Xbox Live hacked, accounts stolen

Online gaming forums are buzzing with reports that Xbox Live accounts linked to Microsoft's Windows Live ID service are being hijacked by malicious hackers.

Kevin Finisterre, a security researcher at Digital Munition, raised the issue on the Full Disclosure mailing list over the weekend, calling attention to rumors that Microsoft's Bungie.net was the victim of a breach that exposed a portion of Xbox Live.

"Some folks are having their Microsoft points stolen and or points purchased via their stolen gamer tag," Finisterre said.

A quick search of user forums at xbox.com and other gaming sites turned up multiple messages from Xbox Live users complaining about hijacked accounts, which typically link gamer tags to Windows Live ID (formerly .NET Passport).

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Penguins, government agree on new arena

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -The Penguins reached a deal on financing for a new arena that will keep the NHL team in Pittsburgh.

The agreement - with city, county and state officials - was announced by Gov. Ed Rendell on Tuesday at the Pennsylvania Gaming Congress. He said money from the state's new slot machine parlors would help fund the arena.

The Penguins had threatened to leave Pittsburgh if they couldn't secure a new rink. Their lease at 46-year-old Mellon Arena, the oldest facility in the league, expires June 30 and the team is free to leave after that.

The Penguins began playing in Pittsburgh in 1967, and won Stanley Cup titles in 1991 and 1992. Their home attendance and local TV ratings are among the strongest of the NHL's 24 U.S. franchises.

Breaking

Sprint is on to change NASCAR series names

Sprint Cup could come in 2008, sources say

It appears NASCAR’s top two series will change names next season, the Observer has learned. Sprint Nextel is primed to change the name of the Nextel Cup Series, with the likelihood of such a change by next season called “fairly certain” by multiple sources Sunday.

NASCAR is in the process of seeking a new sponsor for its Busch Series.

A Sprint Nextel spokesperson reached at Las Vegas Motor Speedway said the company had not reached a decision on whether to change the series name, or what it would be if such a change was made. The company hoped to have a decision by mid- to late-summer, the spokesperson said.

Nextel Communications signed a 10-year agreement in 2003 to become the sponsor of what is now the Nextel Cup Series beginning in 2004. Nextel replaced Winston, which had sponsored the series for 33 years. In 2005, Nextel merged with Sprint and, almost immediately, speculation started on a new name for the Cup series. Nextel is allowed a name change in its agreement with NASCAR. The most discussed name at the time was the Sprint Cup Series.

Sprint Nextel officials decided to delay a decision while the new company evaluated how best to leverage its sponsorship with the merger.

NASCAR confirmed late last year Anheuser-Busch would not extend its sponsorship of the Busch Series beyond 2007. The company has sponsored the series since its inception in 1982.

NASCAR and officials with ESPN, which now televises the entire Busch schedule, have been working in partnership in obtaining a new sponsor.

Saskin sent home on paid leave of absence


It was the beginning of the end for NHL Players' Association executive director Ted Saskin on Sunday night as the players' executive board voted to send him home on a paid leave of absence while an internal review continued and more questions get answered.

The 30 players reps on the Sunday night conference call also voted to put NHLPA senior director Ken Kim on a paid leave of absence. Saskin and Kim have been accused of monitoring NHLPA player e-mails, the explosive allegations that led to Sunday's executive board conference call.

''Ted is done,'' one player, who requested anonymity, said after the call.

Saskin was not on the conference call. A source told The Canadian Press that his e-mail account and blackberry were disconnected over the weekend.

''Following Sunday evening's conference call, the National Hockey League Players' Association announced that the NHLPA executive board has placed Ted Saskin, NHLPA executive director and Ken Kim, NHLPA senior director on a paid leave of absence effective immediately,'' the union said in a release late Sunday night.

''The NHLPA executive board will be retaining outside counsel in order to properly address the allegations made against Mr. Saskin and Mr. Kim. The NHLPA executive board will afford Mr. Saskin and Mr. Kim the opportunity to respond to the allegations made against them at the appropriate time.

''As this is an internal matter, there will be no further comment at this time.''

The six-member interim executive committee, which did not vote Sunday night, will be responsible for recommending that independent lawyer.

Longest suspensions in NHL history


25 games - Chris Simon, New York Islanders, March 11, 2007, for the rest of the regular season (15 games) and playoffs for his two-handed stick attack against New York Rangers forward Ryan Hollweg. If the Islanders play fewer than 10 playoff games, the suspension continues next season.

23 games - Marty McSorley, Boston, Feb. 2000, for knocking out Vancouver's Donald Brashear with a stick-swinging hit. On Nov. 7, 2000, the suspension was extended by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to Feb. 20, 2001.

23 games - Gordie Dwyer, Tampa Bay, Sept. 19, 2000, for abusing officials and exiting the penalty box to fight in an exhibition game against Washington.

21 games - Dale Hunter, Washington, May 1993, for a blindside check on Pierre Turgeon of the Islanders after a goal in a playoff game.

20 games - Todd Bertuzzi, Vancouver, March 11, 2004, for sucker-punching Colorado forward Steve Moore on March 8. Bertuzzi's suspension was for 13 regular-season games, plus playoffs. Bertuzzi was reinstated 17 months later, after the yearlong lockout.

20 games - Tom Lysiak, Chicago, Oct. 1983, for intentionally tripping a linesman.

20 games - Brad May, Phoenix, Nov. 15, 2000, for hitting Columbus' Steve Heinze on the nose with his stick in a game on Nov. 11.

16 games - Eddie Shore, Boston, 1933, for hitting Toronto's Ace Bailey over the head with his stick.

15 games - (3 regular-season, 12 playoff games) Maurice Richard, Montreal, March 1955, for striking linesman Cliff Thompson during a scuffle with Boston's Hal Laycoe.

15 games - Wilf Paiement, Colorado, Oct. 1978, for swinging his stick and hitting Detroit's Dennis Polonich in the face.

15 games - Dave Brown, Philadelphia, Nov. 1987, for cross-checking Tomas Sandstrom of the New York Rangers across the face and breaking his jaw.

15 games - Tony Granato, Los Angeles, Feb. 1994, for slashing Pittsburgh's Neil Wilkinson.

Impasse declared over Penguins arena

The on-going negotiations between the Pittsburgh Penguins and government officials over the building of a new arena are not going as well as hoped.

The Penguins have declared an impasse and will aggressively explore moving the franchise to a new city. Kansas City is the favourite to land the Penguins as they have a brand new arena that is missing a tenant.

Penguins co-owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle told Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell, Allegheny County chief executive Dan Onorato and Pittsburgh mayor Luke Ravenstahl about their decision in a letter on Monday.

According to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, the Penguins had agreed to pay $4 million annually in rent and capital expenses to contribute to a new area, as well as an additional $500,000 for a parking garage, but the two sides have not been able to reach an agreement. The Penguins had originally offered to pay $2.86 million annually in the offer that was presented by state and local leaders at a meeting January 4.

''Unfortunately, we still don't have a deal and are faced with mounting uncertainty that an agreement can be reached in a time frame that is realistic for our organization,'' the letter states. ''Therefore, we have no choice but to declare an impasse and to notify NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman that we will aggressively explore relocation.

''A project of this scope, with so many complex issues, can ill afford further delays that add more risk and more uncertainty. The risk has been magnified by what we perceive as a lack of collaboration from the public sector in the negotiations.

''Our good faith efforts have not produced a deal, however, and have only added more anxiety to what we thought at best was a risky proposition for us moving forward.''