The U.S. Treasury Department decided last week to issue a license allowing Cuba to play in the World Baseball Classic. The U.S. had vetoed the previous bid to allow Cuba to play, but changed its mind after Cuba announced it would give all of its earnings to Hurricane Katrina victims.

Shigetoshi Hasegawa retired earlier this week. He spent the first six years of his career with the Orix Blue Waves of the Japanese Pacific League, earning the Rookie of the Year honors in 1991. He then joined the Anaheim Angels for five years and then the Seattle Mariners for four years, all as a reliever. He had a 3.70 ERA in the majors and was an all-star in 2003.

Wade Miller signed with the Chicago Cubs for a one year deal.

Basketball
This past Sunday, Jan. 22, 2006, the Lakers' Kobe Bryant took complete control of a game against Toronto and scored 81 points. This is the second highest in a single game total in history, trailing only Wilt Chamberlains 100 points scored in 1962. Nobody has scored as much as 70 since David Robinson got 71 on the last day of the 1994 season.

The Knicks' Antonio Davis was suspended for five games for entering the stands to defend his wife from a fan.

Bryant and the Suns' Shawn Marion have joined Lebron James as members of the U.S. Olympic team for the next three years.

The Kings' Shareef Abdur-Rahim has been playing the last few games with his jaw wired shut.

Hockey
Mario Lemieux retired for the second time as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins.