EU leaders review little-known mutual aid pact amid Trump's mockery of NATO
EU leaders are preparing a concrete plan for using the mutual assistance clause, which obliges member states to help each other in the event of an attack, as tensions with the US and Donald Trump's criticism of NATO are increasing and have returned the focus to European security alternatives.
Discussions intensified after signals that the US was considering measures against allies like Pedro Sánchez and even the possibility of withdrawing from NATO, which would plunge the 77-year-old alliance into its greatest crisis, while countries like Poland have begun to question the credibility of American support.
However, the EU remains uncertain how this clause (used only after the Paris attacks in 2015) will work in practice, so it is drafting an "operational manual" for concrete scenarios, while trying not to undermine NATO's central role in collective defense.
'The damage is done': the global oil crisis has changed the fossil fuel industry forever
Fatih Birol - one of the world's leading energy economists - warns that the oil crisis caused by the war with Iran has forever changed the fossil fuel industry, as countries are losing confidence in them and shifting towards renewable and nuclear energy for greater energy security.
He emphasizes that there is no going back (“the damage is done”), as this crisis will reduce demand for oil and accelerate the transition to a more electrified economy, although there is a risk that some developing countries will return to coal due to high prices.
Meanwhile, Birol advises that Britain not significantly expand extraction in the North Sea, as new fields will not really affect prices or energy security, making the investment economically unsound.
Middle East Crisis: Witkoff and Kushner Head to Pakistan for Negotiations with Iran
US representatives, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are traveling to Pakistan to push for new negotiations with Iran, but Tehran has ruled out direct meetings, preferring mediation by Pakistani authorities and sending Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Islamabad.
Meanwhile, the situation remains tense despite the ceasefire, as the US and Iran continue indirect clashes in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world's oil passes and where attacks on ships and blockades have rocked the global economy.
The international community warns of serious consequences, with António Costa stressing the importance of immediately opening the Strait and humanitarian organizations warning of a drastic increase in food insecurity if the crisis continues.
El Niño phenomenon returns strongly and disrupts global climate
Scientists predict a very strong El Niño phenomenon that could reach over 2°C above average by autumn, putting 2026 on track to be among the hottest on record, likely to rank second only to current records.
This phenomenon, which directly affects global weather patterns, is expected to increase temperatures, cause droughts, floods and heat waves in the oceans, and could also increase the chances that 2027 will become the hottest year ever recorded.
Forecasts have become more accurate thanks to a new scientific model that can predict the development of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation up to 15 months in advance, helping governments prepare earlier for climate consequences.
