IMF Says BRICS Set To Surpass G7 In Economic Growth

The Cradle: BRICS set to surpass G7 in economic growth  

The latest IMF figures reveal that BRICS nations will contribute 32.1 percent to global growth, compared to the G7's 29.9 percent. 

The member states of the BRICS group, which include Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, are expected to surpass the US-led G7 states in economic growth expectations, according to a Bloomberg report. 

 Bloomberg estimates that the BRICS nations will contribute 32.1 percent of global growth, compared to the G7’s 29.9 percent, based on the most recent IMF figures. 

According to the Bloomberg analysis, the G7 and BRICS nations each contributed equally to global economic growth in 2020. The western-led bloc’s performance, however, has since declined. The G7 is expected to make up just 27.8 percent of the global economy by 2028, while BRICS will make up 35 percent. 

“In total, 75 percent of global growth is expected to be concentrated in 20 countries and over half in the top four: China, India, the US, and Indonesia. While Group of Seven countries will comprise a smaller share, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and France are seen among the top 10 contributors,” Bloomberg reports.  

Read more .... 

 IMF Says BRICS Set To Surpass G7 In Economic Growth  

BRICS Nations Expected to Outpace G7 Countries in Economic Growth, Reaching Nearly 35% in Five Years -- Watcher.gru  

BRICS Group to Outpace G7's Growth, Reach 35 percent of Global Economy by 2028 -- MENAFN  

China, India to lead global growth over the next five years: IMF report -- Money Control  

China will become the global economy's biggest growth driver in the next 5 years, doubling the US contribution, IMF says -- Business Insider

G-7 Diplomats Vow To Take A Tough Position On Russia’s Invasion Of Ukraine, China’s Threats Toward Taiwan And North Korea’s Missile Tests

Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Deputy Secretary-General of the European External Action Service (EEAS) Enrique Mora, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken pose for a photo at the start of the first working session of a G7 Foreign ministers’ meeting at Karuizawa Prince Hotel West in Karuizawa, Nagano prefecture, Japan, 17 April 2023. The summit runs through 18 April 2023. FRANCK ROBICHON/Pool via REUTERS  

The Hill: G-7 members vow tough position on China, North Korea and Russia aggression 

Members of the Group of Seven have promised to take a tough position on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s aggression toward Taiwan and North Korea’s missile tests. 

Top G-7 diplomats representing the world’s wealthiest economies — the U.S., the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the European Union — on Monday talked over some of their top priorities ahead of a G-7 summit in Hiroshima in May.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: The world is definitely breaking up into different blocs. The summit itself ends tomorrow.

G-7 Diplomats Vow To Take A Tough Position On Russia’s Invasion Of Ukraine, China’s Threats Toward Taiwan And North Korea’s Missile Tests  

G-7 diplomats reject Chinese, N. Korean, Russian aggression -- AP  

G7 foreign ministers urge unity on China, Ukraine -- DW  

G7 will stand up to 'any coercion' from China - senior US official -- Reuters 

'United': G7 diplomats offer common front on China -- AFP  

G7 diplomats discuss Chinese military threats to Taiwan at Japan summit -- Axios 

G-7 vows to tackle Russian sanction evasion, weapon supply via others -- Kyodo

One Rule For Me, One Rule For Thee

U.S. President Joe Biden, Boris Johnson and other world leaders have been accused of breaking strict social distancing rules at the G7 summit in Cornwall over the weekend. Pictured: World leaders and their spouses enjoy a Red Arrows fly over on Saturday  

Daily Mail: One rule for them... World leaders are accused of 'double standards' after ignoring social-distancing to hug and back slap during G7 summit 

 * President Joe Biden, Boris Johnson and others were photographed in close contact over the weekend at the G7 summit in Cornwall 

* Pictures of world leaders at a beach barbecue prompted a social media backlash 

* Some users asked why politicians were allowed to socialise without the strict regulations placed on guests at weddings or funerals 

 * Dominic Raab has insisted there was social distancing at the event on Saturday 

U.S. President Joe Biden, Boris Johnson and other world leaders have been accused of breaking strict social distancing rules at the G7 summit in Cornwall over the weekend. 

On Friday, delegates posed for a socially-distanced official group shot but other images revealed much more relaxed scenes. 

At a beach barbecue on Saturday guests were served sirloin steak and lobster while being entertained by a sea shanty group and a Red Arrows flypast.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: It is the first thing that I noticed when the leaders met. No face-masks. Back-slapping. No social distancing.

G7 Calls For New Study Into The Origins Of The Covid Pandemic

Daily Mail: Biden and other G7 leaders call for a 'transparent' probe into the origins of coronavirus as they ask China to 'respect human rights' as China is accused of a cover-up amid Wuhan lab leak suspicions 

* Biden spoke to reporters about the origins of COVID-19 

* He said investigators must determine whether COVID-19 evolved in nature or 'whether it was an experiment gone awry in the laboratory' 

* Leaders negotiated for days on a special communique 

* It will allow a World Trade Organization labeling of China as a 'non-market economy' 

* It called attention to human rights and pointed to Xinjiang

* Also mentions Hong Kong autonomy 

* Some world leaders were hesitant to do so out of concern for antagonizing China 

* Beijing is already hitting back at decisions by a 'small group of countries' President Joe Biden on Sunday said he wants 'transparency' in an international probe that will look into whether coronavirus had a natural origin or leaked from a Wuhan lab – as G7 nations issued a formal communique calling for the probe. 

The president, who has ordered his own intelligence review of the origins of COVID-19, called on China to cooperate with the Phase 2 investigation by the World Health Orgnization. 

Biden said it was important to get access to uncover 'whether or not this was a consequence of a from the marketplace of bat interfacing with animals in the environment that caused this COVID-19, or whether it was an experiment gone awry in the laboratory.'  

Read more ....  

Update #1: G-7 nations call for thorough probe of Covid origins in China (Politico)  

Update #2: G7 calls for new study into origins of Covid and voices concern on China (CNN) W

NU Editor: This declaration is going to go nowhere.

G-7 Reaches Consensus On China's Trade And Human Rights Abuses

 

CNBC/Reuters: G-7 reaches consensus on China dumping, human rights abuses: U.S. official 

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the leaders of the Group of Seven world’s largest advanced economies had also agreed on the need to coordinate on supply chain resilience.

“I would say there was unanimity in terms of a willingness to call out human rights abuses and violations of fundamental freedoms that invoke our shared values,” the official said. 

The official said the G-7 had moved far from three years ago when the final communique made no mention of China. 

G7 leaders have reached consensus on the need for a shared approach to China selling exports at unfairly low prices and to human rights abuses, a senior official in the U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration said on Saturday. 

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the leaders of the Group of Seven world’s largest advanced economies had also agreed on the need to coordinate on supply chain resilience to ensure democracies are supporting each other. 

“I would say there was unanimity in terms of a willingness to call out human rights abuses and violations of fundamental freedoms that invoke our shared values,” the official said.  

Read more .... 

Update: Biden Urges G-7 Leaders To Call Out And Compete With China (NPR) 

WNU Editor: It is a weak consensus on China .... Biden asks G-7 to take a tougher line on China, but not all allies are enthusiastic (Seattle Times/Washington Post). More here .... Internet Reportedly Shut Off as G7 Leaders Squabble With Biden Over China (Daily Beast). More details here .... G-7 Split on Biden’s Anti-China Push (VOA) 

The media is also asking (finally) some tough questions  on President Biden's China policy .... Biden pressed on whether G-7 response to China human rights violations strong enough (FOX News).  

Update #2: China has responded .... G7 summit: China says small groups do not rule the world (BBC)

G7 Leaders Accept President Biden's Plan To Compete Against China

Leaders of the G7 agreed to calls by US President Joe Biden to band together to compete with China  

The Guardian: G7 backs Biden infrastructure plan to rival China’s belt and road initiative 

Scheme is part of wider push for G7 leaders to question China on human rights, Taiwan and Covid-19 

The G7 group of rich nations has agreed plans to set up an alternative to China’s belt and road initiative as part of a broad push back against Beijing covering human rights, supply chains, support for Taiwan and demands to reveal more about the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Some G7 leaders, however, including the Italian prime minister, Mario Draghi, the current chair of the G20, have urged Joe Biden not to push competition with China to the extent that it prevents cooperation on other vital issues such as the climate crisis. 

Read more ....  

WNU editor: This G-7 plan is crazy. China can do it's belt and road initiative because it has trillions in surplus funds obtained from years of having trade surpluses. In comparison to the G-7, what we see are countries running massive budget deficits, trade deficits, and assuming unfunded liabilities in the mega-trillions. 

And now the G-7 plans to assume even more debt?!?!?!? 

But it gets even better. China also has a lot of problems with many of these countries because they cannot pay their debts. Case in point .... Pakistan .... Pakistan's Economic Crisis Worsens As China Refuses To Provide Additional Loans Or Debt Relief (May 31, 2021). 

Is the G-7 really that eager to rush and assist countries like Pakistan?!?!? After today's announcement, the answer appears to be yes. 

This is unfortunate. The best way to stop China is by imposing severe tariffs. But that is President Trump's policy .... hence it is not going to happen. 

More News On G7 Leaders Agreeing To President Biden's Plan To Compete Against China  

G7 leaders join forces to tackle China's growing hold over poorer countries by ploughing hundreds of millions of pounds into nations indebted to Beijing -- Daily Mail 

'Build Back Better World': G7 leaders back developing world spending plan to rival China -- Euronews 

G7 to counter China’s clout with big infrastructure project: senior US official -- Arab News/Reuters 

Biden aims to counter China's global infrastructure project with new G7 initiative -- CNN  

G-7 agrees on infrastructure plan to counter China's Belt and Road -- Nikkei Asia  

G7 leaders attempt to rival China with infrastructure project -- Al Jazeera

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson Urges World To Be 'More Gender Neutral, Feminine And Green' At G-7 Summit

 

Daily Mail: Boris Johnson urges world to be 'more gender neutral, feminine and green' as it builds back from Covid in bizarre opening remarks at G7 summit 

 * Boris Johnson is hosting world leaders for the G7 summit at Carbis Bay in Cornwall over the next three days 

 * PM urged leaders to ensure the world was more 'feminine' and 'gender neutral' in confusing opening remarks

 * He insisted they should 'build back better' and avoid repeating mistakes made after the 2008 credit crunch

 * Downing Street has come off the fence on England team 'taking the knee' saying PM backs peaceful protest 

 * Tensions over the post-Brexit rules for NI have been threatening to overshadow the G7 summit in Cornwall 

Boris Johnson today urged G7 leaders to aim for a more 'feminine' and 'gender neutral' recovery from coronavirus in a bizarre opening speech. 

Officially kicking off the summit in Carbis Bay, the PM appealed for them to 'level up' and not repeat the mistakes of the aftermath of the credit crunch when 'inequality' increased. 

But he sparked bewilderment as he expanded on his vision for the qualities the world should be encouraging following the havoc wreaked by the devastating disease.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: For the global economy to recover from the pandemic, we must, according to the British Prime Minister, be 'more gender neutral, feminine and green'?!?!?!? No wonder people are now openly discussing if the G-7 is relevant anymore .... What’s the Point of the G-7? (Foreign Policy). 

G-7 Live Updates  

The Latest: G7 summit opens with elbow bumps on English sand (AP)  

G7 live news: Boris Johnson calls for lessons of pandemic to be learned and says world must ‘level up’ (The Guardian)

G7 summit 2021 in Cornwall — live updates (DW) 

G7 Live Updates: A Return to Face-to-Face Diplomacy (New York Times)  

Biden and world leaders meet at 2021 G7 summit (CNN)

Is President Biden's G7 Tax Deal DOA In The U.S. Senate?

Reuters: U.S. Republicans vow to oppose Yellen's G7 tax deal, casting doubt on its future 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Several top U.S. Senate Republicans on Monday rejected Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's G7 deal to impose a global minimum corporate tax and allow more countries to tax big multinational firms, raising questions about the U.S. ability to implement a broader global agreement. 

The opposition from Republicans may push President Joe Biden to attempt to use budget procedures to pass the initiatives with only Democratic votes. 

It left lawyers and tax experts in Washington wondering whether it could get done without crafting a new international treaty, which requires approval by a two-thirds majority in the evenly split 100-member Senate.

"It's wrong for the United States," Republican Senator John Barrasso said of the tax deal struck on Saturday by finance ministers from the G7 wealthy democracies.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: The Republicans are not going to support this G-7 tax deal, and I predict a number of US Democrats will also express their opposition. All of which this blog predicted a few days ago .... G-7 Nations Reach A Deal On Global Tax Reform (June 5, 2021). What a change from all the hype that we saw just a few days ago.

G-7 Nations Reach A Deal On Global Tax Reform

 

DNYUZ/New York Times: Finance Leaders Reach Global Tax Deal Aimed at Ending Profit Shifting 

LONDON — The top economic officials from the world’s advanced economies reached a breakthrough on Saturday in their years long efforts to overhaul international tax laws, unveiling a broad agreement that aims to stop large multinational companies from seeking out tax havens and force them to pay more of their income to governments.

Finance leaders from the Group of 7 countries agreed to back a new global minimum tax rate of at least 15 percent that companies would have to pay regardless of where they locate their headquarters. 

The agreement would also impose an additional tax on some of the largest multinational companies, potentially forcing technology giants like Amazon, Facebook and Google as well as other big global businesses to pay taxes to countries based on where their goods or services are sold, regardless of whether they have a physical presence in that nation.  

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: Here is an easy prediction. The US Senate is going to torpedo this deal. 

More News On The G-7 Reaching A Deal On Global Tax Reform   

G-7 back steps to deter tax dodging by multinational firms -- AP  

G7 nations sign historic pact to make tech giants pay fair taxes -- France 24  

Burkina Faso attack: More than 130 killed in village raid -- BBC 

Suspected extremist attack on Burkina Faso village kills 130 people -- The Guardian  

G-7 nations reach historic deal on global tax reform -- CNBC  

G7 agrees 'historic' global minimum corporate tax rate -- DW  

G7 backs Biden's sweeping overhaul of global tax system -- CNN

G7 nations agree to set a 15 per cent global tax rate on multinational companies -- ABC News (Australia) 

G7 finance ministers reach ‘historic agreement’ on Biden’s push for global minimum corporation tax of 15% -- RT  

G7 reaches "historic agreement" on global tax reform -- Axios  

G7 Nations Reach Historic Global Tax Deal To Make Tech Giants Pay Fair Share -- Zero Hedge

China Condemns G7 Statement Censuring Beijing's Human Rights Record And Supporting Taiwan

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin attends a news conference in Beijing, China December 14, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter 

Reuters: China condemns G7 statement censuring Beijing, supporting Taiwan 

China condemned on Thursday a joint statement by G7 foreign ministers that expressed support for Chinese-claimed Taiwan and cast Beijing as a bully, saying it was a gross interference in China’s internal affairs. 

G7 foreign ministers said in a communique after a London summit that China was guilty of human rights abuses and of using “coercive economic policies”, which the G7 would use collective efforts to stop. 

In an unusual step, the G7 also said they supported Taiwan's participation in World Health Organization forums and the World Health Assembly - and expressed concern about "any unilateral actions that could escalate tensions" in the Taiwan Strait. 

Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin condemned the statement saying it made "groundless accusations" that were a gross interference in China's internal affairs.  

Read more ....  

Update: China Slams G7 Rights Criticism: West "Openly Intervening In China's Internal Affairs" (Zero Hedge) 

WNU Editor: The official Chinese media response is here .... US takes subtle moves to rope in G7 allies against China (Global Times).

UK Officials Say Indian G7 Delegation Self-Isolating After Two Positive COVID Tests

 

CNBC: India foreign minister self-isolating after Covid scare at UK’s in-person G-7 summit 

* India, the current epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic, is not in the G-7 nations but delegates from the country were invited to the summit in London to try to deepen ties with the Indo-Pacific region. 

* Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said via Twitter on Wednesday that he was “made aware yesterday evening of exposure to possible Covid positive cases.” 

 * India’s foreign minister met in person with U.K. Home Secretary Priti Patel on Tuesday and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday. 

LONDON — India’s foreign minister on Wednesday said he had been made aware of positive Covid cases among the country’s delegation to the G-7 summit in the U.K., prompting his entire team to self-isolate. 

Britain is hosting the three-day meeting in the capital city of London, seeking to restart face-to-face diplomacy and discuss the most pressing geopolitical challenges with the world’s most industrialized countries. It is the first gathering of the group’s foreign ministers since 2019.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: Were they not tested before going to London? Must the other delegations and their ministers self isolate?

More News On India's G7 Delegation Self-Isolating After Two Positive COVID Tests  

Indian G7 delegation self-isolating after two positive COVID tests, UK official says -- Reuters  

Covid: Indian delegates in UK for G7 talks self-isolate after Covid cases -- BBC  

Indian foreign minister to self-isolate after Covid-19 scare at G7 meet -- SCMP  

Two coronavirus cases have been confirmed among the Indian delegation attending the London G7 meeting -- Business Insider

Foreign Ministers Meet To Discuss Global Threats At The London G7 Summit

 

Reuters: G7 mulls a message to China: the West ain't over just yet 

 * G7 discusses China in morning, Russia in afternoon 

 * West seeks broader alliance to counter China 

 * Blinken: We're not trying to hold China down 

 * Raab: we want broad alliance of democracies 

LONDON, May 4 (Reuters) - The Group of Seven rich democracies will on Tuesday discuss ways of countering challenges from China and Russia without trying to contain Beijing or escalate tension with the Kremlin, two of its top diplomats said. 

 Founded in 1975 as a forum for the West's richest nations to discuss crises such as the OPEC oil embargo, the G7 is debating responses to the two vast and increasingly assertive countries as well as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. 

 "It is not our purpose to try to contain China or to hold China down," U.S. President Joe Biden's secretary of state, Antony Blinken told reporters on Monday ahead of the first in-person G7 foreign ministers meeting since 2019.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: What a difference a year or two makes. When President Trump was in the White House he tried multiple times to get fellow G7 members to step up to counter China, and they rebuffed him. Now .... they are all scrambling together to find a workable formula to counter the challenges that China and Russia are presenting to the G7 and the "global order".

G7 Photos Of Trump With Merkel Tell Different Stories

SCMP: Who’s in charge here? G7 power plays summed up in photos

One key moment in a two-day meeting. Five official photos. Five opposing stories.

Photographs from the Group of Seven summit provided by the German and American governments suggest contrasting images of their leaders.

In a photo released by the German Federal Government, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stands surrounded by other leaders as she peers down at US President Donald Trump, who is seated with his arms crossed and returns her gaze.

An official White House photograph from the summit shows Trump holding forth as Merkel, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan listen.

It is among several photos the White House sent to news media after the German government released the Merkel photo.

Ten minutes later, the French president’s office responded with a quite different view of the very same scene.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The above SCMP post is a must read on how governments try to portray their leaders in these international settings.

Is This The Reason Why The White House Is Angry At Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau?

SCMP: Donald Trump split with G7 allies because Kim Jong-un ‘must not see American weakness’, according to adviser

Dealing with Trump’s whims and last-minute changes of mind has proven a procedural nightmare, analysts claim, leaving European leaders unsure how to preserve any kind of multilateral cooperation

US President Donald Trump’s harsh words for Canada’s prime minister after the Group of Seven (G7) summit aimed to avoid a show of “weakness” ahead of his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a top adviser said on Sunday.

“Potus [the president of the United States] is not going to let a Canadian prime minister push him around – push him, Potus around, on the eve of this,” economic adviser Larry Kudlow said on CNN’s State of the Union. “He is not going to permit any show of weakness on the trip to negotiate with North Korea. Nor should he.”

Read more ....

Update: White House slams Trudeau: 'Special place in hell' for PM who 'stabbed us in the back' to try and make Trump look weak ahead of North Korea summit (Daily Mail).

WNU Editor: In politics perception is just as important as substance .... and in the big picture President Trump's trip to Singapore has far more consequences to the U.S., Asia, and the world than issuing a communique from the G-7. I regret not putting up a post before the G-7 meeting that President Trump should not go to the summit .... that he should instead send Vice-President Pence. But with tariffs and a trade war looming I guess President Trump made the decision that he had to show up .... hence the fireworks. The G-7 leaders are focused on their trade relations with the U.S., and they are "justifiably" worried that the status quo that has benefited their countries greatly is now under threat. North Korea probably did not enter the minds of Prime Minister Trudeau, German Chancellor Merkel, or French President Macron .... their focus was on President Trump and not on the consequences of how this will play in Asia .... particularly in the mind of North Korean leader Kim Jung-un. I noticed during the summit that Japanese Prime Minister Abe kept to himself .... and was actually deferential to President Trump. North Korea with its nuclear arsenal is only a few hundred kilometers away from Japan .... so yes .... Japanese PM Abe was looking at the bigger picture .... but he was the only one in the room besides President Trump who understood that.The other leaders had other priorities .... and their own domestic constituencies to placate.

Update: There is going to be blow-back from this G-7 mess. I do not know what shape or form .... but after the Singapore Summit there is going to be a reaction from the White House .... to send a message that pushing this President around will have consequences . And yes .... unfortunately it is going to hurt everyone.

President Trump Delivers Warning On Trade As He Leaves The G-7 Summit To Go To Singapore For His Summit With North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un

As the G7 summit kicked off, leaders struggled to make progress on contentious trade issues

Daily Mail: Trump argues for a 'tariff free' trade zone between G7 nations then dismisses claims of tensions between him and fellow leaders, hailing the summit an 'immense success'

* Trump arrived late to the gender equality breakfast on Saturday, his last engagement at the summit in Charlevoix
* He eventually sat next to IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde and tried to engage her in banter
* Afterwards, the president gave a speech hailing the summit an 'immense success' and celebrating his 'good' relationships
* Trump insists Canada heard him out on his desired changes to trade tariffs which he deemed 'unfair'
* He insisted again that Russia should be brought back into the group which he said would promote peace
* Trump is now on his way to Singapore to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on June 12
* He said he was optimistic about their historic meeting and that he will know within the first minute if Jong-un is serious about denuclearization

President Trump tried to lighten the mood at a G7 breakfast on gender equality on Saturday by trading friendly banter with his allies after keeping them waiting by showing up late then declaring the summit an 'immense success'.

On Saturday morning, the president eventually took his seat next to IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde and German Chancellor Angela Merkel who had been pictured gazing towards the door and his empty seat as they sat with fruit and croissants in front of them.

He spoke jollily with them and received adoring looks from his French President Emmanuel Macron before appearing at a press conference to discuss the 'productive' few days in Charlevoix near Quebec.

Read more ....

More News On The G-7 Summit In Canada

Trump delivers warning on trade as he leaves G-7 summit -- AP
Trump demands end to 'unfair' trade after G7 summit -- Reuters
Trump at G7: US president calls for end to tariffs and trade barriers -- BBC
G7 summit: Donald Trump to leave meeting early, missing environmental talks -- ABC News Online
Merkel says differences on trade remain despite joint G7 communique -- Reuters
G7 members plan rapid response unit to curb hostile state action -- The Guardian
Donald Trump divides G7 over trade and threats to international order -- DW
Disputes over trade tariffs, Russia overshadow G7 meeting -- Al Jazeera
Allies race to clinch G7 face-saver before Trump's early exit -- AFP
G7 Summit: Trump Trying to Prevent US From Losing 'Superpower' Status – Analyst -- Sputnik
'One way in, one way out': why G7 summits are in such remote locations -- Martin Patriquin, The Guardian
The 'family photo' at the G7 summit offers a glimpse of the tension among world leaders amid a bitter trade battle with the US -- Business Insider

Everyone's Focus At The G-7 Was On President Trump

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel stands over President Trump as they negotiate at the G7 summit in a photograph she later posted on Instagram

WNU Editor: I do not even know where to begin in deciphering the above picture. For more pictures at the G-7, the Daily Mail has a great photo-gallery at this post .... Trump argues for a 'tariff free' trade zone between G7 nations then dismisses claims of tensions between him and fellow leaders, hailing the summit an 'immense success' (Daily Mail).

Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau Calls President Trump A 'Straggler' For Being Late To This Morning's G7 Breakfast Meeting

And a wide shot shows @POTUS is now seated in the breakfast room. pic.twitter.com/DV4Kl0t76f

— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) June 9, 2018

RT: Trump late for G7 breakfast, Trudeau says start without 'stragglers' (PHOTOS)

US President Donald Trump was reportedly labelled a ‘straggler’ by his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau after he was 17 minutes late for a breakfast meeting with G7 state powerbrokers on Saturday.

On the second day of the 44th G7 summit in Quebec, world leaders from the Group of Seven including the UK, France, Canada, Germany and Japan sat down for breakfast to discuss gender equality issues.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: A few minutes late is OK. Anything after 7 minutes is a no-no.

French President Macron Says U.S. Is Not Needed In The G-7. President Trump Responds Accusing Canada And The EU Of 'Charging Massive Tariffs'

Why isn’t the European Union and Canada informing the public that for years they have used massive Trade Tariffs and non-monetary Trade Barriers against the U.S. Totally unfair to our farmers, workers & companies. Take down your tariffs & barriers or we will more than match you!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 8, 2018

Please tell Prime Minister Trudeau and President Macron that they are charging the U.S. massive tariffs and create non-monetary barriers. The EU trade surplus with the U.S. is $151 Billion, and Canada keeps our farmers and others out. Look forward to seeing them tomorrow.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 7, 2018

FILE PHOTO. © Jonathan Ernst / Reuters

Daily Mail: G7 showdown: Furious Trump will exit summit EARLY, labels Trudeau 'indignant' and slaps down Macron after accusing the French and Canadian leaders of 'charging the US massive tariffs' after they talked tough on trade war

* President Trump lobbed a Twitter attack at the leaders of France and Canada
* He said both nations were charging 'massive tariffs' on U.S. products
* French President Emanuel Macron earlier took a shot at Trump
* 'Maybe the American president doesn't care about being isolated today, but we don't mind being six'
* Trump's meeting with world leaders is expected to be tense
* The leaders of the seven industrial powers gather in Quebec on Friday

Donald Trump is leaving the G7 summit early - skipping the climate discussions - amid increasing acrimony between himself and fellow world leaders.

The president will depart the Canada summit on Saturday morning following a furious Twitter spat with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Trump also attacked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, accusing him of damaging US agriculture and complaining that both he and President Macron 'are charging the U.S. massive tariffs and create non-monetary barriers.'

Macron fired back on Twitter that the summit did not need the US: 'The American President may not mind being isolated, but neither do we mind signing a 6 country agreement if need be.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: French President Macron is facing national strikes and his popularity is hitting a new low. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau and his Liberal Party of Canada just witnessed tonight the utter defeat of the Ontario Liberal Party in an election that voted in the Conservative Party led by Doug Ford .... a candidate premier who ran and won convincingly on a platform that was/is completely contrary to what Prime Minister Trudeau stands for. There is a lot to say about President Trump .... but the ones who are criticizing him are maybe not as popular as some would like to believe they are.

More News On The Pre-G7 Tensions Between President Trump And French President Macron And Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau

Trump attacks EU and Canada on trade amid backlash ahead of G7 summit -- Reuters
Trump to find a chilly host in Canada visit amid trade rift -- AP
Macron and Trudeau vow to confront Trump on tariffs -- Politico
'No leader is forever': Macron strikes hostile tone against Trump, says US can be kicked out of G7 -- RT
Trump to skip climate portion of G7 after Twitter spat with Macron and Trudeau -- CNN
Will the G7 summit be dominated by a trade row? -- Andrew Walker, BBC