Second production unit opens in Iraq's Najaf refinery

Iraq's oil minister opened an expansion to a refinery in Najaf on Saturday that increases capacity by roughly 10,000 barrels of oil per day.

The refinery, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) south of Baghdad, was constructed in October 2006 to help meet increasing needs in central Iraq for petroleum products, including kerosene. It currently produced about 20,000 barrels per day.

Hussein al-Shahristani, Iraq's oil minister, also pledged further expansions across the country, including new refineries in Nasiriyah, about 320 kilometers (200 miles) southeast of Baghdad, and Karbala, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Baghdad.

Iraq has the world's …

pounds6,700 total from charity shoot event

The annual charity clay pigeon shoot by a North-east club raised arecord pounds6,700.

The money was made for Macmillan Cancer Relief by the ParkhillClay Pigeon Club in tribute to its former organiser, who diedrecently.

This year's event at Broadbog Farm, Alford, had been postponedafter the death of long-serving secretary …

ON AND OFF THE WALL: MEDITATIONS ON BEAUTY; Paintings and Drawings by Geoff Krueger at J Crist Gallery

When it comes to paintings and drawings, there's nothing like the real thing. Reproductions--posters and postcards--just don't do them justice. That's especially true for Geoff Krueger's paintings and drawings on view at J Crist Gallery through January 24.

Krueger, a recent housing-market refugee from Orange County, California, moved to Boise two years ago. The paintings in this exhibition focus on the land--the foothills and woodlands scenery of both California and Idaho. The beauty of the scenes--soft light, swirling clouds and muted colors--captivates you. They're beguiling. One quick glance and you think you've seen it all before, but when you look a second time you see …

Ex-Bangladesh PM charged in jet-purchase case

An anti-corruption court Wednesday formally charged an ex-Bangladeshi prime minister in a case involving the purchase of fighter jets from Russia during her 1996-2001 tenure, a government prosecutor said.

Judge Golam Mortuza Mazumdar of the special court set Sept. 3 to begin ex-Premier Sheikh Hasina's trial, prosecutor Syed Shamim Ahsan said.

Hasina and five others, including former military and government officials, have been charged with financial irregularities in the purchase of eight Russian MiG-29 fighter planes for US$924 million, according to the case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

Hasina, who was arrested in July 2007 to face …

Uganda lawmaker refuses to withdraw anti-gay bill

A Ugandan lawmaker on Friday refused to withdraw proposed legislation that would impose the death penalty for some gays and lesbians despite international condemnation and presidential opposition to a measure that could scare off foreign investors.

Lawmaker David Bahati said he will not heed a call late Thursday from the government to drop the proposed bill, as he feels such a measure is necessary in the conservative East African country.

On Thursday, Minister of State for Investment Aston Kajara said the government would ask Bahati to scrap the bill because they fear backlash from foreign investors. The bill, which Bahati proposed in September, has …

`Repositioning' has advantages

Before long, cruise ships will begin making their annualmigrations to their winter homes - and taking passengers along forthe ride.

These "repositioning" journeys often include more relaxeditineraries than the average cruise, with more days at sea. TheCruise Lines International Association points out these otheradvantages: One-of-a-kind itineraries and exotic ports as ships movefrom one geographic area to another. Crystal Cruises sails fromAthens to Sydney; Silversea from Athens to Bombay; Norwegian andRoyal Caribbean from Vancouver to Hawaii, and Regal from PortCanaveral, Fla., to the eastern Caribbean. …

Forecasters see continued recovery in ad spending

NEW YORK (AP) — The amount of money spent on advertising will continue to rebound over the next few years after a sharp drop during the recession, according to several new forecasts.

The continued growth is a positive sign for the economy as a whole, suggesting businesses are feeling more confident that they can lure new customers.

But the recovery in ad spending is not showing up across the board. Instead, forecasters expect advertisers will continue to shift dollars to the Web and away from traditional media such as newspapers. And, reflecting broader economic trends, they expect emerging economies to grow much faster than their developed counterparts.

The key takeaway …

Biden: US seeks new ways to address Gaza problems

Vice President Joe Biden says the U.S. and its allies are looking for new ways to address a range of problems in the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Biden spoke Monday at a Red Sea resort in Egypt after meeting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. He said the U.S. is closely consulting with Egypt and other partners on how to "address the humanitarian, economic, security, and political aspects of the situation in Gaza."

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

JERUSALEM (AP) _ Israel's navy killed four Palestinian militants in diver suits off the coast of Gaza early Monday in the first violence …

Localscoreboard

Basketball

College

USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division II women's poll

Rank, school, points

1. Grand Valley (Mich.) 656

2. North Dakota 613

3. Emporia State (Kan.) 577

4. St. Cloud State (Minn.) 558

5. Cal-State Chico 493

6. Washburn (Kan.) 468

7. Henderson State (Ark.) 438

8. Glenville State 402

9. American Intl (Mass.) 387

10. Drury (Mo.) 369

11. West Texas A&M 356

12. So. Connecticut State 347

13. Delta State (Miss.) 339

14. Charleston 313

15. Northern Kentucky 273

16. Western Washington 267

17. Wingate (N.C.) 263

18. Shaw (N.C.) 250

19. …

More women reported KBR/Halliburton assaults in Iraq

Several women have joined a Texas woman in coming forward with reports of sexual harassment and assault while working in Iraq for Halliburton's former subsidiary, military contractor KBR, a Texas congressman told a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee Wednesday.

The women have given lawyers and a congressman accounts similar to the allegations of Jamie Leigh Jones, whose allegations of rape have gained media attention across the United States.

"This problem goes way beyond just me," Jones told the House Judiciary subcommittee Wednesday.

Jones said she was raped in July 2005 by a co-worker who drugged her. She said she awoke groggy …

Physical foes are sitting pretty after taking it to Hawks in Game 3

The Nashville Predators' energy was overwhelming, their emotion overpowering, their hits punishing and their home crowd deafening.

And the end result was absolutely crushing for the Blackhawks.

The Hawks lost to the Predators 4-1 on Tuesday in Game 3 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series at Bridgestone Arena. The Predators lead the best-of-seven series 2-1, with Game 4 scheduled for Thursday.

''Certainly tonight, we can't be pleased with the way we played,'' Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. ''They were the harder-working team, more resilient, more desperate. We know that each and every game it is going to escalate, and today, for whatever the reasons, …

Hezbollah Politicians Back Peace Package

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Hezbollah politicians, while expressing reservations, have joined their critics in the government in agreeing to a peace package that includes strengthening an international force in south Lebanon and disarming the guerrillas, the government said.

The agreement - reached after a heated six-hour Cabinet meeting - was the first time that Hezbollah has signed onto a proposal for ending the crisis that includes the deploying of international forces.

The package falls short of American and Israeli demands in that it calls for an immediate cease-fire before working out details of a force and includes other conditions.

But European Union officials said Friday the proposals form a basis for an agreement, increasing the pressure on the United States to call for a cease-fire.

President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Friday they too want an international force dispatched quickly to the Mideast but said any plan to end the fighting - to have a lasting effect - must address long-running regional disputes.

"This is a moment of intense conflict in the Middle East," Bush said after his meeting with Blair in Washington. "Yet our aim is to turn it into a moment of opportunity and a chance for broader change in the region."

By signing onto the peace proposals, Hezbollah gave Western-backed Prime Minister Fuad Saniora a boost in future negotiations.

Going into Thursday night's Cabinet session, Hezbollah's two ministers expressed deep reservations about the force and its mandate, fearing it could turn against their guerrillas.

"Will the international force be a deterrent one and used against who?" officials who attended the Cabinet meeting said in summing up Hezbollah cabinet ministers concerns. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the debate.

But afterward, Information Minister Ghazi Aridi announced that the package had been agreed on by consensus in a rare show of unity by a divided administration.

While all sides seemed to be looking for a way to stop the fighting, details of plans taking shape on all sides were still fuzzy. And it was not at all certain Hezbollah would really follow through on the Lebanese government plan that would effectively abolish the militants' military wing. It may have signed on to the deal convinced that Israel would reject it.

But the agreement presents Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice with a package she might find hard to ignore when she returns to the region.

The plan approved by the Cabinet was an outline that Saniora presented at an international conference in Rome on Wednesday.

It starts out with an immediate cease-fire. Following that would come:

- the release of Lebanese and Israeli prisoners; Israeli withdrawal behind the border; the return of Lebanese displaced by the fighting.

- moves to resolve the status of Chebaa Farms, a small piece of land held by Israel and claimed by Lebanon. The proposal calls for the U.N. Security Council to commit to putting the area under U.N. control until a final demarcation of the border.

- the provision by Israel of maps of minefields laid during its 18-year occupation of the south.

- "the spreading of Lebanese government authority over the entire country," meaning the deployment of the Lebanese army in the south, with the strengthening and increasing of the small, lightly armed U.N. peacekeeping force currently there.

The provisions do not spell out the order in which the steps must take place, but Saniora has said the government cannot spread its authority in the south unless the Chebaa farms issue is resolved. Israel's hold on Chebaa has provided Hezbollah with a rationale to maintain its arsenal and its "resistance" against Israel.

U.N. experts have previously determined that the territory is part of Syria's Golan Heights, now held by Israel. But Syria has said the patch of land is Lebanon's.

Also left undetermined is the contentious issue of the size and mandate of a peacekeeping force in the south. The current nearly 2,000-member force, deployed since 1978, is virtually ineffectual and its main task now is to patrol the Blue Line, monitor and report violations and deliver aid. Four U.N. border observers were killed in an Israeli airstrike this week.

The Lebanese government has previously rejected international demands that it disarm Hezbollah and move the army into the south. Without Hezbollah consent, the move could tear the country apart due to the movement's deep support among Shiite Muslims.

The rare united stand between Hezbollah and anti-Syrian politicians who dominate the government could give Lebanon a stronger say in any resolution of the conflict. A divided government may encourage unilateral U.N. Security Council action on the Lebanon crisis without consulting Beirut.

Visiting EU envoys, led by Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, whose country currently holds the EU presidency, met Friday with Saniora and parliament speaker Nabih Berri, the de facto negotiator for Hezbollah.

Tuomioja, representing the EU Finnish presidency, said the troika appreciated the Lebanese government's plan which "we think forms a good basis for a regional agreement."

Half of famed Motown duo Ashford & Simpson

NEW YORK — Nick Ashford, one-half of the legendary Motown songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson that penned elegant, soulful classics for the likes of Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye and funk hits for Chaka Khan and others, died Monday at age 70, his former publicist said.

Mr. Ashford, who along with wife Valerie Simpson wrote some of Motown's biggest hits, died in a New York City hospital, said Liz Rosenberg, Mr. Ashford's longtime friend. He had been suffering from throat cancer and had undergone radiation treatment, she said.

Though they had some of their greatest success at Motown with classics like "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Reach Out And Touch Somebody's Hand" by Ross and "You're All I Need To Get By" by Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Ashford & Simpson also created anthems for others, like "I'm Every Woman" by Khan (and later remade by Whitney Houston).

"They had magic and that's what creates those wonderful hits," Verdine White of Earth, Wind and Fire said after learning of his friend's death. "Without those songs, those artists wouldn't have been able to go to the next level."

Ashford & Simpson also had success writing for themselves: Perhaps the best-known song they sang was the 1980s hit "Solid As A Rock."

Their relationship stretched more than four decades. They met in 1964 in a New York City church. Mr. Ashford, a South Carolina native, had come to the city to pursue a dance career; Simpson was a music student, and after connecting with her, they decided to start to write songs together.

"They were always comfortable with each other and they made all of us comfortable, because they were comfortable," White said.

Their first major success occurred when they came up with "Let's Go Get Stoned" for Ray Charles. That song became a huge hit, and soon, they came to the attention of Motown Records and began penning hits for their artists. They started out writing for Gaye and Terrell; in fact, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" was originally their hit, until Ross later rerecorded it and made it her signature song.

"The thing is, they were married and working together. That was what was special about them. Everybody admired that," White said.

The duo, who were married for 38 years, helped sell millions of records for several artists. They also had success as their own entity, but despite "Solid As a Rock," their songs were dwarfed by those they penned for others.

In recent years, the pair continued to perform. They also were owners of the New York City restaurant Sugar Bar, where many top names and emerging talents would put on showcases.

Mr. Ashford is survived by his wife and two daughters.

AP

Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson (shown in 2007) were married 38 years and were singing and songwriting partners. | AP PhotoEvan Agostini

Report: McQuaid says EPO bans should be 4 years

PARIS (AP) — International cycling federation president Pat McQuaid has renewed his call for first-time doping offenders who test positive for EPO to be suspended for four years instead of two.

McQuaid, who also said there won't be a decision before next year on Tour de France champion Alberto Contador's doping case, told L'Equipe newspaper on Monday he would look to take his campaign for a tough line on EPO to national cycling federations.

"Personally, I'm in favor of increasing the length of the suspension," said McQuaid, who supported the tougher punishment in an interview with The Associated Press last month. "There should be a four-year ban for those who take EPO. We're going to propose that soon to the national federations and they will need to be on the same line as us. Because if we need to ask for CAS arbitration too often, it wouldn't go ahead."

The Spanish cycling federation is set to determine whether Contador is banned for two years after testing positive for clenbuterol during the Tour. Contador, a three-time Tour champion, blames contaminated meat for his positive test.

"At the end of August, along with WADA, we gave Contador the chance to explain himself," McQuaid said. "Twenty-four hours later, he told us this story of the contaminated meat. We asked experts to conduct a study to see if his version is credible. There won't be a decision before the end of the year."

Contador risks losing this year's Tour title and could face a two-year ban if found guilty of using clenbuterol, a banned muscle-building and weight-loss steroid.

McQuaid also spoke about the possibility of handing reduced suspensions to riders convinced of using "lighter" substances.

"We should make a difference between light and heavy products," McQuaid said. "EPO is serious, that should be a four-year ban. Ventolin, for example, could be six or nine months."

McQuaid also claimed that cycling is the cleanest of all sports and that most of the riders are not taking performance enhancing substances.

"Through our biological passport (program), we have noticed that the parameters were improving," McQuaid said. "Most of the riders are clean."

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`Close call' for Earth // Large asteroid detected after just missing planet

WASHINGTON An asteroid big enough to wipe out cities whizzedpast the Earth last month before astronomers even knew it was there,showing how hard it is to forecast a natural disaster from space, aNASA scientist said Thursday.

The asteroid, a collection of rock and dust a half-mile or morein diameter, flashed by at a speed of 46,000 m.p.h. and was not evendetected until days after it had become only a receding point oflight, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announced.

Astronomers reported that the object missed Earth by only ahalf-million miles - about twice the distance between the Earth andmoon. In cosmic terms, this is considered "a close call."

Had it hit the Earth, said Bevan French, a scientist in NASA'ssolar system exploration division, the asteroid would have created acrater the size of the District of Columbia and spread destructionfor 100 miles in all directions. Other effects would be feltthousands of miles away, he said.

"The object would be packing the equivalent of 40 billion tonsof TNT," said French. "That would be equal to about 40,000 hydrogenbombs all going off at the same time."

Henry Holt, a retired U.S. Geological Survey scientist nowworking on a NASA-funded project to detect and track asteroids thatcross Earth's orbit, found the asteroid in photographs taken almost aweek after it had flown past.

French said the fact that the asteroid, called 1989FC, was notseen earlier comes as no surprise.

"These detections are made because you can photograph a trail oflight as it moves against a background of fixed stars," French said."That means the asteroid is moving across your path and not on acollision course.

"An asteroid that was heading right for you would look just likeanother small fixed star and might be very difficult to detect untilit was too late to do anything about it," he said.

There have been several federally funded studies to determinehow to protect Earth from being bombed by outer space rocks, butlittle else has been done, French said. "Your best bet would be toidentify these several hundred or thousand Earth crossers (asteroids)and calculate their orbit," he said. "Then you would know when youare in danger."

Once the approaching object was sighted, French said, "You couldlaunch a large nuclear device to explode near the asteroid and nudgeit out of the way."

But, said the NASA scientist, "We don't really have the kind ofdetection capability or launch capability to do that at the moment."

French said Holt found the object in photos taken on March 31 byan 18-inch telescope at the Mt. Palomar Observatory in California.The photos were processed several days later, and the asteroid wasdiscovered by comparing views taken an hour apart.

By the time the object was photographed, French said, it hadalready made its closest approach to Earth and was streaking outward,away from the sun. Scientists plotted the trajectory backward anddetermined that the asteroid passed within a half-million miles ofEarth on March 23. That is closer to Earth than any other object solarge has passed since 1937, when an object called Hermes went byEarth at about the same distance.

French said that if 1989FC had struck dry land on Earth "itwould be a very major catastrophe for which we have had noexperience."

If the asteroid had hit the ocean, he said, it would havecreated tidal waves that would wash over vast areas of coastalregions.

French said there may be "hundreds to thousands" of suchEarth-crossing asteroids, and an object the size of 1989FC couldreasonably be expected to strike Earth every 5 million to 20 millionyears.

He said there is a crater in Ghana and one in the Soviet Unioncreated by such objects hitting Earth.

The Soviet crater is thought to be less than a million yearsold.

Scientists also believe that an object about 6 miles in diameterhit the Earth about 65 million years ago and ejected so much debrisinto the atmosphere that it caused the planet to cool.

A popular theory blames this event for the extinction of thedinosaurs.

French said the asteroid is moving away from the sun now, butwill pass within 20 million miles of the Earth early in October.

Experts are tracking the asteroid to gain a more refinedestimate of its orbit. French said 1989FC passed close enough to theEarth for its orbit to be affected by the planet's gravitationalinfluence. Scientists will have to take this into account whencalculating the asteroid's new orbit.

Greeting cards are examples of pop art

Carlton Cards, a division of American Greetings, gives consumersthe opportunity to own reproductions of some of the most renownedcontemporary works of art with its new pop culture line.

The Peter Max collection features 67 of the artist's paintings,including one of his most recognizable prints, "Umbrella Man."

Other popular Max motifs include "cosmic jumpers" in space, angelsand his patriotic/flag series and love/heart series.

Colorful works of art with a conscience, Max's prints range fromspiritual to sensual and incorporate a wide range of imagery. Frombold graphics to minimalism, the artist creates a world of magic.

It's not strange that Max's favorite quote comes from one of thegreatest scientific geniuses of our times: "Imagination is moreimportant than knowledge," said Albert Einstein.

Max, whose work is said to evolve with the times, has painted forfive U.S. presidents and has served as the official artist of theGrammys, six Super Bowls, Woodstock and its 30th anniversary event,World Cup USA, the U.S. Open and other events.

Portraits by the artist include: President Clinton, NelsonMandela, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Princess Diana, the Dalai Lama andMikhail Gorbachev. Max has also used his talent to make socialstatements by creating works symbolic of causes such as human rights,animal rights, ecology and peace.

For more information on the card line, visit Carlton's Web site,www.carltoncards.com.

London's FTSE 100 unchanged at 6,087.3

The London Stock Exchange's main share index was unchanged Thursday.

The FTSE 100-share index closed at 6,087.3, the same as Wednesday's.

Hard-Luck Days Over for Angels' Escobar

ANAHEIM, Calif. - After consecutive starts in which his teammates have totaled 20 runs of support, Kelvim Escobar is starting to feel that his hard-luck days with the Los Angeles Angels are over. Escobar breezed to his ninth victory and Vladimir Guerrero punctuated a 17-hit attack with a two-run homer, helping the Angels rout the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-1 Saturday night. The victory came six days after the right-hander beat the Dodgers 10-4.

"Everybody knows how tough it was for me last year, pitching well and not getting good results. But it seems like everything is starting to turn around and I'm very happy," Escobar said. "I've always said, when you work hard, it's going to pay off someday. You just have to be patient and wait for your time."

The Angels, vying for their third AL West title in four years, are off to the best start in franchise history at 48-27 and are 21 games over .500 for the first time since finishing 95-67 in 2005. They increased their division lead to a season-high eight games over Oakland, which lost 1-0 to the New York Mets.

"I'm very happy about the way the offense is going," Escobar said. "We're playing with a lot of confidence. And one of the things that we're doing that is going to keep us on top and competing for that division is winning series."

By taking the first two games of this three-game set, the Halos have won nine consecutive series and 13 of the last 14. But they lost center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. in the third inning with tightness in his left hamstring after he legged out an infield single to short.

Matthews, who signed a five-year, $50 million contract with the Angels in November after leaving the Texas Rangers for free agency, is hitting .286 with 10 homers and 42 RBIs in 73 games.

"Just running down the line, it felt a little tight - but it didn't pull or grab or anything," Matthews said. "They yanked me, but I could have finished it out. It feels OK right now. I want to go out and play tomorrow."

Escobar (9-3) sent the Pirates to their fourth straight loss, allowing a run and five hits over eight innings and striking out four. The right-hander, who became a full-time starter in 2004 after joining the Angels from Toronto as a free agent, is only two wins shy of last season's total.

"I'm very happy the way things are going," said Escobar, who turned Chris Duffy's line drive back to the box into an inning-ending double play in the eighth. "It's always been a goal for me to win 20 games and I know that I can do it, but it doesn't come easy."

Ian Snell (6-5) gave up five runs and 10 hits over six innings in his first career appearance against the Angels, making the right-hander 0-3 with a 4.05 ERA in his last six road starts.

Snell pitched for the first time in 10 days since recording his first complete game in the majors with an 8-1 victory over Texas. He missed his scheduled turn last Tuesday at Seattle because of a blister on his index finger, which he burned while cleaning his stove.

Howie Kendrick triggered the Angels' five-run second inning with a two-run bloop single to center and Shea Hillenbrand drove in another with a fielder's choice grounder. Reggie Willits and Chone Figgins capped the rally with RBI singles, but Snell couldn't exhale until Guerrero's bid for a three-run homer died in Bay's glove on the warning track.

"Obviously, it's not the performance Ian Snell wanted," manager Jim Tracy said. "But for him to maintain his composure in the manner in which he did after that tough second inning and basically save our bullpen, you've got to give him credit for that."

Hillenbrand drove in another run with an infield single in the seventh and Guerrero highlighted a four-run eighth with his 14th homer, a two-run shot against Tony Armas.

Xavier Nady doubled in the seventh, extending Pittsburgh's streak to 30 consecutive games with an extra-base hit, and Ronny Paulino singled him home for his second hit of the game. It was the 21st time this season that the Pirates scored fewer than three runs, and they have lost all 21.

"That's not very good," shortstop Jack Wilson said. "We're running into some guys that are throwing really well right now. Escobar had some really filthy stuff tonight. That team is very good at what they do - taking the extra base and getting the clutch hits. We're definitely not doing that right now, and it's definitely a tough thing to take."

Notes:@ Angels 1B Casey Kotchman missed his sixth straight game because of a concussion. ... Snell didn't have to bat because the DH rule was in effect. He has nine sacrifice bunts, tying Roy Oswalt for the major league lead - but six of the baserunners Snell has advanced have been stranded.

OPEC to Decide on Oil Production Quota

VIENNA, Austria - OPEC was deciding Tuesday whether to maintain its production quota or give it a modest and symbolic boost to calm oil markets worried that there may not be enough crude to meet global demand by year's end.

Despite resistance by Venezuela and a few other members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, key oil ministers said they were discussing the possibility of raising the cartel's current official output target by another 500,000 to 700,000 barrels a day.

If approved, it would be a purely token increase, since the 12-nation group - which supplies about 40 percent of the world's crude - already is pumping at least 1 million barrels a day over its current official quota of 25.8 million barrels a day.

OPEC President Mohamed Al Hamli, who doubles as energy minister for the United Arab Emirates, conceded in his opening address that there were "continuing uncertainties about the world oil demand outlook, exacerbated recently by financial markets turmoil."

But he added: "OPEC will continue monitoring oil market developments and will act in a timely and adequate manner, should there be indications of a shortage of crude."

Analysts said a small but symbolic increase would send a message to jittery markets that OPEC is paying attention to stubbornly high prices and expectations that global demand will spike as winter approaches in the Northern Hemisphere.

"We're in a different market than we were in a few months ago," Algeria's energy minister, Chakib Khelil, said before the cartel began its closed-door consultations.

Iran's acting oil minister, Gholam Hossein Nozari, told reporters Tuesday that OPEC can't be held responsible for the world's economic woes.

"The economic situation does not depend only on OPEC," he said.

Although OPEC feels generally confident it can keep current production and prices in balance, it is weighing a host of factors that "may compel them to turn the spigot up a notch," said Anthony Sabino, a professor of business law at St. John's University in New York.

Light, sweet crude for October delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose 3 cents to $77.52 a barrel in electronic trading, while October Brent crude fell 13 cents to $75.35 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

Saudi Arabia, OPEC's No. 1 producer and the member with the most sway, was the wild card. The oil-rich kingdom made no public statements, adding a touch of suspense heading into Tuesday's deliberations.

Libya's oil minister said Tuesday there was no consensus on an output increase, and Venezuelan Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez stuck by his contention that production targets should not be changed.

Even if OPEC boosts crude output, a 2-3 percent higher quota would not necessarily mean an increase in actual oil on the market because the cartel already is pumping well over its target.

And crude oil needs refining, which can mean a holdup of at least 40 days, said Eshan Ul-Haq, chief analyst for Vienna's PVM Oil Associates.

"It all takes time," said Ul-Haq, who estimates OPEC has a spare capacity of up to 3.15 million barrels a day.

Ul-Haq also noted that the United Arab Emirates is scheduled to perform maintenance on its oil fields this autumn, and that the work would force it to cut production by roughly 400,000 barrels a day - at least temporarily negating any 500,000-barrel increase.

With oil prices hovering around $77 a barrel, pressure has built on OPEC to intervene. Crude traded as high as $78.77 a barrel in early August on the Nymex, and many market-watchers see $80 as the new threshold.

The Paris-based International Energy Agency repeatedly has urged the group to raise crude output at this week's meeting, arguing that global demand is likely to outstrip supply with the advent of winter.

Many OPEC members said they felt no compulsion to act quickly, since demand for gasoline and diesel fuel has slackened with the end of the summer driving season.

Others said they were still assessing the impact on the global economy of the slump in the U.S. housing market.

With mortgage defaults rising, lenders have tightened conditions on loans to prospective U.S. home buyers, and the slowdown has stoked fears of a recession and reduced demand for oil and gasoline.

The 12 OPEC members are Algeria, Angola, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.

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On the Net:

OPEC: http://www.opec.org