BRICS Diplomacy: India’s PM Narendra Modi met Russia’s Vladimir Putin in New Delhi ahead of the BRICS summit, with talks expected to cover energy, defense, critical minerals and fertiliser, while China’s Xi Jinping is set to arrive for a Modi-Xi meeting where the India-China border dispute remains the key hurdle. Global South Finance: China says BRICS should push cross-border payments and banking interoperability, and backs a 2027 pro-tempore presidency plan, spotlighting digital economy, green minerals, AI and special economic zones. Cyber & Data Security: Japan’s Digital Agency reported a possible leak of about 246,000 government employees’ records after unauthorized access detected in late May. Markets & Energy: Japan faces a “toxic triple shock” for investors as yen strengthens, oil rises and US yields climb; separately, Nippon Steel is investing about $2bn to expand automotive supply capacity, and Japan is considering subsidies to boost drone and ammunition production. Trade & Industry: India says it’s building “economic bridges” as global trade barriers rise, pointing to free trade deals with nearly 40 countries since 2014. Public Health: India passed 80 lakh HPV vaccinations in its cervical cancer push, with several states hitting full or near-full coverage. Sports: North Korea’s athletes began arriving in Japan for the Asian Games, while Japan and India cricket gear up for a landmark one-off T20I in September.