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The Hindu
13 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Brazil hosts BRICS summit, eager to avoid provoking Trump's ire on tariffs
Brazil will play host to a summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies on Sunday and Monday (July 6 and 7, 2025) during which pressing topics like Israel's attack on Iran, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and trade tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump are expected to be handled with caution. Analysts and diplomats said the lack of cohesion in an enlarged BRICS, which doubled in size last year, may affect its ability to become another pole in world affairs. They also see the summit's moderate agenda as an attempt by member countries to stay off Trump's radar. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will have some of his priorities, such as debates on artificial intelligence and climate change, front and centre for the talks with key leaders not in attendance. China's President Xi Jinping won't attend a BRICS summit for the first time since he became his country's leader in 2012. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will make an appearance via video conference, continues to mostly avoid travelling abroad due to an international arrest warrant issued after Russia invaded Ukraine. The restraint expected in Rio de Janeiro marks a departure from last year's summit hosted by Russia in Kazan, when the Kremlin sought to develop alternatives to U.S.-dominated payment systems which would allow it to dodge Western sanctions imposed after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A source involved in the negotiations told journalists on Friday that some members of the group want more aggressive language on the situation in Gaza and Israel's attack on Iran. The source spoke under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak about the matter publicly. 'Brazil wants to keep the summit as technical as possible,' said Oliver Stuenkel, a professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation think tank and university. Consequently, observers expect a vague final declaration regarding Russia's war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East. As well as suiting Brazil, a watered-down and non-controversial statement may be made easier by the absences of Mr. Putin and Mr. Xi, Stuenkel said. Those two countries have pushed for a stronger anti-Western stance, as opposed to Brazil and India that prefer non-alignment. A Brazilian government official told The Associated Press on Thursday that the group is expected to produce three joint statements and a final declaration, 'all of which less bounded by current geopolitical tensions.' The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly about the summit's preparations. João Alfredo Nyegray, an international business and geopolitics professor at the Pontifical Catholic University in Parana, said the summit could have played a role in showing an alternative to an unstable world, but won't do so. 'The withdrawal of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the uncertainty about the level of representation for countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are confirming the difficulty for the BRICS to establish themselves as a cohesive pole of global leadership,' Mr. Nyegray said. 'This moment demands high level articulation, but we are actually seeing dispersion.' Brazil, the country that chairs the bloc, has picked six strategic priorities for the summit: global cooperation in healthcare; trade, investment and finance; climate change; governance for artificial intelligence; peace-making and security; and institutional development. It has decided to focus on less controversial issues, such as promoting trade relations between members and global health, after Trump returned to the White House, said Ana Garcia, a professor at the Rio de Janeiro Federal Rural University. 'Brazil wants the least amount of damage possible and to avoid drawing the attention of the Trump administration to prevent any type of risk to the Brazilian economy,' Ms. Garcia said. While Brazil will continue to advocate for the reform of Western-led global institutions, a cornerstone policy of the group, the country wants to avoid becoming the target of tariffs — a predicament it has so far largely escaped. Mr. Trump has threatened to impose 100% tariffs against the bloc if they take any moves to undermine the dollar. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Egypt's Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will also be absent. Those two countries joined the BRICS in 2024, alongside Ethiopia, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has been invited and is participating in member discussions, but it has yet to send its confirmation letter. As well as new members, the bloc has 10 strategic partner countries, a category created at last year's summit that includes Belarus, Cuba and Vietnam. That rapid expansion led Brazil to put housekeeping issues — officially termed institutional development — on the agenda to better integrate new members and boost internal cohesion. Despite notable absences, the summit is important for attendees, especially in the context of instability provoked by Mr. Trump's tariff wars, said Bruce Scheidl, a researcher at the University of Sao Paulo's BRICS study group. 'The summit offers the best opportunity for emerging countries to respond, in the sense of seeking alternatives and diversifying their economic partnerships,' Mr. Scheidl said. For Mr. Lula, the summit will be a welcome pause from a difficult domestic scenario, marked by a drop in popularity and conflict with Congress. The meeting also represents an opportunity to advance climate negotiations and commitments on protecting the environment before November's COP 30 climate talks in the Amazonian city of Belem.
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First Post
13 minutes ago
- First Post
F-16 intercepts civilian plane over Trump's Bedminster golf club in New Jersey
A US fighter jet intercepted a civilian plane on Saturday after it entered restricted airspace over President Donald Trump's golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, while Trump was spending the holiday weekend there. read more Trump has turned the Oval Office into a hub for his allies, friends and staff. Reuters/File Photo An F-16 fighter jet intercepted a civilian plane on Saturday after it entered restricted airspace over President Donald Trump's golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, the US military said. The fighter jet, sent by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), escorted the plane safely out of the area, according to the New York Post. Trump was spending the holiday weekend in New Jersey at the time. NORAD said this was the fifth time on Saturday that a civilian aircraft had entered the temporary flight restriction (TFR) zone. To get the pilot's attention, the F-16 performed a maneuver known as a 'headbutt,' before guiding the plane away. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Such airspace violations have become more frequent in recent weeks, prompting NORAD to urge civilian pilots to carefully check all flight notices before taking off. Similar incidents have happened before, including in March when a civilian plane entered restricted airspace near Trump's residence in Florida. That incident occurred just after Trump finished a round of golf in West Palm Beach. At the time, F-16s fired flares to alert the pilot. Despite the repeated incursions, officials say none have disrupted Trump's schedule or security. NORAD explained that the flares used by fighter jets can be seen from the ground but quickly burn out. General Gregory Guillot, commander of NORAD and US Northern Command, stressed the importance of following TFR rules to protect flight safety, national security, and the President.
Indian Express
21 minutes ago
- Indian Express
US Social Security Administration praises Trump's tax bill, critics call it ‘blatant misinformation'
After the US Congress passed the tax cut and spending bill and President Donald Trump signed it to become 'One Big, Beautiful Bill Act', an email was sent by the Social Security Administration (SSA) which claimed the new spending bill has eliminated taxes on benefits for most recipients, but the critics have dubbed it 'misleading' and 'lie'. The reconciliation bill, which President Trump called 'One big, beautiful bill', was signed on July 4 during Independence Day celebrations after the Republicans in the Senate and House of Representatives passed it. The provisions in the act reportedly include stripping people off their health insurance, slashing food aid for the poor, revoking clean energy development which would trigger an increase in national debt by trillions of dollars. The email circulated by apolitical SSA claims the bill 'eliminates federal income taxes on social security benefits for most beneficiaries, providing relief to individuals and couples.' Commissioner of the SSA, Frank Bisignano, said that nearly 90% of social security beneficiaries will no longer pay federal income tax on their respective benefits. Unbelievable. I was a deputy commissioner of the Social Security Administration. Appointed by President Biden. The agency has never issued such a blatant political statement. The fact that Trump and his minion running SSA has done this is unconscionable. — Jeff Nesbit (@jeffnesbit) July 3, 2025 'This is a historic step forward for America's seniors. By significantly reducing the tax burden on benefits, this legislation reaffirms President Trump's promise to protect social security and helps ensure that seniors can better enjoy the retirement they've earned,' Bisignano said, The Guardian reported. However, in one of the biggest cache 22 situations for the SSA, Trump's spending bill does not essentially eliminate federal taxes on social security because the bill was passed in the Congress via reconciliation process, to avoid the pushback from the Democrats. Though Trump's package does include a temporary tax deduction of $6,000 for people aged 65 and above and $12,000 for married seniors. Last month, Trump's Council of Economic Advisers argued that 9 in 10 seniors would not pay any federal tax on their respective social security benefits. A former SSA official, Jeff Nesbit, who served under Republican and Democratic presidents posted on X, 'The agency has never issued such a blatant political statement. The fact that Trump and his minion running SSA has done this is unconscionable.'
