10. FRANCE - European Energy Crunch And Defense - SIMON CONSTABLE 092326

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European Energy Crunch And Defense
Simon Constable reports from southern France on global commodity trends, noting surging energy prices including Brent crude at $100 per barrel and European diesel reaching $9.64 per gallon. He criticizes government fuel subsidies as ineffective short-term measures that fail to increase real energy production. Turning to broader European security, Constable laments the sharp decline of the British military, pointing out that the British Army has contracted to roughly 65,000 to 70,000 active personnel. (10)