Long-Awaited Audit Shows Major Discrepancies In Newsday <b>...</b> The Audit Bureau of Circulations released the long-awaited results of its audit of the Tribune Company #39;s scandal-tarred Newsday on Tuesday, confirming the magnitude of the discrepancies uncovered by the company #39;s recent internal audit.


Microsoft #39;s quest for Google-like gold falls short, for now Microsoft Corp. last week released a preview version of its new Internet search engine. It will be available in its final form early next year.


\$904,800 in refund checks go undelivered in Southeastern <b>...</b> PHILADELPHIA - The Internal Revenue Service is looking for 1,088 Southeastern Pennsylvanians whose income tax refund checks could not be delivered.


NASA  #39;scramjet #39; makes historic flight off California LOS ANGELES NASA #39;s unmanned  quot;scramjet quot; proved it #39;s small but it #39;s fast -- in a record-breaking demonstration above the Pacific Ocean.


Arafat was not poisoned Paris - Doctors who treated Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat believe he died of a blood condition called disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and have ruled out poisoning, Le Monde newspaper reported on Wednesday.


Smoking ban would target pubs ritain #39;s government proposed banning smoking in most public places yesterday, setting off debate over what one smoker decried as the brainchild of a busybody  quot;nanny state.


Is More Aid Needed to Solve Africa's Woes? (Reuters) Reuters - American economist Jeffrey Sachs\has a novel way to tackle African poverty: Shower more aid on\the world's poorest continent.


Sparkle starts shipping GeForce 6600 GT AGP GeForce 6600GT AGP, as good as it gets? <nobr>Hardware Analysis</nobr>


MPAA takes filesharers to court The Motion Picture Association of America has gone on the offensive in its battle against piracy and peer-to-peer sharing of movies, and has launched more than 200 civil suits against users it identifies as being the worst offenders.


Housing Starts Surge 6.4 Pct. in October  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. housing starts jumped a  larger-than-expected 6.4 percent in October to the busiest pace  since December as buyers took advantage of low mortgage rates,  a government report showed on Wednesday.


Sears and Kmart Agree to Merge in \$11 Billion Deal Two of the nation's most well-known companies today said they would combine to form the third-largest U.S. retailer.


Consumer Prices: Biggest Jump Since May Surging energy costs drove US consumer prices up by a hefty and larger-than-expected 0.6 percent last month, the biggest jump since May, a government report showed on Wednesday.


Swedes beam poetry into outer space (Reuters) Reuters - Swedish poets have broadcast their work into outer space by radio to give alien life forms -- if they exist -- a taste\of earthling literature.


Business: Bush Administration Washington Post business columnist Steven Pearlstein will be online to discuss his latest column, which looks at the Bush administration's plans for Social Security and health care.


TV's Passport Stamp of Approval The sixth season of a popular reality television show is ready to rock the world.


Bombings at Two Buenos Aires Banks Kill 1 (AP) AP - Homemade bombs exploded in two Buenos Aires banks Wednesday, killing a security guard, police said.


Explosions rock Argentine banks A blast rocks a branch of Citibank in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, killing a security guard, reports say.


Jack In The Box profit surges 32 percent, helped by sales jump SAN DIEGO San Diego-based Jack in the Box says profit for its latest quarter soared 32 percent. The fast-food chain says net income for the fourth quarter rose to 21-point-7 (m) million dollars from 16-point-4 (m) million a year ago.


Cricket: NZ suffer Franklin blow New Zealand bowler James Franklin misses the first Test against Australia with  injury.


Martha, Vornado shares rise on Sears-Kmart deal Shares of local companies Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and Vornado Realty Trust were boosted by news that Sears and Kmart will merge in an \$11 billion deal, creating a new company called Sears Holdings with about \$55 billion in yearly revenue and


Enbridge to Buy Some of Shell's Pipelines  TORONTO (Reuters) - Enbridge Inc. ENB.TO will buy Shell's  Gulf of Mexico natural gas pipelines for \$613 million in a move  that will make it a major transporter in the huge gas-producing  area, Canada's No. 2 pipeline company said on Wednesday.


SBC Gives Microsoft \$400 Mln Internet TV Deal  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - SBC Communications SBC.N will use  Microsoft Corp. MSFT.O technology to launch video services  over upgraded high-speed data lines, the companies said  Wednesday.


Russia working on new nuclear weapons: Putin MOSCOW - New nuclear weapons systems being developed in Russia could include a missile designed to defeat the US missile defence shield.


USA : Wal-Mart predicts bumper Christmas Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the world #39;s biggest retailer, informed it was confident to see  quot;another record quarter and a successful holiday season quot; after posting solid third-quarter results.


Cheese sandwich back on eBay MIAMI -- You might say that this time, eBay melted in the resolve to ban the online sale of part of a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich.


CASEY COMMENTS NOT  #39;SMART #39; - VERPLANK The backlash to anti-American comments by Ryder Cup player Paul Casey has already started - and is likely only to get worse in the coming months.


Canucks Announce Partial Sale  VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Sports Network) - The  Vancouver Canucks Wednesday announced the sale of 50 percent of  the team and its arena, General Motors Place.


Treasuries Mount Rally Despite Inflation  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury prices rallied on  Wednesday as inflation excluding food and energy, one of the  Federal Reserve's preferred price measures, proved less  dramatic than bond bulls had feared.


UN council arrives in Nairobi UN Security Council members have arrived in Nairobi for a two-day meeting devoted to the conflicts engulfing Sudan, including the western Darfur region.


Stocks Up After Sears Deal, HP Earnings  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended higher on Wednesday  after Kmart's plan to buy Sears in an \$11.5 billion deal was  announced and computer maker Hewlett-Packard Co. HPQ.N posted  solid earnings.


Still under fire, US troops shifting to relief effort US forces in Fallujah offer food and first aid as they face scattered pockets of guerrilla resistance.


Delhomme Questionable Against Cardinals (AP) AP - Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme did not practice Wednesday and is questionable this week because of a broken bone in his right thumb.


BAE included in SFO investigation BAE Systems says it has found out that it is being investigated by the UK's Serious Fraud Office.


APEC Ministers Urge New Effort on Trade Talks Pacific Rim trading nations said on Wednesday they should pool their influence to energize talks to free up world trade. As trade and foreign ministers from the 21-member Asia-Pacific


Closer Percival OKs \$12M Deal With Tigers Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Troy Percival speaks to the media after a news conference in Detroit, Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2004. Percival and the Tigers agreed on a \$12 million, two-year contract.


Democrats Question Kerry's Campaign Funds Democratic Party leaders said Wednesday they want to know why Sen. John Kerry ended his presidential campaign with more than \$15 million in the bank, money that could have helped Democratic candidates across the country.


Baseball Owners Set to Approve Expos Sale (AP) AP - The proposed move of the Montreal Expos to Washington is set to be approved when baseball owners meet Thursday in Chicago.


Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines Review November 17, 2004 - Most of us who #39;ve been gamers for a while are familiar with the history behind Troika, which was formed from key members of the Black Isle group that made the Fallout, among other talented individuals.


Palestinians investigate rumours that Israel poisoned Arafat THE Palestinian Authority is to set up an official commission of inquiry into Yasser Arafats death amid increasing rumours among the Palestinian public that he was poisoned by Israel.


Column: CEO Pay Stays High  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. executives are reaping another  year of abundant pay, and the rich rewards are likely to stir  demands for greater disclosure on how and why heads of  companies are compensated.


Pot charge dropped against Anthony In a case that his lawyer said  quot;has received more prosecutorial scrutiny than any petty offense in Denver history, quot; Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony saw the marijuana charge he faced dropped by the Denver City Attorney #39;s office today.


Odd couple: Schwartz and McNealy It hasn't even been eight months since Sun Microsystems promoted Jonathan Schwartz to be Chief Executive Scott McNealy's right-hand man, but the two are already acting like an old couple. Missing Links


Fox to push Bush on migration at APEC Mexico President Vicente Fox said Wednesday he will meet with US President George W. Bush in Chile during the economic summit of Pacific Rim nations.


No. 10 Ohio St. Tops No. 24 Arizona 78-45 (AP) AP - Caity Matter exploited Arizona's defense by hitting four 3-pointers and scored 20 points to lead No. 10 Ohio State to a 78-45 victory in the semifinals of the Women's NIT on Wednesday night.


Pacers triumph in Harrington #39;s return Harrington scored a season-high 30 points in a superlative performance against his former team, but the Indiana Pacers still escaped Conseco Fieldhouse with a 93-83 victory over Atlanta.


Fire Pit Dated to Be Over 50,000 Years Old (AP) AP - In the growing debate about when people first appeared on this continent, a leading archaeologist said Wednesday he has discovered what could be sooty evidence of human occupation in North America tens of thousands of years earlier than is commonly believed.


Dollar in Sight of All-Time Low Vs Euro (Reuters) Reuters - The dollar was in striking distance of\record lows against the euro and 7-    month lows versus the\yen on Thursday, as traders concluded that nations at an\upcoming G20 meeting would tolerate a weaker dollar.


US MNT Streaking Into Final Round The US mens national team will look to extend their record unbeaten streak to 13 matches when the take on Jamaica at Columbus Crew Stadium in its final match of semifinal-round qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.


A Pair of Dethroned Kings In the early 1980s, Sears and Kmart were American retail giants, with gobs of money, huge portfolios of real estate and loyal customer bases that should have made them fast-growing fulfillers of Americans #39; insatiable demand for more stuff.


India #39;s Offer for Peace Talks on Kashmir Is Sweetened With Aid India #39;s prime minister, Manmohan Singh, came to Kashmir on Wednesday offering unconditional talks with anyone willing to renounce violence and a \$5.3 billion economic


Nursery rhymes more violent than TV (Reuters) Reuters - Children's nursery rhymes contain 10 times more violence than television shows broadcast before the\9 p.m. "watershed" after which more adult content can be shown, research has said.


Kashmiris reject Indian PM #39;s offer MUZAFFARABAD, Nov 17: A multi-party alliance fighting Indian rule in Kashmir rejected on Wednesday the economic package offered by Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh during


New York Unveils Last, Best Bid to Gain the Olympics in 2012 Leaders of the NYC2012 committee highlighted New York's advantages in multiculturalism, money and media power.


Olympic 2012 : Madrid unveils bid dossier Madrid, one of five cities bidding to host the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, unveiled its dossier on Wednesday (17 November), just two days after submitting it to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).


Argentina Heads World Cup Qualifying Group After Brazil Loses Argentina moved atop South America #39;s qualifying group for the 2006 soccer World Cup with a 3-2 victory over Venezuela, grabbing the lead after world champion Brazil suffered its first defeat of the campaign.


US stocks gain on Kmart-Sears merger Stocks closed higher on Wall Street as investors welcomed the merger of Kmart Holding Corp. and Sears. However, climbing oil prices restricted gains.


US Airways Watch: 11/18/04 US Bankruptcy Court Judge Stephen Mitchell will hear arguments today asking him to reconsider a four-month, 21 percent pay cut he imposed on many unionized workers last month.


Nuggets 112, Raptors 106 Carmelo Anthony scored 30 points and Kenyon Martin added 24 points and 16 rebounds, helping the Denver Nuggets hold off the Toronto Raptors 112-106 Wednesday night.


India desperate for jobs, infrastructure despite economic boom (AFP) AFP - Despite India's economic boom in software and outsourcing services, economists have warned the government needs more reforms to create jobs in manufacturing to cut poverty.


Australia, US seal free trade agreement (AFP) AFP - Australia and the United States sealed a free trade agreement to start January 1, 2005 after clearing last-minute obstacles.


Seagate to Ship 400 GB HDD SL: Seagate Technology has announced that it will begin shipping the world #39;s highest capacity PC hard drive to retail stores and resellers.


Israeli tank reportedly kills Egyptian troops An Israeli tank has opened fire and killed three Egyptian troops on the sensitive border between the two countries, mistaking them for Palestinian militants on the way to carry out an attack, Israeli media says.


PM backs indigenous alcohol ban CURFEWS and alcohol bans may be necessary in Aboriginal communities, Prime Minister John Howard said today, adding that civil liberties were less important than staying alive.


Pilgrim Baxter founders to pay \$160m WASHINGTON -- The two founders of the Pilgrim Baxter mutual fund family have agreed to pay \$80 million each to settle regulators' charges of improper trading to benefit themselves and friends at the expense of longer-term shareholders, the authorities said yesterday.


Trustees worry on oversight A month after federal regulators adopted sweeping new rules for mutual fund oversight, fund trustees remain concerned about their ability to serve as watchdogs over fund managers and others who handle investor money, a new survey shows.


Running may have defined the body Next time you drive past a jogger on the street, give her a honk and a wave - she #39;s honing the skill that helped define the human body, according to a study by researchers from the University of Utah and Harvard.


Report: Israeli army mistakenly kills three Egyptian soldiers JERUSALEM A preliminary Israeli army investigation has found that Israeli troops apparently killed three Egyptian soldiers by mistake, thinking they were Palestinian militants along the Gaza-Egypt border.


Raptors fall to Nuggets CBC SPORTS ONLINE - After starting the season with three straight wins, the Toronto Raptors are heading back home with a losing record.


Israeli tank kills three Egyptian troops An Israeli tank has opened fire and killed three Egyptian troops in a border zone near the Gaza Strip after mistaking them for Palestinian arms smugglers, Israeli security sources say.


Three Egyptian policemen killed by Israeli tank fire near border (AFP) AFP - Three Egyptian policemen were killed overnight by Israeli tank fire on the tense border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip when they were mistaken for Palestinian arms smugglers, officials said.


Putin backs veto for members of expanded Security Council Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday rejected a key recommendation of a United Nations panel on expanding the UN Security Council, saying any reform would be one-sided if new members did not have veto power.


Optimism raises markets Stocks bounded higher Wednesday as investors shrugged off a fresh indicator of rising inflation and welcomed postitive economic reports and the merger of Kmart Holding Corp.


Sanpaolo and Dexia in merger talks By Reuters - November 18 2004 <b>...</b> Italian bank Sanpaolo and Dexia, the Franco-Belgian group, confirmed they were in preliminary talks after a report that they were considering a merger to create a major cross-border lender.


AA takes soft option on cost cuts PENNY-PINCHING American Airlines is to remove the pillows from half its planes to save \$300,000 (163,000) a year. While the cost savings are small beer compared with the \$4bn a year American has slashed


Woods on Top at Rain-Soaked Dunlop Phoenix  MIYAZAKI, Japan (Reuters) - Tiger Woods fired a superb  five-under-par 65 in torrential rain to take a three-stoke lead  after the first round of the Dunlop Phoenix tournament  Thursday.


Enron probe turns focus to 1.3 mn stock sale by Lay #39;s wife : Houston, Nov 17 : US authorities are probing if Linda, wife of ex-Enron Chairman Ken Lay, acted improperly when she had their family foundation sell 1.3 million Enron stocks just days before the energy giant #39;s bankruptcy.


US ends Jamaica #39;s Cup hopes Eddie Johnson scored his fifth goal in three games Wednesday and the US national soccer team eliminated Jamaica from 2006 World Cup contention with a 1-1 tie at Columbus, Ohio.


US commercial crude oil reserves rise slightly US commercial crude oil inventories increased 800,000 barrels to 292.3 million in the week ending Nov. 12, the Energy Department reported Wednesday.


SBC calling on cable SBC is teaming up with Microsoft to provide consumers with a new way to view television -- a move that puts it in direct competition with the cable TV industry.


Mbeki calls for arms embargo, rebels vow to fight President Thabo Mbeki has urged all countries, including Ivory Coast #39;s neighbours, to immediately enforce a United Nations arms embargo on government and rebel forces in Ivory Coast.


Safety First With Latest AOL 9.0 America Online (Quote, Chart) is bundling existing security features along with new ones for the Thursday launch of its AOL 9.0 software client, security edition.


HONDA LINKED WITH BAR TAKEOVER BAR #39;s engine partner Honda is believed to be interested in purchasing the Brackley team and a deal could be done within the next 12 months.


PeopleSoft Investors Urged to Tender Shares  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oracle Corp. on Thursday said in a  letter to PeopleSoft Inc. stockholders that it would withdraw  its hostile takeover bid if less than half of PeopleSoft shares  were tendered by the offer's deadline.


Russia #39;s Putin Defends Reforms, Worries About Clans Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he had no plans to grab more power or change the constitution when reforming Russia #39;s government structure.


Honda aiming for BAR buyout? Motorsport.com. Reports this week suggest that Honda is aiming to either buy BAR or become co-owner of the team by purchasing a shareholding.


Google Unveils Scholar Search Tool JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The online search engine leader Google has unveiled a new tool for scholarly research. The new service is aimed at making better sense of all the scholarly work stored on the web and it


DNA lab that handles high-profile cases fires analyst GERMANTOWN, Md. A Maryland-based private lab that analyzes criminal-case DNA evidence has fired an analyst for allegedly falsifying test data.


Oil Steady as Winter Worries Stem Decline  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices were steady on Thursday as  concern over lean heating fuel supplies in the United States  and Europe ahead of winter stemmed falls of nearly \$10 since  late October.


On Google's Horizon ... Microsoft (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Careful followers of search-engine giant Google surely took note this morning of reports that the company is reiterating an earlier warning that its future growth could fall below expectations.  As the BBC News reported, the company "has warned that fiercer competition is set to hit sales growth. The firm, which had a successful share flotation earlier this year, said its rate of growth from the second quarter to the third may not be sustainable."


Fini named Italy foreign minister The leader of Italy's right-wing National Alliance, Gianfranco Fini, is appointed foreign minister.


Update 2: Google Says Revenue Growth Is Slowing Shares of Google Inc. slipped in pre-market trading Thursday after the world #39;s most popular Internet search engine warned for the second time in a week that its fourth-quarter revenue growth rate is likely to slow from previous quarters.


Seagate claims storage record Seagate claims to have broken the record for the most storage on a single disc platter, managing to store 133GB per disc in its newly released 400GB hard drive.


Broker Downgrades Sink Medtronic  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Shares of Medtronic Inc. MDT.N on  Thursday sank 7 percent to their lowest level in more than  three months after the medical device maker posted  weaker-than-expected growth in one of its key business units,  sparking at least three broker downgrades.


Gauging Reactions To MSN Search Last Thursday, MSN announced the official beta launch of their search engine. Although a preview had been available on their sandbox site, the launch marked the official unveiling of the company #39;s proprietary search technology to the general public.


New Google Scholar search service aimed at academics Google Inc. on Thursday formally launched a new search service aimed at scientists and academic researchers. Google Scholar is a free beta service that allows users to search for scholarly literature


Bill Gates Gets 4 Million E-Mails a Day Bill Gates might not use AOL, but he's definitely got mail. The Microsoft Corp. chairman receives millions of Internet messages a day, said Steve Ballmer, the company's chief executive. "Bill literally receives 4 million pieces of e-mail per day, most of it spam," Ballmer said Thursday.


Report: Spurrier Will Take S. Carolina Job (AP) AP - Steve Spurrier has agreed to take over as football coach at South Carolina if Lou Holtz retires at the end of the season, The Tennessean of Nashville reported in Thursday's editions.


AOL beefs up its homeland security AOL has added a range of features to ward off computer viruses, intrusive spyware programs and spam to a special edition of its internet access package, AOL 9.0 Security Edition.


Congress Told FDA Failed Public on Vioxx  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug  Administration failed the public in its oversight of Merck   Co  Inc.'s painkiller Vioxx, which has been withdrawn, and is  "incapable of protecting America" from another dangerous drug,  an agency researcher told Congress on Thursday.


SBC and Yahoo! extend pact to offer Internet service SAN ANTONIO SBC Communications and Yahoo are expanding their high-speed Internet service partnership to link video, wireless phone, Internet and other services.


Stocks in Motion: Claire #39;s Shares of Claire #39;s Stores (CLE:NYSE - news - research) were among the NYSE #39;s losers Thursday, falling 15 after the company posted third-quarter results that missed analysts #39; expectations and warning about the fourth quarter.


Leading Indicators Down for 5th Month (Reuters) Reuters - A key forecasting gauge of future\U.S. economic activity fell for a fifth straight month in\October, a private research firm said on Thursday.


Kiwi hits eight-year high against struggling greenback The New Zealand dollar has hit its highest level this year, propelled by a dramatic dip in the US dollar. As the greenback slumped against most global currencies, the kiwi rose to 71.02USc, its highest level for eight years.


Google Unveils Service for Academics Google has launched Google Scholar, a search service aimed specifically at the academic community. The search tool will help scientists and academic researchers locate papers, theses and


Blue Chips Rise, Altria Higher on Upgrade  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips rose on Thursday, led  by Altria Group Inc. MO.N and other tobacco stocks, after a  federal appeals court expressed skepticism about whether the  government could force cigarette makers in a lawsuit to pay  billions of dollars.


Suspect Animal Tested for Mad Cow Disease  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Government scientists are chasing a  possible new case of mad cow disease in the United States, with  final results on a suspicious slaughtered animal expected in  coming days, officials said on Thursday.


London to unveil 2012 bid plans London #39;s bid team will reveal their final plans for hosting the 2012 Olympic Games when they unveil full details of the bid document on Friday.


Google Shows It #39;s Only Human Shares of Google slipped after the search engine warned, for the second time in a week, that its fourth-quarter revenue growth rate is likely to slow from previous quarters.


Apple Confirms More UK Retail Stores Coming; Additional Locations <b>...</b> Apple Computer confirmed Thursday it plans to open two additional Apple retail stores in the United Kingdom in 2005 - one in Birmingham, northwest


Israel Apologizes for Killing Egyptian Officers The Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, apologized to Egypt today after an Israeli army tank crew fired on an Egyptian patrol near the border with Gaza, killing three Egyptian police officers.


FIFA to investigate racism in Madrid Zurich, Switzerland (Sports Network) - FIFA will launch an investigation into the racist chants Spanish fans aimed at black English players during Wednesday #39;s friendly at the Bernabeu in Madrid.


Cambridge SoundWorks gives digital music a spin Home theater company to help users digitally convert audio CDs and store songs on a DVD or player.


Epiphany looks to beef up call center CRM software maker Epiphany Inc. this week is rolling out new analytical software, including two new products and vertical-specific bundles aimed at the communications and retail finance industries.


MPAA Sues First Movie Swappers Industry group will offer a free program to help users find and eliminate illegal files.


Stern Blasts FCC at Satellite Promotion  #39;Down With the FCC! #39; Howard Stern Says at New York Rally to Promote Switch to Satellite Radio. Radio host Howard Stern, below center, waits as thousands of his fans line up to receive a free Sirius radio from him in Union Square in New York Thursday, Nov.


MPAA seeks research, P2P cop role on Internet2 The Motion Picture Association of America is in talks with the Internet2 research consortium, hoping both to test next-generation video delivery projects and to monitor peer-to-peer piracy on the ultrahigh-speed network.


Spain reflects on football racism row The racist chanting by Spanish fans at Wednesday night #39;s friendly international in Madrid has left the government here red-faced and fearing a black-mark against the city #39;s bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.


Mears wins Busch pole Casey Mears set a track qualifying record and won his third NASCAR Busch series pole of the season Thursday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.


Prince Charles chastised for  quot;old fashioned quot; views A minister has launched a scathing attack on heir to the throne Prince Charles, accusing him of being  quot;very old fashioned quot; and out of touch in his views on teaching in schools.


Argentina Views China As Market Economy Argentina recognized China as a market economy on Thursday, granting the Asian country a status it has been seeking worldwide to keep countries from imposing penalties on the dumping of Chinese exports.


US May Have New Case of Mad Cow Disease  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A final test is likely to confirm a  second U.S. case of mad cow disease, experts said on Thursday,  though they see a small possibility the animal, which tested  "inconclusive" in two preliminary tests, could be given a clean  bill of health.


Police Chief Backs Using Force Against Intruders Britains top police officer today called for an urgent updating of the law to protect householders who use force to defend their homes against criminals - even if it involves killing the intruder.


Bereft Indian pilots leaving Andamans are saluted by air force (AFP) AFP - The Indian air force saluted pilots who rescued hundreds on the remote Nicobar islands despite losing family and colleagues when their base was destroyed by last week's deadly tsunami.


MEPS APPROVE REVAMPED COMMISSION Ending three weeks of stalemate, European lawmakers have approved a new executive commission for the European Union. European MPs had refused to accept a new team of commissioners proposed by Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.


E. Guinea coup suspects say they were tortured Equatorial Guinea has told a court he and his comrades had been chained like animals and tortured into confessing. and hand-cuffs to plead their innocence on Thursday.


Palestinians to host Western diplomats Sponsors of an internationally backed Mideast peace plan will send their foreign ministers to the region next week in hopes of restarting Israeli-Palestinian talks in the wake of Yasser Arafat #39;s death.


Nike Co-Founder Knight Steps Down as CEO (Reuters) Reuters - Nike Inc.  co-founder\Philip Knight, who helped transform a small-start up business\into the world's biggest athletic shoe company, will step down\as chief executive officer, the company said on Thursday.


Nike CEO Philip Knight resigned The co-founder of Nike Inc. Philip Knight has resigned from his position as chief executive officer, the company said on Thursday.


Is Mad Cow Disease Back? Reuters is reporting that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a possible second case of mad cow disease in the United States.


Expos Skipper Robinson OKs One-Year Deal (AP) AP - Frank Robinson has agreed to a one-year contract to return as manager of the Expos, although whether he actually manages the team next year will hinge on the pace of the team's sale and the whim of the new owners.


Disney Profit Up, TV Outshines Studio  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co. DIS.N posted a 24  percent rise in profit on Thursday as advertising gains at ESPN  and ABC television networks more than made up for a sharp  slowdown at Disney's movie studio.


FDA stifled dangerous Vioxx results - expert Washington - An expert with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said on Thursday he was pressured by his agency to stifle study results showing the potential dangers of the anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx.


IBM Says Swamps Rivals in Key UNIX Computer Test IBM (IBM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday its workhorse commercial computers have smashed the industry #39;s most demanding tests, which analysts said creates


Spain hunts for fans who racially abused England players The Spanish government responded to diplomatic pressure from Britain yesterday by starting a search for fans who racially abused England players during a  quot;friendly quot; football match with Spain.


Disgraced Greek sprint pair charged Kostas Kederis and Ekaterini Thanou, the sprinters who brought shame on Greece on the eve of the Olympics, are facing the end of their careers after being charged with missing a drug test and faking a motorcycle accident.


A Bit of Wall St. on the Tigris The 150 brokers and traders on the Iraq Stock Exchange are not waiting for the war to end, buying and selling orders a few hundred yards away from the fighting.


Air Force to launch enterprise Microsoft initiative The U.S. Air Force tomorrow plans to announce an enterprisewide Microsoft software initiative that some analysts see as a prime example of how users can leverage their spending power to force vendors to deliver more secure products.


Are the Spanish really racist? For once, it was the English fans who could claim the moral high ground. The Spanish Football Federation now faces an official inquiry after several black players in Wednesday night #39;s England squad were subjected


Powell accuses Iran of trying to develop nuclear missiles The Bush administration yesterday accused Iran of attempting to develop missiles with nuclear warheads - a charge that could derail the European arms-control agreement struck earlier this week.


ObjectWeb adds portal content management middleware Using open-source modules instead of commercial alternatives -- even standards-based ones -- could save businesses money.


McCain again opposes the president Global warming needs more attention, according to John McCain, and President Bush needs to lead the way. I listened to some of the hearings on this subject this week, and I must say the people testifying are


Nike founder steps down Nike boss Phil Knight last night announced his decision to step down as chief executive of the footwear company he helped found 42 years ago.


Bush Confronts New Challenge on Issue of Iran While assembling a new national security team, President Bush is confronting what could become the biggest challenge of his second term: how to contain Iran #39;s


Kmart and Sears announce merger Kmart Holding Corp and Sears, Roebuck and Co said Wednesday that they are merging to form a new retail company called Sears Holdings Corp that will be the US #39; third-largest retailer with about US\$55 billion in annual revenues.


Aussies battle EU over cheese, champagne AP - The United States and Australia have prevailed in an interim ruling by World Trade Organisation (WTO) in a dispute over the protection given by the European Union to its regional goods such as Champagne wine and Feta cheese, trade officials said.


A Fair Tax Some say a "fair tax" that removes the need to file tax returns from the vast majority of the citizenry is a national sales tax.  This doesn't seem to be very fair to people trying to feed, house and clothe themselves and seems to subsidize large land holders (Bush's favorite constituency).  There is a tax that lives up to the promises broken by Bush's proposal for a national sales tax.


American Fare Cuts Presage Price War American Airlines slashed its fares to Miami yesterday by as much as 85 percent from several cities including Washington's Reagan National Airport, possibly setting off a winter fare war on routes to Florida.


Eisner Continues Defense of Hiring, Firing GEORGETOWN, Del., Nov. 18 -- When Walt Disney Co. chief executive Michael D. Eisner and Disney President Michael S. Ovitz appeared on "Larry King Live" on Sept. 30, 1996, their corporate partnership was dissolving into an acrimonious disaster.


Running was a key human characteristic By Lee Bowman. The ability to run long distances across the African savannah gave human ancestors an evolutionary advantage over other primates that walked upright, but could not run the mile or 20, researchers argue in a new study.


Nike co-founder stepping down president effective December 28 after more than a year-long search. Knight, 66, who also will give up his title of president,. chairman, quot; Knight said in a statement on Thursday.


Hokies making statement about ACC title intentions The annual summer barbecues that Ralph Friedgen and Frank Beamer co-host at their lake homes in Georgia may be a little less cordial after the way Beamer #39;s Virginia Tech Hokies waxed Friedgen #39;s Maryland Terrapins 55-6 last night.


Eichel Wants Strong Euro on G20 Agenda German Finance Minister Eichel called for the euro #39;s  quot;brutal quot; rise versus the dollar to be put on the agenda of the summit of G20 countries in Berlin this weekend amid concerns the greenback #39;s slide could hit EU growth.


3 Egyptian soldiers killed in Israeli error JERUSALEM -- Israeli troops mistook three Egyptian police officers for Palestinian militants and shot them dead yesterday along the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt, increasing tensions between the neighbors.


Roddick breaks down Safin Top-seeded Roger Federer overcame a second-set lapse and remained unbeaten in the ATP Masters Cup Championships with a victory last night over Carlos Moya.


Spurs 88, 76ers 80 The Philadelphia 76ers got a firsthand demonstration of why Tim Duncan might be the toughest player in the NBA to defend. Duncan scored a season-high 34 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Spurs to


Microsoft warns Asian governments of potential Linux lawsuits SINGAPORE : Microsoft #39;s chief executive Steve Ballmer warned Asian governments on Thursday that they could face patent lawsuits for using the Linux operating system instead of Windows.


Auto suppliers feel squeeze DETROIT -- New car and truck sales rose more than two per cent during the first 10 months of 2004, but many of the companies that supply parts to the big automakers have little to celebrate -- their profits are shrinking as raw materials costs rise and


Lab used by LAPD falsified DNA data and possibly dozens -- of pending criminal cases to determine whether critical evidence was tainted or falsified during


Dream TV Screen, Now in Size Large The most desired electronic gift item for this holiday season is a plasma TV. You might, however, want to consider something that wasn't even in the running: L.C.D.


PeopleSoft Chief Threatens to Sue Over Oracle Statements PeopleSoft's chief executive accused Oracle of spreading misleading information about his stock sales and threatened to sue for defamation.


First Howard, Now Mel: Karmazin Joins Sirius As CEO Hours after his close associate Howard Stern addressed a teeming crowd about the benefits of Sirius Satellite Radio, former Viacom Chief Operating Officer and President Mel Karmazin announced that he has signed onto the fledgling company as CEO.


Yahoo and SBC extend partnership and plan new services Yahoo and SBC Communications have agreed to collaborate to extend some of the online services and content they currently provide to PC users to mobile phones and home entertainment devices.


So you think you get a lot of e-mail SINGAPORE -- If you didnt think anybody else could possibly get any more spam than you, then think of Bill Gates. The Microsoft Corp.


Oracle gets with the patch programme The company said Thursday that it will release security bulletins and accompanying patches for its products on 18 January, 12 April, 12 July and 18 October.


Oram shuns Cairns comparisons Brisbane - New Zealand batting hero Jacob Oram shunned comparisons with one of his country #39;s great all-rounders Chris Cairns after he bludgeoned the Kiwis into contention against Australia here on Friday.


BearingPoint CFO Out; Error Found McLean technology consulting company BearingPoint Inc. said yesterday that its chief financial officer, Robert S. Falcone, would retire on Nov. 30.


Football: Brazil legend's UK debut Brazil football great Socrates is set to make his debut for non-league Garforth Town on Saturday.


This week #39;s golf tournaments Last year: Meg Mallon won the season-ending tournament for her lone 2003 title, beating Annika Sorenstam by a stroke. Last week: Heather Daly-Donofrio won the Tournament of Champions in Mobile, Ala.


Oracle tender results out Saturday Company will report preliminary count of its \$8.8B hostile bid for PeopleSoft after 1 am ET. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oracle Corp. said it would report preliminary results of its \$8.8 billion hostile tender offer


Spain Condemns Racial Abuse, Defends Reputation  MADRID (Reuters) - The Madrid council has condemned the  racist behavior of fans that marred Wednesday's friendly  between Spain and England and said that the events should not  be allowed to harm the city's bid to host the 2012 Olympics.


Football: Spanish FA apologises The Spanish FA apologises to its English counterparts following racist chanting.


TheStreet.com May Be Up for Sale -- Report (Reuters) Reuters - TheStreet.com Inc. , the\financial news and commentary Web site, may be up for sale,\according to a report in Business Week, sparking a 7 percent\rise in its shares.


A PC in the toaster? How mod! photos There's also room in the humidor and the Darth Vader helmet. Take a gander at some strange and wonderful creations.


Auction for Yukos core set for Dec. 19 A planned sale of Russian energy giant Yukos #39; main asset has become clouded by confusion over the price, the participants and the legality of the sale.


Google Launches New Search Tool For Academics Google has rolled out a new search tool called, Google Scholar. Google Scholar enables you to search specifically for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts


A conspiracy theory : In the aftermath of Arafats passing AH Jaffor Ullah. Yasser Arafat, the acknowledged leader of Palestinian people, lived amidst controversy all through his life. The cause of his death has now become a source of controversy amongst the departed leaders people all over Middle East.


Vladimir Putin: Claims of authoritarian drift  quot;total nonsense quot; President Vladimir Putin rejected concern that he is beating a path toward authoritarianism, calling such criticism  quot;total nonsense quot; in an interview published Friday and saying Russia needs time to build democracy after centuries of heavy


Lazarus-like virus hits computers A new computer virus is catching people out by coming back from the dead.


Sirius Satellite Radio  quot;outperform, quot; target price raised NEW YORK, November 19 (newratings.com) - Analysts at Stifel Nicolaus  amp; Company reiterate their  quot;outperform quot; rating on Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI.


GAME NOTES: The 24th-ranked Memphis Tigers and the fifth-ranked <b>...</b> Orange are set to square off in the title game of the Coaches vs. Cancer. Classic. The Orange posted an impressive 71-58 victory over 12th-ranked.


Emi profits fall but online music market improving LONDON: EMI, the world #39;s third-largest music group, reported a drop in first-half profits on Friday but said the beleaguered industry was rebounding as online music sales start to take off.


Greenspan issues new warning over US current account deficit (AFP) AFP - US Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan said the United States' huge current account deficit cannot be indefinitely financed by foreign countries and investors.


California employee pension fund tenders PeopleSoft shares to <b>...</b> NOVEMBER 19, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - The California Employees #39; Retirement System (Calpers) is tendering its 1.5 million PeopleSoft Inc.


Prem Preview: Everton v Fulham A favourite with the crowd during his time at Goodison Park, many fans will not forget Radzinskis comments prior to his 1.75 m move to the Londoners during the summer.


Pakistan arrests key Al-Qaeda operative (AFP) AFP - Pakistani security forces have arrested a key Al-Qaeda operative wanted in connection with attacks on Christian targets and a failed bid to kill President Pervez Musharraf, an official said.


Bush Signs Into Law Debt Ceiling Increase

 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Friday signed intolaw a measure authorizing an \$800 billion increase in thecredit limit of the United States, the White House said.


Dollar Plunges on Greenspan Comments  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar sank across the board,  dropping to multiyear lows against the yen and the euro on  Friday, after Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said  demand for U.S. assets could ease at some point given the size  of the current account deficit.


Tacoma weathers ERP and CRM 'perfect storm' Problems with a \$50 million-plus rollout of SAP's ERP, CRM and other business apps in the city of Tacoma, Wash., have generated a storm of end-user complaints, bad press and a call for an independent audit of the situation.


It takes 6 Gators to match Bowden There is no shortage of ways to measure Bobby Bowden #39;s stellar career as Florida State #39;s football coach. There are the 277 of his Division IA leading 350 wins here, which is


Hotmail Fights Fraud and Gmail with New Domains To kick off the availability of the new domain names, Microsoft will conduct a charity auction of what it believes will be the most sought after UK addresses.


FCC says allowing cable TV subscribers to choose their channels <b>...</b> Federal regulators rejected on Friday the idea that allowing cable TV subscribers to pay only for channels they want would lower high cable bills.


UN deadlock defeats cloning ban The United Nations has shelved efforts to draft a treaty banning the cloning of human embryos in a setback for the Bush administration.


Congress Sends 'Net Access Ban to White House The U.S. Congress on Friday reinstated a ban on Internet access taxes after the House of Representatives agreed to extend it for another three years rather than make it permanent.


Gleaning Insights From Berkshire Other than Comcast and ServiceMaster additions, it's been a quiet quarter of trading for this portfolio.


Big Dig Tunnel Is Riddled With Leaks In a burgeoning political and engineering scandal, Boston #39;s gleaming new underground Interstate 93 highway is riddled with hundreds of leaks.


Holyfield #39;s effort to unify heavyweight title running out of time Evander Holyfield just doesn #39;t get it. He #39;s beyond old for a fighter and seemingly hasn #39;t been able to punch his way out of a paper bag in years.


North Korea-watchers ponder significance of Kim #39;s changed status SEOUL - Watchers of the reclusive North Korean regime are buzzing about reports that might indicate a change in the cult of personality surrounding Kim Jong Il.


Kidnap fears for lost tsunami boy Police in tsunami-hit Thailand search for a Swedish boy feared kidnapped by child sex traffickers.


Busch Wins Pole for Season-Ending Race Pressure? What pressure? Kurt Busch, last in the qualifying line and first in the NASCAR Nextel Cup points, waited out 54 other drivers Friday and then won the pole for the season-ending Ford 400, which will determine the 2004 champion.


Investors expect PeopleSoft shareholders to back Oracle bid REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. Investors continue to bet today that most PeopleSoft shareholders will back Oracle #39;s nine-point-two (b) billion-dollar takeover bid for its bitter rival.


Van Gogh #39;s murder brings out Holland #39;s contradictions The murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh by a young Muslim of Moroccan descent has shaken Holland to its very foundations. To most people, including the Dutch, the killing and its violent


Icahn Takes The High River NEW YORK - Why has Carl Icahn set his sights on the relatively insignificant Mylan Laboratories, a generic drug company with just \$1.5 billion in sales and a \$4.3 billion market cap?


Images: Nintendo grows up--a little The Nintendo DS includes a touch-sensitive screen and is geared for an older crowd.


Barrett: Good business models vary widely BANGALORE, INDIA - Peer-to-peer (P2P) sharing would never have gathered momentum if the music industry had adopted models for distribution over the Internet, said Intel Corp. Chief Executive Officer Craig Barrett, addressing IT executives in India Friday.


Pepperdine 80, Fairleigh Dickinson 79 Glen McGowan had 22 points and little-used reserve Chase Griffin came off the bench to make two clutch free throws to help Pepperdine hold off Fairleigh Dickinson 80-79 Friday for fifth place in the BCA Invitational.


Nebraska Player Charged With Assault An arrest warrant was issued Friday, Nov. 19, 2004, for Nebraska offensive lineman Darren DeLone, shown in this undated handout photo.


Hey mate, we're moving offshore too! Australia's IT News reports the findings of a recent survey in which more than 20 percent of company execs said they were considering or recommending offshore outsourcing. Outsourcing Blog


Clinton Rips Starr, Media on Prosecution (AP) AP - In a prime-time television outburst, Bill Clinton ripped old nemesis Kenneth Starr and what the former president portrayed as a gullible media eager to report every "sleazy thing" leaked from a prosecutor bent on bringing him down.


Yukos under the hammer at \$8.6bn Russia pressed ahead yesterday with controversial plans to break up the country #39;s biggest oil company Yukos, setting a date of December 19 for an auction of its main production unit at a bargain basement starting price of \$8.65bn (4.88bn).


First Look: iPod Brings Music to Your Photos (PC World) PC World - Apple's latest offers a brilliant color screen and photo capabilities, but the price is high.


Next Big Hit at the Modern: Its Reopening The buzz over the greatly enlarged museum is expected to turn into a cacophony on Saturday.


Funding of Election Monitors A Concern A delegation that was paid to watch the Ukraine elections by a lobbyist affiliated with one of the candidates has some saying the move taints the process of promoting democracy.


Steelers' Staley Downgraded to Doubtful (AP) AP - Pittsburgh Steelers running back Duce Staley was downgraded to doubtful Friday with a sore hamstring, meaning he will almost certainly miss a third consecutive game Sunday.


Protesters Denounce APEC Summit in Chile Thousands of protesters marched peacefully through downtown Santiago on Friday, expressing anger at a weekend summit of Pacific Rim leaders, particularly President Bush. But violence later erupted at a rock concert.


No tax on Internet access until at least 2007 Consumers won #39;t have to pay a tax to log on to the Internet until at least 2007, after Congress voted Friday to renew a recently lapsed ban on Internet taxation.


Lawyers In the Limelight By all appearances, Steven Woghin was a lawyer at the top of his game. After years in government service, the former Justice Department attorney had worked his way up to a comfortable six-figure salary and the chief legal job at software maker Computer Associates International Inc.


Inside Apple #39;s new Regent Street store With 48 hours left before its official opening, Apple gave us a sneak peek at the new Regent Street Store. Billed as  #39;a place to belong #39;, it #39;s staffed by the 138 successful candidates, whittled down from an original list of over 4000 applicants.


Earthquake 'redraws the map' The devastating earthquake that struck the Indian Ocean probably caused some islands to move by several metres.


System glitch hits HSBC A glitch leaves customers of HSBC bank unable to use its internet services as well as cash machines.


Market not ready to cheer Despite announcing the biggest news in its short history, OSI Pharmaceuticals stock fell nearly 10 percent Friday, as some investors grew nervous about whether its newly approved cancer drug would be the bonanza they expected.


Myanmar frees nearly 4,000 prisoners UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has praised the release of several political prisoners in Myanmar, the BBC reported Saturday. Annan also said he hoped others still behind


Linux Core Consortium may not derail fate #39;s wheels Fate may hold something of a pre-determined fragmentation for Linux operating systems, like Unix before them, that even standards efforts cannot undo.


World's oldest man dies aged 113 The world's oldest man, who gave up  driving at 108 because "slow drivers annoyed him", dies at 113.


Spurrier expected to replace Holtz Lou Holtz wanted his South Carolina players to focus on their game against Clemson. They suddenly have a lot more on their minds. Holtz will retire as coach at South Carolina


Manchester United Beats Charlton 2-0 (AP) AP - Manchester United defeated Charlton 2-0 Saturday in the Premier League behind goals from Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. Charlton did little to test United's defense before 67,704 fans, and the only surprise was that Man United didn't score more.


Toronto Raptors Team Report - November 20 (Sports Network) - The Toronto Raptors found themselves on the wrong end of a 101-94 decision against the red-hot Seattle SuperSonics on Friday at the Air Canada Centre.


Top Senate Dem Calls for Bipartisanship (AP) AP - Rallying a party stung by presidential and congressional losses, the incoming Senate Democratic leader reminded fellow lawmakers on Saturday of their shared commitment to help the nation.


England humble Sprinboks Charlie Hodgson scores 27 points as England overwhelm the Springboks at Twickenham.


Police Join Probe Into Pistons-Pacers Mass Brawl Police launched an investigation on Saturday into an extraordinary mass brawl involving players and fans at a game between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers.


Harvick Holds Off McMurray for Busch Series Win  HOMESTEAD, Fla. (Sports Network) - Kevin Harvick held off  fellow Nextel Cup driver Jamie McMurray on three restarts over  the final 20 laps to capture the Ford 300. The No.29 Chevrolet  crossed the finish line 0.218 seconds ahead of runner-up  McMurray.


Michigan St. Beats Central Conn. St. Michigan State #39;s Liz Shimek (52) starts a fast break trailed by Central Connecticut State #39;s Gabriella Geugbelet, left, and Michigan State #39;s Kelli Roehrig, right, during the second half Saturday, Nov. 20, 2004, in East Lansing, Mich.


NASA Successfully Launches Swift Satellite NASA #39;s Swift satellite successfully launched today aboard a Boeing Delta 2 rocket at 12:16 pm EST from Launch Complex 17A at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.


United States Edge Ahead at Kiawah Island The Rest of the World face an uphill task in their bid to win the UBS Cup for the first time after the United States took the second day fourball session 4-2 to establish a 6  - 5  lead going into the final day singles at Kiawah Islands Cassique


Federer to meet Hewitt in Masters Cup final Houston, TX (Sports Network) - World No. 1 Roger Federer of Switzerland and third-seeded Lleyton Hewitt each posted straight-set wins and advanced to Sunday #39;s final at the lucrative 2004 Tennis Masters Cup.


Gamecocks, Tigers brawl CLEMSON, SC South Carolina and Clemson duked it out in the closing minutes of today #39;s game at Clemson. Police, security and coaches tried to separate the teams, who scuffled before the game started and continually pushed and showed each other throughout.


African Troops Begin with Small Steps to Calm Darfur (Reuters) Reuters - The rebels emerge from the desert\haze like ghosts. First one, silhouetted atop a sand dune and\holding a grenade launcher, then a dozen more, their shadowy\figures appearing in unison.


China miners 'trapped by fire' Rescuers in northern China look for dozens of miners thought to be trapped after a fire broke out.


Al-Jazeera man remanded in Spain A Spanish court remands Tayseer Alouni and eight others in custody ahead of their trial for suspected al-Qaeda links.


Senators Want Boeing Deal Investigated Leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee asked the Defense Department on Friday to have its inspector general #39;s office investigate the Air Force #39;s effort to


WRAPUP 1-Careless Chelsea and Arsenal let victories slip League leaders Chelsea allowed Bolton Wanderers to recover from two goals down to force a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge in one of two major surprises in the Premier League on Saturday.


With a Rookie Quarterback in the N.F.L., Call It in the Air Debuts are rarely pretty, especially for rookies such as Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who will make his first start Sunday.


Auburn Stays Perfect No. 2 Auburn rallies in the second half and defeats rival Alabama, 21-13, Saturday to keep its national championship hopes alive.


ViewPoints: Just say  #39;No #39; You can #39;t get much clearer than No. That was the strongly implied response of the US Treasury secretary, John Snow, to Europe #39;s growing cries that he help it deal with a weakening dollar by intervening to stop the slide.


Iraq continues battle against insurgents BAGHDAD, IRAQ - Insurgents continued to strike against coalition targets in Iraq Saturday, resulting in the deaths of one US soldier and four government employees in Baghdad.


US Spacecraft to Probe Origin of Gamma Rays Far Beyond Our Galaxy The US space agency, NASA, launched a satellite Saturday that scientists hope will help them locate the sources of mysterious gamma ray explosions, the


Titantic is a treasure to be protected, explorer says Legendary explorer Robert Ballard was nervous this summer as he prepared to return to the Titanic for the first time since he discovered the famous shipwreck nearly two decades ago.


Congress Asks SEC for Mutual Fund Study (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. Congress asked the\Securities and Exchange Commission on Saturday to send\lawmakers a report justifying a new rule forcing mutual fund\boards to have independent chairmen.


All-rounder McGrath Glenn McGrath, thoroughbred fast bowler for a decade, embarked on a new career as an all-rounder in his 102nd Test match at the Gabba, hitting his first half-century as Australia


Cavs Beat Bobcats for Sixth Win in Row (AP) AP - LeBron James scored 25 points, Jeff McInnis added a season-high 24 and the Cleveland Cavaliers won their sixth straight, 100-84 over the Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday night.


Michigan Gets Rose Bowl Berth Despite Loss to Ohio St.  COLUMBUS, Ohio (Sports Network) - Troy Smith threw for 241  yards and two touchdowns and ran for 145 yards and a score to  lead the Ohio State Buckeyes to a 37-21 victory over No. 7  Michigan in the final game of the regular season for both  teams.


Congress Asks SEC for Mutual Fund Study  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress asked the  Securities and Exchange Commission on Saturday to send  lawmakers a report justifying a new rule forcing mutual fund  boards to have independent chairmen.


Sorenstam maintains Florida lead Annika Sorenstam could only manage a level-par 72 on day three of the ADT Tour Championship in Florida but it was enough to maintain a one-stroke lead.


Will there be peace in Great Lakes region? To coordinate and cooperate or not to, that is where the rub is, and that is the key issue when it comes to answering the question whether there will be peace in the Great Lakes region.


Leaders of Spain, Portugal, Latin America urge Falklands dialogue (AFP) AFP - Leaders from Spain, Portugal and their former colonies in Latin America urged Britain and Argentina to renew their dialogue on the Falkland islands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas.


Explosion in southern Italy kills eight, gas leak possible cause FOGGIA, Italy Eight people have been killed in an explosion that leveled a two-story apartment building in southern Italy. Firefighters are investigating whether a gas leak is to blame.


Florida Upsets No. 10 Florida State 20-13 Florida State #39;s Chauncey Stovall, left, comes down with a fourth-quarter-touchdown catch as Florida defender Vernell Brown, right, falls down, Saturday, Nov. 20, 2004, in Tallahassee, Fla.


Fans are to blame, but players will face biggest penalties Look for David Stern to come down hard on the principals in Friday #39;s Pacers-Pistons brawl. With the NBA #39;s image possibly at stake, many around the league expect him to send a strong message when he makes his final ruling.


Dreams of perfect market are fine, as long as they don't come true In these times of financial wrongdoing and subsequent systemic changes, it's only natural to wonder what a perfect investment world would look like.


Hotel workers #39; lockout off for now Employers, union OK 60-day <b>...</b> Thirty-eight raucous days of picket lines, tough talk and the angst of 4,300 San Francisco hotel workers locked out of their jobs with the holidays nigh were put aside Saturday when negotiators for the hotels and the workers #39; union agreed to a 60-day


Westwood Closes in on First Title of 2004  SUN CITY, South Africa (Reuters) - Briton Lee Westwood  closed in on his first title of 2004 when he claimed the  third-round lead in the Sun City Golf Challenge Saturday.


Lawyer says we #39;re good guys Drug giant Merck pulled its painkiller Vioxx because it increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Now the company may face thousands of lawsuits.


Local knowledge produced benefits Patriots fans had one of their own working Sunday's regular-season finale against the 49ers. Fox producer P.T. Navarro considers himself a New Englander, even though he moved around the country as the son of college football coach Frank Navarro (Columbia, Wabash, Princeton).


Special to ESPN.com It #39;s the age old question:  quot;What do you give to the man who #39;s been everything? quot;. Only time will tell whether Phil Knight #39;s retirement will be as long-lived as so many players he paid to endorse Nike.


Woods wins Dunlop Phoenix Miyazaki - Tiger Woods shot a 3-under 67 Sunday to win the Dunlop Phoenix for his first title since February and first victory in Japan.


Huskies blank Buffalo Dan Orlovsky threw for 283 yards and a touchdown in his final home game yesterday to lead Connecticut to a 29-0 victory over Buffalo, assuring the Huskies of a winning record and making them eligible for a bowl bid.


AUBURN 21, ALABAMA 13 Auburn #39;s Strong Second Half Keeps It in <b>...</b> For one half Saturday, the controversy over the Bowl Championship Series looked like it might disappear in the dampness of Bryant-Denny Stadium as undefeated Auburn found itself in a fight with archrival Alabama.


Army restricted ethnic recruits The British Army secretly restricted numbers of ethnic recruits, according to official files just released.


Ohio State defense keeps Hart in check COLUMBUS - It had been awhile since anyone had slammed the door on Michigan phenom Mike Hart. The freshman running back established a school record by rushing for 150 or more yards in five straight games entering


Baghdad Governor Assassinated; Bombing Kills 10  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Gunmen killed the Baghdad governor in  Iraq's highest-profile assassination in eight months and a  suicide bomber killed 10 people near the Green Zone on Tuesday  in an escalating campaign to wreck a Jan. 30 election.


Taser Execs Selling Heavily on the News Shares of Taser International Inc. (TASR.O: Quote, Profile, Research) have jumped 20 percent since early last week as the stun gun maker issued a slew of announcements


Update 1: Negotiators Meet at WTO for Farm Talks Negotiators met Friday at the World Trade Organization for formal farm talks, capping a weeklong series of informal discussions on ways to reach a wider-ranging liberalization accord by the end of 2005.


Ohio State #39;s big plays kill Wolverines Football coaches, especially those at Michigan, continually stress the importance of preventing the big play. A lot of players didn #39;t get the message on Saturday.


Sugar Shane Not so Sweet (November 21, 2004). Ronald Winky Wright successfully defended his 154 lb. title for the sixth time in the highly anticipated rematch with the formerly sweet Sugar Shane Mosley


Rats in Mouse #39;s house? Remember John Edwards Two Americas campaign theme? It occurred to me how well that theme fits the corporate world. For proof, look no further than the stockholder lawsuit against Walt Disney Co.


Costa Rica quake A powerful early-morning earthquake in Costa Rica shook presidents and prime ministers from their beds while damaging houses and frightening several people into heart attacks.


Vieira slams Spain #39;s stance on racism Patrick Vieira has fiercely criticised Spain #39;s record in combating racism in football and paid tribute to England #39;s record in acting against it.


Utah Caps Unbeaten Season With Rout of BYU (AP) AP - Utah beat rival Brigham Young 52-21 Saturday, completing its first unbeaten season since 1930 and putting the Utes one step closer to the first appearance in the Bowl Championship Series for a team from a mid-major conference.


Three More Linux mobile Phones Coming in Japan An anonymous reader writes  quot;NEC and Panasonic have developed three Linux-powered 3G mobile phones to be introduced in Japan in the coming months -- NEC #39;s N900iL, NEC #39;s N901iC, and Panasonic #39;s P901i.


Mosley Unable to Escape Winkys Jab Las Vegas, NV: You have to give credit to Sugar Shane Mosley. For the second time in his career, the former world champion valiantly tried to reverse a thorough beating by jumping headfirst into an immediate rematch.


After a decade of silence, Cambodia's cinema enjoys resurgence (AFP) AFP - After a decade of silence, Cambodia's movie industry is enjoying a boom due to a dash of Hollywood attention, burgeoning nationalism and cheaper production costs, industry insiders say.


Anil Ambani authorises mother to take decisions on his behalf MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: The stage is set for a family meeting of the Ambanis here on Monday on the ownership issue in the Rs 80,000 crore-Reliance group of industries as Mukesh Ambani returned from the US even as his brother Anil is understood to have


Commuter Plane Crashes in China, Killing 54 A China Eastern Airlines commuter plane crashed into a frozen lake in northern China this morning, killing all 53 people on board and 1 on the ground, state media and the airline said.


Halliburton leading contender in construction of British aircraft carriers: report (AFP) AFP - Halliburton, the oil services giant once run by US Vice President Dick Cheney, has emerged as a leading contender to manage the construction of two British aircraft carriers, The Sunday Telegraph said.


Deadly fire sweeps through China mines SHAHE, CHINA - Nine people were confirmed dead and 57 remained missing late Sunday after a fire swept through five iron ore mines in northern China, the Xinhau news agency said.


Update 2: Oracle Poised to Pounce on PeopleSoft Bolstered by investors, Oracle Corp. appears destined to complete its long-sought takeover of PeopleSoft Inc. unless its rival becomes more profitable and proves it #39;s worth more than the \$9.2 billion bid currently on the table.


Google creators in share sell-off Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have announced plans to sell millions of shares in the web search company they launched in 1998.


Backstage Pass; Mosley-Wright 2 By Sammy Rozenberg (AP Staff Writer/BoxingScene Staff Writer). BoxingScene was ready and willing to engage in conversation during the post-fight press conference following the Shane Mosley-Winky Wright rematch.


Australia cancels 80pc of Iraqi debt Nineteen countries, including Australia, have agreed to cancel 80 per cent of the debt Iraq owes them. The deal secured for the Paris Club of creditor nations ends a trans-Atlantic dispute and probably sets


Arafat nephew set to pick up medical chart PARIS - Nasser al-Kidwa, nephew of the deceased Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, arrived in Paris from Cairo Sunday to pick up a copy of Arafat #39;s medical records.


PM invites North East groups for talks Striking a personal chord, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today invited ULFA in Assam and other insurgent groups in the North East to shun violence.


US urges Israel to help Palestinian vote US Secretary of State Colin Powell has launched a new Middle East peace drive by saying he will press both Israeli and Palestinian leaders for steps to help Palestinians elect a successor to Yasser Arafat.


Iverson Misses Game Against Heat (AP) AP - Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson didn't travel with the team for Sunday's game against Miami because of a bruised right elbow.


Iran pledges to halt nuclear work The head of Iran #39;s nuclear energy organisation said work would stop at two nuclear facilities in the central cities of Isfahan and Natanz.


No deal on dollar as US shrugs off European pressure Europe and Japan failed yesterday to persuade the United States to address the decline in the dollar, despite talks at a fractious meeting of the Group of 20 industrialised and developing nations.


For Dempsey, soccer impasse qualifies as a concern US national team candidates expected to begin training in Los Angeles this week for the start of the final round of World Cup qualifying. Instead, the training camp has been postponed because of a contract dispute between the US Soccer Federation and the US National Soccer Team Players Association.


Blunkett gets tougher on drugs New police powers to prosecute offenders for possession if they test positive for drugs when they are arrested, even if the only drugs they have are in their bloodstream, are to be announced this week.


Top exec shares business lessons Jeff Raikes was working at Apple Computer in the early 1980s when a guy named Steve Ballmer called and asked him to interview for a product-management job at a small software outfit in the Seattle area.


NVIDIA and Intel sign broad cross-license and chipset license <b>...</b>  quot;NVIDIA and Intel Corporation announced that the companies have signed a broad, multi-year patent cross-license agreement spanning multiple product lines and product generations.


APEC Leaders Vow to Scrap Trade Barriers Pacific Rim leaders pledged Sunday to shore up global security and push ahead with the World Trade Organization's negotiations on lowering global trade barriers.


HGS Picks Watkins as New Chief Executive  Human Genome Sciences Inc. plans to announce today that it has hired a 20-year product development veteran from Abbott Laboratories Inc. as chief executive. H. Thomas Watkins, 51, will face the challenge of completing the Rockville company's makeover from gene hunter to drug marketer.


Bettis, Steelers post eighth straight win CINCINNATI - Jerome Bettis ran for 129 yards and the Pittsburgh Steelers #39; blitzing defense created havoc in the second half in a 19-14 win over the Cincinnati Bengals yesterday.


UPDATE:James Hardie 1H Net Disappoints; Cuts FY Forecast SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Australian building products manufacturer James Hardie Industries NV (JHX) surprised investors Monday by reporting a 9.5 drop in net profit for


Favre Does It Again With the Texans nursing a second-half lead, the stage was set for another Packers' comeback, authored by Brett Favre. The result: a 16-13 Green Bay win.


Google targets software giant  SEATTLE -- Not too long ago, Google Inc. seemed little more than a pesky insect to Microsoft Corp.'s 800-pound gorilla.


Defense finally craters against Favre Considering how poorly the Texans #39; defense played in the first halves in blowout losses to the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts the previous two weeks, Sunday night #39;s performance was encouraging.


Bush Tries to Mend Ties With Latin America President Bush, trying to mend relations with Latin America, pledged Sunday to make a fresh push for stalled immigration reforms and defended the U.S. invasion of Iraq, saying that "history will prove it right."


Toy Safety Glance 398,000 Bumble Bee toys distributed by Graco Children #39;s Products. Graco received 26 reports of antennae breaking off the toys, including five reports of children who started to choke on the broken parts.


Holiday sales results lift Wal-Mart, Kmart Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said a surge in after-Christmas shopping spurred December same-store sales gains of about 3 percent, at the high end of its forecast. Kmart Holding Corp. said profit rose 10 percent during the holiday season after it limited deep discounts.


Skulls Trojan keelhauls Symbian phones Users with Symbian-based mobile phones have been hit by malicious code that disables smartphone features. Skulls, a Trojan horse program that poses as gaming software, is one of the first examples of malicious code to successfully infect mobiles.


GULLIT TO TAKE ACTION AFTER DEFEAT Feyenoord boss Ruud Gullit has launched a stinging attack on his players after watching them crash to their third defeat of the season against FC Groningen.


Iran Suspends Key Nuclear Work to Avoid Sanctions Iran on Monday froze sensitive nuclear work including uranium enrichment in a move likely to thwart US efforts to report the Islamic state to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.


Amtrak Infrastructure On Brink, DOT Warns The national passenger rail service risks a "major point of failure" if infrastructure needs remain unaddressed, the U.S. Department of Transportation warned in a scathing report made public.


Xstrata in new bid for mines firm Swiss firm Xstrata relaunches a takeover bid for Australian mining company WMC Resources by appealing directly to its shareholders.


Nine men Bhoys fall at Ibrox CELTIC lost ground in the title race today after Rangers won a heated Old Firm encounter that will be better remembered for its sending offs and scuffles.


Wright ready to cash in after win Shane Mosley gave Winky Wright his big chance. After beating Mosley a second time, Wright is now ready to cash in on it. Wright pronounced himself one of boxing #39;s elite contenders Saturday night after beating


China Iron Mine Fire Death Toll Rises to 57  BEIJING (Reuters) - The death toll from a fire that swept  through an iron mine complex in the northern Chinese province  of Hebei rose to 57, with three miners still missing, Xinhua  news agency said on Monday.


Raid in hunt for Afghan hostages \US and Afghan forces raid houses in Kabul as part of a hunt for three UN workers kidnapped last month.


Microsoft and Dell Get Air Force Pact Microsoft Corp. on Friday said that together with Dell Inc. it will provide the Air Force with software and related support services to simplify the acquisition process in an agreement worth up to \$500 million over six years.


CAT and AstraZeneca enter \$175m collaboration AstraZeneca intends to invest over 120m in Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT) through an innovative five-year research collaboration and a 75m equity


Trump's Casinos File for Bankruptcy  PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Donald Trump's casino operations  filed for bankruptcy Sunday in a long-expected move that would  allow the real estate maverick to restructure the company's  debt and overhaul its aging casinos.


Xstrata Makes a Bid for WMC Resources Swiss mining group Xstrata PLC Monday launched a hostile 7.4 billion Australian dollar (US\$5.8 billion; euro4.4 billion) bid for uranium and copper miner WMC Resources LTD, increasing pressure on the independent Australian miner.


HK Disneyland Theme Park to Open in September Hong Kong #39;s Disneyland theme park will open on Sept. 12, 2005 and become the driving force for growth in the city #39;s tourism industry, Hong Kong #39;s government and Walt Disney Co.


Ryanair names Liverpool airport as 12th base Ryanair is making Liverpool #39;s John Lennon Airport its 12th European base. The low fares airline is investing \$240m in four new Boeing 737-800 aircraft and will launch nine new European routes from the airport.


Trapeze Software Eases Services Delivery (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Trapeze Networks this week will announce upgrades to its wireless LAN switch software.


Before-the-Bell: GenCorp Falls 5.6 Pct. (Reuters) Reuters - Shares of GenCorp Inc.  fell 5.6\percent before the opening bell on Monday after investment fund\Steel Partners withdrew its proposal to acquire the aerospace\and real estate company.


Study Ranks St. Louis as Fourth Most Dangerous City A new study ranks St. Louis as the fourth most dangerous city. Camden, New Jersey came in first, followed by Detroit and Atlanta. The rankings are in Morgan Quitno #39;s  quot;City Crime Rankings, quot; an annual reference


KarstadtQuelle Sells Stake in Venture Troubled German retailer KarstadtQuelle AG said Monday it is selling its 82 percent stake in a three-year-old joint venture with coffeehouse chain Starbucks Coffee International to the US company.


Panasonic braves Linux-fuelled wrath of Ballmer Was this what Microsoft (Steve Ballmer) was growling and threatening about, when he told Asian countries:  quot;nice little Linux OS you have here.


Arafat #39;s nephew not ruling out poison as cause of death While Yasser Arafat #39;s nephew says toxicology tests on his uncle show no poisons were found in his system, Arafat #39;s nephew isn #39;t ruling that out as a cause of death.


Putin in Brazil for space talks Russian president Vladimir Putin visits Brazil for talks on its space programme and the sale of fighter planes.


Iraq gears up for elections Iraq: Iraq geared up Monday for its first post-Saddam Hussein elections on January 30 despite relentless nationwide violence, as world powers gathered in Egypt for a conference on the country #39;s future.


Powell Meets with Middle East Leaders CBN.com - (CBN News) -ERUSALEM  -h the death of Yasser Arafat behind them, the Palestinians and Israelis are now facing an historic opportunity to move forward in peace.


ElBaradei strongly rejects charges of collaboration with Iran International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei angrily rejected allegations that he had collaborated with Iran ahead of releasing investigation reports about Tehrans nuclear program.


Campbell 9 Pct. Profit  #39;Hmmm Hmmm Good #39; Campbell Soup Co. (CPB.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday posted a better-than-expected 9 percent rise in profit, sending shares to a near three-year high, as heavy promotions and product improvements spurred soup sales.


F1 power struggle now in session. The legal battle for control of Formula One gets underway in earnest today, with Bernie Ecclestone and the three German banks that make up the major shareholding in the sport going to court to decide who has the right to power.


Stelco Loses Contract to Supply GM Steel (Reuters) Reuters - Stelco Inc.\(STEa.TO) has lost a contract to supply steel to General Motors\Inc. , its biggest customer, because the insolvent\Canadian steelmaker failed to strike a deal with its workers,\the union at Stelco said on Monday.


Thomson Joins Microsoft-Time Warner Deal (AP) AP - French technology company Thomson SA said Monday it was joining Microsoft Corp. and Time Warner Inc.'s proposed venture to make anti-piracy software, a move that could relieve European Union concerns about the pending deal.


Thomson joins takeover bid for ContentGuard Thomson joined Microsoft and Time Warner on Monday in trying to take control of U.S. digital rights management (DRM) company ContentGuard Holdings.


Bofra Worm Spreads by Banner Ads Attacks exploit IE flaw, and allow attacker to gain complete control of your PC.


Google Founders Selling Off Stock Google Founders Selling Off Stock\\Is this a sign that Google stack is overpriced? Or does it just mean that since there is so much interest in Google and its shares right now that the founders decided to sell off a big part of their holdings with the search engine. Dow ...


Israel trial over slain Gaza girl An Israeli military court has charged an army officer with illegally using his weapon when he allegedly shot a Palestinian girl who was already dead.


McCartney to headline Super Bowl halftime in  #39;05 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Paul McCartney will headline the 2005 Super Bowl halftime show as the National Football League goes mainstream after the controversy over this year #39;s show.


Stelco Loses Contract to Supply GM Steel (Reuters) Reuters - Stelco Inc. (STEa.TO) has lost a\contract to supply steel to its biggest customer General Motors\Corp. , the company said on Monday, after the insolvent\Canadian steelmaker failed to strike a deal with its workers.


Ivory Coast violence deals economic blow Burned, looted shops dot the commercial capital. European airlines have suspended flights. And only a few ships remain in what was one of West Africa #39;s busiest ports.


Banks seek court ruling over F1 Three banks go to the High Court in London seeking a ruling which could lead to Bernie Ecclestone losing control of Formula One racing.


Bofra burrows in through banner ads Hackers may be using banner ad servers to multiply the impact of the Internet Explorer virus, security experts warn.


Pioneer replaces plasma TV power supplies Certain Pioneer TVs have a faulty power supply. An upgrade is available.


CU Athletic Director Dick Tharp Resigns (AP) AP - Colorado athletic director Dick Tharp resigned Monday, ending a nine-year tenure sullied by accusations of recruiting violations and fiscal mismanagement.


Nike Boosts Dividend by 25 Percent (Reuters) Reuters - Nike Inc.  boosted its\quarterly dividend by 25 percent on Monday, citing strong cash\flow and growth prospects as the world's biggest athletic shoe\company has racked up record revenue and soaring profits the\past few years.


Stocks Finish Up, Apple Provides a Lift  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Monday as a higher  price target for shares of Apple Computer Inc. AAPL.O  prompted enthusiasm for technology stocks and a rally in crude  oil stalled.


TiVo Net Loss Widens; Subscribers Grow TiVo Inc.(TIVO.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , maker of digital television recorders, on Monday said its quarterly net loss widened as it boosted spending to acquire customers, but subscribers to its fee-based TV service rose


Company launches Windows-only JFK Assassination game via online <b>...</b>  quot;A spokesman for the president #39;s brother, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., called the game  #39;despicable. #39; The Glasgow-based firm Traffic said  quot;JFK Reloaded quot; was an educational  quot;docu-game quot; that would help disprove conspiracy theories about Kennedy #39;s death.


RTX Provides Cordless Phones for Net-Based Calls  COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish electronics equipment maker  RTX Telecom RTX.CO said on Monday it had signed an agreement  with Skype, a provider of Internet-based voice telephony, to  develop and market cordless handsets.


Federal CISOs Rank Patch Management As Biggest Obstacle Survey by Intelligent Decisions indicates that patch management leaves less time for chief information security officers to work on improving overall security.


NFL Suspends Seattle Receiver Four Games (AP) AP - Seattle receiver Koren Robinson was suspended without pay Monday for the next four games for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.


Update: PeopleSoft board won't negotiate Oracle takeover PeopleSoft executives said over the weekend that they won't discuss a sale to Oracle at a price of \$24 per share but would consider an offer at a higher price.


Seahawks Receiver Robinson Suspended by NFL  NEW YORK (Sports Network) - Seattle Seahawks wide receiver  Koren Robinson has been suspended without pay for four games by  the league for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.


Alamosa Offers to Buy AirGate (Reuters) Reuters - Alamosa Holdings Inc.  said\on Monday it made an unsolicited bid for AirGate PCS Inc.\ worth about  #36;380 million, which would create one of\the largest sellers of wireless telephone service under the\Sprint  brand.


Forgoing stiff upper lip, Charles jousts with critics LONDON: In an unusual departure from the tradition of regal silence and the stiff upper lip, Prince Charles fought back Monday against accusations by a government minister who called his views on education  quot;old fashioned quot; and  quot;out of time.


Report: IBM software executive to become CA CEO Computer Associates is set to name a recently departed IBM executive as its new chief executive officer, The Wall Street Journal reported online on Monday.


Defence contractors chase \$23bn deal EUROPES biggest defence contractors will have the chance to bid for a \$23 billion (12 billion) air refuelling contract for the US Air Force that has been withdrawn from Boeing.


Xstrata puts \$5.8bn bid to shareholders Xstrata yesterday took its \$5.8 billion (3.1 billion) cash bid for Australian miner WMC hostile, laying the ground for another major takeover clash between the old guard and the new of the mining world.


Pulitzer shares surge on possible sale ST. LOUIS Pulitzer Incorporated shares spike more than 17 percent on news that the publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and two Arizona newspapers is considering a possible sale.


Chinese President Meets With Castro (AP) AP - Chinese President Hu Jintao met with Fidel Castro Monday for talks focusing on the broadening ties between Cuba and China, which has become the island's third-largest trading partner.


Measures Aim to Stem Middle East Bird Slaughter (Reuters) Reuters - Conservationists launched a\three-year project on Tuesday to protect millions of migrating\birds which are indiscriminately targeted by hunters in North\Africa and the Middle East.


Britain #39;s Biggest Dinosaur Found in Isle of Wight (Update1) A prehistoric neck bone found 12 years ago by amateur fossil hunters in Britain belongs to the biggest dinosaur ever discovered in the UK and possibly Europe, a report published in the Cretaceous Research Journal said today.


Artest banned for season; Jackson gets 30 games, O #39;Neal 25 NEW YORK (Ticker) - Ron Artest received the longest suspension in NBA history Sunday as he was banned for the rest of the season for his role as the ringleader in what amounted to a riot.


Trump #39;s casinos file for bankruptcy Donald Trump #39;s flagship casino business yesterday filed for bankruptcy as part of a financial restructuring aimed at easing \$1.8bn (1m) debt.


McDonald #39;s CEO Charlie Bell devoted working career to McDonald #39;s OAK BROOK, Ill. Cancer has forced Charlie Bell to step down as CEO of the restaurant chain to which he #39;s devoted most of his working career.


SKorea's Hyundai Motor to join strike against labor reform bill (AFP) AFP - Workers at South Korea's largest automaker Hyundai Motor will go on strike Friday to oppose proposed government labor reform legislaton, union leaders said.


The Handbag? Total Knockoff. The Price Tag? All Too Real. It is as much a rite of the New York holiday season as sidewalk Santas or crowded Fifth Avenue sidewalks: the proliferation of hawkers selling counterfeit products like the fake Fendi handbag, the replica Rolex watch and the pirated DVD.


Novell ships Desktop Linux for the enterprise NOVELL Inc has announced the availability of the Novell Linux Desktop 9, powered by SuSE Linux. Backed by Novells extensive enterprise-level support, training and consulting services, Novell Linux Desktop


Ramsey, Redskins Come Up A Little Short in First Start Patrick Ramsey can picture each long pass he threw during his first start this season. The five deep throws came on tight spirals that were only a tad off.


BHP stock boosted by share buy-back Mining giant BHP Billiton has completed a bigger-than-expected A\$2.27 billion (950 million pound) share buyback, driving up its stock price as investors reinvest profits from the tax-efficient deal.


Publisher Files Copyright Suit Against Google An adult publishing company sued Google last week, alleging a dozen counts of copyright infringement. Perfect 10, a Beverly Hills, CA-based publisher of an adult-oriented magazine and Web sites, asserts that


SA-India Test: South Africa declare at 510 for 9 : Sports India: Cricket  gt; Kanpur, Nov 22 : South Africa declared their first innings at 510 for nine on the third day of the first cricket Test against India here today.


Lawmakers give the space agency greater flexibility in its new <b>...</b> After a year of wrangling over NASA #39;s \$16.2 billion budget, lawmakers have delivered in a big way, giving the space agency its full funding request and unprecedented spending flexibility.


Icahn blasts CEO Coury after Mylan rejects stock buyout offer The war of words between Mylan Laboratories Inc. and the company #39;s largest shareholder over Mylan #39;s \$4 billion deal to acquire King Pharmaceuticals Inc.


Paul McCartney To Perform at Super Bowl Following this year #39;s  quot;Nipplegate quot; affair with Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake, the organisers of half-time entertainment at the Super Bowl aren #39;t taking any chances in 2005.


Paul McCartney to perform at Super Bowl The organisers of the half-time entertainment for next year #39;s Super Bowl have signed a deal with Sir Paul McCartney to entertain millions.


Timberwolves go all way back Trailing by 12 points with 4 minutes, 27 seconds left, having gone longer than that since they last scored, the Minnesota Timberwolves could have been thinking about finally getting home after a week on the road.


Notebook: USC, Sooners in control of BCS USC vs. Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl appears to be three victories away - two by USC and one by the Sooners. USC and Oklahoma held the top two spots in the Bowl Championship


Israel Kills 5 Palestinians in North Gaza -- Medics  GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli soldiers shot dead five  Palestinians in north Gaza on Tuesday after mortar fire from  Palestinian militants wounded two people in a nearby Jewish  settlement, medics on both sides said.


The Blog Confusion \\I hear that we have a new word - vlog.  The amount of confusion this will result\in should be terrifying.\\My appologies to Abbott and Costello...  I couldn't resist.\\Abbott: I say Blogs's on first, Vlogs's on second, and Blogosphere's on third.\\Costello: Is Blog the publisher?\\Abbott: Yes.\\Costello: Is Blog going to have the video too?\\Abbott: Yes.\\Costello: And you don't know the fellows' names?\\Abbott: Well I should.\\Costello: Well then Blogs publishing the story?\\Abbott: Yes.\\Costello: I mean the persons's name.\\Abbott: Blog.\\Costello: The guy on first.\\Abbott: Blog!\\Costello: The first publisher.\\Abbott: Blog.\\Costello: The guy writing...\\Abbott: Blogs the publisher!\ ...\\


Sox lose Kapler to Japan Outfielder Gabe Kapler became the first player to leave the World Series champion Boston Red Sox, agreeing to a one-year contract with the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo.


Peru Arrests Siege Leader, to Attack Police Post (Reuters) Reuters - Peruvian authorities have detained a\former army major who led a three-day uprising in a southern\Peruvian town and are preparing to storm the police station he\took over with 200 supporters, a government source told Reuters\early on Tuesday.


Family of JFK attacks Dallas death game A VIDEO games company from Scotland is causing outrage in America with a title called JFK Reloaded, which allows players to look through the crosshairs of Lee Harvey Oswalds rifle and assassinate the late US President.


A.I.G. Will Accept Monitor and Pay \$80 Million to Close Inquiries The insurance company has agreed to pay about \$80 million to settle investigations into insurance sales that were used by companies to manipulate their earnings.


Group Cites Video Games for Violence, Sex (AP) AP - Video games that have players shoot rival gang members, watch bare-breasted women and recreate the assassination of President Kennedy were criticized Tuesday by advocacy groups that said, at the least, they should be kept away from children.


REVIEW: 'Half-Life 2' a Tech Masterpiece (AP) AP - It's been six years since Valve Corp. perfected the first-person shooter with "Half-Life." Video games have come a long way since, with better graphics and more options than ever. Still, relatively few games have mustered this one's memorable characters and original science fiction story.


Cingular to Cut About 7,000 Jobs (Reuters) Reuters - Cingular Wireless will cut about 7,000\jobs, or 10 percent of its work force, to cut costs as it\integrates recently purchased AT T Wireless, the company said\on Tuesday.


Phone Makers Embrace Linux (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Open-source software is carving a larger niche in the mobile realm, with electronics firms NEC (Nasdaq: NIPNY) and Panasonic rolling out Linux-based handhelds for Japanese telecom giant NTT DoCoMo (NYSE: DCM).


Bride of Kazaa Arnold Schwarzenegger married a Kennedy. Michael Jackson married a Presley. And Kazaa married an Internet phone company. Beginning Monday, the latest version of the embattled file sharing companys software


Serbia, Bosnian Serbs Fail to Help War Crimes Tribunal, UN Says The governments of Serbia and the Bosnian Serb enclave of Bosnia-Herzegovina have failed to bring war crimes suspects to the United Nations tribunal, Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte told the Security Council.


No Sign of El Nino in Pacific for Now - Scientists (Reuters) Reuters - Sea temperatures in the southeastern\Pacific show no sign of bringing extreme "El Nino" weather\conditions in the next two months, Peru's Maritime Institute\(IMARPE) said on Tuesday.


Catalina Foxes Back After Near Extinction (AP) AP - A unique subspecies of fox that is about the size of a house cat is back from the brink of extinction on Santa Catalina Island and can survive on its own thanks to a captive breeding program, the head of a nonprofit group that manages most of the island said Tuesday.


Arrowhead: It still is pointing the way In comparison to its contemporaries it could be termed a modern marvel, an example of how to do things right when everyone else was doing things wrong.


Cingular to Reduce Work Force by Roughly 10 Percent, CEO Says Cingular Wireless LLC, the nation's largest cell phone company, will cut about 10 percent of its 68,000 jobs over the next 12 to 18 months as it combines operations with the recently acquired AT T Wireless, Cingular's chief executive said Tuesday.


Four men held over Jakarta bomb Four men are arrested over the suicide bomb attack on the Australian embassy in Jakarta, police say.


Citrix buying VPN company Net6 for \$50 million BOSTON - Citrix Systems is buying Net6, a privately-held maker of SSL (Secure Socket Layer) VPN (Virtual Private Network) technology, for \$50 million cash, Citrix said Tuesday.


Echoes Repeats Success Don't junk that GameCube: Metroid Prime 2 provides gorgeous atmosphere, a sweet score and fun gameplay to create a winner. By Chris Kohler.


Chavez Visit to Spain Sparks Coup Controversy  MADRID (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's  fence-mending visit to Spain sparked political uproar on  Tuesday when Madrid for the first time backed his allegations  that the former Spanish government backed a coup against him.


JFK killing fades in intensity WASHINGTON: The 41st anniversary of President John F Kennedy #39;s assassination passed on November 22 - a lot more quietly than earlier ones.


Three arrested after demanding money from NBA star Three men were arrested Tuesday night for trying to extort \$3 million from Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony. Joubert Santos and Jason Pabon of the Bronx


EasyGroup close to launching low-cost mobile phone service (AFP) AFP - EasyGroup, the holding company of no-frills British airline easyJet, is close to striking a deal to launch a low-cost mobile telephone service in Britain, the Financial Times reported.


They #39;re not on same side Unable to reach an agreement on a one-year deal that pleases both sides, Al Leiter and the Mets finally were able to come to terms on something: It #39;s time both sides stop talking to each other and start looking elsewhere.


Been there, won that: ND hopes USC game mirrors effort vs. <b>...</b> SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- For the second time in less than a month, the Notre Dame football team returned to the practice field Tuesday after a bye week preceded by a frustrating home loss.


Gamecocks can expect fun, intensity from new Coach Spurrier (Columbia-AP) Nov. 24, 2004 - Friends and colleagues of South Carolina #39;s new coach Steve Spurrier say he is a family man who jokes around and likes to play golf, just like his predecessor Lou Holtz .


Cricket-Lillee a victim of generational change, says spin guru MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP) - Cricket Australia said it was better off hiring full-time coaches than employing bowling great Dennis Lillee, who has abruptly ended his long coaching involvement with the body.


British Media: Security Stopped Several Major Terrorist Attacks A British television station and a newspaper are reporting that British security services believe they have thwarted several major attacks planned by terrorists linked to Osama bin Laden #39;s al-Qaida organization.


Portsmouth Manager Redknapp Resigns to Take Break #39; From Soccer Harry Redknapp has quit as manager of English soccer Premiership club Portsmouth and said he wants a complete break #39; #39; from the game, the club Web site reported.


U.N.: N.Korea Sends Positive Message on Nuke Talks  SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea gave a visiting U.N. official  a "very positive message" about resuming stalled six-way talks  on its nuclear programs, the South Korean Unification Ministry  said Wednesday.


Travelers Stuff Roads, Terminals Traditionally, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year, and the American Automobile Association expected travel this year to hit pre-Sept.


No Changes for Certain Nortel Accounting Nortel Networks Corp. (NT.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday that a far-reaching revision of its faulty financials will not require accounting changes for sales of certain fiber optic equipment.


Asia ; Freed UN Hostages Say Humbled by Support in Ordeal The UN workers, who helped to run a presidential election won last month by US-backed incumbent Karzai, discussed their ordeal with him at his presidential palace in the morning.


Britain plans national ID cards London -- Invoking a global threat of terrorism, the British government announced plans Tuesday to introduce national identity cards for the first time since the World War II era.


La. Becomes Latest Political Battleground (AP) AP - The swamps, bayous and rice fields of Louisiana's Cajun country have emerged as the site of the nation's latest political battleground.


Bearcat qb has broken bone in throwing hand CINCINNATI University of Cincinnati quarterback Gino Guidugli (guh-DOO #39;-lee) has a broken bone in his throwing hand, and may miss Saturday #39;s game at number-seven Louisville.


#39;Grateful #39; Kabul hostages look forward to returning to work Three UN election workers who were freed yesterday nearly a month after being abducted in Afghanistan have spoken of their gratitude to the Afghan people for supporting them during their plight.


World Trade Organization holds off on sanctions over US anti <b>...</b> The World Trade Organization held off Wednesday on approving stiff sanctions on US exports - ranging from cod to mobile homes - intended to punish Washington until it repeals the so-called Byrd amendment.


Iran Seeks to Amend Nuclear Freeze Deal (AP) AP - Iran sought on Wednesday to partially roll back its commitment to freeze all uranium enrichment programs, demanding the right to run some equipment that can be used to produce nuclear arms.


Elderly 'need digital TV funds' Vulnerable groups such as the elderly should be helped to buy digital TV equipment, a report says.


Microsoft, EU Officials in Procedure Meeting Microsoft (Quote, Chart) and representatives of the European Union #39;s Competition Commission will sit down at the table together on Thursday, but it won #39;t be to eat.


Microsoft Will Replace Fake Copies of XP U.K. users will be able to replace pirated versions of Windows that they have purchased.


US Travelers Face Weather Delays on Holiday Journey (Update2) Travelers faced weather delays across the US as they took to the highways and airways today to begin what industry experts say will be the biggest Thanksgiving travel weekend since 2000.


Hearing Set After Microsoft Rivals Quit The judge considering Microsoft Corp. #39;s appeal against European Union sanctions has called a closed meeting for Thursday to decide what action to take after two more major