Maritime Security: Timor-Leste’s region is in the spotlight again after the Philippines’ National Maritime Council condemned Chinese maritime surveillance research vessels operating off Luzon, saying they were conducting marine scientific research near Pag-asa Sandy Cays without permission and calling it a UNCLOS violation. Ocean Science: A global Ocean Census reported 1,121 previously unknown marine species found in a single year, including a “ghost shark” and a worm living inside a “glass castle” sponge—fresh evidence that deep-sea life is still largely unmapped. Timor-Leste Energy: Timor Resources has begun recruiting a new CEO as it prepares for a two-well appraisal campaign later in 2026, aiming to move from exploration toward development/production. Climate Watch: A UN report flags El Niño’s likely return by mid-2026 and urges early resilience planning for countries including Timor-Leste, citing past drought, food insecurity, and health shocks.