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Foden red card in derby narrowly supported by panel
The Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel has supported Phil Foden's red card in the Manchester derby - but on a split 3:2 vote. The Manchester City midfielder was shown a red card by referee Michael Oliver in the 23rd minute for kicking out at Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes. Two panellists "felt that the action lacked the force to reach the threshold for a red card, and would have preferred a yellow".
Sphere and Disguise partner to advance immersive entertainment
Sphere Entertainment and Disguise have announced a new multi-year partnership to develop advanced technologies custom-made for Sphere’s immersive entertainment venue. Since Sphere opened in 2023, Disguise has served as a key technology partner supporting the delivery of Sphere’s groundbreaking live residency productions and corporate events. For these events, Sphere uses Disguise media servers and software
Sarah Schmelzel details 15-year health battle with plans to return to LPGA in 2027
Sarah Schmelzel fought a 15-year battle for a diagnosis of Stage IV endometriosis and after multiple surgeries, the 31-year-old LPGA Tour player is looking to return to the game she loves next year.
Troy Clarkson To Deliver Falmouth Forum Season Opener
Author and columnist Troy Clarkson will present the first talk of the Marine Biological Laboratory’s 2026-27 Falmouth Forum series.
West Tennessee Healthcare announces plans to bring labor and delivery back to Henry County
West Tennessee Healthcare announced plans to bring labor and delivery services back to Henry County Tuesday, with a goal of welcoming the first deliveries in spring 2027.
Robertson tells Spurs to 'forget' past woes
Andy Robertson has urged his Tottenham team-mates to forget about their struggles over the past two seasons as they try to haul themselves off the bottom of the Premier League table.Former Liverpool full-back Robertson, who joined Spurs on a free transfer, said it was down to the players themselves to change the mindset at the club, which has suffered back-to-back 17th-placed finishes over the past two seasons.
Photographic exhibition at Parc de Bruxelles: A New Generation of Scientists
Discover the scientists featured in the exhibition: 'A new generation of scientists', on the fences of Parc de Bruxelles, Rue Royale
Andoni Iraola makes stance on Liverpool legend clear
It is still early days in Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool tenure, but the Spaniard’s start to life in Merseyside has been hit and miss. The Reds are yet to taste defeat under Iraola, which is a huge pos...
Netherlands captain Van Dijk wants to spoil Klopp's Germany debut
Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk is looking forward to seeing his former Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp, but wants to spoil his debut as Germany boss. "I'm looking forward to seeing him.
Tyrick Mitchell attracts Manchester United and Liverpool interest
Manchester United and Liverpool are showing growing interest in Crystal Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell, with his contract situation potentially opening the door to a January move.According to TEAMta...
Opinion | Hong Kong needs social science to help deliver on its 5-year plan
Universities and academics can contribute the evidence needed to turn these commitments into better decisions.
What's next for NYC delivery apps after Mamdani's $131.5M DoorDash win
Mayor Zohran Mamdani finished what Eric Adams started with DoorDash. Here's what's next in NYC's delivery app crackdown.
Liverpool's plan for injury-stricken star is a massive boost
Liverpool have been rather unlucky with injuries as a club over the last 18 months. Since the start of the 2025/26 season, several of the Reds’ first team have suffered serious injuries that have si...
Liverpool U21's show 'character' in shootout win over Rochdale
Boss Rob Page hailed the "character and resilience" of his Liverpool U21's side as they drew 3-3 against Rochdale in the Jersey Mike's Trophy while down to 10-men. Mor Talla Ndiaye was sent off in the first half for Liverpool before Devante Rodney broke the deadlock for Rochdale. Liverpool equalised before the break with a great solo goal from Will Wright, but Rochdale scored twice in quick succession in the second half through 41-year-old Ian Henderson.
It's clear, Liverpool have signed an incredible African star
Liverpool have signed an absolute gem, it's now becoming official. The Reds have been busy over the course of the last 12 months. We've seen a real generational change occur at Anfield. Liverpool's te...
California deal on Paramount-Warner Bros. merger spurs frustration
Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta’s agreement clearing the $111-billion merger followed intense pressure from state leaders including Gov. Gavin Newsom and dissent among fellow Democratic state attorneys general.
Man Utd & Liverpool eye Mitchell
Manchester United and Liverpool are keen on Crystal Palace defender Tyrick Mitchell, Aston Villa loan attacker Alejandro Garnacho is on the radar of La Liga clubs, while Chelsea want Gambian teenager Adama Jeng, plus more.
Liverpool's transfer strategy facing biggest change in years
Liverpool are in a period of transition as a club, and more big changes are coming. Since last season ended, Arne Slot, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes have all moved on from Anfield.As well as th...
72-Year-Old Put Tracker On Pokémon Delivery Driver's Car
According to local police, the Ohio man admitted to placing the tracker on the delivery driver's car to 'to track her location/delivery of Pokémon cards'
Why HIV stigma still shapes health outcomes
Jerrell Hardnett remembers the moment his mother, Stephanie, an HIV nurse, learned he was HIV‑positive. He says she was driving on the highway when “she started crying and praying because […]
Julian Ward Reportedly Set to Be Named Liverpool Sporting Director
Ward previously took over as Sporting Director for a season following Michael Edwards’ first departure from the club.
In 2022, scientists unveiled a wind-turbine material that could be recycled into gummy-bear ingredients. Four years later, where did the idea go?
A viral scientific breakthrough promised to solve wind energy's waste problem—but the gummy bears were never the real goal, and the hype outpaced what the lab could actually deliver.
Celtic should accelerate Liverpool approach after source's reveal
Andoni Iraola on pitch with Michael Nicholson in stands left inset
Skanska Completes $27.3 Million Broward Health’s Freestanding Emergency Department in Sunrise, Florida
September 10, 2026 – Skanska, a leading construction firm, has announced the completion of Broward Health’s freestanding Emergency Department in Sunrise, Florida. Spanning 18,000 square feet, the new $27.3 million facility is designed to deliver faster, more accessible care in a community long considered a medical desert, while supporting the region’s continued population growth. Located […]
Journey delivers farewell blast in Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena
Despite internal turmoil, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers presented a strong, united front on their supposed farewell tour stop in Seattle.
Jurgen Klopp could still do Liverpool a massive favour
Florian Wirtz has divided opinion since he arrived in Merseyside 18 months ago, with many supporters and pundits questioning the German’s ability. After arriving for a potential £115 million expect...
Julian Ward expected to be named Liverpool sporting director
Richard Hughes officially left the role at the beginning of September ahead of joining Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal.
Jérémy Jacquet and Ronald Araujo: Transforming Liverpool’s Defence
Jérémy Jacquet and Ronald Araujo have been thrown together and suddenly, getting past Liverpool looks like one of the toughest assignments in the Premier League.
I was close to joining Liverpool in 2016
Kylian Mbappe says his mum was a "big fan" of Jurgen Klopp and wanted her son to move to Merseyside.
Bryson’s story: Penn State Health delivers coordinated care for Lancaster family
After newborn Bryson Geiss was transferred to Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital for specialized NICU care, he recovered quickly and went home with his family just two days later.
72-Year-Old Ohio Man Put A GPS Tracker On Pokémon Delivery Driver's Vehicle
Pokémon card value is at an all-time high
Steelers OC Delivers Message to D.K. Metcalf Amid Drop Issues
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio sent a message to wide receiver D.K. Metcalf after his difficult Week 2. The post Steelers OC Delivers Message to D.K. Metcalf Amid Drop Issues appeared first on HEAVY.
Labor & delivery services restored at Claxton-Hepburn
The hospital began diverting expectant mothers Monday evening.
Trump defends US interventions abroad ahead of 'big decision' on Iran: 'Settling years of unfinished business'
At the UN General Assembly in New York City on Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump delivered a speech on America's role in global leadership.
Beats 360 Deliver Customizability and a Revamped Over-Ear Headphone Design
After months of teases and leaks, Beats is officially announcing its new Beats 360 headphone today. Priced at $349.99, Beats 360 represents a rethinking of the Beats over-ear headphone design, with an emphasis on sound quality, comfort, and customizability. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Rula Health Launches Rula CARES, External Council for AI Ethics and Safety in Behavioral Health
/PRNewswire/ -- Rula Health, a nationwide behavioral health provider ("Rula") delivering accessible, high-quality care, today announced the formation of the...
Oppo’s new phone is the first with three 200-megapixel cameras
The Find X10 Pro Max also delivers 17 stops of dynamic range.
River Ryan Shines in First Start With Detroit Tigers
River Ryan delivered three scoreless innings with three strikeouts in his Detroit Tigers debut.
Liverpool's Search For A New Sporting Director Continues as Top Candidates Emerge
Liverpool are stepping up their hunt for a new sporting director following the departure of Richard Hughes at the start of the month, with two names in particular being linked with the high-profile role.
I want to rescue the word Zionism. We cannot reduce a vast Jewish idea to the politics of the moment.
Angela Buchdahl, senior rabbi of Central Synagogue in Manhattan, delivered a sermon on Zionist ideas and ideals
How lip-syncing to AI let Forced Entertainment ‘play the game of theatre’
Today we have a fascinating piece by long-time Forced Entertainment fan Ben Kulvichit, speaking to Tim Etchells about their latest show Cold Sweat, how they are integrating lip-sync and AI voices into their work, the question of ‘authenticity’ on stage, and how lip-sync has even opened the door for them to make “something a little bit like drama”. This piece is a paid partnership with the Southbank Centre, where you can see Cold Sweat next month – we’re very grateful to the Southbank Centre for their ongoing support for Exeunt. Holly Williams ‘It was immediately interesting and uncanny’ **By Ben Kulvichit** “Is the microphone on?” So goes one of the opening lines of Signal to Noise, delivered by a human performer lip-syncing to an AI-generated voice. The voice is American, cheery but sluggish, slowed down into a gelatinous drawl. It repeats ad infinitum in a farce of stuckness; an answer never materialises. I find myself asking the same question as I hop on a Google Meet call with Tim Etchells, the artistic director of Forced Entertainment. We spend five or ten minutes frowning at each other, muting and unmuting, me gesticulating in semaphore into my webcam, checking if I am coming through now, restarting the laptop. To Etchells, I appear exaggeratedly mouthing words, my voice missing. In this gloopy purgatory of broken communication, life imitates art imitates life imitates art. We try a Zoom instead. Forced Entertainment, the pioneering British theatre company who have been at the avant-garde of performance since the 1980s, turned an interesting artistic corner with Signal to Noise, created on the occasion of their 40th anniversary. The whole performance employed this lip-sync technique to AI voices; on the face of it a left-field move from a company whose identity has long been grounded in the earthy, immediate presences of its performers and its unassuming, low-tech approach to theatricality. The technique, however, turned out to provide the company with a “rich new seam” of artistic enquiry, and has now spawned a trilogy of works. The second instalment, Cold Sweat, plays at Sheffield Theatres, Southbank Centre, and Lancaster Arts in October, while the third part, Everything Must Go, has been touring in Europe and is slated to come to the UK in 2027. As is often the case with Forced Entertainment shows, the main conceit for this work didn’t arrive until quite late. They were “four or five weeks into rehearsals for Signal to Noise,” Etchells recalls, and getting nowhere. Away from rehearsals, he had been playing around with feeding “weird texts” to AI voices to see how they would cope with them – “basically for my own amusement” – and was compelled by the uniformly “serviceable, benign, good-natured” tone they would read in, no matter how poetic, fractured or experimental the writing. On a hunch, he brought some examples into rehearsals and the performers gave lip-syncing a go. “It was immediately interesting and uncanny,” he recalls, with the performers having to deal in the moment with the problem of mapping themselves onto another artificial ‘performer,’ which itself was dealing with the problem of a very human text. “Almost all the writing for these projects would be useless to us unless it was done in this way,” says Etchells. “We wouldn’t know what to do with it. It’s too poetic. It’s too fictional. It’s too tangled.” But exploring lip-syncing along to the text has opened “an enormous reservoir of ways of thinking about writing and performing.” Subscribe to Exeunt, and get two in-depth pieces on theatre a week, direct to your inbox Subscribe Forced Entertainment have long been sifting through the detritus of popular culture, from daytime TV to end-of-the-pier vaudeville, magic acts and clown shows, to find frameworks for their own unusual entertainments. Lip-syncing, then, makes sense for them to experiment with. As a mode of performance, it’s wired into popular consciousness through pop stars trying to convince stadium audiences of their liveness, or those same voices as channeled through the made-up lips of contestants on RuPaul’s Drag Race, or movie dialogue spreading virally through the host bodies of TikTok users. For Etchells, lip-syncing is often about “approaching real voices and trying to take on their aura,” subsuming that original human presence into yours. “There’s a very basic, elemental sort of theatre magic to it, produced in this very easy way.” This broad approach resonates with instances of lip-syncing within contemporary performance, too. In works like Re-Member Me and Showmanism, performance artist Dickie Beau acts as a kind of spirit medium for archival recordings (this process of re-membering – as in, giving corporeal form to voices – relies on his masterfully precise actor’s technique), while Frankie Thompson is similarly possessed by a host of characters ranging from a nine-year-old Jacob Rees-Mogg to Cliff Richards, all of whom she finds compellingly nauseating, in the exorcism ritual that is her latest show, Horrible Things. What’s different about Forced Entertainment’s use of lip-syncing is that here, there is no original presence to be channeled. The performers are instead taking on what Etchells describes as “the voices of nobody,” or rather the “phantasmic, aggregated echoes” of the many many voices on whose data the AI has been trained, and which are now conjuring into existence words they never actually said. There is a sort of mournful, empty quality to these voices, having “washed up” far away from the people they originally belonged to, to find themselves in stranger’s mouths listing objects, wondering if anyone can hear them and glitching in interminable loops. There is a cold, sad anonymity to it all. Etchells remarks that occasionally the software company he used has notified him that particular people are withdrawing their voices from the platform, instructing him to cease use of those voices. Using these technologies in performance certainly brings up ethical questions around digital rights, consent, identity and ownership, although in the grand scheme of things, Etchells is fairly blasé about it: of all the purposes someone’s voice might be put to without their knowledge, “an avant-garde performance is probably the least of their worries.” [ ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/frankie-thompson-horrible-things-essay-mental-health-compulsive-behaviours-pleasance-courtyard-soho-theatre) [ Frankie Thompson: How I manage my own ‘horrible things’ at the Edinburgh Fringe ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/frankie-thompson-horrible-things-essay-mental-health-compulsive-behaviours-pleasance-courtyard-soho-theatre) Exeunt · Aug 25 [ Read full story ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/frankie-thompson-horrible-things-essay-mental-health-compulsive-behaviours-pleasance-courtyard-soho-theatre) For the performers, though, lip-syncing to these strange, artificial voices is an odd task, requiring them to bend their live, human presence into the shapes produced by machines. Politically, it mirrors processes that are already at play in the continued computational automation of human life. Etchells brings up James Bridle’s writings on new technologies as a reference point: one example Bridle gives is of “chaotic storage”, a logistics technique employed by Amazon fulfilment centres whereby items are stored not according to traditional methods of categorisation or alphabetisation, but in a way that an algorithm determines to produce the most efficient routes for ‘picking’ based on customer purchase patterns. This appears completely random and incomprehensible to humans, with paddling pools sitting next to USB sticks sitting next to blowtorches, and so for the warehouse workers, the process of picking items becomes completely reliant on technology which tells them where to go. Our world is increasingly being designed not with humans in mind, but rather machines. As Etchells puts it, “technology malforms the space, and then you end up having to live in it.” Initially, Forced Entertainment tried their best to live in the world of machines: “I was in the it’s-got-to-be-perfect school of lip-sync,” says Etchells. But with their aesthetic being so tied to the failing act, the slipping mask, the shoddy costume, “it’s no surprise really that that didn’t last.” Instead, the performers got to enjoy being late for a line, or playing games with each other, “stealing” each other’s voices. Etchells compares it to the principles of ventriloquism, in which a free-floating voice unattached to a body is fundamentally discomforting and “sort of traumatic”. That discomfort is equally as alluring to Forced Entertainment as the satisfaction of precision, the pretence of authenticity only interesting if shown to be a pretence. Lip-sync has also opened up new avenues for the company. Having been allergic all their lives to Plays-with-a-capital-P, with Cold Sweat Forced Entertainment find themselves approaching something a little bit like drama. Rather than the presentational arena of Signal to Noise’s open white stage, Cold Sweat places us more decisively in a “fictional locale”: what appears to be “the aftermath of some disastrous party or backyard drinking binge” where three figures – family members, or neighbours, perhaps – are the last ones standing. “It’s all quite acrimonious and accusatory, everyone’s talking over each other.” For Etchells, this more fictional mode is “a door that we’ve never been able to open. We’ve just never really gone there.” Perhaps it is the technique of lip-syncing, an extra buffer of mediation, that allows them to venture away from the here-and-now without feeling that they have to commit to the “psychological claptrap” that comes along with acting; to be able to “play the game of theatre, without getting one’s hands too dirty.” As I wonder how else the impulses behind Forced Entertainment’s work have changed over time, it occurs to me that over the last ten years of new creations, with the exception of If All Else Fails, the company’s performers haven’t ever spoken on stage: there were two shows without any language at all, Out of Order and Under Bright Light, and then this trilogy of lip-sync works. Etchells agrees it’s a shift away from earlier productions, that were so often about “the actual voices of the performers and their actual presences. We had a lot of money, in some ways, on an authentic approach to what it might mean to speak on the stage.” But this sense of authentic presence itself had a fakeness to it; these days, Etchells can’t stand that mode of being onstage where performers “are here to be cheeky and witty versions of themselves. I don’t want to be charmed.” Pulling back into a more anonymous space has resulted in works that feel slightly sharper-edged, more brutal in a way. “All of these shows are post-Brexit, post-Trump, post-truth, post-everything,” Etchells notes. Speech, charisma, authenticity – these things feel politically loaded, and perhaps warmth and openness just don’t feel like the right tools to reflect the world we’re living in. “It feels like the space is closing down, and we’re trying to deal with the fact that the system, the structure that you’re in, is more oppressive and more powerful. It probably always was, but I think we’re just more tuned to it now.” Yet even without their voices, the performers’ distinctive presences – ones that many audiences have followed around for years, if not decades – still, inevitably, shine through as they physically navigate whatever unending task the system of the piece has set for them. They’re still trying to keep up with the onslaught of text, still running about, changing costumes, moving stuff around. The human is always stuck in the teeth of the machine, jamming the smooth, frictionless cheeriness of the not-real, gesticulating silently, trying desperately to communicate. Cold Sweat is at Sheffield Theatres, 2 to 3 October; Southbank Centre, London, 9 to 10 October; Lancaster Arts, 14 October [ ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/exeunt-recommends-the-best-autumn-theatre-2026-lives-of-others-standard-of-living-our-friends-in-the-north-lanny-) [ Exeunt recommends... the best autumn theatre ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/exeunt-recommends-the-best-autumn-theatre-2026-lives-of-others-standard-of-living-our-friends-in-the-north-lanny-) Exeunt · Sep 16 [ Read full story ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/exeunt-recommends-the-best-autumn-theatre-2026-lives-of-others-standard-of-living-our-friends-in-the-north-lanny-) This piece was paid for by the Southbank Centre. Such support helps Exeunt to keep publishing the most interesting writing, about the most exciting theatre. Interested in partnering with Exeunt? Visit our Advertise with Exeunt page, where you can get more information, download an advertising pack, and find our contact details.
Sunda Energy, Meridian Mining, Quantum Helium, Light Science Technologies, Foresight Solar, hVIVO
Sunda Energy PLC (AIM:SNDA, FRA:GHA0) has raised £5.25 million to fund completion of its New Zealand acquisition. It's also launching a retail offer for a further £525,000. Meridian Mining Plc (LSE:MNO, TSX:MNO, OTCQX:MRRDF) has delivered a net present value of $2.09 billion for its Cabaçal project in Brazil. The CEO says the economics could make it the next major near-term gold-copper mine. Quantum Helium Ltd (AIM:QHE) is targeting Q4 2026 for a larger fracture stimulation programme at Sagebrush-1 in Colorado. It's also taking a 9% stake in Herencia Resources. Light Science Technologies Holdings PLC (AIM:LST, FRA:9FD) has secured a repeat order from a healthcare devices customer, pushing that contract past £500,000. It's building out higher-margin work in defence and medical sectors. Foresight Solar Fund Ltd (LSE:FSFL, FRA:1F5) says it's considering all strategic options to lift a share price stuck below the value of its assets. The board says it needs to "act decisively" to close that gap. hVIVO PLC (AIM:HVO) has appointed Caroline Shaw as an independent non-executive director. She brings more than 30 years of senior healthcare leadership to the board. Follow us and subscribe on YouTube, our social channels, and on proactiveinvestors.co.uk.
Liverpool are sacrificing £80m star, it's a crazy decision
Liverpool are currently sacrificing arguably their best player. It can't go on and it's a crazy decision.It's been a strange start to the season for Liverpool. There's a new head coach, of course, and...
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)
Rams Deliver Ominous Potential Timeline for Myles Garrett After Surgery
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay offered an ominous update on a potential timeline for Myles Garrett to return. The post Rams Deliver Ominous Potential Timeline for Myles Garrett After Surgery appeared first on HEAVY.
Backyard Biodiversity: Recent Soil Science Insights Enlarge Understanding Of Why Plant Diversity Delivers Benefits
Plant diversity. Courtesy photo BY OWEN HABLUTZELFor Chama Peak Land Alliance’s Backyard Biodiversity series Plant diversity has a very long, widespread history of human use as a strategy for…
Best M6 Mac mini, 2026 Mac Studio deals on release day
Amazon's 2026 Mac mini and Mac Studio deals deliver the lowest prices as the new desktops hit store shelves.
Andy Burnham expects to find 'common ground' with Trump in first meeting
In New York, the prime minister will also deliver a speech to the UN General Assembly expected to be focused on AI.
John Oliver Calls Out "Soon-To-Be Business Daddy" David Ellison & Throws Stephen Colbert Under The Bus
John Oliver took a dig at "soon-to-be business daddy" David Ellison on the latest episode of Last Week Tonight.
Liverpool eye in-demand right-back Read
Liverpool are on the hunt for a new right-back, setting their sights on Dutchman Givairo Read.
Brain health is focus on World Alzheimer's Day
Eli Lilly and Planet Harvest bring brain healthy food boxes delivered to seniors on Sept. 21, 2026 at Avon Tower in Rochester Hills, Mich.
Massive announcement: Liverpool star's revelation creates mixed feelings
One Liverpool star has made a massive announcement and it’s one that will create mixed feelings. Virgil van Dijk has announced that he'll be continuing with the Netherlands national team under new h...
Jaquet's performance against Bournemouth 'a step forward'
Defender Jeremy Jacquet's performance in Sunday's 1-0 win at Bournemouth was "a step forward" in his development, according to Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola. The 21-year-old centre-back was named player of the match against Iraola's former side after another assured display, completing his third full 90 minutes in a row in the Premier League. A five-year deal was agreed in January to sign Jacquet from Rennes this summer, but he suffered a shoulder injury soon afterwards that ruled him out of the rest of the campaign.
Trump decries Democrats as ‘communists,’ even as he looks to impress China’s communist leader
WASHINGTON (AP) — Communism, President Donald Trump says, is the greatest threat the U.S. has ever faced. This summer, citing similarly grave concerns, he took the rare step of delivering a primetime address to the nation, accusing China of “sinister election meddling” in 2020 and reviving his yearslong push to dispute his loss in that […]
Drake, Don Toliver Flip Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" in 'FOMO' Film
Drake takes his Ella Langley fandom into the booth for 'FOMO.'
Studs and duds from Eagles’ last-second victory over Titans
DeVonta Smith and Darius Cooper delivered late, while turnovers and the running game created problems in the Eagles’ win over Tennessee
Small Business, Big Lessons® — That Old Time Rock & Roll or Blue Dot Fever?
This post builds on my Water Balloon Economics idea and adds a twist: knowing when it’s time to wrap up a “wonderful” career or business, recognizing your own limitations, and being honest about the experience you’re delivering.
John Oliver Calls Out ‘Soon-to-Be Business Daddy’ David Ellison for Having a ‘Literal Business Daddy’
John Oliver pokes fun at his "Soon-to-be business daddy" for having a "literal business daddy" in Sunday's "Last Week Tonight"
John Oliver Calls Out 'Soon-to-Be Business Daddy' David Ellison for Having a 'Literal Business Daddy'
John Oliver pokes fun at his "Soon-to-be business daddy" for having a "literal business daddy" in Sunday's "Last Week Tonight"
John Oliver Calls Out ‘Soon-to-Be Business Daddy’ David Ellison for Having a ‘Literal Business Daddy’
John Oliver pokes fun at his "Soon-to-be business daddy" for having a "literal business daddy" in Sunday's "Last Week Tonight"
NEA C-Suite: Dale Cole
What is the best business advice someone has ever given you? Never forget that people do business with people. Technology, products and the way we deliver banking services will continue...
'Cloud hangs over' Rose's underperforming Cherries
Bournemouth's 1-0 loss against Liverpool saw Marco Rose's side head into the international break failing to register a single win in their opening five league games of the season. Questions are now being raised about squad depth, tactics and how Rose's team are not able to capitalise on leads in games. The Cherries have made just two changes to their Premier League starting XIs under their new boss this season - the fewest of any side.
Miami Dolphins Academy Fall Donation Presented by Baptist Health Delivers Equipment to Royal Palm Beach High School Tackle Football Program
This year’s equipment donation included tackle sleds, a tackle wheel, agiles, power drinkers, new cleats, footballs, pads and more to help enhance the tackle football program.
Andoni Iraola Reflects on Slow Start and Overcoming Bournemouth
Liverpool struggled at the start of it but by the end were deserved 1-0 winners over Bournemouth.
John Oliver mocks 'soon-to-be business daddy' David Ellison
"My soon-to-be business daddy has a literal business daddy..."
Scientists create a needle-thin brain implant that can do three jobs at once
A new needle-thin brain implant can record neural activity, deliver drugs, and stimulate multiple brain regions using a single flexible fiber. Successful tests in mice suggest it could give scientists a more precise, less invasive way to study the brain and may eventually help treat neurological disorders such as epilepsy.
Nothing to report about contract
The 35-year-old's deal expires at the end of this season and it remains to be seen whether the centre-back, who joined Liverpool from Southampton in January 2018, will be offered an extension or he will choose to move on. Van Dijk has played every minute of Liverpool's Premier League campaign so farand said his side have "not had a bad start" under new boss Andoni Iraola. The Reds are unbeaten in seven games this season and go into the international break sixth in the table after two wins and three draws in the league.
Transformative Biological and Environmental Frontiers: Synthesizing the 2026 Tang Prize Science Laureates
The Tang Prize in Sustainable Development and Biopharmaceutical Science honors pivotal scientific advances that improve global health, restore damaged ecosystems, and deliver transformative medical treatments. The 2026 science laureates, Professor Susan Solomon for Sustainable Development, along with Dr. Steven A. Rosenberg, Dr. Michel Sadelain, and Dr. Carl H. June for Biopharmaceutical Science, demonstrate how disciplined
KCC Entertainment Design | Mega City shortlisted for award
The large-format social entertainment venue, delivered for developer Wellstone, is one of three KCC-designed projects on the shortlist
Channel 4 partners with Nivea on YouTube branded entertainment format
UK public broadcaster Channel 4 has partnered with German personal care brand Nivea and its Black & White deodorant on a branded entertainment format for YouTube.
Iraola makes best league start since Fagan
With nine points from a possible 15 in the Premier League and wins at Anfield in the Champions League and Carabao Cup, Iraola has had a largely positive start to life at Liverpool. The 44-year-old is the first manager to remain unbeaten in his first five league games in charge of the Reds - winning two and drawing three - since Joe Fagan in September 1983.
He's the one, Jurgen Klopp favourite will solve Liverpool's midfield
A Jurgen Klopp favourite is the man to solve Liverpool's midfield. Let's be honest, if you asked a Reds fan right now about where they would like further reinforcements in the current squad, they woul...
African star will be coming to Liverpool
Andoni Iraola's side will be bolstered by an African star in the January window, it's now looking very likely. Liverpool are heading into the international break in good spirits. Two wins in two games...
John Oliver Takes Jab at “Soon-to-Be Business Daddy” 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 ...
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."
New Pittston meal prep business delivers comfort food
Michael Langdon, chef at Pittston’s Rotten Tomato Company meal prep store, competed on “Hell’s Kitchen” with Gordon Ramsay. The business offers delivery and pickup.
John Oliver Takes Swipe at David Ellison and His ‘Business Daddy’ Larry Ellison on ‘Last Week Tonight’
When we last saw John Oliver behind the desk of “Last Week Tonight,” he was mocking Trump for sacrificing a number of members of his senior staff on a decoy plane amidst his peculiar catering truck es...
John Oliver Takes Swipe at David Ellison and His ‘Business Daddy’ Larry Ellison on ‘Last Week Tonight’
The HBO host cracked jokes at the expense of his probably future bosses on the Sept. 20 episode of “Last Week Tonight.”
Young people in Morocco split over whether politics can deliver change as election draws near
In Morocco’s election race, a rural funeral has become an unexpected campaign stop for candidates aiming to engage disenchanted young voters
Young people in Morocco split over whether politics can deliver change as election draws near
SIDI MOUSSA EL MAJDOUB, Morocco (AP) — A funeral in rural Morocco for an elderly woman became an unlikely campaign stop for candidates trying to motivate disenchanted young voters ahead
Young people in Morocco split over whether politics can deliver change as election draws near
SIDI MOUSSA EL MAJDOUB, Morocco (AP) — A funeral in rural Morocco for an elderly woman became an unlikely campaign stop for candidates trying to motivate disenchanted young voters ahead of parliame…
Young people in Morocco split over whether politics can deliver change as election draws near
SIDI MOUSSA EL MAJDOUB, Morocco (AP) — A funeral in rural Morocco for an elderly woman became an unlikely campaign stop for candidates trying to motivate disenchanted young voters ahead of parliamentary elections Wednesday. Moroccan young people’s struggles to find jobs and opportunity drove Gen Z-led protests last year and a surge of migration to […]
Anomaly Craft Brewing no anomaly in Williamsport brewery scene
Williamsport, Pa. — After the first few weeks open for business in Williamsport, Anomaly Craft Brewing owner Nicholas Oliver says staff there already feels like part of the community.
Packers' Lukas Van Ness Delivers Best Career Performance vs. Jets
Green Bay Packers' Lukas Van Ness dominated the New York Jets with nine pressures and a clutch overtime sack.
LSU Loss to Ole Miss Reveals Truths About Team
We learned a lot during the latest Magnolia Bowl. Thanks to Lane Kiffin, we expected the stage in Mississippi to rank among the peak game backdrops in the sport, and it delivered. The raucous environment in Oxford, Mississippi, exposed the college football world to the raw energy of hatred and the passion that accompanies a …
Young voters are ‘SICK AND TIRED’ of Trump: Gen-Z political commentator unpacks the youth vote
There’s less than seven weeks until the midterm elections are here. And President Trump seems to be struggling to convince voters that he's improved their lives and delivered on his promises. Co-Founder & President of Run for Something Amanda Litman, founder of Ahmed Baba News on Substack and Independent Journalist Ahmed Baba, Gen-Z Political Commentator and Founder of Mockler Media Adam Mockler and Senior Executive Editor of Bloomberg Opinion and MS NOW Political Analyst Timothy O'Brien join Antonia Hylton to discuss.
Ebola outbreak update: Cases and deaths; Dungu health zone, Haut-Uélé province now affected
A total of 73 new confirmed cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) were reported on September 18, 2026, including 25 community deaths. Of these confirmed cases, 46 were from Ituri province, 18 from North Kivu, 6 from Haut-Uélé, and 3 from Tshopo. A new health zone, Dungu, in Haut-Uélé province, was affected during the day. As this zone borders South Sudan, strengthening cross-border surveillance is necessary. During the day on September 18, 2026, 12 deaths within Ebola Treatment Centers (ETCs)—10 in Ituri and 2 in North Kivu—were unfortunately recorded, bringing the total number of deaths for the day to 37. However, 41 patients were declared recovered (30 in Ituri, 6 in Haut-Uélé, 3 in North Kivu, and 2 in Tshopo) after testing negative for EVD twice. Since the start of the epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a cumulative total of 7,614 confirmed cases, including 3,676 deaths, has been recorded, representing a case fatality rate of 48.3%. The epicenter remains Ituri province, which accounts for 77.2% of the confirmed cases reported across the seven affected provinces and also accounts for 63.0% of the new confirmed cases. A new health zone was affected on September 18, 2026. Consequently, 63 out of 167 health zones (37.7%) across 7 provinces are affected. Subscribe to Outbreak News TV on YouTube Response measures feature 97% traveler screening at entry points, surveillance expansion to new area Dungu, and community outreach sensitizing over 110,000 people in one day. The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s health system faces deep, structural constraints that predate the current Ebola outbreak and make epidemic response far harder. These problems are most acute in rural areas and the conflict-affected east. Outbreak News Today is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Eastern provinces have seen health facilities damaged, looted, or abandoned. Insecurity delays patients, blocks supply deliveries, and exposes staff to attacks. Millions of displaced people live in camps with poor water, sanitation, and health services, increasing outbreak risk. Vast distances and poor roads mean many people walk hours or days to reach care. These same weaknesses explain why Ebola has continued to spread into new, under-prepared health zones even as some original hotspots show improvement: surveillance, laboratory turnaround, contact tracing, and infection control remain thin outside the best-supported sites. The Ministry of Health and partners have scaled up treatment centres, laboratories, and vaccination in the current outbreak, and some digital surveillance systems (DHIS2) provide a useful backbone. However, the underlying gaps in staffing, basic infrastructure, reliable funding, and logistics have not been closed. Without sustained investment in those foundations, the system will remain vulnerable to both routine disease burden and the next large outbreak. If you like the reporting on Outbreak News Today, please consider a paid subscription for $5/month or $30 a year. Help support the cause of this niche journalism. It is appreciated.
Mario Craver asked for more touches and delivered against Kentucky
Craver caught a career-high 11 passes for 119 yards as injuries depleted the Aggies' offensive backfield and receiving corps.
Analysis: Hosts winless but showing signs of growth
Following three consecutive losses to start the season, Fulham might not have been thrilled to see a trip to Anfield and the visit of Manchester United as their next fixtures. As at Liverpool last weekend, there was some eye-catching football on show from Fulham, playing out from the back and going smoothly from one end to the other in a flash. The exciting Josh King, still just 19, will rightly be praised for his showing but perhaps the key for the west Londoners will be the vastly underrated Alex Iwobi.
3 Things To Learn From AFC Bournemouth 0-1 Liverpool
The 3 important talking points from Cherries 1-0 defeat to Andoni Iraola's Liverpool side are subject to even more frustration throughout the game, with big changes needing to happen, especially in the last 30 minutes of the game.
Why Is BP (LSE:BP.) Reshaping Its Business And Investment Approach Now?
BP (LSE:BP.) CEO outlined a new investment approach focused on more selective capital allocation across projects. Management is reorganising BP into separate upstream and downstream divisions to increase operational accountability and clarity. The group adjusted fuel deliveries and production in response to the recent Iran conflict, highlighting its operational flexibility. This new upstream and downstream structure, combined with tighter project selection, only captures part of what is...
Why politicians should pay more attention to the polls (reprise)
Welcome to the 231st edition of The Week in Polls (TWIP), a polling newsletter that always welcomes new readers. So please don’t keep TWIP a secret; share it with your friends and colleagues: Share The Week in Polls With all the stories swirling around Reform, JL Partners and political polling, I am finally tearing myself away from talking about the regulation of polling this week - and instead re-running a previous piece reminding us why the solution to problems with polls isn’t simply to ban or ignore them. Rather, we need them to play a vital role in making our politics - and politicians - better. This is followed by summaries of the latest national voting intention polls, seat projections from MRPs and the most recent party leader ratings. Subscribers who pay for the full edition can also read ten insights from the latest polls and analyses, including: A trio of organisations and a pair of professors have been casting their eyes over the Liberal Democrats ahead of the party’s autumn conference; What impact did the summer heatwave have on views on climate change? and Which wins out between chocolate and cheese? If you are not yet a paid subscriber, you can read all ten by starting a free trial now: Get FREE 7-day trial For more polling news as it comes in ahead of next week’s edition, you can also follow The Week in Polls on Bluesky. Picking up on my doubt last week about whether or not 35% of British train travellers have tried to order a takeaway for delivery to a railway station or carriage, thank you to reader Iain, who has been in touch to say he has done just that… in India. Another quick pair of updates, this time on the controversies around Reform and polling. Politico has a further scoop - “Farage aide caught in donor sting attended Egypt retreat with JL Partners” - and Ian Dunt has written about the problems with polling too: “Seeing the response of many polling experts in the last few weeks suggests that they are nervous about what is happening and keen to mitigate against it. Seeing the response of journalists, which has been basically non-existent, suggests the precise opposite.” My usual reminder as well: please do hit reply if you’ve spotted a poll, focus group or new piece of poll-based research that you think should be in contention for coverage in a future edition. Thank you! And with that, on with the show. How politicians get public opinion wrong I have written before about the benefits that come from widespread availability of high-quality political polling. We need more polls and more good coverage of polls. However, what I’ve not dug into before is the research into how accurately politicians estimate public opinion on issues. Thankfully we have academic research to tell us. First, the bad news: We present results from a study of 866 politicians in four countries.1 Politicians were asked to estimate the percentage of public support for various policy proposals. Comparing more than 10,000 estimations with actual levels of public support, we conclude that politicians are quite inaccurate estimators of people’s preferences. They make large errors and even regularly misperceive what a majority of the voters wants. Politicians are hardly better at estimating public preferences than ordinary citizens. Walgrave, S., Jansen, A., Sevenans, J., Soontjens, K., Pilet, J.B., Brack, N., Varone, F., Helfer, L., Vliegenthart, R., van der Meer, T., Breunig, C., Bailer, S., Sheffer, L. & Loewen, P.J. (2023a), “Inaccurate Politicians: Elected Representatives’ Estimations of Public Opinion in Four Countries”, The Journal of Politics, 85(1): 209-222. The bad news is not quite as bad as that makes it sound because, when asked whether the majority of public opinion was for or against various policies, politicians picked the wrong option ‘only’ 29% of the time. However, this included getting it wrong even when public opinion is far from evenly split on an issue: They do not only get it wrong when the public is divided and hard to read (e.g., when there is a 51%:49% distribution). Seventy percent of the misplacements occur for policies with a relatively clear distribution of at least 60% (dis)agreeing citizens. Moreover, the public scored only slightly worse than politicians, picking the wrong option 2.7 out of 8 times on average, compared with 2.3 times for politicians. Turning to the other measure of accuracy (not which side is in the lead but what the percentage support is for each side), politicians on average were 18 percentage points out in their guesses. Again, this was only slightly better than the public, whose error came in at 21 percentage points.2 Further research, using the same mix of countries, gives a little more comfort about how (in)accurate perceptions are: We show that politicians have a better understanding of public opinion when they think the issue matters to voters. Further, when an issue is personally important to politicians they more accurately estimate their party supporters’ opinions. The results confirm that politicians hold more accurate perceptions of voters’ preferences when they think it is important to do so but not necessarily when the issues actually are important to voters. Butler, C., Walgrave, S., Soontjens, K. & Loewen, P.J. (2024), “Politicians are better at estimating public opinion when they think it is more salient”, Party Politics: 1–13. Even so, it’s not a good picture. The remedy for this? Politicians should spend more time reading the polls. So forward this newsletter to someone you know… Share For a more general argument against banning polls, see my 2024 piece. Is “Let Bartlet Be Bartlet” good advice or not? The latest episode of my Political Fictions podcast heads across the Atlantic for a dip into one of the political TV classics: Mark and Cory talk about a giant of American political drama for the first time this week, as they tackle The West Wing. They talk about Let Bartlet Be Bartlet, the nineteenth episode of series one. In it, Mark wonders if The West Wing is actually the epitome of the “Boris Johnson school of politics”, Cory outmanoeuvres Mark into confirming we will record a Christmas Special about Love, Actually and they debate whether the central message of this episode has been misunderstood. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Subscribe to our newsletter for some additional bonus content and to get alerted whenever a new episode comes out. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod/incompetech.com and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. You can also listen to our episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the web or YouTube. Elsewhere from me… [ A Lord's Eye View How to fix the problem of money in our politics Welcome to my latest update on work in the House of Lords. This time I am taking a look at how our political system is regulated, and the protections we need to keep democracy safe from becoming simply a contest to see who has the biggest bank account… Read more 5 days ago · 3 likes · 2 comments · Mark Pack ](https://lordseyeview.substack.com/p/how-to-fix-the-problem-of-money-in?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web&embedding_publication_id=1269283) If you spot a factual error… Borrowing an idea from Stuart Ritchie and others, if you spot a factual error in an edition of this newsletter, I will give you a free 12-month subscription to the paid-for version (or an extra 12 months on your existing one). Factual errors qualify, but grammatical errors or disagreements over interpretation do not, and my decision is final. Messages about both of those are always welcome, though. Voting intention and leadership ratings Here are the latest voting intention polls from different pollsters. It is all pretty static at the moment, with a small and consistent Labour lead in nearly all the polls. The table is also online here, along with explanations about what is included. It is updated regularly throughout the week as new polls are released. Next are the seat projections from MRPs, also sorted by fieldwork dates, listing those which are based on dedicated fieldwork (rather than models based on averages of other polls). Because such MRPs are published infrequently, some of the entries below are quite old. Finally, here is a summary of leadership ratings, with a graph from PollCheck: Detailed numbers from the latest polls are online here, and both that and the graph are updated regularly throughout the week as new data comes out. For historical figures on both voting intention and leader approval stretching back to the 1930s, including Parliamentary by-election polls, see PollBase. Catch up on the previous two editions [ ](https://theweekinpolls.substack.com/p/a-crisis-point-for-political-polling) [ A crisis point for political polling Sep 13 ](https://theweekinpolls.substack.com/p/a-crisis-point-for-political-polling) [ Read full story ](https://theweekinpolls.substack.com/p/a-crisis-point-for-political-polling) [ ](https://theweekinpolls.substack.com/p/extra-questions-about-the-polls-in) [ Extra questions about the polls in Reform’s funding scandal Sep 6 ](https://theweekinpolls.substack.com/p/extra-questions-about-the-polls-in) [ Read full story ](https://theweekinpolls.substack.com/p/extra-questions-about-the-polls-in) My privacy policy and other legal information are available here. Links to purchase books or other items are usually affiliate links which pay a commission for each sale. Quotes from social media messages are occasionally lightly edited for punctuation and clarity. If you are subscribed to other email lists of mine, please note that unsubscribing from this one will not automatically remove you from the others. If you wish to be removed from all my lists, simply reply to this email to let me know. A quintet of Lib Dem polling analyses, and 9 other polling insights you shouldn’t miss The following ten findings from the most recent polls and analyses are only for subscribers who pay for the full edition, but you can sign up for a free trial to read them straight away. Ahead of the start of Liberal Democrat conference, we have a trio of organisations and a pair of professors with pieces out about Ed Davey’s party:
Digging Deeper Into Liverpool’s 1-0 Victory Over Bournemouth
The Reds did what they needed for Iraola’s return to his former club to be a happy one.
Bournemouth 0-1 Liverpool: What Iraola said
Liverpool have kept three consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League for the first time since September 2024 (four in a row). In five games this season (four goals), Liverpool's Alexander Isak has already surpassed his Premier League goal tally for the entirety of last season in the competition (three goals in 14 apps).
Bournemouth 0-1 Liverpool: What Rose said
"It's about details and right now it is really disappointing, but I am quite confident we can change the situation points-wise." This is the ninth time in their history that Bournemouth have failed to win any of their opening five matches of a league campaign (drawn three, lost two), and second in the Premier League, after 2023-24. Bournemouth have made just two changes to their Premier League starting XIs under Marco Rose this season, the fewest of any side.
Corporate America is paying for access to RFK Jr.
The upcoming Make America Healthy Again Summit is brought to you by companies with business before the Health Department.
Baker Mayfield revenge narrative promises to deliver
Baker will take on the team that gave up on him and traded him away.
Football Italia Show: Allegri infuriated, Lautaro silences the doubters
Serie A Round 5 already delivered two intriguing clashes, with Roma and Inter sharing the points in a thrilling 2–2 draw at the Stadio Olimpico, while Fiorentina and Napoli played out a 1–1 stalem...
Man City outlast Sunderland in eight-goal thriller, Liverpool win
Brian Brobbey scored a hat-trick in a losing cause as Manchester City maintained their 100% Premier League start with a frantic 5-3 win over Sunderland on Sunday. In a game characterised by poor defending, City struggled to kill off the fired-up visitors at the Etihad Stadium, with Brobbey a constant thorn in their side.
🚨 Manchester City wobble, Liverpool steady themselves!
Three goals conceded, but… the win is there! A strange afternoon for Manchester City at home, as they ran out 5-3 winners against a tough Sunderland side.Dutch international Brian Brobbey grabbed a ...