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Zoo to reopen next week

SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) — The San Francisco Zoo will reopen Thursday, officials say, despite a criminal investigation and possible fines and lawsuits over a deadly tiger escape on Christmas Day.

When we open the zoo, the zoo will be safe, the facility’s director Manuel Mollinedo said.

The zoo has been closed since a 350-pound Siberian tiger escaped from its enclosure, killed a teenager and mauled two other visitors.

The primary focus of our investigation was to determine if there was a link to an intentional release of the animal or any link to criminal conduct, said San Francisco Police Chief Heather Fong Friday.

Our investigation has found absolutely no link to any intentional release.

It is becoming increasingly clear the tiger climbed over a wall that, at 12 feet 5 inches, was about 4 feet below the recommended minimum for U.S. zoos set by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

I think the tiger could have grabbed onto something, maybe a ledge, Mollinedo said. She had to jump. How she was able to jump so high is amazing to me, but she’s an exotic animal.

The tiger killed 17-year-old Carlos Sousa Jr. and mauled his friends Paul Dhaliwal, 19, and Kulbir Dhaliwal, 23. The Dhaliwals are expected to recover fully. Watch what investigators are looking at

The zoo could face heavy fines from regulators and even be stripped of its exhibitor license. It also could be hit with a huge lawsuit by the victims or their families and face criminal charges, depending on what the police investigation finds. See a diagram of the incident

All this legal action is likely to impact the financial viability of the zoo, said Rory Little, a professor at the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law. Whether the zoo can stay open is a big question.

Little said it is also possible the zoo could face criminal charges of negligent homicide if the investigation finds the zoo contributed to the death and injuries of the victims. Learn about Siberian tigers

The zoo is already facing a lawsuit by zookeeper Lori Komejan, who was attacked last year when she fed the same tiger involved in the deadly escape. The animal mauled her arm.

In October, Komejan sued the city of San Francisco, seeking compensation for lost wages, medical expenses and emotional distress. She accused the city, which owns the zoo property, of housing the tigers with reckless disregard for the safety of animal handlers and members of the general public.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which is responsible for enforcing the Animal Welfare Act, also could impose penalties, including fines, said USDA spokesman Jim Rogers. USDA inspectors were sent to the zoo to determine if an investigation is warranted, Rogers said.

They’re going to try to determine how the animal got out and whether that violated our regulations, Rogers said. A facility must have a sufficient barrier between the viewing public and the animals.
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Scotland mourns O’Donnell’s death

GLASGOW, Scotland — Scottish footballer Phil O’Donnell died after collapsing during his team Motherwell’s match against Dundee United on Saturday, club chairman Bill Dickie confirmed.

The 35-year-old club captain was taken off the pitch at Fir Park on a stretcher in the closing stages of the Scottish Premier League match, which his side won 5-3.

He was set to be replaced by substitute Marc Fitzpatrick, but fell to the pitch as the change was taking place.

After been treated for about five minutes on the field, O’Donnell was carried off on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance.

Medical staff from both clubs said that they thought he suffered a seizure, and efforts were made to revive him en route to hospital.

However, he did not regain consciousness and was pronounced dead at 1718 GMT (1218 EST).

O’Donnell’s nephew, David Clarkson, who scored twice in the match, was also taken off after being alarmed by the incident.

Dickie said: Unfortunately I can confirm very, very sad news that Phil O’Donnell has lost his life. We don’t know what it was but there will be a post-mortem.

This is a tragic happening and that’s all I can say.

Motherwell’s match at Hibernian on Wednesday has been postponed, the Scottish Premier League later announced.

Motherwell owner John Boyle said: Everyone here is shocked to the core, and we are sure that everyone involved in Scottish football will feel the same.

Phil was not only an inspirational player for Motherwell and club captain, but was an inspirational person. All of us at Motherwell are thinking of his wife Eileen and their four children.

Team manager Mark McGhee added: I don’t want to say anything more than how devastated everyone at the club is for his wife and his young children.

That’s what we are all feeling tonight, nothing else matters. Obviously from the club’s point of view, we’ll gather round to give his family as much support as they need.

O’Donnell, who won one Scotland international cap, began his career with Motherwell and rejoined the club in 2004 following spells with Celtic — who he joined in a $3.5 million transfer in 1994 — and English side Sheffield Wednesday.

Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith said: This is absolutely devastating news. Phil was not just a wonderful footballer, he was a great human being. My thoughts are with his family at this tragic time.

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell added: When the news came through, everyone at the club was obviously shocked.

Our thoughts are with his family to whom we offer extreme condolences for a tragic loss of a young life. Everyone at Celtic Park will mourn him.

O’Donnell is the second Motherwell player to pass away unexpectedly in the past 20 years.

Club legend winger Davie Cooper died at the age of 39 in 1995 after suffering a brain haemorrhage when filming a training video.

Cooper had been a Motherwell team-mate of O’Donnell, who made his debut as a 17-year-old.

He went on to score, as a 19-year-old, in the 4-3 victory over Dundee United in the 1991 Scottish Cup final, and won his sole Scotland cap in 1993 as a substitute in the World Cup qualifier against Switzerland.

Injuries affected O’Donnell’s spells with Celtic and Sheffield Wednesday and He returned to Motherwell after being released by Sheffield Wednesday in early 2004.

He played in the 2005 Scottish League Cup final, and was appointed captain in 2006 after former skipper Scott Leitch left the club.

Football has suffered several other deaths in the past five years.

Cameroon midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe collapsed and died at the 2003 Confederations Cup in France, prompting world ruling body FIFA to demand stricter physical testing on players.

Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta died in August after he collapsed on the field during a Spanish league game due to heart problems.

Striker Chaswe Nsofwa died of heart failure while training in Israel, and 16-year-old English player Anton Reid died after collapsing while training with his club Walsall.
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Mud-bogging SUV crashes, explodes, killing 4

GRIFFIN, Georgia (AP) — A sport utility vehicle speeding down a muddy road slammed into trees and exploded, killing four people, including two children, and injuring two others, authorities said.

Investigators believe alcohol, recent rain and reckless driving may have been factors in Friday night’s crash of the Ford Bronco, which burned completely, state Trooper J.T. McMillan said.

They were out there, playing around, mud-bogging on the dirt road, McMillan said. They got stuck in the dirt and were pulled out by a dump truck. They sped off down the road and the driver struck two trees.

The SUV was traveling around 70 mph at impact, and the occupants weren’t wearing seat belts, he said.

The Georgia State Patrol had not released the victims’ names but identified them as a 24-year-old woman who was driving, a 36-year-old woman, a 2-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl. The children were riding in the back seat.

A 36-year-old woman was being treated at the Atlanta Medical Center, but her condition was not available Saturday. A 4-year-old boy also survived the crash with only scratches.

Griffin is about 37 miles south of Atlanta. E-mail to a friend

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Bhutto exhumation okay, Pakistan official says

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) — The Pakistani government has no problem with officials from Benazir Bhutto’s political party exhuming the slain opposition leader’s body if they see a need to do so, an Interior Ministry spokesman said Saturday.

Brig. Javed Iqbal Cheema made the remark when asked about comments from a top Bhutto aide who helped bathe Benazir Bhutto’s body after her death.

Sherry Rehman, Pakistan People’s Party information secretary, said it was clear that the former Pakistani prime minister suffered bullet wounds to her head, contrary to a government report that she died because she hit her head on a sunroof lever.

Cheema noted that if Rehman — as she said — believes she saw bullet wounds that caused Bhutto’s death, We don’t mind if the People’s Party leadership wants her body to be exhumed and post-mortemed. They are most welcome, but we gave you what the facts are.

Cheema emphasized that the government’s conclusion on the cause of death was based on absolute facts, nothing but the facts.

It was corroborated by the doctor’s report; it was corroborated by the evidence of the footage we showed you.

Rehman — who had been riding in the car behind Bhutto’s when it was attacked — called the government’s conclusion that Bhutto was not shot the most bizarre, dangerous nonsense. Watch Sherry Rehman’s interview with CNN

It’s beginning to look like a cover-up to me, Rehman said in a CNN interview.

Rehman said Bhutto was hemorrhaging on the way to the hospital and that the two cars used to get her there were blood-soaked.

There were clear bullet injuries to her head, said Rehman. When we bathed her we saw that.

On Thursday, hours after Bhutto’s death, the Pakistani Interior Ministry said she died from a gunshot wound to the neck, with the gunman firing as Bhutto stood through the open sunroof of her vehicle while leaving a rally in Rawalpindi. The gunman then blew himself up, killing 23 others as well, officials said.

Video of the incident shows a man shooting a handgun three times toward Bhutto’s car before the blast. The account was consistent with statements to The Associated Press from doctors who pronounced Bhutto dead at a hospital. Watch three shots and a blast

But on Friday, the Interior Ministry said Bhutto was killed by shrapnel from the explosion. Then, hours later, the ministry said she died from a skull fracture suffered when she either fell or ducked into the car as a result of the shots or the explosion and crashed her head into a sunroof latch. Watch the government account of how Bhutto died

The government comes up with the most bizarre, dangerous nonsense and it indicates that they are abdicating themselves of all responsibility by saying that she may have knocked her head or concussed her head against one of the levers on the sunroof, Rehman said.

Dr. Mussadiq Khan of Rawalpindi General Hospital, who treated Bhutto before she was pronounced dead, said she had a large wound on the side of her head consistent with striking or being struck by something big, with a lot of speed.

Meanwhile, a Pakistani provincial official said at least 44 people had been killed during unrest in the country’s Sindh province since Bhutto was assassinated. See photos of violence in Pakistan

Akhtar Zaman, provincial interior minister, told CNN on Saturday that four of those killed were police officers. Sindh province is Bhutto’s home province and a bastion of support for her Pakistan People’s Party.

Zaman gave other figures on the violence in the southern Pakistani province. He said 900 vehicles were set ablaze, 672 of those in Karachi. Also set on fire were 37 police stations, 141 banks, and 31 gas stations. He said at least 368 people were arrested.

At the same time, Pakistan’s Interior Ministry spokesman provided figures for the whole country. He said 38 people had died and 53 others were wounded.

He said 174 banks have burned and 26 banks have been destroyed,158 offices have been burned and 23 have been damaged. He said 43 gas stations have been ignited. There were 370 cars destroyed and 61 cars damaged.
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United slump to defeat at West Ham

LONDON, England — English Premier League leaders Manchester United crashed to a 2-1 defeat at West Ham on Saturday as top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo missed a second-half penalty.

Arsenal can return to the top of the table with victory away to Everton in the late match.

United were in early trouble at Upton Park as Hayden Mullins hit the visitors’ crossbar and Mark Noble somehow sidefooted over from the rebound, but Ronaldo put Alex Ferguson’s side ahead in the 14th minute.

The Portugal winger headed in at the near post from Ryan Giggs’ cross following a fine counter-attack started by striker Carlos Tevez, whose goals last season helped West Ham avoid relegation.

Nolberto Solano was denied from 25 yards by United keeper Tomasz Kuszczak and Carlton Cole headed over before Ronaldo dragged a good chance wide.

West Ham lost Solano and fellow midfielder Scott Parker to injury in the second spell, then Ronaldo blazed wide from the spot in the 66th minute after American center-back Jonathan Spector handled in the box.

The Hammers took heart from the escape, and equalized 11 minutes later when substitute Anton Ferdinand powerfully headed home Noble’s corner.

And fellow center-back Matthew Upson netted West Ham’s winner in the 82nd minute with a header from Noble’s free-kick.

Third-placed Chelsea closed the gap on United to five points with a controversial 2-1 victory at home to Newcastle.

Striker Salomon Kalou netted an 87th-minute winner despite appearing to be in an offside position as he pounced on a loose ball after Jon Obi Mikel’s shot hit Chelsea substitute Claudio Pizarro.

Michael Essien put the home side ahead in the 29th minute with only his third goal this season after Shaun Wright-Phillips’ effort dropped kindly for him.

Newcastle leveled when midfielder Nicky Butt bundled in Charles N’Zogbia’s cross while under pressure from Chelsea’s Wayne Bridge in the 56th minute.

Keeper Shay Given made a string of fine saves for the visitors, who were beaten at struggling Wigan on Wednesday.

Tottenham followed up the 5-1 Boxing Day victory against London rivals Fulham with an astonishing 6-4 win at home to Reading.

Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov netted four goals as Spurs came from behind three times to stun a battling Royals side who were beaten 7-4 at Reading earlier this season.

Berbatov put the home side ahead in the seventh minute from strike partner Robbie Keane’s cross, but Kalifa Cisse leveled nine minutes later.

Ivar Ingimarsson headed in Nicky Shorey’s corner on 53 but substitute Jermain Defoe set up Berbatov 10 minutes later.

Striker Paul Kitson put Reading ahead again from a Shorey set-piece before Berbatov’s hat-trick on 73, then scored his second just 60 seconds later to make it 4-3.

Midfielder Steed Malbranque leveled before Defoe capped a sequence of five goals in 10 minutes when he followed up after Marcus Hahnemann saved Keane’s penalty-kick, before Berbatov sealed victory seven minutes from time.
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