Local Governance & Transparency: Cadillac, Michigan is hosting a Monday Q&A on government transparency, inviting residents to submit questions about decisions that left them confused or unheard. Public Safety & AI Governance: South Korea’s Interior Ministry is rolling out four AI projects for disaster response and “public inconvenience,” including wildfire spread prediction, dementia patient movement tracking, and flagging repeat civil complaints. Climate Politics After Floods: Australia’s Albanese government faces a “critical” push for faster climate action after Nepal-Tibet floods, with NGOs urging fossil-fuel approval stops and more climate finance. Local Elections as Power Test: Tamil Nadu’s bypolls in Madurantakam and Dharapuram are framed as a referendum on the 4-month-old TVK government amid claims of MLA “buying.” EU Diplomacy Signals: EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas says she would take calls from Putin or Lavrov but warns the EU won’t negotiate on Moscow’s terms. International Inequality Push: Former world leaders back a new UN-style International Panel on Inequality, arguing wealth gaps have hit record levels. AI & University Policy: UKRI says the government is preparing a crackdown on university spinouts that move abroad or list overseas, tightening grant conditions tied to IP. Energy Cost Relief: Belize expands fuel and electricity relief, including removing GST from residential electricity bills and adding bus fuel subsidies.