Tonga parliament flattened by cyclone
Nukualofa (Tonga): The 100-year-old parliament building in the Pacific nation of Tonga was destroyed by cyclone Gita, the worst storm to hit the country in more than 60 years, on Tuesday.
Gita, a category four storm, battered the island overnight and caused widespread damage, reports the BBC.
S Africa declares drought a ‘national disaster’
Cape Town: South Africa today declared a “national disaster” over a drought that has ravaged parts of the country and threatened to leave the city of Cape Town without domestic tap water.
Four dead as storm hits Philippines
Manila: Four people were killed in the southern Philippines on Tuesday as a tropical storm unleashed heavy rain and triggered deadly landslides, police said. Tropical Storm Sanba slammed the east coast of the main southern island of Mindanao Tuesday with gusts of 75 kilometres an hour.
Two dead in Guinea in clashes
Conakry: At least two men died on Tuesday in clashes between demonstrators and riot police in Guinea, following protests over local election results and the resumption of a teachers’ strike, a Government spokesman said.
ex-S Korean Prez’s friend jailed for 20 yrs
Seoul: A Seoul court sentenced Choi Soon-sil, a close friend of former President Park Geun-hye, to 20 years in prison on Tuesday for a string of corruption charges linked to a massive influence-peddling scandal that led to Park’s impeachment.