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An investigation by the South African government has concluded that weapons were not loaded onto a Russian vessel under American sanctions that docked near Cape Town last year, contradicting accusations by U.S. officials that South Africa had provided arms for the war in Ukraine, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday. “The panel found no evidence that any cargo of weapons was loaded for export on to the ship, Lady R,” Mr. Ramaphosa said in a televised address, after an investigation commissioned by him and led by a retired judge. Mr. Ramaphosa had said that he would not release the entire report to protect classified information, but that a summary would be made public on Monday. It remains to be seen whether the findings will soothe the relationship between South Africa and the United States, which has reached its most tense period in years in large part because of the dispute over what happened when the Lady R, a commercial cargo ship, docked at a South African naval base under cover of night last December.

Persons: Cyril Ramaphosa, Lady R, Mr, Ramaphosa Organizations: South Locations: Russian, Cape Town, South Africa, Ukraine, United States

A few years ago, the charity ran out of money and quietly stopped operating, so the building began filling up with drug users and desperately poor migrants, residents said. Spokespeople for the City of Johannesburg and police did not respond to requests for comment about the residents' accounts. But Johannesburg city manager Floyd Brink said there was a plan to get hijacked buildings back under control. But human rights groups took them to court, said Annie Michaels, an activist from the Johannesburg Migrants Advisory Panel, which has been supporting migrants in the building. Shocked at the state of the building, Jack urged her brother Dube to move, but he never did.

Persons: Sihle Dube, didn't, Dube, Bertha Gxowa, Angela Rivers, Kabelo Gwamanda, Floyd Brink, Cyril Ramaphosa, Ramaphosa, contemptuously, Thando, Ethel Jack, Jack, I've, Chinte Mustafa, Annie Michaels, Michaels, he'd, Tim Cocks, Alexandra Zavis, Ros Russell Organizations: Association, City, Bertha, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Johannesburg Fire, JOHANNESBURG, Johannesburg, Germiston, Johannesburg's, South, South Africa, Africa, Utrecht, Malawi

☆ South Africa's Ramaphosa urges enforcement of laws over 'hijacked' buildings
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] A police officer walks past the apartment block where a deadly fire broke out, in Johannesburg, South Africa, September 1, 2023. "Local government has to enforce the laws," Ramaphosa said at a governing African National Congress party event. Municipal officials have said efforts to evict residents in illegally occupied buildings are often hamstrung by court orders stopping the evictions. Ramaphosa said he has asked government ministers to look into ways of enforcing laws without violating people's rights. Ramaphosa said he collected his passbook at the building about 50 years ago, when he worked in the city.

Persons: Siphiwe, Cyril Ramaphosa, Ramaphosa, Carien du, Olivia Kumwenda, Ros Russell Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Saturday, African National Congress, Government, Black, Thomson Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, Rights JOHANNESBURG, Africa, Carien du Plessis

☆ BRICS expansion is a big win for China. But can it really work as a counterweight to the West?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The summit was the largest the BRICS have ever held, with more than 60 countries attending alongside member nations Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. “This makes China the clear winner,” said Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute at the University of London. Helena Legarda, lead analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies, a think tank in Berlin, said it is unclear to what extent the BRICS expansion will increase the value and influence of the group. The BRICS expansion is also likely to fuel competition – and potential friction – between China and India, whose ties have already been strained by a simmering border conflict. “Sino-Indian competition for the leadership of the Global South is now bound to sharpen with China having a clear advantage,” said Jacob in New Delhi.

Persons: Xi Jinping, United Arab Emirates –, Xi, ”, Steve Tsang, “, ” Happymon Jacob, Yun Sun, Helena Legarda, Cyril Ramaphosa, Narendra Modi, Jacob Organizations: CNN, United, United Arab Emirates, SOAS China Institute, University of London, Moscow, US, United Nations, Security Council, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Xi, New, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Stimson, Mercator Institute for China Studies, Indian, Anadolu Agency, Getty Locations: Johannesburg, Beijing, Africa, Asia, Latin America, Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab, Moscow, United States, Ukraine, Washington, Tigray, UAE, America, Berlin, New Delhi, “

☆ Opinion: Putin’s virtual bravado, Xi’s big win, and 6 new members. Why this was a summit like no other
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Opinion Michael Bociurkiw | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The move breathes new life into a group set to rival the G7 and brings the world closer to multi-polarity. BRICS leaders could be forgiven for not knowing whether to exhibit exuberance or concern on Wednesday. (Summit host, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, said it should be seen as an accomplishment for the entire BRICS bloc.) Hours later, just as BRICS leaders were sitting down to dinner, news alerts started to steal the show on the crashed private jet said to be carrying Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin. Host South Africa just manages to pull it offThat South Africa managed to pull off hosting the summit is an accomplishment in itself.

Persons: Michael Bociurkiw, Michael Bociurkiw Chrystia, “, —, Xi Jinping, you’ve, Nicolás Maduro, Russia’s, Cyril Ramaphosa, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, couldn’t, Swagger, I’ve, Modi, Vladimir Putin’s, Sergey Lavrov, Lula da Silva, Lula, Vladimir Putin, Michele Spatari, It’s, ” Nontsikelelo, Facebook Xi, Xi, Putin Organizations: Atlantic Council, Organization for Security, Cooperation, CNN, Johannesburg CNN, United Arab, —, for Security, UN, Wagner, Getty, Democratic, Twitter, Facebook, National Congress, ANC Locations: Odesa, Europe, Johannesburg, Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Africa, ”, Beijing, Donbas, Ukraine, AFP, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon

Some investors and economic analysts are sceptical that expansion will lead to increased foreign direct investment (FDI) within the bloc. Still, BRICS leaders and other investors touted the increased economic heft from the expansion. Increasing use of national currencies to reduce U.S. dollar dependence was another goal BRICS leaders discussed at the summit in Johannesburg. And with oil producer heavyweights among the newcomers, investors said this would feed speculation that Saudi Arabia might increasingly switch to non-dollar-denominated currencies for oil trade. "The short-term consequences could be seen in oil," said Kaan Nazli, a portfolio manager at asset manager Neuberger Berman in London.

Persons: Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, China Xi, Cyril Ramaphosa, India Narendra Modi, Sergei Lavrov, Viktor Szabo, Li Kexin, Ola El, Chris Turner, Jakob Ekholdt Christensen, Hasnain Malik, abrdn's Szabo, Kaan Nazli, Neuberger Berman, Rachel Savage, Karin Strohecker, Bansari Mayur, Marc Jones, Jorgelina, Emelia Sithole Organizations: Russia's, Iran, United Arab Emirates, abrdn, Emerging Markets, ING, Reuters Graphics, China, International Monetary Fund, Thomson Locations: China, India, Sandton, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, JOHANNESBURG, LONDON, Argentina, Brazil, Russia, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Johannesburg, United States, Saudi, London, Van Eck, New York, Copenhagen, Dubai, Bangalore, Rosario

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

Marco Longari/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsJOHANNESBURG, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to China's President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Johannesburg and highlighted concerns India has about border issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India's foreign secretary said. Modi and Xi agreed "to direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation," Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said. On the sidelines of the BRICS summit Modi highlighted to Xi "India's concerns on the unresolved issues along the LAC", Kwatra said. This is the first time that Modi has brought up the issue directly with Xi, repeating India's stand that has been shared with China through other ministers multiple times. "The two sides should bear in mind the overall interests of their bilateral relations and handle properly the border issue so as to jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border region," Xi said.

Persons: India Narendra Modi, Cyril Ramaphosa, China Xi Jinping, Marco Longari, Narendra Modi, Xi Jinping, Modi, Xi, Vinay Kwatra, Kwatra, Bhargav Acharya, Tannur Anders, Michael Martina, Krishn Kaushik, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Indian, LAC, Xinhua, Shanghai Cooperation, Thomson Locations: India, China, Sandton, Johannesburg, Rights JOHANNESBURG, Indonesia

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

☆ BRICS invites six nations to join developing world bloc
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 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) - Leaders of the BRICS group of developing nations have invited Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates to join, in a move aimed at growing the clout of a bloc that has pledged to champion the "Global South". South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is hosting a summit of BRICS leaders, announced on Thursday that the new candidates would be admitted as members on Jan. 1, 2024. And while all BRICS members publicly expressed support for growing the bloc, there were divisions among the leaders over how much and how quickly. More than 40 countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, say South African officials, and 22 have formally asked to be admitted.

Persons: James Oatway, Cyril Ramaphosa, BRICS, Carien du Plessis, Joe Bavier, Toby Chopra, Emelia Organizations: Sandton, REUTERS, Rights, United, West ., BRICS, Thomson Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, Rights JOHANNESBURG, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Russia, India, China, Beijing, Moscow, West

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ Reactions as India's Chandrayaan-3 makes historic moon landing
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Arun Haryani, an enthusiast with his body painted in tri-colours, holds up a model of LVM3 M4, which was used in launching the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, in Ahmedabad on the eve of the moon landing, August 22. Following are some reactions:S. SOMANATH, INDIAN SPACE RESEARCH ORGANISATION (ISRO)CHAIRMAN"India is on the moon." NARENDRA MODI, PRIME MINISTER, INDIA"This moment is unforgettable. BILL NELSON, ADMINISTRATOR, NASA"Congratulations ISRO on your successful Chandrayaan-3 lunar South Pole landing! Congratulations to ISRO, Chandrayaan-3, and to all the people of India!!

Persons: Arun Haryani, Amit Dave, NARENDRA MODI, RAHUL GANDHI, SHAH RUKH KHAN, CHANDRACHUD, KHARGE, BILL NELSON, JOSEF ASCHBACHER, CYRIL RAMAPHOSA, PUSHPA KAMAL DAHAL, Narendra Modi, Nivedita Bhattacharjee, Andrew Heavens, Toby Chopra Organizations: REUTERS, DELHI, Wednesday, Indian Space Research, SPACE, ISRO, OF, NASA, GENERAL, EUROPEAN SPACE, Chandrayaan, SOUTH, MINISTER, Thomson Locations: Ahmedabad, India, EUROPEAN, SOUTH AFRICA, NEPAL

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

☆ 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

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, ”

☆ BRICS Meeting Attracts Global Interest Not Seen in Years
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Lynsey Chutel | More About Lynsey Chutel | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The latest gathering of leaders has garnered a level of international interest rarely seen since the group was first formed 14 years ago. Dozens of countries have expressed interest in joining, including Argentina, Nigeria, Iran, Belarus, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. The candidates are as diverse as the BRICS bloc, which represents 40 percent of the world’s population and a quarter of its economy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India arrived in Johannesburg in the afternoon, The Times of India reported. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia will appear virtually, to avoid an international arrest warrant for crimes against humanity committed during the war in Ukraine.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Cyril Ramaphosa of, Narendra Modi, Vladimir V, Putin Organizations: India Locations: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Johannesburg, Ukraine, Beijing, Washington, Argentina, Nigeria, Iran, Belarus, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Pretoria, Times

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

☆ China's Xi tells BRICS summit that Chinese economy is resilient
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] China's President Xi Jinping speaks, as South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa listens, at the Union Buildings ahead of the opening remarks of the BRICS emerging economies meeting, in Pretoria, South Africa August 22, 2023. REUTERS/Alet Pretorius Acquire Licensing RightsAug 22 (Reuters) - China's leader Xi Jinping told the BRICS group on Tuesday that China's economy was resilient and that the fundamentals for its long-term growth remained unchanged. Xi, who is in South Africa for a summit of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS), made the remarks in a prepared statement read by Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao at a business forum. "The Chinese economy has strong resilience, tremendous potential and great vitality," Xi said through Wang. "The giant ship of the Chinese economy will continue to ride the wind, cleave waves, and forge ahead," Xi said.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Cyril Ramaphosa, Alet Pretorius, Xi, Wang Wentao, Wang, Michael Martina, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, Chinese Commerce, Thomson Locations: Pretoria, South Africa, Brazil, Russia, India, China, U.S

☆ Morning Bid: World markets bounce at last
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., August 15, 2023. The onshore yuan steadied amid supportive action by China's state banks in the swaps market, and Chinese stocks (.CSI300) perked up from the year's lows. Overall, MSCI's all-country index (.MIWD00000PUS) was on course on Tuesday for its first back-to-back daily gains of August so far. There were background concerns about the impact on U.S. banks of this latest hit to bond prices and borrowing rates. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Mike Dolan, Xi Jinping, MSCI's, Jackson, Jerome Powell's, Moody's, Thomas Barkin, Austan Goolsbee, Michelle Bowman, Cyril Ramaphosa, Christina Fincher Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Treasury, Federal Reserve, Nasdaq, P, Activision, Ubisoft Entertainment, Microsoft, Richmond Fed, Philadelphia Fed, Richmond Federal, Chicago Fed, China's, Reuters Graphics, Thomson, Reuters Locations: New York City, U.S, Wyoming, Jackson, China, South Africa, Asia, Johannesburg, Pretoria

☆ 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

☆ 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

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