Hong Kong reportedly turns away Chinese activists

Hong Kong deported three Chinese pro-democracy activists based in the U.S. after denying them entry to the territory, a local lawmaker said Thursday.

There was no official confirmation of the deportations, though an official said the government doesn't want people to come to Hong Kong and "damage the dignity" of the Olympic Games.

Yang Jianli, Wang Min and Zhou Jian arrived Wednesday at Hong Kong airport ahead of a conference in Taiwan but weren't allowed to enter, opposition lawmaker Albert Ho told The Associated Press. Ho said immigration authorities didn't explain why they denied the activists entry.

Ho said he wasn't sure if the …

Sculptor goes to the wire

It's hare today - and it'll still be hare tomorrow.

Two 16ft wire sculptures are to be displayed in Bath as part of anew art exhibition.

Cranes have been used to place a minotaur and a hare in KingstonParade and Abbey Church Yard for a two month-long show.

The creatures are the work of Cotswold-based artist Sophie Ryder,and there will be a trail featuring other pieces of her work placedaround the city.

Manager of the council-run Victoria Art Gallery, Jon Benington,said he was delighted that the distinctive sculptures had beenbrought to the city.

He said: …

Gates Sees Hurdles, Hope on 2 War Fronts

WASHINGTON - On his second fact-finding mission abroad since becoming defense secretary, Robert Gates discovered some less-than-encouraging things about the two wars he inherited from former Pentagon chief Donald H. Rumsfeld.

Gates returned to Washington on Saturday after a whirlwind tour that began last weekend in London and ended Friday in southern Iraq. In between he visited NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, met with troops and officials in Afghanistan and made stops in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar.

He said he found "universal agreement" on the importance of averting failure in Iraq and of confronting extremism in Afghanistan. But he also saw a way ahead that …

Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka Scoreboard

Scoreboard on Sunday at close on the first day of the second cricket test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Gaddafi Stadium:

Pakistan won the toss

Sri Lanka 1st innings

Malinda Warnapura c Misbah b Gul 8

Tharanga Paranavitana c Malik b Gul 21

Kumar Sangakkara c Akmal b Arafat 104

Mahela Jayawardene c Akmal b Gul 30

Thilan Samaraweera not out 133

Tillakaratne Dilshan not out 3

Extras: (4b, 2w, 12nb) 18

TOTAL: (for four wickets) 317

…

US vows continued pursuit of Roman Polanski

From prosecutors in Los Angeles to justice officials in Washington, the Swiss decision to free Roman Polanski was described as a disappointment and to some, an injustice.

The Swiss, for their part, described Polanski as "a free man."

The decision by the Swiss government to set Polanski free dealt another twist in a sex case that has spanned three decades and two continents. Whether the case continues depends largely on where Polanski travels.

A warrant for his arrest remains active, effectively barring the 76-year-old from returning to the U.S., which he fled in 1978 on the eve of sentencing for a charge of having unlawful sex with a …

National Association of Market Developers presents 'Carnivale!'

Welcome to the first weekend of 2007.

I'm excited about all of the endless possibilities this New Year will bring and you should be to.

This week I've compiled a complete list of the who, what, when, where and why for the weekend.

Be safe and enjoy.

An exotic networking event...

Please join my good friend and savvy businesswoman, Deborah Crable, who serves as NAMD national president as she presents, Camivale!

The National Alliance of Market Developers (NAMD) wiU kick-off NAMD's 55th anniversary celebration and announce plans for its Spring 2007 annual conference tonight from 7pm - 10pm at Joyce Ford, 2401 South Michigan Avenue.

National …

Judge: Feds Must Release Telecom Records

An electronic privacy group challenging President Bush's domestic spying program scored a minor victory after a judge ordered the federal government to release information about lobbying efforts by telecommunications companies to protect them from prosecution.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation in January 2006 filed a class-action suit against AT&T Inc., accusing the company of illegally making communications on its networks available to the National Security Agency without warrants.

Congress is now considering changing the law to grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that would protect them from such court challenges.

…