A round-up of other world news in brief
Superbug linked to death of premature baby
LONDON – A premature baby died at one of England’s leading hospitals after contracting an infection resistant to antibiotics, it has emerged. Thirteen infants were infected by the bacteria.
The death has raised fresh fears about the dangers of superbugs, which doctors are struggling to treat because they lack the right antibiotics to combat them.
The dead child was one of 13 premature babies found to have gram-negative bacteria on or in their bodies last month in the neonatal unit of University College London Hospital. The bacteria – which included E.coli and Klebsiella – posed acute difficulties because they were resistant to the antibiotic used by the hospital.
Spokeswoman Sharon Spiteri stressed that the baby died with the bacteria, rather than as a direct result of it.
"The baby died of a number of factors including the infection, though the infection wasn't the main cause of death," she said. – ( Guardian)
3,200 policemen fired in Mexico
MEXICO CITY – Authorities in Mexico have fired nearly 10 per cent of the federal police force as President Felipe Calderon seeks to rein in powerful drug cartels and curb widespread corruption among Mexican police.
"Because they failed to carry out duties established in the federal police law, 3,200 policemen were fired," deputy police chief Facundo Rosas said yesterday.
Another 465 policemen, including a police chief in the violent northern city of Ciudad Juarez who was turned in for corruption by his own staff, will also be fired.
A federal police spokesman said some of those fired had failed drug, lie detector or vision tests or had been found to have assets that could not be accounted for by superiors. – (Reuters)
Seven US troops die in bomb attacks
KABUL – Seven US troops were killed in two roadside bomb attacks in Afghanistan, a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force said. It said that five troops were killed in one blast and two in another.
Earlier, a Reuters witness and residents reported seeing a Security Assistance Force armoured vehicle ablaze after it was hit by a roadside bomb. It was not clear whether the incidents were connected. – (Reuters)
Biden to hold talks with Iraq's leaders
BAGHDAD – US vice- president Joe Biden arrived in Iraq yesterday as US troops prepared to end combat operations today.
Mr Biden was expected to hold talks with Iraqi leaders at a time of political deadlock, almost six months after the inconclusive election in March, over forming the country's next government.
Iraq remains on high alert regarding attacks by insurgents after a series of recent bombings that killed dozens of people and underscored the fragility of Iraq's security gains. – (Reuters)
Skinhead attack at Russian festival
MOSCOW – About 100 skinheads attacked crowds of revellers at a Russian rock festival on Sunday, injuring 19 people, according to Russian media.
State-run Rossiya 24 showed large groups of bare- chested men with cropped hair running up to the entrance of the Tornado festival in the Urals city of Miass, some 1,400km east of Moscow.
A spokeswoman said local police had no immediate comment on the motive.
At least 60 people were killed in Russia last year in hate crimes, and 306 were injured, according to Sova, a rights group that monitors racist violence in the country.
Witnesses at the 3,000- strong festival said some of the men fired gunshots into crowds, Rossiya 24 said, showing policemen collecting axes and batons belonging to the skinheads.
Six of the 19 injured were taken to hospital. – (Reuters)