Region

Open Opportunity

THE FAVORITE: STEVE ALFORD | IOWA Fueled by Davis' suggestion that IU fans need "one of their own" two days after the Hoosiers lost to Iowa, the Hawkeyes' basketball coach tops the growing list of potential replacements. Alford, a native of Franklin, Ind., and former Indiana Mr. Basketball, led IU to its last NCAA Championship in 1987. In his seventh season in Iowa City, Alford's team is currently in first place in the Big Ten. Though Alford's name has been widely mentioned, the coach said he is centered on this season with the Hawkeyes. "My complete focus and efforts are to help my team win a Big Ten Championship," Alford said in a statement. "That's my only concern."

Hoosiers set for rematch with rival Boilermakers

When the IU women's basketball team (14-10, 8-5 Big Ten) arrives in West Lafayette for Sunday's matchup with No. 10 Purdue, it will be looking for more than just an ordinary conference win. As the two rivals face off, bragging rights in the state of Indiana will be on the table. On Jan. 5, the Boilermakers escaped Assembly Hall with a narrow overtime victory. After losing a rivalry game on their home court, the Hoosiers are ready to return the favor.

coach Davis: 'Don't be sad'

IU coach Mike Davis said thursday was a 'great day for indiana basketball.'

Moving on despite davis' resignation, season not over yet

It would be an understatement to say the Hoosiers are traveling to Illinois with more than basketball on their minds.

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

One goal for IU: Get backpacks

The IU softball team starts its season this weekend in McKinney, Texas, with one thing on its mind -- backpacks. The Hoosiers are not thinking about the run-of-the-mill North Face backpacks seen around campus, but special backpacks reserved for the participants of the Big Ten Tournament -- something the Cream and Crimson have not competed in since 1997.

Wrestling squad faces final tests

After an 11-0 start, the second best in Duane Goldman's 14 seasons as the Hoosiers head coach, the IU wrestling team hit a string of four top 10 opponents in a row. On all four of those occasions, the Hoosiers came away on the losing end, with their latest fall being last Friday's 27-8 loss to No. 8 Penn State.

'Other Miami coach' trying to resurrect baseball program

Across Indiana's eastern border, in the quaint college town of Oxford, Ohio, lies Miami University -- home to rich daddy's girls, birthplace of fraternities and former stomping grounds of mediocre Boston Celtics forward Wally Szczerbiak. It's a cute little place.

ROAD BLOCK

ROAD BLOCK -- Before a town hall-style meeting Wendesday in Angola, Ind., Gov. Mitch Daniels, left, talks to a protester about the Indiana Toll Road lease plan. The bill, which would allow Daniels to lease the Indiana Toll Road across northern Indiana to an Australian-Spanish partnership for 75 years, passed the Republican-controlled House last week.

Local area mail potentially detoured to Indianapolis en route

Bloomington might soon disappear from the map. The future of the city's postmark remains up in the air. The Monroe County Commissioners intend tonight to endorse an objection to a plan to shift the postmarking of mail from all 474 ZIP codes to Indianapolis -- even mail sent locally, to another 474 code.

Students play role in increasing global awareness of AIDS, HIV pandemic

Senior Katherine MacDonald, a volunteer for Outreach Kenya, has been carrying around a gift bag filled with condoms and conversation hearts since Monday, hoping to get the word out about IU AIDS Awareness Week. MacDonald said she has been pretty successful because her classmates were always curious about the goodies, which were attached to small booklets containing AIDS facts and condom instructions.

Indiana to further pork industry potential

Two recent reports released by the Indiana Department of Agriculture -- The Changing U.S. Pork Industry and Doubling Hog Production -- revealed that Indiana will begin to take advantage of its resources to meet the newly discovered demand for pork products, mainly by doubling current hog production.

Speaker calls for racial awareness

Race issues have improved, but there's still room to go. That was the message given as part of a lecture by Beverly Moran, a Vanderbilt University law and sociology professor who spoke on the topic Thursday night in the Indiana Memorial Union's Alumni Hall.

MASTI 2006 to kick off today

Don't be surprised by the sound of bhangra music or cricket balls whizzing around -- MASTI starts today. Students will arrive at IU from all over the country today for MASTI 2006, a conference for Southeast Asian students. The conference, which starts tonight and ends Sunday, will feature a series of competitions and cultural events. "We're trying to get South Asians to celebrate their culture together," said MASTI 2006 Chairwoman Nidhi Singhal, an IU senior.

Shortle: IUSA election 'most important'

Since 1948, IU Student Association members have had the responsibility of representing the student body in University governance. Today, that voice is being threatened, said IUSA President Alex Shortle. Shortle said students now participate in approximately 120 University committees, search and screen committees, and the Committee for Fee Review.

Coexist!

The basic message of my column last week was to condemn the violent response to the Danish cartoon controversy. One week and countless responses later, I can make a more detailed argument, even though the dust has not even come close to settling. Three more people died Wednesday at a protest in Pakistan, and the end of this nightmare is not even a pinhole of light at the end of the tunnel.

Curling is sexy

I think my favorite sport of the winter Olympics is curling.

No tree hugging necessary

In a world where young people are often accused of being apathetic, IU students are proving that they do, in fact, give a "sh*t." The "Green Nalgene" project ("RHA Nalgene program aims to reduce waste," Jan. 27), instituted by Residence Halls Association with the cooperation of Residential Programs and Services, allows students to purchase a green plastic Nalgene bottle for $2. The bottle can then be refilled for 35 cents in campus food courts. The aim of the project is to reduce the paper waste produced in the food courts.

Iraq investigates 'death squad' claims in its ranks

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The Shiite-dominated Interior Ministry announced an investigation Thursday into claims of death squads in its ranks as police found a dozen more bodies, bringing the number of apparent victims of sectarian reprisal killings to at least 30 this week.

U.N. urges U.S. to shut down Guantanamo

GENEVA -- The United States should shut down the prison for terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay and either release the detainees or put them on trial, the United Nations said in a report released Thursday. The world body also called on the United States to refrain from practices that "amount to torture."