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Malawi's fuel crisis hangs over upcoming elections
Malawi's fuel crisis hangs over upcoming elections
by  AFP

In early morning gloom, a long line of vehicles winds around the lone fuel station in Dedza district in central Malawi, one of many overnight queues for petrol across the country. The fuel queues are the clearest manifestation of this failure.

Uzbek workers fill gap as Bulgarian population shrinks
Uzbek workers fill gap as Bulgarian population shrinks
by  AFP

Nilfar Nazarova used to work as an accountant in her native Uzbekistan but for the past four summers she has been cleaning hotel rooms in the Bulgarian Black Sea resort of Albena. "The work is hard but the people are kind," Uzbek student Gulraykhan Muxanbetovna said as she bustled around the crowded restaurant of a four-star hotel overlooking the Black Sea.

Alibaba soars but Asia markets dip
Alibaba soars but Asia markets dip
by  AFP

Chinese ecommerce giant Alibaba boosted the Hang Seng on Monday, but other Asian markets mostly fell back after Wall Street retreated from record highs. On Friday US stocks fell, with the Dow and S&P 500 retreating from record highs ahead of the long Labor Day weekend.

French PM says 'fate of France' at stake in confidence vote
French PM says 'fate of France' at stake in confidence vote
by  AFP

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said on Sunday the destiny of France was at stake in a forthcoming confidence vote, which he called to resolve a budget standoff but is expected to lose. Seven out of 10 French people say they want Bayrou to lose the confidence vote, according to a recent poll.

Britain's energy grid bets on flywheels to keep the lights on
Britain's energy grid bets on flywheels to keep the lights on
by  AFP

Britain's energy operator is betting on an age-old technology to future-proof its grid, as the power plants that traditionally helped stabilise it are closed and replaced by renewable energy systems. Grid operators are now looking to the technology to add inertia to renewable-heavy electricity systems to prevent blackouts like the one that hit Spain and Portugal this year.

Indonesian islanders taking Swiss concrete giant to court over climate
Indonesian islanders taking Swiss concrete giant to court over climate
by  AFP

Residents of the tiny Indonesian island of Pari, threatened with disappearance by rising sea levels driven by climate change, have come to Switzerland to demand compensation from cement giant Holcim. Environmentalists have said most of the 42-hectare (104-acre) island of Pari could be underwater by 2050 due to rising sea levels.