Taiwan-China Tensions: Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim makes a rare Europe trip, drawing Beijing’s sharp condemnation and Italy’s decision not to meet the officials. Travel Security: Taiwan’s NSC adviser warns civil servants, religious groups and advanced-tech engineers to be cautious about travel to China as new entry-exit rules take effect, citing intelligence-gathering risks. BRICS in Focus (India): As the 18th BRICS Summit opens in New Delhi, India’s EAM Jaishankar tells the BRICS Business Forum that India offers a large market, manufacturing depth and digital talent; security is being ramped up across venues and routes. India-Russia Talks: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives for BRICS and is set to meet Modi, with cooperation expected across defence, energy, technology and pharma. China’s NEV Push: China releases a five-year plan targeting NEVs to reach 70% of new passenger sales and 40% of commercial sales by 2030, with autonomous driving scaling by the end of the decade. Japan Governance & Rights: Japan faces a growing debate over inclusion as a lawsuit challenges Mie Prefecture’s survey design that excluded foreign residents from a hiring decision pool. Japan-UN Map Dispute: Japan asks for changes to a UN-backed Equal Earth world map after disputed islands off Hokkaido were depicted in Russia’s color. Japan Data Breach: Japan’s Digital Agency says personal data from about 246,000 records may have been leaked after unauthorized access to a government network. Korea-Central Asia Summit: Seoul prepares the first Korea-Central Asia Summit, aiming to lock in a long-term partnership framework and boost cooperation on energy and critical minerals. Energy Policy Contrast: A new comparison highlights China’s continued coal-heavy power expansion versus U.S. reliability and rising electricity costs.