Author: Carlos White

CONGRESSIONAL leaders asked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to raise the issue of China’s “bullying” in the region when he meets with US President Joe Biden in Washington next week. “In a time where there is so much tension in the region, our nation must look toward our friends who share the values of freedom and democracy as well as respect for each and every nation’s sovereignty,” said Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri. Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel 3rd said that all parties using parts of the South China Sea must come up with some sort of a code of conduct.…

An almost $123 billion “contingency” has been set aside for Australia’s largest ever defence project, according to a new analysis of the AUKUS nuclear submarine program prepared by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO). Figures compiled this month show the Defence Department expects the whole-of-program costs to reach up to $9 billion over the initial three years, but yearly expenditure to rapidly increase during the final three decades leading up to 2055. A breakdown of costs for the $368 billion nuclear-powered submarine program reveals Defence has included a provision for a 50 per cent contingency of $123 billion, which is not allocated by year…

The United States has accused China of “harassment and intimidation of Philippine vessels” and called on Beijing to end “provocative” action in the South China Sea after a recent near-collision between a Chinese vessel and a Philippine Coast Guard boat. “We call upon Beijing to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct,” US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement on Saturday, just two days before President Joe Biden is to host his counterpart, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, in Washington, DC. The State Department also warned that an attack on Philippine security forces or public vessels would trigger a…

SEOUL, South Korea – The U.S. and South Korean governments have both hailed the “Washington Declaration” by the two nations’ presidents as measures that will strengthen an alliance that turns 70 this year. But Wednesday’s declaration has been met with mixed reviews in Seoul. Some, especially from the ruling party, are favorable, and suggest that the deal will ease anxieties about the threat the South faces from North Korea’s ever-larger nuclear arsenal. But there has also been an outpouring of criticism that the deal resulted in Seoul giving more than it got — and that it could make South Korea’s neighborhood a more…

With 332 million, the United States of America presents an important market with many opportunities for the Slovenian economy and tourism. It can take several years for companies to successfully penetrate the US market, and Slovenia as a country can open doors through increased promotion. This is why, for the second year in a row, Slovenia will hold the Business Investment Conference in Dallas and the Slovenian Tourism Workshop, where economy, tourism and investment opportunities on both sides will be presented in a comprehensive manner. Dallas can be an excellent springboard for Slovenian companies thanks to the visibility and popularity…

The United States and Canada will intensify their work over the coming months toward a modernized Columbia River Treaty. U.S. President Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement Friday as Biden visited Canada. “We will focus on flood risk management, power generation and environmental benefits that are shared equitably by both countries and the Indigenous peoples and tribal nations, communities and stakeholders in this watershed,” they said in a joint statement. The river is an important resource shared by both nations and “the watershed requires our attention and prompt coordination,” they said. Biden had been urged by…

Brussels, Berlin (21/3 – 42.86) Tajikistan, a small fragile country in Central Asia, has been facing a multitude of issues in recent years. With a population of just over 9 million, the country has been plagued by corruption, crimes against humanity, violation of human rights, and impoverishment of the people. The neighboring Taliban regime in Kabul is threatening Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan over water resources with constructing a 258-kilometer Kosh Tepa canal. The hydraulic dam structure will deplete the central Asian states water resources. War preparations are continuously reported in local central Asian news outlet after defense ministers from the region…

For all of the LIV controversy, something not often considered was whether the innovators had actually innovated their way to something better The league that blew up golf is having some challenges now that the smoke has cleared. LIV Golf held its second tournament of its second season on the weekend, and you could be forgiven for not noticing at all. In the United States, where the Saudi-backed rebel league has a TV deal with The CW, a cable network not known for sports, the Tucson event reportedly earned a 0.14 rating, which means 0.1 percent of households with televisions…

Kazakhstan rose from 88th to 79th place out of 121 countries in the 2023 Global Soft Power Index by Brand Finance, the world’s leading independent brand valuation and strategy consultancy, according to the company’s report The ranking was announced on March 2 at Brand Finance’s Global Soft Power Summit in London, where delegates discussed the role of soft power in international politics and business. “This annual report into Soft Power covers the ability to influence others through attraction or persuasion rather than coercion. It encompasses a wide range of tools, including business and trade, governance, international relations, culture and heritage, media and…

Thomas Detry fell from 12th to 33rd place in the Genesis Invitational, a $20 million PGA Tour tournament, after a 73-stroke third round, 2 over par, on Saturday at the Riviera course in Pacific Palisades (California). Detry returned a card including 2 birdies for 4 bogeys. With his total of 211, 2 under par, the Brussels player has 13 more shots than the Spaniard Jon Rahm, the new leader after completing the course in 65 shots (-6). Rahm is 3 strokes ahead of American Max Homa. Tiger Woods, who returns to the greens after a seven-month hiatus, had a great day with…