Star concert honours Nobel winner Tom Cruise and Oprah Winfrey host a concert paying tribute to Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai.


Salvation Army sees donation totals down Christmas may be the season for giving, but the Lancaster Salvation Army will not be receiving as much in donations as in past years.


Europe ; Airbus Hopes for 50 Jet Orders by June Philippe Camus, co-CEO of EADS, said the A350 was part of a long-term strategy for Airbus, taking both companies #39; needs and technological progress into account.


The Geminid Meteor Shower Make hot cocoa. Bundle up. Tell your friends: the best meteor shower of 2004 is about to peak on a long cold December night. It #39;s the Geminids.


Miller Tops Dream Giant Slalom Podium Bode Miller made his ambitions clear when he won his fifth World Cup race of the season in a giant slalom on Sunday ahead of the best two skiers of recent years.


Poutiainen Regains Women #39;s World Cup Lead Finland #39;s Tanja Poutiainen clears a gate during the women #39;s slalom World Cup race in Zauchensee, Austria, on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2004.


Burmese military #39;s move to free prisoners described as cynical Burma #39;s military government has announced the release of five-thousand detainees, in a third mass release in less than a month.


Fiat and GM Set for Showdown (Reuters) Reuters - Fiat and General Motors head for a\showdown this week as a one-year truce expires, opening the way\for them to go to court over whether Fiat can force the U.S.\group to buy its loss-mired car unit.


Las Vegas Sands Looks for a Jackpot (Reuters) Reuters - Rolling the dice at a craps table or\wagering a paycheck playing poker may not be the most rational\use of money, but one casino operator is hoping investors will\find its stock a better bet.


Meteor shower to light the sky Because skipping across the heavens like celestial sparklers will be hundreds of shooting stars during the annual Geminid meteor shower.


NASA telescopes find dust rings around For the first time, scientists have found rings of dust around planet-bearing stars - an important confirmation of theories about how planets form, NASA announced Thursday.


Yushchenko thanks medics for care Ukraine's opposition leader thanks doctors who treated him for suspected poisoning, as officials reopen the case.


Dhaka the best wicket in Asia - Pathan Dhaka: After claiming his first 10-wicket haul in Tests at Dhaka, Irfan Pathan on Sunday said the Bangabandhu National Stadium wicket is the best he has seen in Asia.


Opposition parties begin talks for coalition Israeli Government The opposition Labour Party in Israel has begun coalition talks with the Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s Likud Party. Labour leader Shimon Peres says negotiations to establish a coalition government could be completed within a few days.


11 killed in Philippines blast An explosion in a public market in the southern Philippines on Sunday killed at least 11 people and injured nearly 30 others, police said.


Fiat and GM set for showdown over Fiat Auto sale Fiat (FIA.MI: Quote, Profile, Research) and General Motors (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) head for a showdown this week as a one-year truce expires, opening the


Geminid Meteor Showers Alarm Area Residents WASHINGTON -- A meteor shower that had some startled motorists calling police is expected to continue over the next few days. Saturday night #39;s light show was part of the Geminids meteor shower, News4 reported.


Robbers Scared by GTA HellSpam writes  quot;Some robbers tried to burglarize a poor old lady and her 3 grandsons. Her grandsons happened to be playing Grand Theft Auto:San Andreas, and the sounds of the police from the game scared them away!


Mob rule takes a hit as Italy fights back MAFIA investigators christened him The Ambassador. After a seven-year trial in the bunker of a Palermo jail, Sicilian senator Marcello Dell #39;Utri, an old friend and political patron of Italian Prime Minister


Bush Bikes Ahead of Christmas Celebration (AP) AP - President Bush attended church and went mountain biking Sunday before heading to a Christmas celebration.


Abbas apology to Kuwait over Iraq Mahmoud Abbas apologises to Kuwait for the Palestinians' support of Saddam Hussein's invasion in 1990.


US Fed set to serve up another small rate hike Federal Reserve officials are expected to nudge interest rates up on Tuesday for a fifth time this year, another small step in a campaign to gradually lift borrowing costs before inflation rears its head.


Fiat ready to test GM buyout option DETROIT Sergio Marchionne, the new chief executive of Fiat Group, has said that his company plans to vigorously defend its right to sell its auto business to General Motors, a move that GM has said it will contest in court if need be.


Dubai to enter US cargo security program The United Arab Emirates is the first country in the Middle East to participate in a US program intended to safeguard sea cargo from terrorists, US customs officials said Sunday.


Nasa head to quit - reports Washington - Nasa administrator Sean O #39;Keefe is expected to resign his job at the helm of the US space agency this week, according to news reports on Sunday.


Abbas to seek aid during Kuwait visit Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said he would seek financial aid during his visit to Kuwait on Sunday, the first such trip by a top Palestinian official since the 1990-91 Gulf War soured Kuwaiti-Palestinian ties.


The last presidential match The televized debate between presidential candidates Adrian Nastase and Traian Basescu didn #39;t have a winner from the very beginning.


Robot lets down fans of telescope Trying to save the famed Hubble Space Telescope with a robot would cost \$2 billion with just a 50-50 chance of success, an aerospace research group is advising NASA in the coming days.


Abbas apologizes to Kuwait over PLO stand on 1990 Iraqi invasion Visiting Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) executive committee chairman Mahmud Abbas here Sunday apologized to Kuwait for PLO #39;s past stance on the 1990 Iraqi invasion against the emirate.


PLO leader apologizes to Kuwait PLO leader Mahmud Abbas on Sunday apologized to Kuwait for the organization #39;s support of the 1990 Iraq invasion after arriving on a landmark visit to the emirate.


Derby win for Birmingham London - Birmingham City defeated Aston Villa 2-1 on Sunday to claim the second city derby, taking the match on first-half goals from Clinton Morrison and David Dunn.


EDITORIALSPrepare for post-Kyoto The Kyoto Protocol, a global agreement on reduction of greenhouse gases, comes into force on Feb. 16 next year, seven years after it was negotiated.


Fed Seen Nudging Rates Higher (Reuters) Reuters - Federal Reserve officials are\expected to nudge interest rates up on Tuesday for a fifth time\this year, another small step in a campaign to gradually lift\borrowing costs before inflation rears its head.


Fed Seen Nudging Rates Higher  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve officials are  expected to nudge interest rates up on Tuesday for a fifth time  this year, another small step in a campaign to gradually lift  borrowing costs before inflation rears its head.


Gunners vs. Blues: Soon there may be only one contender Chelsea and Arsenal may be the only true contenders for the Premier League title. After Sunday, there could be only one left. If league-leading Chelsea beats the Gunners at Highbury, the Blues


Romanians Vote in Tense Runoff Ballot Voters in Romania are going to the polls in the final round of a presidential runoff which will determine who will lead the former Communist nation into the European Union in 2007.


NASA #39;s O #39;Keefe to Resign; Ex-Missile Defense Chief Tops List of <b>...</b> NASA Administrator Sean O #39;Keefe will resign this week, and the retired director of the Pentagon #39;s Missile Defense Agency tops a list of five men that President Bush is considering


Premiership race heats up CHELSEA go to Highbury today knowing a win will open up an eight-point advantage over Premiership champs Arsenal. And we want YOUR views on the title race as soon as the final whistle blows in north London.


Roundup: Miller stretches lead with giant slalom triumph World Cup overall leader Bode Miller won a giant slalom for the second time this season Sunday, rallying from fourth place in the opening leg.


Tendulkar, Pathan give India scent of Test win (LEAD): Sports India, Cricket: Dhaka, Dec 12 : Pacer Irfan Pathan claimed his first 10-wicket haul and Sachin Tendulkar cracked a career-best unbeaten 248 to bring India within two wickets of victory on the third day of the first Test against Bangladesh here


Scuffles Hit Iraq: Several with Police Chief Killed in Blasts SAMARRA (Iraq): With renewe d wave of skirmishes between the Iraqi insurgents and the US-led coalition marines, several people including top police officers were put to death on Saturday.


Turkish Premier Slams German Opposition Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out in a Sunday newspaper interview at Germany #39;s conservative opposition for its drive to torpedo Turkey #39;s EU membership bid, accusing it of populism.


Explosion Rips Through Israeli Checkpoint (AP) AP - A tunnel filled with explosives detonated Sunday under the Israeli checkpoint on the Gaza-Egypt border near the town of Rafah, causing casualties, military officials said.


Sharman witness: Tech can control illegal swapping Sharman Networks has called former Napster expert witness Justin Tygar to give his testimony during the ongoing trial against the parent company of Kazaa for alleged copyright infringement.


Action film star who lost Philippines' presidential election suffers stroke (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - MANILA, Philippines (AP) - An action film star who narrowly lost this year's presidential elections in the Philippines suffered a stroke and slipped into a coma, his spokesman said Sunday.


Superman is 'greatest superhero' Superman comes top of a public vote to find the greatest fictional superhero of all time.


25 Years Later, a Different Revolution Victoria's Secret has arrived in Tehran. So have the Gap, Diesel, Benetton and Black   Decker. A quarter-century after a mass movement inspired by Islam ended 2,500 years of monarchy, Iran's revolutionary society is moving on.


Roadside Bomb Kills One U.S. Soldier A U.S. soldier died of wounds sustained when a roadside bomb hit his patrol in Baghdad, the U.S. military said Sunday. Three other American soldiers were slightly wounded in the same attack but returned to duty.


US officers to check US-bound cargo shipped from Dubai port DUBAI (AFP) - Dubai port, a leading world operator, signed a deal with the United States under which US officers will help screen US-bound containers that have been identified as a potential terrorist risk.


NASA Chief Applies for Job at LSU NASA (news - web sites) Administrator Sean O #39;Keefe has applied for a new job, as chancellor of Louisiana State University, and he is among the search committee #39;s top candidates.


FC Porto Wins Toyota Cup (AP) AP - European champion FC Porto won the Toyota Cup on Sunday, defeating Colombia's Once Caldas 8-7 in a penalty-kick shootout in a game between the top club teams from Europe and South America.


Ft Aston Villa 1 Birmingham 2 Carter was booked for not retreating 10 yards at a free-kick but Birmingham looked to have weathered the Villa storm. The Blues started to come forward more, although Morrison was high and wide from 20 yards


EX-BLUES: Chelsea will RISE to the heights FORMER Chelsea defender Paul Elliott believes Jose Mourinho #39;s table-toppers have the self-belief to end their miserable league run at Highbury.


Inside the NFL - Manning playing as well as any quarterback ever Dan Marino, one-time recordsetting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins but now an analyst for CBS sports, tried in an interview earlier this season to get Colts quarterback Peyton Manning


Christmas cheer to flow from OPEC oil price cuts DRIVERS can look forward to cheaper petrol in the new year, with price cuts expected of up to 10c a litre. Oil ministers of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) agreed in Cairo on Friday


Caribbean Island Revelers Mourn Victims (AP) AP - Thousands of partygoers showed up for this sleepy island's annual New Year's Eve bash that is the talk of the Caribbean, swelling the population twentyfold. But this year the merriment came under the shadow of the Asian tsunami.


The Coming Week: Fed Focus The action should come fast and furious, with retail sales figures kicking off Monday morning and a Federal Reserve event grabbing traders #39; attention Tuesday.


Hitting The Jackpot NEW YORK - Las Vegas Sands #39; IPO is a good bet to open strongly and perform well in the aftermarket. It #39;s a profitable company in a solid sector, and it #39;s going public in a strong IPO market.


Dolphins WR Boston Suspended Four Games (AP) AP - Miami Dolphins wide receiver David Boston was suspended by the NFL for four games for testing positive for steroids, but he will not miss any games because he is out for the season with a knee injury.


Afghan President: Bin Laden Is Nearby (AP) AP - Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Sunday that Osama bin Laden is "definitely" in the region and eventually will be caught, even though American and Pakistani generals admit the trail is cold.


Explosion rocks Israel checkpoint A number of Israelis are hurt in a blast on the border between the Gaza strip and Egypt, Israeli officials say.


Green Wins Australian Masters; Randhawa Victory: Golf Roundup Richard Green, 33, won golf #39;s Australian Masters at the first extra hole in a three-way playoff with fellow Australians David McKenzie and Greg Chalmers.


FC Porto wins Toyota Cup European champion FC Porto won the Toyota Cup on Sunday, defeating Colombia #39;s Once Caldas 8-7 in a penalty-kick shootout in a game between the top club teams from Europe and South America.


USC #39;s Matt Leinart Wins College Football #39;s Heisman Trophy Matt Leinart of the University of Southern California won the Heisman Trophy last night, becoming the second Trojans quarterback in three seasons to capture college football #39;s most prestigious award.


Ten Israeli Casualties in Gaza -Military Sources A Palestinian bomb attack caused 10 casualties at an Israeli army post along the Gaza Strip-Egypt border on Sunday, military sources said.


18,000 troops begin winter offensive in Afghanistan against <b>...</b> The 18,000 US troops in Afghanistan have begun a new offensive to hunt Taliban and al-Qaida militants through the country #39;s harsh winter, aiming to sap their strength ahead of planned spring elections, the American military said Saturday.


Israel to release prisoners in gesture to Egypt and Palestinians The Israeli Cabinet agreed in principle on Sunday to release scores of Palestinian prisoners as a gesture to Egypt and Palestinian officials in the run


Signatures with Russia after December 17 Agreements concerning significant issues, which were reached as a consensus between Ankara and Moscow during the historical visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin last week, will be left until after the December 17 Summit in order to avoid reactions.


Ten Israeli Casualties in Gaza -Military Sources  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A Palestinian bomb attack caused 10  casualties at an Israeli army post along the Gaza Strip-Egypt  border on Sunday, military sources said.


Abbas Apologizes to Kuwait for 1990 PLO Stand  KUWAIT (Reuters) - Mahmoud Abbas, on the first visit by a  top PLO official to Kuwait in 14 years, apologized to the Gulf  state for the Palestine Liberation Organization's failure to  condemn Iraq's 1990 invasion of its small neighbor.


Sprint, Nextel close to sealing merger Sprint Corp and Nextel Communications have tentatively agreed on key terms in a \$US35 billion (\$47billion) merger deal that would create a giant mobile phone carrier with nearly 39 million subscribers.


We let fans down - O #39;Leary David O #39;Leary believes his Aston Villa side let their supporters down in today #39;s 2-1 defeat at home to arch rivals Birmingham.


FC Porto defeats Once Caldas on penalties to win Toyota Cup Pedro Emanuel scored the winning goal Sunday as Portugal #39;s FC Porto defeated Colombian side Once Caldas 8-7 in a penalty shootout to win the final Toyota Cup.


Oil Supply Exceeding Demand After Cuts, Qatar Says (Update1) The supply of oil is still outstripping demand after OPEC, the producer of more than a third of the world #39;s output, begins to reduce production to prop up falling prices, the Qatari oil minister said.


Hyatt buys AmeriSuites chain for \$600 million Hyatt broadened its high-end hotel brand Thursday by purchasing the 143-hotel AmeriSuites chain for \$600 million. The acquisition from private equity investor Blackstone Group increases Hyatt #39;s existing 90,000


Euro Slips, Yen Steady in Start to 2005  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The euro weakened half a percent  while the Japanese yen held its ground against the dollar as  trading in 2005 got off to a quiet start in Asia on Monday.


Coke, Rivals Betting on Flavored Water  ATLANTA (Reuters) - Since the 1990s, bottled water has  become a fixture in American health clubs, offices and sports  stadiums, emerging as one of the most popular and fast-growing  drinks on the market.


China tightens up TV ad rules China is to strengthen controls on TV advertising to avoid affronts to national dignity after a row over a Nike ad campaign.


OFT probes online grocers bills The Office of Fair Trading is investigating  UK supermarkets' online shops over alleged unfair pricing policies.


China #39;s high-tech hero Liu Chuanzhi,chairman of Lenovo, theChinese computer company, clearly recalls his early tentative dealings with International Business Machines, the mighty US technology group, in 1985.


Grizzlies Drop Pistons' Record to 10-10 (AP) AP - Pau Gasol scored 20 points and Shane Battier hit four free throws in the final 20 seconds to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 72-68 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night.


Rookie wins Dunhill in playoff Malelane - For the third successive year the Dunhill Championship had to be decided by a playoff, but for the first time, it went to a South African.


Bode Miller continues dominant run on ski circuit CBC SPORTS ONLINE - It was a sight skiing fans have become all too familiar with this season - Bode Miller standing on top of the medal podium.


Germans secure place in next Champions Trophy Lahore - Two second-half goals from Florian Keller helped Germany beat New Zealand 2-1 on Sunday at Pakistan #39;s National Stadium in the city of Lahore, guaranteeing its place in the men #39;s field-hockey Champions Trophy next year.


PA given Arafat #39;s medical records Yasir Arafat #39;s nephew has turned over his medical records to the Palestinian Authority, giving it a first glimpse of the file since the Palestinian leader #39;s death.


US denies Saddam on hunger strike The US military denies reports Saddam Hussein is on hunger strike, but says some former aides are refusing food.


Cowboys RB George Sits for First Time in Career (Reuters) Reuters - Dallas Cowboys running\back Eddie George was inactive for Sunday's game against New\Orleans as a healthy scratch and missed a game for the first\time in his NFL career.


Ukraine opposition leader urges investigation after poison report (AFP) AFP - Ukraine's opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko said he was not yet ready to blame the ruling elite with trying to poison him after doctors confirmed he was disfigured by ingesting a massive dose of a deadly toxin.


NASA chief applies for job as chancellor of Louisiana State <b>...</b> The Houston Chronicle says Sean O #39;Keefe is poised to step down as NASA #39;s administrator, and that an announcement regarding his future could come as early as tomorrow.


Sony PSP goes on sale in Japan Having done all it can with the PS2, Sony has today launched the PSP to a waiting Japanese market. Roughly 1,300 impatient people waited their turn at an outlet of Yodobashi in Shinjuku district while the


Geminid Meteor Showers Alarm Area Residents Bright flashes in the sky had residents in the Washington region calling 911 Saturday night for what was actually the annual Geminid Meteor Shower.


Barghouti to Drop Out of Palestinian Race (AP) AP - Imprisoned uprising leader Marwan Barghouti is dropping out the Jan. 9 election to replace Yasser Arafat as head of the Palestinian Authority, associates said Sunday.


New Orleans vs. Dallas IRVING, Texas (Ticker) -- The Dallas Cowboys looked to be out of the playoff race before receiving a jolt from rookie running back Julius Jones.


Tyson Complaint Over Car Dropped in Ariz. Mike Tyson answers questions following his workout, July 1, 2004, at the Central Boxing Club, in Phoenix. The former heavyweight champion was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor criminal damage for allegedly


Sri Lankan driver held in Iraq says was treated well (Reuters) Reuters - A Sri Lankan truck driver held hostage by militants in Iraq for six weeks was reunited with his wife and three sons on Sunday, saying he had been beaten up at first but was then treated "very well".


India's Randhawa Wins Masters of Asia (AP) AP - India's Jyoti Randhawa won his first title of the year, capturing the Volvo Masters of Asia on Sunday by beating Australia's Terry Pilkadaris on the second playoff hole.


Israeli soldiers  quot;killed in Gaza blast quot; Palestinian militants have blown up explosives in a tunnel near an Israeli army post on the Gaza-Egypt border in a coordinated attack that Arabic Al Jazeera television says killed four soldiers.


Romanians vote for president outspoken Bucharest Mayor Traian Basescu in a key vote for the Balkan country #39;s European Union accession path. mountain of reforms necessary for its planned 2007 EU entry.


Berlusconi ruling may extract poison from politics The decision by a Milan court to clear Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of a raft of corruption charges marks the end of a decade-long legal battle and perhaps the beginning of a more peaceful era for Italian politics.


New Congressmen, Brothers, Room Together (AP) AP - Colorado's newest congressmen didn't have to look far for roommates. Rep.-elect John Salazar and his younger brother, Sen.-elect Ken Salazar, have rented an apartment together on Massachusetts Avenue in Washington.


Blasts Near Gaza-Egypt Border, Several Casualties  GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinian militants blew up an Israeli  army post on the Gaza-Egypt border on Sunday and at least four  Israeli troops were reported killed in the deadliest attack  since Yasser Arafat died a month ago.


Arsenal hold Chelsea A gripping game between Arsenal and Chelsea ends with the honours finishing even at Highbury.


Week in review: Big Blue bids adieu to PCs IBM, the company that helped usher in the age of the personal computer nearly 25 years ago, stunned the tech world with the announcement that it would largely be bowing out of the business.


Schwartzel wins on home soil after play-off South Africa #39;s Charl Schwartzel birdied the first hole of a sudden-death playoff with England #39;s Neil Cheetham to win the 958,945 dollar Dunhill championship at Leopard Creek Country Club today.


Lampard closing in on Henry IT has been touted as the biggest game of the season so far when some of the Actim Index #39;s star performers lock horns as Arsenal host leaders Chelsea at Highbury tomorrow.


Lounge owner will pay for damage PHOENIX -- An Arizona man has dropped his complaint against former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson after being reimbursed \$1,400 for damage to his car.


US Troops, Iraqi Police Killed In Attacks 12 December 2004 -- Insurgents in Iraq conducted attacks across the country today, killing two US soldiers and an Iraqi policeman.


US denies Saddam on hunger strike The US military in Iraq has denied reports that the former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is on hunger strike. But a spokesman told the BBC that some of his former aides who are also in custody, including  quot;Chemical


Insurance experiment a costly lesson for town Gardena near <b>...</b> A little over a decade ago, the small working-class city of Gardena was having trouble getting liability insurance, like a lot of other California towns, and it decided to take the kind of entrepreneurial leap municipalities were being encouraged to


NASA Administrator Sean O #39;Keefe to Depart Soon Sean O #39;Keefe will soon step down as NASA Administrator. The formal announcement is expected this coming week. Where O #39;Keefe will be heading and exactly when he will leave remain to be determined however he


Chelsea still on course after Arsenal draw Chelsea have preserved their five-point lead over champions Arsenal after their pulsating London derby finished 2-2 at Highbury. Thierry Henry, who scored both the home side #39;s goals, took


Kuwaitis Get Apology From Palestinians KUWAIT CITY Dec 12, 2004 - Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas apologized to Kuwaitis on Sunday for the Palestinians #39; support of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein after the 1990 invasion of Kuwait, making a gesture many here have long demanded as he


Portugal #39;s Porto win World Club Cup on penalties Porto of Portugal outscored Once Caldas of Colombia 8-7 from penalty shootouts to win the World Club Cup in Yokohama, Japan on Sunday.


George inactive against Saints Eddie George missed the first game of his NFL career Sunday after playing in 140 straight, made inactive by the Dallas Cowboys not because of injury but because he wasn #39;t needed.


Chelsea maintain lead with Arsenal draw English Premiership leaders Chelsea stayed five points clear of reigning champions Arsenal following a 2-2 draw away to their London rivals at Highbury.


Manning Breaks Record for Multi-TD Games (AP) AP - Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning broke an NFL record with his 13th straight multi-touchdown passing game Sunday.


US Fed confidence in outlook grows US Federal Reserve officials are growing more confident about the economic outlook. The economy, which grew at a 3.9 per cent annualised rate in the third quarter and is expanding


Chargers Go for Rare 10-Win Season (AP) AP - Although the resurgent San Diego Chargers can't clinch a playoff berth Sunday, they can continue to rehabilitate their image. Sad sacks just a year ago, the Chargers (9-3) have at least clinched a winning season. If they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7) at home, they'll have won 10 games for the first time since 1994, when they were 11-5 and made their only Super Bowl appearance.


German swoop on online piracy site nets thousands of user names (AFP) AFP - German police said they had exposed the names of thousands of users of illegal Internet piracy sites as part of a crackdown on swapping bootleg copies of movies, computer games, software and music.


NASA chief to resign Sources inside NASA told CNN Sunday that O #39;Keefe will accept an offer from Louisiana State University to be its chancellor. O #39;Keefe #39;s decision, the sources said, was made for personal and financial reasons


Germany's Siemens mulling options for loss-making mobile phone unit (AFP) AFP - German electronics giant Siemens said it is considering options for its loss-making mobile phone unit but declined to comment on a report that China's Ningbo Bird is a potential buyer.


Six pupils injured by Israeli tank shell in Gaza school <b>...</b> GAZA CITY (AFP) -- Eight Palestinian schoolboys and one of their teachers were wounded on Sunday after Israeli troops opened fire at their primary school in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical sources said.


NASA Chief O'Keefe to Resign (Reuters) Reuters - NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe\plans to resign as head of the U.S. space agency, an official\familiar with the decision said on Sunday.


NASA Chief Applies for Job at LSU (AP) AP - NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe has applied for a new job as chancellor of Louisiana State University's main campus after nearly four years leading the space agency through a tumultuous period marred by the Columbia shuttle disaster.


Barghouti 'pulls out of election' An aide says jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti has withdrawn from the presidential campaign.


Oil price  #39;will stabilise #39; CAIRO - Giant oil producer Opec expects prices to recover from the second-largest drop this year as members enforce their decision to lower output.


Chelsea draws with Arsenal; Birmingham City stuns Aston Villa Eidur Gudjohnsen #39;s equalizer 31 seconds into the second half gave league-leading Chelsea a 2-2 draw on Sunday at Arsenal, neutralizing two surprise goals by Gunners #39; striker Thierry Henry.


Barghouthi Pulls Out of Palestinian Election Jailed Palestinian uprising leader Marwan Barghouthi has pulled out of a Jan. 9 presidential election to succeed Yasser Arafat, a close aide said on Sunday.


Klitschko visits hospital but no bones broken After returning from the hospital at around midnight, WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko met with the press to discuss his eighth-round knockout victory over Danny Williams Saturday night on HBO Pay-Per-View at Mandalay Bay Resort  amp; Casino, his


Collins slapped with 8-year ban Sprinter, 33, faces end of her <b>...</b> If Michelle Collins were a Major League Baseball player, she would have received a slap on the wrist for using banned performance-enhancing drugs.


Young gun Schwartzel wins the Alfred Dunhill as Els and others <b>...</b> South Africa #39;s 20-year-old Charl Schwartzel captured the Alfred Dunhill Championship on Sunday for his first European Tour title, recovering from a poor finish in regulation to win the first playoff hole against England #39;s


Imprisoned uprising leader to drop out of race to replace Arafat RAMALLAH, West Bank Associates of an imprisoned uprising leader say he #39;s dropping out of the race to replace Yasser Arafat as head of the Palestinian Authority.


Summary: Chile's Privatized Pension System (AP) AP - PRIVATE PENSIONS: Chile privatized its social security system more than 20 years ago, requiring a percentage of each paycheck to go into bank accounts that workers manage themselves. Now, about 7 million Chileans have such accounts.


Barghouthi Drops Out of Palestinian Election Jailed Palestinian uprising leader Marwan Barghouthi has pulled out of a Jan. 9 presidential election to succeed Yasser Arafat, a close aide said on Sunday.


Gaza Militants Kill 4 Israelis, Barghouthi Withdraws  GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinian militants blew up an Israeli  army post on the Gaza-Egypt border on Sunday, killing at least  four Israeli troops in the deadliest attack since Yasser  Arafat's death a month ago kindled new hopes of peace.


Saddam Aides Refusing Food, U.S. Military Says  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Several of Saddam Hussein's jailed  deputies have been refusing food but Saddam himself is not on  hunger strike on the eve of the first anniversary of his  capture, an officer in charge of detainees said on Sunday.


US to Screen Sea Cargo from Dubai Port The United Arab Emirates has become the first Middle East country to join a US program aimed at protecting US-bound sea cargo from terrorists.


NASA Chief O #39;Keefe to Resign NASA Administrator Sean O #39;Keefe, whose tenure has been shadowed by the 2003 Columbia disaster, plans to resign as head of the US space agency, an official familiar with the decision said on Sunday.


Wolfsburg jumps to fourth by beating Bielefeld Wolfsburg crushed Arminia Bielefeld 5-0 and jumped to fourth place in Sunday #39;s final Bundesliga round before the winter break.


Saddam Aides Refusing Food, US Military Says Several of Saddam Hussein #39;s jailed deputies have been refusing food but Saddam himself is not on hunger strike on the eve of the first anniversary of his capture, an officer in charge of detainees said on Sunday.


AOL Creates Its Own Browsing Software (AP) AP - As part of its reincarnation, America Online Inc. is creating its own software for browsing the Web and playing movies and songs. It's a question of staying relevant in an increasingly broadband world.


Chelsea ties Arsenal in Premier League Eidur Gudjohnsen scored 31 seconds into the second half for league-leading Chelsea, helping offset two first-half goals by Arsenal #39;s Thierry Henry.


Battle of titans ends in draw London, England (Sports Network) - Leaders Chelsea and defending champions Arsenal played to an intense 2-2 draw in a London derby Sunday at Highbury.


Romania Presidential Runoff Seen Too Close to Call Exit polls from Romania #39;s presidential run-off on Sunday showed the race between Social Democrat Prime Minister Adrian Nastase and opposition leader Traian Basescu was too close to call.


Textile limits imposed to ease trade concerns Textile concerns among China #39;s trading partners in the coming integration of global trade have made the nation determined to control its exports.


Sony debuts PSP game console in Japan Sony said it will make half the console #39;s components, compared with 40 percent for the PlayStation 2, to set itself apart from competitors.


Sunglasses-plus-MP3 player are anything but a bargain It seems like a cool idea -unglasses with a built-in digital music player and speakers. No headphone cables to untangle as with most portable players.


Grand Theft Auto will outperform the rest of the industry The body count is high in two new video games,  quot;Halo 2 quot; and  quot;Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. quot;. Those two hit games also are making casualties of their competition on the sales racks.


Williams rejects retirement In the world #39;s gambling capital, a city built on the back of so many broken dreams, Danny Williams #39;s mission to win the world heavyweight title ended in a painful, humiliating and bloody defeat at the Mandalay Bay Hotel where he was utterly outclassed by


Celtic goes top with road win Dunfermline, Scotland (Sports Network) - Celtic re-gained its one point edge over rivals Rangers with a 2-0 win at East End Park Sunday.


A more cautious Miller wins another giant slalom Bode Miller put his go-for-broke style temporarily in check Sunday and won a World Cup giant slalom for the second time this season.


Filipinos killed in market bomb blast Manila: An explosion rocked a market packed with Christmas shoppers in the southern Philippines yesterday, killing at least 13 people and injuring 52, the military said.


Jailed Palestinian won #39;t run for leadership RAMALLAH, WEST BANK - A Palestinian serving five life sentences in an Israeli jail will drop out of the race to replace former leader Yasser Arafat, he indicated in a statement on Sunday.


Falcons Top Raiders, Win NFC South Title (AP) AP - T.J. Duckett set a team record by rushing for four touchdowns and the Atlanta Falcons clinched just the third division title in franchise history, wrapping up the NFC South with a 35-10 rout of the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.


1,000 Protesters Oppose Mubarak in Cairo (AP) AP - About 1,000 people gathered downtown Sunday, many with their mouths covered by yellow stickers reading "Enough," to protest the possibility that President Hosni Mubarak might run for a fifth term or that his son, Gamal, might succeed him.


Heat Top Raptors; Shaq, Wade Each Net 20 (AP) AP - Shaquille O'Neal had 20 points and Dwyane Wade added 20 points, nine rebounds and six assists as the Miami Heat won their fourth straight, 106-98 over the struggling Toronto Raptors on Sunday.


Bomb scare at Madrid stadium Spectators are evacuated from Real Madrid's Bernabeu stadium following a bomb scare.


Cancer? Suicide? Politics? That's Hilarious! As much as ever, George Carlin builds his humor around the taboo  his current routine includes long riffs on cancer, natural disasters and teenage suicide and yet somehow manages to get laughs.


Yushchenko Poisoning Investigation Resumes The Ukrainian prosecutor general's office has re-opened a criminal investigation into the disfiguring illness that struck presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko. The decision followed the announcement by Austrian doctors Saturday that Yushchenko was poisoned by the toxic substance dioxin.


Chile's Pension System Gets High Marks Instead of paying social security taxes and wondering whether the government will ever deliver promised retirement benefits, Chilean workers bankroll their own retirements and manage their nest eggs.


Bomb threat clears Madrid stadium MADRID, Spain -- A bomb threat forced authorities to evacuate about 75,000 spectators from Madrid #39;s Bernabeu stadium during a match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad.


Disappointed Mourinho Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was disappointed with the 2-2 draw against Arsenal, despite seeing his side twice come from behind.  quot;If youd told me before it would be a draw, I would have said its not a bad result, quot; said Mourinho.


US denies Saddam #39;s on hunger strike Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is not on hunger strike though a number of his jailed deputies are refusing food, according to an officer in charge of the detainees.


Wizards Pound Hornets Washington forces a sloppy New Orleans team into 33 turnovers and claims an easy 88-69 victory Sunday at MCI Center.


Tricks Alleged in Ex-Kmart Execs' Case (AP) AP - Another accounting sleight of hand has been exposed in the latest charges against former executives of Kmart Corp.: the allegedly premature booking of millions in promotional payments to the retailer from chips and soda suppliers.


Weekend Holiday Shopping Appears Mixed NEW YORK Dec 12, 2004 - With less than two weeks of shopping left until Christmas, the nation #39;s malls and stores stepped up discounts over the weekend, but business appeared to be mixed, according to analysts.


Sony #39;s PSP Hits the Streets Long lines form in Japan where shoppers finally get their hands on the portable gaming device. Sony Computer Entertainment #39;s long-awaited PSP (PlayStation Portable) went on sale in Japan Sunday to long lines


Boeing Scrubs Planned Heavy-Lift Rocket Launch Boeing Co. scrubbed a planned launch of a Delta IV heavy-lift rocket on Sunday as engineers sought to determine what caused a temperature control system to malfunction after an aborted launch on Saturday.


IBM launches virtualization assault on EMC IBM on Friday took aim at its primary competitor, EMC, by announcing storage virtualization software that allows EMC users to utilize storage systems from EMC, Hitachi, or IBM.


Longhorn Server to have one version for many roles Microsoft will let customers configure the next major release of Windows Server for specific server tasks, rather than selling a host of different Windows Server Longhorn editions tailored to those tasks.


NFL Game Summary - Cincinnati at New England Foxboro, MA (Sports Network) - Tom Brady went 18-of-26 for 260 yards with two touchdowns to lead New England to a 35-28 win over Cincinnati at Gillette Stadium.


Dunfermline v Celtic Celtic sent out a chilling winter message to rivals Rangers by responding to their European failure with one of their best performances of the season to return to the top of the Bank of Scotland Premier League table with a comfortable 2-0 win at East End


US Denies Saddam on Hunger Strike The US military is denying a report that Saddam Hussein has begun a jailhouse hunger strike, and says the ousted Iraqi leader had eaten on Sunday.


Hamas #39; choice: Learn from Sharon #39;s politics or face the political <b>...</b> As Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the Palestinians alike are struggling with issues of political life and the forming of functioning governments, it is the former who may offer a lead to elements of the latter.


Four die in bombing of Israeli checkpoint At least four Israeli soldiers were killed and eight wounded on Sunday in a Palestinian bomb attack on an Israeli checkpoint at the Rafah border terminal on the southern Gaza Strip border with Egypt.


KGB legacy of poison politics Doctors confirm that dioxin poisoned Ukraine's opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko.


US pushes for more economic reform in Mideast This week the US and Egypt plan to sign a trade agreement worth \$500 million annually.


Spanish leader makes bid to reshape the war on terror Prime Minister Zapatero testifies Monday before the commission examining the March 11 terror attacks.


When saving the world with song, mind the lyrics Critics have raised an eyebrow at the revival of the fundraising anthem, citing its outdated, insensitive lyrics.


NASA Chief Said to Be Top Contender for L.S.U. Job Sean O'Keefe has sought and become the top contender for a high-level job at Louisiana State University, according to NASA and university officials.


Airborne Cell-Phone Ban Likely to Remain for Now Hopes -- and worries -- that US regulators will soon end the ban on using wireless phones during US commercial flights are likely at least a year or two early, government officials and analysts say.


Colts 23, Texans 14 Peyton Manning broke one of Dan Marino #39;s touchdown records, just not the one everybody has been talking about. But Manning got the only things that really matter to him -- an Indianapolis win and a playoff berth.


Finding a Power Stroke When Most Hitters Start to Fade One question that arises whenever a player is linked to steroids is, "What would he have done without them?" Baseball history whispers an answer.


Terps Burn Bulldogs Maryland shoots a season-high 55 percent from the field and John Gilchrist drops in 22 points as the Terps dominate UNC-Asheville, 96-72, on Sunday afternoon.


Stanford Hires Harris Pittsburgh head coach Walt Harris will go from the Fiesta Bowl to Stanford after accepting their head coaching position on Sunday.


Christmas Shoppers Flock to Stores Shoppers flocked to Britains stores for the busiest weekend so far this Christmas, retailers said. Early indications show pre-season sales bucked takings at the tills compared to the same time last year.


Probe Into Yushchenko Poisoning Reopens (AP) AP - Ukrainian prosecutors reopened their investigation into allegations Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned after doctors treating the opposition leader confirmed he had been slipped the toxic chemical dioxin, as Yushchenko returned home Sunday to campaign for this month's presidential runoff vote.


Meteor shower coming up Monday morning SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Most people have a hard enough time getting out of bed on Monday morning, let alone before dawn in the middle of December.


Real game halted after bomb threat Real Madrid #39;s Primera Liga match against Real Sociedad was abandoned on Sunday after police received a warning that a bomb would explode at the stadium.


US denies Saddam on hunger strike BAGHDAD (AFP) - The US military in Iraq denied that ousted president Saddam Hussein , captured a year ago and awaiting trial for crimes against humanity, was on hunger strike in his secret American detention centre.


Premier faces Bucharest mayor in Romania Romanians returned to the polls Sunday for a presidential runoff between their leftist prime minister, formerly a member of the communist elite, and the capital #39;s Western-leaning mayor.


Barghouti withdraws from race replace Arafat RAMALLAH, West Bank - Marwan Barghouti, the imprisoned leader of the Palestinian uprising, is dropping out the Jan. 9 election to replace Yasser Arafat as head of the Palestinian Authority, his campaign manager said Sunday.


Yushchenko, Back Home, Says Authorities Poisoned Him  KIEV (Reuters) - Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko said  on Sunday he was certain Ukraine's authorities had poisoned him  with dioxin and hoped prosecutors would establish the truth  after this month's re-run of a rigged presidential election.


Romania Presidential Race Too Close to Call  BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romanian Prime Minister Adrian  Nastase and centrist opposition leader Traian Basescu emerged  neck-and-neck from the second round of presidential elections  on Sunday, exit polls showed.


Knicks Down Nuggets New York gets 57 combined points from its starting backcourt of Jamal Crawford and Stephon Marbury and tops Denver, 107-96.


Barghouti Drops Out of Palestinian Election Associates of Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life sentences on terrorism charges in an Israeli jail, said Sunday that he is withdrawing from the Jan. 9 election for president of the Palestinian Authority.


Colombians Still Thirsty for Brewpubs The two brewpubs were brimming with Saturday night drinkers when rebels tossed hand grenades, killing one person and wounding 72.


Sony PSP Provides Stylish Curves and Sharp Screen There #39;s no denying that the PSP is a slickly designed gadget with a certain fashionable cachet. The images are breathtaking. Not that there #39;s anything new here in terms of graphics, but seeing


NASA Administrator Applies for Louisiana State Job, School Says NASA Administrator Sean O #39;Keefe, who led the US space agency #39;s reorganization after the space shuttle Columbia disaster, applied to be chancellor of Louisiana State University #39;s main campus in Baton Rouge, a school spokesman said.


Vincent Takes Center Stage Bills defensive back Troy Vincent returns to the lineup and stars, recording an interception, a sack and a fumble recover as Buffalo beats up on Cleveland, 37-7, on Sunday.


Rating the relevance of the US Federal Reserve THE TIMES is running a fortnightly series of economic briefings alongside Target Two Point Zero, the competition for sixth-formers run in conjunction with the Bank of England.


Jyoti burns brightest at the end NEW DELHI: The steel in Jyoti Randhawa came to the fore once again as the Indian golf star clinched the \$5,50,000 Volvo Masters of Asia title at the Kota Permai Golf and Country Club in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.


Philippine actor-presidential candidate Poe in coma MANILA - Movie star Fernando Poe, Jr, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo #39;s main challenger in the May presidential election, is in a coma after suffering a stroke, an opposition congressman said Sunday.


Almost half a million homeless in Britain: NGOs (AFP) AFP - Britain has almost half a million homeless people, two non-governmental organisations said, describing the official number of 100,000 given by the government as the tip of the iceberg.


Honeywell to Buy UK's Novar for \$1.5 Bln  LONDON (Reuters) - Diversified U.S. manufacturer Honeywell  has agreed to buy Novar Plc, a British industrial holding  company, for 798 million pounds (\$1.53 billion), a source  familiar with the situation said on Sunday.


Ugandan rebels kill seven in raid Fighters of the Lord's Resistance Army hack seven villagers to death in southern Sudan despite a truce.


Business hopes Bush will forgo tax reform By Andrew Balls, James Harding and Christopher Swann in Washington. US business has little appetite for fundamental tax reform, seeing deficit reduction and government entitlement programmes as priorities for President George W Bush #39;s second-term agenda.


Sony PlayStation Portable is out Sonys PlayStation console has been so popular that it feels strange that PSP is their first attempt at the handheld gaming market.


Walt Disney behind Blu-ray DVDs BURBANK, CALIF: The Walt Disney Co. will back the high-definition Blu-ray disc developed by Sony over a competing HD DVD format, setting in place a high-stakes battle between Hollywoods leading studios with only one format likely to survive.


Richard Green grabs first gold jacket Left-hander Richard Green has sunk a four-foot putt on the opening playoff hole to capture his first gold jacket and the \$225,000 first prize in a dramatic 2004 Mastercard Masters at Huntingdale.


Nastase and Basescu in close finish in Romanian presidential vote BUCHAREST (AFP) - Romania #39;s presidential election ended in suspense as exit polls disagreed on whether Prime Minister Adrian Nastase had won narrowly or tied with his centre-right rival Traian Basescu.


No. 14 Vanderbilt Tops Saint Louis, 94-51 (AP) AP - Ashley Earley scored 20 points and Carla Thomas added 19 to lead No. 14 Vanderbilt to a 94-51 victory over Saint Louis on Sunday.


Novar keen to accept 800m bid from Honeywell NOVAR, the UK conglomerate, is recommending that its shareholders accept an 800 million cash bid from Honeywell International, the aerospace to transport multinational.


Nothing dull about McKenzie Trevor Grant THE tension was palpable in the hot, steamy air at Huntingdale, even before the tournament contenders had strapped on their spikes yesterday.


Jailed Palestinian Leader Drops Out of Race to Replace Arafat Marwan Barghouti's withdrawal leaves Mahmoud Abbas without a serious challenger in the Jan. 9 vote to choose the head of the Palestinian Authority.


Iverson Carries Sixers Allen Iverson scores a season-high 40 points and Marc Jackson chips in with 28 to lead the Sixers past the Bucks, 107-101, on Sunday.


Threat Clears Stadium A bomb threat forces the evacuation of a Madrid soccer stadium on Sunday night during a game between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad.


Sony's PSP Hits the Streets Long lines form in Japan where shoppers finally get their hands on the portable gaming device.


We Test Drive Sony's PSP The portable gaming device is finally available, and looks to be worth the wait.


Report: Honeywell Poised to Bid for Novar Honeywell International of the United States is to make a US\$1.5 billion (euro1.14 billion) takeover bid for Novar PLC, the Financial Times reported Sunday.


Stolen away by Grand Theft Auto #39; Jake Stephens, a senior in my AP English class at TC Williams High School in Alexandria, Va., is hooked.  quot;The narrative is so exciting you lose all track of time, quot; he said to me last week.


Wild monkeys seen using tools, researchers report Wild South American monkeys routinely use fist-sized rocks to crack open seeds and to dig in dry Brazilian soil for grubs and edible tubers, researchers report in the journal Science.


Soccer stars caught in bomb hoax MORE than 70,000 fans were forced to evacuate Real Madrid #39;s Santiago Bernabeu stadium after a bomb scare today. It came in the name of ETA Basque separatist guerrillas and forced the game with Real Sociedad to be abandoned three minutes from time.


All square after love and war HANG ON A MINUTE, WASNT this supposed to be a derby match, packed with grunts, grimaces, full of ugly, clumsy and petulant tackles and a general lack of oxygen available for the players to feed to their brains?


Mellberg made to eat his words IT IS A TRUTH UNIVERSALLY acknowledged that Jane Austen was probably not an Aston Villa fan, but she summed up the angst of the clubs supporters when she wrote: One has no great hopes from Birmingham.


Pilkadaris loses Asian Masters play-off Australian golfer Terry Pilkadaris has finished runner-up in the Masters of Asia tournament in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.


Two Candidates Claim Romanian Presidency Both candidates claimed victory in the Romanian presidential runoff vote Sunday, and exit polls showed Bucharest Mayor Traian Basescu and Prime Minister Adrian Nastase in a virtual tie.


First Popularly-Elected Afghan President Urges Iraqis to <b>...</b> Less than a week after he was formally inaugurated as Afghanistan #39;s first popularly-elected president, Hamid offered words of advice for the people of Iraq, who are preparing to go to the polls next month.


Steelers Extend Win Streak to 11 Games (AP) AP - On the day Jerome Bettis and Curtis Martin went over 13,000 yards rushing, Bettis will be remembered most for, of all things, his passing.


Spanish Leader Faces Grilling on Train Bombings (Reuters) Reuters - Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero will become\the first Spanish prime minister to be questioned by a\parliamentary commission on Monday when he gives his version of\events surrounding the Madrid train bombings.


Rights Activists Denounce Putin's Reforms (AP) AP - Hundreds of Kremlin critics gathered Sunday on Constitution Day to denounce what they call a retreat from democracy as President Vladimir Putin signed a bill scrapping gubernatorial elections.


Hartson shows worth to Celtic The scene outside East End Park prior to yesterday #39;s encounter encapsulated Celtic #39;s current situation. Featured prominently on the myriad of Celtic souvenir stalls was an assortment of Henrik Larsson merchandise.


Chelsea Ties Arsenal, 2-2 (AP) AP - Chelsea tied Arsenal 2-2 Sunday in a riveting meeting between two Premier League powerhouses.


Can video games really be blamed for violence? Alex Dobin can take down a terrorist at 1,000 yards, rip up enemy ground forces with RPGs, and maneuver tanks, helicopters and jets bristling with America #39;s deadliest weapons.


Bettis Leads Steelers to Victory Jerome Bettis flipped a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jerame Tuman after surpassing the 13,000-yard barrier early in the fourth quarter.


Novar close to 800m cash deal with US giant Novar, the UK building supplies group, is today expected to announce that it has agreed to be acquired by the US industrial giant Honeywell in a cash deal worth more than 800m.


Tokyo Stocks Open Higher, Exporters Gain Japan #39;s Nikkei share average opened 0.63 percent higher on Monday after a fall in the yen helped some exporters such as Toyota Motor Corp.


Mobile Games Get Fancier, More Social (AP) AP - Who says "Solitaire" must be a lonely endeavor? Games tailored for cell phones are increasingly adding community-oriented elements, such as tournaments for top scores, head-to-head combat or chatting with other players.


Web Store Scores With One-Item-Only Sales (AP) AP - Woot.com takes an unusual approach in the crowded field of Internet retailing. It sells just one item each weekday, starting at midnight local time in suburban Dallas, where the company is based, until it sells out.


Toshiba signals DVD format war Sony, the Japanese electronics and entertainment group, has approached arch-rival Toshiba in an attempt to prevent a damaging format war over their next-generation DVDs.


Firefox surpasses 10 million download mark com December 12, 2004, 2:25 PM PT. Firefox, the open-source challenger to Web browsing heavyweight Microsoft Internet Explorer, has surpassed 10 million downloads in a little more


Romania Anxiously Awaits Presidential Run-Off Count (Reuters) Reuters - Romanians anxiously awaited an\official count on Monday to reveal who will be their next\president after exit polls from Sunday's run-off vote put Prime\Minister Adrian Nastase and centrist opposition leader Traian\Basescu neck-and-neck.


Chelsea Ties Arsenal, 2-2 Chelsea #39;s Eidur Gudjohnsen celebrates after scoring during the Premiership game between Arsenal and Chelsea FC, London, Sunday Dec. 12, 2004.


Palmer hobbling FOXBORO, Mass. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer was on crutches after Sunday #39;s 35-to-28 loss to the New England Patriots.


Tokyo Stocks Higher; Dollar Up Vs. Yen (AP) AP - Tokyo stocks opened higher Monday as investors welcomed the U.S. dollar's strength against the Japanese yen.


Run-off vote produces two Romanian presidents The Romanian presidential election was too close to call last night as both candidates declared themselves the victor after a run-off ballot produced a statistical dead heat.


No. 8 N.C. Tops Loyola of Chicago, 109-60 (AP) AP - Jawad Williams scored 17 points and was one of six North Carolina players in double figures Sunday as the eighth-ranked Tar Heels beat Loyola of Chicago 109-60.


Thieves Targeting Gardens With Rare Plant (AP) AP - The thieves struck at night and knew just what they were after. In minutes, they ripped two plants from the lavish landscaping at a home in this Los Angeles suburb, then fled when the homeowner woke up and turned on a porch light. Total haul:  #36;3,500.


802.16: Medium distance wireless networking that could change the world? The (sort of) new IEEE 802.16 Metropolitan Area Network standard (MAN) promises to break the cable modem/DSL monopoly on the "last mile" of Internet connectivity to peoples' homes.    With ranges up to 30 miles and speeds up to 70 mbps it seems like a pancea.    While I suspect the actual usable speeds and distances will be considerably less, my real question is where is it?  This standard has been in the works for years.


Airborne Cell-Phone Ban Likely to Remain for Now  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hopes -- and worries -- that U.S.  regulators will soon end the ban on using wireless phones  during U.S. commercial flights are likely at least a year or  two early, government officials and analysts say.


Sony PSP Draws Crowds and Lines on First Day  TOKYO (Reuters) - Game fans stood in lines through a chilly  Tokyo night to be among the first in the world to get their  hands on Sony Corp.'s PlayStation Portable, the consumer  electronics firm's first handheld game machine.


PluggedIn: Digital Cameras All the Rage This Christmas  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - When families and friends get  together for the holidays this year, many more of them will use  a digital camera to record those memories.


Bush Pays Tribute to U.S. Troops Abroad (AP) AP - Christmas trees decorated with red bows, gold ornaments and white lights lined the hall at the National Building Museum for a holiday pageant attended Sunday by President Bush and his wife, Laura.


Blue Jays, Devil Rays Swap Two Players (AP) AP - The Toronto Blue Jays acquired right-hander Chad Gaudin from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for catcher Kevin Cash in the first transaction completed Sunday at the winter meetings.


Indiana Wins 2nd Men's College Cup Title (AP) AP - Jay Nolly saved two penalty kicks and Indiana won its second straight NCAA Men's College Cup title Sunday, beating UC Santa Barbara in a penalty kick shootout.


Tokyo Stocks Firmer, Exporters Gain (Reuters) Reuters - Japan's Nikkei share average was up 0.64\percent in mid-morning trade on Monday after a fall in the yen\helped some exporters such as Toyota Motor Corp.


Tatupu Takes Long Way to Stardom at USC (AP) AP - Linebacker Lofa Tatupu believed in his ability to play big-time football when few others did.


US Gives OK to China Furniture Duties A US trade panel on Friday approved anti-dumping duties of up to 198 percent on \$1.2 billion worth of wooden bedroom furniture from China.


Chargers Top Buccaneers, Win 7th Straight (AP) AP - Donnie Edwards intercepted Brian Griese's pass and returned it 30 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 4:09 left and the Chargers beat Tampa Bay 31-24 on Sunday, their seventh straight victory.


Packers Edge Lions, 16-13 (AP) AP - The Green Bay Packers only led for two seconds Sunday, and that was enough to keep their stranglehold over the Detroit Lions, who haven't won in Wisconsin since 1991.


Dear Marwan: Don #39;t do it It has been a very long time since we had an opportunity to talk, and I wish that I could meet you and see you face to face, as I would like to tell you some things on very personal level.


Abbas Set to Win Palestinian Vote  RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Moderate Palestinian leader  Mahmoud Abbas's chances of winning a presidential election to  replace Yasser Arafat appeared to be sealed after his main  rival Marwan Barghouthi pulled out of the race.


Spanish Leader Faces Grilling on Train Bombings  MADRID (Reuters) - Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero will become  the first Spanish prime minister to be questioned by a  parliamentary commission on Monday when he gives his version of  events surrounding the Madrid train bombings.


Real Madrid Stadium Evacuated in ETA Bomb Threat  MADRID (Reuters) - Some 70,000 people were forced to  evacuate Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium minutes before  the end of a league match on Sunday after a bomb threat in the  name of ETA Basque separatist guerrillas.


Warriors' Fisher Goes on Injured Reserve (AP) AP - Golden State placed guard Derek Fisher on injured reserve with a sprained right knee before Sunday night's game against the Charlotte Bobcats.


NFL Wrap: Manning Near Record as Colts Beat Texans  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Peyton Manning continued to close in  on the NFL record for single season touchdown passes on Sunday,  firing two TD strikes as the Indianapolis Colts eased past the  Houston Texans 23-14 to clinch the division title.


College Basketball Wrap: Washington Beats Loyola-Marymount  LOS ANGELES (Sports Network) - Nate Robinson scored a  game-high 28 points to lead 16th-ranked Washington to a 100-93  win over Loyola-Marymount at Gersten Pavilion.


Bengals' Palmer Hurt in Loss to New England  FOXBORO, Mass., (Sports Network) - Cincinnati Bengals  quarterback Carson Palmer left Sunday's 35-28 loss against New  England in the third quarter due to a left knee sprain.


Devil Rays Acquire Catcher Cash from Blue Jays  ANAHEIM, Calif., (Sports Network) - The Tampa Bay Devil  Rays acquired catcher Kevin Cash from the Toronto Blue Jays on  Sunday in exchange for right-handed pitcher Chad Gaudin.


ABARE tips record commodity exports The value of Australia #39;s commodity exports is expected to hit \$95 billion this financial year, with minerals and energy expected to drive the improvement.


Philippine Police Hunt Bombers After Market Blast (Reuters) Reuters - Philippine police were searching for\clues on Monday on who was responsible for a bomb blast in a\market packed with shoppers that killed 14 people and wounded\65.


Probe Into Yushchenko Poisoning Reopens (AP) AP - Ukrainian prosecutors Sunday reopened their investigation into allegations Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned after doctors treating the opposition leader confirmed he had been slipped the toxic chemical dioxin.


Samsung develops first graphic memory chip South Koreas Samsung Electronics has developed the worlds fastest computer memory chip for graphics applications. Samsung said the 512-megabit graphics double-data-rate (GDDR) memory chip is the most


U.S. Strikes Fallujah; Two Troops Killed (AP) AP - American warplanes pounded Fallujah with missiles Sunday as insurgents fought running battles with coalition forces in the volatile western Iraqi city. The U.S. military said two troops died in separate incidents.


Robinson Reflects on Washington Memories (AP) AP - Frank Robinson is no stranger to Washington D.C., and his memories of the town are both pleasant and forgettable.


Becks bomb scare DAVID BECKHAM was last night caught in a terrifying bomb scare at Real Madrids Bernabeu Stadium. England skipper Becks and his team-mates fled from the pitch three minutes before the end of their La Liga clash against Real Sociedad.


Alaska Oil Spill Crews Seize on Calmer Weather (Reuters) Reuters - About 150 people were ready\to begin cleaning up an oil spill threatening endangered\animals on Sunday, four days after a ship broke apart and six\people died in a helicopter rescue attempt.


Philippine Police Hunt Bombers After Market Blast  MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine police were searching for  clues on Monday on who was responsible for a bomb blast in a  market packed with shoppers that killed 14 people and wounded  65.


Redskins Trail, 17-14 The Redskins get off to a fast start -- scoring 46 seconds into the game -- but now trail the Eagles, 17-14, in the fourth quarter at FedEx Field.


Falcons Top Raiders, Win NFC South Title T.J. Duckett set a team record by rushing for four touchdowns and the Atlanta Falcons clinched just the third division title in franchise history, wrapping up the NFC South with a 35-10 rout of the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.


Iron Ore Prices To Lift 19 For Australian Miners - Abare SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Continued strong steelmaking demand from China is expected to drive an 18.6 lift in iron ore prices for Australian producers into 2005, the government #39;s Australian Bureau of Agricultural  amp; Resource Economics said Monday.


Crisis warning from Bank as lenders add to risky investments UK banks have built up a number of risky investment positions that could trigger a financial crisis if a shock caused a sudden rush to sell up, the Bank of England warned yesterday.


Cingular Sells 33 of Indian Cell Venture Cingular Wireless, the largest United States cellphone service provider, has agreed to sell its 33 percent stake in Idea Cellular of India for about \$200 million to a Malaysian joint venture.


US gears up for another increase in interest rates Washington - Casting aside fears about weak job creation and tepid holiday sales, the US appeared set to raise interest rates tomorrow for the fifth consecutive time.


Sony #39;s PSP Console Sells Out in Tokyo After Debut (Update1) Sony Corp. #39;s new PSP portable game console sold out at Tokyo electronic retailers such as Yodobashi Camera Co. and Bic Camera Co.


NASA Chief Is Resigning After 3 Years, Officials Say Sean O #39;Keefe, the NASA administrator who guided the agency through sweeping changes after the Columbia shuttle accident, will resign and pursue a job as chancellor


Tiger turns in best round this year Tiger Woods turned in his most complete round of a difficult year, missing only two fairways and one green in closing with a 5-under-par 66 for a two-shot victory over Ireland #39;s Padraig Harrington in the Target World


Bomb Threat in Madrid The Real Madrid soccer stadium was evacuated during a match on Sunday night after a bomb threat was delivered through the Basque newspaper Gara, which is often used


Henry happy as Gunners, Blues draw LONDON (AFP) - Arsenal striker Thierry Henry was happy enough with a 2-2 draw against Chelsea here at Highbury yesterday despite twice putting the champions ahead only to see the Premiership leaders draw level each time.


Sutton and Petrov lift Celtic back to top CELTIC returned to the top of the SPL yesterday with a convincing victory that was neither a hangover nor a backlash from their European exit in midweek.


Tiger Pounces to Win Tiger Woods finishes a disappointing 2004 season with his second straight championship, closing with a 5-under 66 to win the Target World Challenge.


Al-Anbar Attacks Kill Seven US Marines, US Military Says Attacks in Iraq #39;s al-Anbar province killed seven US Marines yesterday, the US military command said in an e-mailed statement. The soldiers died in two separate incidents while carrying


US officials deny that Saddam is on hunger strike AMMAN/BAGHDAD - A year after former Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein was taken captive, US officials Sunday denied that the deposed leader was on a hunger strike and said he was in best of health.


IU Claims Soccer Title Indiana defends its NCAA men's soccer title by edging UC Santa Barbara in penalty kicks on Sunday.


O #39;Keefe Reported Ready to Quit NASA NASA administrator Sean O #39;Keefe, who has led the US space program through one of its worst tragedies and into one of its most ambitious endeavors, will likely resign this week to take a \$500,000


Icahn Accuses a Hedge Fund of Stock Manipulation A suit against a large hedge fund filed by Carl C. Icahn, the billionaire financier, could shine a bright light on the largely unregulated hedge fund industry.


Getting a Piece of a DVD Windfall The unexpected windfall from DVD sales have become the wild card in Hollywoods negotiations with the Screen Actors Guild.


Miramax Sues Ex-Chief in Italy, Saying He Had 2 Jobs Miramax Films is seeking compensation from the former head of its Italian unit, claiming that the executive, a friend of the companys co-chairman, also held another job.


Dollar Dips as Market Tests Recovery (Reuters) Reuters - The dollar slipped on Monday as market\players hesitated to push the currency much higher before\upcoming U.S. trade data and a Federal Reserve meeting.


OPEC Head Sees Oil Demand Dropping (Reuters) Reuters - Demand for oil will decline by 1\million barrels per day (bpd) in the second quarter of 2005,\the head of the OPEC producers' cartel said on Monday.


Romanian presidential election too close to call BUCHAREST - The presidential election in Romania is too close to call. Both candidates are claiming victory after exit polls showed a virtual dead heat.


Celtic beat Dunfermline 2-0 Celtic regained the top spot in the Scottish Premier League after a 2-0 victory away to Dunfermline. The result leaves Celtic top-of-the-table with 44 points from 18 games, a single point clear of arch-rivals Glasgow Rangers.


Duke's Krzyzewski Earns 700th Career Win (AP) AP - On a court that bears his moniker, Mike Krzyzewski became the sixth active coach to reach 700 career victories, watching as Shelden Williams finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds to help No. 9 Duke beat Toledo 82-54 on Sunday night.


Inflation and growth on target, but deficit a problem for Turkey's economy (AFP) AFP - Turkey has its endemic inflation under control and its growth rate is impressive, but experts say it must deal with a huge public deficit and knock its labyrinthine bureaucracy into shape if it gets the go-ahead Friday to start membership talks with the European Union.


7 Marines Killed in Iraq's Anbar Province (AP) AP - Seven U.S. Marines were killed in two separate incidents in Iraq's restive Anbar province, the military said Monday, a day after American warplanes pounded Fallujah with missiles as insurgents battled coalition forces in the city.


Bryant Accuses Malone of Hitting on Wife (AP) AP - The Kobe Bryant-Karl Malone feud has turned personal, with Bryant accusing Malone of making a pass at his wife at a game.


Motorola Gets China Unicom Contract (Reuters) Reuters - Wireless technology company\Motorola Inc.  said on Sunday it had been selected by\China United Telecommunications Corp. (China Unicom) for a\project that will expand the telephone services company's\networks in 11 provinces.


Canucks' Bertuzzi Plays in Charity Game (AP) AP - Vancouver Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi returned to the ice Sunday for the first time since being suspended for attacking Colorado's Steve Moore, playing in a charity game that included more than 30 locked out NHL players.


Prime Minister Martin cool to idea of national referendum on gay marriage (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - MONTREAL (CP) - Prime Minister Paul Martin was cool Sunday to the idea of a national referendum on same-sex marriage and said handling the controversial issue should be left to Parliament.


Kerry Lawyer Seeks Ohio Ballot Inspection (AP) AP - Democrat John Kerry is asking county elections officials to allow his witnesses to inspect the 92,000 ballots cast in Ohio in which no vote for president was recorded, a Kerry lawyer said Sunday night.


Democrat Groups Raise More 'Soft Money' (AP) AP - Whatever the reasons John Kerry and the Democrats lost the race for the White House, lack of money wasn't one.


Defeat Throws Doubts Into Outlook of Jets With the victory, the Steelers clinched the A.F.C. North title and maintained their hold on the conference's top playoff seeding.


Ultimate Salesman, Pitching the Biggest Stars in Baseball Scott Boras, the most successful agent in baseball history, tells players what they are worth, tells teams the same and waits for the financial outcome to satisfy him.


For Minaya, Lots of Wheeling, Not Much Dealing Omar Minaya, the Mets' general manager, is prepared to leave the winter meetings without making a deal, with Carlos Delgado and Richie Sexson seemingly slipping away.


Firsthand Experience Not Ideal for Quarterback The Giants might as well let Eli Manning start again next Saturday because they are not going anywhere anyway.


Political blow for Brazil's Lula Brazil's President Luiz Inacio da Silva is weakened as two parties withdraw from his governing coalition.


Cricket: India win in Dhaka India claim the last two Bangladesh wickets to seal an innings win in the first Test.


Migraines 'double' risk of stroke People who have migraines are at twice as likely to have a stroke as people who do not, researchers estimate.


Pentagon Weighs Use of Deception in a Broad Arena The Pentagon is engaged in bitter debate over how far it should go in managing information to influence opinion abroad.


Christian Conservatives Press Issues in Statehouses Energized by electoral wins, conservative Christians are pushing ahead state and local initiatives on controversial issues.


Strain Is Seen in Giuliani Ties With President The collapse of Bernard Kerik's nomination has strained a relationship that has long been more complicated than mere friendship.


For North Korea, Openness Proves a Two-Way Street Before his defection 11 months ago, Kim, a 35-year-old with round-rimmed glasses and a self-assured air, enjoyed the relatively blessed life of the North Korean elite. The son of a ranking military officer in a nation where millions died of starvation during the 1990s, Kim owned a television, a refrigerator and larders brimming with savory white rice.


Brazil's Biggest Party Votes to Leave Government

 By Tiago Pariz

 BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazil's biggest party votedto leave the governing coalition on Sunday in a move that couldcomplicate President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's reform agendaand pressure him to give the centrist party extra governmentposts.


World Bank Chief Likely to Leave in 2005 (AP) AP - James Wolfensohn said Sunday he anticipates bowing out in 2005 as World Bank president and not serving a third five-year term, but would do whatever shareholders ask of him.


Canada Confirms Second Mad Cow Case  WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) - A final laboratory test has  confirmed an Alberta dairy cow had mad cow disease, the second  case Canada has found in its herd, the Canadian Food Inspection  Agency said on Sunday.


Chinese TV Maker Sets Sights on Europe Urged on by China's government and armed with credit from state-owned banks and stock market listings, many Chinese manufacturers are going global.


Mind Over Matter Neuroscientists and biomedical engineers have become increasingly adept at making devices that translate people's thoughts into actions -- a potential boon for paralyzed patients.


Nedved #39;s late strike keeps Juve four points clear ROME (AFP) - Pavel Nedved scored with a superb free-kick four minutes from time to give Juventus a precious 1-0 win at Bologna. A slender victory enabled the 27-time champions to restore their four-point lead


Abbas Set to Win Palestinian Vote, Barghouthi Drops Out Moderate Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas #39;s chances of winning a presidential election to replace Yasser Arafat appeared to be sealed after his main rival Marwan Barghouthi pulled out of the race.


Romanian exit polls predict dead heat EXIT polls from Romanias presidential run-off yesterday showed the race between the Social Democrat prime minister, Adrian Nastase, and the opposition leader, Traian Basescu, was too close to call.


Warriors Overpower Bobcats 99-87 (AP) AP - Jason Richardson scored 24 points to help the Golden State Warriors keep the Charlotte Bobcats winless on the road with a 99-87 victory on Sunday night.


Suddenly, Patriots' Weis Has Two Jobs The New England Patriots' offensive coordinator, Charlie Weis, will be introduced Monday as the coach of Notre Dame.


Greenspan Has Created More Transparent Fed A master of mystery much of the time, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan has vastly improved the central bank #39;s communications with Wall Street and Main Street over the past decade.


Miller wins World Cup giant slalom Bode Miller won a giant slalom WorldCup in Val D #39;Isere, France on Sunday, his fifth victory of the season. Miller, fourth after the first leg, clocked his winning time oftwo minutes


In U.S. Market, Cellphone Users Are Often All Talk After years of delays, U.S. wireless carriers are unveiling third generation phone networks. The carriers will soon find out whether the time and money were actually worth it.


Some Online Sites Falter During the Holiday Rush Holiday slowdowns and crashes at Kmart.com, Amazon.com and others highlight the Web's persistent growing pains.


M.I.T. Technology Review Adopts More Serious Tone The MIT Technology Review, which was introduced in 1899, is getting a makeover to help attract readers and advertisers.


Israeli soldiers  quot;killed in Gaza blast quot; Jazeera said eight soldiers were wounded on Sunday and a ninth was missing in addition to the four dead. Israeli sources said there were.


After Years of Battle, Some '.md' Web Sites Are Going Online A New Jersey company, MaxMd, recently acquired near-exclusive rights to market the ".md" domain, which technically belongs to Moldova.


In the Age of the Wireless Phone, a Louisiana Town Awaits the Real Thing It's no secret what the 15 householders in Mink, La., want for Christmas: the same thing they have always wanted year round - telephones.


Humble Sandwich Gains In Stature The Atkins diet frenzy slowed growth briefly, but the sandwich business is booming, with \$105 billion in sales last year.


U.S. Imposes New Curbs On Clothing Imports Eighteen days before the end of a 30 year-old system restricting international trade in textiles and apparel, the Bush administration is imposing new barriers on imported clothing.


Dulles,  Clearly On Tech's Radar Anchored by Dulles, the fifth-busiest airport in the United States for scheduled arrivals and departures, the Northern Virginia corridor has become a driving force in Washington's economy


Repair Posts Scramble To Meet Demand Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's intended transformation of the Army into a quick, mobile force has started to rub against the daily demands of patching enough tanks and trucks together to keep fighting the war.


Dodgers Continue Winter Trade Talks (AP) AP - Tim Hudson might not be Los Angeles-bound after all. Dodgers general manager Paul DePodesta and his Oakland counterpart, Billy Beane, have talked extensively about Hudson at baseball's winter meetings.


Notre Dame names Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis as <b>...</b> Notre Dame has tapped one of the NFL #39;s most successful units to fill its head coaching vacancy, signing New England Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis to a six-year contract, the school said Sunday night.


Saddam on hunger strike : US military denies Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and 11 top leaders of his regime have gone on hunger strike in their US detention centre, one of their lawyers said yesterday.


Teams Exercise Patience With big-ticket free agents like Carlos Beltran, Richie Sexson and Carlos Delgado still on the market, baseball executives are playing wait-and-see.


Opening The Desktop The Mozilla Foundation #39;s new Thunderbird E-mail client, released last week, is positioned as a simple-but-secure alternative to Microsoft #39;s widely used Outlook Express.


Mysterious Tremors Could Warn Of Future Earthquakes BERKELEY, Calif. -- Mysterious tremors deep beneath the San Andreas Fault could portend future earthquakes, according to University of California, Berkeley scientists.


Holmes voted sports personality of year in Britain Double Olympic gold medallist Kelly Holmes was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year on Sunday. Holmes had been the hottest favorite ever to win the award after her exploits


Nedved gives Juventus late win Bologna, Italy (Sports Network) - Czech striker Pavel Nedved scored off a free kick in the 86th minute Sunday to give Juventus a 1-0 win at Bologna.


Eagles Defeat Redskins 17-14 (AP) AP - Andy Reid moved ahead of Joe Gibbs. Just barely. In a game much tighter than form would have predicted, the Philadelphia Eagles held off the Washington Redskins 17-14 Sunday night, winning their fifth straight and propelling Reid past Gibbs into first place in winning percentage among active coaches.


Real Madrid Soccer Match Abandoned After Bomb Threat (Update1) Real Madrid #39;s home match yesterday against Real Sociedad was abandoned in the 87th minute after a bomb hoax, the Spanish soccer club said.


IBM in server joint venture with China Great Wall Computer (AFP) AFP - China Great Wall Computer Shenzhen Co Ltd has signed an agreement to establish a new joint venture with IBM to produce computer servers for the Asian region, the company said.


Blast kills 15, injures 60 in Philippines A powerful explosion in a crowded southern Philippines market killed 15 and wounded at least 60 on Sunday. The market was packed with Christmas shoppers when the explosion went off in the markets meat section


Oil Above  #36;41 as Saudi Cuts Supplies (Reuters) Reuters - Oil prices climbed above  #36;41 a barrel\on Monday after Saudi Arabia cut January crude deliveries to\clients in Asia, confirming that the top exporter was adhering\to OPEC's agreement last week to curb excess supply.


IBM, AMD Speed Chips, Strain Wafers (Reuters) Reuters - Researchers at IBM  and\Advanced Micro Devices Inc.  have improved a chip-making\technology called strained silicon, boosting  semiconductor\performance at a time when such gains are increasingly hard to\come by, the companies said on Sunday.


Johnson   Johnson and Guidant Hold More Talks on Acquisition Johnson   Johnson, the health care conglomerate, continued its acquisition talks with Guidant, one of the nation's largest makers of devices to treat heart and circulatory illnesses.


Telekom Malaysia,Singapore, to buy Idea Cellular stake The government of Singapore and Telekom Malaysia Bhd agreed to buy a 48 percent stake in India #39;s Idea Cellular from three companies for US\$390 million to tap into India #39;s wireless market.


Australian commodity exports set to increase 15 percent <b>...</b> SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia #39;s commodity exports are forecast to increase by 15 percent to a record 95 billion dollars (71 million US), the government #39;s key economic forecaster said.


Word of Weis spreads quickly Notre Dame, IN - When Willingham was let go a week and a half ago, the word spread quickly across Notre Dame #39;s campus. Now the news that a new coach is in place is all over campus too.


Sports Awards: Holmes wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year If it came as a surprise that Kelly Holmes should win two gold medals at the Athens Olympics, her victory in White City last night, where she became the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, was a racing certainty.


OPEC sees 1 million barrels per day demand drop in 2005 JAKARTA (AFP) - Worldwide demand for oil is expected to drop by about one million barrels per day by the second quarter of 2005 after the northern hemisphere #39;s winter season ends, OPEC #39;s president said.


Telekom Malaysia Spreads Its Wings But No Quick Returns KUALA LUMPUR (Dow Jones)--Telekom Malaysia Bhd. (4863.KU) has begun to spread its wings overseas, but it will be awhile before its Indian and Indonesian investments begin to pay off in substantially stronger earnings.


LSE Receives \$2.6 Billion Offer From Deutsche Boerse (Update2) London Stock Exchange Plc, Europe #39;s third-largest exchange by market value, said it received a 1.35 billion-pound (\$2.6 billion) takeover offer from Deutsche Boerse AG, the second attempt


Lloyds TSB Says Profit Will Fall 23 After Unit Sales (Update2) Lloyds TSB Group Plc, the UK #39;s fifth-largest bank by assets, said annual pretax profit may fall 23 percent, after earnings doubled last year on proceeds from the sale of its businesses in New Zealand and Brazil.


Bayer sells plasma unit to US consortium Bayer continued with its strategic refocusing, announcing on Monday the sale of its plasma business to two US private capital funds.


How IBM and the PC changed the world IBM transformed the world when it launched the personal computer back in 1981. Its decision last week to sell its PC business to Chinese IT supplier Lenovo shows how profound the changes it brought about really are.


#39;Do-not-call #39; law is about a year away OTTAWA -- Federal officials hope to introduce new legislation today to establish a do-not-call registry for consumers who want to put an end to telemarketing pitches.


Reports: J amp;J, Guidant deal near Health care and consumer products maker Johnson  amp; Johnson is close to finalizing its long-rumored \$24 billion cash and stock acquisition of medical-device maker Guidant Corp.


Layoffs ahead for meat workers About 800 workers at the Swift  amp; Co. meat packing plant will lose their jobs four days before Christmas. The layoffs will take effect Dec. 20, 11 days before a contract expires


Opposition leads in Romania poll Partial results put opposition candidate Traian Basescu narrowly ahead in the race to be Romanian president.


Wish you were here Want a wireless, hand-held game player that plays movies, music, and more? Meet the Sony PlayStation Portable known as PSP. What about a


NASA administrator meeting with LSU committee WASHINGTON NASA administrator Sean O #39;Keefe will meet Thursday with a committee searching for Louisiana State University #39;s next chancellor.


AMD, IBM Speed Up Chips With Strained Wafers Researchers at IBM and AMD have improved a chip-making technology called strained silicon. Their announcement, of a new and unique strained silicon transistor technology, is aimed at improving processor performance and power efficiency.


Reefs set for rapid growth Sydney - Coral reefs around the world could grow by up to a third because of rising ocean temperatures, according to a new Australian study which turns on its head the long-held theory that global warming is killing the reefs.


Mystery meteors slice sky tonight Scientists disagree on the origins of the annual Geminid shower but agree that conditions this year favor a spectacular show. Shooting stars of mysterious origin promise a spectacular sky-show tonight for


Thomson Blurs Picture on High-Definition DVD Adding weight to the notion that two high-definition DVD formats may co-exist, leading manufacturer Thomson today announced that it would manufacture HD DVD-compatible discs as well as Blu-ray versions in its Technicolor division.


Yahoo Plans Desktop Search Yahoo will release a desktop search tool in early 2005, joining other search engines looking to catalog a variety of information beyond Web pages, the company said Friday.


ISS Crew Told To Ration Food The ISS astronauts consume an average of about 3,000 calories during any given day in space. Under the current plan, Chiao and Sharipov will reduce their daily intake to a maximum of 2,700 calories.


Firefox e-mail program free and feature-packed Q:I am now happily using Mozilla Firefox for Web browsing instead of Microsoft Internet Explorer. Now I wonder whether I should also switch to Mozilla #39;s free e-mail program.


Google offers a suggestion Google has launched a new feature that tries to guess what users are looking for as they type queries into its search box. Google Suggest was quietly launched this week in the company #39;s Labs site, which showcases


Big Blue Takes On EMC With Storage Virtualization The new storage virtualization software is designed with expanded support to virtualize and manage the complete line of currently available EMC disk storage systems.


The download on digital We will soon get more singles off the net than from the shops - and Apple #39;s iPod is leading the way. James Hall reports. It #39;s Wednesday lunchtime on London #39;s half-empty Regent Street and the sleek new store


UC researchers discover deep tremors under San Andreas Fault BERKELEY - Mysterious tremors deep beneath the San Andreas Fault could portend future earthquakes, according to University of California, Berkeley scientists.


MP3 Sunglasses OAKLEY THUMP is the world #39;s first digital music eyewear. Just high-performance optics forged with an integrated, state-of-the-art digital audio engine.


China 'no longer needs food aid' \The head of the UN World Food Programme says China should start  giving, rather than receiving, food aid.


Crackdown urged on film piracy The UK Film Council wants changes in the law to tackle the growing problem of film piracy and illegal DVDs.


Morrison benefits from Sorensen blunder Clinton Morrison was recalled to the Birmingham City line-up for Sundays derby against Aston Villa, and took just nine minutes to find the net at Villa Park as the Blues continued their exceptional record in clashes with their rivals since their top


Kelly Receives Early Christmas Present Kelly Holmes is looking forward to a well-deserved break at home with her family over Christmas after adding the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award to her double Olympic gold.


Files reveal 1953 Gibraltar row Churchill denied that any promises were made to give Gibraltar to Spain, prompting a row, archived documents show


Dunfermline 0, Celtic 2 Celtic manager Martin O #39;Neill said last night he would be speaking to the agents of several players this week to get them to sign new contracts.


Peyton might seek revenge He believes Sundays 37-14 dismantling of the New York Giants and rookie quarterback Eli Manning, in particular, might come back to haunt the Baltimore Ravens.


Peru Rebel Says Will Surrender Monday  LIMA, Peru (Reuters) - The leader of a 200-strong armed  group that killed four policemen and seized a police station  and part of a southern Peruvian town, to demand the resignation  of President Alejandro Toledo, said it would hand over its  weapons on Monday.


Defeat extremists with reform, Powell tells Arab leaders ARAB leaders must introduce reforms to counter the growth of terrorism, Colin Powell, the outgoing American Secretary of State, told Islamic leaders yesterday.


Shunned, India's untouchables gather tsunami dead (Reuters) Reuters - They are the "untouchables"; the lowest of the low in India's ancient caste system. No job is too dirty or too nasty, and they are the ones cleaning up the rotting corpses from last week's killer tsunami.


Putin Critics, Supporters Demonstrate in Russian Capital Supporters and critics of Russia #39;s president are demonstrating in Moscow, with both groups calling attention to Kremlin plans to consolidate power.


Cheers, and Concern, for New Climate Pact With the United States keeping to the sidelines, delegates from more than 190 countries have gathered here both to celebrate the enactment of the


European Ministers to Discuss Discuss Irans Long-Term Uranium <b>...</b> Diplomats in Brussels say the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany will meet Iran #39;s top nuclear official Monday to discuss a long-term nuclear cooperation agreement.


Man Charged in UK Tsunami Death Email Probe (Reuters) Reuters - British police said on Monday they had\charged a man with sending hoax emails to relatives of people\missing since the Asian tsunami, saying their loved ones had\been confirmed dead.


Deal to save Somali peace process Somalia's new prime minister may by reappointed, and then put to a vote of confidence, officials say.


Ravens Beat Dolphins but Miss Playoffs (AP) AP - The Baltimore Ravens did their part to get into the playoffs. It wasn't enough. After beating the Miami Dolphins 30-23 Sunday, the Ravens had to wait until the late afternoon games ended to learn their postseason fate.


Croatian President Forced Into Runoff (AP) AP - Croatia's pro-Western president failed to win an outright majority for re-election on Sunday, forcing him to face a runoff vote against the conservative government's candidate in two weeks.


Sony PSP goes on sale in Japan The company was able to ship 200,000 units throughout Japan and interestingly, the response from the consumership was phenomenal. Retailers carrying the unit opened their stores early in the morning and faced long lines outside their facilities.


IBM, AMD speed chips by straining silicon wafers Researchers at IBM and Advanced Micro Devices have improved a chip-making technology called strained silicon, boosting semiconductor performance at a time when such


BETAMAX-STYLE DEATH MATCH FOR DVD A high-tech DVD format battle for the hearts, minds and wallets of consumers is shaping up to be a 21st century version of the 1980s VHS/Betamax brawl.


Koskie good fit for Jays TORONTO -- Some of his former teammates said he didn #39;t want to come. People close to the negotiations were doubtful he would come.


Broncos Beat Colts, Earn Wild-Card Spot (AP) AP - The Denver Broncos took care of the Indianapolis 'B' team and earned the right to face Peyton Manning and the real Colts next week in the playoffs. Jake Plummer threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns Sunday to lift the Broncos to a 33-14 victory over the watered-down Colts and qualify for the AFC's final wild-card spot.


Cassini set for Titan return pass The Cassini spacecraft makes one last flyby of Titan on Monday before it despatches the Huygens probe for a rendezvous with the Saturnian moon.


5 Israelis killed in tunnel attack JERUSALEM -- Palestinian militants yesterday detonated an explosives-packed tunnel under an Israeli army base in the Gaza Strip and ambushed Israeli reinforcements, killing five soldiers and complicating efforts underway since Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's death last month to halt more than four years of fighting.


Violence, political feuds cloud Haiti's hopes PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Nine months after a bloody uprising unseated Haiti's elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, hopes for a peaceful road back to democracy have all but vanished.


New tax to be levied on some textile exports BEIJING -- China said today that it will slap a tax on some of its textile exports in a nod to trading partners who fear that less expensive Chinese goods will flood their markets when global quotas on textiles expire next month. China will impose an export duty on certain, unspecified textile products, the English-language China Daily newspaper said, citing ...


Activists, politicians protest Putin policies MOSCOW -- Hundreds of Kremlin critics gathered yesterday on Constitution Day to denounce what they call a retreat from democracy as President Vladimir V. Putin signed a bill scrapping gubernatorial elections.


In visit to Kuwait, Palestinian leader delivers apology KUWAIT CITY -- Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas apologized to Kuwaitis yesterday for Palestinian support of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein during the 1990-'91 Gulf War, his latest gesture to mend fences with Arab nations offended by the late Yasser Arafat over the years.


Sketches From the Front: An Artist's Dispatches, Rendered in Ink and Paint A New York painter, Steve Mumford, has been embedded with military units in Iraq on and off since April 2003.


7 Marines and a G.I. Are Killed in Separate Attacks in Iraq Marine officials reported that seven marines had been killed Sunday while conducting security operations in Anbar.


Wish you were here TOKYO -- Want a wireless, hand-held game player that plays movies, music, and more? Meet the Sony PlayStation Portable known as PSP.


In bid for more ads, America Online taking down walls DULLES, Va. -- The walls surrounding America Online Inc.'s well-manicured gardens are crumbling: AOL is abandoning its strategy of exclusivity and will free much of its music, sports, and other programming to nonsubscribers, in hopes of boosting ad sales.


'House flipping' said to cheat minorities ALBANY, N.Y. -- A four-bedroom, 1-bath colonial for only a \$450 monthly mortgage payment? How can you go wrong? Lots of ways. Fair housing advocates say the first-time buyer of that \$85,000 Syracuse, N.Y., home lost out in one of the many forms of  quot;house flipping, quot; or the fast resale of property at high profits.


Keep playing while you're charging Popping a gadget into a cradle to recharge it used to mean downtime, but these days chargers are doing double duty, keeping your portable devices playing even when they're charging.


Some fear it's a passport to identity theft It's December 2005 and you're all set for Christmas in Vienna. You have your most fashionable cold-weather gear, right down to the red maple leaves embroidered on your jacket and backpack, to conceal your American citizenship from hostile denizens of Europe.


6 Court-Martialed After Taking Vehicles At a time when some U.S. troops in Iraq are complaining they have to scrounge for equipment, six Ohio-based reservists have been  court-martialed for taking Army vehicles abandoned in Kuwait by other units so they could carry out their own  mission to Iraq.


Racist Taunts Rattle European Soccer Professional soccer teams, their national and international governing bodies and anti-racism groups have been grappling with a number of incidents around Europe over the last month.


A qualified success FOXBOROUGH -- When a team is 12-1, clinching a playoff berth and the AFC East title (after the Jets lost to the Steelers) in spite of allowing almost 500 yards of offense, what else can one do but project this type of performance down the road to more meaningful games?


Sox may find out today on Martinez ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Restless to resolve his status, Pedro Martinez has indicated he wants to decide by today whether to re-sign with the Red Sox or bolt to the Mets, a source familiar with his thinking said last night.


These meetings are hardly meaty ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Put the executives of 30 major league teams, dozens of agents, and all of their assorted support staff -- we're talking sufficient manpower for three brigades -- and what do you get?


Manning, Colts keep up the pace HOUSTON -- Peyton Manning broke one of Dan Marino's touchdown records, just not the one everybody has been talking about.


Defense delivers late for San Diego SAN DIEGO -- LaDainian Tomlinson and Drew Brees aren't the only ones who can win games for the resurgent San Diego Chargers. Their defense is pretty good, too.


Broncos slip by Dolphins DENVER -- The Denver Broncos found a new running back, then lost him just as quickly. They kept their postseason hopes alive, but looked nothing like a playoff-worthy team.


Ugly victory saves Eagles LANDOVER, Md. -- The Philadelphia Eagles held off the Washington Redskins, 17-14, last night, winning their fifth straight and propelling Andy Reid past Joe Gibbs into first place in winning percentage among active coaches.


Longwell gives Packers boost GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Ryan Longwell's 23-yard field goal gave Green Bay a 16-13 win over the Detroit Lions yesterday and lifted the Packers (8-5) into first place in the NFC North by a game over Minnesota.


Crown fits for Falcons ATLANTA -- T.J. Duckett set a team record by rushing for four touchdowns and the Atlanta Falcons clinched just the third division title in franchise history, wrapping up the NFC South with a 35-10 rout of the Oakland Raiders yesterday.


Jaguars get jump on Bears JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Byron Leftwich threw two touchdown passes and the Jacksonville defense constantly harassed Chad Hutchinson in the Jaguars' 22-3 victory over the injury-depleted Chicago Bears yesterday.


Win was No. 1 priority Many teams would gladly settle for a tie when playing shorthanded in the final minute of overtime against an unbeaten opponent. No. 1 Minnesota isn't one of them.


Hurricanes blow by UMass CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- After his team's dramatic victory over No. 7 Connecticut last week, Minuteman Anthony Anderson said,  quot;We've been saying this is our year. quot;