Hawks must overcome danger from underdogs

Last spring, the underdogs won three of eight first-round series- and that's not counting eventual Stanley Cup champion Edmonton,which needed a sixth-game rally just to be around to knock offWinnipeg in seven.

Shocking, right?

No, merely true to form in the NHL, where the team that finishedwith the poorer regular-season record has won one-third, or 16 of 48,first-round series in the last six years.

If the Hawks - whom some Canadian experts think are the favoritemost likely to catch a first-round comeuppance - are still standingin two weeks, though, they just might do something no Hawk team hasdone since the spring of 1961 - skate around with the Stanley …

New Zealand wins toss, bats against Pakistan

PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka (AP) — New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori won the toss and opted to bat against Pakistan in the World Cup Group A match at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Pakistan made two changes from the team which won against Canada, dropping fast bowler Wahab Riaz and spinner Saeed Ajmal.

Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar returned after being rested while left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman also returns after recovering from a sprained leg muscle.

Vettori said at the toss that he had to leave out "unwell" hard-hitter Jesse Ryder and replaced the left-handed batsman with Jamie How.

New Zealand also left out fast bowler Hamish Bennett from the side …

China, India, South Africa vital for climate deal

The emergence of China, India, South Africa and Brazil as a grouping was the most significant outcome of the climate talks in Copenhagen, the chairman of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said Wednesday.

The Copenhagen Accord _ which urges major polluters to make deeper emissions cuts but does not require it _ emerged principally from President Barack Obama's meeting with the leaders of the four countries, a group referred to as BASIC.

"This is a very significant political development," said Rajendra Pachauri, whose scientific panel shared the Nobel Peace Prize with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore in 2007.

Developed …

Medicare plust Choice - Is the new equation right for you? // Sorting through seniors' latest health plan option

Seniors get ready: You're going to start hearing a lot aboutMedicare Part C - or, as it's going to be commonly known: M+C,Medicare + Choice.

This is an alternative to the traditional Medicare plan that hasbeen in effect since the mid-1960s. It's designed to give you choiceof both medical coverage and costs.

It will save big money for some seniors, but it will requiredoing some homework to see if it offers the right option for you.

Q. What is M+C?

A. An alternative to traditional Medicare Part A and Part B.That is, instead of having deductions taken from your Social Securitycheck to pay for Medicare Part A, which covers inpatient hospitalcare, …

U.S. automakers go it alone in India

Ford hiked its stake in Mahindra Ford India, originally set up as a 50/50 joint venture, to 78% prior to changing the company's name to Ford India Ltd. This share will eventually be lifted to 92.18%, under a proposal already approved by Delhi. Anand Mahindra retains a place on the Ford India board. From now on, however, the new Managing Director Philip Spender and Chairman Terry de Jonckheere will call the shots. …

American League Leaders

BATTING_Kinsler, Texas, .333; Morneau, Minnesota, .323; Mauer, Minnesota, .320; Damon, New York, .319; ARodriguez, New York, .318; Pedroia, Boston, .316; Bradley, Texas, .316.

RUNS_Kinsler, Texas, 84; Pedroia, Boston, 67; Quentin, Chicago, 64; ISuzuki, Seattle, 64; BRoberts, Baltimore, 63; MiYoung, Texas, 63; JDrew, Boston, 63.

RBI_Hamilton, Texas, 95; Quentin, Chicago, 71; Morneau, Minnesota, 68; Youkilis, Boston, 65; JGuillen, Kansas City, 65; Huff, Baltimore, 61; MRamirez, Boston, 61.

HITS_Kinsler, Texas, 134; Pedroia, Boston, 126; ISuzuki, Seattle, 121; Morneau, Minnesota, 119; MiYoung, Texas, 119; Hamilton, Texas, 117; JoLopez, Seattle, …

15-year-old rescued from explosion site

WILHELMSBURG, Austria - Bouyed by the rescue of a 15-year-oldgirl, workers searched today for six missing people believed to beunder the ruins of a three-story apartment building that collapsedin an explosion. Three bodies have already been recovered.

The explosion Thursday in Wilhelmsburg, 30 miles west of Vienna,may have been caused by natural gas, authorities said.

During the night, about 200 firefighters, soldiers, police anddogs searched through the mound of rubble. One woman was brought outalive after medics amputated both her legs to …