Robotics & AI Funding: Reykjavík’s Treble Technologies raised $18M (Series A-2) to generate synthetic audio for training robot hearing, cutting dataset work from months to days. EU–Canada Trade & Security: EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen invited Canada to become the bloc’s first “associate member,” aiming at deeper cooperation in tech, defence, energy, research and Arctic security—while Trump threatened “serious tariffs” if it goes ahead. Arctic Defence Drills: NATO’s Arctic Sentry operation featured Danish F-35s from Keflavik and Canadian CF-18s, testing cross–North Atlantic coordination around Greenland. Secure Satellites: The EU and South Korea agreed to deepen cooperation on secure satellite connectivity and explore future integration with IRIS², with a first IRIS² phase targeted for end-2029. Iceland Whaling Policy: Iceland is moving toward a permanent commercial whaling ban proposal for Alþingi in February 2027, leaving Norway and Japan as the main holdouts. Local Land Use: Reykjavík plans to revoke unused land allocations for the Muslim Association of Iceland and the Russian Orthodox Church after construction delays. Retail Logistics: Costco items will be delivered via DoorDash in Iceland and other markets, expanding direct-to-consumer warehouse logistics. Whaling/Settlement Trade Backdrop: The UK and France announced measures to ban goods linked to illegal Israeli settlements, with UN experts calling it a “potentially seismic shift.” Arctic Trade Routes: Global chokepoint pressure is pushing more Asia–Europe shipping via Arctic routes, including a South Korea voyage to Felixstowe via the Arctic.