Closing abolition with reparations, restorative justice by Minister Ari S. Merretazon, M.S.CEDmerretazon@verizon.net (215) 850-1699

Closing abolition with reparations, restorative justice by Minister Ari S. Merretazon, M.S.CEDmerretazon@verizon.net (215) 850-1699


Ari Merretazon

On Friday, September 25, 2009, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. convened a Brain Trust Forum entitled Apologies & H.R. 40: Creating a Dialogue on the Legacy of Slavery as part of the Annual Legislative Conference of the Congressional Black Caucus Weekend. Invitees were Representative Steve Cohen,. Ninth Congressional District of Tennessee , Council Member JoAnn Watson, Detroit City Council, Dr. Ron Daniels, Institute of the Black World, Dr. Ron Walters, African American Leadership Institute, Dr. Iva E. Carruthers, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, Ms. Njeri Alghanee, N’COBRA National Co-Chair, and Professor Charles Ogletree, Harvard Law School was the moderator.

The National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N‘COBRA) is the leading corrective justice coalition supported by human rights and religious organizations, legislators, students, and professionals. We are extremely appreciative of this Congressional recognition. N’COBRA was founded in 1988. N’COBRA praises the work of the long line of corrective justice activists for continually seeking accountability and justice from those who codified, participated in, and profited from the enslavement of Black people.

In terms of accountability, N’COBRA Philadelphia Chapter and the Northeast Regional Working Group continues to go down its list of current institutions with predecessors who help establish, expand, maintain, enrich and refine America’s public policy that enslaved Africans/African-Americans. In fact, it was the prominent property owners and political elite who lead the way.

The Quakers, led by William Wilberforce (1759-1833) were among the few religious organizations that subsequently supported the abolition of slavery, not instantly, but gradually. It was the Black resistance and rebellions, and the case of Olaudah Equiano, aka, Gustavus Vassa (c.1745–1797,) the African who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in childhood and later to a Quaker merchant, that destroyed chattel slavery. Abolitionists facilitated and resourced the movement.

By 1775, the Quakers founded the first American anti-slavery group. Through the 1700s, Quakers led a strong-held prohibition against slavery. The Quakers’ fight inspired growing numbers of abolitionists, and by the 1830’s abolitionism was in full force and became a major engine for justice in the United States.

The case for supporting a current day initiative to finish the work of abolitionists under the banner of corrective economic justice and reparations is, in brief, that European and American societies systemized the ‘peculiar’ institution of human enslavement, i.e., chattel property, which has no rival or historical precedent. Under the banner of truth and righteousness, these societies are obligated as matter of corrective justice, to help repair the damage done by the holocaust of enslavement, and the vestiges now up-loaded to African-Americans - the current-day recipients.

The Quaker community of today should engage N’COBRA in discussion on their inherited legacy of abolition and what role this community is willing to play in respect to the current day reparations movement for corrective economic justice. The engagement N’COBRA seeks is an effort to move the demand for corrective economic justice further to the center of society for open moral discussion about reparations for Blacks in the public domain.

The recent disingenuous apology of “profound regret” by Congress is only symbolism and can not take place of repairing the damage wrought by African enslavement.

Quakers and other religious organizations are expected to engage the reparations movement, at minimum, with support resources which will increase the capacity of the reparations movement as they did the abolition movement. History and the continuum of America’s religious foundation calls for this because the repair of injured people is the basic principle of the great commandment which ends with “love thy brother as thy self.” Upon this, all else rests.

Protesters Challenge Gender ID on Septa Transpasses

by KYW's Hadas Kuznits

Self proclaimed "gender non-conforming riders" rallied on Tuesday against Septa's gender stickers on the Transpasses they sell to those who use their services.

Protesters in the City Hall subway say they want Septa to remove the male and female gender stickers from the passes:

"I'm holding a sign that says Septa is a drag."

"Everybody should not have to be questioned by someone who's not a medical provider about their sexuality."

The protest was organized by RAGE -- Riders Against Gender Exclusion:

For full story go to: http://www.kyw1060.com/

Eastern floods scatter residents as worst awaits

Eastern floods scatter residents as worst awaits

Lt. Brian Poland, of the East Providence, R.I., fire department, carries Phyllis Rego to dry land while helping rescue her from a flooded neighborhood in East Providence, Tuesday, March 30, 2010.

CRANSTON, R.I. (AP) -- Flooding across the Northeast forced hundreds of residents from their homes by Wednesday, knocked out sewage plants, and snarled traffic on major East Coast routes as roads transformed into a soaked labyrinth of detours and closures.

As three days of record-breaking rains tapered to a drizzle, forecasters warned the worst of widespread flooding from Maine to New York was still ahead as rivers were yet to crest - for the second time in a month.

In Rhode Island, a coastal state enduring the most severe damage, residents were experiencing the worst flooding in more than 100 years. Stretches of Interstate 95, the main route linking Boston to New York, were closed and could remain shut for days.

Non-essential state workers in Rhode Island were given the day off, and state officials asked schools and private businesses to consider closing, as well. Officials in water-weary Warwick asked residents to avoid washing clothes or flushing the toilet after a water and sewage treatment plant failed. The state also asked people to stay off highways and local roads.

"None of us alive have seen the flooding that we are experiencing now or going to experience," Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri said. "This is unprecedented in our state's history."

The new rains came as residents were still recovering from a storm two weeks ago that dumped as much as 10 inches on the region. President Barack Obama issued an emergency declaration late Tuesday for Rhode Island, ordering federal aid for disaster relief and authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate relief efforts.

The havoc was spread throughout the region as National Guard troops went into action in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut, and residents evacuated as floodwaters rose.

More than 100 people were ordered to leave an apartment complex in Milford, N.H, and heavy rains in Connecticut caused the earth under a Middletown apartment complex parking lot to give way, leaving two buildings teetering over the ravine of a river. Residents were taken to an emergency shelter at a high school.

Authorities also evacuated 50 units at a condominium complex in Jewett City in eastern Connecticut because a sewage treatment plant next door was under at least 4 feet of water.

In Massachusetts, the biggest concerns were in the southeastern part of the state, where a highway was closed, said state Emergency Management Agency spokesman Scott MacLeod. A bridge gave out in Freetown, isolating about 1,000 residents, he said.

Records fell across the region.

The more than 14 inches of rain that fell this month in Boston broke the previous March record of 11, according to the National Weather Service. New Jersey and parts of New York City also set March records. And by Tuesday afternoon, Providence had recorded more than 15 inches of rain in March, becoming the rainiest of any month on record. Portland, Maine, recorded more than 11 inches this month, breaking the old record of nearly 10 set in 1953.

Cranston Mayor Allan Fung told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Wednesday that the city was facing "dire circumstances." A sewer pump station there gave out early Wednesday, and about 130 homes had been evacuated.

The Pawtuxet River flooded basements in at least one Cranston neighborhood and crept higher Wednesday. The river crested earlier this month at around 15 feet and was expected to surpass that this week.

Authorities said the flooding was unprecedented, so they didn't know what damage to expect. One resident hung a sign: "FEMA + State + City of Cranston. Buy our houses."

"Right now it's bad and getting worse," said Brian Dupont, a real estate broker who owns two homes on the street. He feared the dozens of sandbags protecting the homes would offer minimal protection.

Standing water pooled on or rushed across roads in the region, making driving treacherous and forcing closures. Adjutant General Robert Bray, the commander of the Rhode Island National Guard, said the area south of Providence was like a "maze" with drivers repeatedly getting stuck.

In Maine, a dam in Porter let loose Tuesday morning, sending a torrent of water down country roads. No evacuations or injuries were reported.

Legendary Reporter Malcolm Poindexter Dead at 84

by KYW's David Madden

He was a familiar face on local television for decades and on Tuesday came word that former CBS-3 reporter Malcolm Poindexter passed away at age 84.

Here's a man who spent more than 50 years in the broadcasting and journalism business, starting out in places like Jet and Ebony magazine. He was a writer for the Philadelphia Tribune and a reporter for the Philadelphia Bulletin.

When we at KYW Newsradio started our all news format back in 1965, Malcolm Poindexter was one of the first reporters that came here. A couple of years later, he jumped over to channel 3 and he was working there until 2001 when he eventually retired. An boy did get a career there. He was breaking stories left and right and won more than 300 community and journalism awards during his long and illustrious career.

For full story go to: http://www.kyw1060.com/

Mayor Nutter Launches Another All Volunteer Philly Clean Up

by KYW's Mike Dunn

Philadelphia Mayor Nutter is once again looking for a few good volunteers… actually he wants hundreds of volunteers… for his third citywide cleaning event. This year's is set for May 8th.

Mayor Nutter believes this year's all volunteer Philadelphia clean up -- dubbed "Love Your Park" -- will work wonders:

"Think about the effort last year -- 1200 volunteers, we moved 11 tons of trash, which demonstrates just how much people really do care."

For full story go to: http://www.kyw1060.com/

Budget Cuts Causing a Dip in Christie's Approval Rating

by KYW's David Madden

With a little more than two months in office, New Jersey governor Chris Christie has seen a noticeable downturn in his voter approval numbers according to one major statewide poll.

After announcing drastic budget cuts, it should come as no surprise that Christie’s numbers took a dip in the Fairleigh Dickinson Public Mind Poll from 52-21 in favor at the beginning of the month to 43-32 now.

Poll director Peter Woolley:

For full story go to: http://www.kyw1060.com/

Temple University Hospital Nurses Vote to Strike

by KYW's Jim Melwert

Temple University Hospital nurses and other staff have rejected the latest contract offer and plan to be on the picket line at 7am Wednesday.

Nurses rejected the so-called final offer 980 votes against, to just 50 in favor.

Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals spokesman Bill Cruice says the vote comes as no surprise:

"It's been clear to us for quite some time that the leadership of Temple University has shown nothing but contempt and disrespect for the nursing and professional staff."

For full story go to:

by KYW's Jim Melwert

Temple University Hospital nurses and other staff have rejected the latest contract offer and plan to be on the picket line at 7am Wednesday.

Nurses rejected the so-called final offer 980 votes against, to just 50 in favor.

Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals spokesman Bill Cruice says the vote comes as no surprise:

"It's been clear to us for quite some time that the leadership of Temple University has shown nothing but contempt and disrespect for the nursing and professional staff."

Consumer confidence rebounds to 52.5 in March

Consumer confidence rebounds to 52.5 in March

In this photo taken Monday, Feb. 22, 2010, a woman tries out a mattress on display at the Sears retail store in Burbank, Calif. A private research group said Tuesday, March 30, 2010, consumers' confidence in the economy rebounded in March. But Americans are still wary as they deal with a weak job market

NEW YORK (AP) -- Americans' confidence in the economy rebounded in March after a February plunge but remains relatively weak amid a tough job market, according to a private research group's monthly survey released Tuesday.

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index rose to 52.5 in March, recovering only about half of the nearly 11 points it lost in February. Analysts expected a reading of 50 for March. February's 46.4 marked the lowest level since April 2009 and also erased three consecutive months of improvement. In January, the reading was 56.5.

One of the index's barometers, which measures how shoppers feel now about their economic situation now, rose to 26.0 from 21.7 in February. The other measurement, which gauges how shoppers feel about the economy over the next six months, ticked up to 70.2 from 62.9.

Economists watch the figures closely because consumer spending, including health care and other major items, accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity.

In a separate report, data showed home prices inched higher in January for the eighth consecutive month, helped by a strong rebound in the battered California's real estate. But the worry is that the momentum in the housing market won't be sustained.

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index showed prices rose 0.3 percent from December to January, the eighth consecutive monthly gain. Among the 20 cities in the index, 12 rose.

The home price index is up nearly 4 percent from its bottom in May 2009, but still almost 30 percent below its May 2006 peak. And there are signs that last year's housing rebound won't be sustained. Home sales sank during the winter, and government incentives that have propped up the market are ending.

March's confidence report appeared to confirm that February's sharp decline may have been an aberration. Many factors had dampened last month's confidence, including severe weather that had shut businesses and thwarted job searches, and a stock market hurting because of international worry about Greece's national debt.

Still, March's reading, buoyed in part by a rally in the stock market, is still a long way from the 90 that is considered healthy, and consumers remain no more optimistic than when the economic recovery started nine months ago.

"The strong headwinds of high unemployment, weak income growth and tight credit are keeping consumer confidence at very low levels," said Paul Dales, U.S. economist with Capital Economics in a report released Tuesday. Against this background, he noted that it's "hard to see households consistently spending with much vigour."

Confidence has been recovering fitfully since hitting a historic low of 25.3 in February 2009. But many economists believe it will remain well below healthy levels for at least another year or two.

"Despite the month's increase, consumers continue to express concern about current business and labor conditions," Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center, said in a statement. "And their outlook for the next six months is still rather pessimistic."

She added that overall confidence has not changed significantly since last spring, when the reading hit 40.8 in April 2009 and rose to 54.8 in May.

The confidence report came out the same day as a key home price index reported that home prices showed the smallest annual decline in almost three years in January and showed surprising pockets of strength.

While housing woes have helped to stifle a robust economic recovery, many economists say Americans won't spend dramatically more until they see clear evidence of job growth.

Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect the Labor Department to report Friday that in March unemployment was steady at 9.7 percent and employers added 190,000 jobs, after shedding 36,000 in February. Most of the bump up is expected to come from temporary hiring for the Census, and economists say they need to see broad-based job creation to jolt consumers into spending.

Retailers have seen small signs since 2010 began that shoppers are spending more - trading back up to meat from pasta at the grocery store, for instance. But they still have kept many of their frugal habits that they adopted during the Great Recession.

The Conference Board survey - based on a random survey of consumers sent to 5,000 households with a cutoff date of March 23 - did show some easing of worry about the job market, but Americans are still far from optimistic.

Those saying jobs are "hard to get" declined to 45.8 percent from 47.3, while those saying jobs are "plentiful" increased to 4.4 percent from 4.0 percent. Meanwhile, the percentage of consumers expecting fewer jobs in the months ahead decreased to 21.6 percent from 24.7 percent. Those anticipating more jobs will become available over the next six months increased to 14.6 percent from 13.2 percent.

The report showed that the share expecting their income to increase improved to 10.5 percent from 10.1 percent.

In morning trading, the Dow Jones Industrials rose 31.28, or 0.3 percent, to 10,927.14.

No communication from 153 trapped in China mine

No communication from 153 trapped in China mine

Mine workers look on as rescuers, unseen unload metal pipes at Wangjialing coal mine, Xiangning township, Shanxi province, about 650 kilometers (400 miles) southwest of Beijing, Monday, March 29, 2010. Rescuers working in a drizzling rain raced Monday to free 153 coal miners trapped deep underground by a flood that may have started when workers digging a new mine in northern China accidentally broke into a network of old, water-filled shafts.

XIANGNING, China (AP) -- Rescuers pumped water from a flooded mine in northern China where time is running out for 153 trapped workers as efforts stretched into a second day with no communication from those stuck deep underground.

Some 1,000 rescue workers were rotating on shifts to try to drain enough water to reach the trapped miners, but the rescue effort could take days. It was unclear if anyone was still alive in the shafts, some which extended a half-mile (one kilometer) into the earth.

The accident could be one of the worst mining disasters in recent years if rescue efforts fail and would set back marked improvements in mining safety.

"Their situation until now is still unknown so that is making everyone very worried," said Liu Dezheng, a chief engineer with the work safety bureau in northern China's Shanxi province, where the mine is located.

The flood at the state-owned Wangjialing coal mine may have started Sunday afternoon when workers dug into a network of old, water-filled shafts. Such derelict tunnels are posing new risks to miners across China even as the country improves safety in its notoriously hazardous mines, where accidents kill thousands each year.

China's State Administration of Work Safety said 261 workers were inside the mine when it flooded, and 108 escaped or were rescued.

"We can't get in touch with the people down there," said miner Li Jianhong, 33, who was helping move pipes to suck water from the shaft. "If they haven't drowned yet, they might have suffocated from a lack of oxygen."

He was just about to head into the mine for his shift on Sunday when he heard that "something happened" underground. As he and his colleagues gathered for a meeting, they received a call from some of the trapped miners.

"We just received one phone call from them and after that there was no more contact. Those poor people," he said.

Liu warned any rescue was still days away and said the 1,000 rescuers were rotating on four-hour shifts to make sure they got enough rest in the days ahead.

"This is not something that can be achieved in one or two days," Liu said. "(Rescuers) must be prepared to work at least seven days and seven nights."

State television said the workers were trapped in nine different places in the mine, which was flooded with up to 5 million cubic feet (140,000 cubic meters) of water.

Authorities were not only worried about the flood. Gases from the abandoned shafts may have flowed into the mine, bringing new dangers such as explosions or poisoning.

At the mine, located at the end of a long winding mountain road, rescuers worked in drizzling rain Monday to strap metal pipes and other parts of a pump onto a metal trolley. They pushed it along rail tracks into the entrance, where it was lowered into the shaft.

About 30 people stood quietly behind the police cordon watching.

Fan Leisheng, one of the miners who escaped, described the sudden rush of water that tore through the mine.

"It looked like a tidal wave, and I was so scared," Fan told China Central Television. "I immediately ran away and looked back to see some others hanging behind. I shouted at them to get out. It was unbelievable because I got out from 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) underground."

Officials have yet to declare the cause of the accident, but experts said it was likely that workers broke into the old shafts or pits of derelict mines that had filled with water.

"It could be that they broke into old workings, works that were not properly mapped out," said David Feickert, a coal mine safety adviser to the Chinese government. "That's a common problem with flooding, and Shanxi is an area where they have very extensive mining, a lot of old mines."

Though China's mining industry is still the world's deadliest, it has dramatically improved its safety record over the last seven years, said Feickert, who is based in Wanganui, New Zealand and Beijing.

Accidents killed 2,631 coal miners last year, fewer than half the 6,995 deaths in 2002, the most dangerous year on record, according to the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety. That means on average more than seven miners die every day, down from 19.1 in 2002.

The decline in deaths comes amid a ramping up in the mining of coal, which fuels about 70 percent of China's voracious energy needs.

Much of the safety improvement has come from shutting down smaller, labor-intensive operators or forcing them into mergers with better-funded state companies.

Wangjialing, located about 400 miles (650 kilometers) southwest of Beijing, was under construction and had been scheduled to start production later this year, the China Daily newspaper reported.

Major mine accidents in China in recent years include a coal mine flood in eastern Shandong province in August 2007 that left 172 miners dead and a mine blast in northeastern Liaoning province in February 2005 that killed 214 miners.

NCAA: Final Four set; madness resumes Saturday

NCAA: Final Four set; madness resumes Saturday

Duke's Brian Zoubek, right, grabs a rebound from Baylor's Anthony Jones, left, and Josh Lomers during the first half of the NCAA South Regional college basketball championship game in Houston, Sunday, March 28, 2010.

Four teams are left on the road to the national championship.

In a matchup between bluebloods and the blue-collared, South Regional champion Duke will face East Regional champ West Virginia. And in a meeting of Final Four veterans and never-beens, it will be Midwest Regional champ Michigan State against West Regional champion Butler.

Michigan State and Duke would give the title game April 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium the feeling of college basketball royalty competing for a crown. The two schools have combined to play for 12 NCAA tournament championships, winning five of them.

A game that pits the Bulldogs against the Mountaineers would ensure at least one school its first national championship. West Virginia has made only one trip to the title game, in 1959, while Butler will be playing in its first semifinal in its own backyard.

The tournament already has turned millions of brackets into confetti, created dozens more highlights for the "One Shining Moment" montages and left a trail of broken dreams stretching from Salt Lake City to Syracuse, N.Y.

It all ends next weekend in Indianapolis.

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The Blue Devils are headed back to the Final Four.

Nolan Smith scored a career-high 29 points and top-seeded Duke used a big run late in the game to beat Baylor 78-71, putting a disappointing end on the Bears' road to redemption.

Duke will be playing in the national semifinals for the first time since 2004, against East Regional champion West Virginia. The Blue Devils have won 11 of their last 12 regional finals under coach Mike Krzyzewski, but haven't won a national title since 2001.

Jon Scheyer added 20 points to help Duke offset a horrendous game from junior forward Kyle Singler, who was 0 for 10 from the field and only made five free throws. It was the first time in his college career he failed to hit a field goal.

LaceDarius Dunn had 22 points, Ekpe Udoh scored 18, and Tweety Carter and Quincy Acy had 12 each for the Bears, who just seven years ago were wondering whether one of the worst scandals in college basketball history might spell the end to the entire program.

Instead, they played Duke tough for 35 minutes before finally wilting under the pressure of the Atlantic Coast Conference champions. Baylor still hasn't been to a Final Four since 1950.

---

Tempers beginning to boil in Houston, where Duke has pulled ahead 72-62.

Jon Scheyer had the ball trapped in front of the scorer's table with 1:19 left and started to wildly swing his elbows to clear space. LaceDarius Dunn and Tweety Carter kept going after the ball and some shoving ensued.

Quincy Acy came into the picture and shoved Scheyer, too, but the teams were sent back to their benches without any more trouble. The referees wound up giving Acy a technical foul and awarding a pair of free throws to the Blue Devils.

Scheyer made both, and the Blue Devils are on an 18-5 run toward the finish.

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Duke is starting to look like a No. 1 seed.

Dare we say, a national champion?

Nolan Smith missed a free throw but the Blue Devils managed to get yet another offensive rebound, and Smith hit his second 3-pointer in the last couple minutes to make it 64-61. At that point in the game, the Blue Devils had a 22-9 advantage in offensive rebounds.

They didn't need any boards on their next trip, when Jon Scheyer drained an open 3.

The Blue Devils have 17 second-chance points in the second half alone, which allowed them to take a brief 67-61 lead. It's still a five-point game after Ekpe Udoh's free throw.

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Big call made by the officials when Quincy Acy took it hard to the basket with 4:37 left and the Bears leading 59-57. Brian Zoubek appeared to step in his way late, but rather than give the Duke center his fifth foul, the referees gave a foul to Acy and waved off his basket.

The Blue Devils came back at the other end and got an offensive rebound after Jon Scheyer's missed 3-pointer, and Nolan Smith drained a 3 from the wing to make it 60-59.

Smith has 23 points for the game.

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Five minutes left for a spot in the Final Four.

Jon Scheyer just hit a 3-pointer from halfway between the top of the key and midcourt line, his fourth of the game, making it 57-all for the stretch run.

The real game is just starting.

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If anybody has seen the Temple mascot flapping its wings all game, that's exactly what Baylor coach Scott Drew looked like moments ago.

Josh Lomers checked into the game with four fouls and 8:48 left and scored on a nice basket inside to make it a tie game. Drew was standing on the sideline imploring the heavily green-clad crowd that made the 3-hour drive from Waco to get on its feet with him while the charged up Bears retreated to play defense.

By the time they rose from their seats, Lomers had committed a silly foul and was gone.

He ended up with more fouls (5) than points (4) and only had one rebound in the game - not exactly what Drew had hoped for from his 7-footer. Still, he's a big space-eater in that zone defense and his presence inside will be missed the final 7:45.

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Baylor and Duke had combined to miss 15 straight shots before Nolan Smith scored on a nifty teardrop from the middle of the lane, giving him a game-high 20 points.

The Bears came right back, though, getting a basket by Tweety Carter before he assisted on an easy dunk by Ekpe Udoh that knotted the game 51-all with 9:39 remaining. The dunk came after Udoh, one of the best shot-blockers in the country, stuffed Brian Zoubek at the other end.

Udoh has three blocks to go with 11 points, six rebounds and five assists.

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Baylor is doing everything it can to increase the tempo, but Duke is doing an exceptional job of getting back on defense, cutting off the fast-break opportunities and making sure the game is decided in half-court sets.

LaceDarius Dunn and Tweety Carter have cooled off in the second half, and foul trouble is plaguing the big guys. The Bears' Josh Lomers and the Blue Devils' Brian Zoubek both have four.

It's 49-47 Duke with 11:45 left.

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Duke has opened the second half on an 8-2 stretch to take a 45-44 lead with 15:55 left, and it can give plenty of thanks to Baylor for it. All of those points have come at the foul line.

Kyle Singler started the spurt by making one of two from the line, then Jon Scheyer hit three straight and Nolan Smith added four in a row.

Someone ought to tell Baylor it's pretty easy to score when nobody's in your face.

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Brad Lomers couldn't have committed a worse foul.

The 7-footer fouled Duke guard Jon Scheyer while shooting a 3-pointer - what was Lomers doing on the perimeter to begin with? - and picked up his fourth foul with 17:55 left.

Scheyer made all three free throws to trim the lead to 42-41.

This is the first time during the NCAA tournament that the Blue Devils have trailed in the second half. They won their first three games by an average of 16 points.

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West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said that injured guard Darryl Bryant, who broke his foot in practice earlier in the week, is getting fit for a shoe that is supposed to take pressure off it. If all goes well, Bryant might be able to play next weekend in the Final Four.

"We don't know if it's going to work or not," Huggins said during halftime of the Duke-Baylor game. The winner will play the Mountaineers in Indianapolis.

Da'Sean Butler said he's hopeful that his teammate nicknamed "Truck" will be back.

"He's willing to compete, you know? He's a great competitor," Butler said. "He runs the team on the court, he does so much for us that people don't understand."

If Bryant manages to play, it be signal a major reversal of injury fortunes for Huggins.

To this day he believes his Cincinnati team was the best in the country in 2000, before Kenyon Martin broke his leg during the Conference USA tournament. The Bearcats ended up with a No. 2 seed and lost to seventh-seeded Tulsa in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

This will be the first time Huggins will coach in the Final Four since 1992.

"We've had shots," Huggins said. "When Kenyon broke his leg, I thought we were the best team in the country. We almost went back (to the Final Four) in 1993, we had a great shot in '96 and had some injuries."

It helps that Huggins has a guy like Butler on the floor this time around.

"He's the most complete player I've ever coached," Huggins said. "We've played him at point, we've played him at two, at power forward, small forward. He just has such great versatility. In his words, he's good at everything - and not great at anything.

"Those are his words," Huggins added, smiling. "He said that, I didn't."

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Halftime came at the perfect time for No. 1 seed Duke.

After scratching its way to a 25-18 lead, the Blue Devils watched third-seeded Baylor use a 17-7 run to close out the first half and take a 35-32 lead. It would have been even worse had Andre Dawkins not hit his second 3 off the bench with 30 seconds left before the break.

Kyle Singler and Lance Thomas need to find a way to get going for Duke. Singler is 0 for 6 from the field, missing all three of his 3-point tries, while Thomas is 1-for-5 shooting.

The backcourt duo of LaceDarius Dunn and Tweety Carter is carrying Baylor again. Dunn has put on a dunking display while accounting for 13 first-half points, and Carter has hit a couple of deep shots and has 10 points.

There's 20 minutes left before the Final Four is set. The winner earns a date with Da'Sean Butler and East Regional champion West Virginia in Indianapolis.

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Here's a stat line even a mother would hate: 0 points, 2 rebounds, 3 fouls.

Brian Zoubek had better be wary about slivers in the wrong places, because he's been riding a lot of pine in the first half. The Duke center has been dominated at both ends of the court, and the frustration seems to be mounting.

After he got whistled for his third foul, he needed to be separated from a couple Bears.

LaceDarius Dunn, meanwhile, just got out on the break and threw down an open dunk to get Baylor within 29-28 with a couple minutes left in the first half.

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Tweety Carter and LaceDarius Dunn are the Baylor version of Scottie and MJ, although a moment ago they looked more like Montana and Rice.

Carter lofted up a perfect pass for Dunn, who elevated above everyone and showed some soft hands in gathering it in. Dunn then spiked it through the basket for an emphatic two points.

Carter then hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key a couple minutes later, getting the Bears with 27-22 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the first half. He has seven points to go with a pair of assists.

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How do you beat a shutdown zone defense? Helps to hit 3-pointers.

Jon Scheyer had missed 12 of his last 13 from beyond the arc until hitting one a moment ago, and Nolan Smith already has a pair of 3s. The Blue Devils are 4 of 5 as a team.

That is already forcing the Bears to stretch their zone to the perimeter, which could create some looks inside for Singler and the Plumlee brothers.

Miles Plumlee just got an easy one inside, in fact, for a 22-18 lead.

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Baylor is causing a lot of problems inside, getting Kyle Singler and Brian Zoubek into foul trouble early. Both have a pair with 13 minutes left in the first half.

Point guard Nolan Smith has seven points for Duke, which already seems resigned to shooting jumpers because of the length that the Bears have along the baseline.

---

By the way, is there a more interesting guy in this game than Ekpe Udoh? He played high school ball in Oklahoma, spent two years at Michigan, then found his way to Waco.

But that's just on the court.

His first name is actually Ekpedeme, which means "Lion." And if that's not intimidating enough, his teammates have given him the nickname "Nightmare."

Yikes.

At least he's not superstitious - he wears No. 13 because his middle name is Friday.

---

Brian Zoubek may be the most important player on the floor for Duke, the only guy who can match up size-wise with the imposing Baylor front line.

He's already been wrestling with Josh Lomers inside, taking a forearm shiver from the Baylor center moments ago. Zoubek's lack of quickness hurt him when he got caught guarding 6-10 Ekpe Udoh, though, and Coach K decided to sit him in favor of the Plumlee brothers.

Baylor has pounded its way to an early 6-5 lead.

---

How splendid has this postseason run been for Scott Drew and third-seeded Baylor?

The Bears have won three games in the NCAA tournament to reach the South Regional final against top-seeded Duke. They won three tournament games total in the 71 previous years.

The Blue Devils are a different animal than the teams Baylor has beaten thus far. They're the first opponent from a power conference and the first to have a single-digit seed, and they have one of the best coaches in the country calling the shots.

Earning a fourth win this tournament? Now that would really be something.

---

For the first time in NCAA history, two schools are meeting in regional finals in the men's and women's tournaments. The men will get the chance to strike the first blow when the Blue Devils and Bears tip off momentarily in Houston - the site of next year's Final Four.

The women play Monday night in Memphis.

Making the matchup even more surprising, the Duke and Baylor men's teams have never met despite playing thousands of combined games.

The stakes couldn't be much bigger.

---

One spot left in Indianapolis.

Duke, the only No. 1 seed remaining, and third-seeded Baylor are about to tip off in the South Regional final in Houston. It will be interesting to see how Coach K - one of the best in the business - handles the Bears' frustratingly tight zone defense.

Sometimes it's a 2-3, sometimes it's a 1-1-3. It always causes trouble.

Mike Krzyzewski said before the game that patience will be key against a front line that has a couple 6-11 guys flanking a 7-footer in the middle.

We'll see if that works.

---

Make it a pair of high-fives in Indianapolis.

Raymar Morgan made a free throw with 1.8 seconds left, giving fifth-seeded Michigan State a 70-69 victory over sixth-seeded Tennessee and a spot in its second straight Final Four.

The Vols' Scotty Hopson tied the game with a free throw with 11.2 seconds left, but he missed the second attempt following a timeout. Korie Lucious gathered in the loose ball, passed ahead to Draymond Green, and he found Morgan open underneath the basket.

Tennessee couldn't do anything but foul him, and the 67-percent free-throw shooter made the first of two before bricking the second on purpose.

Vols guard J.P. Prince alertly called a timeout to give Tennessee a chance, but after taking an inbounds pass at midcourt, his heave at the buzzer missed everything.

The Spartans will play fellow No. 5 seed Butler next weekend in the national semifinals.

Boondocks At Phila. Front Page News

Boondocks At Phila. Front Page News

'Dragon' stokes up box office with $43.3M debut

'Dragon' stokes up box office with $43.3M debut

In this film publicity image released by Paramount Pictures,Astrid, voiced by America Ferrera, center, is shown a scene is shown from "How to Train Your Dragon."

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- "How to Train Your Dragon" breathed a bit of box-office fire with a $43.3 million opening weekend and a No. 1 debut, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Distributed by Paramount, the DreamWorks Animation adventure came in well behind the studio's last cartoon comedy, "Monsters vs. Aliens," which opened with $59.3 million over the same weekend last year.

With strong reviews and enthusiastic responses from viewers in exit polls, DreamWorks expects "How to Train Your Dragon" to have more staying power than "Monsters vs. Aliens" in subsequent weekends, though.

"People just love the film, so we're really anticipating we'll benefit from strong word of mouth going forward," said Anne Globe, head of marketing for DreamWorks.

"How to Train Your Dragon," featuring the voices of Jay Baruchel and America Ferrera in the tale of a Viking youth who tames a fire-breathing reptile, did outperform some other recent animated movies, among them "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs," which opened with $30.3 million last September.

Disney's "Alice in Wonderland," which had been No. 1 the previous three weekends, slipped to second place with $17.3 million. It raised its domestic total to $293.1 million and its worldwide haul to $656 million.

John Cusack's raunchy comedy "Hot Tub Time Machine" had a lukewarm No. 3 debut of $13.7 million. Released by MGM, the movie features Cusack as part of a group of losers hurled back by a time-traveling hot tub to the 1980s, where they have a chance to set their lives right.

"How to Train Your Dragon" pulled in 68 percent of its revenue from 3-D presentation, another triumph for the digital technology that allows theaters to show movies in three dimensions.

Yet it also highlights the limits on how much 3-D traffic theaters are equipped to handle. "How to Train Your Dragon" took over the bulk of 3-D theaters at the expense of Disney's "Alice in Wonderland," because the roughly 4,000 screens capable of showing digital 3-D movies is not enough to handle two full wide-release films at the same time.

"There's no question there are not enough screens yet," said Chuck Viane, head of distribution for Disney. "People who want to seek out 'Alice' in 3-D may have to travel a mile or two more than they used to. ... It's competition. I'm used to it."

After a phenomenal 15-week run, James Cameron's blockbuster "Avatar" lost most of its remaining 3-D theaters to "How to Train Your Dragon." The 20th Century Fox release finally fell out of the top 10, taking in $2 million to finish at No. 11, raising its domestic total to $740.4 million. Worldwide, the movie has taken in $2.7 billion.

Another new 3-D release, Warner Bros. action tale "Clash of the Titans," arrives Friday. While the success of 3-D movies has driven theater chains to speed up their conversion to systems that can project digital 3-D films, a screen shortage will remain for the near future.

"There is a limited amount of shelf space. It's like a traffic jam at the multiplex for these 3-D movies," said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com. "It's a high-class problem to have, but it's still a problem."

Films playing in 3-D have topped the box office for nine of 13 weekends this year, Dergarabedian said.

Overall revenues were down for the first time in a month. Domestic receipts totaled $127 million, off 13 percent from the same weekend last year, according to Hollywood.com.

For the year, revenues are at $2.6 billion, 8.8 percent ahead of last year.

Results for "Hot Tub Time Machine" came in on the low end of distributor MGM's expectations.

"It's not great, but it's OK," said Erik Lomis, head of distribution for MGM. "It had a lot of Internet buzz, so we thought it might come in a little bit higher."

In narrower release, Sony Pictures Classics' sex thriller "Chloe" opened with $1 million in 350 theaters, averaging a weak $2,863 a cinema. That compared to an average of $10,678 in 4,055 theaters for "How to Train Your Dragon" and $4,956 in 2,754 theaters for "Hot Tub Time Machine."

Directed by Atom Egoyan, "Chloe" stars Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson and Amanda Seyfried in a drama about a woman who hires a prostitute to tempt her husband and find out if he's cheating on her.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "How to Train Your Dragon," $43.3 million.

2. "Alice in Wonderland," $17.3 million.

3. "Hot Tub Time Machine," $13.7 million.

4. "The Bounty Hunter," $12.4 million.

5. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid," $10 million.

6. "She's Out of My League," $3.5 million.

7. "Green Zone," $3.3 million.

8. "Shutter Island," $3.2 million.

9. "Repo Men," $3 million.

10. "Our Family Wedding," $2.2 million.

Obama slips into Afghanistan to voice US resolve

Obama slips into Afghanistan to voice US resolve

President Barack Obama rallies troops at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan Sunday, March 28, 2010.

KABUL (AP) -- Under elaborate secrecy, President Barack Obama slipped into Afghanistan on Sunday near the front lines of the increasingly bloody 8-year-old war he is expanding and affirmed America's commitment to destroying al-Qaida and its extremist allies in the land where the 9-11 plot was hatched.

Obama's six-hour visit was conducted entirely under the shroud of nightfall, after Air Force One's unannounced flight from the U.S. Obama defended his decision to escalate the fight, telling troops whose numbers he is tripling that their victory is imperative to America's safety.

His bid to shore up faith in the struggle was aimed both at the troops who cheered him and Americans back home. And, he demanded accountability from Afghan authorities to make good on repeated promises to improve living conditions, rein in corruption and enforce the rule of law to prevent people from joining the insurgency.

"Your services are absolutely necessary, absolutely essential to America's safety and security," the president told a lively crowd of about 2,500 troops and civilians at Bagram Air Field north of Kabul. "Those folks back home are relying on you. We can't forget why we're here."

It was Obama's first trip as president to Afghanistan, where the number of U.S. troops killed has roughly doubled in the first three months of 2010 compared with the same period last year as Washington has added tens of thousands of additional soldiers to reverse the Taliban's momentum.

"We did not choose this war," Obama reminded the troops, recalling the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and warning that al-Qaida was still using the region to plan terrorist strikes against the U.S. and its allies. "We are going to disrupt and dismantle, defeat and destroy al-Qaida and its extremist allies."

Obama had gone Friday afternoon to the presidential retreat at Camp David, Md., from which unnoticed departures are easier because of its secluded mountain location. The small contingent of White House aides and media brought on the trip were sworn to secrecy. Obama arrived in Kabul just two days after a threatening new audio message from al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, believed to be hiding along the ungoverned border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"I thought I'd come over and say hello," Obama told the troops in a jaunty remark that set the stage for stark reminders of the terrorist threat that rose from this soil.

"If this region slides backwards," he said, "if the Taliban retakes this country, al-Qaida can operate with impunity, then more American lives will be at stake, the Afghan people will lose their opportunity for progress and prosperity and the world will be significantly less secure. As long as I'm your commander in chief, I'm not going to let that happen."

That resolve was meant just as surely for stateside citizens as for the people who heard it face to face. Polls find that Americans are divided on the war if, more recently, favorable to Obama's handling of it.

Obama's dark suit was soiled with dust when he stepped off his helicopter at the presidential palace in Kabul. White House officials said Obama, in private talks, wanted to drive home the point that Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his Cabinet must do more to battle corruption and cronyism in government.

Karzai "needs to be seized with how important that is," said Jim Jones, Obama's national security adviser. Karzai has raised eyebrows in Washington with recent trips to Iran, China and Pakistan and his welcoming Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Kabul this month.

In public remarks,Obama told Karzai and his cabinet that he was pleased with progress made since their last discussion by secure videoconference on March 15. Obama invited him to visit Washington on May 12. He also praised recent steps in the military campaign against insurgents. But he stressed that Afghans need to see conditions on the ground get better.

"Progress will continue to be made ... but we also want to continue make progress on the civilian front," Obama said, referring to anti-corruption efforts, good governance and adherence to the rule of law. "All of these things end up resulting in an Afghanistan that is more prosperous and more secure."

Karzai promised that his country "would move forward into the future" to eventually take over its own security, and he thanked Obama for the American intervention in his country.

He told Obama he has begun to establish more credible national institutions on corruption and made clear he intends to make ministerial appointments more representative of the multiple ethnic and geographic regions of the country, according to a U.S. account of the meeting.

The White House insisted that Karzai's Cabinet participate in most of the meetings with Obama. The Cabinet includes a number of ministers favored by the U.S., including the heads of finance, interior and defense, whom the Obama administration wants to empower as a way of reducing the influence of presidential cronies. Some talented Afghan administrators have complained that Karzai marginalized them in an attempt to solidify his powers.

"We have to have the strategic rapport with President Karzai and his Cabinet to understand how we are going to succeed his year in reversing the momentum the Taliban and the opposition forces have been able to establish since 2006."

The Afghan government has tried to tackle corruption in the past with little success but Karzai pledged after fraud-marred August elections to rein in graft by making officials declare their assets and giving the country's anti-corruption watchdog more power to go after those accused of misusing their office. This month he gave more powers to an anti-corruption body, including the authority to refer cases to court and act as prosecutor.

Initially, the White House said Karzai had been informed of Obama's impending visit just an hour before his arrival. But Obama's press secretary, Robert Gibbs, said later that the Afghan government was told about the trip on Thursday.

At least 945 members of the U.S. military have died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan since the U.S. campaign started in late 2001, according to an Associated Press count.

Obama, speaking to troops in a cavernous tent known as the "clam shell," said, "We know there's going to be some difficult days ahead, there's going to be setbacks. We face a determined enemy, but we also know this: the United States of America does not quit once it starts on something. We will prevail, I am absolutely confident of that."

In December, Obama ordered 30,000 additional forces into the fight against the Taliban. Those new U.S. troops are still arriving and most are expected to be in place by summer, for a full force of roughly 100,000 U.S. troops. There were about 34,000 when Obama took office.

Teens Team Up With Mural Arts Program in North Phila.

The Mural Arts program has brought youth and artists together to create a billboard campaign in North Philadelphia.

Eighteen-year-old Murphy Hill of North Philadelphia, a member of the Mural Arts Artworks! program, is one of the teens working with local artists on 25 billboards near North Broad Street, each promoting a business or community organization.

He says he wants people to know that there are heroes in his community, like his own mother:

“She's a very nice lady. Every time I got into trouble, she'd get me out of it. When there are people there and they try to harm me, she's there to help me.”

For full story go to: http://www.kyw1060.com/

Local Officials Keeping an Eye on South Street Crowds

by KYW’s Tony Hanson

"Flash mob" violence has Philadelphia authorities on edge and they are vowing quick response and serious penalties for violators.

District Attorney Seth Williams says he wants a firsthand look at conditions on South Street tonight, a week after a crowd of thousands, coordinated by social networking sites, mobbed the area:

For full story go to: http://www.kyw1060.com/

NCAA: Separating the contenders from pretenders

NCAA: Separating the contenders from pretenders

Michigan State's Delvon Roe (10) dunks in front of Northern Iowa's Jordan Eglseder (53) during the second half of an NCAA Midwest Regional college basketball game Friday, March 26, 2010, in St. Louis.

The regional finals are set after two days of games that separated the contenders from the pretenders, the upstarts from the just starting to get serious.

It will be fifth-seeded Michigan State, playing without star guard Kalin Lucas, taking on sixth-seeded Tennessee in Houston. In the other regional final from that half of the bracket, Butler puts its 23-game winning streak on the line against Jacob Pullen, Denis Clemente and second-seeded Kansas State.

Top-seeded Kentucky and its roster of phenomenal freshmen will play second-seeded West Virginia in the East Regional, the only corner of the bracket where the two teams favored to keep playing have done just that. The other top seed still alive, Duke, will face third-seeded Baylor in Houston for the right to play in the Final Four in Indianapolis.

The field of 65 has been whittled to eight, and as the number of teams still lacing up the sneakers keeps getting smaller, the pressure keeps building.

What teams will be able to handle it? The weekend will write that story.

---

Nolan Smith and Jon Scheyer rescued Duke in the second half, heating up from the field after a miserable first 20 minutes and lifting the top-seeded Blue Devils to a 70-57 victory over fourth-seeded Purdue in the South Regional.

Kyle Singler also had a big game for the Blue Devils, but it's not a surprise. Those three have led the Atlantic Coast Conference champions all season.

It could be argued that Purdue lost the game when Robbie Hummel tore his ACL late in the season, because the Boilermakers never seemed to be the same team. That doesn't mean they can't be proud of the showing they made in the NCAA tournament, beating Siena in the opening round and then outlasting Texas A&M in a rousing second-round matchup last weekend.

The Blue Devils, in their first regional final since 2004, will play third-seeded Baylor on Sunday for a spot in the Final Four.

---

Chris Allen managed a key putback with about 30 seconds left, and Michigan State used stellar defense and gritty determination down the stretch to fend off ninth-seeded Northern Iowa 59-52 in the Midwest Regional semifinals.

The Spartans put a somber ending on a dream run for the Panthers, who gave the NCAA tournament plenty of thrills with their wins over UNLV and top-seeded Kansas. But it will be Michigan State playing for a spot in the Final Four, against No. 6 seed Tennessee on Sunday.

After losing star guard Kalin Lucas to a ruptured Achilles' tendon in a second-round win over Maryland, many people wondered if the Spartans would crumble. Korie Lucious came through with several big shots, and Durrell Summers had another big game in the NCAA tournament.

Northern Iowa didn't manage a field goal in the final 10 minutes, but was able to stay within striking distance from the foul line and thanks to its own excellent defense.

The tournament now lacks any real miracle teams, after Saint Mary's lost earlier in the night to Baylor. The best anybody can point to is Horizon League heavyweight Butler, but even the Bulldogs are a No. 5 seed and many folks anticipated them making a deep run.

---

Korie Lucious is making Kalin Lucas proud, with a nifty spin move at the foul line and a fadeaway jumper that has given Michigan State a four-point lead with about 90 seconds left.

Free throws have been a thorn for Northern Iowa: Adam Koch, an 84-percent shooter, just missed a pair, and 87-percent shooter Ali Farokhmanesh has missed three of them.

---

The heavily Northern Iowa crowd is on its feet at the Edward Jones Dome, not far from the Scottrade Center, where the Panthers won the Missouri Valley tournament a few weeks ago.

Adam Koch's two foul shots have tied the game 51-all with 2 1/2 minutes left against Michigan State in another thriller from the Midwest Regional.

---

The lead is back to nine for Duke, its biggest of the night, after a flurry from Nolan Smith. His jumper started the spurt, he made another jumper moments later, then took an assist from Jon Scheyer and made a 3-pointer with 8:04 left.

Smith had been 2 of 12 from the field before hitting three straight shots.

---

Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson was becoming frustrated after the Panthers ran plays in the wrong direction on consecutive possessions.

He's probably not too happy about Michigan State getting offensive rebounds, either.

The Panthers forced a turnover and had a chance to take the lead, but Johnny Moran bricked a 3-pointer off the backboard. Moments later he limped off the floor, although it's unclear exactly what he did to his foot or ankle.

---

Duke used a 7-0 run to take a 42-35 lead, but the Boilermakers are nothing if not resilient, and they're starting to make a comeback.

JaJuan Johnson's breakaway jam has trimmed the lead back within three.

Remember, Purdue trailed in the second half in the opening round against Siena, then came from 11 down against Texas A&M to reach the regional semifinals. Ever since losing star guard Robbie Hummel, the men in black have been all about proving people wrong.

---

Would there be a more fitting way to end another round in the NCAA tournament than both games - Northern Iowa-Michigan State and Duke-Purdue - tied at the exact same moment in the second half? That was the case moments ago.

The tournament has been filled with close calls and last-second shots, and both of these games appear headed in that direction. Duke has edged ahead in Houston, while Northern Iowa was eked out a two-point lead over the Spartans in St. Louis.

---

Time keeps melting away in St. Louis, where Northern Iowa and Michigan State have basically played to a stalemate. One team will go a five- or six-point flurry, then the other answers.

The Panthers might have an advantage if the game remains close in the closing minutes, simply from an experience standpoint. Their plodding pace means most of their games are close, and they don't get rattled easily in the closing minutes of ballgames.

Just ask Kansas. Or UNLV.

The Spartans also could be sorely missing Kalin Lucas in the closing minutes, for his deft ballhandling, big-shot mentality and good free throw numbers.

---

Duke has built a five-point lead on the strength of Jon Scheyer's first field goal in his last 52 minutes of playing time, an open 3-pointer from the wing that forced Purdue coach Matt Painter to call a timeout.

If Scheyer begins to heat up for the Blue Devils, and JaJuan Johnson doesn't get some help, it could be a long second half for Purdue.

---

The second half getting under way in Houston, where JaJuan Johnson has 13 of the Boilermakers' 23 points. He'll need somebody to help him out if fourth-seeded Purdue wants to knock off top-seeded Duke.

The abysmal offensive performance by Purdue shouldn't be surprising.

The Boilermakers mustered 16 second-half points in their first game after Robbie Hummel went down with a blown out ACL, a 53-44 loss to Michigan State. They won their next three, then scored only 11 in the first half of a 69-42 loss to Minnesota in the Big Ten tournament.

---

Michigan State has scored on its first six possessions of the second half to edge ahead of Northern Iowa. Neither team has gone on a big run, and the team that does might well be the team that finds itself ahead at the end.

One of the things that the Spartans are doing well is moving the ball. Of their 12 field goals, all but one has come off an assist.

Those are numbers that make an old-school coach like Tom Izzo smile.

---

Ali Farokhmanesh doesn't need an inch.

After the Spartans' Durrell Summers hit a tough 3-pointer from the corner, the Northern Iowa guard hit a deep 3-pointer from the wing - only his second field goal of the game.

Michigan State is starting to get hot, though, with Delvon Roe's impressive putback jam and another bucket moments later that knotted the score 34-all with about 17 1/2 minutes left.

Summers has a game-high 14 points, including a trio of 3-pointers.

---

Halftime has mercifully come in Houston, where top-seeded Duke leads Purdue 24-23 in a game with about as much finesse as a lumberjack driving a dump truck.

The two teams have combined to go 15 of 55 from the field, including a dreadful 3 for 15 from beyond the arc and 15 turnovers.

The unsightly first half can be boiled down to one play with about 10 seconds left.

Duke's Kyle Singler picked off a silly pass by the Boilermakers, appeared to be heading in for a dunk, then got the ball stuffed by a defender racing in from behind - and the ball wedged between the rim and the backboard.

That stuff is only supposed to happen in cartoons.

---

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski might want to remind his club that a loss ends its season.

The Blue Devils have gone more than 8 minutes without a field goal, and the Boilermakers have used a 9-2 run to take a 19-17 lead late in the first half.

It's not like everything has been chipper for the Boilermakers. Keaton Grant just bricked a 3-pointer off the backboard, the team's fourth open look that hasn't hit iron, and the team in black is shooting at a 26.1-percent clip. Purdue is also 0 for 6 from beyond the arc.

But even those numbers look good to Duke right now. Jon Scheyer is 0 for 5 from the field, Nolan Smith is 1 for 7 and the Blue Devils are 4 for 22 (18.2 percent) as a team. They've also coughed it up 10 times in the first half to just two turnovers for the Boilermakers.

---

Kwadzo Ahelegbe knocked down an outside jumper just before the halftime buzzer, giving Northern Iowa 29-22 lead over Michigan State at the break.

All the more impressive considering star guard Ali Farokhmanesh has one field goal.

The Panthers are doing it with defense, holding Michigan State to one field goal over the final 9:18 of the first half. The Spartans are just 7 of 22 from the field (31.8 percent) and have been outrebounded by the scrappy Missouri Valley champions.

Jordan Eglseder has been a mismatch inside, with six points and a commanding presence in the paint. Adam Koch led the way with nine first-half points for Northern Iowa.

---

How's this for athletic: Northern Iowa's 7-foot, 280-pound center Jordan Eglseder just ran down the floor to swat an alley-oop attempt off the backboard.

The Panthers are getting the grinding game they want, leading 27-22 with 47 seconds left in the first half. One mid-major is already in the regional finals in Butler, and Northern Iowa is trying to join the Bulldogs this weekend.

---

Michigan State point guard Kalin Lucas is on the bench in warmups, his left leg in a walking boot. Last year's Big Ten player of the year ruptured his Achilles' tendon in the second round against Maryland, a blow made even worse because Northern Iowa has good guards.

Besides sharpshooter Ali Farokhmanesh, Adam Koch has been hitting everything he throws toward the rim, and Kwadzo Ahelegbe is also perfect from the field.

The Panthers lead 25-20 with about 3 1/2 minutes left in the first half.

---

Some interesting numbers in the box score from Reliant Stadium. Duke has turned the ball over six times while Purdue has turned it over once, while the Blue Devils have 14 rebounds and the Boilermakers just six.

Nothing else about the game is remotely interesting.

Duke leads the snooze-fest 13-10 with about 9 minutes left, although Purdue's Patrick Bade just picked up his third foul. That could make things a little more intriguing.

---

Perhaps the Boilermakers and Blue Devils got together before the game and outlined their own set of rules, a bit like a school yard game. You know, first one to 20 points wins?

Purdue went 6 minutes without making a field goal, Duke has been just as terrible on offense, and the two teams combined to go 5 of 24 from the field.

Then again, maybe 20 points will be a stretch for both of these guys.

---

How nice is Michigan State coach Tom Izzo? He just told one of the officials "excuse me" for getting in the way along the sideline.

Sharing must go along with that polite demeanor, because his Spartans have six assists on their first six field goals. They lead 16-14 with about 9 minutes left in the first half.

---

Matt Painter better get back to fundamentals during the first media timeout - as in, shots that don't hit the iron don't have much of a chance of going in.

His Boilermakers have more airballs (3) than field goals (2) in the first 5 minutes against top-seeded Duke, and are fortunate to be only trailing 6-4. That's because the Blue Devils have been just as bad on offense, with both teams hitting two of their first nine shots.

Egads. These guys are playing for a spot in the final eight?

---

Ali Farokhmanesh was the guy who hit the key 3-pointer, made the big-time free throws, earned the cover of Sports Illustrated this week.

His running mate Adam Koch must have been a little bit jealous.

The Northern Iowa guard started 4 for 4 from the field and has nine early points, as the Panthers jumped out to a quick lead over Michigan State. Every point is critical in a game involving the Panthers, who would prefer the final score to resemble a football game.

Which makes sense. They play sort of like a football team.

---

Here's what qualifies as a slump for a program like Duke: It hasn't been to the round of eight in the NCAA tournament since 2004.

Talk about great expectations.

The school with the best all-time winning percentage in the NCAA tournament will try to break its slide against fourth-seeded Purdue, a team that most pundits didn't expect to escape the first round versus Siena, much less make it to Houston.

Although the Blue Devils are the bluebloods, Purdue has never been to the Final Four since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. The Boilermakers are back in the regional semifinals for the second straight year, but haven't advanced to the round of eight since 2000.

---

Northern Iowa's linebacker of a sixth man Lucas O'Rear has a black brace on his left wrist that looks like the tape underneath a boxing glove.

The way he plays, don't be surprised if it isn't.

The physical Panthers defense is already causing problems for Michigan State, which went the first 3-plus minutes without scoring. Plenty of UNI fans have made the trip south from Cedar Falls to St. Louis, and they were loving the early 7-0 lead.

---

How about this for a cosmic joke: Thirty-one years to the day after Magic Johnson and Michigan State beat Larry Bird and Indiana State for the national championship, the Spartans are playing another Missouri Valley team in a regional semifinal.

Oh, and Johnson is on hand to see the game.

Rather than Indiana State, though, it will be giant-killer Northern Iowa taking on fifth-seeded Michigan State. The winner gets a date with sixth-seeded Tennessee on Saturday.

The Panthers and March miracle-worker Ali Farokhmanesh may be new to most fans' radar, but they have quite the postseason pedigree. They made three straight NCAA tournament appearances beginning in 2004, then got back to the tournament last season, before the charmed run this year that includes a victory against overall No. 1 seed Kansas.

Now they'll try to knock off a coach and team that is in the round of 16 for the third consecutive year and the ninth time in 13 seasons, despite a rash of injuries.

Among them was a season-ending Achilles' injury to star Kalin Lucas in a dramatic victory over Maryland that allowed the Spartans to advance to St. Louis. Korie Lucious will be called on to help replace the contributions from Michigan State's leading scorer.

Landmarks go dark, millions unplug for Earth Hour

Landmarks go dark, millions unplug for Earth Hour

The Sydney Opera House, left, and the Harbour Bridge have their lights that usually have structures well lit at night turned off in Sydney, Saturday, March 27, 2010, as part of Earth Hour. Millions of people in more than 100 countries are expected to dim the lights in what has become an annual gesture against global warming.

SYDNEY (AP) -- The white-shelled roof of the Sydney Opera House fell dark Saturday night, one of the first landmarks to turn out the lights in an hour-long gesture to be repeated by millions of people around the world who are calling for a binding pact to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Asian cities followed Australia and New Zealand as the fourth annual Earth Hour cranked up. Buildings in some 4,000 cities in more than 120 countries were expected to unplug to reduce energy consumption and draw attention to the dangers of climate change, according to organizers.

The event will roll across the world, with participants turning off the lights when the clock strikes 8:30 p.m. local time. From a shopping mall in Manila to the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Empire State Building in New York, landmarks and skylines will dim.

"We have everyone from Casablanca to the safari camps of Namibia and Tanzania taking part," said Greg Bourne, CEO of World Wildlife Fund in Australia, the environmental group that came up with the idea that started in Sydney in 2007 and has since grown to every continent.

The shutdown is completely voluntary and street lights, traffic lights and other safety measures are unaffected.

Andy Ridley, a WWF worker in Sydney who cooked up the idea of Earth Hour in a pub with friends, said he hoped this year's event would inspire world leaders to strive for a much stronger climate agreement than that struck at December's Copenhagen climate change summit, which failed to come up with binding rules on reducing pollution blamed for global warming.

"What we're still looking for in this coming year is a global deal that encourages all countries to lower their emissions," Ridley said Saturday. "China is going to have to be a big part of that but so is every other major economy."

China first took part in the campaign last year, and this year more than 30 cities were to switch off their lights, including those at the landmark Forbidden City in downtown Beijing.

A U.S.-born giant panda, Mei Lan, who lives at the Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan, will kick off China's participation: When she walks onto a platform in her enclosure, the lights at the breeding center will go out, said Chris Chaplin, communications officer for WWF in China.

Some 88 cities took part in last year's Earth Hour, which has the backing of the United Nations as well as global corporations, nonprofit groups, schools, scientists and celebrities - including Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett and retired Cape Town Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Earth Hour organizers say there's no uniform way to measure how much energy is saved worldwide, but that the simple fact that so many places have signed up to take part should send a message to leaders that global warming is a topic of great concern to people worldwide.

In the Philippines, Roman Catholic bishops said they would urge the faithful to preserve natural resources during special prayers to be read on church-run radio for an hour starting at 8:30 p.m.

"Failure of today's people to care for the earth's resources is akin to stealing the future of the coming generations," said Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales.

Residents in 1,000 towns and municipalities were expected to switch off their lights in the Philippines, with the main event taking place at a Manila Bay mall complex, including a rock concert and street party, according to WWF-Philippines.

In Taiwan, the Presidential Palace along with at least 20 skyscrapers - including the world's second-tallest building - in the capital of Taipei switched off their lights. Hundreds of Taiwanese placed candles beside a Taiwan map formed by energy-saving LED lights at a square outside the city hall. Also dimmed for an hour were large advertising billboards in a nearby commercial district.

Top Vatican cardinal defends pope amid scandal

Top Vatican cardinal defends pope amid scandal

Pope Benedict XVI gestures from his popemobile as he leaves a youth gathering, in St. Peter's square, at the Vatican, Thursday, March 25, 2010. The Vatican on Thursday strongly defended its decision not to defrock an American priest accused of molesting some 200 deaf boys in Wisconsin and denounced what it called a campaign to smear Pope Benedict XVI and his aides. Church and Vatican documents showed that in the mid-1990s, two Wisconsin bishops urged the Vatican office led by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now the pope, to let them hold a church trial against the Rev. Lawrence Murphy. The bishops admitted the trial was coming years after the alleged abuse, but argued that the deaf community in Milwaukee was demanding justice from the church.

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- A top Vatican cardinal is calling for "housecleaning" and urging the Roman Catholic Church to be more alert and brave in dealing with cases of clerical sex abuse.

Cardinal Walter Kasper has also defended the pope, saying he was the first to recognize the need for a harsher stance against offenders. He says attacks on Pope Benedict XVI go "beyond any limit of justice and loyalty."

The sex abuse scandal has moved across Europe and into Benedict's native Germany. It has touched the pontiff himself with a case dating to his tenure as archbishop of Munich.

Kasper said in an interview published Saturday in the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera that the church needs to be more vigilant. He said the path the church is on is "irreversible."

2nd pick for transportation security chief is out

2nd pick for transportation security chief is out

FILE - President Barack Obama buttons his jacket as he steps off Marine One as he arrives at the White House in Washington in this March 25, 2010 file photo. Obama is back to square one _ again _ in finding a transportation security chief to shore up the nation's defenses against terrorist threats from the air, road and rail after retired Army Maj. Gen. Robert Harding took himself out of the running Friday night March 26, 2010.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama is back to square one - again - in finding a transportation security chief to shore up the nation's defenses against terrorist threats from the air, road and rail.

Retired Army Maj. Gen. Robert Harding took himself out of the running Friday night as head of the Transportation Security Administration, another setback for Obama after his first choice withdrew in January because he faced a tough confirmation struggle in Congress. The Obama administration has called the job the most important unfilled position on Obama's team.

Harding's past as a defense contractor raised complications for his nomination.

He had extensive intelligence experience that Obama hoped to tap in fortifying security against attacks such as the Christmas bombing attempt on an airliner bound for Detroit, which was foiled by passengers. The agency's primary mission is to keep commercial aviation safe from terrorism, but its responsibilities cover threats by land and ferry as well.

Harding retired from the Army in 2001, ending a three-decade career during which he served as the Defense Department's top human intelligence officer, managing a $1 billion intelligence collection program.

He became a government consultant on human intelligence and counterintelligence, selling his company in 2009.

Questions arose after his nomination about a contract his company had with the government to provide interrogators in Iraq. After the government ended the contract early, in 2004, Harding Security Associates claimed more money from termination of the contract than the Defense Department's inspector general said it was entitled to get. The firm refunded $1.8 million of that money in a 2008 settlement with the Defense Intelligence Agency.

"I feel that the distractions caused by my work as a defense contractor would not be good for this administration nor for the Department of Homeland Security," Harding said in a late-evening statement released by the White House. The Transportation Security Administration is part of Homeland Security.

A little over two months ago, Erroll Southers withdrew his nomination to lead the TSA after it became apparent he would have trouble winning confirmation. Questions were raised about a reprimand that Southers, a top official with the Los Angeles Airport Police Department, had received for running background checks on his then-estranged wife's boyfriend two decades ago. He acknowledged giving Congress inconsistent answers on the matter.

Obama had waited eight months before nominating Southers. Now Harding's withdrawal means more delays in filling the top job in transportation security.

The announcement about Harding came late Friday, a period favored by the government for releasing uncomfortable news because the public's attention is light. There was no immediate word on finding another nominee.

"By nominating Gen. Harding, the president tapped an individual with more than 35 years of military and intelligence experience who is dedicated to improving the security of our nation," said White House spokesman Nicholas Shapiro. "The president is disappointed in this outcome but remains confident in the solid team of professionals at TSA."

Hoop Gurlz At Phila. Front Page News

Hoop Gurlz At Phila. Front Page News

Banks Ready For Huskies

Brianna Banks hears her doubters and she turns the comments into motivation to do what the say she can't and her recent commitment to UConn is no different.

For many rising prospects, committing to a top program comes with fanfare and praise in their respective communities. In the greater girls' basketball community that decision also comes with a big target on the prospect's back.

For Brianna Banks, a native of Newnan, Ga., dealing with the expectations is just the norm. Newnan is a city of approximately 27,000 residents sitting 38 miles southwest of Atlanta.

Banks has fought hard to overcome the stigma of not hailing from a big city. She is the No. 28 ranked player in the 2011 class, according to ESPN HoopGurlz, and the highest ranked prospect in the state of Georgia. Yet most of what she hears in her home state is backhanded compliments or whispers that she's not as good as advertised.

"They say it in a slick way," Banks said. "They're trying to get me& it makes me want to prove them wrong."

Part of the whispering could have to do with playing with an out-of-state club team, Essence out of Tallahassee, Fla.

Brianna Banks' aggression is one reason she could be one of the better players to come out of the 2011 class.

Kimberly Davis-Powell, the executive director of Essence, hears the whispers and doubters too, but she smiles about it because it actually makes her life as a coach easier. She doesn't have to motivate Banks to play hard.

"I think her maturity really grew in July," Davis-Powell said, "by leaps and bounds."

That maturity allows Banks to keep her cool while still playing with the fiery competitiveness that defines her game. It's something she may have received from her parents, Andre Banks and Stephanie Rice, who both played basketball in the Army. She also draws a lot of her support and strength from her mom's fiancé, Terell Miller.

Banks isn't a super-talkative person. She much prefers to roll the ball out there and play. But don't mistake her lack of words for weakness; she is a very confident player, which is something she thinks she has in common with the current players at Connecticut. She knows exactly what she wants.

In recruiting she had a long list of suitors but for Banks there were two schools that stood out the most --Connecticut and Louisiana State.

"I made an unofficial to UConn first and after that I pretty much knew that's where I wanted to go," Banks said.

When any prospect from the South commits to a school in the north, the location question comes up.

"It's really not that different than Newnan," Banks said. "It's still country and in the middle of nowhere."

The lefty guard is an explosive athlete who can defend all three perimeter positions. Banks will join the No. 2 ranked prospect in the junior class, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis of Anaheim, Calif., in the Huskies' signing class next fall. The two will have the daunting task of replacing current juniors Lorin Dixon and Maya Moore.

Of course they won't be filling those shoes alone. The Huskies signed the No. 3 class in the country for 2010, which included all five players ranked in the top 100 and four of the five in the top 50.