Watch Ball Drop. Bloomberg.com: U.K. & Ireland Hear.

Jan. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Diplomatic efforts to end the differ over the Gaza Strip intensified as the fighting entered its sixth day, with the Israeli climate constrain bombing targets in the coastal domain and Hamas launching rockets over the border. Prime Minister said during a outing of the southern burg of Beersheba that Israel isn’t partisan in a want war, though it wants custody for its population, the online rumour use YNet reported. The European Union today formed a ministry to greet the Gaza quarrel at the of a convergence this afternoon between Israeli Foreign Minister and French President in Paris.

The meeting, and Olmert’s comments, follow a direction turn-down yesterday of a 48-hour cease-fire proposed by French Foreign Minister. Sarkozy said he will seize the Middle East next week to fling to assist "establish peace." Israel struck more than 30 targets in Gaza overnight, including Hamas offices and a network of tunnels that runs under the frieze with Egypt, army spokeswoman Major Avital Leibovitz said. More than 10 rockets hit Israel and an apartment construction in Ashdod, Israel’s second-biggest mooring city, took a categorical hit. No one was injured.

In Gaza, the demise tolling reached 400, with more than 1,000 wounded, according to the Palestinian pinch services place in Gaza City. A division of the fatalities were civilians, said Chris Gunness, a spokesman for the United Nations Relief and Work Agency. Three Israeli civilians and one man-at-arms have died in the sky-rocket attacks. Security Council The United Nations Security Council held an crisis seating unpunctually yesterday on the Gaza employment at the seek of Arab have members, though it adjourned without voting on a outcome presented by Libya area for an nearby cease- fire.

The Israeli government’s refusal of a momentary moratorium with Hamas yesterday may have set the tier for a scope incursion of Gaza in the coming days. The Israeli army has recommended to the oversight that it actions a brief, biggest found operation, the Haaretz newspaper said today. Army spokeswoman Leibovitz refused to animadversion on the report. "All options are on the bring forward and it is too untimely today to arbitrate in which unobstructed we should go," Transport Minister and earlier army Chief of Staff told Army Radio today.

"Hamas has immersed a melancholy strike, but it isn’t enough yet," Mofaz said. Ground Invasion Israel’s Cabinet on Dec. 28 cleared the scheme for the army to drawing as many as 7,000 reserves, and the naval on Dec. 29 declared a strip of Israel just north of Gaza a closed zone.

Tanks and troops have been moved to the Gaza border, preparing for a feasible territory invasion. If Israel "didn’t want to go in on the turf then it is undoubtedly that they would have preferred at this verge to suffer a cease-fire," Shlomo Gazit, prior dome of Israeli forces advice and an analyst at the Tel Aviv-based Institute for Strategic Studies, said in a buzz interview. A six-month cease-fire with Hamas expired Dec. 19, after the Islamic moving said Israel must end what it called a blockade of Gaza’s purfling crossings and launched a barrage of rockets at southern Israeli towns a era before the agreement ended.

Hamas is considered a felon society by the U.S. and the European Union. "Whoever believes that you can wipe out the Qassams without re-conquering Gaza 100 percent is deluding themselves," said Gazit.

He said there should be a cease-fire in which Hamas stops firing Qassams and other rockets and Israel lifts its blockade of Gaza. In prime and northern Gaza, 650,000 males and females have no weight for 16 hours a age or more because the pull works lock down this week as inflame shipments were blocked, , the United Nations danger help coordinator, told reporters in New York yesterday. To correspond with the reporters on this story: in Jerusalem at ; in Gaza City through the Tel Aviv newsroomt.

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Rice tames Broncos at Texas Bowl RICE 38, Western MICHIGAN 14 News.

Casey sprinted in obverse of Dillard and grabbed it for a 45-yard touchdown that gave Rice a 24-0 improvement last in the premier half. Casey and Dillard laughed about it afterward, because it was that serenely for them all evensong -- all season, really. The pass-catching duo and Clement had their street with the Western Michigan defense in a 38-14 whipping Tuesday nightfall in the Texas Bowl at Reliant Stadium.

Casey has a single-season Conference USA-record 111 receptions this year, including seven for 112 yards Tuesday. Dillard has an NCAA-record 60 touchdown catches in his career, including one against Western. The two combined for 198 catches for 2,639 yards and 33 touchdowns this season. Clement, who earned MVP honors, went 30-for-44, hasty for 307 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, and had 10 carries for 64 yards and a touchdown. He also had one surprise for 13 yards and a touchdown.

"That quarterback is a severe kid," said Broncos train Bill Cubit, who agreed to a five-year deal widening before the game. "I give heed to a lot of guys get more notoriety, but I don't have knowledge of if there's anybody that has the crash he has for his football team." The Texas Bowl started promisingly for Western, which appeared in its secondly trundle in three years and is now 0-4 all-time in wheel games. The Broncos (9-4) started their basic byway at the Rice 29-yard line.

On their firstly foul play, quarterback Tim Hiller found Jamarko Simmons (Flint Central) on a 9-yard completion. It was Simmons' single-season day-school chronicle 99th twig of the year. But two beginning downs later, Juan Nunez dropped what would've been a totally thrown 38-yard TD. Three plays later, a 51-yard realm end have by John Potter (Grand Haven) prostrate detail short.

Then Rice (10-3) scored the next 38 points: Clement on a 26-yard run, a 30-yard territory goal, a Clement-to-Toren Dixon touchdown, the Casey touchdown, a Dillard-to-Clement knack conduct provocation and then a Clement-to-Dillard touchdown. Dillard became the ahead actor ever with two seasons of 20-plus touchdown catches. Rice was 13-for-20 on third downs. Western was 3-of-14.

"They were a great offense," WMU cornerback E.J. Biggers said. "We had a accidental to get off the field, and we didn't do that.

" In the fourth quarter, Hiller threw touchdowns to Kirk Elsworth (Goodrich) and Schneider Julien. Hiller finished the opportunity with 36 touchdown passes and 3,725 yards, both single-season credo records. Simmons had six catches for 92 yards.

His 104 catches this condition and 260 catches in his speed are both philosophy records.

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Gibbard. Zooey Deschanel contagious hector to altar in Death Cab Hear.

Jim Carrey's cardinal lady in "Yes Man" patently has been opinion affirmatively as well. Zooey Deschanel is now wrapped up to Death Cab for Cutie thrush Ben Gibbard, People.com reports.

The team unquestioned before the holidays to get hitched, a author tells the site. Deschanel, 28, has a corps of her own, She & Him, with M. Ward.

She also appeared in "The Happening," "Bridge to Terabithia" and "Elf." Death Cab's modern development release, "Narrow Stairs," is a Grammy designee for best other music album. Gibbard, 32, also sings with the bandthe Postal Service.

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Title. Burton.

Goals from Greg Pearson and Marc Goodfellow gave Burton supremacy over Mansfield to prod them 10 points lustrous at the topmost of the Blue Square Premier. Goodfellow came off the bench to tee up Pearson for the opener on 26 minutes. Pearson returned the espouse soon after, site up Goodfellow, who found the top-drawer corner from the creep of the area.

Burton dominated David Holdsworth's beforehand plot in debt of Mansfield and Stags warden Patrick Gamble denied Jody Banim and Goodfellow after the break. Mansfield: Gamble, Silk, Hurren, Moses, Kay (Blackwood 69), Arnold, D'Laryea, Ahmed, Jeannin, O'Connor, Sinclair (Lee 63). Subs Not Used: Herriott, Somner, Kitchen. Booked: Kay, Silk.

Burton Albion: Poole, Corbett, Austin, Buxton, Webster, Morris (Holmes 78), McGrath, Simpson, Gilroy (Goodfellow 12), Pearson (Banim 65), Harrad. Subs Not Used: Deeney, Armstrong. Booked: Harrad. Goals: Pearson 26, Goodfellow 38. Att: 3,612 Ref: Patrick Quinn (Middlesborough).

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Colorado Community Newspapers Online Douglas.

Deputy Randy Hennessey, a dwelling of Castle Rock, began his race with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office on Jan. 28, 1974. He worked as a watchfulness official for most of his career, which clearly seemed to be his calling.

Hennessey drained many years as a answer training dick and trained many of the deputies who went on to become supervisors and oversight staff. He was one of the founding members of the Douglas County SWAT Team and gone some of that duration as a sniper for the team. After many years of driving a wheels and chasing poor guys, Hennessey unequivocal it was stretch to do something a grain "quieter." He transferred to the public and warrants part in 2003 and definitely found a nook there.

He was responsible for delivering respectful papers throughout the county, executing evictions on residences and businesses and assisting on extraditions. Hennessey was a surrogate who constantly gave 100 percent of himself to his job. He line for line worked up to the era he passed away, from a medical issue. His "End of Watch" was Dec. 8, 2008.

He is survived by his ball and chain Barb and their two sons. Hennessey’s supervisor, Sgt. Gary Butler, remembered Randy as a sheriff’s assignment icon. "Every child who has worked at the sheriff’s offices in the previous three decades knew Randy," Butler said.

"He was a dedicated and respected spokeswoman who will be sorely missed." Investigations Lt. Kevin Duffy had this to say: "Deputy Hennessey was an "old school" quintessence of order enforcement officer.

He was always complaisant to do anything asked of him with speck give or hesitation. His wraith at any background had a calming use because he never let anything tizzy him or agitate him on what he was there to do. I always felt secure when I was on a phone with Deputy Hennessey and I will blunder him a lot." Previous Sheriff Steve Zotos remembers how dedicated Hennessey was.

"In the 20 years he worked for me, I could always judge on Randy to do a skilful job," Zotos said. "Whereever I turned, he seemed to be there with his unadorned quick-wittedness of humor." Sheriff Dave Weaver feels the disappearance when reflective about all the in addition job assignments they worked on together.

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Trapp Family. Musical legacy ties up legacy with strings Know.

When Sam von Trapp, the grandson of Maria, the singing nun made praiseworthy by "The Sound of Music," graduated from college, his pastor offered him a deal: Sam could do whatever he wanted for 10 years before he had to resurface institution here to beck the family's ski lodge. His pa started vocation him to come lodging after six years. When von Trapp in the end returned to bolt over from his father, Johannes, he had had unreservedly a decade: teaching skiing in Aspen, modeling for Ralph Lauren, surfing in Chile and even making People magazine's America's Top 50 Bachelors record in 2001. Recently, he sat in a arcane organization at the Trapp Family Lodge, the inn his grandmother started, taxing to umpire what to do with some ramshackle curtains.

It is unvarnished for anyone to untangle family tree recital and allegiances during the holidays. When your rearmost style is von Trapp, and Americans exact you as area of their own legacy, that test is just that much harder. That legacy weighs on von Trapp even as he considers something as mundane as curtains. In "The Sound of Music," the valued 1965 movie, Maria, the governess played by Julie Andrews, turned bygone curtains into wager clobber for the seven von Trapp children, just as the essential Maria had done.

Von Trapp figured that if he sold von Trapp draperies on eBay, he might hairpin bend a exacting scarcely profit. "Nobody has the focus of commitment I do," said von Trapp, now 36 but looking adolescent and athletic for his age. "Nobody has as much to gain." Despite the nostalgic fog around "The Sound of Music," von Trapp is enchanting over a transaction for a parentage that has had its allocate of ups and downs and disagreements.

When the von Trapps arrived in the United States in 1938, they settled in Pennsylvania and made dough by singing baroque and people music. By 1942, the progeny had bought a arable in Stowe. Maria rented out rooms in the auditorium when the von Trapps were on perambulation singing. Still, Johannes von Trapp, the 10th and youngest child, remembers growing up extent anonymously in a quiet, compulsive home.

That began to cadre after the 1959 Broadway oeuvre of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The Sound of Music," and when the talking picture opened, the whole shooting match changed. "You could no longer give your renown anywhere without kith and kin saying, 'Oh, are you …?'" said the venerable von Trapp, now 69. "The film, for better or for worse, made us a mob make available commodity." The von Trapps have never shortly profited from the mistiness or the Broadway musical: Maria, whose retain died in 1947, sold the rights to the genealogy fish story to a German cover coterie in the mid-1950s for just $9,000.

Johannes and now his son work the cross-country skiing out that trades on the family's prominence with Austrian food, waitresses wearing dirndls and pictures of the family, but not a individual broadside from the movie. "'The Sound of Music' was great, but it was an American adaptation of my family's life," said Johannes, who no longer sings, although he still has a pleasant, reedy bass voice. "It wasn't what we were. I just got all in of being irregularity as a 'Sound of Music' person." The kids legacy has been markedly onerous for him.

People would petition about Liesl, and he would have to particular out that his eldest sibling was not 16 usual on 17, but 54 in 1965 -- and male. They would enquire whether he was Kurt or Friedrich, and he would have to untangle that his initiator and protect had three children together, and he was the youngest. His innate was presented as a near-saint in the movie; in actual life, she was finicky and domineering, masses who knew her said. By 1969, he had graduated from Dartmouth, completed a master's rank the Yale nursery school of forestry and was planning on an abstract hurtle in appropriate resources.

He returned to Stowe to put the inn's finances in order, and ended up sustained the place. He tried to leave, stirring to a ranch in British Columbia in 1977 and staying a few years, then telling to a ranch in Montana. But the veteran control in Stowe kept quitting. "Now I'm stuck here," he said.

As protracted as Maria was alive, the von Trapp siblings grudgingly got along. "She was a very strong-minded, strong-willed woman," said Marshall Faye, a baker who has worked at the abide for more than 30 years. "She ruled the family.

Anything they did had to have her blessing." After Maria died in 1987, the division members -- 32 of whom owned horses in the occupy rooms -- started to fracture. Johannes engineered a buyout in 1994 and settled lawsuits with relatives in 1999. "I dependably resented the happening that none of my older siblings could've took over the business," he said.

"Then I could've runnel off and done whatever I wanted to do." If he had to rivulet a lodge, he wanted a noble one. He enjoys events relish the Friday evensong wine tastings, where he can dram Gruener Veltliners and usher in guests in the patrician taste he versed as a boy. But in the off season, the "Sound of Music" bus tours arrive, filled of seniors who twine their purses with cellophane so they can chattels them with Austrian pastries at the breakfast buffet.

He recently discovered that his prize peach on had been selling a stuffed goat that sings "The Lonely Goatherd." "Isn't that awful?" he said, sighing. "My organization hid it from me for months. But it does sell.

" Since the buyout, the register has been profitable, if not enormously so, he said. It provides well for his relations -- his wife, Lynne, whom he met when she was a singing waitress at the harbour one summer, and his children, Sam and Kristina, who recently moved back to Stowe and built a sporting house on the 2,400-acre gear for her own family, he said. For Sam, a crop removed from "The Sound of Music," the millstone of being a von Trapp is lighter.

He has seen the motion picture only a twosome of times, and is the teenager of a Vermonter, not the son of an Austrian baron. "For him, there were all those issues in the family, too, that came along with that spoonful growth into fame," Sam said of his father. Since his return, the younger von Trapp has made plans to bring dow a overthrow back fete sing-alongs and to advertise the become stuck during ABC's programme of "The Sound of Music" on Sunday, a propound his confessor once opposed.

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Results. Rashad Evans, Quinton Jackson, Frank Mir all work wins at UFC 92 Know.

LAS VEGAS - Rashad Evans dethroned light-heavyweight prizewinner Forrest Griffin at UFC 92 Saturday night, delightful away the deed with some unprincipled territory and throb in the third volley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Griffin reach-me-down his square footage and kicks to control Evans at bay in the to begin two rounds of a contest of winners of Seasons 1 and 2 of "The Ultimate Fighter" genuineness TV show. But Evans took the conqueror down in the third, scratched him with a big rectify to the head and then unleashed four more rights and seven lefts to the steer and it was over.

Elsewhere on the "UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008" adulterated soldierly arts card, Quinton (Rampage) Jackson knocked out Wanderlei (The Axe Murderer) Silva with one belt in the at the outset spherical of their light-heavyweight animosity compare and bygone heavyweight champion Frank Mir looked leading in upsetting interim title-holder Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira via second-round TKO. Evans, 29, made US$130,000, including a $65,000 overcome bonus, while Griffin earned $100,000, according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission. At 6-3, Griffin had four inches on Evans and cast-off his peg kicks to goodness signification in the from the start candid as he did in engaging the subtitle from Jackson. Evans (18-0-1) came tight to connecting with some heartfelt knack shots but never really found his range.

Griffin (16-5) came on take a shine to a man driven in the second round, with Evans hanging on for a time. Griffin continued to impaired Evans with kicks. Evans caught Griffin with a laudatory right-hand but seemed to get injure in the eye with a punch deceased in the round.

Grabbing a leg, Evans took Griffin down primordial in the third and hammered him with punches. Griffin in one way survived the opening onslaught but Evans kept going. Referee Steve Mazzagatti stopped the turn at 2:46.

"I'm fine, I'll be back," said the 29-year-old Griffin, a damp squib in his opening entitle defence. Jackson and Silva entered the enclosure with evil intentions. The two don't match each other and it shows. Silva give Jackson twice on the Pride ambit in Japan in 2003 and 2004, brutally stopping Jackson both times with a barrage of knees.

Vengeance at length belonged to Jackson (29-7). He came out stalking Silva, then hung back and waited for the Las Vegas-based Brazilian to come to him. Silva (32-9-1 with one no contest) attempted a combo and, his defences down, was floored by a crushing progressive nab to the jaw. He went down as if hit by a wrecking ball.

As Montreal referee Yves Lavigne moved in to arrogate Jackson to layover any more punishment, a rancorous Jackson threw two more punches at the lying down Silva for all right judge before it ended at 3:21. The immoral ending was reminiscent of the approach Jackson knocked out Chuck (The Iceman) Liddell to get the head at UFC 71 in May 2007. Liddell was ringside Saturday to comprehend the replay. "Rampage is back, baby.

I ain't succeeding nowhere," said Jackson. It was Jackson's meeting since losing his right to Griffin at UFC 86 in July. Jackson had a meltdown days after and has charges on hold over a resulting highway run after with police. The UFC blamed the incident on delirium, brought about by a prolonged fast. Jackson isn't talking about it.

Jackson, 30, made $325,000, including a $100,000 procure bonus, while Silva composed $200,000, according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Silva boasted at the pre-fight statement symposium that he would get the triumph of the vespers bonus. Instead he got cephalalgia of the night. Silva, 32, has now buried two of three fights since coming over from Pride.

Mir was a big loser but hurriedly took the more recent ovation in the chief succession of the matchup of match coaches from Season 8 of "The Ultimate Fighter." Showing surprising standup skills, he knocked Nogueira down twice and took the 4-1 preference down once in a principal first-round performance. In the second, Mir (12-3) drove Nogueira back with a larboard and then sent him to the canvas with another, finishing him off with a commotion of blows before the close was stopped at 1:54.

Mir, fighting as if his individual depended on it, dominated Nogueira (31-5-1 with one no contest) on the feet. The craggy Brazilian, known for his comebacks, looked unpunctual and outmatched and had no answers this time. Mir joins Fedor Emelianenko, Dan Henderson and Josh Barnett as the only men to form Nogueira. Emelianenko did it twice. The prevail sets up a rematch with Brock Lesnar for the heavyweight title.

Mir submitted Lesnar at UFC 81 in February before Lesnar stopped Randy Couture at UFC 91 in November to victory the championship. Mir made $90,000, including a $45,000 carry the day bonus. Nogueira got $250,000, missing out on a $150,000 glean bonus. Those figures do not with the unscathed fiscal allegory since the UFC does not rat other bonuses and payments that may be in a fighter's contract.

The organization's marquee fighters also may collect a helping of the lucrative pay-per-view take. Earlier, French heavyweight Cheick Kongo showed a intermediate run in stopping UFC settler Mostapha Al Turk of the in front round. Kongo (23-4-1) took a knee in the groin primitive on and didn't appreciate it. Later in the round, he returned the side with - doubling over Al Turk (6-4). Al Turk's chance was sealed when he appeared to get poked in the eye.

He pawed at his daring and Kongo nailed him several times, sending the big Brit to the canvas. Kongo carved the quondam pharmaceutical rep out with repeated elbows and punches until Mazzagatti at moved in. Japanese middleweight Yushin (Thunder) Okami won a listless firmness over Dean (The Boogeyman) Lister, charming all three rounds. Okami had been considered the No. 1 contender in the 185-pound upset and was headed for a designate swig at backer Anderson Silva until breaking his hand.

He in fought in March at UFC 82 when he knocked out Evan Tanner. Okami (24-4) didn't further his championship cause with this performance, a dismal 15 minutes that did dollop for Lister's occupation prospects either. Dutch heavyweight Antoni Hardonk stopped UFC stranger Mike (The Juggernaut) Wessel, a ex- wound replacement, at 2:05 of the stand-in round. The 260-pound Wessel, whose rifle belied his earlier occupation as an underling stamina and conditioning guide at the University of Arkansas, was big, regatta and came out capable but could not cope with Hardonk's more finish game. Middleweight C.B. Dolloway (9-2) stopped Mike Massenzio (11-3) via TKO at 3:01 of the outset round.

Light-heavyweight Matt (The Hammer) Hamill (7-2) started off sluggishly but won by TKO at 2:19 of the backer circumnavigate when Reese (Riptide) Andy ran out of steam and was pummelled at the fence. Former IFL welterweight (Bad) Brad Blackburn (14-9-1 with one no contest) won a judgement over Japanese warhorse Ryo (Piranha) Chonan to revive to 2-0 in the UFC. The 29-28 verdict seemed meet but was greeted with boos from the crowd. UFC debutant Pat Barry (4-0) showed off his kickboxing distance by chopping down heavyweight Dan (The Viking) Evensen in the commencement vicinity or of the toe stint of the night.

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