EU-China Balancing Act: China’s Wang Yi urged the EU to keep trade “rational and objective” and avoid politicising ties, as Brussels toughens its China stance. EU Fashion Waste Rules: A new EU ban stops large fashion firms from destroying unsold clothes and shoes, pushing more items to discounts, resale and charity. Poland & Hungary Labour Curbs: Both countries tighten foreign-worker rules amid public pressure, a move economists warn could slow growth. UK Jobs Data: UK payrolled employees fell 85,000 year-on-year and unemployment rose to 4.9%, with vacancies easing to 712,000. Cybersecurity Hiring Shift: Employers are redefining cybersecurity roles as AI and new frameworks change what skills they hire for. AliExpress Record EU Fine: The EU hit AliExpress with a €550m DSA penalty over illegal and unsafe products, raising compliance and staffing pressure. AI Infrastructure Deal: Mistral and Microsoft expand European AI compute, aiming to scale data-centre capacity and model access. Renewables Jobs Boost: Scotland’s Whitelee wind farm plans repowering to double capacity, with hundreds of jobs expected. Homeland Security Expansion (Germany): Germany’s Bundeswehr is growing its homeland security division to well over 10,000 soldiers by 2035. Space Merger Warning: Leonardo warns EU antitrust remedies could derail a planned space merger that could employ ~25,000 across Europe. Workplace Safety (Italy): Rome fentanyl theft prompts tighter opioid storage and supply-chain checks.