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Dave & Buster’s readying to open Santa Rosa entertainment venue
Dave & Buster’s, a Texas-based national chain that combines entertainment with a restaurant and sports bar, is preparing to open a location in Santa Rosa on Jan. 26, marking its first in Sonoma…
Sports Medicine Welcomes Elizabeth Murphy to Staff
RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced on Monday the hiring of Elizabeth Murphy as an associate athletic trainer.
Risk, hard work and sacrifice: Hispanic small business owners fight and thrive
Hispanics across North Texas have invested their life savings into small businesses even amid economic turbulence and immigration anxieties.
Need for Food Assistance Continues as Austin Public Health Serves More than 101,800 Austinites for Basic Needs and Food Services
AUSTIN, Texas – Austin Public Health’s Neighborhood Cente
Snow globe, voucher sprinkles, Trump dinner: A gift guide for Texas’ political players
Need to give your favorite political power player a gift? Here's a guide for the holiday season.
Google may be bringing a Magic Cue-like feature to all Android devices
Google is testing new Contextual Suggestions in Android that recommend actions based on your routine or location.
Logan Lednicky caps dream with volleyball title at Texas A&M
The fourth-generation Aggie helped Texas A&M win the school's first volleyball national championship in a most improbable fashion.
C4 Sports holds 7 on 7 tryouts in Durant
High School Football might have just ended a couple of days ago, but Texoma gridiron stars are putting in the work Sunday.
Top science stories of 2025
In a year of funding chaos, ongoing climate change and pollution perils, we also saw the most powerful telescope yet, personalized gene therapy, and the next-best-thing to an HIV vaccine — not to mention a brand-new color
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,.
What's next for Texas A&M after CFP loss? Promising offense leads 2026 outlook for Aggies
The Aggies lost a heartbreaker against Miami on the heels of one of the most memorable seasons in program history
Quantum entanglement could connect drones for disaster relief, bypassing traditional networks
Any time you use a device to communicate information—an email, a text message, any data transfer—the information in that transmission crosses the open internet, where it could be intercepted. Such ...
Textbook basketball from Tajianna Roberts! 🙌
Textbook basketball from Tajianna Roberts! 🙌
Miami vs. Texas A&M score, live updates: Follow College Football Playoff first-round action
College Football Playoff Live Updates, Scores: Miami-Texas A&M, More
The first round of the 2025 College Football Playoff continues on Saturday with three games on campus. Here are the top plays!
You finally got a doctor's appointment. Here's how to get the most out of it
It's not that unusual for a 20-something to text Mom from the doctor's office for help answering a health question.
High school student fatally stabbed during science class fight
HOUSTON - A Texas high school student was stabbed to death Wednesday during a fight between two students in a science class, according to officials in Goose Cre
Jeff Dye on leaving Los Angeles, Newsom, and the politics driving comedy’s new divide
Comedian Jeff Dye sat down with Fox News Digital and explained why he’s leaving California for Texas and how politics have increasingly influenced the stand-up comedy world.
Proof that Texas A&M volleyball's run is more methodical than magical
The Aggies reject the notion that their NCAA women's volleyball title game run is magical, or that they're riding momentum. They say it's by design.
Intercard powers Cinergy’s ninth luxury Cinema Entertainment Center
ST. LOUIS —Intercard, the leader in cashless technology for the attractions and amusement industries, recently completed an installation at the newest Cinergy Entertainment Center in Midland, Texas…
Vertex Forward: Our animated video series
Watch the animated video series “Vertex Forward” to see the Vertex Pharmaceuticals philosophy and strategy explained.
Whole Hog Politics: Jasmine Crockett’s Texas tornado could do damage in other states
Texas has been taking us all on a wild ride for the midterm elections. There’s obviously the gerrymandering wars that were touched off in Austin by the GOP’s mid-decade land grab. We’re a lon…
Economic anxiety has Texas manufacturers and retailers on edge
The latest tranche of Texas Business Outlook Surveys from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas was released the last week in November. The outlook self-described ...
Affordable Health Care in Jeopardy for Millions
Lawmakers are set to leave Washington this week for the holidays, without extending the expiring Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax subsidies. With millions of people facing dramatic health care cost spikes if those credits end January 1, a recent KFF polling and data compilation offers context on health care cost burdens, underscoring the importance of […]
Video Ted Cruz on defense bill, helicopter safety and rising use of AI in politics
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, joins ABC News Live to discuss the defense authorization bill, his ROTOR Act on helicopter safety, public frustration with Congress and concerns over AI in politics.
Texas brings back former Florida and South Carolina coach Will Muschamp as defensive coordinator
Texas A&M Edge becomes the program's 11th unanimous All-American
Texas A&M senior Edge Cashius Howell is officially the Aggies' 11th unanimous All-American in program history after his stellar 2025 season.
Texas Rangers award winners named
The local BBWAA chapter has named their Rangers award winners
Chargers-Cowboys Preview
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Justin Herbert has managed well enough while playing with a broken non-throwing hand to help the Los Angeles Chargers win three consecutive games and close in on a second trip to the playoffs in two seasons under coach Jim Harbaugh.
Houston-area health officials warn of sharp rise in whooping cough cases
Houston health officials are sounding the alarm over a dramatic spike in whooping cough cases, with over 3,500 reported across Texas this year.
Raiders-Texans Preview
HOUSTON (AP) Houston’s top-ranked defense has been dominating teams for most of the season.
Kuo: iPhone Fold Production Challenges Could Limit Supply Next Year
Apple's highly anticipated foldable iPhone could face supply shortages into 2027 despite a planned launch next year, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo said in a new research note: "Development of the foldable iPhone is behind earlier expectations, but the product is still expected to [sic] announce in 2H26. Due to early-stage yield and ramp-up challenges, smooth shipments may not occur until 2027.
The unlikeliest journey to NCAA volleyball's final four
Kyndal Stowers was medically retired because of concussions before transferring to Texas A&M. After helping the Aggies oust No. 1 Nebraska, she's ready to star in the final four.
Australian Surf Crew Captures a Real-Life Ocean 'Glitch' That Repeats
The converging waves swirl until they finally break into a 130-foot pillar of saltwater, in a process that scientists have yet to fully explain.
GOP seizes on Dem civil war as progressives jump into key 2026 Senate races: ‘They're in shambles’
Progressive Democrats enter competitive Senate primaries amid party divisions, with Rep. Jasmine Crockett's Texas campaign highlighting ideological rifts.
Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate in Texas look to expand the electorate
State Rep. James Talarico and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett are looking to turn out voters who sat at home in past elections.
The Biggest Lie in Texas Politics
Ahead of the midterm elections, the state Democratic party is leaning on an old message.
GOP lawmaker: These Covid-era fraud-ridden subsidies have made health care more expensive
Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, lays out the Republicans' plan for health care and weighs in on Vice President JD Vance's remarks on the economy on 'Varney & Co.'
A new era for sports communication at UNC Hussman | UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media
As director of UNC Hussman’s Sports Communication Focus Program, Distinguished Associate Professor of Sports Communication Livis Freeman is building on the work of the school’s legendary Distinguished Professor for Sports Communication John Sweeney. Sweeney, who retired last year, developed one of the most respected sports communication programs in the country. Freeman, now in his 12th year at the school, is launching an ambitious expansion of the program that is transforming how UNC prepares students for careers in sports media. The most visible change came this fall with a reimagining of “MEJO 377: Sports Communication.” Previously offered as two sections with 30 students each, the course expanded to 96 students and welcomed former UNC basketball star and NBA veteran Tyler Hansbrough as the co-instructor with Freeman, bringing real world professional experience directly into the classroom every week. The course has been a huge success. Students have participated in recording a podcast with Hansbrough and learned from an impressive lineup of guest speakers. Steve Kirschner, UNC’s senior associate director of athletics for communications, was the first in the course’s guest speaker series, followed by UNC Hussman alumni including Kaitlyn Schmidt ’23 from Bleacher Report, Deaton Bell ’90 from Turner Sports and Becca Royer ’19 from the Philadelphia 76ers. Travis Tygart, CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, also shared his insights with the class. The highlight of the semester came when Roy Williams, who coached Hansbrough and the Tar Heels to a national championship in 2009, visited the classroom. Former UNC men’s basketball players Luke Maye and Marcus Ginyard showed up to support their former coach and Hansbrough, creating an unforgettable experience as Williams entertained students with stories and insights that captivated the room. Student demand has been overwhelming. The course reached capacity within two days of registration opening, with more than 40 students on the waitlist. “Students want to learn from people who have actually lived these experiences,” Freeman said. “Tyler shares insights into media relations, broadcast production and athlete communications that you simply can’t get from a textbook.” The model proved so successful that the school secured funding to continue it for the next five years, with a different former professional athlete co-teaching each fall. The school’s curriculum committee approved a proposal to expand the course to 150 to 200 students starting in fall 2026. This change will make it an introductory course accessible to students from across the University, transforming it into a showcase course for the entire campus. The course redesign represents just one piece of a broader sports communication program overhaul. This fall, the curriculum committee approved “MEJO 390: Sports Play by Play,” the first course of its kind at UNC. Limited to 10 advanced students, the course will be taught by Matt Krause, the current voice of UNC women’s basketball and an ACC Network broadcaster. Students will call actual games across multiple sports including women’s softball, soccer, volleyball, field hockey and lacrosse, as well as men’s soccer and lacrosse. They will also shadow broadcasts of men’s and women’s basketball games. “The sports broadcasting industry is exploding with streaming platforms and conference networks creating unprecedented demand,” Freeman said. The course emerged directly from student advocacy, led by Anna Laible ’26 and others who pushed for hands-on broadcasting experience. Professional equipment has been acquired, partnerships with UNC Athletics are in place and a soft launch began this semester with three experienced students calling games to test the system. The program’s growth extends into other specialized areas as well. Last spring, Stembler Professor Charlie Tuggle launched a new sports event management and hospitality course in partnership with On Location, a company that manages major sporting event experiences. The course provided students with opportunities to travel to the Super Bowl and NFL Draft, and Tuggle plans to take a group to the 2026 Milan Olympics this spring. Looking ahead to spring 2026, Associate Professor Ryan Thornburg will debut a sports data visualization course, adding another dimension to the program’s skill-building offerings. The curriculum expansion reflects the increasingly diverse career paths available in sports media, from traditional journalism and broadcasting to digital analytics and strategic communication. The program is also diving into one of college athletics’ most transformative developments: Name, Image and Likeness rights. Freeman’s “MEJO 466: Sports Marketing” class collaborated last spring with Associate Professor Gary Kayye’s “MEJO 371: Advertising Creative” class on a project with UNC’s Carolina NIL group to help rebrand their organization. That same semester, Kayye’s class envisioned Chapel Thrill, UNC football’s new pregame concert and entertainment experience. And Shaun Anderson, the school’s Knight Chair in Sports, Race and Media, continues to explore the broader implications of NIL through his research and teaching. These NIL-focused initiatives give students direct exposure to the business side of college athletics at a moment when the landscape is rapidly evolving. “Our students aren’t just learning about these changes,” Freeman said. “They’re actively helping shape how schools and athletes navigate them.” The transformation of UNC Hussman’s sports communication program reflects a broader philosophy about how to prepare students for careers in a rapidly changing industry. By bringing in professional practitioners like Hansbrough and Krause, partnering with industry leaders like On Location and ACC Network, and engaging with current issues like NIL, the program ensures students graduate with both theoretical knowledge and practical experience. For alumni who remember the foundations John Sweeney built, the expansion represents an evolution rather than a departure. The program still emphasizes strong reporting, strategic communication, ethical communication and critical thinking. But now it also offers students the chance to call live games, work on real NIL campaigns and learn directly from former professional athletes. “We’re not just teaching students about sports media,” Freeman said. “We’re giving them the tools, experiences and connections to actually build careers in it.” With new courses launching, professional partnerships deepening and enrollment expanding, UNC Hussman’s sports communication program is positioning itself as a national leader in preparing the next generation of sports media professionals. For current students, the message is clear: if you’re interested in sports communication, there’s never been a better time to be at UNC Hussman. And for the hundreds of students trying to get off waitlists and into these new courses, the school is working to create more opportunities. The program John Sweeney built is growing in ways that honor his legacy while meeting the demands of a new era in sports media.
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.
Analysts share their naughty and nice lists for Texas politics
In honor of the holiday season, Capital Tonight brought on Democratic and Republican analysts to share their naughty and nice lists in Texas politics.
CFP debutants Miami, Texas A&M welcome playoff proving ground
Few teams came closer to the top of the sport without reaching the College Football Playoff than Texas A&M and Miami.
North Texas health officials urge flu shots as new mutation spreads
Doctors are seeing a slight uptick in the number of positive flu cases across North Texas, largely due to a new mutation known as “subclade K."
Steven Spielberg finally reveals 1st trailer for new UFO film 'Disclosure Day', and now we're terrified
Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor star in Universal Pictures' eerie alien invasion project coming next summer.
James Talarico might be the antidote to MAGA Christianity
James Talarico, a Texas state representative and devout Christian, has gained attention for using his faith to advance liberal policies and has now announced his candidacy for the 2026 U.S. Senate …
ROSES-25: F.6 Science Activation Final Text Released
The Science Mission Directorate Science Activation Program encourages all people to actively participate in science through activities and resources developed by a collaborative network of project teams drawing on NASA SMD assets (science content, experts, data, etc.).
Louisiana athletic director discusses program ahead of 68 Ventures Bowl
Louisiana VP for Intercollegiate Athletics, Bryan Maggard talks about the Ragin' Cajuns football team and other sports ahead of 68 Ventures Bowl.
How rising health care costs are affecting Texans
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas is dropping UT Southwestern Medical Center and Texas Health Services as in-network for one of its HMO plans.
Entertainment lineup released for county fair
After holding just the youth exhibitor event last year, the Washington County Fair has released the entertainment lineup with multiple award-winning American country music artists for its 153rd edition.
SANMINA CORPORATION ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF ENERGY BUSINESS WITH NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART FACTORY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS
/PRNewswire/ -- Sanmina Corporation ("Sanmina") (NASDAQ: SANM), today announced a major expansion of its Energy business with a new state-of-the-art factory in...
Rangers Reach Contract Deals With Danny Jansen, Tyler Alexander
Jansen will help shore up Texas' catching situation; Alexander brings left-handed pitching element to Rangers' staff.
QB Arch Manning will return to Texas in 2026 despite NFL Draft speculation
Arch Manning just finished his first season as a starter with the Longhorns, and will now run it back in 2026.
What's happening on KSAT Sports Now this week!
KSAT Sports Now is live on KSAT Plus and KSAT.com at 7pm ALL WEEK! Tune in to hear from the state-final bound Smithson Valley football team, the Spurs, Cowboys, Texans & more!
CFP power rankings: Ohio State is No. 1, Texas A&M better than its No. 7 seed
SportsLine college football betting expert Thomas Casale ranks the 12 College Football Playoff teams
2025-26 college football bowl picks, predictions: Confidence rankings from proven expert
Thomas Casale revels rankings for college football bowl confidence pools
Three Dallas-Area 'Rising Star' Researchers Set to Receive Top Texas Science and Tech Honors
North Texas O’Donnell Awards honorees earn 2026 TAMEST recognition in engineering, physics, and biomedical science.
How Jasmine Crockett, chaotic end to candidate filing period changed North Texas politics
U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett's eleventh hour decision to run for Senate highlighted a chaotic end to the candidate filing period for the March 3 primaries. It...
Rob Reiner's life in photos
Rob Reiner, one of the preeminent filmmakers of his generation who directed movies such as “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally …” and “This Is Spinal Tap,” died Sunday
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.
Full-length Replay: Texas Southern at Minnesota
The Golden Gophers (5-5) take the court against the Tigers (1-6) in Minneapolis.
How to watch Nebraska vs. Texas A&M in the NCAA volleyball Elite Eight
The Nebraska Cornhuskers are the lone undefeated team in the country and looking to punch their ticket to the Final Four on Sunday.
Press Pass Sports 2025 Volleyball Team
The Texas High School Volleyball season has come to an end, and it was another unbelievable year for the Texas Panhandle and South Plains. Here's a look at the 2025 Press Pass Sports Volleyball Team. SUPERLATIVE HONORS Coach of the Year Jason Culpepper, Bushland For the fourth time in six years, Bushland head volleyball coach
Google is turning any headphones into real-time translation earbuds
Starting today, Android device owners can begin testing live speech translation in the Google Translate app, which now relies on Gemini. The AI makes text translations sound...
More redistricting bad news for Republicans: Texas may not net five GOP seats like they planned
The Republican plans to pick off five Democratic-held congressional seats in Texas once seemed like a sure thing. Not anymore.
The geography of grief, mapped from Louisiana all the way across Texas: Jan Risher
A long drive across Texas isn’t just about the scenery. It’s about the horizons, the small surprises, and the unexpected ways grief finds its space.
Texas A&M-CC visits Lamar on 4-game road slide
Texas A&M-CC aims to end its four-game road skid with a win over Lamar
UT Health East Texas child psychiatrist weighs in on Australia’s under-16 social media ban
As Australia welcomed the world-first social media ban for children younger than 16 on Wednesday, a UT Health East Texas child and adolescent psychiatrist weighed in on the ban.
Full-length Replay: Big East Men's: Texas at UConn
From PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, CT
Jasmine Crockett's campaign launch for U.S. Senate in Texas and the political dominoes that followed
Builders Movement seeks citizen-based solutions to overcome ‘us vs. them’ politics
In an increasingly polarized political environment, the Builders Movement, a nonprofit political advocacy organization, said that it wants to overcome “us vs. them” thinking in politics. It’s…
News4JAGs predictions: Jaguars will stay hot and clobber the Jets
Jaguars season is back and our News4JAX sports staff is back with its predictions as well. Each week, we’ll unveil our predictions for the week’s game. Jacksonville (9-4) hosts the New York Jets (3-10) on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Jaguars are leading the AFC South and need to keep winning to bolster their chances of holding off the Colts and Texans.
Carville: Crockett broke ‘first rule of politics’ with Senate campaign launch
Democratic strategist James Carville mapped out on Thursday what he sees are possible problems with Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s (D-Texas) announcement to run for Senate, saying she broke the R…
Google Translate brings real-time speech translations to any headphones
Live translation, no Pixel Buds required
Democrats Release New Epstein Photos Documenting Ties to Trump, Clinton and Others
The images, released without context by Democrats on the Oversight Committee, reveal little new about the deceased sex offender’s ties to prominent men in politics, entertainment and finance.
NSF announces new initiative to launch and scale a new generation of transformative independent research organizations to advance breakthrough science
The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (NSF TIP) on Friday announced the launch of a new initiative designed to launch and scale a new generation…
How religious extremists have influenced science curriculum in Texas and beyond
AU Youth Organizing Fellow Ishan Kanaskar explains how religious extremists have tried to influence science curriculum in Texas.
Big 12 football grades: Evaluating the performance of all 16 teams in 2025 season
Final grades for all 16 Big 12 teams with the college football regular season complete
SFA students blend pop culture, business innovation at Swift-Mas Showcase
NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– Students in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Nelson Rusche College of Business stepped into the spotlight during finals week for the Swift-Mas Showcase, an event supported by SFA’s Arnold Center for Entrepreneurship that highlighted student innovation and creative problem-solving throughout the fall semester.
Vikings-Cowboys Preview
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Dak Prescott feels the weight of the Dallas Cowboys having to win all of their remaining four games for their best chance to make the playoffs - and, he says, not in a bad way.
Texas Business Reforms Show Shareholder Democracy Is Thriving
View our Texas Business Reforms Show Shareholder Democracy Is Thriving insight.
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
Can Jasmine Crockett’s Vibes-Based Politics Work in Texas?
The champion of the clapback is the ultimate advocate of base mobilization as a path to victory. It’s not clear it will work statewide.
SpaceX’s possible $1.5 trillion IPO could be big business for Texas
SpaceX, the Elon Musk-owned aerospace company, is planning to go public next year with a potential $1.5 trillion IPO, which would set a new record for a new public offering and have a huge impact on the Texas economy.
Texas Files Antitrust Suit Against Epic Systems Over Health Data
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Epic Systems Corp. for antitrust violations, accusing the healthcare software company of leveraging its control over patient medical records to maintain dominance in the market.
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Spies Solar Wind ‘U-Turn’
Images captured by NASA’s Parker Solar Probe as the spacecraft made its record-breaking closest approach to the Sun in December 2024 have now revealed new
Entergy Texas earns J.D. Power award
The recognition underscores the company’s commitment to exceptional service and affordable power
I went hands-on with the Galaxy Z TriFold at Dubai Mall — Samsung's tri-fold has a distinct advantage over the Huawei Mate XT, and the design is much better than I expected
It costs an absurd amount of money, but the Galaxy Z TriFold isn't just a tech demo — this is a tablet-sized foldable you can actually use.
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
NFL Week 17 schedule: Texans-Chargers, Ravens-Packers chosen for Saturday doubleheader
Week 17 will feature a pair of compelling Saturday games
UT Southwestern biochemist to receive O’Donnell Award from TAMEST
Yunsun Nam, Ph.D., Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at UT Southwestern Medical Center, will receive the 2026 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Biological Sciences from the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science & Technology (TAMEST) for her research into how RNAs and proteins interact at the molecular level. Her work has shed light on gene regulation, cancer biology, and RNA-based therapeutics.
You can now share live video with emergency services on Android
This feature could help give emergency dispatchers context in circumstances like car accidents, fires, or medical crises.
Registered nurses at St. Joseph hospital in Bryan, Texas vote decisively to join National Nurses Organizing Committee / National Nurses United
Nurses at the 316-bed facility say they voted to join the union because it is critical that nurses have a say in making decisions in patient care, staffing, and to help recruit and retain experienced nurses, which leads to improved patient care.
Sports Illustrated’s 2025 College Football All-Americans: Full First and Second Teams
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza leads the way on offense, while Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez tops the defensive selections.
Paxton cites fraud in trans health care lawsuits against Dallas doctors
The Texas attorney general adds health care fraud claims to lawsuits against Dallas doctors who allegedly provided gender-affirming care to minors.
Austin Public Health warns of uptick in foodborne illness reports
Austin Public Health has seen an increase in cases of salmonella and norovirus across central Texas, and the CDC recommends following a four-step process to ensure food safety: clean, separate, coo…