U.S., Europe at Odds on Emissions Controls Negotiators worked into the final night of a two-week U.N. conference Friday in search of a way to bring the United States back into long-term talks on controlling global warming. Argentine organizers said they were optimistic about a compromise.


Ex-Soldiers Agree to Leave Aristide Estate Brazilian peacekeepers forced their way into a compound seized by former soldiers who ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and said they had reached an agreement for the rebels to leave the premises unarmed.


Eye On Stocks For Monday, Dec. 20 NEW YORK - On. Dec. 17, the US Food and Drug Administration released a statement relating to Pfizer #39;s (nyse: PFE - news - people ) Celebrex.


UPDATE 2-Investment firm Lazard files for \$850 mln IPO Private investment bank Lazard Ltd filed with US regulators on Friday to raise as much as \$850 million in an initial public offering


#39;Culture change #39; required at AstraZeneca after key drug fails Astrazeneca Admitted yesterday to an over-optimistic culture within its drug development division as it revealed its recently launched lung cancer pill did not improve patients #39; life expectancy.


DaimlerChrysler Sued Over Car Seat Injury (Reuters) Reuters - DaimlerChrysler AG  (DCXGn.DE)\has been hit with a multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed by a\paraplegic who says the automaker's heated car seats caused him\a severe burn injury.


No regrets on Hubble repairs, departing NASA chief says CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA. - NASA #39;s departing chief says he stands by his decision to cancel a shuttle mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope.


Mourinho gets his wish Chelsea said today they will not fear Barcelona after drawing the Spanish league leaders in the last 16 of the Champions League. Jose Mourinho got his wish of landing


Coulthard Gets 1 Year F1 Career Extension from Red Bull In a highly anticipated move, Red Bull Racing announced today that it has signed David Coulthard to a one-year contract. Coulthard, by no means a spring chicken as far as F1 goes, is lucky to have gotten this


New Ole Miss coach says bad behavior in the past New Mississippi coach Ed Orgeron was charged with repeated domestic violence more than a decade ago when he was an assistant at Miami, according to records obtained Friday by The Associated Press.


Reliever Alfonseca signs with Marlins Free-agent reliever Antonio Alfonseca signed a one-year contract Friday to rejoin his former team, the Florida Marlins, who revised their offer when a routine physical disclosed a herniated disc in the right-hander #39;s back.


Hoosiers hire Hoeppner (tops) BLOOMINGTON, Ind. Indiana has named native son Terry Hoeppner (HEHP #39;-nur) football coach. He #39;s been at Miami of Ohio for six seasons and will coach the 8-and-4 Redhawks in the Independence Bowl against Iowa State on December 28th.


Five killed and three missing as Gaza smugglers #39; tunnel collapses A tunnel being dug so that Palestinians could smuggle material from Egypt into Gaza collapsed yesterday leaving at least five people dead.


SIX KILLED AS STORM LASHES FRANCE Hurricane-strength winds have lashed Paris and large areas of northern and eastern France, leaving six dead and cutting power to hundreds of thousands of homes.


Population decline? It's the economy, stupid In the year that ended June 30, 2004, Massachusetts was the only state in the country that lost population -- 3,852 people to be exact. So here is my question: Are we Sweden or North Dakota?


Turf Toe Injury Sidelines Titans' Brown (AP) AP - Tennessee running back Chris Brown will not play Sunday against the Oakland Raiders because of a turf toe injury.


NBA-All-Star Carter Joins Nets in Six-Player Trade (Reuters) Reuters - The Toronto Raptors dealt four-times


BSNL, MTNL to launch high-speed Internet (Reuters) Reuters - India's two state-run telephone companies will start high-speed Internet services from Jan. 15 at about a sixth of the prevailing prices, a government statement said on Friday.


Rupert Murdoch pays a sky-high 22m for Fifth Avenue penthouse <b>...</b> Rupert Murdoch is moving. The owner of News Corporation was said yesterday to have offered \$44m (22m) for an elegant, three-level penthouse apartment facing Central Park on Manhattan #39;s fashionable Fifth Avenue.


Lions Sign Bubin From Jags' Practice Squad (AP) AP - The Detroit Lions signed rookie offensive line Sean Bubin from Jacksonville's practice squad on Friday.


Cisco \$12M Tokyo research center The Tokyo facility will open in February, 2005, representing an initial \$12 million investment over the next five years to study Internet Protocol-based networking technologies, including routers and Cisco IOS and IOS XR software, says the company.


No Regrets, Says Departing NASA Boss CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA #39;s departing boss, Sean O #39;Keefe, said Friday he does not regret canceling the last shuttle mission to the Hubble Space Telescope - or anything else during his three years on the job.


Peter Wood The enterprise is magnificent. If the information age could have an equivalent to building the Great Pyramid, this is it. Google plans to digitize Harvard #39;s libraries - and those of Oxford, Michigan, Stanford, and the New York Public.


Vince Carter dealt to Nets The Toronto Raptors agreed Friday to trade Vince Carter to New Jersey Friday for three players and two draft picks. The NBA, however, must make sure the trade fits under the league #39;s salary cap before it can become final.


Recchi, mates shocked at NHL dismissal of union #39;s offer Like his colleagues, Penguins winger Mark Recchi figured the NHL Players #39; Association made a fairly dramatic proposal last Thursday.


Hoeppner new coach at Indiana Hoeppner has been the coach at Miami (Ohio) since 1999 and was an assistant at the school for 13 years before that.  quot;We talked to some terrific coaches throughout our search, but


Anti-terror ruling: Your reaction Nine law lords have ruled that legislation allowing foreign nationals suspected of terrorism to be locked up indefinitely and without trial, contravenes human rights laws.


'Car bomb attack' kills 12 Iraqis At least 12 Iraqis, 11 of them National Guardsmen, are killed in a car bomb explosion, the US military says.


Sharon strikes coalition deal with Labor On a day Israeli forces attacked targets in Gaza, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon reached agreement with the Labor Party on a national unity government -- strengthening his plan to disengage from the Palestinians.


Cuba counters US Christmas lights with anti-war banners Just in time for the holidays, the US-Cuba propaganda war heated up Friday when Cuban authorities tacked up a huge banner outside America #39;s diplomatic post in Havana depicting the abuse of Iraqi prisoners.


Officials warn of Darfur ticking time bomb African authorities are warning of a further disaster in Darfur as massive quantities of arms and ammunition pour into the region.


Pfizer's Celebrex Lifts Heart Attack Risk in Trial (Reuters) Reuters - Pfizer Inc. on Friday said its popular\Celebrex arthritis drug more than doubled the risk of heart\attack in a large cancer-prevention trial, a setback that comes\just weeks after Merck   Co. recalled its similar Vioxx drug\due to heart safety risks.


CELEBREX UNDER MICROSCOPE US drug giant Pfizer has said a trial had found a sharp rise in heart attacks for patients using its Celebrex arthritis and pain medicine but it would not immediately withdraw the treatment.


Yukos sale: Russia defies US American courts came into direct conflict with Russia yesterday, after Russia insisted it would push on with plans to sell off the main chunk of stricken oil giant Yukos


Japan #39;s central bank downgrades its assessment of the economy Japan #39;s central bank offered a bleaker assessment of the country #39;s economy Friday for the first time in more than a year and a half, citing weaker industrial production and slowing export growth.


Cuban Authorities Retaliate Against US Christmas Display Cuban authorities have erected a huge poster across from the US Interests Section in Havana that depicts US soldiers abusing prisoners in Iraq.


Renewed fighting in Darfur inevitable, says African Union  quot;Astronomical quot; quantities of arms and ammunition have poured into Sudan #39;s Darfur region in the last two weeks and the government is poised for a major military offensive, African Union ceasefire monitors said yesterday.


South Korea and Japan urge Pyongyang to resume nuclear talks Leaders of Japan and South Korea have jointly urged North Korea to return to talks aimed at ending its nuclear weapons program. They agreed that imposing economic sanctions now on Pyongyang would thwart such efforts.


Bosnian Serb leader resigns The prime minister of the Bosnian Serb-run half of Bosnia Herzegovina resigned yesterday, a day after international sanctions were imposed for the failure to arrest and hand over war-crimes suspects to the UN tribunal.


Bush Signs Intelligence Overhaul Bill (AP) AP - President Bush on Friday signed the largest overhaul of U.S. intelligence-gathering in a half century, aiming to transform a system designed for Cold War threats so it can deal effectively with the post-Sept. 11 scourge of terrorism.


Colombia Says Rebel Leader May Avoid Extradition  BOGOTA, Colombia (Reuters) - Colombia said on Friday that a  top Marxist guerrilla leader may avoid extradition to the  United States if his rebel group frees 63 hostages, including  three Americans and one German.


Banks Drop Support of Bid for Russian Oil Giant #39;s Unit Russia brushed aside an American court #39;s attempt to halt the auction of the oil giant Yukos #39; biggest production unit, but a consortium of international banks withdrew


Aviation Fight Mirrors Larger French-German Rivalry In the global aerospace race, Europe has stolen a march on the United States, winning a flurry of contracts for Airbus planes and developing a new midsize jet to compete with Boeing.


Third AstraZeneca drug found wanting AstraZeneca faced its third major setback in as many months yesterday after clinical trials dashed expectations that its lung cancer drug Iressa would develop into a blockbuster product that would dominate treatment around the world.


Microsoft Spyware Acquisition Hits Ownership Snag Microsoft #39;s big move into the anti-spyware business has hit an immediate speed bump, with questions swirling around a Florida company #39;s claim that it co-owns the Giant AntiSpyware codeand all future definition updatesthat Microsoft purchased earlier


Three-team baseball trade still unresolved If this gets done, the New York Yankees will greatly upgrade their rotation - if this gets done. The Yankees continued discussions Friday with the Dodgers


Turkish PM returns home to hero #39;s welcome Turkey #39;s prime minister returned home Saturday to a hero #39;s welcome with some 2,000 supporters waving Turkish and European Union flags at the airport to celebrate a historic


U.S. Soldier, Afghan Killed in Gunfight (AP) AP - A U.S. soldier was killed during fighting in western Afghanistan that also left an Afghan dead on Sunday.


Halo 2: The surprising anticlimax Unlike the original game, Halo 2 doesn #39;t end with a bang so much as a whimper. When you get to the end of the game, as I did tonight (congrats if you beat me, but I have a life, sort of), you discover that


Palestinian Leader Contests Annexing Talk (AP) AP - Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, the leading contender to succeed Yasser Arafat, said Friday that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's hope of annexing West Bank settlements and keeping all of Jerusalem in a final peace deal is a disaster that could torpedo efforts to restart peace talks.


Giants re-sign Christiansen Giants left-handed reliever Jason Christiansen, who created a mild controversy last season when he taped a hand-lettered sign complaining he #39;d gone 15 days without


Japan puts off royal wedding announcement after family death (AFP) AFP - Japan put on hold the long-awaited announcement that Princess Sayako would become the last of the emperor's children to marry after the oldest royal, Princess Kikuko, died at age 92.


Bush Ordering Better Ocean Oversight (AP) AP - President Bush is creating a White House committee to oversee the nation's ocean policies, with plans to improve research, manage fisheries better and regulate pollution caused by boats.


Cisco to open Tokyo R amp;D Center Cisco Systems plans to set up a research and development center in Tokyo, focusing on Internet software and routing technologies, a move that follows a growing number of major companies seeking R amp;D abroad.


Vince Carter traded to Nets The New Jersey Nets have acquired five-time NBA All-Star guard/forward Vince Carter from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for center Alonzo Mourning, center/forward Aaron Williams, forward Eric Williams and two first round draft picks, Nets President Rod


Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. misses trial; arrest warrant issued An arrest warrant has been issued for two-time world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., who failed to appear at a trial in which he is accused of kicking a bouncer at a bar.


Physical may stall deal for Alfonseca Antonio Alfonseca #39;s return to the Marlins #39; bullpen has been put on hold because of a physical that found problems in the right-handed reliever #39;s back.


UN heads towards 60th year with big plans, big problems UNITED NATIONS, (AFP) - The United Nations turns 60 in 2005 after a bruising year that has seen the organisation battered and demoralised by a string of scandals that have damaged the UN #39;s image.


Sudanese gov #39;t says ready to withdraw troops from Darfur Bugged by pressure both from the African Union (AU) and the international community, the Sudanese government has announced its readiness to withdraw its troops fromthe troubled Darfur region.


Consumer prices in US edge higher which jumped steeply the previous month - increased only modestly, official figures showed yesterday. Inflation


Pacers Edge Raptors, 89-86 (AP) AP - Jamaal Tinsley scored 17 of his 22 points in the second half to lead the Indiana Pacers to an 89-86 victory over the Toronto Raptors, who traded All Star Vince Carter to New Jersey earlier Friday.


Probe questions account given by British former home secretary in visa row (AFP) AFP - An official inquiry will show that former British home secretary David Blunkett originally gave a misleading account in the case of a visa application for his former lover's nanny, a newspaper said.


Warriors' Dunleavy Misses Game vs. Rockets (AP) AP - Golden State forward Mike Dunleavy missed the Warriors' game against the Houston Rockets on Friday night with a bruised lower left leg.


Category: SpeakersMics iMac, eMac, iBook, PowerBook, Power Mac and iPod compatible, with easy plug and play set up and convenient touch controls, Creature takes multimedia sound to another dimension.


Van Nistelrooy set for scan BEIJING, Dec. 16 -- Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is set to have a scan in a bid to try to find the root cause of his calf problem.


Calif. Launches  #36;3 Billon Stem Cell Program (Reuters) Reuters - California officially launched\its controversial  #36;3 billion embryonic stem cell research\program on Friday, swearing in a policymaking committee and\elevating the campaign leader for the program to chairman.


Calif. Quake Data Bringing New Insights (AP) AP - An unprecedented amount of data from a major Central California earthquake is generating new insight into how and where quakes strike, but hasn't improved scientists' ability to predict them.


U.S., Europe at Odds on Emissions Controls (AP) AP - Negotiators worked into the final night of a two-week U.N. conference Friday in search of a way to bring the United States back into long-term talks on controlling global warming. Argentine organizers said they were optimistic about a compromise.


Baby cut from mother's womb A baby believed to have been cut from her murdered mother's womb is found alive in the US.


Aviation Fight Mirrors Larger French-German Rivalry The European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company, or EADS, is scrambling to quell an internal squabble that could increase tensions between French and German shareholders.


Vitual Flowers \\This is cool.\\Hotornot just added a new feature to send a "virtual flower".  For \$2 (or so)\you can send a flower to a girl who you haven't yet met.\\I love it!  Awesome!\\\(16:44:01) metameta8080: dude, what a waste of money\\(16:44:15) metameta8080: virtual flowers are FREE\\(16:44:50) metameta8080: I will start an open source service for sending W3C\compliant virtual flowers, which are licenced under the creative commons.\\\


Harris Heads for Stanford on Losing Note (AP) AP - Walt Harris definitely improved Pittsburgh football, just not enough to get the Panthers to the elite level.


FDA urged to drop fish mercury level Researchers are urging the US Food and Drug Administration to lower the mercury level in commercial fish. In a study on canned fish published in this month #39;s Journal of Food Science


Murdoch bids \$44m for flat THE billionaire media mogul Rupert Murdoch has offered to buy a three-storey penthouse in Manhattan for a record \$44 million (21.6 million).


IHG sells 13 North American hotels InterContinental Hotels Group passed another milestone in its wide-ranging asset disposal programme yesterday when it sold 13 of its North American properties for \$425m (220m).


Microsoft Takes Another Stab at Web on TV (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - If a reputable company sold a dirt-cheap machine that provided blissfully simple and virus-free Internet access, you might expect to see crowds of customers rushing into stores, credit cards in hand.


Star footballer #39;s mother freed after kidnap ordeal KIDNAPPERS have freed the mother of one of Brazils most exciting young footballing talents 40 days after they seized her at gunpoint, amid reports that a ransom was paid.


Dodgers would move Green, Penny to D-Backs Randy Johnson is on the verge of being traded to the Yankees as part of a three-way deal that also would include the Dodgers. A source confirmed for ESPN that the teams are close to agreement on the principal


NFL notes: Janikowski finalizes extension with Raiders Raiders: Sebastian Janikowski finalized a \$10.5 million, five-year contract extension with the Oakland Raiders that makes him the highest paid placekicker in the NFL.


Deadline issued over Sudan  #39;timebomb #39; The African Union (AU) has issued a 24-hour deadline to the Sudanese Government and Darfur rebels to end fighting after a massive military build-up in the region over the past two weeks.


Japan, US agree to cooperate on new missile defense Japan and the US yesterday agreed to boost cooperation in their missile defense programs -- an important first step in carrying out new defense guidelines that ease Tokyo #39;s strict postwar pacifism.


Bosnian Serb Premier Quits, Criticizing West The leader of the Bosnian Serb government, Dragan Mikerevic, resigned Friday to protest what he described as unconstitutional interference in his government #39;s affairs by the country #39;s Western administrator.


US court move fuels the mixture The US ruling to block the sale of the mainproduction asset of Yukos injected fresh intrigue into the demise of Russia #39;s largest oil company.


United pilots #39; cooperation on pensions expected to affect other <b>...</b> CHICAGO _ The leaders of United Airlines pilots union have agreed to accept a 15 percent pay cut and not oppose the elimination of their pension plan, setting a precedent both


Sean O #39;Keefe It looks like NASA Administrator Sean O #39;Keefe will return to his home state of Louisiana to become the next chancellor at LSU.


Intel hires HP Itanium processor design team Intel is to hire HP #39;s 300-member Itanium processor design team based in Fort Collins, Colorado. This will end HPs processor development attempts within the company.


Randy Johnson headed to Yankees? He #39;s part of a proposed three-team trade that also includes the Diamondbacks and Dodgers -- a deal reportedly close to being finalized.


Epstein brushes aside Pedro rips Over the last couple of days, former Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez certainly laid the groundwork for what could have been a pretty engaging war of words with his ex-employers.


Suspects try for freedom after terror ruling by law lords LAWYERS acting for 12 foreign terror suspects detained without trial will try to get them released on bail within the month after the ruling by the law lords that holding them is unlawful.


US, Europe at Odds on Emissions Controls Negotiators worked through the final day of a two-week UN conference Friday in search of a way to bring the United States back into long-term talks on controlling global warming.


Cardinals, King Agree to Contract Terms (AP) AP - The St. Louis Cardinals agreed to terms on a two-year contract with left-handed reliever Ray King on Friday.


Sox reach agreement with Clement The Red Sox have reached agreement with free agent pitcher Matt Clement yesterday on a three-year deal that will pay him around \$25 million, his agent confirmed yesterday.


Wait a minute MIAMI The Miami Dolphins are putting their courtship of LSU coach Nick Saban on hold. A team source tells The Associated Press that they want to comply with the NFL #39;s hiring policy by interviewing a minority candidate,.


Amid a Whirlwind of Change, Martnez Returns to His Roots Less than 24 hours after Pedro Martnez stood inside Shea Stadium for his introduction as the Mets' newest pitcher, he was on an island in the Caribbean Sea.


Long Climb Pays Off for Jets' Linebacker Mark Brown has gone from the practice squad to the starting lineup in a little more than a year.


Same Old Story: Yankees Sour on a Younger Pitcher Javier Vazquez was supposed to be the impressive pitcher the Yankees would use as a linchpin in their rotation for any number of seasons.


Russia Pursues Contested Yukos Sale Description: Russian officials make it clear they plan to proceed with an auction of oil company Yukos #39; main production unit, despite a restraining order from a US court.


AZ suspends marketing of cancer drug AstraZeneca, the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical group, suffered another setback when it suspended marketing of Iressa, a lung cancer drug launched this year.


Undermanned Pacers trim Raptors CBC SPORTS ONLINE - If Eric Williams and Aaron Williams are tough on the boards and have a magic potion to win on the road, they #39;ll be an instant hit with Toronto Raptors fans.


Court leaves UK terror laws in tatters A scathing judgment from the UK #39;s highest court condemning the UK government #39;s indefinite detention of foreign terror suspects as a threat to the life of the nation, left anti-terrorist laws in the UK in tatters on Thursday.


ACC Is Leagues Ahead From top to bottom ACC play, which will begin Sunday with two games, could be even more competitive than originally thought.


Parking Fees May Help A plan to raise \$100 million by charging for parking near a new stadium is one of the top proposals in the city's bid to find private money to finance the ballpark.


Suns Tops in West Using what he learned from Italy's pro league, Mike D'Antoni has installed a run-and-gun offense that has Phoenix trampling opponents.


Changes Made to RPI The NCAA Division I men's basketball committee is changing the way it calculates the Ratings Percentage Index, giving more weight to playing and winning games on the road.


'Unit' Deal Unresolved The Yankees, Diamondbacks and Dodgers are still working to complete a deal that would put Randy Johnson in pinstripes, send Shawn Green to Arizona and land Javy Vazquez in Los Angeles.


McNair's Season Over Titans quarterback Steve McNair will undergo surgery to strengthen his bruised sternum and will miss the final three games of the year.


Consumer Prices Calm Down in November (AP) AP - Consumer prices calmed down in November, helped by smaller increases in energy and food. That means the Federal Reserve probably will continue raising interest rates only gradually to keep inflation under control.


Pricey Trials Turn Up Few New Blockbusters The \$500 billion drug industry is stumbling badly in its core business of finding new medicines, while aggressively marketing existing drugs.


UPDATE 1-US concerned about UAL/pilots deal on pension plan The US agency that insures corporate pensions is troubled by provisions in a \$180 million concession deal between pilots and United Airlines (UALAQ.


U.S. Wireless Use Behind Rest of World (AP) AP - On a trip on the Tokyo subway last year, almost everyone ignored the young man talking on one wireless phone, messaging with another and juggling a third.


New IE Exploit Spoofs Web Sites (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Security researchers have uncovered a spoofing flaw in Internet Explorer that could allow a scammer to display a fake Web site with all the attributes of a genuine, secure site.


Cardinals reach deal with King The St. Louis Cardinals agreed to terms on a two-year contract with left-handed reliever Ray King on Friday. The deal also has a club option in 2007, but no financial terms were disclosed.


Timberwolves Crush the Clippers 113-86 (AP) AP - Wally Szczerbiak scored a season-high 29 points, including 11 in the third quarter, and the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 113-86 on Friday night.


Thailand: Origami Politics Wont Do In southern Thailand where unemployment is high, thousands of people have been spending the past couple of weeks collecting paper cranes fired at their villages and towns from the air.


NASA Retires Historic B-52 'Mothership' (AP) AP - NASA on Friday retired the B-52B jet that served as the "mothership" for a half-century of flight research projects ranging from the X-15 rocket planes of the 1960s to the X-43A hypersonic jet that flew at nearly 10 times the speed of sound last month.


EU-Turkey Deal Hailed as a Bridge Builder  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The EU's historic deal with Turkey to  open entry talks with the vast Muslim country was hailed by  supporters as a bridge builder between Europe and the Islamic  world.


Taiwan Says China Setting Out Legal Basis to Attack  TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan condemned China's proposed  anti-secession law on Saturday, calling it a move to establish  a legal basis to attack the island.


In Congo War, Even Peacekeepers Add to Horror Local women in Congo have accused U.N. soldiers of sexually assaulting them, using money and treats as lures.


A Brush With China's Twilight Zone The government struggles to adapt its old methods of social control to the challenge of maintaining authority over a society seeking greater freedoms.


Home Turf Shaky For Ukraine Premier As Yanukovych campaigned in his own stronghold of eastern Ukraine Friday, the presence of opposition supporters and the color of the "Orange Revolution" were evidence of the changed political landscape.


Russia Plans to Proceed With Yukos Oil Auction MOSCOW, Dec. 17 -- Russia pledged Friday to  ignore a U.S. court ban on the looming auction of oil giant Yukos' key production unit, while a consortium of Western banks reportedly put on hold billions of dollars in credit for the state-run Russian gas company that was expected to buy the unit.


U.N. Forces Ex-Soldiers From Aristide Home U.N. peacekeepers detonated an explosive device to force their way into the former residence of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and persuaded a group of ex-soldiers to leave unarmed, ending a two-day standoff.


The Glitch  That Stole Holiday Buys Online shoppers intent on skipping long lines and clogged parking lots at the mall are discovering a different kind of traffic problem this holiday season: overcrowded Web sites that are cracking under the pressure.  -The Washington Post


A.C.L.U.'s Search for Data on Donors Stirs Privacy Fears The A.C.L.U. is collecting information in a fund-raising effort that has ignited a debate over its commitment to privacy rights.


Europe Bloc Says Turks Can Apply European Union leaders said Turkey could join its ranks as soon as 10 years from now, but warned that it must overcome opposition to a Muslim country's entering the European fold.


New IE hole could perfect phishing scams A newly reported security problem in Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) Web browser allows attackers to create a fake Web site that looks exactly like a genuine site.


Analysis: PeopleSoft users speak out about Oracle takeover The great debate over the impact of Oracle's hostile takeover of PeopleSoft has all the big industry analyst organizations weighing in. However, in most of the analysis one group's opinion seems to have been overlooked: that of PeopleSoft users.


Duncan Leads Spurs Past Hornets 83-69 (AP) AP - Tim Duncan had 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead the San Antonio Spurs to their third straight victory, 83-69 over the New Orleans Hornets on Friday night.


Yanks Still Working On Deal for Johnson The New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers spent yesterday trying to put the finishing touches on the megadeal that would move all-stars Randy Johnson, Shawn Green and Javier Vazquez.


Celtics hold off charging Jazz BOSTON (Ticker) -- Gary Payton #39;s hot start helped the Boston Celtics rebound from a tough loss. Payton scored 18 of his season-high 27 points in the first half to lead the Celtics to a 114-106 victory over the struggling Utah Jazz.


Ex-soldiers occupying Aristide #39;s abandoned estate refuse to disarm Ex-soldiers from Haiti #39;s disbanded army occupied the plundered estate of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide for a third day yesterday, refusing to leave the compound unarmed and raising fears of a confrontation with UN


iPod User #146;s Guide Introducing his iPod User #146;s Guide, the Wall Street Journal #146;s Walt Mossberg writes,  #147;By all accounts, millions of people will buy or receive Apple Computer #146;s iPod digital-music players this holiday season. The gadgets are beautifully designed and simple to operate, which is one reason they #146;re so popular, even after three years on the market and despite a rising number of competitors. #148; Dec 15


A Tenuous Hold on Middle Class Even as African Americans and other minorities have made economic progress in the last 40 years, many of those reaching the middle-income rung are finding it a hollow promise.


Bush's Economic Vision The president's plan to partially privatize Social Security probably won't adversely impact financial markets, even if the program entails hundreds of billions of dollars in debt, Treasury Secretary John W. Snow said Friday.


Pension Agency Wary of UAL Deal United Airlines parent UAL Corp. and leaders of its pilots union have agreed on a deal under which the pilots will not oppose termination of their pension plan but will receive a \$550 million note convertible into company stock when the airline emerges from bankruptcy protection.


Celebrex Trial Halted A clinical trial of the blockbuster arthritis drug Celebrex was shut down Friday after researchers found an increase in the risk of serious heart disease and strokes in those taking the drug.


Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Resigns (AP) AP - The prime minister of the Bosnian Serb-run half of the country resigned Friday, a day after the U.S. government and Bosnia's top international administrator sanctioned Bosnian Serbs for failing to arrest and hand over war crimes suspects to the U.N. tribunal.


Wade Leads Heat Past the Nuggets 107-100 (AP) AP - Dwyane Wade scored 25 points and Shaquille O'Neal 20 to help the Miami Heat win their seventh straight game, 107-100 Friday night over the Denver Nuggets  #151; who lost forward Carmelo Anthony to a sprained left ankle.


Minn. Woman, Husband Acquitted in Mexico (AP) AP - An American woman and her Mexican husband who said they were tortured by police and forced to confess to killing a Mexican girl were acquitted Friday of the murder charges.


Annan Seeks EU Support for U.N. Reforms (AP) AP - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan sought European support Friday for his plan to give regional heavyweights such as Brazil and Japan more clout at the United Nations.


If Nats Move, Problems Await If MLB and the DC Council fail to reach an agreement to keep the Nationals in Washington, baseball would be faced with the difficult question of what to do with the league-owned franchise next season.


Knicks 113 76ers 107, overtime PHILADELPHIA Allan Houston and Kurt Thomas provided the big baskets in New York #39;s 113-to-107 overtime triumph at Philadelphia.


England restrict South Africa to 273/7 Matthew Hoggard and Andrew Flintoff claimed three wickets each as England restricted South Africa to 273 for seven on day one of the First Test in Port Elizabeth on Friday.


Timberwolves Crush the Clippers 113-86 Los Angeles Clippers center Chris Kaman, right, drives against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Mark Madsen in the second quarter, Friday, Dec. 17, 2004, in Minneapolis.


Marlins Make Move Free-agent reliever Antonio Alfonseca signed a one-year contract Friday to rejoin his former team, the Florida Marlins.


Security, Storage To Merge When solution providers look back on Symantec #39;s acquisition of Veritas Software, they will likely remember it as the moment security and storage officially became joined at the hip.


Japan #39;s central bank downgrades its assessment of the economy? <b>...</b> Japan #39;s central bank downgraded its assessment of the economy for the first time in more than a year Friday, citing weakening industrial production and slowing export growth.


Pension Agency Wary of UAL Deal United Airlines parent UAL Corp. and leaders of its pilots union have agreed on a deal under which the pilots will not oppose termination of their pension plan but will receive a \$550 million note convertible


Mourinho welcomes return to Barcelona stamping ground Jose Mourinho welcomed Chelsea #39;s high-profile Champions League tie against Barcelona on Friday, saying the match would be spectacular and close but Chelsea could shade it.


Renteria introduced Although he hasn #39;t spoken to any of his new Red Sox stats, schedule teammates yet, Edgar Renteria said he #39;d like to get fellow snowbird Manny Ramirez stats, news to teach him to hit #39; #39; when they speak this week in Miami.


Ancira I-10 Chrysler Jeep Kia (Sports Network) - The suddenly struggling Los Angeles Clippers attempt to put an end to a three-game skid tonight, when they battle the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center.


UK anti-terror law ruled illegal Detaining foreign terrorist suspects without trial breaks human rights laws, the UKs highest court ruled on Thursday. In a blow to the governments anti-terror measures, the House of Lords ruled by an


Langer batting, Shoaib bowling AUSTRALIAN openers Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer have made a good start on day three of the first cricket Test against Pakistan at the WACA Ground.


Young Chinese spend 1,000 times as much as their parents on weddings (AFP) AFP - Modern Chinese couples spend 1,000 times more than their parents' generation on lavish weddings and other expenses linked to starting a family, state media reported.


Yushchenko Poisoned With Pure TCDD (AP) AP - Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned with TCDD, the most harmful known dioxin and one contained in Agent Orange, a scientist who analyzed his blood said Friday.


ADB grants 200 million dollars for Philippines health sector (AFP) AFP - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said it has approved two loans totalling 213 million dollars to improve the health sector in the Philippines.


Feds forecast better 2005 WASHINGTON - The Bush administration released a new economic forecast for 2005 on Friday in which it boosted growth forecasts slightly from a year ago but cut back sharply on its estimates of new jobs.


Cisco To Open R amp;D Center in Japan To Hone Broadband Products produced to meet Japan #39;s demand for broadband services will be  quot;robust enough to handle any other market in the world, quot; said Mike Volpi of Cisco #39;s routing technology group.


Questions for NASA THE TWO ASTRONAUTS aboard the international space station have been asked to cut calories because, with the space shuttle out of commission, food supplies are running low.


Microsoft Adds Desktop to MSN Toolbar (Article Central) Software giant Microsoft Corp. introduced a beta version of its new MSN Toolbar Suite, with new desktop search functionality that allows users to find almost any type of document, media file


Cingular releases Sony Ericsson Z500a Cingular Wireless is now offering the Sony Ericsson Z500a handset. The Z500a is a GSM/GPRS/EDGE clamshell phone, offering high-speed data transfers for MMS, web browsing, and either POP3 or IMAP4 e-mail access.


Apple Releases Updated OS X to Fix FireWire, Game Issues Apple Computer Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., this week released an updater for its Mac OS X operating system, bringing it to Version 10.3.7.


Langer, Ponting make Pakistan toil Australia led Pakistan by 312 runs with nine second-innings wickets in hand when lunch was taken on the third day of the first test at the WACA in Perth on Saturday.


Yanks move closer to landing Unit The Big Unit is still on track to land at Yankee Stadium - eventually. Although there were stumbling blocks yesterday in the complicated multi-team trade


CZAR: Giants could have had Big Ben A not so-funny thing will happen Saturday. Giant fans will see Ben Roethlisberger, the quarterback that got away when the Pittsburgh Steelers visit the Meadowlands.


NCAA Game Summary - James Madison vs. Montana Chattanooga, TN (Sports Network) - Justin Rascati and Maurice Fenner each ran for two touchdowns to lead the James Madison Dukes over the Montana Grizzlies, 31-21, in the Division I-AA championship game at Finley Stadium.


Europe Bloc Says Turks Can Apply; Long Road Seen The European Union said Friday that Turkey could join its ranks as soon as 10 years from now, but warned that it must overcome widespread public opposition to a Muslim country #39;s entering the European fold.


Israel kills six Palestinians in Gaza raid GAZA CITY: Prime Minister Ariel Sharons optimism for peace in 2005 was immediately dealt a blow by Israelis with the killing of six Palestinians on Friday by Israeli troops during an incursion in Gaza.


Pilots' Union at United Makes Pension Deal The union that represents pilots at United Airlines said Friday that it had struck a deal that would allow the airline to terminate the pilots' ailing pension plan.


quot;US economy growth to slow down next year quot; Washington, Dec. 18. (PTI):The growth rate of United States will slow down a little bit next year though the general economic conditions  quot;look very sound, quot; Bush #39;s economic advisers have warned.


Microsoft moves against spyware with Giant acquisition Microsoft has purchased Giant Company Software, a small anti-spyware software company it hopes will shore up its security defenses.


Aussies Pile on Runs Australia picked up from where they left off in their first innings by racking up the runs in their second innings to take a 312-run lead into lunch on day three of the first Test in Perth.


Manning ready to face Ravens #39; aggressive defense INDIANAPOLIS Peyton Manning has a shot at breaking Dan Marino #39;s record for the most touchdown passes in a season when the Indianapolis Colts face the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.


Gambhir, Dravid hit tons as India score 334 for two (Night Lead): Sports India, Cricket: Chittagong, Dec 17 : Centuries by Rahul Dravid and Gautam Gambhir guided India to a total of 334 for two wickets at the end of the first day of the second and final Test against Bangladesh here Friday.


Croatians vote in presidential elections; Mesic expected to win second term (AFP) AFP - Croatians go to the polls with incumbent President Stipe Mesic expected to win his second five-year term with the prospect of leading the former Yugoslav republic into the European Union.


NBA Wrap: Heat Tame Bobcats to Extend Winning Streak  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dwyane Wade poured in 26 points and  dished out nine assists as the Miami Heat scorched the  expansion Charlotte Bobcats 113-90 in NBA action on Saturday,  to extend their franchise record win streak to 14 games.


Historic Turkey-EU deal welcomed The European Union #39;s decision to begin entry talks with Turkey has received a widespread welcome. But Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will face tough questions at home about what he has signed up to.


US again vows to hunt bin Laden The United States has again vowed to hunt down Osama bin Laden after intelligence analysts all but confirmed the voice on a new audio recording was that of the al-Qaeda terror chief.


Arafat #39;s death opens door for peace Yasser Arafat #39;s death opens a window of opportunity. The Palestinian leader who loomed so large for so many years - and who had recently been rejected as a partner by Israel


Former soldiers occupuing ex-president #39;s home evicted PORT-AU-PRINCE, (AFP) - Armed UN peacekeepers and Haitian police evicted former soldiers who were occupying ousted president Jean Bertrand Aristide #39;s luxurious mansion here.


MIND GAMES: Abduction issue Negotiating with North Korea is rarely anything but bumpy. But in recent months, Japan once got close to getting Pyongyang #39;s commitment to rejoin the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT)-but Tokyo blew it.


Pilots #39; Union at United Makes Pension Deal The union that represents pilots at United Airlines said yesterday that it had struck a deal that would allow the airline to terminate the pilots #39; ailing pension plan and partly compensate them for the loss.


India pile on runs Gautam Gambhir #39;s maiden Test century and a typical Rahul Dravid ton helped India defy a three-prong Bangladesh attack on the opening day of the second and the final Test here on Friday.


US painted as fascist torturers in Havana propaganda battle A war of words flared yesterday when Cuban authorities displayed a giant swastika and pictures of abused Iraqi prisoners in front of the US mission in Havana.


Grizzlies 89, Nets 84 MEMPHIS, Tenn. Jason Williams had a season-high 27 points and six assists to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to an 89-to-84 win over the New Jersey Nets.


Free-agent signings bump some Mariners into role revisions The signings of Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexson will have a domino effect on the rest of the Mariners #39; plans, not to mention the rest of the Mariners.


Hundreds to rally for regiments Campaign group Save The Scottish Regiments organises a march in Edinburgh against Army cuts.


Biggest Utility in New Jersey Seen as Target of Acquisition The Exelon Corporation, the owner of utilities in northern Illinois and eastern Pennsylvania, is in talks to acquire P.S.E. G.


Lazard I.P.O. Seeks to Raise \$850 Million Lazard, the financial advisory boutique, filed for an initial public offering that is expected to command a valuation of around \$3 billion.


Banks Drop Support of Bid for Russian Oil Giant's Unit A consortium of international banks has withdrawn their support for a bid by the state gas monopoly Gazprom to buy one of Yukos's prized assets.


White House Predicts Slower Growth in 2005 The Bush administration predicted on Friday that economic growth would slow to 3.5 percent from about 4 percent next year but still be strong enough to reduce unemployment slightly.


High dosage of Celebrex carries heart attack, stroke risk, Pfizer <b>...</b> Pfizer Inc. said Friday that it found an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes for patients taking high dosages of its top-selling arthritis painkiller Celebrex, the same


Exelon in talks to buy PSEG for \$12bn Exelon, the US energy group, is in advanced talks to buy the Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) for about \$12bn in stock, according to people familiar with the talks.


Be careful, that e-card may be a virus IF you were planning to save on postage this year by sending electronic greeting cards, think again. And be careful when opening any you get.


Cingular offering the Sony Ericsson Z500a The Sony Ericsson Z500a is packed with features such as 3D gaming, music ringtones, integrated VGA digital camera with zoom with video capabilities for short taking short clips.


Stove burns hot in Seattle The Mariners, who as a collective organization said to anyone who would listen that they wouldn #39;t stand for another 99-loss season or anything resembling it, have put their money where their mouth is.


Different routes, same result as teams gird for title game It no longer matters that Montana #39;s drive to the NCAA Division I-AA football championship game has featured six straight homefield victories - all


Locked-out NHLers defeat Swedish champs Ray Whitney scored for the second straight game and added an assist, helping the World Stars rebound from a lopsided loss and beat Swedish champion HV71 5-1 on Friday.


White House welcomes EU-Turkey breakthrough The White House on Friday warmly welcomed a hard-fought deal between the European Union and Turkey that sets the stage for Ankara to start EU entry talks next year.


Iraqi gunmen kill foreigners in car and cut head off one of their <b>...</b> GUNMEN attacked a car in the Iraq city of Mosul yesterday, killing three foreigners and their Iraqi driver before cutting off the head of one of the victims.


Fenner, Banks give JMU ground control on way to I-AA title In this mountainous area, James Madison #39;s Dukes seemed to play offense downhill last night. With a veteran offensive line and two physical runners, JMU overpowered Montana


White House Predicts Slower Growth in 2005 The Bush administration predicted on Friday that economic growth would slow next year but still be strong enough to reduce unemployment slightly.


American Express to cut 2,000 jobs American Express Co said it will cut 2,000 jobs, or 2.5 per cent of its work force, in a restructuring designed to save more than USD 75 million a year before taxes.


NBA Wrap: Heat Tame Bobcats to Extend Winning Streak (Reuters) Reuters - Dwyane Wade poured in 26 points and\dished out nine assists as the Miami Heat scorched the\expansion Charlotte Bobcats 113-90 in NBA action on Saturday,\to extend their franchise record win streak to 14 games.


Reports: Red Sox reach agreement with Clement BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox apparently have moved quickly to address the loss of ace Pedro Martinez. According to multiple reports Friday, the Red Sox and veteran right-hander Matt Clement have come


Bangla bowlers send ripples; India 403 for six CHITTAGONG: India received early blows from cricketing minnows Bangladesh on the second day of the second cricket Test here on Saturday.


Spotless Singapore cracks down after dengue outbreak (AFP) AFP - Singapore homeowners found with mosquitoes breeding on their premises will be fined instantly after dengue fever cases hit a 10-year high in the city-state better known for its spotless streets.


Neighbors Honor Soldier Who Touched Many Lives  The funeral procession for Army Capt. Mark Stubenhofer was so long yesterday that his family had to wait a half-hour in blustery winds before the service could begin at Arlington National Cemetery.


U.S. Officials Point to Promise Of Session on Arab Democracy The Bush administration, responding to negative reviews of an international conference on Middle East democracy last week in Morocco, said that the event provided a platform for human rights and other nongovernmental groups in the Arab world.


China Planning to Enact Law Against Secession Analysts say the move could legally bind the Communist Party leadership to follow through on its long-standing threat to attack Taiwan if the island formally declares independence.


The chatty skies THE WORLD does not need cellphones in the sky. They #39;re causing enough trouble on the ground. Here #39;s hoping the Federal Communications Commission gets a load of mail nixing its proposal to lift the current


Questions and Praise for Google Web Library When Randall C. Jimerson, the president of the Society of American Archivists, heard of Google #39;s plan to convert certain holdings at Oxford University and at some of the leading research


The Fox Is in Microsoft #39;s Henhouse (and Salivating) Published by the Mozilla Foundation, a nonprofit group supporting open-source software that draws upon the skills of hundreds of volunteer programmers, Firefox is a Web browser that is fast


Dravid falls for 160; India 413/7 Chittagong, Dec. 18. Rahul Dravid fell for 160 while Sachin Tendulkar exited after making 36 runs on the second day of the second and final test between India and Bangladesh here today.


Pfizer: Celebrex heightens heart risk PHILADELPHIA - Pfizer Inc. said Friday that its popular pain-reliever Celebrex may double the risk of heart attack at high doses, triggering a torrent of new warnings about an entire class of drugs used by millions.


Iressa more trouble for AstraZeneca AstraZeneca PLC #39;s shares plunged 7.7 percent Friday after a study found that its new lung-cancer drug Iressa failed to improve survival rates among patients.


The Glitch  That Stole Holiday Buys (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Agonizingly slow Web sites. Maddening error messages. And, most frustrating of all, unavailable home pages.


Recording Industry Files Another 754 Copyright Lawsuits The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has announced that its member companies filed a new wave of copyright infringement lawsuits against 754 individual file-sharers.


Venezuela Revels in Fireworks Celebrations (AP) AP - Whistling rockets streak through the sky each night, and firecrackers still echo through the streets in Venezuela this holiday season despite a long-standing ban and a new effort by authorities to crack down on the tradition.


Wizards Whip Lakers 120-116 in OT (AP) AP - Gilbert Arenas scored 37 points, Larry Hughes had 31, and the Washington Wizards beat the Los Angeles Lakers 120-116 in overtime Friday night.


Mets set sights (quietly) on Beltran The Mets stayed well under the radar for a good while with their stealth pursuit of Pedro Martinez, and it looks like they will try to take that approach again.


Nets: A STAR RISES, FADES IN CANADA Vince Carter had everything a basketball player could want: A fat contract, highlight-reel talent and an entire nation that had anointed him as its favorite athlete not on ice skates.


Steelers #39; defense has rookie quarterback Eli Manning in its sights So if the back-up nose tackle of the Steelers (12-1) gets a sack in the 1:30 pm game, you know it #39;s going to be another long day for Manning and the Giants (5-8).


U.S. Warns of Attacks in Indonesia (AP) AP - The State Department on Saturday warned that terrorists were planning more attacks against Western targets in Indonesia over Christmas and New Years, reiterating advice to its citizens not to travel to the country.


Police Arrest Rio De Janeiro Drug Lord Police said Saturday they have arrested one of Rio de Janeiro's most-wanted drug lords.


Rafique and Mortaza restrict India in second Bangladesh Test (AFP) AFP - Mohammad Rafique and Mashrafe Mortaza shared five wickets as Bangladesh restricted India to 413-7 at lunch on the second day of the second and final Test here.


Pfizer leaves the arthritis drug on the market despite problems <b>...</b> The nation #39;s top arthritis painkiller, Celebrex, raises the risk of major heart problems when taken at high doses, the drug #39;s maker said Friday.


Yukos auction is on despite order by Houston judge Workers in Moscow, self-exiled executives in London and Houston and industry watchers the world over are waiting for the death knell for Russia #39;s second largest oil company.


Rivals hope for the worst Looking for a cloud in Symantec #39;s latest silver lining, competitors are hoping the company #39;s acquisition of storage software maker Veritas will be a stumbling block for the security firm.


Sprint-Nextel merger widens gap to mobile #39;s  #39;have nots #39; Now that wireless is officially a land of giants, what happens to all the Lilliputians? With Sprint and Nextel announcing their merger Wednesday - \$35 billion deal


United pilots set to vote on pay cut SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Pilot leaders at United Airlines unanimously endorsed a tentative agreement that will cut pay by 15 percent, opting to accept management #39;s demands rather than risk the chance of losing more in federal bankruptcy court.


MLB Notebook: Johnson trade still in the works The New York Yankees, Arizona and Los Angeles spent yesterday trying to put the finishing touches on the megadeal that would move All-Stars Randy Johnson, Shawn Green and Javier Vazquez.


A Test for Ravens #39; Offense On Sunday night, all eyes will be on Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning #39;s pursuit of Dan Marino #39;s single-season touchdown record and the Baltimore


EU, Turkey reach  quot;historic quot; agreement on entry talks The European Union (EU) and Turkeyreached an agreement on Friday to start talks next year on the country #39;s membership of the bloc.


Gunmen Demand Peru President's Resignation President Alejandro Toledo declared a state of emergency in a remote highland province late Saturday after gunmen demanding his resignation seized control of a police station there and took several officers hostage, authorities said.


Troops Oust Haiti Rebels From Ex-Leader #39;s Villa United Nations peacekeepers on Friday stormed the home of the former president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, to evict rebel former soldiers who seized the compound two days ago.


Group ratifies next-generation EPC specs The global standard will drive commercialization of RFID and EPC worldwide, according to EPCglobal.


Clinical trial links Celebrex to heart risk In an announcement that many doctors were waiting for, Pfizer Inc. said its top-selling painkiller Celebrex -- which is similar to Vioxx -- caused an increased risk of heart attacks when used in high doses during a clinical trial.


Russia rejects US order barring Yukos auction MOSCOW - Russia is vowing to proceed with an auction of oil giant Yukos #39; key production subsidiary, saying a US court ban is irrelevant.


United Starts Financing Search United Airlines has begun approaching potential lenders with its revamped business plan for financing to leave bankruptcy, the company said on Friday.


Hope Fades on Identifying Missing Foreigners With thousands of decomposing bodies piled up in a temporary morgue on Thailand's southern coast, hope was fading Saturday that any of more than 6,000 foreigners still missing would be found alive.


The Talk Shows  <em>  Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows:</em>


Yes, Options Really Are an Expense One of my favorite pastimes as the final ruling on expensing stock options came upon us has been to read the increasingly hysterical opinion pages of the San Jose Mercury News, the newspaper of record for Silicon Valley.


Firm looks to acquire Jersey #39;s top utility Public Service Enterprise Group, a heavyweight in setting public policy and promoting economic development in the state, is in talks to be acquired by a giant Chicago gas and electric company


Engineer #39;s thoughts drift toward Saturnian moon In less than a month, a little piece of Centennial engineer Laura Ellen Dafoe will parachute to the frigid surface of Saturn #39;s moon Titan.


Quarter of world #39;s bird species face extinction threat A tenth of the world #39;s bird species are likely to have vanished by the year 2100, with another 15 on the brink of extinction, a group of scientists have warned.


Asian Stocks Had Biggest Weekly Gain in 7 Months; Sony Rises Asian stocks had the biggest gain in seven months on optimism the US economy is growing after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates and a government report showed an unexpected increase in retail sales last month.


FOOTBALL: MOURINHO: BEAT BARCA? NOU PROBLEM JOSE MOURINHO last night promised Barcelona that as far as football is concerned, his side can prove that size doesn #39;t matter.


Red Sox miffed by parting shots Feeling he had been a good teammate and friend to Pedro Martinez and had gladly accepted being the No. 2 pitcher behind him, Curt Schilling expressed surprise


Tinsley #39;s big 2nd half lifts Pacers to win INDIANAPOLIS  Jamaal Tinsley scored 17 of his 22 points in the second half to lead the Pacers to an 89-86 victory over the Raptors, who traded All-Star Vince Carter to New Jersey earlier Friday.


Miller fourth in Italian super-G race VAL GARDENA, Italy - Bode Miller finished fourth Friday in a super-G while Michael Walchhofer led Austrians into the top-three places.


Roethlisberger-Manning matchup calls for measuring stick Eli Manning, the No. 1 pick of the New York Giants (and vice versa), is struggling in his role as the starter. Ben Roethlisberger, the 11th overall pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, has won a rookie-record 11 straight starts.


Void is filled with Clement With the supply of attractive pitching options dwindling daily -- they lost Pedro Martinez to the Mets, missed on Tim Hudson, and are resigned to Randy Johnson


Insider Preview - Sonics vs. Suns On Dec. 23, the Phoenix Suns and new Coach Mike D #39;Antoni traveled north to Seattle to take on the SuperSonics. The Suns were barely in a 116-90 loss, dropping to 10-19 on the season, an incredible disappointment


Saban, Dolphins wait out NFL process BATON ROUGE - The Miami Dolphins may be saying their pursuit of LSU coach Nick Saban is on hold for the time being, but LSU #39;s search party is not sitting on its hands waiting for the signal to look for a new coach.


Zito, Mulder may be on trading block too A #39;s general manager Billy Beane might not stop with his trade of ace right-hander Tim Hudson. Beane figures to make at least one more significant deal this off-season, and one of his two prized left-handers


Palestinian death toll rises to nine in Israeli raid in Gaza GAZA CITY - The Palestinian death toll during an Israeli army incursion in Khan Yunis refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip has risen to nine, Palestinian medical sources said.


Scientists pinpoint Yushchenko poison Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned with TCDD, the most harmful known dioxin and one contained in Agent Orange, a scientist who analyzed his blood said yesterday.


Thai PM vows to step up arrests of separatists as rescue worker <b>...</b> BANGKOK: Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra vowed to continue arresting ringleaders of separatist attacks as a volunteer rescue worker became the latest victim of violence that has claimed more than 560 lives this year.


Chiofaro to keep stake in towers Developer Donald J. Chiofaro will hang onto partial ownership of the two International Place office towers under an agreement reached yesterday in his high-profile bankruptcy case.


Job figures disappoint in Mass. The Massachusetts economic recovery remained stagnant last month as the unemployment rate dipped slightly, but employers sliced payrolls for the third time in four months, the state reported yesterday.


EUROPE MARKETS LONDON (CBS.MW) -- European stocks were mixed Friday, with Paris-listed stocks failing to shine but German stocks were boosted after business sentiment increased during November.


American Express to eliminate 2,500 jobs in restructuring New York (Dow Jones) -- American Express Co. said Friday it will cut 2,000 jobs, or 2.5 percent of its work force, in a restructuring designed to save more than \$75 million a year before taxes.


FCC May Allow Cell-Phone Use on Airplanes The Federal Communications Commission has voted to consider eliminating its ban on the use of cell phones on airplanes. The agency instituted the ban because of potential interference with ground-based cell systems.


Offering could bring in \$850 million; Wasserstein prevails SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Lazard, the last major privately held European investment bank, filed late Friday with US regulators to raise up to \$850 million in an initial public offering, apparently a victory for dealmaker Bruce Wasserstein.


New IE Exploit Spoofs Web Sites Security researchers have uncovered a spoofing flaw in Internet Explorer that could turn out to be the perfect holiday gift for scammers.


Robinhos mother released unharmed SAO PAULO: The mother of Santos striker Robinho was released unharmed yesterday, 40 days after she was kidnapped at a family gathering.


Green has reasons to move Shawn Green would consider leaving Los Angeles for Arizona, which means a proposed three-team trade sending Randy Johnson to the New York Yankees is very much alive.


Indian army chief to visit China from December 22 in first trip for decade (AFP) AFP - India's army chief General Nirmal Chandra Vij will pay a week-long visit to China this month in the first such visit for a decade, reports said.


US Not Aiming to Topple N.Korean Regime-Report  TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States has decided to aim for  a gradual transformation in North Korea rather than seek to  topple North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's regime, a Japanese  newspaper said Saturday.


'Artificial life' comes step closer Researchers at Rockefeller University make small synthetic vesicles that resemble a crude kind of biological cell.


Afghan troops storm Kabul jail; eight killed KABUL -- Afghan troops stormed a notorious prison in a hail of gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades yesterday, ending a 10-hour standoff that began when four inmates once suspected of belonging to Al Qaeda tried to escape. Four inmates and four guards were killed in the day's violence.


Deadly ambush on a street in Mosul BAGHDAD -- Insurgents killed four foreigners yesterday in Mosul, a northern city that became a stronghold after Fallujah fell to US and Iraqi forces. Militants also set ablaze a pipeline near the capital -- a rare attack on oil infrastructure in a populated area.


Name of hostage confirmed BAGHDAD -- The US Embassy confirmed the name of an American kidnapped six weeks ago in a deadly attack in the Iraqi capital, and his family pleaded yesterday for his release.


US forgives \$4.1b Iraq debt WASHINGTON -- The United States yesterday forgave \$4.1 billion Iraq owed it and urged other nations not part of an international debt relief agreement to follow suit.


Scientists pinpoint Yushchenko poison  LONDON -- Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned with TCDD, the most harmful known dioxin and one contained in Agent Orange, a scientist who analyzed his blood said yesterday.


Full Extent of Indonesia Disaster Slowly Revealed  BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (Reuters) - Desperate survivors  huddle in clearings without food or shelter above the water  line all along the tsunami-ravaged coast of Indonesia's Aceh  province, and corpses float as far as 20 miles out to sea.


Future looks bleak for Yukos HAMISH ROBERTSON: But first to Moscow where the future of Russia #39;s largest oil company, Yukos, isn #39;t looking too bright this weekend.


Raptors Send Carter to Nets for 3 Players (AP) AP - After dismantling the team in the summer and aggravating Jason Kidd, the New Jersey Nets began the job of rebuilding as well as repairing their relationship with their best player.


Stock Mutual Funds Perform Well in 2004 (AP) AP - Wall Street's fourth-quarter rally gave stock mutual funds a solid performance for 2004, with small-cap equity funds and real estate funds scoring some of the biggest returns. Large-cap growth equities and technology-focused funds had the slimmest gains.


Governor Wants Fines for Selling Violent Games to Kids Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich wants tougher penalties aimed at keeping violent and sexually explicit video games out of the hands of kids.


Soaring toward extinction The next century definitely will not be for the birds as the changing world takes a toll on many species. By 2100, about 10 percent of all bird species probably will be extinct, killed off by habitat loss, hunting


Saban to Have Competition in Coach Search (AP) AP - The Miami Dolphins' coaching search will include more than one candidate, even though LSU's Nick Saban remains the front-runner.


Red Sox introduce Renteria to Boston BOSTON -- A year ago, the anticipated press conference to herald the arrival of Nomar Garciaparras replacement at shortstop never happened.


Rafique and Mortaza strike, but India pass 400 Mohammad Rafique and Mashrafe Mortaza shared five wickets as India reached 7 for 413 at lunch on day two of the second and final Test in Chittagong.


Jones Is a Tough Test for Eagles (AP) AP - The Philadelphia Eagles were 28 points better than Dallas last month. Julius Jones could change that for the Cowboys this time around.


Europe and US reach Kyoto compromise Europe and the United States reached an 11th-hour compromise late last night at the UN climate change conference in Buenos Aires. The two sides were locked in disagreement on future efforts to reduce harmful


Israeli Military Escalation Undermines Palestinian Elections IOF <b>...</b> In an ongoing invasion of the southern Gaza Strip refugee camp of Khan Yunis, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) tanks and warplanes have killed 9 Palestinians, wounded 22 others, demolished at least 38 Palestinian houses and forced hundreds of families


Wake Forest Hopes to Bounce Back (AP) AP - Like most of his peers, Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser wants more than victories from his early schedule.


Red Sox miffed by parting shots Feeling he had been a good teammate and friend to Pedro Martinez and had gladly accepted being the No. 2 pitcher behind him, Curt Schilling expressed surprise and disappointment yesterday over Martinez's parting shots at him, general manager Theo Epstein, and manager Terry Francona.


Jazzy win for Celtics Doc Rivers does not ordinarily spend the fourth quarter sitting on the bench. The Celtics coach prefers to pace the sideline shouting instructions, offering encouragement, and challenging referees. But last night's game against Utah offered Rivers a considerable amount of down time, particularly in the second half. He spent much of the fourth in his seat, learning back and shaking ...


Poole is out for the year The Patriots seemed to have reason for optimism following Tyrone Poole's return to action last Sunday and the upgrading of Ty Law to doubtful for the team's visit to Miami Monday. But the situation changed yesterday. Poole was placed on the injured reserve list and is out for the season, according to Patriots spokesman Stacey James.


Presidents look to rule Bob Fisher, the legendary coach who guided Rockland for more than 30 years and won a state title last season, left the Bulldogs and appeared to ride off into the sunset.


Tigers' Gurley elevates his game Elevation. Everyone's familiar with it, but only a rare breed can attain it. It's the intangible that allows a player to make his teammates play beyond their natural abilities.


Antonio Tarver-Glen Johnson; Round By Round Coverage Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson are set to meet in order to prove who is the best light heavyweight in the world. Both fighters are coming off the biggest wins of their careers against the same man.


Taiwan Says China Forming Legal Basis to Attack Taiwan condemned China #39;s plan to draft an anti-secession law, describing it Saturday as a move to establish a legal basis to attack the self-ruling, democratic island that Beijing claims as a province.


iRiver H10 Finally, the wait is over. After a long wait, iRiver has finally decided to challenge the might of Creative and Apple in the 5 GB portable music player department.


Red Sox reel in Cubs #39; Clement It was a busy day for Red Sox brass, who also introduced new shortstop Edgar Renteria. By GARRY BROWN. Free agent pitcher Matt Clement apparently will be coming to the Boston Red Sox to plug the last open spot in their starting rotation.


Post-Kyoto climate talks end on a low UN talks on climate change have ended with few steps forward after the United States, oil producers and developing giants slammed the brakes on the European


Afghan Jailbreak Inmate to Be Questioned An inmate injured in a deadly Afghan prison shootout will be questioned to determine if he and four comrades, all once suspected of belonging to al-Qaida, were trying to escape or were attempting to attack three American prisoners, the jail warden said


Chinese secession law may seek legal basis for use of force <b>...</b> BEIJING, (AFP) - A secession law being drafted by China could provide the legal basis for using force against Taiwan, but it is unlikely to include a clear deadline for when reunification must take place, analysts said.


Talks End With No U.S. Climate Deal A U.N. conference ended early Saturday with a vague plan for informal new talks on how to slow global warming but without a U.S. commitment to multilateral negotiations on next steps, including emissions controls.


German Business Sentiment Rises in Dec. BERLIN - German business sentiment improved unexpectedly in December after slumping sharply in November over concerns about high oil prices and worries that the strengthening euro could damage exports, a closely watched survey showed Friday.


GE's Transformation Seen Paying Off in 05 (Reuters) Reuters - After three years of playing down\expectations, General Electric Chief Executive Jeff Immelt has\delivered on the most important promise of his tenure by\telling analysts and investors exactly what they wanted to\hear: GE is back.


Texas' Johnson, Benson Go Out With Win (AP) AP - Their final games will be remembered for the plays others made. Still, Texas tailback Cedric Benson and linebacker Derrick Johnson went out the way they wanted to: with a Rose Bowl win.


Wenger Ready To Prove Doubters Wrong Arsene Wenger has hit back at critics who claim that Arsenal cannot perform against Europe #39; big guns after being drawn against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.


Surprise! Ratner #39;s team can play to win It remains to be seen whether the Nets are as good with Vince Carter as they once were with Kenyon Martin, but at least they have made winning a priority again over in the Meadowlands.


Jones gets to give knockout analysis It won #39;t be the easiest assignment that Roy Jones Jr. will have in his new job as an HBO Sports boxing analyst. But it will probably be one that Jones has the most intimate knowledge about.


Bryant stumbles as Lakers lose to Wizards LOS ANGELES, (AFP) - Kobe Bryant committed a foot foul from the free throw line with 4.4 seconds left as the Washington Wizards snapped an 11 game road losing streak by beating Los Angeles Lakers 120-116.


Knicks deep-six Philly in OT Allan Houston was stuck in a corner, surrounded by the opposition and working against the clock. And yet, at the game #39;s most frantic moment, there was something reassuring about


Ivory Coast overturns candidacy rule Lawmakers approved amending Ivory Coast #39;s constitution Friday to widen the pool of potential presidential candidates, implementing a crucial reform from a French


Thunderbird well worth a test flight Many people don #39;t pay all that much attention to their e-mail software. After all, it takes a real geek to care about the fine points of one program or another, especially when they all do more or less the same thing.


OSDL Looks Under the Sofa Cushions for Signs of Linux Growth The Open Source Development Labs has gone into the soothsayer business and - based on research that it had IDC run up - says that the global Linux market will be worth \$35.7 billion in 2008.


Pride left after the fall Burdened by six consecutive losses, Giants, Eli still can play for some respect vs. daunting Steelers. BY NEIL BEST. When athletes talk about playing for pride, it is a sure sign there is little else to play for in a season gone wrong.


Scant Progress on Post-Kyoto as Climate Talks End (Reuters) Reuters - U.N. talks on climate\change ended early Saturday with few steps forward as the\United States, oil producers and developing giants slammed the\brakes on the European Union's drive for deeper emissions cuts\to stop global warming.


Anything But Microsoft Retail Store Pushes Linux, Open Source (TechWeb) TechWeb - The Linux and open source software movement has an ambitious retail store, and it is offering a low-cost, lightweight laptop that is devoid of Microsoft software.


Microsoft Moves On Spyware To Stymie Firefox (TechWeb) TechWeb - Microsoft bought anti-spyware technology to protect its Internet Explorer browser from surging rivals like Mozilla's Firefox


Probe ordered into apparent Afghan jailbreak attempt (AFP) AFP - The Afghan government has ordered an inquiry into an apparent jailbreak attempt by suspected Al-Qaeda prisoners which left five guards and four inmates dead.


Trail Blazers Snap Warriors' Win Streak (AP) AP - Shareef Abdur-Rahim had 26 points and nine rebounds to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 97-88 come-from-behind victory Saturday night over Golden State that snapped the Warriors' four-game winning streak.


Bunker down, Browser Wars #39; are back For those who have been technology enthusiasts for years, there is a familiar war brewing in the technology industry. Mozilla, an open-source community of developers and testers that was started by Netscape


China plans to enact anti-secession law China plans to enact an anti-secession law, the government said Friday, in a move apparently aimed at promoting Beijing #39;s campaign to pressure Taiwan into uniting with the mainland.


Indonesian extremists influence Thai Muslims, prime minister says <b>...</b> Militants behind the ongoing violence in Thailand #39;s Muslim-majority far south have been indoctrinated by extremists in nearby Indonesia, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Saturday.


Bosnian Serb prime minister resigns The prime minister of the Bosnian Serb-run half of the country resigned Friday, a day after the US government and Bosnia #39;s top international administrator sanctioned


Future climate talks deal agreed The EU and US reach a compromise after marathon talks over post-Kyoto steps to combat climate change.


#39;Go west, young men #39; bad idea for this bout With tonight #39;s light heavyweight fight between Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson not bearing the championship sanction of any of boxing #39;s jurisdictions, think of it as the Roy Jones Jr.


Many Counties Failing Fine-Particle Air Rules About a third of all Americans live in counties that do not meet standards for particles of pollution that cause thousands of premature deaths a year, the E.P.A. said.


Shuttle Loss Proved 'Cathartic,' Departing NASA Leader Says The loss of the shuttle Columbia was a "cathartic moment" that led to reforming the space agency and pushed the nation to establish a broader space policy, Sean O'Keefe said.


Bush Forms Panel to Coordinate Ocean Policy In response to a gloomy assessment of the state of the nation's coastal waters, President Bush ordered the creation of a new federal panel to coordinate oceanic policy.


American Express to cut 2,000 jobs in restructuring American Express has said that it expects to record a pre-tax charge in the fourth quarter of 2004 of approximately \$100 million to \$120 million in connection with various restructuring activities that it is undertaking within certain business units and


Plans for air calls Air passengers could soon be allowed to use their mobile phones during flights, Sky News reports. Planes are currently one of the few sanctuaries from the modern curse of the mobile ring tone, but America #39;s


Immediate upside for Yankees If the Randy Johnson deal gets done, the Yankees will have the best rotation in the American League - if it gets done. The Yankees continued discussions yesterday with Arizona and Los Angeles


AUSSIE TRIO FRUSTRATE PAKISTAN Australia piled on the runs today to set Pakistan an improbable 564 to win the first Test in Perth. The hosts lost Matthew Hayden early in the third day but Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn scored


India in Commanding Position Bangladesh finally ended Indias first innings in the second Test in Chittagong today - but not before the tourists had amassed a commanding 540.


Postal worker jailed for stealing letters -- 133,000 of them (AFP) AFP - If people in the sleepy northern English town of Kidsgrove ever wondered why their letters went missing, the jailing of postal worker Nicholas Fryer for stealing 133,000 items of mail might have provided an answer.


U.S. Military Wraps Up Philippines Relief (AP) AP - The Philippines thanked the U.S. military on Saturday for its help after storms and typhoons left more than 1,000 people dead and at least 550 missing.


Canada court rules  #39;iPod levy #39; illegal The Canadian Federal Court of Appeal has ruled that special levies applied to the sale of MP3 players, such as the iPod, are illegal.


ReignCom Challenges Apple #39;s iPod ReignCom, parent company of portable music player maker iRiver, on Thursday unveiled the H10, a hard disc drive embedded multifunctional MP3 player, at the COEX InterContinental Hotel in southern Seoul.


Pfizer #39;s Celebrex, Increased Heart Risk Linked A woman walks past the Pfizer headquarters in New York. The pharmaceutical giant warned of an increased risk of heart attack for its drug Celebrex.


Murdoch offers \$44 million for Manhattan penthouse MUMBAI: Media moghul and billionaire chairman of News Corp Rupert Murdoch has, according to agency reports, offered to buy a penthouse in New York #39;s upscale Manhattan area for cool \$44 million.


Lazard files for \$850M IPO Lazard Ltd., the international investment bank, late Friday, Dec. 17, filed an initial prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an \$850 million IPO.


#39;Googleizing #39; libraries won #39;t replace books This week Google Inc. down in Mountain View, wading in dough from its stock offering, announced it would use some of the money to put millions of volumes from the country #39;s great libraries online where anybody can use them.


Naughty, nice are irrelevant if Santa can #39;t find any iPods You could spend all weekend exploring retail stores in Wichita, and you still probably won #39;t find it. The Dora the Explorer talking dollhouse is sold out.


Robinhos Mom Comes Home Safe The kidnapped mother of Santos starlet Robinho has been returned to her family in good health, allowing the teenage forward to breath a huge sigh of relief.


Toronto trades Carter The Toronto Raptors traded six-time All-Star Vince Carter to the New Jersey Nets for three players, including center Alonzo Mourning, and two first-round draft picks.


DC works to find stadium financing Advocates for preserving a major league baseball team in Washington, DC, said Friday that their strategy involves trying to convince DC Council chairwoman Linda W. Cropp that the city is committed to attracting private stadium financing on its own without


Eli Manning gets rude welcome For one moment in his second game as a starting NFL quarterback for the New York Giants, Eli Manning met the expectations created by his last name and his position as the No.


3 Palestinians Said Killed in Gaza Raid GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Dec 18, 2004 - Israeli troops killed three Palestinians Saturday on the second day of an Israeli raid in the Khan Younis refugee camp in southern Gaza, witnesses and hospital officials said.


Israeli Coalition Deal Expected as Troops Kill at Least 11 <b>...</b> Israel #39;s ruling Likud bloc and the opposition Labor Party are set to meet Saturday on final details of a national unity government.


Storm Leaves Six Dead in France Six people died, thousands of homes were blacked out and air traffic delayed as violent storms hit northern France. Tourist hotspots like the Eiffel Tower reopened today after yesterdays hurricane-force


ANTI-SECESSION LAW HIGHLIGHTS BEIJING #39;S SUPPRESSION OF TAIWAN: VP Taipei, Dec. 18 (CNA) Mainland China #39;s plan to legislate a so-called anti-secession law will only help the international community to better understand Beijing #39;s ubiquitous suppression of Taiwan, Vice President Annette Lu said Saturday.


Asylum seekers in Japan embassy Two men, four women and a child scaled a wall and barbed wire to get into the Japanese school at dawn on Friday. Asylum-seekers have been invading foreign missions in China since 2002.


Digitized And Brought To Life Digital technology is radically changing the 165-year-old photography industry, creating turmoil and excitement as people buy digital cameras at rates far exceeding industry projections. -The Washington Post


New Computer? Six Steps to Safer Surfing To see the e-mail I get every day from readers about security issues is to develop a deep discomfort with the state of computing today. Keeping a Windows PC safe can demand a high degree of vigilance. -Rob Pegoraro


Video Files Present A Search Challenge Indexing Web pages looks like child's play next to indexing video files -- the next big frontier for Internet search engines. But they're giving it a try.


Toys 'R' Us banks on strategy  With one week left until Christmas, customers can still find some of the season's hottest toys, like Dora's Talking House and Bella Dancerella, a ballet kit, at Toys "R" Us Inc. But it's a different story at rival Wal-Mart Stores Inc. , whose inventory of many of the popular items has been depleted.


Compromise seals climate meeting A climate conference overcomes last-minute objections to approve a deal on future talks global warning.


Administration cuts job growth forecast The Bush administration, after being ridiculed by Democrats for an overly optimistic jobs forecast this year, yesterday significantly reduced its forecast for new jobs that will be created in 2005. It slightly boosted its estimate for overall economic growth.


Lazard files long-awaited \$850m IPO plan Investment bank Lazard filed yesterday for its long-awaited initial public offering, asking to sell up to \$850 million in stock.


MetLife may be sued over Boston unit MetLife Inc. , the second-largest US life insurer, said the Securities and Exchange Commission may sue the company for improperly recording expenses at its New England Life Insurance Co. unit.


Services held for quake victims A series of special prayer services are being held across the UK on Sunday for the Asia earthquake victims.


Murdoch Offers Record Amount for Triplex Description: News mogul Rupert Murdoch pays a record-setting \$44 million for a three-story Fifth Avenue penthouse in Manhattan formerly inhabited by the late Laurance Rockefeller.


No-Fuss Budgets Some people think a budget means they have to live an austere life. In fact, in an effort to get people to budget, some experts say don't call it a budget at all.


Deal with Red Bull gives Coulthard wings DAVID COULTHARD will contest the 2005 Formula One season after signing a one-year deal with Red Bull Racing. However, the 33-year-old Scot will have to work for his salary after agreeing a performance-related pay package.


Stokley flourishing with Colts He was known as the deceptively fast, glue-fingered wide receiver who burned New York Giants cornerback Jason Sehorn for a deep touchdown to ignite the Ravens #39; Super Bowl XXXV rout.


Post-Kyoto climate talks end on a low to get talks rolling for after 2012, when the Kyoto protocol to cut greenhouse gases runs out. protocol last month, allowing the treaty to take effect in February with a seven-year delay.


Brazil: Kidnapped footballer #39;s mother freed Forty-one days after her dramatic abduction, Marina Lima de Souza, the mother of Brazils brightest footballing star, has been freed.


Stocks to Hold Up, But Anxiety Over Drugs (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. stocks should hold firm next week\with little economic data or corporate news on tap to move the\market going into the Christmas holiday, strategists said.


Despite Mega-Deals, Small Mergers Rule (Reuters) Reuters - Despite the euphoria of one of the\busiest weeks in U.S. mergers and acquisitions in almost five\years, Wall Street investment bankers cannot live by mega-deals\alone.


Sabotage Stops Iraq's North Oil Exports (Reuters) Reuters - Saboteurs blew up Iraq's northern\export pipeline for the second week in a row on Saturday,\halting oil flows to Turkey's Ceyhan port, oil officials said.


Full Extent of Indonesia Disaster Slowly Revealed  BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (Reuters) - A week after being  swamped by a massive tsunami, water is only just beginning to  drain off parts of Aceh's provincial capital, revealing the  full extent of the horrific destruction, and yet more bodies to  count.


Tsunami disaster overshadows India's ATP season-opener (AFP) AFP - Generating relief funds for tsunami victims and gearing up for the new season is the players' aim as they prepare for the ATP Chennai Open.


Mortaza enjoys moment to remember Bangladesh fast bowler Mashrafe bin Mortaza was understandably elated after dismissing Sachin Tendulkar with the first ball of the day in Chittagong.


EU agrees to membership talks with Turkey HAMISH ROBERTSON: In an historic decision, the leaders of the European Union have agreed to open membership talks with Turkey, after the Turkish Prime Minister pledged to recognise the Greek-Cypriot Government next year.


Bosnia Serb PM Resigns, Rejects Western Pressure Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic stepped down on Friday, refusing to enact police and army reforms demanded by top peace overseer Paddy Ashdown.


North Korea says US steps up espionage flights SEOUL, South Korea North Korea says America has increased the number of spy flights over its territory this year. The North says there have had been at least 21-hundred such flights through November.


Russia to hold Yukos auction despite US ruling MOSCOW - Russia said on Friday it would go ahead with an auction to sell the key asset of embattled oil company Yukos despite a US bankruptcy court decision to block it for several days.


Utah Routs Pittsburgh in Fiesta Bowl  TEMPE, Ariz. (Sports Network) - Alex Smith threw for 328  yards and four touchdowns to lead fifth-ranked Utah to a  convincing 35-7 rout of 19th-ranked Pittsburgh in the Fiesta  Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium.


Stocks to Hold Up, But Anxiety Over Drugs  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks should hold firm next week  with little economic data or corporate news on tap to move the  market going into the Christmas holiday, strategists said.


Despite Mega-Deals, Small Mergers Rule  Philadelphia (Reuters) - Despite the euphoria of one of the  busiest weeks in U.S. mergers and acquisitions in almost five  years, Wall Street investment bankers cannot live by mega-deals  alone.


Wal-Mart Dec. Sales Still Seen Up 1-3 Pct  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT.N said on  Saturday it still expects a 1 percent to 3 percent increase in  December sales at its U.S. stores open at least a year as sales  of general merchandise and winter items improved in the latest  week.


Sabotage Stops Iraq's North Oil Exports  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Saboteurs blew up Iraq's northern  export pipeline for the second week in a row on Saturday,  halting oil flows to Turkey's Ceyhan port, oil officials said.


Corporate Cost-Cutters Miss Out  CHICAGO (Reuters) - One of the mantras of global industry  in recent years has been keeping inventories lean and mean, but  there are increasing signs this cost-cutting strategy is  creating strains and causing companies to miss out on sales.


Murdoch will shell out \$44 mil. for Manhattan penthouse NEW YORK -- Rupert Murdoch, the billionaire CEO of News Corp., has reportedly offered to buy a three-story penthouse for \$44 million, which would be the highest price ever paid for a Manhattan by about \$1.75 million if the deal goes through.


AU Says Sudan Begins Troop Withdrawal from Darfur (Reuters) Reuters - The African Union said on Saturday that\Sudan had started withdrawing troops in Darfur ahead of an\evening deadline to end fighting in the troubled region.


Insurgents Attack Iraq Election Offices (Reuters) Reuters - Insurgents have launched attacks\on election offices in northern Iraq, killing two people and\wounding nine six weeks before Iraqis are due to go to the\polls.


Syria Redeploys Some Security Forces in Lebanon (Reuters) Reuters - Syria, under intense pressure to quit\Lebanon, pulled out its security forces from three key\positions in Beirut and north Lebanon on Saturday and\redeployed them in eastern Lebanon.


Security Scare Closes British Airport (AP) AP - Police arrested a Libyan man and blew up his luggage Saturday in a security scare that closed a small regional airport for about two hours.


Iraqi Judges Start Quizzing Saddam Aides (AP) AP - Iraqi judges on Saturday started interrogating Saddam Hussein's former defense minister and the notorious general known as Chemical Ali, who is accused of gassing thousands of Kurds in the 1980s, the lead judge said.


Musharraf says won't quit as army chief (Reuters) Reuters - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has said he will stay on as army chief, reneging on a pledge to quit the powerful post by the end of the year.


Navy to go on PR 'offensive' to repair battered image of submarine program (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - HALIFAX (CP) - They have become the defining images of Canada's fault-filled submarine program.


NBA Wrap: Wade, O'Neal Carry Heat to 7th Straight Win  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dwyane Wade scored 25 points to  inspire the Miami Heat to their seventh straight win, a 107-100  victory over the Denver Nuggets Friday.


Barack Obama Gets  #36;1.9 Million Book Deal (AP) AP - U.S. Sen.-elect Barack Obama, whose 1995 book jumped onto best seller lists after his keynote address to the Democratic National Convention, has landed a three-book deal worth  #36;1.9 million.


Rauffer Beats Favorites to Win Downhill  VAL GARDENA, Italy (Reuters) - Max Rauffer became the first  German man in nearly 13 years to win an Alpine ski World Cup  race when he beat the favorites in a wind-affected downhill on  Saturday.


Iraqis Face Winter Shivering by Candlelight  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - As if the daily struggle to dodge  bullets and bombings is not enough, many Iraqis now face a  freezing winter shivering by candlelight as persistent attacks  keep the power out for more than 12 hours a day.


AU Says Sudan Begins Troop Withdrawal from Darfur  ABUJA (Reuters) - The African Union said on Saturday that  Sudan had started withdrawing troops in Darfur ahead of an  evening deadline to end fighting in the troubled region.


Syria Redeploys Some Security Forces in Lebanon  BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria, under intense pressure to quit  Lebanon, pulled out its security forces from three key  positions in Beirut and north Lebanon on Saturday and  redeployed them in eastern Lebanon.


Pakistan's Musharraf Says Won't Quit as Army Chief  KARACHI (Reuters) - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf  has said he will stay on as army chief, reneging on a pledge to  quit the powerful post by the end of the year.


Renteria signing a top-shelf deal Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein acknowledged Edgar Renteria was more a luxury for the 2005 Red Sox than a necessity. But there's nothing wrong with getting the keys to a BMW, and that's what the four-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glover is in the eyes of the Red Sox.


Saban not going to Dolphins yet The Miami Dolphins will put their courtship of LSU coach Nick Saban on hold to comply with the NFL's hiring policy by interviewing at least one minority candidate, a team source told The Associated Press last night.


Today's NFL games PITTSBURGH at NY GIANTS Time: 1:30 p.m. Line: Steelers by 10. Records: Steelers 12-1, Giants 5-8. Vs. spread: Steelers 10-1-2, Giants 5-8. Series: Giants lead, 43-27-3. Comments: Think the Giants knew Ben Roethlisberger was available on draft day when they broke the bank and traded for Eli Manning? . . . All Big Ben has done this year is complete ...


Nets get Carter from Raptors INDIANAPOLIS -- All-Star Vince Carter was traded by the Toronto Raptors to the New Jersey Nets for Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams, and a pair of first-round draft picks yesterday.