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GMA Network
06-07-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Hosting BRICS, Brazil's Lula hits out at ‘genocide' in Gaza
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, China's Premier Li Qiang, India's Prime Minister Narendra ?Modi, South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other leaders, attend the opening meeting of BRICS Summit, at the Museum of Modern Art (MAM) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil July 6, 2025. REUTERS/ Ricardo Moraes RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Brazil's president insisted the world must act to stop what he described as an Israeli "genocide" in Gaza, as leaders from 11 emerging BRICS nations gathered in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. "We cannot remain indifferent to the genocide carried out by Israel in Gaza, the indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians and the use of hunger as a weapon of war," President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told leaders from China, India, and other nations. His comments came as Gaza truce talks between Israel and Hamas resumed in Doha, and as pressure mounted to end the 22-month war, which began with Hamas's October 7, 2023, attacks. Lula said Sunday that "absolutely nothing could justify the terrorist actions" of Hamas on that day—which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly Israeli civilians. But he also offered fierce criticism of Israel's subsequent actions. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 57,418 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers the figures reliable. The BRICS gathering includes Israel's arch foe Iran, but also nations like Russia, which have close ties with the country. BRICS countries have been in disagreement over how strongly to denounce Israel's bombing of Iran and its actions in Gaza. But one diplomatic source said the text would give the "same message" that BRICS delivered last month. Then Iran's allies expressed "grave concern" about strikes against Iran, but did not explicitly mention Israel or the United States. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to visit the White House on Monday for talks with US President Donald Trump, who is pushing to end the war and has said he hopes for a ceasefire deal in the coming week. — Agence France-Presse
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First Post
06-07-2025
- Business
- First Post
Brics asserts Global South's voice as multilateral order faces strain
In his opening remarks at the meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva drew a parallel with the Cold War's Non-Aligned Movement, a group of developing nations that resisted formally joining either side of a polarized global order read more Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, China's Premier Li Qiang, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other leaders, attend the opening meeting of BRICS Summit, at the Museum of Modern Art (MAM) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Reuters Leaders of the growing Brics group of developing nations met in Brazil on Sunday, calling for reform of traditional Western institutions while presenting the bloc as a defender of multilateral diplomacy in an increasingly fractured world. With forums such as the G7 and G20 groups of major economies hamstrung by divisions and the disruptive 'America First' approach of U.S. President Donald Trump, expansion of the Brics has opened new space for diplomatic coordination. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In his opening remarks at the meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva drew a parallel with the Cold War's Non-Aligned Movement, a group of developing nations that resisted formally 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% of its economic output, Lula noted in remarks on Saturday to business leaders warning of rising protectionism. The 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 prime minister in his place. Russian President Vladimir Putin is attending online due to an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Still, several heads of state 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. Growing clout, complexity Expansion of the Brics has added diplomatic weight to the gathering, which aspires to speak for developing nations across the Global South, strengthening calls for reforming global institutions such as the United Nations Security Council and the International Monetary Fund. 'If international governance does not reflect the new multipolar reality of the 21st century, it is up to Brics to help bring it up to date,' Lula said in his opening remarks. Lula defended the integrity of Iran's borders, two weeks after the country was bombed by the United States, and highlighted the failure of U.S.-led wars in the Middle East. The Brics nations will also continue their thinly veiled criticism of Trump's U.S. tariff policy, according to diplomats drafting a joint statement. In April, the bloc's foreign ministers voiced concern about 'unjustified unilateral protectionist measures, including the indiscriminate increase of reciprocal tariffs.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Brazil, which also hosts the United Nations climate summit in November, has seized on both gatherings to highlight how seriously developing nations are tackling climate change, while Trump has slammed the brakes on U.S. climate initiatives. 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. The growth of the bloc has also increased the challenges to reaching consensus on contentious geopolitical issues. Ahead of the summit, negotiators struggled to find shared language for a joint statement about the bombardment of Gaza, the Israel-Iran conflict and a proposed reform of the Security Council, two sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity. To overcome differences among African nations regarding the representation on a reformed Security Council, the group agreed to endorse seats for Brazil and India while leaving open which country should represent Africa's interests, a person familiar with the talks told Reuters. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
IOL News
06-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
BRICS nations voice 'serious concerns' over Trump tariffs
A workers walks in the open area of the Modern Art Museum (MAM) where the BRICS summit 2025 will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on July 3, 2025. Image: Mauro PIMENTEL/AFP BRICS leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday are expected to decry US President Donald Trump's "indiscriminate" trade tariffs, saying they are illegal and risk hurting the global economy. Emerging nations, which represent about half the world's population and 40 percent of global economic output, have united over "serious concerns" about US import tariffs, according to a draft summit statement obtained by AFP on Saturday. Since coming to office in January, Trump has threatened allies and rivals alike with a slew of punitive duties. President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Brazil at the invitation of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, where he will attend the XVII #BRICSSummit on 6 - 7 July 2025 in Rio de Janeiro. Image: GCIS Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ His latest salvo comes in the form of letters informing trading partners of new tariff rates that will soon enter into force. The draft summit declaration does not mention the United States or its president by name, and could yet be amended by leaders gathering for talks Sunday and Monday. But it is a clear political shot directed at Washington from 11 emerging nations, including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. "We voice serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures which distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO (World Trade Organization) rules," the draft text says. It warns that such measures "threaten to further reduce global trade" and are "affecting the prospects for global economic development." Xi no show Conceived two decades ago as a forum for fast-growing economies, the BRICS have come to be seen as a Chinese-driven counterbalance to Western power. But the summit's political punch will be depleted by the absence of China's Xi Jinping, who is skipping the annual meeting for the first time in his 12 years as president. That absence has prompted fevered speculation in some quarters. "The simplest explanation may hold the most explanatory power. Xi recently hosted Lula in Beijing," said Ryan Hass, a former China director at the US National Security Council who is now with the Brookings Institution think tank. The Chinese leader will not be the only notable absentee. War crime-indicted Russian President Vladimir Putin is also opting to stay away, but will participate via video link, according to the Kremlin. Hass said Putin's non-attendance and the fact that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be a guest of honor in Brazil could also be factors in Xi's absence. "Xi does not want to appear upstaged by Modi," who will receive a state lunch, he said. "I expect Xi's decision to delegate attendance to Premier Li (Qiang) rests amidst these factors." Still, the Xi no-show is a blow to host President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who wants Brazil to play a bigger role on the world stage. In the year to November 2025, Brazil will have hosted a G20 summit, a BRICS summit, and COP30 international climate talks, all before heading into fiercely contested presidential elections next year, in which he is expected to run. Lula warmly welcomed leaders and dignitaries on Saturday, including China's Premier Li Qiang, as the leftist president hosted a pre-summit business forum in Rio. "Faced with the resurgence of protectionism, it is up to emerging countries to defend the multilateral trade regime and reform the international financial architecture," Lula told the event. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, whose nation is still reeling from a 12-day conflict with Israel, is also skipping the meeting and will be represented by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. A source familiar with the negotiations said Iran had sought a tougher condemnation of Israel and the United States over their recent bombing of Iranian military, nuclear and other sites. But one diplomatic source said the text would give the "same message" that BRICS delivered last month. Then Iran's allies expressed "grave concern" about strikes against Iran, but did not explicitly mention Israel or the United States. Artificial intelligence and health will also be on the agenda at the summit. Original members of the bloc Brazil, Russia, India, and China have been joined by South Africa and, more recently, Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Maharashtra sees over 1.8 lakh malnourished children, over 30K severely malnourished: Minister
1 2 3 Nagpur: Maharashtra recorded 1,82,443 malnourished children across the state, including 30,800 with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and 1,51,643 with Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM), as per the Poshan Tracker data for February 2025. The worrying numbers were shared in a written reply by women and child development minister Aditi Tatkare in the state assembly, where she acknowledged that urban areas are seeing a steeper rise in malnutrition compared to rural regions. Out of 48,14,815 children registered, 47,82,859 had their height and weight measured during the survey cycle, while 31,956 children could not be assessed due to absence or migration, the minister noted. The Mumbai suburban region alone accounted for 2,887 SAM and 13,457 MAM children out of 2,87,113 registered. Of these, 3,976 children were not measured. "The state is taking focused steps to bring down malnutrition through a multi-tiered strategy. We've already filled 2,17,736 out of 2,21,338 sanctioned posts for Anganwadi sevikas and assistants, and recruitment is underway for the remaining. Hiring for child development officers and supervisors is also in progress," Tatkare stated. To tackle the crisis, the state is running several targeted schemes. Under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), hot cooked meals are provided daily to children aged 3 to 6 years, while take-home rations are given to pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children aged 6 months to 3 years. In tribal project areas, the Bharat Ratna Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Amrit Aahar Yojana provides a daily square meal to pregnant and lactating mothers. Additionally, eggs or bananas are distributed four days a week to children, based on dietary preferences. Special village and urban child development centres have been established to care for SAM children, where they receive three servings daily of energy-dense nutritious food and medical treatment when required. Tatkare further informed the House that programmes under the national Poshan Abhiyaan — including Individualised Learning Approaches (ILA), Community-Based Events (CBE), ICT-based real-time monitoring, and Jan Andolan (mass awareness) — are being implemented rigorously to improve nutritional outcomes. # Malnutrition Status in Maharashtra (Feb 2025) # Statewide Assessment: Total registered children: 48,14,815 Children measured for height & weight: 47,82,859 Children not measured: 31,956 Malnutrition Cases (Statewide): Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM): 30,800 Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM): 1,51,643 # Staffing & Infrastructure: Sanctioned Anganwadi posts: 2,21,338 Filled: 2,17,736 Recruitment ongoing for remaining posts Child development officers & supervisors hiring in progress # Key Govt Interventions: ICDS: Hot meals for 3–6 years; take-home rations for pregnant/lactating mothers and 6m–3y children Amrit Aahar Yojana: One square meal daily for tribal pregnant and lactating women Supplementary nutrition: Eggs/bananas 4 days/week for 6m–6y children SAM Care Centres: Energy-dense food served thrice daily + medical support # Poshan Abhiyaan: Individualised Learning Approaches (ILA) Community-Based Events (CBE) Real-time monitoring (ICT-RTM) Jan Andolan for public awareness
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Driving licence rule change TODAY allows millions to legally take to the wheel of larger cars... with a catch
A major change to driving licence rules from today now allows millions of motorists to legally take to the wheel of larger, heavier cars... but there's one significant catch. An updated weight restriction for category B driving licences - which are by far the most common type held by tens of millions of motorists in the UK - has been introduced by the Government on 10 June. It allows these licence holders to get behind the wheel of vehicles with a heavier maximum authorised mass (MAM) of up to 4,250kg, having previously been limited to 3,500kg. However, the new rules apply to electric vehicles only. The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) confirms that the higher weight classification for category B licences applies for 'zero-emission cars' - meaning EVs and hydrogen-powered models only, though there are currently fewer than 300 hydrogen fuel cell cars registered in Britain today. For petrol, diesel and hybrid cars, the 3.5-tonne MAM restriction remains. The 750kg additional allowance specifically for EVs from today has been implemented to help shield motorists from needing to pass another driving test to legally take to the wheel of a battery-powered family car. This is because the latest hulking electric SUVs - which are laden with weighty battery packs to deliver long ranges on a full charge - are now teetering dangerously close to the previous MAM restriction. MAM refers to the total weight of a vehicle with a maximum load onboard, including passengers and a full boot. Drivers of vehicles of all fuel types with category B licences - of which there are around 35 million in the UK - had been restricted to transporting no more than eight seated occupants (including themselves) up to a total weight of 3,500kg. However, some of the biggest EVs on sale today have unladen 'kerb weights' of almost 3 tonnes. With the addition of passengers and luggage, it means some drivers already had been unwittingly close to exceeding the maximum limit for a category B licence. Without changes to the rules and an additional 750kg allowance, drivers of these cars would need to gain a 'C1' licence in order to legally use it. A C1 licence is for heavy goods vehicles (HGV) and requires a unique theory and practical test to prove a driver is capable of operating lorry-sized vehicles up to a weight of 7,500kg. However, this isn't the case for older motorists - notably those who passed their test over 28 years ago. Anyone who attained their licence before January 1997 have automatic rights - known as 'grandfather rights' - to drive vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes. This is because they were granted the C1 entitlement when they originally sat their driving tests. It means any category B licence holder younger than 45 at the wheel of one of the largest and heaviest EVs would have been susceptible to breaching the previous 3.5-tonne weight limit. Which EVs were close to cat B licence weight limits? There are a number of large electric SUVs that were teetering incredibly close to the former 3.5-tonne category B licence weight restriction. Mercedes' range-topping electric EQS SUV - which costs from £130k - has a kerb weight of up 3,081kg, without taking into account the extra bulk of up to seven seated passengers as well as their luggage. Its maximum laden weight is 3,410kg, which was 90kg shy of the previous category B threshold. The premium Maybach version had a max laden weight of 3,500kg. Volvo's new seven-seat EX90 has a quoted kerb weight of 2,780kg for its £90,000 'Twin-Motor' specification. The maximum laden weight is 3,390kg - just 110kg below the previous EV weight limit for full licence holders. Also nudging close to the previous 3.5-tonne limit is BMW's £110,000 XM, with a 2,795kg kerb weight and max weight of 3,300kg, Kia's £65,000 EV9, which has a kerb weight of 2,664kg and a maximum load weight 3,240kg. But there are already some battery vehicles on UK roads that are well over both the old and new category B licence weight thresholds for EVs. The Hummer EV, which is not an official UK model but can be imported from the US by specialist London dealerships, has a kerb weight in excess of 4.1 tonnes, meaning it already breached the previous category B weight restriction and likely exceeds the new one too The £320k electric GMC Hummer, which is not officially sold in Britain but can imported on request by specialist London car retailers, rings in at a staggering 4,103kg unladen. With passengers and luggage, it would ultimately breach the new category B MAM restriction. Tesla's Cybertruck, which is banned in the UK due to failing to meet required safety standards, also has a maximum laden weight in excess of 4 tonnes. Will drivers need to get a new licence photocard? Despite the new MAM rule change for electric vehicles, drivers do not need to request an updated version of their photocard licence. The entitlement will be applied automatically and recognised without a new card being issued, OZEV says. However, motorists are encouraged to check their driving licence information online to understand exactly what they are now allowed to drive. The new rules also provides greater flexibility for towing. Drivers will be allowed to tow a trailer as long as the combined MAM of the vehicle and trailer does not exceed 7,000kg. For instance, if the vehicle weighs 4,250kg, the trailer must be no more than 2,750kg. These adjustments are particularly beneficial for tradespeople and those transporting goods or equipment who might be considering switching to EVs, which come with huge business tax benefits.
