EU Migration Returns Row: Italy’s Giorgia Meloni faces a fresh backlash after Austria, Sweden, Finland, Germany and Switzerland began sending failed asylum seekers back to Italy under the EU Migration and Asylum Pact, with the Netherlands signalling it may follow—sparking claims of political “retribution” tied to the Ceuta crisis. Cost Pressure on Industry: Food and drink manufacturers warn the UK PM must act as business confidence stays deeply negative and margins are squeezed by energy, labour and ingredient costs, with limited plans for skills and R&D investment. Sanctions and Shipping Legal Fight: Germany’s court battle over whether to seize and sell oil from a detained “shadow fleet” tanker drags on, hinging on claims the ship never intended to enter the EU. EU-China Trade Tensions: Brussels says China’s surplus with most member states is still widening, raising fears about deindustrialisation from cheap imports and state-linked overcapacity. Ukraine Grain Squeeze: Russian strikes have effectively stalled Odesa ports, leaving farmers unable to sell harvests and threatening fall planting as cash runs short. EU External Policy: The EU reiterates support for Ukraine’s independence anniversary while also backing dialogue in Venezuela toward democratic transition. Israel/West Bank Pressure: European leaders and others condemn Israel’s E1 settlement push and warn of consequences for tenders. Data Security: A MOVEit zero-day breach is linked to massive data exposure across thousands of organisations.