Foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Member States have agreed to refer the case of Houthis’ attack against holy sites in Mecca to the United Nations. During an emergency meeting held in Mecca, fifty-one representatives of Islamic states have decided to address a letter to the United Nations on behalf of OIC’s executive committee. They pointed out in their final statement, which was issued the day after the […]
A fuel tanker exploded in northern Mozambique as residents gathered around to buy fuel from the driver on Thursday, killing 73 people and injuring 110 others, Mozambican media reported. Dozens of charred bodies were scattered around the blast site in the town of Caphiridzange in Tete province, and government officials believed more bodies might be in surrounding woods, Radio Mozambique reported. Some badly burned people had tried to run into […]
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe described Donald Trump as a "trustworthy leader" after meeting the U.S. president-elect on Thursday to get clarity on statements Trump had made while campaigning that had caused concern about the alliance. Abe, speaking after the hastily arranged 90-minute meeting at Trump Tower in Manhattan, reporters: "The talks made me feel sure that we can build a relationship of trust." But he would not disclose specifics […]
ISIS probably killed more than 300 Iraqi former police three weeks ago and buried them in a mass grave near the town of Hammam al-Alil south of Mosul, Human Rights Watch said on Thursday. A Reuters reporter visited the site of the mass grave, where residents said the militants buried victims who had been shot or beheaded. The residents said they believed up to 200 people were killed in the […]
Crimes are being committed in South Africa's prisons with impunity, a researcher said at a Judicial Inspectorate of Correctional Services' (JICS) seminar on prison assault and torture on Thursday. “What is the Department of Correctional Services doing about it?” asked a frustrated Gwen Dereymaeker of the University of the Western Cape's Dullah Omar Institute. The last prosecution was in 2009, she said. According to the JICS's own report distributed at […]
Chairperson of the House Committee at the residence at Wits University, Nkululeko Tsekane, says the university drags its feet on issues of sexual violence and does not take them seriously. This comes after a student was raped at Wits Junction residence three weeks ago. The media was barred from a meeting on Thursday night at Wits University's Junction Residence, at which students engaged with management. Tsekane says he is disappointed […]
The pre-trial hearing of Henri van Breda, accused of killing his parents and older brother, has been postponed to February 3, 2017. The State has requested a postponement in order to provide all the particulars of their case to the defence. The State has until November 30 to give particulars to the defence for its own expert analysis. The trial date has been provisionally set and is now expected to […]
As South Africa reflects on the 50th year since the declaration of District Six as a White Group Area in 1966, there was something good to celebrate this week with the launch of the District Six Museum’s Huis Kombuis Food and Memory Cookbook, a fitting tribute to the rich legacy of District Six. The launch marks an important moment for the museum and those 'District Sixers who' have contributed to its […]
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has warned beneficiaries about scam SMS messages doing the rounds, calling for beneficiaries to change their SASSA cards. Over the past year, numerous beneficiaries have witnessed unauthorised deductions from their SASSA accounts, ranging from airtime to electricity purchases. In response to the scam SMS’s, SASSA has now urged members of the public to remain vigilant during the upcoming festive season and have confirmed […]
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.
