Nebraska AD Fired

OMAHA, Neb. - Nebraska athletic director Steve Pederson was fired Monday, two days after the football team suffered its worst home loss in nearly a half-century.

Pederson, along with coach Bill Callahan, has been heavily criticized after a series of one-sided losses this season. The most recent was a 45-14 loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday with former Cornhuskers coach Tom Osborne and his 1997 national title team in attendance.

Over the past two weeks, the once-mighty Huskers (4-3) have lost by a combined margin of …

Cubs fire hitting coach Perry

The Chicago Cubs fired hitting coach Gerald Perry after 2 1/2 seasons on Sunday in an attempt to spark a sputtering offense that ranks among the National League's worst.

The Cubs had high expectations after winning back-to-back NL Central titles. But with a 29-30 record and a .246 team batting average before Sunday's 3-2 win over Minnesota, general manager Jim Hendry decided to make a change.

Von Joshua was promoted from Triple-A Iowa to reaplce Perry.

"Obviously, we've been struggling for a long time," Hendry said. "I think sometimes you need a new voice. Von's had a lot of success with our guys on the way up. We have really, …

Become a Player at Great America

Sports Illustrated Sports Festival Today, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; tomorrow and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Six Flags Great America, Grand Avenue (east) off of Interstate 94,Gurnee. Main gate admission, $26 for visitors 11 and older; $22 forvisitors 4 to 10. Parking, $5 per car. (708) 249-2133

When I was a kid, I used to wait earnestly for the mailman tobring my copy of Sports Illustrated.

Things have progressed a bit since then. The magazine has spunoff a periodical aimed at children, and has entered othergame-related areas.

Now, for the first time, the traveling Sports Illustrated SportsFestival will stop in the Chicago area at Six Flags Great …

Porn pioneer John Leslie dead at 65

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — John Leslie, who appeared in more than 300 adult films in the 1970s and 80s before moving on to directing, has died in Northern California.

Friends say Leslie, whose real name was John Nuzzo, died Sunday of an apparent heart attack at his Mill Valley home at the age of 65.

Leslie won pornography industry awards as an actor and director. He appeared in such titles …

Russian court finds 13 guilty of ethnic killings

A Moscow court on Monday convicted 12 teenage boys and a man of committing a series of vicious ethnic attacks, including the murder of a well-known chess champion who was a member of Russia's Yakut ethnic group.

The attacks, which were videotaped, set to heavy music and widely disseminated on Web sites, prompted widespread outrage among many Russians and again focused attention on the country's alarming increase in race attacks and hate crimes.

The Moscow City Court sentenced them to prison terms ranging from 4 1/2 years to 10 years after convicting them of crimes including ethnically motivated assault, murder and attempted murder, court spokeswoman Anna …

County OKs '2nd chance' hiring of 100 nonviolent convicts

Cook County taxpayers will soon be paying for nonviolent convictsto work in entry-level county jobs under a plan unanimously approvedThursday by Cook County commissioners.

The program, sponsored by Commissioners Bobbie Steele and RobertoMaldonado, will put 100 people convicted of drug charges, theft andother offenses into existing, vacant jobs.

Candidates can only have one nonviolent offense on their recordand must go through an extensive interview with an appointed board todetermine the nature of the offense, the age they committed it andthe bearing it has had on their ability to find a job since.

If approved, they are put on the job for one year, after …

Black power!

Kudos to University of WisconsinMadison assistant professor Timothy B. Tyson. His biography, Radio Free Dixie: Robert F Williams and the Roots of Black Power (University of North Carolina Press, October 1999, $29.95, ISBN 0-807-82502-6), won …

Zaheer Khan taunts Australia's bowlers

Paceman Zaheer Khan has taunted Australia's bowlers for being unable to dismiss India on the final day of the first cricket test.

Man-of-the-match Khan said Australia would be under pressure for the rest of the four-test series following the drawn result when India reached 177 for 4 chasing 299 for an improbable victory.

"They know they can't take 20 wickets and they are on the back foot," Khan said. "They couldn't get me or Bhajji (Harbhajan Singh) out.

"So we are in with a big chance. They are under pressure we know that. So we are looking ahead at the second game."

Khan's 90-run partnership with Harbhajan …

Nuts for the holidays: Dominick's lights a fire under shopping experience

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire and a Chicago-created TVcommercial featuring a crooning Tony Bennett are just two of theways Dominick's grocery store chain is recreating its image.

The chestnuts can be roasted or carmelized at Dominick's newlyremodeled stores in suburban Lake Zurich and Willowbrook.

The chestnuts are part of a "nut bar" where shoppers can sampleand pick among pecans, cashews, chestnuts and 37 other kinds ofnuts, and watch peanut butter being made, said Jeffery Norkiewicz,vice president of retail marketing execution.

The stores -- at 345 S. Rand Rd. in Lake Zurich and 6300 S.Robert Kingery Hwy. in Willowbrook -- are among 21 Dominick's …

Manning Plays Coy About Injured Thumb

INDIANAPOLIS - Peyton Manning thumbed his way through questions about his injured throwing hand Wednesday. "I attended the Bill Belichick school of discussing injuries, so there's my answer," Manning said, drawing laughter.

Belichick, New England's coach, is known for keeping the status of injured players secret, and Manning took advantage of a rare opportunity to do his own impersonation of the three-time Super Bowl winner by giving no update on his right thumb.

Manning, a two-time MVP, kept both hands in his pockets as he walked into a news conference three days after hurting it the AFC championship game, and when he gestured at the lectern, Manning carefully used his …

Scientists cheer Obama's stem cell reversal

Scientists are cheering President Barack Obama's lifting of federal funding restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, hopeful the move will open the financial floodgates to speed new treatments.

"It's wonderful. We are elated," said Jan Nolta, who directs the stem cell research program at the University of California at Davis. "Now that we can use the federal funds, it will just go so much more quickly."

Directors of university programs in stem cell research said that money would mean more jobs at labs, especially for students just starting their careers. Researchers and biotech entrepreneurs also expect more work.

In …

Joyce's 36 years of service

An 81-year-old has rung the eight bells of St James the Great forthe last time.

Joyce Lacy, of Winscombe Bell Ringers, stepped down from thegroup on Friday for the same reason most ringers call it a day - thenumber of steps leading up the tower to the bells.

Colleagues presented her with a Dartington glass vase for her 36years' service and the only thing ringing in the Woodborough Inn,Winscombe, were glasses …

Mtawarira recalled for Springbok Tri-Nations squad

Frontrower Tendai Mtawarira was included in the 28-man Springboks squad announced Saturday for the opening Tri-Nations tests in New Zealand and Australia, a day after securing his South African citizenship.

The Zimbabwe-born Mtawarira, nicknamed "Beast" and a crowd favorite for the Durban-based Sharks in Super 14s, has 22 test caps for the Springboks but was in international limbo because he did not have a South African passport.

He was legally resident in South Africa and fulfilled the eligibility criteria of the International Rugby Board but South African rugby officials had been instructed earlier in the month not to select the 24-year-old prop for the initial test squads because of the passport situation.

Mtawarira was granted South African citizenship this week, on residency grounds and after government intervention, and was immediately eligible for a Springboks recall.

Francois Hougaard was also drafted back into the squad, which contained 21 players involved in Saturday's 55-11 win over Italy at East London that secured a 2-0 series victory. Reserve lock Flip van der Merwe, who scored late in the second half against Italy, was the only player from the second-test squad to miss out.

Five players who were involved in the earlier tests against Wales, France and Italy were also selected after coming back from rest or injuries, including vice-captain Victor Matfield, lock Danie Rossouw, backrower Ryan Kankowski, prop CJ van der Linde and fullback Zane Kirchner.

"It's a strong squad," Springboks coach Peter de Villiers said. "We are fortunate to have so many of our frontline players fit and available. There is a very strong core of experience in this group and there are several leaders too."

Among those unavailable for selection due to injury are scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, wingers JP Pietersen and Odwa Ndungane and hooker Bismarck du Plessis. Flanker Juan Smith is absent for personal reasons.

The squad contains 16 forwards and 12 backs, with de Villiers using the defense of the Tri-Nations title as buildup to the defense of its World Cup title in 2011.

"The Tri-Nations is always tough and this year's tournament takes on added significance given that the World Cup is taking place in New Zealand next year," de Villiers said. "We have a tough start with successive matches against New Zealand but we have had a good build-up and we have shown that we can win in New Zealand over the past two seasons.

"However, what happened last year is history and we have to look forward and be ready for a new set of challenges in the 2010 competition."

Inside back Butch James and prop BJ Botha were included in the squad despite playing for European clubs.

The Springboks leave next weekend for New Zealand, where they play the All Blacks at Auckland on July 10 and Wellington on July 17. The third match of the series is against Australia at Brisbane on July 24.

The Springboks then have three consecutive home tests in August and September.

___

Squad:

Backs: Gio Aplon, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana, Francois Hougaard, Butch James, Ricky Januarie, Zane Kirchner, Wynand Olivier, Ruan Pienaar, Morne Steyn.

Forwards: Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha, BJ Botha, Schalk Burger, Jannie du Plessis, Ryan Kankowski, Francois Louw, Victor Matfield, Tendai Mtawarira, Dewald Potgieter, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Danie Rossouw, John Smit (captain), Pierre Spies, Gurthro Steenkamp, CJ van der Linde.

Hamas planning protest against Gaza blockade, Israel sends reinforcements

Israeli forces along the border with Gaza were braced Monday to keep a Hamas demonstration against Israel's blockade of Gaza from turning into a mass breakout like last month's storming of the Gaza-Egypt border.

Hamas planned to send thousands of civilians in the direction of the Erez crossing between Israel and Gaza on Monday, protesting chronic shortages of vital supplies in Gaza because of the Israeli restrictions.

Israeli defense officials said they were taking steps to keep Palestinians from flooding into Israel, though they discounted rumors that Hamas would encourage the demonstrators to try to break down the border crossing.

Last month Hamas militants knocked down the wall between Gaza and Egypt with explosives, and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians raced across the border, flooding Egyptian towns and buying everything in sight.

It was a taste of freedom after months of shortages because of the Israeli blockade, imposed after the militant Islamic Hamas overran Gaza last June, expelling Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The blockade was tightened last month after an upsurge in daily rockets attacks on Israel from Gaza.

Egypt reclosed the border after about two weeks.

Morning radio newscasts said the army had moved an artillery battery up to the Israel-Gaza border and that thousands of police with non-lethal crowd control devices would back up soldiers during demonstrations on the other side. The army would not comment on its preparations, but Israeli leaders said they would not allow Palestinians to enter their country.

"Israel will protect its territory and prevent any breach of its sovereign borders," the Defense Ministry said, adding that if trouble were to erupt, "the sole responsibility rests on the shoulders of Hamas."

Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said that as the general responsible for Gaza during a previous Palestinian uprising, he had seen mass demonstrations before and was confident the army would be able to cope.

"Once you are deployed and prepared and there is no element of surprise I imagine the outcome is very clear," he told Israel Radio. "Everything that it is necessary to do will be done."

Early Monday, an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza killed two Hamas militants and wounded three, according to Hamas and Palestinian medical officials. The Israeli military said an aircraft targeted a group of gunmen spotted in the area. Hours later, a second airstrike killed a third Hamas gunman and wounded two others, Hamas said. The military confirmed the attack.

A third Palestinian militant was found dead on Monday morning in the southern Gaza border town of Rafah. A small Palestinian militant group, the Popular Resistance Committees, said the man belonged to their group and was killed while firing his weapon at nearby Israeli soldiers.

Injury-time goal gives Wigan 1-0 win over Spurs

Maynor Figueroa scored his first goal for Wigan in injury time Sunday to give his team a 1-0 Premier League win over injury-hit Tottenham.

With Spurs defender Michael Dawson off injured and goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes laboring with what appeared to be a muscle problem, Figueroa _ a Honduras defender who is on loan from Deportivo Olimpia _ headed in a corner by Ryan Taylor at the near post.

The result kept Tottenham in the relegation zone and winless in five league matches, while Wigan consolidated its hold on seventh place and maintained its status as the Premier League's most in-form team _ with 18 points from the last seven games.

Champion Manchester United had the chance to close to within a point of second-place Chelsea when it hosted the Blues in Sunday's other match.

Jermain Defoe had a quiet second debut for Tottenham, which beat a second-string Wigan side 3-1 in the FA Cup earlier this month. The England striker started alongside Roman Pavlyuchenko and finished it next to Darren Bent, but was unable to forge an effective partnership with either as Wigan dominated possession and chances.

Tottenham had an opening in the first minute when Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland fumbled a header by Ledley King and just managed to clear the loose ball before the attacking Dawson could get to it.

But Wigan edged its way into contention as the first half progressed and controlled the second, with Spurs creating few chances despite the presence of Defoe _ who rejoined the club this week for 15 million pounds (US$22 million; euro16.2 million), a year after leaving.

Wigan striker Amr Zaki headed just wide from a first-half free kick by Taylor and Gomes saved efforts by Wilson Palacios and Emile Heskey, before an injury sustained while clearing the ball limited his movement for much of the second half and meant he had to throw the ball instead of kick it.

With Bent and Aaron Lennon on as tactical substitutions and Jermaine Jenas having replaced the injured Dawson, Tottenham could not replace Gomes _ who was laboring so badly that he could not even take goal kicks.

Wigan, though, was unable to test his mobility until the very end.

Zaki headed wide and then over the bar in the last five minutes of regular time before Figueroa scored late on.

England rests Pietersen for ODIs against India

LONDON (AP) — England left Kevin Pietersen out of its squad for five one-day internationals against India, giving the batsman a chance to rest after a grueling test schedule.

Pietersen was included in a 13-man squad announced on Friday for Wednesday's Twenty20 at Old Trafford but was effectively replaced in the 14-man one-day squad by Ben Stokes, who made his debut this week against Ireland.

The Twenty20 squad features two new players in Jos Buttler and Alex Hales.

"We've selected an exciting blend of experienced international performers along with some exciting young players with a great deal of talent," national selector Geoff Miller said. "The decision to omit Kevin Pietersen from the one-day squad is in line with our policy of sensibly managing player workloads and will give the opportunity to another batsmen to test himself batting at No. 4."

England beat India 4-0 in the four-test series that ended this week, and forced a memorable tie when the teams met in this year's World Cup, which India won as host.

___

England Twenty20 Squad: Stuart Broad (captain), Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Jos Buttler, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Craig Kieswetter, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Kevin Pietersen, Ben Stokes, Graeme Swann.

England One-Day Squad: Alastair Cook (captain), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Craig Kieswetter, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Ben Stokes, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott.

The Constant Candidate

Every election cycle, there are a few things you can count on seeing: bumper stickers, lawn signs, television ads and Christopher Hansen.

Hansen and many others like him are what some call "perennial candidates," people who run for public office often but are never elected. The perennials are usually fringe candidates, running as independents or members of third parties.

Hansen is state chairman of the Independent American Party in Nevada and is running for governor. He has run in every election cycle since 1996 for various offices. Like many frequent candidates, Hansen's motivation for running is more than just getting elected. His number one goal, he says, is to keep the IAP on the ballot, and that requires at least 1 percent of the vote. This year the party is running more than 40 candidates throughout the state; six of them are Hansens, including Christopher Hansen's 26-year-old son Joshua, who is running in his third race.

"Just because we don't win doesn't mean we don't have influence," Christopher Hansen said. "We change the course of the election and the course of the debate."

In nearby Arizona, Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Barry Hess is hoping to do the same thing. Although local GOP leaders had approached him about running as a Republican, Hess insisted on running as a Libertarian as a "matter of personal integrity."

"There's no question I would have had the nomination in my hand right now had I chosen to run," he said of the Republican ticket.

Hess learned which party he belonged in while volunteering on the campaign of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Hess recalls Reagan saying to him, "Barry, you're not a Republican," and then told him he was Libertarian. "I thought the man was calling me names; I had never heard the word!"

Hess wants Arizonans to become as familiar with the term as he now is. This is his second bid for governor; he also ran for Senate in 2000 in what he calls "a calculated political effort to get my name out."

He doesn't consider himself a perennial candidate, however. A plaque on his wall, titled "Portrait of an Achiever," describes the political history of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln lost eight elections before he won the presidency.

"There's a mission here," Hess added.

Faye Walters, the Green Party candidate for the Fourth Congressional District of South Carolina, also sees running as a mission. This is her sixth consecutive run for the same office; she said she feels "intuitively driven to run."

She views her role as a third-party candidate as helping to break the gridlock that Democrats and Republicans create due to their dependency on special interests. "We need other people in," she said.

Walters also believes that she has a better chance than ever before to win the election and that her chances will only continue to improve in the future. Her frequent candidacy has helped her build a solid relationship with the press.

Hansen, too, recognizes the advantages that a constant candidate can have. "You learn the ropes, you learn the insides, you learn the outsides," he said.

"I'll probably run until I die," he continued. Or maybe he'll be elected president; Hansen is still two elections away from Abraham Lincoln's record.

NOTE TO READERS

Due to communications problems between New York and the ChicagoSun-Times, final markets tables were unavailable at press time. Thefigures published are the latest available.

Chief investigator seeks more time to probe criminal network behind Lebanese PM assassination

The chief investigator probing the assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister asked for more time to determine all the members of the terrorist network that killed Rafik Hariri and is responsible for other terrorist attacks.

Daniel Bellemare said Tuesday that he has evidence of the network and its links to some other attacks but he asked the U.N. Security Council to extend the investigation for six months because there is still work to do to put together all the pieces of what he called "a big puzzle."

"I cannot tell you next year at this time, or in six months, or in three months I will have results," he told a news conference. "I can tell you though that we'll use every possible effort and we will expedite the process as it is humanly possible."

South Africa's U.N. Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo, the current council president, said council members "were very happy not to press him on that because we leave that to him."

Bellemare, a former Canadian prosecutor who took over as chief investigator in January from Belgian prosecutor Serge Brammertz, said he gave up a brief retirement "because I felt that I could make a difference." He will maintain investigative powers when he becomes chief prosecutor of the international tribunal that will seek to bring those responsible for the February 2005 suicide truck bombing that killed Hariri and 22 others to justice.

When the tribunal becomes operational is up to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who will take into account its finances, his consultations, and the progress of the investigation, Bellemare said.

He dismissed some media reports that indictments are imminent.

"As prosecutor designate of the tribunal, I will only state that the filing of eventual indictments will not be immediate after the establishment of the tribunal," he told the council. "The admissible evidence will have to be carefully and objectively considered in light of the applicable prosecution threshold."

In his first report to the council on March 28, Bellemare said investigators have evidence that Hariri was assassinated by a "criminal network" linked to some other terrorist attacks in Lebanon.

Eleven attacks have targeted politicians, journalists and security officials; nine involve bombings in public places. A total of 61 people were killed in the attacks and at least 494 injured.

Bellemare reiterated several times that "criminal network" has "to be used interchangeably with the word terrorist."

He refused to give any details of the extent, nature or members of the network that assassinated Hariri _ or the other terrorist attacks linked to the network, telling reporters "those who are being investigated are probably watching as we speak."

When will any names be released?

"The names that will be published will be the names that will be contained in an indictment, and an indictment that will be supported by strong evidence," he said.

Bellemare said he was following Brammertz "in terms of investigating crimes that are politically motivated."

Brammertz said last July that investigators believe the September 2004 Security Council resolution aimed at blocking Lebanon's pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud from a second term "played an important role in shaping the environment in which the motives to assassinate Rafik Hariri emerged."

Bellemare reiterated Tuesday that the top priority of the investigative commission now is to gather more evidence about the "Hariri Network," including its scope, the identity of all its participants, their roles in other attacks, and links with people outside the network.

Four pro-Syrian Lebanese generals have been under arrest for almost two years for alleged involvement in Hariri's murder. Syria denies any involvement in Hariri's assassination, but the furor over the attack forced Syrian troops to withdraw from Lebanon after a 29-year presence.

Bellemare was asked by Russia Tuesday about the generals' continued detention without charges. He replied that their detention is the result of a decision by Lebanese judicial authorities, "pursuant to Lebanese criminal law."

The chief investigator was also peppered with questions about French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner's confirmation earlier Tuesday that Mohammed Zuhair Siddiq, a Syrian reputed to be a key witness in the Hariri assassination, had disappeared while under house arrest in France.

Bellemare said Siddiq had been interviewed by the commission but never replied to an offer to enter its witness protection program.

"I don't know where he is," Bellemare said. "As far as (what) the impact of his disappearance is, this will have to be assessed."

Marlins win, Cubs lose Soriano to broken hand

With one powerful crack of the bat, Dan Uggla sent the Florida Marlins to a second straight win over the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies.

A much different cracking sound could mean six weeks of lean times for the Chicago Cubs.

Uggla hit a game-ending grand slam with one out in the ninth inning, after Jorge Cantu had hit a pair of homers, and Florida beat Philadelphia 6-2 on Wednesday night.

It was the first game-ending home run in Uggla's career, and the second such slam in Marlins history: Bobby Bonilla did it Sept. 16, 1997, against the Colorado Rockies.

Meanwhile in Chicago, star leadoff hitter Alfonso Soriano could miss six weeks with a broken bone in his left hand after he was hit by a pitch from Atlanta's Jeff Bennett in the Cubs' 7-2 victory over the Braves.

"That's a real bummer," Chicago starter Ryan Dempster said after pitching a four-hitter for his first complete game since Sept. 25, 2002. "It's hard to sit back and enjoy the victory when one of your best players, one of the leaders of your team, goes down."

In other NL games, it was: New York 5, Arizona 3 in 13 innings; Milwaukee 10, Houston 6; Colorado 1, San Francisco 0; San Diego 4, Los Angeles 1; Pittsburgh 3, Washington 1; and St. Louis 10, Cincinnati 0.

Cole Hamels was nearly flawless for Philadelphia, striking out 13 over eight innings and giving up just the two home runs to Cantu.

Tom Gordon relieved to start the ninth and gave up a single to Cantu and a pair of walks. Gordon (5-3) fell behind Uggla as well, and the Marlins' stocky slugger crushed a 3-1 offering high over the left-field scoreboard for his team-leading 19th home run.

"The whole at-bat, I'm looking for one pitch in one spot," Uggla said. "Whether I get it or whether I chase something, I'm looking for something I can drive out in the outfield."

Kevin Gregg (5-2) got the win after blowing his fourth save in 16 chances. Chase Utley, who leads the majors with 21 homers, beat out a double-play to drive in the tying run in the ninth.

"We had our chances," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said, "but it didn't work out."

Things did work out for the Cubs and manager Lou Piniella, but at a tremendous cost.

Soriano was hit in the second inning and left the game, going to a hospital for X-rays. A team spokesman said he'll be in a splint for three weeks.

Soriano was on the DL earlier this season with a calf injury _ the Cubs were 9-5 during his absence _ and was just beginning to look comfortable on the bases. After a slow start, he came off the DL the first time and during one stretch last month hit seven homers in six games.

"He was just starting to run the way we thought he could, playing well in the outfield and hitting the ball with some power," Piniella said. "It's a shame, it really is."

Dempster (8-2) wound up striking out 11, giving up just the two runs on four hits for the Cubs, who have the best record in baseball.

Bennett (0-4) made an emergency start after Jair Jurrjens twisted his ankle on the steps leading from the Braves clubhouse after Tuesday night's loss. Normally a reliever, he gave up seven hits and seven earned runs in two-plus innings, leaving to boos when he was driven out in the third, mainly because he'd hit Soriano.

"I feel bad for him. But no means was it even close to being intentional," Atlanta catcher Brian McCann said. "We had him 0-2. We were trying to go in with a fastball, hopefully lock him up. Obviously it got away from him."

Mets 5, Diamondbacks 3, 13 innings

Carlos Beltran hit a two-run homer with two outs in the 13th inning off Edgar Gonzalez (1-3), and host New York overcame a blown save by Billy Wagner to snap a five-game skid.

With two on in the top of the 13th, Claudio Vargas (3-2) got Conor Jackson to ground into an inning-ending double play. The NL West leaders have dropped 15 of 22.

Brewers 10, Astros 6

Corey Hart hit two of Milwaukee's season-high five home runs and the Brewers snapped a five-game losing streak at Houston.

Brandon Backe (4-8) gave up three homers _ to Russell Branyan, Mike Cameron and Hart. Jason Kendall added a two-run shot off Tim Byrdak and Hart connected again off Chris Sampson.

The Astros led 3-1 after Miguel Tejada and Carlos Lee homered off Manny Parra (5-2).

Rockies 1, Giants 0

At Denver, Garret Atkins scored the game-winner on Yorvit Torrealba's bases-loaded fly ball in the ninth, even though he was initially called out.

Umpire Fieldin Culbreth saw that Giants catcher Bengie Molina had dropped the ball while making a swipe tag and ruled Atkins safe. Molina was charged with an error on the play.

Brian Fuentes (1-2) pitched the ninth to get the win. Keiichi Yabu (2-3) got the loss.

Padres 4, Dodgers 1

Randy Wolf (5-4) combined with two relievers on a five-hitter, and rookie Edgar Gonzalez and Khalil Greene hit solo homers for host San Diego.

Trevor Hoffman threw the ninth for his 15th save in 18 chances.

Chad Billingsley (4-7) gave up four runs and eight hits over seven innings for Los Angeles.

Pirates 3, Nationals 1

At Pittsburgh, Ryan Doumit homered for the third time in two games and Ian Snell (3-6) pitched into the seventh inning to earn his first win in 11 starts.

Doumit singled twice and Freddy Sanchez had two hits and scored a run for the Pirates, who have won three of four. A day after blowing his first save of the season, Matt Capps earned his 16th save by getting Elijah Dukes to ground into a game-ending double play.

Cardinals 10, Reds 0

Rick Ankiel and Jason LaRue homered off Johnny Cueto (5-6), and St. Louis' Braden Looper pitched a three-hitter for his first career shutout.

The host Reds got only two runners into scoring position against Looper (8-5), who hadn't gone more than 8 1-3 innings in any of his 43 previous starts.

Supreme Court May Rule on Guantanamo Today

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court is expected to rule today on whether President Bush overstepped his authority with military war-crimes trials for foreigners held at the U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

A ruling is also expected on Arizona's insanity defense law, in an appeal brought on behalf of a schizophrenic teenager who killed a police officer.

The two cases are all that lie between justices and a three-month vacation from the court.

Initially, the court had planned to adjourn for the summer on Monday, but the justices had not finished work on five cases.

On Wednesday they ruled in a Texas redistricting case and cases involving the rights of inmates and foreign suspects.

At the end of Wednesday's session, Chief Justice John Roberts announced that the high court would finish its work on Thursday.

---

On the Net:

Supreme Court: http://www.supremecourtus.gov/

Texas' McCoy Hurt on TD Dive

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was hurt on a touchdown carry in the first quarter of the fourth-ranked Longhorns' game against Kansas State on Saturday night.

McCoy, who went up the middle from a yard out on fourth-and-goal to put Texas up 7-0, was buried under a pile of defenders on the play.

He was holding his right shoulder after the play and he later left the sideline.

The redshirt freshman, whose 27 touchdown passes this year are a school record and two shy of the NCAA freshman record, was replaced by freshman Jevan Snead.

It was the first action of the year for Snead, who had pushed McCoy hard for the starter's job this summer. He was 0-for-2 and had one carry for 14 yards on his first possession.

Booming Muslim population eager to join mainstream

Islam in America is wider, deeper and more ethnically diverse thanever in its history, and Muslims are poised to bring their faith,politics and culture into the mainstream of national life, accordingto a comprehensive new study, "The Mosque in America: A NationalPortrait."

The study was based on a scientific sampling of all 1,209 U.S.mosques-from lavish new suburban complexes to storefront anduniversity student centers-and lengthy interviews with mosqueleadership. It was conducted by a consortium of academic and Islamicgroups and coordinated by Hartford Seminary Institute for ReligiousResearch.

Researchers compared the new portrait of mosques with a similarstudy in 1994. The study says that:

The number of mosques has increased 25 percent, from 962 in 1994to 1,209 in 2000.

Average mosque attendance at Friday prayers has nearly doubled, up94 percent, from 150 to 292.

Most mosques have an ethnic diversity unmatched in Christian andJewish congregations, with 90 percent of them reporting a mix ofSouth Asian, African-American, Arab and other groups born in theUnited States and abroad worshipping together.

There could be more than 6 million Muslims in America today, theresearchers calculated, based on 2 million people who are formallyaffiliated with mosques, up from 500,000. They attribute the growthprimarily to immigration.

But perhaps the most significant finding is the determination ofMuslims to make mosques "the platform for full participation inAmerican life," said Ihsan Bagby of Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C.,co-chairman of the research committee. "We found that 90 percent ofmosque leaders said yes, Muslims should become involved in Americansociety and in the political process. I thought they would be morereticent. Because mosque leadership is still primarily based onimmigrants, I thought they would be more socially and politicallyconservative."

The Council on American-Islamic Relations was another of the studysponsors.

"Mosques today are not only centers for spirituality, they arealso bases for political and social mobilization, focal points forMuslim life in a way they may not have been in more traditionalIslamic societies," said Nihad Awad, executive director of thecouncil. "Muslims believe that by involvement with the largersociety, they can do service to America."

Awad cited last year, when mosques conducted their biggest andmost visible voter registration drive.

"Increasingly, they are going to be claiming a place in the publicsquare," said David Roozen of Hartford Seminary. "They still seethemselves as an `out' group rather than a `core' group in Americanlife right now, but that is going to change as they move intopositions where they can assert their heritage," said Roozen.

It's a familiar pattern in American history, as each immigrantgroup has developed a congregational, organizational life differentfrom their home countries, Roozen said. Their houses of worship are"more than just houses of prayer, but centers for a whole range offellowship and community programs, just as the German Lutherans, theIrish and Italian Catholics and the Dutch Reformed did in centuriesbefore."

Number of School Council Hopefuls Up

The number of Chicago local school council candidates is up thisyear for the first time since 1989, Board of Education officials saidMonday.

Friday was the deadline for candidates to file. Preliminarytallies show 7,975 parents, community members, teachers and studentswill be vying for 5,470 seats on April 17 and April 18, officialssaid. That's 400 more than in the last elections in 1993.

That brings the candidates per seat to 1.46, compared to therecord low 1.34 in 1993, said Kenneth Wong, University of Chicagoassociate professor of education.The number of candidates had been dwindling since 1989, thefirst year of reform, when roughly 17,000 people ran. In 1991 thenumber dropped to 8,400, and in 1993 it plunged to 7,400. AlthoughFriday's candidate totals did not match 1989 or 1991's numbers,Schools Chief Executive Officer Paul Vallas said, "I'm glad westopped the trend. The numbers are up."This year's local school council candidates include LynetteCarr-Sherrod, the former Prosser High School council chairwoman whowas accused of pressuring staff to raise her daughter's grades, andJohn Bartgen, the former Hale council chairman accused of running atyrannical voting bloc. Both schools were declared "in crisis"following council controversies.The controversy at Hale brought out 20 council candidates vyingfor 10 seats. The highest candidate turnout - 26 - was at DisneyMagnet, where one council faction has been battling the principal,board officials said.

Global Deals Network

In Detail:

Sartorius and Stedim Join Hands for Disposables

Sartorius AG (Goettingen, Germany) has acquired a substantial stake in the biopharmaceutical supplier Stedim Biosystems S.A. (Aubagne, France) and combined its biotechnology division with Stedim. Upon completion of this transaction, Sartorius will become Stedim's majority owner controlling the combined company. The combined company will be named Sartorius Stedim Biotech S.A. "Given the strong double-digit growth rates in the biopharmaceutical markets and the shift in our markets toward disposable solutions, this is the ideal time for our biotech division and Stedim to come together," said Dr. Joachim Kreuzburg, CEO and chairman of the executive board of Sartorius.

Nautilus Biotech Inks Korean Deal

Nautilus Biotech (Evry, France) has signed a collaboration and license agreement with HanAll Pharmaceutical (Seoul, Korea) to develop and commercialize three Nautilus Biotech products in South Korea: Belerofon (Interferon alpha); Vitatropin (human growth hormone); and EporalTM (erythropoietin). The three Nautilus Biotech proprietary proteins included in the agreement have been designed for extended half-life and oral availability. By reducing the number and frequency of treatments needed and offering oral administration, these new drugs will enhance patient convenience and compliance. Under the terms of the agreement, HanAll Pharmaceutical will develop, manufacture, and market the licensed products in the territory of South Korea.

Vaccinex and Teva Team Up for Antibody Development

Vaccinex, Inc. (Rochester, NY) has entered into a collaboration with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd. (PetachTikva, Israel) to develop and commercialize VX15, a novel human antibody discovered by Vaccinex. VX15 represents a new targeted therapy that has the potential to improve efficacy in treating multiple sclerosis by suppressing the body's autoimmune response and blocking damage to the central nervous system. According to the terms of the agreement, Teva will make an equity investment in Vaccinex and pay undisclosed fees, development milestones, and royalties on product sales. Vaccinex retains rights to oncology indications and will continue to conduct all preclinical development activities, which will be funded by Teva.

Now playing at a theater near you

'The Help' ★★★

A story of African-American maids in the South during Jim Crow days, how they view their employers and how they empower a young white woman to write a best-seller about them. A good film, involving and wonderfully acted. (PG-13, 146 min.) Roger Ebert

'The Interrupters' ★★★★

This remarkable documentary follows members of CeaseFire, tough ex-cons who go daily into the streets of Chicago to try to talk gang members out of shooting at each other. By Steve James, who made the masterpiece "Hoop Dreams." (NR, 164 min.) Roger Ebert

Dale Robinette