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‘Ukraine today could be East Asia tomorrow’: Japan PM warns

AFP

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida warned a security summit Friday that “Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow”, as concerns grow that China could invade democratic, self-ruled Taiwan. 

US officials have said they believe China is closely monitoring how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine progresses to assess their own plans when it comes to Taiwan. 

Tensions have been soaring over the island, which Beijing views as its territory and has vowed to seize one day, by force if necessary. 

Kishida told the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore that while Japan is a peace-loving nation, the changing regional and global security landscape has prompted Tokyo to reassess its own defence position.

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“In light of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, countries’ perceptions on security have drastically changed around the world,” he said in a keynote address to defence ministers, senior military officers and analysts attending the summit.

He cited Germany shifting its security policy by raising its defence budget to two percent of gross domestic product and Finland and Sweden abandoning their traditional neutrality to push for NATO membership.

“I myself have a strong sense of urgency that Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow,” said Kishida, whose country has joined Western-led sanctions against Russia.

As prime minister, Kishida said he has the responsibility “to protect the lives and assets of the Japanese people” while contributing to regional peace and security.

He warned however that the world must be “prepared for the emergence of an entity that tramples on the peace and security of other countries by force or threat without honouring the rules”.

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Kishida called for the “rules-based international order” to be upheld, in what appeared to be a veiled reference to China’s growing assertiveness in the Asia Pacific region. 

To protect itself, Japan needs to “enhance our deterrence and response capabilities”, he said, adding that his government will set out a new national security strategy by the end of this year.

Kishida’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party has laid out longer-term policy goals including expanding Japan’s defence budget beyond two percent of GDP, a ratio that would put it on par with members of NATO.

That would mark a departure from Japan’s political tradition of capping defence spending below one percent of its GDP, which stands at around $5 trillion.

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International

7 in 10 mexicans born poor stay poor, new report finds

Seven out of ten Mexicans born into poverty remain poor throughout their lives, highlighting an urgent need for public policies focused on promoting social mobility through equal opportunity, according to civil society organizations.

The 2025 Social Mobility Report in Mexico, published by the Espinosa Yglesias Center for Studies (CEEY), reveals that 73% of individuals born into the bottom 20% of income households in Mexico — Latin America’s second-largest economy — continue to live in poverty based on income.

The report signals a worrisome stagnation in social mobility, defined as the ability of individuals to improve their socioeconomic standing compared to that of their parents. This lack of upward movement indicates that one’s economic origins are largely inherited, according to CEEY.

Geographically, disparities are stark:

  • In northern Mexico, 37% of those born in poverty remain there.

  • In the south, that number rises dramatically to 64%.

Gender gaps are also evident. Among those born in wealthier households, women experience less upward mobility, with a rate of 47% compared to 53% for men.

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The report also notes that 48% of economic inequality in Mexico stems from inequality of opportunity — placing Mexico among the top ten countries with the highest opportunity inequality across 50 nations analyzed globally.

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International

Spain hits record 46°C in June amid scorching heatwave

36 deaths reported due to heat wave in Nuevo Leon, Mexico

Spain registered a record-breaking temperature of 46°C (114.8°F) on Saturday, June 28, in El Granado, Huelva — a southern town near the Portuguese border — marking the highest temperature ever recorded in June in the country, according to Spain’s national meteorological agency, Aemet.

The temperature was officially recorded at 4:40 p.m. local time, surpassing the previous June record of 45.2°C (113.4°F)set in Seville back in 1965, also in the Andalusia region.

Like many parts of Southern Europe, Spain is experiencing a severe heatwave, with large areas of the country facing temperatures above 40°C even though summer has just begun.

As one of Europe’s countries most vulnerable to climate change, Spain has endured its three hottest years on recordfrom 2022 to 2024, marked by repeated heatwaves and temperature extremes.

Climate scientists have long warned that global warming is amplifying the intensity, frequency, and duration of extreme weather events such as heatwaves and droughts — trends now evident across the Iberian Peninsula and the broader Mediterranean region.

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Trump administration sues Los Angeles over sanctuary city policies

The Republican administration of Donald Trump filed a lawsuit on Monday against Los Angeles officials, challenging the city’s sanctuary policies as illegal amid an intensifying federal immigration crackdown.

The Department of Justice accused the Democratic-led city of interfering with federal immigration enforcement, arguing that its sanctuary policies have contributed to “violence, chaos, and attacks on law enforcement” recently seen in Los Angeles.

“The sanctuary city policies were the cause of violence, chaos, and attacks on law enforcement that Americans recently witnessed in Los Angeles,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi in an official statement.

The lawsuit, filed in a California federal court, names Mayor Karen Bass, City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, and the entire City Council as defendants.

While Los Angeles had long been considered a sanctuary city for immigrants, the City Council officially adopted the designation through a municipal ordinance in November last year, following Trump’s election to the presidency.

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The legal action seeks to limit local authorities’ cooperation with federal immigration agents under Trump’s policies.

With over one-third of its population being immigrants, Los Angeles has become a flashpoint in the battle against Trump’s anti-immigration agenda, which began with his campaign promise to deport millions.

Tensions in the city escalated earlier this month after an increase in workplace immigration raids, sparking mass protests downtown. The situation further intensified when Trump overrode California Governor Gavin Newsom and ordered the deployment of thousands of National Guard troops and 700 U.S. Marines to the area.

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