Energy Security: ORLEN and 13 partners have launched the Baltic Energy Initiative, aiming to coordinate offshore wind, LNG/bioLNG, hydrogen, carbon storage and even small modular reactors, while also sharing know-how on protecting critical infrastructure. Climate & Food: Drought and heat are reshaping Central Europe’s maize belt, with Hungary and Romania seeing sharp declines and the EU facing a near two-decade low maize harvest, pushing some farmers to abandon crops. EU Farming Pressure: Visegrad Four farm groups urged the European Commission to act fast as extreme drought cuts fodder yields and threatens livestock and food security. Critical Infrastructure Under Strain: Germany is investigating a string of suspected sabotage incidents targeting power, rail and defense-linked sites, with authorities warning that not all critical infrastructure can be fully protected. Media Freedom: Belarusian political prisoner journalist Andrei Aliaksandrau has been named a Free Media Awards laureate, alongside outlets including Armenia’s Factor TV, as press freedom faces mounting pressure across the region. Aviation & Travel: Wizz Air adds eight airports to its network, extending reach into Romania, Greece, Croatia, Spain, Turkey and Egypt. Business & Industry: Trelleborg completed the acquisition of Germany’s M+R Dichtungstechnik to strengthen facade and renewable-energy rubber components, while Hilton Foods ramps up fresh prepared-food capacity planning, including Poland expansion talks.