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.

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,

After over a decade of unchallenged authority, Xi Jinping is showing signs of stepping back. From skipping key summits like Brics in Brazil to quietly redistributing the Chinese Communist Party control,