Public Safety Shake-Up: New Zealand’s Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says she has “no confidence” in Fire and Emergency NZ CEO Kerry Gregory after alleging he withheld information about a “seriously significant incident” for a year, with the matter referred to the Serious Fraud Office. Local Governance: NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully has paused Sydney’s $150m Town Hall Square project, sending it to the Independent Planning Commission after concerns it could be state-significant. Diplomacy & Finance: Nepal’s Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle heads to New Delhi for talks with India’s leadership on post-disaster reconstruction and broader cooperation, including meetings with Nirmala Sitharaman and S Jaishankar. Energy & Industry: India’s Power Minister Manohar Lal met US Energy Secretary Chris Wright at G20 in Houston to discuss nuclear expansion and power needs for AI and data centres. Education Oversight: Ontario’s Education Minister says the province won’t quickly return control of the Near North District School Board to local trustees, citing improvements under supervision. International Security: North Korea’s vice defence minister says US arms buildup justifies expanding its nuclear deterrent at China’s Xiangshan forum. Politics & Culture: South Africa’s Bonang Matheba urges Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie to prioritize funding for local artists and major national awards before pursuing a Jay-Z show.