TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed determination Thursday to defend rules-based, free and multilateral trade systems and work on expanding the main Asia-Pacific trade group at a time of tension over U.S. tariffs.

“High tariffs will not bring economic prosperity,” Ishiba told a global forum in Tokyo. “A prosperity built on sacrifices by someone or another country will not make a strong economy.” Japan seeks to work with the U.S. on investment, job creation and manufacturing high quality products for the prosperity of America and the rest of the world, he said.

His comment comes as Japan’s chief tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa travels to Washington, D.C., for a fourth round of talks aiming to convince the U.S. to drop all recent tariff measures. So far Japan has not been successful in gaining U.S. concessions and is reportedly considering purchases of more U.S. farm products and defense equipment as bargaining chips.

Later Thursday, Ishiba telephoned U.S. President Donald Trump to touch base ahead of the talks in Washington. The two leaders now have “deeper understanding about each other,” Ishiba told reporters, though there is no change to Japan’s position on the tariffs. He declined to give further details.

Akazawa told reporters that defense equipment purchases could “come into view” during the talks because Japan’s purchases of defense equipment would contribute to the U.S. trade surplus, though he said Japanese security policy is not subject to “a deal” with another country.

Ishiba, in his speech, also called on other countries in Asia, a global hub of growth, to show “the importance of rules-based, free and fair economic order,” and said the way to demonstrate that is to promote the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP.

The 12-nation CPTPP includes Japan, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. The U.S. is not a member.

Ishiba pledged that Japan will work toward further expanding and upgrading the framework, which he said not only contributes to the economy but also to peace and prosperity.

While Tokyo is strengthening economic ties with Southeast Asia and Europe, Japan still considers the United States as its lynchpin of security policies.

As the fans celebrated Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the final of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final, two people died, and 559 people were arrested during the celebrations, according to an AFP report, citing the French interior ministry on June 1 (Sunday). Among the two people who died during the final win celebrations was a 17-year-old who was stabbed to death in the southwestern town of Dax as people celebrated PSG’s win. On

At the Champs Elysees, bus shelters were smashed and projectiles hurled at riot police, who fired tear gas and water cannon to push back surging crowds as thousands of supporters descended on the boutique-lined boulevard.

According to the French Ministry cited in the agency report, the second person who died was a man who was riding a scooter. He was hit by a car in the southwest region of Paris. Out of the 559 people arrested, 491 people were arrested in the capital.

What happened during PSG vs Inter Milan UCL final? Earlier, PSG secured a historic win, thus becoming the only French side to win UCL title after Marseille in 1993. The Luis Enrique-managed side registered wins over the likes Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal on the route to the final and never felt the pressure of playing with three-time champions, who ousted Barcelona 7-6 on aggregate to secure their spot in the final.

The French giants were dominant right from the start and took the lead with Achraf Hakimi putting the ball in the net in the 12th over. Eight minutes later, the lead was doubled as Desire Doue beat a helpless Yann Sommer to make it 2-0.

Also Read | PSG vs Inter Milan in Champions League final? Few expected that

The scoreline went undisturbed for the rest of the first half. Though Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could not score in two of his opportunities, Desire managed to get a brace, as a no-look flick from Ousmane Dembele reached Vitinha, who gave the ball to Desire, who put it in the bottom corner of the goal in the 63rd minute.

In the News Wrap This Week, we have US billionaire Elon Musk stepping down as the head of the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE); new developments related to Trump tariffs; mock drills conducted in parts of India under ‘Operation Shield’, India urging Bangladesh to hold ‘inclusive, free, fair’ polls; and rising COVID-19 cases.

Here are top news in brief: COVID-19 cases The Ministry of Health’s data showed on Sunday that 363 more COVID-19 cases were reported across India in the last 24 hours, bringing the country’s active cases tally to 3,758.

Operation Shield Civil defence exercises or mock drills were conducted across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Chandigarh, and Jammu & Kashmir under “Operation Shield” on May 31. These exercises were last conducted across the nation on 7 May amid India-Pakistan tensions along the borders.

Elon Musk exits DOGE Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced his departure from the Trump administration early Thursday. In a post on X, the head of the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) said, “…my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end.”

Delhi’s BJP govt completes 100 days The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Delhi government completed its first 100 days of governance in the national capital on Saturday, May 31. On the occasion, the Delhi government released a ‘workbook’, highlighting important public welfare initiatives launched so far under Rekha Gupta’s chief ministership.

Bangladesh election Bangladesh’s chief advisor Muhammad Yunus has assured that the nationwide polls will take place between December 2025 and June 2026, even as political parties continue to pressure him to set a poll date.

Amid the calls for Bangladesh elections, India urged the neighbouring country to hold an inclusive, free, and fair election at an early date to ascertain the people’s will and mandate.

Court ruling on Trump tariffs US President Donald Trump said Thursday that the US Court of International Trade’s order to block import tariffs was “so wrong” and “so political.”

The US President’s statement came as a US trade court had this week blocked his “Liberation Day” import tariffs from going into effect. However, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington said it was pausing the lower court’s ruling, and ordered the plaintiffs in the cases to respond by June 5 and the administration by June 9..

Donald Trump doubles tariff on steel US President Donald Trump announced that he would double steel tariffs from 25% to 50%, from next week onwards, while promoting the partnership between Japan’s Nippon Steel and US Steel.

Taking to his Truth Social account, Trump wrote, “It is my great honour to raise the Tariffs on steel and aluminium from 25% to 50%, effective Wednesday, June 4th. Our steel and aluminum industries are coming back like never before. This will be yet another BIG jolt of great news for our wonderful steel and aluminum workers. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Did Brigitte Macron slap Emmanuel Macron? Am video showing Brigitte Macron apparently shoving the French President Emmanuel Macron’s face as they landed in Vietnam for their tour.

In the video, French President Emmanuel Macron was seen standing in the vestibule adjoining the boarding gate, communicating with his wife Brigitte Macron, who was inside the cabin.

Hegseth wins praise but Asia still has strong doubts about Trump

Pete Hegseth, US secretary of defence, speaks during the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, on Saturday. (Bloomberg photo)

After US military allies in Europe were torched by Vice President JD Vance in March over military spending, free speech and the war in Ukraine, America’s partners in Asia warily awaited Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s arrival at a security conference in Singapore.

Turns out there was little reason to worry, apart from the perpetual anxiety over President Donald Trump’s social media feed.

While Hegseth delivered Trump’s demands for higher security spending on par with Europe, he couched it as necessary to prepare for a potentially “imminent” Chinese invasion of Taiwan. The US wouldn’t be pushed out the region, he said, nor let allies and partners “be subordinated and intimidated” — a commitment lauded by many in attendance.

But in the hallways of the Shangri-La Hotel, Hegseth couldn’t dispel concerns about the erratic policymaking of his boss. Many of the generals, defence ministers and intelligence officers from Asia and Europe — who are key to helping the US counter China — were still reeling from the shock of Trump’s sectoral levies and “reciprocal” tariffs.

Hegseth “offered a needed level of reassurance to allies and partners that the United States will remain present in the Indo-Pacific and committed to countering China’s coercive threats,” said Rory Medcalf, head of the National Security College at the Australian National University. “But this message will remain discounted by the dysfunction we are seeing in Washington.”

On his second trip to Asia since March, the Pentagon chief displayed some diplomatic nuance that surprised some officials who expected more grandstanding from the former television personality. Hegseth was also able to capitalise on a huge absence at the annual gathering: China didn’t send a defence minister for the first time since 2019, putting Beijing’s lower-level officials on the back foot.

That void gave US officials space to set the tone and work the room, vowing greater cooperation with countries like Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia. And it gave America’s traditional partners even more room to criticise Beijing, despite their dependence on trade with China.

Yet even if Hegseth was more reassuring than Vance, it still wasn’t enough to overcome the uncertainty created by Trump’s trade policies. That’s particularly the case in Southeast Asia, which was among the hardest hit by Trump’s tariffs in April.

“Trade is not a soft power indulgence — it is part of our strategic architecture,” Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said, referring to Southeast Asia. “It must be protected, not from competition but from the onslaught of arbitrary imposition of trade restrictions.”

Trump’s barrage of tariffs and general volatility — he announced a doubling of steel and aluminium tariffs over the weekend — was the subject of much of the chatter on the sidelines of the annual conference, according to several officials who asked not to be identified, citing private discussions.

The officials said they were unsure whether the US president would stand by their side in a moment of need and that any deal reached with him could unravel moments later in a social media post.

That uncertainty appeared to be pushing Indo-Pacific nations and Europe toward each other in a stronger sense of shared security and free-trade opportunities based on longstanding global rules. It also sparked pushback against what several nations saw as efforts to establish “spheres of influence” where the US or China can dominate.

“Our shared responsibility is to ensure with others that our countries are not collateral victims of the imbalances linked to the choices made by the superpowers,” French President Emmanuel Macron said at the conference’s opening on Friday.

Macron’s words about “strategic autonomy” and his call for Europe and Asia to join forces to “de-risk” supply chains struck a chord with many attendees. Several countries in the region are already having similar debates in their own capitals, some of the officials said.

Many governments in the region rely on China economically and on the US for security, and are keen to not antagonise either. However, there’s also a desire to be more autonomous and less dependent on either of the world’s two-biggest economies, opening up new space for middle powers in Europe and Asia to join hands.

Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, made that pitch to Asian nations throughout the weekend.

“If you reject unilateralism, bullying and aggression, and instead choose cooperation, shared prosperity and common security, the European Union will always be by your side,” she said.

Amid the US-China turbulence, smaller nations sought to build ties. Japan’s defence minister, Gen Nakatani, touted efforts to build closer relations with India and the Philippines. Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene said on Sunday that her country was working with partners in the region to counter Russian and Chinese cyber threats, as well as Beijing’s dominance of drone manufacturing and shipbuilding.

Even one of America’s closest partners in the region, Australia, signalled some independence from its ally.

Hegseth’s outreach to the region “is deeply welcome”, Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said. But he quickly added that “liberal trade has been the lifeblood of the Asian region, and the shock and disruption to trade from high tariffs has been costly and destabilising.”

During his remarks, Hegseth was pressed on the trade concerns and whether there was a contradiction in the Trump administration’s message. He sidestepped the question with a smile, saying he was “in the business of tanks, not trade”.

Last year, China’s delegation surprised observers by repeatedly calling unscheduled press briefings. This year they surprised delegates by barely appearing at all. When they did engage, China’s representatives pushed back at Hegseth’s accusation that Beijing was destabilising Asia and sparred with other speakers more broadly.

The Pentagon chief aimed to “provoke, divide, instigate confrontations, stir up the region,” said Rear Admiral Hu Gangfeng, vice president of China’s National Defense University. Another official, Senior Colonel Lu Yin, decried the atmosphere at the forum, saying that “labelling China, blaming China, verbally attacking China are politically right here.”

In one of the sharpest exchanges of the weekend, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro had a testy exchange with two senior colonels in the People’s Liberation Army, receiving applause after he thanked them for “propaganda spiels disguised as questions.” Referring to China, Teodoro said he couldn’t trust a country that “represses its own people”.

Yet although China’s presence was diminished, most countries still wanted to balance ties between Beijing and Washington.

“If we have to choose sides, may we choose the side of principles,” Singapore Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said on Sunday at the final panel of the weekend. “Principles that uphold a global order, where we do not descend into the law of the jungle, where the mighty do what they wish and the weak suffer what they must.”

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted a massive search operation at 15 locations across eight states on Saturday in connection with a Pakistan-linked espionage case.

According to news agency ANI, searches were conducted at the premises of suspects linked with Pakistan Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) in the states of Delhi, Maharashtra (Mumbai), Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Assam and West Bengal.

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NIA teams reportedly seized several electronic gadgets and sensitive financial documents, along with other incriminating materials, during the searches.

“These are being extensively examined for clues to the espionage racket being run by Pakistan-based operatives as part of an anti-India terror conspiracy,” the report added.

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The NIA’s investigations revealed that the suspects targeted in the searches allegedly had connections with Pakistani operatives, and acted as financial conduits for carrying out espionage activities in India.

The searches followed recent arrest of a trooper of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for spying for Pakistan, officials told news agency PTI.

Also Read | NIA takes over Pahalgam terrorist attack case

The NIA had registered a case on May 20, following the arrest of the suspended assistant sub inspector (ASI) of CRPF, Moti Ram Jat, who had allegedly shared sensitive information with the PIOs since 2023 and had received funds through various conduits in India in lieu of leaking classified information related to national security.

Jat had been dismissed from service by the CRPF, PTI reported.

The anti-terror agency is continuing with its investigation in the case, registered under different sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Official Secrets Act and the Unlawful Activities(Prevention) Act, the statement said.

Also Read | NIA conducts searches at 10 locations in Neemrana hotel firing case

Post Operation Sindoor, police across states are nabbing Pakistani spies. On May 18, the Haryana Police arrested several individuals, including YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who allegedly performed espionage activities for Pakistan.

The Delhi Police also arrested a man, Kasim, from Rajasthan for allegedly aiding Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) by supplying Indian mobile SIM cards for espionage activities, officials said on Thursday.