INTERNATIONAL The death toll from landslides and flooding in the Philippines triggered by Tropical Storm Megi has risen to at least 115, as search teams found more bodies in mud-buried villages. Eighty-six of the casualties were in Baybay, a mountainous area prone to landslides in central Leyte province, where 236 people were also injured, the city government said in a report. Megi was the first tropical storm this year to […]
INTERNATIONAL Muslims in the US state of Minnesota have successfully appealed for two people involved in bombing a mosque to be granted reduced prison sentences after they voiced remorse for their crime. Leaders from the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington wrote to Judge Donovan W Frank ahead of Tuesday's sentencing, appealing for the court to exercise compassion and grant reduced jail terms to Michael McWhorter and Joe Morri. McWhorter, Morri and Emily Claire Hari […]
INTERNATIONAL Several US officials urged the Biden administration to "rebalance" Washington's relationship with Saudi Arabia, citing Riyadh's refusal to cooperate with the US over Russia's invasion of Ukraine and a score of human-rights issues. The leaders of the House foreign affairs and intelligence committees, and more than 20 other Democrats, sent a letter to the White House on Wednesday, criticising the administration's handling of its relationship with long-time strategic ally Riyadh. […]
INTERNATIONAL Two Palestinians were shot dead early on Thursday by Israeli forces during a raid on the occupied West Bank, the health ministry reported. "Two youths died of injuries sustained in an Israeli attack in the Jenin district," the Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a statement. The raid marked the sixth day of an Israeli operation in the West Bank which has mainly targeted the city of Jenin. The Israeli army said it […]
LOCAL The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness has rejected the proposed new regulations on managing Covid-19 and other communicable diseases. The department's head, Keith Cloete, says some of the proposed regulations would introduce inappropriate restrictions regarding endemic infectious diseases. Cloete says the new rules will curb relatives of a person who died of tuberculosis from touching them or washing their body ahead of the funeral. In addition Cloete […]
LOCAL Eskom says it is still on track to suspend load-shedding at 5 am on Friday morning, however, there is a possibility of more blackouts next week. The power utility’s spokesperson, Sikonathi Mantshantsha, says the planned suspension of load-shedding is due, in part, to the lower demand expected over the long weekend. Hays over the past 24 hours, a unit each at the Kusile and Kendal power stations in Mpumalanga […]
LOCAL The City of Cape Town has issued the final race permit for the Two Oceans Marathon this Sunday. Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, says the decision follows a lengthy revision of the race event plans and supporting documents required by the Events By-Law. He says the City is satisfied that the event organiser has met all requirements. Churches have expressed concern that the race will […]
LOCAL The South African Weather Services says people travelling across the country over the Easter weekend can expect wet weather conditions. The Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and the North West are likely to experience more thunderstorms from Friday with the risk of localised flooding and possible hail. Emergency services are continuing with search and rescue operations in KZN where record-breaking rainfall has left a trail of destruction and over 300 […]
INTERNATIONAL A legal case has been opened by a court to close down one of Turkey's leading feminist organisations, which has campaigned for years against the murder of women in the country. In a statement on Wednesday, the We Will Stop Femicide Platform said that the lawsuit, which was filed by the Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office, accuses the organisation of "acting against the law and morality". Since its founding in 2010, the organisation has campaigned against […]
VOC became the first Muslim radio station in South Africa when a special events license was granted to the station in Ramadan/January 1995. Subsequent temporary broadcast licenses were granted, permitting the station to broadcast for 24 hours.
