EU–China Trade Tensions: China’s top diplomat Wang Yi urged the EU to keep relations “rational” and avoid politicising trade, as Brussels tightens screening and trade defenses. Diplomatic Row: Iran rejected France’s claims of mistreatment of French embassy staff in Tehran, escalating a blame game over alleged “intimidation.” Moldova EU Push: Vasile Tofan’s government was sworn in as Maia Sandu pressed for EU integration milestones and reforms. Space Merger Under Scrutiny: Leonardo warned Brussels antitrust remedies could derail a planned Airbus–Thales–Leonardo space combination. Baltic Security & Power Links: Latvia and Lithuania signed cooperation deals to boost security and critical infrastructure, while Armenia’s electricity market reform drew EU experts. Food Security Dependency: Analysis says Russia still accounts for about a third of EU phosphate import spending, underlining fertilizer supply risks. France Social Media Age Ban: France is set to restrict social media for under-15s, becoming the first EU country to do so. UK Politics & Economy: New PM Andy Burnham scrapped a home electricity tax to cut bills, while investors watch debt plans closely. Wildlife Law Debate (UK): Born Free says over 2,200 “dangerous” animals are kept as pets in Britain, calling for an overhaul of 1976 rules. Tech & AI Infrastructure: Microsoft and France’s Mistral expanded an AI partnership aimed at boosting Europe’s compute capacity. Sports With a European Twist: Spain’s World Cup win sparked global attention and record US TV numbers, while FIFA investigates post-final brawls.