California: Tiger attacks child at school assembly

A tiger grabbed a child by his head Friday at a school assembly, sending the 6-year-old boy to a hospital.

A trainer was leading the tiger from an auditorium at Baymonte Christian School when it lurched over seats and grabbed the boy’s head in its jaws, police Capt. Harry Bidleman said.

The boy was in guarded condition at Stanford Medical Center, spokesman Robert Dicks said. A CT scan would be used to determine any head injuries, then stitches would be used to close cuts on his head.

Principal Steve Patterson wrestled the boy from the tiger, school spokesman Jenny Paul said.

The tiger’s appearance was a reward for students who sold magazine subscriptions in Scotts Valley. Paul said about 150 children attended.

The tiger was in the custody of Zoo to You Wildlife Education Inc., Bidleman said. Police planned to coordinate an investigation with animal control agencies.

Washington, D.C.: Warnings issued for aspirin, ibuprofen

Consumers should be warned that medications containing aspirin and ibuprofen can cause internal bleeding and kidney damage, a government advisory committee decided Friday.

The panel of expert doctors and scientists, in the second of two days of reviewing the side effects of America’s most popular over-the-counter painkillers, found that consumers had become so accustomed to taking aspirin and ibuprofen sometimes in larger doses than intended by the manufacturer that they had lost sight of the risks.

Without dissent, the 25-member commission sent its advice to the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA is not obliged to follow the advice but usually does.

Miami: INS settles lawsuit alleging retaliation

The Immigration and Naturalization Service settled a lawsuit Friday that alleged its Miami offices fostered anti-Cuban and anti-Hispanic sentiments and retaliated against an agent who aired bias accusations after the armed raid to seize Elian Gonzalez.

The federal whistle-blower lawsuit, brought by INS agent Ricardo Ramirez against the Justice Department, had been scheduled to go to trial on Monday. Ramirez claimed he faced retaliation after going public with allegations of bias at the INS.

The terms of the settlement are secret.

Ramirez, a 17-year veteran of the agency, claimed he has been the target of about 20 internal complaints since he spoke out after the armed federal raid to seize Elian from the home of his Miami relatives in April 2000.

Ramirez claimed a picture of Elian bearing the words “Kick me” was taped to a box, encouraging passers-by to vent their frustration with the slow-moving tug-of-war between the boy’s Miami relatives and his father in Cuba.