Fiat may rework plan with GM

After meeting with its chief creditors, Fiat SpA finally confirms it may renounce the put option it has with General Motors Corp.

The company says the option remains valid but it would immediately disclose any "concrete" change to it. This is the first time the company has publicly acknowledged it was considering changing the agreement.

GM owns 20 percent of Fiat Auto and is under obligation to buy the remaining 80 percent - if Fiat wants to sell and forces GM to buy-from 2004 until 2009.

Sources say that if Fiat throws out the put, GM will inject much needed money into Fiat Auto. One option has GM paying $2 billion for an additional 10 to 20 percent stake in Fiat …

American Express 2Q results show even rich consumers getting pinched by credit crisis

In a sign that even wealthier consumers are feeling the pinch of the credit crisis, American Express Co. said its second-quarter profit tumbled as it set aside more money to cover souring loans across all its portfolios.

The credit card lender, known for catering to America's elite, said late Monday that its second-quarter earnings fell 38 percent, well below Wall Street's expectations.

The effects of the weakening economy were evident even among its more established members with excellent credit.

"Consumer spending slowed during the latter part of the quarter and credit indicators deteriorated beyond our expectations," American Express …

FBI chief planning to retire from post: ; Louis Freeh worked as an agent for the bureau for 18 years

WASHINGTON - FBI Director Louis Freeh said today that he plans toretire in June. In a statement, Freeh thanked President Bush forhis "unwavering support of me and the FBI." Appointed by PresidentClinton, Freeh has been director of the bureau since 1993.

He listed many accomplishments achieved at the bureau since then,including hiring several thousand new special agents, forging arelationship with the CIA, doubling the FBI's overseas presence anda bigger budget for crime-fighting.

The bureau was embarrassed by the arrest early this year of aveteran FBI agent, Robert Philip Hanssen, on allegations that he hadspied for Moscow since 1985.

Freeh said at the time, …

Gunmen Abduct Dozens at Baghdad Office

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Suspected Shiite militiamen dressed as Interior Ministry commandos stormed a Higher Education Ministry office Tuesday and kidnapped dozens of people after clearing the area under the guise of providing security for what they claimed would be a visit by the U.S. ambassador.

Witnesses and authorities said the gunmen raced through all four stories of the building, forced men and women into separate rooms, handcuffed the men and loaded them aboard about 20 pickup trucks.

Shortly afterward, authorities arrested six senior police officers in connection with the abductions - the police chief and five top subordinates in the Karradah district, the central Baghdad …

Ajax beats AC Milan 2-0 in Champions League

MILAN (AP) — Demy de Zeeuw and Toby Alderweireld scored second-half goals Wednesday to give Ajax a 2-0 win over AC Milan in their last Champions League group match and secure a spot in the second-tier Europa League competition.

Milan had already clinched a spot in the knockout phase, while the Dutch team finished third in Group G with seven points.

Milan finished second with eight, …

Coast Guard to BP: Speed it up, stop the spill

The Coast Guard has demanded that BP step up its efforts to contain the oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico by the end of the weekend, telling the British oil giant that its slow pace in stopping the spill is becoming increasingly alarming as the disaster fouled the coastline in ugly new ways Saturday.

The Coast Guard sent a testy letter to BP's chief operating officer that said the company urgently needs to pick up the pace and present a better plan to contain the spill by the time President Barack Obama arrives on Monday for his fourth visit to the beleaguered coast. The letter, released Saturday, follows nearly two months of tense relations between BP and the …

The state does track Promise scholarships: W. Va. will know how the program works in practice

I read with dismay the Charleston Daily Mail's Feb. 28 article inthe about the efforts of the Promise Scholarship Program to trackwhat happens to scholars once they graduate.

While I am not directly responsible for the administration of theprogram, I have participated in these efforts and can say withcertainty that Promise graduates are being and will be tracked.

* Will we know how many Promise scholars are working in WestVirginia?

Yes. We have set up a data exchange with the Bureau of EmploymentPrograms to determine whether Promise scholars are working in WestVirginia.

* Will we know how many are pursuing graduate education in WestVirginia?

Yes. …

McLaren team releases details of spy allegations against F1 rival Renault

McLaren has raised the stakes in Formula One's latest spy scandal by releasing details of its allegations against rival team Renault.

Renault has been summoned to a Dec. 6 hearing of the World Motor Sport Council in Monaco on charges of having "unauthorized possession of documents and confidential information" of McLaren cars between September 2006 and October 2007.

British newspapers on Friday quoted a memo leaked by McLaren's lawyers suggesting that Renault's activities were more serious than those that resulted in McLaren being fined a record US$100 million for possessing secret Ferrari documents.

"It is clear that McLaren's …

31st CPS student this year murdered

A Chicago Vocational Career Academy sophomore was gunned down as he was returning to his Woodlawn home from a neighborhood store.

Tommie Williams, 18, was walking on the street near 61st and Cottage Grove with several others when he was shot in the upper back around 5 p.m. Thursday, according to police, who said the incident may be gang-related.

Williams had just purchased cigarettes and was coming back home, his mother said. He is the 31st Chicago Public Schools student to die from street violence this year.

Williams was interested in diesel engines and had been planning a career related to cars, his family said Friday.

Lois Williams, 39, said her oldest …

Called and sent . . . and other stories

Adapted from a sermon preached at Altona Bergthaler Mennonite, Man., in 2006. She is currently on assignment with Mennonite Church Canada Witness in Israel/Palestine and is one of Canadian Mennonite's five bloggers.

My stories mainly corne from Africa, as I spent 13 years of my childhood in Kenya and Tanzania, and then worked in relief and development in Mozambique for six months before coming to work for Mennonite Church Canada.

In southwestern Mozambique, visitors to a congregation will open by introducing themselves with a hymn or other Christian song. Such a practice has an interesting effect. It places the focus of the introduction on what is held in common: the glory …

French cosmetics giant Lancome in contract wrangle with former spokeswoman Uma Thurman

French cosmetics giant Lancome and Uma Thurman are wrangling over the use of her name and image in an advertising campaign.

The company asked for a ruling against the actress, who it says is demanding $1 million (euro650,000) for unauthorized use of her name and face on Canadian billboards and Asian Web sites after her contract expired.

Thurman's lawyer, Bertram Fields, said he was surprised by Lancome's lawsuit.

"I thought we were negotiating in good faith," Fields said Thursday. "I guess the French decided to strike a pre-emptive blow."

Lancome and Thurman signed a two-year contract in April 2000 with an option to …

Putin's right-hand man nominated Moscow mayor

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's chief of staff was nominated Friday as Moscow's next mayor, a move seen as bringing the capital's sizable political and business interests under the direct control of the Kremlin.

The Moscow city legislature has to approve the nomination of Sergei Sobyanin, which is widely seen as a formality. It also locks Putin's grip on power ahead of presidential elections in 2012. President Dmitry Medvedev put forward Sobyanin's name.

Putin appointed Sobyanin as his chief of staff in 2005 during his first presidency, and hasn't ruled out another term. Putin has been the dominant leader in a ruling tandem with his protege Medvedev, and …

Unlicensed `agent' could land in real trouble

Q. Enclosed please find a sales agreement that I composed forthe purpose of selling real estate for other people. I am not alicensed real estate agent, but I have bought and sold numerousproperties over the past eight years, so therefore I feel I have theknowledge to handle the sale of properties for others. What do youthink about this?

A. Not much.

State laws require study, examinations, and (in most states)experience under the supervision of a broker before anyone can chargesellers for assisting in real estate transactions.

If you go through with your plan, you'll be in plenty of hotwater. In addition to violating the license law, you are bound tomake ignorant mistakes and find yourself being sued for all sorts ofblunders.

For example, what you sent me isn't a "sales agreement" at all,but rather an attempt at a listing contract. It contains a jumble oflegalese and many "whereases," also many errors. It states, forexample, that you will have no liability on sales transactions - butit happens that such a statement, no matter who signed it, wouldn'trelieve you of liability at all.

Q. I've been getting prospective buyers who ask, "would you takea second mortgage on your home?" Exactly what does this mean? Whatwould my rights be?

If, for instance, I did "take" a $20,000 second mortgage, wouldthis mean that my rights are nil and I'd have a $20,000 loss?

A. Taking back a second mortgage means accepting a promissorynote from the buyers in return for taking $20,000 off the purchaseprice. The note (or bond) is backed up by a mortgage giving you afinancial claim against the property.

If the buyers have decent credit and sufficient income (check itout beforehand), they should pay you monthly until you've collectedthe whole $20,000 with interest.

To be on the safe side, don't accept any proposal unless thebuyers put some of their own money in the property in the form of acash down payment. If they have nothing invested, it might some daybe easy for them to walk away from the place.

If buyers are assuming your first mortgage, that's one thing.But if they're obtaining a new first mortgage, beware of anyagreement that involves lying to a lending institution about theadditional borrowing agreement they have with you.

Q. I am a registered nurse with a good income. I am planning tobuy a house between $100,000-$200,000. Many people tell me that Iwill not be granted a mortgage loan because I am 56. Is it true? Iam healthy and work easily as much as I want.

A. Lenders are not allowed to discriminate on the basis of age.You'll be judged exactly like any other applicant, on your credithistory, income, assets and debts.

Your only problem might arise if you are not on salary. In thatcase, you'll be asked to furnish past income-tax returns, to provethat you have enough dependable income.

Q. My husband and I assumed an FHA mortgage six years ago. Ourreal estate agent did not tell us that we would have to pay an FHAmonthly mortgage-insurance fee. What exactly is this fee and do wehave to pay it for the life of the loan, even though we also havehazard insurance that covers the full value of our home?

We have 19 years left on a 30-year mortgage. Someone told usthat we may get a lump-sum payment from the insurance when the loanis paid off.

A. Back in 1979 when that loan was made, FHA mortgages includedan extra charge of one-half percent a year for mortgage insurance.You just pay it on whatever debt remains, every year for the life ofthe loan. (FHA loans made since September, 1983, handle the insurancecharge with a different lump-sum premium.)

FHA rates during 1979 varied from 9 1/2 percent to 10 1/2percent. Assuming that your loan was the higher figure, the rateshould have been described to you as "10 1/2 plus a half", the "half"representing the insurance premium. Often, though, agents simplyquoted "11 percent" without explaining the distinction.

Your hazard (or homeowners) insurance protects you, andindirectly your lender, against loss because of fire or similarcauses. Mortgage insurance is a different matter; it protects thelender against loss if you default on the loan.

The FHA, or rather its parent agency HUD, placed your mortgagein a pool with many others. Over the years, lenders are reimbursedfor losses with money from the mortgage-insurance premiums in thepool. When you make your final payment, if there is money left inthat pool, you may indeed qualify for a refund of unused premiums.Readers have told me they received anywhere from $600 to $1,400.

Q. I am an old girl - 85 in November - and feel it is time tomove closer to my son and his family as he is urging me to do.

I have a house that is 29 years old, and frankly it has not beenkept up to the extent I would like it to be. Younger people wouldkeep the garden in better condition.

I am thinking of selling it as is - is this a possibility?

A. Of course your house can be sold "as is." If it isn't ingood enough shape to pass inspection for a regular bank mortgage, youmay have to discount the price to find a cash buyer. Or you mayagree to hold the mortgage yourself - receiving the purchase priceover a period of years (with interest).

Call three different real estate companies that are active inyour area, and ask each to send someone to look at your home and giveyou advice. Interview all three, then put your property in the handsof the one who inspires most confidence, with whom you feel mostcomfortable.

Q. We need information on income averaging when we sell our homebecause we are not buying another and are not yet 55. We expect alarge profit.

A. Forget income averaging.

It went out with the last round of tax reform and is no longeravailable as a federal income-tax technique.

For some with tickets, it was 'No We Can't'

They say Washington's all about access. Still, this was ridiculous.

First, in an episode fast becoming known as "The Purple Tunnel of Doom," thousands of people with coveted tickets at the Capitol were kept out of President Barack Obama's inaugural ceremony and left waiting in a tunnel below the National Mall, with officials blaming unanticipated crowd control problems.

Then, hours later, in an incident perhaps less grave but still acutely disappointing, many young partygoers with $75 tickets to the Youth Inaugural Ball were kept waiting for hours because of space problems, all dressed up and nowhere to go.

Some missed Kid Rock perform. They also missed Kanye West. And much worse, they missed Barack and Michelle Obama.

"Yes, we can!" they heard the crowd inside chant joyously as the first couple greeted them and took a romantic twirl on the stage, to the tuba music of an Air Force band.

But no, actually. They couldn't.

"We missed everything," said a dejected Andre Rodriguez of Houston, a student who'd worked on Obama's campaign staff in Texas and had been excited to see the man himself at the ball, which was broadcast by MTV.

Fire marshals decided to temporarily stop letting people into the ballroom for safety reasons, according to a statement from Melanie Roussell, spokeswoman for the Presidential Inaugural Committee.

Rodriguez, 22, speculated that "maybe it was justice" _ after all, he had been lucky enough to witness the inaugural ceremony earlier that day.

But thousands of others who'd scored prized tickets did not make it.

At issue were tickets in the purple and blue sections, said a statement Wednesday from the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, which apologized for the incident. It attributed the problems to unprecedented crowds, plus a huge flow of unticketed people toward the Capitol and into the 3rd Street Tunnel, where the ticket holders were directed.

The Senate's chief law enforcement officer also apologized. Sergeant-at-Arms Terrance Gainer cited the size of the crowd and the fact that people took up more space in ticketed areas than anticipated because of bulky winter clothing. "There was no more room to get in," Gainer said.

He also said a broken power generator meant some automatic screening machines didn't work, requiring security officers to hand-search many ticket holders.

Gainer said 3,000 to 4,000 people were kept out, but two people who were in the tunnel, Jeremy Cohen and Adam Safran, said it looked like many more were there.

"There was no security, no crowd management, nothing," said Safran, 39. "I got there at 6 a.m. and still couldn't get in. Some people got there at 4 a.m."

Ironically, he said, he had friends who arrived much later _ around 8:30 _ and got into the ceremony just fine, because they weren't directed to the tunnel.

Cohen, 31, of New York City, said things "got ugly for a second," when people who'd been waiting for hours noticed newer arrivals cutting in. "There definitely was a lot of potential for something bad happening," Cohen said. "Luckily people were mostly in good spirits."

By about 10:30, when it was clear they weren't getting in, Cohen said he and Safran left the tunnel. They knew that trying to get onto the Mall _ with a crowd of at least 1 million _ was too difficult by then. So they found a nearby restaurant and watched on TV.

"We've had pretty good time here anyway," said Safran, of Benicia, Calif. "But think of the people who only traveled to Washington because they had these coveted tickets. There must have been a lot of brokenhearted people."

By Wednesday there were more than 1,000 members of a Facebook group called "The Purple Tunnel of Doom."

"It's remarkable that there wasn't a riot," wrote one, Marc Lynch. "I rode the Metro home with a lot of people who had been turned away, including an elderly African-American woman muttering over and over to herself that it had been one of the worst experiences of her life."

By contrast, the Youth Ball experience might seem petty _ except that for many it was their only chance to see Obama. The president paid tribute there to the vital contribution that young people made to his campaign.

"This was carried forward, inspired, driven by, energized by young people all across America," he said. "The future will be in your hands," he said. "You will make it happen."

Well, maybe not Tuesday night. Rodriguez, dressed in a tux rented for more than $100, and his friend, Jazmin Acuna, who'd spent the same getting her hair done, thought they were in, after waiting an hour in the cold outside the Washington Hilton.

But it turned out that was just the beginning. Inside, they couldn't get into the packed ballroom. They could drink, though: "Seven bucks for a beer and nine bucks for a cocktail," Acuna, 23, said.

As midnight neared, and crowds were still waiting outside, the couple was part of a group milling in the lobby. A reporter asked if they would keep trying to get in.

"Nah," Rodriguez said. "We gotta leave."

___

Associated Press Writer Brian Westley contributed to this report.

Everett Likely to Be Partially Paralyzed

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - The Buffalo Bills' Kevin Everett sustained a "catastrophic" and life-threatening spinal-cord injury and his chances of regaining a full range of body motion are very small, an orthopedic surgeon said Monday.

"A best-case scenario is full recovery, but not likely," Dr. Andrew Cappuccino said, one day after performing a four-hour operation on the player. "I believe there will be some permanent neurological paralysis. ... A full neurological recovery was bleak, dismal."

Cappuccino noted the 25-year-old reserve tight end did have touch sensation throughout his body and also showed signs of movement. But he cautioned that Everett's injury remained life-threatening, saying the player is still susceptible to blood clots, infection and breathing failure.

Everett is currently under forced sedation and breathing through a respirator as doctors wait for the swelling to lessen. Cappuccino said it will take up to three days to determine the severity of the injury and the recovery process.

During the operation, Cappuccino repaired a break between the third and fourth vertebrae and also alleviated the pressure on the spinal cord. Doctors made a bone graft and inserted a plate and four screws.

Cappuccino said Everett was alert and is aware of the extent of his injuries.

"I was honest with him, and he told me, 'Do everything you can to help me,'" said Cappuccino, who works for the Bills as a consultant, specializing in spinal surgery.

Cappuccino received permission to operate from Everett's mother, Patricia Dugas, who spoke by phone from her home in Houston.

Everett was hurt in Buffalo's season opener against Denver on Sunday when he ducked his head while driving in to tackle Broncos' Domenik Hixon during the second half-opening kickoff. Everett dropped face first to the ground after his helmet hit Hixon high on the left shoulder and side of the helmet.

Replays showed the player twitching for a few seconds as he attempted to get up before falling back to the ground. Everett's eyes were open but he showed no further signs of movement during the next 15 minutes as the team's medical staff and emergency personnel placed him on a backboard and, with the player's head and body immobilized, loaded him into an ambulance at the Broncos 30.

Bills team doctor John Marzo said Everett was alert from the time he was loaded onto the backboard and throughout the drive to the hospital.

"It's a tough situation to watch because he's somebody's son, brother and friend," punter Brian Moorman said Monday. "It's all you could think about during the game, after it happened, after the game and this morning. And we just want him to get better, we want him to heal."

Quarterback J.P. Losman said it was difficult to concentrate during practice.

"It seems like every couple of seconds that go by it's always popping into your head," Losman said. "Going through a walk-through, we're looking for him, wanting to hear his voice."

The Bills have Tuesday off before returning to practice to prepare to play at Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Coach Dick Jauron said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell called him Sunday evening, offering the league's support.

"We honor ourselves by our work, and we honor Kevin by moving forward and working while never forgetting Kevin and never getting him out of our thoughts and prayers," Jauron said. "We're going to wait and see what the outcome is here and we're really hoping and praying for the best."

Buffalo's 2005 third-round draft pick out of Miami, Everett missed his rookie season because of a knee injury. He spent most of last year playing special teams. He was hoping to make an impact as a receiver.

His injury recalled the one to Mike Utley, the former Detroit Lions guard who was paralyzed below the chest. He injured his neck in a collision during a 1991 game.

"I'm sorry this young man got hurt," Utley told the AP. "It wasn't a cheap shot. It was a great form tackle and that's it."

The 41-year-old Utley now lives in Washington state and is promoting a bike tour aimed at raising money in an effort to cure paralysis.

"These are big strong men competing at the highest level. You can do everything to prepare yourself - lift weights and all that," Utley said. "But is it going to happen again? Yes."

Everett's injury was not the only one sustained by the Bills.

Cornerback Jason Webster (broken forearm) and free safety Ko Simpson (broken ankle) had surgery, and Jauron said both could miss the rest of the season. Also, linebacker Coy Wire has a sprained knee and is out indefinitely.

---

Associated Press Sports Writer Pat Graham in Denver contributed to this report.

After Iowa, Romney now hopes to pull away in NH

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Mitt Romney eagerly pocketed an endorsement from two-time New Hampshire primary winner John McCain on Wednesday and bid to convert a single-digit victory in Iowa into a Republican presidential campaign juggernaut. Unimpressed, Newt Gingrich ridiculed the former Massachusetts governor as a liberal turned moderate now masquerading as a conservative.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum sought to rally conservatives to his side after coming achingly close to victory in Iowa, saying he "hoped to surprise a few people just like we did" in the campaign's first contest.

"This is a wide-open race still," added former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who skipped the Iowa caucuses in hopes of making his mark in next Tuesday's first-in-the-nation primary.

Romney is the odds-on favorite to win the New Hampshire primary, though, and it is unclear how much campaign cash any of his rivals has available to try to slow or even stop his momentum. Additionally, in a measure of his establishment support, the former governor announced he would campaign with South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley on Thursday, as he was joined by McCain in New Hampshire.

"The time has arrived for Republicans to choose a presidential nominee, a new standard bearer who has the ability and determination to defeat President Obama," said McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, and a man with a demonstrated appeal to the state's independent voters.

Already, the Republican field of challengers was dwindling.

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann ended her campaign after a dreary 5 percent showing in Iowa, the state where she was born.

After suggesting he, too, might withdraw, Texas Gov. Rick Perry decided otherwise. "Here we come, South Carolina!!!" he tweeted. That primary is Jan. 21, and will mark the first balloting in the South as well as in a state that is part of the Republican Party's conservative, political base nationally.

Iowa, for months ground zero in the Republican race, yielded an almost impossibly close finish.

Romney emerged with an eight-vote victory over Santorum, whose grass-roots campaigning produced a late surge that fell just shy of victory. Texas Rep. Ron Paul finished third, followed by Gingrich, Perry and Bachmann.

A survey of Iowa caucus-goers highlighted the internal divisions in the GOP as it sets out to find a challenger for President Barack Obama in the general election campaign.

Romney, who campaigned as the man best positioned to defeat Obama, was the favorite by far among caucus-goers who said that goal was their priority. Paul was preferred by those who said what mattered most was backing a true conservative. Santorum ran particularly well among those who said they were looking for a candidate with strong moral character.

Paul outpolled his rivals among younger voters and gained an estimated 48 percent share of self-identified independents, a group that traditionally plays a major role in determining the outcome of New Hampshire's primary.

"If you look to bringing new people in, the frustrated young people that Obama had, you have to look at my campaign. I mean that's where the enthusiasm is," he said.

McCain and Romney clashed sharply as rivals in 2008 before reconciling for the fall campaign.

The Arizona senator did well among younger and independent voters in his two New Hampshire primary campaigns. Now, in a supporting role, he said, "Our message to President Obama is, you can run but you can't hide from your record."

Romney was more scathing. Paraphrasing the president, he recalled, "He said, 'If I can't turn this economy around in three years, I'll be looking at a one-term proposition.'

"Well, I'm here to collect," he added.

Before leaving Iowa, Romney made the round of early morning interview programs, sounding at times more like an analyst of a race than a competitor.

"I think there's a real boost coming out of Iowa, not just for me but also of course for Rick Santorum and Ron Paul," he said.

At the same time, he brushed aside suggestions that his share of the vote in Iowa, less than 25 percent, was a sign of weakness.

"Ronald Reagan got 29 percent of the votes here and ultimately he was able to become our nominee," said, referring to the 1980 campaign that put Republicans in the White House.

He had a stiffer response to Gingrich, who refused to extend congratulations in the wake of the Iowa outcome.

"I'm sure he's disappointed in the results last night. But I expect he'll go on and mount a spirited campaign," he said.

Spirited might be an understatement, given the sharp escalation in rhetoric from the former House speaker in the final hours in Iowa. His campaign purchased a full-page advertisement in the Union Leader, New Hampshire's largest newspaper, calling Romney a Massachusetts moderate.

Talking with reporters in Concord, N.H., Gingrich described himself as a "conservative leader for the last generation," and depicted Romney as something entirely different.

"In that same time period, Gov. Romney was first an independent, then repudiated Reagan-Bush, then voted for Paul Tsongas, the most liberal candidate in the '93 campaign, then ran to the left of Teddy Kennedy and then became a moderate to run for governor in Massachusetts in 2002."

Gingrich accused his rival of including state-funded abortions in the health care legislation he signed into law in Massachusetts and said he had "specifically designated Planned Parenthood as a part of Romney care, appointed liberal judges to placate Democrats and raised taxes on business..."

"I suspect it's going to be a very lively campaign," he added.

Gingrich was briefly the leader in opinion polls in Iowa, before his support eroded under the weight of attack ads by a super PAC run by Romney's allies. Short of funds, the former speaker was unable to respond in kind, and declared he would run only a positive campaign.

Having jettisoned that approach, it is unclear how much money his campaign has left after Iowa, and how willing a separate super PAC set up to support him is to spend.

Personally, Romney was able to remain largely above the fray in Iowa's ad wars, generally running positive commercials while his allies took on Gingrich and other rivals.

Except for appearing at debates, Perry is not expected to compete in New Hampshire, saving his energy and cash for South Carolina.

In bowing out, Bachmann bestowed no endorsement. Nor did she say if she intended to seek re-election to the House from Minnesota.

___

David Espo reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Philip Elliott, Shannon McCaffrey and Steve Peoples in New Hampshire; Brian Bakst in St. Paul, Minn., Mike Glover in Des Moines, Iowa, and Chris Tomlinson in Austin, Texas, contributed to this story.

FBI: Violent crime decreasing

The FBI says violent crime is on the downswing.

Data released Monday show violent crime dipped slightly nationwide in 2007. That ended two years of increases in murders, robberies, and other kinds of the worst crime in U.S. cities.

An estimated 1.4 million violent crimes were reported across the country last year _ about 10,000 fewer, or a 0.7 percent drop, than 2006.

The number of burglaries, car thefts, arsons and other property crimes also dropped by 140,000, or 1.4 percent. That marked the fifth year of property crime decreases, the FBI said.

Justice Department spokesman Peter Carr said the data are the result of crackdowns on gangs, drug dealers and gun crimes, and used the drop to call on Congress for $200 million in additional funding to continue such efforts.

Mayors across the nation have pleaded for years for more federal funding to combat violent crime. They expressed tepid support for the $200 million when Attorney General Michael Mukasey called for it in January, and said far more dollars are needed.

The crime rate began to rise after historic lows that began during the Clinton administration and continued into President Bush's first years in the White House.

Monday's results confirm what the FBI predicted earlier this year: that increases in violence nationwide have waned, even if not as much as originally thought. Preliminary data released in January showed a 1.8 percent drop in violent crime for the first six months of 2007 _ a decrease more than twice as large as the full year's results.

The new data show that police nationwide made 14 million arrests in 2007, not counting traffic offenses.

From murders to carjackings, crime dropped in every category compared to last year, the FBI reported. Murders decreased by 0.6 percent, for example, as did larcenies and thefts. Rapes dropped by 2.5 percent to the lowest levels since 2000.

Except for arsons, property crime accounted for $17.6 billion in losses to victims, the data show. Police reported an estimated 9.8 million property crimes in 2007.

___

On the Net: A breakdown of crime by state and city can be found at: http://www.fbi.gov/page2/sept08/crimestats_091508.html

SAP sees higher 3Q software revenues

Germany's SAP AG said Monday that it expects to post a 13 to 14 percent increase in software-related revenues for the third quarter, but said it saw a sudden drop in business at the end of September as global market turmoil escalated.

Walldorf-based SAP said it expects software and software-related service revenues for the July-September period to come in at between euro1.97 billion and euro1.98 billion _ between US$2.66 billion and US$2.67 billion.

That compares with revenues of euro1.74 billion in the third quarter of 2007.

SAP said final revenue and net profit figures are not yet available. The company reports final figures for the quarter on Oct. 28.

"The market developments of the past several weeks have been dramatic and worrying to many businesses," Henning Kagermann, the co-chief executive of the company, said in a statement.

"These concerns triggered a very sudden and unexpected drop in business activity at the end of the quarter," he added.

"Unfortunately, SAP was not immune from the economic and financial crisis that has enveloped the markets in the second half of September, causing us to report numbers below our expectations."

SAP said in July the company expected software and related service revenues _ excluding a charge related to an acquisition _ to increase by between 24 percent and 27 percent for the year.

The company said the Americas region is expected to report software and software-related service revenue growth of around 12 percent for the third quarter, while the Europe, Middle East and Africa region is expected to report growth of around 14 percent.

The Asia Pacific Japan region is expected to report growth of around 18 percent for the quarter.

SAP said that, for the first nine months, the company is expecting to book revenue for software and software related service revenues at about euro5.8 billion (US$7.83 billion) _ an increase of about 17 percent from last year.

The company said third-quarter revenues from software alone were expected to come in 7 percent to 9 percent higher, between euro740 and euro750 million (US$999 million to US$1 billion) _ compared with euro715 million in the year ago quarter at constant currencies.

SAP made its announcement after its shares closed down more than 16 percent in a broadly lower Frankfurt market at euro28.84 (US$38.93).

___

On the Net:

http://www.sap.com

Some old and true sayings ; Poetry

ALL that glistens is not gold. A rolling stone gathers no moss, Abird in the hand is worth two in the bush, Waste not want not, Astitch in time saves nine, Birds of a feather stick together,Further the distance better the friends, Every cloud has a silverlining, Never judge a sausage by its skin, Money is the root of allevil, Beauty is only skin deep, Handsome is that handsome does, Oneswallow doesn't make a summer, Every dog has its day, Still watersrun deep, Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weepalone, Empty vessels make most sound, Ignorance is bliss, Great oaksfrom little acorns grow, If at first you don't succeed, try tryagain, Watch pot never boils, Look before you leap, People in glasshouses shouldn't throw stones, Don't bite the hand that feeds you,After dinner rest a while after supper walk a mile, Beauty is in theeye of the beholder, A fool and his money are soon parted, If thecap fits wear it, Save your breath to cool your porridge, Neverargue with a fool people may not notice the difference, The way to aman's heart is through his stomach, Educate the masses and you'vehad it, It will never get well if you pick it.

F Tampin Waun Burgess Carmarthen

Veteran Indian filmmaker G.P. Sippy dies at age 93

Veteran Indian filmmaker G.P. Sippy, best known for producing one of Bollywood's biggest-ever hits in the 1975 blockbuster "Sholay," died at his home after a prolonged illness, an official at his film company said Wednesday. He was 93.

Sippy, whose film career spanned more than four decades, died Tuesday night. He was suffering from liver ailments, said the official, who didn't want to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Sippy was due to be cremated Wednesday.

He entered the film industry with the production of the Hindi language film "Marine Drive" in 1955.

He produced 17 films and directed six of them. His major box office hits included "Light House," "Bhai Behn" or "Brother, Sister," "Andaz" or "Style," and "Sita aur Gita."

He became a household name with his 1975 blockbuster film "Sholay" or "Embers," one of India's biggest-ever hits.

It was a story about two small-time thieves recruited by a former police officer to fight a bandit leader. The movie also featured Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan and was directed by Sippy's son, Ramesh Sippy.

G.P. Sippy also had served as the chairman of the Film and TV Producers Guild of India four times since 1970s. He won several Indian film awards.

He is survived by two sons.

Israel seizes jailed Palestinian militants

JERICHO, West Bank - Israeli troops using tanks, helicopters and bulldozers pounded a Palestinian-run prison in the West Bank on Tuesday to seize a Palestinian militant leader and his accomplices in the assassination of an Israeli Cabinet minister. The dramatic 10-hour standoff ignited an unprecedented spasm of violence against foreigners across the Palestinian areas. Aid workers, teachers and journalists took refuge at Palestinian security headquarters in Gaza as militants attacked offices linked to the U.S. and Europe, burning cars and torching the British Council building in Gaza City. AP

Bill extends discount for workplace safety committees

In the past five years, Electro-Platers of York Inc. has saved $12,250 on workers' compensation insurance because the metal-finishing company has a statecertified safety committee.

But company President Dave Sollenberger said he will lose his statemandated 5 percent discount next month because the state imposed a five-year cap when it revised the workers' comp law in 1996.

Businesses such as Electro-Platers that immediately took advantage of the discount also will start losing the discount soon unless legislation sponsored by Lancaster Republican state Sen. Gibson Armstrong is approved by the House. His bill, which would remove the cap and extend the benefit indefinitely, passed the Senate unanimously three weeks ago.

The bill has been referred to the House Labor Relations committee.

Sollenberger said he had a safety committee even before the discount went into effect, and he plans to keep it because it keeps his workers safe and insurance premiums low.

But he will miss the discount on his policy, which costs him about $60,000 annually for his 60 full-time employees.

"I think (the discount is) extremely important because it helps offset the cost of having a safety committee," Sollenberger said.

The state originally had a one-year cap when the discount program was created in 1994 to reduce workplace accidents and increase safety, said Barry Ciccocioppo, a spokesperson for the State Department of Labor and Industry. The program worked so well that legislators extended it to five years.

Before the reduction was offered, there were only 400 certified safety committees statewide, he said. As of March, there were about 4,800.

Workplace injuries and deaths are at record lows, according to the state's latest statistics.

In 2000, workplace injuries dropped to their lowest point in 37 years, to 80,133. For the same year, there were 114 workplace fatalities, the second-lowest level since the state started keeping records in 1916.

Since 1996, the discount has saved companies more than $102 million in insurance premiums, not to mention reduced costs because of fewer accidents, Ciccocioppo said.

"What we found in all cases is that workers are eager to put this in place because they benefit as well," he said.

Safety committees identify hazards by conducting physical assessments of the property and serving as a clearinghouse for employee complaints.

They also investigate accidents and make safety recommendations to company executives.

Cindy Sklar is director of risk management for Eastern Alliance Insurance Co. of Lancaster, which has written workers' comp policies for 3,700 companies in Pennsylvania.

Although she said many companies decide to keep the safety committee after the five-year discount ends, she said some drop the committees, even though many see a decrease in the number of accidents. "I think (the provision) is a nice incentive," Sklar said.

Sklar said Eastern Alliance is very involved in training and setting up roles and responsibilities of members of the safety committees so that they can get certified by the state.

Among other requirements, committees must meet monthly and have an equal number of members from labor and management.

Diana Hartman, owner of COMP Assist in Lebanon, helps about 40 businesses a year develop and run committees. She said the added discount the state offers is important.

Many small companies choose not to have safety committees because of the time, money and manpower needed to run them, she said.

"It's very difficult for these companies to commit to do this," Hartman said. "It really comes down to dollars."

South Africa retain same squad for second test against New Zealand

South Africa retained the same dozen players on Monday for the second and final cricket test against New Zealand starting at Centurion on Friday.

Shaun Pollock, the Proteas' leading test wicket-taker, was the 12th man in the first test at Wanderers, where the home side won by a record 358 runs inside four days on Sunday.

___

South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Ashwell Prince, Herschelle Gibbs, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Mark Boucher, Andre Nel, Paul Harris, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini, Shaun Pollock.

Pitching in is catching on

WASHINGTON Every other Wednesday morning, a yellow school buspulls up in front of Everen Securities on Wacker Drive to pick up 20employees and deliver them to Jenner School in Cabrini-Green. Theyspend a half-day tutoring - on company time.

The volunteer program at Jenner and eight other Chicago schoolsis run by a program founded in 1992 called Working in the Schools.The program will add more schools in Chicago and in 10 other citiesin the next school year, mainly with help from the Chicago-basedEveren.

This type of tutoring work is an example of a nationwide call toAmericans to volunteer. Retired Gen. Colin Powell is leading thevolunteer charge at a glitzy all-star "Presidents' Summit forAmerica's Future" in Philadelphia, which started Sunday and endsTuesday.President Clinton, all the living ex-presidents except RonaldReagan and former first ladies are participating in the volunteerismsummit.Add to the mix celebrities, 30 governors and 90 mayors,including Gov. Edgar and Mayor Daley, nonprofit leaders and corporatechief executives who are being asked to underwrite programs and letemployees volunteer on the company clock. Delegates from Chicago,Rockford, Springfield, DeKalb, Champaign-Urbana and Peoria areattending."It really in a lot of ways is a call to action for people,"said delegate Brook Wiseman, the executive director of the GirlScouts of Chicago.This morning, Chicago's Oprah Winfrey hosts her talk show atIndependence Hall plaza in Philadelphia. Guests at a forum includeClinton, Powell, Vice President Al Gore and former chief executivesGeorge Bush, Gerald Ford and, by satellite, Jimmy Carter. NancyReagan substitutes for her husband, who has Alzheimer's disease. TheRev. Jesse Jackson also is on the panel.Barely beneath the summit surface is a bubbling politicalsubplot. Powell, in asking others to make commitments, is enlistingin the volunteerism cause for three years, giving him a platform fora possible presidential run in 2000 and fueling a growing Powell-Gorerivalry.Powell watchers at the summit will get their fill. But not tobe forgotten are five practical summit goals for needy kids: Helpthem get a healthy start on life; find them a caring adult or mentor;give them a safe place to learn; provide a marketable skill, andoffer a chance to give back through community service.Mobilizing corporations, individuals and nonprofit organizationsand charities to do more comes on the heels of welfare reform and asthe federal government cuts back on social service spending.Is volunteerism a diversion? Should corporate foundations -which reap tax savings for companies and put less money in governmenthands - substitute for government funding of programs?On ABC's "Nightline" last Thursday, Ted Koppel asked Carter whyhe was participating in a summit that makes it easier for thegovernment to slow spending on social programs."There is always plenty to do whether the programs are ongoingor not," Carter said. The former president and his wife, Rosalynn,have spent time volunteering for the home-building Habitat forHumanity.The $2 million summit has been bashed from the left and from theright.Jeremy Rifkin, a longtime liberal activist, sent a letter toPowell saying he was concerned the summit might end up as a publicrelations ploy.Rush Limbaugh, the conservative talk show host, has attacked thesummit for its emphasis on citizen service.John Borling, chief of Chicago's United Way and a delegate tothe conference, said, "There has always been a sense America is aself-reliant nation and people have to help people at the town orcommunity level and that's what this is all about. . . . We arefocusing on a population that is crying out."Nancy Stevenson, the managing director of Voices for IllinoisChildren and a delegate said, "I feel very positive about thiseffort."Still, the summit should not let government off the hook in itsresponsibility to supply "good education in schools and thegovernment providing access to health care for people in need," shesaid. "It will not be a substitute for many of the governmentprograms which help keep people alive."Daniel Bassill, the president and CEO of Cabrini Connections -Tutor/Mentor Connection, a tutoring and mentoring program, and asummit delegate, said the main challenge is to come back from thesummit "with a charge . . . getting people together in a lot of waysto help kids."Toward that end, a number of Chicago-based organizations aremaking pledges.United Airlines, based in Elk Grove Village, will expand amentoring program from 12 to 120 locations and have 2,000 employeementors by the year 2000. It also will provide on-flight videoprograms promoting mentoring programs and will expand a program forinner-city children that guarantees college tuition.The Oak Brook-based McDonald's Ronald McDonald House Charitiesis pledging $100 million to fund programs for abused and troubledyouths.Sears, headquartered in Rolling Meadows, will expand the numberof hours employees can volunteer on company time from 8,000 hours in1996 to 200,000 hours by 2000.Without the hype of the presidential summit, Everen hooked upwith the tutoring program two years ago "to strengthen the culture ofour own organization," said chairman and CEO James Boris. Thesecurities firm, through its foundation, made a commitment to expandthe school tutoring program nationwide before the summit wasorganized. It will add 10 cities in the 1997-1998 school year andanother 10 in 1998-1999."Candidly, there would have to be some germ of intent evenbefore the summit was called," Boris said. "The summit serves as acatalyst to companies."

MANAGEMENT AND Staff

CO Patrick D. O'Brien has been advanced to community bank president in Colorado for Wells Fargo Bank, Sioux Falls, S.D. He manages more than 200 team members providing services to clients in Boulder, Broomfield, Longmont and Louisville.

Centennial Bank Holdings Inc., Denver, has added Jim Simons as executive vice president and chief credit officer. He has more than 25 years of credit and lending experience, most recently with U.S. Bancorp, Minneapolis.

IA First National in Creston has named Randy Huewe president. He formerly was senior vice president in Des Moines for Northwest Bank, Spencer.

Scott T. Bauer has been promoted to executive vice president at First National, Ames. He was formerly senior vice president and senior lender.

MetaBank, Storm Lake, has added Jim Orlikowski to its staff as vice president, residential lending manager. He was president of JP. Mortgage Co. in Onalaska, Wis.

Rick Saar has joined Council Bluffs Savings Bank as vice president of commercial lending. He was vice president of loan operations at Treynor State.

TierOne Bank, Lincoln, Neb., has named Ivan Husa senior corporate and agricultural banking officer for its southwest Iowa lending operation. He will be in the bank's Red Oak office. He has more than 30 years of banking and ag lending experience.

MO Sabrina McDonnell has been named president and chief operating officer for First National, Columbia. She succeeds Kevin Gibbens, who has been named president and chief operating officer of the parent company, The Landrum Co. McDonnell has been with the bank for 20 years.

Regions Financial Corp., Birmingham, Ala., has advanced Michael Ross to regional president of its Midwest banking group, headquartered in St. Louis. He succeeds Steve Schenck, who is retiring. Ross joined Regions in 1984 as group president.

Mark Lafata has been named president of the St. Peters banking center for Premier Bank, Jefferson City.

First Community Bank, Lee's Summit, has added Keith Fenwick to its staff as senior vice president. He has more than 20 years of banking and real estate lending experience.

Jason Imlay has been named vice-president at Commerce Trust Co., Kansas City. He serves as a senior financial planner in the financial advisory services department. Promoted to vice president was Amy Stiglic, private client group trust administrator. She has been with Commerce since 1997.

Gene Copeland, 74, died recently. He retired in 1998 after serving more than 38 years in the Missouri House of Representatives. For 30 years he was chairman of the House Banking Committee.

NE First State, Scottsbluff, has named Michael W. Downey president. He succeeds Marvin Hefti, who remains chairman and CEO. Downey has been with the bank for 16 years. The bank has also named as senior vice presidents Richard L. "Rick" Tuggle, chief operating officer; and Richard L. "Rich" Wells, Gering branch manager. Lisa Lockwood has been named vice president, loan administration and compliance, and Jacqueline F. "Jackie" Smith, accounting.

Brian Lundy has been promoted to Stanton president for First Nebraska Bank, Valley. He bring more than 28 years of experience to his new post.

At Two Rivers Bank, Blair, Executive Vice President Carol Wasenius will add duties as the bank's chief operating officer. She will continue to oversee manager of the Arlington branch. Lloyd Scheve, executive vice president, will add duties as the bank's duel lending officer. Wasenius joined the bank in 1997 and Scheve in 1996.

Robert Dalrymple has been promoted to executive vice president and manager of the Omaha-based Great Plains division of Bank of the West, San Francisco. He was formerly executive vice president and manager of the bank's Los Angeles County division. Dalrymple succeeds Patrick Corrigan, who left the hank earlier this year to join a group forming a new bank.

First National of Omaha has advanced James Stewart to senior vice president of corporate hanking. He joined the hank in 2002. Promoted to vice presidents are Bradley Brummund and Marc Wisdom, corporate banking; Wendi Elliott, community banking; and Terri Eischeid, private banking. Brummund joined the bank in 2000. Wisdom has been with the bank for more than live years. Elliolt joined First National in 1999. Eischeid has worked at First National for eight years.

Rich Peters has been promoted to senior vice president at Shcrman County Bank, Loup City. He has been with the bank for 30 years.

Pinnacle Bank, Lincoln, has promoted Pam Spurgin to senior vice president of operations and Jerri L. Cole to senior vice president/loans. Both were formerly vice presidents. The hank has also added Hollie Olk as vice president of real estate lending. She will be at the Village Centre Branch in Columbus. The bank's parent company, Pinnacle Bancorp, has named Justin Horst vice president and chief financial officer. He was formerly a senior manager with BKD LLP in Kansas City and Lincoln.

Steve Mayer has been elected vice president, commercial banking, for U.S. Bank, Cincinnati. He will serve in the Lincoln office. Mayer has been with U.S. Bank since 1996.

Midwest Bank, Pierce, has promoted Jacki Peterson to vice president of mortgage and consumer lending. She has been with the bank three years.

Patricia "Trish" Day and Brent Christensen have been promoted to vice presidents at First Central Bank, Cambridge. Day is in charge of real estate loans, escrow accounts and commercial/business loans. Christensen is a loan officer.

Great Western Bank, Waterlown, S.D., has named as vice presidents Debbie Cooper and Kelly Schrader. Cooper is responsible for business development and supervision of five branches in Omaha and Oakland, Iowa. Schrader is in branch management and has overseen the bank's Wal-Mart branches since 2004.

Dave Richardson has been named vice president, credit administration manager, at Equitable Bank of Grand Island. He has been serving as commercial and ag lending officer. He will now coordinate all credit administration and related activities of the bank.

Cornhusker Bank, Lincoln, has promoted Roger Koziek to vice president of the credit division. He has been with the bank since 2001.

Al Nelson has joined Bank of Nebraska, La Vista, as vice president and business banker. He is at the bank's Oakview branch in Omaha.

FirsTier Bank, Kimball, has named Tim Horacek branch vice president for its Kearney office. He was formerly with Exchange Bank of Gibbon.

Jeff Ommert, Jason Houghtelling and Dave Taylor have been elected vice presidents at First Central Bank, Cambridge. Ommert is information technology director. Houghtelling is loan officer in Cambridge. Taylor is in charge of consumer real estate loans, escrow accounts, commercial/business loans and is the safety officer of the bank's Cambridge office.

Brian Lierman has been named manager of the business banking operation in North Platte, Kearney, Hastings and Grand Island for Wells Fargo Bank, Sioux Falls, S.D. He formerly headed the bank's operations in Hastings. His new office will be in Keamey.

OK John Pixley, president of F&M Bank & Trust Co., Tulsa, has assumed additional duties as chief operations officer. The bank has also named Stephen Pattison executive vice president-credit administrator and has promoted Wiley Parsons from senior vice president-manager of private banking to executive vice president of private banking.

Rose Rock Bank, Oklahoma City, has named C.H. Wyatt Jr. community bank president for its El Reno location. He was president and CEO of InterBank, Elk City, last year.

David Schaefer has been named executive vice president at Stillwater National. He will oversee the bank's lending operations, financial reporting and cash management.

Republic Bank & Trust, Norman, has promoted BrendaJ. Parks and James O. Harp to executive vice presidents. Both officers are also directors of the bank and have been with the bank for nine years. Mark A. Ledbetter and Kristopher D. Boyd have been advanced to vice presidents. Both Ledbetter and Boyd have been with the bank for seven years.

Sandy Bracken has joined First Liberty Bank, Oklahoma City, as executive vice president. Bracken will oversee the bank's operations and financial decisions.

Wilburton State has added Randy Thomas to its staff as executive vice president. He will also serve as a director. Thomas has been in banking for more than 35 years.

Johnny Baker has been promoted to senior vice president in charge of lending at Central National, Poteau. He joined the bank in 1999.

First American Bank, Purcell, has elected Donald D. Taylor senior vice president of lending. He will be at the bank's Woodward banking center, where his responsibilities will include consumer, agricultural and commercial lending. He had been community bank president in El Reno for Rose Rock Bank, Oklahoma City.

Frank Sewell and Brad Traynor have joined the Oklahoma City staff of UMB Bank, Kansas City. Sewell will serve as senior vice president for commercial banking and will be responsible for developing middle-market relationships throughout Oklahoma. Traynor will serve as vice president for treasury services.

First National of Midwest City has promoted Cheryl Ritterskamp to vice president, assistant branch manager at the ban's main branch. She has been with First National since 1972.

Steve Adamo has been advanced to vice president, commercial marketing manager, at First Fidelity Bank, Oklahoma City.

First National of Oklahoma, Ponca City, has added Shawn Null as vice president. He will serve as a relationship manager focusing on lending, deposit and other commercial banking services.

Rhonda Bridges has been promoted from assistant vice president to vice president and area sales manager at International Bank of Commerce, Laredo. She serves at the bank's Sand Springs branch.

MidFirst Bank, Oklahoma City, has named David Elliott vice president/ regional manager for retail banking. He will be responsible for the eastern region from his Tulsa-based office.

TX Wade Schuessler has been named president of FC Holdings Inc., Houston. Most recently he was a managing director of Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc., New York. He was in the financial institutions group serving in the Dallas office.

Community Bank & Trust, Waco, has promoted Mark Boyd to executive vice president. Boyd joined the bank in 2004 and works in commercial lending. In other promotions, Evan Klaras and Lisa Hull have been promoted to vice presidents and trust officers. Klaras has been with the bank since 2003. Hull joined the bank in January 2007.

WI Dave Vetta has joined First Business Bank, Milwaukee, as president and CEO. He was formerly managing director at Fifth Third Bank and managing director at JP Morgan Asset Management, where he was a member of the investment and management committees.

MN Bankers' Bank, Bloomington, Minn., has announced the retirements of Charles C. Blair, executive vice president and chief credit officer, and Gene K. Ekness, executive vice president and chief information officer. Blair joined UBB in 1986 and Ekness in 1991. Kevin W. Bostrom, vice president and senior credit officer, will head up lending after Blair retires in July. Bostrom has more than two decades of experience serving community banks with UBB. Charles C. Hokans, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, will oversee the information technology department when Ekness leaves in August. Karen Knafla, vice president and chief financial officer, will direct the administrative functions previously held by Ekness. Daren E. Mehl, assistant vice president, will continue to serve as the point person on all technology initiatives. The bank has also added Doyle Hardie as vice president of lending and Mary Sherman as operations officer and UNETexchange manager.

Kathleen Palen Geske has been advanced to vice president of the commercial real estate group at Mainstreet Bank, Forest Lake. She specializes in financing services for builders, developers and real estate investors at the bank's South St. Paul branch.

IL Leaders Bank, Oak Brook, has named Harley Jordan senior vice president, commercial banking. He will be establishing and managing commercial banking relationships with privately held businesses, entrepreneurs and high net worth individuals.

KS First National in Hutchinson has promoted Perry Winter, senior vice president, to manager, investment services. He joined the bank in 1983 and has served as senior vice president in investment services since January 1996. Ed Coons, executive vice president, trust and investments, has managed the bank's investment department for 28 years. He will continue to be involved in the various aspects of the trust and investment departments on a limited schedule.

Corey D. Minor has been named senior vice president and Brian K. Wilborn senior vice president/cashier at Citizens Bank of Kansas, Kingman. Minor has been with the bank for nearly two years. Wilborn has been with the bank for more than 10 years.

Lyon County State, Emporia, has promoted Russ Bonitatibus to senior vice president. He was a vice president. Judy Schade was advanced to chief financial officer/cashier.

Terry J. Sutcliffe has been elected senior vice president, business development officer, for First State, Kansas City. He has been a director of the bank since 1999 and most recently was president of First State's former affiliate bank in Lawrence.

Citizens Bank, Fort Scott, has added David Kepper to its staff as senior vice president. He will be at the Overland Park branch.

Roberta L. Payne has been promoted to vice president and cashier at Mulvane State.

First National of Southern Kansas, Mount Hope, has elected Steve Klassen vice president. He joined the bank last September.

Bryan Greene has joined SolutionsBank, Overland Park, as vice president. He was with Hillcrest Bank in Overland Park.

WY First National, Powell, has promoted Lance Bower to vice president. He has been with the bank's Cody office since 1997.

NM Kathleen Avila, owner and managing partner of Avila Retail, has been named a director of First State Bancorp., Albuquerque. She fills the position vacated by Bradford Johnson in January. Avila has been serving on the community advisory board of First State's subsidiary, First Community Bank.

Electronic payment new option for Catholics

Starting today, Roman Catholics in the Chicago archdiocese canmake donations to the church or pay their children's Catholic schooltuition as easily as they pay their health club membership or Visabill, with the help of an electronic payment service hired by thearchdiocese.

The Chicago archdiocese is the largest diocese in the country tomake online, electronic and credit card donations and payments anoption for all its parishes and schools, said Joe Mohen, managingdirector of the electronic commerce company Parish Pay, based in NewYork.

By logging on to www.parishpay.com, phoning toll-free (866) PARISH-1 or contacting their parishes directly for an application, ChicagoCatholics can set up automatic payments for weekly, monthly or yearlydonations to their parish; special gifts to the church, or Catholicschool tuition.

The funds can be withdrawn electronically out of checking andsavings accounts or charged to credit cards. The money goes directlyto individual parish accounts as soon as the transaction is clearedand is not held by the archdiocese or Parish Pay for any length oftime, Mohen said.

Donors can skip a month if they choose, switch to a differentcredit card or bank account or make an anonymous donation while stillgetting tax receipts.

There is no charge to the donor and Parish Pay will take 1 percentof all the donations made to the Chicago archdiocese and will charge$1 per month per donor, Mohen said.

"The whole driving force behind looking at technologies like theseis an effort to help people make their giving to the church planned,to carefully reflect on all that God has given them," said TimDockery, director of development services for the stewardship anddevelopment office of the Chicago archdiocese.

"We're trying to encourage our people not only to be better donorsbut, quite frankly, to be better Catholics by honoring God's commandthat we give back a portion of what he's already given us," Dockerysaid.

Enabling parishioners to give money to the church or Catholicschool by having the funds automatically put on a credit card ordeducted from a bank account could double church collections, Mohensaid.

Last year, the Archdiocese of Chicago took in $220 million fromchurch offerings and another $7 million from its annual appeal.

Whether Chicagoans will warm to giving electronically rather thanpitching an envelope into the collection basket remains to be seen.Don Brink, 70, who visited Holy Name Cathedral on Tuesday wasskeptical that the new payment methods will increase donations.

"If they're not putting it in their weekly envelopes, they're notgoing to go to a computer to do it," he said.

His wife, Phoebe, 65, said the electronic donating may be a hitwith younger Catholics.

"Among the kids, that'll be the way to give," she said.

Staff reporter Julie Patel contributed to this report.

US PGA-Puerto Rico Open Scores

Final

FedExCup points in parentheses

Michael Bradley (250), $630,000 67-69-68-70 _274

Brett Quigley (123), $308,000 68-71-69-67 _275

Jason Day (123), $308,000 66-68-70-71 _275

Bart Bryant (63), $154,000 67-68-73-68 _276

Greg Chalmers (63), $154,000 68-70-70-68 _276

John Merrick (48), $121,625 70-72-70-66 _278

J.P. Hayes (48), $121,625 71-68-71-68 _278

Jeff Overton (43), $108,500 69-72-70-68 _279

Jerry Kelly (36), $91,000 70-68-73-69 _280

D.A. Points (36), $91,000 70-68-72-70 _280

Joe Durant (36), $91,000 71-72-67-70 _280

Kent Jones (36), $91,000 69-69-70-72 _280

Derek Lamely (0), $58,188 66-71-77-67 _281

Jonathan Byrd (27), $58,188 68-72-73-68 _281

Lee Janzen (27), $58,188 69-70-73-69 _281

Patrick Sheehan (27), $58,188 71-70-71-69 _281

Alex Cejka (27), $58,188 68-69-74-70 _281

Chris Smith (27), $58,188 71-71-68-71 _281

Bryce Molder (27), $58,188 67-69-72-73 _281

Jay Williamson (27), $58,188 71-70-67-73 _281

Charles Howell III (23), $31,150 69-69-77-67 _282

Robert Damron (23), $31,150 70-71-74-67 _282

Matt Weibring (23), $31,150 70-70-74-68 _282

Tommy Gainey (23), $31,150 72-70-72-68 _282

Jay Delsing (23), $31,150 70-72-71-69 _282

Scott Sterling (23), $31,150 69-69-74-70 _282

Greg Kraft (23), $31,150 71-71-70-70 _282

Ronnie Black (23), $31,150 69-68-74-71 _282

Paul Stankowski (23), $31,150 69-72-70-71 _282

Omar Uresti (23), $31,150 71-67-70-74 _282

Greg Owen (19), $19,850 71-67-77-68 _283

Tadd Fujikawa (0), $19,850 70-68-75-70 _283

Shaun Micheel (19), $19,850 71-71-71-70 _283

Troy Matteson (19), $19,850 68-69-75-71 _283

Corey Pavin (19), $19,850 69-69-73-72 _283

Aron Price (19), $19,850 70-71-68-74 _283

Cliff Kresge (19), $19,850 67-69-72-75 _283

Rich Beem (15), $14,700 70-73-72-69 _284

Alan Wagner (0), $14,700 73-69-72-70 _284

Charles Warren (15), $14,700 70-73-71-70 _284

Ted Purdy (15), $14,700 71-69-73-71 _284

Carlos Franco (15), $14,700 76-67-70-71 _284

Robert Garrigus (15), $14,700 70-68-74-72 _284

Ryan Moore (11), $9,364 72-71-72-70 _285

Brandt Snedeker (11), $9,364 69-74-72-70 _285

Kevin Stadler (11), $9,364 67-75-72-71 _285

Eric Axley (11), $9,364 72-70-72-71 _285

Jason Gore (11), $9,364 74-69-71-71 _285

Matt Jones (11), $9,364 70-64-79-72 _285

John Mallinger (11), $9,364 69-70-74-72 _285

Tom Scherrer (11), $9,364 71-70-71-73 _285

Michael Allen (11), $9,364 69-74-69-73 _285

David Berganio, Jr. (11), $9,364 71-71-70-73 _285

Manuel Villegas (0), $9,364 72-71-69-73 _285

Felipe Aguilar (0), $9,364 71-71-69-74 _285

Estanislao Goya (0), $9,364 69-67-74-75 _285

Glen Day (6), $7,700 72-67-76-71 _286

Mark Brooks (6), $7,700 70-71-74-71 _286

Neal Lancaster (6), $7,700 70-73-72-71 _286

John Huston (6), $7,700 71-70-73-72 _286

Andy Matthews (0), $7,700 73-68-72-73 _286

Colt Knost (6), $7,700 71-67-73-75 _286

Kris Blanks (6), $7,700 72-70-69-75 _286

Casey Wittenberg (3), $7,385 69-72-77-69 _287

Rick Price (3), $7,385 69-72-76-70 _287

Ricky Barnes (2), $7,210 69-71-76-72 _288

Tyler Aldridge (2), $7,210 69-73-73-73 _288

Guy Boros (2), $7,210 74-68-72-74 _288

Notah Begay III (1), $6,930 70-72-75-72 _289

Derek Fathauer (1), $6,930 74-69-74-72 _289

Bo Van Pelt (1), $6,930 74-67-75-73 _289

Robin Freeman (1), $6,930 71-72-72-74 _289

Jarrod Lyle (1), $6,930 71-70-72-76 _289

Scott Gutschewski (0), $6,685 72-69-74-75 _290

Rocco Mediate (0), $6,685 68-70-75-77 _290

Matthew Borchert (0), $6,545 71-70-78-73 _292

Jimmy Walker (0), $6,545 72-71-75-74 _292

Iraq Government Facing Sectarian Rift

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Shiite politicians demanded changes in the Iraqi government Sunday, accusing a Sunni Arab party in the coalition of ties to terrorism after a bodyguard of its leader was arrested on suspicion of planning bomb attacks.

The dispute threatened a sectarian crisis within the national unity government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, which is struggling to contain spiraling Shiite-Sunni killings that the U.S. ambassador said have surpassed Sunni insurgent attacks in deadliness.

After the bodyguard's arrest, an unprecedented surprise curfew was imposed on Baghdad on Saturday, preventing pedestrians as well as vehicle traffic. The curfew was lifted early Sunday.

At least 23 people were killed in violence Sunday, and 21 bodies were found in Baghdad or to the south, many of them bound and tortured. In the evening, gunmen burst into a frozen food factory in Baghdad, kidnapping 24 workers and wounding two others - similar to past attacks in which militants have picked out members of the opposing sect from among the captives and killed them.

The U.S. military also reported Sunday that two American soldiers were killed the day before in fighting in western Anbar province - bringing to at least 70 the number of U.S. troops killed in September, the second highest monthly toll this year after April, when 76 died.

Iraqi troops backed by American military advisers arrested a suspected Shiite militiaman believed to have carried out kidnappings and killings. A gunbattle broke out at the suspect's house in Baghdad's Shiite stronghold of Sadr City, leaving a woman and a young girl dead, Iraqi police said.

Afterward, angry men at the scene held up a color photo of a smiling, winking Jesus giving a "thumbs up" sign that they said was left by troops at the raided house - an allegation denied by U.S. and Iraqi officials.

The photo, known as the "Buddy Christ," is from the movie "Dogma," a 1999 religious satire in which "Buddy Christ" is part of a church campaign to improve Jesus' image.

U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Barry Johnson said the photo was a "rather ridiculous attempt" to discredit the raid. It was unclear how it ended up at the site.

The potential government crisis erupted after U.S. troops on Friday arrested a bodyguard of Sunni politician Adnan al-Dulaimi, saying the man was suspected of leading an al-Qaida-linked cell that was "in the final stages" of carrying out a string of bombings in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, the center of government and home to the U.S. and British embassies.

Al-Dulaimi heads the Iraqi Accordance Front, the main Sunni Arab party with 44 seats in the 275-member parliament and positions in al-Maliki's government, including a supporter in the Defense Minister post.

The government also includes Shiite parties linked to militias accused of killing Sunnis - and the arrest threatened to wreck al-Maliki's attempts to forge a reconciliation between the sects that could rein in the militias as well as Sunni insurgent violence.

"We are faced with two choices, either militias or the nation. We will not allow the dignity of the nation to be violated," the Shiite prime minister said Sunday in an interview with Al-Hurra TV, which is funded and overseen by the State Department.

U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. George Casey, sought to contain the political fallout, underlining in a joint statement that "the arrested individual had no ties to al-Dulaimi's family, nor is al-Dulaimi connected in any way to the suspect activities of the individual."

But Baha el-Deen al-Araji, a lawmaker from the party of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, accused Sunni politicians of having "direct and indirect links to Saddamists, Takfiris (Sunni radicals) and terrorists."

He demanded a "significant cabinet reshuffle" to change "ministries of security and public services dossiers."

"All our Sunni brothers have terrorist groups. This is destructive to the reconciliation process," another Sadrist lawmaker, Nasser al-Saadi, told The Associated Press. "We must stand up to them."

He said that if al-Dulaimi is shown to have links to al-Qaida "he should be treated as a terrorist." The lawmakers said parliament would discuss the arrest in a session on Monday.

Al-Dulaimi denied any connection to militants and said those trying to "defame" the Accordance Front should "be silent because any factor that leads to blow up this case would affect the entire national unity process."

Thousands of people have died in recent months in Shiite-Sunni killings, even as violence by Sunni insurgents continued. The top U.S. military spokesman in Iraq, Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell, said Wednesday that over the preceding week suicide attacks were at their highest level ever.

Khalilzad said al-Qaida-linked militants had been weakened in recent months and that "a main part of the violence now is sectarian violence ... between death squads associated with militias."

Speaking on CNN's "Late Edition," he said al-Maliki's government "in the course of the next two months, has to make progress in terms of containing sectarian violence."

But he expressed optimism that with the prime minister's reconciliation plan and U.S.-Iraqi security efforts "next year the level of violence will be lower than this year."

Iraq's National Security Adviser Mouwafak al-Rubaie, meanwhile, said security forces were closing in on the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, also known as Abu Ayyub al-Masri.

He succeeded slain militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi at the helm of the group, which is accused of some of the deadliest suicide bombings against Shiites.

"In a very short time, we will bring you the good news of Abu Ayyub al-Masri either killed or handcuffed to be brought before the Iraqi justice system," he said.

He showed what he called an al-Qaida instructional CD found this week in a raid south of Baghdad in which al-Masri is seen explaining how to build a car bomb.

"Your days are numbered and you will face your fate very soon," al-Rubaie said, addressing al-Masri.

Iraq Government Facing Sectarian Rift

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Shiite politicians demanded changes in the Iraqi government Sunday, accusing a Sunni Arab party in the coalition of ties to terrorism after a bodyguard of its leader was arrested on suspicion of planning bomb attacks.

The dispute threatened a sectarian crisis within the national unity government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, which is struggling to contain spiraling Shiite-Sunni killings that the U.S. ambassador said have surpassed Sunni insurgent attacks in deadliness.

After the bodyguard's arrest, an unprecedented surprise curfew was imposed on Baghdad on Saturday, preventing pedestrians as well as vehicle traffic. The curfew was lifted early Sunday.

At least 23 people were killed in violence Sunday, and 21 bodies were found in Baghdad or to the south, many of them bound and tortured. In the evening, gunmen burst into a frozen food factory in Baghdad, kidnapping 24 workers and wounding two others - similar to past attacks in which militants have picked out members of the opposing sect from among the captives and killed them.

The U.S. military also reported Sunday that two American soldiers were killed the day before in fighting in western Anbar province - bringing to at least 70 the number of U.S. troops killed in September, the second highest monthly toll this year after April, when 76 died.

Iraqi troops backed by American military advisers arrested a suspected Shiite militiaman believed to have carried out kidnappings and killings. A gunbattle broke out at the suspect's house in Baghdad's Shiite stronghold of Sadr City, leaving a woman and a young girl dead, Iraqi police said.

Afterward, angry men at the scene held up a color photo of a smiling, winking Jesus giving a "thumbs up" sign that they said was left by troops at the raided house - an allegation denied by U.S. and Iraqi officials.

The photo, known as the "Buddy Christ," is from the movie "Dogma," a 1999 religious satire in which "Buddy Christ" is part of a church campaign to improve Jesus' image.

U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Barry Johnson said the photo was a "rather ridiculous attempt" to discredit the raid. It was unclear how it ended up at the site.

The potential government crisis erupted after U.S. troops on Friday arrested a bodyguard of Sunni politician Adnan al-Dulaimi, saying the man was suspected of leading an al-Qaida-linked cell that was "in the final stages" of carrying out a string of bombings in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, the center of government and home to the U.S. and British embassies.

Al-Dulaimi heads the Iraqi Accordance Front, the main Sunni Arab party with 44 seats in the 275-member parliament and positions in al-Maliki's government, including a supporter in the Defense Minister post.

The government also includes Shiite parties linked to militias accused of killing Sunnis - and the arrest threatened to wreck al-Maliki's attempts to forge a reconciliation between the sects that could rein in the militias as well as Sunni insurgent violence.

"We are faced with two choices, either militias or the nation. We will not allow the dignity of the nation to be violated," the Shiite prime minister said Sunday in an interview with Al-Hurra TV, which is funded and overseen by the State Department.

U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. George Casey, sought to contain the political fallout, underlining in a joint statement that "the arrested individual had no ties to al-Dulaimi's family, nor is al-Dulaimi connected in any way to the suspect activities of the individual."

But Baha el-Deen al-Araji, a lawmaker from the party of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, accused Sunni politicians of having "direct and indirect links to Saddamists, Takfiris (Sunni radicals) and terrorists."

He demanded a "significant cabinet reshuffle" to change "ministries of security and public services dossiers."

"All our Sunni brothers have terrorist groups. This is destructive to the reconciliation process," another Sadrist lawmaker, Nasser al-Saadi, told The Associated Press. "We must stand up to them."

He said that if al-Dulaimi is shown to have links to al-Qaida "he should be treated as a terrorist." The lawmakers said parliament would discuss the arrest in a session on Monday.

Al-Dulaimi denied any connection to militants and said those trying to "defame" the Accordance Front should "be silent because any factor that leads to blow up this case would affect the entire national unity process."

Thousands of people have died in recent months in Shiite-Sunni killings, even as violence by Sunni insurgents continued. The top U.S. military spokesman in Iraq, Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell, said Wednesday that over the preceding week suicide attacks were at their highest level ever.

Khalilzad said al-Qaida-linked militants had been weakened in recent months and that "a main part of the violence now is sectarian violence ... between death squads associated with militias."

Speaking on CNN's "Late Edition," he said al-Maliki's government "in the course of the next two months, has to make progress in terms of containing sectarian violence."

But he expressed optimism that with the prime minister's reconciliation plan and U.S.-Iraqi security efforts "next year the level of violence will be lower than this year."

Iraq's National Security Adviser Mouwafak al-Rubaie, meanwhile, said security forces were closing in on the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, also known as Abu Ayyub al-Masri.

He succeeded slain militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi at the helm of the group, which is accused of some of the deadliest suicide bombings against Shiites.

"In a very short time, we will bring you the good news of Abu Ayyub al-Masri either killed or handcuffed to be brought before the Iraqi justice system," he said.

He showed what he called an al-Qaida instructional CD found this week in a raid south of Baghdad in which al-Masri is seen explaining how to build a car bomb.

"Your days are numbered and you will face your fate very soon," al-Rubaie said, addressing al-Masri.