International
‘Be with us’: Zelensky presses Europe for more help
AFP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday recalled the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia as he pressed Europe for further help in responding to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“We’re with you, be with us,” Zelensky told Czech lawmakers in Prague, quoting an appeal made by a Czechoslovak Radio presenter in 1968 as the occupants tried to cut the radio off.
“Now when the Ukrainian people are fighting for freedom against Russia’s cruel invasion, we are using these words to address all nations of Europe and the democratic world,” he added.
“Ukraine should get everything necessary to achieve a victory.”
The 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia by five Soviet-led armies crushed the so-called Prague Spring, a democratic movement during the communist spell of 1948-1989.
Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993.
Zelensky said he believed the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, was only the first step in a Moscow plot to retake its former satellites.
“A tyrant who… wants everything will never stop,” said Zelensky.
“Czech people are very well aware of what happens when you make compromises with tyrants,” he added, also recalling the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1938.
Zelensky thanked Prague for welcoming more than 300,000 Ukrainian refugees and sending over weapons worth over 3.5 billion koruna ($148 million).
He urged the Czech Republic to help accelerate the next package of sanctions against Russia as it takes the rotating six-month presidency of the European Union in July.
Prague said it would prioritise Ukraine during its EU presidency, vowing to promote the country’s bid to join the bloc and to help rebuild it after the war.
“Be active so that all European leaders agree that defending and strengthening Europe is our common goal,” Zelensky said.
“Russian soldiers know that they are up against European values.”
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:
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In northern Mexico, 37% of those born in poverty remain there.
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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.
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.
International
Spain hits record 46°C in June amid scorching heatwave
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.
International
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.
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.
7 in 10 mexicans born poor stay poor, new report finds
Spain hits record 46°C in June amid scorching heatwave
Trump administration sues Los Angeles over sanctuary city policies
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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