U.S.-Japan Defense: The USS George Washington carrier strike group joined Japanese warships in the Philippine Sea as Exercise Valiant Shield 2026 kicked off, underscoring allied deterrence amid tensions across the Indo-Pacific. Virginia Energy & Business: Lightshift Energy, a Virginia-based developer, says it will bring grid-scale battery storage to six Massachusetts towns under 20-year deals, promising major savings by shaving peak-demand costs. Tech Partnerships: CGI and NetApp expanded their global alliance, with NetApp Keystone set to power CGI block storage for hybrid cloud and AI modernization. AI Power Grid Rules: The U.S. energy regulator is moving to speed data-center grid hookups and shift costs to operators, a major policy shift with ripple effects for Virginia’s tech and utility planning. Virginia Politics: Early voting is underway for Virginia’s U.S. Senate primary, with Republican Kim Farington pitching herself as a “Virginia’s CPA” focused on federal fiscal accountability. Local Governance: Verona’s council vacancy process is in motion after a resignation, with another seat potentially opening depending on timing. Education & Workforce: A Virginia teacher of the year highlighted classroom strategies for tackling the opioid crisis, while a separate report spotlights flexible high school learning models. International Trade Tensions: China announced sanctions on U.S. military-related firms after U.S. actions targeting Chinese tech companies.