any closer moment because people are expecting and these people can not be in the field if they cannot, did kids the time and energy resources to take care of that we are headed to once another disaster with those in conflict areas unable to go back home and farm and those displays by drought losing their livelihoods. millions more could be at greater risk. here. morgan, alta, xerox. ah, this is al jazeera and these are the top stories. ukraine has taken a major step towards membership of the european union after the leaders of member states voted to give the war torn country you candidate status. president volota mir zalinski has hailed the decision as historic. although by has been given the same status. the u. s. supreme court has handed down a landmark victory to gun rights advocates. it ruled that restrictions put in place

by new york state on carrying concealed handguns and public are unconstitutional. as governor of state of new york, my number one priority is to keep new yorker safe. but to day, the supreme court is sending us backwards in our efforts to protect families and prevent gun violence and is particularly painful that this came down. at this moment. we're still dealing with families in pain from mass shootings that have occurred the loss of life, their beloved children and grandchildren. today, this free court struck down in new york law that limits who can carry concealed weapons. the u. s. house select committee is holding its 5th hearing into last year storming of the capital building. the committee heard how then president donald trump made almost daily calls to the justice department with allegations of voter fraud. search and search and rescue operations had ended in some major regions of afghanistan. after the country's worst,

earthquake and 20 years. at least 1500 people have been killed. the taliban governments made an urgent appeal for international help. survivors are desperate for food, shelter and drinking water. iran has dismissed the powerful chief of its revolutionary guards, intelligence service, stay tv reported hussein ty, abs dismissal, but gave no further details. time worked at the office of iran supreme leader ali how many before becoming intelligence chief in 2009. indigenous protesters in ecuador have taken over a cultural centre in kito that had been sealed off by the security forces for a week. after 11 days of a nationwide strike against government policies and the rising cost of living, the occupation has been celebrated as a victory by the protesters. the house of culture has traditionally given shelter to indigenous demonstrators when they come to the capital. but the government had blocked access as it strives to contain the protests. those of the headlines, the news continued here on al jazeera, after inside story. ah,

the chinese president falls against expanding military alliances and weapon as in economic sanctions. the jumping may, the commons at a brick summit, attended by valentin, are put in, but want leverage. does this group with emerging economies build on the world stage? this is insight story. ah . hello and welcome to the program. i'm hashem,

abala the world's top 5 emerging economies, brazil, russia, india, china, and south africa are holding their annual summit virtually for the 3rd time this year. due to the pandemic, the bricks meeting is taking place against a complex geo political backdrop from the war in ukraine and trade disputes between china and the u. asked a global economy trying to recover from the fall out of coven 90 and pandemic. chinese president z jumping hosting this year's summit has criticized the west handling of the ukraine crisis and called for coordination to prevent disruptions to the global economic recovery. 6 years. i don't mean it has been proven time. and again, that sanctions are a boomerang, and a double edged sword to politicize, instrumental eyes and weaponized, the global economy. and to wilfully impose sanctions by taking advantage of one's dominant status in the international financial and monetary systems will only end

up hurting one owns interest. as well as those of others and inflict suffering on people around the world for dina, put in, it was an opportunity to showcase his online support. china, india, and south africa have so far declined to criticize the invasion of ukraine and giving you to confirm that if you will contact between russian business circles and the business community of the bricks, countries are being activated. for example, the negotiations are under way to open indian supermarket chains in russia about to increase the share of chinese cars, equipments, and machinery. in our market. in turn, the russian presence in the countries of the 5 is expanding the volumes of russian oil deliveries to china and india. our growing not assimilation corporation in the field of agriculture is developing dynamically. russia export significant volumes of frontier lasers to the bricks. countries. russian id companies that are

expanding their activities in india and south africa and our satellites are already providing tv broadcast to 40000000 people in brazil. so what's bricks? brazil, russia, india, china, and south africa and association of the world's 5 major emerging economies. together the countries form a powerful economic block representing 41 percent of the world's population. they account for 24 percent of the global g d p. that's the total value of goods produced and service has provided in the world a year. and 16 percent of the value of global trade the let's bring it, i guess in beijing i nod, tongan is a senior fellow of the ty institute in cape town. solution i do is a senior research fellow of the institute for global dialogue, a south african thinktank, focusing on china and africa in williamsburg virginia. nancy snow is

a visiting distinguished professor at cinco diversities walsman scholars program. welcome to the program. i know when the chinese lead talks during the talks about the need to boost moll tie lateral corporation and asked the brief the bricks to condemn or to reject what he described as a cold war mentality and block confrontation was he sending a message to the biden administration well i think it's more than just by now. i think he's sending a message to the world. right now. there are so many issues and problems out there that talking about ideology at a time when the world needs a blueprint. we're looking at long term global warming, short term, we have inflation, we have worse, and we are about to experience probably a global recession. it's going to drive developing countries into the ground.

you've seen that already with sir a lanka, and it's necessary for them to be, as i said, an adult in the room. and he's in essence asking the bricks to be the leaders. given that there's been a default from the devout world cynita. this summit is held against the backdrop of extraordinary geo political landscape. now that the general assumption was basically that the bricks is an organization trying to shot its own path independently from the influence of key players. the russians on one hand, the americans on the other, but there is a, a feeling that bricks is moving to more towards supporting russia. a good day. i think that sense that you get that russia will be a key actor and try and influence and strategically push the bricks towards some kind of overall support. i mean, you, you get the sense that it's on the one hand,

the perception that is being driven in terms of the global narrative that the other brick countries will have to show support to russia because russia is a member of the bricks. and therefore there's this kind of overall overarching support for one of its members. but i think it was also important to bear in mind is that the bricks country is realized, particularly china, india. so africa, brazil, how much the, the, the effect of what's happening in terms of where the global political arena is and the kind of implications we see. as mentioned in terms of the economic security and the kind of recession we are kind of, we are heading to in the global economy makes it very difficult to say that we only are going to support one country in this. i think all of the countries in the bricks realize how important it is to try and stabilize the global political arena . and the fact that the global development agenda and the overall global economic architecture is in a tailspin and is very fragile and unstable. at the moment,

nancy, on the other hand, the americans widely believe that against the backdrop of the strained relations between the us and china, the chinese are likely to use the block of bricks to further advance their own political agenda at the expense of the geo political interest of the united states of america right and greetings from williamsburg virginia on the campus of william and barry where i'm presently attending a conference on china's global influence. i think that multi lateral dialogue, whether it's happening in the bricks or it's happening with the quad. if it's going on we've, we've got so many global issues. i would agree with the 1st speaker that this really shouldn't be a new cold war. it's an interesting phenomenon though, to have india's participation. because weeks ago i was being interviewed about the

quad meeting. right in tokyo where i live most of the time and india is playing more of this mediator role. it's not alone either. there are many countries that don't really want to choose sides that want to work when all the local players, including the great powers and don't really want to get into the city. a logical divides. think there's a lot of pessimism about what we can do together in on the global comments. i don't share that pessimistic outlook, but i think there is that feeling now with the rise of global recession, with a lot of human suffering that people really are questioning the leadership. are we going to see a peaceful resolution in ukraine, or we're going to be able to come together as a global humanity of people beyond just nation states and power politics.

i not says this is all about optics. now if you look at the event itself and the way it's viewed, now this is putting 1st meeting with hands of key and major economies since the start of the war in ukraine and for many the, the west in particular. this is a platform for putting to tell the international community that isolation sanctions a back fighting since i have the backing some of the key international players. well, i don't think that he does have the backing. you'll note the speeches that follow. they avoided the issue of russia. i was only shooting, pointed out that it was by the ukraine situation was avoidable if they had not backed russia into a corner and making, in essence, russia feel that they'd have to fight other than everyone kind of steer clear. so

this idea that they're supporting russia or they're going to support the us, it's nonsense. each one of these nations is looking for their own daylight. mean brazil talking about, you know, look, they're open to any kind of economic wa, peroration, india talked about poverty. i mean, i mean, and africa talked about poverty. india talked about the event itself at this juncture, it should not be about who side you're on. the world is in crisis. i mean the number one issue even in developed countries, is inflation. and i guess people have a right to question their leaders me right now. i mean with inflationary pressure due to a shortage of oil and food. there are, there, are there pumping up be rates the fed is pumping up the rates that is not going to do produce one, but barrel oil or one basket full week. so i mean,

it seems kind of odd that they're continuing to do like the last war and they're and they're not getting gaining traction sonata. i mean, of the same time since we're talking about about this geopolitical order. the west has been hoping to put more sanctions on russia to or to pressure the russian leader into political concessions. now when they see that the chinese, that the indians are particularly trying to tap into this void by buying oil and gas at a cheaper rate from the russian. this is somehow it's seen as a pushback. i guess the sanctions by filling the coffers of the, of the russian budget. yeah, i mean, you know, the point here is that you are trying to promo and push countries into a particular kind of optics and narrative and a particular trajectory. and i think the question is,

everybody's looking out for themselves. i think i completely agree with the 1st speaker that everybody is worried about what the impact is happening on the ground in terms of the fact that uncle is mentioned. but i want to bring it back to africa just looking at the impact that this has having on african economies on africa is access to food on value chains on commodity prices. and all of that, i mean, this interest rate approach and trying to beat inflation through increasing interest rates. anesthetic measures is not working out. and i think the challenge right now is this fixation that you've got to use sanctions in a vertical way in the region that i live in southern africa. we saw what sanctions did to zimbabwe. we saw what sanctions has done to ordinary people's lives in zimbabwe. because they were being held and being punished for what their political leaders deduct able are not able to do and they, and took the country into a crisis because of their lack of governance. so i think this is something you have

to really think about in terms of the fact is, are you really going to be challenging russia, or you're basically creating a deeper crisis of, of, of, of people's lives and livelihoods. that's going to become even more undesirable. and we're going to see a situation become untenable. nancy, with a combined population of more than 3000000000 people and it combines you'd, if you're more than 20 to 3 trillion, this is a massive political and economic leverage. do you think the brooks is trying to present itself as an alternative to the g 7 or could potentially be one of those blocks trying to mediate between the west and russia, west and the 3rd world? well, it's a little too soon to tell, but i think it's clear now because of all of our interconnectedness that we've got to come up with some other resolutions of problems and sanctions will only go so far. there's going to be a lot of compassion,

fatigue coming forward if the russian invasion of ukraine is saying is going on for years. people are really getting hurt from across the globe and poor countries and poor people are getting hurt the most. and i'd like to add it's, you know, living in japan, japan has been very involved in africa as has china. and japan is going forward with t k a, which is the tokyo international conference on african development meeting in tunisia. the end of august, they're not going to just be talking about vaccine diplomacy. they're going to talk about these international issues, these geo political realities. and they're very troublesome. they're weighing on all of us. so whether or not the bricks is positioning itself as an alternative to g 7. doesn't really matter to me, i'd like to see more peace and resolution and

a stronger economy and sustainability and the players involved. you know, if they are going to look at the, again, global comments, issues, climate change, the stain, ability of that and food and security. now then, then i'm all for it. and we need more of these multilateral dialogues. as i said earlier, not less, i not since it was established in 2009, we don't get a sense that brooks has managed to achieve and a lasting legacy in terms of the pledges. and the promises made initially was it mainly because of the absence of cohesion between the key members. i'll give you an example when you, when you look at india and china, both members of brit, they have been having very, very difficult moments in the, in the recent history. absolutely, and it doesn't seem to be an end in sight. but the issue right now is i think all 3

of us agree. this is a situation where, you know, you need lifelines. this isn't about ideology. you don't care who, who sent you a flotation device. you're drowning. this is really life or death. i mean, long term climate change we use, we already seeing the devastating effects of habit and it's adding to the food chain woes. i mean, india is having a difficult time. they thought that they could export wheat. now it's not clear that they'll be even able to, they might have to import. and that means that the price is going to go up globally and you're had the same thing happen. the united states which wheat harvest got very mushy towards the end there after very dry season. and you know, these types of insecurities are what are really important to you. i cannot eat, i cannot live. i do not have energy, i cannot operate my economy. i mean the,

these are the things that have to be dealt with. now, not, not ideology. china has simply said, look, we have a blueprint that has worked in terms of co good insurance with our economy. it's not about ideology. it is time to get realistic in terms of it. what this group is doing is trying to fill the vacuum. i don't know that they will be able to do it unless they get a larger group, there can be more cohesive. i do think that they can do some things in terms of infrastructure. you know, it's actually better to have, not better. it's less costly to have alternative energy than coal. but you have to make that additional investment right now that isn't, they are coming from the west. it could come from out of bricks because of the banks, and they have the methods and money to do what they do as opposed to the you know, the west, it, you are biden had 3 summits. we're still trying to figure out what all these

frameworks are gonna add up to so far, nothing solution to move forward. you need at least to be able to have a share vision. i mentioned india and china for the simple reason. in 2020, they were on the verge of a major military confrontation. there was violence on the border between the 2 countries, and that is a prevailing sentiment among the indians. for example, that the chinese will always use black for such as bricks to further advance their own political ads. you political clout, dear. see the indians open to the very notion of expanding bricks for the sole reason of diluting the impact of the chinese. i mean, i think the issue of what china has done in innovating the bricks plus and now including some very important and strategic countries from the global south. and in particular, argentina, including nigeria, synagogue, egypt from africa, i think does actually raise questions in terms of that cohesiveness we spoke about

. and the fact that the more that you have a membership that's able to come together in terms of what is here and now and how we need to deal with that will be important. i think for india, as, as i would like to think for said africa, they still mulling over the issue of what this expansion will mean for them. for, for example, in the context of africa. if you look at africa, the only as the only african voice and the member in the bricks as well as in the g 20, there is a discussion happening about whether that should be expanded to increase more of the african voice in terms of the leverage and the engagement, but i think it's a question again now not to see it only in the context of what impact that that has on the, on the fact that some countries may not want it because they want to preserve their, their kind of membership within the brakes. but i think it's right now about collaboration cooperation. if you look at the document that the chinese i put out for this years brick summit and it talks about the kind of fostering of engagements

and the kind of ushering of a new development agenda or paradigm. i think the challenges is you can't be exclusive anymore. you've got to now be a be seen to be inclusive, and that's key. ok where you want to be as the bricks? nancy was set aside the. the difference is the political differences between the key players of the bricks and you look at the most persisting issues, particularly the fall out of the war in ukraine, the high inflation, the grain supplies, which have been disrupted with our wellness in as potential triggers over prolonged recession in the future, could this extraordinary geopolitical moment be the time when briggs has to reinvent itself to be able to move forward and to adapt to this new reality is well, i just want to piggyback on what she was just saying. i think there's a lot of promise to not fraternity here, and because there are a lot more countries that really want to seat around the table,

they want to have their representative point of view. they're thinking beyond just national interest, their thinking regionally, globally. that's a real positive aspect, and that's the thing about crisis. we are clearly in a global crisis on so many levels. and that's when you step up and you have a reckoning. so i'm feeling more optimistic even though my heart sinks over all of the human suffering. but we've got to come together and i like what i'm hearing about getting beyond 80 ology. we're all human beings sitting on this panel talking to you. and the more that we can have these common interests, the shared interest and values of all the better. because these, these problems are just going to become more chronic if we engage in too much of an india logical warfare. i wish the world was free of ideology. however, i have to keep asking those questions because this is the reality on the ground. i

know when you look at china and the us, the seem pretty much to be on a collision course because the americans made it quite clear that the fall of this message is concerned. they see china as the biggest threat, threat to stability and to the american interest in the near future. cause this be something that could undermine the chances for bricks to fly and stay together. know quite the opposite. what we witness is a multi whole arity in action. i mean, the united states is not calling the shots. the president biden had a meeting with boston r o. he is going to have a meeting with m b. s. people who call names before people who question the presidency in boston our case and you know, that's almost unheard of in the past. us precedents didn't swallow their pride and go around, they would dictate things or move things around or threaten you with the us. the i

am out for world bank or something like that, know, 8, the more that the us in the mind of the global south and central asia actually radically is talking about ideology when people need food. that is going to actually push up their desire to have any entity, right, including bricks, shepherd with some sort of plan. i agree. we are at a crisis. and this talking about how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. it's not going to feed one person solution or 2 and a very positive note breaks. could it stand in the future a somehow a failure stepping in providing food to the world. i think we've got to move away from this idea that there's going to be one group that's going to save the world. i think it's about the multi, multi polarity, the multi lateral and how do you strengthen that?

if you look at the bricks, there's, there's a consistency in the theme in the, in the narrative. stories about strengthen the multilateral. it's about strengthening the un. it's about the strengthening the w t. o. so i think we've got to be careful in assuming that the bricks is going to be the savior. i think the bricks is going to be evolving, and when it evolved, it's going to have different iterations. and that's going to be key to what's going to be about the stabilization of this global arena, which is currently in a very vulnerable context. right now. i wish we had time to continue our conversation, but unfortunately we're running out of time. but in the meantime, nisha ny to nancy snow, and i really appreciate you, and i thank you very much and thank you for watching. you can see the program again anytime by visiting our website, al jazeera dot com for further discussion, go to our facebook page. that's facebook dot com, forward slash ha insights for you can also join the conversation on twitter. our 100 is at a j insights story for me about about the entire team here into my for now.

our ah a good criminal drug dealing shifted to place is beyond the reach of lou, and there are many people in the afghan government way involved in the drug trade. gorilla was in columbia and to mexico, where the cartels have been responsible for a muslim spiral of violence. the final episode of drug trafficking politics

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