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Cohere and Aleph Alpha Merge to Target Enterprise AI Market

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Canada’s Cohere and Germany’s Aleph Alpha have signed a definitive merger agreement to combine their businesses and expand their presence in the enterprise artificial intelligence market. The combined company will operate under the Cohere name, with headquarters in Toronto and Berlin, while Aleph Alpha’s Heidelberg office will focus on research.

Aleph Alpha co-chief Ilhan Scheer will join Cohere as chief operating officer. The companies said the merger is aimed at meeting growing demand from businesses and governments for AI systems that can run within their own infrastructure while meeting local regulatory requirements. The deal was previously valued at around $20 billion, although updated financial terms were not disclosed.

Schwarz Group, the owner of Lidl, will invest €500 million in the combined company and provide computing capacity through its cloud arm, StackIT. Schwarz is investing up to €13 billion in a German data-centre campus expected to accommodate as many as 100,000 AI chips. The merger remains subject to regulatory approval.

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Swiss Voters Show Strong Opposition to Tighter Neutrality Rules

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Swiss voters are showing strong opposition to a proposal that would tighten the country’s constitutional definition of neutrality ahead of a referendum on September 27. A Tamedia and 20 Minuten poll found 68% opposed the proposal, while a separate GFS Bern survey for SRG recorded 63% opposition.

The initiative, launched by the Swiss People’s Party (SVP), would restrict Switzerland from cooperating with NATO and imposing sanctions on other countries. Supporters say stricter neutrality rules would protect Switzerland’s neutral status and strengthen its role as a mediator, while opponents argue the changes could limit the government’s ability to respond to international developments.

The Swiss government has opposed the proposal, which will be decided through the country’s direct-democracy system. Switzerland’s neutrality has been internationally recognised since 1815 and incorporated into its constitution in 1848. The latest polls show opposition has increased compared with surveys conducted last month.

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L’Oréal Overtakes LVMH as France’s Most Valuable Listed Company

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L’Oréal became France’s most valuable listed company on Tuesday, overtaking luxury giant LVMH as weaker demand continues to weigh on the global luxury sector. L’Oréal’s market capitalisation reached around €203 billion, compared with about €201 billion for LVMH, marking the first time since 2017 that a non-luxury company has held the top position on the Paris stock market.

L’Oréal shares have risen about 5% this year, while LVMH has fallen 35%. Analysts cited the “lipstick effect,” where consumers facing economic uncertainty may choose smaller affordable luxuries such as cosmetics instead of expensive handbags, clothing and jewellery. LVMH has also faced pressure from weaker demand in China and broader economic concerns.

LVMH, controlled by Bernard Arnault’s family, had become Europe’s most valuable company during the pandemic-era luxury boom in 2021. Its shares fell 2.3% on Tuesday, while the company also dropped out of Europe’s 10 largest companies by market value. Analysts said ongoing economic uncertainty, inflation concerns and changing consumer spending could continue to challenge the luxury sector.

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Norwegian Police Investigate Telenor Over Suspected Crimes Against Humanity in Myanmar

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Norwegian police have launched an investigation into telecom company Telenor over allegations that it aided and abetted crimes against humanity in Myanmar following the country’s 2021 military coup. Investigators raided Telenor’s headquarters in Oslo as part of the probe, which also includes suspected violations of sanctions rules. Police allege that Telenor Myanmar repeatedly handed historical customer traffic data to the military regime during a period of widespread abuses against civilians.

Telenor, which completed its withdrawal from Myanmar in March 2022, said it is cooperating with investigators and wants to help clarify the case. The company said it faced an “impossible situation” after the military takeover, arguing that employees could have faced imprisonment, torture or the death penalty if they refused military orders. Telenor also said that no individuals are currently charged or under investigation.

The investigation also covers the transfer of sanctioned surveillance equipment when Telenor sold its Myanmar business. Police are examining whether the company failed to obtain required approval from Norway’s foreign ministry for the transaction. Activist groups have welcomed the investigation, alleging that customer call logs and location data were shared with the military and that sensitive surveillance equipment was transferred to a military-linked company.

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Italy’s Senate Approves Meloni-Backed Electoral Reform Amid Opposition Fury

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Italy’s Senate approved a controversial electoral reform on Tuesday, backed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s conservative coalition, despite strong opposition criticism. The proposed system would use fully proportional representation while granting a parliamentary majority to any alliance that wins more than 42% of the vote. The measure passed by 113 votes to 71 but still requires final approval from the lower house.

Meloni’s coalition says the reform would bring greater political stability to Italy, which has experienced frequent changes of government. Opposition leaders, however, accuse Meloni of changing the electoral rules to strengthen her chances in next year’s election. Under the current system, around one-third of lawmakers are elected through first-past-the-post constituencies, which analysts say could benefit centre-left parties.

The reform must now return to the Chamber of Deputies after amendments made in the Senate. The debate comes as tensions grow within both the governing coalition and the opposition. A previous attempt to restore preferential voting was narrowly rejected in the lower house, exposing divisions within Meloni’s alliance as the country approaches its next national election.

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EU Plans Social Media and AI Chatbot Restrictions for Under-15s

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The European Union is preparing a sweeping proposal to restrict children under 15 from accessing social media, video-sharing platforms, AI chatbots and online games. The plan is part of a proposed EU Kids Act aimed at protecting children from online abuse, exploitation and other digital risks.

Under the proposal, users aged 15 and above could create their own accounts, while children aged 13 and 14 could access social media and video platforms through parent-controlled introductory accounts with limited contacts and strict time limits. Children aged 3 to 12 would have access only to child-friendly services under full parental control, while under-3s would have no access.

The proposed rules would also require technology companies to verify users’ ages, reduce addictive designs and harmful content feeds, and provide stronger parental controls and tools to report harmful content. Companies would pay a supervisory fee to support enforcement. The proposal will still need to be debated and agreed upon by EU countries and the European Parliament before it can become law.

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Iceland’s Last Whaling Company Defies Ban Threat

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Iceland’s only remaining active whaling company, Hvalur, says it can survive renewed efforts to permanently ban commercial whaling. The government has announced plans to submit a bill in February that could bring an end to the practice in Iceland, one of only three countries alongside Norway and Japan that still permit commercial whale hunting.

Hvalur operates two catcher boats and employs around 150 people during the whaling season, which runs from early June to late September. The company has caught 85 fin whales so far this season, against a government quota of 150.

The proposed ban remains controversial in Iceland, where public opinion is divided. Fin whales, the industry’s main target, are classified as vulnerable globally by the IUCN, although their North Atlantic population is considered healthy enough to support managed harvesting.

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Catania Airport Suspends Flights Again as Mount Etna Ash Disrupts Travel

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Flights at Italy’s Catania airport were suspended again on Monday as volcanic ash from Mount Etna’s ongoing activity disrupted operations. Airport operator SAC said all arrivals would be halted until 4 p.m. local time, affecting one of Italy’s busiest airports and potentially disrupting travel plans for thousands of passengers.

Mount Etna, Europe’s highest and one of its most active volcanoes, frequently causes flight disruptions at Catania. However, ash emissions have been particularly intense this summer, creating repeated challenges for the airport during the busy holiday season.

Authorities are closely monitoring the volcanic activity and its impact on aviation safety. The latest suspension comes after previous disruptions linked to Etna’s eruptions, highlighting the continuing challenges faced by Sicily’s main air travel hub during periods of increased volcanic activity.

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Finland Joins France’s Nuclear Deterrence Initiative to Strengthen European Security

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Finland has joined France’s initiative to expand cooperation with European partners on nuclear deterrence, the leaders of both countries announced on Monday. The move comes amid concerns over the future of US security commitments to Europe and the wider security impact of the war in Ukraine. France launched the Forward Nuclear Deterrence Initiative in March as part of efforts to strengthen Europe’s responsibility for its own defence.

The initiative allows participating countries to engage in joint military exercises, discuss nuclear strategy more closely and potentially host nuclear-capable assets for short periods. However, the decision to use French nuclear weapons remains solely with the French president, unlike NATO’s nuclear framework, which involves a shared Nuclear Planning Group. Finland’s defence minister described joining the initiative as a natural step following other Nordic countries.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said the programme is aimed at strengthening European security and preventing escalation, while stressing that it does not replace NATO’s nuclear deterrence. Finland also said it does not intend to allow nuclear weapons to be stationed on its territory during peacetime. With Finland’s addition, 10 European countries now participate in the French initiative.

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Germany Rejects Calls to Halt AI Development, Seeks US-China Cooperation

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Germany has said that halting artificial intelligence development is not a viable option for Europe, arguing that continued innovation is essential to strengthening the region’s digital sovereignty. The digital affairs ministry said on Monday that it was closely monitoring global AI developments and taking warnings from leading technology companies seriously.

The comments came after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for AI companies to slow the pace of model development and introduce stronger safeguards. Germany said AI systems capable of escaping testing environments and independently accessing other systems could create an entirely new type of security threat, requiring a fresh policy response.

Germany also called for greater international cooperation on AI governance, saying effective oversight would require the involvement of both the United States and China. The government plans to raise the issue at the G7 level as countries seek to balance rapid AI innovation with safety and responsible development.

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