Trade & Investment Diplomacy: New Zealand will host the Future of Investment and Trade (FITP) Partnership ministerial meeting in Auckland on 17 July, with 10 trade ministers and up to 100 delegates from 21 countries expected to push for lower barriers and simpler trade rules. Wealth & Regional Business: Lighthouse Canton appointed wealth veteran Angelina Saik as managing director for wealth management in Singapore, aiming to double assets under management to $10b by 2027 and expand across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei. Brunei Entrepreneurship Support: Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam launched its SEED programme for 13 participants from government and community groups, offering entrepreneurship training and mentorship to boost income and resilience under Brunei Vision 2035. South China Sea Pressure Point: Ten years after the 2016 arbitral ruling, the Philippines says it is stepping up efforts to stop China from solidifying control at Scarborough Shoal, while China rejects the award as “null and void” and a 14-country coalition reaffirms the ruling ahead of ASEAN talks. Travel Rules Update: Germany released its 2026 visa-free list for 62 countries outside the EU/Schengen, including Brunei, allowing short stays up to 90 days. Regional Consumer & Tech Moves: Ai-CHA opened its 200th Borneo outlet and launched a Borneo 200 Campaign across Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and Kalimantan; Tune Talk rolled out an e-roaming prepaid plan for seamless cross-border data use. Anti-Corruption Probe: Brunei-linked allegations in a SriLankan Airlines aircraft deal bribery case are still under investigation by CIABOC, with further court steps after the death of a key suspect.