Focus on the BIG picture.
Saturday, Jul 11, 2026

Biden Absent as Key Leaders Gather for G20 Photo in Rio

Missing from group photo highlights Biden's evolving role on the world stage.
At the final G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, US President Joe Biden was notably absent from the official group photograph with other world leaders, highlighting his increasingly marginal role as his presidency winds down.

Despite efforts to rally support for global issues, including Ukraine, Gaza, and climate change, Biden missed the photo opportunity due to 'logistical issues,' according to American officials.

While leaders like China's Xi Jinping, India's Narendra Modi, and Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took part in the photo, Biden was reportedly en route from talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when the photo was taken.

Others, like Trudeau and Italy's Giorgia Meloni, were also absent.

Biden's absence and other incidents at the summit exemplify his diminished influence just as Donald Trump prepares to re-enter the White House.

Biden, who withdrew from the US presidential race after a poor debate performance, made his recently concluded South American tour in a bid to assure global leaders of stability amidst looming changes.

During this summit, Biden's agenda included securing international backing for Ukraine's sovereignty after authorizing Kyiv's use of long-range missiles—a decision potentially subject to reversal by Trump.

He also advocated for pressure on Hamas concerning a ceasefire with Israel.

Biden's initiatives, such as a $4 billion World Bank pledge for aiding impoverished nations, face uncertainty with Trump's impending policies, including his appointment of Elon Musk to a commission on reducing government spending.

Despite these challenges, Biden utilized his final moments on the international stage to solidify his legacy and ensure continuity of his administration's policies against Trump's contrasting foreign policy.

His efforts in the Amazon rainforest emphasized climate change advocacy amid threats of the US withdrawing from the Paris accord under a Trump administration.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
The AI Invoice Shock: Layoffs Didn't Save Managers Money — They Cost Them More
Concern: Sexually Transmitted Bacterium Among Men Develops Antibiotic Resistance
Following Massive Investor Demand: SK Hynix Raises 26.5 Billion Dollars on Nasdaq
Passenger Partially Pulled Out of Ryanair Jet After Cabin Window Fails Mid-Flight
After Four Years, and Under a Heavy Veil of Secrecy: King Charles Meets His Grandchildren, Harry and Meghan's Children
SK Hynix Completes Record Twenty-Six Point Five Billion Dollar Nasdaq Listing
Trump Administration Removes Remaining Democratic Leaders From Election Assistance Commission
Israel Says Troops Will Remain in Southern Lebanon Until Hezbollah Is Disarmed
United States Authorizes Ukraine to Produce Patriot Air Defense Missiles Domestically
Typhoon Bavi Forces Mass Evacuations and Shuts Down Much of Taiwan
China Bans Helium Exports, Raising New Risks for Global Semiconductor Supply Chains
United States and Iran Exchange Fresh Military Strikes as Tehran Buries Former Supreme Leader
Severe Heatwave Drives Dangerous Ground-Level Ozone Pollution Across Two Thirds of European Union
Hamas Begins Dissolving Gaza Governing Authority Under Ceasefire Framework
Super Typhoon Bavi Threatens Taiwan After Deadly Flooding Across Southern China
Deadly Fire, Health Emergencies and Political Upheaval Shape a Volatile Global News Cycle
Flight Instructor Jumped to His Death — Student Landed the Plane: "You Know What You Need to Do"
Global Stock Markets Rebound as Semiconductor Shares Lead Recovery
Russia Tightens Domestic Fuel Controls After Ukrainian Drone Attacks on Refineries
Chinese and Russian Navies Begin Joint Live-Fire Exercises Near Qingdao
Australia and India Finalize Agreement on Australian Uranium Exports
Democratic Republic of the Congo Ebola Death Toll Reaches Six Hundred
United States Halts Trade With Spain Amid Escalating NATO Defence Dispute
United States and Iran Exchange Major Military Strikes After Interim Ceasefire Collapses
The Physical and Electronic Barriers Disrupting Domestic Wireless Networks
France and Morocco Open World Cup Quarter-Finals as Collina Defends Refereeing
Prince Harry Suffers Major Court Defeat in Legal Battle Against Daily Mail Publisher
Bonnie Tyler, Welsh Singer Behind Total Eclipse of the Heart, Dies at 75
United States Criticizes China Over Short-Notice Nuclear Submarine Missile Test
Cuba Approves Sweeping Free-Market Reforms to Confront Deep Economic Crisis
South Korea's Supreme Court Upholds Seven-Year Prison Sentence for Former President Yoon Suk Yeol
Western Europe Endures Hottest June on Record as Extreme Heat Claims Thousands of Lives
European NATO Allies Launch Major Long-Range Missile Program
President Donald Trump's NATO Summit Disputes Deepen Transatlantic Tensions
United States and Iran Exchange Direct Military Strikes After Ceasefire Collapses
Tech Pulse: The Future of AI and Screen Culture
Global News Briefing: Escalating Geopolitical Tensions and Corporate Shakeups
Global News Brief: Escalating Conflicts, Public Health Crises, and World Cup Drama
Marine Le Pen Launches Two Thousand Twenty-Seven Presidential Campaign After Electoral Ban Is Reduced
International Monetary Fund Cuts Global Growth Forecast as Middle East Conflict Fuels Inflation Risks
China Conducts First Public Nuclear Submarine Ballistic Missile Test Into the Pacific
United States Grants Ukraine License to Produce Patriot Air Defense Missiles
United States Resumes Military Strikes Against Iran After Ceasefire Collapses
Federal Financial Framework Shifts as Treasury Launches Universal Savings Program for Minors
French Court Allows Le Pen to Run for Presidency, but with an Electronic Tag: "I Will Appeal, and I Will Run"
$1.4 Trillion: The Lawsuit That Could Crush Meta
Europe's Growing Struggle with Extreme Heat and Air Conditioning
DeepSeek Develops Custom Artificial Intelligence Chips to Reduce Dependence on Foreign Technology
Marine Le Pen Launches French Presidential Campaign After Appeals Court Upholds Conviction
China Publicly Demonstrates Submarine-Launched Nuclear Missile Capability During Joint Drills With Russia
×