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First Illegal Music Sharing Trial Begins

October 2, 2007 - 11:42pm
By The Associated Press

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) — Was there a serial downloader lurking outside Jammie Thomas' window? Did someone else hook up a computer to her Internet connection?

Those are some of the questions her attorney has been raising in the nation's first trial of someone accused of illegally sharing music online.

But Richard Gabriel, lead attorney for some of the nation's largest record companies, sought to pick those ideas apart one by one by calling witnesses to document each step the record companies used to point the finger at Thomas.

Testimony in the civil case was to resume Wednesday in federal court in Duluth. The case could wrap up as early as Wednesday night or Thursday.

Asteroid Named for Star Trek's Takei

October 2, 2007 - 11:41pm
By The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — A piece of outer space named for George Takei is in kind of a rough neighborhood for somebody who steers a starship: an asteroid belt.

An asteroid between Mars and Jupiter has been renamed 7307 Takei in honor of the actor, best known for his role as Hikaru Sulu in the original "Star Trek" series and movies.

"I am now a heavenly body," Takei, 70, said Tuesday, laughing. "I found out about it yesterday. ... I was blown away. It came out of the clear, blue sky — just like an asteroid."

Leaders of North and South Korea Begin Second Summit Since Peninsula's Division

October 2, 2007 - 1:22am
By The Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Il greeted South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun in Pyongyang before thousands of cheering residents Tuesday to begin only the second summit between the two countries since the peninsula's division after World War II.

North Koreans waving pink paper flowers and a military honor guard bearing rifles with bayonets heralded the leaders' first encounter outside a cultural hall in the North Korean capital, after Roh traveled some 3½ hours by road from his capital, Seoul.

The two leaders walked down a red carpet where Kim, wearing his typical khaki military jumpsuit, introduced Roh to top North Korean leaders. Kim shook hands with members of the South Korean delegation.

University of Memphis Student Fatally Shot

October 1, 2007 - 9:09am
By The Associated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A University of Memphis football player was fatally shot on campus in a targeted attack and classes were canceled Monday as a precaution, officials said.

"We found him with a bullet wound to the body and the ambulance took him to the hospital where he was pronounced (dead)," said Roger Prewitt, a Memphis Police inspector.

University police declined to release the name of the student, but the incident "may have involved a current or former football player," said Bob Winn, associate athletic director at University of Memphis.

Taylor Bradford, 21, was taken to Regional Medical Center at 10:15 p.m. Sunday and pronounced dead, hospital spokeswoman Sandy Snell said.

Shutdown Ends in Michigan

October 1, 2007 - 9:07am
By The Associated Press

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The state Legislature agreed early Monday to raise the income tax and expand the sales tax to services in a deal with the governor that quickly ended a partial state government shutdown.

For a little more than four hours, fewer state police patrolled Michigan highways, campgrounds were closed and road construction projects and lottery sales were stopped.

Applause broke out in Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm's office when the final vote was announced at 4:18 a.m.

Loss Ends Mets' Playoff Hopes

September 30, 2007 - 10:53pm
By The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Tom Glavine put the New York Mets in a huge hole Sunday and they never climbed back out.

The 303-game winner was chased in the first inning, charged with all seven of Florida's early runs. He made a throwing error and hit Marlins lefty Dontrelle Willis with a pitch with the bases loaded, mistakes that symbolized the Mets' September collapse.

Glavine hoped to pitch the Mets into the playoffs on the final day of the regular season. Instead, he managed only one out in the second-shortest start of his brilliant career. New York lost 8-1 and missed the playoffs when Philadelphia beat Washington 6-1 to take the NL East title.