Regional Security: Australia’s biggest air combat drill, Exercise Pitch Black, is set to run 20 July–7 August across the Top End, with 100+ aircraft from 19 nations including Brunei, Singapore and others. South China Sea Watch: Germany’s president warned Europe is worried about rising tensions in the disputed South China Sea, saying any major flare-up could threaten freedom of navigation and hit global trade. Brunei in Diplomacy: Russia’s ASEAN summit in Kazan on June 17–18 will include Brunei’s Sultan, alongside leaders from several ASEAN states. Brunei Leadership Update: Brunei’s foreign ministry leadership has shifted, with Prince Abdul Mateen named chief of diplomacy after the cabinet reshuffle. Economy & Energy: AMRO says ASEAN+3 fiscal pressure is expected to show up more clearly in Q2 as higher energy costs and subsidies bite, with Brunei the only one not seeing positive revenue growth year-to-date. Environment: A study links Indonesia’s Cyclone Senyar to the loss of over 7% of the world’s rarest great apes, the Tapanuli orangutans.