President Vladimir Putin has slammed the West as Russia is hit by sanctions. He called on emerging economies to cooperate with Russia as the Kremlin seeks to reroute trade.

Presidents and ministers from global powers have been crisscrossing Africa over the past few weeks - we get some analysis on the geopolitical chess game taking place on the continent from Eric Olander, Editor-in-Chief of The China-Global South Project.

Presidents and ministers from global powers have been crisscrossing Africa over the past few weeks. We get some analysis on the geopolitical chess game taking place on the continent from Eric Olander, Editor-in-Chief of The China-Global South Project.

German Chancellor Scholz called for "an enlarged and reformed" European Union that is more "geopolitical" in outlook and actions. His speech came as lawmakers celebrate the post-WWII peace among European Union members.

The European Union sees Romania as one of its frontline states when it comes to the war in Ukraine. The country of 19 million people, a member of both the EU and NATO, has a land and sea border with Ukraine of more than 600 kilometres. It has been a transit hub for weapons supplies to Kyiv.

Russia and China have raised the possibility of BRICS accepting new members. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin's attendance at an August summit remains unclear.

Ethiopia recently applied to join BRICS — an economic group comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The body is seen as an alternative to the Bretton Woods institutions and the West's dominance in geopolitics. But can a country like Ethiopia, whose economy is ranked 59th in the world, sit as an equal partner with a country like China, whose economy is ranked second globally?

More than 40 countries have expressed interested in joining the BRICS group of nations, South Africa's top diplomat in charge of relations with the bloc said on Thursday.

Global South versus Global North? The BRICS summit in South Africa is set to be all about the group's plans to expand and how to deal with sanctions.

Some see the 5-member club as a counterweight to traditional Western-led forums and institutions. But what exactly is BRICS and why does it matter?

Leaders of the BRICS group of emerging economies meet in Johannesburg as divisions between the founding members about the bloc's future appear to emerge. Thirty-eight Senegalese nationals are repatriated after a migrant boat drifts off Cape Verde. And Zimbabwe gears up for presidential elections amid economic hardship.

As BRICS leaders meet in Johannesburg on Tuesday, they will be sure to discuss ways to increase commercial exchanges within the bloc of emerging economies comprised of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The group, which represents 16% of global trade, will also look to encourage the use of local currencies in exchanges. However, the Brazilian idea of creating a common currency for the bloc appears to now be on the back burner.