BC-AP World Features Digest

Below is a list of feature stories that The Associated Press plans to move in the coming week. Questions about the stories may be addressed to the North America Desk supervisor in New York at 212-621-1650 (fax 212-621-5449) or e-mail amidesk(at)ap.org) or to individual bureaus in your country or region.

We will update this digest daily, adding new features as available. Feature stories that moved in the previous three days are included at the bottom for editors who may not have seen them.

Monday, Dec. 20

GLOBAL BUILDING BOOM

HANGZHOU, China — From dams through highways to power stations, half of the 30 costliest building projects today are in China, Brazil and …

A LOGGER'S EVOLUTION INTO ORGANICS, C&D RECYCLING

S&H Landscape & Recycling in Oregon manages a full plate of waste streams, generating products ranging from mulch and compost to boiler fuel and road aggregate.

S&H Landscape & Recycling's route to becoming one of Oregon's leading landscape material providers was, like that of many other similar companies, a roundabout one. In the late 1970s, with more than a decade committed to serving the logging market, the firm saw the writing on the wall in terms of both worsening economic conditions and changing environmental perceptions. Anticipating a downturn in logging activity, company founder Duane Stroupe made a lateral move, first to becoming a large-scale provider of …

China again warns Taiwan's Chen on independence agenda

China warned Tuesday that Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian will "pay a dear price" if he continues with current pro-independence plans.

The warning came from National People's Congress spokesman Jiang Enzhou at a news conference to announce the agenda for the NPC, which opens Wednesday.

Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949. Beijing considers the self-governing island Chinese territory and has threatened military attack if Taiwan tries to formalize its de facto independence.

Chen, who will step down soon after eight years as president, has been …

Golfer pics on course to net cash for charity

Rare signed pictures of three of the world's most renowned golferswill go under the hammer for charity.

The proceeds from the pictures of Gary Player, Arnold Palmer andJack Nicklaus will go to CLAN (Cancer Link Aberdeen and North).

The sale is part of a prestigious young professional Pro-Am golftournament at Insch Golf Club on September 14.

The collection of signed pictures depicting 'The Big Three', whohave accumulated 34 major championships between them, will …

Rock Island shades Proviso East

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. Proviso East and Rock Island enteredSaturday's nonconference showdown as two of the state's elite.

But if the Pirates are to make it to the Elite Eight, they'llhave to shoot better at the free throw line.

Proviso East connected on 5-of-19 free throws and saw anine-point lead slip away in the fourth quarter of a 65-64 loss tothe unbeaten (8-0) Rocks before a crowd of 5,000.

No. 2-ranked Proviso East misfired on four free throws in thefinal 1:39, including two bonus attempts. That set the stage for TomWise's game-winning layup for Rock Island with 10 seconds remaining.

Sophomore Kenny Davis (12 points) missed a 21-footer for …

Egypt asks Berlin to return Nefertiti bust

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's top archaeologist has formally requested the return of the 3,300-year-old bust of Queen Nefertiti that has been in a Berlin museum for decades, the latest move in his eight-year-old campaign to bring home ancient artifacts spirited out of the country during colonial times.

The bust dates back to the time of the 14th century B.C. queen and tops Egypt's wish list of artifacts that Zahi Hawass wants to see back home. The bust is currently at Berlin's Neues Museum.

"I am doing something that I believe in and that should have been done a 100 years ago," Hawass told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "My campaign has united those who have been …

List of top 15 cable shows in Nielsen ratings

Rankings for the top 15 programs on cable networks as compiled by the Nielsen Co. for the week of Nov. 9-15. Day and start time (EST) are in parentheses:

1. NFL Football: Pittsburgh vs. Denver (Monday, 8:30 p.m.), ESPN, 11.35 million homes, 16 million viewers.

2. "ICarly" (Saturday, 8 p.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.44 million homes, 5.03 million viewers.

3. "SpongeBob Truth or Square" (Saturday, 9 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.4 million homes, 4.65 million viewers.

4. "Suite Life on Deck" (Friday, 8:30 p.m.), Disney, 3.31 million homes, 4.77 million viewers.

5. "Penguins of Madagascar" (Saturday, 10 …