Tunisia Convicts Ex-Guantanamo Detainee

A Tunisian court on Thursday convicted a former prisoner at the United States prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on terror charges, the Justice Ministry said.

Abdullah bin Omar was handed a 7-year prison sentence on charges of "belonging in times of peace to a terrorist organization operating in a foreign country," an official at the Justice Ministry said.

Bin Omar, a Tunisian citizen who spent five years at the detention facility in Cuba and was released in June, consistently denied the charges or any links to terrorism.

His lawyers had asked for an acquittal.

One of them, Samir Ben Amor, said he would appeal the decision to …

Master tap dancer, instructor

ERNEST 'BROWNIE' BROWN - 1916-2009

Ernest '"Brownie" Brown tapped into a tradition of American dance and entertainment that stretched back to the days of Harlem's Cotton Club and Bill "Bojangles" Robinson.

"Brownie was one of the last of the generation of men and women who crossed the lines from vaudeville to Broadway to movies to television," said Lane Alexander, founder and director of the Chicago Human Rhythm Project. "His career spanned the whole 20th century of American entertainment. He represented an important link in the chain of performers and teachers who passed the oral tradition of American tap from one generation to the next.''

He was the short funny …

Transcircularities: New and Selected Poems

by Quincy Troupe

Coffee House Press, September 2002

$30.00, ISBN 1-566-89137-X

Transcircularities is a comprehensive collection that should succeed with those not familiar with Quincy Troupe. The author of six volumes of poetry -- Avalanche is the most recent -- Troupe's career spans well over three decades. He was recently chosen as the first poet laureate of California, with his most recognized work being his collaboration with Miles Davis for Miles: The Autobiography in 1989.

Written in a frank, often profanity-laden voice of the legendary trumpeter, the book is arguably one of the best books on Miles. One cannot separate Troupe's poetic sensibilities …

NYC issues warning after aphrodisiac kills man

Health officials are warning New Yorkers to stay away from an illegal aphrodisiac made from toad venom after the product apparently killed a man.

The city's poison control center issued the warning Friday after receiving a hospital report that a 35-year-old man who ingested the hard, brown substance died earlier this month.

The product is sold under names including Piedra, Love Stone, Jamaican Stone, Black Stone and Chinese Rock at sex shops and neighborhood stores. It is banned by the Food and Drug Administration.

City health officials said the victim, whose identity was not released, was admitted to the hospital complaining of chest and …

Iran expected to dominate G8 meeting in Italy

Italy hopes foreign ministers of the industrialized Group of Eight meeting Thursday will send Iran a "tough" message over its violent crackdown on protesters, the foreign minister said.

Italy had originally invited Iran to attend the three-day gathering of industrialized nations in Trieste, northern Italy, as a special guest, arguing that Tehran could have an important role to play in stabilizing Afghanistan _ a key focus of the meeting.

But Rome retracted the invitation after Tehran failed to respond and after days of violent clashes with demonstrators protesting Iran's disputed June 12 elections.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco …

Best Films: `Quiz,' `Pulp' And `Gump'

NEW YORK The New York Film Critics Circle has named "Quiz Show"as the best movie of 1994. And "Forrest Gump" and "Pulp Fiction"tied for best film honors in balloting by the National Board ofReview of Motion Pictures.

Both film groups agreed on best director: Quentin Tarantinofor "Pulp Fiction."

The Chicago-produced "Hoop Dreams" was …

Business events scheduled for Friday

Major business events and economic events scheduled for Friday:

WASHINGTON — Labor Department …