G7 Critical Minerals Push: G7 leaders in Evian pledged to cut rare-earth and other critical-mineral dependence on China to below 60% by 2030 (and toward 50% sooner), warning against export restrictions and economic coercion. West Asia Oil Shock Watch: Markets are pricing in a US-Iran interim truce that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran signaling it will restart exports and sell oil freely once signed—helping crude slide below $80 and easing near-term inflation pressure, though analysts warn normalization could take months. Japan Rates & FX: The Bank of Japan lifted policy rates to 1% (31-year high), with economists saying faster hikes may be needed if oil-price gains and a weaker yen re-ignite inflation. India Grid Flexibility: Ember says India needs about 10 GWh of battery storage to prevent renewable curtailment when coal plants can’t run below minimum technical loads; FY25-26 curtailment hit 2.1 TWh. Southeast Asia Energy Diplomacy: Philippines President Marcos Jr. arrived in Kazan for the ASEAN-Russia summit, with food and energy security on the agenda, while Russia seeks deeper ASEAN cooperation. LNG Supply Moves: Bangladesh approved imports of three LNG cargoes to stabilize power and industrial gas supply. Pacific Fuel Crisis Support: China signaled readiness to help Fiji with energy support amid the fuel-price crunch, alongside anti-drug cooperation. Energy Storage Dealmaking: Farasis Energy partnered with WLF Energy to accelerate utility-scale and distributed storage deployment, combining battery tech with AI energy management.