ASEAN Diplomacy in Manila: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit the Philippines July 19–23 for Asean foreign ministers’ meetings and talks with Indo-Pacific officials, as Washington pushes a “free and open Indo-Pacific” agenda. Regional Security Agenda: Manila is also hosting East Asia Summit and Asean Regional Forum meetings, with energy security and the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement on the agenda. Offshore Energy Survey for Timor-Leste: Fugro won a contract for deepwater site characterization for Greater Sunrise and Bayu Undan, using geophysical, seismic and AUV surveys starting planning in Q3 2026 and offshore work in Q4. Human Rights Call: FRETILIN urged Morocco to immediately and unconditionally release Sahrawi defender Naâma Asfari, citing his worsening health after a long hunger strike. CPLP at 30: CPLP marked its 30th anniversary, highlighting Timor-Leste’s membership since 2002 and renewed focus on strengthening cooperation. Education and Safety (Timor-Leste-linked): A separate report highlights Timor-Leste’s push to expand practical learning, including the role of science labs in improving education outcomes.