Underwater Defence Tech: China is building a mothership designed to deploy large autonomous submarine drones, with satellite images pointing to a Shanghai shipyard vessel that could carry multiple unmanned undersea vehicles for long-range operations. Skills & STEM: Brunei will take part in the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, competing in cooking, network systems administration and mechanical engineering. ASEAN Connectivity & Digital Growth: ASEAN and Qatar plan deeper co-operation across trade, energy, investment, connectivity and sustainable development, with business links also expanding into fintech and digital innovation. Local Infrastructure Planning: Mindanao’s proposed Tiblawan International Port is moving through initial site and technical reviews, with potential benefits for cargo, tourism and stronger BIMP-Eaga links. Cybersecurity Readiness: Malaysia’s post-quantum cryptography migration readiness lands it in Tier 1 in an ASEAN-10 assessment, while Brunei is listed in Tier 2. Health Tech Research: A new report highlights shifting antimicrobial resistance in gonorrhea, underscoring the pressure on treatment options as resistance evolves. Energy Security: Oman calls for alternative LNG export routes to reduce reliance on the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing regional disruption. ASEAN Finance Integration: ASEAN central banks meet to push financial and banking integration, with the ASEAN Senior-Level Committee on Financial Integration coordinating policy work.