US House passes bill to avoid gov’t shutdown, suspend debt limit

The US Capitol building WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (NNN-Xinhua) — The US House of Representatives on Tuesday night passed a bill that would prevent a federal government shutdown and suspend the debt limit on government borrowing into December 2022. The bill now heads to the Senate, where the Senate Republicans have…

South Sudanese refugees homeless again after Sudan floods

   AL-JABALAIN (Sudan), Sept 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Sudanese refugee Dawood Kour fled to Sudan to turn the page on a life of displacement, only to be forced onto the streets once more after floodwaters submerged his ricketyshelter.   Kour crossed the border in November, fleeing years of conflict in…

Brazil and Argentina tapped to make mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in Latin America

BRASILIA, Sept 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has selected two biomedical centres in Argentina and Brazil as regional hubs to develop and produce mRNA-based vaccines to fight COVID-19 in Latin America, the regional health agency said. The idea is to tap existing manufacturing capacities to help…

Lithuania says to throw away Chinese phones due to censorship concerns

A person checks out the Xiaomi Mi 9 mobile phone ahead of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain VILNIUS, Sept 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Lithuania’s Defence Ministry recommended that consumers avoid buying Chinese mobile phones and advised people to throw away the ones they have now after a government report…

US Pres Biden congratulates PM Trudeau on Canada election win

   WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Joe Biden spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to congratulate him on his Liberal Party’s election win, the White House said.    The two leaders “underscored the strong and deep friendship between the United States and Canada,” according to a statement.…

Covid-19: Brazil’s health minister tests positive at UN gathering

   BRASILIA, Sept 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil’s Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga tested positive for Covid-19 Tuesday after attending the UN General Assembly in New York that was inaugurated by his president, Jair Bolsonaro,according to an official statement.   “The other members of the delegation have been tested and are negative,”…

China’s COVID-19 vaccine arrives in Denmark for UN Peacekeeping personnel

A consignment of China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines arrives at the airport in Copenhagen, Denmark as the Chinese government’s donation for United Nations Peacekeeping personnels COPENHAGEN, Sept 22 (NNN-Xinhua) — A consignment of China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Copenhagen as the Chinese government’s donation for United Nations Peacekeeping personnels. The…

Venezuela slams US sanctions hindering technical cooperation with IAEA

CARACAS, Sept 22 (NNN-Xinhua) — US sanctions against Venezuela are hampering its technical cooperation program with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Venezuelan government said. Tania Masea, deputy minister of New Sources and Rational Use of Electric Energy, voiced the complaint at the 65th IAEA General Conference via teleconference.…

UN refugee chief voices shock at images of deplorable conditions at U.S. border

A US Border Patrol agent on horseback tries to stop a Haitian migrant from entering an encampment on the banks of the Rio Grande near the Acuna Del Rio International Bridge in Del Rio, Texas GENEVA, Sept 22 (NNN-Xinhua) — The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi issued a…

UN calls on Libyan parliament to focus on preparations for elections

TRIPOLI, Sept 22 (NNN-Xinhua) — The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) called on the Libyan House of Representatives (parliament) to focus on preparations for the upcoming elections. The UNSMIL “has received, with concerns, reports that the House of Representatives (HoR) has passed a no-confidence motion against the Government…