SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " Chris " 3,167 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Netflix's #6 Show Is a Christmas Murder Mystery with a Fun Twist
This mystery series combines small-town secrets, unexpected murders and a little holiday romance. Find out more here.
The best new Christmas movies to watch on Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and more
From festive rom-coms to action flicks, this year's holiday lineup has something for everyone — with the Hallmark Channel alone unveiling 34 new movies.
USMNT roster: Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Folarin Balogun return for Nations League quarterfinals
John Malkovich, a world-weary CIA man in 'Wild Horse Nine,' prefers life on the road
In Martin McDonagh’s “Wild Horse Nine,” John Malkovich’s Chris is an itinerant CIA officer weary from his travels | WBBM Newsradio 780 AM & 105.9 FM
John Malkovich, a world-weary CIA man in 'Wild Horse Nine,' prefers life on the road
In Martin McDonagh’s “Wild Horse Nine,” John Malkovich’s Chris is an itinerant CIA officer weary from his travels.
Trinity's 50th production of 'A Christmas Carol' will be something 'people will really talk about'
PROVIDENCE – Taavon Gamble has never directed “A Christmas Carol.”
Pope at Audience: Politics that tends wounds and fights injustice gives hope
During the Wednesday General Audience, Pope Leo XIV focuses on how Christians can engage in economic and political life in order to build peace, as he ...
Super 25 Massachusetts high school football rankings entering playoffs
Jason Snow, Chris McDaniel and Tim Whelan rank the top MIAA football teams every week of the season. This is the Super 25 entering the state playoffs.
“Good Old Days” – Chris Evert Gets Nostalgic as Billie Jean King Celebrates 51 Years Since Her Historic Rise to WTA No. 1
Chris Evert looked back on her tennis career as Billie Jean King marked the 51st anniversary of the WTA introducing its first official rankings and Evert becoming the first-ever World No. 1 in women’s tennis.
NBA Fans Outraged Over Adam Silver’s Latest Idea
The NBA fans are pushing back against Adam Silver’s interest in shorter games, and their objections go beyond simply resisting change. A post from NBACentral, citing Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, revived discussion of the commissioner’s preference for 40-minute contests. Several responses challenged whether cutting basketball is the right solution to the league’s problems.The replies showed […] The post NBA Fans Outraged Over Adam Silver’s Latest Idea appeared first on HEAVY.
Democrat Christina Bohannan wins election to U.S. House in Iowa's 1st Congressional District
The third time was the charm for Bohannan, who lost by just 799 votes in her second race against Miller-Meeks two years ago.
AFGHS co-signatory countries ask health care users to help fill the financing gap
Hundreds of thousands of Ugandans living with HIV on antiretrovirals could be targeted for user fees or community health insurance schemes requiring modest premium payments, according to the April 2026 version of the country’s America First Global Health Strategy implementation narrative.1 As part of the “sustainable financing for the private not for profit sector” strategy, 491 facilities will be targeted for a phased introduction of user fees and scale up of community health insurance programs.2 In the Ugandan context, PNFP facilities include faith-based hospitals and other health facilities, US missionary organizations and centers of excellence—services that are often co-located at government facilities but run with additional financial and technical resources. 402,000 people—or about 28 percent of the total Ugandan adult PLHIV population on treatment—get ART from the private not for profit sector. The selected facilities provide the majority of ART and prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) services. The plan doesn’t give the total number of clients served by the 491 facilities, so it is not possible to give a precise number. But the majority of 402,000 is a figure in the hundreds of thousands—hence the estimate I’m using.3 The April draft of the Ugandan implementation plan narrative is the only one I’ve been able to review. But the government of Uganda is not alone in turning to health care users to help fill the financing gaps caused by the abrupt withdrawal of US funds. In July 2025, the Government of Liberia introduced user fees for previously free services including “registration, accommodation, patient feeding, hospitalization, and a wide range of surgical and diagnostic procedures.”4 Earlier that year, Liberia rolled out a revolving drug fund designed to stabilize drug supplies by “allowing patients to pay a small fee for standardized, quality medications,” according to a Ministry of Health press release.5 (Both of these approaches had been proposed in the National Health Policy 2022-2031; media coverage explicitly connects the launch with the US foreign aid cuts.) The health financing strategies proposed by Uganda and established in Liberia are qualitatively different from user fees officially adopted by specific health facilities to cover funding shortfalls caused by the new US approach.6 The latter is a stopgap, adhoc change. The former is a national governmental adoption of policies that pass costs on to health care users, despite evidence that such approaches can exacerbate inequities and leave deficits unfilled. Two countries does not make a pattern, but they do point to urgent questions: Have other countries, including Liberia, included user fees or community health insurance schemes in their implementation plans? If so, do any of these narratives have what Uganda’s lacks: a fall-back plan in place in case these strategies for sustainable health systems fail to deliver—as they have before? I wonder if you think about it Subscribe Predictable pitfalls Both community-based health insurance and user fees are as old as the hills. And after decades of people climbing up these hills, duking it out, climbing back down—neither strategy has shown the results the Ugandan implementation plan is counting on. This is, in fact, a hill some folks are willing to die on. (You knew I’d get there, right?) In November 2025, an African-led team of health system experts published a paper directed at low- and middle income country governments trying to figure out how to create self-sustaining health systems. The money wasn’t coming back. It had been more than nine months since the season of freezing, waivering and wood-chippering; two months since AFGHS tumbled into the world touting co-financing requirements and reductions in future US government health aid. Governments were looking for strategies for sustainable, self-financed health systems, the authors wrote. For countries considering user fees and community health insurance to fill the financing gaps, they had a simple message: Don’t. On user fees, the paper states: “Reliance on user fees is ultimately a regressive and inequitable approach. It places a disproportionate burden on the poor and undermines health system goals of equity and financial protection. […] There is overwhelming evidence that user fees mobilise very limited resources for the public health sector, making it an inefficient mechanism for revenue mobilisation.” On community health insurance: “Attempting to shift the burden of funding previously donor-funded services, such as HIV care and management, and TB treatment, onto contributory schemes would exacerbate their fragility and fail to protect the population.”7 The WHO says that community-based health insurance “cannot be expected to provide a major source of funding or coverage,” and noted that most schemes offer only moderate benefit to individuals paying into them, and exclude the poorest segment of the population.8 And yet, the US-Ugandan implementation plan says that community health insurance is “the central pillar of this [PNFP] sustainability strategy” and that this approach that will generate “pre-paid pooled funding at facility and community level [that] improves financial risk protection for households, reduces catastrophic out-of-pocket expenditure, and generates structured, transparent revenue streams that can progressively absorb recurrent costs including health worker salaries.” Unfortunately, Uganda’s own history suggests the pillar might not be able to bear this weight. Ugandans Have Been to this Rodeo Before—and Some Want Their Money Back Uganda introduced its first community health insurance scheme in 1996 with support from international donors.9 Thirty years later, somewhere between 0.2 and 0.3 percent of the population is covered by CHI; just over 1 percent has any kind of health insurance.10 User fees were universally introduced in 1993 as a condition of a World Bank loan.11 They were abandoned in 2001, and in 2004—the year I moved to Uganda to watch the free HIV program get underway—a definitive study found that the fees did not improve health systems and outcomes.12 In 2004, most clinics and hospitals had ‘free’ and ‘fee for service’ options for getting care.13 The fee for service, or “cash and carry” programs had often been established in the years prior to PEPFAR and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. People who could afford to paid for the drugs, often at facilities in the private-not-for-profit (PNFP) sector. When free drugs arrived, some people who’d been paying kept on doing so, perhaps because of shorter wait times, greater confidentiality, convenience or other factors. But in the year that I spent visiting the same clinics around the country week after week—including a “center of excellence” that maintained separate days for cash and carry clients and those accessing free ARVs—lots of people who had been paying tried to switch to the free option. They’d paid because they had no other choice. They’d sold pieces of family land, begged family members for loans, bought pills by the week, and sometimes by the day. Or they were just cash-strapped, like most of us, and wanted the funds for other things. 14 Twenty-two years later, this hasn’t changed. Ugandans pay out of pocket for 30-40 percent of their health care costs, leading one paper to declare that “falling ill is more than a health crisis. It is a financial emergency.”15 One recent study found that up to 48.5 percent of households dealing with tuberculosis sold something, took out a loan or dug into savings to defray the costs of TB care—which is supposed to be universally free.16 The Ugandan implementation plan does anticipate challenges. It proposes a phased approach, with 187 facilities introducing user contribution systems in Year 1, 152 in Year 2, and 153 in Year 3. Willingness to pay and feasibility studies will precede roll out; fees will be tiered by region, and a waiver system is proposed to ensure that no one has to pay who is unable to. Moreover, the plan provides for quarterly reviews of epidemiological data to “ensure that user contributions do not compromise epidemic control gains, ART continuity for the client cohort, TB case management, or PMTCT services.” Alt text: A screenshot of a table included in the implementation plan narrative that is the subject of this stack. It’s got a fetching pink bar at the top. It uses the abbreviation “CHI” which is Community Health Insurance, and FBO which is Faith Based Organizations, and it details the number of facilities that will implement user fees with waivers and community health insurance schemes over the five years of the agreement. As I said in the footnote, this is a super interesting document with a lot of other rich material. Tell me what you see—and what you would have focused on. And if you’ve seen something like this, or anything else that strikes you, in another implementation plan, tell me that too. You can use the Substack message platform or try me on Signal at @endaplague_again.25 (because @mercoonfan was, weirdly, taken). But the plan doesn’t fully explain what will happen if this approach doesn’t work out. Yes, progress will be monitored, and corrective action triggered. However, there is no specified funding replacement if premium and fee revenue prove inadequate. Instead, the authors write, “Currently, COEs serve a total client cohort of over 180,000 across 28 facilities. In the initial years, the U.S. Government (USG) will provide financial support for clients; over time, user fees generated by COEs will become the primary source of funding for sustaining their services.” Failure does not really seem to be an option. Health insurance schemes are more acceptable to the Ugandan population than user fees. Members of Parliament and civil society traveled to Ethiopia to see how that country’s scheme worked. In a follow up report, a veteran civil society group recommended allowing the “health insurance ecosystem to grow organically and [to] keep reviewing the law and regulations as this growth takes root.”17 One study found that more than three-quarters of Ugandans were willing to join a health insurance program.18 However, coverage of community-based health insurance is minimal, as is coverage of any kind of insurance—including private plans.19 A national health insurance scheme bill has been stalled for several years and presently sits with President Yoweri Museveni.20 Community-based health insurance scheme that do exist are expanding in number, but losing enrollees. Between 2022 and 2026, the number of community-based health financing schemes across the country increased by 42 percent, while the number of people enrolled decreased by nearly 11 percent.21 None of this means that community-based health insurance should not happen in Uganda—or that people do not want insurance. It doesn’t even mean that user fees and waivers won’t ever work. But there is highly relevant evidence from Uganda and the surrounding region that it is quite optimistic to describe community health insurance and user fees as central supports for sustainable financing in any sector of the health system. And now for the best-case scenario In the best-case scenario22, the Ugandan approach does exactly what it sets out to do, and so does the Liberian fee structure and revolving pharmacy fund—though I’ve not confirmed that these are in the MoU. In one best-case scenario, Uganda is an outlier, and user fees and community health insurance are not recurrent pillars of self-sustaining financing in other countries’ implementation plans. In another best-case scenario, all countries that include these strategies enjoy success beyond anyone’s evidence-informed wildest dreams: reliable funding generated by health care users fees, great health care outcomes for everyone, no exacerbation of inequities, no crippling household debt. No sold land, repurposed school tuition or high-interest loans. In the best-case scenario, not one of the hundreds of thousands of Ugandans living with HIV receiving antiretrovirals from 491 PNFP facilities misses a refill or leaves care because of user fees or community health insurance premiums. This is the best-case scenario for these people for their own health, and for their families. It is also the best-case scenario if Uganda wants to stay on the path to eliminating HIV as a public health threat. According to the country’s most recent data, 96.5 percent of people living with HIV on antiretrovirals are virologically suppressed. Epidemic control depends ensuring that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95 percent of those individuals are on ART, and 95% of those individuals are virologically suppressed. Uganda is still struggling with the first “95"—a frankly abysmal 85.3 percent. If HIV epidemic control and the attendant prevention of new infections, avoidable suffering and premature death matter, the country cannot afford to lose any clients who are currently in care.23 As I write this a couple hours before the polls close for the US elections in the city I live in, I say with soul-deep sincerity: I am rooting for the best-case scenario. I think it’s safe to say that we all are.24 I think it’s also safe to say that if the US and co-signatory governments have inked plans that lead to successful expansion of community health insurance and strategic use of user fees, we all would like to know, now, so that we don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate when success happens. The implementation plan narratives have to enter the public domain. They are the fullest expression of a strategy co-created by two governments. There are assumptions and details that people living in the US and co-signatory countries need to understand that are not available in the MoUs or, to date, in the Congressional Notifications. Some of these details can help other countries that are, as I write this, still working on implementation plans. Others, like a solid count of how many other countries have plans for expanding user fees or health insurance, are important for regional and global health architecture reform initiatives. No matter how this election night turns out, there will be a slew of new Congressional member orientations, briefings and talking points papers in the next few months. Release of implementation narratives should be a bullet point in every context that AFGHS is discussed. These documents can be redacted so that procurement sensitive information isn’t disclosed. There is much more historical precedent for sharing such documents than there is for relying on user fees to fill health financing gaps. Let’s look at the information together so we can hope for the best and prepare for, you know, the other thing. Alt text: A substack first: a bicep selfie! It’s my arm - peachy-white skin, black shirt (flannel, notch neck, too hot for this appallingly balmy November weather, if you’re wondering) and a sticker that says I VOTED 2026. Beige letters on red for I voted. Beige on blue for 2026. You bet I did.25 In your wildest dreams. Subscribe 1 This is a really, really rich 95 page document. There are fascinating ideas and detailed plans in it. It is all worth reading AND I have, in this post, highlighted an instance of content that could pose challenges and certainly posits success of strategies that haven’t worked before. I would love to hear what readers’ see that’s interesting and should be lifted up as something to check for in other implementation plans. I will also shortly be adding a static page to the substack site where implementation plan documents will live. I will put the url into this footnote and it will also be there on emilybass.substack.com by the end of the week. Uganda Implementation Narrative Section 4 April 22 2026 Draft 1.51MB ∙ PDF file Download Download 2 User fees are costs charged for visits, labs, medicines or other health services, usually at the time they are provided. Community health insurance, or community-based health insurance, is what the World Health Organization calls “micro insurance,” which is health insurance targeted at low-income people. 3 As usual (by which I mean always), please prove me wrong. 4 https://smartnewsliberia.com/liberias-ministry-of-health-announces-2025-hospital-service-fees-for-public-facilities/?utm 5 https://moh.gov.lr/news/2025/grand-cape-mount-leaders-residents-embrace-new-community-pharmacy-program/?utm 6 https://www.christianitytoday.com/2026/09/hiv-usaid-pepfar-africa-foreign-aid-cuts-mission-hospitals/?utm 7 https://gh.bmj.com/content/10/11/e021270 8 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/community-based-health-insurance-CBHI 9 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2827475/ 10 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10861328/#b3-jpmph-23-110 11 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC527704/ 12 Same citation as the footnote 2 - the article is called “Learning from failed health care reform in Uganda.” To which I say: If only. If. Only. 13 There is a whole taxonomy of user fees to be aware of, if not commit to memory. Out of pocket costs are everything that someone pays for themselves. In this Stack, user fees are planned and policy-supported out of pocket costs. There are also out of pocket costs that people pay to buy drugs or receive tests or health care assessments that would be free if the drugs were on the shelves, or the machines or kits were available, or the staff were on site. A user fee is usually designed to be modest, pegged to willingness to pay, and may be waiveable at the point of care for anyone who is unable to do so. The costs for things that would otherwise be free are whatever the market will bear and people either have to pay them or go without. Out of pocket costs for services and stuff that aren’t available in public facilities are different again from bribes or unofficial fees that some health workers may impose, even though most are indefatigable, tireless and tired, and devoted to their clients. 14 For the record—which really is these footnotes—I would give a whole stack of fridge magnets for a systematic analysis of the economic and social impact of the Mass Unemployment Event in AFGHS countries among the very people who used to be able to afford and cover user fees, both for themselves and vast family networks. Locally employed USAID technical staff, house cleaners, caregivers, drivers and technicians were financial anchors for cousins, friends, friends’ children, friends’ childrens’ cousins, teachers, pastors, neighbors and so many other kinds of kin. Aid recipients lost direct funding; many other people who had not been aid recipients, but parts of the elaborate care webs that function as safety nets for so many people, lost crucial support too. And that’s even before we get to the people who worked at the hotels and restaurants and bars where people employed by the US and its implementing partners used to spend disposable income. Those businesses have lost revenue; those folks have lost jobs. It will be some time coming—and someone will have to fund this work—but I do hope it happens. And I hope, as usual, to be proven wrong. 15 https://eprcug.org/blog/how-out-of-pocket-healthcare-costs-keep-driving-ugandans-into-poverty/ 16 Another straight-to-the-point journal article title. Households experiencing catastrophic costs due to tuberculosis in Uganda: magnitude and cost drivers. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32938411 17 https://www.cehurd.org/download/technical-policy-brief-on-community-health-insurance-scheme/?wpdmdl=13661&refresh=6ae9122f5d4ed1793659439 18 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10125197/ 19 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10861328/#b3-jpmph-23-110 20 https://ugandapost.news/uganda-to-make-health-insurance-mandatory-by-2026/ 21 https://shu.org.ug/download/235 22 With a nod, tip of the stack hat, and wag of the Mercoon tail to a deeply valued reader who told me that I have a tendency to speculate about the worst-case scenarios a little too much of the time. 23 https://news.mak.ac.ug/2026/10/uphia-2025-shows-ugandas-hiv-status-awareness-gap-despite-strong-treatment-outcomes/ As you’ll see in the next footnote, I’ve already written a subSubstack on another topic, so I will be brief with regard to the study referenced in this article. The Uganda Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment, or UPHIA, will never happen in this way again. For more than a decade, PHIAs have been supported by the US government as a way to generate accurate estimates of country progress on key HIV indicators. They are a holdover from the PEPFAR program that was laser focused on ensuring US taxpayer dollars subsidized progress in pandemic control. There may be other population-level surveys and the data may even be publicly released, as the entire set of FY2026 MER data have not. But PHIAs will never happen again. If you’re wondering whether the estimates of HIV progress at country level might get less reliable….you’re not alone. 24 Ooh baby, I hate “we” in almost all forms. But sometimes I go there, when I am looking for company, which I am. Because this Stack moves into the somewhat-uncharted territory of assessing what the implementation plan narratives may suggest about co-signatory countries’ roles and responsibilities to the people living within their borders. The MoUs, specimen and data sharing agreements were templates. Countries’ answers fit into pre-specified questions that did not include, “how are you going to fill financing gaps and stabilize your health system as this plan unfolds?” In contrast, the implementation narratives are open form—the product of co-creation between the two governments. Co-creation can mean lots of things, but nothing leads me to believe that implementation plans are ghost-written by the US government, or that contents were imposed by the US counterparts. Instead, I think the parts of the plans that read like country government initiatives are endorsed, if not initiated by, those governments. For instance, the Ugandan implementation plan narrative describes plans for revenue-generation through fees charged for equipment calibration, repair and maintenance provided through Uganda’s National Equipment Calibration Laboratory, and laboratory accreditation through the Uganda National Accreditation Service (UGANAS), targeting private sector, PNFP, research and academic clients. That’s super specific and also quite ambitious. It doesn’t read like an American idea. There’s also a provision for solar panels, and other stuff that feels country owned and driven. This is where it gets interesting. If co-creation is the case, then both the US and co-signatory governments are accountable for the contents and the outcomes. Most discourse about AFGHS to date has focused on the decisions that America has made, or demanded that other countries make. The AFGHS architects have monopolized the hot seat. As they should, in so many ways. America absolutely created the conditions under which countries needed to come up with health financing strategies to fill unanticipated, catastrophic funding gaps. And with not-too-long a lens, we can look back and see that America is also on the hook for its role in the Bretton Woods institutions that made user fees and health system fiscal austerity conditions of loans during the era of structural adjustment. But in the here and now, it is not at all clear to me that the US is requiring Uganda or any other country to implement specific approaches to sustainable financing. Instead, it is as the authors of that paper up in footnote 6 suggest: African governments have agency. As implementation plans roll out—whether or not the narratives are shared—it will be important to understand what this agency looks like and what it means for people, including the poorest of the poor. And it will be important to figure out how to talk about it safely, respectfully and critically in places other than the literal and metaphorical footnotes. 25 This week’s song is “Once upon a time” by the Moody Blues. (I know, this is gonna be a weird, largely banger-free end of 2026 playlist. HMU with requests.) AND please do watch the video and appreciate the truly amazing opening sequence—a drum kit wasteland, a coupla plastic bags, a bit of sand. Sort of like the hill where fiscal austerity policies that put costs on health care users might go to perish. But then there’s a lady with amazing hair. It’s worth it.
WATCH: Democrat Chris Pappas speaks after winning New Hampshire Senate seat
Pappas, a four-term House member, said his U.S. Senate victory is proof that Washington needs a "new generation at the table to fix things."
Democrat Chris Pappas will win New Hampshire Senate race, CNN projects
Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas will win New Hampshire’s open Senate seat, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, making history as the first out gay man to be elected to the chamber.
Eyewitness News Extra: Connecticut Business & Industry Association (Part 1)
Brian talks to Chris Dipentima, President and CEO of CBIA.
Chris Rock says he was ‘not a great husband’ because he ‘watched a lot of porn’
He divorced from ex-wife Malaak Compton-Rock in 2016.
Boyfriend of 'SNL' writer's missing sister charged with murder
The boyfriend of "Saturday Night Live" writer Jimmy Fowlie's sister, Christina Downer, has been charged with her murder, nearly a year after she first went missing.
Phantom Blade Zero made $223M on Steam and PS5 in five days
Phantom Blade Zero was always going to be a hit. We’ve been banging on about it for months now. Well, the results are in, and Phantom Blade Zero has indeed been a hit. Yesterday, S-Game reported that Phantom Blade Zero has sold 4M copies. As of this morning, our estimates show that Phantom Blade Zero has generated $223M via 4.3M copies sold across Steam (3.1M) and PlayStation (1.2M). This instantly makes Phantom Blade Zero this year’s #10 new 2026 game by premium revenue across Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation – and without an Xbox release to boot. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Combined, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong account for 55% of Phantom Blade Zero’s copies sold – 56% of copies on Steam and 50% on PlayStation. But revenue is slightly different. Phantom Blade Zero actually made more revenue outside of China However, due to regional pricing, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong account for a lower share of revenue, 45%. The three countries account for 40% of Phantom Blade Zero’s revenue on PlayStation, and 47% on Steam. This is due to regional pricing, which you can easily check in our platform: Using the $59.99 USD base price as a starting point, we can see that Phantom Blade Zero costs the equivalent of $40.31 in China (-32.8% of the US price) and $41.80 in Hong Kong (-30.3%). So while Chinese culture is at the heart of Phantom Blade Zero (in terms of theme and player base), it’s actually making more money in non-China markets. In fact, markets outside of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan account for $123M in Phantom Blade Zero revenues via 2M copies. Even when we remove revenues from these markets from the analysis, Phantom Blade Zero remains a top 20 new 2026 title by revenue across Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe In other words, Phantom Blade Zero is a global hit. It’s not all China – or even majority China, when it comes to revenues. The China spring board helped, but a successful State of Play and – more importantly – positive reviews helped this one land in other markets. Quality sells. China was hyped from the start, but Western players needed more convincing As we wrote back in August, China was always going to show up early for Phantom Blade Zero. Our daily Steam revenue data shows just that, and we can see when S-Game’s banging RPG won over players outside of China: On the day Phantom Blade Zero’s Steam pre-order button went live in mid-August, China accounted for nearly 70% of Phantom Blade Zero’s Steam revenue. The shares hovered around 68% throughout August. This is the hometown-hero effect we’ve covered in the past, with the home market committing first – almost sight unseen – on national pride and a lush-looking trailer alone. Then things get even more interesting. Following the State of Play on August 18, US daily revenue more than doubled (from $72K to $146K), China’s daily take nearly quadrupled ($237K to $892K), and the rest of the world’s revenues also more than doubled. As China spiked so much harder than the others, its share of revenue hardly moved, holding at around 68%. So the by-all-counts-awesome State of Play got non-China markets and the West interested (you can see daily spend jump), but it didn’t move the needle for overall revenue shares. Positive reviews were the Western tipping point. US daily revenue went from $106K on October 25 to $230K when the embargo lifted on the 26th, to $463K on the 27th, to $899K on the 28th. So nearly 8.5x more revenue in four days, boosted by the positive reviews and subsequent word of mouth. When Phantom Blade Zero launched on the 29th, things hit critical mass. On launch day, the US and the rest of the world combined out-earned China for the first time in Phantom Blade Zero’s whole pre-order history. You can see this unfolding pretty nicely in the revenue shifting shares, too. China’s lifetime revenue share sat at 68% in August and was still 65% as late as October 25th, but it dropped to 45% by November 2. Over that same period, the US nearly doubled its share from 10% to 18%, and the rest of the world climbed from 25% to 38%. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe That’s not to say that China sold less – far from it. The West and non-China markets just showed up later, won over by the reviews and word of mouth. However you look at it, Phantom Blade Zero has become one of this year’s highest-grossing premium games. Daily volume seems to be decelerating a bit (which is natural), so subscribe below for more updates on performance. Speaking of performance and deceleration… Gran Turismo 7 is one of PlayStation’s biggest earners While games like Ghost of Yotei, Helldivers 2, Astro Bot, Wolverine (2.7M now, by the way), and even Marathon and Saros tend to get all the headlines (we hold our hand up there, too!), there’s one PlayStation game from the past five years that’s earned more than all of these games: and it’s one that’s rarely talked about in enthusiast circles. Gran Turismo 7, which launched in March 2022, has sold 12.7M copies. This amounts to $840M in revenue, second only to Spider-Man 2’s $1.3B – if we’re talking PlayStation first-party for this generation. Gran Turismo 7 still brings in around 3M players every month (and between 400K and 700K active players per day). It’s also an evergreen seller every year. For example, Gran Turismo 7 generated: $189.7M in 2023 via 2.9M copies $161.3M in 2024 via 2.7M copies $119.1M in 2025 via 1.7M copies This year, Gran Turismo 7 has already sold 1.3M copies, generating $74.7M And there’s more laps to come Every December is comfortably GT7’s biggest month of the year (except launch), and the gap is widening there. December generated 2.1x a normal month in 2023, and by 2025 that had grown to 2.8x. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe As the typical months cool off with age, Christmas always holds strong, so the holiday period is becoming a bigger slice of Gran Turismo 7 yearly revenue. For Gran Turismo 7, the week around Christmas does 3x to 5x a typical week – three years running: Christmas week 2023: $14.7M (4.6x the year’s median week) Christmas week 2024: $9.3M (3.3x) Christmas week 2025: $8.5M (4.6x) These Christmas peaks happened at the full $59.99 (Gran Turismo 7 wasn’t discounted at all in December 2023 or December 2025). And although there was a discount late in December 2024, GT7’s peak week that year still happened at full price. You can really see why PlayStation hasn’t added this one to PlayStation Plus, eh? Say it after me: Subscriptions cannibalise premium revenue! On that note… Let’s take a quick look at how Gran Turismo 7 is doing versus its nearest competitor, Xbox console exclusive and long-running sim racer Forza Motorsport (released in 2023 as a reboot for the franchise, about 19 months after GT7). Forza Motorsport has sold around 1.3M copies across Xbox (75.4% for Xbox console and PC) and Steam (24.6%), grossing $89.9M across those platforms. Launch aligned, and on just PlayStation, Gran Turismo 7 had sold 10.2M copies, generating $676.1M, by that point. In other words, Gran Turismo 7 has sold the same number of copies this year as Forza Motorsport has sold since launch. When all is said and done, Gran Turismo 7’s 2026 revenues will have lapped Motorsport’s lifetime, too. It’s worth noting that Forza Motorsport was not released on last-gen consoles, and under a quarter of Gran Turismo 7’s revenue has come from PS4 consoles. Critically, Forza Motorsport is also on Game Pass, where nearly 7M players have accessed it. Meanwhile, the Forza Horizon series has been performing incredibly in terms of revenue. This year’s Forza Horizon 6 has generated $583.7M across Xbox and Steam despite Game Pass cannibalisation, and last year’s Forza Horizon 5 PlayStation port has generated $383.5M on PS5 alone. So two questions, then: How well is Forza Horizon 6 going to do when it launches on PS5 in January? Hit subscribe to get that in your inbox in January (which is in two months somehow!?) Subscribe 2. Open-world arcade Gran Turismo when? Also, if you like arcade racers, go and play Star Wars Galactic Racer. It rules. Like GOTY material, seriously. The last word Reply to this email – or reach out here – if you have any feedback for the newsletter – or want to request a game for us to cover. [Alinea Analytics boasts the most accurate PC and console estimates in the business. Game makers use our platform to understand their audience, keep an eye on the competition, monitor sales trends, and spot new opportunities. We equip game studios and financial institutions with accurate data and the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Want to talk about all things games market data? We’d love to chat!]
For King + Country musicians to introduce film screenings at Penn Cinema this weekend
Members of a popular contemporary Christian band will appear at Penn Cinema in Manheim Township this weekend to introduce screenings of a feature film.
Christina Applegate details new medical testing after MS misdiagnosis
Christina Applegate is continuing to search for answers in her ongoing health battle.
Christal Jordan has the latest in entertainment headlines
Usher teases new music, and the 2026 Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion Awards.
Christian voters in Washington state divided by common religion: ‘I don’t think the US is God’s kingdom on Earth’
Christians in the south of the state seek to vote their values – but a common faith does not mean a common politics
Registration open for Light Up Montrose contest
MONTROSE — A very popular part of Christmas in Montrose will once again be the Holiday Light Decorating Contest. The contest is open to all businesses and residential homes within
New details emerge in the alleged murder of 'SNL' writer's sister Christina Downer
A series of restraining order petitions and documents shed light on the alleged murder of Christina Downer.
True crime, live trials and why we can't look away
True crime is arresting. In September, the movie "Primetime," based on behind-the-scenes stories of Chris Hansen and Dateline NBC's "To Catch a Predator," earned $19.2 million at the box office.
‘Take a Bite Out of Christmas’ Tours return
MONTROSE — The annual “Take a Bite Out of Christmas” tours began three years ago as a Friday night addition to the Christmas in Montrose weekend. The thought behind it
ESPN honors Chris Spatola with tribute during Army-Duke broadcast
The death of Chris Spatola was felt across sports media when the tragic news broke in late September. Spatola, a beloved college basketball analyst at ESPN, passed away unexpectedly on Sept. 21, according to his obituary, and is survived by his wife, Jamie, and their three children. He was 47. The lasting grief permeated ESPN’s…
Gabby Shanahan, Jessica Dixon Heitman square off in suburban statehouse race spurred by scandal
The race for the 97th District House seat could have implications for Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch.
Live Results: New Hampshire Senate midterm election
Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas and former Republican Sen. John E. Sununu compete Tuesday to succeed New Hampshire’s retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.
Penn State Women's Soccer Has 'Unfinished Business' Ahead Of Big Ten Tournament Matchup With Purdue
"If you ask this team who they wanted to play again, they would have said Purdue."
Colorado Basketball Beats Abilene Christian in Season Opener
Jalin Holland’s career-high 18 points sparked a dominant second-half surge as the Buffaloes imposed their will defensively to secure a commanding 11th consecutive season-opening victory in Boulder.
Boyfriend charged with murder of Christina Downer, missing sister of “SNL” writer
A co-defendant charged with accessory after the fact. Downer’s body has still not been found.
Patriots Defender Linked to Surprising Trade Price: Report
Rumors are swirling ahead of the November 10 trade deadline. The New England Patriots are in the middle of those rumors, and now we have a sense of what a key defensive player may be worth. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer spoke on Monday about the price tag that defensive tackle Christian Barmore could be worth.We […] The post Patriots Defender Linked to Surprising Trade Price: Report appeared first on HEAVY.
Chris Murphy’s rise in CT politics: From teen volunteer to US senator
Chris Murphy, who had a stroke over the weekend, has steadily climbed the political ladder in the past three decades.
'The Chosen' cast opens up about 'brutal' Season 6, portraying Jesus' final hours: 'A painful watch'
The cast of The Chosen reflects on the emotional and spiritual weight of Season 6 as the hit biblical drama portrays Jesus final hours, His crucifixion and the disciples devastating grief, while
Healthcare Network Receives $20,500 Grant from Christ Child Society of Naples to Support Early Childhood Literacy - Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report
Nov. 2, 2026 – Healthcare Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing comprehensive, accessible healthcare services to underserved communities, has received a $20,500 grant from the Christ Child Society of Naples […]
The Secret Ingredient Helping Milwaukee Businesses Succeed
Behind every successful Milwaukee business is someone who took a chance. An entrepreneur who turned an idea into a company, a family preparing to expand
Olivia Rodrigo announces first holiday song 'take me home (4 christmas)'
The artwork for Olivia Rodrigo's new holiday single 'take me home (4 christmas).' (Lizzie Klein)
Half-witted at best, a people-pleaser at worst: step forward, Chris Philp
Responding to Shabana Mahmood’s changes to indefinite leave to remain, the shadow home secretary was detached from reality
The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign Returns
The Salvation Army invites the community to Give With Joy this Christmas season as its iconic Red Kettle Campaign returns to McAllen. More than just a holiday tradition, the red kettle is a symbol of hope, compassion and generosity—supporting vital programs that serve thousands of individuals and families in need throughout the year.
Inside The Loop with Christian Perry: Perspectives on Power, Politics, and Progress in Chicago
Op-Ed: Black Political Leadership is The Key to Success for the Left’s Longterm Electoral Project Christian Perry is a community organizer, leadership strategist, and political operative from the Southside of Chicago who serves as Campaign Manager for Mayor Brandon Johnson’s re-election campaign Photo/Associated Press Democrats have spent decades asking Black voters to save the party. […]
Republicans were hoping to flip this New Hampshire Senate seat – will Trump get in the way?
Republican John Sununu tries to distance himself from unpopular president in race against Chris Pappas that has gone from ‘toss-up to ‘lean Democrat’
Jack Lowden breaks silence on “Slow Horses” costar Gary Oldman’s James Bond comments: ‘Oh, Christ’
Hey, he didn’t say no.
Jake Paul reveals opponent for boxing return on Christmas Eve
Jake Paul will box knockout artist Cedric Doumbe in Dubai
TV Tinsel: Stand-up comics compare notes
Stand-up comedy can be serious business. Most comedians fret endlessly about their delivery and to them it’s no joking matter. Chris Rock says people often take his chatter the wrong
Belief in ghosts and magic linked to faith and trust in science, study finds
A new study suggests that Americans who believe in God while placing strong trust in science and reason may be more likely to believe in ghosts, curses and other supernatural phenomena.
Ripple's Chris Larsen is spending tens of millions in the midterms
Even though he says there is far too much money in politics, Larsen has spent tens of millions in the midterm elections.
Predators’ Chris MacFarland breaks silence on Shane Wright trade
The Nashville Predators acquired Shane Wright in a trade with the Seattle Kraken on Sunday. This ends a bit of a saga within the Kraken. Wright has preferred a trade out of Seattle for a while now. He finally got his wish with this move. The newest Predators forward has had a rollercoaster of a career to this point. He was never able to establish […] The post Predators’ Chris MacFarland breaks silence on Shane Wright trade appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Nashville artist Chris Hennessee to perform at Balsam Mountain Apartments
Balsam Mountain Apartments welcomes Nashville recording artist and songwriter Chris Hennessee back to the Balsam Mountain Clubhouse at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, as part of their Season of Gratitude.
Chris Pratt went from living in a van to Hollywood stardom after chance encounter changed everything
Chris Pratt recalls the moment Rae Dawn Chong walked into Bubba Gump Shrimp Company and offered him a role that launched his Hollywood career.
Christian McCaffrey on health and wellness, 49ers' success early on
San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey discusses his health in his 10th NFL season at age 30 and his hopes for his Niners amid Super Bowl aspirations.
Houston Rockets jersey history No. 35 - Christian Wood (2020-22)
During his time suiting up for the Rockets, Wood wore only jersey No. 35 and put up 19.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game.
The hero it was OK to meet
A chance encounter after Chris Isaak’s recent show in Park City, Utah, gave Deseret News entertainment reporter Lottie Johnson the chance to thank the singer for a kind interaction 21 years earlier
Opinion: Don’t wait for political leaders to save us
Pastor Derwin L. Gray reminds Christians that Jesus Is King and no political party can claim his throne.
High-ranking US Democratic senator suffers stroke
Senator Chris Murphy, a fierce Trump critic who is not up for re-election in the midterms, is 'alert' after a stroke.
Do you know signs of a stroke? BE FAST are the words to remember
Sen. Chris Murphy is expected to fully recover from his stroke. The acronym BE FAST can help you remember the symptoms of stroke and what to do when it happens: Call 911 quickly.
Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy is in the hospital after having a stroke, his office says
Murphy's chief of staff, Allison Herwitt, said in a statement the 53-year-old senator “started experiencing numbness in his arm while at his son’s hockey game” on Saturday.
Coaching friends become foes when Siena basketball opens at Bryant
Smith visited a Siena practice during Christian's lone season in Loudonville. At the time, Smith was the head coach for the NBA G League's Sioux Falls Skyforce.
Christina Lambert is turning 14 roundtable topics into a policy plan for West Palm Beach
Christina Lambert turns community roundtables into West Palm Beach priorities.
Chris Murphy: A timeline of the Connecticut senator's life and political career
As U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy recovers after suffering a stroke, here’s a look at the major moments that have shaped his life and career, including his rise through Connecticut politics, election to Congress and more than a decade in the U.S. Senate. Aug. 3, 1973: Chris Murphy is born in White Plains, New York. He later grows up in Connecticut…
ABC Holiday Filming Brings Temporary Entertainment Changes to Magic Kingdom
Several entertainment offerings at Magic Kingdom will have modified schedules on November 10 and 11, 2026, as filming takes place for ABC's annual Disney holiday specials.
Senator Chris Murphy Is ‘Awake and Alert’ After Suffering a Stroke
The Connecticut senator, who has been campaigning for fellow Democrats, has been viewed as a potential candidate for president in 2028.
Sen. Chris Murphy had a stroke and is in the hospital, his office says
Sen. Chris Murphy's office says the Connecticut Democrat is in the hospital after having a stroke | Newsradio 1140 WRVA
Sen. Chris Murphy hospitalized with stroke and expected to make full recovery, his team says
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy has been hospitalized after experiencing a stroke and is expected to make a full recovery, his team announced Sunday.
Sen. Chris Murphy hospitalized following stroke
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut was hospitalized on Saturday after experiencing a stroke, his office said.
Democratic Senator Murphy hospitalized after stroke, chief of staff says
WASHINGTON, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Democratic US Senator Chris Murphy was hospitalized after suffering a stroke, the senator's chief of staff said on Sunday.
Vikings injury update: Is Christian Darrisaw playing in Week 8?
The Vikings will have their star offensive tackle in their lineup in Week 8.
Russell Wilson And Ciara Cover Town & Country
The couple reveals the Christmas rule helping their four children stay humble as they prepare to welcome "Baby Cinco."
A record number of health professionals are running for office. Could they help heal US politics?
By Jen Christensen, CNN (CNN) — At least 125 doctors, nurses and public health experts are on the ballot for Tuesday’s midterm elections — an
A record number of health professionals are running for office. Could they help heal US politics?
By Jen Christensen, CNN (CNN) — At least 125 doctors, nurses and public health experts are on the ballot for Tuesday’s midterm elections — an
Confirmed: Mikel Arteta Announces Arsenal Lineup For Liverpool Clash
Mikel Arteta rings the changes at Anfield as Declan Rice returns and Christos Tzolis starts, with the Gunners chasing their first away win over Liverpool since 2012.
Christopher Lloyd says he and Michael J. Fox didn’t become friends until after ‘Back to the Future’ films
Christopher Lloyd shared that he and Michael J. Fox’s friendship took a while to grow as they didn’t become close until after the ‘Back to the Future’ films.
Vote! Who should be Maps Credit Union girls Athlete of the Week?
This week's girls Athlete of the Week nominees are from Dallas, Regis, Scio, Western Christian, West Salem and Silverton. Vote!
5 festive movies and shows on Netflix UK to get you in the holiday spirit
November is here, which means the time for holiday cheer begins. Here are five movies and shows on Netflix UK to give you some Christmas cheer.
I finished Christmas shopping in October for a stress-free December
Holiday shopping usually takes over my December. This year, I finished in October so I can enjoy more time with my family.
RiverPark Center’s Christmas pop-up bar returning Nov. 21 with festive beverages, foods, entertainment
The RiverPark Center’s annual Christmas pop-up bar is returning with a new theme inspired by traditional Christmas villages.
Mariah Carey defrosts for this year’s ‘It’s time’ Christmas video
The “All I Want for Christmas Is You” singer has made a creative tradition of kicking off the holiday season.
Mariah Carey defrosts for this year’s ‘It’s time’ Christmas video
“All I Want For Christmas is You” singer Mariah Carey continued her tradition of kicking off the holiday season with a new video that features one of her ’90s deep cuts.
Washington scores late, rallies past Nebraska
Demond Williams Jr.came off the bench in the fourth quarter and threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Chris Lawson with 1:30 remaining as Washington rallied to beat Nebraska 17-10 in a Big Ten Conference game Saturday night in Lincoln, Neb.
Canelo Alvarez has plenty of big boxing nights left — his performance against Christian M'billi proved it
Heading into Saturday night's main event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and live on DAZN PPV, questions swi...
Canelo reclaims title with vintage win over Mbilli
Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez reclaims the WBC super-middleweight title with a vintage performance against Christian Mbilli in Riyadh.
The dachshund is the muse in an exhibition showcasing the sausage dog’s history in art
Museum director Christoph Grunenberg believes it's the world's first exhibition dedicated to the dachshund in art, rather than dogs in general.
Senate candidates rally for support on Halloween in Derry
Chris Pappas and John Sununu rallied supporters in Derry days before Election Day, as a recent poll showed Pappas leading the closely watched U.S. Senate race.
Christian Pulisic celebrates extension with Milan derby opener 🇺🇸
It's been a wonderful 48 hours for United States Men's National Team captain Christian Pulisic. The day after extending his Milan contract to July of 2031, the 28-year-old has gone and delivered hi...
New Career High For The Former Kansas Jayhawks Christian Braun
Former Kansas Jayhawk Christian Braun Delivers Career Night Against Phoenix Suns
Todd Chrisley recalls becoming an escort at 18 after working at Cheesecake Factory: ‘I’m laying up getting my rent paid’
He kept his encounters a secret from his family.
Inbox: That night belonged to Wisconsin sports fans
Christian Watson is cut from a different cloth
Commentary: Was this America's last bipartisan moment in national politics?
Chris Christie says the last moment of bipartisan national unity was his Oct. 31, 2012, meeting with Barack Obama. Sadly, he’s probably right
Christopher Lloyd recalls John Belushi ‘flying backwards’ into a piano in ‘Goin’ South’
Christopher Lloyd recounted his experience watching ‘Saturday Night Live’ alum John Belushi put his all into physical stunts during the making of ‘Goin’ South’ in 1978.
‘Don’t be afraid of pumpkins’: SLO County health official gives E. coli update
"We can’t pinpoint the pumpkins as the source of the outbreak right now,” public health officer Dr. Christy Mulkerin said.
This Kansas City mom may have to leave the US to afford life-saving health care for her daughter
Now that Children’s Mercy hospital is out of network for her family, Christy Moreno may have to seek specialty treatment in Mexico or Canada. She says the cancellation of the family’s insurance has put her child in a life-or-death situation.
BBC Sport pundit predicts more misery ahead for Newcastle United
Interesting comments from this BBC Sport pundit on Newcastle United. Chris Sutton speaking as United prepare to play their twelfth match of the 2026-27 season.
Legion Auxiliary in Rome to host annual Christmas Craft Fair
The Henry P. Smith American Legion Auxiliary will host its 21st Annual Christmas Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday Nov., 7 at the American Legion at 325 Erie Blvd. West, according to organizers.
Suk Hyun: Science Introduces a New Approach to Protein Degradation
Suk Hyun: Science Introduces a New Approach to Protein Degradation / Andrew G. Manford, Baris Bingol, BD2, BEX Protein, Caitlyn Miller, cancer, Christine L.
Wanted: New Central Bank Chief. Expertise and Political Acumen Required.
The looming departure of the European Central Bank’s president, Christine Lagarde, has set in motion a high-stakes search for her successor.