Evidence on Cold Fusion Remains Inconclusive, New Review Finds

In a new review of cold fusion - the claim that energy can be generated by running electrical current through water - the Department of Energy released a report on Wednesday that says the evidence remains inconclusive.


For Wildlife With Wanderlust, Their Own Highway

A corridor of the wild through the high country of North America - Yellowstone to Yukon - is becoming a reality.


Isidore Edelman, 84, Columbia Scientist Who Led Genome Center, Dies

Dr. Isidore S. Edelman was a versatile scientist and administrator who directed and helped found the Columbia Genome Center at Columbia University.


More Evidence That Internet Marketing Is Hot Again

In another consolidation in the hot-again business of Internet advertising, Web video specialist Viewpoint has agreed to buy Unicast Communications.


Pennsylvania Limits Cities in Offering Net Access

In a victory for Verizon Communications, a law will make it harder for cities to build Internet networks that compete with major telecommunications providers.


Sharon Says Will Seek Coalition with Labor (Reuters)

Reuters - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon\said Thursday he would seek a coalition with Shimon Peres's\Labor Party and pledged to press ahead with a planned Gaza\pullout.


Flood-Hit Filipinos Seek Safety as Typhoon Nears (Reuters)

Reuters - Residents of flood-hit\Philippine towns scrambled to higher ground Thursday as the\most powerful typhoon this year threatened to cause more\destruction after floods and landslides killed up to 600\people.


German Unemployment Rises in November (AP)

AP - Germany's unemployment rate rose to 10.3 percent in November as the country's economy continued to plod along with near-zero growth, the government said.


Philly Folly on Packers' Minds (AP)

AP - So much of the Green Bay Packers' season has been predicated on fixing what went wrong on their infamous fourth-and-26 failure in Philadelphia.


Brown Players Relieved After Davis Leaves (AP)

AP - With music blaring in the suddenly upbeat Cleveland locker room, Browns defensive end Kenard Lang and other players called coach Butch Davis' resignation a welcome change.


Report: Giambi Testified He Used Steroids (AP)

AP - New York Yankees slugger Jason Giambi injected himself with human growth hormone in 2003 and also used steroids for at least three seasons, according to his grand jury testimony reviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle.


Philippine Flood Victims Lose Hope as Storm Nears (Reuters)

Reuters - The tides of mud carved a random trail of\destruction through Philippine towns, robbing already\impoverished residents of children, houses and hope.


Passenger sues Qantas, British Airways over DVT, stroke (AFP)

AFP - A Sydney businessman brought a landmark case against Qantas and British Airways claiming compensation for deep vein thrombosis he developed on board a flight and which led to a stroke.


Locke May Stay Longer As Wash. Governor (AP)

AP - Lame-duck Gov. Gary Locke may not be limping off into the sunset. If the slugfest between Republican Dino Rossi and Democrat Christine Gregoire doesn't produce a new governor by the scheduled Jan. 12 inauguration, Locke may have to stick around.


Flood-Hit Filipinos Seek Safety as Typhoon Nears

REAL, Philippines (Reuters) - Residents of flood-hit  Philippine towns scrambled to higher ground Thursday as the  most powerful typhoon this year threatened to cause more  destruction after floods and landslides killed up to 600  people.


Heavy Rain, Low Turnout Overshadow Mozambique Poll

MAPUTO (Reuters) - Heavy rains and apparent low turnout  cast a shadow over Thursday's second day of Mozambican  elections for a successor to veteran President Joaquim  Chissano.


Mortar Blasts in Baghdad Kill One, Wound Several

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Guerrillas fired a mortar barrage into  central Baghdad Thursday, killing at least one Iraqi and  wounding 11, police at the scene of the blasts said.


UK MP wins Saddam libel case

MP George Galloway wins libel case against the Telegraph over claims he took money from Saddam Hussein.


Sluggish economy hits German jobs

Unemployment in Germany rises for the tenth straight month as growth remains sluggish despite a revival in domestic demand.


Russian minister against Gazprom buying Yukos unit: reports

MOSCOW (AFP) - Russia #39;s economy minister German Gref is trying to halt plans for the Gazprom monopoly to bid for the main production unit of embattled Yukos, but is unlikely to succeed, analysts said.


NTL to sell masts in 1.3bn deal

Britain #39;s largest cable company, NTL, is to sell its network of communication masts and towers in a deal worth almost 1.3bn, it was announced today.


Retailers seek to block textile limits

A coalition of US retailers including Liz Claiborne and JC Penney filed a lawsuit Wednesday to block the Commerce Department from imposing curbs on imports of textiles and clothing from China.


IBM to Power China

IBM this week pitched its Power processor family as a de facto standard for consumer electronics, cars, communications kit and computers by launching a consortium to promote the platform to Far Eastern manufacturers.


Ferguson upset at Van Persie elbow

Alex Ferguson has urged the FA to punish Arsenal #39;s Robin van Persie for throwing an elbow during last night #39;s Carling Cup quarter-final.


Irish players support Ty, rip firing

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Despite voting to play in the Insight Bowl, the Notre Dame football players didn #39;t mask their shock and outrage over the sudden firing of coach Tyrone Willingham after only three seasons.


Deng, Bulls wear down Bryant, get a home win

When Kobe Bryant scored 9 consecutive points early in the fourth quarter, it looked as though the Bulls had no hope of beating the Lakers on Wednesday night.


Same story for Wildcats

After a game about as artful as a dime-store novel, Virginia coach Pete Gillen turned to literature to express the trying time his No.


Garcia brings Christmas to Sun City

It #39;s always a festive time of year at Sun City when the Nedbank Golf Challenge gets underway, and defending champion Sergio Garcia, always an enthusiastic participant in South Africa #39;s premier golf tournament, joined the spirit of proceedings with a


Six Are Charged in Finnish Telecom Probe (AP)

AP - The former chief executive of Sonera and five other people were charged Monday with gross violation of Finland's communications secrecy laws, following an investigation into the telecommunications company.


Sharon says will seek coalition with Labour

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says he will seek a governing coalition with Shimon Peres #39;s Labour Party and pledged to press ahead with a planned Gaza pullout.


Serb Not an Assassin, Just an Angry Driver

What was first believed to be an assassination attempt against President Boris Tadic of Serbia on Tuesday night was actually a case of road rage by a driver


EU to begin peacekeeping mission in Bosnia

The European Union is beginning its biggest ever military operation when it takes over peacekeeping duties in Bosnia from NATO. Some 7,000 soldiers from more than 30 countries, including non-EU states Canada


NI deal  #39;possible soon #39;

A political agreement in Northern Ireland could be reached by the middle of next week, the leader of the moderate Alliance Party has said.


UN Lacks Right to Inspect Sites in Iran -- Diplomats (Reuters)

Reuters - Inspectors from the U.N. nuclear\watchdog would like to visit a secret military site in Iran\that an exile group said was a nuclear weapons site, but they\lack the legal authority to go there, U.N. diplomats told\Reuters.


Dollar losing streak continues as euro hits new highs (AFP)

AFP - The dollar tumbled to new all-time lows against the euro, a 12-year nadir against sterling and a near five-year trough against the yen, buckling under the weight of the US twin deficits.


Israel Vows Mideast Peace Unless Provoked (AP)

AP - Israel will not launch attacks or raids against Palestinians if the situation remains calm and it is not provoked, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Thursday.


Experts Examine China Aviation Oil Books (AP)

AP - Financial experts combed through records Thursday at China Aviation Oil, the jet fuel supplier that sought court protection from creditors this week after admitting losses of US #36;550 million (euro414 million) from speculative trading.


Australia-led consortium to buy ntl's broadcast business (AFP)

AFP - An Australian-led consortium said it would buy the broadcast business of communications and entertainment group ntl Inc for 1.27 billion pounds.


Oil Slides Another Dollar to 11-Week Low

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices tumbled to an 11-week low  below \$45 a barrel on Thursday, deepening a dramatic slide  after an increase in U.S. heating oil stocks eased worries of a  winter supply squeeze.


Sharon Rejects Talks with Syria for Now

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon  said Thursday he opposed peace talks with Syria while it  continued to host Palestinian militant groups in Damascus.


Sharon Says Will Seek Coalition with Labor

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon  said Thursday he would seek a governing coalition with Shimon  Peres's Labor Party and pledged to press ahead with a planned  Gaza pullout.


UN Lacks Right to Inspect Sites in Iran -- Diplomats

VIENNA (Reuters) - Inspectors from the U.N. nuclear  watchdog would like to visit a secret military site in Iran  that an exile group said was a nuclear weapons site, but they  lack the legal authority to go there, U.N. diplomats told  Reuters.


Calpers president voted out

Sean Harrigan was ousted as president of the \$177 billion California Public Employees #39; Retirement System (Calpers). In a 3-2 vote in San Francisco, the California state personnel board pulled Harrigan from Calpers where he had served for five years.


Guest columnist Administration #39;s salmon approach has been tried <b>...</b>

AS the Pacific Northwest debates the Bush administration #39;s recent proposal to count hatchery fish alongside wild fish in applying the Endangered Species Act - and its new plan to cut


Canadian iTunes Music Store Delayed

Apples popular iTunes music service, for use with Apples insanely popular iPod music player, will not be today as planned. Company officials are stressing it will be available very soon though


Saturn Mission to Benefit Earth: UK Technology Will Help <b>...</b>

UK technology that will safely guide a spacecraft to Saturns largest moon is being adapted to land aeroplanes, help emergency services reach accidents quickly and improve safety on our roads.


India rely on spin trick to clinch series win

India relied on their spin trumpcard Harbhajan Singh #39;s guiles to clinch their first home series win in two years with a facile eight-wicket victory over South Africa in the second cricket Test here today.


No. 9 Tar Heels top Indiana

North Carolina was ready for its test Wednesday night. Rashad McCants and Raymond Felton made sure the Tar Heels passed. McCants scored 19 points and Felton added 18 to lead the No.


Despite effort, Cavs get Sunburn

-- The Cavaliers #39; re match against the Phoenix Suns was similar to the previous meeting last month. That #39;s when the Cavs fell behind by 19 but rallied and won in overtime.


Galloway wins libel case

Former Labour MP George Galloway has won his libel action against the Telegraph and won 150,000 in damages. He is also expected to get his costs - the court case is estimated to have cost around 1m.


French Socialist vote boost for EU constitution

France #39;s pro-European Socialists are jubilant after a party referendum on the EU constitution produced a solid majority for the treaty, boosting its chances to win approval in a national plebiscite next year.


Report: Giambi Admits to Using Steroids

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


College Basketball: Illinois Defeats Wake Forest

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Sports Network) - Roger Powell Jr. scored  19 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead fifth-ranked  Illinois to a lopsided 91-73 win over No. 1 Wake Forest in the  ACC/Big Ten Challenge at Assembly Hall.


MoveOn.org Moves on to New Battles (AP)

AP - After President Bush won re-election, many political observers expected MoveOn.org to move into retreat. The sentiment surrounding the liberal online powerhouse was neatly summed up by the satire publication The Onion in its spoof headline: "MoveOn CurlsUp InCorner."


Americans Rely on Team Spirit for Davis Cup Final

SEVILLE, Spain (Reuters) - Facing a battalion of sturdy  Spanish baseliners and a partisan, vocal crowd, the United  States will rely on team spirit as it fights for the Davis Cup  this weekend.


Florida governor turns to US Supreme Court in euthanasia case (AFP)

AFP - Florida's Governor Jeb Bush asked the US Supreme Court to intervene to keep a comatose woman alive, over the wishes of her husband, who wants to disconnect the feeding tube that has sustained her for 14 years.


Ford and GM struggle as sales slip

DETROIT Despite a crop of new car models and a generous supply of rebates, sales fell for Ford Motor and General Motors in November.


Pre-Budget Report

Two years ago in his Pre-Budget Report, Gordon Brown bit the bullet and admitted that he had got his borrowing forecasts badly wrong, revising them sharply higher.


Samsung ousts Motorola from No.2 spot, but the profit margin <b>...</b>

Samsung Electronics, Asias largest technology firm with a market cap of \$67 billion, outstripped Motorola ousting the American company from the No.


Update 1: Cingular Sees Merger Savings Above Plan

Cingular Wireless, the nation #39;s largest wireless carrier following the company #39;s merger with AT amp;T Wireless, said Wednesday that it has completed integration activities ahead of schedule and now expects merger-related cost savings to exceed prior estimates


Telstra CEO to leave early

Communications giant Telstra Corp announced yesterday that its chief executive Ziggy Switkowski would step down early as Australia #39;s largest corporation prepared for its full privatization.


Gazprom  #39;united #39; on Yukos bid, but doubt is reported

MOSCOW Directors at Gazprom, the world #39;s biggest natural gas company, are united and ready to vote on a proposed bid for Yukos #39;s main production unit, Yuganskneftegaz, officials at the gas company said on Thursday, as the company seeks to create an oil


Greece fiddled euro entry

GREECE fiddled its way into the European single currency and should not have been allowed to join, according to the European Commission and other members of the euro.


Jobless Claims Rise More Sharply Than Expected

The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits rose 25,000 last week to 349,000, a government report showed on Thursday, with some analysts citing the US Thanksgiving holiday as distorting the data.


Albertsons 3Q profit up 21

Grocer says sales rose 15, helped by acquisitions, puts full-year earnings at low end of forecast. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Albertsons Inc.


Sears Nov. Same-Store Sales Above Views

Sears, Roebuck  amp; Co. on Thursday said comparable domestic store revenue rose 2.8 percent in November, surpassing analysts #39; expectations for a decline of 0.3 percent.


UPS to buy out China partner

SHANGHAI United Parcel Service, the world #39;s biggest express courier, said Thursday that it would pay \$100 million to take direct control of its operations in China as it expands to compete with FedEx and other rivals in the fastest-growing market for


New Ukraine Election Looks Likely Way Out of Crisis

KIEV, Ukraine (Reuters) - A new Ukrainian poll of some sort  looked increasingly likely as parliament and the Supreme Court  pressed ahead on Thursday with efforts to resolve a national  crisis over a disputed presidential election.


Bin Laden Contacted Indonesia's Bashir, Court Told

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Fugitive al Qaeda leader Osama bin  Laden once invited Indonesian preacher Abu Bakar Bashir to live  in Afghanistan, a young militant jailed over the bombing of a  Jakarta hotel told the cleric's terrorism trial on Thursday.


U.N. Says It May Have Spotted Rwandan Troops in Congo

KINSHASA (Reuters) - The U.N. mission in Congo said on  Wednesday it had spotted 100 soldiers, thought to be Rwandan,  in the east of the vast Central African country but Kigali  declined to say whether its troops had crossed the border.


U.S. Ambassador Calls on Taliban to Lay Down Arms

KABUL (Reuters) - The United States called on Taliban  guerrillas to lay down their arms Thursday, saying Afghans had  voted against violence and those who gave up their insurgency  would not be punished unless they were guilty of major crimes.


Ten Candidates to Run in Palestinian Election

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Ten candidates will run in  the Palestinian Authority's presidential election to replace  Yasser Arafat, officials said on Thursday after finalizing the  list of contenders for the Jan. 9 race.


Microsoft introduces weblog service

Microsoft #39;s MSN division has launched a test version of a free blogging service aimed at consumers, its first attempt to provide this popular activity for the mass consumer market.


Apple Brings iTunes Music Downloading to Canada at Lower Price

Apple Computer Inc., whose iTunes Web sites make up world #39;s largest online music store, said it opened a version of the service for Canadian customers.


Sun Might Have Exchanged Hangers-On With Rival Star

The Sun may have captured thousands or even millions of asteroids from another planetary system during an encounter more than four billion years ago, astronomers are reporting today.


Microsoft patches month-old IE flaw

Microsoft has released an update to Internet Explorer to fix a security flaw that was discovered a month ago and has since been exploited to attack users.


Microsoft files seven new spam lawsuits

The seven lawsuits were filed on Wednesday in Washington State Superior Court in King County against John Doe defendants who have yet to be identified.


Making peace with a rival

Sun Microsystems Inc. and Microsoft Corp. are poised to flesh out the details of the historic truce they signed earlier this year, ending years of bitter sniping between the two technology giants.


IBM opens up on Power processors

IBM has formed an industry consortium, called Power.org, to open up the process of building Power processors. Power.org is intended to give IBM #39;s partners better access to the Power technology so that they


ATI Raises Performance Bar Once Again with New Additions to RADEON <b>...</b>

ATI Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:ATYT)(TSX:ATY), the global leader in PC graphics, has broadened its offerings for PC gamers and extended its performance lead with the introduction of a family of powerful new graphics processors.


Search Isnt All About Google Anymore

Webmasters that stick to the old ways and focus entirely on Google are missing out on a lot of search traffic these days if they are not also well ranked by Yahoo and MSN.


Can Smith work Scottish wonders?

The worst kept secret in Scottish football was revealed on Thursday when Walter Smith was named as the new national manager. From the moment Berti Vogts #39; miserable tenure in charge of Scotland ended, the former


Van Persie sweet with FA

THE Football Association today rebuffed Sir Alex Ferguson #39;s call for action to be taken against Arsenal forward Robin van Persie over his alleged attempt to elbow Kieran Richardson during Manchester United #39;s League Cup quarter-final victory at Old Trafford


Kenteris and Thanou charged

A statement on the IAAF website said the governing body #39;s Doping Review Board had conducted an extensive three-month inquiry and had concluded that evidence exists that the three committed doping violations.


Birds of Prey kicks off today

With the completion of the week #39;s halved downhill training runs on Wednesday (Tuesday #39;s run was canceled due to too much snow), the four-races-in-four-days men #39;s World Cup stop at Beaver Creek will officially commence today with the super-G at 11 am The


Meyer can leave Utah without buyout

Notre Dame officials will meet with Utah coach Urban Meyer on Thursday, a source with knowledge of the discussions told the New York Times.


Illini a 4-star hoops power

CHAMPAIGN -- ESPN #39;s Jay Bilas said Deron Williams, the Big Ten #39;s Preseason Player of the Year, wouldn #39;t rank in the top 10 in the ACC.


CORRECTED - Sun City course leaves players guessing

In SUN CITY item, please read in second para... quot;with a \$1.2 million first prize etc etc... quot; instead of... quot;with a \$2 million first prize... quot; (correcting first prize). By Craig Ray. SUN CITY, South Africa, Dec


Blogs Have Overtaken 8 Million Americans, 57 Are Male\\After being pounded in the blogging stakes by rampant female blogging last year, men have flocked back to the blogosphere in increasing numbers, safe in the knowledge that once more, the Pew Internet and American Life Project would restore what many of ...


Powerball Jackpot Reaches \$127 Million

UNITED STATES - (PRESS RELEASE) -- There were no Powerball jackpot winners Saturday but 649,059 players across the nation won a total of more than \$4.4 million in prizes in America #39;s Game.


Pennington practices, questionable for Sunday

Hempstead, NY (Sports Network) - New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington made it through a full practice Wednesday for the first time in nearly a month as he seeks to return from a rotator cuff injury.


Sharon Seeks to Broaden Coalition With Labor, Religious Parties

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will seek to bring Labor and other parties into his government to avoid early elections after dismissing a coalition partner who voted against the budget.


Galloway clears his name and wins libel case

MP George Galloway has won a libel battle and damages totalling 150,000 against the Daily Telegraph over claims he accepted money from Saddam Husseins #39;s government.


Haiti prison riot and shootings kill at least 11 after visit by US <b>...</b>

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti_U.N. peacekeeping forces circled Haitis capital Thursday, a day after sporadic violence marred US Secretary of State Colin Powells visit.


Rwanda denies army in Congo

Rwanda has denied it has pushed troops into Democratic Republic of Congo hours after UN peacekeepers said they had compelling evidence that some had entered the vast country.


Mortar barrage kills one, wounds several in central Baghdad

A mortar barrage hammered the heavily fortified Green Zone and elsewhere in central Baghdad on Thursday, killing at least one person and underscoring the vulnerability of even Iraq #39;s best-protected areas ahead of national elections.


Iran Blinks, Sort Of

I ran now has backed off from a demand that had stalled an agreement worked out by France, Britain and Germany to freeze all of Iran #39;s uranium processing activities.


Sri Lanka shuts rebel border

Sri Lanka #39;s army has closed off entry points to areas controlled by Tamil Tiger rebels for the first day since a 2002 ceasefire after Red Cross officials said they feared for their safety amid sporadic violence.


War fears after Rwanda 'invasion'

The UN Security Council is set for emergency talks to discuss the incursion of Rwandan troops in eastern DR Congo.


Pinochet faces murder case probe

A Chilean court strips former ruler Augusto Pinochet of his immunity over the murder of his predecessor as army chief.


Anti-spam plan overwhelms sites

A screensaver targeting spam-related websites appears to have been too successful.


US revokes visa for key Moi ally

One of Kenya's most powerful politicians under President Moi, Nicholas Biwott, is denied entry to the US.


Europe to Sue Over Data Greece Gave on Economy

The European Commission said it would sue Greece for submitting incaccurate deficit figures before joining the euro zone in 2001.


Retailers' Nov. Same-Store Sales Rise (Reuters)

Reuters - Major U.S. retailers reported modest\gains in November sales on Thursday, as discounting lured\customers, but high energy prices and nagging concerns about a\soggy job market kept buying in check.


US Jobless Claims Rise More Than Expected (Reuters)

Reuters - The number of Americans filing new\claims for jobless benefits rose 25,000 last week to 349,000, a\government report showed on Thursday, with some analysts citing\the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday as distorting the data.


Retailers Post Disappointing Nov. Sales (AP)

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


Retailers' Nov. Same-Store Sales Rise

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Major U.S. retailers reported modest  gains in November sales on Thursday, as discounting lured  customers, but high energy prices and nagging concerns about a  soggy job market kept buying in check.


US Jobless Claims Rise More Than Expected

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing new  claims for jobless benefits rose 25,000 last week to 349,000, a  government report showed on Thursday, with some analysts citing  the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday as distorting the data.


US Stocks Lower After Jobless Claims Rise

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened lower on Thursday,  with investors taking a breather after Wednesday's rally amid  lackluster monthly sales figures from retailers and  higher-than-expected jobless claims.


ECB Rates Unchanged

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - European Central Bank President  Jean-Claude Trichet kept up his anti-inflation rhetoric on  Thursday, warning of short-term risks to the inflation outlook  even as growth prospects are deteriorating.


Dollar Off; Trichet Leaves Euro Unfazed

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar slipped against the euro on  Thursday after European Central Bank President Jean-Claude  Trichet reiterated that recent moves in currency markets were  unwelcome, but did not use strong enough rhetoric to deter the  euro from strengthening, currency traders said.


U.S. Oct Factory Orders Up

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


Sony Goes Ultra-Upscale

If you had to ask what "Qualia" is, you probably weren't supposed to know about it.


Euro rates on hold for 18th month

The European Central Bank keeps the cost of borrowing unchanged at 2 for the 18th straight month, despite the risk posed by the soaring euro.


Brown shrugs off economy worries

Gordon Brown outlines to MPs plans to freeze fuel duty, minimise Council Tax rises and boost childcare.


Word of The Year: Blog

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer and other papers this morning ran a story stating that blog was the most common word visitors to Merriam Webster #39;s online site sought a definition for throughout 2004.


Older Windows OSes need critical patch

Microsoft releases critical Explorer patch <nobr>VNUNet.com</nobr>


Lycos Europe Anti Project disturbs Spammers

Lycos Europe took a bold step by starting the  #39;Make love not spam #39; project. They can publicly backfiere some of the biggest spammers of the world.


Microsoft Fights to Keep China Business

Microsoft (Quote, Chart) is fighting to hold onto a multi-million dollar deal with the municipal government of Beijing. On Nov. 17, Microsoft beat domestic software developers to snag a \$3.6 million, three


Broadband fuels online expression

Having an always-on, fast net connection is changing the way Britons use the internet, research suggests.


Greek sprinters charged with doping violations

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou were charged by track and field #39;s world governing body Thursday for missing a series of mandatory drug tests.


Els, Goosen and Westwood Share the Lead in South Africa

European Tour Members Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Lee Westwood share the lead with Australian Stuart Appleby after the first round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, South Africa.


Estes #39; long journey is reaping rewards

GIVE professional golfers a sunny day with no wind, combine that with receptive greens and you have a recipe for low scores. Such were the conditions that greeted the players at Coolum for the PGA Championship


All out for 29  SA in crisis

SOUTH Australian cricket will send an SOS to batting legends Steve Waugh and Barry Richards after the Redbacks #39; capitulation for 29 against New South Wales at the SCG yesterday.


NCAA Game Summary - San Jose State At Santa Clara

Santa Clara, CA -- Doron Perkins scored a game-high 18 points to lead the Santa Clara Broncos to a 73-60 victory over the San Jose State Spartans in a non-league affair.


Big Unit Breakdown Between Yankees and D #39;Backs

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Published reports out of New York indicate the Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks have halted trade talks involving five-time Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson.


AMD Chips in For Portable Video Players

New chip will cut the time required to transfer content onto those devices.


EU Takes over Bosnian Peacekeeping

The European Union began its biggest-ever military operation today, formally taking over Natos peacekeeping mission in Bosnia with 7,000 troops.


Mortars rock Baghdad #39;s Green Zone

Mortars crashed Thursday into the heavily-guarded Green Zone in central Baghdad where government headquarters and Western embassies are located.


Witness: Bashir Contacted by Osama bin Laden

A jailed Islamic militant testifying in the Jakarta terrorism trial of Abu Bakar Bashir says the Muslim cleric was once invited by Osama bin Laden to live in Afghanistan.


Sharon opposes peace talks with Syria for now

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Thursday that he wouldn #39;t recommend to open negotiations with Syria when terror groups are operating there, Jerusalem Post reported.


Score one against activism?

The removal of the president of California #39;s largest public pension fund has raised questions about whether pension funds, endowments and other big activist investors can keep wielding clout in corporate governance campaigns.


Alltel closes deal with US Cellular on heels of Cingular <b>...</b>

Alltel Corp. on Tuesday said it has completed its \$144 million summer deal with US Cellular and TDS Telecom, only days after announcing it plans to acquire wireless properties


Air China: No Impact From China Aviation Oil Debacle

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Air China Ltd. (0753.HK), the mainland #39;s largest commercial airline, Thursday said the China Aviation Oil (Singapore) Corp.


NTL sells broadcast business for 1.27bn

Cable firm NTL today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its broadcast business for 1.27bn. A consortium led by Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group and other third


Lacy: Sears Sales Show Holiday Surprise

Christmas came early for some retailers: While Wal-Mart Stores (nyse: WMT - news - people ) and Limited Brands (nyse: LTD - news - people ) were having a slow start to the holidays, Sears, Roebuck  amp; Co.


Price will be right for checking credit report

Here #39;s a great way to better manage your finances in 2005: Get a free copy of your credit report. Beginning in March, Illinois residents will be entitled to one free credit report from each of the three major


Report: Giambi Admits to Using Steroids (Reuters)

Reuters - According to a report, New\York Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi claimed in his grand\jury testimony that he took a human growth hormone in 2003 and\also used steroids for at least three seasons.


Scotland Hires Smith As Soccer Coach (AP)

AP - Walter Smith was hired Thursday as the national soccer coach of Scotland, which failed to qualify for the Euro 2004 championship and stands little chance of making it to the 2006 World Cup.


Fish, Roddick Set for Davis Cup Final (AP)

AP - American Mardy Fish will play Spain's Carlos Moya on Friday in the opening singles match of the Davis Cup final.


IBM's PC unit lost money from 2001 onwards

IBM's personal computer business racked up \$965 million in losses between Jan. 1, 2001, and June 30, 2004, the company said last week in a filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, detailing the planned sale of the business to China's Lenovo Group.


Sports Focus: Radio/television

You can tear up Keith Jackson #39;s invitation to your friendly local Friends of the Fighting Irish pub. News of Tyrone Willingham #39;s ouster after three years at Notre Dame barely had hit the airwaves Tuesday when  quot;Mr.


US Treasuries Cut Losses on Job Woes Hint

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasuries trimmed early losses on  Monday as evidence of sluggish hiring by U.S. manufacturers   suggested little need for the Federal Reserve to be more  aggressive in hiking interest rates.


Violence flare in east DRC, locals flee

Thousands of civilians were on Thursday fleeing clashes near the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo town of Goma between Rwandan Hutu rebels and unidentified opponents, a senior UN official told AFP.


Two Suspect Iranian Sites Pose Headaches for IAEA

Iran may be hiding equipment bought by its military that could be used to make nuclear-weapons-grade uranium despite its recent agreement to freeze all such programs and place them under UN supervision, diplomats said Thursday.


Rising Chinese business star hit by RM2.09 billion loss

SINGAPORE: The career of a fast-rising Chinese expatriate businessman once listed among Asia #39;s future leaders has been brought to a halt after his Singapore-based firm lost 550 million US dollars (RM2.09 billion) speculating in the volatile oil market.


quot;Blog quot; takes #1 word of 2004

The folks at Merriam-Webster (publishers of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary) have released their Top Ten list for 2004. Topping the list is the word  quot;blog, quot; which most of us know all about from firsthand experience.


Anti-spam plan overwhelms sites

A plan to bump up the bandwidth bills of spammers seems to be getting out of control. Earlier this week Lycos Europe released a screensaver that bombards spam websites with data to try to increase the cost of running such sites.


Bhopal disaster: Your views

Friday 3 December marks the twentieth anniversary of the world #39;s worst industrial accident in Bhopal, India. Nearly 3,000 people died after a gas leak at a chemical factory owned by the US company Union Carbide.


Pongolle keeps his cool to send Liverpool through

Florent Sinama Pongolle converted two penalties to send Liverpool into the semi-finals of the Carling Cup. The striker had ensured a shootout with his 117th-minute penalty and then decided


No sign season will get started

During the NHL work stoppage in 1994, Doug Wilson worked for the players #39; association and was intimately involved in the process of getting a new deal.


Nokia reclaims mobile phone market share

The Finnish company sold approximately 51 million handsets in the third quarter, or 30.9 per cent of sales worldwide, after falling below 30 per cent for the last two quarters.


Telstra shares up on Ziggy #39;s exit

Shares in Telstra rose slightly following the news chief executive Ziggy Switkowski would step down - but the focus remains on who will step up to take the job.


UPS to Pay \$100 Million for China Network

United Parcel Service Inc. said on Thursday it will pay \$100 million to take over most of the international express delivery operations of its Chinese partner, Sinotrans.


UPDATE 1-Pathmark loss widens, hires investment bank

Pathmark Stores Inc. (PTMK.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , the Northeast grocery chain beset by falling sales and increased competition, on Thursday reported a wider quarterly loss


Software helps users fight spammers

THE spammed can now hit back at the spammers with new software from Lycos called Make Love, Not Spam. The software sits on your PC and when the machine is not in use, it generates traffic on the sites of known


I #39;m going nowhere - Neville

Manchester Uniteds Phil Neville is determined to tough it out at Old Trafford and win back a regular place in the team. The 27-year-old made only his fifth start of the season when he captained the side


League Cup still last on Benitez #39;s trophy list

Liverpool may have battled back from the brink of defeat to book a League Cup semi-final berth but a penalty shoot-out win against Tottenham did nothing to alter manager Rafael Benitez #39;s view of a competition his club have won a record seven times.


Willingham surprised, but takes blame for firing

South Bend, IN (Sports Network) - Tyrone Willingham admitted he was surprised at his sudden firing as Notre Dame head coach, but at a news conference Wednesday took blame for the Irish #39;s shortcomings in his three seasons.


Stat attack: Kumble better than Kapil

The assassin has done it again, equaled the great all-rounder Kapil #39;s record of 434 wickets. It doesn #39;t get better than that!


College Basketball: Illinois Defeats Wake Forest

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Sports Network) - Roger Powell Jr. scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead fifth-ranked Illinois to a lopsided 91-73 win over No.


Mubarak predicts Abbas winning Palestinian elections: TV

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said Thursday that Mahmoud Abbas would probably win the upcoming Palestinian presidential elections, Egyptian television reported.


Thousands flee Congo clashes: UN

Thousands of civilians are fleeing clashes between Rwandan Hutu rebels and unidentified opponents near the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) town of Goma, a senior UN official says.


Mugabe Urges Party Unity Amid Succession Struggle

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe called for unity on Thursday amid rare public jostling within his ruling ZANU-PF party over who will eventually succeed the controversial 80-year-old leader.


China Aviation seeks rescue plan

Collapsed jet fuel supplier China Aviation Oil launches a rescue plan after running up \$550m in trading losses.


USA: Wal-Mart posts 8.7 rise in November sales

US retail titan Wal-Mart has reported an 8.7 increase in total company sales for November. The company said sales for the four weeks to 26 November were US\$23.5bn, compared to \$21.7bn in the corresponding period of the previous year.


Diplomats: U.N. Lacks Right to Inspect Sites in Iran (Reuters)

Reuters - Inspectors from the U.N. nuclear\watchdog would like to visit a military complex in Iran that an\exile group said housed a nuclear weapons site, but they lack\the legal authority to go there, U.N. diplomats said.


Report: Notre Dame Contacts Meyer (AP)

AP - Notre Dame has contacted Utah coach Urban Meyer about its coaching vacancy and was to meet with him Thursday, The New York Times reported.


Bin Laden Contacted Indonesia's Bashir, Court Told (Reuters)

Reuters - Fugitive al Qaeda leader Osama bin\Laden once invited Indonesian preacher Abu Bakar Bashir to live\in Afghanistan, a young militant jailed over the bombing of a\Jakarta hotel told the cleric's terrorism trial on Thursday.


Brown Makes Season Debut for Wizards (Reuters)

Reuters - Former No. 1 overall pick\Kwame Brown returned from an off-season foot injury in\Washington's 95-68 rout of New Jersey Wednesday night.


Conviction of American in Peru Upheld (AP)

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


DR Congo vice president warns Rwanda over rebels (AFP)

AFP - Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Vice President Azarias Ruberwa accused neighbouring Rwanda of deploying troops in the eastern DRC to flush out Hutu rebels and demanded their withdrawal.


Missouri Pulls Video Games From Prison (AP)

AP - Prison officials are no longer allowing Missouri's most violent criminals to have access to video games with titles like "Hitman: Contracts."


MS moves to can more spammers

Microsoft announced today that it has filed seven lawsuits against spammers who failed to label their junk mail as sexually explicit - in contravention of the US #39;s CAN-SPAM law.


Off-piste action

After waiting an entire summer for the snow to fall and Beaver Creek to finally open, skiers from around the planet are coming to check out the Birds of Prey World Cup action Dec. 1 - 5. Although everyones


Sinama-Pongolle Wants Repeat

Liverpools Carling Cup hero Florent Sinama-Pongolle has urged manager Rafael Benitez to stick with the youngsters for next months semi-final against Watford after the Reds rookies sent Tottenham crashing last night.


Bhajji scripts 1-0 Test series win against Proteas

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh took seven crucial wickets to guide India to an 8-wicket win over South Africa today in Kolkata. With the first Test having ended in a draw, India won the Test series 1-0.


Apple iTunes to Carry New Band Aid Single (AP)

AP - The new Band Aid charity single will be sold on Apple's popular iTunes online music service, with the company subsidizing the retail cost of the track.


Clarion to integrate iPod with car stereos (MacCentral)

MacCentral - Clarion Corp. is the latest aftermarket automobile entertainment system manufacturer to step up to the plate with iPod support. The company announced Thursday plans to unveil a new in-dash DVD player/monitor for automobiles that will feature full iPod integration. Clarion also announced plans to introduce a new CD receiver with similar capabilities. Both new products will debut at the 2005 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada in January.


Verizon deal lets Philadelphia move with wireless plan (MacCentral)

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


Mozilla Previews Thunderbird E-Mail App (PC World)

PC World - Final version is expected this month; software will compete with Outlook express.


Telegraph surrounded story with  #39;blizzard #39; of comment

The Daily Telegraph applied  quot;spin quot; to its presentation of documents alleging that the ex-Labour MP George Galloway was in the pay of Saddam Hussein and its coverage went beyond mere reporting, a high court judge ruled today.


Zimbabwe #39;s Mugabe rules out regime change; slams Britain

HARARE (AFP) - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe ruled out any regime change in this southern African country as his ruling ZANU-PF party held a congress to renew the party #39;s leadership.


Microsoft Issues Special Patch for IE Hole (PC World)

PC World - Users should install the critical fix as soon as possible, software giant says.


IBM discloses details of chip (SiliconValley.com)

SiliconValley.com - When IBM gave a sneak peek at its new Cell microprocessor this week, it was short on specifics about what it calls a supercomputer on a chip. But details are leaking out thanks to a recent patent awarded to IBM and Big Blue's own disclosures for an upcoming conference.


Heatwave Study May Fuel Global Warming Lawsuits (Reuters)

Reuters - A study of a 2003 heatwave in Europe may\give Pacific islanders and environmentalists new ammunition for\legal cases blaming the United States for global warming,\advocates said on Thursday.


Panel Calls for Sweeping U.N. Reform (AP)

AP - A high-level panel called for sweeping reform of the United Nations in the wake of bitter divisions over the U.S.-led war in Iraq, with proposals to expand the Security Council and to give the powerful body clear guidelines for authorizing preventive military attacks.


Putin Critical of New Ukraine Vote

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday sharply criticized the Ukrainian opposition's proposal to hold a repeat of the nation's disputed presidential runoff, telling Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma that a revote "would yield nothing."


Calpers President Voted Out

Sean Harrigan was ousted from his post as president of the \$177 billion California Public Employees' Retirement System. In a 3 to 2 vote in San Francisco, the California state Personnel Board pulled Harrigan from Calpers, where he had served for five years. Elected as Calpers board president in February 2003, Harrigan is a longtime union official and an advocate for corporate governance reform. He persuaded institutional investors to withhold votes for Walt Disney's Michael D. Eisner as board chairman, and he led a drive to withhold votes for Safeway chief executive Steven A. Burd while the union was on strike against the company. Ron Alvarado will succeed Harrigan beginning Jan. 1, a board spokeswoman said.


'Serious incident' reported between Darfur truce monitors, Sudan army (AFP)

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


UK.gov IT: it's broke, how can we fix it?

Letters Readers debate how we lost our way


Microsoft unveils Welsh software

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


Broadband Pushes Europe Web Users to 100 Million

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


Microsoft Hopes Its Blogs Will Hunt

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


Fast Internet Service for The People

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


Where the Game Is the Medium

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


Cut-Down Windows Eyes More Markets

 By Jennifer Tan

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


Google Enhances Discussion Groups

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


'Blog' Most Popular Word on Web Dictionary

The most requested online definition this year was "blog" - a word not even yet officially in the dictionary, Merriam-Webster says.


Review: Music Player Measures Running Pace

It's been a few decades since anyone recorded my mile splits as I bounded over hill and dale, immersed in running's intoxicating rhythm.


UK to invest long-term in science

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


Farming 'must embrace the new'

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


Eggs 'fertilised' without sperm

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


Update 2: European Central Bank Keeps Rates Steady

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


UPDATE 1-Bank of America vice chairman to retire

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


IMF says talks with Argentina to follow debt swap

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


Microsoft Now Offers Blogging Tools

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


League Cup still last on Benitez #39;s trophy list

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


Are Tobacco #39;s Days Numbered?

Peru recently made a decision that appears destined to result in the equivalent of a global  quot;no smoking quot; sign, a development that spells yet more trouble for tobacco companies.


Mugabe urges ruling party unity

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


Managers misuse tech to control workers, study says

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


Ukraine's Kuchma Calls for Foreign Help (AP)

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


Dell signs big desktop contract with Philips

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


NEC develops multicore cell phone processor

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


Google opens Tokyo research center

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


Verizon deal lets Philadelphia move ahead with wireless plan

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


Mozilla Previews Thunderbird E-Mail App

Final version is expected this month; software will compete with Outlook express.


Philadelphia Wi-Fi Plans Move Forward

Agreement with Verizon will allow deployment of a citywide wireless network.


Intel Plans Centrino-Like Brand for Desktops

Chip maker wants you to know about the benefits of a wireless network.


Microsoft Issues Special Patch for IE Hole

Users should install the critical fix as soon as possible, software giant says.


Google Groups Launched Out of Beta

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


Gamers Eye Open Virtual Worlds

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


Gifts to Sate Your Technolust

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


A Kinder, Gentler Type of War

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


Her So-Called Digital Life

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


They've Got Your Number

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


Sex Patch Cools FDA's Ardor

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


Calpers president dismissed

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


Britain hits economic growth target: Brown

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


US Factory Orders, Jobless Claims Up

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


Canadian Imperial 4th-Qtr Net Falls on Enron Charge (Update2)

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, the country #39;s fourth-largest bank, said fourth-quarter profit fell 14 percent after the lender took a provision for legal costs related to Enron Corp.


Miss World beauties defend relevance of contest (AFP)

AFP - Miss World contestants united in defending the pageant's relevance and angrily denied it degraded women.


No decline in Amazon deforestation

BRASILIA, Brazil - Nearly 9,000 square miles of the Amazon have been destroyed this year, the government said on Wednesday, while an environmental group blamed work on a new highway as the chief reason.


Wireless-J standard opens Japan to the Wi-Fi world

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


Van Persie will not face FA charge

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


Report: Notre Dame Contacts Meyer

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


Milwaukee Bucks Team Report - December 2

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


PACK BACK IN PHILLY

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


Mortar Barrage Kills 1 in Central Baghdad

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


Congo Struggles to Create Single Army (Reuters)

Reuters - It is an old trick -- and one that has\been used by Congolese musicians and soccer players in the past\-- but it still angered many back home.


Cheney to lead US delegation to Afghanistan (AFP)

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


Ontario court orders new trial for Baltovich 12 years after murder conviction (Canadian Press)

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


Anti-terrorism methods draw ACLU scrutiny (USATODAY.com)

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


Intifada leader seeks Arafat job

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


Arrests at Saudi reformers' trial

Nine people are detained after access is denied to a Saudi court trying three reformists, witnesses say.


Ford, GM report weak November; Toyota, Nissan, Chrysler up

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


Telstra, Not Government, To Choose New Chief

Opposition parties that currently control the senate have repeatedly blocked moves to fully privatize Telstra, saying they fear it will lead to poor phone and Internet services in Australia #39;s vast outback, where maintaining telecommunications


CIBC Q4 profit falls to \$439M from \$510M after \$300M Enron charge

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


Apple delivers iTunes Canada

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


Four tied atop Nedbank Challenge

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


EU force takes over Bosnia role

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


Crude Oil Prices Fall Below \$44 a Barrel

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


Media company plans to expense employee stock options

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


Canadian Imperial 4th-Qtr Net Falls on Enron Charge (Update3)

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, the country #39;s fourth-largest bank, said fourth-quarter profit fell 14 percent as the lender took a provision for legal costs related to Enron Corp.


American Air offers voluntary lay-off incentives

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


Rudy Giuliani #39;s Investment Banking Racket

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


Starbucks #39; Stunning November

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


Isis Drug Fails to Work in Crohn #39;s Disease

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


US factory orders boosted by military aircraft

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


Real User Recognizes a New Take on Security

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


Raiders' Wheatley Out with Hamstring Injury (Reuters)

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


Penn. Governor Signs Controversial Telecom Bill (Reuters)

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


FA won #39;t charge Van Persie for elbow in Arsenal-United game

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


Kanoute #39;s blunders knock Spurs out

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


NHLPA set to make new proposal

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


Bhopal victims commemorate 20th anniversary of disaster (AFP)

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


Williams Rejects Deal

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


Jerez Testing, Day 1, 02/12/04

Limited running for Franck and Giancarlo at Jerez on a wet day in Spain.


Samsung Electronics Unveils 1st Camera Phone with Hard Disk Drive

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


Update 10: Crude Oil Prices Slump Below \$44 a Barrel

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


American retailers up in arms, sue to block textile curbs on China

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


Wal-Mart Posts Weak Sales Forecast

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


US 30-,15-year mortgage rates rise in week

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


United union ballots members on strike proposal

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


Chief Gordon Brown Predicts Strong Growth

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


Bank of America Vice Chairman to Retire

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


Viacom to Buy Calif. Station From Sinclair

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


EU urges  quot;fresh start quot; on US trade

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


Target misses target on Salvation Army

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


NHL Talks to Resume

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


Fratello Takes Over As Grizzlies Coach

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


IOC Chides Bidding Cities for Bickering

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


Microsoft Slams Seven Spammers with Lawsuits

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


MSN Goes to The Blogs

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


Canadians get iTunes on the cheap

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


Microsoft-Sun: I can #39;t see me lovin #39; noboby but you

Microsoft and Sun Microsystems on Wednesday held a progress report on work being done pursuant to their April 2004 agreement to collaborate on interoperability.


Microsoft Issues Out-of-Cycle Explorer Patch

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


Lycos anti-spam screensaver proves too effective for target <b>...</b>

The anti-spam action pioneered by Lycos and its  #39;make love not spam #39; campaign has been all-too successful and could make the company vulnerable to legal attack.


DoCoMo Sees Europe as Ripe for I-Mode

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


HD-DVD picks up Hollywood support

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


Mozilla Previews Thunderbird E-Mail App

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


Sotheby #39;s Hosts JFK Jumble Sale

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


Google Groups get going

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


Broadband Pushes Europe Web Users to 100 Million

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


ATI launches five new Gaming Cards

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


US, Russia Select Next Crew for Space Station

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


No FA action over Van Persie incident at United

Arsenal #39;s Dutch winger Robin van Persie will not face any further action after his tussle with Manchester United #39;s Kieran Richardson in Wednesday #39;s League Cup tie, the Football Association said.


NHL Players #39; Association invites NHL to meet next week in Toronto

The NHLPA invited the league to the meeting in a letter sent Thursday to commissioner Gary Bettman.  quot;The letter also confirms that the NHLPA is working on a new proposal which it believes should provide the


Four share lead at Nedbank Challenge

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


Red Bull car to make February debut

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


Rogge Warns Five 2012 Bid Cities To Stop Bickering

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


Grizzlies name Fratello head coach

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


Surprise: Manning headlines AFC monthly honorees

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


Nissan says steel shortage may eat into March output

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


NRI entrepreneur hits windfall

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


Feeling right at home in the ACC

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


GSA to Charge for Access to Upgraded Procurement System

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


Republicans Call for Annan #39;s Resignation; UN Members Stand By Him

Posted December 2, 2004 - President Bush said he is looking forward to a full accounting and disclosure of the facts about the allegations of corruption surrounding the United Nations oil-for-food program.


EU Takes Over Bosnia Peacekeeping from NATO

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


French Socialists back EU charter

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


Peru Says Top Court Upholds Berenson Sentence

 By Robin Emmott

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


Conviction of American in Peru Upheld

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


First woman on Saudi bank board

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


Energia Reveals New Russian Spacecraft

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


Nissan Exec Expects Slow March Production

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


4 Firms to Vie for Army Intelligence Support Work

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


More Than 1,000 Dead or Missing in Philippines Flood

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


Diplomats: Iran may be hiding nuke equipment

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


Online Groups Brag About Movie Piracy

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


SEC charges 3 former Kmart execs, others in fraud case

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


Golden Rule under Threat from  #39;Family Friendly #39; Brown

Chancellor Gordon Brown today set out his vision of a family friendly welfare state as he put extra help for working parents at the heart of his annual Pre-Budget Report.


Winning The War on Rollovers

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


Blog Creation, Readership Rise in 2004

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


NHLPA #39;s Saskin addresses issues on OTR

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


New Challenge to Evidence in Steroid Case

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


Firms Push to Ease Tough Federal Scrutiny

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


Major Announcement

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


NSA Prodded to Look Beyond Its Fortress

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


On one issue, the world really likes Bush

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


Telstra to split network

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


Nintendo DS Game Player Makes Strong Japan Debut

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


Evidence of apathy

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


Ten teams line up for 2005 F1 season

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


Ricky Williams will remain retired

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


Israel not seeking for peace

Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, said Thursday Israel must stop military action against Palestinians or there can be no peace.


Of Bobbleheads and the Beast

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


Oracle in Merger Talks with Other Firms (Reuters)

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


U.S. Mortgage Rates Rise in Latest Week (Reuters)

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


The Oil Bubble II

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


Suit seeks to bar curb on China textiles

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


Europe #39;s Trichet Blasts Low Dollar, Hedges on Intervention

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


Year-Old Spam Law Failing to Halt Flood

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


Brown has no room for giveaways

The Chancellor has faced bad news on government tax revenues and borrowing so far this year - too little tax revenue, too much borrowing.


Consortium Invests \$2.5B in NTL Assets

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


3 Former KMart Execs Charged with Fraud (Reuters)

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


Retailers' Nov. Same-Store Sales Sluggish

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


Oil Drops Another 5 Pct to \$43 a Barrel

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


Stocks Off, Energy Shares Down, Oil Falls

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


U.S. Factory Orders, Jobless Claims Up

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


Red Bull hope for Coulthard

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


U.S. Mortgage Rates Rise in Latest Week

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


3 Former KMart Execs Charged with Fraud

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


Season Off to Slow Start

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


Dollar Rebounds After Setting New Low Mark Against Euro

The U.S. dollar rallied after dropping to a record low Thursday against the euro amid uncertainty about whether officials would intervene to curb the currency's slide.


SEC Files Fraud Charges Against 3 Former Kmart Executives

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


Microsoft, Sun claim progress on interoperability deal

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


NHL Accepts Union Invitation for Talks (AP)

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


NASCAR Champ Busch Hopes to Draw New Fans (AP)

AP - For anyone unhappy that Kurt Busch is the new Nextel Cup champion, Jack Roush has some advice: Get used to it.


Ricky Williams Will Remain Retired (Reuters)

Reuters - Former Miami Dolphins running\back Ricky Williams will remain retired after declining the


Canada's Barrick Gold acquires nine per cent stake in Celtic Resources (Canadian Press)

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


Sightings by UN patrols bolster suspicions of Rwandan incursion in Congo (Canadian Press)

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


Baseball Owners to Vote on Expos Move (AP)

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


Ricky Williams Will Remain Retired

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


Report: Giambi Admits to Using Steroids

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


Grizzlies Name Fratello Head Coach

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


Bush Finished Campaign With Millions (AP)

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


Brown Makes Season Debut for Wizards

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


White House Urges Myanmar to Free Suu Kyi (AP)

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


Bills' Henry Out Indefinitely

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


Iran Hard-liners Mark 1983 Attack on U.S. Marines

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


Cuba frees sixth jailed dissident

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


EU backing for Romania elections

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


Bud Selig calls for vote on Expos

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


Motorola Slips

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


Wal-Mart Predicts Weak Dec. Sales as Retailers Falter (Update7)

Sales at US retailers rose less than forecast at the start of the holiday season as Federated Department Stores Inc. and Limited Brands unexpectedly posted November declines.


Mortgage rates going up

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


QBs Randall, Berlin Came Into Own (AP)

AP - Virginia Tech's Bryan Randall and Miami's Brock Berlin finally have emerged from their predecessors' shadows.


Microsoft Sues 7 Spammers

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


Mozilla Trots Out Nearly Final Thunderbird E-Mailer

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


Europe #39;s Web Surfers Go for Broadband

Nielsen/NetRatings reported that more than 100 million Europeans use the Internet--and of these, more than 54 million go surfing over a broadband connection.


Galloway to contest east London seat

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


Oil Drops Another 5 Pct to 12-Week Low

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


Amazon's Electrifying Sales

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


Inflation under control, says Fed's Bernanke (AFP)

AFP - US inflation is under control and is expected to remain tame, Federal Reserve Board governor Ben Bernanke said.


Gold hits 16-year high on weakness of US\$

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


Update 1: FDA Puts CuraGen Protein on Fast-Track

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


San Diego Chargers Seek to Widen AFC Gap (AP)

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


Blue Jays Acquire McDonald From Indians (AP)

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


MSN Spaces reaction

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


Russia #39;s space agency approves station crew

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


Will it be Els or Goosen?

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


CHARGERS EYE TOP SPOT

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


Sharon seeks to expand coalition

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


British Lawmaker Wins Libel Suit Against Daily Telegraph

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


MLB Owners to Vote

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


U.S. Ambassador Appeals to Some Taliban (AP)

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


Man. man appealing murder conviction to have bail hearing next month (Canadian Press)

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


Two Issues Stalling Intel Overhaul Bill (AP)

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


UN Needs More Power to Find Any Iran Nukes -Envoys

VIENNA (Reuters) - There is little hope U.N. inspectors  will find any secret Iranian atomic weapons program without  increased inspection powers, Western diplomats and a  non-proliferation expert said on Thursday.


Oracle in Merger Talks Beyond PeopleSoft

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


Court Votes to Strip Pinochet of Immunity

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


Battle over Gold Fields-Iamgold merger heats up

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


Retailers report sluggish November

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


SEC Sues 3 Former Kmart Execs

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


Dialysis clinic chain agrees to pay \$350M

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


Apple Launches ITunes Music Store in Canada

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


PGA of America changes Ryder Cup qualifying format

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


Sportsview: Which Are the Best Two Teams? (AP)

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


UN prepared to help ease Congo-Rwanda tensions

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


US: US election makes blog the word of the year

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


Lycos Anti-Spam Attack More Powerful than Intended

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


Retailers Post Sluggish Sales in Nov. (AP)

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


NHL Accepts Union Invitation for Talks

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


Statement On Notre Dame Universitys Firing Of Football Coach <b>...</b>

(New York, NY) Dec. 2, 2004 - Earl G. Graves, Sr., Publisher and Chairman of BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine, issued the following statement on the firing of Tyrone Willingham from the position of head football coach by Notre Dame University:


Prez catches Canada off-guard with ballistic missile defence plan

HALIFAX: President Bush caught Canadian officials off guard in calling openly for joint action on a continental missile defence shield.


Bush Praises Canadians for Post-9/11 Aid

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


Prince Bernhard, Father of Dutch Queen, Dies at 93

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


Stocks End Near Flat Ahead of Jobs Data

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


Update 10: Oil Prices Decline for 2nd Straight Day

Crude futures sold off sharply for a second day in row Thursday, briefly dipping below \$43 a barrel, as traders focused on rising fuel supplies and the lack of cold weather.


UPDATE 2-Gambro sells marine unit, settles US probe

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


Cavs Activate Pavlovic; Wagner Back on IL (AP)

AP - The Cavaliers activated guard Sasha Pavlovic and placed guard Dajuan Wagner on the injured list Thursday before they played the Denver Nuggets.