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Intel Panther Lake Teardown, 18A, BSPD, GAAFET, SemiAnalysis STEEL

Panther Lake debuts the first commercial implementation of backside power delivery (BSPDN), introduces Intel’s first iteration of gate-all-around (GAA) transistors, and showcases their advanced packaging capabilities with its Foveros-S assembly. With Panther Lake, Intel’s manufacturing arc has shifted from nebulous roadmaps to shipped silicon, a significant milestone on their long road back to competitive semiconductor manufacturing. To evaluate the extent of Intel’s comeback, we tore down Panther Lake. The SemiAnalysis STEEL teardown lab breaks down advanced datacenter and AI hardware. To learn more about our pipeline or to commission a teardown, contact sales@semianalysis.com. WE’RE HIRING: Architecture, floorplan, packaging, manufacturing, and labs experts. Opportunities from system to transistor and everywhere in between. Check out our Careers page. Our teardown traces 18A from its four-sheet RibbonFETs (Intel’s marketing name for GAAFETs) and gate stacks through contacts, frontside and backside wiring, and the bonded carrier. We explain how these material and integration choices improve gate control and reduce resistance, while adding capacitance, thermal resistance, and process complexity. Our measurements put Panther Lake’s 18A compute logic and TSMC N3E GPU logic at similar logic density. However, 18A does not lead TSMC N3P, N2 or Samsung SF2 in peak density. Panther Lake’s CPU cores are incremental updates, and the high-end GPU still uses TSMC N3E. Panther Lake assembles one compute tile, one GPU tile, and one I/O tile atop a passive base tile using Intel’s Foveros-S advanced packaging. Both compute tile variants use Intel 18A. The Xe3 GPU options are a 4-core GT1 tile on Intel 3 and a larger 12-core GT2 tile on TSMC N3E. Both I/O tile variants use TSMC N6. [1], [2] Our analysis centers on the PTL-U compute tile, both the 4-core and 12-core GPU tiles, as well as the 12-lane I/O tile. In conventional chips, power and signal are routed through the same frontside metal stack towards the device frontend. Power rails consume scarce routing resources near the transistors, while tall via stacks carry VDD and VSS from the coarse upper wires to local rails. Backside power delivery (BSPD) moves the main power network behind the transistor layer, to the backside, separating it from frontside signal routing. We covered BSPD and its impacts in 2024. [3], [4], [5] Intel’s BSPD implementation, branded as “PowerVia”, routes power through dedicated backside metals to nano-TSVs, which connect those rails to local source/drain (S/D) contacts. Implementing that separation requires Intel to build the interconnect stacks from both sides of the wafer. The frontside comprises the M0-M14 signal stack, while the backside comprises the BM0-BM5 power stack. M0 and BM0 are closest to the transistors. The nano-TSVs connect the two sides, but Intel patterns and etches each via from the front after forming the contacts. A narrow via runs from the side of the contact deep into the silicon substrate. Intel then completes the frontside signal metal stack, bonds the wafer to a carrier, flips it and removes the original substrate until the buried via tips are exposed. The backside metal stack is then deposited directly on the revealed vias. The nano-TSV and backside-via profiles taper in opposite directions because Intel forms them from opposite sides of the wafer. The transistor structures form the FEOL. Local contacts and nano-TSVs connect them to the wiring. M0 begins the frontside interconnect stack. The silicon carrier remains attached above the frontside interconnects. It supports the device wafer during substrate removal and backside processing and remains part of the finished chip’s thermal path. PowerVia removes the main power distribution from the congested frontside metals, routing supply through shorter and wider backside wires. Its lateral landing still occupies area in the standard cell, so it recovers less cell area than a direct backside contact. [3] Nano-TSVs beside the logic devices carry VDD or VSS from the backside power network, while signal connections continue upward through the frontside metals. Backside Interconnects Samsung SF2 data is included for comparison to Panther Lake’s within this article. SF2 is the incumbent GAA foundry node but lacks BSPD, serving as a useful reference to evaluate 18A. A full teardown of Samsung’s S26 products, processed on SF2, will be shared soon.Nanosheet-cut EDS comparison. The PowerVia supply path runs from the backside Cu rails through Mo-lined W nano-TSVs to the local transistor contacts. In this cross section, the tapered connection spans roughly 150 nm from the contact level to BM0. The Ta liner confines Cu and promotes adhesion to the surrounding stack; the AlOₓ etch stop controls the next dielectric etch above the rail. Dielectric beneath the ribbons electrically separates the devices from the backside wiring and removes the conducting silicon body below the channel. [6] AlOₓ serves as an etchstop (ES), enabling endpointing and protecting the underlying layers. Low-volatility aluminum fluoride reaction products resist the fluorinated plasma, allowing a thin AlOₓ film to protect the metal while the surrounding low-k dielectric is removed. [6], [7]. While the BM0 and layers above the M1 lines show double AlOx layers, Our SMIC N+3 teardown showed single AlOₓ layers. SMIC uses a simpler local AlOₓ substack, while the remaining cap and etch sequence provide the required landing protection. So why double layers? The closely spaced AlOₓ doublets provide two protected endpoints in the etch sequence. Intel documents an AlOₓ/SiN/AlOₓ stack that explains the benefit. The main dielectric plasma etch stops on the first AlOₓ film; a selective wet clear opens that film; a second plasma etch removes the intermediate SiN and stops on the second AlOₓ film. The final wet clear exposes the metal landing surface. SiN is the intermediate dielectric in Intel’s published example. [8] The second stop protects the metal through a cap breakthrough. Wide openings can etch faster than narrow ones, and etch depth varies across the wafer. Metal under an early-clearing opening would otherwise be exposed while other openings still need more etching. Staged protection widens the process window and reduces metal erosion, corrosion and void formation. [8] TSMC documents AlN/AlOₓ/SiOC/AlOₓ above Cu, with AlN blocking Cu diffusion, and a simpler AlN/SiOC/AlOₓ variant that omits one AlOx film. [9] Levels with different opening sizes, aspect ratios, pattern densities and cap materials need different etch margins. A double AlOx stop is useful where another protected endpoint justifies the added processing. The extra film adds formation, selective opening and cleaning steps, plus another set of interfaces to control adhesion, moisture, and stress. These blanket films are opened through the existing via pattern, so each film does not require another lithography mask. AlOₓ adds parasitic capacitance when it replaces lower-k dielectric; two thin AlOₓ films can nevertheless contain less AlOₓ than one thick film. Total thickness, placement, and theintermediate dielectric determine the electrical cost. Deposition chemistry also changes AlOx permittivity and residual hydroxyl content, which can oxidize the underlying metal. [7], [8], [10], [11] The backside stack separates into relatively fine BM0-BM2 wiring near the devices and coarser BM3-BM5 power distribution. The largest pitch increase occurs between BM2 and BM3. BM0’s pitch closely matches the logic-row height, fitting local power delivery to the cell rows. Higher levels aggregate current through larger conductors: routing density becomes less important than low resistance and current capacity as the network approaches the package. This hierarchy provides wide power wiring for the power delivery network without consuming scarce frontside signal-routing resources. [3] The SemiAnalysis STEEL teardown lab breaks down advanced datacenter and AI hardware. To learn more about our pipeline or to commission a teardown, contact sales@semianalysis.com. WE’RE HIRING: Architecture, floorplan, packaging, manufacturing, and labs experts. Opportunities from system to transistor and everywhere in between. Check out our Careers page. Frontside Interconnects Intel 18A combines Mo-lined W contacts and nano-TSVs with a separate backside Cu power network. Samsung SF2 keeps power on the frontside, using Ti-based contact interfaces and Ta-based barriers and Co liners around Cu wiring. In 18A standard-cell rows, backside power rails supply the devices through nano-TSVs within the cells, freeing frontside routing resources. Samsung’s M0 accommodates both power and signal connections. From the device toward M0, the connection runs through a Ti-based S/D interface, W contact fill, a Mo-lined W via, and the Cu M0 wire. Mo supplies a conductive nucleation and adhesion layer for W, replacing the resistive TiN liner used in conventional W integration. This increases the effective conduction volume within the feature while retaining W fill and its established polishing, cleaning and etching processes. Intel’s Mo/W patent describes this integration tradeoff. The nano-TSV uses the same Mo-lined W construction in the backside supply path. [12] The move from TiN to Mo is an incremental change. While a full Co or Mo fill can also reduce the volume lost to liners in very small features, it requires new integration schemes that increase complexity and risk. Cu remains attractive for wider wires due to its low resistance. As wires and vias shrink, the diffusion barrier consumes an increasing fraction of their cross-section. [12], [12], [14] Intel uses Co/Ru liners at M0-M1, Co at M2-M4, and Nb at M5-M9. The lower-level liners help Cu adhere and reduce void formation during trench fills. Applied Materials’ Endura has new thermal control that facilitate wetting process, so the thin film continuity is good enough that good capillary pressure will drive Cu atoms to the via bottom without voiding. Intel’s choice to use Nb is particularly interesting. Intel’s Nb patent describes a conductive diffusion barrier intended to reduce the barrier’s contribution to resistance relative to conventional Ta-based barriers, particularly at via bottoms where all current crosses the barrier. The patent pairs Nb in coarser levels with the option of lower-cost PVD processing. [15], [16] The upper metal layers support thicker barriers formed through physical vapor deposition (PVD) despite its worse coverage and uniformity. Meanwhile, the lower metal layers require thinner barriers deposited through conformal atomic layer deposition (ALD). Co/Ru adds another material interface and requires controlled deposition and Cu fill. Changing liners and barriers by metal layer allows Intel to optimize interconnect resistance, process complexity, and reliability. [15, 16] RibbonFET, Intel’s name for its gate-all-around FETs (GAAFETs), replaces the FinFET’s vertical fins with four stacked horizontal silicon nanosheets, allowing the gate to surround the channel on every side. The path to GAAFET begins with the planar transistor. A planar MOSFET places the gate above the channel between its source and drain. Pairing an NMOS with a PMOS transistor creates a CMOS inverter, in which the NMOS pulls the output low for a high input, and the PMOS pulls it high for a low input. The gate must retain electrostatic control of the channel to ensure clean switching. As gate lengths shrank, the drain began to compete with the gate for that control, increasing off-state leakage. Electrostatic control was restored through an architectural evolution that raised the channel into a vertical fin and wrapping the gate around three sides. Called “FinFET”, this new architecture packed more effective channel width into a smaller footprint. Further scaling made it harder to maintain both drive current and leakage within smaller cells, and reintroduced the same problems planar MOSFETs faced. Nanosheet GAAFETs close the fourth side by replacing the vertical fin with a stack of horizontal nanosheets, each surrounded by the gate. The tighter electrostatic control suppresses leakage at shorter gate lengths while stacking adds effective channel width within the cell footprint. In a FinFET process, channel width changes in discrete steps as designers must add or remove whole fins. Nanosheet width can instead be adjusted continuously within the process’s design rules. Wider sheets increase drive current, while narrower sheets reduce capacitance at the cost of drive current. Intel 18A uses stacks of four nanosheets each and varies their widths across logic and SRAM. At the process level, adding more sheets to each stack increases effective channel width and drive current, but complicates fabrication. RibbonFET vs MBCFET Samsung began GAAFET production in 2022 with SF3E, following with SF3 and now SF2. Its ‘MBCFET’ provides a useful structural comparison with Intel’s first RibbonFET implementation. [17] STEEL is digging deeper into SF2, used in the Exynos 2600, and TSMC’s GAAFET N2, used in Apple’s A20 Pro, in upcoming newsletter articles. We’re throwing some teasers on X. Let’s compare Samsung SF2’s MBCFET with Intel 18A’s RibbonFET. Subscribe Even to the untrained eye, Intel’s extra nanosheet is obvious. Intel stacks four ribbons to Samsung’s three. Samsung’s sheets are much wider in these fields, so both sheet count and width matter to the available channel perimeter. Sheet width also changes which silicon surfaces carry current. On conventional (001) silicon, wide nanosheets emphasize the broad top and bottom surfaces, favoring electron transport; the larger sidewall contribution in a narrow sheet favors hole transport. Thinner sheets improve gate control but increase confinement and scattering. This makes width and thickness part of the NMOS/PMOS balance, alongside strain and threshold voltage. [18], [19] GAAFET designs like 18A use different work-function-metal (WFM) stacks for NMOS and PMOS. Around each ribbon, a thin SiOx interfacial layer separates the silicon channel from the HfOx high-k dielectric, with La providing dipole tuning and the WFM wrapping the dielectric. NMOS uses a TiAl-based stack, while PMOS uses TiN WFM. W fills the remaining gate trench, providing a lower-resistivity path where the work-function layers are no longer needed. In this field, the PMOS stacks leave room for W between ribbons, while the NMOS stacks occupy more of those gaps. A silicon-based dielectric marks the P/N boundary, allowing the PMOS and NMOS gates, sharing the same gate trench, to be processed sequentially. Fast logic paths, retention circuits, and SRAM need a family of threshold options. Changing threshold without substantially changing device dimensions, capacitance or fabrication complexity is valuable. FinFET processes typically use different work-function-metal stacks. In a four-ribbon GAA stack, the narrow sheet-to-sheet gap limits how much WFM can fit around each channel. La in the gate dielectric creates interfacial dipoles at the SiOx/HfOx boundary, shifting effective work function and tuning threshold voltage. This gives Intel another control alongside its NMOS and PMOS WFM stacks. Low-threshold devices improve critical-path drive; higher thresholds reduce leakage elsewhere. Dipole tuning is especially useful in GAA because it changes threshold without consuming the narrow intersheet gap with thicker WFM. Precise control of La incorporation, diffusion and interface quality has long been a challenge, limiting viability in high volume production but is now seen from every leading-edge foundry. Intel’s patent describes depositing a dipole-forming oxide above HfOx and annealing it toward the interfacial oxide before completing the work-function and fill metals. This separates threshold tuning from the space available for metal. Newer research addresses the thermal cost: imec’s 2026 dipole-middle research inserts the shifter between two HfOx depositions, shortening the diffusion path while protecting SiOx during patterning. [20], [21]Matched-cut EDS, Intel 18A (left) vs. Samsung SF2 (right). Intel retains raised source/drain epi beneath its contacts, while Samsung recesses W deep into the epi to form a V-shaped Ti-lined interface. The deeper contact increases metal-to-semiconductor area and shortens the current path from the lower sheets, reducing contact and spreading resistance. It also removes epi volume and brings the contact etch closer to the channel ends. Retaining more epi preserves the material available for strain transfer, especially from SiGe into PMOS. These geometries balance contact access against stress engineering and etch margin. [22], [23] Samsung stacks three sheets to Intel’s four ribbons, and both processes use sheet width to tune drive strength. In our Samsung cross-sections, widths range roughly from 19 to 30 nm in the NPU rows and 37 to 50 nm in the CU cell. The Samsung nanosheets taper, with the widest sheet at the bottom and the narrowest at the top. Both processes use HfOx gate dielectric and Ti-based work-function stacks, with Al in the NMOS stack. In the Samsung devices shown here, the dielectric and WFM occupy the intersheet gaps, leaving W above the top sheet. Intel’s PMOS stack leaves more room between ribbons, and W fills those gaps while the thicker NMOS stack leaves W mainly in the upper trench. Gate-stack EDS maps. The W between Intel’s PMOS ribbons provides a conductive path close to the lower gates. Where WFM fills the entire gap, the gate still surrounds the channel, but voltage reaches it through the more resistive work-function films. Thinner WFM and dipole tuning preserve room for low-resistivity fill; Mo and Ru are alternative fill metals being developed for further scaling. [24] A masked, sequential WFM flow explains the different gate heights and inter-nanosheet fill. The proposed sequence below shows how separate NMOS and PMOS work-function steps produce that geometry. Enabled by the BSPDN process, Intel replaces the dense-logic silicon subfin with dielectric, removing the parasitic conduction path below the ribbons and reducing substrate-related capacitance. A retained silicon body as in classical, non-SOI, planar and FinFET designs needs junction and punchthrough-stop engineering to suppress leakage. Dielectric isolation makes that leakage less sensitive to the subfin doping profile but adds removal and fill steps. It also weakens the direct thermal path through silicon, making the contacts, metal stacks and package more important for heat extraction. [24], [26] Fluorine is concentrated around selected Intel device structures in the maps. WF6 is a standard precursor for W nucleation and fill, while barrier films protect adjacent dielectrics from fluorine attack. Low-fluorine W processes reduce the residual-F burden. Chloride-based precursors avoid introducing F during W deposition, but require control of chlorine attack, nucleation and fill quality. The integration target is a continuous, low-resistance W path with a thin protective liner and minimal chemical damage to the surrounding stack. [20], [27], [28] The SemiAnalysis STEEL teardown lab breaks down advanced datacenter and AI hardware. To learn more about our pipeline or to commission a teardown, contact sales@semianalysis.com. WE’RE HIRING: Architecture, floorplan, packaging, manufacturing, and labs experts. Opportunities from system to transistor and everywhere in between. Check out our Careers page. We measured cell height, gate pitch, metal geometry, and ribbon dimensions at the XTEM sites shown below. The tables group these dimensions by site and device polarity. Our “sheet cuts” cross the silicon channel and show the ribbons end-on. “gate cuts” run along the channel through successive gates. The 18A logic cell dimensions point to a five-track logic library while the N3E and Intel 3 cell dimensions evidence a seven-track logic library. The DDR-PHY uses wider M0 wires and much larger spacing than core logic. That trades routing density for lower wire resistance and weaker coupling between neighboring nets. The geometry suits the current delivery and coupling requirements of analog, clock, and I/O circuitry. PowerVia lets 18A combine a compact cell height with wider M0 geometry by moving the main power rails off the signal-routing tracks. That relaxes local wire scaling while preserving a small cell footprint. Cell height and gate pitch set the geometric density; pin access and routability determine how much of it a real block can use. [29] The biggest takeaway from our gate-pitch measurements is that Intel 18A compute logic and TSMC N3E GPU logic have similar density in the Bohr representative-cell model. The 18A example is 18.6% denser than the Intel 3 GPU example. Gate pitches are nearly identical across the three sites, so cell height drives most of the difference. The Bohr model combines a four-transistor NAND2 spanning three gate pitches and a 32-transistor scan flip-flop (SFF) spanning nineteen pitches, weighting their densities 60:40. The sensitivity column shows how independently changing cell height and gate pitch by ±1 nm changes the result. This compares representative cell geometries; whole-die density also depends on cell mix and placement. The 18A P-core gives M0 substantially more metal cross section than the N3E vector engine. Treating each profile as a trapezoid gives 2.63 times the area per line and 1.84 times the area after normalization by routing pitch. The larger section reduces the geometric contribution to line resistance and lowers current density for a given current. Taller and wider wires also add capacitance, so circuit delay depends on the balance of resistance and capacitance. The DDR-PHY has less metal area per routing width than the 18A core fields, while remaining above N3E. [30] Area = height × (top CD + bottom CD) / 2, including liners. Area/pitch normalizes by routing width. Taper is the symmetric sidewall angle from vertical, with the largest angle belonging to the DDR-PHY. Compute tile The measurements show how ribbon dimensions and gate-stack geometry vary across the compute tile and between NMOS and PMOS to balance channel drive, gate load and the space needed for the dielectric/WFM stack across logic, SRAM and the DDR-PHY. Width mainly changes available channel perimeter; thickness also changes electrostatic control and carrier confinement. Gate-stack thickness then determines the space left for low-resistivity fill P-core and LP E-core logic Both the P-core and LP E-core use multiple nanosheet widths. Widths are measured on high-magnification XTEMs while wider-field images demonstrate additional width choices within the LP E-core. Multiple widths are expected even within an LP E-core. Timing-critical paths, buffers and cells with different fanout need different drive strengths. The lower-magnification fields show this width diversity beyond the sites quantified in the table. L2 and L3 SRAM GAA gives SRAM designers another way to balance the pull-up (PU), pass-gate (PG), and pull-down (PD) transistors. FinFET bitcells set device strength through fin count while GAA adds nanosheet width as a sizing knob. In a 6T SRAM cell, a strong pull-down relative to the pass-gate limits read disturbance, while a strong pass-gate relative to the pull-up improves writability. During a write, the pass-gate and write driver pull the node storing “1” below the inverter trip point. During a read, the pull-down holds the node storing “0” low. Bias, threshold voltage, mismatch and assist circuitry set the remaining margin. FinFET high-current cells commonly use a PU:PG:PD fin-count pattern of 1:2:2, a device-sizing ratio rather than a current ratio. Ribbon width lets Intel balance SRAM strengths without adding whole fins. The L2 cell uses its narrowest ribbons for PU and widest for PD, improving writability and read stability respectively. Intel’s disclosed HCC operates without assist; its denser HDC uses negative-bitline write assist. Pulling the selected bitline briefly below ground increases pass-gate overdrive so it can overpower the pull-up at lower supply voltage. That buys density and low voltage writability at the cost of boosting circuitry, switching energy, and additional voltage stress that must be controlled. [31], [32] Four rectangular ribbons give the perimeter = 8 × (width + thickness), before corner rounding. PG/PU is 1.49 and PD/PG is 1.16. The L3 structures closely resemble L2 in layout and cell height. Fewer L3 nanosheet widths are tabulated because fewer high-magnification images were available. DDR PHY The DDR-PHY trades density for controlled analog behavior and reliable off-chip signaling. It contains drivers, receivers, delay circuits, and calibration logic that set drive strength, sampling time, and voltage margin. Repeated four-sheet devices with similar widths fit the use of regular transistor units for matching and programmable drive. Its wider local wiring provides room for current delivery and separation of sensitive signals, while consuming more area than a dense core-logic grid. The layout serves the memory channel’s electrical requirements as well as digital logic density. [33] The SemiAnalysis STEEL teardown lab breaks down advanced datacenter and AI hardware. To learn more about our pipeline or to commission a teardown, contact sales@semianalysis.com. WE’RE HIRING: Architecture, floorplan, packaging, manufacturing, and labs experts. Opportunities from system to transistor and everywhere in between. Check out our Careers page. Intel 3 GPU devices Vector engine logic Intel 3’s XVE logic uses two-fin PMOS and NMOS devices with power rails in M0. Its cell height and M0 pitch give a seven-track geometry, two tracks more than the 18A logic. One-fin groups also appear among the two-fin devices. Intel 3 L2 SRAM The Intel 3 L2 SRAM uses the familiar HCC sizing pattern: one PU fin, two PG fins, and two PD fins. N3E GPU devices Vector engine logic The N3E XVE field contains repeated two-fin devices with seven-track cell geometry. N3E remains a FinFET process, giving Panther Lake a direct FinFET-to-RibbonFET comparison. N3E L2 SRAM The N3E L2 SRAM uses the same PU:PG:PD fin-count pattern of 1:2:2. Panther Lake-U follows Lunar Lake’s floorplan quite closely. Both pair 4 P-cores with 4 LP E-cores and NPU, media and display engines in similar locations. Lunar Lake also uses Xe2, the direct predecessor to Panther Lake’s Xe3 GPU. This makes Lunar Lake the most direct basis for our comparisons. Arrow Lake differs in core count and uses the older Xe-LPG GPU architecture, so we only use it where it offers a more direct component-level comparison. Compute tile Panther Lake compute-tile floorplans remain sparse even months after launch. Intel 18A’s backside metal and dielectric stack must be removed without damaging the underlying structures before a clean transistor-level floorplan can be imaged. Most published die shots hide or heavily process the background, but we are quite proud of the die shot we achieved and are excited to show the work we have done. We measured the areas of the key components on the compute tile and compared them with their Lunar Lake predecessors on TSMC N3B. These help us to capture changes in block area and compare the two chips across process nodes and designs. Our total tile areas exclude the scribe-line area. The compute-plus-GPU subtotal below uses the PTL-U compute tile and GT1 GPU; it excludes the I/O tile and passive base. Individual block areas use the boundaries marked on the floorplans The compute-plus-GPU row is recomputed from the displayed PTL-U and GT1 areas. Component rows use their stated per-region counts and are not an additive partition of the whole tile. The P-core area remains almost unchanged between Lunar Lake and Panther Lake, despite L2 capacity increasing from 2.5 MiB to 3 MiB. Arrow Lake uses the same Lion Cove core as Lunar Lake but also has a 3 MiB L2. Cougar Cove fits 20% more L2 into the same P-core area. The larger private cache keeps more of each core’s working set close to its execution units, reducing access to shared L3 and DRAM. Extra capacity adds storage leakage and lookup energy, so designers balance it against avoided lower-level accesses. The shared P-core L3 cache also shrank by 14.8%. [2] Cougar Cove combines a similar footprint with Intel’s reported power-efficiency improvements. RibbonFET’s tighter channel control reduces leakage, while PowerVia reduces supply droop and allows tighter voltage guardbands. [1] Darkmont’s four-core LP E-core cluster is 5.0% smaller than Skymont’s on Lunar Lake, with most of the reduction in its L2 regions. The 1 MiB region shrank by 8.4% and the 1.5 MiB region by 14.9%. The tag arrays also use one fewer visible row. Tags identify which memory addresses the data array holds, so rearranging them changes the cache’s layout and wiring without requiring less data capacity. [2] The LP E-cores share one L2. This pools capacity and avoids duplicating all the cache machinery, but the four cores contend for its banks and bandwidth. Their separate cluster also keeps light work away from the performance cluster and its L3, allowing that larger domain to sleep. [1], [2] Cache area includes more than the storage cells. Tags identify each line, decoders select rows, sense amplifiers read the small bitline signal, and wires connect to the banks. Splitting an array into smaller sections shortens wordlines and bitlines, improving access speed, but duplicates peripheral circuits. Panther Lake’s smaller cache regions therefore reflect the complete memory implementation, including how much of each region is devoted to storage. [34] Unlike Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake, Panther Lake has no separate SoC tile. The NPU, LP E-cores, memory controllers, PHYs, media and display engines now share the compute tile. This removes an active die and keeps CPU memory traffic on one die. The cost is moving PHY and I/O-related circuitry onto 18A: drivers, receivers and analog circuits must still meet external voltage, loading and signal-integrity requirements, so their area does not shrink like dense digital logic. [1], [2] The biggest shrink comes from the NPU, which occupies 36.9% less area. NPU 5 consolidates the same total INT8 MAC count into half as many neural compute engines. Each of the three NCEs has a larger MAC array to make the complete NCE envelope 22.6% larger than an NPU 4 engine. Consolidation also halves the number of scratchpads and SHAVE DSPs, from 12 to 6. The MAC array handles matrix multiplication and convolution, while SHAVE executes vector and custom operations that fit the array poorly. [1], [2], [35] The paired floorplans identify each NCE envelope and its scratchpad, MAC, and SHAVE regions. Each measured MAC polygon is counted once per NCE in the area accounting below. The scratchpads store weights, activations, and intermediate results near the MAC arrays, allowing repeated use without fetching them again from DRAM. Halving their number delivers the largest measured area saving but leaves less local storage for the same total MAC count. Layers that no longer fit locally require smaller working tiles or more transfers of intermediate data. The benefit depends on keeping the enlarged arrays busy while managing that tighter storage budget. [36] NPU 5 also adds native FP8. Using half the operand width of FP16 reduces storage and transfer demand, helping workloads fit the smaller local memory budget. Lower precision and format-dependent range make scaling and model validation part of deployment. Hardware activation functions further reduce work that would otherwise occupy the programmable DSPs. [1], [2] Microsoft requires an NPU to deliver at least 40 TOPS for Copilot+ PCs. Both Lunar Lake and Panther Lake meet this threshold, but Panther Lake uses significantly less silicon. GPU tiles Panther Lake is Intel’s first product with Xe3, its latest GPU architecture. It offers two different GPU tiles: a smaller GT1 tile with 4 Xe3 cores on Intel 3 and a larger GT2 tile with 12 Xe3 cores on TSMC N3E. Panther Lake allows us to compare the same GPU architecture across both Intel 3 and TSMC N3E. Wildcat Lake adds a third Xe3 implementation on Intel 18A. A future newsletter will detail Xe3 and its implementation differences across all three process nodes. GT2 scales Xe3 to a different physical layout, with render slices arranged vertically instead of GT1’s horizontal arrangement. Slice placement sets the distances to shared cache banks and the D2D interface. Those wires consume area and add delay, so scaling the number of Xe cores also requires a new balance of cache placement, routing and timing. [1] What’s immediately obvious is that the GT2 tile on TSMC N3E has much smaller Xe cores than GT1. These block areas include logic, caches, and routing. An Xe core on the GT1 tile is ~69% larger than one on Lunar Lake, and ~55% larger than one on GT2. Intel 3 therefore uses substantially more area per Xe core. The block-area gap exceeds the measured logic and SRAM density gaps, bringing routing, timing targets, cell mix, and floorplan allocation into the comparison. The measured vector/matrix engine region is almost unchanged between Lunar Lake and Panther Lake’s GT2 tile. Xe3 retains eight 512-bit vector engines and eight 2048-bit XMX engines per core. Its gains also come from feeding those engines more effectively: more resident threads hide stalls, and variable register allocation lets shaders trade registers per thread against the number of threads kept active. [1] The shared L1/SLM capacity increased by 33% from 192 KiB to 256 KiB, while its area increased only 5%, raising effective density by 27%. L1 retains reused cache lines, while software-managed SLM lets a thread group share data locally. Both reduce traffic to more distant memory. Allocating more SLM per group can also limit how many groups reside on a core at once. [1], [37] The GT1 tile carries 4 MiB of L2 against 16 MiB on the GT2 tile. GT1 divides its L2 cache into four 1 MiB banks, while GT2 uses eight 2 MiB banks. Each bank contains 128 macros, but each N3E macro stores 16 KiB, twice the Intel 3 macro’s 8 KiB capacity. The N3E macro is only 54% larger while holding twice as many bits, giving it 30% higher density: ~23.7 Mbit/mm² versus 18.3 Mbit/mm². Including bank-level circuitry, the gap widens to ~16.9 Mbit/mm² on GT2 versus ~10.4 Mbit/mm² on GT1. GT2 gains density with its macros storing more bits per unit area, and those macros occupy more of each cache bank. Larger macros spread decoder and sense-amplifier overhead across more storage, while a more compact bank layout reduces the share spent on control and routing. The compromise is longer wordlines and bitlines that carry more capacitance. [34] I/O tile Panther Lake uses two I/O tile variants, both fabricated on TSMC N6. The smaller one provides 4 PCIe 5.0 and 8 PCIe 4.0 lanes and serves lower-tier systems as well as those without a discrete GPU, while the larger one adds 8 PCIe 5.0 lanes, bringing the total to 20 lanes, for discrete-GPU connectivity. Panther Lake SKUs with the larger 10- or 12-Xe GPUs use the smaller I/O tile. [38] The smaller I/O tile adds a PCIe 4.0 block and a Thunderbolt block to Lunar Lake’s I/O layout, providing four additional PCIe 4.0 lanes and another Thunderbolt 4 port. Its repeated N6 blocks retain nearly identical areas and layouts. Reusing these proven PHYs and controllers avoids porting and requalifying external interfaces on 18A, where faster digital logic offers less benefit to circuits constrained by the off-chip link. [38] SemiAnalysis’s teardown lab (STEEL) dives deep into the world’s advanced datacenter and AI hardware. To learn more about our pipeline or to commission a teardown, contact sales@semianalysis.com. We’re hiring technical experts from system to transistor and everywhere in between. Check out our Careers page. Panther Lake offers scalability and modularity through its disaggregated packaging that partition compute, GPU, and I/O silicon into separate tiles allowing for a suite of tile configurations. This partitioning makes the package part of Intel’s node economics as it determines how much leading-edge wafer area each product consumes, which functions can remain on other processes, and how much configuration freedom Intel can offer from a shared set of tiles. Furthermore, fabricating the compute and GPU tiles separately confines the new 18A process to the compute tile and allows graphics and I/O to use other, more established, and more cost-effective processes. For Panther Lake, the GPU and I/O tiles are assembled alongside the compute tile on a passive silicon base using Foveros-S. Intel’s current technology brief lists a nominal 36 µm pitch for Foveros-S. Through-silicon vias (TSVs) in the base connect the fine wiring above to the larger package connections below. The functional tiles sit side by side on that passive base in a 2.5D configuration. [39] Our cross-section through the compute and GPU tiles shows the package’s wiring hierarchy. Microbumps connect each active tile to the passive silicon base; its fine redistribution layer (RDL) carries the short, dense tile-to-tile links. TSVs carry connections through the base to the package substrate, which fans them out to the much coarser motherboard solder joints. The base supplies interconnect, while computation remains in the active tiles above it. [39] At the compute-tile edge, the higher-magnification inset shows a local microbump spacing of approximately 25.24 µm and a feature width of 12.33 µm. These local spacings are finer than Intel’s nominal Foveros-S value. The X-ray fields further confirm tighter neighboring bumps, consistent across every die-to-die area found on each tile. Additional X-ray analysis is offered after the paywall. Putting the memory controller beside the CPU removes the D2D transfer that CPU memory requests required in Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake. This avoids the extra transmitter, receiver, and link traversal, saving interface energy and latency. Panther Lake’s separate GPU still crosses a D2D link to reach DRAM, so its larger local caches also help contain package traffic. [1], [40] Smaller dies are less likely to contain a random fatal defect, and screening them before assembly prevents one bad tile from consuming a complete package of good silicon. Reuse also spreads design and qualification work across more products. Against those gains, Intel pays for the passive base, D2D circuits, extra bonding and test steps, and losses during assembly. Cost per working product across the portfolio captures the combined effect of wafer yield, reuse, test, and assembly. [29] Wildcat Lake packaging Intel launched Core Series 3, formerly Wildcat Lake, on 16 April 2026 for value mobile and edge systems. Wildcat Lake keeps 18A but removes the passive base and combines more functions on one die to simplify the package. The two products therefore reveal two distinct ways to commercialize the same leading-edge process. [41] Wildcat Lake’s 18A die combines up to two Cougar Cove P-cores, four Darkmont LP E-cores, two Xe3 cores and a smaller NPU. A separate platform-controller die supplies I/O, connected through UCIe, Intel’s first processor implementation of the standard. Consolidating graphics remove a tile boundary and the passive base, reducing assembly complexity for a modest-bandwidth value product. It also ties CPU and graphics scaling to the same die, giving up Panther Lake’s ability to swap in a much larger GPU. [42], [43] In July 2021, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger set out an ambitious process roadmap aimed at regaining performance leadership by 2025, later described as five nodes in four years. Five years and one CEO later, Intel’s comeback story is not as unambiguously positive as Pat may have hoped. [44], [45] Intel once set the pace for process technology, bringing high-k metal gate technology and FinFETs into volume production years ahead of the rest of the industry. Its 22 nm FinFET process reached consumers with Ivy Bridge in 2012. [46] Intel’s integrated device manufacturing (IDM) model allowed its architects and process engineers to co-optimize products and processes. Starting with Sandy Bridge, Intel dominated x86, while AMD struggled with Bulldozer. That lead faltered at 14 nm and broke at 10 nm. Intel targeted a massive 2.7× density increase, but the node arrived years late and required several revisions before it could support Intel’s full lineup. This delay forced Intel to stretch 14 nm across six generations, while TSMC moved ahead in process technology and AMD recovered in x86. By 2019, Intel was still shipping 14 nm across most of its product stack, with its 10 nm client ramp focused on Ice Lake mobile processors. Meanwhile, TSMC was shipping N7 and N7+, and AMD’s Zen 2 compute chiplets used N7 to raise core counts and improve efficiency. Intel’s process failures were central to its decline, but unsound business decisions furthered their downward slide. Product delays compounded product mistakes, pushing client, server, and FPGA roadmaps off schedule. Several attempts to enter AI (Nervana and Gaudi) and networking (Tofino) also failed to establish lasting businesses. Intel’s recovery has focused on consumer CPUs and advanced packaging. Tiger Lake, Alder Lake, Lunar Lake and now Panther Lake have restored Intel’s consumer roadmap. On the process side, Intel 4 shipped with Meteor Lake, Intel 3 with Granite Rapids and Sierra Forest, and Intel 18A with Panther Lake. Intel has also made advanced packaging part of its foundry offering. However, Intel is still playing catch-up in servers. Several Xeon generations arrived years late and trailed contemporary AMD and Arm server CPUs in performance, efficiency, and core count. The process roadmap is back, but Intel does not hold the same process-technology leadership position it held prior to 10 nm. The introduction of gate-all-around nanosheets and backside power delivery are two of the biggest changes to transistor integration in a decade. Intel took on both changes at once: 18A paired its first RibbonFET with PowerVia in Panther Lake. Panther Lake is a substantial manufacturing milestone. Our cross-sections show how RibbonFET and PowerVia reshape local contacts and wiring, while the floorplans show where architectural consolidation and process choices save area. A sustained competitive lead depends on product performance, cost, yield, and the next implementation. The SemiAnalysis STEEL teardown lab breaks down advanced datacenter and AI hardware. To learn more about our pipeline or to commission a teardown, contact sales@semianalysis.com. WE’RE HIRING: Architecture, floorplan, packaging, manufacturing, and labs experts. Opportunities from system to transistor and everywhere in between. Check out our Careers page.. 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Sep 26 • 9:36 AM EDT • Technology • newsletter.semianalysis.com
Castleford captain Mellor heads to Catalans

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Looking back on the \'60s origins of Spider-Man in advance of the 1,000th issue [Unscripted column]

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Sep 25 • 4:57 PM EDT • Health • nychealthandhospitals.org
Margaret Qualley, Sabrina Carpenter Cast In Tom Holland's Fred Astaire Film

Margaret Qualley and Sabrina Carpenter have joined Tom Holland in Paul King's untitled Fred Astaire biopic, Deadline reports.

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Sep 25 • 4:40 PM EDT • Entertainment • northeasttimes.com
The business case for pacing AI

Spacing out model launches and more efforts on safety could spur wider business adoption - if the political support is there.

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Sep 25 • 4:37 PM EDT • Business • wpintelligence.washingtonpost.com
‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Star Diana Jenkins Diana Jenkins Is Leaving America—and Selling Her $23 Million Hidden Hills Compound

The former Bravo cast member is looking to offload her sprawling Hidden Hills, CA, estate to return to her home city of Sarajevo.

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Sep 25 • 4:22 PM EDT • Technology • yahoo.com
Ebola cases, deaths in DR Congo outbreak near 7,900 and 3,800 as virus spreads to 2 more health zones

The high fatality rate, along with the large proportion of community deaths, highlights problems with timely case detection and healthcare access.

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Sep 25 • 4:22 PM EDT • Health • cidrap.umn.edu
Pennsylvania measles outbreak grows to 890 cases with 55 new infections: Officials

The measles outbreak in Pennsylvania is continuing to grow with 55 new cases confirmed since Wednesday, according to an update from the state health department.

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Sep 25 • 4:04 PM EDT • Health • abcnews.com
Local Family Business Celebrates a Major Milestone - WHIZ - Fox 5 / Marquee Broadcasting

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Four generations ago, the Rittberger family, began a retail butcher shop in the Zanesville City Market. 116-years-ago, they expanded that business into a wholesale operation based from their farm on Lutz Lane. “Carl Rittberger Sr. came from Germany in 1897, as a 16-year-old kid, with his family. And was trained in Germany in the meat trade. Came...

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Sep 25 • 3:30 PM EDT • Business • whiznews.com
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Pittsburgh Football Show, Episode 3, Sept. 25, 2026

Welcome to the show, Pittsburgh. I’m incredibly pleased to unveil The Pittsburgh Football Show, our new three-hour weekly broadcast that […]

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Sep 25 • 3:27 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Wici Wireless eGPU Promises RTX 5060 Ti and 5090 Performance Over Wi-Fi 7

There has been a lot of development in the eGPU scene lately, with Thunderbolt 5, OCuLink, and MCIO 8i providing serious gains in bandwidth and throughput for eGPU use cases. However, Wici has just launched the Wici One, a new wireless eGPU solution that relies on Wi-Fi 7 for data transfer...

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Sep 25 • 3:27 PM EDT • Technology • techpowerup.com
New Jersey’s lieutenant governor resigns after sexual harassment and ethics complaints

New Jersey’s Democratic lieutenant governor has resigned after the governor demanded he step down over allegations of inappropriate behavior with women. Gov. Mikie Sherrill had given Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell

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Sep 25 • 3:01 PM EDT • Politics • lancasteronline.com
Allina to pay $12.5M to settle federal data breach case

Case involves tracking pixels that shared some private patient information with third parties, like Google Analytics.

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Sep 25 • 2:44 PM EDT • Health • startribune.com
Illinois measles cases hit 23 in 2026, most from Douglas, Moultrie counties outbreak
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Sep 25 • 2:26 PM EDT • Health • cbsnews.com
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Will ABC show Trump during Tennessee vs. Texas game amid media ban

ABC will broadcast Tennessee's game against Texas at noon ET on Sept. 26, a game President Donald Trump plans to attend. The matchup comes amid Trump's ongoing feud with several major media outlets.

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Sep 25 • 2:24 PM EDT • Politics • knoxnews.com
MLB legend backs Vladimir Guerrero Jr. after podcast comments

An MLB legend is defending Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for his comments.

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Sep 25 • 2:24 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Cash registers, safe taken during at least 4 business burglaries on Chicago's South Side

Multiple businesses were broken into on Friday morning, and burglars left cash registers and a safe.

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Sep 25 • 2:13 PM EDT • Business • cbsnews.com
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HUGS casino night fundraiser in Savannah to support affordable mental health services

American Legion Post 135 to raise funds for affordable mental health in Savannah

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Sep 25 • 1:39 PM EDT • Health • wjcl.com
Essentia Health-Fargo opens $2 million suite to expand heart rhythm care

FARGO (KFGO) - Essentia Health-Fargo has opened a second electrophysiology procedural suite, a $2 million expa...

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Sep 25 • 1:27 PM EDT • Health • kfgo.com
Former Sonics broadcaster Kevin Calabro to join Timberwolves

After decades in the Pacific Northwest, former SuperSonics and Trailblazers broadcaster Kevin Calabro has a new home.

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Sep 25 • 1:22 PM EDT • Entertainment • yakimaherald.com
The Greatest Article That Has Ever Been Written

The most entertaining story I’ve ever read. All hail Sara Bareilles. The best casting news. Are you a faithful or a traitor? We just live in Veep now. I have never been more entertained than when read...

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Sep 25 • 1:17 PM EDT • Entertainment • yahoo.com
Report: Cubs, Red Sox Could Finish Series In Tampa

As a looming nor’easter forces scheduling shifts and doubleheaders, the regular-season finale faces a potential relocation to Tropicana Field to bypass Boston’s worsening weekend weather forecast.

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Sep 25 • 1:11 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
A data-sharing clause derailed U.S.-Zimbabwe health talks. Now all funding ends this month

The withdrawal casts uncertainty over programs to combat HIV and other diseases in a country where shortages often force patients to bring basic supplies such as bandages to clinics and buy their own medicines.

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Sep 25 • 12:56 PM EDT • Health • latimes.com
Illinois State Police Recognizes the Hidden Crime Fighting Heroes During Forensic Science Week

For Immediate Release - September 24, 2026 Illinois State Police Recognizes the Hidden Crime Fighting Heroes D...

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Sep 25 • 12:50 PM EDT • Science • myradiolink.com
Trump to usher in ‘golden age’ of American tech with DC bash showcasing powerful new tool

Trump and JD Vance will unveil America.gov, a new AI tool designed to be a one-stop shop for navigating federal government services.

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Sep 25 • 12:49 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
Ed Sheeran cancels New England concerts as Nor'easter looms

Ed Sheeran can’t be in love with the shape of this forecast

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Sep 25 • 12:49 PM EDT • Entertainment • washingtonpost.com
Ed Sheeran cancels New England concerts as nor’easter looms

Ed Sheeran can’t be in love with the shape of this forecast.

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Sep 25 • 12:45 PM EDT • Entertainment • seattletimes.com
Dillon Dingler Won’t Blame Fatigue for His Collapse

Dillon Dingler's MVP case is gone, and he refuses to lean on the easy excuse. #Tigers

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Sep 25 • 12:45 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Ed Sheeran cancels New England concerts as Nor'easter looms

Ed Sheeran can’t be in love with the shape of this forecast. A weekend nor’easter bound for New England has prompted the cancellation of the English pop singer’s concerts Friday

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Sep 25 • 12:44 PM EDT • Entertainment • yakimaherald.com
Ed Sheeran cancels New England concerts as Nor'easter looms

Ed Sheeran can’t be in love with the shape of this forecast.

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Sep 25 • 12:44 PM EDT • Entertainment • clickorlando.com
Health officials urge families to get vaccinated amid measles case in Allen County

Allen County health leaders are sounding the alarm after confirming a case of measles in an unvaccinated child in Adams County Thursday night.

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Sep 25 • 12:33 PM EDT • Health • 21alivenews.com
Montgomery County business owner pleads guilty in SEPTA bid-rigging case

A former Montgomery County business owner could face prison after pleading guilty in a SEPTA bid-rigging scheme.

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Sep 25 • 12:08 PM EDT • Business • nbcphiladelphia.com
Show-Me-State Politics: Missouri voters deciding new ballot issues; judge hears case over book bans in schools

KY3’s Tyler Wayne and KY3 Missouri Capitol Bureau Chief Hannah Falcon discuss this week in Show-Me-State Politics.

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Sep 25 • 12:04 PM EDT • Politics • ky3.com
Adventist Health strikes $18.5M settlement resolving sexual abuse lawsuit

Adventist Health has struck an $18.5 million settlement resolving a lawsuit brought by former patients who alleged sexual abuse from an employed physical therapist. | The settlement translates to more than $2.6 million per plaintiff, “representing one of the nation’s largest per-plaintiff recoveries in a sexual abuse case involving a medical provider,” law firm Lewis & Llewellyn said.

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Sep 25 • 12:00 PM EDT • Health • fiercehealthcare.com
Author Sarah Longwell says political character counts in ‘How to Eat an Elephant’

Is the idea of political virtue outdated? What do voters say when asked if character counts? That’s just one of the complicated topics Sarah Longwell, publisher of The Bulwark and host of The Focus Group Podcast, tackles in her new book, “How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time.”

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Sep 25 • 12:00 PM EDT • Politics • mprnews.org
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Man City vs the Premier League: The lawyers who have been fighting sport’s ‘trial of the century’

A guide to the highly-trained - and paid - barristers who have been arguing one of English football's most significant legal cases

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Sep 25 • 11:30 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com
Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas Campuses Earn Strong Marks in 2025-26 Nevada School Performance Framework

Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas (CASLV) is celebrating strong results across its campuses following the Nevada Department of Education’s release of the 2025-26 Nevada School Performance Framework (NSPF) ratings. The annual results include performance

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Sep 25 • 11:30 AM EDT • Science • nevadabusiness.com
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AI Slop or IP Gold? The Business of Brainrot

This case is not merely about memes; it is a test case for how artists and IP law will continue to grapple with the commercialization efforts behind viral internet culture and new forms of digital creativity.

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Sep 25 • 11:30 AM EDT • Business • law.com
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ManningCast dips to 661,000 viewers for Week 2
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Sep 25 • 10:53 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Louise Erdrich wins the Gish Prize, a top arts honor

Louise Erdrich has received the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, recognizing her outstanding contributions to the arts. The award honors those who enhance the world's beauty and enrich human understanding.

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Sep 25 • 10:52 AM EDT • Entertainment • lancasteronline.com
Azerbaijan: Authorities must immediately release activist Bahruz Samadov who cut himself during latest court appearance

Reacting to reports that imprisoned Azerbaijani researcher and peace activist Bahruz Samadov harmed himself during a Supreme Court hearing on 25 September, Natalia Nozadze, Amnesty International’s South Caucasus Researcher, said: “Azerbaijani authorities are obliged to protect and fulfil Bahruz Samadov’s right to health while he remains unjustly imprisoned. While they continue to deny him access […]

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Sep 25 • 10:31 AM EDT • Health • amnesty.org
Nashville summit connects Israeli healthtech startups with U.S. healthcare leaders

Sixteen Israeli companies showcased technologies ranging from clinical AI to patient monitoring and healthcare automation.

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Sep 25 • 10:31 AM EDT • Health • calcalistech.com
ICYMI: Hickenlooper, McCormick Celebrate Formation of Senate Bipartisan Science and Innovation Caucus

In case you missed it, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Dave McCormick joined scientists, researchers, and legislative staff at a kickoff event last week at the U.S. Capitol to celebrate the formation of their U.S. Senate Bipartisan Science and Innovation Caucus. Watch the highlights of the kickoff event HERE. “If you were to look at […]

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Sep 25 • 9:38 AM EDT • Science • hickenlooper.senate.gov
Fox Sports Radio launches ‘College Football with Stugotz & The Bear’ podcast

Jon “Stugotz” Weiner has moved on from his “hurtful” split from The Dan Le Batard Show, formerly The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, and he’s making good on his promise to “build a f*cking empire.” On Thursday, Fox Sports Radio announced College Football with Stugotz & The Bear, distributed by iHeartPodcasts and debuting Friday, Sept. 25.…

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Sep 25 • 9:30 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Patriots vs. Jaguars weather forecast for NFL Week 3

An up-to-date weather forecast for the Sunday game.

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Sep 25 • 9:19 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Alabama is taking TikTok to trial over teen mental health claims in a U.S. first

The trial, beginning Monday in Montgomery, is the first case against TikTok to reach a jury in sweeping social media litigation

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Sep 25 • 9:01 AM EDT • Health • qz.com
The Art of Releasing a Hit Streaming Series: 'Strictly Business'

It's a delicate art of timing the release of a hit streaming series, as examined by Luminate analysts on Variety's 'Strictly Business' podcast.

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Sep 25 • 9:01 AM EDT • Business • variety.com
Pioneer of China NewCo model sued in US over trade secret misuse, double-dealing

A legal feud unfolding in New York is putting a spotlight on the work of a business development veteran who is credited for pioneering one of biopharma’s hottest dealmaking mechanism: the China “NewCo” model. In a lawsuit originally filed in New York state court and recently moved to federal court, China’s Lepu Medical Technology has alleged that biopharma business development consultant Su Zhang, who was hired to help shop its GLP-1 weight-loss candidates to Western partners, engaged in corporate double-dealing and trade secret leaks. According to the complaint, while acting as Lepu’s primary dealmaking liaison for a group of obesity and metabolic disease drug candidates, Zhang was secretly double-dipping as the acting chief business officer for a direct competitor, BrightGene Pharmaceutical. “She never adequately disclosed the role, never sought Lepu’s consent, and never proposed any safeguard,” Lepu alleged in its complaint, which was filed in July after Zhang’s consulting firm, CoDevCo, sought certain transaction-based success fees from its angry customer through an arbitration process in Singapore. Lepu, the parent company of Lepu Biopharma, has asked Zhang to pay back its $500,000 retainer and disgorge all benefits she received during the alleged breaches of fiduciary duty, plus other damages and relief. The company has also requested the court grant injunctions to protect Lepu’s trade secrets. The ill-fated partnership officially kicked off in December 2024, when Lepu tapped CoDevCo as its “exclusive business development mechanism” to identify collaborators for the company’s drug candidates. According to Lepu’s complaint, Zhang personally negotiated and signed the agreement as managing director for CoDevCo, which used her home address. Before the Lepu deal, Zhang made a name following a short stint as the global head of business development for Hengrui Pharmaceuticals. It was during her tenure that Hengrui signed a landmark deal granting exclusive rights for a portfolio of GLP-1 assets to Hercules, which was at that time newly established by a group of private equity and venture capital firms. In addition to the regular upfront and milestone payments, Hengrui also gained an equity stake in Hercules, which later became Kailera Therapeutics. The Hengrui-Hercules deal opened a new paradigm, where a Chinese biopharma company spins off certain early-stage assets to investors for further development through the creation of a new company abroad. The “NewCo” model quickly came into vogue as it allows Western investors to access high-potential assets originating from China at an early stage while giving the Chinese licensors an opportunity to reap long-term benefits through equity stakes in the new firms. The NewCo model proved its value when Kailera staged a record-breaking $625 million IPO on Nasdaq this April, merely two years into the Hengrui deal. Related Kailera CEO 'knew we were in a good spot' before obesity biotech's record-breaking $625M IPO On her LinkedIn page, Zhang described her work at Hengrui as “[b]uilding team and capability from the ground up,” forming NewCo and major pharma partnerships worth billions of dollars. Lepu clearly wanted that kind of track record to help boost its own cardiometabolic portfolio, which includes a range of assets for obesity, Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease and muscle preservation during weight loss treatment. “Lepu’s pipeline is very valuable, but only if Lepu could secure the right international partner to expand into the overseas market during the available commercial window,” the company argued in its complaint. The Chinese biotech said it had little knowledge of U.S. laws, customs or business practices in the business development field, and therefore “needed to rely entirely” on the expertise of Zhang and her team as the firm’s first engagement of a U.S.-based BD consultant. “Zhang’s dominating influence on the business development strategy is further evidenced by the fact that she personally controlled the business-development communications on behalf of Lepu with potential partners,” Lepu said in its complaint. After entering the deal, Zhang introduced Lepu to her four associates. According to Lepu’s version of events, all of them were allegedly employed at different time points to perform similar jobs at other Chinese companies that Lepu described as its competitors, while having access to Lepu’s confidential information. As such, Lepu described Zhang’s team as “a roster of individuals whose primary professional loyalty, by virtue of their concurrent full-time employment, ran to Lepu’s competitors.” As well as the specific examples set out in the case, a look at Lepu’s deals over the period suggests Zhang may have been involved in at least one transaction. During their partnership, Lepu, through its subsidiary Shanghai Minwei Biotechnology, also out-licensed its GLP-1/GIP/FGF21 agonist MWN105 to a NewCo called Sidera Bio in the fall of 2025. The deal included an upfront and near-term payment of $35 million, up to $1.01 billion in milestones, and a 9.99% stake in the Danish startup. It seems likely that Zhang facilitated the Minwei deal given that Lepu is on record as having used CoDevCo as its “exclusive business development mechanism.” The big shock for Lepu came in the form of a news article on June 25, 2025. The article, reporting on phase 2 data for BrightGene’s GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist BGM0504, identified Zhang as acting chief business officer of the Lepu rival. Blindsided by her association with BrightGene, Lepu confronted Zhang in July 2025. “Lepu was given assurances that there was nothing to be concerned about and told that Zhang would explain the matter to Lepu,” Lepu alleged in its complaint. “Zhang never did.” Lepu claimed that Zhang had the motive and opportunity to steer potential prospective partners toward BrightGene or other competitors. Later, in February 2026, one of Zhang’s associates joined BrightGene as the vice president for global business development, according to the complaint. Around the same time, Lepu sent written demand letters asking Zhang to account for her BrightGene role, identify what confidential data were shared with the rival firm, and provide any conflict-of-interest or firewall policies during the engagement. According to Lepu, neither CoDevCo nor Zhang answered the questions in their responses. Related Novo vs. KBP: How a $1.3B deal turned into a fraud accusation and an international legal fight In a motion to dismiss filed with the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of New York on Sept. 4, Zhang’s legal team argued that Lepu’s agreement was signed with CoDevCo, and that an employee of the contractor does not owe fiduciary duties to the client. In its complaint, Lepu said: “That CoDevCo was the contracting entity does not insulate Zhang from personal liability for duties she personally undertook and personally breached.” Taking the argument one step further, the defending party argued that the consulting agreement “does not create a fiduciary relationship even between CoDevCo and Lepu; instead, it identifies CoDevCo as an independent contractor retained to market Lepu’s business to potential western partners.” Although CoDevCo was Lepu’s exclusive business-development contractor, there were no terms stipulating that the consulting firm should serve only Lepu, Zhang’s lawyer noted. As to Lepu’s claims that Zhang misappropriated trade secrets, the defendant argued that Lepu authorized the use of the information so Zhang’s team could perform their service per the agreement. In a rebuttal filed on Sept. 11, Lepu’s lawyer set out why they believe the Chinese biotech satisfied New York law’s misappropriation definition by alleging that the defendant used a trade secret “in breach of a duty or through improper means.” As an alternative to dismissing the suit, the defendant suggested the action should be stayed pending outcomes from the arbitration of a separate case in Singapore. While NewCo pioneer Zhang is defending her business arrangements, momentum behind the NewCo trend has continued unabated into 2026. Through August, Chinese biotech assets have spurred 15 NewCo deals this year, according to local trade publication PharmaDJ.

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Sep 25 • 8:40 AM EDT • Business • fiercebiotech.com
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✂️ 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 ...

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Sep 25 • 8:23 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
This “rare” autism-linked genetic disorder may be far more common than scientists thought

A major analysis suggests Phelan-McDermid syndrome, a genetic disorder closely linked to autism, may affect about 1 in 7,300 people and more than 45,000 Americans. Researchers warn that thousands of cases may remain hidden because genetic testing is often not performed, even as targeted treatments move into clinical trials.

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Sep 25 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Earth is tearing apart beneath the Pacific Northwest

Scientists have captured a subduction zone off Vancouver Island in the process of tearing itself apart, revealing that these massive tectonic systems may die piece by piece rather than all at once. The discovery could help explain ancient plate fragments, volcanic activity, and how hidden breaks beneath Cascadia may influence future earthquakes.

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Sep 25 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Can the Left Make America Fun Again?

Hi friends, I’ve got a piece in The New York Times today about how collective joy — participatory, youthful, anti-corporate — can defeat Trumpism and transform our lives. The basic argument is that politics used to be embedded in communal life: dances, sports leagues, union halls. As that infrastructure disappeared — and more of everyday life was atomized and privatized — politics became something broadcast at people rather than something they did together. NYC-DSA and Zohran provide another model, where socials and face-to-face organizing are tied to a fight vs the corporations that fenced off so much of the good life. Rebuilding that kind of collective fun, I argue, could help bring young people back into politics and, by redistributing America’s wealth, make everyday life more joyful. I would super appreciate it if you’d read the piece, share it, or post comments on it. Thank you! p.s. FYI, Opinion writers don’t get any say over their headlines! More Take action to support the fight of licensed deck officers at Alaska Tanker Company and Overseas Shipholding Group to win a first union contract. This is one of the most important, and underreported, unionization campaigns in America: these workers have a huge amount of power over domestic energy distribution and maritime supply chains, and they’re still without a contract two years after having voted overwhelmingly to unionize. Please sign the public petition here, and if you’re an academic you can sign this support letter.

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Sep 25 • 7:31 AM EDT • Politics • laborpolitics.com
Enjoy 1986's Castlevania for Free on Your Phone for 40th Anniversary

Up to 80% off on PS Store compilations

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Sep 25 • 7:00 AM EDT • Technology • pushsquare.com
Goss report: Tariffs, inflation put pressure on Iowa manufacturers

The Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, which measures economic activity across nine states, moved above growth neutral for the seventh consecutive month in August, pointing to solid economic growth in regional manufacturing. The Creighton Economic Forecasting Group conducts the survey of supply managers to produce leading economic indicators of the Mid-America economy. The Business…

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Sep 25 • 7:00 AM EDT • Business • businessrecord.com
Sports on TV/radio listings: Sept. 25

Where to watch and/or listen to today's sporting events that will be televised or broadcast on the radio.

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Sep 25 • 7:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Bill to allow politicians to spend campaign cash on security spurs warnings of misuse

The Assembly gave overwhelming approval to a bill that would allow political candidates to use campaign funds to pay for security measures.

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Sep 25 • 6:39 AM EDT • Politics • newjerseymonitor.com
First US trial against TikTok to test claims platform fueled teen mental health crisis

An Alabama jury will hear the state's claims that TikTok and ​its Chinese parent company ByteDance made the platform addictive to young users and misled consumers about its safety, in the ‌first case against the company to reach trial in the sweeping litigation over social media's impact on teen wellbeing.

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Sep 25 • 6:03 AM EDT • Health • reuters.com
Americans are confused and worried about elections. Will that impact turnout?

New polling shows many voters are concerned about the midterms. But prior elections show no clear link between voter concerns and fewer voters actually casting ballots.

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Sep 25 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • kosu.org
Lancaster\'s Capital Day featured in recent article on Smithsonian magazine website

Capital Day will take center stage in downtown Lancaster Saturday as history groups, business and performers come together to celebrate the day in 1777 when the city was briefly our

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Sep 25 • 5:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • lancasteronline.com
Castaño stands firm as Real Madrid video escalates row

Juanma Castaño responded on air after Real Madrid published a social-media video attacking him and his work on El Partidazo de COPE over the past decade, accusing club president Florentino Pérez of ...

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Sep 25 • 5:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Americans are confused and worried about elections. Will that impact turnout?

New polling shows many voters are concerned about the midterms. But prior elections show no clear link between voter concerns and fewer voters actually casting ballots.

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Sep 25 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • kgou.org
Euro zone business lending slows slightly

Lending growth to euro zone businesses slowed ​slightly from relatively high ‌levels in August and held steady in the case ​of household loans, data ​from the European Central Bank ⁠showed on Friday.

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Sep 25 • 4:12 AM EDT • Business • reuters.com
Euro zone business lending slows slightly

FRANKFURT, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Lending growth to euro zone businesses slowed slightly from relatively high levels in August and held steady in the case of household loans, data from the European

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Sep 25 • 4:12 AM EDT • Business • finance.yahoo.com
'I would encourage patience with Wirtz'

"Liverpool fans were naturally expecting the finished product to arrive and Florian Wirtz probably isn't that just yet," says Liverpool podcaster Josh Williams, who also admits the 23-year-old isn't living up to his £116m price tag. Wirtz has made 55 appearances for the Reds, scoring seven goals and contributing 11 assists, since penning a five-year deal to move to Anfield from Bayern Leverkusen in June 2025.

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Sep 25 • 4:04 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Spence Powers Astros with Three-Homer Night Against A's

The Athletics are looking to play spoiler this weekend, but rookie Lucas Spence decided to put Houston on his back in Game 1.

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Sep 25 • 2:26 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
NSW regulator upholds Star Entertainment's Sydney casino licence suspension

Australian casino operator Star Entertainment Group said on Friday its Sydney casino licence would remain suspended after the ​New South Wales gaming regulator extended oversight of ‌the property.

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Sep 25 • 1:31 AM EDT • Entertainment • reuters.com
ACSH in the media: British Medical Journal, RealClearScience (and Health), plus more podcasts

From a weedkiller paper that cannot carry the weight of its headline to a PFAS rule that treats cookware like a biohazard, we've been busy. Here’s a look at some of our recent media appearances, including in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), RealClearHealth, RealClearScience, SacTown Talks and the Health Policy Podcast.

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Sep 25 • 12:07 AM EDT • Health • acsh.org
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

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Sep 25 • 12:00 AM EDT • Business • cascadiadaily.com
League of Women Voters is nonpartisan — and unapologetically political

Every election season, someone asks the same question, usually with a raised eyebrow: "If the League of Women Voters doesn't take sides, why does ...

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Sep 25 • 12:00 AM EDT • Politics • cascadiadaily.com
Thai court case risks election rerun and renewed political turmoil

An adverse ruling could force Thailand back to the polls within months, ending a period of unusual political stability.

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Sep 24 • 11:19 PM EDT • Politics • japantimes.co.jp
Original Castlevania now available for iOS, Android for free

Konami has released the original Castlevania, first released for Nintendo Entertainment System, for iOS via App Store and Android via Google Play. It is available free of charge until October 24, a…

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Sep 24 • 9:45 PM EDT • Technology • gematsu.com
Brother of Hayden Panettiere's boyfriend resolves court case after arrest

Zach Hickerson, brother of late actress Hayden Panettiere's boyfriend Brian Hickerson, has resolved a case that landed him behind bars earlier this month.

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Sep 24 • 9:11 PM EDT • Entertainment • centraloregondaily.com
BACK TO BUSINESS: Friday's forecast includes more sunshine and heat, less rain

The heat is on... again. Expect more sunshine and muggy conditions on Friday. Here's what to expect in your neighborhood.

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Sep 24 • 9:08 PM EDT • Business • kristv.com
Chris Sale’s Cy Young Case vs. Abbott’s Struggles

Chris Sale is having a career year while Andrew Abbott hits rock bottom. See the stats that define this Braves-Reds showdown tonight.

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Sep 24 • 8:35 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Darrell Waltrip’s Former Colleague Sends Well Wishes After Sad Health Update

Larry McReynolds, who once stood alongside Darrell Waltrip in the NASCAR on FOX broadcast booth for nearly two decades, is sending his former colleague well wishes after an unfortunate health update.On Wednesday, it was revealed that Waltrip has been diagnosed with Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) complicated by possible Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Waltrip’s family believes it […] The post Darrell Waltrip’s Former Colleague Sends Well Wishes After Sad Health Update appeared first on

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Sep 24 • 8:17 PM EDT • Health • sports.yahoo.com
Congo faces health worker shortage as Ebola remains out of control, WHO says

Congo is running short of health workers to staff treatment centers for history's fastest-growing Ebola outbreak, particularly in the eastern province of North Kivu where cases have surged 73% over three weeks, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.

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Sep 24 • 8:13 PM EDT • Health • pbs.org
🙂 Positive (35%)
Tiffani Thiessen says she ‘got nothing’ for ‘Saved by the Bell,’ didn’t make ‘real money’ until ‘90210’

‘Saved by the Bell’ alum Tiffani Thiessen weighs in on what the cast members were paid

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Sep 24 • 8:01 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
1st confirmed measles case reported in Allen County

Health department officials confirmed Allen County's first measles case on Thursday.

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Sep 24 • 7:45 PM EDT • Science • journalgazette.net
White Sox Move Detrimental Pitcher to Injured List

Luis Castillo struggled in both the starting rotation and bullpen, and the White Sox finally have an opportunity to move forward without him.

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Sep 24 • 7:11 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com