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Hammer and Rails Reacts Survey: That’s Gotta be Kane!
Unfortunately we aren’t talking about The Big Red Machine.
Senator Rick Scott Says Zohran Mamdani Is Right About American Political System’s Failures — But ‘Dead Wrong’ on Socialism
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is right that Washington has failed Americans but argued socialism is not the answer, calling instead for spending cuts, deregulation a...
TV and streaming viewing picks for September 22, 2026: How to watch WNBA on ESPN
All Times Eastern College Basketball ACC Network Basketball Podcast — ACC Network, 5 p.m. College Football Florida Atlantic Weekly Press Conference — ESPN+, 11:45 a.m. Cincinnati Football Press Conference — ESPN+, noon Oklahoma Football Press Conference — SEC Network, noon Iowa State Football Press Conference — EPSN+, 12:55 p.m. B1G Live: Football Coaches Press Conferences…
Yankees' Trent Grisham Question Has Already Been Answered
The New York Yankees should already know what to do with Trent Grisham.
Liam Coen: Jaguars Must ‘Move on and Respond'
Head coach Liam Coen and his players are using the Jaguars' loss at Denver as motivation to improve.
An overview of the likely NL postseason field
Getting to know Milwaukee’s potential opponents
The Cardinals Season is Over, But the Future is Bright
The 2026 schedule hasn’t yet concluded, but the Cardinals’ playoff hopes are officially extinguished. From JJ’s debut and Burley’s monstrous blast that set the tone for the season on opening day, to a group of SFA baseball players taking their shirts off and swinging them over their heads. Jordan Walker reintroducing himself to the baseball […]
Tennessee Titans news: What’s next after Eagles loss?
The Tennessee Titans are turning the page after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2.
AEW All Out 2026 Date, Start Time, Key Matches
A look at the key matches, start time, and date for the AEW All Out 2026 pay-per-view, which features Will Ospreay vs. Jon Moxley.
Tigers aim to clinch series vs Nationals on Tuesday night
The Detroit Tigers opened up the penultimate series of the 2026 campaign with a 9-2 victory at Comerica Park — soon to be Fifth Third Park — on Monday night. River Ryan looked good in his debut wearing the Olde English D, while home runs at the bottom of the batting order from Spencer Torkelson […]
Sports on TV/radio listings: Sept. 22
Where to watch and/or listen to today's sporting events that will be televised or broadcast on the radio.
Latest injury news from France camp affects two PSG stars
PSG have lost a key player to injury – but it doesn’t sound serious, and it gives one of their other stars a chance to take his place.If you enjoy PSG Talk coverage and want to see more of it, add...
Cardiff pain must lead to progress for Charlton
Charlton Athletic fan Paul Sullivan hopes the club can use the extended international break wisely
Ranking Texas A&M's 9 remaining opponents from easiest to toughest
Alabama moved ahead of LSU, while Oklahoma and South Carolina slipped in the latest ranking of Texas A&M’s remaining opponents.
Which young Buckeye are you buying the most stock in?
Now that we’ve all had a few days to let the collapse in Texas sink in, this week’s fan survey wants to know where your head is following the loss. Click the link and vote.
USA TODAY Sports Super 10 Georgia high school flag football rankings, Week 1
High school flag football is back in Georgia. See which teams top the opening USA TODAY Sports Super 10 rankings in Week 1.
Chiefs News: Chiefs look like old selves with new help
The latest Chiefs news, brought fresh to you every morning!
Phillies Relievers Respond To Don Mattingly’s Confounding Bullpen Management
The Philadelphia Phillies’ bullpen offered a response on the interim manager’s odd decision to put extra wear on their arms.
Caesars Entertainment (CZR), Why Is It Getting Fresh Attention Now?
Caesars Entertainment (CZR) has drawn fresh attention after two directors, Jesse Lynn and Ted Papapostolou, resigned from the board on September 16, 2026, prompting investors to reassess governance and long term positioning. Recent trading around Caesars Entertainment has been relatively muted, with the share price at $29.65 and a year to date share price return of 25.85% that sits alongside a 1 year total shareholder return of 15.19% and a 5 year total shareholder return that has declined...
🚨 Breaking: Fede Valverde suffers a serious sprain
Real Madrid have announced Fede Valverde’s injury following the tests carried out. The Uruguayan was injured by Kang-in Lee during the derby against Atlético de Madrid and, despite playing through ...
WEATHER REPORT: Notre Dame Fighting Irish VS Purdue Boilermakers
The weather shouldn’t be any type of factor when Notre Dame goes on the road to take on Purdue this Saturday.
Arsenal Women’s start raises early title concerns
Another slow start threatens to derail Arsenal’s title challenge before it really gets going.Photo by Sarah Ray-Gain/Getty ImagesBefore this season, the manager and players knew what had happened in...
Colts Signing New Receiver After Alec Pierce Update
The Indianapolis Colts are signing one of Daniel Jones' former top receivers.
1 in 5 Americans thinks sports betting is an ‘investment’ — but the data says something different
Gen Z is the most likely generation to believe betting on sports is a financial plan.
Springboks announce new captain as team to face Australia revealed
Andre Esterhuizen will lead the world champions in the clash in Perth
Position grades from the Patriots’ win over the Steelers
Our film review of each position group after the Patriots’ 20-3 win over the Steelers.
Cam Ward earns high marks despite Tennessee Titans loss
Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward earned a B grade after a strong performance in a narrow loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Arsenal youngster joins Manchester City
Arsenal academy midfielder Mishel Nduka has finally completed his move to Manchester City, having agreed to the transfer back in July.Photo via Nduka on InstagramOn Monday evening, Mishel Nduka posted...
'Survivor 51' full cast: Meet the 21 new castaways battling for $1 million
The new season ushers in the 'Open Era' — and no twist from the show's past is off-limits.
PureTech Health H1 Earnings Call Highlights
PureTech Health (NASDAQ:PRTC) outlined progress across its portfolio in its 2026 half-year results call, highlighting external financings for Celea Therapeutics and Seaport Therapeutics, regulatory progress at Gallop Oncology, and a strategy centered on earlier external funding for its founded entit
Latest injury update on Georgia star running back Nate Frazier
Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart gives an update on injured star running back Nate Frazier ahead of Oklahoma game
New poll reveals which political party has a 5-point advantage ahead of November elections
Democrats hold a 5-point advantage over Republicans with just over a month to go before the midterm elections
Predicting Where Lakers Finish in Loaded Western Conference
Where will the Los Angeles Lakers finish in the West?
Pens Points: Preseason Positives
Back on PPG Paints Arena ice for the first time since April, the Pittsburgh Penguins opened their preseason slate with a 4-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Sergei Murashov got the nod in goal and pitched a shutout, stopping 13 shots, in his 30 minutes of action before Joel Blomqvist took over. Connor Dewar, Bryan […]
Bruins vs. Flyers PRESEASON PREVIEW:
Just the Facts What happened last game? The Bruins played a tight game where Jake Schmaltz and Charlie McAvoy scored, and it went to the shootout with James Hagens once again stepping in to play the hero. Bruins WIN 3-2! Mike DiPietro also had a huge game for your Boston Bruins, as he stopped 30 […]
Cade Smith takes consistent, disciplined approach to mound for Guardians
Closer Cade Smith continues to take a consistent and disciplined approach to the mound for the first-place Cleveland Guardians.
Indiana Pacers season preview: Lineup, roster and prediction
The Indiana Pacers are poised to be NBA Finals contenders after a one-year hiatus following the Achilles injury suffered by star Tyrese Haliburton.
CEO Parsons hails Saints fans' loyalty after Spygate
Southampton CEO Phil Parsons thanks fans for backing the club and the team following the Spygate scandal.
Arsenal’s Dowman in line for England senior training call-up
Thomas Tuchel is considering calling up Max Dowman for a training session with the England first team, according to a report.Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images for DFBEngland boss Thomas Tuchel sa...
Who has scored against the most Premier League teams?
BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team looks at which players have scored against the most teams in Premier League history
From punk to politics - the making of new Reform Wales leader Helen Jenner
Who is Reform's new Welsh leader, former English teacher Helen Jenner?
Premier League’s Most Successful Club Floundering Again
Manchester United are back here again. The Premier League’s most successful club are floundering, again.Sunday’s draw with winless Fulham compounded an alreadymiserable week for Michael Carrick. I...
Big Ten Conference announces start time for Nebraska-Maryland matchup
Nebraska has announced the kickoff time for its Homecoming game against Maryland.
Is Roberto De Zerbi Misusing Mateus Fernandes For Tottenham?
Mateus Fernandes has struggled to make an impact for Tottenham Hotspur since joining from West Ham in the summer.
Montgomery receives first senior Scotland call-up
Blackburn Rovers midfielder Kristi Montgomery receives his first call-up into the senior Scotland squad for their Nations League matches.
Golden Nuggets: We’re on to Arizona
Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026
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.
Patriots late-camp signing becomes an early-season necessity
Greg Van Roten went from anonymous to important in a hurry for the Patriots.
Week 5 schedule for Lubbock-area high school football
Here's the complete schedule for Week 5 games involving Lubbock and the South Plains.
Kamala Harris returns to campaign trail to boost Abdul El-Sayed in critical Michigan Senate race
Kamala Harris is set to campaign Tuesday with Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, a joint appearance between two Democrats in a state that’s crucial to the party’s fortunes in this fall’s midterms – and the presidential primary to follow.
Businesses ‘frozen out’ of Trump’s tariff channel with China
The private sector is largely in the dark about the Trump administration's plans for a "Board of Trade" to oversee reductions on billions of dollars worth of duties.
Yankees news: Sweep or weep
Can Yanks pull off unlikely sweep?; Wild Card roster decisions; chip on Cabby’s shoulder
Tuesday ‘Dawg Bites Won’t Fumble In The Endzone
Welcome to Tuesday, Bulldog fans! We’ve entered that limbo period where certain fanbases are still basking in the glow of Saturdays victory, and others are still steaming from a frustrating loss that exposed expectations like telephone poles in winter when the kudzu dies off. Clemson has had as many lightning delays as rushing touchdowns this […]
Latest on New York Giants QB Jaxson Dart's knee injury
New York Giants QB Jaxson Dart suffered a knee injury against the Los Angeles Rams and here's the latest update.
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.
Red Bull's Hadjar to return at Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar will return at this week's Azerbaijan Grand Prix after missing the past three races with a wrist injury.
Why are United thriving away from Tannadice?
You could make a case we should have beaten Rangers and Falkirk at Tannadice, but we didn't. The trips to Kilmarnock and St Mirren, though, produced two magnificent performances. Tannadice on match days can be an unforgiving place.
Pascal Groß confirms retirement from German national team
Germany will have one less player in the potential talent pool moving forward.
Estêvão responds to playing time concerns at Chelsea
Professional answers to leading questions
Juventus Women-Benfica | The European journey begins again
It is Juventus Women-Benfica once again.The Bianconere begin their UEFA Women’s Champions League League Phase campaign against the Portuguese side at the Allianz Stadium, facing an opponent they alr...
Inter ready to welcome Spence back after Tottenham move
Djed Spence hasn’t yet played for Inter since his move from Tottenham, but according to Gazzetta, the Englishman will be available when Serie A resumes in October.English defender Spence is preparin...
Today marks the first day of fall. Here’s the science behind the equinox
The equinoxes and solstices are getting later each year right now, but in 2028, they'll set a new 232-year record.
Juventus plans to sign €50m goalkeeper in the summer
Marco Carnesecchi has been on Juventus’ radar since he was on loan at Cremonese some years ago, and they are ready to make a significant investment to sign him at the end of this season.Luciano Spal...
Arsenal is considering a move for Nottingham Forest star
Morgan Gibbs White remains one of the best midfielders in the Premier League and one of the most in form English players since the start of 2026. His performances have continued to attract attention, ...
Steur has 'huge future in the game'
Former Newcastle defender John Anderson reckons the £23m paid to sign teenage midfielder Sean Steur from Ajax is "looking like a bargain". The 18-year-old made 24 appearances for Ajax in 2025-26 and has started twice in the Premier League for the Magpies this season, impressing in Saturday's 2-1 win over Hull City. "He is still a very inexperienced boy," Anderson told BBC Radio Newcastle.
Atlas and Pumas battle to an average tie
Atlas and Pumas tied 1-1 in a match that was far from a “classic”.
Jürgen Klopp’s leaked email reveals message to former Germany internationals
Ahead of his debut as Germany head coach against the Netherlands on Thursday, Jürgen Klopp has reportedly sent an email to all former Germany internationals, asking for their support.“I would be ve...
Brentford's remaining players given week off
Most squads in the Premier League these days are packed with international players, and Brentford are no different. Most of the Bees' squad are away, but Callum Wilson and Igor Thiago are among about 12 players left at their training facility, including five who are coming back from injury. Brentford have a longer break than almost every other team, given they hosted Chelsea on Friday.
Today’s Papers – Mancini’s mission, Juventus joke, Spence returns
La Gazzetta dello SportThe last dribbleFootball’s farewell to MazzolaThe Azzurri legends and applause to the JuventiniTardelli: ‘The ultras’ gesture is unacceptable.’Inter, one more arrowThe b...
Nature of Denis Zakaria’s injury revealed
AS Monaco captain Denis Zakaria (29) was forced to withdraw from the Switzerland squad for the upcoming international break on Monday. L’Équipe have now revealed the nature of the midfielder’s in...
'Kobe will always be welcome in Crossmolina'
Kobe McDonald's Gaelic football career is over for now with Crossmolina's Mayo SFC defeat at the weekend which drew over 5,000 fans to the small village of Garrymore.
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...
5️⃣ stories of the day: Atleti's complaints, Mbappé's step back..
Club football is on pause to make way for the national teams, but this weekend brought so much news that Tuesday is red-hot.So we’re going to run through the five stories you can’t miss to kick of...
Egan's late career resurgence back to Premier League
BBC Sport NI looks at Republic of Ireland centre-back's John Egan's rise back to the Premier League with Hull City and the international set-up under Heimir Hallgrimsson.
'This is not Wrexham. I'm not Ryan Reynolds'
A new BBC podcast Mud, Sweat and Cheers: Trouble at the Bottom – Sheffield FC goes behind the scenes on an extraordinary season at the world's oldest football club.
Jiang Feng: The Unravelling of German & European Politics
A state election in eastern Germany has become a revealing test of the changing political landscapes of Germany and Europe, writes Jiang Feng, Professor and Chairman of the Council of the Shanghai Academy of Global Governance and Area Studies (SAGGAS) at Shanghai International Studies University. His analysis follows the decisive victory of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) (which has been classified as right-wing extremist by German authorities)in the state of Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September, in which it finished far ahead of its mainstream rivals. Jiang previously served as Minister-Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Berlin. The following article was published on 8 September 2026 on huanqiu.com, the online platform of the Global Times. On 6 September, the results of the state election in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, were announced. The Alternative for Germany (AfD), classified as far-right by German authorities, made history by becoming the largest party in the state parliament, winning 43.8 per cent of the vote — twice its share in the previous election. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which had governed the state continuously for 24 years, won just 17.2 per cent, its worst result ever in Saxony-Anhalt. On the night the results were announced, the atmosphere at the CDU gathering was unusually calm. There was neither shock nor argument, as if the defeat had long been expected. Several veteran party members who had spent years working in the state government said: “Defeat is not a bad thing. It is time to make changes.” This state election has not only upended Saxony-Anhalt’s political landscape, but also laid bare the deep tensions between Germany’s traditional party structure and model of governance, on the one hand, and an increasingly polarised society on the other. Its repercussions are already being felt at the federal level, making Saxony-Anhalt a useful case study of the broader trend towards political polarisation and realignment in Europe. Governing Difficulties after Electoral Victory The most immediate consequence of the election is a historic setback for the mainstream party order that took shape in post-war Germany. In Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD has leapt from a peripheral party to the largest political force in the state. Its electoral base has expanded beyond the traditional category of “marginal protest voters” to take on the characteristics of a cross-class coalition. The party has not only consolidated its support in rural areas, but also attracted many middle-class voters and even members of the social elite with stable jobs, their own homes, and substantial incomes. It has thus evolved from a “protest party” into one with the potential to govern. Despite its commanding lead in the vote, however, the AfD faces an institutional obstacle to governing the state: the mainstream parties’ long-standing “firewall” against it. Neither of the two potential routes to forming a government appears likely to break the current political deadlock. The first would be a coalition of establishment parties, led by the CDU and bringing together the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Greens, the Left Party (Die Linke) and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) in a cross-camp government. In terms of parliamentary arithmetic, such a coalition could prevent the AfD from forming a government and preserve the outward stability of the traditional political order. Yet these parties are fundamentally divided over key issues including immigration, the energy transition, economic management, and cultural and education policy. Coalition negotiations would therefore be extremely difficult, and even if a government could be formed, it would most likely prove short-lived. More importantly, an alliance of establishment parties aimed at keeping the largest party out of government would play directly into the AfD’s narrative that “political elites are suppressing public opinion”. It could deepen perceptions of political unfairness, further strengthening the AfD’s political capital, and creating a dynamic in which “the more it is suppressed, the more people vote for it”. Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD’s candidate for state premier, has said that if efforts to form a government fail because other parties refuse to cooperate, the AfD will push for a fresh election, which he believes could deliver the party an absolute majority of seats. This points to more intense political battles ahead. The second option would be a coalition between the AfD and the BSW. Together, the two parties would command a simple majority in parliament, making this, on paper, the quickest route to forming a government. The BSW is the only elected party that has not ruled out cooperation with the AfD, and the two parties share some common ground, including on policy towards Russia. There is therefore a degree of political basis for cooperation. Were such a coalition to materialise, Germany would see its first state government jointly formed by a party defined as far-right and one with a far-left background, creating what might be called a “bipolar anti-establishment alliance”. Such an outcome would fundamentally break with the ideological boundaries of post-war German party politics. It is worth noting that even if the AfD ultimately fails to enter the state government, its roughly 47 per cent share of parliamentary seats would give it a powerful blocking minority. Without its consent, major decisions requiring a two-thirds majority — including constitutional amendments, significant budgetary adjustments, and state-level institutional reforms — would be extremely difficult to pass. Therefore, whoever ultimately forms the government, the AfD will be an unavoidable force in Saxony-Anhalt politics, with a direct influence on the state’s legislative process. Systemic Failures in Germany’s Governance Model The Saxony-Anhalt election result reflects a systemic failure of Germany’s post-war mainstream-party model of governance to adapt to rapidly changing socioeconomic conditions. It stems from multiple, mutually reinforcing structural tensions and highlights the existing political system’s difficulty in adapting to “an increasingly polarised society First, collective anxiety has replaced individual material hardship as a central driver of political mobilisation. The rise of the AfD can no longer be explained simply by poverty or social marginalisation. Its increasingly cross-class electoral base suggests that what is driving voters towards the party is, above all, concern about the broader direction of society. This anxiety about the future of the political community goes beyond individual gains and losses. In political discourse, economic anxiety has become closely intertwined with immigration, while immigration and refugee issues are, in essence, questions of social fairness. This perception turns conflicts over the distribution of social resources into negative assessments of governing parties, providing a broad social basis for far-right political narratives. Second, regional disparities and East German identity have undermined the strategy of addressing eastern Germany’s structural challenges at the regional level. More than three decades after German reunification, eastern states such as Saxony-Anhalt have experienced periods of economic growth, but their underlying economic structures remain weak, and household incomes and wealth remain significantly below those in western Germany. At the same time, they continue to face population outflow, an ageing population, labour shortages, and other structural challenges. At a deeper level, historical experiences — including the collapse of the former East German economic system, mass unemployment during the transition, and the westward shift of decision-making power over major issues — have left some residents with a sense of being “second-class citizens” and of being excluded. For years, the German government treated the “syndrome” of reunification as a regional problem to be gradually addressed at the local level. That approach is becoming increasingly unsustainable, as regional development disparities emerge as a core structural factor shaping national politics. Third, the erosion of institutional trust is perhaps the most decisive factor. AfD supporters tend to distrust establishment institutions, including parliament, government, and the mainstream media. Their concerns about economic security, pensions, and social fairness are significantly greater than the social average. Increasingly, their support for the AfD reflects not an expectation that the existing system can be improved, but a search for an alternative to the current political order. Such a systemic deficit of trust will be extremely difficult for the traditional parties to repair in the short term. Fourth, a generational shift in political mobilisation has amplified political polarisation. Unlike traditional parties, which rely heavily on offline rallies and mainstream media coverage, the AfD has developed a social-media mobilisation strategy built around “raising an issue — identifying who is responsible — offering a simplified solution — building a shared identity”. It turns complex social tensions into concise political narratives, rapidly channelling public sentiment into political support. The contrast on the eve of the election was particularly telling. The establishment parties, together with trade unions and churches, organised an offline march attended by more than 10,000 people, but its reach was largely confined to those present and to traditional media coverage. The AfD held a much smaller indoor event, yet livestreaming on TikTok, YouTube, and other platforms, combined with the involvement of online influencers, gave it a reach and mobilising capacity far beyond that of the march. The contrast illustrates how the traditional parties’ methods of political mobilisation are increasingly struggling to keep pace with a political environment transformed by changes in media technology. A Microcosm of Structural Political Change in Europe The shockwaves from the Saxony-Anhalt election quickly travelled beyond the state to the federal level. Calls for political accountability followed immediately after the results were announced. The governing CDU and SPD are now under enormous pressure, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil face an unprecedented test. Political polarisation in Germany is no longer simply a regional phenomenon. The post-war model of multiparty government by establishment parties is breaking down and being reshaped. Viewed in a broader European context, the Saxony-Anhalt election is part of a continent-wide wave of party polarisation, mainstream-party decline, and rising right-wing forces. Far from an isolated phenomenon, it is a microcosm of the structural political changes unfolding across Europe. Weak economic growth, cultural tensions over immigration, and declining trust in institutions are fuelling the rise of right-wing forces in several countries, challenging the liberal internationalist order established in post-war Europe. As a core member state of the European Union, Germany’s ability to adapt its political system and the direction of its politics will have profound implications for both European integration and the evolution of the international order. Subscribe [ Pekingnology China’s Germany watchers take stock of Berlin’s uneasy turn On 7 December 2025, nearly 50 Chinese scholars and policy researchers gathered in Beijing for the 2025年德国形势年终研讨会 “2025 Year-End Seminar on the Situation in Germany… Read more 9 months ago · 31 likes · 1 comment · YIRUI LI and Yuxuan JIA ](https://www.pekingnology.com/p/chinas-germany-watchers-take-stock?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web&embedding_publication_id=1151841) [ Jiang Feng on Germany's 2025 and beyond: no easy exit ](https://www.eastisread.com/p/jiang-feng-on-germanys-2025-and-beyond) Yirui LI and Yuxuan JIA · Jan 24 The following is an op-ed by Jiang Feng, published on 29 December 2025 at Shanghai Observer 上观新闻, the digital platform of Jiefang Daily, the official newspaper of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). [ Read full story ](https://www.eastisread.com/p/jiang-feng-on-germanys-2025-and-beyond)
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