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Michigan research council predicts legal challenges if money-out-of-politics campaign succeeds

The initiative would restrict political contributions by big utilities and state government contractors. But the U.S. Supreme Court has held that campaign contributions by corporations are protected speech.

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Sep 29 • 7:30 PM EDT • Politics • michiganpublic.org
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Citizens Research Council outlines impacts of Mop Up Michigan initiative

As absentee ballots make their way to voters, Michigan residents this election season are faced with another question beyond just candidates running for various offices.

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Sep 29 • 4:51 PM EDT • Politics • michiganadvance.com
Innovative country experiences show how primary health care can accelerate health system transformation in the Americas

Barbados, Bolivia, the Dominican Republic and Guyana shared experiences on strengthening Primary Health Care through targeted actions in health workforce, services organization and system’s planning during the 63rd PAHO Directing Council.Washington, D.C., 29 September, 2026 (PAHO) – Innovative approaches to transform health systems based on primary health care (PHC) were highlighted today during a briefing session at the 63rd Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

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Sep 29 • 2:40 PM EDT • Health • paho.org
Countries of the Americas advance a health sector digital highway to connect care across borders

PAHO Directing Council briefing highlights regional progress toward a trusted digital health ecosystem where secure information can accompany people across services and borders.

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Sep 29 • 12:59 PM EDT • Health • paho.org
Business Council of Douglas County announces business spotlight and lifetime achievement awards

STATELINE, Nev. – The Business Council of Douglas County honored businesses and people that have made a positive mark on Douglas County with the Business Spotlight Awards and the Lifetime Achievement Awards at its 34th...

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Sep 29 • 9:45 AM EDT • Business • tahoedailytribune.com
Community Invited To October Meeting Of County Health Council Thursday, Oct. 1

BY LISA HAMPTONChairLos Alamos County Health Council I wanted to personally invite you to attend the Thursday, Oct. 1 Health Council Meeting at noon, in the Municipal Building.October is Domestic V…

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Sep 29 • 12:35 AM EDT • Health • losalamosreporter.com
Gilbert hopes new housing can help boost businesses at Town Square

Gilbert Town Council approved Headwaters Gilbert in a 5-2 vote. Nearby business owners hope adding more residents to Gilbert Town Square could bring more customers to the area

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Sep 28 • 10:22 PM EDT • Business • abc15.com
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Marion creates licensing structure for tobacco, vapes, hemp products

MARION — The Marion city council approved a new licensing structure for vendors selling tobacco, nicotine, electronic smoking and hemp-derived cannabinoid products.

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Sep 28 • 7:43 PM EDT • Entertainment • thesouthern.com
Philly DEI panel endorses Parker’s contracting overhaul as Black business owners warn of consequences

Parker said new national legal precedent made the city’s practices vulnerable to court challenges. Council’s committee agreed.

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Sep 28 • 4:49 PM EDT • Business • inquirer.com
Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr. is running for reelection. Some Democrats are questioning whether he should.

People close to Jones have encouraged him to reconsider seeking a new term and clear the way for State Rep. Morgan Cephas to run for Council’s 4th District.

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Sep 28 • 4:11 PM EDT • Politics • inquirer.com
Allegheny County’s paid parental leave approved by health board, moves to council

Allegheny County's Board of Health voted to approve a county-wide paid parental leave mandate Monday. The matter now heads back to County Council for deliberation.

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Sep 28 • 4:09 PM EDT • Health • wesanews.org
Councilman Kevin Carrico will not seek reelection, announces new Jacksonville business venture
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Sep 28 • 3:55 PM EDT • Business • firstcoastnews.com
Buckingham buys Blossom Road property in $8M deal

Buckingham Properties and Child Care Council are equal partners in the $8 million purchase of the Blossom Road Business Center.

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Sep 28 • 3:39 PM EDT • Business • democratandchronicle.com
Paid parental leave clears health board, heads for Allegheny County Council

Allegheny County's Board of Health approved a scaled-back paid parental leave bill, cutting leave to 12 weeks and exempting employers with 15 or fewer workers.

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Sep 28 • 2:45 PM EDT • Health • publicsource.org
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NYC business leaders renew push to ease short-term rental restrictions

(The Center Square) — New York City business leaders are urging the City Council to ease restrictions on short-term rentals they say have created a shortage of temporary housing.

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Sep 28 • 2:15 PM EDT • Business • thecentersquare.com
City Council majority warns Johnson: No head tax in 2027 budget

Mayor Brandon Johnson is expected to deliver his 2027 budget plan in mid-October.

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Sep 28 • 1:18 PM EDT • Politics • chicagobusiness.com
Merger between Maimonides Health and NYC Health + Hospitals receives unanimous vote

On Sept. 17, the New York State Council voted unanimously to approve a proposed merger between Maimonides Health and NYC Health + Hospitals.

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Sep 28 • 12:49 PM EDT • Health • brooklyneagle.com
Chilean Minister of Health elected President of PAHO’s 63rd Directing Council

Washington, D.C., 28 September 2026 (PAHO) – Chile’s Minister of Health, Dr. May Chomalí Garib, was elected today as President of the 63rd Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) during the opening session of one of the Organization’s governing bodies.Dr. Chomalí assumes the leadership of PAHO’s Directing Council for the Americas, succeeding Lisa Cummins, Minister of Health and Wellness of Barbados.

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Sep 28 • 11:14 AM EDT • Health • paho.org
The Americas are making progress in health but must accelerate action on emerging challenges, says PAHO Director

At the opening of the 63rd Directing Council, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa highlighted the Region’s public health gains, called for stronger regional cooperation, and underscored priorities including primary health care, vaccination, digital health and emergency preparedness.

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Sep 28 • 10:36 AM EDT • Health • paho.org
Mayor Sarno joins Health Commissioner Caulton Harris to bring greetings at Department of Elder Affairs Hispanic Heritage Month Luncheon at the Ray Jordan Senior Center

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno was honored to join Health & Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton Harris and the Springfield Department of Elder Affairs team on Friday to bring greetings at a special Hispanic Heritage Month Luncheon celebration with our seniors at the Raymond A. Jordan Senior Center. This special luncheon is a collaboration between the Raymond A. Jordan Senior Center and the North End Senior Center and celebrated Hispanic heritage and the valued contributions of our senior community. Members of the senior centers were invited for a vibrant day of music, dance, food, and culture. El Morro bakery provided lunch to members by our kind and dedicated Elder Affairs staff. Grupo Erupxion performed live music. Special thanks to host/emcee Joanna, the Springfield Department of Elder Affairs and the Council on Aging team for bringing us together to celebrate the beautiful mosaic of our Springfield. Mayor Sarno states, “We are always proud to celebrate the vibrancy and beautiful mosaic that is our Springfield community. On behalf of the City of Springfield, we celebrate and welcome the continued contributions of Hispanic Americans toward our community, including their cultural heritage, public service, and entrepreneurial spirit. I commend and appreciate this collaboration between the North End Senior Center and the Ray Jordan Senior Center to host this special luncheon in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month for all our seniors to enjoy. ‘Que tenga buena salud y Dios te bendiga’ – Good health and God Bless.”

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Sep 28 • 9:50 AM EDT • Health • springfield-ma.gov
Allegheny County Board of Health set to vote on proposed paid parental leave policy Monday

If the Board of Health approves the proposal during Monday’s vote, the measure will advance to the Allegheny County Council for consideration later this fall.

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Sep 28 • 8:37 AM EDT • Health • wpxi.com
Politics over policy: The diesel export ban and the NRDC’s hypocrisy

Last year, the Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund asked its supporters to oppose the Trump administration’s proposal to increase exports of clean burning natural gas. But last week, when Trump suggested halting exports of dirtier burning diesel fuel, the NRDC was hypocritically silent.

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Sep 28 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • capitalresearch.org
City Council approves small business pitch competition in collaboration with UT

Austin City Council approved a proposal Thursday authorizing Austin Economic Development to partner with TEXAS Entrepreneurship within the McCombs School of Business to develop a small business pitch competition. The competition will give local small businesses in their early stages — especially those in areas like hospitality, creative industries and health and wellness — the...

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Sep 28 • 12:57 AM EDT • Business • thedailytexan.com
Locals, students give testimonies for Suicide Prevention Month

The Syracuse Common Council voted to recognize September 2026 as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month on Sept. 21.

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Sep 27 • 8:52 PM EDT • Health • dailyorange.com
Locals, students give testimonies for Suicide Prevention Month

The Syracuse Common Council voted to recognize September 2026 as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month on Sept. 21

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Sep 27 • 8:52 PM EDT • Health • dailyorange.com
PAHO Walk for Health brings together staff, families, partners and delegates ahead of 63rd Directing Council

Washington, D.C., September 27, 2026 (PAHO) — On the eve of the 63rd Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Directing Council, PAHO staff, families, friends, delegates from Member States, partners and community members came together for the 2026 PAHO Walk for Health, highlighting the importance of physical activity, healthy environments and social connection.

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Sep 27 • 1:27 PM EDT • Health • paho.org
FYI BR: video production training at the arts council, Honey Gold at the planetarium and more

The Honey Gold Experience will perform live at LASM’s planetarium on Oct 3, blending original music and visuals in an immersive dome show with custom video collages and live sound design.

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Sep 27 • 1:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • theadvocate.com
Portland City Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane discusses city funding and school plans

Portland City Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane will seek re-election in November following an eventful first term shaped by budget battles and public safety issues.

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Sep 27 • 12:40 PM EDT • Politics • koin.com
Business Education Council builds Wyoming County workforce

For businesses across Wyoming County, one question matters more every year: Where will our next generation of employees come from?

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Sep 26 • 6:00 PM EDT • Business • thedailynewsonline.com
Texas city council candidate who protested ICE shooting faces 'riot participation' charge

A Texas city council candidate has been arrested on a misdemeanor charge for “riot participation.”.

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Sep 26 • 5:33 PM EDT • Politics • wsls.com
Community Encouraged To Attend Los Alamos County Health Council Meeting On Thursday

As Chair of the Los Alamos County Health Council, I wanted to personally invite you to attend the Thursday, Oct. 1 Health Council Meeting at noon, in the Municipal Building.

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Sep 26 • 2:39 PM EDT • Health • ladailypost.com
Trump Promised the Truth About UFOs. These Scientists Are Waiting.

The president named a science council to review the government’s data. What's taking so long?

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Sep 26 • 7:00 AM EDT • Science • politico.com
Colorado Politics Calendar Sept. 28-Oct. 4

CoPo’s weekly political calendar will help you find political and public-policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]

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Sep 26 • 7:00 AM EDT • Politics • coloradopolitics.com
“Go with the Flow” celebrates beauty of Haywood’s waterways

Celebrate the beauty, significance and inspiration found in the waterways of Haywood County with a new exhibition, "Go with the Flow," from the Haywood County Arts Council. See the exhibit

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Sep 26 • 12:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • themountaineer.com
Science in action: Grand Teton Council invites community to annual STEM-A-RAMA event

IDAHO FALLS — The Grand Teton Council of Scouting America (formerly the Boy Scouts of America) invites community members to a free annual event to see science in action and get hands-on with STEM careers this Saturday. Since 2019, the annual STEM-A-RAMA event has brought numerous organizations together in one location, allowing local youth to […]

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Sep 25 • 7:28 PM EDT • Science • eastidahonews.com
Who is Berkeley City Council candidate Majdi Abuhamdieh?

"I am running because working families, tenants, students and small businesses deserve better."

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Sep 25 • 7:10 PM EDT • Business • berkeleyscanner.com
Stockton ethics commission, political consultant registry headed for broader council review

Proposed reforms would require campaign consultants to disclose their clients and establish an independent body to investigate ethics complaints, but questions remain about costs and oversight.

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Sep 25 • 6:33 PM EDT • Politics • stocktonia.org
Austin expands small business support with $2.18M for new programs

The Austin City Council advanced $2.18 million in funding for PeopleFund, Kiva and UT Austin to support local entrepreneurs and small businesses.

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Sep 25 • 4:00 PM EDT • Business • communityimpact.com
Councilmembers call for special hearing on Academy of Natural Sciences

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia will permanently close its museum after its final day open on Sept. 27.

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Sep 25 • 3:58 PM EDT • Science • nbcphiladelphia.com
North Little Rock expands Argenta Entertainment District

The North Little Rock City Council passed an ordinance on September 14 to expand the Argenta Entertainment District boundaries southward toward the riverfront to encourage hospitality and economic …

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Sep 25 • 1:36 PM EDT • Entertainment • kark.com
CARICOM endorses new Action Plan on Health and Climate Change developed with PAHO/WHO support

Ministers of Health from the Caribbean Community endorsed the regional framework during the 53rd Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development, Health (COHSOD-Health), in Washington, D.C.

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Sep 25 • 1:03 PM EDT • Health • paho.org
Research reveals the science behind the fight against infection | Science and Technology Facilities Council

An academic and industrial partnership has investigated the antimicrobial activity of two types of disinfectant, finding they are more effective when used together.

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Sep 25 • 12:05 PM EDT • Science • wired-gov.net
Reform small boat vote branded 'political stunt'

The leader of Portsmouth City Council denies his party does not oppose small boat crossings.

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Sep 25 • 11:37 AM EDT • Politics • yahoo.com
Demolition Proposed for Portions of the Business Block Ruins - Palisadian-Post

After months of an uneasy status quo with the stark remains of the historic but devastated Business Block building, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Park’s office is attempting to move forward with a plan to demolish and clear half the still-standing walls, while preserving the remaining portions to be incorporated in the site’s eventual redevelopment.… Keep reading

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Sep 25 • 10:20 AM EDT • Business • palipost.com
‘I’m not sleeping easy’: Uncertainty and unknowns prevail as candidates head into Portland’s second ranked choice council election

Two years after Portland's first ranked choice election, half of the council seats are back on the ballot. This time, candidates have a recent election to study – but they still can’t be sure what the lessons are.

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Sep 25 • 9:00 AM EDT • Politics • opb.org
Labour holds on to city seat after by-election

Political balance on the council remains the same with Lib Dems and Labour in a progressive alliance.

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Sep 25 • 7:16 AM EDT • Politics • yahoo.com
City Council approves grants to assist businesses located in construction zones

The pilot program uses $345,000 in American Rescue Plan funding to help small businesses survive disruptions.

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Sep 24 • 11:32 PM EDT • Business • news.azpm.org
Gardner council OKs plans for massive entertainment, education district. What’s next?

While the project is one step closer to reality, there are some details that will be ironed out next month. Here’s what to know.

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Sep 24 • 3:53 PM EDT • Entertainment • kansascity.com
Parking meter sale heads to full City Council after aldermen wring $75M from deal

A $2.53 billion transfer of Chicago’s parking meter system is poised for a final City Council vote after aldermen secured an upfront payout and a share of future profits.

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Sep 24 • 3:01 PM EDT • Business • chicagobusiness.com
From Congress to County Commissioner: Kentucky State Council Urges Multilevel Political Power

A packed room of IAM delegates attended the fall session of the Kentucky State Council in Calvert City, Ky. Local political candidates, who are running for positions like local commissioner to U.S. Congress, courted coveted labor votes in the IAM. The keynote speaker was retired IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger who talked about the importance

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Sep 24 • 2:18 PM EDT • Politics • goiam.org
Canadian business leader warns trade uncertainty risks 'capital chill' as USMCA talks drag on

Goldy Hyder, the CEO of the Business Council of Canada warns that ongoing uncertainty over the USMCA trade agreement risks creating a "capital chill" for investments.

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Sep 24 • 1:55 PM EDT • Business • foxbusiness.com
The Politics Hour: Montgomery County's trash and an RFK campus master plan heads to the D.C. Council

Montgomery County Council President Natali Fani-González on the future of the county's aging trash incinerator and Ward 5 D.C. Councilmember Zachary Parker on the Council's first legislative hearing of the fall.

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Sep 24 • 11:46 AM EDT • Politics • wamu.org
Is metascience being co-opted?

In July, the White House released a report that argued academia is deeply dysfunctional and in need of radical reform.Science: A New Golden Age sets out a litany of problems many academics will recognise: interminable waits for grants; short-term funding rather than support for longer, more ambitious projects; ballooning administrative requirements; pressure to publish, and many more. “The scientific machine is getting bogged down,” it says. At least on the face of it, Science: A New Golden Age is a triumph for the metascience movement, a loose-knit, global group of academics, philanthropists and think tankers that want far more testing and experimentation in how we fund public research and innovation. The report tells US research funders to set up internal metascience units to do just this. But it has also set alarm bells ringing that metascience is being conveniently deployed to help justify the defunding of US universities, which US vice president JD Vance has openly labelled “the enemy.” “Just because you have an issue with your plumbing in your house doesn't mean you light the entire house on fire and burn it to the ground,” said Colette Delawalla, chief executive of Stand Up for Science, a group campaigning against what it says are attacks on scientists by the Trump administration. No one is arguing that academia doesn’t need reform, but there’s debate over how far and how fast the system should be shaken up. Does public R&D need slow and steady evidence-based adjustment, or radical new experiments?One of the key arguments in Science: A New Golden Age is that there’s not enough funding for what it calls “mid-level” science: engineering-heavy projects that require tens of millions of dollars, involve ten to a hundred people, and last around five years. Such a project might develop a brain-computer interface for people with Alzheimer's disease, for example. As such, the US National Science Foundation (NSF) has already announced $1.5 billion to set up so-called X-Labs, effectively new research organisations to pursue breakthroughs in areas such as quantum sensing and new scientific instruments. Funding divertedBut there’s a catch: this money has squeezed NSF budgets for more traditional, fundamental research grants, Science reported in June, likely meaning less cash for university-based scientists. Science: A New Golden Age also makes various swipes at universities, accusing them of extracting overheads from scientists to fund administrative bloat. “We have become dependent on a narrow set of legacy institutions,” it says. The report doesn’t mention it, but the US government is simultaneously seeking greater powers over federal funding, which would allow political appointees at funding agencies to screen or cancel research grants mid-project. The White House is also seeking to slash the NSF’s budget by more than half in 2027, although similar cuts proposed for 2026 were blocked by Congress. Convenient hookThis has worried some that the metascience agenda could be misused as a kind of smokescreen to further weaken universities. James Wilsdon, executive director of the Research on Research Institute at University College London, said that the report contains lots of “interesting ideas” and agrees that in places, academia is a “pretty broken system.” But the risk is that metascience is being deployed as a “convenient hook” to support cuts and a “political land grab” to transfer grant power from scientists to political appointees in US funding agencies.So far, the metascience agenda hasn’t been seized on by radical right parties in Europe. But Wilsdon worries it will cross the Atlantic, politicising research reform efforts and making them more difficult to carry out. The report is already making some in Europe sceptical of the entire idea. “The system is not without flaws, but the metascience discussion is not likely to improve the system but rather to generate munition to undermine it,” said Claes de Vreese, a professor of AI and society at the University of Amsterdam. Peter Thiel protégéOfficially, Science: A New Golden Age has just one named author: Michael Kratsios, the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and a former chief of staff to Silicon Valley mogul Peter Thiel. He also served as chief financial officer of Thiel’s Clarium Capital Management. Since the 1990s, Thiel has criticised US universities for moving away from teaching what he views as the classic works of western civilisation, and drifting towards “anti-Western zealotry.” And since 2011, he has offered two-year fellowships of $250,000 to young people to skip or drop out of university, and instead start companies or pursue scientific research. “College can be good for learning about what’s been done before, but it can also discourage you from doing something new,” according to the Thiel Fellowships website. In other areas, the Trump administration has promoted academics with a longstanding interest in metascience. For example, the head of the National Institutes of Health, Jay Bhattacharya, in 2020 co-authored a study arguing the funder backs overly conservative proposals, although he achieved wider prominence as a critic of pandemic lockdowns. Careless talk costs fundingEven before the Trump administration embraced the metascience agenda, some metascientists privately wondered whether they should be careful not to overstate dysfunctions in academia, in case this gets used as ammunition against universities. But others think being cautious with criticism is pointless. After all, last year, the Trump administration sought to cut funding from US universities on an entirely different premise: supposed antisemitism on campus. “I don't think these governments need a technical metascientific excuse to attack the universities, they will want to do so anyway,” said Will Stone, a researcher at Science Works, a new think tank advocating for a “metascience revolution” in the UK. “I think researchers should report what they find, even when the findings may be used to advance policies they disagree with,” echoed Russell Funk, a researcher at the University of Minnesota, who in 2023 co-authored a highly influential paper that argued scientific papers were becoming less disruptive over time. No justificationThat said, Funk thinks that metascientific research certainly doesn’t justify a weakening of universities. Instead, scientists need “time, resources and stability to pursue unfamiliar ideas,” he said. “Taking away those conditions works against the very goal the reforms are supposed to achieve.”The Institute for Progress, a Washington DC-based innovation policy think tank that has championed X-Labs and metascience units, also says that reforms should complement, not supplant, universities. “Unpredictable, unreliable, and reduced federal funding to researchers is destabilising to the very foundations of research and development and is bad,” said Jenn Gustetic, the institute’s director of metascience and R&D policy.Evolution or revolution?This points to a much bigger divide in the metascience community: how far and how fast should public R&D be shaken up? Does it need evolution or revolution? For example, Science: A New Golden Age says the science system relies too heavily on traditional “workhorse” project grants, the type that pay out around $250,000 a year to fund “hypothesis-driven science by small teams on tractable questions.” However, in criticising project grants, the report “decisively picks one side of a debate that is far from settled,” David Hilmer Rex, a metascientist based in Denmark, has written. In June, Pierre Azoulay, a metascientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, defended project grants, saying that the alternative of X-Labs “merits scepticism.”A-B testingOne challenge in metascience is that it’s easier to generate evidence for some types of change than others. Most straightforwardly, research funders can run A-B tests on different ways of awarding money. For example, Germany’s Volkswagen Foundation recently trialled distributed peer review, where applicants rate each other’s proposals, and measured its results against traditional review panels. Distributed peer review made quicker decisions, although awarded money to largely different ideas. However, much of the focus of the metascience movement has been on founding fast-moving and free-acting new research organisations and funders, in contrast to the alleged stodginess of mainstream academia or public innovation grants. A culture of speed and freedom are the animating principles behind Germany’s Sprind or the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria).Related articlesViewpoint: it's time to experiment with how Europe funds science European researchers sound the alarm that Trump rule changes will hit cooperationHowever, while it’s possible to closely study previously successful bodies, such as the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa), for historical clues to their secret sauce, it’s impossible to guarantee in advance that the likes of Sprind or Aria will actually work as hoped. But advocates of new organisations say this inherent uncertainly shouldn’t stop us trying. “If we wait for definitive proof that something will work before we try it, I don't know where your proof is coming from,” said Stone. Trade-offsUp until now, experiments in metascience haven’t generally come with hard trade-offs over money. In the US, new ideas such as focused research organisations have often been funded by billionaire philanthropists. In Europe, new innovation agencies such as Sprind and Aria, or the Netherland’s new National Agency for Disruptive Innovation, haven’t needed explicit cuts elsewhere in the research system. But with the $1.5 billion establishment of X-Labs by the NSF, the trade-offs are becoming clearer. Some metascientists privately wonder whether a smaller pilot would have been more appropriate, given that the idea is untested. The Institute for Progress counters that the $1.5 billion X-Labs budget is spread out over a decade, so will account for less than 2% of the NSF’s annual budget. “It’s important to remember that [Darpa] was once an institutional experiment as well. Now it’s one of the most cited innovative funding models in the world,” said Gustetic.As for Europe?The US isn’t the only country placing metascience at the heart of its research strategy. Science: A New Golden Age looks admiringly at the UK, which in 2024 set up a Metascience Unit to scrutinise how it funds research. In Brussels, it’s more of a mixed picture. In 2018, the EU set up the European Innovation Council to funnel grants and equity to start-ups, although it’s sometimes criticised for awarding money too slowly. Recently, the council has started experimenting with challenges, where teams of inventors compete to overcome a technological challenge. The European Commission also wants to experiment with partially randomising grant winners, to cut down on bureaucracy. However, the Commission’s own advisers have said the EU’s own research schemes are too conventional. They want the Commission to establish a new dedicated unit to scrutinise and experiment with funding. But there’s no sign of a such unit emerging in Brussels’ plans for the next Horizon Europe programme, which from 2028 is set to distribute more than €160 billion over seven years. Sam Bogerd, director of breakthrough innovation at the Brussels-based Arq Foundation, an AI-focused think tank that also looks at metascience, says that Europe might have the opposite problem to the US: universities and basic research funding are still reasonably well supported, but there’s not enough experimentation. “We're not taking a close enough look at where this money can achieve the most, and I am worried that the good ideas around metascience will be tainted politically by their association with the Trump administration,” he said. He’s still lobbying for the Commission to set up an experimental unit. But in the meantime, the Arq Foundation plans to do its own research, and is currently hiring two metascience researchers to run the rule over how Brussels spends research funding.

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Sep 24 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net
EU science policy wonks debate prospect of stronger ties with Canada

Europe’s research and innovation sector has started asking questions on how European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s offer to make Canada “the first associate member of the EU” would actually work in practice, and who will get to shape priorities in a transatlantic relationship that is getting stronger. The Commission says it wants “a new model of association” under which the EU and Canada will aim to develop “a shared space” to face ongoing challenges. “Working in close coordination with our member states and the European Parliament, we will aim to create a new form of partnership that has not existed until now, building the closest imaginable form of association with a partner outside Europe,” a spokesperson told Science|Business.Locked in an escalating trade war with US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly talked of annexing Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney has been looking east, but full EU membership was never in play. Taking the floor a day after von der Leyen’s proposal, he agreed to strengthen ties under “an alliance of the future” but reined in enthusiasm on the new label. He also suggested expanding Canada’s involvement in the Erasmus+ student mobility scheme, to which it currently has limited access, and the next iteration of Horizon Europe. Canada joined the present Horizon Europe in 2024, but only contributes to collaborative projects.Neither side has detailed the next practical steps in developing this new relationship. “I think nobody at the moment truly knows how this will work,” said Michael Browne, chief executive and founder of Crowdhelix, a global collaborative network that connects players in research and innovation. “It’s more of a statement of intent for closer collaboration, which requires legislative frameworks and approval processes, which have not started.”Kurt Deketelaere, secretary general of the League of European Research Universities, said von der Leyen’s pitch to Canada is “politically significant, but the legal content still has to be negotiated and constructed.”Mattias Björnmalm, secretary general of the Cesaer university group, agreed that she had only opened “a political door” to Canada, as “associate membership does not come with a predefined set of rights in the EU institutions.”Not only does this status not currently exist as a legal category in the two treaties that set up how the EU functions, but the Commission president cannot unilaterally create a new category of EU membership.According to Deketelaere, Article 217 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, which allows the bloc to make association deals with non-EU countries involving reciprocal rights and duties, is “the most obvious existing legal basis for building a much deeper EU-Canada relationship.”Getting universities involvedNo matter how this new cooperation takes shape, Liviu Matei, who heads the School of Education, Communication and Society at King’s College London, hopes to see universities involved in discussions from an early stage.“Its primary motivations, entirely justifiably, are political and geopolitical,” he said. “In the area of higher education, however, restricting the initiative to political and geopolitical considerations would limit the scope of cooperation and lead to distorted frameworks and counterproductive implementation.”It is all the more important since academic interests on the two sides of the Atlantic are “neither identical nor fully aligned,” Matei added. “This is not insurmountable; it simply requires work to articulate the details of this privileged cooperation, including its governance and funding frameworks, as well as its substantive content in education and research.”Related articlesCanada looks to deepen research and education links with the EUZaharieva hopes for a Horizon Europe deal in 2026Canada might participate in European Research Council schemes, for example, which was not on offer in the present Horizon Europe association agreement. But “there would have to be something in it for the EU,” Browne said. “They don’t want to be funding projects outside of the EU where intellectual property is going to sit outside of the EU. There has to be some kind of transfer of knowledge.”But access to funding will not by itself resolve all the practical difficulties of working together, said Björnmalm. “For researchers and students, these include visas and residence arrangements, recognition of qualifications and study periods, and the conditions for pursuing a research career across borders,” he said. “For universities, there is scope for more predictable access to shared laboratories, computing and research data, and stronger support for joint doctoral training and long-term institutional partnerships.”Linda Doyle, provost and president of Trinity College Dublin, said Europe should strive for the “closest possible expression” of this new political alliance. “If Europe is serious about recovering its voice and its place in the world, it needs to be strongly allied with countries who share its values and its vision for a stable, rules-based, peaceful world.”

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Sep 24 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net
Business Briefs: Sept. 25, 2026

Western Mass EDC names new chief marketing officer SPRINGFIELD — The Western Mass Economic Development Council has named Justin Roberts as its new chief marketing officer. Roberts will work with President and CEO Aaron Vega to expand regional storytelling, increase collaboration among members and partners, and build a long-term marketing and communications strategy. Roberts brings […]

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Sep 24 • 7:10 AM EDT • Business • recorder.com
The Daily Mauling: 9/24/26

Kansas Jayhawks News Tre White seems to have an extra year of eligibility. Michael Swain if 247 writes about what it might mean for Kansas Speaking of guys from least year’s team wanting one more year of eligibility, here’s the latest on the Melvin Council, Jr Through the Phog writes that there’s a men’s basketball […]

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Sep 24 • 7:03 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Civic Committee sounds alarm on city finances ahead of budget

As Johnson and the City Council get ready for what promises to be another chaotic budget process, the Civic Committee weighs in with some friendly but stern advice.

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Sep 24 • 7:00 AM EDT • Business • chicagobusiness.com
Civic Committee sounds alarm on city finances ahead of budget

As Johnson and the City Council get ready for what promises to be another chaotic budget process, the Civic Committee weighs in with some friendly but stern advice.

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Sep 24 • 7:00 AM EDT • Politics • chicagobusiness.com
Blakeman pitches himself as Republican Democrats can back

Blakeman received an endorsement from former Council Member Bob Holden.

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Sep 23 • 7:50 PM EDT • Politics • ny1.com
Allina Health doctor strike: Union, hospital officials announce tentative agreement

Allina Health reached a tentative agreement with the Doctors Council-SEIU following three years of negotiations and a four-day strike last week.

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Sep 23 • 7:31 PM EDT • Health • fox9.com
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Casper Fire-EMS Department to donate pair of old firetrucks to Casper College fire science program

CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper Fire-EMS Department will donate two of its older fire engines to the Casper College fire science program. The firetrucks being

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Sep 23 • 6:14 PM EDT • Science • oilcity.news
NACFE Research: Business Economics drive EV terminal truck adoption over sustainability goals

/PRNewswire/ -- The North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) today announced the release of its new Collaboration report titled Beyond The Pilot:...

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Sep 23 • 5:54 PM EDT • Business • prnewswire.com
City of Lynchburg issues statement on noncompliance issues with Mason Lane Entertainment

Almost a day after members of Lynchburg City Council

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Sep 23 • 3:43 PM EDT • Entertainment • wset.com
Photos: Ashley Hinson visits Crescent Health Center

U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, visited the Crescent Community Health Center in Dubuque, Iowa on Wednesday morning. Hinson is campaigning against Iowa Rep. Josh Turek, D-Council Bluffs, for the open U.S. Senate seat, with just six weeks until the midterm elections. Staff at the center gave a tour to Hinson and a few of her...

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Sep 23 • 1:57 PM EDT • Health • dailyiowan.com
NJ Business Council for Childcare Launches to Strengthen NJ’s Workforce and Economy

ATLANTIC CITY — Today, the New Jersey Business Council for Childcare officially launched, bringing together some of the state’s most influential business organizations and employers to address childcare as a critical workforce and economic issue. Advised by Moms First, the statewide, business-led coalition includes the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA), New Jersey Chamber of[...]

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Sep 23 • 1:41 PM EDT • Business • insidernj.com
Ex-Charlotte City Council member announced new business days before prison sentence

Tiawana Brown pleaded guilty to a federal wire fraud charge.

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Sep 23 • 1:05 PM EDT • Business • wbtv.com
Cherry Hill sends $240,000 from opioid settlement to schools for mental health professional

Cherry Hill Township Council last week voted to make a $240,000 contribution to the district from the fund’s balance of about $764,000.

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Sep 23 • 1:04 PM EDT • Health • inquirer.com
‘Politics means caring for people’ says city council candidate Dina Ramaha

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – A recent voice in city council public comment, Dina Ramaha announced her campaign during the Fourth of July parade. Ramaha, who owns Three Pines Coffee and Conscious Mind Therapy, says...

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Sep 23 • 1:01 PM EDT • Politics • tahoedailytribune.com
More music, less red tape. Newark eases live entertainment regulations

The Newark City Council overturned a decades-old ban on live entertainment, paving the way for concert venues to open downtown.

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Sep 23 • 6:51 AM EDT • Entertainment • delawareonline.com
Reform and the UAE – a threat to British politics

By Alex Carlen The United Arab Emirates likes to present itself as part of the solution to the climate crisis. The oil-rich Gulf state has committed to Net Zero by 2050, hosted COP 28, and even declared “championing climate action” as one of three strategic objectives for this week’s session of the United Nations General Assembly. But behind the scenes the UAE has quietly built one of its closest political relationships in Europe with the party most hostile to climate action in Britain: Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. There is no evidence that the UAE is funding Reform. But a new FairSquare report, Petro-populism: the UAE–Reform threat, published today, documents a growing political relationship that should concern anyone interested in the integrity of British democracy. Reform’s leaders have embraced the UAE’s political model and promoted positions that align closely with the Emirati government’s priorities, while the UAE has given Farage and his party unusually warm access and public backing. What is emerging is not simply a relationship between British politicians and a wealthy Gulf state, but a channel through which an authoritarian government can cultivate political influence here, and abroad. Democracy for Sale relies on its readers. If you already support us, thanks so much. If you don’t, sign up to support fearless independent investigative journalism. Subscribe Back in January, Nigel Farage appeared at a GB News event in Dubai. On the 50th floor of a tower overlooking the luxury resorts and upscale residences of Palm Jumeirah, the Reform leader declared: “I want Clacton to look like this.” At the event – which Farage never declared on his official register of interests – senior Emirati officials mixed with British expats. Farage was keen to flatter. “We recognise you are our friends”, he said, assuring them that “a Brexit London, a Reform London, will remember you.” Controversy surrounding Reform’s finances and its susceptibility to foreign influence have centred around high-profile donations from billionaire crypto donors, and the jailing of Nathan Gill, Reform’s former leader in Wales, for accepting bribes to give pro-Russia speeches. Far less attention has been paid to Reform’s blossoming new alliance with the UAE, an oil-rich authoritarian state with a track record of ruinous anti-democratic interventions. Farage wasn’t always so fond of the UAE. Back in 2023 he called it an “absolute monarchy with an abysmal human rights record.” Now Reform’s hierarchy calls the UAE home. Deputy leader Richard Tice splits his time between his constituency and Dubai and has called on the UK to learn from the UAE. The party’s treasurer Nick Candy runs a firm which has been in partnership with a UAE-state linked firm since 2024. Nadhim Zahawi sits on the board of an Abu Dhabi think tank alongside an array of the most senior UAE officials and is reportedly close to three brothers of the country’s despotic ruler Mohammed Bin Zayed. Reform’s leading lights have effusively praised the UAE’s governance model, defended it from criticism, and advanced its political agenda in the UK. GB News, whose two major shareholders – the Legatum Foundation and Paul Marshall – have strong links to the UAE, has been more than happy to broadcast UAE propaganda and was forced to pay damages in 2025 after airing a false claim about a UK charity by the UAE “disinfluencer” Amjad Taha. The UAE has responded in kind. When the UAE Minister for Foreign Affairs conducted an official visit to the UK in May, Farage was the only non-government figure granted an audience. UAE state media publicised the meeting, and said that they discussed “the strategic relations between the two countries and ways to enhance them in a manner that serves mutual interests.” For the UAE these ‘mutual interests’ largely concern its paranoia over political Islam, and in this regard the UAE-Reform alliance is part of a broad and troubling pattern. Following a crackdown on dissent at home in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, the UAE has offered material and political support to a range of violent and authoritarian actors willing to oppose the Muslim Brotherhood with no regard for the consequences. Its meddling in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, and most notably Sudan, have been devastating. The UAE’s strategy of seeking out partners on the political fringes who it believes will advance its interests is not unique to Britain – it extends beyond the Middle East to Europe and the US. In France, it has offered clandestine support to Marine Le Pen through secret meetings, as well allegedly funding trips to the region after which Le Pen returned with a renewed focus on the UAE’s perceived enemies – Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood. Left-wing opposition leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon has accused the UAE of smearing him and of “encouraging discrimination, hatred or violence”. In the US, the UAE actively supported the rise of Donald Trump, establishing itself as a key ally during both his first and second terms. Around these relationships sits a wider ecosystem of figures willing to amplify UAE narratives, that even extends to Andrew Tate and Tommy Robinson. Subscribe In Britain, the UAE has used a combination of aggressive diplomacy and illicit, disruptive tactics to achieve its policy goal of eliminating any perceived threat from political Islam. In 2012, for instance, it threatened to block billion-pound arms deals with the UK and stop inward investment if David Cameron did not act against the Muslim Brotherhood and rein in the BBC’s coverage of the group – going so far as to suggest, with no supporting evidence, that the group had infiltrated the BBC. It has financed smear campaigns against a high-profile UK charity and funded a mercenary to secretly surveil, and possibly assassinate, a British national on British soil. In Reform UK, the UAE has finally found an ally willing to not only ban the Muslim Brotherhood, but to publicly vilify the group and repeat the UAE’s claims that dangerous Muslims are a fifth column in British society, a narrative that aligns with the Islamophobia and anti-immigration sentiments that underpin Reform’s populist politics. The Rycroft review into foreign interference concluded that “hostile states and non-state actors have a clear incentive to attempt to undermine UK democracy.” The UAE’s network and alliance with Reform must be understood within that framework. It is a powerful, disruptive and deeply authoritarian actor with the resources and networks to intervene in our politics, and a track-record of doing so in a multitude of other countries. The evidence of the threat the UAE poses is overwhelming. The question is whether parliamentarians are willing to call the UAE out and demand action using the tools that the government has to respond. Placing the UAE on the “Enhanced Tier” of the Foreign Registration scheme alongside Russia and Iran would send a powerful signal to the UAE that its meddling will no longer be tolerated, and would place Farage’s next trips to the UAE under the scrutiny they deserve. Alex Carlen is research and advocacy manager at London based human rights organisation FairSquare and author of its new report Petro-populism: the UAE–Reform threat. Subscribe

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Sep 23 • 6:50 AM EDT • Politics • democracyforsale.substack.com
Lynchburg Council members want answers to unpaid invoices from Mason Lane Entertainment

Several members of the council are pushing for answers as to why the group running the Lynchburg Amphitheater has not paid its current invoices.

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Sep 23 • 6:17 AM EDT • Entertainment • wset.com
Opinion: The consumate Atlantan is leaving the city for good

Cathy Woolard, former Atlanta City Council president, has relocated to North Carolina because of Atlanta's traffic, taxes and affordability. "I never thought I'd leave."

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Sep 23 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • ajc.com
A growing tool to help CT Latinas with postpartum mental health: Spanish-speaking doulas

The Hispanic Health Council, in collaboration with Hartford Hospital, launched its doula program to bridge access gaps after Connecticut Medicaid began reimbursing doulas for their work.

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Sep 23 • 5:00 AM EDT • Health • ctpublic.org
Covington Business Council’s Pat Frew is helping ‘drive the bus’ on a healthy business climate

By Andy Furman NKyTribune staff writer The Cincinnati Chapter of the American Marketing Association earlier this year named him a Marketing Legend. Some 30 years ago he was told he was best suited to…

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Sep 23 • 12:42 AM EDT • Business • nkytribune.com
Mobile eyes expansion of open-alcohol entertainment districts

Mobile City Council members on Tuesday expressed support for a proposal to expand the downtown entertainment districts, but some voiced concerns over lax enforcement of the rules regarding alcohol outside.

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Sep 22 • 7:07 PM EDT • Entertainment • fox10tv.com
Portland Police chief accused of violating state law by criticizing city councilor’s past tweets

Did Portland Police Chief Bob Day break the law when he criticized a city councilor last week? That’s a question several Portlanders are asking state officials to answer.

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Sep 22 • 6:22 PM EDT • Politics • opb.org
Astroparticle physicist Matthew Szydagis on UAP science

Ross Coulthart and astroparticle physicist Matthew Szydagis talk about the UAP Science Advisory Council, declassification requests, testing of Art’s Parts samples and who has been harassing S…

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Sep 22 • 5:00 PM EDT • Science • newsnationnow.com
Common Council moving forward with proposed 2-year data center moratorium

A full Buffalo Common Council vote on the moratorium is now set for next Tuesday.

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Sep 22 • 4:33 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Washington approves Business Development District, with a quarter-percent sales tax increase

Washington is establishing a Business Development District. The City Council has approved the district, which runs along Washington Road from Washington Plaza to Wilmor Road.

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Sep 22 • 3:06 PM EDT • Business • wcbu.org
Velocity Arts targets 2029 opening for Gardner entertainment campus

Gardner City Council approves Velocity Arts' $1.55 billion entertainment campus with concert pavilion, hotel and esports arena planned for 2029 opening.

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Sep 22 • 2:56 PM EDT • Entertainment • bizjournals.com
Cheyenne Audubon says proposed business park addition threatens important bird area

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Cheyenne City Council's Public Services Committee advanced a handful of ordinances to annex and zone Laramie County land for

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Sep 22 • 2:01 PM EDT • Business • capcity.news
Former Charlotte City Council member sentenced in COVID-19 fraud case

A judge sentenced former Charlotte city council member Tiawana Brown to 10 months in federal prison.

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Sep 22 • 2:00 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
NSSF’s Lawrence Keane Appointed to Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation and Access Council

WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, celebrates the appointment of Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF’s Senior Vice President & General Counsel, to the Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation and Access Council (HSSCAC). The Council will provide the U.S. Secretary of the Interior and the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture with advice regarding the establishment […]

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Sep 22 • 10:38 AM EDT • Sports • nssf.org
Rula Health Launches Rula CARES, External Council for AI Ethics and Safety in Behavioral Health

/PRNewswire/ -- Rula Health, a nationwide behavioral health provider ("Rula") delivering accessible, high-quality care, today announced the formation of the...

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Sep 22 • 9:00 AM EDT • Health • prnewswire.com
Newark City Council loosens restrictions on downtown live entertainment

It's been well over a generation since music legends like Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles, Hall & Oates, and the Dave Matthews Band played at Newark's legendary Stone Balloon, but a

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Sep 22 • 5:30 AM EDT • Entertainment • wdel.com
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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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Sep 22 • 3:04 AM EDT • Politics • eastisread.com
Belton holds public hearing on $250 million in tax breaks for entertainment district

Belton City Council is holding a public hearing Tuesday regarding its major Uptown Development District, for the issuance of $250 million in tax breaks to fund the project over a 20-year period.

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Sep 22 • 1:05 AM EDT • Entertainment • kshb.com
Washington city council approves creation of business development district

WASHINGTON, Ill. - Washington has a new tool to help with economic development. The city council unanimously a...

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Sep 21 • 9:01 PM EDT • Business • wmbdradio.com
Prepping Now for Small Business Saturday 2026 and the Holiday Season - Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council

By Barbara Weltman – Small Business Saturday this year is November 28, the first Saturday after Thanksgiving (November 26). The day follows what’s come to be known as Black Friday. November 30, is Cyber Monday. All in all, small business owners and their teams have a busy extended weekend to plan for. Many small businesses report […]

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Sep 21 • 8:13 PM EDT • Business • sbecouncil.org
Mobile council to consider expanding entertainment district around Regions Arena
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Sep 21 • 6:28 PM EDT • Entertainment • mynbc15.com
Health Ministers of the Americas to meet in Washington to address the Region’s leading public health challenges

The highest health authorities in the Americas will discuss new strategies on health emergencies, antimicrobial resistance, arboviral diseases, and food safety.Washington, D.C., 21 September 2026 (PAHO) – Ministers of Health and other high-level authorities from across the Americas will gather from 28 September to 2 October 2026 at the headquarters of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Washington, D.C., for the 63rd PAHO Directing Council and other governance meetings.

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Sep 21 • 3:38 PM EDT • Health • paho.org
Youth sports can help African countries build a legacy of champions

African countries possess plenty of raw sporting talent. But replicable success is produced by systems.

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Sep 21 • 2:44 PM EDT • Sports • atlanticcouncil.org
WAMU's Week Ahead: Postpartum mental health, week two of the Trayon White trial, National Museum of African American History's 10-year anniversary

This week WAMU will be checking in on what resources there are for mothers experiencing postpartum mental illness, the second week of D.C. Councilmember Trayon White's federal bribery trial and what the National Museum of African American History and Culture is cooking up for its 10th anniversary celebrations.

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Sep 21 • 12:12 PM EDT • Health • wamu.org
Small Business Using AI are Hiring Faster - Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council

By Rieva Lesonsky – A report from Gusto by Nich Tremper and Tom Bowen found that small businesses increasingly use AI to build and grow their companies. Almost two-thirds of startups used AI to make their launch easier. Small businesses are using AI to increase productivity and grow revenue. And companies that embraced the technology […]

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Sep 21 • 11:56 AM EDT • Business • sbecouncil.org
Business district expansion proposal

The Spokane City Council is extending improvements on East Sprague Ave. and moving the parking and business improvement area further west.

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Sep 21 • 11:41 AM EDT • Business • khq.com
Opinion | Could a political newcomer reshape the Huntsville City Council?

With a low-turnout runoff on Tuesday, a single issue could be the difference in the Huntsville City Council race.

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Sep 21 • 8:58 AM EDT • Politics • alreporter.com
Does more funding mean rural buses are back in business?

A rise in bus miles with council funding might be starting to reverse the reduction in services.

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Sep 21 • 1:25 AM EDT • Business • bbc.com
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MALAYSIA HEALTHCARE DEEPENS BANGLADESH PRESENCE AS MEDICAL TOURISM DEMAND GROWS

/PRNewswire/ -- Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) deepened its engagement in Bangladesh through Malaysia Healthcare Week in Bangladesh, held from 16 to...

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Sep 20 • 10:41 PM EDT • Health • prnewswire.com
Inter Miami’s Nu Stadium to host 2027 Women’s Champions Cup

Inter Miami’s Nu Stadium will stage the 2027 Women’s Champions Cup. Miami had been announced as the hosts for the final phase of the competition, contested by the reigning continental champions from each confederation (UEFA, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC and AFC) in a calendar year, by the FIFA Council in April. World football’s governing body and Inter Miami confirmed on Saturday that the MLS side’s newly-opened stadium would hold the semi-finals, bronze medal match and final in January 2027. Th

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Sep 20 • 1:16 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Letter to the Editor: Nasty politics have come to Flagstaff

Nasty politics come home to Flagstaff? An ugly mailer from our Chamber of Commerce features wild deceptions about council member Austin Aslan's record.

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Sep 20 • 11:00 AM EDT • Politics • azdailysun.com