Severe Weather Watch: A two-day storm threat is building across France, Switzerland, Belgium and western Germany, with supercells, large hail and tornado risk, then spreading toward Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland. Climate & Water Stress: Lake Balaton is at strikingly low levels, while the Danube’s “Rock of Starvation” is reappearing as drought worsens; Europe’s heatwave toll is already estimated at at least 35,000 excess deaths. Food & Farming Pressure: Czech farmers face feed shortages as drought cuts hay and yields, pushing prices up sharply and forcing some herd reductions; the EU warns heat and drought are straining crops and fodder. Migration & Asylum: Austria reportedly resumed Dublin transfers to Italy; Germany sees a sharp rise in withdrawals of protection for Syrian refugees; Switzerland extends “S Status” for Ukrainians to March 2028 with caveats, and a court ruling could allow some Afghan returns. Defense & Security: Poland is discussing “several” permanent US bases while weighing nuclear weapons; Germany and Poland deepen NATO’s eastern flank cooperation. Energy Links: North Macedonia and Serbia sign a pipeline deal to connect gas networks by 2028, with an LNG-linked strategy via Greece. Business & Tech: Warner Music Austria and ADA Central Europe strike a distribution and studio partnership with Vienna indie Tonherd; AI Summit Budapest expands in September. Culture & Sports: Brno is pitched as a low-crowd medieval alternative; Hungary’s Balaton Camp sailing highlights Lola Carrión’s third-place finish.