World in brief: Swine flu arrives in the Amazon

Caracas, Venezuela – Swine flu has appeared among Venezuela’s Yanomami Indians, one of the largest isolated indigenous groups in the Amazon, and a doctor said Wednesday that the virus is suspected in seven deaths.

The deaths happened in forest villages near Venezuela’s border with Brazil over the past 2 1/2 weeks, said Raidan Bernade, a Venezuelan doctor on a team sent to contain the outbreak.

Bernade said doctors confirmed one of those who died had swine flu – a 35-year-old Yanomami woman who doctors believe was pregnant.

Afghan officer kills British soldiers

Kabul – Five British soldiers were shot and killed Tuesday by an Afghan policeman while they were working together in southern Afghanistan, British officials said.

The shooting occurred in the Nad e-Ali district of Helmand province, one of the most violent areas of the country. The British soldiers were working with Afghan National Police at a checkpoint when one policeman opened fire.

The gunfire wounded six other British soldiers and two Afghan policemen. Officials said the shooter fled the scene.