Reading Time: 2 minutes Leaders of the nations in the BRICS grouping, which accounts for 37 per cent of global economic output, predicted its influence would grow as they met in Russia on Tuesday, outlining common projects ranging from a grain exchange to a cross-border payments system.

BRICS leaders tout grain exchange, joint finance at Russian summit

Russia lifts wheat export duty, exports seen rising
Reading Time: 2 minutes Moscow | Reuters — Russia lifted its duty on wheat exports on Friday to help domestic producers and the government said the move would boost overseas sales by one million tonnes. One of the world’s major wheat exporters, Russia initially imposed the tax from Feb. 1 until June 30 to dampen rising domestic prices and […] Read more
Russia shuts four McDonald’s restaurants amid Ukraine tensions
Reading Time: 3 minutes Moscow | Reuters — Russia ordered the temporary closure of four McDonald’s restaurants in Moscow on Wednesday, a decision it said was over sanitary violations but which comes against a backdrop of worsening U.S.-Russian ties over Ukraine. The four restaurants ordered to suspend operations by the state food safety watchdog included the first ever McDonald’s […] Read more