Chimps attack man in South Africa

Chimps attack man in South Africa

johannesburg

Chimpanzees at a sanctuary founded by famed primatologist Jane Goodall pulled a Texas graduate student into their fenced-off enclosure, dragging him nearly a half-mile and biting his ear and hands.

Andrew F. Oberle was giving a lecture to a group of tourists at the Chimp Eden sanctuary Thursday when two chimpanzees grabbed his feet and pulled him under a fence into their enclosure, said Jeffrey Wicks of the Netcare911 emergency services company.

The 26-year-old anthropology student at the University of Texas at San Antonio suffered “multiple and severe bite wounds,” Wicks said. Oberle was in critical condition Friday.

Egypt’s new leader rouses the masses

cairo

President-elect Mohammed Morsi roused the masses in Tahrir Square on Friday, vowing to fight on behalf of the people and defying the ruling generals by reading a symbolic oath of office a day early at the site where Egypt’s revolution was born.

The country’s first Islamist president also made a pledge likely to complicate relations with the U.S., vowing to seek the release of blind sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, jailed in the U.S. for plotting to blow up New York City landmarks and assassinate then-President Hosni Mubarak.

Violence in Syria

beirut

Syrian troops bombarded a rebellious suburb of the nation’s capital with tank and artillery shells Friday, killing dozens of people during a particularly bloody few days across the country, activists said.

The violence is part of a fierce government offensive aimed at regaining control of parts of Damascus suburbs where rebels operate. Major world powers were to meet today in Geneva to hash out a political transition plan for Syria, which has been convulsed by more than 15 months of violence.

Students suspended; had bullied monitor

new york

Four seventh-grade boys from upstate New York who were caught on video mercilessly taunting a 68-year-old bus monitor have received their punishment.

The school system in the Rochester suburb of Greece says it will suspend the middle-school students from school and from using regular bus transportation for a year for bullying Karen Klein.

Each student will also be required to complete 50 hours of community service with senior citizens.

In a statement, the school system said each of the students involved admitted to wrongdoing, accepted the consequences and agreed to let the district publicly release the terms of their disciplinary action.

Madoff’s brother pleads guilty in NYC

new york

The younger brother and business partner of disgraced financier Bernard Madoff pleaded guilty Friday to charges he doctored documents for years, but he insisted he knew nothing about his brother’s historic Ponzi scheme and was “in total shock” when he found out about it.

An emotional Peter Madoff, 66, entered the plea in a deal that permits him to remain free on $5 million bail pending his Oct. 4 sentencing. He agreed not to contest a 10-year prison sentence.

The plea to charges of conspiracy and falsifying records came in the Manhattan courthouse where Bernard Madoff was led away in handcuffs in 2009 to serve a 150-year sentence.

Associated Press