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News in Brief -(17-06-2019)

June 17, 2019 00:00:00


Power outage hits all of

Argentina and Uruguay

LONDON, June 16: A massive electrical failure has left all of Argentina and Uruguay without power, according to a major Argentine electricity provider. Reports said the power cut had also affected parts of Brazil and Paraguay. Argentine media said the power cut occurred shortly after 07:00 (12:00 GMT), causing trains to be halted and failures with traffic signalling. It came as people in parts of Argentina were preparing to go to the polls for local elections. — BBC

Netanyahu's wife fined

JERUSALEM, June 16: The wife of Israel's prime minister has been sentenced to pay a fine of roughly $15,000 for misusing state funds. A Jerusalem magistrate court on Sunday accepted the plea bargain Sara Netanyahu signed with prosecutors to settle the allegations she misused some $100,000 in state money on lavish meals. — AP

Storms kill two in Switzerland, France

BERLIN, June 16: Authorities say a tourist has drowned in Switzerland's Lake Geneva after her boat capsized in a driving storm, and another was killed in nearby France after high winds brought down a tree on her campsite. The Swiss news site 20 Minuten reported Sunday the previous day's storm brought heavy rain, hail and wind gusts as high as 122 kph (75 mph). — AP

Stuntman missing after Ganges escape goes wrong

KOLKATA, June 16: An Indian stuntman who entered the Ganges river on Sunday tied up with steel chains and rope is missing, police said. Chanchal Lahiri, known by his stage name "Jadugar Mandrake" (Wizard Mandrake), was lowered into the river by crane as family members, media and police watched from the banks. But the 40-year-old failed to emerge from the water, triggering a frantic search by authorities. — AFP


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