In the news

Prince Johan Friso , 41, the son of Dutch Queen Beatrix who has been in a coma for nearly two weeks since being caught in an avalanche while skiing in Austria, was flown to London’s Wellington Hospital, which the royal house said was the best place to care for Friso “in his current condition.”

Magalie Bamu , 29, and Eric Bikubi, 28, both originally from the Congo, were found guilty in a London court of beating and murdering Bamu’s brother Kristy Bamu after they accused the 15-year-old of practicing witchcraft.

Peter Kantorowski of Connecticut, who has been trying to evict his 98-yearold mother from the house where she had lived since 1953 so he could move her to a nursing home, dropped his lawsuit in Bridgeport Superior Court and will allow Mary Kantorowski to remain in the home, his attorney said.

President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela said in a phone call broadcast by state television that he is “doing well” and recovering quickly from tumor surgery in Cuba last week.

Kenneth Richard Mazik , 24, of Chadds Ford, Pa., was charged with driving under the influence and reckless endangerment after police say he drove his sport utility vehicle through a fence and then up and down two runways at Philadelphia International Airport.

Adrian Kline , 43, was indicted over allegations that the Colorado embalmer took gold teeth and fillings from bodies on which he worked then pawned the gold and jewelry.

Gov. John Hickenlooper , D-colo., stumbled over his introduction of Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia at a childhood literacy event at a Denver elementary school, calling Garcia a “rising sex star,” instead of a “rising star” or “rock star” which are the governor’s typical flattering labels for Garcia.

Sherry Holcomb , 46, of Cortland, N.Y., who admitted to gambling away thousands of dollars raised to help her 21-year-old son fight cancer, was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.

Laura Bush , the former first lady, again has visited Louisiana’s Chalmette High School to announce another round of grants, ranging from $20,000 to $60,000, from the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries to help school libraries in Louisiana and Mississippi rebuild their collections after Hurricane Katrina.