MINNEAPOLIS Randy Foye and the Minnesota Timberwolves are on their first roll of the season.

WASHINGTON President-elect Barack Obama has chosen a former Clinton Treasury Department official to head up a new office that will closely follow how well federal programs are working.

BOULDER, Colo. More than a hundred firefighters spent the night battling a stubborn, wind-driven wildfire that triggered the evacuations of more than 900 homes as it scorched grasslands near Denver.

WASHINGTON Senate Democrats who thought they could push away Roland Burris misjudged the racial fallout, underestimated public reaction and wound up on shaky legal ground.

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. Matt Dickey scored 18 points and Reid Augst added 17 to lead North Carolina-Asheville to a 86-76 win over Gardner-Webb on Wednesday night.

WASHINGTON President-elect Barack Obama says spiraling entitlement spending will be a central part of the discussion on controlling the federal deficit in the future.

MILWAUKEE Andre Miller hit a 3-pointer with 28 seconds left, finishing with 28 points and nine rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers held on for a rare road win Wednesday night, 110-105 over the Milwaukee Bucks.

ANAHEIM, Calif. Samuel Pahlsson and Bobby Ryan scored power-play goals, and Jonas Hiller made 17 saves Tuesday night to lead the Anaheim Ducks to a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.

LONDON The U.S. dollar was mixed against other major currencies in European trading Thursday morning. Gold fell.

Eric Mangini didn't waste much time finding a job after being cut loose by the New York Jets, agreeing to a four-year deal Wednesday to coach the Cleveland Browns.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. Antonio Anderson scored 17 points and Roburt Sallie added 13 as Memphis pulled away in the second half for an 80-57 victory over Marshall on Wednesday night in the Conference USA opener for both teams.

RALEIGH, N.C. Sergei Samsonov scored his 200th career goal and the Carolina Hurricanes withstood a late rally to beat the New Jersey Devils 3-2 Tuesday night.

WASHINGTON Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson on Wednesday said the best option for the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could be for the mortgage giants to be run like public utilities.

WASHINGTON The upcoming inauguration of Barack Obama is an attractive target for international and domestic terrorists, but U.S. intelligence officials have no information about specific threats to the Jan. 20 event.

NEW YORK Scott Boras took a tour of Citi Field and sat down for lunch Wednesday with top executives from the New York Mets.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. Matt Bouldin tied a career high with 26 points to help Gonzaga upset No. 15 Tennessee 89-79 in overtime on Wednesday night.

LONDON Share prices on the London Stock Exchange were lower Wednesday.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. Andy Rautins scored 17 points and Paul Harris added 14 to lead six Syracuse players in double figures in the No. 11 Orange's 85-68 win over DePaul on Wednesday night.

PARIS French motorcyclist Pascal Terry has been found dead during the Dakar Rally in Argentina.

SANTA FE, N.M. One of Gov. Bill Richardson's close friends and advisers worked as a consultant for the California firm at the center of a federal pay-to-play probe that derailed the governor's appointment as commerce secretary.