me were completely unafraid to express their desire for one another. I knew the minute I was ready to come out, I had a home. I also felt the joy of a new couple falling in love at Seattle’s Wildrose, the quiet confidence of a short king lining up her shot at the pool table at Ginger’s in Brooklyn and the kick of cayenne pepper in Julie Mabry’s crawfish at Houston’s Pearl Bar. Subscribe Lesbian bars don’t just serve lesbians; they serve queer folks across the spectrum, including bisexual, pansexual and trans people. As Elina and I traveled across the U.S. and Europe and to parts of Latin America to document the bar owners, staff and patrons that make up the ecosystems of these spaces, we also became uniquely acquainted with the factors that threaten their existence: gentrification, wage gaps, sexism, environmental disasters, gun violence, rising insurance premiums and political administrations working to annihilate queer people and their families. Lesbian bar owners, like all leaders and entrepreneurs, are imperfect. There have been significant issues over the years at lesbian bars: employee harassment, racism, lack of accessibility, sexual assault and transphobia. All bar owners should be held accountable and should listen to their communities to evolve into safer and more equitable spaces. I also acknowledge my privilege: I am able-bodied, white, cis and from a family system that loves me for who I am. Not everyone has that. Queer people, especially trans and bisexual people, are suffering from disproportionately high levels of depression, and our mental health system isn’t equipped to support them. Immunocompromised people and long COVID are real, and many of my friends are suffering to this day. The people with the least safety net are often the ones for whom a bar closing costs the most. And yet, as we’re seeing with Last Ditch, the queer community often lashes out at each other. It’s also the mainstream media taking the internal conflict and making a mockery out of it, distracting from the real possibility that this bar could close due to financial pressures. A bar that many people loved and needed is facing extinction. Perhaps it’s safer to dissent with one another than with the larger forces trying to eradicate us, but in doing so, we risk destroying the few spaces we have left. Due to the constraints of purity politics—some in good faith, some not so much—lesbian bar owners, almost all of whom are queer women themselves, are forced to be everything for everyone, similarly to how women are forced to be everything for everyone. By asking these bars to uphold impossible standards—standards very few other third spaces are asked to consider—we all end up losing. I want to move as a community toward dialogue, compassionate dissent and collaboration to make our spaces better with the goal of keeping them OPEN and thriving, rather than destroying them from the inside with expectations that are arguably unattainable. Subscribe While I have your attention—for this fleeting second of the news cycle—may I urge us to spearhead a way to keep these small businesses afloat without attacking our own community along the way? Bar owners are left with an impasse: They want to be community-centered, but they also have to make money to keep their doors open. Sometimes they might make business decisions that don’t work for everyone—and that’s partly because different patrons have different priorities and want different things—but these owners deserve the opportunity for productive dialogue**.** We have to work with them and with each other to keep our spaces open, to keep them growing. Lesbian bars raised me into the queer woman I am today. One thing I think about as I reflect on the six years of work we’ve done to document these spaces is that shared, unspoken language I have with a stranger the moment we both walk into one of these bars: the nod, the ease, the not having to explain ourselves. I don’t want to lose that, and neither should you. If objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button: Donate
France: Student protests over conditions at French high schools fuel political clashes
Over 160 people were arrested and dozens injured after student protests in France descended into violence. With a presidential election approaching, senior politicians are pointing fingers at each other.
Ranking Member Markey: SBA Administrator Loeffler, Trump Administration are Refusing to Answer to America’s 36+ Million Small Businesses and Workers, Leaving Main Street Behind
Loeffler canceled her scheduled Sept. 30 appearance before the Senate Small Business Committee, has not appeared before SBC in more than a year (Washington, September 28) – Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today released the following statement after Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler canceled her scheduled Wednesday appearance before the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. Administrator Loeffler has not appeared before the committee in more than a year and has consistently refused to provide substantial answers to committee members in person, in writing, or via requested briefings. In June, Ranking Member Markey led every Democratic member of the committee in calling on Administrator Loeffler to appear before the committee to answer for the Trump administration’s cruel attacks on American small businesses, entrepreneurs, and workers. The Democratic lawmakers still have not received a response from Administrator Loeffler. “It is unacceptable that Administrator Loeffler chose to cancel her appearance before the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. The Trump administration is once again ignoring the more than 36 million American small businesses, entrepreneurs, and workers who drive our economy and enrich our communities by refusing to answer questions about this administration’s reckless economic policies. It has been more than a year since Administrator Loeffler has appeared before our committee and answered questions from both Democrats and Republicans. Since then, the Trump administration’s attacks on Main Street have only worsened. “Small businesses are facing record high gas and diesel prices, skyrocketing healthcare costs, and never-ending uncertainty from Trump’s trade war with the world. Trump has terrorized Main Streets across the country with violent ICE raids, destroying families, communities, and local economies. Meanwhile, Administrator Loeffler and the Trump SBA have been in a Witness Protection Program, ignoring the Pain on Main Street that they have created. They have chosen to make drastic cuts to SBA funding and essential, bipartisan programs, including the closure of the SBA office in Springfield and removal of the SBA office from Boston; directly attacked immigrant small business owners and destroyed the promise of the American Dream; and proposed shortsighted small business size rules that would benefit billion-dollar businesses over actual small businesses. “It’s clear that Administrator Loeffler, President Trump, and their CEO billionaire buddies want to turn the Small Business Administration into the Big Business Administration, tear down our economy, and abandon Main Street. If that is indeed this administration’s goal, Administrator Loeffler must answer to the millions of small businesses, workers, and families in Massachusetts and across the country that this administration is leaving behind.” ###
Behind the Science with Paleontologist and Curator of Dinosauria Dr. Matthew Carrano
Is the 21st Century the real Age of Dinosaurs? Today, more paleontologists are discovering more dinosaur fossils from more places in the world than ever before. Our understanding of these amazing creatures has leapt forward while their popularity has surged. Museums sit at the junction of these phenomena. The Smithsonian has been a center for dinosaur research for more than a century, and its collections include many iconic and scientifically important specimens. Today, Smithsonian researchers continue to discover new dinosaurs, but they are also uncovering more information about the ones we already know and love. New techniques and approaches allow them to investigate aspects of dinosaur biology, ecology, and evolution in ways that would have been inconceivable to early paleontologists. The result is an ever-improving understanding of dinosaurs as living, breathing, and thriving animals. This month, go behind the science with paleontologist Dr. Matthew Carrano, Curator of Dinosauria at the National Museum of Natural History as he discusses new discoveries at home and abroad, in the field and in the museum. Registration is encouraged. Space is filled on a first come first served basis. ---------------- About the Series: Behind the Science A monthly after-hours series featuring NMNH scientists and researchers Each month, join the National Museum of Natural History for the new series, Behind the Science, where NMNH researchers share insights into their latest discoveries and explore the fascinating questions driving their work—from the origins of life to the future of our planet. Come learn what’s happening behind the scenes and how science shapes our understanding of the natural world. Programs take place in Q?rius, the Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center. Topics and speakers announced on a rolling basis, but save the dates now!
Mahony named Huck Chair in Genomics and AI
Shaun Mahony, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology in the Penn State Eberly College of Science, has been named the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Chair in Genomics and AI.
Bradish to undergo sports hernia surgery after ending '26 on IL
BALTIMORE -- Kyle Bradish's offseason will begin with a surgical procedure that will be followed by a lengthy recovery process. On Monday, Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias announced that Bradish is set to undergo sports hernia surgery. The procedure will be performed by Dr. William Meyers on Tuesday
7wire Ventures Presents: Top of the Ladder Featuring Karoo Health Co-Founder & CEO Ian Koons
In our latest Top of the Ladder feature, we sat down with Ian Koons to discuss his path into healthcare, why cardiology has resisted value-based care for so long, what it means to build infrastructure rather than another app, how Karoo wraps care around patients between appointments, and where he sees the future of cardiovascular care.
Health Department shuts down Mililani eatery for food violations
The Hawaii Department of Health on Friday issued a red placard and immediately shut down Blazin Steaks at Mililani Shopping Center after inspectors found repeated failures to keep food at safe temperatures.
Musician upholds 74 lashes for hijabless performance as Iran continues entertainment crackdown
The court found that a hijabless performance had violated “public decency through the production and publication of obscene and immoral content on cyberspace platforms.”
When Breaking the Law Becomes a Business Strategy, the Federal Trade Commission Should Step In
In a groundbreaking new legal paper, Sandeep Vaheesan argues that companies that systematically violate laws to undercut rivals are engaging in an unfair method of competition and that the FTC can and should take action. This includes Big AI copyright law violations.
Company news: Michael Waterhouse joins St. Joseph’s Health anesthesiology
Board-certified anesthesiologist Michael Waterhouse has joined St. Joseph's Health to serve patients across Central New York.
Trying Gordon Ramsay frozen meals, ranked from worst to best
I tried eight options from Gordon Ramsay's line of frozen meals, By Gordon Ramsay. Some were better than others, but I loved the spicy cheese ravioli.
Forest landscapes and birdsong soundscapes have independent physical health benefits
A new study finds that exposure to birdsong soundscapes or forest landscapes reduces physiological stress. These findings of physical health effects complement previous research showing mental health ...
Tybee Island Marine Science Center releases loggerhead sea turtle ‘Ossie’ back into ocean
Biologists at the Tybee Island Marine Science Center released resident loggerhead sea turtle “Ossie” into the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday morning.
Top 10 transfer portal impact players of Week 4
In the new era of college football, the transfer portal has become a significant component of roster construction. Throughout the 2026 college football season, On3 is breaking down the top 10 transfer portal impact players based on weekly performances. Here are the most impactful transfer portal players from Week 4: 1. Oregon QB Dylan Raiola Raiola came […]
Scientists Thought Venus Was Too Acidic for Complex Chemistry. It May Actually Be Weirdly Hospitable
MIT researchers recreated a Venus-like stew of 98% sulfuric acid to test complex signaling molecules, like peptides, in the lab. Looks like they passed.
DR Congo Ebola emergency: Calls grow for urgent humanitarian access
Aid teams trying to keep deadly Ebola disease from spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are increasingly concerned about ongoing fighting and violence that has forced thousands of people to flee a displacement camp in the vast, resource-rich east of the country.
Ask the Expert: Make Breast Health a Priority with DHR Health’s Mammogram Screening Special
The month of October is “Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” and DHR Health is encouraging women to prioritize their breast health by offering their annual mammogram screening special. Breast …
Democrats keep coming to South Carolina to stump for midterm candidates. It's all about 2028
Democrats are flocking to South Carolina to campaign for midterm candidates, even though Republicans dominate state politics.
Health Tech Keeps Choosing Violence
Last week was an absolute dump of health tech litigation mayhem, with enough new filings to make my wife seriously question my bedtime reading. Here’s what’s inside: OpenEvidence v. Doximity: Doximity didn’t wait for the deadline. It wants OpenEvidence’s case thrown out entirely, and its motion adds some awkward details about vanished Slack data and borrowed NPIs. Plus, Epic v. Apple offers a look at what a normal discovery fight looks like. Texas v. Epic: Epic took another shot at the State’s antitrust pleadings, asking the court to make Texas spell out how its employment restrictions harm competition and why Texas law reaches a Wisconsin company’s noncompetes. Veeva v. Epic: The two Wisconsin law professors finally weighed in on whether a would-be employer can challenge someone else’s noncompete. Audacious Inquiry v. CRISP: Our sleepy patent case just evolved into a much more interesting form, with CRISP firing back with attempted monopolization and information blocking counterclaims. Cognizant v. Infosys: After weeks of emails and phone calls, I finally have Judge Starr’s sealed ruling on Infosys’s antitrust counterclaims. Some survived, offering clues about where the Epic (and other system of record) antitrust cases stand their best chance OpenEvidence v. Doximity
20 Westport restaurants cited for serious violations in July 2026
In June, there were nine establishments, including two schools, cited for serious violations.
20 Westport restaurants cited for serious violations in July 2026
In June, there were nine establishments, including two schools, cited for serious violations.
Psycho-cardiovascular interaction network links mental health and heart disease
A new review proposes the psycho-cardiovascular interaction network (PCIN), a framework that links psychological and psychiatric factors with cardiovascular health and disease. The review integrates epidemiological evidence, system-level mechanisms, and molecular signaling pathways to explain how depression, anxiety, chronic stress, and other mental health conditions may contribute to cardiovascular disease (CVD), and vice versa. It focuses on five representative pathways—brain-derived neurotr
School of Social Sciences unites four majors
This semester, the College of Arts and Sciences created the School of Social Sciences, which includes economics, political science, criminology and sociology majors. The creation of the school has been
Around the Big Ten: Dylan Raiola shines after vicious hit on Dante Moore
Sports writer Connor Krumme looks at each Big Ten school after most of them made their yearly football conference debut. He looks at Ohio State, Oregon, USC, Washington, Maryland and more as they prepare for the full conference slate and the College Football Playoffs.
White House expands taxpayer-paid ad campaign boosting Trump
New taxpayer funded ads featuring President Trump have sparked debate over whether they violate federal law.
WHO recognizes healthy, innovative cities across the Western Pacific Region
Nine Healthy City champions from across the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region received special recognition at an awarding ceremony during the 11th Global Conference of the Alliance for Healthy Cities in Sydney, Australia.The WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific has presented the Healthy Cities Recognition Awards every two years since 2004 to celebrate innovative and impactful city-led initiatives that improve the health and well-being of urban populations.Eight cities received awards for their best practices, and one National Forum received the WHO Regional Director’s Special Award in recognition of its long-standing leadership in advancing the Healthy Cities movement.Awardees were selected through a rigorous evaluation process and recognized for demonstrating measurable, innovative and sustainable approaches to health challenges faced by cities.Remarking on the significance of the awards, Dr Huong Tran, Director of the Division of Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Control at the Regional Office, said that, “There is no single blueprint for a healthy city. What works in one context may need to be adapted to another. But by sharing our experiences, including what worked, what was challenging, and what we learnt along the way, we can help one another move faster and further.”Award-winning cities and initiativesThis year's awards recognize outstanding city-led initiatives that have demonstrated measurable impact, innovation and sustainability in advancing health initiatives for urban populations.Baguio City (Philippines) – Data for equity: informing action, improving healthDr Donnabel Tubera-Panes, City Epidemiologist – Medical Officer IV of the Health Services Office accepted the award on behalf of Baguio City. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisBaguio City was recognized for developing a pioneering Livability Index that provides village-level data across all 128 barangays (villages), enabling evidence-based planning and more equitable allocation of resources. By integrating community participation and institutionalizing the index within city planning and budgeting processes, the city has demonstrated how data can drive action to reduce health and social inequities.Eunpyeong-gu (Seoul, Republic of Korea) – Communities living in vulnerable situations: advancing health equity through community engagementVice Mayor Honourable Ahn Hyoung Jun accepted the award on behalf of Eunpyeong-gu. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisEunpyeong-gu was recognized for its inclusive health equity programme supporting vulnerable populations, including isolated older adults and LGBTQI+ communities. Through peer-led community networks, social cooperatives and inclusive service design, the district has strengthened access to care, promoted social inclusion and advanced community ownership of health initiatives.Madiun City (Indonesia) – Adapting and mitigating climate-related crises: building heat resilience and preventing flood-related health risksMs Yuni Dwi Purwani, Secretary General of the National Forum for Indonesian Healthy Cities/Regencies, accepted the award on behalf of Madiun City. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisMadiun City was recognized for its SUPERMIE (Sustainable Public Environmental Management Initiative) – a community-based environmental governance model that addresses urban flooding, climate resilience and environmental sustainability. The initiative contributed to reductions in flood-prone areas, greenhouse gas emissions, diarrhoeal disease and dengue fever, while at the same time improving food security through neighbourhood food gardens. The programme has already been replicated in 15 cities and regencies across Indonesia.Macao Special Administrative Region (China) – Protecting communities from tobacco and alcohol-related harms: tackling commercial drivers of riskDr LO Iek Long, Director of the Health Bureau, Macao SAR, China accepted the award on behalf of Macao. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisMacao SAR was recognized for implementing a comprehensive and integrated approach to tobacco and alcohol control. Through legislation, monitoring systems, enforcement, public awareness campaigns and multisectoral partnerships, the programme has strengthened protection against major risk factors for noncommunicable diseases and established a model that is highly transferable to other urban settings.Phnom Penh Capital City (Cambodia) – Safe, active and health-enabling transport: advancing health and reducing inequities in urban mobilityH.E. Khoung Sreng, Governor of Phnom Penh Capital City accepted the award on behalf of Phnom Penh Capital City. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisPhnom Penh received the award for its Safe School Zone Project, which combines infrastructure improvements, speed management, enforcement, education and stakeholder engagement to protect children and communities. The initiative has demonstrated measurable reductions in crashes and vehicle speeds while providing a scalable model for safer urban mobility across the country.Quezon City (Philippines) – Transforming food environments: addressing policy, market and urban design drivers of health and nutritionMs Jirah Asa M. Sideco, Chief of the Nutrition Section of the Quezon City Health Department accepted the award on behalf of Quezon City. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisQuezon City was recognized for its public food procurement policy that promotes healthier diets through government-run institutions and feeding programmes. Supported by strong policy frameworks and monitoring systems, the initiative improves access to nutritious food for vulnerable populations while serving as a benchmark for other local governments.Samarinda City (Indonesia) – Preventing violence and promoting gender equality: transforming urban systems, norms and spaces Mrs Rinda Wahyuni, Chairperson of Samarinda Healthy City Forum accepted the award on behalf of Samarinda City. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisSamarinda City was recognized for its multisectoral approach to preventing violence and advancing gender equality. Responding to local evidence on violence against women and children, the city has positioned violence prevention as a public health priority, bringing together health services, schools, social welfare institutions, law enforcement, civil society and community leaders to strengthen prevention, reporting, survivor-centred support and legal protection. Through inclusive policies, community engagement and sustainable city financing, Samarinda has developed a locally owned and scalable model for creating safer, more equitable and inclusive urban communities.Singapore – Age-friendly cities: transforming systems to bridge generations for a healthier tomorrowDr Tan Weng Mooi, Director, Integrated Health Promotion, accepted the award on behalf of Singapore. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisSingapore received recognition for its Healthy Precinct Framework, which translates national healthy ageing priorities into neighbourhood-level action. The initiative integrates preventive care, social support, service coordination and age-friendly environments while actively engaging older persons, caregivers and community organizations. Its expansion across multiple precincts demonstrates its scalability and long-term sustainability.WHO Regional Director’s Special AwardNational Forum for Indonesian Healthy Cities/Regencies (Indonesia)Ms Yuni Dwi Purwani, Secretary General of the National Forum for Indonesian Healthy Cities/Regencies, accepted the award on behalf of the National Forum. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisThe WHO Regional Director's Special Award was presented to the National Forum for Indonesian Healthy Cities/Regencies (FKKSI) in recognition of its long-standing leadership in advancing the Healthy Cities movement across Indonesia. As a national platform bringing together local governments, communities, academia and civil society, FKKSI has played a critical role in promoting collaboration, capacity-building, knowledge exchange and advocacy. Its efforts have strengthened and institutionalized healthy urban development nationwide and established a model for multisectoral engagement in the Region. Healthy Cities for allThe 2026 Healthy Cities Recognition Awards highlight how cities can lead transformative action on health by addressing climate change, inequity, ageing, nutrition, mobility, social inclusion, violence prevention and the commercial determinants of health. The recognized initiatives demonstrate that local governments, communities and partners can work together to create healthier, safer and more resilient urban environments for everyone. As urban populations continue to grow across the Western Pacific Region, WHO remains committed to supporting cities in advancing health, equity and sustainable development through the Healthy Cities approach and the Alliance for Healthy Cities. ###Note to editorsSince 2004, the WHO Healthy Cities Recognition Awards have provided a platform for cities to share innovative and effective approaches to improving health and well-being. The awards recognize achievements in areas including climate resilience, healthy ageing, health equity, gender equality, tobacco and alcohol control, urban mobility, nutrition and data-driven governance. In 2026, more than 150 submissions were received from cities and local governments across the Western Pacific Region. The titles and affiliations of awardees are presented as they were at the time the photo was taken.______________For more information, or to arrange media interviews, contact: WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific: wprocom@who.int
How Orioles’ Postponement News Hurts Pete Alonso
The Baltimore Orioles were supposed to finish their 2026 MLB season on Sunday in Yankee Stadium. Turns out, they won’t get the chance to do that. And Pete Alonso won’t get the chance to ensure himself a special first season in Baltimore. The news came about 4 p.m. ET on Sunday that the Yankees-Orioles game […] The post How Orioles’ Postponement News Hurts Pete Alonso appeared first on HEAVY.
Video: Trump’s 2024 Campaign Ad Returns, With Taxpayers Paying For It
An ad nearly identical to one President Trump ran during his 2024 campaign returned on Saturday, paid for using public money. Several ethics lawyers it may violate federal law.
Yankees’ regular season finale against Orioles cancelled due to rain
We’ll finish the regular season with just 161 games played.
Dylan Raiola and Oregon take care of business against USC after losing Dante Moore
A Trump 2024 Campaign Ad Returns, Now Brought to You by The Government
The ad, which ethics experts said could violate federal law, shows Mr. Trump vowing to “expel warmongers” from the government and fight the “deep state,” even as he wages a war with Iran.
Redemption comes for Oregon football QB Dylan Raiola at Coliseum
Dylan Raiola returned to the Coliseum, where he broke his leg last year, leading Oregon to a 41-27 win over USC.
Discovering a Design Argument Based on Biological Information
Charles Thaxton, along with Walter Bradley and Roger Olsen, wrote what arguably was the first official book of the intelligent design movement.
Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus may make alien life easier to find than scientists thought
Two studies suggest Saturn’s moon could both support methane-producing microbes and deliver concentrated traces of biology into space.
Power & Politics: NJ Lt. Gov. Caldwell resigns following probe into allegations of sexual harassment, state ethics violations
Republican State Sen. Declan O'Scanlon, former State Rep. John Wisniewski and Republican Rep. Jefferson Van Drew join the show.
Power & Politics: NJ Lt. Gov. Caldwell resigns following probe into allegations of sexual harassment, state ethics violations
Republican State Sen. Declan O'Scanlon, former State Rep. John Wisniewski and Republican Rep. Jefferson Van Drew join the show.
Are your muscles thanks to a 47,000-year-old gene? Scientists stunned by discovery - Futura-Sciences
A genetic handshake across millennia The interbreeding between Neanderthals and modern humans didn’t just give anthropologists lots to write about—it left functional traces in our very DNA. An August 5th study published in the journal Current Biology shines a spotlight on one especially eye-catching legacy: a variant of the gene...
Developing Nations Urged to Counter US Unilateralism
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi called on developing countries to safeguard their common interests and counter the destructive US unilateralism and violations of international law.
South African police hunt killers after 27 gunned down in two separate shootings
South African police were on Sunday hunting the perpetrators of two separate shootings that killed 27 people within hours of each other, in stark reminders of the country's problem with gun violence.
Takeaways from College Football Week 4: Raiola rises to the occasion; Jeremiah Smith's Heisman moment?
Zaniolo out of Italy squad for Nations League games
Udinese man Nicolò Zaniolo has left the Italy training camp due to an injury, so will not feature in Nations League games against Turkiye or France.The forward had been one of the strong candidates t...
ENTERTAINMENT: Fantasies, folk songs on Festival of the Senses program
Violinist Andrew Irvin, cellist David Gerstein and pianists Jaeyeon Park Hakutani and Naoki Hakutani perform for the opening Festival of the Senses concert Tuesday at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in North Little Rock.
Baltimore Orioles' Gunnar Henderson Opens Up About Nagging Wrist Issue
Henderson reluctantly revealed that he had dealt with a right wrist issue for half of the 2026 season.
Information in Biology: A Mystery for Naturalism
Biology was giving us computer programming and symbolic codes which, by mapping functional structures to functional structures, exhibited a tacit semantics.
2 dead in violent Jeep crash across parking lot of KC business
Locationof the crash -google image KANSAS CITY—Two people died in an a
The 2011 Japan Tsunami Created Hybrid Fish, But They Almost Completely Disappeared
A changing world is pushing species boundaries in unusual ways, and the tsunami gave marine biologists a view of the process vastly sped up
Science Notes – Counting sheep: assessing the impact of sheep-pox throughout history
The sheep-pox virus (SPPV; Capripoxvirus sheeppox) is in the same family as the variola virus, which causes smallpox in humans. It is a highly contagious disease among sheep, causing the…
This simple diet change could slow your biological age in just four weeks, study suggests
A simple change to the balance of your diet could reduce your biological age in just four weeks, according to a new study
White House orders over $800M in funds rescinded; Collins calls it 'clear violation' of law
The White House announced Friday evening that it was rescinding over $800 million in congressionally appropriated funds across a range of government programs.
Yankees change roster for doubleheader; Red Sox showdown finally official
The Yankees are wrapping up the regular-season this weekend against the Orioles with a Friday doubleheader and a single game Sunday.
Yankees flop after CC Sabathia ceremony, lose to Orioles
Well, the pregame was nice at least.
Baltimore Orioles @ New York Yankees: Live game updates, stats, play-by-play
Sports News, Scores, Fantasy Games
Baltimore Orioles’ Chris Bassitt Comments on Future in MLB
Chris Bassitt is considering retirement after one season with the Baltimore Orioles.