Mike Corder

This time, there was no judging scandal in the pairs. Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin eliminated any chance for controversy on Monday night in the Olympic pairs with a balletic free skate reminiscent of other great Russian couples. ''I felt really great on the ice,'' said Totmianina.

Svetlana Ishmouratova of Russia was near flawless on her way to gold in the women's 15km biathlon at the Olympics on Monday, while two strong contenders for the women's downhill had spectacular crashes in training. Ishmouratova missed just one target out of 20 to finish in 49 minutes, 24,1 seconds.

Antoine Deneriaz won the marquee event of the Winter Olympics on Sunday with a surprising late run to upstage the Austrians and Americans in the men's downhill. Unsurprisingly, Michelle Kwan withdrew from the Games, ending her decade-long quest for gold. Armin Zoeggeler gave Italy their first golden moment with victory in the luge.

Donald Horne, a historian and author who first labelled Australia ''The Lucky Country'' and was credited with helping launch its republican movement, has died at age 83, his agent said. Horne, who also was a respected journalist, died early on Thursday at his Sydney home, said his literary agent, Jane Cameron.

Big Brother is watching Big Brother. Australian lawmakers have been tuning into a risqué late night edition of hit reality TV show Big Brother -- and they don't like what they're seeing. The show features a group of contestants who are sealed off in a house where their every move and comments are caught on cameras and microphones dotted around their temporary home.