Food & Climate: Drought and heat are hammering EU maize and corn supplies, with Hungary’s harvest forecast down sharply and Romania also sliding, pushing the EU toward near two-decade-low maize output and raising food-price pressure. Energy Security: European gas prices jumped to their highest since early 2023 as winter supply fears return and storage levels stay unusually low. Defense & NATO: A U.S. live-fire drill in Germany spotlighted NATO’s growing deep-strike precision, while a drone incursion in Estonia triggered NATO fighter scrambles and renewed warnings about hybrid threats. Regional Power in the EU: Central European leaders at the Bled forum urged stronger coordination and “coalitions” to defend competitiveness, cohesion funding and energy security in the next EU budget talks. Poland’s Defense Pivot: Poland is accelerating domestic and Central European defense production to cut reliance on distant suppliers as it builds one of Europe’s biggest armies. Archaeology: Czech researchers uncovered a circular ritual sanctuary near Chleby, dated about 6,500 years old—older than Stonehenge—and linked to Sun and Moon alignments. Migration Enforcement: Frontex coordinated arrests of 112 suspected migrant smugglers and detected document fraud across a Western Balkans-to-central Europe route. Business & Culture: Warner Music Central Europe launched Warner Records Germany in Berlin, led by Lea Londa, as the label builds its German roster.