logo
BRICS leaders condemn Gaza and Iran attacks, urge global reforms

BRICS leaders condemn Gaza and Iran attacks, urge global reforms

Dubai Eye6 days ago
Leaders of the BRICS group of developing nations on Sunday condemned attacks on Gaza and Iran, called for reforms of global institutions and presented the bloc as a haven for multilateral diplomacy amid violent conflicts and trade wars.
With forums such as the G7 and G20 groups of major economies hamstrung by divisions and the disruptive "America First" approach of US President Donald Trump, expansion of the BRICS has opened new space for diplomatic coordination.
In opening remarks to the summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva drew a parallel with the Cold War's Non-Aligned Movement, a group of developing nations that resisted joining either side of a polarized global order.
"BRICS is the heir to the Non-Aligned Movement," Lula told leaders. "With multilateralism under attack, our autonomy is in check once again."
BRICS nations now represent more than half the world's population and 40 per cent of its economic output, Lula noted in remarks on Saturday to business leaders warning of rising protectionism.
The original BRICS group gathered leaders from Brazil, Russia, India and China at its first summit in 2009. The bloc later added South Africa and last year included Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as members. This is the first summit of leaders to include Indonesia.
"The vacuum left by others ends up being filled almost instantly by the BRICS," said a Brazilian diplomat who asked not to be named. Although the G7 still concentrates vast power, the diplomat added, "it doesn't have the predominance it once did."
However, there are questions about the shared goals of an increasingly heterogeneous BRICS group, which has grown to include regional rivals along with major emerging economies.
Stealing some thunder from this year's summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping chose to send his premier in his place. Russian President Vladimir Putin is attending online due to an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court.
Still, several heads of state were gathered for discussions at Rio's Museum of Modern Art on Sunday and Monday, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
More than 30 nations have expressed interest in participating in the BRICS, either as full members or partners.
In a joint statement released on Sunday afternoon, the leaders assembled called attacks against Iran's "civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities" a "violation of international law".
The group expressed "grave concern" for the Palestinian people over Israeli attacks on Gaza, and condemned what the joint statement called a "terrorist attack" in India-administered Kashmir.
On trade, the joint statement warned the rise in tariffs threatens global trade, continuing the group's veiled criticism of Trump's US tariff policies.
The group voiced its support for Ethiopia and Iran to join the World Trade Organisation, while calling to urgently restore its ability to resolve trade disputes.
The leaders' joint statement backed plans to pilot a BRICS Multilateral Guarantees initiative within the group's New Development Bank to lower financing costs and boost investment in member states, as first reported by Reuters last week.
In a separate statement following a discussion of artificial intelligence, the leaders called for protections against unauthorised use of AI to avoid excessive data collection and allow mechanisms for fair payment.
China and the UAE signaled in meetings with Brazilian Finance Minister Fernando Haddad in Rio that they plan to invest in a proposed Tropical Forests Forever Facility, according to two sources with knowledge of the discussions about funding conservation of endangered forests around the world.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

EU delays tariffs on US goods despite 30% levy announced by Trump
EU delays tariffs on US goods despite 30% levy announced by Trump

Al Etihad

time37 minutes ago

  • Al Etihad

EU delays tariffs on US goods despite 30% levy announced by Trump

13 July 2025 17:15 Brussels (dpa) The European Union will extend its suspension of tariffs on goods imported from the US until early August, despite Washington's decision to slap a 30% levy on imports from the bloc, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday. "The United States have sent us a letter with measures that would come into effect unless there is a negotiated solution," she said. "We will therefore also extend the suspension of our countermeasures till early August."It comes after US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he will impose 30% tariffs on imports from the European Union starting August 1, despite ongoing negotiations to avert a trade war. In a letter sent to von der Leyen and posted on his platform Truth Social, he complained of the "long-term, large and persistent" trade deficit the US has with the EU, accusing the 27-nation bloc of unfair trade policies and wrote that his administration would drop the high tariff rate if "the European Union, or countries within the EU, decide to build or manufacture within the United States."Von der Leyen on Sunday stressed that the EU would not stand back and watch, saying her commission would continue to prepare further countermeasures in the coming weeks so "we are fully prepared." Following Trump's letter, the EU could have imposed initial countertariffs in response to earlier US levies on steel and aluminium products from the bloc from Tuesday after the initial suspension expired.

Trump defends Bondi amid backlash over Epstein files
Trump defends Bondi amid backlash over Epstein files

Khaleej Times

time38 minutes ago

  • Khaleej Times

Trump defends Bondi amid backlash over Epstein files

U.S. President Donald Trump defended Attorney General Pam Bondi on Saturday amid backlash against her from some of Trump's supporters over how the Justice Department handled the investigation into the death of accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged clientele. Trump said "nobody cares about" Epstein, and that more time or energy must not be wasted on his case, as he tried to unite his base of supporters in a nearly 400-word post on Truth Social. "What's going on with my "boys" and, in some cases, "gals?" They're all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We're on one Team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening," Trump said. In a joint memo released on Monday, the FBI and Justice Department said there was no evidence to support a number of long-held conspiracy theories about Epstein's death in federal custody in 2019 and his alleged clientele. Conservative influencers from Laura Loomer to Elon Musk have criticized Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel for their findings, which came months after Bondi pledged to reveal major revelations about Epstein, including "a lot of names" and "a lot of flight logs." U.S. media, including Fox News and NBC News, have reported that FBI deputy director Dan Bongino has clashed with Bondi over the issue and is considering stepping down. Patel and Bongino, a former conservative podcaster, both previously made statements before working at the FBI about a so-called client list and often suggested that the government was hiding information about Epstein from the American public. Monday's memo on Epstein concluded that after reviewing more than 300 gigabytes of data, there was "no incriminating client list" nor was there any evidence that Epstein may have blackmailed prominent people. The memo also confirmed prior findings by the FBI which concluded that Epstein died by suicide in his jail cell while awaiting trial, and not as a result of a criminal act such as murder. Epstein's death while imprisoned in New York's Metropolitan Correctional Center has ignited controversy for years. Expectations for key revelations in his case grew when, in February, Fox News asked Bondi whether the Justice Department would be releasing Epstein's client list, and she said, "It's sitting on my desk right now to review." On Tuesday at the White House, Bondi walked that comment back, telling reporters that she was referring to the entire Epstein "file" along with other files pertaining to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. "That's what I meant by that," she said.

Trump intensifies trade war with threat of 30% tariffs on EU, Mexico
Trump intensifies trade war with threat of 30% tariffs on EU, Mexico

Khaleej Times

timean hour ago

  • Khaleej Times

Trump intensifies trade war with threat of 30% tariffs on EU, Mexico

US President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to impose a 30% tariff on imports from Mexico and the European Union starting on August 1, after weeks of negotiations with the major U.S. trading partners failed to reach a comprehensive trade deal. In an escalation of a trade war that has angered U.S. allies and rattled investors, Trump announced the latest tariffs in separate letters to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum that were posted on his Truth Social media site on Saturday. The EU and Mexico, both among the largest U.S. trading partners responded by calling the tariffs unfair and disruptive while pledging to continue to negotiate with the U.S. for a broader trade deal before the deadline. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she was sure an agreement can be reached. "I've always said that in these cases, what you have to do is keep a cool head to face any problem," Sheinbaum said at an event in the Mexican state of Sonora. "We're also clear on what we can work with the United States government on, and we're clear on what we can't. And there's something that's never negotiable: the sovereignty of our country," she said. Trump sent similar letters to 23 other trading partners this week, including Canada, Japan and Brazil, setting blanket tariff rates ranging from 20% up to 50%, as well as a 50% tariff on copper. The U.S. president said the 30% rate was "separate from all sectoral tariffs," indicating 50% levies on steel and aluminum imports and a 25% tariff on auto imports would remain. The August 1 deadline gives the targeted countries time to negotiate agreements that could lower the threatened tariffs. Some investors and economists have also noted Trump's pattern of backing off his tariff threats. The spate of letters showed Trump has returned to the aggressive trade posture that he took in April when he announced a slew of reciprocal tariffs against trading partners that sent markets tumbling before the White House delayed implementation. 'Unfair treatment' But with the stock market recently hitting record highs and the U.S. economy still resilient, Trump is showing no signs of slowing down his trade war. He promised to use the 90-day delay in April to strike dozens of new trade deals, but has only secured framework agreements with Britain, China and Vietnam. The EU has hoped to reach a comprehensive trade agreement with the U.S. for the 27-country bloc. Trump's letter to the EU included a demand that Europe drop its own tariffs. "The European Union will allow complete, open Market Access to the United States, with no Tariff being charged to us, in an attempt to reduce the large Trade Deficit," he wrote. Von der Leyen said the 30% tariffs "would disrupt essential transatlantic supply chains, to the detriment of businesses, consumers and patients on both sides of the Atlantic." She also said while the EU will continue to work towards a trade agreement, it "will take all necessary steps to safeguard EU interests, including the adoption of proportionate countermeasures if required." Mexico's economy ministry said Saturday it was informed the U.S. would send a letter during a meeting on Friday with U.S. officials. "We mentioned at the roundtable that it was unfair treatment and that we did not agree," the ministry's statement said. Mexico's proposed tariff level is lower than Canada's 35%, with both letters citing fentanyl flows even though government data shows the amount of the drug seized at the Mexican border is significantly higher than the Canadian border. "Mexico has been helping me secure the border, BUT, what Mexico has done, is not enough. Mexico still has not stopped the Cartels who are trying to turn all of North America into a Narco-Trafficking Playground," Trump wrote. China is the main source of the chemicals used to make the opioid fentanyl. According to U.S. authorities, only 0.2% of all fentanyl seized in the U.S. comes from across the Canadian border, while the vast majority originates from the U.S.-Mexico border. Mexico sends more than 80% of its total exported goods to the U.S. and free trade with its northern neighbor drove Mexico to become the top U.S. trading partner in 2023. The EU had initially hoped to strike a comprehensive trade agreement but more recently had scaled back its ambitions and shifted toward securing a broader framework deal similar to the one Britain brokered that leaves details to be negotiated. The bloc is under conflicting pressures as powerhouse Germany urged a quick deal to safeguard its industry, while other EU members, such as France, have said EU negotiators should not cave into a one-sided deal on U.S. terms. Bernd Lange, the head of the European Parliament's trade committee, said Brussels should enact countermeasures as soon as Monday. "This is a slap in the face for the negotiations. This is no way to deal with a key trading partner," Lange told Reuters. Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, a senior fellow at the Brussels-based think tank Bruegel, said Trump's letter raised the risk of retaliatory moves by the EU similar to the flare-up between the U.S. and China that rattled financial markets. "U.S. and Chinese tariffs went up together and they came back down again. Not all the way down, but still down together," he said. Trump's cascade of tariff orders since returning to the White House has begun generating tens of billions of dollars a month in new revenue for the U.S. government. U.S. customs duties revenue topped $100 billion in the federal fiscal year through to June, according to U.S. Treasury data on Friday. The tariffs have also strained diplomatic relationships with some of the closest U.S. partners. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said last week that Japan needed to lessen its dependence on the U.S. The fight over tariffs has also prompted Canada and some European allies to reexamine their security dependence on Washington, with some looking to purchase non-U.S. weapons systems.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store