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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...
Colts Signing New Receiver After Alec Pierce Update
The Indianapolis Colts are signing one of Daniel Jones' former top receivers.
Is 50 the new 60?
Subscribe TL;DR: Younger generations are showing signs of worse health compared to earlier-born cohorts at the same age This backward “drift” is showing up both in mortality risk and chronic disease Worsening trends in obesity and diabetes are the most consistent signals Taking the long view, we’ve made astonishing gains in health and life expectancy in the last century. Global average life expectancy has more than doubled from 32 years in 1900 to 73 years in 2024. (But don’t forget, there were still old people when life expectancy was 32). As people lived longer, they also generally lived healthier along the way. It turns out that avoiding things that can kill you early, like malnutrition and lots of childhood infections, also keeps you healthier later in life. In a classic 2004 paper, Finch and Crimmins proposed that cohorts of children who benefited from fewer early life infections had less lifetime exposure to inflammation and cardiovascular disease later in life, accelerating mortality improvements at older ages. Poor nutrition in the womb has also been linked to a higher risk of later chronic disease. The upshot is that improvements in childhood health can pay dividends many decades later. The combination of better living conditions (nutrition, sanitation) and medical advances (antibiotics, vaccines, blood pressure meds, etc) meant that people’s healthy lifespan generally expanded, even as they lived longer. Aging researchers call this best-case scenario “compression of morbidity”—meaning we delay the onset of disease and disability even faster than the years of life we are adding. During my 20+ year research career, we could generally bank on the idea that younger generations would not only live longer but also keep getting healthier along the way. “60 is the new 50” as they say… Enter “Generational Health Drift” Sadly, this expectation of steady progress may be changing. You’ve probably heard that US life expectancy gains have slowed to a crawl in the past couple of decades. Mortality improvements are also slowing (though less dramatically) in many other high-income countries (you can read more about that in a review paper I wrote here). Mortality is a very blunt health measure, but it is often a good barometer for the broader population health trends happening underneath. And we are now seeing that younger generations may be in worse health at similar ages compared to earlier born cohorts. My collaborator Prof. George Ploubidis at University College London coined this worsening health in more recently born cohorts “generational health drift.” “Generational health drift” is bad news on multiple fronts. Most obviously, we don’t want our health progress to go backward. But the timing is also bad, since our populations are aging. In demographic terms, “population aging” means that the proportion of the population at older ages (i.e >65 years) is increasing. Fun demography fact: Current population aging is not due to the recent declines in the birth rates making the news, but declines in fertility decades ago, after the “baby boom.” As baby boomers reach older ages, the smaller cohorts behind them mean the percentage of older adults will increase. For example, the share of the population age 65 and older in the US increased from 12.4% in 2004 to 18.0% in 2024. This story of population aging was written long ago. Many worry that population aging will put pressure on health care and pension systems. But if people reach older ages in better health than in years past, those fiscal pressures would be less dire than projected. Healthy older people can also continue to contribute to society in many valuable ways, including paid work, caregiving, community service….even high political office 🤷. On the flip side, if younger generations reach retirement age in worse health and with more disabling conditions, this could magnify the societal challenge of population aging. Evidence for worsening generational health A recent paper that I LOVED in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Dr. Leah Abrams and colleagues examined which birth cohorts (aka generations) were behind worsening US mortality. Behold the Lexis diagram (cue swooning demographers). Calendar time is on the x-axis, age on the y-axis. Birth cohorts can be followed over time as they age on the diagonal lines moving up and to the right. This figure plots the year-on-year % change in all-cause mortality at a given age. Green shading indicates mortality improvements over time, white is stagnation, and gray shading indicates worsening mortality. Following the diagonal line for those born in 1950, you can see a noticeable shift from green to gray that follows this cohort for most of their lives. This gray shading shows generally worsening mortality for the 1950 to 1959 birth cohorts compared to their predecessors across all ages. Concerningly for my GenX and elder millennial peeps, there was also a deterioration in mortality for birth cohorts born in the 1970s and 1980s, visible as dark gray areas at ages 30 to 45 during the 2010s. While some of these mortality changes reflect specific shocks such as the opioid epidemic, most deaths still occur from major causes of death such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. For cancer, the gray in the top left corner of the figure below reflects the legacies of smoking for older cohorts, followed by a period of green with improvements in cancer mortality as smoking rates declined. But the white/gray shading in the bottom right corner highlights a stagnation and reversal of the cancer trends, with cohorts born around 1970 to 1985 experiencing worsening cancer mortality. This deterioration was most noticeable for colon cancer mortality, possibly linked to obesity or dietary factors. Not just dying more, but less healthy along the way. A recent paper by Dr. Laura Gimeno of University College London (of which I am a co-author), found evidence that more recently born cohorts in Great Britain have stagnating or worsening health. A stylized picture of what“generational health drift” might look like: The review paper found: Rates of childhood overweight and obesity were highest among Gen Z. Rates of diabetes in the 40s almost doubled from 3.1% among the Baby Boomers to 5.9% in Generation X. Gen Z reported higher rates of poor mental health in adolescence compared to earlier-born groups. These UK results are consistent with studies showing worsening health across generations in the US as well. A 2021 US study found that more recently born cohorts had worse biological markers (like blood pressure and blood sugar) than earlier generations at the same age. A separate 2022 study of Americans aged 50 and over found that more recently born generations had a higher number of chronic diseases, with younger age of disease onset. A 2024 Lancet paper found that in the US, women born in 1945 had 33% obesity prevalence at age 50, rising to 48.2% for women born in 1970 turning 50. So what’s going on, and can we turn it around? We don’t have a definitive answer for what’s causing the deteriorating health of younger cohorts, but circumstantial evidence points to worsening trends in obesity and diabetes in both the US and UK. Remember that cohort trends reflect lagged effects of early environments, and younger generations have faced both earlier onset and more severe obesity across their lifetimes. Despite these very concerning trends, the future is not set in stone. We’ve reversed poor generational health trends before: drops in smoking are a major reason cancer and heart disease deaths fell so dramatically in recent decades. GLP-1 drugs may finally turn the tide against rising rates of obesity and diabetes, though it is still early days. But things could also get worse…for example from a return to higher levels of childhood infectious diseases that can have a lasting impact on health. See for example: [ ](https://jenndowd.substack.com/p/dont-you-forget-about-measles-the) [ Don’t You Forget About Me(asles): The Virus That Erases Immune Memory ](https://jenndowd.substack.com/p/dont-you-forget-about-measles-the) Jenn Dowd, PhD · March 24, 2025 [ Read full story ](https://jenndowd.substack.com/p/dont-you-forget-about-measles-the) Even as an optimist, emerging data on the “generational health drift” has my full attention. For most of my research career, we took it for granted that each generation would be healthier than the last. But if present trends continue, **50 could be the new 60….**and Gen Z celebrities will soon look older than Paul Rudd :). Stay well, Jenn Share the Health! If you found this post useful, please share it with a friend. Share
Telehealth companies keep exposing their customers’ medical data. What should they do?
Increasingly, government regulators are accusing companies of deceptive, unethical business practices, including disclosing customers’ health data, signing them up for hard-to-cancel subscriptions and bypassing real-time consultations with doctors.
Predicting Where Lakers Finish in Loaded Western Conference
Where will the Los Angeles Lakers finish in the West?
Watchdog says Messmer's taxpayer-funded TV ad part of larger problem
U.S. Rep. Mark Messmer insists his recent taxpayer-funded, campaign-like commercial wasn't political. A watchdog says it shows reforms are needed.
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.
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.
Yankees news: Sweep or weep
Can Yanks pull off unlikely sweep?; Wild Card roster decisions; chip on Cabby’s shoulder
Why Spending Time Outdoors Is Good For Your Physical And Mental Health
British fitness expert Joe Wicks recently teamed up with neuroscientists to scientifically test the widely-held belief that spending time outdoors is good for us.
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)
How Colton Herta’s F1 Ambitions Fell Apart Twice
Colton Herta's aspirations to become a Formula One driver have recently taken a big hit.
Giants, Saints Get Intriguing Trade Idea After Jaxson Dart Injury
The New Orleans Saints might have a valuable backup QB that teams with injured starters could call on, despite being only two weeks into the 2026 NFL season. New Orleans has its franchise guy in Tyler Shough, but its backup QB, Spencer Rattler, could be a trade piece. On Sept. 21, the New York Giants […] The post Giants, Saints Get Intriguing Trade Idea After Jaxson Dart Injury appeared first on HEAVY.
Backyard Biodiversity: Recent Soil Science Insights Enlarge Understanding Of Why Plant Diversity Delivers Benefits
Plant diversity. Courtesy photo BY OWEN HABLUTZELFor Chama Peak Land Alliance’s Backyard Biodiversity series Plant diversity has a very long, widespread history of human use as a strategy for…
Drought and state neglect deepen health crisis for Peru’s recently contacted Matsés
A worsening convergence of drought driven by climate change, epidemic disease, and state neglect is creating a severe health emergency for the Indigenous Matsés people in the Peruvian Amazon. Mongabay staff writer Aimee Gabay traveled to Matsés territory to investigate the environmental threats to the region. Instead, she found Matsés communities suffering from severe outbreaks […]
Los Angeles Dodgers Make 4 Sudden Roster Moves
The Los Angeles Dodgers have enjoyed another successful season in MLB. They are 96-60, and have the second-best record in the sport, and have already clinched the NL West for the 13th time in the past 14 seasons. There are just two series remaining on the schedule for the Dodgers: a three-game set with the […] The post Los Angeles Dodgers Make 4 Sudden Roster Moves appeared first on HEAVY.
How Did Rams Aaron Donald Do in 2026 Return?
A look at how Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald did in his return to the field in 2026.
STHS Tahoe Science students clear 2,000 pounds of forest debris
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Tahoe Science students at South Tahoe High School recently put on hard hats, picked up loppers, and put in the kind of work that makes […]
Monday Stat Party: Put him in the books
The Polar Bear returns, but Benge melts one of his Mets records.
New Hampshire to receive $2M for mental health services
More than $2 million is coming to the Granite State for mental health services.
Rams bounce back as Giants reel from Dart injury
The Los Angeles Rams bounced back from their season-opening flop in Australia to score a stylish 28-6 victory over the New York Giants on Monday.The Rams fourth touchdown made it 28-6 when Stafford picked out tight end Terrance Ferguson at the back of the end zone. rcw/sla
Yellowtail Drive Could Be Expanded To Accommodate Hi-Tech Business Parks In Sheridan
One road on the north side of Sheridan could soon be widened, in anticipation of increased motor vehicle traffic in the area. At its recent board meeting, the Sheridan Economic and Educational Development Authority (SEEDA) approved a motion to begin preparing bids to add 5-foot gravel shoulders on Yellowtail Drive, from the Weatherby building northward […]
Dodgers’ plan for Shohei Ohtani is unnecessarily risky
Once again, it sounds as if Ohtani is determined to squeeze in as many at-bats as possible, and once again, it sounds as if the Dodgers will let him try.
Lions Urged to Trade for $13M Starting Cornerback
The Detroit Lions have been heavily tied to a cornerback being acquired via trade. A lot of speculation has been out there about Joey Porter Jr. However, while he is the biggest fish in the pond, he will also cost the most in terms of trade assets and contract. One name who makes a lot […] The post Lions Urged to Trade for $13M Starting Cornerback appeared first on HEAVY.
Pacers’ Pascal Siakam Receives Harsh Label in New NBA Study
With the NBA preseason approaching, a new salary analysis has identified which players provided the strongest and weakest returns relative to their contracts last season. Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam claimed the study’s most unforgiving distinction.Casino Guru USA ranked him as the NBA’s most overpaid player after comparing 2026-27 cap charges with production from the […] The post Pacers’ Pascal Siakam Receives Harsh Label in New NBA Study appeared first on HEAVY.
Fastly Inc. (FSLY) Jumps 15% Ahead of Tuesday’s Key Business Updates; Hedge Fund Conviction Weak
Fastly Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLY) climbed by 14.92 percent on Monday to end at $27.42 apiece as investors began positioning portfolios ahead of key business updates at its Investor Day meeting tomorrow, September 22. The rally was supported by earlier warnings from Anthropic Chief Executive Officer Dario Amodei that development of artificial intelligence must slow down and […]
Malik Nabers exits MNF with shoulder injury
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers left the Week 2 game against the Los Angeles Rams in the first half due to a shoulder injury
New Colts receiver Darius Slayton through the years
New Colts receiver Darius Slayton through the years
Most firms keep cash from tariff refunds, Fed study finds
The bulk of companies receiving billions in tariff refunds are mostly holding on to the cash, according to a survey released Monday by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Of
2028 OL recruit impressed by Penn State's culture during visit
Maryland recruit Josiah Eney says Penn State is high on his list after a recent visit impressed him.
After new federal requirements, changes coming to the Oregon Health Plan
About 600,000 Oregon Health Plan members will soon receive a notice that Medicaid is about to change. In Oregon, that means some people will need to renew their coverage every six months instead of every two years. Many between the ages of 19 and 64 will also need to prove they work or volunteer.
Brewers' Chourio's Third Straight 20/20 Season Makes MLB History
The 22-year-old phenom shatters records with unprecedented power and speed, fueling the Milwaukee Brewers World Series dreams.
Alec Pierce to receive second opinion
Colts WR Alec Pierce aggravated injury in Week 2 and is considered week-to-week
What Zach Ertz’s return means for Eagles after Goedert injury
Zach Ertz gives the Eagles an experienced receiving option while Dallas Goedert recovers from the sprained MCL suffered in Week 2
Fargo-Moorhead Science Museum receives $1M corporate investment
Bobcat Co. has committed $1 million in financial and in-kind support to help develop hands-on exhibits for the future Fargo-Moorhead Science Museum.
New West Sub owners, Insight Health Systems, struggle with reopening hospitals in Ohio
Insight Health Systems recently became the new owners of West Suburban Medical Center, but its hospitals in Ohio struggle to reopen.
GEICO signs WNBA star Napheesa Collier amid sports marketing push
The deal follows GEICO's recent Minnesota Lynx partnership and its wider advertising comeback
Rams announce 1 practice squad elevation for Giants game
The Rams promoted one player from the practice squad for tonight's game against the Giants, and it's not a wide receiver.
Megan Garrett joins Perry Lutheran Homes in fundraising, community relations role
Megan Garrett has joined Perry Lutheran Homes, a nonprofit, faith-based continuing care retirement community, as its director of mission advancement and community relations. Garrett, who has more than 10 years of experience in communications and was a Business Record Forty Under 40 honoree this year, most recently served as director of communications for Care Initiatives,…
Memphis Grizzlies Receive Bottom-Tier NBA Preseason Power Ranking From Yahoo Sports
The Memphis Grizzlies got a bottom-tier NBA preseason power ranking from Yahoo Sports. Find out where they landed.
What is ibogaine, and what does it treat?
Psychedelic drugs, once pushed to the fringes of medicine, are gaining serious attention within the Trump administration as potential treatment options for people with certain mental health conditions. And they could be getting closer to receiving approval from the US Food and Drug Administration.
Pacers Receive Top-15 NBA Preseason Power Ranking From Yahoo Sports
The Indiana Pacers got a top-15 NBA preseason power ranking from Yahoo Sports. Find out where they landed.
Scientists reveal how our cells conduct emergency repairs for DNA
Two new studies from Johns Hopkins University are providing scientists with an unprecedented view of how human cells repair one of the most dangerous forms of genetic damage: a break that severs both ...
Cavaliers Receive Top-15 NBA Preseason Power Ranking From Yahoo Sports
The Cleveland Cavaliers got a top-15 NBA preseason power ranking from Yahoo Sports. Find out where they landed.
$17M in grants to fund Kentucky mental health, addiction services
Kentucky is set to receive nearly $17 million in federal funding to strengthen mental health and addiction services across the state, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Monday.
NYC Health + Hospitals’ Dental Residency Program Wins Highest Recognition in Dental Education
New York, NY – NYC Health + Hospitals today announced its system-wide dental residency programs received the 2027 William J. Gies Award for Eminence in
Erika La Plante Honored with Inaugural UC Regents Innovation Award
The associate professor of materials science and engineering, received the Best Startup Award for her work as co-founder and head of monitoring, reporting and verification and environmental strategy at Equatic.
"Can and will happen": A deadly ‘tsunami from the sky’ could soon hit the US, warn experts
The recent disaster in Nepal may be a warning of what's to come for the rest of the world
Matt Rhule looks ahead to Michigan State, reviews non-conference play
The non-conference slate has officially wrapped up; now Nebraska will begin conference play with a trip to East Lansing to face Michigan State (2-1) on Saturday, Sept. 26.
Inside Florida Politics podcasters talk Melania Trump's AI event
First lady Melania Trump traveled to North Carolina recently to discuss Hurricane Helene and artificial intelligence. Hear about it on Inside Florida Politics.
NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens Celebrates Resilience at Its Annual Celebration of Life for Cancer Survivors
Queens, NY – NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens recently held its annual Celebration of Life event, a poignant occasion that brought together approximately
When will Ben White return from injury?
Ben White was not called up to the England squad for their matches in September and October because of an injury he suffered recently, although Arsenal do not believe it is a serious problem.The Gunne...
Zac Bellman discusses the latest high school football rankings
Journal Sentinel reporter Zac Bellman breaks down the latest changes to the Milwaukee-area high school football rankings.
Kentucky receives millions in federal funding for mental health services
Kentucky will receive $17 million in federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Monday.
When is “The Voice” season 30 on? Where to watch live and how voting works
Returning coaches Kelly Clarkson and Adam Levine are joined by two newcomers.
Multiple Miami players suffered season-ending injuries vs. Wake Forest
Miami Hurricanes running back CharMar Brown and wide receiver Joshua Moore suffered season-ending injuries vs. Wake Forest.
Trey McBride reaches end zone in Week 2
Cardinals TE Trey McBride leads team in receptions and receiving yards in Week 2
Tennessee football offers former Mississippi State commit
Tennessee football offers 2028 four-star safety from Florida.
Monday Morning Minnesota: The “Time To Say Goodbye” Edition
We come to the last week of the season, and the Twins have officially been eliminated from playoff contention and will not be able to finish the season with a winning record. On the bright side, Walker Jenkins figured out major league pitching! The Twins wrap up the season with a series in San Francisco […]
Raiders receive “A-“ grade for win over Chargers
The Raiders pulled off a huge upset win on the road against the Chargers and have their report card reflects that.
Local moving business owner charged with grand theft, accused of taking thousands in payment and not showing up
IDAHO FALLS — A Bonneville County business owner is accused of taking payment for a job but failing to provide services. Golden Barrett, 44, faces one grand theft charge and, if convicted, could receive up to 14 years in prison. The court set his bail at $20,000. A plea agreement was signed and filed on […]
Series Preview: Milwaukee Brewers @ Philadelphia Phillies
Brewers wrap up final road trip in Philadelphia against potential postseason foe
Le Pagelle: Juventus vs. Atalanta
A comprehensive win buoyed Juventus into the international break.
Scientists Release Details About Moon's New Massive Crater
It's easy to think of the Moon as the static constant companion in the night sky. Its face hasn’t visibly changed in millennia, and always faces us with the same side. But looks can be deceiving, as our closest companion is constantly bombarded by asteroids and comets that make small craters across the lunar landscape. While they might not be large enough for us to see with our naked eye, professional Moon watchers can pick up on them. And a recent paper published in Science Advances, describes the largest ever found in modern times.
John Ternus just gave the best defense yet for Vision Pro
John Ternus recently sat down for a lengthy interview with Clique TV, and in it he gave the best defense yet for Apple Vision Pro.
Former Falmouth Resident Wins Grammy As Recording Engineer
Former Falmouth resident Matthew Soares recently received a Grammy Award as a recording engineer for his contribution to “I Will Not Be Moved (Live)” by The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. The
Titans vs. Giants odds: Opening lines for Week 3 matchup
Any chance you are putting money on the Titans this week?
5 up, 5 down for Miami Hurricanes vs. Wake Forest
The Miami Hurricanes took care of business on the road on Friday night (fortunately their last non-Saturday game of the regular season), defeating Wake Forest 33-20. It was a game with plenty of good, as Miami leapt out to a 31-7 lead in the third quarter and looked like their recent dominant selves. But there […]
NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan Convenes Eight Latin American Consulates for Health Care Summit
New York, NY - NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan recently hosted the inaugural 2026 Met Nation Summit, bringing together representatives from eight
The College of Arts and Sciences Announces Its Fall 2026 Sir Run Run Shaw Lecture Series
The College of Arts and Sciences presents the Fall 2026 Sir Run Run Shaw Lecture Series, which kicks off on Thursday, September 24, with two lectures: “1.5; or, on the necessity of the humanities in nihilistic times,” featuring Jarrett Zigon, University of Virginia; and “Visible Ink: The Art of Black Women's Literary Biography," featuring Dana
Governor Meyer Announces New Actions To Cut Red Tape and Support Small Businesses
Governor Matt Meyer announced recent progress in remove regulatory barriers, and promoting equitable access for small businesses.
Are measles in Philadelphia? PPHD warns of 2 possible exposures
Two recent possible measles exposures in Philadelphia prompt more advice, vaccine information.
Former RHOBH Fan-Favorite Faces Weeks of Recovery After Freak Accident
Eileen Davidson is recovering after a painful accident left her with a fractured knee. The former RHOBH star revealed the injury in a recent Instagram post. She also shared that surgery recovery will ...
‘Planetary boundaries’ necessary for flourishing of life have been massively breached, scientists warn
New report shows key indicators of Earth’s health are ‘outside the safe operating space’ as climate disaster looms
Dawn James Named Inaugural Executive Director of the Texas Energy Buyers Alliance - CEBA
AUSTIN — The Texas Energy Buyers Alliance (TEBA) is pleased to announce Dawn James as its inaugural executive director, bringing an experienced Texas energy and business leader to the helm as the alliance expands its work on behalf of large energy customers across the state. “This is a critical moment for Texas. We face unprecedented […]
iPhone owners can now submit a claim in Apple’s $250 million Siri AI lawsuit
You can receive $25 per eligible device.
Spain on alert over potential new migrant crossing into Ceuta
Albares said Rabat was 'receptive' to tackling online calls for young Moroccans to cross into Ceuta
Carrot Top Breathing on His Own as Rep Shares Major Health Update
Scott Thompson, known professionally as Carrot Top, is awake and breathing on his own while he remains hospitalized in Las Vegas. His representative said the comedian continues to receive close medica...
Dak Prescott breaks Tony Romo's franchise record for Cowboys
Prescott’s record-breaking TD toss was a 24-yarder to receiver CeeDee Lamb in the fourth quarter, the 249th of his career.
Dak Prescott breaks Tony Romo's franchise record for Cowboys
Prescott’s record-breaking TD toss was a 24-yarder to receiver CeeDee Lamb in the fourth quarter, the 249th of his career.
AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (AMC) Is a Trending Stock: Facts to Know Before Betting on It
AMC Entertainment (AMC) has received quite a bit of attention from Zacks.com users lately. Therefore, it is wise to be aware of the facts that can impact the stock's prospects.
Implementation of 2025 Reconciliation Law: Medicaid Managed Care Rate Setting Uncertainty & Potential Plan Exits
This policy watch examines recent and anticipated managed care rate setting challenges and the potential implications of MCO exits.
Expert Available: How Health Systems Can Help Address America’s Clinical Trial Bottleneck
A recent New York Times opinion essay argues that one of the greatest obstacles to developing new treatments is no longer scientific discovery, but the costly, complex and slow-moving system for testing those discoveries in people. The article also raises concerns that these challenges are driving more clinical research overseas. Adam Samson, president of the Advocate Health National Center for Clinical Trials (NCCT), is available to discuss how large, integrated health systems can help a
Youth mental health improves, New Hampshire survey reports
Youth mental health has improved since the COVID-19 pandemic, when anxiety and depression spiked for teens, according to the results of a statewide survey. The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services recently released the results of its 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The anonymous and voluntary survey helps measure health-related behaviors among New […]
Belichick lands North Carolina football in headlines. Is the turmoil worth it?
Bill Belichick's tenure at North Carolina is under scrutiny after a recent loss to Clemson.
"Toddler Rave": Behind the EDM show for all ages
Picture this: A concert venue filled with glow sticks, dance beats — and tiny hands in the air.
AMC's debt buyback depends on securing at least $3.97 billion
Noteholders can receive $1,009.70 per $1,000 plus accrued interest. The offer expires Sept. 30, with settlement expected Oct. 5 if conditions are met.
Big 12 football receiving leaders after Week 3
Here is a look at the top receivers in the Big 12 after Week 3, with Joseph Williams in the top 10 for the second week in a row.
Announcing our new STEP Grant winners: A Solar System shadow-tracker,…
Three groups of scientists will receive crowdfunded support to further the scientific exploration of space.
Heart-brain protection during cardiac surgery pioneer to receive the 2026 Basic Research Prize
DALLAS, Sept. 21, 2026 — A pioneering researcher known for her work to protect the heart and brain during cardiac surgery will be recognized by the American Heart Association at its annual...
15 Major Actors Who Were Supposed to Be in a Movie, But Never Made It to the Final Cut
Getting cast in a movie does not necessarily mean anyone will ever see you in it. Actors can spend days or even weeks filming scenes, pose for publicity photos, and tell everyone about their new proje...
France Football turns its spotlight on Algeria's ‘Mazadona’
The Algerian wonderkid blends multi-cultural roots with midfield mastery, earning Ballon d’Or recognition and a legendary nickname as he anchors the future of Bayer Leverkusen’s ambitious project.
Radformation Receives USFDA 510(k) Clearance for OptiPlan Automated VMAT Planning
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 21, 2026--
Arsenal fixture list for all 18 September-October internationals
18 Arsenal players have been called up for international duty over the September-October break, let’s take a look at when they’ll be in action.Photo by Elsa/Getty ImagesArsenal have received plent...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers news: Bucs panic rising after Browns loss
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are picking up the pieces after their loss against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2.