South African dog fights another dog to save boy. In South Africa, a Rottweiler fought off a pit bull who was mauling a little boy, reports the BBC. Two-year-old Tshepang Taeli and his grandmother were walking down the street when the pit bull attacked him, viciously dragging him down the road. Several residents kicked the dog to try to get him off of the child but he would not let go. “I have never felt so much pain in my life. The dog was attacking him and I was trying to release him and I could not,” said the boy’s grandmother. That’s when one neighbor went to get his Rottweiler, Blade, who helped save the boy’s life. “He fought the other dog to free the child. Blade is very protective,” Blade’s owner, Ricky Veludo told a local newspaper. The child was taken to the hospital, where he is now recovering from suffering bites on his face, legs and stomach. Police are investigating the attack.

Zimbabwe police arrest opposition lawmakers

Zimbabwe police arrested more opposition members Wednesday, saying they were connected to the violence before the country’s runoff election in June, reports CNN. Police insist the arrests of Movement for Democratic Change members, five in total, are not politically motivated. “These (parliament members) have been on the police wanted list which we made public. We have been looking for them for a long time since the offenses were committed,” a police spokesman said. But MDC officials are not buying it. They think the government along with longtime leader Robert Mugabe is just trying to cut down on the number of opposition members in parliament. “The arrests are harassment and an attempt to undermine our parliamentary majority,” MDC’s information director said. “We expected that retribution after having shown Mugabe that he is not welcome in parliament.” Mugabe was booed and heckled when he spoke in front of the body Tuesday. He still remains optimistic that a power sharing agreement, between himself and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai can be reached. The two are set to resume talks, mediated by South African president Thabo Mbeki, this week.

Lindon Barrett’s colleagues at UC-Riverside describe him as a brilliant scholar
A 20-year-old southern California man has been arrested in connection with the murder of an African-American studies professor who was found dead in his home last week, according to officials at the university where the victim worked. Marlon Martinez was booked on suspicion of murder when he returned to the missing car of Lindon Barrett, which police had staked out. Barrett, 46, who taught Black history at the University of California-Riverside, was found dead in his Long Beach, Calif., home on Sunday. Authorities say they had been called by neighbors who reported a foul odor coming from one of the units, according to a Long Beach Police news release. Barrett apparently had been dead for several days, police said, whose investigation concluded that he had been slain. When detectives realized that the victim’s vehicle was missing, they began a search. Once police found it, they staked it out. Martinez was locked up in the Long Beach Jail in lieu of $1 million bail, according to police. University officials said that Barrett had taught at the UC-Riverside for about a year. “A brilliant scholar, Lindon was just finishing a major book on slavery’s central role in the evolution of Western modernity,” wrote Katherine Kinney, English Department chairwoman in a statement released to the press. “Lindon offered so much, personally and professionally, to the department, the campus, and the scholarly field of African-American studies.” Barrett and Martinez were apparently acquaintances, police said.

Home run king’s agent is ready to throw in the towel for ’08.
Days after saying no baseball club was interested in contracting Barry Bonds for even the minimum salary, his agent, Jeff Borris, essentially has given up. Borris says he’s offered the man who passed Hank Aaron’s long-standing career home run record last year to “numerous” teams with no success. “I offered Barry at the minimum salary ($390,000), and when I ran into a brick wall, that’s when I came to the conclusion that he will not be in a Major League uniform in 2008.” Bonds finished last season with 762 homers, but suffered an all-time low in fan popularity due to increased speculation about his alleged steroid use. He’s been indicted in connection with perjury for testimony he gave about past doping. “I’m not a negative person. I’m one of those ‘never say never’ guys,” Borris says. “But it seems pretty clear to me that it’s just not happening. We could go up and down the rosters of every single team, and I could show you an awful lot of spots where he ought to be plugged in right now, but it’s just not happening.”

Ex-Cincinnati wide receiver’s remaining assault charge has been dropped
Prosecutors have dropped a second assault charge against suspended NFL player Chris Henry, who was accused of punching a University of Cincinnati student and breaking his car window. The former Bengals wide receiver’s first trial ended this month when a jury couldn’t reach a verdict, while a misdemeanor was dismissed. Henry was cut by the Bengals in April after his fifth arrest since joining the team three years ago. He recently tested positive for marijuana and is due to serve a year suspension.

Serena Williams is top seed at West Classic
Having pulled out of three previously planned appearances, Serena Williams is competing in this week’s Bank of the West Classic in California. Williams, who recently lost the Wimbledon championship to her sister Venus, is ranked fifth in the world. She’s one of two top 10 players to compete in the Stanford tournament scheduled through Friday. Serena’s expected to play tomorrow or Thursday after a first-round bye.

International court seeks to arrest Sudan’s president
In a move that would be the first of its kind against an acting president, the International Criminal Court is seeking to arrest Sudan’s leader Omar al-Bashir for alleged war crimes in his country, reports the BBC. ICC prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, who is leading the effort, wants Bashir arrested for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Since rebels began fighting the government in 2003, about 300,000 people died and more than 2 million people have been displaced, according to United Nation’s. estimates. Some have accused the government of supporting the notorious Arab Janjaweed militia, which allegedly are responsible for many of the atrocities and genocide against Black Africans. The Sudanese government denies involvement. After at least six weeks, the ICC judges will decide whether or not Moreno-Ocampo has a legit case. The Sudanese government actually does not recognize the ICC and, in fact, calls Moreno-Ocampo a criminal. Thousands of Sudanese (many of whom were government workers or connected to the government in some way) chanted “Down, Down, USA!” as they gathered in the capital city in support of their president Sunday, reports Reuters. In a statement, the protesters said, “The ICC does just what the European Union, the United States of America and Israel tell it to do.” A protester told Reuters, “The Sudanese people are all rejecting this – this is America targeting Sudan. We will not send Bashir. We would die first.” There are fears that the move by the ICC would cause more problems in a nation that is already unstable. In fact, UNAMID, which has 9,000 peacekeepers currently in Darfur, has increased its security alert to “level four” – a move that relocates some foreign staff, reports the BBC.

Charity workers are killed in Somalia
In Somalia, three charity workers were shot and killed in just a few days, reports CNN. Mohamad Mohamud Qeyre, deputy director of Daryeel Bulasho Guud (a German funded charity connected to Bread for the World), was shot and killed outside of an aid distribution facility in Mogadishu. Reports say that it looked like he was targeted by gunmen who might have waited for him to leave the facility. The charity will stop operating in Somalia for now, said the head of the group. Ali Baashi, who was a part of a nongovernmental organization aiding Somalia, was also killed in what appeared to be a targeted attack. World Food Program truck diver, Ahmed Saalim, was killed last week when convoy escorts and militia members exchanged fire at a checkpoint. Saalim is the fourth World Food Program driver to be killed in the nation this year. With the multiple scourges of drought, violence and high food and fuel prices, many Somalis depend on aid.

Patriots Andrews arrested after dispute with girlfriend
A New England Patriots player is in a Massachusetts jail until at least tomorrow after he was arrested for allegedly pointing a gun at his girlfriend. Defensive back Willie Andrews was taken into custody following a report that he waved a pistol at the woman’s head, touching her temple with it after an argument about 1 a.m. Monday. Gregg Miliote, spokesman for the Bristol County DA , says the player is being held without bail pending a Thursday hearing. “The New England Patriots take the conduct of our players very seriously,” a team statement read. “We are aware of the very disturbing and alarming reports regarding Willie Andrews. We will not offer any additional comment, as is our policy regarding pending legal matters.”

Venus, Serena move closer to British title
Venus and Serena Williams have continued in their sibling dominance at Wimbledon . Venus defeated Tamarine Tanasugarn on Tuesday as Serena removed Agnieszka Radwanska from the tournament. Serena showed some competitive spark when a reporter asked her if Venus, the defending champ, is likely to repeat. “I would never sit here and say she’s the favorite when I’m still in the draw. What are you on?” she asked. With one more win for each, the women could face each other in the finals on Saturday. “I’m going to sabotage her and eat all the breakfast,” Serena said of the possibility. “I’ll eat all the Wheaties, so she doesn’t have any chance.”

A rapper is arrested twice in less than a week.
DMX is really needing those prayers right about now. Within days, he was arrested on a traffic warrant, had his investment property seized for auction and, most recently, is alleged to have sought cocaine from an undercover cop. X was arrested this past weekend, adding yet another mug shot to several displayed on Web sites and TV in 2008. He allegedly tried to buy marijuana along with the “powder” he reportedly requested from the Miami cop. Sounds like the lyrics he once rapped — “I’m slippin’, I’m fallin’…” — are increasingly true.

An actor’s California school will have no basis in Scientology, he claims
Acting couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith say the children’s school they planned to open in September isn’t influenced by a controversial religion. Though it’s been rumored that the planned California academy will incorporate Scientology into the curriculum, the pair dismisses the idea. Will Smith recently acknowledged studying the religion with his good friend, actor Tom Cruise, but denied being a Scientologist. Smith’s planned school was reportedly conceived so he could have his own children educated in an alternative environment.

R&B star ponders a retirement from the music business.
At 27, with multi-platinum records under her belt and enough money to be comfortable, Alicia Keys is pondering a retirement date. “I am working hard now so I have the choice to retire when I want,” she’s quoted as telling Contactmusic. “I would like to travel the world and stay in places instead of having to move on like I do now. I want to experience difference cultures.” Keys says she could make her exit from recording as soon as a few years from now. She recently made an extended visit to Egypt.

Soccer player is charged with felonies after allegedly biting official
A Delaware soccer player is charged with felonies, including assault and terroristic threatening, after he allegedly bit a ref on the chin. Witnesses say Rannord A. Jones challenged the official, who’d given him a red card, ejecting Jones from the game last week. The ref had initially called unsportsmanlike conduct on Jones. “The player was so enraged that he just savagely attacked the official, biting him almost in an animal manner about the chin,” says police Cpl. Trinidad Navarro. Blood gushed from the referee’s face, witnesses say, proving what some thought a joke to be real violence. The mother of Jones, 28, says the official cursed at Jones, provoking him. He turned himself in to police the next day. No name or condition of the referee has been released.

Member of Super Bowl-winning team allegedly involved in club scuffle.
The son of Detroit’s most popular TV anchor woman and a native son returning home from the NFL have allegedly clashed. Geoffrey Pope, cornerback for the New York Giants, faces felony charges after visiting Detroit this past weekend to show his grandmother his Super Bowl ring and celebrate his 24th birthday. Police say Pope got into a scrap at a downtown club where he allegedly struck the son of the local NBC affiliate’s long-time evening anchor woman Carmen Harlan with a champagne bottle. The alleged victim was treated with 28 stitches. Pope’s lawyer says he didn’t commit the assault, while Pope has declined comment.

Kearse is the latest NFL player to get arrested
Tennessee Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse was arrested early Sunday morning for driving under the influence near the campus of Vanderbilt University. Why did he refuse to take a breathalyzer test? Read more details at Playa Hater.