Ramaphosa Blasts Back at Trump Over Threatened Tariffs on BRICS
Save
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stepped in to an escalating spat with Donald Trump over the US president's threats targeting the BRICS group, saying that 'it cannot be that might should now be right.'
'It is really disappointing that when there is such a very positive collective manifestation such as BRICS, there should be others who see it in negative light and want to punish those who participate,' Ramaphosa told reporters in Rio de Janeiro as he left the two-day summit of BRICS nations. 'It cannot be and should not be.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'I've never seen anything like this': President Trump says in visit to flood-ravaged Texas
President Donald Trump showered praise on the recovery efforts in Central Texas and pledged the federal government's full support as he visited the state Friday a week after devastating floods ripped through communities. Trump said his administration is doing "everything in its power to help Texas" after last weekend's July 4 floods killed at least 120 people while the search continues for 160 others still missing. "This is a tough one," Trump said during his July 11 trip, kicking off a 47-minute discussion in Kerrville, Texas, with local, state and federal officials. "It's hard to believe the devastation. Trees that are 100 years old just ripped out of the ground. I've never seen anything like this, and I've seen a lot of bad ones." More: 'Filled with grief and devastation' : Trump surveys Texas flood damage. Live updates Trump said he met with parents who lost children in the flood. "Nobody has any idea how and why a thing like this could happen," he said as he remembered the "young angels" who died while staying at the girls' camp, Camp Mystic. The president's visit to Texas sought to blunt criticism from Democrats who have alleged the president's cuts to the National Weather Service might have slowed the agency's weather forecasts and flood alerts getting to residents on the morning of July 4, as heavy rain pushed floodwaters from the banks of the Guadalupe River. Trump said the federal government has deployed more than 400 first responders and enabled 1,500 rescues during the flood. "The people here ‒ first responders, the sheriff's office, all of the police, law enforcement, they've done an unbelievable job," Trump said. Trump and first lady Melania Trump surveyed damage near the Guadalupe River in Kerrville that included an overturned tractor, several downed trees and plastic debris as the president received a briefing from Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott and local officials. Wearing a white "USA" cap, Trump nodded his head as he listened to officials. Along the way to the site, residents standing in front of strips malls and at intersections waved as Trump's motorcade rolled by. "All across the country, Americans' hearts are shattered," Trump said. "All the beautiful souls. We're filled with grief and devastation at the loss of life. And unfortunately, they're still looking. There's a lot of missing children." Melania Trump offered her "deepest sympathies" to everyone who lost loved ones. "We are grieving with you. Our nation is grieving with you," she said, pointing to a bracelet she received from the camp in honor of the girl campers who died. "I will be back. I promise." Trump has avoided playing the blame game in response to the flood disaster in Texas, taking a drastically different approach in the Republican-led state compared to Los Angeles' wildfires in January, which he pinned largely on Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Trump last year accused then-President Joe Biden of being slow to respond to Hurricane Helene's devastation in North Carolina. More: Why are flash floods so deadly? How to stay safe from their shocking power. "They failed us in North Carolina, but when we got in on Jan. 20, they fixed it up in no time," Trump said of FEMA. He snapped at a reporter who asked about concerns with the community's flood alert system. "Only an evil person would ask a question like that," Trump said. "I think this has been heroism ... It's easy to look back and say, 'Oh what could have happened here and there.'" CNN reported that new cost control rules enforced by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem slowed FEMA's response in Texas. DHS has disputed the report. A new DHS policy requires that Noem personally sign off on all contracts of more than $100,000 issued by FEMA and other divisions of her department. Democrats led by Texas Reps. Greg Casar and Rep. Jasmine Crockett on the House Oversight Committee sent letters Friday seeking "answers" from FEMA, the Department of Commerce Inspector General and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which oversees the weather service. "The tragic loss of life underscores the urgent need to understand what contributed to this disaster and how we can better prepare for future disasters," their letter to NOAA reads. "Rigorous oversight is needed not only to provide answers to grieving communities in Central Texas, but also to save lives in future extreme weather events." On his way to Texas on Air Force One, Trump was joined by Abbott and the state's two Republican U.S. senators, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn. Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, whose congressional district is near Houston, not the flooded area, also joined the president. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, joined the president at the roundtable. At one point, Trump gave the microphone to television personality and loyal supporter Dr. Phil, who had a seat at the table. The White House's budget chief told reporters earlier Friday the Federal Emergency Management Agency has the funding to assist in flood recovery efforts even as the Trump administration has talked about eliminating FEMA. Russ Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, said FEMA has about $13 billion in its reserves to pay for necessary expenses in Texas. "The president has said to Texas, anything it needs it will get," Vought said, adding that, "We also want FEMA to be reformed. We want FEMA to work well … The president is going to continue to be asking tough questions of all of his agencies." Earlier this week, Noem continued her call for FEMA to be "eliminated as it exists today" to put more control in the hands of local and state authorities. Her push comes as FEMA has deployed hundreds of specialists and distributed supplies to the flooded areas in Texas. Noem called the flood an "unprecedented event" a she joined Trump in Texas, adding that she's never heard of a flood that "happened like this before." Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'This is a tough one' Trump says in visit to flood-ravaged Texas
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump says Mexico, EU to face 30% tariff from Aug 1
President Donald Trump on Saturday targeted Mexico and the European Union with steep 30 percent tariffs, dramatically raising the stakes in already tense negotiations with two of the largest US trading partners. Both sets of duties would take effect August 1, Trump said in formal letters posted to his Truth Social platform. The president cited Mexico's role in illicit drugs flowing into the United States and a trade imbalance with the EU as meriting the tariff threat. Both partners swiftly slammed the new duties, with the EU warning they could disrupt supply chains -- but insisting it would continue talks seeking an agreement with the US -- while Mexico branded them an "unfair deal." French President Emmanuel Macron expressed "very strong disapproval" of the step and called on the bloc to "resolutely defend European interests." Since returning to the presidency in January, Trump has unleashed sweeping stop-start tariffs on allies and competitors alike, roiling financial markets and raising fears of a global economic downturn. But his administration is coming under pressure to secure deals with trading partners after promising a flurry of agreements. So far, US officials have only unveiled two pacts, with Britain and Vietnam, alongside temporarily lower tit-for-tat duties with China. - 'Not enough' - The fresh duties for Mexico announced by Trump would be higher than the 25 percent levy he imposed on Mexican goods earlier this year, although products entering the United States under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) are exempted. "Mexico has been helping me secure the border, BUT, what Mexico has done, is not enough," Trump said in his letter to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. "Starting August 1, 2025, we will charge Mexico a Tariff of 30% on Mexican products sent into the United States." The Mexican government said it had been informed of the new threat during talks in the United States on Friday. "We mentioned at the table that it was an unfair deal and that we did not agree," the Mexican economy and foreign ministries said in a joint statement. The EU tariff is also markedly steeper than the 20 percent levy Trump unveiled in April, as negotiations with the bloc continue. "Imposing 30 percent tariffs on EU exports would disrupt essential transatlantic supply chains, to the detriment of businesses, consumers and patients on both sides of the Atlantic," European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement, in reply to Trump's letter to her. "We remain ready to continue working towards an agreement by August 1. At the same time, we will take all necessary steps to safeguard EU interests, including the adoption of proportionate countermeasures if required," she added. Meanwhile Macron backed efforts to reach an agreement that "reflects the respect that trade partners such as the European Union and the United States owe each other." But he urged the bloc to "step up the preparation of credible countermeasures" to implement if the two sides fail to reach an agreement in time. - Precarious moment - The EU, alongside dozens of other economies, had been set to see its US tariff level increase from a baseline of 10 percent on Wednesday, but Trump pushed back the deadline to August 1. Mexico and Canada come under a separate tariff regime. Since the start of the week, Trump has sent out letters to more than 20 countries with updated tariffs for each, including a 35 percent levy for Canada. A US official told AFP Saturday that the USMCA exemption was expected to remain for both Mexico and Canada, although the president has yet to make final decisions. Brussels said Friday that it was ready to strike a deal with Washington to prevent the return of 20 percent levies. The EU has prepared retaliatory duties on US goods worth around 21 billion euros after Trump also slapped separate tariffs on steel and aluminum imports earlier this year, and they are suspended until July 14. European officials have not made any move to extend the suspension but could do it quickly if needed. "Despite all the movement toward a deal, this threat shows the EU is in the same camp of uncertainty as almost every other country in the world," said Josh Lipsky, chair of international economics at the Atlantic Council. He told AFP that the path forward now depends on how the EU responds, calling it "one of the most precarious moments of the trade war so far." bys-st/md/aks Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Iranian FM warns UN sanctions would ‘end' Europe's role in nuclear issue
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that any snapback of United Nations sanctions on the country 'would signify the end of Europe's role in the Iranian nuclear dossier'. A clause in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and world powers, which United States President Donald Trump torpedoed in 2018 during his first term, allows for UN sanctions to be reimposed if Tehran breaches the deal. Araghchi also said on Saturday that Tehran was reviewing the details of a possible resumption of nuclear talks with the US. 'We are examining its timing, its location, its form, its ingredients, the assurances it requires' from Iran for possible negotiations.' Separately, Araghchi said any talks with major powers would focus only on Iran's nuclear activities, not its military capability. 'If negotiations are held … the subject of the negotiations will be only nuclear and creating confidence in Iran's nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions,' Araghchi told diplomats in Tehran. 'No other issues will be subject to negotiation.' Last month, Israel unleashed large-scale strikes on Tehran's nuclear sites, its military leaders, nuclear scientists and residential areas, killing hundreds. Israel claimed its assault on June 13 was undertaken to 'roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival', according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But Iran said the war was an unprovoked aggression in violation of the UN Charter. In the frenetic days that followed, Iran retaliated, and the two countries exchanged daily barrages of missiles. The US later intervened on Israel's behalf, deploying so-called 'bunker buster' bombs and missiles to target the heavily fortified Fordow facility, as well as Natanz and Isfahan. The final act in the 12-day conflict came when Iran responded by targeting a key US base in Qatar, with Trump announcing a ceasefire in the hours that the conflict, Iran announced that it was suspending cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, amid a deep distrust for the organisation. Araghchi said on Saturday that cooperation with the nuclear agency 'will take on a new form' after President Masoud Pezeshkian last week signed a law suspending Iran's collaboration with the IAEA. 'Our cooperation with the agency has not stopped, but will take on a new form,' said Araghchi. The new law outlines that any future inspection of Iran's nuclear sites by the IAEA needs approval by the Supreme National Council. On Thursday, Pezeshkian warned that the IAEA had to drop its 'double standards' if it wanted to restore cooperation with Tehran. The president added that 'any repeated aggression against Iran will be met with a more decisive and regrettable response'.
