South Africa, which has a population of 49 million, compared with China's 1.36 billion, is betting on raising its clout on the world stage by joining BRIC, while strengthening political and trade ties within the bloc.
For all of Mr. Corzine's fund-raising clout, however, his own filing with the Federal Election Commission raises questions about his appeal among New Jersey residents.
In the modern era, being Vice-President gets you unparalleled name recognition and fund-raising clout.
Shortly before dinnertime, he made his campaign debut before the "Monday Meeting," a weekly gathering at the Grand Hyatt that draws a mix of conservative financiers and intellectuals who are known for their fund-raising clout.
Gov. Chris Christie put his popularity, fund-raising clout and boasts of reining in government to work for his fellow Republicans in New Jersey's legislative elections on Tuesday, but he came up empty, as Democrats added slightly to their hold on power.
The very same Mr. Forbes who was praising the president over lamb turnovers, now eager for the president's fund-raising clout, once issued an urgent fund-raising appeal that labeled Mr. Clinton a lawbreaker: "I believe in my heart, the president committed the crimes of perjury and obstruction of justice".
His opponents argue that regional deals can strengthen exporters' political clout, so raising the odds of freer global trade.In fact, the evidence is mixed.
Or do they want to raise their international clout and become members of the nuclear club by such perverse means?
The trends reported in the report are hugely important for future civil harmony in America as the number of Muslim Americans grows from roughly 2 million today to over 6 million by 2030, raising their political and cultural clout, especially in urban areas where most of them will live.
The City believes the Cosmens would prefer National Express to reopen talks with Stagecoach, and raising their stake may be designed to give them a little more clout in deciding the company's future.
To raise its profile and clout, ASEAN recruited, in Mr Surin, a former foreign minister, an activist and persuasive boss.
