Covid-19: Chile to lift state of emergency as vaccines beat back infections

SANTIAGO, Sept 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Chilean authorities announced the end of a state of emergency in force since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, a sign of life returning to normal following a sharp decrease in cases in the South American nation. The state of emergency, an extraordinary administrative measure…

Covid-19: New York hospitals face staff shortages as thousands of unvaccinated workers sacked from job

New York governor Kathy Hochul, centre, pleads with health workers to get jab instead of being sacked NEW YORK, Sept 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — New York hospitals were preparing to fire thousands of healthcare workers for not complying with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate taking effect on Monday (Sept 27), with some…

Covid-19: US Pres Biden gets booster shot as additional doses roll out

Pres Joe Biden receives his booster vaccination in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building’s South Court Auditorium at the White House WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Joe Biden rolled up his shirt sleeve and received a COVID-19 vaccine booster inoculation, hoping to provide a powerful example for Americans on the…

Poland says it found evidence of extremism on migrants’ phones

Polish soldiers build a fence on the border between Poland and Belarus near the village of Nomiki, Poland WARSAW, Sept 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Poland’s interior minister said material related to Islamic extremism had been found in the phones of migrants crossing its border with Belarus and he called for a…

About 100 US citizens, permanent residents still waiting to leave Afghanistan: Official

WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States is aware of about 100 American citizens and legal permanent residents (LPRs) who remain in Afghanistan and are ready to leave the country, a senior State Department official said. The State Department was working to get those people on flights out of…

ICC prosecutor now targets Taliban, Daesh, not US, in Afghan war crimes probe

A drone strike by the US military in Kabul killed 10 civilians including children in August THE HAGUE, Sept 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The International Criminal Court prosecutor said he was seeking approval to resume a war crimes investigation of Afghanistan, focusing on the actions of the Taliban and the Islamic…

UK puts army on standby as fuel pumps run dry as country faces Brexit-related shortage of fuel truck drivers

LONDON, Sept 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain put the army on standby to help with the ongoing fuel crisis as fears over tanker driver shortages led to panic buying, leaving many of the country’s pumps dry. “Limited number of military tanker drivers to be put on a state of readiness and deployed if…

French Pres Macron hit with egg during restaurant fair visit

    LYON, Sept 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A man pelted French President Emmanuel Macron with an egg while he was visiting a restaurant and hotel trade fair in the southeastern city of Lyon on Monday.    The egg hit his shoulder but bounced off without breaking.    The assailant was quickly subdued…

Covid-19: Pfizer starts large trial for anti-Covid pill

  WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Pfizer said it had begun a middle-to-late stage clinical trial of a pill to stave off Covid in people who are exposed to infection.   Several companies are working on so-called oral antivirals, which would mimic what the drug Tamiflu does for influenza and…

UN concerned about ‘xenophobia’ against migrants in Chile

    SANTIAGO, Sept 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United Nations expressed concern at “violence and xenophobia” meted out to undocumented migrants in Chile over the weekend by locals fed up with their presence in the country.     Some 3,000 protesters took to the streets of the northern port city of Iquique…