Volcano 'captures' SA president

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP):

South Africa's president has been grounded by an ash cloud from a Chilean volcano that has been erupting for two weeks.

The governing African National Congress said President Jacob Zuma canceled a visit to western South Africa yesterday because the cloud has grounded domestic flights in South Africa. Several commercial flights also were cancelled on the weekend.

The ANC says Zuma had been scheduled to thank campaign workers in a town where the party did well in recent local elections.

The fast-travelling ash cloud has disrupted flights around the southern hemisphere since the Cordon Caulle volcano began erupting June 4.

The volcano is more than 5,500 miles (more than 8,800 kilometres) from Johannesburg.