Egypt going underground to stem Gaza smuggling

Egypt is installing a series of metal sheets some 60 feet deep along its border with Gaza in an attempt to block tunnels that serve as a key conduit to bring weapons into the Palestinian territory, border guards and area residents said Thursday.

The work poses a risk to Egypt's relations with Hamas, a Palestinian militant group that has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007, and could undermine its role as a regional mediator. Egypt is already under fire from Arab and Muslim groups for cooperating with Israel in its two-year blockade of the impoverished territory, with 1.4 million residents.

The border project appears to be one of a series of measures Egypt …

RESTAURANTS CATCH CONVENTION SPIRIT

Among Chicago restaurants offering special $19.96 meal promotionsduring the Democratic National Convention are: Brasserie Bellevue, 21 E. Bellevue, an "American Celebration" ofentree and dessert. Gordon Restaurant, 500 N. Clark, two-course lunch or late dinner. Gypsy, 215 E. Ohio, choice of eight specials and a complimentaryostrich appetizer. Shaw's Crab House, 21 E. Hubbard, 1-pound lobster, red potatoes andcoleslaw, soup or salad and ice cream. The Signature Room, 95 stories up the …

FIFA anti-corruption team expected in Zimbabwe

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — FIFA anti-corruption officials will travel to Zimbabwe next week to help wrap up another damaging match-fixing investigation, the African country's football body said on Wednesday.

Zimbabwe Football Association vice president Ndumiso Gumede told The Associated Press that FIFA's head of security, Chris Eaton, will lead the anti-corruption unit.

The FIFA team will arrive June 30, Gumede said, to help conclude a drawn-out ZIFA probe which will likely lead to strict sanctions — and possible lifetime bans — for a number of Zimbabwe national team players after they admitted last October to taking bribes to lose matches on tours to Asia.

"They are going …

TODAY'S MAJOR LEAGUE LEADERS

AMERICAN LEAGUE

BATTING_MiCabrera, Detroit, .346; Hamilton, Texas, .345; Morneau, Minnesota, .345; Cano, New York, .337; ABeltre, Boston, .332; ISuzuki, Seattle, .327; DeJesus, Kansas City, .327.

RUNS_Crawford, Tampa Bay, 67; Youkilis, Boston, 67; MiCabrera, Detroit, 64; Teixeira, New York, 61; Cano, New York, 60; Hamilton, Texas, 59; Jeter, New York, 59.

RBI_MiCabrera, Detroit, 76; Guerrero, Texas, 75; ARodriguez, New York, 70; Hamilton, Texas, 64; Konerko, Chicago, 63; TorHunter, Los Angeles, 62; Longoria, Tampa Bay, 61.

HITS_Hamilton, Texas, 117; ISuzuki, Seattle, 117; Cano, New York, 114; MYoung, Texas, 109; ABeltre, Boston, 107; …

Youth center opens to neighbors' protests

An unfinished South Side youth center named for the Rev. PaulHall opened Sunday amid protests by residents who say Hall shouldn'tbe working on such projects because he was convicted of sexuallyassaulting his foster son.

About 20 residents of the Washington Heights and Morgan Parkneighborhoods picketed outside the facility at 10140 S. Halsted,where members of Hall's Christ Universal Church gave out schoolsupplies after an afternoon parade.

"Nobody in his right mind would allow a convicted pedophile torun a center for children," said Saundra Bishop, a Morgan Parkresident who helped coordinate the protest.

Hall, 52, said his work "was something positive" …

Millenia acquires rights to Tetrandine

Montreal - Millenia Hope Inc. has acquired the global patent rights to develop, manufacture and distribute, for all indications, Tetrandrine from inventor Dr. Knox Van Dyke, an internationally renowned researcher from the University of West Virginia.

Millenia Hope is focused on the development of anti-malaria products and is actively engaged in the fight against this disease that claims nearly three million lives every year. Tetrandrine aids the treatment of drug-resistant strains of malaria when administered together with standard therapies.

"Tetrandrine adds to our pipeline of products targeting malaria, which include MMH18/ MMHMalarex and Malarex, currently in further …

Inauguration security tight for festivities

Authorities monitored a rush of intelligence leads Tuesday at the largest security operation in presidential inauguration history, including a possible threat from an East Africa radical Islamic terrorist group.

Law enforcement and intelligence officials received information that people associated with a Somalia-based group, al-Shabaab, might try to travel to the U.S. with plans to disrupt the inauguration, according to a joint FBI/Homeland Security bulletin issued Monday night. The information had limited specificity and uncertain credibility, said Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke.

U.S. counter-terror officials have grown concerned in recent months …