Torrado: Mexico not intimidated by France's lineup

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"We're at the World Cup, where pressure is never going to be small. There are no easy matches. We are going to strive for the result which will allow us to keep advancing."

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U.S. Senate confirms Bush nominee Mukasey as attorney general

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Onyewu out 3-4 months with torn knee tendon

U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu has a torn tendon in his left knee, an injury that usually requires a recovery time of three-to-four months.

The AC Milan defender fell down on the slick turf of RFK Stadium during the 83rd minute of Wednesday night's 2-2 draw against Costa Rica in a World Cup qualifier and left the field on a stretcher.

Onyewu's injury came a day after teammate Charlie Davies was seriously injured in a car crash. Davies is unlikely to play in next year's World Cup.

"We've had two days of tough news," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said. "Gooch has been a such an important part of our team."

Onyewu was diagnosed with a torn patellar tendon. However, Bradley expressed confidence he would recover in time for the World Cup.

"He's young, he's healthy, our doctors are good," Bradley said. "He's someone that we're sure is going to get back and be ready to go."

AC Milan said it had been informed of the injury by the American federation, and that if further tests in the United States confirm the initial prognosis, Onyewu will be operated on.

Milan said club physician Massimo Manara was "in constant contact" with Onyewu and coach Leonardo and several teammates called to offer encouragement.

Milan CEO Adriano Galliani was upset by the news.

"I'm very angry because once again the national teams take players and we lose out due to injuries," Galliani told Gazzetta dello Sport. "This is a problem that needs to be resolved. We at Milan are expecting compensation from the American federation. We can't pay a player who can't play for six months."

A 6-foot-4 defender from Olney, Md., Onyewu left Belgium's Standard Liege after last season and signed a three-year contract in July with AC Milan.

The 27-year-old has appeared in just one of the club's 10 competitive matches this season, making his official debut as a 60th-minute substitute in the 1-0 Champions League loss to Zurich on Sept. 30.

Because the U.S. had used its three substitutes, Onyewu could not be replaced after the injury. Still, the United States gained the draw when Jonathan Bornstein headed in a corner kick in the fifth minute of stopped time.

___

AP Sports Writer Andrew Dampf in Rome and AP freelance writer Daimon Eklund in Washington contributed to this report.

Mortality Associated With Benzodiazepines and Benzodiazepine -Related Drugs Among Community -Dwelling Older People in Finland: A Population -Based Retrospective Cohort Study

Objective: To investigate the association between the use of benzodiazepines (BDZs) and BDZ-related drugs and mortality among community-dwelling people aged 65 years and older in Finland.

Method: This was a population-based retrospective cohort study. Records of all reimbursed drugs purchased by all 2224 residents of Lepp�virta, Finland, aged 65 years and older in 2000 were extracted from the Finnish National Prescription Register. Diagnostic data were extracted from the Special Reimbursement Register. All-cause mortality was assessed after 9 years using national registers. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compute unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals for mortality among prevalent users of BDZs and BDZ-related drugs in 2000 (n = 325), compared with nonusers of BDZs and BDZ-related drugs between 2000 and 2008 (n = 1520).

Results: BDZs and BDZ-related drugs were used by 325 out of the 2224 residents (14.6%) in 2000. The 9-year mortality was 50.2% among BDZ and BDZ-related drug users in 2000 and 36.3% among BDZ and BDZ-related drug nonusers between 2000 and 2008 (HR 1.53; 95% CI 1.28 to 1.82). After adjusting for baseline age, sex, antipsychotic drug use, and diagnostic confounders, the HR was 1.01 (95% CI 0.84 to 1.21).

Conclusions: Use of BDZs and BDZ-related drugs was associated with an increased mortality hazard in unadjusted analyses. However, after adjusting for age, sex, antipsychotic drug use, and diagnostic confounders, the use of BDZs and BDZ-related drugs was not associated with excess mortality.

Can J Psychiatry. 2011;56(6):377-381.

Clinical Implications

* Adverse drug events associated with BDZs are well documented. However, there are conflicting data about mortality hazards.

* In contrast to recent findings from a Canadian study, BDZs and BDZ-related drugs were not associated with excess mortality after adjusting for baseline differences in age, sex, antipsychotic drug use, and diagnoses.

* While BDZs and BDZ-related drugs were not associated with excess mortality, clinicians should maintain a judicious approach when prescribing BDZs and BDZ-related drugs for older people.

Limitations

* The study sample was drawn from a single municipality in Finland and, therefore, may not be generalizable to other populations.

* Only large BDZ and BDZ-related drug pack sizes were reimbursed and included in the Finnish National Prescription Register in 2000. This means BDZ and BDZ-related drug use may have been underestimated.

* Differences in BDZ and BDZ-related drug dose, frequency, and duration of use were not evaluated.

Key Words: hypnotics and sedatives, benzodiazepines, mortality, aged, pharmacoepidemiology

Abbreviations

AD antidepressant

ATC Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical

BDZ benzodiazepine

FNPR Finnish National Prescription Register

HR hazard ratio

SII Social Insurance Institution of Finland

BDZs are among the most frequently used drugs among community-dwelling older people in Europe and North America.1,2 However, use of BDZs for insomnia may not improve sleep quality in older people.3 BDZs have been associated with cognitive impairment, depressive symptoms, poor physical function, falls, and fractures.4-7 The responsible prescribing of BDZs in psychiatric disorders has recently been debated.8 Research into the association between BDZ use and mortality has been inconsistent.9 A recent study10 using data from the Canadian National Population Survey reported that anxiolytic and hypnotic drug use was associated with a small but significant increase in mortality. The objective of our study was to investigate the association between use of BDZs and BDZ-related drugs and mortality among community-dwelling people aged 65 years and older in Finland.

Methods

Data Sources

The study protocol was approved by the SII. The study comprised all community-dwelling people aged 65 years and older (n = 2224) residing in Lepp�virta on January 1, 2000.11 Records of reimbursed drugs purchased during 2000 were extracted from the FNPR maintained by the SII.12 The FNPR includes information on the dispensing date of each prescription and the number of dispensed packages and tablets. Each person's birthdate and sex are also included. There is high concordance between selfreported drug use and drug use recorded in the FNPR.13 In Finland, 3-month's supply of a drug can be reimbursed in a single dispensing. Large packs of BDZs and BDZ-related drugs are reimbursed by the SII and therefore purchases are recorded in the FNPR; however, not all small pack sizes are reimbursed.14 Death dates were provided by the SII and patient diagnoses in 2000 were extracted from the Special Reimbursement Register also maintained by the SII.15 To be included in the Special Reimbursement Register, a person's disease or condition must meet predefined explicit criteria, and supporting evidence must be provided by that person's clinician. Depending on the diagnoses, this evidence may include laboratory test results, diagnostic imaging, and results from clinical outcome scales. Diagnoses extracted included cancer, cardiovascular disease (heart failure, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and arrhythmias), endocrine disorders (diabetes and hypothyroidism), mental and neurological disorders (epilepsy, persistent depression and [or] psychosis, Alzheimer disease, and Parkinson disease), musculoskeletal disorders (rheumatoid arthritis and other connective tissue diseases), and respiratory disease (persistent asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).

Measures and Definitions

Drugs were categorized using the ATC classification system.16 BDZs and BDZ-related drugs (zopiclone and Zolpidem) belonging to anxiolytics (ATC code N05B) and hypnotics and sedatives (N05C) were included. BDZs and BDZ-related drug use at baseline was defined as receipt of 1 or more reimbursed prescriptions for a BDZ or BDZ-related drug in 2000 (n = 325). Residents who were nonusers of BDZs and BDZ-related drugs in 2000, but who were dispensed a BDZ or BDZ-related drug between 2001 and 2008 (n = 379), were excluded from the comparison group. The remaining 1 845 residents were included in the analyses.

Baseline use of antipsychotics and ADs was defined as receipt of 1 or more reimbursed prescriptions for an antipsychotic (N05A, excluding lithium) or AD (N06A) in 2000, respectively. The number of prescription drugs was defined as the total number of different prescription drugs (according to ATC code) reimbursed by the SII during 2000.

Statistical Analyses

Baseline characteristics of BDZ and BDZ-related drug users and nonusers were compared using chi-square tests for categorical variables and independent sample t tests for continuous variables. Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine unadjusted and adjusted mortality hazards associated with baseline use of BDZs and BDZrelated drugs. HRs and 95% confidence intervals were computed. This statistical technique permitted analyses of days until death over a 9-year follow-up period. The followup period for each person commenced on January 1, 2000, and ended at time of death or December 3 1 , 2008, whichever occurred first. The adjusted analysis was performed using the backward stepwise likelihood ratio approach. The model was adjusted for baseline differences in age, sex, number of prescription drugs, and for the following baseline diagnoses: cancer, cardiovascular disease, endocrine disorders, mental and neurological disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, and respiratory disease. The model was also adjusted for antipsychotic and AD use. The sample size was too small to differentiate between mortality associated with specific BDZs and BDZ-related drugs. The covariates relating to AD use and number of prescription drugs were excluded from the final adjusted model as they did not make a significant contribution to mortality (at the 0.05 level). All analyses were conducted using SPSS, Version 1 8.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL).

Results

Among the 2224 residents, 325 (14.6%) were BDZ and BDZ-related drug users. Zopiclone (35.4%, n = 115), oxazepam (25.8%, n = 84), temazepam (24.6%, n = 80), and diazepam (15.4%, n = 50) were the most commonly reimbursed BDZs and BDZ-related drugs. Thirty-three residents had a diagnosis of a mental or neurological disorder: 14 (42.4%) had persistent depression and (or) psychosis, 11 (33.3%) had Parkinson disease, 7 (21.2%) had epilepsy, and 1 (3.0%) had Alzheimer disease. Baseline demographic and diagnostic differences between BDZ and BDZ-related drug users and nonusers are compared in Table 1. At the end of follow-up, there were 163 (50.2%) recorded deaths among BDZ and BDZ-related drug users and 552 (36.3%) deaths among nonusers. The unadjusted HR for mortality associated with BDZ and BDZ-related drug use was 1.53 (95% CI 1.28 to 1.82). After adjusting for baseline differences in demographic characteristics, antipsychotic drug use and diagnoses, the HR was reduced to 1.01 (95% CI 0.84 to 1.21), indicating that BDZ and BDZ-related drug use was not associated with an increased mortality hazard (Table 2).

Discussion

Our study found that BDZ and BDZ-related drug use among community-dwelling older people was associated with a mortality hazard about 1.5 times greater than nonusers. However, after adjusting for baseline differences in age, sex, antipsychotic drug use, and diagnoses; BDZ and BDZ-related drug use was no longer associated with excess mortality.

In contrast, Belleville10 reported that anxiolytic and hypnotic drug use was associated with a small but significant increase in mortality when adjusting for confounding sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health factors (OR 1.36; 95% CI 1 .09 to 1 .70). However, our results were consistent with Hausken et al17 who reported higher crude mortality among Norwegian anxiolytic and hypnotic users, but nonsignificant and greatly attenuated HRs after adjusting for lifestyle and socioeconomic factors (HR 1.5; 95% CI 0.9 to 2.7 for men and HR 1.7; 95% CI 1.1 to 2.6 for women). In the studies by Belleville10 and Hausken et al" the adjusted mortality hazard was lower than the unadjusted mortality hazard for middle-aged adults. Our findings support Hausken et al's17 conclusions that excess mortality with anxiolytic and hypnotic use may be due to residual confounding.

Methodological differences may explain the inconsistency between our results and Belleville's findings. First, the main data source used in our study was the FNPR, which provided a complete record of all reimbursed drugs purchased by the residents of Lepp�virta. However, drugs purchased in hospitals or institutional settings were not included in the FNPR. Conversely, the main data source in Belleville's study10 was the Canadian National Population Health Survey, a self-reported questionnaire. Nonparticipation bias is commonly encountered in health surveys,18 although Belleville10 adopted measures to maximize response rates. Nonparticipation bias was not relevant to our study because we used a population-based cohort comprising all residents of Lepp�virta instead of a sample of residents. Consequently, our study has a high degree of internal validity, but the results may not be generalizable. Definitions of drug exposure differ between the 2 studies. In our study, a BDZ and BDZ-related drug user was defined as any resident who received 1 or more reimbursed BDZs or BDZ-related drugs during 2000. Only large pack sizes were reimbursed by the SII in 2000, therefore small packs were not recorded. This means that regular BDZ and BDZ-related drug users may have been more likely to be included in the FNPR than less frequent users.14 Analysis of reimbursed drug dispensing in our study did not account for possible nonadherence. Meanwhile, Belleville's10 definition of an anxiolytic and hypnotic user was limited to respondents reporting use in the month prior to survey completion. Drug use assessed using self-reported questionnaires may be prone to recall bias and may inaccurately estimate the prevalence of anxiolytic and hypnotic use." The diagnoses used as covariates in our study were clinician-verified according to predefined explicit criteria. This represents an advantage over the use of self-reported diagnoses. However, it is not always possible to ascertain severity for all diagnoses. Although the frequency of anxiolytic and hypnotic use was accounted for by Hausken et al,17 differences in dose, frequency, and duration of BDZ and BDZ-related drug use were not evaluated either in our study or in Belleville's study.10

Despite our finding that BDZ and BDZ-related drug use does not contribute to excess mortality, there are a growing number of studies that report the risks and negative consequences of BDZ use in older people.4^7 Use of BDZs and BDZ-related drugs may expose people to unnecessary risks. A larger study that draws data from various countries or regions would provide valuable information.

Conclusions

BDZ and BDZ-related drug use was associated with an increased mortality hazard in unadjusted analyses. However, after adjusting for baseline differences in age, sex, antipsychotic drug use, and diagnoses, BDZ and BDZ-related drug use was not associated with excess mortality. Given that the association between BDZ and BDZ-related drug use and mortality has been inconsistent, and BDZs have been associated with other adverse drug events, clinicians should nevertheless maintain a judicious approach to the prescribing BDZs and BDZ-related drugs to older adults.

Acknowledgements

We thank the SII for providing the de-identified data analyzed in our study. We also gratefully acknowledge the contribution made by Piia Lavikainen, a statistician at the University of Eastern Finland, in preparing the dataset for analysis. Ms Gisev received financial assistance to undertake this study in the form of travel grants supported by DBL and the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia; and The University of Sydney Grants-In-Aid James King of Irrawang travelling scholarship and the James Kentley memorial scholarship. All authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to the content of this manuscript. Professor Hartikainen and Dr Korhonen are clinicians working in the municipality of Lepp�virta.

[Sidebar]

R�sum�: Mortalit� associ�e aux benzodiazepines et aux m�dicaments reli�s chez des personnes �g�es r�sidant dans la communaut� en Finlande: une �tude de cohorte r�trospective dans la population

Objectif: Investiguer l'association entre l'utilisation de benzodiazepines (BZP) et de m�dicaments reli�s aux BZP et la mortalit� chez des personnes de 65 ans et plus r�sidant dans la communaut�, en Finlande.

M�thode: Il s'agit d'une �tude de cohorte r�trospective dans la population. Les dossiers de tous les m�dicaments rembours�s achet�s par tous les 2224 r�sidents de Lepp�virta, en Finlande, �g�s de 65 ans et plus en 2000, ont �t� extraits du registre national finlandais des prescriptions. Les donn�es diagnostiques ont �t� tir�es du registre des remboursements sp�ciaux. La mortalit� toutes causes confondues a �t� �valu�e apr�s 9 ans d'usage des registres nationaux. Les mod�les de r�gression des hasards proportionnels de Cox ont servi � calculer les rapports de risques (RR) non corrig�s et corrig�s et les intervalles de confiance (IC) � 95 % pour la mortalit� chez les utilisateurs pr�valents de BZP et de m�dicaments reli�s aux BZP en 2000 (n = 325), comparativement aux non-utilisateurs de BZP et de m�dicaments reli�s aux BZP entre 2000 et 2008 (n = 1520).

R�sultats: Les BZP et les m�dicaments li�s aux BZP ont �t� utilis�s par 325 sur 2224 r�sidents (14,6 %) en 2000. Le taux de mortalit� sur 9 ans �tait.de 50,2 % chez les utilisateurs de BZP et de m�dicaments reli�s aux BZP en 2000, et de 36,3 % chez les non-utilisateurs de BZP et de m�dicaments li�s aux BZP entre 2000 et 2008 (RR 1 ,53; IC � 95 % 1 ,28 � 1 ,82). Apr�s ajustement pour l'�ge au d�part, le sexe, l'utilisation d'antipsychotiques, et les variables diagnostiques confusionnelles, le RR �tait de 1 ,01 (IC � 95 % 0,84 � 1 ,21 ).

Conclusions : L'utilisation de BZP et de m�dicaments reli�s aux BZP �tait associ�e � un risque accru de mortalit� dans les analyses non corrig�es. Cependant., apr�s ajustement pour l'�ge, le sexe, l'utilisation d'antipsychotiques, et les variables diagnostiques confusionnelles, l'utilisation de BOZ et de m�dicaments li�s aux BOZ n'�tait pas associ�e � une mortalit� excessive.

[Reference]

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2. Hartikainen S, Klaukka T. Use of psychotropics is high among very old people. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2004;59:849-850.

3. Beland SG, Preville M, Dubois MF, et al. Benzodiazepine use and quality of sleep in the community-dwelling elderly population. Aging Ment Health. 2010;14:843-850.

4. Gray SL, Lai KV, Larson EB. Drug-induced cognition disorders in the elderly: incidence, prevention and management. Drug Saf. 1999;21:101-122.

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7. van Vliet P, van der Mast RC, van den Broek M, et al. Use of benzodiazepines, depressive symptoms and cognitive function in old age. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2009;24:500-508.

8. el-Guebaly N, Sareen J, Stein MB. Are there guidelines for the responsible prescription of benzodiazepines? Can J Psychiatry. 2010;55:709-714.

9. Charlson F, Degenhardt L, McLaren J, et al. A systematic review of research examining benzodiazepine-related mortality. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2009;18:93-103.

10. Belleville G. Mortality hazard associated with anxiolytic and hypnotic drug use in the National Population Health Survey. Can J Psychiatry. 2010;55:558-567.

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15. Social Insurance Institution of Finland. L�kkeet ja l�kekorvaukset. Helsinki (FI): KeIa; 201 1 [cited 2010 Nov 25]. Available from: http://www.kela.fi/in/internet/suomi.nsf/NET/ 160204 1 53342EE?OpenDocument.

16. World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Drugs Statistics Methodology. The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System. WHO Collaborating Centre for Drugs Statistics Methodology. Norweigan Institute of Public Health. Geneva (CH): WHO; 2010 [cited 2010 Nov 25]. Available from: http://www.whocc.no/atcddd

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18. Lau HS, de Boer A, Beuning KS, et al. Validation of pharmacy records in drug exposure assessment. J Clin Epidemiol. 1997;50:619-625.

19. Gama H, Correia S, LunetN. Questionnaire design and the recall of pharmacological treatments: a systematic review. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2009;18:175-187.

[Author Affiliation]

Natasa Gisev, BPharm1; Sirpa Hartikainen, MD, PhD2; Timothy F Chen, PhD3; Mikko Korhonen, MD4; J Simon Bell, PhD5

[Author Affiliation]

Manuscript received November 2010, revised, and accepted February 2011.

1 Researcher, Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

2 Professor of Geriatric Pharmacotherapy, Kuopio Research Centre of Geriatric Care, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; Professor, Clinical Pharmacology and Geriatric Pharmacotherapy Unit, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; Geriatrician, Lepp�virta Health Centre, Lepp�virta, Finland.

3 Associate Professor, Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

4 Chief Physician, Lepp�virta Health Centre, Lepp�virta, Finland.

5 Associate Professor, Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia; Adjunct Professor, Kuopio Research Centre of Geriatric Care, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; Adjunct Professor, Clinical Pharmacology and Geriatric Pharmacotherapy Unit, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; Honorary Associate, Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Address for correspondence: Ms N Gisev, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy and Bank Building (A 15), The University of Sydney, New South Wales Australia 2006; natasa.gisev@sydney.edu.au

Once a decade is not enough

DEAR DR. RUTH: In 10 years of marriage I have had only one goodorgasm through sex with my husband. Of late I have beenexperimenting with a vibrator and now I rely on that for release fromsexual tension.

My husband knows my difficulty and is understanding - in fact,it was he who suggested my trying the vibrator - but we both wouldlike to progress from my dependence on the device to mutual pleasurewithout it. Dependent

DEAR DEPENDENT: It is good that he knows, because that clearsaway many emotional obstacles to having orgasms with him on asomewhat more regular basis. Once in 10 years is understandably lessthan either of you wants! I think the first step is for you to learnto pleasure yourself by easy stages without the device. Begin bybringing yourself close to orgasm with the vibrator, then finish withyour fingers, then show him how to do that for you.

In time you probably will learn to pleasure yourself withoutstarting with the vibrator, and may pass that stage. But thevibrator makes a desirable addition to the sexual repertoire.

DEAR DR. RUTH: I am a 66-year-old male and I have had a long andhappy sex life, but recently I notice that my ejaculation is only afew drops. What can I do to increase my flow? Senior

DEAR SENIOR: You need a medical doctor to answer your question,a urologist. I have to say that many older men have good sex liveseven though the flow of semen has diminished - that is not a bigissue unless it gets to be a big issue in the man's mind.Congratulations on that long, happy sex life - keep it up!

Send questions in writing for Dr. Ruth Westheimer in care of theFeatures Department, Chicago Sun-Times, 401 N. Wabash, Chicago 60611.

Jesse Jr.: I'm the real deal - let courts settle fight

Jesse Jr.: I'm the real deal -- let courts settle fight

"We don't have to steal. Jesse Jackson Jr. is the real deal," said Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. (D-2nd) who Sunday said he has proof that a 68-year-old Robbins candidate, bearing his namesake, doesn't exist and will be booted off the ballot. He said he will pursue civil and criminal sanctions for voter fraud.

Jackson lawyers, led by attorney Burt Odelson, today is filing an objection to the "impostor," Jesse L. Jackson, who lives in Robbins, Ill., with the State Boards of Election.

Odelson, who last November went to Florida to help now President Bush win that ballot confusion race, said "Jesse Jackson Sr. registered to vote in 1983 as Jesse Jackson Sr. Jesse Jackson Sr. changed his registration in February 2000 signed as Jesse Jackson Sr."

Odelson said the Robbins candidate running against Rep. Jackson was born in Mississippi in 1933 as Jesse Jackson. "And, for the first time in Mr. Jackson's life when he signed his statement of candidacy, he signed as Jesse L. Jackson.

"There is no such person Jesse L. Jackson that signed this statement of candidacy and is registered to vote in the state of Illinois. It is a fraud. It's a fraud on the people, and it will be proved in the objectors case."

During his Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.'s weekly radio/TV broadcast held at Dr. King's Workshop, the congressman said: "I'm running on my record. Since 1995, I've gone to work every day on your behalf. I've only missed one vote in six years," he said ticking off a list of his accomplishments.

Rev. Jackson said he believes his son is under attack because someone fears he'll run for mayor.

The congressman said: "I'd rather win my race right rather than lose it wrong. I'd rather lose a race for congress fighting a good fight than to lose trying to deceive or confuse voters."

During Sunday's press conference held at the Federal Building, 219 S. Dearborn, Jackson was flanked by his wife, Sandi, a lawyer, several witnesses and his legal team which included attorneys Burt Odelson, Mark Huddle, Leroy Martin, the son of former Police Supt. LeRoy Martin Jr., Larry Rogers Sr., Marilyn Posley, a witness, Vickie Pasley, Jackson said he was surprised to learn that someone filed more petitions than he did.

Pasley said she has filed a petition in court as a precursor to a civil action against several defendants who have been served, with some already being deposed.

Martin said he is seeking criminal actions against those who intentionally mislead voters to sign petitions of the Robbins candidate, believing it was for the congressman.

Article Copyright Sengstacke Enterprises, Inc.

Photo (Jesse Jackson, Jr.)

Algeria: 6 Killed in Ambush

ALGIERS, Algeria - Five security officials and a civilian were killed in a militant ambush of a town in eastern Algeria, media reports said Wednesday.

A report in Liberte daily said a group of militants on Monday swarmed a neighborhood in the town of Henchir El-Hoshas - some 373 miles east of the capital, Algiers - entering one of the houses and slitting the throat of a 50-year-old occupant.

Security forces arriving on the scene were caught in a booby trap, and five died as homemade bombs and mines set by the militants detonated as they entered the neighborhood, the report said.

The militants fled into the surrounding forest. Security forces were conducting a search, according to Liberte.

Algeria has been working to quell sporadic violence linked to an insurgency that broke out in 1992 after the army canceled legislative elections that an Islamic party was set to win. As many as 200,000 people have died in the resulting violence.

While large-scale violence died down in the 1990s, scattered attacks by have mounted in recent months.

Slavery was music to the Beatles' hometown

The Beatles are credited with putting Liverpool, England on the map. But long before Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison conquered the music world in the mid-1960s, the city of their birth was prominent on another map as one of the largest slave trading centers in the world.

"The estimate is that on Liverpool ships alone, there were more than 1.5 million enslaved Africans-that's a low estimate," Richard Benjamin, director of the International Slavery Museum, told a delegation accompanying Jesse L. Jackson to England.

The museum, said to be the largest slave museum outside of North America, is impressive and places many visitors on the verge of tears as it recreates the horrors of slavery.

To put 1.5 million enslaved Africans into perspective, that's larger than the African-American population of every U.S. city except New York. That's more than the combined number of Blacks in Los Angeles and Chicago.

"What made Liverpool the most successful salve trading city was it had dry docks, it had infrastructure to build the ships, the people to command the ships and to make the goods that were sold - it had everything. It was the ultimate business for Liverpool merchants. And it took it to a different level than London and Bristol and that's why Liverpool became capital of the slave trade," Benjamin said as he showed visitors around the museum.

A museum brochure notes, "The first known slave ship to sail from Liverpool was Liverpool Merchant, which left the port on 3 October 1699 and transported 220 Africans to Barbados. The trade grew slowly over the next 20 years but then developed rapidly.

"By 1750 Liverpool was sending more ships to Africa than the other main slaving ports of Bristol and London put together and the town's ships dominated the trade until abolition in 1807. In the final 15 years of the trade being legal, Liverpool controlled 80 percent of the British and over 40 percent of the European slave trade."

One section of the museum seeks to simulate conditions on a packed Trans-Atlantic voyage, with strong visuals, beatings, and even captured Africans throwing up. Through it all, the exhibits make clear that enslaved Africans resisted.

Posted prominently in the museum is a quote from William Prescott, a former slave: "They will remember that we were sold, but not that we were strong. They will remember that we were bought, but not that we were brave."

Fortunately, the museum doesn't limit its collections to slavery. It covers the U.S. Civil Rights Movement in great detail, down to the sounds of barking dogs in Birmingham through the Black Power Movement of the late 1960s.

For example, there is one video chp of a White supremacist saying, "They all look at the White man as being the master and the (?-word) as being the slave." Immediately following that clip is an audio visual of Dr. King saying, "A new Negro came into being with a new determination to suffer, struggle, to sacrifice and even to die, if necessary, in order to be free."

Posted on one wall is a poignant quote from Jesse Owens, the star of the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. He said: "I wasn't invited to shake hands with Hitler, but I wasn't invited to the White House to shake hands with the President either."

Classes are held in the museum to teach students about slavery and how Europeans benefited from it

"A lot of the people in the Black community said don't let people leave the museum equating Black history and African history with slavery," Benjamin recalled. "You also have to tell them of the many different achievements and other aspects."

Consequently, a Black achievement wall has short biographies of 76 descendants of Africa, many of them Americans. The 77th - Barack Obama - will be added soon.

Most of the major streets in Liverpool, including Abby Road popularized by the Beatles, were named after famous slave traders. The museum has a display of most of the street names with their connection to slavery.

It is estimated that between a third and onehalf of Liverpool's slave trade between 1750 and 1807 was to Africa and the West Indies. Approximately 40 percent of Liverpool's wealth was derived from either dealing in enslaved people or the goods they produced. At least 20 mayors of the city were directly involved in the slave trade.

Benjamin, the director of the museum, said there was some resistance to the establishment of the museum in 2007. It was opened on August 23, observed each year as Slavery Remembrance Day.

[Author Affiliation]

George E. Curry is a keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. He can be reached through his Web site, www.georgecurry.com.

With America on brink of war, people `scared'

WASHINGTON At town meetings throughout the United States duringthe last few days, members of Congress have been hearing the sameresponse whenever they ask how people they feel about the prospect ofU.S. involvement in a Middle East war:

"There's a thundering silence," said Rep. David R. Nagle(D-Iowa).

"Ask them about the savings and loan crisis, and they will go onfor hours," Nagle said. "But you really have to work hard to get themto talk about this."

That silence, pollsters said, represents a serious potentialdanger for President Bush as he plots strategy in the Middle Eastover the next few months.

Although most American voters and members of Congress appear tosupport what Bush has done to check Iraqi aggression, many seemuneasy about the possibility of war, and uncertain as to whether theycan support U.S. military involvement in a protracted conflict.

"People are very scared. This looks too much like Vietnam,"said Sen. Alan J. Dixon (D-Ill.), a member of the Senate ArmedServices Committee.

Polling data and interviews with lawmakers suggest that Bushrisks losing political support for his deployment of U.S. troops inthe Middle East if Americans come to believe he is leading them intoanother Vietnam.

And members of Congress say that if he hopes to maintain solidpolitical backing for this operation, Bush must adopt a long-termplan that contains three fundamental, and politically important,elements: He must explore every possible avenue for resolving theconflict diplomatically. He must maintain strong international support. If the standoff should erupt into war, he must use all the militaryresources available in an effort to win as quickly as possible.

Like Nagle, Rep. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) reports an eeriesilence in her Marin County district. Her office telephones, whichordinarily would be ringing during such a crisis, are strangelyquiet.

"People are glued to this thing. They are scared and they don'tknow what the answer is," she said.

To pollster Celinda Lake, this is a sign that public opinion isstill in flux, that Americans have been slow to decide how they feelabout developments in the Middle East.

"Judgment has been suspended," Lake said. "People have ralliedaround for now, but they have not yet made a judgment about it."

Recent polls show that women and members of minority groups aremore reluctant than white males to support U.S. military involvementin the Middle East. Women traditionally have been less supportive ofmilitary conflict, particularly if it means their sons must go towar. And pollsters say many members of minority groups apparentlybelieve the money spent on war could be better invested at home.

Even so, many congressmen are convinced the country willoverwhelmingly support U.S. involvement in a Middle East war,provided that the U.S. action is in response to a clear provocationby Iraq, and that the conflict is concluded quickly.

But some military experts in Congress contend that Bush would bemaking a mistake to retaliate.

"I don't see a military option that can achieve an objectivethat you can secure," said Rep. Dave McCurdy (D-Okla.), a member ofthe Armed Services and Intelligence committees. "It's going to be adiplomatic solution, if there's a solution at all."

A potential problem for Bush is that, for the moment, Americansstill seem uncertain about his objective in sending troops to SaudiArabia: Is he trying to halt Iraqi aggression or to preserve a keysource of American oil as well.

Working in his favor is that Iraqi President Saddam Husseinmakes such a perfect villain in American eyes.

Hussein's behavior and his detention of foreign citizens hashelped to galvanize American public opinion.

"Right now, they see the objective as stopping a tyrant, whomthey see as Hitler," said John R. Kasich (R-Ohio), a member of theHouse Armed Services Committee.

Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), also an Armed Services Committeemember, agreed.

"People understand the nature of Saddam Hussein," he said."There's a great deal of trust in the military, and a great deal oftrust in the president's judgment."

But some lawmakers fear that Bush may encounter some difficultyin trying to persuade the public that military intervention wasnecessary to protect U.S. oil interests in the Persian Gulf, despitethe serious damage that a cutoff of Middle East oil supplies - orsharply higher prices - might wreak.

Nagle points out that oil companies are so unpopular in someregions that the public may not appreciate the need to ensure steadyoil supplies.

"People are steamed at the oil companies, and who wants to go towar to protect their profits?" he said.

Moreover, Dixon predicted that support for Bush would begin toslide if oil prices continue to skyrocket.

"People don't want to pay $3 for gas," he said. "If (gasolineprices) go up a whole lot, he'd better have a good explanation why."

Drew vs. Wright: The matchup that might have been

Marquee starters were long gone. So were nearly all the other pitchers. His bullpen empty, National League manager Clint Hurdle approached David Wright and asked whether he had the right stuff to take the mound and close out the All-Star game. Did the New York Mets third baseman think chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon or general manager Omar Minaya would mind?

"Don't worry," Wright remembered saying. "They're probably sleeping by now. Nobody will know."

What began Tuesday night as a matchup between Ben Sheets and Cliff Lee nearly ended Wednesday with Wright pitching for the NL and Boston Red Sox right fielder J.D. Drew toeing the rubber for the American League.

Just as that possibility was becoming very real, Justin Morneau slid home just in time on Michael Young's sacrifice fly in the 15th inning, giving the AL a 4-3 victory that extended its unbeaten streak to 12.

Minaya was happy it didn't come down to Wright's pitching prowess.

"I would have a problem with one of our position players pitching in an All-Star game, there's no doubt," he said.

Yankee Stadium, hosting its final All-Star game, was the stage for a 4-hour, 50-minute marathon that ended at 1:37 a.m. Given the ticket prices _ $525-$725 in the lower deck, $150 in the bleachers _ fans deserved something extra. They got it.

"Anyone who needed proof that Yankee Stadium is the grandest stage in baseball got it last night," Yankees owner George Steinbrenner said in a statement. "The 2008 All-Star game was one of the greatest experiences in my life and in franchise history."

Many of the 49 Hall of Famers honored during pregame pageantry likely were in bed by the final out. There would be no repeat of 2002's 7-7, 11-inning tie in Milwaukee, which caused commissioner Bud Selig to expand the rosters.

"The commissioner has made it clear: He didn't care if it was 25 innings. The game was being played to conclusion," said Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer.

Wright guessed he hadn't pitched since Little League.

"I would have made up stuff on the mound," he said Wednesday through team spokesman Jay Horwitz. "In a way, I wish it would have happened. It would have been thrill for me to remember for the rest of my life."

Phillies closer Brad Lidge, who had thrown about 100 warmup pitches in the bullpen, pitched the 15th for the NL. He maybe could have gone another inning. Scott Kazmir entered in the 15th for the AL, two days after a 104-pitch outing for the Devil Rays. He had only an inning or so left.

"We were going to go on hours, not pitches," AL manager Terry Francona said.

Hurdle had used every player on his roster except Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum, who was too sick to play. Francona had used all 32 of his players on his roster.

"The only thing I could think to do was put (DH Evan) Longoria in the game and pitch J.D.," Francona said. "But we were still a little ways away from that."

Drew has volunteered to pitch in an emergency for the Red Sox, but Francona has never taken him up on the offer.

"I would have thrown some stuff up there," Drew said. "I got a little sneaky stuff here and there. I don't know if I would have got anybody out."

For Francona, this took on the stress of a game that counts in the standings.

"I told Jim Leyland, `I'll quit cursing, I'll quit chewing,'" he said, referring to the Detroit manager who was part of his coaching staff. "I lied."

The NL was given a pregame pep talk by Hall of Famer Ernie Banks, whose motto is: "Let's play two!" And they nearly did, matching the NL's 2-1 win at Anaheim in 1967 for the longest All-Star game.

By the 13th inning, MLB dispatched senior vice president Joe Garagiola Jr. to remind the managers that the game would be played until there was a winner.

"I was doing Chinese arithmetic from the sixth inning on," Hurdle said. "I felt like I was in algebra class. It got wild."

The AL improved to 6-0 since the All-Star game began determining home-field advantage in the World Series and 11-0-1 since its 1996 loss in Philadelphia. And it even ended an old hex _ the AL had been 0-9-1 in extra innings against its older rival.

By the way, baseball's labor contract makes no provision for home-field advantage if there isn't an All-Star winner.

Morneau started the winning rally with a leadoff single against Lidge, and the AL loaded the bases on Dioner Navarro's single and Drew's one-out walk.

Young lofted a fly to right, and Corey Hart's throw home bounced and was slightly to the first-base side of the plate. Catcher Brian McCann gloved the ball and tried a sweep tag, but Morneau sneaked his right foot in, barely ahead of the tag.

"It was a little deep for me," Hart said.

Drew was picked as the MVP, with his two-run homer in the seventh tying it at 2. Being from Boston, he was booed when presented with his trophy.

The teams set records for strikeouts (34), runners left on base (28) and players (63). Young's fly came on the 453rd pitch.

The pinstriped crowd got to boo Boston's Jonathan Papelbon and the Mets' Billy Wagner. The fans showed their love for Yankees closer Mariano Rivera and captain Derek Jeter.

Colorado's Matt Holliday and Drew homered. Houston shortstop Miguel Tejada made a great falling throw on a slow grounder to deny the AL a win in the 10th after a pair of ugly errors by Dan Uggla, who made a record three botches in all.

The AL left the potential winning run at third base in the 10th, 11th and 12th innings. Uggla twice stranded what would have been the go-ahead run on third. In the 11th, Pittsburgh center fielder Nate McLouth made a perfect throw to nail Navarro at the plate on Young's single, with Dodgers catcher Russell Martin applying the tag.

Papelbon, mocked with chants of "Mariano!" and "Overrated!" gave up Adrian Gonzalez's go-ahead sacrifice fly in the eighth, but Wagner allowed Longoria's tying double in the bottom half.

A sellout crowd of 55,632 had come to honor the 85-year-old ballpark, home to Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle. Steinbrenner delivered the balls for the ceremonial first pitches from a golf cart.

And then the game went on and on.

"Yankee Stadium is tough, I'm telling you," Rivera said. "Didn't want it to end."

Notes:@ The previous longest game by time was 1967, which took 3:41. ... The NL was 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, the AL 3-for-22. ... The Hall of Fame collected two souvenirs _ Rivera's jersey and dirt from the pitcher's mound. ... The NL leads 40-37-2 overall.

Police boost patrols for east Jerusalem march

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police have boosted security and stepped up patrols across Jerusalem to prevent possible clashes when Israelis march through the largely Palestinian east Jerusalem to mark the anniversary of Israel's capture of the area in 1967.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says 3,000 officers, including border police and undercover units, are on patrol for Jerusalem Day events on Wednesday.

About 30,000 Israelis are expected to march through the largely Palestinian neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, past a contentious Jewish enclave there.

Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will never divide the city.

Rosenfeld says five officers were injured by Palestinians throwing stones and firebombs on Tuesday night.

Stocks reignite a rally as economic woes fade

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks rose sharply on Friday, giving the market its fourth straight week of gains, after a big increase in orders for manufactured goods allowed investors to shake off several days of doldrums.

The Dow Jones industrial average jumped nearly 200 points, its first gain in three days. The market has now had its longest winning streak since an eight-week run ending in late April that pushed stocks to their highest levels of the year.

A surprise jump in durable goods orders and corporate spending provided the boost to U.S. stocks, as did a strong earnings report from Nike Inc. and an increase in new home sales last month.

Gold prices climbed to another record, briefly touching $1,300 an ounce, as many investors remained cautious. The dollar and Treasury prices fell.

Industrial stocks including General Electric Co., Caterpillar Inc. and United Technologies Corp. gained after the Commerce Department reported that orders for durable goods excluding transportation rose last month at their fastest pace in five months, while corporate spending also rose.

Stocks have been volatile in recent days as investors react to the latest economic reports. Much of the economic news throughout September has been better than expected, pushing indexes sharply higher during the month after a big sell-off in August.

Zahid Siddique, an associate portfolio manager at Gabelli Equity Trust Inc., said traders are only reacting to the latest news because there still isn't certainty about the pace of recovery.

"Based on the daily data they get, they move the market one way or another," Siddique said.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 197.84, or 1.9 percent, to close at 10,860.26. The Dow has risen 8.4 percent in September, but is only up 4.1 percent for the year and is still 3.1 percent below its 2010 high reached on April 26. The Dow is on track for its best performance for September, which is usually a weak month for stocks, since 1939.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 23.84, or 2.1 percent, to 1,148.67, ending a three-day losing streak. The index, a commonly used benchmark for professional investors, also climbed back above a key technical trading level Friday.

The Nasdaq composite index rose 54.14, or 2.3 percent, to 2,381.22. The technology-focused index has been the best performer during this month's rally, jumping 12.6 percent.

For the week, the Dow is up 2.4 percent, the S&P 2.1 percent, the Nasdaq 2.8 percent.

One simple explanation for this month's surge is that many people were keeping money in cash at the start of September and didn't want to miss out on the rally once it got going, said Cleve Rueckert, an equity strategist at Birinyi Associates, a money management and research firm.

"You're in cash and want to buy stocks, and you're looking at a market that isn't going down," he said. "You start chasing it."

A separate report from the Commerce Department showed sales of new homes in August rebounded slightly from the lowest level on records dating back to 1963 in July. Sales rose 4.3 percent.

The modest rise in sales followed a similar report Thursday that showed sales of previously occupied homes rose in August from depressed levels in July. Sales plummeted in the months after a home buyer tax credit expired at the end of April, but analysts are becoming hopeful that the beleaguered housing market may be bottoming out.

Nike rose $1.90 or 2.5 percent, to $79.57. GE rose 52 cents, or 3.2 percent, to $16.46, while Caterpillar jumped $3.47, or 4.6 percent, to $79.73. United Technologies shares rose $1.70, or 2.4 percent, to $71.50.

Bond prices fell after the durable goods orders report. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which is used to set interest rates on loans, rose to 2.61 percent from 2.55 percent late Thursday.

About five stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange, where consolidated volume came to 4.2 billion shares.

Police charge 2 over Irish-record bank robbery

Police charged two men Monday night in connection with an Irish-record robbery in which a gang forced a Bank of Ireland employee to steal millions from his own employer _ or risk having his family executed.

Sgt. Jim Molloy of Ireland's national police force declined to identify the two men pending their arraignment Tuesday in Dublin District Court.

The pair were among seven people arrested Friday in the immediate wake of the euro7.6 million ($9.5 million) heist at a Bank of Ireland branch in central Dublin. Police said they released two other men without charge Monday, while two men and a woman were still being interrogated.

Earlier, police revealed how the targeted bank worker, 24-year-old Shane Travers, was able to walk into his workplace at sunrise Friday and leave with four bags stuffed with cash without being stopped by colleagues. They said the gang that kidnapped his family supplied him with photographs of his loved ones bound and gagged _ and also photos of his work colleagues and their own homes.

Police confirmed that during Friday's arrests they recovered euro1.8 million ($2.25 million) of the funds taken from Bank of Ireland, the nation's second-largest bank.

Friday's robbery was by far the biggest in the Republic of Ireland, where no previous robbery topped euro4 million ($5 million).

Senior police and bank security chiefs held talks Monday morning to discuss the painful lessons from the bank heist. The meeting at Ireland's national police force headquarters in Dublin involved Assistant Commissioner Mick McCarthy, police specialists in bank security and the security chiefs of several Irish banks, including Bank of Ireland and the nation's largest bank, Allied Irish.

Police Superintendent John Gilligan said the bank representatives had agreed to conduct an industrywide investigation into making their bank safes less vulnerable to their own employees.

The Bank of Ireland raid began Thursday night, when six armed, masked gang members raided Travers' rural home west of Dublin. They tied up his partner Stephanie Smith, her 5-year-old son and her mother, then took Polaroid photos of them for Travers to show to colleagues when he arrived for work the next morning.

Crucially, gang members also gave Travers photographs of his co-workers and their residence to demonstrate that the gang knew all about the branch's security staff _ and could come after them and their families if they didn't let Travers clean out the vault.

Travers' partner, her son and mother were left in an abandoned van north of Dublin but managed to work themselves free and raise the alarm, more than an hour after Travers had delivered four cash-packed bags to a gang member at a train station's parking lot.

Justice Minister Dermot Ahern has criticized the Bank of Ireland branch staff for failing to alert police until after Travers had already left with the cash. Irish policy requires bank officials targeted by hostage-taking gangs to notify police beforehand, so undercover officers can set up surveillance operations.

Such robberies _ called "tiger kidnappings" because gangs can spend months stalking their "prey" in banks and other cash-intensive businesses _ are regular occurrences in Ireland. The robbers exploit the fact that, while banks can impose the toughest security measures, they cannot prevent their own workers from being coerced by kidnappers into unlocking or turning them off.

The biggest bank robbery on the island of Ireland was an elaborate "tiger kidnapping" in December 2004 that targeted two Northern Bank employees in the British territory of Northern Ireland. They were forced to hand over 26.5 million pounds (at the time $50 million, euro38 million) from their bank's central Belfast vault.

Police blamed the outlawed Irish Republican Army for that crime, which remains the third-largest cash robbery in world history.

Travers worked in the College Green branch of Bank of Ireland, a tourist landmark in central Dublin. The building housed Ireland's first Parliament in the late 18th century and the ornate chambers of its Senate have been preserved for visitors.

___

On the Net:

College Green pictures and history, http://tinyurl.com/b2xvd9

NYC man accused of starving dog and her 9 puppies

A New York City man is accused of starving his pet dog and nine of her puppies.

ASPCA special agents have found the 6-year-old pitbull mix and her month-old puppies inside a large cage in the owner's Staten Island apartment.

ASPCA spokesman Joseph Pentangelo describes the animals' condition as "fairly grave."

The owner has been charged with torturing and injuring animals.

The dogs were discovered May 9. The owner's arrest this week was delayed while authorities investigated whether the dogs' conditions were due to neglect or sickness.

___

Information from: Staten Island Advance, http://www.silive.com

Freshman Beasley Leads No. 25 K-State

Freshman Michael Beasley had 32 points and a Big 12 Conference-record 24 rebounds in his first game at Kansas State, leading the 25th-ranked Wildcats to a 94-63 victory over Sacramento State on Friday night.

Beasley, the most highly touted recruit in school history and rated the nation's No. 1 incoming freshman by Rivals.com, broke the Big 12 mark of 23 rebounds set by Kevin Durant, who starred at Texas as a freshman last season, and Kansas' Nick Collison.

It was the second 30-point, 20-rebound game in Kansas State history. Bob Boozer had 36 points and 23 rebounds in 1957.

Blake Young had 22 points and Jacob Pullen added 18 points and five assists for the Wildcats (1-0), who are ranked in the preseason poll for the first time since 1972. Young was 5-for-8 from the field, including 4-of-5 on 3-pointers.

Kansas State _ in its first game under coach Frank Martin _ was without three of its key returning players. Redshirt freshman Bill Walker and seniors David Hoskins and Clent Stewart all did not play because of injuries.

The Wildcats played at much more of an uptempo pace than last season, when they averaged 70.1 points per game under Bob Huggins, who left after just one season in Manhattan to return to his West Virginia, his alma mater.

While that fast-paced, breakneck style produced a lot of points, it also created a ton of turnovers. The Hornets had 31 and Kansas State had 26, many from Pullen, a freshman point guard.

Kansas State led 50-33 at halftime, and by then Beasley already had 16 points and 17 rebounds. He broke Norris Coleman's freshman record for rebounds in just 19 minutes.

The Wildcats overwhelmed Sacramento State from the start, forcing 10 turnovers in the first 8 minutes and taking a 20-9 lead. Beasley got the fans rocking on Kansas State's third possession when he dunked home a missed layup by Young and forced Hornet coach Jerome Jenkins into a timeout.

All of Beasley's six first-half field goals came off offensive rebounds.

Kansas State is coming off a 23-12 season and a second-round exit in the NIT, but is looking for its first NCAA tournament appearance since 1996.

The Wildcats have won 11 straight home openers.

Kenya wins toss, bats vs. New Zealand

CHENNAI, India (AP) — Kenya captain Jimmy Kamande won the toss and decided to put his side into bat against New Zealand in both teams' opening Group A fixture at the World Cup on Sunday.

New Zealand picked off-spinning all-rounder Nathan McCullum, who was only discharged from hospital on Saturday following a brief bout of fever.

However, there was no place for experienced pace bowler Kyle Mills in the New Zealand lineup at the M. A. Chidambaram stadium, with Hamish Bennett and Tim Southee being the two fast men for five-time semifinalist New Zealand.

The Kiwis will be looking to make a winning start to the World Cup campaign after a poor run in recent months, which included series losses to Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.

Kenya's Kamande was satisfied with the conditions, saying: "We've been here for a few days and are getting used to it. The heat is not going to be a problem."

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said he expects the track to deteriorate over the day.

___

Lineups:

Kenya: Alex Obanda, Seren Waters, Collins Obuya, Steve Tikolo, Morris Ouma, Rakep Patel, Jimmy Kamande, Thomas Odoyo, Nehemiah Odhiambo, Shem Ngoche, Elijah Otieno

New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (captain), Hamish Bennett, James Franklin, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor.

Israel Vows to Press Gaza Offensive

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday he would push ahead with the army's widescale offensive in the Gaza Strip, saying the fight to free an abducted soldier and stop militant rocket fire would last for a "long time."

The 12-day-old operation has caused widespread destruction in Gaza, left 51 Palestinians dead and led to international complaints that Israel was using excessive force.

Despite the offensive, militants launched three rockets into Israel on Sunday, wounding one person in the town of Sderot and damaging a house. Also, militants linked to the Palestinians' ruling Hamas party maintained their refusal to free Cpl. Gilad Shalit, who was captured in a June 25 raid, or even reveal his condition.

An Israeli airstrike Sunday night targeted a car carrying Hamas militants near Gaza City, wounding five people, including an 8-year-old girl, Palestinian health officials said. The vehicle was filled with explosives, which led to a series of large secondary explosions, the army said.

Israeli aircraft attacked a building early Monday on the outskirts of Gaza City, setting it on fire, Palestinians said. No injuries were reported. The military said the building was used by Islamic Jihad to make weapons.

Before daybreak, aircraft fired a missile at a group of militants near Gaza City, killing one and seriously wounding another, Palestinian hospital officials said. The military said a missile had been fired at militants on their way to launch a rocket.

Speaking to the Israeli Cabinet, Olmert counseled patience.

"We're talking about a war that will continue for a long time and it is complicated," Olmert said, according to a participant in the meeting. "This is a war for which we cannot set down a timetable and we can't say how long it will continue."

The Cabinet expressed unanimous support for the military action in Gaza and Olmert's refusal to negotiate with the militants, who demanded the release of 1,500 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for information about Shalit, 19.

Israeli security officials told the Cabinet that the offensive, the army's largest operation in Gaza since Israel withdrew from the territory last summer, was likely to force the militants to scale back their demands, according to the participant in the meeting, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was closed to the press.

But Palestinians were widely supportive of the militants' actions. A poll released Sunday showed that 77 percent of those questioned backed Shalit's kidnapping and 67 percent said they supported further abductions. Sixty-nine percent said the soldier should only be released in exchange for prisoners.

The survey of 1,197 Palestinians by the Jerusalem Media and Communication Center had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

Olmert told the Cabinet that before Shalit was captured, he had been planning a prisoner release as a goodwill gesture to moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, but now a release appears out of the question.

"It's not a secret before the kidnapping that we would free prisoners. But we intended to release them to moderate elements and not to terrorist elements," Olmert said.

"The release of prisoners means destroying the moderates in the Palestinian Authority, and would signal to the world that Israel can only talk to extremists."

Since the offensive began June 28, Israeli forces have battered Gaza with artillery barrages and airstrikes. One airstrike Sunday missed a car carrying members of a Hamas rocket squad and killed a bystander instead, Palestinian health officials said. The army confirmed it carried out an airstrike.

The United Nations blamed Israel for widespread human rights violations and hardship to civilians in Gaza.

Palestinian hospital officials say at least 51 Palestinians have been killed and more than 180 wounded in the offensive.

One Israeli soldier was killed last week, and military officials said Sunday an initial inquiry showed he was shot accidentally by Israeli forces.

Olmert and other ministers said they were not overly concerned about the international reaction.

"Anybody who calls this operation disproportionate has no clue about the facts on the ground. We have been attacked and bombarded for months and weeks," Cabinet minister Yitzhak Herzog said.

"With all due respect to all those who criticize us, if anything of this nature would have happened in their homeland, they would have acted much worse."

Hawkins Helps Fuel Thornton

Throughout Thornton's 58-43 SICA East victory over ThornwoodFriday night, senior guard Michael Allen treated the home crowd to apleasing display of dunks, spin moves and three-point shots.

Allen scored 26 in the Wildcats' home opener, but 6-5 juniorSean Hawkins was the workhorse in a run that sparked Thornton (4-0,1-0).

Leading 23-20 at halftime, Thornton scored six consecutivepoints and opened the third quarter with a 13-2 run keyed by Hawkins,who finished with nine points, 12 rebounds and six blocks.Thornwood's (4-2, 1-1) smallest deficit after that was 10 points.

After Allen opened the half with a basket that made it 25-20,Hawkins on successive possessions scored on a tip-in, a follow of hisown miss and another putback that gave Thornton a 31-22 lead with4:30 left in the third quarter.

Hawkins then ripped down a rebound on the defensive backboardand rifled an outlet pass to Allen, who jammed it home for a 34-22lead. Obaya Fields' tip-in completed the spurt.

"They're a tough rebounding team," Thornwood coach Al Holversonsaid. "Hawkins is going to be a tough ballplayer."

Thornton, playing its first game in 10 days, made only 10-of-33shots in the first half.

"We looked like we had 10 days off," Thornton coach Sam Camelisaid. "Shots that should have fallen didn't fall and feet that weresupposed to move didn't move. We fouled everybody in the gym but thescorekeeper."

Thornton, which did not score in the first 2:45, took its firstlead at 14-13 on a three-pointer by Allen, who had made a dunk and a360-degree spin on a three-point play as the Wildcats climbed backfrom Thornwood's early lead.

Thornton held the advantage through the first half, going up23-20 at intermission on Kevin Jones' off-balance bank shot at thebuzzer. Allen had 12 points in the first half.

Thornwood 6-2 junior Dewshannon Holmes worked himself freeinside Thornton's zone defense for four field goals and two freethrows in the first half and finished with a team-high 13 points.

Hawkins was benched for missing a dunk with 4:35 remaining.That's a Cameli rule.

"Sean's only mistake is he's too anxious sometimes," Allen said."He's got to relax."

"Sean gave us a great effort," Cameli said. "But he can't bestreaky. He's got to be more consistent."

Thugs get Page 1, but here's a guy you should know about

A man whose most memorable contribution to Chicago was founding aWest Side street gang made headlines last week when he was shot sixtimes near Garfield Park.

On that same day, 7-year-old Ana Mateo was killed by stray ganggunfire in the Pilsen neighborhood.

Both stories are big news because they put the spotlight on theviolence that has given Chicago the reputation that our minorityneighborhoods are gang-infested pockets of despair. Personally, I wasappalled that the attack on Willie Lloyd was played as if he had beena statesman rather than a thug.

And I'm afraid that in doing so, we put the substance of gangleaders on equal footing with the substance of elected …

Hull drops lae Altidore, fines him for tweet

Hull dropped Jozy Altidore for arriving late for the team's 0-0 draw with Portsmouth, the club said Monday, and the American striker will now be fined for having apologized on his twitter site.

The club said the American striker, who is on loan from Spanish club Villarreal, was left out of the squad for Saturday's game against Portsmouth after arriving late at the stadium. He would have been on the bench and was replaced by Will Atkinson.

"It's unacceptable behavior, full stop," manager Phil Brown said. "You prepare all week for a match day, mentally and physically. To ask a player to arrive an hour and a half before a game is not too much to ask is it?"

Altidore then tweeted his apology to the fans, upsetting Brown again.

"Apologize to all of you," he wrote. "I showed up late. Made a big mistake. I'm very very sorry."

He will now be fined because Brown said the reasons for Altidore being left out should have remained private.

"It's going to cost him a lot of money, unfortunately," Brown said. "That for me is information that stays in house. The reason he wasn't on the bench was our business."

Oil rises to near $70 on another attack in Nigeria

Oil prices rose to near $70 a barrel Monday on news that militants in Nigeria attacked an offshore oil platform belonging to Royal Dutch Shell PLC.

Traders also were awaiting a fresh batch of economic indicators due later this week for signs of improvement in the U.S. economy.

By mid-afternoon in Europe, benchmark crude for August delivery was up 64 cents to $69.80 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Earlier in the session, the contract peaked at $70.06. On Friday, it fell $1.07 to settle at $69.16.

Shell spokesman Precious Okolobo confirmed the militants' attack early Monday on the company's facilities and said production had been partially shut down.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta is one of the main militant groups which have caused significant damage to the oil infrastructure in Nigeria, Africa's largest crude exporter.

The rebel groups want the government to increase the share of oil revenues of the oil-rich but otherwise poor states in the country's south.

Analyst Olivier Jakob of Petromatrix in Switzerland recently estimated that Nigeria now produces about 1.4 million barrels of oil a day. Before the rebel attacks started in 2005, Nigeria's output was about 2.5 million barrels a day.

Meanwhile, the Paris-based International Energy Agency revised downw its medium-term forecast for global oil demand, although analysts said this had little immediate impact on markets.

The IEA said demand is likely to grow by an average of 0.6 percent annually over the 2008-2014 period. It would reach 89 million barrels a day by 2014 assuming a return to 5 percent annual economic growth by 2012, the agency said.

Oil prices yo-yoed near $70 a barrel last week as investors weighed mixed signals on whether the U.S. economy, the world's largest, is poised to climb out of its worst recession in decades.

Investors will be eyeing economic data this week, including the Labor Department's June unemployment report. The jobless rate hit a 25-year high of 9.4 percent in May, jumping from 8.9 percent the previous month.

The latest indicators of consumer confidence and manufacturing will also be released.

Crude has doubled since March, leading some analysts to predict oil will pullback until definitive signs of economic growth emerge.

"There's concern about sluggish oil demand," said Victor Shum, an energy analyst with consultancy Purvin & Gertz in Singapore. "Unless we see data that shows a clear economic recovery, prices may have peaked in the short-term."

"The oil price rally is running out of steam."

In other Nymex trading, gasoline for July delivery gained 2.17 cents to $1.8958 a gallon and heating oil rose 1.74 cent to $1.7477.

Natural gas for July delivery fell 7.4 cents to $4.031 per 1,000 cubic feet, as the IEA projected that natural gas demand this year would drop for the first time in 50 years.

In London, Brent prices rose 69 cents to $69.61 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.

___

Associated Press writer Alex Kennedy in Singapore contributed to this report.

Experts Advise: Don't Over-Improve Property

Mike lives in a middle-class suburb. It's a place of diverseethnic groups, religions and pocketbooks, of grandparents, emptynesters and young families.

There are good schools, good shops and mature trees. The lotsare on the smallish side, the houses modest. Folks here take care oftheir homes and mow their lawns twice a week during summer.

Mike was raised in this suburb. He and his wife are nowraising children there. They like it, and would like to stay.

But Mike's house is no longer big enough for his growingfamily. He would like to build an expensive addition, and includesome extra amenities, including a master suite and gourmet kitchen.

…

Harvard Business School Faculty on the Passage of U.S. Healthcare Reform Legislation.

Byline: Harvard Business School

BOSTON, March 24 (AScribe Newswire) -- In the wake of the passage of sweeping health care reform legislation by the U.S. Congress, the political battle over the bill seems destined to continue. But what do Harvard Business School faculty experts, whose research applies a management lens to health care policy and delivery, think about the bill's content? And what are the next steps for improving patient care and containing costs?

Richard M.J. Bohmer argues there should be a second national discussion about managing health care delivery.

Bill George calls the bill a "momentous step" in insuring the uninsured, but says hard work must begin to address cost, quality, and lifestyle.

Regina E. Herzlinger argues that the bill's price tag will hurt the U.S. economy and that its prescription will result in a government-controlled health care system.

Robert S. Huckman calls for studying the cost-effectiveness of various approaches to treatment to get a better sense of what does (and does not) create value for patients.

Richard Bohmer (http://drfd.hbs.edu/fit/public/facultyInfo.do?facInfo=bio&facEmId=rbohmer), Physician and Professor …

JESSE VENTURA'S LIFE STORY SET TO GUTTY, GRITTY SONG.(MAIN)

The script of a musical based on Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura's life is progressing, with songs titled "Do You Like the Rolling Stones?," "The Heart is a Muscle," "Hooyah!" and "You're Different" among those in the works. Composer Stephen Dolginoff told Playbill On-Line this week that he is awaiting Ventura's approval for a revised Act Two. When …

Beijing/W lineage of M. tuberculosis defined on the basis of genetic markers.

2004 NOV 29 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Beijing/W lineage of Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been defined on the basis of genetic markers.

"Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing genotype strains are highly prevalent in Asian countries and in the territory of the former Soviet Union. They are increasingly reported in other areas of the world and are frequently associated with tuberculosis outbreaks and drug resistance.

"Beijing genotype strains, including W strains, have been characterized by their highly similar multicopy IS6110 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns, deletion of spacers 1 to 34 in the direct repeat region (Beijing …

Lehtonen Sets Team Mark As Thrashers Win

ATLANTA - Kari Lehtonen got the record out of the way. Then he got started on another scoreless streak. Lehtonen set an Atlanta mark for shutout minutes before finally giving up a goal on a deflection, and the Thrashers won their third straight by defeating the Boston Bruins 4-1 on Wednesday night.

After back-to-back shutouts, Lehtonen learned that he was closing on the record held by Michael Garnett.

"It was kind of weird to go to the game and know I had to play five or 10 minutes without giving up a goal," Lehtonen said. "After I broke the record in the first period, that was very relaxing."

He stretched his scoreless streak to 167 minutes, 56 seconds before …