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Lebanon Seeks to Distance State from Hezbollah After Cyprus Drone Incident

                                                         File photo: Youssef Ragg Lebanon has urged Cypriot authorities and the public not to conflate the Lebanese state with Hezbollah following a drone strike that originated from Lebanese territory and hit Cyprus six days earlier. Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi emphasized that the attack was carried out independently by Hezbollah and does not reflect the policies, values, or intentions of the Lebanese government.  Raggi stressed that Lebanon rejects any attempt to use its territory for external agendas and reiterated that Hezbollah’s actions fall outside the state’s legal authority. He called on Cyprus to distinguish between the official Lebanese government and groups operating autonomously, noting that Lebanon has consistently affirmed its sovereignty ...
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Trump Warns of 10% Tariff Hike on BRICS-Aligned Nations Amid Brazil Summit

As BRICS leaders convened in Rio de Janeiro for their annual summit, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning: any country aligning with what he called the bloc’s “Anti-American policies” would face an additional 10% tariff on exports to the United States.

The announcement, made via Trump’s Truth Social account, came just hours after BRICS leaders released a joint statement criticizing rising protectionism and unilateral tariffs, which they argued threaten global trade stability. Trump’s post did not clarify which specific policies he deemed anti-American, but emphasized that “there will be no exceptions” to the new tariff rule.

The BRICS bloc—originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—has expanded in recent years to include countries like Egypt, Iran, and the UAE. With over half the world’s population and 40% of global economic output, the group is increasingly positioning itself as a counterweight to Western-led institutions.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, hosting the summit, likened BRICS to the Cold War-era Non-Aligned Movement, calling for greater autonomy and multilateralism in global governance. Meanwhile, Trump’s administration is racing to finalize trade deals ahead of a July 9 deadline, after which retaliatory tariffs are expected to take effect.

The move signals a renewed escalation in global trade tensions, with Trump doubling down on his “America First” stance as the BRICS bloc gains diplomatic momentum.

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