Danube Crisis Hits Industry: Record-low Danube waters are forcing navigation changes and disrupting regional supply chains, with Slovakia’s water-management operator adjusting lock schedules at Gabcikovo to limit water loss and keep shipping safe. Energy Security Under Pressure: Romania has temporarily shut down Unit 2 at Cernavoda because cooling depends on Danube flows; the outage follows Unit 1 going offline, underlining how drought can quickly spill into electricity generation. EU Logistics Slowdown: Eurostat data shows EU inland waterway freight fell 3% in 2025 to 118.0bn tonne-kilometres, with Germany and the Netherlands driving most volumes—bad news for cross-border logistics planning. Slovakia–China Tech Push: President Peter Pellegrini toured Baidu in Beijing, riding an autonomous vehicle and visiting a robotics retail hub, while also calling for better access for Slovak firms to China’s market. Batteries & Capital Markets: Slovak BESS maker InoBat agreed a SPAC merger aimed at a Nasdaq listing, targeting expansion in advanced energy storage for AI and data-centre power needs. US Sanctions Could Hit Slovak Trade: A US Senate-backed Russia sanctions bill would let President Trump impose up to 100% tariffs on countries buying Russian oil and gas, naming Slovakia among potential targets. Aviation Demand Cools: European airport passenger growth slowed in Q2 2026 as Middle East disruptions reshaped routes and airlines adjusted capacity.