Strait of Hormuz Standoff: Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will stay closed until the US “corrects its behaviour,” laying out six conditions including ending blockades, sanctions, and regional attacks—raising fresh uncertainty for a key oil and LNG shipping chokepoint. US Trade & Energy Sanctions: The US Senate advanced sweeping sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector and is also moving toward broad tariff authority that could reach up to 100% on Russian oil and gas buyers, with India named among potential targets. Grid Reliability Costs in Michigan: Michigan regulators opened a new comment phase on tightening performance-based earnings penalties for DTE and Consumers Energy tied to reliability, signaling more direct financial pressure over grid performance. Bangladesh Energy Crunch Hits Industry: Bangladesh’s textile sector is cutting output as LNG supply disruptions and a terminal fire worsen gas shortages, forcing some factories to run far below capacity and switch to costlier fuels. Nigeria Energy Leadership: Bala Wunti was appointed inaugural CEO of World Energy Council Nigeria, bringing decades of NNPC experience to a new executive leadership push on energy security and investment. Fusion Materials Breakthrough: US researchers at UC Davis and Lawrence Berkeley Lab reported materials-driven fusion progress using titanium and palladium foils to boost deuterium–deuterium reactions at lower temperatures. Data Centers’ Power & Pollution Pressure: Reporting highlights rapid growth of private gas generation for AI data centers, with emissions concerns growing as more projects come online or advance.