In brief: Military takes over as Compaore quits

JOHANNESBURG – Burkina Faso’s military chief took control of the country Friday after President Blaise Compaore bowed to popular anger and resigned, following his failed attempt to manipulate the constitution so he could seek a fifth term in office.

Gen. Honore Traore told a news conference that “given the power vacuum” created by Compaore’s departure, he would assume the responsibilities of head of state.

“I undertake a solemn engagement to proceed without delay with consultations with all parties in the country so as to start the process of returning to the constitutional order as soon as possible,” Traore said.

Compaore, one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, announced his resignation in a statement saying he was vacating power to “put in place a transition” that would lead to elections within 90 days.

Molestation victim wins Witnesses suit

SAN DIEGO – The Jehovah’s Witnesses were ordered to pay $13.5 million to a Southern California man who said he was molested as a child by a church member.

A San Diego judge ruled Wednesday that the church’s governing body covered up years of sexual abuse by a member who later became an elder.

Superior Judge Joan Lewis said actions of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York were “reprehensible and reckless,” U-T San Diego reported Friday.

Jose Lopez, who was awarded the money, sued the group, alleging that he was molested in 1986 at age 7 by a member of the Spanish congregation in the Linda Vista area of San Diego.

Six other men and one woman who also claimed that Campos molested them have settled their lawsuits out of court.

Chinese craft back from moon circuit

BEIJING – China has successfully recovered an experimental spacecraft that flew around the moon and back in a test run for the country’s first unmanned trip to the lunar surface and back.

The eight-day trip that ended early today marked the first time in almost four decades that a spacecraft has returned to Earth after traveling around the moon. China plans to send a spacecraft to the moon in 2017 and have it return to Earth after collecting soil samples.

If successful, that would make burgeoning space power China only the third country after the United States and Russia to carry out such a mission.