Tootfinder

Michael Roberts on why 'Rentier Capitalism' is a misleading understanding.
EU companies: a ‘capitalism of rent’? – Michael Roberts Blog
https://thenextrecession.wordpress.com/2026/07/20/eu-companies-a-capitalism-of-rent/

EU companies: a ‘capitalism of rent’?
Why is Europe falling behind in investment and growth compared with the US, let alone China and India?  In a new report, Labour Squeezed, Investment Stalled – the renowned economist Mariana Mazzuca…

“Buildings are the single largest energy consumer in Europe. Transposition and implementation of the #EPBD is key to boosting the EU's current very low annual energy renovation rate (1%), reducing bills for citizens and businesses and the EU's dependence on imported fossil fuels, and achieving a zero-emission and fully decarbonised building stock by 2050.”

The Commission calls on EU countries to transpose the reinforced rules on the energy performance of buildings
The European Commission decided to open infringement procedures by sending letters of formal notice to all 27 EU Member States for failing to fully transpose into national law the provisions of the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EU) 2024/1275.

Kuala Lumpur-based Respond.io, which uses AI agents to manage customer conversations, raised a $62.5M Series B led by Camber, following a $7M Series A in 2022 (Kate Park/TechCrunch)
https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/15/malaysias…

Malaysia's AI agent-powered messaging app Respond.io raises $62.5M, eyes acquisitions | TechCrunch
Respond.io, one of Malaysia startups to watch, uses AI agents to handle high volumes of customer inquiries and charges per convo, not per seat.

Zurich - Cape Town - McMurdo - Honolulu - Zurich
You can basically set your bearing to 173° and fly along a straight line to see Switzerland, South Africa, Antarctica and Hawaii.
https://www.greatcirclemap.com/?routes=ZRH-CPT-NZIR-HNL-ZRH

A head-spinning week
as Iran and the United States trade blows and mull peace deals
On the sidelines Europe is feeling the pain and calling for a permanent end to the conflict.
Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin has been an outspoken critic of America's involvement in the Middle East
and he joins Christiane from Paris to discuss the state of play.
And, as the cycle of strikes and fragile truces continues, former Deputy National Security Adv…

"Heat pump sales rise 17% across Europe in Q1 as energy prices surge"
#Europe #HeatPumps #Energy

Heat pump sales rise 17% across Europe in Q1 as energy prices surge
Residential heat pump sales increased 17% across 11 European countries in the first quarter of 2026, following a sharp rise in gas and oil prices after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in March, says the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA).

😵‍💫 UK has wealthy Europe’s ‘third-highest’ rate of young adults not in work or study
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/apr/28/uk-has-wealthy-europes-third-highest-rate-of-18-to-24-year-olds-not-in-work-o…

UK has wealthy Europe’s ‘third-highest’ rate of young adults not in work or study
Resolution Foundation report says ‘crisis’ stems from rising ill-health and a failing system of benefits and job support

Racist violence in Belfast.
It's frightening how effectively the Russia-backed far right, assisted by Trump-linked Musk, can fan the flames in Europe.
Exploiting dark undercurrents and vulnerabilities in our societies, using their 'social' media algorithms to divide and rule.

"There are also mounting economic costs of falling behind. As of January 2026, more than 80% of European AI chatbot users relied on OpenAI's ChatGPT. That means European data — the raw material of the modern information economy — is flowing primarily into American algorithms rather than European ones."
No! This completely misunderstands what the advantage of a European stack should be. I don't care much whether my data goes to an American or a European company.
…

How the EU became a digital colony — and how it might break free
European lawmakers and analysts warn that reliance on US artificial intelligence and digital services is a strategic liability, spurring calls for ...

Wildfires raging across southern Europe have forced thousands to flee their homes
and prompted officials to ban spectators from a stage of the Tour de France,
amid warnings of “powder keg” conditions after a record-breaking early summer heatwave.
Hundreds of firefighters are tackling blazes that have burned through almost 20,000 hectares (49,500 acres)
in Portugal, Spain, France and Greece.
Strong winds are forecast to fan the flames and temperatures are expect…

Wildfires rage across southern Europe, forcing thousands to flee homes
Tour de France spectator ban as country along with Spain, Portugal and Greece faces ‘powder keg’ after heatwave