ASEAN & Diplomacy: Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão flew to Vietnam to deepen bilateral ties, with education and higher-education agreements on the agenda and a speech at the ASEAN Future Forum 2026. Regional Leadership: President José Ramos-Horta used an ERIA lecture in Jakarta to stress forgiveness, dialogue, and reconciliation as the route to stability—pointing to Timor-Leste’s own peacebuilding experience and ASEAN integration benefits. Tourism & Work Skills: The Ministry of Tourism launched a Timor-Leste Tourism Ambassador Programme in Dili, training hospitality workers to improve customer service and share heritage and culture with visitors. Digital Governance: Timor-Leste officially rolled out verify.gov.tl, a Cambodian-supported portal to verify driver’s licenses and transport documents, aiming to cut fraud and speed up services. Gender & Rights at the UN: Timor-Leste joined a push to add “gender apartheid” to a UN treaty on crimes against humanity, placing the issue on the negotiation agenda. Culture & Community: A Timorese-themed win stood out at the Bacolod Chicken Inasal Festival, where Barangay Granada (Timor-Leste) took top honors in arena dance.