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• Microsoft has signed a multibillion-dollar agreement with Mistral to expand AI infrastructure across Europe, providing Azure customers with French compute capacity and access to Mistral's latest models. • OpenAI has expanded its board of directors by appointing Nubank CEO David Vélez and BNY CEO Robin Vince. • These strategic moves signal Microsoft's deepening commitment to the European market and OpenAI's efforts to strengthen corporate governance.

• Asian equities opened higher on Wednesday, following positive momentum from overnight gains on Wall Street. • Major indices saw significant surges, with South Korea's Kospi adding 6% and Japan's Nikkei jumping over 1,100 points. • The rally indicates that investors are prioritizing a rebound in technology stocks over escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

• Rakuten TV has launched 20 free ad-supported streaming channels (FAST) provided by Sony Pictures Entertainment across several European markets. • The new lineup, consisting of single-program and scripted-genre feeds, debuted this week in the U.K., Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, and the Nordics. • This expansion increases the platform's available linear and on-demand content options without requiring additional costs from viewers.

• Rakuten TV has expanded its FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV) platform by adding 20 new free streaming channels through a major deal with Sony Pictures. • Viewers across Europe can now access a wide range of hit series, including popular titles such as Seinfeld, Breaking Bad, and The Nanny. • This partnership signifies a strategic growth phase for Rakuten TV as it seeks to increase its content library and attract more users in the European market.

• Titan OS is integrating 30 free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels from Radial Entertainment’s FilmRise into its smart TV ecosystem across Europe. • The expansion covers devices from brands including Philips, AOC, Sharp, Vestel, and select Sony Android devices. • This agreement increases content availability in several key markets, specifically the U.K., Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and the Nordics.

• Singaporean prosecutors have filed additional money laundering charges against a key suspect involved in an AI server fraud scheme. • The case is part of a broader crackdown on the illicit diversion of Nvidia Corp. chips to restricted locations, specifically targeting shipments to China. • This legal action highlights Singapore's increasing efforts to prevent the bypass of international export controls on high-end AI hardware.

Weather this year has encouraged smaller but earlier cropping of sweet and bountiful fruit in gardens, RHS saysIf your bowl of strawberries and cream tastes particularly sweet this year, you’re not mistaken.It is a bumper summer for strawberries, with the recent weather conditions making them more abundant and delicious than ever, according to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Continue reading...