Minister says sorry for doctors' fight

Italy's health minister travelled to Sicily yesterday to apologise to a woman whose delivery of a son was botched when her two doctors got into a punch-up in the operating room.

Laura Salpietro, 30, had to have her uterus removed and her son, Antonio, suffered heart problems and possible brain damage following his birth on Thursday in Messina's public hospital.

Health officials and Ms Salpietro's husband, Matteo Molonia, said the doctors disagreed about whether to perform a caesarean section and fought. Mr Molonia said that delayed the operation by over an hour, leading to complications for mother and son.