Le takes Strikeforce crown from Shamrock

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Cung Le dethroned Strikeforce middleweight champion Frank Shamrock on Saturday night, winning the 185-pound belt when the veteran Shamrock could not answer the bell for the fourth round of an exciting fight.

Shamrock was unable to continue because of an arm injury, thanks to Le's constant offence that included an array of kicks and punches.

"Cung Le broke my right arm with a kick, I could feel the bones clicking," Shamrock, his arm in a sling, said afterwards in the cage. "I kept on trying to fight through it.

"Anyone who says Cung Le doesn't know submissions, he put one on my arm tonight. He's the better man, he's the champion, man, he took me out. He's a good man."

Said Le: "You are a legend, you are the greatest fighter. It was just my night, I was the better man tonight."

Shamrock did not have any answers for the flashy Le at the joint EliteXC-Strikeforce mixed martial arts card at the HP Pavilion.

Shamrock, who has the better ground game, lived up to his pre-fight promise by standing with Le in the first round and paid an early price, taking a blow to the head after a failed takedown. Le scored more with his standup as the round wore on although Shamrock connected with some body kicks. A spinning back kick that went awry landed Le on his back but he got back up quickly.

The gamesmanship matched the action with Shamrock gesturing at Le as the fight wore on.

Shamrock lost his mouthpiece early in the second round. And when he was tripped, he gestured to Le to join him on the ground but was rebuffed. Le then got Shamrock's attention with a right to the head.

Le (6-0) hurt Shamrock again with a high kick in the third round and then reached into his martial arts bag of tricks, connecting with a spinning back fist and taking him down with a leg sweep. Shamrock rallied late in the third, hurting the challenger with a blow to the head. Le had to clinch but survived and finished the round on the offence, rocking Shamrock with kicks to the head.

They took a toll.

Shamrock (24-9-1) had to be helped to his stool as the round ended and could not continue. As Le's corner celebrated, Shamrock lay on his back.

Shamrock, 35, is a mixed martial arts warhorse who was the UFC's first light-heavyweight champion. He won the UFC title in December 1997 and defended it four times before retiring in November 1999 after beating Ortiz. He has fought rarely since, venturing out once in 2000, 2003 and 2006 and twice in 2007, most recently last June when he submitted Phil Baroni.

Still apart from a disqualification loss to Renzo Gracie in February 2007, for illegal strikes to the head, Shamrock had not lost since 1997.

Le, also 35, is a former star practitioner of the Chinese martial arts of Sanshou (think kickboxing with throws). He moved to MMA two years ago after an unbeaten kickboxing career and quickly ran up a 5-0 record that included wins over "The Ultimate Fighter" alumni Sam Morgan and Jason Von Flue and veteran Tony (the Freak) Fryklund.

Born in Vietnam, Le left the country when he was almost three thanks to a grandfather who was chief of police. The family was airlifted out under gunfire three days before the fall of Saigon.

"This is the greatest feeling. This is a dream come true. Coming from Vietnam under gunfire and now world champion. I love it," Le said.

Shamrock, the younger adoptive brother to UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock, and Le have a history. Both live in San Jose and the two used to be sparring partners.

Earlier Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert (El Nino) Melendez retained his 155-pound title with a convincing second-round stoppage of Gabe Lemley.

Melendez took Lemley down quickly and did damage at the edge of the fence, punishing him with a flurry of blows as the round ended. Lemley came out swinging in the second round but got the worst of it and was taken down again. Melendez got side control and punched away at Lemley until referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the punishment at 2:18.

Lemley was game but outgunned.

Melendez was coming off his lone loss, a decision at the hands of Pride veteran Mitsuhiro Ishidai in December.

"I'm refocused, I'm motivated," Melendez said after the win.

In middleweight action, Joey Villasenor (25-6) knocked out Ryan Jensen (11-4) with a hammer-like right to the chin at 4:45 of the first round. Villasenor, a former Pride fighter, controlled the fight, taking Jensen down and flooring him with a left before ending Jensen's night with a one-punch KO set up by two left jabs.

The win was the second in a row for Villasenor, who has had an up-and-down career of late. He went 3-3 in his previous six fights with losses to Murilo (Ninja) Rua, Robbie Lawler and Ryo Chonan.

Jensen, coming off UFC submission losses to Demian Maia and Thales Leites, took the fight on less than a week's notice after Brazilian Evangelista (Cyborg) Santos was unable to fight because of visa issues.

Wayne Cole (11-6) made short work of San Jose light-heavyweight Mike (Mak) Kyle (9-7-1), ending it via armbar after just 42 seconds. Cole took Kyle down via a trip early on, got side control, stepped over and grabbed an arm.

The fight card was not without its problems. Apart from the Santos visa problem, Jake Shields had to withdraw from his welterweight title bout with former UFC fighter Drew Fickett (32-5) because of a back injury. And Nick Diaz was denied a licence to fight by the California State Athletic Commission.

Their opponents faced off instead with Fickett taking on South Korea's Jae Suk Lim (9-4). Fickett won via guillotine choke at 1:14 of the first round.

Shields and Fickett are expected to meet June 14 for the Strikeforce 170-pound title in Hawaii.

News Source: The Canadian Press

Ralph Nader enters presidential race

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Ralph Nader is entering the presidential race as an independent, he announced Sunday, saying it is time for a "Jeffersonian revolution."

Ralph Nader is running for president as an independent.

"In the last few years, big money and the closing down of Washington against citizen groups prevent us from trying to improve our country. And I want everybody to have the right and opportunity to improve their country," he told reporters after an appearance announcing his candidacy on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Asked why he should be president, the longtime consumer advocate said, "Because I got things done." He cited a 40-year record, which he said includes saving "millions of lives," bringing about stricter protection for food and water and fighting corporate control over Washington.

This marks his fourth straight White House bid -- fifth if his 1992 write-in campaign is included.

Nader said Thomas Jefferson believed that "when you lose your government, you've got to go into the electoral arena."

"A Jeffersonian revolution is needed in this country," he said.

Nader told NBC that great changes in U.S. history have come "through little parties that never won any national election."

"Dissent is the mother of ascent," he said. "And in that context I've decided to run for president."

Nader, who turns 74 this week, complained about the "paralysis of the government," which he said is under the control of corporate executives and lobbyists.

Nader was criticized by some Democrats in 2000 for allegedly pulling away support from Democrat Al Gore and helping George Bush win the White House. Nader has long denied that portrayal of his candidacy.

Long-shot GOP contender Mike Huckabee said Nader's entry would probably help his party.

"I think it always would probably pull votes away from the Democrats and not the Republicans, so naturally, Republicans would welcome his entry into the race," Huckabee said Sunday on CNN.

But Nader -- citing the Republican Party's economic policies, the Iraq war, and other issues -- told NBC, "If the Democrats can't landslide the Republicans this year, they ought to just wrap up, close down, emerge in a different form."

Nader's entry into the race did not come as a surprise to political watchers.

On Sunday, Sen. Barack Obama criticized him. "My sense is that Mr. Nader is somebody who, if you don't listen and adopt all of his policies, thinks you're not substantive," Obama told reporters when asked about Nader's possible candidacy.

"He seems to have a pretty high opinion of his own work."

Obama said Nader "is a singular figure in American politics and has done as much as just about anyone for consumers."

"I don't mean to diminish that," he said. "There's a sense now that if someone's not hewing to the Ralph Nader agenda, he says they're lacking in some way."

Responding to those remarks during his "Meet the Press" interview, Nader encouraged people to look at his campaign Web site, votenader.org, which he said discusses issues important to Americans that Obama and Sen. John McCain "are not addressing."

Nader called Obama "a person of substance" and "the first liberal evangelist in a long time" who "has run a good tactical campaign." But he accused Obama of censoring "his better instincts" on divisive issues.

He also said political consultants "have really messed up Hillary Clinton's campaign."



News Source: CNN

Former Detroit TV anchor charged with embezzlement found dead

ROYAL OAK, Mich. (AP) — A former TV news anchor facing felony charges for embezzling $149,000 from a man she had dated and advised financially, has been found dead in her Detroit-area home.

Police Detective Don Swiatkowski tells The Detoit News that a relative found Suzanne Wangler "unresponsive" Saturday afternoon in her Royal Oak home.

He says Wangler was pronounced dead at 3:27 p.m. An autopsy has been scheduled.

Swiatkowski says a cause of death will not be confirmed without an autopsy.

The 42-year-old Wangler had retired last week from Lansing station WLAJ, where she worked under the name Suzanne Page. She had previously worked at WDIV-TV in Detroit.

She had been arraigned on felony charges of embezzlement by an agent and larceny by conversion. Each charge carried a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if convicted.

News Source: The Associated Press

Clinton Leaves Primary States For "State of the Black Union"

CINCINNATI -- With the Ohio and Texas primaries only 10 days away, one would think that both candidates would be spending most of their time between these two states. But Hillary Clinton is taking time away from campaigning in the Lone Star and Buckeye states to head to Louisiana for the annual “State of the Black Union” hosted by Tavis Smiley.

The problem is that Louisiana has already voted in the primary and gave Barack Obama a large victory. So why is Clinton taking time out of her limited campaign schedule to participate? Clinton Senior Spokesman Mo Elleithee said, “She’s always been committed to dealing with the issues that are important to the African-American community.” Elleithee said Clinton agreed to attending this summit weeks ago.

There’s no doubt that after a series of gaffes and ill-advised comments throughout this campaign, there has been tension between the Clintons and the African-American community.

Weeks ago, Clinton was hammered for a comment she made that some suggested discredited the work of Martin Luther King, Jr. during the civil rights movement. Prior to the New Hampshire primary Bill Clinton criticized Barack Obama, suggesting his views on the Iraq war were “the biggest fairy tale” he’s ever seen and later was accused of playing up the race issue prior to the South Carolina primary.

When pressed on why Clinton was spending campaign resources in a state that has already voted, Elleithee said “She’s got a commitment to these issues, and is looking forward to the opportunity to discuss them.”

Obama will not be attending the summit at all, causing some stir in the African-American community. In a letter sent to Smiley, Obama offered to send his wife Michelle, but Smiley declined to have her participate.

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Obama says his campaigning in Ohio and Texas is keeping him from the event. Smiley called Obama's decision "a critical miscalculation and a missed opportunity."


News Source: CBS News

Winning Mega Millions ticket sold in Portal, Ga.

A 47-year old iron worker from the tiny town of Portal, Ga., claims to have won the $270 Mega Millions lottery. He showed up Saturday morning to celebrate at Clyde's Market, where he bought the ticket Friday night.

The winner, who would only give an Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter his name as "Mr. Harris," said he lives in a mobile home with his wife and two daughters and drives to Atlanta to work on skyscrapers.

"But all that's about to change," he said. "I used to live in a trailer. And I used to be an iron worker."

Georgia Lottery officials could not be reached for comment Saturday morning to confirm that Harris purchased the winning ticket. Harris said he selected the winning numbers - 7, 12, 13, 19, 22 and Mega Ball 10 - by using the birthdates of his six granddaughters, but he did not elaborate.

"I'm too happy and confused right now to think too clear," he said.

Georgiana Mulrooney - a clerk who works at Clyde's Market on Highway 80, the main road through the town of about 600 - confirmed that the store sold Harris the ticket. She said the store and Harris have been in touch with lottery officials.

Portal is between Statesboro and Swainsboro.

At the only other place in Portal where lottery tickets are sold, Mighty Mike No. 19 on Highway 80, clerk Bridget Clarke said they were crossing their fingers earlier Saturday morning that the winning ticket had been sold there since a portion of the winnings goes to the retailer that sells the winning ticket.

"It's just between us and the other store," she said.

Guessing who had won was all the talk. Bulloch County Sheriff Lynn M. Anderson, who said he read that the ticket had been sold in Portal on ajc.com, said he and a group of five had bought lottery tickets Friday.

One of the members was absent Saturday morning from their usual coffee gathering. "We thought maybe she already went to Atlanta to collect," Anderson said.

At Portal Auto and Hardware, store owner Sammy Deal said the phone was ringing off the hook with people speculating who won. Were they from Portal or just passing through? And what would it mean to the town, which is a farming community?

"With that kind of money," he said, "they could buy the place."

Harris didn't mention the purchase of the city as one of the items on his shopping list.

News Source: ajc.com

Beef yanked from Phila, area schools

A Philadelphia parents' group sharply criticized the city school district and the USDA this morning for not acting earlier to recall possibly tainted beef served to children in school cafeterias.

An alert went out yesterday to 196 school districts from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture advising them to remove most beef products from the schools.

The beef may have originated at a California meat packing plant that slaughtered "downer" cattle and distributed the meat through the the USDA's School Lunch Program, state officials said.

More than 143 million pounds of raw and frozen beef products were "voluntarily recalled" last week by Hallmark-Westland Meat Packing of Chico, Ca.

The Philadelphia School District, the largest district in the state, banned beef Tuesday from the schools after being contacted Tuesday by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Other regional schools and districts affected by the recall include Abington, Bensalem Township, Bishop Carroll High School, Bristol Township, Eastern Lancaster County, Gateway, Haverford Township, La Salle Academy, and Lower Merion.

The recall, the biggest in United States history, was spurred by the release of a video last month which showed workers at Hallmark using forklifts to terrorize sick cattle.

Helen Gym, director of Parents United for Public Education, said she wants to know why the schools didn't move faster to learn the source of the meat.

"There's a childhood joke about 'mystery meat'," Gym said this morning. "But we knew that Hallmark was a school food provider. So why wasn't there a serious inquiry immediately?"

Gym noted that the upsetting video was released in January by the Humane Society. She said her group was shocked to learn that beef from the California meatpacker had been distributed to schools on the East coast.

"This is not just a Philadelphia problem. This affects Lower Merion as well," Gym said. "The National School Lunch program has clearly not been using products that are of high quality."

School District spokesman Fernando Gallard said the district moved as swiftly as possible to remove any and all beef products.

"We are just at the bottom of the information flow," Gallard said. "It was up to the USDA to do an investigation and inform states of their findings."

Beef has long been a staple in the Philadelphia schools.

During the first week in February, cafeterias served processed beef four times.

A menu posted on the Meredith Elementary School website showed hamburgers were served Feb. 1; pasta with meatsauce or beef tacos on Feb. 4; hamburgers on Feb. 6; and meatloaf on Feb. 7.

"We have not heard of any child becoming ill as a result of eating the beef," said Gallard.

In Philadelphia, all schools have been asked to destroy any suspect meat until the suppliers can certify that their beef is not part of the recalled stock.

Turkey, fish, chicken and vegetables are replacing beef on cafeteria menus until the district is assured the meat supply is not contaminated.

"We want to be very cautious," said Gallard. "So we've pulled all the beef and all beef products from our schools until we can be 100 percent sure its safe."

Gallard said he wasn't sure how much of an economic hit the district would take as a result of the recall.

"It's going to cost a lot," he said. "But over 190 districts are going through the same thing. The USDA is looking to figure out to make sure the districts don't lose any money."

A complete list of schools in Pennsylvania asked to participate in the recall is available at http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/agriculture/cwp/view.asp?Q=147738&A=390.

News Source: INQUIRER

Large earthquake rattles northeast Nevada

WELLS, Nev. (AP) - A large earthquake has struck northeast Nevada near Elko.

The U.S. Geological Survey now estimates the preliminary magnitude at 6.0.

There are no immediate reports of serious injuries.

Elko County Undersheriff Rocky Gonzalez says there are unconfirmed reports of damage to buildings. He says a Flying J truck stop was evacuated because of a propane leak.

The quake was reported at 6:16 a.m. in a sparsely populated area 11 miles southeast of Wells, near the Nevada-Utah line.

A woman who ansered the telephone at a Motel 6 says everything in the building shook and they have cracks in the walls.

The temblor was felt across eastern Nevada, Utah, and as far away as Southern California.

News Source: Associated Press