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Nebraska AD Fired

OMAHA, Neb. - Nebraska athletic director Steve Pederson was fired Monday, two days after the football team suffered its worst home loss in nearly a half-century.

Pederson, along with coach Bill Callahan, has been heavily criticized after a series of one-sided losses this season. The most recent was a 45-14 loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday with former Cornhuskers coach Tom Osborne and his 1997 national title team in attendance.

Over the past two weeks, the once-mighty Huskers (4-3) have lost by a combined margin of …

Cubs fire hitting coach Perry

The Chicago Cubs fired hitting coach Gerald Perry after 2 1/2 seasons on Sunday in an attempt to spark a sputtering offense that ranks among the National League's worst.

The Cubs had high expectations after winning back-to-back NL Central titles. But with a 29-30 record and a .246 team batting average before Sunday's 3-2 win over Minnesota, general manager Jim Hendry decided to make a change.

Von Joshua was promoted from Triple-A Iowa to reaplce Perry.

"Obviously, we've been struggling for a long time," Hendry said. "I think sometimes you need a new voice. Von's had a lot of success with our guys on the way up. We have really, …

Become a Player at Great America

Sports Illustrated Sports Festival Today, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; tomorrow and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Six Flags Great America, Grand Avenue (east) off of Interstate 94,Gurnee. Main gate admission, $26 for visitors 11 and older; $22 forvisitors 4 to 10. Parking, $5 per car. (708) 249-2133

When I was a kid, I used to wait earnestly for the mailman tobring my copy of Sports Illustrated.

Things have progressed a bit since then. The magazine has spunoff a periodical aimed at children, and has entered othergame-related areas.

Now, for the first time, the traveling Sports Illustrated SportsFestival will stop in the Chicago area at Six Flags Great …

Porn pioneer John Leslie dead at 65

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — John Leslie, who appeared in more than 300 adult films in the 1970s and 80s before moving on to directing, has died in Northern California.

Friends say Leslie, whose real name was John Nuzzo, died Sunday of an apparent heart attack at his Mill Valley home at the age of 65.

Leslie won pornography industry awards as an actor and director. He appeared in such titles …

Russian court finds 13 guilty of ethnic killings

A Moscow court on Monday convicted 12 teenage boys and a man of committing a series of vicious ethnic attacks, including the murder of a well-known chess champion who was a member of Russia's Yakut ethnic group.

The attacks, which were videotaped, set to heavy music and widely disseminated on Web sites, prompted widespread outrage among many Russians and again focused attention on the country's alarming increase in race attacks and hate crimes.

The Moscow City Court sentenced them to prison terms ranging from 4 1/2 years to 10 years after convicting them of crimes including ethnically motivated assault, murder and attempted murder, court spokeswoman Anna …

County OKs '2nd chance' hiring of 100 nonviolent convicts

Cook County taxpayers will soon be paying for nonviolent convictsto work in entry-level county jobs under a plan unanimously approvedThursday by Cook County commissioners.

The program, sponsored by Commissioners Bobbie Steele and RobertoMaldonado, will put 100 people convicted of drug charges, theft andother offenses into existing, vacant jobs.

Candidates can only have one nonviolent offense on their recordand must go through an extensive interview with an appointed board todetermine the nature of the offense, the age they committed it andthe bearing it has had on their ability to find a job since.

If approved, they are put on the job for one year, after …

Black power!

Kudos to University of WisconsinMadison assistant professor Timothy B. Tyson. His biography, Radio Free Dixie: Robert F Williams and the Roots of Black Power (University of North Carolina Press, October 1999, $29.95, ISBN 0-807-82502-6), won …

Zaheer Khan taunts Australia's bowlers

Paceman Zaheer Khan has taunted Australia's bowlers for being unable to dismiss India on the final day of the first cricket test.

Man-of-the-match Khan said Australia would be under pressure for the rest of the four-test series following the drawn result when India reached 177 for 4 chasing 299 for an improbable victory.

"They know they can't take 20 wickets and they are on the back foot," Khan said. "They couldn't get me or Bhajji (Harbhajan Singh) out.

"So we are in with a big chance. They are under pressure we know that. So we are looking ahead at the second game."

Khan's 90-run partnership with Harbhajan …

Nuts for the holidays: Dominick's lights a fire under shopping experience

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire and a Chicago-created TVcommercial featuring a crooning Tony Bennett are just two of theways Dominick's grocery store chain is recreating its image.

The chestnuts can be roasted or carmelized at Dominick's newlyremodeled stores in suburban Lake Zurich and Willowbrook.

The chestnuts are part of a "nut bar" where shoppers can sampleand pick among pecans, cashews, chestnuts and 37 other kinds ofnuts, and watch peanut butter being made, said Jeffery Norkiewicz,vice president of retail marketing execution.

The stores -- at 345 S. Rand Rd. in Lake Zurich and 6300 S.Robert Kingery Hwy. in Willowbrook -- are among 21 Dominick's …

Manning Plays Coy About Injured Thumb

INDIANAPOLIS - Peyton Manning thumbed his way through questions about his injured throwing hand Wednesday. "I attended the Bill Belichick school of discussing injuries, so there's my answer," Manning said, drawing laughter.

Belichick, New England's coach, is known for keeping the status of injured players secret, and Manning took advantage of a rare opportunity to do his own impersonation of the three-time Super Bowl winner by giving no update on his right thumb.

Manning, a two-time MVP, kept both hands in his pockets as he walked into a news conference three days after hurting it the AFC championship game, and when he gestured at the lectern, Manning carefully used his …

Scientists cheer Obama's stem cell reversal

Scientists are cheering President Barack Obama's lifting of federal funding restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, hopeful the move will open the financial floodgates to speed new treatments.

"It's wonderful. We are elated," said Jan Nolta, who directs the stem cell research program at the University of California at Davis. "Now that we can use the federal funds, it will just go so much more quickly."

Directors of university programs in stem cell research said that money would mean more jobs at labs, especially for students just starting their careers. Researchers and biotech entrepreneurs also expect more work.

In …

Joyce's 36 years of service

An 81-year-old has rung the eight bells of St James the Great forthe last time.

Joyce Lacy, of Winscombe Bell Ringers, stepped down from thegroup on Friday for the same reason most ringers call it a day - thenumber of steps leading up the tower to the bells.

Colleagues presented her with a Dartington glass vase for her 36years' service and the only thing ringing in the Woodborough Inn,Winscombe, were glasses …

Mtawarira recalled for Springbok Tri-Nations squad

Frontrower Tendai Mtawarira was included in the 28-man Springboks squad announced Saturday for the opening Tri-Nations tests in New Zealand and Australia, a day after securing his South African citizenship.

The Zimbabwe-born Mtawarira, nicknamed "Beast" and a crowd favorite for the Durban-based Sharks in Super 14s, has 22 test caps for the Springboks but was in international limbo because he did not have a South African passport.

He was legally resident in South Africa and fulfilled the eligibility criteria of the International Rugby Board but South African rugby officials had been instructed earlier in the month not to select the 24-year-old prop for the initial test squads because of the passport situation.

Mtawarira was granted South African citizenship this week, on residency grounds and after government intervention, and was immediately eligible for a Springboks recall.

Francois Hougaard was also drafted back into the squad, which contained 21 players involved in Saturday's 55-11 win over Italy at East London that secured a 2-0 series victory. Reserve lock Flip van der Merwe, who scored late in the second half against Italy, was the only player from the second-test squad to miss out.

Five players who were involved in the earlier tests against Wales, France and Italy were also selected after coming back from rest or injuries, including vice-captain Victor Matfield, lock Danie Rossouw, backrower Ryan Kankowski, prop CJ van der Linde and fullback Zane Kirchner.

"It's a strong squad," Springboks coach Peter de Villiers said. "We are fortunate to have so many of our frontline players fit and available. There is a very strong core of experience in this group and there are several leaders too."

Among those unavailable for selection due to injury are scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, wingers JP Pietersen and Odwa Ndungane and hooker Bismarck du Plessis. Flanker Juan Smith is absent for personal reasons.

The squad contains 16 forwards and 12 backs, with de Villiers using the defense of the Tri-Nations title as buildup to the defense of its World Cup title in 2011.

"The Tri-Nations is always tough and this year's tournament takes on added significance given that the World Cup is taking place in New Zealand next year," de Villiers said. "We have a tough start with successive matches against New Zealand but we have had a good build-up and we have shown that we can win in New Zealand over the past two seasons.

"However, what happened last year is history and we have to look forward and be ready for a new set of challenges in the 2010 competition."

Inside back Butch James and prop BJ Botha were included in the squad despite playing for European clubs.

The Springboks leave next weekend for New Zealand, where they play the All Blacks at Auckland on July 10 and Wellington on July 17. The third match of the series is against Australia at Brisbane on July 24.

The Springboks then have three consecutive home tests in August and September.

___

Squad:

Backs: Gio Aplon, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana, Francois Hougaard, Butch James, Ricky Januarie, Zane Kirchner, Wynand Olivier, Ruan Pienaar, Morne Steyn.

Forwards: Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha, BJ Botha, Schalk Burger, Jannie du Plessis, Ryan Kankowski, Francois Louw, Victor Matfield, Tendai Mtawarira, Dewald Potgieter, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Danie Rossouw, John Smit (captain), Pierre Spies, Gurthro Steenkamp, CJ van der Linde.

Hamas planning protest against Gaza blockade, Israel sends reinforcements

Israeli forces along the border with Gaza were braced Monday to keep a Hamas demonstration against Israel's blockade of Gaza from turning into a mass breakout like last month's storming of the Gaza-Egypt border.

Hamas planned to send thousands of civilians in the direction of the Erez crossing between Israel and Gaza on Monday, protesting chronic shortages of vital supplies in Gaza because of the Israeli restrictions.

Israeli defense officials said they were taking steps to keep Palestinians from flooding into Israel, though they discounted rumors that Hamas would encourage the demonstrators to try to break down the border crossing.

Last month Hamas militants knocked down the wall between Gaza and Egypt with explosives, and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians raced across the border, flooding Egyptian towns and buying everything in sight.

It was a taste of freedom after months of shortages because of the Israeli blockade, imposed after the militant Islamic Hamas overran Gaza last June, expelling Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The blockade was tightened last month after an upsurge in daily rockets attacks on Israel from Gaza.

Egypt reclosed the border after about two weeks.

Morning radio newscasts said the army had moved an artillery battery up to the Israel-Gaza border and that thousands of police with non-lethal crowd control devices would back up soldiers during demonstrations on the other side. The army would not comment on its preparations, but Israeli leaders said they would not allow Palestinians to enter their country.

"Israel will protect its territory and prevent any breach of its sovereign borders," the Defense Ministry said, adding that if trouble were to erupt, "the sole responsibility rests on the shoulders of Hamas."

Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said that as the general responsible for Gaza during a previous Palestinian uprising, he had seen mass demonstrations before and was confident the army would be able to cope.

"Once you are deployed and prepared and there is no element of surprise I imagine the outcome is very clear," he told Israel Radio. "Everything that it is necessary to do will be done."

Early Monday, an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza killed two Hamas militants and wounded three, according to Hamas and Palestinian medical officials. The Israeli military said an aircraft targeted a group of gunmen spotted in the area. Hours later, a second airstrike killed a third Hamas gunman and wounded two others, Hamas said. The military confirmed the attack.

A third Palestinian militant was found dead on Monday morning in the southern Gaza border town of Rafah. A small Palestinian militant group, the Popular Resistance Committees, said the man belonged to their group and was killed while firing his weapon at nearby Israeli soldiers.

Injury-time goal gives Wigan 1-0 win over Spurs

Maynor Figueroa scored his first goal for Wigan in injury time Sunday to give his team a 1-0 Premier League win over injury-hit Tottenham.

With Spurs defender Michael Dawson off injured and goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes laboring with what appeared to be a muscle problem, Figueroa _ a Honduras defender who is on loan from Deportivo Olimpia _ headed in a corner by Ryan Taylor at the near post.

The result kept Tottenham in the relegation zone and winless in five league matches, while Wigan consolidated its hold on seventh place and maintained its status as the Premier League's most in-form team _ with 18 points from the last seven games.

Champion Manchester United had the chance to close to within a point of second-place Chelsea when it hosted the Blues in Sunday's other match.

Jermain Defoe had a quiet second debut for Tottenham, which beat a second-string Wigan side 3-1 in the FA Cup earlier this month. The England striker started alongside Roman Pavlyuchenko and finished it next to Darren Bent, but was unable to forge an effective partnership with either as Wigan dominated possession and chances.

Tottenham had an opening in the first minute when Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland fumbled a header by Ledley King and just managed to clear the loose ball before the attacking Dawson could get to it.

But Wigan edged its way into contention as the first half progressed and controlled the second, with Spurs creating few chances despite the presence of Defoe _ who rejoined the club this week for 15 million pounds (US$22 million; euro16.2 million), a year after leaving.

Wigan striker Amr Zaki headed just wide from a first-half free kick by Taylor and Gomes saved efforts by Wilson Palacios and Emile Heskey, before an injury sustained while clearing the ball limited his movement for much of the second half and meant he had to throw the ball instead of kick it.

With Bent and Aaron Lennon on as tactical substitutions and Jermaine Jenas having replaced the injured Dawson, Tottenham could not replace Gomes _ who was laboring so badly that he could not even take goal kicks.

Wigan, though, was unable to test his mobility until the very end.

Zaki headed wide and then over the bar in the last five minutes of regular time before Figueroa scored late on.