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Liv Tyler And Husband Separate

2008-05-09T13:23:47Z

Liv Tyler has split from husband Royston Langdon, her rep told Usmagazine.com.

"Liv Tyler and Royston Langdon have confirmed their separation," their rep said.

"They remain good friends and devoted parents to their son Milo and are requesting that their family's privacy be respected at this time," the rep added.

The actress, 30, married the Arckid rocker, 36, in 2003.

Karen Allen Thrilled With "Indiana Jones" Return

2008-05-09T13:18:07Z

LOS ANGELES — Nothing ever seems to change in the stormy love-hate relationship between Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood.

The characters created by Harrison Ford and Karen Allen in 1981's "Raiders of the Lost Ark" are back at it with "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," due out May 22.

"As the film begins, they haven't seen each other for a long time, and suddenly, they're thrust back together," Allen told The Associated Press this week. "They kind of pick up from where they left off. A few bumpy roads have passed between them since then that they have to work out with each other."

Allen has always been the fan favorite among the women Indy was forever fighting and making up with in the first three films, with viewers long hoping for the two to reunite.

Director Steven Spielberg's future wife, Kate Capshaw, became the archaeologist's love interest in the second movie, 1984's "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom." Allen's Marion could not have appeared in that one, since "Temple of Doom" took place earlier than "Raiders," which marked the first time she had seen Indy in a decade.

The next movie, 1989's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," took place after "Raiders," and Allen joked that "I guess I could have been in that one, but they decided to go with Sean Connery," who played Indy's estranged dad.

Alison Doody provided Indy's romantic entanglement in "Last Crusade."

Allen was aware that Ford, Spielberg and producer George Lucas had been wrangling for ages over a fourth "Indiana Jones" movie. But she did not know anything for sure until Spielberg called her early last year.

"There had been a rumor for many, many years that they were trying to find a script everybody was going to be happy with," Allen said. "I would get little bits of information from time to time, usually rumor-mill kind of stuff, but I hadn't heard anything for a long time. I had no idea when they finally got a script that my character was back."

Though Allen was more interested in stage work and serious films, Marion offered a rare chance to play a strong, full-blooded woman in a big Hollywood action flick.

Marion's first moments on screen said it all as she chugged through a drinking contest and gave Indy a greeting he would not soon forget.

"She was a very wonderfully written character," Allen said. "How can you go wrong when you meet a woman in a bar in Nepal and she's drinking men under the table, yelling at large men in Nepalese and ordering them out of the bar, and when she first sets eyes on Indiana Jones, she socks him in the jaw? It's a great introduction to the character, and it's hard to imagine she's not going to win a lot of fans."

And what about the speculation that Indy's new young sidekick, played by Shia LaBeouf, is the love child of Indy and Marion?

"You'll have to wait and see," Allen said.

Mischa Barton Cries Doctoring About Cellulite Photos

2008-05-09T13:04:26Z

Mischa Barton says someone has been retouching her thighs.

The fetching starlet is doubly horrified by a new batch of paparazzi beach shots - because they show not only her breasts, but legs that appear to be riddled with cellulite.

"Those photos are doctored," Barton's rep, Lisa Perkins, tells us. "I'm not saying she's perfect, nobody is. But they've given a 22-year-old woman the legs and bottom of an 80-year-old."

"Look at the shots that were taken shortly before on a beach in L.A. Did she develop all that cellulite in a couple of weeks? There's a lot you can do with Photoshopping." ...

Barton's publicist contends that Aussie photographer Jamie Fawcett - whom she calls a "parasite" - is out to make the former "O.C." star look bad because "she called him out for taking the topless shots."

Fawcett argues, "I wouldn't seek to publicly embarrass her with nudity or health issues or body image issues.

Keep reading

-or-

See the photos in question here and here

Gabriel Byrne Tackles Camelot

2008-05-09T12:54:35Z

NEW YORK — He can't sing and he can't dance, but Gabriel Byrne can charm _ and he did while portraying the chivalrous King Arthur in "Camelot."

After playing the tormented shrink Dr. Paul Weston in HBO's "In Treatment," the Irish actor went from couch to court, starring Wednesday in Lerner and Loewe's beloved 1960 musical.

It was the first of five performances through Saturday, with one of the world's greatest pit orchestras _ the New York Philharmonic _ continuing its recent annual tradition of producing semi-staged musicals.

The 70 instrumentalists, conducted by Broadway veteran Paul Gemignani, weren't UNDER the stage at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall but ON it _ in the back. With only a few full rehearsals, the coordination was quite dexterous because there could be no eye contact between the actors and music director.

With the orchestra playing, Byrne spoke most of his lyrics, occasionally singing when the music fell within his range.

He seemed nervous when he first appeared after being summoned by the dreadlocked and red-cloaked magician Merlyn (delightfully portrayed by Stacy Keach). Of course, Byrne was depicting a king anxious about meeting his bride-to-be.

Whatever inner stiffness he may have had vanished by his first big number _ "I Wonder What the King Is Doing Tonight." Although he often beat the orchestra to the end of phrases, his overall performance as the idealistic and forgiving monarch was endearing.

His queen, Guenevere, had no trouble singing. Marin Mazzie, whose Broadway credits include "Kiss Me, Kate," "Ragtime" and "Monty Python's Spamalot," was in her element. Her sweet soprano voice and great looks were perfect for the role of the queen who falls in love with a knight.

Completing the triangle was heartthrob baritone Nathan Gunn as Sir Lancelot. He made his presence known immediately upon entering with testosterone swagger, his powerful voice booming the "Camelot" battle cry and then segueing into "C'est Moi." His big number _ the Act 2 ballad "If Ever I Would Leave You" _ got the loudest ovation of the evening from the near-capacity audience of about 2,400.

The cast also included Christopher Lloyd as Pellinore and Fran Drescher as Morgan le Fey. Both brought their trademark shtick _ Lloyd sounded like the perennially inebriated Jim of the 1980s sitcom "Taxi"; Drescher, with her nasal Queens accent, was as ditzy as "The Nanny."

Bobby Steggert as Arthur's evil bastard son Mordred and the young Rishi Mutalik as Tom of Warwick added their own noteworthy performances.

Although it was considered semi-staged, the production directed by Lonny Price and produced by Thomas Z. Shepard was pretty much what one would expect to see in Broadway theaters about a mile south. The first six rows of seats were removed to extend the stage, which was rounded to accommodate the orchestra, cast and Arthur's egalitarian Round Table. (At one point, the table rose toward a giant golden crown above, a la the Heaviside Layer in "Cats.")

With dramatic lighting by Paul Miller, the darkened Avery Fisher Hall never looked better. The costumes by Tracy Christensen were eye-catching. Josh Prince's choreography was effective, especially the jousting sequence in which five dancers bounced in waves _ horselike _ while carrying the fighters and catching them as they were felled by Lancelot.

The Tony-winning show, with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, first appeared on Broadway a month after John F. Kennedy was elected president.

It became associated with the Kennedy administration after Jacqueline Kennedy revealed following her husband's assassination in 1963 that he had been fond of the musical, particularly Arthur's final lyrics: "Don't let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment, that was known as Camelot."

___

On the Net:

http://www.nyphil.org

Uma Thurman Vs. Lancome: Cosmetics Giant Takes Actress To Court

2008-05-09T12:34:18Z

NEW YORK — French cosmetics giant Lancome and Uma Thurman are wrangling over the use of her name and image in an advertising campaign.

The company asked for a ruling against the actress, who it says is demanding $1 million for unauthorized use of her name and face on Canadian billboards and Asian Web sites after her contract expired.

Thurman's lawyer, Bertram Fields, said he was surprised by Lancome's lawsuit.

"I thought we were negotiating in good faith," Fields said Thursday. "I guess the French decided to strike a pre-emptive blow."

Lancome and Thurman signed a two-year contract in April 2000 with an option to extend the agreement for another two years.

Under the terms, Lancome agreed to pay Thurman $5.8 million for the first two years and $3.1 million for each additional year, if the company exercised its option.

Lancome claims the contract relieves the company of responsibility if third parties use her name and face after the contract lapses.

Lancome's lawyer, Peter D. Raymond, said his client "can't control everybody out in the world."

The papers were filed Wednesday in Manhattan's state Supreme Court. Earlier this week, 37-year-old Jack Jordan was convicted of stalking and harassing Thurman in the court's criminal part.

"I'm delighted that the case will go before a jury," Thurman's lawyer said. "They got an enormous benefit throughout the world after the contract was over, and $1 million doesn't begin to do it."

___

On the Net:

http://www.lancome-usa.com

Arianna On Colbert Report: The McCain Of 2000 Will Not Be On The Ballot In 2008

2008-05-09T07:02:04Z

Watch Arianna's appearance on the Colbert Report, where she argues with the always clever host about why the McCain of 2000 is not the same McCain that is running for president in 2008.

Dickipedia: Vladimir Putin

2008-05-09T06:25:58Z

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born October 7, 1952) is the Prime Minister of the Russian federation, the former President of the Russian Federation, the 2007 TIME magazine Person of the Year, and a dick. As an emotionless, muscular, tyrannical, soviet-style politician and former KGB agent, Putin is essentially an amalgam of every villain from every action movie released between 1981 and 1987.

McCain's Vote In 2000 Is Revived In A Ruckus

2008-05-09T06:04:36Z

Did Senator John McCain not vote for George W. Bush in 2000?\

That question has kicked up a minor ruckus in political circles this week as Arianna Huffington and the McCain campaign have traded he-said, she-said barbs.

Huffpollstrology: Candidates' Horoscopes, Polls And More For May 9

2008-05-09T05:43:46Z

Polls have come to dominate the media's horse race coverage of political campaigns. Pundits and reporters constantly use them to tell us who's hot and who's not -- but skip over the fact that plummeting response rates and variables like undecided voters and margins of error and often render these polls useless as anything other than lightweight diversions on par with horoscopes and political betting lines. Our HuffPollstrology chart helps keep you up to date on the latest poll results, along with the latest horoscope predictions, and the latest online political betting lines - and will hopefully help the polling junkies in the media keep polls in the proper perspective.


Democratic nomination
clinton	46% Gallup Tracking Poll (National)	SCORPIO October 26, 1947 What you learn from a group of people today could be dynamic, fascinating, and futuristic. True, this could leave you with more questions to ask. You might go be delighted that progress is being made with a project that began some years ago. Of concern however could be that someone is away from their desk and that it will be the end of the months before finishing touches can be applied. In the meantime, and not for the first time, the wording of a letter or document could have you preoccupied.	9.5% chance of winning
obama	47% Gallup Tracking Poll (National)	LEO August 4, 1961 An interesting joint financial matter that's related to property, might require you to speak to several people. Juggling telephone calls seems likely. You could be irritated by the cavalier attitude of someone much younger or by a colleague whose romantic activities could potentially get in the way of achieving success in a project. A few 'now or never' moments could arise. You might require everyone around you to be in 'all hands to the deck' mode.	89.7% chance of winning
Mccain vs obama in the General election
mccain	45% Gallup Tracking Poll	VIRGO August 29, 1936 A good friend could take you by surprise. You might even feel ambushed in your home environment. Change is in the air for all signs. You might not enjoy the full drama, yet sense that if you don't seize on an opportunity, it will slip through your fingers. Builder's rubble or general debris might threaten an accident. You could appoint yourself risk assessment manager!	38.3% chance of winning
obama	46% Gallup Tracking Poll	LEO August 4, 1961 Your Florence Nightingale side may be anxious to make an appearance today, dear Leo. Your default defense is to take care of yourself and others. This is fine, but make sure you are doing it in such a way that doesn't deplete you of vital life force. The key is to offer advice and then simply walk away from the situation. You are not responsible for other people's actions. Offer information, but leave the final decision up to the person you are trying to help.	55.8% chance of winning
Mccain vs clinton in the General election
mccain	45% Gallup Trackng Poll	VIRGO August 29, 1936 Today is a terrific day for you, dear Virgo, and you will find that you can get quite a bit accomplished using your quick mind and sharp wit. Information is flying in fast and furiously. Grab hold of what resonates with you and discard that which does not. The more informed you are, the better equipped you will be to handle the decisions of the day. Make sure you have all the facts before you proceed.	38.3% chance of winning
clinton	47% Gallup Tracking Poll	SCORPIO October 26, 1947 You may find your brain buzzing around like a beehive today, dear Scorpio. This is good. There is a great deal of information that you need to process at this time. Have you been thinking about buying some new electronic equipment or small appliances for your home? Now is a great time to do a bit of research on this project before you go out and lay down your credit card. Use this day to gather facts.	6.3% chance of winning

weather report
East		New York, NY 55 degrees (F), 100% chance of rain. Winds NE at 20 to 30 mph.
south		Atlanta, GA 83 degrees (F), 20% chance of rain. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph.
midwest		Nashville, TN 77 degrees (F), 50% chance of rain. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
west		Boise, ID 64 degrees (F), 30% chance of rain. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.

Sources:

Democratic Nomination Poll: Gallup Poll

The Democratic nomination results are based on combined data from May 5-7, 2008. For results based on this sample of 1,235 Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters, the maximum margin of sampling error is +/-3 percentage points.

General Election Poll: Gallup Daily Tracking Poll

The general election results are based on combined data from May 3-May 7, 2008. For results based on this sample of 4,376 registered voters, the maximum margin of sampling error is ±2 percentage points.

Horoscopes: horoscopes.co.uk and astrology.msn.com

Weather: Weather.com

Betting Lines: Intrade Prediction Markets

Obama Camp Faces Major Obstacles In Plan To Help Clinton Pay Off Debt

2008-05-09T01:56:28Z

Top officials of the Barack Obama campaign are privately exploring ways to help Hillary Clinton discharge her debts and pay back the $11.43 million she has loaned her organization, but they are running into two major stumbling blocks.

The first is obvious: the deep and growing animosity of Obama supporters towards Clinton, whom they see as raising issues of race and 'elitism' that will hurt the Illinois Senator in November.

In an interview with USA Today for example, Clinton declared: "I have a much broader base to
build a winning coalition on," citing an AP article "that found how Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both
states who had not completed college were supporting me."

The second is less obvious: Mark Penn.

For many Obama backers, Penn, the former chief strategist for Clinton
and head of one of the biggest PR-lobbying conglomerates in the nation's
capital, is the quintessential Washington insider, capitalizing on political
connections to become a multi-millionaire.

The immediate problem with Penn -- whose conflicts of interest plagued
the Clinton campaign and ultimately led to his being publicly, if not
privately, repudiated -- is that if Obama helps Clinton pay off her debts, a
big chunk of those debts -- an estimated $10 million or more -- is owed to
Penn.

Penn is the CEO of Burson-Marsteller, which has "a global network of 94
offices and 1600 employees that brings world-class public relations to
companies around the world."

Burson-Marsteller is one of the 246 companies owned by WPP, a leading
global advertising and marketing services group. WPP controls a powerful
array of public relations, advertising and lobbying companies, including
Hill and Knowlton; Dewey Square; Ogilvy and Mather; Public Strategies Inc.;
AGB Nielsen Media Research; Quinn Gillespie and Associates; Timmons and
Company; Wexler and Walker Public Policy Associates; Young and Rubicam
Brands.

Penn, who remains a top adviser to Clinton, was forced to step down as
the face of the Clinton strategy team after disclosures that he was meeting
privately with the government of Colombia to promote congressional approval
of a trade agreement which Clinton - and her most loyal voters -- oppose.

Consideration by the Obama camp of providing financial help to Clinton
would be part of a peace-making process in the event that she withdraws from
the presidential nominating contest.

Under federal campaign finance law, the Obama campaign cannot directly
pay off Clinton's debts, or the $11.43 million she has loaned the campaign,
because that would violate campaign contribution limits. But if Obama is the
nominee, he and his donor base could provide invaluable help to her in
raising money through signed appeals, joint fundraisers and by other
methods.

The Obama campaign does not want to be identified as having discussions
about Clinton's finances. Obama aides used the term "chit-chat" to dismiss
any such discussions.

Many of Obama's grassroots and netroots backers appear to be outraged
at the thought that the Obama campaign might step in to lend a hand to get
Clinton out of a financial hole -- and out of the race -- as was reported
Wednesday.

The Huff Post web site was flooded with more than 1,200 complaints on
this score:

"No! No! No!" wrote a commenter using the web name 'Realbluesky'. "The
Clintons have proven what kind of scum they are." 'Dbrockx' wrote: "Why is
she being rewarded for disrupting the Democratic party and trying to
sabotage Obama?" 'Amber09' pulled no punches: "The Clintons would never help
Obama if this was reversed! They would be laughing they asses off that a
black man could dare to think he could beat the Clinton machine! The
Clintons created the mud pond, let them now stay in the mud they created!"

Both Obama and Clinton have broken all Democratic fundraising records.
Through the first quarter of this year, Obama raised $234.7 million, and
Clinton $189.1 million. As of March 31, the date of the most recent FEC
filing, Obama had $51.1 million in the bank and just $662,784 in debt, for a
net cash position of $50.4 million; while Clinton had $31.7 million in the
bank, debts of $15.2 million, and had loaned the campaign $6.4 million. (The
FEC lists debts and loans separately.) More recently, Clinton disclosed that
she had made her campaign additional loans, bringing the total amount she
has loaned to her effort to $11.4 million. At the same time, her campaign was
running close to broke for much of last month. Details of fundraising and
spending for the month of April do not have to be filed until May 15.

Money is a central issue in the delicate negotiations that many expect
to lead to a Clinton withdrawal. A winning candidate often offers to do
whatever is legal to help a loser pay down debts. In this case, there is
exceptional animosity between the two camps. Furthermore, Penn's interest in
any negotiations are sure to be pressed very aggressively by the Clinton
campaign's new Chief Operating Officer, Howard Paster. Paster was brought in
immediately upon Penn's retreat, and, as it happens, Paster is Penn's boss.
Paster is the executive vice president for public relations and public
affairs at Burson-Marsteller's parent company, WPP.

In his new capacity as COO of the Clinton campaign, Paster is almost
certain to be central in deciding how much of any money Obama might help
raise for Clinton is used to pay off the debt to Penn. This set of
relationships will undoubtedly impact the enthusiasm of Obama donors for a
Clinton-Obama pact.

AIG Reports $7.8 Billion Loss

2008-05-09T01:23:24Z

American International Group Inc., the nation's largest insurer, reported losses of nearly $7.81 billion for its fiscal first quarter and said it would seek to raise $12.5 billion in capital to shore up its balance sheet.

The company lost $3.09 per share, for the three months ended March 31. That's down 383% from the same period last year when AIG reported a net profit of $1.58 per share.

Iraqi Military Orders Sadr City Residents To Evacuate

2008-05-09T01:04:19Z

Iraqi security forces, after more than of 40 days of intense fighting, on Thursday told residents to evacuate their homes in the northeast Shiite slum of Sadr City and to move to temporary shelters on two soccer fields.

The military's call indicated the possibility of stepped-up military operations and came as Iraqi security forces raided a radio station run by backers of Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr. In the southern port city of Basra, militants launched rockets that struck a coalition base, killing two contractors and injuring four civilians and four coalition soldiers.

Israeli PM denies taking illicit donations from American

2008-05-09T00:42:22Z

JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert denied fresh accusations that he illegally accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars from a U.S. citizen, but said Thursday night that he will step down if he is indicted.

The latest investigation into corruption allegations involving Olmert has distracted Israel for nearly a week and has the potential to derail delicate peace talks with the Palestinians.

Olmert made his statement in a nationally televised speech from his official residence after a court lifted a gag order in the case. According to police suspicions, Olmert took hundreds of thousands of dollars in illicit contributions from Jewish businessman Morris "Moshe" Talansky.

Army Radio said the suspicions concern money that Olmert allegedly received from 1999 to 2003, when he was mayor of Jerusalem and later minister of industry and trade.

Olmert said a lawyer handled his finances and everything was legal. "I am looking at all of you in the eye, and I say I never took bribes, I never took a penny for myself," he said.

But he said he would not fight to stay in office if he was charged.

"I was elected by you, citizens of Israel, to be the prime minister and I don't intend to shirk this responsibility. At the same time, and even though the law does not require me to do this, I will resign from my job if the attorney general decides to issue an indictment against me," he said.

This is the fifth high-profile probe involving the Israeli leader, whose popularity has badly suffered because of the repeated corruption allegations. He has not been charged in any case, but even before the gag order was lifted Olmert's opponents were calling on him to resign.

While Olmert's office has predicted he will weather the latest storm, the case threatens to further weaken his hold on power and potentially torpedo formal peace talks with the Palestinians launched last November at a U.S.-hosted peace conference at Annapolis, Md.

The White House said the case would not alter President Bush's planned visit to Israel next week, calling the investigation "a matter for the Israeli judicial system."

"The president looks forward to traveling to the Middle East next week to continue to encourage the Israelis and Palestinians to work together for a two-state solution," said Gordon Johndroe, the president's national security adviser.

Olmert said Talansky had made contributions to him for two mayoral campaigns for Jerusalem, one campaign for chairman of the Likud Party and another to cover campaign debt retroactively.

He said he has served the Israeli public in different roles for more than 30 years, and like any prime minister is now dealing "with important and sensitive issues which concern our existence as a people and as a state."

"I am sorry about the rough times that the public is going through, as are those who are close to me. I hope that this storm, too, shall pass with the same speed by which it was ignited," he said.

Olmert's statement, and the court's decision to lift the gag order on the case that first came to light about a week ago, came as Israelis celebrated their nation's 60th anniversary.

Israel's Channel Ten TV said Thursday that Talansky was suspected of being a middleman for illegal campaign contributions and that he told Israeli interrogators everything he knew about the case.

Channel Two TV said that Olmert received hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash from Talansky in a series of meetings, while Olmert was Jerusalem mayor.

Talansky told Channel Two that he was in Israel visiting family for the Passover holiday when he was called in for questioning. He said that he was "baffled" by the case and that he did nothing wrong.

"They (police) knocked on my door at six in the morning and it was the national police and they asked me to come with them and I obliged ... and it was very surprising. When they asked me details, I said whatever I know," Talansky said.

Referring to his relationship with Olmert, he said, "We are very, very friendly and I used to meet him all the time at dinners in New York."

If Olmert is indicted, he would probably have to resign, though a decision on whether to indict is likely to take at least several weeks, if not months. Israeli law restricts how much politicians can get from donors.

Greenspan: Worst Of Credit Crisis Over

2008-05-08T23:44:48Z

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said on Thursday that the worst of the credit crisis is over, according to sources who attended a speech he delivered in New York.

Greenspan also said house prices still had a long way to fall and that it was unlikely they would stabilize by year-end, according to meeting attendees who provided Reuters details of the speech at the Alternative Public Strategies Conference.

Gas jumps nearly 3 cents to record; oil crosses $124

2008-05-08T23:36:39Z

NEW YORK — Gasoline and crude oil jumped to new records Thursday, with gas rising 3 cents to an average national price of nearly $3.65 a gallon and oil crossing $124 a barrel for the first time.

At the pump, the average price of a gallon of regular gas nationwide rose 2.7 cents to a record $3.645, according to a survey of stations by AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. Diesel prices also rose, adding 0.9 cent to match a record national average of $4.251 a gallon.

Gas prices tend to lag oil futures, and with crude rising to a new record near $124 a barrel Wednesday and likely headed higher, it's widely expected the average price of gas will soon rise as high as $4. Motorists in many areas, including parts of California and Hawaii, are already paying that much, or more.

"If oil prices go the way that pundits are expecting, there's no way we'll stay under $4 a gallon," said Fadel Gheit, an analyst at Oppenheimer & Co. in New York.

Meanwhile, light, sweet crude for June delivery rose 16 cents to reach a settlement record of $123.69 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange Thursday after spending much of the day in negative territory. But in after-market electronic trading, prices shot to a new trading record of $124.61. Analysts said volume was quite low, making it easy for oil to keep pushing higher.

"This appears to me to be computer-generated buying," said Linda Rafield, senior oil analyst at Platts, the energy research arm of McGraw-Hill Cos. Some investors use software that buys automatically when prices rise to certain levels; Thursday's record settlement may have triggered a flurry of electronic buy orders.

"There is no fundamental news out to cause this market to move like this," Rafield said.

Bullish momentum _ and expectations that the dollar will continue to weaken against foreign currencies including the euro _ are likely to keep pushing oil to new records, he said.

Goldman Sachs analysts recently predicted prices will rise as high as $150 to $200 a barrel within two years. That forecast has driven much of oil's gains in recent days.

Analysts at Goldman and firms such as Barclays Capital believe tight global supplies and growing demand from fast-growing economies in countries such as China and India are driving oil higher. But Gheit and analysts including Tim Evans at Citi Futures Perspective argue that supply and demand fundamentals don't support such high prices.

"There is no reason why oil prices should be above $60," Gheit said, noting that domestic crude supplies are at average levels, and that refineries are cutting gasoline production as high prices cut consumers demand for fuel. "The physical supplies do not justify the price, it just doesn't make sense."

OPEC Secretary General Abdalla Salem El-Badri on Thursday reiterated his position that oil supplies are adequate, and that there is no need for the cartel to boost production. He said several Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries oil projects are coming on line, but he noted that several member countries are having a hard time finding buyers for their additional supplies.

El-Badri agrees with analysts who feel speculative investment driven by the dollar's protracted decline is the real reason behind higher prices. The dollar fell against the euro Thursday, attracting investors who view commodities such as oil as a hedge against inflation. Also, a weaker dollar makes oil cheaper to investors overseas.

Still, the market sometimes ignores the dollar, as it did Wednesday when oil surged to new records although the dollar advanced. Some analysts say that's a sign that many investors are buying on pure momentum _ believing prices will head higher regardless of negative data, news or dollar movements.

"There's a lot of momentum driving the oil price up," said Victor Shum, an energy analyst with Purvin & Gertz in Singapore.

In other Nymex trading, June gasoline futures rose 1.96 cents to settle at a record $3.1378 a gallon after earlier rising to a trading record of $3.14, and June heating oil futures rose 6.25 cents to settle at a record $3.5098 a gallon after earlier reaching their own trading record of $3.5152. June natural gas futures fell 6.4 cents to settle at $11.263 per 1,000 cubic feet. The Energy Department said natural gas inventories rose by 65 billion cubic feet last week, but remain slightly below the 5-year average.

In London, June Brent crude futures rose 52 cents to settle at $122.84 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.

____

AP Business Writers George Jahn in Vienna and Thomas Hogue in Bangkok, Thailand contributed to this report.