Los Angeles - Folk music legend and civil rights activist Odetta Holmes has died aged 77, her manager said Tuesday.

Holmes, a champion of African-American music and civil rights issues for more than half a century, died at the Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City from heart disease, her
manager, Doug Yeager, said.

"May Odetta's luminous spirit and volcanic voice from the heavens live on for the ages," Yeager said in a statement. "Her voice will never die."

Los Angeles  - Troy Murphy was in the right place at the right time.

Murphy made the game-winning tip-in at the buzzer, and the Indiana Pacers overcame a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun the league-leading Los Angeles Lakers
118-117 on Tuesday night.

"We know that with our style of play we can come back on teams and no lead is too big for us," said Murphy, who finished with 16 points and 17 rebounds. "We just stuck with it and knocked down some shots."

Danny Granger scored 32 points and TJ Ford had 21 for the Pacers (7-10), who outscored the Lakers 32-16 in the decisive fourth quarter.

Los Angeles  - Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski filed a formal request Tuesday to the Los Angeles County Superior Court to dismiss the 30-year-old child molestation charges against him.

Polanski was convicted of several sex crimes involving a 13-year- old girl in 1977 but fled the United States before sentencing.

His lawyers said that a recent documentary on the case had revealed that a pattern of misconduct between the court and prosecutors "had so distorted the legal process that the interests of justice can only be served with the complete dismissal of the case."

Los Angeles - Mainstream stars such as Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams, Woody Allen, Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz all figured prominently Tuesday in nominations for the Independent Spirit Awards, the first major awards of the season.

Los Angeles  - Hyundai is developing a new hybrid technology using lithium polymer batteries which the car maker claims are lighter, require less space and are 10 per cent more efficient than current hybrids which use either lithium-ion or nickel-metal hybride.

In addition, the car maker presented special fuel-efficient models called Blue Drive at the Los Angeles Motor Show. These are fitted with a 30 kW electric motor, an improved 2.4-litre petrol engine and regenerative brake energy and a start-stop system.

Los Angeles - Three-time Grand Slam champion Lindsay Davenport has been dropping hints that her tennis career could finally be over, with motherhood fast becoming a full-time occupation.

The 32-year-old has vowed to decide in the next few days whether she will prepare for the Australian Open, which begins January 19 in Melbourne.