Volkswagen shake-up: Volkswagen is weighing up to 100,000 job cuts and shuttering four German plants as it battles China-driven price pressure and underused capacity. Retail competition: Lidl won planning permission for a new supermarket in Oxfordshire despite flooding concerns, a reminder that German discount rivals keep expanding even where local objections are loud. Heatwave impact: A record-breaking European heatwave is pushing Germany to new temperature highs (41.5°C reported) and straining hospitals and infrastructure, with scientists warning extreme heat is becoming more normal. ECB digital euro: The European Parliament backed the digital euro’s legislative path, keeping a possible 2029 launch on track, with caps and privacy protections aimed at limiting disruption to bank deposits. MiCA and crypto payments: EU regulators are issuing MiCA licenses as Germany leads, while crypto users are being pushed to move before deadlines. Consumer policy: Germany, France and the Netherlands are pushing tougher EU rules against ultra-fast fashion, targeting short-lived, low-quality textiles that overload recycling systems.