On commercial diplomacy, the United States is shifting assistance toward private-sector-led growth, including efforts with Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Taiwan to connect every Pacific Islands Forum country to a trusted undersea cable network. A second Pacific Investment Summit is scheduled to be hosted in early 2027.

Failures involving agentic AI systems, he said, could disrupt essential services, fracture communications, destabilise critical infrastructure and undermine democratic institutions. Entire populations could lose access to clean water, heating and financial services.

On Indonesia’s plan for 100 gigawatts of solar capacity, Danly cautioned that actual output would be significantly lower and that countries experiencing rapidly rising electricity demand would still require dispatchable baseload power. He said the United States wanted to provide both fuel and technology for that purpose.

Dan Petrie, the Acting Chief of Staff of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, said MCC had signed a $60 million Energy Threshold Program hours earlier. The programme aims to lower high electricity costs and improve reliability by modernising the Energy Regulatory Commission, strengthening electric cooperatives, piloting smart-grid technologies and unlocking domestic capital for power infrastructure.

Türk pointed to severe restrictions on education, employment, freedom of movement and participation in public life, alongside strict dress rules and the complete exclusion of women from public decision-making. Fresh decrees issued this year make it more difficult for a woman to separate from a spouse and implicitly authorise child marriage and violence against women and children.

UPC also asked boarding schools in Kampala, Mukono, Wakiso and surrounding areas to agree to flexible payment plans with parents rather than sending children home. 

On Gaza, Türk said Israel had killed more than 1,300 Palestinians in daily strikes despite a ceasefire announced almost a year earlier, while continuing to limit humanitarian aid. He condemned proposals for the forced expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza and urged States to stop arms transfers that could be used to violate international law. 

Wadri also questioned the launch of a presidential bid by a serving military officer, saying the law requires resignation and a discharge certificate before such a candidature can be validated. He contrasted the development with remarks by the Minister for the Presidency that President Museveni would remain on the ballot from 2031 to 2036.

Muzeyi said some of the allegations under consideration include forging party letterheads, seals and stamps, writing documents in the name of the party president, and other acts of false pretense.

Kabanda described the occasion as historic and said a signed book would be used to record supporters across the country. He announced that PLU would organise endorsement rallies in all 146 districts, with local committees collecting signatures in each sub-county before the books are presented at larger rallies.

The attackers then pursued more than 50 residents who had sought refuge in a Protestant church. After forcing them out, they executed 22 people in the church courtyard and 12 others behind the church.

Mace said the United States is supportive of Vietnam’s plans to host APEC in 2027 and sees the year as an opportunity to deepen economic ties in Southeast Asia. Ongoing U.S. priorities include expanding energy exports and American AI and digital technologies.