Apple sues maker of Google phone

The New York Times reports Apple is suing HTC, the Taiwan-based phone maker, over 20 Apple patents linked to the iPhone. Apple says HTC violated patents covering the phone’s user interface, internal architecture and hardware.

“We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it," Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive, said. "We’ve decided to do something about it. We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours.”

HTC makes the Nexus One, a Google designed phone, and the iPhone's direct competitor. While Google was not named in the lawsuit, relations between Apple and Google are likely to worsen. HTC says it learned about the lawsuit this morning, and has not had time to investigate Apple's claims.

Mother gives up baby to Syracuse Fire Department

A mother gave her nine-month old son to the Syracuse fire department Monday afternoon. Fire Capt. John Stubbs says the woman walked up the fire station's driveway on S. Salina St, and told firefighters she could no longer care for the child.

"All she wanted to do was to leave the baby and go," Stubbs said. "As it happened, it seemed like a non-event."

The woman told firefighters her name and the baby's name before leaving the fire station. The fire department told The Post-Standard dropping off a child at a fire station is not considered abandonment.  

Iverson says he will not return this season

Allen Iverson says he will not return to the 76ers for the rest of the season. ESPN says Iverson has been absent from the team for the past month, dealing with an undisclosed illness of his 4-year-old daughter, Messiah.

"It was tough to leave her and my wife and kids," Iverson said. "But I do have a commitment and an obligation to be with my team and to do my job. But it is rough. I think this is the only thing I do in life where for a couple hours during the game I don't think about nothing but [basketball]."

Iverson rejoined the 76ers for his second stint with the team in December. Iverson was voted an Eastern Conference All-Star this past month, but he did not play in the game. He skipped it to be with his daughter.