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Hollister High School football team under investigation cancels its season
The news comes just a few days after the varsity team forfeited its most recent game.
Even morning coffee might mess with your sleep
Caffeine can interfere with the deep, restorative rest your brain needs.
40-unit apartment building planned on surface parking lot in downtown Muskegon
Grand Rapids-based The Development Studio plans a $12.9 million, 40-unit apartment project in downtown Muskegon.
6th grader’s science fair project answers age-old question: ‘Do cat buttholes touch everything?’
A sixth grader's viral science project used lipstick and two trained cats to find out if cat butts touch every surface.
6th grader’s science fair project answers age-old question: ‘Do cat buttholes touch everything?’
A sixth grader's viral science project used lipstick and two trained cats to find out if cat butts touch every surface.
13-year-old boy accused of stealing multiple cars again, breaking into businesses in Oakland County
A 13-year-old boy was arrested after allegedly trying to steal multiple cars and breaking into businesses in Pontiac and Waterford Township.
Humor, audience participation: Renowned hypnotist to play Modesto’s Gallo Center
“His performances go far beyond a traditional stage show.”
Heart health with 40+ Double Dutch Club
"The Marissa Mitchell Show" is a live news and lifestyle program with the goal to inform, inspire, and entertain through discussions about a variety of topics, ranging from current events and relationships, to finances, parenting, wellness, and more.
Republican candidates are breaking with Trump on Iran as midterms loom
Republicans in key battleground states are urging a speedy end to the war as new polling suggests only 1 in 4 Americans support it.
Broncos Survey: Which Rams player concerns you the most?
The Denver Broncos have a tough matchup ahead of them in Week 3 when the host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football. They recovered strongly from an ugly prime time game in Week 1 with a strong performance on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the NFL leaves no rest for the weary. […]
Democrat in Central Dallas County aims to unseat powerful Republican House Member
Allison Mitchell is the Democratic candidate running against the powerful Chairman of the Texas House Ways and Means Committee, Morgan Meyer. Lone Star Politics speaks to her about he uphill battle in the Park Cities and central Dallas. Meyer has not yet responded to a request for an interview.
Charlie Berens coming to Green Bay; EPIC Marathon reveals concert acts
Comedian Charlie Berens is returning to the Resch Center for The Lost and Found Tour, and the timing might make it the perfect excuse to take Mom.
Situation Report No.11: Earthquakes in Venezuela 2026 (M7.2 and M7.5)
Nearly three months after the 24 June 2026 earthquakes in Venezuela, the response has moved into early recovery while sustaining essential emergency operations. Efforts now center on maintaining continuity of care across mental health, sexual and reproductive health, maternal and neonatal care, NCDs, and rehabilitation, alongside restoring affected facilities, supporting transitional camps, and strengthening Health Cluster coordination as Emergency Medical Teams and international partners withdraw. Health system recovery is advancing, with 16 ASICs and 356 health facilities assessed (61% operational) and rehabilitation progressing under CERF, CFE and US funding, while fluctuating electricity, medication refrigeration and emergency-generator gaps continue to challenge the safe continuity of essential health services. Public health surveillance and prevention remain active, with 47,145 cumulative vaccine doses administered and 556 health professionals trained, while intensified surveillance in La Guaira and Miranda and mounting environmental risks from tropical rains and heatwaves continue to require sustained vector-control and water/sanitation action. Contraception remains the most consistent unmet need across assessed shelters, particularly among adolescents and young women, while mental health needs continue to rise across the transitional camps amid limited supplies and specialized personnel. PAHO/WHO continues to support the response with critically needed medical supplies and medicines, having shipped 46.6 metric tons to Venezuela to date, benefiting 72 actors and reaching 117,714 people with treatment through PAHO and partner donations, while sustained technical and logistical support to the Ministry of Popular Power for Health (MPPS) has strengthened the national supply chain and ensured the continuity of health services through the coordination, reception, and mobilization of international donations of essential medical products.
Urbandale to host Civility Dialogues event today
A community conversation focused on how people can disagree without losing the ability to work together and finding common ground will take place today at the Urbandale High School Performing Arts Center. The free Civility Dialogues event will feature Tom Vilsack, CEO of the World Food Prize Foundation and former Iowa governor and U.S. secretary…
Around 7,000 Years Ago, The Genetic Diversity Of Males Crashed: What The Hell Happened?
Did generations of violent inter-clan warfare nearly decimate the genetic diversity of males?
Street musician unknowingly duets with Chris Martin on Coldplay song
(CNN) — Coldplay singer Chris Martin has surprised a street musician in central London for an impromptu performance of the British band’s hit “Viva la Vida.”
RFK, Jr. is focusing attention on electromagnetic fields. Here’s what the science says about exposure
The research into how electromagnetic and radiofrequency waves influence health is plagued by low-quality studies
Steelers vs Bengals: Big causes for concern this week
The Steelers are coming off of a brutal performance against the New England Patriots and things get no easier against the Bengals this week.
Giant caves beneath sinkhole reveal origin of mystery trenches that score Australia's Nullarbor Plain
When giant systems of ancient caves far below the surface of Australia collapsed, it left distinctive clues at the surface.
New Report Warns AI Could Close a 70-Year Gap in Weather Forecasting for Health or Widen It Without Deliberate Action
A 10-day forecast now takes minutes to produce, on a single computer chip, putting life-saving warnings within reach of the world's most vulnerable
Entertainment-Booking Startup Ande Raises $52 Million From Lightspeed, Redpoint
Personal AI agents like Instinct and Muse have promised to take away the hassle of booking hard-to-get restaurant reservations, Broadway tickets and sporting events. Now, a startup is coming out of stealth to do the same for corporate entertainment—events, group dining, catering, sporting events ...
Beats 360 Headphones Review: Best-Performing Beats Yet, and They're Modular
If you prefer over-ear headphones to earbuds for sports and exercise, these Beats are worth the investment.
Is AMC Entertainment (AMC) Outperforming Other Consumer Discretionary Stocks This Year?
Here is how AMC Entertainment (AMC) and Hugo Boss (BOSSY) have performed compared to their sector so far this year.
Calvin Klein Introduces the New Perfectly Fit Bra Starring Teyana Taylor
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 22, 2026--
Scientists tested the five-second rule by dropping food onto contaminated surfaces 2,560 times — bacteria could transfer almost instantly, and watermelon picked up as much as 97 percent of what it landed on
The bacteria transfer begins before you can blink, and some foods absorb pathogens as readily as a sponge absorbs water.
Sonos Ace Ultra review: Giving the people what they want
The Ace Ultra is an obvious upgrade over the original Ace headphones, with headphone linking performing reliably already, even in its early phase.
Flyers and NexGen Hyperbaric Announce Multi-Year Partnership Extension
Extension Builds on Multiple Seasons of Experience and Continues Flyers' Commitment to True Medical-Grade Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Player Health, Recovery and Performance.
Mariachi, heavy metal and a little blood spatter: Things to do in Merced in October
A four-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter performs at the Merced Theater.
RFK Jr.-linked group offered access to U.S. officials for a fee
A nonprofit with ties to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. solicited payment from companies in exchange for access to top agency officials at an upcoming event, documents show.
Cohere Health Helps Health Plans Unlock Revenue by Closing Hidden HEDIS® Gaps
/PRNewswire/ -- Cohere Health®, the leading clinical intelligence and operations platform for health plans, today announced new performance results...
'It's Fine, I'll Take It As Is': The Customer's Words That Changed My Business
My outsider complex made me think everything had to be perfect. It was stopping me from swinging bigger.
San Francisco, it’s neen unBelievable — A message from Jim Pattison Jr., President of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! World Entertainment
For nearly 60 years, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! has been part of the fabric of Fisherman’s Wharf. After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close our current …
UNC's Bill Belichick Has Perfect Response After Loss to Clemson
A loss is a loss, but things are changing.
ParaSolution Recognized as a High Performer on the G2 Grid® for Business Continuity Management Software
Premier Continuum’s business continuity management software, ParaSolution, has been recognized as a High Performer on the G2 Grid® for Business Continuity Management Software. Learn more.
Why Melinda French Gates is shifting her philanthropy on women’s health
The philanthropist is investing in care for women in their midlife.
Cam Ward earns high marks despite Tennessee Titans loss
Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward earned a B grade after a strong performance in a narrow loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
China's Alibaba unveils new powerful chip and ambitious AI model plans
China's Alibaba has unveiled new plans for its AI model and new chip technologies, including what it claims is China's most powerful AI chip. This launch comes as U.S. AI
When a powerful NC Democrat pleaded guilty to tax evasion
In this look at N&O archives: a powerful politician pled guilty to tax evasion in 1996, and tobacco market prices good in 1926.
How lip-syncing to AI let Forced Entertainment ‘play the game of theatre’
Today we have a fascinating piece by long-time Forced Entertainment fan Ben Kulvichit, speaking to Tim Etchells about their latest show Cold Sweat, how they are integrating lip-sync and AI voices into their work, the question of ‘authenticity’ on stage, and how lip-sync has even opened the door for them to make “something a little bit like drama”. This piece is a paid partnership with the Southbank Centre, where you can see Cold Sweat next month – we’re very grateful to the Southbank Centre for their ongoing support for Exeunt. Holly Williams ‘It was immediately interesting and uncanny’ **By Ben Kulvichit** “Is the microphone on?” So goes one of the opening lines of Signal to Noise, delivered by a human performer lip-syncing to an AI-generated voice. The voice is American, cheery but sluggish, slowed down into a gelatinous drawl. It repeats ad infinitum in a farce of stuckness; an answer never materialises. I find myself asking the same question as I hop on a Google Meet call with Tim Etchells, the artistic director of Forced Entertainment. We spend five or ten minutes frowning at each other, muting and unmuting, me gesticulating in semaphore into my webcam, checking if I am coming through now, restarting the laptop. To Etchells, I appear exaggeratedly mouthing words, my voice missing. In this gloopy purgatory of broken communication, life imitates art imitates life imitates art. We try a Zoom instead. Forced Entertainment, the pioneering British theatre company who have been at the avant-garde of performance since the 1980s, turned an interesting artistic corner with Signal to Noise, created on the occasion of their 40th anniversary. The whole performance employed this lip-sync technique to AI voices; on the face of it a left-field move from a company whose identity has long been grounded in the earthy, immediate presences of its performers and its unassuming, low-tech approach to theatricality. The technique, however, turned out to provide the company with a “rich new seam” of artistic enquiry, and has now spawned a trilogy of works. The second instalment, Cold Sweat, plays at Sheffield Theatres, Southbank Centre, and Lancaster Arts in October, while the third part, Everything Must Go, has been touring in Europe and is slated to come to the UK in 2027. As is often the case with Forced Entertainment shows, the main conceit for this work didn’t arrive until quite late. They were “four or five weeks into rehearsals for Signal to Noise,” Etchells recalls, and getting nowhere. Away from rehearsals, he had been playing around with feeding “weird texts” to AI voices to see how they would cope with them – “basically for my own amusement” – and was compelled by the uniformly “serviceable, benign, good-natured” tone they would read in, no matter how poetic, fractured or experimental the writing. On a hunch, he brought some examples into rehearsals and the performers gave lip-syncing a go. “It was immediately interesting and uncanny,” he recalls, with the performers having to deal in the moment with the problem of mapping themselves onto another artificial ‘performer,’ which itself was dealing with the problem of a very human text. “Almost all the writing for these projects would be useless to us unless it was done in this way,” says Etchells. “We wouldn’t know what to do with it. It’s too poetic. It’s too fictional. It’s too tangled.” But exploring lip-syncing along to the text has opened “an enormous reservoir of ways of thinking about writing and performing.” Subscribe to Exeunt, and get two in-depth pieces on theatre a week, direct to your inbox Subscribe Forced Entertainment have long been sifting through the detritus of popular culture, from daytime TV to end-of-the-pier vaudeville, magic acts and clown shows, to find frameworks for their own unusual entertainments. Lip-syncing, then, makes sense for them to experiment with. As a mode of performance, it’s wired into popular consciousness through pop stars trying to convince stadium audiences of their liveness, or those same voices as channeled through the made-up lips of contestants on RuPaul’s Drag Race, or movie dialogue spreading virally through the host bodies of TikTok users. For Etchells, lip-syncing is often about “approaching real voices and trying to take on their aura,” subsuming that original human presence into yours. “There’s a very basic, elemental sort of theatre magic to it, produced in this very easy way.” This broad approach resonates with instances of lip-syncing within contemporary performance, too. In works like Re-Member Me and Showmanism, performance artist Dickie Beau acts as a kind of spirit medium for archival recordings (this process of re-membering – as in, giving corporeal form to voices – relies on his masterfully precise actor’s technique), while Frankie Thompson is similarly possessed by a host of characters ranging from a nine-year-old Jacob Rees-Mogg to Cliff Richards, all of whom she finds compellingly nauseating, in the exorcism ritual that is her latest show, Horrible Things. What’s different about Forced Entertainment’s use of lip-syncing is that here, there is no original presence to be channeled. The performers are instead taking on what Etchells describes as “the voices of nobody,” or rather the “phantasmic, aggregated echoes” of the many many voices on whose data the AI has been trained, and which are now conjuring into existence words they never actually said. There is a sort of mournful, empty quality to these voices, having “washed up” far away from the people they originally belonged to, to find themselves in stranger’s mouths listing objects, wondering if anyone can hear them and glitching in interminable loops. There is a cold, sad anonymity to it all. Etchells remarks that occasionally the software company he used has notified him that particular people are withdrawing their voices from the platform, instructing him to cease use of those voices. Using these technologies in performance certainly brings up ethical questions around digital rights, consent, identity and ownership, although in the grand scheme of things, Etchells is fairly blasé about it: of all the purposes someone’s voice might be put to without their knowledge, “an avant-garde performance is probably the least of their worries.” [ ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/frankie-thompson-horrible-things-essay-mental-health-compulsive-behaviours-pleasance-courtyard-soho-theatre) [ Frankie Thompson: How I manage my own ‘horrible things’ at the Edinburgh Fringe ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/frankie-thompson-horrible-things-essay-mental-health-compulsive-behaviours-pleasance-courtyard-soho-theatre) Exeunt · Aug 25 [ Read full story ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/frankie-thompson-horrible-things-essay-mental-health-compulsive-behaviours-pleasance-courtyard-soho-theatre) For the performers, though, lip-syncing to these strange, artificial voices is an odd task, requiring them to bend their live, human presence into the shapes produced by machines. Politically, it mirrors processes that are already at play in the continued computational automation of human life. Etchells brings up James Bridle’s writings on new technologies as a reference point: one example Bridle gives is of “chaotic storage”, a logistics technique employed by Amazon fulfilment centres whereby items are stored not according to traditional methods of categorisation or alphabetisation, but in a way that an algorithm determines to produce the most efficient routes for ‘picking’ based on customer purchase patterns. This appears completely random and incomprehensible to humans, with paddling pools sitting next to USB sticks sitting next to blowtorches, and so for the warehouse workers, the process of picking items becomes completely reliant on technology which tells them where to go. Our world is increasingly being designed not with humans in mind, but rather machines. As Etchells puts it, “technology malforms the space, and then you end up having to live in it.” Initially, Forced Entertainment tried their best to live in the world of machines: “I was in the it’s-got-to-be-perfect school of lip-sync,” says Etchells. But with their aesthetic being so tied to the failing act, the slipping mask, the shoddy costume, “it’s no surprise really that that didn’t last.” Instead, the performers got to enjoy being late for a line, or playing games with each other, “stealing” each other’s voices. Etchells compares it to the principles of ventriloquism, in which a free-floating voice unattached to a body is fundamentally discomforting and “sort of traumatic”. That discomfort is equally as alluring to Forced Entertainment as the satisfaction of precision, the pretence of authenticity only interesting if shown to be a pretence. Lip-sync has also opened up new avenues for the company. Having been allergic all their lives to Plays-with-a-capital-P, with Cold Sweat Forced Entertainment find themselves approaching something a little bit like drama. Rather than the presentational arena of Signal to Noise’s open white stage, Cold Sweat places us more decisively in a “fictional locale”: what appears to be “the aftermath of some disastrous party or backyard drinking binge” where three figures – family members, or neighbours, perhaps – are the last ones standing. “It’s all quite acrimonious and accusatory, everyone’s talking over each other.” For Etchells, this more fictional mode is “a door that we’ve never been able to open. We’ve just never really gone there.” Perhaps it is the technique of lip-syncing, an extra buffer of mediation, that allows them to venture away from the here-and-now without feeling that they have to commit to the “psychological claptrap” that comes along with acting; to be able to “play the game of theatre, without getting one’s hands too dirty.” As I wonder how else the impulses behind Forced Entertainment’s work have changed over time, it occurs to me that over the last ten years of new creations, with the exception of If All Else Fails, the company’s performers haven’t ever spoken on stage: there were two shows without any language at all, Out of Order and Under Bright Light, and then this trilogy of lip-sync works. Etchells agrees it’s a shift away from earlier productions, that were so often about “the actual voices of the performers and their actual presences. We had a lot of money, in some ways, on an authentic approach to what it might mean to speak on the stage.” But this sense of authentic presence itself had a fakeness to it; these days, Etchells can’t stand that mode of being onstage where performers “are here to be cheeky and witty versions of themselves. I don’t want to be charmed.” Pulling back into a more anonymous space has resulted in works that feel slightly sharper-edged, more brutal in a way. “All of these shows are post-Brexit, post-Trump, post-truth, post-everything,” Etchells notes. Speech, charisma, authenticity – these things feel politically loaded, and perhaps warmth and openness just don’t feel like the right tools to reflect the world we’re living in. “It feels like the space is closing down, and we’re trying to deal with the fact that the system, the structure that you’re in, is more oppressive and more powerful. It probably always was, but I think we’re just more tuned to it now.” Yet even without their voices, the performers’ distinctive presences – ones that many audiences have followed around for years, if not decades – still, inevitably, shine through as they physically navigate whatever unending task the system of the piece has set for them. They’re still trying to keep up with the onslaught of text, still running about, changing costumes, moving stuff around. The human is always stuck in the teeth of the machine, jamming the smooth, frictionless cheeriness of the not-real, gesticulating silently, trying desperately to communicate. Cold Sweat is at Sheffield Theatres, 2 to 3 October; Southbank Centre, London, 9 to 10 October; Lancaster Arts, 14 October [ ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/exeunt-recommends-the-best-autumn-theatre-2026-lives-of-others-standard-of-living-our-friends-in-the-north-lanny-) [ Exeunt recommends... the best autumn theatre ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/exeunt-recommends-the-best-autumn-theatre-2026-lives-of-others-standard-of-living-our-friends-in-the-north-lanny-) Exeunt · Sep 16 [ Read full story ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/exeunt-recommends-the-best-autumn-theatre-2026-lives-of-others-standard-of-living-our-friends-in-the-north-lanny-) This piece was paid for by the Southbank Centre. Such support helps Exeunt to keep publishing the most interesting writing, about the most exciting theatre. Interested in partnering with Exeunt? Visit our Advertise with Exeunt page, where you can get more information, download an advertising pack, and find our contact details.
Award-winning Beaufort-Jasper-Hampton area health care provider retires
Physician Assistant, Harold “Buck” Harvey, PA-C, retires after 48 'wonderful years'
Country music star opens up about stepping away from stage at 35: ‘I got my faith back’
The singer took a moment to talk about his hiatus.
EPIC Entertainment Group brings seasonal experiences to life
Halloween and Christmas events cap off the company's milestone year
Why are United thriving away from Tannadice?
You could make a case we should have beaten Rangers and Falkirk at Tannadice, but we didn't. The trips to Kilmarnock and St Mirren, though, produced two magnificent performances. Tannadice on match days can be an unforgiving place.
Arsenal is considering a move for Nottingham Forest star
Morgan Gibbs White remains one of the best midfielders in the Premier League and one of the most in form English players since the start of 2026. His performances have continued to attract attention, ...
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)
ESPN Analyst Gives Troubling Arch Manning Message Before Texas-Tennessee
Texas remains unbeaten entering SEC play, but Arch Manning’s latest performance raised specific concerns before a difficult trip to Tennessee. The post ESPN Analyst Gives Troubling Arch Manning Message Before Texas-Tennessee appeared first on HEAVY.
How Avalanche’s Ilya Nabokov Has Looked Through Two Preseason Games
Ilya Nabokov’s performance on Monday wasn’t quite as strong as the one he had at Ball Arena the previous night. […]
Week 4 Nebraska volleyball grades
Sports reporter grades the performance of Nebraska volleyball after another undefeated week and breaks down each position group. See how Harper Murray, Bergen Reilly and the rest of the Huskers performed against Creighton, North Carolina and Florida Gulf Coast.
Northern California high school's football season is over amid investigation
Days after forfeiting a game, Hollister High's football season was canceled after officials said there weren't enough players to "safely" compete.
Bills QB Josh Allen Faces Big Prediction Against Struggling Chargers
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is expected to have another strong performance against the Los Angeles Chargers. The post Bills QB Josh Allen Faces Big Prediction Against Struggling Chargers appeared first on HEAVY.
A 14-year-old in a Colorado farm town built a robotic hand from LEGO bricks, fishing line and surgical tubing, then met a 7-year-old at a science fair wearing an $80,000 prosthetic arm she had already outgrown — his next version, 3D-printed, came in under $400, and NASA took him on as an intern at 17
When a teenager's LEGO creation outperformed a prosthetic costing two hundred times more, he realized the gap between innovation and access wasn't about engineering—it was about economics.
Brad Keselowski Parting Ways With NASCAR Cup Series Crew Chief
Brad Keselowski and RFK Racing are parting ways with crew chief Jeremy Bullins, effective immediately. Bullins was Keselowski’s crew chief from the beginning of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season and was previously atop the driver’s pit box at Team Penske. Mike Skarbowski, an RFK Racing engineer, will serve as Keselowski’s interim crew chief. No announcement […] The post Brad Keselowski Parting Ways With NASCAR Cup Series Crew Chief appeared first on HEAVY.
5 Disadvantages Of Cooking On An Induction Stovetop
Disadvantages of cooking on an induction stovetop include lack of a physical flame, high upfront costs, and accidental damage to the glass surface.
S.F.'s Portola Festival loses major performer days before event
British MC and rapper Skepta will no longer perform at the festival on Saturday, Sept. 26.
Rome Waterfront DRI Project Reviews New Proposals for Entertainment and Housing
The Rome waterfront revitalization project is moving forward as city officials reviewed new proposals for the area.
Square Dancing in Action | Northern Nevada Dancers Perform a Live Demonstration
Now that we've learned the basics, it's time to see experienced square dancers in action! Bill Sutman of the Northern Nevada Square Dance Association takes over the 2 Plus You
Carrollton businesses report losses from counterfeit bills
Businesses in Carrollton are warning about counterfeit bills after losing money and implementing new measures to prevent fraud.
Brooklyn Rider Quartet Opens Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series
Brooklyn Rider quartet will perform at St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church in Los Olivos. (Courtesy photo) The first concert of the 2026-27 Santa
Meta's Muse could become Zuckerberg's best platform opportunity yet
Meta's Muse AI agent could give Mark Zuckerberg another chance to build a powerful internet platform, and developers are paying attention.
Siena women's basketball opens practice with sights set on Fairfield
Siena, seeking its first Metro title since 2001, opens the season Nov. 2 against Brown at UHY Center.
Health officials warn of measles exposure in St. Louis, Pacific, Chesterfield
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced a possible measles exposure at several locations around St. Louis, including a Cardinals game.DH
Mamdani hosts Trump at Gracie Mansion as unlikely rapport continues
The two leaders have traded insults but forged an unusually cordial personal relationship, with regular calls and texts.
Preeclampsia Foundation backs Pine Bluff Promise Walk to boost maternal health awareness
Saturday, October 3, in Pine Bluff, an event geared towards raising awareness about preeclampsia is set to take place at the John W. Fallis Waterfront Facility
Titans' home turf reaches 157 degrees melting cleats prompting IV's
Eagles offensive tackle Cam Jurgens said he went through several pairs of cleats because they were melting.
6 Insights We're Learning from Sleep Research That Could Change How You Age
Sleep isn’t just a time for rest. Growing evidence suggests it may be one of the most powerful factors influencing how well we age, affecting everything from brain health and memory to hospital recovery and long-term independence. For more than two decades, Dr. Katie Stone, a sleep researcher Sutter Health Research Institute, has helped advance […]
How Panda Fest connected culture, business and community in Pittsburgh
Panda Fest brought food, performances and vendors to Station Square while boosting cultural awareness and local business.
Record share of voters motivated to oppose Trump in midterms, poll finds
In a new NBC News survey, 43 percent of registered voters said they want their vote for Congress this fall to send “a signal of opposition” to the president.
Seahawks star JSN a Week 2 fantasy football winner
Jaxon Smith-Njigba had a huge performance against the Cardinals on Sunday that made him one of the best performers in fantasy football for the week.
Presley Gerber, son of Cindy Crawford and model, dies at 27
The son of supermodel Cindy Crawford, Presley Gerber has died at age 27. Medical examiner records show Gerber died Sunday at a rehabilitation facility. An autopsy was performed, but the
Does your natural scent repel or attract people? What the science shows. - Futura-Sciences
Despite decades of perfume marketing and pop-science claims, researchers have never confirmed the existence of a human sexual pheromone that triggers attraction. Instead, controlled brain-imaging and behavioral trials reveal a far more subtle reality: human scent acts as a fleeting emotional signal rather than a switch for sexual desire. From...
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Memory Performance Scaling
The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D set new benchmarks in gaming performance with its impressive 96 MB L3 V-Cache. But how does memory latency factor into this powerhouse's performance? Our latest analysis dives deep into memory performance scaling, and could change how gamers approach system optimization.
Carrot Top awake after suicide attempt, reports of turmoil emerge
Comedian Scott Christopher Thompson is conscious and recovering from an apparent suicide attempt that hospitalized the 61-year-old performer known professionally as Carrot Top. Thompson’s publicist Jami Schlicher said the funnyman
U.K.'s Official Charts Launches Subscription-Based PRO Platform For Music, Home Entertainment Movies
The Official Charts, the weekly U.K. platform tracking sales of music and movie digital and physical media sales, Sept. 21 launched the subscription-based PRO edition, which will take effect on Sept. 24. PRO provides direct access to the Official Charts Company’s sales data, and enables users to track performance across artists, tracks and film titles, … Continue reading "U.K.’s Official Charts Launches Subscription-Based PRO Platform For Music, Home Entertainment Movies"
Nurses Put Maine Hospitals On ‘RED ALERT’ Status to Highlight Healthcare Cuts
Registered nurses with the Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (MSNA/NNOC) held a rally and community event on Saturday, Sept. 19 in Bangor to highlight the patient care impacts of federal health care cuts on Maine hospitals.
University of Tennessee breaks ground on 865 Neyland entertainment district
The University of Tennessee has officially broken ground on 865 Neyland, a massive mixed-use entertainment district that will transform the riverfront footprint between Neyland Stadium and Food City Center into a year-round hub for fans and visitors.
Raphinha's Great Start To The 2026/27 Season
Every fan who’s been following FC Barcelona during the past few seasons knows how important Raphinha has been to the team. Temporarily losing him due to injuries often meant a decline in the team’s performance, and he became widely respected among the Culers. After the summer break, he has seemingly ascended to another level, exceeding […] The post Raphinha’s Great Start To The 2026/27 Season appeared first on Stadium Rant.
Jaquet's performance against Bournemouth 'a step forward'
Defender Jeremy Jacquet's performance in Sunday's 1-0 win at Bournemouth was "a step forward" in his development, according to Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola. The 21-year-old centre-back was named player of the match against Iraola's former side after another assured display, completing his third full 90 minutes in a row in the Premier League. A five-year deal was agreed in January to sign Jacquet from Rennes this summer, but he suffered a shoulder injury soon afterwards that ruled him out of the rest of the campaign.
Slate: Perfect So Far
Football and volleyball emerge unscathed from non-conference schedule.
Houston high school football: Week 4 takeaways and top performers
Week 4 of the Houston high school football season produced several intriguing results, including high-scoring wins for Klein Cain, Friendswood, Dickinson and Summer Creek.
Giant Sunspot Of 1947 Suggests Our Sun Has The Potential To Launch A "Superflare" Once A Century
New work concludes our Sun is capable of flares tens of times stronger than the strongest we've yet measured.
2026 Concessions & Entertainment Guide
Agile Ticketing Solutions agiletix.com Agile Ticketing Solutions (AgileTix) is a North America–based provider of ticketing and venue management software, serving the live entertainment industry since 1999. Headquartered in Hermitage, Tennessee, AgileTix supports cinemas, performing arts centers, museums, historic theaters, festivals, and cultural institutions with a unified platform that connects box office, concessions, merchandise, memberships, and […]
USA TODAY Sports Super 15 Southeast region football rankings, Week 6
From dominant defensive performances to high-powered offenses, several of the region's best had little trouble taking care of business.
Alex Kerfoot: Chris MacFarland is why he signed with Predators
Alex Kerfoot: Chris MacFarland is why he signed with Predators
Kenny Loggins reveals the 4 powerful words he wants written on his tombstone
And no, it’s not a “Footloose” or “Danger Zone” lyric.
Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra Will Perform ‘Mostly Mozart’
The Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra will present “Mostly Mozart” on Sunday, October 4, at 3 PM at Pilgrim Congregational Church in Harwich Port.
5 Cool New Features To Try In The iOS 27 Photos App
iOS 27 has added some new features to your Photos app, allowing you to get that perfect image with a suite of new editing tools and options.
Small Business, Big Lessons® — That Old Time Rock & Roll or Blue Dot Fever?
This post builds on my Water Balloon Economics idea and adds a twist: knowing when it’s time to wrap up a “wonderful” career or business, recognizing your own limitations, and being honest about the experience you’re delivering.
Why the Steelers must shift targets away from DK Metcalf
After a 27-yard performance with crucial drops against New England, DK Metcalf’s early struggles force Pittsburgh to rethink its target share.
GOP lawmakers sound alarm on diesel fuel costs
Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley joined the chorus of concerns over the weekend.
'Cloud hangs over' Rose's underperforming Cherries
Bournemouth's 1-0 loss against Liverpool saw Marco Rose's side head into the international break failing to register a single win in their opening five league games of the season. Questions are now being raised about squad depth, tactics and how Rose's team are not able to capitalise on leads in games. The Cherries have made just two changes to their Premier League starting XIs under their new boss this season - the fewest of any side.
Are Business Services Stocks Lagging HireQuest (HQI) This Year?
Here is how HireQuest, Inc. (HQI) and ScanSource (SCSC) have performed compared to their sector so far this year.
Encouraging stats from Eagles’ 24-20 win over the Titans
The Eagles didn't play a perfect game in Nashville, but several factord point to an Eagles team beginning to build good habits.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 20 best roles, ranked
From unstoppable cyborgs to lovable oddballs, these are the best performances of Arnie’s more than 50-year acting career.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente signs contract extension
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has agreed on a contract extension to stay as national team boss until 2032, the Spanish federation RFEF said in a statement on Monday. According to media reports, his previous contract was valid until 2028.
Apple Mac Studio (M5 Ultra) review: Huge AI and graphics power at a huge premium
At $11,299, the M5 Ultra's extra performance over the M5 Max model is only worth it for select buyers.
Jeff Probst clears up how the Open Era is different from regular ‘Survivor’
Jeff Probst clears up how the Open Era is different from regular ‘Survivor’ and explains how the season 51 players and he reacted to coming off of ‘Survivor 50.’
New Orleans officials want to redevelop Claiborne Avenue. Here’s what they're planning next.
New Orleans city officials will design a new outdoor performance space, marketplace and nonprofit cafe along Claiborne Avenue as part of a plan to redevelop the 19-block North Claiborne Avenue
Luis de la Fuente extends Spain contract until 2032
Luis de la Fuente has reached an agreement with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to extend his contract until 2032. The experienced coach, now 65, has been given another vote of confidence after...
Kolo Muani says Juventus showed the right mentality against Atalanta
Randal Kolo Muani is proud of the mindset Juventus showed as they beat Atalanta 2-0 in Serie A this weekend, and he hopes that mentality continues.Juventus performed well in their midweek match agains...