A summit of leaders from the BRICS group of major emerging economies kicks off in Brazil Sunday – but without the top leader of its most powerful member.

The 17th Brics summit has begun in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro and leaders, including Prime Minister Modi and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa are in attendance. However, for the first time since taking power in 2012,

That's the question being asked as Chinese President Xi Jinping keeps away from the public eye and skipping the 2025 Rio Summit for the first time in over a decade. There have been only two instances of Xi being seen,