A Business History of Alberta

A Business History of Alberta. By Henry C. Klassen. Calgary: University of Calgary Press, 1999. xxii +362 pp. Maps, illustrations, index. Cloth, $29.95; paper, $19.95. ISBN: Cloth 1-55238-022-X; paper 1-55238-009-2.

Reviewed by Douglas McCalla

The province of Alberta was created in 1905, during the last great North American settlement boom and as the institutional structures of modern business were quickly taking shape in Canada. At its margins, many Albertans were deeply critical of the system, as they showed in the interwar years by electing provincial governments formed by the United Farmers of Alberta until 1935 and by the Social Credit party thereafter. After the war, …

Air patrols, cameras to watch big inaugural crowd

Law enforcement officials bracing for the largest crowds in inaugural history are preparing far-reaching security _ thousands of video cameras, sharpshooters, air patrols _ to safeguard President-elect Barack Obama's swearing-in.

People attending the ceremony and parade on Jan. 20 can expect to be searched by machines, security personnel or both. Precautions will range from the routine _ magnetometers like those used at airports _ to countersnipers trained to hit a target the size of a teacup saucer from 1,000 yards away. Plus undercover officers, bomb sniffing dogs and air patrols.

The Secret Service _ the agency coordinating the security _ also has …

Stalin's grandchild returns to England

((PHOTO …

UN Chief to Push for Peace in Mideast

UNITED NATIONS - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday pledged to push for lasting peace in the Middle East and an end to the conflict in Darfur in the coming year, calling it one of the most challenging in the U.N.'s history.

At the opening of the U.N. General Assembly's annual ministerial meeting, Ban took the podium for the first time as U.N. chief and called for "an internal climate of change" at the world body to address the growing number of issues requiring collective action.

"Looking to the coming year and beyond, we can foresee a daunting array of challenges to come," he said. "They are problems that respect no borders - that no country, big or small, …

Swedish Bank Stops Digital Theft

A gang of Swedish criminals was seconds away from completing a digital bank heist when an alert employee literally pulled the plug on their brazen scam, investigators said Wednesday.

The would be bank robbers had placed "advanced technical equipment" under the employee's desk that allowed them to take control of his computer remotely, prosecutor Thomas Balter Nordenman said in a statement.

The employee discovered the device shortly after he realized his computer had started an operation to transfer "millions" from the bank into another account, Nordenman …

Romania makes 5 changes to face Argentina at RWC

INVERCARGILL, New Zealand (AP) — Romeo Gontineac has made five changes, including three new players, to his starting lineup for Romania's Rugby World Cup match against Argentina on Saturday.

Tiberius Dimofte will start at flyhalf in place of errant-kicking flyhalf Marin Dumbrava, who drops to the reserves bench, and will partner Florin Surugiu, who was preferred at scrumhalf to veteran Lucian Sirbu.

The teams will play at windy Rugby Park Stadium, where Dumbrava missed two first-half penalties before giving up the kicking duties to Dimofte in Romania's 34-24 loss to Scotland, its opening match.

Dimofte moves in from the centers to take over for Dumbrava, while Constantin …

CORRECTIONS/CLARIFICATIONS

* Keystone BioFuels Inc. President Ben Wootton's name was misspelled in a Nov. 16 story on page 17.

* Pugliese Associates' 2006 lobbying expenses were incorrectly reported in the lobbying-firms list on page 25 of the Nov. 16 issue. The correct number is $3.3 million.

* An article on page …

Injured Sachin Tendulkar pulls out of Olympic torch relay

India cricket star Sachin Tendulkar on Wednesday withdrew from the Olympic torch relay in New Delhi, just a day before the event.

Tendulkar said a groin injury would prevent him taking part.

"I received an invitation from Indian Olympic Association to run with the Olympic torch. I am honored at being invited, but I'll not be able to participate in the relay," said Tendulkar, …

[ A FAMILY FOR ME ]

Meet William, Derell and Daryl

They are caring brothers who love to have fun. William, 11, iscompetitive and good at sports. Derell, 9, is very curious. Daryl isan energetic 7 year old.

Their likes:

William likes baseball, basketball and video games. Derell enjoyscoloring and playing basketball. Daryl is a playful child who likescard games and art projects. All three children love Pokemon toys.

Others say:

William's teacher and foster parent said he is …

A social cognitive view of school-to-work transition

This article considers social cognitive career theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) as a vantage point from which to view the school-to-work transition process. Rather than emphasizing the period just before high school graduation, SCCT focuses on 6 developmentally linked themes that unfold throughout the school years. An emphasis on these themes (formation of self-efficacy and outcome beliefs, interest development, interest-goal linkages, translation of goals into actions, performance skills, negotiation of transition supports and barriers) suggests targets for developmental and remedial interventions that promote students' career development across the school years and after …

Castroneves gets first win in 30 races

Helio Castroneves won for the first time in 30 races in the IndyCar Series at the Sonoma Grand Prix on Sunday, keeping alive his hopes for the series championship.

Castroneves, the Team Penske star, had been frustrated until now with seven runner-up finishes this season.

Indy Racing League points …

Massive and urgent

There is a massive and urgent need for the new school in Redland.

By placing the school right where the students live, almost all ofthem will either walk or cycle to the school.

Many parents in the area currently drive their children to andfrom school right across Bristol at peak hours, which is asignificant cause of congestion.

Just think what the traffic is like during the school holidays ifyou need convincing that we must place schools where the studentsare.

The new sixth-form provision will revolutionise 16-19 education …

Developers secure key property in York

For nearly 40 years, Frysinger Rohrbaugh received countless offers from real estate agents and developers interested in buying her property in downtown York.

But the owner of the 24 N. George St. building refused each one.

Then, last year, Rohrbaugh died, and the bank took over the building. Months later, York County landscapers Joe Anthony and Jeff Edwards acquired it.

They plan to renovate the building and put in retail shops and offices.

So, why did Rohrbaugh keep the building, despite the fact that it was vacant for 37 years?

According to Anthony, it was because she believed York city hurt her father's business. Rohrbaugh's father, Walter J. Smutz, ran a leather goods shop from 1903 to 1964 at 24 N. George St. At some point during that period, the city stopped using steam heat, which Smutz used for his day-to-day business operations.

Anthony said, as he understands it, Rohrbaugh never forgave the city and kept the building in protest.

The building had housed Walter J. Smutz Leather Goods from 1902 to 1964, according to York County Heritage Trust records. The Italianate row house dates to the 1850s.

The partners intend to spend between $350,000 and $450,000 on renovations to the 6,000-square-foot building, across from where a government courthouse complex is being built.

Anthony and Edwards, both of Manchester Township, expect to lease out the first floor as retail shops and lease the top two stories for offices.

They purchased the building for $60,000 in January.

"With the new courthouse going up, I think a lot of people expect a lot to start happening downtown, and we want to be part of it," Anthony said.

The building is in York's historic district, and it is also part of York's historical architectural review board district, meaning the city must approve all renovation plans before construction can begin. The building has another distinction, too - it is in one of York County's tax-forgiving Keystone Opportunity Zones.

The KOZ program is a state program designed to help revitalize the city by selling vacant, dilapidated or underutilized properties to business owners. Investors who agree to renovate those types of properties are freed from paying state or local taxes for up to 11 years.

Ted Turnbull, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Commercial Rotz Associates Inc. in York, is marketing the property for Anthony and Edwards. Turnbull said he has identified prospective office and retail tenants, but none have signed yet.

A baked-goods company and a coffee shop have expressed interest in leasing space on the 2,000-square-foot first floor, Turnbull said. He declined to disclose the names of the businesses, though he did say that all have existing York County operations.

Turnbull expects it will take nine months before the first tenant is up and running in the building. Architectural drawings for the renovation project should be finished by midAugust, he added. Soon afterward, plans will be submitted to the York City Planning Commission for approval.

The building is not in bad shape, Anthony said. There is some water damage on the facade, and the building will need new plumbing, wiring, heating and air-conditioning systems, he said. An elevator might be installed, as well, for the future office tenants.

Anthony would like to have construction started by fall or winter. He confirmed Turnbull's estimate, saying he hopes to have space available for rent by spring of 2002.

Reports: Merrill Lynch CEO Close to Exit

NEW YORK - Stan O'Neal, the beleaguered chief executive of Merrill Lynch & Co., was reportedly close to resigning Sunday amid broad criticism for leading the world's largest brokerage to its biggest quarterly loss since it was founded 93 years ago.

In a week that included an $7.9 billion write-down related to subprime mortgages and O'Neal's unauthorized overture to sell the company to retail bank Wachovia Corp., the board of Merrill Lynch reached a broad consensus Friday for his dismissal, according to several media reports. He would become the highest-ranking casualty of the global credit crisis that swept through Wall Street's biggest investment banks during the third quarter.

An announcement of his departure could come as soon as Sunday evening or Monday morning, according to reports in The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.

A Merrill Lynch spokesman declined to comment Sunday.

Merrill's 11-member board, which currently includes O'Neal as chairman, was expected to initiate a search to find a replacement that will include both internal and external candidates.

O'Neal, 56, came under fire Wednesday when Merrill Lynch announced a $2.24 billion loss as big bets on mortgage-backed securities were rendered almost worthless because of a global credit squeeze. His fate was also plunged into doubt after he initiated talks about a possible merger with Wachovia, according to the Times. Such a deal could have handed O'Neal a $250 million separation package if he wasn't chosen to lead the new company.

O'Neal, who rose to power five years ago, was known for shaking up top management and putting a greater emphasis on riskier bets rather than the safety of just selling stocks. That strategy - which handed Merrill Lynch record results during the market's peak - came with a heavy cost during the tumultuous third quarter. The company said Wednesday it didn't know what impact it would have in the current earnings period.

O'Neal shouldered the blame for the earnings miss.

"I'm not going to talk around the fact that there were some mistakes that were made," he said in a conference call with analysts Wednesday. Merrill Lynch shares plunged for two days, then spiked Friday amid speculation O'Neal might be forced out.

Investors, who have seen Merrill's shares slump by 30 percent this year, will now be keenly interested in who might take control. Widely tipped as a successor is Laurence Fink, currently chairman and CEO of asset manager BlackRock Inc. He's credited with being one of Wall Street's most powerful players in the fixed-income market, which has been slammed by a global aversion to risk as mortgage-backed securities lost significant value during the summer.

Fink had dinner with O'Neal on Thursday but has yet to meet with Merrill's board, according to a person familiar with the matter who was unauthorized to speak on the record. Merrill Lynch owns a 49 percent stake in BlackRock.

Internally, Gregory Fleming, Merrill's co-president, has been named as a possible replacement, as has Bob McCann, who heads Merrill's brokerage division.

There was also speculation that Fink, Fleming and McCann might enter into some power-sharing arrangement until the board can find a permanent replacement.

Malaysia Chinese party faces battle of presidents

The former head of Malaysia's main ethnic Chinese party announced Tuesday he would contest the post again, setting the stage for a bitter power struggle in a key member of the ruling coalition.

The announcement quashes hopes of an amicable end to months of infighting that has crippled the Malaysian Chinese Association, or MCA, the No. 2 party in Prime Minister Najib Razak's ruling National Front coalition.

The party feud has hindered Najib's efforts to recapture support from Malaysia's large ethnic Chinese minority, who widely voted against the National Front in 2008 elections amid accusations of discrimination by the Malay-dominated government in economic and religious policies.

Two-thirds of the MCA's leaders quit their posts earlier this month to pave the way for party elections scheduled for March 28. In recent weeks, only party president Ong Tee Keat confirmed he would defend his post, raising hopes that other potential challengers would allow him to retain the presidency without further infighting.

However, Ong Ka Ting, who led the MCA from 2003 to 2008, announced Tuesday he would contest the presidency, saying that many party members have urged him to make a comeback and help restore the party to its previous popularity.

Ong's announcement triggers the possibility of a three-way fight for the presidency, because the party's No. 2 leader, Chua Soi Lek, might also make a bid for the top post.

The MCA's stability is crucial for the National Front, which is dominated by Najib's United Malays National Organization party. The National Front comprises mainly race-based parties representing the country's main ethnic groups _ the majority Malay Muslims and the minority Chinese, Indians and indigenous tribes.

'Mini-Colosseum' unearthed near Rome

A team of British archaeologists working in ancient Rome's seaport has unearthed the remains of a "mini-Colosseum" _ a smaller version of the monumental arena built in the center of the imperial capital.

The foundations of the tiny amphitheater, dated to the early third century, were discovered outside Ostia, a once bustling port town about 15 miles (25 kilometers) southwest of Rome through which much of the riches and goods destined for the city flowed.

The find underscores how ancient arenas came in different sizes and were used for a variety of purposes, not just the public gladiatorial bouts and gory animal shows for which the Colosseum is famous, lead archaeologist Simon Keay said Thursday.

"There are a lot of amphitheaters in the Roman world and people assume they were all used for animal and gladiatorial combat," Keay said. "But they could be used for other things," such as a private theater or for administrative purposes.

The discovery was particularly surprising because this was the only amphitheater in Ostia and it was rare to find one so close to a harbor.

The "mini-Colosseum" was located inside a palace built 100 years earlier by the Emperor Trajan. The administrative complex housed the "procurator," the official in charge of the harbor, but may have also hosted emperors as they left or returned from sea voyages, Keay said.

Experts are still puzzling over the purpose of the amphitheater, said Keay, a professor of archaeology at the University of Southampton and at the British School at Rome, which worked jointly on the dig.

"It's a very enigmatic building, it's not meant to be seen from miles around, it's very discreet," he said in a telephone interview. "We are not entirely sure of what went on in the amphitheater."

Unlike the Colosseum, which was used for public spectacles, the Ostia venue likely had a private use.

The procurator may have used it for shows to entertain his guests or as a place to address his staff, Keay said. It may have also served as a training ground for the local "vigiles" _ ancient Rome's firefighters, he said.

The arena, measuring 138 feet by 125 feet (42 meters by 38 meters), was uncovered in August at the end of a three-year digging campaign in the area of the "portus," the sea harbor built in imperial times near Ostia's older fluvial port on the Tiber.

Further study is needed to determine the arena's height and capacity, but Keay speculated the structure could hold up to 2,000 people. By comparison, the Colosseum, built in the first century, could seat about 50,000 spectators.

Aside from the foundations, not much is left of Ostia's amphitheater because it was demolished during the Byzantine period to build fortifications.

Experts have determined the structure was made of bricks, mortar and wood. It was partially ringed by columns and archaeologists have uncovered remains of rich marble decorations and the head of a statue possibly depicting Ulysses _ the wondering Greek hero well-liked by sailors.

Keay said he plans to continue the dig if money can be raised and Ostia's archaeological office renews its collaboration with the team.

___

On the Net:

http://www.portusproject.org/

http://www.soton.ac.uk/

Collagen Protein: "What Doctors Recommend To... Burn Fat, Increase Energy and Support Your Joints"

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Collagen protein, taken internally as a dietary supplement, is quickly becoming one of the hottest nutritional supplements available today. Experts who have studied the benefits and well-documented medical history of collagen protein say yes - this newly available supplement can help many of these bodily and appearance enhancing results.

Impressive Medical History

Collagen protein (hydrolyzed), created and patented by an American pharmacist in the early 1970's, has been used by doctors, clinics and hospitals for weight loss; various skin conditions, including treatment for burn victims; nutritional support for the elderly and hospital patients; wound healing; and for the support of joints and connective tissue. With its well-documented and clinically proven history, collagen protein has only recently become commercially available to the public.

How Does It Work?

Next to water, collagen is the most important structural substance in our bodies, accounting for 25-30% of its total protein. Your ligaments, tendons, bones and skeletal muscles are all held together by collagen, as well as the smooth muscle tissue like your blood vessels, digestive tract and organs. It is even the main component of your hair, skin, and nails.

As we age, our body loses its ability to make collagen, thus, it starts to break down. This is why our skin sags and wrinkles; hair becomes thinner, dull, or lifeless; our joints are stiffer and less flexible; and we have softer, less tone bodies.

Supplementing with collagen protein is believed to provide the body with the amino acids necessary to manufacture and support collagen. Without healthy collagen, our bodies virtually fall apart as we age.

Why Collagen Is Unique

Much different from other protein sources, collagen protein contains a unique combination and ratio of high-nitrogen amino acids (protein), most importantly, glycine, proline, hydroxyproline and arginine. These have been shown to influence: weight loss, bone and connective tissue, improvement of skin appearance, optimal body growth and repair, improved metabolism, elevation of growth hormone secretion (which affects: fat loss, muscle retention, energy levels, softness and elasticity of the skin and improved sleep), and healing, especially for wounds.

Helps Reduce Body Fat

Contrary to what some companies promote, collagen protein itself does not burn fat; however, it places the body's metabolism in an optimal state to do so. When taken at bedtime, it is extremely effective during the first phase of sleep in which the body is in a natural state of repair, building and healing muscle tissue. Collagen's specific amino acids help to preserve and build lean muscle. Since muscle helps to regulate and increase the metabolism, fat can then be burned as energy to help support this bodily repair process.

When used as part of a total weight management program that includes healthy eating and exercise, collagen protein can be a very effective tool in the fat loss and body toning process.

Special Body Shaping Potential...

As we age, our bodies lose their muscle content and gain fat, so the muscle-to-fat ratio is lower than in youth. Collagen protein's muscle sparing and supporting capacity also make it highly effective in helping the body to regain its shape and tone. Users typically notice a reduction of fat in inches (not muscle or water weight as with other weight loss products) and a firmer, more toned body.

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Sleep: The abundant amino acid, arginine, found in collagen protein has been shown to affect the secretion of growth hormone, which helps to produce a deeper sleep.

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Originally used by doctors in skin trauma centers and to aid in wound healing, collagen protein also affects the quality and appearance of the skin, hair and nails, and helps support joint function. Users (both men and women) typically notice an improvement in skin softness, hydration, tone and overall appearance, as well as the quality, shine and luster of their hair and nails.

Collagen's rare amino acid hydroxyproline plays a primary role in the structure and maintenance of bone and connective tissue. This is why experts believe collagen protein can help maintain and support healthy joint function.

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One of the most appealing things about collagen protein is how easy it is to use. No fad diets, no drugs, no harmful stimulants, and no pills - just a tablespoon or two of this great tasting liquid simply taken at bedtime is all that is necessary. Also, collagen is a naturally occurring whole food protein and is completely safe. While typical use is between 5-15 grams (1-3 tablespoons) per day, post-surgical doses of up to 100 grams a day (of the patented, medically used collagen formula called AminoSculpt(TM)) have been administered to hospital patients, with no side effects.

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To identify the original and authentic, enzymatically hydrolyzed collagen formula, AminoSculpt, look for these four specific patent numbers (4,025,650, 4,042,687, 4,042,688, 4,053,589) and its trademarked name "CoLLAPuRE(TM)" on the label. For information on where to find AminoSculpt, call Health Direct toll-free at 1-800-413-4614, Dept. BA-15.

* Attention Retailers: Those interested in carrying AminoSculpt should call 1-800-520-3772, Dept. WBA-15.

� 2004, 2005 D&J Vision Marketing, Inc.

[Sidebar]

"Collagen protein can be a very effective tool in the fat loss and body toning process..."

[Sidebar]

"Users notice an improvement in skin softness, tone and appearance..."

[Sidebar]

Collagen Benefits

Medical Professionals recommend and use AminoSculptto help:

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Greek opposition says gov't interfered in probe

Greece's main opposition Socialist party called Tuesday for the justice minister to step down for what it called interference in a major corruption probe involving land owned by a secluded Orthodox Christian monastery.

The demand followed the resignation of the two prosecutors investigating a tainted state-church land swap, which the Socialists allege cost Greek taxpayers tens of millions of euros.

The prosecutors said they had been barred by a senior judge from relaying their findings to parliament to examine alleged political involvement in the affair.

"Today, our judicial system has suffered an unprecedented blow," Socialist party spokesman Giorgos Papaconstantinou said.

Justice Minister Sotiris Hadzigakis ignored the opposition demand and refused to accept the prosecutors' resignation, exercising his right under Greek law to order them back to work.

The conservative government has come under growing pressure over land-swap agreements with a powerful Orthodox Christian monastery. Earlier this month, it canceled the deals and acknowledged they had hurt the public interest.

Greece's top public prosecutor has ordered an investigation into the deal, which prompted a minister to resign last month. An initial investigation last month found that the monastery benefited by at least euro100 million (US$138 million) from the swap.

Conservatives argue that the groundwork for the land deals was laid by previous Socialist government and claim their actions exposed the scandal.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis' conservative party won re-election in national polls last year but has a majority of two seats in parliament and recently slipped behind the Socialists in opinion polls.

The land swaps started after 1999, when the government recognized a claim to public land in northern Greece by the 1,000-year-old Vatopedi Monastery. The monastery is in the autonomous monastic community of Mount Athos in northern Greece.

Keegan needs early success to satisfy Magpies fans

Kevin Keegan signed "Spiderman" to boost Newcastle's chances of success in the new season. Unless the inspirational manager can change himself into Superman as well, the Magpies are probably in for another season of frustration and turmoil.

From weekly speculation over Michael Owen's future to doubts over whether he should have kept Joey Barton _ fresh out of jail and with a reputation for violence in the streets and on the training ground _ Keegan still has a mountain of problems at St. James' Park.

Apart from the arrival of Jonas "Spiderman" Gutierrez, whose nickname is because he puts on a mask to celebrate his goals, there is little to suggest this season's squad is any better than the one that labored through the last term and went nine league and cup games without a victory after Keegan's arrival in January.

Newcastle fans hate being reminded that their team hasn't won the league title since 1927 or the FA Cup since '55 or anything since the 1969 European Fairs' Cup, the forerunner to the UEFA Cup.

Keegan, who got the team close to the league title in his first spell between 1992-97, has been brought back to try again. So far, there are no signs of the Keegan magic making anything happen. Maybe it's not there anymore.

Gone is the supreme optimism that Keegan possessed in his previous time as manager of Newcastle where he guided the team to a second-place finish behind Manchester United but also saw his team toss away a 12-point lead.

Now Keegan is far more pragmatic and even ran into trouble with the club's owners by saying that the traditional top four _ Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool _ will be the top four again, although maybe in a different order, and that the other 16 clubs are chasing fifth place.

But that could also be out of Newcastle's reach and Keegan will have to rely heavily on the patience of the Magpies fans who have waited so long to see their team win a trophy.

"The challenge is there, it is there to be done. But I don't think it can be done in a year or two," said Keegan, who is eight months into a 3 1/2 year contract. "We might not have the biggest squad this season and we might not have the best squad in the Premier League because there are some big clubs out there with big squads and a lot of quality players.

"But we can be the fittest team, and that is what we have tried to do."

That might not be enough to satisfy the Magpies fans who want to see star names and entertaining, attacking football, the sort of play Keegan was famous for as a player.

Keegan knows the fans well enough to appreciate that a repeat of last year's 12th-place finish or anything worse will not be good enough. Newcastle has to either win a cup trophy or finish high enough to capture a place in the following season's European competitions, realistically the UEFA Cup.

Keegan has to get the best out of what looks like an impressive attacking force, provided they all stay fit and out of trouble.

Owen, Mark Viduka and Obafemi Martins are all top quality strikers and Damien Duff can provide the crosses. Signed from Real Mallorca, Gutierrez is an attacking midfielder and so is Danny Guthrie, hired from Liverpool.

"Jonas is a wonderful signing for us," said Keegan. "I know a lot of other clubs have been interested in him. He'll be a terrific addition to the squad. He's an exciting player and I'm sure our fans will enjoy watching him."

As usual, Newcastle fans will go into the season with plenty of optimism. But now many more of them, like Keegan, have a sense of realism. But if the Magpies aren't anywhere the near the top six halfway through the season or in contention for the FA Cup final, the same old groans from the seats will tell Keegan his time is up.

Officials: Rocket attack kills 6 Pakistan soldiers

Intelligence officials say six soldiers have been killed in a rocket attack on an army convoy in northwest Pakistan.

The officials say militants hit the convoy near Datta Khel in North Waziristan. They say some soldiers were also wounded in the attack.

Four intelligence officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to release the information to media.

A purported Taliban spokesman Ahmadullah Ahmadi claimed responsibility for the attack.

Clashes between the military and insurgents are increasing in Pakistan's volatile northwest, where the army appears to be preparing an offensive in South Waziristan, aimed at eliminating the leader of the Pakistani Taliban.

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

ISLAMABAD (AP) _ Warplanes and helicopter gunships pounded suspected militant positions in Pakistan's troubled northwest on Sunday, killing 11 Taliban fighters, intelligence officials said.

The government also upped the stakes in its conflict with Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, offering a reward of 50 million rupees ($615,000) for information leading to Mehsud's capture or death.

Elsewhere in the volatile northwest region, one government soldier was killed when insurgents attacked a pair of military outposts near Wana in South Waziristan with rockets, missiles and small arms shortly after morning prayers, the military said. Intelligence officials said earlier that two soldiers had died in the assault.

Violence has spiked this month in South Waziristan, a rugged tribal area along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan, as the government prepares for an apparent offensive there aimed at eliminating Mehsud and his militants.

The focus on South Waziristan comes as a two-month-old campaign to oust Mehsud-allied Taliban militants from the Swat Valley region, also in the northwest, wraps up. Some 2 million residents have been displaced by the fighting in Swat.

Islamabad has set its sites on the Taliban leader in recent weeks, and on Sunday the government published an announcement in two national newspapers offering a 50 million rupee ($615,000) reward for Mehsud, who has been blamed for a string of suicide attacks across the country that have killed more than 100 people in the past month. Smaller amounts were offered for information on his top lieutenants.

The U.S. State Department has already authorized a reward of up to $5 million for the Taliban leader.

Pakistan's military also kept up its bombing campaign in the region. Jet fighters struck the village of Kani Guram overnight, leaving eight militants dead, while helicopter gunships hit positions in Shah Alam and Raghhzai, killing three more fighters, the intelligence officials told The Associated Press.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the information.

It was not possible to independently confirm the casualty counts or the identities of those reported killed. Journalists have little access to the remote, dangerous region.

Speaking to reporters in Lahore, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani ruled out any leniency for the extremists, arguing that now is the time for strong-willed action against Taliban militants.

"The nation wants peace and the elimination of terrorism in the country, so this is not the time for talks but for a final decision (against terrorism) and the decisive action is on," Gilani said.

The government's campaign against the Taliban is seen as a test of its determination to confront an insurgency that has grown in recent years after earlier military operations failed to finish the job, and peace deals with the Taliban collapsed.

Washington strongly supports the campaign, hoping it will eventually bring greater stability to Pakistan and help shut down al-Qaida and Taliban networks that use the border region as a springboard for attacks on U.S. and other forces in Afghanistan.

___

Associated Press writer Ishtiaq Mahsud in Dera Ismail Khan contributed to this report.