WORLD at 0400 GMT

NEW THIS DIGEST:

SYRIA. Dozens killed in bloodiest day of Syria uprising

LIBYA. McCain wants increased support for Libya's rebels

THAILAND-CAMBODIA-CLASH. Fighting resumes along Thailand-Cambodia border

NIGERIA-ELECTION. Nigeria violence an echo of nation's bloody past

HAITI-ELECTIONS. US diplomats question Haiti's lawmaker elections

IVORY COAST-MILITARY. Ivorian leader orders warlord to lay down arms

AFGHANISTAN. NATO: Key figure from Qaida-linked group captured

YEMEN. Largest Yemen protests fill boulevard in capital

LIBYA-TRIPOLI. Growing discontent, armed attacks in Tripoli

TOP STORIES:

SYRIA

BEIRUT — Syrian …

Sexton kicks Ireland to 15-10 win over S. Africa

Jonathan Sexton kicked all Ireland's points to give his team a 15-10 win over world champion South Africa on Saturday.

The 24-year-old flyhalf landed five of his seven kicks to justify his selection ahead of record scorer Ronan O'Gara and give his side a third straight win over the Springboks.

South Africa did score the only try of the match through Schalk Burger but was lucky to keep 15 men on the field for the whole game as its discipline crumbled under pressure.

Ireland has now completed its November internationals unbeaten. It drew 20-20 with Australia and defeated Fiji 41-6.

South Africa heads home with only a win over Italy to …

Daly must walk alone to defeat his demons

Agood rule of thumb is that the person to blame is the one whodoesn't return your calls. I'm talking about the PGA Tour here.

A commissioner or assistant or at least a spokesperson issupposed to call to discuss why the tour never did anything aboutJohn Daly when he admitted in October that he was drinking again - ifonly a few beers at a time.

Look, when a guy with an alcohol problem - who already has driedout once - says he is drinking "socially," somebody needs to say ordo something. But the phone is quiet; the PGA isn't calling.I'm talking about Daly's friends here. Presumably, when you dosomething socially, you're not doing it alone. That means someoneclose …

Pondexter lifts Liberty past Fever, 81-80

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Cappie Pondexter scored 21 points, including the winning jumper with 8.1 seconds left to give the New York Liberty an 81-80 victory over the Indiana Fever on Friday night.

Plenette Pierson added 13 points for the Liberty (2-0), who won after squandering an 18-point lead in the second half.

Katie Douglas had 27 points and Tamika Catchings added 13 points and six rebounds for the Fever (1-1). Douglas was 10 for 18 from the field, including a career high-tying six 3-pointers.

Briann January's 3-pointer gave Indiana an 80-79 lead with 23 seconds to go — the Fever's first advantage since the second quarter.

After Pondexter put the Liberty back ahead, …

Bangladesh, Zimbabwe expect good fight

Having now played together for four years, Zimbabwe are a far tougher proposition than they used to be, Bangladesh cricket captain Mohammad Ashraful said on Friday.

"The players of this team (Zimbabwe) have been together for four years, they are now a much stronger side," Ashraful said ahead of the start of a triangular one-day internationals series which begins Saturday between Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

However, Ashraful remains confident of his team's chances.

"We can beat any team, not only Zimbabwe, if we can play our best," Ashraful said.

Zimbabwe skipper Prosper Utseya said his team was now more …

High school girls basketball regionals

CLASS AAA

Region 1

Wheeling Park 61, Parkersburg 58

Region 2

Hampshire 45, Martinsburg 35

Region 3

Fairmont Senior 55, Morgantown 49

Region 4

At Lincoln

Elkins 65, Robert C. Byrd 26

Region 5

Nicholas County 56, Princeton 32

Region 6

Capital 51, Ripley 31

Region 7

Nitro 78, Logan 44

Region 8

Huntington 81, Hurricane 44

State tournament

At Charleston Civic Center

First round

Wednesday, March 7

11:45 a.m. -Capital (21-2) vs. Huntington (22-2)

7:45 p.m. -Fairmont Senior (22-2) vs. Wheeling Park (18-6)

Thursday, March …

Regulators seek comment on changes to call report data

Comment is requested by federal regulators on proposed revisions to the reports of condition and income. The proposal, which has been approved by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, represents the agencies' first set of revisions to the content of the call report since March 2002 that would significantly affect banks of all sizes. The proposed changes would take effect as of the March 31, 2006, report date.

In developing this proposal, the FDIC, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Reserve Board have considered a range of potential information needs, particularly in the areas of credit risk, liquidity and liabilities, and have identified …

Richards leads Flyers to 5-4 shootout win

Mike Richards scored the only goal in the shootout and assisted on goals by Ossi Vannanen, Braydon Coburn and Mike Knuble, leading the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night.

Martin Biron, who shut out Anaheim the last time the teams met on Feb. 2 at Philadelphia, improved his career record against the Ducks to 8-0-0 with 23 saves. Josh Gratton scored his first goal of the season for the Flyers, who tied the idle New York Rangers for first place in the Atlantic Division.

Andrew Ebbett scored his first NHL goal on his 26th birthday, and Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf each had a goal and an assist for the Ducks. Rob Niedermayer …

Now we know what Khomeini wants...

In the hot Iraqi spring of 1973, I found myself one of thehandful of Westerners ever to set foot in Shiite Islam's holiestshrine, Karbala. With incredible stupidity, I did not realize thatthe mosque, like Mecca, was forbidden to "infidels."

Suddenly, there I stood. Thanks be to all gods that I waswrapped from head to toe in the black "abaya" robe that in this casehid my foreignness. Every once in a while, a few blond hairs wouldsneak out, and I would quickly push them back under the protectivegown.

I would have been in serious danger except for the presence ofthe 300-pound Iraqi police chief sent with me by the government. AsI looked around at the faces of the …

Bush to Pick Mukasey As Attorney General

WASHINGTON - Michael Mukasey, President Bush's pick to replace Alberto Gonzales as attorney general, is not expected to prompt the confirmation battle that Senate Democrats threatened to wage if a more partisan nominee was chosen.

The retired federal judge from New York has received endorsements in the past from liberals, including one of the Senate's most liberal Democrats. And while some legal conservatives have expressed reservations about his record on the federal bench, other conservatives are happy about the decision Bush was expected to announce Monday.

The White House refused to comment on the Mukasey nomination, which was confirmed Sunday night by a person …

Jackson leads Seattle past Sacramento 80-70

Playing her first home game since re-signing with Seattle in the offseason, Lauren Jackson scored 25 points to lead the Storm to an easy 80-70 win over Sacramento on Sunday night.

A free agent after last season, the two-time MVP chose to remain in Seattle. Jackson scored Seattle's first eight points as the Storm swept a home-and-home with Sacramento to start the season.

Seattle beat the Monarchs 71-61 on Saturday in Sacramento. Jackson scored 23 in that victory.

With fans showing up with countless signs thanking Jackson for remaining in Seattle instead of accepting an offer to go to Phoenix, the Australian star didn't disappoint her adopted …

Might write marke right? // Poll to take toll of Hawks

It's that time again: time to write off another season for theBlack Hawks.

For this season's poll, the Chicago Sun-Times has an addedattraction. Fans can vote on the top man in the Hawks' management,owner and president William Wirtz.

Lots of your favorites are on this year's ballot once again,including general manager Bob Pulford and defenseman Behn Wilson toname just a couple.

After making what were termed major changes, the Hawks rolled up69 points during the regular season. They finished 17th over all inthe 21-team NHL, third in the Norris Division. They were knocked outof the first playoff round for the third straight year. They lost totheir third …

Morgan St. slips past Howard 31-30 in overtime

Keith Lee scored on a 3-yard run to help Morgan State beat Howard 31-30 in double overtime on Saturday.

Devan James rushed for 219 yards and two touchdowns on 36 carries, and Lee finished with 29 yards on 8 carries for the Bears (4-3, 2-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference).

Floyd Haigler completed 19 of 38 passes for 208 yards with four touchdowns and an interception for the Bison (1-5, 0-3).

After Lee's touchdown, Flyod Ramon connected with Ray Ray McElrathbey on an 8-yard pass to pull the Bison within one but missed the extra point attempt to end the game.

Jeremy Glover connected with Robert Surratt on a 5-yard touchdown pass, and James Meade's 27-yard field goal gave Morgan State a 10-0 lead in the opening quarter that would hold until halftime.

Howard answered in the third, as Haigler connected with Arlandus Hood on a 20-yard pass and Willie Carter on a 2-yard score that put Howard ahead 14-10 going into the fourth.

James' 32-yard touchdown run at the start of the final quarter put the Bears ahead, but Wolff's 21-yard field goal as time expired sent the game to overtime with the score 17-17.

Haigler hit Daley Gunter for an 11-yard touchdown, and Morgan State answered with James' 4-yard rushing score to send the game into double overtime tied at 24-24.

Officials to Tour Bay Oil Spill Damage

Coast Guard investigators on Sunday were trying to determine whether a cargo ship's speed and possible communication problems led to a collision that resulted in the San Francisco Bay's worst oil spill in nearly two decades.

A preliminary Coast Guard investigation found that human error, not mechanical failure, caused the ship to sideswipe a support on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

"One of the things we are looking at, as with any investigation with the weather conditions we saw _ specifically heavy fog _ would be what speed was the ship traveling and was that appropriate given the visibility at the time," Coast Guard Cmdr. Brendan McPherson said Sunday.

The Cosco Busan's collision with the bridge Wednesday left a gash nearly 100 feet long on the side of the 926-foot vessel and ruptured two of the vessel's fuel tanks, causing about 58,000 gallons of heavy bunker fuel to leak into the bay. The spill has killed dozens of sea birds and spurred the closure of nearly two dozen beaches and piers.

Investigators were focusing on possible communication problems between the ship's crew, the pilot guiding the vessel and the Vessel Traffic Service, the Coast Guard station that monitors the bay's shipping traffic.

Coast Guard Cmdr. Andrew Wood said because the ship collided with a fixed object offered clear evidence that a communication problem had occurred.

A language barrier between the vessel's pilot, Capt. John Cota, and the ship's all-Chinese crew was not likely a factor in the crash, since the ship's captain and officers are required to speak English, officials said.

The National Transportation Safety Board arrived Sunday to launch its own investigation. The agency will look at everything from how fatigued the ship's crew and captain were to any mechanical or weather issues that may have been involved in the accident, said Debbie Hersman, an NTSB spokeswoman.

The NTSB's investigation, expected to take up to a year, also will examine the initial response by the Coast Guard and the company who owns the vessel, Hersman said.

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., have both called for swift and thorough investigations of the spill, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency.

Feinstein met with Coast Guard officials Sunday and said the system for responding to spills needed to be improved, especially communication with communities where toxic sludge began washing up on beaches shortly after the crash.

"There were a lot of unusual things such as weather, but that should not excuse this," Feinstein said. "It's clear that the cities around the bay should have been brought into this faster than they were."

Feinstein said she was reserving judgment about whether criminal charges should be filed until the investigation is complete.

Rear Adm. Craig Bone, the Coast Guard's top official in California, defended the Coast Guard's response, blaming dense fog for delays that hampered efforts to launch helicopters and deploy cleanup equipment after the spill.

Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen was scheduled to arrive from Washington, D.C., later Sunday to take an aerial tour of the damage.

Efforts to clean up the mess intensified over the weekend. The Coast Guard increased the number of ships to 20 from 11 to work on skimming the oil from the bay, said Petty Officer Sherri Eng.

Nearly 20,000 gallons of oily liquid had been sucked up so far, and about 770 workers have taken part in cleanup efforts on the water and along beaches to mop up the damage _ a job that is expected to last weeks or possibly months.

Rescue teams raced to save hundreds of seabirds tarred with black shipping fuel. At least 60 birds were found dead while 200 live birds were recovered and sent to a rehabilitation center in Solano County.

___

Associated Press writer Erica Werner in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.

Dutch tanker spills 2,000 liters (528 gallons) of diesel in Rhine and canal, German police say

A damaged Dutch tanker spilled about 2,000 liters (528 gallons) of diesel as it traveled up the Rhine River into Germany, police said Thursday.

The crew of the vessel, which was carrying 1,100 tons of diesel, noticed it had sprung a leak on Wednesday as it navigated a lock near Wesel, western Germany, where a canal splits off from the river.

Divers found a 10-centimeter (4-inch) tear in the ship's hull, which they sealed. The crew was able to prevent further leakage by pumping some of the ship's load into undamaged tanks.

Police in Duisburg said initial investigations suggested the vessel was gashed, apparently by having touched the riverbed, somewhere between the port of Rotterdam and Wesel.

Authorities planned to move the tanker to a nearby harbor and pump out the remaining oil.

Penny Wise ; He is fanatical about waking up at 5:30 a.m. and hitting either the gym or the jogging track.

He is fanatical about waking up at 5:30 a.m. and hitting eitherthe gym or the jogging track.

"The mornings are the happiest part of the day. My wife oftensays that if she asks me to do something in the morning, it getsdone," says Omprakash Kuckian, 41. And he brings the same fanaticismto some of the things he does while managing the Reliance RegularSavings (Equity): one is to never chase a price momentum.

"I am ready to take a time risk but never a price risk," explainsKuckian. He would rather wait for a stock that he can buy at a lowerprice than go for it when there is a rally in its price. A costaccountant by training, Kuckian has some impressive numbers behindhim. According to Value Research, the Reliance Regular Savings(Equity) fund showed a 40.5 per cent return in its best month in May-June 2009. The pure equity fund is a mix of large- and mid-capstocks.

"We always try to pick up large caps when there is an aberrationin their price. An external issue or a bad quarter can lead themarkets to punish a large cap stock. I look at these asopportunities as you cannot write off these stocks on the basis ofisolated events," explains Kuckian. For instance, the fund took abet on the information technology sector and benefited when ITstocks bounced back.

This cricket buff loves travelling and takes his family on twovacations overseas every year. "When your family is happy, there iscomfort in your mind," he adds.

WINNER: Omprakash Kuckian

FUND: Reliance Regular Savings (Equity)

FUND TYPE: Equity/ Multi Cap

FUND MANAGER SINCE: November 2007

3-YEAR ANNUALISED RETURNS: 19.56%

INVESTING STRATEGY: Wait for a decline to buy large-cap stocksand stay with them

RUNNER-UP 1 : Swati Kulkarni, UTI Dividend Yield

RUNNER-UP 2 : Atul Kumar, Quantum Long Term Equity

Compost training programs

Olds College offers both a Composting Technology Diploma and Certificate programs through its Composting Technology Centre. The average age of last year's students was 29, with some looking to further their careers and others embarking upon second careers in such fields as manure management, municipal waste management and forestry. Others are intent on making their mark as entrepreneurs. Although the college is obligated to consider local students first, those tentatively enrolled for the fall of 1997 include students from Italy and the United Kingdom.

The programs blend scientific, biological and soils instruction with communications skills, computer science, entrepreneurship, marketing, negotiation and business plan writing. A 14acre composting site at Olds College gives students experience with composting methods and equipment, from mid-scale windrow turners to in-vessel units. "The highlight of both programs is the level of hands-on work," says Tom Clark, composting project manager. Students learn from applied research with industry representatives along with campus, municipal and industry pilot programs, accessing the projects and even developing their own. One student is working on campus with institutional collection and composting trials, from source separation and diversion in the cafeteria to studying the compostability of the material, Clark explains.

Enrollment in each of the certificate and degree programs has been limited to 12 so the college can track students' job prospects and ensure they obtain employment. "We don't want to make it wide open until we know students are going into their chosen area and obtaining a high level of employment," Clark says. All those who enrolled last year obtained summer jobs and many already have offers pending graduation. "The sooner we get folks out there who are better educated and trained, the better for the whole industry," he adds.

Religion today

When Randy Brown visited Hispanic Pentecostal congregations in Southern California, he was stunned by displays of Star-of-David flags, fervent prayers for peace in Israel and Hebrew words in their church names.

Brown, an executive with the American Jewish Committee, saw an opportunity to build Jewish-Latino relations and combat anti-Semitism among the immigrants, who generally have little exposure to Jews in their predominantly Roman Catholic native countries.

"I was amazed at the affinity these congregations have for Israel," recalled Brown, director of interreligious affairs for the Los Angeles chapter of the Jewish advocacy group. "I wanted to take this to the next level."

The Los Angeles office has since worked to forge new bonds: They recently took a group of Pentecostal Hispanic pastors to Israel, offered a course called "The Essence of Judaism" at a Southern California Pentecostal seminary, and invited Hispanic pastors and their families to Passover seders and Sukkot harvest celebrations.

"We have many things in common," said pastor Ramiro Lopez of the Iglesia Vida Abundante in San Bernardino. "Now I can understand Israel from more than a biblical perspective and I have more of a commitment to Israel."

While Latino immigrants in the U.S. are mostly Catholic, evangelicals comprise a notable 15 percent of the population, according to a recent study by the Pew Hispanic Project and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Many are Pentecostal, one of the fastest-growing streams of world Christianity, known for spirit-filled worship and speaking in tongues.

A 2007 survey by the Anti-Defamation League found a higher-rate of anti-Semitic views among foreign-born Latinos than among U.S.-born Hispanics. Twenty-nine percent of Latinos born elsewhere harbor anti-Jewish views, while the rate for Hispanics born in the country _ and for the U.S. population in general _ was 15 percent, the study found.

The 2007 numbers are slightly lower than those in a 2005 survey, but Jewish leaders are worried all the same, especially as Latin Americans are expected to become 29 percent of the national population by 2050.

"Clearly, it was disturbing," said Michael Salberg, director of international affairs for the New York-based Jewish civil rights group.

Latin American countries are overwhelmingly Roman Catholic and are steeped in a five-century-old tradition of a church that wields much influence. With the exception of Argentina, Jewish communities in Latin America are tiny and tend to keep a low profile.

By contrast, U.S. Jewish and Catholic leaders have held high-level interfaith talks for years. Several Catholic colleges in the country have centers for Jewish-Catholic understanding, and U.S. bishops heavily emphasize the Second Vatican Council teaching that Jews are not collectively responsible for the Crucifixion. That outlook influences not just Catholics, but also other Christians in the U.S.

Pastor Tony Solorzano, who heads the Iglesia Llamada Final, a 5,000-member congregation in Downey and Inglewood, said some Latinos simply need more education about Judaism to dispel stereotypes. Some consider Jews "Christ-killers."

"Not many think that way, but some have heard this," Lopez said. "We tell them there's a plan according to God's will. We have to be grateful to the Jewish people because Jesus was Jewish."

Pentecostals, who interpret the Bible literally, believe God promised the Jewish people the historic land of Israel. Many consider the modern state of Israel a fulfillment of biblical prophecy _ and a precondition of the second coming of Jesus Christ.

They often cite a passage from Genesis where God makes a covenant with Abraham that those who bless Abraham's people will be blessed, those who curse his people will be cursed.

"I really believe that promise," Lopez said. "Every day we pray for Jerusalem with our hands to the east."

Jewish leaders are building on Pentecostal pro-Israel sentiment to dispel stereotypes between both groups. Many Jewish groups in recent years have accepted such support without questioning the theology behind it, which says that all people, including Jews, will ultimately accept Christ.

"It's a new and emerging connection that didn't exist with the Catholic Church," said Salberg of the Anti-Defamation League.

Pentecostal congregations, often housed in storefronts filled with rows of folding chairs, have become fixtures in Latino neighborhoods across the United States, as well as Latin America. Pastors tend to be influential opinion-makers in their congregations and some, like Lopez, have radio programs or stations, expanding their reach.

At the Latin University of Theology in Torrance, which trains Pentecostal pastors, many of the students in Brown's Spanish-language "Essence of Judaism" course hail from Latin American countries. He hopes they'll return home with new knowledge about Jews and Judaism to change negative images and misperceptions.

Nationally, the American Jewish Committee has formed a Latino and Latin American Institute, and in 2001 convened the first Latino-Jewish Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., to discuss common policy concerns such as immigration. Along with the Los Angeles office, several local chapters of the nonprofit are reaching out to Latinos, according to Ken Bandler, the group's national spokesman.

Pastor Richard Escobedo holds two sessions weekly to pray for Israel at his 500-member Centro Palabra de Fe church in Compton, where he has an Israeli flag on display, has held Passover seders and preaches that "love thy neighbor" includes Jews and others. Many Pentecostals wear Star of David pendants and other paraphernalia, he said.

Engaging with Jews, he said, "is opening our eyes to how Jesus himself was taught."

Church shooting victim drops death penalty support

One of the injured victims of Sunday's church shooting rampage in Tennessee says the tragedy has ended his support for the death penalty.

Retired philosophy professor Joe Barnhart spoke Wednesday from a Knoxville hospital, where he's being treated for more than 20 shotgun pellets in his back, neck and head.

A longtime friend of his was one of two people killed and three of his family members were among the six wounded.

The 76-year-old says he used to support capital punishment, but now it doesn't seem the answer for what he calls "this kind of evil."

Barnhart says if suspect Jim D. Adkisson is convicted, he should "never see the light of day in an orderly society" again.

OBITUARIES: MORTON RUBIN

MORTON RUBIN

1918-2004

Morton J. Rubin, 86, died at Sibley Hospital in Washington, D.C., on 10 April 2004 from complications of hip surgery. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he was resident of Bethesda and Chevy Chase, Maryland, for most of the last 50 years. Rubin enjoyed a remarkable career in the field of meteorology, traveling to many countries and winning many honors.

Rubin began his career as a weather observer for the U.S. Weather Bureau in 1938, and was a supervisory meteorologist for Pan American Grace Airlines in Peru and Chile during the 1940s. He held many research positions at NOAA, specializing in the weather conditions of Antarctica and the Southern Hemisphere. In 1954 he worked on a project in South Africa with the South African Weather Service. During the mid-to-late 1950s, he made several trips to Antarctica, including a 16-month project as a U.S. scientist at the Russian base on the continent. His son Richard said, "This was one of the biggest adventures of my father's very adventurous life. He was always good at languages, so learning Russian wasn't that much of a challenge. We received letters from him every month or so, filled with stories of all he saw and did."

In the early 1970s Rubin retired from NOAA as a senior scientist and became a scientific officer for the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, a position from which he retired in 1982. He held numerous positions with professional societies, edited many books, and wrote many scientific papers on Antarctic meteorology and the weather of polar regions. Rubin received his bachelor's degree from The Pennsylvania State University and his master's degree in meteorology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

A member of the Cosmos Club, Rubin received many other honors for his distinguished scientific career. The Australian government named Mt. Rubin in Antarctica in his honor. He also received a diploma from the Russian Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Department of Commerce Silver Medal.

Richard Rubin said, "My dad was such a positive person. Even during his last year when he was not able to do the things he loved to do, like taking walks in Chevy Chase or going to the Cosmos Club with his wife, Rosa, he still talked about how grateful he felt to have such a full life."

Rubin is survived by his wife, Rosa Dockett Rubin of Chevy Chase, whom he married in 1975; son, Richard of Baltimore, Maryland; son, John of Vancouver, British Columbia; daughter, Mary Sue of Lutherville, Maryland; brother, Harry of Hinesville, Georgia; two stepchildren, David Howe and Diana Howe of Australia; ten grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. His first wife, Goldie Possoff Rubin, died in 1972.

-BOB WHITE

Raines, Justice Head Hall Candidates

Tim Raines and David Justice head 11 first-time candidates on the baseball writers' 2008 Hall of Fame ballot, joining Mark McGwire, Rich Gossage, Jim Rice and 11 other holdovers.

McGwire, his candidacy hurt by suspicions of steroids use, was selected on just 23.5 percent of ballots when he was eligible for the first time in 2007.

When Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn were elected in January, Gossage fell 21 votes shy of the necessary 75 percent and Rice was 63 votes short.

Rice is on the ballot for the 14th time and Gossage for the ninth. Players can be on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot for up to 15 years.

Gossage's percentage increased from 64.6 in 2006 to 71.2 in 2007, while Rice's declined from 64.6 to 63.5. The highest percentage for a player who wasn't elected in a later year was 63.4 by Gil Hodges in 1983, his final time on the ballot.

Raines was a seven-time All-Star who played 23 seasons and batted .294 with 2,605 hits and 808 steals, fifth on the career list. He was the 1986 NL batting champion.

Justice was the 1990 NL Rookie of the Year and a three-time All-Star. He had a .279 average, 305 homers and 1,017 RBIs in 14 seasons.

Brady Anderson, Rod Beck, Shawon Dunston, Chuck Finley, Travis Fryman, Chuck Knoblauch, Robb Nen, Jose Rijo and Todd Stottlemyre also are first-time candidates. The five-year waiting rule was waived for Beck, who died June 23.

Other holdovers (with their 2007 vote percentages) include Andre Dawson (56.7), Bert Blyleven (47.7), Lee Smith (39.8), Jack Morris 202 (37.1), Tommy John (22.9), Dave Concepcion (13.6), Alan Trammell (13.4), Dave Parker (11.4), Don Mattingly (9.9), Dale Murphy (9.2) and Harold Baines (5.3).

Rijo retired after the 1995 season and appeared on the 2001 Hall ballot, when he received one vote. He then returned to the major leagues and pitched for Cincinnati in 2001 and 2002, making him eligible to go back on the ballot.

Reporters who have been in the BBWAA for 10 or more consecutive years are eligible to vote, and the totals will be announced Jan. 8. Rickey Henderson tops the players who will be eligible for the first time on the 2009 ballot.

Results of balloting for managers, umpires and executives by the newly reconstituted Veterans Committee will be announced Dec. 3 at the winter meetings.

___

On the Net:

http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/

Children kick off an appeal

Nursery children celebrated the World Cup - while their parentsfear their pre-school may have to close unless more people enrol.

Draycott Pre-school, Church Lane, held a football event lastThursday to raise awareness of the facility and encourage moreparents to take their children along.

Toddlers decked out in red and white England-themed kit enjoyed aday with the Socatots organisation, which uses ball-based activitieswith youngsters and their parents.

Pat Hewitt, pre-school manager, said: "We have been around sincethe early 1970s and yet I still have people saying 'I didn't knowyou were here'.

"We are desperate to continue, but with just five children signedup to start in September we need at least another six to make itviable."

Anyone interested in sending their child to the pre-school shouldcall 07799 180602.

Pictured, Donald Jones dribbles the ball watched by ArchieBates, Holly Bingham and Joseph Durkin.

More crime, trafficking victims apply for visas

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Immigration authorities say the number of crime and trafficking victims applying for special visas to stay in the country has increased, thanks to federal officials' outreach to local law enforcement.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials say more than 13,000 crime victims have applied for the visas so far this fiscal year, up at least 28 percent from a year earlier.

About 860 trafficking victims have applied, a 51 percent increase.

Agency official Lynn Boudreau said Thursday that many victims say they learned of the visas from local law enforcement.

Boudreau says officials have held training sessions for law enforcement in 30 cities this year.

Community advocates say sometimes law enforcement officials are still reluctant to provide paperwork required for victims to apply for crime visas.

Full House For Students

The Victoria Street-based Unite Group has announced recordoccupancy levels in its student rooms - especially in Bristol.

The company announced yesterday that 98.1 per cent of allavailable beds were occupied at the start of autumn term.

That compares with 94.8 per cent occupancy at the same time lastyear.

Take-up of rooms was particularly strong in Bristol as well as inother city centre locations in Liverpool, Manchester, Aberdeen, andLondon.

The group has more than 14,000 bedrooms in 30 towns and citiesacross the UK, with another 11,000 set for development.

It also aims to find another 8,500 beds next year to meet what itsays is a growing demand for purposebuilt student accommodation.

Nicholas Porter, chief executive officer of Unite, said: "Unite iscommitted to destroying the perception that affordable accommodationhas to be poor quality and to stamping out the need for many studentsto start their academic life in the unacceptable conditions offeredby many private landlords."

DARK LOTUS, JULY 15, KNITTING FACTORY

A few weeks ago, a BW reader, calling himself a Juggalo, called to ask why we didn't run more reviews of albums released by Michigan-based hardcore rap label Psychopathic Records. Juggalos and Juggalettes are followers of PR artists Insane Clown Posse. They are not followers in the same sense that Deadheads are. Being a Juggalo is akin to being a member of a religion. And the 20-something Juggalo reader wanted to spread the word. (He'd even recently gotten a Hatchetman-ICP's logo-tattoo in spite of his dad's warning.) Well, reader, we'll do you one better. We'll let people know that Dark Lotus is coming to town.

Dark Lotus is an amalgamation of members of PR bands not includes Jamie Madrox and Monoxide Child of Twiztid; Blaze Ya Dead Homie of well, Blaze Ya Dead Homie, and Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope of Insane Clown Posse. The group has put out several albums, the most recent of which is 2008's The Opaque Brotherhood. It, like the band's previous albums, is not family friendly fare, the explicit lyrics garnering it a parental advisory sticker. The lyrics may be enough to make even the burliest biker blush, but there's no arguing with the killer beats and melodies. So all you Juggalos, gather 'round and hear the (dirty) word. And for the original reader, well, now he'll have a place to show off his new ink.

-Amy Atkins

July 15 with Esham and Wolfpac, $21, doors at 6:30 p.m. Knitting Factory Concert House, 416 S. 9th St., 208-367-1212.

WORLD SPORTS at 1330 GMT

SOCCER:

WORLD CUP DRAW: Blatter happy everything will be ready as qualifying draw for South Africa looms

DURBAN, South Africa _ FIFA president Sepp Blatter is confident the World Cup 2010 stadiums will be built in time and the teams now know who they may or may not face in qualifying. South Africa is in the soccer spotlight as the qualifying draw looms. BC-AF-SPT-SOC--WORLD CUP DRAW. Has moved. By Robert Millward.

WITH:

_ DURBAN, South Africa _ BC-AF-SPT-SOC--WORLD CUP-SOUTH AFRICA. Has moved. By Raf Casert.

_ DURBAN, South Africa _ BC-AF-SPT-SOC--WORLD CUP DRAW-BRIEFS. Expected by 1400 GMT.

ENGLISH ROUNDUP: Top six in action as Premier League returns

LONDON _ The top six Premier League clubs are all in action after the international break, including Arsenal hosting Wigan, Manchester United at Bolton, Manchester City against Reading. Newcastle hosts Liverpool in the early match. BC-EU-SPT-SOC--ENGLISH ROUNDUP. Expected by 1500 GMT. By Krystyna Rudzki.

SPANISH ROUNDUP: Real Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla all in action

MADRID, Spain _ League leader Real Madrid plays Murcia, while FC Barcelona is at home against Recreativo Huelva. Also, Sevilla faces Mallorca. BC-EU-SPT-SOC--SPANISH ROUNDUP. Expected by 2215 GMT. By Paul Logothetis.

ITALIAN ROUNDUP: Inter hosts Atalanta, AS Roma travels to Genoa in Serie A

MILAN, Italy _ The Serie A resumes after the international break with Atalanta at league leader Inter Milan and fourth-place AS Roma at Genoa. BC-EU-SPT-SOC--ITALIAN ROUNDUP. Expected by 1930 GMT. By Andrew Roberts.

GERMAN ROUNDUP: Bayern Munich hopes to keep first place against Magath and Wolfsburg

BERLIN _ Bayern Munich's once-commanding lead is down to one point as the team hosts VfL Wolfsburg and former coach Felix Magath, who won two doubles with Bayern before he was fired in January. BC-EU-SPT-SOC--GERMAN ROUNDUP. Expected by 1800 GMT. By Roy Kammerer.

FRENCH ROUNDUP: Eight-time French champion Marseille takes on last-place Metz as it bids to avoid the relegation zone

PARIS _ Having won away at French league leader Lyon in the previous round, Marseille faces last-place Metz at home, where defeat could drop the eight-time champion into the relegation zone. Despite the 2-1 win at Lyon on Nov. 11, Marseille is in 17th place and has won only one league game at home this season. BC-EU-SPT-SOC--FRENCH ROUNDUP. Expected by 2100 GMT. By Jerome Pugmire.

ALSO:

_ GLASGOW, Scotland _ BC-EU-SPT-SOC--SCOTTISH ROUNDUP. Expected by 1800 GMT.

_ ROME _ BC-EU-SPT-SOC--ITALY-FAN KILLED. Has moved.

CRICKET:

INDIA-PAKISTAN: Spinners Kumble and Singh give India upper hand in first test

NEW DELHI _ India's spinners bowl out Pakistan's top order in its second innings, giving the hosts a narrow advantage after three days of the first test. BC-AS-SPT-CRK--INDIA-PAKISTAN. Has moved. By Sandeep Nakai.

TENNIS:

FEDERER-SAMPRAS: Sampras stuns Federer in straight sets in exhibition

MACAU _ Roger Federer, greatest ever? Not just yet, Pete Sampras says, with a straight sets upset of the No. 1 in an exhibition Saturday. BC-AS-SPT-TEN--FEDERER-SAMPRAS. Has moved. By Min Lee.

GOLF:

WORLD CUP: Weekley and Slocum keep the World Cup lead for the United States

SHENZHEN, China _Boo Weekley and Heath Slocum of the United States hold their lead at the World Cup of Golf, showing that America doesn't need the likes of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson to contend for the title. BC-AS-SPT-GLF--WORLD CUP. Has moved. By Stephen Wade.

ALSO:

_ MELBOURNE, Australia _ BC-AS-SPT-GLF--AUSTRALIAN MASTERS. Has moved.

RUGBY UNION:

WALES-SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa plays for first time since winning World Cup

CARDIFF, Wales _ South Africa plays against Wales for its first match since winning the World Cup. It's the last official game for Springboks coach Jake White and the first for new Wales coach Warren Gatland. BC-EU-SPT-RUGU--WALES-SOUTH AFRICA. Expected by 1700 GMT.

BOXING:

VARGAS-MAYORGA: Mayorga wins majority decision over Vargas

LOS ANGELES _ Ricardo Mayorga scores a majority 12-round decision over Fernando Vargas in a clash of former world champions, winning on the strength of knockdowns in the first and 11th rounds. BC-NA-SPT-BOX--VARGAS-MAYORGA. Has moved. By John Nadel.

FIGURE SKATING:

CUP OF RUSSIA: Lambiel leads narrowly over Weir heading into free skate

MOSCOW _ Less than half a point separates Stephane Lambiel and Johnny Weir heading into the free skate at the Cup of Russia. Lambiel seeks to regain the form that twice had him as world champion, and Weir tries for his second Grand Prix gold of the year. Kim Yu-na leads the women's field, ahead of Yukari Nakano. BC-EU-SPT-FIG--CUP OF RUSSIA. Expected by 1600 GMT. By Jim Heintz.

ALSO:

_ WELLINGTON, New Zealand _ BC-AS-SPT-RUGU--NEW ZEALAND-OBIT-WALSH. Has moved.

_ WELLINGTON, New Zealand _ BC-AS-SPT-CYC--ULMER RETIREMENT. Has moved.

_ CALGARY, Alberta _ BC-NA-SPT-LUG--LUGE-WORLD CUP. Has moved.

_ BEITOSTOLEN, Norway _ BC-EU-SPT-SKI--CRO-WORLD CUP. Has moved.

_ BOSTON _ BC-NA-SPT-BKB--NBA ROUNDUP. Has moved.

_ BATON ROUGE, Louisiana _ BC-NA-SPT-FBL--COLLEGE ROUNDUP. Has moved.

_ PHILADELPHIA _ BC-NA-SPT-HKY--NHL ROUNDUP. Has moved.

YOUR QUERIES: Questions and story requests are welcome. Contact your local AP bureau or the AP International Sports Desk in New York by telephone at (1) 212-621-1857, fax (1) 212-621-5449, or by e-mail at worldnews@ap.org.

India halts trains after 115 die, sabotage blamed

Railway authorities canceled all night trains in an eastern Indian state Saturday after a passenger express train derailed and was hit by a cargo train, killing at least 115 people and injuring hundreds. The government accused Maoist rebels of sabotaging the tracks.

Railway workers and paramilitary soldiers used cranes to lift and pry apart train cars to pull out more bodies from the Jnaneswari Express, which was heading from Calcutta to suburban Mumbai when it derailed early Friday.

"So far we have pulled out 115 bodies. The clearing work will continue until the light fades," said Srikumar Mukherjee, state minister for civil defense, who is overseeing rescue operations at the crash site near the small town of Sardiha, about 90 miles (150 kilometers) west of Calcutta in West Bengal state.

More than 140 people with injuries were in hospitals in towns near the accident site, officials said.

Railway officials said some bodies were still trapped between the engines of the two trains, which smashed together when the high speed passsenger train derailed and was run over by an oncoming cargo train.

Rescue workers had not yet cut open a badly smashed train car where they expected to find still more bodies, said Surojit Kar Purkayastha, a senior police officer. The work of removing the debris and pulling out the bodies was hampered by swarms of flies and the stench of corpses quickly decomposing in the humid heat, officials said.

Railway authorities said they would not run any trains at night in West Bengal for at least the next four days, when Indian Maoist rebels have called a general strike.

The area is a stronghold of the rebels, known as Naxalites, who have launched repeated and often-audacious attacks in recent months _ despite government claims of a crackdown.

Just 11 days ago, the rebels ambushed a bus in central India, killing 31 police officers and civilians. A few weeks before that, 76 soldiers were killed in a rebel ambush _ the deadliest attack by the rebels against government forces in the 43-year insurgency. There have been dozens of smaller attack.

The government vowed once again to crush the Naxalites, who Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has often described as India's biggest internal security challenge. But analysts say the government is hobbled by vacillating policies, poorly trained and ill-armed security forces and vast tracts of India where the government has little influence and where poverty has brought considerable support to the Naxalites, who claim to be fighting on behalf of the rural poor.

The rebels, who have tapped into the poor's anger at being left out of the country's economic gains, are now present in 20 of the country's 28 states and have an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 fighters, according to the Home Ministry.

"There is an absence of government. There is an absence of competence in government. There is an absence of coherence in response," said Ajai Sahni, a New Delhi-based analyst with close ties to India's security establishment. "The purpose of the Maoists is not to resolve grievances but to harvest them, and there are numerous grievances in the country to harvest."

In Sardiha, officials said the train tracks had been sabotaged but disagreed about exactly what had happened, with some saying it was caused by an explosion and others blaming cut rail lines.

A railway safety commission will meet Monday to examine all the evidence from the crash site to determine the cause of the derailment, officials said.

Bhupinder Singh, the top police official in West Bengal, said posters from the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities, a group local officials believe is closely tied to the Maoists, had been found at the scene taking responsibility for the attack.

However, a spokesman for the group, Asit Mahato, denied any role, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

The Maoists seldom claim credit for their attacks.

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said the Sardiha area had been the scene of earlier Naxalite attacks, and that trains were under orders to travel slowly through the region _ in part so that drivers can keep watch for sabotaged tracks or bombs, and in part so the effects of a crash are lessened if a train does derail.

___

Associated Press writers Tim Sullivan, Ashok Sharma, Muneeza Naqvi and Nirmala George in New Delhi contributed to this report.

Fire in Denmark kills 1; police suspect arson, arrest 2

A pre-dawn explosion and fire destroyed a restaurant in western Denmark on Friday, killing a woman who lived in the building and injuring 2 men, police said.

Police said they suspect arson and that two men were arrested, but they did not release any details about a possible motive.

The explosion destroyed a pizzeria in the town of Bramming, near Esbjerg on the Jutland peninsula.

"It was a very violent explosion," police spokesman Lorenz Matzen said.

A 29-year-old woman who lived in the apartment above the restaurant was killed, he said.

One of the injured was carried out of the burning building by bystanders; witnesses said the other jumped out of a window.

FEDERAL INMATE PLEADS GUILTY TO BRIBING PRISON GUARD.

SPRINGFIELD, IL -- The following information was released by the Springfield Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation:

On October 7, 2011, a federal prisoner housed at FCI Greenville pled guilty to bribing a U.S. Bureau of Prisons guard to smuggle contraband, including tobacco, into the prison, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.

Khalat Jamal Alama, 26, originally of Lincoln, Nebraska, pled guilty to conspiracy to bribe a federal official and bribery of a federal official. The bribery charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. The conspiracy count carries a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years' supervised release. Sentencing has been scheduled for January 26, 2012. Alama is presently serving a 188-month sentence for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and faces additional prison time as a result of these convictions.

The indictment alleged that from October 2009 through May 2011, Alama arranged for individuals outside of the prison to pay Correctional Officer Druex M. Perkins for smuggling contraband to Alama inside of the prison. Alama then resold the items for profit inside of FCI Greenville. The scheme was interrupted on May 14, 2011, when agents caught Perkins in possession of 60 cigarettes hidden inside of the crotch area of his pants that were intended for Alama after Perkins had accepted a $2,000 payment.

Perkins pled guilty on September 15, 2011, to one count of bribery by a federal official, two counts of honest services wire fraud, and two counts of making false statements to the FBI. Perkins is scheduled for sentencing on December 22, 2011.

The case was investigated by the Metro East Public Corruption Task force and agents of the FCI Greenville Special Investigations Office, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Illinois State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.

Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty to Bribing Prison Guard

a,cents

FEDERAL INMATE PLEADS GUILTY TO BRIBING PRISON GUARD.

SPRINGFIELD, IL -- The following information was released by the Springfield Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation:

On October 7, 2011, a federal prisoner housed at FCI Greenville pled guilty to bribing a U.S. Bureau of Prisons guard to smuggle contraband, including tobacco, into the prison, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.

Khalat Jamal Alama, 26, originally of Lincoln, Nebraska, pled guilty to conspiracy to bribe a federal official and bribery of a federal official. The bribery charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. The conspiracy count carries a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years' supervised release. Sentencing has been scheduled for January 26, 2012. Alama is presently serving a 188-month sentence for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and faces additional prison time as a result of these convictions.

The indictment alleged that from October 2009 through May 2011, Alama arranged for individuals outside of the prison to pay Correctional Officer Druex M. Perkins for smuggling contraband to Alama inside of the prison. Alama then resold the items for profit inside of FCI Greenville. The scheme was interrupted on May 14, 2011, when agents caught Perkins in possession of 60 cigarettes hidden inside of the crotch area of his pants that were intended for Alama after Perkins had accepted a $2,000 payment.

Perkins pled guilty on September 15, 2011, to one count of bribery by a federal official, two counts of honest services wire fraud, and two counts of making false statements to the FBI. Perkins is scheduled for sentencing on December 22, 2011.

The case was investigated by the Metro East Public Corruption Task force and agents of the FCI Greenville Special Investigations Office, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Illinois State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.

Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty to Bribing Prison Guard

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Memories of towns on tape

Memories of Aberdeenshire towns have been recorded for people tolisten to over and over again.

The Formartine Oral History Project, an initiative of theFormartine Partnership based in Ellon, has interviewed a number ofpeople about their lasting memories of the …

Rocky Mount.(Eastern)

ROCKY MOUNT -- West, an Omaha, Neb.-based corporation that answers customer-service calls for companies, added …

ALBANY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION TO MEET.(CAPITAL REGION)

ALBANY -- The Upper Washington Avenue Neighborhood Association's next meeting will be at 7 p.m. today in the YWCA at Colvin and Lincoln avenues.

The city Police Department and the security team of ADT/Radio Shack will present a 30-minute program on …

Storms ahead: Weatherman makes rude gesture on air

A British weather presenter says he's sorry after he was caught making an offensive gesture to a colleague on a live BBC broadcast.

Tomasz Schafernaker was seen raising his middle finger at news reader Simon McCoy, who had joked that weather reports were sometimes less than accurate.

The BBC said in a statement Wednesday that it apologized for the incident, …

Macro-social validation: Referencing outcomes in behavioral disorders to societal issues and problems

ABSTRACT During the past two decades, the field of special education has become politicized and fragmented as a result of internal strife and turf battles among professionals. Special education often is perceived by professionals in other fields as strife ridden, expensive, litigious, consumed with legislative mandates and court orders, and ineffective, These perceptions have damaged special education's status and hindered its ability to pursue its agenda. By association, the field of behavioral disorders also has suffered from these perceptions. We need to rededicate ourselves to empirical inquiry and use our collective expertise to find solutions to problems that are of great concern to …

Inergy: Being bigger breeds innovation.

Many suppliers find mergers a tough way to achieve economies of scale. But French fuel systems supplier Inergy believes it has found synergies in innovative ways.

Inergy was formed in August 2000 through the merger of the plastic fuel tank businesses of Belgium's Solvay and France's Plastic Omnium. The merger created a large company focused on a single point of business, says Laurent Hebenstreit, president and chief operating officer.

Inergy, which is based in Paris, has about 40 percent of the global market for plastic fuel tanks. The company's research and development costs account for 6 percent of sales - the same amount as competitors such as Kautex …

NOAHS ARK EXHIBITION TO OPEN IN BAKU.

Baku, 5 August (AzerTAc). The exhibition entitled Noahs ark will open to public at Baku Museum Center within the bound of Baku-capital of Islamic Culture 2009 year of events. The …

American focus in Dublin.(Arts-Events)

Byline: CHRIS CAROLA Associated Press

A young Richard Harris carouses with fellow actors in a pub overlooking the River Liffey. Dockworkers kill time while waiting to find out if they'll get jobs that day. Fleets of bicycling workers pedal to work. An old man sells rosary beads to supplement his pension.

These are among the black-and-white images of the Docklands in the Irish capital captured by American photographer Marvin Koner in 1963. The dozens of images Koner produced for a competition sponsored by the Eastman Kodak Co. are currently on display through March at the National Library of Ireland.

Titled "Dublin '63," the exhibition is on loan from …

Parents of child bit by pet plead guilty to desertion.(Main)

BENTON, La. - The parents of an infant whose toes were gnawed off by a family pet pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of child desertion.

Mary and Christopher Hansche also agreed to sign over their pets - a pit bull puppy and a ferret - to Bossier City for adoption. It hasn't been determined which pet bit the baby's toes off.

Judge John Robinson sentenced the couple to six months in jail, which was suspended …

Whispers.

Financial Security Assurance has named Richard Holzinger managing director of U.S. corporate finance, which encompasses the business of sureties for consumer finance, CDOs, residential mortgages and structured finance transactions. He succeeds Daniel Farrell, who has left the company. For the last six years, Holzinger has been managing director of FSA's Asian operations. That post will be filled by Michael Horn, formerly assistant general counsel in Singapore. Prior to joining FSA, Holzinger was a managing director of Bankers Trust Company in Hong Kong. That was preceded by stints at Shearson Lehman Hutton and Paine Webber Incorporated.

Emerging Issues Task Force item 03-15 was not discussed as planned at …

Trunkbow International plans $125M IPO

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Chinese cell telephone application provider Trunkbow International Holdings Ltd. said Friday it hopes to raise $125.5 million in an initial public offering.

The Beijing-based company detailed Friday in a regulatory filing that it intends to offer 16.1 million shares of stock. The shares were not priced in the initial filing.

The company was founded in 2001 by former Silicon Valley engineers, including its board chairman Hou WanChun, 44, who owns 26 percent of the company and controls another 26 percent of shares held by an investment firm.

Trunkbow lists 493 owners of common stock. It has 32.5 million shares outstanding as of Oct. 14.

San …

Errors

* In a Nov. 2 story about the West Virginia attorney general'srace, The Associated Press, relying on information from incumbentDarrell McGraw, misstated the name of a legal affairs group that isbacking a U.S. Chamber of Commerce effort to defeat him.

The group is the …

Concordia given $1 million.(RX RETAIL PHARMACY: Continuing Education)(Brief article)

Concordia University (Wisconsin) has received a $1 million anonymous donation for its new …

EDUCATION CHIEF SAYS THERE'S NO TEACHER SHORTAGE.(MAIN)

Byline: FREDREKA SCHOUTEN Gannett News Service

WASHINGTON -- The nation's teacher shortage ``is a contrived one,'' the Bush administration's top education official said Monday.

``I don't subscribe to the idea that there is a shortage of teachers,'' Education Secretary Rod Paige said. ``I think there are some systems that block people out of the teaching profession who would be wonderful teachers.''

His comments, at a meeting with Gannett News Service and USA Today, come as school districts around the country start to comply with President Bush's school reform law.

Education experts have estimated more than 2 million new teachers will be …

...Rebuilding After Another: 'Dissident' Group Set To Win Board.

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- A group of Columbia Credit Union members who helped defeat a bid to convert the credit union to a mutual savings bank last year is poised to win control of the credit union's board of directors in next month's elections.

The so-called dissident members won four of the board's nine seats in last year's elections, just weeks after narrowly failing to recall the board in an unprecedented special election for the board's effort to change to a bank.

Now the group, ostensibly called Save Columbia CU, could win as many as three more seats, giving opponents of the controversial conversion control of the $650-million credit union.

The …

Crusaders beat Chiefs 34-16 in Super 15

MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand (AP) — Winger Sean Maitland scored his eighth try of the season to remain the tournament's top try scorer as the Canterbury Crusaders beat the Waikato Chiefs 34-16 in Super 15 rugby on Saturday.

Maitland scored an intercept try that contributed to the Crusaders' 17-13 halftime lead, then had a hand in a brilliant second-half try that helped Canterbury to its sixth win from eight games. Canterbury's final try, two minutes from fulltime, secured a bonus point.

The Crusaders top the overall Super 15 table with 35 points, five points ahead of the Queensland Reds, who play the Pretoria Bulls on Saturday.

The Chiefs suffered their sixth loss from …

Mexico output, sales set to smash record.(Brief Article)

The Mexican auto industry should shatter 1999's production record this month. Sales of cars and light trucks also continue to sizzle. Light-vehicle production for the first nine months of the year totaled 1,404,770, a 25.1 percent increase from the same period in 1999. September production was 168,852, up 26.1 percent over year-ago levels. Mexican auto factories have been building an average of 156,000 cars per month this year. So the October figures, when they're announced, should easily outdistance last year's record of 1.49 million. Sales of cars and trucks in Mexico continue to be white-hot. September's …

APARTMENT ISSUE BEFORE ZONING BOARD TAKES OPERETTA-LIKE TWISTS.(Local)

Byline: Richard Wexler

Gilbert and Sullivan might have felt at home at Monday night's meeting of the Albany Zoning Board of Appeals.

A case before the board presented the sort of twists and legal fine points typical of one of their operettas. The issue was what constitutes an apartment in a building at 473 Western Ave.

At one time, a doctor had an office on the first floor. The doctor and his family lived on the remainder of the first floor and all of the second and third floors.

At some point - it was not clear from testimony before the board exactly when - the residential part of the first floor was converted to a second apartment. A …

Particle analyser.(The Supply Line)

Malvern Instruments will launch its new generation image analysis system for fully automated characterisation of particle shape and size at Pittcon 2005, Orlando, Florida. The company will also exhibit its comprehensive range of analytical instruments for particle size measurement and rheological applications. These include the Zetasizer …

Apply Leadership to School Crisis

It's time to start thinking about the unthinkable.

With Chicago school officials faced with a $383 million budgetdeficit they don't know how to close, scenarios of a prolongedstrike, shortened school year or court takeover of the Chicago publicschool system are being openly discussed.

In a nutshell, the School Board's problem is this. It can raiseabout $220 million by the fall if Gov. Edgar, Mayor Daley and theLegislature give it the authority to implement a host of one-timerevenue fixes, all of which in a perfect world are distasteful.

These fixes include a final-year delay in Chapter 1 anti-povertyfunds to individual schools, a speed-up in state funding …

GOVERNMENT ACTION.(CAPITAL REGION)

BALLSTON SPA VILLAGE

Monday, July 24

Action items: Rezoned the former knitting mill property on Ralph Street, Saratoga Avenue and Kent Street from industrial to a cultural/economic enhancement zone. Set aside bids for a four-wheel-drive backhoe/loader with extendable stick. Granted $7,100 to Eagle Matt Lee for the purchase of a new motor for the Jaws of Life. Assigned William D. Hollner Jr. to the Eagle Matt Lee Fire Company.

New business: Discussed the cleanup of property at 91 Pleasant St. Promised to clean up the property at 48 Ralph St., July 27-28. Part of Ralph Street will be blocked off. Called for more entries for the Rolling Roadsters …