Brunei Diplomacy: Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah turns 80, with no clear succession signs, and Prince Abdul Mateen is set to lead the foreign ministry as Brunei prepares for the ASEAN-Russia summit in Kazan. Regional Security: Germany’s president warned Europe is worried about rising South China Sea tensions, saying any major flare-up could threaten freedom of navigation and global trade. ASEAN-Russia Summit: Russia’s Putin will attend the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan on June 17-18, with Brunei’s Sultan among the leaders expected to join and multiple documents planned. Energy & Costs: Japan reported a May trade deficit of 378.6 billion yen, with crude oil imports plunging as shipping routes shift amid Middle East conflict—raising concerns about higher procurement costs. Local Relevance for Brunei: AMRO said ASEAN+3 fiscal stress from higher energy costs and subsidies is expected to show more clearly in Q2, with Brunei the only one not seeing positive year-to-date revenue growth. Business & Tech: Boustead Singapore’s Esri Australia renewed a GIS contract with Australia’s federal government for about S$60 million, boosting expected profitability and EPS. Environment: A study says Cyclone Senyar in Indonesia wiped out over 7% of the world’s remaining Tapanuli orangutans, underscoring climate-linked extreme weather risks.