International

Members of the BRICS alliance call for reform of the UN and more prominence for Latin America and Asia

The countries of the BRICS group called on Wednesday in Kazan for a UN reform, including its Security Council, and a greater role for Latin America, Asia and Africa in world affairs.

“We insist on our support for the reform of the UN, including its Security Council, in order to increase its democracy, representativeness, effectiveness (…) and also the expansion of the presence of developing countries in all categories of Council membership,” says the final statement of the summit held in Kazan.

In addition, it highlights the need to apply “geographical justice” when forming the secretariat of the United Nations and other international organizations.

The BRICS stressed the importance of African, Asian and Latin American countries playing a more significant role in the management of global affairs.

“New centers of strength”

The declaration highlights the emergence of “new centers of strength”, which, according to the group of emerging economies, contributes to the emergence of a “more just, democratic and balanced” world order.

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While condemning unilateral sanctions, he defended cooperation in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms in strict accordance with the principles of equality and mutual respect.

But, he added, that human rights include the right to just and equitable development of all countries.
The final declaration also approves the associate-state category, although the summit did not address the expected enlargement of the group requested by countries such as Turkey, Azerbaijan or Cuba.

BRICS, a group founded in 2006 that held its first summit in 2009, is made up of Russia, China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Ethiopia.

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International

Security Council to Hold Emergency Meeting on Middle East Crisis

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday condemned the “military escalation in the Middle East” following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes, just hours before an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.

“I call for the immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation,” Guterres said in a statement.

The Security Council is scheduled to meet on Saturday at 21:00 GMT (4:00 p.m. in New York) to address “the situation in the Middle East,” the United Nations announced.

The meeting, during which Guterres will deliver remarks, was convened at the request of France, Bahrain, Colombia, Russia and China, according to a diplomatic source.

International

Trump Floats “Friendly Takeover” of Cuba Amid Rising Tensions

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration is considering what he described as a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, as Washington continues to increase pressure on the island’s communist government.

“The Cuban government is talking to us and they have very serious problems, as you know. They have no money, they have nothing at this moment, but they are talking to us and maybe we will see a friendly takeover of Cuba,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for a trip to Texas.

Earlier in the week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Cuba needed a “radical change,” shortly after Washington eased restrictions on oil exports to the island for what officials described as “humanitarian reasons,” amid a deep economic crisis.

The United States has imposed an energy blockade on Cuba since January, citing what it calls an “extraordinary threat” posed by the communist-run island, located roughly 150 kilometers (90 miles) off the coast of Florida, to U.S. national security.

International

Argentina’s Senate Reviews Milei-Backed Labor Overhaul

Argentina’s Senate on Friday began reviewing the Labor Modernization Law promoted by the administration of President Javier Milei, a proposal that would significantly reshape labor rules across the country.

The upper chamber opened its final discussion of the contentious initiative, which revises the method used to calculate severance payments — lowering the amounts owed in dismissal cases — and introduces an “hour bank” mechanism that allows overtime to be offset with paid leave rather than extra wages.

The legislation also broadens the classification of essential services, a change that would place new limits on the right to strike in designated sectors.

The bill was initially approved by the Senate on February 11 and then moved to the Chamber of Deputies, where lawmakers passed it with amendments. It has now returned to the Senate for definitive approval.

Outside the Congress building in Buenos Aires, workers, trade unions and left-wing organizations staged demonstrations beginning at midday. The gathering later thinned out amid reports of disturbances and a strong police presence. Security forces had secured the area surrounding the legislature since early morning hours.

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Union leaders contend that the reform weakens labor protections, while many business representatives back the measure but stress that sustainable formal employment will require economic expansion, improved credit conditions, greater investment and a more dynamic domestic market.