News In Brief

HI. THIS IS A HOLDUP

It might be understandable why the owner of a clothes shop in eastern Germany didn't get too panicked over a gunman's request that she hand over money in the cash register. After all, when the bandit entered the Clothes Chest near closing time, he first loaded up on merchandise - and looked just a tad silly carrying around a bag load of tights, knickers, and other undergarments. When he later demanded all the cash, police said, the owner told the robber all the customers had paid by credit card. He escaped with about $188 in goods.

A sign of autumn, as AP poll ranks college football teams

For the sixth time, Nebraska's football team will start out the season atop the Associated Press's preseason poll. The survey of 71 sportswriters and broadcasters chose the four-time-champion Cornhuskers by a narrow margin over Florida State, which was No. 1 at the end of last season. For Nebraska to finish the year atop the survey, however, would be a first - it has never done so when it's begun the season at No. 1. Also notable in the ranking of 25 teams is who isn't there. Notre Dame, whose record was 5-7 last year, didn't make the cut for the first time since 1986. The survey's first 10 choices, with each team's record last year and the points each received for the ranking:

1. Nebraska 12-1, 1,732

2. Florida State 12-0, 1,720

3. Alabama 10-3, 1,570

4. Wisconsin 10-2, 1,408

5. Miami 9-4, 1,392

6. Michigan 10-2, 1,380

7. Texas 9-5, 1,297

8. Kansas 11-1, 1,276

9. Florida 9-4, 1,255

10. Georgia 8-4, 1226

- Associated Press

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