US–China Diplomacy: Trump left Beijing after two days of high praise for Xi, but with no major trade breakthroughs and no tangible help to end the Iran war; the only clear new line was Xi’s warning that mishandling Taiwan could trigger conflict, while Trump said he’ll decide on a pending Taiwan arms sale soon. Trade & External Balances: India’s trade deficit widened to $28.38bn in April as imports surged faster than exports, driven by oil and gold—raising pressure on the rupee and the current account. Competition & Consumer Protection: Tanzania moved to strengthen its competition framework to curb market concentration and protect consumers. Africa–China Opportunity: South African and regional experts say China’s zero-tariff policy could be a “golden opportunity” only if exporters scale up value-added production. Energy Shock Watch: Germany warned growth may slow sharply in Q2 as Middle East tensions lift energy costs and dent confidence. Policy Governance: Bulgaria advanced Investment Promotion Act revisions tied to government restructuring, while New Zealand’s treaty rewrite fight escalated via unredacted cabinet papers.