ASEAN–Russia Summit: Leaders in Kazan adopted the Kazan Declaration and a 2026–2030 plan to deepen cooperation on maritime security, cybercrime, energy, agriculture, digitalisation and cultural ties, with Singapore’s PM Lawrence Wong urging action where interests converge. Energy Transition Watch: The World Economic Forum says 56% of countries improved energy transition scores in 2026, but only 24% advanced across all core areas at once—India stands out for readiness gains tied to infrastructure and human capital. Oil Palm Outlook: Malaysia’s crude palm oil is forecast to trade at RM4,400–RM4,650 per tonne in July as Indonesia supply tightens and El Niño risk rises, with production and export patterns still shaped by weather and harvesting cycles. Pakistan Insurance Push: The ADB approved a USD 700m policy-based loan to expand insurance coverage and cut protection gaps, aiming to boost resilience to disasters and life-cycle risks. Pacific Politics: PIFS is retooling its 2050 Strategy with a more structured, ASEAN-style partner model to protect unity and manage outside pressure. Sports: Canada stunned Qatar 6-0 in World Cup 2026, while India’s Manika Batra protested her Asian Games table tennis exclusion over selection transparency. Travel & Culture: Singapore tops Mastercard-CrescentRating’s Muslim-friendly travel ranking outside the OIC, and Nikkei Asia won a SOPA editorial award for its AI-driven North Korea succession analysis.