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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Bird flu kills girl in Vietnamese city

Compiled from wire reports The Spokesman-Review

Hanoi, Vietnam A 10-year-old girl from southern Vietnam has died of bird flu, the 12th human victim from the virus in a month, a health official said Monday.

The girl from Long An province died Sunday after a week on a respirator, said a doctor in Ho Chi Minh City.

Dead chickens were reported at the girl’s house and in her village nearly a month ago. She developed fever and coughing a week after helping her family bury the dead poultry.

Also, a Cambodian woman died Saturday at a hospital in southern Vietnam, a doctor in Kien Giang province, which borders Cambodia, said. She was admitted with bird flu symptoms, but tests were still being conducted to determine whether she was infected with the virus, he said.

EU plans to restore relations with Cuba

Brussels, Belgium European Union foreign ministers agreed Monday to restore normal diplomatic relations with the Cuban government while pledging to increase contacts with critics of President Fidel Castro.

The decision ends a freeze on high-level contacts imposed by the 25-nation bloc after Havana cracked down on dissidents in March 2003.

A statement by the ministers said the EU was willing to resume “a constructive dialogue with the Cuban authorities aiming at tangible results in the political, economic, human rights and cooperation sphere.”

But the EU insisted it would continue to raise human rights issues and demanded the “urgent” and “unconditional” release of all dissidents, including 75 given prison terms of up to 28 years in the 2003 clampdown.

The freeze began melting in November, as the EU reviewed diplomatic sanctions against Cuba and Havana released 14 of 75 imprisoned dissidents.

Nepal king dismisses government officials

Katmandu, Nepal King Gyanendra dismissed Nepal’s government on Tuesday and said he was taking control of the Himalayan kingdom – the second time he has done so in three years.

The monarch made the announcement over the state-run television, accusing the government of failing to conduct parliamentary elections and restore peace in the country.

He fired Sher Bahadur Deuba, appointed prime minister last year with the task of holding parliamentary elections and conducting talks with Maoist rebels who have been fighting since 1996 for a socialist state.

Deuba also was fired in October 2002, but was reinstated in 2004 after massive street protests.

The rebels, who say they are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have been fighting since February 1996 to replace Nepal’s monarchy with a communist state. The insurgency has claimed more than 10,500 lives.