SOUTH AFRICA GAS EXPLOSION KILLS ONE, INJURES FORTY-EIGHT OTHERS.

Police officers inspect damaged cars and the road after a suspected gas explosion injured people and caused significant damage, in the central business district of Johannesburg, South Africa.

According to authorities, one person died and 48 were injured in an explosion which took place in the centre of the South African city of Johannesburg.

Addressing the media on Thursday, the premier of Gauteng province, which includes Johannesburg, Panyaza Lesufi, said 12 casualties remain in hospital.

Emergency services are still on the scene assessing the damage and evacuating people where necessary.

Several streets have been closed to traffic in what is usually one of the busiest parts of South Africa’s commercial hub.

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EGYPT PRESIDENT PARDONS CHRISTIAN RIGHT ACTIVIST.

Egypt’s President, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has pardoned jailed rights activist Patrick Zaki and lawyer Mohammed al-Baqer.

The news comes a day after an emergency court found Zaki guilty of “spreading false news” and sentenced him to three years in prison.

The judgement, based on an article he wrote about his life as a Coptic Christian, was widely condemned.

Baqer represented pro-democracy activist Alaa Abdel Fattah before they were jailed on the same charge in 2021.

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POLICE QUESTIONS BODYGUARD OVER SHOOTING OF DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO POLITICAIN.

A bodyguard of a Congolese opposition politician who was shot dead last week in Kinshasa is being questioned by police.

The former transport minister, Cherubin Okende, was found dead in his car.

Attorney General Firmin Mvonde told a news conference that the fatal shot was fired from inside the vehicle, and the weapon was found next to Okende.

He was a spokesman for the opposition party led by Moïse Katumbi, who is due to contest the presidential election scheduled for December.

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WHEAT PRICES SOAR AFTER RUSSIA THREATENS SHIPS.

Wheat prices have risen sharply on global markets after Russia said it would treat ships heading for Ukrainian ports as potential military targets.

Moscow pulled out of a deal this week that had guaranteed safe passage for grain shipments through the Black Sea.

A White House spokesperson accused Russia of planning to blame Ukraine for attacks on civilian ships.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said he would return to the grain agreement immediately if his demands were met.

They include reconnecting Russia’s agricultural bank to a global payment system.

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INDIA OUTRAGE AFTER TWO WOMEN PARADED NAKED IN MANIPUR.

A video showing two women being paraded naked by a mob in the violence-hit northeastern state of Manipur has sparked outrage in India.

The police say they have opened a case of gang rape and arrested a man, adding that others will be held soon.

On Thursday, the monsoon session of parliament was disrupted as lawmakers demanded a discussion on the issue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also said the incident had “shamed India” and that “no guilty will be spared”.

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CHINESE PRESIDENT MEETS TOP DIPLOMAT.

Chinese President, Xi Jinping has met former top diplomat Henry Kissinger, as the United States pursues warmer ties with China.

Kissinger’s surprise trip to the Chinese capital comes amid a flurry of visits by top United States officials.

The former secretary of state, who is 100 years old, played a crucial role in helping China emerge from diplomatic isolation in the 1970s.

The United States has stressed he is visiting in his capacity as a private citizen.

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POLICE SEARCH FOR SUSPECTED LION ROAMING BERLIN AREA.

Police are searching for a wild animal in the south-western outskirts of Berlin after a big cat, believed to be a lion, was spotted in the area.

A video posted on Twitter appears to show a lion in a forest in the Kleinmachnow area.

Residents are being told to stay indoors as police search for the wild animal.

Local zoos, animal sanctuaries and circuses have said no lions have escaped from their facilities.

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New Zealand: Shooting in Auckland before World Cup kills two

New Zealand is in mourning after a shooting in Auckland left two people dead, hours before the city opened the Fifa Women’s World Cup.

Six other people, including police officers, were injured and the gunman is also dead after the incident on a construction site in the central business district.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the attack was not being seen as an act of terrorism.

The tournament would go ahead as planned, he confirmed.

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