IRVING, Texas, March 18 -- The Big 12 Conference, a college athletic conference, issued the following news: * * * Six Big 12 Teams Selected For College Basketball Crown and NIT The College Basketball Crown announced five Big 12 men's basketball programs would be a part of its single-elimination 16-team contest, which takes place Monday, March 31 to Sunday, April 6. In addition, one Big 12 program was selected to play in the NIT. Arizona State, UCF, Cincinnati, Colorado and Utah head to the M  more

BOULDER, Colorado, March 18 -- The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences issued the following news: * * * Smoke from fires near populated areas is more deadly than remote wildfires Emissions are three times more likely to lead to premature deaths when the fire occurs at the wildland-urban interface A bright orange smoke-filled sky threatens home and vegetation in a California neighborhood The smoke from fires that burn near populated areas has far greater health impac  more