Stocks fall after spike in jobless claims; markets await more testimony from Fed chairman

The stock market fell in early trading Thursday after the Labor Department reported a spike in jobless claims, sapping some of the market's confidence ahead of Friday's anxiously anticipated March employment report.

The government said the number of people applying for unemployment benefits rose last week to the highest level since September 2005.

Investors are also cautiously awaiting more testimony from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, who is appearing before Congress for a second straight day. On Wednesday, the Fed chairman said a recession is possible in the first half of this year.

…

Name changes for black music are off the charts

Q. A friend asked me why country music has always been calledCountry Music on music sales charts, classical has always beenClassical, and jazz has always been Jazz, but black music has gonethrough about a dozen different names. I would appreciate a rundownof the names used by the charts and the industry to identify blackmusic.

A. Explaining the reasons--even those that are rational--forevents in history is sometimes close to impossible. Reporting thoseevents is an easier task, so we'll just do that. According to JoelWhitburn's Top Billboard R&B Singles reference book, here are thenames given to Billboard's various black music charts:

1942-1945: Harlem Hit …

Pfleger calls for public accounting of WTC funds

Pfleger calls for public accounting of WTC funds

Father Michael L. Pfleger Monday called for a full and public accounting of all funds raised for the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that reduced the World Trade Center (WTC) to rubble.

"We need to ask for a public listing of how these monies raised for the 9-11 fund are distributed so that there is a guide to make sure that every life is valued equally in the way disbursements are made, and from what I'm told, that is not what is happening now," Pfleger told the Chicago Defender.

"This is not a money issue. It's a moral issue," he said.

Pfleger, who spoke to a number of people on the East Coast, said: …

Mauritania: al-Qaida claims it carried out attack

Al-Qaida's North Africa branch purportedly claimed responsibility Wednesday for ambushing an army patrol in Mauritania and kidnapping 12 soldiers whom officials initially reported had been killed.

Authorities first said the soldiers had been shot dead in Monday's attack, but the bodies were not found when army reinforcements swept the area. Government officials said some traces of blood were found, but they could only classify the soldiers as missing.

"This jihadist operation targeted the allies of the Americans, the crusaders on Islamic Mauritanian territory occupied by infidels," said the Internet statement attributed to al-Qaida.

The …

German Football Results

Results from the 20th round of the Bundesliga, the German first-division football league (home team listed first):

Friday's Game

Hamburger SV 1, Wolfsburg 1

Saturday's Games

Borussia Moenchengladbach 4, Werder Bremen 3

Eintracht Frankfurt 1, Cologne 2

Hertha Berlin 0, Bochum 0

Bayern Munich 3, Mainz 0

Hannover 1, Nuremberg 3

Schalke vs. Hoffenheim

Sunday's Games

Stuttgart …

Panel to drivers: Hang up phones Natarus' proposed law cheered

Angry motorists and pedestrians sick of worrying about being moweddown by a cell phone-wielding driver enthusiastically endorsed Fridayregulating the phones' use in Chicago.

The only thing wrong with Ald. Burton F. Natarus' (42nd) proposalis that it doesn't go far enough, they argued.

"The dangers involved in this situation are enormous," saidretired lawyer John B. Hirsch, one of a handful of people who spokeat a hearing by the City Council's Committee on Traffic Control andSafety.

Hirsch said he recently followed a driver on Fullerton who went 11/2 miles while flicking cigarette ash with his left hand and talkingon a cell phone with his right. "Was he driving …

Elvis is topic of Tenn. legal education seminar

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — It turns out Elvis the King of Rock and Roll spawned Elvis the lawsuit — a whole lotta lawsuits.

Now all those cases are helping other attorneys study the law.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee is sponsoring a continuing education session in Chattanooga on Tuesday billed as "Elvis Law. The state and federal cases dealing with the late king of rock 'n' roll."

Lawyers …

Obama meeting with gay activists at White House

President Barack Obama is meeting with grass-roots gay activists in the White House to remind them of all the things his administration has accomplished for them.

Obama and Vice President Joe Biden planned to meet Tuesday evening in the East Room with the group. Obama is expected to list his accomplishments, which include a hate crimes bill, expanded benefits for gay …

India: Acrylic staple fiber

Indian producers of acrylic staple fiber are facing tough times. A global consulting firm, Ernst & Young recently carried out a study of the industry and has concluded that the industry has been hit hard by growing imports of ASF, as well as spun acrylic yarn (mainly coming from Nepal). India allows goods from Nepal a preferential tariff structure, and the agreement has been extended by three more months.

According to Ernst & Young, ASF has also lost its market share to polyester. ASF is selling at around Rs 62/kg in India, whereas PSF is at around …

(null)

Ld,0721

Book Review: Psychiatrist explores minds of ill doctors

Eds: FIXES typo in slug, style for byline; ADDS photo links

AP Photo NY384, NY383

"When Doctors Become Patients" by Robert Klitzman, Oxford University Press, 333 pages, $35

By WAKA TSUNODA

Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) _ At 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001, Robert Klitzman's sister, Karen, called her best friend from her office on the 105th floor of the World Trade Center. No one ever heard from her again. Grief-stricken, Klitzman became depressed, but he didn't realize it for a while. He is a psychiatrist. He couldn't become …

Legislative scholarship records sent to FBI

SPRINGFIELD — The State Board of Education has forwarded records about a questionable legislative scholarship awarded by state Rep. Dan Burke to the FBI and the General Assembly's ethics watchdog, an agency official said Friday.

The move came as a result of questions raised from a joint investigation last week by the Chicago Sun-Times and Better Government Association about a tuition waiver worth nearly $70,000 that Burke granted to the daughter of a former legislative secretary.

"There was a question raised about one of the students. I believe you raised the question about where they lived exactly and where they stated they lived. We saw that information, and we forwarded …

Blues-Thrashers Sums

St. Louis 2 1 1_4

Atlanta 0 0 1_1

First Period_1, St. Louis, Polak 2 (Boyes, Stempniak), 16:40. 2, St. Louis, McDonald 4 (Kariya, Stempniak), 18:52 (pp).

Second Period_3, St. Louis, Kariya 3 (Stempniak, McDonald), 8:20 (pp).

Third Period_4, Atlanta, Sterling 3 (Schneider, White), 12:50 (pp). 5, St. Louis, Berglund 2 (Kariya, Pietrangelo), 17:57.

Shots on Goal_St. Louis 12-14-12_38. Atlanta 9-4-11_24.

Goalies_St. Louis, Legace, Mason. Atlanta, Lehtonen. A_7,648 (18,545). T_2:17.

EU tells Bulgaria to cut deficit by 2011

The European Union's executive commission on Tuesday told Bulgaria that it must bring its deficit below 3 percent of GDP by 2011 after sharply revising its public finance forecasts for this year.

The Bulgarian government blames a drastic fall in tax revenues and extra infrastructure spending needs for forcing it to raise its expected budget gap from 1.9 percent to 3.9 percent of gross domestic product.

The sudden and large change in the figure has alarmed EU officials who called on Bulgaria to tighten spending controls and push through planned reforms to public administration, health care, education and pensions.

It should make cuts of at least 0.75 percentage points to its deficit next year, the EU says, and Bulgaria will have to report back to the European Commission on its progress.

The country's deficit is above a 3 percent limit imposed by EU rules that require a country to set a timetable to reduce the budget gap after talks with EU finance ministers _ who often back the commission's recommendations.

The EU's economy commissioner has also warned that he may send officials to check the country's statistics.

Greece shocked other European countries by suddenly hiking its deficit estimates last year _ triggering a loss of confidence in the EU's ability to rein in debt and deficits for members of Europe's currency union.

The euro has slid sharply since then and Greece was ultimately forced to seek a bailout from EU nations and the International Monetary Fund after markets hiked borrowing costs over fears that it may default.

Bulgaria earlier this year froze plans to join the euro in the near future.

The country's three-year membership of the European Union has been rocky.

The EU's executive commission froze almost (EURO)500 million ($629 million) in aid in 2008, citing corruption, organized crime and spending irregularities.

The funding for farmers, road building and other infrastructure projects was recently unlocked after Prime Minister Boiko Borisov took first steps to uproot corruption.

Elizabeth Bauch Lavicka, nurse who knew Addams

Elizabeth Bauch Lavicka was a local version of movie characterForrest Gump, according to one of her sons, putting her in the rightplace to meet history makers including Jane Addams and Carl Sandburg.

Mrs. Lavicka, a nurse and long-time resident of Hyde Park, diedMonday at the Pavilion Rest Home in Forest Park of natural causes.She was 84.

The oldest of six children, Mrs. Lavicka was reared in Freeport,Ill., by truck farmer parents who would rush their fresh produce tocity markets in Chicago in the middle of the night. While her mother,Priscilla, and father, Clement, worked the fields, Mrs. Lavicka tookcare of her five younger brothers.

When she was a young girl, Mrs. Lavicka once ran away from home toChicago to stay with social activist Jane Addams, who was a friend ofher great-uncle.

Mrs. Lavicka graduated from Freeport High School in 1937 andattended Cornell College in Iowa. There she was the only freshmaninvited to a reception with poet Carl Sandburg, according to Mrs.Lavicka's son William, a Chicago architect and preservationist.

After leaving Cornell, Mrs. Lavicka attended NorthwesternUniversity, where she received a degree in nursing in 1941.

In 1942, Mrs. Lavicka married her husband, William L. Lavicka whojoined the U.S. Coast Guard shortly after they were married. Thecouple moved to New Orleans, where her husband was stationed.

After the war, the couple moved to Batavia, where Mrs. Lavickabecame a homemaker raising four children. She also enjoyed gardeningand sewing clothes for the family.

She found time to immerse herself and her children in culturalactivities, such as visiting the symphony and Art Institute ofChicago. She also took up golf and was the Ladies 9-Hole champion atthe St. Charles Country Club.

When Mrs. Lavicka's husband died of a heart attack in 1959, shewas left to raise five children by herself.

She moved the family to Chicago near Belmont and Broadway andbecame active in a Hull House theater group.

To help raise her children, Mrs. Lavicka worked as a receptionistand as a nurse at Cook County Hospital. She also did social servicework for the city, passing out blankets or ladling soup for thehungry.

She taught her children to fight injustice and she marched in theRev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral procession.

Mrs. Lavicka later moved to Hyde Park, where she lived for 40years.

Mrs. Lavicka often commented that she usually voted for losingpresidential candidates, according to her son William. But she waselated that her support for Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th) paid off.Mrs. Lavicka supported Preckwinkle by making phone calls andcampaigning in her Hyde Park cooperative.

"She was a real live wire," Preckwinkle said. "She enjoyed lifeand was a person who liked laughing."

In addition to her son William, Mrs. Lavicka is survived by fivebrothers, Stanley Bauch, Robert Bauch, Donald Bauch, William Bauchand Davis Bauch; another son, Robert; two daughters, Lisa Pitman andSarah Lavicka, and five grandchildren.

Services were private.

UN: Help needed for Haiti farmers

A U.N. food agency is calling for money to buy seeds, tools and fertilizer to help earthquake-devastated Haiti through its spring planting season.

The Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization on Saturday called for $23 million to support farming in fields and backyards and repair infrastructure like irrigation canals.

It says home gardens and backyard raising of pigs and chickens will help morale and boost nutrition.

Even before this week's quake, many Haitians were undernourished, and two years ago, high food and fuel prices triggered violent protests in the impoverished country.

The next planting season begins in March, so the U.N. agency is pressing international donors to ensure part of the money in the United Nations' appeal is earmarked for agriculture.

Fatah Gunmen Storm West Bank Buildings

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Hundreds of Fatah gunmen on Saturday stormed Hamas-controlled institutions in the West Bank, including parliament and government ministries, and told staffers that those with ties to Hamas will not be allowed to return.

At the parliament, the Fatah supporters chanted, "Hamas Out," climbed on the roof of the building and fired in the air. They planted Fatah and Palestinian flags on the building, and also tried to seize the deputy speaker but were stopped by employees.

Many government employees tied to Hamas had not showed up for work on Saturday, the start of the work week in the West Bank, after Hamas took control of Gaza in a military campaign. Apparently, the staffers feared reprisals.

A member of the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, a violent offshoot of Fatah, said his group planned to take control of all Hamas institutions, in response to Hamas' takeover of Gaza.

At the parliament building, Fatah gunmen entered the office of Deputy Speaker Hassan Kreisheh and tried to grab him, but Fatah employees stopped them. Other Fatah activists took over the Education Ministry and the prime minister's office.

In the West Bank city of Nablus, Fatah gunmen took over the Hamas-controlled city council and planted the Fatah flag on the top of the building. Fatah supporters also kidnapped seven Hamas supporters, and deposed a senior member of the Religious Affairs Ministry.

Also Saturday, a crowd looted the home of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, destroying one of the strongest symbols of the Fatah movement in the Gaza Strip, witnesses and Fatah officials said.

Fatah officials said the crowd took furniture, wall tiles and Arafat's personal belongings.

The villa had been empty since Arafat left for the West Bank in 2001 shortly after the outbreak of the second Palestinian uprising. Israel confined Arafat to the West Bank until permitting him to fly to France for medical care in late 2004. He died in France several weeks later.

Arafat, Fatah's founder, led the Palestinians for four decades before his death.

Microbreweries following in giant's footsteps

Microbrewers exist in an industry dominated by huge corporations. They'll never be the biggest, but that doesn't stop them from thriving against what many used to consider long odds. When it comes to handling the by-products of their operations, they have been able to learn from their big brothers - the Coors, Anheuser-Busch and Millers of the world - and do it in a way that fits their scale. The giant breweries learned long ago that their by-products had value in the market place.

In a recent issue of American Brewer, Maka MacKenna detailed how several microbreweries have followed the lead of bigtime brewers and in many ways improved on their recovery efforts. One micro highlighted -- Santa Fe Brewing Co. in Galisteo, New Mexico - produces only 600 barrels per year of such brews as Santa Fe Pale Ale, a nut brown ale and a raspberry ale. Their spent grain is used by local farmers as soil amendments and as pig feed. Recently, employees have been collecting whatever stale beer is left around the plant and turning it over to a local baker, Zuby Atalayah, who has developed a special bread from the liquid.

To reduce operating expenses, a brewpub in Arlington, Virginia, Bardo Rodeo, purchased a truck to take the spent grain from its 2,100 barrel production to a Maryland farmer who uses it as cattle feed. Graham Stewart, Bardo's manager, figures that the operation will pay for itself inside six years.

Another devoted recycler is Mad River Brewing Co. in Blue Lake, California. Mad River has reduced its solid waste to two garbage cans per week. Farmers use the spent grains and barley malt as cattle feed. A local company utilizes the grains and hops to make compost. It also composts the food from the employees' lunch room and the cellulose pads from the filtering process. The company figures it saves nearly $30,000 every year through recycling residuals.

Judge orders convicted mobsters to pay $24 million

A federal judge has ordered four reputed mobsters convicted at Chicago's biggest organized crime trial in years to forfeit more than $20 million and pay more than $4 million in restitution to the families of murder victims.

U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel, who presided over the Operation Family Secrets trial in September 2007, ordered the forfeitures and restitution on Monday.

The heaviest payments were imposed on reputed mobsters Frank Calabrese Sr., Joseph "Joey the Clown" Lombardo, James Marcello and Paul Schiro. Former policeman Anthony Doyle, also convicted at the trial, was ordered to pay lesser amounts.

Wrote wins the Juvenile Turf at Breeders' Cup

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (AP) — Wrote captured the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf on Saturday at Churchill Downs, becoming the first European-based horse to win at the world championships.

Bred in Ireland, Wrote rallied in the deep straight to beat Excaper by 2¼ lengths with Farraaj third, completing a sweep by foreign horses. Excaper is based in Canada while Farraaj also is from Europe.

Wrote gave trainer Aidan O'Brien a fifth Breeders' Cup win. Jockey Ryan Moore got his third victory, all in races on the grass.

Wrote improved to 3 for 5, running the mile (1,600 meters) in 1:37.41 in his U.S. debut. He paid $25.20 to win.

Road Plan Abets Sprawl, Transit Analysis Shows

A proposed revision of the northeastern Illinois regionaltransportation plan puts too much emphasis on highway constructionand will contribute to continued suburban sprawl, according to astudy released Friday.

The analysis of the updated 2010 Transportation Plan - which hasbeen offered for public comment - was commissioned by Business andProfessional People for the Public Interest, the Chicago LungAssociation and the Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club.

It was conducted by Ders Anderson & Associates, a McHenry Countyland-use planning firm.

Speaking at a Palmer House news conference, Sierra Club statefield representative Jack Darin said:

"The 2010 Plan calls for massive expansions of our highwaysystem into currently undeveloped areas. The increased traffic willbring more urban smog to the region and expand development out intoour open spaces."

Darin said the transportation plan conflicts with the region'sland-use plan.

"Our analysis shows that the two plans are clearlyinconsistent," Darin said. "On the one hand, we have a proposal formassive expansion of the region's highway network into currentlyundeveloped areas and, on the other, a plan to discourage furthersprawl."

In the last two decades, Darin said, northeastern Illinois hasseen a 46 percent increase in developed land, while population hasgrown just 4 percent.

"This runaway suburban sprawl has been a disaster for theenvironment," he said. "In this region, urban sprawl has been thechief consumer of our open space, wetlands and natural areas andprime farmland.

"It also has led to a development pattern that leaves residentsalmost completely dependent on the automobile for transportation.Soaring vehicle use is the chief cause of our severe air pollutionproblems. Clearly, the status quo of more roads pushing farther andfarther out must change."

Chronology of major bombings in India

A list of bombings that Indian authorities have blamed on Islamic militants since 2005:

_ Oct. 29, 2005 _ Sixty-two people are killed when three blasts rip through markets in New Delhi ahead of Diwali, a Hindu holiday.

_ March 7, 2006 _ Three explosions rock a Hindu temple and a train station in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi, killing 20 people.

_ July 11, 2007 _ Seven blasts rip through railway stations and commuter trains in Mumbai, India's commercial capital, killing at least 187.

_ Sept. 8, 2006 _ A series of explosions, including one at a mosque, kill at least 31 people in Malegaon, a town northeast of Mumbai.

_ Feb. 19, 2007 _ A train heading from India to Pakistan is torn apart by two bombs, sparking a fire that kills at least 68 people.

_ May 18, 2007 _ A bomb goes off during Friday prayers at a historic mosque in the southern city of Hyderabad, killing 11 worshippers. Police later shoot and kill five people in clashes with hundreds of enraged Muslims protesting the attack.

_ Aug. 25, 2007 _ At least 43 people are killed by three explosions at a park and a street-side food stall in Hyderabad.

_ Oct. 11, 2007 _ A blast at the shrine of a venerated 12th century Sufi Muslim saint in north Indian town of Ajmer kills three people.

_ Oct. 14, 2007 _ A bomb explodes in a packed movie theater in the northern industrial town of Ludhiana on one of the holiest days of the Muslim calendar, Eid al-Fitr, killing six people.

_ Nov. 24, 2007 _ A series of near-simultaneous explosions rip through courthouse complexes in the north Indian cities of Lucknow, Varanasi and Faizabad, killing at least 16 people.

_ May 13, 2008 _ Seven bombs tear through crowded markets and rip apart streets outside Hindu temples in the western city of Jaipur, killing at least 61 people.

_ July 25, 2008 _ Seven small bombs hit Bangalore, a southern city that is the hub of India's technology industry, killing at least two people.

_ July 26, 2008 _ At least 22 small bombs explode in Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat, killing 58 people.

_ Sept. 13, 2008 _ At least five explosions in crowded shopping areas kill at least 18 people and wound 61 in New Delhi.

Focus on the NCAA

It's one thing for Apple or Doritos to hawk their wares during the Super Bowl. It's another thing entirely for Focus on the Family to do so.

The right-wing Christian political organization - known for its strident opposition to both abortions and LGBT civilrights - provoked a national uproar when CBS agreed to air an anti-abortion commercial featuring University of Florida quarterback Ted Tebow during what turned out to be the most-watched program in American television history. (The controversy was stoked in part because in 2004 CBS refused to air an ad in which the United Church of Christ showed that it welcomed everyone -including gays and lesbians.) The network said its policy on "advocacy ads" changed in the intervening years.

The anti-abortion spot aired, and the republic survived. But within days, a new controversy arose. Within a few weeks, CBS was televising the men's college basketball tournament - and more Focus on the Family ads were planned.

This time, though, it was not the network that drew activists' fire. It was the organizers themselves: the NCAA.

Pat Griffin has worked closely with the NCAA, as both a former University of Massachusetts coach and director of the Women's Sports Foundation's "It Takes a Team" anti-homophobia project. Now a blogger on LGBT sports issues, she set her sights on the powerful oversees of most American collegiate athletic programs.

The NCAA's own constitutional principles explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, she wrote. Yet Focus on the Family wants to "impose their values on the NCAA tournament .... (The NCAA and CBS) are rolling out the red carpet, and I am deeply offended by the NCAA's complicity in this."

The NCAA, Griffin said, "cannot have it both ways. They cannot claim to care about the quality of the athletic experience for LGBT student-athletes and provide educational programs to assist schools in making sure that LGBT student-athletes can compete with respect and dignity, and (at the same time) allow Focus on the Family to use the NCAA Web site and men's basketball tournament to promote their discriminatory right-wing Christian agenda."

Griffin asked her readers to pass her blog post on to friends - and the NCAA. She urged anyone who attends - or once attended - an NCAA school to call their university presidents.

Other LGBT blogs, including the influential Towleroad, picked up the cause. Within a day, the NCAA relented - a bit.

NCAA spokesman Bob Williams said the decision "came in response to vocal protests from a small number of advocates for gay and lesbian athletes, who complained that the group's views that homosexuality and abortion are immoral is inconsistent with the NCAA's stated non-discrimination policy. Focus on the Family did have a banner ad on NCAA. com. Today, it was decided to remove the ad from the Web site as a result of concerns expressed by our membership."

Williams' words went from combative ("vocal protests," "small number advocates for gay and lesbian athletes," "complained") to acceptance ("concerns expressed by our membership") in the span of three sentences.

No decision was announced, however, about the television ad - which was, after all, more of a case of the ball being in CBS 's court.

And then something really interest-ing happened. The NCAA statement was changed. Suddenly, the language was less provocative, more objective: "The decision by the NCAA came in response to vocal protests from advocates for gay and lesbian athletes - which quickly grew into a broader audience of critics who sent e-mails and set up what has now become the standard, a Facebook page - who complained that the group's views that homosexuality and abortion are immoral are inconsistent with the NCAA's stated non-discrimination policy."

Griffin wasn't through. She used the NCAA's own Advertising and Promotional Standards to argue that Focus on the Family's ads violated the organization's stated mission. NCAA advertising, the standards say, should support ideals that include diversity, gender equity, non-discrimination, ethical conduct and student-athlete welfare."

The connection between the NCAA and CBS turns out to be quite close. According to Inside Higher Education.com, the ads were part of a larger package deal between CBS - which manages NCAA. com - and Focus on the Family.

Griffin kept up her attack. Focus on the Family's definition of "family," she said, is restricted to those in which heterosexuals marry. The group is "entitled to their perspectives on controversial issues," she said. And of course "they have a right to buy advertising time if their ads meet the standards of CBS or any other for-profit media group."

However, Griffin argued, a line must be drawn when non-profit educational organizations like the NCAA have missions and values that "do not square" with those of groups like Focus on the Family.

Griffin said she would like to follow March Madness with the same excitement she always has. She does not want to feel "sold out" by the NCAA - "or need to go to war about it."

But, she warned, "I will if I have to."

[Author Affiliation]

Dan Woog is a journalist, educator, soccer coach, gay activist, and author of the "Jocks" series of books on gay male athletes. Visit his Web site at www.danwoog.com. He can be reached care of this publication or at OutField@qsyndicate. com.

Algeria opposition denounces letting Gadhafis in

Algiers, Algeria (AP) — Algeria's opposition is denouncing the government's decision to allow in the relatives of Libyan's Moammar Gadhafi.

Pursued by the rebels that have toppled his regime, Gadhafi's wife, Safiya, daughter Aisha, sons Hannibal and Mohammed, and several grandchildren crossed into Algeria on Monday.

Aisha gave birth at the border, and Algeria, citing humanitarian considerations, has said that the pregnancy was one reason the family was allowed in.

The rebels have asked Algeria to send the relatives back, so they can stand trial.

On Wednesday, the Rally for Culture and Democracy party accused the government of humiliating the Algerian people on the international stage by making them play "host to the heirs of toppled dictators."

PLUS NEWS

MICHEL ILL: House Republican leader Bob Michel of Illinois wasresting comfortably at a Denver hospital where he was admittedsuffering from nausea, his office said. Michel was undergoing teststo determine the cause of the sudden illness. He was taken toUniversity Hospital on Tuesday night while en route to the Denverairport after a golf tournament in Vail, Colo. "Whether it was thehigh altitude or bad tuna, we don't know," a spokeswoman for Michelsaid. Michel, 71, was first elected to Congress in 1956 and becameRepublican leader in 1980. He has announced he will retire thisyear. CONSPIRACY CHARGED: The state of Minnesota and its largestprivate health insurance company filed a lawsuit accusing thenation's tobacco companies of conspiracy, fraud and antitrustviolations. The lawsuit seeks to recover the taxpayers' share ofbillions of dollars that state residents have paid in smoking-relatedhealth-care costs, according to state officials and Blue Cross andBlue Shield of Minnesota. Attorney General Hubert Humphrey III saidhis was the first state lawsuit to allege an antitrust conspiracy andconsumer fraud against tobacco companies. CALIF. FIRE: A fire that raged across 71 square miles of centralCalifornia was nearly half contained, but some hot spots in therugged, hilly area remained too dangerous to attack. Diminishingwinds helped as firefighters battled the 45,400-acre blaze, which was48 percent contained this morning. That's significant progress in ablaze that raged unchecked for days, said Glenda Powell, aspokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry. About 2,300firefighters were battling the blaze, which was started by anarsonist Sunday. HEALTH REFORM DELAY: As Senate Republicans prepared to offeramendments to the health reform bill prepared by Senate Democraticleader George J. Mitchell of Maine, House Democratic leader RichardA. Gephardt of Missouri said he likely will put off House votes onhealth until after Labor Day. CUSTODY BATTLE: Two New Jersey children caught in an internationalcustody dispute after their father killed their mother and broughtthem to his native Jordan headed back to the United States. Thefather's family in Jordan was fighting to keep the children, butcustody was awarded to their maternal aunt, Nesime Dokur of Paterson,N.J. Sources at King Hussein's office said palace officials escorted6-year-old Lisa Abequa and her brother, Sami, 3, to the airport for aflight to the United States. LESOTHO TURMOIL: Thousands of people in Lesotho, angry that the kingdissolved the elected government, protested in front of the royalpalace. Troops fired on the crowd, and four people reportedly werekilled. The violence in Lesotho, a small country inside SouthAfrica, began after supporters of the ousted government beganthrowing stones, the South African Press Association said. . Theagency said at least four people were killed and 10 injured.

The 20 Most Heartbreaking Moments in Chicago sports history Series: Memorable Moments

As part of a new regularly featured "Memorable Moments" series,the Sun-Times has been providing its top 20 heartbreaking moments.Each moment involves a Chicago team or player, not Champaign orSouth Bend or a player born in Chicago who played elsewhere. And weare not including the death of anyone, so as not to trivialize theirpassing.

8. GO-GO SOX GONE

An ownership group led by Bill Veeck bought the White Sox in1959, and the investment paid off quickly as the Sox won their firstpennant in 40 years that season. The South Siders were loaded withfuture Hall of Famers in MVP Nellie Fox, Cy Young winner Early Wynnand Luis Aparicio. Al Lopez, who guided the Indians to the 1954title, was the manager, and the team picked up slugger TedKluszewski (left) for the stretch run. When the Sox clinched thepennant, Mayor Richard J. Daley ordered the city's air-raid sirensto go off. But there wouldn't be another celebration even though theSox took Game 1 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers11-0 behind two Kluszewski home runs. It would be the Sox' last homeplayoff win before their World Series drive in 2005.

Leader shipped; Padres 5, Cubs 1: Cubs trade D-Lee to Braves for 3 pitching prospects

The Cubs played all 10 rookies on their roster in another loss Wednesday as they slog through a transformation that gets harder to watch with every respected and well-liked veteran they trade away.

Get used to it.

This time it was Derrek Lee accepting a salary-dump trade to the Atlanta Braves for prospects just a month after using his no-trade rights to reject a trade to the Los Angeles Angels.

Lee is the fourth fan and clubhouse favorite traded in less than three weeks -- and the most tenured and biggest in stature of the group.

His trade ends a nearly seven-year run that included a batting title, two playoff appearances, two All-Star appearances, two Gold Gloves and 179 home runs.

''And he's a better human being than he is a baseball player,'' said Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster, a Lee teammate for 11 seasons, including four in Florida.

''The numbers -- you can [replace] that with anybody,'' left fielder Alfonso Soriano said. ''But the personality, I don't think so. We can't replace that.''

For all the dismantling the Cubs have done and still have left to do over the winter, this one likely will come to symbolize the overhaul more than the other moves -- even though nobody, including Lee, expected him to be back after his contract expired this fall anyway.

Lee was the clear clubhouse leader since his monster 2005 season and was the most significant, if not the last, stabilizing influence among the every-day players during this wrong-way season of lame-duck managers, Class AAA tryout camps and fifth-place plunges.

With 41 games left in his managing career, a somber Lou Piniella said he plans to meet with the players, probably Friday, after this latest clubhouse loss.

''We're going to have to,'' Piniella said. ''We've lost some good people in here over the last three weeks or so, and I guess we're going to have to sit down and talk about it a little bit as a team.''

One of the reasons the Lee trade hits as hard as it does is because until early this week, it wasn't expected. Lee, who has $3.4 million left on his contract, cleared waivers this month, but after rejecting a proposed trade to the Angels -- for what he said were family reasons -- he didn't seem willing to leave Chicago.

''It just felt right now,'' said Lee, whose four homers in three games over the weekend inspired a call from the Braves on Sunday night. ''The main thing is, we've got six weeks to go, and Atlanta's in first place. They're playing great baseball, and I understand what [general manager Jim Hendry's] trying to do over here. It just felt right, and the chance to go to the postseason, it's hard to pass up.

''The timing just didn't seem right [in July]. The Angels were close but not right there. Moving your family for that period of time. ... This time it seemed like it would work.''

Hendry approached Lee on Sunday night, and the next morning Lee gave Hendry the go-ahead to pursue the trade that eventually landed the Cubs three minor-league pitching prospects: right-handers Robinson Lopez (Class A) and Tyrelle Harris (AA) and left-hander Jeffrey Lorick (A).

For the Cubs, the motivation was clear. By including $1.7 million in the deal, the Cubs also save $1.7 million in payroll -- which gives them a $4.5 million overall savings, including previous trades of Ted Lilly, Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot.

''Unfortunately, we're in the spot that we're in, and we have to grind through a very tough time and then refocus ... on getting ready to win again next year,'' Hendry said. ''I think it will be good for him, and from that regard, I'm happy for him. But the overall situation we're in kind of makes us all somewhere between miserable and sad every day.''

For the moment, Lee isn't going anywhere. He spends today awaiting the Braves' arrival Friday for a three-game series against the Cubs. He's expected to be in the Braves' lineup, playing first base, on Friday.

''The weirdest part, I think, will be being on this field in a different uniform,'' said Lee, who will do that for the first time since helping the Marlins beat the Cubs in Game 7 of the 2003 National League Championship Series. ''I'll probably have to stop myself from running to this other dugout over there. It'll be different, but it'll be exciting.''

Meanwhile, the Cubs plan to recall first baseman Micah Hoffpauir today to take Lee's spot on the roster. Piniella said he'll probably rotate players to cover first base the rest of the way.

''We've just got to keep moving forward,'' said Dempster, who's scheduled to start against Lee and the Braves on Friday. ''There hasn't been a lot to cheer about, but if there's something to cheer about, that would be on Friday when Derrek Lee comes in and takes his first at-bat. I hope everybody in the stadium gives him a standing ovation for everything he's given for the past seven years he's been here because he deserves that at the very least.''

Comment at suntimes.com.

PADRES 5 CUBS 1

San Diego AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

Venable rf 5 1 2 0 0 0 .230

Hairston Jr. 2b 3 1 1 0 2 1 .254

Ad.Gonzalez 1b 2 3 2 1 3 0 .298

Headley 3b 3 0 1 1 0 1 .276

Stairs lf 2 0 1 2 0 0 .197

a-Denorfia ph-lf-cf 3 0 1 0 0 1 .284

Hundley c 4 0 1 0 0 0 .237

Gwynn cf 2 0 0 0 0 0 .212

b-Hairston ph-lf 2 0 0 0 0 1 .221

E.Cabrera ss 4 0 1 0 0 1 .203

Richard p 3 0 1 0 0 1 .182

Gregerson p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

Adams p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

d-Ludwick ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .276

Stauffer p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167

Totals 34 5 11 4 5 7

CUBS AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

Barney 2b 4 0 1 0 0 0 .154

S.Castro ss 3 0 1 0 1 0 .316

Byrd cf 4 0 1 0 0 1 .306

Ar.Ramirez 3b 4 0 0 0 0 1 .227

Nady 1b 3 0 1 0 1 0 .236

A.Soriano lf 4 1 2 0 0 0 .263

Mateo p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Je.Baker rf 4 0 1 1 0 0 .236

W.Castillo c 3 0 0 0 0 0 .167

e-DeWitt ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .272

Coleman p 2 0 0 0 0 1 .000

J.Russell p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Berg p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

Diamond p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

c-Zambrano ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .233

Cashner p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Colvin lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 .250

Totals 34 1 7 1 2 4

San Diego 201 000 011--5 11 0

CUBS 010 000 000--1 7 0

a-grounded out for Stairs in the 5th. b-flied out for Gwynn in the 6th. c-struck out for Diamond in the 7th. d-struck out for Adams in the 9th. e-grounded out for W.Castillo in the 9th.

LOB--San Diego 9, CUBS 8. 2B--Stairs (5), Nady (10), A.Soriano (30), Je.Baker (8). HR--Ad.Gonzalez (23), off Coleman. RBI--Ad.Gonzalez (76), Headley (49), Stairs 2 (10), Je.Baker (15). SB--A.Soriano (5). CS--Venable (4). SF--Headley.

Runners left in scoring position--San Diego 6 (Gwynn, Denorfia 3, E.Cabrera 2); CUBS 3 (Coleman 2, W.Castillo). GIDP--E.Cabrera. DP--CUBS 1 (Barney, S.Castro, Nady).

San Diego IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

Richard W, 11-5 6.2 7 1 1 2 2 105 3.69

Gregerson H, 30 0.1 0 0 0 0 1 4 2.75

Adams H, 28 1 0 0 0 0 1 9 1.85

Stauffer 1 0 0 0 0 0 7 0.98

CUBS IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

Coleman L, 0-1 4.1 6 3 3 3 1 82 7.82

J.Russell 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 4 4.70

Berg 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 2 4.73

Diamond 2 1 0 0 0 2 30 7.20

Cashner 1 3 1 1 0 2 27 6.15

Mateo 1 1 1 1 2 2 30 12.46

Inherited runners-scored--Gregerson 1-0, J.Russell 3-0, Berg 3-0. HBP--by Coleman (Headley). WP--Cashner.

Umpires--Home, Fieldin Culbreth; First, D.J. Reyburn; Second, Gary Cederstrom; Third, Ed Hickox. T--2:59. A--33,267.

HOW THEY SCORED

PADRES FIRST Venable infield single. Venable was caught stealing. J.Hairston walked on a full count. Gonzalez walked on four pitches, J.Hairston to second. Headley was hit by a pitch, J.Hairston to third, Gonzalez to second. Stairs doubled, J.Hairston scored, Gonzalez scored, Headley to third. Two runs. Padres 2, Cubs 0.

CUBS SECOND Nady grounded out. Soriano doubled. Soriano stole third. Baker doubled, Soriano scored. One run. Padres 2, Cubs 1.

PADRES THIRD J.Hairston grounded out. Gonzalez homered to left on a 2-1 count. One run. Padres 3, Cubs 1.

PADRES EIGHTH Cashner pitching. Gonzalez singled. Headley singled, Gonzalez to second. Denorfia infield single, Gonzalez to third, Headley to second. On Cashner's wild pitch, Gonzalez scored, Headley to third, Denorfia to second. One run. Padres 4, Cubs 1.

PADRES NINTH Mateo pitching. Ludwick pinch-hitting for Adams. Ludwick struck out. Venable singled. J.Hairston walked on four pitches, Venable to second. Gonzalez walked on a full count, Venable to third, J.Hairston to second. Headley hit a sacrifice fly, Venable scored. One run. Padres 5, Cubs 1.

Color Photo: Charles Rex Arbogast, AP / Derrek Lee is expected to be in the Braves' lineup Friday at Wrigley Field for the opener of a three-game series.

Next Lab Gets Physical With `Combat Spectacle'

"Night at the Fights: A Combat Spectacle" 8 p.m. Thursdays andFridays, 6 and 9 p.m. Saturdays through Sept. 19 Next Lab, Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes, Evanston

Tickets, $10 (708) 475-1875

Director Dexter Bullard, using a long, double-edged sword,swatted at the flies buzzing around the Next Lab stage as he waitedfor fight choreographer Ned Mochel to arrive.

"A lot of our things are on the level of blackouts based on aconcept of something you would least expect," Bullard explained,slicing through the air with his sharp weapon. "You expect swords.We go a lot further."

Rapiers. Ninja swords. Pistols. Billy clubs. These are onlya few of the weapons utilized by Bullard and fight choreographerMochel to create "Night at the Fights: A Combat Spectacle," a75-minute, no-holds-barred celebration of the art of fightchoreography (co-produced by Powertap Productions).

Under Bullard's direction, a cast of six (includingchoreographer Mochel) hurl themselves through some 21 action-packedvignettes in the Next Lab's arena-like 40-seat black box theaterspace.

The fight sequences, enacted without dialogue, range from comicto tragic and brutal to beautiful, Bullard said.

"I've always directed a very physical kind of theater," said the26-year-old Bullard, whose staging of "Bouncers" at the Next Labgarnered critical kudos as well as a Joseph Jefferson citation forhis direction.

Mochel, 25, who practiced martial arts during high school andcollege, is a member of the Society of American Fight Directors, aninternational alliance of stage combatants and choreogra phers.Hedirected a fight-filled precursor to Next Lab's show a couple ofyears back at the Actors Project and recently served as fightchoreographer for "The Song of Jacob Zulu" at Steppenwolf.

"I see stage combat as a magic show," Mochel said. "All ofthestage combatants I ever met, (or) a lot of them, were coming froma macho viewpoint (like) jousting at the Renaissance Faire. Thatsort of thing never excited me. I saw it much more as a magictrick: Howdo you hide the move? How do you change the move or thescene to awe the audience?"

Elements of clowning, gymnastics, juggling, modern dance andpuppetry - the last named in theform of a large Chinese dragon thattakes five performers to operate - will also be incorporated into theshow.

The show's fight sequences - played out against an auralbackground of rock and classical music - are intriguingly varied.One is succintly entitled "21 Weapons in 3 Minutes." Another fighttakes place in the dark using rapiers and flashlights. Yet another,dubbed "Relentless," depicts a brutal beating while "Tumblers"showcases the troupe's gymnastic and modern dance talents.

"This production has the most intricate, complicated anddifficult swordsman's work I've ever done or seen in 10 years,"Mochel said.

Yet the pair insisted that at no time during the course of theshow is the cast in any danger of actual physical harm. Whilechoreographing the fights, if a move proved dangerous, it wasexcised, Mochel confided. So, by curtain time, any potential forinjury has been eliminated.

"Some things that look the most dangerous are really the mosteasy to perform and some things that look very easy are really themost dangerous. That's where your realize that stage combat isreally illusion of the first rate," Bullard said.

"We know what they (the audience) expect from stage combat.They think they've seen it all," Bullard said. "So, it's reallyimportant to us to show them what they maybe didn't realize waspossible."

Rabin, Arafat to Discuss Obstacles to Peace

JERUSALEM With the success of the accord on Palestinianself-government at stake, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin andPLO Chairman Yasser Arafat will meet today in an effort to resolvedifferences over implementation of their peace accord and ensure thatIsrael's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and West Bank begins thisweek.

Rabin, acknowledging deep disagreements between Israel and thePalestine Liberation Organization on crucial political and securityissues, said he and Arafat would recommit themselves to the basic"declaration of principles" signed in September and tackle the majorunresolved issues when they meet in Cairo, Egypt.

"It is very important that …

US praises Saudi reform on women's voting rights

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says Saudi Arabia is taking an important step ahead in expanding women's rights by allowing women to vote and run in local elections in 2015.

National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor (VEE'-tor) says this reform recognizes the "significant contributions" that women make in the Muslim kingdom. He …

Stats aside, Yankees still Jeter's team.(Sports)

Byline: Scot Gregor Daily Herald Sports Writer

DETROIT - There's little doubt the additions of third baseman Alex Rodriguez and right fielder Gary Sheffield have helped the New York Yankees roll up the best record in the American League this season.

But it's even more obvious that the Yankees are still Derek Jeter's team.

You won't find the 30-year-old shortstop's name listed among league leaders in any offensive category except sacrifice bunts, which exemplifies the type of unselfish player Jeter is.

"Derek's the leader of this team," catcher Jorge Posada told New York reporters. "When he's in the lineup, it's a different ballgame. We're a …

Stats aside, Yankees still Jeter's team.(Sports)

Byline: Scot Gregor Daily Herald Sports Writer

DETROIT - There's little doubt the additions of third baseman Alex Rodriguez and right fielder Gary Sheffield have helped the New York Yankees roll up the best record in the American League this season.

But it's even more obvious that the Yankees are still Derek Jeter's team.

You won't find the 30-year-old shortstop's name listed among league leaders in any offensive category except sacrifice bunts, which exemplifies the type of unselfish player Jeter is.

"Derek's the leader of this team," catcher Jorge Posada told New York reporters. "When he's in the lineup, it's a different ballgame. We're a …

Stats aside, Yankees still Jeter's team.(Sports)

Byline: Scot Gregor Daily Herald Sports Writer

DETROIT - There's little doubt the additions of third baseman Alex Rodriguez and right fielder Gary Sheffield have helped the New York Yankees roll up the best record in the American League this season.

But it's even more obvious that the Yankees are still Derek Jeter's team.

You won't find the 30-year-old shortstop's name listed among league leaders in any offensive category except sacrifice bunts, which exemplifies the type of unselfish player Jeter is.

"Derek's the leader of this team," catcher Jorge Posada told New York reporters. "When he's in the lineup, it's a different ballgame. We're a …

Stats aside, Yankees still Jeter's team.(Sports)

Byline: Scot Gregor Daily Herald Sports Writer

DETROIT - There's little doubt the additions of third baseman Alex Rodriguez and right fielder Gary Sheffield have helped the New York Yankees roll up the best record in the American League this season.

But it's even more obvious that the Yankees are still Derek Jeter's team.

You won't find the 30-year-old shortstop's name listed among league leaders in any offensive category except sacrifice bunts, which exemplifies the type of unselfish player Jeter is.

"Derek's the leader of this team," catcher Jorge Posada told New York reporters. "When he's in the lineup, it's a different ballgame. We're a …

Russia Ratifies African NWFZ

The Russian Duma on March 14 approved a protocol that commits Russia not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons anywhere in Africa.

The protocol is part of the Treaty of Pelindaba, which establishes a zone free of nuclear weapons in Africa, prohibiting countries in the region from developing or acquiring nuciear weapons. Although Russia is not party to the treaty, the five nuclear-weapon states recognized by the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT)China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States - were requested to ratify protocols prohibiting the use of nuclear weapons in the zone as further incentive for states in the region to join the pact. Such protocols …

-Chevrolet launches 2012 Chevrolet Sonic in Middle East.

Auto Business News-October 10, 2011--Chevrolet launches 2012 Chevrolet Sonic in Middle East(C)1994-2011 ENPublishing - http://www.enpublishing.co.uk

Auto Business News - 10 October 2011

Chevrolet, a subsidiary of General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM), has launched its all-new, 2012 Chevrolet Sonic at Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai.

The model is now available on sale in the Middle East and is intended to make an impact in the highly competitive small car …

'WHEEL PEOPLE' USES HUMOR TO PITCH USED CARS CABLE SHOW HELPS SELLERS REACH BUYERS.(Local)

Byline: Craig Brandon Staff writer

A six-foot, yellow chicken jumps out from behind a shrub, hops up and down and shouts into the television camera.

"Come on down!" screams the chicken, waving his arms like a third-base coach after a base hit.

"Ladies and gentlemen, come on down to Brud Looney Motors in North Troy for the best deal anywhere!"

After giving a Bronx cheer, the chicken twists his beak sideways. Fade to black.

"It's a wrap," shouts cameraman- director-producer J.G. Hernandez. "That was great!"

Welcome to the world of "Wheel People," the Capital District's first cable television show devoted entirely to used-car salesmen pitching their wares.

The 30-minute show's premiere Monday night marks the dawn of the video age for used-car salesmen and the world may never be the same again.

Make no mistake. This is a rock- bottom, low-budget production. There are no special effects, no lighting …

NYC MAY BREAK MURDER RECORD FOR 1988.(Local)

Byline: United Press International

The unrelenting violence plaguing city streets took six lives Saturday as the mounting toll of killings contributed to what could be a record number of homicides in 1989, officials said.

The unofficial tally for homicides in New York reached 1,773 as of Nov. 24, slightly ahead of the 1,755 figure for the same day the year before, police said. In 1988, there were a record 1,896 killings in the city.

The spate of homicides overnight began in Manhattan at 12:50 a.m. when an unidentified man in his 40s was shot once in the head in the schoolyard of Public School 113 at 240 W. 113th St. in Morningside Heights. The man …

Mexico caps damaged Gulf oil well that spilled for nearly 2 months

Oil workers have capped a damaged oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico that spilled crude and natural gas for almost two months after a deadly high-seas collision, Mexico's state-owned oil company announced on Sunday.

At least 21 employees were killed in the Oct. 23 collision with a drilling rig during a storm.

Petroleos Mexicanos workers injected concrete into the well after installing a new valve assembly _ blocking the well "definitively," the company said.

"The control of the well was carried out without any injury to the workers, despite risky conditions that prevailed throughout the entire process," Pemex said in a news …

TOP 50 AREA GIRLS' SOCCER PLAYERS

Goalies: Julie Ciasnocha, Schaumburg; Laurie Denouden, Fremd;Chris Marchese, Buffalo Grove; Courtney Robertson, Hinsdale Central;Chris Scavo, New Trier; Karen Weber, Maine South; CherylWitkiewicz, Romeoville. Forwards: Yolanda Alcantar, Eisenhower; Emily Beshel, New Trier;Cathy Curtis, Lincoln-Way; Kim Cooper, Libertyville; Laura Demke,Cary-Grove; Diane Ford, Stevenson; Erica Handelman, Evanston;Alison Lester, Schaumburg; Shannon O'Neil, Hoffman Estates; KatieQuathamer, Glenbard West; Cathy Rojek, Conant; Tammi Smith,Hinsdale South; Tasha Strawbridge, Palatine; Kari Torkko,Schaumburg; Deborah Zonavetch, Maine West; Emina Zvizdich, MaineSouth. Midfielders: Megan Bauer, …

My iPad 2.(Brief article)(Book review)

My iPad 2

Gary Rosenzweig

Que

c/o Pearson Technology Group

801 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759

0789741164, $24.99, www.quepublishing.com

My iPad 2 covers IOS 4.3 and pairs step-by-step written instruction with screen example photos that teach how to handle …

Vamping up the furniture.

Quirky furniture is the key to Alice Courtis's new home-based business BeauVamp.

With a workshop in her back garden, it is a new venture for Alice, who lives on Mill Street in Belper.

BeauVamp sees Alice revamping vintage furniture from antiques centres and fleamarkets. She said: "I try and make each piece different and give it a quirky edge.

"It …

STUDY EYES KIDS' ACCESS TO FIREARMS.(MAIN)

Byline: BART JONES Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- One-third of U.S. homes with children have at least one firearm and nearly half of them keep the weapons unsecured, a study found.

Forty-three percent of such homes kept one or more guns in an unlocked place and without trigger locks, and guns were kept loaded as well as unlocked in 9 percent, according to researchers at Rand Corp. and the University of California, Los Angeles.

The findings underscore the need to make adults more aware that firearms are accessible to many children and that they need to keep the weapons out of their hands, said Dr. Mark A. Schuster, a UCLA pediatrician and the …

Study: 9/11 Hurt Arab and Muslim Men's Wages.

Byline: University of Illinois at Chicago

CHICAGO, Aug. 23 (AScribe Newswire) -- Wages and weekly earnings for Arab and Muslim men living in the United States fell 10 percent following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, a new study shows.

In addition, the adverse affects of Sept. 11 on wages were greater in areas that reported high rates of hate crime related to religious, ethnic or country of origin bias, according to the upcoming study in the Journal of Human Resources.

"I was surprised," Robert Kaestner, study co-author and University of Illinois at Chicago professor of economics, said of the findings. "We see an immediate and significant …

White House: Confident in US Treasury's oversight

The White House says it is confident in the level of oversight at the Treasury Department despite expressing outrage about the $165 million in bonuses being paid an insurance giant receiving bailout help from U.S. taxpayers.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says President Barack Obama has confident in Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. But Gibbs underscored that Obama …

Collision repair instructors, students, parents talk shop

INDIANAPOLIS--Collision repairers, educators, students and their parents, and others within the industry met, appropriately, at Walker Career Center in Indianapolis to discuss the successes and possible areas for improvement of the PACE+ST^sup 3^ program.

At NACE 2002 in Las Vegas, the I-CAR Education Foundation launched this new training initiative, People for Actively Creating Employability thru Short-Term Task Training, or PACE+ST^sup 3^ for short. The program, which grew out of State Farm's PACE program that started in 1997, is a curriculum being developed that would ensure secondary and post-secondary collision repair students receive the education they need to hit the ground …

CUBA: NUCLEAR POWER PLANT UPDATE.

Russia says it will go ahead with plans to help Cuba finish construction of the island's Juragua nuclear power plant, according to Cuban Government sources. Alexander Nechayev, deputy director of Russia's agency for the …

Right steps to restore old windows.(Homes)

Byline: PETER HOTTON

Q: I am restoring all my old windows. I took a course and it looks like quite a process, but I do not want to replace them. So what do I face in restoring the old windows?

- Myrtise Kretsedemas, Hyde Park

A: Where to begin, oh intrepid Myrtise. For starters, check the sash frames for decay and breaks. If the sash is actually broken, you can determine if it can be fixed by gluing or doweling. If there is decay, but not too much, it can be dug out and the cavity filled with a wood rot filler. If the sash is beyond repair, you can replace it with an exact same copy. Brockway-Smith, a big wholesaler, has a catalog full of …

DEFENSIVE PRESSURE IS REALLY ON WINGS.(Sports)

Byline: BUZZ GRAY Staff writer

If anyone needs a witness for the defense, check out the Adirondack Red Wings. They will willingly take the stand, more than eager to attest to the virtues of playing tight hockey.

And with good reason. They don't have a choice.

Already stripped of many top scorers, the American Hockey League team will be without yet another one tonight when it plays host to the Utica Devils at the Civic Center.

Second-leading scorer Vyacheslav Kozlov (21-31-52) was called up to the parent NHL club in Detroit after Saturday night's game. So the situation is this: a team which had difficulty scoring goals before, will find it …

Brazil steelmaker lays off 1,300 amid steel slump

One of Brazil's biggest steel makers is planning to lay off a tenth of its work force this month as the world economic crisis slashes demand for metals.

Usinas Siderugicas de Minas Gerais says 516 workers are volunteering to leave and another 810 will be let go, bringing total job losses to more than 1,300.

A Tuesday …

`Steel Kiss' Has Powerful Delivery

`Steel Kiss' Open run Mary-Arrchie Theatre at Angel Island, 731 W. Sheridan

Tickets, $10 (312) 871-0442

Political theater is tough. Playwrights and directors seek toinstruct while bearing in mind their obligation to entertain, or atleast involve, their audience.

And as important as the issues might be, it takes a realeffort to avoid the pedantic.

In "Steel Kiss," now being presented at Mary-Arrchie TheatreCo., Canadian playwright Robin Fulford has taken up the true story ofthe 1985 beating death of a gay Toronto librarian at the hands - andthe booted feet - of four teenage boys.

A program note tells us that director Frank Pullen …

AZAL LAUNCHES AVIATION SECURITY TRAINING COURSES.

Baku, 3 April (AzerTAc). Azerbaijan`s Airlines, AZAL, has launched aviation security training courses under the patronage of the International Civil …

CBS TO AIR 007 IN 2000.(LIFE & LEISURE)

Byline: New York Daily News

Though the film hits the theaters today, ``Tomorrow Never Dies,'' the latest James Bond movie, has a date to air on CBS in 2000.

The network has inked a deal to pay $20 million for exclusive rights to the Pierce Brosnan 007er. The CBS airing will follow a TV debut on the pay-cable channel Showtime.

CBS' deal gives the network five runs of the movie over five years.

The film's $20 million TV ticket tag is the latest in an ongoing escalation of prices for big-screen movies heading to the small screen. Prices are …

Cubs 7, Brewers 1

…

06Cubs 7, Brewers 1

CHICAGO @ MILWAUKEE @

ab r h bi @ab r h bi

ASrano lf 4 0 1 1 Drham 2b 3 0 1 0

Theriot ss 5 1 2 0 Cunsell 2b 1 0 0 0

DLee 1b 5 1 1 0 Hardy ss 4 0 0 0

ArRmz 3b 5 2 4 1 Braun lf 4 0 1 0

Fkdme cf 5 1 2 2 Fielder 1b 3 0 1 0

DeRosa rf 4 1 1 2 Hart rf 4 0 1 0