A round-up of today's other world news stories in brief.
Woman dies after bird flu infection
BEIJING –A woman in eastern China has died and a two-year-old girl is critically ill in the north after becoming infected with bird flu.
China has now confirmed three cases of the H5N1 virus in less than two weeks. – (Reuters)
Seven killed in helicopter crash
PARIS –Seven French soldiers were killed when a French army helicopter crashed into the sea off the coast of Gabon.
The helicopter had 10 soldiers on board. Two were rescued and one was missing. The reasons for the incident were not known. – (Reuters)
Merkel gets state election boost
FRANKFURT –German chancellor Angela Merkel's Conservatives won enough support in a state vote in Hesse yesterday to hold onto power, giving her party a boost eight months before a national election.
The Christian Democrats (CDU) won 37.4 per cent of the vote, up slightly from 36.8 per cent in the last vote a year ago. – (Reuters)
TV artist Tony Hart dies aged 83
LONDON –Television artist Tony Hart, who inspired generations of children to draw during a 50-year career, died yesterday after a long illness. He was 83.
Descendants of explorer at Pole
Three descendants of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his team completed “unfinished family business” when they reached the South Pole yesterday.
Henry Worsley (47), Will Gow (35), and Henry Adams (34) reached the Pole at 9am Irish time after a 900-mile journey on foot. – (PA)