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U.S. Small Business Employment Rate Remains Steady in September

Positive weekly earnings and hours worked growth trends continueROCHESTER, N.Y., Sept. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch, which reports on employment levels in U.S. small businesses with fewer than 50 employees, the pace of job growth increased 0.02 percentage points to 99.15 in September. The jobs index remained broadly in line with the 2026 year-to-date average of 99.19. Hourly earnings growth remained below three percent in September (2.78%)

Sep 29 • 8:30 AM EDT • Business • finance.yahoo.com

CT Business Blend: Sept. 21, 2026

Hartford Business Journal’s Greg Bordonaro and WTIC’s Brian Shactman explore the people, companies and trends shaping Connecticut’s business scene every Monday at 8:30 a.m. on WTIC 1080 AM.

Sep 21 • 10:39 AM EDT • Business • hartfordbusiness.com

Trendiana: New businesses in historic buildings

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Sep 29 • 11:22 AM EDT • Business • insideindianabusiness.com

AAPS PharmSci 360 Offers Fresh Insights for Industry Scientists

Drug Discovery and Development covers strategies and technologies related to pharmaceutical research and development and drug formulation.

Oct 1 • 4:00 AM EDT • Science • drugdiscoverytrends.com

Travel Health Insurance Requirement Implemented

As of October 6, 2026, all travelers to Kenya must obtain travel health insurance through the government-sanctioned provider prior to entry and must present proof of coverage upon arrival. The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) portal (for ETA-eligible nationals) and the eCitizen portal (for non-ETA-eligible nationals) have been updated with this requirement. The insurance costs approximately USD 44 and is valid for one year, including for repeat trips to Kenya during the insurance policy's validity period. Previously, travelers could rely on private or employer-provided health insurance and did not need to provide proof of coverage before entering the country. This change will not affect the above applicants' processing times. However, travelers should obtain the required insurance before traveling to avoid delays or bars to entry. Notably, Tanzania recently adopted a similar mandatory inbound travel insurance requirement, potentially signaling an emerging trend in the East African region.

Oct 9 • 9:36 AM EDT • Health • fragomen.com

2 promising trends for Panthers going into SNF vs. Lions

It might be hard to believe right now, but the Panthers have a few good things going for them heading into tonight's showdown with the Lions.

Oct 4 • 10:15 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

GTA VI Writers Sidestep Trump and MAGA, as Rockstar’s Rupert Humphries Says Florida Satire Targets Conspiracy Theories Instead

Rockstar said there won't be any references to specific trends or persons in GTA VI, as the game focuses on stuff like conspiracy theories.

Oct 5 • 10:00 AM EDT • Technology • wccftech.com

The Best Brighton XI of the last 11 seasons

A recent social media trend has seen fans pick out one player from each of the last eleven seasons to build an ultimate starting lineup for their club. Today we attempt this trend for Brighton and Hove Albion.

Sep 24 • 9:37 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Best fragrances and scents to wear in fall 2026

This fall, popular fragrance trends will include dark and woodsy perfumes, warm spices like nutmeg and cardamom, and gourmands beyond pumpkin.

Sep 25 • 10:58 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com

Science confirms ‘Move in Silence’ trend might be the smartest way to achieve your goals

TikTok's "Move in Silence" trend is backed by real psychology, and NYU research shows why staying quiet helps you succeed.

Oct 4 • 2:21 PM EDT • Science • yahoo.com

Experts say a heart-healthy diet is more about consistency than chasing trends

A new ACC scientific statement looks at how eating well can help with the prevention and management of CVD. Plant-based foods as well as healthy fats and proteins are recommended over foods high in refined starches, added sugars and unhealthy fats.

Sep 30 • 5:30 PM EDT • Health • cardiovascularbusiness.com

The Oral Microbiome Trend Is Going Mainstream and the Science Behind It Is Compelling

Prebiotic toothpastes and microbiome rinses are going mainstream and dentists say the science backs them up.

Oct 2 • 1:00 PM EDT • Science • charlotteobserver.com

Can you live longer for $5,500? Longevity clinics are the buzzy new trend at nonprofit hospitals

Longevity clinics promise personalized health advice and cutting-edge tests. Now major hospitals are entering the business, at costs reaching $45,000 a year.

Oct 6 • 4:30 AM EDT • Health • statnews.com

Blizzard Cracks Down on Gold Selling in World of Warcraft Forever — and Streamers Are in the Firing Line

World of Warcraft: Classic has had a gold selling problem for its entire existence, but with Forever, Blizzard seems hard-set on reversing that trend, and some streamers are getting caught in the act.

Oct 1 • 11:23 AM EDT • Technology • ign.com

Rico Dowdle misses practice again

It is trending toward Rico Dowdle missing Week 4.

Sep 29 • 7:42 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Bellingham's business closures more of a churn than a trend, industry onlookers say

Full-service restaurants hurting most. But when one place closes, another opens up

Sep 25 • 12:00 AM EDT • Business • cascadiadaily.com

Record-high diesel prices squeezing small business margins amid Middle East tensions

U.S. Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler discusses new SBA capital initiatives and Gen-Z business trends as diesel prices hit record highs.

Sep 21 • 8:51 AM EDT • Business • foxbusiness.com

Wildfire Smoke Is an Escalating Public Health Crisis

Wildfires produce immense smoke and chemicals that can impact the health of individuals across cities. Discover global wildfire trends and how to prepar...

Sep 23 • 12:09 PM EDT • Health • iqair.com

The Science Behind a Simple Headache Trick People Swear By

A viral trend promoting the placement of hair claw clips on eyebrows has captivated millions seeking fast headache relief without prescription drugs. If you have spent any time scrolling social media lately, you have probably spotted people clamping plastic claw clips directly onto their faces. It looks like an eccentric comedy sketch, but videos demonstrating this unusual trick have racked up more than 9 million views. Desperate headache sufferers are flooding comment sections, calling the clip

Oct 4 • 11:26 AM EDT • Science • health.yahoo.com

5 odd wellness trends people have sworn by

Bodog reports on five bizarre wellness trends, including the tapeworm diet and radium wellness, highlighting their high costs and health risks.

Oct 5 • 12:00 PM EDT • Health • mesabitribune.com

Some Hollywood stars retreat from political debate

'The Big Money Show' panel discusses the growing trend of Hollywood A-listers, including Glen Powell and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, choosing to stay out of political discourse to avoid dividing audiences.

Oct 8 • 2:15 PM EDT • Politics • foxbusiness.com

'Alarming' - does WSL have a homegrown problem?

The London City Lionesses raised eyebrows with no English players in their starting line up against Manchester United, but is there a wider trend?

Sep 22 • 2:40 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Top Workplaces 2026: Benefit winners buck health insurance trends

As premium prices jump, many Top Workplaces are doing their best to shield workers from the storm.

Sep 27 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • oregonlive.com

The Betting Trends Shaking Up The NFL After Three Weeks

NFL Week 3 betting trends: who is hot, who is down and who is making moves that are shaping the market as the season heads into Week 4.

Sep 30 • 8:13 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Trilliant Health Releases Its 2026 Trends Shaping the Health Economy Report

BRENTWOOD, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 6, 2026--

Oct 6 • 6:02 AM EDT • Health • rutlandherald.com

Earth life support systems are flashing red, warns 2026 Planetary Health Check

Human activities continue eroding the planet’s stability, resilience and life-support functions, the third edition of the Planetary Health Check released in September warns. The “scary” part of the 2026 report, says lead co-author Levke Caesar, is that the trends are largely going in the wrong direction. “We still have seven out of the nine planetary […]

Sep 24 • 9:55 AM EDT • Health • news.mongabay.com

Pet Spending Is Dropping, and Veterinarians May Need to Rethink Their Business

New AVMA data reveal 89 million dogs, 77 million cats and declining pet spending. Here's what the 2026 trends mean for veterinary practices.

Oct 10 • 12:45 PM EDT • Business • myvetcandy.com

The Pixel Watch 5's Blood Pressure And Insulin Resistance Trends Are Rolling Out This Week

The first trend reports for the health data will be available in early October.

Sep 24 • 1:00 PM EDT • Technology • engadget.com

The Low-Cortisol Workout Trend Is Going Viral and Here Is What the Science Actually Says

Should you swap HIIT for low-cortisol workouts? Here is what exercise scientists actually say.

Sep 22 • 1:45 PM EDT • Science • newsobserver.com

County Council to hear from MoCo health officer on ‘concerning’ youth mental health trends

Plus: Public hearings on proposed expansion of tenant fire protections, relaxed requirements for accessory dwelling units

Oct 6 • 10:00 AM EDT • Health • bethesdamagazine.com

GTA 6 devs tried "not to jump on the bandwagon" of passing trends and instead created their "own slanted, overblown versions"

Grand Theft Auto 6 developers knew development would take "years and years," so avoiding trends was important in making the game "feel vital" come launch.

Oct 5 • 4:14 PM EDT • Technology • eurogamer.net

#TenYearsAgo in Health Law - Petrie-Flom Center

Since January 2026, the “10 years ago” viral trend on social media — fueled by nostalgia and literal rose-colored glasses (ok, filters) — has tried to remind us of the allegedly simpler times of 2016.

Oct 5 • 12:19 PM EDT • Health • petrieflom.law.harvard.edu

Take part in Palmer Group’s 2027 salary survey

Palmer Group is seeking input from Iowa business leaders for its 2027 Annual Salary Guide, which will examine hiring plans, compensation trends and workforce priorities for the coming year. The four-question, multiple-choice survey takes less than 5 minutes to complete and will be available to complete through Oct. 2. Responses will be kept confidential and…

Sep 21 • 12:19 PM EDT • Business • businessrecord.com

What will be classed as a successful season under Glasner?

Will: What do you think represents success for Glasner this season? If we trend as we are into Christmas, do you think the owner will look to replace him, or will Glasner be given the full season regardless, assuming we're not close to relegation? Nick: After last season, Forest desperately need stability, and it would be a huge surprise to see the manager leave, unless it is an irretrievable situation.

Sep 30 • 4:26 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

From paleo to intermittent fasting: are any diets actually good for us?

As diet trends proliferate on social media, it can be hard to work out which are backed by science and which should be ignored. From paleo to keto, raw food to intermittent fasting, each attracts a tribe of ardent followers. Now Daniel Lieberman, professor of biological sciences at Harvard University, has written a book to try to cut through the noise. In Fed Up, he uses his background as an evolutionary anthropologist to scrutinise the evidence, turning himself into a guinea pig in the process and trying various diets. In this podcast, he tells Ian Sample which one has remained part of his routine

Sep 22 • 12:29 PM EDT • Science • theguardian.com

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.

Sep 21 • 9:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • finance.yahoo.com

Doctors Are Revealing Alarming Health Trends They're Seeing In Gen Z Patients

Turns out a few tiny changes in behavior can prevent some BIG issues down the road.

Oct 3 • 7:31 PM EDT • Health • yahoo.com

Madison Square Garden Entertainment (NYSE:MSGE) Meets Minervini Trend Template and High Growth Momentum Criteria

MSGE passes Minervini Trend Template and High Growth Momentum screens with strong relative strength, a 9/10 technical rating, and breakout potential.

Sep 22 • 5:30 AM EDT • Entertainment • chartmill.com

'It has become very dire in a lot of places': New map reveals exactly where humans are adding and removing precious fresh water on Earth

A new high-resolution map of global freshwater trends between 2002 and 2025 has sharpened scientists' understanding of how humans are using and displacing our most precious resource.

Sep 23 • 10:44 AM EDT • Science • livescience.com

Commentary: Not even Tom Cruise could save ‘Digger’

Continuing a concerning trend for Warner Bros. in 2026, its latest release is buried in a financial hole no film can escape. Alejandro González Iñárritu’s "Digger" arrived over the weekend

Oct 9 • 11:04 AM EDT • Entertainment • recorderonline.com

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

Sep 22 • 6:03 AM EDT • Health • jenndowd.substack.com

'Flew Here Grew Here' talks trending entertainment topics

Olivier Martinez claims Halle Berry assaulted their 12-year-old son, Maceo, alleging she choked him and yelled "Who is dominant now?"

Oct 5 • 11:34 AM EDT • Entertainment • fox5atlanta.com

AMC Entertainment: This Time, Fundamentals Support The Surge

AMC Entertainment has had a very volatile history, driven by volatile box office trends and very high debt. Click here to read this AMC stock update.

Sep 30 • 4:51 PM EDT • Entertainment • seekingalpha.com

CT Business Blend: Sept. 28, 2026

Hartford Business Journal’s Greg Bordonaro and WTIC’s Brian Shactman explore the people, companies and trends shaping Connecticut’s business scene every Monday at 8:30 a.m. on WTIC 1080 AM.

Sep 28 • 10:35 AM EDT • Business • hartfordbusiness.com

6 Gut Health Hacks That Just Don’t Live Up to the Hype

There are some legit ways to make your gut very happy—but these trends aren’t it.

Sep 24 • 2:41 PM EDT • Health • prevention.com

ESPN evaluates surprising early-season Lions trend

ESPN thinks Jameson Williams' early-season trend with the Lions is a mirage.

Sep 24 • 2:45 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Doctors Are Revealing Alarming Health Trends They're Seeing In Gen Z Patients

Oct 3 • 7:31 PM EDT • Health • ca.style.yahoo.com

New York-based Blank Street Coffee coming to Chicago

New York-based Blank Street Coffee plans to open a 2,300-square-foot store in Wicker Park at 1588 N. Milwaukee Ave., the trendy chain's first Chicago outpost.

Sep 30 • 1:32 PM EDT • Business • chicagobusiness.com

Kentucky flu cases trending up as health departments stock up on vaccines

Statewide flu numbers are trending up slightly, while COVID-19 cases are flattening out after an earlier increase.

Oct 1 • 10:21 PM EDT • Health • wkyt.com

NH's Business: What do New Hampshire and New England economies look like this fall?

Brian Gottlob, director of the New Hampshire Economic and Labor Information Bureau, looks at employment trends, inflation, consumer spending and more.

Sep 28 • 11:59 AM EDT • Business • wmur.com

✂️ Coach cracks down: top nation banned from the barber!

Modern footballers are certainly known for sporting extravagant looks and occasionally setting one hairstyle trend or another.Here and there, however, the pros seem to spend a little too much time on ...

Sep 25 • 8:23 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Global Science Market Entering High-Growth Phase According To Latest Research By The Business Research

The Business Research Company's Science Market Report 2026 – Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2026-2035

Oct 7 • 10:45 AM EDT • Science • einnews.com

‘No brainer’: Growing trend of Chinese tourists booking business-class flights

Chinese holidaymakers are increasingly upgrading to ‘premium travel’ to make their well-earned leisure time more pleasurable, say insiders.

Oct 3 • 9:00 AM EDT • Business • scmp.com

Early voting data shows emerging signs of a Democratic advantage in the midterms

Election Day is still a month away, but more than 550,000 Americans have already voted across 29 states. There are signs emerging of the advantage Democrats have in motivating their voters – a trend that’s played out in polling all summer long.

Oct 1 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com

Cowboys Aren't Interested In Buying Other Sports Teams, Jones Says

The Dallas Cowboys, the most valuation sports team in the world, are not interested in owning another sports franchise, bucking a recent trend.

Sep 25 • 12:16 PM EDT • Business • sportico.com

Blood sugar spikes are not necessarily bad for you

It's trendy to be concerned about blood sugar spikes, but these can be a normal response to eating. Here's when you don't need to worry.

Oct 6 • 4:39 AM EDT • Health • bbc.com

Fibermaxxing is trending. Here’s what the science says

Fiber is the new protein. Here's what dietitians say about fiber, health and the "fibermaxxing" social media trend.

Oct 9 • 1:00 PM EDT • Science • san.com

Holy Cross Health Opens $41 Million Deerfield Beach Center and Breaks Ground in Fort Lauderdale

Leaders, supporters and community members gather to celebrate the ribbon cutting of Holy Cross Health Center & Emergency Care – Deerfield Beach. Credit: Downtown Photo Holy Cross Health is at the forefront of one of the hottest emergency department (ED) trends by embedding freestanding EDs and multispecialty health centers in communities they didn’t previously have […]

Sep 24 • 8:25 AM EDT • Health • southfloridahospitalnews.com

Revamped Data Tool IDs Trends In Mental Health, Substance Use Among CT Residents

The portal is designed to provide researchers, journalists, and community members statewide with streamlined access to mental health and substance use data through interactive visualizations and centralized resources.

Sep 25 • 5:00 AM EDT • Health • ctnewsjunkie.com

Google rolling out blood pressure & insulin resistance, more on Pixel Watch 3, 4, 5

As previewed during last month’s Pixel Watch 5 launch, Google is now starting to roll out blood pressure trends, insulin resistance trends...

Sep 24 • 1:00 PM EDT • Technology • 9to5google.com

FOX54 News Huntsville

FOX54 News - Huntsville - The FOX54 News Team brings you local and national news, weather, sports, and VERIFY fact-checking on the latest trending topics, from elections to COVID-19 to online scams. Watch the FOX54 News Team Monday-Friday at 5:30 p.m. and every night at 9:00 p.m. We reserve the right to moderate or remove comments that are hateful, contain inappropriate language, or violate YouTube community guidelines. Keep it civil, folks.

Oct 9 • 7:28 PM EDT • Business • youtube.com

Sphere Entertainment declines 14%, hits multi-month low

SPHR stock plunged 14% to a 6-month low as short interest stays high and ticketing trends blur.

Oct 5 • 4:50 PM EDT • Entertainment • seekingalpha.com

Who do Titans fans want in the 2027 NFL Draft?

Here we are talking about the NFL Draft in October for the third straight year. Mike Borgonzi and the Tennessee Titans have to find a way to buck that trend this offseason. The NFL is set up for teams to reload quickly. The Titans just haven’t been able to do that. It sucks. This week, […]

Oct 4 • 8:22 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Volleyball Stays Perfect at Home after Dominant Weekend

If you aren’t already, you should be paying more attention to Jackets Volleyball, because unlike the other ball-centric sport on the Flats right now, they are, well, good. The squad opened ACC play with a bang, cruising to straight-set victories over both Virginia and Virginia Tech. The performance continues the trend of home dominance on […]

Sep 30 • 11:36 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Michigan State’s New Uniform Comes With a Bizarre Warning

Michigan State will wear black-white-black against Wisconsin, but a bizarre scoring trend involving the Spartans' black uniforms comes with it.

Oct 2 • 11:55 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

AI, outrage, walls and killing — a busy week

Like most older folks, I’m a tad nervous about the whole artificial intelligence trend. But don’t worry, everything will be OK because our current president, obsessed with gold-trimmed minutiae, gave a speech at the United Nations, of all places, to announce we should now stop using the term “AI” and start using “SI” for “super […]

Sep 29 • 3:00 AM EDT • Politics • coloradopolitics.com

Business owners harassed as teens participate in online trend; mayor, police issue warning

Oct 5 • 11:19 PM EDT • Business • yahoo.com

How an entrepreneur followed what's trending to build an 8-figure business

Mike Burnett has had a nearly three-decade run an entrepreneur and small business owner. He unpacks the secrets to business longevity.

Sep 25 • 5:45 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com

Commentary: What I learned from reading over 200 Alabama political campaign sites

Amid the posed photos, posturing and ceaseless quests for the center, at least five trends in state elections emerged.

Oct 5 • 5:59 AM EDT • Politics • alabamareflector.com

WWE's Michael Cole refuses to dip his toe into political waters, bucking trend among sports broadcasters

Michael Cole explains why he never makes political statements during WWE broadcasts, calling himself an actor playing a role in scripted entertainment.

Oct 9 • 7:02 AM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com

How Americans’ Financial Health Is Faring In The “K-Shaped” Economy

Hey all, Jason here. Money20/20 is still two weeks away, but I’ve already started packing (not procrastinating for once!). My calendar is already filling up with various sessions I want to catch, meetings, and of course happy hours, dinners, and other side events. If you’ll be in Vegas and want to catch up, let me know by replying to this email, and we can try to find a time amidst the chaos of the Venetian. A big if not totally unexpected piece of news dropped on Friday: the Independent Community Bankers of America, a trade group that represents smaller U.S. banks, filed a lawsuit against the OCC and Comptroller Jonathan Gould, arguing that the regulator’s move to grant trust bank charters to firms seeking to use them to conduct substantial non-fiduciary activities exceeds the authorities granted to the OCC by Congress. I haven’t had time to fully digest the legal filing or speak to folks in my network about it, but you can expect to see coverage and analysis on it in next week’s newsletter. Subscribe or Support by Upgrading The NerdCon agenda just dropped. It’s stacked. Partner content: Nubank built an AI-first bank. Chime built its own banking core. Figure and Valon are rebuilding the mortgage stack. At NerdCon, you’ll hear from the people behind those bets: what they chose, what they learned, and what they’re still figuring out. The agenda is live, with leaders from Nubank, Chime, OpenAI, Remitly, Mercury, Figure, Valon and more. Follow the mainstage conversations, bring the problem your team is wrestling with to a hands-on workshop, or pull up a chair at a roundtable. Pick your quests. Meet us in San Diego, November 18–20. Fintech Business Weekly readers save 20% with code FBW20. Explore the Agenda Things To Know & Other Good Reads Federal Reserve Board finalizes changes to enhance the transparency and public accountability of its stress test and reduce volatility in its stress test-related capital requirements (Federal Reserve Board of Governors) FDIC Announces Conclusion of Independent Monitorship (FDIC) Modernizing Financial Regulation: Initial Observations from eSLR (Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman) The Data Version of Godzilla versus Kong: FRED Takes on AI (Fed Governor Christopher Waller) Financing the AI buildout (Brookings) Q3’26: Rules for Banks but Not for Crypto (Fintech Takes Banking) The Inevitability of Local Stablecoins (Lombard Notes) Delusions of AI Governance: The Human-in-the-Loop Comfort Blanket (Fintech Snark Tank) Stripe agrees to acquire Parafin to expand revenue opportunities for platforms and help small businesses grow (Stripe) Listen: Fighting Fraud in the Age of AI, with SEON’s Tamas Kadar (Fintech Business Weekly) How Americans’ Financial Health Is Faring In The “K-Shaped” Economy If there is one overarching theme across the economy and politics in the U.S. at the moment, it’s “affordability.” The term is vague enough to encompass a panoply of factors shaping Americans’ day-to-day lives: rising costs for the hallmarks of being “middle class,” including healthcare, housing, childcare, and education, inflation and rising interest rates, and a job market with the specter of AI hovering over it. At the same time, policy shifts under the Trump administration have resulted in reduced subsidies to those who get health insurance under the Affordable Care Act and new restrictions on qualifying for Medicaid and SNAP, the impacts of which have yet to be fully felt. These factors are contributing to declining consumer confidence and general dissatisfaction with the economy, despite continuing GDP growth and stock market records. This divergence is encapsulated in the idea of the “K-shaped” economy, in which a small proportion of Americans have seen their wealth balloon, while the majority of American households struggle to preserve the lifestyle they have. Perhaps the greatest determinant of which branch of the “K” a household is on is whether their wealth and income are primarily derived from employment vs. from assets. Nearly two decades of low interest rates and, more recently, elevated rates of inflation have benefited asset owners, while those whose income is primarily or solely derived from labor have largely seen real purchasing power stagnate or decline. This is reflected in recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing that labor share of U.S. GDP — the fraction of economic output that accrues to workers as compensation in exchange for their labor — dropped to just 52.8% in Q2 2026, the lowest since the BLS began keeping records. In 1947, approximately 2/3rds of economic output accrued to workers; even as recently as 2001, labor’s share of GDP was 64.1%. Against this backdrop, we’ve seen the rise of more credit and credit-like products: cash advance apps, “no-fee” overdraft, earned wage access, and buy now pay later, which are often used as small-dollar short-term borrowing mechanisms to meet immediate consumption needs or pay other bills (eg utilities, cell phone, other debt payments). With the markers of a middle class existence and, increasingly, basic financial stability seemingly out of reach for many, it should be no surprise there’s been an increase in “financial nihilism,” something industry peers like Alex Johnson and Frank Rotman have discussed and analyzed the roots of. The explosion of gambling and gambling-adjacent products and services — often marketed under the guise of being an “investment” — is inextricably intertwined with the rise of financial nihilism. Crypto, sports betting, and, more recently, prediction markets offer an escape or even hope of sorts, like a contemporary, digital version of a scratch-off lottery ticket, while leaving the overwhelming number of people who use such products worse off. Share of Households That Are Financially “Vulnerable” Ticks Up The Financial Health Network’s 2026 Financial Health Pulse® report adds context on how American households are faring. (I linked to this report in last week’s newsletter, but wanted to take time to further unpack the data in the report this week.) The Financial Health Network publishes the report annually, providing insight into how Americans’ financial circumstances are changing over time. The 2026 report is derived from a survey fielded in April and May 2026. The report leverages survey responses to assess indicators of financial health across spending, saving, borrowing, and planning/protecting and to determine a zero to 100 “FinHealth” score. Those with scores between 0 and 39 are considered “Financially Vulnerable,” consumers with scores ranging between 40 and 79 are defined as “Financially Coping,” and those with scores of 80 to 100 are “Financially Healthy.” The report found that moderate improvements in 2025 were reversed, with the share of respondents considered financially “vulnerable” rebounding to 17%. The longitudinal data reflect the impact of pandemic-era programs, like expanded unemployment, cash stimulus payments, and pauses of federal student loan payments. The positive impacts of those programs, as reflected in the Financial Health Pulse reports, had largely disappeared by 2023. While pandemic-era inflation — to be fair, in part caused by the various support and stimulus measures — had come down from as high as 9% in 2022, it has rebounded since the start of Trump’s second term, with tariffs and energy market disruptions owing to the war in Iran pushing prices back up. Specific indicators in the survey that deteriorated from 2025 to 2026 include the share of respondents spending less than their income over the past 12 months, the share paying all bills on time over the past 12 months, the share that have a manageable amount or no debt, the share that are “moderately” or “very” confident their insurance is adequate to cover them in an emergency, and the share that “somewhat” or “strongly” agree that their household plans ahead financially. Unsurprisingly, lower- and moderate-income households are more likely to struggle to pay their bills on time and have any funds leftover to save. The share of low-income households whose income exceeded their spending dropped from 35% in 2025 to 31% in 2026, while the share of upper-income households whose income exceeded expenses remained unchanged at 63%. Households with student loans or revolving credit card debt reported having “a bit more” or “far more” debt than was manageable at rates far higher than those not carrying these types of debts. The share of those with student loan debt indicating their debt load was too high to manage increased from 50% in 2025 to 55% in 2026, while the share of those with revolving credit card debt saying the same ticked up from 51% in 2025 to 54% in 2026. Households that had student loans were markedly more likely to be financially “coping” or “vulnerable” vs. those without student loans. In 2026, 27% of households with student loans were considered financially vulnerable, a jump of 6% points vs. 2025. Households without student loans saw just a 1% point increase (not statistically significant) in those considered financially vulnerable. Households’ perception of the affordability of categories of goods and services paints a stark picture, with less than one-fourth considering higher education affordable, about a third deeming childcare affordable, and less than half viewing healthcare as affordable. Fintech Business Weekly is made possible by the generous support of paying subscribers — bringing you independent analysis of banking, fintech, and crypto without fear or favor. You can support my work by becoming a paying subscriber if you aren’t already. Paying subscribers enjoy: access to the entire archive of nearly six years of newsletters extended versions of the weekly newsletter, with additional content and analysis and (for founding member tier) quarterly personal 1:1 fintech Q&A / strategy calls with me, tapping into my unparalleled knowledge of the intersection of banking and fintech and experience working in the sector, including helping to launch Goldman Sachs’ retail bank Marcus Support Fintech Business Weekly You can also support Fintech Business Weekly by sponsoring a newsletter or podcast, putting you in front of 93,000+ of the most influential decision makers in banking, fintech, and crypto. Learn more about sponsor opportunities or request a media kit by dropping me an email. Democratic Senate Report Highlights How Iran Uses Tether to Evade U.S. Sanctions Iran uses stablecoins, specifically Tether, to evade sanctions, fund regional proxies, and to purchase military drones, a report released last week by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations says. The report was authored by committee ranking member Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and the minority staff. Crypto and stablecoin proponents will often push back on criticism that criminals make use of these assets by arguing that, on an absolute dollar basis, far more illicit funds flow through traditional banking systems and payment rails than via crypto and stablecoins. And while that is likely true, it elides the reality presented in news story after news story: whether state actors — Russia, Iran, North Korea — or criminal groups, those looking to engage in illicit transactions increasingly favor stablecoins and, specifically, Tether (USDT). The report from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released last week adds context to how Iran uses Tether has a lynchpin in its shadow banking system. The report analyzed 846 wallets that have been sanctioned or targeted for seizure, finding that 84% of them transacted exclusively or primarily in Tether. The ability to create near limitless, anonymous wallets and to move funds effectively instantaneously and irreversibly have made crypto a favored financial mechanism for bad actors. Stablecoins solved key drawbacks of bitcoin, namely, the original cryptocurrency’s highly volatile value in dollars. And while Tether (the company) has the technical ability to “freeze” or destroy funds, the company is often limited and reactive in its approach to doing so, the Senate report argues. Tether, which is nominally based in crypto-friendly El Salvador, “has stated that its compliance with OFAC sanctions is ‘voluntary’ and that it follows ‘OFAC guidelines,’” the Senate report says. Owing to these favorable attributes, Tether “became a primary cryptocurrency for Iran, Hamas, Hizballah, and the Houthis beginning in 2023 and has expanded in scale since,” according to the report. Tether’s role in Iran’s shadow banking system, the report says, is enhanced by crypto exchanges like Bybit, Kyrrex, OKX, Gate, and Binance, and through “over the counter” exchanges and hawala networks. The consequences of these financial flows aren’t hypothetical. The Senate report links Tether as a funds transfer mechanism to Iranian proxies in the region, including Hizballah, the Houthis, and Hamas. Tether has also been used to make payments to secure components necessary to manufacture drones, the report says. The report concludes by arguing that “[s]tablecoin issuers with a significant nexus to the United States, particularly those that offer dollar-denominated stablecoins, should be subject to American sanctions law rather than being allowed to hide behind foreign jurisdictions.” Stablecoin issuers like Tether must be held accountable for repeated failures to prevent illicit finance and sanctions violations by law enforcement, the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and OFAC, the report argues. [Paying Subscriber Exclusive] OUSD Goes Live, Make Your Own Neobank, U.S. Sanctions Russia’s A7 Network As “Transnational Criminal Organization” OpenUSD, the stablecoin issued by the Open Standard consortium that includes Stripe, Visa, Mastercard, core providers, crypto firms, and numerous banks, went live last week. Social commerce platform Whop raised eyebrows in fintech by offering creators on its platform the ability to launch their own neobanks, which the company describes as “great businesses that are easy to run,” in just 15 minutes. And OFAC and FinCEN target Russia’s “shadow banking” A7 Network — more on these stories after the paywall.

Oct 4 • 8:59 AM EDT • Health • fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com

2026 business priorities: 5 trends shaping investments, talent and AI

Old National Bank’s annual business report is out for 2026. Read year-over-year sentiment from the last five years and understand what’s new.

Oct 5 • 5:58 AM EDT • Business • chicagobusiness.com

Americans are drinking less since the pandemic began, but one group bucks the trend

Studies previously found alcohol consumption and deaths surged during the pandemic as Americans grappled with stress and isolation.

Sep 23 • 7:30 AM EDT • Health • washingtonpost.com

Ravens Insider Delivers Final Verdict on Surprising Lamar Jackson Trend

The Baltimore Ravens are off to a mixed start to the 2026 season, but their starting quarterback, Lamar Jackson, has done plenty of good.Jackson has been throwing the ball more than the Ravens have seen from him in the past, and it seems to be working. When the running game struggled in their Week 2 […] The post Ravens Insider Delivers Final Verdict on Surprising Lamar Jackson Trend appeared first on HEAVY.

Sep 23 • 1:23 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Peter Krause and Rachel Keller ignore trends, embrace network TV

MINNESOTA — Network TV may eventually go the way of the telegram and rotary phone. But don’t expect its extinction anytime soon. Yes, streaming services and cable TV usually offer

Sep 28 • 6:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • thederrick.com

Is it your personality or a psychological disorder? TikTok has answers.

Maladaptive daydreaming, obsessional jealousy and misophonia are now topics of study as social media trends force psychiatrists to rethink their diagnostic “bible.”

Oct 1 • 5:00 AM EDT • Health • washingtonpost.com

CT Business Blend: Oct. 5, 2026

Hartford Business Journal’s Greg Bordonaro and WTIC’s Brian Shactman explore the people, companies and trends shaping Connecticut’s business scene every Monday at 8:30 a.m. on WTIC 1080 AM.

Oct 5 • 10:55 AM EDT • Business • hartfordbusiness.com

Depeche Mode fans flock to Prague’s Charles Bridge to recreate 1988 band photo

A new trend has emerged at Prague's Charles Bridge, where tourists now line up to recreate a famous photo of the members of Depeche Mode | WBBM Newsradio 780 AM & 105.9 FM

Oct 2 • 9:18 AM EDT • Entertainment • audacy.com

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)

Sep 22 • 3:04 AM EDT • Politics • eastisread.com

AACF: Uninsured Arkansas children reached 7.7% in 2025

The percentage of Arkansas’ uninsured children climbed to 7.7% in 2024 – the latest in a trend that began after the state reached a historic low of 4.1% in 2016,...

Sep 23 • 5:22 PM EDT • Politics • talkbusiness.net

Can Giannis Antetokounmpo Snap a Miami Heat Superstar Trend?

History shows the Miami Heat's blockbuster acquisitions often face first-year hurdles. Now, the Greek Freak aims to defy tradition and navigate a loaded Eastern Conference to secure an immediate title.

Sep 26 • 6:30 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Delaware healthcare spending ‘unsustainable,’ health secretary says

Delaware health officials said current spending trends are “unsustainable,” and called for change in how patients and the state pay for care.

Sep 21 • 6:00 AM EDT • Health • spotlightdelaware.org

National political trends may outweigh Ohio Republicans' redistricting advantage

Despite a new congressional map that favors Republicans in 12 out of Ohio’s 15 districts, national trends may have more impact on individual races than the GOP’s map advantage.

Oct 7 • 5:00 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumnews1.com

American love of oversized Halloween skeletons still going strong

Six years after the original 12-foot Skelly first went viral, the trend of jumbo Halloween yard decorations seems as strong as ever.

Oct 4 • 5:53 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com

Gears of War: E-Day sells 230K copies

Gears of War: E-Day has sold 230K copies since its advance-access launch on October 1 and full release on October 6. Steam accounts for 168K of those, with Xbox (console and PC) selling 62K. But there’s more to this story, as Xbox makes up the bulk of revenue. E-Day is the best-reviewed Gears game in nearly two decades (and the best one ever made, in my opinion). The Coalition has made a banger here (it’s currently in my top 10 of the year). Despite E-Day’s undeniable quality, this is a soft result. And it’s down to the business model, really. E-Day has made $37M so far, thanks to the Premium upgrade On Xbox, Game Pass is cannibalising much of the premium revenue. Our estimates show that 1.7M folks accessed E-Day via their subscription rather than a copy. But Xbox is having it both ways – or having it halfway, at least – via its Premium Edition Game Pass upgrade. Game Pass subscribers could pay $30 (or their local equivalent) for up to five days of early access starting October 1. Our estimates show that of the 1.7M who accessed E-Day through Game Pass, 722K paid for the upgrade. Between the review embargo lifting on October 1 and the full release, E-Day managed to shift another 250K early-access upgrades – no doubt helped by the campaign’s rave reviews. So despite selling far fewer copies on Steam, Xbox accounts for almost three-quarters of the revenue (roughly $26M of the $37M, versus about $11M on Steam). So “230K copies” undersells the paying audience. Including the 722K upgrades, nearly 950K people actually paid something for E-Day. The $30 upgrade is a halfstep from cannibalisation, but will Xbox go all the way? While E-Day is a sublime game, these are soft numbers for a flagship when Xbox badly needs revenue wins. E-Day sold 62K copies on Xbox against 722K Premium upgrades, so for every one copy sold on Xbox, nearly 12 Game Pass upgrades were sold. The $70 premium SKU is – functionally – dead on Xbox. Normally you can’t see what a Game Pass player would have paid, because the game’s just there in the subscription. But the $30 early-access upgrade estimate shows that 722K people demonstrated they’ll spend real money on this game. In a world without day-one Game Pass, many of these folks would have bought E-Day at $70. They paid $30 for five days early access to something they don’t own. Xbox is, in effect, charging its most valuable customers the least, based on a hangover from a tried-and-exhausted strategy from a previous administration. Those 722K willing-to-pay players generated about $21.7M via the upgrade. If three quarters of this group – mostly US and European audiences – bought E-Day outright, that’s nearly $40M. Of course, Game Pass does bring in meaningful recurring revenue, and E-Day is adding value for hundreds of thousands of subscribers. However, Game Pass is no longer growing, so Xbox is at a crossroads. Xbox is reportedly looking to do a Netflix and bolt on an ad-supported tier to pad it further. But that will just set a new floor, and leadership keeps telling us the priority now is revenue growth, which is subscriber-speak for ARPU. Xbox has already pulled Call of Duty from day-one Game Pass after day-one inclusion hammered its sales, with new CoD titles now arriving on the service around a year late. We know that some Microsoft executives believe the service devalues games outright, and rumours (which Microsoft has dismissed so far, to be fair) suggest that day-one releases could be taken off Game Pass. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe When a game this well-reviewed does this softly on its home platform, the model – not the game – gets brought into question. What else E-Day’s early adopters have played (including this month so far) Looking at E-Day‘s players on Xbox, most have played the franchise before (86% have played Gears 5, 76% Gears 4), and every game on the crossover list is either a shooter or a title from an Xbox-owned studio (though Game Pass is inflating those numbers, of course, more on that later): As for what else Xbox’s E-Day players have played this month, the top three are Fortnite (16%), Roblox (7%), and Call of Duty (6%). Another 5% played Minecraft Dungeons II, which is also on Game Pass and launched a couple of days before Gears‘ advance-access date. Many Game Pass players are happy to check out most big new additions. Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe Over on Steam, the top crossover games are also mostly shooters (slightly more PC-coded ones), including Space Marine 2, which was itself heavily inspired by Gears: Looking at what E-Day‘s Steam players are into this month shows who they are – as subscriptions don’t skew the data. The top three are Wardogs (13%), Deadlock (12%), and CS2 (10%), so you’ve got the restless shooter crowd checking out the new hotness. A little further down are Helldivers 2 and Space Marine 2, your co-op PVE shooter players who’ll feel right at home in Horde mode. Game Pass is skewing the playtime distribution on Xbox Looking at the playtime distribution in our platform, E-Day players on Steam are – relatively speaking – playing for longer: 54% of E-Day players on Xbox have played for five hours or less (versus 32% on Steam) 19% of Xbox players played for over 15 hours (versus 33% on Steam) 14% of Xbox players played for over 20 hours (22% on Steam) The absolute number of people playing for over 15, 20, and 50 hours is, of course, bigger on Xbox, thanks to the sheer volume of folks who came in through Game Pass (upgraders included). None of that is cause for alarm. Game Pass is the reason Xbox playtime skews lower, as when a game is free to try, people try it and bounce without putting in even an hour (17% under an hour on Xbox versus 6% on Steam). Want more free estimates and insights in your inbox twice a week? Subscribe below! Subscribe The subscription brings in tourists alongside the committed, dragging down the average even when the game is excellent (but also perhaps winning over the uninitiated). It’s standard across every subscription-included title, on PS Plus too. Forza Horizon 6, for instance, had 11% of its Xbox players bounce under an hour, versus just 2% on Steam. So, Xbox’s crossroads So there we have it. Gears of War: E-Day is an incredible game whose revenues have been stifled by subscription inclusion and exclusivity. It’s the best-reviewed entry in the series in fifteen-odd years, but it still turned into one of the year’s softer flagship launches, not because players didn’t want it, but because Xbox’s own storefront gave its most willing buyers a reason not to pay. Which leaves Xbox at a crossroads. Will it keep making Gears games when the financial returns are this thin and the margins this low? And if it does, does the next one arrive off Game Pass at day one – the way CoD now does, or even on PlayStation? I think it should. Alright, back to E-Day for me! The last word Reply to this email – or reach out here – if you have any feedback for the newsletter – or want to request a game for us to cover. [Alinea Analytics boasts the most accurate PC and console estimates in the business. Game makers use our platform to understand their audience, keep an eye on the competition, monitor sales trends, and spot new opportunities. We equip game studios and financial institutions with accurate data and the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Want to talk about all things games market data? We’d love to chat!]

Oct 9 • 11:49 AM EDT • Technology • alineaanalytics.substack.com

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