Amsterdam Microsoft datacentre site stormed by Dutch activists
Activists from Geef Tegengas, a Dutch direct action group, broke into the construction site of a Microsoft datacentre at Westpoort, Amsterdam, on 6 November, according to The Guardian. They clashed with police, and some climbed a crane, lit flares and tied helium balloons to equipment. The Guardian reports that separate actions took place outside the fence and in other parts of Europe, as opposition to the social and environmental costs of the AI boom spreads across the continent.
German firms keep passing energy costs into prices
The ifo institute’s price expectations index, which measures the net share of German companies planning price rises, climbed to 25.9 points in October 2026 from 23.0 in September (ifo). The September reading had been 22,7 points, up from 21,4 in August. Timo Wollmershäuser, head of economic surveys at ifo, said companies are reacting to crude oil and natural gas prices that reached their highest level since 2022 in the second half of October. He expects inflation to keep rising for producers and consumers in the coming months. In September he had already forecast that German inflation would climb above 3%, with energy suppliers likely to raise power and gas prices over the winter (ifo).
Germany toughens penalties for knockout-drop attacks
The Bundestag, Germany’s lower house of parliament, voted to increase penalties for sexual assaults involving knockout drops, according to ZDF. Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD) welcomed the change and said it makes a difference for victims. She announced further steps against sexual violence, citing a rise in such offences as the reason for tightening the rules.
Russian missiles hit Kyiv and its surroundings again
Russia’s military struck the Ukrainian capital and the area around it with ballistic missiles in several waves early on 7 November, according to ZDF. Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, wrote on Telegram that the targets were infrastructure sites. Explosions were heard in a suburb and in the city centre, and no information on casualties or damage was available at first.
Paris activists empty a Montparnasse Relay shop
Activists emptied a Relay bookshop at Paris’s Montparnasse station on 6 November, according to Le Monde. They accuse the state rail operator SNCF of favouring far-right books and of failing to stay neutral in public space. They also denounced what they call a “monopoly” held by the billionaire Vincent Bolloré.
Catch the next Gist for the continent’s moving pieces.
