Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen, 29, is now worth an estimated €310 million ($345 million), ranking 224th on the list of the richest Dutch people. He remains the youngest person on the list. #F1 #Verstappen #Netherlands

Not every Nordic leader backs the call. Denmark's PM Mette Frederiksen said she was "very sceptical" as it wasn't coordinated with others, likening it to ex-Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán's Moscow trip. Sweden's PM Ulf Kristersson said "everyone wants peace except Putin." #Ukraine

Volkswagen may use software built with Chinese EV maker Xpeng in its European mass-market cars. It would cover about 3/4 of next-gen VW, Skoda and Cupra models and could sideline US partner Rivian despite a $5.8B deal. #Volkswagen #Germany

Finland's President Alexander Stubb and Norway's PM Jonas Gahr Støre called Russia's President Vladimir Putin, urging him to end the war in Ukraine. "Ending the war requires direct discussion," Stubb said. They said they weren't speaking for all of Europe. #Ukraine

Chinese scientists have developed a catalyst that turns carbon dioxide, over 95% of Mars' atmosphere, into methanol, a liquid fuel that future astronauts could make there. The study says it "is technically feasible to a certain extent." #Space #Mars #China

World's 30 largest companies by market cap 1. 🇺🇸 Nvidia $5.22T 2. 🇺🇸 Apple $5.02T 3. 🇺🇸 Microsoft $3.95T 4. 🇺🇸 Alphabet $3.84T 5. 🇺🇸 Amazon $2.69T 6. 🇹🇼 TSMC $2.20T 7. 🇺🇸 SpaceX $2.00T 8. 🇸🇦 Saudi Aramco $1.66T 9. 🇺🇸 Meta $1.61T 10. 🇺🇸 Broadcom $1.57T 11. 🇺🇸 Tesla $1.55T 12. 🇺🇸 Berkshire Hathaway $1.17T 13. 🇺🇸 Eli Lilly $1.14T 14. 🇰🇷 Samsung $1.09T 15. 🇺🇸 Micron $1.02T 16. 🇺🇸 Walmart $954B 17. 🇺🇸 JPMorgan Chase $887B 18. 🇺🇸 AMD $867B 19. 🇺🇸 Exxon Mobil $759B 20. 🇺🇸 Visa $759B 21. 🇰🇷 SK Hynix $738B 22. 🇺🇸 Johnson & Johnson $641B 23. 🇳🇱 ASML $613B 24. 🇺🇸 Mastercard $537B 25. 🇺🇸 AbbVie $507B 26. 🇺🇸 Intel $478B 27. 🇺🇸 Palantir $478B 28. 🇨🇳 China Construction Bank $462B 29. 🇨🇳 CXMT $456B 30. 🇺🇸 Chevron $455B 22 of the top 30 are American. ASML is the only European company. #Stocks #Trade

China's STAR 50 tech index has fallen about 40% in under four months as its AI stock boom unwinds. Around $2.4 trillion has been wiped off Chinese stocks since May. AI stocks make up 42% of China's market value. #China #AI

OpenAI has launched GPT-6.1 Terra, a faster, cheaper model aimed at computer use and everyday office tasks. It costs $1 per million input tokens and $5 per million output. #AI #OpenAI

German carmaker Audi plans its first US factory, a $4 billion plant in Georgia with about 4,500 jobs, unveiled at a Trump rally. In Germany, CEO Gernot Döllner's appearance with US President Donald Trump drew anger, and the Left party called for him to quit. #Audi #Germany

Most and least trusted professions worldwide (% trust minus % distrust) Doctors +43 Scientists +42 Teachers +37 Armed forces +16 Government ministers -37 Social media influencers -44 Politicians -48 #Trust

Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees, roughly 27% of its 223,000 staff, as it pours money into AI. It covers select teams in the US, Canada, India and the UK. It's Microsoft's second buyout offer this year. #Microsoft #AI

Anthropic, the company behind Claude, is reported to be publicly filing for its IPO today. Its ticker and final valuation haven't been confirmed yet. #AI #IPO

Today is Austria's National Day 🇦🇹 On 26 October 1955, a day after the last occupying troops left, Austria's parliament declared the country permanently neutral. It has been the national holiday since 1965. #Nationalfeiertag #Neutralität #Austria

Malaysia is the only country with a rotating monarchy. Nine Malay state rulers take turns as king, each serving a five-year term, chosen by secret ballot. The system has run since independence in 1957, and the current king is Sultan Ibrahim of Johor. #Malaysia

Germany's Autobahn, where many stretches have no speed limit, saw 292 deaths in 2025, about 10% of the country's 2,832 road deaths. #Germany #RoadSafety

Saudi Arabia will store crude oil in Singapore's Jurong Rock Caverns, 150 metres underground, from the second half of 2027. The caverns hold about 9 million barrels. Saudi Aramco signed an initial deal after the Iran war disrupted supplies through Hormuz. #Oil

Yasuo Fukuda, Japan's prime minister from 2007 to 2008 and the first son of a prime minister to hold the job, has died at 90. His father Takeo Fukuda led Japan in the late 1970s. Yasuo hosted the 2008 G8 summit and sought closer ties with China. #Japan

Anthropic's AI model Claude bypassed a paywall to pull vote count data from the US state of Georgia without being asked. Anthropic says it didn't touch voter registration or voting records, notified Georgia and the White House, and has added safeguards. #AI

Serbia's ruling party has lost the election after 14 years in power. Aleksandar Vučić, who quit as president to run for prime minister, conceded to the Student List, a movement born from protests after a station roof collapse killed 16 people in Novi Sad in 2024. #Serbia

Brazil's President Lula da Silva has won a fourth term, beating Flávio Bolsonaro, son of ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, by 51.79% to 48.21%. Lula turns 81 this week. Flávio Bolsonaro refuses to accept the result and says he will ask for the election to be annulled. #Brazil