Report: North Korean leader alive but ill

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is alive but seriously ill, a news report said Wednesday, amid mounting speculation over the leader's health after he missed a key national ceremony.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency cited an unidentified South Korean government official as saying Kim appeared to have "collapsed," a term that in the Korean language is used when a person becomes suddenly ill due to causes including stroke.

The official stressed that it is certain that Kim has not died, Yonhap said.

The report did not give further details.

Kim did not appear at a parade commemorating North Korea's founding 60 years ago Tuesday, …

Shortfalls as opportunities ; Infrastructure is one sector where opportunities missed aren't opportunities lost not at least for the investors. BT presents a snapshot of prospects across a few key sectors.

On March 11, about 100 school children showed up outside theoffice of the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company at Bharatinagarin Bengaluru bearing gas lamps. They carried posters that read: Ifwe fail, Mr. C.M. you are to blame. and Are we living in the darkages? They were protesting the untimely 2-hour power cuts just aheadof annual exams.

The infrastructure in the IT capital of India, much like that inrest of India, is inexcusable. Most of Bengaluru's famed techiesspend a minimum of two hours every day commuting to and from theElectronic City. It's hardly 20 km from the heart of the city, whichwould take half the time in London, New York or Paris, says MohandasPai, a …

Chip Off Old Block: Stastny, Avs Win

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Whatever emotions Paul Stastny has about breaking one of his dad's records can wait. The rookie forward is determined to get the Colorado Avalanche back into playoff contention. Stastny did his part Wednesday night, setting up two goals to extend the Avalanche's win streak to five games with a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Fellow rookie Wojtek Wolski sealed it by scoring the go-ahead goal 1:41 into the third period.

But Stastny earned the limelight, extending his point streak to 17 games to match the NHL rookie record set in 1993 by Winnipeg's Teemu Selanne. And he also broke the franchise record set by his father, Peter, in 1980.

"Oh, it won't hit …

Police arrest suspect in fatal school stabbing

Dutch police say they have arrested a suspect in connection with the fatal stabbing of a man at a school playground.

A 69-year-old man was stabbed to death Tuesday at a playground shared by three primary schools in an upscale neighborhood in southern Amsterdam.

Police say there was no direct threat to school children, but some of them witnessed …

U.S. gains Davis Cup semis

Andy Roddick played "closer" again for the United States, beatingFernando Gonzalez of Chile in four sets Sunday to clinch the DavisCup quarterfinal in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

The U.S. team next faces Russia, which defeated France in anotherquarterfinal. The Russians will be the home team for the semifinal.

Roddick, who wrapped up a Davis Cup round for the seventh time,defeated Gonzalez 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 to give the United States aninsurmountable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five matchup. Paul Capdevilleof Chile made the final score 3-2 with a 6-3, 6-4 victory againstJames Blake in a meaningless final match.

"I guess I'm the one in the right place at the right …

Kansas Bankers Association CEO Forum: Messages from Washington and the economy

Members of the Kansas Bankers Association heard a lot about their burning issues in Washington at the KBA's CEO & Senior Management Forum/Annual Meeting last month.

Republican Congressman Jerry Moran, who represents western Kansas' sprawling 1st District, had some advice for bankers in their efforts to get relief from regulatory burden. "The best thing you can do," he said, "is zero in on a particular rule or regulation. That way we can take them on one at a time." Moran commented on other issues of concern to his fellow Kansans, including credit unions, Wal-Mart and the Farm Credit System.

There "isn't enough momentum," he believes, for credit unions to get expanded …

Qatar Holding sells all shares in Nordic stock exchange OMX

Qatar Holding LLC has sold all its shares in Nordic stock exchange operator OMX AB, it said in a notification to the stock market Tuesday.

The Qatar group owned just under 10 percent of the shares in OMX and had previously applied for permission to buy up to 100 percent of the company.

However, the group withdrew its application in December, signaling it was pulling out of a takeover battle for the …