Obama promotes steps to boost US trade

EVERETT, Washington (AP) — President Barack Obama on Friday called for more steps to help U.S. companies compete overseas, standing in front of an enormous Boeing Dreamliner to summon a bright future for American manufacturing and exports.

Visiting a Boeing plant in Washington state where he watched some of the massive 787s under assembly, Obama pushed for Congress to continue financing a national export credit agency crucial to a goal of doubling exports by 2014. Obama, who faces re-election in November, pointed to the aviation giant as a homegrown company bolstering the U.S. economy by doing business overseas as he sought to make the case that the economy is on the …

Irish govt, bankers blamed for overheating economy

Ireland's government, banks and regulators all gambled on a runaway property market and left the country particularly badly exposed to the global credit crisis, banking experts concluded in two government-commissioned reports published Wednesday.

The reports _ one by Central Bank of Ireland governor Patrick Honohan, the other by Anglo-German economists Max Watson and Klaus Regling _ blamed Prime Minister Brian Cowen for overseeing budgets that fueled rampant property speculation until the bubble burst in 2008. They said Ireland's ill-staffed bank regulators repeatedly failed to raise the alarm despite evidence of unethical accounting and reckless lending practices at …

Our views: W.Va. will miss the farm factor; The state's hard-working farmers have had an effect on its character

NATIONALLY, farmers are an average of 55 years old. WestVirginia's farming community is even older - an average of 56.3years.

As of the 2002 agriculture census, West Virginia had about 20,812farmers - 700 fewer than it had in 1997. Most of them run smalloperations ranging in size from 50 to 179 acres.

But as the longtime operators of these tracts gradually move awayfrom production, much of their land is falling fallow for lack ofyounger family members who want to take over.

And as Jamie Kinsey, secretary-treasurer of the West Virginia FarmBureau, explained to the Daily Mail's Kris Wise, those who do want tofarm but do not inherit land face high capital costs to …

Italy gov't renews expulsion decree for EU citizens deemed dangerous

The Italian Cabinet approved new measures that allow authorities to expel EU citizens deemed a threat to public security or suspected of terrorism.

The measures passed in a Cabinet meeting Friday replace a similar package approved weeks ago and subsequently abandoned because it included a technical error.

The decree is aimed at improving safety in the streets.

The original version was passed in October in response to an outcry over a slaying in Rome that was the latest in a string of crimes blamed on foreign residents. A man from Romania _ …

Venezuela buys ConocoPhillips' gas project stake

Venezuela's state oil company has purchased ConocoPhillips' 40 percent stake in a joint natural gas venture with Chevron Corp.

Terms of the deal announced late Friday were not disclosed.

State-run Petroleos de Venezuela SA, or PDVSA, said it will now team up with Chevron to exploit the reserves in that area of Venezuela's Deltana Platform.

PDVSA will control 61 percent of the joint venture, and Chevron 39 percent. Some 7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves have been discovered, and the project is expected to produce some 750 million cubic feet per day.

ConocoPhillips spokesman Charlie Rowton at headquarters in Houston confirmed …

Late closing set at W. Side pool

The outdoor swimming pool at Dvorak Park, 1119 W. Cullerton,tonight is expected to become the first Chicago Park District pool toremain open until 10 p.m. under a new district policy to discourageafter-hours use.

Park workers were busy yesterday installing and testing newfloodlights and making sure they are properly aligned to providemaximum …

Romney Uses Scare Tactics to Make Point

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney offered a verbal tour of "Hillary's House of Horrors" on Saturday, conjuring images of Halloween spook houses to underscore his criticisms of Democratic front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton.

"You go in one room, she wants to raise your taxes. You go in another room and she wants to have government taking over health care," Romney said to laughter and applause at a town hall meeting in southwest Florida. "You go in the next room and she's weakened homeland security by voting against the authority of our government to listen in to al-Qaida's calls."

Romney said he would keep Clinton from reaching the White House …

Mistress found guilty in slaying of French banker

A Swiss court has ruled that a former mistress is guilty of the murder of one of France's richest men during sex games four years ago.

A 12-member jury at Geneva's Court of Assizes found Cecile Brossard guilty on Wednesday of shooting to death her lover Edouard Stern.

Brossard has admitted killing the banker but denied it was because of a dispute over $1 …

New Kind of Vaccine Raises Hopes

Vaccines are the most effective way to fight infectious diseases.They wiped smallpox off the planet, nearly eliminated childhoodkillers such as whooping cough and measles and dramatically reducedhepatitis and tetanus in adults.

But conventional vaccines have many shortcomings. Poliovaccine, for example, sometimes causes the disease it is meant toprevent; the diphtheria-whooping cough-tetanus shot occasionallytriggers allergic reactions so severe that children suffer braindamage. And vaccines have failed to stop some of the graver threats,including tuberculosis, herpes and the human immunodeficiency virusthat causes AIDS.

Now a revolutionary new type of vaccine …

Lievremont eyes first France win against Australia

PARIS (AP) — France coach Marc Lievremont seeks his first victory over Australia when the teams meet Saturday in a game that is also his final chance to experiment against southern hemisphere opposition before next year's World Cup.

Lievremont, who took charge three years ago, can count on a dominant pack to gain ground, but the backs have not been clicking and his continual tinkering with personnel should offer Australia chances to counter if their scrum holds up.

France's pack has shown its might in consecutive wins against Fiji (34-12) and Argentina (15-9) — and in beating South Africa last year — but Lievremont knows the Wallabies are smart enough to avoid a straight …

Sunday's Medalists

GOLD_Petter Northug, Norway

SILVER_Axel Teichmann, Germany

BRONZE_Johan Olsson, Sweden

___

HOCKEY

Men

GOLD_Canada (Patrice Bergeron, Dan Boyle, Martin Brodeur, Sidney Crosby, Drew Doughty, Marc-Andre Fleury, Ryan Getzlaf, Dany Heatley, Jarome Iginla, Duncan Keith, Roberto Luongo, Patrick Marleau, Brenden Morrow, Rick Nash, Scott Niedermayer, Corey Perry, Chris Pronger, Mike Richards, Brent Seabrook, Eric Staal, Joe Thornton)

SILVER_United States (David Backes, Dustin Brown, Ryan Callahan, Chris …

It's Got Legs // Crab House Thinks Big, Delivers Taste, Value

Crab House (STAR) 1/2 Address: 745 N. Wells Phone: (312) 664-2722 Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-11p.m.; Sunday, 1-10 p.m. Price range: appetizers, $1.95-$7.95; entrees, $10.95-$18.95;desserts, $2.95-$3.50. Credit cards: American Express, Carte Blanche, Diners Club,Discover, MasterCard, Visa Parking: Valet ($3 lunch, $4 dinner) or street Wheelchair accessible? Yes Smoking policy: separate area Atmosphere: Fishy. Stuffed fish, plastic fish, fish hanging fromthe ceiling. The many board feet of pine from bow to stern are anattempt to impart a crab shack atmosphere, but the wood is too newand nice for that. Tables are covered with brown …

Pump Prices May Inch Down More

NEW YORK - The headlines say oil prices have fallen 15 percent this year. Gas station receipts tell a different story - the cost of filling 'er up has slipped from about $35 to $33. Big deal.

The cost will probably drop further, but drivers shouldn't hope for a big windfall at the pump: there's a lot more that goes into gasoline prices than the current cost of crude oil.

Besides taxes and the costs of refining, distributing and marketing, there are factors such as local competition among gas stations. Just as with other forms of retail, consumers see savings when one retailer lowers its price, and the others scramble to match it.

"If gasoline costs me a dollar a gallon, and my competition down the street is selling it for 89 cents, my customer doesn't care what I paid for it," said Richard Oneslager, president of Balmar Petroleum, which operates 14 gas stations in Colorado.

Crude oil prices have fallen from about $61 to $51 a barrel this year on the New York Mercantile Exchange, but the price of gasoline on the side of the road has declined more slowly. The average price for a gallon of regular is down about 13 cents from $2.33 on Jan. 1 to $2.20 on Friday, a day after crude briefly fell below $50.

A typical car holds 12 to 15 gallons, so if it's filled four times in a month, that's savings of less than $8 in a month - not even enough for that daily cup of coffee.

Pump prices haven't plunged to $2 a gallon yet, which is where they were back in early 2005, when crude oil prices were also around $50 a barrel. The big difference was that, unlike now, crude oil wasn't coming off a record high of $78 a barrel just six months earlier.

Essentially, the recent price drop hasn't completely sunk in on the wholesale level, so gasoline retailers are still paying a lot for their product and won't lower prices until competition forces them to do so.

The Energy Department says the price of crude oil accounts for about half the retail price of gasoline. That means if crude oil is down 15 percent, pump prices should be down almost 8 percent.

But the time it takes for a drop in wholesale prices to fully affect retail prices is around 12 weeks, though most of the drop happens within the first two weeks.

"Retailers aren't making their price decisions on the price of crude oil," said John Eichberger, vice president of government relations at the National Association of Convenience Stores. Instead, they focus on how much they paid for their current load of gasoline, and how much their supplier is telling them their next load will cost.

"We don't care about anything except what that tank the truck just brought in cost," Oneslager said.

A sharp rise in crude oil is another story. After crude spiked to record highs the past two summers, it didn't take much time for gasoline prices to follow suit. That's mainly because retailers got nervous that their next shipment of gasoline would cost a bundle, and also because they knew that summer demand is high and drivers could at least for a while pay inflated prices, albeit reluctantly.

Contrary to what many drivers think, the huge "ExxonMobil" or "Chevron" signs above your local gas stations don't necessarily mean they're run by big oil companies - a lot of them are franchised. Jeff Sundstrom of AAA estimates that over 80 percent of the nation's gas stations are run by individuals or small to medium-sized businesses.

The average gasoline retailers have to charge 13 cents per gallon more than they paid to break even, Eichberger said, and mark it up even more to make a profit.

The Oil Price Information Service shows that in 2006, the average gross margin for retailers was 13.76 cents a gallon - meaning profit was less than a cent per gallon. Because of credit card transaction fees, the credit card industry profited more from gasoline sales last year than gas stations did, Eichberger said.

So station owners are loath to bring prices down too far too fast, especially if they're recovering from profits that were squeezed last year. Price wars hit in November and December, Oneslager said, even though wholesale prices were fairly steady and crude oil was down from its summer highs.

Crude oil prices are about $10 lower than where they were a month ago, and many market analysts are saying they could tumble even lower. The reasons include the Northeast United States' warm winter, which caused a glut in heating fuels, and traders following a wave of big funds in making bets in the market that prices will fall. Also, demand may not be as high as some had thought: the American Petroleum Institute said Friday that in 2006, U.S. demand for petroleum fell to below 2004 levels.

At this point, aside from retailers who are trying to make up big losses from last year, there's no reason gasoline prices need to stay high, Sundstrom said.

"Retailers need to see the development of a trend to lower prices. They need to be convinced that these prices will stay down. Now that we're going into third week of prices below $60, AAA's position is that a trend has been established," Sundstrom said.

He guessed that pump prices will fall further, nearing $2 a gallon in the coming weeks, as gasoline retailers ramp up the competition.

Kevin Lindemer, head of Global Insight's energy group, said that historically, gasoline prices tend to drop 2-2.5 cents for every $1 that crude oil drops in the energy markets. With crude oil prices down $10 now from its December levels, U.S. drivers are likely to see pump prices fall about 10 cents further.

That's an average of all U.S. gasoline prices; many regions are already seeing pump prices well under $2 a gallon, while others are still around $3.

Only three states, as of Friday, saw an average price under $2: Michigan, Missouri and Oklahoma. What makes these states special is lower taxes, Sundstrom said, as well as proximity to pipelines and barge routes, which make distribution costs lower. The states that generally see the highest gas prices are California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington.

Overall, drivers should see a bit more savings when filling their tanks, perhaps enough to upgrade their coffee to a latte occasionally. But they shouldn't get too comfortable, because the spring and summer driving seasons could push prices back up. Not only does demand rev up as more people go on road trips, but the type of gasoline is more expensive to refine - summer gasoline has to meet environmental regulations that winter gasoline does not.

Summary Box: Banks stocks lead market lower

RALLY OVER: Stocks fell, ending a four-day rally, after regulators took action against a former Goldman Sachs subsidiary over its mortgage and foreclosure practices. Investors were also worried that a jobs report due out Friday could revive fears of a new recession.

UP, THEN DOWN: The Dow Jones industrial average fell 119.96 points, or 1 percent, to 11,493.57. It rose as many as 103 points shortly after 10 a.m., when a manufacturing report showed evidence of growth in August. It turned lower after regulators announced enforcement actions against a former subsidiary of Goldman Sachs at 1:30 p.m.

RETAIL SALES: Retailers rose after several companies reported August sales gains that beat analysts' estimates.

Germany names strong side for Turkey, Belgium

BERLIN (AP) — Germany named its strongest available side for the upcoming European Championship qualifiers against Turkey and Belgium, despite having already qualified for next year's tournament.

Germany coach Joachim Loew recalled Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez, Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira and Hamburg defender Dennis Aogo to the 24-man squad Friday, when no new call-ups were made.

All three were missing for the September internationals when Germany became the first team to qualify for the tournament in Poland and Ukraine with a 6-2 rout of Austria on Sept. 2.

Stuttgart striker Cacau was a late call-up for that game, and is included again this time.

"It was important for us to qualify as quickly as possible for the European Championships," Loew said. "Now we also want to remain fully concentrated on the games against Turkey and Belgium. Our aim is to secure two victories to finish qualification unbeaten and with 10 wins from 10 games."

Germany plays Turkey in Istanbul on Oct. 7, and hosts Belgium in Duesseldorf four days later.

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Sven Bender and defender Marcel Schmelzer were dropped.

"They were both heavily involved (for Dortmund) in recent weeks so we'll do without them this time," Loew said. "I rang them. They should use the coming days to train well with their club."

Hannover goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler and Borussia Moenchengladbach attacking midfielder Marco Reus are the only uncapped players in the squad. The 22-year-old Reus will hope to finally make his debut after pulling out of the squad four times before due to injury.

___

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover)

Defenders: Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal), Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Christian Traesch (Wolfsburg), Dennis Aogo (Hamburger SV)

Midfielders: Mario Goetze (Borussia Dortmund), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (Cologne), Marco Reus (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Andre Schuerrle (Bayer Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Mesut Oezil (Real Madrid)

Forwards: Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich), Miroslav Klose (Lazio), Cacau (Stuttgart)

Serbian official visits Kosovo; ethnic Albanian deputy PM calls it 'provocation'

A senior Serbian official entered Kosovo on Monday to visit Serb communities _ a move Kosovo's deputy prime minister denounced as a provocation.

Serbia's minister for Kosovo, Slobodan Samardzic, was making a one-day visit Monday _ eight days after Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia _ to meet with Kosovo's Serb minority and with the top U.N. official, Joachim Ruecker.

U.N. officials originally announced they wouldn't let Samardzic enter Kosovo, but changed their minds.

Kosovo's ethnic Albanian deputy prime minister, Hajredin Kuqi, called Samardzic's visit a "provocation" by Serbia, which refuses to recognize Kosovo's independence.

"Unfortunately, the government of Serbia is continuing with provocation regarding Kosovo's future," Kuqi told The Associated Press.

"I hope they are understanding the position that Kosovo is now an independent state," he said. "They need to build some bridges for cooperation with Kosovo, but ... they are provoking us, provoking our people and raising tension in Kosovo."

Serbia, which considers Kosovo the heart of its ancient homeland and the cradle of its Serbian Orthodox faith, has rejected Kosovo's Feb. 17 declaration of independence as illegal.

Belgrade has been backed by Russia, which insists that independence without U.N. approval risks encouraging separatist movements worldwide.

Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority fought a 1998-99 separatist war with Serbian forces, and 10,000 people were killed.

Samardzic on Monday visited a construction site southeast of the capital, Pristina, where Serbia's government has been building houses for some of Kosovo's 100,000 minority Serbs.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Hashim Thaci _ marking Kosovo's first full week of independence _ urged Serbs to integrate with Albanians and pledged that the new state's ethnic Albanian leadership would respect minority rights.

But Samardzic has ignored such statements, and publicly supported Kosovo Serbs who set fire to a border post in the tense north last week.

Ruecker said Monday that the U.N. reconsidered its original decision to keep Samardzic out of Kosovo on condition that he issue a public statement "making it very, very clear that he distances himself from violence and the visit is about ensuring peace and calm with the Kosovo Serbs."

Ruecker said he also insisted that Samardzic meet with the U.N. official so "I can tell him what we think of some of his recent statements."

For suicidal Japanese, help is finally at hand

Four years ago, suicides in this northern city were running at nearly double the national rate, and as the global financial meltdown hit Japan, they might have been expected to go even higher.

But Kurihara has fought back, with impressive results.

The reason is simple _ a recognition that Japan's famously high suicide rate is not so much a feature of Japanese culture, drawing from samurai or kamikaze traditions, but is uniquely woven into the health of the economy.

So instead of treating the suicidal just for depression, as has long been the practice, the city offers financial and legal counseling, along with "hope loans" _ or "nozomi" loans in Japanese _ to get the needy out of debt.

The suicide rate in Kurihara fell from 48.6 per 100,000 people in 2005 to 27.5 in 2007, and city officials expect it to decline again this year, even as the rate rises nationwide.

Now other municipal governments are looking to this city of 80,000 for inspiration.

Makoto Ishikawa believes his life was saved by a nozomi loan.

The 47-year-old has an office job and also runs a family rice farm. Last year, he began drowning in debt to pay his two children's college fees and buy new farm equipment.

"So many bills began piling up," he said. "I realized I needed help."

His plight sounds much like that of millions worldwide in these tough times, but Japan is different. Here banks set stringent conditions for loans, forcing borrowers to rope relatives and friends into guaranteeing repayment.

This can plunge a defaulter into extreme guilt and despair, says Yasuyuki Sawada, lead researcher on a study published last year by University of Tokyo that showed a particularly high correlation between the suicide rate and economic indicators such as gross domestic product.

Yasuyuki Shimizu, a leading anti-suicide campaigner, says: "Japan is a society in which the weak are beaten down, and they are beaten down more quickly than other places. Japan is not an easy place to live."

Japan's economy has languished since its economic heyday in the 1980s, but the high suicide rate tended to be associated, particularly by foreigners, with the samurai ritual of hara-kiri (self-disembowelment) or with the kamikaze pilots of World War II.

"There's a notion in the West that Japanese people commit suicide because of some noble ideal depicted in literature or art," said Kurihara's mayor, Isamu Sato.

"But it's not true. People are driven to suicide because they are struggling in their daily lives. And I'd like people to know that even a little city in rural Japan can take steps to effectively tackle the problem."

The mayor commissioned a survey of 500 residents which found a high number of middle-aged, self-employed men who had contemplated suicide because of financial strains.

Ishikawa, partly self-employed, was typical of the hard-luck cases in this city of rice farms, cattle ranches and hot springs. But rather than abandon hope, he went to the local bank, which referred him to city hall.

The city assigned him a case worker, who got him legal advice and eventually a 10-year personal loan of 8.2 million yen ($93,000), at 7.9 percent interest, which he used to consolidate his debt.

A similar loan from a consumer credit company would have charged double the interest. The nozomi loan still requires a guarantor, but he or she can be an immediate family member, such as a spouse, with the idea that the couple would work together to pay off the loan.

Ishikawa's debt payments are about $1,000 a month _ half of what he had struggled to pay before.

"The loan gave me breathing room, and now I actually have some money left over every month," he said. "The nozomi loan saved me before my troubles drove me toward suicide."

Japan's suicide rate of 25.3 per 100,000 people trails only Russia, parts of Eastern Europe and, more recently, South Korea. Suicides jumped dramatically during a financial crisis in 1998, and more than 30,000 people have killed themselves every year since.

One reason the number has remained high is a sharp rise in younger victims. Sawada, the University of Tokyo researcher, attributes that trend to the growing use of unskilled contract workers, who tend to be younger and are often the first to be laid off. They bore the brunt of job cuts that pushed the unemployment rate to a record high of 5.5 percent in July.

In the first 10 months of this year, 27,644 people took their own lives, a pace that could rival the record of 34,427 deaths in 2003.

Three years ago, the parliament passed a suicide prevention plan.

"The law itself represented major progress," said Tadashi Takeshima, director of the government's Center for Suicide Prevention. "People began to realize that suicide was a serious problem. Before that, it's not something that the country recognized as a national crisis."

In September, voters ousted the long-ruling Liberal Democrats and elected reformist Yukio Hatoyama as prime minister. He promised to make suicide prevention a top priority. The government upped this year's prevention spending by 10 percent to 15.9 billion yen ($175 million) for research, mental health services, job training for the unemployed, education, debt-counseling and help lines.

In late November it unveiled a "100-day suicide prevention plan" for the holiday season, traditionally a time when suicides climb.

The Tokyo district of Adachi began teaching public employees this year to identify and counsel potential suicide victims. It has distributed educational pamphlets and is considering expanding training to volunteer groups.

Kazu Yamazaki, who heads Adachi's program, estimates the district has lost 1,600 people to suicide over the last decade, and expects it may take 10 years to make a difference.

"Suicide is really not something you can solve quickly," he said.

Holland wins runoff in fire union

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Man Denies Seeing Maday Molest Friend // Two Boys Had Secret `Pact' About Accused Priest

OSHKOSH, Wis. A man who was a few feet away when a priestallegedly molested his friend testified Friday that "I did not seeit" and that the victim "never said a word" to him about theincident.

The 22-year-old, now of Mokena, Ill., added, however, that heand his friend had a "pact" that "we were not to be alone" with theRev. Norbert J. Maday because of his reported sexual advances.

Maday, 56, is on trial in Winnebago County Circuit Court wherehe is accused of criminal sexual assault and victim intimidationresulting from outings here in 1986 with teenage boys from Our Ladyof the Ridge Parish in Chi cago Ridge. The trial resumes Monday.

In later testimony Friday, a Missouri psychologist said hisreview of the case showed a "very reasonable degree of certainty"that the two young men who have accused the priest fit behavioralpatterns of sexual abuse victims.

And in an unrelated allegation, a former altar boy at St. Bedethe Venerable Parish, 8300 S. Kostner, said Maday fondled him when hewas 10 - while the boy sat on Maday's lap in a car and in a swimmingpool in the south suburbs.

In the main case, Maday is accused of fondling two men, then 13and 14, on separate trips to a religious youth center called the Place 2B.

The Mokena man told the jury he was on one of the outings andwas in the room when Maday and several boys were wrestling. He saidhe refused Maday's urging to strip to his underwear and join in.

He sat on the floor watching TV in front of the bed where Madayand the other youths wrestled, he said. While he did not witness anyfondling, he said his friend did get off the bed quickly and satelsewhere, away from Maday.

Psychologist James H. Straub of Columbia, Mo., said he reviewed documents from the case and that theaccusers demonstrated characteristics common among people who weremolested as children. However, he was not permitted to personallyinterview them because the two men refused to submit to similarreviews by defense experts.

On cross-examination, Straub said he was not given severalmental health and educational documents about the men that wereturned up by the defense from both before and after the allegedabuse.

"It would be important information to take into consideration,"he said.

Also, Friday Judge William Crane allowed prosecutors to call aformer altar boy, now living in New Orleans, as a witness to testifyabout his accusations about abuse he said occurred in the southsuburbs.

He was permitted to testify in an attempt to show the "intentand motive" of Maday in the charges he faces here.

Now 24 years old, he said Maday let him sit on his lap and steerthe car on a 1980 trip to the south suburbs from St. Bede.

8 missing after ship collision off Albania's coast

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — A Turkish merchant ship sank and eight of its sailors are missing after the vessel collided with a passenger ferry off the Albania's coast, Albanian port authorities said Thursday.

The 3,300-ton Reina 1, sailing under a Maltese flag, sank immediately after the collision in international waters with the car ferry Ankara, said police spokeswoman Ornela Cako.

The crash happened at about 1 a.m. (2300 GMT) Thursday some 20 miles (30 kilometers) from the Albanian port of Durres. No injuries were reported on the ferry, which had left Durres en route for the Italian port of Bari with about 200 passengers. It later arrived in Bari, Italy.

The head of the ports, Edmond Doraci, initially said one body was recovered and two others were spoted at sea but later said that the eight sailors remain missing.

Police and military ships and helicopters continued a search and rescue operation.

The Reina 1, loaded with grain in the Black Sea Russian port of Novorossiysk, had been headed to Bar, Montenegro, with a Turkish crew of 10, according to Ahmed Soyturk, 38, one of the survivors, speaking from the Durres hospital.

"It took only two minutes for the ship to go down," Soyturk said.

The two survivors were in good health, according to hospital personnel in Durres.

Police gave no information on the cause of the crash and prosecutors have postponed questioning the ship's two survivors due to their health conditions.

___

Associated Press photographer Hektor Pustina contributed from Durres.

NOWCAST: PAPERS OF NOTE

INTENSIFICATION OF OCEAN FRONTS

Many fronts in the ocean, such as the Gulf Stream and the fronts comprising the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, experience strong local atmospheric forcing by down-front winds (i.e., winds blowing parallel to the front, in the direction of the frontal jet). An analytic theory and nonhydrostatic numerical simulations demonstrate the mechanism by which spatially uniform, down-front winds lead to frontogenesis. The frontogenesis mechanism does not require that the wind stress has negative curl (or any curl, for that matter), as is the case with classic Ekman frontogenesis. Nor does it require a horizontal, confluent flow field, and thus is distinct from frontogenesis mechanisms based on the frontal model of Hoskins and Bretherton.

Frontal intensification by down-front winds is a consequence of nonlinear Ekman dynamics arising from advection of momentum and density by Ekman flow. When wind blows down a front, Ekman flow advects dense water over lighter water and destabilizes the water column, which leads to convection along the front. Mixing of buoyancy by this convection drives an ageostrophic secondary circulation (ASC), consisting of slantwise overturning cells, that accelerates the frontal jet. The vorticity contrast of the jet induces Ekman pumping, which strengthens the destabilizing density advection, subsequent convective mixing, and jet-accelerating ASC. Repetition of this process leads to frontal intensification, with stronger winds producing faster frontogenesis. For mixed layers with negative potential vorticity (PV), in which two-dimensional disturbances trigger instabilities rather than the inertia-gravity waves common in mixed layers with positive PV, the most frontogenetic ASCs do not translate with the Ekman transport, but instead remain stationary. Vertical circulation is characterized by down-welling on the dense side of the front and upwelling along the frontal interface.

Cross-front sections of density, potential vorticity, and velocity at the subpolar front of the Japan/ East Sea suggest that frontogenesis by down-front winds is active during cold-air outbreaks and could result in strong vertical circulation. Along fronts forced by down-front winds, Ekman-driven ASCs and convective mixing could play an important role in the formation and downward transport of mode waters-waters with low PV that retain properties reflective of the climatic conditions at the time of their formation.-LEIF N. THOMAS (UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON) AND CRAIG M. LEE. "Intensification of Ocean Fronts by Down-Front Winds," in the June Journal of Physical Oceanography.

SEA SPRAY EFFECTS ON MIDLATITUDE CYCLONES

Air-sea transfers of momentum and enthalpy have long been recognized as important elements for generating and maintaining hurricanes. Turbulent transfer processes over the ocean are commonly parameterized using Monin-Obukhov similarity theory, which assumes horizontal homogeneity, steady flow, and no flux divergence in the boundary layer. However, high-wind hurricane conditions produce large amounts of sea spray when air bubbles burst in the whitecaps and spume tears from the wave crests. Consequently, both turbulence and sea spray provide routes by which moisture, heat, and momentum cross the air-sea interface.

Although the question as to whether or how sea spray affects the evolution of hurricanes has been around for a long time, the answer has remained elusive. Most recent studies of sea spray focus on tropical cyclones because of their high wind speeds, high sea surface temperatures beneath them, and the role of sea surface fluxes. Our study instead simulates extratropical Hurricanes Earl (1998) and Danielle (1998), and an intense winter cyclone from January 2000, denoted Superbomb, using a mesoscale atmospheric model coupled to a recent sea spray parameterization. Results suggest that sea spray can increase the sea surface heat flux, especially the latent heat flux, in a midlatitude cyclone. They also suggest that the effect of the sea spray on cyclone intensity depends on storm structure and development, and is strongest for cyclones with high winds.

The figure compares simulations with and without sea spray for the three storms. In each case, sea spray proliferates within a few hours after the simulations begin, and ultimately deepens the central pressure, resulting in an increase in winds. Ongoing research considers the influence of surface waves, and sea surface temperature changes induced by the hurricane, in competition with sea spray.-WILL PERRIE (BEDFORD INSTITUTE OF OCEANOGRAPHY AND DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY), EDGAR L. ANDREAS, WEIQING ZHANG, WEIBIAO LI, JOHN GYAKUM, AND RON MCTAGGARTCOWAN. "Sea Spray Impacts on Intensifying Midlatitude Cyclones," in the June Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences.

HUMIDITY OVER THE WEST FLORIDA SHELF

Latent heat flux from the ocean to the atmosphere fuels the Earth's climate engine, and humidity is a primary factor in determining this flux. To better understand the humidity variability in a subtropical coastal ocean environment, we describe the annual cycle in relative humidity (RH) using four years of meteorological measurements from an array of moorings on the West Florida Continental Shelf (WFS). In determining the cycle, we found that the two different meteorological packages used to collect the data exhibit an offset in the monthly average RH and that the RH in winter sometimes exceeds 100%.

Despite considerable daily and synoptic variability within seasons, the monthly mean values of RH in the eastern Gulf of Mexico are nearly constant at about 75%. Summertime specific humidity is twice that during winter, suggesting that high air temperatures are responsible for the low summer monthly mean RH. Winter and early spring have the greatest RH variability; values range from less than 50% to over 100% as extratropical fronts move over the WFS. High values are observed ahead of slow-moving or stationary fronts, as southerly winds advect warm, moist air over colder water. During this time the RH can exceed 100%, and we observe supersaturation values of up to 3%. Dense fog may form in this dynamically stable atmospheric boundary layer. As the front passes, veering winds become northerly, bringing cold, dry air into the region, and RH decreases by 40%-50%.

Two different RH sensors, mounted on multiple moorings, make the observations. The monthly mean RH values from the Rotronics sensor are consistently higher than the Hygrometrix sensor. While this may partially be due to sensor differences, a contributing cause appears to be the locations chosen for sensor deployment on the WFS. The Rotronics sensors are positioned farther north and closer to shore than the Hygrometrix sensors and are in different air-sea regimes. Therefore, air-sea fluxes over the WFS are sensitive to small spatial variability in the coastal ocean and atmosphere. The coarse grid spacing of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP-NCAR) Reanalysis does not resolve this variability. The lack of coastal ocean data for assimilation biases the NCEP-NCAR Reanalysis RH fields toward land-based measurements where a seasonal cycle is more prominent.

Increased spatial coverage of measurements is required to fully understand coastal ocean air-sea interactions, and hence to correctly model the coastal ocean, thereby justifying a need for Coastal Ocean Observing Systems.-J. I. VIRMANI (UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA) AND R. H. WEISBERG. "Relative Humidity over the West Florida Continental Shelf," in the June Monthly Weather Review.

"EAST GREENLAND SPILL JET" DISCOVERED

One of the fundamental components of the global ocean circulation is the so-called meridional overturning cell, which strongly impacts Earth's climate. In the cell, surface water flows poleward and sinks due to buoyancy loss to the atmosphere, then returns equatorward as deep flow. The newly transformed dense water enters the North Atlantic through the shallow Denmark Strait, between Iceland and Greenland, and subsequently sinks to the base of the continental slope in the Irminger Sea. However, not all of the water flowing through Denmark Strait sinks; some of it remains on the shelf east of Greenland. A new finding reveals that a portion of this dense shelf water subsequently cascades over the shelf break and forms a gravity current that sits atop the overflow water along the upper continental slope.

This feature has been dubbed the "East Greenland spill jet." It was discovered during a shipboard survey of the shelf and slope in August 2001 using conductivity/ temperature/depth measurements and acoustic Doppler velocity profiles. While the spill jet is shallower and lighter than the well-known overflow current, it transports roughly 2 million m^sup 3^ of water per second-comparable to the volume flux of overflow water through Denmark Strait. The spill jet is extremely narrow (less than 10 km wide, which partly explains why it has gone undetected until now), and the large lateral gradients in velocity and density suggest that it is prone to instability. Hence, the jet may offer clues to the mechanisms by which nearshore water is transferred into the interior of the basin.

Future research will investigate what causes the spilling-including the role of the atmospheric barrier winds east of Greenland-as well as the dynamics of the spill jet and its role in the overturning circulation of the subpolar North Atlantic.-ROBERT S. PICKART (WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION), DANIEL J. TORRES, AND PAULA S. FRATANTONI. "The East Greenland Spill Jet," in the June Journal of Physical Oceanography.

NEW LOOK AT SOIL CARBON STORAGE

After four growing seasons, soil below white oak trees exposed to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels (ambient + 300 ppm) had an average of 14% more soil carbon than soil below trees exposed to ambient levels of carbon dioxide. The results were obtained using new methods for collecting and processing soil samples. These techniques yielded improved accuracy in our soil carbon measurements.

The heterogeneity inherent in soil makes quantifying the amount of carbon stored in soil due to CO2 fertilization an elusive problem. Other studies have failed to find statistically significant increases in soil carbon storage because the experiments did not remove litter and fine root fragments that increase soil carbon heterogeneity in the samples.

To overcome these challenges, we developed two new methods for sampling and processing soil. For sampling, we modified an existing soil probe to collect soil without compacting the sample. Our processing technique used flotation to remove litter and root fragments from the mineral soil. Using these improved methods, we measured soil carbon inventories in five soil cores collected from chambers with ambient carbon dioxide levels and in six soil cores collected from chambers with elevated carbon dioxide levels (ambient + 300 ppm) at the Global Change Field Research Site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The observed increase in soil carbon storage in the chambers exposed to elevated carbon dioxide levels could help explain why atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are increasing more slowly than expected. Results also could help improve predictions of future atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.

Future research includes examining how other ecosystems' soil carbon inventories change when their vegetation is exposed to elevated carbon dioxide levels and finding a way to compare the results of carbon dioxide enrichment experiments having different soil carbon turnover times, different levels of CO enrichment, and different lengths of exposure to elevated carbon dioxide levels. -KEVIN G. HARRISON (NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY), RICHARD J. NORBY, WILFRED M. POST, AND EMILY L. CHAPP. "Soil C Accumulation in a White Oak CO2-Enrichment Experiment via Enhanced Root Production," in Earth Interactions, vol. 8 (2004; available online at http:// earthinteractions.org).

CHECK UP

Premature menopause and diabetes

Women with long-term diabetes are at a greater risk for prematuremenopause, according to a report at the American Diabetes 57th AnnualScientific Sessions recently. Researchers theorize that Type Idiabetes is associated with accelerated aging, which may contributeto premature ovarian failure. Women with Type I diabetes hitmenopause at an average of 40.7 years, compared to 49.9 for others inthe study, reported Janice Dorman, associate professor ofepidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh.Avoid swimmer's ear

Spending summer afternoons in the water may seem like harmlesssummer fun, but for some it can lead to swimmer's ear. Bacteria andfungus can become trapped in the outer ear canal and cause itching,swelling and; or tenderness. Generally, the condition can be treatedby cleaning out the ear, but sometimes it requires antibiotics.Doctors recommend using nonprescription ear drops with alcohol to getrid of accumulated wetness.Postpartum changesAfter the baby comes, the postpartum period can last upto a year - especially if a woman is breastfeeding and notmenstruating, says Dr. Adelaide Nardone, consultant to the VagisilWomen's Health Center in White Plains, N.Y. A woman's estrogen leveldrops sharply in the hours after delivery, Nardone says, which cancontribute to mood swings, emotional liability and depression.Protect against unsafe waterIncreased pesticide use, overgrazing and unsanitary sewagedisposal have contributed to the demise of safe drinking water,reports Living Fit magazine. While traveling, the magazine suggestsusing portable purifying systems to avoid fever, chills, cramps anddiarrhea resulting from contaminated water. Here are some tips: whenin doubt, purify; don't brush your teeth with tap water; avoid icecubes; don't swim in water that could be polluted; only eat fruitthat you can peel yourself, and avoid green salads.

9/11 panel, White House push for intelligence reform bill

WASHINGTON -- Former members of the Sept. 11 commission metTuesday with Vice President Dick Cheney, and President Bush plannedtalks with leaders of Congress in an attempt to gain passage for anintelligence reorganization bill this year.

Tom Kean, the former New Jersey governor who chaired thecommission, said panel members are offering Cheney whatever help theycan to break an impasse over military intelligence and immigrationissues.

Kean said he left the half-hour meeting with Cheney optimisticthat the bill would pass, but declined to say what specific strategythe White House would pursue to resolve the impasse.

"He reiterated the full support of the administration," said Kean."What I asked them to do is, as they worked on the bill, if there wasany congressman from either party that I or any member of thecommission could help by talking to, let us know."

Speaking in Ottawa, Bush said he plans to discuss the bill laterthis week with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and House SpeakerDennis Hastert.

"I want a bill," Bush said. "Let's see if I can say it as plainlyas I can: I am for the intelligence bill."

The House reconvenes next Monday to fix an appropriations bill ina session expected to take a few hours at most. The Senate wouldreturn the next day only if a deal is reached on the intelligencebill.

The bill to reshape the nation's intelligence community and createa national intelligence director has stalled amid opposition from twokey House Republicans who charge it doesn't do enough to toughenimmigration requirements and may weaken military intelligence. AP

Germanys to sign unity treaty today

BONN, West Germany Chancellor Helmut Kohl's government lateThursday salvaged a treaty that lays the legal basis for German unityafter Kohl agreed to compromises on abortion rights and handling ofsecret police files.

The treaty will be signed Friday in East Berlin by the twonations' interior ministers.

Kohl on Wednesday talked lawmakers from his coalition intobending to the Social Democrats' demand that West German women not beprosecuted for seeking abortions in East Germany after unity.

The two Germanys also agreed on measures to guard againstpotential blackmailers gaining access to sensitive documents compiledby East Germany's secret police.

Pa. university targets $1.5M off-campus sports bar

Pizzeria owner Thomas Hashem knew his target audience when he opened a $1.5 million sports bar across the street from the University of Scranton.

With its seating for 100, high-end sound system, big-screen plasma TVs and Xbox game systems, Goodfellas _ which opened before summer break to big crowds _ is catnip to college kids.

And that worries officials at the University of Scranton, a Jesuit university with more than 4,000 undergraduates.

The school took the unusual step of suing to prevent Goodfellas from getting a liquor license, managing to win some concessions. Now, it is back in court trying to block a proposed expansion that would make the bar even more enticing for students.

Hashem, 38, said he resents college officials' "knee-jerk response."

"Scranton gives everything to this university," said Hashem, a lifelong city resident who attended the university for two years before dropping out to pursue business opportunities. "The way this university pays this city back is by bullying and harassing its residents, its neighbors and its business people. And it needs to stop."

As universities try to curb alcohol abuse among students, experts say they aren't surprised one would take a bar owner to court.

Many college towns have tried to limit the availability of alcohol off-campus, mainly through restrictive zoning and bans on drink specials and advertising to students. Research has shown that a high concentration of bars and liquor stores near campuses lead to increases in binge and underage drinking.

Scranton, a city of about 75,000 students two hours north of Philadelphia, has dealt with alcohol-related tragedy before: A university student drinking heavily on his 20th birthday fell down a flight of steps and died in 2002. Eleven students pleaded guilty to charges of supplying and selling beer to minors and selling beer without a license.

When the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board awarded Hashem a liquor license for Goodfellas in 2005, the university went to court to get the decision overturned, saying there were already several bars near students.

The university withdrew its suit after Hashem made several concessions, including agreeing to halt takeout sales at midnight at the "Beer Cave," a store attached to Goodfellas, and to close the bar at 1 a.m. Sundays through Wednesdays.

Goodfellas opened in early May, two weeks before the end of the semester, and served hundreds of patrons a night without incident.

Now the sports bar is seeking a 2,500-square-foot expansion into its basement _ a space for pool tables and other games, a DJ booth, live music and additional taps _ and the school is objecting again.

In court papers filed earlier this month, the university said a basement bar "will promote underage drinking among (the) student population and lead to increased criminal activity in the neighborhood." It also raised concerns about the safety of the space.

Hashem said the school is being hypocritical because it serves alcohol at on-campus events.

Goodfellas has an elaborate security system to keep out underage drinkers, trains employees in responsible alcohol service, and offers free food to patrons who appear to have overindulged, said Hashem, who figures his battle with the university will end up costing him around $650,000.

"Scranton needs a nice place like this," he said.

The city has largely taken Hashem's side over the years.

City leaders and neighborhood residents alike spoke in support of Goodfellas when it applied for a liquor license. In May, more than 100 people cheered when the zoning board granted Hashem's request to expand into the basement.

"I'm not sure why they're so overly concerned about it," said Phil Grieco, a 2000 graduate who often returns to Scranton. "Students are still going to find a way to party, to drink, to have fun."

But student body president Joe Quinn, 20, an incoming junior, said he shares the university's concern. "The idea to have a sports bar is a cool thing," he said, but added, "it's a little much to be in such close proximity to the university."

Gerry Zaboski, a university vice president, said the school is being responsible.

"Everyone puts pressure on the colleges to do something about student drinking," he said. "Well, we are."

More people looking for allergy relief

A food therapist who works with clinics and gyms in Bath has seenher business grow dramatically since launching in the city lastyear.

Donna Brown first became interested in allergy testing andalternative therapies when her own health started to fail.

She decided to have herself tested for allergies and found her problems stemmed from adverse reactions to several different typesof food.

Mrs Brown decided to train as a food allergy therapist and set upthe Feel Good Again food allergy testing business dealing with foodallergies and vitamin and mineral deficiencies from her home atGrosvenor Place.

The 33-year-old has seen a six-fold increase in clients over thepast 12 months and is working with two clinics in Bath.

Mrs Brown is also hoping to make food allergy tests available toall students and athletes at the University of Bath.

She said: "The number of clients I see with irritable bowelsyndrome, digestive complaints and many more health problems isastonishing and a big concern of the state of health in ourcommunity.

"More and more people I speak to are complaining of stress-related symptoms, digestive problems, skin problems and allergies ingeneral.

"My ultimate goal is to encourage people to take charge of theirhealth and lifestyle and live a more fulfilling, happier andhealthier life without the misery of constant pain, allergies anddigestive problems.

"The causes of allergies need to be correctly diagnosed so themanagement and treatment for either allergy, sensitivity orintolerance can be appropriately taken."

Mrs Brown treats people via a consultation, food allergy andvitamin deficiency test and then makes recommendations for asuitable elimination programme and supplementation of vitamins andminerals.

Bush says diplomacy is 1st choice in Iran standoff

President Bush, in a fresh warning to Tehran, said Wednesday he favors a peaceful resolution to the nuclear standoff with Iran but has not ruled out the possible use of military force.

Bush spoke at a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, but his words were aimed at Iran. Bush warned Iran against dragging out the dispute to run the clock out on his presidency.

"My first choice is to solve this diplomatically," said Bush, who is rallying European allies to back tougher sanctions against Iran. But he also said: "All options are on the table," a phrase he has repeatedly used in reference to a possible military strike against Iran, even as a last resort.

Iran, which says it is enriching uranium for peaceful purposes, had a message for Bush on Wednesday too.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Bush's presidency was over and the president has failed in his goals to attack Iran and stop its nuclear program. Addressing thousands of people in central Iran, Ahmadinejad described Bush as "wicked," and said that Bush was targeting Iran after dispatching the U.S. military into Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I tell him (Bush) ... your era has come to an end," Ahmadinejad said. "With the grace of God, you won't be able to harm even one centimeter of the sacred land of Iran."

Merkel, who appeared with Bush at the German government's main guesthouse called Schloss Meseberg, said if Iran does not agree to suspend its enrichment program, additional sanctions would be needed.

"If Iran does not meet its commitments, then further sanctions will simply have to follow," she said.

The U.S. and its European allies are waiting to decide if stiffer sanctions should be levied against Iran until after the European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, visits Tehran to present a package of incentives in exchange for stopping its enrichment program. The offer, an updated version of one that Iran ignored a few years ago, was developed by the United States, along with Germany, Britain, France, Russia and China.

Ahmadinejad said pressures and sanctions won't succeed in forcing Iran to halt its uranium enrichment program. "If the enemy thinks they can break the Iranian nation with pressure, they are wrong," he said.

The U.N. Security Council has imposed three sets of limited sanctions against Iran for refusing to halt uranium enrichment, a technology that can be used to produce nuclear fuel or materials for bomb. Iran continues to defy them.

Merkel said she favors having sanctions decided through the U.N. Security Council, but that doesn't preclude any discussion within the European Union about whether there are other punitive measures, perhaps in the banking sector.

At Bush's final US-EU summit Tuesday in Kranj, Slovenia, the leaders issued a joint declaration that said the United States and Europe "are ready to supplement those (previous) sanctions with additional measures" if Iran does not halt enrichment. It also said they would "work together ... to take steps to ensure Iranian banks cannot abuse the international banking system to support proliferation and terrorism."

Addressing opponents of taking certain sanctions, Merkel said "Let us think of the people in Iran. This is what is essential. I think these people deserve a much more _ sort of a better outlook ... and we would hope for the leadership in Iran to finally see reason."

But agreeing to stiffer sanctions, such as taking further steps to squeeze Iran's financial and business dealings, could be difficult for Merkel. Under Merkel, Germany has cut back trade with Iran; German exports to Iran shrank to $5 billion in 2007 from $6.8 billion in 2006. Washington wants Germany to do even more, but Merkel faces a tough re-election campaign next year and has to answer to German businesses that don't want to cut financial ties to Iran.

"German business is not happy," said Julianne Smith, director of the Europe program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "This is going to have political ramifications. She's only going to go so far."

When a reporter asked Bush about the war in Iraq, the president defended the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 and said it was the right decision.

"I don't regret it at all," Bush said, although he said he wished he hadn't used some of the tough language he used at the time. He has expressed regrets about using terms like "dead or alive" when talking about Osama bin Laden or "bring them on" when talking about insurgents in Iraq.

Bush predicted that his administration will be able to finish an agreement with Baghdad that would provide for a normal, permanent U.S. military and diplomatic presence in Iraq. The word "permanent" has been a flashpoint for many who oppose the war, but Bush insisted the U.S. is not seeking permanent bases in Iraq.

On global warming, Merkel said she has not given up hopes of completing global trade negotiations being conducted under the auspices of the World Trade Organization. However, the so-called Doha Round of trade negotiations is at an impasse because of battles between wealthy countries and developing nations over such issues as farm subsidies.

Earlier, after a countryside bike ride that seemed to invigorate Bush, he and Merkel had breakfast and then took a choreographed walk for the cameras through the formal gardens next to the cream-colored castle.

Stocks fluctuate as energy rises, financials fall

Stocks wavered Friday as steep declines by some of Wall Street's marquee firms and other financials outweighed gains in the energy, utilities and materials sectors.

Beyond worries that big financial companies like Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. could be felled by bad debt on their balance sheets, an unexpected slowdown at cash registers last month weighed on shares of retailers and other consumer discretionary stocks.

But the troubles of the financial sector dominated the session as investors tried to glean insights into Lehman's race to sell itself or otherwise regain Wall Street's confidence. The company's shares have spiraled lower this week, heaping pressure on executives at the No. 4 U.S. investment bank to line up a buyer or source of fresh cash.

Lehman shares _ which tumbled 42 percent Thursday and are down more than 94 percent for the year _ fell another 69 cents, or 16 percent, to $3.53 in afternoon trading Friday.

Worries about imperiled balance sheets hit other financial stocks. American International Group Inc. fell $4.58, or 26 percent, to $12.97, making it by far the biggest decliner among the 30 stocks that make up the Dow Jones industrial average. Merrill Lynch & Co. fell $1.69, or 8.7 percent, to $17.74.

Meanwhile, shares of Washington Mutual Inc. fluctuated following contradictory reports over whether JPMorgan Chase & Co. was in talks to acquire the Seattle-based bank. WaMu stock slipped 7 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $2.76.

"I think everyone talks about more shoes to drop and of course there have been a couple of those this week with Fannie and Freddie and Lehman. Hopefully it means we'll be getting closer to the end," said Russell Croft of Croft Value Fund, referring to government bailouts of mortgage lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and Lehman's sell-off and attempts to stay afloat.

In late afternoon trading, the Dow rose 1.14, or 0.01 percent, to 11,434.85 after falling more than 150 points in the early going.

Broader stock indicators came well off their lows. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 4.23, or 0.34 percent, to 1,253.28, and the Nasdaq composite index rose 6.45, or 0.29 percent, 2,264.67. The major indexes each rose more than 1 percent Thursday so some pullback likely wasn't a surprise to traders.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves opposite its price, rose to 3.73 percent from 3.64 percent late Thursday. The dollar was mixed against other major currencies, while gold prices rose.

Light, sweet crude rose 5 cents to $100.92 on the New York Mercantile Exchange after briefly crossing below the $100 mark for the first time in five months. Investors tracked Hurricane Ike, which churned across the Gulf of Mexico toward the Texas coast and refining and drilling operations in the region.

The Commerce Department's report Friday that retail sales fell by 0.3 percent in August unnerved some investors who expected that a decline in gas prices from their mid-July high would leave more money in consumers' wallets.

Investors turned cautious on retailers and other companies that rely on discretionary spending. Sluggishness in buying is an unnerving prospect for Wall Street because consumer spending accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity. Macy's Inc. fell $1.18, or 5.4 percent, to $20.67, while Best Buy Co. fell $1.61, or 3.5 percent, to $44.39.

Not all news was unwelcome Friday. Another government report showing a bigger-than-expected drop in wholesale inflation _ the steepest decline in nearly two years _ at least eased some worries about pricing pressure. And a Reuters/University of Michigan survey on sentiment showed consumers are more upbeat than they were earlier in the summer when energy prices were higher.

But the upbeat news couldn't offset investors' worries about Lehman. Many market observers are doubtful that Lehman will remain independent. Executives have been working to find someone willing to buy all or part of the company, bankers and industry executives close to the situation told The Associated Press.

Bank of America Corp., Japan's Nomura Securities, France's BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank AG and Britain's Barclay's PLC have been mentioned this week as potential buyers for the beleaguered investment bank.

"Hopefully over the weekend there's some merger activity. It would be great for the market to see," Croft said.

Beyond the financial sector, energy and materials names advanced, such as Dow components Exxon Mobil Corp., which rose $1.84, or 2.4 percent, to $77.39, and Alcoa Inc., which rose 89 cents, or 3.2 percent, to $28.51.

Ford Motor Co. rose 31 cents, or 6.6 percent, to $4.99, while Dow component General Motors Corp. rose 55 cents, or 4.2 percent, to $13.29. A Goldman Sachs analyst wrote to in a note to clients that "it is more likely than not" that a loan program for automakers could receive at least partial funding before Congress adjourns this fall.

Declining issues outnumbered advancers by about 8 to 7 on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume came to 1.00 billion shares.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 0.24 or 0.03 percent, to 719.24.

Overseas, Japan's Nikkei stock average rose 0.93 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 rose 1.85 percent, Germany's DAX index added 0.91 percent, and France's CAC-40 climbed 1.97 percent.

___

On the Net:

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

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

Computer Corner.(list of online assistive and information technology resources)(Directory)

WEB RESOURCES

Following are assistive and information technology resources available on the Internet:

* The Trace Center is a research, development, and resource center on technology and disability at the University of Wisconsin--Madison. Contact: http://trace.wisc.edu/.

* The Research Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) Web site provides an alphabetical listing of each state's technology-related assistance projects with contact person, phone number, address, and hyperlink to the state Web page. Contact: www.resna .org/tap/person/p_direct.htm.

* Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) works to make Web-page formats and protocols accessible to people with disabilities so Web-page creators can build in usability for people with disabilities. Contact: www.w3.org/WAI.

* United Cerebral Palsy Association (UCPA) provides disability-policy information (fact sheets on how to get assistive-technology paid for). Contact: www.ucpa.org /text/innovative/dtfsc/index .html.

* President's Committee on Employment of People With Disabilities' Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has a database of assistive-technology products used in making jobs accessible. Contact: janweb.icdi.wvu.edu/english/ homeus.htm.

* U.S. Access Board develops standards for accessible information technology. Contact: www.access-board.gov.

* Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has many rulemakings involving disability issues. Contact: www.fcc.gov and click to Disability Issues Task Force (DITF) page.

* Center for Information Technology Accommodation (CITA) is the General Services Administration's technical demonstration and resource center in Washington, D.C., that provides federal agencies data about information technology. Contact: www.itpolicy.gsa.gov/coca/ index.htm.

Source: President's Committee on Employment of People With Disabilities, www.pcepd.gov.

COMPUTER DONATION PROGRAM

The Samaritan Insurance Program has donated 14 used computers to Operation Rebuild.com, a nonprofit organization that refurbishes used computers and places them in homes of people with disabilities who have low incomes.

Based in Camp Hill, Penn., Operation Rebuild.com is a project of the Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania (CILCP), Diversified Data Systems Inc. (DDS), and Business Technology Consulting (BTC). CILCP administers Operation Rebuild.com, and DDS and BTC provide computer technical assistance.

"The process we use is very simple," says CILCP Executive Director Theotis Braddy. "We seek out various businesses, agencies, and individuals who are ready to purchase new computer systems and ask them if they are willing to donate their old ones to Operation Rebuild.com.

"This ready-and-willing approach allows us to have a number of older computer systems in stock. As funds become available, we rebuild the computers and place them in the homes of people with disabilities."

Depending on the level of technical skills required, Operation Rebuild.com uses a combination of volunteers and paid computer technicians to perform the refurbishing work. Consequently, the organization relies as much on monetary donations as it does computer donations. In addition to the cost of technical labor, the cash pays for upgraded computer components.

"Due to a lack of cash donations, CILCP has been using operational funds to rebuild the computers and pay technicians," Braddy says. "While not ideal, we do this because the program is making a difference in the lives of people who cannot afford to buy computers."

There is more to the program than rebuilding and donating computers. A crucial element is training, which Braddy says Operation Rebuild.com offers to people who receive its computers. Volunteers provide training in basic skills, such as how to use the operating system, word processors, the Internet, and e-mail.

"Operation Rebuild.com is CILCP's response to the information gap," Braddy says. "A lot of people with disabilities don't have transportation and can't afford computers. Operation Rebuild.com empowers these folks by giving them access to the many opportunities available via the information superhighway."

CILCP is a nonprofit, nonresidential organization established by and for people with disabilities. It offers services to people with disabilities as well as to their families, community service providers, government agencies, and private businesses.

Contact: Samaritan Insurance Program, (610) 995-2222, or Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania, (717) 731-1900 / www.cilcp.com.

Computer Corner.(list of online assistive and information technology resources)(Directory)

WEB RESOURCES

Following are assistive and information technology resources available on the Internet:

* The Trace Center is a research, development, and resource center on technology and disability at the University of Wisconsin--Madison. Contact: http://trace.wisc.edu/.

* The Research Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) Web site provides an alphabetical listing of each state's technology-related assistance projects with contact person, phone number, address, and hyperlink to the state Web page. Contact: www.resna .org/tap/person/p_direct.htm.

* Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) works to make Web-page formats and protocols accessible to people with disabilities so Web-page creators can build in usability for people with disabilities. Contact: www.w3.org/WAI.

* United Cerebral Palsy Association (UCPA) provides disability-policy information (fact sheets on how to get assistive-technology paid for). Contact: www.ucpa.org /text/innovative/dtfsc/index .html.

* President's Committee on Employment of People With Disabilities' Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has a database of assistive-technology products used in making jobs accessible. Contact: janweb.icdi.wvu.edu/english/ homeus.htm.

* U.S. Access Board develops standards for accessible information technology. Contact: www.access-board.gov.

* Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has many rulemakings involving disability issues. Contact: www.fcc.gov and click to Disability Issues Task Force (DITF) page.

* Center for Information Technology Accommodation (CITA) is the General Services Administration's technical demonstration and resource center in Washington, D.C., that provides federal agencies data about information technology. Contact: www.itpolicy.gsa.gov/coca/ index.htm.

Source: President's Committee on Employment of People With Disabilities, www.pcepd.gov.

COMPUTER DONATION PROGRAM

The Samaritan Insurance Program has donated 14 used computers to Operation Rebuild.com, a nonprofit organization that refurbishes used computers and places them in homes of people with disabilities who have low incomes.

Based in Camp Hill, Penn., Operation Rebuild.com is a project of the Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania (CILCP), Diversified Data Systems Inc. (DDS), and Business Technology Consulting (BTC). CILCP administers Operation Rebuild.com, and DDS and BTC provide computer technical assistance.

"The process we use is very simple," says CILCP Executive Director Theotis Braddy. "We seek out various businesses, agencies, and individuals who are ready to purchase new computer systems and ask them if they are willing to donate their old ones to Operation Rebuild.com.

"This ready-and-willing approach allows us to have a number of older computer systems in stock. As funds become available, we rebuild the computers and place them in the homes of people with disabilities."

Depending on the level of technical skills required, Operation Rebuild.com uses a combination of volunteers and paid computer technicians to perform the refurbishing work. Consequently, the organization relies as much on monetary donations as it does computer donations. In addition to the cost of technical labor, the cash pays for upgraded computer components.

"Due to a lack of cash donations, CILCP has been using operational funds to rebuild the computers and pay technicians," Braddy says. "While not ideal, we do this because the program is making a difference in the lives of people who cannot afford to buy computers."

There is more to the program than rebuilding and donating computers. A crucial element is training, which Braddy says Operation Rebuild.com offers to people who receive its computers. Volunteers provide training in basic skills, such as how to use the operating system, word processors, the Internet, and e-mail.

"Operation Rebuild.com is CILCP's response to the information gap," Braddy says. "A lot of people with disabilities don't have transportation and can't afford computers. Operation Rebuild.com empowers these folks by giving them access to the many opportunities available via the information superhighway."

CILCP is a nonprofit, nonresidential organization established by and for people with disabilities. It offers services to people with disabilities as well as to their families, community service providers, government agencies, and private businesses.

Contact: Samaritan Insurance Program, (610) 995-2222, or Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania, (717) 731-1900 / www.cilcp.com.

Business people

ARTS

- The West Virginia Internat ional Film Festival board ofdirectors has chosen new officers to lead the nonprofitorganization in coordinating its annual spring and fall festivals.Elected to serve two-year terms, which begin May 6, were PamelaHaynes, president; Steven Keith, vice president; Maureen Johnson,secretary; Robin Hammer, treasurer.

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Mayes, Murray R.(Obituaries)

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Foreign firms want global security experts.

Byline: Phusadee Arunmas

Jan. 11--Foreign business chambers have urged the government to hire international experts with skills in bomb disposal and security to patrol areas that need special care, such as airports, hotels and shopping malls.

Pramon Suthivong, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC), said many foreign business representatives had stayed calm after the deadly New Year's Eve bombings that rocked the capital. But they wanted the government to actively and effectively carry out security measures at venues frequented by foreign tourists, he said.

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Within days, dozens of countries recognized Lithuania's independence, and suddenly Marciulionis and his teammates, including hall-of-famer Arvydas Sabonis, were scrambling to find sponsors and assemble a national team that could compete the following summer at the …

An Environmentally Friendly Route to Silicon Production

R & D UPDATE

Industrial processes for the production of elemental silicon are generally based on the reduction of silicon dioxide (SiO^sub 2^, quartz) by carbon at 1,700�C. In this reaction, carbon reacts with the oxygen in the quartz to form carbon dioxide (CO2). Wuhan Univ. (Wuhan, China; www.lib.whu.edu.cn) chemists have found a way to produce pure Si without the use of carbon as a reductant. The technique involves the electrochemical reduction of SiO^sub 2^. powder in the form of 1.3-cm-dia. pellets to pure Si in molten calcium chloride (CaCl^sub 2^), the electrolyte, at 850�C.

Since SiO^sub 2^ is an insulator, it does not conduct electricity. However, the conversion …