Canadian PM Trudeau says 2 detained citizens have left China

OTTAWA, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two Canadian citizens who were detained by Beijing for more than 1,000 days have left Chinese airspace and will arrive back in Canada early on Saturday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters. Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were picked up in December 2018, shortly after…

Covid-19: 60 mn Americans now eligible for Pfizer booster shots, Biden says

   WASHINGTON, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Some 60 million people in the United States are now eligible for a Pfizer booster shot against Covid-19, President Joe Biden said as a regulatory marathon laying bare divisions within the scientific community on the issue came to a close.   In the end,…

Oldest human footprints in North America found in New Mexico

WASHINGTON, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Footprints dating back 23,000 years have been discovered in the United States, suggesting humans settled North America long before the end of the last Ice Age, according to researchers.The findings push back the date at which the continent was colonized by its first inhabitants by…

Oldest bone tools for clothmaking found in Morocco

RABAT, Sept 25 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Archaeologists in Morocco have identified clothesmaking tools fashioned from bone dating back 120,000 years, the oldest ever found, one of the researchers said.“It’s a major discovery because while older bone tools have been found elsewhere, it’s the first time we have identified bone tools (this…

Nigeria arrests members of kidnapping gang involved in abducting schoolchildren

ABUJA, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Three people suspected of abducting more than 100 students from a Christian school in northwestern Nigeria two months ago have been arrested, police said.On July 5, gunmen invaded the Bethel Baptist Secondary School on the outskirts of Kaduna and abducted 121 students who were sleeping…

Covid-19: WHO says coronavirus third wave easing in Africa

African countries have mostly relied on donations to vaccinate their populations BRAZZAVILLE, Sept 25 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — The World Health Organization’s Africa regional body says the current wave of COVID-19 on the continent is easing off but warned that the “fight is far from over”.WHO Africa’s director for communicable disease response Dr. Benido…

UK covid vaccine rules cause hesitancy – Africa health boss

A study commissioned by Africa’s health body on vaccine perceptions found many people were concerned over safety  ADDIS ABABA, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The head of Africa’s health agency has warned that the UK’s policy of not accepting Covid-19 vaccine certificates from the continent could increase vaccine hesitancy. Dr John…

US shooting: One dead, 12 injured in supermarket shooting; shooter shot himself dead

   WASHINGTON, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A shooter opened fire at a supermarket near Memphis, Tennessee, killing at least one person and injuring 12 others before he shot himself dead, police said.   The rampage occurred at a Kroger grocery store in Collierville, a suburban town east of Memphis.  …

France says UK’s Johnson offered to ‘re-establish cooperation’

   PARIS, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told French President Emmanuel Macron that he wants to “re-establish cooperation”, Macron’s office said amid a diplomatic crisis over a submarine contract with Australia.   Macron was left furious last week after Australia ditched a mega-deal to buy diesel submarines from France in…

US issues sanctions exemptions to allow Afghanistan aid

WASHINGTON, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States announced two exemptions to its sanctions imposed on Afghanistan in a bid to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into the conflict-wracked, Taliban-controlled country. The provisions allow the US government, aid groups and international organizations “to engage in the provision of humanitarian…