Icahn: Mylan Says Takeover Bid Neutralized As Perry Becomes Top <b>...</b> Check--or checkmate? Carl Icahn, attempting to block Mylan Laboratories (nyse: MYL - news - people ) in its buyup of King Pharmaceuticals (nyse: KG - news - people ), made his move: Earlier this month, the


Union readies itself for possible strike at USAir A major union at US Airways (UAIRQ.OB: Quote, Profile, Research) positioned itself on Tuesday for a possible strike if the airline throws out union contracts to save money.


Russian Gas Monopoly to Bid for Prize Yukos Oil Assets In an attempt to create a state energy leviathan, the Russian natural gas monopoly Gazprom said today that it would bid for the prize oil assets of Yukos.


Can global economy recover in  #39;05? For quite sometime now, global economy has been under a lot of pressure. The war in Iraq, the US current account deficit and resulting falling dollar, oil deficit have all contributed to a slowdown in the global economy.


US Economy: Confidence Unexpectedly Fell This Month (Update2) US consumer confidence unexpectedly fell in November to the lowest level in eight months as higher energy prices damped optimism among low-income Americans.


UPDATE 2-AIG to pay \$126 mln to settle federal probes American International Group Inc. (AIG.N: Quote, Profile, Research) agreed to pay \$126 million and appoint an independent monitor to settle allegations it helped


US regulatory body fines 29 securities firms 9.2 million dollars WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US securities industry #39;s self-regulatory body fined 29 firms more than 9.2 million dollars for reporting information about their brokers later than required.


Lockheed's Loss in Space Intelsat loses a satellite, which could mean lost millions for the defense contractor.


Ultimate Electronics' Shaky Base The stock has soared thanks to homebuilders, but not enough profits are built into the price.


Pacers to be Charged Pacers players will be charged for fighting with fans during the Nov. 19 brawl at the end of a game against the Pistons, Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca told The Detroit News.


Red Hat Will Keep Linux Market Lead Over Novell Prudential Equity Group upgraded Red Hat (nasdaq: RHAT - news - people ) to  quot;overweight quot; from  quot;neutral weight quot; and maintained a \$17 target price, saying the software company remains the leader in the Linux market, which is among the fastest-growing


Battle over new DVDs begins TOKYO -- You may not remember the battle between VHS and beta or between cassette tapes and CD #39;s but in years to come, you #39;ll likely be able to recall a battle over the format for the next generation of DVDs.


Lycos Strikes Back At Spammers With Screensaver com. Lycos Europe is taking the fight to the enemy, launching a screensaver that conducts a group denial-of-service attack against sites marketing products via spam.


Beijing Dumps Microsoft Deal com. Beijing #39;s municipal government canceled a \$3.5 million deal with Microsoft under pressure from national government officials and in-country rivals, financial sources reported Monday.


Sun Acquiring Outsourcing Vendor SevenSpace Sun Microsystems on Monday disclosed plans to acquire SevenSpace Inc., an Ashburn, Va.-based provider of IT outsourcing and managed services.


Sony To Sell MP3 Music Players in Japan Sony #39;s two MP3 players, the NW-HD3 with a 20-gigabyte hard-disk drive, and the NW-E99, with a built-in 1-gigabyte flash-memory chip, go on sale December 10 in Japan.


Cisco Enhances Catalyst Switch Range Cisco said that its IP Phone allows unconstrained Gigabit Ethernet-enabled bandwidth from the network to desktop phone. Cisco #39;s Catalyst 6500 Supervisor Engine 32 has been enhanced to allow customers to enable


Microsoft Swats at Phony COAs Certificates of authority (COAs) are affixed to software packaging to let buyers know it #39;s the real thing. But when the COA itself is counterfeit, resellers also feel the pain, Microsoft (Quote, Chart) found.


Soccer: Diouf banned for three matches for spitting LONDON : Bolton #39;s El-Hadji Diouf was banned for three matches after pleading guilty to a charge of improper conduct for spitting.


Packers have their way on Favre day #39; BATTERING RAMS Packers have their way on Favre Day #39; Green Bay It was a sentimental and hopeful interlude at Lambeau Field, a Monday night spent in 28-degree chill for 70,385 fans to cherish Brett Favre #39;s glorious past and wonder just how far he might lead


Bush's Messages to Nations Hit by Tsunami (AP) AP - President Bush signed messages of condolence Monday at embassies of the four nations hit hardest by the tsunami. The messages also were signed by First Lady Laura Bush and former Presidents Clinton and Bush. Here is what the president wrote in each book:


Nearly 340 people killed as second storm in a week slams eastern <b>...</b> A powerful rainstorm triggered landslides and flash floods that killed nearly 340 people in the eastern Philippines, officials said Tuesday, and rescuers raced to save those stranded in three coastal towns before a typhoon strikes the hard-hit region.


31 reported dead in Indonesia plane crash JAKARTA, INDONESIA - At least 31 people died in a plane crash in Indonesia on Tuesday, after a passenger jet #39;s landing went wrong amid heavy rain.


Iraq car bomb kills seven just one short of the figure in April which was the highest monthly toll so far. The US military says it expects violence to escalate before elections scheduled for January 30.


Mozambicans hope elections to bring better life, no matter who <b>...</b> Mondlane will join in some eight million Mozambicans Wednesday morning to cast a ballot for their future -- a new president will be chosen to lead the country for the next five years.


Liverpool Moves to 5th in Premier League (AP) AP - Liverpool beat Norwich 2-1 on the road Monday behind second-half goals by Luis Garcia and John Arne Riise to move up to fifth place in the Premier League.


Holiday Shopping Gets Off to Slow Start (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. holiday shopping season got\off to a sluggish start with high oil prices and weak consumer\confidence hitting the key Thanksgiving weekend, according to\three retail indices released on Tuesday.


Oil Prices Slip, Winter Supplies Seen Up  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Tuesday as an  expected increase in U.S. heating fuel supplies eased concerns  over an inventory crunch should this winter's weather prove  colder than normal.


Dollar Weakens Against Euro But Off Lows  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar was weaker against the euro  on Tuesday but above record lows reached after remarks by  European Central Bank chief Jean-Claude Trichet suggested the  ECB was unlikely to intervene to stem the euro's rise.


Trichet's Warnings Hint No ECB Rate Shift  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - There are a number of risks to the  inflationary outlook, European Central Bank President  Jean-Claude Trichet said on Tuesday in remarks that signaled  the ECB is likely to keep to its slight bias toward eventually  raising interest rates.


AIG Settles U.S. Fraud Charges for \$126 Mln  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - American International Group Inc.  AIG.N agreed to pay \$126 million and appoint an independent  monitor to settle allegations it helped two companies  fraudulently inflate earnings, U.S. authorities said on  Tuesday.


Holiday Shopping Gets Off to Slow Start  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. holiday shopping season got  off to a sluggish start with high oil prices and weak consumer  confidence hitting the key Thanksgiving weekend, according to  three retail indices released on Tuesday.


U.S. Puts Hefty Duties on Imported Shrimp  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has set final  anti-dumping duties of up to 112.81 percent on shrimp from  China and up to 25.76 percent on those from Vietnam to offset  unfair pricing, the Commerce Department said on Tuesday.


U.S. Stocks Drop as Retailers Weigh  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday, dragged  down by retailers after data indicated that the holiday  shopping season got off to a sluggish start.


Diana tapes broadcast in US Previously unpublished videotapes of Diana, Princess of Wales, reveal she only met Prince Charles 13 times before their wedding. The tapes, which are being shown on US television, feature the princess talking


Lycos Offers Program to Attack Spammers (AP) AP - At the risk of breaching Internet civility, Lycos Europe is offering computer-users a weapon against spam-spewing servers: a screen-saver program that automatically hits the offenders with data to slow them down.


Notre Dame Fires Coach Tyrone Willingham (AP) AP - Coach Tyrone Willingham was fired by Notre Dame on Tuesday after three seasons in which he failed to return one of the nation's most storied football programs to prominence.


Product Review: Decent Debut for MyFi (AP) AP - It was when Vanilla Fudge's "You Keep Me Hanging On" came blasting through my earphones that I began to see the appeal of the MyFi, the new portable satellite radio from XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. and Delphi Corp. with a built-in digital recorder.


Cycling's Hamilton Fired After Doping Test (AP) AP - Olympic gold medalist Tyler Hamilton was fired by his cycling team two months after testing positive for blood doping.


Spurrier Sees SEC Title for Gamecocks (AP) AP - Right now, life is a blur for new South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier.


Natural gas giant Gazprom to participate in Russian auction of key Yukos unit (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - MOSCOW (AP) - The nascent petroleum division of natural gas giant Gazprom will bid for the crown jewels of the battered Yukos oil empire, its chief said Tuesday - a widely anticipated move that could put the heart of the company jailed billionaire Mikhail Khodorkovsky created in Kremlin-friendly hands.


LG Unveils Big, Pricey Plasma TV (PC World) PC World - 71-inch HDTV comes with a home stereo system and components painted in 24-karat gold.


Roddick Will Need Patience in Davis Cup (AP) AP - Andy Roddick is known for his power. He'll need patience, too, in the Davis Cup final against Spain.


Wireless Revenues Top  #36;100 Billion, Says Census Bureau (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Cellular and other wireless telecommunications revenues rose from US #36;92 billion in 2002 to  #36;104 billion in 2003, an increase of 14 percent, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report.


Tight Lies Tour Goes Against the Grain (AP) AP - The Tight Lies Tour is one of several regional circuits for players with aspirations of making the big leagues. One of its alumni is Ryan Palmer, who held off Vijay Singh last month at Disney for his first PGA Tour victory.


Sybase Partners with IBM (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Enterprise software provider Sybase (NYSE: SY) has hooked up with IBM (NYSE: IBM) in an agreement that puts Sybase's Linux-based Adaptive Server Enterprise (ASE) database system on IBM's eServer OpenPower platform.


Where has the Black Caps #39; fighting spirit gone? When the last breath was squeezed out of New Zealand just after lunch yesterday, with it went an appalling test series on virtually all counts.


Mellor given chance to make Reds grade Neil Mellor #39;s sensational late winner for Liverpool against Arsenal on Sunday has earned the back-up striker the chance to salvage a career that had appeared to be drifting irrevocably towards the lower divisions.


Wherever Pedro ends up, he stands to cash in Pedro Martinez had the last laugh in October. Now he #39;s going to have the last laugh and a very nice contract. Martinez covered the gamut of competitive and emotional experiences this October, from being a


Microsoft Order Cancelled by Beijing (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Beijing's municipal government has stopped an order for Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) software, apparently giving in to public sentiment after nearly two weeks of fierce criticism within China about the deal.


Notre Dame Will Not Retain Willingham  SOUTH BEND, Ind. (Sports Network) - The University of Notre  Dame announced Tuesday that Tyrone Willingham will not be  retained as the head football coach for 2005. The school has  scheduled a news conference for 4 p.m. EST.


U.S. May Plan Offensive in Afghanistan (AP) AP - Thousands of U.S. soldiers are preparing an operation against Taliban insurgents to preempt an expected spring offensive which could upset plans for Afghan parliamentary elections, a senior American general said in an interview Tuesday.


Q A: OMG member talks up UML 2.0 (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - The Object Management Group (OMG) is in the process of voting on whether to approve Unified Modeling Language (UML) 2.0, the latest version of this specification for model-driven development. InfoWorld Editor at Large Paul Krill talked about the subject with Brian Selic, IBM Distinguished Engineer and co-chairman of the OMG task force on UML 2.0.


Blockbuster Atlantic Hurricane Season Closes (Reuters) Reuters - Everything about the Atlantic hurricane\season was big -- lots of powerful storms that spawned hundreds\of deadly tornadoes, many deaths, an unprecedented onslaught on\Florida, a huge damage toll and millions evacuated.


Hornets' Magloire Sidelined with Finger Injury  NEW ORLEANS, La. (Sports Network) - New Orleans Hornets  center Jamaal Magloire is expected to be sidelined for up to  three months because of a dislocated right ring finger.


Environmentalists See Trouble Ahead (AP) AP - Environmentalists see some of their worst fears playing out as President Bush moves to cement a second-term agenda that includes getting more timber, oil and gas from public lands and relying on the market rather than regulation to curb pollution.


Swarms of locusts invade Canaries An estimated 100 million locusts force tourists and locals to abandon beaches in the Canary Islands.


Tom Ridge Steps Down as Chief of Homeland Security Dept. The resignation would be effective Feb. 1, unless a successor was confirmed before then, Tom Ridge said.


Notre Dame Fires Football Coach Notre Dame fired Tyrone Willingham as its football coach today after a 6-5 season that culminated with a 41-10 loss to top-ranked Southern Cal on Saturday night.


Cuba Frees Dissident Writer Cuba's communist government freed writer Raul Rivero and another dissident from prison Tuesday, the latest in a series of releases apparently aimed at cleaning up the island's human rights record.


Broadband boost for rural areas A 40km stretch of road is being dug up over four months to bring high-speed internet access to Cumbria.


TV in Hindi via the red button A BBC One documentary will be broadcast in both English and Hindi for the first time.


U.S. Upholds Tariffs on Shrimp Imports (AP) AP - The Bush administration on Tuesday upheld the imposition of penalty tariffs on shrimp imports from China and Vietnam, handing a victory to beleaguered U.S. shrimp producers.


AIG to Pay \$126 Mln to Settle SEC Charges  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - American International Group Inc.  AIG.N agreed to pay \$126 million to settle charges it helped  companies fraudulently inflate earnings, the U.S. Securities  and Exchange Commission said on Tuesday.


EU Suspends Microsoft-ContentGuard Review  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission has stopped  the clock on its review of Microsoft and Time Warner's purchase  of U.S. anti-piracy software maker ContentGuard, a spokesman  for the EU executive said on Tuesday.


Philips Sees Flat Chip Market in 2005  EINDHOVEN, Netherlands (Reuters) - Philips Electronics said  on Tuesday it expected a flat global chip market next year, in  line with market research forecasts but more cautious than many  of its rivals.


Lycos Offers Program to Attack Spammers At the risk of breaching Internet civility, Lycos Europe is offering computer-users a weapon against spam-spewing servers: a screen-saver program that automatically hits the offenders with data to slow them down.


Locust swarm invade Canaries An estimated 100 million locusts force tourists and locals to abandon beaches in the Canary Islands.


How Long Will Cheap Oil Last? Global thirst for crude oil keeps growing, despite high prices. Just how much oil does the world have left, and what will happen when demand begins to outstrip supply?


New strain of Skulls Trojan hits smart phones Mobile phones running Symbian's Series 60 operating system are being targeted by a new strain of the Skulls Trojan horse, which can spread to other phones within reach of Bluetooth broadcasting range, according to F-Secure.


Brief: IBM to market Sybase Linux database IBM and Sybase have agreed to add support for Sybase's database software on IBM's eServer OpenPower Linux servers, and the two companies will jointly sell and market each other's products.


Sun acquisition to boost IT services portfolio Sun Microsystems has agreed to purchase IT services company SevenSpace Inc. The move takes Sun further away from its traditional focus on supporting only its Solaris operating system platform.


Q A: OMG member talks up UML 2.0 The Object Management Group (OMG) is in the process of voting on whether to approve Unified Modeling Language (UML) 2.0, the latest version of this specification for model-driven development. InfoWorld Editor at Large Paul Krill talked about the subject with Brian Selic, IBM Distinguished Engineer and co-chairman of the OMG task force on UML 2.0.


Gazprom to bid for production unit of Yukos Gazprom, Russia #39;s state-controlled gas monopoly, on Tuesday said it would bid for the main production unit of Yukos, the country #39;s embattled oil


Angels Change Name to Include Los Angeles (Reuters) Reuters - Los Angeles officially\now has two major league baseball teams. On Monday, the Anaheim\Angels announced they have changed their name to the Los\Angeles Angels of Anaheim. This change is effective\immediately.


Is Priceline out of the Cold? Plus, one ripe Rule Breaker, an earnings pig-out, and focus on future dividend yields.


NuSearch Offers Java Enhanced Search Engine NuSearch Offers Java Enhanced Search Engine\\Once you perform a search on NuSearch, you'll see that there is a slight difference with other search engines. NuSearch utilises a Java (TM) Applet which is embedded in the web page  which users do have to opt-in to download. NuSearch kind of reminded ...


Sortprice Shopping Search Engine Includes 1000 Merchants Sortprice Shopping Search Engine Includes 1000 Merchants\\SortPrice.com announces reaching 1000 merchants with over 10 million product listings which ranges from small retailers to industry giants including companies such as Target, Buy.com and Office Depot. Launched in 2003, SortPrice.com was created to provide free listings for merchants and an easy to ...


MSN Search Engine Uses Basis Technology for Natural Language Processing MSN Search Engine Uses Basis Technology for Natural Language Processing\\Basis Technology announced this week that Microsoft Corp. has chosen the Rosette Linguistics Platform to support Web searches in its new MSN search engine. The companies have entered into a multi-year agreement in which Microsoft has the option to utilize all ...


Domain Popularity By Alan Webb Domain Popularity By Alan Webb\\This article was contributed by Alan Webb from ABAKUS Internet Marketing, a long time friend of mine in this industry with a unique grasp of the International Search Marketing Industry. A buzz phrase for some time now in SEO circles has been 'Link Popularity'. Rightly so ...


Stocks Finish Lower, Retail Sector Weighs  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended lower on Tuesday,  after data indicated that the critical holiday shopping season  got off to a sluggish start for retailers.


Commerce-ial appeal Carlos Gutierrez, or, as hes becoming known, The American Dream Personified, starts out a Cuban refugee in Miami. He grows up to drive a Kelloggs truck, becomes Kelloggs CEO in 1999, and yesterday


Newsview: Iran's Zig-Zags Show Rifts (AP) AP - First, Iran backed down before the U.N. nuclear watchdog. Then it set last-minute conditions, called the retreat only temporary and claimed victory over Washington.


White House Plans Push for Intel Overhaul (AP) AP - Former members of the Sept. 11 commission met Tuesday with Vice President Dick Cheney, and President Bush planned talks with leaders of Congress in an attempt to gain passage for an intelligence reorganization bill this year.


Rwandan Troops Enter Congo, Congo Officials Say  KINSHASA/KIGALI (Reuters) - Rwandan troops have killed at  least 19 civilians in an attack on a town in eastern Congo, a  Congolese commander said on Tuesday, after Rwanda said its  forces may have launched an attack in pursuit of Hutu rebels.


Diouf suspended for spitting London - Senegal World Cup striker El Hadji Diouf will miss Bolton #39;s next three games after he admitted a misconduct charge on Tuesday for spitting in an opponent #39;s face.


Dein - no crisis at Highbury (Getty Images) The Gunners will be looking to an inexperienced reserve side to restore their battered morale and reputation at Old Trafford. But even though Arsenal have been hit by injuries to key players, as well as a


Former Princess Diana Bodyguard Disproves Claim The late Princess Dianas former bodyguard, Ken Wharfe, dismisses her suspicions that one of her lovers was bumped off. Princess Diana had an affair with Barry Mannakee, a policeman who was assigned to protect her.


OECD says UK needs four rate increases The Bank of England should raise interest rates four more times by the end of next year, taking its main interest rate to 5.75 per cent, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development.


New Rainbow Six targets next spring Next chapter in Ubisoft #39;s Tom Clancy anti-terrorism FPS to feature darker storyline, optimized graphics for PS2, new gear, and more.


Cisco Cooks up New Catalysts, GbE IP Phone Touting improved security, availability and network-wide 10 GbE speeds, Cisco today unveiled a slew of upgraded Catalyst switches that are set to ship in December and early 2005.


New Zealand bad for business SO another series is over and more bouquets deservedly are coming the way of this redoubtable Australian cricket team. Yesterday, Ricky Ponting held aloft the Trans-Tasman Trophy after another


Consumers Fuel Faster Economic Growth  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Robust consumer spending during the  third quarter helped the U.S. economy advance faster than first  thought, a government report showed on Tuesday, while  underlying inflation was the tamest in decades.


United Airlines Unions Seek Up to \$1 Billion in Skipped Pension Payments The trustee firm representing employee pension funds at United Airlines sought a court order Tuesday that the carrier be required to make up hundreds of millions of dollars in skipped pension contributions before exiting bankruptcy.


Homeland Security Chief Ridge resigns He becomes the seventh cabinet member to resign since the election. A White House spokesman insists it #39;s nothing more than second term turnover.


2004: The Year Global Warming Got Respect Despite some media assertions to the contrary, the world's scientific community has reached consensus that human-induced climate change is real, a review finds.


Consumers Fuel Faster Economic Growth Robust consumer spending during the third quarter helped the US economy advance faster than first thought, a government report showed on Tuesday, while underlying inflation was the tamest in decades.


UPDATE 1-Bankrupt UAL posts \$114 mln net loss in October Bankrupt UAL Corp. (UALAQ.OB: Quote, Profile, Research) , parent of United Airlines, on Tuesday reported a net loss of \$114 million, including \$14 million in reorganization expenses.


Updates: AIG, Time Warner, CalPERS American International Group, Inc. reported that AIG Financial Products Corp., a subsidiary, has reached an \$80 million settlement with the Department of Justice concerning charges that stemmed from structured


Diamonds used in swindle to be auctioned Diamonds are forever. And for restitution, too. Martin Frankel, the Greenwich, Conn., financier who swindled millions from insurance companies, converted his ill-gotten gains into diamonds before fleeing the country in 1999.


Universal Green-lights HD DVD Universal Pictures is among the first Hollywood studios to announce its support for HD DVD, the high-definition optical disc format backed by a coalition of technology companies led by Toshiba.


Firefox Emerges as Credible Threat in Internet Browser Battle By day, Alexander Vincent is a mild-mannered secretary for a Vallejo real estate broker. By night, he #39;s an online crusader protecting users of a new Internet browser from glitches and security bugs.


Premiership: Ban Diouf, for a long time If the FA had anything about them at all, which is a separate debate, they would slap a hefty ban on Boltons El-Hadji Diouf, for spitting in the face of Portsmouths Arjan de Zeeuw.


Fergie on United kids It is the first time Ferguson and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger have faced each other since October 24 in a Barclays Premiership match which was riddled with bad blood and accusations.


Expect more discipline, warns Windies #39; CEO AS the West Indies players gather in Barbados for their three-week camp ahead of the short tour to Australia, an official of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has warned the players to expect


Barcelona assured of safety in Ukraine Next week #39;s Champions League match between Barcelona and Shakhtar Donetsk will go ahead as scheduled in Ukraine after authorities guaranteed security for the game.


Prosecutor: Pacers Players to Be Charged An unidentified fan holds a sign referring to the season-long suspension of Indiana Pacers #39; Ron Artest during a game in Seattle between the Pacers and the Seattle SuperSonics Sunday, Nov. 28, 2004, at Key Arena in Seattle.


Impotence Rules in the UN Response Rarely has the impotence of the international community #39;s response to the crisis in Sudan #39;s Darfur province been so exposed as during the past week.


Thirteen Children Die in Honduras Fire (AP) AP - Honduran children hunting rabbits who were running from a burning sugarcane field were caught in the blaze themselves. Thirteen youngsters were killed, and a man and a 14th child were severely burned.


Crude Futures Fall Ahead of Weekly Stocks Report Crude oil futures prices fell Tuesday as concerns about reduced output in the North Sea were offset by expectations that an upcoming government report would show rising inventories of heating oil.


Russian Duma Deputies Submit Anti-Terror Proposals  MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian deputies submitted a draft  anti-terrorism law to parliament on Tuesday in the latest  security measure after attacks such as the Beslan school  massacre in which more than 330 people were killed.


Vermeil Figures on Coming Back Next Year (AP) AP - The coach who made burnout a part of sports lexicon is 68 and enduring one of the most disappointing years of a long, distinguished career.


American and Caribbean region qualify for the 32-country field at <b>...</b> in Germany, the fourth-place team will play the No. 5 nation in Asia in a. on the road. The Americans reached the World Cup for the first time in 40 years.


Hornets' Magloire fined for throwing ball at coach (AFP) AFP - New Orleans Hornets center Jamaal Magloire, who is expected to miss three months of the National Basketball Association season with a dislocated finger, will have to find a way to open his wallet.


Harmony Puts Brave Face On 11 Percent HARMONY Gold, which has managed to acquire only 10,8 of Gold Fields in the first stage of its hostile takeover bid, put a brave face on its offer yesterday, saying it would immediately launch the second part of its offer for the remaining shares.


GM to Lay Off 950 at New Jersey Truck Plant General Motors Corp. on Tuesday said it will lay off about 950 workers at its Linden, New Jersey, truck plant early next year and cease production of the two sport utility vehicles manufactured at the facility.


US upholds tariffs on shrimp imports The Bush administration on Tuesday upheld the imposition of penalty tariffs on shrimp imports from China and Vietnam, handing a victory to beleaguered US shrimp producers.


Forecaster says nation #39;s luck ran out with this year #39;s hurricane <b>...</b> MIAMI The nation #39;s top hurricane forecaster says this year #39;s deadly storm season was a case of the nation #39;s luck running out -- adding that future years will likely bring more frequent and more powerful storms.


Chico #39;s 3Q Profit Surges; Shares Climb Women #39;s clothing retailer Chico #39;s FAS Inc. on Tuesday posted a 39 percent jump in third-quarter profit, helped by sharply higher sales and improved margins.


US labour relations board hits Quebecor with unfair labour charges NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CP) - Quebecor World Inc., targeted by labour allegations of union-busting tactics, has been named in more charges from the National Labor Relations Board in the United States.


Handicapping The Drug Stocks Two prominent players and widely held stocks in the group, Merck (nyse: MRK - news - people ) and Pfizer (nyse: PFE - news - people ), have been especially battered of late.


Lycos Europe Aims To Thwart Spammers with DDoS Attacks  quot;It #39;s not going to work, quot; said Laura Atkins, President of the SpamCon Foundation.  quot;Spammers will start putting in garbage URLs, and most of those will belong to innocent bystanders.


MMO2 Teams Up With DoCoMo to Bring i-mode to UK Under the terms of the agreement, O2 is licensed by DoCoMo to offer the i-mode capability to the 22 million customers of its 2/2.5G and 3G mobile communications networks.


UbiSoft Get Ready With The Next Rainbox Six Installment Ubisoft today announced its plans to launch the next installment in the Tom Clancys Rainbow Six franchise in Spring 2005. The next Rainbow Six game follows Team Rainbow, the worlds most


Diana thought she was  #39;thick #39; London - Princess Diana was self-conscious about her intelligence, or lack of it, according to videotapes broadcast in the United States.


Annan hurt by son : UN secretary-general Kofi Annan said yesterday he was disappointed his son did not tell him the full story of his ties to a firm involved in the UN oil-for-food programme, now under investigation.


Syrian - Egyptian summit held Syria #39;s President Bashar al-Assad and his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak on Tuesday held talks in Sharem al Sheikh. Before the summit, there were erports that during the meeting, Mubarak will offer Assad


Stocks Off as Employment Data Disappoints  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks slipped on Monday, reversing an  early rally, after disappointing U.S. employment data rekindled  investor worries about weak economic growth and lackluster  corporate profits.


Euro drifts back from another all-time dollar high LONDON (AFP) - The euro drifted back from another all-time high against the dollar as dealers booked profits following the sharp appreciation in the currency in the wake of comments from European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet and weak US


US Upholds Tariffs on Shrimp Imports The Bush administration on Tuesday upheld the imposition of penalty tariffs on shrimp imports from China and Vietnam, handing a victory to beleaguered US shrimp producers.


Powell and Governor of Florida Arrive in Bangkok The four-day trip through the region is designed to assure nations devastated by the tsunami of the United States' support.


United unions seek up to \$1 billion in skipped pension payments The trustee firm representing employee pension funds at United Airlines sought a court order today that the carrier be required to make up hundreds of millions of dollars


Pfizer Sales to Be Hurt in Next 2 Years NEW YORK - Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. reiterated Tuesday it would meet its 2004 earnings target but said over the next two years it would lose \$14 billion in revenues because of patent expirations.


29 Brokerage Firms Fined In today #39;s fines, Merrill Lynch  amp; Co. was hit with the second largest, at US\$1.6 million, followed by American Express Financial Advisors, at \$700,000.


Natural gas giant Gazprom to participate in Russian auction of key <b>...</b> The nascent petroleum division of natural gas giant Gazprom will bid for the crown jewels of the battered Yukos oil empire, its chief said Tuesday - a widely anticipated move that could put the heart of the company jailed billionaire Mikhail


Truth in Lending #39; Damages Limited by Top US Court (Update1) The US Supreme Court, siding with the financial services industry, tightened the limits on damages consumers can get from companies that violate the federal Truth in Lending Act.


Sony launches iPod killer Sony vs. Big Apple <nobr>Motley Fool</nobr>


Navigator #39;s Beta Nods to IE, Firefox America Online (Quote, Chart) released an updated prototype of its Netscape Navigator browser today to a limited number of beta testers.


Cisco Unveils Advanced IP Phone, Catalyst Switch Improvements Cisco today unveiled what it claimed is the world #39;s first Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) enabled IP phone, in addition to a raft of enhancements to its Catalyst switching range designed to boost security, availability and performance.


Red Hat Preps Enterprise Linux 4 CRN India: Red Hat aims to more deeply penetrate the enterprise by launching its first Linux distribution based on the Linux 2.6 kernel.


UConn accepts bid to Motor City Bowl Connecticut is headed to the Motor City Bowl, the Huskies #39; first postseason as a Division IA team. The Huskies (7-4) will play the winner of Thursday night #39;s Mid-American Conference title game between Toledo (8-3) and Miami of Ohio (8-3).


Senior Fatah Official Shot Dead in Nablus (AP) AP - Gunmen shot and killed a senior official from the mainstream Palestinian Fatah party Tuesday in the Balata refugee camp, party officials said.


Cuban dissident freed, recounts grueling ordeal Cuban authorities on Tuesday released Ral Rivero, a dissident poet and journalist who spent 20 months and 6 days behind bars for conspiring with the US government to overthrow President Fidel Castro.


Human rights group sues Rumsfeld for alleged war crimes A US human rights group has filed a criminal complaint in Germany against US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld accusing him and other senior US officials of war crimes and torture at Baghdad #39;s Abu Ghraib prison.


The Wal-Mart Holiday Shopping Song: Online and Off According to data from Nielsen//NetRatings #39;, Holiday eShopping Index, which tracks shopping activity at over 100 retail and shopping Web sites across ten categories, the number of unique online shoppers on the day after Thanksgiving jumped 11 compared to


Gazprom to Bid at Auction of Yukos #39;s Oil Assets In an attempt to create a state energy leviathan, Russia #39;s natural gas monopoly Gazprom said Tuesday that it would bid for the prize oil assets of the crumbling oil giant Yukos, the country #39;s No.


Hurricane Season Ends The hurricane season is finally over today. Seven storms hit the Southeast, three indirectly affecting us. The worst hit Florida. Mother Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne made their presences known in there


United unions seek up to \$1 billion in skipped pension payments CHICAGO The trustee firm representing employee pension funds at United Airlines wants the carrier to make up millions in skipped pension contributions before exiting bankruptcy.


Oxendine offering telemedicine John W. Oxendine, Georgia Commissioner of Insurance, Fire Safety and Industrial Loans, announced a new rural health initiative first at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta and second at the Bainbridge Rotary Club Tuesday.


PPR plans to sell Rexel stake in bid to cut debt LONDON Pinault Printemps Redoute, the owner of the Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent brands, said Tuesday that it planned to sell its stake in the electrical parts distributor Rexel in a deal that values the company at 3.7 billion.


High Court Overturns Loan Scam Damage Award The Supreme Court today overturned a five-figure damage award to an Alexandria man for a local auto dealer #39;s alleged loan scam, ruling that a Richmond-based federal appeals court had wrongly


HD DVD Gains Studio Support in Battle with Blu-Ray The battle between Blu-ray and HD DVD to define the next generation DVD format shows no signs of cooling off. While electronics and computer companies such as Sony, Dell and HP back the Blu-ray


MmO2 signs i-mode deal BRITISH mobile telephone operator mmO2 has announced a deal with NTT DoCoMo, Japan #39;s leading mobile phone operator, to launch i-mode mobile internet services in Britain, Germany and Ireland.


Kazaa mounts Betamax defence SYDNEY - Lawyers for the file-swapping service Kazaa argued in an Australian court yesterday that their software is analogous to the old Betamax videocassette recorders.


Lycos offers customers program to attack spam servers MADRID, Spain Some computer users are about to find out if fighting fire with fire works when they fight spam with spam. German-based Lycos Europe offers a free screensaver program that hits back at spam senders by flooding them with junk traffic.


Let a thousand mobiles bloom Scientists at the University of Warwick have designed a hi-tech solution to an old-technology problem: a cellphone case made of biodegradable polymer.


New Netscape browser supports Internet Explorer NOVEMBER 30, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - America Online Inc. today released a preview version of a new Netscape Web browser that #39;s based on the open-source Firefox Web browser, but also supports Microsoft Corp.


Cisco Enhances Gigabit Ethernet Switches Cisco Systems on Tuesday announced enhancements to its Catalyst switching product line, and also announced  quot;the industry #39;s first quot; Gigabit Ethernet-enabled IP phone.


Sybase, IBM Embrace Over Linux Sybase (Quote, Chart) announced it has tailored its Linux-based database to run on rival IBM #39;s eServer OpenPower systems, providing customers more choice in the increasingly popular market for Linux systems.


China #39;s Google Block Sparks Media Group #39;s Protest The Chinese government is blocking one of Google #39;s (Quote, Chart) more popular sites, the company confirmed Tuesday. Debbie Frost, a Google spokesperson, told internetnews.


Man sentenced over movie downloads A JAPANESE court has sentenced a self-employed man to a one year suspended jail term for allowing free downloads of two popular Hollywood films through a popular file-sharing software program.


Bolton will stand by remorseful Diouf, says Allardyce BOLTON Wanderers have played down rumours that they were considering dismissing El-Hadji Diouf after the strikers latest public disgrace.


After  #39;Battle of the Buffet #39;, rivals ready for second helpings SIR ALEX FERGUSON ventured yesterday that Chelsea are suddenly the big concern for his Manchester United team, but there is nothing like a confrontation with Arsenal to set his pulse racing.


Chelsea Beats Fulham in League Cup; Watford Defeats Portsmouth Frank Lampard scored with two minutes remaining as Chelsea defeated Fulham 2-1 to advance to the semifinals of English soccer #39;s League Cup.


Cardinals to play Broncos in the Liberty Bowl MEMPHIS, Tenn. Undefeated Boise State will play Number Seven Louisville in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl game on December 31st (in Memphis).


Three QBs, two RBs compose list NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Three college quarterbacks and two running backs, all from undefeated teams, are finalists for the Walter Camp Player of the Year award, officials with the Walter Camp Foundation announced Wednesday.


Washington, DC Council Moves on Baseball Funding Washington, DC #39;s City Council on Tuesday approved a debt and tax-backed financing plan to build a new stadium for Major League Baseball, moving a step closer to bringing baseball back to the US capital.


Spain have homeground advantage against US Seville, Spain - The United States, led by Andy Roddick, should be the favourite going into the Davis Cup final against Spain - except for a few small details.


Martinez waits to find out Yankees #39; level of interest With an offer in hand from the New York Mets, Pedro Martinez will wait to see what the New York Yankees do before deciding where he #39;ll play next year.


Congo officials claim Rwanda troops attacking Senior Congolese officials charged Tuesday that Rwandan President Paul Kagame had made good on his threat to invade, claiming Rwandan troops had crossed into eastern Congo and were clashing with militias there.


US Group Urges Rumsfeld War Crimes Probe in Germany A US human rights group urged German prosecutors Tuesday to investigate accusations that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and senior US officers are guilty of war crimes over the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal.


EU Cyprus demands enrage Turkey A leaked European Union draft that says Turkey will have to recognize the Republic of Cyprus before joining the EU has infuriated the Turkish government.


Allawi in Jordan for meetings with influential Iraqis but rules <b>...</b> Iraq #39;s interim prime minister went to Jordan on Tuesday for meetings with tribal figures and other influential Iraqis in a bid to encourage Sunni Muslims to participate in the Jan.


Syria denies giving up previous negotiating achievements Syria denied yesterday that it was forgoing Israel #39;s commitment to withdraw from the Golan as a basis for negotiations. The commitment was made by former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin.


Sony, IBM detail chip plans A LONG-awaited microprocessor developed by IBM, Sony and Toshiba will go into early production next year and start appearing in video game consoles, high-definition TVs and home servers in 2006.


Don #39;t get mad with spammers. Get even Spammers may be about to get a taste of their own medicine. A British company is today launching software that it claims will allow computer users to hit back at the mass mailers who clog up our inboxes with


Enter your e-mail: It #39;s about time. As we speculated a few months ago, Sony has announced plans for a hard-drive based digital audio player that will support the MP3 compression format.


IBM To Put Open-Source Sybase Datebase Software on Servers Sybase said today that it has struck a deal with IBM in which Big Blue will market and distribute Sybase #39;s Linux database management software.


Search engines zero in on video Google has officially joined the race to come up with a way to search videos and TV shows. In addition to a search technology for Internet-based video content, Google is also working with TV and cable broadcasters


Divided council gives initial OK to stadium bill A deeply divided DC City Council today voted initial approval of a bill to publicly finance a new baseball stadium - but without a majority of the council #39;s support.


U.S. Sets Final Duties on Imported Shrimp  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States set final  anti-dumping duties of up to 112.81 percent on shrimp imported  from China and up to 25.76 percent on shrimp from Vietnam to  offset unfair pricing, the Commerce Department said on Tuesday.


SEC gives some companies a break Most US companies - although not the largest ones - were given a reprieve Tuesday from requirements imposed in the wake of the Enron and WorldCom scandals that they and their auditors certify that the companies #39; internal financial controls are adequate.


Cycling: Even after firing Hamilton, Phonak #39;s  #39;attitude #39; derails <b>...</b> PARIS Despite its revelation that it has fired Tyler Hamilton, its leader and the winner of a disputed gold medal at the Olympic Games in Athens, the Phonak team lost its appeal to be included in bicycle racing #39;s reorganized structure, officials announced


Bush Defends Iraq Invasion, US Action on Threats (Update1) President George W. Bush, confronted by antiwar protesters in Canada, defended his decision to invade Iraq and said the US would always act against threats even if opposed by other nations.


U-Conn. Accepts Bid Connecticut is headed to the Motor City Bowl, the Huskies' first postseason as a Division I-A team. The Huskies (7-4) will play the winner of Thursday night's MAC title game between Toledo (8-3) and Miami of Ohio (8-3).


New York Pension Fund Sues Merck Over Vioxx The pension fund of New York State filed suit in federal court accusing Merck of misleading shareholders about the safety of its pain reliever, Vioxx.


Giants bring All-Star closer Benitez to Bay Area The San Francisco Giants have found the closer they were looking for after agreeing to terms with Armando Benitez on a three-year, \$21 million deal, sources told SportsLine.


TENNIS NOTEBOOK US team hopes to be more than clay pigeon in Spain The last time the United States entered a Davis Cup tie as a bigger underdog than it is this week was, come to think of it, the last time the Yanks were made to go to Spain.


Warner Moving Again? Veteran quarterback Kurt Warner continues to feel like he has good football left to play, but his next chance may have to come outside of the Giants organization.


2004 Adelaide Test and Taste Experience At the conclusion of the Second Trans-Tasman Test, New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming talked of his teams inability to withstand the best ever Test attack.


Telstra chief quits TELSTRA chief executive Ziggy Switkowski will step down in 2005, two years short of the end of his contract. The announcement was made by Telstra chairman Donald McGauchie and was backed by the board.


Crude Oil Little Changed After Falling on Mild Weather Forecast Crude oil in New York was little changed after falling yesterday for the first time in four sessions as forecast mild weather and rising inventories eased concern that demand would outpace supplies of heating oil in winter.


The Record Labels Attack Kazaa  In Australia, That Is The seemingly endless battle over mp3s and filesharing wages on as the largest copyright infringement case in Australian history began yesterday (November 29) in Sydney.


Marshall Accepts Invitation to the PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall University Director of Athletics Bob Marcum announced Tuesday that Marshall University has accepted an invitation to play the University of Cincinnati in the PlainsCapital Fort


Thumbs Up From Brunei For Largest Free Trade In World The high note which ended the the 10th Asean Summit at the Laotian capital of Vientiane were joined by leaders of Japan, South Korea, India, China, New Zealand and Australia as partners in free trade talks.


Merck execs protected in case of takeover NEW YORK - Merck  amp; Co. Inc. has adopted a severance benefits plan aimed at protecting key managers in the event the company is taken over - a growing possibility since the withdrawal of arthritis drug Vioxx sent shares tumbling.


Phones into Flowers Mobile telephones are one of the most quickly discarded items of consumer electronics. Rapid changes in technology and taste means customers constantly upgrade their phones leaving behind more and more discarded phones.


iPaqs turn up the security Security continues to hold steady over software as the third top IT priority, with organizations busy coping with cyber threats, keeping up with software


Rowing: Pinsent looks beyond fifth gold towards bright future With characteristic eloquence and humour, the 34-year-old quadruple Olympic rowing champion yesterday announced his widely-predicted decision to retire, thus laying to rest the question that


Lobos accept bid to the Emerald Bowl Senior offensive tackle Claude Terrell was the voice of dissent Tuesday in New Mexico #39;s decision to accept a bid to the Emerald Bowl, where the Lobos will try to win a bowl game for the first time in 43 years.


Yankees #39; Sheffield has surgery CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Gary Sheffield of the New York Yankees underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder Tuesday.


Weather blamed for whale beachings Cyclical weather patterns have driven more than 150 whales and dolphins to become stranded on Australian and New Zealand beaches since the weekend, scientists say.


Update 1: Telstra Announces CEO Departure Australia #39;s largest listed company, telecommunications giant Telstra Corp., announced Wednesday that its chief executive will stand down by July 2005 - two years before his contract ends.


UPDATE 1-US Air creditors back plan to dump labor contracts Major creditors holding billions in claims on Tuesday supported plans by US Airways (UAIRQ.OB: Quote, Profile, Research) to void labor contracts covering thousands


D.C. Council OKs Park for Incoming Expos (AP) AP - The District of Columbia Council approved financing a ballpark for the Washington-bound Expos after voting Tuesday to cap funding at  #36;630 million.


Cingular to Offer Faster Wireless Service (AP) AP - Cingular Wireless LLC will begin deploying a speedier wireless Internet service next year, a move made possible by the network capacity gained with the recent acquisition of AT amp;T Wireless as Cingular tries to catch up with to catch up with rivals led by Verizon Wireless.


NBA to Set New Arena Security Guidelines (AP) AP - The NBA will set new security guidelines for its arenas, exerting more authority over a matter previously left to individual teams, commissioner David Stern said Tuesday.


HP Touts Software to Slow Computer Worms (AP) AP - Engineers at Hewlett-Packard Co. are working on "virus-throttling" software that they say could slow the spread of Internet-borne viruses and worms.


Allawi to Promote Iraq Election in Jordan (AP) AP - Iraq's interim prime minister went to Jordan on Tuesday for meetings with tribal figures and other influential Iraqis in a bid to encourage Sunni Muslims to participate in the Jan. 30 elections, but he ruled out contacts with insurgent leaders and former members of Saddam Hussein's deposed regime.


Bucs Cut Veteran Kicker Martin Gramatica (AP) AP - When the telephone rang, Martin Gramatica was prepared for the news.


Lucent, Cingular Ink Wireless Deal (AP) AP - Lucent Technologies Inc. signed a four-year agreement to supply equipment for Cingular Wireless' rollout of its nationwide 3G high-speed wireless data system.


Benitez, Giants Agree to Three-Year Deal (AP) AP - Free agent Armando Benitez and the San Francisco Giants agreed Tuesday to a three-year contract worth about  #36;21 million, a move that stabilizes the club's closer role that's been in flux since Robb Nen got injured two years ago.


Musharraf Remains President, Army Chief (AP) AP - President Gen. Pervez Musharraf will keep his dual role as army chief and head of state under legislation enacted Tuesday, despite opposition criticism that he is reneging on an agreement to give up his powerful military role.


Ex-McAfee Exec Settles Insider-Trade Case (AP) AP - Criminal charges were filed Tuesday against a former executive at Network Associates Inc., alleging he illegally profited from advance knowledge of a massive sales shortfall in 2000.


Boston Headed for Continental Tire Bowl (AP) AP - Boston College missed out on a Bowl Championship Series game thanks to a lopsided loss to Syracuse, so it must settle for the Continental Tire Bowl instead.


Chief executive of Australian communications giant to step down (AFP) AFP - Australia's biggest company, the part state-owned telecom Telstra Corp Ltd., announced its chief executive Ziggy Switkowski would step down in 2005, two years short of the end of his contract.


Bush Defends Iraq Decisions in Canada (AP) AP - President Bush tried on Tuesday to repair U.S.-Canada relations strained by years of bickering over trade and Iraq, although he stood by policies that have irritated Canadians.


Spain Plays Down Canary I. Locust Threat (AP) AP - An estimated 100 million locusts swarmed one of the Canary Islands Tuesday, but the crop-ravaging insects  #151; many with only a week to live  #151; posed little threat, arriving with missing wings and broken legs after their 60-mile flight from the African mainland.


UN Releases Major Report on Reform, Global Threats  UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A blue ribbon panel released on  Tuesday a landmark report on global threats that insisted the  U.N. Security Council approve any "preventive" war, which was  not the case when the U.S. invaded Iraq.


Why AIDS keeps spreading in Africa A new UN report, marking Wednesday's World AIDS day, estimates that 5 million people this year got HIV.


Wireless IP with Sprint, USB, and Kernel 2.6 \\I've blogged before  about how to setup your Sprint vision phone with their\mythware (which is a perfect word for 1/2 of Sprints product line) Vision IP\services.\\Most recent phones are capable of acting as a USB modem when connected to your\favorite laptop.\\There are a few tricks involved and its mostly a black art.  To that end I'll\quickly review whats necessary to configure Linux 2.6.7 with a Nokia 3588i.\\* Hardware *\\The first step is to get the right hardware.  First off don't start with Sprint.\They won't acknowledge that this is even possible.  \\The only hardware required is a Sprint connected cell phone with support for\their Vision data service.\\An additional USB cable is req ...\\


Cingular to Upgrade Wireless Data Network  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cingular Wireless, the largest U.S.  wireless telephone company, said on Tuesday it would upgrade  its network next year to handle high-speed data transmissions.


Philadelphia and Verizon Nearing Wireless Agreement Philadelphia and Verizon Communications Inc. were nearing an agreement Tuesday that would allow the city to provide wireless Internet access as a municipal service, even if Gov. Ed Rendell signs legislation to give Verizon the power to pre-empt the project.


Siemens to Supply 3Q System to Cingular Siemens Communications Inc. reported Tuesday that it signed a multiyear agreement with Cingular Wireless to develop a third-generation, or 3G, universal mobile telecommunications system.


Portugal leader calls early poll Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio is to dissolve parliament and call early elections over a cabinet crisis.


Ancestor's DNA code reconstructed Scientists reconstruct part of the genetic code of a 75-million-year-old mammal ancestor.


Blunkett faces new visa questions Reports of Home Office letters raise new questions on whether David Blunkett "fast-tracked" a visa for his ex-lover's nanny.


Cuban bets on vice Billionaire Mark Cuban isn't content with owning the Dallas Mavericks and running a high-definition TV broadcasting company...


Crude oil prices fall on optimism about heating oil supplies Crude oil prices fell Tuesday as traders expected that an upcoming government report would show rising inventories of heating oil.


Continental announces succession plans Continental Airlines Tuesday said Jeff Smisek, executive vice president and president-elect, has been elected to its board of directors.


DC Council OKs Park for Incoming Expos Washington Mayor Anthony Williams attends the DC Council baseball debate, Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2004, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta).


New Netscape browser supports Internet Explorer America Online today released a preview of a new Netscape browser that is based on the Firefox browser, but also supports Microsoft's Internet Explorer engine.


Report: Online shopping sites struggle to keep up with demand Online retail sites struggle to keep up with consumer demand during the first week of the holiday shopping season, according to Internet performance management vendor Keynote Systems Inc.


Universities grapple with SSL-busting spyware IT departments at a several universities issued warnings about problems caused by the Marketscore software which promises to speed up Web browsing.


Xserve shipments soar 119; trend likely to continue Shipments of Apple Computer's Xserve soared in the third quarter of 2004 by 119 over the same period last year, according to market research firm Gartner Dataquest.


HP to release Virus Throttler for Windows in 2005 Hewlett-Packard(HP) is planning to build virus throttling technology into ProLiant servers and ProCurve switches starting in early 2005, an HP executive said Tuesday.


Cisco switches add 10GigE features Cisco Systems on Tuesday beefed up its switching portfolio with several new and upgraded switches and systems designed to make 10GigE more affordable, increase availability, boost security, and add power over Ethernet features.


New Netscape browser supports Internet Explorer America Online Inc. (AOL) on Tuesday released a preview version of a new Netscape Web browser that is based on the open-source Firefox Web browser, but also supports Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer (IE) browser engine.


Gates: Software tycoon to ambassador? PARIS - Is Bill Gates preparing to switch careers, from software architect to ambassador?


IBM to market Sybase Linux database IBMand Sybasehave teamed to add support for Sybase's database software on IBM's eServer OpenPower Linux servers. The two companies said they will jointly sell and market their products.
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China Hurries to Animate Its Film Industry With "Thru the Moebius Strip," China is serving notice to the Disneys and Pixars of the world that its day is arriving in the lucrative business of 3-D computer animation.


The Guitarist Is Metal. No, Not Heavy Metal. Tuesday's "Robo Recital" at the Juilliard School continues the age-old interaction between composition and technology.


India signs prosperity deal with ASEAN VIENTIANE: India and 10 Southeast Asian nations on Tuesday signed a prosperity blueprint focused on plans for a full free-trade area by 2016 and political and security cooperation to combat terrorism.


Syria Denies Dropping 'Rabin' Condition for Peace  DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Syria on Tuesday insisted that it had  not dropped a demand that Israel stick to a promise said to  have been made by late prime minister Yitzhak Rabin to abandon  all Syrian land under any peace treaty.


Update 2: Telstra Announces Departure of CEO Australia #39;s largest listed company, telecommunications giant Telstra Corp., announced Wednesday that its chief executive will stand down by July 2005 - two years before his contract ends.


Rentokil at four-month low after profits warning Rentokil warned yesterday that its profits would fall next year, sending shares in the rat-catching to security firm down by more than 5 per cent to a four-month low.


MmO2 links with Japan entertainment service British mobile users will get a chance from next year to access i-mode, the runaway success Japanese entertainment service, after MmO2 yesterday agreed to adopt the technology pioneered by NTT DoCoMo.


Scientists reconstruct ancestral genetic code Researchers have reconstructed a long string of genetic code for what they believe is the common ancestor of placental mammals - a shrewlike creature that lived in Asia more than 75 million years ago.


Hamilton fired by Phonak Olympic gold medalist Tyler Hamilton #39;s professional cycling team has fired him after he failed doping tests. Phonak was refused a racing license by the UCI, prohibiting them from competing in the Tour de France and other elite events.


Telstra Chief Switkowski Quits, to Leave in 2005 (Update2) Ziggy Switkowski quit as chief executive of Telstra Corp., Australia #39;s largest phone company, ending a five-year tenure where he presided over a 42 percent slide in the share price and


Canada Quarantines One Farm in Mad Cow Search  OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian veterinary officials have  quarantined one Alberta farm in their search for cattle  connected to the country's second case of mad cow disease, the  Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Monday.


HP to launch  #39;virus-throttling #39; software SAN FRANCISCO--Hewlett-Packard plans to give customers a new weapon against viruses: Software that crimps their spread. Early next year, the computer maker will begin selling software designed to slow the


Armies of Exigo marches into stores EA #39;s latest RTS features combat on two levels; gamers can battle with elves, trolls, and beasts for \$39.99. Electronic Arts today shipped its latest real-time strategy game, Armies of Exigo, to retail stores.


Irish #39;s lack of fight, Meyer #39;s availability ultimately cost <b>...</b> In the hours after Ty Willingham was fired by Notre Dame, ESPN News analsyst Trevor Matich (who looks, by the way, as if he could bench-press the entire College GameDay cast) implied something was askew about Willingham #39;s firing.


Kofi Annan Must Go Over the past seven months, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which I chair, has conducted an exhaustive, bipartisan investigation into the scandal surrounding the UN Oil-for-Food program.


Terrorism Act 2000 see British police search properties for naught (AFP) AFP - British police have raided three properties in the area of the northern city of Manchester under Britain's main anti-terrorism law.


Wendy #39;s Expects Fourth Quarter Loss DUBLIN, Ohio - Wendy #39;s International Inc. said Tuesday it expects a fourth-quarter loss because of a writedown of up to \$195 million and a charge related to the closing of as many as 18 of its Baja Fresh Mexican Grill restaurants.


Continental Airlines Elects Jeff Smisek to Its Board of Directors HOUSTON, Nov. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continental Airlines (NYSE:CAL) today announced the election of Jeff Smisek, executive vice president and president-elect of Continental Airlines, Inc.


Spammers hack Lycos #39; anti-spam Web site Spammers are suspected of hacking into and downing Lycoss anti-spam Web site just hours after it went live. The Web site is currently inaccessible and could also be the victim of a DDoS attack.


Appeals for help as hundreds dead, thousands of families stranded <b>...</b> Nearly 300 people are dead and thousands of families stranded in three coastal municipalities in Quezon province (Real, General Nakar and Infanta) in the aftermath of tropical depression Winnie, according to the most recent reports from the Department of


UN panel proposes criteria for legitimate military action With countries still bitterly divided over the war in Iraq, a high-level panel appointed by the United Nations has recommended a five-step guideline to determine when to use military action.


Kendall thinks he #39;s a great fit for Oakland When Pittsburgh came to Oakland for an interleague series last summer, Billy Beane couldn #39;t believe Jason Kendall was the lone catcher on the Pirates #39; roster.


U.S. Stocks, Dollar and Bonds Fall  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks and bonds fell on Tuesday  as the dollar hit a record low against the euro.


Dollar Down But Seen in Ranges  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar fell against the euro and the  yen on Wednesday in the wake of comments from the European  Central Bank president suggesting the ECB was unlikely to  intervene to stem the euro's rise.


Dollar Weak, Asia Stocks Down (Reuters) Reuters - Asian shares retreated on Wednesday,\tracking losses in U.S. stocks, and pressured by a weak dollar\which sat close to a record low struck against the euro late on\Tuesday.


Dollar Down But Seen in Ranges (Reuters) Reuters - The dollar fell against the euro and the\yen on Wednesday in the wake of comments from the European\Central Bank president suggesting the ECB was unlikely to\intervene to stem the euro's rise.


Fashion House Selling Electrical Supplier Pinault-Printemps-Redoute, the tempest-tossed owner of fashion brands like Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, said on Tuesday that it planned to sell its stake in the equipment


Smaller Companies Given 45-Day Delay on Audit Certification although not large ones - were given a reprieve yesterday from requirements imposed in the wake of the Enron and WorldCom scandals that they certify their financial controls.


AIG and US Complete Big Settlement Agreement American International Group and federal regulators have completed a settlement that calls for the company to pay \$126 million in penalties and restitution and to


Removal of Vioxx Shifts Drug Landscape The Pfizer painkillers Celebrex and Bextra experienced a jump in sales immediately after rival Merck #39;s Vioxx was pulled from the market in late September, but the gains appear to be short


Rentokil catches cold with 12 fall Rentokil Initial served up more gloom yesterday with a 12 fall in pre-tax profits to 293.9m for the first 10 months of this year and a warning that 2005 would be even worse.


Upwardly mobile UK Within the next 18 months more than 20 million mobile telephone users in Britain, Germany and Ireland will finally gain access to a high-speed internet service which has revolutionised mobile communications for tens of millions of Japanese since its


Russia, NASA OK Space Station #39;s Next Crew MOSCOW - Russia #39;s Federal Space Agency and NASA (news - web sites) have approved the crew of the next mission to the international space station, a Russian agency spokesman said Tuesday.


Flaw opens crack in Windows servers A flaw in popular Windows server software could allow remote attacks to be launched against systems, Microsoft has confirmed. The vulnerability is in Windows Internet Name Service, or WINS, a network infrastructure


Crucial step made in hydrogen fuel research US scientists announced they had made a breakthrough in the research of low-cost hydrogen fuel. Researchers from the US government #39;s Idaho National Engineering and Environmental


ND #39;s move raises host of questions This is what passes now for perspective in college football. Where the fire-the-coach Web sites pop up by his third game, and the boosters circle like sharks.


Pinsent pulls in his oars Matthew Pinsent hinted yesterday that he may return to duty with the International Olympic Committee on announcing his retirement from international rowing.


Smith to restore the Stein dynasty THE imminent appointment of Walter Smith as the national manager will restore to influence the dynasty which stretches all the way back to Jock Stein.


Mayor #39;s Presence Rewarded DC Mayor Anthony A. Williams postponed an out-of-town trip, cleared his schedule and sat through nearly four hours of fractious debate yesterday over his plan to bring baseball back to the nation #39;s capital.


No. 7 Connecticut 99, Fla. International 48 Rashad Anderson scored 17 points and Hilton Armstrong had a career-high five blocked shots as No. 7 Connecticut cruised to a 99-48 victory over Florida International on Tuesday night.


Bush tries to patch up rift with Canada President George W Bush launched his first fence-mending mission since his re-election yesterday, flying to Canada to improve a distinctly prickly relationship with one of America #39;s oldest and most natural allies.


Iran Says It Will Suspend but Not End Its Uranium Program Iran #39;s chief nuclear negotiator said Tuesday that Iran would suspend its uranium enrichment activities for only a few months while negotiations with Europe for a longer-term


Cuba Releases Dissident Writer Imprisoned in 2003 Crackdown The Cuban authorities on Tuesday freed the dissident writer Ral Rivero, the best known of a dozen political prisoners released during the past few days in a


Storm, landslides kill nearly 340 MARAGUNDON, Philippines - A powerful rainstorm triggered landslides and flash floods that killed nearly 340 people in the eastern Philippines, officials said yesterday.


MOFA slams China-ASEAN pact China intends to marginalize Taiwan, and that is why it signed a trade pact with ASEAN states at the regional summit meeting in Laos on Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday.


Car bomb kills seven in Iraq BAGHDAD: A US soldier and seven Iraqi civilians died in a spate of attacks yesterday. Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, meanwhile, travelled to Jordan to try to win support from exiled opposition leaders for the January 30 elections.


Japanese government hopes to allow woman on throne within years <b>...</b> TOKYO : The Japanese government hopes to make changes to the constitution that will allow a woman to ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne within  quot;several years, quot; a news report said.


Envoys seek Ukraine breakthrough International mediators are to try to break the deadlock caused by Ukraine's disputed presidential elections.


Liverpool clip Canaries' wings (AFP) AFP - Liverpool went fifth in the Premier League with a 2-1 win away to relegation-threatened Norwich.


Scientists plan Jurassic archive Researchers say a new programme could help create a DNA database of all life on Earth, ever.


Citing a Lack of Progress, Notre Dame Fires Willingham Tyrone Willingham, who was the first African-American head coach at Notre Dame in any sport, compiled a record of 21-15 in three seasons.


Prosecutor Not Rushing Into Charging Pacers The Oakland County prosecutor, David Gorcyca, said Tuesday that no charges were imminent for Indiana players involved in the Nov. 19 brawl with Detroit Pistons fans.


With Ban Pending, Hamilton Loses Ride Olympic champion Tyler Hamilton was fired by Phonak, his Swiss cycling team, two months after testing positive for illegal blood transfusions.


White House Proposes Cuts in Salmon Areas (AP) AP - The Bush administration Tuesday proposed large cuts in federally designated areas in the Northwest and California meant to aid the recovery of threatened or endangered salmon. Protection would focus instead on rivers where the fish now thrive.


Thwarted U.S. May Seek Lone Push on Iran Sanctions (Reuters) Reuters - Iran escaped U.N. censure over its\nuclear program but Washington, which accuses it of seeking an\atomic bomb, said on Monday it reserved the right to take the\case to the Security Council on its own.


International Mediators Try to End Ukraine Crisis  KIEV (Reuters) - International mediators will step up  efforts on Wednesday to resolve Ukraine's 10-day-old crisis  over a disputed presidential election after the collapse of  talks between pro-Western and pro-Russian factions.


U.S. Rules Out Dam Removal to Aid Salmon The Bush administration will not remove federal dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers to protect 11 endangered species of salmon and steelhead, even as a last resort.


AIDS Near 'Tipping Point' In India, China, Russia The head of the United Nations' AIDS program warned that the three countries could turn their small, localized epidemics into gigantic ones capable of disrupting the world's response to the disease.


Teams Scour Indonesia Plane Crash Site for Survivors  SOLO, Indonesia (Reuters) - Rescue teams searched areas  around an airfield in central Indonesia on Wednesday for  survivors from a plane crash that police said killed at least  31 people and left 47 unaccounted for.


Colombian Congress Approves Uribe's Re-Election Bid  BOGOTA, Colombia (Reuters) - Colombia's Congress on Tuesday  approved a bill allowing Alvaro Uribe, one of few conservative  South American presidents with strong ties to Washington, to  run for an unprecedented second term.


Pension Fund of New York Files Suit Against Merck The main pension fund of New York State filed a lawsuit against Merck   Company, accusing it of misleading shareholders about the safety of its pain drug Vioxx.


California Pension Activist Expects to Be Ousted Sean Harrigan, a figure in the corporate governance movement, said that he expected to be ousted as president of the board of California's large public pension fund.


Signs That Japan's Economic Recovery Is Fading A string of disappointing economic reports released Tuesday heightened concerns that Japan's recovery may be fading fast.


Skiers Up to Speed After getting shut out in the 2002 Games, U.S. Skiing is predicting a substantial medal haul for the women's Alpine skiing team in Turin.


Mets, Martinez Talk New York Mets general manager Omar Minaya appears intent on making a splash by pursuing free agent pitcher Pedro Martinez.


Global Forecasts for 2005 Growth Are Reduced Prospects for the global economy next year are growing dimmer as oil prices hurt consumption and the rise in the U.S. trade deficit depresses the dollar.


Yellow Jackets Roll The fourth-ranked Yellow Jackets use a 20-0 first-half run to bury Michigan early and cruise to a 99-68 triumph on Tuesday night.


Friars Collapse in Upset Providence scores just five second-half field goals on 19 percent shooting to allow Winthrop to rally and defeat the Friars, 60-54, on Tuesday night.


Take this to the bank: The Yanks could tank (The Sporting News) The Sporting News - Don't fret, Yankees haters. Read on, and you'll see plenty of potential obstacles that could keep the restocked and heavily favored Bronx Billionaires from winning the World Series -- and I didn't have to reach too far to find them. Not all of them, anyway.


Skidding Browns finally see the light, purge Butch In the end, Cleveland #39;s Butch Davis was right where he wanted to be, which was ironic because it was that position that made him such a convenient target for dismissal.


NCAA Game Summary - Florida International at Connecticut The Huskies set a school record with 19 blocks in the game (Hilton Armstrong had five and Boone had four)...This was the first-ever meeting between these teams...FIU, which shot 28 percent from the field, had a two-game winning streak halted...UConn ended


Nets 99 Bobcats 86 EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ Richard Jefferson scored 23 points and the New Jersey Nets ended a nine-game losing streak by downing the expansion Charlotte Bobcats 99-to-86.


Online holiday shopping rose 25 percent in 2004: survey (AFP) AFP - Online holiday shopping rose 25 percent in 2004 to 23.2 billion dollars, a survey showed.


At least 300 die in floods as Typhoon Winnie hits Philippines MORE than 300 people died and at least 150 remained missing after flash floods and landslides devastated three coastal towns and left swathes of the northern Philippines under water yesterday.


Arms smuggling to Gaza on agenda of talks with Egyptian foreign <b>...</b> Israel is expected to ask Egypt Wednesday to deploy troops deep in the Sinai to combat arms smuggling, and not to suffice with enhancing its patrols along its border with the Gaza Strip.


AMD Big Gainer in 3rd-Quarter Microchip Sales-IDC  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Advanced Micro Devices Inc.  AMD.N captured nearly 10 percent of computer microchip market  revenue in the third quarter, the highest level in nearly three  years, market research firm IDC said on Tuesday.


Global Chip Gear Sales Seen Down 5.15 Percent in 2005  MAKUHARI, Japan (Reuters) - Global sales of equipment used  to make and test semiconductors are expected to fall 5.15  percent from a year earlier to \$33.49 billion in 2005, an  industry group said on Wednesday.


Storms leave at least 350 dead in Philippines The death toll from landslides and flash floods in the eastern Philippines jumped to nearly 350 with 150 others missing yesterday, most of them from a region still reeling from last week #39;s deadly typhoon.


Thai prime minister urges Myanmar generals to move toward <b>...</b> Thailand yesterday told military-ruled Myanmar that it must take real steps toward democracy in the coming year, but failed to get any clarification from the junta on reports that pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi #39;s house arrest has been extended.


New US tariffs on shrimp from China, Vietnam may help US shrimpers Some Chinese shrimp exporters will have to pay discouragingly hefty tariffs of more than 100 percent if they want their products to appear on American dinner tables, the Commerce Department ruled Tuesday.


Tropical Storm Otto forms on last day of hurricane season A low pressure system over the Central Atlantic has formed Tropical Storm Otto on the last day of hurricane season. At 4 pm, the center of Tropical Storm Otto was located near latituded 31.8 north, longitude 51 west or about 810 miles east of Bermuda.


New life for Philly WiFi Verizon's agreement with Philadelphia brings new life to the city's WiFi plans.


Lampard strikes again Chelsea #39;s assault on an unprecedented quadruple gained momentum at Craven Cottage when Frank Lampard #39;s 88th-minute goal sealed their place in the semi-finals of the Carling Cup.


Australians close in on victory Five wickets stand between the Australians and victory on the final day against New Zealand to complete a 2-0 win in the series. Set a prohibitive 464 to win in Adelaide, New


Raptors 94, Heat 92 Jalen Rose scored 24 points, including the decisive free throws with 15.6 seconds left, to help the Toronto Raptors snap a six-game road losing streak with a 94-92 victory over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night.


Hospital Care by Video Camera Intensive-care doctors monitor patients from miles away. Also: Vioxx might be responsible for more deaths than thought.... New network in southern India gives government a big boost.... and more.


Hurricane Season  #39;Officially #39; Over, But That Doesn #39;t Stop Otto Tuesday may mark the last day of the hurricane season, but it #39;s not going away quietly. Tropical Storm  quot;Otto quot; has formed far out in the Atlantic Ocean, about 810 miles east of Bermuda.


Athletes still using Bextra com) and Ben Goessling (bgoesslingmndaily.com). Amid speculation that the painkiller Bextra will join Vioxx as drugs recalled from the market, University athletes are still using


Knicks Nip Hawks 110-109 in Overtime (AP) AP - Jamal Crawford's 3-pointer with 3.4 seconds left in overtime lifted the New York Knicks to a 110-109 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night.


Kings Defeat Slumping Grizzlies 98-93 (AP) AP - Peja Stojakovic had 29 points, and Chris Webber added 22 points and 11 rebounds Tuesday night to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 98-93 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.


No. 4 Georgia Tech Drills Michigan 99-68 (AP) AP - Georgia Tech raised its Final Four banner before the game, then played like a team that could win it all. The fourth-ranked Yellow Jackets took control with a 20-0 run, led by 27 points at halftime and went on to rout Michigan 99-68 Tuesday night in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.


No. 8 Kentucky Trounces Tennessee Tech (AP) AP - Kelenna Azubuike emerged from a season-long shooting slump, scoring 21 points and No. 8 Kentucky beat Tennessee Tech 92-63 on Tuesday night.


Bucs Release Schroeder and Gramatica (Reuters) Reuters - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers on\Tuesday released wide receiver Bill Schroeder and kicker Martin\Gramatica, and activated offensive guard Matt O'Dwyer from the\physically unable to perform list.


Cook Leads Lakers Past Bucks 95-90 (AP) AP - Brian Cook came off the bench to score a career-high 25 points, including five 3-pointers, and Kobe Bryant added 20 points despite being held without a field goal for three quarters to lead the Los Angeles Lakers past the Milwaukee Bucks 95-90 Tuesday night.


1914 Baseball Card Set Sells for  #36;800,000 (AP) AP - A complete set of 1914 Cracker Jack baseball cards featuring "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and Ty Cobb has been sold for a record  #36;800,000.


Houston Upsets No. 14 Purdue 63-60 (AP) AP - Daphne Andre scored 21 points, including two free throws that sealed the win following a key steal, leading Houston to a 63-60 upset of No. 14 Purdue on Tuesday night.


Nets 99, Bobcats 86 Richard Jefferson scored 23 points and Eric Williams had a season-high 22 to help the New Jersey Nets end a nine-game losing streak with a 99-86 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday night.


Routs not fooling Smith, Cats It seems to be a basketball paradox. Kentucky dominates its early-season opposition. Coach Tubby Smith finds no difficulty in convincing his players of their shortcomings.


Rwandan troop incursion prompts Congo to respond Thousands of Rwandan troops have crossed into the remote forested hills of east Congo, a Western diplomat said Monday, in an account supported by park rangers and local chiefs near the border of the two neighbors and wartime enemies.


Microsoft, BT team on software as services LONDON - Microsoftis ramping up its efforts to sell software as a service by teaming with U.K. telecommunications giant BT Group PLC to provide a platform for the delivery of its business applications.


Microsoft finds new front in software piracy battle As part of its fight against software piracy, Microsofton Tuesday said it filed lawsuits against eight resellers for allegedly buying and selling fake and used Certificate of Authenticity labels.


HP fine-tunes security management Hewlett-Packard bolstered its security portfolio Tuesday, announcing availability of an identity management product for enterprises and a security management initiative for small and midsize businesses.


Sun: 1.9 million downloads of Java fix Sun Microsystems on Tuesday said there have been 1.9 million downloads of an upgraded version of J2SE to correct a possible security vulnerability in the JVM, although there have been no attacks reported based on the problem.


Universities Struggling with SSL-Busting Spyware Experts call Marketscore software a privacy threat.


Top-Ranked Australia Rallies to Avoid US Rugby League Upset World rugby league champion Australia beat the USA Tomahawks 36-24 in Philadelphia, rallying from an 18- point halftime deficit to avoid one of the biggest upsets in the sport #39;s history.


New Netscape Browser Supports Internet Explorer Preview version seeks best of both worlds, is based on Firefox.


Dollar Rebounds But Data May Cap Gains  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rebounded on Monday after a  heavy selloff last week, but analysts were uncertain if the  rally could hold as the drumbeat of expectation began for to  the December U.S. jobs report due Friday.


High Court Puts Limit On Lender Liability The Supreme Court overturned a five-figure damage award for an auto dealer's alleged loan scam, ruling that a federal appeals court had wrongly interpreted a federal fair-credit law when it upheld the award last year.


Russia's Gazprom to Bid For Yukos Oil's Top Unit The nascent petroleum division of natural gas monopoly Gazprom will bid for the top production unit of the battered Yukos oil empire, its chief said Tuesday -- a widely anticipated move that could put the heart of the company into Kremlin-friendly hands.


Fannie, Freddie Raise Loan Limits Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will raise by 7.8 percent the limit on the size of single-family-home mortgages they will purchase, increasing the pool of home buyers who will qualify for lower-cost financing.


News: HP says 'virus throttling' software could slow spread of computer worms The Associated Press By Rachel Konrad


SEMI expects sales to dip in  #39;05 SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Sales for semiconductor manufacturing equipment is expected to rise sharply in 2004, but decline slightly in 2005, according to a year-end consensus forecast released late Tuesday by the industry #39;s largest trade group.


Spurs Run Over Mavericks 107-89 (AP) AP - Devin Brown sparked a fourth-quarter spurt with two three-point plays and two dunks, helping the San Antonio Spurs beat the Dallas Mavericks 107-89 Monday night to spoil the pseudo-coaching debut of Avery Johnson.


International Mediators Try to End Ukraine Crisis (Reuters) Reuters - International mediators will step up\efforts on Wednesday to resolve Ukraine's 10-day-old crisis\over a disputed presidential election after the collapse of\talks between pro-Western and pro-Russian factions.


China Mine Death Toll 166 -Xinhua (Reuters) Reuters - The death toll from a coal mine blast\in northern China has risen to 166, Xinhua news agency said on\Wednesday.


Pistons Race Past Rockets 93-72 (AP) AP - Antonio McDyess had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Richard Hamilton also scored 19, helping the Detroit Pistons snap a five-game road losing streak with a 93-72 win over the reeling Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.


No. 1 LSU women roll past North Texas Seimone Augustus was perfect from the field, hitting 11-of-11, and true freshman Sylvia Fowles had her sixth straight game in double figures and her third double-double in the last


Knicks 110, Hawks 109, OT Jamal Crawford #39;s 3-pointer with 3.4 seconds left in overtime lifted the New York Knicks to a 110-109 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night.


No. 19 Florida 88, Florida A amp;M 51 Florida A amp;M had played two other ranked teams this season and was blown out both times. Mohamed Abukar scored a career-high 22 points, and No.


#39;Prince was like a lovesick puppy #39; LONDON: In the tapes that were aired on US television channels on Monday night, the late Princess Diana claims that when Prince Charles first met, he was like a lovesick puppy and leapt on her and started kissing her the first time she sat near him.


Construction Spending Down  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. construction spending fell  unexpectedly by 0.4 percent in November, as a cooling in  residential construction overpowered a small rise in public  spending, a government report showed on Monday.


Death Toll Rises to 166 China Coal Blast (AP) AP - The death toll in a massive coal mine explosion in central China rose Wednesday to 166 after scores of missing miners were declared dead, government radio reported.


New York Comptroller Sues Merck New York Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi sued Merck  amp; Co. on Tuesday, seeking to recoup value lost in the state #39;s pension fund after the drug manufacturer pulled its top painkiller Vioxx off the market in September.


Pace of Factory Growth Climbs  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The pace of growth at U.S. factories  picked up in December, boosted by an increase in new orders and  despite a decline in employment, a report showed on Monday.


Suns Defeat Jazz 115-102 (AP) AP - Steve Nash had 20 points and 14 assists to lead the Phoenix Suns to their eighth straight win, 115-102 over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.


Taking the charge out of lightning-fast worms During the early morning of January 25, 2003, the Sapphire/Slammer worm ripped through 75,000 computers in less than half an hour.


Sybase offers breakthrough Linux-based ASE value Sybase has announced that its Adaptive Server Enterprise (ASE) for Linux, the enterprise-class, relational database management system (RDBMS), will run on IBM #39;s eServer OpenPower systems, IBM #39;s POWER5 microprocessor- based servers tuned specifically for


Knicks edge plucky Hawks in OT ATLANTA (Ticker) -- After being cold from the arc through four quarters, Jamal Crawford was clutch in overtime. Crawford #39;s 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds remaining helped the New York Knicks post a 110-109 victory


NBA to Set new arena security guidelines NBA commissioner David Stern says the NBA will set new security guidelines for its arenas, exerting more authority over a matter previously left to individual teams.


Cal Receiver Expects to Play in Finale (AP) AP - California receiver Jonathan Makonnen expects to play in the regular-season finale Saturday at Southern Mississippi after missing the last four games with a bruised liver.


Teams scour Indonesia plane crash site Solo city as it landed in heavy rain around dusk on Tuesday after a flight from Jakarta. Other sources were giving different numbers on casualties.


Italy crippled as strike bites Rome: Millions of Italian workers took part in a one-day general strike against the economic policies of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.


College Basketball: Georgia Tech, UConn Win  ATLANTA (Sports Network) - B.J. Elder poured in a game-high  27 points to lead fourth-ranked Georgia Tech to a convincing  99-68 win over Michigan in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge at  Alexander Memorial Coliseum.


#39;The age of cheap oil is over #39; Put away the stack-heeled shoes and the Slade records. Higher oil prices may have rekindled memories of glam rock and loon pants, but the west is not about to return to the days of sky-high inflation that marked the 1970s.


Telstra chief resigns ahead of privatisation Telstras embattled chief executive resigned on Wednesday as Australias largest telecommunications company prepared for the A\$30bn sale of the governments remaining shareholding.


Lycos Offers Spam-Server Attack Program (AP) AP - At the risk of breaching Internet civility, a European Web portal is offering its visitors a weapon against spam: a screensaver program that tries to choke spam servers by flooding them with junk traffic.


Flaw opens crack in Windows servers com November 30, 2004, 11:48 AM PT. Security continues to hold steady over software as the third top IT priority, with organizations busy coping with cyber threats, keeping up with software


NBA Wrap: Stojakovic Powers Kings Past Grizzlies (Reuters) Reuters - Peja Stojakovic scored 29 points to\steer the Sacramento Kings to their eighth victory in nine\games, a 98-93 decision over the Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday.


Notre Dame players to vote on whether to take bowl trip Notre Dame players will vote on Wednesday whether to play in the Insight Bowl in Phoenix, SportsLine.com has learned. In light of the firing of coach Ty Willingham, the players have yet to determine if they are emotionally ready to play in the Dec.


McLeish gives Smith vote of approval for Scotland job THE imminent appointment of Walter Smith as Scotland football manager has been given a glowing endorsement by leading figures in the game.


Benitez signing a Giant step For quite some time there, Barry Bonds wasn #39;t the only sure thing the Giants had going for them. They also had a 300-save closer available in Robb Nen, night after night and year after year.


LG Philips LCD announces five-billion dollar investment despite output glut (AFP) AFP - LG Philips LCD is to invest five billion dollars in new facilities to produce next-generation flat panel displays in order to strengthen its global market leadership.


Philly, Verizon Complete Wireless Deal (AP) AP - The city of Philadelphia and Verizon Communications Inc. struck an agreement Tuesday that would allow the city to provide wireless Internet access as a municipal service even though Gov. Ed Rendell signed legislation giving Verizon the power to scuttle the project.


Duke Tops Mich. St. 81-74 (AP) AP - Duke again was too much for Michigan State, thanks almost entirely to J.J. Redick and Daniel Ewing.


New typhoon heading for flood-hit Philippines PILILIA, Philippines : Another powerful typhoon is bearing down on the eastern Philippines where rescuers are desperately trying to find survivors from floods and landslides that have left nearly 500 dead or missing.


Investigation underway into Indonesian plane crash Indonesian transport safety officials have launched an inquiry into the crash of a passenger plane in central Java which has killed more than 30 people and injured at least 60 others.


Rumours fuel fear of war in eastern Congo The threat of renewed war in the eastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo increased yesterday amid unconfirmed reports by diplomats and a claim by a Congolese minister that


Di claim dismissed LONDON: A former bodyguard of Britain #39;s Princess Diana yesterday said he doubted that one of her alleged lovers had been  quot;bumped off quot; - a claim she made in never-before-seen videotapes broadcast in the US.


Egyptian Officials Due to Arrive for Talks This Morning (IsraelNN.com) Egypts foreign minister and intelligence chief are scheduled to arrive for high-level talks in Jerusalem this morning.


Universities Struggling with SSL-busting Spyware (PC World) PC World - Experts call Marketscore software a privacy threat.


Sun: 1.9 million downloads of Java fix (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - Sun Microsystems on Tuesday said there have been 1.9 million downloads of an upgraded version of J2SE to correct a possible security vulnerability in the JVM, although there have been no attacks reported based on the problem.


Death of Rare Bird Leaves Future Uncertain (AP) AP - One of the rarest birds on Earth came closer to being wiped out  #151; if not already extinct  #151; with the death of one of the last three believed to exist, officials said.


Russia, NASA OK Space Station's Next Crew (AP) AP - Russia's Federal Space Agency and NASA have approved the crew of the next mission to the international space station, a Russian agency spokesman said Tuesday.


Anthrax Vaccine Maker Announces Md. Facility BioPort Corp. of Lansing, Mich., dedicated a 150,000-square-foot facility in Frederick that is designed to produce 100 million anthrax vaccine doses when it becomes fully operational in two years.


The Dollar Slips Against the Yen  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar slipped against the yen on  Wednesday on a round of selling by Japanese exporters, but it  found support from intervention worries and caution ahead of  U.S. non-farm payrolls data due later in the week.


Nikkei Down 1 Pct on Econ Fears  TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei fell 1 percent by midsession  on Wednesday as investors sold a broad range of shares,  extending losses from the day before when poor Japanese  industrial output data put a damper on the economy's outlook.


Pfizer Affirms 2004 Forecast  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc. PFE.N on Tuesday  reaffirmed it expects 2004 earnings to be more than 20 percent  above last year, but warned that results in 2005-2007 will be  hurt by patent expirations on over a half-dozen of its  best-selling medicines.


OECD expects robust 3.6 percent growth Higher oil prices have slowed economic growth in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, but it should expand by 3.6 percent this year.


Merck sued by New York fund over Vioxx issue NEW YORK (Dow Jones/AP) _ The New York state comptroller sued Merck  amp; Co., claiming the drug maker hid certain risks associated with the painkiller Vioxx.


Telstra CEO out ahead of full sale Australian telecommunications giant Telstra is looking for a new CEO to handle its full privatization after incumbent Ziggy Switkowski resigned Wednesday.


Wal-Mart Sales Estimate Boosts Sector  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT.N, the  world's No. 1 retailer, on Monday said December sales would be  at the top end of its prior estimate on better-than-expected  post-Christmas spending, driving its shares up 2 percent.


ANALYSIS: Hollywood studios fire heavy salvo in DVD format war True, Monday #39;s thunderbolt from Tinseltown may not be enough to settle the DVD format war. But in a synchronized cluster bomb of press releases, the powerful content producers have sent a clear message to


02 i-mode deal MOBILE phone giant mmO2 has secured a partnership with Japans NTT DoCoMo to bring its i-mode internet technology to the UK. The company hopes to boost revenues per user by selling the product, which allows


HP to release Virus Throttler for Windows in 2005 NOVEMBER 30, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) is planning to build virus throttling technology into ProLiant servers and ProCurve switches starting in early 2005, an HP executive said today.


First Edition Cycling News The Swiss Phonak Cycling team has issued an official statement on the rejection of the team #39;s ProTour license on its website, www.


Your Verdict: Diouf spitting shame El-Hadji Diouf is back doing what he appears to do best - spitting on people. Not content with covering a variety of fans with spittle he has now targeted his fellow professionals.


Ladydogs Upend #20 Louisana Tech 72-55 The last time Louisiana Tech visited Starkville, in 1999, they left with an upset defeat at the hands of Mississippi State. Five Novembers later, the Lady Techsters returned to Humphrey Coliseum...and the Lady Bulldogs ready to do it again.


Car bomb kills seven in Iraq BAIJI, December 01 (Online): A car bomb exploded in a crowded market in a town north of Baghdad on Tuesday, killing at least seven people and wounding 20, underlining Iraqs severe security problems with elections just two months away.


Net piracy expert flies in to scuttle Kazaa A key figure in the Kazaa file-sharing trial arrives in Sydney today to give evidence of Australian users downloading copyright material via the peer-to-peer software.


GAME DAY RECAP Tuesday, November 30 A typical night for Tan White at Mississippi State led to a rare upset of Louisiana Tech. White scored 28 points to lead the Bulldogs to a 72-55 upset of the 21st-ranked Lady Techsters on Tuesday night.


On Campus, Hanging Out by Logging On Thefacebook.com, a Web site that began 10 months ago, is now the most popular way to either network or waste time for a million college students.


Cingular to Upgrade Data Network Cingular Wireless announced plans to upgrade its high-speed data network, allowing faster downloads on many home broadband connections.


US sets penalties on import of shrimp The Bush administration upheld yesterday the imposition of penalty tariffs on shrimp imports from China and Vietnam, handing a victory to beleaguered US shrimp producers.


Ziggy to resign IN BRIEF  Telstra Chairman Donald McGauchie has today announced the resignation of Telstra #39;s current CEO, Ziggy Switkowski. Ziggy will officially step down from the role on 1 July 2005 but may give up his


Cingular to launch US 3G network Cingular, the largest mobile phone operator in the US, is to launch a high-speed third generation (3G) network from next year. Mobile phone firms have been seeking new areas to boost revenue - and Cingular #39;s


REL wants to know if RIL will play ball The board of Reliance Energy Ltd (REL) met on Tuesday and requested its six directors to reconsider their resignations. A Reliance Energy spokesperson told reporters that the  quot;the board reposed full trust


Lycos Europe To Spammers: It #39;s Pay-Back Time Lycos Europe NV is offering Internet users a way to stick it to spammers with its new screen-saver software, called  quot;Make Love, Not Spam.


Sun Microsystems to acquire SevenSpace Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, the Santa Clara, Calif.,-based Sun will acquire SevenSpace in an all-cash transaction for an undisclosed amount.


Russia #39;s space agency approves international space station #39;s next <b>...</b> MOSCOW -- An American and a Russian, both space veterans, have been selected as the next replacement crew for the international space station, a Russian agency spokesman said Tuesday.


Microsoft investigates Windows Server flaw Microsoft is investigating a security flaw in Windows server software that could allow an attacker to gain complete control over systems running the software, the company said.


San Francisco Signs Benitez to Three-Year Deal Free agent Armando Benitez and the San Francisco Giants agreed to a three-year contract yesterday, a move that stabilizes the club #39;s closer role that has been in flux since Robb Nen was injured two years ago.