In brief

A manhunt for two bank robbers who used a makeshift rope to pull off a daring escape from a high-rise Chicago lockup pushed into a second day Wednesday, with authorities offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the men's apprehension.

The former cellmates apparently broke a cell window, pulled out the bars then descended almost 20 stories to escape the downtown Metropolitan Correctional Center early Tuesday.

Joseph Jose Banks, 37, and Kenneth Conley, 38, were unaccounted for during a 5 a.m. headcount, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. Jail employees noticed the makeshift rope around 7 a.m. Hours after the escape, the rope of bed sheets could be seen dangling down the side of the building, at least 200 feet long and knotted about every 6 feet.

Penn State trustees have approved a 16 percent raise for President Rodney Erickson to $600,000 after a review of his performance in the year since he took office.

The university announced Wednesday that the raise was effective Nov. 1. Erickson was promoted from provost to president on Nov. 9, 2011, after predecessor Graham Spanier left under pressure in the wake of the child sex abuse scandal involving retired assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.

The school said the raise was in line with Erickson's employment agreement, and is based on salary and a typical benefits package.

The Robin Hood Foundation said it is beginning to distribute $50 million in proceeds from last week's benefit concert to organizations helping victims of Superstorm Sandy.

Madison Square Garden spokeswoman Michelle Isaacs said Wednesday the money was raised through ticket sales, merchandising and charitable auctions at the Dec. 12 show, which featured Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and the Rolling Stones. More revenue is expected to come in.

The devastating storm tore into the New York metropolitan region on Oct. 29.

Egypt's ousted president Hosni Mubarak was returned to his prison Wednesday after he was transferred to a Cairo military hospital briefly for an X-ray of his head, a security official said.

For months, there have been conflicting reports about the health of the 84-year old Mubarak, who was sentenced in June to life in prison for failing to stop the killing of hundreds of protesters during last year's uprising. He is the first Arab president to serve a prison sentence.

On Wednesday, rumors about Mubarak's death were circulating on social networking sites after one newspaper website reported it. Gen. Mohammed Ibrahim denied the rumors.