Conservative Ivan Duque has won Colombia's presidential election, putting the landmark 2016 peace deal with the FARC at risk. Duque secured 54 percent on Sunday, more than 12 points ahead of his leftist rival, Gustavo Petro. He is first to be elected since outgoing President Juan Manuel Santos signed the peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), formally ending more than 50 years of conflict. "This is […]
Colombia's Congress has approved a revised peace deal with the FARC rebel group, paving the way to end a conflict that has lasted more than 50 years. The lower house voted 130-0 on Wednesday to approve the text adopted a day earlier by the Senate. President Juan Manuel Santos said the vote provided "landmark backing" for a deal he personally pushed for. Santos, this year's Nobel Peace Prize winner, shepherded […]
Thousands of people have marched in cities across Colombia to demand a peace deal between the government and leftist rebels not be scuttled. Wednesday's demonstrations marked the second time in a week that Colombians took to the streets to support the accord signed last month with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and now hanging by a thread after a shock referendum defeat for the deal. "We have seen […]
Colombian President, and freshly-crowned Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Juan Manuel Santos and the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group are to start peace talks, officials have said. The negotiations with the 2,000-strong National Liberation Army (ELN) will start on October 27 in Ecuador's capital Quito, according to an agreement signed in Caracas by both sides under the auspices of Venezuela's government. "We are a special nation that grows despite adversities," […]
Voters in Colombia's referendum have narrowly rejected a peace accord between the government and the Marxist group, FARC. The outcome of Sunday's vote endangers a deal expected to end 52 years of war and allow FARC fighters to re-enter society and form a political party. With more than 99 percent of polling stations reporting, 50.2 percent of ballots opposed the accord while 49.8 percent favoured it - a difference of […]
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.
