By Beatrice Romano
Milan-based editor covering the eurozone, banking and the industrial heartlands of the continent.
Euro hits new lows against dollar and pound despite ECB rate hikes
The euro dropped to its weakest since May 2025 against the dollar and since June 2025 against the pound. ECB rate hikes have failed to suppo
Germany's sugary drink tax: what it means for prices and health
Germany plans a tax on sugary drinks from July 2027, targeting beverages with 5g or more sugar per 100ml. The levy aims to raise billions fo
Anthropic's revenue jumps 46% as it prepares for record $2 trillion IPO
Anthropic reported $16.8bn in quarterly revenue, up 46% from the previous quarter, and an adjusted profit. The AI firm is preparing for a No
Pope Leo XIV rests after lung cancer surgery, Vatican reports
Pope Leo XIV spent a restful night and had breakfast after surgery for lung cancer at Rome's Gemelli hospital. Doctors say recovery is on tr
Jordan pitches itself as Europe's safe gateway for investment
Jordan's investment minister says the kingdom is a resilient, safe gateway for European capital. Amman wants to turn its €3 billion EU partn
EIB targets cross-border projects to drive Central Asia's growth
The EIB is seeking cross-border infrastructure projects in Central Asia to boost regional development. It has committed €900m to a Kyrgyz hy
UK economy defies forecasts with August growth despite consumer caution
UK GDP grew 0.1% in August, defying forecasts of a contraction. The services sector, led by computer programming, drove the expansion, while
TSMC posts record quarterly profit on AI chip demand
Taiwan's TSMC reported a 68.7% jump in third-quarter net profit, reaching a record high. The surge is fueled by massive global demand for AI
Base editing sharpens embryo gene editing, but safety and ethics lag behind
Two 2026 studies used base editing on human embryos, improving precision but not eliminating risks like mosaicism. Ethical debates persist o
Europe's debt map flips: Belgium borrows like Greece as France pays more than Italy
The old north-south divide in eurozone borrowing costs has reversed. Belgium now pays near-Greek rates, while France's 10-year yield has ove
Russia's internet blackouts drive state firms back to landlines
Russian state firms tripled spending on landline phones in early 2026 as mobile internet outages hit nearly 80% of the country. Officials an
Kazakhstan eyes Antwerp-Bruges link to boost Middle Corridor trade
Kazakhstan wants to link the Port of Antwerp-Bruges with its Caspian ports of Aktau and Kuryk to expand trade along the Middle Corridor. Pre