Biden's Japan-Philippines Summit; FAFSA DelaysExBulletin

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Today's top stories

President Biden is hosting a tripartite meeting with Japan and the Philippines today. the two main US allies in Asia. Both countries currently have territorial disputes with China, Japan in the East China Sea and the Philippines in the South China Sea. Leaders will discuss shared values ​​and strengthening the alliance. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Biden are expected to discuss infrastructure projects, including a bullet train line in Texas.

• Many countries in Asia rely on China for trade and the US for security, NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports First up. now, nations feel under pressure to pick sides because of the US-China rivalry. Aaron Connelly, a Singapore-based expert on Southeast Asian politics, tells Kuhn that the US has historically played a stabilizing role in Southeast Asia. But its rivalry with China is making Southeast Asia less secure.

Changes to the federal government's student aid form, or FAFSA, could mean fewer high school seniors will be heading to college this fall. The Department of Education launched a new form this year. Delays and errors have plagued the process, and as a result, almost half a million fewer students applied for the FAFSA this year compared to 2023.

• High FAFSA completion numbers have historically meant higher college enrollment numbers, NPR's Elissa Nadworny says. Students who have been accepted into college tell her it's not true until schools send them financial aid packages. In many cases, this has not yet happened. For low-income students, these packages are essential so they can make a decision about whether they can afford college.

European Union lawmakers have approved a new package of laws that could change the EU's migration and asylum policies. The EU's Asylum and Migration Pact aims to make it harder for people to come to Europe and stay there unless they have a valid reason to seek asylum, such as fear of persecution in their home country. The new laws also aim to help countries along Europe's southern border share responsibilities for caring for migrants with other EU countries.

• No one knew if the package would make it “to the end.” NPR's Teri Schultz reports from Brussels. Human rights activists protested the vote, chanting, “This pact kills, vote no” and releasing paper airplanes detailing migrants who died at sea trying to reach Europe. Some far-right lawmakers opposed the package, saying it does not go far enough to block people from coming to Europe .the left says the package doesn't do enough to protect the people who need it or take the burden off frontline countries.

Deep dive

Next Monday is tax day. Have you submitted your return yet? If you're a procrastinator (like me), here are a few things you should know:

• This year's tax season started a week later than that of last year. But the total number of returns filed so far remains with 2023.
• You can submit an addendum to take another six months to file. Pay any taxes you think you may owe now, though, to avoid late payment penalties and interest.
• The IRS Direct File pilot program will allow some people in 12 states to file electronically directly with the federal government for free. You can also view free tax filing options on the IRS Free File website.
• Wages have generally increasedwhich means you may find yourself in a higher tax bracket.

Photo display

This week, Rwanda marks the 30th anniversary of the genocide in which nearly a million people were killed, most of them ethnic Tutsis. Rachel Mukantabana was a teenager at the time. Her mother, four siblings and more than 50 members of her extended family were killed. Today, Mukantabana lives in a “reconciliation village,” where people who survived the genocide live side by side with those who participated in the killing.

See photos of Rwanda today from the NPR team on the ground, and read the stories of survivors and killers as they learn to live side by side.

1. When the Clifford family welcomed Terrance the octopus into their home as a pet, they didn't realize she was pregnant. With the help of a friend, they are caring for Terrance and more than 20 baby octopuses.
2. Alice Claus and her sister, Emily, traveled to Budapest for their uncle's funeral in June 2021. After facing trouble checking into their rental apartment, the thought of climbing five flights of stairs with their heavy suitcases made them want to cry until an unknown hero entered.
3. Advocacy group Consumer Reports wants the federal government to phase out Lunchables from the free and reduced-price lunch program after an analysis found high levels of sodium and heavy metals in them.

This newsletter is edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.