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Airman shot down in Iran shares harrowing rescue story
The American airman rescued from Iran after his aircraft was shot down in April shared for the first time details about the risky recovery operation.
RNC convention leaves town. Home stretch of election begins.
Labor Day weekend is usually the kick-off to the last two months of the election where candidates really hone their message and hit the campaign trail. Lone Star Politics breaks down the highlights of the first ever midterm Republican National Convention in Dallas and speak to Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate and State Rep. James Talarico.
How employers can help curb some of the biggest drivers of healthcare costs
Employers can lower healthcare costs by expanding preventive care, improving primary care access and helping employees manage chronic conditions.
Top Lawmakers Agree AI’s Risks Are Rising but Say They Have No Quick Fix
As warnings rapidly mount over the pace and potential dangers of artificial intelligence development, the top Republican and Democrat in the House agreed on Sunday that Congress should put guardrails in place.
Warcraft 3 Reforged's Big Update Adds Two New Secret Levels That No One's Found Yet
Cows? Lore secrets? Something else?
Obama says Democrats should have a ‘very clear plan’ on AI policy
Researchers at AI companies have been warning about safety risks and industry leaders have called for a slowdown in development.
Iowa, national politicians court voters at CyHawk tailgates
Iowa candidates turned CyHawk tailgates into campaign stops Saturday, with Republicans and Democrats pitching voters on the issues they say matter most.
The A.I. Freakout Is Getting Political
The people building artificial intelligence are increasingly frightened of their own creation. Two Democratic operatives want to turn that anxiety into a political weapon before Republicans figure out how to harness it.
Inside Hegseth’s push to showcase Iran rescue on ‘60 Minutes’
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and political appointees in his department pushed for the US airmen whose F-15 was shot down over Iran in April to participate in Sunday’s highly publicized “60 Minutes” report about their rescue operation, according to sources. CNN’s Brian Stelter reports.
Inside a Philadelphia barbershop, Black men debate their political past and future
Although Black men vote overwhelmingly Democratic, even small shifts in their support can help swing razor-thin elections. They are often some of the most scrutinized but least understood voters, a blind spot that political strategist Khalil Thompson wants to fix.
Political debate over AI intensifies amid warnings about ‘catastrophic risk’
(CNN) — The debate around artificial intelligence is ramping up in Washington, with Democratic lawmakers sounding alarms on the dangers they say the technology poses and Republican leaders suggesting those concerns are inflated and secondary to winning the AI race with China.Some Democratic lawmakers last week pressured House Speaker Mike Johnson to reconvene the chamber immediately to work on AI regulation, citing what they describe as the “catastrophic risk posed by advanced artificial intelligence.” But the Louisiana Republican on Sunday resisted those calls, instead saying industry leaders should meet with lawmakers to find “balance” in any potential guardrails.“If Congress just races in and does some sort of emergency session to try to regulate AI, we will lose the race to China, and that is a threat to every single American,” Johnson said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”Meanwhile, former President Barack Obama told Democrats to make artificial intelligence regulation a central part of their agenda during a private fundraiser Thursday, warning that the technology could be dangerous “if we don’t get on top of it.”In a fireside chat with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Obama said whoever runs in the 2028 presidential election should have a “very clear plan” on AI, adding that he saw the need for a “blueprint” on AI guardrails even at the end of his presidency a decade ago.“Certainly, if I were running for president next year, this would be one of my central agendas, and I would have a very clear plan, and I would talk about this, and I would say, ‘Here’s our plan for safety, here’s our plan for making sure our kids are not corrupted by this,’” he said, per excerpts of the remarks provided to CNN by his office. Obama’s remarks were first reported by the New York Times.Concerns over the rapid acceleration of AI reached a fever pitch after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei wrote in a 3,800-word essay Saturday that the race to develop artificial intelligence is in dire need of a slowdown. The call to action came after an OpenAI test model breached the Hugging Face online platform, deepening concerns about cybersecurity.In an exclusive interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Saturday, Amodei called on industry leaders to work together to avoid “the wrong paths” and the possibility of AI harming humanity.One Anthropic researcher, Jacob Coxon, resigned from the firm over worries that the industry wasn’t doing enough to prevent AI from destroying humanity by the end of the decade.Obama said Democrats need a plan to get their agenda on AI underway should they win the House majority in this year’s midterms.Speaking to Jeffries, who is presumed to be speaker of the House should Democrats prevail in November, Obama said, “Once you are speaker, I would strongly urge that the Democrats put together a framework for a very public conversation, and you can break it out into three or four or five issues.”Obama stressed that the framework should be centered on the reality that the technology can’t be stuffed “back into a box.”“This is something that is moving very fast in private hands, and if we don’t get on top of it, I think can be dangerous. If we do get on top of it, I do think it’s beneficial,” Obama said, laying out examples of AI’s potential use in drug development and finding pathways to a clean energy future.“We don’t want to shut off those opportunities, but we have to understand that this is a tool,” he said.Jeffries agreed with the former president in a statement provided to CNN on Sunday.“President Obama is correct that decisive action must be taken on Artificial Intelligence,” he said, adding, “In the majority, we will move urgently on this issue with a legislative response that recognizes the importance of American companies continuing to lead in the Artificial Intelligence area, while putting in place meaningful guardrails that protect the American people from bad actors and the very real damage that can be done to humanity.”Jeffries also accused Republicans of having “abdicated their responsibility to govern” and said Democrats “will not repeat their error.”A source familiar with Obama’s thinking said the former president sees Amodei’s letter and similar reaction from other tech moguls as an encouraging development.But President Donald Trump waved off their concerns, saying he is not worried about any existential threat posed by AI, focusing instead on the US winning in its development of the technology over China.“We’re leading China in AI. We’re the most sophisticated country in the world, and frankly, I want to keep it that way,” Trump said to reporters at the Amgen Irish Open on Sunday.About the concerns expressed by Democrats and others over the technology, the president said, “I think you have a lot of negative forces that are bringing it up that shouldn’t be bringing it up, and they’re bringing up things that won’t happen.”One of Trump’s top economic advisers, Kevin Hassett, also rejected the calls for slowing the technology down, saying on Sunday the bigger concern is a scenario in which a “malevolent actor has access to an AI that’s better than the one we have that can protect us.”Hassett, the National Economic Council director, said on “State of the Union” the White House may hold meetings this week about addressing Amodei’s concerns, but he did not specify whether Trump had floated greater safeguards.“I have concerns that if we don’t win AI, we’re going to be put in a very bad position,” Hassett said. “We are leading China right now.”CNN’s Alison Main and Molly English contributed to this report.The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.THE-CNN-WIRE (TM) & © 2026 CABLE NEWS NETWORK, INC., A TIME WARNER COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Political debate over AI intensifies amid warnings about ‘catastrophic risk’
(CNN) — The debate around artificial intelligence is ramping up in Washington, with Democratic lawmakers sounding alarms on the dangers they say the technology poses and Republican leaders suggesting those
Political debate over AI intensifies amid warnings about ‘catastrophic risk’
The debate around artificial intelligence is ramping up in Washington, with Democratic lawmakers sounding alarms on the dangers they say the technology poses and Republican leaders suggesting those concerns are inflated and secondary to winning the AI race with China.
Political debate over AI intensifies amid warnings about ‘catastrophic risk’
(CNN) — The debate around artificial intelligence is ramping up in Washington, with Democratic lawmakers sounding alarms on the dangers they say the technology poses and Republican leaders suggesting those
House Democrats urge Speaker Johnson to cancel recess to pass AI safeguards, citing ‘catastrophic’ risk
(CNN) — A group of House Democratic lawmakers is pressuring Speaker Mike Johnson to reconvene the chamber immediately and cancel an upcoming break to address what they describe as the
Anthropic selects Nasdaq for IPO, Business Insider reports
Sept 13 (Reuters) - U.S. tech startup Anthropic has selected Nasdaq for its potential initial public offering, Business Insider reported on Sunday, citing a person familiar with the company's plans. (Reporting by Ananya Palyekar in B...
Trump dismisses AI leaders’ calls to slow down, citing Chinese competition
Democrats are increasingly attacking the administration’s hands-off approach to artificial-intelligence regulation as midterms approach.
Ex-Far Cry Boss Has Big Ambitions For New StarCraft Shooter: 'If We Were To Make Something That Felt Like A Deadwood In Space I Think That's Got Something'
Dan Hay has stayed mostly tight-lipped about the newly revealed spin-off
Fans raise a ruckus over the paywalling of World of Warcraft Forever’s Skyborne ‘cash elves’
As World of Warcraft Forever continues to dominate the conversation among fans after its BlizzCon reveal, another round of chatter is quickly gaining momentum: the matter of the Skyborne race, or as one fan put called them the "cash elves," which is locked behind a paywall and not included with the upcoming variant or game subscription. [...]
Michigan cracks Yahoo Sports top 10 after upset win over Oklahoma
Despite early season criticism, Michigan football has secured a spot in the top 10 after defeating Oklahoma.
Inside a Philadelphia barbershop, Black men debate their political past and future
PHILADELPHIA — Ever since Democrat Kamala Harris lost the presidential election to Donald Trump two years ago, political strategist Khalil Thompson has been traveling the country to figure out why Black men inched toward a white Republican rather than a Black woman. Although Black men vote overwhelmingly Democratic, even small
Car crashes into unoccupied Vergennes business
A car crashed into and heavily damaged a hair salon on Main Street in Vergennes Saturday night.
Faith-based film productions are thriving in Sacramento. It’s part of a trend
The Sacramento region has long sought to attract film productions. One genre that is thriving in the region: Faith-based films.
Can a Democrat flip a seat in North Carolina? Roy Cooper has a warning for his party.
The World of Warcraft "Classic+" rumours were true and it's called World of Warcraft: Forever
Blizzard has confirmed World of Warcraft: Forever, the long-rumoured Classic+ experience, launching 4th November with a beta this week.
How California Latina, Latino voters differ on politics
A new study shows a gender gap on immigration, Donald Trump and protecting democracy.
How California Latina, Latino voters differ on politics
A new study shows a gender gap on immigration, Donald Trump and protecting democracy.
Little Mercury may be shrinking faster than scientists expected
This composite image provided by NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington on Oct. 22, 2013, shows Mercury as it appeared to the Messenger spacecraft following a flyby of the planet. (NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington via AP)By MARCIA DUNN CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A new study shows that little, wrinkly Mercury may be shrinking faster...
World Of Warcraft Might Be Coming To Console As New Xbox 'Controller Support' Revealed
Surely it's just a matter of time?
An unprecedented El Niño sends scientists scrambling for answers
Scientists hope a fleet of Saildrones will help answer questions about how El Niño forms before the next major climate event.
Dodgers notes: Tyler Glasnow, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy
The Dodgers’ season-high eight game win streak came to a crashing halt on Saturday, as they fell to the Miami Marlins 4-3. Saturday turned out to be a rough outing for right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who completed just four full innings of work through 91 pitches while getting charged for four earned runs, resulting in his […]
New poll reveals 1 party with huge advantage in 2026 midterms. And it’s bad news for Trump.
The Quinnipiac University poll, released Thursday, found that Democrats have an 11-point edge over Republicans when voters were asked which party they would want to see in control of the House.
StarCraft is back, but it's not the RTS you remember - it's an open-world shooter coming spring 2030
Blizzard has revealed StarCraft, a new open-world shooter due spring 2030, led by former Far Cry producer Dan Hay.
Inside a Philadelphia barbershop, Black men debate their political past and future
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ever since Democrat Kamala Harris lost the presidential election to Donald Trump two years ago, political strategist Khalil Thompson has been traveling the country to figure out why Black men inched toward a white Republican rather than a Black woman.
Blizzard announced Diablo and StarCraft games that are years away ‘to show confidence’
Blizzard’s president says the company will ship Diablo and StarCraft on time…
Inside a Philadelphia barbershop, Black men debate their political past and future
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ever since Democrat Kamala Harris lost the presidential election to Donald Trump two years ago, political strategist Khalil Thompson has
The Denver Broncos are on the ballot this fall
Do you want the Broncos to win the Super Bowl? Then you’d better hope Amendment 87 — which brings back Colorado’s economy-strangling “graduated” income tax — loses at the ballot box this fall. Seriously. Forget Republicans and Democrats. Forget tax policy. This is about Xs and Os — and whether Denver can afford the players […]
How Gen Z saw Trump's Dallas from inside the AAC to protests outside
For Generation Z, Trump’s GOP rally in Dallas was a look at their party’s future, from a young Republican inside the AAC to a teen Democrat protesting outside it.
An unprecedented El Niño sends scientists scrambling for answers
Scientists hope a fleet of Saildrones will help answer questions about how El Niño forms before the next major climate event.
A wave is building for Democrats. Republicans are building a wall to stop it
The 2026 election will be decided where the wave meets the wall.
Phil Weiser’s role starting a CU tech hub offers a window into the gubernatorial candidate’s approach
The barrier-breaking Silicon Flatirons Center’s founding, evolution and legacy at CU show the thinking carried Phil Weiser into politics and now to the Democratic nomination for governor.
This Democrat’s comeback saga began long before his primary upset
David Crowley had a surprising path to becoming his party’s nominee for governor of Wisconsin. His life before that was even more unlikely.
Plaschke: Reaction to columnist's latest crash is painfully predictable
The Times columnist writes about readers' reactions to the Rams losing their season opener after he predicted they'd go unbeaten in winning the Super Bowl.
What Was Tyson Helton Thinking?
Here we are again, looking to lift the curtain on one man’a madness. To investigate the thoughts of a college football coach brought low by fate, and also a roster crammed to the gills with angry five star recruits who spend their days being yelled at by Kirby Smart. This is Western Kentucky head coach […]
I own rentals near a future Meta data center. Most tenants work there.
Angel Crawford and her husband launched their rental home business in northeast Louisiana just before Meta announced its Hyperion AI data center.
Why Democrats will turn out even if they dislike their party’s leaders
At a rest stop off Interstate 95, Democratic voters said they are starting to set aside their frustrations to coalesce around the party's midterm candidates.
William Osula Injury Timeline Takes Dramatic Turn After Newcastle Scare
Newcastle United’s early-season injury problems have deprived Matthias Jaissle of several important players, with William Osula among those unavailable after suffering a foot problem in the opening game of the campaign. There is now significantly better news surrounding the striker. The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope reported before the weekend that Osula has come out of […]
Forsaken Kingdom Fills a Long-Standing Warcraft III Gap, Adding 30 Hours of Story Between Arthas and World of Warcraft
Warcraft III Reforged: Forsaken Kingdom is out now, adding a 30-hour campaign, Definitive Edition graphics, a new tavern hero, and more.
Walters: California’s political hopefuls remain silent on state’s job losses, unemployment
California has lost jobs and its workforce. By many measures, it has some of the highest unemployment and underemployment rates in the country.
Bills vs Texans predictions, picks, odds: Who wins Week 1 NFL game?
The Buffalo Bills take the field Sunday at Reliant Stadium to take on the Houston Texans. Here is what analysts and experts think will happen.
Obama Urges Democrats to Move A.I. Oversight to the Center of Their Agenda
During a private fund-raiser, the former president warned that the technology could be “dangerous” if not managed urgently and with a clear plan.
Wanted: Oil tankers at any cost as tensions in the Gulf trigger a global scramble
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and soaring freight rates have intensified competition among countries and shipowners to secure their own tanker fleets. A second-hand vessel can now cost up to 40% more than a newly built one
Premature to offer new deal to Borthwick
IT’S hard not to see a large crack in England’s runway to the 2027 World Cup with the RFU’s decision to give head coach Steve Bothwick a contract extension until after the 2028 Six Nations. It is reminiscent of the tangle that RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney, and his Teflon-coated performance director, Conor O’Shea, got […] The post Premature to offer new deal to Borthwick appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
In 1903, a mining engineer staked a claim on Arizona's Meteor Crater, convinced a fortune in iron lay beneath the floor, and spent 26 years drilling for a meteorite that had mostly vaporized on impact — his family still owns the crater today, and science later proved him right about everything except the treasure
A wealthy engineer bet his fortune on a hole in the ground that science said was worthless, and spent three decades proving the experts catastrophically wrong.
They lost their jobs after posting about Charlie Kirk, but some have no regrets
Some people fired in the wake of Kirk's assassination have won big settlements from employers, others have had to start over from scratch.
Amodei, Altman call for slowing AI model development
Leaders of the world’s biggest artificial intelligence platforms said it’s time to slow the development pace of their most advanced — and most lucrative — models, citing escalating risks of
Pa. House Speaker Joanna McClinton on data centers, skill games and more
Pa. House Speaker Joanna McClinton talks data centers, whether a skill games deadline will be met and what a trifecta for Democrats would mean.
Amodei, Altman, Musk call for slowing AI model development
Leaders of the world’s biggest artificial intelligence platforms said it’s time to slow the development pace of their most advanced — and most lucrative — models, citing escalating risks of the technology.
Amodei, Altman, Musk call for slowing AI model development
Leaders of the world’s biggest artificial intelligence platforms said it’s time to slow the development pace of their most advanced — and most lucrative — models, citing escalating risks of
Buccaneers Baker Mayfield in Third Tier of Latest QB Rankings
Baker Mayfield begins the season ranked towards the middle of starting quarterbacks. Can he lead the Buccaneers back to the playoffs after signing a lucrative contract extension?
Amodei, Altman, Musk call for slowing development of AI models
Leaders of the world’s biggest artificial intelligence platforms said it’s time to slow the development pace of their most advanced — and most lucrative — models, citing escalating risks of
Maher calls Democrat politicians ‘cowards,’ referencing take on the Sept. 11 attack that got his old show canceled
Comedian Bill Maher called Democratic politicians “cowards” while doubling down on his stance that Sept. 11 hijackers were not – a position that infamously led to ABC canceling his show over two de…
BlizzCon 2026 Opening Ceremony: Starcraft Returns, Diablo V Announced, Warcraft news and more
I’ve been at Blizzard a long time, and I’ve got a bunch of BlizzCons under my belt. Do you know how hard all these announcements were to hold in as we prepared for BlizzCon 2026? I can’t even believe this is real, man, like…okay, sorry, I’m locked in. Whether you’re watching it all unfold live […]
Kansas candidates for governor used the State Fair debate to call each other extremists
At the State Fair debate, Democrat Cindy Holscher tied Republican Ty Masterson to former Gov. Sam Brownback, while Masterson compared Holscher to national Democrats. Both hope to court independent voters.
World of Warcraft Forever Sets Release Date for November
Blizzard will launch "World of Warcraft Forever," a game set during the first year of the original 2004 "WoW," Nov. 4.
Blizzard's Big BlizzCon 2026 Opening Ceremony Mic Drop Is World of Warcraft Forever
Blizzard ended its BlizzCon 2026 Opening Ceremony with the announcement of World of Warcraft Forever.
Governor Candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms (D-GA) on Reproductive Health Care
Georgia Democratic gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms delivers remarks on reproductive health care rights in Atlanta.
'World of Warcraft Forever' is Blizzard's take on Classic+, revamping vanilla Azeroth in new ways for perpetual expansion
World of Warcraft Forever is Blizzard's long-rumored "Classic+" take, designed to keep Warcraft's old-school social-first gameplay intact while providing new content.
Blizzard Shadow-Drops New Campaign for Warcraft 3 at BlizzCon 2026
Blizzard has shadow-dropped a brand new campaign for its real-time strategy game Warcraft 3.
StarCraft 3 Set for 2030 Release
A new open-world shooter "StarCraft" game is set to debut in 2030 from Blizzard Entertainment.
StarCraft 3 Set for 2030 Release
A new open-world shooter "StarCraft" game is set to debut in 2030 from Blizzard Entertainment.
Blizzard revives 'Heroes of the Storm,' starting with new hero Xal'atath
Blizzard's "maintenance mode" MOBA is getting its first new hero in years in the form of Warcraft's big current antagonist.
Former Kings PG Devin Carter Waived by Hawks
After being traded from the Sacramento Kings, former No. 13 overall pick Devin Carter was waived by the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday. The Boston Celtics have already shown interest.
Power & Politics: Caldwell investigation; 9/11
Democratic strategist Dan Bryan, Republican strategist Jeanette Hoffman and Sept. 11 survivor Brian Branco join the show this week.
Power & Politics: Caldwell investigation; 9/11
Democratic strategist Dan Bryan, Republican strategist Jeanette Hoffman and Sept. 11 survivor Brian Branco join the show this week.
William Shatner recalls original “Star Trek” pilot being scrapped and completely recast: ‘That’s really different’
In the original pitch, actor Jeffrey Hunter manned the USS Enterprise as Captain Pike.
Jackson Rallies Volunteers at Campaign Stop in Rockland
Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful said he entered politics because power and influence has held people back.
Republican Groups Rush to Paxton’s Aid in Texas After Staying on Sidelines
An organization allied with Senate G.O.P. leaders has booked more than $51 million in ads. Now, Ken Paxton has a financial edge after months of being outspent by his Democratic rival.
SNL star stops by Old Sacramento business that will be closing its doors
Kings’ Acuff Jr. Predicted To Make All-Rookie 1st Team
Sacramento’s top pick prepares to lead a rebuilding roster, aiming to shatter franchise scoring records and outshine his peers as a definitive centerpiece for the Kings' future.
Amid uptick in rabies calls across US, bats are main threat in Sonoma County
Sonoma County health officials have a simple message for anyone who finds a dead bat: don’t touch it — it may have rabies.
Officials, advocates seek funds to soften blow of rising healthcare costs
State officials are scrambling to find funding to cushion the blow on Marylanders’ pocketbooks from skyrocketing healthcare costs and federal changes to the Medicaid program.
China Deploys Rare Type of Space Junk That Pollutes Orbit for Hundreds of Years
A Chinese spacecraft that failed in a very rare Earth orbit is going to be up there for an extremely long time.
Spanish GP: Lewis Hamilton crashes at Kimi Antonelli tops final practice from Charles Leclerc in Madrid
Lewis Hamilton crashes in final practice at the Spanish Grand Prix as Kimi Antonelli tops the session; watch Spanish GP Qualifying from the all-new Madring circuit live on Sky Sports F1 at 3pm on Saturday, and the race at 2pm on Sunday
Calls for Democrats to be shot go unchallenged at Republican convention
Crowd member repeatedly said some Democrats ‘should be shot’ during Ted Cruz’s speech, without senator responding
6 best science fantasy movies you can never go wrong with
Let’s say you’re in the mood for sci-fi, but you also want to add a bit of whimsy to it. This often includes crazy blasters, intense politics, maybe some magic,
Heroes Of The Storm Gets First New Character In Six Years, Arriving Later This Month
World of Warcraft: Midnight's villain is arriving later this month. - Game Informer
Blizzard Announces World Of Warcraft: Forever, Expanding Vanilla WoW With New Zones, Raids, 1,000 New Quests Set
The long-rumored Classic+ mode also introduces a new playable race. - Game Informer
Warcraft III: Reforged Gets A New Campaign Today, Alongside New Graphics Mode
The real-time strategy side of Warcraft got an update today, including a new campaign and graphical update. - Game Informer
Trump ally in Wisconsin sticks close to the president as Democrats push to flip swing district
Wisconsin Democrats are hoping to unseat a Republican congressman with close ties to President Donald Trump
Germany’s Political Tailspin: Your Weekly SPIEGEL Recap
It might be tempting to dismiss the results of last Sunday’s state election in Saxony-Anhalt, in which the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party raked in 43.8 percent of the vote, as a rather unimportant extremist blip in a state that hardly anyone can find on the map. And you wouldn’t necessarily be wrong to do so. The state’s population – around 2.1 million – is a mere 2.5 percent of the German total. And while the state capital of Magdeburg was once the political heart of the Holy Roman Empire back when Otto the Great used to hang out there (more than a millenium … no … milennium … nope … millennium ago), it is today something of a backwater, albeit one with a ginormous cathedral in its center. We wanted to briefly interrupt this week’s newsletter to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our subscribers, both new and old. And to remind you all that a free subscription gets you access to this newsletter every Saturday. A paid subscription, by contrast, gets you one DER SPIEGEL article every weekday, delivered to your inbox. We strive to select pieces that both demonstrate what Europe’s leading newsmagazine has to offer and provide an international audience – namely, you – with an insight into how Germany and Europe view the world. If you haven’t already signed up for a paid subscription, please consider doing so if you can. Our Substack channel relies entirely on reader support and we are excited to continue offering you the best of DER SPIEGEL. Subscribe But even beyond the fact that a huge percentage of the voters in the state decided to place an X next to a party with an ideological lineage that runs rather directly back to the right-wing extremist soup out of which the Nazi Party was born, the results are a perfect example of a phenomenon that has been plaguing German elections in recent years: the lack of an obvious path to a majority. Call it the Balkanization of German politics. There are a number of developments driving the phenomenon, but for the purposes of this newsletter, here are two of the most salient: Persistent voter frustration with the country’s two (former) big-tent parties – the Christian Democrats (CDU) on the center-right (17.2 percent in Saxony-Anhalt last Sunday) and the Social Democrats (SPD) on the center-left (9.3 percent). The presence of parties on the far left (Left Party), the populist left (the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance – BSW) and the far right (AfD) with which mainstream parties are reluctant to form coalitions. So what happens now? Stories of the Week A Lack of Leadership The answer for many people in the country, and particularly within the CDU, is clear: pin (some of) the blame on Chancellor Friedrich Merz. According to a survey taken directly after the election in Saxony-Anhalt, 88 percent of respondents agreed with the statement that if the federal government in Berlin were doing a better job, the AfD wouldn’t be as strong. And it is true that the predominant impression of the federal government ever since Merz was sworn in on May 6, 2025, is one of ineffectiveness and bickering. His rather unique combination of bumbling-plus-bravado has also not exactly endeared him to the German public. Indeed, his standing in the country is so shaky that his popularity – according to recent polls – has now dropped even below the historic lows associated with his predecessor Olaf Scholz. The situation is such that the CDU even opted to keep him largely out of the campaign ahead of the Saxony-Anhalt vote. And since then, dissatisfied rumblings within the CDU have grown louder. DER SPIEGEL’s Swantje Karich notes that the problems with the CDU go much deeper than Merz. “The center-right has a trust problem. At a press appearance following the devastating election result in Saxony-Anhalt, Friedrich Merz said that the party wanted to ‘reach people more effectively’ through ‘emotional engagement.’ It sounded as though he were announcing a political program. On the basis of that statement, it is difficult to take his empathy seriously.” “The Chancellor’s chastened appearance did, at least, reveal where he stands: with his back to the wall. Elections will be held in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania next week, and the CDU could fare even worse there. The party is polling at between 8 and 10 percent in the state.” “What is at stake is the political tradition that has lent stability to the Federal Republic since 1945: a democratic conservatism that understands what must be preserved, but also how to embrace progress and openness to the world. If the Union continues along its current path, it risks becoming politically irrelevant after the 2029 federal election – and Germany could soon find itself with a government of the far right.” The Trumpification of Political Debate? It is often said in Germany that to understand the political and social trends that will soon be dominant in Europe, one need only look across the Atlantic to the United States. When it comes to political debate, that has certainly proven true. Donald Trump understood early on that triggering mouth-foaming outrage among Democrats is an ideal way to both generate headlines and to secure loyalty among supporters. And he realized that far more quickly than the left side of the political spectrum understood that simply ignoring the old man might be the best recipe. To be sure, there have been signs recently that the US president may be over-relying on the strategy. Earlier this week, in an apparent grandpa-discovers-AI moment, Trump sent out 60 posts in the space of 10 hours, many of them AI-assisted images portraying him as a hero – or showing Iceland as part of the US (outrageous!!!). It was also during that slew of schlock that he explicitly backed the AfD with an “MGGA” post. In Germany, though, the outrage cycle remains in full swing, with much of the focus on those who would dare to vote for the AfD. They are alternately portrayed as being dim-witted, ungrateful, backward, racist or all of the above. That, argues DER SPIEGEL columnist Sabine Rennefanz, is not particularly helpful. “Everywhere on election night, people spoke of a watershed moment, a rupture, a turning point. But what is that supposed to mean in concrete terms? A watershed would imply an interruption, a moment of pause – perhaps even a willingness to rethink and learn. At first, there was little sign of that in the main television panels. Instead, the familiar rituals that had already shaped the election campaign continued: outrage, lecturing and abuse.” “That’s just the tone, one might object. They’re only talk shows. Given that the party’s state branch has been classified by domestic intelligence officials as confirmed right-wing extremist, there are more important problems than hurt feelings on television. Yet although the condescending tone is not the cause of the AfD’s success, it is an expression of the broader mood within the so-called political center – a kind of institutional blindness that too often treats material concerns as a communications problem.” “People have a pretty good sense of whether you like them – whether you approach them with curiosity or merely study, lecture and manage them as a problem group. They notice whether you genuinely want to understand their fears and pain, or whether you are simply waiting for the chance to correct them. They can also tell whether someone still has the energy to change things, or whether they have barricaded themselves behind platitudes and empty phrases.” “Anyone who wants an egalitarian democratic society cannot promise equality only to those whose language, tastes and moral convictions they share. They must also acknowledge the wounds, resentments and fears of those whose political conclusions they consider wrong. Acknowledging them does not mean agreeing with them. But a democracy that communicates with almost half its citizens only through warnings and labels gives up on political debate before it has even begun. An atmosphere must be created in which people can express their opinions without fearing that they will be canceled. We are currently a long way from that.” East-West? One of the clear undercurrents in the election last Sunday was, of course, Germany’s ongoing east-west divide, particularly as it pertains to the success of the AfD. Historically, the party has been far stronger in the former East German states than in former West German states. The fact that this generalization no longer reliably holds is certainly one of the primary concerns that many have about the party’s growth. And yet, there is still a distinct flavor of “stupid easterners, they don’t understand democracy” to the coverage. In the weeks before the vote, there was even a rather interesting back-and-forth in Germany’s culture pages about how ungrateful eastern Germans allegedly are for being pulled out of their pre-reunification backwardness and into the light of the West. DER SPIEGEL’s Jochen-Martin Gutsch has had enough. “Ten years ago, in 2016, elections were also held in Saxony-Anhalt. The AfD won more than 20 percent, which at the time rightly provoked outrage and incomprehension in western Germany. Today, in 2026, the AfD is also polling at around 20 percent in western German states, but this no longer provokes outrage and incomprehension. Instead, it is now regarded as proof of democratic conviction and civilizational resistance. After all, in the east, it’s 40 percent!” “This allows people to continue feeling morally superior to the East, but the wiser course would be to admit: if something doesn’t happen soon, the West will turn AfD-blue too. Or bluish.” “But will anything happen? The truly depressing thing about election night was not so much the AfD leaders intoxicated by their own success. It was the representatives of the other parties, who once again said that they were utterly shocked, needed some time to digest the result and would, of course, not simply return to business as usual. The SPD, a former big-tent party, celebrated its ‘stable’ result of 9.3 percent. Congratulations!” “For 10 years, the AfD has gone from one electoral success to the next. And still, the established parties remain ‘shocked’ and scratch their heads in astonishment. How long can they keep being shocked? Friedrich Merz says he may need to communicate his reform ideas in a more ‘emotional’ way. So the CDU’s political professionals sit down together after the election, mull over a strategy, and in the end come up with this: Fritz, try to be a little more relaxed, charismatic and emotional – or something. Beyond that: no political plan, no defiance, no promise of a future. That is frightening.” What was good, what was bad for democracy? Good: Voter turnout in Saxony-Anhalt was 77.8 percent, the highest ever recorded in the state. Whatever one thinks of the result, that figure is encouraging. Democracy needs citizens to take an interest. Bad: Although a strong AfD result had been expected in Saxony-Anhalt, many politicians from the mainstream parties – including in Berlin – appeared confused, helpless and overwhelmed in their initial reactions. That is not how they will win back voters’ trust. Last Week’s Highlights: 🗳️ Meet the Germans Who Voted for the AfD: Why would voters in a country like Germany, with its Nazi past, vote for a right-wing party? It’s a question only an editor in Berlin could come up with. On the ground, the view is different. 🟦 How the AfD Wants to Expand Its Power Across Germany: The far-right AfD is planning to decimate public broadcasting in Saxony-Anhalt, revamp education and install extremists in positions of power. And it is eyeing victory on the national stage as well. 🕯️ The Continuing Reverberations of September 11: It was a generational shock, and the consequences can still be felt today - from massive surveillance and significant increases in presidential power to violent excesses at ICE. 🤝 “For Europe, Canada Is the Preferred Partner in Trans-Atlantic Relations”: In an interview with DER SPIEGEL, Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne discusses his country’s failed trade deal with the US and why Canada is looking to Europe. 🏛️ The True Historical Roots of the AfD: During the Weimar Republic in the 1920s, there were numerous parties on the extreme right espousing “Germany first” nationalism. The Nazis may not be the best comparison for today’s AfD. 🌊 AfD in a Landslide: Merz Is the Wrong Leader for Germany: The right-wing Alternative for Germany won in a landslide in Saxony-Anhalt state elections on Sunday. What does that mean for the country at large? Thank you for your continued support and have a wonderful week! Subscribe Share Leave a comment Your SPIEGEL Substack Team Compiled and edited by Charles Hawley
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