Author: staff
The Central Asia Gas Ring would connect Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan through more than 3,000 kilometres of new and upgraded pipelines. The proposal was discussed at the second Central Asia Oil and Gas Forum in Tashkent. Kazakh energy expert Askar Ismailov first presented the idea at the forum’s inaugural edition in 2025. He estimates the core infrastructure would cost $5bn (€4.46bn), including $2bn (€1.78bn) for new construction and $3bn (€2.68bn) for modernisation and digitalisation. The proposed network could carry around 20bn cubic metres of gas annually, he says. How five countries could benefit from a shared gas network…
Donald Trump’s latest moves on Russia and Ukraine have alarmed Kyiv and European capitals alike. But rather than scrambling to contain the fallout, EU leaders are keeping their cool. Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur explore Europe’s strategy for weathering Trump’s midterm storm — and what it means for Ukraine. Then, France reels from a weekend of violent protests, with more than 1,800 arrests and widespread destruction. As political leaders trade accusations, we look at how the unrest is shaping the battle ahead of the 2027 presidential election from Paris. Plus, hackers turn supermarket fridges into heaters, exposing some surprisingly basic…
China said Monday its economy expanded 4.5% in the July-September quarter from a year earlier, driven by strong exports, a record that moves the country closer to its annual growth target just as trading partners press harder to narrow their deficits with Beijing. The official figure beat expectations and picked up from 4.3% in April-June, the slowest pace in more than three years. Chinese leaders have set a 2026 target of 4.5%-5%, down from last year’s 5% expansion. Earlier this month, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut its forecast for China’s growth this year to 4.5%, the bottom of Beijing’s…
On 5 October, Pedro Sánchez called a general election for 29 November, and pensions are once again in the spotlight. One of the most common questions is: is the pension system bankrupt? This year, Spain has set a new record for its monthly pension bill, at almost €14.5 billion. Its Social Security system, which pays pensions and other benefits, reported its smallest deficit since 2011. But more than 20% of its income comes from the state, its debt to the Treasury is over €136 billion, and the mass retirement of the baby-boom generation has barely begun. The question is less…
Investitionen schaffen Zukunft Viele Unternehmen konzentrieren unter den aktuellen Rahmenbedingungen ihre verfügbaren Mittel zunehmend darauf, den Bestand zu sichern. Investiert wird in Ersatz und Erhalt, während Erweiterungen, neue Technologien oder zusätzliche Kapazitäten schwieriger zu finanzieren sind. Das hat langfristige Konsequenzen. Digitalisierung, künstliche Intelligenz, klimaneutrale Produktion oder neue Geschäftsmodelle entstehen nicht allein durch politische Zielsetzungen. Sie müssen in Unternehmen konkret umgesetzt und finanziert werden. Dafür brauchen Unternehmen wirtschaftlichen Spielraum. Wenn Erlöse über einen langen Zeitraum kaum wachsen und gleichzeitig die Kosten steigen, schrumpfen die Spielräume für das, was unser Land dringend braucht: Investitionen und wirtschaftliche Erneuerung. Gerade aus kleinen, dynamischen Unternehmen…
Speaking by phone after a gathering of EU liberals ahead of a leaders’ summit on Thursday, Hayer said “we need a strong European platform from the center to deliver for Europeans” on issues such as competitiveness, defense, climate change and decarbonization, especially with major EU countries facing national elections, including Spain in November and Italy, France and Poland in 2027. “We should be prepared for this new cycle of elections.” To lock in the centrist majority, Hayer wants the three groups to strike a detailed coalition agreement. The EPP has largely voted with its centrist allies during the first half…
French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to hold accountable those who “sought to bring down the Republic” after protests descended into looting and rioting across major cities on Saturday, deepening the country’s political crisis. In a televised address on Sunday, Macron said “nothing justified” the scenes of unrest across France, where a historic town hall in Limoges was engulfed in flames. “Those who looted will have to pay for the damage, and those who sought to bring down the Republic will be held accountable,” the French President said. Macron acknowledged the public’s frustration and anger over the unrest, while condemning what…
Published on 18/10/2026 – 12:02 GMT+2 Cost-of-living protests descended into violence across parts of France on Saturday as demonstrators clashed with police officers and set buildings and vehicles alight. More than half a million people are thought to have joined the demonstrations, including 110,000 in the French capital, Paris. Violence also broke out in cities such as Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Rennes, Strasbourg, Grenoble, Nice, Toulouse, and Limoges, where the town hall was almost completely destroyed in a fierce blaze. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said on Sunday that more than 500 police officers, gendarmes, and firefighters were injured during the…
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Published on 18/10/2026 – 18:22 GMT+2 Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar linked the riots in France to immigration, saying the “shocking scenes” vindicated his government’s tough migration policies. Anti-austerity protests turned violent in several French cities on Saturday, with looting reported in Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Several buildings were set on fire, including the historic town hall in Limoges. “Seeing this senseless destruction and unjustified violence, perhaps it is now clear to everyone why Hungary takes the toughest possible stance on migration,” Magyar wrote on social media on Sunday, alongside a video showing buildings on fire. “We will not relax…