Plan

• The European Union is launching a strategic plan to reduce its technological dependence on the United States by strengthening its own domestic tech sector. • The initiative focuses on expanding data center capacity, boosting semiconductor chip production, and incentivizing the use of local suppliers. • To accelerate growth, a draft bill proposes speeding up construction permits for data centers, ensuring reliable electricity, and allocating government funding.

• US-Iran war talks remain clouded by uncertainty as both Washington and Tehran issue conflicting messages regarding the status of negotiations. • In Lebanon, fighting persists between Israel and Hezbollah, indicating that the fragile ceasefire agreement is failing to hold. • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Shlomi in northern Israel on Thursday, reaffirming his commitment to border security while emphasizing a diplomatic approach of flexibility and firmness.

Experts say dismantling the ocean observation system will ‘severely degrade’ the accuracy of weather predictionsThe Trump administration’s plan to dismantle an ocean observation system vital to understanding the climate crisis and marine ecosystems would “severely degrade” the accuracy of weather predictions and El Niño forecasts, with economic consequences for the US, European and American scientists have warned.Decommissioning the US system, which plays a major part in a global ocean observation network, would lead to a massive increase in error in the annual estimates of ocean heating rates, according to research published last month. Continue reading...

Hanson’s party is leading in the polls, but it has a long way to go before being recognised as a serious political outfitGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastWhen sent out to do a cleanup job, it usually helps to not make the mess even worse.It took One Nation six separate attempts over nearly 24 hours to clarify the basic details of their policy on foreign ownership of housing. Between Thursday night and Friday afternoon, the story turned from bizarre to farcical, with attempts to clarify the policy just making the situation murkier as Australians watched:a Barnaby Joyce interview;a quick do-over on Sky News on Thursday;a Pauline Hanson social media update on Friday morning;a Sean Bell interview, again on Sky, on Friday;and then a 2GB spot;before a written press release from Bell on Friday afternoon Continue reading...

Beluga whales, which Marineland threatened to euthanize in 2025, will be moved to sanctuaries in Spain or across USCanada and an embattled marine park have reached a tentative deal on the future of 30 beluga whales, ending a saga that has captivated the public and angered animal rights groups.The federal fisheries ministry announced this week that all of Marineland’s belugas would be shipped to either Spain or one of four locations in the US, ending whale captivity in Canada. Continue reading...

• Canada has reversed its plan to increase the Canadian-content levy for U.S.-based audiovisual streaming services. • The decision was announced on Wednesday, June 3, by Marc Miller, the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages. • This policy shift impacts how streaming platforms contribute to the funding of domestic content, potentially reducing the financial burden on foreign services.

• The European Union has introduced a comprehensive tech sovereignty plan designed to strengthen domestic supply chains for semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing. • The initiative aims to reduce the EU's strategic reliance on technology imports and infrastructure from the United States and Asia. • This move matters as it seeks to protect European digital autonomy and ensure economic security amidst global geopolitical tensions and supply chain vulnerabilities.

• The European Union has launched a new industrial strategy designed to strengthen its domestic technology sector and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers. • The initiative focuses on four critical pillars: artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, semiconductors, and open-source technologies. • This move is a strategic attempt for Europe to close the competitive gap with the United States and China in the global AI race.

Plan departs from policy of bringing CDC staff back to US for treatment and offering support to all health workersFormer top US officials and other experts are urging the Trump administration to abandon plans for an Ebola quarantine and treatment centre in Kenya, as the union for workers with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls for Americans exposed to Ebola to be brought home for treatment.Soon after the US revealed it was setting up a field hospital in Kenya for the Ebola quarantine and treatment of Americans, the Kenyan high court blocked the order – but the Kenyan and US governments moved forward anyway, with the first American responders reportedly landing at the Laikipia airbase on Saturday. Continue reading...

Exclusive: New loopholes for developers will exacerbate extreme environmental disparities, charity coalition warnsThe poorest and most nature-deprived communities in England will be further left behind in their access to green spaces if proposed changes to planning laws go ahead, a new report finds.More than 7.4 million people in England live in areas completely devoid of immediate biodiversity, including 1.42 million children under 15, the report commissioned by a number of wildlife and environmental NGOs says. Continue reading...

Business secretary Peter Kyle to meet European counterpart over proposals to almost halve amount of tariff-free importsThe UK business secretary, Peter Kyle, is to raise concerns about EU plans to dramatically reduce tariff-free imports of British steel with its trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič in Brussels on Friday.The UK steel industry has previously warned of “devastating” consequences from the new quota system being planned by the EU, which will cut overall tariff-free imports from non-EU countries by 47% on 2024 levels from 1 July. Continue reading...

Fears that push for ballroom spending could jeopardize $70bn funding for immigration enforcementSenate Republicans on Wednesday formally dropped their attempt to spend $1bn on security improvements for Donald Trump’s White House ballroom, as it became clear the president’s demand for the money could jeopardize long-term funding for immigration enforcement.The Senate judiciary committee had last month included the spending on security for the new ballroom in a broader measure that would authorize $70bn in spending for agencies involved in Trump’s mass deportation campaign through the duration of his term. On Wednesday the committee released a revised text that no longer mentioned the money. Continue reading...

New crisis at former vocational charity involves alleged withholding of data and breaching redundancy lawsCity & Guilds is facing potential legal and industrial action over claims it has been “dishonest” over plans to shed about 400 UK staff.Officials at the Unite union allege the owner of the training and qualifications body has been “unlawfully withholding key information during transfer consultations”, while also “advertising for new recruits when it is legally required to give staff at risk of redundancy first refusal”. Continue reading...

Non-binding agreement to start building vehicles in 2027 would safeguard jobs at UK’s largest car factoryNissan has agreed to look at building cars in northern England for Chinese manufacturer Chery, in a move that would secure jobs at the UK’s largest car factory.The Japanese carmaker on Wednesday said it had signed a non-binding agreement and that discussions were ongoing over contract manufacturing by Nissan for Chery, which is part-owned by the Chinese state. Continue reading...

• The European Union's €20 billion ($23.3 billion) investment plan to establish five massive AI data centers is currently floundering due to funding issues and significant delays. • In Germany, major entities including Deutsche Telekom and the Schwarz Group (owner of Lidl) have expressed interest in leading consortium bids to develop one of the planned gigafactories. • This initiative is critical for the EU to reduce its reliance on non-European AI infrastructure and enhance its sovereign computing capabilities.

• LTM has unveiled "Lakshya 2031," an AI-driven strategic plan aimed at accelerating growth through Business AI, BlueVerse, and the integration of Randstad. • Market analysts and brokerages have reacted positively to the strategy, citing the company's deep client relationships built over 20 years as a primary competitive advantage. • The plan matters as it positions LTM to capitalize on emerging AI technologies to modernize its service offerings and expand its market reach.

• The European Union's €20 billion ($23.3 billion) investment plan to establish five massive AI data centers is currently floundering. • The initiative, which aimed to create "gigafactories" to accelerate private sector investment in AI infrastructure, is facing significant delays and funding complications. • These setbacks are alienating potential partners, threatening the EU's goal of scaling its domestic AI capabilities to compete globally.

• The European Union's €20 billion initiative to establish five AI data centers is facing significant delays and funding gaps, with the bidding process pushed back to July. • Interest from potential partners has plummeted, with the number of interested companies dropping from 70 to just 10, leading some consortia to reconsider their involvement. • Key industry players are still involved, including Telefónica leading a Spanish consortium and Germany's Schwarz Group and Deutsche Telekom expressing interest in leading bids.

• SoftBank has announced a massive investment plan of €75 billion ($87 billion) to develop AI infrastructure in France. • The initiative aims to build 5 GW of AI data center capacity, representing Japan's largest artificial intelligence investment to date. • This move signals a strategic shift in the tech industry, moving focus from software and algorithm development toward the physical hardware and power capacity required for AI.

People from town of potential site for US citizens with Ebola symptoms say it puts them at risk in country with no known casesPeople from a town in central Kenya where the US wants to set up an Ebola quarantine facility for its citizens have strongly criticised the plan, saying they fear it will expose them to the virus and that it is indicative of double standards on the part of the US.“Everybody should be quarantined in their home country. We shouldn’t allow foreigners to bring us diseases,” said Charles Mathenge, a taxi driver who lives near Laikipia Air Base, the proposed site in Nanyuki, 120 miles from the capital, Nairobi. “Kenya is our country, and we should be careful with it.” Continue reading...

UK government says it would prefer workers to be guaranteed between eight and 20 hours a week based on regular hoursBusiness live – latest updatesMinisters are facing criticism from unions and employers after laying out details of plans for a guaranteed regular working week as part of a ban on zero-hours contracts.Under rules poised to come into force next year, employers will have to offer staff, including agency workers, a contract that guarantees a minimum number of hours each week based on their regular working hours. Continue reading...

Change backed by labor department would expose workers to greater financial risk, letter shared with Guardian saysCongressional Democrats are strongly opposing a US Department of Labor proposal that would allow 401(k) investments to include cryptocurrency, private credit and private equity assets, arguing the change will expose workers to riskier and more complex investments.In a letter shared exclusively with the Guardian, Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Elizabeth Warren and House education and workforce committee ranking member Bobby Scott of Virginia, argued the rule would expose an estimated $14.2tn of 401(k) retirement savings to volatile assets and would probably not withstand a challenge in court. Continue reading...

• SoftBank plans to invest up to €75 billion to develop 5 GW of AI data center capacity in France, with an initial 3.1 GW target by 2031. • A joint venture between SoftBank and Sesterce will specifically develop and operate a 1 GW AI data center campus. • The project is expected to create 400 long-term skilled jobs and includes a €10 million endowment fund to support AI adoption for local businesses and educational institutions.

• The FAA issued an environmental assessment and a record of decision on May 15 approving test flights for SpaceX's "Starfall," an uncrewed reentry vehicle. • These vehicles are designed to support in-space manufacturing projects by safely returning materials from orbit to Earth. • The FAA concluded that the Starfall test flights would not result in any significant environmental impacts.

Ohio-based slider chain introduces Southwest Veggie Slider permanently after customer feedback for meatless optionVegetarians have a new reason to celebrate: White Castle has added a permanent meat-free option to its menu.On Monday, the Columbus, Ohio-based slider chain announced the launch of the Southwest Veggie Slider, featuring a crispy brown rice crust and a smoky chipotle- and barbecue-inspired veggie patty made with sweet potatoes, black beans, corn, red bell peppers, onions and carrots. Continue reading...

• Germany has introduced a proposal titled “Paper on the Further Development of Public Value” aimed at curbing misinformation on social media. • The plan would require social media news feeds to prioritize "reliable" news sources, which would be identified by a government-designated “public value” label. • This initiative is significant because it allows politicians in power to indirectly determine which media outlets are deemed credible and visible to the public.

• SoftBank plans to invest 75 billion euros in France to develop and operate 5 GW of AI data center capacity. • The initiative includes an initial 3.1 GW of facilities in northern France and a partnership with Schneider Electric to build an industrial production cluster in Dunkirk. • This massive investment aims to bolster Europe's AI infrastructure as the region currently struggles to keep pace with the technological advancements of the U.S. and China.

• SoftBank plans to invest up to 75 billion euros in French artificial intelligence infrastructure, marking the Japanese conglomerate's largest AI investment in Europe. • The initiative will focus on delivering data centers in Dunkirk, Bosquel, and Bouchain, with plans to develop further sites across France. • This strategic move aims to strengthen France's position as a primary European hub for next-generation digital infrastructure.