China warns would-be test cheats, says those leaking answers will be prosecuted

Chinese police and educators have a message for would-be exam cheats: Don't even think about it.

China's national college entrance exam known as the "gao kao" begins Saturday and authorities are determined to avoid a repeat of past cheating scandals.

"The gao kao is an extremely critical national exam and test takers should avoid being tricked and absolutely not believe any supposed answers or advice from people claiming to know what is on the test," the police and education ministries said in a joint news release posted Friday on the Education Ministry Web site.

Government departments have already discovered thousands of …

Kodak to close businesses in N.Y., W. Va.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Eastman Kodak, battling a steep drop in demandfor photographic film and paper, is scaling back film manufacturingin China and closing various businesses in Rochester and WestVirginia, eliminating about 1,000 jobs.

Kodak, which is navigating a tough transition to digitalphotography, said Thursday it will consolidate North American colorphotographic paper manufacturing at factories in Windsor, Colo., andHarrow, England, by shutting down an operation in Rochester by theend of October.

It said manufacturing of consumer film products will be cut backin Xiamen, China.

By year-end, the company also will close another business inRochester that …

Selecting the right keyboard

Want to buy a keyboard to learn to play on, but you're not sure what to get?

As both a teacher and performer, over time I think the question I've been asked the most by students, fans and parents has been: What is the best piece of equipment I can buy to learn on? This column is aimed primarily at these people.

I still believe the best way to learn is to start with the basics and recommend an acoustic piano. If a piano is what you want and you have little interest beyond that then there's nothing quite like the real thing, unless it's a high-quality digital substitute. However they can be expensive and aren't always practical for any number of reasons. Realistically, the …

Breland helps No. 4 North Carolina beat Kennesaw

Jessica Breland scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead No. 4 North Carolina past Kennesaw State 102-68 on Monday night.

Italee Lucas added 16 points for the Tar Heels (3-0), who showed no signs of fatigue while playing their second game in as many days. North Carolina, which defeated Virginia Commonwealth 77-65 on Sunday, used a 14-0 run against Kennesaw …

Wizards' Arenas out of halfway house for gun count

Gilbert Arenas has arrived home from the halfway house where he lived for nearly a month as part of his sentence for bringing guns into the Washington Wizards locker room.

Arenas left the work-release facility in the Maryland suburbs of Washington and arrived at his house in Great Falls, Va., on Friday morning. His sentence also includes two years of probation, a …

Parkersburg Reserve unit going to Iraq

PARKERSBURG - An Army Reserve unit that recently celebrated thehomecoming of several members will be deployed to Iraq as early asJuly.

This is the first time the entire Charlie Company, 463rdEngineering Battalion, will be activated in more than 50 years, saidspokesman Sgt. William Dailey.

Activation-alert orders came Saturday, the eve of a welcome-homeparty for several of the Parkersburg-based unit's members whorecently returned from overseas deployment.

"It was a shocker to my mother as well as anybody's wife there.We're definitely going," Dailey said. He said the deployment couldcome as late as November.

"It (Iraq) is not a place of sunshine and …

Promoters wary after Missouri music festival bust

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Jimmy Tebeau figured a shuttered youth camp deep in the Missouri Ozarks would be the perfect venue for his Grateful Dead tribute band — and to host other touring musicians and thousands of free-spirited fans.

Since 2004, his 350-acre campground — named Camp Zoe — has featured performances from his own band, the Schwag, as well as top acts such as the Roots and Los Lobos.

But the music recently stopped at Zoe, and now the dreadlocked dad — once considered a savvy impresario among concert promoters and festival organizers in the lucrative improvisational music world— is accused of being a purveyor of an illicit drug scene.

The Zoe, located about 150 …