BRICS diplomacy: President Cyril Ramaphosa heads to the New Delhi BRICS summit facing pressure to tell Vladimir Putin to end the “endless” war in Ukraine, after Narendra Modi did so publicly in talks with Putin. US-South Africa tensions: Ramaphosa is set to send a “timely” response to Donald Trump’s “five asks” covering farm safety, hate-speech condemnation, expropriation policy, BBBEE ownership rules and non-alignment. Local elections politics: Parties have submitted final candidate lists, with analysts flagging odd picks and weak local roots, including ActionSA’s Cape Town mayoral candidate choice. SAPS animal welfare probe: Scrutiny is growing after arson-detection police dog Sky was allegedly confined in a small kennel for long hours before euthanasia following severe injuries. Social grants controversy: Flawed Sassa SRD grant algorithms are accused of deepening inequality by auto-rejecting applicants based on bank verification without a chance to explain. Banking shake-up: FirstRand is selling its UK business after a motor finance scandal drove huge provisions; the group is also preparing for a new Africa fintech bet. Insurance earnings hit: Sanlam reports muted core growth as weather-related claims dent earnings, while it ramps up spending for a new banking offering. Financial crime fight: Nigeria’s NFIU is rallying banks and fintechs to build a joint financial intelligence framework to disrupt illicit networks. Infrastructure & jobs: Public Works launched the Telkom Towers precinct redevelopment in Tshwane (R1.8bn–R2.2bn), targeting thousands of construction jobs. Food & trade: Brazilian chicken exports rose 24.8% in August, with China the biggest destination; South Africa remains a smaller but tracked market. Health financing gap: South Africa is urged to fund the full stem-cell transplant pathway, not just donor recruitment, to turn matches into lifesaving procedures. Energy/transport: Sanral’s N3 upgrade from Mariannhill Toll Plaza to Key Ridge is set to widen and improve an 11.1km stretch, with local enterprise participation planned. AI risk warning: BIS chief warns AI spending is big enough to complicate monetary policy and create new financial stability risks.