Arrests end March Madness: University students riot after NCAA final

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Basketball fans upset by Indiana's loss in theNCAA championship torched couches, toppled street signs and threwbeer bottles at officers, while Maryland fans set bonfires and shotoff fireworks in celebration.

Bloomington officers broke up the crowd with tear gas, sendinghundreds of students and fans from an intersection near the edge ofthe Indiana University campus at about 1:30 a.m. today.

About 30 people were arrested on charges including publicintoxication, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct, police said.Four others were charged with battery on a police officer.

"When students started getting pelted with bottles that's when …

Crash of Make-A-Wish truck convoy in Pa. hurts 5

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Four trucks in a massive convoy benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation have crashed in a chain reaction on a Pennsylvania highway, injuring several people.

State police say the 149-vehicle convoy stopped for an unknown reason on Sunday afternoon in Tyrone Township in Adams County. They say a Snyder's of Hanover bakery delivery vehicle hit the back of a box truck, triggering the chain reaction crash. The box truck …

Twins 1st baseman Morneau done for season

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota's Justin Morneau won't play again this season because of concussion symptoms and a cyst that needs to be surgically removed.

The Twins announced Sunday the first baseman will have the cyst removed from his left knee this week.

The decision to shut down Morneau with 12 games remaining in the regular season means the 30-year-old slugger and former American League MVP will have played in only 69 games. …

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These 7 Supplements Might Just Help You Reach the Century Mark

"Live long and prosper."

Profound words a couple of generations ago from Mr. Spock of Star Trek fame.

The fact is, nearly everyone wants to live longer. And the desire to do so isn't new. Five centuries ago, the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Le�n searched for a fountain of youth. In the 1930s, Americans became enthralled by the H unzas, a traditional people in the Himalayas, whose members reportedly lived past 100 years of age. Now, many scientists are studying the centenarians of Okinawa.

The science is finally catching up with our pipe dreams, and much of that science now focuses on nutrition. I …

Education, Health Cited for Budget Boost

WASHINGTON - A bill filled with money for job training, health and education faces a veto from President Bush, who complains that Democratic add-ons have made it too expensive.

Some of the president's fellow Republicans, worried about re-election, say it's actually too skimpy.

The bill, containing $152 billion for social programs including special education, community health centers, Head Start and health research, easily passed the House on Thursday by a 276-140 vote.

The tally wouldn't be big enough to overcome a promised veto from the White House, which calls it "irresponsible and excessive" for busting Bush's budget by almost $13 billion.

That's …

Pakistan: Islamic appellate court formed in NW

Pakistan announced the formation of an Islamic appellate court for part of its northwest under a deal to end fighting between security forces and the Taliban, but a spokesman for a cleric mediating the pact rejected the panel on Sunday.

Under the deal struck in February, the government agreed to impose Islamic law in the Swat Valley and surrounding areas that make up the Malakand Division in exchange for peace with militants. But the pact appeared to embolden the Taliban in Swat, who soon entered an adjacent district just 60 miles (100 kilometers) from the capital.

American officials have furiously criticized the deal, which they say will encourage militants …

Hansen has rest of field on run

When Joy Hansen is in top form, the signs are obvious.

And they were more than apparent Sunday.

Hansen won the Chicago Sun-Times Triathlon women's title,crossing the finish line in 1:52.12. Hansen finished 42 secondsahead of Carol Montgomery and broke Karen Smyers' streak of 11consecutive victories.

"When she's running well, she's like a gazelle," said Smyers,who finished fifth. "And that's how she looked today.

"She got off her bike, she was on her toes and I said `Uh-Oh,she's the person to beat today.' She bounced off her bike and wasgone," said Paula-Newby Fraser, who took sixth. "It was like `OK,Joy, go on, get lost.' "

But Hansen, …

Turkish film could further strain ties with Israel

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Cinemas across Turkey are showing a trailer for an upcoming Turkish action movie based on a true event: the Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound, blockade-busting flotilla that killed nine activists in May.

And if the trailer of the film is any indication, the movie, "The Valley of the Wolves — Palestine," could worsen tense relations between Turkey and Israel when it is released Jan. 28.

The anti-Israel melodrama is a spinoff of the controversial but popular Turkish TV series "Valley of the Wolves," about a nationalist undercover agent — Turkey's answer to James Bond and Rambo — who takes on Turkey's enemies.

This time the superhero, Polat Alemdar, sets …

Fan dies during Milan derby

A football fan died after suffering a cardiac arrest during the Milan derby on Sunday.

The 51-year-old male from Cesano Maderno near Milan was sitting in a part of …

Kids will get World Cup exposure

For 10 area boys, the World Cup will be much more than aspectacle this summer in France, beamed from a satellite. They willbe traveling to Europe in June - not to watch the World Cup, but toplay in one.

The Coerver World Cup will bring together teams from around theworld to compete in the inaugural event. The local boys on the team,Chicago City Select, are: Brian Auredan, 10, of Algonquin; KevinGaffney, 11, of Algonquin; Clayton Gerlach, 9, of Sycamore; StevenLink, 9, of Algonquin; Robert Sanchez, 10, of Geneva; StephenSanchez, 8, of Geneva; Mike Staner, 9, of Batavia; Dan Stephenson, 9,of Algonquin; Mike Stephenson, 11, of Algonquin; and Joe Zimka, 10,of …

Yahoo fires Bartz as CEO, names CFO to fill void

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Yahoo Inc. fired Carol Bartz as CEO Tuesday after more than 2½ years of financial lethargy that had convinced investors that she couldn't steer the Internet company to a long-promised turnaround.

To fill the void, Yahoo's board named Tim Morse, its chief financial officer, as interim CEO. Bartz lured Morse away from computer chip maker Altera Corp. two years ago to help her cuts costs. Yahoo, based in Sunnyvale, Calif., said it is looking for a permanent replacement.

Yahoo Chairman Roy Bostock, also a target of shareholder frustration, informed Bartz about the move over the phone, according to an e-mail the outgoing CEO sent from her iPad that was obtained …

US retailers report May sales declines

U.S. retailers reported same-store sales fell in May below expectations, as pressures like rising unemployment continued to curtail consumer spending.

Luxury chains and department-store operators continued to be the weakest sectors, with discounters and teen apparel retailers such as The Buckle Inc. stronger. Cheap chic discounter Target reported a bigger drop than analysts expected, as apparel and home products continued to be weak sellers. Overall, necessities like food and health care products continued to be the strongest sellers.

Notably, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer did not report results this month, making conclusions about the …

ANC boss signals policy shift

SOWETO, South Africa African National Congress President OliverR. Tambo, opening a historic nationwide ANC conference Friday, urgedhis black liberation movement to consider for the first timesoftening its stand on sanctions.

"It is no longer enough for us to repeat the tired slogans,"said Tambo, 73, delivering the first speech since his return Thursdayfrom 30 years in exile. "We should . . . carefully re-evaluate theadvisability of insisting on the retention of sanctions, given thenew developments in the country and abroad."

Tambo's recommendation signaled an important change in strategyfor the ANC, which until now has insisted that sanctions bemaintained until a new constitution has been adopted or, at theleast, "profound and irreversible" change has occurred.

Many ANC leaders have begun to worry that no matter what the ANCsays, the United States and other foreign countries may soon ease orremove sanctions against Pretoria.

World leaders, including President Bush, have said they want toreward President Frederik W. de Klerk for his reform initiatives andencourage him to continue to dismantle apartheid and beginnegotiations with black leaders.

As Tambo spoke Friday, a summit of European Community leaders inRome was considering a proposal to lift its ban on new investments inSouth Africa. The ban is a voluntary part of the EuropeanCommunity's 1986 sanctions package, which prohibits importing SouthAfrican gold coins, iron and steel. Britain and Italy already havelifted their bans on South African investments.

The likelihood of a modification of sanctions by the EuropeanCommunity in coming weeks, and the possibility that the Bushadministration will soon determine that de Klerk has met most of theconditions for easing U.S. sanctions, have forced the ANC toreconsider its position.

Creating 'Green' Solutions

David Paine says people don't understand the difference between a landscaper, a landscaping contractor, a landscape designer, and a landscape architect.

The owner/principal of Plan It Green Landscaping Architects in Westfield told BusinessWest that landscape architects like himself not only have a college degree, they must work for a landscape designer for three years after graduation, then pass a rigorous exam before they are eligible to receive their license and become registered by the state.

Paine has worked in the landscaping field since he was a teenager, is passionate about conservation, and chose the name of his company carefully.

"Plan It Green is a play on words. When you say it quickly, it sounds like planet green," he said. "We depend on planet earth to live, so we must take care of it."

His profession allows him to combine his love of design with caring for the environment in a meaningful way. "I strongly value the service I provide to plants and animals that don't have a voice, as well for as the people who do," he said.

Paine handles green design, community planning, and landscape architecture. Although his projects vary in size and scope, his focus is not only on creating attractive sites, but on preserving natural resources. "Green is the keyword. My values are rooted in environmentally sensitive and respectful land planning. It results in environmental, aesthetic, financial, and ethical benefits," he said.

He adds there is a common misconception that going green is expensive.

"People think it costs more, but that's not true," he said. "Although the initial cost of implementing a green plan may be more, over the long term it can result in tremendous savings."

The type of plants used in a design and the location of a building are important factors. "I use indigenous plants because they require less maintenance and are hardier," Paine said ."A design can also affect energy conservation. You can plant trees to create shade or site buildings or outdoor spaces to capture sun and retain heat."

Not all of his clients see going green as a priority, but Paine says he tries to incorporate at least one green element in every project.

"I provide a balance between quality design and respectful treatment of the earth," he said. "My work is tailored to individual needs and aspirations, with an approach that recognizes existing resources."

Paine has been a steward of the earth since he was in college. "I'm a child of the first environmental movement that took place in the mid- to late '70s. I was thinking green well before green was the buzz," he said.

Every project involves drainage, which impacts the environment, he continued. "When it rains, there will be water, whether it is in someone's backyard, at a commercial building site, or in a park. As humans, we need to manage that water and keep things balanced."

Although most people don't give much thought to the importance of replenishing groundwater, it's vital to survival. "We depend on it for our drinking water, and we need to replenish it with clean water," he explained.

To that end, whenever possible, Plan It Green's designs divert stormwater back into the earth, rather than routing it into conventional storm-drain systems with pipes and underground structures that require maintenance.

"A catch basin can cost $2,500, plus there are excavation costs," Paine said. "The alternative is a rain garden or bioswale that creates a depressed area that collects water and can be filled with beautiful plants. It looks like a garden, and since the plants filter the water and cleanse it, it's a green solution."

Designs on Growth

Residential landscape design accounts for roughly half of Paine's work. His projects range from small jobs, such as planning a deck, patio, retaining wall, outdoor lighting, or fencing, to designing a plan for the entire exterior of someone's property.

He meets with clients several times, which is necessary to determine their needs, budgets, and dreams before completing a design plan. "It's an interactive process. We work together because I may be an expert, but it's their home," he said. "Some people think they know exactly what they want, while others don't have a clue."

The client sees and approves the final plan before any work begins. "They know exactly what they will get. I don't want any surprises," Paine said, adding that one of the elements of good design is that it has to function well.

His company doesn't do landscape construction, but after decades of experience, Paine has a roster of reliable business names he willingly shares with clients who request them.

Paine has also handled green design for municipalities across New England. Such work includes town centers, streetscapes, and municipal planning of projects that range from downtown-sidewalk improvements in Westfield to to a revitalization of Huntington Center and a boulevard development plan in New Haven, Conn.

In the commercial and institutional arena, Paine designed a courtyard within the building confines of Baystate Medical Center as well as sprucing up the entrance to the emergency room and making aesthetic changes to its campus. His numerous accounts include Balise Toyota in West Springfield, St. George's Cathedral in Springfield, the Portugese Club in Hudson, Westfield State College, and the Society for Savings in Simsbury and Hartford, Conn.

Parks are another arena where Paine puts his expertise to work. "I did a master plan five years ago for Chauncey Allen Park in Westfield, and we are starting to implement those plans now," he said.

He also created a master plan for Worthington Park in Somers, Conn. that is owned by Dan Roulier. One element of the plan was designing a landscape sized to scale for a model railroad, which included boulders, bridges, mountains, and plants. "I get to work on all kinds of projects; no two are the same."

Last year, when the economy was sluggish and both residential and commercial work slowed, Paine designed a landscape and did the construction work himself at a client's home in Tiverton, R.I. "I built a 2,000-square-foot circular stone patio with a waterfall, arbor, hot-tub area, and beautiful cedar fencing," he said. "I worked in the capacity of a landscape contractor, which I had done in high school and college."

Planting Roots

Paine's love for landscaping began when he was a teen and worked for a landscaping company. After graduating from Harvard College, he worked in California for 10 years, then moved back to the East Coast and worked in Connecticut for three years before opening his first business. "I started as Paine and Co. Landscape Architects in 1985," he said. "Until the mid-'90s, I had up to five people working for me and was in three different locations in Westfield."

From 1992 to 1998, he lived in Ottawa, Canada and ran his Westfield business as well as another one in that locale. In 1998, he returned to the Pioneer Valley and renamed Paine and Co. to Plan It Green.

Today, he does not have employees, but works in collaboration with other professionals who include landscape architects and engineers.

"I also do bicycle and pedestrian planning and rail-trail improvements," Paine said.

Green ones, that is, which integrate ecological measures with innovative designs.

It's all in a day's work at Plan It Green.

Indians Swat Yanks 2-1 to Take 2-0 Lead

CLEVELAND - Swat! Take that, New York Yankees. Helped by a freakish invasion of bombarding bugs that rattled rookie reliever Joba Chamberlain in the eighth inning, the Cleveland Indians rallied to beat the Yankees 2-1 in 11 innings Friday night to take a 2-0 lead in their AL playoff series.

Travis Hafner's bases-loaded, RBI single with two outs in the 11th scored Kenny Lofton with the winner.

Lunacy. Surreal. Hitchcockian. Call it whatever you'd like. October baseball has rarely witnessed anything close to it.

After Chamberlain's wild pitch in the eighth gave Cleveland the tying run, the Indians won it.

Lofton, a gnat-like nuisance to the Yankees so far in this series, walked on four pitches to lead off the 11th against Luis Vizcaino. Franklin Gutierrez failed twice to get down a sacrifice before hitting a single.

Casey Blake moved the runners up with a bunt before the Yankees walked Grady Sizemore to load the bases. Rookie Asdrubal Cabrera missed his chance at being a hero by popping up right in front of the plate.

Seconds later, the Indians were swarming Hafner.

Cleveland's designated hitter lined a single on a 3-2 pitch to right-center - making Cleveland 2-for-18 with runners in scoring position - and was mobbed by his teammates as an exhausted crowd of 44,732 towel-waving fans celebrated a win they'll talk about for years to come.

A day after the Indians slugged their way to a 12-3 win, Fausto Carmona and the Yankees' Andy Pettitte put pitching back into the series.

New York finished with just three hits, all off Carmona during his nine spectacular innings. Rafael Perez went two innings for the win.

Game 3 will be Sunday at Yankee Stadium, with Jake Westbrook trying to pitch Cleveland to a sweep against Roger Clemens.

The final four innings were like a low-budget, late-night horror flick. Call it: The Bugs Who Ate The Yankees.

Chamberlain, the wildly popular 22-year-old, came in for Pettitte in the seventh with runners at first and second. He struck out pinch-hitter Gutierrez and got Blake on a soft fly to right to keep the Yankees up 1-0.

That's when everyone started buggin' out.

Chamberlain needed to be sprayed with repellant before taking the mound in the eighth as the pesky insects descended upon the ballpark on another muggy fall night. Chamberlain wasn't alone, either, as Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and the rest of the Yankees infielders waved their gloves and caps in front of their faces to keep the little pests off them.

Chamberlain walked Grady Sizemore to open the eighth, and with the bugs sticking to his muscular, sweaty neck, the right-hander threw a wild pitch before asking for another dose of spray. Plate umpire Laz Diaz, who also was under attack, consented and watched as Chamberlain held out his arms as if he was going through an airport security scan as a trainer sprayed him down.

Cabrera sacrificed before Hafner lined out to first. Then, on a 1-0 pitch to Victor Martinez, Chamberlain uncorked another wild pitch that went all the way to the backstop before caroming directly to catcher Jorge Posada.

With Sizemore barreling down the line, Posada quickly shoveled the ball to a charging Chamberlain, who was upended at the plate by the Indians leadoff man, a former high school football star.

Seconds later, with Chamberlain spitting out the critters like they were sunflower seeds, the giant scoreboard flashed: Bug off Yankees!

The pests have visited before, usually earlier in the summer.

They're called midges. They're scientific name is Chironomus plumosus (Linnaeus) or Chironomus attenuatus Walker.

The Yankees - and their hardcore fans - will forever call them something much less polite.

The bizarre circumstances were somehow fitting for the Indians, who had their season-opening series at Jacobs Field snowed out and played their next home series in Milwaukee.

And while the annoying bugs, who occasionally drop in on the Jake, will be remembered, Rodriguez can't seem to shake his prolonged postseason funk.

A-Rod went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and is now 4-for-47 with zero RBIs in his last 14 playoffs games.

Orioles' Key blanks Rangers

Jimmy Key pitched a six-hitter for his first shutout in nearlyfour years, and Jeffrey Hammonds hit two bases-empty home runs as theBaltimore Orioles walloped the visiting Texas Rangers 9-0 on Sunday.

Cal Ripken and Chris Hoiles also homered and Rafael Palmeirowent 4-for-5 as the Orioles improved to 4-1 this season against theRangers. They were 3-10 against them last season.

Key (2-0) walked one and struck out seven in lowering his ERA to1.29. Key, who was signed as a free agent during the offseason,permitted only one runner past first base in pitching his firstshutout since May 28, 1993, for the New York Yankees against theWhite Sox. The Orioles' only shutout last season came in their 141stgame.The punchless Rangers, who played without injured starters WillClark and Juan Gonzalez and entered the game with a .218 battingaverage, have gone three consecutive games without an extra-base hitfor the first time since June, 1995.Angels 8, Indians 3: Mark Langston cooled off host Cleveland'shot bats, and Anaheim roughed up Jack McDowell again en route to thevictory.Langston (1-1) neutralized the Indians' left-handed hitters andpitched out of jams in the fourth and fifth innings. He allowed tworuns and seven hits, walked four and struck out five in five innings.The Indians, who lead the league in hitting, couldn't mount anyserious offense beyond Sandy Alomar, who went 3-for-3 with a walk toraise his league-leading average to .618. Alomar has hit in alleight games he has played.McDowell (0-1) was rocked for six runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3innings. He has given up 21 hits in 9 2/3 innings and has a 12.10ERA in two starts, both against the Angels.Yankees 3-4, Athletics 2-7: Scott Brosius' two-run singlehighlighted a four-run third inning that enabled visiting Oakland toearn a split of its doubleheader against New York. The Yankees wonthe first game behind the pitching of Andy Pettitte (3-0) and homeruns by Bernie Williams and Derek Jeter.Red Sox 7, Mariners 1: Tim Naehring hit a grand slam in thesecond inning to fuel host Boston past Seattle, which had itsfour-game winning streak snapped.Royals 6, Twins 1: Johnny Damon and David Howard each drove inthree runs in support of Kevin Appier (1-0) as Kansas City throttledvisiting Minnesota.Brewers 3, Blue Jays 2: Fernando Vina's ninth-inning singlescored Gerald Williams and lifted Milwaukee, which lost shortstopJose Valentin to a fractured finger, past Toronto.

Musharraf Retires As Pakistan Army Chief

Blinking back tears, Pervez Musharraf stepped down as Pakistan's military commander Wednesday, fulfilling a key opposition demand a day before he was to be sworn in as civilian president.

Key opposition leader Benazir Bhutto welcomed the belated step, but she said her party had yet to accept him as head of state.

Britain, which shares the United States' deep concern about Islamic terrorism emanating from Pakistan, said Musharraf's move was "an important part" of his plan to restore constitutional order.

"We understand the threat to Pakistan's peace and security, but I have urged President Musharraf to use the normal democratic process to respond," Prime Minister Gordon Brown said.

An emotional Musharraf relinquished his post by handing over his ceremonial baton Wednesday to his successor, Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, who is widely expected to maintain the army's pro-Western policies.

"(You) are the saviors of Pakistan," Musharraf said in a final speech to the troops, sniffing repeatedly and struggling to maintain his composure.

Hundreds of senior officers, politicians and other civilians watched from the stands as an unsmiling Musharraf _ wearing a phalanx of medals and a green sash across his uniform _ reviewed the ranks to the strains of "Auld Lang Syne."

"I'm proud of this army and I was lucky to have commanded the world's best army," Musharraf said. "I will no longer command ... but my heart and my mind will always be with you."

Since seizing power in a 1999 coup, Musharraf has served as president while retaining his post as head of the armed forces. Musharraf insists that his continued rule as president is vital if Pakistan is to remain stable as it returns to democracy.

But he will have to jostle for power with Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif _ two former prime ministers just returned from exile and itching to return to office.

Both are threatening to boycott January parliamentary elections, though they also have registered as candidates and say they only will shun the elections if the entire opposition unites behind that drastic step.

"We welcome Musharraf's decision to shed the uniform. ... Now the Pakistani army has got a full-fledged chief and they can better perform their duties," she told reporters in Karachi.

However, she said her party will think over whether to accept Musharraf's new status as civilian president.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called it "a good first step."

"But really, for Pakistan, the most stabilizing thing will be for Pakistan to have free and fair elections so that Pakistan can stay and return to a democratic path, a path that, by the way, President Musharraf has helped to develop with a freer press, with civil society," she said, speaking on ABC's "Good Morning America. "So it's time for Pakistan to move in that direction."

A senior leader of Bhutto's party said Musharraf's quitting the army was "too little, too late."

"Now the political forces and civil society are moving in a different direction, to change the country along purely democratic lines," Mian Raza Rabbani said. "Doffing his uniform will in no way help him to consolidate his rule."

Sharif spokesman Pervez Rasheed said: "Musharraf hasn't taken off his uniform under his own will, rather under pressure from the powers who installed him and kept him in power eight long years," an apparent reference to the United States.

Musharraf had promised to give up his army role at the end of 2004. But he reneged on that pledge, saying the country still needed strong leadership in the face of Islamic extremism.

He has given it up now, in line with the constitution, only after securing a fresh term as president.

He paid tribute to Kayani, a former chief of Pakistan's feared ISI intelligence agency, saying he had known him since he was a colonel and knew his qualities.

Kayani, 55, is widely expected to set forth the army's pursuit of Islamic militants.

Analysts expect him to focus on improving the ability of the army _ set up for large-scale battles with India on the plains of Punjab _ to carry out counterinsurgency operations.

Kayani also is well-placed to heal the rift that has opened between Musharraf and Pakistan's civilian politicians.

He served as Bhutto's military secretary in the late 1980s, and is said to have a good working relationship with other leading political figures.

Musharraf was re-elected by Parliament in October, but the Supreme Court held up his confirmation following complaints that a military man could not constitutionally serve as an elected head of state.

He reacted by proclaiming a state of emergency on Nov. 3, firing the chief justice and other independent judges and replacing them with his appointees. The reconstituted top court then approved his election.

Officials have indicated that the emergency could be lifted soon after Musharraf takes the presidential oath, but have not set a firm date.

Sharif, who arrived from Saudi Arabia on Sunday, has taken a hard line against Musharraf, who ousted Sharif's second government in the 1999 coup.

A conservative with good relations with Pakistan's religious parties, Sharif is reaching out to the many Pakistanis who oppose Musharraf's close alliance with the United States.

Musharraf's declaration of emergency rule also has strained relations with Bhutto, who shares his secularist, pro-Western views. Bhutto, who has twice been put under house arrest to stop her from leading protests, has joined Sharif in denouncing Musharraf's backsliding on democracy.

Musharraf has relaxed some aspects of the crackdown on dissent launched with emergency rule. Thousands of opponents have been released and all but one independent news channel is back on the air.

However, he has refused to reverse his purge of the judiciary, an act that deepened the animosity toward him from Pakistan's legal fraternity. The justices swept from the Supreme Court remain under house arrest.

On Wednesday, about 400 lawyers staged a protest about two miles from the army headquarters, shouting slogans including "We want freedom!" and "Hang Musharraf!"

"He should be thrown out," said Sardar Asmatullah, a leader of the city's lawyers' association. "He has been a dictator for the last eight years and he has delivered nothing good for this country."

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Associated Press writers Sadaqat Jan and Slobodan Lekic in Islamabad and Zarar Khan in Lahore contributed to this report.

Maura Tierney having operation to rid breast tumor

Actress Maura Tierney says she's having surgery to remove a tumor in her breast.

Tierney, who recently wrapped a long-running stint on the NBC medical drama "ER," issued a statement about the surgery on Monday, giving no details on her condition and when she'd due to have the operation.

Says Tierney: "I will not know either my exact diagnosis or course of treatment until that surgery is performed."

Tierney says her doctors assured her "this is a very treatable condition," and she's "very optimistic as to the outcome."

Tierney's setback has delayed production on her new NBC series, "Parenthood," for eight weeks. The network said the medical drama "Mercy" will instead premiere this fall.

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NBC is owned by General Electric Co.

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On the Net:

http://www.nbc.com/

Gas leak blamed for explosion that injured 14 construction workers building San Diego hotel

Construction was suspended on a downtown hotel after a gas explosion injured 14 workers, but the Hilton tower still may open on schedule, the builder said Tuesday.

A damage assessment report by city engineers found no apparent damage to the main structural concrete frame and the steel-braced frame at the area of the blast. The damage was primarily limited to the northwest corner of the building on the fourth floor and the mechanical room on the fifth floor, the report said.

The explosion Monday occurred in a fifth-floor boiler room where pipes feed natural gas into a water heating system.

"We have the experts lining up to make the determination about what specifically caused it," said Cuyler McGinley, district operations manager for Hensel Phelps Construction Co.

The 1,190-room, 30-story Hilton San Diego Bayfront hotel is scheduled to open in December next to the San Diego Convention Center.

McGinley said he did not know whether it would be ready, but the company is optimistic. A message left for Karima Zaki, the hotel's vice president for new development, was not immediately returned.

San Diego Fire-Rescue spokesman Maurice Luque said an electrical spark or boiler flames could have ignited the gas cloud.

An investigation by the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health will take two to six months, said spokeswoman Kate McGuire. She declined to speculate on the cause.

Three workers from subcontractors were in critical condition Tuesday with second- and third-degree burns and were in medically induced comas, said Kimberly Edwards, a spokeswoman for University of California, San Diego, Medical Center. Another worker who crashed a car in an adjacent parking lot after being blinded by the explosion remained hospitalized with head and neck injuries but was in good condition, said Edwards.

Another worker remained in fair condition at Scripps Mercy Hospital, said hospital spokeswoman Kristin Reinhardt.

More than 400 construction workers were at the site at the time.

Hensel Phelps, based in Greeley, Colorado, rebuilt sections of the Pentagon after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and has worked on airports and courthouses, as well as projects for the U.S. military and Bureau of Prisons.

Female entertainers to charm audiences at Labor Day Weekend African Festival of Arts

A few years ago the African Festival Of The Arts suffered many problems with bringing international stars to Chicago; dealing with politics of many dimensions concerning transport, travel and other situations. The 2003 festival is gigantic and packed with many superstars and legendary artists who are booked to perform over the Labor Day Weekend from Friday, Aug. 29 through Monday, Sept. 1.

Featured entertainers include Chaka Khan among those performing on Sunday, Aug. 31, Phil Cohran and Hypnotic Love, Detour, Vinx with Les Nubians, Somi and on the final day Monday, Sept. 1 Judy Mowatt, Soukous Stars, Daniela Mercury, Patrulha do Samba and The Gap Band. There will also be celebrations of the genre of funk with the Dazz Band, Lenny Williams, Club Nouveau, Con Funk Shun and the Bar Kays and the International Garifuna Band on Saturday, Aug. 30.

On opening night, Donnie is one of the important artists who is continuing a style that is a special blend between Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway, Lizz Wright, Roy Hargrove, Kindred the Family Soul and Gladys "Bob" Cespedes.

One of the most interesting feature is the participation of exceptional women who will bring to the African Festival of Arts a charming femininity that will be thrilling to the audiences and especially the male.

By special request Chaka Khan, native of Chicago, is back after she appeared in Chicago earlier this season. She is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and community advocate.

The Chicago Defender will never forget the fact that her early performances began under the sponsorship of Doris Furbuish during Easter Sunday Shows at the High Chaparral. She was also impressive when she thrilled audiences during PUSH's Black Expo productions.

During the decade of the `70s, Khan became the lead singer for Rufus and ultimately became a solo attraction.

A few of her hits were What Cha Gonna Do For Me?, Sweet Thing, Tell Me Something Good, Once You Get Started, Everlasting Love, Do You Love What You Feel, and Ain't Nobody along with I'm Every Woman.

LIZZ WRIGHT, a fabulous vocalist and interpreter of songs from Atlanta, returns to the Festival following a spectacular appearance at The Chicago Symphony Center. Her recently released album Salt has been extremely fantastic. Her penetrating velvet textured voice is luxuriant in sound. Her phrasing is amazingly perfect.

Audiences are not familiar with the talents of GLADYS "BOBI" CEPEDES, however, they will have a ball as they listen to her performances. She is currently making her debut on Six Degrees Records. A native of Cuba, she expresses a passionate combination of blended styles from Cuban Afro melodies underscored with Yoruba rhythms and the Yoruba melodic idioms. She blends ancient Nigerian elemental tones and contemporary dance as she utilized her rich voice in song steeped in the musical modes of that country. Those who are well familiar with African-Latin music will enjoy this special presentation for the 14th Annual Festival of the Arts.

JUDY MOWATT has been musically crowned Jamaica's Queen of Soul. She is no stranger to the entertainment world because she was a prominent member of Bob Marley's "1-Three."

Since leaving the ensemble she has developed into an extremely talented individual, writing, performing and producing her own compositions. She was nominated for a Grammy in 1985 for her album, Working Wonders and was the first woman who appeared on David Letterman's show the year her Black Woman album was named the greatest album recorded and produced by a female reggae artists. Her innovative creations were recorded on the Shanache label.

SOMI is a Ugandan who is fast becoming famous on the American scene. Somi says "I always feel as though I am representing Africa through my music." Because of the new generation of Africans living abroad, the genre of new African soul is being exposed beyond Seal and Sade.

NTOZAKE is a native of Phoenix, Arizona who made her album debut with How I Feel that was released in April. She has been booked to perform at the African Festival of the Arts, Sept. 1 at 3 p.m.

Upon settling in Chicago, she brought with her riveting sounds of hip hop funk utilizing the West Coast flare. The album How I Feel is a compilation of 13 songs.

Article copyright Sengstacke Enterprises, Inc.

Photograph (Somi)

Police: Tokyo stabbing suspect had several knives

The suspect in a deadly stabbing rampage had an arsenal of knives with him during the attack, police said Wednesday, as an electronics maker canceled a launch event promoting a game that features a character armed with a huge dagger.

Tomohiro Kato, a 25-year-old factory worker who was spattered with blood when police arrested him after Sunday's assault, was carrying two knives and had two more stashed in his knapsack in a nearby truck, a police official said. Kato apparently dropped another knife during the attack, said the official, a spokesman for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing protocol,

The official said it appears Kato only used one knife to stab more than a dozen people in Tokyo's trendy Akihabara electronics district, the center of Japan's comic book and anime culture.

Police conducted a search of Kato's apartment Tuesday and confiscated empty packages that had contained knives and a club. They also found catalogues and receipts for the weapons.

No charges have been filed against Kato. Under Japanese law, prosecutors have 20 days after receiving suspects to either file charges or release them.

The assault began when a driver crashed a rental truck into a group of pedestrians, killing three of them. He then jumped out of the truck and slashed his way through the crowd, fatally stabbing four people. Another 10 were injured.

The attack horrified Japan, where news reports and talk shows have focused on what may have prompted the assault, Kato's troubled personality and a string of messages he sent to an Internet bulletin board warning he was planning to kill.

Amid rising concerns about street violence, gamemaker Konami canceled three launch events scheduled in Tokyo _ including one in Akihabara _ on Thursday for "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots," an action game in which a grizzled commando shoots and stabs his way through enemy lines.

Konami canceled the events with the "safety of participants in mind," though similar events in the U.S. were to proceed as planned, a spokesman said on condition of anonymity, citing company rules. The game is stamped with a "mature" rating due to graphic blood and violence.

Tokyo, with a population of 12.7 million, is considered relatively safe, with guns tightly restricted and shootings rare.

Police statistics show the number of attacks involving knives on Japan's streets rising and falling over the years.

The National Police Agency said there were 67 multiple street stabbings over the past decade, with the highest number _ 10 _ in 1998. There were four attacks in 2006, but that jumped to eight last year.

Media reports of Kato painted a picture of an increasingly desperate young man who had recently quit his job in a fit of rage. Japanese media said Kato's Internet postings showed a man angry with society and vowing to get revenge by unleashing his fury on the streets of Akihabara.

National broadcaster NHK has also shown surveillance footage of Kato purchasing hunting knives at an outdoor and camping shop two days before the attack. Kato is seen on the tape laughing with the salesman and at times making stabbing motions with his hands.

A police spokesman said Wednesday that Kato had been cooperative during questioning but was clearly a very troubled person.

"Whenever he talked about his upbringing, he started crying," the spokesman said.

'Stardust' memories; Sometimes he wonders why he spends lonely nights dreaming of a script ...

EBERT'S LITTLE MOVIE GLOSSARY

Hey, isn't that ... ?

In countless movies, the extras obviously must get directionalong the lines of: "Whatever you do, do not look at the stars ofthe movie in the scene!" In real life, if someone who looked likeGeorge Clooney or Julia Roberts or Angelina Jolie or Sean Connerywalked through, say, a casino, a lot of people would look, and lookand look.

Deanna Langellier,

Thousand Oaks, Calif.

- - -

Neil Gaiman claims he holds the record for having sold the mostscreenplays to Hollywood that were never produced. I thought HarlanEllison was the gold medalist in that event.

Greg Nelson, Chicago

A. Neil Gaiman writes: "It wasn't me who said it; the HollywoodReporter ran a front page story in 2003 (when 'Coraline' wasoptioned) saying that I was the person with the most things optionedbut never made. They listed lots of them, and interviewed variouspeople about how hard it was to make my stuff. Even at the time Ithought it was a silly way for them to do an article on me anddidn't take it seriously. I'm sure there are many more people thanme with worse runs of getting things made (and I have three moviescoming out in the next 12 months, so I'm definitely off the meternow)."

And Harlan Ellison writes me: "I've no idea what my pal NeilGaiman claims for a total of unproduced screenplays but (includingfilms intended for TV, as well as theatrical, but not series) I hadthe list printed out, and at the moment, it stands at a terrifying27 screenplays written and unproduced. (All were paid for atexorbitant rates, thank goodness.)"

Q. I have long been a dedicated reader of your reviews. You wereresponsible for directing me toward the works of Bresson, Bunuel,Bergman, Tarkovsky and Herzog (particularly Bresson) and thusinspiring my love for the movies. I will forever be indebted to youfor having changed my life in this regard.

I am also a proud American who enlisted voluntarily in the UnitedStates Marines Corps. I served for one year and a half in Iraq. Isaw more of the destructive impact of war on the lives of the Iraqipeople and those of the men around me than you will ever know. And Iam proud to have done so. I know a lot of men and women who weresimilarly proud to fight what they felt was a just war against acommon enemy to all of humanity, a regime of mass destruction.Contrary to what you may believe, many serve the American causebecause they want to. The soldiers fighting there fight in the nameof universal justice that many of the liberal elite take forgranted.

Your review of "No End in Sight" deeply wounded me, as one whohas come to place tremendous value upon your opinion. I may nolonger be in the fight, having served my term and studying now atthe University of Chicago. But the message you've sent to yourreaders is painful all the same for me to receive. I urge you,Roger, to not be so self-possessed in the future, that you presumeto know the hearts and minds of men who do not share your worldview.

Evan Bernick, Chicago

A. Thank you for your heartfelt letter. Those who fought andfight in Iraq are brave and patriotic, and risk their lives in thename of their country. My review was not about them. It was aboutthose who sent them into battle. What makes "No End in Sight" uniqueis that its subjects are almost entirely men and women who served inthe U.S government, military, intelligence and diplomatic corps, andnow feel they were lied to and betrayed by their superiors; they allsupported the war, but their advice from the ground was ignored byideologues in Washington. I hope you see the film, which is aboutyour leaders at the time you served. At the least, you will find itprovocative.

Q. In your Aug. 10 column, you mentioned that you thought SturlaGunnarsson would be the first Canadian director to punch you forcalling him an American, although he was from "the offshore Americanisland of Iceland." I hope not. As far as I've ever read, Iceland isa part of Europe, not North America.

Paul Gibson, Reston, Va.

A. I had a big argument with my editor about that. "Surely," Isaid, "in an item about how we should call Mexicans and Canadians'Americans,' everyone will see I was making a joke."

Q. Is it actually possible that "Desperately Seeking Susan" wasnamed best film of the year 1985 by the New York Times? That's whatWikipedia says in its entry on the film. Or is this just anothercase of Wikipedia demonstrating the power of consensus-drivenreality?

Andy Ihnatko, Boston

A. The New York Times, as itself, does not name any film the bestof the year. The critics do. Janet Maslin, who was a Times filmcritic at the time, writes me: "I don't know how it works now, withall three critics making lists. But we used to have a single listfrom the chief critic, with 10 films listed in alphabetical order.Except for the year (this really happened) when Vincent Canby gotmixed up and listed only nine. We also had a brief, happy period ofbeing able to make a 10 worst list. Then it was decided that thatwas too mean-spirited and un-Timesian. I was sorry to see that go."

Canby did include "Susan" on his list of the year's 10 best. Inalphabetical order: "Desperately Seeking Susan," "Kiss of the SpiderWoman," "Prizzi's Honor" "Purple Rose of Cairo," "Ran," "SecretHonor," "7 Up/28 Up," "Shoah" and "The Trip to Bountiful." That'sonly nine, and a later correction says the list should also haveincluded "Young Sherlock Holmes."

Q. I have a "Godfather" question that NO ONE can answer. In "TheGodfather," just before Michael leaves to kill Sollozzo and policeCapt. McCluskey, the family is in the Corleone home, trying todetermine where Michael will have this meeting. There are six peoplein the room: Michael, Sonny, Tom, Clemenza, Tessio and anunidentified person wearing a brown suit. He has only seven secondsof screen time and no dialogue.

Who is he? Only the top "family" members would be there as theydiscuss killing a police captain. Why would anyone outside of theelite group be there?

Phil Giordano, Plainfield, N.J.

A. I am reminded of the great movie line, "And there was anotherman -- a third man." You list all the possible identities for thesixth man, and explain why it couldn't be any of them. I asked TimDirks, author-manager of filmsite.org, which supplies countlessinvaluable plot details, and he replies: "It looks like PhilGiordano is searching for some 'logical' answer. And he has alreadydismissed guesses that may be correct. I don't think there's goingto be a definitive answer to his question, because of the way he hasmade assumptions about who the person must be."

COMING SOON TO A DVD NEAR YOU: 'KILLER OF SHEEP'

Q. I read your Great Movies essay about Charles Burnett's "Killerof Sheep" and was struck with an enormous desire to see the film.But it seems that the film is simply unavailable on DVD. Do you haveany information on where or when the film might be released so thepublic can once again see it outside of a retrospective or festivalscreening?

Mark Adkins, Austin, Texas

A. The film, in a beautiful new print restored by Ross Lipman ofthe UCLA Film and Television Archive, is being exhibited on the art-house circuit, should inevitably come to Austin and will be releasedby Milestone on DVD.

SMALL SCREEN

CLASSIC FILMS ON CABLE TV THIS WEEKEND

TODAY

"The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1939): Quasimodo, a deformed bellringer (Charles Laughton), rescues Esmeralda (Maureen O'Hara), agypsy girl falsely accused of witchcraft and murder, in directorWilliam Dieterle's version of Victor Hugo's novel. With CedricHardwicke, Thomas Mitchell, and Edmond O'Brien. 5 a.m., TurnerClassic Movies

"Jamaica Inn" (1939): In director Alfred Hitchcock's thriller,based on Daphne du Maurier's novel, a woman (Maureen O'Hara)stumbles onto a ring of bloodthirsty scavengers operating off on theBritish coast. With Charles Laughton. 7 a.m., Turner Classic Movies

SATURDAY

"Fury" (1936): In director Fritz Lang's morality tale, aninnocent man (Spencer Tracy) escapes a lynch mob and then returnsfor revenge. With Sylvia Sidney and Walter Brennan. 5 a.m., TurnerClassic Movies

"Northwest Passage" (1940): The true story of Rogers' Rangers andtheir fight to open up new frontiers in colonial America. WithSpencer Tracy, Robert Young and Walter Brennan. Directed by KingVidor. 7 a.m., Turner Classic Movies

"Boys' Town" (1938): Spencer Tracy won his second best actorOscar in this true story of Father Flanagan's quest to build a homefor orphans. With Mickey Rooney and Henry Hull. Directed by NormanTaurog. 9:15 a.m., Turner Classic Movies

"It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1963): Greedy competitors tearup the countryside in search of buried treasure. With Spencer Tracy,Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Ethel Merman, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn,Peter Falk and Jonathan Winters. Directed by Stanley Kramer. 7 p.m.,Turner Classic Movies

"Judgment at Nuremberg" (1961): Director Stanley Kramer's all-star drama follows an aging American judge (Spencer Tracy) as hepresides over the trial of Nazi war criminals. With MarleneDietrich, Maximilian Schell, Judy Garland and Montgomery Clift.10:15 p.m., Turner Classic Movies

SUNDAY

"Inherit the Wind" (1960): Based on the Scopes Monkey Trial ofthe '20s, in which a schoolteacher creates a national furor when hebreaks a law against the teaching of evolution. With Spencer Tracy,Fredric March, Gene Kelly, Dick York and Harry Morgan. Directed byStanley Kramer. 1:30 a.m., Turner Classic Movies

"The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938): In medieval England, thebandit king (Errol Flynn, in his best role) of Sherwood Forest leadshis Merry Men in a battle against the corrupt Prince John (ClaudeRains). With Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Eugene Palletteand and Alan Hale. Directed by William Keighley and Michael Curtiz.7 p.m., Turner Classic Movies

"The Fabulous Baker Boys" (1989): A pair of brothers (Beau andJeff Bridges), who have toiled over a decade on the lounge circuitas a piano duo, hire a singer (Michelle Pfeiffer), and then discoversome hard truths about themselves and their music. Directed by SteveKloves. 9 p.m. Fox Movie Channel

Genetic flaw stymies drug impact

Doctors have long known that people differ in the way theirbodies respond to a given drug. The same medicine in the same dosemay work wonders in one patient but do nothing for the next.

Now an international team of researchers has traced some ofthese differences to a genetic defect that turns out to be one of themost widespread hereditary disorders known. Between 35 percent and43 percent of white people carry one of the two genes needed tosuffer from the defect, and from 5 percent to 10 percent have both.Figures for blacks have not been obtained.

Reporting in last week's Nature, the research team's leader,Frank J. Gonzalez of the National Cancer Institute, said the defectinvolves an enzyme called cytochrome p450. It is well-known thatcells make this enzyme to protect themselves against toxic chemicals.Enzyme p450 chemically modifies a wide range of toxins into a formthat is harmless.

Cells also process drugs as foreign substances that could betoxic. As it happens, the medically useful form of some drugs is notthe form in which it is taken but the form into which p450 modifiesit. Thus, people who have faulty p450 enzymes will be unable toconvert their medicine into its useful form.

Whether a person has the proper form of p450 depends on thegenes in each cell. The genes determine the structure of the enzymethat will be manufactured within the cell.

As is the case with most genes, every cell carries two versions,one inherited from each parent. If one gene is defective and leadsto the manufacture of a useless form of p450, the person may still befine because the other copy of the gene is good. The good gene inthis case is said to be dominant and the bad gene recessive. Theperson suffers only if both p450 genes are bad, because there is nogood gene to make the proper enzyme.

Gonzalez and his colleagues said people with at least one goodgene for p450 can metabolize drugs, such as the high blood pressuremedicine called debrisoquine, up to 200 times more efficiently thanthose who lack a good p450 gene but take the same dose.

Atlantis Prepares for Return to Earth

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA managers kept close tabs on the weather Thursday as thunderstorms and low clouds threatened to prevent space shuttle Atlantis and its seven astronauts from landing after a trip to the international space station.

The shuttle's first landing opportunity was at 1:55 p.m. EDT Thursday, when predictions called for thunderstorms within 34 miles and clouds within 8,000 feet of the landing strip at Kennedy Space Center. Attempting to land so close to rain or clouds would violate flight rules.

The next chance would be at 3:30 p.m. EDT.

"Tomorrow is the first day of summer, and we know what summer brings to Florida, and that is afternoon thunderstorms," John Shannon, chairman of the mission management team, said Thursday.

NASA says Atlantis will have seven landing opportunities over four days.

Mission Control said opportunities at Kennedy, the primary landing site, look slightly more promising on Friday and Saturday.

On Friday, they could also consider using a backup landing site in California. That backup site plus another in New Mexico would be activated Saturday if necessary.

Atlantis has enough power for its systems to orbit until Sunday, but managers want the shuttle to land by Saturday. The flight would only be extended to Sunday if there were technical problems that needed to be fixed.

NASA managers prefer landing at Kennedy since there would be less cost and time in preparing Atlantis for its next mission in December. NASA hopes to fly a total of four missions this year.

"Obviously, we would prefer to stay at the Cape if we can," Shannon said.

Before signing off on the landing, mission managers held an unusual, last-minute meeting Wednesday to clear up three remaining technical issues. Material known as gap filler appeared to be sticking out of a wing, a thermal blanket had peeled back during the June 8 launch, and debris was found floating after Atlantis undocked from the international space station Tuesday.

Engineers had wanted to make sure the gap filler could withstand the heat and aerodynamics of re-entry and recheck data on the thermal blanket, which was repaired during a spacewalk last week. Mission managers have said the debris may have been ice.

During the crew's 13-day mission to the international space station, the astronauts installed a new truss segment, unfurled a new pair of power-generating solar arrays and activated a rotating joint that allows the new solar arrays to track the sun.

The mission was extended by two days to give astronauts time to repair the thermal blanket. Atlantis commander Rick Sturckow said he was confident the repair job would hold up.

"Everything looks great," he said Wednesday in an interview with reporters.

The shuttle's visit to the space station was complicated by the crash of Russian computers that control orientation and oxygen production.

But the computers were revived several days later after cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Kotov used a cable to bypass a circuit board. Astronauts conserved the shuttle's power in case they needed to spend an extra day at the station.

Sturckow got a haircut from Yurchikhin before leaving the space station. Astronaut Sunita "Suni" Williams said a haircut was one of many things she was looking forward to when she returns to Earth on the shuttle after more than six months at the station.

Williams set the record for longest single spaceflight by a woman.

"I'm looking forward to going to the beach and hopefully taking a walk with my husband and my dog on the beach," she said. "I can't wait for a good piece of pizza."

---

Associated Press writer Juan Lozano contributed to this report.

---

On the Net:

Shuttle: http://www.nasa.gov/mission-pages/shuttle/main/index.html

Stocks Move Sideways After China Drop

NEW YORK - Wall Street traded sideways Monday as investors shrugged off another slide in Chinese stocks, but still took a pause after major indexes surged to record levels last week.

The market had little in the way of corporate or economic news to give it direction, and instead used an 8.3 percent slide in the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index as an impetus to sell. It was its biggest one-day drop since the Feb. 27 plunge that set off a brief global market selloff as the Chinese government attempts to cool the country's market boom.

However, the effect of the latest stock drop in China was minor compared to the selling wave triggered in February - and showed the U.S. market's resilience to volatility overseas. Major exchanges in Europe and Asia also was able to brush off the latest Chinese shock.

Investors used Monday to adjust positions after both the Standard & Poor's 500 and Dow Jones industrial average surged to record closes in the previous session. The market was encouraged by economic data released last week that suggested the economy was slowing, but not too quickly, and inflation remained in check.

However, on Monday the Commerce Department reported that orders to U.S. factories were weaker-than-expected in April. Investors might find some information to trade from with the release of the Institute of Supply Management's manufacturing index on Tuesday, but not much else is on tap.

"I think you're seeing a combination of investors wanting to take some profit on a Monday morning, and some fear because of what happened in China," said Ryan Detrick, a senior technical strategist for Schaffer's Investment Research. "There's really no major drivers in the market, so we're really just meandering along."

In midafternoon trading, the Dow fell 11.95, or 0.09 percent, to 13,656.16.

Broader stock indicators were narrowly mixed. The S&P 500 index rose 0.68, or 0.04 percent, to 1,537.02, and the Nasdaq composite index lost 1.97, or 0.08 percent, to 2,611.95.

Last week, the Dow posted a 1.19 percent gain; the S&P 500 index rose 1.36 percent; and the Nasdaq composite index added 2.22 percent.

On Monday, bonds edged higher, with the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note falling to 4.93 percent from 4.96 percent late Friday. The Commerce Department report had some impact on the bond market on hopes weaker data will mean an interest rate cut this year. The report showed 0.3 percent in manufacturing growth in April, and economists expected a rise of 0.7 percent after a 3.1 percent jump in March.

The dollar slipped against other major currencies, while gold prices rose.

Oil prices rose after a Nigerian militant group announced a one-month cease-fire, and a U.S. gasoline pipeline was restarted. A barrel of light sweet crude rose $1.12 to $66.20 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

The dollar was mixed against other major currencies, while gold slipped.

In corporate news, the flurry of dealmaking activity continued this week. Smartphone maker Palm Inc. said Monday it got $325 million from private equity firm Elevation Partners and announced a shakeup on its board. Palm spiked $1.28, or 7.9 percent, to $17.37.

Publisher Dow Jones & Co. fell 76 cents to $60.44 as the owner of The Wall Street Journal meets with Rupert Murdoch about the possibility of an acquisition. Murdoch's News Corp. has offered $5 billion for the company.

Oil and natural gas producer Anadarko Petroleum Corp. said late Sunday it is selling natural gas gathering systems and associated processing plants to Atlas Pipeline Partners LP for $1.85 billion. Anadarko rose $2.16, or 4.4 percent, to $51.81; Atlas shares rose $7.13, or 22.9 percent, to $38.55.

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported that Avaya Inc. came a step closer to being acquired by private equity firms TPG Capital LLP and Silver Lake Partners. Avaya rose 58 cents, or 3.6 percent, to $16.66.

Solectron Corp. rose 48 cents to $3.85 after rival Flextronics International Ltd. said it would by the contract electronics maker for about $3.6 billion in cash and stock. Flextronics fell 16 cents at $11.54.

Apple Inc.'s highly anticipated iPhone will be available June 29, according to both TV commercials broadcast Sunday night and a company spokesman. Shares of the technology company rose $1.55 to $119.95.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. fell 51 cents, or 5.9 percent, to $8.16 after it said its first-quarter loss widened on falling revenue.

And Wal-Mart Stores Inc. rose $1.34, or 2.7 percent, to $50.81 after being upgraded by analysts at Wachovia Corp. and JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Declining issues outnumbered advancers by about 4 to 3 on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume came to 827.4 million shares.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies was down 0.34, or 0.04 percent, at 853.07.

Overseas, Japan's Nikkei stock average closed up 0.08 percent. At the close, Britain's FTSE 100 was down 0.19 percent, Germany's DAX index dropped 0.14 percent, and France's CAC-40 shed 0.69 percent.

---

On the Net:

New York Stock Exchange: http://www.nyse.com

Nasdaq Stock Market: http://www.nasdaq.com

Near Perfect

Near Perfect

by Sharon Mitchell

Dutton, October 2001, $23.95

ISBN 0-525-94621-7

The burners are on high, and there's a large pot cooking up a tasty dish of liar's brew. Its ingredients include a cup of Jamal Steele, a few ounces of Lincoln Weaver, a tablespoon of Dot and a touch of Honey for flavoring.

In the sequel to Nothing but the Rent, the witty and sassy Roxanne "Miller" Steele returns with everything a woman could possibly desire, including a "near perfect" husband. The handsome football star Jamal Steele is kind, loving, sincere, thoughtful and inhales every breath his wife exhales.

Roxanne has been burned so many times that she holds high expectations for the men in her life. When a vicious scandal concerning Jamal threatens to destroy his family, he dishes out a trail of lies. Lincoln Weaver, a teammate and best friend to both, becomes an unwilling party in Jamal's deception. However, he will do whatever it takes to protect his longtime friend Roxanne.

Enter Dot Miller, whose number one priority during her children's upbringing was partying. She attempts to redeem herself by becoming the attentive and supportive mother Roxanne always yearned for, but she brings excess baggage along.

Last but not least, there's Honey Brown, an impious, conniving, gold-digging stripper who is tired of living like a second-class citizen. She skillfully devises a plan and will stop at nothing to see it through.

Sharon Mitchell creates a colorful and vivid story. Her ability to replace rhetorical and tawdry dialogue with spirited and vibrant descriptions is masterful. Although Near Perfect tends to move like sand in an hourglass, it builds and finishes with a worthwhile ending.

US Treasury Secretary Geithner throws support behind France's Lagarde for top IMF post

WASHINGTON (AP) — US Treasury Secretary Geithner throws support behind France's Lagarde for top IMF post

Daly Says Wife Attacked Him With Knife

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - John Daly's messy personal life overshadowed golf once again Friday, this time when he accused his wife of waking him up by attacking him with a steak knife. Daly was the talk at the TPC Southwind on a day when thunderstorms forced a three-hour delay, and Adam Scott's 4-under 66 gave him a one-stroke clubhouse lead when darkness suspended play Friday night in the Stanford St. Jude Championship.

A total of 26 players were unable to complete the round. They will return Saturday morning to finish play, with the third round expected to start by midday with players going off both the first and 10th tees.

Daly, playing on a sponsor's exemption, was 4 over after …

Letters of credit more critical today. (advice on advantages of letters of credit)

As landlords grant greater and greater concessions to attract tenants in an increasingly competitive market, the greater the need to secure these concessions in the event of a default by the tenant. However, with "free rent" commonly exceeding one year and construction allowances routinely exceeding $40 per square foot, it is often impractical for a tenant to tie up so much cash in a conventional security deposit account. And personal and corporate guarantees, once considered viable alternates to cash deposits, have lately fallen out of favor with landlords and their lenders.

As a result, more and more tenants are turning to letters of credit to provide the landlord with the security it requires. Traditionally used as a payment mechanism for the purchase of physical commodities, letters of credit are increasingly being used in place of cash security deposits and guarantees in commercial leases.

Advantages or Letter

or Credit

The main advantage of a letter of credit to a tenant is that it will not have to deposit the full amount of cash with the landlord. As tenant security deposit accounts pay less than 3 percent these days and, in some states like New York, the landlord is entitled to retain 1 percent of the principal amount deposited as an administrative fee, the return on a cash security deposit is almost nil. In contrast, a tenant usually pays its bank a fee of 1 percent per annum of the face amount of the letter of credit to maintain a letter of credit, and this fee is often payable in quarterly installments. The tenant should bear in mind, however, that its bank will probably require that some security be provided to maintain the letter of credit, and, if the tenant must maintain dollar-for-dollar cash security, the purpose of maintaining a letter of credit may be defeated.

From the landlord's point of view, the main advantage of holding a letter of credit instead of cash security is that, in the event the tenant files for bankruptcy, a landlord may still draw on the letter of credit, whereas a landlord holding cash security would be prevented from applying such cash unless and until the landlord asks the bankruptcy court's permission to do so and the court rants such request, which process may take several months. This is because the letter of credit is an obligation issued by a third party (the tenant's bank), and thus drawing on the letter of credit does not diminish the tenant's estate in bankruptcy.

Letter or Credit

as Security Deposit

When a letter of credit is posted in lieu of a cash security deposit, the letter of credit provides that the landlord will be entitled to be paid by the tenant's bank up to the face amount of the letter of credit upon presenting to that bank (1) the original letter of credit; (2) a sight draft, which merely directs the bank to pay the proceeds of the letter of credit to the landlord; and, in most cases, (3) a statement signed by the landlord specifying why the landlord is drawing on the letter of credit (i.e., because the tenant is in default under the lease).

Although it is a basic principle of letter of credit law that a bank must honor a properly presented letter of credit over the protestations of the applicant and that a court will not enjoin the obligation of the bank to honor such letter of credit absent a clear showing of fraud, it is a good idea to provide in the letter of credit that the bank will pay on the letter of credit without inquiry into the accuracy of the accompanying statement and notwithstanding that the applicant may be disputing the contents of the statement.

As a rule of thumb, a bank must pay on the letter of credit within 72 hours after it has been presented, and the letter of credit should specify where it must be presented (e. g., "at our letter of credit counter at Two World Trade Center, New York, New York"). The letter of credit should also specify that it is payable in U.S. currency and that the landlord may draw all or any portion of the face amount of the letter of credit. The letter of credit should also state on its face that it is "irrevocable" so that the obligation to pay cannot be revoked by the issuing bank.

Expiration of letter of Credit

Although a letter of credit may be irrevocable, it will contain an expiration date, after which it will not be honored by the bank. Banks are usually unwilling to issue a letter of credit for a term longer than one year. How, then, does a landlord use a letter of credit to secure a 10-year lease without having to remember each year to obtain a new a letter of credit before the existing letter of credit expires? The customary solution is to provide in the letter of credit that "it shall automatically be extended for periods of at least one year from the present and each future expiration date unless the bank gives to the landlord, by certified mail, return receipt requested, no later than 30 days prior to the relevant expiration date, notice that the bank elects not to renew this irrevocable letter of credit." Presumably, upon receipt of such notice, the landlord will instruct the tenant to renew the current letter of credit before it expires, and if the tenant does not do so, the landlord will be able to draw on the existing letter of credit before it expires.

From a practical point of view, however, how can the landlord prove that he did not receive such 30-day notice? The solution to this problem is to require that the bank give written notice (commonly called an "advise of credit") stating that the letter of credit has been renewed for an additional one-year period.

Transfer of Letter of Credit

When a landlord transfers ownership of the building, the letter of credit must also be transferred to the new owner. It is best to provide that it is transferable and to spell out the mechanics of such transfer.

Irwin I. Wikler is an attorney with the law firm of Fink Weinberger p. c. with offices in New York City, White Plains, Great Neck, Albany, Clifton, New Jersey and Zurich, Switzerland.

Letters of credit more critical today. (advice on advantages of letters of credit)

As landlords grant greater and greater concessions to attract tenants in an increasingly competitive market, the greater the need to secure these concessions in the event of a default by the tenant. However, with "free rent" commonly exceeding one year and construction allowances routinely exceeding $40 per square foot, it is often impractical for a tenant to tie up so much cash in a conventional security deposit account. And personal and corporate guarantees, once considered viable alternates to cash deposits, have lately fallen out of favor with landlords and their lenders.

As a result, more and more tenants are turning to letters of credit to provide the landlord with the security it requires. Traditionally used as a payment mechanism for the purchase of physical commodities, letters of credit are increasingly being used in place of cash security deposits and guarantees in commercial leases.

Advantages or Letter

or Credit

The main advantage of a letter of credit to a tenant is that it will not have to deposit the full amount of cash with the landlord. As tenant security deposit accounts pay less than 3 percent these days and, in some states like New York, the landlord is entitled to retain 1 percent of the principal amount deposited as an administrative fee, the return on a cash security deposit is almost nil. In contrast, a tenant usually pays its bank a fee of 1 percent per annum of the face amount of the letter of credit to maintain a letter of credit, and this fee is often payable in quarterly installments. The tenant should bear in mind, however, that its bank will probably require that some security be provided to maintain the letter of credit, and, if the tenant must maintain dollar-for-dollar cash security, the purpose of maintaining a letter of credit may be defeated.

From the landlord's point of view, the main advantage of holding a letter of credit instead of cash security is that, in the event the tenant files for bankruptcy, a landlord may still draw on the letter of credit, whereas a landlord holding cash security would be prevented from applying such cash unless and until the landlord asks the bankruptcy court's permission to do so and the court rants such request, which process may take several months. This is because the letter of credit is an obligation issued by a third party (the tenant's bank), and thus drawing on the letter of credit does not diminish the tenant's estate in bankruptcy.

Letter or Credit

as Security Deposit

When a letter of credit is posted in lieu of a cash security deposit, the letter of credit provides that the landlord will be entitled to be paid by the tenant's bank up to the face amount of the letter of credit upon presenting to that bank (1) the original letter of credit; (2) a sight draft, which merely directs the bank to pay the proceeds of the letter of credit to the landlord; and, in most cases, (3) a statement signed by the landlord specifying why the landlord is drawing on the letter of credit (i.e., because the tenant is in default under the lease).

Although it is a basic principle of letter of credit law that a bank must honor a properly presented letter of credit over the protestations of the applicant and that a court will not enjoin the obligation of the bank to honor such letter of credit absent a clear showing of fraud, it is a good idea to provide in the letter of credit that the bank will pay on the letter of credit without inquiry into the accuracy of the accompanying statement and notwithstanding that the applicant may be disputing the contents of the statement.

As a rule of thumb, a bank must pay on the letter of credit within 72 hours after it has been presented, and the letter of credit should specify where it must be presented (e. g., "at our letter of credit counter at Two World Trade Center, New York, New York"). The letter of credit should also specify that it is payable in U.S. currency and that the landlord may draw all or any portion of the face amount of the letter of credit. The letter of credit should also state on its face that it is "irrevocable" so that the obligation to pay cannot be revoked by the issuing bank.

Expiration of letter of Credit

Although a letter of credit may be irrevocable, it will contain an expiration date, after which it will not be honored by the bank. Banks are usually unwilling to issue a letter of credit for a term longer than one year. How, then, does a landlord use a letter of credit to secure a 10-year lease without having to remember each year to obtain a new a letter of credit before the existing letter of credit expires? The customary solution is to provide in the letter of credit that "it shall automatically be extended for periods of at least one year from the present and each future expiration date unless the bank gives to the landlord, by certified mail, return receipt requested, no later than 30 days prior to the relevant expiration date, notice that the bank elects not to renew this irrevocable letter of credit." Presumably, upon receipt of such notice, the landlord will instruct the tenant to renew the current letter of credit before it expires, and if the tenant does not do so, the landlord will be able to draw on the existing letter of credit before it expires.

From a practical point of view, however, how can the landlord prove that he did not receive such 30-day notice? The solution to this problem is to require that the bank give written notice (commonly called an "advise of credit") stating that the letter of credit has been renewed for an additional one-year period.

Transfer of Letter of Credit

When a landlord transfers ownership of the building, the letter of credit must also be transferred to the new owner. It is best to provide that it is transferable and to spell out the mechanics of such transfer.

Irwin I. Wikler is an attorney with the law firm of Fink Weinberger p. c. with offices in New York City, White Plains, Great Neck, Albany, Clifton, New Jersey and Zurich, Switzerland.

Study links cancer rates, prevention efforts.

2002 DEC 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Many states with the highest lung cancer rates are squandering tobacco settlement money intended for disease prevention on unrelated programs, according to a study of health and fiscal data released by a national anticancer group.

Antismoking advocates say states with the gravest need for stop-smoking programs often spend the least on them.

In 1998, 46 states won $206 billion from major cigarette makers. Since then, policy makers have struggled over how much of that money should be earmarked for antismoking programs.

Many states have missed an important opportunity, according to the report by the nonprofits …

Mussina meets his match; Reds' ace Volquez outpitches Yankees veteran, improves to 10-2.(Sports)

Byline: JAY COHEN - Associated Press

Reds 4

Yankees 2

NEW YORK - Edinson Volquez had a wry grin on his face and a twinkle in his eyes after his first game against the New York Yankees. He earned a win and struck out buddy Melky Cabrera in a key spot.

His next start at Yankee Stadium could be even more fun.

Volquez pitched seven effective innings in Cincinnati's first game in the Bronx in 32 years, and the Reds beat Mike Mussina and New York 4-2 Friday night to end a five-game skid.

"He was sharp, didn't look like the crowd or Yankee Stadium bothered him at all," manager Dusty Baker said. "I mean he was out there just as …