US-Iran Tension Watch: The U.S. and Iran agreed to pause further strikes and resume talks after renewed attacks tied to the Strait of Hormuz, keeping pressure on one of the world’s key oil routes and energy markets. Ukraine Energy Under Fire: Ukrainian drone strikes hit Russian oil refineries in Krasnodar, while Ukraine also targeted refineries in Russia’s Yaroslavl region, as parts of Ukraine’s grid remain vulnerable to heat and shelling. BRICS Energy Diplomacy: India hosted the 11th BRICS Energy Ministers’ meeting, with discussions framed around Russian crude access, solar supply-chain diversification, and critical minerals—against a backdrop of Hormuz disruption. Battery Boom in Africa: Envision Energy signed a 660MWh BESS deal for South Africa’s Naos-1 hybrid solar project, aiming to deliver dispatchable clean power and grid stability. Supply Chain for Storage: Lineage Power struck a 3 GWh LFP battery cell supply agreement with China’s Rongjie Energy, reinforcing long-term BESS manufacturing plans. UK Energy Costs Politics: Britain’s next PM-in-waiting Andy Burnham is set to outline an economic agenda, as business groups warn energy costs and policy uncertainty are weighing on growth. Grid Stress in Ukraine: Ukraine’s energy ministry reported outages across eight regions due to attacks on energy facilities, with Sumy hit hardest. Energy Transition Skills Push: UPES and IIT Guwahati launched an 18-month AI program to back student startups in clean energy and agritech. Industrial Power Demand: South Korea announced a massive $518B chipmaking hub plus AI data-centre investment, underscoring how AI is driving electricity demand and power planning.