Uzbekistan and Jordan Agree on Uranium and Mineral Exploration
Uzbekistan and Jordan have signed agreements to cooperate in exploring uranium, copper, rare metals, and other critical mineral deposits....
BRICS leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro have condemned attacks on Iran, Gaza and Kashmir, while presenting the expanded bloc as a rising force for multilateralism in a world dominated by U.S.-led policies.
At the summit held at Rio's Museum of Modern Art on Sunday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva invoked the legacy of the Cold War’s Non-Aligned Movement, describing BRICS as its successor amid what he called renewed threats to global autonomy and diplomacy.
“BRICS is the heir to the Non-Aligned Movement,” Lula told assembled leaders. “With multilateralism under attack, our autonomy is in check once again.”
The group, which now includes 11 member states after adding Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE last year, collectively represents more than half the global population and 40% of world economic output. This is the first BRICS summit to include Indonesia as a full member.
While Chinese President Xi Jinping was absent—sending Premier Li Qiang in his place—and Russian President Vladimir Putin attended online due to an ICC arrest warrant, leaders from India, South Africa, and host nation Brazil were present. More than 30 additional nations have expressed interest in joining the bloc.
In a joint statement released Sunday, BRICS leaders condemned attacks on Iranian nuclear and civilian infrastructure and expressed “grave concern” over Israel’s operations in Gaza. They also denounced a “terrorist attack” in Indian-administered Kashmir.
On trade, the bloc issued a pointed warning that the “indiscriminate rising in tariffs” threatens global commerce—a veiled critique of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff-driven trade strategy. The statement also backed Ethiopia and Iran’s accession to the World Trade Organization and urged a revival of its dispute resolution mechanisms.
As BRICS positions itself as a voice for the Global South, Lula renewed calls to reform international bodies like the United Nations Security Council and the IMF to reflect “the new multipolar reality of the 21st century”.
Despite internal differences, BRICS said it's advancing new initiatives, including a Multilateral Guarantees mechanism via the New Development Bank aimed at lowering investment risk and boosting development finance.
On climate, Brazil has used the summit to amplify the Global South’s role in conservation. Officials said China and the UAE signalled support for Brazil’s proposed Tropical Forests Forever Facility, a fund targeting forest protection globally, in talks with Finance Minister Fernando Haddad.
The summit's tone and declarations suggest BRICS is broadening its global influence as a counterweight to traditional Western-dominated institutions, even as questions remain over the cohesion of its increasingly diverse membership.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
Video from the USGS (United States Geological Survey) showed on Friday (19 September) the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupting and spewing lava.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on 13 September with no tsunami threat, coming just weeks after the region endured a devastating 8.8-magnitude quake — the strongest since 1952.
A U.S. citizen has been released from Kabul after a senior U.S. delegation led by Adam Boehler, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, met with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul.
The Warsaw Security Forum is kicking off in Poland on Monday, bringing together defence ministers, security experts, and international policymakers to discuss pressing global security challenges.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned on Monday that Europe cannot afford a war with Russia, but if its leaders were to trigger one, it could spiral into a conflict involving weapons of mass destruction.
Sweden will support Denmark with military anti-drone capabilities in connection with summits in Copenhagen this week, after drone sightings last week forced Denmark to shut several airports, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Monday.
Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met in Warsaw on Monday (29 September) within the Weimar Triangle framework.
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