EU Digital Leadership: The European Commission appointed Tanya Chetcuti as Director for Digital Workplace and Infrastructure in DG DIGIT, reinforcing the EU’s push on secure digital services. EU Budget Fight: Seventeen EU countries, including Malta and Cyprus, are pushing to protect agriculture and cohesion funding in the 2028–2034 budget talks, setting up a clash with Germany and others. Malta Tourism Tech & Policy: WTTC’s Global Summit programme for Valletta is out, with a FUTU[RE]SET agenda that explicitly targets AI, connectivity, workforce and investment—plus a separate WTTC–ICC partnership aimed at boosting tourism SMEs. Gaming Consumer Rights: The EU’s Consumer Protection Cooperation network launched coordinated actions on nine video game companies to improve transparency and fairness around in-game virtual currencies. Malta Media Reform Pressure: CPJ and partners urged Malta’s PM to allow broader, transparent consultation on a draft media reform bill, citing the need for stronger journalist safety after years of stalled reforms. Malta Startup Funding: Notey closed a €3M seed round with Malta Enterprise support and announced a distribution partnership via Telemach across the Balkans. UK Travel Rules: The UK published lists of countries exempt from ATAS and from English-language test requirements for certain visa routes, including Malta on the ATAS exemption list. AI & Business: A study commissioned by AWS says 47% of Greek businesses use AI, with most reporting productivity gains—relevant for regional tech adoption conversations.