Asia Link Cable lands in Hong Kong: China Telecom says its Asia Link Cable (ALC) has successfully touched down at Chung Hom Kok, a 6,200km system linking Hong Kong, Hainan, Singapore and branches to the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia—built for higher-capacity, low-latency traffic as cloud and AI demand grows. Halal in Singapore keeps expanding: New halal-certified options are rolling out, with certification still demanding audits and paperwork, while businesses see it as a credibility boost for bigger tenders. ASEAN growth story, older but still relevant: BIMP-EAGA’s 1994-to-Vision 2035 push is framed around cross-border connectivity, private-sector-led trade, and shared ecosystems. Karate One-Youth League: Brunei’s Awanku Ahmad Izz Aiman beat in round two, but the podium stayed out of reach as other regional bets fell short on Day 2. Philippines agriculture funding: The World Bank, UK and the Philippines launched a $1b farm modernization push tied to results. Brunei angle: Brunei appears in the ALC route and in the wider regional connectivity push.