EU finalises 573 billion pandemic recovery fund as 2026 deadline hits

Europe must prepare for a new era of simultaneous disasters, von der Leyen says The European Commission wants to shift the focus from responding to disasters to preventing them, strengthening preparedness and improving anticipation. But financing climate adaptation remains a major challenge, as EU countries face limited fiscal room to act.

euronews · about 1 hour ago

Reform UK wants to scrap the UK GDPR and copy New Zealands privacy law Reform UK wants to abolish the UK GDPR. It would replace the regime with a lighter privacy law modelled on New Zealands. Nigel Farage and the partys economy chief Robert Jenrick announced the pledge on Tuesday evening, inside a package aimed at small businesses. Mizy Clifton reported the plan for Politico. Britain wrote an amended […] This story continues at The Next Web

the next web · about 1 hour ago

Iceland says no as the EUs appeal comes under pressure As European officials return to work in September, they have been met with an unexpected setback. In a referendum on August 29, Icelanders narrowly voted against restarting negotiations to join the European Union. Although the decision was mainly based on domestic concerns, it was an unwelcome surprise for EU officials. Public broadcaster RUV reported that […]

in-cyprus · about 1 hour ago

New road opens in Gorski Kotar, taking heavy traffic away from Fužine centre FUŽINE, 31 August 2026  – A new bypass has opened in Fužine, in Croatias Gorski Kotar region, diverting transit, heavy... The post New road opens in Gorski Kotar, taking heavy traffic away from Fužine centre first appeared on Croatia Week.

croatia week · about 1 hour ago

Jadrolinija extends new Zadar–Ancona fast ferry service after strong demand   RIJEKA, 31 August 2026 – Jadrolinija has extended its new international Zadar–Ancona fast ferry service until 6 September following... The post Jadrolinija extends new Zadar–Ancona fast ferry service after strong demand first appeared on Croatia Week.

croatia week · about 1 hour ago

USR cere modificarea Legii ANI, reforme în administrație, servicii secrete și sistemul electoral. „Nu vom vota un guvern PSD USR și-a stabilit prioritățile legislative pentru noua sesiune parlamentară, între acestea fiind reforma administrativ-teritorială, schimbarea modului de control asupra serviciilor secrete, eliminarea supraimpozitării contractelor cu normă parțială și modificarea legislației electorale. USR insistă, de asemenea, pentru modificarea Legii ANI, astfel încât aceasta să fie pusă în acord cu legislația europeană care nu permite sancțiuni retroactive. Anunțul vine în contextul negocierilor pentru formarea noului Guvern, după ce PSD a transmis că își asumă guvernarea și a prezentat 10 priorități naționale pe care le consideră condiții pentru intrarea la guvernare.

digi24 · about 1 hour ago

Grindeanu, prima reacție în scandalul Pahonțu: „După 20 de ani în funcție și la 36 de ani de la Revoluție, avem astfel de revelații? Sorin Grindeanu a avut o primă reacție cu privire la șeful SPP după anchetele Recorder și Snoop, precizând că Lucian Pahonțu „trebuie să își clarifice acuzațiile. Liderul PSD a transmis, însă, că nu va achiesa „la corul de aplaudaci la comandă și că Serviciul de Protecție și Pază este „un serviciu extrem de profesionist.

digi24 · about 1 hour ago

Trenurile revin pe ruta Lugoj – Timișoara Est. 54 de kilometri de cale ferată modernizată, redeschiși după trei luni de lucrări Circulația feroviară pe tronsonul Lugoj – Timișoara Est a fost redeschisă luni, 31 august 2026, la ora 16:50, după finalizarea lucrărilor prevăzute în etapa de modernizare a infrastructurii feroviare.

adevarul · about 1 hour ago

Ilie Bolojan anunță că în zilele următoare va fi semnată preluarea Azomureș de către Romgaz. Ce se întâmplă cu salariații și când ar putea reporni combinatul Romgaz va semna în zilele următoare contractul de preluare a combinatului chimic Azomureș, după finalizarea tuturor procedurilor de avizare, a anunțat luni, la Târgu Mureș, premierul interimar, Ilie Bolojan.

adevarul · about 1 hour ago

Why bonds are the most important market in the world The bond market is growing more interesting lately — and thats concerning.Why it matters: The $160 trillion global bond market is like the plumbing in your house. You dont think about it until it stops working and youve got a nasty situation on your hands.The big picture: Long-term government bond yields for the U.S. and other G7 countries have been climbing — hovering at levels last seen in 2007 before the financial crisis — and raising concerns about borrowing costs growing more expensive for countries that are already staring down heavy debt loads.The AI boom, meanwhile, has spread to the market for corporate bonds, sparking worries about a bubble.What to watch: Its a perfect moment to release a book laying out the history of the bond market: "A Fabulous Debt: The Epic Story of How Bonds Built the Modern World" by Robin Wigglesworth is out on Sept. 29. Catch up quick: In the book, Wigglesworth reminds us that some of the biggest financial messes of the past 50 years were bond blowups. In 2020, the market for U.S. Treasurys seized up in the early days of the pandemic, leading to an unprecedented rescue from the Federal Reserve.The global financial crisis grew out of the collapse in mortgage-backed bonds and securities.A mania for railroad bonds triggered the Panic of 1873, which was dubbed the Great Depression — until the 1930s claimed the name.Where it stands: Axios recently caught up with Wigglesworth. Heres a snippet of our conversation, which has been edited and condensed for clarity.Axios: If bonds are so important, as you argue, why do we mostly talk about stocks? Wigglesworth: I think the stock market has always just been seen as a little bit more glamorous, maybe because it goes up and down a bit. Bonds are, you know, if they work as they are supposed to, they are supposed to be boring.There have been a lot of meme stocks over the years. Theres never been a meme bond.Big Tech is on a bond binge now, and you say we should be worried. Why? I used to be profoundly relaxed about whether theres an AI bubble or not. I think bubbles are very hard to identify. And this is what the stock market does. It goes up and down a lot, and people go over their skis. I think thats fine. Its working as intended.But theres a difference when those bubbles become more fueled by debt. Big shocks ripple through credit. The hangovers. Even for humdrum investment booms, the economic hangover tends to be just a little worse. With housing in the 2000s, the railways in the 19th century, they end up being really nasty. Courtesy Robin WigglesworthWe say a lot at Axios Markets that the stock markets not the economy, but what Im hearing from you is the bond market is the economy.Yes.I dont want to sound too alarmist [about tech bonds] because were still talking about very profitable companies. But the fact that this has morphed from being like a stock market mania to being something that is definitely being fueled by debt and off-balance sheet debt, that is definitely worrying.If there is a big crash, and we look for symptoms, this would be one of the first things youd point to.Maybe the bigger worry is the Treasury market? The biggest, most-liquid giant bond market weve ever seen. How are you feeling about it?The Treasury market really is, its at the apex. It is the greatest show on Earth. Its what matters. It kind of represents the cost of money, not just for Americans, but obviously for the rest of the world.People have been freaking out about it for 20 years, and I suspect well be still freaking out about it for another 20 years.I am far less worried than anybody else about the U.S. debt issue, but Ive gone from maybe like 1 worry to like 3 worry. These numbers are completely made up and arbitrary. But even a 3 chance of the U.S. defaulting in any form or fashion... I think thats super scary.

axios · about 1 hour ago

Debate: Hungary: will new Asset Recovery Office be effective? Hungary has created a new top anti-corruption body, the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office (NVVH). Its investigators are tasked with recovering state assets that were misappropriated during the Orbán era and are also empowered to bring legal charges against suspects. Political scientist Anna Róza Unger was selected by the Hungarian parliament from a shortlist of three candidates to lead the new authority.

eurotopics.net · about 1 hour ago

Swiss air traffic controller Skyguide expects 50 redundancies Following a successful consultation process, the Swiss air traffic control company Skyguide now expects a total of 50 redundancies as part of its restructuring programme. A first wave of 14 redundancies is planned, followed by a second wave of around 35 in spring 2027. Skyguide said that, thanks to the consultation process, the number of redundancies would be significantly lower than anticipated. The company states it remains committed to planned cost-saving target of CHF51 million and the eventual reduction of around 200 posts. Staff, trade unions and employee representatives had put forward 141 proposals to reduce the number of redundancies. Skyguide attributes this not least to the constructive dialogue with its social partners. At the start of the consultation, the company had anticipated a maximum of 220 possible redundancies. + How we produce news in English Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.

swissinfo · about 1 hour ago

UK offers homegrown AI start-ups £100mn to improve public services Scheme comes in wake of growing opposition to government contracts with US software group Palantir

financial times · about 1 hour ago

Latvian Saeima elections 2026: The Parties and their Promises Latvia goes to the polls on October 3rd to choose who will sit in the national parliament, the Saeima, for the next four years.

lsm.lv · about 1 hour ago

After Tidö: What a centre-left Sweden would change for Europe Magdalena Andersson of the Social Democrats is the favourite to become Swedens next prime minister, but only after months of hard coalition bargaining. Who she governs with would shape how far her foreign policy shifts

ecfr.eu · about 1 hour ago

France gears up for an election year defined by a fragmented left Its back-to-school week for France, and its politicians are no exception. With a year set to be dominated by a crucial presidential election, both the left and the right wing are hoping to get candidates that will stand a chance against far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who is currently topping the polls. But for now, the political spectrum remains fragmented. So, who is running so far? FRANCE 24s Clovis Casali tells us more.

france24 · about 1 hour ago

Media briefing: BepiColombos next milestone towards Mercury Video: 01:09:40 Rewatch the European Space Agencys 31 August 2026 online press briefing on the latest developments of the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission, Europes and Japans first mission to Mercury.This briefing focused on the complexities of the separation of the Mercury Transfer Module (MTM), scheduled for 3 September 2026, a critical milestone marking the start of BepiColombos Mercury arrival phase. It also provided an overview of the operational challenges and milestones ahead, including Mercury orbit insertion in November 2026 and the separation of the two science orbiters (ESAs MPO and JAXAs Mio) in December 2026.The briefing also provided an update on the missions status and explored the scientific opportunities that await as BepiColombo prepares to begin operations around Mercury. Journalists had the opportunity to ask questions following the presentations from three speakers: Prof. Geraint Jones, Lead Project Scientist, ESA Santa Martinez, Mission Manager, ESA Ignacio Tanco, Head of Inner Solar System Mission Operations, ESA BepiColombo will be the most complex mission ever sent to Mercury. Its orbiters will be only the second and third to orbit the planet. Close to the Sun and more difficult for an orbiter to reach than Pluto, this small desert world is the least explored planet of the inner Solar System. Learning more about Mercury will shed light on the history of the entire Solar System.The mission is a collaboration between ESA and JAXA, the latter providing the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (Mio).Click here for a set of explanatory infographics

esa · about 1 hour ago

Why is the EU looking for new member states? Ask the Euronews AI chatbot Iceland has voted against reopening EU membership talks, with 52.8 percent rejecting the governments proposal. This comes as the EU wants to expand and strengthen unity. But why does the EU want to enlarge? Ask the Euronews AI chatbot.

euronews · about 1 hour ago

Honda and Nissan will share the software in their cars from 2029 Eighteen months after their merger fell apart over who would control whom, Honda and Nissan have agreed to share the software inside their cars. The two signed a joint development agreement on Monday covering electronic control units, an in-vehicle operating system, middleware and vehicle control software, with the first cars arriving from fiscal 2029. The agreement is […] This story continues at The Next Web

the next web · about 1 hour ago

Bolojan, bilanț la finalul PNRR: România a pierdut 770 de milioane de euro pentru legea salarizării. „Guvernul pe care îl reprezint nu are nicio responsabilitate Premierul interimar Ilie Bolojan, a declarat luni, în ziua în care se încheie oficial PNRR, programul de relansare postpandemică a UE, că România rămâne cu investiții importante realizate , însă a pierdut în ultima etapă sute de milioane de euro din cauza jaloanelor neîndeplinite. „Astăzi este ziua în care acest program important, cel mai mare …

hotnews.ro · about 1 hour ago

Ruling party co-founder warns of selective targeting of religious groups in Turkey A founding member of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğans ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) warned Monday that Turkeys recent criminal investigations into religious groups risked becoming a means of punishing communities whose leaders oppose the government. Hüseyin Çelik, a former education minister and AKP spokesperson, issued the warning in a column published by Independent Turkish. His comments […] The post Ruling party co-founder warns of selective targeting of religious groups in Turkey appeared first on Stockholm Center for Freedom.

stockholm center for freedom · about 1 hour ago

Commercial Space Federation (CSF) Welcomes Two New Associate Members August 31, 2026— Washington, D.C.—The Commercial Space Federation (CSF) is pleased to welcome Outlier and Rendezvous Robotics as its newest Associate Members, bringing expertise in reusable satellite platforms and adaptable […] The post Commercial Space Federation (CSF) Welcomes Two New Associate Members appeared first on SpaceNews.

spacenews · about 1 hour ago

Good-bye, Hobbes? A specter is haunting international legal theory, and according to Monica Hakimi, it is the specter of Thomas Hobbes. It is not that there is widespread demand for a global leviathan to replace the many domestic ones. The Hobbesian specter, Hakimi argues, resides in the background, in the collective assumptions through which international lawyers see their own field, its successes and limits The post Good-bye, Hobbes? appeared first on Verfassungsblog.

verfassungsblog · about 1 hour ago

Spovedania lui Pahonțu despre Revoluție și Mineriadă: „Nu există nicio probă că am participat la represiune Lucian Pahonțu, șeful Serviciului de Protecție și Pază, a transmis luni, 31 august, un punct de vedere amplu în care respinge acuzațiile lansate în spațiul public privind o presupusă implicare în reprimarea manifestanților în timpul Revoluției din decembrie 1989 și al evenimentelor din iunie 1990.

adevarul · about 1 hour ago

Two words that worry global central bankers the most Around the world, what were once solid lines dividing the responsibilities of those in charge of fiscal policy and monetary policy are being challenged or redrawn.The big picture: If elected governments succeed in undermining their central banks independence — pressuring them to suppress interest rates or monetize debt to bail out yawning public debt problems — it foretells a world of higher inflation and economic volatility.It was a challenge very much on the minds of the central bankers who assembled over the weekend in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for the Kansas City Federal Reserves annual symposium — and underscored by recent news.Zoom out: Central bankers great fear is that were entering a new era of "fiscal dominance," in which the money supply is being managed not to achieve low and stable inflation, but to help elected politicians avoid hard choices around taxes and spending.It comes as inflation has already been elevated in much of the world for years and as longer-term interest rates are climbing.At the same time, elected governments are under intense political pressure not to enact the tax increases or public benefit cuts that would improve their debt outlooks.Driving the news: The Bank of Japan has been under intense pressure from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichis government to not raise interest rates despite accelerating inflation, while the Japanese finance ministry has worked with the U.S. Treasury on unusual interventions in currency markets to bolster the yen.Leftist French presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon has proposed canceling debt held by the European Central Bank, essentially seeking to ease the nations fiscal challenges by offloading the burden on the continents monetary authority.And in the United States, President Trump has undertaken a renewed attempt to fire Fed governor Lisa Cook, which, if successful, could also presage attempts to remove governors Michael Barr and Jerome Powell.In addition to Trumps longstanding attacks on the Fed, demanding lower interest rates, the Treasury has undertaken efforts to suppress long-term borrowing costs with a bond market intervention.What theyre saying: "In the context of escalating fiscal pressures, central banks around the world may face pressures about risks of fiscal dominance," IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva said on a panel in Jackson Hole Friday."Standing here in this legendary monetary policy setting—in this great state of rodeos where every license plate shows a cowboy on a bucking bronco—let me frame the answer in the following way," she said."Central banks most critical role is to ensure inflation remains low and stable. ... And that means no monetary policy cowboys riding to the fiscal rescue."Reality check: The efforts to undermine central bank independence have had only modest success so far. Most of the institutions have significant legal safeguards insulating them from political pressure.Friday morning, Fed chairman Kevin Warsh strongly suggested that interest rates are in play if the Fed does not gain confidence that inflation is coming down, contrary to the oft-stated desires of the president who nominated him just months ago.Yes, but: The underlying debt situation in the U.S. — annual deficits of 6 to 7 of GDP even amid full employment — means that any further rise in interest rates will only complicate the politics facing the Fed.And while the numbers and institutional details differ around the world, the basic story is the same across most major advanced economies.The bottom line: "If legislatures end up viewing central banks as a money pot, the risk is you end up compromising on monetary policy for the sake of fiscal authorities," Adam Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics and a former Bank of England official, tells Axios."If its World War II or the Great Depression, thats fine," he adds. "But doing that in a more normal economic backdrop is dangerous."

axios · about 1 hour ago

Reading Festival shows rude health of British and Irish music All headliners were from the two nations for the first time in 25 years, with highlights including Charli XCX, Fontaines DC, Dave and Raye

financial times · about 1 hour ago

Starting school in Estonia: Top tips for supporting your first grader For thousands of kids in Estonia, starting first grade on September 1 also means starting school. One psychologist offers tips to help families navigate this new chapter.

news.err · about 1 hour ago

Public reacts to Ariane 6 rocket launch with MTG-I2 Ariane 6 launched the MTG-I2 satellite from French Guiana, a new-generation Meteosat that strengthens Europes pledge to weather monitoring. "Euronews" spoke to several people after the event to share their excitement first-hand.

euronews · about 1 hour ago

Germany and France float plan to bring Kallas under von der Leyens supervision Under the German-Franco plan, Kaja Kallas would have a more hands-on role inside the European Commission, with broader responsibilities. But Ursula von der Leyen would retain the final say on foreign policy.

euronews · about 1 hour ago

Germanys far right eyes small eastern state as springboard to national power The AfD has spent years preparing to turn its first governing foothold into a proving ground.

politico.eu · about 1 hour ago