'Serious incident' reported between Darfur truce monitors, Sudan army (AFP) AFP - A "serious incident" has occurred between soldiers from the Sudanese army and members of a commission, led by Chad, monitoring a ceasefire in Sudan's Darfur region, corroborating sources said.


UK.gov IT: it's broke, how can we fix it? Letters Readers debate how we lost our way


Microsoft unveils Welsh software Welsh language campaigners welcome Microsoft's move to run Windows XP and Office 2003 in Welsh.


Broadband Pushes Europe Web Users to 100 Million  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - More than half of Europe's Internet  surfers now have a high-speed broadband connection at home,  which has helped to push the number of Web users in Europe  through the 100 million mark, a survey found on Thursday.


Microsoft Hopes Its Blogs Will Hunt Microsoft is throwing its hat into the blogosphere, a move seen as another attempt to catch competitor Google in the services-and-search race and an effort to woo more customers to its Internet services. -washingtonpost.com


Fast Internet Service for The People For the millions of  people who cannot afford high-speed Internet access, some local officials think they've hit on the answer: Build government-owned networks to provide service at rates below what big telecommunications companies charge.


Where the Game Is the Medium The co-founder of game producer WildTangent Inc. is a booming bear of a man who clobbers you with one grand pronouncement after another. -Leslie Walker


Cut-Down Windows Eyes More Markets

 By Jennifer Tan

 SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. said on Thursday itwill begin shipping a low-cost version of its Windows XPoperating system to three Asian countries and Russia byearly-2005, tapping developing markets as growth slowselsewhere.


Google Enhances Discussion Groups Google Inc. is improving on the discussions its popular Web site hosts, hoping the upgrades will spur more online banter and make its market-leading search engine a richer destination.


'Blog' Most Popular Word on Web Dictionary The most requested online definition this year was "blog" - a word not even yet officially in the dictionary, Merriam-Webster says.


Review: Music Player Measures Running Pace It's been a few decades since anyone recorded my mile splits as I bounded over hill and dale, immersed in running's intoxicating rhythm.


UK to invest long-term in science Chancellor Gordon Brown announces a long-term plan for investment in science education and hi-tech industry.


Farming 'must embrace the new' UK farming must embrace new ideas and scientific developments to survive the next few decades.


Eggs 'fertilised' without sperm A way of 'tricking' eggs to divide without being fertilised may aid stem cell and IVF research, say scientists.


Update 2: European Central Bank Keeps Rates Steady The European Central Bank left interest rates untouched Thursday, with bank president Jean-Claude Trichet saying Europe #39;s modest recovery remains on track but will slow next year due to high oil prices.


UPDATE 1-Bank of America vice chairman to retire Bank of America Corp. (BAC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday vice chairman James Hance will retire at the end of January 2005.


IMF says talks with Argentina to follow debt swap The International Monetary Fund said on Thursday it expects to resume formal loan talks with Argentina following the completion of the country #39;s delayed debt exchange deal with private creditors.


Microsoft Now Offers Blogging Tools A new free new tool lets people easily set up personal journals, often called blogs, on the World Wide Web. MSN Spaces, which debuts in test form Thursday, is aimed at home users who want to share things such


League Cup still last on Benitez #39;s trophy list LONDON (AFP) - Liverpool may have battled back from the brink of defeat to book a League Cup semi-final berth but a penalty shoot-out win against Tottenham did nothing to alter manager Rafael Benitez #39;s view of a competition his club have won a record


Are Tobacco #39;s Days Numbered? Peru recently made a decision that appears destined to result in the equivalent of a global  quot;no smoking quot; sign, a development that spells yet more trouble for tobacco companies.


Mugabe urges ruling party unity Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has called for unity in his ruling party amid deep splits and jostling over the succession of power.


Managers misuse tech to control workers, study says Managers with outdated notions about controlling workers are misusing technology to monitor and micromanage employees, according to a new report.


Ukraine's Kuchma Calls for Foreign Help (AP) AP - Ukraine's outgoing President Leonid Kuchma accused the opposition Saturday of reneging on compromise agreements and called for quick foreign mediation of his nation's post-election political crisis.


Dell signs big desktop contract with Philips Dell has won a large global contract from Dutch electronics giant Koninklijke Philips Electronicsto provide hardware and managed desktop services.


NEC develops multicore cell phone processor Engineers at NEC have developed a processor for cellular telephones that includes three ARM processor cores in a single chip, a moved aimed at improving the multimedia capabilities of cell phones.


Google opens Tokyo research center TOKYO -- Search-engine provider Google opened a research and development center at its Tokyo offices this week, the company said Thursday.


Verizon deal lets Philadelphia move ahead with wireless plan The city of Philadelphia has reached an agreement with Verizon Communications that will let the municipal government deploy a citywide Wi-Fi network, but a carrier-backed bill that would let incumbent carriers block such projects has been signed into law by Pennsylvania's governor.


Mozilla Previews Thunderbird E-Mail App Final version is expected this month; software will compete with Outlook express.


Philadelphia Wi-Fi Plans Move Forward Agreement with Verizon will allow deployment of a citywide wireless network.


Intel Plans Centrino-Like Brand for Desktops Chip maker wants you to know about the benefits of a wireless network.


Microsoft Issues Special Patch for IE Hole Users should install the critical fix as soon as possible, software giant says.


Google Groups Launched Out of Beta Google Groups Launched Out of Beta\\Google today launched Google Groups out of beta testing on the 'Groups' link of the Google home page at www.google.com. This enhanced product enables users to create, manage, search and browse web-based groups, as well as subscribe to and track favorite groups. Building on the ...


Gamers Eye Open Virtual Worlds Fans of open-source programming and multiplayer gaming explore ways to bring the concept of the metaverse -- an infinitely expandable virtual world -- closer to fruition. By Daniel Terdiman.


Gifts to Sate Your Technolust The holidays may mean food and decorating to some, but for the geek crowd, they're just another excuse to buy gadgets. Here's a collection of cool ones. By Xeni Jardin.


A Kinder, Gentler Type of War World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer game, so you should expect some dying, but Blizzard has managed to make even that pleasant. Game review by Lore Sjberg.


Her So-Called Digital Life Internet consultant Mary Hodder spends most of her life online. She has gone almost entirely digital. It may not be long before you do, too. Commentary by Adam L. Penenberg.


They've Got Your Number Coming soon to a phone near you: spam, scams and viruses galore. Your text messages, address book and calls could be up for grabs. By Annalee Newitz from Wired magazine.


Sex Patch Cools FDA's Ardor Questions about the effectiveness and long-term safety of a testosterone patch designed to boost a woman's sex drive has federal regulators wondering whether to approve the product at all.


Calpers president dismissed Sean Harrigan, president of Calpers, California #39;s largest public pension fund, was removed on Wednesday. The California Public Employees Retirement System, or Calpers, manages \$178 billion of retirement money.


Britain hits economic growth target: Brown British Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown said Thursday the government had hit its economic target set for 2004. Delivering his pre-budget report to the House of Commons


US Factory Orders, Jobless Claims Up Booming orders for new military aircraft boosted overall orders to US factories by 0.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted \$371.51 billion in October, the Commerce Department


Canadian Imperial 4th-Qtr Net Falls on Enron Charge (Update2) Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, the country #39;s fourth-largest bank, said fourth-quarter profit fell 14 percent after the lender took a provision for legal costs related to Enron Corp.


Miss World beauties defend relevance of contest (AFP) AFP - Miss World contestants united in defending the pageant's relevance and angrily denied it degraded women.


No decline in Amazon deforestation BRASILIA, Brazil - Nearly 9,000 square miles of the Amazon have been destroyed this year, the government said on Wednesday, while an environmental group blamed work on a new highway as the chief reason.


Wireless-J standard opens Japan to the Wi-Fi world The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has approved a wireless standard that will expand international Wi-Fi roaming to Japan.


Van Persie will not face FA charge LONDON, England -- The English FA will not take any action against Arsenal #39;s young striker Robin van Persie for aiming an elbow at Manchester United #39;s Kieren Richardson during Wednesday #39;s League Cup quarterfinal at Old Trafford.


Report: Notre Dame Contacts Meyer Utah Head Coach Urban Meyer hollers to his team during the first half of a game against Utah State in this Sept. 18, 2004 file photo in Logan, Utah.


Milwaukee Bucks Team Report - December 2 (Sports Network) - The Milwaukee Bucks continued to struggle on Wednesday, as they dropped a 101-100 decision to the Boston Celtics at the FleetCenter.


PACK BACK IN PHILLY The Green Bay Packers return to the site of one of their most bitter defeats on Sunday when they visit the Philadelphia Eagles. The Packers still have the memory of last season #39;s divisional play-off loss to


Mortar Barrage Kills 1 in Central Baghdad A mortar barrage hammered the heavily fortified Green Zone and elsewhere in central Baghdad on Thursday, killing at least one person and underscoring the vulnerability


Congo Struggles to Create Single Army (Reuters) Reuters - It is an old trick -- and one that has\been used by Congolese musicians and soccer players in the past\-- but it still angered many back home.


Cheney to lead US delegation to Afghanistan (AFP) AFP - Vice President Dick Cheney will lead the US delegation to Afghan President Hamid Karzai's December 7 inauguration, the White House announced.


Ontario court orders new trial for Baltovich 12 years after murder conviction (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - Ontario's highest court has ordered a new trial for Robert Baltovich, convicted on circumstantial evidence 12 years ago in the murder of his girlfriend.


Anti-terrorism methods draw ACLU scrutiny (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - The ACLU wants access to law enforcement files that it believes will shed light on how government anti-terrorism task forces have been monitoring human rights groups and individuals.


Intifada leader seeks Arafat job Ten Palestinians are listed for a January poll to succeed Yasser Arafat, including a leader jailed for life by Israel.


Arrests at Saudi reformers' trial Nine people are detained after access is denied to a Saudi court trying three reformists, witnesses say.


Ford, GM report weak November; Toyota, Nissan, Chrysler up (Detroit-AP) Dec. 2, 2004 - The nation #39;s two largest automakers are reporting weak November sales and announcing plans to reduce production.


Telstra, Not Government, To Choose New Chief Opposition parties that currently control the senate have repeatedly blocked moves to fully privatize Telstra, saying they fear it will lead to poor phone and Internet services in Australia #39;s vast outback, where maintaining telecommunications


CIBC Q4 profit falls to \$439M from \$510M after \$300M Enron charge TORONTO (CP) - CIBC reported Thursday its quarterly profit fell by 14 per cent due to a \$300-million charge related to litigation over loans to American energy trading firm Enron.


Apple delivers iTunes Canada com December 2, 2004, 7:58 AM PT. Apple Computer launched on Thursday a version of its iTunes online music service in Canada. The company said its Canadian site will offer the same features


Four tied atop Nedbank Challenge SUN CITY, South Africa -- Australia #39;s Stuart Appleby bogeyed the final two holes to slip back to a four-way tie for the lead after the first round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge on Thursday.


EU force takes over Bosnia role A European Union force has taken over peacekeeping in Bosnia from NATO for an operation seen as a test of the EU #39;s military aspirations and credibility.


Crude Oil Prices Fall Below \$44 a Barrel Crude futures sold off sharply for a second day in row Thursday, falling below \$44 a barrel, as traders focused on rising fuel supplies and the lack of cold weather. The drop to two-month lows triggered an additional wave of technical and speculative selling, traders said.


Media company plans to expense employee stock options NEW YORK (CBS.MW) - The New York Times on Thursday lowered its fourth-quarter earnings outlook on softer-than-expected advertising revenue and set plans to expense employee stock options.


Canadian Imperial 4th-Qtr Net Falls on Enron Charge (Update3) Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, the country #39;s fourth-largest bank, said fourth-quarter profit fell 14 percent as the lender took a provision for legal costs related to Enron Corp.


American Air offers voluntary lay-off incentives American Airlines is offering incentives for employees to leave the world #39;s largest carrier voluntarily in order to lessen the blow in its proposed lay-off of 1,100 workers in the coming months, a spokeswoman said on Thursday.


Rudy Giuliani #39;s Investment Banking Racket As someone who first made a name for himself by stretching the racketeering laws to go after investment bankers, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has decided the allure of the silly


Starbucks #39; Stunning November No wonder the lines have been so darn long. (You obviously don #39;t want to know me in the morning!) Citing, among other things, the popularity of its holiday offerings, Starbucks (Nasdaq: SBUX) delivered home-run same-store sales in November.


Isis Drug Fails to Work in Crohn #39;s Disease Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. said on Thursday a trial of its experimental drug for Crohn #39;s disease did not work in a late stage clinical trial.


US factory orders boosted by military aircraft Orders to US factories were far stronger in October than analysts expected, but almost all of the gain came from greater demand for military aircraft.


Real User Recognizes a New Take on Security Jim Melonas wants you to forget the dozen passwords you use to log in to your employer's computer systems and applications, your online banking account and your e-mail, and concentrate on remembering that attractive face in the top right corner.


Raiders' Wheatley Out with Hamstring Injury (Reuters) Reuters - Oakland Raiders running\back Tyrone Wheatley is expected to miss this week's game\against Kansas City with an injured left hamstring.


Penn. Governor Signs Controversial Telecom Bill (Reuters) Reuters - Philadelphia will be able to go\ahead with plans to set up a city-wide wireless, high-speed\Internet network, but other Pennsylvania cities might not get\that chance under a new state law.


FA won #39;t charge Van Persie for elbow in Arsenal-United game The Football Association won #39;t take disciplinary action against Arsenal striker Robin van Persie for throwing an elbow at Manchester United #39;s Kieren Richardson in a Carling Cup game.


Kanoute #39;s blunders knock Spurs out A MOMENT of lunacy four minutes from the end of extra-time from Frederic Kanoute cost Tottenham a place in the Carling Cup semi-final as Liverpool #39;s reserves stole the most unlikely of victories at White Hart Lane.


NHLPA set to make new proposal CBC SPORTS ONLINE- - The National Hockey League Players #39; Association extended an olive branch to commissioner Gary Bettman on Thursday, inviting the league back to the negotiating table so it can examine a new proposal from the union.


Bhopal victims commemorate 20th anniversary of disaster (AFP) AFP - A series of torchlight rallies and vigils were held after darkness fell on this central Indian city as victims and activists jointly commemorated a night of horror 20 years ago when lethal gas leaked from a pesticide plant and killed thousands.


Williams Rejects Deal Ricky Williams rejects a deal that would have allowed him to serve a four-game suspension this season and return to the NFL next year.


Jerez Testing, Day 1, 02/12/04 Limited running for Franck and Giancarlo at Jerez on a wet day in Spain.


Samsung Electronics Unveils 1st Camera Phone with Hard Disk Drive SEOUL, Dec. 2 Asia Pulse - South Korean technology giant Samsung Electronics Co. (KSE:005930) on Thursday introduced the world #39;s first camera phone with a 1.5-gigabyte hard disk drive that can store as many as 1,000 photos.


Update 10: Crude Oil Prices Slump Below \$44 a Barrel Crude futures sold off sharply for a second day in row Thursday, falling below \$44 a barrel, as traders focused on rising fuel supplies and the lack of cold weather.


American retailers up in arms, sue to block textile curbs on China WASHINGTON: American clothing retailers and importers sued on Wednesday to prevent the Bush administration from slapping emergency restrictions on imports from China at the request of the domestic textile industry.


Wal-Mart Posts Weak Sales Forecast Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the No. 1 US retailer, on Thursday posted weak November sales and gave its lowest monthly forecast in 19 months for December as high oil prices crimp core lower-income consumers #39; spending.


US 30-,15-year mortgage rates rise in week Interest rates on US 30-year and 15-year mortgages rose in the latest week as an improving economy stoked fears of inflation, mortgage finance company Freddie Mac said on Thursday.


United union ballots members on strike proposal WASHINGTON (AFP) - The union representing United Airlines #39; flight attendants mailed strike authorisation ballots to 21,000 members, in preparation for a showdown with the carrier over proposed pay cuts.


Chief Gordon Brown Predicts Strong Growth Treasury chief Gordon Brown said Thursday that the British economy will continue to grow strongly in 2004 and that the government will meet key targets on public borrowing, bettering the expectations of many economic forecasters.


Bank of America Vice Chairman to Retire Bank of America Corp., the third-largest bank in the United States, said Thursday that vice chairman James H. Hance, Jr., will retire at the end of January 2005 after nearly 18 years with the company.


Viacom to Buy Calif. Station From Sinclair Media giant Viacom Inc. said Thursday that it is buying a Sacramento, Calif., CBS affiliate from Sinclair Broadcast Group for \$285 million.


EU urges  quot;fresh start quot; on US trade The European Union #39;s new trade chief has called for a fresh push to end acrimonious trade spats between Europe and the United States, arguing that strengthened transatlantic ties would spur economic growth.


Target misses target on Salvation Army I, too, am disappointed in Target #39;s decision not to allow the Salvation Army to use their facilities this holiday season. Yes, I believe that Target has the right to allow or not allow organizations to solicit on their property.


NHL Talks to Resume The NHL accepts an invitation from the players' association to return to the negotiating table in an effort to end the lockout that began nearly three months ago.


Fratello Takes Over As Grizzlies Coach Mike Fratello was hired as coach of the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday as a replacement for Hubie Brown, who unexpectedly retired last week for health reasons.


IOC Chides Bidding Cities for Bickering IOC president Jacques Rogge plans to tell the five cities bidding for the 2012 Summer Olympics to stop sniping at each other and concentrate on their own campaigns.


Microsoft Slams Seven Spammers with Lawsuits Microsoft filed the seven lawsuits in Washington State Superior Court in King County against unidentified  quot;John Doe quot; defendants.


MSN Goes to The Blogs Microsoft #39;s MSN (Quote, Chart) launched a blogging tool that ties in with its home media technology plays. Called MSN Spaces, the beta is part of an update to MSN #39;s suite of communication services.


Canadians get iTunes on the cheap Although Canadians had to wait awhile to get access to the iTunes Music Store, they are getting a comparative bargain. Apple Computer, which opened the virtual doors on the Canadian store late Wednesday, is


Microsoft-Sun: I can #39;t see me lovin #39; noboby but you Microsoft and Sun Microsystems on Wednesday held a progress report on work being done pursuant to their April 2004 agreement to collaborate on interoperability.


Microsoft Issues Out-of-Cycle Explorer Patch Wide adoption of the latest Explorer patch may be hindered because it requires more effort than the typical Windows update.  quot;This one #39;s going to take a little more effort, quot; said Ken Dunham of iDefense.


Lycos anti-spam screensaver proves too effective for target <b>...</b> The anti-spam action pioneered by Lycos and its  #39;make love not spam #39; campaign has been all-too successful and could make the company vulnerable to legal attack.


DoCoMo Sees Europe as Ripe for I-Mode NTT DoCoMo has launched its i-mode cell phone service in Britain and Ireland through a deal with British company mm02. DoCoMo believes it eventually could gain 60 million users in Europe alone as the Internet service gains acceptance.


HD-DVD picks up Hollywood support DECEMBER 01, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - TOKYO -- The group supporting the HD-DVD optical disc format for high-definition video has received a boost in its battle against the rival Blu-ray Disc format with pledges of support from a number of Hollywood


Mozilla Previews Thunderbird E-Mail App The Mozilla Foundation has unveiled the most complete preview version yet of its stand-alone e-mail application. The release comes only weeks after the launch of its Firefox browser version 1.0, and is part


Sotheby #39;s Hosts JFK Jumble Sale The auction house Sotheby #39;s said that it would sell contents from the Kennedy house in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, and from other family homes in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Virginia.


Google Groups get going Google has unveiled the second version of Google Groups, which is designed to make it easier to follow online chat groups. Enhanced tools allow fast searches of the company #39;s Usenet database of online forums, which it bought in 2001.


Broadband Pushes Europe Web Users to 100 Million More than half of Europe #39;s Internet surfers now have a high-speed broadband connection at home, which has helped to push the number of Web users in Europe through the 100 million mark, a survey found on Thursday.


ATI launches five new Gaming Cards The competition in the PC Graphic Cards market just got hotter. ATI has good news for the computer gamers. They have released five new cards aimed at advanced gamers.


US, Russia Select Next Crew for Space Station Russia #39;s Federal Space Agency and the US #39;s NASA have approved the crew of the next mission to the international space station, an agency spokesman said Tuesday.


No FA action over Van Persie incident at United Arsenal #39;s Dutch winger Robin van Persie will not face any further action after his tussle with Manchester United #39;s Kieran Richardson in Wednesday #39;s League Cup tie, the Football Association said.


NHL Players #39; Association invites NHL to meet next week in Toronto The NHLPA invited the league to the meeting in a letter sent Thursday to commissioner Gary Bettman.  quot;The letter also confirms that the NHLPA is working on a new proposal which it believes should provide the


Four share lead at Nedbank Challenge Sun City, South Africa (Sports Network) - Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, the No. 3 and 4 players in the world, posted rounds of two-under-par 70 on Thursday to grab a share of the lead after one round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge.


Red Bull car to make February debut Red Bull Racing will launch their 2005 Formula One car at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain on February 7. The Austrian energy drink brand bought the British-based Jaguar team from


Rogge Warns Five 2012 Bid Cities To Stop Bickering The five cities bidding to host the 2012 Summer Olympic Games should heed the advice of Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), when he meets with the candidate cities Friday morning.


Grizzlies name Fratello head coach Memphis, TN (Sports Network) - Mike Fratello returned to the NBA coaching ranks Thursday when the Memphis Grizzlies selected the former Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers coach as their new head coach.


Surprise: Manning headlines AFC monthly honorees New York, NY (Sports Network) - Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning headlines the AFC Players of the Month for November.


Nissan says steel shortage may eat into March output TOKYO, DEC 2: Nissan Motor Co chief executive Carlos Ghosn said on Thursday he saw a risk that the companys vehicle output in Japan could be reduced by 15,000 units in March due to a shortage of steel.


NRI entrepreneur hits windfall eBookers, one of Europe #39;s leading travel website is up for grabs. Cendant, the world #39;s largest travel group, is expected to announce a deal to buy the internet travel site at \$145 mn or more.


Feeling right at home in the ACC It hasn #39;t taken Miami and Virginia Tech long to start reaping the benefits of membership in the conference. BLACKSBURG -- It #39;s hard to overlook the irony.


GSA to Charge for Access to Upgraded Procurement System The General Services Administration plans to charge a one-time fee of \$2,500 for vendors and the public to receive a direct, continuous Web feed from the new Federal Procurement Data System.


Republicans Call for Annan #39;s Resignation; UN Members Stand By Him Posted December 2, 2004 - President Bush said he is looking forward to a full accounting and disclosure of the facts about the allegations of corruption surrounding the United Nations oil-for-food program.


EU Takes Over Bosnia Peacekeeping from NATO The European Union has formally taken over peacekeeping duties in Bosnia-Herzegovina from NATO. EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and NATO head Jaap de Hoop


French Socialists back EU charter Europe #39;s new constitution got a thumbs-up from French Socialists, according to voting results announced Thursday. Some 59 percent of Socialist supporters favored the new charter


Peru Says Top Court Upholds Berenson Sentence

 By Robin Emmott

 LIMA, Peru (Reuters) - American Lori Berenson faces 11 moreyears behind bars in Peru after the Americas' top human rightscourt upheld her 20-year sentence on terrorism charges,President Alejandro Toledo said on Thursday.


Conviction of American in Peru Upheld The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has upheld the conviction of an American woman imprisoned in Peru for terrorist collaboration with Marxist guerrillas, President Alejandro Toledo confirmed Thursday.


First woman on Saudi bank board A woman is elected to the board of a major Saudi bank, becoming the first female in the kingdom to occupy such a position.


Energia Reveals New Russian Spacecraft colonist writes  quot;Russian space officials unveiled a full-scale model of the Kliper spaceship. If funding is provided, Kliper will replace the Soyuz space capsule as Russia #39;s human space vehicle.


Nissan Exec Expects Slow March Production Nissan Motor Co. #39;s chief executive said Thursday that the Japanese automaker was hurt more than its rivals by the recent steel shortage, and that production is expected to fall short by 15,000 vehicles in March next year.


4 Firms to Vie for Army Intelligence Support Work Four companies were chosen to compete for work to be assigned under a five-year, \$209 million contract to provide information technology, management and intelligence support services to the Army Intelligence and Security Command.


More Than 1,000 Dead or Missing in Philippines Flood More than 1,000 people have been killed or are missing after mudslides and flash floods devastated three coastal towns in the eastern Philippines, a military spokesman said Thursday.


Diplomats: Iran may be hiding nuke equipment Iran may be hiding equipment from the UN nuclear watchdog agency, foiling efforts to police a freeze of all programs that Tehran could use to make nuclear weapons, diplomats said Thursday.


Online Groups Brag About Movie Piracy In not-too-secret online forums, Wesley Snipes' latest movie, "Blade: Trinity," is the subject of intense discussion and evaluation. But unlike typical movie fan sites, the chatter from visitors to Web sites like VCDQuality.com doesn't key on the vampire film's plot, acting or bloody visual effects. Instead, computer users dish out praise or criticism on the caliber of video and sound achieved by online groups whose sole mission is to make available unauthorized copies of Hollywood films within a day or two of a movie's debut, if not before.


SEC charges 3 former Kmart execs, others in fraud case The Securities and Exchange Commission said Thursday it filed charges against three former executives of retailer Kmart Holdings (KMRT) in a \$24 million accounting fraud case.


Golden Rule under Threat from  #39;Family Friendly #39; Brown Chancellor Gordon Brown today set out his vision of a family friendly welfare state as he put extra help for working parents at the heart of his annual Pre-Budget Report.


Winning The War on Rollovers Before any law has been passed, carmakers are putting on stability control systems. They like their buyers alive. Rollovers are the safety curse of sport utility vehicles.


Blog Creation, Readership Rise in 2004 Readership of online journals known as blogs grew significantly in 2004, driven by increased awareness of them during the presidential campaign and other major news events, according to a study released Sunday.


NHLPA #39;s Saskin addresses issues on OTR NHLPA Senior Director Ted Saskin had a lot of issues to address on Thursday as he participated in a lockout edition off TSN #39;s Off The Record with player agent Gord Kirke, sports business writer Lou Schizas and NHL on TSN analyst Brian Burke.


New Challenge to Evidence in Steroid Case Four men accused of distributing steroids to top athletes in the Balco case are challenging the evidence against them. Defense lawyers claim federal agents illegally searched the Balco lab in Burlingame.


Firms Push to Ease Tough Federal Scrutiny Two-and-a-half years after Congress passed the most sweeping corporate reforms since the Great Depression, trade groups are maneuvering to revise them, arguing that they are too expensive, too time-consuming and too much trouble for small businesses.


Major Announcement PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Top 10-performances in Ryder Cup years, major championships and tournament victories will earn more points toward one of the 10 automatic qualifying spots for the 2006 US Ryder


NSA Prodded to Look Beyond Its Fortress The National Security Agency is undergoing its largest recruiting drive since the Cold War. Some of the agency's top officials emerged about a year ago with a message: The NSA needs help fighting the war against global terrorism.


On one issue, the world really likes Bush Cowboy diplomacy. Unilateralism. Foreign governments have sharply criticized President Bush #39;s foreign policy in many ways. But on one issue, international trade, you could almost hear a collective sigh of relief over his reelection.


Telstra to split network TELSTRA will make a dramatic corporate restructure in a bid to appease the competition watchdog and win over wary Nationals as the telco readies for its \$30 billion full privatisation.


Nintendo DS Game Player Makes Strong Japan Debut Nintendo Co. Ltd. #39;s DS video game player saw strong sales on its debut in Japan on Thursday, kicking off what is expected to be a fierce fight with rival Sony Corp.


Evidence of apathy So, did Robin Van Persie deserve to get a red card for his tussle with Kieran Richardson? After viewing the incident a number of times from a series of different angles and hearing the views from a raft of


Ten teams line up for 2005 F1 season Formula One #39;s governing body has confirmed that 10 teams, the same number as this year, have entered the 2005 world championship.


Ricky Williams will remain retired New York, NY (Sports Network) - Former Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams will remain retired after declining the NFL #39;s reinstatement offer.


Israel not seeking for peace Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, said Thursday Israel must stop military action against Palestinians or there can be no peace.


Of Bobbleheads and the Beast Don't take the headlines too seriously, because they're long on facts, short on truth, and they just don't matter.


Oracle in Merger Talks with Other Firms (Reuters) Reuters - Oracle Corp.  is in\merger talks with other technology companies as it awaits the\outcome of its  #36;9.2 billion hostile takeover bid for rival\software maker PeopleSoft Inc. .


U.S. Mortgage Rates Rise in Latest Week (Reuters) Reuters - Interest rates on U.S. 30-year and\15-year mortgages rose in the latest week as an improving\economy stoked fears of inflation, mortgage finance company\Freddie Mac said on Thursday.


The Oil Bubble II In my column last month (The Oil Bubble: Set to Burst?) I discussed the speculative factors that pushed oil prices to all-time highs.


Suit seeks to bar curb on China textiles America #39;s leading retailers filed a lawsuit yesterday to stop the Bush administration from imposing curbs on imports of popular Chinese-made apparel and textiles.


Europe #39;s Trichet Blasts Low Dollar, Hedges on Intervention European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet today repeated that the euro #39;s rise against the dollar is unwelcome and said intervention in foreign exchange markets  quot;is a weapon quot; that is available to central banks.


Year-Old Spam Law Failing to Halt Flood The nation's first law aimed at curtailing junk e-mail earned a mixed report card after a year on the books as few spammers faced legal action and recent surveys showed that spam makes up an even larger proportion of online messages. -washingtonpost.com


Brown has no room for giveaways The Chancellor has faced bad news on government tax revenues and borrowing so far this year - too little tax revenue, too much borrowing.


Consortium Invests \$2.5B in NTL Assets A consortium led by Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group agreed Thursday to pay 1.27 billion British pounds (US\$2.5 billion; euro1.8 billion) for NTL Inc.


3 Former KMart Execs Charged with Fraud (Reuters) Reuters - Three former Kmart executives and\representatives of several major vendors were charged on\Thursday with fraudulently accounting for  #36;24 million of profit\before the retailer filed for bankruptcy in 2002.


Retailers' Nov. Same-Store Sales Sluggish  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Major U.S. retailers reported tepid  November sales on Thursday, as discounting lured customers, but  high energy prices and nagging concerns about a soggy job  market kept buying in check.


Oil Drops Another 5 Pct to \$43 a Barrel  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices crumbled another 5 percent to  around \$43 a barrel on Thursday, suffering the biggest two-day  slide since the Gulf War after a rise in U.S. heating oil  stocks triggered furious selling.


Stocks Off, Energy Shares Down, Oil Falls  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were slightly lower on  Thursday, reversing some of Wednesday's sharp rally, as another  slide in oil prices knocked shares of energy-related companies.


U.S. Factory Orders, Jobless Claims Up  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Booming orders for new military  aircraft boosted overall orders to U.S. factories by 0.5  percent to a seasonally adjusted \$371.51 billion in October,  the Commerce Department said on Thursday, though demand was  flat when defense was excluded.


Red Bull hope for Coulthard McLaren discard David Coulthard could be offered a way back into Formula One for the 2005 season as a driver with the new Red Bull Racing team, it was reported on Thursday.


U.S. Mortgage Rates Rise in Latest Week  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Interest rates on U.S. 30-year and  15-year mortgages rose in the latest week as an improving  economy stoked fears of inflation, mortgage finance company  Freddie Mac said on Thursday.


3 Former KMart Execs Charged with Fraud  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three former Kmart executives and  representatives of several major vendors were charged on  Thursday with fraudulently accounting for \$24 million of profit  before the retailer filed for bankruptcy in 2002.


Season Off to Slow Start The nation's retailers had a disappointing start to the holiday season, reporting sluggish sales for November after a much hoped-for surge in Thanksgiving weekend business failed to materialize.


Dollar Rebounds After Setting New Low Mark Against Euro The U.S. dollar rallied after dropping to a record low Thursday against the euro amid uncertainty about whether officials would intervene to curb the currency's slide.


SEC Files Fraud Charges Against 3 Former Kmart Executives Federal regulators on Thursday filed civil fraud charges against three former Kmart Corp. executives and five current and former managers of big vendor companies, saying they engineered a \$24 million accounting fraud by the retailing giant.


Microsoft, Sun claim progress on interoperability deal DECEMBER 02, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Microsoft Corp. and Sun Microsystems Inc. said yesterday that they #39;re pleased with the progress they have made in the early stages of the 10-year alliance they forged in April (see story).


NHL Accepts Union Invitation for Talks (AP) AP - The NHL accepted an invitation from the players' association on Thursday to return to the negotiating table in an effort to end the lockout that began nearly three months ago.


NASCAR Champ Busch Hopes to Draw New Fans (AP) AP - For anyone unhappy that Kurt Busch is the new Nextel Cup champion, Jack Roush has some advice: Get used to it.


Ricky Williams Will Remain Retired (Reuters) Reuters - Former Miami Dolphins running\back Ricky Williams will remain retired after declining the


Canada's Barrick Gold acquires nine per cent stake in Celtic Resources (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - MOSCOW (AP) - Canada's Barrick Gold Corp. said Thursday it was acquiring a nine per cent stake in London-based Celtic Resources Holding Ltd., in a deal that potentially gives the Canadian gold giant major clout ahead of next year's auction of Russia's biggest gold deposit.


Sightings by UN patrols bolster suspicions of Rwandan incursion in Congo (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - UN air and ground patrols have photographed freshly occupied encampments and unidentified well-equipped troops in east Congo, UN officials said Thursday, bolstering suspicions that Rwanda is making good on its threat to send troops into its larger, weaker neighbour.


Baseball Owners to Vote on Expos Move (AP) AP - Baseball commissioner Bud Selig scheduled a conference call for Friday for owners to vote on the proposed move of the Montreal Expos to Washington.


Ricky Williams Will Remain Retired  NEW YORK (Sports Network) - Former Miami Dolphins running  back Ricky Williams will remain retired after declining the  NFL's reinstatement offer.


Report: Giambi Admits to Using Steroids  SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Sports Network) - According to a report,  New York Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi claimed in his  grand jury testimony that he took a human growth hormone in  2003 and also used steroids for at least three seasons.


Grizzlies Name Fratello Head Coach  MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Sports Network) - Mike Fratello returned to  the NBA coaching ranks Thursday when the Memphis Grizzlies  selected the former Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers coach  as their new head coach.


Bush Finished Campaign With Millions (AP) AP - President Bush's record campaign fund raising left him with millions of dollars to spare, allowing him to donate  #36;11 million to the Republican Party and even send a few checks to the White House Historical Association.


Brown Makes Season Debut for Wizards  WASHINGTON (Sports Network) - Former No. 1 overall pick  Kwame Brown returned from an off-season foot injury in  Washington's 95-68 rout of New Jersey Wednesday night.


White House Urges Myanmar to Free Suu Kyi (AP) AP - The Bush administration urged the Myanmar government on Thursday to free pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest, saying a failure to do so would represent "unacceptable backtracking."


Bills' Henry Out Indefinitely  ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (Sports Network) - Buffalo Bills running  back Travis Henry could be sidelined for the remainder of the  season with a lower right leg injury.


Iran Hard-liners Mark 1983 Attack on U.S. Marines  TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranian hard-liners erected a monument  Thursday to commemorate a suicide bombing which killed 241 U.S.  servicemen in Lebanon in 1983, witnesses said.


Cuba frees sixth jailed dissident Cuba releases a journalist jailed in last year's dissident crackdown, the sixth prisoner to be freed this week.


EU backing for Romania elections The European Commission says the elections in Romania were conducted in an orderly manner and will not affect membership talks.


Bud Selig calls for vote on Expos Moving the Expos to Washington is subject to approval from MLB owners and the DC council approving financing for a new stadium by Dec. 31.


Motorola Slips Ouch. That #39;s gotta hurt. Motorola (NYSE: MOT) has crashed into third place in the global mobile handset market behind Samsung.


Wal-Mart Predicts Weak Dec. Sales as Retailers Falter (Update7) Sales at US retailers rose less than forecast at the start of the holiday season as Federated Department Stores Inc. and Limited Brands unexpectedly posted November declines.


Mortgage rates going up Fresh signs of strength in the economy have caused mortgage rates to rise. Mortgage company Freddie Mac says the average for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is now 5.81 percent, up sharply from 5.72 in last week #39;s survey.


QBs Randall, Berlin Came Into Own (AP) AP - Virginia Tech's Bryan Randall and Miami's Brock Berlin finally have emerged from their predecessors' shadows.


Microsoft Sues 7 Spammers Microsoft indicated that the defendants used compromised computers around the world, using so-called zombie computers. By TechWeb.


Mozilla Trots Out Nearly Final Thunderbird E-Mailer com. The Mozilla Foundation Wednesday debuted a release candidate edition of its first standalone e-mail client, the open-source, for-free Thunderbird.


Europe #39;s Web Surfers Go for Broadband Nielsen/NetRatings reported that more than 100 million Europeans use the Internet--and of these, more than 54 million go surfing over a broadband connection.


Galloway to contest east London seat Fresh from his libel victory over the Daily Telegraph, George Galloway this evening announced his intention to challenge the Labour MP Oona King at the general election.


Oil Drops Another 5 Pct to 12-Week Low  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices crumbled another 5 percent to  a 12-week low just above \$43 a barrel on Thursday, suffering  the biggest two-day slide since the Gulf War after a rise in  U.S. heating oil stocks triggered furious selling.


Amazon's Electrifying Sales Amazon.com apparently has greater sales in electronics than books for the very first time.


Inflation under control, says Fed's Bernanke (AFP) AFP - US inflation is under control and is expected to remain tame, Federal Reserve Board governor Ben Bernanke said.


Gold hits 16-year high on weakness of US\$ Gold futures hit a 16-year high Monday, continuing a bull run that has gold companies  quot;living the dream, #39; #39; according to one industry analyst.


Update 1: FDA Puts CuraGen Protein on Fast-Track Shares of CuraGen Corp. shot up 13 percent Thursday morning after the biotechnology company said regulators gave a  quot;fast-track quot; designation to its experimental treatment for mouth sores that often accompany chemotherapy or radiation therapy.


San Diego Chargers Seek to Widen AFC Gap (AP) AP - The San Diego Chargers didn't expect to be leading the AFC West at this point in the season. And the Denver Broncos probably didn't expect to be trailing the Chargers in the standings.


Blue Jays Acquire McDonald From Indians (AP) AP - The Toronto Blue Jays acquired infielder John McDonald from the Cleveland Indians on Thursday for a player to be named.


MSN Spaces reaction Microsoft blogger Robert Scoble has an exhaustive roundup of the reaction to the new MSN Spaces Web publishing and blogging tool, plus a link to a video interview of the MSN Spaces development team on Microsoft #39;s Channel 9 site.


Russia #39;s space agency approves station crew An American and a Russian, both space veterans, have been selected as the next replacement crew for the international space station, a Russian agency spokesman said Tuesday.


Will it be Els or Goosen? Sun City - South African golf enthusiasts face a tough choice on Friday - who to support - Ernie Els or Retief Goosen? They are the joint leaders after the first round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge being played at the Gary Player country club.


CHARGERS EYE TOP SPOT If the San Diego Chargers are able to contain Jake Plummer, they can take a huge step towards winning the AFC West title. The Chargers look to clinch their first winning season in nine years on Sunday when they host the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium.


Sharon seeks to expand coalition Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said today he planned to replace his minority government with a broad coalition to push through his Gaza withdrawal plan and promised not to launch attacks on Palestinians unless provoked during


British Lawmaker Wins Libel Suit Against Daily Telegraph A member of the British Parliament, George Galloway, won a libel suit today against The Daily Telegraph of London, which dubbed him  quot;Saddam #39;s Little Helper


MLB Owners to Vote Baseball commissioner Bud Selig schedules a conference call for Friday for owners to vote on the proposed move of the Montreal Expos to Washington.


U.S. Ambassador Appeals to Some Taliban (AP) AP - The top U.S. official in Afghanistan called Thursday on the Taliban to give up their three-year insurgency against American forces, pledging "non-criminal" fighters will left in peace if they acknowledge the authority of President-elect Hamid Karzai.


Man. man appealing murder conviction to have bail hearing next month (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - WINNIPEG (CP) - A Manitoba man who says he was wrongfully convicted of murder will have a bail hearing next month.


Two Issues Stalling Intel Overhaul Bill (AP) AP - Two issues have House Republicans tied in a knot on the intelligence bill President Bush says he wants: military control of spy satellites and provisions that, some lawmakers say, let terrorists shield themselves with claims of political asylum.


UN Needs More Power to Find Any Iran Nukes -Envoys  VIENNA (Reuters) - There is little hope U.N. inspectors  will find any secret Iranian atomic weapons program without  increased inspection powers, Western diplomats and a  non-proliferation expert said on Thursday.


Oracle in Merger Talks Beyond PeopleSoft  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Oracle Corp. ORCL.O on Thursday  said it is in merger talks with other technology companies as  it pursues its \$9.2 billion hostile takeover bid for rival  software maker PeopleSoft Inc. PSFT.O.


Court Votes to Strip Pinochet of Immunity An appeals court ruled Thursday to strip former dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet of immunity from prosecution for a 1974 car bombing that killed an exiled Chilean general and the man's wife.


Battle over Gold Fields-Iamgold merger heats up JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - Harmony Gold Mining says it will try to block Gold Fields International #39;s merger proposal with Toronto-based Iamgold, despite a South African court ruling prohibiting it from doing so.


Retailers report sluggish November The nation #39;s retailers had a disappointing start to the holiday season, today reporting sluggish November sales as a much-hoped-for surge in Thanksgiving weekend business failed to materialize.


SEC Sues 3 Former Kmart Execs WASHINGTON -- Federal regulators have filed civil fraud charges against three former Kmart executives and five current and former managers of suppliers.


Dialysis clinic chain agrees to pay \$350M ST. LOUIS -- The nation #39;s third-largest operator of kidney-dialysis clinics has agreed to pay the government \$350 million to settle allegations it defrauded Medicare.


Apple Launches ITunes Music Store in Canada Apple Computer Inc. on Thursday launched its iTunes online music store in Canada, the 14th country in which the popular service is available.


PGA of America changes Ryder Cup qualifying format PALM BEACH GARDENS, United States (AFP) - In the wake of the worst Ryder Cup loss ever by an American team, the PGA of America has adopted a new points system to determine 10 automatic qualifiers for the United States squad.


Sportsview: Which Are the Best Two Teams? (AP) AP - Southern California is No. 1 in the polls and the BCS standings. The computers prefer Oklahoma. Auburn's victories over Georgia and Tennessee might be the season's two most impressive performances. The Trojans, Sooners and Tigers are all 11-0, but the Bowl Championship Series can only accommodate two teams in its national title game.


UN prepared to help ease Congo-Rwanda tensions Peacekeepers in Congo are prepared to help disarm Hutu rebels threatening Rwanda from Congolese soil to ease tensions between the two Central African neighbors, the United Nations said on Thursday.


US: US election makes blog the word of the year A four-letter term that came to symbolise the difference between old and new media during this year #39;s presidential campaign tops US dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster #39;s list of the 10 words of the year.


Lycos Anti-Spam Attack More Powerful than Intended ZDNet UK reports that Lycos Europe #39;s in-your-face anti-spam promotion may have been more effective than it intended. Ostensibly designed to slow but not take down spam servers, the  quot;Make Love Not Spam quot; distributed


Retailers Post Sluggish Sales in Nov. (AP) AP - The nation's retailers had a disappointing start to the holiday season, reporting sluggish sales for November after a much hoped-for surge in Thanksgiving weekend business failed to materialize.


NHL Accepts Union Invitation for Talks NHL commissioner Gary Bettman speaks to the media at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on Wednesday Dec. 1, 2004.


Statement On Notre Dame Universitys Firing Of Football Coach <b>...</b> (New York, NY) Dec. 2, 2004 - Earl G. Graves, Sr., Publisher and Chairman of BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine, issued the following statement on the firing of Tyrone Willingham from the position of head football coach by Notre Dame University:


Prez catches Canada off-guard with ballistic missile defence plan HALIFAX: President Bush caught Canadian officials off guard in calling openly for joint action on a continental missile defence shield.


Bush Praises Canadians for Post-9/11 Aid US President Bush speaks at Pier 21 in Halifax, Canada, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2004. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak). HALIFAX, Nova Scotia Dec 1, 2004 - President Bush asked Canadians on Wednesday to move beyond


Prince Bernhard, Father of Dutch Queen, Dies at 93 Prince Bernhard, a bon vivant and outspoken member of an ancient German royal family who became husband of one queen of the Netherlands and father of another, died yesterday at a hospital in Utrecht near Amsterdam.


Stocks End Near Flat Ahead of Jobs Data  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended little changed on  Thursday, as investors were cautious about making large bets  before Friday's jobs report and energy stocks limited advances  as oil continued its slide.


Update 10: Oil Prices Decline for 2nd Straight Day Crude futures sold off sharply for a second day in row Thursday, briefly dipping below \$43 a barrel, as traders focused on rising fuel supplies and the lack of cold weather.


UPDATE 2-Gambro sells marine unit, settles US probe Gambro, the world #39;s second-largest dialysis group, agreed to sell its MacGregor marine cargo company and will settle a US compliance case, the Swedish company said on Thursday, sending its shares 2 percent higher.


Cavs Activate Pavlovic; Wagner Back on IL (AP) AP - The Cavaliers activated guard Sasha Pavlovic and placed guard Dajuan Wagner on the injured list Thursday before they played the Denver Nuggets.


Supreme court begins hearing final arguments in Ukraine's election dispute (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Tens of thousands of opposition supporters partied in Kyiv's main square Thursday, erecting a Christmas tree and waving orange flags in a show of confidence as the Supreme Court heard final arguments on whether to overturn disputed election results.


Martin says Bush assured him no plans for space-based weapons (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - The prime minister says he's been assured by President George W. Bush that the U.S. missile defence plan does not necessarily involve the weaponization of space.


Infineon Execs Pleading Guilty in US DRAM Probe Four sales executives of German chip maker Infineon Technologies AG (IFXGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) have agreed to plead guilty to participating in a conspiracy


Panero: XM CEO Sees Cell Phones As Next Satellite Radio Frontier  quot;Magic can happen. quot; Sirius Satellite Radio (nasdaq: SIRI - news - people ) may have signed Howard Stern and the men #39;s NCAA basketball tournaments, but XM Satellite Radio (nasdaq: XMSR - news - people ) has its sights on your cell phone.


Miller #39;s winning streak ends at three as Goergl wins Super G Bode Miller #39;s three-race winning streak ended Thursday, but the American still added to his commanding lead in the World Cup overall standings by finishing second to Austria #39;s Stephan Goergl in a Super G.


NHL, NHLPA to resume bargaining talks next Thursday in Toronto NEW YORK (CP) - The NHL Players #39; Association made the biggest move of the 2-month-old lockout Thursday, inviting the NHL back to the negotiating table with the lure of a new proposal.


Fratello to Coach Grizzlies Mike Fratello is hired as coach of the Memphis Grizzlies as a replacement for Hubie Brown, who unexpectedly retired for health reasons.


Albertsons on the Rebound Things are slowly returning to normal in the embattled grocery world. This morning, Albertsons (NYSE: ABS), the No. 2 player in the group, reported an 18 jump in third-quarter net income


US long-term mortgage rates increase sharply Long-term mortgage rates in the United States increased sharply this week, mortgage wholesaler Freddie Mac reported Thursday in its weekly nationwide survey.


Gateway Returns To Japan Gateway is returning to Japan and will be launching some new desktop and laptop computers for the new market. Leveraging the distribution channels of its eMachines brand, the company now offers its new line


Villeneuve sets the pace as Heidfeld speeds up Canadian Jacques Villeneuve has set the pace for Sauber while Germany #39;s Nick Heidfeld did his best to impress Williams in a wet and windy Formula One test session at Jerez.


Lindh #39;s killer has jail term confirmed The confessed killer of Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh has had his life jail sentence confirmed by the Supreme Court after he appealed for leniency saying he was mentally ill when he stabbed her.


Intel Raises Quarterly Revenue Target (Reuters) Reuters - Intel Corp. , the largest\maker of microchips, on Thursday raised its quarterly revenue\target, citing strong worldwide demand for its microprocessors,\and its shares jumped nearly 6 percent in after-hours trading.


Albertsons on the Rebound The No. 2 grocer reports double-digit gains in sales and earnings after recent acquisitions.


UPDATE 2-US appeals court turns down ABB #39;s asbestos deal A US appeals court on Thursday turned down ABB #39;s (ABBN.VX: Quote, Profile, Research) (ABB.N: Quote, Profile, Research) proposed \$1.2 billion settlement of an asbestos lawsuit involving the Swiss engineering group #39;s Combustion


Retailers Stock Up on Latest Gadgets (AP) AP - Some of the biggest fashion trends at department stores this holiday season have more to do with MP3 players than cashmere ponchos or fur-trimmed sweaters.


Comcast Plans Music Video-Web Offering (AP) AP - Comcast Corp. plans to begin offering music videos on demand to its broadband Internet subscribers early next year, part of a multiyear deal with the television network Music Choice.


Quarterback's Slump Doesn't Faze Steelers (AP) AP - The big plays don't come as regularly, and neither do the deep pass completions. He has led only two touchdown drives and was sacked 11 times the last two weeks even while facing losing-record opponents.


Infineon execs go to jail for DRAM price fixing THE DEPARTMENT of Justice said that four employees of Infineon have pleaded guilty to charges of price fixing DRAM. Three German citizens and one US citizen will each pay \$250,000 in fines as well as serving between four to six months in jail.


Band Aid Single Now Available on ITunes (AP) AP - Apple Computer Inc. has settled a dispute that was keeping the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" off its iTunes music store in Britain.


Intel Raises 4th-Quarter Sales Forecast (AP) AP - Semiconductor giant Intel Corp. dramatically raised the range of its fourth-quarter sales forecast Thursday as it benefited from strong holiday demand for microprocessors, the brains of personal computers.


Report: Mobile Phone Sales Up; Nokia Gains Market Share (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Mobile phone sales were up 26 percent in the third quarter, with Nokia (NYSE: NOK) solidifying its position as the leading manufacturer, while Samsung leapfrogged past Motorola (NYSE: MOT) for second in the global rankings.


About 1,000 Dead or Missing in Philippines Floods Nearly a thousand people are dead or missing in flash floods and landslides that have devastated a large section of the northern Philippines, rescue officials said.


Dollar Rebounds After Setting Low Vs. Euro The US dollar rallied after dropping to a record low Thursday against the euro amid uncertainty about whether officials would intervene to curb the currency #39;s slide.


Oracle in Merger Talks Beyond PeopleSoft (Reuters) Reuters - Oracle Corp.  on Thursday\said it is in merger talks with other technology companies as\it pursues its  #36;9.2 billion hostile takeover bid for rival\software maker PeopleSoft Inc. .


IBM Makes a Power Play (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - IBM (NYSE: IBM) has established a new global organization to push the company's\Power processor platform, with an emphasis on establishing a foothold in\the potentially lucrative Chinese I.T. market.


Apple Launches ITunes Music Store in Canada (Reuters) Reuters - Apple Computer Inc. on Thursday\launched its iTunes online music store in Canada, the 14th\country in which the popular service is available.


Headless Bodies Found at Mysterious Mexico Pyramid (Reuters) Reuters - The discovery of a tomb filled with\decapitated bodies suggests Mexico's 2,000 year-old "Pyramid of\the Moon" may have been the site of horrifically gory\sacrifices, archeologists said on Thursday.


Brazil Finds New Europe-Related Dinosaur Species (Reuters) Reuters - Scientists have found\well-preserved fossils of a new dinosaur species that lived 225\million years ago in southern Brazil but had its closest\relatives in what is now Europe, Brazilian paleontologists said\on Thursday.


US, Australia Team Up to Protect Vulnerable Reefs (Reuters) Reuters - Guardians of two of the world's most\popular coral reefs joined forces on Thursday to protect their\fragile charges from the ravages of water pollution, coral\disease and people.


Canada Bans Greenland, Faroese Fishing Boats (Reuters) Reuters - Canada said on Thursday it had banned\fishing boats from Greenland and the Faroe Islands from its\ports because of their "highly irresponsible" overfishing of\shrimp stocks outside Canadian waters.


With Proof of Ancient Water on Mars, Researchers Consider Life's Chances (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - Researchers can now say definitively that Mars once \supported a watery environment, but whether the red planet could have ever \supported life is still far from certain.


No Date Set for N. Korea Talks Resumption (AP) AP - The United States and its negotiating partners are ready to resume talks with North Korea on its nuclear weapons program but North Korea has not agreed, a State Department spokesman said Thursday.


Intel Raises Quarterly Revenue Target  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Intel Corp. INTC.O, the largest  maker of microchips, on Thursday raised its quarterly revenue  outlook, citing strong worldwide demand for its  microprocessors, and its shares jumped more than 7 percent in  after-hours trading.


Stocks Dip, Nasdaq Rises Before Jobs Data  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks finished little changed on  Thursday, pausing after Wednesday's sharp rally, as investors  were cautious about making large bets before Friday's closely  watched jobs report.


Factory Orders Up, Jobless Claims Rise  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Orders at U.S. factories rose 0.5  percent in October as demand for military equipment surged, the  Commerce Department said on Thursday, but orders were flat when  defense was excluded.


3 Former Kmart Execs Charged with Fraud  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three former Kmart executives and  representatives of several major vendors were charged on  Thursday with fraudulently accounting for \$24 million of profit  before the retailer filed for bankruptcy in 2002.


Apple Launches ITunes Music Store in Canada  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc. on Thursday  launched its iTunes online music store in Canada, the 14th  country in which the popular service is available.


Marsh CEO Says Probe Near End  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Marsh   McLennan Cos. MMC.N will  wrap up its probe into its business practices by early January  and set aside more than the \$232 million allocated for legal  costs last month to settle bid-rigging claims, Chief Executive  Michael Cherkasky said.


Rwanda Denies Army in Congo, Threatens Only Rebels  KIGALI/KINSHASA (Reuters) - Rwanda denied on Thursday it  had pushed troops into Democratic Republic of Congo even as  United Nations peacekeepers said they had found compelling  evidence of an infiltration into the vast country.


Infineon Execs Pleading Guilty in U.S. DRAM Probe  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Four sales executives of German  chip maker Infineon Technologies AG IFXGn.DE have agreed to  plead guilty to participating in a conspiracy to fix the prices  of computer memory chips, the U.S. Department of Justice said  on Thursday.


Ryder Cup Criteria Puts Emphasis on Play The worst U.S. loss in Ryder Cup history led to a shakeup in the qualification process, a change geared toward making sure the Americans are on top of their game when the 2006 matches are played in Ireland.


Babe's Bat Tops \$1 Million at Auction Going, going, gone. The massive 46-ounce Louisville Slugger used by Babe Ruth to drill the first home run in Yankee Stadium history was sold for a record \$1.26 million Thursday to an unidentified private collector.


NCAA President Urges Coaching Diversity NCAA president Myles Brand is urging athletic directors to take a closer look at minority coaching candidates this year.


Where are oil prices headed? Experts are divided on the next move for crude futures, and even on the factors that influence them. NEW YORK (Reuters) - The biggest two-day slide in oil prices since 1991 may have brightened faces on Wall


Calpers Boardroom Reformer Shown the Door The ouster of the president of the California Public Employees #39; Retirement System comes amid a growing backlash against corporate reform, but shareholder advocates expect the move to have little direct effect on the corporate governance movement.


Central bank keeps quiet about its euro options FRANKFURT Will the European Central Bank intervene in the world #39;s currency markets to put a lid on the euro? It has become a tantalizing prospect for many Europeans, who are nervous about the economic impact


UK upbeat despite signs of slowdown LONDON Faced with multiplying signs of an economic slowdown, Gordon Brown, the chancellor of the Exchequer, stuck to his guns on Thursday, predicting that Britain #39;s economy will keep growing at some of the fastest rates of any large industrial country.


Jobless rate climbs in Germany BERLIN Germany #39;s unemployment rate rose in November to a six-year high, the government said Thursday, as Bayer and other companies announced job cuts.


Authorities to harden tactics on speculation The government is likely to tighten supervision of domestic companies #39; trading futures on overseas markets after the China Aviation Oil (Singapore) Corp lost US\$550 million from


Ebookers sale lands 90m for boss DINESH DHAMIJA, the chairman and chief executive of Ebookers, last night looked set to land a 90 million windfall after agreeing to a takeover of the online travel group he founded.


Fifth Third Predicts Lower 4Q Outlook Fifth Third Bancorp predicted fourth-quarter results well below Wall Street expectations Thursday, citing a balance sheet restructuring aimed at reducing the risks associated with increasing interest rates.


US Air, Services Union in Labor Pact The union representing US Airways #39; (USAIRQ.OB:OTC-BB - news - research) passenger service employees said it has reached a tentative labor agreement with the bankrupt carrier.


Update 2: Gambro to Pay \$350M to Settle Fraud Case The nation #39;s third-largest operator of renal-dialysis clinics has agreed to pay the federal government \$350 million to settle civil and criminal charges that it defrauded Medicare, a US attorney said Thursday.


Celtics' Pierce Apologizes to Coach Boston Celtics captain Paul Pierce apologized for arguing with coach Doc Rivers, one day after being benched for not hustling.


Infineon Execs Plead Guilty to Price-Fixing Four Infineon (Quote, Chart) executives agreed to plead guilty to charges they conspired to fix prices in the computer memory sector, officials said Thursday.


Microsoft enters Google Territory with MSN Spaces In the last couple of months, we have seen Google invading the Microsoft territory with GMail and Google Desktop Search. Now Microsoft is responding.


Microsoft files lawsuits against smut spammers DECEMBER 02, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Microsoft Corp. is again using the courts to pursue individuals allegedly responsible for spam e-mail campaigns, this time going after those who send out unsolicited and sexually explicit e-mail.


Sun, Microsoft Say Alliance Paying Off for Interoperability Microsoft and Sun Microsystems say that eight months into their 10-year cooperative alliance, dividends are already being paid in the form of increased interoperability of their products.


Antispam screensaver downs two sites in China Lycos Europe #39;s  quot;Make love not spam quot; campaign has killed access to some of the Web sites of its target alleged spammers, Netcraft has found.


Reports Detail NASA Rover Discoveries of Wet Martian History The most dramatic findings so far from NASA #39;s twin Mars rovers -- telltale evidence for a wet and possibly habitable environment in the arid planet #39;s past -- passed rigorous scientific scrutiny for publication in a major research journal.


Google modernizes Net community service com December 1, 2004, 5:10 PM PT. This priority retains its ranking at number five as more and more companies deploy Web services to share business logic, data and processes with each other and with clients.


AOL Gives Voice to Consumers America Online (Quote, Chart) launched a consumer version of its AIM Voice Conferencing (AVC) system today, underscoring the company #39;s stated belief that instant messaging is the new doorway to communication in the office and at home.


Sun proposes new open-source license Sun Microsystems has quietly begun seeking official open-source status for a new software license that likely will be used to govern its Solaris operating system.


Satellite radio on mobile phones  2004-12-02  Accessing satellite radio on mobile phones would be possibile in the next five years. Hugh Panero, chief executive officer, XM Satellite Radio Holdings, has confirmed that his company is


Gateway #39;s Return to Japan May Be Symbolic Gateway Computer is returning to the Japanese computer market, which it abandoned in 2001. But analysts wonder whether the computer manufacturer can make much money there; the market is mature, and it is dominated by local brands.


Goergl ends Miller #39;s winning streak at World Cup Super-G Austrian Stephan Goergl of Austria won a World Cup Super-G race, ending American Bode Miller #39;s three-race winning streak Thurday in the Colorado Rockies.


UEFA Cup: AZ shock Rangers to advance, Auxerre crush Amica ALKMAAR/AUXERRE, Dec 2 (SW) - AZ Alkmaar defeated Glasgow Rangers to advance to the third round of the UEFA Cup, while AJ Auxerre left group minnows Amica Wronki without a chance.


Scots prefer Smith to Strachan In the end it came down to a straight choice between Walter Smith and Gordon Strachan for the Scotland manager #39;s job, and Smith won easily.


New York bidders launch international promo campaign New York has launched a new phase in its bid for the 2012 Olympics, taking its message directly to the people who will select the host city.


US alter Ryder Cup qualification The US has revamped the qualification system which determines its Ryder Cup team in the wake of the crushing 18- 9 defeat by Europe last September.


Grizzlies name Fratello as head coach The Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday named Mike Fratello as the head coach, replacing Hubie Brown, who retired last week for health reasons, according to a NBA TV report.


Sorting through all the scenarios Though not nearly as entertaining, it continues the theme that machines can hold power over humans, even when the people are fighting to regain control.


Israeli and Palestinian Politics in Uncertainty and Disarray Israeli Prime Minster Ariel Sharon says he is determined to find new partners for his coalition government after suffering a major defeat in parliament.


Judge Criticises  #39;Dramatic #39; Handling of  #39;scoop #39; In his 60-page judgment Mr Justice Eady made a series of strong criticisms about The Telegraphs dramatic and condemnatory handling of their Galloway scoop.


Minister condemns Suu Kyi detention Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern has condemned a decision by Burma #39;s military government to extend the house arrest of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.


A High-Risk Election in Iraq Judging by the statements of those who have the power to decide, an election will be held in Iraq on January 31 - come what may. Despite calls for a six-month delay from Iraqi political parties involved


Babe Ruth Bat Still Has Clout, Sells for \$1.26 Million  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Curse of the Bambino may have  ended this year but Babe Ruth proved to have plenty of clout at  the auction table as the bat he used to hit the first homer at  Yankee Stadium sold for \$1.265 million on Thursday.


Ex-NBA Player Murphy Denies Molesting Daughters  HOUSTON (Reuters) - Former basketball star Calvin Murphy  took the stand in a Texas court on Thursday to deny charges he  sexually molested five of his daughters.


Bulgaria Joins EU Mission in BiH Bulgaria has started its first co-mission with the EU in Bosnia and Herzegovina, along with some 30 countries, including Canada and Turkey.


Philippines storm toll over 900 as new typhoon hits MANILA: Over 900 people were dead or missing after a storm triggered landslides and floods in the Philippines this week, rescuers announced on Thursday as a new and even more powerful typhoon approached the main island of Luzon.


US  #39;concerned #39; on Suu Kyi #39;s fate The United States has added its voice to a chorus of international concern over the continued detention of Myanmar #39;s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.


Central Baghdad hit by mortar attacks Five shells exploded in Baghdad on Thursday, with several landing in the fortified Green Zone area. Clouds of black smoke were seen rising from the Green Zone area on the west bank of the Tigris river after


Sharon will meet Assad  #39;under certain conditions #39; TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Thursday he was willing to meet Syrian President Bashar Assad under  quot;certain conditions, quot; an offer which Damascus swiftly turned down as unacceptable.


Rebels return to 'cleared' areas In Fallujah, US forces are going through 50,000 houses one by one. But insurgents are coming back.


US presses Burma on Suu Kyi The US calls on the military junta in Burma to release opposition leader Aung Sang Suu Kyi from house arrest.


Toothfish 'pirate' trial collapse The trial of five men accused of poaching rare fish from Australian waters in a Uruguayan trawler collapses.


Brown defends economic record Chancellor Gordon Brown has defended his stewardship of the economy, telling MPs there is no 10 billion black hole in the public finances.


EBay Reorganizes Senior Management SAN FRANCISCO - EBay Inc. announced a senior management reorganization Thursday, increasing international responsibilities for three executives and underscoring the significance of the company #39;s tremendously profitable PayPal division.


Four Infineon execs face jail p2pnet.net News:- Four Infineon Technologies AG executives face jail after pleading guilty to DRAM price fixing charges in what the US Department of Justice says is a, very active and far-reaching investigation into antitrust violations in the DRAM


Microsoft Launches MSN Spaces Blogging Tool MSN Spaces, Microsoft #39;s new blogging service, accompanies a beta version of MSN Messenger 7.0 and updates to MSN Hotmail. MSN Spaces makes it easier for consumers to create and maintain a personal Web site, says Microsoft.


Apple finally launches Canadian ITunes service ITunes finally launched in Canada on Thursday, bringing with it over 700,000 songs, exclusive tracks, celebrity playlists and multiple CD burning rights.


Google Launches Revamped E-Mail Groups Google Inc. turned on the switch Thursday to its new e-mail list service that combines the Usenet archive with the ability to create and manage new groups.


Spain and US braced for Davis Cup battle ARMED with a shiny baseball bat and facing Andy Roddicks infamous knuckle ball in a post-practice laugh-in, Rafael Nadal took three swishes and connected only with the mist his breath left hanging in the air.


Socialists in France give lift to EU charter PARIS A resounding vote in favor of the European Union constitution by France #39;s opposition Socialist Party was welcomed Thursday across a Continent that faces a string of national referendums on the treaty next year.


F.D.A. Panel Says Sex Patch Needs More Testing A hormone patch that works to restore a woman's sex drive should not be approved until additional studies to determine its risk, federal health advisers said today.


Rise in Rates Rips Fifth Third Midwestern lender Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB:Nasdaq - news - research) warned late Thursday that fourth-quarter earnings will fall far short of analyst expectations because the bank #39;s securities portfolio got whacked by rising interest rates.


Spitzer Helps Loan Sharks When the state doesn't allow companies to charge sufficient interest legally, the black market fills the void.


US holiday sales launch flops (AFP) AFP - Crucial US holiday sales launched with a flop, retailers reported.


Canada gets iTunes finally Apple fans in Canada would be happy to know that iTunes has finally made it to their country. Canada users of iPod can now use Apple iTunes store to buy and download music at 99 cents per song.


Gateway returns to Japan after three years While taking a back seat to software and security efforts, hardware is still a big time concern according to our survey. Organizations are taking the opportunity to consolidate their environments as they replace


UEFA Cup: Rangers #39; unbeaten run ends Alkmaar, the Netherlands (Sports Network) - Rangers #39; 16-match unbeaten run came to an end Thursday as it lost at AZ Alkmaar, 1-0, in a UEFA Cup encounter.


Els controls nerves and course HARD to believe of a man who has won three major championships, been in the shake-up at numerous others and has been ranked among the worlds best for nearly a decade, but Ernie Els still gets nervous before a round of tournament golf.


Pongo #39;s backing the kids LIVERPOOL hero Florent Sinama Pongolle wants boss Rafael Benitez to stick with the youngsters for next months Carling Cup semi against Watford.


Bat of the Babe sells for Ruthian amount New York, NY (Sports Network) - A bat once used by legendary baseball player Babe Ruth sold for \$1.26 million at an auction on Thursday, marking the third- highest price ever paid for a piece of sports memorabilia.


US revamp Ryder Cup qualifying WHEN Europe came away from the Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills, Detroit, in September with a record 18-9 win over the United States, they left behind a nation questioning what had gone wrong


Blue Jays sign Menechino Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - The Toronto Blue Jays have signed utilityman Frank Menechino to a one-year contract. The deal is worth \$650,000 with an option for 2006.


Money Funds Tumble to  #36;825.62B This Week (AP) AP - Assets of the nation's retail money market mutual funds fell by  #36;3.01 billion in the latest week to  #36;825.62 billion, the Investment Company Institute said Thursday.


Top General Eases Stance on Intelligence Bill Gen. Richard B. Myers said that his concerns about the intelligence-overhaul bill had been resolved in the final version.


Mixed Bag for Neiman Marcus Upscale retailer reports strong first quarter results followed by weaken-than-expected November sales.


Stocks End Flat; Intel Leaps After Bell  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks finished little changed on  Thursday, pausing after Wednesday's sharp rally. But after the  closing bell, shares of Intel Corp. INTC.O shot 7 percent  higher as the chip maker raised its revenue target.


U.S., EU Put Airbus-Boeing Spat on Hold  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and European Union  called a temporary time-out on Thursday in a cross-Atlantic  dispute over government support for aviation rivals Boeing  BA.N and Airbus EAD.PA.


Appeals Court Rejects ABB Asbestos Plan  ZURICH/NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on  Thursday rejected ABB's ABBN.VX ABB.N bid for a \$1.2  billion asbestos settlement that would end years of legal  wrangling and put a cap on asbestos claims filed by thousands  of former workers.


Apple Launches iTunes Music Store in Canada  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc. on Thursday  launched its iTunes online music store in Canada, the 14th  country in which the popular service is available.


US, EU Put Airbus-Boeing Spat on Hold The United States and European Union called a temporary time-out on Thursday in a cross-Atlantic dispute over government support for Aviation rivals Boeing (BA.


Fighting to Keep Smut-Spam in a Brown Wrapper Microsoft (Quote, Chart) has fired another salvo in its ongoing spam battle, this time against porn peddlers who don #39;t keep their smut inside the digital equivalent of a  quot;Brown Paper Wrapper.


Former Tottenham goalkeeper Bill Brown dies in Ontario at the age <b>...</b> SIMCOE, Ont. (CP) - Bill Brown, a former Scottish international goalkeeper who went on to play soccer and live in Canada, has died after a lengthy battle with cancer.


Rover data makes return a must Data from Nasa's Mars rover Opportunity shows its landing site is a prime spot for a return mission to look for life.


Industry 'denies chemical risks' Industry denies proven links between some chemicals and childhood illness, a senior WHO official tells the BBC.


Fossil Egg Finds Yield Clues to How Pterosaurs Lived Two new fossilized pterosaur eggs have been discovered. The fossils suggest that the dinosaur-era flying reptiles lived in colonies and raised their young, experts say.


Sun burn An Australian man found himself in hot water, when he was arrested for taking pictures of topless sunbathers with his camera phone.


Oracle in merger talks with other firms Oracle is in merger talks with other technology companies as it awaits the outcome of its \$9.2 billion hostile takeover attempt for rival PeopleSoft.


Lycos, spammers trade blows over screen saver Just days after releasing a free screen saver program that uses computer downtime to swamp Web sites associated with spam, Lycos Europe has found itself caught in a fight with spammers.


Study: Managers misuse tech to control workers Managers with outdated notions are misusing technology to monitor and micromanage employees, according to a new study by the London School of Economics.


Gartner: Lower prices, new users keep mobile phones hot In traditionally weak quarter, sales increased 26 compared to last year.


Microsoft enters consumer Web logging market Company launches free test version of service that fosters popular Internet activity.


Intel planning Centrino-like brand for desktops Corporate customers will be pitched PCs that can be centrally managed and partitioned, in addition to security features.


NEC develops multicore cell phone processor Demo shows the chip running a Java applet, a browser and displaying some video at the same time.


Microsoft, Sun claim progress on interoperability deal In a conference call yesterday, Microsoft and Sun Microsystems officials touted the progress they have made in the 10-year alliance they forged in April, but they offered no major announcements.


IBM launches industry consortium for Power processors IBM has formed an industry consortium of 15 companies from the software, consumer electronics, automotive and networking industries to open up the process of building Power processors.


ESPN to enter US mobile market SAN FRANCISCO - The sports media company ESPN will introduce a branded mobile service and cell phones next year in the U.S., becoming the latest in a growing number of companies entering the mobile market on the strength of established audiences.


Oracle to tout business intelligence, content management Oracle at the Oracle OpenWorld conference in San Francisco next week plans to focus on its Data Hub technology for business intelligence, content management for the masses, grid computing, and integration, an Oracle official said on Thursday.


Deepnet browser guards against phishing SAN FRANCISCO - Internet users are getting more Web browser choices. On the heels of a new Netscape preview release and the launch of Firefox 1.0, a U.K. company on Thursday released a Web browser it claims is more secure than Internet Explorer (IE) or Firefox.


Intel will exceed previous Q4 revenue expectations SAN FRANCISCO - Intel is planning for a happy holiday season this month, as it expects to exceed its previous revenue guidance and has made progress in reducing its inventory, the company said Thursday.


Microsoft files suits against smut spammers Microsoftis again using the courts to pursue individuals allegedly responsible for spam e-mail campaigns, this time going after those who send out unsolicited and sexually explicit e-mail.


Former cybersecurity czar: Code-checking tools needed Software vendors need automated tools that look for bugs in their code, but it may be a decade before many of those tools are mature and widely used, said the former director of cybersecurity for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).


Lycos, spammers trade blows over screensaver Lycos is caught in a tit-for-tat struggle with spammers, just days after releasing a free screen saver software program that uses computer down time to swamp Web sites associated with spam campaigns.


Infineon Executives Guilty of DRAM Price-Fixing Court documents say Dell, Gateway, and other major PC vendors were affected.


MSN Spaces Blog Service Launches MSN Spaces Blog Service Launches\\What better day to announce a new blogging service than the day when we all learned that "blog" was the most popular word for an online dictionary. Was 2004 the year of the blog? If it was, MSN has found a great way to end it ...


Samsung Bullish On 2005 Samsung Electronics expects profit from mobile devices to pick up next year, despite a rating cut issued by an investment bank. During a presentation at the UBS investor conference in Seoul, Samsung


Wagers on oil price prove a slippery slope for CAO State-owned, running a monopoly on imports of jet fuel to China #39;s fast-growing aviation industry and a prized member of Singapore #39;s Stock Exchange.


Stock Fund's 5.27 Gain In Nov. Biggest In A Year (Investor's Business Daily) Investor's Business Daily - U.S. stock funds in November posted their best month in a year and made it three up months in a row, as stocks resumed their climb after a poor showing in the first half .


Americans sink or swim with Fish  quot;Take a hard hat and a pair of ear plugs, quot; was Lleyton Hewitt #39;s laconic advice to the United States team before they set off for the Davis Cup final against Spain.


Miller #39;s Winning Streak Ends at Three BEAVER CREEK, Colo. - Bode Miller #39;s three-race winning streak ended Thursday, but the American still added to his commanding lead in the World Cup overall standings by finishing second to Austria #39;s Stephan Goergl in a Super G.


Westwood rises above hot odds Lee Westwood fought the heat, a brutal course and the inexperience of a part-time caddie to shoot a two-under-par 70 for a four-way share of the lead after the first round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa yesterday.


Iraqi Sunnis threaten civil war Iraq #39;s largest party of Sunni Muslims has warned of civil war if elections scheduled for Jan. 30 aren #39;t moved back six months, The Times of London reports.


Syria dismisses Israel #39;s conditional talks offer Syria has dismissed an offer by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to meet with President Bashar al-Assad under  quot;certain conditions quot; as falling short of a proposal from Damascus.


News: Senior Republican charged in phone jamming plot A former Bush campaign official has been charged with plotting to jam the phone networks of political opponents during the November 2002 election.\


News: UK police fingerprint system collapses Computer problems have left police forces in England and Wales unable to run national fingerprint checks for more than a week.


Canadian iTunes Music Store Apple launched its revolutionary iTunes Music Store in Canada, giving music fans in Canada the same innovative features and breakthrough price of \$.99 CDN per song that have made iTunes the number one online music service in the world. Dec 02


Speaking Naturally, Anew How does version 8 of Dragon NaturallySpeaking dictation software stack up?


Dollar hits record low vs. euro TOKYO (CBS.MW) - The dollar hit a record low against the euro for a second straight Asian session Thursday, as investors continued to test the resolve of the monetary authorities in Japan and Europe to try to stem the weakening dollar trend.


Intel Raises Quarterly Revenue Target Intel Corp. (INTC.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world #39;s largest maker of microchips, on Thursday raised its quarterly revenue outlook, citing strong worldwide


Two young stars scuffle According to Kenyon and Bromley #39;s simulation, such an encounter took place more than 4 billion years ago - 100-200 million years after the Sun #39;s birth.


Scientists confident liquid water once flowed on Mars After studying thousands of images from Mars, scientists now are convinced that liquid water once flowed on the surface of the red planet, increasing the odds that life may have existed there in the distant past.


AOL Launches Presence-Based Voice Conferencing In yet another product move designed for consumers, but sure to make enterprise IT and telephone services folks go nuts, AOL has introduced Consumer AIM Voice Conferencing, a service that


Early goal ends Rangers #39; run RANGERS #39; 16-match unbeaten record was brought to an end with this UEFA Cup defeat in Holland today. Danny Landzaat grabbed the only goal of the game after just seven minutes, finishing off a move which involved Stein Huysegms and Martijn Meerdink.


Rogge orders bid cities not to fight dirty Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee, is getting tough with the cities - including London -ho are bidding to host the 2012 Olympics.


NHL, Union to Resume Talks Next Week The NHL and the players #39; association will resume talks next week in an effort to end the 78-day lockout and save the season. After nearly three months of silence on and off the ice


US to favour  #39;hottest #39; players Still smarting from their 18-9 drubbing by Europe in September #39;s Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills, the Americans have decided to overhaul the way they pick their team for the next meeting, at the K Club in Ireland in 2006.


Jihad Will Boycott Palestinian Election GAZA CITY, 3 December 2004 - Islamic Jihad said yesterday it would boycott a Jan. 9 Palestinian presidential election for a successor to Yasser Arafat.


Defiant Sharon vows Gaza pullout Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said he will complete his plan to disengage from Gaza next year, despite losing a key coalition partner.


Giants Place Bromell on Injured Reserve (AP) AP - Lorenzo Bromell was placed on injured reserve by the New York Giants on Thursday, joining the team's growing list of defensive linemen whose season has been ended by injury.


Marines Find Alleged Iraqi Torture Chamber (AP) AP - Down a steep staircase littered with glass shards and rubble, U.S. Marines descended Thursday to a dark basement believed to have been one of Fallujah's torture chambers. They found bloodstains and a single bloody hand print on the wall  #151; evidence of the horrors once carried out in this former insurgent stronghold.


Rogge raps Olympic rivals The organisers of the London bid and its four rivals will be told this morning at a breakfast meeting here with the president of the International Olympic Committee to stop sniping at each other in the campaign to host the 2012 games.


Former Scotland goalkeeper Brown dies at 73 Bill Brown, former goalkeeper of theScottish national soccer team, has died at the age of 73. Brown, a member of Tottenham Hotspur #39;s 1961 double-winning side,died at Simcoe, Ontario


Harbhajan leaves South Africa to lick their wounds South Africa will go into the five-Test series against England a fortnight today on the back of their worst sequence of results for three years.


Defending champion Shabana crashes out of World Open squash <b>...</b> Australia #39;s former champion DavidPalmer came back from two games down to beat holder Amr Shabana ofEgypt in the quarter-finals of the World Open squash championship in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday.


Typhoon Forces Evacuation in Philippines (AP) AP - A powerful typhoon sliced through the Philippines Friday, forcing more than 160,000 people to flee their homes to higher ground even as rescuers struggled to find the missing from an earlier storm that killed more than 420 people.


Australia's biggest city up in arms over "politically correct" Christmas (AFP) AFP - The Lord Mayor of Sydney has sparked outrage among citizens of Australia's largest city by decorating town hall with a single tree in a modest "generic" festive show aimed at not offending the immigrant non-Christian community.


Kerik Named to Lead Homeland Security (AP) AP - President Bush has chosen former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik, who helped direct the emergency response to the Sept. 11 terrorist strikes against the Twin Towers, to lead the Homeland Security Department, charged with safeguarding Americans from future attack, administration officials said Thursday.


Bush Adamant on Iraq Election Schedule (AP) AP - President Bush rejected calls for a delay in next month's Iraqi elections, insisting Thursday that the vote was too important to put off even though violence and chaos still grip much of the country.


Kerry Campaign Keeping Eye on Ohio Cases (AP) AP - John Kerry's campaign has joined a lawsuit by third-party presidential candidates seeking a recount in Ohio. A lawyer for the campaign said Thursday the campaign does not question the Democrat's loss but wants any counting to take place statewide.


Corzine Announces Bid to Be N.J. Governor (AP) AP - Four years after spending more than  #36;60 million of his own money to get elected to the Senate, Democrat Jon S. Corzine announced Thursday that he is running for governor in 2005.


Sen. Boxer Tries Her Hand at Fiction (AP) AP - Infighting and power, alliances and revenge  #151; it's just another day in the Capitol. California Sen. Barbara Boxer has mined her workplace for a suspense novel in which the main character is an activist senator who does battle with right-wing ideologues.


Central American Street Gangs Spread Across Mexico  MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Violent gangs with roots in U.S.  crime culture are spreading through Mexico, with some setting  up shop in the capital, the government said on Thursday.


Brazil Rejects U.S. Call for Haiti Crackdown  BRASILIA, Brazil, (Reuters) - U.N. peacekeepers in Haiti  will not respond to international pressure to "use violence"  against armed gangs and will rebuild the country as a  "peacekeeping force, not an occupying force," the mission's  Brazilian commander said on Thursday.


Rover data makes return a must Data from Nasa's Mars rover Opportunity shows its unique landing site is a prime spot for a return mission to look for life, scientists say.


CalPERS boss given marching orders Sean Harrigan, the President of Americas biggest pension fund, California Public Employees #39; Retirement System (CalPERS), has been removed from his post.


US holiday sales launch flops Sales of major store chains rose just 1.7 percent in November from a year ago, said a survey sponsored by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), after a year-earlier gain of 3.7 percent.


The Word of the Year is: Blog Yes, boys and girls, the word for this year is  #39;blog #39;--that #39;s blog as in  #39;a website that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments and often hyperlinks.


XM CEO Sees Satellite Radio on Cell Phones XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. XMSR.O chief executive officer Hugh Panero on Wednesday said he expected satellite radio and cellphone services to converge within the next five years.


Harbhajan spins India to victory CALCUTTA: Off spinner Harbhajan Singh took seven wickets as India crushed South Africa by eight wickets to clinch the two-Test series 1-0 yesterday.


Former NBA star Jayson Williams to be retried Former NBA star Jayson Williams,who was charged in the shotgun slaying of a limousine driver at his mansion, will be retried, a judge ruled on Thursday.


Intel lifts forecast SEMICONDUCTOR giant Intel has dramatically raised the range of its fourth-quarter sales forecast as it benefited from strong holiday demand for microprocessors.


Dhamija nets 85m by selling Ebookers Ebookers, the travel website, is being sold to US hotel and car rental giant Cendant in a 209m deal that means a huge windfall for chief executive Dinesh Dhamija.


Four Infineon execs heading to jail on price-fixing charges Four Infineon executives will serve jail time after pleading guilty to being part of an  quot;international conspiracy quot; to fix the price of computer memory, the US Department of Justice announced today.


IMPlanet Weekly News Break The free, hosted MSN Spaces service is Microsoft #39;s first consumer foray into providing a blogging platform. Spaces will enable MSN members to maintain a blog and control it with some sophisticated features that are not typical of all blogging services.


Microsoft  amp; Sun Get All Luvvy Dubby Microsoft and Sun held a conference call yesterday to update the industry on where they are at in terms of their agreement to work together and interoperate more.


Smith Upbeat About Playing Sunday (AP) AP - Fifteen years in the NFL have taught Emmitt Smith more than just how to slip tackles. He's also become an example of how to fight through injury.


Rangers slip up in Holland Rangers fall to second in Uefa Cup group F after losing 1-0 away to Dutch side AZ Alkmaar. The home side looked impressive as their slick passing opened up the Rangers defence early on allowing Danny Landzaat to fire home past Stefan Klos.


Time is of the essence in this latest round Next Thursday and Friday NHL executives, including commissioner Gary Bettman, will meet with their counterparts from the National Hockey League Players #39; Association in Toronto to determine the fate of the NHL season.


Nets G Zoran Planinic has hand surgery EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - New Jersey Nets guard Zoran Planinic had surgery to repair a broken left hand on Thursday and will be sidelined indefinitely.


Internet Could Spark Rise in Suicide Pacts -Expert (Reuters) Reuters - The growing popularity of the Internet\could lead to a rise in suicide pacts in which several people\kill themselves together, a leading psychiatrist in Britain\said on Friday.


Your Old Inkjet Printer Could Aid Burn Victims (PC World) PC World - Medical research team believes units could be modified to 'print' new skin.


No great miracle here What is left of this interesting and repulsive week after the dust settles is not the lies, the ostensibly sudden betrayals, the payments to the ultra-Orthodox, the sleazy style, or even Ehud Barak #39;s horror show or Shimon Peres #39; maneuvers.