Australian twin in suicide pact leaves US hospital

ENGLEWOOD, Colorado (AP) — An Australian twin who police say shot herself in the head at a Colorado shooting range as part of a suicide pact with her sister left a Colorado hospital Friday.

Candice Hermeler, 29, left Swedish Hospital in suburban Denver, said hospital spokeswoman Deborah Gosling, who declined to release further information.

Hermeler had been in the hospital since the Nov. 15 shootings that wounded her and killed her sister, Kristin Hermeler. Their parents, Ernest and Kelsay Hermeler, arrived in Colorado last week.

The sisters, from Australia's Victoria state, had been in the Denver area for about five weeks before the shootings at Cherry Creek State Park …

Spurs bounce back to beat Pistons

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Tony Parker scored 23 points and the San Antonio Spurs bounced back from a humbling loss by beating the Detroit Pistons 111-104 on Wednesday night to clinch a playoff berth.

Tim Duncan, who matched a career low with two points in a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds in 31 minutes.

Richard Hamilton led the Pistons with 20 points off the bench, while Tayshaun Prince added 16.

The Spurs hit their first 14 shots and finished with a season-high 40 points in the first quarter to take a 14-point lead. San Antonio scored just 37 points in the first half in Sunday's loss.

The Pistons cut the lead to …

Salaam . . . shalom . . . peace

Vancouver churches unite with a new name for Christian education conference

This year's annual Christian education event planned by Vancouver area Mennonite churches has a new name: FaithQwest. It was chosen by the organizing committee after much laughter, bad "Menno" jokes, some serious brainstorming and animated discussion, to reflect a commitment to ongoing Christian education with a West Coast flavour. "FaithQwest 2008: Salaam, Shalom, Peace" was hosted by Peace Mennonite Church.

Keynote speaker David Shenk shared stories from his decades of service as a writer, mission leader with Eastern Mennonite Missions, educator and interfaith conversation partner with Muslims in …

Former UBS president wants bank to split off investment unit

A former president of UBS AG urged the Swiss bank to change its business strategy and split off the investment banking unit as a result of massive losses resulting from the subprime crisis.

Luqman Arnold's proposal comes after UBS reported writedowns of US$37.4 billion (euro23.65 billion) for the past nine months _ so far the largest reported by any bank as a result of rising U.S. defaults on risky mortgages.

"We are not convinced that the 'one bank' integrated business model that has served UBS well in the past will survive the damage inflicted by the proprietary trading losses and writedowns," Arnold said in a letter from his London-based …

Sunday's Sports Scoreboard

All Times Eastern
National Basketball Association
Milwaukee 98, Indiana 94 F
Cleveland 104, Boston 93 F
Charlotte 64, Orlando 60 -3
Miami 70, Philadelphia 57 -3
Oklahoma City 35, Utah 31 -2
Minnesota vs Sacramento, 9 p.m.
New …

Henderson wants mark vs. Yankees

OAKLAND, Calif. Slumping, sore and kind of sour about gettinghit by a pitch, the Oakland Athletics' Rickey Henderson pulled evenwith Lou Brock.

But Henderson gets warm all over knowing his first chance toeclipse Brock's all-time record comes tonight against the New YorkYankees, the only other team he has played for.

"The thought of getting the steal against New York is a dream tome," Henderson said after tying Brock's record with his 938th careersteal in Oakland's 7-3 victory against California on Sunday. "Ithought about that after I was taken out of the game."

Henderson, in his 13th season, played for the Yankees in 1985-89and owns the club record for …

O'Malley shuts his eyes to help putting

SYDNEY (AP) — Veteran Australian golfer Peter O'Malley has a new way of coping with the anxiety of troublesome short putts: he shuts his eyes.

O'Malley, 45, said Wednesday the new don't-look-now policy quells "visual anxiety" and helped him break a five-year title drought with a victory at last week's New South Wales Open.

He said putting with his eyes closed …