Venezuela shuts schools, suspends working day as power shortage continues

Venezuela's government shut schools and suspended working hours on Friday after the capital Caracas and other major cities awoke without electricity due to a problem that struck the South American country's main hydroelectric plant on Thursday.

President Nicolas Maduro "has suspended classes and the working day today in order to facilitate the efforts for the recovery of electric service in the country," wrote Vice President Delcy Rodríguez on her Twitter account.

(With inputs from agencies.)