Friday, January 21, 2011
Giffords’ recovery
TUCSON, Ariz.
Gabrielle Giffords on Thursday felt the sunshine on her face for the first time since the shooting, as doctors prepared her to leave behind the Arizona hospital where she dazzled them with her rapid recovery.
Her next stop will be a Houston rehab center, where she will face an even more arduous task: getting life back to normal.
Her husband said he’s hoping she’ll make a full recovery, calling her “a fighter like nobody else that I know.”
The doctors who will help her offered a more sober outlook.
“Not everyone always gets 100 percent restoration, but we help them to get to a new normal,” said Carl Josehart, chief executive of the rehab hospital that will be the Arizona congresswoman’s home for the next month or two.
Hu urges closer US-China ties
WASHINGTON
Chinese President Hu Jintao denied his country is a military threat despite its arms buildup and pressed the U.S. on Thursday for closer cooperation between the global powers. He urged the United States to treat China “with respect and as equals” after encountering a fresh barrage of criticism from lawmakers over human rights.
In a luncheon speech to American business executives, Hu also urged the U.S. to continue to recognize China’s sovereignty over Taiwan and Tibet.
“China-U.S. relations will enjoy smooth and steady growth when the two countries handle well issues involving each other’s major interests. Otherwise, our relations will suffer constant trouble or even tension,” Hu said as he wrapped up his state visit to Washington.
Kids have seizures after getting flu shot
ATLANTA
Government officials are investigating an apparent increase in fever-related seizures in young children after they got a flu shot.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday said there have been 36 confirmed reports of seizures this flu season in children age 6 months to 2 years.
The seizures occurred within one day after they were vaccinated with Fluzone, the only flu shot recommended in the United States for infants and very young children. Ten of the children were hospitalized, but all recovered.
2 officers, suspect killed in shootout
MIAMI
A shootout erupted Thursday in a notoriously crime-ridden section of Miami as a team of heavily armed law-enforcement agents tried to serve a murder warrant, leaving two officers and a suspect dead, authorities said.
Miami-Dade Police Director James Loftus said 21-year veteran Roger Castillo had been shot once and died at the scene. Amanda Haworth, a 23-year veteran, was taken to a hospital and later died from several gunshot wounds. Officer Oscar Placencia shot and killed the suspect, 22-year-old Johnny Simms, who had been armed with a handgun, Loftus said.
Associated Press