ASEAN-Russia Diplomacy: ASEAN leaders, including Brunei, will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at a June summit in Kazan, with the Philippines’ foreign secretary saying talks with Sergey Lavrov covered expanding ASEAN-Russia strategic partnership. Brunei Business & Economy: Brunei’s CPI rose 0.1% in April year-on-year, mainly from higher food prices, while DEPS reported non-food easing. Digital Skills: Brunei’s AITI says the TechXplore Digital Apprenticeship Program is boosting ICT graduates’ employability and global exposure aligned with Vision 2035. Shipping & Offshore Logistics: Inchcape Shipping Services opened a Brunei office to support offshore, oil & gas tanker, navy-related activities and integrated logistics, including ship-to-ship agency work. Regional Trade & Tourism Links: Sarawak Tourism Board and Royal Brunei Airlines signed an MoU to strengthen connectivity and boost Sarawak’s international tourism. Cross-border Business Growth: VentureTECH invested in Pacton Technologies to scale its AI/IoT aquaculture platform FishSpeak, targeting ASEAN expansion including Brunei. Regional Security Watch: China accused a Dutch frigate of entering disputed Paracel waters; the Netherlands said it operated under international law.