Japan confirms dozens more swine flu cases

Japan confirmed dozens more swine flu cases overnight bringing its tally to 176, health officials said Tuesday, as the government considered scaling down quarantine checks at airports while focusing on its domestic outbreak.

The outbreak in Japan surged from just four cases over the weekend after infections were confirmed in the port city of Kobe and nearby Osaka, which is Japan's second-biggest urban area. The 41 added to the list overnight included high school students and small children as the outbreak jumped to three more cities in the region.

The new wave of infections did not have a clear connection to foreign travel, as the initial one did, and …

Quebec official grapples with Canada unity crisis

MONTREAL Quebec politicians like Joe Clark, the new federalminister assigned the daunting task of holding Canada together, butthey say he may have been given an impossible assignment.

Clark, a former Conservative Party prime minister, was appointedminister for constitutional affairs in last week's reshuffling of thefederal Cabinet.

Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's decision to shift him from theExternal Relations Ministry reflects the government's recognition,possibly overdue, of the forces pulling the country apart.

Clark is well liked in Quebec, the French-speaking province,which is considering a bid for independence. He has learned to speakFrench, and he …

Suu Kyi party mulls registering for elections

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Senior members of Aung San Suu Kyi's party are meeting to decide whether to register it as a legal body so that it can take part in future elections.

The National League for Democracy leaders, meeting in Yangon, are likely to approve the move now that the military-aligned government has lifted a restriction that had barred her from contesting.

The NLD refused to …

Pelican attacks Australian weatherman on live TV

An Australian weatherman has found himself the butt of his colleagues' jokes after a pelican repeatedly bit his backside during a live broadcast.

Steve Jacobs of Channel 9's Today Show was describing pelicans at Sydney's Taronga Zoo before his national weather report earlier this month when one of the birds lunged at him.

Jacobs kept …

Creator of Jimo's starts two more Wicker Pk. restaurants

If the name John Grbac doesn't mean anything to you, wait a bit.The restaurateur who started the now wildly successful Jimo's Cafe at1576 N. Milwaukee and is a partner in Jim and Johnnie's now has twomore Wicker Park spots: Uncle Frog's, an intimate 32-seat room at1507 N. Honore, and Cha Cha Cha, 2011 W. North.

More on Grbac at a later date, but his two new restaurants bothbear watching. Frog's, which opened about a month ago, features thecooking and personality of "Uncle Frog" Ken McAuliffe, a nativeEasterner who made his mark at the Merc, then traveled the world,learning to cook.

The affable McAuliffe wants his place to be "like entertainingfriends in my …

A bonding experience

DaimlerChrysler has released new weld bonding procedures that may cut panel replacement times by as much as 50 percent.

We've all seen ads for tools and procedures designed to "double your productivity!" or "Speed up production!" Even if you're not from Missouri, such claims usually provoke a skeptical "Show me" reaction.Well, if seeing is believing ... get ready to believe.

The results are in: Replacement times can be cut by 50 percent on some cosmetic body panels by using new procedures approved by DaimlerChrysler Corporation. In addition to the time savings, other advantages include increased strength of the repair and closer duplication of the factory process.Weld …

Thai parliament postpones prime minister vote

Thailand's parliament has postponed until next week a vote to elect a new prime minister after it failed to obtain a quorum in the House of Representatives.

The house speaker initially said the session Friday would be delayed for a lack of quorum but opened it after saying there were enough members for the vote.

However, a recount showed there were only 161 lawmakers present in the 480-member house.

The vote is now scheduled to be held Wednesday.

The low turnout was the result of a boycott by the opposition Democrat Party and some coalition partners of the ruling party to protest ousted leader Samak Sundaravej's decision to re-contest the …

Lottery

Here are the winning numbers drawn Saturday:

WEST VIRGINIA Daily 3: 011 Daily 4: 4816

OHIO Day Pick 3: 074 Pick 4: 1378 Ten-Oh: 4-10-17-18-20-25-30-42-43-47-50-51-53-56-61-65-67-69-74-77

Evening Pick 3: 010 Pick 4: 9581 Ten-Oh: 3-6-13-15-16-21-24-25-34-35-36-51-55-58-61-62-63-76-77-80 Classic Lotto: 1-18-19-20-31-43Rolling Cash 5: 1-10-11-16-20

KENTUCKY Midday Pick 3: 188 Pick 4: 0548

Evening Pick 3: 443 Pick 4: …

Texcare Asia

This International Trade Fair for Modern Textile Care Is Taking Place in China for the First Time

Texcare Asia will be held from November 10th to 12th at the China World Trade Centre in Beijing, China. Organized by Messe Frankfurt in partnership with the China National Light Industrial Machinery Corporation, this international trade fair for modern textile care is taking place in Mainland China for the first time.

Texcare Asia 2005 is expected to attract around 100 exhibitors showing equipment and machinery related to textile care and cleaning, including laundry and dry-cleaning machines, laundry and dyeing agents, textiles and equipment for rental services, carpet and …

Davos scales back glitz, focuses on future

It's all business all the time for Davos this year.

With capitalism in crisis, the 2,500 business and political leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week will find less starpower than usual _ Bono is not coming, and neither is Angelina Jolie.

Organizers say the five-day event that starts Wednesday will focus on shaping the world after the crisis ends.

But with dozens of world leaders and finance ministers, and heads of the some of the world's biggest companies in attendance, this year's gathering may have trouble looking beyond the world's current economic problems. But the forum's head says they need to try.

…

Caray's job may attract top names

Don't look for NBC-TV's Bob Costas or Tony Kubek as Harry Caray'seventual successor in the prestigious Cub broadcast booth.

Kubek says he probably wouldn't be interested, and if Costaswinds up with any team, it figures to be the Cardinals. He isconsidered heir apparent to Jack Buck.

CBS' new, exclusive contract means NBC and ABC will be out of thebaseball picture beginning in 1990.

And that means a number of big-name voices might be on the marketas candidates to succeed Caray, who, in effect, is on a year-to-yearbasis at WGN.

"I was offered the Cub job before Harry was approached in 1982,"Kubek said from his home in Appleton, Wis. "I was flattered, …

Alumni Present Plan to Keep Antioch Open

YELLOW SPRINGS, Ohio - Alumni of Antioch College formally asked trustees Thursday to reverse their decision to temporarily close the 155-year-old school known for its social activism, saying they've raised $18 million primarily in pledges to keep it going.

"The entire alumni board has become energized and deeply involved," said Rick Daily, an alumnus who has helped spearhead the fundraising drive. "We believe deeply that the college needs to continue operations beyond this June."

The alumni presented their plan to Antioch University's board of trustees inside a crowded gymnasium at a community center in this southwest Ohio village. Several hundred people packed the gym, …

And they're off

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Spurs end 17-year streak with 3-2 win at Arsenal

LONDON (AP) — Tottenham scored with five minutes left Saturday to beat Arsenal 3-2 for a first away win at its fierce north London rival in 17 years.

Spurs had trailed 2-0 to goals by Samir Nasri and Marouane Chamakh but Gareth Bale reduced the deficit five minutes after halftime and Rafael van der Vaart finally scored away from home with a 67th-minute penalty that Cesc Fabregas conceded when he needlessly blocked the Dutchman's free kick with his forearm.

Arsenal still had chances to win the game through Fabregas and Laurent Koscielny but Younes Kaboul headed in a free kick to complete the comeback.

The win denied Arsenal the chance to go top of the Premier League and ended the visitors' 68-match run without an away win against the established powers of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.

"I wasn't here for 65 or 66 of those games, so I can't take the blame for those ones," Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp said. "But we can give anyone a game. To come here and turn the tide as we did today is a fantastic result and showed good courage."

The Tottenham fans were still celebrating wildly 15 minutes after the final whistle in the corner of an otherwise empty Emirates Stadium, but Van der Vaart was already looking ahead to Wednesday's match against Werder Bremen — when victory could put Spurs into the second round of the Champions League in its debut season.

"Today's a great day, but it's just three points," Van der Vaart said. "We want to win the next Champions League game."

The comeback had looked impossible when Arsenal dominated the first half comprehensively, with Alex Song, Nasri, Andrey Arshavin and Fabregas combining so fluidly in midfield that one of them always seemed free to collect a pass.

Tottenham's halftime introduction of striker Jermain Defoe for his first appearance in more than two months following an ankle injury changed that, evening the balance of play by keeping Arsenal's defense busier and denying the Gunners so much time to build moves from the back.

Bale raced from left to right to collect a pass by Van der Vaart and shoot low past Lukasz Fabianski before Luka Modric won a free kick by drawing an unnecessary foul from Song.

Fabregas was on the end of the wall and blocked Van der Vaart's free kick with his arm for a penalty that the Netherlands international smashed in for his eighth goal of the season and first away from White Hart Lane.

With five minutes left, Koscielny brought down the charging Bale on the right with a late foul 40 meters (yards) from goal. The free kick sailed into the area and Kaboul leaped to head past Fabianski and send the visiting supporters crazy.

Redknapp said the victory confirmed his belief that, with United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City all dropping points, Tottenham had a chance of winning the English title for the first time since 1961.

"We can achieve anything," Redknapp said. "You've got aim for the top. It's open. Anyone can win. We're not writing ourselves off."

The turnaround was epitomized by the performance of former Arsenal captain William Gallas, who wore the armband for Tottenham and was loudly jeered on his first match against his former club.

Aside from one extraordinary break when he intercepted and carried the ball alone to the edge of Arsenal's area, the Frenchman was mostly notable for the poor positioning and inability to keep possession that suggested Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was correct not to renew his contract at the end of last season.

But after the interval, he made several key blocks and interceptions to keep Tottenham in the game.

Even so, Arsenal had looked set to at least challenge for top spot in the standings with an overwhelming first-half performance.

Arsenal had already threatened — Nasri sending a looped pass over the defense to Fabregas for a cross that goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes saved — when it took the lead.

Nasri raced onto a pass up the middle by Fabregas and, with Gomes slow to come off his line, got to the ball just before the Tottenham goalkeeper. A deflection off the diving keeper seemed set to carry the ball out of play past the left post but Nasri got there and, lifting his standing leg out of the way to give himself space, squeezed in a shot with his left that just trickled over the line from the tightest of angles.

Fabregas then collected a first-time pass from Song to ghost past central defender Kaboul, only to shoot wide of the far post with just Gomes to beat.

The second goal soon came, from a move that began with the breakdown of a rare attack by the visitors.

Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko kept the ball in play rather than allow it to roll out for a corner but there was no teammate to collect it so Arsenal was able to swiftly move possession up to Fabregas in space on the edge of the center circle.

As Tottenham's defense retreated, Fabregas slipped the ball left to Arshavin, who crossed low for Chamakh to touch in from close range for a ninth goal of the season — 12 seconds after Spurs lost possession.

Sen. Kennedy returns home to family compound following brain cancer surgery

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy said it was "good to be home" after flying back to Massachusetts a week after undergoing an aggressive and delicate surgery to treat a cancerous brain tumor.

Kennedy left the hospital Monday morning and arrived at his family's compound in Hyannis Port on Cape Cod just before noon.

Kennedy told reporters waiting outside his home, "It's good to be home, good to be here."

The longtime Democratic senator was diagnosed last month with a malignant glioma, a lethal type of brain tumor, after having a seizure. A malignant glioma is one of the worst kinds of brain cancer, and malignant gliomas are diagnosed in about 9,000 Americans a year.

Marine Re-Arraigned in Iraqi Killing

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - A Marine was arraigned a second time Thursday on charges of kidnapping and murdering an Iraqi civilian after he withdrew a guilty plea last month that had been part of a pretrial agreement.

Cpl. Trent D. Thomas, 25, was in a squad of seven Marines and a Navy corpsman accused last year of killing an Iraqi after they were unable to find an insurgent suspected of planting bombs.

He was the first to plead guilty to murder, followed by five others who also made pretrial agreements and pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

Squad members have testified that Hashim Ibrahim Awad was forced into a hole and shot, and that the squad placed an AK-47 and shovel by his body to make it look as if he were an insurgent planting a bomb.

Even though Thomas gave a detailed account of the killing and said that he fired several rounds at Awad in Hamdania, he told a military judge he was not guilty because he had followed what he believed to be a lawful order.

The corporal blamed the attack on the squad's leader, Sgt. Lawrence G. Hutchins III. Thomas said his sergeant ordered the squad to carry out the killing, and Thomas thought he was acting under the "color of law."

"I believe I had justification," Thomas said at the time.

Hutchins, of Plymouth, Mass., is awaiting trial on murder and other charges.

Prosecutors refiled charges against Thomas that now include premeditation, an element that had been removed as part of Thomas's pretrial agreement.

Thomas, the squad's second in command from Madison, Ill., did not enter a plea at the arraignment. He could face life in prison. The five others who made deals were sentenced to between one and eight years in prison.

Official: 16 Hindus die in stampede in India

LUCKNOW, India (AP) — An official says a stampede has killed 16 Hindu pilgrims and injured about 50 during a religious ceremony on the banks of the Ganges River in northern India.

Government spokesman Amit Chandola says the stampede at Haridwar in Uttar Pradesh state was triggered when some of the pilgrims tripped and fell while those behind continued to push forward.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

LUCKNOW, India (AP) — A stampede killed six Hindu pilgrims and injured about 50 during a religious ceremony Tuesday on the banks of the Ganges River in northern India, an official said.

The stampede at Haridwar in Uttar Pradesh state was triggered when some of the pilgrims tripped and fell while those behind continued to push forward, government spokesman Amit Chandola said.

Thousands of people had converged on the river banks for the prayer ceremony in Haridwar, a temple-filled town at the foothills of the Himalayas where the Ganges enters the sprawling plains of northern India. It is about 300 miles (500 kilometers) southwest of the state capital of Lucknow.

The injured were taken to a nearby hospital, Chandola said.

Hundreds of thousands of Hindu pilgrims visit Haridwar every year for bathing in the Ganges, which they believe will cleanse them of sins and free them from the cycle of life and rebirth.

Stampedes often occur at Hindu pilgrimage sites, where authorities often are unable to cope with the rush of devotees.

Bernanke says housing rates didn't cause bubble

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the central bank's lowinterest rates didn't cause the past decade's housing bubble andthat better regulation would have been more effective in limitingthe boom.

"The best response to the housing bubble would have beenregulatory, rather than monetary," Bernanke said Sunday in remarksto the American Economic Association's annual meeting in Atlanta.The Fed's efforts to constrain the bubble were "too late or wereinsufficient," which means that regulatory actions "must be betterand smarter," he said.

Bernanke said the Fed is working to improve its supervision ofbanks and has strengthened measures to protect consumers ofmortgages and other financial products. Senate Banking CommitteeChairman Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), who backs Bernanke for a secondterm, has called the Fed's oversight of banks leading up to thecrisis an "abysmal failure." Dodd proposes stripping the Fed andother agencies of bank supervision powers and moving them to a newregulator.

Scholars such as Allan Meltzer, a historian of the central bank,have criticized the Fed for helping fuel the housing boom by keepinginterest rates too low for too long. The bursting of the housingbubble led to the worst recession since the Great Depression and theloss of more than 7 million U.S. jobs.

Meltzer's argument has been echoed by lawmakers including Sen.Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), the senior Republican on the BankingCommittee, who says Bernanke doesn't deserve a second term as Fedchief.

Shelby, at a Dec. 17 vote on Bernanke's nomination to a secondfour-year term starting next month, said the former PrincetonUniversity professor "missed clear signals" of a financial crisiswhen he was a Fed governor from 2002 until 2005.

"I strongly disapprove of some of the past deeds of the FederalReserve while Ben Bernanke was a member and its chairman, and I lackconfidence in what little planning for the future he hasarticulated," Shelby said.

Bernanke didn't discuss the outlook for the U.S. economy or Fedmonetary policy in Sunday's speech or an accompanying slidepresentation.

Increased use of variable-rate and interest-only mortgages, andthe "associated decline of underwriting standards," were moreresponsible for the bubble, Bernanke said.

He left the door open to using interest rates to prevent"dangerous buildups of financial risks" should regulatory changesfail to be made or turn out to be insufficient.

"We must remain open to using monetary policy as a supplementarytool for addressing those risks - proceeding cautiously and alwayskeeping in mind the inherent difficulties of that approach,"Bernanke said.

Responding to audience questions after the speech, Bernanke saidhe wasn't "particularly concerned" about a possible loss of investorconfidence in the U.S. financial system.

The dollar is still the "dominant" world reserve currency, andwhen financial conditions become more "worrisome," investors see thecurrency as a safe haven and U.S. markets as the deepest and mostliquid, he said.

Bernanke devoted most of his speech to rebutting criticism thatthe Fed's rate policy fueled the housing bubble. Monetary policyafter the 2001 recession "appears to have been reasonablyappropriate, at least in relation to" a formula based on the so-called "Taylor Rule." In addition, Bernanke said Fed research showsthe rise in housing prices had little to do with monetary policy orthe broader economy.

John Taylor, a Stanford University economist and former Treasuryundersecretary, created the Taylor Rule, a shorthand formula thatsuggests how a central bank should set interest rates if inflationor growth veers from goals.

30

Dixie Carter Sees Redesign in Works For Seven-Year-Old Sitcom `Women'

Every day, Dixie Carter, star of CBS's "Designing Women," says alittle prayer. "Thank you Lord for my good job.

"It's a real wonderful gift to appreciate what you have, notthrow it aside. To understand how fortunate you are: that this isgood," she says.

As the actress talks, one wonders if she could be thinking ofDelta Burke and the way she ditched her role as the sassy SuzanneSugarbaker.

Carter, older and more experienced, is far more cautious abouther career moves.

"I have a theory," she says. "I think there's a special braingas they put in the back of Hollywood limousines. People go outthere. The money starts coming in. And as the gas starts seepinginto the limo they think their luck is going to go on and on.

"Maybe it's because I have a couple of years on my classmatesthat I feel differently. I did pilot after pilot, several series,and except maybe for `Filthy Rich,' which was also created by`Designing Women's' Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, this is the first realhit I've been in."

No one would accuse this willowy brunette of not appreciatingher role in the CBS Friday night series, now in its seventh year.After all, if Annie Potts quits after this season, as she'sthreatening to, Carter will be the last member of the original cast.

Since Burke's defection, the show has undergone numerous castchanges, including adding Judith Ivey, formerly of the short-lived"Down Home," as B.J. Poteet, an eccentric Texan who bought into theSugarbakers' firm.

Then, of course, there's Della Reese, who was brought aboard toplay Sheryl Lee Ralph's mother, and Sherman Hemsley as her father.

"It looks like a spinoff setup," confided Carter, referring toSheryl Lee and Meshach Taylor, who plays her husband on the series.

Since it moved from the CBS blockbuster Monday night lineup toFridays, the series "dropped precipitously," Carter is the first toadmit.

She frankly adds: "We haven't put out the quality shows we usedto."

You mean after Burke left?

"What hurt my feelings is the quality of the writing changed atthe same time."

With the current cast, however, Carter thinks the series is onthe upswing again.

"I've been assured steps are being taken to improve the qualityof the show and we'll get back to doing interesting issues.

"Judith Ivey is a wonderful actress and so is Jan Hooks from`Saturday Night Live.' Both are easy to work with."

One recognizes the stunning actress is from the South when shecalls you "Miss" and refers to her third husband as "Mr. Holbrook" -Hal Holbrook, that is, from "Evening Shade."

"My ambition," she says, "is to do `Man of La Mancha' with Hal(which, incidentally, he has starred in before) or `A Little NightMusic.' I think we'd be good."

The Tennesseean, who appears frequently in cabarets such as atthe Cafe Carlyle in New York City, has been singing since childhoodin her small town of McLemoresville.

Between marriages, as well as becoming a mother of twodaughters, both Harvard graduates, she found time for an activetelevision career, starring in comedy series such as "On Our Own,""Diff'rent Strokes," "Out of the Blue" and "Filthy Rich."

But "Designing Women," she concedes, is the biggest hit.

Still, with all this behind her, Carter confesses, "I'd neveraudition for a movie. And I'd never get hired. My heart has beenbroken by Hollywood. The agent I had managed to wipe out what littleconfidence I had.

"I can work in television, but I'd never go for an interview ina film. I don't see any point in going into a situation where peoplemake you feel wormy. Young people can do it, not me. I'll staypigeonholed in television."

Bush lauds Mexico, Mexican Americans as candidates vie for Hispanic votes

President George W. Bush wished a gathering of dinner guests a "Feliz Cinco de Maya" in his final White House celebration of the Mexican holiday _ slightly erring in his Spanish, but serving up a reminder of how he snared Hispanic votes in the last presidential election.

While the heated immigration debate has caused some strain between the United States and Mexico, Bush was more conciliatory Monday. He said Cinco de Mayo is a chance to prove the two countries are "connected by more than geography." He referred correctly to the day, Cinco de Mayo, in other parts of his brief speech.

"We share an interest in making sure our people are prosperous and safe," Bush said of Mexico. "In America, we deeply value the culture and contributions of Mexican Americans. The United States is a richer place, a more vibrant place because people who claim Mexican heritage are now called United States citizens. ... We consider ourselves fortunate that Mexico is a friend and a neighbor."

Brightly colored "papel picado" _ intricately cut tissue paper _ fluttered furiously in the spring breeze as the guests sat in the Rose Garden. The tables were covered with red tablecloths and decorated with centerpieces of tiny green flowers shaped into cacti.

The horns and guitars of Mariachi Campanas de America, a San Antonio-based band, resonated in the colonnade of the White House as the band's gold-trimmed black costumes and sombreros served as a backdrop for Bush's speech. The band later backed Spanish singer Shaila Durcal, who sang three songs for the crowd, including the Mexican classic "Volver, Volver."

Bush has held Cinco de Mayo celebrations since arriving at the White House in 2001, in part as a symbol of the priority he gave the U.S. relationship with Mexico and his effort to curry favor with the Hispanic community.

But as he departs, the Republican Party is anxious about losing Hispanic votes in the November elections. Some Hispanics feel anti-immigrant sentiment has become anti-Hispanic as well.

In Phoenix on Monday, Republican John McCain acknowledged the focus on illegal immigration during the Republican primary campaign had hurt his party's image among Hispanics.

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said Cinco de Mayo was a reminder that "the American dream is still out of reach for too many Latinos." Rival Hillary Clinton criticized Bush's policies of "neglect and broken promises" toward Mexico and said the holiday was a chance to recognize mutual goals shared with Mexican Americans.

About 200 people attended the White House dinner. Among them were Mexican American Antonio Garza, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico; Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, a Cuban American; and Columba Bush, a Mexican American who is the wife of Bush's brother Jeb, the former Florida governor.

Old eds confident as strugglers visit

Bath Old EDS & BATH SARACENS Old Eds chalked up their third win ofthe season last weekend when they took Walcot 2nd's scalp at AlbertField to move up the Tribute Somerset 2 North table.

Old Eds, who were promoted from Somerset 3 North last season, ranout 15-13 winners.

And win number four of the current campaign could be on the cardson Saturday, when Old Eds host second-from-bottom Winscombe 2nd, whohave won just once in six outings.

Bath Saracens will be looking for a win to haul them away from thebottom end of the Dorset & Wilts 2 North table on Saturday when theytackle Malmesbury at the Sulis Club.

Sarries, who have won one of their three league outings to date,went down 29-17 at Devizes 2nd last weekend.

This weekend's visitors currently lie two places above Sarries insixth place after winning two of their five games.

Home values rising faster than inflation

WASHINGTON The value of Americans' homes is increasingconsiderably faster than inflation in most of the nation'smetropolitan areas.

In the Chicago area, the median home price - meaning half soldfor more and half for less - increased during the April-June quarterto $169,100, up 5.1 percent from a year earlier, the NationalAssociation of Realtors said Wednesday.

Nationally, the median home price for the period was $131,100,up 6 percent from a year earlier.

That compares with an inflation rate in consumer prices of 1.7percent during the same period.

The markets with the highest median prices in the nation wereSan Francisco, $329,400; Honolulu, $305,000, and Orange County,Calif., $261,500.

The lowest prices were in Ocala, Fla., $69,100; Waterloo, Iowa,$71,500, and El Paso, Texas, $75,200.

Economists said the healthy gains in home values could helpoffset the threat to consumer confidence from the stock market'sAsia-inspired turmoil, though by itself home value appreciationwouldn't be enough to offset a true stock crash.

The Dow Jones industrial average is down 8.4 percent from itsJuly 17 record of 9,337.97 but still 8.1 percent higher than at thestart of the year.

In a sense, the stock market's turmoil and the housing market'svigor have the same cause: Asia.

Stocks are rocky because traders fear that loss of business withAsia will cut deeply into corporate profits. At the same time,Asia's problems have motivated international investors to pour theirmoney into U.S. bonds, and that has lowered interest rates,including mortgage rates. Owning a home, in turn, has become moreaffordable.

"Appreciation in home prices . . . is the flip side of Asia,"said economist Everett Ehrlich of ESC Co. in Washington. "There'sroom for upper movement (in home prices) yet."

In fact, despite the stock market's strong gains in recent yearsand the proliferation of 401(k) and IRA accounts, Americans havealmost as much of their wealth tied up in their homes as in stocks.In 1997, real estate represented about 27 percent and stocksrepresented about 28 percent, the Federal Reserve says.

Economist Sung Won Sohn of Norwest Corp. in Minneapolis said achange in stock prices has a more direct impact on consumer spendingthan a change in home prices. Stocks can be more easily sold andconverted to cash when prices rise. Conversely, a price drop canscare consumers into saving more and spending less.

But rising home equity influences consumers too, over time, byincreasing their optimism and giving them added cash if they borrowthrough a home equity loan or refinance their mortgage and take moneyout.

Sohn said home price gains recently have been extraordinary buthe doubted price drops would become common, as they did after thereal estate bust of the late 1980s. "Home prices have gone up sorapidly that we are certainly nearing a plateau, but that doesn'tmean we'll fall back - unless we have a stock market crash and arecession," he said.

What about our human rights?

Does Mr Ridings think that any of the hundreds of people he hasupset and offended with his business activities and attitude towardshis neighbours will care at all about his human rights?

Why has he not thought about the rights of all those who put upwith the mess, the smells and the noise that his business creates?

He hasn't worried about our rights so why on earth should we worryabout his?

Whenever you see "human rights" in the press it seems to be aspurious attempt at obtaining damages or compensation.

Is pounds40,000 not enough for Mr Ridings or does he plan onfinding a new legal challenge for the council each week to subsidisehis business?

BATH RESIDENT

FULL NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED

Haze is back rocking, rolling with changes

When Patti Haze signs on Monday at WXCD-FM (94.7), she'll havemore on her mind than the titles of the classic rock hits on her playlist.

Don't be surprised if she includes occasional updates on theantics of her new daughter along with the time and temperature.

"Where you can work it in, you can work it in," said Haze, whosenew show will air from 3 to 8 p.m. weekdays on CD-94.7. "You know,I've always been able to pick my spots."

Haze, a 21-year Chicago radio veteran, returned from China lastmonth with Molly Fei Fei, a bright and active 2-year-old she adoptedthrough an international agency.

"She is just fabulous," Haze said. "It's amazing how you'rematched - because this kid is a ham! She loves music, she sings, shedances all the time. I can't believe how lucky I am."

On Aug. 29, Haze and her fiance, lawyer Ray O'Malley, will tiethe knot. "My philosophy is why take 20 years when you can do it allin six weeks?" Haze said with a laugh when she pondered all thechanges in her life.

Haze has been off the air since May when WCKG-FM (105.9) pulledthe plug on the evening talk show she co-hosted with Mary Pat LaRue.

"I had a great time doing talk. The audience loved what wedid," Haze said. "But I've been in this business long enough and I'msavvy enough to know how all this stuff works. It's unfortunate thatwe didn't get a chance to do more. We had a great time. But it'stime to do something different again.

"I have no problem playing rock 'n' roll. It's what I'm knownfor. I'm really looking forward to it. It's what I do. It's who Iam.

"But doing talk made me realize I'm more than a one-trick pony.I can do a whole lot of stuff. I think that bodes well for thefuture of my career 10 years from now." Dialing: WCKG selling program airtime on weekends Now you can have your own show on the same Chicago station as HowardStern, Jonathon Brandmeier and Steve Dahl. Starting Sept. 5, WCKGwill begin selling blocks of airtime on weekends for program-lengthcommercials and talk shows. Look for a stampede of lawyers,psychics, financial advisers and home-repair experts to buy their wayonto "The Package."

Mike Disney, vice president and general manager of the CBS-ownedstation, said the move is designed to create a new source of revenuewhile eliminating most music programming on weekends. WCKG willcontinue to air "best of" Brandmeier and Dahl shows on Saturdays and"Breakfast With the Beatles" on Sundays. In a first for urban-contemporary radio, top-rated WGCI-AM/FM(1390/107.5) has announced plans to sponsor its own music awardsshow. Artists will compete in 15 categories - including rhythm &blues, rap, blues, jazz and gospel - with winners to be chosen by thepublic. WGCI's first Urban Radio Music Awards will be presented Nov.14 at the Chicago Theatre. Are two Madisons better than one? The Madison hired this week tohost middays at WNND-FM (100.3) is not the same Madison who has beenhosting weekends at WRCX-FM (103.5). Windy 100's Madison, whose realname is Miriam Milliken, hails from WMVX-FM in Cincinnati. Rock103.5's Madison, whose real name is Wendy Rickman, previously workedat WKQX-FM (101.1). To avoid confusion, the Windy 100 jock will callherself Lisa Madison. Walter Payton is returning for a second year as football analyst atWSCR-AM (1160). He'll turn up with Norm Van Lier and Doug Buffone at7:30 a.m. Mondays, starting Aug. 24. And he'll host the Score'sweekly football luncheons with Dan Jiggetts and Mike North at noonTuesdays, starting Aug. 25. Ted Stecker, former operations manager and program chief at thedefunct "Kicks Country," has landed as operations director at KTST-FMand KXXY-FM in Oklahoma City. Get well wishes to Johanna Zorn, executive producer at WBEZ-FM(91.5), who is recovering from emergency surgery Saturday atNorthwestern Memorial Hospital.

Germany gets new agriculture minister

Ilse Aigner, a rising star in the conservative Christian Social Union, is set to become Germany's new agriculture minister.

The 43-year-old lawmaker will succeed Horst Seehofer. He has left the federal government to take become the governor of Bavaria and the CSU leader.

The CSU is the Bavaria-only sister party to Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union.

It holds two posts in Merkel's 16-member Cabinet _ a coalition of the two conservative parties with the center-left Social Democrats.

Seehofer said Thursday that Aigner "grew up with agriculture and will be a good minister."

Coach says Pakistan fielders don't match rivals

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Coach Waqar Younis has urged his players to sharpen their fielding skills as Pakistan prepares to take on Canada in Group A at the World Cup on Thursday.

"We've got to bring that culture that fielding is also the most important part in the game," Younis said Wednesday. "We're getting there but (there's) still a long way to go."

Pakistan defeated co-host Sri Lanka by 11 runs last week but dropped at least three clear catches, wasted a number of run out opportunities and watched wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal twice fumble stumpings of captain Kumar Sangakkara.

"There's still a long way to go," Younis said. "If you look at other sides they are still far ahead of us like South Africa, Australia and the English team, they are definitely ahead of us."

However, Younis believes that young fielders like Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad are gradually helping to improve matters on the field with their athleticism.

"If you go back 10 or 20 years, we have come a long way and I think youngsters have started making a difference," he said.

Despite the shortcomings in the field, Pakistan has a maximum four points from its two matches. In every likelihood, it will field another strong playing XI against Canada — which has suffered two heavy defeats against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

Leftarm spinner Abdur Rehman sprained a muscle in his right leg during the narrow win over Sri Lanka and offspinner Saeed Ajmal will probably get his first game in the tournament.

Pakistan batsmen have so far scored freely on typical subcontinental pitches, with experienced Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan scoring back to back half-centuries against Kenya and Sri Lanka.

Captain Shahid Afridi is top of the wicket-takers' list with nine scalps and his 5-16 against Kenya is Pakistan's best ever bowling figures at a World Cup.

Younis knows full well, though, that weaker teams have previously sprung surprises in the World Cup.

Pakistan lost to Ireland and made an early exit from the 2007 World Cup, while India was stunned by Bangladesh and also failed to advance in the same edition.

"In the past, World Cup teams have taken it easy and it costs you, so every team has to be taken seriously," he said. "The importance of the tournament makes everyone play to the best of their potential and that is what we are going to do."

Pakistan's players have meanwhile watched video footage of Canada's previous games, when Sri Lanka defeated the North Americans by 210 runs and Zimbabwe routed them by 175.

The team has not yet decided whether to give 35-year-old fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who played against Kenya and Sri Lanka, another outing.

"At this age, sometimes rest is not good because you want to get that rhythm and momentum going," Younis said.

"You don't want to take too long a rest because it is too hot and you need to be used to that, so I'm not sure at the moment."

If Akhtar is rested, Pakistan has an option of including either of the two leftarm fast bowlers — Wahab Riaz or uncapped Junaid Khan.

US terror war in Yemen frustrated by politics

SAN'A, Yemen (AP) — For nearly a year, the United States has waged a war against al-Qaida in Yemen, largely in deep secrecy. But the militants appear unfazed, and the fragile government of this poor Arab nation is pushing back against American pressure to escalate the fight.

The regime of Yemen's longtime leader, President Ali Abdullah Saleh, is weak, dependent for its survival on the loyalty of unruly tribes and alliances with Muslim extremists. Yemeni authorities also fear too harsh a fight against al-Qaida will alienate a deeply conservative Muslim population where anti-American sentiment is widespread. As a result, the main Yemeni tactic is often to negotiate with tribes to try to persuade them to hand over fugitive militants.

Yemeni officials say Washington is pressing them to be more aggressive.

"The Americans are pushing hard and the government is resisting hard," said Yasser al-Awadi, a senior lawmaker close to Saleh, Yemen's leader of 32 years.

Al-Qaida militants have been building up their presence for several years in Yemen, finding refuge with tribes in the remote mountain ranges where San'a has little control. But they made a stunning show of their international reach in December, when they allegedly plotted a failed Christmas Day attempt to blow up a passenger jet over the U.S. The Obama administration branded al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula a global threat, and has dramatically stepped up its alliance with Saleh's regime to uproot it.

Around 50 elite U.S. military experts are in the country training Yemeni counterterrorism forces — a number that has doubled over the past year. Washington is funneling some $150 million in military assistance to Yemen this year for helicopters, planes and other equipment, along with a similar amount for humanitarian and development aid. San'a says its troops are fanned out around the country, hunting for militants.

Still, there's been little visible progress.

In recent weeks, al-Qaida gunmen have been bold enough to carry out assaults in the capital, San'a, including a failed ambush on a top British diplomat in her car. The government touted as a major success a fierce weeklong siege in September by Yemeni troops against an al-Qaida force in the provincial town of Houta, but most of the militants escaped into nearby, impenetrable mountains.

Days after that siege, the governor of the same province, Shabwa, narrowly escaped gunmen who ambushed his convoy. In nearby Abyan province, an al-Qaida campaign of assassinations that has killed dozens of police and army officers prompted authorities last month to ban motorcycles in urban areas to try to stop cycle-mounted gunmen.

Meanwhile, al-Qaida in Yemen's top leadership remains intact, issuing a Web video last week threatening to cross into neighboring Saudi Arabia to assassinate senior security officials. "Look under your beds before you sleep, you might find one of our bombs," the video warned Saudis, whose government is viewed by al-Qaida as not Islamic, corrupt and too close to America.

And the hunt for Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S.-born radical Islamic cleric who Washington says has become a leader in the group, may have gone cold. The governor of Shabwa province, where al-Awlaki is believed to be hiding in the mountains, told The Associated Press he hasn't been sighted in two months and cast doubt whether the cleric was still in the province.

American officials have been careful not to show any sign of friction. "We believe that abilities of the Yemeni security system are constantly increasing," the State Department's No. 3 diplomat, William Burns, told reporters after meeting Saleh last week.

Still, Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi recently brought one dispute out into the open, saying San'a had put a stop to American warplanes or drones carrying out strikes against al-Qaida targets, a tactic that Washington has relied on against al-Qaida and the Taliban in Pakistan.

In December, three airstrikes were carried out against purported al-Qaida targets in two provinces and outside San'a. At least six al-Qaida militants are thought to have been killed in those strikes, along with more than 40 civilians. In a Sept. 30 interview with the Arab daily Al-Hayat, al-Qirbi acknowledged the assaults were carried out by U.S. aircraft.

"American strikes have ceased since December because the Yemeni government insisted that these strikes don't yield any results," he said.

American officials have refused to confirm that U.S. planes carried out the strikes.

A senior U.S. administration official, however, insisted any actions were aimed at thrwarting terrorist threats.

"We go to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties when taking coordinated efforts with our Yemeni partners against al-Qaida," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.

Yemen at first said its warplanes carried out the strikes to avoid an angry public backlash, according to Yemeni officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk about the subject.

Visible signs of the American counterterror campaign here are few. Deep in the country of 23 million people, villagers report the round-the-clock sound of drones, presumed to be American craft watching militants. Dozens of informers have been recruited in recent months to keep U.S. counterterrorism officials posted on the militants' movements and chatter, Yemeni security officials say. They also say the Yemenis submit to their U.S. counterparts daily progress reports on efforts to track down al-Awlaki.

With U.S. airstrikes off the table — and American officials saying there is no intention for U.S. troops to fight on the ground — it is up to Yemen's police and military to wage the battle. But their ability to operate is deeply hampered.

Al-Qaida fighters — estimated to number around 300 — have built up strongholds in the provinces of Shabwa, Abyan, Jouf and Marib, regions of daunting mountain ranges where central authority has nearly no presence. At least 70 percent of Shabwa, for example, is a no-go area for security forces, leaving most under the control of armed tribesmen who offer protection to al-Qaida militants, Yemeni security officials say.

Yemen and Washington also disagree on how much of a real threat al-Qaida presents. Yemeni lawmakers and tribal chiefs often maintain that the danger is a myth propagated by Washington to impose its control over the country — or by the San'a government to give it an excuse to strike its domestic enemies.

Yemen also faces an on-off Shiite rebellion in the north and a separate secessionist movement in the south.

The United States sees al-Awlaki as the most notorious English-speaking advocate of terrorism directed at America, with a dangerously strong appeal to Muslims in the West, and Washington has put him on a list of militants to kill or capture. U.S. investigators say e-mails link him to the Army psychiatrist accused of last year's killings at Fort Hood, Texas, and that he helped prepare Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, accused in the Christmas airline bombing attempt.

But in Yemen — al-Awlaki's ancestral land — only a few people have heard of him. Those who have say they cannot understand what the fuss is all about. And if he is captured, he will not be extradited to the United States because Yemen's constitution forbids it, Foreign Minister al-Qirbi has said.

"I believe his role and importance are grossly exaggerated," Shabwa's governor Ali Hassan al-Ahmadi told AP. "I don't think that what the Americans are saying about him is totally baseless, but I am confident that it is exaggerated."

More broadly, the government is also reluctant to wage an all-out fight because of Saleh's alliances with militant Islamic groups, including jihadi veterans of the wars in Afghanistan, the Balkans, Chechnya and Iraq. He has let their influence grow as part of an elaborate divide-and-rule game that has helped him stay in power.

In a sign of his accommodation with them, Saleh in late September named powerful Sheik Abdul-Majid al-Zindani — considered by Washington "a specially designated global terrorist" — as the "religious overseer" of the ruling party's ongoing negotiations with opposition parties over electoral reform.

Al-Zindani, who is thought by the United States to be a one-time spiritual mentor of Osama bin Laden, has warned that the U.S.-backed fight against al-Qaida could lead to "foreign occupation" of Yemen.

"The regime has from the start depended on a tripod of military, religious and tribal bases," said prominent analyst Abdel-Ghani al-Iryani. "It continues to think to this day that it's in control of the situation, but I personally think they no longer can."

___

Associated Press Writer Ahmed al-Haj contributed to this report and Kimberly Dozier in Washington contributed to this report.

Icelandic central bank keeps interest rates unchanged at 15.5 percent

Iceland's central bank left official interest rates unchanged at 15.5 percent _ already the highest of any industrialized country _ on Thursday, taking a breather in its ongoing struggle to contain surging inflation and support a collapsing currency.

However, the Sedlabanki indicated it was unlikely to relax its tightening stance any time soon as Iceland's tiny economy continues to take a battering from the global credit crunch.

The Icelandic krona has dropped around 40 percent against the euro since the credit squeeze began last summer. The stock market has fallen 45 percent and inflation surged to 11.8 percent in April, far beyond the Sedlabanki's 2.5 percent target.

The Sedlabanki had already raised its benchmark rate by 1.75 percentage points in two stages this year, including following an unscheduled emergency meeting earlier this month, and many economists had expected another increase to 16 percent on Thursday.

The decision to hold rates followed the announcement last week that the central bank's Nordic counterparts would provide emergency funding to help restore confidence in the currency and bolster the banking system.

The deal struck with its peers in Sweden, Norway and Denmark allows the Sedlabanki to buy euros with krona in swap arrangements that will allow it to almost double its foreign reserves.

That has given the assault on the krona a brief respite. After falling as far as 128.00 to the euro in March earlier this year, it recovered to trade around 115.00 on Thursday.

In a statement accompanying its decision, the Sedlabanki said the currency swap agreements "had a positive effect on the market, but they do not cure all ills."

It added that inflation "could rise still further" than it predicted in its April forecast, when it pegged annual inflation for 2008 at 10.7 percent, before falling to 5.9 percent in 2009 as the economy begins to contract.

"It will not be possible to relax the monetary stance until it has been demonstrated that inflation is on the wane, as few things are more important for the balance sheets of households and businesses than that disinflation begin and continue on a firm path," it said. "The board of governors will continue to make its policy rate decisions based on this fundamental consideration."

The bank's next rate-setting meeting is scheduled for July 3.

Surgeon turned shoe designer helps women slip into something comfortable

When it comes to believing women's shoes can be both fashionableand functional, former orthopedic surgeon Taryn Rose stands herground.

Rose established her eponymous shoe design company in 1998,focusing on shoes that are both chic and comfortable.

Her shoe designs are flexible, contain arch supports on occasion(depending on the shoe's design) and a lining made with Poron, a foamwith long-lasting spring. They are also handmade on a round-toed formthat takes into account that there should be more room for the bigtoe than the little one.

"I thought if shoes were just made correctly in the first place, alot of women could avoid feeling the pain from their footwear," shesays. "I want footwear that can be chic and healthy for my feet."

The company has gone international with annual sales of more than$20 million and a list of celebrity fans includes Meg Ryan, OprahWinfrey and Geena Davis.

Rose will be making a personal appearance today from 11 a.m. to 2p.m. in the ladies shoe department of Neiman Marcus, 737 N. Michigan,(312) 642-5900.

Q: What is it about women and shoes?

A: I feel women love shoes because they can immediately change herattitude, how she projects herself, and provide a little clue intoher personality. Shoes are an easy item to change because you don'thave to have a certain figure type to wear most shoes.

Q: What is the biggest mistake women make when buying shoes?

A: The biggest mistake is that if a woman needs a shoe that reallyneeds to function, they let their emotions run and are willing to buyshoes that look and feel great at the moment but after wearing themfor eight hours might not be so.

Q: How do you incorporate your expertise as an orthopedic surgeonin the design of your shoes?

A: I want to create shoes that stand for style plus ease. I don'tmake therapeutic shoes but rather shoes with a high fashion elementand a high comfort component.

Q: Can you tell us if the following thoughts about shoes are factor fiction?

u You shouldn't wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row.

A: Fiction. It is better if you change your shoes out if not everyday then every other day not just for comfort but also to give theshoes a chance to breathe and dry out. This will help to extend thelife of the shoe.

u Your feet get bigger after being pregnant.

A: Fact. Feet tend to get about a half-size larger. It is mostlikely from the weight gain and water retention. Also, toward the endof your pregnancy your body releases hormones that tell yourligaments to relax, which may also cause the foot to spread out.

u You should never wear a completely flat shoe.

A: Fiction. Flat shoes don't flatten feet. No one is born withshoes on. The discomfort of wearing flats usually comes from womenwho are used to wearing high heels and have stretched out their legtendons.

u You should try on shoes at the end of the day.

A: Fact. This is a good time to try on shoes because your feet aremore swollen and this will definitely impact the sizing. A shoe thatis snug at 9 a.m. will be unbearable at 6 p.m.

Q: Is there an ideal heel height you recommend?

A: I don't recommend on a regular basis to go over a 2-inch heel.But I do think you can wear a 3-inch heel for more special occasions.

Q. Do you think women should give up their Manolo Blahnik's andJimmy Choo's?

A. I don't expect women to give them up but to think of them asdessert. You don't eat dessert everyday. You need to make sure youhave shoes that are the meat and potatoes of your shoe diet. I admireManolo Blahnik's designs. He makes beautiful shoes. I even own a fewpairs but I don't wear them very often. I'm not on a mission to tellwomen they can't wear these shoes, I'm just trying to advise women tobe more balanced in choosing their footwear.

Q. Can you share some of your tips for getting the proper heel-to-toe fit?

A. Have your feet measured regularly. Your feet change, both insize and shape, over time. Most of us have one foot larger than theother. Fit your shoes to your larger foot.

u Make sure the entire ball of your foot fits comfortably into thewidest part (ball pocket) of the shoe.

* If the shoe fits, wear it. Don't judge a shoe by the size on itsbox. Sizes vary between brands and styles.

* Stand up when you are trying on shoes. You want to have 3/8 ofan inch to 1/2 inch from the tip of your longest toe to the inside ofthe shoe's toe box. Otherwise, your foot can't move as you walk andwill cause your toe to bang against your shoe with each step.

* Heed your heel. It should fit comfortably in the shoe withoutpinching or slipping.

* Step off the cushy carpet in the shoe salon and look at yourfeet as you walk. The best-fitting shoe for you will conform asnearly as possible to the shape of your foot, without pressing orgapping.

Wisconsin & Madison events

PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT

"New York: Capital of Photography" Exhibit runs through Sunday,Feb. 16, at the Madison Art Center, 211 State Street at Madison. Thisexhibition chronicles the changing faces of New York City throughoutthe 20th century as interpreted by several generations ofphotographers with deep affection for the metropolis. More than 100color and black and white photographs capture the humanity of thecity through its people, rather than its monuments. The exhibit alsopays tribute to the unique contribution of Jewish artists inestablishing street photography as an art form. Among the 50photographers represented are Diane Arbus, Henri Cartier-Bresson.Lewis Hine, Ben Shahn, Alfred Stieglitz and Paul Strand. Organized byThe Jewish Museum. Call (608) 257-0158 for additional information.

ART EXHIBIT

SINSINAWA, Wis. - The Mound Gallery will host "Art with Soul," anexhibit by the Sinsinawa Dominican sisters, runs through Monday, Jan.27. The opening reception will be 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8.Gallery hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. The artwork willinclude clay, photography, painting, computer graphics and reliefwoodcut prints. Exhibitors will include Sisters Chiara Pauloni,Stephanie Stauder, Mary Lorraine Heinz, Collette Mary White, GlennaCarroll and Isabelle Rafferty as well as K.C. Barnes, associate.

WINTER FARMERS' MARKET

The Dane County Winter Farmers' Market is set for every Saturdaythrough Dec. 28, at the Monona Terrace Community and ConventionCenter, 1 John Nolen Dr. at Madison. Time market runs from 7:30 a.m.to noon. The Dane County Winter Farmers' Market has found a new homeat Monona Terrace. Come inside and enjoy this great Madisontradition. The Farmers' Market offers a wonderful assortment ofhomemade and homegrown Wisconsin products. Free and open to thepublic. Call (608) 261-4000 for additional information.

GARDEN EXHIBIT

The Spices of Life Exhibit runs through Sunday, March 16, at theOlbrich Botanical Gardens, 3330 Atwood Ave. at Madison. From allspiceto vanilla, explore the exotic flavors of the rainforest in theSpices of Life exhibit at Olbrich Botanical Gardens' BolzConservatory. From sweet to spicy, see how your favorite flavors aregrown in the wild and learn about conservation efforts to grow themresponsibly. Call (608) 246-4550 for additional information.

UPCOMING...

BOAT & WATERSPORT SHOW

The Capital City Boat and Watersports Show is set for Friday, Jan.10, through Sunday, Jan. 12, at the Alliant Energy Center, 1919Alliant Energy Center Way at Madison. Times are as follows: Friday1:00 to 9:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Sunday 10:00a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission: $6.00. The event plans to featureeverything an avid boater and water sports enthusiast could imagine.Fishing boats, sport boats, ski boats, ski & wakeboard boats &equipment, personal watercraft, rafting, fishing equipment, kayaks/canoes and much more will be highlighted at this first time event.

BRIDAL SHOW

The Wedding Planner & Guide Bridal Show is set for Saturday andSunday, Jan. 11 and 12, at the Alliant Energy Center, 1919 AlliantEnergy Center Way at Madison. Hours are 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. bothdays. Tickets are $6.00. Bridal & Formal Wear / Mothers Fashions /Caterers / Florists / Bakeries / Gift Registries / Accessories &Decorations / Jewelers / Videographers / Musicians / HoneymoonPlanners / Photographers / Reception Facilities / WeddingConsultants.Register to win over $17,500 in fabulous prizes Fortickets call 1-800-466-5683.

GARDEN EXPO

The WHA Garden Expo is set for Friday, Feb. 7, through Sunday,Feb. 9, at the Alliant Energy Center, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Wayat Madison. Hours are as follows: Friday 4:00 to 9:00 p.m.; Saturday8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission: $6.The weekend's agenda included more than 80 educational seminars,demonstrations, and workshops on rock gardening, growing grapevines,cooking with herbs, landscaping with wild flowers, backyard ponds,and much more. Visitors were also able to browse at the 300 booths,provided by 160 exhibitors, where they purchased garden items andgathered information on specific gardening topics.

MODEL RAILROAD SHOW & SALE

The 36th Annual Mad City Model Railroad Show & Sale is set forSaturday and Sunday, Feb. 15 and 16, at the Alliant Energy Center,1919 Alliant Energy Center Way at Madison. Hours are 9:00 a.m. to5:00 p.m. both days. Cost $5. Come and enjoy some of the Midwest'sbiggest and most beautiful model train layouts in Z, N, HO, S, O, Gand 1/3 full size scales, classic toy train layouts featuring vintageLionel and American Flyer equipment, and prototype railroadhistorical exhibits and displays. Kids will enjoy building the giantwooden toy train layout while you enjoy a railroad video in the videoroom. Browse over 300 tables of model train merchandise and tools,vintage railroad memorabilia and collectibles, railroad videos,clothing and artwork. For general information call 608-835-3148.

THE BLIND BOYS

The Blind Boys of Alabama will perform on Friday, Jan. 17, at theMadison Civic Center, 211 State Street, at Madison. Time is 8:00 p.m.Powerful, heartfelt and moving, gospel is undoubtedly one of the mostinfluential forms of American music. The forerunner of the blues andgrandmother of rock 'n' roll, it is a genre that transcendsgenerations and cultures. Formed in the 1930s by five students at theTalladega Institute for the Deaf and Blind, The Blind Boys of Alabamahave thrilled audiences worldwide with their potent, impassionedinterpretations of this heartfelt musical genre. Call (608) 258-4177for additional information.

MADFEST

MadFest Juggling Extravaganza is set for Saturday, Jan. 18, at theMemorial Union Theater, 800 Langdon St, at Madison. Time is 7:00 to9:30 p.m. The MadFest Juggling Extravaganza is a high caliber varietyshow with acts that show off juggling and the related arts. Theperformers come from all over our country and for the last two yearsthere has been an international special guest as well. The show hasbecome an annual Madison winter tradition, and is just a part of thejuggling festival at the UW Fieldhouse that is free and going on allweekend long. Call (608) 262-2201 for additional information.

P.D.Q. BACH

The Madison Symphony Orchestra presents P.D.Q. Bach on Saturdayand Sunday, Jan. 18 and 19, at the Madison Civic Center, 211 StateSt. at Madison. Time Saturday 8:00 to 10:00 p.m.; Sunday 2:30 to 4:30p.m. Peter Schickele, hailed as one of the greatest musical satiristsof all time, revives his alter ego "P.D.Q. Bach," the perpetuallybefuddled classical composer. Join us for a hilarious musical send-up of all that is sacred in classical music -- artfully and lovinglycrafted by this Grammy-winning artist. Call (608) 258-4141 foradditional information.

THE MUSIC MAN

The Music Man is set for Tuesday, Jan. 28, through Thursday, Jan.30, at the Madison Civic Center, 211 State Street at Madison. MeetHarold Hill, the con-artist turned conductor, who tries to fast-talkthe citizens of River City, Iowa, into believing he can teach theirchildren to play in a marching band. His plan and secret motivesproceed unnoticed by the townspeople, all except the local librarian.What results is trouble for Harold, and a rollicking good time filledwith music, romance, and fast-talking flim-flam. The show will beperformed Jan. 28, 29 and 30 at 7:30 pm each night. Call (608) 258-4177 for additional information.

BALLET HISPANICO

The Ballet Hispanico is set for Saturday, Feb. 1, at the MadisonCivic Center, 211 State Street at Madison. Time is 8:00 p.m. BalletHispanico has been recognized around the world as the foremostinterpreter of Hispanic dance in the United States. Founded in 1970by Artistic Director Tina Ramirez, the company's innovative repertoryfuses ballet, modern and Latin dance forms into a spirited vision ofcontemporary Hispanic-American culture. Call (608) 258-4177 foradditional information.

THE MUSIC OF LEONART BERNSTEIN

Kurt Ollmann and Joyce Castle present The Music of LeonardBernstein on Saturday, Feb. 1, at the UW Memorial Union Theater, 800Langdon Street at Madison, WI. Time is 8:00 p.m. An extraordinaryversatile mezzo-soprano, Joyce Castle is recognized internationallyfor her unique combination of a richly nuanced voice, profounddramatic skills and a superb sense of musicianship. Kurt Ollmann, adistinguished recital artist and orchestral soloist, was one of theoriginal performs of The AIDS Quilt Songbook, which he sang at theUnion Theather to begin the 2001/2002 season. Call (608) 262-2201 foradditional information.

CARP DROP

Prairie du Chien's second annual "Droppin' of the Carp" event isscheduled for New Year's Eve.

The Prairie du Chien City Common Council recently approved closingBlackhawk Avenue, from Main Street to Fourth Street, from 8:00 p.m.to 1:00 a.m. during that evening. Last year, as the final moments of2001 ticked away, a 3-foot, 25-pound fish was lowered from high witha crane on Blackhawk Avenue near the entrance of St. Feriole Island.The event attracted national attention.

The Telegraph Herald is not responsible for incorrect information.Please call ahead to confirm dates and times. To submit an eventlisting for posting on this page email the following address withyour information: DSchmit@wcinet .

Copyright 2000 by Telegraph Herald, All rights Reserved.

Wisconsin & Madison events

PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT

"New York: Capital of Photography" Exhibit runs through Sunday,Feb. 16, at the Madison Art Center, 211 State Street at Madison. Thisexhibition chronicles the changing faces of New York City throughoutthe 20th century as interpreted by several generations ofphotographers with deep affection for the metropolis. More than 100color and black and white photographs capture the humanity of thecity through its people, rather than its monuments. The exhibit alsopays tribute to the unique contribution of Jewish artists inestablishing street photography as an art form. Among the 50photographers represented are Diane Arbus, Henri Cartier-Bresson.Lewis Hine, Ben Shahn, Alfred Stieglitz and Paul Strand. Organized byThe Jewish Museum. Call (608) 257-0158 for additional information.

ART EXHIBIT

SINSINAWA, Wis. - The Mound Gallery will host "Art with Soul," anexhibit by the Sinsinawa Dominican sisters, runs through Monday, Jan.27. The opening reception will be 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8.Gallery hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. The artwork willinclude clay, photography, painting, computer graphics and reliefwoodcut prints. Exhibitors will include Sisters Chiara Pauloni,Stephanie Stauder, Mary Lorraine Heinz, Collette Mary White, GlennaCarroll and Isabelle Rafferty as well as K.C. Barnes, associate.

WINTER FARMERS' MARKET

The Dane County Winter Farmers' Market is set for every Saturdaythrough Dec. 28, at the Monona Terrace Community and ConventionCenter, 1 John Nolen Dr. at Madison. Time market runs from 7:30 a.m.to noon. The Dane County Winter Farmers' Market has found a new homeat Monona Terrace. Come inside and enjoy this great Madisontradition. The Farmers' Market offers a wonderful assortment ofhomemade and homegrown Wisconsin products. Free and open to thepublic. Call (608) 261-4000 for additional information.

GARDEN EXHIBIT

The Spices of Life Exhibit runs through Sunday, March 16, at theOlbrich Botanical Gardens, 3330 Atwood Ave. at Madison. From allspiceto vanilla, explore the exotic flavors of the rainforest in theSpices of Life exhibit at Olbrich Botanical Gardens' BolzConservatory. From sweet to spicy, see how your favorite flavors aregrown in the wild and learn about conservation efforts to grow themresponsibly. Call (608) 246-4550 for additional information.

UPCOMING...

BOAT & WATERSPORT SHOW

The Capital City Boat and Watersports Show is set for Friday, Jan.10, through Sunday, Jan. 12, at the Alliant Energy Center, 1919Alliant Energy Center Way at Madison. Times are as follows: Friday1:00 to 9:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Sunday 10:00a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission: $6.00. The event plans to featureeverything an avid boater and water sports enthusiast could imagine.Fishing boats, sport boats, ski boats, ski & wakeboard boats &equipment, personal watercraft, rafting, fishing equipment, kayaks/canoes and much more will be highlighted at this first time event.

BRIDAL SHOW

The Wedding Planner & Guide Bridal Show is set for Saturday andSunday, Jan. 11 and 12, at the Alliant Energy Center, 1919 AlliantEnergy Center Way at Madison. Hours are 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. bothdays. Tickets are $6.00. Bridal & Formal Wear / Mothers Fashions /Caterers / Florists / Bakeries / Gift Registries / Accessories &Decorations / Jewelers / Videographers / Musicians / HoneymoonPlanners / Photographers / Reception Facilities / WeddingConsultants.Register to win over $17,500 in fabulous prizes Fortickets call 1-800-466-5683.

GARDEN EXPO

The WHA Garden Expo is set for Friday, Feb. 7, through Sunday,Feb. 9, at the Alliant Energy Center, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Wayat Madison. Hours are as follows: Friday 4:00 to 9:00 p.m.; Saturday8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission: $6.The weekend's agenda included more than 80 educational seminars,demonstrations, and workshops on rock gardening, growing grapevines,cooking with herbs, landscaping with wild flowers, backyard ponds,and much more. Visitors were also able to browse at the 300 booths,provided by 160 exhibitors, where they purchased garden items andgathered information on specific gardening topics.

MODEL RAILROAD SHOW & SALE

The 36th Annual Mad City Model Railroad Show & Sale is set forSaturday and Sunday, Feb. 15 and 16, at the Alliant Energy Center,1919 Alliant Energy Center Way at Madison. Hours are 9:00 a.m. to5:00 p.m. both days. Cost $5. Come and enjoy some of the Midwest'sbiggest and most beautiful model train layouts in Z, N, HO, S, O, Gand 1/3 full size scales, classic toy train layouts featuring vintageLionel and American Flyer equipment, and prototype railroadhistorical exhibits and displays. Kids will enjoy building the giantwooden toy train layout while you enjoy a railroad video in the videoroom. Browse over 300 tables of model train merchandise and tools,vintage railroad memorabilia and collectibles, railroad videos,clothing and artwork. For general information call 608-835-3148.

THE BLIND BOYS

The Blind Boys of Alabama will perform on Friday, Jan. 17, at theMadison Civic Center, 211 State Street, at Madison. Time is 8:00 p.m.Powerful, heartfelt and moving, gospel is undoubtedly one of the mostinfluential forms of American music. The forerunner of the blues andgrandmother of rock 'n' roll, it is a genre that transcendsgenerations and cultures. Formed in the 1930s by five students at theTalladega Institute for the Deaf and Blind, The Blind Boys of Alabamahave thrilled audiences worldwide with their potent, impassionedinterpretations of this heartfelt musical genre. Call (608) 258-4177for additional information.

MADFEST

MadFest Juggling Extravaganza is set for Saturday, Jan. 18, at theMemorial Union Theater, 800 Langdon St, at Madison. Time is 7:00 to9:30 p.m. The MadFest Juggling Extravaganza is a high caliber varietyshow with acts that show off juggling and the related arts. Theperformers come from all over our country and for the last two yearsthere has been an international special guest as well. The show hasbecome an annual Madison winter tradition, and is just a part of thejuggling festival at the UW Fieldhouse that is free and going on allweekend long. Call (608) 262-2201 for additional information.

P.D.Q. BACH

The Madison Symphony Orchestra presents P.D.Q. Bach on Saturdayand Sunday, Jan. 18 and 19, at the Madison Civic Center, 211 StateSt. at Madison. Time Saturday 8:00 to 10:00 p.m.; Sunday 2:30 to 4:30p.m. Peter Schickele, hailed as one of the greatest musical satiristsof all time, revives his alter ego "P.D.Q. Bach," the perpetuallybefuddled classical composer. Join us for a hilarious musical send-up of all that is sacred in classical music -- artfully and lovinglycrafted by this Grammy-winning artist. Call (608) 258-4141 foradditional information.

THE MUSIC MAN

The Music Man is set for Tuesday, Jan. 28, through Thursday, Jan.30, at the Madison Civic Center, 211 State Street at Madison. MeetHarold Hill, the con-artist turned conductor, who tries to fast-talkthe citizens of River City, Iowa, into believing he can teach theirchildren to play in a marching band. His plan and secret motivesproceed unnoticed by the townspeople, all except the local librarian.What results is trouble for Harold, and a rollicking good time filledwith music, romance, and fast-talking flim-flam. The show will beperformed Jan. 28, 29 and 30 at 7:30 pm each night. Call (608) 258-4177 for additional information.

BALLET HISPANICO

The Ballet Hispanico is set for Saturday, Feb. 1, at the MadisonCivic Center, 211 State Street at Madison. Time is 8:00 p.m. BalletHispanico has been recognized around the world as the foremostinterpreter of Hispanic dance in the United States. Founded in 1970by Artistic Director Tina Ramirez, the company's innovative repertoryfuses ballet, modern and Latin dance forms into a spirited vision ofcontemporary Hispanic-American culture. Call (608) 258-4177 foradditional information.

THE MUSIC OF LEONART BERNSTEIN

Kurt Ollmann and Joyce Castle present The Music of LeonardBernstein on Saturday, Feb. 1, at the UW Memorial Union Theater, 800Langdon Street at Madison, WI. Time is 8:00 p.m. An extraordinaryversatile mezzo-soprano, Joyce Castle is recognized internationallyfor her unique combination of a richly nuanced voice, profounddramatic skills and a superb sense of musicianship. Kurt Ollmann, adistinguished recital artist and orchestral soloist, was one of theoriginal performs of The AIDS Quilt Songbook, which he sang at theUnion Theather to begin the 2001/2002 season. Call (608) 262-2201 foradditional information.

CARP DROP

Prairie du Chien's second annual "Droppin' of the Carp" event isscheduled for New Year's Eve.

The Prairie du Chien City Common Council recently approved closingBlackhawk Avenue, from Main Street to Fourth Street, from 8:00 p.m.to 1:00 a.m. during that evening. Last year, as the final moments of2001 ticked away, a 3-foot, 25-pound fish was lowered from high witha crane on Blackhawk Avenue near the entrance of St. Feriole Island.The event attracted national attention.

The Telegraph Herald is not responsible for incorrect information.Please call ahead to confirm dates and times. To submit an eventlisting for posting on this page email the following address withyour information: DSchmit@wcinet .

Copyright 2000 by Telegraph Herald, All rights Reserved.

1st test: New Zealand wins toss, bats vs Australia

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — New Zealand captain Ross Taylor won the toss and elected to bat Thursday in the series-opening match against an Australian team that will have three players on test debut.

Australia had five front-line players ruled out last week, including pace spearhead Mitch Johnson for up to five months with a damaged left foot.

Pacemen James Pattinson and left-armer Mitchell Starc and opening batsman David Warner were presented with their Australian baggy green caps by ex-test players Andy Bichel, Richie Benaud and Michael Slater an hour before play.

Pattinson and Starc will support Peter Siddle in a three-man pace attack. With spinner Nathan Lyon the only other specialist bowler in the lineup, the Australian attack boasts a total of just 32 test caps and is the most inexperienced in decades.

Warner will open the innings with Phil Hughes in the absence of allrounder Shane Watson.

Michael Clarke will be leading Australia into a test series on home soil for the first time since replacing Ricky Ponting as captain after the World Cup quarterfinal exit in March.

In the meantime, Australia has appointed its first foreign head coach — former South Africa coach Mickey Arthur — and a new selection panel.

Australia hasn't lost a test at the Gabba since 1988 and hasn't lost a test on home soil to New Zealand since 1985.

Taylor is leading a New Zealand team also in the midst of rebuilding. The return of 108-test veteran and former captain Daniel Vettori to the lineup in place of young paceman Trent Boult is the only change to the Black Caps lineup which dominated a tour match against Australia A at the Allan Border Field on the weekend.

Fast bowling allrounder Doug Bracewell, the 21-year-old nephew of former New Zealand allrounder and coach John Bracewell, earned his second cap after an impressive debut in the win over Zimbabwe last month, where he collected six wickets in a lifeless pitch at Bulawayo.

____

Lineups:

Australia: Phillip Hughes, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke (captain), Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson.

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor (captain), Jesse Ryder, Dean Brownlie, Daniel Vettori, Reece Young, Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee, Chris Martin.

NO ONE HURT WHEN AMTRAK TRAIN, TRACTOR-TRAILER RIG COLLIDE

MAPSemi-truck bypasses lowered railroad crossing gate; westbound Amtrak train hits and separates its trailer and drags the trailer down the track into oncoming freight train on adjoining track. (FELICIA MCGURREN/staff artist)

THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION MAY DIFFER SLIGHTLY FROM THE PRINTED VERSION.DEATH ON THE SOUTH SHORE

Gary's second passenger train collision in four days ended on a happier note than Monday's fatal South Shore Railroad crash. At 9:58 a.m. Thursday, a westbound Amtrak train traveling 79 miles per hour tore into a tractor-trailer truck driver who ignored a lowered crossing gate. Neither the truck driver, nor any of the 53 Amtrak passengers or crew members were injured in the collision.

"I felt this bump and looked out the window to see the back of a truck fly by me," said Joann Eck of Grand Rapids, Mich., a passenger heading to Chicago. "You could see pieces of it falling off the side of the track."

Truck driver Timothy Kros, 23, of DeMotte, was cited for disregarding a railroad crossing signal.

Kros, who drives for Jack Gray Transport of Gary, said he didn't see or hear the oncoming train. He was heading north on Clark Road through the Pine Yards freight yards near U.S. Steel when he saw the lowered gate. He didn't see a flagman directing traffic and saw fellow truck drivers traveling around the gate, so he thought it was safe.

"I felt a bump," said Kros. "I didn't know what happened. I looked around and my trailer was gone."

Kros said his tractor was not damaged, though.

The speeding Amtrak train, which police said had the right of way, dragged the steel trailer about one-half mile west along the Conrail tracks. The power and momentum of the engine, which was pushing the mangled trailer, derailed a freight car on adjoining tracks.

Police said Kros admitted driving around the lowered gate.

"He said the gates had been down for a while because other trains were switching cars," said Gary Police Corporal Gabrielle Glenn.

Passengers disembarked onto two Hammond Yellow Coach buses, which transported them to Chicago. They arrived at 1 p.m. Thursday, about 2 1/2 hours later than scheduled.

Most were relieved at their good fortune, but irritated by the travel delay. A few were excited about their brief adventure and brush with possible catastrophe.

"All of a sudden we heard this thump," said Robert Zemit of Chicago. ''We thought we'd derailed or something. It's a miracle no one was injured."

Zemit said there was no great sense of panic after the accident. He said the crew of Amtrak train No. 371, the Pere Marquette from Grand Rapids, Mich., to Chicago, did a good job of stopping the train.

Jeannette Caruso of St. Joseph, Mich., was grateful after the accident.

"I'm just glad nobody was hurt," Paul Coulis, vice president for Hammond Yellow Coach, said the interstate bus company dispatched three buses to the accident scene around 10:45 a.m., the sixth time in the last year the company has transported Amtrak passengers from locations in Indiana and Illinois.

After the crash, shards of twisted steel torn from the trailer and the trailer's chassis littered the Conrail tracks for hundreds of yards. Several dozen Conrail workers examined the tracks, righted the derailed freight car and removed the trailer debris from the rail line. A rescue engine ferried the Amtrak train, minus its passengers, to Chicago, where it arrived around 2 p.m.

NO ONE HURT WHEN AMTRAK TRAIN, TRACTOR-TRAILER RIG COLLIDE

MAPSemi-truck bypasses lowered railroad crossing gate; westbound Amtrak train hits and separates its trailer and drags the trailer down the track into oncoming freight train on adjoining track. (FELICIA MCGURREN/staff artist)

THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION MAY DIFFER SLIGHTLY FROM THE PRINTED VERSION.DEATH ON THE SOUTH SHORE

Gary's second passenger train collision in four days ended on a happier note than Monday's fatal South Shore Railroad crash. At 9:58 a.m. Thursday, a westbound Amtrak train traveling 79 miles per hour tore into a tractor-trailer truck driver who ignored a lowered crossing gate. Neither the truck driver, nor any of the 53 Amtrak passengers or crew members were injured in the collision.

"I felt this bump and looked out the window to see the back of a truck fly by me," said Joann Eck of Grand Rapids, Mich., a passenger heading to Chicago. "You could see pieces of it falling off the side of the track."

Truck driver Timothy Kros, 23, of DeMotte, was cited for disregarding a railroad crossing signal.

Kros, who drives for Jack Gray Transport of Gary, said he didn't see or hear the oncoming train. He was heading north on Clark Road through the Pine Yards freight yards near U.S. Steel when he saw the lowered gate. He didn't see a flagman directing traffic and saw fellow truck drivers traveling around the gate, so he thought it was safe.

"I felt a bump," said Kros. "I didn't know what happened. I looked around and my trailer was gone."

Kros said his tractor was not damaged, though.

The speeding Amtrak train, which police said had the right of way, dragged the steel trailer about one-half mile west along the Conrail tracks. The power and momentum of the engine, which was pushing the mangled trailer, derailed a freight car on adjoining tracks.

Police said Kros admitted driving around the lowered gate.

"He said the gates had been down for a while because other trains were switching cars," said Gary Police Corporal Gabrielle Glenn.

Passengers disembarked onto two Hammond Yellow Coach buses, which transported them to Chicago. They arrived at 1 p.m. Thursday, about 2 1/2 hours later than scheduled.

Most were relieved at their good fortune, but irritated by the travel delay. A few were excited about their brief adventure and brush with possible catastrophe.

"All of a sudden we heard this thump," said Robert Zemit of Chicago. ''We thought we'd derailed or something. It's a miracle no one was injured."

Zemit said there was no great sense of panic after the accident. He said the crew of Amtrak train No. 371, the Pere Marquette from Grand Rapids, Mich., to Chicago, did a good job of stopping the train.

Jeannette Caruso of St. Joseph, Mich., was grateful after the accident.

"I'm just glad nobody was hurt," Paul Coulis, vice president for Hammond Yellow Coach, said the interstate bus company dispatched three buses to the accident scene around 10:45 a.m., the sixth time in the last year the company has transported Amtrak passengers from locations in Indiana and Illinois.

After the crash, shards of twisted steel torn from the trailer and the trailer's chassis littered the Conrail tracks for hundreds of yards. Several dozen Conrail workers examined the tracks, righted the derailed freight car and removed the trailer debris from the rail line. A rescue engine ferried the Amtrak train, minus its passengers, to Chicago, where it arrived around 2 p.m.

Vietnam detains sunken boat's captain, crew, owner

HA LONG BAY, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnamese authorities have detained the captain, crew and owner of a Ha Long Bay tour boat, police said Saturday, two days after 12 passengers drowned when their vessel sank as they were sleeping.

The director of Truong Hai Co., which owns the boat that went down in the picturesque bay, the vessel's captain and five crew members were detained for questioning, said Quang Ninh province police spokesman Le Thanh Binh.

The local port authority allowed overnight cruises to resume operations after docking all boats following the sinking before dawn Thursday that claimed the lives of 11 foreign vacationers and their Vietnamese tour guide.

It was Vietnam's deadliest tour boat accident since the country opened up to foreign visitors 25 years ago.

Vu Van Thin, chief administrator of Quang Ninh, said the government would offer $1,000 to each of the foreign victims' families and $500 apiece to the nine survivors.

The tour boat company could not be reached for comment, and it's unclear whether additional compensation will be provided from an insurance company.

The bodies of the foreign victims — from the U.S., Britain, Australia, Japan, Russia, France, Sweden and Switzerland — remain at hospitals in Ha Long Bay as families work to get them repatriated.

"Samantha was every parent's dream," said Edward Taylor, father of American victim Samantha Kay Taylor, 22. "She was such a sweet child. She had everything going for her. Everyone says this, but with my Samantha, this was so true: She was God's gift."

The boat, "Dream Voyage," was hoisted partially out of the water Friday and dragged to a nearby island, where crews were trying to pump enough water out of it to tow it back to shore. Investigators will then work to determine why it suddenly sank.

Survivors reported seeing a wooden plank break away from the boat just before it was rapidly inundated with gushing water and pulled down while anchored for the night, but the cause of the sinking remains unclear. The seas and weather were calm at the time of the incident.

Survivors leaped from the sinking boat's deck and were rescued by other nearby tour boats in the popular bay that's a must-see for most travelers visiting northern Vietnam. About 2.5 million people cruise Ha Long Bay each year, half of them foreigners, to experience the dramatic 1,600 jagged limestone formations that jut out of the sea, forming tiny islands in the Gulf of Tonkin near the Chinese border.

Day cruises are offered, but many tourists opt to sleep on traditional wooden boats equipped with cabins, ranging from budget to luxury accommodation.

The "Dream Voyage" passed its annual inspection four months ago and had been operating in the bay for only three years, according to a government transport newspaper.

The local port authority allowed overnight cruises to resume operations Saturday after temporarily docking all boats following the incident. The government has set up a special inspection team to check the more than 500 tour boats plying the bay, and will focus on the 164 overnight vessels first.