Hainan FTP's special customs operations underscore China's firm commitment to high-standard opening up

BEIJING, 17 December 2025 (Xinhua) -- China's Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) is set to officially launch island-wide special customs operations on Thursday, a landmark step underscoring the country's unwavering commitment to expanding high-standard opening up and advancing an open world economy.

A Climate of Cognitive Dissonance

By Kirtan Bhana

15 December 2025

Hurricane Melissa, the largest and most forceful storm ever recorded, tore through the Caribbean with a violence that defies precedent. Jamaica bore the brunt of its fury, while across Asia, from Thailand to Vietnam and the Philippines, entire regions were submerged under unseasonal, record-breaking rainfall. These are not isolated anomalies; they are symptoms of a planetary system under extreme stress. Yet as communities count the dead and measure the ruins, global leaders gathered in Belém, Brazil, for the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30), engaged once again in climate discussions that feel increasingly ritualistic, detached and futile.

BMA Disrupts Suspected Human Trafficking at Or Tambo International Airport

12 December 2025

The Acting Commissioner of the Border Management Authority (BMA), Ms Jane Thupana, has confirmed two significant interceptions carried out by BMA immigration and border law enforcement teams at OR Tambo International Airport yesterday, 11 December 2025. These interventions form part of the Authority’s intensified efforts to combat human trafficking, irregular migration and transnational organised crime, particularly during the festive season peak.

Pops Mohamed mixed old and new to reinvent South African music

by Gwen Ansell, Associate of the Gordon Institute for Business Science, University of Pretoria 

11 December 2025

Ismail Mohamed-Jan – better known by South African jazz fans as Pops Mohamed – has passed away at the age of 75. His life in music represented a struggle against narrow, oppressive definitions – of race, instrumental appropriateness and musical genre.

Gujarat’s coastal communities thrive on record seafood exports

Gujarat’s fisheries sector strengthens its position as India’s second-largest marine producer

Gujarat’s fisheries sector is witnessing unprecedented expansion, driven by rising production, surging exports, and robust government investment. Official data reveals that the value of fish exports from the state has soared from US$69.348 millions in 2001 to over US$666.7 millions in 2023-2024, marking a nearly tenfold increase and solidifying Gujarat’s role as a key player in India’s marine economy, reports ANI, a partner of TV BRICS.

Zimbabwe boosts tourism through global conferences and digital marketing

Zimbabwe is strategically increasing its presence at worldwide events to secure more tourist arrivals

The Government of Zimbabwe will amplify efforts to secure major international conferences through the National Convention Bureau (NCB) and increase participation in key tourism expos, aiming to enhance Zimbabwe’s global visibility and accelerate sector expansion. This initiative aligns with a projected 3.1 per cent tourism growth in 2026, driven by rising arrivals from core markets and expanded international marketing.

South Africans urged to deepen commitment to unity this Reconciliation Month

8 December 2025

As South Africa commemorates Reconciliation Month in December, government has called on South Africans to deepen their commitment to unity, healing, forgiveness and nation-building.

Vladimir Putin: Russia to provide necessary support to India’s BRICS Chairship

TV BRICS - 8 December 2025

The President of Russia paid a two-day state visit to India

President of Russia Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi addressed the Russia–India Business Forum in New Delhi. The leaders presented a strategy for the qualitative growth of bilateral partnership. Its basis was the transition from trade to deep technological and industrial cooperation. This was reported on the President’s official website.

Tygerberg Hospital completes SA’s first fully internal limb reconstruction

8 December 2025

Tygerberg Hospital has reached a major national milestone by performing South Africa’s first fully internal bone transport and limb-lengthening reconstruction. 

Africa to Speak with One Voice for WTO Reform

Workshop of the African Group of Ambassadors in Preparation for the Fourteen (14th) Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization

8 December 2025

Africa’s participation in global trade remains significantly disproportionate to its demographic weight. While the continent is home to approximately 16% of the world’s population, it accounts for less than 2.9% of global trade volume. This imbalance is rooted in systemic asymmetries in the multilateral trading system, persistent structural challenges (including inadequate infrastructure and limited industrial capacity), and the continuing marginalization of Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Key obstacles also include limited industrial capacity, low diversification of production and exports, and persistent gaps in technology and trade finance. 

New Development Bank of BRICS: driver of growth for Global South countries

What has the BRICS New Development Bank achieved, and which projects has it financed over its 10 years of existence? Will there be room for a single currency and new payment systems? 

The article was prepared by Svetlana Khristoforova.