A Pair of Linux Stocking Stuffers (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Opinion: Want a quick and easy introduction to Linux? Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols offers two reading suggestions that will help get you started.


Oracle Vows 'Oversupport' for PeopleSoft Customers (Reuters) Reuters - Business software maker Oracle\Corp.  on Tuesday promised to do everything it can to\keep PeopleSoft Inc.'s  giant customer base, whose\departure could threaten the financial success of its proposed\ #36;9.2 billion takeover of PeopleSoft.


Summary Box: Saving Hubble Will Be Costly (AP) AP - OUTLOOK FOR HUBBLE: The newest report on a plan to save the popular, aging space telescope by repairing it with a robot says it would cost  #36;2 billion and have just a 50-50 chance of working.


An Apple rumor a day Now that Apple Computer has its shitake mushrooms together, it apparently is being coveted by IBM. Missing Links


Chairwoman of Civil Rights Panel Resigns (AP) AP - Mary Frances Berry, blunt-spoken chairwoman of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, resigned Tuesday after more than two decades of criticizing the governments, both Democratic and Republican, that she served.


San Diego's Incumbent Mayor to Be Sworn In (AP) AP - A state appeals court on Tuesday lifted an order that had stopped San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy from being sworn in for a second term.


Mid-East peace claims 'premature' Israel dismisses reports from Egypt that a peace plan has been agreed with the Palestinians as premature.


Lead exposure link to cataracts Accumulated lead exposure may increase the risk of developing a cataract, research suggests.


Nortel makes security push Nortel Networks is pushing its security features to the forefront with a series of updated products and a new relationship with security vendor Symantec.


Tech Firms Urge Bush to Focus on Cybersecurity Security alliance asks for more funding for cybersecurity research and development.


First Look: Affordable TiVo With DVD Burning  Humax offers solid box with built-in DVD recorder and 80 hours of storage.


Colgate rejig has a brush with layoffs : Consumer goods maker Colgate-Palmolive Co said on Tuesday it would cut about 12 per cent of its 37,000-person work force and close one-third of its factories worldwide as part of a four-year restructuring.


Fiorina: HP #39;s Future All About Execution Hewlett-Packard Chairman and CEO Carly Fiorina said Tuesday that the company is finally where it wants to be in terms of its organizational model.


Sprewell Suspended for Remarks Made to Fan (AP) AP - Latrell Sprewell was suspended for one game by the NBA on Tuesday for yelling a sexual vulgarity at a female fan during a game, the latest episode of a player clashing with spectators.


Service Pack 1 for Windows Server 2003 mithridate writes  quot;Microsoft has posted the Windows 2003 Service Pack 1 Release Candidate. eWeek has a short review of the service pack.


Valencia 0-2 Werder Bremen: FT Report VALENCIA, December 7 (Champions League) - Werder Bremen saw off Valencia to qualify for the knockout phase of the Champions League and condemn their hosts to UEFA Cup football.


Viduka ends drought MARK Viduka was back among the goals yesterday after going through his longest spell without scoring in England. Viduka scored twice to inspire Middlesbrough to a 3-2 Premier League home win over Manchester City, ending a 12-match goal drought.


Signed, Sealed, Delivered CHICAGO - The Cubs and shortstop Nomar Garciaparra have agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth \$8 million. No option years were added to the contract.


No rthern Trust Bank of Florida has full Major League Baseball player Rick Helling, right, talks with an unidentified Player #39;s Association representative as he arrives to attend meetings Monday, Dec. 6, 2004, at the Royal Palms Resort in Phoenix.


Alberta teens excel in international testing In recent testing by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Alberta teens placed in the top three for their scores in math, reading and science.


Automakers Sue To Block State #39;s Tough Emissions Standards FRESNO, Calif. -- Automobile manufacturers sued Tuesday to block California regulators from adopting the world #39;s toughest vehicle-emissions standards, arguing in a lawsuit that the standards are the federal government #39;s responsibility.


Valencia #39;s Ranieri rails against Swedish referee Frisk Valencia coach Claudio Ranieri railed against referee Anders Frisk after his side went out of the Champions League with a 2-0 defeat by Werder Bremen on Tuesday.


Oracle Vows  #39;Oversupport #39; for PeopleSoft Customers Business software maker Oracle Corp. (ORCL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday promised to do everything it can to keep PeopleSoft Inc.


Ukraine President, Assembly Deadlocked Over Poll (Reuters) Reuters - Ukraine's outgoing president and\opposition appeared deadlocked on Tuesday after the collapse of\a tentative deal intended to smooth a rerun of elections\annulled because of fraud and defuse weeks of turmoil.


Bryant Comments Sour Malone on Lakers (AP) AP - Karl Malone has ruled out a return to the Los Angeles Lakers because of comments made by Kobe Bryant in a radio interview, Malone's agent said Tuesday.


Mariners re-sign longtime C Wilson Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - The Seattle Mariners Tuesday agreed to terms with backstop Dan Wilson on a one-year contract, avoiding arbitration with the franchise #39;s all-time leader in games caught.


Seattle Catcher Dan Wilson OKs Contract (AP) AP - The Mariners agreed Tuesday to a  #36;1.75 million, one-year contract with catcher Dan Wilson, bringing back a fan favorite who represents a link to the team's historic 1995 breakthrough.


Meyer Begins New Era in Florida Football (AP) AP - Urban Meyer's eyes widened as he looked around Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. He saw references to the school's six Southeastern Conference titles, two Heisman Trophy winners and the 1996 national championship. It wasn't his first trip to The Swamp, but it sure felt different. This was home now.


Ukraine President, Assembly Deadlocked Over Poll  KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine's outgoing president and  opposition appeared deadlocked on Tuesday after the collapse of  a tentative deal intended to smooth a rerun of elections  annulled because of fraud and defuse weeks of turmoil.


IRA Arms Photo Row Set to Break New N.Irish Deal  BELFAST (Reuters) - A standoff over how the scrapping of  IRA arms is proved looks set to dash hopes of a landmark deal  in Northern Ireland on Wednesday, when Britain and Ireland plan  to unveil their blueprint for a lasting political settlement.


Credit Suisse brings bank back into fold Credit Suisse yesterday announced a radical shake-up of its businesses including an overhaul of its investment bank and the planned flotation of insurer Winterthur.


San Francisco Rules Could Bar Elephants from Zoo Elephants must receive hundreds of times more space to live at San Francisco #39;s zoo or not be kept at the facility, city legislators said on Tuesday in legislation that could effectively bar pachyderms for good.


Royals decline to offer arbitration to Gonzalez, Randa Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - The Kansas City Royals declined to offer arbitration to veteran outfielder Juan Gonzalez and three others on Tuesday, effectively cutting them loose.


Meyer Begins New Era in Florida Football GAINESVILLE, Fla. Dec 7, 2004 - Urban Meyer #39;s eyes widened as he looked around Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. He saw references to the school #39;s six Southeastern Conference titles, two Heisman Trophy winners and the 1996 national championship.


General warns his troops Israel #39;s chief of staff has called for the army to examine its conduct following allegations that soldiers carried out an execution-style killing of an unarmed Palestinian militant in the West Bank.


UHL Hockey Team Owner Faces Assault Charge (AP) AP - A minor league hockey referee wants assault charges dropped against a team owner who he claimed punched him last week, but prosecutors won't drop the case.


Dollar Stalls Vs Yen  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar paused from recent heavy  selling on Wednesday, holding near overnight levels against the  euro and the yen as investors brushed aside revised data that  confirmed sluggish growth in Japan's economy.


Europe piles pressure on US as the greenback dips to new low The Dollar hit fresh lows against the euro and the pound yesterday after European finance ministers launched a direct challenge to the US to tackle its financial deficits.


Court Hears Interstate Wine Sales Case WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court considered Tuesday whether state alcoholic beverage regulations put in place 70 years ago, after Prohibition was lifted, should remain the law of the land in the Internet age.


Merck appoints committee to review company actions on Vioxx Beleaguered pharmaceutical giant Merck  amp; Co. Inc. has appointed a special committee of board members and a retired federal judge to review the company #39;s actions before it


Sony and Nvidia Develop Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. and NVIDIA Corporation today announced that the companies have been collaborating to develop the graphics processing unit for the Playstation 3. In the future, the experience


Mozilla Thunderbirs 1.0 e-mail client launched The Mozilla Foundation today announced the worldwide availability of the Mozilla Thunderbird 1.0 e-mail client. Thunderbird follows last month #39;s highly successful release of the open-source browser, Mozilla Firefox 1.0.


Lycos withdraws vigilante anti-spam screensaver Lycos UK has withdrawn its anti-spam screensaver download from its portal following criticism that the vigilante-style programme had been too successful against spammers websites, shutting down a range of sites.


McCarthy #39;s late header sends Porto through DEFENDING champions Porto sneaked through to the knockout phase of the Champions League with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Chelsea last night.


Ranieri feels heat as Valencia fall Claudio Ranieri #39;s future as manager of Valencia was thrown in doubt last night when they failed to progress from Group G following a 2-0 home defeat by Werder Bremen.


Cricket-Pakistan get first crack at Aussie Test bat PERTH, Australia (AFP) - The Pakistan pace duo of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami will get their first crack at an Australian Test batsman so far on this tour when they take on a Chairman #39;s XI captained by Justin Langer in a limited overs match here.


Seattle catcher Dan Wilson agrees to one-year contract The Seattle Mariners signed catcher Dan Wilson to a one-year contract Tuesday, bringing back a fan favorite who represents a link to the team #39;s historic 1995 breakthrough.


Its Flexible Circuits Keep Our Gadgets Tiny (Investor's Business Daily) Investor's Business Daily - Ever wonder how they squeeze so much electronic wizardry into those tiny cellular flip phones?


Amnesty: Rapes in War Zones Not Punished (AP) AP - Women and girls in war zones suffer rape and violent abuse while offenders escape punishment, Amnesty International said a report released Wednesday.


Report: Egypt brokers Israeli-Palestinian cease-fire, peace <b>...</b> The official news agency of Egypt says leaders there have reached an understanding with Israel, the Palestinians, the United States and Europe.


Palestinian leaders urge Syria to stay out of elections During a two-day visit to Damascus by Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and official candidate of the Fatah movement in the elections, the Palestinians


Nomar Re-Signs, Pedro Offered Arbitration (AP) AP - Nomar Garciaparra stayed with the Chicago Cubs, and the Boston Red Sox made arbitration offers to Pedro Martinez and several other World Series stars Tuesday, the first big deadline of the offseason for teams and free agents.


Siebel unveils SMB go-to-market strategy (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - After a year of pilots and trials, Siebel Systems jumped with both feet into the SMB market Tuesday, announcing a new approach to offer Siebel Professional CRM applications to SMBs (small and midsize businesses) -- companies with revenues up to about  #36;500 million.


San Francisco Rules Could Bar Elephants from Zoo (Reuters) Reuters - Elephants must receive hundreds\of times more space to live at San Francisco's zoo or not be\kept at the facility, city legislators said on Tuesday in\legislation that could effectively bar pachyderms for good.


Spitzer to Run for Governor in New York (AP) AP - New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, whose white-collar crime investigations have sent a shudder through Wall Street, announced Tuesday he is running for governor in 2006.


House Passes Sweeping Intelligence Reforms (Reuters) Reuters - The House of Representatives on\Tuesday approved a sweeping overhaul of U.S. intelligence\agencies, ending weeks of wrangling over the Pentagon's power\under the reforms demanded after the Sept. 11 attacks.


Automakers Sue to Block Emissions Law in California Toyota, General Motors and seven other automakers filed suit to block California's new greenhouse gas regulation, which was approved by the state in September.


IBM Sells PC Unit to China #39;s Lenovo China #39;s largest personal computer maker, Lenovo Group Ltd. (0992.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) , said on Wednesday it is buying control of IBM #39;s PC-making business for \$1.25


Supreme Court Hears Arguments On Internet Wine Sales WASHINGTON -- The US Supreme Court Tuesday heard a case about the sale of wine over the Internet. The court heard arguments on whether it #39;s fair for states to ban out-of-state growers from shipping their products


Branson promises travellers new price war on London to Sydney air <b>...</b> Virgin Atlantic is to launch a price war on the  quot;Kangaroo route quot; between London and Sydney, pledging to cut fares by up to one-third.


Arizona bell-ringers taking plastic this year No problem. Salvation Army bell ringers will swipe your debit or credit card for an on-the-spot donation. Starting Wednesday in Arizona, the agency is using hand-held debit/credit machines at select Valley locations.


Business Analysis: Turner  amp; Newall pensions crisis leaves <b>...</b> The crisis in the UK occupational pensions sector seemingly scaled new heights this week as Federal Mogul, the insolvent American car parts manufacturer, finally pulled the plug on the pension fund of its UK subsidiary Turner  amp; Newall.


Players OK Reaching Deal on Steroid Tests (AP) AP - Baseball players gave their lawyers the go-ahead Tuesday to reach an agreement with owners on tougher testing for steroids.


Nvidia to be Sony game supplier Nvidia Corp. will supply graphics technology for Sony Corp. #39;s next-generation PlayStation video game console, the companies said Tuesday.


NASA seeks methods to repair shuttles in flight The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA is hoping to develop techniques to allow a crew to repair damages to Space Shuttle in flight.


Air Force says shuttle spectators at high risk Space shuttle launches are 100 times more dangerous to people on the ground than any other US missiles or rockets, and NASA fails to meet


Does the  #39;Halo 2 #39; effect threaten broadband? The rapid growth in online game playing will put pressure on broadband networks to evolve, according to research published this week by Sandvine.


IOC Joins Steroid Inquiry Involving Marion Jones The International Olympic Committee joined the investigation yesterday into allegations that Marion Jones, the American gold-medal sprinter, had used anabolic steroids and other illegal bodybuilding drugs.


NBA to review Sprewell #39;s comments against female Minnesota Timberwolves Latrell Sprewell #39;s profane comments, made to a female heckler, are being reviewed by NBA officials. The Star Tribune reported Tuesday that Sprewell #39;s


Garciaparra stays with Cubs on big deadline night Nomar Garciaparra stayed with the Chicago Cubs, and the Boston Red Sox made arbitration offers to Pedro Martinez and several other World Series stars Tuesday, the first big deadline of the offseason for teams and free agents.


Astros re-sign Palmeiro The Houston Astros and free-agent outfielder Orlando Palmeiro agreed to an \$800,000, one-year contract Tuesday. The Astros also signed right-handed reliever Russ Springer to a minor league contract.


#39;The blood is running #39;: Mafia wars erupt again It #39;s the mildest of mild winters down here in the south of Italy and, last weekend at Bcoli, a pretty suburb by the seaside west of Naples, the customers of Pizzeria  quot;Da Enrico quot; were making the most of it.


I.O.C. Joins Steroid Inquiry Involving Marion Jones The International Olympic Committee joined the investigation into allegations that Marion Jones had used anabolic steroids and other illegal bodybuilding drugs.


IBM Sells PC Unit to China's Lenovo (Reuters) Reuters - China's largest personal\computer maker, Lenovo Group Ltd. (0992.HK), said on Wednesday\it is buying control of IBM's PC-making business for  #36;1.25\billion, capping the U.S. tech giant's gradual withdrawal from\the business it helped pioneer in 1981.


Retailers Looking to Move Plasma TV's (AP) AP - Hanging stockings by the chimney with care? Retailers hope that St. Nicholas soon will be there  #151; to hang a 42-inch plasma-screen TV. As prices drop for high-end televisions, sales are leaping. Retailers expect to sell twice as many plasma-screen televisions and three times as many LCD televisions this year, according to the Consumer Electronics Association.


Saudi Arabia moves to cut production ahead of Opec meeting Saudi Arabia has begun to reduce oil output ahead of this week #39;s Opec meeting, industry officials said yesterday. The reduction, expected to continue over the coming months


Thunderbird 1.0 Takes Aim At Microsoft #39;s Outlook Express Following the launch of its Firefox browser, Mozilla delivers an E-mail client. A calendaring application may be next. By John Foley.


Project shows business side of grid Hoping to prove that grid computing can work in the business world, Dell, EMC, Intel and Oracle on Tuesday announced a joint effort designed to show business users how to use the distributed computing technology.


Security software protects data-centric mobile phones and PDAs Trend Micro has debuted a software package said to provide antivirus and anti-spam protection for SMS messaging on  quot;data-centric quot; mobile phones and PDAs.


British attack Klitschko drug past Danny Williams #39; trainer Jim McDonnell claimed last night that Vitali Klitschko #39;s steroid-using past would count against him when he defends his WBC heavyweight title against the British challenger here on Saturday night.


Son #39;s birth convinced war dodger, hearing told TORONTO -- An American war dodger who willingly joined the US army because it would pay for his university education testified yesterday the birth of his son was the final step in his realization that he didn #39;t want to be a killer.


Colgate to slash 10pc of workforce Colgate-Palmolive, the toothpaste-to-bleach consumer goods giant, is cutting more than one in 10 of its workforce across the world.


Half the world #39;s workers earn less than \$2 a day Half the world #39;s 2.8bn workers are trapped in jobs that leave them and their families struggling to survive on less than \$2 a day, with little prospect of escape from grinding


Automakers Sue to Block Emissions Law in California DETROIT, Dec. 7- Toyota, General Motors and seven other automakers filed suit on Tuesday to block California #39;s new greenhouse gas regulation, which was approved by the state in its final form in September.


Weldon: Reports Say JNJ, Guidant Merger Seen Within Week Johnson  amp; Johnson (nyse: JNJ - news - people ) is said to be in advanced talks to buy medical device maker Guidant (nyse: GDT - news - people ) for more than \$24 billion.


Update 5: EU Official Concerned About Italy Figures The European Union #39;s top monetary official said Tuesday he was concerned over Italian budget deficit figures, only a week after Greece was challenged over alleged sloppy bookkeeping and possible underreporting of its deficit to present a rosy economic


IRA Says It Has Resumed Disarmament Talks (AP) AP - The Irish Republican Army has reopened negotiations with Northern Ireland's disarmament chief, the outlawed group said Tuesday, signaling its readiness to put more weapons out of commission for the first time in over a year.


Rogge steps up pressure over Jones drugs claims Marion Jones was under growing pressure last night after the International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge set up an investigation into allegations she used banned performance-enhancing drugs.


Dozens arrested in Mafia swoop ITALIAN anti-Mafia magistrates ordered the arrest of 65 people as part of a massive police swoop in Naples early today in a bid to staunch the bloodletting in a turf war which has killed more than 120 people, Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu said.


EU to give China  #39;signal #39; on lifting arms ban at summit The EU is preparing to send a  quot;positive signal quot; to China at a summit with Prime Minister Wen Jiabao Wednesday over his call to lift a 15-year-old EU arms embargo, but no immediate decision is expected.


China Computer Maker Acquires IBM PC Biz (AP) AP - China's biggest computer maker, Lenovo Group, said Wednesday it has acquired a majority stake in International Business Machines Corp.'s personal computer business for  #36;1.75 billion, one of the biggest Chinese overseas acquisitions ever.


PMs to publish devolution plan The British and Irish prime ministers are due in Northern Ireland as hopes fade of a deal to restore devolution.


Oracle Vows 'Oversupport' for PeopleSoft Customers  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Business software maker Oracle  Corp. ORCL.O on Tuesday promised to do everything it can to  keep PeopleSoft Inc.'s PSFT.O giant customer base, whose  departure could threaten the financial success of its proposed  \$9.2 billion takeover of PeopleSoft.


IBM to Sell PC Sector to Chinese Firm Lenovo Group said Wednesday it has acquired a majority stake in International Business Machines Corp.'s personal computer business for \$1.25 billion, one of the biggest Chinese overseas acquisitions ever.
-Associated Press


Colgate to Cut Jobs and Use Savings to Spur Sales Colgate-Palmolive said that it would close about a third of its factories and cut more than 4,400 jobs over the next four years.


Veritas' India lab to become its largest R D center BANGALORE, INDIA - Veritas Software's research and development (R D) center in Pune, India, will soon be the company's largest worldwide, according to a company executive.


Israel to collaborate with India in IT BANGALORE, INDIA - Israeli companies want to collaborate with Indian companies on research and development (R D) to create IT products and services for the global market, according to Ehud Olmert, Israel's deputy prime minister and minister for industry, trade, labor and communications.


Cisco guns for data centers SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - Cisco Systemstook dead aim at data centers Tuesday at its annual Worldwide Analyst Conference, with company executives claiming many communications functions in servers would be better off moved into the network.


Tech firms urge Bush to focus on cybersecurity WASHINGTON - A cybersecurity advocacy group on Tuesday called on U.S. President George Bush to focus more resources on computer issues and elevate the top IT security position at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to the assistant secretary level.


Siebel unveils SMB go-to-market strategy After a year of pilots and trials, Siebel Systems jumped with both feet into the SMB market Tuesday, announcing a new approach to offer Siebel Professional CRM applications to SMBs (small and midsize businesses) -- companies with revenues up to about \$500 million.


Intel Sheds Light on 2005 Desktop Strategy Road map promises 64-bit capabilities for desktop processors by first half of 2005.


Justices hear arguments about Internet wine sales Supreme Court justices on Tuesday uncorked tough questions for states that ban direct shipments of wine. With eager winemakers looking on, the court confronted two competing constitutional mandates.


Brussels likely to put deficit disputes on ice France and Germany #39;s bruising dispute with Brussels over their big budget deficits is expected to be suspended next week after both countries claimed they would comply with EU rules in 2005.


Clippers forward Brand suspended one game Los Angeles Clippers forward Elton Brand was suspended one game without pay by the National Basketball Association (NBA) on Tuesday.


No. 11 Pittsburgh Outguns Memphis 70-51 (AP) AP - Carl Krauser scored all but two of his 17 points at the free throw line to lead No. 11 Pittsburgh to a 70-51 victory over Memphis on Tuesday night in the Jimmy V Classic.


No. 11 Pittsburgh Beats Memphis  NEW YORK (Sports Network) - Carl Krauser scored 17 points,  grabbed seven rebounds and handed out four assists to lead No.  11 Pittsburgh over Memphis, 70-51, in the Jimmy V Classic from  New York's famed Madison Square Garden.


Mac OS X Tip of the Week: Application Switching When you want to switch from one open application to another, you don #146;t have to move your cursor down to the Dock. Your hands don #146;t even have to leave the keyboard. Read this week #146;s tip to learn how you can use simple keystrokes to switch quickly between open apps. Dec 07


Lenovo to acquire IBM Personal Computing Division Lenovo Group Limited, a Personal Computer brand in China and across Asia has announced a definitive agreement under which Lenovo will acquire IBM #39;s Personal Computing Division to form the world #39;s third-largest PC business, bringing IBM #39;s enterprise-class


Oil prices fall to four-month low NEW YORK Oil prices have dropped again, going down to the lowest level in four months. In New York, crude for January delivery fell one dollar and 52 cents to settle at 41 dollars, 46 cents a barrel.


European Governments Back Lamy for WTO Job Former European Union trade commissioner Pascal Lamy won wide backing from EU governments Tuesday in his bid to become the next head of the World Trade Organization, a spokeswoman said.


J amp;J in Guidant merger talks Johnson  amp; Johnson, the US medical and consumer goods group, is in advanced discussions to buy Guidant, a maker of medical devices, in a deal that could be worth about \$24bn (12bn).


Medics' training applies lessons of battle FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. -- Fake blood spewed, smoke billowed, strobe lights flashed, and two high-tech dummies with limbs blown off lay on the ground.


Can Klitschko Establish Himself as the Best against Williams? December 8, 2004. Vitali Klitschko is recognized by Ring Magazine as the Heavyweight Champion of the World. HBO Sports would also like you to believe it.


CL Preview: Three teams still in the hunt in Group B LEVERKUSEN/ROME, Dec 7 (SW) - Dynamo Kiev, Bayer Leverkusen, and Real Madrid all have a good chance of qualifying for the Champions League Round of 16 if they can get the right results in Group F on Wednesday night.


Signings roundup: Cormier signs two-year deal with Phillies PHILADELPHIA -- Left-handed reliever Rheal Cormier is returning to the Philadelphia Phillies, agreeing to a \$5.75 million, two-year contract.


Coach to clash with former point guard Geno Auriemma has coached many great players while turning Connecticut into a five-time national champion. He will coach against one of them for the first time Tuesday night.


Philippine officials appeal for international assistance Relief workers battled rain and choppy seas yesterday to deliver food and medicine to the country #39;s northeast following devastating back-to-back storms that killed at least 568 people and left hundreds more missing.


Credit Suisse to Overhaul First Boston Operations Credit Suisse Group announced yesterday that it would integrate its Credit Suisse First Boston investment banking arm into the parent company over the next two years in an effort to create a  quot;more focused franchise.


No. 18 Alabama Holds Off Alabama St. 72-54 (AP) AP - Kennedy Winston scored 21 points and Chuck Davis had 18 points and nine rebounds to lead No. 18 Alabama to a 72-54 victory over Alabama State on Tuesday night.


Switched on? Will Juniper Networks, Ciscos chief rival in the router market, make an entry into ethernet switching, and try to take yet another bite out of Ciscos business?


Microsoft nears release of 64-bit Windows com December 7, 2004, 10:51 AM PT. Microsoft said Tuesday that it has released a near-final test version of updates to its Windows and Windows Server operating systems.


Almunia feeling pressure Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger frankly admitted his goalkeeper, Manuel Almunia is feeling the pressure to perform after a nervous display in the Gunners Champions League win overnight.


Red Sox to meet with Pedro in Dominican BOSTON -- The Red Sox offered arbitration to nine players Tuesday, including three key players who helped the club win its first World Series since 1918.


Tuesday #39;s Sports Transactions Dec 7, 2004 - KANSAS CITY ROYALS Agreed to terms with RHP Kevin Appier on a minor league contract. OAKLAND ATHLETICS Named Von Hayes manager and Javier Alvidrez trainer of Midland of the Texas League, Todd


Arizona State Upsets No. 11 Georgia 67-57 (AP) AP - Kylan Loney had five 3s among her 23 points, and Arizona State used 24 turnovers by 11th-ranked Georgia to win 67-57 Tuesday night.


Wall St. Turns to the Time Out as Punishment Regulators are wielding a new weapon against Wall Street firms instead of multimillion-dollar fines: temporarily shutting down certain business lines.


US presses Syrians on border security DAMASCUS, Syria -- The State Department's second in command said yesterday that Syria had improved security along its border with Iraq but needed to do more to keep armed supporters of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein from sneaking across.


EU backs Lamy to head World Trade Organisation Pascal Lamy, the former EU trade commissioner, could become the World Trade Organisation #39;s new director general, replacing Supachai Panitchpakdi when his three-year term runs out in August.


Half of all workers on \$2 a day or less A record number people are working in the global economy but half of them make \$2 a day or less, according to a report published yesterday.


Messier fined 1m for hiding debts France #39;s market regulator fined Jean-Marie Messier, the disgraced chairman of Vivendi Universal, 1m (700,000) last night for misleading investors with over-optimistic corporate bravado over a two-year period that ended in the collapse of his


Mozilla Thunderbird 1.0 e-mail Client available. Mozilla, after taking on the Internet browser market which is  quot;owned quot; by microsoft now decided to take on the Email Client Market, which is also controlled by microsoft.


Toshiba #39;s DVD has it both ways Toshiba claimed yesterday to have developed the first DVD that is capable of playing both conventional and high-definition content, in the latest move in the race for the next generation of optical discs.


Flash iPod rumours lift Apple stock Apple shares rose 4.9 percent on Monday after analysts said they expected the company to introduce a smaller, cheaper iPod in January.


Pitt erupts in second half, routs Duquesne, 87-57 The annual  quot;City Game, quot; matching Pittsburgh against cross-town rival Duquesne, has not been much of a game in recent years with the Panthers dominating


Red Sox offer arbitration to Martinez, Lowe, Varitek Pedro Martinez, Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek were offered salary arbitration Tuesday by the Boston Red Sox, giving them until Jan. 8 to re-sign three key players who helped the team win its first World Series since 1918.


Clippers #39; Brand suspended one game New York, NY (Sports Network) - Los Angeles Clippers forward Elton Brand was suspended Tuesday for one game by the NBA for shoving Charlotte #39;s Emeka Okafor during the fourth quarter of Monday night #39;s game.


Cavaliers 103, Nets 97 LeBron James scored 27 points and assisted on Lucious Harris #39; clinching 3-pointer with 6 seconds left as the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers won their eighth straight at home, 103-97 over the New Jersey Nets on Tuesday night.


No. 24 Wisconsin Tops Wisconsin-Green Bay (AP) AP - Mike Wilkinson scored 18 points and No. 24 Wisconsin beat Wisconsin-Green Bay 65-55 on Tuesday night, extending the longest home winning streak in Division I to 32 games.


Blair petitioned to set up inquiry into Iraqi war dead Dozens of establishment figures, including five former ambassadors and leading military officers, signed an open letter to Tony Blair today calling for an inquiry into the deaths of Iraqis after the war.


Goalie Gets Long Workout Providence goaltender David Cacciola expected to face a lot of shots when the Friars visited Boston College on Saturday. But he did not expect about three games' worth.


Pierce Thrives in Middle The Redskins may have a tough time retaining improving linebacker Antonio Pierce when he becomes a free agent after the season.


Cowboys Ride J. Jones Other running backs were ranked higher than Julius Jones in last April's draft and the Cowboys took heat for trading down and taking him. Now, minds are changing.


Pittsburgh Pounds Memphis Carl Krauser scores all but two of his 17 points at the free throw line to lead No. 11 Pittsburgh to a 70-51 victory over Memphis.


No 'Lake' Show for Malone Public and private comments from Kobe Bryant have ended any possibility that Karl Malone would rejoin the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Malone's agent.


Losing Takes Its Toll Hometown boy Jim O'Brien has found that returning to Philadelphia as head coach is as tough as a week-old cheesesteak. With three new starters, the 76ers are scuffling at 6-10.


Merck #39;s Board Appoints Panel to Investigate Handling of Vioxx The directors of Merck, the giant drug maker, have opened an independent investigation into whether the company acted properly regarding Vioxx, the arthritis treatment that it withdrew from the market in September.


Football: Real prepare for crucial tie Real Madrid held their final training session in Rome on Tuesday evening ahead of their must-win Champions League match against Roma on Wednesday night.


No. 11 Pittsburgh 70, Memphis 51 Krauser, one of seven New York City area players on No. 11 Pittsburgh #39;s roster, scored all but two of his 17 points at the free throw line in a 70-51 victory over Memphis on Tuesday night in the Jimmy V Classic.


51 held over deadly feud in Naples Police have detained more than 50 people in a swoop on the local mafia, known as the Camorra, in the southern Italian city of Naples, which has been the scene of an escalating turf war.


Australia to Spend A\$591 Million Increasing Embassy Security Australia #39;s government will spend A\$591 million (\$455 million) to upgrade security at its overseas missions and embassies over the next five years, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said.


Clippers' Brand Suspended One Game  NEW YORK (Sports Network) - Los Angeles Clippers forward  Elton Brand was suspended Tuesday for one game by the NBA for  shoving Charlotte's Emeka Okafor during the fourth quarter of  Monday night's game.


Terps Blast Bonnies No. 19 Maryland overcomes poor first-half shooting to earn a 91-42 victory over St. Bonaventure.


Nowitzki Burns Wolves With Latrell Sprewell suspended and Don Nelson tossed two minutes into the game, Dirk Nowitzki becomes the story by scoring 34 points to lift the Mavs over the Wolves, 97-87.


U.S. Blasts All Parties in Darfur Conflict (AP) AP - The United States on Tuesday accused all parties in the 22-month conflict in Sudan's western Darfur region of complicity in a growing humanitarian disaster and demanded that those responsible be held accountable for atrocities and attacks on civilians.


US marines in Philippines on storm relief mission, health fears grow (AFP) AFP - US marines have begun arriving in the Philippines to help the relief effort from storms that have left over 1,500 people dead or missing, a US military spokesman said.


Farmers Being Moved Aside by China's Real Estate Boom A two-tiered property system favors city dwellers while handicapping the farmers once at the core of Chinese society.


U.S.: Rebels Aided by Sources in Syria Based on information gathered during the recent fighting in Fallujah, Baghdad and elsewhere in the Sunni Triangle, officials said that a handful of senior Iraqi Baathists operating in Syria are collecting money and turning it over to the insurgency.


Europe #39;s Frustration Grows as Dollar Hits Another Low Europe #39;s financial policy makers issued their strongest warnings yet about the dangers of a swooning dollar, and the dollar promptly sank to a new low against the euro.


Justices Question Ban on Wine Sales From Out of State If the Supreme Court argument Tuesday on interstate wine sales proves to be a reliable roadmap to the eventual decision, consumers who want to order wine directly from


Bipartisan Panel Seeks Greenhouse Gas Limits A bipartisan commission that includes energy industry executives, environmentalists and academics will issue a report today that calls on the nation to adopt mandatory limits


Gold Fields Shareholders Reject a Merger Shareholders of the South African mining company Gold Fields rejected a bid to merge with Iamgold of Toronto Tuesday, a development that shifted investors #39; focus back to Harmony Gold Mining #39;s hostile bid for Gold Fields.


Rookie J. Jones, Cowboys Up and Running NFL scouts and front-office executives were less than enamored of the top tailbacks available in the draft in April. The first didn #39;t come off the board until the St.


Dutchman suspected of aiding Saddam Police in Holland have arrested a Dutch national suspected of supplying thousands of tonnes of nerve gas to former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.


College Basketball: Pitt, Texas Roll to Easy Wins  NEW YORK (Sports Network) - Carl Krauser scored 17 points,  grabbed seven rebounds and handed out four assists to lead No.  11 Pittsburgh over Memphis, 70-51, in the Jimmy V Classic from  New York's famed Madison Square Garden.


The Windup, the Spin as Bonds Gets Advice Many marketing experts say that Barry Bonds needs to issue an apology, but those closest to Bonds indicate that he will remain the same strong and stoic superstar.


Play of Some Linemen Carries a Lot of Weight Some massive defensive linemen are the antithesis of the slimmer, more mobile linemen made famous by the Tampa Bay defense and personified by Warren Sapp.


French market watchdog fines Vivendi, former CEO PARIS - France #39;s stock market regulator on Tuesday fined Jean-Marie Messier euro1 million (US\$1.35 million) for misleading financial information issued by Vivendi Universal SA when he was its chairman and CEO, Messier #39;s lawyer said.


Grieving parents return to sea's edge NAVALADY BEACH, Sri Lanka -- As dawn breaks over Sri Lanka's coast, dozens of parents come to the beach where huge waves seized their children a week ago.


Maryland Women #39;s Basketball Returns Home on Tuesday  Maryland has scored at least 72 points in its five wins this season and is 23-6 when scoring at least 70 points under head coach Brenda Frese.


Lady Bulldogs Host Sun Devils When asked if he was concerned with losing to arch-rival Georgia Tech for the second time in three years last Friday night - that after the Lady Bulldogs won the first 24 meetings in the series by an average of more than 26 points per game -ndy


Knicks injured guard Houston activated in Memphis Allan Houston was activated by the New York Knicks in Memphis of Tennessee Tuesday after missing 16 games with a sore left knee and should make his National Basketball Association season debut this week.


EU-China summit to give Beijing signal on arms ban THE HAGUE : The EU is set to give a  quot;positive signal quot; to China at a summit with Prime Minister Wen Jiabao over his call to lift a 15-year-old EU arms embargo, but no immediate decision is expected.


US Blasts All Parties in Darfur Conflict UNITED NATIONS - The United States on Tuesday accused all parties in the 22-month conflict in Sudan #39;s western Darfur region of complicity in a growing humanitarian disaster and demanded that those responsible be held accountable for atrocities and attacks


\$591m boost to embassy security THE Federal Government will spend \$591 million on boosting security at Australian missions overseas, providing better protection for staff and visitors.


NBA Wrap: Nowitzki Leads Dallas Past Minnesota  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dirk Nowitzki scored 34 points as the  Dallas Mavericks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 97-87 in  National Basketball Association play Tuesday night.


Porto Stays Alive, Arsenal and Bremen Progress  LONDON (Reuters) - Defending champion Porto produced a  thrilling fightback to beat Chelsea 2-1 and grab a Champions  League lifeline as Arsenal and Werder Bremen booked their  places in the next round Tuesday.


The Rockies Waste No Time Taking Action on Neagle While the Yankees tear out their hair trying to decide what to do about Jason Giambi, the Rockies fired Denny Neagle, who was arrested for soliciting a woman for prostitution.


Egypt Sees Move Towards Israel-Palestinian Peace (Reuters) Reuters - Egypt's official news agency said\Tuesday significant progress had been made in international\efforts to end Israeli-Palestinian violence, but both sides to\the conflict termed talk of a deal premature.


Australia to boost security measures at overseas missions (AFP) AFP - Australia will spend 591 million dollars (460 million US) boosting security at its overseas missions in the aftermath of the Jakarta embassy bombing in September, the government said.


IBM Selling PC Unit to China's Lenovo  BEIJING/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - IBM is selling its  PC-making business to China's largest personal computer maker,  Lenovo Group Ltd., for \$1.25 billion, marking the U.S. giant's  retreat from an industry it helped pioneer in 1981.


OPEC Hawks Want to Keep Prices High Raise prices. Ease production. For weeks ahead of this week's OPEC meeting, hawks in the organization have been talking tough about the need to keep oil revenues high - and lowering output.


Retirees Return to the Grind, but This Time It's on Their Own Terms Some companies are trying to rework policies in order to rehire retired professionals who want to return to work on a limited basis.


Local IBM PC employees gear up for Lenovo move Lenovo #39;s planned acquisition of IBM #39;s personal computing division is expected to see 180 employees in Australia and 10 in New Zealand transition to the Chinese company, IBM Australia officials said today.


Canada reverses its flu vaccine policy ID Biomedical of Vancouver, Canada #39;s main supplier of flu vaccines, said Tuesday it will not sell 1.2 million doses of flu vaccine to the United States.


Metcash soars on expectations that Australian prey will turn <b>...</b> Shares in the Australian subsidiary of Metoz, formerly Metro Cash  amp; Carry, yesterday jumped 15 percent as investors anticipated its takeover target, Foodland


Harmony Gold Stakes a Bold Claim The upstart miner has won a huge round as part of its hostile takeover bid for Gold Fields. It #39;s not money in the bank yet, though.


Private aid groups pressing New Delhi for access to islands NEW DELHI -- India's government again put aside private aid groups' urgent requests yesterday to help tsunami survivors on the devastated Andaman and Nicobar Islands, saying a decision would be made after five days.


Astronaut #39;s Long Career Ends The longest serving astronaut in history, John W. Young, announced his retirement on Tuesday. Mr. Young, who has spent 42 years at the National Aeronautics and Space


A Phony PC Price War? Dell rarely misses an opportunity to remind chief rival Hewlett-Packard (HPQ ) which outfit is king of low-cost PCs. On Dec. 6, one day before HP #39;s semiannual meeting with analysts and investors, Dell (DELL


Kazaa Trial Won #39;t Fix Music Industry Blues As an Australian court considers whether Kazaa #39;s parent company should be forced to pay damages for the file sharing that goes on over its peer-to-peer (P2P) network, questions persist about


IOC opens investigation into allegations against Jones LONDON (Ticker) - The International Olympic Committee announced Tuesday it has begun its investigation of doping allegations against American gold medal-winning sprinter Marion Jones.


Gerrard makes Liverpool quit ultimatum Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard has admitted he could quit Anfield at the end of the season. Skipper Gerrard, who almost joined Chelsea last summer, said:  quot;If the club is moving forward and doing well, I won #39;t have to be looking anywhere else.


Hamm, Foudy and Fawcett take final bows tonight Another page in the saga of American soccer is turned tonight when the US women #39;s team plays Mexico at Home Depot Center (11 pm ET, ESPN Classic) in


NBA Wrap: Nowitzki Leads Dallas Past Minnesota Dirk Nowitzki scored 34 points as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 97-87 in National Basketball Association play Tuesday night.


Maryland Is a Bit Off, But Still Wins in Rout No. 19 Maryland is a potent offensive team this season, one with several players who are capable scoring threats. But occasionally, even the best shooters fail to get their shots to fall.


NBA: Sprewell suspended over fan-directed obscenities NEW YORK - Minnesota Timberwolves guard Latrell Sprewell has been suspended one game without pay for directing obscenities toward fans, the NBA announced Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila).


Bears #39; Krenzel sidelined for season CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Chicago Bears quarterback Craig Krenzel landed on injured reserve Tuesday, effectively ending his season. Krenzel injured an ankle as he scrambled for two yards in the second quarter of a 21-7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 25.


No. 14 Texas Overwhelms North Texas 86-57 (AP) AP - Brad Buckman scored 18 points and blocked seven shots to lead No. 14 Texas to an 86-57 victory over North Texas on Tuesday night.


Annan Rejects Calls For His Resignation UNITED NATIONS -- Kofi Annan is rejecting calls for his resignation, vowing to  quot;carry on quot; at the helm of the United Nations for the next two years.


US accuses all parties in Darfur conflict of complicity in <b>...</b> UNITED NATIONS The US ambassador to the UN has accused all parties involved in western Sudan #39;s violence of being responsible for a growing humanitarian disaster.


Epson developing e-paper, giant flexible screens Seiko Epson is developing flexible display technologies that could lead to "e-paper" that can be rolled up and folded as a replacement for paper-based newspapers or magazines.


Sanders Nears Return Ravens defensive back Deion Sanders appears close to returning for Sunday's game against the New York Giants.


Official death toll seen underestimated JAKARTA, Indonesia -- The tsunamis last week probably killed more people in the southernmost area of Burma than were reported dead by the country's ruling military junta, but the region has not been independently surveyed because of tightly restricted access, specialists say.


Mozilla Thunderbird 1.0 Email Client Launched Mozilla Thunderbird 1.0 Email Client Launched\\Dumped IE for the Firefox Browser? Why not trash Outlook and download Mozilla Thunderbird for the full Mozilla online experience. Moziilla Thunderbird, the second major offering from the Mozilla Foundation was released today in a 1.0 ready for distribution version. The Mozilla Foundation is a ...


News: Sprint sued over alleged vice hacks A Las Vegas adult entertainment operator sues his local telephone company in federal court for \$30 million, ressurecting charges that phone hackers crippled his business.\


Hewlett Chief Says a Breakup Was Discussed Hewlett-Packard acknowledged that on three occasions it considered breaking up, but each time the board unanimously decided to keep the company together.


Cisco Expects to Hit Estimate for Revenue Cisco Systems, the maker of Internet networking equipment, said that it was on track to meet Wall Street's estimates for 13 percent growth in revenue for fiscal 2005.


Telecom Italia Outlines Plan to Purchase Mobile Unit Italia released details of its offer to buy the 44 percent it does not own of its mobile phone unit, Telecom Italia Mobile.


Culturally Worlds Apart, Children Touch Musically A simulcast music exchange at Carnegie Hall on Saturday showed how technology can transform social studies and musical collaboration.


Insurance Companies Subpoenaed in Probe New York and Connecticut officials say they are investigating whether improper behavior by insurance firms has been a factor in the rapidly rising cost of malpractice insurance for lawyers and doctors.


Carmakers Fight Calif. Anti-Pollution Law Major automakers are challenging a state law requiring cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent over the next 12 years, a requirement companies say is prohibitively expensive.


County Refocuses on Retail Prince George's County officials Tuesday renewed their push to persuade retailers to locate in the county by releasing a 70-page report that said it is home to more high-income households than Anne Arundel, Howard counties.


Chinese Firm To Buy IBM #39;s PC Business For \$1.75 Billion BEIJING -- China #39;s biggest computer maker said it has acquired a majority stake in IBM #39;s personal computer business for \$1.75 billion dollars in one of the biggest Chinese overseas acquisitions ever.


Slate #39;s Jurisprudence: Court Mulls Wine by Mail Description: NPR #39;s Alex Chadwick talks with Slate legal analyst Dahlia Lithwick about Tuesday #39;s arguments before the US Supreme Court concerning interstate wine sales.


Technology, Energy Lead Decline US stocks dropped as comments from technology companies such as Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard and Intel failed to revive a rally that stalled after the Standard  amp; Poor #39;s 500-stock index set a three-year high last week.


No.5 Oklahoma St. Tops No.4 Syracuse 74-60 (AP) AP - Stephen Graham scored 16 points, including two three-point plays in the final 4 1/2 minutes, and No. 5 Oklahoma State beat No. 4 Syracuse 74-60 on Tuesday night in the Jimmy V Classic.


Werder Bremen and Porto get it done late Porto, Portugal (Sports Network) - Champions League holder FC Porto and defending Bundesliga champion Werder Bremen each produced late goals Tuesday to secure advancement into the knockout stage of this season #39;s Champions League competition.


It #39;s fun  #39;n #39; games again at Florida The Florida Gators have charisma again and chutzpah. And presence and prestige. And eloquence and arrogance. The Gators introduced Urban Meyer as their new football coach Tuesday, and the man who is named


James Leads Cleveland to Top of Eastern Conference Cavaliers 103 <b>...</b> CLEVELAND -- LeBron James scored 27 points and assisted on Lucious Harris #39; clinching three-pointer with 6 seconds left as the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers won their eighth straight at home, 103-97 over the New Jersey Nets on Tuesday night.


US soldier, ex-Afghan militia leader killed in clash KABUL, Afghanistan -- A US soldier and a former Afghan militia leader were killed yesterday when American troops clashed with gunmen while searching the leader's compound in western Afghanistan, US and Afghan officials said.


Rumsfeld to continue as defence secretary US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had  quot;enthusiastically quot; accepted President George W Bush #39;s suggestion to stay on in the post.


UN: Chaos Looms in Darfur The United Nations is warning of impending chaos in Sudan #39;s western Darfur region, with increasing violence and a breakdown of order.


French Universities to Enroll Imams  PARIS (Reuters) - France will start enrolling future Muslim  prayer leaders into secular universities next autumn to teach  them the law, civics and history they need to integrate,  Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin said in an interview.


US Marines Dispatched to Storm-Ravaged Philippines  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Tuesday  dispatched about 600 Marines and Navy personnel from Okinawa to  help residents in the flood-ravaged Philippines. The Pentagon  said tents, water and medical supplies also were being sent.


Pakistan Tests Medium-Range Nuclear-Capable Missile  ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan conducted another test of a  nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface ballistic missile on  Wednesday as part of its efforts to boost defenses, an official  statement said.


Court could allow out-of-state wine to flow into Michigan The US Supreme Court will soon decide whether Michigan wine drinkers should be able to buy a case of California merlot or Virginia chardonnay directly from the vintners.


JOHNSON  amp; JOHNSON REPORTEDLY IN TALKS TO ACQUIRE GUIDANT Johnson  amp; Johnson is in advanced talks to acquire Guidant Corp. for more than \$24 billion, according to a New York Times report.


Dell seeks to open plant in Europe Dell is looking to open its second European production plant, its chairman says, and a source familiar with the plan says the company is considering a location in France.


Champions League roundup In Europe, soccer clubs continued their efforts in final group matches to reach the knockout stage of the Champions League tournament.


Even Kidd Can #39;t Help Nets Win on Road With Jason Kidd back in the lineup, the Nets have demonstrated new life. But LeBron James proved to be a little too much for Kidd and the Nets here Tuesday night.


Oil for food: The mother of all scandals COME JANUARY, the United Nations might just make the Ukrainian government look virtuous by comparison. That is when the initial findings from former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volckers investigation of the UNs Oil for Food program are due.


Israeli soldier, four militants killed in Gaza GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip: Hamas militants killed an Israeli soldier and wounded four with an explosion in a booby-trapped chicken coop on Tuesday, in what the Islamic group said was an elaborate scheme to lure troops to the area with the help of a double


Japan Stocks Rise But Weak Data Weigh (Reuters) Reuters - Japan's Nikkei stock average edged up by\mid-session on Wednesday as exporters like Canon Inc. bounced\back from losses, but gains were limited by data confirming\weak economic growth in the three months to September.


Dollar Firmer, Sell-Off Seen Waning (Reuters) Reuters - The dollar paused from recent heavy\selling on Wednesday, edging up against the euro and the yen as\investors brushed aside revised data that confirmed sluggish\growth in Japan's economy.


Lenovo Buys IBM #39;s PC Business for \$1.25 Billion (Update4) Lenovo Group Ltd. agreed to pay \$1.25 billion for International Business Machines Corp. #39;s personal computer business, lifting China #39;s largest PC maker to third in world rankings and giving it a globally recognized brand.


Court asked to lift bar on interstate wine sales Seventy-one years after the repeal of Prohibition, the US Supreme Court was told yesterday that the constitutional amendment that ended the  quot;noble


Independent study finds robotic rescue mission costly, uncertain <b>...</b> An aerospace research group says trying to fix the famed space telescope using a robot would cost two (b) billion dollars and take at least five years to get things ready.


Fujitsu  amp; Cisco To Jointly Develop Routers Fujitsu and Cisco have announced that they have reached an agreement to enter into a strategic alliance to carry out joint development of high-end routers, plan future cooperation in routing and switching, and collaborate on quality improvement.


An Educated Cat? This one supposedly earned an MBA--and a lawsuit for the online university that issued the degree. Dallas-based online university Trinity Southern faces a lawsuit for consumer fraud filed by the Pennsylvania Attorney General #39;s Office.


China Computer Maker Acquires IBM PC Biz (AP) AP - International Business Machines Corp. is selling a majority stake in its pioneering personal computer business to China's biggest computer maker, Lenovo Group Ltd., for  #36;1.75 billion in cash and stock.


IOC Is Looking At Jones The IOC opened an investigation Tuesday into doping allegations against Marion Jones, who eventually could be stripped of her five medals from the 2000 Olympics.


Illinois to name Zook its new coach CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Former Florida coach Ron Zook will be named Illinois #39; 22nd head coach today, sources said Monday. Zook, a former Miami University defensive back, will replace Ron Turner, who was fired Nov. 22 after the team went 3-8.


Butt boosts Test chance with ton SYDNEY: Salman Butt enhanced his claims for a recall to the Pakistan Test side with an unbeaten century in his team #39;s first official tour match in Australia yesterday.


Oklahoma State squeezes Orange Stephen Graham scored 16 points, including two three-point plays in the final 4 1 / 2 minutes, and No. 5 Oklahoma State beat No. 4 Syracuse 74-60 on Tuesday night in the Jimmy V Classic.


UN warns of diarrhea, malaria outbreaks in storm-hit areas Get INQ7 breaking news on your Smart mobile phone in the Philippines. Send INQ7 BREAKING to 386. INFANTA, Quezon, Philippines -- As relief operations continued throughout much of devastated


Anderson terms Musharraf man of courage LONDON: Donald Anderson, Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons, on Tuesday hailed President General Pervez Musharraf as a man of courage who is trying to contribute significantly to fight against terror.


What's your tipple? How about a prehistoric Chinese brew (AFP) AFP - For wine snobs, it could be the ultimate vintage guaranteed to impress: A 9,000-year-old prehistoric preserved wine dug up from the Neolithic village of Jiahu in northern China.


Winnipeg police in standoff with armed man after cabbie shot (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - WINNIPEG (CP) - An armed man suspected in the shooting of a Winnipeg cab driver was holding police and RCMP at bay Tuesday night in the area of a Sikh temple on the city's outskirts.


College Basketball: Oklahoma State Beats Syracuse  NEW YORK (Sports Network) - Brothers Joey and Stephen  Graham scored 16 points apiece and No. 5 Oklahoma State used a  strong second half performance to beat fourth-ranked Syracuse  74-60 in the second game of the Jimmy V Classic at Madison  Square Garden.


IBM Deal Puts Lenovo on Global Stage The deal is a dramatic sign of the ongoing transformation of the still nominally communist People's Republic of China into an increasingly outward-looking nation integrating itself into the world economy.-The Washington Post


Tougher Cyber-Security Measures Urged A group representing technology industry executives Tuesday called on the Bush administration to step up efforts to protect the nation's computer and Internet infrastructure, and proposed that the position of national cyber-security director be elevated. -washingtonpost.com


AT #38;T Unit to Build Network for Treasury  AT #38;T Government Solutions said yesterday it has won a contract worth as much as \$1 billion to provide a high-speed communications network to the Treasury Department.


Toyota Cuts Deals for Satellite Radio  In the latest battle for distribution and subscribers, XM Satellite Radio Inc. and its rival Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. yesterday announced separate deals with Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.


Spherix May Get Another Shot at Contract  The Government Accountability Office recommended that a federal contract competition that went against Spherix Inc. be reopened because of flaws in the process, Spherix said yesterday.


Chinese firm buys IBM PC business IBM, the pioneer of the personal computer, is selling its PC hardware business to number one Chinese computer maker Lenovo.


Colgate to cut work force, India may emerge hub The US-based oral care and personal products company Colgate-Palmolive Company is drawing a blueprint to restructure its operations.


The faithful seek answers STOCKHOLM -- The question rises from the rubble of the earthquake in Sumatra. It echoes on the Indian Ocean shores where bodies are still piled high and in homes halfway around the world where loved ones wait for news of the missing: How could God let this happen?


UN: More workers than ever before are living in poverty More workers than ever were living in poverty last year, and greater efforts need to be made to create more and better jobs if the world is going to achieve the target of halving poverty by 2015, according to a UN report released yesterday.


Virgin eyes mobile JV in China Virgin Group chief Richard Branson said yesterday he has earmarked US\$300 million for a cellular phone joint venture on the Chinese mainland, the world #39;s largest mobile market by users.


Spitzer Probe Looks At Professional Liability NU Online News Service, Dec. 7, 9:53 am EDTTwo insurance carriers have announced that New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has subpoenaed them for information about professional liability insurance for law firms.


Yahoo Bolsters Local Search Business Listings Yahoo has quietly expanded its local business listings and rolled out a service that gives businesses control over their listings in Yahoo Local through a new paid inclusion program.


#39;Morning Edition #39; Returns: Congrats to the Cat Description: Coby is the proud recipient of a master #39;s degree from Trinity Southern University. It #39;s an online university, which may not have realized that new grad is a cat.


Gunners ease past Rosenborg Arsene Wenger stopped short of declaring Arsenal back to their best but the Gunners boss does believe his side are on the road to recovery ahead of Sunday #39;s Premiership summit meeting with Chelsea.


Van Nistelrooy misses United #39;s last group game Ruud van Nistelrooy will miss Manchester United #39;s last Champions League Group D game away to Fenerbahce on Wednesday because of a calf injury, the Premier League club said.


Twins, veteran Radke agree to two-year deal The Minnesota Twins agreed to a two-year contract with veteran right-hander Brad Radke, and offered arbitration to third baseman Corey Koskie, left-hander Terry Mulholland and catcher Henry Blanco, the team announced late Tuesday.


Appier Agrees to Comeback With Royals (AP) AP - Kevin Appier agreed to another comeback attempt and settled Tuesday with the Kansas City Royals on a minor league contract.


Rumsfeld: Troops may exit Iraq within 4 years Kuwait City -- Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld expressed hope Monday, but did not explicitly predict, that American troops would be out of Iraq by the end of President Bush #39;s second term.


on the record: JACOBABAD: I was under no pressure to sign the presidents dual office bill, said Mohammadmian Soomro, the acting president. Mr Soomro told Online on Sunday that he gave assent to the bill on his own since he was constitutionally authorised to do so.


Pakistan Tests Medium-Range Nuclear-Capable Missile Pakistan conducted another test of a nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface ballistic missile on Wednesday as part of its efforts to boost defenses, an official statement said.


No. 25 Gonzaga Edges Washington St. 54-52 (AP) AP - Ronny Turiaf scored 17 points and Adam Morrison added 12 as No. 25 Gonzaga held off Washington State 54-52 on Tuesday night.


Tokyo's Nikkei Average Rises 0.54 Percent  TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei average rose 0.54 percent  by late afternoon on Wednesday after revised figures on  Japanese economic growth, while sluggish, came in better than  some had feared and the yen edged down against the dollar.


Nikkei Ends Higher  TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei average rose 0.62 percent  by the close on Wednesday after revised figures on Japanese  economic growth, while sluggish, came in better than some had  feared and the yen edged down against the dollar.


Update 3: China Computer Maker Acquires IBM PC Biz International Business Machines Corp. is selling a majority stake in its pioneering personal computer business to China #39;s biggest computer maker, Lenovo Group Ltd.


Merck sets up Vioxx review committee BOSTON (CBS.MW) -- Merck  amp; Co. said late Tuesday that it is establishing a committee to review its handling of the controversial withdrawal of its popular painkiller Vioxx from the market.


UK's Blair Challenged to Tally Iraq War Dead (Reuters) Reuters - British diplomats and peers joined\scientists and churchmen on Wednesday to urge Prime Minister\Tony Blair to publish a death toll in the U.S.-led war in Iraq.


Report says five Pacers among 10 to be charged from NBA brawl (AFP) AFP - Prosecutors here are expected to file charges Wednesday against five National Basketball Association players and five spectators who fought in a November 19 brawl, the Detroit Free Press reported.


Yankees Close in on Deal With Wright (AP) AP - Jaret Wright and the Yankees closed in on a three-year contract Tuesday night worth  #36;20 million to  #36;21 million, the first major move by New York to revamp its aging rotation.


Pro-independence parties tipped to make gains in Taiwan vote (AFP) AFP - Pro-independence parties are tipped to make gains in Taiwan's legislative elections this weekend and thereby anger China, already threatening to take military action if the island drifts further from Beijing.


Teen to Play PGA Tour Event Next Season (AP) AP - Michelle Wie will make another appearance on the PGA Tour after accepting a sponsor's exemption Tuesday night to play next month in the Sony Open.


Nvidia, Sony Unite For Graphics Chip Sony Computer Entertainment (SCEI) and Nvidia have announced that the companies have been collaborating on bringing advanced graphics and computer entertainment technology to SCEI #39;s next-generation computer entertainment system.


Trend Micro Offers Free Mobile Security Solution Trend Micro, Inc., a player in network anti-virus and Internet content security software and services, has announced the availability of Trend Micro Mobile Security- a free solution that protects wireless devices from spams and viruses.


Cardinals re-sign pitcher Matt Morris Matt Morris will return to the St. Louis Cardinals, agreeing Tuesday night to a \$2.5 million, one-year contract that allows him to earn an additional \$4.5 million in performance bonuses.


Twins keep Radke, Blanco to Cubs CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Pitcher Brad Radke and the Minnesota Twins reached terms Tuesday on a two-year, \$18-million US contract.  quot;I think it turned out for the best for both sides, quot; Radke said.


Knicks: Houston activated but may sit until weekend Even though coach Lenny Wilkens and Allan Houston said there was no chance Houston would play, the Knicks took the curious step of activating the 6-6 guard from the injured list before last night #39;s loss in Memphis.


Yankees drop Cairo, chase Womack, Wright As they continued to beef up their 2005 starting rotation, the Yankees last night made a surprising decision about second base. Two hours before the deadline for teams to offer salary arbitration


Krauser sinks Tigers from free throw line NEW YORK - Carl Krauser and his New York teammates won another  quot;home quot; game. Krauser, one of seven New York City area players on No.


Syracuse #39;s flaws show in loss to Oklahoma St. With one NCAA championship and three trips to the Final Four on his rsum, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim didn #39;t need last night #39;s matchup against Oklahoma State to know that his team


Ex-US marine: I killed Iraqi civilians A former US marine has said his unit killed more than 30 innocent Iraqi civilians in just two days. In graphic testimony presented to a Canadian asylum tribunal on Monday, Sergeant Jimmy Massey #39;s evidence


Top official angry over foreign insurgents in Iraq Iraq #39;s deputy prime minister yesterday expressed his growing impatience with neighbouring countries for not doing enough to keep foreign fighters from joining the insurgency here, and warned that his government would take a  quot;decisive


China calls for Europe to lift arms embargo German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder stretches his hand to shake hands with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao after a joint press conference in Beijing.


US praises Mbeki #39;s I Coast peace bid The United States on Tuesday praised the efforts of South African President Thabo Mbeki who, on the behalf of the African Union, has vied to restart the peace process in the Ivory Coast.


J amp;J deal with Guidant in the offing The prospect of Johnson  amp; Johnson acquiring Guidant, a medical device maker that brought cutting-edge technology to cardiovascular medicine, has fueled whispers for years, gaining intensity when


Singapore Police Arrest CAO Chief Exec Singapore police said they have arrested Chen Jiulin, chief executive of embattled China Aviation Oil (CAO) Singapore Corp. Ltd., upon his arrival in Singapore early on Wednesday.


Supreme Court Hears Wine Arguments The US Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday involving two cases that could determine whether states can ban interstate, direct-to-consumer shipments of wine.


POITIER SAW  #39;DEEP MISMATCH #39; Oscar-winning actor Sidney Poitier, who starred in  quot;To Sir, With Love, quot; took the stand yesterday to testify about another Hollywood drama: Michael Ovitz #39;s brief and


Harmony closes in on Gold Fields as Sanlam springs vote surprise ATTEMPTS by mining house Gold Fields attempts to resist rival Harmony #39;s hostile takeover bid were dealt a major blow yesterday, after a last-minute switch by Sanlam Asset Managers effectively torpedoed its plan to list its international assets in Canada.


White Sox Cut Ties With Ordonez (AP) AP - The Chicago White Sox cut ties with Magglio Ordonez on Tuesday, declining to offer arbitration to their All-Star right fielder.


Canadian JTF-2 special ops force gets American citation (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Canada's special operations military unit, Joint Task Force 2, has been awarded the U.S. Presidential Unit Citation for heroism in battle.


MLB Players Open to Changes in Steroids Testing  PHOENIX (Sports Network) - The Major League Baseball  Players Association announced Tuesday it would work toward a  new agreement with owners for tougher steroid testing.


UN Council Warns Rwanda Against Attack in Congo  UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The Security Council, in an  apparent warning to Rwandan President Paul Kagame, said on  Tuesday it intended to consider unspecified measures against  individuals who undermined the peace process in Congo.


Chinese firm buys IBM PC business IBM is selling its PC hardware business to number one Chinese computer maker Lenovo.


Bush Pins Hopes on Iraq Election President Bush told Marines on Tuesday that Iraqi insurgents have suffered a "severe blow" but are not defeated, as he sought to boost U.S. troop morale and prepare the public for a violent run-up to next month's election in Iraq.


Former Marine Testifies to Atrocities in Iraq A former U.S. Marine staff sergeant testified at a hearing Monday that his unit killed at least 30 unarmed civilians in Iraq during the war in 2003 and that Marines routinely shot and killed wounded Iraqis.


IBM Deal Puts Lenovo on Global Stage Deal is a dramatic sign of the transformation of China into an increasingly outward-looking nation integrating itself into the world economy.-The Washington Post


BC eases past UMass AMHERST -- Its nonconference schedule might have suggested otherwise, but the undefeated Boston College men's basketball team did not reach this point of the season with an 11-0 record by taking the path of least resistance.


Oil falls to 3-month low on mild US weather Oil prices fell 3.5 to a three-month low yesterday as mild winter weather sapped demand in the US Northeast, the world #39;s largest heating oil market.


Virgin in talks to secure a slice of China #39;s mobile market HONG KONG - Virgin is planning to launch a mobile phone service in China as a 50-50 joint venture with a Chinese company within a year to 18 months, according to reports.


Tech Firms Urge Bush to Focus on Cybersecurity A cybersecurity advocacy group has called on President George Bush to focus more resources on computer issues and to elevate the top IT security position at the US Department of Homeland Security to the assistant secretary level.


Yankees close with Wright, Womack Despite a published report to the contrary, the Yankees have not come to terms with Jaret Wright as of Tuesday night, but the Bronx Bombers did move quickly to replace


PITT PUNISHMENT Pittsburgh point guard Carl Krauser is a Bronx kid and a former amateur boxer, so he knows tough when he sees it; and he knows when he doesn #39;t see it.


Singapore police arrest China Aviation Oil chief? (updated PM 3:06 <b>...</b> Police said they arrested the chief executive of Beijing-backed China Aviation Oil #39;s subsidiary in Singapore on Wednesday, following the company #39;s announcement last week of massive trading losses.


High court hears case on interstate wine shipments State laws barring people from buying wine directly from out-of-state suppliers should be struck down as unconstitutional, the Supreme Court was told Tuesday as it


Filing details perks for Colgate execs NEW YORK - Colgate-Palmolive Co., which announced Tuesday that it is eliminating 4,400 jobs, disclosed in a regulatory filing that many of its top executives and officers are given allowance of up to \$11,500 a year to spend on anything from pet-sitters to


Primate researcher brings environmental message to Singapore <b>...</b> Dr Jane Goodall delivers her keynote speech while a picture of a chimpanzee which she calls her oldest chimp friend is projected in the background, in Singapore during the Biology in Asia International Conference.


TERRY UPBEAT DESPITE RARE DEFEAT Chelsea skipper John Terry has warned Arsenal to prepare themselves for a revitalised Blues outfit in Sunday #39;s crucial Barclays Premiership showdown at Highbury.


UN Ambassador Calls for Sudan Aid John Danforth, US Ambassador to the United Nations, said that the United States is playing a leading role in helping bring peace to Sudan in Gaston Hall Monday.


Test shows US students trailing in math Test results released in Washington Monday indicate US 15-year-olds are performing below the international average in math and problem solving.


Oil Prices Touch a New Three-Month Low  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - U.S. oil prices touched a new  three-month low on Wednesday as mild winter weather in the  United States and expectations of a rise in heating fuel stocks  kept the downward pressure on the market.


Nikkei Rises for 1st Time in 3 Sessions  TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei average rose for the first  time in three sessions to close 0.62 percent higher on  Wednesday after investors found positive signs in revised  Japanese economic growth figures that were sluggish overall.


OPEC Frets Over Excess Supply  CAIRO (Reuters) - Nervous OPEC oil producers on Wednesday  sized up how rapidly this week's ministerial meeting should  rein in a supply surge that has helped drag crude prices down  by a quarter in barely six weeks.


Dollar Rises Against Euro and Yen  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar rose against the euro and the  yen on Wednesday as traders cashed in on the currency's recent  weakness in the belief that massive dollar-selling would slow  heading into the year-end.


Unmarried gay couples lose health benefits Many of the state's largest employers are dropping health benefits for unmarried gay couples, seven months after Massachusetts became the only state to legalize same-sex marriage.


Ten more partners join exodus at Hub law firm Ten more partners of Testa, Hurwitz  amp; Thibeault gave their notice last weekend, the Boston law firm confirmed yesterday, prompting speculation across the city's legal community about the future of a firm that once dominated high-tech and venture capital legal advice in this region.


For Boston Scientific, a potential threat Boston Scientific Corp. could face tougher competition in markets for cardiac products if talks between two of its largest competitors lead to a merger, analysts and investors said.


Productivity growth slows in 3d quarter The productivity of America's workers grew at a 1.8 percent annual rate in the third quarter, the slowest pace in nearly two years, the government reported yesterday. The deceleration, however, raised some hope that employers who have squeezed efficiencies out of existing workforces may boost hiring.


Dell cuts equipment prices to businesses Dell Inc. has cut prices as much as 22 percent on selected computer equipment for US corporate and institutional customers, saying it was passing along savings from lower component prices.


Dollar drops again; Europeans consider intervention The US dollar sank to an all-time low against the euro yesterday amid concerns over the US trade and budget deficits and worse-than-expected US employment data.


Calpers to disclose venture fees The California Public Employees' Retirement System, the largest US pension fund, agreed to disclose the fees it pays to venture capital and hedge fund managers as part of a legal settlement.


AOL cuts 4 of workforce DULLES, Va. -- Time Warner Inc.'s America Online division, the biggest US Internet service, said it cut 750 jobs, or about 4 percent of its workforce, amid subscriber losses.


Ovitz mismatched, Poitier testifies Actor Sidney Poitier, a former Walt Disney Co. director, said he supported firing ex-company president Michael Ovitz because he was mismatched with other executives.


OPEC likely to push to tighten supply OPEC oil producers meeting here this week are likely to clamp down on excess supply has that helped lower prices from record highs and will discuss how much to raise their price target, cartel officials said yesterday.


WTC Verdict Won #39;t Hike Insurance Prices Despite losing a lawsuit related to the World Trade Center collapse, officials at property/casualty companies say that other corporate customers will not be affected by their financial loss.


Vivendi, Messier Each Fined EU1 Million by Regulator (Update2) Jean-Marie Messier, the former chief of Vivendi Universal SA who is under investigation for alleged fraud and stock manipulation, was fined 1 million euros (\$1.3 million) by French regulator


Editorial: Supreme Court should allow interstate trade The United States Supreme Court heard arguments in three cases yesterday that address the legality of interstate wine sales. Currently, there are 24 states that place restrictions on interstate wine sales, including Kentucky, Tennessee and Maryland.


Actor Takes Center Stage as Disney Trial Grinds On The actor Sidney Poitier became a witness in the trial of a suit against Walt Disney directors on Tuesday, and in so doing, he transformed a Delaware courtroom


HP eyed breaking up 3 times Each time, board decided against it Hewlett-Packard Co. #39;s board considered on three occasions whether to break up the company, but each time directors unanimously concluded it would


Professor declined to be expert witness for Sharman Sharman Networks #39; legal representative today revealed an e-mail stating that one of the witnesses for the Universal Music Australia parties had previously withdrawn an offer to be Sharman #39;s expert witness in the ongoing civil trial against the peer to


Jaguars lose out even after victory OAKLAND, Calif. -- Jacksonville's first winning season in five years wasn't enough to make the playoffs. Byron Leftwich looked out of synch, but the Jaguars still managed to beat the Raiders, 13-6, yesterday. Though the Jaguars (9-7) were in postseason contention when the game started, they were knocked out when Denver beat Indianapolis.


Garciaparra remains a Cub Nomar Garciaparra enjoyed his brief stay with the Cubs so much he #39;s staying in Chicago. The five-time All-Star shortstop, acquired from the Red Sox in July after spending


Cormier opts to stay with Phillies CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Canadian reliever Rheal Cormier agreed Tuesday to a two-year, \$5.25-million US contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.


Dutch Say Dealer Sold Chemicals to Hussein Prosecutors said Tuesday that they would charge a Dutch chemicals dealer as an accomplice to genocide for supplying Saddam Hussein with lethal chemicals used in


No flex in union muscle It's difficult to sit here in the heart of Red Sox Nation -- where people are buying every form of BoSox garb and memorabilia (Red Sox dog bones?) to put under the tree -- and feel the rain of the game's steroid scandal soaking your head and shoulders.


Sox cover their bases with offers The Red Sox bought more time to negotiate with their free agents by offering salary arbitration to nine players before last night's midnight deadline, including all four of their high-profile free agents: pitchers Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe, catcher Jason Varitek, and shortstop Orlando Cabrera.


Herren charged after car crash Former Celtics player Chris Herren was arrested Friday on drug charges after passing out in his car and hitting a doughnut shop in Portsmouth, R.I., police said.


James keeps Cavs hot LeBron James scored 27 points and assisted on Lucious Harris's clinching 3-pointer with 6 seconds left as the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers won their eighth straight at home, 103-97, over the New Jersey Nets last night.


First defeat for Syracuse Stephen Graham scored 16 points, including two 3-point plays in the final 4 1/2 minutes, and No. 5 Oklahoma State beat No. 4 Syracuse, 74-60, last night in the Jimmy V Classic at New York.


Washington list shrinks Boston College football coach Tom O'Brien yesterday emerged as one of two strong candidates for the University of Washington's vacancy after Louisville coach Bobby Petrino and Boise State coach Dan Hawkins, both thought to be on Pac-10 school's short list, removed themselves from consideration.


Terriers rain buckets on Crimson's heads It wasn't quite the 44-point licking Harvard got last season at Case Gym, but Boston University's road show continued in impressive fashion last night at Lavietes Pavilion, where the Terriers raced to a 21-point halftime lead and poured it on for most of the second half en route to a 92-55 victory over the Crimson.


Gunmen Attack Samarra Police Headquarters (AP) AP - Gunmen attacked the police headquarters in Samarra on Wednesday, killing an Iraqi policemen and a child who was caught in the cross fire, a police official said.


Panel Examines Funds for Energy Security (AP) AP - Future energy security will require development of new nuclear power plants, coal that is less polluting and tougher federal requirements on automobile fuel economy, a nonpartisan panel of energy experts says.


Court-martial set in shooting of Iraqi BERLIN -- A US tank company commander accused of killing a critically wounded Iraqi driver for radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr will be court-martialed, an Army spokesman said yesterday.


Powell, Russian official in Ukraine clash SOFIA, Bulgaria -- The United States and Russia clashed yesterday at a European security forum over the crisis of Ukraine's disputed election, elevating an increasingly tense debate over democracy in former Soviet republics.


Ukrainian legislators fail to pass vote reform KIEV -- Lawmakers fought over and failed to pass legal reforms aimed at ensuring a fair rematch of Ukraine's fraudulent presidential runoff, accusing each other yesterday of acting in bad faith as several thousand orange-clad protesters besieged parliament and chanted,  quot;Parasites! Parasites! quot;


Victims tell of consulate attackers' search for Americans JIDDA, Saudi Arabia -- The militants stormed into the compound's inner courtyard, firing their guns from behind trees, bursting into offices, and shouting:  quot;Where are the Americans? Where are the Americans? quot;


French market watchdog fines Vivendi, former CEO French regulators Tuesday fined Vivendi Universal SA and its former boss Jean-Marie Messier nearly \$1.4 million each for deceiving investors with inaccurate financial communications issued over a two-year period.


Nikkei Rises for 1st Time in 3 Sessions Tokyo #39;s Nikkei average rose for the first time in three sessions to close 0.62 percent higher on Wednesday after investors found positive signs in revised Japanese economic growth figures that were sluggish overall.


MBA graduate thinks he is the cat #39;s whiskers Harrisburg, Pennsylvania - The Pennsylvania attorney-general #39;s office has sued an online university for allegedly selling bogus degrees, including an MBA awarded to a cat.


Pakistan Tests Medium-Range Nuclear-Capable Missile Pakistan test-fired on Wednesday a nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface ballistic missile, capable of hitting targets deep inside arch-rival India.


Allawi meets Putin to boost trade ties BAGHDAD: The number of US soldiers killed in combat in Iraq neared 1,000 after a spike in violence, as Prime Minister Iyad Allawi prepared on Tuesday for talks in Moscow aimed at reviving business ties despite Russias opposition to the US-led war.


State wineries are hoping to toast a major windfall WASHINGTON -- In a case that could yield a bonanza for Washington state #39;s expanding wine industry, the Supreme Court yesterday was asked to dismantle Depression-era laws that prohibit consumers from buying wine directly from out-of-state producers.


S.D. backups charged up SAN DIEGO -- Backup quarterbacks Doug Flutie and Philip Rivers each threw a touchdown pass and the San Diego Chargers warmed up for their first playoff game in nine seasons by beating the Kansas City Chiefs, 24-17, yesterday in what was little more than an exhibition. Having clinched the AFC West title two weeks earlier and the AFC's No. 4 ...


Toshiba announces HD-DVD / DVD combo disc AN ALL-NEW TYPE of media disc, which is to combine the DVD standard with an all-new high definition format, has been developed by Toshiba and Memory-Tech.


Thunderbird Leaves the Nest The Mozilla Foundation announced the release version of its new email client, Thunderbird today. Roughly a month after the Mozilla Foundation made history by launching the first mass market open source browser


Technology companies launch grid project to woo users Get INQ7 breaking news on your Smart mobile phone in the Philippines. Send INQ7 BREAKING to 386. SAN FRANCISCO, California, United States of America -- After a survey by International Data Corp.


Oklahoma State supporting cast grabs spotlight against Syracuse NEW YORK -- Rose and Joe Graham, standing in front of their seats at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, were sporting custom-made, orange Oklahoma State jerseys in support of their fraternal-twin sons, Joey and Stephen, both seniors on the Cowboys.


Ravens' win comes too late BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Ravens showed exactly why they had to depend on outside help to reach the playoffs. Baltimore needed to beat the Miami Dolphins and have three other games fall its way to earn a wild-card berth. The Ravens did their part, stumbling to a 30-23 victory yesterday, but failed to get the help they needed elsewhere and ...


For want of a photo, agreement is lost IF IT looks insane, that is because it is. An agreement so comprehensive in scope, so profound in implication and so improbable after so much history seems to have been brought down by a dispute about a photograph.


EU Says Time Not Right to Lift China Arms Ban The European Union is not yet ready to lift an arms embargo on China, Bernard Bot, Foreign Minister of the Netherlands which holds the bloc #39;s rotating presidency, said Wednesday.


Israeli Army unit suspended after killing unarmed man TONY EASTLEY: Already under investigation for the repeated shooting of a 13-year-old Palestinian schoolgirl, the Israeli Army is now accused of killing a disarmed and wounded man.


U.N., Cambodia to Thrash Out Khmer Rouge Trials  PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - The last details of how former Khmer  Rouge leaders will be tried for their roles in the deaths of an  estimated 1.7 million Cambodians should be thrashed out by the  end of the year, a United Nations official said on Wednesday.


Lenovo to buy IBM PC arm IBM said late Tuesday that it will sell its personal computer division, transferring an iconic brand to a Chinese rival that also will absorb about 2,000 local workers.


Credit Suisse to combine units, float Winterthur NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Credit Suisse Group said Tuesday it will merge its Credit Suisse First Boston investment banking division into its private and corporate bank, cutting up to 300 jobs cuts and dropping a name that #39;s been on Wall Street for 72 years.


Bengals feast on backups PHILADELPHIA -- Rudi Johnson ran for three touchdowns and Jon Kitna threw a scoring pass for Cincinnati, helping the Bengals take advantage of the Philadelphia Eagles' backups, 38-10, to win their second straight game and finish 8-8 for the second year in a row.


Good disguise, eh? A US company is helping politically wary American travellers pose as peace-loving Canucks. For \$25 US, the T-Shirt King.Com provides a package with enough red-and-white gear for vacationers to pass themselves off as Canadians abroad.


Favre makes short work of Bears in rout CHICAGO -- Brett Favre worked up a sweat, threw two touchdowns passes in a short workday, and got the Green Bay Packers tuned up for the playoffs.


Firefox #39;s Times ad late as 10 million downloads near As the Firefox browser prepares to pass its 10 million download mark, the New York Times ad that was supposed to follow its launch has yet to be seen.


Panthers #39; defense leads to another win Carl Krauser scored all but two of his 17 points at the free throw line to lead No. 11 Pittsburgh to a 70-51 victory over Memphis on Tuesday night in the Jimmy V Classic.


Last day of Champions League kicks off Last day of the Champions League group stage kicks off tonight... and theres lots in store. The scenario: Not only does Rafael Benitez #39;s Liverpool side need a win against their Greek opponents, they need


World icons Hamm, Foudy take their last kicks tonight After 18 years, 785 games, 230 goals, two Women #39;s World Cup championships, two Olympics gold medals - and an unparalleled sociological legacy - Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy


Cardinals get kicks in finale TEMPE, Ariz. -- Neil Rackers kicked four field goals and the Arizona Cardinals stifled rookie Chris Simms and the rest of the Tampa Bay offense for a 12-7 victory yesterday in a matchup of two sputtering teams out of playoff contention. Coach Jon Gruden's team lost its fourth in a row to finish 5-11, Tampa Bay's worst record since going ...


Bills get bounced by Steelers' subs ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Willie Parker, Brian St. Pierre, and James Harrison -- who are these guys, you might ask?


Cashing in on an advance ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz couldn't care less that his team finished .500. Somehow, it is in the playoffs.


Delgado Not Offered Arbitration by Blue (AP) AP - Carlos Delgado was not offered salary arbitration by the Toronto Blue Jays before Tuesday's midnight deadline, leaving one of the biggest stars in franchise history to look for a new team.


Deserter #39;s hearing told of atrocities TORONTO - A former US Marine staff sergeant testified at a hearing yesterday that his unit killed at least 30 unarmed civilians in Iraq during the war in 2003 and that Marines routinely shot wounded Iraqis and killed them.


Putin casts doubt on Iraq polls Russian President Vladimir Putin cast doubt on Tuesday over the viability of holding elections as planned next month in an Iraq under  quot;total occupation quot;.


Warmin' to that spotlight FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- If Oklahoma and Southern California seemed comfortable handling yesterday's Media Day for tomorrow night's Orange Bowl BCS title game, there's a good reason. Both schools are used to the attention success brings.


Deserter free after 40 years Tokyo - US army deserter Charles Jenkins, who spent nearly four decades in North Korea, finally saw freedom on Tuesday as he left a US base with his Japanese wife for a new home on a small island north of Tokyo.


Slowdown in eurozone growth is only temporary: ECB (AFP) AFP - The slowdown in economic growth seen in the 12-country eurozone in the third quarter of this year is only "temporary," the European Central Bank's chief economist Otmar Issing said in a newspaper interview.


Tech, Miners Lead European Shares Lower  LONDON (Reuters) - Technology and mining groups led  European shares lower on Wednesday, the former soured after  U.S. chip group Texas Instruments trimmed its outlook, while  the latter was scuppered by a drop in copper prices.


China Aviation chief is arrested Singapore police arrest the chief executive of China Aviation Oil, the firm embroiled in a \$550m  trading scandal.


Colgate-Palmolive to cut 4440 jobs Colgate-Palmolive is to cut about 4,440 jobs -12 per cent of the workforce - and close roughly one-third of its factories amid fierce competition from Procter  amp; Gamble.


Denver loses as gold-mining merger scuttled Denver lost out on becoming headquarters of the world #39;s seventh-largest gold company Tuesday after shareholders defeated a proposed \$2.9 billion international mining merger between Canada #39;s Iamgold and South Africa-based Gold Fields Ltd.


Infinity president says Stern to fulfill contract Howard Stern is expected to stay on broadcast radio through the end of his contract next year, while Infinity Broadcasting looks  quot;feverishly quot; for a replacement, the shock jock #39;s boss said yesterday.


Love of science requited As little girls, Yueqi  quot;Lucie quot; Guo and Xianlin Li dreamed of ending hunger, finding world peace and discovering a cure for cancer.


WE #39;RE BACK ARSENE WENGER last night breathed a huge sigh of relief as Arsenal blitzed Rosenborg to storm into the Champions League #39;s second phase.


Woods back in the swing He #39;s no longer reigning PGA Player of the Year or the No. 1 golfer in the world, having yielded both titles this year to Vijay Singh.


Zook receives warm welcome to Illinois Ron Zook was asked Tuesday how soon he planned to get the recruiting process underway in his new job as University of Illinois football coach.


UPDATE 1-First India test postponed to Friday The first test between India and Bangladesh has been postponed by a day to Friday after the Indian team #39;s arrival was delayed because of a threat by an Islamic militant group.


Tougher Cyber-Security Measures Urged (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - A group representing technology industry executives yesterday called on the Bush administration to step up efforts to protect the nation's computer and Internet infrastructure, and it proposed that the top official in charge be given a higher profile.


IBM Deal Puts Lenovo on Global Stage (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - When it began two decades ago, the company now known as Lenovo Group Ltd. was little more than a glorified delivery service, a venture launched by academic researchers in Beijing who earned cash by distributing personal computers built by prominent brands in faraway countries.


Anheuser-Busch Teams With Saigon Beer (AP) AP - Beer giant Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. continues to grow its international business, reaching a cooperation agreement with the largest brewer in Vietnam.


Powell, Russian official in Ukraine clash The United States and Russia clashed yesterday at a European security forum over the crisis of Ukraine #39;s disputed election, elevating


Egypt pushes Israeli-Palestinian accord JERUSALEM - Egypt said yesterday it had brokered an understanding to halt Israeli-Palestinian violence and move toward a peace accord, hours after Hamas militants set off a bomb in Gaza that killed an Israeli soldier and triggered Israeli retaliation


Experts Still Examine Yushchenko Illness -- Doctor  VIENNA (Reuters) - Medical experts are still investigating  the cause of Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko's  illness during election campaigning, and poisoning remains one  possibility, his doctor said on Wednesday.


Today's schedule College basketball: MEN -- Detroit at Northeastern, 7 p.m.; UNH at Brown, 7 p.m.; Stony Brook at URI, 7 p.m.; UMass-Lowell at AIC, 7 p.m.; Mt. Ida at Bridgewater St., 7 p.m.; Dowling at Southern Conn., 7 p.m.; Tufts at Suffolk, 7:30 p.m.; St. Rose at Franklin Pierce, 7:30 p.m.; Southern Maine at Colby, 7:30 p.m.; WOMEN -- UMass-Lowell at ...


Transactions BASEBALL Baltimore (AL): Signed OF B.J. Surhoff. Chicago (NL): Signed SS Nomar Garciaparra and 2B Todd Walker. Houston (NL): Signed OF Orlando Palmeiro and P Russ Springer. Kansas City (AL): Signed P Kevin Appier to a minor league contract. Los Angeles (NL): Signed P Elmer Dessens. Milwaukee (NL): Signed C Chad Moeller. New York (AL): Signed 2B Tony Womack. Philadelphia ...


Freed Captive Tells of Ordeal in Attack on Consulate in Jidda Survivors of the armed assault on the U.S. Consulate in Saudi Arabia said that eight men were used as human shields.


Lifestyle 'governs mobile choice' Consumers are much more interested in what their phone does for them than bits and bytes, research suggests.


Grenade attack injures 30 as Kalam visits troops in Kashmir (AFP) AFP - Muslim rebels in Indian Kashmir injured 30 people when they hurled a grenade in a busy marketplace as President Abdul Kalam visited the region to address frontline troops.


IBM #39;s PC division bought by Lenovo The deal makes the Chinese company the world #39;s third biggest PC maker and pushes IBM to the sidelines of a field it once ruled.


China Aviation chief is arrested Singapore Police have arrested the chief of China Aviation Oil, the jet fuel supplier embroiled in a \$500m (284m) trading scandal.


NVIDIA and Sony hook-up Electronic voting in the US. The saga continues. Here is an interesting comparision with a Venezuelan referendum.  quot;80 of Americans could correctly name the first President Bush #39;s pet dog Millie, but only


NATO Set to Downgrade Ukraine Meet -- Diplomats  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO is set to cancel a meeting of its  foreign ministers with the Ukrainian foreign minister scheduled  for Thursday to avoid high-level contacts with a government  accused of election fraud, diplomats said.


Russia Using Soviet Tactics Over Ukraine -- Warsaw  WARSAW (Reuters) - Russia's refusal to cooperate with the  West to ensure a fair election in Ukraine signals that Moscow  is slipping back to Soviet-style tactics, a senior Polish  diplomat was quoted Wednesday as saying.