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Mayors urge Congress to fix infrastructure
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Big city mayors told Congress on Thursday that they are overwhelmed by the infrastructure needs of their regions, and cannot maintain well-functioning water systems, roads and rail networks without more federal help. Kansas City's Mark Funkhouser was one of four mayors to testify before the Senate Banking Committee about the state of the nation's infrastructure, which they agreed was lousy and getting worse. They blamed muc...
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Teachers defend shock tactics OCEANSIDE, Calif
Teachers defend shock tactics OCEANSIDE, Calif. -- On a Monday morning last month, highway patrol officers visited 20 classrooms at El Camino High School to announce some horrible news: Several students had been killed in car wrecks over the weekend. Classmates wept. Some became hysterical. A few hours and many tears later, though, the pain turned to fury when the teenagers learned that it was all a hoax -- a scared-straight exercise desi...
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Stern to interview refs LOS ANGELES (AP) -- David Stern came to the defense of his beleaguered referees again, saying they don't manipulate games or engage in other criminal activity
Stern to interview refs LOS ANGELES (AP) -- David Stern came to the defense of his beleaguered referees again, saying they don't manipulate games or engage in other criminal activity. And just to make sure, the NBA will go back and re-interview every single referee about Tim Donaghy's latest allegations of rigged playoff series in 2002 and 2005. Speaking to the media at an NBA finals that has been increasingly overshadowed by the Donaghy sca...
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Congregations nationwide display anti-torture banners
WASHINGTON (AP) -- About 300 houses of worship are displaying anti-torture banners this month in an initiative by the National Religious Campaign Against Torture. Most of the banners are a stark black-and-white and read, "Torture is Wrong" or "Torture is a Moral Issue." Congregations participating in the monthlong campaign include Methodists, Presbyterians, Jews, Muslims, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Quakers and Roman Catholics. The anti-tort...
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St. Louis ab r h bi Cincy ab r h bi Schmkr lf 4 0 0 0 CPttson cf 4 1 0 0 Miles 2b 3 0 0 0 Janish ss 3 1 0 0 Worrell p 0 0 0 0 Grf Jr
Reds 6, Cardinals 2 St. Louis ab r h bi Cincy ab r h bi Schmkr lf 4 0 0 0 CPttson cf 4 1 0 0 Miles 2b 3 0 0 0 Janish ss 3 1 0 0 Worrell p 0 0 0 0 Grf Jr. rf 2 1 0 1 Flores p 0 0 0 0 BPhllps 2b 3 0 1 3 BBartn ph 1 0 0 0 Dunn lf 4 0 0 0 Sprngr p 0 0 0 0 FCdero p 0 0 0 0 Ldwick rf 4 0 1 0 EEcarn 3b 3 1 1 0 Ankiel cf 3 1 0 0 Burton p 0 0 0 0 Glaus 3b 4 1 1 2 Bruce lf 1 0 1 0 CDuncn 1b 4 0 0 0 Votto 1b 4 0 0 0 YMolna c 4 0 2 0 DRoss c 2 ...
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National Basketball Association Playoffs By The Associated Press NBA FINALS (Best-of-7) Thursday, June 5 Boston 98, L
National Basketball Association Playoffs By The Associated Press NBA FINALS (Best-of-7) Thursday, June 5 Boston 98, L.A. Lakers 88 Sunday, June 8 Boston 108, L.A. Lakers 102 Tuesday's Game L.A. Lakers 87, Boston 81 Thursday's Game Boston 97, L.A. Lakers 91, Boston leads series 3-1 Sunday's Game Boston at L.A. Lakers, 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 17 L.A. Lakers at Boston, 8 p.m., if necessary Thursday, June 19 L.A. Lak...
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Mugabe threatens to fight HARARE, Zimbabwe -- President Robert Mugabe today said veterans of his country's war for independence from Britain have threatened to go back into the bush to fight if the opposition wins the presidency
Mugabe threatens to fight HARARE, Zimbabwe -- President Robert Mugabe today said veterans of his country's war for independence from Britain have threatened to go back into the bush to fight if the opposition wins the presidency. "I'm even prepared to join the fight," the 84-year-old leader who has been in power since independence told a conference of his party's youth wing. Mugabe's comments come only about two weeks before he faces oppositi...
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Officials ID storm victim
TOPEKA -- Authorities have identified a victim of this week's deadly tornadoes as a 62-year-old Jackson County farmer who was thrown from his mobile home after a twister picked it up. A twister between the tiny towns of Soldier and Circleville threw George Askren's home about 225 yards, so that it crushed it and blocked a local road, county Undersheriff Danny Howerton said. Askren's body was found about 50 yards closer to where the home had b...
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OntheBrink
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- When the final horn sounded, after his team had pulled together and staged perhaps the greatest comeback in its famed history, Paul Pierce doubled over in exhaustion. He had given it his all. Like the Celtics greats before him. Showing the same grit and guts of Boston teams of yesteryear, the Celtics rallied from a 24-point deficit and beat the Los Angeles Lakers 97-91 on Thursday night to take a commanding 3-1 lead in thi...
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NEW YORK (AP) -- Spot nonferrous metal prices today
NEW YORK (AP) -- Spot nonferrous metal prices today. Aluminum -$1.3350 per lb., N.Y. Merc spot Thu. Copper -$3.5900 Cathode full plate, U.S. destinations. Copper $3.5325 N.Y. Merc spot Thu. Lead - $1837.00 metric ton, London Metal Exch. Zinc - $0.8738 per lb., delivered. Gold - $866.00 Handy & Harman (only daily quote). Gold - $869.20 troy oz., NY Merc spot Thu. Silver - $16.550 Handy & Harman (only daily quote). Silver - $1...
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Tornadoes kill two Kansans
CHAPMAN (AP) -- At least two people were killed late Wednesday when a line of tornadoes cut a diagonal swath across Kansas, destroying much of the small town of Chapman and causing extensive damage on the Kansas State University campus. Sharon Watson, spokeswoman for the Kansas Adjutant General's Department, said one victim was a woman found outside in a yard in Chapman, in Dickinson County, and the other was a man found outside a mobile home ...
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Taiwan, China to exchange offices BEIJING -- Taiwan and China agreed today for the first time ever to set up permanent offices in each others' territories as the two sides met for their first formal talks in more than a decade, an official with one of the delegations said
Taiwan, China to exchange offices BEIJING -- Taiwan and China agreed today for the first time ever to set up permanent offices in each others' territories as the two sides met for their first formal talks in more than a decade, an official with one of the delegations said. The agreement to set up the offices, which will coordinate continuing contacts, was reached during talks this morning in Beijing, a spokeswoman for Taiwan's Straits Exchang...
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Governor praises scouts for quick storm response
BLENCOE, Iowa (AP) -- Boy Scouts who came to each others' aid after a tornado that killed four of their comrades and injured 48 people were hailed as heroes today for helping to administer first aid and search for victims buried in their flattened campsite. Iowa rescue workers cut through downed branches and dug through debris amid rain and lightning Wednesday night to reach the camp where the 93 boys, ages 13 to 18, had huddled for safety th...
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Slam leads Rangers to another comeback win
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- David Murphy certainly enjoys hitting fifth in the Texas lineup behind Ian Kinsler, Michael Young, Josh Hamilton and Milton Bradley. Who wouldn't? Murphy hit two home runs, including his first career grand slam, and drove in a career-high five Wednesday night to help the Rangers beat the Kansas City Royals 11-5. "That makes it so much fun," Murphy said, hitting behind the four at the top of the order. "A lot of the su...
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Open for Business
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Not long ago, the question wasn't so much if Tiger Woods could win the Grand Slam as whether he could win every tournament he entered this year. With the U.S. Open beginning today, though, the thought of Woods going undefeated has been left behind. And the only player with a chance at the Grand Slam? That's Trevor Immelman. So while Woods, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott, the top three players in golf, tee off in a rare glamou...
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National Basketball Association Playoffs By The Associated Press NBA FINALS (Best-of-7) Tuesday's Game L
National Basketball Association Playoffs By The Associated Press NBA FINALS (Best-of-7) Tuesday's Game L.A. Lakers 87, Boston 81, Boston leads series 2-1 Today's Game Boston at L.A. Lakers, 8 p.m. Sunday's Game Boston at L.A. Lakers, 8 p.m.
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Brewer tries to buy Anheuser ST
Brewer tries to buy Anheuser ST. LOUIS -- Belgian Brewer InBev is offering a big payday to shareholders of Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc., but its bid to create the world's largest beer company is already facing a major obstacle -- U.S. election-year politics. InBev SA, whose brands include Beck's and Stella Artois, delivered an unsolicited all-cash bid of $65 a share for Anheuser-Busch, which makes Budweiser, Michelob and Bud Light. That's well ab...
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Sebelius warns of drought TOPEKA -- Recent storms have dumped rain over much of the state, but parts of western Kansans have remained dry enough that Gov
Sebelius warns of drought TOPEKA -- Recent storms have dumped rain over much of the state, but parts of western Kansans have remained dry enough that Gov. Kathleen Sebelius notified them on Wednesday that they need to worry about drought. Sebelius issued an executive order placing 13 counties under either a drought watch or a more serious drought warning for the next two months. Local officials can ban outdoor burning and, in some cases, rest...
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Looper leads Cards over Reds
CINCINNATI (AP) -- As Javier Valentin dug in, representing the Cincinnati Reds' final chance to score a run, right-hander Braden Looper felt a little pressure and started second-guessing himself for the first time all night. What should he throw next? The St. Louis Cardinals' reliever-turned-starter made the right choices and threw to the right spots, finishing off his first career shutout Wednesday night, 10-0 over the Cincinnati Reds. Rick ...
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Rangers 11, Royals 5 Texas ab r h bi Kan
Rangers 11, Royals 5 Texas ab r h bi Kan. City ab r h bi Kinsler 2b 6 1 3 2 DeJesus lf 3 0 2 0 MiYong ss 5 1 0 0 Grdzlnek 2b 5 1 2 4 Hmlton rf 6 1 3 1 AGordon 3b 3 1 0 0 Brdley dh 3 1 0 0 JGuillen rf 5 0 3 0 DaMph lf 5 2 3 5 EGerman pr 0 0 0 0 MByrd cf 3 3 3 0 Olivo dh 5 0 0 0 Ctlnotto 1b 2 0 0 0 Teahen 1b 4 0 2 0 Shltn 1b 1 1 1 0 JBuck c 4 0 0 0 Laird c 4 0 1 2 Aviles ss 4 2 2 0 RVzqez 3b 4 1 2 1 Gathright cf 3 1 0 0 Totals 39 11 ...
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