The US temporarily lifts sanctions on Russian diesel supplies for six months in a bid to ease soaring fuel prices, as Donald Trump describes a phone call with Vladimir Putin as “very successful.” Meanwhile, the deepening global energy crisis forces Gulf nations to explore costly alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz, from road transport to multibillion-dollar pipelines. In India, protests erupt over alleged electoral fraud, claims the government rejects while pointing to economic growth and Prime Minister Modi’s popularity as reasons for its electoral success.