BRICS News

Both China and India have ambitious space programs in place, while Russia continues to run the world’s only reliable “space taxi” after the US retired its space shuttles in 2011 [Xinhua]BRICS countries are aiming to set up a joint grouping of space satellites for remote sensing of Earth, Igor Komarov, the head of the Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos), was quoted by Russian media on Monday.
“Yesterday we had a first session of the head of space agencies of BRICS member states,” Komarov said. “This is a new initiative and a new format.”

Gordhan, right, seen here with IMF chief Christine Lagarde, has always said that the charges against him were politically motivated [Xinhua]
South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has withdrawn fraud charges against South African Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan
NPA head Shaun Abrahams said that Gordhan “did not have the requisite intention to act unlawfully,” in the case of alleged severance payments made to two senior executives at the South African Revenue Service while it was under the finance minister’s tutelage a decade ago.

The J-20 is China’s most advanced fifth-generation fighter jet and will be featured at the air show this week [Xinhua]
China’s J-20 twin-engine stealth fighter will make its first public appearance when it is featured at the 11th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition at the Zhuhai Airshow Center in Guangdong province on Tuesday.

China and Egypt have long enjoyed strong close ties; in September, President Sisi was one of a handful of leaders invited to the G20 Summit in China [Xinhua]
Following months of speculation that the whole project had been scrapped, construction on Egypt’s New capital city by two of China’s biggest developers could begin as early as next year.
The Egyptian government is targeting up to $45 billion in investments, and the agreements set to be finalized before the year’s end will bring the country closer to that target.

Oil inventories are up, demand is sluggish, and OPEC can’t agree on a cap – what could go wrong? [Xinhua]
While Chinese consumers have for the past two years enjoyed the low prices at the pump, there is a reverse side to that fortune: with global oil prices still far below their 2014 levels, energy producers such as PetroChina have seen their profits slashed.
PetroChina, the country’s leading oil and gas producer, announced on Saturday that its net profits have plunged by 94.3 per cent year on year in the first three quarters of 2016.

UN and relief agency workers saw starving people, malnourished children in two besieged Syrian areas this year [Xinhua]
The United Nations Security Council on Friday condemned in the strongest terms the shelling of the Russian Embassy in Damascus, Syria and attacks on schools in the country.
Two mortar shells struck the embassy compound on Friday and caused material damage, Moscow said. This is the second time this month the embassy has come under fire.
Security sources said the mortar shells were fired from the rebel held district of Jobar.

The new powers will now give Xi ample leverage to push ahead anti-graft measures and economic reforms [Xinhua]
Chinese President Xi Jinping won significant support from the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China when its sixth plenary session concluded on Thursday with a declaration confirming his continued role as the party’s secretary-general and that he is the “core” of the country’s leadership.

Putin says the US is not fulfilling its obligations in Syria [Xinhua]
Russian President Vladimir Putin has responded to official US claims that Moscow has been intervening in the upcoming presidential elections by saying that both Republican and Democratic candidates have been using him as a means to divert attention from more important issues such as the US economy and gun control.

Seafaring refugees have been streaming to Greek shores for years but a significant spike in numbers in 2015, has dramatically dropped this year [Xinhua]
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has confirmed that at least 3,800 refugee migrants have died or gone missing while making the perilous trek across the Mediterranean sea this year.
“This is the worst we have ever seen,” UNHCR spokesperson William Spindler told reporters on Tuesday in Geneva.

A number of business leaders and scholars have come to Gordhan’s aid and expressed outrage at his “vilification” [Xinhua]
South African Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan is set to announce the country’s midterm budget today which is supposed to curb the government’s budget deficit and cut spending.
Gordhan said he plans on cutting the deficit to 3.2 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) down from 3.9 per cent the year before.
This, however, comes as Gordhan’s court date for charges of alleged fraud looms closer.