Sudan threatens to block southern oil pipeline

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — Sudan's president threatened to block pipelines in the south if the government there doesn't pay to transit oil or share it with Khartoum, the official news agency reported Wednesday.

Southern Sudan voted overwhelmingly in January to secede from Sudan and become an independent country in July. That vote was part of a 2005 peace deal that ended more than two decades of war.

The two governments are still negotiating how oil wealth will be shared between the north and the south.

President Omar al-Bashir's comments late Tuesday in the port city of Port Sudan seem to be hardening his side's negotiating position, particularly in the context of borders …

Chang cruises into Malaysian Open quarterfinal

Chang Kai-Chen of Taiwan crushed China's 20th-ranked and third-seeded Zheng Jie 6-2, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals of the Malaysian Open on Thursday.

The 19-year-old Taiwanese played fearlessly against an opponent ranked 72 places above her and completed a disastrous week for Chinese players after second-seeded Li Na was knocked out by Germany's Tatjana Malek on Monday. Both Zheng and Li Na had reached the semifinals of the Australian Open last month.

Chang took only 75 minutes to set up a quarterfinal date with sixth seed Sybille Bammer of Austria, who earlier trounced Uzbekistan's Akgul Amanmuradova 6-3, 6-0.

Elsewhere, Chanelle Scheepers of …

Patriots blame themselves

The Patriots had no problem with the officiating Sunday when theofficials called the game after New England wide receiver CurtisJackson was flagged for illegal motion with less than 10 seconds leftto play and the Pats on the Bears' 21-yard line, preserving a 24-17Bears win.

They had problems with themselves.

"Absolutely they got it right," coach Bill Belichick said of alittle-known rule that 10 seconds automatically are deducted on anoffensive penalty with less than two minutes to go. "We didn't getour (receiver) set under 10 seconds. The play went off and we got a10-second runoff.

"I'm upset because of all the mistakes we made the entire game-the penalties …

Experts question shooting of Occupy Oakland filmer

OAKLAND, California (AP) — The mayor renewed her appeal to Occupy Oakland representatives to meet with city officials as dueling video evidence was released by Oakland authorities and by a man who experts say appears to be the victim of excessive police force.

In New York, about two dozen Occupy Wall Street protesters began a two-week walk from New York to Washington.

The month-old protest camp in a public plaza downtown has grown to about 180 tents. Mayor Jean Quan on Tuesday echoed concerns of business leaders, saying the tent city is hurting commerce — and, she added, straining an already stretched city budget. Officials say Occupy Oakland-related events through the end of …

Obama says McCain is 'passing the buck' on economy

Republican presidential candidate John McCain on Tuesday blamed Wall Street's financial turmoil on unchecked corporate greed. His Democratic opponent, Barack Obama, dismissed McCain's call for a high-level commission to study the economic crisis as "passing the buck."

The presidential campaigns argued over who would be best able to deal with the kinds of financial meltdowns that roiled the markets Monday and to prevent a similar crisis in the future. McCain proposed a review on the order of the one led by the Sept. 11 commission, the bipartisan panel that studied the events leading to the 2001 terrorist attacks.

"We need a 9/11 commission," …

Views: Do you think six per cent rail fare rise is justified? ; Gazette comment

Jan Sanders, 51, from Priest Lane, Shenfield, said: "I think weaccept that we have to pay more but I don't know if there is anyimprovement and what's frustrating is that there's often not aservice at all."

Bank employee Geoff Wallis, 51, from Hutton, said: "I am shockedby the rise, especially when people are not getting pay rises andusually twice a week you have to stand all the way."

London Cameraman, Glenn Evans, 46, said: "Has there been a sixper cent increase in the quality of service? There does not seem tobe any improvement in the service."

Kevin Dunn, 58, an insurance broker from Billericay, said: "Ithink it is really disgraceful. They treat …

Senators Vow Quick Action on Walter Reed

WASHINGTON - Lawmakers promised a quick response and sought an independent commission as they expressed outrage Sunday over the poor conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I'm worried about if it's this bad at the outpatient facilities at Walter Reed, how is it in the rest of the country? Because Walter Reed is our crown jewel," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.

In a letter Sunday to Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Sunday, Schumer asked for an independent commission, possibly headed by former Secretary of State Colin Powell, to investigate all post-combat medical facilities and recommend changes.

"To think …