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G7 countries condemn Iran’s air raid on Israel

70 CEOs ask G7 leaders to support net-zero commitments

The G7 leaders vowed to continue working towards stabilising the situation and avoiding further escalation…reports Asian Lite News

Condemning Iran’s retaliatory drone and missile strikes on Israel in response to the attack on its consulate earlier this month, the leaders of the G7 countries said the Islamic nation has further ‘stepped up’ the destabilisation of the region, CNN reported, citing a joint statement released on Sunday after a virtual meeting.

“We express our full solidarity and support to Israel and its people and reaffirm our commitment towards its security,” read the statement, adding, “With its actions, Iran has further stepped toward the destabilisation of the region and risks provoking an uncontrollable regional escalation. This must be avoided.”

According to CNN, the G7 leaders vowed to continue working towards stabilising the situation and avoiding further escalation. “In this spirit, we demand that Iran and its proxies cease their attacks, and we stand ready to take further measures now and in response to further destabilising initiatives,” the statement read further.

The meeting was chaired by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

President of the European Union Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, also shared the details of the G7 meeting on her official X handle, posting, “Today, we, the G7 Leaders, condemned Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel in the strongest terms. We express our solidarity and support to the people of Israel. And reaffirm our commitment towards its security. We’ll continue to work to stabilise the situation.”

Earlier, on Saturday, marking a significant escalation of tensions in West Asia amid the raging conflict between the Israeli forces and Hamas in Gaza, Iran unleashed a barrage of projectiles towards Israel in payback for the attack on its embassy in the Syrian capital, Damascus.

In its first direct attack on Israel on Saturday night, Israel launched more than 300 drones and missiles from its territory towards the Jewish state, triggering air raid sirens throughout Israel on Sunday morning as the country’s advanced air defence intercepted and disabled the projectiles that came its way, the Times of Israel reported.

Notably, Iran and its proxies operating out of Yemen, Syria and Iraq launched more than 300 projectiles at Israel on Saturday night, including dozens of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones. (ANI)

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G7 industry ministers commit to ‘safe and reliable’ AI

70 CEOs ask G7 leaders to support net-zero commitments

The group also warned that digital technologies, including AI, are posing many complex challenges…reports Asian Lite News

Industry ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) have said that artificial intelligence (AI) is crucial for achieving sustainable development, but needs to be implemented in a balanced and safe way.

After a two-day meeting in the Italian cities of Verona and Trento, the G7 on Friday committed to achieving an appropriate balance between fostering innovation and the need for appropriate guardrails in promoting a safe, secure and trustworthy AI, Xinhua news agency reported.

“We recognize that AI and other emerging technologies, if shaped to be safe… can be pivotal for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” representatives to the meeting said in a final declaration.

These tools can have a positive impact on many sectors, and a “vast potential” to boost productivity, efficiency, business opportunities, and scientific discoveries, they said.

Meanwhile, the group also warned that digital technologies, including AI, are posing many complex challenges, including those concerning the respect of privacy, personal data protection, security and safety of intellectual property.

They also noted that online platforms, along with AI-enabled products, could be used to facilitate hate speech and disinformation, and other forms of manipulation, potentially fuelling social divides.

“These challenges and risks reinforce the need to integrate ethical considerations in relation to the development and use of such technologies,” they said.

The G7 Ministerial Meeting on Industry, Technology and Digital was chaired by Italian Under Secretary of State for Technological Innovation Alessio Butti, as Italy is holding the G7 presidency this year.

The group comprises Canada, the US, France, Germany, Italy, the UK and Japan, plus representatives of the European Union.

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BRICS Surpassing G7 in GDP: Putin

The share of BRICS will increase to 36.6 per cent by 2028, while that of the G7 will decrease to 27.8 per cent…reports Asian Lite News

The BRICS states are overtaking the G7 in terms of share in global GDP in PPP terms, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday while addressing the Federal Assembly, a media report said.

The share of BRICS will increase to 36.6 per cent by 2028, while that of the G7 will decrease to 27.8 per cent, according to estimates provided by President Putin, RT reported.

“But 10 years ago, the situation was different,” Putin said, noting that in 2022, the BRICS countries surpassed the G7 in terms of GDP in PPP terms (31.5 per cent versus 30.3 per cent), whereas back in 1992, the BRICS share was only around 16.5 per cent, RT reported.

PPP is a metric popular with many economists that compares economic productivity and standards of living between countries by adjusting for the differences in the cost of goods and services.

The BRICS group of emerging economies, which previously comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, underwent a major expansion after Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt and the UAE joined in January this year.

Saudi Arabia has also been invited and is set to become a member. Numerous other states have expressed interest in joining, while some have already formally submitted applications, RT reported.

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G7 pledges more Russia sanctions  

Finally, the G7 leaders demanded that Russia “fully clarify the circumstances” around the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny…reports Asian Lite News

The G7 countries pledged support for Ukraine and new sanctions on Russia after a virtual meeting Saturday on the second anniversary of Moscow’s invasion.

In a statement after the meeting, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also attended, the leaders vowed to “raise the cost” of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The G7 leaders didn’t make any public statement about further military aid to Ukraine, but urged “the approval of additional support to close Ukraine’s remaining budget gap for 2024.”

“We will continue to raise the cost of Russia’s war, degrade Russia’s sources of revenue and impede its efforts to build its war machine,” said the group, which includes the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Canada.

They called on Iran to stop helping Russia’s military and expressed concern about the transfer by Chinese businesses of weapon components, military equipment and dual-use materials to Moscow.

Finally, the G7 leaders demanded that Russia “fully clarify the circumstances” around the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Navalny, the most prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died in an Arctic prison last week.

After a week-long stand-off, his body was finally handed over to his mother on Saturday, according to his team.

Zelensky used the meeting to plead for more support for his embattled military forces.

“You know very well all we need to keep our sky protected, to strengthen our military on the land, and you know all we need to sustain and continue our success in the sea,” he said.

“And you know perfectly well that we need all this in time, and we count on you.”

The meeting was hosted from Kyiv by Giorgia Meloni, the prime minister of Italy, which holds the rotating G7 presidency.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen were also in Kyiv Saturday for the anniversary and attended the session in person.

It was the first meeting of the G7 under the Italian presidency.

Meloni flew to Poland, which borders Ukraine, and then took the train to Kyiv.

ALSO READ-‘Africa to have place of honor on agenda of Italy’s G7 presidency’

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‘Africa to have place of honor on agenda of Italy’s G7 presidency’

New Delhi, Sept 9 (ANI): Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during the PGII and India Middle East Europe connectivity corridor launch event, in New Delhi on Saturday. (ANI Photo)

Of the plan’s €5.5 billion budget, Meloni said “about €3 billion will come from the Italian climate fund and €2.5 billion from the development cooperation fund.”…reports Asian Lite News

Africa will have “a place of honor” on the agenda of Italy’s G7 presidency in 2024, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni pledged on Monday.

At the Italy-Africa Summit in Rome, Meloni presented the government’s Mattei Plan, which aims to transform Italy into an energy hub and stop migrants reaching the country from North Africa. The plan is named after Enrico Mattei, founder of Italy’s state-owned energy giant Eni.

The proposed strategic partnership between Italy and African countries aims to address the root causes of irregular migration and turn Italy into a hub for energy supplies from Africa to Europe as the latter tries to reduce its dependency on Russian oil and gas after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The plan aims to position Italy as “a bridge between Africa and Europe, funneling energy north while exchanging investment in the south for deals aimed at curbing migrant departures across the Mediterranean Sea,” Giulio Tremonti, president of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Italian Chamber of Deputies, told Arab News.

Initial funding of the plan will be of €5.5 billion ($5.9 billion). Some of it will be loans, with investments focused on energy, agriculture, water, health and education in African countries.

Twenty-five African leaders and top representatives of the EU, including EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Speaker of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, attended the summit, which was held in the Plenary Hall of the Italian Senate in the presence of Italian entrepreneurs and lawmakers.

At the event, which was attended by Arab News, Meloni said Italy is making a “precise foreign policy choice, which will lead to giving Africa a place of honor on the agenda of our G7 presidency.”

She added: “We’re aware of how interconnected the destiny of our continents is, and … it’s possible to imagine and write a new chapter in our relations involving cooperation between equals that’s a long way removed from any predatory temptation and charitable approach.”

Of the plan’s €5.5 billion budget, Meloni said “about €3 billion will come from the Italian climate fund and €2.5 billion from the development cooperation fund.”

Pilot projects contemplated under the plan include the creation of a vocational training center on renewable energy in Morocco, education projects in Tunisia, and projects giving greater access to healthcare in Ivory Coast.

Tunisia and Ivory Coast were respectively the second and third most common country of origin of migrants and refugees arriving in Italy by sea in 2023.

“Sharing is one of the cardinal principles of the Mattei Plan, and the work of this summit will be decisive in enriching the path,” said Meloni, adding that projects are also foreseen in Algeria and Egypt, among other countries.

Von der Leyen said the Mattei Plan “is an important contribution to this new phase of our partnership with Africa, and complements our European Global Gateway” project that aims to mobilize €150 billion in funding to support green and digital transitions in Africa.

“The interests and destinies of Africa and Europe are aligned more than ever before,” she added, pointing to clean energy, the fight against the climate crisis, employment, and preventing loss of life along migration routes by addressing the root causes of migration and combating people smugglers.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the summit “intends to strengthen a dialogue between equals in order to look together at the challenges of today and tomorrow.”

He added: “We live in a context of three wars, in which even the situation in the Red Sea has strategic and economic repercussions on African countries as well as for us.”

For this reason, he said, the summit has “strong strategic value,” reiterating that Italy’s G7 presidency “intends to be a factor of stability and partnership with Africa.”

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‘G7 Requires Support of S. Korea and Australia’

South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin (R) speaks during a meeting with Uzbek scholars and experts at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on June 3, 2023, in this photo released by the foreign ministry.) (Yonhap/IANS)

The G7 consists of the US, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, Yonhap news agency reported…reports Asian Lite News

Seoul’s top diplomat on Wednesday urged the need for democratic and advanced countries like South Korea and Australia to support and cooperate with the G7 economic powers.

Foreign Minister Park Jin made the remarks at a conference hosted by the NEAR Foundation, an independent think-tank specialising in Northeast Asia, calling on “advanced democratic countries” to play their roles so that the international society moves toward the path of freedom, democracy and other universal values.

“Since its launch, the Yoon Suk Yeol government has expanded its international role and responsibility as the world’s eighth country in terms of its status and power on par with the advanced G7 countries,” he said.

“The G7 requires the participation and support of countries like South Korea and Australia, which have faithfully accomplished democracy and developed into advanced economies,” he added.

The G7 consists of the US, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, Yonhap news agency reported.

He also stressed that South Korea is in an ideal position as a “bridge” country between developed and developing nations across the world.

“South Korea is in the ideal position to play the role of a bridge between the Global North and the Global South, as well as the Global East and the Global West,” he said.

At the conference, Richard Haass, president emeritus of the US Council on Foreign Relations, stressed the need for democratic countries to set rules that push back against “cyber interference” in their internal affairs, noting Taiwan’s presidential election next month, South Korea’s parliamentary election in April and Washington’s presidential election in November next year.

“It is in our collective self-interest to figure out how it is we protect our democratic processes and push back against those — Russia, leading among them, but also others, like North Korea and China — who would interfere with them,” he added.

NSAs to meet in Seoul

The National Security Advisers of South Korea, the US and Japan will meet in Seoul this weekend to discuss trilateral cooperation on North Korea, and other regional and global issues, the Presidential office said on Wednesday.

The meeting between National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong and his US and Japanese counterparts, Jake Sullivan and Takeo Akiba, respectively, will be held on Saturday in line with an agreement reached by President Yoon Suk Yeol, US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during their Camp David summit in August, Yonhap news agency reported.

The three sides plan to have “in-depth” discussions on ways their countries can work together trilaterally on regional security issues, including North Korea, global issues and economic security, the Presidential office said in a press statement.

On Saturday, Cho and Sullivan will lead the inaugural session of the Next Generation Critical and Emerging Technologies Dialogue, which Yoon and Biden agreed to establish during their bilateral summit in April.

On Friday, Cho will hold bilateral meetings with Sullivan and Akiba to discuss issues of mutual interest.

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G7 calls on Houthis to stop threats to shipping

The Houthis have launched a series of drone and missile strikes targeting Israel since Hamas militants poured over the border into Israel on October 7…reports Asian Lite News

G7 foreign ministers called Wednesday on Iran-backed Houthi rebels to cease threats to international shipping and to release a vessel they seized earlier this month.

“Emphasizing the importance of maritime security, we call on all parties not to threaten or interfere with lawful exercise of navigational rights and freedoms by all vessels,” a statement released by G7 chair Japan read.

“We especially call on the Houthis to immediately cease attacks on civilians and threats to international shipping lanes and commercial vessels and release the M/V Galaxy Leader and its crew, illegally seized from international waters on November 19,” it added.

The Houthis have launched a series of drone and missile strikes targeting Israel since Hamas militants poured over the border into Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping about 240.

Gaza’s Hamas government says that almost 15,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory ground and air operation.

On November 17, Houthis seized Israeli-linked cargo vessel the Galaxy Leader and its 25 international crew at the entrance to the Red Sea.

On Sunday, two ballistic missiles were launched from an area controlled by Houthi rebels in Yemen, landing around 10 nautical miles from US destroyer the USS Mason, according to the Pentagon.

The USS Mason and other allied ships were responding to the boarding of a tanker ship off the Yemeni port city of Aden by five armed people — believed to be Somalis — who fled in a small boat and were detained, the Pentagon said.

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G7 Meet Vows to Counter China’s Illegitimate Tech Transfer

The group called on China to stop assisting Russia in its war against Ukraine….reports Asian Lite News

Foreign Ministers from the G7 countries–Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the European Union and the United States pledged to counter China’s ‘malign’ practices of illegitimate technology transfer and tackle economic coercion.

“We will seek to address the challenges posed by China’s non-market policies and practices, which distort the global economy. We will counter malign practices, such as illegitimate technology transfer or data disclosure. We will foster resilience to economic coercion. We also recognise the necessity of protecting certain advanced technologies that could be used to threaten our national security without unduly limiting trade and investment,” read the joint statement of G7 countries.

The group also called on China to stop assisting Russia in its war against Ukraine.

The statement read, “We call on China to act as a responsible member of the international community. In this regard, we welcome China’s participation in the Ukraine-led peace process. We further call on China not to assist Russia in its war against Ukraine, to press Russia to stop its military aggression, and to support a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”

The G7 Foreign Ministers also underscored their call on China to abide by the international laws and principles of the UN Charter and expressed their concern over the forced attempts to change geographical areas.

The Joint statement said, “We underscore that China has a responsibility to uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter in their entirety. We remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas, strongly opposing any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion.”

It said further, “We reemphasize the universal and unified character of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and reaffirm UNCLOS’s important role in setting out the legal framework that governs all activities in the oceans and the seas. We reiterate that the award rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal on July 12, 2016, is a significant milestone, which is legally binding upon the parties to those proceedings, and a useful basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties.”

The leaders also reaffirmed their stand on Taiwan’s peace and stability and expressed their concern over human rights violations in China.

They said, “We reaffirm the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as indispensable to security and prosperity in the international community and call for the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues. There is no change in the basic position of the G7 members on Taiwan, including the stated one China policies.”

The G7 ministers also reiterated their support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organisations, including in the World Health Assembly and WHO technical meetings.

They also raised concerns over the human rights situation in China, including in Xinjiang and Tibet.

“We call on China to act in accordance with its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and not to conduct interference activities, aimed at undermining the security and safety of our communities, the integrity of our democratic institutions, and our economic prosperity,” added the statement. (ANI)

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G7 Foreign Ministers to gather for united response to Middle-East, Ukraine

Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly will arrive in Japan on Tuesday for the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting where he will be addressing developments in the Middle East…reports Asian Lite News

Foreign ministers from G7 countries–Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the European Union and the United States–will meet in Tokyo this week to discuss the Israel-Hamas war and the Ukraine conflict, while making efforts to prevent a regional conflagration.

Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly will arrive in Japan on Tuesday for the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting where he will be addressing developments in the Middle East, including to prevent a damaging and destabilising regional escalation and further violence.

At G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Tokyo, the UK Foreign Secretary will meet G7 Foreign Ministers, including the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoko Kamikawa, to also discuss the UK’s long-term commitment to the Indo-Pacific region.

At the Group of Seven (G7) bloc of wealthy democracies conference, James Cleverly will discuss the situation in Middle East and prevent a damaging and destabilising regional escalation and further violence.

Also on the agenda is collective support for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia’s illegal invasion and help secure a lasting peace.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said that the UK and our allies are meeting to discuss the crisis in Israel and Gaza and avoiding further regional escalations.

“Alongside G7 partners, we’ll also be addressing other priorities ranging from Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine to climate change, economic security and global trade,” the release stated.

At the G7, the Foreign Ministers will also discuss the need to maintain collective support for Ukraine and how international support from the UK and other G7 partners can be used most strategically to help Ukrainian forces continue their progress on the battlefield and secure a lasting peace.

“The UK continues to support the Ukrainian government in the face of this assault on their sovereignty and territorial integrity. Alongside the international community, we stand against this naked aggression and for freedom, democracy and the sovereignty of nations around the world,” the statement added.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said, “The UK and Japan share many closely held values, including an enduring commitment to freedom and democracy, and it is an honour to visit Tokyo during such a milestone year for our defence relationship” .

“We will be driving forward progress on two major defence and security treaties, which will protect both our peoples and bring our nations closer together than ever before,” the UK press release said.

Foreign and Defence Secretaries of the United Kingdom will be meeting Japanese counterparts to strengthen security partnerships following signing of Hiroshima Accord earlier this year.

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna will also be in Japan on November 6 to 8 for the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

The Minister will reiterate Paris’ condemnation of Hamas’s acts and the imperative need to release the hostages.

On the sidelines of the G7 meeting, the Minister will meet with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa to discuss bilateral relations as well as top international issues. (ANI)

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BRICS now richer than G7, says Putin

The Russian leader further said that the move clearly reflects the ongoing formation of a new multipolar world…reports Asian Lite News

The BRICS nations have overtaken G7 states in terms of the purchasing power parity (PPP) of their populations, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday in an interview.

“As for BRICS, at the time of the summit in Johannesburg [in August], the ratio of the economies of the G7 countries and the BRICS countries was already in favour of BRICS in terms of purchasing power parity,” Putin said.

BRICS currently comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, but the group will be joined in January by Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

The G7 club of industrialised and developed countries consists of the US, Canada, the UK, France, Italy, Germany, and Japan.

Putin said that the BRICS expansion will prove beneficial to the group, which has historically positioned itself as an alternative to Western-dominated international institutions, RT reported.

The Russian leader further said that the move clearly reflects the ongoing formation of a new multipolar world.

“This means that every country joining BRICS supports the idea and concept of forming a multipolar world, as none wants to be on the sidelines of a ruler, seeking equal relations,” he said.

Earlier this year, UK-based economic research firm Acorn Macro Consulting reported that BRICS member nations had surpassed the G7 in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) based on PPP.

According to the analysts, the five BRICS nations accounted for nearly 31.5 per cent of global GDP, compared to 30.7 per cent for the G7, RT reported.

Meanwhile, the India-based Megh Updates platform has stated that BRICS countries have officially overtaken G7 in the share of world PPP GDP and that this trend can be expected to continue.

The current BRICS five now contribute 31.5% of global GDP, while the G7 share has fallen to 30%. The BRICS is expected to contribute over 50% of global GDP by 2030, with the proposed enlargement almost certainly bringing that forward. China’s GDP actually overtook that of the United States in 2015 when comparing economies in purchasing parity terms.

Recently, the group admitted six new members: Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and to consider other prospective countries. Strongly supported by China and Russia, the inclusion of Iran has strengthened the anti-US axis in the BRICS—probably making it more antagonistic and more challenging for the United States and the West to deal with it as an organization which contains two internationally sanctioned members. This decision reflects the sway of China together with Russia in the group and could not be very comfortable for moderate members like India and Brazil.

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