Tour de France Results

Sunday
At …

Oil spill criminal case difficult against execs

It's virtually certain that BP PLC and other companies involved in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill will face criminal charges and civil penalties that could translate into hundreds of millions of dollars in fines. But for any company executives or workers to be indicted individually, legal experts say the Justice Department will have to find evidence they orchestrated a coverup, destroyed key documents or lied to government agents.

"One of the issues that government investigators are going to be focused on is whether individuals from BP and the other companies have been completely forthright," said David Uhlmann, a University of Michigan law professor who spent …

Lancaster Galleries art shop preserves the past

By American standards, Lancaster County is an old place.

Because the county's history goes hack to 1712, the region has a rich collection of old deeds, old contracts and photographs that people wish to preserve of restore for historic, sentimental and even business reasons.

For example, a contract on parchment may sell for $1,000 or more. While preservation methods have improved greatly in recent years, preservation services aren't always readily available.

Lancaster Galleries, 34 N. Water St., offers those services, and in its dozen years of operation, the nature of its business has changed significantly.

Originally, the firm was Lancaster Graphics, a frame …

Suns Beat Cavaliers Without Stoudemire

No Amare Stoudemire, no problem for the Phoenix Suns.

Steve Nash scored 30 points and had 10 assists and the Suns _ playing without the injured Stoudemire _ rallied from a 12-point second-quarter deficit and beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 103-92 on Sunday night.

Stoudemire, the Suns' All-Star center, was sidelined because of soreness in his right knee. He had arthroscopic surgery on the knee Oct. 2. Coach Mike D'Antoni said Stoudemire was day to day.

Despite Stoudemire's absence, the resilient Suns were able to overcome the Cavs and LeBron James.

"I feel like the first three games, we haven't had good rhythm, we haven't had …

NBA Standings

All Times EST

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic Division

W L Pct GB

Boston 14 2 .875 _

New Jersey 7 7 .500 6

Toronto 7 7 .500 6

New York 7 8 .467 6 1/2

Philadelphia 7 8 .467 6 1/2

Southeast Division

W L Pct GB

Orlando 11 …

Parenthood needs a new set of laws

In simpler days, the concept of fatherhood wasn't too difficultto understand. It was someone who begot a child, or, at its mostcomplicated, someone who adopted a child.

Now, thanks to a changing technology and shifting notions aboutsocial relationships, the concept of fatherhood is becoming somewhatvague. Take the latest case: A man's wife wants to have a child, buthe is sterile. She becomes artificially inseminated with donorsperm, but after the child is born the couple is divorced. Is herhusband the child's father, legally responsible for paying childsupport?

Under Illinois law, the answer appears clear: The husband islegally the father if he consents in …

Romo, Cowboys Lead Bears 27-10 in 4th

CHICAGO - Tony Romo threw two touchdown passes and Anthony Henry returned an interception 28 yards for a score to give the Dallas Cowboys a 27-10 lead over the Chicago Bears in the fourth quarter on Monday night.

Romo connected with Jason Witten and Marion Barber III in the third quarter and Nick Folk kicked two field goals for the Cowboys. Cedric Benson had a short touchdown run and Robbie Gould kicked a 20-yard field goal for the Bears.

On their second possession, Rex Grossman drove the Bears 74 yards on 15 plays to set up the field goal. Grossman connected with Bernard Berrian for 11 yards and 17 yards on the drive that took 7:28.

The Bears (1-1) offense …

Chesapeake defends CEO pay package

Chesapeake Energy on Monday again defended a $112.5 million payout for its CEO, calling it a "carefully tailored" incentive package tied to company performance.

At least two investor groups have challenged the package awarded to co-founder Aubrey McClendon at a time when Chesapeake, one of the largest natural gas producers in the United States, has seen its share price decimated.

After the market closed Monday, Chesapeake reported a loss of nearly $7 billion and said it was cutting capital expenditures through 2010 by $500 million, or about 8 percent.

In a regulatory filing, Chesapeake said McClendon was rewarded for personally closing …

Check to ensure lender getting early payments

Q. My husband and I are both 39 with three children. We want topay off our 30-year mortgage ahead of time. Instead of setting up abiweekly mortgage plan, we are attempting to do it on our own bysending in an extra payment a year. We divided our payment by 12,and send in that much extra every month, thus making 13 payments ayear. Is this method OK or should we make one extra lump-sum paymenta year? Also, is this a good plan for our situation? We plan to bein this house a long time.

A. Your plan sounds sensible and suitable for your age andfamily situation, but it's important to check with your lender thatthe extra amounts are being properly credited toward principal. …

Treasury prices lower on hopes from Europe talks

NEW YORK (AP) — Investors stayed away from Treasurys Tuesday on hopes that European leaders will be able to reach a viable solution to that region's debt crisis.

The benchmark 10-year Treasury fell 43.7 cents for every $100 invested. The yield edged up to 2.09 percent, from 2.04 percent late Monday.

A crucial summit of European leaders wraps up Friday. Traders hope to see concrete solutions to restore long-term confidence in the euro and rescue the region from the sovereign debt crisis that has roiled world markets for months.

Threatened by fears their joint currency may not survive, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy are trying to …

Alabama governor cracks down on bingo machines

The governor of this Bible Belt state is waging a one-man crusade against gambling _ and stirring racial tensions in the process _ by sending state troopers on late-night raids to shut down electronic bingo parlors.

Republican Bob Riley, a lifelong opponent of gambling, contends the electronic devices are essentially slot machines, which are plainly illegal in Alabama. He formed a task force a year ago to halt their spread.

He has forced the shutdown of more than 30 gambling halls _ ranging from modest storefront operations to big, glamorous Vegas-style palaces _ and idled more than 2,000 …

European volume of Global History Series released

Testing Faith and Tradition, the history of European Mennonite churches, has been released as part of the Global Mennonite History Series.

A project of Mennonite World Conference (MWC), this second volume in the series tells the story of Mennonite churches coming into being across Europe, endeavouring to remain faithful through nearly five centuries.

Much has been written about the beginnings of these fellowships. But until now, far less has been available about the years that followed. Frequent wars during the past 480 years strained these Mennonite churches immeasurably, especially when their governments battled each other. This volume recounts those tortuous and formative experiences.

Seldom have the distinguishing features of the Dutch, French, German, Swiss and Russian-and, more recently, the British, Italian and Spanish-Mennonite churches been examined. These churches' cultural and historical differences are significantly unique, and they are a key part of the history told in these chapters by European Mennonite historians and church leaders. The Umsiedler, with their sheer numbers and religious vigour, are a current force included in this ongoing story.

Today, many of these Anabaptistdescended Mennonite churches throughout Europe are declining in membership, but they are not without reinvigorated faith and hope. Writers from within these various fellowships have contributed chapters to this frank and highly engaging story.

Hanspeter Jecker of Switzerland and Alle G. Hoekema of the Netherlands served as co-editors of this volume. John A. Lapp and C. Arnold Snyder are the series editors.

Testing Faith and Tradition: Global Mennonite History Series, Europe is available from Pandora Press (pandorapress.com).

-MWC release by Phyllis Pellman Good

WORLD at 1000GMT

NEW THIS DIGEST:

AFGHANISTAN DONORS. Karzai, Ban, Laura Bush call for Afghanistan aid pledges.

NATO-DEFENSE. Afghanistan, Kosovo top agenda at NATO talks.

EUROPE-BUSH. Bush in Rome for talks with old friend Berlusconi.

ETHIOPIA-WAR CRIMES. Human Rights Watch accuses Ethiopia of war crimes.

IRAQ. US military blames Shiite militias for bomb.

ZIMBABWE. No. 2 Zimbabwean opposition leader prepares to return.

TOP STORIES:

AFGHANISTAN DONORS

PARIS _ Afghan President Hamid Karzai appeals to world donors for massive, long-term aid for police, road-building and agriculture to make his country a safer and less hungry place. Developing. By Angela Charlton. AP Photos planned.

ALSO: NATO-DEFENSE. By 1100GMT.

CHINA-TAIWAN TALKS

BEIJING _ Meeting for the first formal talks in nearly a decade, Taiwan and China agree to set up permanent offices in each other's territory to coordinate continuing contacts. Moved. By Debby Wu. AP Photos.

PAKISTAN-BORDER CLASH

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan _ The U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan releases footage of a skirmish with militants that Pakistan claims resulted in a deadly airstrike on one of its border posts. Moved. By Stephen Graham.

WITH: US-PAKISTAN

ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip _ Israeli troops kill two Palestinian militants in a clash in the northern Gaza Strip _ a new outbreak of violence that comes as a key Israeli envoy heads to Egypt in a bid to wrap up a cease-fire with the Hamas militant group. Developing. By Ibrahim Barzak. AP Photos.

ETHIOPIA-WAR CRIMES

NAIROBI, Kenya _ Ethiopia has committed war crimes in its military campaign against rebels in the Ogaden region, Human Rights Watch says, accusing the United States and other Western governments of complicity in the abuses. Moved. By Elizabeth A. Kennedy.

EUROPE-BUSH

ROME _ U.S. President George W. Bush can look forward to a hearty welcome from his old friend, the Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, and Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to Rome. That's not what can be found on the streets, however, where anti-Bush sentiment over the war in Iraq still lingers. Developing. By Deb Riechmann. AP Photos. AP Graphic BUSH EURO TRAVEL.

SKOREA-US BEEF

SEOUL, South Korea _ South Korea's top trade official says he will travel to the U.S. to seek restrictions on American beef imports in a bid to soothe anti-government protesters. Moved. By Hyung-Jin Kim.

IRAQ

BAGHDAD _ The U.S. military blames Shiite militia fighters for a bombing the day before that killed six Iraqi civilians and wounded nine other people, including two American soldiers in Baghdad. Moved. By Hamid Ahmed.

ZIMBABWE

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa _ A top aide to Zimbabwe's opposition presidential candidate says he expects to be arrested upon his return to his homeland. Developing. By Donna Bryson.

THAILAND-PROTESTS

BANGKOK, Thailand _ Tens of thousands of heavy trucks are threatening to cause havoc in the Thai capital while fishermen have begun burning their boats in nationwide protests against soaring prices of fuel and other essentials. Moved. By Sutin Wannabovorn. AP Photos.

US-SEVERE WEATHER

BLENCOE, Iowa _ A tornado slams a Boy Scout camp in the remote hills of western Iowa, killing at least four people, injuring 40 and setting off a frantic search for others who could be trapped in the piles of debris and downed trees. Moved. By Timberly Ross. AP Photo. AP Graphic.

CHILE-CRASH SURVIVORS

SANTIAGO, Chile _ Nine survivors of a plane crash in Chile's frigid southern forests say they survived for four days awaiting rescue by huddling close together for warmth, sheltering inside the wreckage and sharing what food they had. Moved. By Eduardo Gallardo. AP Photos.

US-ELECTIONS

WASHINGTON _ Supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama leap at the chance to attack Republican rival John McCain's stance on the unpopular Iraq war, heaping criticism on him for saying it was "not too important" when American troops are withdrawn. Moved. By Steven R. Hurst. AP Photos.

WITH: US-OBAMA-VICE PRESIDENT

WITH: US-WOOING CLINTON BACKERS

WITH: US-UNDECIDED DEMOCRATS

CUBA-NOT ALL EQUAL

HAVANA _ The egalitarian wage system Fidel Castro spent decades building in Cuba is no longer viable, plagued by low pay, corruption and waste that can be eased by paying workers more for better work, a top labor official says in an interview. Moved. By Will Weissert.

BUSINESS & FINANCE:

CHINA-INFLATION

SHANGHAI, China _ China's inflation rate dipped to a still high 7.7 percent in May amid signs efforts to rein in food prices are finally taking hold, the National Bureau of Statistics says. Moved. By Elaine Kurtenbach. AP Photos.

JAPAN-G-8-ECONOMIC WOES

TOKYO _ Runaway oil prices are high on the minds of finance ministers from the Group of Eight industrialized nations meeting this week in Japan who are seeking to calm global jitters about a series of looming economic problems. Moved. By Yuri Kageyama. AP Photos.

___

YOUR QUERIES: Contact your local AP bureau, the Europe & Africa Desk in London at +44 207 427 4300 or the Asia-Pacific Desk in Bangkok at +66 2632-6911.

National League Standings

All Times EDT
East Division
W L Pct GB
Atlanta 45 32 .584 _
New York 43 33 .566 1 1/2
Philadelphia 40 34 .541 3 1/2
Florida 36 40 .474 8 1/2
Washington 33 44 .429 12
Central Division
W L Pct GB
Cincinnati 43 34 .558 _
St. Louis 41 34 .547 1
Milwaukee 34 41 .453 8
Chicago 33 43 .434 9 1/2
Houston 29 47 .382 13 1/2
Pittsburgh 26 50 .342 16 1/2
West Division
W L Pct GB
San Diego 45 30 .600 _
San Francisco 40 34 .541 4 1/2
Los Angeles 40 35 .533 5
Colorado 39 36 .520 6
Arizona 30 46 .395 15 1/2
___
Sunday's Games
N.Y. Mets 6, Minnesota 0
San Diego 4, Florida 2
Cleveland 5, Cincinnati 3
Detroit 10, Atlanta 4
Philadelphia 11, Toronto 2
Baltimore 4, Washington 3
Arizona 2, Tampa Bay 1
Chicago Cubs 8, Chicago White Sox 6
Milwaukee 3, Seattle 0
Kansas City 10, St. Louis 3
L.A. Angels 10, Colorado 3
Boston 5, San Francisco 1
Oakland 3, Pittsburgh 2
Texas 10, Houston 1
N.Y. Yankees 8, L.A. Dodgers 6, 10 innings
Monday's Games
Florida 10, N.Y. Mets 3
Atlanta 5, Washington 0
Cincinnati 7, Philadelphia 3
Pittsburgh 2, Chicago Cubs 1
Houston at Milwaukee, 8:10 p.m.
Arizona at St. Louis, 8:15 p.m.
Colorado at San Diego, 10:05 p.m.
L.A. Dodgers at San Francisco, 10:15 p.m.
Tuesday's Games
N.Y. Mets vs. Florida at Hiram Bithorn Stadium, 7:05 p.m.
Washington at Atlanta, 7:10 p.m.
Philadelphia at Cincinnati, 7:10 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 p.m.
Houston at Milwaukee, 8:10 p.m.
Arizona at St. Louis, 8:15 p.m.
Colorado at San Diego, 10:05 p.m.
L.A. Dodgers at San Francisco, 10:15 p.m.
Wednesday's Games
Philadelphia at Cincinnati, 12:35 p.m.
Houston at Milwaukee, 2:10 p.m.
Arizona at St. Louis, 2:15 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m.
Colorado at San Diego, 3:35 p.m.
L.A. Dodgers at San Francisco, 3:45 p.m.
N.Y. Mets vs. Florida at Hiram Bithorn Stadium, 7:05 p.m.
Washington at Atlanta, 7:10 p.m.

Armstrong still working on 2011 racing schedule

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Lance Armstrong won't be riding in the Tour de France anymore, but he'll still compete in smaller races next year, seeing himself as an ambassador in the fight against cancer.

The questions are what races, where and when — and what happens if a federal investigation into allegations of doping by Armstrong and other professional cyclists drags into next year.

The 39-year-old Texan has yet to announce where he'll race in 2011. A spokesman for his RadioShack team said its directors are scheduled to meet as early as next week to draft their racing calendar.

The team could compete in the entire schedule of International Cycling Union events, RadioShack spokesman Philippe Maertens said.

As for Armstrong, Maertens said in an e-mail: "I am sure that also Lance still has to figure it out."

Armstrong's girlfriend Anna Hansen earlier this week gave birth to their second child (his fifth), daughter Olivia, in Aspen, Colo. He's in Austin this weekend to participate in the Ride for the Roses weekend to celebrate big donors to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Several members of his RadioShack team, including Levi Leipheimer, are scheduled to participate as well.

Leipheimer, who turns 37 on Sunday, said he hopes he can win a fourth title in the Tour of California and still reach the podium at the Tour de France.

"It's possible and as long as I still believe in that, I'll keep racing," Leipheimer said.

Leipheimer said he hasn't spoken with Armstrong about Armstrong's plans for 2011.

"I think he's keeping it secret," Leipheimer said. "I think physically he still has something left in the tank."

Most of the events Armstrong will attend are private except for Sunday morning's Livestrong challenge ride that typically draws thousands of cyclists.

Armstrong's hasn't raced competitively since finishing 23rd in his final Tour de France in July. He won cycling's main event a record seven times from 1999-2005.

Recent history suggests a return to competition at the 2011 Tour Down Under in Australia, a five-day stage race which begins Jan. 18. Armstrong chose that race to begin his comeback in 2009 and finished 25th overall in 2010.

Mark Fabiani, spokesman for Armstrong's legal team in the federal investigation, said Armstrong "will enter select events in which he has the opportunity to support Livestrong, Team RadioShack and the sport of cycling."

The investigation grew following accusations from Floyd Landis, one of Armstrong's former teammates on the Tour-winning U.S. Postal team, in a series of e-mails sent to cycling and doping officials this spring.

Landis, who was stripped of his 2006 Tour title for doping, said the use of banned substances was common on the team. Armstrong has denied those allegations vigorously and has questioned Landis' credibility. Prosecutors have been presenting evidence and witnesses to a grand jury in Los Angeles that has been looking into Armstrong and doping in cycling more broadly.

Leipheimer declined comment on the investigation and would not say if he's been subpoenaed or spoken with investigators.

It's possible Armstrong won't even take the federal probe into account as he builds his racing calendar. He has kept up a busy public schedule in the face of the grand jury sessions, with his legal team saying the reason is that he has nothing to hide.

Officials at the Lance Armstrong Foundation say donations have stayed strong despite the investigation. Donations of $18.5 million through September are up 3 percent over 2009, a year when the foundation enjoyed an 18 percent bump.

The total number of donations is also up to 118,702, a 2 percent increase over last year.

"Other than this being a distraction away from our mission, our fundraisers and donors have been incredibly supportive," foundation president Doug Ulman said.

Iraq executes Tunisian over Shiite shrine attack

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq executed a Tunisian man convicted of the 2006 bombing of a revered Shiite shrine that set off the worst of the country's sectarian violence, a senior Iraqi official said Thursday.

Deputy Justice Minister Busho Ibrahim said that Yusri Fakhir, who was convicted early this year of the bombing on the al-Askari shrine in Sunni city of Samarra, was executed Wednesday in Baghdad. Ten other people — one Egyptian and nine Iraqis — also were executed on unrelated terrorism convictions, Ibrahim said.

The Tunisian Foreign Ministry expressed its "regret and displeasure" following the execution, which happened "despite the efforts undertaken by the Tunisian state" to try to win a reprieve for Fakhir.

Last week, Tunisia's interim president sent a letter to his Iraqi counterpart, Jalal Talabani, asking for Fakhir's release.

Fakhir's father told the Tunisian state news agency TAP that his son was innocent of any crime.

"I consider my son a martyr and his final resting place is paradise," Fakhir Trigui said. "There is no reason to be ashamed because he did nothing wrong."

The attack on the al-Askari shrine in Samarra, some 60 miles (95 kilometers) north of Baghdad, unleashed unprecedented tit-for-tat killings between Iraq's Sunni and Shiite communities. Shiite militias carried out a bloody campaign against Sunnis, who responded in turn. Thousands were killed, neighbors turned against neighbors, and Iraq nearly descended into civil war.

The Samarra shrine is revered because it contains the tombs of the 10th and 11th imams, the 9th century saint-like figures who were considered the leaders of the community. The shrine also marks the birthplace of the 12th imam, known as the Mahdi.

Shiites consider the Mahdi the "hidden imam," a messianic figure who disappeared but will one day return, signifying the Day of Judgment.

Also Thursday, a parked car bomb went off next to an Iraqi military patrol south of Baghdad, killing two soldiers and two civilians, a police officer and a doctor said.

Eight other people were wounded in the blast in the town of Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) south of Baghdad.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information.

Violence across Iraq has dropped dramatically over the last three years but deadly attacks still happen nearly every day.

___

Associated Press writer Bouazza Ben Bouazza contributed to this report from Tunis, Tunisia.

Police: Del. man's parental kidnap plan detailed

A former Newark optometrist accused of abducting his three daughters apparently planned well in advance to flee the country with them, according to state and federal investigators.

David Matusiewicz, 41, who was arrested in Nicaragua last week, was scheduled for an initial court appearance Monday in Miami on federal bank fraud and mortgage fraud charges stemming from alleged attempts to squirrel away cash before fleeing to Central America with his daughters.

Matusiewicz and his mother, Lenore Matusiewicz, also face felony charges in Delaware of interference with custody. It was unclear if the two have hired attorneys to represent them.

According to investigators, the two fled the country with Matusiewicz's three young daughters after he told his ex-wife, Christine Belford, with whom he shared custody, in August 2007 that he was taking them to Disney World for two weeks.

"He never went to Disney World," U.S. Marshal David Thomas said after a news conference Monday.

Instead, according to investigators, Matusiewicz carried out a well planned abduction scheme that included wiring more than $500,000 to overseas banks, obtaining a false Canadian passport, and stuffing his escape vehicle, a 33-foot motor home that had been purchased by his mother, so full of food, diapers and other personal items that the tires needed to be repaired just days before he took his family south.

Matusiewicz also had raised huge sums of cash by selling his optometry business, forging his ex-wife's name on a home equity loan application of almost $250,000, and selling investments, according to investigators.

"We believe he had at least a million dollars in cash," Thomas said.

Authorities were unable to provide details on Matusiewicz's travels but said he had visited Panama a couple of months before fleeing there with daughters Laura, 6, Leigh 5, and Karen, 3. Investigators said they discovered in April that he traveled from Panama to Costa Rica, and then to Nicaragua, which he allegedly entered illegally with the fake Canadian passport.

Matusiewicz was arrested last week as he dropped off his eldest daughter at a school in Nicaragua.

Ed Moreno, assistant director for the U.S. State Department's diplomatic security branch, said Matusiewicz was "shell-shocked" when agents caught up with him. His mother and two other daughters were found later in the motor home, which had been parked on a barren tract of land.

Authorities said Monday that the girls have been reunited with their mother, who was awarded sole custody by a Family Court judge after her ex-husband disappeared.

Acting U.S. Attorney David Weiss said federal prosecutors will consult with the Delaware attorney general's office before deciding whether Matusiewicz will face a federal parental kidnapping charge.

Our views, $61.5 million

State government should treat this windfall carefully

NOT all the money included in the president's second tax cut willgo to taxpayers. Indeed, $20 billion is earmarked for the taxcollectors as an aid package for state governments.

The state aid was included at the insistence of some Democrats,who still managed to vote against the tax cut in the end.

States will be able to use half that money to pay their share ofthe bills from Medicaid, but they will be given great discretion onspending the other half.

Therein lies a dilemma for West Virginia state government. Afterputting aside money for Medicaid, the state will have $61.5 millionto spend pretty much as it wishes.

Gov. Bob Wise is mulling over the options.

House Speaker Bob Kiss suggested the money be socked away in thestate's rainy day fund.

"We don't know what we're going to face," Kiss said. "I think wemight be better served if we set that money aside."

By changing its tax code, the federal government has influencedstate tax collections, Tax Secretary Brian Kastick has pointed out.He estimated the changes will cost West Virginia government $36million over the next two years.

Relief for the states is warranted, but it's important to rememberthat this is a one-time deal.

Moreover, given what Kastick says, West Virginia will not bebenefiting from any $61.5 million windfall in the new tax cut law.The net effect of the law could leave West Virginia with asignificantly smaller sum.

The prudent course that Kiss suggests is the correct one.

The star of the show

Rays manager Joe Maddon had seen this horror show before. Worse yet, this one was a double feature starring Edwin Jackson.

Maddon sat through a chilly Thursday afternoon watching his team fall to 0-6 with a 5-1 loss to the White Sox. That was one thing. Then there was Jackson manhandling his team in much the same fashion Jackson did as an Arizona Diamondback last season, when he threw a no-hitter against the Rays.

Only this time, Jackson was better.

"Yeah, he was,'' Maddon said. "He had much better command. He really had the slider working today. He was throwing them to good spots. He got us chasing a bit — we don't chase a lot, but he was very sharp today. He was very good."

Jackson (2-0) treated a sellout crowd to a 13-strikeout performance over eight innings, a Sox strikeout record for a home opener and a personal high. He walked one and allowed four hits as the Sox (4-2) cruised past Maddon's scuffling Rays.

Jackson's slider was the talk of both clubhouses afterward. Almost all of his whiffs came on that pitch.

"He's got one of the best sliders in the game,'' Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "He has such good arm action and body action with it. I remember as a hitter saying, I don't want to face him, and thinking, 'my gosh, I don't want to have to hit his slider' because his arm action is so good that it fools guys with not only the [downward] movement but the deception.

"When he got ahead of guys, he was throwing it for a strike down out of the zone. He's tough. When he's on, he's as good as anybody. Hopefully, he can keep it going.''

Without Adam Dunn a second straight day, center fielder Alex Rios moved into the No. 3 spot and delivered a two-run double in his first at-bat and a double in his second against David Price (0-2). Rios, who had hit into tough luck in the Sox' first four games, has four hits in his last two.

Paul Konerko (2-for-4) drove in Rios to give him an RBI in all six games, a Sox record. Juan Pierre (3-for-5) and Brent Lillibridge (2-for-3) each drove in a run.

Jackson took a shutout into the eighth, when pinch hitter Felipe Lopez doubled and Reid Brignac singled him home. Johnny Damon flied out to Lillibridge in deep right, which got a fist pump from Jackson.

"Baseball is a game of inches,'' Jackson said. "One pitch can ruin a whole game — and when he hit that ball initially, I did think it was gone. It was a great feeling to see Lillibridge at the fence catching it for a last out.''

That was all for Jackson, who threw 120 pitches. Sergio Santos pitched a scoreless ninth.

Jackson said he was somewhat surprised to hear his strikeout total. After it settled in, he called it a career highlight. It was his 50th victory, and his sixth (with two defeats) since coming to the Sox at last year's trade deadline.

"Any time I'm able to go out and get in an early rhythm and get outs quick and attack the strike zone, I like my odds,'' Jackson said. "I have trouble in games when I'm coming out and behind in the counts and have to throw strikes. There wasn't too many times where I had to do that — and when I did, I was able to make a quality pitch for an out.''

Said Maddon: "He was getting us out of the zone a bit, but I think that's a tribute to how sharp his breaking pitch was. It does not surprise me that he's turning out this good. We talked about that a few years ago. David was pretty good, but not as good as Edwin was today."

"Any time I'm able to go out and get in an early rhythm and get outs quick . . . I like my odds," says Edwin Jackson, who dominated Thursday. | john j. kim~sun-timesJohn J. Kim

Oil Prices Rise Above $65 a Barrel

SINGAPORE - Oil prices climbed above $65 a barrel in Asian trading Monday on continued concerns that U.S. refiners are not producing enough gasoline to meet peak summer demand.

Light, sweet crude for June delivery gained 30 cents to $65.24 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange mid-afternoon in Singapore.

The contract rose 8 cents to settle at $64.94 Friday after jumping $2.31 in the previous session.

Brent crude for July delivery climbed 50 cents to $69.92 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

With the Northern Hemisphere's summer driving season set to begin in just over a week, energy traders have been concerned that gasoline supplies won't meet demand. A string of planned and unexpected refinery shutdowns have fueled such worries.

"It will continue to be an issue. If demand is strong this season, it's going to be hard to keep up and it will push prices," said Tobin Gorey, a commodity strategist with Commonwealth Bank of Australia in Sydney.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported last Wednesday that gasoline stocks - while increasing to 195.2 million barrels for the week ended May 12 - remained well below the average for this time of year.

Oil prices were also supported by the political situation in Nigeria, a major oil producer.

Nigerian labor leaders on Thursday called a two-day strike later in May to protest last month's elections. The strike is scheduled for May 28 to coincide with the inauguration of a new government. The unions say that the April elections, which gave a sweeping victory to President-elect Umaru Yar'Adua and the ruling People's Democratic Party, were fraudulent.

Gorey said the market did not expect the planned strike to have a significant impact on crude futures.

"We're not very sure how long it will last," he said. "It's not an issue that is necessarily having too much influence on the market now."

In other Nymex trading, heating oil futures gained 0.88 cent to $1.9240 a gallon while natural gas prices lost 3.2 cents to $7.912 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Australia's Leighton posts 35 percent profit rise

Australia's largest construction company Leighton Holdings Ltd. on Thursday reported a 35 percent rise in year net profit prompted by large mining and infrastructure projects.

In a statement, the Sydney-based company said it hopes to raise about 700 million Australian dollars (US$609 million) to help fund mining activities in Australia, Indonesia and India. Leighton plans to raise the money in an entitlement offer of new shares to eligible shareholders.

Leighton shares will remain suspended from trading until Aug. 20 as the company completes the offer.

Net profit rose to A$607.9 million (US$529 million) for the year to June 30 from A$450 million a year earlier. Total revenue rose 22 percent to A$14.5 billion (US$12.6 billion).

Chief Executive Wal King said the boost in profits reflected a good contribution from several large construction projects in Australia and the Gulf region, solid property development performance and the contract mining of iron ore and coal in Australia and Indonesia.

Leighton forecast net profit to grow at least 15 percent in the 2009 financial year.

"The group's outlook remains strong for the 2009 financial year sustained by a record level of work in hand," King said. "This workload should be maintained at similar levels given the opportunities that are likely to emerge in the group's core markets over the next year."

Thursday's Sports Scoreboard

All Times Eastern

American League

L.A. Angels 7, Detroit 1 F

Kansas City 5, Oakland 4 (1st game) F 10 Innings

Kansas City 9, Oakland 6 (2nd game) F

Toronto 9, Minnesota 0 F

Tampa Bay 7, N.Y. Yankees 5 F

National League

Cincinnati 8, Pittsburgh 6 F

Atlanta 2, Washington 0 F

San Diego 5, Milwaukee 2 F

National Football League

N.Y. Giants 16, Washington 7 F

Top 25 College Football

Vanderbilt 24, South Carolina (24) 17 F

WNBA Basketball

Seattle 70, Chicago 62 F

Major League Soccer

Colorado 1, FC Dallas 0 F

Hezbollah says Lebanese government has declared war

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Thursday that the Lebanese government had declared war on his Shiite militant group by declaring its private telecommunications network an illegal threat to state security.

Nasrallah vowed to fight any attempts to disarm Hezbollah in a speech that hiked tensions already running high after a long-simmering political crisis between the Hezbollah-led opposition and the government erupted into sectarian violence.

"Those who try to arrest us, we will arrest them," he said. "Those who shoot at us, we will shoot at them. The hand raised against us, we will cut it off."

Celebratory gunfire rang out in Beirut as Nasrallah spoke live on television by videolink from a hiding place. The Hezbollah leader rarely appears in public for fear of assassination by Israel.

Lebanon's U.S.-backed government also said Tuesday that it would dismiss the security chief of the country's only international airport because he was suspected of ties to Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hezbollah.

Those decisions sparked sectarian clashes between supporters of Hezbollah and the government over the past two days. The violence emerged out of a long-simmering power struggle between the Hezbollah-led opposition and the Western-backed government for control of the country.

"The decision is tantamount to a declaration of war ... on the resistance and its weapons in the interest of America and Israel," Nasrallah said.

He offered a way out of the latest crisis, saying the "illegitimate" government must revoke its decisions against Hezbollah.

Hezbollah runs its own secure network of primitive private land lines. Nasrallah claimed the network helped the guerrillas fight Israel's high-tech army in the 2006 summer war.

He said the telecommunications network was "the most important part of the weapons of the resistance" and added Hezbollah had a duty to defend those weapons.

He and other Hezbollah leaders have suggested they are regularly targeted by Israel and they need secure communications.

"I am not declaring war. I am declaring a decision of self-defense," he said. The government has "crossed all the red lines. We will not be lenient with anyone."

He said Maj. Gen. Wafiq Shukeir, the airport security chief that the government decided to remove, will stay in his post, rejecting any replacement.

The government's decision to replace him came after pro-government leader Walid Jumblatt alleged Hezbollah had set up cameras near the airport _ which is located in the Hezbollah stronghold of south Beirut _ to monitor the movement of anti-Syrian Lebanese politicians and foreign dignitaries. Jumblatt suggested Hezbollah was planning to bomb aircraft to assassinate such figures.

Nasrallah rejected accusations by pro-government groups that Hezbollah was bent on staging a coup.

Wade, James stay side by side in 1st Heat season

MIAMI (AP) — They dine together. They do interviews together. They text each other late at night while watching other games.

And, yes, at times they get angry with one another.

It's not a news flash that LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have been extremely good friends for years. But it seems the rigors of their first season as teammates with the Miami Heat has even brought them closer.

James and Wade discussed their relationship Tuesday, hours before the Heat hosted the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Wade says it's natural that they would be the Heat players dealing with most of the attention.

Adds James: "It's not just me and D-Wade, it's all the guys in the locker room, all 15."

Media rare // Custom cabinet lets you hide or display electronics

There was a time in the early 17th century when privatecollections of art, books or music were displayed in rooms called"cabinets," which were distinct from the great hall or other statelyrooms of the manor house.

These days, cabinets usually are upright shelving units, oftenwith doors, lining the walls of a room. But they still serve thesame need: to display or store objects.

It seems that fewer books and art and more electronics are ondisplay these days. Some living rooms look like television repairshops, where giant TV projectors, stereo systems, computers and otherelectronic components are on view.

To achieve some sense of balance between display (objects youdon't mind looking at all the time) and storage (objects you may onlywant to look at some of the time), I have designed a cabinet toaccommodate some, if not all, of a home's media components.

The idea illustrated here is to incorporate a closed storageunit into an existing wall of open shelving units. Why not buy apre-built unit? Fine, if your particular components fit into stockunits. Otherwise you may want to assemble your own cabinet out ofpre-cut plastic laminated panels, doors and drawers - in much thesame way you build a stereo system using various components.

The cabinet project involves three steps: planning (preparing ascale drawing of what you want), specifications (choosing materialsand hardware) and assembly. A good cabinet shop that specializes inprefabricated kitchen cabinets or office furniture will offer adviceon each of these steps, particularly on how to save time and money ona specific design. For example, you may want to eliminate a backwall. And shelves should be pre-drilled to accept wiring.

When planning the dimensions of the cabinet, try to avoid tooprecise a fit in the available space. You will need to makeallowances for uneven ceilings and walls, and doors must be able toswing free from the carpet.

When choosing plastic laminate, remember that the dark edgeswill contrast with lighter surface colors. Solid laminate will nothave that darker core and is available at a much higher cost. Isuggest that all drawers be preconstructed and that doors be pre-hungusing adjustable, concealed hinges. This will make the cabinet mucheasier to assemble.

Finally, when you start to put the cabinet unit together, drillholes in the laminate for screws and use a large screwdriver (it willbe easier on your hand). Also buy a tube of liquid laminate just incase; if you make a drilling mistake or scratch the laminate duringinstallation, you can repair the damage easily. WHAT IT WILL COST PLASTIC LAMINATE: Four 2-by-8-foot sides, two 2-by-2-foot tops,three front panels, two doors, four shelves, two drawers and one tubeof liquid laminate. $1,750 HARDWARE: Four drawer slides (30 pounds, 22-inch-deep at $20/pair), eight hinges, four touchlatches, metal angles and screws $125 TOTAL $1,875 Costs are approximate and do not include labor.

For help with building problems, send snapshots and dimensionsto Richard Ridley in care of the Chicago Sun-Times, 401 N. Wabash,Chicago 60611.

Alfonso the leading worry

The Sports Illustrated cover doesn't bother me. That's because the Japanese phrase above Kosuke Fukudome's steely-faced photo -- translation: ''It's Gonna Happen'' -- is from an inaccurate sign waved by one of his bandana-wrapped fans in right field. Briefly there, I thought he was trying to one-up Ryan Dempster, Sam Zell and Ronny Cedeno in their inane game to create World Series fever in April.

But it turns out The Fukudomer wasn't even aware of the 100-year spell when he signed with the Cubs, meaning he has no interest in burying it with boasts. And, having overcome a 53-year drought when he helped the Chunichi Dragons to a Japan Series title, the man doesn't believe in hexes anyway. The combination of a Cubs curse and SI curse, two of the most notorious maledictions in American pop culture, could be viewed as a supernatural double-whammy capable of causing devastating harm to the ongoing Cubbie dream. Yet when Fukudome himself has interpreted the so-called ''It's Gonna Happen'' banner to mean ''It's An Accident,'' just how seriously should we treat any of this stuff?

Consider it the latest reason why Fukudome must wonder what kind of wacky country we have here, along with seventh-inning singers and fans who bow and throw flurries of baseballs into the grass.

''Maybe it's a lot of people who are not on the cover saying it's a jinx,'' he said through his interpreter. ''But it's me playing. So I will do my best not to follow in the footsteps of other people who were on the cover.''

Like, um, Kerry Wood, the last Cubs rookie to grace an SI cover.

If John Madden ever expands his video-game empire to include baseball and places him on the cover, then you can fret about a Fukudome jinx. Until then, the biggest worry on the perpetually paranoiac planet known as Cubdom is Alfonso Soriano. During his most recent two-week stay on the disabled list, this time for a right calf strain, the Cubs missed him about as much as, well, the San Francisco Giants miss Barry Zito in the rotation. It isn't fair, I realize, to compare a slow-starting, $136 million Soriano to the $126 million pitching bust that is Zito. But successive stumbles out of the gate, along with lingering injuries and his playoff stinker against Arizona last fall, are prompting media and fans to ask if the Cubs are better off without Soriano. This as they stumble through a rough stretch, with a 10-7 loss Tuesday night to Milwaukee giving them four losses in five games.

FIRST OFFICIAL CRISIS COMING UP

At the very least, why risk clogging up a potent lineup by keeping him in the leadoff hole, where he has slugged an extraordinary number of solo home runs but performed few of the job's fundamental functions? In one mighty span during his absence, the offense scored 65 runs in eight games, including seven or more runs six times. It gave Cubdom a chance to fall in love with Reed Johnson, who successfuly led off and cemented his place in cult lore last week with a catch so spectacular, the YouTube mechanism paused in shock. Wrigley folk always love the Reed Johnsons, Ryan Theriots and Mike Fontenots of the world, knowing them as underdogs who define the Cub existence better than a free-swinging, selfish outfielder who signed the sport's fifth-richest financial package ever.

So, when Soriano returns as the leadoff man and left fielder Thursday, Cubdom will have its first official crisis of 2008. If he no longer is a unique force capable of 40 homers and 40 stolen bases -- the reason general manager Jim Hendry spent so much coin on him -- why not bat him fifth or sixth in the order and maximize his power abilities? When was the last time you saw him try to coax a walk out of a pitcher? How many steals do his fragile legs have left in them? How often is he not uncoiling that rubber-band-man swing and trying to launch a pitch over the fence? Isn't he just a solo artist playing as a warm-up act for a superband? Is any of this selfishness really conducive to winning? Wouldn't he be an explosive complement to the monstrous Derrek Lee, who now has eight homers, and Fukudome and Aramis Ramirez in the middle of the order?

As yet, Lou Piniella isn't budging. He has no desire to use Soriano anywhere but atop the order, even though he's known as an innovatator open to any option. It suggests that Soriano, whose statistics are appreciably better as a leadoff hitter, has a verbal understanding with Hendry dating back to his signing that he prefers leading off. Or, perhaps closer to the truth, Hendry is trying to force-feed the continuing 40-40 fantasy as a way of justifying Soriano's staggering price at a time when Zell and Tribune Co. are reeling. When a shift in the lineup makes this much sense -- based on Soriano's inconsistent first season, bad postseason and a second season in which he's batting .175 with two homers and two steals -- it's curious to see Piniella so adamant when his expertise is rooted in flexibility.

''If we hadn't been winning, they'd say, 'Boy, these guys really miss Soriano.' It was unfair,'' Piniella said. ''These guys have all done a nice job here, but if Soriano had been in there, we'd be playing the same way or a little better.

''He gives us more power. He can put runs on the board with a swing of the bat. He brings speed to the equation, plus he has fun. That can be infectious. ... He can carry you when he's hitting ... the way he can.''

CLOCK RUNNING FOR PINIELLA

We saw as much last September, when he earned his money with 14 homers, 27 RBI and a .320 average. We saw as much last June, too, when he hit .336 with 11 homers. But between a strained right quad last August and the calf strain this month, Soriano seems vulnerable to injuries at all times. ''If I play the rest of the season healthy, I can steal 30 bases,'' he said. ''My speed is there.''

But at $136 million, no one is in the mood to hear disclaimers. And when an expensive piece of talent is so brittle that he injures himself while hopping to catch a simple fly ball, it's disconcerting.

Since throwing the tantrum last June that turned around a season, coincidence or not, most of Lou's decisions have been met by glowing approval. So, for now, we will give him the benefit of the doubt. But in this climate, with so much at stake in the 100-year march, there's a timetable involved for Soriano to appease the anxious masses.

He has until about 4 p.m. Thursday.

Photo: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images / More fans are wondering if the Cubs are better off without Alfonso Soriano. ;

Braves 4, Mets 2

Atlanta			New York
ab r h bi		ab r h bi
OInfant 2b	4 0 0 0		JosRys ss	4 1 2 1
Heywrd rf	3 0 0 0		Pagan rf	4 0 2 0
Prado 3b	4 0 1 0		Beltran cf	4 0 0 0
McCnn c	4 1 1 0		DWrght 3b	3 0 0 0
D.Lee 1b	4 2 2 0		I.Davis 1b	4 0 0 0
McLoth cf-lf	4 1 2 2		Duda lf	2 0 1 0
AlGnzlz ss	3 0 2 2		NEvns ph	1 0 0 0
M.Diaz lf	2 0 0 0		Thole c	3 0 1 0
Ankiel cf	1 0 0 0		LHrndz 2b	2 1 1 1
THudsn p	2 0 0 0		J.Arias 2b	1 0 0 0
Venters p	0 0 0 0		Gee p	2 0 0 0
Glaus ph	1 0 0 0		Carter ph	1 0 0 0
Wagner p	0 0 0 0		PFelicn p	0 0 0 0
		Parnell p	0 0 0 0
		Takhsh p	0 0 0 0
Totals	32 4 8 4		Totals	31 2 7 2

Atlanta	010	200	001—4
New York	001	010	000—2

DP_Atlanta 3, New York 1. LOB_Atlanta 5, New York 4. 2B_McCann (23), McLouth (12), Ale.Gonzalez 2 (15), Duda (4). HR_McLouth (6), Jos.Reyes (11), Lu.Hernandez (2). SB_Pagan (35), D.Wright (19). S_T.Hudson.

	IP	H	R ER BB SO
Atlanta
T.Hudson W,16-8	7	6	2	2	1	7
Venters H,22	1	1	0	0	0	0
Wagner S,35-42	1	0	0	0	0	3
New York
Gee L,1-1	7	6	3	3	3	3
P.Feliciano	1	0	0	0	0	1
Parnell	1-3	2	1	1	0	0
Takahashi	2-3	0	0	0	0	0

HBP_by T.Hudson (Duda).

Umpires_Home, Gary Darling; First, Bruce Dreckman; Second, Paul Emmel; Third, Bill Hohn.

T_2:28. A_33,051 (41,800).

Panel pushes nursing-home help on AIDS

Barriers should be removed to make it easier for AIDS victims tobe cared for in nursing homes, the Illinois AIDS InterdisciplinaryCouncil said yesterday.

Dr. Renslow Sherer Jr., council chairman and head of the AIDSclinic in Cook County Hospital, described nursing-home care as "oneof the great unmet needs" for victims of acquired immune deficiencysyndrome, a deadly breakdown of the immune system, and AIDS-relatedcomplex, a condition that sometimes develops into AIDS.

Dr. Ronald Shansky, chairman of a council committee dealing withnursing homes, said the lack of nursing-home beds for AIDS patientsresults in some patients being unnecessarily hospitalized, …

Japan factory output gains for 2nd month

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's industrial production rose for a second straight month as factories continued to recover after the sharp downturn from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the government said Wednesday.

Industrial output rose 5.7 percent in May from the previous month, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry report. In April, production was up 1.6 percent.

The May production numbers were lower than the government's rosier forecast of 8 percent rise for the month.

Still, the improvement adds to signs that the world's No. 3 economy is rebuilding after the disaster damaged factories and disrupted manufacturing supply chains. Industrial production …

Ill. justices testify in lawsuit against paper

GENEVA, Ill. - In a rare appearance on the witness stand Tuesday,current and former Illinois Supreme Court justices testified in acolleague's $7.7 million dollar libel case against a suburban Chicagonewspaper.

Chief Justice Robert Thomas, a former kicker for the ChicagoBears, alleges that the Geneva-based Kane County Chronicle libeledhim and damaged his reputation in a series of articles three yearsago.

Former Chronicle columnist Bill Page wrote in 2003 that Thomas hadsoftened his position in a disciplinary hearing for former KaneCounty State's Attorney Meg Gorecki after her supporters backed ajudicial candidate he favored.

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Rita …

Ill. justices testify in lawsuit against paper

GENEVA, Ill. - In a rare appearance on the witness stand Tuesday,current and former Illinois Supreme Court justices testified in acolleague's $7.7 million dollar libel case against a suburban Chicagonewspaper.

Chief Justice Robert Thomas, a former kicker for the ChicagoBears, alleges that the Geneva-based Kane County Chronicle libeledhim and damaged his reputation in a series of articles three yearsago.

Former Chronicle columnist Bill Page wrote in 2003 that Thomas hadsoftened his position in a disciplinary hearing for former KaneCounty State's Attorney Meg Gorecki after her supporters backed ajudicial candidate he favored.

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Rita …

New Kennedy-King campus opened

Built with the help of more than 30 student carpenters, laborers and plumbers, the City Colleges of Chicago unveiled its first new college facility in 15 years. The site of the former Englewood shopping center at 63rd and Halsted is now home to Kennedy-King College.

The 40-acre school was dedicated yesterday to the students who helped build it.

Kennedy-King's six-building campus includes "the Washburne Culinary Institute and its new restaurant, Harmony; state-of-the-art radio and television studios and a daycare center," Clyde El-Amin, Kennedy-King College's president, told the crowd of nearly 200 people gathered in front of the new school.

El-Amin and Wayne D. …

Recent Findings from Xiamen University Highlight Research in Hepatocellular Cancer.

Researchers in Xiamen, People's Republic of China conducted a study "To investigate the surgical outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with biliary tumor thrombi (BTT). Surgical outcome of 27 HCC patients with BTT (group I) were compared with randomly selected HCC patients without BTT (group II; n = 270)."

"One patient in group I died of hepatic failure within 30 days after resection. The 1-, 3- and 5-year cumulative survival rates of group I were 70.3%, 25.9%, and 7.4%, respectively; these were significantly lower than those of group II (90.6%, 54.0%, and 37.7%) (P <0.001). The rates of early recurrence (<= 1 year) after resection were significantly higher …

A PRESSING NEED FOR A SURCHARGE.(Business)

You might not have noticed, but Kem Cleaners has a note on its dry-cleaning invoices that says your bill includes a ``temporary 10 percent energy surcharge.''

A two-piece suit dry-cleaned at the Slingerlands store at a cost of $13.40, for instance, had a $1.34 energy surcharge. The final bill was $14.74.

This isn't a new thing for Kem, which operates 15 stores in the Capital Region, or other cleaners across the country. Most use a tremendous amount of oil or natural gas to run their high-pressure boilers, said Alan Spielvogel, director of technical services for the National Cleaners Association in New York City, and dry cleaners are putting in a surcharge or raising …

Adam Cvijanovic. (exhibit at Richard Anderson Fine Arts)(Reviews)

Adam Cvijanovic's installation was a delightful surprise: at once a visual pleasure and a commentary on the politics of viewing. The artist compiled an impressive series of representational paintings that borrow heavily from the Romantic tradition. But the work is hardly pastiche; rather, it attempts to reconcile theories of the nature and purpose of art with its seductive properties.

In the tiny storefront gallery, painted bright white, 18 delicate, grisaille paintings of erupting volcanoes ranged across the walls, forming a large and colorful imaginary landscape, complemented by a painting of a volcano over the entry door, and another of a black odalisque in a gilt …

Orender: WNBA won't rush to add SF Bay Area team

SEATTLE (AP) — WNBA commissioner Donna Orender said the league remains interested in putting a franchise in the San Francisco area, but will not rush the process.

Speaking to reporters prior to Sunday's first game of the WNBA finals between the Seattle Storm and the Atlanta Dream, Orender said the league will be taking a closer look at that region during the upcoming offseason.

"There's lots of discussion — I would call it quiet discussion — in the Bay Area," Orender said. "There are several interested ownership groups. I think we've made the decision to take it slow and let them find their way and put together their funding and put together how they want to do business on …

Bradley selects Albeck

Former Bulls coach Stan Albeck today will be named basketballcoach at Bradley University.

Sources said the key to getting Albeck was a contract that allowshim to coach at Bradley for as long as he wishes.

They said Bradley worked hard to get Albeck because it needed acoach with his credentials in the wake of the scandal that broughtdown NCAA penalties and threats by key players to leave the program.

"I'm happy for Stan," said vice president operations chief JerryKrause, who fired Albeck three months ago after the Bulls finished30-52. "I think he'll do a good job."

Albeck, 54, replaces Dick Versace, who took an assistant's jobwith the Detroit …

Rating actions.(Ratings)

This edition reflects all financial strength rating changes--assignments, changes or placed under review--that occurred for life, health and property/casualty insurers domiciled in North America, as well as international insurance companies, since this section last appeared in the October 2010 edition of Best's Review.

See page 25 for the current Guide to Best's Financial Strength Ratings or visit the A.M. Best Co. website at www.ambest.com/ratings/guide.html for detailed rating definitions. The A.M. Best rating of any company and basic company information also are available free of charge at www.ambest.com/ratings/access.html.

Ratings ChangedRating                                        Current   PreviousAction   Company Name & Domicile       AMB#   Rating    Rating                         U.S. Life/HealthNew      American Retirement Life     08831   B++       NR-3           Insurance Co         OhioNew      CIGNA Health and Life        06871   A         NR-2           Insurance Co         Connecticut+        Investors Insurance          06583   A         A           Corporation         Delaware+        SCOR Global Life Re           60212  A         A           Insurance Co TX         Texas+        SCOR Global Life              60575  A         A           Reinsurance Co of Amer … 

Power sources.(Nongovernmental organizations)(rules governing property and casualty insurance industry, securities industry and rating agencies (Securities))(Brief article)

Nongovernmental organizations wield de facto authority, often channeled through government agencies.

FINANCIAL INDUSTRY REGULATORY AUTHORITY (www.finra.org)

Formerly the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), FINRA, created in July 2007, is the largest nongovernmental regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States, overseeing nearly 5,100 brokerage firms, about 173,000 branch offices and more than 669,000 registered securities representatives.

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD (www.fasb.org)

Maintains generally accepted accounting principles used by publicly traded companies. Generally, filings with the …

ON THIS DATE...(LIFE & LEISURE)

Byline: Associated Press

Today is Wednesday, March 10, the 69th day of 1999. There are 296 days left in the year. In 1949, Nazi wartime broadcaster Mildred E. Gillars, also known as ``Axis Sally,'' was convicted in Washington, D.C., of treason. She served 12 years in prison. Ten years ago: One day after the Senate rejected the defense secretary nomination of John Tower, President Bush announced he …

After Captain Cook: The Archaeology of the Recent Indigenous Past in Australia.(Book review)

After Captain Cook: The Archaeology of the Recent Indigenous Past in Australia. R. Harrison and C. Williamson, eds. Walnut Creek: AltaMira, 2004. 231 pp. + xx. 54 b/w illustrations; 4 tables; index. $32.95 softcover. ISBN 0759106576.

This volume is the international edition of a published session at the Australian Archaeological Association (AAA) conference in 2000. It was originally issued under the same title through the University of Sydney in 2002. It was selected as one of the first volumes in a new World Archaeological Congress (WAC) Indigenous Archaeology series, which, in the words of the series editors' foreword, "is committed to ... the empowerment of Indigenous peoples." Aside from this foreword and some administrivia in the front papers--and an attractive new cover--the two volumes are identical. Before saying anything more, I should declare that I am WAC secretary but play no role in the publication of this series.

Following the volume editors' scene-setting introduction, "Too Many Captain Cooks?" there are ten chapters and an epilogue organized into three major groups reflecting areas of research concentration. The first group comprises chapters by Ferrier on contact-period material culture, Harrison investigating the archaeology of the pastoral industry (ranching), Lydon analyzing settler photography at an Aboriginal reserve, and Williamson discussing contact-period archaeology in Tasmania. The second group, on indigenous land rights, includes only two papers, one by Riches and the other by Veth and McDonald. The former is about how archaeology might help remedy shortfalls of Native Title legislation, the latter about archaeology and "exclusive possession" (i.e., defining group boundaries and cultural continuity through space and time). The final major section deals with ways in which heritage …

3 African armies strike at Uganda rebels in Congo

Three African armies have launched an offensive against Ugandan rebels based in eastern Congo in an attempt to end one of the continent's longest and most brutal wars, military officials said Monday.

Uganda, southern Sudan and Congo attacked the Lord's Resistance Army bases Sunday and wiped out the main camp used by the rebels' elusive leader, Joseph Kony, in Congo, said Col. Leon-Richard Kasonga, spokesman for Congo's army.

"We set it on fire," Kasonga said.

There was no immediate word on casualties. Lambert Mende, a spokesman for the government of Congo, said he could not confirm whether Kony was there at the time of the attack.

…

Questions & Answers

1. Why is smoking a risk factor for premature birth and low birth weight?

The nicotine in tobacco causes narrowing of blood vessels in the placenta which provides vital nourishment to the developing fetus. The inadequate nourishment impairs growth and development of the growing baby, resulting in complications such as premature birth and low birth weight.

2. Does obesity impact the health and survival of the baby?

Compared to lean women, obese pregnant women have a higher risk of developing the following: gestational diabetes (diabetes of pregnancy), preeclampsia (hypertension of pregnancy), an overweight baby at the time of delivery, and an increased chance of …

Chapel Hill.(Triangle)

CHAPEL HILL--UNC Health Care formally rejected Raleigh-based WakeMed's $750 million hostile bid to …

2 real estate offices merge in Saratoga Springs.(Business)

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Two top-selling Capital Region real estate offices - both in Saratoga Springs and owned by Realty USA - have merged.

Revelle Real Estate, managed by Dan and Kathleen Revelle, joined forces last month with the office managed by Geraldine Abrams.

Abrams and Kathleen Revelle say …

NEW ROTTERDAM COMPTROLLER TO BE APPOINTED WEDNESDAY.(Local)

Byline: Marv Cermak Staff writer

Thomas B. Milner will be appointed town comptroller and budget officer at Wednesday's

Town Board meeting.

Supervisor James A. Constantino said Monday that Milner will receive an annual salary of $40,000.

Milner will be replacing Debra M. Bradt, who resigned effective Feb. 29.

"We are very pleased to be able to attract someone of Milner's caliber and credentials," Constantino said.

"Most of his experience was gained while working directly for government or while serving as a paid consultant to government organizations."

Constantino said there were 15 applicants for the position. …

Afghan presidential election set for Aug 20

Afghanistan's election commission said Thursday that the country's presidential election will be held Aug. 20, when voters around the country will decide whether to keep President Hamid Karzai on the job.

The election falls due this year in the spring, according to the Afghan constitution, but Azizullah Loden, the head of the country's Independent Election Commission, said the security situation is not strong enough to hold elections then.

Loden said that additional international forces would arrive in the coming months, and that their presence would improve security and allow the vote to be held. U.S. military leaders have said that up to 30,000 new American …