POLITICS

Two separatist militants were killed Sunday when they attacked a convoy carrying Chinese workers to a Beijing-financed port project in Pakistan's Balochistan province, officials said.

Western naval forces operating in the Gulf have warned ships sailing in the strategic Strait of Hormuz against approaching Iranian waters to avoid the risk of seizure.

President of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi is also expecting to visit South Africa to meet his South African counterpart, President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss Iran's interest in joining BRICS and how both countries can collaborate further.

"The president of Iran is certainly invited – I believe there is a strong possibility that he will attend the outreach and BRICS Plus meeting. But this is not, by any means, an intention to build some form of a bloc that is anti-Western [countries]," Minister Pandor said at a press briefing on Monday.

"New Zealand's ties with South Africa range from trade and tourism, agriculture, disarmament, fisheries, environment, indigenous and human rights issues as well as sports," DIRCO wrote.

Indian Prime Minister is unlikely to attend the summit in person and might participate virtually, according to a Reuters report. However, no official statement has been issued yet. India might be opting out to attend in person due to increasing tension between India and China over territorial disputes.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Sunday that next month's BRICS summit, which Vladimir Putin has been invited to attend, will be held in-person despite an arrest warrant on the Russian leader.

"Is a conflict that's being processed and addressed by our regional organizations as well as by the African Union and SADC are involved as well as the East Africa community and all those processes like dialogue, negotiation and conflict resolution it involves people appointed and chosen in those dialogues," President Cyril Ramaphosa said.

International waters -- outside the jurisdiction of any single state -- cover more than 60 percent of the world's oceans.

"We are a little bit surprised at this talk of sanctions, which we regard as reckless and as very damaging to our already ailing and struggling economy," Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said.

A top White House official on Friday will offer to maintain current nuclear weapons limits with Russia, while making the case for putting rising power China at the center of future arms control efforts.

Three members of the gendarmerie were injured in Oye-Plage outside Calais on France's northern coast, prosecutors in the town of Saint Omer said late on Thursday.

"This load-shedding has just made a mess of our country," Mbalula told BBC during a TV show, HARDtalk on Tuesday.

"South Africa supports a rules-based international order, underpinned by the UN Charter and the sovereignty of all nations," Deputy Minister of Finance David Masondo said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, who hosted his Singaporean counterpart at Tuynhuys, Cape Town on Tuesday, thanked the Prime Minister for "very productive deliberations and for his commitment to building stronger ties between our countries."

"We are determined, in both word and action, to maintain our position on the peaceful resolution of conflict," President Cyril Ramaphosa said.

"The two countries have shared excellent bilateral relations, which have formed the basis of regular high level visits." the statement shared.

"The resurgence of the M23, an armed group that was thought to have been dismantled in 2013/2014, is even more worrying," President Ramaphosa said.

"Food prices have gone up by 14% and electricity by 19% in the last year," Democratic Alliance party's John Steenhuisen said.

"Freedom cannot be meaningful while communities live in fear of gangsters and women live in fear of men," President Ramaphosa said.

"I will do whatever is necessary, and we will follow through and make sure that he is arrested," Premier of the Western Cape Alan Winde said.

President Niinistö said that it is "most important" for Finland and South Africa to remain close, during a joint press conference held at the Union Buildings in Tshwane.

The new board was announced six months after the last board term ended

"Beatrice Marshoff was the embodiment of selfless and true servant leadership," President Cyril Ramaphosa said.

"The people should reject them at the polls," ANC's Rachel Windvogel said.

Pretoria, which has close ties with Moscow, has been faced with a diplomatic dilemma since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Putin in March.

"A well-capacitated office with technical skills to achieve the objectives of government will ensure that the Deputy President is able to effectively fulfill his mandate," the statement mentioned.

Thabo Makgoba slammed the politicians for playing "in-again-out-again revolving doors, changing mayors and speakers the way other people change their socks."

"What they want, above all else, is for the DA to unite all the forces in this country that stand opposed to the ANC and the EFF," John Steenhuisen said.