"Controversy Surrounds Putin's Absence from South Africa Summit"

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be attending the BRICS summit in South Africa due to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued against him. South Africa, as a signatory to the ICC treaty, would have been obligated to arrest Putin if he set foot on its soil. The other leaders from the BRICS countries will attend the summit in person, while Putin will participate via video call. The main discussion at the summit will be about expanding the bloc, with China and Russia in favor of a larger BRICS. The bloc has been critical of Western dominance in global governance and financial institutions, but South Africa, the current chair of BRICS, emphasizes that the group is not anti-West and seeks to advance the agenda of the Global South.