EU Competition: The European Commission ordered Meta to restore free WhatsApp access for rival AI chatbots within five days, as an interim step in its antitrust probe over WhatsApp Business API restrictions. Digital Trade: EU and South Korea signed a digital trade agreement to make e-contracts enforceable, protect online consumers, and ease cross-border data flows (pending EU Parliament approval). Aviation & Defence: Germany pushed for a bigger role in Airbus’s NGSA narrowbody work after the FCAS fighter-jet breakup, while Merz said Germany and France will keep the “system of systems” approach. Germany Business Climate: Berlin pledged to expand fibre-optic internet “to every home,” cutting bureaucracy and speeding approvals. Spain Retail & Labour: Spain moves pharmacies from paper coupons to digital verification; meanwhile only 27% of Spanish firms offer workplace pensions, leaving many workers reliant on the state. Spain Housing Pressure: “Express” rentals are snapping up in under 24 hours—especially in Barcelona and San Sebastián—intensifying the rental squeeze. Finance & Risk: Fraudio reported payment fraud up ~25%, with attacks increasingly tied to shared payment networks. Aviation Safety: EU banned Algerian carrier Air Express Algeria from EU skies over serious safety oversight failures. Industry Stress: BASF warned Europe’s chemical sector is in its worst crisis in 25 years, driven by energy costs and carbon rules. EU-Security Politics: A US war secretary warned Europe faces migration “invasion” as the EU prepares tougher deportation rules.