THE HOT STORY

Germany's carmakers mired in crisis

Reuters reports on how falling demand in the auto supply chain is squeezing hundreds of smaller manufacturers in Germany and threatening job security and municipal services. The report observes that Baden-Wuerttemberg, the state which is Germany's top exporting region, accounting for 15.5% of national exports, is more exposed than most to the structural change that is roiling German industry. "The situation is very tense," said Barbara Resch, head of the IG Metall trade union in Baden-Wuerttemberg. "Suppliers invested a lot in electromobility and now demand isn't ⁠coming and at some point they simply run out of air financially."

Reuters

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Explore the Agenda

ECONOMY

European Union hits pause on US trade deal

European Union officials are pausing work toward implementing their trade deal with the United States after the US Supreme Court on Friday struck down the main tariffs on which last year's agreement had been based. “We want to have clarity about the situation,” European Parliament trade committee chair Bernd Lange said Monday. “We want to have clarity from the US that they are respecting the deal because that’s a crucial element.” US President Donald Trump is today implementing a new global tariff at 10% rather than the 15% rate announced at the weekend after his defeat at the Supreme Court.

WORKFORCE

Italian region resists US pressure to halt use of Cuban medics

The governor of Italy's southern ⁠Calabria region is rebuffing Washington's effort to halt the recruitment of medics from Cuba. Doctors from the Caribbean island are seen as essential to ⁠keeping ⁠local hospitals running, and Roberto Occhiuto said he had ‌told Mike Hammer, the U.S. charge ‌d'affaires to Cuba, he would review plans to hire even more Cuban doctors this year. In January, the US said that Cuba posed an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to national security. "We discussed the urgent ⁠needs ⁠of Calabria's health system and ⁠the complexities surrounding the Cuban doctors' mission," Occhiuto said after the talks with Hammer. "The Cuban doctors who are allowing us to keep hospitals and emergency rooms ⁠open are still a necessity for our region," he added.

U.S. News

Spanish workers lose €2.3bn in unpaid overtime in 2025

In 2025, nearly half a million Spanish workers performed 2.5 million hours of unpaid overtime weekly, according to a report by the CC OO union which said that employers profited by €2.3bn from this unpaid work. Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz's proposed working day register aims to remedy the situation, but internal government divisions have delayed its approval. The report noted that 441,000 workers contributed to unpaid overtime, with 39% of total overtime hours being unpaid. "This is a form of labour exploitation that has persisted for decades," the CC OO union said.

Sur in English.com

TECHNOLOGY

Can AI liberate us from the tyranny of email?

In the past year dozens of AI products have launched that promise to streamline email inbox management, but fears exist about mistakenly deleted messages and being “disrespected” by artificial replies.

Financial Times

LEGAL

Palantir sues online magazine that revealed Switzerland rejected its approaches

US analytics firm Palantir is suing Swiss online magazine Republik after it detailed the company's unsuccessful efforts over several years to win Swiss federal government contracts. The case is currently being heard by the Zurich Commercial Court. The Financial Times notes that some European leaders are seeking to reduce their reliance on US technology amid the Trump administration’s often antagonistic rhetoric towards the continent. Palantir’s lawsuit claims that the group was not given sufficient right to reply under Swiss media law.

European Federation of Journalists

Financial Times

Republik

CORPORATE

Deloitte to launch EMEA unit

Deloitte plans to establish a new Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) firm in June, following a partner vote. The initiative will unite 16 firms across over 80 countries which generate combined revenues of around €20bn. The new unit will be led by Richard Houston, the current chief executive of Deloitte UK and Deloitte North South Europe. Volker Krug, CEO of Deloitte Germany, will serve as deputy chief executive. Sami Rahal, the head of Deloitte Central Europe, will serve as chair, while Liesbeth Mol, the current chair of Deloitte North and South Europe, will be deputy chair. Mr Houston said the EMEA unit "uniquely strengthens our ability to invest at scale across borders to accelerate innovation in areas that matter most to our clients."

Financial Times

The Times

INTERNATIONAL

Alberta to hold referendum on new restrictions for immigrants

The Canadian province of Alberta is to hold a referendum on restricting immigration and reducing newcomers’ access to public services. “The fact is, Alberta taxpayers can no longer be asked to continue to subsidise the entire country through equalisation and federal transfers, permit the federal government to flood our borders with new arrivals and then give free access to our most-generous-in-the-country social programs to anyone who moves here,” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said in a televised address aired on Thursday. She blamed what she called the “disastrous open-border immigration policies” of former prime minister Justin Trudeau for straining the province’s health care, education and social services programs.

CBC News

Questions about Mexican security improvements after mine tragedy

In late January, ten employees of a Canadian-owned silver and gold mine in Mexico were abducted. Five bodies have been located and five are awaiting identification. The incident has raised concerns about security measures promised by President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has faced criticism for her handling of cartel violence. "What these kinds of episodes do is demolish the federal government's narrative," said security analyst David Saucedo, who noted the ongoing conflict between rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel. Despite increased military presence, local residents remain fearful, with many having fled their homes. The mine's owner, Vizsla Silver Corp., has paused operations due to security issues. The search for the missing workers continues amid a backdrop of escalating violence and fear in the region.

The Baltimore Sun

Los Angeles Times

Tech giants 'must comply with Indian laws'

India's information minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has called for significantly stronger regulations to tackle the growing threat of deepfakes. He said that all digital platforms operating in India must adhere to the country’s legal framework and the Constitution. “It's very important for the multinationals to understand the cultural context of the country in which they are operating,” Vaishnaw said during a briefing at the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi. “The problem of deepfakes is growing day by day. We need much stronger regulation,” he said.

Fortune India

The Tribune

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