Thursday 29 October

Driven by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the energy giant Shell has reported a dramatic doubling of its quarterly profit to 9.7 billion euros. This financial windfall highlights the immense impact of volatile global oil and gas prices on corporate balance sheets, surging far beyond the 5.4 billion dollars recorded during the same period last year. Read more →

A majority in the Dutch House of Representatives is pushing to ban generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude from primary school classrooms. Lawmakers argue that students must master the fundamentals of reading, writing, and mathematics before integrating these complex digital assistants into their core education. Read more →

A Haarlem court has handed down prison sentences of up to two years for the brutal 2023 assault of a 17-year-old boy. The attack, which gained notoriety through viral social media footage, caused significant unrest and led to the precautionary closure of several schools in the Beverwijk area. Read more →

The European Central Bank has opted to hold its main interest rate at 2.5%, despite inflation in the Eurozone hitting a three-year high of 3.8%. Policymakers are balancing the cooling effect of higher rates against the inflationary pressure of elevated fuel costs stemming from the conflict in the Middle East. Read more →

Global revenue for Magnum has climbed 12.1% to reach 2.5 billion euros, bolstered by an unusually long summer and the success of its pistachio-flavored ice cream. The company has rewarded investors by raising its 2026 growth forecast to 5.5%, citing strong performance in Europe and the United States. Read more →