RUSSIA-ECONOMY-POLITICS-BRICS

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (R) greets China’s President Xi Jinping during a welcome ceremony in Ufa on July 9, 2015 at the start of the 7th BRICS summit. Leaders of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) group of emerging powers gathered in Ufa on Thursday to discuss regional and global issues, including the Syria conflict, threat of the Islamic State group, the situation in Greece and Iran’s nuclear programme. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER NEMENOV