US focusing on PH over rest of Southeast Asia – expert

US focusing on PH over rest of Southeast Asia – expert

Speaking at a Stratbase Forum in Makati City, Gregory Poling, senior fellow and director of the Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said the collaboration extends to Japan trilateral and bilateral partnerships.

Poling noted the exemption of military aid for the Philippines, along with Taiwan and Ukraine.

“The Philippines is the only country in Asia that explicitly had its military assistance unlocked as a result of Secretary [Enrique] Manalo’s meeting with Secretary [Marco] Rubio. That’s a pretty good sign.

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Project 2025: Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act

Experts warn the proposed SAVE Act could make it harder for some married women to vote. Here’s who could be affected. – CBS

A 2023 Pew Research survey found that about 80% of women married to men in the U.S. take their husband’s last name. Under the SAVE Act, if their voter registration name differs from the name on their birth certificate or passport, they may need to show additional documents.

If the SAVE Act were to become law, Bedekovics said married women who have changed their names should obtain certified copies of all marriage certificates, locate their birth certificates, and keep any change-of-name documentation on hand for any updates to their voter registration.

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Front: Acumen Fund

Andrea Soros Colombel, daughter of George Soros and his first wife, Annaliese Soros (née Witschak), is a founding partner and board director of the Acumen Fund. In 1993, she established the Trace Foundation, an organization dedicated to preserving and advancing Tibetan culture, economy, and environment. The foundation’s initial efforts included emergency grants to aid groups responding to severe snowstorms in Tibet. Over time, its major initiatives included funding scholarships for Tibetans pursuing overseas education with the goal of teaching at secondary and university levels. Additionally, the foundation significantly supported Latse, a New York City-based library and nonprofit that houses a collection of Tibetan cultural works and hosts public programs on Tibetan culture. In 2000, Soros Colombel co-founded the Tsadra Foundation, which provides grants to Tibetan Buddhist organizations.

Acumen Fund (partners):

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Front: Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF)

Strengthening the Financial Independence of Independent Media Organisations

The key findings of the literature review with regard to international donor assistance and private funding for independent media are as follows:

  • The United States and Germany are the largest contributors of international media assistance (Myers & Juma, 2018); China is emerging as a large donor for media and communications infrastructure projects although it is less interested in freedom of the media (Myers & Juma, 2018);
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China’s stealth destroyer lurks 124 miles off Sydney’s coast

A Chinese naval task force, consisting of the Type 055 guided-missile destroyer Type 055, a Type 054A frigate, and a Type 903A replenishment ship, has been spotted operating approximately 124 miles [200 kilometers] east of Sydney, Australia.

China’s stealth destroyer lurks 124 miles off Sydney’s coast

Previously:

Chinese Navy Helicopter Intercepts Philippine Cessna Over Scarborough Shoal + Embedded Journalism

The aerial incident follows a week of multilateral activities between the Philippines and its allies in the South China Sea. These drills included back-to-back joint patrols with American, Japanese, Australian and Canadian forces. A U.S. Air Force bomber task force mission composed of two B-1Bs and Philippine Air Force fighter jets drilled off Luzon earlier this month. The Royal Australian Air Force also reported an unsafe interception incident with a People’s Liberation Army Air Force J-16 fighter over the contested waters last week.