Bush passes US intelligence bill President George Bush signs into law the country's most radical overhaul of its intelligence agencies in nearly 60 years.


Europe Asks Turkey to Hold Membership Talks Next Year The 25 prime ministers and presidents said they expected Turkey to start normalizing its trade relations by then with Cyprus.


Bad Day for Drug Companies - and Patients Investors in pharmaceuticals were dealt a triple whammy on Friday as Pfizer Inc, AstraZeneca Plc and Eli Lilly and Co all shocked the market with bad news about key products.


Oil Up 6 As US Heating Stocks Fall Oil prices surged more than two dollars on Wednesday as the US government reported a fall in heating oil stocks and cold weather gripped the US.


EBay Expands Into Online Rental Listings EBay Inc. said Friday it has agreed to acquire the online rental listing company Rent.com for \$415 million, consisting of \$385 million in eBay stock and \$30 million cash.


Board: Stock Options Must Be Treated as Expenses In a final statement on a stock-options rule, the Financial Accounting Standards Board says that companies must treat employee stock options as an expense on financial statements beginning in 2005.


Al Qaeda video shows execution of Iraqi officers BAGHDAD -- Al Qaeda's arm in Iraq released a video yesterday showing its militants lining up five captured Iraqi security officers and executing them in the street, the latest move in a campaign to intimidate Iraqis and target those who collaborate with US-led forces.


Militants increase support for Abbas JERUSALEM -- Mahmoud Abbas, the leading candidate for the presidency of the Palestinian Authority in next Sunday's elections, appears to be winning support of a key constituency: Palestinian militants and their supporters.


Cisco To Open R amp;D Center In Japan The networking vendor will focus on developing new Internet technologies for one of the world #39;s leading broadband markets. By Paul Travis.


Microsoft Patches Critical XP Firewall Flaw Microsoft has patched a flaw in the Windows XP Service Pack 2 firewall. The flaw could make files viewable from outside a local network if file and printer sharing are enabled.


Sean OKeefe Departs When Sean OKeefe was named NASA Administrator about three years ago, he had already had experience with fixing troubled organizations.


Titan clouds seen to come and go Scientists now have their first direct evidence of changing weather patterns on Titan, Saturn #39;s largest moon. When the Cassini spacecraft flew past the satellite on Monday it spied clouds at mid-latitudes


Record Industry Sues 754 for Internet Song Swaps A recording industry trade group said Thursday that it has filed another wave of lawsuits against 754 people it suspects of distributing songs over the Internet without permission.


Parma hits back to keep Italian hopes alive Parma recovered from an early deficit to beat Besiktas 3-2 on Thursday and maintain Italy #39;s hopes of winning a UEFA Cup championship it once dominated.


Human eye  #39;cannot spot offside #39; Writing in the British Medical Journal, Dr Francisco Belda Maruenda says the human eye is unable to detect an offside position during a match.


Rivals target Miller scalp In the overall standings the 27-year-old Miller, in outstanding form this season, has a 391 point lead over defending champion Hermann Maier of Austria.


COULTHARD  #39;SIGNS FOR RED BULL #39; News agency APA said that Coulthard has agreed a one-year deal with Dietrich Mateschitzs team. The Scot has been the red hot favourite to land a drive with the team ever since bosses Tony Purnell and David


India in full control in Chittagong India master batsman Sachin Tendulkar needs 64 runs on Saturday to become the world #39;s leading Test century maker. Tendulkar was unbeaten on 36 as India reached 334 for two on the first day of the Second Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong.


UN spy-bug shock A SECRET listening device has been found at the Geneva offices of the United Nations. Workers found the sophisticated eavesdropping equipment, possibly made in Russia or eastern Europe, during renovation work


Capriati Sidelined by Shoulder Injury (AP) AP - Jennifer Capriati dropped out of an exhibition charity match Saturday against Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova because of a right shoulder injury.


Four Killed in Mosul Gun Attack Gunmen attacked a car in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on Friday, killing four male passengers, and witnesses said three of the victims were foreigners.


HP  amp; Intel Team Up on Servers Intel Corp and Hewlett-Packard Co. reached a new level in their relationship today, as Intel hired an entire team of engineers from HP.


Music downloaders sued US recording companies have filed copyright infringement lawsuits against 754 computer users in the latest round of legal action in the industrys effort to stop unauthorised swapping of music online.


Correction: Of-Mutual-Interest Story (AP) AP - In a Dec. 7 mutual fund column about global allocation funds, The Associated Press erronously reported the expense ratio of First Eagle Global. It is 1.32 percent, not 1.72 percent, which is the fund's yield.


Bad Day for Drug Companies and Patients  LONDON (Reuters) - Investors in pharmaceuticals were dealt  a triple whammy on Friday as Pfizer Inc, AstraZeneca Plc and  Eli Lilly and Co all shocked the market with bad news about key  products.


FedEx Is Flying High The company reported strong fiscal second-quarter results and positive trends seem likely to continue to drive healthy growth.


Lilly warns doctors on Strattera use The drug maker Eli Lilly  amp; Co. said Friday it is warning doctors to stop using its attention deficit disorder drug Strattera in patients with jaundice or laboratory evidence of liver injury.


Apple Smacks Real Down In yet another chapter in the sibling rivalry-esque battle between Apple and Real Networks, Apple has announced that the next generation of its iPod music player will actively block Reals attempts to make the player more open.


Adobe temporarily pulls Acrobat update for Mac Adobe Systems Inc. has temporarily removed the 6.0.3 update for Professional and Standard versions of its Acrobat software for the Macintosh platform.


A Saturnian one-two punch: Flybys of Titan and Dione On Monday, the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft flew by Titan only 1,200 kilometers above the moon #39;s surface. It was the second such flyby of Titan, Saturn #39;s largest moon, since the spacecraft began orbiting Saturn on June 30.


NTT DoCoMo #39;s 4G research hits 1Gbps NTT DoCoMo, Japan #39;s biggest mobile communications carrier, achieved a 1Gbps packet transmission speed using 4G) mobile communication equipment in August, the company has said.


Official: Coulthard joins Red Bull for 2005 Following our previous report, based on claims being made by an Austrian News Agency, Pitpass can now confirm that David Coulthard has signed a one-year deal with Red Bull Racing.


Austria #39;s Walchhofer wins men #39;s World Cup super-G VAL GARDENA, Italy (AFP) - Austria #39;s Michael Walchhofer won the men #39;s World Cup super-G ahead of countrymen Hermann Maier and Benjamin Raich for his first victory in the discipline.


Viloria knocks out Priolo in flyweight bout Former Olympic boxer Brian Viloria of Wiapahu, Hawaii, knocked out Angel Priolo of Colombia in the seventh round of a scheduled 12-round flyweight bout Thursday night at the Grand Olympic Auditorium.


Report: Bertuzzi close to plea bargain According to Friday #39;s Vancouver Province, Bertuzzi #39;s defence team and the Crown are very close to a plea bargain deal. Bertuzzi was charged with assault causing bodily harm stemming from his attack on Colorado Avalanche forward Steve Moore on March 8.


Shares close lower on drug woes on both sides of the Atlantic (AFP) AFP - Leading shares closed the session under pressure, hit by weakness in heavyweight pharmas after AstraZeneca admitted a key cancer drug had failed tests and poor trading in New York, dealers said.


Eight killed in al Qaeda jailbreak siege that started when a group of inmates identified as al Qaeda killed their guards in an attempted jailbreak. prison complex on the outskirts of the capital, prison governor Abdul Salam Bakhshi told journalists.


IRS Revises Standards for Tax Attorneys (AP) AP - Lawyers, accountants and other professionals who offer tax advice must meet stricter ethical standards under guidelines issued by the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service on Friday.


U.S. Slaps Sanctions Against Bosnian-Serbs (AP) AP - The United States imposed sanctions against Bosnian Serb political leaders Thursday for failing to arrest and turn over war crimes suspects to an international tribunal.


Bosnia Serb PM Resigns, Rejects Western Pressure  BANJA LUKA, Bosnia (Reuters) -  Bosnian Serb Prime Minister  Dragan Mikerevic stepped down on Friday after top peace  overseer Paddy Ashdown fired nine officials to punish Bosnia's  Serb Republic for failing to arrest war crimes suspects.


Pfizer #39;s Heart Attack NEW YORK - Since Merck #39;s Vioxx was pulled from the market for increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke in a long-term study, there has been heated debate over whether other, similar medicines, such as Pfizer #39;s Celebrex and Bextra, carry similar risks


AOL: Is Half a Billion Enough? At its height, the combined AOL and Time Warner (NYSE: TWX) company market capitalization exceeded \$350 billion. When AOL used its big, bloated equity to buy Time Warner, the company offered Time Warner shareholders


Lilly Warns Doctors on Strattera Use The drug maker Eli Lilly  amp; Co. said Friday it is warning doctors to stop using its attention deficit disorder drug Strattera in patients with jaundice or laboratory evidence of liver injury.


eBay Grabs Rent.com for \$415M Wed auctioneer eBay (Quote, Chart) continued its expansion into classified listings late Thursday with the acquisition of Rent.com for \$415 million in cash and stock.


US Airways, attendants in tentative accord US Airways and its flight attendants appeared closer to agreement Friday after union negotiators approved a tentative contract. The new pact, which now must be approved by the group #39;s 5,400 members, calls


Adobe Reader 6.03 update This update addresses several potential vulnerabilities in Adobe Reader versions 6.0.0-6.0.2. Note that currently there are no known malicious exploits of these vulnerabilities.


DoCoMo has 1Gbps link The future of wireless looks to be a showdown in wireless 1Gbps (1 gigabit per second) technologyjust weeks after Siemens announced it was working on technology to transmit 1Gbps wirelessly, NTT DoCoMo announces the same thing.


More Blutarski than Roethlisberger Around Giants Stadium exasperated officials insist it #39;s too soon to pass judgment on Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger. Unfair comparisons, they say.


Herniated disk discovered in pitcher #39;s lower back The Florida Marlins have withdrawn their two-year, \$4.75 million offer to Antonio Alfonseca after a herniated disk was found in the pitcher #39;s lower back, the Miami Herald reported Friday.


Yearender: Mideast peace roadmap reaches dead-end in 2004 Looking back at the major events that took place in the Middle East in 2004, the death of veteran Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is undoubtedly a world-shaker.


Feds Want Baker Hughes' Iraqi Oil Info  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil services company Baker Hughes Inc.  BHI.N on Friday said U.S. market regulators have demanded  information on its involvement in a now defunct Iraqi  oil-for-food program, joining a growing list of companies under  scrutiny for their role in the program.


Microsoft dodges anti-spyware charge accusations According to a story on CNN #39;s Web site, the software giant #39;s recent acquisition of anti-spyware company GIANT might mean users have to pay in order to benefit from the added security to Microsoft applications.


HP Says Bye Bye Itanium: Carly Finds Way To Trim Another \$100m HP, whose contributions made the Itanium so confoundedly complicated, has dropped out of the 10-year-old partnership with Intel that saw them develop the 64-bit chip.


Red Cross Caught in P2P Fracas MELBOURNE, Australia -- The recording industry will ask the International Red Cross to freeze a trust fund allegedly controlled by the owners of Sharman Networks, an Australian software company.


Xavi: Chelsea Play Like Valencia Xavi believes that Jose Mourinho has copied Valencia in his tactics at Chelsea as he reflected on Barcelona #39;s meeting with the Blues in the Champions League.


Bosnia Serb PM Resigns, Rejects Western Pressure Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic stepped down on Friday after top peace overseer Paddy Ashdown fired nine officials to punish Bosnia #39;s Serb


Bronc's Elliss Out for Year With Bad Back (AP) AP - Broncos defensive lineman Luther Elliss will miss the rest of the season because of a herniated disc in his lower back.


Bihar, Jharkhand and Haryana to hold elections in February (Reuters) Reuters - Three Indian states, including impoverished and crime-ridden Bihar and Jharkhand in the east, will vote in February to elect new legislatures, the Election Commission said on Friday.


Officials Rap Kerik on Background Check (AP) AP - Bernard Kerik, who withdrew his nomination for homeland security secretary after disclosing that he had not paid all required taxes for a nanny, did not fill out a background form when he was appointed police commissioner in 2000, city officials said.


Russia Says to Hold YUKOS Sale Despite U.S. Ruling  MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Friday it would go ahead  and sell Yuganskneftegaz, the main oil production unit of  YUKOS, despite a U.S. bankruptcy court order which seeks to  halt Sunday's auction for at least 10 days.


Symantec-Veritas Tie-Up Targets Microsoft Simon Robinson of 451 believes that the market for storage virtualization technologies will undergo a  quot;significant realignment quot; over the next 18 months.


Drug approval process flawed THE US pharmaceutical industry that exports medicines around the world is facing further scrutiny after a survey revealed nearly one-fifth of its government overseers had experienced pressure to approve drugs about which they had reservations.


Pfizer, AstraZeneca Pummel Drug Stocks Another shock hit the drug sector Friday when pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. announced that it found an increased heart risk to patients for its blockbuster arthritis drug Celebrex.


Microsoft Takes Giant Step against Spyware Microsoft has beefed up its security portfolio by purchasing anti-spyware specialist Giant Company Software. A test version of a spyware protection, detection and removal tool based on Giant #39;s


Broncos lose DL Elliss for season ENGLEWOOD, Colorado (Ticker) - Denver Broncos defensive tackle Luther Elliss has a herniated disc and will miss the rest of the season, coach Mike Shanahan announced on Friday.


Hot Stove Truth  amp; Rumors: Dec. 17, 2004 In order for the three-way trade between the Yankees, Dodgers and Diamondbacks to go through, Shawn Green must first waive a no-trade clause and agree to land in Arizona.


Kidnappers free Brazilian soccer star #39;s mom SAO PAULO - Kidnappers freed the mother of Santos forward Robinho, one of Brazils most talented young players, on Friday, 40 days after seizing her at gunpoint while she was attending a barbecue.


Deadly Palestinian Mortar Fire Prompts Israel Raid Israeli troops raided a Gaza refugee camp Friday in retaliation for a deadly Palestinian mortar fire, sparking fighting that killed at least six Palestinians and wounded 24 Palestinians and an Israeli soldier.


AU: Sudan Appears to Be Preparing Military Offensive in Darfur The commander of the African Union #39;s observer force in Darfur, Sudan, says the Sudanese government appears to be preparing a major military offensive against rebels in the region.


Colombia Troops Being Hired for Iraq Jobs Recruiters working for U.S. contractors are hiring former Colombian soldiers - and even luring some active-duty ones - for security jobs in Iraq, says a former army officer who met with the recruiters.


What's the Deal With CarMax? Underpromising in order to overdeliver can't make up for sluggish operating results.


Fannie Mae's Institutional Arrogance Pity that Fannie's management decided to test the limits of an implied Federal guarantee.


Study Raises Concern Over Safety of Pfizer Painkiller Celebrex Pfizer said today that it had found an increased risk of heart troubles in some people taking higher dosages of Celebrex.


Study Raises Concern Over Safety of Pfizer Painkiller Celebrex Pfizer Inc. said today that it had found an increased risk of heart troubles in some people taking higher dosages of Celebrex, its popular arthritis and pain relief drug.


eBay Buys Rental Listing Firm The online auction giant announced Friday that it has agreed to acquire Rent.com, a leading listing service on the Internet for rental housing.


CarMax Earnings Fall, Stock Up on Outlook CarMax Inc. (KMX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Friday posted lower quarterly profit, but the used-car retailer said its sales have been steadily improving, sending its shares up as much as 14 percent.


The end for spyware courtesy of Microsoft Corporation? Ever heard of Giant Company Software Inc? Not yet, well perhaps from today as they became Microsoft Corporations latest purchase as Microsoft try to enter the anti-spyware industry as is being portrayed.


Illinois  #39;violent videos #39; ban p2pnet.net News:- Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich wants the state to make it illegal for anyone younger than 18 to buy violent or sexually explicit games.


Motorola/Apple Phone Details Forbes.com is reporting details on the rumored Motorola/Apple music phone, as told to them by Apple VP of Applications Eddy Cue. Referring to the new device, Cue was quoted as saying:  quot;What we #39;ve talked about


Sony sees PSP Asia launch in spring Sony plans to launch its new PlayStation Portable game console in Asia at the same time the product goes live in North America and Europe toward the end of next year #39;s first quarter, the company said on Friday.


IBM Gains Support for BladeCenter Spec IBM has signed up more than 110 companies to build technologies to the open specification for its BladeCenter systems. ADVERTISEMENT.


NASA head steps down Since June 2003, NASA has been investigating the possibility of using a robotic spacecraft to service Hubble. Such a mission would not put the lives of astronauts in jeopardy.


DoCoMo Hits 1 Gbps Wireless Data Speeds In 4G Tests Japanese wireless operator NTT DoCoMo said Friday that it has achieved wireless speeds in the laboratory of 1 Gbps. The operator has said for more than a year that it is working on


IIHF bars Bertuzzi #39;s transfer to Europe ZURICH, Switzerland - The International Ice Hockey Federation Friday barred Vancouver Canucks star Todd Bertuzzi from transferring to Europe, citing the player #39;s violent conduct on the rink.


Former Blue Jays Manager Mattick Dies TORONTO Dec 17, 2004 - Bobby Mattick, who managed the Toronto Blue Jays in 1980 and  #39;81 and helped develop the talent that produced five division titles and two World Series championships, died Friday at 89.


Human Eye Can #39;t Spot Offside Soccer Players, Study Finds Soccer fans may be right when they complain the referee got it wrong. The human eye can #39;t detect when a soccer player is in an offside position, according to a study in tomorrow #39;s British Medical Journal.


Broncos DT Elliss out for the season Englewood, CO (Sports Network) - Veteran defensive tackle Luther Elliss of the Denver Broncos will miss the remainder of the season because of a herniated disk in his lower back.


Wenger backs Lehmann for Germany Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes his axed goalkeeper Jens Lehmann could still be the man for Germany at the 2006 World Cup and has ruled out any moves in the transfer market.


Wounded GIs get front-row Mavs tickets About 140 US soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan will get a courtside view of the action at a Dallas Mavericks game Saturday night, thanks to season-ticket holders who offered their seats in a show of gratitude.


UN Ends Failed Listening Device Probe The United Nations has ended an internal inquiry into the discovery of a secret listening device at the world body #39;s European headquarters without finding out who planted the bug or when, officials said Friday.


Ivory Coast rebels agree to speed peace process Ivory Coast rebels renewed a pledge to speed up a peace initiative on Friday, a day after the UN Security Council threatened sanctions if the civil war #39;s belligerents


Saudis Dissident Says He Won #39;t Give Up A Saudi dissident said Friday his group will not give up its efforts for peaceful action against the royal family even though its call for a second day of anti-monarchy protests went unheeded.


US economy to grow by 3.5 percent in 2005: White House (AFP) AFP - The US economy is expected to slow to a still-solid 3.5 percent growth pace in 2005, allowing it to trim a record budget shortfall, the White House said.


November Consumer Prices Rise 0.2 Percent  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer prices rose modestly  in November as a surge in energy costs a month earlier  moderated, the Labor Department said on Friday.


Drug Sector's Bitter Dose Downs Stocks  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Friday hurt by a  string of negative reports from top drug makers and as oil  prices climbed nearly \$2 a barrel.


Circuit City Cautious on Outlook  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Circuit City Stores Inc. CC.N on  Friday posted a narrower quarterly loss from continuing  operations but said its outlook was cautious for the current  quarter, which includes the holiday shopping season.


The Weirdest Games of 2004 (PC World) PC World - Our favorite genre-busters will roll, creep, slither, bounce, and wriggle their way into your free time--if you give them a try.


In Brief: MySQL announces new affordable consulting packages (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - MySQL this week made available three new consulting packages that aim to help IT departments quickly design and implement open source database systems. The packages feature MySQL-certified senior consultants who work at customer sites for short-term engagements and provide in-depth application analysis as well as recommendations on application design, performance optimization, and help with migrating legacy databases to MySQL. The packages are MySQL Architecture  amp; Design, which offers two days consulting for  #36;5,000; MySQL Performance Tuning  amp; Optimization, which provides three days for  #36;7,500; and MySQL Migration Jumpstart, which includes five days consulting for  #36;10,000. MySQL also provides longer-term, customized consulting services. For more information visit www.mysql.com/consulting.


Legal Questions Dog Microsoft Acquistion (PC World) PC World - Anti-spyware company had granted another company rights to its software.


Sun God Gets Burned (The Motley Fool) The Motley Fool - In Greek mythology, Apollo was the god of the sun. But yesterday, for-profit educator Apollo Group (Nasdaq: APOL - News) more resembled another figure from Greek lore -- Icarus, the young lad who made wings of wax and feathers, flew too close to the sun, and plunged to his death when the wax melted.


Suez Canal Officials Try to Keep Spill from Port (Reuters) Reuters - Egyptian Suez Canal authorities\are trying to direct a crude oil spill away from Port Said\where it could damage ships and equipment, a canal official\said on Friday. The official said the authorities were\attempting to direct the 20-km (13- mile) long slick, heading\north toward the port, to an empty waiting area normally used\by ships crossing the canal, where it could be dispersed using\chemicals.


Johnson Move to Yankees Under Threat  NEW YORK (Reuters) - A complicated three-team deal designed  to bring five-times Cy Young award winner Randy Johnson to the  New York Yankees was under threat on Friday.


Europe, U.S. in Deadlock on Climate Talks' Last Day (Reuters) Reuters - The European Union and\the United States struggled to break a deadlock on the last day\of a U.N. climate-change meeting on Friday, but Washington\resisted Europe's interest in steps to fight global warming\after the international Kyoto pact ends in 2012.


Maverick U.S. States Prove Popular at Climate Talks (Reuters) Reuters - Not all Americans are\unpopular at this week's U.N. conference on climate change.


Italy Industry Faces Emissions Uncertainty in 2005 (Reuters) Reuters - Italy's power and industrial plants face\an uncertain start to 2005, as delays to its national carbon\emissions plan will force producers to start the new year\without their emission limits for the coming 12 months.


Kidnappers Release Robinho's Mother  SANTOS, Brazil (Reuters) - Kidnappers freed on Friday the  mother of Santos forward Robinho, one of Brazil's most talented  young players, 40 days after seizing her at gunpoint while she  was attending a barbecue.


No Regrets, Says Departing NASA Boss (AP) AP - NASA's departing boss, Sean O'Keefe, said Friday he does not regret canceling the last shuttle mission to the Hubble Space Telescope  #151; or anything else during his three years on the job.


CEO held over student sex video The head of an Indian auction website is arrested over its sale of a video clip showing two Delhi students engaging in a sexual act.


Forecasters face losing key tools Microwave frequencies vital for Earth monitoring are being lost to commercial uses, weather forecasters say.


Gamer buys \$26,500 virtual land An Australian gamer spends \$26,500 on a virtual island that exists only in a PC role-playing game.


Los Angeles Groups Agree to Airport Growth, for a Price An \$11 billion plan to expand and modernize Los Angeles International Airport includes \$500 million in measures to ease the effects on surrounding communities.


Kidnappers Release Robinho's Mother

 By Joao Carlos Assumpcao

 SANTOS, Brazil (Reuters) - Kidnappers freed on Friday themother of Santos forward Robinho, one of Brazil's most talentedyoung players, 40 days after seizing her at gunpoint while shewas attending a barbecue.


Court to rule on stay of EU sanctions against Microsoft A decision on whether to suspend the European Commission's anticompetition sanctions against Microsoft pending appeal is expected to come in the first half of next week, according to a source close to the company.


Legal Questions Dog Microsoft Acquistion Anti-spyware company had granted another company rights to its software.


Boeing Eyes In-Flight Live TV Connexion broadband service also will be used to deliver four channels, company says.


Pfizer: Painkiller may pose increased cardiovascular risk Drugmaker Pfizer announced Friday that its painkiller Celebrex puts patients at  quot;increased cardiovascular risk quot; for heart problems, citing a long-term cancer study.


Symantec Slammed Oops. It seems the market did not at all like Internet security company Symantec #39;s (Nasdaq: SYMC) \$13.5 billion bid yesterday for storage software maker Veritas (Nasdaq: VRTS).


FDA Warns About Pesticides Found in Ginseng The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a nationwide warning after having discovered residue of untested pesticides in ginseng imported by a New Jersey firm.


Murdoch: Media Mogul In Record Manhattan Real Estate Deal Like it or not, Rupert Murdoch is a New York City staple. As chairman of News Corp. (nyse: NWS - news - people ), the billionaire is a part of Gothamites #39; lives.


Lockheed Martin to Hire About 500 Engineers Defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. on Friday said its business in Syracuse will hire up to 500 new engineers in 2005. In October, the Syracuse business said it would hire 40 employees by the end of the


Indiana Hires Miami of Ohio's Hoeppner (AP) AP - Miami of Ohio's Terry Hoeppner was hired as Indiana's football coach Friday and vowed to take the Hoosiers to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1968.


Human spaceflight the key for new NASA boss NASA #39;s next leader must wholeheartedly back the US president #39;s space plan - which focuses on human space flight - says departing boss Sean O #39;Keefe.


NTT DoCoMo Achieves 1 Gbps Packet Transmission NTT DoCoMo used its proprietary signal separation technique to enable data transmission at 1 Gbps in rea ltime using a bandwidth of 100 MHz in an area with low radio signal receptivity.


Champions League draw unveiled Nyon, Switzerland (Sports Network) - The draw for the Champions League round of 16 was unveiled Friday in Switzerland, and there are a number of titanic clashes.


Martinez blasts ex-teammate Schilling Newly signed New York Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez leveled criticism of former Boston Red Sox teammate Curt Schilling, telling the Boston Herald he #39;s much better and that Schilling was off-base when talking about Martinez #39;s workout regimen.


Mavericks fans offer front-row seats to wounded soldiers By BOBBY ROSS JR. Associated Press Writer. play the Atlanta Hawks. They will be treated to free food and drink and have. their pictures taken with Mavericks players, dancers and team officials.


At Least 6 Palestinians Killed in Israeli Raid on Gaza At least 6 Palestinians were killed and 24 were wounded today in an Israeli army raid near Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip. The raid was designed to end days of mortar


News: MS plugs weak XP firewall Microsoft this week quietly fixed a security weakness in the configuration of the built-in firewall component of Windows XP.


Stocks Drop Under Drug Sector's Weight  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Friday, hurt by a  slew of negative reports from top drug makers and oil prices  climbing by \$2 a barrel.


What's in the Box, Jack? An earnings restatement driven by accounting changes doesn't change the big picture.


Browsing for Stocks Holiday shopping on Amazon? Try looking for stocks at the same time. If you don't, you're missing a golden opportunity.


Celebrex Lifts Heart Attack Risk in Trial  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc. on Friday said its popular  Celebrex arthritis drug more than doubled the risk of heart  attack in a large cancer-prevention trial, a setback that comes  just weeks after Merck   Co. recalled its similar Vioxx drug  due to heart safety risks.


Pfizer #39;s Celebrex could have a problem Pfizer (PFE) said Friday that it has received new information about the cardiovascular safety of its popular arthritis drug Celebrex, based on an analysis of a long-term cancer trial, but it has no plans to withdraw the drug.


White House Sees 2005 Economic Growth Slowing to 3.5 (Update2) US economic growth will slow to 3.5 percent in 2005 from 3.9 percent this year, generating average monthly gains in payrolls of about 175,000 jobs, according to President George W. Bush #39;s administration.


China #39;s BOE To Buy More of TPV Technology BOE Technology Group of China said it has signed a letter of intent to sell its 45.21 percent stake in its joint-venture subsidiary, Beijing Orient Top Victory Electronics, to TPV Technology in trade for an as-yet undetermined stake in the Hong Kong


Update 2: DaimlerChrysler, Ford to Invest in Ballard Fuel cell maker Ballard Power Systems Inc. on Friday said it exercised its right to call a 55 million Canadian dollar (\$44.6 million) investment from DaimlerChrysler AG and Ford Motor Co.


Zafi Slows, But Experts Urge Vigilance The Zafi.d worm seems to have done its worst, security experts said Friday, but they urged users to remain on guard through the holidays for more seasonal shenanigans.


DoCoMo Tests 4G Equipment NTT DoCoMo has successfully completed a high-speed packet transmission with 1GB/s data rate in the downlink using the 4G mobile communication radio access equipment, the company reports.


U.S. Forgives  #36;4.1 Billion in Iraq Debt (AP) AP - The United States on Friday completely forgave  #36;4.1 billion in debt Iraq owed it and urged other nations not part of an international debt relief agreement to follow suit.


White House Expects Steady Economic Growth (AP) AP - The Bush administration released a new economic forecast for 2005 in which it boosted growth forecasts slightly from a year ago but cut back sharply on its estimates of new jobs.


Former Toronto Manager Bobby Mattick Passes Away  TORONTO (Sports Network) - Former Toronto Blue Jays manager  Bobby Mattick has died after suffering a stroke. Mattick was  89.


Bosnia Serb PM Resigns, Rejects Western Pressure  BANJA LUKA, Bosnia (Reuters) -  Bosnian Serb Prime Minister  Dragan Mikerevic stepped down on Friday, refusing to enact  police and army reforms demanded by top peace overseer Paddy  Ashdown.


UAL Corp. Begins to Seek Bankruptcy Exit Financing United Airlines has begun reaching out to potential lenders for financing to leave bankruptcy, the company said on Friday. The UAL Corp.


Five Nabbed On Phishing Charges In Germany German police Thursday arrested five suspects and are seeking another in a phishing scam that took Postbank customers to the tune of 30,000 (\$40,184).


Indiana hires Roethlisbergers ex-coach BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Ben Roethlisbergers college coach is moving on to the Big Ten Conference. Terry Hoeppner, who spent the last 19 years at Miami (Ohio), was named as the new football coach at Indiana on Friday.


US extends an olive branch to Taliban's 'moderates' KABUL, Afghanistan -- Since the US military expelled the Taliban three years ago, it has battled the regime's diehard fighters in the barren mountains and dusty wastes of southern Afghanistan. Now the United States is extending an olive branch to moderate elements of its shadowy foe.


UAL Corp. Seeks Bankruptcy Exit Financing  CHICAGO (Reuters) - United Airlines UALAQ.OB has begun  reaching out to potential lenders for financing to leave  bankruptcy, the company said on Friday.


Take-Two Sacked on Fourth Down Take-Two follows up bad news with a mediocre earnings report and uninspiring guidance.


Give the Gift of Cash Fool contributor Tim Beyers screens the market for underpriced stocks that give like Santa.


Russia Sets YUKOS Sale, Ignores U.S. Ruling  MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Friday it would go ahead  and sell Yuganskneftegaz, the main oil production unit of  YUKOS, despite a U.S. bankruptcy court order that seeks to halt  Sunday's auction for at least 10 days.


Red Bull Racing bet big on Coulthard 33-year-old British Formula One pilot David Coulthard will stay in tournament next year as a driver for Red Bull Racing, the team has just confirmed.


Report: Bertuzzi near plea bargain Vancouver, BC (Sports Network) - Vancouver Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi is close to reaching a plea bargain in his assault case, according to the Vancouver Province.


Buttle, Sandhu sit second and third after Grand Prix Finals short <b>...</b> BEIJING (CP) - Canadians Jeff Buttle and Emanuel Sandhu had a good start Friday at the Grand Prix figure skating finals, placing second and third behind Russian Evgeni Plushenko in the men #39;s short program.


MTV Auctioning Pop Artists' Memorabilia (AP) AP - A handmade dress worn by Destiny's Child, a poster signed by Jennifer Lopez and a guitar signed by Wyclef Jean are on sale in an MTV internet auction to raise money for hurricane victims in the Caribbean.


Desktop Search Race Heats Up (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Anybody who is anybody in the Web-search realm -- and that list now includes Google, Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO), Ask Jeeves (Nasdaq: ASKJ) and Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) -- is acting quickly to stake a claim on the most lucrative piece of real estate in the search world: personal computer users' desktops.


Product Review: Sony-Ericsson Z500a Smartphone (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Measuring 3.6 x 1.9 x .9 inches and weighing in at 110 grams, the new Sony Ericsson Z500a smartphone from Cingular Wireless enables road warriors to add a variety of highly effective tools to their mobile arsenals. Included are high-speed access to e-mail and the Internet, as well as a push-to-talk capability for instantly contacting fellow workers.


Former prime minister Turner hoping Ukrainian re-election will be open, honest (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - John Turner's team of electoral observers will help Ukraine achieve a fair and honest outcome in its second attempt to elect a president, the former prime minister pledged Friday.


Microsoft Patches Critical XP Firewall Flaw (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) has released a patch for a potentially serious configuration flaw in the firewall that ships with the company's Windows XP Service Pack 2.


IBM Integrates RFID with WebSphere (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - IBM (NYSE: IBM) is rolling out a new version of WebSphere software, using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and middleware targeting retail operations.


NASA's Departing Chief Defends Hubble Decision (Reuters) Reuters - NASA's departing chief, Sean\O'Keefe, on Friday defended his decision to pursue a robotic\repair mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, days after a\panel of scientists said a shuttle mission would be better.


Five Die in Violent Storms in France (Reuters) Reuters - Violent storms lashed through northern\and eastern France on Friday, killing five people and forcing\officials to close a Christmas market and Paris tourist\attractions, such as an ice-skating rink on the Eiffel Tower.


Dollar Weakens in Thin Trading  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar weakened against major  currencies on Friday in thin holiday-season volume, as traders  took profits after early-session gains.


Above the Clouds, the French Glimpse the Old Grandeur Higher than the Eiffel Tower, the Millau bridge is a triumph of engineering and imagination.


Gazprom applies for participation in Yuganskneftegaz auction MOSCOW, December 17 (Itar-Tass) -- Gazprom gas giant has applied to the Russian Federal Property Fund for taking part in the Yuganskneftegaz auction.


White House Expects Steady Economic Growth The Bush administration released a new economic forecast for 2005 in which it boosted growth forecasts slightly from a year ago but cut back sharply on its estimates of new jobs.


Forgeard becomes French co-chief at EADS Nol Forgeard #39;s move to European Aeronautic Defence  amp; Space company leaves shareholders needing to appoint quickly a chief at Airbus to avoid destabilising its management, analysts warned.


Desktop Search Race Heats Up The turf battle for desktop search is heating up, with Microsoft, Google, Yahoo and now Ask Jeeves all fielding entries. Their strategies vary, but all hope to win the dominant position on personal computer users #39; desktops.


Morientes joins Liverpool? Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez waries Bayern Leverkuzen, the tough and experienced team, who were 2001-02 Champions League finalist.


Yes, Options Really Are an Expense FASB stares down the tech lobby and mandates that employee stock options must be expensed.


Stocks Trim Losses, Drugs and Oil Drag  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks cut some losses late  Friday afternoon as investors did some bargain hunting for drug  stocks, which were beaten down to relatively cheap prices after  a slew of negative reports earlier in the day.


American Express to Cut 2,000 Jobs  NEW YORK (Reuters) - American Express said on Friday it  expects to record a fourth-quarter pre-tax charge of up to \$120  million and cut 2,000 jobs related to a restructuring of its  business travel unit and the sale of some overseas operations.


InterContinental to Sell 13 Hotels  LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - InterContinental Hotels Group  Plc IHG.L said on Friday it was selling 13 hotels to  Hospitality Properties Trust HPT.N for \$450 million, as part  of its strategy to sell hotels it owns and focus on franchising  and managing instead.


Tax Deductions for Home PCs You can deduct all or part of the costs of your home PC, depending upon its use. But put on your thinking cap before you tackle this gnarly issue.


A Hot Stock at 7 Times Earnings Seaboard, a small agribusiness and transportation company, looks promising.


Consumer Prices Up in Nov. As Gas Calms Consumer prices calmed down in November, helped by smaller increases in energy and food. That means the Federal Reserve probably will continue raising interest rates only gradually to keep inflation under control.


American Express to Eliminate 2,000 Jobs American Express Co. said Friday that it is eliminating about 2,000 jobs in a restructuring that will cost \$100 million to \$120 million in the fourth quarter before taxes, and is designed to save the financial


EBay #39;s Rent.com Purchase Fraught with Risk In a real-estate market in which homeowners have been flipping properties almost as quickly as they would stocks, eBay #39;s getting in on the action.


Weary Eli, Giants Face Big Ben's Steelers (AP) AP - Eight months ago, the New York Giants were patting themselves on the back after engineering a draft-day trade to get Eli Manning. No one seemed to care the Giants mortgaged the franchise in the deal with San Diego for the No. 1 overall pick.


Microsoft Moves On Spyware To Stymie Firefox Microsoft bought anti-spyware technology this week to protect its Internet Explorer browser from surging rivals like Mozilla #39;s Firefox, a group of Gartner analysts said Friday.


Phishing hole discovered in IE com December 17, 2004, 11:40 AM PT. Microsoft is investigating reports of a new Internet Explorer flaw that puts people with the most secure version of Windows at risk of phishing attacks.


NTT DoCoMo Achieves 1Gbps Packet Transmission in 4G According to JCN Network, NTT DoCoMo announced December 17 that it succeeded in achieving 1Gbps in downlink packet data transmission in a laboratory experiment using forth-generation (4G) mobile communication radio access equipment on August 20, 2004.


SA restricted on tame pitch Port Elizabeth - England will definitely have been the more satisfied team to leave the field here at St George #39;s Park on Friday after the first day of the first Test against South Africa.


Major League Baseball Notes: DC official pleads for more time WASHINGTON - Washington DC Council chairman Linda Cropp challenged Major League Baseball officials Thursday to extend the deadline for the city to approve a stadium financing package for a few months so the city can find private money to add to the deal.


McNair Finished for Season (Reuters) Reuters - Tennessee Titans\quarterback Steve McNair will not play again this season\because of a bruised sternum that has bothered him throughout\the year. He is expected to undergo surgery.


Former Blue Jays Manager Mattick Dies (AP) AP - Bobby Mattick, who managed the Toronto Blue Jays in 1980 and '81 and helped develop the talent that produced five division titles and two World Series championships, died at 89.


Cuba strikes back at American mission Cuba retaliated for the US diplomatic mission #39;s Christmas display supporting Cuban dissidents by putting up a billboard Friday emblazoned with photographs of American soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners and a huge swastika overlaid with a


Report: Bertuzzi Near Plea Bargain  VANCOUVER (Sports Network) - Vancouver Canucks forward Todd  Bertuzzi is close to reaching a plea bargain in his assault  case, according to the Vancouver Province.


U.S., Europe at Odds on Emissions Controls (AP) AP - Negotiators worked through the final day of a two-week U.N. conference Friday in search of a way to bring the United States back into long-term talks on controlling global warming. A key European official saw a "50-50" chance of compromise.


Knauss Tests Positive for Nandrolone  VIENNA (Reuters) - Austrian skier Hans Knauss, 33, has  tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone.


EU and Turkey Seal Historic Deal on Entry Talks  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union and Turkey struck  an historic deal on Friday to start talks next year on  admitting the vast Muslim nation to the bloc after last-minute  haggling over Ankara's relationship with EU member Cyprus.


Circuit City cautious on outlook Circuit City Stores posted a narrower quarterly loss from continuing operations on Friday but said the outlook was cautious for the current quarter, which includes the key holiday season.


No Real Disruption Seen for Big Lender or Mortgage Market Fannie Mae, the giant mortgage finance company, will probably not face major business disruptions from the \$9 billion write-off that federal regulators are requiring it to take, analysts and investors said yesterday.


Euro Disney shareholders back capital increase Shareholders in French theme park operator Euro Disney (EDLP.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) on Friday backed plans for a capital increase of at least 250 million euros as part of a crucial restructuring effort.


Microsoft to Create Security Suite? Microsoft announced today that it had bought New York software company Giant Company Software, which produces a robust anti-spyware tool.


Massive IE phishing exploit discovered A vulnerability researcher posted details of a dangerous Internet Explorer (IE) flaw on Thursday that allows phishers to spoof Web sites more realistically than ever before.


Zafi.D Infects 1 in 10 E-mails which spreads through e-mail that appears to contain a holiday greeting -- infected as many as 10 percent of all e-mail traffic at one point this week.


Michael Walchhofer wins super-G as Austrians finish in top three VAL GARDENA, Italy (CP) - Michael Walchhofer and the Austrian  quot;Wunderteam quot; restored skiing to its normal pecking order Friday.


Benitez pleased to have avoided Italian team in draw Rafael Benitez says he is happy Liverpool have avoided an Italian team after being drawn to play Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.


US aid enters Indonesia BANDA ACEH, Indonesia -- After the devastation wreaked by the seas, a deluge from the skies deepened the misery for tsunami-stricken areas yesterday, triggering flash floods in Sri Lanka that sent evacuees fleeing and increasing the threat of deadly disease as survivors shivered in relief centers. The death toll was likely to hit 150,000.


White Sox claim Jenks off waivers The Chicago White Sox claimed right-hander Bobby Jenks off waivers from Anaheim on Friday and designated righty Eduardo Villacis for assignment.


Our say: District pols strive to lose baseball, embarrass city IF THE District of Columbia were conducting an abstract debate over whether sports stadiums should be built with as much private financing as possible, we #39;d side with DC Council Chairman Linda Cropp.


Afghan troops storm siege prison KABUL (BBC) -- Afghan troops have stormed the main jail in the capital, Kabul, after an escape bid by inmates escalated into a day-long siege that left several dead.


NASA Readies "Deep Impact" Craft for Comet Smash Scientists said the launch of NASA's Deep Impact mission has been delayed until at least January 12. The mission's goal is to smash a spacecraft into a comet on July 4, 2005.


Holiday Sky Show: Five Planets to Shine in Predawn For the next few weeks sky-watchers can spot Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn in the same nighttime sky. The planets won't be visible together to the naked eye again until 2016.


Philips to sell monitor, part of flat TV ops to TPV (SINGAPORE) Dutch electronics giant Philips said on Thursday it will sell its OEM monitor business and part of its flat-screen TV operations to Taiwan #39;s TPV Technology for US\$350


MS buys anti-spyware GIANT Having been plagued with e-bugs, Bill and the Boyz say theyll use intellectual property and technology assets from the acquisition to provide Microsoft Windows customers with new tools to help protect them from the threat of spyware, and other


No Regrets, Says Departing NASA Boss NASA (news - web sites) #39;s departing boss, Sean O #39;Keefe, said Friday he does not regret canceling the last shuttle mission to the Hubble Space Telescope


Equity analysts: Record inflows may lift stocks SANTA ROSA, Calif. -- World stock markets may rise in January, lifted by flows into mutual funds that are poised to match the record pace set at the beginning of this year, according to Charles Biderman, president of TrimTabs Investment Research.


Update 4: Parmalat Owes Almost \$26B to Creditors Italian dairy giant Parmalat SPA owes nearly \$26 billion to creditors including many big international banks, a judge ruled Friday in a decision that will affect who will become a shareholder in the reorganized company.


Video Search Gains Momentum To help users find media files of all kinds, Yahoo and Blinkx this week went live with video search tools, adding to a cluster of services that includes the SingingFish streaming media offering.


White Sox claim Jenks off waivers, designate Villacis Jenks was the Angels #39; fifth-round pick in 2000, but he has been limited by injuries the past two seasons. Jenks was 0-2 with a 10.71 ERA in four games for Triple-A Salt Lake and Class A Rancho Cucamonga before being shut down with elbow problems.


6 Palestinians killed in Gaza raid GAZA CITY, GAZA STRIP - Six Palestinians were killed when Israeli troops raided a Gaza refugee camp on Friday in retaliation for militant attacks on a Jewish settlement in the past week.


Search Engine Forums Spotlight Links to this week's topics from search engine forums across the web: Live from SES Chicago 2004 - White Hat/black Hat SEO Panel - So Now You Can Search Videos - Google Wins Major Legal Victory vs. Geico - Google Suggest Beta - The Dark Side of Exchanging Reciprocal Links


Shopping Cart Search Engine Optimization Shopping Cart Search Engine Optimization\\I had a few interesting conversations about shopping carts last week.  (Note to Yahoo, anyone who has two interesting conversations about shopping carts in the same seven-day period needs better online entertainment options. Please step up the pace.)  Actually, shopping carts are fairly interesting, ...


Funds close out 2004 with strong showings NEW YORK -- Wall Street's fourth-quarter rally gave stock mutual funds a solid performance for 2004, with small-cap equity funds and real estate funds scoring some of the biggest returns. Large-cap growth equities and technology-focused funds had the slimmest gains.


The Chocolate-Coffee Conundrum If coffee chains used better chocolate, Lawrence Meyers argues, they'd sell more coffee.


Stocks End Lower as Pfizer and Oil Weigh  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks closed lower on Friday,  weighed down by a number of negative reports from top drug  makers, including Pfizer Inc. PFE.N, and a \$2 jump in the  price of crude oil.


UAL Corp. Seeks Bankruptcy Exit Financing  CHICAGO (Reuters) - United Airlines has begun reaching out  to potential lenders with its revamped business plan for  financing to leave bankruptcy, the company said on Friday.


Arthritis drug a heart attack risk, study finds United States drug giant Pfizer says a trial has found a sharp rise in heart attacks for patients using its blockbuster Celebrex arthritis and pain medicine.


Survey: FDA scientists question safety Two-thirds of Food and Drug Administration scientists surveyed two years ago lacked confidence that the FDA adequately monitors the safety of prescription drugs, a report released Thursday shows.


InterContinental to Sell 13 Hotels InterContinental Hotels Group Plc (IHG.L: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Friday it was selling 13 hotels to Hospitality Properties Trust (HPT.


Dolphins to Interview Minority Candidate (AP) AP - The Miami Dolphins will put their courtship of LSU coach Nick Saban on hold to comply with the NFL's hiring policy by interviewing a minority candidate, a team source told The Associated Press on Friday.


Titans' McNair to Sit Out Rest of Season (AP) AP - Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair will miss the final three games of the season and undergo surgery to strengthen the bruised sternum that has plagued him most of the year.


Microsoft Might Not Fully Benefit from Purchase It #39;s only natural that Microsoft would want to develop and sell software supplemented by technology from its latest acquisition, anti-spyware company Giant Company Software.


Apple #39;s iTunes Hits 200 Million Mark News that Apple has sold 200 million songs over its iTunes online music store came amid rumors that the company would collaborate with Motorola to launch an iPod phone in the first half of next year.


Vince Carter Traded to Nets (Reuters) Reuters - The Toronto\Raptors have traded All-Star swingman Vince Carter to the New\Jersey Nets in exchange for center Alonzo Mourning, forward\Eric Williams, center/forward Aaron Williams and two first-\round draft picks.


Titans QB to sit out final three games, undergo surgery for <b>...</b> Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair will not play the final three games of the season and will have surgery to strengthen the bruised sternum that has plagued him most of the year.


European stock exchanges run out of steam at week's end (AFP) AFP - European stock exchanges retreated, weighed down by end-of-the-year profit-taking and amid concern over possible interest rate hikes in the United States.


Sharon Strikes Deal With Opposition Labor Party Prime Minister Ariel Sharon struck a deal with the opposition Labor Party tonight to join his Likud government, which is likely to insure that Mr.


Vince Carter Traded to Nets  EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (Sports Network) - The Toronto  Raptors have traded All-Star swingman Vince Carter to the New  Jersey Nets in exchange for center Alonzo Mourning, forward  Eric Williams, center/forward Aaron Williams and two first-  round draft picks.


Senator to Revisit Judicial Travel Ethics (AP) AP - Sen. Patrick Leahy, contending a judicial panel has weakened ethics rules for judges who accept corporate-sponsored trips, said Friday he plans to reintroduce legislation to define standards.


IRS Releases Tax Tables for New Deduction (AP) AP - Making big splurges this holiday season? The IRS released tax tables Friday to help taxpayers calculate whether they would benefit from a new sales tax deduction.


Israeli 'Copter Fires Missile Into Gaza -Witnesses  GAZA (Reuters) - An Israeli helicopter fired a missile at  an unknown target in Gaza City on Friday, witnesses said, hours  after troops killed eight Palestinians in southern Gaza. There  were no immediate reports of casualties.


Knauss Tests Positive for Nandrolone  VIENNA (Reuters) - Hans Knauss, one of the best known and  most experienced Austrian skiers, has tested positive for the  anabolic steroid nandrolone.


Cuba responds to US Xmas lights Cuba puts up photos of abused Iraqi prisoners in front of the US mission in a row over a US Christmas display.


N.C. State's Hodge Puts Self Among Elite (AP) AP - Julius Hodge drove to the basket and scored, then turned to run back on defense. On the way, for a brief moment, he held the Heisman Trophy pose. It was the North Carolina State guard's not-so-subtle way of letting everyone know where he thinks he ranks among the elite players in the country  #151; even if he had the wrong sport.


Oil Jumps 5 Pct on Cold, Bin Laden Threat  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices surged 5 percent on Friday  as frigid weather lingered in the mammoth U.S. Northeast  heating oil market and militant Osama bin Laden urged renewed  attacks on Middle East oil installations.


Amex to Record Charge, Cut Jobs  NEW YORK (Reuters) - American Express AXP.N on Friday  said it expects to record a fourth-quarter pretax charge of up  to \$120 million and cut 2,000 jobs related primarily to a  restructuring of its business travel unit and the sale of some  overseas banking operations.


Pfizer finds heart attack risk with Celebrex, plans to continue to <b>...</b> Celebrex, the nation #39;s leading painkiller, raises the risk of heart attack when taken at very high doses, the drug #39;s maker said Friday in the latest blow to a class of powerful and widely touted drugs.


Russia to hold Yukos auction Russia is set to go ahead with a sale of the main production asset of Yukos, the countrys embattled oil company, despite an injunction issued late yesterday by a US court.


Oil Jumps 5 Pct on Cold, Bin Laden Threat Oil prices surged 5 percent on Friday as frigid weather lingered in the mammoth US Northeast heating oil market and militant Osama bin Laden urged renewed attacks on Middle East oil installations.


Doubts over drug safety checks Two-thirds of scientists working for the US medicines regulator have expressed a lack of confidence in the federal safety monitoring of prescription drugs, according to documents disclosed by two lobby groups.


UPDATE 1-Exelon in talks to buy PSE amp;G - sources Exelon Corp. (EXE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) is in talks to buy New Jersey utility Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. #39;s (PEG.


Amex to Record Charge, Cut Jobs American Express (AXP.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Friday said it expects to record a fourth-quarter pretax charge of up to \$120 million and cut 2,000 jobs related primarily to a restructuring of its business travel unit and the


UPDATE 1-US economy set for solid growth in 2005-White House The United States will enjoy solid growth, low inflation and falling unemployment next year, the White House said on Friday in its official economic forecast that would normally not be released until February.


KLM buying two more 777-200ERs, Etihad orders five 777-300ers SEATTLE - Abu Dhabi #39;s Etihad Airways confirmed an order for five Boeing 777-300ERs, and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines ordered two 777-200ERs, Boeing Co.


EBay To Buy Rent.com in \$415 Million Deal The recent wave of mergers spread into the e-commerce space today when auction giant eBay said it would acquire Rent.com for US\$415 million in cash and stock.


Intel takes control of Itanium from HP Hewlett-Packard has decided to end their efforts on active development of the Itanium chip, which is in the making for a decade now.


Sony Ericsson  amp; Cingular Wireless introduce Z500a The Sony Ericsson Z500a is available for connection to Cingular #39;s EDGE (Enhanced Data for Global Evolution) network. The new mobile phone features a built-in digital camera with zoom, a built-in video camera


AstraZeneca Reports Poor Test Results (AP) AP - Drug manufacturer AstraZeneca PLC announced Friday that trials of its new lung cancer drug found it didn't help patients live longer. Its shares dropped more than 8 percent.


Falcons, Colts to Play in Tokyo in 2005 (AP) AP - The Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts will begin the preseason Aug. 6 in the American Bowl in Tokyo, the record 12th time an NFL game will be played in the city.


Browns Gain 9 Yards With Scoring Change (AP) AP - The Cleveland Browns' offense was pretty awful last weekend, just not quite as awful as everyone thought.


Red Bull gives Coulthard wings McLaren discard David Coulthard has signed a one-year deal to race with the new Red Bull Racing team in the 2005 Formula One season.


Morientes interested in Anfield switch MADRID, Dec 17 (SW) - Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes has expressed his desire to join English Premier League side Liverpool during the winter transfer window after limited playing time with the Galacticos this season.


Dolphins plan to interview minority candidate; Saban still top <b>...</b> The Miami Dolphins will put their courtship of LSU coach Nick Saban on hold to comply with the NFL #39;s hiring policy by interviewing a minority candidate, a team source told The Associated Press on Friday.


Former Blue Jays Manager Mattick Dies TORONTO Dec 17, 2004 - Bobby Mattick, who managed the Toronto Blue Jays in 1980 and  #39;81 and helped develop the talent that produced five division titles and two World Series championships, died at 89.


Cuban billboards highlight US abuses Cuba has erected several huge billboards near the US mission with pictures of abused Iraqi prisoners and American soldiers pointing a rifle at children.


Labour, Likud agree on unity government, eight Palestinians killed <b>...</b> JERUSALEM (AFP) - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s Likud party and the opposition Labour agreed to form a national unity government, while at least eight Palestinians were killed during an Israeli army incursion in southern Gaza.


Bug found at UN Geneva HQ GENEVA, DECEMBER 17: The United Nations said on Thursday a secret listening device had been found in a posh meeting room of its European headquarters in Geneva.


Indonesia tightens nationwide security after terror warnings JAKARTA - INDONESIAN authorities have launched a nationwide security clampdown after warnings by several countries that terrorists are preparing to strike again in the run-up to Christmas.


EBay Buying Rental Web Site for  #36;415M (AP) AP - In a diversification move, online auctioneer eBay Inc. is buying the privately held Rent.com, which specializes in Internet listings of apartment and house rentals, for about  #36;415 million in stock and cash.


Cameras Lead Gadget Price Declines in October -NPD (Reuters) Reuters - Digital cameras led retail price\declines in U.S. consumer electronics in October, as\manufacturers looked to clear out older models ahead of the\holiday shopping season, according to an industry study\prepared for Reuters.


Why Sprint And Nextel Got Hitched (BusinessWeek Online) BusinessWeek Online - In the world of big-time telecom, the Baby Bells have been hogging the spotlight as they bulk up to compete against an onslaught of new technology -- and their arch-rivals, the cable companies. For competitors hovering outside the Bells' territory, that sends a stark message: Team up or get smashed. Sprint Corp.  and Nextel Communications Inc.  chose the former, announcing on Dec. 15 a  #36;35 billion deal to merge into the third-largest wireless powerhouse. With a market capitalization of  #36;70 billion, the new Reston (Va. ...


The Cash Heads Home (BusinessWeek Online) BusinessWeek Online - It's a cash bundle that would have made Howard Hughes blush: As U.S. multinationals such as IBM  and Pfizer Inc. (PFZ) have extended their reach across the globe, they've built up a mountain of profits earned abroad -- as much as  #36;750 billion, by some estimates. That's more than the annual economic output of Hong Kong, Ireland, and Switzerland -- combined. And up till now, they've kept all that moolah overseas, much of it in tax havens such as the Bahamas, Ireland, and Singapore to avoid the stiff 35 levy they'd face if they repatriated the funds back into the U.S.


Twenty States Must Cut Air Pollution by 2008-EPA (Reuters) Reuters - Governors of 20 U.S. states must\slash levels of tiny particles spewed by power plants, cars and\other sources by 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency\(EPA) said on Friday.


McNair to Have Surgery Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair will miss the final three games of the season and undergo surgery to strengthen the bruised sternum that has plagued him most of the year.


Mattick Dies at 89 Bobby Mattick, who managed the Toronto Blue Jays in 1980 and '81 and helped produce two World Series championships, dies at 89.


Saban Still Top Choice The Dolphins will put their courtship of LSU coach Nick Saban on hold to comply with the NFL's hiring policy by interviewing a minority candidate.


Cameras Lead Gadget Price Declines in October -NPD  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Digital cameras led retail price  declines in U.S. consumer electronics in October, as  manufacturers looked to clear out older models ahead of the  holiday shopping season, according to an industry study  prepared for Reuters.


Apple Sues Over Web Leak of Advance Products  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc. AAPL.O is  suing anonymous people who leaked details about new products by  posting information on the Internet, court documents showed on  Friday.


Pfizer's Celebrex Lifts Heart Attack Risk in Trial  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc. on Friday said its popular  Celebrex arthritis drug more than doubled the risk of heart  attack in a large cancer-prevention trial, a setback that comes  just weeks after Merck   Co. recalled its similar Vioxx drug  due to heart safety risks.


Dollar Falters in Thin Holiday Trading  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar retreated against major  currencies on Friday in thin holiday-season volume, as traders  took profits after early-session gains.


Red Cross caught in P2P fracas Also: Nasa's Mars rovers--'biggest breakthrough' in science in 2004. News.com Extra


Search providers seek video, find challenges Internet search providers are reacting to users' rising interest in finding video content on the Web, while acknowledging that there are steep challenges that need to be overcome.


2004 was good and bad for IT security Experts agree: 2004 was the best of times, and the worst of times for those concerned about IT security. It was a year with high-profile arrests of virus authors, and the explosion of online crimes, from cyberextortion to identity theft, a year in which ISPs (Internet service providers) won millions in damages from spammers, and spam messages increased by 40 percent.


Drug Study It #39;s one more blow to patients who suffer from arthritis. Pfizer, the maker of Celebrex, says it #39;s painkiller poses an increased risk of heart attacks to patients using the drugs.


YUKOS #39; Hollow Victory Yesterday, Russia #39;s erstwhile largest oil company, YUKOS (OTC BB: YUKOY), won a single legal skirmish in a land far from home.


United pilot leaders accept pension deal, 15 percent pay cuts Pilots at United Airlines face a 15 percent pay cut, their second double-digit wage reduction in two years, and will not further resist the company #39;s elimination of traditional pensions under a tentative contract agreement made public Friday.


Illinois Governor Seeks Restrictions on Video Game Sales Description: Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is backing state legislation that would ban sales or rentals of video games with graphic sexual or violent content to children under 18.


Vikings' Winfield to Miss Game vs. Lions (AP) AP - Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield will miss his second straight game with a high ankle sprain, sitting out Sunday's contest against Detroit.


LSU at limit in terms of paying Saban BATON ROUGE, La. A top LSU official says the school will do what it can to keep football coach Nick Saban from leaving for the Miami Dolphins.


Reports: Raptors sending Carter to Nets in megadeal The New Jersey Nets have acquired Vince Carter from the Toronto Raptors in a megadeal being reported by the New York Daily News and several web and broadcast outlets.


UCLA's Dorrell Gets Contract Extension (AP) AP - Second-year UCLA coach Karl Dorrell's contract was extended for two years Friday, putting him under contract with the school through the 2010 season.


Celebrex shows heart attack risk I was taking Vioxx for my arthritis, and then it was pulled from the market. So I switched to Celebrex. Now, I understand that Celebrex also may cause heart problems?


ComEd parent near deal to buy NJ utility Exelon Corp. is close to a deal to buy New Jersey-based electric utility Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), people familiar with the talks say.


SEC Considers Charges Against MetLife Unit MetLife Inc., one of the nation #39;s largest insurers, said Friday that one of its subsidiaries has received a notice that the Securities and Exchange Commission is considering civil charges against the unit.


UAL Corp. Seeks Bankruptcy Exit Financing United Airlines has begun reaching out to potential lenders with its revamped business plan for financing to leave bankruptcy, the company said on Friday.


Cisco open \$12m research center in Japan Networking giant Cisco Systems Inc. have announced plans to open a new research and development center in Tokyo next year. The company will invest a cool \$12 million in the project over five years.


Sony Ericsson  amp; Cingular Wireless Introduce Z500a Mobile Phone <b>...</b> Sony Ericsson and Cingular provide Z500a phones and service for military families to stay connected on today #39;s  quot;Dr. Phil Show quot;.


Zafi Slows, But Experts Urge Vigilance The Zafi.d worm seems to have done its worst, security experts say, but they urged users to remain on guard through the holidays for more seasonal shenanigans.


IBM Heralds Burgeoning BladeCenter Support Yankee Group senior analyst Zeus Kerravala said that although it may take some time, it is likely that blade servers will eventually replace all parts of the software stack because of their time-to-market, cost and scalability advantages.


Yahoo! Tests Video Search Global Web portal Yahoo! Inc. Wednesday night made available a beta version of a new search service for videos. Called Yahoo! Video Search, the search engine crawls the Web for different types of media files


American Bowl returns to Tokyo in 2005 The Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts will begin the preseason Aug. 6 in the American Bowl in Tokyo, the record 12th time an NFL game will be played in the city.


Bulger unlikely to play Sunday Rams quarterback Marc Bulger still has soreness in his sprained right shoulder, making it unlikely that he will play Sunday against Arizona.


Relocation Bowl Yeah, yeah.... it #39;s been almost a decade since Art Modell sold his soul and moved Cleveland #39;s beloved (original) Browns to Baltimore.


After a banner '04, forecasters see a slower '05 WASHINGTON -- Despite soaring oil prices and a slumping dollar, the United States enjoyed a banner year in terms of economic growth in 2004, but the new year is likely to see a significant slowdown, private economists say.


This year, take control of your financial life NEW YORK -- If you're having some regrets about how you've been handling your financial life, take heart: You can resolve to make a fresh start in the new year.


Six Are Killed in Attempted Breakout at Prison in Kabul At least six people - four prison guards and two prisoners - when Al Qaeda prisoners attempted a break out of Kabul #39;s main Pul-i-Charki prison today, Afghan police officials and eyewitnesses said.


Stocks Knocked Lower on Drug Sector, Oil  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks closed lower on Friday  amid heavy trading volume, as a slew of negative reports from  top drug makers and a more than \$2 a barrel increase in oil  prices weighed on the market.


Vince Carter Traded to Nets  INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Sports Network) - The Toronto Raptors  have traded All-Star swingman Vince Carter to the New Jersey  Nets in exchange for center Alonzo Mourning, forward Eric  Williams, center/forward Aaron Williams and two conditional  first-round draft picks. The trade cannot be announced until  the NBA approves it for salary-cap purposes.


Mets Claim OF Calloway Off Waivers  NEW YORK (Sports Network) - The New York Mets on Friday  claimed outfielder Ron Calloway off waivers from the Washington  Nationals.


Doctors Debate the Safety of Celebrex Concerns that Celebrex may increase the risk of heart attack could keep what is still a relatively safe medication away from patients who suffer from arthritis and other painful ailments, some doctors say.


UPDATE 2-Exelon in talks to buy PSE amp;G - sources Exelon Corp. (EXE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) is in talks to buy New Jersey utility Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. #39;s (PEG.


Hospitality Properties to buy 13 InterContinental Hotels Hospitality Properties Trust is purchasing 13 hotels for 450 million dollars from InterContinental Hotels Group. Newton-based Hospitality has also signed 25-year


IAM wants to save US Airways baggage jobs The union representing US Airways baggage handlers hopes to find cost cuts without losing 4,000 jobs to outsourcing, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.


Cisco plans to open a R amp;D center in Japan Cisco is continuing their plans to establish a dominating position in the Japanese market. They recently signed a hardware deal with local player Fujitsu to manufacture high-end routers and switches for the local market.


Apple Strikes Back at RealPlayer (Article Central) Apple has quietly updated its iPod software to prevent songs purchased on RealNetworks #39; online music store from being played on some of its popular MP3 players.


We have no fear of Barcelona, Mourinho insists JOS MOURINHO, the Chelsea manager, is full of bravado but when, on Thursday night, he stated that he wanted to meet Barcelona in the last 16 of the European Cup, he was not bluffing.


Media reports say Crown, Bertuzzi lawyers close to plea bargain on <b>...</b> VANCOUVER (CP) - With his assault trial set to start in exactly a month, a report surfaced Friday that Vancouver Canucks star Todd Bertuzzi may be close to a plea bargain with BC prosecutors.


Broncos #39; Bell hopes to return Thursday Broncos tailback Tatum Bell was shooting to return to practice by Thursday after separating his shoulder during a breakout performance against the Dolphins last week.


UCLA coach Dorrell agrees to extension Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Karl Dorrell, head football coach at UCLA, agreed to a two-year contract extension Friday that will keep him at the school through the 2010 season.


Minor league hockey attendance up in NHL #39;s troubled times Attendance is up and some players with NHL experience welcome the playing time in the minors. Ten of the American Hockey League #39;s top 13 scorers were on NHL rosters a year ago.


Pitino, Myles Discuss U of L #39;s Upcoming Game Against Kentucky LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Louisville men #39;s basketball head coach Rick Pitino and senior forward Ellis Myles met with members of the media on Friday to preview the Cardinals #39; home game against rival Kentucky on Satursday.


The Travails of Annan For Kofi Annan, the widely respected secretary-general of the United Nations (UN), these are no easy times. He has for some weeks now been under intense pressure from the United States Congress to resign for


Enron trials to put human faces on scandal HOUSTON -- It was one of the more spectacular corporate bankruptcies ever: Enron Corp. , once the seventh-largest company in the country, felled by intricate and illegal accounting tricks.


Israel #39;s Labour Seals Deal to Join Sharon #39;s Coalition Israel #39;s opposition Labour party is likely to join Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s coalition next week, a move that could promote his Gaza pullout plan and avoid


Ivory Coast Lawmakers Approve Key Peace Proposal Lawmakers in divided Ivory Coast have approved a key reform measure, easing eligibility requirements for the presidency as part of efforts to move the stalled peace process forward.


Junta tries to vilify and isolate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi <b>...</b> A Western diplomat based in Burmas capital Rangoon told DVB that there has been no official statement from the military junta, State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) on the expelling of Daw Aung San Suu Kyis bodyguards, and added that the


Plummer Fined \$5,000 Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer is fined \$5,000 by the NFL for making an obscene gesture during last week's game against Miami.


Virus poses as Christmas e-mail Security firms are warning about a Windows virus disguising itself as an electronic Christmas card. The Zafi.D virus translates the Christmas greeting on its subject line into the language of the person receiving infected e-mail.


Searching for orderly market where none exists Happy New Year, all you investors with an eye for numerology. According to a popular financial folk tale, there's no need to worry much about Federal Reserve policy or corporate earnings growth in 2005. The stock market, and stock mutual funds, will do just fine because they always prosper in years that end with a five.


Stockbroker Accused of Stealing \$4.1 Mln  NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York stockbroker was indicted on  Friday on charges of stealing more than \$4.1 million from three  Wall Street firms, prosecutors said.


Constellation set: Stars on collision course LONDON, DECEMBER 17: Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho got the draw he desired when the English league leaders were paired with Ronaldinhos Barcelona in the first knockout round of the Champions League.


Makaay Hails  quot;Incredible Draw quot; Bayern Munich players and officials were thrilled at the propsect of meeting English champions Arsenal for a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions #39; League after today #39;s draw in Nyon paired the two clubs.


Austrians Sweep Podium in Val Gardena Super G Val Gardena, Italy (Friday, December 17, 2004) - Michael Walchhofer led Austrians to fill the podium in today #39;s World Cup Super G in the Italian ski resort of Val Gardena.


Kentucky vs. Louisville Coaches: Tubby Smith (197-53, eighth season; 321-115, 14th season overall), Kentucky; Rick Pitino (70-31, fourth season; 422-155, 19th season overall), Louisville.


Treasuries Lower Despite In-Line CPI Data  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasuries prices limped to a  second session of losses on Friday as technical selling weighed  on a thin and weary year-end market.


US, Cuba trade billboard barbs HAVANA - Cuba on Friday put up two large billboards in front of the US mission in Havana showing photos of abused Iraqi prisoners, in retaliation for a contentious Christmas display set up by American officials.


14 detained in Saudi protest RIYADH - Anti-regime demonstrations called for yesterday by a dissident group were thwarted as Saudi security forces, deployed en masse in Riyadh and Jeddah, detained 14 people.


Entrepreneurs get by with a little help from their counselors Boston entrepreneur Philip Guarino once thought that running a small enterprise would be a piece of cake. ''Having an MBA, I didn't think I'd need any direction," he said.


Celebrex to stay the market, for now The FDA says that although its decision is to not ban the drug, that possibilty is not ruled out. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The US Food and Drug Administration decided Friday not to recall Celebrex but it has not ruled out the possibility.


World crude oil surges on fuel, terror concerns NEW YORK (AFP) - Global crude prices boiled over on fear of tight US winter fuel supplies and because of a tape apparently by Osama bin Laden calling for attacks on Gulf oil supplies.


Health Tip: Avoid Drug Double-Dipping If you catch a cold or get the flu this winter, be very careful if you take more than one medication to ease your symptoms. The two drugs could share ingredients that could pose a danger


Amex sees \$120M charge; axes 2,000 American Express said Friday it expects to record a fourth-quarter pre-tax restructuring charge of up to \$120 million and cut 2,000 jobs.


Exelon in talks to buy PSE amp;G Exelon, the Chicago-based energy group, is in advanced talks to clinch a deal to buy New Jerseys PSE amp;G for about \$12bn in stock, according to people familiar with the talks.


Holiday greeting could infect your computer If you get a holiday greeting e-mailed to you, be careful to check where it #39;s from. There #39;s a Christmas grinch making its way through cyberspace.


Court to rule on stay of EU sanctions against Microsoft A decision on suspending the EU's sanctions against Microsoft is expected next week.


Oil jumps again as cold weather lingers NEW YORK - Crude oil futures gained more than \$2 US a barrel Friday as slumping inventories and frigid forecasts pushed oil to its highest level of the month.


Cantwell says mad cow feed loopholes still aren #39;t closed A year after the first US case of mad cow disease was reported, Sen. Maria Cantwell says the Food and Drug Administration still has not fulfilled its promise to tighten animal feed rules to help prevent future cases.


Revving up the state's economy with brainpower Jack M. Wilson became president of the University of Massachusetts system in March, overseeing five campuses and 60,000 students. Among his goals: making UMass a driver of the state economy. He spoke with Globe staff reporter Robert Gavin about the school's role in economic development.


PayPal provides antifraud, antispam tool to users Online payment service  PayPal is offering its users antifraud and antispam tools from security vendor Cloudmark.


Longhorn will let users tune Windows for different servers Bob Muglia, senior vice president of the Windows Server division at Microsoft, said in an interview that he thinks the ability to configure Windows system images for various types of servers will be "the heart and soul" of the Longhorn upgrade due in 2007.


Google to Log Library Books (Article Central) Search giant Google announced on Tuesday that the libraries of five of the world #39;s most reputable academic institutions will be digitized by Google.


Illinois Governor wants to Ban Violent Video games Yesterday Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich proposed a state law that would ban the selling and rental of violent and or sexually explicit video games to Children under the age of 18.


Race Features 2005 Driver Line-Up The driver line-up for the 2005 Formula One season is beginning to take shape with only six seats still available. Two teams, Williams and Red Bull Racing, each have one seat open, while both Jordan and Minardi


Lyon clinch first winter champions title with home draw Leaders Olympique Lyon earned the title of Ligue 1 winter champions for the first time as a 1-1 draw at home to Olympique Marseille on Friday left them unbeaten


Sun adds Linux support to Sun Ray thin clients Sun Microsystems previously offered the server software for its Sun Ray thin-client devices on Solaris systems only. But the company is adding support for Linux servers as part of an upgrade that also includes technology designed to make it easier to use the thin clients remotely.


Siebel to acquire eDocs for \$115 million Siebel Systems Inc. will acquire eDocs Inc. for \$115 million to help customers reduce call center and billing costs.


Hacker in Lowe's case sentenced to nine years Two Michigan men were sentenced to serve time in federal prison for conspiring to hack into the IT systems of Lowe's Companies Inc. and stealing customer credit card information.


IBM researchers eye 100TB tape drive Using advanced "nanopatterning" techniques, IBM researchers plan to build 100TB tape storage devices.


Brief: eBay snaps up Rent.com for \$415M EBay is taking a stake in the online apartment rentals market by acquiring Rent.com for \$415 million.


Microsoft tries to woo PeopleSoft customers Microsoft solicits PeopleSoft customers with offers of cheaper and better technology just days after Oracle purchases the company.


Local Search Guide Backed By Yellow Pages Association, Kelsey Group, and SEMPO Local Search Guide Backed By Yellow Pages Association, Kelsey Group, and SEMPO\\With local search - providing online information on businesses located in a community - as the catalyst, Internet Yellow Pages and Search Engine companies are joining forces at a rapid rate. To provide a central resource that captures these ...


Russian police stage new raid on Yukos MOSCOW - Russian police staged a new raid at the office of Yukos and questioned a company executive, Interfax news agency quoted the general prosecutor #39;s office as saying, a day after the ailing oil giant filed for voluntary bankruptcy in a US court.


Bush team sees growth easing in  #39;05 WASHINGTON US economic growth will slow to 3.5 percent in 2005, but still generate average monthly job gains of about 175,000, the Bush administration predicted Friday in a rosy annual forecast that promised solid growth, low inflation and falling


German business confidence surges A key index of German business confidence surged to eight-month high in December, the Munich-based Ifo economic research institute reported Friday.


Marines Face More Cunning Foe in Fallujah (AP) AP - American troops face sporadic but cunning resistance from insurgents as they sweep the city of Fallujah more than a month after U.S. and Iraqi forces invaded the militants' stronghold, U.S. officials said Friday.


Roundup: Chelsea is drawn to face Barcelona Chelsea, whose coach, Jos Mourinho, led Porto to the Champions League title in May, was drawn on Friday to meet Barcelona in the final 16 of the current competition.


Raptors to trade Carter to Nets CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Vince Carter will be showing off his basketball moves on a court in New Jersey soon, according to one report. The Toronto Raptors superstar is headed to the Nets in exchange for Alonzo


Anaheim had placed Jenks on waivers Chicago White Sox: The White Sox claimed right-hander Bobby Jenks off waivers from Anaheim on Friday and designated righty Eduardo Villacis for assignment.


Forest begin new era in usual style IN WHAT transpired to be his final programme notes, Joe Kinnear insisted that he would do everything to make this Christmas a happy one for Nottingham Forest supporters.


Friday, December 17, 2004 Elliss Out for Rest of Season The Broncos announced Friday morning that the veteran defensive tackle would miss the rest of the 2004 season with a herniated disc in his lower back.


More for Dorrell LOS ANGELES UCLA football coach Karl Dorrell has been given a two-year extension, putting him under contract with the Bruins through the 2010 season.


Mandela Wins Injunction Over Coin Sales (AP) AP - Former President Nelson Mandela and his foundation won an injunction Friday prohibiting a South African company from importing or selling gold coins bearing his name and image.


Listening device found in UN #39;s Geneva offices GENEVA The United Nations said Friday that workmen had uncovered a sophisticated listening device at its headquarters in Geneva but could not say who planted it or why.


Arms flow into Darfur, monitors say ABUJA, Nigeria Huge quantities of arms and ammunition have poured into Sudan #39;s Darfur region in the past two weeks and the government is poised for a major military offensive, the African Union said Friday.


AHL Attendance Thrives During NHL Lockout (AP) AP - With the NHL closed for business, minor league hockey is thriving. Attendance is up and some players with NHL experience welcome the playing time in the minors. Ten of the American Hockey League's top 13 scorers were on NHL rosters a year ago.


Stagg Bowl to Crown Division III Champion (AP) AP - Brett Elliott wanted to play football so much, he left Utah for Division III Linfield and a chance to spend his senior season on the field.


Red Sox Sign Renteria Edgar Renteria passes a physical and signs a four-year contract with the Boston Red Sox on Friday.


How can I address a problem of disrespect before it gets worse? Q: I have a colleague in another department who is extremely pushy and rude toward me . Not only can she can be very short and abrasive, but I'm afraid she's not even aware that she's talking down to me. We work together -- I do not work for her. How can I address this problem of disrespect before it ...


Braves' Hudson Excited to Join Rotation (AP) AP - Tim Hudson was a high school junior in 1991 when John Smoltz pitched the Atlanta Braves to their first division title in nine years. Now that he will join Smoltz in the Atlanta rotation, Hudson hopes to help the Braves finish atop the division for an unprecedented 14th straight season.


World Stars Defeat Sweden's HV71, 5-1 (AP) AP - Ray Whitney scored for the second straight game and added an assist, helping the World Stars rebound from a lopsided loss and beat Swedish champion HV71 5-1 on Friday.


Nets Get Carter From Raptors in Bid to Rebuild Fractured Core The Nets took a big step back toward viability today with the completion of a blockbuster deal for Toronto Raptors' swingman Vince Carter.


American Airlines Gets Credit Line Boost AMR Corp., the owner of American Airlines, said Friday that it received a \$850 million, revolving credit line, replacing a \$834 million line that was set to expire next year.


Google Partners with Libraries in Massive Digitization Project In a move likely to have major ramifications for the library world, Google announced December 14 that it would embark on an ambitious project to digitally scan books from the collections of five major research libraries and make them searchable online.


Worldstars play strong defensive game in 5-1 victory over HV 71 JONKOPING, Sweden (CP) - Ray Whitney scored and assisted on Alexandre Daigle #39;s goal as the Worldstars played a strong defensive game in a 5-1 victory over HV 71 on Friday.


France: Lyon clinch winter championship with draw LYON, Dec 17 (SW) - Despite having won the last three Ligue 1 titles, Lyon today won their first-ever winter championship in France after playing to a 1-1 draw with Marseille at the Stade Gerland.


A primer on office politics, good and bad One doesn't have to get past the first page of this book before corporate consultants and coaches Rick Brandon and Marty Seldman spell out one of the major problems many corporations face today: ''For most people, the words integrity and politics don't mix."


Friday #39;s Sports Transactions CHICAGO WHITE SOX_Claimed RHP Bobby Jenks off waivers from Anaheim. Designated RHP Eduardo Villacis for assignment. Agreed to terms with OF Timo Perez on a one-year contract.


Japan, US sign missile defense cooperation memo Japan and the United States signed an agreement Friday on the details of their joint development of a ballistic missile defense system.


Siebel to Buy Edocs for  #36;115 Million (AP) AP - Siebel Systems Inc., the largest maker of customer-relations management software, Friday said it agreed to acquire Edocs Inc., a closely held provider of electronic-billing software, for  #36;115 million.


White House Creates Cabinet-Level Ocean Policy Panel (Reuters) Reuters - The Bush administration created on\Friday a cabinet-level committee to address rising pollution\and overfishing in U.S. territorial ocean waters.


Ten Commandments Judge May Run for Gov. (AP) AP - Ousted Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore said Friday he is considering running for governor in 2006.


Israel's Labour Seals Deal to Join Sharon's Coalition  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's opposition Labour party is  likely to join Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's coalition next  week, a move that could promote a Gaza pullout plan and also  avoid early elections, his spokesman said on Friday.


CIA Had Secret Detainee Area at Guantanamo (AP) AP - The CIA once maintained a facility to hold high-value terrorism suspects at the Defense Department's prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, but the location is not currently in use, according to officials with knowledge of the highly classified operations.


Wasserstein Files Lazard IPO Plan With Regulators (Update3) Bruce Wasserstein, head of Lazard LLC, filed today to sell \$850 million of shares of the largest closely held investment banking partnership, moving toward a resolution of a feud between two powers of the financial world.


Exelon Reportedly In Talks to Buy PSE amp;G Exelon (EXC:NYSE - news - research) is reportedly in advanced talks to buy New Jersey #39;s largest utility group, Public Service Enterprise Group (PEG:NYSE - news - research).


Red Sox Sign Renteria to 4-Year Contract (AP) AP - Edgar Renteria's first choice was to remain in St. Louis, but the Boston Red Sox gave him an offer too good to turn down.


Worldstars play strong defensive game in 5-1 victory over HV71 JONKOPING, Sweden (CP) - The Worldstars had no intention of being blown out of the rink two games in a row in Sweden. The travelling band of locked out NHL players turned in a solid defensive game and got


Lyon heads into winter break unbeaten Lyon, France (Sports Network) - Lyon will head into the winter break on top of the Ligue 1 table and unbeaten after a 1-1 draw against Marseille Friday at the Stade Gerland.


A lordly ruling It is a high tribute to the legal systems of the United States and Britain that they have not blindly followed their governments in accepting the threat of terror as a reason to subvert fundamental democratic values.


Sharon deal to ease pullout from Gaza ISRAELS opposition Labour Party last night clinched a deal with Ariel Sharons Likud Party to join his coalition, a move that could ease the planned withdrawal from Gaza.


DaimlerChrysler Sued Over Car Seat Injury  DETROIT (Reuters) - DaimlerChrysler AG DCX.N DCXGn.DE  has been hit with a multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed by a  paraplegic who says the automaker's heated car seats caused him  a severe burn injury.


Gym gear that avoids exercises in futility Overindulge this holiday season? To make up for it, many people will shop for high-tech treadmills or mail-order machines that will shrink their thighs while they make low, low monthly payments.


U.S. Seeks to Deport Accused Nazi Demjanjuk (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. government said on Friday\it had asked an immigration judge to deport John Demjanjuk, a\Ukrainian immigrant and retired auto-worker who is accused of\working as a guard at several Nazi camps.


IE #39;s Spoofing Sorrows Continue Security experts uncovered yet another bug in Internet Explorer this week, one that could let attackers replace the content of any legit site with their own, making it possible to spoof critical pages such as e-bank account access log-in forms or credit


Search Spotlight Pans to Video After years of taking a back seat to easier-to-crawl HTML pages, multimedia files are beginning to gain respect among search engines.


D.C. Officials to Work on Baseball Deal (AP) AP - Two prominent politicians who will have a significant say in whether the Expos move to the nation's capital plan to meet Monday to try to save the suddenly wobbly deal.


Russia Rejects U.S. Injunction Over Yukos (AP) AP - Russia is vowing to proceed with an auction of oil giant Yukos' key production subsidiary, saying a U.S. court ban is irrelevant. But the expected winner of Sunday's auction, the state-run Russian gas company Gazprom, may not be able to pay after a consortium of Western banks reportedly put on hold billions of dollars in credit it needs to fund its bid.


Day One: Eng take the edge With the first day of the opening battle between South Africa done and dusted, we look at some crucial moments of the first day #39;s play in Port Elizabeth.


Mariners sign Beltre After finishing at the bottom of the AL West and winding up last in the league in runs and homers, the Mariners reached agreement with Beltre on a \$64 million, five-year deal Thursday, The Associated Press learned.


Annan says UN is doing its job in Iraq WASHINGTON - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said Thursday that the world body is doing its job in Iraq in preparation for the Jan 30 elections.


Four killed, several injured in storm lashing western, northern <b>...</b> A storm lashed Friday in western andnorthern France and the region of Paris, killing four people and injuring several others as well as cutting power to 385,000 homes.


Japanese Princess Postpones Engagement (AP) AP - Princess Sayako, the only daughter of Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, on Saturday postponed the announcement of her engagement due to the death of her great-aunt, an official said.


Edmonton police find missing teen with fetal alcohol syndrome (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - EDMONTON (CP) - A 14-year-old boy with fetal alcohol syndrome who disappeared when he was allowed to go unsupervised to West Edmonton Mall was found Friday.


Miss. Aware of Past Orgeron Bad Behavior (AP) AP - New Mississippi coach Ed Orgeron was charged with repeated domestic violence more than a decade ago when he was an assistant at Miami, according to records obtained Friday by The Associated Press.


GOP Senators Spring to Defend Rumsfeld (AP) AP - The Senate's top two Republicans voiced support for Donald Rumsfeld on Friday as allies of the defense secretary sought to outflank increasingly vocal GOP critics in and out of Congress.


US writes off \$4.1bn in Iraq debt The US cancels all the debt owed to it by Iraq and calls on other countries to do the same.


TV station put on US terror list The United States bans Hezbollah's al-Manar television station, saying it incites violence in the Middle East.


Symantec shares slide on news of Veritas buy Symantec moved a step closer to joining the ranks of the leading broad-based corporate software sellers yesterday as it announced a \$12.5bn all-stock agreement to buy storage and data back-up company Veritas.


Nice flat Mr Murdoch, yours for \$44m The lavish apartment is, says Kirk Henckels - who finds the super-rich their homes in Manhattan -  quot;definitely the best of the best quot;.


Banks Scrutinize Their Accounting The nation #39;s banks are heavy users of the complex financial contracts at the heart of Fannie Mae #39;s accounting woes, but bank regulators and financial experts said banks likely will avoid Fannie #39;s troubles.


Cisco to open R amp;D facility in Japan CHICAGO: Telecommunications equipment maker Cisco Systems Inc. on Thursday said it will open a research facility in Tokyo, a move designed to strengthen its position in the growing Japanese market for high-speed Internet services.


European Craft  #39;Go #39; for Landing on Titan After separation, Huygens will head on a non-powered trajectory that will take it to Titan on January 15, where parachutes will slow its descent onto the moon #39;s surface.


Week in review: The urge to merge A corporate holiday shopping spree on steroids this week yielded three merger deals worth about \$60 billion--including one that ranks as the largest software merger in history.


Coulthard signs for Red Bull team The deal, thought to be worth 2 million, could prove more lucrative if Coulthard hits performance targets. That, however, is a big  quot;if quot;, given the return of only seven points managed by Mark Webber last term.


Seattle lands big prize in Beltre; Hudson traded from Oakland to <b>...</b> On a day of big movement in baseball, the New York Yankees are on the verge of claiming the biggest prize of all. The Yankees closed in on completing a blockbuster three-team trade that would send Randy


Mannings troubles amplified by Big Ben comparison As if things werent going bad enough for Eli Manning, he got to hear all last week about how well fellow rookie Ben Roethlisberger was faring for the Steelers.


State vows to destroy killer shark Authorities said they would kill the shark that tore apart a young surfer near an Australian beach as his friends tried to save him by beating the fish with oars.


Australia defends law against terrorism JAKARTA: Australia defended a controversial maritime anti-terror plan on Friday after harsh words from neighbouring Indonesia that it breached international law and Jakartas sovereignty over its own waters.


Rights group slams Iraqi trials Saddam Hussein #39;s defense minister, who surrendered to US forces last year, will appear alongside another notorious general - known as Chemical Ali - when investigative trials open next week, an official said Friday.