Submarine Connectivity Boost: China Telecom has successfully landed the Asia Link Cable (ALC) in Hong Kong, a 6,200km system linking Hong Kong and Hainan with Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia, with capacity set to exceed 325 Tb/s and aimed at powering low-latency demand from cloud and AI. Halal Economy Watch: Singapore’s halal food scene is expanding fast, with certification pushing restaurants toward recipe changes, audits and paperwork—yet also opening doors to big tenders and events. Energy Security Pressure: Australia’s fuel crunch is still tight in mid-May as Middle East disruptions strain diesel supplies, leaving reserves below international benchmarks and raising the risk of longer-term shortages. Regional Development Push: The World Bank, the Philippines’ Department of Agriculture and the UK launched a $1B farm program using results-linked funding to raise rice output, strengthen climate-resilient value chains and improve institutions. Transport Rules: Singapore says foreign-registered vehicles with unpaid fines will be blocked from VEP applications/renewals from Nov 2. Sports (Brunei-linked): In the Karate One-Youth League, Brunei’s Awanku Ahmad Izz Aiman was beaten in the -61kg class as Eduardo Berco III finished seventh after a repechage run.