Russia

Key points:

• More than 20 countries had formally applied to join BRICS ahead of this year's summit and more than 20 others had expressed interest
• China and Russia have been pushing for expansion, while Brazil and India have been wary
• The five BRICS leaders were in closed-door discussions for two days before announcing the expansion

The United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Egypt and Ethiopia were also set to enter BRICS from January 1, 2024.

The company closed its Moscow office and paused investment in Russia in March, following the invasion of Ukraine.

However, its 22 hotels in the country are owned by third parties and remained open.

Marriott said the process of suspending operations in Russia was "complex".

But in a statement, it said: "We have come to the view that newly announced US, UK and EU restrictions will make it impossible for Marriott to continue to operate or franchise hotels in the Russian market."

As the BBC's Anna Foster reports, most people are yet to return, and there's just one small, hardy group who are trying to pave the way for others to come back.

Sergei and his wife arrived at their flat five days ago. Now they and their neighbours are trying to rebuild their damaged homes, and clearing away the debris of countless Russian shells.

"You always want to come back home", he says. "So we used our first chance to return as well. And we used our chance to make sure that all the property is safe, even from locals that might come and steal something."

The UK is phasing out Russian oil and the EU is sharply reducing gas imports as countries harden their response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Biden said the move meant the "American people will deal another powerful blow" to Putin's leadership.

"We will not be part of subsidising Putin's war," Biden added.

Despite mounting fears of rising gas prices, the move has widespread bipartisan political support in the US.

The announcement came after two days of failed ceasefires to let civilians escape the besieged city of Mariupol, where hundreds of thousands of people are trapped without food and water, under relentless bombardment and unable to evacuate their wounded.

The new "corridors" would be opened at 10 am Moscow time (8pm NZT) from the capital Kyiv and the eastern cities of Kharkiv and Sumy, as well as Mariupol, Russia's defence ministry said.

Most people trapped in the port city are sleeping in bomb shelters to escape more than six days of near-constant shelling by encircling Russian forces that has cut off food, water, power and heating supplies, according to the Ukrainian authorities.

The civilian death toll from hostilities across Ukraine since Moscow launched its invasion on 24 February stood at 364, including more than 20 children, according to the United Nations on Sunday, with hundreds more injured.

"We have nothing to lose but our own freedom," he said.

Britain's defence ministry said the main body of the huge Russian column advancing on Kyiv was still 30km from the city centre, held up by Ukrainian resistance, mechanical breakdown and congestion.

In Borodyanka, a town 60km northwest of Kyiv where local people repelled a Russian assault, burnt-out hulks of destroyed Russian armour were scattered on a highway, surrounded by buildings blasted into ruins.

Kherson is the first major city to be taken by Russia, after heavy fighting, since it invaded a week ago.

Its mayor, Igor Kolykhaev, said Russian troops had forced their way into the city council building and imposed a curfew on residents.

Several cities have come under intense shelling, with Wednesday one of the most destructive days of the fighting.

An investigation into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Ukraine has been launched by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

At least 10 people were killed and 35 hurt when the opera house, concert hall and government offices were hit in Freedom Square in Kharkiv.

Speaking to the European Parliament, Mr Zelensky urged the EU to prove it was with Ukraine.

Later the main TV tower in the capital Kyiv was hit, putting media off air.

Footage on social media showed smoke billowing from the steel structure.

Five people died in the attack, Ukrainian officials said, but the tower remains standing.

"There is a reasonable basis to believe that both alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed in Ukraine," Karim AA Khan, the ICC prosecutor has said.

"It is my intention that this investigation will also encompass any new alleged crimes falling within the jurisdiction of my Office that are committed by any party to the conflict on any part of the territory of Ukraine".

Meanwhile, Russian and Ukrainian representatives have concluded talks held in Belarus aimed at brokering peace amid the ongoing conflict.