Facebook in deal to sell site credits in Asia

Facebook is partnering with a Malaysian company to sell credits at retail outlets across Asia for the first time, aiming to make it easier for millions of people to purchase virtual goods and play games on the social networking site while boosting revenue for developers.

Electronic payments company MOL _ part of the business empire of tycoon Vincent Tan _ will offer the online currency from Aug. 1 at more than 500,000 outlets including 7-Eleven stores, Internet cafes and online banks in five Southeast Asian countries, India, Australia and New Zealand, company spokesman Nor Badron said Friday.

The move is targeting people who don't have a credit card, …

Zero waste: Is Ecotopia possible?

THERE seems to be a lot of talk these days about setting waste reduction goals at "zero." The net has been buzzing with all kinds of philosophies on the concept. And one state recycling organization has even selected "Zero Waste: Challenge for the Next Millennium?" as a conference theme.

Zero waste has numerous definitions, but for the context of this discussion my interpretation is: Recovery of all discards so that in theory, nothing is left for disposal. The question is, is the Ecotopia of zero waste a real life possibility or a far off fantasy?

FIRST THE MOON, NOW ZERO WASTE

Many states have set short-term waste reduction goals at around 25 percent, and …

Israeli Fuel Cuts Force Gaza Blackouts

With winter deepening, Gazans will be forced to live without lights and electric heaters for eight hours a day because Israel has cut fuel supplies to the territory's only electric plant in half, Gaza's top energy official warned Sunday.

Israel said the purpose of the cutback was to nudge Palestinians to call on militants to stop their daily rocket attacks on southern Israel. But Gazans charged they have become the target of unfair punishment, and 10 human rights groups took that argument to the Israeli Supreme Court.

The power outages, which will rotate across Gaza, come just days ahead of President Bush's visit to the region in an effort to promote recently …

Let us answer all of your questions about the Bowl Championship Series

The Bowl Championship Series is set and as always there are somethings that just don't add up. You've got questions and we've gotanswers:

Q: Why did LSU make it to the title game over those other two-loss teams?

A: The Southeastern Conference is the toughest league in thenation - though the margin isn't quite as great as the folks downSouth want to believe - and the Tigers get bonus points for winningit. Also, that 48-7 win against Virginia Tech still looks good threemonths later.

Q: Why did Kansas get an at-large bid and not Big 12 rivalMissouri?

A: First off, the rules are one at-large bid per conference.

Secondly, after the championship game …

Census takers start countdown to 1990

WASHINGTON This is the week when the Great AmericanNose-Counting Machine, idling since the early '80s, shifts into highgear for its biggest task in 200 years of existence.

One year from Saturday - April 1, 1990 - will be E-Day (forenumeration) of the 21st decennial U.S. census. On the outcome ofthis massive people-count many things will depend, including the sizeof state congressional delegations in the early years of the nextcentury.

Officials expect to count slightly more than 250 million noses,said C. Louis Kincannon, acting census director.

Though a quarter of a billion - up from 226.5 million in 1980 -may seem like a lot, it is dwarfed by …

Broncos' Defense Too Much for Raiders

DENVER - The Denver Broncos once again found barely enough offense to go with their suffocating defense. Jason Elam kicked two field goals, Tatum Bell ran for a short touchdown and Champ Bailey picked off another key pass as the Broncos defeated the winless Oakland Raiders 13-3 Sunday night.

The offense-challenged Broncos (4-1) haven't allowed a touchdown in three home games and they're the only team NFL team since 1940 to start off a season by yielding just one TD through five games.

The Raiders committed 13 penalties, including four false starts on backup right tackle Chad Slaughter, and fell to 0-5 for the first time since 1964. With Detroit, Tampa Bay and Tennessee …

Attorney for Mayfield says he won't be in Chicago

An attorney for Jeremy Mayfield says he will not go to Chicago for this weekend's NASCAR race.

John Buric says Mayfield does not have the necessary sponsorship for his car and no owner is willing to give him a ride for Saturday night's race at Chicagoland Speedway.

Buric says Mayfield instead will stay in North Carolina to help his lawyers respond to …