ASEAN Diplomacy: East Timor President José Ramos-Horta told Japan’s “Future of Asia” forum that smaller, fragile economies “want to look up” to major powers like China, the US and Japan, but must lead prudently to keep stability in a conflict-heavy world. Regional Security Ties: New Zealand and Timor-Leste signed an updated defence cooperation arrangement, renewing focus on training, education, humanitarian aid, disaster relief and maritime security. ASEAN Future Forum Spotlight: Vietnam’s leadership at the ASEAN Future Forum in Hanoi was highlighted by researchers as a push to shape regional rules and institutions—Timor-Leste was among the participating leaders. Energy and Climate Risk: A report warns climate instability could threaten much of ASEAN’s renewable energy build-out, with resilience investment framed as a way to cut potential losses—an issue closely tied to Timor-Leste’s wider regional integration. Blue Economy & Governance: Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister wrapped up a Vietnam visit tied to the ASEAN Future Forum, with both sides stressing deeper cooperation and Timor-Leste’s full participation in ASEAN mechanisms. Offshore Energy Project: Santos says it is progressing the Bayu-Undan CCS project in Timor-Leste, seeking approvals for a scalable carbon capture plan anchored on Barossa volumes. Sports & Media: FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcast rights list Timor-Leste’s partner as ETO–TELCO, while Portugal’s World Cup ranking update places Timor-Leste at 201st among countries listed.