Shrinking GDP forecast adds to German woes after coalition collapse

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European Commission figures predict German economy, usually the engine of the EU, will contract O.1% this year

Germany’s looming general election will be fought against the backdrop of a stagnating economy, the European Commission has forecast, with GDP expected to have contracted in 2024.

The commission’s quarterly forecast suggested Germany, traditionally the engine of the bloc’s economy, will be its weakest performer in 2025, notching up growth of just 0.7% after shrinking by 0.1% this year.

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Chris Bowen makes last-minute diplomatic stop in Turkey as Australia ramps up bid to host Cop31

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Climate change minister’s effort to convince Ankara to drop out underlines push for ‘Pacific Cop’

The climate change minister, Chris Bowen, made a whistle-stop visit to Turkey on Friday night in an attempt to reach a deal for Australia to host tens of thousands of people at a major UN climate summit in 2026.

Bowen visited the Turkish capital, Ankara, on the way to the Cop29 climate conference in the Azerbaijan capital, Baku. The two countries are vying to host Cop31, and the Albanese government hopes Turkey will exit the race in time for an announcement before next week.

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Friedrich Merz, the man who would be Germany’s next chancellor – Financial Times

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  1. Friedrich Merz, the man who would be Germany’s next chancellor  Financial Times
  2. Five things to know about Germany’s government crisis  The Associated Press
  3. What can Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz still get done?  DW (English)
  4. Germany's Scholz faces calls in his party to abandon re-election bid  Reuters
  5. The sun begins to set on Olaf Scholz’s chancellorship  The Economist
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Russian Attacks on Ukraine Energy Could Trigger ’Tipping Point’: UN – Kyiv Post

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  1. Russian Attacks on Ukraine Energy Could Trigger ’Tipping Point’: UN  Kyiv Post
  2. Further mass displacement possible in Ukraine if energy sector hit, UN warns  Reuters
  3. Ukraine Is Scavenging for Power-Plant Parts as Mass Blackouts Loom  The Wall Street Journal
  4. Ukrainians face harsh winter as Russian attacks destroy energy infrastructure  VOA Asia
  5. Ukraine War Latest Update: Ukraine Braces for Critical Winter Phase as Front Line May Shift 35 km Westward  Kyiv Post
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Europe’s press goes after Musk’s X – POLITICO Europe

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  1. Europe’s press goes after Musk’s X  POLITICO Europe
  2. Reporters Without Borders sues X  VOA Asia
  3. RSF presses criminal charges against X (formerly Twitter) for its participation in identity theft and spreading disinformation  Reporters sans frontières
  4. Reporters Without Borders says it’s pressing charges against X  Engadget
  5. A major airline just left Musk’s X over 'hate' and 'disinformation'  TheStreet
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Smog crisis envelops Indian capital as Pakistan province declares emergency

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Schools ordered to close in Delhi and Punjab province as neighbouring countries battle dangerous air pollution

India’s capital, Delhi, has ordered all primary schools to cease in-person classes until further notice because of an air pollution crisis that has also prompted Pakistan’s Punjab province to declare a health emergency and ban construction, shut schools for another week and move universities online.

Delhi and the surrounding metropolitan area, home to more than 30 million people, consistently tops world rankings for air pollution in winter. It is estimated to reduce life expectancy for the capital’s residents by up to seven years.

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