FUND-RAISER Members of the Vale [...]

FUND-RAISER Members of the Vale of Towy YFC at their bingoevening held on 1 April …

Column: Will King James Be Coronated?

Four days later, people are still debating where LeBron James' 25 straight points to end Game 5 ranks on the NBA's list of all-time best finishes. The only point worth adding is this: Whoever has James' ear between now and Thursday can serve the King best by reminding him that better be just the beginning.

James better have a few more games like that in him, and we're not talking during the course of his career, but over the next two weeks. Otherwise, this will be remembered as the NBA finals that he got close enough to see his reflection in the Larry O'Brien Trophy - and not much else.

It's easy to forget how tricky it can be for even the brightest young star to trace a …

National Hockey League

No. 1 Boston vs. No. 8 Montreal

No. 2 Washington vs. No. 7 N.Y. Rangers

No. 3 New Jersey vs. No. 6 Carolina

No. 4 Pittsburgh vs. No. 5 Philadelphia

…

A haven for modern music

Over the next three weeks, Orchestra Hall will be the perfectplace for close encounters with a wide sampling of 20th centurymusic. Pierre Boulez, distinguished composer, conductor andimpassioned spokesman for contemporary music, will led the ChicagoSymphony Orchestra in concerts that range from Debussy and Ravel toSchoenberg.

He also will conduct an open rehearsal of Schoenberg'sVariations for Orchestra, Op. 31, with the Civic Orchestra.

Boulez's CSO programs at 8 p.m. Thursday, 1:30 p.m. Friday, 8p.m. Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10 include Schoenberg's setting ofBach's Prelude and Fugue, E-Flat Major, "St. Anne's"; Berg's ViolinConcerto with Midori as soloist, …

SANTA AT MACY'S

YOU BETTER WATCK OUT! SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO MACY'S IN DOWNTOWN BOISE

Through the generations, in cities across the country, children have lined up in department stores to tell Santa their Christmas wishes. It's a holiday tradition. Here in downtown Boise that tradition continues at Macy's, 918 W. Idaho St., where Santa will visit every Saturday from November 24 through December 22, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. He will also make a special stop on First Thursday, December 6, from 6 to 9 p.m.

This year Santa will sit in Macy's front window in an antique sleigh that Old Boise has kindly made available for this very traditional scene. All little girls and boys are invited to come …

Samsonov, Staal Lead Hurricanes in Rout

Sergei Samsonov had two goals, Eric Staal added a goal and two assists and the Carolina Hurricanes easily handled the penalty-prone Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1 Saturday night.

Tuomo Ruutu, acquired at the trade deadline, scored his first goal for the Hurricanes, who won for the fourth time in five games to remain in control of the Southeast Division with about a month left in the regular season. With 73 points, Carolina now leads Washington by five points.

Joseph Corvo also had a goal and Cam Ward made 22 saves, including 18 in the first two periods. In the final 20 minutes, the Lightning hardly put up a fight, finishing with four shots as the Hurricanes put the …

A Pegaso for mud-pluggers

Aprilia has launched a more serious off-road version of its Pegasotrailie.

The Pegaso Tuscany-Tibet Raid is a direct competitor to the BMWF650 Dakar, but slightly cheaper.

It follows the BMW idea of making a trailie-style commuter alittle more capable off-road by increasing suspension travel and . ..

well, that's about it.

In the case of the Aprilia, you also get a purple and orange paintjob with slightly taller screen and, most useful of all, a …

Lancaster fears flight cuts

Tait Towers Inc. in Lititz builds staging and scenery for traveling entertainment shows. Whenever it makes travel plans, Tait considers Lancaster Airport.

"It's our first choice all the time," said James Fairorth, Tait's general manager.

The airport might not be a choice for Lancaster County businesses much longer. In mid-January, airport officials said its sole commercial carrier, Manassas, Va.-based Colgan Air Inc., plans to stop serving the airport effective March 23. The decision might leave the Manheim Township airport without commercial passenger airline service for the first time in more than 53 years.

Colgan's departure is one of a series of setbacks airport …

Hornets sign Posey

The New Orleans Hornets have signed free agent forward James Posey.

Posey's agent, Mark Bartelstein, …

DEAR ABBY

DEAR ABBY: My son, "Steve," is 18 and will be going to juniorcollege this fall. He will commute back and forth to school and hasa part-time job that pays very little.

Steve is basically a good kid. He's not into drugs or alcohol,but he is stubborn and bullheaded. Whenever he needs gas money,clothes ironed or lunches made, I'm usually there to help out.However, when the shoe is on the other foot and I need help withchores and things around the house, he always manages to wiggle outof it, dump the task on his younger brother, or be "too busy" withhis friends to stop and help me.

When I try to talk to Steve about it, he gets an attitude andignores me, or walks away from …

GIG OF THE WEEK; KAMPHIRE COLLECTIVE

While there are certain types of music I love, there are always bands or songs that spill over into my favorite genres even though it may not be the stuff typically in my MP3 player. Even though I'm not a diehard follower of hip-hop, I do recognize its influence in all aspects of our culture--art, music, fashion, literature and all other artistic expression. But, too much exposure can be as bad as not enough. What artists need is that thing that makes them unique. They need to dive into a genre and mix in their own sounds and ideas, so that what surfaces is something great. Kamphire Collective seems to have done just that.

KC is a local group. They are a live hip-hop band, with …

(null)

Lawyer for U.S. boy accused of plotting a school attack says his client …

U.S. Death Toll in Iraq Worst in a Year

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The number of American troops killed in Iraq in October reached the highest monthly total in a year Thursday after four Marines and a sailor died of wounds suffered while fighting in the same Sunni insurgent stronghold.

The U.S. military said 96 U.S. troops have died so far in October, the most in one month since October 2005, when the same number was killed. The spike in deaths has been a major factor behind rising anti-war sentiment in the United States, fueling calls for President Bush to change tactics.

In other violence, 12 police officers were killed in fighting with suspected militia gunmen in Baqouba, northeast of Baghdad, officials said. Eighteen militants also were killed.

The deadliest month for U.S. forces in Iraq was November 2004, when military offenses primarily in the then-insurgent stronghold of Fallujah, 40 miles west of Baghdad, left 137 troops dead, 126 of them in combat. In January 2005, 107 U.S. troops were killed.

Polls show a majority of Americans are opposed to Bush's handling of Iraq, and at a news conference in Washington on Wednesday, he indicated he shared the public's frustration even as he pushed back against calls for troop withdrawals.

"I know many Americans are not satisfied with the situation in Iraq," Bush said. "I'm not satisfied either."

Gen. William B. Caldwell, the U.S. military spokesman, said there had been a marked decrease in violence in Baghdad since the end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, earlier this week.

Caldwell said violence has in the past tended to spike during that month, then fall off. He also said it was possible increased U.S. patrols and roadblocks in the search of a missing American soldier could be having an effect.

"Everyone is asking this very same question ... whether this is occurring naturally or is it due to the fact that we in fact established and are conducting these additional operations," he said.

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said the United States would increase its support for Iraqi security forces.

"We intend to increase their budgets," he said, as well as their capabilities, and officials will work to help make the improvements more quickly. He did not cite any figures.

Rumsfeld also said people ought to "just back off" and stop demanding specific benchmarks or timelines for progress in Iraq, saying it is just too difficult to predict when the Iraqis can take control of security.

Fighting continued Thursday with fresh clashes between Iraqi security forces and militia groups linked to major Shiite political parties, part of an ominous new trend adding to the violence wrought by the Sunni-led insurgency against U.S. coalition forces and their Iraqi allies.

At least 12 policemen were killed in fighting near Baqouba pitting Iraqi security forces against gunmen of the Mahdi Army militia, who are loyal to fiery anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. At least 18 militants also were killed, said Ghassan al-Bawi, police chief of surrounding Diyala province.

Mahdi militiamen have flooded into the area 35 miles northeast of Baghdad, forcing large numbers of residents belonging to Iraq's Sunni Arab minority to flee their homes. Mahdi fighters killed scores of Sunnis in massacres last week in the nearby city of Balad, forcing U.S. troops to return to the area after Iraqi security forces were unable to stem the bloodshed.

The U.S. military said the five service members killed in volatile Anbar province included a sailor assigned to the 3rd Naval Construction Regiment. Two of the Marines were attached to Regimental Combat Team 5, and two others to Regimental Combat Team 7. All died from wounds suffered in attacks Wednesday in Anbar province, a hotbed of the Sunni insurgency.

According to Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, about 300 Iraqi police and soldiers died during Ramadan, while altogether, more than 961 Iraqis have been killed in war-related violence this month, the highest level since The Associated Press began tracking civilian deaths in April 2005.

That amounts to an average of more than 41 each day, compared with a daily average of about 27 since April 2005, as more Iraqis fall prey to sectarian death squads affiliated with the militias.

The AP count includes civilians, government officials and police and security forces, and is considered a minimum based on AP reporting. The actual number is likely higher, as many killings go unreported. The United Nations has said 100 Iraqis are being killed each day.

HE WHO LAUGHS, LASTS

When nothing is obvious

RIDDLE #1

Moishe is a member of a local fitness center and is a great swimmer.

One Tuesday, he goes to the center and swims would you believe, 50 laps of the pool! And although he isn't exactly up to Olympic standards, he does the breast stroke for the entire distance!

The pool is 25m long and 12m wide. It is Im deep at the shallow end, and then it slopes to an angle of 45 degrees at the deep end (where it is 3m deep).

THE QUESTION IS:

How much water (in liters) is required to fill the pool?

RIDDLE #2

Martin and Aaron are having an argument.

Martin says it is more correct to say "the herd of sheep is eating hay in the field", whereas Aaron maintains it is more correct to say "the herd of sheep are eating hay in the field".

THE QUESTION IS:

Who is right?

RIDDLE #3

You are refereeing a Jewish baseball game between Northshore Maccabees and the West End All Stars.

Four of the 18 players are called Mendel (1 pitcher on Northshore Maccabees and 3 outfielders on the West End All Stars), and three of the players are called Sidney (2 infielders on the West End All Stars and 1 catcher on the Northshore Maccabees).

In addition, the first baseman on both teams is named Seymour.

THE QUESTION IS:

Can you figure out the name of the referee!

RIDDLE #4

Albert and Ralph are keen tennis players.

One Sunday, they go to their local tennis club at a swank downtown location and play 3 tennis matches in a row.

Then they leave.

Afterwards, over coffee, they realize an amazing thing: They had both lost and won the same number of matches.

THE QUESTION IS:

How could they have won and lost the same number of matches? (Hint: Remember, there is no such thing as a "draw" in a tennis match).

RIDDLE #5

Shoshi is quite a mischievous teenager and is always getting herself into trouble at school.

One week, she is so naughty that as a punishment she is made to carry 100 bags of sand, each weighing at least lOlbs., from the store room of the school to the long jump pit, which is in the field adjacent to a coffee shop.

Needless to say, she found it a great struggle. But after she had taken the first few bags to the pit, she gets an idea.

She soon realizes that she could put something in each bag to make it lighter to carry.

THE QUESTION IS:

What could Shoshi put into each bag?

ANSWERS TO RIDDLES

#1 - No water is needed. The pool must have been full in order to swim 50 laps.

#2 - Neither. It's a flock of sheep, not a herd.

#3 - As you are the referee, it's your own name.

#4 - Albert and Ralph were playing against their girlfriends, not against each other.

#5 - Shoshi put a hole in each sandbag.

[Author Affiliation]

As Told By DAVID MINKOFF

SPECIAL TO THE CHICAGO JEWISH STAR

Alam: Retain Malik as captain

Shoaib Malik got a vote of confidence from team coach Intikhab Alam, who said he had no doubt that the all-rounder should continue to captain Pakistan.

"I am crystal clear in my mind that Malik should continue as captain," Alam told The Associated Press on Friday.

"His attitude has changed toward other players in the team and I think that's a good sign," he added.

Malik was made captain last year after Pakistan's unceremonious first round exit from the world cup in the West Indies and his contract is due to expire on Dec. 31.

"Malik is still learning but he will gradually be more confident if his captaincy tenure is extended," Alam said.

Alam was one of Malik's critic before he replaced Australian Geoff Lawson as coach. In September Alam said the Pakistan Cricket Board should look for new captain _ possibly hardhitting batsman Shahid Afridi.

"Let's be honest, we don't have captaincy stuff in the present lot," Alam had told AP at the time.

However, Alam said that after he was appointed coach and had long meetings with Malik, he found a changed Pakistan captain during the three one-day internationals against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi last month.

"I admit that I had criticized Malik a lot, but he is a changed person now, who believes in himself and his team players," Alam said.

In the recent domestic tournaments, Malik successfully led his teams _ Sialkot Stallions and Punjab Stallions _ to victories in the twenty20 tournament and five-team one-day events respectively.

"He showed a lot of guts in batting, bowling and leading his side," Alam noticed.

"He has a good thinking cap and I think he should be given an extended run."

The PCB is going to analyze Malik's performance before either retaining him or appointing a new captain for next month's proposed test and limited-overs series against Sri Lanka in Pakistan.

Malik has led Pakistan in two test series and lost both since he was elevated to skipper last year. Despite losing to South Africa and India in test series in 2007, Malik set a new Pakistan record of 12 successive victories in one-dayers when Bangladesh and Zimbabwe played back-to-back series here earlier this year.

However, foreign teams have refused to tour Pakistan this year because of security concerns, meaning that the national side will end 2008 without playing a single five-day game.

"Now that's not the fault of Malik if we couldn't compete against stronger teams this year," Alam said. "I firmly believe that against Sri Lanka he will give a good performance if he retains the captaincy."

CD reviews

Luke Doucet

Broken (and other rogue states)

Six shooter

If "Broken" is any indication, Toronto singer/songwriter LukeDoucet has tapped a well of musical inspiration that won't quit. Infact, there are so many strong ideas on this record it's downrightstunning. Every track offers an ear-grabbing snapshot that soundscompletely fresh - as if you were hearing these rock-pop-chamberideas for the first time. And, if his influences are a little (OK, alot) disparate, Doucet's rich voice ties everything together quiteneatly.

His songs - even the solo "Wallow" - are big and full, and loadedwith just enough oddball emotion and jagged edges to hold yourinterest from start to finish. If you're a fan of prolific Australiansongsmith Paul Kelly, "Broken One" mines that expansive territorywith close harmonies and melodic guitar lines; "Emily, Please"switches gears to a quirky, tremoloed, spaghetti western-samba - acompletely wicked concoction that adds the ethereal Southwest feel ofCalexico. "Lucky Strikes" and "Free" add a jaunty Beatlesque/Jellyfish feel to the set and, just when you thought you'd heardeverything he had to offer, "It's Not The Liquor I Miss" and "No LoveTo Be Made Here Now" unfurl "big production" numbers replete with astring quartet and a bari sax solo. In true Canadian spirit, Doucettapped an impressive roster of talent: the tracks were recorded at 12different studios, with 13 engineers and 22 musicians. Highlyrecommended. (www.sixshooterrecords.com).

MICHAEL LIPTON

Various Artists

35 Songs, 35 Years

Alligator

Beginning in 1971 with the release of Hound Dog Taylor and theHouserocker's debut, Bruce Iglauer's Alligator label has been doingits part to keep one of America's most unique musical genre's alive.Featuring a track from the debut of each featured artist, this two-disc set presents a musical timeline by powerhouse blues artists.

Although the tracks don't necessarily catch the artists at theirpeak, the lineup represents a diverse cross section of blues stylesand soloists. Disc one opens with Hound Dog Taylor's gritty "She'sGone" and continues with Albert Collins' stinging "Honey Hush,"Professor Longhair, Buddy Guy, Johnny Winter, Lonnie Mack, Brown, RoyBuchannan, Lonnie Mack, James Cotton and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.Disc two begins with a track from boogie-woogie, blues belter KatieWebster's 1988 release and rummages through a catalog that includesnewer, crowd-pleasing artists like Carey Bell, Corey Harris, MichaelBurks, Marcia Ball, C.J. Chenier, the Holmes Brothers, and ShemekiaCopeland. (www.alligator.com).

UN chief questions Syrian leader's credibility

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday he doesn't see "much credibility" in Syrian President Bashar Assad's promises of reforms because of his failure to allow peaceful demonstrations in his country.

Ban said unified action by the U.N. Security Council, which is deeply divided over a resolution that would condemn the Syrian crackdown on protesters, "would be helpful."

The secretary-general spoke with news agency reporters a day after his re-election for a second term as U.N. chief, using unusually strong language to question Assad's reliability when asked whether he trusted promises of reform by Assad and his foreign minister.

"I do not see much credibility of what he has been saying because the situation has been continuing," Ban said of the government's handling of the protests.

The Assad regime, which has been in power for more than 40 years, unleashed security forces to crush the protest movement, which began in March following the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt. The opposition estimates more than 1,400 Syrians have been killed.

The secretary-general said he welcomed Assad's announcement earlier this week of a general amnesty.

Ban said Assad must "respect the will and aspirations of his own people" and their right to peaceful demonstrations and freedom of expression. The Syrian government also must ensure that civilians are protected, he said.

Although Assad hasn't been accepting his phone calls of late, the secretary-general said he didn't feel rebuffed, adding that "there is always a possibility I can talk to him; I will try."

On another issue related to the protection of civilians, Ban was asked whether he was concerned that NATO's aggressiveness in Libya was inadvertently causing civilian deaths and attacks on rebels.

"I'm assured that NATO secretary-general and his military commanders, in conducting military operations ... will pay utmost care and caution to protect human lives," he replied.

On other global hotspots, Ban urged the Iranian government to comply with U.N. sanctions and the Palestinians and Israelis to resume negotiations.

He stressed that "there's still time" for Israeli-Palestinian talks before the ministerial meeting of the U.N. General Assembly in September, when the Palestinians say they will seek U.N. membership and international recognition as an independent state.

Ban also expressed hope that the Security Council will "take action as soon as possible" to establish a new U.N. mission for South Sudan, which is scheduled to secede from the north and become an independent nation on July 9.

His spokesman, Martin Nesirky, later announced that UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Hilde Johnson has been selected to head the new mission. Johnson previously served as a senior adviser to the president of the African Development Bank, as Norway's minister of international development and as a member of the Norwegian parliament for five years.

As for reports in South Korea that he will leave the U.N. post to become president of his country, Ban said he is committed to his job as secretary-general and hopes that with the General Assembly's decision to give him a second five-year term "all these kind of speculations or expectations will fade away completely."

2 arrested in Vegas casino heist of $33K in chips

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A taxi driver and another man were arrested on suspicion of being in cahoots with a wig-wearing gunman who snatched $33,000 in poker chips from a Las Vegas casino, police said Friday.

The search was still on, however, for the robber who threatened a poker dealer with an unloaded gun before fleeing in a waiting taxi.

The stickup was the second grab-and-run heist in Sin City in two months. In December, a bandit snatched $1.5 million in chips from a craps table at the Bellagio casino then sped away on a motorcycle.

Police do not believe the holdups were connected or were linked to organized crime.

The gunman in Thursday's holdup, identified as Steven Gao, 45, went to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino and grabbed the chips from a pai gow table before fleeing in a taxi driven by 61-year-old Hiroyuki Yamaguchi, robbery Lt. Ray Steiber said.

Yamaguchi was arrested within hours of the heist, after Gao was dropped off at another casino, where police said he met suspect Edward Land and gave him $17,000 in stolen chips to repay a debt.

Land, 41, later told police Gao robbed the casino as a way to pay back the money, according to an arrest report.

Land said he drove Gao to the Rio on the day of the heist and became suspicious when Gao donned a fake mustache and wig.

"Land said he knew Gao was 'going to do something,'" the report said. "Land said he told Gao that he was 'crazy,' and Gao told him, 'Don't worry about it.'"

Land said he later drove Gao to catch a bus to California.

Yamaguchi and Gao worked together at the same taxi company.

Police found Yamaguchi after obtaining an identification number from the cab used by the gunman after the holdup and tracking it through the taxi company.

Land was located through a phone call Gao made from a pay phone, the report said.

Authorities recovered nearly $17,000 in chips and a wig from Land's home, and $1,000 in chips and a silver revolver from Yamaguchi's cab, according to the arrest report.

Yamaguchi and Land were in jail for investigation of robbery, burglary and conspiracy. Bail for each was set at $25,000.

The robbery came after the stickup at the Bellagio hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

Police have arrested Anthony Carleo, 29, the son of a Las Vegas judge, in connection with that robbery. He has not yet entered a plea and remained jailed with bail set at $1 million.

The Rio is owned by Caesars Entertainment, the world's largest gambling company by revenue, and is home to the annual World Series of Poker.

The Bellagio robbery involved chips mostly worth $25,000 — a denomination unusual for most gamblers to possess. Chips worth $1,000 or less are far more common in Nevada casinos, making them tougher to track.

Central Conn. Makes Huskies Jealous

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - Hey Huskies, are you jealous? Central Connecticut, which has played for years in the shadow of the mighty Connecticut Huskies, beat Sacred Heart 74-70 on Wednesday night to win the Northeast Conference tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament.

The Blue Devils (21-11) play in a 3,200-seat gym, dress only nine players, have just one player who was recruited by another major school - and they'll be the only team from the Nutmeg state in the NCAA tournament this season.

UConn (17-14), which has won two national titles in the last eight years, continued its disappointing season earlier Wednesday by losing in the opening round of the Big East tournament. While UConn will miss the NCAAs for the first time since 2001, Central Connecticut is making its third appearance in seven years.

"The Central Connecticut men's basketball team has as much heart, as much toughness, mentally, physically, emotionally, as any team I have ever known," said coach Howie Dickenman, a former UConn assistant and a CCSU alum who has been the Blue Devils coach for 11 years.

Dickenman joins Virginia's Dave Leitao and Penn coach Glen Miller as former UConn assistants whose teams will play in the tournament.

"We must have learned from a very good coach in Jim Calhoun," Dickenman said.

Javier Mojica scored 25 points, including a late 3-pointer that put Blue Devils ahead to stay.

This was just the second time that two Connecticut schools have played each other with an automatic NCAA bid at stake. The first time came in 2002 when CCSU defeated Quinnipiac, 78-71, on the same court.

Central Connecticut ran away with the Northeast Conference regular season championship, going 16-2 in league play and 9-0 at home. But for much of the second half, it didn't look like CCSU would make the field of 65 either. The Blue Devils trailed 56-46 with 10:29 to play.

Mojica, the conference's player of the year, gave Central the lead for good, 70-68, on a 3-pointer with 1:36 left.

Jermino Sobers then put CCSU up four with a long jump shot, before the Pioneers' Joey Henley hit a layup with :35 seconds left to cut the lead back to two.

But Tristan Blackwood, who scored 21, hit two free throws with 22 seconds left to secure the win.

"We don't stop fighting till the end," Blackwood said. "We've got a big heart and we wouldn't allow ourselves to get beat."

Sobers finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds.

Henley scored 22 for Sacred Heart (18-14). Jarrid Frye added 16 points, and Ryan Litke had 12, all on 3-point shots. The Pioneers were picked to finish ninth in the conference this year, but finished with their first winning season, and first appearance in the conference final.

"We just come up one first short," coach Dave Bike said.

Trailing 33-30, Sacred Heart scored the last four points before intermission and the first eight after to take a 42-33 lead.

Both teams looked nervous early. Central Connecticut hit just one of its first six shots from the field, Sacred Heart was just 2-of-6, and the game was tied 4-4 five minutes in.

The lead changed hands 12 times before intermission and was tied seven times, and neither team lead by more than five.

Mojica had 13 first-half points, but hit just 5-of-14 shots from the field.

"Being the leader and the captain, I felt like I had to do too much for the team, and I was rushing a lot of shots," he said. "Coaches just told me to calm down, wait and let it come to you."

Sacred Heart's Frye also scored 13 before intermission, hitting 5-of-7 shots, but was in foul trouble much of the second half, and fouled out with 2:58 left.

Sweden's weather service says Baltic Sea region winter was mildest on record

Sweden's national weather service said Saturday that the ice-winter in the Baltic Sea region was the mildest on record, with the lowest levels of ice since measurement began more than a century ago.

The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute said ice covered only 49,000 square kilometers (19,000 square miles) during the 2007-2008 Nordic winter, down from the "normal" ice extension of about 180,000 square kilometers (70,000 square miles)

"It's down both in terms of volume and extension," agency Oceanographer Amund Lindberg said, adding that this was "the mildest winter since measurement started in the beginning of the 20th century."

Although warmer weather was mainly to blame, he said the region's greatest ice extension was recorded as late as in the winter of 1986-1987, when 420,000 square kilometers (162,000 square miles) was covered by ice.

"The climate has an effect of course, but it varies all the time," he said.

"Looking back only two years, there was a lot of ice too, but no one talked about climate change when that happened."

Ad firm on right track to open up new market

A Bristol company has clinched the exclusive contract to selladvertising space on First Great Western Trains.

Monster Media, a specialist in outdoor advertising, will sellspace on the inside and outside of the train company's high speedtrains, which run between London Paddington, the South West, SouthWales and the Cotswolds.

Managing director Bernard Rugg said: "The First Great Westernagreement is very significant for Monster Media and gives us accessinto a totally untapped market.

"FGW carries over 20 million passengers annually and operates thebusiest train lines into London Paddington. It's excellent to beassociated with such a prestigious brand."

Monster Media's recent contracts also include a deal to promoteBristol & West on 30 black cabs in Bristol and in November last yearthe firm put up a giant Vodafone poster overlooking the city's busstation to coincide with Bristol's shortlisting for the 2008 EuropeanCapital of Culture bid.

The company was launched just two years ago and since then Mr Rugghas had support from Business Link in Bristol.

Its adviser Alan Cottle said: "Bernard has a clear vision for hisbusiness, which made it easier for us to provide useful contacts andhelp with the business planning process to get Monster Media off theground."

Jena 6 Defendant Released on Bail

JENA, La. - Mychal Bell exited the courthouse, free for the first time in 10 months. He was cheered by a crowd that included the Rev. Al Sharpton.

But Bell's case is far from over: he's due back in court next week.

The prosecution of Bell, one of the black teenagers known as the Jena Six, led to a massive civil rights demonstration last week, bringing activists Sharpton, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Martin Luther King III to this tiny central Louisiana town.

Bell was released on $45,000 bail Thursday after the prosecutor dropped an attempt to try the 17-year-old as an adult on charges of aggravated second-degree battery in the beating of a white classmate.

He is scheduled to return to the courthouse Tuesday, his lawyer said, for the first hearing in his prosecution as a juvenile.

"Tonight Mychal can go home. But Mychal is not out of the juvenile process," Sharpton said Thursday, standing next to Bell at a news conference in front of the courthouse.

District Attorney Reed Walters' decision to abandon adult charges means that Bell, who had faced a maximum of 15 years in prison on his aggravated second-degree battery conviction last month, instead could be held only until he turns 21 if he is found guilty in juvenile court.

Bell is among six black Jena High School students arrested in December after a beating that left Justin Barker, a white student, unconscious and bloody. Four of the defendants were 17 at the time, which made them adults under Louisiana law.

Those four and Bell, who was 16, were initially charged with attempted murder. Walters has said he sought to have Bell tried as an adult because he already had a criminal record, and because he believed Bell instigated the attack.

The charges were dropped to aggravated second-degree battery in four of the cases. One defendant has yet to be arraigned. The sixth defendant's case is sealed in juvenile court.

Bell's conviction in adult court was thrown out this month by the state 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal, which said juveniles could not be tried as adults on battery charges. That decision led to Bell's release.

Walters initially said he would appeal the decision. On Thursday, he said he changed his mind because it was in the best interest of the victim and his family to allow Bell to be charged as a juvenile.

"They are on board with what I decided," Walters said at a news conference.

Sharpton and other critics accuse Walters, who is white, of prosecuting blacks more harshly than whites. They note that he did not file charges against three white teens suspended from the high school over allegations they hung nooses in a tree on campus not long before fights between blacks and whites, including the attack on Barker.

"He never should have been jailed on this basis in the first place," Jackson said in a telephone interview after Bell's release. "To try a juvenile as an adult knowingly is child abuse and prosecutorial misconduct. The charges leveled by the district attorney and the high bond set by the judge were oppressive and filled with malicious intent."

The Congressional Black Caucus is asking the Justice Department to investigate possible civil rights violations in the case.

"This shocking case has focused national and international attention on what appears to be an unbelievable example of the separate and unequal justice that was once commonplace in the Deep South," the group of 43 lawmakers said in a letter to Acting Attorney General Peter Keisler.

Justice Department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said the department has been monitoring the case and is investigating allegations of threats against the students and their families.

"Since these investigations are ongoing, the department cannot comment any further," Roehrkasse said.

Last week, Sharpton and Jackson led an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 protesters in Jena, which has a population of about 2,800.

Walters called the national attention on the small town a "trauma that has been brought upon us."

He also defended his decision not to seek charges against the white students in the hanging the nooses. He said the act was "abhorrent and stupid," but not a crime.

"There's no crime to charge them with," he said. "It is simply not a crime."

---

Associated Press writer Sam Hananel in Washington contributed to this report.

Tunnel collapses in Belgrade suburb, killing two, police say

A tunnel under construction collapsed early Friday in a Belgrade suburb, killing two workers, Serbian police said.

Predrag Maric, chief of the rescue brigade, said the accident occurred in Resnik, on the outskirts of the capital.

"Huge quantities of heavy, wet soil collapsed," Maric said.

One of the victims was alive when pulled from the rubble, but died soon after, Maric said. The second victim was dead when found hours after the accident, he said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the accident.

Sorl Auto Parts triples 1Q profit on sales surge

China's Sorl Auto Parts more than tripled its first-quarter net income as demand for trucks in China surged.

China's auto market blew past the United States last year to become No. 1 in the world.

The burgeoning middle class and a rapidly rebounding economy means that most major automakers turned most of their global profits in China, and that has trickled down to companies like Sorl, which makes air brake systems and other components.

Sorl posted net income of $3.2 million, or 17 cents per share, for the first three months of the year. In the year-ago period, the company earned $945,000 or 5 cents a share.

Sorl's revenue spiked 68 percent to $34.1 million.

Profit and revenue edged out most Wall Street expectations.

CEO Xiaoping Zhang said that an expansion into interior mainland China caused "surging demand" for trucks in the quarter.

Zhang said government emission control measures mean new products that have higher margins, which also improved performance.

The company expects second quarter net revenue of $47 million and net income of $4.3 million, compared to net revenue of $29.7 million and net income of $3 million for the same quarter last year.

Analysts expect net revenue of only $43.4 million on net income of $4.12 million for the quarter ending in June.

Still, shares of China's Sorl Auto Parts Inc. fell 43 cents, or 4 percent, to $9.68 Friday amid a broader sell-off on Wall Street.

Countering fear, balloons inspire smiles in Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Thousands of yellow balloons are floating above commuters in downtown Nairobi, igniting smiles among Kenyans wary after two recent grenade attacks.

Yazmany Arboleda, an American artist who organized the balloon distribution, said Monday's giveaway is the third in a series of seven art projects around the world known as "Monday Morning."

But Arboleda said the balloon giveaway in Kenya has taken on added meaning since Somali militants last month threatened to carry out terror attacks in Nairobi after Kenya's military moved into southern Somalia.

The balloon giveaway took place near a crowded bus stop where one person was killed in a grenade attack last month.

New deal for star hildreth

Former Millfield School cricketer James Hildreth signed a newthree-year deal with Somerset last week, keeping him at the CountyGround until at least 2014.

The new deal is a fine reward for the 26-year-old batsman whoscored 1,440 County Championship runs for the Cidermen last yearbefore being awarded the England Lions captaincy during their wintertour to the West Indies.

Although he has failed to hit the heights of last season inSomerset's mixed start to 2011, Hildreth remains a firm candidatefor selection for England's upcoming summer series with Sri Lankaand India.

"I'm very happy to commit myself to the club for another threeyears. I've always been very proud playing for Somerset, and lookforward to a good future," said Hildreth.

"The squad we have got here is impressive, in that currently wehave the capability of winning trophies, but also you can see fromthe young lads coming through that there is huge potential for thefuture, so both signs are bright.

"Growing up playing for Somerset, I want to win things and alwayshave done. The only trophy I have won so far at senior level was in2005, which is quite a while ago, so we're looking to start to winsome more trophies, beginning this year.

"My goal during the next three years is get a call up torepresent my country and every time I go to the nets that is in theback of my mind.

"Doing the job for the Lions in the winter was a good experiencefor me and taught me a lot about captaincy, which could beinvaluable in the future.

"The Somerset captaincy is an idea that has been banded aroundand something I might consider at some point in the future."

His performances at county level also earned him selection forEngland's performance squad that travelled to Australia at the sametime as the 2010-11 Ashes squad.

While Down Under, Hildreth scored an unbeaten double hundredagainst Queensland Academy and also linked up with the Ashes sidewhen nominated as 12th man on the fourth day of the Brisbane Test.

The former England under-19 international was also named in the30-man provisional World Cup squad before the final selection wasmade.

Somerset director of cricket Brian Rose heaped praise on theMilton Keynes-born star and the youth system currently implementedat the Country Ground.

"I think that this is a sign of the way that the club hasdeveloped over the last five years or six years into somewhere thatis attractive for professional cricketers to come and play," saidRose.

"The way that we have developed our Academy, with young playerslike Lewis Gregory and Jos Buttler coming into the side in the lastyear, is a wonderful sign.

"James has seen his own career develop here and he has seen theway that things have developed here, and I'm sure that it's anattractive place for cricketers to want to come and play."

We have strong arguments to re-open Saltford station

A community-based campaign has been launched in Saltford for there-opening of Saltford Railway Station closed in 1970. The railwaystation site sits alongside the congested A4 main road between Bathand Bristol.

Electrification of the main-line from Paddington through Saltfordwill give extra capacity on the line.

A re-opened railway station may reduce traffic on the A4 andserve a community of 4,200 people in Saltford itself, the villagesof Corston, Newton St Loe and, significantly, also serve the NewtonPark campus of Bath Spa University. The economic, environmental andsocial case to re-open Saltford Railway Station is strong. It wouldprovide improved, alternative and sustainable transport for ourcommunity. The GW Mainline Route Utilisation Strategy (2010) writtenby Network Rail, already envisages an hourly shuttle train servicefrom Bath Spa to Bristol Temple Meads and possibly on to Avonmouth.It would seem a missed opportunity if this commuter shuttle was ableto stop at all the existing stations but pass through Saltfordbecause it did not have a station.

Saltford Station, sitting alongside the A4, the river and cycle-path is a perfect hub for activities in the Avon Valley.

Re-opening Saltford Railway Station fits the aims of the West ofEngland Partnership and the revised draft Core Strategy for B&NESCouncil.

The campaign has the support of the local parish council and theconstituency MP, Jacob Rees-Mogg.

B&NES is conducting a feasibility study in this financial yearand is also pressing the case for Saltford Station to be included inthe new 2013 GW Franchise.

The West of England Transport Executive is working already withthe Department for Transport to ensure 'passive provision' forSaltford Station when the electrification and re-signalling takesplace.

With the line, signalling, pedestrian bridge and stationfootprint in place, a station with basic platforms could bereinstated at reasonable cost. The Government may promote publictransport investment like this as a means of injecting future growthinto the economy.

All the indications are that Saltford Railway Station can bereopened but now the crucial step is to demonstrate a good businesscase. This entails establishing potential passenger use.

A local petition is being conducted in Saltford in November. Inaddition, can I ask all businesses, organisations and regularvisitors to Saltford who would use a reopened Saltford Station tocontact us and I will forward the replies to all the relevant bodiesinvolved in the decision process. For the latest local news on thecampaign, please visit www.saltfordenvironmentgroup.org.uk and clickon the link to the Saltford Station Campaign site.

DUNCAN HOUNSELL Saltford

Interesting ice accumulation on a cup anemometer during an Oklahoma ice storm

The Oklahoma ice storm of 28-30 January 2002 caused more than $100 million in damage and left more than 250,000 residences and businesses without power. The Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives reported over 31,000 electrical poles destroyed by the storm (McManus 2002). The storm also caused numerous problems within the Oklahoma Mesonet (a network of 115 remote meteorological stations across the state; Brock et al. 1995). Wind data from 52 Mesonet stations had to be manually flagged (Fiebrich and Crawford 2001) as erroneous because of ice accretion on the anemometers. To better understand the impact of a severe ice storm on the sensors, Mesonet personnel visited and photographed …

NCAA: Murray State takes lead vs. Butler

Murray State slapped on a full-court press and has shot itself back in front in San Jose with a 12-1 run. Isaiah Canaan's 3-pointer gave the Racers the lead, and Gordon Hayward missed a gimme at the rim for Butler.

Some weary legs trying to run up and down the court, as Murray State tries to become the first 13th seed since Bradley in 2002 to reach the round of 16. The Racers lead 50-47 with 2 1/2 minutes to go at the Shark Tank.

___

Tony Freeman remains the biggest thorn out there for Tennessee, with five 3-pointers and 20 points as Ohio whittled the deficit to 50-45 with 12 1/2 minutes remaining. The rest of the Bobcats are 2 for 8 from beyond the …

IGEN rests dase against Roche.(Brief Article)

IGEN International, Inc. (Gaithersburg, MD; 301-869-9800) announced that it has concluded its presentation to the jury in its multi-count lawsuit against Roche Diagnostics, a division of F. Hoffmann-La Roche. The trial began on October 23. Over the past several weeks, the jury heard testimony from IGEN's senior executives, four expert witnesses, and Roche senior executives supporting IGEN's allegations in the case. Roche is set to begin its case on November 27 and the case is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.

Prior to the start of trial, the court had already granted summary judgment in IGEN's favor on three of IGEN's breach of contract claims. The …

Publication gives state top grades for schools.(Main)

ALBANY - A major education publication says New York is tops among the states compared on several measures in public schools.

In an Education Week's Quality Counts study, the state Education Department received an "A" grade for standards, …

ELLEN YERMAN, 69.(CAPITAL REGION)

SCOTIA Ellen Yerman, 69, of Scotia died Wednesday in Ellis Hospital in Schenectady.

She was born and educated in Schenectady and was a graduate of the College of St. Rose and Laval University.

Mrs. Yerman taught at Chatham Union School and worked in the personnel group at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory for five years. Most recently, she taught at Franklin School in Schenectady.

She was a member of the Schenectady chapter of Church Women United and worked as a volunteer with the pastoral care group at the Glendale Nursing Home, the Jolly Doers Organization of Schenectady and the Schenectady Home Furnishings Organization.

Mrs. …

Wall Street points higher ahead of economic data

Wall Street headed toward a moderately higher open Thursday as investors awaited economic readings on demand for big-ticket manufactured goods and sales of new homes.

Investors are looking for any signs that the economy is slowing its descent. That could signal demand from consumers and businesses is set to rebound. But few economists expect the numbers will soon show a recovery.

Wall Street predicts manufacturers saw demand for goods like cars, airplanes, household appliances and furniture fell in January for the sixth straight month. Government figures are expected to show that orders for durable goods _ manufactured products expected to last at least …

Coaches expect 'classic' GW-Black Eagle battle

DAILY MAIL SPORTSWRITER

Don't expect George Washington to panic if it falls behind SouthCharleston in a highly anticipated boys high school sectionalbasketball game tonight at the University of Charleston.

The Class AAA top-ranked Patriots (19-3) already have a comebackroad victory over the No. 8 Black Eagles (14-8) this year. It came inthe second of the schools' two regular season meetings. GW erased a14-point second half deficit to post a 75-71 victory.

That win, GW Coach Rick Greene said, could go a long way intonight's 7:30 Region 7, Section 2 final if adversity strikes hisPatriots.

"When you're down to a quality opponent at their place and …

"Wednesday".(Poem)

All I know now is he's gone

and no amount of impecuniousness

will return him me

or elicit a response from

his dowdy sisters.

It happened on a Wednesday.

Brittle sex, infections, bad cooking,

irredeemable goods, questionable

writing happen at me always

on Wednesdays.

I vowed one time years back,

never to get out of bed

of a …

ACADEMY MOVED UP, BUT WHY?(Sports)

Al Davis, the wacky owner and patriarch of the Oakland Raiders, is perhaps best known for his longtime motto: "Just win, baby." Remember that.

Albany Academy had little difficulty collecting wins in boys' basketball during the 2007-08 season, and a trio of Section II athletic committees spent the majority of the scholastic year deciding where the program should be classified for the immediate future.

The Cadets, a charter member of the Colonial Council since 1966, must move up from the Class A to the Class AA ranks for the 2008-09 season -- too big for the Colonial Council -- following recommendations made by the Section II basketball and classification …

UALBANY BUSINESS DEAN HEADED TO ST. JOHN'S.(CAPITAL REGION)

ALBANY -- Richard Highfield, dean of the University at Albany's School of Business, is moving on.

Highfield, who has been at UAlbany since 1999, will become dean of the Tobin College of Business at St. John's University in New York City this fall.

Highfield is host of the weekly television show ``Business Matters,'' which highlights regional …

SCHOOL BUDGETS TAKE A BEATING SPENDING DROPS, BUT NOT SO TAXES.(Local)

Byline: Kenneth C. Crowe II and Donna Liquori Staff writers

Smaller budgets, higher taxes and fewer teachers are what Columbia County school districts are presenting to the voters this spring.

The recession has raised district officials' already acute awareness that their residents do not want higher property taxes. And cutbacks in state aid, as a result of the state deficit and budget crisis, have put additional financial pressure on the districts in drawing up their budgets for the 1991-92 school year.

The New Lebanon Central School District felt the voters' wrath last year when they rejected a building program and the 1990-91 budget in a vote against higher taxes in this rural area along the Massachusetts border.

The …

White Sox 9, Royals 2

Kansas City @ Chicago @

ab r h bi @ ab r h bi

DeJess rf 4 0 0 0 Pierre dh 5 2 2 0

Maier cf 1 0 0 0 Bckhm 2b 3 1 0 0

Pdsdnk lf 4 0 2 0 AnJons lf 4 1 1 3

BButler 1b 4 0 2 0 Konerk 1b 5 1 1 1

JGuilln dh 4 1 1 0 Rios cf 3 2 2 3

Callasp …

Mets Finish Off Sweep of Dodgers 9-5

LOS ANGELES - On the same day the Yankees' season ended, the Mets moved one step closer to the World Series.

In a game that featured 31 hits, the New York Mets outlasted the Los Angeles Dodgers for a 9-5 victory Saturday. The win gave the Mets a three-game sweep of the Dodgers and moved them into the National League Championship Series, where they'll play the winner of the Cardinals and Padres series.

The Cardinals lead that series 2-1. …

Asheville Regional Airport. (Western).(Brief Article)

ASHEVILLE -- Citing standing-room-only crowds during flight delays, Asheville Regional Airport has approved a $2.1 …

Hero Scout meets Chron-reading Queen.

Shefford boy is singled out at the St George's Day Scouting Parade.

A lifesaving Scout personally met the Queen at the St George's Day Scouting Parade after she singled him out and even told him she had read about his story.

Alex Smith, ten who is a member of Shefford Scouts was invited to the parade at Windsor Castle last Sunday (April 22) after he was awarded the Chief Scout Award last year for helping to save a young boy from drowning last year.

And out of 15 other award winners and more than 500 Queen's Scouts, Alex was singled out by Her Majesty The Queen for his moment of glory.

Alex of Taft Place, Chicksands said: "I just stood …

3 SCHENECTADY RESIDENTS HELD IN SPATE OF ROBBERIES.(CAPITAL REGION)

SCHENECTADY -- Three persons have been indicted in a series of robberies at convenience stores and doughnut shops in Schenectady, Niskayuna and Rotterdam.

James L. Eleby, 28, of 13 Park Place, was indicted on seven counts of first-degree robbery and seven counts of second-degree robbery.

James H. Gage, 48, of 575 Congress St., Schenectady, was indicted on six counts of first-degree robbery and seven counts of second-degree robbery.

Deborah A. Gage, 38, of 799 Albany St., Schenectady, was indicted on six counts of first-degree robbery and seven counts of second-degree robbery. The indictments were handed up Wednesday.

The robberies took …

Product, product, product.(News)(Suzuki's product plan )(Brief Article)

Suzuki's product plan (by model year)

2004 New Verona, Forenza sedans. Aerio, Vitara re-engineering …

WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING? "Your nuts," they say. "I know," sez I.

I knew I had missed something important during the first two Saturday sessions when Steve Blake, the BoiseFit organizer of the marathon training group, started off by saying into the public address system "How's your urine?"

Everyone laughed, I stood there and looked stupid in my Adidas basketball shoes.

There were over 100 people of all shapes and sizes standing in the crowd. It was cold, perhaps the last frost of the season evidenced by the ice on my windshield at 8 a.m. They were all gathered in a parking lot, listening to Steve talk about last week, answer any questions, and then outline what the smaller groups of varying running ability were going to be doing over the …

Pharming gets final approval for flagship drug launch in Europe.

(ADPnews) - Oct 28, 2010 - Dutch biotechnology firm Pharming Group NV (AMS:PHARM) said today its flagship drug Ruconest was granted a definitive marketing approval by the European Commission.

Pharming will receive a EUR 5 million (USD 6.9m) milestone payment from Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (STO:BVT), its marketing and distribution partner, the Dutch firm said.

…

CARDINAL'S TRIP LANDS HIM IN HEALTH CARE DEBATE.(MAIN)

Byline: DEBORAH MARTINEZ Staff writer -

In his first visit to Albany as archbishop of New York, Cardinal Edward Egan found the Catholic church's broad-based agenda of social issues in the state overshadowed Tuesday by his stance against a women's health care bill that would cover birth control.

Women's rights activists and Protestant and Jewish leaders had already come out against the idea of a ``conscience clause'' that would exempt religious organizations from covering prescription contraceptives. But Egan stood firm in his support for the clause.

He declined to speculate what his position would be if the Senate and Assembly couldn't compromise on the issue, endangering the entire health care bill. He said he was confident it wouldn't come to that point and that it would be tragic if New York women lost the other coverage mandated in the bill, which includes cervical cancer and osteoporosis screenings, and breast exams for women over 40.

Although a …

Japan to start sales tax debate after July vote

Japan will start debating a possible sales tax hike after next month's upper house elections to rein in the nation's bulging debt, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Monday, stressing that sturdy finances are vital for supporting a strong economy and society.

Kan said that a decision on raising the consumption tax, now at 5 percent, likely wouldn't come for at least two to three years, but said a recent proposal by the opposition conservatives to raise it to 10 percent could be considered.

"Strong finances are indispensable for economic growth and social security," he told a news conference, vowing to continue the government's effort to slash wasteful …

Partnership Formed to Provide LTC Insurance.(Brief Article)

Long Term Preferred Care, Nashville, Tenn., and Great American Life Insurance Co., Cincinnati, have formed a strategic partnership to offer a new long-term-care insurance product and to collaborate on the creation of others.

LTC Advantage has an immediate home-care benefit, which provides a lump sum for insureds to use for expenses at their discretion, and an accelerated elimination period, which allows the benefits to accumulate at a faster rate than they would under a traditional product.

Long Term Preferred Care is an independent marketer of long-term-care insurance. Its policies cover about 40,000 people. It is a subsidiary of FISI-Madison Financial, …

WOMAN ASKS COURT TO LASSO HORSE CASE.(Business)

Byline: Cailin Brown Business writer

A woman who bid $285,000 in August to buy a horse at the Fasig Tipton yearling sale in Saratoga Springs says she was misled when Brushwood Stables of Pennsylvania sold her an injured horse.

Georgia Hofmann of Florida asked the state Supreme Court in Albany County last week to stop an arbitration case between herself and Elizabeth Moran of Brushwood Stables. Hofmann instead wants her case to be handled in the courts.

Moran's attorney on Wednesday asked that the request to stop the arbitration be heard in a federal court because the parties involved are located in several states.

The clash between Hofmann …