January 22, 2026
World
World
TOKYO, Jan 22 — Japan has halted the restart of the world’s largest nuclear power plant just hours after it began, though the reactor remains “stable,” the operator said.
BEIJING, July 7 — China today dismissed claims of confrontation within the Brics bloc, following US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose an additional 10 per cent tariff on countries aligning with the group, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
“China has consistently made its stance clear — there are no winners in trade or tariff wars, and protectionism is not a viable path forward,” said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning.
Trump announced plans to send the first round of tariff warning letters to several countries on Monday, just days before his deadline for trade negotiations expires. He said up to 15 letters would be issued, cautioning that US tariffs on imports would revert to the steep levels introduced in April if no deals were reached.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump also threatened a further 10 per cent tariff on nations aligning with Brics, accusing the bloc of fostering “anti-Americanism” after it criticized his tariff policy during a summit in Rio de Janeiro.
Originally established two decades ago as a platform for rapidly developing economies, Brics is now widely viewed as a China-led initiative offering a counterweight to US and Western European influence.
On Monday, Beijing defended the group, calling it “an important platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries.”
“Brics promotes openness, inclusivity, and mutually beneficial cooperation,” Mao said. “It does not pursue bloc confrontation and is not aimed at any specific country.” — AFP
