Kufuor's Party Strengthens Majority in Ghana  ACCRA, Dec 11 (Reuters) - The governing party in Ghana  widened its majority in parliament at elections last week which  also gave President John Kufuor a second and final four-year  mandate in the world's number two cocoa grower.


Spain Holds Syrian, Alleges Militant Islamist Links  MADRID (Reuters) - A Spanish judge leading the probe into  the Madrid train bombings on Saturday ordered a Syrian man to  be held pending trial on suspicion of involvement with a  militant Islamist group, court documents showed.


S. Africa Churches Urge Referendum on Gay Marriage  JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's leading churches  urged President Thabo Mbeki on Saturday to call a referendum on  gay marriages, saying a recent court ruling in favor of the  unions ignored overwhelming public opposition.


New Spy Plan Said to Involve Satellite System The \$9.5 billion program is facing criticism. It could take photographs only in daylight hours and in clear weather.


HP rolls out ultra-low-priced PC in China Hewlett-Packard, the world #39;s No. 2 PC maker, said Friday it has launched a \$483 (3,999 yuan) computer in China, turning up the heat in the intensely competitive market.


Arab Officials Criticize US Support of Israel Senior Arab officials attending a US-sponsored conference in the Middle East rejected the Bush administration #39;s assertion that greater democracy would help end terrorism


No. 1 Illinois Tops Oregon, 83-66 (AP) AP - Illinois apparently is going to spend a little longer at No. 1 this time.


Prem Preview: Arsenal-Chelsea In the biggest game of the season so far, Arsenal host Chelsea at Highbury. The country #39;s two best sides go head to head in a game that will have a massive impact on where the title ends up this season.


Indians regroup, look to Loaiza The contract offer that Indians general manager Mark Shapiro had made Friday to left-hander David Wells got turned down, as Wells agreed to a two-year deal with the Red Sox.


US Bombs Mosul Rebels, Guerrillas Kill Top Police A US aircraft dropped a half-ton(500 lb) bomb on the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on Saturday after guerrillas attacked a US patrol that was trying to capture an insurgent arms dump, a military spokesman said.


Insurgents keep up deadly attacks in northern Iraq Insurgents renewed attacks on United States troops and Iraqs security forces today, killing five police officers, including a general, and wounding 14 American soldiers in continuing attempts to derail the coming elections.


No. 10 Kentucky Defeats Indiana, 73-58 (AP) AP - Patrick Sparks scored 16 points and No. 10 Kentucky dominated Indiana inside in a 73-58 win over the Hoosiers on Saturday.


Brown Rejoins Wizards Wizards forward Kwame Brown returns to practice following his one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team last Wednesday.


Baker Defends Bonds Over Steroid Charges (AP) AP - Dusty Baker believes Barry Bonds didn't know the substances provided by his trainer were steroids.


Blast at SRK #39;s concert, 2 dead At least two persons were killed and 18 injured when a bomb exploded at the fag end of a concert in Colombo by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan.


Terps Lose Fofana Maryland sophomore forward Hassan Fofana has decided to leave the school, coach Gary Williams announces Saturday.


Update 1: OPEC May Consider Further Production Cuts OPEC might make deeper cuts in production if prices continue to slide, Gulf oil ministers said Saturday, a day after crude prices tumbled to their lowest levels in five months when producers decided to limit supply by 1 million barrels a day.


Merger creates mobile giant SPRINT and Nextel Communications are expected early this week to announce a \$70 billion (36 billion) telecoms merger that will create Americas third-largest mobile-phone company, with 39m customers.


Business Focus: Devoured by the dragon The symbolism was extraordinary. Few companies are as closely identified with corporate America as IBM, and few products have been as intimately linked with a firms fortunes as IBMs personal computers.


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


Yahoo to test desktop search feature in January Yahoo, Inc., world-class leader in online search queries, announced its plans to reveal desktop search feature in January, which will go through testing in the designated month.


Space Station Food Supply Lower Than Thought Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have been asked by NASA to ration their food supply until a cargo ship with fresh supplies arrives on, or about December 25.


Air Force Set for Test Flight of New Rocket The Air Force is scheduled to launch a new Delta 4 rocket here Saturday afternoon in a test that will help determine whether it can become a  quot;heavy lift


All This, and They Take Pictures, Too EVERY occupation entails answering certain frequently asked questions at parties. If you #39;re a jeweler, it may be,  quot;Do you ever give discounts to friends?


Monty leads in California Colin Montgomerie will take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the Target World Challenge as he attempts to capture his first victory of the season.


Moyes bargain buys confound city rivals IN THE land of the football derby, only the result counts. The past five years and the attendant misery have reminded Everton fans of that point, and they turned up at Goodison Park yesterday seeking nothing except the right result.


American Sprinter Michelle Collins Suspended For Doping Michelle Collins has been suspended for eight years and must also forfeit her 2003, 200-meter World Indoor and USA Indoor Championship titles, for a doping violation related to the BALCO conspiracy.


Cheetham leads as Els moves up at Dunhill Championships Briton Neil Cheetham carded a bogey-free 69 to move into the lead of the Dunhill Championship as Ernie Els moved up the leaderboard after the third round.


Wells Joins Other Side With Deal for 2 Years David Wells, the pitcher who once fancied himself as the ultimate Yankee and the ultimate Yankee fan, will be on the other end of the most storied rivalry in baseball


NCAA Game Summary - Stanford Vs. Michigan State Auburn Hills, MI -- Paul Davis poured in a game-high 20 points as 20th-ranked Michigan State rolled over Stanford, 78-53, at the Palace of Auburn Hills.


Another Chance for Baseball to Settle Its Score With Drugs This article was reported by Lee Jenkins, Juliet Macur and Bill Pennington and written by Mr. Jenkins. During a year that baseball would like to forget, the scene was set for its free fall.


US soldier gets three years for murder of Iraqi BAGHDAD: A US soldier was sentenced to three years in prison for murdering a severely wounded Iraqi teenager earlier this year, the US military said on Saturday.


Arab and Western Ministers Voice Different Priorities Foreign ministers from the Arab world met with leaders from the West on Saturday at a conference dedicated to advancing political change in this region.


Two die in Colombo concert blast At least two people have been killed and 18 others injured in an explosion at a concert by an Indian Bollywood star in Colombo. Police said a hand-grenade ripped through the front stands as Shahrukh Khan ended his performance on Saturday.


Yasser Arafat #39;s nephew hands over Palestinian leader #39;s medical <b>...</b> (Ramallah, West Bank-AP) Dec. 11, 2004 - Yasser Arafat #39;s nephew has given Palestinian leaders his uncle #39;s medical records.


Soldier Sentenced to Three Years for Murder of Iraqi Civilian WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2004 -- A Task Force Baghdad soldier was sentenced Dec. 10 to three years in prison after pleading guilty to murdering an Iraqi civilian, military officials in Baghdad, Iraq, reported today.


Tendulkar equals Gavaskar #39;s record Tendulkar achieved the milestone when he took a single off paceman Tapas Baishya on the second day of the first Test against Bangladesh at the Bangabandhu National Stadium at Dhaka on Saturday.


OU #39;s Jason White Hopes To Repeat With Heisman NEW YORK -- Oklahoma quarterback Jason White (pictured, below) hopes to do something only one other college football player has ever accomplished: win a second Heisman Trophy.


Marines accuse insurgents of using Ramadi hospital to attack <b>...</b> BAGHDAD, Iraq The military says insurgents in the Iraqi city of Ramadi have used a hospital to ambush US soldiers. However, officials for both the Ramadi General Hospital and Medical College rejected the claims.


Smith Reflective As He Ponders Retirement (AP) AP - Emmitt Smith waved and bowed to the crowd Sunday as he walked off the field for what might be the final time as an NFL player.


Iraq insurgents kill top police Gunmen have ambushed a group of senior police officers in northern Iraq, killing two of them and wounding three. Police said that two other high-ranking officers, a brigadier and a colonel, were gunned down in southern Baghdad.


Daimler Chrysler recalling 600,000 Dodge Durangos and Dakota <b>...</b> (Washington-AP) Dec. 11, 2004 - Thousands who own Dodge Durangos and Dodge Dakota pickups will have to go back to dealer in the near future.


Reports: NASA chief Sean O #39;Keefe may leave agency NASA Administrator Sean O #39;Keefe, a self-described  quot;budgeteer quot; who was brought in to curb space station cost overruns and who later helped formulate a new presidential initiative to send


Montgomerie Leads Target World Challenge (AP) AP - Colin Montgomerie passed a big test Saturday, overcoming a few obnoxious fans and a pairing with Tiger Woods to post a 4-under 67 and take a two-shot lead in the Target World Challenge.


Moyes: Everton now genuine title contender Everton boss Dave Moyes insists his team are now genuine title contenders after yesterday #39;s 1-0 win over Merseyside rivals Liverpool.


Irish reportedly negotiating with Patriots #39; Weis New England Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis has become the target of Notre Dame #39;s coaching search. Dec. 11 New England Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis has become the target of Notre Dame #39;s coaching search.


Packers' Wells to Start Against Lions (AP) AP - Brett Favre might start a game with a rookie center for the first time in his 14 NFL seasons.


US drops massive bomb on Mosul MOSUL, Dec 11: A US aircraft dropped a half-ton bomb on the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on Saturday after guerillas attacked an army patrol that was trying to capture an arms dump, a military spokesman said.


Comment: Liam Clarke: Paisley and the IRA must both accept  <b>...</b> The first time I saw Ian Paisley, I was carrying a camera. He kept shaking his fist and grimacing at me every time I lifted it from my waist.


Clemens Accepts Astros' Arbitration Offer (AP) AP - Roger Clemens accepted the Astros' offer of salary arbitration Saturday, meaning he will either pitch for Houston next season or retire.


No. 16 Minnesota Wins 7th Straight Game (AP) AP - Jamie Broback scored 21 points and led No. 16 Minnesota to its seventh straight win, a 69-42 victory over Santa Clara on Saturday.


Road-Weary Cardinal Drops Decision To Michigan State, 78-53 Paul Davis scored 20 points and keyed a first-half surge to lead No. 20 Michigan State to a 78-53 win over Stanford on Saturday. Michigan State (5-2) took control with an


Another Chance for Baseball to Settle Its Score With Drugs As baseball finds itself struggling to control the steroid issue, its past serves as a cautionary tale.


Wells Joins Other Side With Deal for 2 Years David Wells, the pitcher who once fancied himself as the ultimate Yankee, agreeed in principle to a two-year contract with the Boston Red Sox.


N.F.L. Makes Emphatic Point in Playing by the Book Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning is one beneficiary of the N.F.L.'s decision this season to enforce its rule limiting defensive contact with receivers.


From Season, and Game, to Forget, Steelers and Jets Are Teams to Beat After they both finished 6-10 a year ago, the Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers have found themselves linked again, but now in their rise to the N.F.L.'s upper echelon.


Where Was Balco a Century Ago? What if somebody had offered the Babe a magic potion to cure hangovers and help him lose weight and buff up those spindly calf muscles of his?


Pitching Ensemble More Than One-Hit Wonders Starting pitchers are plentiful this off-season, more so probably than at any time during the 28 years of free agency.


Portugal PM, Cabinet Submit Resignations  LISBON (Reuters) - Portugal's prime minister said on  Saturday he and his cabinet had submitted their resignations, a  move that came a day after a snap election was called.


Portuguese prime minister quits Portugal's Prime Minister Pedro Santana Lopes announces the government's resignation.


Award That Still Fuels a National Debate The Downtown Athletic Club is about to name a Heisman Trophy winner for the 70th time and set off yet another controversy.


Opec to cut oil output in defence of price The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed yesterday to cut the supply of oil to world markets and defend higher prices in spite of concern about


US high court to hear appeal on music-swapping, copyright WASHINGTON, District of Columbia, United States of America -- WASHINGTON -- The US Supreme Court agreed Friday to hear a case on whether music-swapping services can be held liable for copyright infringement if their networks are used for illegal digital


Business Analysis: Oracle refocuses to give itself an upgrade A court in Florida will convene tomorrow, to consider the software industry #39;s largest merger. Sitting in the Delaware Chancery Court, vice-chancellor Leo Strine will decide whether PeopleSoft is allowed to


Comeback kings Bayern crowned winter champions BERLIN: Bayern Munich claimed the honorific title of winter champions showing great spirit to come from two goals down to net a point in a 2-2 draw with VfB Stuttgart at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday.


Terry epitomises Chelsea #39;s steel So much has changed since I left Chelsea for the south coast 15 months ago. For instance, only two players from the starting XI of my last game are still there - and one


Serie A Wrap: Udinese Win, Lazio Stage Comeback Paolo Di Canio inspired Lazios second-half comeback as they rescued a point in a 3-3 draw with Lecce at the Olympic Stadium. The draw may not have eased the pressure on Mimmo Caso, but it should certainly


Carsley puts Moyes on top of the Merseyside world Despite the impressive job David Moyes has done in transforming Everton during his two-and-a-half years as manager, cult status was always going to be withheld


Airbus To Take On Boeing #39;s Dreamliner The parent companies of Airbus SAS yesterday approved the launch of a \$5.3 billion new airplane by 2010 to compete directly with Boeing Co.


Singapore, Malaysia dial Idea number Mumbai, Dec. 11: Singapore Technologies Telemedia (ST Telemedia) and TM International have together acquired a 47.7 per cent stake in Idea Cellular for approximately \$390 million.


O #39;Keefe poised to step down from NASA post After three tumultuous years at the space agency #39;s helm, NASA administrator Sean O #39;Keefe is poised to leave the Bush administration to become chancellor of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.


Boeing delays launch Weather bumped The Boeing Co. #39;s demonstration launch of the Decatur-made Delta IV Heavy rocket from today to Saturday. Boeing delayed the inaugural launch of the rocket for 24 hours because of


Monty leads by two after late charge Thousand Oaks, CA (Sports Network) - Colin Montgomerie eagled the 16th and birdied the 17th Saturday en route to a four-under 67 and a two-stroke lead after three rounds of the Target World Challenge.


Miller Gets First Downhill Loss of Season Bode Miller, of the United States, is airborne as he speeds past a gate on his way to capture fourth place in a men #39;s ski world cup downhill race at Val D #39;Isere, France, Saturday, Dec, 11, 2004.


Pavano Wants to Pitch for Yankees ANAHEIM, Calif. Dec 11, 2004 - Carl Pavano decided Saturday he wanted to pitch for the Yankees, and his agent and New York closed in on a four-year contract worth about \$39 million.


NCAA Game Summary - Stanford vs. Michigan State Michigan State improved to 4-2 all-time against Stanford on the hardwood...Stanford has yet to play at home this season...After scoring 100 or more points in its first three games, Michigan State has not reached the century mark in its last four contests


Soccer: Barcelona snatch late 2-1 win at Albacete in Spanish <b>...</b> MADRID : Barcelona #39;s Andres Iniesta and Xavi were on target in a 2-1 victory at Albacete to shoot them 12 points clear at the top of the Spanish first division on Saturday night.


Pavano Wants to Pitch for Yankees (AP) AP - Carl Pavano decided Saturday he wanted to pitch for the Yankees, and his agent and New York closed in on a four-year contract worth about  #36;39 million.


Nobel Winner Issues Call  #39;to Assist Earth #39; Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai receives the Nobel Peace Prize from Nobel chairman Ole Danbolt Mjos in Oslo City Hall.


Top Police Officials Killed In Iraq 11 December 2004 -- At least three high-ranking Iraqi police officials were killed today as scattered violence was seen throughout the country.


Accused Taliban Fighter Gets Hearing (AP) AP - A 28-year-old Iraqi man accused of fighting for the ousted Taliban regime five years ago appeared Saturday before a military review tribunal in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, an official said.


New Zealand threatens to ban foreign crews after rise in ship jumpers (AFP) AFP - A large increase in the number of foreign seamen jumping ship in New Zealand has been blamed on an immigration racket and prompted a government threat to ban overseas fishing crews, according to a report.


Bush Physical Box (AP) AP - Facts and figures about President Bush's health, from a physical examination Saturday at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Bush, 58, was born July 6, 1946:


Consortium to buy 47.7 stake in Indian mobile firm KUALA LUMPUR: A consortium comprising TM International, the international arm of Telekom Malaysia Bhd, and Singapore Technologies Telemedia, have entered into definitive agreements to acquire a 47.7 stake in India #39;s leading cellular operator, IDEA


Pavano chooses Yankees Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Free agent starting pitcher Carl Pavano has chosen to join the New York Yankees and the two sides were working on finalizing a contract before the end of the winter meetings.


La Liga Wrap: Barca Go 12 Points Clear A Xavi Hernandez volley six minutes from time fired Barcelona to a 2-1 away win over Albacete and extended their lead at the top of the Primera Liga to 12 points over second-placed rivals Real Madrid.


College Basketball Wrap: Illinois Beats Oregon, 83-66  CHICAGO (Sports Network) - Luther Head scored 23 points on  8-of-10 shooting to lead top-ranked Illinois to an 83-66  victory over Oregon at the United Center. Deron Williams added  17 points and seven assists in the victory.


Red Sox Sign Wells; Pavano Courts Yanks (AP) AP - David Wells made the surprising decision to sign with the Boston Red Sox, Carl Pavano picked the New York Yankees and Roger Clemens narrowed his choices to the Houston Astros or retirement.


Key Dates in Northern Ireland Conflict (AP) AP - 1921  #151; Ireland is partitioned amid civil war. The new state of Northern Ireland, with a British Protestant majority, remains part of United Kingdom while the predominantly Catholic rest of Ireland wins independence from UK.


Quietly but Firmly, Hastert Asserts His Power Dennis Hastert, the speaker of the House, is the man President Bush is counting on to enact an ambitious second-term agenda.


Smoltz nets bonus for each start ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Atlanta Braves have found a closer, paving the way for John Smoltz to return to the rotation. SportsTicker has learned that the Braves have traded prized pitching prospect Jose Capellan


Tendulkar: Records galore for humble human being (PROFILE): Sports India, Cricket: New Delhi, Dec 11 : After 15 years in international cricket and having overcome serious toe, ankle, back and elbow injuries, batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar Friday equalled Sunil Gavaskar #39;s world record of 34 centuries - and


Italy: Udinese beat Atalanta, Lazio draw with Lecce BERGAMO/ROME, Dec 11 (SW) - Udinese were the stronger side at Atalanta Bergamo, while Lazio Roma refused to give up against Lecce, to eventually reach a draw.


Pavano Chooses Yankees (Reuters) Reuters - Free agent starting\pitcher Carl Pavano has chosen to join the New York Yankees and\the two sides were working on finalizing a contract before the\end of the winter meetings.


Opposition forms 900km human chain against government: World News: Dhaka, Dec 11 : Hundreds of thousands of people formed a 900 km-human chain across Bangladesh to show  quot;no confidence quot; in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led coalition government.


No. 20 Mich. St. Defeats Stanford, 78-53 (AP) AP - Paul Davis cleared his mind and a strong performance followed.


AP: Bush Will Make Air Pollution Priority (AP) AP - President Bush will make air pollution a top priority in Congress early next year, starting with "an aggressive push" to build support for his pollution-cutting plan, senior administration officials said Saturday.


Pavano Picks Yankees Carl Pavano decides he wants to pitch for the Yankees, and his agent and New York close in on a four-year contract worth about \$39 million.


Rocket Takes Arbitration Roger Clemens accepts the Astros' offer of salary arbitration Saturday, meaning he will either play for Houston next season or retire.


Olson Collects 1,000th Win Arizona coach Lute Olson gets his 1,000th victory Saturday as the No. 15 Wildcats knock off visiting Utah, 67-62, in Tuscon.


GU Pounds San Jose St. Ray Reed scores 10 points and Georgetown holds San Jose State to a season-low point total in a 58-40 win over the Spartans.


Mozilla Thunderbird email is go IF, LIKE ME you get sick and tired and hassled whenever Microsoft Outlook throws a wobbly you might be inclined to try out Mozilla #39;s Thunderbird as an email client.


Carter Placed on Injured List (Reuters) Reuters - Toronto Raptors All-Star\swingman Vince Carter was placed on the injured list Friday\after tests revealed a mild strain of his left Achilles'\tendon.


Group to Offer Proposal to Take Over Hudson Ferries With New York Waterway warning of an imminent financial collapse, a group of the company #39;s competitors drew up a plan yesterday to take over almost all of its ferry service along the Hudson River.


Reports: Notre Dame Negotiates With Weis (AP) AP - Notre Dame is negotiating with New England Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis to become its new head coach, the Chicago Tribune and two other newspapers reported Saturday.


Free agent Pavano chooses Yanks Carl Pavano has made his long-awaited decision, instructing his agent to strike a deal with the New York Yankees. Scott Shapiro, who represents the free agent right-hander


Vegas mayor brings glitz to the show Mayor Oscar Goodman crashed baseball #39;s winter meetings on Saturday with some shiny baubles and proposed to the sport in a manner befitting Brittany Spears more than Bud Selig: Let #39;s go to Vegas and get married.


Middle Eastern reform to beat terrorism The American Secretary of State, Colin Powell, says, Middle Eastern economic and political reform will help defeat terrorism. With continued violence in US-occupied Iraq and the Palestinian question unresolved


Arafat #39;s nephew says he died  #39;unnatural death, #39; backing poisoning <b>...</b> The late Palestinian president Yasser Arafat #39;s nephew said Saturday his uncle may have died an  quot;unnatural quot; death, a statement expected to renew speculation among Palestinians and in the rest of the Arab world where many already


Knife fears could prompt new law Public fears over young people carrying knives could prompt new government restrictions.


USC's Matt Leinart Wins Heisman Trophy (AP) AP - Matt Leinart replaced a Heisman Trophy winner and became one himself.


Smoltz could return to Braves #39; rotation ANAHEIM, Calif. - John Smoltz might rejoin the Braves rotation if Atlanta finds another closer. Saturday afternoon, they did just that.


Boomer to Boston, Pavano picks Yankees David Wells made the surprising decision to sign with the Boston Red Sox, Carl Pavano picked the New York Yankees and Roger Clemens narrowed his choices to the Houston Astros or retirement.


Wall St. Week Ahead: Hope for Santa Rally  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street is hoping its traditional  year-end "Santa rally" will pick up steam in the week ahead.


How Consultants Can Retire on Your Pension Nowhere are the conflicts of interest for financial services conglomerates more potentially lucrative - and more obscure - than in the management of pension assets.


Social Security Reform, With One Big Catch The idea that letting people invest some of their Social Security money in the stock market will allow for higher returns is as flawed as a perpetual motion machine.


A New Way to Hedge Your Home's Paper Profit Through an increasing number of new investments, you can take steps to limit future erosion of your home's value.


Can For-Profit Schools Pass an Ethics Test? Profits are up, but recently, a number of for-profit colleges have faced inquiries concerning the way they pursue federal funds.


USC #39;s Matt Leinart Wins Heisman Trophy USC quarterback Matt Leinart scrambles out of the pocket against UCLA during the game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., Saturday, Dec. 4, 2004.


Notre Dame Narrows Its Focus to Weis More than two years ago, the New England Patriots #39; offensive coordinator, Charlie Weis, was so close to dying after complications from stomach-stapling surgery that a priest offered him last rites twice.


ABC News No. 25 Kan. St. Trounces Mo.-KC, 63-31 Missouri Kansas City guard Lindsay Fields (22) passes the ball as she is pressured by Kansas State guard Megan Mahoney (34) in the second half Saturday, Dec. 11, 2004, in Kansas City, Mo.


Arafat #39;s Medical Records Given to Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat #39;s nephew has turned over the late Palestinian leader #39;s medical records to a committee investigating the cause of his uncle #39;s death.


PNA receives Arafat #39;s medical report Nasser al-Qidwa, Palestinian representative at the United Nations and nephew of late leader Yasser Arafat, handed Arafat #39;s death report to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on Saturday.


In pictures: War in Chechnya Russia launched massive air strikes on the Chechen capital, Grozny, in December 1994 after the Chechen government refused to disarm and surrender to Moscow #39;s authority.


Fla. State's Sam Won't Play in Gator Bowl (AP) AP - Florida State wide receiver Lorne Sam will not be available for the Seminoles when they play West Virginia in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1.


Apple's Music Store Now Accepts PayPal (AP) AP - Apple Computer Inc.'s online music store, iTunes, will now accept PayPal for purchases of music downloads, audiobooks and gift certificates.


New Maldives Island Rises from the Depths (Reuters) Reuters - Life can be cramped when\you live on a remote cluster of tiny coral islands in the\Indian Ocean, so the Maldives has plumped for a novel if\seemingly extreme solution -- build a new island from scratch.


Md. Studies Introducing Nonnative Oysters (AP) AP - On a damp, gray weekday morning on the Patuxent River, Harry Huseman is working hard for a few oysters.


Larkin Seems Unlikely The likelihood of Barry Larkin playing for the Nationals appears dim following a meeting between Bowden and Larkin's agent.


Iran, EU to Begin Nuclear Talks (AP) AP - Iran and the European Union will begin comprehensive talks on Tehran's nuclear activities next week, official media reported Saturday.


Bush Pushes for Social Security Overhaul (AP) AP - President Bush made a fresh push Saturday for a new Social Security plan in which Americans would be allowed to channel a small portion of their income into "personal savings accounts," warning that inaction could end the retirement system.


Malaria treatment target is found A transport system used by the malaria parasite to infect blood cells could be a target for new treatments, scientists hope.


GM to fire on all cylinders if Opel #39;s cost-cutting fails WORKERS at General Motors German unit Adam Opel are not out of the woods yet. The company and union officials have agreed to reduce the German workforce by up to 10,000, but if cost cutting falls short, or


Rangers a-leaping McLeishs men take over again from Celtic at top of the SPL ... and theyve got an Old Firm cup draw to savour. FOR the latest instalment of Premierleague-leadership swapsy read skoosh case to Rangers.


#39;I #39;ve never been so scared #39; IT TOOK until the third of their four goals against Newcastle United last Saturday before the home supporters launched into their ironic chants of  quot;Boring, boring Chelsea quot;.


This frosh deserves Heisman In the 69-year history of college football #39;s most prestigious award, a freshman has never won the Heisman Trophy. I voted to change that in year No.


Pavano picks Yankees; holdup on Wright deal a \$21 million, three-year contract, but there may be a hitch in the deal. New. hasn #39;t determined whether he passed it or failed it.


UK Owns IU, Kentucky Beats Hoosiers in Basketball Too Today at Freedom Hall, Patrick Sparks scored 16 points as the tenth-ranked Wildcats dominated the Hoosiers inside in a 73-to-58 victory.


Colombo blast: Two killed at Shahrukh #39;s concert Two people were killed and at least 18 injured when a bomb ripped through Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan #39;s mega concert in Colombo on Saturday night.


Klitschko-Williams - Good Match-Up for Boxing, Bad for Some in <b>...</b> 11.12.04 - By Umar ben-Ivan Lee: The boxing economy is a trickle-down economy in its basic nature. Wealth trickles down from the heavyweight division to the lower weights; because the majority of casual fans


Burmese Leader Promises Progress on Reforms Burma #39;s prime minister has said the country will proceed with democratic reforms, but gave no indication of when opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi would be freed from house arrest.


US soldier jailed for murdering Iraqi BAGHDAD - A US soldier was sentenced to three years in jail for the murder of a wounded Iraqi teenager in Baghdad in August, the US military said on Saturday.


George Washington Tops St. Francis (Pa.) (AP) AP - Pops Mensah-Bonsu scored 17 points, and No. 21 George Washington used a 20-2 run late in the first half to take control in a 79-65 victory Saturday night over St. Francis, Pa.


Portuguese Gov't Resigns Ahead of Elections  LISBON (Reuters) - The Portuguese government resigned on  Saturday to avoid turf battles with President Jorge Sampaio in  the run-up to snap elections in February.


Japan PM's Support Slides on Iraq Concerns -Paper  TOKYO (Reuters) - Support for Japanese Prime Minister  Junichiro Koizumi and his cabinet slid sharply to 37 percent in  a poll taken after his decision to extend the mandate of  Japanese troops serving in Iraq, a national daily said on  Sunday.


Yankees Get Pavano The New York Yankees are close to finalizing a four-year deal for between \$39 million and \$42 million with free agent pitcher Carl Pavano.


J. Lewis Will Start Running back    Jamal Lewis  will start for the Baltimore Ravens today against the New York Giants, according to a Ravens official. Lewis has not played since spraining his ankle against the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 21, but he resumed practicing this week. Baltimore (7-5), which is in the thick of the AFC wild-card race, is 6-2 with Lewis and 1-3 without him.


Irish Pound Huskies Behind a career performance from Crystal Erwin Notre Dame defeats visiting Washington, 72-58. Erwin hits all nine of her field goals and scores a career high 24 points.


Eagles Win Again Jason Thomas matches a career-high with 26 points and American wins its fifth straight by beating visiting Ohio, 64-55, Saturday at Bender Arena.


Aid Worker Hassan Mourned at London Service   LONDON, Dec. 11 -- Family and friends gathered at Westminster Cathedral Saturday to remember Margaret Hassan, a respected aid worker abducted and believed murdered in Iraq.


IAEA Leader's Phone Tapped  The Bush administration has dozens of intercepts of Mohamed ElBaradei's phone calls with Iranian diplomats and is scrutinizing them in search of ammunition to oust him as director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, according to three U.S. government officials.


Small Ally of Brazil's Lula Breaks with Government

 SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazil's small PopularSocialist Party voted on Saturday to pull out of President LuizInacio Lula da Silva's government, a move that could make itharder for his administration to pass pending reforms.


Marriages Made in Corporate Heaven A flurry of year-end dealmaking hit the tech sector as companies maneuvered to get out of low-margin businesses, fill holes in their product lines and take financial advantage of the recent run-up in share prices.


Premium Float  A holding period that is said to vary widely, from days to months, depending on the terms between each insurer and each broker.


Coral Peril TWENTY PERCENT of the world #39;s coral reefs  quot;have been effectively destroyed and show no immediate prospect of recovery. quot; An additional 24 percent  quot;are under imminent risk of collapse through human pressures, quot; and an additional 26 percent  quot;are under a


Microsoft #39;s Improved Media Center Still Falls Short a special layer of software designed to let people enjoy their digital photos, music and videos from across the room -- has to rank as one


American soldiers are arrested for murder of a wounded Iraqi <b>...</b> At least four Iraqi police officers were killed and 16 American soldiers were wounded Saturday in a string of insurgent attacks across central and northern Iraq, military officials said.


Sprint Nears Acquisition of Nextel Description: Sprint is about to acquire Nextel in a telecom merger that would create the nation #39;s third-largest wireless company.


Altera, KLA drag down SVI An index of Silicon Valley stocks declined for the week, paced by Altera Corp., KLA-Tencor Corp. and Xilinx Inc. The Bloomberg Silicon Valley Index shed 10.01 in the past five days, or 2.1 percent, to 469.95.


No. 2 Kan. Trounces La.-Lafayette, 96-51 (AP) AP - Keith Langford had 19 of his 24 points in a torrid first half that propelled second-ranked Kansas over Louisiana-Lafayette 96-51 Saturday night.


McKenzie seeks first tour win at MasterCard Masters Day three at the MasterCard Masters promised so much. Bradley Hughes has been through difficult times in recent years, battling to retain USPGA Tour playing privileges, losing them and then spending two years


Southern Cal #39;s Matt Leinart Wins Heisman NEW YORK -- Southern California quarterback Matt Leinart has won the 70th Heisman Trophy, edging out four other finalists, including Oklahoma quarterback Jason White who had hoped to win the trophy for a second time.


Hatton cruises to his 15th defence BOXING: Ricky Hatton last night gave another stark indication that he is ready for a career-defining fight in the new year, by battering Ray Oliveira at the ExCel Conference Centre in London.


Grenade kills two at Bollywood concert Two people were killed and 11 others wounded on Saturday when a hand grenade was lobbed into the VIP section of the audience at a concert led by Indian film star Sharukh Khan, police said.


Alcohol hampers depth perception Drinking alcohol impairs driving ability by disrupting depth perception, researchers find.


Earthquake Shakes Caribbean Territories (AP) AP - A magnitude 5.7 earthquake jolted the British Virgin Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Saturday, the Puerto Rico Seismic Network said.


Rival Congo Army Factions Clash (AP) AP - Rival factions in Congo's postwar army battled in the eastern region of the vast nation Saturday, killing several people, a top military official said.


Myanmar regime using Buddhism as an instrument of propaganda (AFP) AFP - Buddhism, enthusiastically followed by the majority of Myanmar's 53 million people, is being exploited as a propaganda tool by the military junta, monks and analysts said after the curtain fell on a world Buddhist meeting held here.


Jeffeson Leads Nets Richard Jefferson scores 19 in the second half, and Travis Best has a season-high 21 to lead the Nets to a 95-90 victory over the Hawks.


Iraqi Fighters Keep Up Attacks A series of car bombings, ambushes and assassinations across the country's most restive regions Saturday killed several civilians, police and clerics.


Dangers on the Ground in Iraq Lead to Increased Use of Airlifts   AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar, Dec. 11 -- In an effort to reduce the amount of military cargo hauled in vulnerable ground convoys across Iraq, the U.S. Air Force has begun airlifting much larger quantities of materiel to bases around the country.


Arabs Reject U.S. Push for Reform   RABAT, Morocco, Dec. 11 -- Senior Arab officials attending a U.S.-sponsored conference to promote democracy in the Middle East emphatically rejected on Saturday the Bush administration's assertion that greater democracy in the region would help end terrorism. They argued that the administration's strong support of Israel made it difficult to undertake political reform or to stop extremists driven by hatred of U.S. policies.


Chen's Taiwan Poll Loss Seen Easing China Strains (Reuters) Reuters - The pro-independence party of Taiwan\President Chen Shui-bian suffered a surprise defeat in weekend\legislative elections that could ease tensions with China but\paralyze government on the democratic island.


Yushchenko Was Poisoned; Ukraine Assesses Turmoil  KIEV (Reuters) - Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko was  poisoned by dioxin during Ukraine's presidential election  campaign, his Austrian doctors said on Saturday as the country  counted the cost of the turmoil generated by the rigged poll.


Chen's Taiwan Poll Loss Seen Easing China Strains  TAIPEI (Reuters) - The pro-independence party of Taiwan  President Chen Shui-bian suffered a surprise defeat in weekend  legislative elections that could ease tensions with China but  paralyze government on the democratic island.


Is he a Weis decision? During the last couple days, the Notre Dame football coaching search has seemed to focus on former Irish quarterback Tom Clements and Notre Dame graduate Charlie Weis.


Peru rebels 'to give up weapons' The man who led a bloody occupation of a police station in Peru says his followers will surrender on Monday.


Marquette Upsets No. 24 Wisconsin, 63-54 (AP) AP - Travis Diener scored 29 points despite playing with a sprained ankle, and led unbeaten Marquette past No. 24 Wisconsin 63-54 Saturday night.


Cheetham Leads Dunhill After 3 Rounds (AP) AP - England's Neil Cheetham had the only bogey-free round Saturday, shooting a 3-under-par 69 that gave him a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Dunhill Championship.


Manager believes club will remain competitive in 2005 There was a time when Braves manager Bobby Cox didn #39;t have to worry so much during the offseason. Those were the days when the organization #39;s pockets were deep enough to


Marseille down on rank with loss to Auxerre while Lyon <b>...</b> A second-half strike from Benjani gave AJ Auxerre a 1-0 victory at struggling Olympique Marseille ina French first division soccer match on Saturday.


EcoVillage Provides Challenge, Support (AP) AP - When Laura Beck and Greg Pitts realized their marriage was falling apart, one thing was clear: They would work together to maintain a loving, supportive environment for their young son, Ethan. In June 2002, the couple had moved from Austin, Texas, to EcoVillage at Ithaca, an "intentional community" in central New York where environmentally friendly neighbors share space, meals, chores and generally look out for each other.


Congo factions clash on Rwandan border RIVAL factions in Congos postwar army fought gun battles on the vast nations eastern border with Rwanda yesterday, killing several people, a top military official said.


Russian President Turns on Washington Over Ukraine The political crisis in Ukraine has touched off a fresh debate inside the White House and foreign policy offices over how President Bush should handle Russian President Vladimir Putin #39;s increasingly


Season of Giving It may be the season of shopping, but time is running out for the Season of Giving. The Salvation Army is in desperate need of more volunteers to ring bells and collect money.


Mavericks Trounce Rockets, 102-78 (AP) AP - Michael Finley scored a season-high 26 points and led a huge third-quarter charge as the Dallas Mavericks beat Houston 102-78, handing the Rockets their biggest loss of the season Saturday night.


UNDATED: 2-of-8 shooting. Keith Langford had 19 of his 24 points in the first half as Kansas coasted from the outset. JR Giddens had 14 of his 16 points for Kansas (6-0) in the first half.


Tendulkar honoured and thrilled but not satisfied DHAKA - Sachin Tendulkar was thrilled, but not satisfied, by his record-equalling 34th Test century against Bangladesh in Dhaka yesterday.


Bulls Defeat Timberwolves, 99-88 (AP) AP - Rookie Ben Gordon scored a career-high 31 points, 16 in the fourth quarter to hold off a furious Minnesota comeback, and the Chicago Bulls beat the Timberwolves 99-88 Saturday night.


IAEA Leader #39;s Phone Tapped The Bush administration has dozens of intercepts of Mohamed ElBaradei #39;s phone calls with Iranian diplomats and is scrutinizing them in search of ammunition to oust him as director general of


Christmastime Consumerism Even self-proclaimed penny-pinching folks like me who loathe the way Christmas has become so commercialized can lose their common sense.


Loophole Pays Off on Upscale Buildings Washington area homeowners living in historic districts are rapidly taking advantage of  substantial federal income tax write-offs under obscure easement trust plan.


Under the Tree, 1983   When John P. Reilly told me to think retro, visions of Davy Crockett and coonskin caps danced in my head. I began to imagine a sleigh full of hula hoops and plenty of Silly Putty in this year's bundle of toys.


Oil Prices Increase after OPEC Limits Surplus Production Oil Ministers representing countries in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) met in Cairo, Egypt, and agreed to end the over quota production.


Bucknell Upsets No. 10 Pittsburgh 69-66 (AP) AP - Kevin Bettencourt made two free throws with 23 seconds remaining to give Bucknell the lead in a 69-66 victory over No. 10 Pittsburgh on Sunday night, one of the biggest wins in school history.


Red Sox grab Wells Quiet for more than a month after their historic triumph, the Red Sox have sprung to life this weekend, signing David Wells and moving forward on several other fronts at the baseball winter meetings.


Players Association presents new proposal to NHL TORONTO (Ticker) - The world will have to wait at least five more days to find out if there will be an NHL season. The league and the Players Association held a four-hour meeting Thursday, the first session


Bulls 99, Timberwolves 88 Rookie Ben Gordon scored a career-high 31 points, 16 in the fourth quarter to hold off a furious Minnesota comeback, and the Chicago Bulls beat the Timberwolves 99-88 Saturday night.


Jaishul Muslimeen Leader Arrested In Karachi KARACHI, Pakistan : Dec 12 (SADA) - The head of a militant group that kidnapped three UN workers in Afghanistan recently was arrested in Karachi by the Pakistani security forces.


Troops Stationed in Iraq Turn to Gaming (AP) AP - Soon after the battle for Fallujah ended in November, U.S. Marines brought their Xbox consoles, Gameboys and laptops forward and started fighting the Covenant hordes in "Halo," Mario and Luigi's worst enemies and those irksome roommates from "The Sims."


O #39;Keefe to quit this week NASA Administrator Sean O #39;Keefe will resign this week, and the retired director of the Pentagon #39;s Missile Defense Agency tops a list of five men that President Bush is considering


Vitali feels strong; Danny heavy LAS VEGAS -- Danny Williams insists he has not compromised his speed after tipping the scales at 270 pounds. Williams will need to prove that Saturday night when he tries to take the WBC heavyweight title from Vitali Klitschko at Mandalay Bay.


USC #39;s Leinart wins Heisman The 70th Heisman Trophy went to quarterback Matt Leinart, and it went to illustrate the comprehensive heyday in progress in the Southern California football program.


Phil Garner likes the Astros #39; chances of re-signing Carlos Beltran <b>...</b> ANAHEIM -- If the Houston Astros had their druthers, Carlos Beltran and Roger Clemens would already be signed for next year, Wade Miller and Andy Pettitte would report to Spring Training in the best physical conditions of their careers and Lance Berkman


Dodgers: We Have Options if Beltre Exits (AP) AP - Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Paul DePodesta believes several options will be available if star third baseman Adrian Beltre decides to play elsewhere.


Rival Congo army factions clash near Rwandan border (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - BUKAVU, Congo (AP) - Rival factions of Congo's army battled in the eastern region of the vast country Saturday, killing several people, a top military official said.


No. 18 UCLA Defeats Fresno State, 92-76 (AP) AP - Nikki Blue had 22 points and Noelle Quinn added 21 as No. 18 UCLA defeated Fresno State 92-76 on Saturday night.


If Jets and Steelers Are Mirror Images, It's Time for One of Them to Crack After they both finished 6-10 a year ago, the Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers have found themselves linked again, but now in their rise to the N.F.L.'s upper echelon.


Klitschko . . . . v . . . .Williams Round-by-round action as Danny Williams takes on Vitali Klitschko for the WBC heavyweight title. Build-up: The atmosphere is building at the Mandalay Bay Casino, Las Vegas with a strong British presence on hand to cheer for Williams.


Baer set to lead Notre Dame Interim Notre Dame football coach Kent Baer completed his team #39;s third postseason practice Friday morning, and is only beginning to prepare for the Insight Bowl.


Saints Beat Panthers, but Season Ends (AP) AP - Masters of the late-season flop, the New Orleans Saints finally won a game that mattered. Then they had to wait to see just how much it mattered. Needing to beat the Carolina Panthers to stay in playoff contention, the Saints did their part with a 21-18 victory on Sunday. But they needed outside help to get in, and failed to get it. Halfway across the country, the St. Louis Rams beat the New York Jets 32-29 in overtime, ending the season for the Saints.


Powell urges reform in Islamic countries Secretary of State Colin Powell told a gathering of Islamic leaders yesterday that they must join hands with industrialized countries on political and economic reforms to ease the  quot;despair and frustration quot; that afflicts much of the region.


Memorial for UK hostage LONDON: Some 2,000 people crammed into London #39;s Westminster Cathedral yesterday for a mass in memory of British aid worker Margaret Hassan, who was taken hostage and is believed slain by her abductors.


NBA Wrap: Finley, Nowitzki Lead Mavericks to Win Over Rockets  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Michael Finley had 26 points and Dirk  Nowitzki added 22 points and 14 rebounds as the Dallas  Mavericks crushed their state rivals, the Houston Rockets,  102-78 in National Basketball Association play Saturday.


Pavano Chooses Yankees  ANAHEIM, Calif., (Sports Network) - Free agent starting  pitcher Carl Pavano has chosen to join the New York Yankees and  the two sides were working on finalizing a contract before the  end of the winter meetings.


Seahawks Place Starting Tackle on Injured Reserve  KIRKLAND, Wash., (Sports Network) - The Seattle Seahawks  have placed starting offensive tackle Chris Terry on injured  reserve with a shoulder injury.


Carter Placed on Injured List  TORONTO (Sports Network) - Toronto Raptors All-Star  swingman Vince Carter was placed on the injured list Friday  after tests revealed a mild strain of his left Achilles'  tendon.


US Airways #39; troubles date to 1977 and Carter #39;s deregulation czar US Airways #39; struggle to survive began 27 years ago, with a visit from economist Alfred Kahn. This is one in an occasional series about the rise of US Airways, the


Report: Irish pick Weis At the beginning of the week, those following the Notre Dame coaching search were convinced that the next name closely linked to the school would be the man to get the job, largely because


Gavaskar to Tendulkar: Go for 50 Test centuries (AFP) AFP - Legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar has told Sachin Tendulkar not to rest on a world record-equalling 34th Test century, but to target 50 hundreds.


Leinart Is Sixth Heisman Winner From U.S.C. Quarterback Matt Leinart won the 70th Heisman Trophy by a comfortable margin over Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson, the first freshman to finish second.


DISNEY #39;S DIRECT EFFECT It used to be that a board of directors could show up once a month, listen to a couple of presentations and leave it to the CEO to make most decisions.


Team on the take: Bengals like to force issue Bill Belichick news rarely cites statistics to make a point. So when a particular figure impresses the Pats #39; coach, it #39;s got to be a doozy.


Manning aims for wins, not records With one of the most coveted individual prizes for an NFL quarterback almost in hand, Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts is thinking team.


Saints show Redknapp the reality HARRY Redknapp admitted he might as well have been reading a detailed job description as he watched his new charges at Southampton blow a two-goal lead against Middlesbrough.


Smoltz back in starting rotation He has won 20. He has saved 50. And now that he #39;s back in the Braves #39; starting rotation, he #39;ll probably win 20 again. John Smoltz last started a game back in the 2001 season.


Game Day: So much on the line PITTSBURGH - Banged up and perhaps emotionally drained, the Steelers (11-1) can set records and clinch a division title today by beating the New York Jets (9-3) in a 4 o #39;clock game at Heinz Field.


51-49 stakes seen in \$36 billion plan; rival bid could surface Although a Sprint-Nextel combination is being characterized as a \$36 billion merger of equals, published reports describe the emerging transaction as a purchase by Sprint.


Lenovo Says It Doesn #39;t Plan to Fire IBM Unit Workers (Update3) Mary Ma, Lenovo Group Ltd. Chief Financial Officer, said she doesn #39;t think employees will be fired when the company completes its \$1.25 billion purchase of International Business Machines Corp.


Wal-Mart says softness continues Soft sales continued at Wal-Mart Stores in the latest week, the world #39;s largest retailer reported Saturday. Free! Sign up here to receive our Before the Bell e-Newsletter!


Klitschko defends WBC heavyweight title LAS VEGAS Vitali (VIH #39;-tah-lee) Klitschko defended his WBC heavyweight title with a ninth-round TKO over Danny Williams last night in Las Vegas.


Barcelona beats Albacete, opens nine-point lead FC Barcelona opened a 12-point lead in the Spanish league after Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez scored in a 2-1 win at 17th-placed Albacete on Saturday.


Peterson, White finish 2-3 in Heisman race Jason White (right) congratulates USC quarterback Matt Leinart (left) moments after the announcement of Leinart as the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner.


Manning in line for clutch of honours PEYTON MANNING, the Indianapolis Colts quarterback, is poised to equal or overhaul the NFL record of 48 touchdown passes in a season this weekend, and there is no bigger admirer of his talents


Three top police officials among 19 killed in Iraq MOSUL: A US aircraft dropped a half-tonne bomb on Mosul on Saturday after insurgents attacked a US patrol that was trying to capture an insurgent arms dump, a military spokesman said.


Mild U.S. Weather Bites Into Oil Prices (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. crude futures skidded more than\half a dollar lower on Monday, as a mild New Year's weekend in\the United States and forecasts for above-average temperatures\were expected to cap heating oil demand, traders said.


Rangers win, then draw old rivals GLASGOW, Scotland -- Rangers returned to the top of the Scottish Premier League with an impressive 3-0 win over struggling Dundee, then learnt that would face old firm rivals Celtic in the third round of the Scottish Cup.


The wrong person won the Heisman Trophy Every year they bill this as the presentation of the biggest award in sports. It #39;s supposed to be a prestigious honor, meant to go to the best college player in the country.


All Yankees, All Red Sox All the Time ANAHEIM, Calif. - So now the Red Sox rotation, with Curt Schilling, David Wells, Tim Wakefield and likely Pedro Martinez, is as old as Fenway Park.


Lankan police probe concert blast Colombo: Sri Lankan police is probing the grenade attack on a concert of Bollywood mega star Shahrukh Khan in Colombo on Saturday, which killed two people and injured 19, including the wife of former cricketer Ravi Shastri, as the actor and his troupe


Australians may boycott Games Village MELBOURNE: Australian athletes could boycott the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Village because of fears that it might be overcrowded, noisy and hot, a newspaper has reported.


Klitschko Stops Williams as a Boxing Fairytale Ends In heavyweight boxing action, Vitali Klitschko stopped Danny Williams tonight in Las Vegas tonight to retain his WBC heavyweight title.


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


Eastern Malaysia Suffers Flooding (AP) AP - Floods caused by monsoon rains forced the evacuation of thousands in eastern Malaysia on Sunday.


Satellite Radio That's Well Received With its somewhat bulky contours and shiny silver case, Delphi's MyFi portable satellite radio evokes an old transistor radio.-The Washington Post


Microsoft's Media Center Still Falls Short Microsoft's Media Center edition of Windows XP has to rank as one of the company's bigger disappointments in a while.-The Washington Post


More Search Products Prowl for Market Share The initial performance of two Web-query services launched last week, Accoona and Blingo, suggests market leaders Google and Yahoo don't have reason to worry yet.-The Washington Post


THE NASA DIET Boosters of the international space station have justified the billions spent on the project with reasons ranging from scientific research in a weightless environment to providing the first base camp on the long trek to the moon and planets.


Pavano accepts Yankees #39; \$39 million ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Carl Pavano decided Saturday he wanted to pitch for the Yankees, and his agent and New York closed in on a four-year contract worth about \$39 million.


Celtics snap skid, beating Sonics 98-84 Gary Payton is way too much for second-year pro Luke Ridnour to handle. That #39;s why the Boston Celtics have notched two of Seattle #39;s four losses this season.


Concert bomb: 5 still critical Colombo - Five people fought for their lives on Sunday a day after a grenade attack killed two concertgoers and wounded 17 at a controversial show featuring top Indian film stars in the Sri Lankan capital, police said.


Ecological forum gets greenhouse gas report A new report on ecological damage from greenhouse gases dominated the sidelines of a UN conference on global warming Saturday as delegates from nearly 200 nations


Iraqi insurgents inflict relentless attack Insurgents pressed their attack on US troops and Iraq #39;s security forces Saturday, killing five Iraqi police officers and wounding 14 American soldiers in a relentless effort to derail next month #39;s elections.


Giants Shift Blame from Coach to the Players Tom Coughlin will not bear the brunt of the Giants' failure. The team is looking to the players that span two coaching staffs and two unbearable seasons.


United cuts flight capacity out of DIA United Airlines will decrease capacity on about 30 routes from Denver as it reduces US flight capacity by 14 percent and adds international flights to focus on more profitable routes.


Little change seen in Dec. 14 statement WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) - Every Federal Open Market Committee meeting contains a flavor of mystery as officials gather behind closed doors to hold crucial discussions about the economic forecast and to make decisions on interest rates.


Is Microsoft #39;s media center ready for prime time? The traveling  #39; #39;Windows on Wheels quot; exhibition, parked at dusk outside the Micro Center electronics palace on Memorial Drive, is jam-packed with


Monty taming Tiger #39;s tournament Scotland #39;s Colin Montgomerie fired a 4-under-par 67 to grab a two-stroke lead after the third round of the \$US7 million World Challenge golf tournament at Thousand Oaks in California.


Glasgow teams in cup clash Celtic have been drawn against arch rivals Rangers in next month #39;s third round Tennent #39;s Scottish Cup. Martin O #39;Neill #39;s men will have home advantage against their Old Firm rivals.


In brief: Notre Dame reportedly near deal with coach Notre Dame was close to hiring New England Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis as its new coach, a university source said Saturday night, but the deal was not complete and still could fall apart.


Lonard four back in pursuit of Slam Australian David McKenzie, who missed qualifying for his US PGA tour card by one shot six days ago, had an 8-under-par 64 Saturday to take a two-stroke lead after the third round of the Australian Masters.


Brewers deal Kolb for top prospect It did not take long for Brewers general manager Doug Melvin to pique the interest of the club #39;s presumptive new owner.  quot;On my way down here, Doug said he wanted to talk


NFL: Jets, Rams, Broncos and Vikings Complete Puzzle  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jeff Wilkins booted a clutch 31-yard  field goal to earn the St. Louis Rams a playoff berth with a  32-29 overtime victory over the New York Jets on Sunday, as the  NFL regular season came to furious conclusion.


Celtics hand Sonics first home loss SEATTLE - Paul Pierce scored 22 points and Gary Payton had 21 against his former team as the Boston Celtics snapped a three-game losing streak, beating the streaking Seattle SuperSonics 98-84 on Saturday night.


Portugal #39;s prime minister announces government is quitting Portugal, already reeling from an alarming economic decline, plunged deeper into crisis Saturday when the conservative government quit a day after the president dissolved parliament and called an early general election.


Peace talks on Darfur crisis to resume AU-sponsored peace talks on Darfur crisis are to be resumed at the Nigerian capital, Abuja, a spokesman for the continental body told reporters.


Jaish-e-Muslimeen chief arrested in Karachi KARACHI: Security forces have arrested the head of the Jaish-e-Muslimeen, Mohammed Akbar Agha, here in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. He allegedly masterminded the kidnapping of three United Nations workers in Afghanistan.


Space Station Crew Must Cut Back on Food A Russian-built cargo spacecraft, Progress 16, had been scheduled to deliver fresh food, water and other supplies to the ISS last month, but the mission was delayed until late December.


a gem of a meteor show If you were disappointed with the meager showing put on by this years Leonid meteor shower, dont fret. What could be the best meteor display of the year is scheduled to reach its peak on Monday night.


Prem Preview: Southampton  Middlesbrough Next in the hot seat we have Mr Redknapp. Your first question Mr Redknapp, for 3 points, is how on earth are you going to rescue Southampton from relegation this season?


LEINART #39;S LANDSLIDE It started to sink in for Matt Leinart as he shook the hands behind the stage. About two dozen past Heisman Trophy winners gathered in a ballroom here at the Hilton New York last night to welcome the newest member of their fraternity.


Two Burmese dissidents freed in release of 5,000 prisoners At least two Burmese dissidents are among thousands of prisoners being freed by the military government in a third mass release in less than a month.


UK Police probe alleged charity fraud plot Police in Britain are questioning nine men in connection with an alleged plot to defraud hundreds of thousands of pounds from the UK national lottery and children #39;s charities.


Dens of ingenuity MANCHESTER, N.H. -- One of the great things about being Kevin Casey is getting to tell your spouse: Honey, I need to get the 61-inch television. For work.


Is Microsoft's media center ready for prime time? CAMBRIDGE -- The traveling ''Windows on Wheels quot; exhibition, parked at dusk outside the Micro Center electronics palace on Memorial Drive, is jam-packed with wary Christmas shoppers checking out Microsoft Corp.'s lit-up vision of their entertainment future.


Successful fund shifts strategy, targets losses Near the end of a very good year for his mutual funds, Ron Baron is talking about cutting his losers.


Letters Mellon Financial is good for Boston We take exception to Sasha Talcott's characterization of Mellon Financial in her story on corporate giving in Boston ( quot;Mergers pinching smaller nonprofits, quot; Nov. 21).


Pennies at a time, we chip away at long-distance firms BigZoo.com, a popular California company selling prepaid long distance for as little as 2.9 cents a minute, is getting out of the business at the end of next month.


Scare tactics obscure Social Security debate I haven't made up my mind on the subject of private accounts for Social Security. Unlike the Bush administration, I prefer to study the facts before leaping to conclusions. (For contrast, see the war in Iraq.)


Fidelity family deals probed Federal regulators are investigating whether traders at Fidelity Investments improperly steered business to their brothers who work for brokerage firms that execute trades for the mutual fund giant, according to attorneys and others involved in the case.


Buying a necktie with Joseph Abboud Stripes are back. Solid red is out. And purple (indigo, to you, buddy) is the new power blue.


Selling sentiment: the greeting-card industry Mass-production greeting cards are store-bought sentiment. They are meant to convey endearing words to a friend or loved one on a special occasion.


CVS chief executive's prescription for growth With the purchase of Eckerd Corp. for \$2.15 billion this year, Tom Ryan transformed Rhode Island's CVS Corp. into a national force with more than 5,000 drugstore s. Ryan began working at CVS as a pharmacist in Warwick, R.I., in 1978. Now, as chief executive, he is engineering the integration of 1,260 Eckerd stores. He spoke recently with Globe reporter ...


Avoiding future debt from holiday present Anne Maneikis has a problem with the holidays. She goes crazy. The rest of the year, she is perfectly sane. Thirty-seven and single, she works as an account executive for an advertising agency, managing budgets.


Palestinian Militants Fire Rocket in Gaza (AP) AP - Palestinian militants fired three mortar shells and a homemade rocket toward Jewish settlements in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday, the army spokesman said.


NBA: Pistons Down Celtics, Wizards Beat Hawks  AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (Sports Network) - Rasheed Wallace  racked up 23 points and 12 rebounds and five other Detroit  players scored in double-figures as the Pistons cruised to a  100-88 victory over Boston at the Palace at Auburn Hills.


Irish pluck Weis When Charlie Weis puts on his headset on the Patriots sideline today, he'll hope the best academic high school football players in America will be watching. That's because Weis now has two jobs -- offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots and head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.


Epstein is being a smart shopper ANAHEIM, Calif. -- He's making it look easy, as if he's strolling down a supermarket aisle, checking off the items on his grocery list as he lobs them into his cart. And while some of these transactions were not yet official as of yesterday afternoon, no one doubts that Theo Epstein will have enough dough when he gets to the ...


Shanahan tries hand at being a Mr. Fix-It Kudos to Red Wings winger Brendan Shanahan for reaching into his own pocket last week to bring in a bunch of his pals for a hockey summit in Toronto. Finally, a member of the rank and file emerges as the conscience of the game, and at a time when the NHL product desperately needs propping up in the  quot;E quot; (for ...


Montgomerie leads World Challenge Names Colin Montgomerie overcame a few obnoxious fans and a pairing with Tiger Woods to post a 4-under-par 67 and take a two-shot lead in the Target World Challenge in Thousand Oaks, Calif., yesterday. Montgomerie was hardly intimidated playing with the tournament host, needing only four holes to put four shots between them on the leaderboard of the 16-man tournament. ...


Cricket: Tendulkar sets new best Sachin Tendulkar hits a career-best 248 not out as India gain a lead of 342 over Bangladesh.


At White House, harder line with Putin considered WASHINGTON -- A debate is brewing at the highest levels of the Bush administration over whether to adopt a tougher stance toward Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, who has systematically rolled back democratic freedoms and tried to snuff out democracy in weak neighboring states with little American opposition, according to US officials and policy analysts.


Militant leader held in Pakistan ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- A man who launched a militant Islamic group to fight US forces in Afghanistan has been arrested in connection with the kidnapping of three UN workers there in October, a senior Pakistani Cabinet minister said yesterday.


US-trained forces scour Sahara for terror links NIAMEY, Niger -- A company of 150 soldiers from Niger has brought the war on terrorism to a new frontier, carrying out a three-week hunt for armed bandits linked to an Algerian terror group in the inhospitable terrain of the Sahara desert and the Sahel region.


After lynchings, Mexico looks inward SAN JUAN IXTAYOPAN, Mexico -- A pair of wooden crosses outside the elementary school are all that mark the macabre site where, just weeks ago, an angry mob captured two federal police officers, beat them unconscious, and set them on fire.


Chen Dealt Setback In Taiwan Election  TAIPEI, Taiwan, Dec. 11 -- Taiwanese voted Saturday not to give President Chen Shui-bian the legislative majority he had sought in a hard-fought campaign as reinforcement for his leadership and endorsement of his plans to edge the self-ruled island closer to independence.


Is more desire for sex worth risk to the heart? The FDA says no Many women, both surgically and naturally menopausal, probably were disappointed last week when a Food and Drug Administration advisory group recommended holding off approving a new libido patch to rev up womens low sex desire.


Cheetham Leads Dunhill After 3 Rounds MALELANE, South Africa - England #39;s Neil Cheetham had the only bogey-free round Saturday, shooting a 3-under-par 69 that gave him a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Dunhill Championship.


Arabs slam US for policy on Israel RABAT, Morocco -- Arab leaders rebuked the United States on Saturday for its policy on Israel, saying US efforts to curb Islamic extremism and promote democracy in the Middle East could not be taken seriously because of its one-sided stand in the Israeli


Two Myanmar dissidents freed in release of 5,000 prisoners <b>...</b> YANGON : At least two Myanmar dissidents were among thousands of prisoners being freed after the military government announced it had begun releasing more than 5,000 detainees in a third mass release in less than a month, relatives and officials said.


Democratic Rep. Bob Matsui Dies at 63 (AP) AP - Rep. Robert T. Matsui of California, who spent time in an internment camp for Japanese-Americans as an infant during World War II and went on to serve 26 years in Congress, has died of complications from a rare disease, his family said Sunday.


Israel's Labour Opens Way for Alliance with Sharon (Reuters) Reuters - Israel's opposition Labour party said\on Sunday it had no preconditions for joining with Prime\Minister Ariel Sharon, paving the way for a broad new\government to push through his Gaza withdrawal plan.


A Mission Worth The Risk A well-researched study by the National Academy of Sciences makes a persuasive case for refurbishing the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA, which is reluctant to take this mission, should rethink its position.


Torre the lure as Pavano opts for Yankees As it turned out, Joe Torre trumped Curt Schilling in the Carl Pavano sweepstakes. Pavano #39;s agent, Scott Shapiro, said last night that the


Are steroids as bad as we think they are? IT MAY NOT HAVE been the most substantive line in President Bush #39;s State of the Union address last January, but it had to be the least controversial.


Grenade Kills Two at Colombo Bollywood Concert (Reuters) Reuters - Two people were killed and 11 wounded\when a hand grenade was lobbed into the VIP section of the\audience at a concert led by Indian film superstar Shah Rukh\Khan and two other actors, police said.


U.S. Gave  #36;1B in Faith-Based Funds in 2003 (AP) AP - The government gave more than  #36;1 billion in 2003 to organizations it considers "faith-based," with some going to programs where prayer and spiritual guidance are central and some to organizations that do not consider themselves religious at all.


Grenade kills two at Colombo Bollywood concert (Reuters) Reuters - Two people were killed and 11 wounded when a hand grenade was lobbed into the VIP section of the audience at a concert led by Indian film superstar Shah Rukh Khan and two other actors, police said.


Grenade Kills Two at Colombo Bollywood Concert  COLOMBO (Reuters) - Two people were killed and 11 wounded  when a hand grenade was lobbed into the VIP section of the  audience at a concert led by Indian film superstar Shah Rukh  Khan and two other actors, police said.


Chen Loses Taiwan Poll, China Strains Seen Easing  TAIPEI (Reuters) - The pro-independence party of Taiwan  President Chen Shui-bian suffered a surprise defeat in weekend  legislative elections that could ease tensions with China but  paralyze government on the democratic island.


Romania PM, Bucharest Mayor Face Off for Presidency  BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romanian Prime Minister Adrian  Nastase and popular Bucharest Mayor Traian Basescu face off in  a presidential election runoff on Sunday seen as key for the  Balkan country's European Union accession path.


The US climate change vision  quot;The issue of climate change respects no border. Its effects cannot be reined in by an army nor advanced by any ideology. Climate change, with its potential to impact every corner


Unscrupulous financial advisers cash in on clients #39; home equity By George Chamberlin , Daily Transcript Financial Correspondent. Rising residential real estate values have been a blessing for many households.


Sony takes on Nintendo in portable game console market with PSP TOKYO : Sony has launched a frontal assault on Nintendo #39;s domination in the portable game console market by kicking off Japan sales of its new PlayStation Portable (PSP), drawing huge lines in Tokyo.


Driver #39;s seat is his Heisman win This happened a year ago, after USC capped its regular season with an all-afternoon assault on the Oregon State end zone. Outside the Coliseum, the parents of some Trojans players celebrated


Manning #39;s ties closer to Fouts than Marino As Peyton Manning zeroes in on Dan Marino #39;s long-standing record of 48 touchdown passes in a season, the comparisons between the two have become inevitable -- one generation #39;s gunslinger giving way to the next.


Risk-taker Miller in search of Euro win The winner, Werner Franz of Austria, was second out of the starting gate, and did not suffer from the biting cold and harsh wind faced by the later runners.


Kaman itching to play despite recent surgery As a perpetual losing franchise, the Clippers have been known to find motivation in strange places, especially when they are far out of the playoff race.


Hatcher, Blazers win D-II title FLORENCE, Ala. - Chris Hatcher was atop NCAA Division II football as a player at Valdosta State in 1994. Now, the Macon native is at its pinnacle as the Blazers #39; coach.


IKEA Touts Its 'Democratic Design' (Reuters) Reuters - The design chief of home\furnishing giant IKEA was recently asked in China, now home to\two of the blue and yellow warehouses selling the Scandinavian\lifestyle, if he was worried about being a "design\imperialist."


Labour in coalition talks with Sharon Israel #39;s opposition Labour party says it has set no conditions for joining Sharon #39;s government, paving the way for a broad coalition that could pushthrough his Gaza withdrawal plan.


US soldiers wounded in Mosul fighting A US aircraft dropped a quarter-tonne bomb on the northern Iraqi city of Mosul resulting in an  quot;unknown number of enemy casualties quot; and injuring eight American soldiers.


Political Prisoners Among Latest Freed in Myanmar Two senior pro-democracy leaders jailed in 1995 for distributing anti-government pamphlets were freed in military-ruled Myanmar on Sunday, part of the junta #39;s latest release of more than 5,000 prisoners.


IKEA Touts Its 'Democratic Design'  ALMHULT, Sweden (Reuters) - The design chief of home  furnishing giant IKEA was recently asked in China, now home to  two of the blue and yellow warehouses selling the Scandinavian  lifestyle, if he was worried about being a "design  imperialist."


V. Klitschko punishes Williams in title defense LAS VEGAS -- Vitali Klitschko made one statement with his fists, and another with his words. Both came through loud and clear in a dominating title defense that elevated him to the top of a crowded list of heavyweight champions.


CZAR: Week 14 viewer #39;s guide Knowing he was a long-shot to land a high-paying NFL job in Miami or Cleveland, Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis made the smart move and went after the head coaching position at Notre Dame.


Lakers makes selves at home The fact that Tomjanovich took no flight before the contest and actually was in Staples Center may have been lost on the Laker coach.


Celtics give Seattle first loss at home During last season #39;s NBA Finals, Doc Rivers slid a note to his broadcast partner, Al Michaels, during a timeout.  quot;It just said Gary (Payton) can still play, quot; the Boston coach recalled the other day.


Romanians vote in presidential run-off BUCHAREST (AFP) - Romanians went to the polls to elect a president in a second-round run-off vote pitting Prime Minister Adrian Nastase, the favourite, against Bucharest Mayor Traian Basescu.


Not running scared FOXBOROUGH -- It's perhaps fitting that Rudi Johnson's middle name is Ali, because he will be in one corner, wearing an orangy uniform.


Torre the lure as Pavano opts for Yankees ANAHEIM, Calif. -- As it turned out, Joe Torre trumped Curt Schilling in the Carl Pavano sweepstakes.


Montana cruises to final Craig Ochs passed for 204 yards and three touchdowns, and Montana forced four turnovers in a 34-13 victory over Sam Houston State in a Division 1-AA semifinal game yesterday in Missoula, Mont.


Erwin's shooting lifts ND Crystal Erwin scored a career-high 24 points on 9-for-9 shooting and Jacqueline Batteast had 17 points and 10 rebounds, leading seventh-ranked Notre Dame to a 72-58 victory over Washington yesterday at South Bend, Ind.


Smith has finishing touch Sean Marshall did the work in the first half, scoring 17 of his 19 points. Then Jared Dudley carried the load early in the second half, tallying 13 of his 17, including 9 in the first 8 minutes 48 seconds.


Leinart picks up Heisman NEW YORK -- Matt Leinart replaced a Heisman Trophy winner and became one himself. The Southern California quarterback won college football's most prestigious individual award last night, beating out Oklahoma teammates Adrian Peterson and Jason White, last year's winner.


Are steroids as bad as we think they are? IT MAY NOT HAVE been the most substantive line in President Bush's State of the Union address last January, but it had to be the least controversial.  quot;The use of performance-enhancing drugs like steroids in baseball, football, and other sports is dangerous, quot; he intoned.  quot;And it sends the wrong message -- that there are shortcuts to accomplishment, and that performance ...


His credentials rock-solid AKRON, Ohio -- Michigan multimillionaire Dan Gilbert wants into the club, and he's prepared to spend mightily to enter.


BC women get second wind Once again, the Boston College women's basketball team started strong in the second half to blow open a close game, this time using a 15-4 run after intermission to stretch a 5-point halftime edge into an easy 78-49 win over the University of New Hampshire yesterday at Conte Forum.


Portuguese government resigns after snap vote call (AFP) AFP - Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Santana Lopes has announced that he and his centre-right cabinet had submitted their resignations, the day after the nation's socialist president announced he would dissolve parliament and call an early vote.


Dealings With Putin Discussed  The political crisis in Ukraine has touched off a fresh debate inside the White House and foreign policy offices over how President Bush should handle Russian President Vladimir Putin's increasingly authoritarian rule at home and assertive presence abroad, according to administration officials.


Subdivision Blaze 'Was Truly an Awesome Sight'  When Wally Danielson's pager started rattling at 4:54 a.m. last Monday to report a fire of an undetermined nature at Hunters Brooke, the volunteer fire chief in Marbury didn't think much of it.


Tackling The Pros: Play Hardball You don #39;t have to hit Major League Baseball or its Players Association over the head with a bat for them to take baseball #39;s drug problems seriously.


Philippine movie star, presidential candidate FPJ in coma after <b>...</b> MANILA : Philippine movie star and former presidential candidate Fernando Poe has slipped into a coma after suffering a stroke, a spokesman said.


Holidays are a hit with thieves When most of us contemplate the holidays, we think of friends, family and fellowship. But Susan Larson has phishing on her mind. Larson works for SurfControl, an Internet and e-mail security company.


Pavano picks Yankees; Red Sox grab Wells Carl Pavano decided he wanted to be a Yankee, and his agent and team officials worked to complete a four-year deal for about \$39-million.


Voting starts in Romanian presidential run-off Romanians started to cast ballots in a second-round run-off vote on Sunday to elect a new president for a five-year term. About 17,560 polling stations across the country


Victim swam in shark feeding frenzy A MAN killed by a shark on the Great Barrier Reef was spearfishing amid a shark feeding frenzy, a crew sent to rescue him said today.


Test of Rocket Postponed The Air Force scrubbed its planned launch of a new Delta 4 rocket on Saturday afternoon when engineers were unable to fix a computer system designed to fire the engines.


Neighbors of Burned Homes Pained by Suburban Sprawl The fires set at a development on a wetland in Maryland have highlighted a long and contentious battle over whether the injection of suburban density belonged there.


Notebook: Teams have A #39;s on speed dial ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Oakland general manager Billy Beane has spent most of two days here sequestered in his hotel suite. Maybe there will be a puff of white smoke signaling a trade for right-handed ace Tim Hudson


SILVIO #39;S PAL IS JAILED A CLOSE political ally and business associate of Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi was jailed for nine years yesterday for colluding with the Mafia.


Tendulkar, Pathan put India on verge of victory (Reuters) Reuters - Sachin Tendulkar cracked a career-best 248 and Irfan Pathan grabbed his maiden 10-wicket haul to take India to the verge of victory at tea on the third day of the first test against Bangladesh on Sunday.


NBA Wrap: Finley, Nowitzki Lead Mavs Over Rockets  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Michael Finley had 26 points and Dirk  Nowitzki added 22 points and 14 rebounds as the Dallas  Mavericks crushed their state rivals, the Houston Rockets,  102-78 in National Basketball Association play Saturday.


Klitschko Retains WBC Heavyweight Crown  LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Ukraine's Vitali Klitschko stopped  Britain's Danny Williams in the eighth round to retain his  World Boxing Council heavyweight crown on Saturday.


Sony #39;s PlayStation Portable goes on sale TOKYO - Sony Computer Entertainment Inc entered the handheld video game market Sunday with the sale of its new PlayStation Portable, pitting it against competitors ahead of the holiday sales period.


Travel 101: Australia #39;s Great Barrier Reef What: The Great Barrier Reef is actually a maze of about 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching along Australia #39;s east coast, from north of Brisbane to Papua New Guinea.


Microsoft WinFS delayed even beyond Longhorn The so-called next-gen filesystem to come from Microsoft is really looking to earn that generational distinction, and in more ways than one.


Green strikes gold in MasterCard Masters in Australia European Tour Member Richard Green finally enjoyed the taste of victory in 2004 when he has sunk a four foot birdie putt on the first play-off hole to capture the \$225,000 first prize in a dramatic conclusion to the 2004 MasterCard Masters at Huntingdale


Union #39;s reply to next league offer holds key The dynamic 24 percent payroll rollback proposed by the NHL Players Association last week was simply another gambit in the NHL #39;s labor dispute.


Arabs: Support for Israel taints reform efforts Arab leaders rebuked the United States yesterday for its policy toward Israel, saying US efforts to curb Muslim extremism and promote democracy in the Middle East could


ESPN.com news services Round 1: Vitali Klitschko opened his WBC heavyweight title defense with a diet of left jabs, cutting Danny williams #39; right eye early.


Congo army factions clash eastern town of Goma before the 11,000-strong UN force in Congo sent up a helicopter to have a look.  quot;We flew over the area and the situation was calm.


Seahawks' Robinson Inactive Vs. Falcons (AP) AP - Koren Robinson is back in the dog house. Again. The talented but troubled receiver was inactive for Seattle's 28-26 win over Atlanta on Sunday for violating an undisclosed team rule.


Songs in the shade It seems like a cool idea - sunglasses with a built-in digital music player and speakers. And if Thump, Oakley #39;s new breed of eyewear, retailed for about \$100, it might be an alternative to the rudimentary flash memory card music players on the market.


ROUND-UP Mixed fortunes for Irish as Spurs win Robbie Keane was declared fit for Spurs clash with Manchester City on Saturday afternoon and Stephen Kelly made a half-time sub appearance for Martin Jols side, but neither enjoyed particularly memorable afternoons despite their sides third


Red Sox add Wells to cast of characters The self-proclaimed  quot;bunch of idiots quot; at Fenway Park are getting a new ringleader. In a move sure to torment the Yankees, the Red Sox have reached agreement on a two-year contract with David Wells.


2 killed in Sri Lankan capital at Indian mega star show Two fans attending a concert staged by a mega Indian film star were killed late on Saturday night with a dozen suffering injuries, police said early Sunday morning.


Canada confirms mad cow case Canada confirms that a cow from the province of Alberta has tested positive for mad cow disease.


Weis decision: Irish make their move After being turned down by Urban Meyer and spurned by other big-name coaches (in some cases before the coach even was contacted), Notre Dame officials concluded their search for a replacement for Tyrone Willingham as head football coach Saturday night by


Blast at Market in Southern Philippines Kills 13 (Reuters) Reuters - A huge explosion rocked the southern\Philippine city of General Santos on Sunday, killing 13 people\and injuring at least 60 at a public market, police and\witnesses said.


Israel Cabinet Agrees to Free Jailed Palestinians  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's cabinet agreed on Sunday to  free dozens of Palestinian prisoners in a move meant to show  goodwill ahead of elections to replace Yasser Arafat, officials  said.


Blast at Market in Southern Philippines Kills 13  MANILA (Reuters) - A huge explosion rocked the southern  Philippine city of General Santos on Sunday, killing 13 people  and injuring at least 60 at a public market, police and  witnesses said.


Strike move in public pension row Unions consider strike calls over government plans to raise public sector workers' pension age.


US stance on Hussein's oil sales eyed WASHINGTON -- Saddam Hussein was dead broke, the result of UN penalties. Or so it was thought.


Colombia militias handing over guns CAMPO DOS, Colombia -- As Javier Alfonso Vela watched 1,425 paramilitary soldiers turn in their weapons under a blazing sun Friday in Colombia's largest demobilization of combatants, the missionary wondered aloud whether disarming right-wing militias would be a first step to ending his country's 40-year-old conflict, or a dangerous opening for the return of leftist guerrillas to this provincial outpost ...


Arab countries say US support of Israel makes political reform a difficult task RABAT, Morocco -- Senior Arab officials attending a US- sponsored conference to promote democracy in the Middle East emphatically rejected yesterday the Bush administration's assertion that greater democracy in the region would help end terrorism. They argued that the administration's strong support of Israel made it difficult to undertake political reform or to stop extremists driven by hatred of US ...


Distrust on Arafat's demise RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Yasser Arafat's nephew said yesterday his uncle may have died an  quot;unnatural quot; death, a statement certain to renew speculation among Palestinians and in the rest of the Arab world where many already believe the late leader was poisoned despite Israel's repeated and vehement denials.


Iranians see right to nuclear program as matter of national pride TEHRAN, Iran -- From this country's divisive political sphere to its disaffected streets, one thing binds Iranians of all ideologies: a fervent belief in the Islamic Republic's right to its nuclear program.


Klitschko Batters Williams to Retain WBC Title Ukraine #39;s Vitali Klitschko left Danny Williams battered and bruised on Saturday, stopping the Briton in the eighth round to retain his World Boxing Council heavyweight crown.


Stationary bike: Hamilton in limbo There is still the bike, always the bike. Tyler Hamilton opens the door to his hillside home above the spectacular Sunshine Canyon, puts on his racing helmet and hits the road for six hours, as he has most days for the past decade. One thing, at least, has not changed. One thing is not in doubt.


Barnicle finishes 6th in humid San Diego All season, Chris Barnicle seemed prepared for just about everything, but the Newton North senior was not ready for the hot weather he encountered yesterday in San Diego at the Footlocker Cross-Country National Championships. Racing in humid conditions with temperatures in the 70s, the Massachusetts Division 1 state champion finished sixth in 15 minutes 34 seconds in the 5-kilometer race. ...


Irish in talks with NFL #39;s Weis By wire services. Notre Dame #39;s search for a coach to replace ousted Tyrone Willingham appears to be nearing an end. According to the Chicago Tribune, the seven-member committee that voted to fire Willingham Nov.


Bangladesh crumble Bangladesh slumped to 36 for five at tea on Sunday as India closed in on a victory which could yet be completed within three days.


Landmarks for India as Bangladesh Crumble Bangladesh slumped to 36 for five at tea today as India closed in on a victory within three days. Sachin Tendulkars Test career-best 248 not out and Zaheer Khans world record 75 for a number 11 had taken


Myanmar to Release More Prisoners Myanmar #39;s ruling military junta announced Saturday that more than 5,000 prisoners have had their sentences suspended and will be freed from various prisons around the


US begins operation to hunt Taliban KABUL, Dec 11: The US-led military in Afghanistan has kicked off a new operation to hunt Taliban militants in their winter stronghold and force them to accept an Afghan government reconciliation offer, a US military spokesman said on Saturday.


Fugitive financier Frankel will seek reduced prison sentence NEW HAVEN, Conn. The Connecticut financier who stole more than 200 (m) million dollars from insurance companies in Tennessee and other states to finance a lavish lifestyle will ask for a reduced prison sentence.


Red Sox, Yankees duel with free agents again The way the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees have sprung to life at baseball #39;s winter meetings, you #39;d swear they were again in a two-team contest.


Powell leaving, Mideast struggle staying Rabat, Morocco -- Colin Powell ended what may be his last overseas trip as US secretary of state here Saturday, struggling with the same issues that consumed so much of his four years in office -- the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and peace and reform in


Israel Cabinet Agrees to Free Jailed Palestinians Israel #39;s cabinet agreed on Sunday to free dozens of Palestinian prisoners in a move meant to show goodwill ahead of elections to replace Yasser Arafat, officials said.


Romania PM, Bucharest Mayor Battle for Presidency (Reuters) Reuters - Romanian Prime Minister Adrian


Australian Man Detained in Iraq (AP) AP - An Australian man of Lebanese origin has been detained in northern Iraq by Kurdish militiamen and Australian officials are investigating whether the detainee has links to terrorists, Kurdish and Australian officials said Sunday.


Mandelson #39;s peace move in Airbus subsidies battle EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has launched top-level negotiations to avert a damaging economic war between America and Europe over subsidies for aircraft maker Airbus.


Ho, ho, ho! IRS has  #39;gift #39; for you It #39;s soon to be income tax season. You are entering the Alternative Minimum Tax Zone. For a growing number of taxpayers, the AMT strips away your tax deductions and leaves you paying higher taxes.


Ukrainian Klitschko retains WBC heavyweight crown Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine stopped Danny Williams of Britain in the eighth round to retain his World Boxing Council heavyweight crown in Las Vegas on Saturday.


Indian envoy had narrow escape in Colombo blast Dignitaries, including Indian High Commissioner Nirupama Rao, had a narrow escape in the grenade attack on a concert in Colombo that killed two people and injured 19 as Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan made 20,000 star-struck fans rock by screaming  quot;I


13 dead, 52 wounded in Philippine bomb explosion COTABATO, Philippines: Thirteen people were killed and at least 52 others injured in a bomb attack in a public market in the southern Philippines Sunday, the military said.


Middle East ; Arafat could have died of poisoning, PLO official Middle East News, Ramallah, Dec 12 (IANS) A top Palestinian official has said the late Palestinian president Yasser Arafat could have died of poisoning, but there was  quot;no medical or political proof quot;, reports Xinhua.


Round Two in Romanian Presidential Ballot These are important days for the future of Romania. Not only has the EU agreed to conclude membership talks with Bucharest, but Sunday also sees the second round of presidential elections.


US mobile firms 'close' to merger Sprint and Nextel reportedly reach a "tentative agreement" on a merger which will create the third largest mobile phone operator in the US.


Yugo Entrepreneur Importing Chinese Cars (AP) AP - The man who brought the Yugo and Subaru to this country has a new project  #151; becoming the first mass importer of low-cost Chinese-made cars.


Klitschko Batters Williams to Retain WBC Title  LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Ukraine's Vitali Klitschko left Danny  Williams battered and bruised on Saturday, stopping the Briton  in the eighth round to retain his World Boxing Council  heavyweight crown.


Poutiainen Wins But Plays Down Cup Hopes  ALTENMARKT, Austria (Reuters) - Finland's Tanja Poutiainen  snatched back the women's World Cup lead with her third victory  of the Alpine ski season on Sunday but played down her chances  of winning the overall title.


Tendulkar, Pathan put India on verge of win Defiant knocks by Manjural Rana and Nasif Iqbal helped Bangladesh survive another day of Test cricket in the first match of the series against India at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka on Sunday.


Yushchenko: Ukraine Events Are Like Fall of Soviets  VIENNA (Reuters) - Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor  Yushchenko, speaking after doctors said he was poisoned with  dioxin, on Sunday likened his country's upheaval over a rigged  election to the fall of Soviet rule or the Berlin wall.


Berlusconi Ally Gets 9-Year Prison Term for Links to Mafia An Italian court has sentenced a close political ally of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to nine years in prison for working with the mafia.


We #39;ve convicted al-Qaida supporters, says Iran Iran acknowledged for the first time today it has convicted some Iranians of supporting al-Qaida. A few pro-al Qaida Iranian nationals have been tried and convicted, said foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi.


Israeli cabinet authorizes release of Palestinian prisoners The Israeli cabinet agreed Sunday morning to free dozens of Palestinian prisoners in a goodwill gesture ahead of the upcoming Palestinian presidential elections, officials said.


Israel Agrees to Free Jailed Palestinians  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel agreed on Sunday to free up to  200 Palestinian prisoners to show goodwill after Egypt freed a  convicted Israeli spy and ahead of elections for Yasser  Arafat's successor, officials said.


Iran Refuses to Give Up Nuclear Research-Diplomats  VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran intends to use Monday's talks with  France, Britain and Germany to ensure it has the right to go on  carrying out research with equipment that could be used to  develop nuclear weapons, Western diplomats said.


Grenade Kills Two at Colombo Bollywood Concert  COLOMBO (Reuters) - Two people were killed and 11 wounded  when a hand grenade exploded in the VIP section of the audience  at a concert led by Indian film superstar Shah Rukh Khan and  two other actors, police said.


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


MergerTalk: U.S. Distress Funds Eye Germany  NEW YORK (Reuters) - German banks, looking to put bad  investments behind them, are hanging 'For Sale' signs on  billions of euros in distressed loans in a move that's  attracting major U.S. vulture funds.


Daw Aung San Suu Kyi awarded Honorary Citizen of Paris Burmas democracy leader, Nobel laureate and General Secretary of The National League for Democracy (NLD), Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the honorary citizen of Paris by its city council in a ceremony held on 10 December.


Israel Agrees to Free Jailed Palestinians Israel agreed on Sunday to free up to 200 Palestinian prisoners to show goodwill after Egypt freed a convicted Israeli spy and ahead of elections for Yasser Arafat #39;s successor, officials said.


Peru Gunmen Seize Police Station (AP) AP - Gunmen belonging to a nationalist group that seized a police station in remote southern Peru ambushed a police vehicle on Sunday, killing four officers and wounding several more, hospital officials said. One gunman was gravely wounded.


Kuwaitis Get Apology From Palestinians (AP) AP - Palestinian leader Mahmound Abbas provided a long-awaited apology to Kuwaitis for the Palestinian support of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein after his army invaded Kuwait in 1990, making the remarks on arriving as part of a Middle East tour to repair relations with Arab nations.


Livewire: News and Info Junkies Take New Look at RSS (Reuters) Reuters - News and information junkies are\taking a new look at RSS, a technology that helps them feed\their habit without getting overwhelmed in the clutter of the\information age.


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


Flood at Chinese Mine Traps 36 Workers (AP) AP - A flood at a mine in southern China trapped 36 workers on Sunday, the government said, the latest in a recent string of disasters in the country's perilous coal mines.


Microsoft's Improved Media Center Still Falls Short (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Microsoft's Media Center edition of Windows XP -- a special layer of software designed to let people enjoy their digital photos, music and videos from across the room -- has to rank as one of the company's bigger disappointments in a while. All the money Microsoft has thrown into promoting Media Center has yet to lend it any momentum in the market.


PlayStation Portable spoils gamers. Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) made another hit. After optimizing the PlayStation 2 multiple times, they now decided to give the Portable market a chance.


Geminid meteor showers alarm area residents WASHINGTON It #39;s a global celestial event and scientists say the annual Geminid Meteor Shower is the best astronomy show of the year.


Two Taliban commanders caught US-LED and Afghan soldiers arrested two senior Taliban commanders and six militants during an operation in south-central Afghanistan, officials said today.