Myanmar's Junta Stalls Envoy Another Day

YANGON, Myanmar - Myanmar's junta leader stalled a U.N. envoy for yet another day Monday, delaying his chance to present international demands for an end to the crackdown on the largest protests in two decades. In Yangon, troops removed roadblocks and shifted to the city outskirts, apparently easing their stranglehold on the city that was the center for the demonstrations to end 45 years of military dictatorship.

Ibrahim Gambari, the U.N.'s special envoy to Myanmar who has been in Myanmar since Saturday, was given an appointment to meet with Senior Gen. Than Shwe on Tuesday in the junta's remote capital, Naypyitaw, an Asian diplomat said.

Instead of the meeting Monday …

Police: Ambush kills 5 police in NW Pakistan

Gunmen ambushed five police officers and a forestry official responding to reports of a dead body in northwestern Pakistan, killing all six, police said Sunday.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but authorities did not rule out Taliban militants.

The insurgents, who have run roughshod over the Pakistani region bordering Afghanistan in recent years, have frequently targeted security forces, though usually through roadside bombs and suicide attacks.

The ambush took place late Saturday in a forested area in the Mansehra district, an area believed home to several training camps for militants involved in the conflict with India over the Kashmir …

2 Holiday Dramas Challenge and Inspire

Friday's (STAR) (STAR) (STAR) (STAR) episode of the Emmy-winning"Picket Fences" (9 to 10 p.m., Channel 2) reaches far beyondtelevision's standard warm-and-fuzzy Christmas stories to questionthe importance of religious faith in contemporary society.

Legal advocates for church and state clash in court over thecase of a comatose Wisconsin woman who will die if her baby isn'taborted quickly. Complicating the morally challenging case is anapparent medical miracle: The unmarried mom is a virgin.

Warning to parents: The provocative CBS drama reveals disturbingsecrets about moms, dads and Santa Claus.

FREE TO WORSHIP: Estonian rebels defy Soviet …

Singapore looks to tourism, casinos to fuel growth

SINGAPORE (AP) — Wear red if you want to win at Singapore's Marina Bay Sands casino, but sport white to boost your luck at rival Resorts World Sentosa.

So says feng shui expert Danny Cheong, who has seen demand for his skills soar thanks to last year's opening of the city-state's first two casino resorts.

"Before I would occasionally get clients who asked for help with playing the horses or the lottery," said Cheong, a 50-year-old Singaporean trained in Hong Kong. "Now everybody wants advice about the casinos."

Singapore's two huge casino resorts, which together cost more than $10 billion to build, are at the center of a decade-long effort to diversify the island's …

Cavaliers-Trail Blazers, Box

…

CLEVELAND (104)

James 14-30 3-4 34, Wallace 2-3 0-0 4, Varejao 5-8 2-4 12, M.Williams 12-19 3-3 33, Pavlovic 3-6 0-0 6, Hickson 2-3 1-2 5, Gibson 1-2 0-0 2, Szczerbiak 2-6 2-2 8, Kinsey 0-0 0-0 0, Jackson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 41-78 11-15 104.

PORTLAND (98)

Batum 3-5 0-0 7, Aldridge 8-20 5-7 21, Oden 3-4 4-4 10, Rodriguez 3-5 0-0 7, Roy 8-23 6-7 23, Bayless 2-3 6-6 10, Przybilla 1-4 4-6 6, Outlaw 2-8 0-3 5, Fernandez 3-9 0-0 9. Totals 33-81 25-33 98.

Shanghai Masters Results

Results Thursday from the Shanghai Masters, a $3.25 million ATP tournament played on hard courts at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center (seedings in parentheses):

Singles

Third Round

Nikolay Davydenko (6), Russia, def. Fernando Gonzalez (10), Chile, 6-3, 7-5.

Radek Stepanek (13), Czech Republic, def. Stanislas Wawrinka, Switzerland, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 4-2, retired.

Robin Soderling (9), Sweden, def. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (5), France, 6-3, 6-3.

Ivan Ljubicic, Croatia, def. Gael Monfils, France (11), 6-2, 3-0, retired.

Novak Djokovic (2), Serbia, def. Rainer Schuettler, Germany, 6-4, 6-2.

Gilles Simon (8), France, def. Tomas Berdych, Czech Republic, 6-3, 6-4.

Feliciano Lopez, Spain, def. Jurgen Melzer, Austria, 5-7, 7-6 (3), 6-1.

Rafael Nadal (1) , Spain, def. Tommy Robredo, Spain, 6-1. 6-4.

Now, a cooler for your terrace ; It is an outdoor cooling system, called Harley Masterkool, that uses micro particles of water to absorb heat from the atmosphere that it then uses as energy for its own evaporation.

What is it? It is an outdoor cooling system, called HarleyMasterkool, that uses micro particles of water to absorb heat fromthe atmosphere that it then uses as energy for its own evaporation.

The system employs technology to create 5 micron water droplets,similar in size to natural fog, for this purpose.

Does it work? Well, it reduces the ambient outdoor temperature ina given area by 5-10 degree Celsius. It also repels mosquitoes andother insects.

Where can it be used? It is designed for open areas of up to 750sq. m. The main application areas are hotels, restaurants,factories, workshops, shopping malls and multiplexes. Smaller unitsare also available for private terraces, lawns and small openspaces.

How much does it cost? They range from Rs 75,000 for a machinethat covers an area of 50 sq. m. to Rs 4.5 lakh for machines thatcover areas of 750 sq. m.

And where is it available? It is being marketed in India by F.Harley & Co.

Manu Kaushik