Manchester United tops Revolution 4-1 in friendly

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Federico Macheda scored twice and Michael Carrick had a pair of assists to give Manchester United a 4-1 victory over the New England Revolution in the opener of its U.S. exhibition tour.

After a scoreless first half, the Red Devils scored three times in 10 minutes to gain control of the match. Michael Owen and Park Ji-Sung also scored for the Premier League champions.

Kenny Mansally scored for New England to make it 2-1 in the 56th minute, but Machedo made it 3-1 on a behind-the-back pass from Carrick that sent him in all alone on Revolution goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth.

United started only four players from the lineup that began the Champions …

China says missile defense system test successful

China announced that its military intercepted a missile in mid-flight Monday in a test of new technology that comes amid heightened tensions over Taiwan and increased willingness by the Asian giant to show off its advanced military capabilities.

The official Xinhua News Agency reported late Monday that "ground-based midcourse missile interception technology" was tested within Chinese territory.

"The test has achieved the expected objective," the three-sentence report said. "The test is defensive in nature and is not targeted at any country."

Monday's report follows repeated complaints in recent days by Beijing over …

Engine issues throw wrench in Zanardi deal

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. Alex Zanardi, who was widely expected to jumpto the Williams Formula One team next season, might not be leavingthe Target/Ganassi team after all.

Williams, which is switching to a BMW engine in 2000, won't havea competitive engine next season after failing to make a one-yeardeal with another top engine manufacturer. That has put theWilliams-Zanardi deal in doubt.

Zanardi, who said in late July that he hoped to announce his1999 plans by mid-August, hinted that Williams was dragging its feetwhen he was asked why there was no announcement yet.

"If other people don't put any effort into making things happen,that means they don't really …

Merkel presses private bondholders on Greece

BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Angela Merkel indicated Wednesday that private investors like banks should take a writedown of at least 50 percent on their Greek debt holdings and told German lawmakers the world is waiting to see whether Europe can get a grip on its debt crisis.

Merkel spoke to the German parliament ahead of a vote on plans to increase the firepower of the eurozone's euro440 billion ($600 billion) rescue fund — part of a several-pronged strategy to calm the crisis and prevent it spreading yet further.

She looked set to win wide parliamentary backing before traveling to Brussels for a high-stakes European Union summit there later Wednesday.

"The world is …

Accused Nazi guard's wife: he's unfit for trial

The wife of a retired Ohio auto worker accused of serving as a Nazi death camp guard maintains her husband is not fit to be extradited from the U.S. to Germany for trial, a newspaper reported Friday.

Vera Demjanjuk was quoted as telling Germany's top-selling Bild newspaper that her husband John Demjanjuk, 88, "is not doing well."

"His brain isn't functioning right," Vera Demjanjuk, 83, said, according to the report. "One day he's aware of everything, the next day he's forgotten it all."

Munich prosecutors are considering whether there is enough evidence of John Demjanjuk's alleged involvement in the deaths of 29,000 …

Appeal helps museum buy paintings

Supporters of a museum near Bath have helped pay for two historicpaintings.

A total of pounds300 was donated to the Bradford on Avon Museumto help acquire two early 19th-century paintings of the area.

The museum will now buy the prints by Jean Claude Nattes, whichshow the Dundas Aqueduct and Barton Bridge, from local art dealerAndrew Dando.

It has already received a grant offer of pounds400 from theVictoria and Albert Purchase Grant Fund towards buying the artworksand launched an appeal to complete the pounds700 needed.

Bradford on Avon Museum Society chairman Mervyn Harris said: "Thescenes were painted by the artist Jean Claude Nattes, who was …

Sharks Rebound With 6-3 Win Over Kings

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau each had a goal and two assists, and the San Jose Sharks rebounded from an embarrassing loss with a 6-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Joe Pavelski scored their first NHL goals for the Sharks, blown out 5-0 by Anaheim one night earlier in a showdown between two of the league's most successful teams.

The Sharks played without injured forwards Jonathan Cheechoo (leg) and Milan Michalek (arm), but had plenty of firepower in their seventh victory in nine games. Vesa Toskala allowed two soft goals while making 24 saves - but with the Sharks' prolific offense, it didn't matter. …