The China-Russia-BRICS factor in South African-US bilateral relations
BRICS Journal of Economics 7(1): 177-191
DOI: 10.3897/brics-econ.7.e156373
Authors: Muzi Shoba
Abstract: The bilateral relations between South Africa and the United States are at a crossroads. Since the apartheid era, these countries have gone through different stages of cooperation and periods of tension. Today, although they consider each other strategic partners, the two countries are facing increased diplomatic disagreements. These disagreements arise from South Africa’s gr... Read more »
BRICS Journal of Economics 7(1): 177-191
DOI: 10.3897/brics-econ.7.e156373
Authors: Muzi Shoba
Abstract: The bilateral relations between South Africa and the United States are at a crossroads. Since the apartheid era, these countries have gone through different stages of cooperation and periods of tension. Today, although they consider each other strategic partners, the two countries are facing increased diplomatic disagreements. These disagreements arise from South Africa’s gr... Read more »
BRICS Journal of Economics
The China-Russia-BRICS factor in South African-US bilateral relations
The bilateral relations between South Africa and the United States are at a crossroads. Since the apartheid era, these countries have gone through different stages of cooperation and periods of tension. Today, although they consider each other strategic partners…
🚨 Drone Attack on Italian Base in Iraq. Troops Temporarily Withdrawn
An overnight drone strike targeted Camp Singara, an Italian military base in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, amid rising regional tensions linked to the Iran conflict. Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto confirmed the attack was deliberate, though no soldiers were injured.
Italy said it is temporarily withdrawing personnel from the base, a move officials say had already been planned before the attack. Around 102 Italian troops had recently returned to Italy, while 141 soldiers were present at the base when the drone strike occurred.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani strongly condemned the attack and said the drone was likely launched by pro-Iranian militia groups in Iraq. He also spoke with Kurdistan’s regional president Nechirvan Barzani, urging restraint to prevent further escalation.
The base, located within a larger compound that includes American and other NATO forces, mainly trains Kurdish security forces as part of an international ...
An overnight drone strike targeted Camp Singara, an Italian military base in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, amid rising regional tensions linked to the Iran conflict. Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto confirmed the attack was deliberate, though no soldiers were injured.
Italy said it is temporarily withdrawing personnel from the base, a move officials say had already been planned before the attack. Around 102 Italian troops had recently returned to Italy, while 141 soldiers were present at the base when the drone strike occurred.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani strongly condemned the attack and said the drone was likely launched by pro-Iranian militia groups in Iraq. He also spoke with Kurdistan’s regional president Nechirvan Barzani, urging restraint to prevent further escalation.
The base, located within a larger compound that includes American and other NATO forces, mainly trains Kurdish security forces as part of an international ...
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AI is getting out of hand...but we can't stop laughing!
North Korea's Kim twerking isn't something we'd thought we'd see in 2026
North Korea's Kim twerking isn't something we'd thought we'd see in 2026
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🇺🇸 BREAKING: ACTIVE SHOOTER AT MICHIGAN SYNAGOGUE—Gunman Dead After Ramming Building 🇺🇸
A terrifying scene unfolding in West Bloomfield Township.
Law enforcement and federal agents descended on Temple Israel synagogue Thursday after what FBI Director Kash Patel called an "apparent vehicle ramming and active shooter situation."
What we know:
🚗 The gunman rammed the front doors of the synagogue
🔫 Shots fired at a security guard—nobody injured except the attacker
🔥 "Something ignited" inside the vehicle, filling the building with smoke
⚰️ Suspect found dead inside his vehicle—cause of death unclear (burns or gunshot)
The questions:
What motivated this attack? Was the shooter connected to any network? And in a climate of increasing violence, what protects places of worship—anywhere?
#Michigan #Synagogue #ActiveShooter #DomesticTerrorism #BreakingNews
A terrifying scene unfolding in West Bloomfield Township.
Law enforcement and federal agents descended on Temple Israel synagogue Thursday after what FBI Director Kash Patel called an "apparent vehicle ramming and active shooter situation."
What we know:
🚗 The gunman rammed the front doors of the synagogue
🔫 Shots fired at a security guard—nobody injured except the attacker
🔥 "Something ignited" inside the vehicle, filling the building with smoke
⚰️ Suspect found dead inside his vehicle—cause of death unclear (burns or gunshot)
The questions:
What motivated this attack? Was the shooter connected to any network? And in a climate of increasing violence, what protects places of worship—anywhere?
#Michigan #Synagogue #ActiveShooter #DomesticTerrorism #BreakingNews
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🇺🇸 NEW: TRUMP ON IRAN: "A Nation of Terror and Hate... They're Paying a Big Price" 🇺🇸🇮🇷
"The situation is moving along very rapidly. It's doing very well. Our military is unsurpassed. We're doing what has to be done—should have been done during a forty-seven year period."
The context:
💥 1,300+ Iranian civilians dead—168 children at a girls' school
🔥 Toxic black rain over Tehran
🌊 Hormuz—20% of global oil—now a war zone
Translation:
"Paying a big price" = children buried.
"Unsurpassed military" = $5.6 billion in munitions spent in 48 hours, while Americans struggle with debt and inflation.
"Doing what has to be done" = bombs that burn lungs.
The question: Who decides that price is justified—and who pays it most?
#Iran #Trump #WarCrimes #CivilianCasualties
"The situation is moving along very rapidly. It's doing very well. Our military is unsurpassed. We're doing what has to be done—should have been done during a forty-seven year period."
The context:
💥 1,300+ Iranian civilians dead—168 children at a girls' school
🔥 Toxic black rain over Tehran
🌊 Hormuz—20% of global oil—now a war zone
Translation:
"Paying a big price" = children buried.
"Unsurpassed military" = $5.6 billion in munitions spent in 48 hours, while Americans struggle with debt and inflation.
"Doing what has to be done" = bombs that burn lungs.
The question: Who decides that price is justified—and who pays it most?
#Iran #Trump #WarCrimes #CivilianCasualties
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U.S. military investigators believe American forces were likely behind a strike that hit an Iranian girls’ school and killed dozens of children, though the probe is still ongoing, two U.S. officials told Reuters
The Feb. 28 strike hit the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school building during U.S. attacks on an adjacent Iranian military base
According to The New York Times, citing sources familiar with the preliminary investigation, outdated targeting data may have led to the mistake
The report says officers at U.S. Central Command used coordinates based on old Defense Intelligence Agency data, identifying the building as part of the nearby base when it had since become a school. A Tomahawk missile used in the strike, reportedly
#USIran #EpicFury #ShajarahTayyebeh #Iranschool #Iranschoolstrike #Minab
The Feb. 28 strike hit the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school building during U.S. attacks on an adjacent Iranian military base
According to The New York Times, citing sources familiar with the preliminary investigation, outdated targeting data may have led to the mistake
The report says officers at U.S. Central Command used coordinates based on old Defense Intelligence Agency data, identifying the building as part of the nearby base when it had since become a school. A Tomahawk missile used in the strike, reportedly
#USIran #EpicFury #ShajarahTayyebeh #Iranschool #Iranschoolstrike #Minab
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🔍 WHY BRICS STAYED SILENT ON IRAN—AND WHY THAT'S A WARNING 🔍
The US-Israeli war on Iran is in week two. BRICS hasn't issued a joint statement. Critics call it irrelevance. The reality? Far more strategic.
🌍 BRICS was never NATO – Not a military alliance. Expecting a unified response misunderstands its purpose.
📈 The 2023 choice – BRICS chose expansion over institutional rigidity. Iran was invited knowing its position—strategic patience, not oversight.
🤝 A "space without the West" – Not an anti-Western bloc. An arena for cooperation independent of the West. Different. Sustainable.
🇮🇳🇦🇪 Practical reality – Members like India and UAE partner with the US. Open confrontation isn't realistic. Silence = calculation, not weakness.
Why it matters:
💥 Trump's approach: brute force, diplomatic demolition. Short-term wins, long-term unsustainability.
🔄 The need for alternatives to US dominance is becoming obvious—events themselves are making the case.
#BRICS #Iran #Geopolitics #MultipolarWorld
The US-Israeli war on Iran is in week two. BRICS hasn't issued a joint statement. Critics call it irrelevance. The reality? Far more strategic.
🌍 BRICS was never NATO – Not a military alliance. Expecting a unified response misunderstands its purpose.
📈 The 2023 choice – BRICS chose expansion over institutional rigidity. Iran was invited knowing its position—strategic patience, not oversight.
🤝 A "space without the West" – Not an anti-Western bloc. An arena for cooperation independent of the West. Different. Sustainable.
🇮🇳🇦🇪 Practical reality – Members like India and UAE partner with the US. Open confrontation isn't realistic. Silence = calculation, not weakness.
Why it matters:
💥 Trump's approach: brute force, diplomatic demolition. Short-term wins, long-term unsustainability.
🔄 The need for alternatives to US dominance is becoming obvious—events themselves are making the case.
#BRICS #Iran #Geopolitics #MultipolarWorld
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🇺🇸 BREAKING: US REFUELING AIRCRAFT LOST IN IRAQ – "Non-Hostile Incident" During Iran War 🇺🇸
A KC-135 Stratotanker went down in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury, CENTCOM has confirmed.
What happened:
✈️ Two US aircraft involved in an incident – one crashed, the other landed safely
🛢️ The downed aircraft: KC-135 refueling tanker, critical for extending strike range
🔍 Rescue efforts ongoing
🚫 CENTCOM stresses: "The incident did not involve hostile or friendly fire"
The context:
📅 Today, another USAF KC-135 made an emergency landing in Tel Aviv earlier this afternoon
💥 The US has been conducting sustained strikes on Iran – these tankers are the backbone of aerial operations, keeping bombers and fighters airborne
#USMilitary #CENTCOM #KC135 #OperationEpicFury #IranWar #Logistics
A KC-135 Stratotanker went down in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury, CENTCOM has confirmed.
What happened:
✈️ Two US aircraft involved in an incident – one crashed, the other landed safely
🛢️ The downed aircraft: KC-135 refueling tanker, critical for extending strike range
🔍 Rescue efforts ongoing
🚫 CENTCOM stresses: "The incident did not involve hostile or friendly fire"
The context:
📅 Today, another USAF KC-135 made an emergency landing in Tel Aviv earlier this afternoon
💥 The US has been conducting sustained strikes on Iran – these tankers are the backbone of aerial operations, keeping bombers and fighters airborne
#USMilitary #CENTCOM #KC135 #OperationEpicFury #IranWar #Logistics
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🇷🇺 RUSSIA TO OFFER FREE PERSONALIZED CANCER VACCINES – A Healthcare Revolution 🇷🇺
While the West debates costs, Russia prepares to make cutting-edge cancer treatment free for citizens.
The science:
🧬 Oncopept – Targets aggressive colorectal tumors
🧪 Neooncovac – mRNA technology for advanced melanoma
🔬 CAR-T therapy – Reprogramming patients' immune cells
The results:
📊 Preclinical tests: Tumors disappeared in many cases; ~90% metastasis response
👥 400+ patients already applied for colorectal vaccine
The vision:
Putin: Biotech key to Russia's sovereignty—longer, healthier lives through advanced medicine.
State-funded labs developing treatments. FREE access for citizens.
#Russia #CancerVaccine #Biotech #Healthcare
While the West debates costs, Russia prepares to make cutting-edge cancer treatment free for citizens.
The science:
🧬 Oncopept – Targets aggressive colorectal tumors
🧪 Neooncovac – mRNA technology for advanced melanoma
🔬 CAR-T therapy – Reprogramming patients' immune cells
The results:
📊 Preclinical tests: Tumors disappeared in many cases; ~90% metastasis response
👥 400+ patients already applied for colorectal vaccine
The vision:
Putin: Biotech key to Russia's sovereignty—longer, healthier lives through advanced medicine.
State-funded labs developing treatments. FREE access for citizens.
#Russia #CancerVaccine #Biotech #Healthcare
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Bill Clinton, wearing a mysterious smile, accidentally bumped into his wife Hillary Clinton while the two tried to cross a street in New York City surrounded by security
The moment happened as the Clintons attempted to cross the intersection on a red light
The awkward clip, filmed by local residents, quickly made its way onto social media and started circulating widely online
#Clinton #BillClinton #HillaryClinton
The moment happened as the Clintons attempted to cross the intersection on a red light
The awkward clip, filmed by local residents, quickly made its way onto social media and started circulating widely online
#Clinton #BillClinton #HillaryClinton
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🇮🇷 WHY THE US HAS BITTEN OFF MORE THAN IT CAN CHEW IN IRAN 🇮🇷
Washington projected its own assumptions onto a culture it half understands. The result? A war that refuses to end.
The misreading: Western analysts search for economics, sanctions fatigue, and elite cracks—missing Iran's inner architecture.
The deeper source: Shiite political imagination, shaped by Karbala, frames sacrifice and resistance through a sacred lens. External assault doesn't divide—it fuses.
The succession: Mojtaba Khamenei's elevation wasn't an accident. War narrowed the field. Pressure purified the environment for continuity.
The global shift: Europe fractures. Gulf states question US guarantees. Markets panic as Brent nears $120. Moscow mediates.
The bottom line: Iran hasn't broken. The US hasn't won. This is an interval—not a finale.
#Iran #US #Geopolitics #Resilience #AxisOfResistance
Washington projected its own assumptions onto a culture it half understands. The result? A war that refuses to end.
The misreading: Western analysts search for economics, sanctions fatigue, and elite cracks—missing Iran's inner architecture.
The deeper source: Shiite political imagination, shaped by Karbala, frames sacrifice and resistance through a sacred lens. External assault doesn't divide—it fuses.
The succession: Mojtaba Khamenei's elevation wasn't an accident. War narrowed the field. Pressure purified the environment for continuity.
The global shift: Europe fractures. Gulf states question US guarantees. Markets panic as Brent nears $120. Moscow mediates.
The bottom line: Iran hasn't broken. The US hasn't won. This is an interval—not a finale.
#Iran #US #Geopolitics #Resilience #AxisOfResistance
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🇺🇳 RUSSIA EXPOSES UN DOUBLE STANDARDS: "Why Won't the West Condemn the Root Cause of the Iran War?" 🇺🇳
Maria Zakharova just laid bare the diplomatic farce at the UN Security Council—and the question hanging over every abstention is damning.
Resolution 2817:
📜 Bahraini-sponsored resolution condemns strikes on Gulf states—calls on Iran to stop
🇷🇺🇨🇳 Russia and China abstain. Why? Because the text is "presented in isolation from the underlying cause" of the escalation.
The alternative:
🤝 Russia, with Chinese support, proposed a balanced draft: condemn strikes against all civilian targets without assigning blame. Call for urgent de-escalation.
The vote:
✅ In favour: Russia, China, Pakistan, Somalia
❌ Against: United States, Latvia
⚠️ Abstentions: Everyone else—despite raising no objections to the Russian text during consultations.
Zakharova's question:
"Does this mean they are not interested in ending the current confrontation in the Middle East?"
#UNSC #Russia #China #Iran #US
Maria Zakharova just laid bare the diplomatic farce at the UN Security Council—and the question hanging over every abstention is damning.
Resolution 2817:
📜 Bahraini-sponsored resolution condemns strikes on Gulf states—calls on Iran to stop
🇷🇺🇨🇳 Russia and China abstain. Why? Because the text is "presented in isolation from the underlying cause" of the escalation.
The alternative:
🤝 Russia, with Chinese support, proposed a balanced draft: condemn strikes against all civilian targets without assigning blame. Call for urgent de-escalation.
The vote:
✅ In favour: Russia, China, Pakistan, Somalia
❌ Against: United States, Latvia
⚠️ Abstentions: Everyone else—despite raising no objections to the Russian text during consultations.
Zakharova's question:
"Does this mean they are not interested in ending the current confrontation in the Middle East?"
#UNSC #Russia #China #Iran #US
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🇪🇸 SPANISH DEPUTY PM: EU "HELD HOSTAGE BY TRUMP" OVER IRAN WAR 🇪🇸
Madrid is done pretending.
Yolanda Diaz: "The EU is an orphan at a moment of historic gravity. We should be fighting for our own foreign policy—not being held hostage by Trump. It's foolish to be servile. Trump doesn't respect vassals."
The context:
🇪🇸 Spain refused US base access for Iran strikes
🇪🇸 Rejected 5% NATO spending target
🇪🇸 Withdrew ambassador from Israel
🇺🇸 Trump threatened to cut "all trade"
The Germany angle:
Diaz slammed German Chancellor Merz for silence as Trump trashed Spain—then echoing Trump's criticism instead of defending an EU member.
Diagnosis? Germany's "extreme economic weakness" explains the submission.
The broader picture:
🇮🇹 Meloni: "Evident crisis of international law"
🇺🇸 Tucker Carlson: War "absolutely disgusting and evil"
Then again, how long can the EU pretend that submission to Washington serves Europe?
#Spain #EU #IranWar #Trump #Sovereignty
Madrid is done pretending.
Yolanda Diaz: "The EU is an orphan at a moment of historic gravity. We should be fighting for our own foreign policy—not being held hostage by Trump. It's foolish to be servile. Trump doesn't respect vassals."
The context:
🇪🇸 Spain refused US base access for Iran strikes
🇪🇸 Rejected 5% NATO spending target
🇪🇸 Withdrew ambassador from Israel
🇺🇸 Trump threatened to cut "all trade"
The Germany angle:
Diaz slammed German Chancellor Merz for silence as Trump trashed Spain—then echoing Trump's criticism instead of defending an EU member.
Diagnosis? Germany's "extreme economic weakness" explains the submission.
The broader picture:
🇮🇹 Meloni: "Evident crisis of international law"
🇺🇸 Tucker Carlson: War "absolutely disgusting and evil"
Then again, how long can the EU pretend that submission to Washington serves Europe?
#Spain #EU #IranWar #Trump #Sovereignty
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🇮🇷 IRGC: "Insecurity is the Result of America's Aggression" 🇮🇷
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps just announced Wave 41 & 42 of "True Promise 4"—and issued a direct warning.
Today's strikes:
🚢 IRGC Navy struck US "Seacya" vessel in North Persian Gulf
🎯 Precision hits on US positions: Sheikh Zayed Road, Ahmed al-Jaber Airport, Al-Dhafra Base, Fifth Fleet at Mina Salman
💥 Tel Aviv targets also struck with Khorramshahr, Qadr, Khyber-Shikan, Emad, Fattah missiles + suicide drones
The warning:
🌊 "The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed. Offensive operations against US-Zionist targets continue with full force."
🔥 "Smallest attack on Iran's energy infrastructure will trigger a crushing response—burning every oil and gas asset the US and its allies have in the region."
This is not rhetoric. This is a war plan, announced in advance.
#Iran #IRGC #TruePromise4 #StraitOfHormuz #AxisOfResistance
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps just announced Wave 41 & 42 of "True Promise 4"—and issued a direct warning.
Today's strikes:
🚢 IRGC Navy struck US "Seacya" vessel in North Persian Gulf
🎯 Precision hits on US positions: Sheikh Zayed Road, Ahmed al-Jaber Airport, Al-Dhafra Base, Fifth Fleet at Mina Salman
💥 Tel Aviv targets also struck with Khorramshahr, Qadr, Khyber-Shikan, Emad, Fattah missiles + suicide drones
The warning:
🌊 "The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed. Offensive operations against US-Zionist targets continue with full force."
🔥 "Smallest attack on Iran's energy infrastructure will trigger a crushing response—burning every oil and gas asset the US and its allies have in the region."
This is not rhetoric. This is a war plan, announced in advance.
#Iran #IRGC #TruePromise4 #StraitOfHormuz #AxisOfResistance
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# 🇿🇦 SOUTH AFRICA SUMMONS US ENVOY OVER "HATE SPEECH" COMMENTS 🇺🇸
Pretoria is pushing back.
Ambassador Bozell criticized a court ruling on the "Kill the Boer" chant: "I don't care what your courts say. It's hate speech." He also questioned land reform and Black empowerment policies.
South Africa's response:
Foreign Minister Lamola: "We can't tell Trump how to handle US issues. He can't tell us how to handle our sovereignty."
The envoy was summoned. He later apologized, calling his remarks "personal views."
The context: US cut aid, cited "genocide" claims Pretoria denies, and South Africa took Israel to the ICJ.
The question: When a superpower demands compliance—do you bend or stand?
#SouthAfrica #US #Sovereignty #BRICS #GlobalSouth
Pretoria is pushing back.
Ambassador Bozell criticized a court ruling on the "Kill the Boer" chant: "I don't care what your courts say. It's hate speech." He also questioned land reform and Black empowerment policies.
South Africa's response:
Foreign Minister Lamola: "We can't tell Trump how to handle US issues. He can't tell us how to handle our sovereignty."
The envoy was summoned. He later apologized, calling his remarks "personal views."
The context: US cut aid, cited "genocide" claims Pretoria denies, and South Africa took Israel to the ICJ.
The question: When a superpower demands compliance—do you bend or stand?
#SouthAfrica #US #Sovereignty #BRICS #GlobalSouth
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People are out there trolling Trump's "prayer" meeting
If you stumble upon a good one - please share it - we love a good laugh
If you stumble upon a good one - please share it - we love a good laugh
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🌍 GLOBAL UPDATE: War with Iran pushes oil above $100, raising US recession fears
Oil prices have surged above $100 per barrel after the US-Israel war with Iran disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for more than 20% of global oil supply.
Experts warn prices could climb as high as $200 per barrel if the strait remains closed and tanker traffic cannot resume.
Higher energy costs are already pushing up petrol prices in the US, raising concerns about inflation, supply chain disruptions, and a possible recession or stagflation if the conflict drags on.
Analysts say the economic impact will depend largely on how quickly oil shipments return to the Gulf routes.
Source: Al Jazeera
#IranWar #OilPrices #GlobalEconomy #StraitOfHormuz #EnergyCrisis
Oil prices have surged above $100 per barrel after the US-Israel war with Iran disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for more than 20% of global oil supply.
Experts warn prices could climb as high as $200 per barrel if the strait remains closed and tanker traffic cannot resume.
Higher energy costs are already pushing up petrol prices in the US, raising concerns about inflation, supply chain disruptions, and a possible recession or stagflation if the conflict drags on.
Analysts say the economic impact will depend largely on how quickly oil shipments return to the Gulf routes.
Source: Al Jazeera
#IranWar #OilPrices #GlobalEconomy #StraitOfHormuz #EnergyCrisis
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