ASEAN Diplomacy: Vietnam’s top leader To Lam met Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta in Singapore, praising Timor-Leste’s ASEAN membership and promising continued cooperation on development, institutions and human resources. Budget & Energy Security: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão kicked off parliamentary talks on the first amendment to the 2026 General State Budget, citing global energy-market shocks and proposing a US$174.3m national strategic fuel reserve to protect stability. Regional Business & Youth: Timor-Leste hosted a regional forum focused on youth entrepreneurship and economic cooperation, positioning the country for deeper trade and skills links across the region. ASEAN-Russia Talks: ASEAN leaders will hold a commemorative summit with Russian President Putin in June, with East Timor listed among member states attending. Tourism Infrastructure: Timor-Leste broke ground on a new International Convention Centre in Dili, aimed at boosting events and tourism ahead of the 2029 ASEAN Chairmanship. Mining & Investment Signals: Tivan reported strong initial stream-sediment assay results from its Turiscai project in Timor-Leste, including copper and gold anomalies, as stage-two exploration ramps up. Governance & Delivery: An extraordinary Council of Ministers meeting reviewed 2026 budget execution, noting execution at 30% as of May 26 and highlighting procurement-capacity challenges.