EU-Canada Deal Talks: European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen says she wants to “open the door” for Canada to become the EU’s first associate member, with possible cooperation spanning manufacturing, a tech alliance, defence industry links, Arctic work, AI, energy and critical minerals—though the status isn’t in EU treaties and could be legally complex. Tech for Sales: Pipedrive launched Nova, an AI meeting intelligence tool that briefs salespeople, transcribes calls and drafts CRM updates inside the platform. AI Hiring Recognition: Phenom’s Voice Screening Agent won a Top HR Product award, aiming to expand phone-based screening capacity with multilingual voice AI. Science & Energy: New reporting highlights growing interest in natural hydrogen and underground hydrogen storage as a potential low-carbon fuel, while stressing major unknowns about recoverability. Transport Corridor: A refresher on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor) shows how sanctions and shifting trade flows are boosting the Europe–Central Asia link. Workplace Safety: An inquest heard a Kildare meat factory worker died after a packing machine closed on him, with claims he was never trained to use it. Albania-UAE Ties: UAE plans to open an embassy in Tirana as leaders push cooperation in energy, tourism, infrastructure and technology. Border Tech Delays: Nine EU countries reportedly postponed full rollout of the Entry/Exit System, citing queues and technical issues at busy airports.