EU ENERGY BILL SURGES $32B AMID WAR SHOCK Ursula von der Leyen says Europe has paid about $32 billion extra for oil and gas since the war began, exposing the bloc’s reliance on imported fossil fuels. The latest energy crisis is hitting growth and households, prompting calls for coordinated EU action to avoid bidding wars on global energy markets. Brussels is pushing renewables, small modular reactors, and its new AccelerateEU plan to stabilize prices and boost domestic energy supply.(*Walter Bloomberg)