Briefly

Cuba

U.S. lawmakers praise conditions at Gitmo

Three more U.S. lawmakers defended the American prison for terror suspects Wednesday after touring the detention center that has drawn worldwide calls for its closure because of alleged abuse of detainees.

The congressmen, two Republicans and a Democrat, said it appeared to them that detainees are treated well and that the lockup on the U.S. Naval base at the southeastern edge of Cuba should remain open.

“All of those stories that we have heard, I didn’t find any evidence of those things being true,” said Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga. “I think those are old, old stories so I couldn’t be more pleased with what our government is doing.”

Reps. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., and Bob Etheridge, a North Carolina Democrat, also were part of the delegation that toured the base.

Mexico

Violence-plagued town gets new police chief

Less than a month after his predecessor was gunned down, an unassuming former highway patrolman was sworn in Wednesday as police chief in this violent border town.

“We want a peaceful city,” said Omar Pimentel, 37, looking extraordinarily relaxed considering the circumstances. “I’m offering my grain of sand.”

The last police chief, Alejandro Dominguez, was assassinated less than seven hours after taking the job. Five other Nuevo Laredo police officers have been killed this year. A sixth officer was shot twice Tuesday night after leading his assailants on a wild chase through town.

This year alone, there have been 77 murders in Nuevo Laredo. Few of them have been solved, human rights activists complain, and most of the killings are tied to the local drug trade.

Scotland

Bush collides with police officer during bike ride

President Bush collided with a local police officer and fell during a bike ride on the grounds of the Gleneagles golf resort while attending a meeting of world leaders Wednesday.

Bush suffered “mild to moderate” scrapes on his hands and arms that required bandages by the White House physician, said White House spokesman Scott McClellan. The accident occurred on asphalt, McClellan said. It was raining lightly at the time, and Bush was wearing a helmet.

Police said the officer suffered a “very minor” ankle injury.

The officer was on a security detail. He is a member of the police department of Strathclyde, McClellan said.