UN Diplomacy & Climate Justice: Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr warned that rising seas are already erasing Helen Island’s burial grounds, urging small island states to keep pushing the world to cut carbon pollution. Election Tech & Disinformation: Timor-Leste’s Minister Agio Pereira met Australia’s Electoral Commissioner Jeff Pope on election readiness, focusing on disinformation, social media, and AI risks to democratic processes. Offshore Energy Surveys: Fugro won new Timor-Leste contracts for heavy geotechnical and metocean seabed studies supporting the Greater Sunrise TLNG pipeline and the Bayu-Undan “pipeline highway,” with fieldwork planned for early 2027. Regional Payments Tech: Indonesia expanded cross-border QR payments for tourism and SMEs via Bank Indonesia’s QRIS Antarnegara work and the Indonesia Travel Pack, aiming for smoother spending for visitors. Heritage Protection: Timor-Leste designated Tutuala’s cultural landscape and Portuguese-origin architecture in Dili and Liquiçá as National Cultural Heritage, starting a conservation push with UNESCO support. Digital Talent: Indonesia announced a “Digital Talent for an Advanced Indonesia” push with Bank Indonesia and education partners to close digital skills gaps for inclusive transformation.