Cybercrime & Rights: Timor-Leste signed the UN Convention against Cybercrime, a move aimed at strengthening international protection for civil and political rights. Digital Payments: Bank Indonesia and Timor-Leste’s central bank (BCTL) signed an MoU to deepen payment and settlement cooperation, including exploring cross-border QRIS links. Energy & Infrastructure: Fugro won new geotechnical and metocean survey contracts for Timor-Leste’s Greater Sunrise TLNG and Bayu-Undan pipeline highway routes, with fieldwork planned to start in early 2027. Diplomacy: President José Ramos-Horta renewed support for India’s bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat, citing India’s democratic record and “living civilisation.” Labour & Cost of Living (regional): Philippines labor groups criticized a ₱42 minimum wage hike as “not enough” amid rising prices—an echo of the pressures Timor-Leste workers also face. Maritime Rescue: A 75-year-old Timor-Leste sailor was found adrift in Darwin after a freak wave destroyed his equipment, ending a voyage that turned into weeks-long survival. Tourism (regional): Intrepid Travel’s 2027 “Not Hot List” includes Dili, spotlighting the city as a less-visited destination ready for more visitors.