McNealy: Sun is boxing clever with Microsoft The ground-breaking legal settlement and technology sharing deal between Microsoft Corp and Sun Microsystems Inc will not diminish competition between the two adversaries.


Peterson may become first freshman to win Heisman Never in the history of college football #39;s top award has a freshman walked away with what is arguably sports #39; most recognizable trophy.


White Sox fill a gap The White Sox can scratch  quot;veteran reliever #39; #39; from their wish list after signing right-hander Dustin Hermanson on Wednesday to a two-year, \$5.5 million contract with a team option for a third season.


Oil, Dollar, Chips to Weigh on Wall St. (Reuters) Reuters - A rise in crude oil prices for a second\day, a stalled recovery in the dollar and a crop of warnings in\the chip sector were set to push Wall Street lower at\Thursday's opening.


Europe Urged to Help NATO More in Iraq, Afghanistan (Reuters) Reuters - The United States said it expected\European countries to come up with offers of help in Iraq and\Afghanistan at a NATO meeting on Thursday to discuss the\alliance's role in the insurgency-hit countries.


Venezuelan President Approves Media Law (AP) AP - A law that gives the government control over the content of radio and television programs in Venezuela took effect Thursday.


'Miracle in mud' as four pulled alive from Philippine disaster (AFP) AFP - Philippine rescuers were frantically digging for more survivors after four people, including a toddler, were pulled alive from a building crushed by a landslide 11 days ago.


Hand Recount Starts in Wash. Gov.'s Race (AP) AP - Sitting at a folding table under fluorescent lights, Republican Lloyd Haskins Sr. held up ballots for Democrat Carl Brownstein to see, and they both marked their running totals on white scrap paper.


Oil, Dollar, Chips to Weigh on Wall St.  LONDON (Reuters) - A rise in crude oil prices for a second  day, a stalled recovery in the dollar and a crop of warnings in  the chip sector were set to push Wall Street lower at  Thursday's opening.


Dollar Extends Recovery for 2nd Session  LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar strengthened against major  currencies for a second session on Thursday, as investors  continued to take profits on bets against the long-suffering  U.S. currency.


OPEC Debates Need for Oil Supply Cutbacks  CAIRO (Reuters) - OPEC oil producers on Thursday weighed up  whether heavy recent price falls were severe enough to warrant  cutting back excess supply at Friday's ministerial meeting.


GM Unit Opel to Cut 9,500 German Jobs  FRANKFURT (Reuters) - General Motors' GM.N German unit  Adam Opel AG will cut around 9,500 jobs at its loss-making  operations, a source who attended a briefing by the carmaker's  management on Thursday said.


Toll Brothers Profit Nearly Doubles  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Toll Brothers Inc. reported on  Thursday quarterly earnings that nearly doubled, buoyed by  growing demand for its luxury homes, and the company raised its  forecast for 2005.


Disney backs Sony DVD technology The battle over next generation DVDs hot ups, with Disney opting for a technology developed by Sony.


State reduces stake in Air France The French government sells 17.7 of its stake in Air France-KLM amid reports it may cut its holding in the airline to as little as 18.


Nations mark anti-corruption day Events are held around the world to mark the first ever United Nations anti-corruption day.


Over 1,000 Die Every Day from Congo War -- Report  KINSHASA (Reuters) - Over 1,000 Congolese civilians a day  are dying, nearly all from disease and malnutrition, due to a  festering conflict that has killed 3.8 million people, an aid  agency said on Thursday.


Rescue chopper down off Alaska Six people are missing after a US Coast Guard helicopter crashes off Alaska during a ship rescue.


Kiev back to work in protest lull Ukrainian government workers resume duties as protesters lift blockades ahead of the presidential vote re-run.


Karzai warning over drugs trade Afghan President Hamid Karzai says the  rampant drugs trade poses a bigger threat than the Soviet invasion.


Shipman report demands GMC reform The General Medical Council is doing too little to protect patients, the latest report from the Shipman Inquiry has said.


Iraq Combat Fatality Rate Lowest Ever Ten  percent of soldiers injured in Iraq have died from their war wounds, the lowest casualty fatality rate ever, thanks in large part to technological advances and the deployment of surgical SWAT teams at the front lines, an analysis to be published today has found.


FBI Searches Saudi Arabia's PR Firm  The FBI searched offices of a prominent public relations firm Tuesday, looking for information about its client Saudi Arabia, law enforcement sources said.


Aid to Palestinians Approved President Bush  approved Wednesday \$20 million in direct aid to the Palestinian Authority, as part of a broader White House strategy to pursue peace in the Middle East following Yasser Arafat's death.


Interpreter Says No To Secrecy Interpreters have long been the cogs in the wheel of international diplomacy. They make headlines only when they mess up, as when President Jimmy Carter's interpreter spoke of the Polish people's "lusts for the future" instead of their  "desires" for the future.  And even then, convention demands that interpreters  remain in the background, refraining from public comment.


Shrek 3 not in cinemas before 2007 The third movie adventure of animated hero Shrek has been postponed, and will now reach cinema screens in May 2007. The Hollywood Reporter says that  #39;Shrek 3 #39; had been pencilled in by studio DreamWorks for a November 2006 release.


5 Indiana players, 7 fans charged in November NBA brawl PONTIAC, Mich. - Five members of the Indiana Pacers and seven Detroit Pistons fans were criminally charged yesterday because of their roles in the Pistons-Pacers brawl last month - a fight that captured national attention.


Crewmen Ration and Lose Weight on Space Station The two crewmen aboard the International Space Station lost a few pounds in the five weeks they were forced to ration their dwindling supply of food.


General Motors to cut 9,500 jobs at German unit LONDON, December 9 (newratings.com) - General Motors Corp (XGM.NYS) plans to cut 9,500 jobs at its German unit, Adam Opel AG, as part of its efforts to reduce its significant losses in Europe.


New players proposal could be last chance -- Any hope of saving the NHL season hinges on whether the next proposal by the players #39; association stirs serious negotiating.


Alaska Oil Spill Takes Toll on Animals and Fisheries A rare break in rough Bering Sea weather is allowing officials to gain a better sense of damage from a large spill in the Aleutian Islands.


Stock Futures Point to Lower Market Open  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures pointed to a lower  market open on Thursday, weighed down by rising oil prices and  a crop of warnings in the chip sector.


The hounding of Kofi Annan Last night in New York, the UN secretary-general was given a standing ovation - a robust response to a series of attacks in past weeks.


FUTURES MOVERS LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Crude-oil futures continued to rise Thursday, extending overnight gains a day ahead of a key meeting of the OPEC cartel.


Vivendi sale raises spectre of Veolia takeover Vivendi Universal on Thursday sold a 15 per cent stake in its former water subsidiary Veolia Environnement, raising about 1.5bn for the French group to pay back debt and tighten its focus on media and telecommunications.


FTC shuts down debt collection company Sonya Harper, 35, knew she didn #39;t buy a car when she was 15 years old. So why was a debt collector threatening to sue her unless she paid \$800 on a car she never had?


Segal to get full hearing on release Convicted insurance mogul Michael Segal is scheduled to get a full hearing Tuesday on whether he should be let out of a federal lockup as he awaits sentencing.


Dollar Steadies Versus Euro and Yen The dollar steadied versus the euro and yen on Thursday following sharp gains across the board in the previous session driven by profit-taking on bets against the long suffering US currency.


How Does a Chicken #39;s Sense of Smell Help us Understand Human <b>...</b> Medical Research Council (MRC) scientists have ended lengthy scientific speculation by confirming that chickens have an acute sense of smell.


Unscheduled upgrade caused government IT death An unscheduled software upgrade what was caused some 40,000 computers at the UK government #39;s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to crash, the IT supplier EDS has announced.


Troubled Griffin's NBA homecoming brings 76ers sixth loss in a row (AFP) AFP - Eddie Griffin's National Basketball Association homecoming was more than the Philadelphia 76ers could handle.


Europe Urged to Help NATO More in Iraq  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The United States said it expected  European countries to come up with offers of help in Iraq and  Afghanistan at a NATO meeting on Thursday to discuss the  alliance's role in the insurgency-hit countries.


Stocks to Watch on Thursday, Dec. 9  XILINX INC. XLNX.O:


Bank keeps interest rate unchanged The Bank of England today held the base interest rate at 4.75 for the fourth consecutive month, with the decision coming amid evidence of a slowdown in house price growth and weak economic data.


McNealy: Sun still shines for Oracle Despite Oracles strategic push for Linux- and Intel-based deployments, Sun is still the company #39;s leading platform, according to Sun chairman and chief executive Scott McNealy.


Gerrard can win with us, says Benitez Rafael Benitez says Liverpool #39;s remarkable 3-1 defeat of Olympiakos in the Champions League has proved to captain Steven Gerrard he does not need to leave to win trophies.


Supporting cast out to nail star Els WORLD No.3 Ernie Els may feel like a hunted man this week when he takes on a largely unknown field in the Dunhill Championship at the Leopard Creek Country Club in South Africa.


War, poverty and Aids causing half of world #39;s children to suffer WAR, poverty and HIV/Aids are causing more than half of the worlds children to suffer, effectively denying them a childhood, according to a report today.


US for stronger defense ties with India: Rumsfeld The United States is keen on strengthening its growing defense ties with India, which currently encompass a wide range of military-to-military exchanges and joint exercises


Poll: Optimism, Fatah support on the rise among Palestinians Rising prospects for Palestinian-Israeli peace are marginalizing the Hamas movement, responsible for numerous suicide bombings and other attacks on Israelis, according to a Palestinian poll.


OPEC Warns Oil Supply Cuts Needed for '05  CAIRO (Reuters) - OPEC oil producers said on Thursday that  Friday's ministerial meeting would focus on cutting back  oversupply to support falling prices and that producers would  have to reduce output quotas early next year.


Before-the-Bell: Ciena Rises on Outlook  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Ciena Corp. CIEN.O rose 13  percent before the bell on Thursday after the  telecommunications equipment maker posted a wider quarterly net  loss but forecast further revenue growth in the current  quarter.


BoE Holds UK Rates at 4.75 Percent  LONDON (Reuters) - British interest rates stayed at 4.75  percent for the fourth month running on Thursday, but  economists are split over whether the Bank of England will  raise borrowing costs again next year.


Bank of England Leaves Rate Unchanged It was the fourth month in a row that the bank #39;s Monetary Policy Committee decided against changing the rate. The decision was widely expected following indications that Britain #39;s economy has slowed, and that


12/09/2004:  quot;Disney backs Sony #39;s Blu-Ray high definition DVD <b>...</b> In news that has shocked the already rocky state of today #39;s DVD industry, the Walt Disney Company yesterday announced that it intends to back Sony #39;s high-def Blu-Ray format in the upcoming war between two competing technologies.


Spartan hen serves up a scientific golden egg in fact, the first farm animal - to be genetically sequenced, researchers said Wednesday. That #39;s important for humans because understanding chicken DNA can


New virus steals passwords Paris - A virus that spies on keystrokes and downloads passwords and bank account details is circulating among e-mails. It masquerades as a screensaver designed by internet portal Lycos to attack spammers, a watchdog warned on Thursday.


Date set for second Longhorn conference Microsoft will hold a second Longhorn-themed Professional Developers Conference in September 2005, almost two years after it first detailed the successor to Windows XP.


DC in pole position for Red Bull slot STEWARTRY-born David Coulthard is favourite to book a seat in the Red Bull Racing team. The 33-year-old who was axed by McLaren-Mercedes at the end of the season has been on the lookout for a team for the 2005 season.


Western Australia skittle Pakistan for 262 in tour game Pakistan were bowled out for 262 against Western Australia on Thursday in a worrying sign for the tourists ahead of next week #39;s first test against Australia.


S America launches trading bloc December 9. KAZINFORM quotes CNN - South American countries are creating the third bloc in the world. Representatives from 12 South American countries have signed an agreement to create a political and economic bloc modelled on the European Union.


Before-the-Bell: Ciena Rises on Outlook (Reuters) Reuters - Shares of Ciena Corp.  rose 13\percent before the bell on Thursday after the\telecommunications equipment maker posted a wider quarterly net\loss but forecast further revenue growth in the current\quarter.


BoE Holds UK Rates at 4.75 Percent (Reuters) Reuters - British interest rates stayed at 4.75\percent for the fourth month running on Thursday, but\economists are split over whether the Bank of England will\raise borrowing costs again next year.


Judgment at Hand in Landmark Berlusconi Trial (Reuters) Reuters - Judges in the corruption trial of Prime\Minister Silvio Berlusconi withdrew on Thursday to decide their\verdict, which could hobble the Italian leader's political\future.


NATO Struggles to Find Troops for Missions (AP) AP - NATO foreign ministers pledged Thursday to speed the expansion of alliance peacekeeping in Afghanistan and boost military training for Iraq, but failed to come up immediately with the troops for both operations.


Two policemen killed, three injured in Kashmir rebel attack (AFP) AFP - Two policemen were killed and three injured in a Muslim rebel attack on their camp in Indian Kashmir, police said.


Stocks Seen Lower with Chips Getting Hit  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures pointed to a lower  market open on Thursday, weighed down by rising oil prices and  sales warnings in the chip sector, with Wall Street awaiting  weekly jobless claims data.


Sabre Buys Reservation Services Company  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sabre Holdings Corp. TSG.N, owner of  the Travelocity Web site, on Thursday said it agreed to buy  privately held SynXis Corp., a provider of reservation  management services to hotels, for \$40 million.


Lilly Sees Profit Lifted by Newer Drugs  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eli Lilly and Co. LLY.N on Thursday  said it expects earnings in 2005 to rise to between \$3.05 and  \$3.15 per share before special items as growing sales of newer  medicines more than offset disappointing sales of its  top-selling schizophrenia drug.


Judgment at Hand in Landmark Berlusconi Trial  MILAN (Reuters) - Judges in the corruption trial of Prime  Minister Silvio Berlusconi withdrew on Thursday to decide their  verdict, which could hobble the Italian leader's political  future.


Air China raises \$1.07bn in IPO Air China, the biggest and last of China's three large airlines to list on the stock market, prices its float near the top of its  target range.


UK 'discriminated against Roma' The government discriminated against Roma people seeking entry into the UK, the Law Lords rule.


France moves to cut Air France KLM stake France was selling almost half its stake in Air France KLM on Thursday as part of a wider deal which could see its remaining stake cut to below 20 and give staff shares in return for pay cuts.


Kraft to Sell UK Desserts Business Kraft Foods Inc. said Thursday it agreed to sell its UK desserts business to Premier Foods PLC for \$135 million. Kraft said the transaction, which is subject to required approvals, is expected to close in the first quarter of 2005.


Where #39;s the market for Sun #39;s pay-as-you-go? During his keynote at Oracle OpenWorld, Sun CEO Scott McNealy talked up the company #39;s pay-as-you-go strategy, which is one of the bigger


EU stalls over lifting China arms embargo China urged the European Union yesterday to end  quot;political discrimination quot; and resume its arms trade, but failed to secure a clear commitment on the timing of such a move.


Costco Posts Higher First-Quarter Profit (Reuters) Reuters - Costco Wholesale Corp. , the\largest U.S. warehouse club, posted a 21 percent increase in\quarterly profit on Thursday.


Hyatt, Gripped by Family Lawsuit, Buys AmeriSuites (Update1) Hyatt Corp., the Chicago-based hotelier owned by the infighting Pritzker family, agreed to buy the AmeriSuites chain of 143 hotels to tap rising demand from corporate travelers for upscale self-service rooms.


Opel to cut 9,500 German jobs RUESSELSHEIM - US automotive giant General Motors aims to slash 9,500 jobs at its German subsidiary Opel, but payroll cuts will come without compulsory redundancies, Opel #39;s top workers representative said on Thursday.


Amazon UK rents DVDs Amazon UK has entered the DVD rental business in a bid to cash-in on this growing sector of the entertainment industry. For 7.99 a month, subscribers can have two movies at home at one time, with a total of four DVD rentals a month.


Steelers' Roethlisberger Misses Practice (AP) AP - Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger didn't appear concerned about missing Sunday's game against the Jets despite sitting out Wednesday's practice with a sore quadriceps.


Nintendo Raises DS Target on Demand From US, Women (Update1) Nintendo Co., the world #39;s biggest maker of hand-held game machines, raised its shipment forecast for its new handheld console by 40 percent for this year on demand from the US and female gamers in Japan.


Trojan horse program masquerades as anti-spam screensaver Get INQ7 breaking news on your Smart mobile phone in the Philippines. Send INQ7 BREAKING to 386. PARIS, France -- A virus that spies on keystrokes and downloads passwords and bank account details is circulating


Ganguly urges teammates to worry about matches, not records (AFP) AFP - Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly has asked his team to concentrate on the game rather than look for personal records during a two-Test series against Bangladesh.


Neville: We fear no one PHIL Neville insists Manchester United don #39;t fear anyone in the Champions League last 16 and declared:  quot;Bring on the Italians.


Clijsters rejects reports she will not make Australia Kim Clijsters is still hopeful of making next month #39;s Australian Open despite reports she would not be fit. Tournament chief Paul McNamee said on Wednesday that last


Red Bull and David Coulthard Last time we checked the Pitpass statistics, David Coulthard had driven in 175 Grands Prix, covering almost eleven seasons. In that time the Scot has accumulated 475 points, an average of 2.714 point a race, 13 wins, 12 pole positions and 18 fastest laps.


Passing the torch Calgary Sun. Dan Marino wouldn #39;t swap his collection of NFL records and Hall-of-Fame nomination for the world. Not even for that elusive Super Bowl victory.


Japan extends SDF deployment in Iraq by one year TOKYO - Japan on Thursday extended the Self-Defense Forces mission in Iraq for a year through Dec 14, 2005. The cabinet endorsed the extension of the deployment of up to 600 ground troops in Iraq after the


Iraqis Float Staggered Vote Idea (CBS/AP) Iraq #39;s Interior Ministry on Wednesday threw its weight behind a reported suggestion by Prime Minister Ayad Allawi to hold next month #39;s national elections over several days, rather than just one.


Rescuers Dig at Philippine Ruins After Saving Four Philippine rescuers pulled four survivors from the rubble of a collapsed building and dug furiously for others on Thursday, 10 days after a fierce storm devastated several eastern and northern provinces.


One in 10 families 'pays bribes' Ten per cent of people say they or a member of their household paid a bribe in the past year, a survey suggests.


Air China raises \$1.07bn in IPO Air China, the biggest airline in China, raised \$1.07bn (558m), after pricing its flotation near the top of its range, sources said.


Hyatt buying AmeriSuites for about \$600M CHICAGO -- The Pritzker family #39;s Hyatt Corp. said Thursday it plans to buy the AmeriSuites hotel chain from Blackstone Group in a deal reportedly worth more than \$600 million.


U.N. Urges Expansion of Tsunami Warning System to Indian Ocean A tsunami warning system should be in place in South Asia and Southeast Asia within a year, the U.N. said.


Frayed Nerves and Aftershocks Create Panic in Southern Asia Three aftershocks ultimately led to officials in India issuing what amounted to a false alarm.


Amazon challenges DVD rental market with lower rates LONDON - Amazon.co.uk is taking on the crowded UK DVD online rental market with a new offering that will undercut current prices by as much as 30.


UK October Trade Deficit in Goods Widens to 5.3 Bln Pounds The UK #39;s global trade deficit in goods widened to a nine-month high in October as imports rose to a record and exports to countries outside of the European Union declined.


Tsunami Group Will Expand Its Network Officials in charge of the existing international tsunami warning system, have taken an initial step to broaden the network to the Indian Ocean and other possible trouble spots.


NASA urged to send shuttle to Hubble Astronauts, not robots, should fix the Hubble Space Telescope, says a new report by the US National Research Council (NRC). That conclusion is directly at odds with NASA, which is opposed to a human mission


Nintendo Ups DS Console Shipment Target Nintendo Co. Ltd. raised its 2004 shipment target for its DS handheld video game device by 40 percent to 2.8 million units on Thursday after many stores in Japan and


Players, Fans Face Charges in NBA Brawl Description: Criminal charges are filed against five Indiana Pacers players and seven Detroit Pistons fans for their roles in a violent melee at an NBA game last month.


One game of true passion on a night of fakes With the stirring exception of Liverpool versus Olympiakos, where both sides fought to exhaustion to try to qualify for the second round, the last set of matches in the group stage was another night of shameful collusion in the Champions League - another


Disappointed Delneri Says  #39;Arrivederci Champions #39; At the end of yesterdays match against Real Madrid, a sad Luigi Delneri reflected on what has been a terrible Champions League campaign for the Giallorossi.


NHL Players, Owners to Meet in Bid to Salvage Season National Hockey League owners will meet with representatives from the players union on Thursday in what is seen as a final bid to end a lockout and save the NHL season.


Pakistan recovers after shaky start. The Western Warriors are in a good position after day 1 against Pakistan at the WACA. The Warriors are 1/20 at stumps, 242 runs behind Pakistans first innings total.


Canada Confirms 2nd Case of Mad Cow A final laboratory test has confirmed that an Alberta dairy cow had mad cow disease, the second case Canada has found in its herd.


Nations losing world hunger fight, report says Rome- The world is losing the battle against hunger, with the number of malnourished people in developing nations growing to more than 800 million and rising, according to a UN report Wednesday.


Kashmir bus talks to continue India and Pakistan have been unable to agree on starting a bus service between the capitals of divided Kashmir in two days of talks which have ended


Jobless Claims Rise Unexpectedly (Reuters) Reuters - The number of Americans filing\initial claims for jobless pay grew unexpectedly last week to\357,000, Labor Department data showed on Thursday, but an\official said an increase in the week after a public holiday\was typical.


Jobless Claims at Highest Level Since Sept. (AP) AP - New claims for jobless benefits moved higher last week, a possible sign that employers haven't completely let go of their caution and are looking to cut costs.


Costco Posts Higher First-Quarter Profit  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Costco Wholesale Corp. COST.O, the  largest U.S. warehouse club, posted a 21 percent increase in  quarterly profit on Thursday.


Before-the-Bell: Nortel, Ciena Gain  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Nortel Networks Corp. NT.N  rose 3.7 percent before the bell on Thursday after the telecoms  equipment maker put a specific date, Jan. 10, on when it will  start filing its much-delayed restatement of financial results.


Weekly Jobless Claims Rise Again New claims for jobless benefits moved higher last week, a possible sign that employers haven't completely let go of their caution and are looking to cut costs.


Hyatt to Buy AmeriSuites Hotel Chain  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hyatt Corp. on Thursday said it agreed  to buy AmeriSuites, an upscale limited-service hotel chain that  it said would complement its full-service portfolio.


McDonald's Sales Climb 4.2 Percent  CHICAGO (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp. MCD.N on Thursday  said sales at its namesake restaurants open at least 13 months  rose 4.2 percent in November as U.S. results were boosted by an  "Incredibles" Happy Meal tie-in.


Air China raises \$1 billion in share offering HONG KONG Air China, the nation #39;s biggest international carrier, has raised 8.36 billion Hong Kong dollars, or \$1.08 billion, in an initial public offering after pricing its shares at the high end of a target range, bankers involved in the sale said


John Player to lay off 90 workers The tobacco firm John Player  amp; Sons has announced plans to lay off 90 workers at its cigarette factory in Dublin. The company said it was planning a phased closure of the factory between now and February as part of a review of its global operations.


Salvation Army donations are down Charles Burnett was ringing a bell in front of the Wal-Mart in Fairmount. It was Burnetts first day, but the Salvation Army has stationed volunteers by red kettles for more than a hundred years.


Oracle revises PeopleSoft intentions At its user conference yesterday, Oracle continued to send out mixed messages about how it will support PeopleSoft products if it succeeds in its \$9.2bn (4.8bn) takeover bid for its rival.


UK trade deficit grows The UK trade deficit widened to 5.3bn in October after imports hit their highest level since records began, official data showed today.


China Bans a New Computer Video Game (AP) AP - China has banned a new computer game for referring to Taiwan and other regions claimed by China as separate countries.


GM Europe to Cut 12,000 Jobs in Deal (AP) AP - General Motors Corp.'s European unit Thursday announced a deal that will allow the struggling automaker to cut up to 12,000 jobs  #151; most of them in Germany, where it will offer generous incentives for employees to leave.


Coming Soon to an Inbox Near You: 'Spiritual Spam' (Reuters) Reuters - Internet users praying for salvation\from junk mail face a new torment -- "Spiritual Spam."


Sale of IBM unit doesn't mean ThinkPads will cease to exist (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - This week, IBM said it is selling off most of its PC division to Lenovo, China's No. 1 PC maker. The news is likely to rattle IBM customers - but it may end up benefiting them long term. USA TODAY reporter Michelle Kessler answers some questions many IBM customers are asking:


Mobile Phone Users Double Since 2000 (Reuters) Reuters - Mobile phone subscribers around the\globe totaled nearly 1.5 billion by the middle of this year,\about one quarter of the world's population, the International\Telecommunication Union (ITU) said on Thursday.


Nintendo President Plays Down Sony Handset The president of Japanese game maker Nintendo Co. shrugged off the threat from rival Sony #39;s entry into the handheld video game business Thursday, saying his company is targeting a different market of novice players.


Microsoft Schedules Second Longhorn Event Microsoft has set a date for a second Longhorn-themed Professional Developers Conference (PDC). The event will be held in September 2005, almost two years after the company first detailed the Windows XP successor at the 2003 PDC.


Technology ; Kazaa talked to record firms about music swaps <b>...</b> Technology News, SYDNEY, Kazaa, the world #39;s most popular Internet file-swapping system, told a court on Thursday it was worried about users exchanging unauthorised files and held talks with record companies in the United States about the problem.


Microsoft Schedules Second Longhorn Event (PC World) PC World - Conference will allow developers to examine, discuss the successor to Windows XP.


Leiter leaves Mets Al Leiter heard all the right things from the Florida Marlins. That was the reason he chose to move south and leave the New York Mets.


Vince hurt as Raps bow in OT As the Raptors were falling 90-86 in overtime to the defending champion Detroit Pistons last night before a sellout crowd of 22,076 at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich.


IBM Reassures Workers After Milestone China Deal (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Dec. 8 -- During an IBM employee meeting here Wednesday, a worker got up and asked a question that perhaps only 10 years ago would have been unthinkable: If he wanted to keep his job helping to design some of the world's most advanced computers, would he have to move to China?


Unicef report: 1bn children suffering More than half the world #39;s children are suffering extreme effects of poverty, war and HIV/Aids, denying them a healthy and safe childhood, according to a report published today.


Worst Oil Spill in Five Years Off S. China Coast (Reuters) Reuters - Two container ships collided and\spilled some 450 tons of fuel oil off China's southern coast,\the country's worst oil spill in five years, a maritime\official said on Thursday.


Suspected Explosives Found Before Taiwan Election  TAIPEI (Reuters) - Police found four packages of suspected  explosives at the Taiwan capital's main railway station on  Thursday, triggering a bomb scare days before a hotly contested  legislative election.


Opposition supporters leave tent camp in Kyiv, but many plan to stay (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Demonstrators removed blockades near the government building in Ukraine's capital on Thursday, signalling a further decrease in tensions following parliament's adoption of electoral and constitutional changes ahead of a repeat presidential runoff vote.


Players, Owners to Meet in Bid to Save NHL Season  TORONTO (Reuters) - National Hockey League owners will meet  with representatives from the players union on Thursday in what  is seen as a final bid to end a lockout and save the NHL  season.


Tyson Arrested in Arizona  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Sports Network) - Former heavyweight  champion Mike Tyson was arrested after allegedly jumping on the  hood of a car outside a nightclub.


Glaus Headed to Arizona??  PHOENIX (Sports Network) - Free agent third baseman Troy  Glaus is reportedly headed to the Arizona Diamondbacks.


Els Makes Flawless Start in Dunhill  MALELANE, South Africa (Reuters) - A faultless 67 left  South Africa's Ernie Els one shot off the pace after the first  round of the Dunhill Championship at the Leopard Creek Country  Club on Thursday.


Oil Rises as OPEC Considers Supply Cut Oil prices rose for the second day in a row on Thursday as several OPEC ministers called for the cartel to stop producing more oil than its official target.


Paris to sell 700 million of its stake in Air France The French government is selling 17.7 percent of Air France-KLM Group, Europe #39;s biggest airline, taking advantage of an increase in the carrier #39;s shares as oil prices decline, the managers of the sale said on Thursday.


GM Europe Axes 12,000 Jobs General Motors Europe will chop 12,000 jobs over two years -- around a fifth of its workforce -- to lop 500 million euros (\$673 million


US Data Suggest Job-Market Recovery Losing Steam Wall Street had expected a drop in new unemployment claims. The prediction of economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires and CNBC was a decline of 14,000 claims.


Lilly:  #39;05 Profit Driven by Newer Drugs Eli Lilly and Co. (LLY.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday said it expects 2005 earnings to rise as higher sales of its newer drugs offset a decline in its top-selling schizophrenia drug Zyprexa.


Costco profits rise, but stock falls in early trading ISSAQUAH, Wash. -- Discount retailing giant Costco Wholesale Corp. said Thursday that profits grew 21 percent in its fiscal first quarter, thanks to higher sales and more revenue from membership fees.


US Economy: Import Prices, Initial Jobless Claims Rise The costs of imported goods rose less in November than a month earlier, restrained by a drop in petroleum prices that may help boost consumer spending and the US economy.


Agree with Target #39;s ban of Salvation Army bell ringers? For the past decade, the Salvation Armys familiar red kettles represented the sole exception to Targets (TGT, news, msgs) no-solicitation policy.


McDonald #39;s Same-Store Sales Rise in Nov. McDonald #39;s Corp. said Thursday that global comparable-restaurant sales, or sales at restaurants open at least 13 months, rose 4.2 percent in November.


Hyatt Books AmeriSuites Acquisition CHICAGO -- Hyatt Corp. said Thursday it will purchase the 143-unit AmeriSuites hotel chain from affiliates of The Blackstone Group.


Disney backs Sonys Blu-ray DVD format The battle to set the standard for next-generation digital recording media took another twist on Thursday with the announcement that Walt Disney would launch titles on the Blu-ray Disc format promoted by Sony and Matsushita.


Decoded chicken genome reveals common ancestors for birds and <b>...</b> Health India: Washington, Dec 9 : In a breakthrough revelation, scientists have succeeded in unveiling the genomic sequence of the chicken, thus bridging the gap between the genomes already obtained from mammals and other organisms which may help them


Linux-based Palms on the way  quot;Future Palm devices may run Linux, thanks to a surprise purchase by PalmSource. The company, which makes the operating software for the PalmOne devices (notably the Treo smartphones), intends to buy China


Nintendo DS Proves Popular Sales of the Nintendo DS handheld gaming device are going better than expected, prompting Nintendo to raise its full-year shipment forecast, the company #39;s president says.


Experts call on NASA to save Hubble with shuttle mission NASA should launch a shuttle mission to save the Hubble Space Telescope because its plan to use a robot to repair the instrument is unlikely to work, a panel of experts convened by the National Research Council recommended yesterday.


New virus camouflaged as screensaver A virus that spies on keystrokes and downloads passwords and bank account details is circulating among emails, masquerading as a screensaver designed by internet portal Lycos to attack stammers, a watchdog warned on Thursday.


Hollywood nails Kaleidescape The MPAA #39;s DVD Copy Control Association (DVDCCA), owner of the ineffective DVD  #39;copy-protection #39; technology, is after a firm called Kaleidescape because, claim the studios, Kaleidescape #39;s \$27,000 jukebox illegally makes copies of DVDs.


Kazaa  #39;worried about piracy #39; Kazaa, the internet #39;s most popular file-swapping system, told a court in Sydney yesterday that it was worried about users exchanging unauthorised files and had held talks with record companies in the United States.


Brazil accounts for 3 percent of emissions of greenhouse gases in <b>...</b> _ The burning and deforestation of Brazil #39;s vast Amazon rain forest causes nearly 3 percent of the world #39;s greenhouse gas emissions, according to a government report released Wednesday.


Big Kuiper Belt object got a face-lift The ammonia and crystalline ice would be destroyed in about 10 million years, quot; Jewitt says.  quot;This implies Quaoar gets recoated on that time scale or faster.


Say hello to Yahoo on your handphone real soon THE online search giant Yahoo wants to make a debut on the small screens of handphone users soon. Yahoo has acquired WUF Networks, a small start-up with technology which aims to let consumers move their songs


Siemens sets wireless speed record with OFDM German electronics manufacturer Siemens has set what it claims to be the fastest-ever wireless connection. At its research lab in Munich, Siemens achieved a transmission speed of 1gbps by combining an intelligent


Another delay for Oracle Collaboration Suite update Oracle has postponed the delivery of a major update to its Collaboration Suite until mid-2005, which will add instant messaging and voice-over-IP capabilities, and offer content management features.


Pacers to Appeal Suspensions (New York City-December 9, 2004) - Two days of grievance hearings stemming from the November Pacers-Pistons brawl are unfolding in New York City.


Clijsters expected to miss Aussie Open Melbourne, Australia (Sports Network) - Former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters continues to recover from a wrist injury and is not expected to play in next month #39;s Australian Open.


Sir Alex:Our kids will come on a ton Sir Alex Ferguson today has no regrets about fielding a second-string side against Fenerbahce. Sanli Tuncay #39;s second-half hat-trick consigned the Red Devils to a 3-0 defeat in Istanbul and, more importantly


Pitch change has Bracewell upset Five days of rain at the Gabba ground and forecasts of more have forced a pitch change for the deciding game Friday in the three-match limited-overs cricket series between Australia and New Zealand.


Glaus joining Diamondbacks: report CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The Arizona Diamondbacks have reportedly signed free-agent third baseman Troy Glaus. The Arizona Republic reported Thursday that Glaus and the Diamondbacks have agreed to a four-year, \$45-million US contract.


Germany #39;s Glagow, Fischer win biathlon events Germany #39;s Martina Glagow won a 15-kilometer biathlon event Thursday for her first World Cup victory this season, and compatriot Sven Fischer won a men #39;s 20-kilometer race.


Teammates unhappy with Bryant regime What were the Lakers thinking this summer when they let Kobe Bryant dictate whom the Lakers acquired in the offseason? Everyone knows that they were desperate to re-sign Bryant, but once you give


IRA: Willing to Disarm, But Photos Impossible IRA guerrillas said on Thursday they would never be  quot;humiliated quot; by the photographing of their final acts of disarmament -- the last sticking point in an Anglo-Irish drive for a Northern Ireland political settlement.


'Mercenaries' appeal in Zimbabwe More than 60 suspected mercenaries are to appeal against their convictions in Zimbabwe over a coup plot.


Sistani unveils electoral alliance, Sadr not on list Iraq #39;s Shiite Muslims led by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani on Thursday unveiled a broadly based electoral alliance which excludes radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.


Survivors rescued after 10 days MANILA, Philippines -- As the confirmed death toll from devastating storms in the Philippines rises to more than 840, rescuers have pulled at least four survivors from a building that collapsed in mudslides 10 days ago.


Koizumi will keep Japanese in Iraq TOKYO The cabinet of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi decided Thursday to extend the mission of Japanese troops in Iraq despite the growing opposition of voters, political opponents and members of his own party.


Europe and China: keeping pace with a growing giant The European Union #39;s arms embargo against China was the focus of nearly all the attention at Wednesday #39;s political summit in The Hague between the EU and China.


Palestinian candidate says Israeli soldiers beat him Democracy activist Mustafa Barghouti who joins the Palestinian presidential race told reporters on Thursday that he and his bodyguards were beaten by Israeli soldiers on a roadblock in the northern West Bank.


Zimbabwe curbs rights groups Zimbabwe's parliament passes a controversial bill banning international rights groups from working in the country.


Serbian church sues over Kosovo Serbia's Orthodox Church files a lawsuit accusing the UK, France, Germany and Italy of failing to protect churches in Kosovo.


Hello! appeals in Zeta Jones case Hello! magazine is to appeal against damages awarded to its rival OK! over Catherine Zeta Jones' wedding photos.


Jobless Claims Up, Import Prices Gain (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. jobless claims unexpectedly\rose again last week in more worrying news for the labor\market, government data showed on Thursday, while other data\offered some positive signals for America's economy.


Jobless Claims Up, Import Prices Gain  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. jobless claims unexpectedly  rose again last week in more worrying news for the labor  market, government data showed on Thursday, while other data  offered some positive signals for America's economy.


Global Growth Key to Beer Wars Anheuser-Busch teams up with Vietnam's largest brewer, laying the groundwork for future growth in the region.


Hamm, Foudy Retire From Women's Soccer Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy closed out their remarkable careers with the U.S. women's soccer team in style Wednesday night, cheered on by droves of young girls in a 5-0 victory over Mexico.


Dollar Rises, Investors Eye Yields  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rose on Thursday as  traders, short of dollars after relentlessly selling them for  weeks, looked to the growing yield advantage of U.S. assets as  a reason to buy back the currency before the end of the year.


Tech Stocks Tumble After Chip Makers Warn  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Thursday, hit by a  sharp drop in technology shares following a slew of sales  warnings from semiconductor makers, and as oil prices rose  nearly \$1 a barrel.


Hyatt to Buy AmeriSuites Hotel Chain  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hyatt Corp. on Thursday said it agreed  to buy AmeriSuites, an upscale limited-service hotel chain that  it hopes will complement its full-service portfolio.


Showtime for Martha Next year will bring a brand new Martha Stewart show, but it's not as daring as it could have been.


Is D B Down and Broken? Dave   Buster's has a lethargic quarter, but the calendar proves that the third quarters are always slow at D B.


Kos Sinks, Generic Drug Blamed  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Shares of Kos Pharmaceuticals Inc.  KOSP.O slumped 8 percent on Thursday after an analyst  suggested Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. BRL.N could launch a  copycat version of a key Kos drug earlier than expected.


Japan  Extends Its Military Presence in Iraq Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's cabinet agreed Thursday to extend the deployment of Japan's 600 non-combat troops in Iraq for up to one year despite widespread public opposition and condemnations by political opponents.


OPEC Warns Oil Supply Cuts Needed for 2005
\

 By Peg Mackey and Francois Murphy

 CAIRO (Reuters) - OPEC oil producers said on Thursday that\Friday's ministerial meeting would focus on halting oversupply\to bolster falling prices and that the cartel would have to\reduce output quotas early next year.


UK imports at record high The UK's trade gap widens sharply from 4.4bn to 5.3bn, as imports hit 21.5bn, the highest monthly level since records began.


China officials halt Playboy club Business regulators in Shanghai turn down an application for a Playboy nightclub complex in the city.


UK to launch Parliamentary inquiry into future e-voting The U.K. government will launch a Parliamentary inquiry next year into the practicalities of electronic voting.


Bomb Explodes in Argentine Branch of Citibank

 BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) - A small bomb explodedearly on Thursday in an Argentine branch of Citibank but nobodywas injured, police said.


Venezuelan President Approves Media Law A law that gives the government control over the content of radio and television programs in Venezuela took effect Thursday.


Folgers lifts ground coffee prices 14 Folgers, a brand of Procter  amp; Gamble (PG), raised the price of its roast-and-ground coffee on Thursday, affecting about 75 of the company #39;s retail coffee line.


Tech Stocks Tumble After Chip Makers Warn US stocks fell on Thursday, hit by a sharp drop in technology shares following a slew of sales warnings from semiconductor makers, and as oil prices rose nearly \$1 a barrel.


Jobless Claims Up, Import Prices Gain US jobless claims unexpectedly rose again last week in more worrying news for the labor market while prices for imported goods grew in November, government data showed on Thursday.


Bring on the big boys, says Bayern #39;s Magath Bayern Munich manager Felix Magath admits he is unconcerned who his side face in the last sixteen of the Champions League, claiming the 18-time German champions are capable of beating anyone.


Tyson arrested for beating car POLICE have arrested former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson for allegedly jumping on the bonnet of a car outside a nightclub. The car #39;s driver Asaf Alikadic, 22, told police he had left the club and stopped


Arms to Pak: India conveys concerns to US India today conveyed to the US its concern over repercussions of American arms supplies to Pakistan on the ongoing Indo-Pak dialogue and its impact on the positive sentiments for Washington in this country.


ANNAN #39;S FUTURE: Remains up in the air with scandal When US Secretary of State Colin L. Powell met Secretary-General Kofi Annan last month at an Egyptian summit on Iraq, the two old friends shook hands.


Nintendo boss slams PSP as DS shipment target is raised Sony #39;s forthcoming PlayStation Portable handheld will fail to attract newcomers to gaming, according to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, whose comments come as shipment targets for the DS are raised once again.


Humans favoured for Hubble rescue Shuttle astronauts would do a better job of upgrading the ailing Hubble Space Telescope than robots, a panel of space experts has said.


Samsung shipping samples of 512Mbit GDDR3 Samsung Electronics has begun shipping samples of 512Mbit GDDR3 chips targeting the high-end graphics-card and the game-console markets.


Angulo apology for Valencia fracas Valencia midfielder Miguel Angel Angulo has joined coach Claudio Ranieri in apologizing for his behavior during the bad-tempered Champions League match against Werder Bremen, daily Marca reported on Thursday.


Saudis call for delays in output cuts Saudi Arabia is urging global oil stocks be increased before the world #39;s crude oil cartel consider cutting output. Members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries


MP Offers to Photograph IRA Decommissioning Maverick Labour MP Austin Mitchell today offered to use his photographic skills to end the impasse in the Northern Ireland peace process.


Iraqi Shiites unveil broadly based electoral alliance BAGHDAD, Dec 9 (AFP) - Iraq #39;s majority Shiite Muslims on Thursday unveiled a broad alliance ahead of next month #39;s key elections that is backed by their highest religious leader but which excludes radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.


Middle East ; Israeli airstrike wounds three Palestinians in Gaza Middle East News, Three Palestinian fighters were injured in an Israeli missile strike on their car in the southern Gaza Strip, witnesses and medics said on Thursday.


Tyco International Ups Dividend Tyco International (TYC:NYSE - news - research) Thursday reaffirmed guidance and said its board had approved a dividend increase. The Bermuda-based conglomerate said the quarterly dividend will increase to


Mozilla tries to emulate Firefox success with email client. Mozilla the company behind the overnight success Firefox 1.0 has launched an email client to go up against Microsofts Outlook Express email client.


Samsung doubles graphics memory density Samsung Electronics said today that it has made a memory manufacturing breakthrough that allows it to produce a graphics memory chip that is faster than any other on the market.


Yahoo buys start-up to boost mobile Yahoo on Tuesday confirmed it acquired a start-up last month called Wuf Networks that produces technology to let people transfer digital files onto mobile devices.


Charges filed in connection with brawl Seven fans have now been charged along with five Indiana Pacers players in the Nov. 19 brawl at a Detroit Pistons NBA game. Players Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, David Harrison and Anthony Johnson are charged with one count of assault and battery.


BENITEZ OUT TO KEEP GERRARD Rafael Benitez has told his ambitious skipper Steven Gerrard that he can achieve all of his dreams at Liverpool. The Anfield manager understands fully Gerrard #39;s dilemma as the England midfielder contemplates


Biathlon stars gather at Holmenkollen Norway #39;s biathlon queen lost more grip on her reign Thursday. The world #39;s top biathlon athletes gathered in Oslo for World Cup competition due to last through the weekend.


Oil firm chief in Singapore free on bail Scandal-hit Chen Jiuling, the suspended chief of Singapore-based China Aviation Oil (CAO) was questioned by local police for a second straight day yesterday as the investigation


SPX shakes up leadership: Blystone out, Johnson in The SPX Corp. Board of Directors accepted the resignation and retirement of Chairman, President and CEO John Blystone. The now Charlotte NC-based SPX -- which for years was the Sealed Power Corp.


McDonald #39;s posts another monthly sales gain, led by US OAK BROOK, Ill. Oak Brook-based McDonald #39;s is reporting a solid four-point-two percent gain in worldwide comparable sales for November and a 20th straight monthly increase for its US business.


Bank of England holds interest rates The Bank of England left the cost of borrowing unchanged at 4.75 per cent on Thursday after data had shown a slowdown in the housing market, slowing consumer


November import prices rise 0.2, more than expected The price of goods imported into the United States in November rose 0.2, slightly more than expected, a Labor Department report showed on Thursday, as increases in non-petroleum prices hit a 10-month high.


India to take on Bangladesh India #39;s first Test against Bangladesh begins on Friday in Dhaka and already all the talk is not on whether India will win but when.


Sky is the limit The movement of oil prices this year, both in the international and local markets, has consistently maintained an upward trend causing hysteria in the global oil market.


China/New York IBM deal reflects global realignment International Business Machines Corp. Tuesday agreed to sell its personal computer business to China #39;s largest computer manufacturer, backing out of a market the venerable technology


The future in your pocket The next 12 months look like they are going to be a lot of fun if you are a geek or gadget fan.


Car bomber hits central Baghdad A suicide bomber blows up his car near the party headquarters of interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.


Sony announces Disney Blu-Ray support The next generation battle is heating up even further today with the announcement that Disney will be releasing its movies on the Blu-Ray format rather than Toshibas HD-DVD format.


Car Bomb Blast Near Allawi HQ in Baghdad  BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) - A suicide car bomber targeted a  police checkpoint on a road leading to the headquarters of  Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's party in western Baghdad on  Monday, killing at least two people, officials and witnesses  said.


China bans video game for allegedly offending Chinese sovereignty? <b>...</b> China has banned British computer game  quot;Football Manager 2005, quot; saying it violated Chinese law by referring to Taiwan, Hong Kong and other regions claimed by China as separate countries.


Samsung Samples First 512Mbit GDDR3 Seoul, South Korea-based Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has begun shipping a 512Mbit GDDR2 memory device, one it claims is the most advanced graphics double-data-rate synchronous DRAM available.


The US Approach to Climate Change There is a major UN climate change meeting underway in Buenos Aires: the tenth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-10).


Frazier Advances at ASB Women's Classic (AP) AP - Top-seeded Amy Frazier advanced to the second round of the ASB Women's Classic on Monday with a 6-3, 6-3 win over fellow American Laura Granville.


IBM Sale Reflects Unease in Personal Computer Sector  quot;Every PC maker has to deal with this, one way or another, quot; International Data Corp. analyst Roger Kay said. The problem is that it #39;s difficult to make money on PCs today, given how cutthroat competition has driven down prices.


DVD-copying system sparks legal battle It #39;s a clash between the film industry and a consumer electronics company -- over a home theatre jukebox. The legal battle is over something called the Kaleidescape System.


Koeman wields Ajax captaincy axe Ajax coach Ronald Koeman has sacked Rafael van der Vaart as club captain and replaced him with Czech international Tomas Galasek, the team said.


New Trouble for Mike Tyson (New York- WABC, December 9, 2004 ) - Boxer Mike Tyson has had another run in with the law. Tyson was released yesterday after his arrest in Arizona.


US soldier killed, three wounded in Afghanistan ambush (AFP) AFP - An American soldier has been killed and three others wounded in an ambush in eastern Afghanistan, in the second fatality suffered by US forces in the country in as many days, the US military said.


Stocks fall on worrisome news NEW YORK An unexpected jump in unemployment claims and rising oil prices have stocks losing ground. Also, tech stocks are tumbling on poor sales forecasts from a pair of semiconductor makers.


Rumsfeld Visits India, Delhi Frets on Arms Sales (Reuters) Reuters - The United States will build stronger\defense ties with India, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld\vowed on Thursday, but New Delhi said proposed U.S. arms sales\to Pakistan could affect relations with Washington.


Sonics Move Into Tie for NBA's Best Record (AP) AP - The surprising Seattle SuperSonics stopped the San Antonio Spurs' long winning streak at home and moved into a tie for the NBA victory lead.


Envoy Complains of 'Anti-French Neurosis' in Israel (Reuters) Reuters - France's ambassador to Israel\criticized Israelis on Thursday for what he called "anti-French\neurosis," drawing a rebuke from the Jewish state and touching\off a new diplomatic row between the two countries.


Khartoum, Darfur Rebels Split on Peace Chances (Reuters) Reuters - Sudan's government said on Thursday it\hoped to reach a peace deal in talks resuming on Friday with\rebels in Darfur, where the United Nations says one of the\world's worst humanitarian crises has unfolded.


US defence secretary sidesteps India's concern over F16s for Pakistan (AFP) AFP - US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld met Indian leaders but sidestepped controversy after New Delhi urged Washington not to sell F-16 fighter planes to rival Pakistan.


Powell Says He Won't Run for Office (AP) AP - Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday he won't seek political office, dismissing suggestions that he run for governor or senator in New York.


Bush: No Payroll Tax Hike for Soc. Sec. (AP) AP - President Bush on Thursday flatly ruled out raising payroll taxes to ensure the solvency of Social Security, as he opened a push for historic changes in the retirement program.


Nobel Peace Prize Winner Maathai Answers Critics  OSLO (Reuters) - Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari  Maathai dismissed critics on Thursday who say ecology has too  little to do with peace to merit the award. She said most wars  are fought over natural resources.


NATO, Russia Deny 'Cold War' Rift on Ukraine  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Former Cold War foes NATO and Russia  on Thursday played down weeks of tension over rigged  presidential poll results in Ukraine and issued a joint call  for free and fair elections at the end of the month.


Envoy Complains of 'Anti-French Neurosis' in Israel  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - France's ambassador to Israel  criticized Israelis on Thursday for what he called "anti-French  neurosis," drawing a rebuke from the Jewish state and touching  off a new diplomatic row between the two countries.


Khartoum, Darfur Rebels Split on Peace Chances  KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan's government said on Thursday it  hoped to reach a peace deal in talks resuming on Friday with  rebels in Darfur, where the United Nations says one of the  world's worst humanitarian crises has unfolded.


Crude Oil Rises as OPEC Ministers Call for a Production Cut Crude oil rose for a second day on speculation that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries will call for a production cut at a meeting tomorrow.


France Cuts Air France KLM Stake France shed almost half of its 44 percent stake in Air France KLM on Thursday, kicking off a wider deal that could see its remaining stake cut to below


Air China raises \$8.3b with high-end price Air China, the country #39;s largest airline, will raise HK\$8.36 billion after pricing its Hong Kong and London initial public offering (IPO) at the high end of its price range, sources said.


Jobless Claims Up, Import Prices Gain US jobless claims unexpectedly rose again last week in more worrying news for the labor market, government data showed on Thursday, while other data offered more positive signals for America #39;s economy.


Study: Chicken Genome Fills Crucial Knowledge Gap  quot;The chicken genome fills a crucial gap in our scientific knowledge, quot; says Francis Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute.


HP revamps midrange storage line DECEMBER 09, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Hewlett-Packard Co. yesterday announced several upgrades to its midrange storage products, including disk-to-disk or disk-to-tape backup functionality with its StorageWorks


Champions League: Group B review - Real Madrid Figo out how to <b>...</b> Three teams went into Matchday 6 with an opportunity to qualify from Group B, with the big question being whether superstar-infested Real Madrid would be one of those to make it.


Clijsters likely to miss Australian Open CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters is not expected to play in next month #39;s Australian Open tennis tournament as she continues to recover from wrist surgery.


#39;US arms to Islamabad could impact India-Pakistan ties #39; (LEADS <b>...</b> India News: New Delhi, Dec 9 : India Thursday expressed concern at a US decision to sell sophisticated weapons to Pakistan, saying it would adversely affect the  quot;sensitive quot; India-Pakistan peace process as well as growing India-US ties.


Disney Joins Blu-Ray Team The entertainment company plans to release movies through Sony's HD DVD format. Also: France sells off stakes in Air France   hellip;.  GM in Europe announces future cuts   hellip;. and more.


Semiconductor Sector Sends Stocks Lower US stocks fell on Thursday, led by a decline in the technology sector following a batch of sales warnings from chip makers and a jump in oil prices to nearly \$43 a barrel.


Disney Backs Blu-Ray Format for Its Movies (AP) AP - The Walt Disney Co. plans to release its movies and other content in the Blu-Ray format, one of the two major contenders for next-generation DVDs that will deliver high-definition images to TV sets.


Glaus Agrees to 4-Year Deal With Arizona (AP) AP - All-Star third baseman Troy Glaus agreed Thursday to a four-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who hope the 2002 World Series MVP will rebound from a season cut short by an injured shoulder.


Samsung Doubles Graphics Memory Density The Samsung device has at least twice the density of any graphics memory available today, offering gamers much richer textures and imagery, the electronics giant said.


COULTHARD IMPRESSES IN TESTING David Coulthard was once again on the pace as he tested for Red Bull Racing in the hope of claiming a race seat there next season.


Report: D #39;backs sign Glaus According to a report in the Arizona Republic, the Diamondbacks have signed third baseman Troy Glaus to a four-year contract worth \$45 million.


Els stalks leader in South Africa Ernie Els made the most of his local knowledge with a five-under-par 67 in the first round of the Dunhill Championship. Els, who has a house on the course, carded five birdies and no bogeys after starting at 6:45am local time.


Regardless of age, Oklahoma tailback should win Heisman Trophy Last week I solicited readers #39; opinions about what I should do with my Heisman ballot, and they responded to the tune of more than 1,000 e-mails.


Fans Mourn Slaying of Ex-Pantera Guitarist (AP) AP - Stunned fans of the North Texas-based heavy-metal rock band Damageplan jammed the group's Web site Thursday after a gunman's attack on the band during an Ohio concert left its guitarist and four other people dead.


Powell Attacks European NATO Allies on Iraq (Reuters) Reuters - Secretary of State Colin Powell\accused European allies of undermining NATO on Thursday by\refusing to allow staff seconded to the alliance to take part\in its military training mission in Iraq.


DS success shows public wants 'easy-to-play' video games: Nintendo (AFP) AFP - Nintendo said its new DS hand-held console is beating sales expectations, showing that the public wants easy-to-play video games instead of elaborate high-tech machines.


Blair Said to Seek New Climate Pact with Bush (Reuters) Reuters - British Prime Minister Tony Blair is\trying to involve the United States in a new international\treaty on global warming, The Times newspaper said on Thursday.


Glaus Headed to Arizona  PHOENIX (Sports Network) - The Arizona Diamondbacks made a  big splash in the free-agent market on Thursday by signing  third baseman Troy Glaus to a four-year contract.


Recommended Hubble Repair Mission Gets Measured Response from Congress (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - WASHINGTON -- The nbsp;announcement Wednesday by nbsp;the National Academy of \Sciences that NASA scrap its plan to robotically repair the Hubble Space \Telescope and instead plan a manned shuttle mission for the endeavor was met by \by nbsp;congressional leaders nbsp;with both support and \reservations.


Sharing SETI: A Personal Book List (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - As the holiday season approaches, book lists fill the entertainment sections of newspapers: fiction and non-fiction, prize winners of all sorts, the ubiquitous coffee-table large-format illustrated tomes, and children's literature. For me, it's always a tempting feast. It's an opportunity to expand my personal library or find a gift for someone special.


Opposition Gears Up for New Election Battle  KIEV (Reuters) - NATO and Russia put weeks of tension  behind them to call on Thursday for a free and fair election in  Ukraine as aides of liberal Viktor Yushchenko predicted victory  for their candidate in this month's re-run of a rigged vote.


Court Overturns Nigerian Woman's Stoning Sentence  NINGI, Nigeria (Reuters) - A young Nigerian mother  sentenced to death by stoning for having sex outside marriage  was acquitted and discharged by an Islamic appeals court on  Thursday.


Dungeness Crab You know that winter has descended upon you when the days become long and you can feel the cold in your bones. It is also then that descending upon the west coast of North America, from San Francisco bay up to Alaska, is the Dungeness crab.


Canon loses printer recycling case Refilling, reselling cartridges doesn't violate patents - Tokyo court


Britons growing 'digitally obese' \Gadget lovers are carrying the equivalent of 10 trucks full of paper in weight, a study has found.


Nintendo's DS beats sales target Nintendo raises its sales target for the DS handheld  games console after strong early sales.


GM cuts 10,000 jobs in Germany General Motors' European unit is to cut 10,000 jobs in Germany as part of a plan to save  \$665m (347m) annually.


Mobile Phone Users Double Since 2000  GENEVA (Reuters) - Mobile phone subscribers around the  globe totaled nearly 1.5 billion by the middle of this year,  about one quarter of the world's population, the International  Telecommunication Union (ITU) said on Thursday.


Mickey Mouse Makes a DVD Pick Disney is lining up behind Sony's new high-definition DVD format while other Hollywood players back the rival Toshiba format. Will the format wars scare consumers away from the next generation of DVD players? -washingtonpost.com


Simulation, War's New Teacher Will Interactive is part of a prospering crop of Washington area firms trying to sell interactive training and simulation technologies to the military.-Ellen McCarthy


IBM Stops Offering Cash-Balance Pension International Business Machines Corp., taken to court by workers over changes it made to its traditional pension plan, has decided to stop offering any such plan to new employees.


Musicians Are Making Tracks to Video Games Winning a spot on Madden NFL's soundtrack is a new route to an old audience, as sure a bet as any when it comes to grabbing a prized demographic.


Cell Phones In Flight Considered The Federal Communications Commission is considering loosening a ban on using cell phones in airplanes.


Congress to Back Aid for Internet Schools Congress guaranteed the flow of Internet aid to schools and libraries and provided federal funds to upgrade emergency 911 services for calls from mobile phones in a communications bill approved Wednesday and sent to the president for his signature.


Oracle's Ellison Confident in PeopleSoft Oracle Corp. CEO Larry Ellison reiterated his determination to prevail in a long-running takeover battle with rival business software maker PeopleSoft Inc., predicting the proposed deal will create a more competitive company with improved customer service.


Mobile Phone Users Double Since 2000
\

 By Robert Evans

 GENEVA (Reuters) - Mobile phone subscribers around the\globe totaled nearly 1.5 billion by the middle of this year,\about one quarter of the world's population, the International\Telecommunication Union (ITU) said on Thursday.


Experts Urge People to Unplug Occasionally Katie Achille grew up with the Internet. She was 9 when she first tapped into it - and quickly became an avid e-mailer, Web surfer and sender of instant messages. But when recent computer troubles left her without regular Web access, something unexpected happened: To her surprise, she suddenly felt free.


Waterproof IPod Housing All Wet After you've joined the music revolution and plunked down \$250 for an Apple iPod mini, it's easy to become quite protective of the little gizmo.


Mountaineers to rescue juniper Mountaineers are planting junipers on ledges to prevent them from being eaten by hungry sheep.


Rumsfeld Says He's Not Surprised by Troops' Complaints The defense secretary said today that it was valuable to hear concerns directly from troops, but he offered no changes.


Outsource the CEO! Knight-Ridder's Phil Robinson offers a "right and reasonable" solution to outsourcing.


GM Europe To Cut 12,000 Jobs in Deal The world #39;s largest automaker launched negotiations with European employees after it unveiled the cost-cutting plans in October, triggering days of walkouts at GM #39;s German plants.


Weekly Jobless Claims Rise Again New claims for jobless benefits moved higher last week, a possible sign that employers haven #39;t completely let go of their caution and are looking to cut costs.


Toll Brothers reels in record numbers Toll Brothers Inc. (NYSE:TOL), a developer of luxury homes, reported record fourth-quarter and fiscal-year-end results for earnings, revenue, contracts and backlog.


Hyatt buying AmeriSuites chain The Hyatt hotels company is buying the AmeriSuites chain from its current owner, The Blackstone Group. The companies haven #39;t disclosed the purchase price, but published reports say Hyatt is likely to pay more than \$600 million.


Disney backs Sony DVD technology Film giant Disney says it will produce its future DVDs using Sony #39;s Blu-ray Disc technology, but has not ruled out a rival format developed by Toshiba.


Zingy to Deliver Kanye West, Aaliyah Songs (Reuters) Reuters - Mobile media company Zingy on\Monday said it signed deals to deliver voice recordings by\Grammy-nominated rapper Kanye West and songs from the late R B\singer Aaliyah to mobile phone users.


HP #39;s new offerings expand ILM portfolio New releases of disk, tape and optical storage technologies, and enhanced information management software from HP will extend the company #39;s ILM (Information Lifecycle Management) portfolio.


Troy Glaus agrees to four-year deal with Arizona Diamondbacks All-star third baseman Troy Glaus agreed Thursday to a four-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who hope the 2002 World Series MVP will rebound from a season cut short by an injured shoulder.


Champions League: Group C review - Juve and Bayern in cruise <b>...</b> And so to the terrifyingly dull event that was Matchday 6 in Group C. The only issue to be resolved here was whether it would be Ajax or Maccabi Tel Aviv who would secure the UEFA Cup spot.


Govt clears Chittagong as venue for matches  quot;On the basis of security team #39;s report the Government is advising the BCCI to go-ahead with the matches in Chittagong, quot; a spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs told a news agency.


No. 6 Duke Rallies Past Clemson, 62-54 (AP) AP - J.J. Redick had 20 of his 24 points in the second half and role player Lee Melchionni made two clutch 3-pointers, helping No. 6 Duke rally past Clemson 62-54 Sunday night in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams.


NHL, Union Return To Bargaining Table _ NHL officials and union leaders return to the bargaining table Thursday, marking their first talks since late summer. The players #39; association on Sept.


IRA pledges full disarmament BREAKING months of silence, the Irish Republican Army declared today it was willing to get rid of all its weapons this month - but only if Protestants backed a new power-sharing


One billion kids  #39;miss childhood #39; A report by a kids #39; group says more than half of the children in the world are suffering because of the effects of war, poverty and the HIV virus.


Palestinian car explodes in Gaza, wounding three militants Witnesses and medical officials in Gaza Strip say one Palestinian militant and two of his bodyguards were wounded today when their car exploded.


New GNOME version is available for Linux users A new version of GNOME (GNU Network Object Model Environment) desktop interfaces is now available for download.


Researchers warn laptop users of infertility risk Laptops should be used as desktops if men want to protect their reproductive health, according to a new study published Thursday.


Netline strikes deal with Novell Netline Internet Service on Thursday announced that Novell has agreed to provide global training, maintenance, and support for its Open-Xchange Server product.


Nintendo DS Proves Popular Company says sales of the handheld gaming device are much better than expected.


Disney Backs Blu-ray Standard Company is the latest to pick a side in the battle of high-definition disc formats.


Microsoft Schedules Second Longhorn Event Conference will allow developers to examine, discuss the successor to Windows XP.


Friendster, Eurekster Team Up for Personalized Search Friendster has rolled out a new internet search service powered by Eurekster that taps into your online social network to personalize and enhance search results.


Warm signs detected from distant icy world LONDON - A large, icy rock at the edge of our solar system was warm at some point, a finding that suggests planetary processes like volcanic activity, astronomers say.


Buried under rubble for 10 days RESCUERS in the Philippines yesterday pulled at least four survivors from a building that collapsed in mudslides 10 days ago. The miraculous tale of survival came as officials


Eurekster and Friendster Partner for Friendster Search Engine Eurekster and Friendster Partner for Friendster Search Engine\\Friendster, the social networking community, and Eurekster, the Internet search engine powered by community and social networking technologies, announced the launch of personalized Internet search and navigation services on Friendster networks in eight countries.\\Friendster Search, powered by Eurekster, shows search results that have ...


News: The strange death of the mass mailing virus Mass mailing viruses will go the way of macro viruses and become much rarer next year.


News: Marine Corps deploys Fallujah biometric ID scheme US forces in Iraq are attempting to tame Fallujah with biometric ID, according to an NBC news report broadcast last week.


Mac OS X  #151; Rock Solid  #147;The Macintosh, with its OS X operating system, is rock solid, #148; writes Walt Mossberg for the Wall Street Journal.  #147;It is elegant, and  #151; when you do a feature-by-feature price comparison with Windows competitors  #151; it #146;s surprisingly affordable. #148; Dec 09


What Price Privacy? Tucked away in this week's \$388 billion spending bill is a rule that could put a privacy officer in every federal agency, no matter what its function. By Ryan Singel.


A Gift Guide for Game Geeks Buying a game for a hard-core gamer with an extensive collection is a daunting task. You might be better off opting for one of the myriad accessories, soundtracks or tacky souvenirs designed for gaming fanatics. By Lore Sjberg.


Photo Site a Hit With Bloggers Flickr, an online photo service that lets people share pictures, is gaining a strong following among bloggers and digital camera enthusiasts for its speed, simplicity and open standards. By Daniel Terdiman.


RSS: Show Me the Money Like it or not, ads are coming to RSS. Sending information only to those who want it might be a way to keep subscribers from rioting. Commentary by Adam L. Penenberg.


Panel: Robot Won't Save Hubble A report commissioned by NASA says the space agency won't succeed in its plans to send a robot to repair the ailing Hubble Space Telescope. Send humans instead, the report's authors recommend. By Amit Asaravala.


Getting Burned? Put on a Shirt Sunscreen and floppy hats are the normal tools to fight UV radiation in Australia. Now you can add laundry detergent. By Stephen Leahy.


Why Nerds Are Unpopular If you're too cool for school, you're probably not very smart. Some of us would rather build rockets than friendships. By Paul Graham from Wired magazine.


Laptops a Hot Fertility Issue Researchers find that men who place portable computers on their laps are inadvertently raising the temperature of their scrotums -- and possibly damaging their sperm. By Amit Asaravala.


This Genome Is Fowl Researchers have sequenced the genome of the chicken, and they hope it will increase understanding of embryonic development and help farmers breed disease-resistant birds. By Kristen Philipkoski.


Semiconductor Sector Slides, Stocks Down  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Thursday, led by a  decline in the technology sector following a batch of sales  warnings from chip makers and a jump in oil prices to nearly  \$43 a barrel.


Costco Disappoints on Profit, Stock Falls  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Costco Wholesale Corp. COST.O, the  largest U.S. warehouse club, on Thursday posted a 21 percent  rise in quarterly profit but its shares fell after it failed to  beat expectations.


GM cuts 10,000 jobs in Germany General Motors #39; loss-making European division is to cut 12,000 jobs in a bid to save \$665m (347m) annually. The redundancies will affect a fifth of its workforce, with 10,000 positions going at Opel plants in Germany.


WMC Announces AU\$1 Billion Payout WMC currently is fending off a AU\$7.4 billion takeover bid by Switzerland-based Xstrata PLC. The mining company upgraded its earnings forecast to around \$1.3 billion for the calendar year, above analysts #39; expectations.


Ford President Scheele to Retire Ford Motor Co. President Nick Scheele will retire early next year after 38 years with the No. 2 US automaker, Ford said on Thursday.


Iger: Disney Throws Weight Behind Blu-Ray DVD Format Once upon a time, Betamax was more than a winning answer in Trivial Pursuit: It was a real competitor with the VHS videotape format.


Siemens claims gigabit wireless breakthrough German company Siemens has shown what it claims to be the fastest ever wireless network connection. The demonstration at its Munich laboratories on Tuesday reached speeds of 1Gbps, twenty times faster than


White Sox sign OF Dye to two-year contract CHICAGO (USATODAY.com) - The Chicago White Sox did not offer arbitration to outfielder Magglio Ordonez. Evidently, it will be Jermaine Dye to pick up the slack.


Rumsfeld tries to soothe angry U.S. troops (Reuters) Reuters - Under fire from troops who complain they are being sent to war in Iraq with inadequate gear, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld promised on Thursday that more would be done to protect forces.


Tyco Raises Dividend  BOSTON (Reuters) - Tyco International Inc. TYC.N        on  Thursday raised its dividend for the first time in five years,  the latest indication of change at the once scandal-tarnished  diversified manufacturer.


Ford's President and Vice Chairman to Retire; Padilla to Replace Scheele Ford Motor Co. announced the retirements of president Nick Scheele and vice chairman Allan Gilmour on Thursday, two company veterans tapped by Bill Ford to help the company emerge from a sea of red ink during the past three years.


Palestinian presidential elections candidate beaten The independent candidate for the Palestinian Presidential elections Mustafa al-Barghouthi said he was beaten yesterday by the occupation soldiers at a military checkpoint near Jenin to the north of the West Bank.


Stocks Rebound, National Semi Stock Up  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks recovered from earlier  losses and rose early Thursday afternoon, with National  Semiconductor Corp. NSM.N shares surging after the chip maker  said problems with excess inventory in the distribution channel  are behind it.


OPEC consensus emerging to cut oil over-production CAIRO (AFP) - OPEC oil producers appeared set to agree on a reduction in crude output by stepping up quota compliance to thwart a feared drop in prices as global energy demand slows next year.


France sells 17.7 percent of Air France The French government has announced its selling 17.7 percent of Air France-KLM Group, the manager of the sale said. France is going to sell 693 million of the Europe #39;s biggest airline, or \$922 million of


Ford #39;s Scheele to Retire as President on Feb. 1 (Update2) Ford Motor Co. President Nick Scheele, who postponed his retirement three years ago after being called to the US to help stop losses, will retire Feb. 1. He turns 61 next month.


Tyco Raises Dividend Tyco International Inc. (TYC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday raised its dividend for the first time in five years, the latest indication of change at the once scandal-tarnished diversified manufacturer.


Eli Lilly expects earnings growth in 2005; accelerated newer drug <b>...</b> NEW YORK, December 9 (newratings.com) - Eli Lilly and Co (LLY.NYS) guided to earnings growth in 2005 today, driven by the accelerating sales of its newer drugs.


Hyatt to Buy AmeriSuites Hotel Chain Hyatt Corp. on Thursday said it agreed to buy AmeriSuites, an upscale limited-service hotel chain that it said would complement its full-service portfolio.


Panel Wants People, Not Robots, To Fix Hubble That #39;s the recommendation from a panel from the National Academy of Sciences concerning a mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.


Wireless network smashes world speed record A new world record has been set for transmitting data across a wireless network, claim researchers in Germany. A team at Siemens Communications research laboratory in Munich, have transmitted one gigabit (one


Oracle Tackles Unstructured Data With New Content-Management <b>...</b> Oracle revealed Wednesday an ambitious content-management system to help its customers branch out into managing unstructured data, such as E-mail, Microsoft Word and Excel spreadsheet documents


Samsung ships 512 Mbit GDDR3 memory Samsung announced that it doubled the density of graphics DDR3 memory and has begun shipping samples to graphics card and game console manufacturers.


IT heavyweights line up on MegaGrid  quot;A-list quot; IT suppliers Oracle Corp, EMC Corp, Dell Corp, and Intel Corp have banded together to forge an alliance to develop the grid computing systems of tomorrow.


U.K., U.S. to Share Anti-Terror Technology (AP) AP - The British government announced Thursday it had struck a deal to share counterterrorism technology and information with the United States.


Angulo apologizes for conduct in Champions League game Valencia #39;s Miguel Angel Angulo apologized Thursday for his bad behaviour during his team #39;s stormy Champions League match with Werder Bremen and said he was prepared to suffer the consequences of his actions.


Hamm cements her legacy She began her career as Mia Hamm, and ended it as Mia Garciaparra, wearing the last name of her shortstop husband on the back of her jersey for the first time during the second half of her final match on Wednesday night.


Amazon UK Launching DVD Rental Service (Reuters) Reuters - The UK Web site of\Amazon.com Inc.  is launching a DVD rental service, the\online retailer's first foray into a market pioneered by U.S.-\based Netflix. Inc.


Analysis: Will Subscriptions Drown Out iTunes? (MacCentral) MacCentral - It wasn't hard to figure out which company was on the minds of most of the attendees at the Music 2.0 conference in Los Angeles Wednesday. Whether representing record labels or online retailers, speakers at the digital music confab couldn't praise Apple enough for the success enjoyed by the company's iTunes Music Store -- that is, when those same speakers weren't predicting the store would soon tumble from its spot at the head of the online music market.


HP Embraces Open Source as Well as Linux (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - HP's worldwide director of Linux marketing sees HP embracing open-source software and exploring the Linux desktop.


McDonald Takes One-Shot Lead at Dunhill (AP) AP - Bruce McDonald of Zimbabwe shot a 6-under 66 Thursday to take a one-shot lead over South Africa's Ernie Els at the PGA European Tour's season-opening Dunhill Championship.


Priest Holmes Placed on Injured Reserve  KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Sports Network) - Kansas City Chiefs  running back Priest Holmes will miss the remainder of the  season after being placed on injured reserve Thursday.


Oil Chemical Cleared of Damaging N.Sea Fish-Study (Reuters) Reuters - Water spilled into the North Sea from\offshore oil and gas drilling is less of a threat to fish than\previously thought, a Norwegian study showed on Thursday.


Who's Left From Bush's First-Term Cabinet (AP) AP - A look at the six people in President Bush's 15-member Cabinet who will remain in the administration in the second term:


Iraq's Neighbors Get  #36;2.9 Billion for Clean-Up (Reuters) Reuters - The United Nations approved paying  #36;2.9\billion to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia on Thursday for\environmental projects to clean up oil lakes and other\pollution from Iraq's 1990-1991 occupation of Kuwait, a\spokesman said.


Angry Forest Workers Cut Off Toe of Italy (Reuters) Reuters - Angry forest service workers blocked\highways, halted trains and forced an airport to shut down on\Thursday, effectively cutting off the southern toe of Italy in\a protest against spending cuts that could cost hundreds of\jobs. The demonstrations across Calabria, the region that makes\up the tip of the Italian boot, are the latest by state sector\workers upset by the belt-tightening 2005 budget and follows a\general strike last week.


'Alternative Nobels' Awarded in Sweden (AP) AP - The winners of this year's Right Livelihood Awards  #151; dubbed the "alternative Nobels"  #151; received their prizes Thursday from Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf in a ceremony at parliament.


quot;Shrek 3 quot; Swamped Until 2007 Bad news for Shrek fans--a certain green ogre will not be emerging from his swamp anytime in the near future. On the heels of Pixar and Disney #39;s decision to push back the release of Cars from


IBM Could Lose Half Its PC Prospects To Dell, HP Almost half of the US enterprises who were IBM PC prospects said that they #39;re ready to consider Dell or HP now that the Armonk, NY-based giant is dumping its desktop and laptop business, a research firm reported Thursday.


Update 4: GM Europe Offers Generous Buyouts in Deal General Motors Corp. offered German workers generous buyouts Thursday to pave the way for up to 12,000 job cuts in Europe, where the world #39;s largest automaker is struggling to end years of losses amid fierce competition and weak demand.


Harley-Davidson CEO dismounts CHICAGO - Harley-Davidson Inc. Chief Executive Jeffrey Bleustein will retire from his CEO post effective April 30 and be replaced by Chief Financial Officer James Ziemer, the motorcycle maker said Thursday.


France Sells Half Its Holding in Air France-KLM (Update12) France reduced its stake in Air France-KLM Group, Europe #39;s biggest airline, by more than half, taking advantage of the carrier #39;s rising stock to pay off debt.


Update 2: China Aviation Oil Chief Faces Police Police questioned the suspended chief of China Aviation Oil #39;s Singapore unit for a second day Thursday as a probe continued into trading losses of more than half a billion dollars by China #39;s largest jet fuel buyer.


Update 1: Altera, Xilinx Warnings Slam Sector Shares of chip makers sank in Thursday trading after two US firms lowered their quarterly sales expectations, but the sector saw some relief after National Semiconductor Corp.


Boeing Gets \$4.1B Order From Singapore Aerospace giant Boeing Co. on Thursday said it finalized a \$4.1 billion order from Singapore Airlines Ltd. for 18 of its 777-300 extended-range jetliners, following through on an initial agreement between the two companies in August.


Baxter Ends Flu Vaccine Trial; Cites Side Effects Troubled hospital products maker Baxter International Inc. on Thursday said it halted a late-stage European trial of its experimental flu vaccine because of higher-than-expected rates of fever.


Update 4: Hyatt Purchasing AmeriSuites in \$600M Deal Hyatt Corp. disclosed plans Thursday to buy the 143-hotel AmeriSuites chain in an estimated \$600 million-plus deal that analysts said makes the luxury hotel company more of a well-rounded rival to much bigger Marriott International Inc.


Clemens Leaning Toward Retirement (AP) AP - Right now, Roger Clemens is leaning toward retirement. Fortunately for his Houston Astros, he's still making up his mind.


Ohio State Bans Postseason Basketball (AP) AP - Ohio State imposed a one-year ban on postseason play by its men's basketball team in response to  #36;6,000 the university said former coach Jim O'Brien gave a recruit who never played for the school.


Bettis, Martin May Hit Milestone Together (AP) AP - Curtis Martin and Jerome Bettis have the opportunity to go over 13,000 career yards rushing in the same game when Bettis and the Pittsburgh Steelers play Martin and the New York Jets in a big AFC matchup Sunday.


Disney to go with Blu-ray next-gen DVD The battle for supremacy in the realm of the next-generation DVD heated up Thursday as The Walt Disney Co. announced that it will distribute its features on the Blu-ray format.


Nintendo zaps handheld video game shortage com December 9, 2004, 9:37 AM PT. Video game systems maker Nintendo said it will increase North American shipments of its popular DS handheld by 40 percent in order to address a shortage of the devices.


Mysterious Tremors May Portend California Quakes Low-pitched rumbles from deep under California #39;s San Andreas fault may offer a way to predict future earthquakes, US geologists said on Thursday.


Panel Nixes NASA #39;s Hubble Fix NASA #39;s plan to send a robot to do an astronaut #39;s job is too expensive, technically risky and too time-consuming to develop, said a scientific panel that


Amazon has launched its DVD Rental Service in the UK Amazon.com announced to today that they have launched their DVD Rentals service for its UK customers. The service offers to plans right now.


Probably the simplest phishing trick in the world Many popular browsers are affected by a vulnerability that makes it easy to spoof the content of websites, security firm Secunia warns.


A Favorite Emerges A company with close ties to White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf is a leading candidate for a contract to help plan Washington's new stadium.


Food running so low aboard station that crew ordered to cut back <b>...</b> Food is running so low aboard the international space station that flight controllers have instructed the two crewmen to cut back on calories, at least until a Russian supply ship arrives in a little over two weeks.


Huawei wins 3G contract from Telfort Huawei Technologies, China #39;s leading telecommunications equipment maker, will build a third-generation network for Telfort, the Dutch mobile operator, its first such contract in Europe.


Kazaa talked to record firms about music swaps - court SYDNEY: Kazaa, the world #39;s most popular internet file-swapping system, told a court yesterday it was worried about users exchanging unauthorised files and held talks with record companies in the United States about the problem.


AMD releases details of 90 nm Opterons, multicore chips AMD quietly published first specs of the first 90 nm Opteron processors and talked about Opterons with up to eight cores during a conference with analysts.


Shaq, McGrady pace NBA best-seller list (AFP) AFP - Shaquille O'Neal's new Miami Heat uniform is the most popular selling replica jersey among all National Basketball Association players, the league announced.


How the British GP was saved The British Grand Prix has been confirmed with a five-year deal between the British Racing Drivers #39; Club - owner of the Silverstone circuit - and F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone.


McDonald takes one-shot lead over Els in Dunhill Championship Bruce McDonald of Zimbabwe shot a 6-under 66 Thursday to take a one-shot lead over South Africa #39;s Ernie Els at the PGA European Tour #39;s season-opening Dunhill Championship.


Black Caps duo cleared to play Australia BRISBANE: Brendon McCullum and Scott Styris were last night forgiven for expressing pent-up frustration at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday night and cleared to play the Chappell-Hadlee


Hughes picks up where he left off at Masters Play has begun in the Australian Masters at Huntingdale in Melbourne with around half the field of 120 players completing their first rounds.


NHL-NHLPA talks break down in Toronto At about 3:20 pm, the NHL Players #39; Association left the building and the negotiations ended. They met for about four hours, apparently breaking for lunch during that time.


Holmes hurt knee against the Bucs The Kansas City Chiefs put running back Priest Holmes on the injured reserve list with an injured knee Thursday.  quot;Priest Holmes is making steady progress on the rehabilitation of his right knee, quot; team president Carl Peterson said.


Arizona sends a message of hope with Glaus signing The stewards of the Diamondbacks kept saying in recent months that they intend to field a contending team in 2005. It #39;s just been a little hard to hear them.


Buckeyes won #39;t play in NCAA or NIT tourneys COLUMBUS, Ohio Ohio State has sanctioned its men #39;s basketball team, barring the Buckeyes from playing in the NCAA or NIT tournaments this season.


Four finalists selected in bids for 2009 Super Bowl Atlanta, Houston, Miami and Tampa, Fla., were selected as the four finalists for the 2009 Super Bowl. The four were recommended by a committee of owners at a meeting in Atlanta on Wednesday.


Arizona Signs Glaus All-Star third baseman Troy Glaus agrees to a four-year, \$45 million contract with the Diamondbacks.


Powell Criticizes Some European Allies on Iraq In a fresh sign of lingering tensions over the Iraq war, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell Thursday rapped European allies who declined to assist a NATO-led Iraq training


Sharon Wins Vote to Rescue Gaza Pullout Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon speaks to reporters after casting his ballot at the Likud party meeting in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday Dec.9, 2004.


US denies push to oust Annan The Bush administration is not seeking to push UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan out of office over an investigation into the world body #39;s handling of the Iraq oil-for-food program, the US ambassador to the United Nations has said.


PM to Rumsfeld: we can do a lot more if Pak builds on trust NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 9: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today told US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that India was ready to do more in taking forward the peace process with Pakistan if President Musharraf were to stick to his commitment on checking cross


Nobel peace laureate: Struggle for peace, environmental <b>...</b> Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai defended her selection as the first environmentalist to win the prestigious award, saying Thursday it would help others understand that the struggle for peace begins with protecting the


Only invitation entitles observers to Zimbabwe #39;s parliamentary <b>...</b> Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe reiterated on Thursday that foreign observers to next year #39;s parliamentary election will come in strictly on the basis of invitation.


Berlusconi says he won #39;t get convicted Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi says he is confident a court will not convict him on charges of bribing judges.  quot;I don #39;t think there will be a conviction, quot; he said at the presentation


Mortar attack wounds Iraqi guards Eight Iraqi National Guard members have been wounded in a mortar attack on their base in Baghdad, police said. Police said five mortars landed on the base in the al-Waziriya neighborhood of the capital on Thursday.


Peterson Could Break New Heisman Ground (AP) AP - Adrian Peterson's arrival at Oklahoma was accompanied by impossible expectations. Before he even stepped on a practice field, he was hyped as one of the nation's best runners who would carry the Sooners to greatness.


Ohio St. Extends Matta's Contract, Bans Postseason Play  COLUMBUS, Ohio (Sports Network) - Ohio State athletic  director Andy Geiger announced a one-year contract extension  for men's head basketball coach Thad Matta as a direct result  of the school imposing a ban on postseason play for 2004-05.


Official: OPEC to Cut Production Next Year OPEC will cut back on oil production early next year in a bid to stave off a further decline in the world price, Kuwait's oil minister said Thursday.


Yukos Subsidiary Tomskneft Gets \$114 Million Tax Bill Russian authorities have assessed a new tax claim for \$114 million on one of Yukos' smaller subsidiaries, the Interfax news agency reported Thursday, in the latest legal assault against the embattled Russian oil giant.


Mexico Seeks to Clean Up Shoddy Rights Record  MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's government plans sweeping  reforms to end rampant human rights violations, but experts  complain the plan lacks the teeth to stop police torture and  other abuses.


Ecuador judges' lock-in protest Supreme Court judges in Ecuador lock themselves inside their offices in protest at a decision to sack them.


Bush vows action over troops' kit President Bush says claims that US troops going to Iraq have  poor armour protection are being addressed.


Guitarist killer's motive unknown US police say they still have no idea why a gunman shot and killed guitarist Darrell Abbott and three others at a rock concert.


A Bit of Self-Promotion Worldwide Restaurant Concepts sounds like a company that is putting itself up for sale.


Hollywood, But Holly Shouldn't Hollywood Entertainment's board wants shareholders to accept the lowest buyout offer. That's called negotiating?


Intel: The Return of Stuart Smalley Intel smiles and proclaims all is well. Or is it a daily affirmation designed to keep angry investors at bay?


Firefighter Killed in Iraq Is Recalled as a Hero Sgt. Christian Engeldrum, a New York firefighter who responded to the World Trade Center attack and died in Iraq, was mourned today in the Bronx.


Rio Fights Rampant Street Crime as Tourists Fly In

 By Andrei Khalip

 RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - Police armed with riflesand wearing flak jackets manned checkpoints across Rio deJaneiro on Thursday to prevent muggings and other violence astourists flocked to the ocean city for the holiday season.


'Alternative Nobels' Awarded in Sweden The winners of this year's Right Livelihood Awards - dubbed the "alternative Nobels" - received their prizes Thursday from Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf in a ceremony at parliament.


Consumer Reports Adds Drugs to Price Comparison (Reuters) Reuters - Consumer Reports magazine, best\known for comparing the prices and performance of cars,\televisions and washing machines, is adding drugs to its\coverage to help Americans save money on their health care.


America West: Will Not Bid for ATA (Reuters) Reuters - America West Holdings Corp.  on\Thursday said it would not bid for assets of bankrupt carrier\ATA Airlines, saying the value does not justify the cost.


Athlete's Foot Seeks Bankruptcy Protection (AP) AP - Sneaker retailer Athlete's Foot Stores LLC filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition Thursday in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan, according to court papers.


Consumer Reports Adds Drugs to Price Comparison  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Consumer Reports magazine, best  known for comparing the prices and performance of cars,  televisions and washing machines, is adding drugs to its  coverage to help Americans save money on their health care.


Stocks Rise on Sprint/Nextel Merger Talk  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended higher on Thursday  as investors hoping for a year-end rally bought shares.