Triumph of justice: Benazir ISLAMABAD, Nov 22: Former prime minister and chairperson of the Pakistan People #39;s Party (PPP) Benazir Bhutto has hailed the Supreme Court verdict granting bail to her husband Asif Ali Zardari as a  #39;triumph of justice #39;.


Bush renews support for Colombia in fighting drug, terrorism US President George W. Bush on Monday reofferred the backup for Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in his war against drug production and rebels nationwide.


China's central bank tells US not to blame others for economic woes (AFP) AFP - A senior Chinese central bank official has warned the United States not to blame other countries for its own economic difficulties, a report said.


Popularity of IPod Drives Up Apple Stock (AP) AP - Apple Computer Inc. stock jumped to a four-year high Monday after a major Wall Street firm nearly doubled its price target on the stock, saying that customer satisfaction with its iPod music player is creating "wildfire word-of-mouth marketing" for its Mac computers and other products.


Three foreign UN hostages released in Afghanistan: police (AFP) AFP - Three foreign United Nations workers kidnapped and held hostage in Afghanistan for three weeks were released, police and officials told AFP.


Gold Hits 16-Year High; Asian Shares Gain  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Gold hit its highest level in more  than 16 years on Tuesday as a steadier dollar failed to cool  worries over the currency's outlook, while Asian stocks gained  modestly after a solid performance on Wall Street.


Wal-Mart Will Allow Unions in China  BEIJING (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's  biggest retailer, gave ground to Chinese pressure Tuesday and  said it would allow its workers to set up a trade union.


Congress Votes to Extend Ban on Internet Access Taxes Congress last week passed legislation that extends by three years the prohibition of states and localities from imposing  quot;discriminatory quot; taxes on electronic commerce, and the ban on Internet access taxes.


JFK: Reloaded JFKReloaded.com recreates the last few moments of the President #39;s life and challenges participants to help disprove any conspiracy theory by recreating the three shots that Lee Harvey Oswald made from the infamous sixth floor of the Dallas book depository


Spurs coach admits concerns after Villa defeat Nobby Solano struck a spectacular winner for Villa, but Spurs boss Martin Jol insisted:  quot;I think we are in for a good spell soon.


Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson to coach 1,000th match <b>...</b> Sir Alex Ferguson #39;s 1,000th match as manager of Manchester United could be especially memorable with the Red Devils needing just a point against Lyon on Tuesday to reach the second phase of the Champions League.


Woods wins Dunlop Phoenix going away MIYAZAKI, Japan (Ticker) - Tiger Woods needed nine months but is back in the winner #39;s circle. Woods used a final-round 3-under-par 67 Sunday to post an emphatic eight-stroke victory at the Dunlop Phoenix.


NBA Wrap: Garnett Leads Timberwolves' Rally (Reuters) Reuters - Kevin Garnett just missed out on a\triple-double with 21 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists to\lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a gritty 83-82 road win over\the Dallas Mavericks on Monday.


Bush APEC visit not glitch-free SANTIAGO, Nov 21 (AFP) - During his first visit to Chile, US President George W. Bush rescued a bodyguard scuffling with local security and -- with a slip of the tongue -- moved Iraq #39;s newly announced elections from January to June.


Non-flasher (we hope) McCartney set for Super Bowl Stung by last year #39;s Janet Jackson-Justin Timberlake nipple-baring, the folks behind the next Super Bowl halftime show scoured the earth for the least-offensive performer known to man.


Lyon Star #39;s Domestic Priority Lyon playmaker Juninho would prefer three points from Saturdays French League clash with Auxerre to victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford tonight.


Kumble, Bhajji slam Kanpur pitch Kanpur: After Murali Kartik on Sunday, it was the turn of two senior India spinners to criticise the Green Park wicket. South Africa put up a huge 510 for 9 declared in the first innings and India - led


Tech Spending Looks Up in Asia, E.Europe  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Spending in Eastern Europe and Asia  is expected to lead a recovery in the global technology market  over the next three years, according to an industry report  released Tuesday.


Boeing, EADS Likely to Make Tanker Bids The Pentagon will hold a competition to replace its aging fleet of refueling tankers, potentially pitting aerospace giant Boeing Co.


More Visas For Foreign Workers Congress is letting employers hire 20,000 more foreign high-tech workers under a special visa program after businesses reached the annual ceiling on the first day of the government #39;s fiscal year.


Bell rivals say new rules may cost business customers \$130B American businesses would face \$105 billion in higher telephone bills during the next 10 years if the Federal Communications Commission deregulates access to the high-capacity loops that serve business customers.


Stern seeks solution NEW YORK - David Stern would not want to be in charge of a league that needs barriers to separate fans from players. Nor would he follow the lead of European soccer and order games to be played in empty arenas.


Fergie Admits European Fascination On the eve of his historic 1,000th match as manager of Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson talked of his European desires.  quot;A European game is probably the perfect tie.


Stoudemire scoring big at center for Suns The only centers to lead the NBA in scoring in the last 28 seasons are Shaquille O #39;Neal and David Robinson, but the way Phoenix #39;s Amare Stoudemire has been pouring in the points, he could very well be the third.


Iraq seeks tighter borders SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt -- Iraqi officials rejected Arab criticism of US actions in their country, as an international conference on Iraq #39;s future opened Monday.


NBA Wrap: Garnett Leads Timberwolves' Rally  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Kevin Garnett just missed out on a  triple-double with 21 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists to  lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a gritty 83-82 road win over  the Dallas Mavericks on Monday.


McDonald #39;s Bell Steps Down Due to Cancer McDonald #39;s Corp. said on Monday that Charlie Bell, its 44-year-old president and chief executive, had stepped down to focus on battling cancer just seven months after


CA to Choose IBM Vet as CEO Looking to regain its footing, Computer Associates (Quote, Chart) will reportedly tap IBM (Quote, Chart) veteran John Swainson as CEO.


At CNN/US, Another Quick Change of Suits CNN #39;s US operation has a new boss for the second time in just 14 months. This time it #39;s Jonathan Klein -- former CBS News suit and, more recently, founder and CEO of high-speed Internet news network and video streamer FeedRoom.


Broker watchdog permanently bars Quattrone WASHINGTON - Brokerage regulators permanently barred Frank Quattrone from working in the securities industry in any capacity on Monday, saying he displayed  quot;egregious quot; conduct by refusing to testify in an agency investigation into his role in possible


Krispy Kreme in new sticky mess Shares in Krispy Kreme Doughnuts have plummeted by almost 20 after the firm announced a quarterly loss of \$3m due to store closures and poor sales.


Hershey Foods to buy macadamia processor HERSHEY, Pa. Hershey Foods is buying the company that makes Manua Loa Macadamia Nuts, a move designed to boost its snack offerings.


JFK Internet Game Assailed JFK Reloaded, after all, is an online game that deals with the John F. Kennedy assassination and was made available yesterday -- the 41st anniversary of the president #39;s death.


#39;Virgin Mary #39; sandwich back on eBay A 10-YEAR-OLD grilled cheese sandwich that a Florida woman says bears the image of the Virgin Mary was back on eBay on Tuesday after the Internet auction house initially cancelled bids that went up to US\$22,000 (\$36,500).


NASA to cut 100 shuttle-related positions NASA is preparing to eliminate 100 contractor processing jobs at Kennedy Space Center starting Dec. 1 under a 2005 operating plan approved by the shuttle program #39;s manager last week.


Paul McCartney To Perform At Super Bowl 22.2004. Ex-Beatle and Sir Paul McCartney is set to perform as the featured halftime act at the Super Bowl on Feb. 6. McCartney is following in the footsteps of Janet Jackson, whose wardrobe


Police launch Yorke investigation Lancashire police have opened a criminal investigation into allegations that Birmingham #39;s Dwight Yorke suffered racial abuse during Sunday #39;s 3-3 Premiership draw away to Blackburn Rovers.


LE GUEN AIMING FOR DRAW Lyon coach Paul le Guen has admitted his side would be happy with a draw at Old Trafford on Tuesday night. The three-times French champions have assured themselves of qualification for the Champions League


Holtz bids farewell as Spurrier waits in wings COLUMBIA, SC ---- As South Carolina coach Lou Holtz left the game he #39;s cherished for 33 seasons, he couldn #39;t resist poor-mouthing himself one last time.


Hornets Top Jazz for First Win of Season Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko (47) of Russia deflects the shot of New Orleans Hornets forward PJ Brown (42) from behind during the first quarter Monday, Nov. 22, 2004, in Salt Lake City.


Washington Nationals, that #39;s the name City and team officials announced at a Monday press conference at the Main Hall in Union Station that Washington, DC #39;s baseball team would be named the Nationals.


NBA Game Summary - Chicago at Phoenix Joe Johnson registered 11 points for the Suns, who posted a season-low 12 points in the third quarter...Tyson Chandler finished with 10 points and nine boards for the Bulls, who fell to 0-6 on the road this season...Casey Jacobsen and Leandro Barbosa


National Basketball Association Game Capsules Memphis, TN -- Bonzi Wells scored a season-high 26 points, hitting the go-ahead three-pointer with under a minute to play, leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a 93-90 win over the San Antonio Spurs at FedEx Forum.


Zardari may lead pro-democracy rallies ISLAMABAD: After the historical Supreme Court verdict to free Zardari on bail, PPP stalwarts have stepped-up efforts to persuade the spouse of ex-premier Benazir Bhutto to lead anti-government rallies slated to begin from Peshawar on December 6, under the


Fresh row threatens top EU body A fresh row is threatening to mar the first day in office of the new European Commission on Monday. France #39;s commissioner Jacques Barrot is under fire for failing to disclose a previous conviction for embezzlement.


Attempt to Block Rule On Overtime Thwarted An attempt to block the Bush administration's proposed changes in overtime rules was killed before the 2005 spending bill received final congressional approval over the weekend.


Radio One Says Joyner Deal Aids Urban Market Strategy Radio One Inc.'s chief executive said Monday his \$56 million acquisition of popular radio personality Tom Joyner's morning show will help stave off the threat of Internet and satellite radio in the urban radio market.


A Cash Crop, a Better Life Rubber now dominates farming and ties this settlement of 216 people to China's industrial boom.


Boeing, EADS Likely to Make Tanker Bids The Pentagon will hold a competition to replace its aging fleet of refueling tankers, potentially pitting aerospace giant Boeing Co. against its European rival in a multibillion-dollar military competition.


NASD Bars Ex-Banker Quattrone For Life Securities industry regulators barred former investment banker Frank P. Quattrone Monday from ever working in the securities industry again.


Md. Land Sell-Off Proposals Resisted Key lawmakers will try to amend the state constitution to curtail the governor's ability to sell off state-owned properties -- especially land bought in the name of preservation.


NBA on eBay In the wake of the NBA's big basketbrawl, the Internet served its predictable role, offering up...


Swiss Mine Company Steps Up Efforts to Buy in Australia The Swiss mining company Xstrata began a hostile \$5.8 billion bid for the Australian mining company WMC Resources yesterday, in what analysts said could turn into an international bidding war


Crude oil prices fall on slower economic growth forecasts Crude oil futures fell slightly Monday as traders speculated that slower economic growth next year might ease global oil demand. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude


McDonald #39;s CEO Charlie Bell resigns SAN FRANCSICO (CBS.MW) -- McDonald #39;s Corp. said late Monday that President and Chief Executive Officer Charlie Bell, who has been battling cancer, has stepped down effective immediately.


Trump #39;s Casino Business Files for Bankruptcy The casino empire of Donald J. Trump has filed for bankruptcy protection after months of negotiations with bondholders over restructuring a crushing debt.


A Decline in Oil Prices Spurs a Late Rally in Share Prices A drop in oil prices spurred an afternoon stock rally yesterday, bringing investors back into the market despite lingering concerns over the strength of the dollar and the nation #39;s trade deficit.


Quattrone Barred for Life From Securities Frank P. Quattrone, the former star investment banker who was found guilty of obstruction of justice, has been barred from the securities industry for life by regulators who contend


Mylan Laboratories Rejects Icahn #39;s \$4.9 Billion Buyout Bid The board of Mylan Laboratories rebuffed the financier Carl C. Icahn #39;s bid to buy the company yesterday, saying it remained committed to acquiring the brand-name drug maker King Pharmaceuticals.


Many Women Say Airport Pat-Downs Are a Humiliation Ata security checkpoint recently at the Fort Lauderdale airport, Patti LuPone, the singer and actress, recalled, she was instructed to remove articles of clothing.


Nintendo's innards Wondering what your shiny new Nintendo DS looks like on the inside? Lik Sang saves you the trouble--and voided warranty--with a new online...


Surf's up Sick of all the analogies of surfing the Web to actual surfing? Well, here's a literal one for...


Dania Beach woman #39;s holy sandwich sells for \$28,000 The grilled cheese sandwich that launched a thousand or more eBay hits was sold to the highest bidder Monday for \$28,000. The sandwich, said to bear the image of the Virgin Mary, was first offered up for sale


Broadcom LAN Boosts Wi-Fi Range Broadcom has rolled out a line of local area network (LAN) chipsets it says can boost the range of existing Wi-Fi networks by as much as 50 percent.


GoldenEye: Rogue Agent Ships The focus of this action-packed game shifts from that of 007 himself to the corrupt underworld and its criminal masterminds. Players wreak havoc as they make their unrelenting rise through the ranks of villainy.


Unleash the Warrior November 22, 2004 - By now, you should already know that Prince of Persia: Warrior Within is going to reveal a more serious, a more aggressive main character that kicks 50 more ass than he did in the previous game.


Baseball adopts Nationals name The Expos were rechristened the Washington Nationals yesterday with a few glitches and a tussle - but just in time for the Christmas shopping season.


Dillon, Patriots too much for Chiefs CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Corey Dillon rushed for a pair of touchdowns as the visiting New England Patriots clipped the Kansas City Chiefs 27-19 before a crowd of 78,431 at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday.


NBA Wrap: Garnett Leads Timberwolves #39; Rally Kevin Garnett just missed out on a triple-double with 21 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a gritty 83-82 road win over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday.


Hoyas Report Temple junior guard Mardy Collins, a preseason All-Atlantic 10 selection, clearly was the best player on the floor. Whenever Georgetown attempted to challenge the Owls #39; lead, Collins silenced the Hoyas #39; run with a shot from the outside.


Davis #39; days could be numbered with Browns One more loss with the Browns and Butch Davis could be going back to college. Cleveland #39;s embattled coach might be running out of time to keep his NFL job, which has been slipping away with every defeat.


Unlocking the chip's inner Hemingway Can computers get along fine without writers? Word is they just might. In an essay in the New York Times...


Arafat kin blames Israel Armed with Yasser Arafat #39;s weighty medical dossier, his nephew blamed Israel for the Palestinian leader #39;s death and refused yesterday to squelch rumors of poisoning -ven though


Fighting Erupts in West Sudan Despite Accord Less than two weeks after the Sudanese government and rebels reached a partial agreement aimed at ending the conflict in Darfur, two clashes in that western Sudan


Cities versus cities The traditional competition for U.S. offshore outsourcing business was between nations. That's about to change, according to a new study.


The next evolution of offshore outsourcing New venture in India raises questions about the evolution of offshore outsourcing.


Dillon, Brady Lead Patriots to 24th Win in 25 Games (Reuters) Reuters - Corey Dillon ran for a pair of\touchdowns and Tom Brady threw for 315 yards as the New England\Patriots registered a 27-19 win over the Chiefs in the Monday\night game in Kansas City.


Dillon, Brady Lead Patriots to 24th Win in 25 Games  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Corey Dillon ran for a pair of  touchdowns and Tom Brady threw for 315 yards as the New England  Patriots registered a 27-19 win over the Chiefs in the Monday  night game in Kansas City.


Three U.N. Hostages Freed in Afghanistan  KABUL (Reuters) - Three foreign U.N. workers held hostage  in Afghanistan were freed unharmed Tuesday, almost four weeks  after they were abducted at gunpoint on the streets of the  capital Kabul, the United Nations said.


Second Sunni Cleric Gunned Down in Iraq  BAQUBA, Iraq (Reuters) - Gunmen killed a Sunni Muslim  cleric in the city of Miqdadiya Tuesday, the second such  killing in Iraq in as many days, witnesses and hospital  officials said.


HK probes Falun Gong 'hacking' Hong Kong investigates after TV programmes beamed into China are allegedly hacked into by Falun Gong.


Q A: Worthington Industries CIO Jonathan Dove on ERP upgrade Worthington Industries CIO Jonathan Dove tells Computerworld that he sees the role of the CIO changing.


Search Engine Disclosure: Better, but Still Wanting How forthcoming are search engines in disclosing their paid placement and paid inclusion policies?  They're better than they were a couple of years ago, but there's still room for improvement, according to a prominent watchdog group.


Xstrata to go hostile in 3bn bid for Australian rival WMC XSTRATA saw its shares fall 1.4 per cent yesterday after the London-listed miner said it was taking its A\$7.4 billion (3.12bn) offer for Australias WMC Resources hostile, following a rebuff from the WMC board last month.


You #39;re bankrupt! NEWARK, NJ - Patrons of Donald Trump #39;s gambling halls probably won #39;t notice, but his casino empire is now in bankruptcy after months of negotiations with bondholders over a crushing \$1.8 billion debt.


IBM exec to be CA chief: report TROUBLED business software company Computer Associates has reportedly selected long-time IBM executive John Swainson as its new chief executive.


CNN Hires New President for Its US News Group CNN News Group on Monday said it has tapped an online media CEO and news veteran as its new president overseeing US news, just a little over a year after hiring a former local TV newsman to run its domestic operations.


Buckle up for holidays A traveler bound for a Thanksgiving feast at Aunt Louise #39;s house upstate can go online for directions or receive one-on-one attention, and a highlighted map, from Kristin Johnson and Liz Singleton.


Citigroup unit sold for \$4.4B Citigroup said Monday it agreed to sell its truck-financing business to GE Commercial Finance for \$4.4 billion, concluding a recent spate of divestitures in its leasing operations.


Infotech and the Law: Druyun fallout will be felt long and hard The federal government has long imposed unique ethical responsibilities on its contractors. Following the defense procurement scandals of the 1980s such as Operation Ill Wind, Congress considerably increased


Game on JFKs Killing Blasted For Insensitivity People find weird ways of raising controversies. And most of the time it is aimed to get cheap and free publicity from the media. Same concept has been used by the Scotland-based Traffic Games, which developed a game on John F Kennedy named JFK Reloaded.


Clark: Weekend fights prove need for division of sports fans <b>...</b> For some reason, noon just comes way too early, and making it to campus is a struggle. I thought one of my professors was going to be a stickler about it and dock me some points, but I had a talk with him to calm him down.


DC #39;s Team Will Be the Nationals Major League Baseball #39;s Washington, DC franchise finally got a name Monday, nearly two months after the team relocated from Montreal.


Trotter, defense step up Jeremiah Trotter got his revenge Sunday, leading an Eagles defense that pounded the Redskins - the team that released Trotter this summer.


Three UN workers taken hostage in Kabul are freed They were released a while back this morning, said a government official, who did not want to be identified, adding that he had no more details.


Gold Hits 16-Year High; Asian Shares Gain  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Gold hit its highest level in more  than 16 years Tuesday as a steadier dollar failed to cool  worries over the currency's outlook, while Asian stocks gained  after a solid performance on Wall Street.


Hartford tackles image as nation #39;s seventh-most dangerous city Hartford officials are pointing to steadily decreasing crime statistics and an overhauled police department in an attempt to discredit a national survey ranking Hartford the country #39;s seventh-dangerous city.


AIRLINES GIVE TIPS FOR TRAVEL SEASON Tyler airlines are gearing up for the beginning of holiday travel, as officials offer tips to help travelers secure tickets and pass through checkpoints with ease.


N.Korea Criticism Reports Don't Mean Kim Weaker Yet (Reuters) Reuters - Anecdotal evidence of public criticism of


NBA Game Summary - New Orleans at Utah Salt Lake City, UT (Sports Network) - Lee Nailon finished with 16 points, hitting a pair of free throws to put the Hornets ahead with 1:42 remaining, lifting New Orleans to its first win of the season, 76-75, over the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center.


No deal with govt: Zardari Islamabad: Asif Ali Zardari, husband of former Premier Benazir Bhutto, has said that his release from jail after eight years was not part of any deal with the government, even as he vowed to continue his struggle against the  quot;undemocratic set-up quot; in the


Bush wants more US aid for Colombia drug fight President Bush said Monday he will lobby Congress next year to renew US anti-narcotics funding for this South American country amid concern in Washington about the federal budget deficit.


Three UN Hostages Freed in Afghanistan Three foreign UN workers held hostage in Afghanistan were freed unharmed Tuesday, almost four weeks after they were abducted at gunpoint on the streets of the capital Kabul, the United Nations said.


Melee in Chile seen as  #39;big deal #39; White House officials were still shaking their heads in disbelief yesterday that President Bush personally had to rescue a US Secret Service agent from angry Chilean security officials Saturday night.


Pakistan to Sell Islamic Bonds by January, Aziz Says (Update2) Pakistan plans to sell its first Islamic bonds by January as it seeks to tap rising demand for securities that conform to Muslim law, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said in an interview.


Timberwolves Edge Mavericks 83-82 (AP) AP - Kevin Garnett made two free throws with 5.9 seconds left then Trenton Hassell blocked Jerry Stackhouse's long jumper at the buzzer, giving the Minnesota Timberwolves an 83-82 victory over Dallas on Monday night in the Mavericks' first of several games without Dirk Nowitzki.


INTERVIEW: New Star To Expand To Taiwan,Singapore In  #39;05 HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Hong Kong-based New Star International Investment Products (Asia) Ltd. is all set to expand its operations to Taiwan and Singapore next


Other Voices: Detroit exposes fragile NBA If the global marketing miracle known as the NBA has finally come to face the fragile rapport it has with its core audience at home in the United States, let it be said that the Palace of


Federer crushes Hewitt and sets new record FULLSTRETCH: Roger Federer of Switzerland returns a shot in the first set against Lleyton Hewitt in their Tennis Masters Cup finals match on Sunday.


GAMBHIR MISSES OUT India crawled to 235 for one at lunch as the first Test against South Africa in Kanpur headed towards a draw on the fourth day today.


Three Hostages Freed In Kabul Afghan officials say three United Nations workers kidnapped on Oct. 28th in Kabul were freed late Monday in Kabul. The hostages were released late Monday and are in good condition, three Afghan officials


London  #39;terror plots #39; thwarted PLANS by al-Qaeda terrorists to crash aircraft into Canary Wharf and at Heathrow have been thwarted by the security services, it was claimed last night.


Report: SEC, Time Warner Near Settlement  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Time Warner Inc. is close to a deal  with U.S. regulators in which the world's largest media group  would pay about \$750 million to settle allegations of  accounting irregularities at its America Online division, The  Washington Post reported on Tuesday.


Dollar Gets a Rest on BOJ Worry, Holidays  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar rallied against the  euro, Japanese yen and most other currencies on Tuesday,  although traders suggested the rise was a brief let-up in a  longer-term decline in the value of the currency.


New Tools to Help Patients Reclaim Damaged Senses An astonishing new technology allows one set of sensory information to substitute for another in the brain.


Oracle at Impasse With PeopleSoft Oracle said that it was at an impasse with PeopleSoft Inc., signaling that the two software makers will wage a proxy battle.


McDonald #39;s CEO leaves to fight cancer The chief executive of McDonald #39;s, Charlie Bell, has stepped down to focus on battling cancer just seven months after assuming the top post at the world #39;s largest fast food company.


CNN/US names new president In a move that appears aimed at energizing CNN #39;s prime-time lineup, the cable news outlet announced yesterday that Jonathan Klein, a former executive vice


American cuts back Boeing orders American Airlines has delayed the deliveries of 54 Boeing Co. planes to save \$2.7 billion over the next six years. The agreement with Boeing lets AMR, which has lost \$6.9 billion since the end of 2000, delay


Quarter earnings drop 79 CHARLOTTE, NC - Shares of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. #39;s fell sharply Monday as a 79 percent plunge in third-quarter earnings and an intensifying accounting investigation overshadowed the pastrymaker #39;s statement that the low-carb craze might be easing.


Virgin Blue Asks Australia to Review Costs Cut-price carrier Virgin Blue said Tuesday the cost of using Australian airports is spiraling upward and asked the government to review the deregulated system of charges.


Pentagon: any new tanker deal would be opened to competitive <b>...</b> Any new plan to replace Air Force tankers will include re-opening bids to companies besides Boeing, according to US Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz.


Second Sunni Cleric Gunned Down in Iraq (Reuters) Reuters - Gunmen killed a Sunni Muslim\cleric in the city of Miqdadiya Tuesday, the second such\killing in Iraq in as many days, witnesses and hospital\officials said.


Largest UK Electronics Seller Cuts VHS The death of the VHS video recorder came a step closer yesterday when the UK #39;s largest electronics chain said it would stop selling them.


Editorial: Basketbrawl Friday night #39;s basketbrawl in Detroit was a shameful chapter in sports history but also a conflagration of many of modern society #39;s common ailments -- hair-trigger tempers, misplaced hostility, me-firstism, emotional immaturity, incivility, lack of self


Sehwag century lifts India towards safety Opener Virender Sehwag hit his eighth test century with an unbeaten 108 to guide India to 235 for one in their first innings at lunch on day four of the first test against South Africa on Tuesday.


Europe ; New EU commission takes office after delay with ambitious <b>...</b> A French amnesty law forbids media from reporting the details of the legal procedure that Barrot faced. Barrots resignation was also demanded by Britains anti-EU UK Independence Party (UKIP), which provoked


Prince denies leaked note #39;s elitist doctrine LONDON -- Prince Charles tried to put the record straight yesterday about his views on education in a speech that only a handful of Church of England bishops were allowed to hear.


Three foreign UN hostages released in Afghanistan (AFP) AFP - Three United Nations hostages have been freed after almost four weeks in captivity in Afghanistan, with kidnappers claiming that Taliban prisoners were due to be released in exchange.


Report: Foreign-Born Population Tops 34M (AP) AP - More than 34 million U.S. residents were born outside the United States, with arrivals from Mexico driving much of the growth in the foreign-born population since 2000, a private research group says.


McDonald #39;s Skinner Replaces Bell as CEO, Faces Test in Europe McDonald #39;s Corp. new Chief Executive James Skinner, the company #39;s third leader in seven months, will continue the strategy of trying to boost sales in Europe after yesterday replacing Charles Bell, who is suffering from cancer.


CA reportedly set to name new chief LOS ANGELES (CBS.MW) -- Computer Associates, the beleaguered maker of corporate software, will tap a longtime IBM executive as its new chief, according to a published report Monday.


KRISPY KREME HAS GONE OUT OF KONTROL Carb-conscious Americans continued to flatten Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, as the onetime Wall Street darling yesterday posted a loss of \$3 million in the third quarter.


Two Harvard fund managers earn more than \$25 mln Two top portfolio managers at Harvard Management Company each earned more than \$25 million in fiscal 2004 for having delivered one of the best returns among all university endowments in the country.


NASA moves ahead on Bush #39;s plan to return to moon, Mars With a green light from Congress, NASA is moving swiftly to carry out President Bush #39;s ambitious plan to return robots and humans to the moon and eventually to Mars.


Broadcom #39;s 54g Chipsets Boost Wi-Fi Coverage Wi-Fi users can now enjoy high-speed wireless connections at distances up to 50 greater than existing solutions, thanks to two new 54g wireless LAN chipsets, introduced by Broadcom Corporation.


Next generation of DVDs on track to replace today #39;s version Discs offering high-definition images using blue lasers likely will rule the market starting in 2005. By Jonathan Sidener. A pessimist might say that right about the time the last person on the planet buys


BRADY AND PATS DOWN CHIEFS Tom Brady threw for 315 yards and a touchdown pass as the New England Patriots defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 27-19. Brady did not turn the ball over all night and frustrated the Chiefs on third down.


NBA: Minnesota 83, Dallas 82 Kevin Garnett made two free throws with five seconds remaining Monday to give the Minnesota Timberwolves an 83-82 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.


Mideast Summit Switches Focus to Iraq World leaders meeting in Egypt focused on Israel, the Palestinians and what is seen as a chance to jump start the stalled peace process today, with plans to shift the focus to another Mideast hotspot - Iraq -ater in the day.


GOP squandering power Flush from their victories in this month #39;s elections, President Bush and Republicans in Congress must now show that they #39;re capable of governing.


Dollar Gets a Rest on BOJ Worry, Holidays (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. dollar rallied against the\euro, Japanese yen and most other currencies on Tuesday,\although traders suggested the rise was a brief let-up in a\longer-term decline in the value of the currency.


Border closures disrupt Palestinian economy: World Bank (AFP) AFP - The Palestinian economy remained mired in deep recession in the four years since the Intifada began in September 2000, in part because of frequent closures at the Israeli border, a new World Bank report said.


Bleidt investors tell of promises, shock On April 18, 1983, Bradford C. Bleidt knelt down inside a meeting hall in the Masonic lodge in Lynn, placed his hands on a Bible, and took a solemn oath not to ''cheat, wrong, nor defraud quot; fellow Masons, as he was inducted into the fraternal organization.


Battling biotechs Why can't they just get along? David Platt, the scientist and controversy-magnet who runs Pro Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Newton, doesn't see eye to eye with his old employer, GlycoGenesys Inc. of Boston, on just about any subject. Certainly not chemistry or patents.


Looking for Mr. Goodwrench Rob Chermesino's college-educated friends went into finance and sales. His fiance is a meeting planner. Chermesino picked up a wrench.


Harvard pays 2 top money managers \$25m Harvard University's endowment paid its two top investment managers about \$25 million each last year, less than the pair earned a year ago, but still enough to irritate critics who consider the compensation excessive.


Menino plans to add job training programs The City of Boston said yesterday that it will rely on \$1 million in linkage funds to finance more job training programs for low- and middle-income men, and weekend training for workers -- men and women -- seeking to escape low-wage, dead-end jobs.


Short-term T-bill rates rise Interest rates on short-term Treasury securities rose in yesterday's auction. The Treasury Department sold \$19 billion in three-month bills at a discount rate of 2.155 percent, up from 2.075 percent last week. An additional \$17 billion was sold in six-month bills at a rate of 2.365 percent, up from 2.280 percent.


Reports raise new questions on FDA oversight of drug safety New reports accuse another drug company of being too slow to pull a dangerous medication from the market and question the ability of the federal Food and Drug Administration to protect the public from such risks.


Once-high-profile planner ordered to undergo psychiatric exam Bradford C. Bleidt, looking unwashed and haggard and wearing a neck brace, shuffled into a courtroom yesterday with his eyes downcast to face criminal charges of mail fraud in an alleged scheme that investigators said may have defrauded investors of \$45 million.


Investors bolster takeover by Oracle Bolstered by investors, Oracle Corp. appears destined to complete its long-sought takeover of PeopleSoft Inc. unless its rival becomes more profitable and proves it is worth more than the \$9.2 billion bid currently on the table.


Quattrone barred from securities work Frank Quattrone, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison for urging employees to destroy documents during a probe of Credit Suisse First Boston, was permanently prohibited by the NASD from working in the securities industry.


Revamp aimed at getting Barbie's groove back Barbie's going through a midlife crisis. After splitting with longtime boyfriend Ken this year, she has sought refuge in shopping, surfing, and partying with a crew of trendy pals in Jamaica. At 45, she made a bid for the White House.


Affiliated Managers to acquire AQR stake Affiliated Managers Group Inc. , a US company that owns stakes in 18 money management firms, acquired an equity interest in AQR Capital Management, its fifth transaction this year. AQR, based in Greenwich, Conn., is a quantitative manager and hedge fund company that manages about \$12 billion, Beverly-based AMG said in a statement. AQR's management will hold the remaining equity ...


Oil prices fall after steep run-up Crude oil futures prices fell around the globe yesterday following a steep run-up on Friday that was prompted by persistent concerns about winter fuel supplies.


SEC eyes best-price rule for exchanges The Securities and Exchange Commission may require brokers to obtain the best prices for their clients' stock trades, a practice now followed only by the New York Stock Exchange, people familiar with the matter said yesterday.


Cherkasky says Marsh may settle Spitzer's lawsuit within a month Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos. , the world's largest insurance broker, may settle New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's claims of rigged bids and kickbacks within a month, chief executive Michael Cherkasky said.


Apple hits 4-year high; iPod seen lifting sales Apple Computer Inc. stock jumped to a four-year high yesterday after a major Wall Street firm nearly doubled its price target on the stock, saying that customer satisfaction with its iPod music player is creating  quot;wildfire word-of-mouth marketing quot; for its Mac computers and other products.


American to postpone buying 54 planes FORT WORTH, Texas - American Airlines will put off buying \$2.7 billion worth of new airplanes from Boeing Co. as the airline struggles amid heavy competition and high fuel prices.


Harvard pays 2 top money managers \$25m Harvard University #39;s endowment paid its two top investment managers about \$25 million each last year, less than the pair earned a year ago, but still enough


Computer game in which players shoot at JFK goes too far Three years ago, the city lost its legal battle to remove violent video games from public arcades in Indianapolis. As defeats go, this one was in some respects a crusher.


Mozilla Gains Five Points, IE Slips Five Web analytics provider OneStat.com has announced that Mozilla #39;s browsers have earned a total global usage share of 7.35, forcing Microsoft #39;s flagship Internet Explorer (IE) to drop below 90.


Unusual mixed breeds of dogs have their day. Angie Daugherty was so eager to take possession of her new-breed Labradoodle pup that she drove up to Lapel to see it at two weeks of age.


Sullivan Response Angers Players Dwight Yorkes former international team-mate Stern John has questioned Birmingham chief David Sullivans place in the game after his comments on footballs latest race row.


Chiefs notes In catching his first pass of the game for 22 yards, Tony Gonzalez moved ahead of former Viking Steve Jordan into fifth place in all-time receiving yards for tight ends.


Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz due in India today NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz is due in New Delhi today where he is scheduled to meet his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh to discuss Kashmir and other issues related with the ongoing composite dialogue between the two countries.


UN probing alleged abuse by staff in DRC The United Nations is investigating around 150 allegations of sexual abuse by UN civilian staff and soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo.


Rescue operation at air crash site ends Rescue operation atthe site of an air crash killing all 53 people aboard a commuter plane and one more on the ground on Sunday morning was declared conclusion Tuesday.


North Korea Demands Change in US Policy North Korea said today it could resume six-nation talks on its nuclear weapons programmes if the US agrees to change its policy toward the communist state.


China rules out 'hard landing' Efforts to ease the Chinese economy off the boil are working but rapid exchange rate change is off the agenda, the Chinese president says.


Let the stuffing begin No one may be more prepared to brave this week #39;s holiday travel rush than Craig and Angela Koven, of Indianapolis, who plan to fly to Orlando to visit family.


Benitez confirms Morientes interest (AFP) AFP - Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has confirmed the English Premiership club's desire to bring Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes to Anfield during the January transfer window.


Repairs on  #39;Big Dig #39; not all that big, firm insists BOSTON - The company overseeing the construction of the beleaguered Big Dig said yesterday that repairs to fix widespread leaks would take months, not years, and denounced public officials for rushing to judgment on the \$14.6 billion project.


Argentina Club Fire Kills at Least 174 A fire that raced through a packed Buenos Aires nightclub during a rock concert killed at least 174 concert-goers and injured about 410, and investigators were looking into survivor accounts that the building's emergency exits were locked.


Investors in step, Oracle moves closer With PeopleSoft #39;s stockholders tendering more than 60 percent of shares, Oracle #39;s takeover bid looks poised for success. By Associated Press.


Presidents line up for 9/11 victims ALL four living former US presidents have agreed to become honorary directors of the project for a permanent memorial to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Centre.


Pacers Season Tossed Into Doubt (AP) AP - After receiving some of the harshest penalties in NBA history for one of the worst brawls in U.S. sports history, the Indiana Pacers' deep and talented roster has been reduced from a title contender to rubble.


Bofra Worm Spreads by Banner Ads Web site visitors who clicked on banner ads on a number of popular European Web sites this weekend could have infected their computers with variants of the Bofra worm, experts warn.


Pot plants found in Weston home Weston In a city where lush landscaping is the law, a different kind of garden was growing inside a \$500,000 Weston Hills Country Club home, snuggled in the same development where the mayor lives.


Preparing pooches for the work force Dogs must be between 14 and 30 months old and between 22 and 24 inches when measured from the top of the shoulder blade to the floor.


Ruffin Fills Key Role With power forward Etan Thomas having missed the entire season, reserve forward Michael Ruffin has done well in taking his place.


Debatable: Should there be criminal charges in sports brawls? NBA players charge into the stands and punch fans. College football players get into a brawl and one kicks another in the head as he #39;s lying facedown on the ground.


Video game exploits death of past president In light of concerns about video game violence, the release of a controversial new game isnt helping the issue. Very different from the games that are usually released each week, JFK Reloaded was released Monday.


Yorke considers quitting Birmingham Dwight Yorke may quit Birmingham City in the wake of alleged racist taunts received from Blackburn fans. The Telegraph says Yorke is upset by the lack of support he has had from plc chairman David Sullivan and is now considering his future at the club.


Peru Arrests Siege Leader, to Attack Police Post  LIMA, Peru (Reuters) - Peruvian authorities have detained a  former army major who led a three-day uprising in a southern  Peruvian town and are preparing to storm the police station he  took over with 200 supporters, a government source told Reuters  early on Tuesday.


Palestinians granted free movement Secretary of State Colin Powell said yesterday that he won Israel #39;s agreement to permit freedom of movement for Palestinians when they hold elections for a successor to Yasser Arafat in January.


Drought and Hunger Add to Darfur #39;s Woes Sudans Darfur region, already engulfed in a conflict that has forced 1.8 million people to flee their homes, now faces a new threat from drought which is drying up wells and could lead to widespread hunger next year, the top US aid official says.


Turner Doesn't Believe in Moral Victories (AP) AP - Norv Turner took no solace in the fact his Oakland Raiders played San Diego much closer this time. In Turner's mind, a loss is a loss.


Indonesian police chief orders inquiry after five people shot in protest (AFP) AFP - Indonesia's police chief on ordered a rare probe into his men's violent handling of a protest near Jakarta in which at least five people were wounded by shotguns as 33 arrests were made.


Highways, airports to be busy this week Load up the kids and drive for hours. Fork out money for gas or plane tickets. Keep our cool in traffic jams and airport security lines.


Arizona seat-belt use at 95, tops in nation Arizona leads the nation in seat-belt use, according to a federal survey, news that means fewer injuries and deaths on the road and possibly lower insurance rates, according to one state official.


Ex-presidents to help with WTC memorial NEW YORK -- The four living former presidents will be honorary leaders of the World Trade Center memorial project, Gov. George Pataki announced Monday.


UN fears tens of thousands more tsunami dead as aid push gets star power (AFP) AFP - The United Nations is saying tens of thousands more people may have died in Asia's tsunami disaster as former US presidents to rock stars mobilise to feed the millions of destitute.


The Compassion Deficit \\Well said... \\"These powerful and well-funded political Christian fundamentalist\organizations appear to be suffering from a compassion deficit. Organizations\which are amazingly quick to organize to fight against same-sex marriage, a\woman's right to choose, and embryonic stem cell research are missing in\action when it comes to responding to the disaster in southern Asia. None of\their web sites are actively soliciting aid for the victims of the\earthquake/tsunami."\\"In fact, there is no mention of the giant earthquake and tsunami that\devastated southern Asia. There are no headlines about the dead, injured or\the tremendous damage; there are no urgent appeals for donations; there are  ...\\


Baghdad Suicide Car Bomb Kills at Least Four  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A suicide car bomb exploded on Tuesday  at a police post near an entrance to the fortified Green Zone  complex in Baghdad, killing at least four people, a policeman  at the scene said.


NBA Wrap: James Leads Cavs Past Bobcats  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wearing a plastic mask to protect a  fractured cheekbone, LeBron James poured in a game-high 26  points to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers past the Charlotte  Bobcats 94-83 on Monday.


U.S. Beats Netherlands in the Hopman Cup (AP) AP - James Blake won three straight points in a second-set tiebreaker Tuesday to beat Peter Wessels of the Netherlands 6-1, 7-6 (4) and clinch a 2-0 victory for the United States at the Hopman Cup.


Rwandan Ex-Army Officer Denies Genocide Charges  DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (Reuters) - A Rwandan ex-army  officer denied helping plan the central African country's 1994  genocide and distributing weapons to some of the killers, the  U.N. court trying the architects of the slaughter said Tuesday.


N.Korea Criticism Reports Don't Mean Kim Weaker Yet  SEOUL (Reuters) - Anecdotal evidence of public criticism of  North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's rule may point to less  control over society after market reforms began but does not  mean Kim is losing his grip, North Korea experts said Tuesday.


2005 Red Sox schedule (Home games in caps) APRIL 4 Mon.at Yankees 1:05 6 Wed.at Yankees 7:05 7 Thu.at Yankees 7:05 8 Fri.at Toronto TBD 9 Sat.at Toronto 1:05 10 Sun.at Toronto 1:05 11 Mon.YANKEES 3:05 13 Wed.YANKEES 7:05 14 Thu.YANKEES 7:05 15 Fri.TAMPA BAY 7:05 16 Sat.TAMPA BAY TBD 17 Sun.TAMPA BAY 2:05 18 Mon.TORONTO 11:05 19 Tue.TORONTO 7:05 20 Wed.at Baltimore 7:05 ...


Teams left down and out Clemson and South Carolina will not accept bowl bids, punishment for players who brawled toward the end of Saturday's game.


Common knowledge Only Syracuse University stands in the way of Boston College as the Eagles vie for their first Big East title and the inside track for the conference's automatic Bowl Championship Series slot.


Is this move by Fox sly? College football made news yesterday with the announcement of a television deal. Fox agreed to a four-year deal with the Bowl Championship Series excluding the Rose Bowl that won't begin for two years (the end of the 2006 season).


BC makes HC pay penalty It was a tough week for the Boston College hockey team. An upset loss to Harvard and a disappointing tie with Providence put an end to BC's reign as the No. 1-ranked team in the country.


Hundreds held over Apec protests Chile's government says 700 people were arrested and 20 police injured during protests over the Apec summit.


Health cost fears for China poor More than a third of Chinese people who fall ill do not go to a doctor because they cannot afford to, a survey finds.


Football: Ferguson hits landmark Sir Alex Ferguson is set to take charge of Man Utd for the 1,000th time.


Africa and its children SIBOVU, Swaziland -- The two old women were debating her future, but 13-year-old Thandeka Motsa could hardly bear to listen.


Aid workers rescued amid renewed Darfur violence KHARTOUM, Sudan -- Helicopters rescued more than 40 aid workers who fled into the bush to escape fighting in Darfur yesterday as renewed violence flared in the crisis-plagued region of western Sudan.


Spouse of Pakistan president's rival gets bail KARACHI -- After eight years in jail on corruption charges, the husband of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was released on bail yesterday, officials said, in a move the government called a step toward ''political harmony quot; with her opposition party.


Nephew faults Israel in Arafat's death PARIS -- Newly armed with Yasser Arafat's medical dossier, his nephew pinned blame on Israel for the late Palestinian leader's death and refused yesterday to squelch rumors of poisoning -- although he acknowledged that doctors found no known poisons.


About the series Over the last year, a Globe reporter and photographer spent many weeks with three children in Uganda, Nigeria, and Swaziland. The children and their relatives gave permission for the journalists to document their lives and tell their stories. Most of the key events recounted in these stories were directly observed, the dialogue directly heard. Where reconstruction of events was necessary, ...


Child malnutrition up since invasion, study says STOCKHOLM -- Malnutrition among Iraq's youngest children has nearly doubled since the US-led invasion of Iraq, despite UN efforts to deliver food to the war-ravaged country, a Norwegian research group said yesterday.


Report: Airbus Aims to Trump Boeing's 7E7  PARIS (Reuters) - Airbus is designing an aircraft to  compete with Boeing Co.'s planned 7E7 wide-body jetliner that  would carry more passengers and fly further than the U.S.  plane, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing  people familiar with the plans.


Traffic Slows at Fast Casual Restaurants  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The growth of new fast casual  restaurants slowed to 13 percent in the year ended in September  from 17 percent year before, according to a study released on  Tuesday by market research firm The NPD Group.


You #39;re bankrupt! Trump casinos file  #39;We have one of the most powerful gaming companies the day it comes out of bankruptcy. There #39;s no way we could have done that without the  quot;B quot; word.


Mining sector fuels market recovery The Australian share market has found its feet again after the largest retreat in some months yesterday. Mimicking the recovery on Wall Street overnight, the All Ordinaries climbed 32.1 points to 3,878.9.


OVITZ MIND MELD Michael Ovitz #39;s wacky ideas for bonding with employees made it impossible for him to fit in at media giant Disney, according to a former executive.


Grizzlies stun Spurs on go-ahead 3-pointer Bonzi Wells scored 26 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with less than a minute left, and Lorenzen Wright had 10 points and 10 rebounds to help Memphis beat the San Antonio Spurs 93-90 on Monday night.


Uranium processing halted, Iran says Iran announced yesterday that it has frozen all uranium-enrichment programs, weakening a US effort to refer its suspect nuclear activities to the UN Security Council.


BHP Billiton leads London on bigger share buyback LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Anglo-Aussie miner BHP Billiton (BHP) (UK:BLT) climbed 2.8 percent to lead FTSE 100 components after it increased its share buyback to A\$2.27 billion (US\$1.78 billion) from the A\$1 billion to A\$1.5 billion it had predicted it would buy


Activists warn of possible rape of tsunami survivors (AFP) AFP - Women activists urged Sri Lankan authorities to step up protection for tsunami survivors amid unconfirmed reports some had been molested or even gang raped at refugee shelters.


PLAY IT AGAIN Legendary toy retailer FAO Schwarz will reopen its landmark Manhattan store on Thanksgiving Day, just in time for the holidays. The 65,000-square-foot store at Fifth


Tennessee seat belt use improves The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says state seat belt use increased from about 69 percent in 2003 to 72 percent in 2004.


Update 8: Crude Futures Dip As Traders Predict Rise Crude oil futures eased a shade Tuesday in range-bound trade as analysts predicted a weekly US oil inventories report could show a rise in stocks.


\$100 for bite of Apple? Stock ripe to double, analyst says Apple Computer shares surged to a four-year high yesterday after a Piper Jaffray analyst said the stock may almost double to \$100 within a year, citing a survey that shows the iPod digital


First European mission captures stunning portrait of earth and <b>...</b> UDAIPUR, India : A spectacular portrait of earth and its satellite, the moon, together has been captured for the first time during an eclipse by a space camera, the European Space Agency said on Tuesday.


Sacked again: Pats stop KC During halftime Monday night, a man wearing a No. 31 Kansas City jersey put on some nice moves as he ran on the field. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, that wasn #39;t the real No.


Fox to announce deal to air Fiesta, Orange, Sugar bowls in  #39;06 On Monday, Fox will announce a four-year deal to carry four Bowl Championship Series games, according to an executive familiar with the negotiations, starting with bowls after the 2006 regular season.


Bernie braves the Bank Three investment banks, otherwise known as  #39;Speed Investments #39;, own most of the Formula One business but are suing Bambino for a representative slice of control.


Iowa waits out Louisville After staying close in the first half against a No. 12 Louisville team that was shooting 61 percent, Iowa coach Steve Alford knew it was only a matter of time before his Hawkeyes #39; defense would change the momentum.


One step in Palestine Any road map assumes that there is a starting point, a destination and mileposts in between. But before a carload of travelers can begin a road trip, they #39;ve got to decide who is going to drive the car.


UN confirms three hostages freed in Afghanistan Three foreign UN workers held hostage in Afghanistan have been freed unharmed, almost four weeks after they were abducted at gunpoint on the streets of the capital Kabul.


Abbas: Refugees Will Return to Israel (AP) AP - Mahmoud Abbas, the leading candidate in next week's presidential election, on Monday promised Palestinian refugees they'll be able to return home one day  #151; his most explicit comment yet on an explosive issue that has derailed peace talks in the past.


Britain #39;s  #39;9/11 #39; foiled by security forces Story in full AN AL-QAEDA terror plot involving aircraft being flown simultaneously into the towers of Canary Wharf and Heathrow Airport has been foiled by British security forces, it emerged last night.


Around the world UN Secretary General Kofi Annan accused UN peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Friday of sexually abusing women and children.


Israeli captain charged after shooting girl Military prosecutors yesterday charged an army captain with five separate offenses after fellow soldiers accused him of repeatedly shooting a 13-year-old Palestinian schoolgirl to make sure that she was dead.


Transactions BASEBALL Atlanta (NL): Added Ps Kyle Davies, Anthony Lerew and Macay McBride, INFs Pete Orr, Andy Marte and Luis Hernandez and OF Bill McCarthy to 40-man roster. Boston (AL): Named Al Nipper minor league pitching coordinator, Goose Gregson Latin American pitching coordinator and Gulf Coast League pitching coach, Todd Claus manager of Portland (EL), Dann Bilardello manager and Ace Adams ...


Crisis grips divided Ukraine over disputed presidential vote (AFP) AFP - A political crisis gripped a bitterly divided Ukraine as the pro-West opposition planned more mass demonstrations to protest a contested presidential vote claimed by the Russia-friendly prime minister.


UN DR Congo sex abuses 'on film' The UN has photos and video footage of sexual abuses committed by UN staff in DR Congo, says an official.


Zimbabwe Ruling Party Elects Woman as Mugabe Deputy  HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's ruling party on Saturday  confirmed the election of the first woman candidate as deputy  to President Robert Mugabe at the end of a congress which also  endorsed Mugabe as party leader for another five years.


McDonalds boss steps down Charlie Bell has stepped down as chief executive of fast food giant McDonalds seven months after taking up the top job. Bell, who was diagnosed with colon cancer earlier this year, is leaving the business to focus on fighting the illness.


Krispy Kreme results have holes Krispy Kreme #39;s quarterly results fell sharply for the third consecutive quarter as sluggish sales and an intensifying government investigation raised concerns yesterday about whether the glaze was permanently off the once-hot pastry maker.


Congress OKs foreigners #39; jobs WASHINGTON - Congress is letting employers hire an additional 20,000 foreign high-tech workers under a special visa program after businesses reached the annual ceiling on the first day of the government #39;s fiscal year.


NASA Concludes First International Workshop in Support of US  #39; <b>...</b> NASA officials held an international workshop last week in Washington DC, with representatives from China, the European Union, and 17 other countries to consider opportunities and possible collaborations


HDTV: A Shopper #39;s Survival Guide The words high-definition TV are enough to give many consumers the sweats. We #39;ll help you relax and buy smarter. Flat or fat? EDTV or HDTV?


McCaffery: Until fans strike back, players will still attack Two days after Ron Artest and a similarly disposed mob of arrogant rich people did the unacceptable, David Stern attempted to do the impossible.


Sehwag flays SA attack Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir flayed the South African attack to record India #39;s second-highest opening partnership in the first Test on Tuesday.


Baghdad Suicide Car Bomb Kills at Least 6 -- Police (Reuters) Reuters - A suicide truck bomb attack on an Iraqi\security checkpoint near an entrance to the fortified Green\Zone complex on Tuesday killed at least six people and wounded\at least 40, police said.


UN hostages held for 4 weeks in Afghanistan freed KABUL, Afghanistan -- Three UN workers kidnapped in Afghanistan four weeks ago were released unharmed today, a day after a string of raids by US and Afghan security forces.


TWO ANTI-VOTE SHEIKS SLAIN November 23, 2004 -- BAGHDAD - Gunmen assassinated two influential Sunni clerics who called for a boycott of national elections, soon after Iraqi officials announced the balloting would be held Jan. 30 in spite of rising violence in the country.


#39;9/11 #39; PLOTS IN BRITAIN Chilling plans for a 9/11- style terror onslaught - complete with hijacked planes -argeted London #39;s Heathrow Airport and famed financial district Canary Wharf, it was reported yesterday.


China wraps Latinamerican tour in Cuba Chinese president Hu Jintao arrived this Monday in Cuba, the last stop of his visit to Latinamerica, and as happened in Brazil, Argentina and Chile, his host Fidel Castro expects to sign important bilateral trade and investment agreements.


Famous toy store to reopen Upscale toy retailer FAO Schwarz #39;s flagship store on New York City #39;s Fifth Avenue will reopen Friday, nearly a year after its previous owners filed for bankruptcy-court protection.


Loss widens; 3 million customers seen by year #39;s end TiVo said on Monday that its quarterly loss widened, citing increased marketing costs, but the maker of digital video-recording technology said it expects to have 3 million subscriptions by the end of the year.


Drive fast, turn left: The Chase made sense In the end, NASCAR got what it wanted and the fans got what they didnt know they wanted. With the inaugural 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup now in the proverbial rearview mirror, even the naysayers


UN DR Congo sex abuses  #39;on film #39; The United Nations is investigating some 150 allegations of sexual abuse by UN civilian staff and soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo.


Fury over  #39;shoot JFK video game #39; A new computer game which recreates John F Kennedy #39;s assassination was branded despicable yesterday by late president #39;s family.


Keane dropped for Spurs defeat Robbie Keane was dropped as dreadful Spurs crashed to their SIXTH straight Premiership defeat on Monday night. The Irish striker - who spoke on Sunday about a new-found freedom to express oneself at White


UN demands DR Congo poll Visiting UN Security Council diplomats push for 2005 elections in DR Congo despite huge obstacles.


CNN cuts Hair as head of US unit In a big management shakeup aimed at halting a brutal assault from rival Fox News, CNN has pushed aside the head of its US network.


Pent-up demand for travel is primed for holiday takeoff As the high-pressure holiday travel season rolls in, the transportation industry is anticipating some of the highest numbers seen in four years.


Patriots streaking again If Drew Brees was watching TV and saw the Kansas City Chiefs play pass defense last night, he must have been smiling and rubbing his palms together in anticipation.


From nada to Mega Parking attendant Juan Rodriguez had just 78 cents in the bank and a whopping \$44,000 in debts when he hit a \$149 million Mega Millions lottery prize, bankruptcy documents revealed yesterday.


Martin glad to see Sometime tonight, perhaps at tipoff, the memories may all hit Kenyon Martin at once, with the force of one of his punishing dunks.


Cendant Expected to Spin Off Wright Express, a Fleet Manager The Cendant Corporation is planning to announce today that it will spin off its Wright Express unit in an initial public offering that is expected to raise more than \$1 billion.


INDUSTRY REPORT: Food  McDonald #39;s CEO resigns McDonald #39;s Corp., the world #39;s largest restaurant chain, said CEO and President Charlie Bell has resigned to focus on his fight against cancer.


FAO Schwarz back in play On a 22-foot-long piano keyboard, dancers jumped on giant keys, each step setting off a note of  quot;Chopsticks. quot;. Over by the soda fountain, blue-shirted servers learned to make the Volcano, a


\$149 million lottery winner:  #39;No idea #39; what comes next Newly minted multimillionaire Juan Rodriguez, who won the \$149 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot, said Sunday he hasn #39;t quit his job at a midtown Manhattan parking garage yet.


EasyJet faces tough year ahead An increase in passengers has propped up annual earnings for easyJet but the low-cost airline has warned it faces a tough two years as cut-throat competition drives down fares and fuel prices soar.


EasyJet caution despite profits rise Budget airline EasyJet today reported a 21 improvement in annual profits but warned that it expected competition to remain intense this winter.


VHS Format Dies Quiet Death  quot;We #39;re saying goodbye to one of the most important products in the history of consumer technology, quot; Dixons marketing director John Mewett said.


New Linuxes, Old Problems I have had a frustrating few weeks with Linux. I #39;ve lost count of the number of installations I #39;ve done, and I don #39;t want to think about the number of hours I #39;ve lost to troubleshooting.


MontaVista squares up to Symbian CALIFORNIA #39;S MONTAVISTA HAS landed the deal to supply its Linux OS to two major Japanese handset providers, NEC and Panasonic.


Are Desktop Search Programs Ready for Prime Time? (PC World) PC World - Copernic Desktop Search does the work without Google's security flaws.


Brady, Dillon provide touchdowns KANSAS CITY -- The Kansas City Chiefs were supposed to have enough weapons to beat the New England Patriots, but the defending champs proved they have a healthy arsenal of their own on Monday night.


Chad hints: Shoulder healing slowly Without denying the reports, Jets quarterback Chad Pennington yesterday tried to quell rumors that he #39;ll require arthroscopic surgery to have the strained rotator cuff in


Serf's Up in the Video Game Industry (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Holiday season in the video game industry is the equivalent of television's sweeps week, which perhaps is why new reports painting game designers as 21st century-style Dickensian factory laborers are proving especially noteworthy.


Conference on Iraq to back the government #39;s war on insurgents World leaders gathered in Egypt for an international conference on Iraq focused on another Mideast issue early Tuesday the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.


Arafat #39;s nephew calls medical file inconclusive PARIS -- Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat #39;s medical records show no definite diagnosis explaining his death, his nephew said Monday.


Register restores ad service Site Notice Some rough figures


Smartphones suffer Skulls attack Owners of the Nokia 7610 are warned to look out for a malicious program that makes phones almost useless.


Help for lost and stolen phones A national database is being set up to help return lost and stolen phones to their rightful owners.


Time Warner Nears Deal Over AOL Accounting Media giant would pay \$750M to settle wide-ranging allegations of accounting irregularities at Va.-based America Online.
- The Washington Post


SEC Probes Firms-Advisers Gift Exchange (AP) AP - Securities regulators are examining whether brokerage firms lavished golf outings, Super Bowl tickets and other gifts on mutual fund advisers to get them to bring their trading business to the firms.


Oil Surges to \$50 on Winter Fuel Worries  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices vaulted back above \$50 a  barrel on Tuesday as traders took out insurance ahead of weekly  U.S. data on Wednesday that is expected to show only a modest  increase in winter heating oil inventories.


Airbus Looks to Challenge Boeing's 7E7  PARIS/TOULOUSE, France (Reuters) - Airbus is eager to  produce a rival to Boeing Co.'s new 7E7 passenger jet and hopes  to make an announcement by the end of the year, the European  planemaker said on Tuesday.


Time Warner Shares Rise on Talks Report  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Time Warner Inc TWX.N rose  2 percent on Tuesday after a report that the world's largest  media company was near a settlement with regulators that could  limit potential shareholder lawsuits over probes into  accounting at its America Online unit.


U.S. FDA Adds Restrictions to Acne Drug  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Roche's acne drug Accutane and its  generic versions will face tighter prescription controls to  prevent harm to unborn children, U.S. health regulators said on  Tuesday.


Intel Shares Edge Lower After Downgrade  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Intel Corp. INTC.O shares slipped on  Tuesday after Credit Suisse First Boston downgraded the stock,  forecasting that the computer chip maker will have difficulty  outperforming the overall semiconductor sector next year.


Computer Associates Names IBM Exec as CEO  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Computer Associates International Inc.  CA.N on Tuesday named former IBM software sales head John  Swainson as president and chief executive, seven months after  Sanjay Kumar stepped down amid an accounting scandal.


Credit Raters' Power Abused, Borrowers Say Corporations, municipalities and foreign governments have grown wary of the big three credit-rating companies as they have expanded into global powers without formal oversight.


Tax Reform Veterans See Hurdles Ahead Two primary architects of Congress's last major tax reform say President Bush so far has failed to lay the groundwork for his ambitious tax agenda.


Brokers' Gifts Investigated  Securities regulators are opening up yet another front in their long-running investigation of the mutual fund industry, examining brokerage firms that allegedly gave mutual fund employees lavish gifts in exchange for business, officials said yesterday.


Top Economic Adviser to Bush Is Leaving Post The departure Tuesday of Stephen Friedman, who left Wall Street to assume one of the top economic posts in the White House as director of the National Economic Council, will open a key economic policy position just as President Bush begins his ambitious push to overhaul Social Security and the tax code.


USDA Rules Out Mad Cow Disease in Animal The result cheered the beef industry, which had braced itself to hear that a second case of mad cow disease had been discovered in the U.S.


Dollar hits new record euro low The dollar hits yet another record low against the euro on speculation Russia may increase reserves of the single currency.


Wal-Mart approves unions in China Wal-Mart is to allow its Chinese employees to join a trade union following pressure from the Chinese authorities.


China and Cuba sign trade deals China and Cuba sign a multi-million dollar nickel deal as the communist nations seek closer ties.


Cingular announces 7,000 job cuts US mobile phone giant Cingular announces plans to cut about 7,000 jobs in the next 12 to 18 months.


Fines prompt Yukos share drop Shares in the Russian oil giant Yukos lose more than a fifth of their value, as the company faces a tax fine of \$2.5bn.


Rising material costs hit Heinz Second quarter profits at ketchup maker Heinz are hit by higher material and transport costs.


Palestinian economy in decline The Palestinian economy is in crisis, performing well below its potential, the World Bank says.


EADS 'ready' for US air force bid European aerospace firm EADS says it is ready to tender for a bid to supply refuelling planes to the US air force.


WPP-Grey Global merger 'on hold' Advertising giant WPP's purchase of Grey Global is temporarily put on hold after files submitted to EU regulators were found to be incomplete.


AG sues to stop apparent telecom scam Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly moved yesterday to rescue nearly 200 Bay State businesses from an apparent telecommunications scam that bound many to pay \$100,000 or more for a black-box device called  quot;The Matrix quot; that turned out to be worthless.


Rather Quitting as CBS Anchor in Abrupt Move The move came two months after Dan Rather acknowledged flaws in a report on President Bush's National Guard service.


Questions Are Seen on Merck's Stance on Pain Drug's Use Merck officials had evidence far back as 2001 that Vioxx might not help thousands of users of the arthritis and pain drug.


On Wall Street, a Closer Look at Giving Gifts Regulators are apparently not basking in the spirit of holiday giving, at least where Wall Street is concerned.


Jack Daniel's to the Rescue Jack Daniel's puts on a strong performance as Brown-Forman's earnings grow strongly.


Dollar Tree Spreads Roots Discount retailer meets expectations, forecasts 19 earnings gain next quarter.


Mylan's "Three-Ring Circus" Icahn is involved in the Mylan-King Pharmaceuticals deal for his benefit only.


IBM to acquire life insurance processing, admin company IBMis acquiring Liberty Insurance Services, or LIS, which is the U.S. business process services operation of RBC Insurance, IBM and RBC announced Tuesday. LIS handles life insurance and annuity processing and administration, and will become a new IBM subsidiary focused on that service.


Exploding Cell Phones a Growing Problem (AP) AP - Curtis Sathre said it was like a bomb going off. His 13-year-old son Michael stood stunned, ears ringing, hand gushing blood after his cell phone exploded. Safety officials have received 83 reports of cell phones exploding or catching fire in the past two years, usually because of bad batteries or chargers.


Lobbyists Try to Kill Philly Wireless Plan (AP) AP - Philadelphia's plan to offer inexpensive wireless Internet as a municipal service  #151; the most ambitious yet by a major U.S. city  #151; has collided with commercial interests including the local phone company, Verizon Communications Inc.


SEC May Be Near Settlement With AOL Time Warner is close to settling a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into accounting at America Online, a person close to the negotiations said yesterday.


Mixed End to Light Trading as Oil Surges, Then Retreats Shares shuffled to a mixed finish yesterday, rebounding from earlier lows as oil prices retreated after surging past \$50 a barrel.


Questions and answers about Trump #39;s bankruptcy filing The company that operates Donald J. Trump #39;s casinos has filed for bankruptcy protection, along with some related companies. Here are some questions and answers about what this means for Trump, his employees, gamblers and creditors:


China #39;s SAIC cool on early Rover deal talk Chinese carmaker Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC) has played down reports that it is about to sign a deal for a joint venture with MG Rover, the Times newspaper reports.


Drilling Programme at WMCs Olympic Dam Site Indicates it is the <b>...</b> Total Mineral Resources at WMC Resources Ltd #39;s Olympic Dam mine in South Australia have increased by 29.2 as a result of recent drilling and an improved long-term uranium price outlook.


Top Economic Adviser to Bush Is Leaving Post Stephen Friedman, who left Wall Street to assume one of the top economic posts in the White House, will return to the private sector Dec. 31 after two quiet years in Washington, White House officials announced yesterday.


Wal-Mart to allow unions in China stores HONG KONG (CBS.MW) -- US retail giant Wal-Mart (WMT) has bowed to pressure and said it will allow unions in its stores in China to unionize if employees request it, the China Daily newspaper reported.


Richmond is in Top 10 list of dangerous cities RICHMOND, Va. Richmond is now on the Top 10 list of the nation #39;s most dangerous cities -- according to one report. The research firm Morgan Quitno says Richmond now ranks ninth when compared with more than


Sirius Says Its Subscribers Top 800,000 By Reuters. Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. said yesterday that it passed the 800,000 subscriber mark and is on track to have one million by the end of the year, further fueling the company #39;s stock.


Home Resales Dipped Slightly Last Month Sales of existing homes edged down 0.1 percent in October, but low mortgage rates continued to contribute toward what might become a record year in home sales, a trade association report showed on Tuesday.


Short-Handed Pacers Beat Celtics 106-96 (AP) AP - Jamaal Tinsley scored 29 points and James Jones had a career-best 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead the suspension-weakened Indiana Pacers to a 106-96 win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.


FCC: 8M Wireless Users Keep Cell Numbers (AP) AP - Nearly 8 million mobile phone users have switched carriers and kept their cell numbers since a new rule allowing that flexibility went into effect one year ago, the Federal Communications Commission disclosed Tuesday.


Williams to Be Reinstated After Suspension (AP) AP - Ricky Williams will serve a four-game suspension beginning next month, then will be reinstated to the Miami Dolphins by the NFL, according to his lawyer.


No. 2 Kansas Defeats St. Joseph's 91-51 (AP) AP - Wayne Simien had 20 points and 13 rebounds, and No. 2 Kansas shot 63 percent during a 91-51 rout of St. Joseph's on Tuesday night.


Iowa Upends No. 15 Texas 82-80 (AP) AP - Pierre Pierce hit a 25-foot jumper with 44 seconds left to give Iowa the lead for good, and the Hawkeyes beat No. 15 Texas 82-80 on Tuesday night in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational.


Man Fined  #36;300K for Leaking 'Screeners' (AP) AP - A federal judge has imposed the maximum fine of  #36;300,000 against a former member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who allegedly leaked "screener" copies of movies that were distributed on the Internet.


Three Big Music Labels Sign Up for Peer Impact (Reuters) Reuters - Three of the Big Four music labels\have reached licensing agreements to provide their music to the\soon-to-launch Peer Impact network, a peer-to-peer service that\enables legal music file-sharing.


Midlevel Free Agents Signing With Teams (AP) AP - While the stars take their time, midlevel free agents are starting to make deals.


Judge in EU-Microsoft Case Calls Meeting (AP) AP - The judge deciding whether to suspend the European Union's antitrust order against software giant Microsoft Corp. pending appeal has called an unexpected meeting, two weeks after two longtime backers of the EU's case abruptly pulled out.


JFK Assassination Game Defended as  #39;Educational #39; A British company has released a video game re-creating the assassination of President Kennedy. A spokesperson for the president #39;s brother, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, called the game  quot;despicable.


No. 11 N.C. Trumps Tennessee 94-81 (AP) AP - Rashad McCants scored 27 points and North Carolina rode a sharp first half to a 94-81 victory over Tennessee on Tuesday night in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational.


Online casino buys  #39;holy #39; sarmie An online casino said it placed the winning \$28 000 bid for a 10-year-old partly eaten grilled cheese sandwich said to bear the image of the Virgin Mary, and wants to take it on a world tour.


Artful Software Spots Faked Masterpieces The method could also be used to determine if more than one hand was involved in creating the work, something physical forensic science has never been able to do.


#39;Skulls #39; Virus Attacks Nokia Smartphones Once attacked by Skulls, the only things the smartphones can do is make and receive calls. The anti-virus lab F-Secure said it had produced guidelines for users to help them remove the program and get their phones working.


AMD announces Mobile Sempron 3000 Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) expanded its Mobile Sempron processor family with a higher performing model and integrated EVP anti virus technology.


NASA changes with new budget CLEAR LAKE - Johnson Space Center spokesman Kyle Herring said Tuesday that shuttle program project managers were looking at ways to reduce costs by about 5 percent, but said he did not know if job cuts would be a part of those efforts.


Torvalds, Windenius, Lerdorf Fight EU Software Patents The three most famous European authors of open-source software today issued an appeal against software patents in Europe. Linux author Linus Torvalds, MySQL author Michael Windenius and


Video Game Makers Get a  #39;C #39; for Effort, Critics Say Critics questions whether violent videogames like  quot;BloodRayne quot; should be played by children and teenagers. The videogame industry says games with mature themes have appropriate ratings.


VHS Format Dies at 26 A device that can record and play back video to and from videotapes (video cassettes). A trademark and industry standard for the tape format used in VCRs.


BT digital service returns power to artists BT is launching a digital music service designed to  quot;revolutionise quot; the industry and give power back to artists, labels and traditional retailers at the expense of new entrants into the market such as Apple #39;s iTunes.


GIFT GUIDE 1: TECH  amp; TOYS When the notion of creating high-definition, commercial broadcast television in the US first arose in the 1980s, few were ready for it.


Another Survey Says Mozilla Up, IE Down Another Web browser usage survey is showing a familiar trend: Mozilla #39;s share is rising at the expense of Internet Explorer. Global usage share numbers released Monday by OneStat.


Gartner: Renegotiate software license deals now com November 23, 2004, 10:44 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) and open source initiatives are on the horizon.


Citrix to acquire SSL VPN startup The company on Tuesday announced that it #39;s acquiring privately held security equipment maker Net6 for \$50 million in cash. The acquisition, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2004, will thrust


Microsoft Is No Threat To Google -- Yet In the past decade, searching the Web has grown from an academic experiment to a multibillion-dollar business. Microsoft has not been a player, being content to outsource its MSN Search service to rival Yahoo!


Indexing of Copyrighted Photos Lands Google in Court An adult Web site publisher is suing Google, saying the search engine company made it easier for users to see the site #39;s copyrighted nude photographs without paying or gaining access through the proper channels.


Phishers use more sites to reel in data on accounts The number of Web sites used to steal private account information from online consumers surged in October, as banks and other financial institutions continued to struggle against Internet  quot;phishing quot; schemes.


Intel Helping Indian, Chinese Customers to Use Linux (Update3) Intel Corp., the world #39;s biggest semiconductor maker, said it #39;s helping Indian and Chinese customers build personal computers that use the Linux operating system, an alternative to Microsoft Corp.


The Sims go to Varsity The Sims 2 University will ship this March and gives players of The Sims 2 the ability to watch their Sims become young adults and put childhood behind them as they settle into an all-new university town.


Enterprise grid group adds Dell, two others (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - The Enterprise Grid Alliance (EGA) on Nov. 30 plans to announce the addition of Dell, UBS Investment Bank, and value-added reseller Avarsys to its fold.


Blizzard ships World of Warcraft (MacCentral) MacCentral - Blizzard Entertainment on Tuesday shipped World of Warcraft, its first entry into the popular Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) genre. The game ships in North America, Australia and New Zealand for Mac and PC in both Standard and Collector's Editions for US #36;49.95 and  #36;79.99. Further beta testing will be announced in Europe, Korea and elsewhere in Asia before the games are released in those regions.


Union Could Get Suspensions Lessened, Experts Say NEW YORK - The NBA players union will win its appeal to reduce the suspensions doled out to Ron Artest and two other Indiana Pacers who brawled with Pistons fans last week, a sports business expert predicted Tuesday.


Goosen Forges One-Shot Lead at Grand Slam of Golf South Africa #39;s Retief Goosen fired a seven-under-par 65 to take a one-shot lead over the season #39;s other three major winners after the first round of the 36-hole PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Kauai, Hawaii on Tuesday.


UNITED THROUGH MANCHESTER, England: Manchester United qualified for the Champions League knockout phase with a 2-1 Group D victory over French champions Olympique Lyon last night.


Kings Defeat Rockets 102-96 Sacramento Kings guard Bobby Jackson, right, tries to shoot over the outstretched arm of Houston Rockets center Yao Ming, of China, left, during the fourth quarter in Sacramento, Calif.


2 arrested for alleged racial taunts at Yorke Police yesterday arrested two men in connection with alleged racist taunts aimed at Birmingham City striker Dwight Yorke. YORKE... accused Rovers fans of making monkey gestures towards him last Sunday.


Real Madrid Faces Champions League Decider in Empty Stadium Real Madrid #39;s all-star soccer team will play its sixth and final Champions League group game in an empty Rome stadium next month facing the prospect of first-round elimination for the first time in eight seasons.


Barcelona to take on Celtic Join Group F leaders Barcelona take on Celtic today, knowing that a draw and a point will be enough for them to book their place in the last 16 of the Champions League.


No. 12 Louisville Routs Chaminade in Hawaii Taquan Dean scored 21 points and the Cardinals bounced back from an opening-round loss to beat Chaminade, 93-63, yesterday in the consolation bracket of the Maui Invitational in Lahaina, Hawaii.


Goosen Leads Grand Slam by One Stroke (AP) AP - U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen shot a 7-under-par 65 to take a one-stroke lead Tuesday over PGA champion Vijay Singh in the PGA Grand Slam of Golf.


Gene tops first day of Barcelona test Marc Gene put in a good performance on his first day of testing with his new Ferrari team, setting the pace at Barcelona, Spain. Gene, who has spent the past four years testing for rival BMW-Williams, posted a top lap of 1:15.662 in the F2004.


It #39;s Official: Spurrier Is Hired to Coach Gamecocks Steve Spurrier was hired at South Carolina yesterday after the school trustees #39; executive board approved a seven-year deal worth \$1.25 million a season for the former Florida football coach.


Henson Set to Start for Injured Testaverde Dallas Cowboys Coach Bill Parcells said yesterday that the rookie quarterback Drew Henson would make his first NFL start tomorrow against Chicago  quot;unless things change appreciably with Vinny.


Chinese Space Official to Visit NASA Chief (Reuters) Reuters - The head of China's space agency\will visit NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe next week, a move\one U.S. expert said could mean increased cooperation between\the two countries.


NBA Players' Union Appeals Suspensions  NEW YORK (Sports Network) - In a move that seemed almost  inevitable, the NBA players' union filed an appeal Tuesday on  behalf of the Pacers' Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine  O'Neal.


Arctic Nations to Make Scant Promises to Slow Thaw (Reuters) Reuters - Eight Arctic countries will make\scant promises to slow a rapid thaw of the region linked to\global warming at a meeting in Iceland on Wednesday after U.S.\opposition to firmer action, delegates said.


Pakistan must act to prevent AIDS: UNAIDS LONDON: Asian countries are at great risk from AIDS, but countries like Pakistan, where prevalence is low, can ward off potential epidemics through prevention programmes if they act quickly, the United Nations reported on Tuesday.


World powers and neighbours back Iraqi elections SHARM EL SHEIKH: The worlds main powers and the Middle East countries put on a rare show of unity on Tuesday to support January elections in Iraq that UN chief Kofi Annan termed critical to quell rampant violence.


Report: Man in Jakarta bombing arrested Indonesian media reports said the man alleged to be the field coordinator behind the bombing of the Australian embassy in Jakarta has been arrested.


Singh, Aziz to talk after India-Pakistan spat Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz meets his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh on Wednesday to hold talks that are expected to put aside a recent spat over disputed


Britain plans tougher laws to fight terror LONDON: The British government announced yesterday a range of new measures to fight global terrorism and organised crime, as Queen Elizabeth set out its new lawmaking agenda.


States Pull Out of Talks to Cut Aircraft Pollution (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. state and local air pollution\control officials said on Tuesday they are pulling out of\five-year-old talks to develop a voluntary program for reducing\pollution from aircraft engines.


Half of Brazil's Amazon Jungle Occupied-Study (Reuters) Reuters - About half of Brazil's\original Amazon rainforest has been occupied by man, deforested\or used for industry like logging and its destruction is worse\than government data shows, a leading environmental group said\on Tuesday.


Clippers' Livingston Placed on Injured List  LOS ANGELES (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Clippers  placed rookie guard Shaun Livingston on the injured list  Tuesday with a dislocated right kneecap.


UK Plans New Laws Against Animal Rights Militants (Reuters) Reuters - Britain proposed new laws on Tuesday to\stop increasingly militant animal rights campaigners from\harassing scientists involved in medical experiments.


EU Allows More Catches of Exotic Deep-Sea Fish (Reuters) Reuters - EU fisheries ministers agreed quotas\on Tuesday for new member states to catch deepwater fish,\exotic but threatened species that are fast becoming an\alternative to mainstays like cod and hake, officials said.


Goosen on Top at Grand Slam  KAUAI, Hawaii (Sports Network) - Reigning U.S. Open  champion Retief Goosen shot a seven-under-par 65 on Tuesday to  take the lead after the opening round of the PGA Grand Slam of  Golf.


Fact vs. Fiction: 10 Questions to Test Your Space IQ (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - Science speeds along so fast that it can be hard sometimes to know exactly \  what's known. So now and then its helpful to pause and ponder the state of things.


Pope Receives Honorary Degree in Poland (AP) AP - Pope John Paul II received an honorary degree Tuesday from Nicholas Copernicus University in his native Poland, calling it a "sign of dialogue" between science and faith.


Huge Black Holes Formed Quickly After Big Bang (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - Incredibly massive black holes had fully matured just a billion years after the birth of the universe, according to two separate studies.


Species-Threatening Snails Found in Colo. (AP) AP - Tough and tiny snails that threaten to crowd out native species by hogging all the food have shown up in a Colorado creek for the first time, state wildlife biologists said Tuesday.


Sorenstam Keeps Alive Grand Slam Dream  WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (Reuters) - Annika Sorenstam had  no sooner clinched her 10th win of the year at the LPGA's  season-ending ADT Tour Championship than she was already making  her plans for the future.


Groups Join, Seek Action on Global Warming (AP) AP - More than a dozen conservation and public health advocacy groups joined on Tuesday to throw their collective support behind further legislative action to prevent global warming.


Union Appeals, Pacers Protest and 2 Fans Sue The N.B.A. Players Association filed an appeal to Commissioner David Stern over the suspensions of the Pacers' Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal.


With Less Swagger, Spurrier Returns to SEC Steve Spurrier arrived Tuesday at Williams-Brice Stadium to be introduced as the new football coach at the University of South Carolina.


Museum Addition Brings More Things to Try (AP) AP - Kids arm-wrestle all the time, but over the Internet? And there's nothing unusual about checking your weight, but in gallons? And all of this to illustrate lessons about networks and the search for life in outer space?


Scientist Who Created K Ration Diet Dies (AP) AP - Ancel Keys, the University of Minnesota scientist who invented the K ration diet used by soldiers in World War II and who linked high cholesterol and fatty diets to heart disease, has died at the age of 100.


Anger Management May Not Help at All The brawl that erupted last week at a basketball game has exposed the weakness of a common assumption: that anger can be treated almost as if it were an infection.


Congress OKs  #36;2.6M for Oyster Research (AP) AP - Congress has approved spending another  #36;2.6 million to research putting Asian oysters in the Chesapeake Bay.


Mourning Meets Ratner: Don't Ask Alonzo Mourning again shook things up when he questioned the Nets' new owner, Bruce C. Ratner, on his motive for purchasing the team.


Branch return breathtaking It took Deion Branch nine weeks to get his  quot;breath quot; back but when he did he left the Kansas City Chiefs breathless.


Pacers circle wagons In the aftermath of the Friday night fight between the Pacers, the Pistons, and raucous fans at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle borrowed a phrase from Winston Churchill, saying,  quot;the imagination is baffled by the facts. quot; During a pair of news conferences at Conseco Fieldhouse yesterday that addressed the unprecedented NBA penalties levied against ...


They have bond You may have seen Patriots owner Robert Kraft sitting with Red Sox owner John Henry at Fenway Park last season, and the two sat together at a playoff game in New York. They were together again Nov. 14 when the Patriots honored the Red Sox with a ceremony at Gillette Stadium.


Facet of KC offense was a bit run down It was another record-setting day for the Kansas City Chiefs' offense last night, but New England proved it could get by with focusing primarily on stopping the run.


Artest Says 'Move On' Ron Artest asks the public to "move on," as reports that an additional player was involved in the melee reach local authorities.


A Tragic Free Fall The surprising death of Justin Strzelczyk, a former starter with the Steelers, leaves his friends and family with unanswered questions.


Hokies' Imoh Is Ailing Virginia Tech tailback Mike Imoh won't practice this week because of a strained hamstring and a bout of the flu and is questionable to play in Saturday's game against Virginia.


Hollenbach Gets Call Quarterback Sam Hollenbach will start Maryland's season-ending game against Wake Forest unless Jordan Steffy makes a highly improbable recovery from a concussion.


S. Carolina Gets Spurrier Steve Spurrier takes over at South Carolina on Tuesday, returning to the college ranks after a three-year absence, and replacing Lou Holtz.


Coaches on Firing Line The NFL coaches whose job security is under the most intense scrutiny these days are the Cleveland Browns' Butch Davis and the New Orleans Saints' Jim Haslett.


Pacers Pull Out Win Jamaal Tinsley has a career-high 29 points and James Jones had a career-best 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead the suspension-weakened Pacers to a 106-96 win over the Celtics.


Terps Start Slow, Erupt Maryland's potent offense erupts in the second half, scoring three goals in a four-minute span, as the Terrapins defeat Hofstra, 4-0, in an NCAA soccer tournament second-round game Tuesday night.


Rockets Blast Back Bruce Gradkowski directs six second-half touchdown drives in Toledo's 49-41 victory Tuesday night over Bowling Green, putting the Rockets in the MAC title game.


UNC Stops Tennessee Rashad McCants scores 27 points and North Carolina rides a sharp first half to a 94-81 victory over Tennessee in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational.


NBA Brawler Ron Artest, Playing a Different Tune  Yesterday morning things seemed pretty dicey for the NBA's Ron Artest, as chatter about "the poster boy for bad behavior" and talk of federal lawsuits, possible criminal charges and suspension appeals fluttered about the airwaves. Drama, people. Then there was the little matter of the \$5 million -- \$5 million! -- in lost wages, the kind of thing that happens when you hand out beatdowns to fans,  and end up being told to sit your heinie down for the rest of the season and repent.


We're not so inEFFectual Letters Just you try battling the pigopolists, mate


Microsoft sees bespoke Windows everywhere Analysis Premium hand-tuning service available


Reg readers stick it to big tech Letters And just how long is a piece of string?


Google sued by nude photo website A California-based pornographer says it is suing  Google for providing illegal access to its website.


Police tackle internet crime For the first time outside London, Welsh businesses join workshops to speak to police about internet crime.


Queen unveils ID card scheme  Plans for a new compulsory ID card scheme are unveiled during the Queen's Speech.


Drivers 'ignoring mobile rules' Many drivers are ignoring the ban on using phones while driving, a survey suggests as tough new measures are expected.


Napalm joke gets advert banned An advert for a Vietnam War PlayStation 2 game is banned over a reference to napalm.


Global Chip Plant Use Falls as Slowdown Seen  TOKYO (Reuters) - The utilization rate of the world's chip  factories fell in July-September from the previous quarter, the  first decline in almost two years and the latest evidence of a  slowdown in the semiconductor sector.


Plasma TVs Lead Gadget Price Declines  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Falling prices in September for plasma  televisions and digital cameras sparked the biggest monthly  decline in U.S. consumer electronics prices in five months,  according to an industry study prepared for Reuters.


AMD: Chip Sales Rebound After U.S. Election  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Computer chip sales have  recovered from a "hiccup" caused by anxiety surrounding the  Nov. 2 U.S. presidential election, an Advanced Micro Devices  Inc. AMD.N executive said on Tuesday.


Honda's Minimoto Maxii Tops Kids' Wish Lists-Yahoo  An electric miniature motorcycle called the Honda 7267.T  Minimoto Maxii tops this year's holiday wish list, according to  Yahoo Inc.'s YHOO.O Yahooligans Web site, which compiled  votes from more than 185,000 U.S. youngsters aged 7 to 12 and  released its annual list of Top 10 Toys late on Monday.


Viacom Settles Outstanding FCC Fines Broadcaster has agreed to pay a record \$3.5M to erase a number of proposed radio indecency fines, including one against the "Opie   Anthony Show" and another against shock jock Howard Stern.
- The Washington Post


FDA to Issue Guidelines On Biotech Food Agency to publish draft guidelines that would encourage companies to submit voluntary safety evaluations of bioengineered crops that sometimes drift and cross-pollinate with nearby plants.
- The Washington Post


Hackers Use Web Sites, Ads to Infect PCs Hackers co-opted several popular Web sites including comedycentral.com over the weekend, using them to infect thousands of computers with a virus that can be used to steal passwords, bank accounts and other personal information. -washingtonpost.com


Iran Rules Out Complete Nuclear Dismantling (Reuters) Reuters - Iran will never be prepared to\dismantle its nuclear program entirely but remains committed to\the non-proliferation treaty (NPT), its chief delegate to the\International Atomic Energy Agency said on Wednesday.


Thanks to iPod, Apple's Rolling in Gravy While saying grace over the holiday spread, Apple executives might toss in a "thank you" for an influential analyst whose rosy report on iPod's ability to spur sales helped drive the company's stock up to a four-year high. -washingtonpost.com


EU Judge in Microsoft Appeal Calls Meeting The judge deciding whether to suspend the European Union's antitrust order against software giant Microsoft Corp. has called a meeting for this week after two key backers of the EU's decision pulled out of the case, officials said Tuesday.