BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) — The Chinese capital city of Beijing received 18.83 million tourist visits during the five-day May Day holiday, up 5.1 percent year on year, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism said on Tuesday. The total tourism revenue hit 22.36 billion yuan (about 3.26 billion U.S. dollars), a year-on-year increase of 6.6 percent, according to the bureau. The city also recorded 128,000 inbound tourist visits, rising 22.3 percent from the same period of last year,…

South Africa is mourning the loss of a true icon, as legendary actress and former beauty queen Cynthia Shange has passed away at the age of 76 — and the entertainment world will never be the same again. The star, who lit up screens and stages for decades, died in the early hours of today at a hospital in KwaZulu-Natal after a period of illness. While her family has asked for privacy, tributes have already begun pouring in, with fans…

The Giriyondo Border Post in the northern region of the Kruger National Park is set to reopen on Tuesday, 31 March 2026, following a temporary closure caused by flood damage earlier this year. The reopening has been confirmed by the Border Management Authority (BMA), restoring a key access point for travellers and tourists using the transfrontier route between South Africa and Mozambique. The border post was forced to shut down in January 2026 after heavy rains led to flooding that…

Airline giant Emirates has temporarily suspended all flights to and from Dubai, warning passengers not to travel to the airport as authorities assess a rapidly evolving security situation in the region. In a statement posted on the airline’s official X account under the heading “Operational Update”, the carrier confirmed that all flights have been halted until further notice. “All flights to and from Dubai have been temporarily suspended. Please do not go to the airport,” the airline said. “The safety…

A popular township lifestyle venue, Slotjhile Pub & Shisanyama, will close its doors next week after a court-ordered shutdown by the City of Ekurhuleni, placing more than 150 jobs at risk. The Ndebele-inspired establishment, which opened in 2017, has been ordered to cease operations by 3 March 2026 following a High Court ruling linked to zoning and land use compliance. Management confirmed the order stems from parts of the business being situated on municipal land without approved rezoning. “Some of…

Egypt plans to increase annual tourist arrivals to 30 million following a record 19 million visitors last year, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said at a government meeting focused on easing entry procedures and improving the quality of services for tourists. This is reported by Daily News Egypt, a partner of TV BRICS. According to Mostafa Madbouly, Egypt now has a solid foundation to reach its long-term tourism targets. “We currently have an increase in numbers; last year we reached an…

Indonesia and the Republic of South Africa agreed on the mutual abolition of visas. The new entry procedure was announced by Vice President of Indonesia Gibran Rakabuming Raka at a business forum in Johannesburg, ANTARA reported. The agreement was the outcome of the October talks between the President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto and his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa in Jakarta. As the vice president noted, this step reflects the growing partnership between the states. “President Ramaphosa’s visit to Indonesia…

In a move to bolster aviation links between South Africa and the world, South African Airways (SAA) and Emirates have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand their codesharing agreement and explore deeper collaboration in loyalty programmes and cargo operations. According to a statement released, the MoU was signed by Professor John Lamola, Group Chief Executive Officer of South African Airways, and Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer of Emirates, at the 2025 Dubai Airshow. “The partnership…

From 28 to 31 October 2025, the Thokoza Film Festival will take place in the South African city of Thokoza, Gauteng Province, bringing together independent filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts. The event will feature special screenings of films by directors from BRICS+ countries, provided by TV BRICS – a partner of the festival. The special screening programme on 28 October will open with the film “Uralian Anomaly” (2025, Russia), produced by TV BRICS (film author – Ksenia Komissarova, director – Andrey…

A gala concert dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Bolshoi Theatre Ballet School in Joinville, Brazil, and the national holiday, Independence Day, which is celebrated annually on 7 September, was held on the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theatre. The event was attended by 35 students and graduates of the educational institution. They now work as artists in Russia’s leading theatres, performing on stages from the Bolshoi Theatre to theatres in Kazan, Perm, Samara, and St. Petersburg. The programme…