DUNEDIN, Fla. – A pair of bungled anthem renditions had Jeff Fuller looking for the quickest way off the infield at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium on Wednesday.
Singer strikes out, botches Canadian and US anthems before spring training game
DUNEDIN, Fla. – A singer struck out in a big way at spring training, botching both the Canadian and U.S. national anthems before an exhibition game.
Knicks overcome Curry's NBA season-high 54 points, beat Warriors 109-105
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Carmelo Anthony scored 35 points, J.R. Smith hit the tiebreaking shot with 1:10 left, and the New York Knicks overcame Stephen Curry’s NBA season-high 54 points to beat the Golden State Warriors 109-105 on Wednesday night.
Rutherford takes chance against England to score 90
(Reuters) – Hamish Rutherford put himself firmly in contention to make his test debut next week against England after he scored 90 for the New Zealand XI on the second day of their four day match against the tourists in Queenstown on Thursday. The 23-year-old Rutherford was named in New Zealand's test squad on Sunday and was strongly tipped to make his debut by opening the innings with Peter Fulton on his home ground at University Oval in Dunedin from March 6. … Cricket-Rutherford takes chance against England to score 90
Feb 28 (Reuters) – Hamish Rutherford put himself firmly in contention to make his test debut next week against England after he scored 90 for the New Zealand XI on the second day of their four day match against the tourists in Queenstown on Thursday. The 23-year-old Rutherford was named in New Zealand’s test squad on Sunday and was strongly tipped to make his debut by opening the innings with Peter Fulton on his home ground at University Oval in Dunedin from March 6. …
Swimming-Fraser wants life ban for Australian 4x100m swimmers
Feb 28 (Reuters) – Swimming great Dawn Fraser wants life bans imposed on members of the Australian men’s 4x100m freestyle relay squad who admitted using a banned sedative in a bonding session before last year’s London Olympics. James Magnussen and team mates Matt Targett, Eamon Sullivan, Cameron McEvoy and Tommaso D’Orsogna admitted using the prescription drug Stilnox in Sydney last week. James Roberts appeared with the team but said he had not taken the drug. …
SAN FRANCISCO/TOKYO (Reuters) – Boeing Co and the Japanese firm that makes lithium-ion batteries for the 787 Dreamliner disagree about what should be included in a package of measures aimed at getting the airliner back in the air, the Wall Street Journal reported. But Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Ray Conner told reporters in Tokyo that there was no dispute with GS Yuasa Corp about the proposed solution, adding the planemaker has "a great partnership" with the Kyoto-based battery maker. … 
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – Chinese oil company CNOOC Ltd , its takeover of Canada's Nexen Inc now complete, is giving the leader of the Can adian unit freedom to get operations running smoothly after an exhaustive seven-month acquisition process, CNOOC's CEO said on Wednesday. The deal, which boosts CNOOC's global oil and gas production by 20 percent and reserves by 30 percent, closed on Monday after clearing the final hurdle, sign-off by U.S. regulators. "This is a big deal. Nexen is a big organization. … 
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- The arrest of Mexico's most powerful union leader echoes the hardball tactics of Mexico's once-imperial presidency while pushing forward an education reform that Enrique Pena Nieto has made a centerpiece of his new administration. 
LONDON (Reuters) – British consumer morale held steady in February, maintaining January's gains, though sentiment remained low by historic standards, a survey by researchers GfK NOP showed on Thursday. GfK's headline consumer confidence index came in at -26, matching January's reading, better than in December and in the same month a year ago and beating analysts' expectations of -27. "The maintenance of all of last month's three-point gain is encouraging," said Nick Moon, managing director of social research at GfK. … 
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell Plc will not drill for oil in Alaska's Arctic seas this year, the company said on Wednesday, in a widely expected decision that follows a series of high-profile setbacks in 2012. Both critics and supporters of Shell's cont roversial Arctic offshore foray welcomed its decision to give up on drilling there for 2013, while the company tries to get its drillships ready and answers to U.S. federal investigators. … 
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- About 150 friends and family of Adam Strange wrote messages to him in the sand and stepped into the water Thursday at a New Zealand beach to say goodbye after he was killed Wednesday by a large shark. 
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Fashion house BCBG Max Azria Group Inc, whose clothing has been worn by celebrities such as Beyonce and Angelina Jolie, is exploring a potential sale that could fetch around $1 billion, two people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. The company, which owns the BCBGeneration, Max Azria and Herve Leger lines, is being advised by Blackstone Group on the sale process, said the people, who declined to be named because the talks are private. … 
(Reuters) – An arbitration panel denied Morgan Stanley Smith Barney's request to claw back compensation from two brokers and, instead, awarded the brokers about $1.5 million. Morgan Stanley's we alth management unit had asked the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel to make Jorge Antonia Carreras and Carlos Javier Molina repay funds paid to them under a promissory note agreement. The brokers filed a counterclaim alleging the firm breached contracts related to commissions and bonuses and for negligent misrepresentation. … 
ROME (AP) -- The United States and some European allies are edging closer to direct involvement in Syria's civil war with plans to deliver meals, medical kits and other forms of nonlethal assistance to the rebels battling President Bashar Assad. 
LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) -- Slovenia's parliament ousted Prime Minister Janez Jansa and his conservative government Wednesday, while designating a financial expert from the opposition to try to form a new administration. 
BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) – Tesco, the world's third-largest retailer, said it would buy more meat from its home market in Britain and shorten supply chains after the discovery of horsemeat in beef products shook consumer confidence in supermar ket sourcing. Tesco, Britain's biggest retailer, was one of the first grocers to be hit by the horsemeat scandal, which has prompted European governments to demand tougher rules on the sourcing and labelling of meat products. … 
BEIRUT (AP) -- Syrian warplanes carried out airstrikes on rebels trying to storm a police academy outside Aleppo on Wednesday, activists said, while jihadi fighters battled government troops along a key supply road leading to the southeastern part of the city, activists said. 
VATICAN CITY (AP) -- On Monday, April 4, 2005 a humble priest walked up to the Renaissance palazzo housing the Vatican's doctrine department and asked the doorman to call to the official in charge: It was the first day of business after Pope John Paul II had died, and the cleric wanted to get back to work. 
PARIS (AP) -- Secretary of State John Kerry is charming his way through the capitals of western Europe with his knowledge of local languages, delighting audiences by speaking German and French to his hosts. 
TORONTO (Reuters) – Miller Brewing Co, a subsidiary of SABMiller Plc , said on Wednesday it is terminating its Canadian license agreement with Molson Coors Brewing Co's Molson Coors Canada affiliate. "While Miller brands make up only a small percentage of Molson Coors' Canadian sales, this decision reflects our belief that there exists the opportunity to grow Miller's brands in Canada," said Paul Gurr, who heads Miller operations in Canada. The company said it still remains committed to the Canadian market, and Miller trademark brands will continue to be available within Canada. … 
BAGHDAD (AP) -- Iraq's prime minister cautions that a victory for rebels fighting to overthrow the government in neighboring Syria will spark a sectarian war in his own country and Lebanon That would create a new haven for al-Qaida that would destabilize the whole Middle East. 
VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Tens of thousands of people toting banners saying "Thank you!" jammed St. Peter's Square Wednesday to bid farewell to Pope Benedict XVI at his final general audience -- the appointment he kept each week to teach the world about the Catholic faith. 
PARIS (AP) -- A lawyer for Dominique Strauss-Kahn is claiming victory after a judge ruled that a publisher must add an insert t o a book about the former International Monetary Fund chief's sexual relationship with the author. 
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- A Taliban suicide bomber in a black overcoat and carrying an umbrella as a shelter against the heavy snow crossed a street in Kabul Wednesday toward a bus filled with Afghan soldiers, where he laid down and slithered underneath. 
PRZEMYSL, Poland (AP) -- For Zaida Saleh, like for many observant Muslim women, manicures have long posed a religious problem. 
KOLKATA, India (AP) -- A fire broke out at an illegal six-story plastics market in the Indian city of Kolkata early Wednesday morning, killing at least 19 people, police said.