Ozzie wants Hurt's leadership New Sox manager expects Thomas to produce on the field and set example for young players

NEW ORLEANS -- On another slow day for the White Sox at the wintermeetings, manager Ozzie Guillen helped speed things up.

While general manager Ken Williams was monotone Saturday eveningexplaining he is not close to any deals, Guillen was his usual upbeatself talking about the anticipation of his first season as manager.

And just like at his introductory news conference at U.S. CellularField in early November, Guillen was bombarded with questions aboutFrank Thomas and what the relationship between former teammates willbe like now.

Guillen said he still hasn't had an opportunity to speak withThomas directly, but that his new third-base coach Joey Cora spokewith …

Actress sees human side of `Delta' role

Actress sees human side of `Delta' role

Kay Bourne

Loretta is a fall down drunk who sneaks nickels and dimes from her small children to buy a bottle in the Maya Angelou directed movie "Down In The Delta" (Miramax Pictures).

Even so, actress Alfre Woodard, who plays the distraught Loretta, right away recognized in this despondent woman, a person of courage.

The enthralling saga relates the story of a proud African American family whose acknowledged patriarch is the father of a soldier in the Civil War.

The movie opens Christmas Day at the Kendall Theater in Cambridge. The film also features Al Freeman, Jr., Mary Alice, Loretta Devine, and Wesley …

New Kids on the Block soak up love on reunion tour

Donnie Wahlberg might look and act tough, but he's a softie underneath.

The resident bad boy of New Kids on the Block said he has cried tears of joy while performing for thousands of screaming fans on the reunited band's arena tour, which began in Canada last week.

"We've had old banners being held up, new banners being held up, people singing the old songs, partying with the new songs, bras thrown onstage with women flashing us," Wahlberg said by phone from Toronto. "Husbands holding their wives and singing along to the songs with their wives in their arms ... I don't like to overblow the significance of anything, we're a pop group after …

Slimmers meet comedian at awards

Two Slimming World teachers from Keynsham met TV presenter JustinLee Collins at an event to celebrate slimmers' achievements.

Anna-Marie Manning and Ann Rose, who run Slimming World groupsevery Wednesday and Thursday, met the comedian at the organisation'sannual awards ceremony in Birmingham.

Mr Collins, best known for presenting The Sunday Night Projectand Justin Lee Collins: Good Times, joined Slimming World's founderMargaret Miles-Bramwell to …

Stoudemire, Suns Win 15 in a Row - Again

NEW YORK - The Phoenix Suns took nearly 40 years to win 15 straight games. They needed only a month to do it again.

Amare Stoudemire scored 26 of his 30 points in Phoenix's big second half, and the Suns beat the New York Knicks 112-107 Wednesday night for their second 15-game winning streak of the season.

Barely a month after establishing the longest winning streak in franchise history, the Suns equaled it by turning things around after a sluggish first half in the second night of a back-to-back.

"I think you've got to be a good team," Steve Nash said. "I think we have a lot of talent and have great chemistry and some mental toughness. Whatever mental toughness …

Olivo powers Mariners past Rays

SEATTLE (AP) — Miguel Olivo really enjoyed Tampa Bay's trip to Seattle.

Olivo hit a tiebreaking three-run homer off Joel Peralta in the eighth inning and the Mariners rallied for a 9-6 win over the Rays on Sunday.

Olivo also connected against Peralta on Saturday and has homered in three straight games overall. He is batting .378 (17 for 45) with four homers and 13 RBIs in his last 13 games.

The catcher has raised his batting average to .251 and hit five of his seven homers this season since he struggled through a rough April.

"He's putting up better at-bats. I think he's recognizing pitches better," manager Eric Wedge said. "He's a big-game player. He's had a lot …

South Africa wants to join so-called BRIC nations

South Africa wants to be considered among the leaders of the developing world along with Brazil, Russia, India and China, its president said Wednesday, pushing for membership of a grouping that has growing global influence.

President Jacob Zuma told reporters during a state visit to China that South Africa has discussed its interest in joining the informal grouping of the four major developing nations, known as BRIC, with each member government.

The four nations work to boost trade with each other and have called for developing countries to have bigger role in major global financial decisions, primarily within institutions such as the International Monetary …