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☆ BRICS invites six countries including Saudi Arabia, Iran to be new members
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A person walks past the Sandton Convention Centre, which will host the upcoming BRICS Summit, in Johannesburg, South Africa August 19, 2023. REUTERS/James Oatway/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJOHANNESBURG, Aug 24 (Reuters) - The BRICS group of nations has decided to invite six countries - Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - to become new members of the bloc, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday. The debate over expanding the BRICS bloc, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has topped the agenda at a three-day summit in Johannesburg ending on Thursday. While all BRICS members have publicly expressed support for growing the bloc, there were divisions among the leaders over how much and how quickly. Reporting by Bhargav Acharya, Carien du Plessis and Anait Miridzhanian Editing by Alexander WinningOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: James Oatway, Cyril Ramaphosa, Bhargav Acharya, Carien du Plessis, Anait, Alexander Winning Organizations: Sandton, REUTERS, Rights, United Arab, South, Thomson Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, Rights JOHANNESBURG, Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Russia, India, China

BRICS - whose acronym was originally coined by an economist at Goldman Sachs, currently comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called the BRICS leaders' decision to invite Ethiopia to join "a great moment". "It shows the determination of BRICS countries for unity and cooperation with the broader developing countries." More than 40 countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, say South African officials, and 22 have formally asked to be admitted. "The expansion and modernization of BRICS is a message that all institutions in the world need to mould themselves according to changing times," he said.

Persons: Cyril Ramaphosa, Narendra Modi, Sergei Lavrov, Alet Pretorius, Goldman Sachs, BRICS, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Ramaphosa, Lula, globalisation's, Mohammed bin Zayed, Abiy Ahmed, Antonio Guterres, Xi Jinping, Bhargav Acharya, Sergio Goncalves, Ethan Wang, Vladimir Soldatkin, Joe Bavier, Toby Chopra, Emelia Organizations: South, India's, Russia's, REUTERS, United Arab, United, United Arab Emirates, New Development Bank, Ethiopian, United Nations, . Security, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, BRICS, Indian, Thomson Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, UAE, JOHANNESBURG, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Russia, India, China, Ukraine, United States, Beijing, Moscow, United Arab, Lisbon

CNN —Oil powers Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been invited to become members of the BRICS group of developing nations in its first expansion in over a decade. Total bilateral trade between Saudi Arabia and BRICS nations exceeded $160 billion in 2022, the Saudi foreign minister said. It also means Russia and Saudi Arabia — both members of OPEC+, a group of major oil producers — will join each other in a new economic bloc. The BRICS countries have also been talking about a common currency, an idea analysts have described as unworkable and “unlikely” in the near future. Existing BRICS members have “had enough difficulty trying to agree just between the five of them,” he added.

Persons: Cyril Ramaphosa, ” Ramaphosa, Vladimir Putin, ” Putin, Xi Jinping, ” Jinping, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Narendra Modi, Saudi Arabia —, —, Putin, Goldman Sachs, Jim O’Neill, ” O’Neill, “, ”, I’m, ” BRICS, Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan, Abdel Fattah el, Sisi, — Manveena Suri, Mostafa Salem, Lizzy Yee, Mengchen Zhang, Nadeen Ebrahim Organizations: CNN, Oil, United Arab, Saudi Foreign, Indian, OPEC, West, Western, Bloomberg, New Development Bank, United Arab Emirates, BRICS Locations: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, Argentina, South, Johannesburg, Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Russian, BRICS, Saudi, United States, UAE

☆ Emerging markets group BRICS invites 6 new members, including Saudi Arabia and Iran
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

South African police officers walk in front of an event banner outside the venue for the BRICS summit at the Sandton Convention Center in the Sandton district of Johannesburg, South Africa, on Monday, Aug. 21, 2023. South African police officers walk in front of an event banner outside the venue for the BRICS summit at the Sandton Convention Center in the Sandton district of Johannesburg, South Africa, on Monday, Aug. 21, 2023. The BRICS economic coalition of emerging markets has decided to extend membership invitations to six nations, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Thursday. The BRICS alliance — which currently reunites Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — is set to invite Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to join, Ramaphosa said in a speech published on the X social media platform, previously known as Twitter. South Africa is presently hosting the 15th BRICS summit.

Persons: Cyril Ramaphosa, Ramaphosa Organizations: South, United, Twitter Locations: Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, Brazil, Russia, India, China, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Africa

☆ Motswedi Modiba: South African singer a hit on Chinese reality TV
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Tom Page | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A fortnight ago, Motswedi Modiba was a South African singer showing signs of a promising career in her home country. Now she’s a breakout hit on one of China’s largest reality TV shows after wowing millions with her performance in Mandarin. Modiba, reported to be the first Black and African contestant on “Sing! Kickstarting a careerSouth African singer Motswedi Modiba, who goes by the stage name MOE. “Right now I’m in China, and I’m doing ‘Sing!

Persons: Motswedi Modiba, ”, Karen Mok, Modiba, Wilber Pan, Joker Xue, Kickstarting, Wethu, Tebs David, “, Eli Zaleo, Modibe, she’s, ” Modibe, netizens, ” Modiba, I’m, “ I’m Organizations: CNN, Pretoria Chinese School, Yunnan Normal University, Metro FM Music, Manhattan School of Music, Rights Watch Locations: South African, China, Weibo, South, Tshwane, South Africa, Pretoria, Kunming, Manhattan School of Music , New York, TikTok, ”, Africa, Douyin, African

Leslie Maasdorp, Vice President and chief financial officer (CFO) of New Development Bank (NDB), speaks during an interview with Reuters at the bank's headquarters in Shanghai, China July 10, 2023. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJOHANNESBURG, Aug 23 (Reuters) - The New Development Bank of the BRICS group of nations will not be announcing new members at the BRICS Summit in South Africa this week, its Chief Financial Officer Leslie Maasdorp told Reuters on Wednesday. The bank, which was set up in 2015 to give BRICS members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa a greater say in financing infrastructure than in Western-led institutions like the World Bank, is keen to attract new members to boost its capital base after U.S. sanctions on Russia hobbled its lending. "The process of ratifying new countries is happening at the discussion of the (BRICS) leaders, which they are having without us as the bank," Maasdorp told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the summit. ($1 = 94.4650 roubles)Reporting by Rachel Savage; Writing by Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Alexander Winning and Emelia Sithole-MatariseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Leslie Maasdorp, Aly, Maasdorp, Rachel Savage, Bhargav Acharya, Alexander Winning, Emelia Organizations: New Development Bank, Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, World Bank, United, United Arab Emirates, U.S ., Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Rights JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Brazil, Russia, India, Western, Egypt, Bangladesh, United Arab, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Argentina

☆ Xi and Putin are seeking to expand the alliance of BRICS nations to challenge the global dominance of the US and the dollar
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

China's Xi Jinping is in South Africa this week for the BRICS summit. Addressing the BRICS summit by video link Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin took swipes at the West, and said the summit represented the "global majority." Together, they make up around 40% of the world's population, around $27.7 trillion of the global economy, and are seen to represent the so-called "Global South" of southern hemisphere nations. Taking on the dollarThere are also proposals on the table to create a BRICS currency to challenge the global dominance of the dollar. AdvertisementAdvertisementChina and Russia may have ambitious plans for the BRICS group, but realizing them still appears some distance away.

Persons: China's, Jinping, Putin, Vladimir Putin, Graeme Thompson, China Xi, Cyril Ramaphosa, PHILL MAGAKOE, Xi Jinping, Steve Tsang, Thompson, Xi, Wang Wentao, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Organizations: Service, Eurasia Group, South, Getty Images, US, SOAS China Institute, University of London, CNN, Russia, Anadolu Agency, Getty Locations: South Africa, China, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Johannesburg, Brazil, India, AFP, Western, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Ukraine, Beijing, Pacific, United States

☆ Putin uses BRICS summit to justify Russia's war in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Delegates attend the plenary session as Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his remarks virtually during the 2023 BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa on August 23, 2023. GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsAug 23 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin used a speech to a summit of BRICS leaders on Wednesday to defend Russia's war in Ukraine and praise the grouping as a counterbalance to U.S. global dominance. Putin was speaking to a forum of countries that have refrained from condemning Russia's actions in Ukraine. Strengthening BRICS forms part of Russia’s vision of undermining U.S. dominance and building what Putin, in his speech, called "a multipolar world order". South Africa is a member, however, meaning it would have been obliged to arrest him if he had travelled there.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, GIANLUIGI, Putin, Cyril Ramaphosa, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Mark Trevelyan, Andrew Osborn Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, West, International Criminal Court, ICC, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv's, Ukrainian, Brazil, India, China, Moscow, Asia, Africa, Latin America

Delegates walk past the logos of the BRICS summit during the 2023 BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa on August 23, 2023. WHY DOES LULA WANT A BRICS CURRENCY? A BRICS currency "increases our payment options and reduces our vulnerabilities," he told the summit's opening plenary session. In July, India's foreign minister said, "there is no idea of a BRICS currency". WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OF SETTING UP A BRICS CURRENCY?

Persons: GIANLUIGI, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, LULA, doesn't, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Lesetja Kganyago, you've, Kganyago, Herbert Poenisch, Putin, Rachel Savage, Ethan Wang, Marcela Ayres, Gabriel Stargardter, Naomi Rovnick, Libby George, Marc Jones, John Stonestreet Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Mercosur, South, Zhejiang University, Federal Reserve, FX, International Monetary Fund, Bank of International, Thomson Locations: Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, Rights JOHANNESBURG, Brazil, Russia, India, China, Russian, videolink, African, Ukraine, Beijing, Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, London

CNN —Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Tuesday unexpectedly skipped a business forum of the BRICS economic group in South Africa, sending his commerce minister instead to deliver a fiery speech in his name that decried US hegemony. Xi, who arrived in Johannesburg on Monday for the annual BRICS summit of major emerging economies, was scheduled to deliver a speech at its business forum on Tuesday afternoon alongside leaders from India, Brazil and South Africa. Xi was the only BRICS leader who did not attend the business forum. At a regular news briefing Wednesday, Wang Wenbin, another spokesperson for the ministry, sidestepped a question about Xi’s absence at the BRICS business forum. “The (Chinese Communist Party) feels no obligation to provide explanations about why its foreign minister was replaced or its top leader was a no show at the BRICS Business Forum.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Xi, –, Wang Wentao, Vladimir Putin, ”, Bonnie Glaser, Marshall Fund’s, Brian Hart, Cyril Ramaphosa, ” Hart, Wang, Hua Chunying, Wang Wenbin, sidestepped, Xi’s, “ I’ve, Glaser, Qin, Wang Yi, Hart Organizations: CNN, Chinese Commerce, China Power, Center for Strategic, International Studies, South, Ramaphosa, Xinhua, Chinese Foreign Ministry, Communist Party, German Marshall Fund, CSIS Locations: South Africa, Johannesburg, India, Brazil, Beijing, United States, Ukraine, China, ”

☆ Top EU official warns West needs to act to avoid losing developing world's trust
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Marc Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] South African delegates sit behind a glass with BRICS logo as the BRICS summit is held in Johannesburg, South Africa August 23, 2023. Headquartered in Shanghai, the New Development Bank was established in 2015 by BRICS members. "It's symptomatic of something that Europe and Western institutions must confront urgently," Hoyer said of the bank's rise in importance. "Unless we offer genuine partnership and more convincing ways to address the challenges of the Global South whether it is in the energy transition, the issue of indebtedness or tackling glaring health inequality - we are heading for trouble." ($1 = 0.9252 euros)Reporting by Marc Jones Editing by Tomasz JanowskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Alet Pretorius, Werner Hoyer, Hoyer, Marc Jones, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: REUTERS, Investment, New Development Bank, Reuters, EU, West, United Nations, United Arab, Thomson Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, China, Russia, Africa, EIB, Brazil, India, Ukraine, Shanghai, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Algeria, Argentina, Ethiopia, Honduras, Iran, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, Zimbabwe, Europe, Western

Lula and counterparts Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met for dinner and a mini-retreat on Tuesday evening. China and Russia are keen to expand BRICS to give the bloc more global clout. LEADERS DISCUSS MEMBERSHIP CRITERIAMore than 40 countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, say South African officials. While no new members are expected to be admitted to BRICS during the summit, leaders are weighing a framework and criteria for joining, details of which could be included in a joint declaration due to be finalised on Wednesday. South African organisers say there will be no discussions however of a common BRICS currency, an idea floated by Brazil as an alternative to dollar-dependence.

Persons: Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, China Xi, Cyril Ramaphosa, India Narendra Modi, Sergei Lavrov, Vladimir Putin, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Lula, Cyril Ramaphosa of, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi, Africa's Ramaphosa, Modi, Putin, Plessis, Krishn Kaushik, Joe Bavier, Emelia Sithole Organizations: Russia's, China, Washington, United States, Group, Indian, BRICS, U.S ., Thomson Locations: China, India, Sandton, JOHANNESBURG, Russia, Ukraine, South, Johannesburg, Brazil, United, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, BRICS, Argentina, South Africa, Johanneburg, New Delhi

☆ A young Elon Musk once sweet-talked a random mall salesman into giving him a Dungeons & Dragons module for free and we think we know which one it is
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Chris Kaye | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A Ronan Farrow story in the New Yorker highlights an adventure of teenage Elon Musk. Musk and a friend made an unsupervised trip to a mall to obtain a Dungeons & Dragons adventure. While the story doesn't mention which classic '80s module Musk was after, we have a guess. AdvertisementAdvertisementTeenage Elon Musk took a joyride in a boosted car and skipped out of a South African mall with a possibly purloined Dungeons & Dragons module. AdvertisementAdvertisementOnce at the mall, the pair discovered they didn't have enough money to pay for the module.

Persons: Ronan Farrow, Elon Musk, Farrow, Theo Taoushiani, Taoushiani's, Elon, Taoushiani, Musk, he's, Jon Peterson, —, ToEE, Gary Gygax, Peterson, Gygax, Trey Parker Organizations: Yorker, SpaceX, New Yorker, TSR, AAA, Wizards Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa

☆ Over 40 countries sick and tired of the Western-led world order are clamoring to join a group where China and Russia are members
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Over 40 countries are interested in joining Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa in the BRICS bloc, Reuters reported. However, the BRICS bloc faces challenges from rivalry between China and India, and Russia's war in Ukraine. South Africa is hosting the 15th summit of the BRICS bloc in Johannesburg from Tuesday to Thursday. Still, the BRICS group does face challenges, including the long-standing rivalry between China and India, China's economic slowdown, and Russia's war in Ukraine. The bloc was formed in 2009 with its first summit, and South Africa joined in 2011, making the grouping BRICS.

Persons: South Africa hasn't, Rob Davies, South, It's, Evan Freidin, Vladimir Putin, Putin —, Goldman Sachs, Jim O'Neill, dollarization Organizations: Reuters, Service, South, United, Australian Institute of International Affairs, Criminal, South Africa, New Development Bank Locations: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Johannesburg, Iran, Venezuela, Southeast, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Russian, Shanghai, Africa's

☆ Russia, expansion and Western relations in the spotlight as leaders gather for pivotal BRICS summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

South African police officers walk in front of an event banner outside the venue for the BRICS summit at the Sandton Convention Center in the Sandton district of Johannesburg, South Africa, on Monday, Aug. 21, 2023. Ramaphosa invited 67 leaders from across Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Asia and the Caribbean to attend the summit, but no Western leaders received an invitation. watch nowBilateral deals and cooperation is common among BRICS members, but de Carvalho challenged the idea that there is a unanimous desire to compete with the G7. He added that the BRICS members do not always agree and do not see the group as a "panacea," but simply a "vehicle to become more influential in global discussions." "The G7 contains the rich Western economies, while BRICS contains the two most populous countries and the leading countries on three continents.

Persons: Michele Spatari, Cyril Ramaphosa, Xi Jinping, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Narendra Modi, Sergei Lavrov, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Ramaphosa, Gustavo de Carvalho, de Carvalho, Lula, BRICS, It's, it's, Steven Gruzd, Gruzd Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, West, South, Indian, Russian, International, Court, ICC, Western, African Union Commission, New Development Bank, South African Institute of International Affairs, CNBC Locations: Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, Ukraine, Africa, Latin America, East, Asia, Caribbean, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE, Argentina, Indonesia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, BRICS, Russia, Brazil, China

A person walks past the Sandton Convention Centre, which will host the upcoming BRICS Summit, in Johannesburg, South Africa August 19, 2023. South African summit organisers, however, say there will be no discussions of a BRICS currency, an idea floated by Brazil earlier this year as an alternative to dollar-dependence. Russian President Vladimir Putin, wanted under an international arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, will not travel to South Africa and instead join virtually. South Africa has also voiced support. Over 40 countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, say South African officials.

Persons: James Oatway, Cyril Ramaphosa, Xi Jinping, Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Narendra Modi, Vladimir Putin, Vinay Kwatra, Bhargav Acharya, Joe Bavier, Andy Sullivan Organizations: Sandton, REUTERS, Indian, China, BRICS, Thomson Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, JOHANNESBURG, Brazil, Russia, India, China, Ukraine, United States

☆ South African rand lifted by falling U.S. yields as BRICS summit kicks off
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

South African Rand coins are seen in this illustration picture taken October 28, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsJOHANNESBURG, Aug 22 (Reuters) - The South African rand gained on Tuesday as risk appetite returned to global markets due to falling U.S. Treasury yields, as the first day of the BRICS summit of emerging economies kicked off in Johannesburg. At 1605 GMT, the rand traded at 18.7900 against the dollar , about 0.9% stronger than its previous close. South Africa is hosting the leaders of Brazil, India and China for the Tuesday-to-Thursday summit, while Russian President Vladimir Putin will join virtually. The BRICS summit "is unlikely to provide the market with significant or sustainable momentum until the bloc adopts implementable policies," Greeff said.

Persons: Mike Hutchings, Danny Greeff, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Greeff, Tannur Anders, Bhargav Acharya, Mark Potter, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Treasury, Analytics, Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Thomson Locations: Rights JOHANNESBURG, Johannesburg, U.S, Africa, Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Ukraine

☆ Brazil's Lula in favor of Argentina joining BRICS bloc
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SAO PAULO, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Tuesday he wanted Argentina to join the BRICS group of emerging countries, as Brazil's neighbor struggles with a lack of foreign reserves. "It is very important for Argentina to be in BRICS," Lula said in a live broadcast on social media as he attends the bloc's summit in South Africa. Argentina, whose largest trade partner is Brazil, has previously said it intended to join the BRICS bloc. Lula also said he was in favor of other countries joining the alliance, mentioning Indonesia as a potential new member. "We do not want to be a counterpoint to the G7, G20 or the United States," Lula said.

Persons: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Lula, Javier Milei, Ian Bremmer, Gabriel Araujo, Kylie Madry, Mark Potter Organizations: SAO PAULO, International Monetary Fund, South, U.S ., Thomson Locations: Argentina, BRICS, South Africa, Brazil, Russia, India, China, Indonesia, Babel, Eurasia, Saudi Arabia, United States

☆ Mzansi Youth Choir: The South African group that brought Simon Cowell to tears eyes next stage of US singing competition
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Jackelyn Prager | Jackie Prager | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —On a stage more than 16,000 kilometers (10,000 miles) away from the small township of Soweto in Johannesburg, South Africa, the Mzansi Youth Choir was seeing their dreams come true before their eyes. Ever since, the choir has been back in South Africa preparing for the next step of their journey. “Coming to the US to perform on the world’s biggest stage, ‘America’s Got Talent,’ is a dream come true,” choir member Zoe Gulwa, 21, told CNN during a recent interview in Johannesburg. The Mzansi Youth Choir is family away from family,” said Mphahlwa. Trae Patton/NBC via Getty ImagesEyes on the prizeThe Mzansi Youth Choir has performed alongside musical talents including Shakira, Beyoncé and South African flutist Wouter Kellerman.

Persons: ‘, Zoe Gulwa, Jane “ Nightbirde ” Marczewski, Simon Cowell, “, ”, Nightbirde, ” Gulwa, would’ve, they’ll, Marina Zaaiman, Zaaiman, Jannie, Jannie Zaaiman, “ They’ve, Trae Patton, Shakira, Wouter Kellerman, America’s, ” “, Keneilwe Melato, It’s Organizations: CNN, NBC, Getty Locations: Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa

☆ BRICS expansion hopefuls seek to rebalance world order
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Joe Bavier | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/6] People walk past the Sandton Convention Centre, which will host the upcoming BRICS Summit, in Johannesburg, South Africa August 19, 2023. The wealthy West's domination of international bodies, such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund or the World Bank. DEVELOPING WORLD DISCONTENTWhile BRICS has not divulged a full list of expansion candidates, a number of governments have publicly stated their interest. Others want changes at the World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Its BRICS trade has indeed increased steadily since it joined, according to an analysis by the country's Industrial Development Corporation.

Persons: James Oatway, Rob Davies, South, bode, Vladimir Putin, Steven Gruzd, BRICS, Ramón Lobo, Gruzd, Lucinda Elliott, Deisy, Yousef Saba, Gustavo Palencia, Lamine Chikhi, Ahmed Eljechtimi, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Sandton, REUTERS, United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, BRICS, Observers, South African Institute of International Affairs, U.S ., Reuters, United, Emirates, World Trade Organization, Argentine, New Development Bank, Russia, Industrial Development Corporation, South, Thomson Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, JOHANNESBURG, Iran, Argentina, Brazil, Russia, India, China, Ukraine, Venezuela, Gulf, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, United Nations, United States, Montevideo, Caracas, Dubai, Tegucigalpa, Lamine, Algiers, Rabat

☆ BRICS Summit: Who stands to benefit from Russia-friendly bloc's expansion?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The group of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa has never been more prominent on the world stage. Russia’s leader can’t attend the summit because host country South Africa would be obliged to arrest him for alleged war crimes. But nonetheless that family is now entertaining formal bids from nearly two dozen countries to join their bloc of major emerging economies. It held its first summit in 2009 with four members and then added South Africa the following year. An expansion, instead of making the group more potent, could also make it “more unwieldy and ineffective” with more contrasting positions between members, he added.

Persons: can’t, It’s, Russia’s Vladimir Putin –, Putin, Cyril Ramaphosa, BRICS, ” “, Chen Xiaodong, Bhaso, “, China’s Xi, India’s Narendra Modi, Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, –, Goldman Sachs, Jim O’Neill, BRICS Anil Sooklal, Mihaela Papa, ”, Xi, Yun Sun, Putin –, Manoj Kewalramani, Kewalramani, Modi, Lula, Ramaphosa, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Rubens Duarte Organizations: CNN, West, Washington, Sunday, University of Johannesburg, New Development Bank, United Arab, Tufts University, Western, China Program, Stimson, NATO, Takshashila, United Nations Locations: South Africa, Brazil, Russia, India, China, Beijing, United States, New Delhi, Ukraine, African, Argentina, Mexico, Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Nigeria, Bangladesh, South, Washington, BRICS, Bangalore, Johannesburg, Russian, – China, Africa, Europe

☆ A BRICS no-show speaks volumes about Putin's shrinking horizons
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

But Putin will be notably absent from a key global forum this week, the BRICS summit in Johannesburg. His no-show speaks volumes about Russia’s isolation – and Putin’s shrinking horizons. Bolstering such support against the background of the war on Ukraine was a key aim of Putin’s recent Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg. The Kremlin, of course, bristles at any implication that Putin is ducking out of the BRICS summit because of an ICC warrant. Russia, after all, is waging a war on Ukraine that Putin has justified in starkly imperial terms.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, he’ll, Alexander Lukashenko, Cyril Ramaphosa, Xi Jinping, Luiz Lula da Silva, Narendra Modi –, Sergey Lavrov, Omar al, Bashir –, Darfur –, Dmitry Peskov, ”, Lavrov, “ Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Putin, South, Indian, International Criminal, ICC, Hague, Russian, UN Security Council Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Beijing, Central Asia, Iran, Minsk, Belarusian, Russia, Johannesburg, Russian, Africa, St . Petersburg, Latin America, Asia, South Africa, Darfur, BRICS, United States

☆ BRICS summit: China's Xi visits South Africa in second trip abroad this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

For Xi, the first in-person summit of the BRICS grouping since the pandemic presents another opportunity to advance that vision. The bloc’s members – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – account for more than 40 percent of the global population. “Xi is going to be the center of the BRICS summit, given that Vladimir Putin is not attending in person,” he said. His last journey to the continent – also for the BRICS summit in South Africa – in 2018 includes a whirlwind of visits to Senegal, Rwanda and Mauritius, spanning almost every corner of Sub-Saharan Africa. Instead, the Chinese leader will co-chair the China-Africa Leaders’ Dialogue with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, China’s Foreign Ministry said.

Persons: Xi Jinping, ” Vladimir Putin, strongmen, –, “ Xi Jinping, ”, Steve Tsang, Tsang, South Africa Chen Xiaodong, BRICS, ” Chen, Joe Biden, Camp Davis, China’s, Paul Nantulya, Xi, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Nantulya, CNN Yun Sun, ” Nantulya, Cyril Ramaphosa Organizations: CNN, South Africa, US, SOAS China Institute, University of London, Africa Center, Strategic Studies, ”, Stimson, Initiative, Institutes, South Africa –, ’ Locations: South, United States, Moscow, – Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Japan, South Korea, Camp, Asia, South China, Beijing, Ukraine, Washington, Africa, Senegal, Rwanda, Mauritius, Saharan Africa

☆ S.African municipalities' unpaid dues to Eskom rise to $3.3 bln-minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 20 (Reuters) - The amount of unpaid dues that South African municipalities owe debt-laden power company Eskom has risen to more than 63.2 billion rand ($3.33 billion) and is increasing exponentially, risking even longer power cuts around the country, the electricity minister said on Sunday. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said the figure had risen by 4.7 billion rand since the start of this year. Eskom supplies power to 238 municipalities with the top 20 of them accounting for 77% or 48.9 billion rand of the total overdue debt, Ramokgopa said. The government is exploring ways to resolve the municipal debt crisis and is looking at funding from various means to upgrade the distribution infrastructure, Ramokgopa said, without giving any timeline. ($1 = 18.9890 rand)Reporting by Promit Mukherjee; Editing by Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Ramokgopa, Eskom, Promit Mukherjee, Susan Fenton Organizations: Thomson Locations: JOHANNESBURG, South Africa

☆ From cocktails to free rides, World Cup co-hosts fight to woo back tourists
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Tara Subramaniam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In 2022, there were only about 1.4 million visitors, according to data provided by the government, still considerably below pre-pandemic levels. That’s why events like the Women’s World Cup are so important. Cities like Wellington and Auckland have catered to World Cup tourists by making public transportation free on game days for anyone with a match ticket. The extra effort has not gone unnoticed by tourists, especially those who have traveled to other World Cup events. Compared to the last Women’s World Cup in France, more businesses seem excited to welcome tourists, said US fan Carly Andler.

Persons: James Johnson, “, ” Johnson, ”, Monchy, CNN’s Richard Quest, Iain Walker, Chow Tory, Chow Tory's, Tara Subramaniam, Carly Andler, Andler, we’ve Organizations: Wellington CNN — Soccer, Football Australia, Tourism, Zealand’s Ministry of Business Innovation, New Zealand, Air New Zealand, FIFA, CNN, New Zealand’s Football Ferns, Wellington Chocolate Factory, Wellington City Council Locations: Australia, New Zealand, Tourism New Zealand, New, Tourism Australia, Cities, Wellington, Auckland, Dunedin, Hamilton, United States, Costa Rica, Spanish, Swedish, Italy, Japan, Rosebud, Bundaberg, Zealand, France

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