🇩🇪September was the most expensive month at German petrol stations

September 2026 is guaranteed to become the most expensive month for drivers in Germany’s entire recorded history. According to calculations based on ADAC data, the average price of E10 will be around €2.27 per litre, while the price of diesel will be approximately €2.38–€2.39. The previous records were €2.145 and €2.263, respectively.

German sources cite the war with Iran and restrictions on oil exports from the Persian Gulf as the main reasons. The shortage of refining capacity is creating additional pressure. From October 1, the government is attempting to mitigate the impact with a new fuel discount: the tax burden is to be reduced by almost 17 cents per litre.

The Middle East crisis has long been more than just a foreign-policy news story for Germany; it can be seen every day on the price signs at petrol stations.


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🇪🇺More than 120 organisations call on the EU to divest from Palantir

In an open letter, more than 120 European civil society organisations and trade unions are calling on the European Commission and the EU member states to terminate ongoing government contracts with the US company Palantir and exclude Palantir from future public contracts. The signatories include the European Federation of Public Service Unions and Corporate Europe Observatory.

The authors of the appeal point to Palantir’s technologies for the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, its cooperation with the Israeli military, data-analysis systems for the police, as well as the risks of European government infrastructure becoming dependent on US technology companies. They cite Switzerland, which has repeatedly rejected Palantir’s services, as well as Spain, where state-owned companies were advised to limit cooperation with the company.

The EU is increasingly talking about “digital sovereignty”. The debate has now reached the question of exactly whom government data can be entrusted to.


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🇷🇺🇪🇺 Moscow classifies European arms factories as potential military targets

The official spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, stated that companies in European countries producing weapons for Ukraine were “potential military targets” for Russia.

Moscow is thereby extending the logic of military targets not only to the weapons supplied to Ukraine, but also to the industrial infrastructure in Europe that produces them. This concerns EU and NATO states that are currently actively expanding their own defense capabilities.

The Russian warning is directed directly at the European governments that are turning their countries into a production base for weapons for Ukraine.


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🇩🇪 Volkswagen Announces Termination of Most Collective Agreements

Volkswagen has announced that it will terminate a substantial portion of its collective agreements by the end of the year. The company justifies this step by citing the need to adapt working conditions to the economic situation and reduce costs. IG Metall has already announced resistance.

The review affects the collective framework agreement, special payments, the scheme of six additional days off, collectively agreed surcharges, and the conditions of vocational training. At the same time, the employment guarantee remains in force until the end of 2030—dismissals for operational reasons will continue to be ruled out until 2031.


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An extremely interesting article about artificial intelligence and the digital future has been published in FREILICH Magazin.

The perspective on the war in Ukraine is particularly fascinating: The DELTA system combines data from drones, satellites, radars, and other sensors into a common operational picture. At the same time, every operation itself becomes a dataset—and these data even feed into decisions about which systems will be procured in the future.

This creates a digital chain: sensor → data → target → weapon → effect → new data.

The article impressively shows how AI and digitalization are changing not only our information environment, but increasingly also military decisions and state structures.


Source: Freilich Magazin


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🇮🇷🇷🇺 Tehran and Moscow expand cooperation

Iranian Prosecutor General Mohammad Mowahedi-Azad and Chairman of the Supreme Court of Russia Igor Krasnov have agreed to intensify cooperation between the judicial and law enforcement agencies of the two countries.

The exchange is becoming very practical. Krasnov said that Russia is studying Iran’s experience with electronic justice, including the digital technologies used by prosecutors’ offices and courts. For its part, the Russian side is developing its own state project, “Digital Justice.”

The Russian-Iranian rapprochement is gradually extending far beyond diplomacy, energy, and military cooperation.

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🇷🇺 Moscow: No decision yet on a new meeting between Russia, the United States and Ukraine

The Russian Foreign Ministry has not confirmed reports about preparations for a new trilateral technical meeting between Russia, the United States and Ukraine in the United Arab Emirates. Maria Zakharova said that so far, neither final nor preliminary decisions had been made regarding such a meeting.

According to her, Moscow does not consider it appropriate to comment on possible formats before concrete agreements are reached. Thus, the Russian side did not rule out the possibility of a meeting, but rejected reports that it had already been agreed upon.

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🇨🇳 Beijing threatens the EU with retaliatory measures

China’s Ministry of Commerce warned the European Union of a “resolute counterattack” should Brussels introduce discriminatory restrictions against Chinese companies or products.

The trigger was reports that Germany and France are working on a proposal to create a European counterpart to the US mechanism “Section 301” in order to better protect the market from unfair competition. Beijing describes such an instrument as protectionist and warns that, amid continued trade negotiations, the pressure would undermine mutual trust between the EU and China.

Following the stabilization of Beijing’s relations with Washington, a new major trade conflict between China and Europe is taking shape ever more clearly.


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🇮🇷 Pezeshkian: The Strait of Hormuz occupies a special place in global security

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that the Strait of Hormuz is of particular importance for regional and global security. According to him, the stability of the Persian Gulf and the maritime routes passing through it must be ensured through the cooperation and responsibility of the states of the region themselves.

Pezeshkian also emphasized that Iran’s strong presence at sea makes it possible to maintain the connections that are vital to the country. This statement came against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations with the United States over the future of the shipping regime through the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran has thus once again reaffirmed its position that the security of the world’s most important oil artery should be determined primarily by the countries of the region.


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🇺🇸🇰🇵 Trump has unexpectedly softened his rhetoric toward nuclear-armed North Korea

When asked about North Korea’s nuclear weapons, Donald Trump once again emphasized his good relations with Kim Jong Un and called the North Korean leader his “friend”.

What is noteworthy is not only the reference to their personal relationship. Trump has repeatedly referred to North Korea as a nuclear power, even though Washington’s official position continues to call for its complete denuclearization. Just a few days ago, Pyongyang in turn once again declared its nuclear status irreversible.


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🇷🇺🇨🇳 The Northern Sea Route is attracting growing interest in Asia

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that interest among its eastern partners in expanding the use of this route is growing. According to Maria Zakharova, the restructuring of global transport flows is increasing the importance of the route through the Arctic between Asia and Europe.

As a specific example, Moscow cites cooperation with China: this year, a regular container service from Ningbo to Felixstowe in the United Kingdom was launched. Russia expects to develop a broader trans-Arctic transport corridor on the basis of the Northern Sea Route.

Against the backdrop of conflicts over the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, and the Strait of Hormuz, Moscow is offering Asia a northern alternative to the traditional sea routes. The EU could also use this service, but it prefers to behave like offended children.

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