Madagascar Swears in Young President
 Andry Rojoelina, a 34-year-old former opposition leader and DJ, was sworn in as president of Madagascar this weekend. The inauguration was held at a soccer stadium in the nation’s capital, Antananarivo, and was broadcast on national television, reports CNN. Until last week the nation had been undergoing political upheaval for months. Earlier this year citizens hit the streets in several deadly protests over the nation’s rising food prices, and what they saw as dictator type tendencies from ousted President Marc Ravalomanana. Under mounting pressure, Ravalomanana was forced to step down last week and gave power to the nation’s military. The military then handed power over to Rojoelina and he was confirmed by the country’s high court, reports the news service. But the Southern African Development Community along with U.S. officials are rejecting the government’s legitimacy due to Ravalomanana’s forced resignation. The United States will even temporarily stop sending non-humanitarian aid to the nation. While he has his share of fans, about 4,000 to 6,000 critics of Rojoelina (former mayor of Antananarivo) protested his inauguration at the Place de la Democratie in Antananarivo carrying signs that read, “We do not want a hooligan government.” They also call attention to the fact that the 34-year-old is too young; the nation’s constitution says that 40 is the minimum age for the presidency. 

 
Massive Crowds Converge in Angola for Pope
At his last stop Africa, Pope Benedict XVI gave an outdoor Mass in Angola in front of hundreds of thousands, his largest crowd on the continent yet, reports the BBC. In his speech, the Pope spoke out against the “destructive power of civil strife” on the continent and asked Africans to reach out to believers of witchcraft and spirits and bring them to church. “When God’s word … is neglected, and when God’s law is ridiculed, despised, laughed at, the result can only be destruction and injustice,” the Pope said, speaking about the civil upheaval across the continent. Catholics make up 55 percent of Angola’s population. Sunday’s Mass saw scorching temperatures and several in the crowd suffered from heat stroke. The Pope’s Saturday appearance, however, turned deadly when two women died in a crush of people trying to get into the stadium. At Sunday’s mass the Pope conveyed his sympathy over the losses. “I express my solidarity to their families and friends and my deep sorrow because this happened while they were coming to see me,” he said. The Mass marked the last day of the Pope’s week-long visit on the continent, which also included a stop in Cameroon.

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.