The almanac By United Press International WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- UPI Almanac for Sunday, Dec. 30, 2007.

COL BKB: Stanford 55, Fresno State 48 STANFORD, Calif., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Brook Lopez had 19 points and 12 rebounds Saturday to help No. 22 Stanford overcome pesky Fresno State 55-48.

Bin Laden urges Iraqis to oppose U.S. BAGHDAD, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- In a new audiotape said to have been made by Osama bin Laden, the al-Qaida leader accuses the United States of trying to build a regional base in Iraq.

COL BKB: Memphis 76, Arizona 63 MEMPHIS, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Robert Dozier had 18 points and five rebounds Saturday, helping No. 2 Memphis beat 18th-ranked Arizona 76-63.

NHL: Minnesota 5, Edmonton 4 (OT) ST. PAUL, Minn., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Petteri Nummelin's first goal of the season, at 1:50 into overtime Saturday, helped the Minnesota Wild overcome a three-goal deficit and beat Edmonton 5-4.

NHL: Detroit 4, Phoenix 2 GLENDALE, Ariz., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Pavel Datsyuk had a goal and two assists Saturday, leading the Detroit Red Wings past Phoenix 4-2.

NBA: Boston 104, Utah 98 SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Paul Pierce had 24 points and six rebounds Saturday to help the Boston Celtics rally past the Utah Jazz 104-98.

NHL: Calgary 5, Anaheim 3 CALGARY, Alberta, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Jarome Iginla and Kristin Huselius each had two goals and an assist Saturday and the Calgary Flames beat Anaheim 5-3.

NBA: Seattle 109, Minnesota 90 SEATTLE, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Jeff Green and Wally Szczerbiak scored 18 points each Saturday to lead the Seattle SuperSonics past Minnesota 109-90.

Colo. casinos try to mollify smokers BLACK HAWK, Colo., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Colorado casinos are preparing for a ban on smoking that takes effect Tuesday, New Year's Day.

Yellowknife's shacks face uncertain future YELLOWKNIFE, Northwest Territories, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Some residents of Yellowknife, in the Canadian Northwest Territories, are worried about the future of 20 shacks that once housed the town's pioneers.

NHL: Dallas 5, St. Louis 4 (SO) DALLAS, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Mike Modano scored the only goal in the shootout and the Dallas Stars overcame a hat trick by Paul Kariya Saturday to beat the St. Louis Blues 5-4.

Sarkozy reportedly has phone for new love SHARM EL-SHEIK, Egypt, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been spotted carrying a new cell phone, apparently dedicated to calls from his new girlfriend.

Mich. girl killed by barrier at ski slope CANTON, Mich., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A 13-year-old Michigan girl died at a ski resort in the state when she struck a wood and concrete barrier at the bottom of an intermediate slope.

NHL: San Jose 5, Nashville 2 NASHVILLE, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The San Jose Sharks got third period goals from Matt Carle, Torrey Mitchell and Steve Bernier Saturday and beat the Nashville Predators 5-2.

COL FB: Penn State 24, Texas A&M 17 SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Rodney Kinlaw gained 143 yards on 21 rushes, Evan Royster ran 38 yards for a fourth-quarter TD, and Penn State beat Texas A&M 24-17 Saturday in the Alamo Bowl.

Geena Davis drops suit against non-profit LOS ANGELES, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Actress Geena Davis and a Minnesota group have agreed to settle her lawsuit involving a project to change gender roles in children's entertainment.

NBA: New Orleans 86, Cleveland 76 NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Led by David West's 27 points and 15 rebounds Saturday, the New Orleans Hornets beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 86-76.

NHL: Pittsburgh 2, Buffalo 0 PITTSBURGH, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Ty Conklin recorded his third career shutout Saturday when the Pittsburgh Penguins blanked the Buffalo Sabres 2-0.

COL BKB: Oklahoma 88, W.Va. 82 (2 OT) CHARLESTON, W.Va., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Longar Longar's eight straight points in the second overtime Saturday led Oklahoma to an 88-82 upset of 23rd-ranked West Virginia.

Last Amur tiger in Alaska Zoo dies ANCHORAGE, Calif., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The last Amur tiger in the Alaska Zoo has been euthanized.

COL BKB: Boise State 73, BYU 70 BOISE, Idaho, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Reggie Larry scored 19 points and Matt Nelson was 7 for 7 shooting for 18 points Saturday in Boise State's 73-70 upset win over No. 21 BYU.

NBA: Orlando 104, Charlotte 95 ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Hedo Turkoglu scored a team-high 28 points Saturday in the Orlando Magic's 104-95 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.

NFL: New England 38, N.Y. Giants 35 EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- New England rallied from 12 points down in the second half Saturday to beat the New York Giants 38-35 and become the first NFL team to go 16-0.

NBA: Detroit 98, Indiana 92 INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Richard Hamilton scored 24 points Saturday to lead the Detroit Pistons to their eighth straight victory, 98-92 over the Indiana Pacers.

NBA: New Jersey 97, Milwaukee 95 MILWAUKEE, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Vince Carter had 23 points and seven assists and Jason Kidd had 17 points and 15 assists Saturday to lead the New Jersey Nets past Milwaukee 97-95.

Brady, Moss set NFL records EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- New England quarterback Tom Brady and receiver Randy Moss broke two NFL records Saturday when the Patriots went 16-0 with a 38-35 win over the New York Giants.

NHL: N.Y. Rangers 6, Toronto 1 TORONTO, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Petr Prucha scored twice and Jaromir Jagr had a goal and three assists Saturday in the New York Rangers' 6-1 rout of Toronto.

NBA: Houston 91, Toronto 79 HOUSTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Yao Ming scored 25 points and hauled in 11 rebounds Saturday, leading the Houston Rockets past Toronto 91-79.

UPI Sports Calendar for Sunday, Dec. 30 Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Sunday sports calendar

Man and boy prey on the elderly EDINBURGH, Scotland, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Police in Scotland say a man and boy who may be father and son have been preying on elderly retirees, committing at least three thefts this month.

COL BKB: Dayton 80, Pittsburgh 55 DAYTON, Ohio, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Brian Roberts had five three-pointers and 31 points Saturday to lead Dayton to an 80-55 victory over previously unbeaten sixth-ranked Pittsburgh.

Pine martens halting grey squirrels EDINBURGH, Scotland, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- One of Scotland's native mammals, the pine marten, may help save another one, the red squirrel, by driving down the population of grey squirrels.

NHL: Columbus 4, Carolina 1 COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Nikolai Zherdev had a career game Saturday with two goals and two assists in the Columbus Blue Jackets' 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

UPI NewsTrack Sports Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Neuheisel named UCLA football coach ... Arkansas RB McFadden's eligibility questioned ... Carolina QB Vinny Testaverde to retire ... Mississippi State wins Liberty Bowl ... Sports news from United Press International.

NHL: Washington 8, Ottawa 6 OTTAWA, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Alexander Ovechkin recorded his first four-goal game Saturday to help the Washington Capitals beat the Ottawa Senators 8-6.

NHL: Atlanta 5, Boston 0 ATLANTA, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Kari Lehtonen recorded his second shutout this season Saturday to guide the Atlanta Thrashers in a 5-0 rout of the Boston Bruins.

COL BKB: Kansas 86, Yale 53 LAWRENCE, Kan., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Darnell Jackson scored 20 points Saturday to lead the third-ranked Kansas Jayhawks to an 86-53 victory over the Yale Bulldogs.

Four rowers complete voyage across Tasman SYDNEY, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Four Australians arrived in Sydney Sunday -- the first to row the 1,250 miles across the Tasman Sea from New Zealand.

Mullah Omar sacks top Taliban commander KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- One of the top military leaders of the Taliban in Afghanistan has been fired for failing to obey orders.

Teen depression linked to diet? SYDNEY, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Australian scientists plan the biggest study ever done on how the food teenagers eat affects their emotional state.

NHL: N.Y. Islanders 5, New Jersey 2 UNIONDALE, N.Y., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Andy Sutton scored the deciding goal Saturday when the New York Islanders topped the New Jersey Devils 5-2.

Australian debtors could lose homes CANBERRA, Australia, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Australians who have run up credit card bills they are unable to repay may face the loss of their homes, a consumer advocacy group says.

COL BKB: Indiana 97, Chicago State 59 BLOOMINGTON, Ind., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- D.J. White had 21 points and 15 rebounds Saturday to lead the 14th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers to a 97-59 romp over the Chicago State Cougars.

COL BKB: UCLA 76, UC-Davis 48 LOS ANGELES, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Darren Collison scored 14 points and Kevin Love had 13 Saturday to lead the fifth-ranked UCLA Bruins to a 76-48 win over the UC Davis Aggies.

UPI NewsTrack TopNews WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- News from United Press International, around the world around the clock ...

COL BKB: Villanova 71, LaSalle 58 VILLANOVA, Pa., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Scottie Reynolds had 19 points and Corey Fisher 18 Saturday to pace the 16th-ranked Villanova Wildcats to a 71-58 win over the LaSalle Explorers.

NBA: Washington 94, Miami 76 WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Andray Blatche scored a team-high 18 points Saturday in the Washington Wizards' 94-76 victory over the Miami Heat.

Petraeus: Al-Qaida attacks down 60 percent BAGHDAD, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- While al-Qaida in Mesopotamia remains the major terrorist threat in Iraq, attacks are down by 60 percent since June, the top U.S. commander said Saturday.

Mystery container found on Scottish beach GRIMINISH, Scotland, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- A mysterious metal container, more than 80 feet long with a cone-shaped top, has washed up on a Scottish beach.