German-US Investment Chill: German direct investment in the US plunged nearly two-thirds year-on-year to €4.3bn in H1 2026, the lowest since 2023, as tariff uncertainty under Trump keeps companies cautious. AI Power Strain in the US: A Utah proposal for massive data-centre buildout faces local backlash over electricity, water use, land take, and heat/noise impacts tied to America’s AI boom. Drought Hits Europe’s Rivers: Satellite and monitoring data show Europe’s waterways shrinking fast, with record-low levels affecting the Rhine and other major rivers—raising costs for transport and cooling for power plants. Agrivoltaics Gains Momentum: Solar panels over farmland are moving from pilot projects to scaling deployments, with studies suggesting dual-use can raise overall productivity versus single-use approaches. EuroQCI Quantum Security: The EU continues building EuroQCI, a continent-scale quantum communications network using quantum key distribution to protect critical services from future quantum threats. Meta/WhatsApp Scam Alert: WhatsApp’s new “Scam Alert” uses an on-device AI model to flag likely scams in chats from non-contacts, aiming to keep end-to-end encryption intact. Opel’s China Pivot: Opel is partnering more with Leapmotor and cutting engineering roles in Germany, sparking fears of a downgrade into an “adaptation hub” as Chinese competition reshapes the auto sector.