Sultan’s 80th Birthday: Brunei marked Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah’s milestone with a grand ceremonial parade in Bandar Seri Begawan, followed by an investiture ceremony at Istana Nurul Iman, spotlighting the Royal Brunei Land Force, Navy, Air Force and Police. Diplomatic Warmth: Sarawak’s Wan Junaidi attended the state banquet for the Sultan’s 80th, underscoring Sarawak–Brunei friendship, while Singapore’s Lee Hsien Loong also reaffirmed ties during his visit for the celebrations. Regional Energy Talks: Sarawak and Brunei said progress is steady on a proposed cross-border electricity interconnection, with leaders hopeful negotiations can be concluded soon. Trade Cooperation: Brunei is part of the Future of Investment and Trade (FIT) Partnership, which has grown to 19 countries after Korea, Peru and Thailand joined at a ministerial meeting in Auckland. Defence Drills: Brunei-linked participation was noted as Pitch Black 2026 ramps up in Australia, with multiple nations sending aircraft and personnel for large-scale air combat training.