Russia condemns Syria over massacre

Russia condemns Syria over massacre

BEIRUT

A weekend massacre of more than 100 people emerged as a potential turning point in the Syrian crisis Monday, galvanizing even staunch ally Russia to take an unusually hard line against President Bashar Assad’s government.

Analysts said Russia may be warning Assad that he needs to change course or lose Moscow’s support, which has been a key layer of protection for the Syrian government during the uprising that began in March 2011.

Russia has grown increasingly critical of Damascus in recent months, but Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s latest comments were unusually strong. Although he said opposition forces have terrorists among them, he put the blame for 15 months of carnage primarily on Assad’s government.

Witness: Attacker chewed man’s face

MIAMI

A witness says a naked man chewing on the face of another naked man on a downtown highway ramp kept eating and growled at a police officer who fatally shot him to make him stop.

Larry Vega told WSVN-TV in Miami that he was riding his bicycle Saturday afternoon off the MacArthur Causeway that connects downtown Miami with Miami Beach when he saw the savage attack on the bridge’s off-ramp.

“The guy was, like, tearing him to pieces with his mouth, so I told him, ‘Get off!’” Vega said. “The guy just kept eating the other guy away, like, ripping his skin.”

The slain man was identified by the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s office as Rudy Eugene, 31, Miami television station WFOR reported.

Vega flagged down a Miami police officer, who he said repeatedly ordered the attacker to get off the victim. The attacker just picked his head up and growled at the officer, Vega said.

As the attack continued, Vega said the officer shot the attacker, who continued chewing the victim’s face. The officer fired again, killing the attacker.

Woman battling bacteria speaks

ATLANTA

A young Georgia woman battling a flesh-eating disease could hardly believe it when she was able to speak Sunday for the first time since she was taken to an Augusta hospital more than three weeks ago, her father said Monday.

“Hello. Whoa. Wow, my mind is blown,” were Aimee Copeland’s first words Sunday morning to her sister and mother, her father said in a phone interview Monday with The Associated Press. Andy Copeland was in church at the time and had to wait until a later visitation time Sunday evening to hear his daughter’s voice.

The 24-year-old developed necrotizing fasciitis after cutting her leg in a May 1 fall from a homemade zip line over a west Georgia river. Her left leg, other foot and both hands have been amputated.

John Edwards trial

GREENSBORO, N.C.

With the jury at the John Edwards trial set to begin deliberations for a seventh day today, speculation grows that the 12 people charged with deciding the fate of the former presidential candidate may be deadlocked.

Edwards faces six felony charges in a case involving nearly $1 million provided by two wealthy political donors to help hide the Democrat’s pregnant mistress as he sought the White House in 2008.

To determine Edwards’ guilt or innocence, the jury must sift through notes from 17 days of testimony and review about 500 trial exhibits, many of them voluminous phone and financial records.

Associated Press