BRIEFCASE FILE-SHARING TOPIC OF COURT REQUEST.

Byline: - Staff and Wire Services

A disparate group made up of dozens of state attorneys general, labor unions, retailers, professional sports leagues and others urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to hear a claim brought by the recording and film industries against two Internet file-sharing firms.

In several legal briefs filed with the court, the petitioners stressed that the justices should take the entertainment companies' case and finally resolve conflicting lower-court rulings on file-sharing, said Steven Marks, general counsel for the Recording Industry Association of America.

The filings are designed to support a petition made last month by a coalition of major recording companies and Hollywood movie studios that asked the court to reverse lower-court decisions clearing Grokster Ltd. and StreamCast Networks Inc. of liability for their customers' online swapping of movies and music.

'Shrek 2' racks up 3-day DVD record

``Shrek 2'' has set another monster record, by raking in $186 million in home video sales in the first three days of its release, DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. announced Monday.

So far, 12.1 million DVDs and videos of the animated sequel have been sold. A record 11 million of those were DVDs. The sequel eclipsed the original ``Shrek,'' which sold more than 7 million units in the first three days of its release in 2001.

Unions disagree on Disney issues

ORLANDO, Fla. - Leaders of the six unions that make up Walt Disney World's largest union group were unable to find common ground at a meeting Monday and will present opposing recommendations to members when they vote on a contract later this week.

Members of the Service Trades Council Union, which covers about 40 percent of the resort's 51,000-person work force, including hotel workers, concession workers and bus drivers, are to vote on the proposal Thursday.

T-bill rates rise in Monday auction

WASHINGTON - Interest rates on short-term Treasury securities rose in Monday's auction.

The Treasury Department sold $21 billion in three-month bills at a discount rate of 2.045 percent, up from 1.950 percent last week.

An additional $19 billion was sold in six-month bills at a rate of 2.260 percent, up from 2.140 percent.

9-11 victims got $3.1 million each

WASHINGTON - Victims of the 9-11 attacks received $38.1 billion in compensation, with insurance companies picking up the largest portion of the tab, according to a study released Monday.

The report by Rand Institute for Civil Justice found that civilians killed or injured have received an average of $3.1 million per person from the government, charities and insurance companies, or $8.7 billion.