The Improv Nashville Show: Improv Nashville performs scenes, games, and a one-act play based on audience suggestions. Advance ticket purchase is recommended. 8 p.m. Jan. 11, 18 and 25, 12th South Arts Venue, 2907 12th Ave. S.; $10. For tickets call 418-0905 or visit www.improvnashville.com.

Economical Hyundai Elantra PZEV is best value in midsize class

The Elantra GLS is a relatively inexpensive, high-quality car with a base price of $13,625. Compare that with base prices for the Ford Focus ($14,705), Honda Civic ($14,810), Suzuki SX4 ($14,770) or Toyota Corolla ($15,250).

It is the genuine article, much as the Miwok Indians who once lived in, loved and honored this place were genuine articles, real examples of how humans, if left to the better angels of their nature, could live in peace with their environment.

Dialogues aim to foster healing within church

It worked in post-apartheid South Africa. It works for thousands of couples in bitter divorces. Can structured mediation and conflict resolution work to reconcile disaffected Catholics with the Catholic church? A group is trying it in Boston.

Last year, in Boston -- the city that was at the epicenter of the clergy sexual abuse scandal and its cover-up by the Catholic hierarchy -- the Paulist Center began a campaign to foster reconciliation between aggrieved Catholics and the Boston archdiocese. Last fall, Catholics and former Catholics sat down with Richard Erikson, the archdiocese’s vicar general. They told their stories and attempted to arrive at understanding, not as enemies, but as fellow Christians. On Jan. 25, at their national conference, the Paulist Fathers -- an order of Catholic priests founded in 1858 as missionaries to North America -- will decide whether to expand the ministry to their 14 Paulist centers around the country.

Land to Reliance okayed

The Punjab Government will take a decision on three main demands of employees at a meeting of the Council of Ministers scheduled for August 10 . On that day, the council will also approve the setting up of the pay commission for the staff.

Sources said yesterday that the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, had made up his mind to give the promotional scale to employees on the completion of four, nine and 14 years of service. However, the Finance Department and certain sections of the bureaucracy are not supporting this move.

As the Chief Minister has given his word to the employees in this connection, he will not go back on it, said a senior officer. The annual liability of giving the promotional scale from April this year will between Rs 180 crore and Rs 200 crore, it is learnt.

Amargosa track sets '08 debut for Feb. 9

Auto racing will return to southern Nye County in 2008, according to Rick VanBuytene.

VanBuytene, for years one of the standout drivers at the Pahrump Valley Speedway, is the director of racing at the Amargosa facility, located just off Highway 373 near the Ash Meadows turnoff.

PAHO Basic Health Indicator Data Base

Studies carried out in 2000 showed that 16.5% of women in reproductive age suffered anemia and that this percentage rose to 22% in the poorest population. The coverage of prenatal care in 1997 was 25.5% and it is currently about 50%. The total fertility rate in 2002 was 2.1 children per woman.

Adolescents (10-24 years): In 2003, the adolescent population was 33% of the total Venezuelan population. In 1998, seven out of ten adolescents lived in a poor household; almost 40% of adolescent population between 15-17 years of age were excluded from the regular educative system. The average age for male premarital intercourse is 14 years, and in women is 15, usually with older sexual partners and without protection. The fertility rate among adolescent women between 15-19 years of age has diminished in the last ten years from 97 to 87 live newborns per 1,000 women, though; its contribution to the total fertility has risen.

BMW sales drop sparks restructure in Thailand

The group, which consists of the BMW passenger-car and motorcycle brands, as well as the Rolls-Royce and Mini brands, sold 159,365 units in Asia last year, up 12.16 per cent from 142,084 in 2006. In Thailand, BMW sales plunged 41 per cent to only 1,821 units last year.

The company is expecting continued sales growth in the region and has targeted sales of 200,000 units by 2012, said Stefan Krause, head of sales and marketing at BMW.

"We expect BMW Group sales to continue its successful course in 2008, both in Asia and worldwide. Provided that the Asian continent continues its positive economic development, we plan to sell 200,000 vehicles here by 2012," he told Asian journalists at a Tokyo press conference.

"We have achieved our medium-term goal for this region one year ahead of schedule, which is selling more than 150,000 vehicles by 2008.

The family courts and why Paul McCartney should reveal all

Family courts in the UK are shrouded in secrecy, with many decisions taken behind closed doors. The rationale behind such decisions is rarely made public.

Judicial goings on are filtered to the public via the press and the initial media response to this was positive.