Shangri-La Dialogue Diplomacy: US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth met PM Lawrence Wong at the Istana, reaffirming the 60-year Singapore-US defence partnership ahead of the summit, while Singapore’s defence leadership also heads into bilateral talks. China’s Absence at Shangri-La: Australia said China’s decision to send mainly academics instead of its defence minister is a missed chance for “strategic reassurance,” as Beijing again skips the flagship forum. Korean Peninsula Focus: Singapore’s FM Vivian Balakrishnan said North Korea is prioritising self-reliance and deterrence over engagement with the US, ROK or Japan after his Pyongyang visit. Regional Defence Ties: India and Singapore held their 16th Defence Policy Dialogue, with both sides eyeing cooperation in AI and cyber security. AI Governance in Singapore: Singapore’s updated framework for agentic AI systems is highlighted as governments push AI beyond software into robotics and public infrastructure. Health & Research Push: MOH will invest S$2.5b over five years to scale translational and clinical research, including AI for preventive care and precision medicine. Court & Compliance: Surrey Hills Holdings’ ex-CEO Pang Gek Teng was charged over alleged misappropriation of over S$242k, while a Singapore influencer was fined S$3,500 for promoting vapes on Telegram. Trade & Shipping: Singapore-linked LNG container service launched a new Vietnam-US East Coast route, and Strait of Hormuz traffic ticked up slightly despite tensions.