Author: staff

“The recovery of the German economy is continuing,” said Timo Wollmershäuser, ifo’s head of economic forecasts. He pointed to signs of improvement, particularly in the crisis-hit industrial sector. The forecast is more optimistic than an assessment by Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel, who said in an interview published by Le Monde on Wednesday that Germany was on track to grow by around 1 percent this year — twice the Bundesbank’s June forecast of 0.5 percent. Ifo also raised its 2027 growth forecast by 0.4 percentage points. The revisions reflect updated historical data from Germany’s Federal Statistical Office and a more positive…

Published on 03/09/2026 – 10:36 GMT+2•Updated 10:45 Estonia’s Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur announced on Wednesday that he would step down from his political post after it emerged that the government had used European Union funding to purchase artillery shells for Ukraine from companies with no previous track record of producing the weapons. Estonian public broadcaster ERR reported on Wednesday that the government struck a deal in 2024 to acquire artillery shells for Ukraine, paying €70 million upfront from the EU’s European Peace Facility to fund the purchase. The companies involved, however, had never previously sold a single artillery shell. Estonia…

Published on 03/09/2026 – 8:31 GMT+2•Updated 8:37 Nicaragua’s ruling elite tightened its grip on power this week after the country’s National Assembly voted to bar opposition parties from future elections, a move US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has denounced as the final collapse of the country’s democratic pretences. The reform, passed unanimously in a special outdoor legislative session on Tuesday, will formally exclude from office any opposition figures deemed to have taken part in planning or carrying out a coup. It also extends the presidential term from six to seven years, along with the terms of other elected officials…

Published on 03/09/2026 – 11:15 GMT+2 China has urged France to halt its recently implemented law targeting ultra-fast fashion, describing the measure as discriminatory. The underlying law, which took effect on Tuesday, raises the contribution paid by producers of qualifying clothing, footwear and household linen sold through ultra-fast-fashion business models by between €0.25 and €12 per item in 2026, with the maximum rising to €20 from 2030. The legislation affects major e-commerce platforms including Shein, Temu and AliExpress. “China urges France to immediately halt the implementation of the anti-ultra-fast-fashion law,” commerce ministry spokeswoman Huang Ling told a news conference on…

Starmer stood down from the House of Commons this week, saying he wanted to devote more attention to international affairs. He quit as prime minister earlier this year after losing support in his own party, and has been succeeded by Andy Burnham. No date has yet been set for the contest. Polanski will still need to be selected by local Green Party members. That selection is expected to take place next week. In a taste of his campaign pitch, Polanski said “voters will have someone who will always fight their corner — never scared of big donors or the party…

In a civil defence shelter cut into rock, behind doors designed to withstand a nuclear or biological attack, two Finnish conscripts wearing hazmat suits and breathing masks are measuring radiation levels as they take part in an exercise to turn a cave into a place of safety for thousands of people. Inside, in what is normally a sports hall, hundreds of people are sleeping overnight on camp beds. More than 2,000 people including volunteers and students are taking part in the biggest civil defence exercise in Europe since the end of World War II. In the scenario, critical infrastructure in…

Humanoid robots wave, carry out household tasks and demonstrate different ways of moving at a robotics showcase in Brussels. The event at the European Parliament highlights growing interest in robotics as Europe faces an ageing population and a shrinking workforce. Researchers say humanoid machines could eventually take on factory tasks without major changes to existing infrastructure, although the technology remains largely experimental. Developers say AI is improving robots’ ability to perceive their surroundings and handle objects, allowing them to work alongside people and adapt to changing environments.

Javelins are about to get smart. TDK Corporation will fit throws with sensor technology at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, recording and analysing the physics behind every throw in real time. As an official global supporter of the event, running in the Hungarian capital from 11 to 13 September, TDK will fit javelins with its sensors for a special demonstration featuring leading athletes. The technology captures data invisible in a conventional result, where distance remains the only metric that counts. TDK’s sensors track the javelin’s release angle, rotation, speed, height and flight path. TDK’s software analyses that data…

American jazz singer and songwriter Cassandra Wilson has died in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi, aged 70. The two-time Grammy winning vocalist was named TIME magazine’s “America’s Best Singer” in 2001 and was best known for her distinctive and genre-bending contralto. She redefined the boundaries of traditional blues-jazz and folk sounds, and worked across various genres including pop, country, and R&B. “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Cassandra Wilson, the Grammy Award-winning and legendary jazz artist,” her manager Robert Torre wrote in a statement (via jazz radio station WBGO). “Cassandra Wilson transitioned peacefully at home,…

As Reform UK kicks off conference season in Birmingham, Nigel Farage appears to have some work to do. The party has gone from dominating the political conversation to facing a fall in polling numbers, mounting scandals and fresh questions over Farage’s leadership. Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy preview a crucial three days for Reform, with major announcements expected on migration and the economy – while a French connection could be significant. Elsewhere, the Conservatives are ramping up the pressure on Andy Burnham over defence spending, unveiling their own plan on how they would cut welfare to fund more money for…