News in Brief -2024-10-23

Morales supporters paralyse Bolivia

LA PAZ, Oct 22: Bolivians are facing fuel shortages and soaring prices after a week of roadblocks by supporters of former president Evo Morales, who is under investigation for allegedly abusing a minor during his time in office. In capital La Paz, minibus driver Marco Santos was among those stuck in a line of 300 vehicles queuing for fuel on Monday. "If you don't work, you don't eat," said Santos, 25, who had been waiting for almost six hours to fill up. "It's a total loss, especially for us who are on public transport." By last Friday, the transport sector had lost more than $8.6 million due to the protests, according to estimates by the economy ministry. — AFP

Water shortages new reality in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG, Oct 22: Joyce Lakela runs a nursery in Tembisa, a Johannesburg township, but these days she spends most of her time trying to find water. "It's been going on for five days," she said, lamenting shortages affecting South Africa's largest city where temperatures are rising with the beginning of summer. "This is a big challenge," the elderly woman said, after filling up a large bin with water from a tanker. "The kids have to wash their hands, we have to flush the toilets, and we also have to wash the kids." The crisis is the result of daily restrictions imposed by the city to stop what they say is over-consumption and to allow maintenance work. — AFP

Hurricane leaves six dead in Cuba

HAVANA, Oct 22: Hurricane Oscar left six people dead after hitting Cuba over the weekend during a major power blackout, authorities said Monday, as electricity was restored to most of the capital. The lights went out for the Communist-run country's 10 million people on Friday after the collapse of the nation's largest power plant crippled the whole grid. By Monday afternoon, nearly 90 percent of customers in Havana -- home to some two million people -- had power again, the capital's electricity company said in a report published by state-run news portal Cubadebate. "Of course I'm happy!" Olga Gomez, a 59-year-old housewife in Havana, said after the lights came back on. — AFP