More than half of Germany's medium-sized companies expect an economic downturn next year, according to a survey by the BVMW business association. Christoph Ahlhaus, the association's chief executive, said on Saturday that "superficial reforms are no longer enough to get Germany back on track.

I just had a most eventful week. I watched in horror as a terrible storm in the Mediterranean dashed a ship against a rocky coast, forcing its crew and passengers into a desperate attempt to save themselves and rescue their cargo.Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. I soared with the birds among snow-covered peaks in the Rockies, marveling at the many shades of white and blue. And I joined picnickers on a serene hillside a

“It’s difficult for people who are really tired and busy to think about getting into reading if it’s not something they’re used to,” said Jacqueline Rammer, director of Menomonee Falls Public Library in Wisconsin. Rammer and her staff ask library visitors: What was the last book, TV show or movie that you really enjoyed? To create a habit that sticks, “start by scheduling reading into your day,” said Gloria Mark, an attention span expert with the University of California, Irvine.