Tue, Jun 30, 2009 - Page 7 News List

World News Quick Take

AGENCIES

■URUGUAY

Vazquez, Mujica win vote

A former guerrilla fighter and a rightist former president will go head-to-head in the presidential election in October following primaries on Sunday, unofficial exit polls showed. Polls showed that Jose Mujica, a folksy senator and ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, won between 52 percent and 54 percent of his party’s vote, putting him in pole position to succeed Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez, a moderate leftist who is barred from seeking a second term under the Constitution. He will challenge center-right former president Luis Lacalle. The polls said Lacalle won the opposition conservative party primary with between 54 percent and 57 percent support.

■UNITED STATES

Mounted unit disbanded

The clip-clop of police horses will no longer be heard on Boston streets. The nation’s first Mounted Unit, which dates back to 1873, will be disbanded today because of budget cuts, its 12 horses given new homes — at least until the city can come up with funds to restore the unit. Five horses will be leased to the New York City Police Department, four are going to the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office and three are being returned to their former owners. The 10 officers assigned to the unit will be redeployed to other districts in the city. Police Commissioner Ed Davis told the Boston City Council he had to choose between animals and people in the budget, and chose to keep people.

■UNITED STATES

Girl flees kidnapper

A six-year-old Massachusetts girl riding her bicycle was kidnapped by a neighbor who tried to rape her, but she managed to escape from his apartment despite being in leg shackles, a state prosecutor said. The girl’s mother reported her missing at about 1:30pm, about a half-hour after she had left her home to ride her bike, authorities said. Officers found the girl outside an apartment complex in Hanover during a door-to-door search, and she led them to the apartment where she was taken, Cruz said. Police then entered the apartment and arrested Justin Shine, 26, after a struggle, Cruz said. He was charged with kidnapping, attempted rape, assault and resisting arrest.

■UNITED STATES

Man recants killer story

The man who has long claimed that a southern New Jersey rabbi hired him to kill his wife in 1994 has now recanted his story. Private investigator Len Jenoff previously testified that Fred Neulander hired him to kill his wife inside the couple’s home in the Philadelphia suburb of Cherry Hill so the rabbi could carry on an affair. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Sunday that Jenoff had recanted in an affidavit filed by Neulander’s court-appointed attorney, who is seeking a new trial for the rabbi. Neulander, who is serving a life term, has maintained Jenoff and a second man killed his wife during a robbery. Jenoff is serving a 23-year sentence after pleading guilty to aggravated manslaughter and agreeing to cooperate with authorities.

■UNITED STATES

Bear steals chocolates

Sheriff deputies say a bear with an apparent sweet tooth broke into a San Bernardino County home in California and gobbled up a box of chocolates from a couple’s refrigerator. Sergeant Tom Alsky says the couple arrived home on Saturday afternoon, found the bear chowing down in their kitchen and phoned for help. The bear fled before the deputies arrived. Alsky said the bear also tried to open a bottle of champagne but was not successful.

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