MADRID (AP) — A court official in Spain says a judge wants to question ex-members of Colombia's FARC rebels to investigate that organization's links to the Basque separatist group ETA.
The official says Judge Eloy Velasco also wants to see copies of testimony given by two detained ETA members who said they took a weapons training course in 2008 in Venezuela, which Colombia says has served as a haven for …
Former Congressman Harold Ford Jr. returned to his job as an MSNBC pundit on Tuesday, one day after announcing he wouldn't run for U.S. Senate in New York, and said he would have won the primary but worried that the intraparty battle would have emboldened Republicans.
Ford, who represented a Tennessee district in the U.S. House, had been publicly exploring a possible Democratic primary challenge in New York, but announced Monday night in a New York Times op-ed that he wouldn't run. He said Tuesday on MSNBC that he hopes "another opportunity presents itself."
Ford said he doesn't want to divide the party and risk strengthening the Republicans' chance …
Twins 9 Sox 4
MINNEAPOLIS Frank Thomas admits he's worried about the White Sox.He looks across the field at the Minnesota Twins and sees the kind offundamental offense that was the hallmark of the Sox' magical run in2000.
"This is not the same team as last year," Thomas said after theSox' 9-4 loss Saturday to the first-place Twins. "The rhythm of thisteam is not the same. It bothers me a little bit because what we hadlast year was special."
Just as the Twins are trying to copy the success of the Sox,Thomas wishes the Sox could take a page out of Minnesota's playbook.
"We really have to get back to the fundamentals of last year-moving runners over, …
BEIRUT (AP) — The embattled Syrian regime is largely "out of the danger zone" despite a 7-month-old uprising against President Bashar Assad, the leader of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said Monday.
The comments by Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, a steadfast ally of Syria, appeared to be an attempt to portray confidence that the regime in Damascus will recover from a popular revolt that has become the most serious challenge to the Assad family's four-decade dynasty.
"Is Syria out of danger? We can say, to a very large extent, yes," Nasrallah told Hezbollah's Manar TV station during an hours-long interview.
Mass demonstrations in Syria have triggered a brutal crackdown, …
Well, at least the San Diego Padres can call themselves the best of the worst in the National League.
Adrian Gonzalez's 35th homer and Kevin Kouzmanoff's three RBIs backed Cha Seung Baek's strong start, and the Padres beat the Washington Nationals 6-2 Sunday to sweep a three-game series between the NL's worst teams.
"Things aren't going our way, but I think we just do the best we can with the things we can control _ running balls out, playing hard, and just trying to stay in the game mentally," Kouzmanoff said. "At this point in the season, it's hard to just hang them up, shut it down, quit early. I think it's important for us to finish …
BATH SUNDAY Tramways turned the Roper Rhodes Bathrooms Bath &District Sunday League Division 3 table on its head as they beatleaders Bristol City Supporters' Club. Brian Hobbs grabbed thedecisive goal 15 minutes from time as Tramways climbed off the footof the table and up to eighth spot with a 2-1 victory. They hadearlier taken the lead through Kane Brinkhurst's thumping header,only for BCSC to level within 30 seconds. Rose & Crown Vultures wereunable to sustain a spirited comeback as they went down 7-2 toKingsmead Reserves.
Trailing 3-0, Jack Harvey and Andy Brookin scored to cut the gapbefore the visitors pulled away again. The Division 2 match betweenBear …
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay - President Bush asked Congress on Saturday for $3.2 billion to pay for 8,200 more U.S. troops needed in Afghanistan and Iraq on top of the 21,500-troop buildup he announced in January.
Bush wants Congress to fund 3,500 new U.S. troops to expand training of local police and army units in Afghanistan. The money also would pay for the estimated 3,500 existing U.S. troops he already announced would be staying longer in the region to counter an anticipated Taliban offensive in Afghanistan this spring.
In Iraq, most of the additional troops would help with the latest Baghdad security plan, which is getting under way in the capital. The money would pay for …
Iraq's provincial elections have wrapped up without any reports of serious violence.
Polls closed at 6 p.m. local time (10 a.m. EST) on Saturday _ an hour later than planned. Millions of voters cast ballots for influential regional councils around most of Iraq.
Iraqi authorities imposed a huge security operation around the country that included traffic bans in major cities and extensive checkpoints and surveillance posts. The U.S. military also was out in force but did not take a direct role in the election security.
Results from the elections are not expected before Tuesday.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further …
Add Risen Star to the list of Kentucky Derby contenders.
"We are going straight to Louisville," co-owner and trainerLouie J. Roussel III said after his colt upset Derby favorite FortyNiner by a head in the $105,600 Lexington Stakes before a recordcrowd of 28,772 Saturday at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.
Forty Niner, the Claiborne Farm colt trained by Woody Stephens,carried high weight of 121 pounds in the field of five Derby hopefulsover 1 1/16 miles in the Grade II race.
Risen Star stayed about four lengths off the pace until thethree-sixteenths pole, when jockey Jacinto Vasquez took him to thefront on the outside with Forty Niner on the inside. Risen …
WASHINGTON (AP) — An Arab-American lawmaker, already President Barack Obama's chief antagonist in Congress, is in line to take over the main investigative committee in the House of Representatives if as expected Republicans win a majority in next month's elections.
As chairman, Rep. Darrell Issa will control the committee's queries into operations at the White House and its tentacles throughout the federal bureaucracy.
Liberal Democratic Sen. Al Franken predicts that Issa will use the subpoena power of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee to conduct a "witch hunt in an effort to bring down the Obama administration."
Issa already is the bearer of daily anti-Obama …
Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende has appealed for Europe to become a global leader in economic reform and countering climate change.
In a speech Thursday at The Hague's 17th Century New Church, Balkenende sketched an ambitious vision of making Europe a global player alongside the likes of the United States …
Celebrity birthdays for the week of Sept. 6-12:
Sept. 6: Comedian JoAnne Worley is 72. Country singer David Allan Coe is 70. Country singer Mel McDaniel is 67. Singer-bassist Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) is 66. Actress Swoosie Kurtz is 65. Comedian-actress Jane Curtin is 62. Country singer Buddy Miller is 57. Country drummer Joe Smyth of Sawyer Brown is 52. Actor-comedian Jeff Foxworthy is 51. Actor-comedian Michael Winslow ("Police Academy") is 51. Guitarist Pal Waaktaar of A-ha is 48. Country singer Mark Chesnutt is 46. Actress Rosie Perez is 45. Singer Macy Gray is 42. Singer CeCe Peniston is 40. Singer Darryl Anthony (Az Yet) is 40. Singer Dolores O'Riordan (The Cranberries) is 38. Actor Dylan Bruno ("Numb3ers") is 37. Actress Anika Noni Rose ("Dreamgirls") is 37. Actor Justin Whalin ("Lois and Clark") is 35. Singer Nina Persson (The Cardigans) is 35. Actress Naomie Harris ("Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest") is 33. Rapper Noreaga is 32. Rapper Foxy Brown is 31.
Sept. 7: Jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins is 79. Singer Alfa Anderson of Chic is 63. Singer Gloria Gaynor is 60. Singer Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders is 58. Actress Julie Kavner ("The Simpsons") is 58. Keyboardist Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers is 56. Actor Corbin Bernsen is 55. Actor Michael Emerson ("Lost") is 55. Pianist Michael Feinstein is 53. Singer Margot Chapman (Starland Vocal Band) is 52. Actor W. Earl Brown ("Deadwood") is 46. Model Angie Everhart is 40. Actor Tom Everett Scott ("ER," "That Thing You Do!") is 39. Drummer Chad Sexton of 311 is 39. Actress Shannon Elizabeth ("American Pie") is 36. Actor Devon Sawa ("Slackers," "Final Destination") is 31. Actress Evan Rachel Wood ("The Upside of Anger," "Thirteen") is 22.
Sept. 8: Comedian Sid Caesar is 87. Ventriloquist Willie Tyler (with Lester) is 69. Actor Alan Feinstein is 68. Singer Sal Valentino of The Beau Brummels is 67. Actress Heather Thomas is 52. Singer Aimee Mann is 49. Bassist David Steele of Fine Young Cannibals is 49. Singer Marc Gordon of Levert is 45. Singer Neko Case is 39. Actor David Arquette is 38. Actor Henry Thomas ("E.T.") is 38. Actor Martin Freeman (BBC's "The Office," "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy") is 38. Drummer Richard Hughes of Keane is 34. Actor Larenz Tate is 34. Singer Pink is 30. Actor Jonathan Taylor Thomas ("Home Improvement") is 28.
Sept. 9: Actor Cliff Robertson is 86. Actor Topol ("Fiddler on the Roof") is 74. Singer Luther Simmons (The Main Ingredient) is 67. Singer Inez Fox is 67. Singer Dee Dee Sharp is 64. Singer-keyboardist Doug Ingle (Iron Butterfly) is 63. Country singer Freddy Weller (also of Paul Revere and the Raiders) is 62. Guitarist John McFee of The Doobie Brothers is 59. Actor Tom Wopat is 58. Musician-producer Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) is 57. Actress Angela Cartwright ("The Danny Thomas Show," "Lost in Space") is 57. Actor Hugh Grant is 49. Actress Constance Marie ("George Lopez") is 44. Actor-comedian Adam Sandler is 43. Model Rachel Hunter is 40. Actor Goran Visnjic ("ER") is 37. Jazz singer Michael Buble is 34. Actress Michelle Williams ("Brokeback Mountain," "Dawson's Creek") is 29.
Sept. 10: Country singer Tommy Overstreet is 72. Actor Greg Mullavey ("Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman") is 70. Jazz vibrophonist Roy Ayers is 69. Singer Danny Hutton of Three Dog Night is 67. Singer Jose Feliciano is 64. Actor Tom Ligon ("Oz," "Another World") is 64. Actress Judy Geeson ("Mad About You") is 61. Guitarist Joe Perry of Aerosmith is 59. Actress Amy Irving is 56. Director Chris Columbus is 51. Actor Colin Firth is 49. Singer-guitarist David Lowery of Cracker is 49. Guitarist Stevie D. of Buckcherry is 43. Drummer Robin Goodridge of Bush is 44. Singer-guitarist Miles Zuniga of Fastball is 43. Rapper Big Daddy Kane is 41. Director Guy Ritchie is 41. Actor Ryan Phillippe is 35. Bassist Mikey Way (My Chemical Romance) is 29. Guitarist Matthew Followill of Kings of Leon is 25.
Sept. 11: Actor Earl Holliman is 81. Movie director Brian De Palma is 69. Singer Jack Ely of The Kingsmen is 66. Drummer Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead is 66. Guitarist Leo Kottke is 64. Actress Amy Madigan is 59. Guitarist Tommy Shaw of Styx is 56. Songwriter Diane Warren is 53. Drummer Jon Moss of Culture Club is 52. Actress Roxann Dawson ("Star Trek: Voyager") is 51. Actor Scott Patterson ("Gilmore Girls") is 51. Actress Virginia Madsen ("Sideways," "American Dreams") is 48. Actress Kristy McNichol is 47. Musician Moby is 44. Singer Harry Connick Jr. is 42. Actress Taraji P. Henson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") is 39. Actress Laura Wright ("Guiding Light") is 39. Guitarist Jeremy Popoff of Lit is 38. Singer Brad Fischetti of LFO is 34. Rapper Mr. Black is 32. Guitarist Jon Buckland of Coldplay is 32. Rapper Ludacris is 32. Singer Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum is 28.
Sept. 12: Actor Dickie Moore ("Our Gang" films) is 84. Actor Ian Holm ("Lord of the Rings," "Chariots of Fire") is 78. Country singer George Jones is 78. Actress Linda Gray is 69. Singer Maria Muldaur is 66. Actor Joe Pantoliano is 58. Singer-guitarist Gerry Beckley of America is 57. Drummer Neil Peart of Rush is 57. Actor Peter Scolari is 54. Actress Rachel Ward is 52. Actress Amy Yasbeck ("Wings," "Life on a Stick") is 47. Bassist Norwood Fisher of Fishbone is 44. Actor Darren E. Burrows ("Northern Exposure") is 43. Singer Ben Folds (Ben Folds Five) is 43. Guitarist Larry LaLonde of Primus is 41. Actor Paul Walker ("The Fast and the Furious") is 36. Country singer Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland is 35. Actor Benjamin McKenzie ("The O.C.") is 31. Singer Ruben Studdard is 31. Singer-actress Jennifer Hudson ("American Idol," "Dreamgirls") is 28.
Before seeming ungrateful, I do acknowledge the reason I've received items like wine-themed socks (in the not so good category, by the way) is because the giver of said socks knows I have a strong interest in wine. That kind of well-intentioned thinking should be applauded.
But by following a few guidelines, a wine-related gift can be genuinely welcome to any recipient, wine aficionado or not. And since wine is such an easy hostess gift, keep a few on hand so you're never left scrambling through the dimly lit corner liquor store, madly searching for a decent bottle minutes before a holiday party.
Give a bottle of wine of personal significance to you to the party hostess. This may seem counterintuitive, but giving a bottle of your favorite celebratory with an explanation of why shows you were looking forward to the festivities and want to contribute to its success. Many a nervous host will be thankful.
My party picks:
Lingot Martin Cerdon de Bugey NV ($19). At Frankly Wines.com.
Alain Renardat Fache Bugey Cerdon ($21). At Binny's.
Give wine of true significance to the recipient. This is one of my favorite ways to thoughtfully recognize a person's interests. For example, if a friend has recently made efforts to be more environmentally conscious, acknowledge that with an organic wine. Likewise, give a bottle that honors the recipient's heritage, such as a bottle from a renowned black winemaker.
My organic picks:
Montinore Estate, Parsons' Ridge Pinot Noir 2006, Willamette Valley, Oregon ($30). At WineChateau.com.
Robert Sinskey, Pinot Noir 2006, Napa, California ($36). At Binny's.
My heritage picks:
M'hudi Sauvignon Blanc, 2008, Western Cape, South Africa ($17). At WineStyles.
Vision Cellars, Pinot Noir 2006, Sonoma, California ($26). At Binny's.
For a wine aficionado, give memorable wine. This option requires the most research, at minimum an in-depth conversation with a quality wine shop owner.
Give a highly lauded "vertical" of wines -- wine from consecutive years that can age for several more. A vertical allows the recipient to taste how a wine progresses. Dig up some information on the wine's peak years and indicate this to the lucky recipient so they hold onto the bottles until the perfect time.
A similarly collectible wine would be a "special" bottle that could be cellared for a significant period. One benefit of the downturn in the economy is that spots are opening up on exclusive "members only" wine lists from wineries that produce a limited number of top wines.
My "vertical" pick:
Orin Swift Cellars, The Prisoner, Napa California 2005, 2006, 2007.
My "special" picks:
Liparita, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006, Oakville, Calif. ($55). At the Wine Cellar, Palatine; Tuscan Market, Arlington Heights; WineStyles, Woodridge, and Taste of Vino in Hinsdale and Western Springs.
Chateau Montelena, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006, Napa Valley, Calif. ($49). At Binny's, Knightsbridge, Randolph Wine Cellars, Wine Discount Center.
Classic wine-related gifts that are truly useful are always welcome. But remember, if you wouldn't use the item because it seems hokey (socks decorated with wine glasses), there's a decent chance someone for whom wine is a hobby wouldn't as well.
My picks:
Riedel's Pink Crescendo Breast Cancer Awareness Stemless Glasses. $60 for set of 4.
At Zappos.com.
Cheese selection from iGourmet.com or TheCheeseAmbassador.com.
Not to get all Emily Post, but a word on wine etiquette: If you bring a bottle of wine to a party, mention to the hosts if you brought the bottle especially for them to enjoy privately so they don't feel obliged to open it immediately.
And do yourself a favor -- indicate why you've chosen this gift so your thoughtfulness doesn't go unnoticed.
Anu Karwa writes the SwirlSavvy blog (swirl savvy.blogspot.com). Get more wine tips there and follow her on Twitter (@Swirl Wine Savvy).
Photo: (See microfilm for photo description).
DEARBORN, Mich. - Ford Motor Co. said it continued to weigh options in response to reports that the automaker, working to return its North American operations to profitability, was preparing to sell its moneymaking Volvo luxury brand.
The Sunday Times, citing unnamed sources in London, said the decision to sell Volvo, which is part of Ford's Premier Automotive Group, was made in the past two weeks, but that the timing of the sale had yet to be decided.
The New York Times, in a story posted Sunday on its Web site, said Ford would entertain offers for Volvo following a board meeting last week. The newspaper cited people whom it didn't name who it said had knowledge of the situation.
Ford spokesman Tom Hoyt said in an interview with The Associated Press on Sunday that the company wasn't commenting on speculation about Volvo's future. He confirmed that Ford's board met last week but said he knew of no decision.
"We've said all along that we're viewing our options and assessing our business," Hoyt said.
When Ford last August announced it was exploring the possible sale of its Aston Martin luxury sports car brand, the automaker left open the possibility that other Premier Automotive Group brands, including Volvo, could be sold.
Auto analyst David Cole said if Ford's cash flow problems were desperate enough, selling Volvo might make some sense.
"You could get cash out of it, which is very important right now," said Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor.
Ford in December finalized a $23.4 billion financing package to fuel its restructuring and cover expected losses in its automotive operations. It pledged domestic plants and other automotive assets as collateral.
No bank had been appointed to handle the Volvo transaction, both newspapers said. The Sunday Times said the deal could be worth $8 billion.
Ford acquired Volvo from Sweden's Volvo AB in 1999 for $6.45 billion.
Last month, Ford said it was reviewing its position on Premier Automotive Group brands Jaguar and Land Rover, fueling speculation the company was getting closer to selling the brands.
Ford sold Aston Martin for $848 million in March, with some analysts saying the brand did not fit into Ford's long-term survival plan. That plan includes cost savings by developing multiple models worldwide on the same underpinnings.
The possible sale of Volvo comes as the company is struggling to return to profitability in the face of fierce competition from Asian automakers and developing tastes for more fuel-efficient models in its key North American market. It is slashing thousands of jobs and plans to close plants to cut costs.
Dearborn, Mich.-based Ford posted a narrower loss of $282 million for the first quarter. The Premier Automotive Group reported a record pretax profit of $402 million for the quarter, due largely to Volvo.
And Ford has been relying on Volvo, Cole said, as it tries to globalize its engineering, design and manufacturing systems.
Cole questioned why Ford would want to spin off Volvo, particularly because of how much Volvo is part of Ford's design and production operations. He noted Ford's reborn Taurus debuting for the 2008 model year is being built on a Volvo platform.
Should Ford decide to sell Volvo, it would need to ensure that the cooperation continues, Cole said.
"Volvo is really an integral part of Ford," Cole said.
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On the Net:
Ford Motor Co.: http://www.ford.com
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia's national carrier said Sunday it has ordered 12 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a deal valued at $3.3 billion that reflects continued growth in the oil-rich Gulf region's airline sector.
Saudi Arabian Airlines and Boeing said the deal also includes an option to buy 10 more of the aircraft.
The carrier said in a statement that it also ordered eight Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Those aircraft, however, were not included in the $3.3-billion price tag.
The airline's director-general, Khaled al-Mulhim, said the decision came as "part of a long-term strategy to expand and modernize our fleet with newer and more fuel-efficient airplanes."
Several of the major carriers in the region have been aggressively expanding their service, even as their U.S. counterparts are retrenching. That growth has translated to several multibillion-dollar purchases.
The price tag is based on list prices, but airlines often negotiate big discounts.
Sudanese state media says the government has arrested a leading member of the rebel group that recently attacked the country's capital.
Thursday's report by the official Sudanese news agency says state security has arrested Abdelaziz Ushar, a senior commander in the Justice and Equality Movement rebel group.
Officials reports did not provide details of his arrest, but the Sudan Media Center, which has close government links, says Ushar was arrested Wednesday evening.
The Sudan Media Center report says Ushar participated in the attack on Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman earlier this month but fled after the army countered the offensive.
The attack on Omdurman by hundreds of JEM fighters was the first time in decades rebels had approached the capital.
A FIVE-a-side football tournament in South Gloucestershire hasraised almost GBP3,000 for drug and alcohol treatment services. Theevent at the BAWA leisure centre in Filton was organised by the SouthGloucestershire Business Group. The group aims to encourage localbusinesses to take part in initiatives that tackle drugs and alcoholin the workplace and the wider community. Fourteen teams took partin the tournament, which was won by the Rolls Royce Hoofers, withCourage West taking the runners-up plate. The trophies werepresented by South Gloucestershire Council leader Neil Halsall. DavidWarren, the manager of Safer South Gloucestershire's Drug ActionTeam, said: "We're delighted with the support for the event,particularly from local businesses, both large and small. "We'd liketo say a special thank you to BAWA Healthcare and Leisure, whoprovided the facilities, and to the retailers of Staple Hill andChipping Sodbury, who were particularly generous with raffle andauction prize donations, providing a boost to the funds raised."Safer South Gloucestershire is a partnership made up of the communitysafety and drug action teams. The partnership is committed toimproving safety and well-being for individuals and communitiesthroughout South Gloucestershire. The South Gloucestershire BusinessGroup is hoping to raise more money with their next event, a charitygolf tournament which will be held at Thornbury Golf Club on August24. For further details and to register for the tournament, ringSteve Shield on 01454 868586, or email steve.shield@south glos.gov.uk
Blake Wheeler and David Krejci both had a goal and an assist, and the Boston Bruins won their ninth straight home game with a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.
The Bruins, who pulled into a tie with the New York Rangers atop the Eastern Conference, went 11-1-1 in November _ including eight wins at home. They haven't lost in Boston since Oct. 23 and are on their longest home-winning streak in 25 years.
The Red Wings, second in the Western Conference, lost for the third time in four games and fell to an NHL-best 10-2-2 on the road. The defending Stanley Cup champions are 7-2-2 in their last 11 games.
Manny Fernandez, playing back-to-back games for the first time this season, stopped 29 shots to win his sixth straight start. He improved to 7-1-1.
Detroit's Ty Conklin was chased in the second period after allowing three goals on nine shots.
Phil Kessel and Chuck Kobasew also scored for Boston. Michael Ryder, who played on a line with Krejci and Wheeler for the second straight game, had two assists after scoring two goals on Friday in Boston's 7-2 victory over the New York Islanders.
Jiri Hudler scored a second-period, power-play goal for the Red Wings.
Detroit recorded the first eight shots of the game before Wheeler and Krejci struck 4:11 apart.
Wheeler and Ryder broke in on a 2-on-1 and, with only Niklas Kronwall back, Ryder hit Wheeler on his off wing. The rookie scored for the second straight game, making it 1-0 at 12:00. The Bruins doubled the lead when Kessel beat Conklin with a long wrist shot and scored for the sixth time in seven games. It was his team-leading 13th goal and stretched his point streak to nine games.
Chris Osgood relieved Conklin after Patrice Bergeron stole the puck from Kronwall and fed Kobasew for his fifth goal that extending his point streak to six. Krejci, who has nine points during a six-game run, scored in the third period.
Hudler's pass into the crease appeared to deflect off the skate of Boston's Marc Savard with 3:35 left in the second period for Detroit's power-play goal.
Notes:@ Bruins D Aaron Ward left the game in the first period with an apparent left leg injury and didn't return. ... Boston's Marco Sturm missed his fifth straight game due to an upper body injury. Detroit RW Tomas Holstrom missed his sixth consecutive because of a back injury. ... Fernandez got the start because Tim Thomas was out due to illness. ... The Red Wings won the only game between the teams last season, 3-1 in Boston, but the Bruins have earned points in eight of nine against Detroit. The Bruins wore their new third jerseys for the second straight day. ... Boston won eight straight at home from Nov. 2-29, 2002. The Bruins won 11 in a row at home from Dec. 5, 1982-Jan. 29, 1983.
CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian riot police firing tear gas and rubber bullets have stormed into Cairo's Tahrir Square to dismantle a protest tent camp, setting off clashes that killed two protesters, injured hundreds and raised tensions days before the first elections since Hosni Mubarak's ouster.
The scenes of protesters fighting with black-clad police forces on Saturday were reminiscent of the 18-day uprising that forced an end to Mubarak's rule in February. Hundreds of protesters fought back, hurling stones and setting an armored police vehicle ablaze.
The violence raised fears of new unrest surrounding the parliamentary elections that are due to begin on Nov. 28. Public anger has risen over the slow pace of reforms and apparent attempts by Egypt's ruling generals to retain power over a future civilian government.
Witnesses said the clashes began when riot police dismantled a small tent camp set up to commemorate the hundreds of protesters killed in the uprising and attacked around 200 peaceful demonstrators who had camped in the square overnight in an attempt to restart a long-term sit-in there.
"Violence breeds violence," said Sahar Abdel-Mohsen, an engineer who joined in the protest after a call went out on Twitter urging people to come to Tahrir to defend against the police attacks. "We are tired of this and we are not leaving the square."
Police fired rubber bullets, tear gas and beat protesters with batons, clearing the square at one point and pushing the fighting into surrounding side streets of downtown Cairo.
A 23-year-old protester died from a gunshot, said Health Ministry official Mohammed el-Sherbeni. At least 676 people were injured, he said. At least one other protester was killed in Alexandria, where demonstrations and clashes also took place, said a security official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to journalists.
Crowds swarmed an armored police truck, rocking it back and forth and setting it ablaze.
After nightfall, protesters swarmed back into the square in the thousands, setting tires ablaze in the street and filling the area with an acrid, black smoke screen. Police appeared to retreat to surrounding areas, leaving protesters free to retake and barricade themselves inside the square. The air was still thick with stinging tear gas.
Shortly before midnight, police pushed back toward the square, firing more tear gas and drawing a barrage of stones from the protesters holding the site.
The government urged protesters to clear the square.
A member of the military council, Gen. Mohsen el-Fangari, dismissed the protesters and said their calls for change ahead of the election were a threat to the state.
"What is the point of being in Tahrir?" he said, speaking by phone to the popular Al-Hayat TV channel. "What is the point of this strike, of the million marches? Aren't there legal channels to pursue demands in a way that won't impact Egypt ... internationally?"
"The aim of what is going on is to shake the backbone of the state, which is the armed forces."
In a warning, he said, "If security is not applied, we will implement the rule of law. Anyone who does wrong will pay for it."
Saturday's confrontation was one of the few since the uprising to involve police forces, which have largely stayed in the background while the military takes charge of security. There was no military presence in and around the square on Saturday.
The black-clad police were a hated symbol of Mubarak's regime.
"The people want to topple the regime," shouted enraged crowds, reviving the chant from the early days of the uprising. Crowds also screamed: "Riot police are thugs and thieves" and "Down with the Marshal," referring to Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, Egypt's military ruler.
Some of the wounded had blood streaming down their faces and many had to be carried out of the square by fellow protesters to waiting ambulances.
Human rights activists accused police of using excessive force.
One prominent activist, Malek Mostafa, lost his right eye from a rubber bullet, said Ghada Shahbender, a member of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights.
At least four protesters were injured in the eyes as a result of what Shahbender said were orders to target protesters' heads.
"It is a crime," she said. "They were shooting rubber bullets directly at the heads. ... I heard an officer ordering his soldiers to aim for the head."
A videojournalist for the Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry al-Youm, Ahmed Abdel-Fatah, was also hit in the eye by a rubber bullet and was undergoing surgery.
Police arrested 18 people, state TV reported, describing the protesters as rioters.
Protests were also held Saturday in the Red Sea port city of Suez, where a crowd of thousands attacked a police station, with some hurling firebombs at the building, said protester Ahmed Khafagi. They were met with tear gas and gunfire.
In Alexandria, hundreds of people threw stones at the main security headquarters, said protester Ahmed Abdel-Qader. He said it felt like the revolution was starting all over again.
"We only managed to bring down the head of the regime. The rest of the tree is still standing," he said.
A day earlier, tens of thousands of Islamists and young activists had massed in Tahrir Square to protest Egypt's ruling military council, which took control of the country after Mubarak's ouster and has been harshly criticized for its oversight of the bumpy transition period.
Friday's crowd, the largest in months, was mobilized by the Muslim Brotherhood and focused its anger on a document drafted by the military that spells out guiding principles for a new constitution.
Under those guidelines, the military and its budget would be shielded from civilian oversight. An early version of it also said the military would appoint 80 members of the 100-person constitutional committee — a move that would vastly diminish the new parliament's role.
Groups across the political spectrum rejected the document, calling it an attempt by the military to perpetuate its rule past the post-Mubarak transition. Back in February, the military had promised it would return to the country to civilian rule within six months. Now, there is deep uncertainty over the timeline, and presidential elections might not be held until 2013.
El-Fangary said if the plan in place is followed, the military will be out of power by the end of 2012.
Friday's demonstration dispersed peacefully, but several hundred people remained in the square overnight in an attempt to re-establish a semi-permanent presence in the square to pressure the military council.
Violence began Saturday morning, as police moved in to clear them.
The Interior Ministry, which runs the country's police forces, accused people of trying to escalate tensions ahead of the parliamentary elections, which will be held in stages that continue through March.
Activists say they just want to guard the outcome of their revolution.
Unemployed graduate student Nasser Ezzat said he traveled from southern Egypt to Tahrir because he wanted to help finish the revolution that people died for. He came to the square on Friday, leaving behind his a pregnant wife in the city of Sohag.
"I dream of a fairer Egypt for my unborn daughter, one without police harassment and corruption," he said on Saturday.
___
Associated Press writer Sarah El Deeb contributed to this report.
Gala dinner, gigantic concert marks Gatling's 15th anniversary
There is no doubt that Lafayette Gatling Sr., president and CEO and his wife Marguerite Gatling, vice president of Gatling's Chapel Inc., are possessed with a love of singing, which is why there will be plenty of music for the 15th anniversary of their organization.
Beyond their enjoyment of music, particularly singing, there was a vision to serve people, which inspired Lafayette to become involved in caring for those who lost their beloved relatives.
While the Gatlings considered their hopes, they based their actions and future on Christian principles and therefore all those whom they have served have been satisfied and those who assist them in the company are supportive of their ideals.
Their aim and motto are "Gatling's Crossroads To Greater Success" that has led the couple to unveil the Gatling's Community Development Project in Country Club Hills. The project began Oct. 15, 1994 with the purchase of 445 acres of land located in Country Club Hills. It is the largest tract of land left in Cook County under development.
Said the Gatlings, "As we enter the first year of the millennium, we praise God for the progress that's been made in their efforts to develop the largest, vacant tract of land left in Cook County. Construction is underway for a multi-screen Cineplex Theater and the grand opening is near. Other phases will consist of a shopping center and other projects that will provide great service for the people.
Bandleader, producer and composer Gene Barge will lead the orchestra in music fit for a king during the gala dinner. He is producer of the CPR Recording Studio that has as its label Thisit Records.
All through the year, the Gatlings are committed to preserve traditional gospel that inspires rather than excites and entertains. In addition, there is the Gatling Print Shop, a Gospel Music Foundation and True Gospel Productions Inc., managed by Dr. Princella Hudson-Gilliam.
The 15th anniversary concert will be held on Sunday, June 4 at 3 p.m., consisting of music and the spoken word at Gatling's Chapel Annex, 10133 S. Halsted St.
Special guests will be Dr. Robert L. Holloman, pastor of Nebo Missionary Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, N.C. and Dr. Ernest Jones, pastor, and the Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Michigan City, Ind.
Article Copyright Sengstacke Enterprises, Inc.
Shares of Cypress Bioscience jumped 44 percent Monday after Ramius LLC said it would buy the drugmaker in an all-cash deal.
Ramius already owns 9.9 percent of Cypress and said it would buy the rest of the company for $4 per share as it lashed out at the management. Its offer represents a premium of 60 percent to the stock's Friday closing price of $2.50. As of May 5, Cypress had about 37.4 million shares on the market, meaning Ramius values the company at about $154 million, including the shares it already owns.
Cypress shares climbed 82 cents, or 32.8 percent, to $3.32 in afternoon trading. Shares traded closer to $10 last year at this time.
Ramius said poor decisions by Cypress management has damaged its stock price and that the company should hold off on making any further acquisitions or licensing deals.
Shares of the San Diego company are down 73.5 percent over the last 12 months, trading at their lowest prices since early 2003.
"Ill-conceived acquisitions and other internal investments proposed and executed by management and supported by the current board have resulted in significant destruction of shareholder value," Ramius said, adding that Cypress shares have underperformed other biotechnology stocks and the broader market for years.
Cypress did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In particular Ramius said Cypress' 2008 acquisition of Proprius Pharmaceuticals has been "a complete failure" that cost Cypress $40 million while bringing in $600,000 in revenue. It added that investors have little confidence in the company's licensing of a potential schizophrenia drug from BioLineRx.
Last month after Cypress Bioscience Inc. agreed to pay BioLineRx $30 million upfront for a schizophrenia drug in midstage development, company shares fell 37.8 percent in one day. Shares have fallen 42.4 percent since the deal was announced.
Ramius said if the deal goes through, it would consider allowing Cypress management to continue developing the BioLineRx drug if management can cover the costs of the trial itself, or if it can get funding from a third party. It said it would be willing to give up a 50 percent stake in the drug in order to reduce the risk to shareholders if it fails in tests.
In the first quarter, Cypress said it lost $4.6 million, or 12 cents per share. Most of the company's revenue comes from a fibromyalgia drug called Savella. Cypress developed Savella and Forest Laboratories markets it, and pays Cypress royalties and sales force reimbursement. Cypress reported $8.1 million in revenue in the first quarter.
SAN DIEGO - On a day when firefighters methodically beat back several of the wildfires menacing Southern California and thousands of evacuees were allowed home, authorities said Thursday they had found six bodies burned by the flames.
Border Patrol agents on routine patrol found four bodies in a wooded area near Barrett Junction, just east of San Diego and along the Mexican border, agency spokeswoman Gloria Chavez said. The area is near a major corridor for illegal immigrants who often walk hours or even days to cross into the United States from Mexico.
Authorities said they discovered the bodies Thursday afternoon but did not know how long ago the victims died.
"They could have been out there a while," said Paul Parker, a spokesman for the San Diego County medical examiner's office. They were tentatively identified as three men and one woman.
If the fire was responsible for the deaths - which authorities said was not immediately certain - it would mean seven people have died in the flames that have consumed about 760 square miles and at least 1,800 homes since the weekend.
The area was burned by the Harris Fire, which straddles the Mexican border. That was the same fire that claimed the life of 52-year-old Tecate man who refused to leave his house when the area was evacuated Sunday.
The other two people killed directly by the wildfires also died in San Diego County, the hardest-hit of seven counties where fires were burning.
Despite the deaths, there were hopeful signs Thursday. Firefighters took advantage of calmer winds and cooler temperatures to launch an aerial assault on several stubborn blazes.
Mandatory evacuation orders were lifted for most residential areas of San Diego and shelters emptied rapidly. San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders said an evacuation center at Qualcomm Stadium, which had housed as many as 10,000 people, would be closed at noon on Friday.
President Bush surveyed the damage in the hard-hit community of Rancho Bernardo, where he draped his armed around a woman who had lost her home.
"We want the people to know there's a better day ahead - that today your life may look dismal, but tomorrow life's going to be better," said Bush, who earlier declared seven counties a major disaster area, making residents eligible for federal assistance to help them rebuild.
His visit came just hours after rescue crews found the bodies of a married couple in the rubble of a burned home in Escondido. Like the previous death, the pair had been urged to evacuate.
Neighbors told authorities they last saw the two around midnight Monday. They were reported missing sometime after that.
San Diego County sheriff's deputies on Wednesday had taken a cursory look around the couple's home and found no one inside. When the two did not turn up during the day, a search-and-rescue team was sent to the site and found one body Wednesday night and a second set of remains early Thursday.
They were identified as John Christopher Bain, 58, a mortgage broker, and his wife, Victoria Fox, 55, a teacher. A relative who did not want to be identified because she was too distraught to talk to other reporters confirmed the deaths to The Associated Press, and their names matched property records for the address where they were found.
Officials have reported 10 deaths connected to the fires; seven died of causes other than flames. At least 40 firefighters and 35 other people have been injured.
In the Los Angeles area, fire crews worked to tamp out many wildfires, including two that burned 21 homes and were now fully contained. But the focus shifted to flames still raging in Orange and San Diego counties, particularly in rural areas near the Mexico border where more evacuation orders were issued.
The total burn area across California had expanded to more than 487,000 acres - about 761 square miles. Eight Indian reservations have been damaged, with evacuation centers set up for tribal members.
San Diego officials said the number of homes destroyed had risen to at least 1,470, about 400 more than previously reported. That would bring the number of homes destroyed in the seven affected counties to at least 1,800.
The Santa Ana winds that had fueled the flames were all but gone by Thursday, but San Diego County remained a tinderbox. About 24,000 homes remained threatened, as several major fires were no more than 30 percent contained in San Diego County and the Lake Arrowhead mountain resort area in mountains east of Los Angeles.
Towns scattered throughout the county remained on the edge of disaster, including the apple-picking region around Julian, where dozens of homes burned in 2003. Authorities also evacuated Jamul, an upscale community of about 6,000 in a hilly region about 20 miles east of San Diego.
David and Brandy Hradecky, who defied evacuation orders with their daughters, said a small percentage of residents stayed in Jamul and worked with firefighters to save their neighbors' homes.
David Hradecky said he spent 2 1/2 days using his bulldozer to create firebreaks around seven homes. He said his young daughters even used 5-gallon buckets to put out hot spots and quench the thirst of farm animals that had been left behind.
"Where are you going to go? They were evacuating the evacuee places. We know what to do. We took care of all the people's houses," said Brandy Hradecky.
To the north, crews were battling a 38,000-acre fire in northern San Diego County that was burning on Palomar Mountain.
Fred Daskoski, a spokesman for the state fire department, said there was no immediate threat to the mountain's landmark observatory, which housed the world's largest telescope when it was completed in 1908.
In the Lake Arrowhead area, fire officials said 16,000 homes remained in the path of two wildfires that had destroyed more than 300 homes.
Both fires remained out of control, but were being bombarded by aerial tankers and helicopters.
A 26,000-acre blaze in Orange County has been declared arson. Five people in San Diego, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties have been arrested on suspicion of arson, but none has been linked to any of the major blazes, authorities said Thursday.
A sixth man, Russell Lane Daves, 27, of Topock, Ariz., was shot to death by San Bernardino police Tuesday after he fled officers who approached to see if he might be trying to set a fire.
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Associated Press writers Allison Hoffman in San Diego, Martha Mendoza in Running Springs; Scott Lindlaw in Julian; Gillian Flaccus in Jamul; and Thomas Watkins, Jacob Adelman, Chelsea J. Carter and Jeremiah Marquez in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
Eli Lilly and Co. said Thursday its second-quarter net income soared 16 percent, boosted in part by strong sales growth from the drugmaker's top drugs.
The performance prompted the Indianapolis-based company to raise its 2010 earnings guidance three months after lowering it.
Lilly said it earned $1.35 billion, or $1.22 per share, in the three months that ended June 30. That's up from $1.16 billion, or $1.06 per share, in the same period last year. Revenue rose 9 percent to $5.75 billion.
Excluding charges, income was $1.24 per share.
Analyst polled by Thomson Reuters forecast earnings of $1.10 per share on $5.58 billion in revenue.
Sales for Lilly's best-selling drug, the antipsychotic Zyprexa, rose 5 percent to $1.26 billion, while revenue from its second-best seller, the antidepressant Cymbalta, climbed 17 percent to $867.7 million.
The cancer treatment Alimta saw the biggest jump, with sales rising 43 percent to $551.8 million.
The company's total revenue growth outpaced an 8-percent rise in its cost of sales and a 3-percent increase in marketing, selling and administrative expenses.
Lilly now expects 2010 adjusted earnings of between $4.50 and $4.65 per share, up from previous guidance of $4.40 to $4.55 per share.
Analysts expect $4.49 per share.
Village Forum features Sheryl Lee Ralph
by Ytasha L. Womack
entertainment reporter
Sheryl Lee Ralph has had enough trials and tribulations in Hollywood to answer any question swirling around the industry and its loose grip on diversity.
The critically acclaimed actress/producer will share her experiences and field questions for the second Village Forum with Cliff Kelly, Friday at Epitome Restaurant, 2347 S. Michigan Ave., 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.
The Village Forum, sponsored by the Chicago Defender, WVON and Epitome Restaurant, showcases newsmakers and hot topics each Friday at Epitome. This week's topic, "The Impact of Film and Music on the African American Community," addresses the art imitating life argument and the challenges of diversity in Hollywood. The event includes a buffet and complimentary drink for $19.95.
Ralph will also host a film screening of local artists and a hip-hop party sponsored by Epitome Restaurant (E2) following the Village Forum.
A celebrated actress, Ralph most recently starred as the supportive mother, Dee, on "Moesha" with R&B star Brandy. She launched the popular Jamaican Film Fest "Cinema Inna Yard" and produces the annual AIDS fund-raiser "Diva's Simply Singing."
The Jamaican/Long Island, N.Y. native won 1991's Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress in the acclaimed film "To Sleep With Anger" starring Danny Glover. Her career was catapulted with her performance as Deena Jones in Michael Bennett's classic Broadway production "Dreamgirls."
Article Copyright Sengstacke Enterprises, Inc.
NEW DELHI (AP) — India's Environment Ministry has given its approval for a massive hillside housing project which it had halted a year earlier for violating altitude restrictions and failing to obtain proper permits.
Activists have alleged that state officials had allowed construction on the site in Maharashtra state to begin without permits because the agriculture minister's daughter once held a stake in the $565 million project. Authorities are investigating the allegation.
The Environment Ministry said Wednesday the developers, Hindustan Construction Co., must strictly comply with all environmental regulations.
The Lavasa project, to be completed in 2020, is to consist of four or five towns built on seven hills and be inhabited by about 200,000 people.
Put the words aluminum and vehicles together, and the brain fast-forwards into exotica. Images of Acura's pioneering NSX, Audi's A8 luxosedan, the lightweight S2000 and 78 roadsters soon to appear from Honda and BMW come to mind. Think Ford P2000 and Honda Insight, the featherweight platforms for advanced power trains. Think PNGV, and the importance of aluminum alloys in making an 80-mpg midsized dream become reality
Now snap back into the critical issues of cost and volume. Did you know that only five pounds of the average auto body-in-white built in North America this year is aluminum? The rest remains steel.
Are you aware that over half of aluminum's closure panel content in U.S. light vehicle applications is found injust one program - Ford's F-Series truck - and that its all in the hood?
And did you know that just four basic components - engine blocks, cylinder heads, heat exchangers and road wheels account for roughly two-thirds of the total aluminum content in North Arnerican-built light cars and trucks?
The sound design and engineering reasons for aluminium's steady rise in automobiles are well explained in the preceding feature story. Those many merits are causing the material s per-vehicle content to jump from about 130 pounds in the downsized 1980s, to nearly 350 Pounds by 2009, according to a 1999 study of North American vehicle material content by Ducker Research of Bloomfield Hills, Mich
Holy Sheet
All that glistens for the bright metal clearly is not gold. As competitors in the steel and plastics industries are quick to point out, aluminum's major gains are not necessarily where they're perceived.
"It's a common misconception that they're taking it out of our hide in steel body sheet," asserts Pete Peterson, director of automotive marketing for U.S. Steel. He notes that as the century wanes, steel still commands about 55% of the mass of an average vehicle - a percentage that hasn't changed in 20 years. But he admits that the decade's light truck boom has helped keep the proportion steady
About 80% of aluminum's automotive growth is in castings, mainly used in suspensions, transmission and differential cases, and particularly in engine blocks and heads These applications are displacing mostly iron castings, particularly in cylinder blocks, notes Peterson. Less than 2% goes into body structures and closures (doors, hoods, and decklids). That's still overwhelmingly steels kingdom because of cost and the industry's long experience with the material
And while the intake manifold arena was for many years a safe haven for aluminum, reinforced plastics are steadily capturing the business, due to the plastics lower mass and ability to mold separate parts, such as fuel rails, throttle bodies and EGR systems, into tidy, integrated modules.
The Ducker report also notes that about 13% of the aluminum content in the average North American built light vehicle is alu minum. foil, used mainly for radiators, oil coolers and other heat exchangers. In this growing role aluminum's primary threat has been to copper sheet and foil,
The steel industry has chosen the body structure in general and sheet applications in particular, as the Motherland it will defend to the death against aluminum's assault. Peterson and his colleague Darryl Martin, director of automotive applications for the American Iron and Steel Institute trade group, gleefully recite aluminum's losses of body panel busi ness to steel: among them, the decklid of Ford's 2000 Taurus, the hood on Jaguar's SType (changed to steel from aluminum during the design phase), and Ford's reported decision to reconsider a high-volume, aluminum-intensive sportwagon program (D219) for 2002, due to the cost of bodygrade aluminum-alloy sheet.
Debating the "Fleet Effect"
When steel wisely decided to aggressively protect its turf earlier this decade, in the face of aluminum's clear growth curve, it did it proactively - by studying how the material, and new processes used to form and fabricate it could help automakers improve new vehicles and even reduce weight, while keeping costs down. The plan worked, earning steelmakers new respect from engineering chiefs.
"Frankly, we're very impressed by the Ultra-Light Steel Auto Body (ULSAB) program, and the steel industry's similar investigations on making closure panels, suspension systems and the like lighter still," Bernard Robertson, DaimlerChrysler's head of advanced engineering, told AI earlier this year 'They've given us new reasons to appreciate steel."
As both metal industries search for new applications, they're also keeping the heat on each other in public. Last summer, steel and aluminum faced off on the environment specifically, a concept steelmakers call the "fleet effect" of aluminum.
The jousting began when the steel industry hired the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Materials Science Lab to research an aluminum industry contention: that on a product life-cycle basis, aluminum-intensive vehicles and their manufacture produce less CO2 than their steel counterparts.
The argument goes that by replacing two pounds of steel in a vehicle with a pound of aluminum, the resulting lighter weight velu cle will emit 20 pounds of CO2 less (due to its better fuel economy) than the heavier vehicle, over the vehicle's lifetime. Because it is burning less fossil fuel per mile, the aluminum vehicle thus begins cancelling out the C02 emissions generated in the aluminummaking process, sometime in the middle of its useful life. (Aluminum-making creates about six times greater CO2 emission, per ton, than is created during steelmaking, claims the aluminum industry.)
Steel pulled its Sheffield sabre out of the sheath, and waited for Wrs Dr Joel Clark a noted materials expert, to parry the lightweight metal's thrust.
Clark's analysis compared Ford's aluminum-intensive Sable AIV with its steel-bodied '92 Taurus cousin and with the ULSAB midsized sedan concept It concluded that a large-scale switch to aluminum-intensive vehicles could make CO2 emissions an even greater problem. Reasons included
Producing one ton of virgin aluminum creates about 10 times more CO2 emissions than does producing a ton of steel.
Building a fleet of 100,000 aluminum-intensive vehicles each year, for 12 years (a number picked as the typical life of avehicle), creates over 2.26 million tons of CO2. Clark says that output includes any emissions gains from the vehicles themselves. It would thus take 35 to 38 years of driving aluminum vehicles for the "crossover" to occur between CO2 saved in vehicle operation, versus CO2 creat ed in aluminum manufacturing.
Clark also found that the ULSAB vehicle, with its steel content optimized for low mass and strength, would generate a lifetime total of CO2 that's 678 pounds less than the aluminum-intensive Sable. "The AIV never does recoup its initial CO2 disadvantage," notes the MIT study
The aluminum industry naturally refutes the MIT study.
"Aluminum's record is clear and easily verifiable," retorts J. Stephen Larkin, president of the Aluminum Association. "No matter how complicated the steel industry tries to make the materials comparison, it will not change the simple physics behind the improved fuel efficiency achieved from substituting aluminum for heavier materials in automobiles,"the group asserted.
To the auto industry's product planners, designers, materials experts and engineers, the metallic ringing in their ears can only grow louder If you think aluminum and steel are battling it out now, just wait until the price of gasoline in the U.S. exceeds $2.00 a gallon. Then the sparks will really fly - only on the steel side, of course.
Two former warlords of a far-right Colombian paramilitary group have pleaded guilty in Miami federal court to a drug conspiracy charge.
Ramiro Vanoy Murillo, 60, and Javier Lindo, 38, are among 14 paramilitary members who were extradited to the U.S. in May. Authorities say they men, who entered their pleas Tuesday, were wanted for their alleged roles in a large-scale cocaine smuggling operation dating to the late 1990s.
Sentencing is set for October. Vanoy Murillo faces up to 19 years and Lindo over 17 years behind bars.
Colombian officials said they decided to extradite the men because they were still committing crimes from Colombian prisons and had failed to pay restitution to victims of atrocities blamed on the paramilitary group.
SAN FRANCISCO - Track coach Trevor Graham, who helped launch a three-year federal probe of steroid use by elite athletes, is expected to be charged here as soon as Thursday with obstructing the investigation, two Justice Department officials with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press.
Speaking on condition of anonymity because the charges had not been made public, the officials said Graham would be charged with making false statements to authorities investigating steroid use in sports.
Graham operates Raleigh-based Sprint Capitol USA, a team of about 10 athletes that includes 100-meter co-world record holder Justin Gatlin, who tested positive for testosterone and other steroids in April.
Graham also coached sprinter Marion Jones, who won five medals at the 2000 Sydney Games with him, and her former boyfriend Tim Montgomery, who was suspended from competition for two years, although he never tested positive for a banned substance.
Several of Graham's athletes, however, have tested positive for banned substances, and the coach is being investigated for lying to investigators looking into doping among elite athletes connected to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, the now-defunct Burlingame supplement company that served as a front for a steroids ring.
In August, Nike terminated its contract with the coach, and the U.S. Olympic Committee banned Graham from its training centers. He's the first coach to receive such a penalty, "based on the unusual number of athletes he has coached who have been convicted of doping offenses," USOC chairman Peter Ueberroth said in a conference call at the time.
"We have not been advised of an indictment, nor would we, as this is a legal matter," USOC spokesman Darryl Seibel said Wednesday. "That said, we've made our position very clear, and Mr. Graham is not welcome at any U.S. Olympic training facility."
Graham helped launch the federal investigation three years ago by anonymously mailing a vial containing "the clear," a previously undetectable steroid to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Graham acknowledged mailing the drug, saying: "I was just a coach doing the right thing at the time."
Graham did not say why he turned in the syringe or how he got the material.
Neither Graham nor his Raleigh, N.C.-based attorney Joseph Zeszotarski returned telephone calls and e-mail inquiries from the AP.
A man who answered the door at Graham's home in Raleigh and identified himself as Graham's son said the track coach would not comment about the pending charges.
Graham steadfastly has denied ever providing banned performance-enhancing drugs to his athletes.
Jill Geer, a spokeswoman for USA Track & Field, the sport's national governing body, declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation.
Last Thursday, Zeszotarski confirmed Randall Evans, the top assistant to Graham, testified to the federal grand jury investigating BALCO and its distribution of performance-enhancing drugs.
But Evans did not provide any incriminating testimony against Graham, the attorney said in a recent statement given to The Associated Press.
"Randall Evans agreed to speak with us about his appearance at the grand jury," Zeszotarski said. "Based upon our interview of him, it is clear that Mr. Evans did not testify 'against' Trevor."
Zeszotarski said Evans "told the grand jury that he knows nothing about Trevor being involved in the distribution of illicit substances."
One person familiar with the investigation told the AP that Graham would not face distribution charges. Instead, the track coach is expected to be charged with obstruction of justice in connection with statements he gave to investigators in 2004.
The grand jury that is expected to charge Graham is the same panel investigating baseball slugger Barry Bonds for tax evasion and perjury related to his testimony about not knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs. Bonds testified that his personal trainer told him he was ingesting flax seed oil and arthritis balm when he really was being given steroids dubbed "the clear" and "the cream."
Five men connected to BALCO pleaded guilty to steroid distribution and other charges.
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Associated Press writers Lara Jakes Jordan in Washington and Joedy McCreary in Raleigh, N.C.; AP national writer Eddie Pells in Colorado Springs, Colo.; and AP sports writer Robert Baum in Phoenix contributed to this report.
BALCO Grand Jury to Charge Track CoachSAN FRANCISCO - Track coach Trevor Graham, who helped launch a three-year federal probe of steroid use by elite athletes, is expected to be charged here as soon as Thursday with obstructing the investigation, two Justice Department officials with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press.
Speaking on condition of anonymity because the charges had not been made public, the officials said Graham would be charged with making false statements to authorities investigating steroid use in sports.
Graham operates Raleigh-based Sprint Capitol USA, a team of about 10 athletes that includes 100-meter co-world record holder Justin Gatlin, who tested positive for testosterone and other steroids in April.
Graham also coached sprinter Marion Jones, who won five medals at the 2000 Sydney Games with him, and her former boyfriend Tim Montgomery, who was suspended from competition for two years, although he never tested positive for a banned substance.
Several of Graham's athletes, however, have tested positive for banned substances, and the coach is being investigated for lying to investigators looking into doping among elite athletes connected to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, the now-defunct Burlingame supplement company that served as a front for a steroids ring.
In August, Nike terminated its contract with the coach, and the U.S. Olympic Committee banned Graham from its training centers. He's the first coach to receive such a penalty, "based on the unusual number of athletes he has coached who have been convicted of doping offenses," USOC chairman Peter Ueberroth said in a conference call at the time.
"We have not been advised of an indictment, nor would we, as this is a legal matter," USOC spokesman Darryl Seibel said Wednesday. "That said, we've made our position very clear, and Mr. Graham is not welcome at any U.S. Olympic training facility."
Graham helped launch the federal investigation three years ago by anonymously mailing a vial containing "the clear," a previously undetectable steroid to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Graham acknowledged mailing the drug, saying: "I was just a coach doing the right thing at the time."
Graham did not say why he turned in the syringe or how he got the material.
Neither Graham nor his Raleigh, N.C.-based attorney Joseph Zeszotarski returned telephone calls and e-mail inquiries from the AP.
A man who answered the door at Graham's home in Raleigh and identified himself as Graham's son said the track coach would not comment about the pending charges.
Graham steadfastly has denied ever providing banned performance-enhancing drugs to his athletes.
Jill Geer, a spokeswoman for USA Track & Field, the sport's national governing body, declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation.
Last Thursday, Zeszotarski confirmed Randall Evans, the top assistant to Graham, testified to the federal grand jury investigating BALCO and its distribution of performance-enhancing drugs.
But Evans did not provide any incriminating testimony against Graham, the attorney said in a recent statement given to The Associated Press.
"Randall Evans agreed to speak with us about his appearance at the grand jury," Zeszotarski said. "Based upon our interview of him, it is clear that Mr. Evans did not testify 'against' Trevor."
Zeszotarski said Evans "told the grand jury that he knows nothing about Trevor being involved in the distribution of illicit substances."
One person familiar with the investigation told the AP that Graham would not face distribution charges. Instead, the track coach is expected to be charged with obstruction of justice in connection with statements he gave to investigators in 2004.
The grand jury that is expected to charge Graham is the same panel investigating baseball slugger Barry Bonds for tax evasion and perjury related to his testimony about not knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs. Bonds testified that his personal trainer told him he was ingesting flax seed oil and arthritis balm when he really was being given steroids dubbed "the clear" and "the cream."
Five men connected to BALCO pleaded guilty to steroid distribution and other charges.
---
Associated Press writers Lara Jakes Jordan in Washington and Joedy McCreary in Raleigh, N.C.; AP national writer Eddie Pells in Colorado Springs, Colo.; and AP sports writer Robert Baum in Phoenix contributed to this report.
HOCKEY
GRAFTON
KELLY CUP DRAW
Sunday 31st July
First games. 8:00 Bears v Barbs. 8:35 Royals v Easts, NorthernStar v Sailors. Umpiring 8:00 Royals x 2, 8:35 Bears x 2, Barbs x 2.
Consolation Cup 9:15 North Lismore Legends v Barbs C, NorthLismore Avengers v Royals C, Easts v Sailors C. Umpiring 9:15Sailors B x 2, Barbs B x 2, Royals B x 2.
Full draw is on webste.
MEN'S RESULTS.
Rounds of Games From the Last Week Ending 24th July 11.
U16's
Barbs Kookas 4 def Royals Jets 2.
Barbs goal scorers were Mitch Kroehnert 1, Mark Riddell 1 andNick Pate 2.
Barbs report: Good even game. Dane Gleeson and Mark Riddell triedhard all game.
Royals goal scorer Ben Piper 2.
Royals report: Good game played by both teams. Tim Stanmore andLachlan Brown tried hard all game.
Sailors Popeyes 3 drew City Bear B&S Kitchens 3.
Sailors goal scorers were Barney Howard 1, Ryan Leechi 1 andHamish McLennan.
Sailors report: Hamish McLennan had his best game of the year.Ryan Cavanagh was strong and Justin Donoghue strong in defence.Harry Smith and Liam Johhnson tried hard all game.
Bears goal scorers were Natasha Gibson 1 and Brent Russ 2.
Bears report: Natasha Gibson played a great game scoring the lastgoal for bears. Davis Corbett and Kaleb Skinner tried hard all game.
City Bears Elders 5 def Royals Rockets 2
Bears goal scorers were Nathan Butterick 1, Harry Byrnes 1, AnnaBrotherson 1, Chris Jurd 1 and Sam Mason 1.
Bears report: Good game all round. Nathan Butterick and Ben Jurdwere stand outs. Jacob Purser tried hard all game.
Royals goal scorers were Ryan Green 1 and Sam McCarthy 1
Royals report: Royals tried hard but Bears finished all therechances. Tayla Hamilton, Sam McCarthy and Thomas Dougherty.
B Grade
Sailors B 2 drew Barbs Horribles 2
Sailors goal scorers were Jamie Cousemacker 1 and Graeme Felton1.
Barbs goal scorers were Jacob Mahwirt 1 and Dean Broomhill 1.
Sailors report they played good strong hockey Greame Felton andTim Rouse reliable as usual. Jamie Cousemaker got a good sneakygoal. Justin Donaghue strong tackles. Jeremy Davis and MackenzieDavies were a great team. Kallam Laski tried hard. Jye Reardon andPhill Kelly played well.
Avros B 4 def Barbs Warlords 0
Arvos goal scorers were Tim Gilmore 1, Nick Robinson 1, DanielWebb 1 and Luke McSkimming 1.
Avros report: Starting to get depth in play Nick Robinson had agood game.
Barbs report: Solid defensive game Paul Danvers, Dave Oseland andJayden McLoughlin outstanding. Avros are the team to watch in Bgrade.
Royals Raiders 2 def Royals Celtics 0.
Raiders goal scorers were Daniel Amos 1 and Jordan Skinner 1.
Raiders report: The team all played well. Jordan Skinner andDaniel Amos tried hard.
Celtics report: Josh Lavender tried hard and Jim Brothersonplayed well.
Royals A 9 def City Bears Cubs 3
Royals goal scorers were Matt Lobsey 1, Rhys Henwood 1, MichaelSummers 1, Zeb Dougherty 1, Nick Weller 1 and Mitch Harley 4.
Bears goal scorers Mitch Eggins 1, Nathan Butterick 1 and DanCorbett 1.
City Bears A 5 def Barbs Hagars 2
Bears goal scorers were Ryan Cameron 1, Mick Russ 1, Harry Fahey1 and Darby Fahey 2.
Barbs goal scorers were Josh Wainwright 1 and Chris Shipman 1.
Due to the running of the Junior Kelly Cup on Sunday there nousual junior boys or men's C grade competition.
A full report including results of Sundays cup will appear laterin the week.
This Sunday will see the running of the men's senior Kelly cupwith teams from Grafton and elsewhere will be competing.
SOCCER
Corindi/Red Rock Breakers
3rd Division Men - Round 13
Breakers
The Corindi/Red Rock Breakers are struggling for numbers withmany major injuries to 4 of 15 players this week. With anothermissing for the game on Saturday, it was lucky that the usualsuspects were there to fill in. Thanks to Greg Hennessey and KelBennett for becoming part of the team of players most weeks thisseason. The Breakers started off well passing and playing football,leaving Sawtell Scorpions playing on the counter attack for most ofthe game. Sawtell scored from a chance in front of their home crowdto go up 1-0 in the first half. Brendan Bennett equalised sliding ashot passed the keeper to go into the half time break at 1-1.Constant attacks on goal finally paid off for the Breakers gainingthe lead 2-1. The score remained that way up to the final whistlegiving the Breakers a second win over the Scorpions this season.
BMX
Welcome back to the second season of BMX for the year a bigthanks to all that ran racing Saturday while we were in Sydney.
To start we congratulate Cadel Evans on his win in France andRyan Hunter for his placing 3rd in the recent Mountain bike eventheld in Grafton.
As many of you know I spent Saturday learning the new scoringsystem this means that this seasons scores from here on will bedifferent from previous seasons.
This week scores are on the old system but I will be adjustingthem to the new system.
From the sheets in front of me it looks like we had a good turnout of riders
Looks like there was some great competion between the SprocketsCharlie Baker-Daniels, Ryan Vickers and Noah Pesl
8-9 Ryan Hutchinson 41, Chad Bradley 48, Brendan Brown 37
Girls Tahlia Marsh 48, Jodi Baker 24, Stacey Brown 42,
10-11 Josh Marsh 48, James Brown 37, Tom Westman 41,
12-13 Sam Stanton 31, Max Stanton 38, Joel Polsen 30, Nick Marsh41
,16+ Rachel Blanch 17, Emilie Polsen 38, Jermaine Clark 35, RyanHunter 45, Andrew 37
Our club president Les McCann is currently in the process ofgetting a bike and gear ready and want's to invite the other dad'syoung and old and former riders to come and join him on the trackfor some fun. He says why should the young ones have all the fun.
One last reminder State Titles entries need to be with SusanSaturday 30th
See everyone at the track Saturday.
CRICKET
The Clarence River Cricket Association (seniors) will hold itsannual general meeting this Thursday night, July 28, at the GraftonDistrict Services Club, commencing at 7pm.
All positions will be declared vacant and hopefully all positionscan be filled.
This can only happen with strong support from the seven clubs inthe association.
The association, which is one of the strongest in country NSW,had a total of 23 senior teams which competed in last season'scompetition. Hopefully those numbers can be maintained for the 2011-2012 season, which will commence on Saturday, October 8.
TAB DIVS
TAREE
NSW TAB DIVS FOR $1.00
Race 1: 5 7 4. Win $2.80 place $1.50 $1.60 NTD. Q: $3.20. E:$6.50. T: $28.60. First 4: 5-7-4-8: $218.10. Sub: 7. Scr: 1.
Race 2: 6 3 4. Win $3.80 place $2.10 $6.80 NTD. Q: $58.30. E:$76.40. T: $415.50. D: $15.30. First 4: 6-3-4-1: $1,812.00. Sub: 6.Scr: 7.
Race 3: 15 1 8. Win $6.00 place $1.90 $3.00 $1.70. Q: $29.40. E:$50.00. Duets: 15-1: $10.80, 15-8: $4.40, 1-8: $6.50. T: $193.50. D:$27.10. First 4: 15-1-8-6: $1,020.40. Sub: 8. Scr: 2,7,13,17.
Race 4: 4 8 10. Win $17.20 place $3.50 $8.90 $1.70. Q: $473.70.E: $515.20. Duets: 4-8: $81.00, 4-10: $11.30, 8-10: $34.10. T:$3,892.00. D: $113.20. First 4: 4-8-10-1: $10,800.40. Sub: 14. Scr:3,6,11,18.
Race 5: 9 4 3. Win $11.10 place $3.10 $3.60 $5.00. Q: $91.60. E:$178.60. Duets: 9-4: $26.70, 9-3: $34.60, 4-3: $32.60. T: $2,127.60.D: $253.50. First 4: 9-4-3-15: $40,561.10. Sub: 11. Scr: 1,6,12,16.
Race 6: 6 1 9. Win $4.90 place $1.90 $5.10 $2.70. Q: $51.00. E:$87.10. Duets: 6-1: $19.20, 6-9: $10.80, 1-9: $24.30. T: $620.10. D:$74.90. First 4: 6-1-9-5: $5,398.20. Sub: 3. Scr: 10.
Race 7: 1 2 5. Win $4.40 place $1.80 $4.20 $1.90. Q: $28.20. E:$48.50. Duets: 1-2: $16.30, 1-5: $5.30, 2-5: $18.70. T: $231.30. D:$27.10. First 4: 1-2-5-8: $1,138.90. Sub: 1. Scr: 4,7,9,12.
Race 8: 3 2 9. Win $28.60 place $8.20 $1.80 $1.80. Q: $73.20. E:$240.60. Duets: 3-2: $26.30, 3-9: $28.10, 2-9: $5.00. T: $779.20. D:$149.30. First 4: 3-2-9-12: $7,886.90. Sub: 9. Scr: 1,4,6,10,17,18.
NSW TAB DAILY DOUBLE on races 6 and 8: Eishin Rock (6)--Ruby Spy(3) $201.00. Subs: 3,9.
NSW TAB QUADDIE on races 5,6,7,8: (9)(6)(1)(3): $25,881.60. Subs:11,3,1,9.
MACKAY
Race 1: 2 3 1. Win $1.60 place $1.40 $2.90 NTD. Q: $4.60. E:$6.40. T: $13.60. First 4: 2-3-1-7: $45.60. Sub: 2. Scr: 4.
Race 2: 1 3 7. Win $1.70 place $1.10 $2.40 NTD. Q: $4.70. E:$6.70. T: $80.50. D: $3.50. First 4: 1-3-7-6: $338.30. Sub: 1. Scr:2.
Race 3: 3 2 1. Win $8.60 place $2.30 $1.40 $1.30. Q: $12.90. E:$30.60. Duets: 3-2: $4.50, 3-1: $4.40, 2-1: $2.90. T: $62.90. D:$21.00. First 4: 3-2-1-5: $316.50. Sub: 1. Scr: 7.
Race 4: 6 7 2. Win $6.50 place $1.90 $2.50 $4.40. Q: $18.40. E:$57.20. Duets: 6-7: $4.20, 6-2: $13.90, 7-2: $15.00. T: $606.70. D:$53.70. First 4: 6-7-2-1: $1,090.40. Sub: NSR. All Started.
Race 5: 2 4 1. Win $10.70 place $3.20 $3.70 $3.50. Q: $61.50. E:$129.20. Duets: 2-4: $13.70, 2-1: $11.50, 4-1: $18.20. T: $698.80.D: $71.40. First 4: 2-4-1-3: $1,517.40. Sub: NSR. All Started.
Race 6: 8 6 2. Win $4.10 place $1.40 $2.90 $2.00. Q: $26.40. E:$47.00. Duets: 8-6: $7.20, 8-2: $5.50, 6-2: $6.90. T: $328.40. D:$62.70. First 4: 8-6-2-7: $1,609.10. Sub: NSR. All Started.
Race 7: 2 1 9. Win $3.80 place $1.70 $1.50 $2.10. Q: $5.90. E:$14.60. Duets: 2-1: $3.70, 2-9: $8.80, 1-9: $6.10. T: $68.00. D:$48.60. First 4: 2-1-9-5: $304.80. Sub: NSR. All Started.
NSW TAB DAILY DOUBLE on races 5 and 7: Three Little Words (2)--Juveniles (2) $86.60. Subs: NSR,NSR.
NSW TAB QUADDIE on races 4,5,6,7: (6)(2)(8)(2): $1,817.00. Subs:NSR,NSR,NSR,NSR.
GEELONG
Race 1: 8 6 4. Win $6.80 place $3.10 $1.90 NTD. Q: $11.30. E:$23.80. T: $73.00. First 4: 8-6-4-1: $265.70. Sub: 6. Scr: 5.
Race 2: 5 2 4. Win $4.90 place $0 Place Dividends $0 PlaceDividends NTD. Q: $4.80. E: $11.90. T: $38.80. D: $60.30. First 4: 5- 2 - 4 - aos:$ 37.30. Sub: 3. Scr: 1,6.
Race 3: 1 2 3. Win $5.00 place $1.40 $2.90 $2.10. Q: $29.20. E:$69.80. Duets: 1-2: $3.90, 1-3: $5.10, 2-3: $12.60. T: $201.50. D:$79.20. First 4: 1-2-3-9: $616.40. Sub: 9. Scr: 7,8(L).
Race 4: 2 7 6. Win $3.20 place $2.00 $8.90 NTD. Q: $19.40. E:$26.90. T: $322.90. D: $28.50. First 4: 2-7-6-3: $3,127.70. Sub:NSR. All Started.
Race 5: 3 2 4. Win $3.30 place $1.60 $2.10 NTD. Q: $4.60. E:$12.00. T: $42.30. D: $12.10. First 4: 3-2-4-8: $75.10. Sub: 6. Scr:1,5,7,10,11.
Race 6: 12 11 1. Win $8.90 place $2.20 $5.20 $1.90. Q: $176.70.E: $118.10. Duets: 12-11: $33.10, 12-1: $12.80, 11-1: $12.00. T:$1,094.60. D: $48.50. First 4: 12-11-1-4: $6,436.70. Sub: 8. Scr:3,7.
Race 7: 10 11 1. Win $16.10 place $4.60 $1.50 $4.20. Q: $27.40.E: $65.40. Duets: 10-11: $13.70, 10-1: $29.40, 11-1: $12.50. T:$436.40. D: $225.10. First 4: 10-11-1-8: $4,690.90. Sub: 11. Scr:2,12,15,16.
NSW TAB DAILY DOUBLE on races 5 and 7: Bedouin Express (3)--Viper Room (10) $66.30. Subs: 6,11.
NSW TAB QUADDIE on races 4,5,6,7: (2)(3)(12)(10): $2,161.60.Subs: NSR,6,8,11.
HOCKEY GRAFTON KELLY CUP DRAW Sunday 31st July First games... [Derived headline]HOCKEY
GRAFTON
KELLY CUP DRAW
Sunday 31st July
First games. 8:00 Bears v Barbs. 8:35 Royals v Easts, NorthernStar v Sailors. Umpiring 8:00 Royals x 2, 8:35 Bears x 2, Barbs x 2.
Consolation Cup 9:15 North Lismore Legends v Barbs C, NorthLismore Avengers v Royals C, Easts v Sailors C. Umpiring 9:15Sailors B x 2, Barbs B x 2, Royals B x 2.
Full draw is on webste.
MEN'S RESULTS.
Rounds of Games From the Last Week Ending 24th July 11.
U16's
Barbs Kookas 4 def Royals Jets 2.
Barbs goal scorers were Mitch Kroehnert 1, Mark Riddell 1 andNick Pate 2.
Barbs report: Good even game. Dane Gleeson and Mark Riddell triedhard all game.
Royals goal scorer Ben Piper 2.
Royals report: Good game played by both teams. Tim Stanmore andLachlan Brown tried hard all game.
Sailors Popeyes 3 drew City Bear B&S Kitchens 3.
Sailors goal scorers were Barney Howard 1, Ryan Leechi 1 andHamish McLennan.
Sailors report: Hamish McLennan had his best game of the year.Ryan Cavanagh was strong and Justin Donoghue strong in defence.Harry Smith and Liam Johhnson tried hard all game.
Bears goal scorers were Natasha Gibson 1 and Brent Russ 2.
Bears report: Natasha Gibson played a great game scoring the lastgoal for bears. Davis Corbett and Kaleb Skinner tried hard all game.
City Bears Elders 5 def Royals Rockets 2
Bears goal scorers were Nathan Butterick 1, Harry Byrnes 1, AnnaBrotherson 1, Chris Jurd 1 and Sam Mason 1.
Bears report: Good game all round. Nathan Butterick and Ben Jurdwere stand outs. Jacob Purser tried hard all game.
Royals goal scorers were Ryan Green 1 and Sam McCarthy 1
Royals report: Royals tried hard but Bears finished all therechances. Tayla Hamilton, Sam McCarthy and Thomas Dougherty.
B Grade
Sailors B 2 drew Barbs Horribles 2
Sailors goal scorers were Jamie Cousemacker 1 and Graeme Felton1.
Barbs goal scorers were Jacob Mahwirt 1 and Dean Broomhill 1.
Sailors report they played good strong hockey Greame Felton andTim Rouse reliable as usual. Jamie Cousemaker got a good sneakygoal. Justin Donaghue strong tackles. Jeremy Davis and MackenzieDavies were a great team. Kallam Laski tried hard. Jye Reardon andPhill Kelly played well.
Avros B 4 def Barbs Warlords 0
Arvos goal scorers were Tim Gilmore 1, Nick Robinson 1, DanielWebb 1 and Luke McSkimming 1.
Avros report: Starting to get depth in play Nick Robinson had agood game.
Barbs report: Solid defensive game Paul Danvers, Dave Oseland andJayden McLoughlin outstanding. Avros are the team to watch in Bgrade.
Royals Raiders 2 def Royals Celtics 0.
Raiders goal scorers were Daniel Amos 1 and Jordan Skinner 1.
Raiders report: The team all played well. Jordan Skinner andDaniel Amos tried hard.
Celtics report: Josh Lavender tried hard and Jim Brothersonplayed well.
Royals A 9 def City Bears Cubs 3
Royals goal scorers were Matt Lobsey 1, Rhys Henwood 1, MichaelSummers 1, Zeb Dougherty 1, Nick Weller 1 and Mitch Harley 4.
Bears goal scorers Mitch Eggins 1, Nathan Butterick 1 and DanCorbett 1.
City Bears A 5 def Barbs Hagars 2
Bears goal scorers were Ryan Cameron 1, Mick Russ 1, Harry Fahey1 and Darby Fahey 2.
Barbs goal scorers were Josh Wainwright 1 and Chris Shipman 1.
Due to the running of the Junior Kelly Cup on Sunday there nousual junior boys or men's C grade competition.
A full report including results of Sundays cup will appear laterin the week.
This Sunday will see the running of the men's senior Kelly cupwith teams from Grafton and elsewhere will be competing.
SOCCER
Corindi/Red Rock Breakers
3rd Division Men - Round 13
Breakers
The Corindi/Red Rock Breakers are struggling for numbers withmany major injuries to 4 of 15 players this week. With anothermissing for the game on Saturday, it was lucky that the usualsuspects were there to fill in. Thanks to Greg Hennessey and KelBennett for becoming part of the team of players most weeks thisseason. The Breakers started off well passing and playing football,leaving Sawtell Scorpions playing on the counter attack for most ofthe game. Sawtell scored from a chance in front of their home crowdto go up 1-0 in the first half. Brendan Bennett equalised sliding ashot passed the keeper to go into the half time break at 1-1.Constant attacks on goal finally paid off for the Breakers gainingthe lead 2-1. The score remained that way up to the final whistlegiving the Breakers a second win over the Scorpions this season.
BMX
Welcome back to the second season of BMX for the year a bigthanks to all that ran racing Saturday while we were in Sydney.
To start we congratulate Cadel Evans on his win in France andRyan Hunter for his placing 3rd in the recent Mountain bike eventheld in Grafton.
As many of you know I spent Saturday learning the new scoringsystem this means that this seasons scores from here on will bedifferent from previous seasons.
This week scores are on the old system but I will be adjustingthem to the new system.
From the sheets in front of me it looks like we had a good turnout of riders
Looks like there was some great competion between the SprocketsCharlie Baker-Daniels, Ryan Vickers and Noah Pesl
8-9 Ryan Hutchinson 41, Chad Bradley 48, Brendan Brown 37
Girls Tahlia Marsh 48, Jodi Baker 24, Stacey Brown 42,
10-11 Josh Marsh 48, James Brown 37, Tom Westman 41,
12-13 Sam Stanton 31, Max Stanton 38, Joel Polsen 30, Nick Marsh41
,16+ Rachel Blanch 17, Emilie Polsen 38, Jermaine Clark 35, RyanHunter 45, Andrew 37
Our club president Les McCann is currently in the process ofgetting a bike and gear ready and want's to invite the other dad'syoung and old and former riders to come and join him on the trackfor some fun. He says why should the young ones have all the fun.
One last reminder State Titles entries need to be with SusanSaturday 30th
See everyone at the track Saturday.
CRICKET
The Clarence River Cricket Association (seniors) will hold itsannual general meeting this Thursday night, July 28, at the GraftonDistrict Services Club, commencing at 7pm.
All positions will be declared vacant and hopefully all positionscan be filled.
This can only happen with strong support from the seven clubs inthe association.
The association, which is one of the strongest in country NSW,had a total of 23 senior teams which competed in last season'scompetition. Hopefully those numbers can be maintained for the 2011-2012 season, which will commence on Saturday, October 8.
TAB DIVS
TAREE
NSW TAB DIVS FOR $1.00
Race 1: 5 7 4. Win $2.80 place $1.50 $1.60 NTD. Q: $3.20. E:$6.50. T: $28.60. First 4: 5-7-4-8: $218.10. Sub: 7. Scr: 1.
Race 2: 6 3 4. Win $3.80 place $2.10 $6.80 NTD. Q: $58.30. E:$76.40. T: $415.50. D: $15.30. First 4: 6-3-4-1: $1,812.00. Sub: 6.Scr: 7.
Race 3: 15 1 8. Win $6.00 place $1.90 $3.00 $1.70. Q: $29.40. E:$50.00. Duets: 15-1: $10.80, 15-8: $4.40, 1-8: $6.50. T: $193.50. D:$27.10. First 4: 15-1-8-6: $1,020.40. Sub: 8. Scr: 2,7,13,17.
Race 4: 4 8 10. Win $17.20 place $3.50 $8.90 $1.70. Q: $473.70.E: $515.20. Duets: 4-8: $81.00, 4-10: $11.30, 8-10: $34.10. T:$3,892.00. D: $113.20. First 4: 4-8-10-1: $10,800.40. Sub: 14. Scr:3,6,11,18.
Race 5: 9 4 3. Win $11.10 place $3.10 $3.60 $5.00. Q: $91.60. E:$178.60. Duets: 9-4: $26.70, 9-3: $34.60, 4-3: $32.60. T: $2,127.60.D: $253.50. First 4: 9-4-3-15: $40,561.10. Sub: 11. Scr: 1,6,12,16.
Race 6: 6 1 9. Win $4.90 place $1.90 $5.10 $2.70. Q: $51.00. E:$87.10. Duets: 6-1: $19.20, 6-9: $10.80, 1-9: $24.30. T: $620.10. D:$74.90. First 4: 6-1-9-5: $5,398.20. Sub: 3. Scr: 10.
Race 7: 1 2 5. Win $4.40 place $1.80 $4.20 $1.90. Q: $28.20. E:$48.50. Duets: 1-2: $16.30, 1-5: $5.30, 2-5: $18.70. T: $231.30. D:$27.10. First 4: 1-2-5-8: $1,138.90. Sub: 1. Scr: 4,7,9,12.
Race 8: 3 2 9. Win $28.60 place $8.20 $1.80 $1.80. Q: $73.20. E:$240.60. Duets: 3-2: $26.30, 3-9: $28.10, 2-9: $5.00. T: $779.20. D:$149.30. First 4: 3-2-9-12: $7,886.90. Sub: 9. Scr: 1,4,6,10,17,18.
NSW TAB DAILY DOUBLE on races 6 and 8: Eishin Rock (6)--Ruby Spy(3) $201.00. Subs: 3,9.
NSW TAB QUADDIE on races 5,6,7,8: (9)(6)(1)(3): $25,881.60. Subs:11,3,1,9.
MACKAY
Race 1: 2 3 1. Win $1.60 place $1.40 $2.90 NTD. Q: $4.60. E:$6.40. T: $13.60. First 4: 2-3-1-7: $45.60. Sub: 2. Scr: 4.
Race 2: 1 3 7. Win $1.70 place $1.10 $2.40 NTD. Q: $4.70. E:$6.70. T: $80.50. D: $3.50. First 4: 1-3-7-6: $338.30. Sub: 1. Scr:2.
Race 3: 3 2 1. Win $8.60 place $2.30 $1.40 $1.30. Q: $12.90. E:$30.60. Duets: 3-2: $4.50, 3-1: $4.40, 2-1: $2.90. T: $62.90. D:$21.00. First 4: 3-2-1-5: $316.50. Sub: 1. Scr: 7.
Race 4: 6 7 2. Win $6.50 place $1.90 $2.50 $4.40. Q: $18.40. E:$57.20. Duets: 6-7: $4.20, 6-2: $13.90, 7-2: $15.00. T: $606.70. D:$53.70. First 4: 6-7-2-1: $1,090.40. Sub: NSR. All Started.
Race 5: 2 4 1. Win $10.70 place $3.20 $3.70 $3.50. Q: $61.50. E:$129.20. Duets: 2-4: $13.70, 2-1: $11.50, 4-1: $18.20. T: $698.80.D: $71.40. First 4: 2-4-1-3: $1,517.40. Sub: NSR. All Started.
Race 6: 8 6 2. Win $4.10 place $1.40 $2.90 $2.00. Q: $26.40. E:$47.00. Duets: 8-6: $7.20, 8-2: $5.50, 6-2: $6.90. T: $328.40. D:$62.70. First 4: 8-6-2-7: $1,609.10. Sub: NSR. All Started.
Race 7: 2 1 9. Win $3.80 place $1.70 $1.50 $2.10. Q: $5.90. E:$14.60. Duets: 2-1: $3.70, 2-9: $8.80, 1-9: $6.10. T: $68.00. D:$48.60. First 4: 2-1-9-5: $304.80. Sub: NSR. All Started.
NSW TAB DAILY DOUBLE on races 5 and 7: Three Little Words (2)--Juveniles (2) $86.60. Subs: NSR,NSR.
NSW TAB QUADDIE on races 4,5,6,7: (6)(2)(8)(2): $1,817.00. Subs:NSR,NSR,NSR,NSR.
GEELONG
Race 1: 8 6 4. Win $6.80 place $3.10 $1.90 NTD. Q: $11.30. E:$23.80. T: $73.00. First 4: 8-6-4-1: $265.70. Sub: 6. Scr: 5.
Race 2: 5 2 4. Win $4.90 place $0 Place Dividends $0 PlaceDividends NTD. Q: $4.80. E: $11.90. T: $38.80. D: $60.30. First 4: 5- 2 - 4 - aos:$ 37.30. Sub: 3. Scr: 1,6.
Race 3: 1 2 3. Win $5.00 place $1.40 $2.90 $2.10. Q: $29.20. E:$69.80. Duets: 1-2: $3.90, 1-3: $5.10, 2-3: $12.60. T: $201.50. D:$79.20. First 4: 1-2-3-9: $616.40. Sub: 9. Scr: 7,8(L).
Race 4: 2 7 6. Win $3.20 place $2.00 $8.90 NTD. Q: $19.40. E:$26.90. T: $322.90. D: $28.50. First 4: 2-7-6-3: $3,127.70. Sub:NSR. All Started.
Race 5: 3 2 4. Win $3.30 place $1.60 $2.10 NTD. Q: $4.60. E:$12.00. T: $42.30. D: $12.10. First 4: 3-2-4-8: $75.10. Sub: 6. Scr:1,5,7,10,11.
Race 6: 12 11 1. Win $8.90 place $2.20 $5.20 $1.90. Q: $176.70.E: $118.10. Duets: 12-11: $33.10, 12-1: $12.80, 11-1: $12.00. T:$1,094.60. D: $48.50. First 4: 12-11-1-4: $6,436.70. Sub: 8. Scr:3,7.
Race 7: 10 11 1. Win $16.10 place $4.60 $1.50 $4.20. Q: $27.40.E: $65.40. Duets: 10-11: $13.70, 10-1: $29.40, 11-1: $12.50. T:$436.40. D: $225.10. First 4: 10-11-1-8: $4,690.90. Sub: 11. Scr:2,12,15,16.
NSW TAB DAILY DOUBLE on races 5 and 7: Bedouin Express (3)--Viper Room (10) $66.30. Subs: 6,11.
NSW TAB QUADDIE on races 4,5,6,7: (2)(3)(12)(10): $2,161.60.Subs: NSR,6,8,11.
