Snippets

• The Indonesian volcano Mount Merapi recently erupted, nearly destroying a village and forcing thousands of residents to evacuate (see 'Quaking island', Down To Earth, June 30, 2006).

• A Libyan court recently began retrying five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor who were accused of infecting hundreds of Libyan children with HIV. Libya's Supreme Court had overturned a death sentence against them in December (see 'Death sentence annulled', Down To Earth, January 31, 2006).

• A Chinese man who reportedly died of severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003 could have died of bird flu, says a recent Reuters report.

• Doctors of Roosevelt Hospital, Guatemala's second best-equipped hospital, in Guatemala city have been on strike demanding wage increases and protesting against lack of medical supplies.

• A Japanese mayor recently dropped his opposition to host the first US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The opposition was because of fears over its safety.