Yemen–Saudi Energy Shock: Houthis launched fresh missile and drone attacks on Saudi military targets and seized positions near Bab el-Mandab, while a proposed Gulf-Iran Hormuz meeting was postponed—pushing Brent above $108 and raising fears of further supply disruption. Saudi Infrastructure Repair: Saudi Arabia’s East-West crude pipeline shutdown is expected to keep it out of service for weeks as repairs begin, underlining how quickly regional conflict can hit export routes. Hormuz Diplomacy Stalls: Gulf states delayed talks with Iran over Hormuz due to lack of Arab consensus, as Tehran accused Riyadh of using Yemen as a pretext to delay. BRICS Summit Politics: India hosted BRICS in New Delhi amid sharp divisions; the bloc adopted a “maximum restraint” line on Middle East escalation while members argued over outcomes and priorities. AI Governance Debate: Anthropic’s Dario Amodei urged slowing frontier AI development for safety, as markets reacted to calls for a slowdown and oil prices climbed. Turkey Rights Crackdown: Turkey carried out anti-LGBTQ+ raids, targeting dozens of suspects and blocking multiple websites and social media accounts. Child Protection Tech (UAE): Kanaf Centre adopted advanced forensic imaging for child safety cases, aiming to strengthen documentation and legal processes. Fuel Subsidy Administration (Philippines): The Philippines moved to accelerate public spending and address currency pressure tied to Middle East-driven inflation, while also suspending ube exports to stabilize planting materials.