Iranian media reported on Wednesday that a fire at a shopping centre near the capital left 11 people dead and dozens of others injured. The prosecutor's office has called for an investigation into the incident to identify possible culprits, state-run media reported.
The European Commission is proposing strict measures to curb imports from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Options include an import licensing system, tariffs, or an outright ban, aiming to strengthen enforcement without new EU legal instruments.
The European Commission is drafting a regulation to allow public authorities to exclude foreign companies deemed risky due to potential interference or data leaks, amid geopolitical tensions with China and the US. The proposal also includes a potential European preference in procurement.
A UK parliamentary committee has advised the government not to renew Palantir's contract with the NHS, citing concerns over data trust and the contested benefits of the technology. Palantir defended its software's contributions to patient care and operational efficiency.
The European Parliament has voted on its negotiating position for the digital euro, paving the way for talks with member states. The digital euro, backed by the ECB, aims to complement cash and banking services, offering privacy and supporting online/offline payments. Key negotiation points include compensation models for financial institutions and fee sharing, with retail availability expected from 2029.
Volkswagen is set to discuss significant job cuts and factory closures, potentially impacting 100,000 global roles and four German plants. Unions are protesting, and labor representatives hold a majority on the supervisory board, complicating approval.
Cerebras, a US-based AI chip maker, announced plans to launch its first European data centre by the end of 2026, followed by rapid expansion across France and the Nordics by 2027. The initiative aims to boost AI computing capacity in Europe, addressing demand for local, low-latency infrastructure and offering an alternative to US and Asian compute capacity.
