Revenuers set sights on Internet

The Internet is making the tax man unhappy and frustrated.

With the Net growing rapidly as a shopping mall for CDs, books,cars, dinosaur eggs - you name it - the revenuers are fretting thatthey are missing out on their rightful piece of the action.

At least 20 state and local governments have passed tax lawstargeting Net commerce.The stakes are huge. Sales on the Internet are estimated toreach $1.5 trillion a year by 2002. If uncollected, that could meana loss of tax revenue amounting to hundreds of millions in Illinoisalone.Meanwhile, some fear that undue government meddling could killthe Internet goose that lays the golden eggs.To protect emerging e-commerce, …

Candidate ending legal fight in Alaska race

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Republican Joe Miller is ending his fight over Alaska's U.S. Senate seat, conceding the race to his bitter rival, incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

Miller's decision, announced Friday at a news conference in Anchorage, comes one day after the state certified Murkowski as the winner.

This ends what started as a promising campaign for Miller, a conservative Republican favorite who upset Murkowski …

An old friend shows up at St. Andrews _ the wind

An old friend showed up on the Old Course on Sunday.

A strong wind, the best defense in links golf, was largely missing the last two times the British Open came to St. Andrews, which explains how Tiger Woods won with a record score of 19-under 269 in 2000 and at 14-under 274 five years later.

Woods arrived after an overnight flight and found the Old Course much different than he remembered. By the middle of his round, when his tee shot at No. 11 wound up on the seventh green, the strongest recorded gust was just under 80 kph (50 mph).

Standing on the 18th tee, the wind now at his back as he waited to drive the 357-yard hole with a 3-wood, he was …

CHICAGO JEWISH STAR ENDORSEMENTS: For Congress: Seals

A promising new voice with new ideas for the 10th District

WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY ENDORSED MARK Kirk, the GOP candidate in the 10th District, terming him a polished, articulate, knowledgeable voice for the district. In past balloting we made the difficult choice of recommending him over qualified opponents, including Lauren Beth Gash and Henry Perritt.

This year we again face a difficult choice. The reason is because Mr. Kirk has done a fine job in Washington. Notably, he has been a great friend of Israel, demonstrating a vigorous, articulate, and well-considered support for the Jewish state, and an understanding of its problems. For that, we are extremely grateful.

But …

Syrian troops fire at anti-regime protesters

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian security forces opened fire on protesters Friday killing at least six people as thousands rallied across the country to call for the downfall of President Bashar Assad's regime, activists said. Troops also clashed with armed anti-regime forces in central regions for a third straight day.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said six people were killed in the central cities of Hama and Homs as well as the central town of Rastan, where the clashes between troops and army defectors has been raging for days. Syria-based rights activist Mustafa Osso put the death toll at 11.

It was impossible to resolve the discrepancy or to independently verify …

Venezuela releases recordings of purported plot

Venezuelan state television broadcast new recordings Thursday of what the government says are current and former military officers discussing a plot to overthrow President Hugo Chavez.

In one recording, a voice identified as ex-Gen. Wilfredo Barroso says, "We tried to get the gringos to support us in December," either with satellite phones or satellite transmissions.

Chavez has accused the U.S. of trying to oust him. American officials have vehemently denied it.

The dates of the recordings were not given. They included fragments of discussions between the suspects, who include both retired and active officers.

Chavez said the plotters considered blowing up his plane or attacking the presidential palace. Five suspects have been detained.

In another portion of the recordings, a voice identified as Barroso says state-run media could "be destroyed" while other private media would be left on the air _ apparently to allow those involved to get their messages out to the public.

Chavez survived a failed coup in 2002 and has repeatedly accused his opponents of trying to depose him since then.

Wizards' Arenas leaves game with groin injury

WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas left his first home game since being suspended for bringing guns to the Verizon Center last season with a strained right groin.

Arenas didn't start Thursday night's preseason game against the Milwaukee Bucks, two days after faking a knee injury to miss a home game. He left after playing three minutes in the first quarter.

Arenas didn't attempt a shot, but had three steals, a rebound, an assist and a blocked shot. He teamed with John Wall on some neat passes.

Arenas entered with 7:05 to play in the first quarter to tepid applause from the sparse home crowd and seemed to savor playing with Wall before asking out of the game three minutes later.

He was fined Wednesday for saying he had a sore left knee.