Spanish Bars Gear up for World Cup with Extra Beer and Staff
A LaLiga study shows more than half of Spanish football fans intend to watch the 2026 World Cup in a bar, though post‑COVID habits mean two‑thirds still prefer home viewing. Bars anticipate a 25‑30% revenue lift on match days, potentially adding up to $142 million industry‑wide if Spain reaches the final. Average spend per patron is projected at $14‑$20 per game, while delivery orders surge as viewers stay home. Establishments are adapting menus, staffing, and promotions to capture the limited but lucrative in‑venue crowd.
Senior MEP Fears Airbus-Boeing Dispute Could Reignite EU-US Tensions
German MEP Bernd Lange warned that the Airbus‑Boeing subsidy truce, which ends on July 11, could give President Donald Trump a pretext to breach the 2025 Turnberry trade agreement between the EU and the United States. The dispute, rooted in WTO...
ChatGPT Can Now Buy Things for You After Deal with Payments Giant Visa
Visa has embedded its payment network into ChatGPT, enabling the chatbot to shop and complete purchases on behalf of users. Customers link a Visa card, set spending limits and approval steps, and the AI can locate items—such as wireless headphones...
Buying a Home in Spain Now Requires over 8 Years of Full Salary
A Fotocasa‑InfoJobs study finds that in 2025 a Spanish worker needed 8.4 years of full gross salary to purchase an 80‑square‑metre second‑hand home, up from 7.1 years in 2024. House prices jumped 20.5% while wages rose only 1%, pushing the average price...
Germany: Growth Halves as State Drives Investment
The German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) cut its 2024 growth forecast to 0.5%, halving the previous 1.0% estimate. The slowdown is driven by an energy‑price shock that is dampening household demand and curbing industrial activity. Public spending—especially higher defence...
How Much Is EU Trade with the US Falling?
EU goods exports to the United States plunged 30% in the first quarter of 2026 versus the same period a year earlier, following a 15% tariff regime imposed by Washington in August 2025. The tariff hit core sectors such as...
Intesa Sanpaolo Launches Bid for Mps Bank, Merger Set for December 2026
Intesa Sanpaolo and insurer Unipol have unveiled a public purchase and exchange offer valued at €30.6 billion (about $33.7 billion) for the entire share capital of Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS). The proposal includes a €2.5 billion (≈$2.75 billion) capital increase at Unipol Assicurazioni to fund...
Smart Pipelines: Can AI Protect the World’s Energy Lifelines?
Around 500,000 km of oil and gas pipelines need renovation, and leaks cost the sector over $7 billion a year, with roughly 40% of failures undetected in the first 24 hours. Operators are turning to sensors, machine‑learning and real‑time monitoring to shift from...
Global Steel Crisis Deepens as Oversupply Reaches Alarming Levels, OECD Warns
The OECD warns that the global steel market is spiraling into a deep crisis as state‑backed production, especially in China, fuels a massive oversupply. Chinese steelmakers exported a record 131 million tonnes in 2025, while global overcapacity is set to rise...
US Eyes Stake in Azerbaijan's Pipelines as Economic Ties Enter New Phase After Trump-Brokered Deal
The United States announced its intention to acquire a direct equity stake in Azerbaijan’s pipeline and broader energy infrastructure, underscoring a strategic push to deepen its foothold in the Caspian region. Assistant Secretary Caleb Orr highlighted Washington’s support for Azerbaijan’s...
Amazon Pledges €10 Billion for Europe with 25,000 New Jobs and Warehouse Robots
Amazon announced a $10.9 bn (≈€10 bn) investment to expand and modernise its European warehouse and delivery network, adding 25,000 new fulfillment jobs. The plan includes a $940 mn (≈€860 m) training fund to upskill workers in cybersecurity, software development, logistics, renewable energy and...
Energy Transport Corridors to Europe Boosted by AI and New Digital Systems
AI and digital technologies are accelerating the Southern Gas Corridor and the emerging Middle Corridor, positioning them as vital alternatives to Russian gas for Europe. BP highlighted the world‑class infrastructure of the BTC and SUPSA pipelines, while SOCAR announced a...
AI and Energy Security Drive Investment Focus at Baku Energy Week 2026
Baku Energy Week 2026 highlighted artificial intelligence, upstream investment and gas security as the core themes driving the Caspian energy sector. ACWA Power disclosed a $740 million portfolio in Azerbaijan, including a 240‑MW wind farm and a pioneering desalination project slated...
Spaniards Now Spend Half Their Salary on Rent, over 70% in Madrid and Barcelona
A new study shows Spaniards now allocate half of their average gross salary to rent, a record high that rose from 38% in 2019. Rental prices jumped 6.9% in 2025 while wages barely grew 1%, pushing the national average rent...
Trade Turnover in Eurasian Economic Union Exceeds €80 Billion Last Year
At a summit in Astana, Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) leaders reported that intra‑union trade more than doubled last year, reaching over €80 billion (about $86 billion). Trade with third‑party countries grew 72%, and officials forecast turnover to surpass €85 billion ($92 billion) this year,...