BEIJING — Two violent clashes in recent days involving Chinese fishermen at work off the Korean peninsula have threatened to roil the diplomatic waters between Beijing and two Asian neighbors, experts say. South Korean maritime officials have detained 11 Chinese suspected of clubbing to death a Coast Guard officer last week as he tried to board their fishing vessel, which was suspected of illegally plying Korean territorial waters. A North Korean patrol boat fired on another Chinese fishing boat Saturday, wounding the vessel’s captain.
— ****Los Angeles Times****
ST. PAUL — Medicare will soon stop paying hospitals for the added cost of treating patients who are injured while in their care. Ten conditions will not be covered under the new policy: incompatible blood transfusions, infections after certain surgeries, a second operation to retrieve a sponge left behind from the first, serious bed sores, injuries from falls and urinary tract infections caused by catheters.
— ****New York Times**** Online
Tuesday, the ***Boston Herald*** officially endorsed Republican John McCain for president. It is one of the few newspapers that have made an endorsement so far in the 2008 election. Other papers that have made endorsements are ***The Seattle Times*** and the ****Stockton Record**** (California), both of which endorsed Democrat Barack Obama.
— ****USA Today**** Online
In Other News… – KH -mts -cd
