South Africa: State-owned utility Eskom aims to stabilise grid by end-March after blackouts – Pres Ramaphosa

JOHANNESBURG, Dec 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Africa’s state utility Eskom will work to stabilise the national power grid by the end of March in the wake of the country’s most severe blackouts in a decade, President Cyril Ramaphosa said. A week of heavy rains across parts of South Africa has…

North Korea says US ‘foolish’ for calling UN security meeting

PYONGYANG, Dec 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — North Korea’s foreign ministry criticised the United States as “foolish” for convening a UN Security Council meeting over growing concern about short-range rockets fired from the isolated state. Washington on Wednesday used the meeting to warn of consequences for North Korea if it followed through…

Election results 2019: Tories on course to win majority – exit poll

Conservative win announced in Blyth Valley, breaking Labour’s 50-year hold in the former mining constituency LONDON, Dec 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Conservatives are set to win an overall majority of 86 in the general election, according to an exit poll for the BBC, ITV and Sky News. The survey taken…

Two dead as Indian police fire at demo: medical source

GUWAHATI (India), Dec 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two people were killed Thursday when police opened fire at a crowd demonstrating in northeastern India against a new citizenship bill, a local hospital source said. The pair were among a large group being treated for various wounds, Ramen Talukdar, a doctor at Guwahati…

Polls close in Algeria election denounced by protesters as ‘sham’

Security forces surround protesters in central Algiers ALGIERS, Dec 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Polls have closed in Algeria where a contentious presidential election, boycotted by tens of thousands of protesters nationwide and dismissed as a “sham,” was held.  Anti-riot police were deployed early on Thursday to block access to Maurice Audin Square…

Bangladesh: Death toll rises to 13 in Keraniganj factory fire

DHAKA, Dec 13 (NNN-BSS) — The death toll from Keraniganj plastic factory fire rose to 13 after two more victims died from their injuries at the burn unit of Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn And Plastic Surgery (SHNIBPS) in the capital on Thursday. According to the SHNIBPS officials, factory…

ICJ: Suu Kyi slammed for ‘silence’ over Myanmar genocide claims

File photo THE HAGUE, Dec 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Gambia hit out at Aung San Suu Kyi’s “silence” over the plight of Rohingya Muslims after the Nobel peace laureate defended Myanmar against genocide charges at the UN’s top court. Lawyers for the African country said her arguments that Myanmar’s 2017…

Update: Human remains found in search for Chilean plane

PUNTA ARENAS (Chile), Dec 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Rescuers have found human remains during the search for a Chilean air force plane that went missing en route to Antarctica with 38 people aboard, a provincial government leader said. Search teams are combing waters off the southern tip of South America forany…

Five killed in Kenya bus crash, 62 injured

NAIROBI, Dec 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Five people have died and dozens others have been injured after two buses collided in Kenya’s Nairobi-Mombasa highway.The two buses that were heading in the opposite directions collided after the Nairobi bound bus veered off its lane.The crash happened at 2 am in the Kiongwani…

Algerians go to the polls

ALGIERS, Dec 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Algerians go to the polls on Thursday to elect a new president.It’s the third attempt to hold a vote this year, after mass protests forced the long-term president Abdelaziz Bouteflika to resign in April.Turnout is expected to be low, as the country’s protest movement is…