Red Cross alarm over polio outbreak in Philippines after 19 years

Three out of five children under five have not been vaccinated against polio in the Philippines MANILA, Oct 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The International Red Cross and its Philippine affiliate have warned of an “alarming comeback” of the polio virus in the country, prompting the government to declare a national outbreak.The…

Cameroonians come close to fighting at peace conference

Some 500 delegates are attending the conference YAOUNDE, Oct 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — There have been sharp divisions at a national conference in Cameroon aimed at ending the three year separatist rebellion in the Anglophone regions of the country.Some delegates came close to fighting each other as tempers boiled over at…

Five Eritrean under 20s footballers disappear in Uganda

Eritrea’s Under-20 team KAMPALA, Oct 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Five Eritrean national footballers have disappeared in Uganda in the middle of the regional Cecafa Under-20 Challenge Cup tournament.The players fled from their hotel in Jinja, east of the capital Kampala, and are believed to have sought asylum.All five missed training on…

US widens trade war with tariffs on European planes, cheese, whisky to punish subsidies

The US is going to slap 10% tariffs on European-made Airbus (AIR.PA) planes WASHINGTON, Oct 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) –The United States said it would slap 10% tariffs on European-made Airbus (AIR.PA) planes and 25% duties on French wine, Scotch and Irish whiskies, and cheese from across the continent as punishment for…

Ethiopian 18th Century crown to return home from Netherlands

Sirak Asfaw (L) and Arthur Brand say they are waiting for the Ethiopian government to get in touch ROTTERDAM (Netherlands), Oct 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An 18th Century Ethiopian crown will finally be returned home after being hidden in a Dutch flat for 21 years. Ethiopian Sirak Asfaw, who fled to…

US prosecutor says Honduran president took fortune in drug bribes

NEW YORK, Oct 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez took millions of dollars in bribes from drug lords including jailed Mexican kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, a US prosecutor said at the opening of his brother’s trial. The president’s brother, Juan Antonio Hernandez — a former Honduran congressman…

New Zealand mosque attack accused drops bid to move trial

WELLINGTON, Oct 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The man accused of murdering 51 Muslim worshippers in March’s New Zealand mosque attacks on Thursday dropped a bid to move his trial from the city where the massacre occurred. The High Court held a pre-trial hearing in Christchurch to consider an application from alleged…

US to collect DNA of all undocumented migrants

WASHINGTON, Oct 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US government plans to collect the DNA of all migrants detained after entering the country illegally, officials said. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is developing a plan to take DNA samples from each of the undocumented immigrants and store it in a national…

Update: North Korea says missile test was ‘new’ submarine-based launch

SEOUL, Oct 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — North Korea says its latest weapons test was of a submarine-launched ballistic missile that marked a “new phase” in its defence capability, just days before the resumption of stalled nuclear talks with the US. A proven submarine-based missile capability would take the North’s arsenal to…

First Arab on ISS set for Earth return

ALMATY (Kazakhstan), Oct 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An Emirati who made history as the first Arab to reach the International Space Station is set to return to Earth on Thursday following an eight-day mission that sparked euphoria in his homeland. Hazzaa al-Mansoori of the United Arab Emirates will touch down in…