BRICS announces ‘historic’ admission of six new members

News Snapshot:

BRICS leaders announced on Thursday the "historic" admission of six new countries from next year as the club seeks to reshape the Western-led global order and expand its geopolitical influence. The BRICS -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- agreed at their annual summit to make Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates full members from January 1. "This membership expansion is historic," said Chinese President Xi Jinping, whose nation is the most powerful in the group of large and populous non-Western economies. "The expansion is also a new starting point for BRICS cooperation....