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The U.S. is no longer part of the World Health Organization. After the Trump administration declared its intention to pull the country out of the global public health agency one year ago, on Thursday it formally followed through, ending its commitment to the organization after 78 years. Withdrawing the U.S. from the WHO was one of President Donald Trumps day-one priorities. He signed an executive order on January 20, 2025, declaring that the U.S. would be departing due to its criticisms of the agencys response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, after the required one-year notice period, the deed is done. Following its withdrawal from the WHO, the United States will continue to lead global health efforts independentlyengaging partners directly, deploying resources efficiently, and ensuring accountability to the American people outside of WHO structures, a fact sheet on the U.S. Health and Human Services website reads. In an unusual joint statement issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. government aired a series of grievances about the agency, which it accused of working against American interests. From our days as its primary founder, primary financial backer, and primary champion until now, our final day, the insults to America continue, Kennedy and Rubio wrote. On a practical level, the U.S. will no longer send any funding or staff for WHO initiatives. All federal employees working at its main Geneva location or in other global offices have been recalled. Next month, the WHO will meet to determine which strain of the flu virus to target in the next flu vaccinea consequential public health decision the U.S. looks ready to sit out. Nearly all of the countries in the world are members of the WHO, but the U.S. has been one of the agencys most prominent members and its largest financial backer for decades. A board session scheduled for early February will be the organizations first without the U.S. since its founding. Fear for the future of global health The Trump administrations decision to walk away from the WHO has had a year to sink in, but its impact is still resonating. When the decision to withdraw was first announced, the American Academy of Pediatrics called on Congress to intervene, warning that WHO membership provides the U.S. a vital perspective into the global health landscape. For more than 70 years, the WHO has played a leading role in protecting, supporting, and promoting public health in the United States and around the world, the professional organization of pediatricians wrote. Withdrawing from the WHO will hamper our countrys ability to predict and respond to major public health emergencies and limit access, communication, and information sharing to a global network of health professionals. Dr. Ronald G. Nahass, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, called the decision scientifically reckless and warned that the U.S. will be less equipped to fight illnesses like the flu moving forward. The U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization is a shortsighted and misguided abandonment of our global health commitments, Nahass said. Global cooperation and communication are critical to keep our own citizens protected because germs do not respect borders. Dr. Thomas Frieden, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who served under the Obama administration, issued his own dire warning about the U.S. withdrawal on X. Well look back on this as a grave error. Health threats do not respect borders, and weakening global cooperation makes Americans less safe, Frieden said. WHO isn’t perfect, but it is irreplaceable to detect outbreaks early and coordinate emergency responses before they become global crises. Trump has openly expressed his contempt for long-standing alliances that have shaped the modern global orderand he hasnt been shy to end them. The president capped off a tense week, defined by global worries over his threat to invade Greenland, with one more insult for U.S. allies by claiming that NATO soldiers stayed “a little off the front lines during the war in Afghanistan. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the remarks frankly appalling.
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Traveling soon? If you’re planning on flying domestically, starting February 1, which is next Sunday, you may have to pay an extra fee at airports across the U.S. if you haven’t yet gotten your TSA-approved Real ID yet, or don’t have another compliant from of ID (see list below). The program, which the Department of Homeland Security launched in May, requires travelers to have an updated, Real ID-compliant driver’s license, or other approved form of ID, in order to pass through airport security checkpoints and board flights. If you are one of the estimated 6% of U.S, travelers that still don’t have a Real ID, or another acceptable form of documentation, you may be charged a $45 fee starting next week. If that’s you, TSA recommends passengers verify their identity using the new ConfirmID process, and pay the $45 fee prior to going to the airport. However, you still run the risk that you “may not be allowed through security and may miss your flight.” TSA urges travelers who do not have a Real ID to schedule an appointment at their local DMV to update their ID as soon as possible. What is the Real ID, again? As Fast Company previously reported, the Real ID is state-issued drivers license, or learner’s permit, that has been enhanced so it’s federally compliant. It’s marked with a gold or black star in the upper right-hand corner to indicate that it meets the security standards of the REAL ID Act. Those stars vary from state to state. (A California Real ID is marked with a golden bear; while here in Massachusetts, you’ll find a simple gold star.) I don’t have a Real ID, what else can I use to get through security? Here are some other TSA-approved forms of ID: U.S. passport U.S. passport card State-issued Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) or Enhanced ID (EID) DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST) U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents Permanent resident card Border crossing card An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs) HSPD-12 PIV card Foreign government-issued passport Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766) U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
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In the early 1980s, the National Basketball Association (NBA) faced a crisis. Television ratings were plummetingthe 1981 NBA finals were among the lowest of all time. Spurred by failing franchises, low game attendance, and declining corporate sponsorships, the leagues cultural relevance in the United States waned. Then in 1984, the league responded with a structural shift that would change the culture of sports for decades to come. We came together with the collective bargaining agreement where the players and the owners would work together to grow the game and expand the game and the values that we established in the Players Association, says NBA legend and current NBA TV analyst Isiah Thomas. The sacrifice that you had to make was you had to extend yourself to the fan base. You have to extend yourself to the media. You have to give access. This strategic move set off a basketball renaissance that reconfigured the leagues business for the modern era. Today the NBA, valued at over $160 billion, finds itself at another inflection point. More people are viewing programming on streaming platforms than on traditional television. Toward the end of 2024, the leagues ratings dipped by 19% in its early season. Coming into this current season, the NBA recalibrated its media strategy by entering new partnerships with NBCUniversal and streaming platform Amazon Prime. Within the first month of this season, the NBAs viewership rebounded, drawing more than 60 million viewers. Now, the NBA is preparing to future-proof itself with its next strategic bet: intentionally designing its global fandom as it moves toward the launch of NBA Europe. [Photo: NBAE] Why Now? As the NBA deepens its push into Europe, the league is testing how to design a global fan experience tailored to the continents growing audience. According to the league, basketball is the fastest-growing sport in Europe, with more than 270 million fans across the continent. Despite Europeans not having the same level of access to NBA games and content via traditional media, last season was the NBAs most-viewed ever across its social and digital channels in Europe, generating more than one billion views across 11 localized accounts in seven languages. This season, European viewership of league games and content via NBA League Pass increased by over 37% year-over-year. We see enormous opportunity for basketball in Europe, says Leah MacNab, NBA senior vice president, head of International Strategy & Operations. Despite that momentum, there is a significant gap between the level of interest in basketball and the sports untapped potential for fans, players, teams, cities, and overall commercial development across Europe. We believe a new league in Europeworking in partnership with FIBA [the International Basketball Federation]would benefit fans, players, and the broader basketball ecosystem. While the NBA has focused on growing the game internationally for four decades, this moment is more deliberate. As the league explores establishing its own European league, it selected Berlin and London as host cities for this years regular season games. Basketball is the fastest-growing sport in these cities and the NBA is the continents most popular league. On January 15 and 18, the Orlando Magic took on the Memphis Grizzlies, matchups that marked the ninety-eighth and ninety-ninth NBA games played in Europe. The last time the NBA brought a game to London was in 2019, and the leagues approach this year reflects a systems-level strategy aimed at testing experiences, engaging fans, and building a long-term U.K. and European audience. [Photo: NBAE] Inside NBA House London Unlike the 2019 London Game, the NBA made significant investments in transforming Magazine London, a 215,214-square-foot event and cultural venue, into its NBA House experience. According to Laura Pinnell, NBA’s Europe & Middle East vice president, head of Consumer, the NBA House has evolved from a regional activation into a signature component of the leagues Global Games footprint and international fan engagement efforts. Located just a short walk from the O2 arena, the site for the Orlando Magic versus Memphis Grizzlies matchup, the NBA House pop-up served as part fan zone, part prototype for the league to experiment with how fans experience the NBA beyond the game itself. Going into this three-day, immersive, 17,000 people registered with the league for the experience, with more than 50,000 fans registering for NBA House tickets across Berlin and London. [Photo: NBAE] We recognize that most fans globally wont have the opportunity to attend an NBA game in person, explains Pinnell. Free-to-attend activations like NBA House provide accessible ways for fans to immerse themselves in the NBA and feel connected to the league. As visitors entered Londons NBA House, they were greeted by a lfe-size league logo where they could snap photos. Moving through the venue, they encountered activations split across two main areas: the Creator Studio and the Court. According to Pinnell, the Creator Studio is a new format that debuted at the NBA London Game. [Photo: NBAE] Creators have long been an important part of the NBA ecosystem, and their connection with our global fan base has only grown in recent years, says Pinnel. NBA House felt like the perfect setting to bring these worlds together and offer a unique, elevated experience for fans. Sponsored by Experience Abu Dhabi, the Creator Studio featured several activations that allowed fans to step into the role of an NBA player. These included interactive basketball shooting games, a Foot Lockerbacked activation where fans could film their own tunnel walkstyle entrance, a pop-up NBA Store, and creator-led conversations featuring players from the Orlando Magic among other guests. [Photo: NBAE] As fans entered the Court section of the house, they encountered sponsors like Tissot and 23 other brands, plus a range of activations and competitions: a full basketball court hosting clinics led by legends Isiah Thomas and Tony Parker, a three-point contest, and a dunk contest featuring a special appearance by Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant. The investment that has gone into this, the presence of partners that are in this space, the amount of freebies, competitions and coaching clinics were running, it is a huge investment, says James Sherwood-Smith, a U.K.-based freelance presenter and NBA House London host who works in fan engagement across other sports like football and F1. Its a complete expense whereas other sports have to balance the books, the NBA is looking to make their mark, and in a generation’s time, they can start to think about the monetization of it. NBA London Game Day By the third and final day, fans lined up early to access the NBA House hours before the games tipoff. Meanwhile, in the sold-out arena, the energy was palpable. The NBA views its overseas games as an experiment for how a new fanbase might want to interact with the league. An international game looks like an NBA game in the U.S but feels different because its a novel experience for fans. The NBA team curated local celebrity talent like Premier League star Declan Rice and introduced NBA legends (a mix of American and European former players). In between gameplay, the league hosted fan competitions, crowd engagement activities, and prize giveaways to test how fans respond to various activities and environments. The goal is to create hyper-localized NBA experiences that will deepen fans connections to the league. So far, it seems to be working. According to Prime, the NBA London Game 2026 viewership was up 90% in comparison to the 2019 London game. [Photo: NBAE] NBA Europe Expansion The NBAs commitment to building its global fandom in the U.K. and Europe through in-person experiences feeds into its larger goal of building a European league. Currently, the NBA operates as a closed league, meaning it comprises a fixed number of 30 teams each season unless the league approves entry of additional teams. In contrast, many international sports leagues, like professional soccer leagues, operate on an open model. This means teams within an open league can either be promoted to a higher league or relegated to a lower league based on performance. In partnership with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the NBA envisions a semi-open league or a hybrid approach with its expansion. The NBA Europe League would be comprised of 14 to 16 teams with 10 to 12 permanent franchises and four to six open spots available for any FIBA-affiliated domestic league in Europe to qualify for annually based on merit. The leagues position is that teams participating in the EuroLeague would not be eligible for participation in NBA Europe simultaneously. To create these teams, the league intends to explore three routes including: existing basketball teams, existing football clubs like those in the Premier League with an interest in expanding to basketball, and ownership groups keen on creating a new team from scratch. Despite its intentions to complement the current European basketball ecosystem as well as maximize competitive and commercial potential of basketball in Europe, the NBA has drawn criticism from some European stakeholders and policymakers. These critics warn that the NBA could supplant local culture, benefit only commercially successful clubs, and ultimately stifle competition. While current and former NBA players largely support its expansion, some players have a more measured stance. I think theres a lot of untapped potential, says Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic star and German native. As long as you keep the tradition of European basketball here and not change the structure of how it works and lean into making it a bigger sport, it can only be positive for the U.K. and, and Europe as a whole. Wagner says there are certain aspects of European basketball culture that are important to maintain as an NBA Europe league emerges. The fan culture, the tradition of the clubs that have made up European basketball and shaped the landscape for a long time, Wagner says. Theyve developed these fan bases over a bunch of years and ave such great history, they should still be intact. That’s a big part of what drives viewership and also why we have great atmospheres and gyms over here. [And] making sure that teams invest in their youth development. While Wagner emphasizes maintaining European tradition and fan culture, others are optimistic that the NBA will build a league that complements the existing ecosystem. When there’s tradition, there’s always going to be people who[will] be critical to change, says former Chicago Bulls star and host of travel series NOMAD Joakim Noah. The NBA is great at marketing, great at branding, and I think it’s just a matter of time before it’s welcomed with open arms. Recent reports indicate that the market may already be opening its arms to the NBA. Following the London matchup, the NBA Commissioner Adam Silver convened a meeting with about 250 people, including potential brand partners Nike and Amazon and funders like KKR, Rothschild, and Blackstone. Representatives from Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, two soccer clubs that also have basketball teams, alongside clubs from Italy, Greece, and Germany were also present, suggesting that these clubs are moving beyond signaling initial interest in potential NBA Europe. [Photo: NBAE] Looking Ahead The league will continue building its global brand beyond Europe with the upcoming 2026 NBA All-Star game, its longstanding global showcase for fans, media, and partners. According to the NBA, this seasons opening-night rosters featured 71 European players, including the leagues top players like Greeces Giannis Antetokounmpo, Serbias Nikola Jokić, Slovenias Luka Dončić, and Frances Victor Wembanyama. These players are part of the starting five for this years All-Star Game, which the league revamped for the first time as a U.S. v. World format. The new U.S. vs. World All-Star format highlights that the level of international talent in the NBA is at an alltime high, which is driving even greater interest and growth across Europe and around the world, says the NBAs MacNab. This record level of talent and engagement with basketball and the NBA is a key reason why we think a new league in Europe could be the next frontier for basketball on the continent. As the NBA pushes its international strategy forward, viewership among American and global audiences will evolve alongside it.I do believe that what we are seeing and what the fans want to see, [its] not a coincidence, says NBA Hall of Famer and current NBC analyst Carmelo Anthony. This is NBCs first chance to introduce that side of things earlier than expected. This is the jumpstart to let people know this is what’s to come and get used to seeing this global basketball brand . . . It’s all part of the plan.
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