Defending Movistar Open champ Bellucci wins opener

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Defending champion Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil defeated Filippo Volandri of Italy 6-2, 6-2 in the first round Monday at the Movistar Open, the first clay-court tournament of the ATP season.

Third-seeded Bellucci converted five break-point opportunities and looked impressive in improving to a 38-24 career record on clay.

Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain beat Argentina's Leonardo Mayer 6-4, 6-4, Russian Igor Andreev downed Eduardo Schwank of Argentina 6-3, 7-6 (4), and Pablo Andujar of Spain defeated Australian Peter Luczak 6-4, 6-4.

In other first-round matches, Brazil's Ricardo …

Gabrielle Giffords has deal for a memoir

NEW YORK (AP) — The world has only begun to learn about Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

The Arizona Democrat and her husband, astronaut and Navy captain Mark Kelly, are working on a memoir that Scribner will publish at a date to be determined. The book, currently untitled, will be an intimate chronicle of everything from their careers and courtship to the Jan. 8 tragedy when a gunman shot Giffords in the head during a political event in Tucson, Ariz. Six people were killed in the attack and 12 others besides the congresswoman were wounded.

"Since Jan. 8, it's been really touching to us to see how much support there is for Gabby and her recovery, and how much interest there is in how …

'8 Mile' seeks to unify what it divides

Mosaic Youth Theatre remounts popular show May 8-15

DETROIT - There's no debating the divide that exists between the city of Detroit and its suburbs. Along municipal boundary lines lies a virtual chasm that's easily crossed, physically, but wider and deeper than the Grand Canyon, ideologically speaking. With a revamped remount of one of their most widely praised productions, Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit is once again opening a candid discussion about the issues that divide us, while generating some serious laughs in the process. And it's their hope that, wherever you're from - city or suburb - you'll join them May 8 through 15 at the Detroit Institute of the Arts for "Crossing 8 …

Airlines Lighten Up to Cut Fuel Costs

Your ginger-ale doesn't come in a glass anymore on most US Airways flights. On Delta you'll find yourself in a thinner, lighter seat. If you fly JetBlue cross-country, you'll get a dainty bag of 100-calorie crisps in place of the original snack box of cookies, crackers and spreadable cheese.

With jet fuel prices so high, airlines have no choice but to scour their planes for ways to lighten the load. There's no room for even the smallest bits of dead weight, from redundant wing lights to extra wires in the walls. Manufacturers also are using lighter materials in plane construction.

"The pressure is immense" to cut weight, said John Heimlich, chief …

WHO: Up to 2 billion people might get swine flu

Up to 2 billion people could be infected by swine flu if the current outbreak turns into a pandemic lasting two years, the World Health Organization said Thursday.

WHO flu chief Keiji Fukuda said the historical record of flu pandemics indicates one-third of the world's population gets infected in such outbreaks. Independent experts agreed that the estimate was possible but pointed out that many would not show any symptoms.

In Mexico, the hardest hit country so far, high schools and universities opened for the first time in two weeks as the government's top health official insisted the epidemic is on the decline. All students were checked for swine flu …

Astros, Williams Shut Down Cards

Brian Williams gave up one run in eight innings Thursday as theHouston Astros whipped the visiting St. Louis Cardinals 5-1.

Williams (6-4) won for the third time in his last fourdecisions. He gave up five hits before Joe Boever finished.

Losing pitcher Donovan Osborne (9-7) struck out the first fivebatters he faced and retired the first nine in order before CraigBiggio doubled to lead off the fourth inning.

Astros outfielder Eric Anthony flied to Cardinals right …

Crocodiles, snakes are danger in flooded Australia

ROCKHAMPTON, Australia (AP) — Residents of an Australian city cut off by some of the country's worst flooding in decades are being warned to stay out of the water, and not just because of the risk of being swept away: Debris, snakes and even crocodiles could also pose a danger.

Large parts of the coastal city of Rockhampton were under water Tuesday. The waters were still rising, with the 75,000-strong population bracing for the floods' expected peak in the next 24 hours as a huge inland sea spawned by heavy rain across Queensland state drains toward the ocean.

Residents on boats made their way through Rockhampton's flooded streets, while police checked houses to see whether …