Build

• The French consortium AION, formed in 2025, intends to bid for EU infrastructure funding to construct a massive AI data center campus in France. • The proposed project carries an estimated valuation of up to EUR10 billion (approximately US$11.6 billion). • This initiative is part of a broader European Union strategy to increase domestic AI capacity and decrease the region's strategic reliance on technology from the United States.

Backlash grows among European staff against radical cuts to pay off Covid-era debt, with some accusing council of ‘colonial attitude’The historic Palacete building at 31 Paseo del General Martínez Campos in Madrid’s upmarket Chamberí district has been home to the British Council in Spain for about 70 years.About 5,000 students each year pass through its 35 classrooms, learning English, attending exams, and forging cultural ties with the UK. Over the years that is hundreds of thousands of Madrileños (people from Madrid), while it also serves as a centre for the expat community. Continue reading...

President says $400m building costs to be funded by private donors, but has asked for taxpayers to cover security costsShouting over the banging and clanging sounds from heavy construction equipment, Donald Trump on Tuesday gave a group of reporters a closer look at the construction for the White House ballroom he’s building on the site of the former East Wing to mount a defense of the project that has hit a speed bump in Congress.The administration has asked for $1bn from taxpayers for security additions on the White House campus, including for the ballroom. But the Senate parliamentarian ruled the proposal could not be included in a bill to fund immigrant enforcement agencies for three years, and several Republican lawmakers have balked at the price tag in an election year where voters are grappling with gasoline, grocery and other prices spurred to new heights by the Iran war and the disruption in oil supplies. Continue reading...

Carmakers aim to expand into UK defence sector, exploiting spending boom by Nato countriesJaguar Land Rover and General Motors are considering an expansion into UK defence via a £900m military contract, as carmakers seek to exploit a spending boom by Nato countries racing to rearm.The manufacturers are among a group of automotive firms vying to make thousands of 4x4s for the armed forces to replace an ageing fleet of Land Rovers that have been out of production since 2016. Continue reading...

Under aviation regulator proposals rival companies would bid to design and build parts of airport expansionHeathrow could be forced to allow other companies to design and build its third runway and new terminal after the UK aviation regulator argued that rival bids could keep construction costs down.A long-awaited review by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) proposes changes to the regulatory model that governs how Heathrow runs and covers its costs. Continue reading...

Opposition leader to unveil plan to dramatically cut number of migrants in budget reply speech on ThursdayExplore all of our 2026 Australia federal budget coverageGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Coalition will directly link Australia’s temporary immigration intake to the number of new homes built around the country, using housing completion figures as a hard ceiling for overseas arrivals.The opposition leader, Angus Taylor, will outline the plan to dramatically cut the number of migrants arriving into the country in his budget reply speech on Thursday night, while also promising a new $5bn housing infrastructure fund and a weakening of the national construction code to speed up building and reduce cost. Continue reading...

CEO admits talks with Chery as other European carmakers discuss plans with Chinese firms to share factory spaceNissan’s chief executive has confirmed he would consider building cars for other manufacturers at the UK’s largest car factory in Sunderland, amid talks with China’s Chery.Ivan Espinosa said Nissan was “looking at options” for Sunderland and its 6,000 workers as the struggling Japanese carmaker on Wednesday reported steep losses for the year to March. Continue reading...

Bovis Homes owner’s shares plunged 10.5% after it was forced to cut prices as buyers become cautiousOne of the UK’s biggest housebuilders has said its profits will be “significantly” lower, as it was forced to cut prices after heightened uncertainty caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran.Vistry’s shares plunged 10.5% in early trading on Wednesday, hitting their lowest level in nearly 15 years, as it told shareholders its first-half profits would be hit by the fallout from the Middle East conflict. Continue reading...

• Ciridae has raised $20 million in seed funding led by venture capital firm Accel to develop AI operating systems tailored for mid-market businesses in industrial and services sectors. • The funding will enable Ciridae to build and deploy AI-powered operational platforms designed to streamline processes across manufacturing and service-oriented industries. • The investment reflects growing market demand for accessible AI solutions that address specific vertical market challenges beyond general-purpose AI platforms.

Police see off gatherings of teenagers in London and Edinburgh after videos of similar stunts in US go viralHundreds of teenagers have attempted to “speed run” Scientology buildings in different parts of the UK as part of a TikTok trend that started in Los Angeles.Scientology speed running is where people rush into churches and see how far they can get before being ushered out by staff. The Church of Scientology said using its church spaces for viral stunts was “trespass, harassment, and disruption of religious facilities”. Continue reading...

• Consul General Pratik Mathur stated in Caixin Global that India is emerging as a global AI system-builder, showcased at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. • IndiaAI initiative forms a full-stack ecosystem including compute, data, models, skills, startups, and governance, beyond typical R&D grants. • A nationally accessible GPU backbone democratizes AI development, preventing monopolization by large firms.

Canadian PM says Europe is not destined to submit to a more ‘transactional, insular and brutal world’Europe will not submit to a more “brutal world”, and can instead be the base from which a new international order can be rebuilt, Mark Carney, the Canadian prime minister, has said.Carney was speaking as the first non-European leader to attend a meeting of the European Political Community, which opened on Monday amid high tensions in the strait of Hormuz and renewed doubts about the US commitment to Nato. Continue reading...

‘Targeted support’ means certain banks and financial institutions can offer free extra help with investments and pensionsMany Britons are daunted by the world of investing, but new City rules mean certain banks and financial institutions can offer free extra help with investments and pensions.Last month marked the launch of “targeted support”, a new regulated service that permits companies to suggest investments and pension products to customers that might provide a better return. Continue reading...

Documentary makers seek to start ‘informed conversation’ in country where public is allowed on just 8% of landAnger and momentum are building for Scottish style rights of access to mountains, meadows, rivers and woodlands in England where the public is allowed on just 8% of land, a new documentary suggests.Our Land, a film whose title is a nod to the protest song by Woody Guthrie, explores the rise of the right to roam movement in England. Continue reading...

• Deep Tech Week highlights The AI Collective, described as the world’s largest AI community, which connects more than 100,000 AI builders, researchers, and professionals through events, forums, and networking. • The gathering brings together startups, corporate labs, and academic groups to showcase advances in core machine learning, robotics, and applied AI, with a focus on interoperability and responsible deployment. • U.S. participation is strong, with many leading AI research labs and venture‑backed startups using the venue to announce new collaborations, model releases, and open‑source tooling.

A new Chinese outpost at Antelope Reef won’t create legal rights but will shape control over disputed waters, says a maritime law professor from Western Sydney University.

Tees Transporter Bridge and a former working men’s club in Barrow-in-Furness among sites at risk of decay or neglectTeesside’s Transporter Bridge, a disinfecting station in Hackney and a former working men’s club in Barrow-in-Furness have been included on a list ringing alarm bells for Victorian and Edwardian heritage.The Victorian Society has published its annual top 10 endangered buildings list, intended as a way of drawing national attention to at-risk places in England and Wales. Continue reading...

• The Department of Justice dropped its criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Powell regarding the agency's building expenditures, marking a significant development in federal oversight. • The decision came amid broader discussions on Capitol Hill about federal accountability, with both Republican and Democratic representatives weighing in on the implications. • The outcome reflects shifting priorities in federal investigations and debates over Fed governance and spending practices.

John Phelan firing caused by poor relationship with Pete Hegseth and slow movement on shipbuilding, sources sayThe Trump administration fired its top naval official on Wednesday in a move unrelated to the ongoing naval blockade of Iran’s strait of Hormuz, but instead over over an internal dispute about shipbuilding.The Pentagon confirmed that John Phelan, who ran a private investment fund in Florida and was a Donald Trump donor, had been ousted as the navy secretary. His departure – the first of any service secretary in the Trump administration – came in the same week Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps seized two container ships in the strait of Hormuz, claiming maritime violations and transferring them to Iranian shores. Continue reading...

Head of newly formed institution questions whether naming is ‘reflective of our current reality’ amid criticism of ‘shameful’ fossil fuel company promotionGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe newly formed Adelaide University is considering removing gas company Santos’s name from one of its buildings.On Saturday, students and conservationists rallied outside the Santos Petroleum Engineering building, calling on the university to dump the name because of the company’s new gas projects. Continue reading...

Barratt Redrow blames effects of Iran war, and likely impact on mortgage rates and costs, for further reductionBritain’s largest housebuilder is planning to dramatically cut back on buying new land, blaming the impact of the conflict in the Middle East and putting Labour’s ambitious housebuilding target under more pressure.Barratt Redrow said that it intends to approve between 7,000 and 9,000 plots of land for purchase in its current financial year, far lower than previous guidance of between 10,000 and 12,000. Continue reading...

• NATO defense ministers convened an emergency session on April 11 to address Russian military concentrations near the Polish and Baltic borders, with satellite imagery showing increased deployment of artillery and armored units. • Polish officials reported detecting over 15,000 Russian troops and 200 military vehicles positioned within 50 kilometers of the border, prompting NATO to authorize enhanced air patrols and increased troop rotations. • US Secretary of Defense characterized the Russian movement as "destabilizing" and called for European allies to increase defense spending, warning that NATO must prepare for potential regional conflict escalation.

Group cuts costs as shares plunge while it grapples with impact of Iran war on property market Business live – latest updatesOne of Britain’s biggest housebuilders has said it will stop buying new land and hiring new staff, as it grapples with the impact of the Iran war on the property market.Berkeley, a London-focused housebuilder, said it would cut costs as it warned that “geopolitical volatility” and “reduced potential” for interest rate cuts could weigh on the business. Continue reading...

• On March 26, 2026, Education Secretary McMahon announced the Department of Education will vacate its longtime headquarters at the Lyndon B. Johnson building in August 2026, relocating to 500 D St SW. • The Department of Energy will move into the Lyndon B. Johnson Building, with the administration projecting annual savings of $4.8 million in operating costs on a building that is 70% vacant. • The relocation reflects broader changes to the Department of Education under the Trump administration and represents a significant restructuring of federal agency real estate use.

Exclusive: Environmental impact assessments are ‘incomplete’, say leaders, and private beach club could harm fragile ecosystemsIndigenous community leaders in Vanuatu have raised concerns over plans by the cruise operator Royal Caribbean to build a private beach club on the island of Lelepa, arguing environmental impact assessments by the company are “incomplete” and “misleading”.The community leaders outlined the issues in a letter sent to Royal Caribbean on 26 February, which has been seen by the Guardian. The leaders also said the development could harm fragile ecosystems and a nearby Unesco world heritage site. Continue reading...

• Regional diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt met in Pakistan on Sunday to establish a framework for direct US-Iran negotiations, with foreign ministers expected to reconvene Monday to discuss peace terms. • Iran's parliament speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf warned that Iranian forces are "waiting for the arrival of American troops on the ground to set them on fire," while dismissing the US 15-point action list as negotiating under pressure. • The US has deployed thousands of troops to the Middle East including 2,500 Marines aboard USS Tripoli and elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, signaling preparations for potential ground operations despite diplomatic efforts.

Islamabad is attempting high-wire diplomacy between US and Iran, but Israel could spoil any chance of success Intensifying Israeli bombing of civilian targets in Iran and an expanding US military force in the Gulf are casting a dark shadow over Pakistan’s hopes of hosting peace talks between Iran and the US.Pakistan is attempting high-wire diplomacy, using its relative neutrality as a country with good relations with Iran and the US, to provide a venue for negotiations. It is not a player in the Middle East and does not host any American military bases, so it does not bring the baggage of other potential regional mediators. Continue reading...