Global

Ignoring BRICS is no longer an option for Washington^TS^

Difference on what BRICS should be visible in the summit's first day^BNE^
Why India doesn’t want BRICS to dismantle the world order built by the West^RT^

By Bhadrakumar.

Is a BRICS currency feasible?^CGTN^

Xi refused Macron's attendance at BRICS summit: Intelligence Online^AM^

In late June, the French President had made it known through French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna that he was interested in joining the BRICS summit. And Intelligence Online claimed that according to its sources, "diplomatic authorities in Pretoria and New Delhi alike had given their green light to Macron attending."

BRICS: Brazil President Lula da Silva defends closer ties with Africa^AN^

The Inclusion of Argentina in the BRICS is Important: Lula^TS^

Leaders kick off BRICS summit with Business Forum^AN^

BRICS leaders in S.Africa seek to end USD hegemony over global economy^AM^

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for fundamental reform of the global financial system. During his speech at the 15th BRICS summit, Ramaphosa said the bloc's countries represent a quarter of the global economy, a fifth of trade exchanges, and 40% of the world's population.

New Development Bank Moves Forward With Local Currency Bonds in Bid to Reduce Dependence on the U.S. Dollar^CGS^

“We expect to lend between $8 billion – $10 billion this year,” Dilma Rousseff, the former Brazilian president who leads the NDB, told the Financial Times in an interview. “Our aim is to reach about 30% of everything we lend... in local currency.”

Benefits of joining BRICS could come at political cost for Indonesia^ANN^

Europe

Fruit, vegetable sector plagued by extreme weather as EU takes action^Euractiv^

With several regions struggling with the impact of heavy rainfalls and crops in many parts of Europe still affected by severe drought, Brussels is taking steps to soften the blow for the fruit, vegetable, and wine sector.

Keir Starmer’s Labour Party Is Abandoning Workers’ Rights^Jacobin^
Over half of UK houses did not turn on heating during winter: Study^AM^

Which? energy editor, Emily Seymour, said, “It’s hugely concerning that an estimated 13 million households have not switched the heating on when it’s cold due to fears of high energy bills.”

UK cannot ignore calls for slavery reparations: UN judge^AM^

Czech coalition drifts towards defeat^BNE^

He was greeted by a CVVM opinion poll that showed his five-party coalition government is one of the most unpopular ever, with only 2% of Czechs saying they have a lot of trust in it. Such dire numbers have only been recorded during major political crises in the past.

As everybody knows, the more unpopular the government, the more democratic it is, because you have the freedom to disagree with it unlike in tankie countries. Czechia is EXTREMELY democratic.

Spain's king begins meeting parties to form new government^DW^

Germany set to miss net zero by 2045 target as climate efforts falter^CCN^
German Business Leaders Against Decoupling From China^TS^

Romania to step up investments to increase Ukraine grain transit^BNE^

At a bilateral meeting in Bucharest on August 18, the prime ministers of the two countries said they aimed to export 60% of Ukraine’s grain to international markets via Romania.

Western Asia

2023 is already the deadliest year on record for Palestinians in occupied West Bank, says UN envoy^MR^

Six Tropes to Look Out for That Distort Israel/Palestine Coverage^FAIR^

*These are: citing Israelis and their organizations more than Palestinians; using the language of "clash" as if fights can exist without two groups of people in them (with Palestinians almost universally at the disadvantage); passivity and copspeak; talking about deaths in a vacuum, without saying whose deaths they are (usually Palestinians) and the ages (sometimes very young); not mentioning Israel's violations of international law; and deliberately obfuscating who the victim is by only reporting things when Palestine responds to an initial attack, and then Israel "protects itself" by firing back.

China And Russia Execute A Pincer Movement Around Iraq’s Biggest Oil Assets^NC^

As Yves says, the author might be wrong in other fields but he knows his shit and has deep connections in the oil industry, so is worth taking seriously.

Through a large number of smaller deals, Russia and China are looking to increase their influence in the crucial Iraqi upstream oil sector. The exploration and development contracts for China are done through a backdoor method, with firms that are less well-known than the big state players that attract little or no publicity. China regards TotalEnergies’ $27 billion deal as a huge threat to its plans to close the net around Iraq’s oil and gas sector.

‘Bridges with everyone’: how Saudi Arabia and UAE are positioning themselves for power^FT^

I was expecting worse from the Financial Times but this article doesn't seem bad. S.A., the UAE, India, Turkiye, and probably others are the new "Non-Aligned Movement" I feel, where they're basically just playing both sides for their own gain with no real belief in the idea of multipolarity except where it benefits them. Pure opportunism and nationalism. I guess it makes them easier to analyze though, because for any issue you can just ask the question "Which side would they benefit more from supporting?" and predict the future perfectly. Whereas with Russia or China, it's a little more complicated than that sometimes, as they have a long term plan.

“The fundamental strategic dilemma for them remains that their security is in the west, their energy politics is with Russia and their prosperity is increasingly with China and the rest of Asia,” Hokayem says. “It requires careful footwork and constant engagement to manage these complex relationships. They have to massively invest in all those capitals, in political, economic and geoeconomic terms. It’s a delicate game.”

Erdogan to visit Russia to meet Putin in September^MEE^

Central Asia

Water shortages alarm sounded in southern Kazakhstan and Istanbul^BNE^

A state of emergency was on August 22 declared in parts of drought-hit southern Kazakhstan due to a lack of irrigation water transferred by neighbouring Kyrgyzstan and abnormally high temperatures.

The move comes just days after authorities in Turkey requested that inhabitants of Istanbul cut their water consumption—with major cities across Turkey facing a drought crisis amid extreme summer heatwave temperatures—and reports that the Irtysh River, which originates in China and then flows into northern Kazakhstan and Russia, is experiencing its lowest water levels since the late Soviet era.

Eastern Asia and Oceania

UK FM's possible Beijing trip a 'tentative contact' to reboot ties; necessary atmosphere need to be created^GT^
Is China flooding Europe with fake biofuels?^DW^
Why China is targeting the corruption tumour at the heart of its ailing health system^SCMP^
Chinese tech could break barrier to making crucial defence and aerospace material^SCMP^

China has developed technology for the mass production of ultra-strong carbon fibre, which could help break international monopolies to supply materials for the aerospace and defence industries. Changsheng Technology Co Ltd, based in the northern province of Hebei, worked with Shenzhen University to produce high-performance carbon fibre on a production line that can make 1,700 tonnes (1,874 tons) of the material per year.

Indian spacecraft Chandrayaan-3 successfully makes historic landing on the moon^EN^

Indonesia approves ASEAN deals on food safety, building materials, manufacturing^ANN^
Indonesia signs deal for 24 Boeing F-15EX fighter jets^ANN^

North Korea plans satellite launch amid South Korea-US military drills^ANN^

Sri Lankan inflation halves to 4.6%^TDS^

Cambodia: Lawmakers elect Hun Manet as new prime minister^DW^

Cambodia's parliament endorsed military general Hun Manet as the new prime minister, marking a historic transfer of power in the country his father ruled for almost 40 years. Little is known about Hun Manet's vision for Cambodia, but after getting the unanimous backing of the National Assembly on Tuesday, he said "today is a historic day for Cambodia."