World Reframed 3: Trump tries to split BRICS, who would win a Eurasian war, and black is the new green

Welcome back to World Reframed, where we look beyond the headlines and into the heart of the Global South. This week’s episode ranges from a superhuman sports feat in Cairo to an invasive lizard in Malaysia with some heavyweight geopolitics, energy, and economics in between.

Heavyweight hero

We start with a scene that looks straight out of a superhero movie. In Cairo, professional wrestler Ashraf Kabonga attempted a mammoth stunt of pulling 20 cars, weighing a total of about 29 tonnes.

Each vehicle weighed up to 1,650 kg. The previous world record stood at 15 cars, set by Canadian strongman Kevin Fast back in 2014. Kabonga dragged his line of cars a full 10 metres, surpassing Guinness’ requirement. The crowd went wild.

While the record is still awaiting official confirmation, Kabonga is already being hailed as a national hero.

Beyond Petroleum?

From raw muscle to raw materials—BP made several big announcements last week including the news of its biggest oil find in 25 years. The discovery off Brazil is part of a new strategy of returning to the formula that made the company a global energy giant.

As World Reframed’s Sasha Barrow reported, the company has faced increasing shareholder pressure, leading to an executive overhaul. Out went the sustainability visionaries, in came the profit maximisers.

But there’s a deeper question: When fossil fuels are extracted in the Global South, do climate goals suddenly become optional?

Countries like Brazil, Nigeria, and Guyana are rich in resources, but the profits often head north. Meanwhile, the emissions are global. It’s a contradiction that exposes the climate movement’s North-South divide.

Splitting BRICS

As has been widely reported, new US tariffs are shaking up international trade. But the key to Trump's latest moves are an attempt to target Brazil, India with duties of 50%.

Trump’s trade strategy has had limited effect on China, a tech powerhouse that’s too entrenched in the global economy. It's stranglehold on critical raw materials means it has a kill switch for large swathes of the US economy. With Russia is economically isolated, he has little leverage there. That leaves other BRICS countries to feel the squeeze.

But India and Brazil are not easy targets. Both have charismatic and confident leaders with strong powerbases. And both have domestic reasons to put up a fight.

India continues to buy oil from Russia, despite increasingly strong hints from America that it should stop. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also resisted pressure to open up Indian agriculture to American imports. Instead, he’s heading to traditional rival China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit at the end of the month

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva isn’t backing down either. He’s launched scathing critiques of Trump, and positioned himself as a champion of the global pushback against Washington. And back home this plays into his bitter campaign against predecessor Jair Bolsonaro. By accusing his rival of treacherously undermining Brazil's economy, Lula can build political capital. Yet with an export-driven economy, Lula risks facts on the ground going against him.

The broader takeaway? US coercion may no longer carry the weight it once did. As nations look for alternatives, a multipolar world takes shape.

An unwelcome guest

In a surreal scene on the island of Manukan, Malaysia, a large monitor lizard crashed through a hotel ceiling. Chaos ensued as hotel security tried to wrestle it into submission.

Eventually, the hotel team managed to coax the creature out of a fire exit.

Military and trade power

And finally a couple of highlights from World Visualized and The World in Maps.

Europe v Asia

According to the Global Firepower Index, in a straight fight between Europe and Asia, there's no doubt who would win. The strongest militaries in Asia, led by Russia, China, rank well ahead of most European powers.

The index has its critics as it tends to favour sheer numbers over skills, training and technology so nations with large populations and resource bases often rank higher. Still, it’s a stark reminder of Europe’s growing military dependence on the US.

China’s tight embrace

A striking map from The World in Maps showed China as the top trading partner for almost every African nation, with only a few exceptions (mostly former French colonies and South Africa’s neighbours).

Despite $296 billion in trade, the exchange is lopsided: China sends manufactured goods, while Africa exports mostly raw materials. For all the talk of partnership, the relationship remains deeply unequal.

• World Reframed episode 5: Libya's kingmaker
• World Reframed episode 4: Bolivia's choice
• World Reframed episode 2: old leaders, young voters
• World Reframed episode 1: security vs democracy

World Reframed is produced in London by Global South World, part of the Impactum Group. Its editors are Duncan Hooper and Ismail Akwei.