Factory Growth Picks Up Speed in November (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. manufacturers ratcheted up the\pace of output in November as new orders jumped and factories\took on more workers, a report said on Wednesday.


Eurozone economy hit with flood of bad news (AFP) AFP - The eurozone economy got slapped with a wave of bad news that highlighted a third-quarter slowdown, a decline in industrial activity and a stagnant job market.


HP Looking to Ward off Viruses HP announced today that they are working on software to throttle viruses which could ultimately slow the spread of viruses and worms.


Firefox and IE in the latest Netscape browser If you #39;re a Netscape fan, you #39;ve probably run into websites that require you to fire up Internet Explorer in order to see the site properly.


Dolphins LB Thomas Out for Sunday #39;s Game DAVIE, Fla. (Sports Network) - Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas will miss Sunday #39;s game against the Buffalo Bills with a hamstring injury.


Nedbank Challenge #39;s status to be enhanced It is known to many as Africa #39;s major. However, the Nedbank Challenge is in line to get enhanced status. There are possible plans to include the Sun City event in the World Golf Championship calendar.


Gunshots fired as Powell visits Haiti palace Gunshots were heard outside Haiti #39;s presidential palace while US Secretary of State Colin Powell visited there Wednesday, a source familiar with the incident said.


Car  #39;tried to ram #39; Serb president #39;s convoy A man in a car tried several times to ram the limousine carrying Serbia #39;s pro-Western President Boris Tadic through the streets of Belgrade late on Tuesday, the presidential press office said.


Consumer Spending Stronger Than Expected  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer spending rose a  sharper-than-expected 0.7 percent in October, showing the  economy off to a solid fourth-quarter start despite a step-up  in inflation, a government report showed on Wednesday.


US CEOs Less Bullish About Economy-Survey  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. chief executives have become  slightly less optimistic about the economy in the past quarter,  but half plan to increase capital spending in the next six  months, according to a survey released on Wednesday.


Ford Cuts Production as Sales Fall Again  DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co. F.N on Wednesday said  it was setting first-quarter North American production below  the 2004 quarter's levels as U.S. sales fell again in November.


Soy Fungus Spreads to Tennessee  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Soybean rust was confirmed in a  Tennessee, the ninth state infected by the highly contagious  disease that has rapidly swept across the U.S. South and is  taking aim at big Midwest farming states, officials said on  Wednesday.


Fairchild Semi Raises Outlook, Stock Up  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fairchild Semiconductor International  Inc. FCS.N, a maker of chips used to manage power in  electronics, on Wednesday said quarterly sales would reach the  higher end of its previous targets, sending its shares up as  much as 8 percent.


ECB Trims Growth Forecasts for 2004, 2005  FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank will cut  its euro zone economic growth forecasts for the next two years  when official projections are released on Thursday, a monetary  source told Reuters.


Notre Dame just doesn #39;t get it The school doesn #39;t get the top recruits, doesn #39;t get the major bowl games it believes is its birthright, and doesn #39;t get the fact that the football program is just not a major power anymore.


Mobile phone sales still booming Worldwide mobile phone sales rise 26 in the July to September quarter, driven by demand for new handsets.


Brazil to break Aids drug patents Brazil says it intends to copy patented anti-Aids drugs without permission from next year.


Giuliani Creates Investment Banking Firm Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani announced Wednesday he is creating an investment banking firm to advise companies on financial transactions.


Investing in Dogs Putting some of your hard-earned cash into dogs, or even water buffalo, can be very rewarding.


Chico's The Man The leading specialty women's clothier trounces expectations and sees more opportunity in the future.


A Dollar for 85 Cents Closed-end mutual funds offer more bang for your investing buck as long as they are trading at a discount.


Stocks Soar on Energy Inventory Buildup Stocks soared Wednesday, with the Dow Jones industrials rising more than 120 points, as a large buildup in the nation #39;s energy inventories and increased consumer spending sent buyers back to the market.


Barghouthi to Run for Palestinian President (Reuters) Reuters - Jailed popular leader Marwan Barghouthi\decided on Wednesday to run in a Palestinian presidential\election and Hamas militants vowed to boycott it, throwing the\campaign into turmoil after Yasser Arafat's death.


Electronic Eye May Help Blind Cross Street (AP) AP - Equipped with a tiny camera, a high-tech device that recognizes the white stripes of a pedestrian crosswalk and reads traffic lights could tell a blind person when it's safe to cross the street, researchers say.


Ericsson to Distribute Warner Music Tones (AP) AP - Looking to expand its offerings to European consumers, Warner Music International and Telefon AB Ericsson said Wednesday they plan to start distributing some of the label's artists music via mobile phone in Europe.


Dolphins LB Thomas Out for Sunday's Game (Reuters) Reuters - Miami Dolphins linebacker\Zach Thomas will miss Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills\with a hamstring injury.


Telecoms Winning the WiFi War (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - The signal is clear: In the tug of war betweeen Big Telecom and little governments, the powerful telecommunications lobby is winning, which could have major implications for how wireless Internet and other high-speed Internet service is doled out countrywide.


The sticky problem of software authenticity Microsofts anti-piracy campaign is getting down to the nitty gritty of sticky labels that affix to PCs and software packaging. The company revealed today its cracking down on the illegal use of certificates


Mexico Investigates Cancun Slayings (AP) AP - Mexican federal law enforcement officials were investigating their own Cancun office Wednesday, saying they may be tied to last week's slayings of nine people, including three federal agents.


Samsung Pips Motorola in Cellphone Ranking (Reuters) Reuters - South Korea's Samsung\Electronics overtook Motorola as the world's second-biggest\mobile phone maker in the third quarter as the market continued\to boom, a survey showed on Wednesday.


Washington, D.C. Council Moves on Baseball Funding (Reuters) Reuters - Washington, D.C.'s City Council on\Tuesday approved a debt and tax-backed financing plan to build\a new stadium for Major League Baseball, moving a step closer\to bringing baseball back to the U.S. capital.


Siemens wins UMTS contract with US mobile phone giant Cingular (AFP) AFP - German electronics group Siemens said it had won a large contract with Cingular, the leading US mobile phone operator, to supply a UMTS network over the next several years.


India eyeing Test series win Kolkata: India put themselves on course for their first home series win in two years, as their famed spinners exploited a wearing track to push South Africa on the mat in the decisive second cricket Test here today.


Injured Fin: Miami LB Thomas out for Sunday #39;s game Davie, FL (Sports Network) - Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas will miss Sunday #39;s game against the Buffalo Bills with a hamstring injury.


EU Suspends Review of Microsoft Deal (AP) AP - The European Union suspended its antitrust review of Microsoft Corp.'s deal with Time Warner Inc. to develop anti-piracy software now that technology company Thomson SA has joined the proposed venture, officials said Wednesday.


IBM Inks Outsourcing Deals Worth  #36;1B (AP) AP - International Business Machines Corp. said Wednesday it signed a pair of outsourcing contracts worth more than  #36;1 billion with two Danish companies, continuing the computer giant's push into northern Europe.


South Asia Stares at Looming Water Crisis (Reuters) Reuters - It's been 10 years since farmer\Bhairu Singh saw water in the well on his rocky patch of land\in western India.


Chicago Mayor's Son Enlists in Army at 29 (AP) AP - Mayor Richard Daley's son, whose name and MBA from one of the nation's most prestigious universities would have opened doors to a lucrative career, has instead joined the Army and could be sent off to the battlefields of Iraq or Afghanistan.


Senator Calls on Annan to Quit Over Iraq Program (Reuters) Reuters - A U.S. senator investigating\corruption in the U.N. oil-for-food program for Iraq said on\Wednesday U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan should resign\because the fraud took place on his watch.


N.D. Consortium Wins NASA Research Job (AP) AP - NASA has awarded control of its DC-8 research aircraft to the Upper Midwest Space Consortium at the University of North Dakota, a move officials say will create new jobs at the university and give it added national prestige.


Barghouthi to Run for Palestinian President  GAZA (Reuters) - Jailed popular leader Marwan Barghouthi  decided on Wednesday to run in a Palestinian presidential  election and Hamas militants vowed to boycott it, throwing the  campaign into turmoil after Yasser Arafat's death.


Lunar Robotic Village, Moon Base Gains International Support (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - As Moon exploration \looms larger among nbsp;the growing community of scientists and engineers from Europe, India, China, \Japan, and nbsp;the United States, a robotic lunar village is gaining support, leading to \a permanent human presence on the Moon by 2024.


Sampras Says Federer Can Match His Long-Term Dominance  PARIS (Reuters) - Seven-times Wimbledon champion Pete  Sampras believes Roger Federer could match his long stint as  the world's dominant tennis player.


Camels May Overrun Australia Outback (AP) AP - Parts of Australia's Outback could soon be overrun by wild camels if drastic measures are not taken to cull them, a wildlife scientist said Wednesday.


UN Says May Have Spotted Rwandan Troops in Congo  KINSHASA (Reuters) - The U.N. mission in Congo said on  Wednesday it had spotted 100 soldiers, thought to be Rwandan,  in the east of the vast Central African country but Kigali  declined to say whether its troops had crossed the border.


Israeli Coalition on Verge of Collapse Over Budget  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's  coalition reeled toward collapse on Wednesday over a budget  vote likely to force him to remake his government or call  elections that would imperil his Gaza withdrawal plan.


Ukraine rivals bid to end crisis Presidential rivals Viktor Yushchenko and Viktor Yanukovych meet in a fresh bid to resolve the poll crisis.


New Somali cabinet named in exile A new government is named for Somalia but it remains too dangerous for them to be based in the capital.


Moratinos defends coup comments Spain's foreign minister defends his claim that the former government supported the 2002 Venezuela coup.


Cricket: England outclass Zim England race to a 2-0 series lead with a comfortable 161-run win over Zimbabwe.


Tsunami Prompts Online Outpouring In the aftermath of last week's tsunami disaster, the Internet is a tool for good and bad ... but mostly good. -washingtonpost.com


Do They Know It's Simplistic? Band Aid's intentions are good, but Africa needs more than just a Christmas jingle


Battle rages between Lycos and spammers Lycos #39; European anti-spam website was taken down only hours after it went live. The outage appears to be the result of a DDoS attack, most likely initiated by spammers in response to the search engine #39;s  quot;Make


Arrese sure of Spanish Davis Cup win Spain begin their third final in five seasons at the Olympic stadium hoping to secure their second title since their first in Barcelona against Australia in 2000.


Chair suspect won #39;t talk The man suspected of throwing a chair during the Detroit Pistons-Indiana Pacers brawl refused to be interviewed by police on Tuesday.


ATI Radeon X850 XT Platinum Edition Review Just as ATI's X800 XT PE ships, along comes the next board


Gunfire erupted near US Secretary of State Colin Powell during <b>...</b> Some 20 minutes of heavy gunfire erupted near US Secretary of State Colin Powell Wednesday as he visited the National Palace here to show US support for the violence-racked country #39;s interim government.


All 166 trapped Chinese miners dead BEIJING: All the coal miners trapped after a gas explosion in a shaft in norther China are dead, bringing the toll to 166 in one of the worst disasters to hit the world #39;s most dangerous mining industry, state media said yesterday.


Villages tune in to digital trial Two villages in Carmarthenshire are the first in Wales to be converted to digital television.


Samsung Pips Motorola in Cellphone Ranking  AMSTERDAM/SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's Samsung  Electronics overtook Motorola as the world's second-biggest  mobile phone maker in the third quarter as the market continued  to boom, a survey showed on Wednesday.


Barghouthi to Run for Palestinian President-Official  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Jailed Palestinian leader Marwan  Barghouthi decided on Wednesday to run for Palestinian  president, reversing his earlier decision to stay out of the  race, a Palestinian official said.


Christmas Cracker In its first reaction to rebel warnings to return to their  quot;freedom struggle quot; unless the 19-month impasse in peace talks was ended by Colombo, the government said the rebel position was unacceptable.


Telecoms Winning the WiFi War The signal is clear: In the tug of war between Big Telecom and little governments, the powerful lobby is winning, which could have major implications for how wireless Internet service is doled out countrywide. -washingtonpost.com


iTunes music store nowhere in sight VANCOUVER - When it comes to the world #39;s most popular legal music downloading service, Canadians were still waiting last night for the other song to drop.


Egypt, Israel agree on border security Israel and Egypt Wednesday reached agreement on beefing up security along the border between Egypt and Gaza and for training of Palestinian police.


Bombardier to cut 2,200 more jobs, reports poor 3Q earnings LONDON, December 1 (newratings.com) - Bombardier Inc (BBD.B.TOR) announced today plans to cut 2,200 more jobs at its train manufacturing unit, while reducing the production of its 50-seater regional jets, after having reported lower-than-expected third


Siemens to supply 3G Cingular network Boca Raton-based Siemens Communications said Cingular Wireless has chosen it to help with the mobile phone company #39;s nationwide deployment of a true third generation (3G) high-speed universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) network.


Three U.S. Presidents Urge U.S. Relief Aid (Reuters) Reuters - President Bush brought together\former presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton on Monday to\launch an appeal for Americans to make a donation to help\victims of the South Asia quake and tsunamis.


First Heisman ballot is in hand, but actually picking a winner a <b>...</b> I don #39;t get to the office all that often these days -- the beauty of this job is you can do it in your bathrobe while eating oatmeal and keeping one eye on The Price is Right -- so when I do, there #39;s usually a stack of mail awaiting.


Two men banned from Pistons #39; games Two men have been banned from events at The Palace for what the Detroit Pistons say is their involvement in last month #39;s NBA brawl.


London Denies Mutilated Woman Corpse is of Margaret Hassan The mutilated body of a woman of about sixty years, which was discovered in Iraq in the middle of November, is not that of kidnapped British aid worker Margaret Hassan, the UK Foreign Affairs Ministry announced.


13 die in another Chinese mine accident 13 Chinese miners were killed and three others were missing after a gas blast at a township-run coal mine in Liupanshui city, southwest Guizhou province, today.


Redskins' Taylor Pleads Not Guilty (AP) AP - Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a drunken driving charge, and his trial was rescheduled for Jan. 5.


iTunes not ready to sing  #39;O Canada #39; Apple Computer has apparently missed its self-imposed deadline for launching a Canadian version of its online music store. The company had promised a November launch of iTunes in the country.


Customers Win in Database Vendors #39; Race to Linux Two splashy Linux announcements coming from major database vendors underscore the fact that Linux is profoundly shaking up the database market.


WINS Flaw Found in Microsoft Server Software Microsoft (Quote, Chart) plans to issue a patch for a security flaw in Windows Server software that may allow attackers to gain control over systems running the program, the company said.


Valve unleashes Half-Life 2: D Confirming suspicions, Valve releases a new multiplayer mode alongside the game #39;s SDK; Steam instantly swamped. When Half-Life 2 was released, many were disappointed that its only official multiplayer mode


Indiana Fires DiNardo As Football Coach Gerry DiNardo was fired as Indiana #39;s football coach after a 3-8 season that ended with a 63-24 loss to Purdue, the Hoosiers #39; seventh defeat in eight years to their state rival.


Redskins Rookie Taylor Pleads Not Guilty to DUI Charge FAIRFAX, Va. (Sports Network) - Washington Redskins rookie safety Sean Taylor Wednesday pleaded not guilty to a drunken driving charge.


Gaza plan could revive road map-Israeli strategist Israel #39;s plan to quit the Gaza Strip could kick-start a stalled drive towards Palestinian statehood, one of its architects said on Wednesday.


Sri Lanka rebuffs rebels #39; demands Sri Lanka #39;s government has rejected demands from Tamil Tiger rebels to unconditionally resume peace talks. The rebels threatened at the weekend to return to military action unless discussions based on their blueprint for self-rule began again.


Gartner: Half of U.S. IT operations jobs to vanish In an eyebrow-raising forecast, Gartner researchers said they believe that as many as 50 percent of the IT operational jobs in the U.S. could disappear over the next two decades because of improvements in data center technologies.


IBM scores \$1B in Danish contracts IBM said Wednesday that it has sewn up outsourcing deals with two Danish companies valued at more than \$1 billion over 10 years, reinforcing its strength in Europe.


EU stops clock on ContentGuard investigation BRUSSELS -- The European Commission has "stopped the clock" on its antitrust investigation into digital rights management software maker ContentGuard, a joint venture between Microsoft and Time Warner, pending further information on the deal, it announced on Wednesday.


Lycos' anti-spam screensaver draws fire A screensaver developed by Lycos Europe that gives spammers a dose of their own medicine is attracting plenty of attention, but not all of it good.


Nokia earmarks millions to build new plant in India Nokia, the world's largest handset maker, is investing up to \$150 million over the next four years to establish a manufacturing facility in India, it announced Wednesday.
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Lycos Antispam Screensaver Draws Fire Screensaver offers to "spam the spammers," but not everyone is pleased with its message.


Singingfish Unveils Multimedia Search Tool Consumers will be able to hunt for music, movies, news, and more.


Microsoft Sues Alleged Software Pirates Resellers are accused of selling products with fake Certificate of Authenticity labels.


Mutual Funds Can Have Tax Trap in December (AP) AP - The end of the year can be a great time to rebalance your portfolio and unload poor performers, but wise investors know to do a bit of research before buying and selling mutual funds in December.


Els seeks fourth title in South African event Ernie Els hasn #39;t won a major this year. But he has a chance for a fourth career title in what #39;s billed as  quot;South Africa #39;s major quot; _ the USS\$4.06-million Nedbank Challenge.


News: Cabir added to payload of Symbian mobile Trojan Virus writers have packaged the Skulls mobile Trojan with Cabir to create a more potent threat against Symbian Series 60 smart phones.


Ford Sales Fall, Chrysler Posts Gain (Reuters) Reuters - Ford Motor Co.  on Wednesday\reported its sixth straight month of weaker vehicle sales,\prompting the second-largest U.S. automaker to further cut\production of cars and trucks, while Chrysler posted another\sales gain.


New Game in Town: ESPN Phone ESPN teams with Sprint to create the first fully branded phone.  Also:  Researchers develop a smart camera to let blind people get around safely   hellip;.  Europe's Lycos takes a swing back at spammers   hellip;. and more.


Cingular to upgrade high-speed data network Cingular Wireless, the largest cellphone service provider in the United States, will upgrade its high-speed data network, allowing faster downloads than are now available


Moody #39;s raises Freeport-McMoran Copper  amp; Gold Moody #39;s Investors Service said on Wednesday it raised Freeport-McMoRan Copper  amp; Gold Inc. #39;s (FCX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) ratings, citing the return of its PT Freeport Indonesia unit to normal mining operations.


TiVo Upgrade Shifts TV Shows to Computer Laptop  NEW YORK (Reuters) - TiVo Inc., maker of television  recording technology, on Monday said it has started shipping  "TiVoToGo," a service upgrade that allows some subscribers to  view recorded programs on a computer or laptop.


Kazaa Back In Court Beware music downloaders and users of the popular peer-to-peer network known as Kazaa. The Australian recording industry has begun civil proceedings against Sharman Networks Limited, who own the popular file sharing medium.


Adventurer to launch solo flight from Kansas the first person to circumnavigate the globe solo in a balloon -- will begin his attempt at the first solo, nonstop flight around the world without refueling from an airport in Salina.


Ferguson ready for Arsenal youngsters Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson expects to face Arsene Wenger #39;s young Gunners when the fierce rivals meet again at Old Trafford on Wednesday.


Bookies fear Chelsea clean sweep Jose Mourinho hailed Frank Lampard as he led Chelsea last night into the Carling Cup semi-finals with a 2-1 win over Fulham. Frank Lampard came off the bench at Fulham to score a late winner before next week


Bolton back Diouf BOLTON striker El-Hadji Diouf can count on his club to provide all the help he needs after admitting a charge of improper conduct and expressing his regret for spitting.


Follow along as ESPN The Magazine #39;s Buster Olney breaks down the <b>...</b> The Move: The Giants sign closer Armando Benitez to a three-year, \$21.5 million, plugging a hole that probably cost them the NL West title last season.


Two Fans Banned After  #39;Basketbrawl #39; Incident Two fans involved in the brawl at last month #39;s Pacers-Pistons game at the Palace in Auburn Hills have been banned from all events at the arena according to a spokesman for the Detroit Pistons.


Car Attack on President Inflames Serb Suspicions  BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbian President Boris Tadic called  for a rapid investigation on Wednesday after a man in a car  tried several times to ram his limousine as it sped through the  streets of Belgrade in a night-time convoy.


Israeli PM loses key budget vote Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's government could fall after his budget is vetoed by parliament.


Emissions double heatwave risk Greenhouse gas emissions have doubled the risk of European heatwaves similar to last year's, a UK study says.


Powell Meets With Haitian Leaders Secretary of State Colin Powell met on Wednesday with Haitian political leaders and other opponents of ousted President Jean Bertrand Aristide in what is likely his last visit to the destitute island nation as the United States' top diplomat.


UPDATE 1-GMP says no further plans to pursue bid for Stelco GMP Capital Corp. (GMP.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday it has no plans to make further bids to restructure Stelco Inc.


Report: Delta pullout to cost North Texas North Texas and DFW International Airport will lose \$782 million annually when Delta Air Lines pulls out of the airport next year, economists say.


Microsoft Files Suits Over Certificates of Authenticity Microsoft has filed its first lawsuits over allegedly counterfeit and illicit certificates of authenticity, the labels attached to software packages and computers to verify the legitimacy of the programs inside.


Sony, Toshiba to Launch Digital Appliances With Super Chips in <b>...</b> Nov. 30--NEW YORK -- Sony Corp. and Toshiba Corp. said Monday they will launch digital consumer appliances with highly advanced semiconductors in 2006.


GlobalFlyer Aims To Go Voyager One Better LucidBeast writes  quot;We all remember Voyager, the first plane to fly around the world in 1986 on one tank of gas. Now Voyager pilot Steve Fossett plans to do it solo with a jet powered GlobalFlyer.


Felony charge deferred based on behavior WASHINGTON, DC -- Denver Nuggets forward Rodney White has pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor firearm charges in Washington DC after being arrested in September.


Three more arrested in English race-fixing scheme English trainer Alan Berry, jockey Paul Bradley, and farrier Steve OSullivan were arrested Tuesday morning as a part of an ongoing race-fixing investigation being conducted by London police.


Terrified Filipinos flee new typhoon Terrified survivors were yesterday fleeing the northeast Philippines as a new typhoon bore down on the stricken area where flooding and landslides have left over 400 people dead and 150 missing.


Hamas to boycott elections A leader of the militant Palestinian group Hamas announced Wednesday that its members will boycott presidential elections scheduled for January 9, reports the Associated Press.


Manufacturing Speeds Up as Consumers Spend Away  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The outlook for U.S. manufacturing  improved in November as factories hired more workers in  response to a jump in new orders, a national survey published  on Wednesday showed.


SkillSoft Learns the Hard Way A buyout of the online learning company looks like the best option for shareholders.


Gazprom expands its oil business preparing to buy Yuganskneftegaz Russian state-controlled gas giant Gazprom has announced its intention to be one of the bidders in the auction of the 76.8 stake in Yuganskneftegaz to be held on Dec.19.


success story Born in Cuba only a few years before Fidel Castro and his Communist regime came to power, Carlos Gutierrez has reached a destiny that is the stuff of which impossible dreams are made.


Update 1: Blockbuster May Raise Offer for Rival Blockbuster Inc., locked in a bidding war for Hollywood Entertainment Corp., announced Wednesday that it may sweeten its offer for the rival video renter.


Western Digital Outlook Spurs Sector Disk drive makers were on a roll Wednesday morning after industry giant Western Digital Corp. upped its outlook for the current quarter.


Stocks Surge on Energy Inventory Buildup Stocks soared Wednesday, with the Dow Jones industrials rising more than 120 points, as a large buildup in the nation #39;s energy inventories and increased consumer spending sent stock buyers back to the market.


NTT DoCoMo, mm02 Bring I-Mode to Europe DoCoMo has been offering its Internet capable i-mode mobile service in Japan since 1998. Now, under a new agreement, mm02 will provide DoCoMo #39;s i-mode technology to its 22 million customers in Britain, Germany and Ireland.


Man Mostly to Blame for 2003 Heatwave Human activity has increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and more than doubled the risk of record-breaking hot European summers, like that of 2003, according to a new study by Peter Stott from the Met Offices Hadley Centre, and Daithi Stone and


Canadian iTunes Music Store postponed Apple Computer Inc. confirmed for MacCentral on Wednesday that the Canadian iTunes Music Store has been delayed. Company representatives declined to comment on a specific timeframe for the store, but said in a statement that it would be very soon.


Technology ; Sybase Partners with IBM to Sell Database Software Sybase will have an opportunity to increase database software sales by teaming up with Big Blue, which has made a big push into Linux in recent years.


Cisco adds video to conferencing suite com December 1, 2004, 10:19 AM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been enterprise directories for several months, but for many IT managers, ERP (enterprise resource planning


Salina chosen as launch site for around-the-world solo flight SALINA - An unprecedented attempt at a solo, around-the-world, nonstop, unrefueled flight will have a distinct Kansas flavor. The around-the-world flight of the GlobalFlyer will begin and, if things go right, finish at the Salina Municipal Airport.


Tick #39;s Blick 1 Dec. 2004  quot;You can go this far and no further quot; or  quot;When I say no, I mean no quot; or maybe,  quot;Don #39;t you dare to question my decisions!


Fergie dismisses Arsenal challenge Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has raised the stakes ahead of Wednesday night #39;s Carling Cup clash with Arsenal by claiming that Chelsea are now the team to beat.


After 12-2 opening, three straight losing seasons Brigham Young was expected to announce the firing of Gary Crowton as football coach Wednesday, according to a Salt Lake Tribune report.


Manufacturing Activity Expands in December (AP) AP - Manufacturing activity expanded for the 19th consecutive month in December, a research group reported Monday, suggesting that the industrial sector entered the new year with solid strength behind it.


Sinn Fein rejects  quot;humiliation quot; deal The leader of Sinn Fein, the political ally of the IRA guerrillas, says agreement to seal a peace settlement in Northern Ireland was possible but could not be based on  quot;humiliation quot;.


Sharon Coalition in Jeopardy After Loss in Budget Vote (Reuters) Reuters - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon\crashed to defeat in a parliamentary budget vote on Wednesday\likely to shatter his coalition and endanger his plan to\withdraw from occupied Gaza.


Ukraine's opposition agrees to lift siege of government buildings in Kyiv (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Ukraine's opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko signed a compromise agreement Wednesday that obliged his supporters to lift their siege of government buildings, but he said they would stay in the streets until a deal is reached on a new vote.


Bush Courts Canadians, but Without Budging on Iraq The president sought to mend fences while unambiguously re-embracing a course that most Canadians have condemned.


Ford November Sales Fall 4.3 Percent Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday that US sales fell 4.3 percent in November as car sales continued to decline and truck sales edged lower despite the continued popularity of its F-Series truck.


Global Warming Has Doubled Risk of Fatal Heat Waves, Study Says Global warming caused by human activity has more than doubled the risk of summers as hot as in 2003, when thousands of people in Europe died of heat-related causes, according to a UK study published in the journal Nature.


Lycos Offers Revenge for the Spammed Lycos #39;  quot;Make Love, Not Spam quot; screensaver targets sites on secure international blacklists.  quot;We cannot use this software to bring the spammers #39; sites down entirely, as that would be illegal, quot; says Malte Pollman of Lycos Europe.


HD-DVD format gains major backing Let the format wars begin ... again. As if Beta versus VHS wasn #39;t bad enough, and if you just couldn #39;t get enough of DVD versus Circuit City #39;s DivX format, you #39;re sure to love HD-DVD versus Blu-Ray.


Crowton out as Brigham Young coach Embattled BYU coach Gary Crowton will be relieved of his coaching duties Wednesday, the Salt Lake Tribune is reporting. BYU administrators have called a noon news conference to  quot;address the state of the football


These matchups don #39;t happen often If this matchup was left up to Illinois and Wake Forest, it might not have happened. Certainly not on the first day of December. Sure, big-time Top 25 games can be booked as home-and-home series.


Dolphins LB Thomas Out for Sunday's Game  DAVIE, Fla. (Sports Network) - Miami Dolphins linebacker  Zach Thomas will miss Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills  with a hamstring injury.


Crude oil prices fall as US government reports growing supplies Oil prices fell below \$48 US a barrel Wednesday after the US government reported increases in the US supply of crude oil and distillate fuel, which includes heating oil.


Oil Sheds \$3 Heating Oil Supplies Rise  LONDON (Reuters) - World oil prices fell nearly \$3 a barrel  on Wednesday, shedding 6 percent, as a larger-than-expected  build in U.S. heating stocks soothed worries about a winter  fuel deficit.


Dollar General's 3Q Profit Drops 9 Percent (AP) AP - Dollar General Corp. said Wednesday that its third-quarter profits dropped nearly 9 percent amid high gas prices and reduced spending by its core, low-income customers. The discount retailer also lowered its forecast for the rest of the year.


Fed Beige Book: Economic Growth Continued  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy continued its  expansion over the past month, with labor market conditions  improving and business lending on the rise, the Federal Reserve  said on Wednesday.


Oil Falls \$3, Winter Fuel Inventories Up  LONDON (Reuters) - World oil prices slid \$3 a barrel on  Wednesday, shedding nearly 7 percent, as a larger-than-expected  build in U.S. heating stocks soothed worries about a winter  fuel deficit.


Stocks Shoot Higher as Oil Slumps  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks shot higher on Wednesday  as oil prices tumbled by more than \$3 a barrel, easing worries  about the impact high energy costs have on corporate profits  and consumer spending.


IOC Still Concerned About Turin Housing (AP) AP - The IOC expressed renewed concern Wednesday about housing at the 2006 Winter Olympics but expects Italian organizers to be ready when the games begin in 14 months.


Handhelds a Hit For Thanksgiving With the unveiling of the new Nintendo DS handheld system, consumers were greeted with what has been touted as the most innovative gaming technology we #39;ve seen this generation.


AOL revamps multimedia search engine com December 1, 2004, 10:30 AM PT. This priority retains its ranking at number five as more and more companies deploy Web services to share business logic, data and processes with each other and with clients.


ATI Announces New X850 and X800 Cards December 01, 2004 - ATI Technologies today officially unveiled its new lineup in its RADEON X800 family of add-in graphics boards, including both a new flagship board as well as new, more wallet-friendly incarnations of its current crop.


Google in China: Politically Correct? One of the best things I like about the Internet is the boundary-less nature of this amazing network. I can check out user views of people (from here in India) around the world on the India issues.


Phonak Rips Apart Before Thanksgiving, I wrote about the potentially far-reaching effects of Tyler Hamilton #39;s drug case. As of yesterday morning, some of the potential became actual, as the


Jailed Palestinian leader  #39;will now run in elections #39; The jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti has changed his mind again and pledged to run in the January presidential election, officials said.


Cingular Tips Hand On Wireless Broadband, 3G Plans Cingular will not only roll out a 3G UMTS cellular data network next year, but it also will use even faster wireless technology that will compete, at least in part, with wireless broadband technologies like WiMAX.


Costello Says Telstra Corp. Made Unwise Investments in Asia Australian Treasurer Peter Costello said Telstra Corp., the nation #39;s biggest phone company, made unwise #39; #39; investments in Asia.


Analysts Say Kremlin Seeks Control Of Oil Sector Through Yukos <b>...</b> Russia #39;s state-owned Gazprom monopoly has announced it will bid for Yukos #39;s main oil production unit, which is being auctioned off by the government.


Starbucks Sales Up 13 Pct, Shares Rise Starbucks Corp. (SBUX.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday said sales at stores open at least 13 months rose 13 percent in November, helped by the coffee shop chain #39;s early launch


Synopsys Loses \$28.4M on 4Q Sales Drop Synopsys Inc., which makes software used in the design of microchips, on Wednesday reported fourth-quarter sales slumped 27 percent, triggering a loss for the period.


Samsung Beats Motorola In Market Share CHICAGO - Catching Nokia has been an obsession at Motorola. But is the Schaumburg, Ill.-based handset maker catching the Asian flu?


Bush plan on dams rekindles salmon debate Bush administration proposes development-friendly policies that it says will protect fish. Environmentalists are outraged. By Brad Knickerbocker  Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor.


Cingular Raises Profit Outlook Cingular Wireless, the largest US wireless phone company, said Wednesday it expects to report a profit and positive cash flow in 2005, one year earlier than planned, following its \$41 billion purchase of AT amp;T Wireless Services Inc.


GMP Securities pulls out of Stelco effort to restructure and <b>...</b> TORONTO (CP) - A Bay Street investment dealer has dropped out of the battle to refinance Stelco Inc., saying it can #39;t compete in a sales process that favours the Hamilton steelmaker being taken over by an industry player.


Lycos Europe denies attack on zombie army Internet portal Lycos Europe has denied that its  quot;Make love not spam quot; Web site was hacked into and defaced last night. The company said that an e-mail that contained an apparent mirror image of the Web site being hacked was a hoax generated by spammers.


Microsoft releases patch to fix severe Internet Explorer flaw SEATTLE -- Microsoft Corp. released a critical security patch Wednesday to fix a flaw in its Internet Explorer Web browser that could allow an attacker to run malicious software on another person #39;s computer.


DVD battle a fight to the death THE fight over what #39;s going to replace your DVDs has heated up as three major movie studios announce support for one of two competing next-generation formats.


ATI launches X850, X800-XL graphics processors ATI today added the X850 series of graphics processors as a new high-end version for its desktop product line. The X800-XL takes the X800 family to an entry level price point.


Human Activity Tied to Deadly Heat Waves While human activity probably isn #39;t directly responsible for the 2003 heat wave that caused thousands of deaths in Europe, British researchers say human influence on the


Nintendo Sells 500,000 DS Handhelds in First Week Nintendo Co. Ltd.(7974.OS: Quote, Profile, Research) sold 500,000 Nintendo DS video game devices during the first week of sales in US stores for the new handheld featuring two screens


Kirkland company sued by Microsoft KIRKLAND -- A local company is one of several across the country targeted by Microsoft Corp. in a spate of copyright and trademark infringement lawsuits filed Monday.


DoCoMo to come to UK No sooner than weve all got used to the idea of 3G services in the UK, mm02 has teamed up with NTT DoCoMo to allow 02 to launch the I-mode internet service in Britain, Germany and Ireland.


IBM Supports Sybase for Linux IBM has decided to extend its support for Sybase, a competing database product to its DB2 database package, to present a Linux server-software package.


Canceled Contract Clouds China #39;s IT Procurement Policies On 28 November 2004, Beijing #39;s municipal government announced the cancellation of a \$3.6 million contract, awarded without tender on 18 November, that would have allowed it to use Microsoft software for a period of 3 years.


Fish agency lets dams off hook Columbia River Basin dam operations don #39;t jeopardize imperiled salmon and steelhead, according to a new biological opinion released Tuesday by the National Marine Fisheries Service.


Google #39;s China Filtering Draws Fire  quot;China is censoring Google News to force Internet users to use the Chinese version of the site which has been purged of the most critical news reports, quot; said a statement from Reporters Without Borders.


Fired Willingham blames only himself SOUTH BEND, Ind. - One day after being dismissed as Notre Dame football coach, Tyrone Willingham admitted that he failed to live up to his own expectations.


Mississippi fires Cutcliffe after 4-7 season Mississippi coach David Cutcliffe was fired Wednesday after his first losing season in six years with the Rebels. Ole Miss officials informed Cutcliffe of the decision early Wednesday and Cutcliffe met with the team before an afternoon news conference.


WRAPUP 1-Feyenoord, Steaua reach last 32 in UEFA Cup Feyenoord won the battle of the former winners to reach the last 32 of the UEFA Cup on Wednesday after a 2-1 victory over Schalke 04.


Jags sign Freeman, Allen as injury replacements The Jacksonville Jaguars signed defensive end Eddie Freeman on Wednesday and re-signed running back David Allen. The team also placed defensive end Rob Meier on injured reserve and released linebacker Jimmy McClain.


Gators accept Peach Bowl invite Florida has officially found its bowl. Now, it just needs to find its coach. The Gators accepted an invitation to play either Virginia Tech or Miami in Atlanta #39;s Peach Bowl on Dec. 31.


Gugliotta returns to Celtics lineup CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The Boston Celtics added a healthy Tom Gugliotta and deleted injured Delonte West. Gugliotta, 34, was activated Wednesday from the injured list after missing seven games because of lower back pain.


Business Community Applauds Baseball Plan Business leaders are applauding the DC Council #39;s revised plan to build a stadium for the soon-to-be Washington Nationals. They say Council Chairman Linda Cropp #39;s amendments Tuesday will help


CA picks SAP for ERP rollout Computer Associates International (CA) has selected SAPas its vendor for a new ERP (enterprise resource planning) system to replace a collection of homegrown accounting systems. Services firm Accenturewill assist with the implementation, CA said Wednesday.


Martin: Partnership  #39;even more important #39; Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin recounted Wednesday the hospitality Canadians displayed to stranded travelers after US airspace closed in the wake of the 2001 terror attacks.


Gunfire erupts in Haiti, Powell  amp; entourage safe WASHINGTON - Gunfire erupted outside Haiti #39;s presidential palace in Port-au-Prince on Wednesday as US Secretary of State Colin Powell met with senior Haitian officials, CNN reported.


Turmoil in Jerusalem as Sharon breaks up coalition. . . ARIEL SHARONS shaky government was in turmoil last night after the Israeli Prime Minister sacked the junior partner from his ruling coalition.


Global effort to curtail smoking hits milestone On Mexican billboards, drivers can still see the Marlboro Man, Philip Morris #39;s masculine image of a smoker. Television stations in


Iraqi Premier and Sunni Leaders Meet in Jordan to Discuss Election The interim prime minister of Iraq, Ayad Allawi, met here today with Sunni Arab leaders to try to persuade them to take part in the Iraqi elections planned for late next month.


Burma exiled government denounced over continued detention of <b>...</b> Exiled - National Coalition of Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) on 30 November strongly denounced Burmas military junta, State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) for extending the house arrest of democracy leader and Nobel laureate Daw Aung


IBM scores \$1B in Danish contracts IBM said Wednesday that it has sewn up outsourcing deals with two Danish companies valued at more than \$1 billion over 10 years, reinforcing its strength in Europe.
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Oil  Drops, Markets Climb The Dow Jones industrials shot up more than 160 points Wednesday, enjoying one of its best days of the year as crude prices plummeted on a weekly government report on oil inventories.


Deutsche Bank to axe 1,920 jobs Germany's biggest banks is to cut 1,920 positions over the next two years as part of an ongoing reorganisation.


UN Confirms Rwandan Troops Have Entered Congo The UN confirmed today that Rwandan troops have crossed the border into Congo in pursuit of rebel forces and was investigating reports that villages had been set ablaze.


"King Tut" Treasure to Return to U.S. in 2005 After 26 years, treasures of Pharaoh Tutankhamun are returning to America. The boy king's artifacts anchor a new museum tour of objects from ancient Egypt's "golden age."


Melting Arctic Bogs May Hasten Warming, Study Says In Siberia the world's largest peatlands absorb greenhouse gasses. But could global warming thaw and dry the bogs, turning them into greenhouse gas faucets?


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


Wal-Mart Clouds November Retail Investors flocked back into retail stocks Wednesday ahead of the monthly onslaught of sales reports, encouraged by positive consumer spending data from October.


GPS Technology Drives Global Treasure Hunt The key to hidden treasure lies in your handheld GPS unit. GPS-based "geocaching" is a high-tech sport being played by thousands of people across the globe.


Australia Braces for Locust Plague New South Wales, Australia, is bracing for what authorities predict will be the worst locust plague in 25 years.


Ice Age Bison Decline Not Due to Hunting, Study Says DNA analysis of bison fossils suggests climate and environmental change, not human hunters, triggered herd declines and the extinction of mammoths, saber-toothed cats, and other large mammals in Siberia and North America.


No Jeopardy for Jackson Hewitt H R Block rival Jackson Hewitt waits for the tax season, and profits, to arrive.


2004 U.S. Hurricane Season Among Worst on Record Insurance adjusters and meteorologists are still crunching numbers and analyzing data, but the 2004 U.S. hurricane season will likely go down as one of the most active on record.


Improve Gas Mileage for Under \$100 Two cheap and relatively simple car modifications can help you gain a couple miles to the gallon.


Triple Crown Stock: Value, Growth, Tech Though Omnivision's future isn't fully in focus, this camera chip maker looks set to turn megapixels into megaprofits.


Carnival of the Ignorant The NYSE faces down brokers who didn't provide basic information to thousands of IPO investors. But refunds?


Space News Headlines for December 1, 2004 According to MSNBC, Russian space officials have unveiled a full-scale high-fidelity mockup of the Kliper (for  quot;clipper ship quot;) vehicle.


Jeter has no problem with Pedro; Red Sox still want Martinez back When Derek Jeter came across Pedro Martinez at Legends Field last month, the Yankees #39; captain wasn #39;t surprised the longtime Boston ace was meeting with New York owner George Steinbrenner.


Feyenoord Join Schalke In UEFA Cup Knockout Feyenoord beat Schalke 04 2-1 at the De Kuip stadium on Wednesday evening to progress with their German opponents to the knockout stage of the UEFA Cup from Group A. Schalke, already qualified for the business


Bush Seeks Canada's Help in Iraq, Mideast (AP) AP - President Bush asked Canadians on Wednesday to move beyond their deep opposition to the Iraq war and get behind his vision of democracies blooming from Baghdad to the West Bank.


Corzine Says He'll Run for N.J. Governor (AP) AP - Sen. Jon Corzine called New Jersey's 21 Democratic county chairmen on Wednesday, telling them that he will run for governor, several party sources said.


RWANDAN TROOPS CROSS INTO DR CONGO The Congolese say more than 6,000 Rwandans have crossed the border and are attacking and burning villages. From the eastern town of Beni, Congolese regional cooperation minister Mbusa Nyamwisi said villages were being targeted nearby.


Florida voters may have plenty time to elect next US president (AFP) AFP - Florida elections supervisors want to give voters several days to elect candidates, a proposal offered after early voting in last month's presidential election apparently helped avoid a repeat of the 2000 election debacle.


Radeon X850 XT Platinum Edition A little over 6 months have passed since ATI first announced their new high end Radeon X800 series. Despite apparent availability issues, ATI are forging ahead and announcing their refresh variants for the series.


NASA and Russia OK Next Space Station Crew In a separate development, the head of the RKK Energia company, which builds the Soyuz spacecraft, said his company was planning to send a new space shuttle to the space station between 2010 and 2012, depending on funding.


Iraqi President Backs Jan. 30 Elections Iraq #39;s president, an influential Sunni Muslim, threw his support Wednesday behind holding the Jan. 30 election on time despite insurgent threats he said have paralyzed voter


Do Not Expect Intervention from Japan Hiroshi Watanabe, Japan #39;s vice finance minister for international affairs, said today Japan and Europe could take  quot;harmonized action quot; to stem the appreciation of their currencies.


16 Killed in Baghdad Car Bombings Three suicide car bombs, including one that exploded near the Iraqi prime minister's party headquarters in Baghdad, and a roadside explosion killed at least 16 people Monday as insurgents pressed their deadly campaign to disrupt national elections, which Iraq's defense minister said could be postponed to give the Sunni minority time to participate.


New Yorkers in Congress Expect a Budget Fight Members of New York's heavily Democratic delegation on Capitol Hill worry they will be shoved aside when Congress returns to confront issues that impact the city and state.


Two Friends of Ponson Detained Two friends of detained Orioles pitcher Sidney Ponson who escaped jail last week have been recaptured, and police are continuing an investigation into allegations that Ponson punched a judge on Christmas Day at an Aruba beach.


Lucent turns on HSDPA upgrade MURRAY HILL, NJ - Lucent Technologies has released a software upgrade for its wireless equipment that will allow operators to support high-speed data packet access (HSDPA) connections in 3G networks.


Cricket: SA rock England  England are reduced to 95-4 in reply to South Africa's 441 in the third Test in Cape Town.


O2, NTT DoCoMo sign I-mode agreement European mobile operator Mmo2 and Japanese mobile operator NTT DoCoMo have signed a long-term agreement under which O2 is to launch the I-mode mobile internet service in the UK, Germany and Ireland.


Five New GPUs from ATI Gamers should welcome the latest news from ATIfive new graphic processors from one of leading GPU manufacturers. The new entrants in the war for gamers #39; hearts and systems are the ATI Radeon


E-Commerce Times Singingfish.com is fine-tuning its image with the launch today of a revamped multimedia search engine on its Web site that specializes in finding audio and video content.


ISRO plays new moony tune MUMBAI: Here #39;s to one significant step that may translate into a giant leap for India #39;s moon mission. In a departure from the earlier plan, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has decided that its


Willingham firing a winning thing Notre Dame was fortunate to have a man like Tyrone Willingham at the helm. He #39;s a class act and a quality person. The young men who played for him have benefited from his leadership and example.


Amid unrest at BYU, Crowton opts to resign After a dismal season, Brigham Young coach Gary Crowton said Wednesday he was stepping aside to pursue other job opportunities. Crowton spoke at a news conference flanked by associate BYU


Mississippi Fires Football Coach Cutcliffe OXFORD, Miss. Dec 1, 2004 - Mississippi coach David Cutcliffe was fired Wednesday after the team #39;s worst season in 10 years, a source close to the program told The Associated Press.


Liverpool kids defeat Spurs on penalties Tottenham crashed out of the Carling Cup on penalties tonight to Liverpool, after the teams had finished deadlocked at 1-1 after 90 minutes.


JOE HAWK: Busch learns what it takes to be a real hero First, he had to stretch a folded firehose, extending it 100 feet and around a sharp corner. Then he had to lift a 15-foot extension ladder off the ground and place it against a wall.


NASA Rover Hit the One Year Mark on Mars (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - Sitting \on nbsp;the nbsp;hill of an alien world millions of miles from home, a hardy


Barghouti Registers to Run for Palestinian President (Update1) Marwan Barghouti, a leader of the late Yasser Arafat #39;s Fatah faction who is serving a life sentence in an Israeli jail, is registering to run for president of the Palestinian Authority.


senator wants Annan to resign The US senator leading the investigation into allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the Iraq oil-for-food program is urging UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to resign.


Scientists: Tsunami Could Hit West Coast (AP) AP - Tsunami scientists and public safety officials are closely watching an earthquake-prone nation with thousands of miles of crowded coastlines for signs of an imminent disaster. Indonesia? Japan? Try the United States.


Crowton Steps Down As BYU Football Coach (AP) AP - BYU coach Gary Crowton agreed to resign Wednesday, ending a four-year stint with the Cougars that began with 12 victories and finished with three straight losing seasons.


Ole Miss Fires Cutcliffe After 4-7 Season (AP) AP - Mississippi coach David Cutcliffe was fired Wednesday after his first losing season in six years with the Rebels. Ole Miss officials informed Cutcliffe of the decision early Wednesday and Cutcliffe met with the team before an afternoon news conference.


Ford, General Motors report slow November sales, Japanese makers <b>...</b> America #39;s two largest automakers said they would reduce production in the first quarter of 2005 after reporting weak November sales.


200 Delta Pilots Retire Early Before Cuts More than 200 Delta Air Lines (DAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) pilots retired as a concession package aimed at saving the No. 3 airline from bankruptcy took effect on Wednesday.


Jeter Says He Could Work With Pedro (AP) AP - When Derek Jeter came across Pedro Martinez at Legends Field last month, the Yankees' captain wasn't surprised the longtime Boston ace was meeting with New York owner George Steinbrenner.


Magic Place Pat Garrity on Injured List (AP) AP - Magic forward Pat Garrity was placed on the injured list with a sprained left foot. Stacy Augmon was activated to fill the roster spot, making him available to play against Toronto on Wednesday night.


FRANCE REDUCES POLITICS BAN ON EX-PM The door has been opened for a possible return to national politics for former French Prime Minister Alain Juppe. A French appeals court has cut the initial sentence handed down to Juppe for his role in a party financing scandal.


Anatomy of a Spy Satellite (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - For military and intelligence communities, outer space has become a highground, hide-and-seek arena -- a kind of "now you see me, now you don't" espionage playing field.


Tsunami Warning Failed to Get Through-Thai Expert (Reuters) Reuters - A Thai expert said on Monday\he tried to warn the government a deadly tsunami might be\sweeping toward tourist-packed beaches, but couldn't find\anyone to take his calls.


Stocks Surge as Oil Slumps  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks shot higher on Wednesday  as oil prices had their biggest one-day drop in three years and  economic data showed strength in the U.S. manufacturing sector  and personal spending.


Factories Speed Ahead, Consumers Spend  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The outlook for U.S. manufacturing  improved in November as factories hired more workers in  response to a jump in new orders, a national survey published  on Wednesday showed.


Oil Tumbles as Winter Fuel Stocks Rise  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices slid more than \$3.50 a barrel  on Wednesday, the biggest drop since September 2001, as a  larger-than-expected build in U.S. heating stocks soothed  worries about a winter fuel deficit.


Dollar Falls to New Record Low Vs Euro  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar fell on Wednesday, as  traders ignored fairly robust U.S. economic reports and instead  focused on the currency's long-term negatives, sending the  currency to a record low against the euro.


Wendy's Shares Rise on Baja Fresh Actions  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Wendy's International Inc. WEN.N  shares rose 7 percent on Wednesday as investors welcomed news  the company will write down the value of some of its struggling  Baja Fresh restaurants and close several of them.


Gold Reaches 16-Year High Over \$455  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The price of gold rose to a 16-year  high above \$455 an ounce on Wednesday as investors piled into  the hard asset amid widespread worries about the dropping U.S.  dollar.


Wet Seal Third-Quarter Net Loss Widens  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Struggling clothing retailer Wet  Seal Inc. WTSLA.O on Wednesday posted a wider quarterly loss  as lackluster demand for its teen-oriented fashions forced the  company to make bigger markdowns.


Australia #39;s Telstra CEO Search May Favor Outsiders MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Even with solid internal candidates, the board of Australia #39;s Telstra Corp. (TLS) could easily favor an outsider to replace Ziggy Switkowski.


From blogs to cicadas: 2004 #39;s most looked-up words The editors of Merriam-Webster dictionaries said the most requested definition on the company #39;s Internet sites during 2004 was the four-letter word meaning a Web site that contains an


Europe to Sue Over Data Greece Gave on Economy The European Commission said on Wednesday that it would sue Greece for submitting incaccurate deficit figures before joining the euro zone in 2001.


Ancient mammal #39;s DNA code rebuilt WASHINGTON: Using computer programs, scientists have suceeded in reconstructing the DNA of a creature that lived at the time of the dinosaurs more than 75 million years ago, a small, furry nocturnal animal that was the common ancestor of all placental


Liverpool bests Tottenham on penalty kicks Liverpool will play Watford, the only non-Premier League side in the competition, in its semifinal after the Championship side eliminated Portsmouth 3-0 on Tuesday.


More U.S. Troops to Go to Iraq for Elections (Reuters) Reuters - Iraq's president on Wednesday insisted\elections should go ahead next month as planned and the United\States said it would send thousands more soldiers to provide\extra security for the ballot.


Gunfire Erupts During Powell Visit to Haiti (Reuters) Reuters - Shooting erupted on\Wednesday outside Haiti's presidential palace while Secretary\of State Colin Powell was inside talking with the interim\leaders of the violence-plagued country.


Colombia's Congress to Let Uribe Run Again (AP) AP - Colombia's Congress gave final approval to a bill to allow President Alvaro Uribe to run for re-election, a move aimed at giving the hard-line leader more time to fight a leftist insurgency and drug trafficking.


U.N. Reports Rwandan Troops in Congo (AP) AP - U.N. observers encountered what they believed to be about 100 Rwandan troops in eastern Congo, a U.N. official said Wednesday, marking the first reported U.N. sightings since Rwanda threatened to send in its forces against Rwanda Hutu rebels sheltering here.


Bush-Martin back-slapping can't hide ideological divide (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Two days of friendly banter couldn't bridge the chasm separating George W. Bush and Paul Martin in style, substance and worldview.


More U.S. Troops to Go to Iraq for Elections  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's president on Wednesday insisted  elections should go ahead next month as planned and the United  States said it would send thousands more soldiers to provide  extra security for the ballot.


Road Rage Was Behind Serb 'Assassination' Scare  BELGRADE (Reuters) - A feared "assassination attempt" on  Serbian President Boris Tadic was actually a case of road rage  against the behavior of his flashing-light motor convoy in  Belgrade traffic, Serbia's interior minister said on Wednesday.


Jailed Barghouthi Joins Palestinian Presidential Race  RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Jailed Palestinian leader  Marwan Barghouthi joined the race for president to succeed  Yasser Arafat on Wednesday, drawing condemnation from his own  Fatah movement and threatening to split the group.


UN reform confronts 'irrelevancy' This week the United Nations released 'the most comprehensive blueprint for change' in its six decades.


Why Iran wants its own nuclear deterrent Iran's leaders apparently believe that the benefits of obtaining a nuclear bomb now outweigh the drawbacks.


US senator calls on Annan to quit Republican Senator Norm Coleman calls on UN head Kofi Annan to quit over the oil-for-food scandal.


Oil prices plunge on supply rise Oil prices fall 7.4 on US data showing a larger-than expected increase in crude supplies - sparking Wall Street to a nine month high.


Russia offers strategic partnership to India NEW DELHI: Russia on Wednesday offered a strategic defence partnership to India and said it was willing to jointly develop hi-tech military hardware with its former Cold War ally on the eve of a visit by the Russian president.


ECB Rates Seen Steady as Euro, Oil Weigh  FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank is expected  to keep interest rates steady at 2 percent on Thursday, with  markets looking for any hint that the central bank's worries  about growth have heightened.


ECB Rates Seen Steady as Euro, Oil Weigh (Reuters) Reuters - The European Central Bank is expected\to keep interest rates steady at 2 percent on Thursday, with\markets looking for any hint that the central bank's worries\about growth have heightened.


Tyco Unit Signs Contract With UK Military Tyco International Ltd. #39;s fire and security unit on Wednesday said it signed a \$70 million contract with the British Ministry of Defense to supply respiratory protection equipment.


Critical IE patch issued MICROSOFT has issued an out-of-schedule critical patch for its Internet Explorer web browser, plugging a security hole that could allow a hacker to take control of a PC.


HP Virus Throttler not intended to be a silver bullet HP #39;s Virus Throttler technology, due early next year, won #39;t be the killer app, the  quot;silver bullet, quot; that will stop viruses in their tracks, Tony Redmond, vice president and chief technology officer of HP Services, cautioned Tuesday at HP #39;s security event


Busch hopes to draw new fans For anyone unhappy that Kurt Busch is the new Nextel Cup champion, Jack Roush has some advice: Get used to it. Busch has built a reputation during his four years in NASCAR #39;s top series as a driver who would


Florida Peach Bowl bound Florida, which ended the regular season with an upset of Florida State, on Wednesday accepted a bid to the Peach Bowl. The Gators (7-4) will be making their 14th straight bowl appearance, extending a school record.


Redskins #39; Taylor Pleads Not Guilty to DUI FAIRFAX, Va. Dec 1, 2004 - Washington Redskins rookie safety Sean Taylor plans to call teammates as witnesses to say he was sober when he was arrested for drunken driving on Oct. 27.


'Macworld After Dark' concert open to all Expo goers (MacCentral) MacCentral - IDG World Expo has announced "Macworld After Dark," a free concert sponsored by Playlist Magazine scheduled to take place on Wednesday, January 12, 2005. The event happens right after the end of the day's events at Macworld Conference  amp; Expo, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, at the Moscone Center, the site of the Expo. It's open to all registered Expo attendees.


Mexico Arrests Local Official in Killings (AP) AP - Moving to halt a bloody drug war in this popular beach resort, Mexico investigated the federal prosecutor's office Wednesday and arrested a local official in the killings of nine people, including three federal agents.


Brown looks to election battles Gordon Brown will set the economic battleground for the next general election in his pre-Budget report.


Gartner: Mobile Phone Sales Up 26 Worldwide mobile handset sales topped 167 million units, with almost all regions posting growth, according to the latest numbers coming out of Gartner.


China Aviation in Talks to Ensure Nation #39;s Jet Fuel Imports China Aviation Oil (Singapore) Corp., which accounts for almost all of China #39;s jet fuel imports, said it #39;s in talks with suppliers and lenders to ensure deliveries to customers after


IBM Details PC Unit's Financial Woes (PC World) PC World - The business racked up nearly  #36;1 billion in losses since 2001.


Developers Prep for Oracle (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Third-party software developers that make their living selling add-on enterprise resource planning applications are bracing for a seismic shift in their business.


Pilgrims Flying Direct From Iraq for Hajj (AP) AP - Iraq's national air carrier began flying direct routes to Saudi Arabia on Monday for the Hajj, the first time it has done so since the fall of Saddam Hussein, the Transportation Ministry said.


Linux and Open Source: The 2005 Generation (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Linux and open source are at the heart of today's computing technology. Deal with it.


Deadly hot summers  #39;to become the norm #39; Blisteringly hot summers similar to the one in 2003 when thousands of people in continental Europe died of heatstroke will become commonplace because of climate change, a study has found.


The beast from yesterday Computer engineers could - in theory at least - reconstruct the genes of an animal that lived more than 75 million years ago. No DNA could possibly survive that long, but forensic scientists now routinely


Barghouti enters Palestinian election contest RAMALLAH: Jailed West Bank Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti on Wednesday officially signed up for the January 9 election to become Palestinian Authority president, his wife Fadwa told reporters.


Powell Visits Port-Au-Prince, Urges World Help to Control Haitian <b>...</b> Secretary of State Colin Powell held talks in Port-au-Prince Wednesday in a brief visit to Haiti marred by a shooting incident outside the presidential palace as he met officials of the country #39;s interim government.


Mark Steel Ian Paisley is a genius. He #39;s being hailed as a peacemaker for possibly agreeing to possibly hold talks with Sinn Fein. But he also demanded Sinn Fein should wear  quot;sackcloth and ashes until they wear out quot;.


Indiana, Ole Miss, BYU Dismiss Coaches (AP) AP - Gerry DiNardo, Gary Crowton and David Cutcliffe all became unemployed coaches Wednesday, upping the total coaching vacancies in Division I-A to 15.


Shrimp trade with US hindered The United States yesterday announced anti-dumping duties on imports of Chinese shrimp as high as 113 per cent, a move that will hurt both US consumers and Chinese shrimp farmers, China Daily reported Thursday.


Hollins Coaches Fourth Game for Grizzlies (AP) AP - Lionel Hollins coached the Memphis Grizzlies again Wednesday night, uncertain if it would be his final game at the helm.


Microsoft debuts MSN Spaces for bloggers Hoping to keep more Internet users in its branded universe, Microsoft Corp. has become the latest company to offer blogging to the masses.


Nintendo Sells Half a Million DS Handhelds Nintendo says it already has sold 500,000 of its newly released Nintendo DS handheld gaming systems, about 90 percent of the inventory shipped to the United States.


iTunes Canada Launch Postponed The Canadian launch of Apple #39;s iTunes music-download service, which was expected to take place by the end of November, has been postponed.


The biggest game of the year I look at  quot;Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, quot; a new urban crime role-playing game for the PlayStation 2, about the same way I might view gorgeous graffiti painted on my front door.


Massa tops Jerez test session Felipe Massa set the pace on the first full day of Formula One testing at the Jerez circuit in Spain on Wednesday. Massa posted a top lap of 1:17.513, which was almost two seconds faster than Jarno Trulli in the Toyota.


NHLPA says Bettman wrong man to lead league as lockout drags on Bitter sniping between the NHL players union and commissioner Gary Bettman hit a low point Wednesday, with an NHLPA senior director saying Bettman is the wrong man to lead the league.


Florida to play in Peach Bowl No. 20 Florida will play either Miami or Virginia Tech in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 31 in the Georgia Dome. Peach Bowl officials decided Wednesday to invite the Gators before knowing the outcome of Saturday #39;s Southeastern Conference championship game.


Report: Ole Miss Fires Cutcliffe OXFORD, Miss. -- Mississippi coach David Cutcliffe was fired Wednesday after his first losing season in six years with the Rebels, a source close to the football program told The Associated Press.


No. 20 Florida to Play in Peach Bowl (AP) AP - No. 20 Florida will play either Miami or Virginia Tech in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 31 in the Georgia Dome.


TiVo Upgrade Shifts TV Shows to Computer Laptop (Reuters) Reuters - TiVo Inc., maker of television\recording technology, on Monday said it has started shipping\"TiVoToGo," a service upgrade that allows some subscribers to\view recorded programs on a computer or laptop.


Analysis / Throwing down the gauntlet Marwan Barghouti #39;s surprise announcement that he plans to run for chairman of the Palestinian Authority sent shock waves throughout the PA leadership.


Arms hold key as Ulster deal deadline is put back Sinn Fin #39;s president, Gerry Adams, last night placed responsibility for clinching an agreement to restore the power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland firmly in the hands of the British and Irish government - despite the enduring barrier of mistrust


Iraq #39;s Sunni president backs election Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi met Iraqi Sunni tribal leaders in neighboring Jordan, trying to drum up support for the election, seen as vital for building a democratic government in Iraq.


Let #39;s talk to Assad Ariel Sharon should meet with Bashar Assad. Although Syria has not expelled the terror groups from Damascus, how could Assad be worse than Mahmoud Abbas, with whom Sharon is willing to meet, as Newsweek reported this week?


Jordan, Brown Return Wizards Coach Eddie Jordan returned to the bench Wednesday against the Nets after missing two games with a blood clot in his leg and Kwame Brown was activated for the first time this season.


U.S. Embassy in Suriname Boosts Security (AP) AP - The U.S. Embassy here was closed to visitors Wednesday and security increased after officials received credible threats of an attack on the building, a spokesman said.


Taiwan president plans tour of Pacific allies: Marshalls (AFP) AFP - Marshall Islands President Kessai Note will travel to Taiwan next week on a trip expected to pave the way for a return visit by Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian as part of a tour of Taipei's handful of Pacific allies next year, officials said.


Netherlands' Prince Bernhard dies Prince Bernhard, one of the most charismatic members of the Dutch royal family, dies at the age of 93.


At Museums, Computers Get Creative Interactive exhibits have been a mainstay in museums for more than three decades. In recent years museums have become more creative about the way they introduce technology into their exhibits.


In about face, Giuliani goes Wall Street NEW YORK Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani of New York, who forged a reputation as a tough prosecutor in the 1980s partially by going after Wall Street cheats, is now joining Wall Street by forming his own investment advisory practice.


Researchers Develop Flowering Cell Phone The cell phone case is made of a new type of polymer that when buried will start to break down within two weeks.  quot;By incorporating a seed, and giving the consumer a reason to actually take the phone apart


Wasteful Tottenham rue misses LIVERPOOL completed an unlikely north London double last night, following up their victory over Arsenal in the Barclays Premiership at Anfield on Sunday by beating Tottenham Hotspur on penalties


Mississippi coach David Cutcliffe fired after 4-7 season OXFORD, Miss. A source says David Cutcliffe, the only coach in Ole Miss history to win at least seven games in his first five years, was fired by the university today.


mm02 To Bring I-Mode to Europe mm02 UK and mm02 Ireland will use DoCoMo #39;s i-mode branding and technology exclusively in their markets under an agreement with DoCoMo.


Tyrone Willingham Press Conference Head coach Tyrone Willingham met with the media on Wednesday to discuss his termination as head football coach at Notre Dame on Tuesday.


Indiana, Ole Miss, BYU Dismiss Coaches Gerry DiNardo, Gary Crowton and David Cutcliffe all became unemployed coaches Wednesday, upping the total coaching vacancies in Division IA to 15.


Angels sign Cuban prospect Kendry Morales ANAHEIM, Calif. - Highly touted Cuban prospect Kendry Morales has reached agreement with the Anaheim Angels on a six-year contract.


Powell safe after gunbattle during Haiti visit US Secretary of State Colin Powell and his delegation were unhurt in an intense gunfight that erupted outside Haiti #39;s presidential palace on Wednesday while they were in a meeting with Haitian leaders.


SBC to Sell TV-Internet Home Entertainment System (Reuters) Reuters - SBC Communications said on Monday it\would offer a television set-top box that can handle music,\photos and Internet downloads, part of SBC's efforts to expand\into home entertainment.


U.S. Stocks Climb as Oil Prices Drop  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The biggest one-day drop in oil prices  since September 2001 helped send U.S. stock prices higher on  Wednesday.


Trading Losses at Chinese Firm Coming to Light The disclosure this week that a Singapore-listed company controlled by a Chinese state-owned enterprise lost \$550 million in derivatives transactions


Microsoft to set up R amp;D unit in Bangalore Microsoft Corporation is further expanding its presence in India with plans to open a research centre in Bangalore. The latest Microsoft research campus will open in January 2005, the Redmond, Washington-based software giant said.


CalPERS: Getting Back to Business It #39;s one of the most powerful jobs in the world of finance. The president of the board of the California Public Employees #39; Retirement System oversees the nation #39;s largest pension fund, with \$177 billion in assets.


EU raps Greece over deficit The European Union last night started legal action against Athens after it was revealed that a systematic under-reporting of Greece #39;s budget deficit should have ruled the country out of joining the single currency.


Business ; Stocks Surge as Oil Slumps The Dow Jones industrial average  lt;.DJI gt; rose 162.20 points, or 1.56 percent, to 10,590.22. The Standard  amp; Poor #39;s 500 Index  lt;.


Giuliani #39;s Firm Buys Investing Banking Unit of Ernst  amp; Young Rudolph W. Giuliani #39;s consulting firm has branched out to Wall Street with plans to acquire an investment banking firm, even as he allows rumors about his political ambitions to float.


Do IRA #39;s Have Protection in Bankruptcy Proceeding? People who seek bankruptcy lose many of their assets to creditors, but not their Social Security benefits, their company pensions or their 401(k) plans, which are all shielded by law.


Este Lauder Officer Joins Disney Board The Walt Disney Company said on Wednesday that Fred H. Langhammer, an executive for the Este Lauder Companies, was named to its board as an independent director and


Macquarie led consortium acquires UK #39;s ntl Broadcast A Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group (MCG) led consortium (Consortium), in which Macquarie Bank Limited (MBL) has an approximate 13 interest, today announced it has been selected as the successful bidder for the acquisition of National


Hiring Spurt Helps Sustain US Growth Consumer spending accelerated in October as a surge in hiring led to the biggest rise in incomes in five months, the government reported yesterday.


New Ukraine Poll Looks Likely Way Out of Crisis (Reuters) Reuters - A new Ukrainian poll of some sort looks\increasingly likely once again on Thursday as parliament and\the Supreme Court press ahead with efforts to resolve a\national crisis over a disputed presidential election.


No. 3 Syracuse Beats St. Bonaventure 91-67 (AP) AP - Hakim Warrick had 18 points and 11 rebounds and Josh Pace added 14 points and 10 rebounds to lead No. 3 Syracuse past St. Bonaventure 91-67 on Wednesday night.


U.S. Troop Numbers in Iraq to Hit Record 150,000 (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. military will boost its\troops in Iraq to 150,000 this month, the highest level since\the war began in March 2003, in order to improve security for\scheduled Jan 30. elections, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.


EU Peace Force to Take Over NATO Bosnia Peacekeeping (Reuters) Reuters - NATO peacekeepers once patrolled\this Bosnian Serb rebel stronghold in armored personnel\carriers, but the town is now so calm an EU force taking over\on Thursday could monitor it from the bar.


Knicks Grind Up Slumping Grizzlies 90-82 (AP) AP - Stephon Marbury made five 3-pointers in the second quarter to help put the Knicks ahead for good, and New York received a fourth-quarter boost from Jerome Williams in a 90-82 victory Wednesday night over the Memphis Grizzlies.


quot;Blog quot; heads top 10 words of year Editors of Merriam-Webster announced the most requested definition on the company #39;s Internet sites during 2004 was a four-letter word -- BLOG.


Lycos Europe denies attack on zombie army Lycos Europe, a separate company than Lycos (United States), stated that all allegations of its  quot;Make Love Not Spam quot; campaign site being defaced by hackers are incorrect.


Europe's Central Bank Seen Holding Rates (AP) AP - With interest rates on hold, Thursday's European Central Bank meeting will draw scrutiny for President Jean-Claude Trichet's remarks on the euro amid speculation that the bank may intervene in currency markets to halt its rapid climb.


Microsoft Issues Internet Explorer Security Update A critical flaw in Microsoft Corp. #39;s (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) Internet Explorer Web browser could allow a hacker to take control of a computer, the world #39;s largest software maker said on Wednesday.


Magic Thrash the Raptors 129-108 (AP) AP - Scoring 129 points means a win almost every time, but Kelvin Cato wants the Orlando Magic to realize that giving up 108 will get them beat more often than not.


Nintendo sells 500,000 DS Handhelds in First WEek NEW YORK -- Nintendo Co. Ltd. sold 500,000 Nintendo DS video game devices during the first week of sales in US stores for the new handheld featuring two screens for game playing, the Japanese game maker said Wednesday.


Kazaa Trial Opens Down Under The firm behind Kazaa is being sued by the record industry in the latest round of a fight over copyright. Lawyers in Australia branded the online software network  quot;an engine of copyright piracy


Highly Anticipated iTunes Music Store Canada Opens Today, after months of anticipation, the highly anticipated iTunes Music Store Canada was revealed. It was announced at Apple #39;s special music event in October


Team Ninja Developing for PS3? In a recent interview with IGN Xbox, Team Ninja head Tomonobu Itagaki hinted that the renowned Japanese developer is planning at least one game for either the PS3 or Nintendo Revolution.


Mario #39;s worst nightmare KUOW Seattle #39;s Tuesday evening business/politics program,  quot;The Works, quot; had an entertaining interview last night with Steven L. Kent, author of  quot;The Ultimate History of Video Games quot; and a video-game reviewer for newspapers including this one.


Rookie Back Set to Start for Cardinals (AP) AP - If Emmitt Smith can't go on Sunday in Detroit, undrafted rookie Larry Croom will start at running back for the Arizona Cardinals.


UEFA Cup wrap: Feyenoord 2 Schalke 1 In the UEFA Cup, in Group A, Feyenoord assured it would progress to the final knock-out stages with a 2-1 home win against Schalke.


No. 2 Tar Heels Make Quick Work of Wofford Both went 3 for 3 from beyond the arc for their first three-pointers of the season and career highs for three-pointers in a game. Reserve Erlana Larkins added 12 points for the Tar Heels (6-0).


NBA Wrap: Chicago Bulls Stun Los Angeles Lakers Eddy Curry registered 18 points and 10 rebounds and Tyson Chandler added 18 rebounds and 10 points as the Chicago Bulls stunned the Los Angeles Lakers 92-84 Wednesday.


NHL LOCKOUT Answer: The prevailing wisdom is the NHL Players Association is working on an offer to present to the owners, even though the NHLPA says nothing is imminent.


No. 22 Alabama 114, East Tennessee St. 77 Alabama freshman Ronald Steele dished out a record 18 assists, and Earnest Shelton returned the favor by hitting shots and handing out compliments.


Charlotte trumps field with 9.7 percent chance NEW YORK -- The Charlotte Sting, who just missed the playoffs last season, won the WNBA draft lottery on Wednesday night. After finishing just two games under .500, the Sting will have the first pick in the WNBA draft in April 2005.


Barghouti enters election race Marwan Barghouti, a Palestinian leader now in jail, has been entered in next month #39;s presidential election to succeed the late Yasser Arafat.


WHO tobacco treaty to become law in 90 days A tobacco treaty of the World Health Organization (WHO) will become part of international law in 90 days, following ratification by 40 countries in the past 17 months.


Russia #39;s Putin to Rebuild Old Bridges with India Russian President Vladimir Putin visits former Cold War ally India this week, hoping to retain a dominant share of India #39;s military hardware market and boost cooperation in oil and civilian nuclear energy.


Iran wont consider long-term uranium-enrichment halt: Official HAMBURG, GERMANY - Iran is not prepared to negotiate with the European Union over a long-term suspension of its uranium enrichment, the head of Irans nuclear energy agency said in an interview published on Thursday.


S Asian countries came close to criticizing Myanmar Southeast Asian countries came close to issuing a critical statement on the Myanmar military government #39;s treatment of detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi at their summit, but the plan was shot down by Thailand, sources said.


Rwanda assurance over Congo force Rwanda #39;s president has assured the African Union that Rwandan military action in DR Congo will target Hutu rebels and not Congolese forces.


International concern at Rwanda military intervention in DR Congo (AFP) AFP - International concern was growing after Rwandan President Paul Kagame announced that his country's troops will launch an operation in pursuit of Rwandan Hutu rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).


Musharraf open to negotiations with India on Kashmir (AFP) AFP - Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf reaffirmed that he is open to negotiations with India on Kashmir and said he had not put forth a concrete proposal on independence, in an interview published in the daily O Estado de Sao Paulo.


No. 9 North Carolina Tops Indiana 70-63 (AP) AP - Rashad McCants scored 19 points and Raymond Felton added 18 points as No. 9 North Carolina fought off Indiana 70-63 on Wednesday in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.


New Ukraine Poll Looks Likely Way Out of Crisis  KIEV (Reuters) - A new Ukrainian poll of some sort looks  increasingly likely once again on Thursday as parliament and  the Supreme Court press ahead with efforts to resolve a  national crisis over a disputed presidential election.


Sharon Battles to Save Government from Collapse  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Reeling from a parliamentary defeat,  Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon prepared on Thursday to  open coalition talks to save his shattered government and avoid  early elections that could stall his Gaza withdrawal plan.


U.S. Troop Numbers in Iraq to Hit Record 150,000  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military will boost its  troops in Iraq to 150,000 this month, the highest level since  the war began in March 2003, in order to improve security for  scheduled Jan 30. elections, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.


EU Peace Force to Take Over NATO Bosnia Peacekeeping  PALE, Bosnia (Reuters) - NATO peacekeepers once patrolled  this Bosnian Serb rebel stronghold in armored personnel  carriers, but the town is now so calm an EU force taking over  on Thursday could monitor it from the bar.


Yanks Stop the Talks to Acquire Johnson Frustrated by the demands of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Yankees cut off trade talks for the ace left-hander Randy Johnson.


A taste of mobile blah blah Mobility and scallops marinated in truffle oil, anyone? Fine dining will be the reward for...


Ridge leaves mixed legacy The first head of the Department of Homeland Security forges a single organization, but spearheaded some questionable initiatives.


Notre Dame Planning to Meet With Meyer Wasting little time in its search for a new football coach, Notre Dame will meet with Utah Coach Urban Meyer on Thursday.


After Musical Chairs, Jets' Conductor Is Back Order was restored to the Jets' quarterbacking universe on Wednesday when Chad Pennington returned to practice with the first team.


Grieving Sloan Has Team to Lean On Utah Jazz Coach Jerry Sloan is coping without his wife of 41 years, Bobbye, who died on June 18 at age 61 from pancreatic cancer.


Ecstasy With 2 Pals Who Love the Bosox An excitable, book-length high-five for the Boston Red Sox by two of their fans, the novelists Stephen King and Stewart O'Nan.


EU takes over Bosnia mission The EU is due to begin is largest peacekeeping operation, taking over from the Nato mission in Bosnia.


Belgrade attack 'was road rage' A reported assassination attempt on the Serbian president was a case of "road rage" officials say.


French party's 'yes to EU treaty' France's Socialist Party votes "yes" in an internal vote on the European Constitution, party officials say.


Calpers Ouster Puts Focus on How Funds Wield Power The ouster of the president of California's public pension fund has raised questions about whether pension funds will be able to influence corporate governance campaigns.


U.S. to Increase Its Force in Iraq by Nearly 12,000 The U.S. military presence in Iraq will grow to 150,000 troops by next month, the highest level since the invasion last year.


Panel to Review Drug for Low Female Sex Drive Procter   Gamble will try to persuade a federal advisory panel to recommend approval of the first drug to increase a woman's sex drive.


Team of Mystery Many around the NFL say they are surprised by the team's poor performance and question whether the problem lies with the Redskins' system, players or Joe Gibbs.


A New Election for Ukrainians Appears Likely Ukraine appears to be headed toward holding a new election under a deal to adopt a reorganization of political power.


Another Indignity for 2 Failed Ghosts of Dot-Com Era DrKoop.com and the Webvan Group, two of the dot-com eras more spectacular flameouts, are late with their quarterly filings--nearly three years late.


Brown Lifts Cavaliers Elton Brown has 15 points and 12 rebounds to lead No. 24 Virginia to a 48-44 victory over Northwestern, capping a 7-2 edge for the ACC in their challenge with the Big Ten.


No 'Unit' for Yankees The Yankees tell the Diamondbacks they are no longer interested in trading for ace Randy Johnson given Arizona's 'unreasonable' proposals.


Nothing Ventured, Everything Gained A new trading tactic that could tip takeover battles has emerged from the hedge fund industry, sparking outrage among some investors and corporate governance experts.


J. Lewis Out Again Ravens running back Jamal Lewis will likely miss Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, a game that has playoff implications.


Pennington Recovering Quarterback Chad Pennington took most of the snaps with the New York Jets' starting offense during Wednesday's practice.


Hiring Spurt Helps Sustain U.S. Growth Consumer spending accelerated in October as a surge in hiring led to the biggest rise in incomes in five months.


Ford and G.M. Sales Slide Despite Generous Rebates Despite a crop of new car models and a still-generous supply of rebates, sales fell for the Ford Motor Company and General Motors in November.


Tar Heels Top Hoosiers Rashad McCants scores 19 points and Raymond Felton adds 18 as No. 9 North Carolina edges Indiana, 70-63, on Wednesday.


Deadline Looms Major League Baseball has yet to reach an agreement with Peter Angelos on on a deal that would financially protect the Orioles.


Simmonds Leads Upset Jessica Simmonds scores 19 points and ties her career high with 13 rebounds Wednesday to lead George Washington to a 62-52 upset of No. 24 Villanova.


Colombia Congress OKs Re-Election Bill Colombia's Congress gave final approval to a bill to allow President Alvaro Uribe to run for re-election, a move aimed at giving the hard-line leader more time to fight a leftist insurgency and drug trafficking.


Paraguay Clashes Leave 1 Dead, 20 Hurt Clashes between landless farmworkers and Paraguayan security forces left a police officer dead and 20 other people injured in a resurgence of violence that has rattled Paraguay's government.


#39;It #39;s high noon #39; for unions, airline A bankruptcy judge today begins hearings on US Airways #39; request to reject its union contracts and impose \$1 billion in wage and benefits cuts on 28,000 workers.


Giuliani Opens Investment Bank, Looks To Cash In On Golden Aura Former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani is opening an investment bank, Giuliani Capital Advisors LLC. It will be a division of consulting firm Giuliani Partners LLC, according to a statement on Giuliani #39;s Web site.


Supreme Court ponders IRA-bankruptcy case The Supreme Court considered Wednesday how much retirement savings people can shield when they file for bankruptcy, an important question as more Americans go into debt.


#39;Blog #39; Is Runaway Word Of Year (CBS/AP) It #39;s possible you may have looked at a  quot;blog quot; to help make your decision whether re-elect the  quot;incumbent quot; during the recent  quot;electoral quot; process.


Apple opens iTunes Music Store in Canada After announcing on Wednesday that the Canadian iTunes Music Store had been postponed, Apple Computer Inc. has quietly launched the store.


Milky Way May Have Stolen Other System #39;s Planet Imagine our sun snatching an alien planet from another solar system, four billion years ago. A team of scientists, including a Utah physicist, say it #39;s a possibility based on a wild new simulation.


Notre Dame does deserve credit for ending hypocrisy In the wake of the uproar over the news that Notre Dame had fired football coach Tyrone Willingham, this headline appeared on the Internet.


Dozen costs, dozen eggs cost The word dozen is similar to the words hundred, thousand and million. On their own, they are nouns, whose plural forms are the same as their singular forms (eg a dozen, two


2 Giants to Introduce Enhanced Data Sharing Services on Net Google and Microsoft separately plan to introduce on Thursday enhanced information sharing services for Internet users. Microsoft plans for the first time to offer a


Microsoft releases patch to plug IE vulnerability Microsoft today released an out-of-cycle security bulletin and patch for a critical hole in Internet Explorer that is already being widely exploited by attackers.


Apache Software Foundation may hire full-time, paid staff The Apache Software Foundation, which now relies on volunteers to stay in operation, may soon have full-time, paid employees, including an executive director.


Budget fight deals setback to Sharon The government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was thrown into crisis last night after Israel #39;s parliament rejected the proposed 2005 budget and Sharon


Belgrade attack  #39;was road rage #39; A feared assassination attempt on Serbia #39;s President Boris Tadic was actually a case of  quot;road rage quot; the interior minister has said.


EU takes over Bosnia peacekeeping The European Union will begin its largest-ever peacekeeping operation on Thursday when it takes over from the Nato mission to Bosnia Hercegovina.


IBM scores \$1B in Danish contracts IBM announced agreements with two Danish companies on outsourcing deals that together are worth more than \$1 billion over 10 years.


CA picks SAP for ERP rollout Computer Associates will install an SAP ERP system to replace a collection of homegrown accounting systems. Accenture will help with the implementation.


Yikes! I have to plan an IT project After covering technology for two decades, Computerworld's Sharon Machlis gets a taste of life on the IT side of the house when she joins a committee designing and selecting software for a content management upgrade.


Lycos antispam screensaver draws fire Lycos Europe launched the "Make Love, Not Spam" screensaver, which repeatedly requests information from Web sites advertised in spam, reducing the performance of those sites.


Gartner: Half of U.S. IT operations jobs to vanish in 20 years Gartner researchers believe that as many as 50 of the IT operational jobs in the U.S. could disappear over the next two decades because of coming improvements in data center technologies.


Bringing .Net rules to light Products give business people and programmers a shared language that helps them implement changes quickly.


Microsoft investigates Windows server flaw Microsoft is investigating a security flaw in the Windows Internet Name Service that could allow an attacker to gain control over systems running the software.


Microsoft enters consumer Web logging market Microsoft's MSN division will launch a test version of a free Web logging (blogging) service aimed at consumers on Thursday, Microsoft's first foray as a provider of this increasingly popular Internet activity for the mass consumer market.


Microsoft, Sun tout progress on interoperability Microsoft and Sun Microsystems on Wednesday provided a progress report on their interoperability efforts, touting ongoing cooperation on Web services standardization, deployment of Windows on Sun boxes, and other areas.


Microsoft plugs IE hole with special patch Microsoft on Wednesday released an update to Internet Explorer (IE) to fix a security flaw that was discovered a month ago and has since been exploited to attack users.


IBM gives CICS a boost In a move to modernize its venerable line of mainframe-based CICS middleware, IBM on Wednesday introduced an updated version of its CICS Transaction Server that enables corporate IT administrators to extend the product to work better with SOAs (service-oriented architectures) through Web services.


Orange makes phones talk to the blind PARIS - Orange SA will offer blind customers a software application designed to make their mobile phones talk to them, as part of a new package of services for the visually impaired that will go on sale in France Thursday.


MCI offers disk-based backup services MCI on Wednesday introduced a new fully managed data protection service based on disk backup designed to help companies with business continuity.
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Consumer Electronics on Display in Vegas (AP) AP - With Christmas over and done with, it's time to get a look at what gadgets will be hot for next Christmas.


U.S. Blue Chips Flat After Data  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips were flat on Monday  after a report showing an unexpected drop in November  construction spending offset a drop in oil prices, while a  brokerage downgrade of Sun Microsystems SUNW.O hurt Nasdaq.


Hudec delighted by top 10 at Lake Louise Jan Hudec thought he knew what it would be like. Turns out he was wrong -- its even better. Hudec, a Banffite, came out of the darkness that is the 62nd starting position


No. 9 North Carolina 70, Indiana 63 Rashad McCants scored 19 points and Raymond Felton added 18 points as No. 9 North Carolina fought off Indiana 70-63 on Wednesday in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.


Los Angeles Lakers Team Report - December 1 (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Lakers go for their third straight victory and seventh in nine games this evening, when they battle the listless Chicago Bulls at the United Center.


Game Quotes On Stephon Marbury: He got into a rhythm and it was a nice zone to be in. His shot looked good and he had good form. He hit big shots and it helped change the game.


Carter suffering through miserable season Quite possibly the only NBA player to have a worse start to the season than Ron Artest is Toronto Raptors guard Vince Carter. While Artest is off promoting his R amp;B


For Jordan, Future Is Looking Bright Eddie Jordan checked out of the hospital yesterday. He ended up there after Washington Wizards trainers examined his swollen left calf on Thanksgiving morning and immediately recommended that the team #39;s head coach see a physician.


No. 22 Alabama 114, East Tennessee St. 77 Earnest Shelton scored 24 points and Ronald Steele had a school-record 18 assists to lead No. 22 Alabama to a 114-77 rout of East Tennessee State on Wednesday night.