Germany upholds bans on 'plug & play' solar batteries after courts flag overload risk – The Cool Down

• Greek infrastructure group GEK Terna is expanding its Romanian operations by entering a major energy infrastructure project for PPC Renewables. • The initial value of this new energy contract is €144.6 million.

• Four opposition parties led by the Social Democrats won a three-seat majority over Prime Minister Kristersson’s alliance in the September 13 election. • Swedish police reported receiving 58 separate complaints regarding election tampering following the vote.

• European-headquartered inverter manufacturers are forecast to ship nearly 90GW of equipment globally by the end of 2026. • This projection represents a nearly 12GW increase in shipments compared to 2025 figures.

• Four opposition parties led by the Social Democrats won a narrow three-seat majority in the Swedish general election held on Sept. 13. • The winning coalition secured a slim lead over the alliance led by Prime Minister Kristersson, which included the far-right Sweden Democrats.

• The European Commission is pressuring Ukraine to accelerate its internal reforms to ensure continued access to financial aid. • Slow progress on these reforms is currently complicating the process for Kyiv to receive critical financial assistance.

• Election officials across the United States are preparing strategies to prevent potential federal interference from a Trump administration during the 2026 midterm elections. • Some leaders are drafting "Mad Libs" style legal filings and conducting simulations to quickly respond to federal intervention at polling sites.

• Chinese leader Xi Jinping traveled to Washington, DC, to meet with President Donald Trump for a summit and state dinner. • Xi told the state news agency Xinhua that China expects the United States to oppose "Taiwan independence" and handle the issue with prudence.

• A judge ordered President Trump to restore White House access for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico after he banned the outlets from the premises. • The media organizations argued the ban was a blatant violation of the First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech and the press.

• Journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico returned to the White House after a federal judge ordered President Donald Trump to lift a ban on their access. • The court order ended a standoff between the administration and media outlets whose coverage the president dislikes.

• Judge Timothy J. Kelly of the U.S. District Court in Washington ordered the White House to restore press credentials for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico on Thursday. • The court order required the administration to immediately reinstate access for the three media outlets around 1 a.m. Eastern time.

• President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are holding a diplomatic summit in Washington. • The event includes a state dinner featuring sea bass and the attendance of various technology executives.