Carlos Alcaraz came through a ferocious fourth-round firefight against a red-hot Andrey Rublev to win 6-7(5) 6-3 6-4 6-4 on Centre Court and keep his bid for a third successive Wimbledon title on track on Sunday.
The Spanish second seed stuttered in his opening three rounds but found his best form to eventually subdue an inspired opponent who once again came up short against the very best.
Rublev rocked Alcaraz by roaring into a 4-1 lead only to be pegged back but the Russian produced some astonishing tennis to snatch the tiebreak and move ahead.
Alcaraz never looked ruffled though and levelled the match after Rublev double-faulted on a break point. Rublev continued throwing everything in his arsenal at the champion in the third set but paid for not taking some early break points as Alcaraz found another gear.
Alcaraz looked impregnable in the fourth set and a single break of serve was enough to seal a 22nd successive match win and set up a last-eight clash with Britain’s Cameron Norrie.
“Andrey is one of the most powerful players we have on Tour and is so aggressive with the ball. It’s really difficult to face him, he forces you to the limit on each point,” Alcaraz, bidding to become only the fourth man to win back-to-back French Open and Wimbledon titles multiple times, said on court.
“Really happy with the way I moved and played intelligent and smart tactically. A really good match all round.”
With so many seeds having fallen early, this was the first match between top-20 players in the men’s singles this year and it did not disappoint as the quality scaled rare heights.
Rublev, 27, has barely been outside of the top 10 since 2022 but has never got close to winning a Grand Slam, losing all 10 quarter-finals that he has contested.
The 14th seed must have sighed when he saw Alcaraz in his way in the fourth round, but he came out in positive fashion, off-loading rockets at the five-time Grand Slam champion.
With the roof closed after earlier thunderstorms the noise of the ball striking strings sounded like rifle shots.
Rublev hit harder, then harder still and at 5-5 in the opening set launched an outrageous backhand winner off a full-blooded Alcaraz forehand and then followed with a powerful forehand of his own to the baseline to move a set ahead.
He barely did anything wrong after that but Alcaraz, finally clicking into gear after three scratchy wins, showed why taking the title off him will be such a tough task.
The turning point came at 3-3 in the third set when Rublev, attempting to save a break point, sent Alcaraz sliding from side to side with a barrage of power only for the Spaniard to whip a forehand cross court winner, before cupping his ear to the crowd who rose as one to salute the moment of genius.
Rublev stuck manfully to his task but he was powerless to prevent an 11th loss from 11 matches against top-five opponents at a Grand Slam.
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Sunday met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the 2025 BRICS summit, during which the two leaders discussed bilateral cooperation among other key issues.
“Good to meet with FM Sergey Lavrov of Russia on the sidelines of #BRICS2025. Discussed bilateral cooperation, West Asia, BRICS and SCO”, the EAM said in a post on X.
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on X, “Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Minister of External Affairs of India @DrSJaishankar hold a meeting on the sidelines of the XVII #BRICS Summit. Rio de Janeiro, July 6.”
Jaishankar also shared a photo with the Russian Foreign Minister.
The meeting took place as BRICS leaders condemned the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, where 26 people were killed. In response, India’s armed forces carried out Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Notably, Russia, besides condemning the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, maintained that it stands in solidarity with India in eliminating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
Moscow’s stand was conveyed in May this year when an all-party delegation from India, led by DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, met senior members of the Russian Federation Council, including Andrey Denisov, First Deputy Chair of the Committee on International Affairs, in Moscow to reaffirm the united stand against terrorism.
During that meeting, the Russian side strongly condemned the Pahalgam attack and reiterated its solidarity with India in the global fight against terrorism in all its forms.
The visit was part of India’s unprecedented diplomatic campaign to expose Pakistan’s sustained role in cross-border terrorism following the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
On July 5, 2025, the Board of Governors (Board, BoG) of the New Development Bank (NDB) convened the Business Session of its Tenth Annual Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, under the theme of “Driving Development: Fostering Innovation, Cooperation, and Impact through a Multilateral Development Bank for the Global South”.
The BoG Meeting was chaired by H.E. Mr. Fernando Haddad, the Minister of Finance of the Federative Republic of Brazil and the NDB Governor for Brazil.
The Board welcomed the achievements of NDB in the past year and provided guidance in steering the New Development Bank towards a path of sustainable growth in the future at the juncture of its Ten-year Anniversary.
The Board of Governors officially admitted Colombia and Uzbekistan as borrowing members of the New Development Bank.
The Board of Governors discussed the General Strategy of the Bank and its implementation and provided guidance thereon.
The Board of Governors adopted its resolution on appointment of incoming Vice-President of the New Development Bank. Mr. Roman Serov was appointed as Vice-President of NDB from September 7, 2025, to September 6, 2030.
The Board elected H.E. Mr. Anton Siluanov, the Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation and the NDB Governor for Russia as the next Chairperson of the Board of Governors. H.E. Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman, the Minister of Finance of the Republic of India and the NDB Governor for India was elected as the next Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Governors. It was agreed that they would hold their respective offices until the end of the Eleventh Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors in 2026.
The Board of Governors decided that Russia will host the Eleventh Annual Meeting of the New Development Bank in 2026.
H.E. Mr. Anton Siluanov, the Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation and the NDB Governor for Russia; H.E. Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman, the Minister of Finance of the Republic of India and the NDB Governor for India; H.E. Mr. LAN Fo’an, the Minister of Finance of the People’s Republic of China and the NDB Governor for China; Dr. David Masondo, Deputy Minister of Finance of the Republic of South Africa and the NDB Alternate Governor for South Africa; Mr. Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary, Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the NDB Alternate Governor for Bangladesh; Mr. Mr. Mohamed Bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs and the NDB Governor for the United Arab Emirates; Mr. Atter Hannoura, Director of the PPP Central Unit, Ministry of Finance of Egypt of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the NDB Temporary Alternate Governor for Egypt, participated in the Meeting.
Background Information
New Development Bank was established by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging market economies and developing countries, complementing the existing efforts of multilateral and regional financial institutions for global growth and development.
For more information on NDB, please visit www.ndb.int.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, shortly before Ramaphosa backed his call for reform of the United Nations Security Council.
“Good catching up with my friend, President Ramaphosa of South Africa,” PM Modi said in a post on X.
Speaking at the summit, Ramaphosa backed the demand for reform, saying the Council “has become too rigid, too narrow and too disconnected from today’s multipolar realities”, and is unable to fulfil its primary function of maintaining international peace and security.
Ramaphosa said the Council cannot react effectively to global dangers “ranging from humanitarian crises to open acts of aggression”. “Reform is a necessity. The Security Council must be made more democratic, more regionally representative and more accountable,” he said.
Sunday’s ‘catch-up’ was the second meeting between PM Modi and Ramaphosa in 19 days, having last met in Canada during the G7 Summit.
India and South Africa have several joint projects covering skills development, trade, economic cooperation and technology. They plan to deepen their strategic partnership, focusing on sectors such as agro-processing, defence, mining and finance. Bilateral trade between the two countries currently stands at nearly $20 billion.
PM Modi last visited South Africa in 2023 for the BRICS summit and held bilateral talks with leaders there.
Notably, Ramaphosa was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations in 2019 and last visited India in 2023 to attend the G20 summit.
As one of Africa’s leading voices, South Africa joins India in representing the Global South in international forums.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called terrorism the “most serious challenge” facing humanity and said condemning it must be a matter of principle, not convenience.
Speaking at the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, PM Modi cited the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 tourists were killed, as a reminder of the threat terrorism poses to global peace.
“Recently India faced an inhuman and cowardly terrorist attack. On 22 April, the terrorist attack in Pahalgam was a direct attack on the soul, identity, and dignity of India. This attack was a blow not only to India but to the entire humanity. In this hour of grief, I express my heartfelt gratitude to the friendly countries who stood with us, who expressed support and condolences,” he said.
“Terrorism has become the most serious challenge for humanity today. Condemning terrorism should be our ‘principle’, not just a ‘convenience’. If we first see in which country the attack took place and against whom, then it would be a betrayal against humanity,” the PM added.
PM Modi stressed the need for decisive global action, including sanctions, and warned against double standards in tackling terror.
“There should be no hesitation in imposing sanctions against terrorists. The victims and supporters of terrorism cannot be weighed on the same scale. For personal or political gain, giving silent consent to terrorism and supporting terror or terrorists should not be acceptable under any circumstances. There should be no difference between words and actions regarding terrorism. If we cannot do this, then the question naturally arises: are we serious about the fight against terrorism or not?” the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi also underlined the threat of terrorism in the context of global conflicts and the humanitarian fallout in Gaza.
“From West Asia to Europe, today the world is surrounded by disputes and tensions. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is a cause of great concern. India firmly believes that no matter how difficult the circumstances are, the path of peace is the only option for the welfare of humanity,” he said.
“India is the land of Lord Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi. There is no place for war and violence for us. India supports every effort that takes the world away from division and conflict and leads it towards dialogue, cooperation, and coordination, and increases solidarity and trust,” the Prime Minister said, reiterating India’s belief in peace.
Highlighting BRICS’s role in promoting global stability, the Prime Minister said, “Global peace and security is not just an ideal; it is the foundation of our common interests and future. The development of humanity is possible only in a peaceful and secure environment. BRICS has a very important role in fulfilling this objective. We have to unite and make collective efforts to face our common challenges. We have to move forward together.”
PM Modi invited BRICS leaders to India for the next summit in 2026, under India’s chairmanship.
The summit, hosted by Brazil from July 7 to 9, is being attended by leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and new members Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE and Indonesia.
India created history with a 336-run win over England in the second Test at Birmingham, securing not only their first-ever victory at Edgbaston but also their biggest Test win away from home in terms of runs.
Skipper Shubman Gill, along with pacers Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj, spearheaded a collective team effort as India levelled the series, overcoming the Birmingham blues with a win that will be remembered for ages.
This is India’s biggest away win in Tests, surpassing their 318-run victory over the West Indies at North Sound in 2016, as they defended a total of 419. Jasprit Bumrah picked up a memorable five-wicket haul in the match, while Ajinkya Rahane was named Player of the Match for his knocks of 81 and 102.
Gill, besides breaking an endless list of records with the bat, also made history as captain. At 25 years and 301 days old, he became the youngest Indian captain to win a Test overseas, surpassing Sunil Gavaskar, who was 26 years and 202 days old when he led India to victory against New Zealand in Auckland in 1976.
Coming to the match, England once again opted to field first. After removing KL Rahul (2) early, an 80-run stand between Yashasvi Jaiswal (87 off 107 balls, 13 fours) and Karun Nair (31 off 50 balls, five fours) helped India recover. Skipper Gill stitched valuable partnerships — 203 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (89 off 137 balls, 10 fours and a six) and a 144-run stand with Washington Sundar (42 off 103 balls, three fours and a six) — steering India to a mammoth 587. Gill scored a marathon 269 off 387 balls, hitting 30 fours and three sixes.
Shoaib Bashir (3/167) was England’s most successful bowler, while Chris Woakes and Josh Tongue claimed two wickets each.
In England’s first innings, India reduced them to 84/5. However, a 303-run stand between Harry Brook (158 off 234 balls, 17 fours and a six) and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith (184* off 207 balls, 21 fours and four sixes) kept England alive. But Siraj (6/70) and Akash Deep (4/88) made the new ball count, bundling out the last five wickets for just 20 runs, dismissing England for 407 and giving India a 180-run lead.
In reply, India’s batters piled on the pressure. Jaiswal (28 off 22 balls, six fours) and Rahul (55 off 84 balls, 10 fours) set the tone with a brisk half-century stand. A 110-run fourth-wicket stand between Rishabh Pant (65 off 58 balls, eight fours and three sixes) and Gill accelerated the charge, before Gill forged another epic 175-run stand with Jadeja. Gill smashed 161 off 162 balls, with 13 fours and eight sixes, while Jadeja remained unbeaten on 69* off 118 balls (five fours and a six). India declared at 427/6, setting England an improbable target of 608.
In the run chase, England were quickly reduced to 50/3. Jamie Smith (88 off 99 balls, nine fours and four sixes) offered the only resistance before England were bundled out for 271, losing by 336 runs. Akash Deep’s brilliant spell of 6/99 gave him a ten-wicket haul for the match.
Gill was named Player of the Match as India levelled the series 1-1.
Haruki Ume spoke to UN News at the UN Pavilion at Expo 2025 currently being held in the Japanese city of Osaka.
One section of the pavilion features a rotating presentation focusing on a specific UN agency or entity and recently, attention turned to the UN Volunteers programme.
“As a 17-year-old, I travelled to the United States on an educational exchange programme and my main motivation was to play baseball and experience American culture.
I met a lot of other people from Africa and Asia as well as Europe and I was shocked and then impressed by their passion and motivation to support their villages and communities back home.
One boy from Azerbaijan told me he was selected for the exchange from over 100 applicants as the only student from his country. As a result, he said that he had a responsibility not to waste his time and represent all those other applicants and his country to the best of his ability.
Haruki Ume plays with two boys during a visit to the Philippines in 2017.
It was at this moment that I decided that I wanted to contribute more to society and so I started studying development issues. I travelled as much as I could during my vacations, to places like Cambodia, the Philippines, India, Peru, Egypt and Uganda.
As a volunteer, I supported education and other initiatives during the field missions and was really driven by helping people who were less fortunate than I. I also learnt a lot from these people, so I definitely valued it an exchange of experiences and knowledge.
Understanding the outside world
I was raised in a small town in rural Japan where there were no foreigners. People grow up, work and die there and many do not ever experience foreign cultures or really understand the outside world.
UN News/Daniel Dickinson
A UN Volunteers staff member explains the role of the organization to visitors at the UN Pavilion.
I remember being nervous about speaking English and eating food that I was not used to, but I was keen to break through these personal barriers and broaden my world.
Being open to new experiences has made it easier to adapt to other cultures and this understanding promotes peace and friendship and ultimately international cooperation.
I have been working at the UN Pavilion at Expo 2025 to promote the UN and the work of UN Volunteers. I’m doing this in the spirit of building cooperation and creating positive change in the world.
Expo 2025 is bringing the world to Osaka and is providing the opportunity for Japanese people to discuss how we can work together more effectively to create a fairer and more peaceful world.”
The UN and volunteering
Headquartered in Bonn, Germany, UNV was established 1970 and is active in around 169 countries and territories every year.
In 2024, UNV deployed over 14,500 volunteers to almost 60 UN entities across the world.
They serve in diverse roles including: community development, human rights, humanitarian assistance, peacebuilding, medical services and communications.
Leaders of BRICS nations on Sunday strongly condemned the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists.
In a joint declaration at the summit in Rio de Janeiro, the leaders described terrorism as “criminal and unjustifiable”, regardless of the motive or perpetrators.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April 2025, during which at least 26 people were killed and many more injured. We reaffirm our commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the cross-border movement of terrorists, terrorism financing and safe havens,” the declaration said.
BRICS leaders underlined that terrorism should not be linked with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group, and demanded that those involved be held accountable under national and international law.
“We urge zero tolerance for terrorism and reject double standards in countering it. We stress the primary responsibility of States in combating terrorism and that global efforts must comply with international law, including the UN Charter and relevant conventions on human rights, refugees and humanitarian law,” the declaration added.
The leaders welcomed the work of the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Working Group (CTWG) and its five subgroups under the Counter-Terrorism Strategy and Action Plan, and called for further cooperation. They also pushed for early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism within the UN framework and urged “concerted action” against all UN-designated terrorists and terror entities.
The statement comes weeks after National Security Advisor Ajit Doval raised the Pahalgam attack at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Security Council Secretaries’ meeting in Beijing. Doval had underlined the continued threat from groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed operating with state support from Pakistan, as well as Al Qaeda, ISIS and their affiliates.
India has repeatedly urged SCO members to reject double standards on terrorism and to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of cross-border terror accountable.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called for urgent reforms in global governance institutions, emphasising that the interests of the Global South must be given due importance in decision-making bodies that were built in the 20th century but continue to shape 21st-century challenges.
Addressing the BRICS session on the ‘Reform of Global Governance’ in Rio de Janeiro, the Prime Minister extended his gratitude to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for the “excellent organisation” of the summit and praised his “vision and unwavering commitment” in energising the bloc.
PM Modi remarked that under Brazil’s leadership, BRICS cooperation had received not just an “espresso” but a “double espresso shot”, applauding President Lula’s dynamic role. He also congratulated Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto on Indonesia’s inclusion in the BRICS grouping, calling it a welcome expansion of the bloc’s partnership.
Highlighting the persistent neglect faced by the Global South, the PM said that developing nations have often been met with “double standards” on issues such as development, fair distribution of resources, and security. He pointed out that promises on climate finance, sustainable development, and technology transfer have frequently amounted to “nothing more than token gestures”.
“Two-thirds of humanity still lack proper representation in global institutions built in the 20th century,” the Prime Minister noted, adding that this lack of inclusion affects the credibility and effectiveness of such bodies. Drawing an analogy, PM Modi said, “Without the Global South, these institutions are like a mobile phone with a SIM card but no network.”
Calling for a new “multipolar and inclusive world order”, the Prime Minister urged BRICS nations to push for reforms in major global institutions, including the UN Security Council, the World Trade Organization, and Multilateral Development Banks. He stressed that these changes must go beyond symbolism and deliver tangible results, including reforms in governance structures, voting rights, and leadership roles.
“In an age where technology evolves every week, it is unacceptable for global institutions to go eighty years without reform. You can’t run 21st-century software on 20th-century typewriters,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister underscored India’s commitment to work constructively with BRICS partners to advance the interests of the Global South and humanity at large.
“India has always considered it a duty to rise above self-interest and work for the greater good of humanity. We remain fully committed to contributing to this shared goal,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called for urgent reforms in global governance institutions, emphasising that the interests of the Global South must be given due importance in decision-making bodies that were built in the 20th century but continue to shape 21st-century challenges.
Addressing the BRICS session on the ‘Reform of Global Governance’ in Rio de Janeiro, the Prime Minister extended his gratitude to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for the “excellent organisation” of the summit and praised his “vision and unwavering commitment” in energising the bloc.
PM Modi remarked that under Brazil’s leadership, BRICS cooperation had received not just an “espresso” but a “double espresso shot”, applauding President Lula’s dynamic role. He also congratulated Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto on Indonesia’s inclusion in the BRICS grouping, calling it a welcome expansion of the bloc’s partnership.
Highlighting the persistent neglect faced by the Global South, the PM said that developing nations have often been met with “double standards” on issues such as development, fair distribution of resources, and security. He pointed out that promises on climate finance, sustainable development, and technology transfer have frequently amounted to “nothing more than token gestures”.
“Two-thirds of humanity still lack proper representation in global institutions built in the 20th century,” the Prime Minister noted, adding that this lack of inclusion affects the credibility and effectiveness of such bodies. Drawing an analogy, PM Modi said, “Without the Global South, these institutions are like a mobile phone with a SIM card but no network.”
Calling for a new “multipolar and inclusive world order”, the Prime Minister urged BRICS nations to push for reforms in major global institutions, including the UN Security Council, the World Trade Organization, and Multilateral Development Banks. He stressed that these changes must go beyond symbolism and deliver tangible results, including reforms in governance structures, voting rights, and leadership roles.
“In an age where technology evolves every week, it is unacceptable for global institutions to go eighty years without reform. You can’t run 21st-century software on 20th-century typewriters,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister underscored India’s commitment to work constructively with BRICS partners to advance the interests of the Global South and humanity at large.
“India has always considered it a duty to rise above self-interest and work for the greater good of humanity. We remain fully committed to contributing to this shared goal,” he said.
BRICS member nations have called on advanced economies and the international financial system to provide “substantial” financing to support climate mitigation efforts in developing economies.
“We call on advanced economies and other relevant actors in the international financial system, as well as the private sector, to provide substantial finance for climate actions in developing countries, including by expanding concessional finance and increasing private capital mobilisation,” Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of BRICS countries said in a joint statement on Sunday, just ahead of the Summit.
Highlighting the growing needs of emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs), the group urged international financial institutions to scale up adaptation support and create conditions that would attract greater private sector participation in mitigation efforts.
BRICS members also acknowledged the structural challenges posed by climate change, energy transitions, biodiversity loss and conservation efforts.
“We reaffirm that predictable, equitable, accessible and affordable climate finance is indispensable for just transitions, in line with country circumstances and development priorities, and for meeting the goals of the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement,” the statement said.
India, a BRICS member, has consistently advocated for stronger climate finance arrangements, primarily from developed countries that are historically major carbon emitters. India has repeatedly underlined the need for adequate financial support, particularly for the Global South.
Climate finance generally refers to funding directed at mitigation and adaptation measures to tackle climate change. Developing countries have long argued that developed nations, being historically larger emitters, must shoulder greater responsibility for funding mitigation and adaptation.
Against the backdrop of global economic uncertainty and volatility, BRICS members said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) must remain adequately resourced and flexible to protect its members, particularly the most vulnerable.
The statement also welcomed the New Development Bank’s steady efforts to expand its funding capacity, promote local currency financing, diversify funding sources, and back projects that advance sustainable development, reduce inequality and drive investment in infrastructure and economic integration.
“As the New Development Bank is set to embark on its second golden decade of high-quality development, we recognise and support its growing role as a robust and strategic agent of development and modernisation in the Global South,” it said.
BRICS members also reaffirmed that they would continue working through the second half of 2025 to push forward these initiatives and strengthen coordination for a smooth transition to India’s presidency in 2026.
Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of BRICS countries met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 5 under the theme, “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance.”
Together, BRICS countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — account for nearly half of the world’s population, spread across four continents, and nearly 40 per cent of global GDP. The bloc has become more integrated with the world economy and now represents about a quarter of global trade and investment flows.
The joint statement underlined that more needs to be done to ensure the benefits of globalisation, economic growth and productivity are shared more equally.
According to a report by Rubix Data Sciences, total international trade (exports plus imports) of BRICS countries stood at USD 10.5 trillion in 2024, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 7.9 per cent between 2020 and 2024.
BRICS nations remain net exporters, collectively selling more goods abroad than they import, underlining their strong production capacity and growing clout in global trade.
The BRICS grouping, which brings together major emerging economies, has continued to expand its global footprint, adding new members and partners while outlining ambitious plans to deepen cooperation across sectors under Brazil’s ongoing chairship in 2025.
Originally coined as BRIC by Goldman Sachs in 2001 in its paper The World Needs Better Economic BRICs, the acronym referred to Brazil, Russia, India and China, which the firm projected would occupy larger shares of the global economy in the coming decades. The idea took formal shape in 2006, when the leaders of Russia, India and China met on the sidelines of the G8 Outreach Summit in St. Petersburg. That same year, the first BRIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting was held alongside the UN General Assembly in New York, setting the stage for structured dialogue.
The first BRIC Summit was hosted in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009. The group became BRICS with the inclusion of South Africa in 2010. South Africa formally joined the third BRICS Summit held in Sanya in 2011.
More than a decade later, the bloc witnessed its most significant expansion yet. In January 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates became full members, followed by Indonesia’s entry as a full member in January 2025. Nine other countries — Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan — were inducted as BRICS partner countries this year, underlining the group’s growing influence in the Global South.
Together, the expanded BRICS now represents nearly half of the world’s population, contributes about 40 percent of global GDP, and accounts for roughly a quarter of global trade.
Two pillars of cooperation
BRICS functions through two broad mechanisms: consultations on issues of common interest through summits and ministerial meetings, and practical cooperation through working groups and senior officials in sectors such as trade, finance, health, education, science and technology, agriculture, environment, energy, labour, disaster management, anti-corruption and counter-narcotics efforts.
Business linkages are promoted through the BRICS Business Council and the BRICS Women Business Alliance, while other exchanges span parliamentary forums, conferences and people-to-people initiatives.
India’s 2021 chairship
India last held the chairship in 2021, coinciding with the 15th anniversary of the bloc. Operating under the theme ‘BRICS@15: Intra-BRICS Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation and Consensus’, India set priorities that focused on multilateral reform, counter-terrorism cooperation, digital tools for Sustainable Development Goals and wider people-to-people engagement.
Over 150 meetings were convened during India’s term, including the Leaders’ Summit held virtually on September 9, 2021, and meetings of Foreign Ministers, National Security Advisers and key sectoral ministers. Several new initiatives were launched, including the first BRICS Digital Health Summit, the first Water Ministers’ Meeting, the adoption of a Counter-Terrorism Action Plan, the launch of the BRICS Alliance for Green Tourism and the signing of an agreement on a BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation.
Brazil takes charge in 2025
Brazil assumed the BRICS chairship on January 1, 2025, under the theme ‘Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance’. Brazil’s agenda focuses on deepening partnerships within the Global South and enhancing social, economic and environmental development across member states.
The priorities for Brazil’s presidency include cooperation on global health, trade, investment and finance, climate change action, governance of artificial intelligence, institutional development and a push for reform of the global peace and security architecture.
Nearly 120 events are planned under Brazil’s chairship this year, signalling the group’s intent to maintain momentum on issues that resonate with emerging economies.
In the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) ODI Rankings, two-time champions West Indies have slipped out of the automatic qualification spots for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup, putting them at risk of missing another appearance at the marquee tournament.
The latest ICC rankings update came after Bangladesh’s victory in the second ODI against Sri Lanka, where they defended a total of 248 runs in Colombo, thanks to a brilliant five-wicket haul from Taijul Islam. The win helped Bangladesh level the three-match series 1-1 and lifted them to ninth place in the men’s ODI team rankings, according to Wisden.
However, the West Indies still have time to climb back into the required qualification spots before the cutoff date for the World Cup rankings.
The West Indies have now dropped to the 10th spot and sit outside the automatic qualification places for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup. The 2027 edition will feature 14 teams, with South Africa and Zimbabwe automatically qualifying as co-hosts. However, Namibia, the third co-host, will not receive automatic entry as they are not a full ICC member playing Test cricket.
The top eight teams (excluding the hosts) will qualify based on their ODI rankings as of March 31, 2027. The remaining four spots will be decided through a qualifier tournament featuring 10 teams.
The Men in Maroon will be keen to avoid the qualifiers, having been forced to play them for the 2023 edition and subsequently missing their first World Cup since the tournament’s inception in 1975, after losing to the Netherlands and Sri Lanka in the qualifiers.
Elsewhere in the latest ICC ODI Rankings, Sri Lanka dropped to fifth after their loss, while Pakistan moved up to fourth. The ICC Champions Trophy holders India remain at the top with 124 points, followed by second-placed Australia and third-placed New Zealand, who both have 109 rating points.
Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said India has never faced a shortage of petroleum products, even during the Covid pandemic or global conflicts, crediting the government’s foresight for ensuring uninterrupted supplies.
“Whether it was the period of the global Covid pandemic or geopolitical tensions, there has never been a shortage of petroleum products in India. This has been possible due to the foresight of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Puri said.
Referring to the recent tensions in the Middle East, including the Israeli attack on Iran that disrupted shipping and threatened closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Puri said India has gradually reduced its dependence on the critical passage.
“Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, we have diversified our supplies in recent years, and a large share of our imports no longer passes through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
India meets about 85 per cent of its crude oil needs through imports. A spike in global oil prices directly raises its import bill and fuels inflation, impacting economic growth. To cushion this, India has expanded its oil sources, ramping up imports from Russia and the US, and building strategic reserves.
The minister said India now has 23 operational refineries with a combined capacity of 257 million metric tonnes per annum. He also highlighted the setting up of strategic petroleum reserves to ensure supply security during disruptions.
The country’s storage capacity includes 2.25 million metric tonnes at Pudur, 1.33 MMT at Visakhapatnam, and 1.5 MMT at Mangalore.
Puri also pointed to the government’s push for green fuels, noting that India has met its target of 20 per cent ethanol blending with petrol six years ahead of schedule. E20 petrol is now available at outlets of Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum across the country.
“This achievement not only cuts carbon emissions but also saves huge amounts of money. We have saved over Rs 1 lakh crore domestically and Rs 1.5 lakh crore in foreign exchange by reducing our import bill, and this money has gone to our farmers,” he said.
Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said India has never faced a shortage of petroleum products, even during the Covid pandemic or global conflicts, crediting the government’s foresight for ensuring uninterrupted supplies.
“Whether it was the period of the global Covid pandemic or geopolitical tensions, there has never been a shortage of petroleum products in India. This has been possible due to the foresight of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Puri said.
Referring to the recent tensions in the Middle East, including the Israeli attack on Iran that disrupted shipping and threatened closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Puri said India has gradually reduced its dependence on the critical passage.
“Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, we have diversified our supplies in recent years, and a large share of our imports no longer passes through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
India meets about 85 per cent of its crude oil needs through imports. A spike in global oil prices directly raises its import bill and fuels inflation, impacting economic growth. To cushion this, India has expanded its oil sources, ramping up imports from Russia and the US, and building strategic reserves.
The minister said India now has 23 operational refineries with a combined capacity of 257 million metric tonnes per annum. He also highlighted the setting up of strategic petroleum reserves to ensure supply security during disruptions.
The country’s storage capacity includes 2.25 million metric tonnes at Pudur, 1.33 MMT at Visakhapatnam, and 1.5 MMT at Mangalore.
Puri also pointed to the government’s push for green fuels, noting that India has met its target of 20 per cent ethanol blending with petrol six years ahead of schedule. E20 petrol is now available at outlets of Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum across the country.
“This achievement not only cuts carbon emissions but also saves huge amounts of money. We have saved over Rs 1 lakh crore domestically and Rs 1.5 lakh crore in foreign exchange by reducing our import bill, and this money has gone to our farmers,” he said.
Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said India has never faced a shortage of petroleum products, even during the Covid pandemic or global conflicts, crediting the government’s foresight for ensuring uninterrupted supplies.
“Whether it was the period of the global Covid pandemic or geopolitical tensions, there has never been a shortage of petroleum products in India. This has been possible due to the foresight of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Puri said.
Referring to the recent tensions in the Middle East, including the Israeli attack on Iran that disrupted shipping and threatened closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Puri said India has gradually reduced its dependence on the critical passage.
“Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, we have diversified our supplies in recent years, and a large share of our imports no longer passes through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
India meets about 85 per cent of its crude oil needs through imports. A spike in global oil prices directly raises its import bill and fuels inflation, impacting economic growth. To cushion this, India has expanded its oil sources, ramping up imports from Russia and the US, and building strategic reserves.
The minister said India now has 23 operational refineries with a combined capacity of 257 million metric tonnes per annum. He also highlighted the setting up of strategic petroleum reserves to ensure supply security during disruptions.
The country’s storage capacity includes 2.25 million metric tonnes at Pudur, 1.33 MMT at Visakhapatnam, and 1.5 MMT at Mangalore.
Puri also pointed to the government’s push for green fuels, noting that India has met its target of 20 per cent ethanol blending with petrol six years ahead of schedule. E20 petrol is now available at outlets of Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum across the country.
“This achievement not only cuts carbon emissions but also saves huge amounts of money. We have saved over Rs 1 lakh crore domestically and Rs 1.5 lakh crore in foreign exchange by reducing our import bill, and this money has gone to our farmers,” he said.
Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said India has never faced a shortage of petroleum products, even during the Covid pandemic or global conflicts, crediting the government’s foresight for ensuring uninterrupted supplies.
“Whether it was the period of the global Covid pandemic or geopolitical tensions, there has never been a shortage of petroleum products in India. This has been possible due to the foresight of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Puri said.
Referring to the recent tensions in the Middle East, including the Israeli attack on Iran that disrupted shipping and threatened closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Puri said India has gradually reduced its dependence on the critical passage.
“Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, we have diversified our supplies in recent years, and a large share of our imports no longer passes through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
India meets about 85 per cent of its crude oil needs through imports. A spike in global oil prices directly raises its import bill and fuels inflation, impacting economic growth. To cushion this, India has expanded its oil sources, ramping up imports from Russia and the US, and building strategic reserves.
The minister said India now has 23 operational refineries with a combined capacity of 257 million metric tonnes per annum. He also highlighted the setting up of strategic petroleum reserves to ensure supply security during disruptions.
The country’s storage capacity includes 2.25 million metric tonnes at Pudur, 1.33 MMT at Visakhapatnam, and 1.5 MMT at Mangalore.
Puri also pointed to the government’s push for green fuels, noting that India has met its target of 20 per cent ethanol blending with petrol six years ahead of schedule. E20 petrol is now available at outlets of Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum across the country.
“This achievement not only cuts carbon emissions but also saves huge amounts of money. We have saved over Rs 1 lakh crore domestically and Rs 1.5 lakh crore in foreign exchange by reducing our import bill, and this money has gone to our farmers,” he said.
Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said India has never faced a shortage of petroleum products, even during the Covid pandemic or global conflicts, crediting the government’s foresight for ensuring uninterrupted supplies.
“Whether it was the period of the global Covid pandemic or geopolitical tensions, there has never been a shortage of petroleum products in India. This has been possible due to the foresight of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Puri said.
Referring to the recent tensions in the Middle East, including the Israeli attack on Iran that disrupted shipping and threatened closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Puri said India has gradually reduced its dependence on the critical passage.
“Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, we have diversified our supplies in recent years, and a large share of our imports no longer passes through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
India meets about 85 per cent of its crude oil needs through imports. A spike in global oil prices directly raises its import bill and fuels inflation, impacting economic growth. To cushion this, India has expanded its oil sources, ramping up imports from Russia and the US, and building strategic reserves.
The minister said India now has 23 operational refineries with a combined capacity of 257 million metric tonnes per annum. He also highlighted the setting up of strategic petroleum reserves to ensure supply security during disruptions.
The country’s storage capacity includes 2.25 million metric tonnes at Pudur, 1.33 MMT at Visakhapatnam, and 1.5 MMT at Mangalore.
Puri also pointed to the government’s push for green fuels, noting that India has met its target of 20 per cent ethanol blending with petrol six years ahead of schedule. E20 petrol is now available at outlets of Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum across the country.
“This achievement not only cuts carbon emissions but also saves huge amounts of money. We have saved over Rs 1 lakh crore domestically and Rs 1.5 lakh crore in foreign exchange by reducing our import bill, and this money has gone to our farmers,” he said.
Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said India has never faced a shortage of petroleum products, even during the Covid pandemic or global conflicts, crediting the government’s foresight for ensuring uninterrupted supplies.
“Whether it was the period of the global Covid pandemic or geopolitical tensions, there has never been a shortage of petroleum products in India. This has been possible due to the foresight of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Puri said.
Referring to the recent tensions in the Middle East, including the Israeli attack on Iran that disrupted shipping and threatened closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Puri said India has gradually reduced its dependence on the critical passage.
“Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, we have diversified our supplies in recent years, and a large share of our imports no longer passes through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
India meets about 85 per cent of its crude oil needs through imports. A spike in global oil prices directly raises its import bill and fuels inflation, impacting economic growth. To cushion this, India has expanded its oil sources, ramping up imports from Russia and the US, and building strategic reserves.
The minister said India now has 23 operational refineries with a combined capacity of 257 million metric tonnes per annum. He also highlighted the setting up of strategic petroleum reserves to ensure supply security during disruptions.
The country’s storage capacity includes 2.25 million metric tonnes at Pudur, 1.33 MMT at Visakhapatnam, and 1.5 MMT at Mangalore.
Puri also pointed to the government’s push for green fuels, noting that India has met its target of 20 per cent ethanol blending with petrol six years ahead of schedule. E20 petrol is now available at outlets of Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum across the country.
“This achievement not only cuts carbon emissions but also saves huge amounts of money. We have saved over Rs 1 lakh crore domestically and Rs 1.5 lakh crore in foreign exchange by reducing our import bill, and this money has gone to our farmers,” he said.
Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said India has never faced a shortage of petroleum products, even during the Covid pandemic or global conflicts, crediting the government’s foresight for ensuring uninterrupted supplies.
“Whether it was the period of the global Covid pandemic or geopolitical tensions, there has never been a shortage of petroleum products in India. This has been possible due to the foresight of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Puri said.
Referring to the recent tensions in the Middle East, including the Israeli attack on Iran that disrupted shipping and threatened closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Puri said India has gradually reduced its dependence on the critical passage.
“Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, we have diversified our supplies in recent years, and a large share of our imports no longer passes through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
India meets about 85 per cent of its crude oil needs through imports. A spike in global oil prices directly raises its import bill and fuels inflation, impacting economic growth. To cushion this, India has expanded its oil sources, ramping up imports from Russia and the US, and building strategic reserves.
The minister said India now has 23 operational refineries with a combined capacity of 257 million metric tonnes per annum. He also highlighted the setting up of strategic petroleum reserves to ensure supply security during disruptions.
The country’s storage capacity includes 2.25 million metric tonnes at Pudur, 1.33 MMT at Visakhapatnam, and 1.5 MMT at Mangalore.
Puri also pointed to the government’s push for green fuels, noting that India has met its target of 20 per cent ethanol blending with petrol six years ahead of schedule. E20 petrol is now available at outlets of Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum across the country.
“This achievement not only cuts carbon emissions but also saves huge amounts of money. We have saved over Rs 1 lakh crore domestically and Rs 1.5 lakh crore in foreign exchange by reducing our import bill, and this money has gone to our farmers,” he said.
Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said India has never faced a shortage of petroleum products, even during the Covid pandemic or global conflicts, crediting the government’s foresight for ensuring uninterrupted supplies.
“Whether it was the period of the global Covid pandemic or geopolitical tensions, there has never been a shortage of petroleum products in India. This has been possible due to the foresight of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Puri said.
Referring to the recent tensions in the Middle East, including the Israeli attack on Iran that disrupted shipping and threatened closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Puri said India has gradually reduced its dependence on the critical passage.
“Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, we have diversified our supplies in recent years, and a large share of our imports no longer passes through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
India meets about 85 per cent of its crude oil needs through imports. A spike in global oil prices directly raises its import bill and fuels inflation, impacting economic growth. To cushion this, India has expanded its oil sources, ramping up imports from Russia and the US, and building strategic reserves.
The minister said India now has 23 operational refineries with a combined capacity of 257 million metric tonnes per annum. He also highlighted the setting up of strategic petroleum reserves to ensure supply security during disruptions.
The country’s storage capacity includes 2.25 million metric tonnes at Pudur, 1.33 MMT at Visakhapatnam, and 1.5 MMT at Mangalore.
Puri also pointed to the government’s push for green fuels, noting that India has met its target of 20 per cent ethanol blending with petrol six years ahead of schedule. E20 petrol is now available at outlets of Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum across the country.
“This achievement not only cuts carbon emissions but also saves huge amounts of money. We have saved over Rs 1 lakh crore domestically and Rs 1.5 lakh crore in foreign exchange by reducing our import bill, and this money has gone to our farmers,” he said.
On the last voyage of the Rainbow Warrior prior to its sinking by French secret agents in Auckland harbour on 10 July 1985 the ship had evacuated the entire population of 320 from Rongelap in the Marshall Islands.
After conducting dozens of above-ground nuclear explosions, the US government had left the population in conditions that suggested the islanders were being used as guinea pigs to gain knowledge of the effects of radiation.
Cancers, birth defects, and genetic damage ripped through the population; their former fisheries and land are contaminated to this day.
Denied adequate support from the US – they turned to Greenpeace with an SOS: help us leave our ancestral homeland; it is killing our people. The Rainbow Warrior answered the call.
Human lab rats or our brothers and sisters? Dr Merrill Eisenbud, a physicist in the US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) famously said in 1956 of the Marshall Islanders: “While it is true that these people do not live, I might say, the way Westerners do, civilised people, it is nevertheless also true that they are more like us than the mice.”
Dr Eisenbud also opined that exposure “would provide valuable information on the effects of radiation on human beings.” That research continues to this day.
A half century of testing nuclear bombs Within a year of dropping nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the US moved part of its test programme to the central Pacific. Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands was used for atmospheric explosions from 1946 with scant regard for the indigenous population.
In 1954, the Castle Bravo test exploded a 15-megaton bomb — one thousand times more deadly than the one dropped on Hiroshima. As a result, the population of Rongelap were exposed to 200 roentgens of radiation, considered life-threatening without medical intervention. And it was.
Part of the Marshall Islands, with Bikini Atoll and Rongelap in the top left. Image: www.solidarity.co.nz
Total US tests equaled more than 7000 Hiroshimas. The Clinton administration released the aptly-named Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments (ACHRE), report in January 1994 in which it acknowledged:
“What followed was a program by the US government — initially the Navy and then the AEC and its successor agencies — to provide medical care for the exposed population, while at the same time trying to learn as much as possible about the long-term biological effects of radiation exposure. The dual purpose of what is now a DOE medical program has led to a view by the Marshallese that they were being used as ‘guinea pigs’ in a ‘radiation experiment’.
This impression was reinforced by the fact that the islanders were deliberately left in place and then evacuated, having been heavily radiated. Three years later they were told it was “safe to return” despite the lead scientist calling Rongelap “by far the most contaminated place in the world”.
Significant compensation paid by the US to the Marshall Islands has proven inadequate given the scale of the contamination. To some degree, the US has also used money to achieve capture of elite interest groups and secure ongoing control of the islands.
Entrusted to the US, the Marshall Islanders were treated like the civilians of Nagasaki The US took the Marshall Islands from Japan in 1944. The only “right” it has to be there was granted by the United Nations which in 1947 established the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, to be administered by the United States.
What followed was an abuse of trust worse than rapists at a state care facility. Using the very powers entrusted to it to protect the Marshallese, the US instead used the islands as a nuclear laboratory — violating both the letter and spirit of international law.
Fellow white-dominated countries like Australia and New Zealand couldn’t have cared less and let the indigenous people be irradiated for decades.
The betrayal of trust by the US was comprehensive and remains so to this day:
Under Article 76 of the UN Charter, all trusteeship agreements carried obligations. The administering power was required to:
Promote the political, economic, social, and educational advancement of the people
Protect the rights and well-being of the inhabitants
Help them advance toward self-government or independence.
Under Article VI, the United States solemnly pledged to “Protect the inhabitants against the loss of their lands and resources.” Very similar to sentiments in New Zealand’s Treaty of Waitangi. Within a few years the Americans were exploding the biggest nuclear bombs in history over the islands.
Within a year of the US assuming trusteeship of the islands, another pillar of international law came into effect: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) — which affirms the inherent dignity and equal rights of all humans. Exposing colonised peoples to extreme radiation for weapons testing is a racist affront to this.
America has a long history of making treaties and fine speeches and then exploiting indigenous peoples. Last year, I had the sobering experience of reading American military historian Peter Cozzens’ The Earth is Weeping, a history of the “Indian wars” for the American West.
The past is not dead: the Marshall Islands are a hive of bases, laboratories and missile testing; Americans are also incredibly busy attacking the population in Gaza today.
Eyes of Fire – the last voyage of the Rainbow Warrior Had the French not sunk the Rainbow Warrior after it reached Auckland from the Rongelap evacuation, it would have led a flotilla to protest nuclear testing at Moruroa in French Polynesia. So the bookends of this article are the abuse of defenceless people in the charge of one nuclear power — the US — and the abuse of New Zealand and the peoples of French Polynesia by another nuclear power — France.
Senator Jeton Anjain (left) of Rongelap and Greenpeace campaign coordinator Steve Sawyer on board the Rainbow Warrior . . . challenging the abuse of defenceless people under the charge of one nuclear power. Image: David Robie/Eyes of Fire
This incredible story, and much more, is the subject of David Robie’s outstanding book Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, published by Little Island Press, which has been relaunched to mark the 40th anniversary of the French terrorist attack.
A new prologue by former prime minister Helen Clark and a preface by Greenpeace’s Bunny McDiarmid, along with an extensive postscript which bring us up to the present day, underline why the past is not dead; it’s with us right now.
Between them, France and the US have exploded more than 300 nuclear bombs in the Pacific. Few people are told this; few people know this.
Today, a matrix of issues combine — the ongoing effects of nuclear contamination, sea rise imperilling Pacific nations, colonialism still posing immense challenges to people in the Marshall Islands, Kanaky New Caledonia and in many parts of our region.
Unsung heroes Our media never ceases to share the pronouncements of European leaders and news from the US and Europe but the leaders and issues of the Pacific are seldom heard. The heroes of the antinuclear movement should be household names in Australia and New Zealand.
Vanuatu’s great leader Father Walter Lini; Oscar Temaru, Mayor, later President of French Polynesia; Senator Jeton Anjain, Darlene Keju-Johnson and so many others.
Do we know them? Have we heard their voices?
Jobod Silk, climate activist, said in a speech welcoming the Rainbow Warrior III to Majuro earlier this year: “Our crusade for nuclear justice intertwines with our fight against the tides.”
Nuclear-Free and Independent Pacific . . . the Rainbow Warrior taking on board Rongelap islanders ready for their first of four relocation voyages to Mejatto island. Image: David Robie/Eyes of Fire
Former Tuvalu PM Enele Sapoaga castigated Australia for the AUKUS submarine deal which he said “was crafted in secret by former Prime Minister Scott Morrison with no public discussion.”
He challenged the bigger regional powers, particularly Australia and New Zealand, to remember that the existential threat faced by Pacific nations comes first from climate change, and reminded New Zealanders of the commitment to keeping the South Pacific nuclear-free.
Hinamoeura Cross, a Tahitian anti-nuclear activist and politician, said in a 2019 UN speech: “Today, the damage is done. My people are sick. For 30 years we were the mice in France’s laboratory.”
Until we learn their stories and know their names as well as we know those of Marco Rubio or Keir Starmer, we will remain strangers in our own lands.
The Pacific owes them, along with the people of Greenpeace, a huge debt. They put their bodies on the line to stop the aggressors. Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira, killed by the French in 1985, was just one of many victims, one of many heroes.
A great way to honour the sacrifice of those who stood up for justice, who stood for peace and a nuclear-free Pacific, and who honoured our own national identity would be to buy David Robie’s excellent book.
You cannot sink a rainbow.
Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira being welcomed to Rongelap Atoll by a villager in May 1985 barely two months before he was killed by French secret agents during the sabotage of the Rainbow Warrior. Image: David Robie/Eyes of Fire
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday as he arrived to attend the 17th BRICS Leaders Summit.
The Prime Minister will join other BRICS leaders to deliberate on global issues, including reforms in global governance, peace and security, multilateralism, artificial intelligence, climate change, global health, and economic challenges.
This is PM Modi’s fourth visit to Brazil. After the two-day Summit, he will travel to Brasília for a State Visit — the first by an Indian Prime Minister in nearly six decades.
“As a founding member, India remains committed to BRICS as a vital platform for cooperation among emerging economies,” the PM had said earlier this week. “Together, we strive for a more peaceful, equitable, just, democratic, and balanced multipolar world order.”
On the sidelines of the Summit, PM Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders.
The last BRICS Summit, hosted by Russia in Kazan in October 2024, came at a time when the world was grappling with multiple challenges, including conflicts, climate impacts, and cyber threats.
This year’s Summit holds significance for India as it will assume the BRICS Chairship next year. India last chaired the grouping in 2021, marking its 15th anniversary.
India has consistently pitched itself as the voice of the Global South, pushing for the interests of developing countries on platforms like BRICS.
The theme for this year’s Summit is ‘Strengthening Global South Cooperation for Inclusive and Sustainable Governance*. Sunday’s discussions will focus first on reforms in global governance, limited to full members only.
Talks will then cover peace and security, multilateralism, economic and financial affairs, and the responsible use of AI, followed by an official reception hosted by President Lula.
On Monday, leaders will meet again to discuss environment issues, COP30, and global health.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday as he arrived to attend the 17th BRICS Leaders Summit.
The Prime Minister will join other BRICS leaders to deliberate on global issues, including reforms in global governance, peace and security, multilateralism, artificial intelligence, climate change, global health, and economic challenges.
This is PM Modi’s fourth visit to Brazil. After the two-day Summit, he will travel to Brasília for a State Visit — the first by an Indian Prime Minister in nearly six decades.
“As a founding member, India remains committed to BRICS as a vital platform for cooperation among emerging economies,” the PM had said earlier this week. “Together, we strive for a more peaceful, equitable, just, democratic, and balanced multipolar world order.”
On the sidelines of the Summit, PM Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders.
The last BRICS Summit, hosted by Russia in Kazan in October 2024, came at a time when the world was grappling with multiple challenges, including conflicts, climate impacts, and cyber threats.
This year’s Summit holds significance for India as it will assume the BRICS Chairship next year. India last chaired the grouping in 2021, marking its 15th anniversary.
India has consistently pitched itself as the voice of the Global South, pushing for the interests of developing countries on platforms like BRICS.
The theme for this year’s Summit is ‘Strengthening Global South Cooperation for Inclusive and Sustainable Governance*. Sunday’s discussions will focus first on reforms in global governance, limited to full members only.
Talks will then cover peace and security, multilateralism, economic and financial affairs, and the responsible use of AI, followed by an official reception hosted by President Lula.
On Monday, leaders will meet again to discuss environment issues, COP30, and global health.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday as he arrived to attend the 17th BRICS Leaders Summit.
The Prime Minister will join other BRICS leaders to deliberate on global issues, including reforms in global governance, peace and security, multilateralism, artificial intelligence, climate change, global health, and economic challenges.
This is PM Modi’s fourth visit to Brazil. After the two-day Summit, he will travel to Brasília for a State Visit — the first by an Indian Prime Minister in nearly six decades.
“As a founding member, India remains committed to BRICS as a vital platform for cooperation among emerging economies,” the PM had said earlier this week. “Together, we strive for a more peaceful, equitable, just, democratic, and balanced multipolar world order.”
On the sidelines of the Summit, PM Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders.
The last BRICS Summit, hosted by Russia in Kazan in October 2024, came at a time when the world was grappling with multiple challenges, including conflicts, climate impacts, and cyber threats.
This year’s Summit holds significance for India as it will assume the BRICS Chairship next year. India last chaired the grouping in 2021, marking its 15th anniversary.
India has consistently pitched itself as the voice of the Global South, pushing for the interests of developing countries on platforms like BRICS.
The theme for this year’s Summit is ‘Strengthening Global South Cooperation for Inclusive and Sustainable Governance*. Sunday’s discussions will focus first on reforms in global governance, limited to full members only.
Talks will then cover peace and security, multilateralism, economic and financial affairs, and the responsible use of AI, followed by an official reception hosted by President Lula.
On Monday, leaders will meet again to discuss environment issues, COP30, and global health.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday as he arrived to attend the 17th BRICS Leaders Summit.
The Prime Minister will join other BRICS leaders to deliberate on global issues, including reforms in global governance, peace and security, multilateralism, artificial intelligence, climate change, global health, and economic challenges.
This is PM Modi’s fourth visit to Brazil. After the two-day Summit, he will travel to Brasília for a State Visit — the first by an Indian Prime Minister in nearly six decades.
“As a founding member, India remains committed to BRICS as a vital platform for cooperation among emerging economies,” the PM had said earlier this week. “Together, we strive for a more peaceful, equitable, just, democratic, and balanced multipolar world order.”
On the sidelines of the Summit, PM Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders.
The last BRICS Summit, hosted by Russia in Kazan in October 2024, came at a time when the world was grappling with multiple challenges, including conflicts, climate impacts, and cyber threats.
This year’s Summit holds significance for India as it will assume the BRICS Chairship next year. India last chaired the grouping in 2021, marking its 15th anniversary.
India has consistently pitched itself as the voice of the Global South, pushing for the interests of developing countries on platforms like BRICS.
The theme for this year’s Summit is ‘Strengthening Global South Cooperation for Inclusive and Sustainable Governance*. Sunday’s discussions will focus first on reforms in global governance, limited to full members only.
Talks will then cover peace and security, multilateralism, economic and financial affairs, and the responsible use of AI, followed by an official reception hosted by President Lula.
On Monday, leaders will meet again to discuss environment issues, COP30, and global health.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday as he arrived to attend the 17th BRICS Leaders Summit.
The Prime Minister will join other BRICS leaders to deliberate on global issues, including reforms in global governance, peace and security, multilateralism, artificial intelligence, climate change, global health, and economic challenges.
This is PM Modi’s fourth visit to Brazil. After the two-day Summit, he will travel to Brasília for a State Visit — the first by an Indian Prime Minister in nearly six decades.
“As a founding member, India remains committed to BRICS as a vital platform for cooperation among emerging economies,” the PM had said earlier this week. “Together, we strive for a more peaceful, equitable, just, democratic, and balanced multipolar world order.”
On the sidelines of the Summit, PM Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders.
The last BRICS Summit, hosted by Russia in Kazan in October 2024, came at a time when the world was grappling with multiple challenges, including conflicts, climate impacts, and cyber threats.
This year’s Summit holds significance for India as it will assume the BRICS Chairship next year. India last chaired the grouping in 2021, marking its 15th anniversary.
India has consistently pitched itself as the voice of the Global South, pushing for the interests of developing countries on platforms like BRICS.
The theme for this year’s Summit is ‘Strengthening Global South Cooperation for Inclusive and Sustainable Governance*. Sunday’s discussions will focus first on reforms in global governance, limited to full members only.
Talks will then cover peace and security, multilateralism, economic and financial affairs, and the responsible use of AI, followed by an official reception hosted by President Lula.
On Monday, leaders will meet again to discuss environment issues, COP30, and global health.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday as he arrived to attend the 17th BRICS Leaders Summit.
The Prime Minister will join other BRICS leaders to deliberate on global issues, including reforms in global governance, peace and security, multilateralism, artificial intelligence, climate change, global health, and economic challenges.
This is PM Modi’s fourth visit to Brazil. After the two-day Summit, he will travel to Brasília for a State Visit — the first by an Indian Prime Minister in nearly six decades.
“As a founding member, India remains committed to BRICS as a vital platform for cooperation among emerging economies,” the PM had said earlier this week. “Together, we strive for a more peaceful, equitable, just, democratic, and balanced multipolar world order.”
On the sidelines of the Summit, PM Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders.
The last BRICS Summit, hosted by Russia in Kazan in October 2024, came at a time when the world was grappling with multiple challenges, including conflicts, climate impacts, and cyber threats.
This year’s Summit holds significance for India as it will assume the BRICS Chairship next year. India last chaired the grouping in 2021, marking its 15th anniversary.
India has consistently pitched itself as the voice of the Global South, pushing for the interests of developing countries on platforms like BRICS.
The theme for this year’s Summit is ‘Strengthening Global South Cooperation for Inclusive and Sustainable Governance*. Sunday’s discussions will focus first on reforms in global governance, limited to full members only.
Talks will then cover peace and security, multilateralism, economic and financial affairs, and the responsible use of AI, followed by an official reception hosted by President Lula.
On Monday, leaders will meet again to discuss environment issues, COP30, and global health.
People shop for food in Brooklyn in 2023 at a store that makes sure that its customers know it accepts SNAP benefits, also known as food stamps and EBT. Spencer Platt/Getty Images
In my research on the history of food stamps, I’ve found that the program was meant to be widely available to most low-income people. The SNAP changes break that tradition in two ways.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that about 3 million people are likely to be dropped from the program and lose their benefits. This decline will occur in part because more people will face time limits if they don’t meet work requirements. Even those who meet the requirements may lose benefits because of difficulty submitting the necessary documents.
Inspired by the plight of unemployed coal miners whom John F. Kennedy met in Appalachia when he campaigned for the presidency in 1960, the early food stamps program was not limited to single parents with children, older people and people with disabilities, like many other safety net programs were at the time. It was supposed to help low-income people afford more and better food, regardless of their circumstances.
From the start, the states administered the program and covered some of its administrative costs and the federal government paid for the benefits in full. This arrangement encouraged states to enroll everyone who needed help without fearing the budgetary consequences.
Who could qualify and how much help they could get were set by uniform national standards, so that even the residents of the poorest states would be able to afford a budget-conscious but nutritionally adequate diet.
The federal government’s responsibility for the cost of benefits also allowed spending to automatically grow during economic downturns, when more people need assistance. These federal dollars helped families, retailers and local economies weather tough times.
The changes to the SNAP program included in the legislative package that Congress approved by narrow margins and Trump signed into law, however, will make it harder for the program to serve its original goals.
Restricting benefits
Since the early 1970s, most so-called able-bodied adults who were not caring for a child or an adult with disabilities had to meet a work requirement to get food stamps. Welfare reform legislation in 1996 made that requirement stricter for such adults between the ages of 18 and 50 by imposing a three-month time limit if they didn’t log 20 hours or more of employment or another approved activity, such as verified volunteering.
Budget legislation passed in 2023 expanded this rule to adults up to age 54. The 2025 law will further expand the time limit to adults up to age 64 and parents of children age 14 or over.
States can currently get permission from the federal government to waive work requirements in areas with insufficient jobs or unemployment above the national average. This flexibility to waive work requirements will now be significantly limited and available only where at least 1 in 10 workers are unemployed.
Concerned senators secured an exemption from the work requirements for most Native Americans and Native Alaskans, who are more likely to live in areas with limited job opportunities.
The new changes to SNAP policies will also deny benefits to many immigrants with authorization to be in the U.S., such as people granted political asylum or official refugee status. Immigrants without authorization to reside in the U.S. will continue to be ineligible for SNAP benefits.
Tracking ‘error rates’
Critics of food stamps have long argued that states lack incentives to carefully administer the program because the federal government is on the hook for the cost of benefits.
In the 1970s, as the number of Americans on the food stamp rolls soared, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the program, developed a system for assessing if states were accurately determining whether applicants were eligible for benefits and how much they could get.
A state’s “payment error rate” estimates the share of benefits paid out that were more or less than an applicant was actually eligible for. The error rate was not then and is not today a measure of fraud. Typically, it just indicates the share of families who get a higher – or lower – amount of benefits than they are eligible for because of mistakes or confusion on the part of the applicant or the case worker who handles the application.
States responded by increasing their red tape. For example, they asked applicants to submit more documentation and made them go through more bureaucratic hoops, like having more frequent in-person interviews, to get – and continue receiving – SNAP benefits.
These demands hit low-wage workers hardest because their applications were more prone to mistakes. Low-income workers often don’t have consistent work hours and their pay can vary from week to week and month to month. The number of families getting benefits fell steeply.
The USDA tried to reverse this decline by offering states options to simplify the process for applying for and continuing to get SNAP benefits over the course of the presidencies of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Enrollment grew steadily.
Despite this requirement, the national average error rate jumped from 7.4% before the pandemic, to a record high of 11.7% in 2023. Rates rose as states struggled with a surge of people applying for benefits, a shortage of staff in state welfare agencies and procedural changes.
The big legislative package will increase states’ expenses in two ways.
It will reduce the federal government’s responsibility for half of the cost of administering the program to 25% beginning in the 2027 fiscal year.
And some states will have to pay a share of benefit costs for the first time in the program’s history, depending on their payment error rates. Beginning in the 2028 fiscal year, states with an error rate between 6-8% would be responsible for 5% of the cost of benefits. Those with an error rate between 8-10% would have to pay 10%, and states with an error rate over 10% would have to pay 15%. The federal government would continue to pay all benefits in states with error rates below 6%.
Republicans argue the changes will give states more “skin in the game” and ensure better administration of the program.
While the national payment error rate fell from 11.68% in the 2023 fiscal year to 10.93% a year later, 42 states still had rates in excess of 6% in 2024. Twenty states plus the District of Columbia had rates of 10% or higher.
At nearly 25%, Alaska has the highest payment error rate in the country. But Alaska won’t be in trouble right away. To ease passage in the Senate, where the vote of Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, was in doubt, a provision was added to the bill allowing several states with the highest error rates to avoid cost sharing for up to two years after it begins.
About 600,000 individuals and families will lose an average of $100 a month in benefits because of a change in the way utility costs are treated. The law also prevents future administrations from increasing benefits beyond the cost of living, as the Biden Administration did.
States cannot cut benefits below the national standards set in federal law.
But the shift of costs to financially strapped states will force them to make tough choices. They will either have to cut back spending on other programs, increase taxes, discourage people from getting SNAP benefits or drop the program altogether.
The changes will, in the end, make it even harder for Americans who can’t afford the bare necessities to get enough nutritious food to feed their families.
Tracy Roof does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
People shop for food in Brooklyn in 2023 at a store that makes sure that its customers know it accepts SNAP benefits, also known as food stamps and EBT. Spencer Platt/Getty Images
In my research on the history of food stamps, I’ve found that the program was meant to be widely available to most low-income people. The SNAP changes break that tradition in two ways.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that about 3 million people are likely to be dropped from the program and lose their benefits. This decline will occur in part because more people will face time limits if they don’t meet work requirements. Even those who meet the requirements may lose benefits because of difficulty submitting the necessary documents.
Inspired by the plight of unemployed coal miners whom John F. Kennedy met in Appalachia when he campaigned for the presidency in 1960, the early food stamps program was not limited to single parents with children, older people and people with disabilities, like many other safety net programs were at the time. It was supposed to help low-income people afford more and better food, regardless of their circumstances.
From the start, the states administered the program and covered some of its administrative costs and the federal government paid for the benefits in full. This arrangement encouraged states to enroll everyone who needed help without fearing the budgetary consequences.
Who could qualify and how much help they could get were set by uniform national standards, so that even the residents of the poorest states would be able to afford a budget-conscious but nutritionally adequate diet.
The federal government’s responsibility for the cost of benefits also allowed spending to automatically grow during economic downturns, when more people need assistance. These federal dollars helped families, retailers and local economies weather tough times.
The changes to the SNAP program included in the legislative package that Congress approved by narrow margins and Trump signed into law, however, will make it harder for the program to serve its original goals.
Restricting benefits
Since the early 1970s, most so-called able-bodied adults who were not caring for a child or an adult with disabilities had to meet a work requirement to get food stamps. Welfare reform legislation in 1996 made that requirement stricter for such adults between the ages of 18 and 50 by imposing a three-month time limit if they didn’t log 20 hours or more of employment or another approved activity, such as verified volunteering.
Budget legislation passed in 2023 expanded this rule to adults up to age 54. The 2025 law will further expand the time limit to adults up to age 64 and parents of children age 14 or over.
States can currently get permission from the federal government to waive work requirements in areas with insufficient jobs or unemployment above the national average. This flexibility to waive work requirements will now be significantly limited and available only where at least 1 in 10 workers are unemployed.
Concerned senators secured an exemption from the work requirements for most Native Americans and Native Alaskans, who are more likely to live in areas with limited job opportunities.
The new changes to SNAP policies will also deny benefits to many immigrants with authorization to be in the U.S., such as people granted political asylum or official refugee status. Immigrants without authorization to reside in the U.S. will continue to be ineligible for SNAP benefits.
Tracking ‘error rates’
Critics of food stamps have long argued that states lack incentives to carefully administer the program because the federal government is on the hook for the cost of benefits.
In the 1970s, as the number of Americans on the food stamp rolls soared, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the program, developed a system for assessing if states were accurately determining whether applicants were eligible for benefits and how much they could get.
A state’s “payment error rate” estimates the share of benefits paid out that were more or less than an applicant was actually eligible for. The error rate was not then and is not today a measure of fraud. Typically, it just indicates the share of families who get a higher – or lower – amount of benefits than they are eligible for because of mistakes or confusion on the part of the applicant or the case worker who handles the application.
States responded by increasing their red tape. For example, they asked applicants to submit more documentation and made them go through more bureaucratic hoops, like having more frequent in-person interviews, to get – and continue receiving – SNAP benefits.
These demands hit low-wage workers hardest because their applications were more prone to mistakes. Low-income workers often don’t have consistent work hours and their pay can vary from week to week and month to month. The number of families getting benefits fell steeply.
The USDA tried to reverse this decline by offering states options to simplify the process for applying for and continuing to get SNAP benefits over the course of the presidencies of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Enrollment grew steadily.
Despite this requirement, the national average error rate jumped from 7.4% before the pandemic, to a record high of 11.7% in 2023. Rates rose as states struggled with a surge of people applying for benefits, a shortage of staff in state welfare agencies and procedural changes.
The big legislative package will increase states’ expenses in two ways.
It will reduce the federal government’s responsibility for half of the cost of administering the program to 25% beginning in the 2027 fiscal year.
And some states will have to pay a share of benefit costs for the first time in the program’s history, depending on their payment error rates. Beginning in the 2028 fiscal year, states with an error rate between 6-8% would be responsible for 5% of the cost of benefits. Those with an error rate between 8-10% would have to pay 10%, and states with an error rate over 10% would have to pay 15%. The federal government would continue to pay all benefits in states with error rates below 6%.
Republicans argue the changes will give states more “skin in the game” and ensure better administration of the program.
While the national payment error rate fell from 11.68% in the 2023 fiscal year to 10.93% a year later, 42 states still had rates in excess of 6% in 2024. Twenty states plus the District of Columbia had rates of 10% or higher.
At nearly 25%, Alaska has the highest payment error rate in the country. But Alaska won’t be in trouble right away. To ease passage in the Senate, where the vote of Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, was in doubt, a provision was added to the bill allowing several states with the highest error rates to avoid cost sharing for up to two years after it begins.
About 600,000 individuals and families will lose an average of $100 a month in benefits because of a change in the way utility costs are treated. The law also prevents future administrations from increasing benefits beyond the cost of living, as the Biden Administration did.
States cannot cut benefits below the national standards set in federal law.
But the shift of costs to financially strapped states will force them to make tough choices. They will either have to cut back spending on other programs, increase taxes, discourage people from getting SNAP benefits or drop the program altogether.
The changes will, in the end, make it even harder for Americans who can’t afford the bare necessities to get enough nutritious food to feed their families.
Tracy Roof does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.