Heatwave toll: Wildfires and extreme heat keep killing across Europe, with Spain reporting at least 12 deaths in a blaze and France seeing a sharp rise in heat-related fatalities, as governments face pressure to protect vulnerable people. EU digital euro: MEPs approved the digital euro, but rollout is still years away while legal and technical groundwork is negotiated. Meta crackdown: The EU is pushing Meta to change “addictive” Instagram and Facebook design features after regulators’ preliminary findings under the Digital Services Act. Online child safety: Ireland’s EU presidency track is moving a temporary child sexual abuse material scanning compromise to the Council, with encrypted-message exemptions still a key fight. Hungary funding: ECOFIN cleared Hungary’s revised recovery plan, potentially unlocking up to €10bn, though rule-of-law implementation remains the political sticking point. Bulgaria euro test: Bulgaria has been placed under an excessive-deficit procedure shortly after joining the euro, tightening fiscal room. Middle East shipping: Europe is weighing proposals for non-compulsory navigational fees in the Strait of Hormuz, with Oman’s “Malacca model” approach on the table. UK politics and policing: Police arrested a man over the death of former minister Ann Widdecombe, then later released him from custody, as the murder investigation continues. Eastern Caribbean CBI: Eastern Caribbean CBI states plan a high-level Brussels mission to respond to EU demands to phase out programmes by 2028. Turkey-Cyprus row: Turkish officials rejected a European Parliament Cyprus resolution, calling it baseless and “null and void.”