Hannes Reichelt fastest in Lauberhorn training run

WENGEN, Switzerland (AP) — Hannes Reichelt of Austria was fastest in a training run ahead of Saturday's World Cup downhill on the Lauberhorn course.

With Austria's men seeking a first speed-race win this season, Reichelt clocked 2 minutes, 37.46 seconds on Thursday down the longest track on tour.

Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway fought a heavy cold to be 0.16 seconds slower on the quirky, 4.4-kilometer (2.75-mile) course.

Switzerland's Carlo Janka, the 2010 Lauberhorn winner, trailed Reichelt by 0.31 in third.

"It's a little bit faster (than Wednesday) but not much," Janka said.

Warm sunshine once more softened and slowed the race surface. More sunshine is …

Speaking with Carl Newman

THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS

Okkervil River

- 8 p.m. Sunday

- Riviera Theatre, 4746 N. Racine

- Tickets, $28.50

- (312) 559-1212

- - -

With touring winding down for the New Pornographers' latest effort, ''Challengers,'' principal member Carl Newman says he's already looking ahead.

''I think the next Pornographers record will be fairly rock,'' Newman says. ''I think with 'Challengers,' we moved as far in this [more reserved] direction as we can go, unless we turn into M. Ward or something. The songs I find myself writing these days are a little bit more rock, but that's as far as I can say.''

Newman, who says he hopes to have …

HE WHO LAUGHS, LASTS

SYNAGOGUE SEATING

Due to the importance of this matter, Chicagoland synagogues have requested that the following message be inserted in the Jewish Star well in advance of the holidays:

"Last year, many of you expressed concern over the seating arrangements in your synagogue.

"In order for the synagogue to place you in a seat that will best suit you, we ask you to complete the following questionnaire and return it to your synagogue office as soon as possible.

"Please put a tick against your choices."

1. I would prefer to sit in the:

_____ Talking section

_____ Non-talking section

2. If talking, which category do you prefer? (Indicate …

U.S. intel warns Al-Qaida has rebuilt

WASHINGTON - U.S. intelligence analysts have concluded al-Qaida has rebuilt its operating capability to a level not seen since just before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, The Associated Press has learned.

The conclusion suggests that the network that launched the most devastating terror attack on the United States has been able to regroup along the Afghan-Pakistani border despite nearly six years of bombings, war and other tactics aimed at crippling it.

Still, numerous government officials say they know of no specific, credible threat of a new attack on U.S. soil.

A counterterrorism official familiar with a five-page summary of the new government threat …

Report: 26 people dead in China from landslide

China's state television says 26 people have died in a landslide that buried an iron ore plant and several homes in a valley in southwestern China.

CCTV said Saturday that seven people have been rescued, three of which were seriously injured but in a stable condition in the hospital.

Fifty-two people are still …

After this era of ultra-shock, can things get any worse?

One afternoon in the late 1960s, Howard Felsher took a friend ofhis, a nun, to lunch.

They were walking through New York's Central Park on the way tothe restaurant when they came upon a photographer and a fashionmodel. The model stood in front of a picturesque fountain while thephotographer clicked away.

"She was gorgeous," Felsher recalls. "She was wearing what wassupposed to be a dress, but was actually just a skirt with two thinstraps coming up from it. The straps covered very, very little ofeach breast."

Felsher's friend saw this scene - the half-naked woman posingand smiling - and in an instant, she had a very violent reaction: Shevomited.

…

Australia routs France 59-16

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Australia routed France 59-16 in a rugby test at Stade de France on Saturday:

___

Australia 59 (Drew Mitchell 2, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Benn …