Germany

Unterföhring – September 09, 2026 -- German broadcaster SAT.1 has started production on the fifth season of its reality series "Promis unter Palmen" ("Celebrities Under Palm Trees"), with the new episodes set to air in spring 2027 on SAT.1 and streaming platform Joyn.

The show relocates a group of German celebrities to a villa in Thailand, where they live under constant camera surveillance and compete in challenges designed to test how far they'll go for money.

Munich – September 09, 2026 -- Drivers across Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy should brace for heavy congestion this weekend as the return wave from summer holidays collides with ongoing vacation traffic, the ADAC warns.

With school holidays ending in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and the last Austrian regions, return traffic from the south toward the north is expected to peak. At the same time, outbound traffic toward the Alps, lakes, coasts and low mountain ranges remains elevated.

Friday evening and Saturday carry the highest risk of gridlock

The ADAC identifies the worst congestion windows as Friday afternoon and evening, Saturday morning, and the return rush from Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening.

Laichingen – September 09, 2026 -- A new survey of 1,000 people aged 16 to 35 in Germany finds that nearly a third of respondents can answer no more than one of three basic financial questions correctly, while only 33.5 percent pass the full basic test. The poll, commissioned by precious metals comparison platform GOLD.DE ahead of the national "Day of Gold" on September 7, was conducted in August 2026 and is weighted to be representative by age, gender, and federal state.

Berlin – September 09, 2026 -- Potensic returned to IFA Berlin for a third straight year, showcasing its new ATOM 3 camera drone under the theme "SEE BEYOND" at Messe Berlin.

The drone weighs under 249 grams to skip heavy EU drone rules

At under 249 grams, ATOM 3 falls into Europe's EASA C0 category, letting users fly with minimal regulatory requirements. Potensic designed it for travel, hiking, cycling and everyday creative shooting.

A 1/1.3-inch sensor and dual-focal lens capture landscapes and close-ups alike

The drone's 48mm dual-focal camera records 4K/60fps HDR video across varied lighting conditions. The European version offers up to 40 minutes of flight time, 16 km of video transmission range, and AI Follow 2.0 for tracking subjects.

Berlin – September 09, 2026 -- Midea showcased its new SpaceMaster built-in oven at IFA 2026 in Berlin, featuring a graphene-based heating system and cooking temperatures reaching 350°C.

Graphene tubes cut heating reaction time to 0.2 seconds

The oven's core feature, called Graphene Turbo Hot Air technology, uses graphene heating tubes designed to deliver heat rapidly. Midea states the heating system achieves a thermal reaction time of up to 0.2 seconds, though this figure refers to the heating element's own response speed rather than the time needed for the oven cavity to reach 350°C.

Berlin – September 09, 2026 -- Segway has won two Gold Awards at IFA 2026 in Berlin for its upcoming flagship eKickScooters, the ZT3 MAX and the MAX G3 Pro, both set to launch in Europe in October 2026.

The Segway eKickScooter ZT3 MAX received the All-Terrain Electric Scooter Technology Gold Award, while the Segway eKickScooter Ninebot MAX G3 Pro won the Long-Range Riding Technology Gold Award. The Global Product Technology Innovation Awards are presented annually at IFA, one of the world's largest consumer electronics shows, and were founded in 2014 by International Data Group (IDG) and the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), with ongoing support from IFA.

Berlin – September 09, 2026 -- OSCAL is showcasing a new lineup of home energy storage systems, rugged smartphones, and connected devices at IFA Berlin 2026, running September 4-8 at Messegelände Berlin, stand H3.2-171.

The Power Storage 3000 brings balcony solar storage with AI-driven tariff management

The balcony energy system delivers 2,500W output with capacity expandable from 3 kWh to 15.3 kWh. It includes a 4,000W MPPT solar input, AI-based energy management tuned to peak and off-peak electricity rates, micro-inverter compatibility, and both on-grid and off-grid operation.

Berlin – September 09, 2026 -- OSCAL is showcasing a new lineup of home energy storage systems, rugged smartphones and smart devices at IFA Berlin 2026, running through September 8 at Messegelände Berlin.

A balcony battery promises up to 15.3 kWh of expandable storage

The Power Storage 3000 balcony system delivers 2,500 W output with capacity scalable from 3 kWh to 15.3 kWh. It includes a 4,000 W MPPT solar input, AI-driven time-of-use energy management, compatibility with micro-inverters, and support for both grid-tied and off-grid operation.

Portable power stations scale up to 57.6 kWh

OSCAL is also displaying a high-capacity model rated at 6,000 W output with up to 57.6 kWh of storage. The PowerMax 2400 Pro offers 2,400 W output and up to 22.1 kWh capacity, with wireless stackability and both grid and off-grid modes. The PowerMax 3600 SE and 2400 SE round out the lineup for backup power at home, outdoor trips and mobile use.

BERLIN – September 09, 2026 -- TECNO picked up two Gold awards at the IFA 2026 Global Product Technology Innovation Awards in Berlin, honoring a modular smartphone and a Lamborghini-branded gaming mini-PC.

A 4.9mm phone splits into swappable modules

The TECNO Modular Phone won the Ultra-Slim Magnetic Modular Technology Innovation Gold Award. At 4.9mm thick, the device uses TECNO's proprietary Modular Magnetic Interconnection Technology, combining a precision magnetic array with pogo-pin connectors so users can attach different modules depending on their needs. The main phone body keeps a 3000–4000mAh battery, while attached modules draw power directly rather than sharing the host battery.

Berlin – September 09, 2026 -- Germany's women's basketball team defeated Japan 74:58 in a sold-out Max-Schmeling-Halle, securing its first win of the World Cup after an opening loss to Spain. The victory sets up a decisive final group match against Mali on Monday at 5:20 p.m., broadcast live on MagentaSport.

Forward Nyara Sabally, who grew up in Berlin and trained in the same arena, scored 18 points. "It was really cool, the arena is loud," she said, adding that the team was "logged in" from the start of the game.

Frieda Bühner scores 19 points to earn MVP honors

Bühner led all German scorers with 19 points and was named player of the match. She said the team shook off frustration from the Spain loss overnight and "woke up this morning with a clear head," crediting improved ball movement and interior play for opening up scoring chances.