Sarkozy, 70, is still awaiting sentencing but is expected to be able to walk out of court a free man by appealing the verdict, which would push sentencing until after the appeal. 

Sarkozy has repeatedly professed his innocence and claimed to be the victim of a smear campaign coordinated by Gadhafi’s allies after the former French president led the NATO effort  to overthrow the Libyan dictator in 2011. 

The conservative Sarkozy has had repeated run-ins with the law since leaving office — including one corruption case in which he was found guilty and has exhausted his appeals. But the Libyan case contained the most egregious charges and heaviest potential penalties. 

This developing story will be updated.

The German economy should grow again for the first time in three years this year, but its long-term prospects remain challenging, five leading economic institutes said in a new forecast.

Europe’s largest economy is expected to grow by 0.2 percent this year, before accelerating to 1.3 percent in 2026 and 1.4 percent in 2027, primarily driven by the federal government’s expansionary fiscal policy.  The forecasts are largely unchanged from the institutes’ spring forecast round.

“The German economy is still on shaky ground,” said Geraldine Dany-Knedlik, head of Forecasting and Economic Policy at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin). While growth will strengthen over the next two years, she warned that “this momentum will not last,” given persistent structural weaknesses.

Latest survey data suggests that expectations of a near-term pick-up in growth may indeed be optimistic, as both the Ifo Business Climate index and S&P Global’s purchasing managers index showed companies turning more pessimistic about the outlook.

Looking ahead, the institutes warn that the economy is exposed to significant risks. “The trade dispute between the United States and the EU carries considerable potential for escalation, particularly if the EU fails to deliver on its commitments,” they wrote. “In addition, the overall economic impact of the expansionary fiscal policy is difficult to assess and depends heavily on its specific design.”

Is Labour’s king of the north about to challenge the prime minister in Westminster?

After an explosive interview, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, says MPs are urging him to challenge Sir Keir Starmer.

Sam and Anne consider:

— What vision Mr Burnham has for the country?

— Can the PM match him and how could he respond?

— How much will it impact political and policy narrative ahead of Labour’s party conference in Liverpool next week?