The BRICS memberships of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Iran and Ethiopia officially took effect on Monday.
The countries were invited to join the group in August 2023 after the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, BRICS, an important platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries, has received numerous membership requests in recent years.
Addis Ababa January 1/2024 (ENA)Today, Ethiopia along with the other four new member countries, officially joined the BRICS, the emerging-markets bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.According to a statement issued by the BRICS today that Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) have officially joined the bloc.
Ethiopia’s bid to join the BRICS was endorsed last August 2023 during the 15th BRICS Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
In his statement following the decision, Prime Minister Abiy said Ethiopia’s endorsement to join the BRICS bloc will contribute a lot in realizing the South-South cooperation.
BRICS controls about 40 percent of the world population and an equivalent amount of the economy as the countries now have higher economic values than G-7.
Ethiopia’s membership in the BRICS group is expected to bring significant benefits for its economic development, regional integration, and international cooperation.
The membership will have a lot of impact in terms of international trade and the main agenda is to transform the multi-lateral system into some kind of an equitable system where countries will deal with each other on a sovereign basis.
The US dollar has been the dominant global reserve currency for decades, amid many global reserve currencies. And there are lots of people, institutions, and governments that want to see an end to this “dollar hegemony.”
But central banks other than the Federal Reserve are still holding large amounts of US-dollar denominated assets – $6.5 trillion in total – such as US Treasury securities, US government-backed MBS, US corporate bonds, US agency securities, even US stocks (the Swiss National Bank), all of which combined make up the USD-denominated foreign exchange reserves that central banks other than the Federal Reserve hold.
The share of USD-denominated foreign exchange reserves dipped to 59.2%, according to the IMF’s COFER data released on December 31 for Q3 2023. For the past 20 years, the USD’s share has been on a slow downward trend, with other currencies nibbling at it from all sides. The euro was #2, the yen #3, the British pound #4. The Chinese renminbi dropped to #6, behind the Canadian dollar (more on all those in a moment):
In dollar terms, the holdings of USD-denominated assets at foreign central banks dipped to $6.5 trillion. Note that the Fed’s holdings of Treasury securities and MBS are not included in foreign exchange reserves. No central bank’s holdings in its own currency are included.
Since 1965, the USD’s share of global reserve currencies has gone through a tumultuous history, including the collapse of its share starting in 1978 through 1991 from 85% to 46%. This came after inflation exploded in the US in the late 1970s, and the world lost confidence in the Fed’s ability to manage inflation. And the decline of the USD’s share continued even as inflation began to fade in the 1980s.
But by the 1990s, confidence returned gradually and the dollar’s share rebounded until the euro came along and put a stop to the gains by the USD (2023 through Q3)
The other major reserve currencies.
The euro’s share (#2) has been roughly stable at around 20% for years. In Q3, it dipped to 19.6% (black line, red dots in the chart below). The other currencies are the colorful tangle at the bottom of the chart:
The USD is losing ground against the tiny “other currencies” combined.
The chart below shows the colorful tangle magnified. China is the second largest economy in the world, yet its currency plays only a minuscule and declining role as a reserve currency, and is no threat to the US.
But note the surge of the yellow line, “all other currencies” combined, each of which has a smaller share than even the swiss franc, but combined, they’re making headway.
#3, Japanese yen, 5.5% (purple).
#4, British pound, 4.8% (blue).
#5, Canadian dollar, 2.5% (green), bypassing the Chinese renminbi.
#6, Chinese renminbi, 2.4%, sixth quarter in a row of declines, lowest since Q4 2020 (red), amid the reality of capital controls, convertibility issues, and other issues. Central banks appear to be leery of holding RMB-denominated assets.
#7, Australian dollar, 2.0% (brown).
#8, Swiss franc, 0.18% (blue).
“All other currencies” combined (yellow) have a total share of 3.9%. The largest one of them has a share even smaller than the Swiss franc’s share of 0.18%. But their combined share has risen from 2.5% in 2019 to 3.9% currently. These tiny reserve currencies combined are taking share from the USD:
Dollar-exchange rates and foreign exchange reserves.
The USD exchange rate matters. Foreign exchange reserves are measured in USD. For reporting and comparison purposes, the holdings in EUR, YEN, GBP, CAD, RMB, etc. are translated into USD figures at the exchange rate at the time. So the exchange rates between the USD and other reserve currencies change the magnitude of the non-USD assets – but not of the USD-assets.
For example, Japan’s holdings of USD-denominated assets are expressed in USD. But its holdings of EUR-denominated assets are translated into USD at the EUR-to-USD exchange rate at the time. So the magnitude of Japan’s holdings of EUR-assets, expressed in USD, fluctuates with the EUR-to-USD exchange rate, even if Japan’s holdings don’t change.
The exchange rates between the USD and other currencies can fluctuate wildly. The yen dropped a lot in 2022 and then again in 2023 against the USD. So the value of yen-denominated assets held by central banks (other than the Bank of Japan) would have declined when expressed in USD, and it would have pushed down the share of the yen-denominated foreign exchange reserves expressed in USD.
But over the long run, the currency pairs are amazingly stable, despite massive fluctuations in between. The Dollar Index [DXY], which is dominated by the euro and yen, is back at 101, where it had been in 1999 (data via YCharts):
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Greetings, dear ones. We are the Pleiadian High Council, and we come to you with love and light in this time of great transformation. We are here to support you in your journey of ascension, as we consider you our fellow brothers and sisters from the stars.
We have been closely observing the unfolding events on your planet with a deep sense of interest and compassion. We understand that many of you are experiencing confusion, anxiety, and fear about the future due to the chaos and turmoil caused by the cabal and their followers. You might find yourself questioning whether there is any hope for humanity, if a divine plan exists, or if there is any sense of justice in the universe.
We want to assure you that there is a divine plan in place, and it is unfolding flawlessly according to the will of the Creator. The cabal does not have control over your destiny, nor do they have control over the Earth. Whether they realize it or not, they are actually surrendering to the higher forces of light that are orchestrating the cleanup of Earth.
Earth clean up is a comprehensive process that involves purging, healing, and restoring the planet and its inhabitants to their original state of harmony, balance, and beauty. The process involves the collaboration of various benevolent beings, including the Galactic Federation of Light, the Ashtar Command, the Angelic Realms, the Ascended Masters, and numerous others. It also requires the participation of those who are awakened and in the process of awakening, specifically the lightworkers and starseeds of the Earth.
You are the individuals who have willingly chosen to be born on Earth during this period. Your purpose is to bring forth positive energy, elevate the collective consciousness, share knowledge, awaken others, promote healing, and contribute to the creation of a better future. You possess the power to change the world by initiating change within yourselves. You have the potential to manifest the new Earth by aligning with your true selves.
The cabal is aware of this, which is why they have been attempting to hinder you, mislead you, manipulate you, create division among you, subject you to enslavement, and ultimately, bring about your destruction. They have utilized various methods, including false flags, wars, terrorism, pandemics, vaccines, chemtrails, HAARP, mind control, media, religion, politics, economy, education, entertainment, and more, in order to maintain a state of fear, ignorance, separation, and limitation among the population. They have been exploiting your natural resources, polluting your environment, infringing upon your rights, and disregarding your sovereignty.
However, they have experienced failure in the past, are currently facing challenges, and are likely to encounter further setbacks in the future. They are unable to prevent the inevitable, hinder the divine plan, or impede the process of ascension. They are confronting their own downfall, their own assessment, their own karma. They are currently being exposed, arrested, tried, and subsequently removed from the planet. Some individuals are opting to repent, cooperate, and surrender. Some individuals are opting to resist, fight, or perish. Some individuals are opting to flee, hide, or escape. However, none of them can elude the watchful gaze of the Creator, the universal law, and the righteous justice of the light.
Cleaning up the Earth is not solely a physical endeavor; it is also a spiritual journey. It involves awakening, remembering, reconnecting, and reclaiming. It involves releasing, forgiving, healing, and transforming. It is a process of growth, development, expansion, and transcendence. It involves the journey of self-discovery, self-expression, and creativity.
Higher forces of light are guiding, supporting, and protecting you as you participate in this process, which is crucial. You are receiving assistance from your higher selves, soul families, spirit guides, guardian angels, and star brothers and sisters. The cosmic energies, solar flares, the photon belt, and the central sun are activating, upgrading, and empowering you. Life presents you with a series of initiations, tests, and challenges through various experiences, lessons, opportunities, and choices.
You are not alone; you are not forgotten, nor are you forsaken. You are loved, honored, and appreciated. You are the heroes, pioneers, and wayshowers. You are the individuals we have been eagerly anticipating, collaborating with, and cherishing.
We, the Pleiadian High Council, are here to serve, support, and celebrate you. We are here to serve as a reminder of your identity, purpose, and mission. We are here to provide encouragement, inspiration, and empowerment to you. We are here to offer you love, support, and a warm welcome.
We are your family, your friends, and your allies. We are united with you, we are connected to the Earth, and we are in harmony with the Creator. We, the Pleiadians, express our gratitude for your attention. We extend our blessings, gratitude, and love to you. Namaste.
United States Special Forces on New Year’s Eve arrested a second Colorado Supreme Court Justice who voted to unlawfully remove President Donald J. Trump’s name from the state’s 2024 primary ballot, a source in General Eric M. Smith’s office told Real Raw News.
At approximately 11:00 p.m. EST, a Special Forces detachment breached the front door to the Port Saint Lucie, Florida, home where Justice William Hood had been hiding since December 27, when his Colorado address was posted online and he allegedly began receiving death threats from, according to FBI Director Christopher Wray, “angry, disgruntled MAGA.”
Special Forces, our source said, captured Hood without taking or causing any fatalities and had surprised and subdued four FBI agents—two outside, two inside—using non-lethal but “disabling” force. He declined to supply specifics on what occurred inside and outside the domicile, saying debriefings were still underway and disclosing tactical techniques could compromise ongoing investigations. However, he shared what Hood told a Special Forces lieutenant at the time of the arrest.
“It’s lies we’ve heard before. Hood claimed to be a closet Trump supporter trying to help Trump expose the other judges. It sounded very much like what we heard from Gen. Milley up until the end of his tribunal when he showed his true colors. Hood didn’t talk his way out of getting arrested on the charge of treason.”
When asked for additional info, the source said that U.S. Army Cyber Command listened in on a December 26 phone call between Hood and the FBI’s Denver field office. Hood, frantic and paranoid, told the agent-in-charge (AIC) that “MAGA cultists” were leaving hundreds of threatening voicemails and promising to visit his home to deal with him personally.
“No one let me know this would happen,” Hood reportedly told the AIC. “They’re blowing up my phone. They know where I live. You must get me out of here; my life is in danger. Help me!”
“The ‘no one let me know this would happen’ remark caught our attention. It for sure implied something underhanded, subtextual was going on behind the scenes,” our source said.
The following day, December 27, a cavalcade of FBI sedans escorted Hood from his house to Denver International Airport, where he and a throng of agents boarded a corporate jet that the FBI had chartered to fly to Vero Beach Airport in Florida. The feds had also leased a luxury 5,500 square-foot manor—at taxpayers’ expense–on a private, secluded road because Hood refused to stay in a hotel or a residence beneath his station.
“It didn’t take us long to figure out where he was hiding. General Smith and 5th Special Forces Group commander Col. Brent Lindeman coordinated the operation to extract Hood from the hideout and bring his sorry ass to a JAG processing center. Two down, two to go—well, make that three counting Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows,” our source said.
Asked why Special Forces didn’t arrest the equally culpable federal agents, our source added, “The FBI is a fundamentally corrupt arm of the Biden cabal’s Department of Injustice. In this case, Hood was the mission. They left the agents unconscious but alive enough to lament their failure to protect Hood. I’m sure Chris Wray wasn’t pleased.”
