Early Bird: Aviation fuel could run out in Europe within a few weeks. Babiš promised Rutte to uphold commitments to NATO
If the situation does not improve, jet fuel could run out in Europe
Europe has jet fuel reserves "for about six weeks," the head of the International Energy Agency said in an extensive interview on Thursday, warning of possible "imminent" flight cancellations if oil supplies remain blocked due to the war in Iran. IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol painted a grim picture of the global impacts of what he called "the largest energy crisis we have ever faced," resulting from the disruption of oil, gas, and other vital resources through the Strait of Hormuz.
“We are now in a desperate situation that will have serious consequences for the global economy. And the longer it lasts, the worse it will be for economic growth and inflation worldwide,” he told the Associated Press.
Babiš promised Rutte to meet NATO's demands
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited the Czech Republic to talk with leading politicians about the violation of the alliance member states' investment commitment to defense. Andrej Babiš's government had only budgeted 1.7% of GDP for defense spending. However, at the meeting, Andrej Babiš stated that the Czech Republic would comply with these commitments.
"Increasing defense spending is crucial for us to have the strength, resources, and capabilities to protect our citizens. We know, and this applies to all allies, that deciding on budgets and increasing defense funds is not easy. However, security is ultimately the foundation of prosperity," Rutte stated at the meeting according to ČTK.
A ten-day ceasefire in Lebanon has begun
The ten-day ceasefire, declared by American President Donald Trump and agreed upon by Lebanon and Israel, began at midnight local time. The Israeli and Lebanese governments reached an agreement on the ceasefire after more than a month of war between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, supported by Iran. Israeli airstrikes resulted in nearly 2,200 casualties in Lebanon, as reported by the AP agency.
The Italian diaspora continued its fight against government restrictions on citizenship based on ancestry this week, with the Italian supreme court hearing three cases. On Tuesday, the Corte di Cassazione, Italy's highest court, convened to assess citizenship restrictions for descendants of Italian citizens born abroad, which were implemented by the government in October 2024.
The so-called "minor matter," introduced through a government circular, preceded a controversial change in the law from March 2025, which limited ancestry-based citizenship to two generations and effectively banned dual citizenship for Italians abroad.
It was established that if the parent of an Italian child born abroad naturalizes while their children are still minors, it "breaks" the line of descent—unless it would otherwise result in the child becoming stateless.
