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Anti-Taliban forces hunt bin Laden

JALALABAD, Afghanistan -- Anti-Taliban troops hunting for Osama bin Laden said they clashed Tuesday with al Qaeda fighters near their mountain hide-outs in Afghanistan. Elsewhere, Taliban forces pushed tribal fighters back from the airport near the former ruling militia's last bastion, Kandahar.

From cheerleader to lifter

On the surface, one would be hard-pressed to find the relationship between 22-year-old IU grad student Michelle Amsden and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Perhaps they would guess that "Ah-nold" is her uncle or second cousin. Or maybe they would assume that the two had a small scene together in the movie "Jingle All the Way." Neither scenario is the case. The thing that Amsden has in common with Schwarzenegger is her ability to pump iron -- and lots of it. So much, in fact, that the former IU cheerleader is a national champion in the sport of powerlifting.

Won-Joon Yoon remembered

The Fourth of July was not an occasion for fireworks and picnics in 1999. For some residents, it was a day of mourning and fear. Won-Joon Yoon was waiting outside for the service to begin at the Korean United Methodist Church when he was shot twice in the back by white separatist Benjamin Smith.

Salsa's ready-made zest cures kitchen apathy

There comes a time in most every home cook's life when the thought of setting foot in the kitchen seems abominable. There is no accounting for when the feeling will strike, and it bears no correlation to the home cook's love or loathing of assembling a meal. It can last a few hours, a few days or several weeks and can arrive suddenly, without warning. It can also come slowly, creeping up until even the most mundane tasks, like operating a can opener, seem daunting, dreary or both. Several solutions to this problem are possible. One is to "hrrumph" loudly and curl up on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn. Falling asleep works well, too, as does complaining until someone else orders a pizza. Or you can stock your cupboard with a few cans and jars of quick-fix meal ingredients. If you were to limit yourself to one such ingredient, make it a jar of salsa.

Taliban front line likely to be next

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Huge explosions shook the Afghan capital throughout the day Monday with two more jets reported attacking the northern part of the city early Tuesday.

Plenty to cheer about

I must have climbed 50 stairs Tuesday evening during the ascension to my seat in the east balcony of Assembly Hall -- and it was worth every step. I may never again witness what I did in the Hoosiers 79-51 bashing of the Iowa Hawkeyes. With under five seconds left on the IU shot clock, 6-foot-9 junior forward Jeff Newton found himself with his back to the basket 23 feet away, being hounded by two defenders.

Czech Prime Minister calls for protection of journalists

PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla said Wednesday that the people behind a failed plot to kill an investigative reporter must be brought to justice.

Catholic Church presents mandate

The new mandate to remove sexually abusive priests from their parishes is as good as formally defrocking them, Roman Catholic Cardinal William Keeler said.

Trio to perform

If you have ever studied jazz music, it's likely you have come across the name: The Lynne Arriale trio. The trio will be performing Feb. 1, 8 p.m., at the John Waldron Arts Center. With a master in classic piano performance from the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, Lynne Arriale has been studying piano for 30 years and studying jazz for 15. Arriale was playing by ear and making up melodies at age three. In 1993 she won the International Great American Jazz Piano Competition in Jacksonville, Florida. She has also performed in concert and on National Public Radio's "Piano Jazz" with legend Marian Mc Partland.

Nets, underdogs once again, are within reach of a title

Lucious Harris considered the possibility, and his eyes lit up. The New Jersey Nets as NBA champions? What once seemed a galaxy away is now a mere four wins from reality.

HBO and Showtime to air independent films

PARK CITY, Utah -- HBO and Showtime are going indie. The premium-cable channels have emerged as important nurturers of independent film, securing a major presence at the Sundance Film Festival.

Men's race offers close competition

Practicing for hours each day and working to become a champion is not the only thing that the 33 teams competing for the men's Little 500 title have in common. Because the men's times in Individual Time Trials (ITT) almost mirror one another, this race is expected to be close.

Olympic games begin with enthusiasm, few complications

SALT LAKE CITY -- They began with a solemn tribute to a tattered flag, then quickly turned to the business of fun. Huge crowds cheered, the home team's athletes soared and Americans watched as never before.

U.N. bracing for Afghan refugees

U.N. relief workers along Afghanistan's borders are bracing for an exodus of hundreds of thousands of Afghan civilians if the United States begins a military assault, the top U.N. refugee official said Sunday.

Hoosiers complete regular season

The men's soccer team completed its road season with a win and a tie against two highly regarded programs this weekend, beating No. 10 Rutgers 1-0 Friday and tying Princeton (6-2-5) 1-1 Sunday. The No. 7 Hoosiers (11-3-1) used a familiar formula, combining strong defense with the goal scoring of junior All-American Pat Noonan, who recorded two goals on the road trip. IU 1 Rutgers 0 The Hoosiers defense proved too much for a usually potent Rutgers offense, as IU recorded its 10th shutout in 11 wins.

Grades don't make the man

I don't care about grades or what they stand for. I am a journalism major and have always believed that my grades won't matter as long as I have good examples of my work. You get a job in the writing world by having good internships, and you get an internship with your good clips, not a Grade Point Average.

Around The Campus

RHA, RPS sponsor formal dance The Residence Halls Association and Residential Programs and Services will host a formal dance from 7 p.m. to midnight Feb. 22 at the Bloomington Convention Center. Formal dresses and suits are required.

Holiday shows return to TV

LOS ANGELES -- The Grinch who stole Christmas is back, and so is Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Claus. How much more do we need for a warm and fuzzy holiday TV season?

March sadness

SAN DIEGO -- Freshman guard A.J. Moye tried to fight back tears when he walked off the court after IU's 77-73 loss to Kent State Thursday in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Moye had just finished playing the best game of his career. He scored a career-high 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds, including two on offense in the final four minutes that delayed the inevitable -- the upset loss to the 13th-seeded Golden Flashes.

The Secret is in the Sauce