Oil & Gas Milestone: Timor-Leste’s Autoridade Nacional do Petróleo approved the Environmental Impact Statement for Finder Energy’s Kuda Tasi and Jahal (KTJ) offshore oilfields, setting the environmental framework for development through decommissioning and clearing a key step toward final investment decisions. Energy Surveys: Fugro won additional heavy geotechnical and metocean survey contracts for Greater Sunrise TLNG pipeline routes and the Bayu-Undan Pipeline Highway, with fieldwork planned to start in early 2027 after earlier geophysical work. Digital Payments: Bank Indonesia and Timor-Leste’s central bank moved to strengthen cross-border QR payments, with plans to explore cross-border QRIS connectivity and deeper cooperation on payment and settlement systems. AI & Language Access: A new discussion highlights how AI often underrepresents minority languages, while communities are using AI-enabled tools to preserve and build local language resources. UN Diplomacy: Timor-Leste signaled a shift at the UN General Assembly by welcoming Morocco’s Western Sahara autonomy plan while stressing consultation and self-determination.