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Results for " 2025 " 18,439 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle

Ranked: The World’s Best Countries at Science in 2026

See which countries are best at science based on PISA 2025 scores, with China and Singapore leading the global ranking.

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Sep 22 • 12:38 PM EDT • Science • visualcapitalist.com
Fort Worth barber accused of sexually assaulting child at business, police say

Police say there may be more victims, particularly among Spanish-speaking youth.

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Sep 22 • 10:54 AM EDT • Business • cbsnews.com
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What CDC's new teen health survey shows, and what it skips

Teen suicide risk hit a 10-year low in 2025. Guns, sexual violence, and self-harm. Where are the 2025 data on transgender teens? Missing data changes public health policy. Teen suicide risk hit a 10-year low in 2025. CDC asked more than 10,000 high school students over 100 questions in spring 2025. Yesterday, it published a report covering a fraction of them. The report focsed on five areas: diet, physical activity, sleep, digital behaviors, and mental health, reflecting the priorities of the Make America Healthy Again movement. There was good news. Fewer teens seriously considered suicide in 2025 than in any survey year since 2015: 14%, down from 20% in 2023. Sadness fell. Underlying Conditions is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Sports participation, which dipped to 49% in 2021, is back to its 2015 level of 58%. Daily PE fell from 27% to 20% in two years, while fewer students eat breakfast daily than a decade ago. Guns, sexual violence, and self-harm. The questionnaire is public, and it goes well beyond those five areas. Students answered questions about sexual violence, self-harm, and whether they got help when they felt sad or anxious. They said how quickly they could get a loaded gun. They reported whether food ran out at home and whether they felt close to people at school. There were questions about sexual identity, including whether they were transgender. The report did not publish any of the answers students gave to those questions. CDC posts the raw survey data online, so anyone can see what the report left out. The report doesn’t cover the health of sexual minority students. Among students who identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual, questioning, or another non-straight identity, persistent sadness fell from 66% to 57% between 2023 and 2025. Serious thoughts of suicide fell from 41% to 30%. Those drops were bigger than the ones among straight students, although the gap remains wide: 28% of straight students reported persistent sadness, about half the rate of LGBQ+ students. About 1 in 7 girls reported sexual violence in the past year. One in 6 students hurt themselves on purpose. Among students who needed help for sadness or anxiety, half rarely or never got it. And among students who had seriously considered suicide, 43% said they could get a loaded gun without an adult’s permission. One protective factor rose sharply. In 2023, 55% of students said they felt close to people at their school; in 2025, 63% did. CDC’s earlier research ties that kind of connection to better mental health. Where are the 2025 data on transgender teens? In 2023, CDC's national survey asked high school students, for the first time, whether they were transgender. Their answers are the only nationally representative data on transgender teens, and their mental health is by far the worst of any demographic. That year, 71% of transgender students reported persistent sadness, 54% seriously considered suicide, and 26% attempted it, compared with 38%, 18%, and 8% of cisgender students. But we don’t have 2025 data. The timing matters because students took the survey in spring 2025, as federal policy toward transgender youth shifted. On January 28th, an executive order directed agencies to end federal support for gender-affirming care for people under 19, and several hospitals paused that care within days. In February, the CDC said it would no longer process transgender identity data. Later in 2025, the Supreme Court upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors, and HHS ended the 988 Lifeline’s dedicated line for LGBTQ+ youth. Researchers disagree about how much state policy shapes trans teens’ mental health. A 2024 Trevor Project study estimated that anti-trans laws increased suicide attempts among trans and nonbinary youth. Critics dispute its methods and its estimates. The 2025 survey could have added national evidence to that fight. CDC collected the data but hasn’t publicly released it. Missing data changes public health policy. Surveillance works as a feedback loop. It can show officials whether their policies help or hurt. The CDC didn’t provide data on the students most exposed to transgender policy shifts. The report kept measures that frame health as personal choice, like fruit, breakfast, and sports. It left out measures that track policy, like gun access, mental healthcare, food at home, and school climate, all of which respond to what legislators and agencies decide. HHS did not respond to questions that I sent on September 21st.

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Sep 22 • 10:31 AM EDT • Health • celinegounder.com
'Our mission right now is to keep Florida free': Jay Collins endorses Byron Donalds in Governor's race

'It’s time for Republicans to come together.'

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Sep 22 • 10:27 AM EDT • Politics • floridapolitics.com
When treachery abounds, entertainment resounds - The Voice of San Francisco

Betrayal is disheartening and debilitating, unless it’s happening to someone in a movie. Then, it’s diverting. For example, The Weight is a tension-loaded drama that follows a criminal expedition into the wilds of the Pacific Northwest in the 1930s and hinges on shady people depending on each other in extreme circumstances. As for The Musical, […]

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Sep 22 • 10:24 AM EDT • Entertainment • thevoicesf.org
Apple Wallet driver’s licenses coming to three new states soon

Apple Wallet driver’s licenses recently launched in Virginia and Oklahoma, but three more states are expected to follow soon.

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Sep 22 • 10:03 AM EDT • Technology • 9to5mac.com
Obsidian Entertainment Is Officially Moving Under Bethesda As It Works On Its New Fallout Game

The RPG powerhouse has been rehoused

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Sep 22 • 10:01 AM EDT • Entertainment • kotaku.com
Obsidian Entertainment Is Officially Moving Under Bethesda As It Works On Its New Fallout Game

The RPG powerhouse has been rehoused

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Sep 22 • 10:01 AM EDT • Technology • kotaku.com
Colorado’s first pup Gia — a 4-legged staple of Jared Polis’ term as governor

Gia, a rescue dog, attended bill signings and news conferences, meetings with big-name politicians and members of the governor’s cabinet

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Sep 22 • 10:00 AM EDT • Politics • coloradosun.com
Should Boeing Stock Investors Worry About Its Money-Losing Jet Business?

If you own Boeing (BA), the worry is whether its commercial airplane business can earn money on the jets it sells. In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, that business lost money. Its operating margin was negative 2.7%, meaning costs ran above sales. The jet business brought in nearly half of Boeing's revenue for the quarter.

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Sep 22 • 9:07 AM EDT • Business • trefis.com
The Next Frontier of Attribution Science Has Arrived

New research finds that Europe’s 2025 heat wave was made measurably worse by greenhouse gas emissions since the Paris Agreement.

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Sep 22 • 9:00 AM EDT • Science • heatmap.news
These discreet hearing aid glasses now have better voice boosting and battery life

A subtle alternative for those not wanting to wear hearing aids.

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Sep 22 • 9:00 AM EDT • Technology • theverge.com
Opinion | A first responder’s response: Riverhead officials twisted my words for political gain

A retired FDNY firefighter who lost 12 members of his firehouse on 9/11 shares his perspective on a Riverhead Town Hall clash and calls for ethical local leadership.

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Sep 22 • 8:58 AM EDT • Politics • riverheadlocal.com
New Mac mini drops support for aftermarket storage upgrades

The new M6 and M5 Pro Mac mini no longer support aftermarket storage upgrades due to Apple’s return to soldered storage.

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Sep 22 • 8:50 AM EDT • Technology • 9to5mac.com
Florida Chamber’s free-enterprise roadshow rolls into Illinois

Gov. JB Pritzker finishes behind Zohran Mamdani for a tongue-in-cheek economic development honor.

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Sep 22 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • floridapolitics.com
Homebuilding permits plunge in Charlotte metro as builders face infrastructure issues, rising land prices

Building permits in Charlotte dropped 17.7% through July as zoning and infrastructure challenges constrain homebuilder supply.

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Sep 22 • 7:33 AM EDT • Business • bizjournals.com
Workers should brace for biggest health insurance cost jump in decades

Small businesses warn rising healthcare costs could lead to higher premiums, reduced benefits, stalled wages and tougher choices for workers.

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Sep 22 • 7:03 AM EDT • Health • scrippsnews.com
Portsmouth housing solutions, AI threats, political views: Letters

Letters package: Writers weigh in on Portsmouth housing policy, AI risks, NH politics, Maine fisheries and international affairs.

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Sep 22 • 6:57 AM EDT • Politics • seacoastonline.com
Avondale health center is getting a major upgrade

The renovation will bring medical, pharmacy and dental services under one roof.

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Sep 22 • 6:18 AM EDT • Health • axios.com
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Local clinics brace for federal benefit cuts for refugees

Thousands of refugees who legally came to America face hunger due to changes in federal law approved as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

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Sep 22 • 6:03 AM EDT • Health • jsonline.com
Is 50 the new 60?

Subscribe TL;DR: Younger generations are showing signs of worse health compared to earlier-born cohorts at the same age This backward “drift” is showing up both in mortality risk and chronic disease Worsening trends in obesity and diabetes are the most consistent signals Taking the long view, we’ve made astonishing gains in health and life expectancy in the last century. Global average life expectancy has more than doubled from 32 years in 1900 to 73 years in 2024. (But don’t forget, there were still old people when life expectancy was 32). As people lived longer, they also generally lived healthier along the way. It turns out that avoiding things that can kill you early, like malnutrition and lots of childhood infections, also keeps you healthier later in life. In a classic 2004 paper, Finch and Crimmins proposed that cohorts of children who benefited from fewer early life infections had less lifetime exposure to inflammation and cardiovascular disease later in life, accelerating mortality improvements at older ages. Poor nutrition in the womb has also been linked to a higher risk of later chronic disease. The upshot is that improvements in childhood health can pay dividends many decades later. The combination of better living conditions (nutrition, sanitation) and medical advances (antibiotics, vaccines, blood pressure meds, etc) meant that people’s healthy lifespan generally expanded, even as they lived longer. Aging researchers call this best-case scenario “compression of morbidity”—meaning we delay the onset of disease and disability even faster than the years of life we are adding. During my 20+ year research career, we could generally bank on the idea that younger generations would not only live longer but also keep getting healthier along the way. “60 is the new 50” as they say… Enter “Generational Health Drift” Sadly, this expectation of steady progress may be changing. You’ve probably heard that US life expectancy gains have slowed to a crawl in the past couple of decades. Mortality improvements are also slowing (though less dramatically) in many other high-income countries (you can read more about that in a review paper I wrote here). Mortality is a very blunt health measure, but it is often a good barometer for the broader population health trends happening underneath. And we are now seeing that younger generations may be in worse health at similar ages compared to earlier born cohorts. My collaborator Prof. George Ploubidis at University College London coined this worsening health in more recently born cohorts “generational health drift.” “Generational health drift” is bad news on multiple fronts. Most obviously, we don’t want our health progress to go backward. But the timing is also bad, since our populations are aging. In demographic terms, “population aging” means that the proportion of the population at older ages (i.e >65 years) is increasing. Fun demography fact: Current population aging is not due to the recent declines in the birth rates making the news, but declines in fertility decades ago, after the “baby boom.” As baby boomers reach older ages, the smaller cohorts behind them mean the percentage of older adults will increase. For example, the share of the population age 65 and older in the US increased from 12.4% in 2004 to 18.0% in 2024. This story of population aging was written long ago. Many worry that population aging will put pressure on health care and pension systems. But if people reach older ages in better health than in years past, those fiscal pressures would be less dire than projected. Healthy older people can also continue to contribute to society in many valuable ways, including paid work, caregiving, community service….even high political office 🤷. On the flip side, if younger generations reach retirement age in worse health and with more disabling conditions, this could magnify the societal challenge of population aging. Evidence for worsening generational health A recent paper that I LOVED in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Dr. Leah Abrams and colleagues examined which birth cohorts (aka generations) were behind worsening US mortality. Behold the Lexis diagram (cue swooning demographers). Calendar time is on the x-axis, age on the y-axis. Birth cohorts can be followed over time as they age on the diagonal lines moving up and to the right. This figure plots the year-on-year % change in all-cause mortality at a given age. Green shading indicates mortality improvements over time, white is stagnation, and gray shading indicates worsening mortality. Following the diagonal line for those born in 1950, you can see a noticeable shift from green to gray that follows this cohort for most of their lives. This gray shading shows generally worsening mortality for the 1950 to 1959 birth cohorts compared to their predecessors across all ages. Concerningly for my GenX and elder millennial peeps, there was also a deterioration in mortality for birth cohorts born in the 1970s and 1980s, visible as dark gray areas at ages 30 to 45 during the 2010s. While some of these mortality changes reflect specific shocks such as the opioid epidemic, most deaths still occur from major causes of death such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. For cancer, the gray in the top left corner of the figure below reflects the legacies of smoking for older cohorts, followed by a period of green with improvements in cancer mortality as smoking rates declined. But the white/gray shading in the bottom right corner highlights a stagnation and reversal of the cancer trends, with cohorts born around 1970 to 1985 experiencing worsening cancer mortality. This deterioration was most noticeable for colon cancer mortality, possibly linked to obesity or dietary factors. Not just dying more, but less healthy along the way. A recent paper by Dr. Laura Gimeno of University College London (of which I am a co-author), found evidence that more recently born cohorts in Great Britain have stagnating or worsening health. A stylized picture of what“generational health drift” might look like: The review paper found: Rates of childhood overweight and obesity were highest among Gen Z. Rates of diabetes in the 40s almost doubled from 3.1% among the Baby Boomers to 5.9% in Generation X. Gen Z reported higher rates of poor mental health in adolescence compared to earlier-born groups. These UK results are consistent with studies showing worsening health across generations in the US as well. A 2021 US study found that more recently born cohorts had worse biological markers (like blood pressure and blood sugar) than earlier generations at the same age. A separate 2022 study of Americans aged 50 and over found that more recently born generations had a higher number of chronic diseases, with younger age of disease onset. A 2024 Lancet paper found that in the US, women born in 1945 had 33% obesity prevalence at age 50, rising to 48.2% for women born in 1970 turning 50. So what’s going on, and can we turn it around? We don’t have a definitive answer for what’s causing the deteriorating health of younger cohorts, but circumstantial evidence points to worsening trends in obesity and diabetes in both the US and UK. Remember that cohort trends reflect lagged effects of early environments, and younger generations have faced both earlier onset and more severe obesity across their lifetimes. Despite these very concerning trends, the future is not set in stone. We’ve reversed poor generational health trends before: drops in smoking are a major reason cancer and heart disease deaths fell so dramatically in recent decades. GLP-1 drugs may finally turn the tide against rising rates of obesity and diabetes, though it is still early days. But things could also get worse…for example from a return to higher levels of childhood infectious diseases that can have a lasting impact on health. See for example: [ ](https://jenndowd.substack.com/p/dont-you-forget-about-measles-the) [ Don’t You Forget About Me(asles): The Virus That Erases Immune Memory ](https://jenndowd.substack.com/p/dont-you-forget-about-measles-the) Jenn Dowd, PhD · March 24, 2025 [ Read full story ](https://jenndowd.substack.com/p/dont-you-forget-about-measles-the) Even as an optimist, emerging data on the “generational health drift” has my full attention. For most of my research career, we took it for granted that each generation would be healthier than the last. But if present trends continue, **50 could be the new 60….**and Gen Z celebrities will soon look older than Paul Rudd :). Stay well, Jenn Share the Health! If you found this post useful, please share it with a friend. Share

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Sep 22 • 6:03 AM EDT • Health • jenndowd.substack.com
Letters: Disney isn’t only corporate offender | Donalds’ hollow tax claim | Data centers will harm society

Disney is making donations to political candidates who support Disney interests. Why is that surprising? This is what all corporations do.

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Sep 22 • 5:30 AM EDT • Politics • orlandosentinel.com
Watchdog says Messmer's taxpayer-funded TV ad part of larger problem

U.S. Rep. Mark Messmer insists his recent taxpayer-funded, campaign-like commercial wasn't political. A watchdog says it shows reforms are needed.

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Sep 22 • 5:04 AM EDT • Politics • courierpress.com
Award-winning Beaufort-Jasper-Hampton area health care provider retires

Physician Assistant, Harold “Buck” Harvey, PA-C, retires after 48 'wonderful years'

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Sep 22 • 5:01 AM EDT • Health • blufftontoday.com
Sherrill announces film trail mapping iconic New Jersey movie spots

New Jersey is launching a film trail to showcase popular movie locations across the state.

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Sep 22 • 5:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • courierpostonline.com
Steur has 'huge future in the game'

Former Newcastle defender John Anderson reckons the £23m paid to sign teenage midfielder Sean Steur from Ajax is "looking like a bargain". The 18-year-old made 24 appearances for Ajax in 2025-26 and has started twice in the Premier League for the Magpies this season, impressing in Saturday's 2-1 win over Hull City. "He is still a very inexperienced boy," Anderson told BBC Radio Newcastle.

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Sep 22 • 3:55 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Jiang Feng: The Unravelling of German & European Politics

A state election in eastern Germany has become a revealing test of the changing political landscapes of Germany and Europe, writes Jiang Feng, Professor and Chairman of the Council of the Shanghai Academy of Global Governance and Area Studies (SAGGAS) at Shanghai International Studies University. His analysis follows the decisive victory of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) (which has been classified as right-wing extremist by German authorities)in the state of Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September, in which it finished far ahead of its mainstream rivals. Jiang previously served as Minister-Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Berlin. The following article was published on 8 September 2026 on huanqiu.com, the online platform of the Global Times. On 6 September, the results of the state election in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, were announced. The Alternative for Germany (AfD), classified as far-right by German authorities, made history by becoming the largest party in the state parliament, winning 43.8 per cent of the vote — twice its share in the previous election. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which had governed the state continuously for 24 years, won just 17.2 per cent, its worst result ever in Saxony-Anhalt. On the night the results were announced, the atmosphere at the CDU gathering was unusually calm. There was neither shock nor argument, as if the defeat had long been expected. Several veteran party members who had spent years working in the state government said: “Defeat is not a bad thing. It is time to make changes.” This state election has not only upended Saxony-Anhalt’s political landscape, but also laid bare the deep tensions between Germany’s traditional party structure and model of governance, on the one hand, and an increasingly polarised society on the other. Its repercussions are already being felt at the federal level, making Saxony-Anhalt a useful case study of the broader trend towards political polarisation and realignment in Europe. Governing Difficulties after Electoral Victory The most immediate consequence of the election is a historic setback for the mainstream party order that took shape in post-war Germany. In Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD has leapt from a peripheral party to the largest political force in the state. Its electoral base has expanded beyond the traditional category of “marginal protest voters” to take on the characteristics of a cross-class coalition. The party has not only consolidated its support in rural areas, but also attracted many middle-class voters and even members of the social elite with stable jobs, their own homes, and substantial incomes. It has thus evolved from a “protest party” into one with the potential to govern. Despite its commanding lead in the vote, however, the AfD faces an institutional obstacle to governing the state: the mainstream parties’ long-standing “firewall” against it. Neither of the two potential routes to forming a government appears likely to break the current political deadlock. The first would be a coalition of establishment parties, led by the CDU and bringing together the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Greens, the Left Party (Die Linke) and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) in a cross-camp government. In terms of parliamentary arithmetic, such a coalition could prevent the AfD from forming a government and preserve the outward stability of the traditional political order. Yet these parties are fundamentally divided over key issues including immigration, the energy transition, economic management, and cultural and education policy. Coalition negotiations would therefore be extremely difficult, and even if a government could be formed, it would most likely prove short-lived. More importantly, an alliance of establishment parties aimed at keeping the largest party out of government would play directly into the AfD’s narrative that “political elites are suppressing public opinion”. It could deepen perceptions of political unfairness, further strengthening the AfD’s political capital, and creating a dynamic in which “the more it is suppressed, the more people vote for it”. Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD’s candidate for state premier, has said that if efforts to form a government fail because other parties refuse to cooperate, the AfD will push for a fresh election, which he believes could deliver the party an absolute majority of seats. This points to more intense political battles ahead. The second option would be a coalition between the AfD and the BSW. Together, the two parties would command a simple majority in parliament, making this, on paper, the quickest route to forming a government. The BSW is the only elected party that has not ruled out cooperation with the AfD, and the two parties share some common ground, including on policy towards Russia. There is therefore a degree of political basis for cooperation. Were such a coalition to materialise, Germany would see its first state government jointly formed by a party defined as far-right and one with a far-left background, creating what might be called a “bipolar anti-establishment alliance”. Such an outcome would fundamentally break with the ideological boundaries of post-war German party politics. It is worth noting that even if the AfD ultimately fails to enter the state government, its roughly 47 per cent share of parliamentary seats would give it a powerful blocking minority. Without its consent, major decisions requiring a two-thirds majority — including constitutional amendments, significant budgetary adjustments, and state-level institutional reforms — would be extremely difficult to pass. Therefore, whoever ultimately forms the government, the AfD will be an unavoidable force in Saxony-Anhalt politics, with a direct influence on the state’s legislative process. Systemic Failures in Germany’s Governance Model The Saxony-Anhalt election result reflects a systemic failure of Germany’s post-war mainstream-party model of governance to adapt to rapidly changing socioeconomic conditions. It stems from multiple, mutually reinforcing structural tensions and highlights the existing political system’s difficulty in adapting to “an increasingly polarised society First, collective anxiety has replaced individual material hardship as a central driver of political mobilisation. The rise of the AfD can no longer be explained simply by poverty or social marginalisation. Its increasingly cross-class electoral base suggests that what is driving voters towards the party is, above all, concern about the broader direction of society. This anxiety about the future of the political community goes beyond individual gains and losses. In political discourse, economic anxiety has become closely intertwined with immigration, while immigration and refugee issues are, in essence, questions of social fairness. This perception turns conflicts over the distribution of social resources into negative assessments of governing parties, providing a broad social basis for far-right political narratives. Second, regional disparities and East German identity have undermined the strategy of addressing eastern Germany’s structural challenges at the regional level. More than three decades after German reunification, eastern states such as Saxony-Anhalt have experienced periods of economic growth, but their underlying economic structures remain weak, and household incomes and wealth remain significantly below those in western Germany. At the same time, they continue to face population outflow, an ageing population, labour shortages, and other structural challenges. At a deeper level, historical experiences — including the collapse of the former East German economic system, mass unemployment during the transition, and the westward shift of decision-making power over major issues — have left some residents with a sense of being “second-class citizens” and of being excluded. For years, the German government treated the “syndrome” of reunification as a regional problem to be gradually addressed at the local level. That approach is becoming increasingly unsustainable, as regional development disparities emerge as a core structural factor shaping national politics. Third, the erosion of institutional trust is perhaps the most decisive factor. AfD supporters tend to distrust establishment institutions, including parliament, government, and the mainstream media. Their concerns about economic security, pensions, and social fairness are significantly greater than the social average. Increasingly, their support for the AfD reflects not an expectation that the existing system can be improved, but a search for an alternative to the current political order. Such a systemic deficit of trust will be extremely difficult for the traditional parties to repair in the short term. Fourth, a generational shift in political mobilisation has amplified political polarisation. Unlike traditional parties, which rely heavily on offline rallies and mainstream media coverage, the AfD has developed a social-media mobilisation strategy built around “raising an issue — identifying who is responsible — offering a simplified solution — building a shared identity”. It turns complex social tensions into concise political narratives, rapidly channelling public sentiment into political support. The contrast on the eve of the election was particularly telling. The establishment parties, together with trade unions and churches, organised an offline march attended by more than 10,000 people, but its reach was largely confined to those present and to traditional media coverage. The AfD held a much smaller indoor event, yet livestreaming on TikTok, YouTube, and other platforms, combined with the involvement of online influencers, gave it a reach and mobilising capacity far beyond that of the march. The contrast illustrates how the traditional parties’ methods of political mobilisation are increasingly struggling to keep pace with a political environment transformed by changes in media technology. A Microcosm of Structural Political Change in Europe The shockwaves from the Saxony-Anhalt election quickly travelled beyond the state to the federal level. Calls for political accountability followed immediately after the results were announced. The governing CDU and SPD are now under enormous pressure, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil face an unprecedented test. Political polarisation in Germany is no longer simply a regional phenomenon. The post-war model of multiparty government by establishment parties is breaking down and being reshaped. Viewed in a broader European context, the Saxony-Anhalt election is part of a continent-wide wave of party polarisation, mainstream-party decline, and rising right-wing forces. Far from an isolated phenomenon, it is a microcosm of the structural political changes unfolding across Europe. Weak economic growth, cultural tensions over immigration, and declining trust in institutions are fuelling the rise of right-wing forces in several countries, challenging the liberal internationalist order established in post-war Europe. As a core member state of the European Union, Germany’s ability to adapt its political system and the direction of its politics will have profound implications for both European integration and the evolution of the international order. Subscribe [ Pekingnology China’s Germany watchers take stock of Berlin’s uneasy turn On 7 December 2025, nearly 50 Chinese scholars and policy researchers gathered in Beijing for the 2025年德国形势年终研讨会 “2025 Year-End Seminar on the Situation in Germany… Read more 9 months ago · 31 likes · 1 comment · YIRUI LI and Yuxuan JIA ](https://www.pekingnology.com/p/chinas-germany-watchers-take-stock?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web&embedding_publication_id=1151841) [ Jiang Feng on Germany's 2025 and beyond: no easy exit ](https://www.eastisread.com/p/jiang-feng-on-germanys-2025-and-beyond) Yirui LI and Yuxuan JIA · Jan 24 The following is an op-ed by Jiang Feng, published on 29 December 2025 at Shanghai Observer 上观新闻, the digital platform of Jiefang Daily, the official newspaper of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). [ Read full story ](https://www.eastisread.com/p/jiang-feng-on-germanys-2025-and-beyond)

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Sep 22 • 3:04 AM EDT • Politics • eastisread.com
Republic Business Credit Provides $750K Factoring Facility to Staffing Firm

Republic Business Credit provided a $750,000 factoring facility to a growing temporary staffing firm to support its operational requirements. This is the

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Sep 22 • 1:41 AM EDT • Business • abfjournal.com
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Brian Cox: UKRI’s Cern project cut ‘damages science base’

Cut will mean “reduced scientific capability” for Large Hadron Collider beauty upgrade, its board warns

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Sep 22 • 12:53 AM EDT • Science • researchprofessionalnews.com
PeaceHealth to lay off 150 Washington workers in technology overhaul

PeaceHealth lays off 150 workers statewide as the nonprofit health system moves IT services in November under new CEO Sarah Ness.

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Sep 22 • 12:03 AM EDT • Business • bizjournals.com
Homewood Science Center’s Walk Walton tickets on sale

Tickets are on sale for Homewood Science Center’s 2026 Walk Walton nature fest fundraiser on Oct. 18 at the Izaak Walton Preserve.

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Sep 21 • 11:36 PM EDT • Science • hfchronicle.com
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Brad Keselowski Parting Ways With NASCAR Cup Series Crew Chief

Brad Keselowski and RFK Racing are parting ways with crew chief Jeremy Bullins, effective immediately. Bullins was Keselowski’s crew chief from the beginning of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season and was previously atop the driver’s pit box at Team Penske. Mike Skarbowski, an RFK Racing engineer, will serve as Keselowski’s interim crew chief. No announcement […] The post Brad Keselowski Parting Ways With NASCAR Cup Series Crew Chief appeared first on HEAVY.

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Sep 21 • 11:08 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Appeals court favors Trump-backed Missouri congressional map, but Supreme Court will have final say

A federal appeals panel has ruled in favor of new Missouri congressional districts backed by President Donald Trump. But there is no immediate impact from Monday’s ruling.

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Sep 21 • 6:38 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
New West Sub owners, Insight Health Systems, struggle with reopening hospitals in Ohio

Insight Health Systems recently became the new owners of West Suburban Medical Center, but its hospitals in Ohio struggle to reopen.

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Sep 21 • 6:08 PM EDT • Health • oakpark.com
The front door is still a phone line: What voice AI returned at Virtua Health, Keck Medicine + more

Every health system, from a 15-location clinic group to a national system with tens of billions in revenue, shares the same overlooked front door: the

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Sep 21 • 6:05 PM EDT • Health • beckersbehavioralhealth.com
Strategy’s bitcoin holdings reach value of $73B+

As bitcoin broke $86,000 on Monday, the value of Tysons-based Strategy’s holdings rose to more than $73.56 billion as of 4:40 p.m.

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Sep 21 • 5:29 PM EDT • Business • virginiabusiness.com
Ex-Eagles Super Bowl Champion Signs With Detroit Lions: Report

The Philadelphia Eagles are enjoying their 2-0 record after beating the Tennessee Titans, and they are seeing their former players sign with other teams. One of those teams is the Detroit Lions, which is adding a former Eagle to its practice squad. ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler said the Lions will sign veteran safety Jalen […] The post Ex-Eagles Super Bowl Champion Signs With Detroit Lions: Report appeared first on HEAVY.

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Sep 21 • 5:13 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
M&A INDUSTRY ICON AWARD HONOREE: LAWRENCE M. BRAUN - Sheppard

M&A INDUSTRY ICON AWARD HONOREE: LAWRENCE M. BRAUN Of Counsel Sheppard Lawrence M. Braun is a partner in Sheppard’s Los Angeles office and the former

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Sep 21 • 4:54 PM EDT • Business • labusinessjournal.com
Owens & Minor subsidiary to lay off 419 employees

Owens & Minor subsidiary Avid Medical plans to permanently close its operations at 9000 Westmont Drive in Toano, laying off 419 people.

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Sep 21 • 4:30 PM EDT • Business • virginiabusiness.com
Maine’s Office of Affordable Health Care seeks public input

Mainers are encouraged to attend the Office of Affordable Health Care’s annual public hearing this week to share their experiences of navigating today’s healthcare system.Surveys show nearly half of Maine households have taken on medical debt in the past two years and the majority point to hospital-based services like surgeries or emergency care as the

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Sep 21 • 4:27 PM EDT • Health • mainebeacon.com
Mayor, business owners cast blame after another River Market shooting

The Little Rock Police Department is investigating a shooting that happened over the weekend, just a few feet away from the Arkansas Times offices.

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Sep 21 • 4:13 PM EDT • Business • arktimes.com
Doc Rivers joins NBC Sports' NBA coverage as game analyst

Decorated NBA Head Coach will join his son, Austin Rivers, at NBC Sports for the 2026-27 season.

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Sep 21 • 3:49 PM EDT • Sports • nba.com
The colorectal cancer screening number health plans have never been scored on

Follow-up colonoscopy rates after a positive stool-based test range from 24-75%, according to NCQA. Same test, same result, very different odds that the

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Sep 21 • 3:47 PM EDT • Health • beckersoncology.com
CDC’s teen behavior report focuses on nutrition, downplays sex and substance use

The survey, which offers a snapshot of teen health, found more high schoolers in 2025 ate fruits and vegetables daily and drank water at least three times per day compared with 2023.

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Sep 21 • 3:41 PM EDT • Health • nbcnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
Arkansas River tonnage up more than 7% through August

Tonnage shipped on the Arkansas River in August was down more than 2%, but tonnage shipped between January and August is up more than 7%, with a 60.4% gain in...

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Sep 21 • 3:19 PM EDT • Business • talkbusiness.net
Pennsylvanians buying 2027 health insurance on Pennie will face 16% average premium increase

Loss of pandemic-era tax credits and high use of medical care are driving up costs on Pennie, the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace, insurance officials say.

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Sep 21 • 3:02 PM EDT • Health • whyy.org
Access Health CT Revises Open Enrollment Dates For 2027

Access Health CT is Connecticut’s official health insurance marketplace, where residents can shop, compare and enroll in health and dental plans. It is also where eligible customers can get financial help and enroll in low or no-cost insurance through HUSKY Health Programs (Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)) or the Covered CT Program

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Sep 21 • 2:57 PM EDT • Health • ctnewsjunkie.com
Sadness and Suicidal Behavior Among Teenagers Is Declining, C.D.C. Finds

A national survey has found that key mental health measures for teenagers have significantly improved from their worst levels during the pandemic.

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Sep 21 • 2:41 PM EDT • Science • nytimes.com
Sadness and Suicidal Behavior Among Teenagers Is Declining, C.D.C. Finds

A national survey has found that key mental health measures for teenagers have significantly improved from their worst levels during the pandemic.

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Sep 21 • 2:41 PM EDT • Health • nytimes.com
The state of pediatric restorative dentistry

Nearly every pediatric clinician surveyed this year expects zirconia crown use to rise, but far fewer are placing them today. A 2026 benchmark report

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Sep 21 • 2:30 PM EDT • Health • beckersbehavioralhealth.com
Laver Cup 2026 format, points-scoring system explained

Team World hit back in San Francisco after their dramatic loss to Team Europe in the 2025 Laver Cup. Will it be repeat or revenge in London?

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Sep 21 • 2:19 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
As The Deadline Nears, Civil Society Urges Spain To Nominate María Neira As WHO Chief

With Thursday’s 24 September deadline looming, international scientific societies and civil society leaders are pushing Spain to sponsor a last-minute WHO Director-General nomination for Dr María Neira. Endorsed by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Adolfo Pérez Esquivel and Dr Carlos Ferreyra of Climate, Life and Health International, the petition urges Spanish ministers to register her candidacy before entries close.

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Sep 21 • 1:57 PM EDT • Health • healthpolicy-watch.news
Person with measles traveled through Kern County: CA Dept. of Public Health

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A person with measles was confirmed to have traveled though Kern County, according to the California Department of Public Health. The department said this person …

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Sep 21 • 1:51 PM EDT • Health • kget.com
Apple TV series postponed after Charlie Kirk shooting gets release date

Jessica Chastain’s “The Savant” will premiere in spring 2027 after Apple TV postponed the political thriller days before its planned 2025 debut.

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Sep 21 • 1:50 PM EDT • Entertainment • cleveland.com
WV to allocate nearly $300,000 in Rural Health Transformation funds to expand nursing workforce

The state will contribute $291,403 of its federal Rural Health Transformation funds to the WVU Medicine Center for Nursing Education.

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Sep 21 • 1:49 PM EDT • Health • westvirginiawatch.com
Seattle startups DexCare and Mila Health combine to expand AI patient scheduling

Seattle health-tech startup DexCare has acquired fellow local startup Mila Health, an AI agent developer that automates patient calls and texts for appointment scheduling. The deal, whose terms were undisclosed, integrates Mila's rapidly deployable AI communication tools into DexCare's patient-access platform serving 57 million patients nationwide.

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Sep 21 • 12:43 PM EDT • Health • geekwire.com
Sylvester Stallone told Donald Trump ‘thank you and ciao’ after being appointed as ‘special ambassador’

Trump gave Stallone, who had no prior awareness, the title in January 2025.

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Sep 21 • 12:31 PM EDT • Entertainment • yahoo.com
Take part in Palmer Group’s 2027 salary survey

Palmer Group is seeking input from Iowa business leaders for its 2027 Annual Salary Guide, which will examine hiring plans, compensation trends and workforce priorities for the coming year. The four-question, multiple-choice survey takes less than 5 minutes to complete and will be available to complete through Oct. 2. Responses will be kept confidential and…

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Sep 21 • 12:19 PM EDT • Business • businessrecord.com
‘A great tree has fallen': Remembering Walter Boynton, pioneering Bay scientist

Walter Boynton, one of the Chesapeake Bay’s preeminent scientists and communicators, died Sept. 14 after a long illness, leaving a legacy of more than 50 years of pioneering research and advocacy for his adopted watershed. He was 79.

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Sep 21 • 12:13 PM EDT • Science • marylandmatters.org
Oregon Health Plan to issue notices regarding new work rules for 600,000 members

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) --- The Oregon Health Authority is holding a virtual media briefing Monday to outline upcoming federal changes to the Oregon Health Plan that will impact approximately 600,000 members. The updates are required under new federal mandates in House Resolution 1, which states must implement to maintain federal funding. Notices will begin going

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Sep 21 • 12:06 PM EDT • Health • ktvz.com
Oxford Saïd Turns 30, Recalling Its Start In A Working Hospital

At 30, the school runs the world's top-ranked executive MBA, according to QS, and its leaders are weighing how big to grow.

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Sep 21 • 12:05 PM EDT • Business • poetsandquants.com
What to know for Flyers' first preseason game

The Flyers play the Capitals in preseason action Monday at Giant Center (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

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Sep 21 • 11:33 AM EDT • Sports • nbcsportsphiladelphia.com
Pixel VIPs 2.0 redesign starts rolling out with fullscreen look

Following last week’s Feature Drop, Pixel VIPs 2.0 is beginning to roll out, and it brings more changes than just the widget redesign.

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Sep 21 • 11:09 AM EDT • Technology • 9to5google.com
Gary Peters to join USC Center for the Political Future after Senate term

Sen. Gary Peters has announced his next plans after his term in the U.S. Senate ends in January.

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Sep 21 • 11:09 AM EDT • Politics • woodtv.com
Should government rethink its wager on sports betting?

Is it a matter of free will or vice? The Beacon’s Counterpoint columnists debate gambling on sports contests.

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Sep 21 • 11:00 AM EDT • Sports • rochesterbeacon.com
CT Business Blend: Sept. 21, 2026

Hartford Business Journal’s Greg Bordonaro and WTIC’s Brian Shactman explore the people, companies and trends shaping Connecticut’s business scene every Monday at 8:30 a.m. on WTIC 1080 AM.

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Sep 21 • 10:39 AM EDT • Business • hartfordbusiness.com
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HD Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire Video Sparks Switch Port Speculation

The suspiciously HD Pokémon Ruby And Sapphire clip has fans convinced that Nintendo Switch ports of the games might be dropping sooner than expected

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Sep 21 • 10:30 AM EDT • Technology • kotaku.com
The next wave of VCs judging Startup Battlefield at Disrupt 2026

The next wave of VCs judging the Startup Battlefield 200 contenders on the main stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. Register by Sept 25 to save up to $200.

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Sep 21 • 10:15 AM EDT • Technology • techcrunch.com
‘HomePad’ to launch next month with these new features: report

Apple’s long-awaited home hub device, often called ‘HomePad,’ is now expected to launch in October. Here’s what’s coming per Bloomberg.

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Sep 21 • 10:09 AM EDT • Technology • 9to5mac.com
Patrick Mahomes Dominates Colts' Defense In 33-30 Overtime Win

After a back-and-forth shootout with the Indianapolis Colts, the Kansas City Chiefs get a huge win to improve to 2-0 as Patrick Mahomes dominates. The Colts have not won a game since Week 9 of last season, and the first loss of their 2025 collapse was against the Chiefs. That game was also the Chiefs' […] The post Patrick Mahomes Dominates Colts’ Defense In 33-30 Overtime Win appeared first on Stadium Rant.

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Sep 21 • 9:56 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Should You Buy PepsiCo Stock Because Its International Business Keeps Accelerating?

PepsiCo (PEP) stock traded at $129.75 on September 18, the lowest price of its past 52 weeks. The worry is North America, where sales of snacks and drinks have disappointed. Yet the part of PepsiCo that sells outside the U.S. is growing faster and earning more on each sale. The share price appears to give that part little credit.

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Sep 21 • 9:50 AM EDT • Business • trefis.com
Implementation of 2025 Reconciliation Law: Medicaid Managed Care Rate Setting Uncertainty & Potential Plan Exits

This policy watch examines recent and anticipated managed care rate setting challenges and the potential implications of MCO exits.

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Sep 21 • 9:00 AM EDT • Health • kff.org
UVA Health warns Cat’s Claw may be disguising Kratom

Kratom can cause opioid symptoms and has addictive properties.

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Sep 21 • 8:59 AM EDT • Health • cvillerightnow.com
Altru Health System Reports For Decrease In Operating Margins For 2025

(KNOX) -Altru Health System has reported for the 2025 year they had its operating margins decrease by 1.4 perc...

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Sep 21 • 8:58 AM EDT • Health • knoxradio.com
Youth mental health improves, New Hampshire survey reports

Youth mental health has improved since the COVID-19 pandemic, when anxiety and depression spiked for teens, according to the results of a statewide survey. The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services recently released the results of its 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The anonymous and voluntary survey helps measure health-related behaviors among New […]

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Sep 21 • 8:53 AM EDT • Health • concordmonitor.com
You can now claim your payout from Apple’s $250 million Siri settlement

The major class action lawsuit against Apple over Siri and Apple Intelligence delays continues to progress. Apple is expected to...

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Sep 21 • 8:31 AM EDT • Technology • 9to5mac.com
Parental gambling linked to poorer health and educational outcomes for Australian children

New Australian research has found that risky parental gambling is associated with poorer physical health, mental health and educational outcomes among children, highlighting the need to recognize gambling ...

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Sep 21 • 8:20 AM EDT • Health • phys.org
DOH-Charlotte Hosts Child Safety and Wellness Workshops - Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County

DOH-Charlotte invites residents to attend our free Child Safety and Wellness Workshops starting on October 13.

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Sep 21 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • charlotte.floridahealth.gov
Unannounced PlayStation Rewards Program Live on PS Store

An unannounced PlayStation rewards program seems to have been rolled out on the PS Store. Here's what we've gathered so far.

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Sep 21 • 7:50 AM EDT • Technology • playstationlifestyle.net
NJ labor chief criticizes 'river of misinformation' about independent contractor rule

A rule set to take effect Oct. 1 has caused a furor among business groups and freelancers, but the state insists enforcement won't change.

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Sep 21 • 7:18 AM EDT • Business • newjerseymonitor.com
Federal change threatens Medicaid coverage for 25K legal immigrants in NJ

A Medicaid eligibility change could end healthcare coverage for 25K legal immigrants in NJ starting Oct. 1.

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Sep 21 • 7:02 AM EDT • Health • newjerseymonitor.com
From the Editor: Politics has taken taken top billing in Maine this year

Maine's political races have been in the spotlight this year, with attention on battles for seats in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, as well as Blaine House.

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Sep 21 • 7:00 AM EDT • Politics • mainebiz.biz
Which NHL teams could make postseason after missing last season?

There was a six-team turnover in the playoff field from 2025 to 2026. Which NHL teams could make the postseason this year after missing last season?

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Sep 21 • 6:31 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Silent Hill: Townfall Can't Match the Stellar Reviews of 2025's Silent Hill f

Critics love the atmosphere and storytelling, are less impressed by the gameplay

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Sep 21 • 6:14 AM EDT • Technology • polygon.com
Gary Peters to direct USC politics center in post-Senate role

Michigan's outgoing senior U.S. senator has secured a new job on the West Coast after his term ends in January.

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Sep 21 • 6:06 AM EDT • Politics • detroitnews.com
Business Starts for Sept. 21, 2026

In May, 1,410 new businesses filed incorporation paperwork with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, in order to do business in the state.

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Sep 21 • 6:00 AM EDT • Business • wbjournal.com
Lubbock Public Health Director gets statewide award for vaccine advocacy

Lubbock's public health director was honored for her leadership during the historic West Texas measles outbreak and her continuing work to protect communities from vaccine-preventable diseases.

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Sep 21 • 5:46 AM EDT • Health • lubbockonline.com
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Cole Palmer withdraws from England squad after earning Tuchel recall

Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer has withdrawn from the England squad for the upcoming international break as his workload and a muscle problem are managed.The 24-year-old had been recalled by England m...

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Sep 21 • 5:15 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Vote for the Houma Today/Daily Comet AOTW, sponsored by Thibodaux Regional Health System

The poll is back open for the Houma Today/Daily Comet Athlete of the Week, sponsored by Thibodaux Regional Health System. Vote now and vote often!

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Sep 21 • 5:07 AM EDT • Health • houmatoday.com
Vote for the Houma Today/Daily Comet AOTW, sponsored by Thibodaux Regional Health System

The poll is back open for the Houma Today/Daily Comet Athlete of the Week, sponsored by Thibodaux Regional Health System. Vote now and vote often!

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Sep 21 • 5:07 AM EDT • Sports • houmatoday.com
Through the years: Dr. Larry Antonucci, CEO of Lee Health

CEO of Lee Health retires; dealt with COVID, Hurricane Ian, conversion to nonprofit system, AI and growthLiz

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Sep 21 • 5:01 AM EDT • Health • news-press.com
Alabama Democrats facing tough political gravity

Even a little uncertainty in some of the Alabama races should give Democrats some hope.

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Sep 21 • 4:46 AM EDT • Politics • montgomeryadvertiser.com
England latest: Cole Palmer withdraws from Thomas Tuchel's squad ahead of long international break

Cole Palmer was recalled to Thomas Tuchels squad after being snubbed for the 2026 World Cup; Palmer has scored four goals in seven games this season for Chelsea; Palmer had previously stated he felt back to his best after an injury-hit 2025-26 campaign

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Sep 21 • 4:25 AM EDT • Sports • skysports.com
BAAN Holding: Playocity Entertainment Project in Jeddah to Cost SAR 25 Million

BAAN Holding Group Company announced that the estimated cost of its new Playocity entertainment project, in partnership with global brand Hasbro, is…

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Sep 21 • 3:56 AM EDT • Entertainment • maaal.com
Whether you like it or not, celebrities have an impact on politics

The global groundswell of support for Macklemore’s pro-Palestinian advocacy serves to remind us that maybe celebrity activism really is that deep after all, writes Cheek’s Varsha Yajman. Subscribe In the last week, publications, podcasts, and influencers that have either rarely or never spoken about Israel’s genocide in Palestine have flooded my social feed. And it was all because singer Ed Sheeran and his team dropped Macklemore as his opener for saying “Free Palestine” on stage. Millions raised, millions speaking up in support of Palestine - all of this confirming my view that, whether I like it or not, celebrities do have an impact on political outcomes. And this is interesting when much of the time celebrity activism can induce an eye roll - I love to see Charli XCX pointing out a Palestinian flag in the crowd, but it’s hardly the bold symbol of allyship that some fans would make it out to be. But there’s a line between healthy scepticism and outright dismissal - and I’d argue that the latter lets the rich and powerful off far too easily. For instance, actress Jennifer Lawrence, once outspoken about her political views, last year told The Times she no longer believes celebrities have a role to play: “Celebrities do not make a difference whatsoever on who people vote for. So then what am I doing? I’m just sharing my opinion on something that’s going to add fuel to a fire that’s ripping the country apart.” While it’s a narrative she might find comfort in, it simply is not true. Grassroots movements often garner worldwide attention when celebrities and other high-profile spokespeople bring a mainstream platform to their causes. And this frustrates me. We have had three years of a live-streamed genocide. Macklemore himself has been calling for a Free Palestine long before he booked the Sheeran concert. Yet it’s the high-profile fallout of the last week that finally seems to have made saying “Free Palestine” socially acceptable in the mainstream. It feels like the collective mood has shifted, where calling out censorship is now the obvious response - not just the business of ‘radical’ activists. To recap, Sheeran’s decision followed an ultimatum from billionaire Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, one of the venues Sheeran was scheduled to perform at: either drop Macklemore as your opener after only two of the eight scheduled shows, or you do not play at any stadiums. Sheeran’s disappointing decision to stand on the side of billionaire-led censorship has ultimately seen a surge in support for Free Palestine. It began when all his openers and his backing band pulled out of Sheeran’s tour, in solidarity with Macklemore and with the Palestinian cause. It was met with an uproar of support from those who had never or barely touched politics before: influencers lip-syncing to Macklemore’s music, singers like Jack Antonoff singing “Free Palestine,” and publications and podcasts standing with Macklemore. And finally, we saw material support: Macklemore donated $1 million in profits from his two nights opening for Sheeran’s tour to several Palestinian aid groups and called for Sheeran and Kraft to match it, which they have since promised to do. We’ve also seen children’s entertainer Ms Rachel follow suit with a $1 million donation to Palestinian aid, and publication PopBase has donated $10,000. Anera, a humanitarian aid group working in Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan, said donations since Macklemore’s announcement were more than triple this month’s daily average. The group’s Instagram page has also gained 8,000 followers. Macklemore far from the first celebrity to speak and participate in politics in the Western World. In 1924, singer Al Jolson supported Republican candidate Warren G. Harding for president, and decades later, celebrities such as Harry Belafonte, Lena Horne, and Aretha Franklin voiced their public support for the Civil Rights movement. More recently, in the lead-up to the 2024 US election, ‘The Daily Show with Trevor Noah partnered with the organisation Power the Polls to recruit poll workers to address shortages- a problem disproportionately affecting voters of colour. The campaign saw 170,000 new sign-ups - 35,000 of which came directly through the TV show’s link - resulting in the recruitment of 713,000 total poll workers that year, an almost three-fold increase on the organisation’s goal. Alongside recruiting workers, celebrities in the US (where voting in elections is not compulsory) have made a huge difference by calling for people to register to vote. Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris in 2024 saw over 400,000 visitors on the voter registration site within 24 hours of her Instagram post. In 2023, Swift had urged her fans to register, resulting in 35,000 new voter registrations. Similarly, Ariana Grande promoted voter registration in 2019 by setting up booths at concerts on the American leg of her tour, resulting in over 33,000 voters registering. And the same thing is happening closer to home. This year, musician Jack River successfully called for government action to ensure creatives in Australia do not have their work scraped by generative AI companies. Celebrity as the mediator between the punter and the politician Celebrity activism isn’t just a feel-good news story - research tells us it actually makes a difference. By directing attention to issues affecting the average person, like voting inaccessibility or a lack of action on a genocide, researchers Alfred Archer and Amanda Cawston state that “celebrities can play a useful bridging role between political elites and the people they represent”. Alternatively, in a world where talking about politics is “not cool,” or where people lack exposure or knowledge to engage with politics, celebrities can act as an educational resource or an entry point into the political world - when they speak up about an issue, their audience gets exposed to it. Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival is a perfect example. Rodrigo partnered with twelve organisations focused on women’s issues, such as reproductive rights. These organisations had stalls at the festival for people to meet them and were also featured heavily on social media, giving their issues global attention and raising $20 million for the organisations. We have also seen celebrities at award shows such as the Emmys wearing F*CK ICE pins, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s treatment and detainment of people - generally people of colour. When celebrities speak up about political issues in public forums, they put the issue at the forefront of mainstream media, rally their supporters, and make it clear that, however much they disagree, the government cannot simply ignore it. Our over-reliance on celebrities versus our politicians As much as I love seeing my favourite celebrity use their platform for a good cause, there is an important question to ask: not whether celebrity activism is good or bad, but whether we should have to rely on celebrities. And the answer would, in an ideal world, be no. In an ideal world, or merely a just world, action on Palestine would’ve happened decades ago, climate change would be taken seriously, and most importantly, people would understand their democratic rights. However, that is not our reality. Only around 28 per cent of Australian Year 10 students reach proficiency in civics and citizenship. In the US, almost two-thirds of people under 30 say high school civics education didn’t prepare them to understand voting deadlines, how to research candidates, or how to vote by mail. When civics education is weak, our trust in these institutions and our understanding of change-making processes also decline. ​This is where celebrity steps in and becomes our main source of reliance. As Mary R. Connelly notes in _The Tartan, “_Celebrities will always be involved in campaigns in one form or another, but their presence is not what causes people to vote blindly. The lack of political engagement and literacy is what allows celebrities to wield their influence on the political sphere so impactfully.” About the author ​Varsha Yajman is the Digital Content Producer at Cheek Media. She is a youth advocate and lawyer with a background in climate litigation and is passionate about looking at the intersection between race, climate justice, and mental health. Thanks for reading Cheek Media Co. ! This post is public so feel free to share it. Share

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Sep 21 • 3:54 AM EDT • Politics • cheekmedia.substack.com
Cornerstone Business Credit Funds $1MM Line of Credit to Equipment Sales & Service Company

Cornerstone Business Credit funded a $1 million line of credit to an industrial equipment sales and service company. This multi-generational family business

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Sep 21 • 2:34 AM EDT • Business • abfjournal.com
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Cornerstone Business Credit Funds $1MM Line of Credit to Equipment Sales & Service Company

Cornerstone Business Credit funded a $1 million line of credit to an industrial equipment sales and service company. This multi-generational family business

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Sep 21 • 2:10 AM EDT • Business • monitordaily.com
AI saves scientists time but adds ‘verification tax’, paper finds

Google study also finds AI pushes researchers towards “safer, more incremental projects”

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Sep 21 • 2:00 AM EDT • Science • researchprofessionalnews.com
John Oliver Takes Jab at David Ellison on 'Last Week Tonight'

During a segment on UnitedHealthCare's history of denying claims, Oliver said: "Having access to wealthy parents just cannot be the system to get badly needed healthcare, even if it is apparently the system that lets you be in charge of HBO."

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Sep 21 • 1:29 AM EDT • Business • hollywoodreporter.com
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Presley Gerber, son of Cindy Crawford and brother of Kaia Gerber, dies at 27

Presley was open about his struggles with addiction and mental health, sharing in 2025 his hope to find “a good community of people who can be good influences on me.”

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Sep 20 • 11:57 PM EDT • Entertainment • yahoo.com