Vic #39;s a knock-out

VIC Darchinyan, the mighty atom of Australian boxing, unleashed some furious fission to win the IBF world flyweight title in Hollywood, Florida yesterday.


S.Korea,Japan Urge North to Resume Nuclear Talks (Reuters)

Reuters - Leaders of Japan and South Korea\jointly urged North Korea on Friday to return to talks aimed at\ending its nuclear weapons program and agreed imposing economic\sanctions now on Pyongyang would thwart such efforts.


Ebay May Be Afoul of Scalping Law in N.J. (AP)

AP - A benefit concert by the Boss is bringing out big bids on eBay. But some people offering tickets at several times their face value for an intimate performance Sunday by Bruce Springsteen may be running afoul of anti-scalping laws. The face value of the tickets is  #36;100 each.


Ukraine rivals face off in 'battleground' eastern region (AFP)

AFP - Ukraine's presidential rivals both stumped for votes in this eastern industrial city, a key swing constituency where liberal intellectuals compete for influence with some of the country's most entrenched business interests.


Symantec to acquire Veritas for  #36;13.5B (USATODAY.com)

USATODAY.com - Computer security giant Symantec has agreed to buy storage and backup program maker Veritas Software to create the world's fourth largest software company. The all-stock acquisition was initially valued at  #36;13.5 billion, but the price quickly plummeted after investors weighed in on the merger.


Apple's Tokyo store turns one year old (MacCentral)

MacCentral - It's a little after 5 p.m. on a Friday evening in early December and Apple Computer Inc.'s store in Tokyo's Ginza district is bustling. The store opened just over a year ago as Apple's first retail location outside of the U.S. and it's a been a good year, said the manager of the company's Japanese retail operations in an recent interview.


Annan Tells Powell U.N. Will Aid Iraq Vote (AP)

AP - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, fending off Republican demands for his resignation over alleged corruption, said Thursday he will expand U.N. support for Iraqi elections if need be. He said he was not offended that President Bush did not ask to see him during this visit to Washington.


AP Newsbreak: Yushchenko Poisoned by TCDD (AP)

AP - Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned by TCDD, the most harmful known form of dioxin and a key ingredient of the Vietnam-era herbicide Agent Orange, the scientist who conducted tests on the presidential candidate's blood said Friday.


China to Introduce Anti-Secession Law, Eyes Taiwan

BEIJING (Reuters) - China is to introduce legislation  against secession, state media reported on Friday, a move  analysts have said is aimed at mandating eventual reunification  with rival Taiwan.


S.Korea,Japan Urge North to Resume Nuclear Talks

IBUSUKI, Japan (Reuters) - Leaders of Japan and South Korea  jointly urged North Korea on Friday to return to talks aimed at  ending its nuclear weapons program and agreed imposing economic  sanctions now on Pyongyang would thwart such efforts.


Gaza Smuggling Tunnel Collapses, Trapping 5

GAZA (Reuters) - A smuggling tunnel being dug by  Palestinians on the Gaza-Egypt border collapsed on Friday and  at least five people were trapped inside, witnesses in the Gaza  frontier town of Rafah said.


Seven Killed in Al Qaeda Jailbreak in Kabul

KABUL (Reuters) - Five Afghan prison guards and police and  two prisoners were killed in a jail break attempt by al Qaeda  inmates on Friday and a shoot-out was going on with another  two, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry said.


Abductors Free Brazil Soccer Star Robinho's Mother

SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - Kidnappers have freed the  mother of one of Brazil's most exciting young soccer talents,  Santos forward Robinho, 40 days after they seized her at  gunpoint from a party, the player's agent said on Friday.


Brazil footballer's mother freed

Kidnappers free the mother of Brazilian football star Robinho, six weeks after seizing her at gunpoint.


Aid workers leave DR Congo town

Aid agency Medecins Sans Frontieres pulls out of a town in eastern DR Congo, amid rising concern at fighting.


Treasuries Hit by Sellers Despite CPI (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. Treasury debt prices were swept\lower on Friday after failing to sustain a bounce despite a\moderate set of U.S. inflation numbers.


Consumer Prices Up in Nov. As Gas Calms (AP)

AP - Consumer prices rose by a mild 0.2 percent in November as costs for gasoline and food products calmed down after posting sharp increases the month before.


French ex-minister in art trial

The trial begins of former French foreign minister Roland Dumas, accused of corruption over art sales.


'Westerners' killed in north Iraq

At least three Westerners have been killed by insurgents in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, local police say.


Microsoft sets sights on spyware

Windows users could soon be paying for Microsoft software that keeps their machine free of spyware.


Star Wars inspires art shortlist

An artist who used a life-sized Jabba the Hutt in a piece is shortlisted for the Beck's Futures prize.


EU agrees to Turkey membership talks next year

BRUSSELS -- European Union leaders agreed yesterday to open negotiations with Turkey next year on eventual EU membership, but the Turkish premier said more talks were needed -- presumably over the contentious issue of Cyprus -- before he could accept the offer.


Ukrainian warns of protests

KIEV -- Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych said yesterday that he would not accept a victory by his opponent in the Dec. 26 rerun of Ukraine's contested presidential race and that his supporters were likely to turn out onto the streets en masse to block such an outcome.


US feeling the heat at climate conference

BUENOS AIRES -- Two sets of Americans have come here to talk global warming: the United States, opposed to controls on carbon emissions, and a bloc of united states, from Maine to Delaware, that plan to impose them.


China takes aim at corruption

BEIJING -- Chinese authorities have arrested or reprimanded more than 750 officials in recent months in connection with billions of dollars in financial irregularities ranging from unpaid taxes to embezzlement, according to a report made public yesterday.


Annan cites readiness to expand UN aid

WASHINGTON -- UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, fending off Republican demands for his resignation over alleged corruption, said yesterday he will expand UN support for Iraqi elections if need be. He said he was not offended that President Bush did not ask to see him during this visit to Washington.


Saudi dissident fails to stage mass protests

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Hundreds of security forces made a show of force in two Saudi cities yesterday to ward off protests against the royal family, chasing a few would-be demonstrators in the streets and arresting several others, after a dissident called for a day of marches.


10 militants get prison in France bomb plot

PARIS -- Ten Islamic militants were convicted and sentenced to prison yesterday for a plot to blow up a crowded Christmas market on New Year's Eve 2000 -- a bombing that a prosecutor said was avoided "by a hair" and could have triggered the first blood bath of the new millennium.


Sharon sees 'great historic opportunity'

JERUSALEM -- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, insisting that Israel has no wish to rule over the Palestinians, declared yesterday that 2005 would be  quot;the year of a great historic opportunity quot; in the Middle East.


Parked in a Desert, Waiting Out the Winter of Life

Slab City, Calif., is not so much sinister as it is strange, a forlorn quarter of America where more than 3,000 elderly folk pass the winter.


Russia says Yukos case to be dealt with under Russian law

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that the legal case against the country #39;s embattled oil giant Yukos will be handled under Russian law.


OSI Pharma Soars on AstraZeneca #39;s Loss

Shares in OSI Pharmaceuticals (OSIP :Nasdaq - news - research) and Genentech (DNA :Nasdaq - news - research) jumped Friday after AstraZeneca (AZN :NYSE - news - research) said new medical data showed its lung cancer drug Iressa provided no survival


Report: Murdoch offers \$44 million for NY apartment

Rupert Murdoch, the billionaire CEO of News Corp. (NWS)(NWSA), has reportedly offered to buy a three-story penthouse for \$44 million, which would be the highest price ever paid for a Manhattan apartment if the deal goes through.


Tom Online Buys Stake in Indiagames

Wireless Internet company Tom Online Inc. on Friday said it signed a definitive agreement to buy a majority stake in Indiagames Ltd.


Wenger fined, warned over Ruud outburst

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been fined 15 000 (about R160 000) for improper conduct over comments he made after the English champions #39; controversial 2-0 defeat by Manchester United in October.


In  quot;year of opportunity, quot; Sharon offers state to Palestinians

HERZLIYA, Israel An adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says a final vote on his planned pullout from Gaza and four West Bank communities could take place months sooner.


Israeli Army Raid Into Gaza Kills 5 Palestinians

Israeli tanks and troops raided southern Gaza on Friday in response to increasing Palestinian mortar attacks, killing at least five Palestinians and prompting hundreds to flee their homes, witnesses and medics said.


Terrorists threat puts Indonesia on high alert

The island paradise Bali will be off limits this holiday season. If your travel plans include Indonesia, you would be wise to cancel your trip immediately.


AP: Colombia Troops Being Sought for Iraq

Recruiters working for U.S. contractors are hiring former Colombian soldiers - and luring away active-duty ones - for security jobs in Iraq, according to a former army officer who met with the recruiters.


Cuban Doctor Returns Home From Argentina

A prominent Cuban doctor returned home Thursday after an overnight stay at the Argentine Embassy that raised tensions between the two nations amid reports she was seeking political asylum.


Prior art claimed for concentration camp invention

Letters It could only happen in Letters


It's time to tap the IT barometer

Reg Reader Studies Your input essential, as ever


New life amidst destruction

PORT BLAIR, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India -- As she fled the killer waves swallowing her island, Namita Roy gave birth to a boy in a forest. His name is Tsunami.


Video phone help for deaf people

Deaf people who use sign language could soon be using video phones to make calls.


Gamer buys \$26,500 virtual land

A gamer spends \$26,500 on a virtual island that exists only in a PC role-playing game.


US music firms sue 'web pirates'

US music firms take legal action against 754 computer users alleged to illegally swap music online.


eBay snaps up Rent.com

eBay agrees to buy Rent.com for \$415m (214m), gaining access to more of the online property market.


Dollar Rises After CPI Data

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rose on Friday, after a  U.S. report showed consumer prices in line with expections,  reminding investors that the Federal Reserve was likely to  continue raising interest rates, analysts said.


Online Dangers Likely to Continue Growing

Internet users witnessed yet another wave of spam, worms, viruses and other online attacks in 2004, and experts predict the online world will grow even more dangerous in 2005. -washingtonpost.com


Experts Optimistic About Shuttle Flight

They say the space shuttle would likely be ready to fly by the currently planned launch date in May or June, but cautioned that efforts to devise a way to do onboard repair of damaged heat shielding were moving slowly.


Microsoft Software to Remove Spyware

Microsoft Corp. disclosed plans Thursday to offer frustrated users of its Windows software new tools within 30 days to remove spyware programs secretly running on computers. But it might cost extra in coming months.


Computer Users Sued for Swapping Music

Recording companies filed copyright infringement lawsuits against 754 computer users Thursday, the latest round of legal action in the industry's effort to squelch unauthorized swapping of music online.


Midway Developing Mature-Rated Football Video Game

\

 LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Midway Games Inc. plans to publish\a "mature"-rated pro football video game with the kinds of\violence and excess shunned by the National Football League,\the company said on Thursday.


Titan clouds seen to come and go

Scientists now have their first direct evidence of changing weather patterns on Titan, Saturn's largest moon.


Feeble roar of the hybrid lions

The BBC's Asit Jolly in Chandigarh reports on India's disastrous efforts to cross-breed Asiatic and African lions.


Sparrow song illustrates memory

Sparrows can piece together a complete song from fragments - research that could help with understanding memory.


A Breeze from the Stars

This week the Sun is in the 13th house of the zodiac, and that means Earth is getting hit by a strange breeze from beyond the solar system.


Turkey-EU talks stall over Cyprus

Intensive talks aim to end a stalemate over an EU demand that Turkey recognise Cyprus before accession.


German confidence rises, but outlook is gloomy

BERLIN Business confidence in Germany unexpectedly rose in December to its highest level in eight months, figures released on Friday showed.


Firefox is hot; Thunderbird #39;s not  for good reason

Among the online worlds hottest commodities, nothing sizzles quite like Firefox, the new Web browser by the California-based Mozilla Foundation thats causing sleeplessness in and around Seattle, Microsoft Corps home turf.


Johnson may go to Yankees

A three-team trade that would send the D #39;backs #39; ace left-hander to the New York Yankees is close to completion, pending physicals.


Tennis player earns card for Australasian Tour

MELBOURNE, Australia -- If former Australian Davis Cup player Scott Draper has an early exit from next month #39;s Australian Open tennis championships, he can always put away his racket and pull out the golf clubs.


Miller is fourth in super-G

Bode Miller finished fourth in a World Cup super giant slalom Friday in which Michael Walchhofer led a 1-2-3 Austrian sweep. Miller has won six of 11 races this season and still holds a commanding lead in the overall standings.


Notebook: Bryant, Lakers embarrass Kings in Sacramento

Kobe Bryant and the new Lakers had been searching for a signature victory, something to prove their revamped club still can play with the West #39;s powers.


Thai Prime Minister Says Some Muslim Insurgency Trained Leaders <b>...</b>

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra says some leaders of a separatist insurgency in southern Thailand have fled to neighboring Malaysia.


Military Offensive Imminent in Darfur-African Union (Reuters)

Reuters - Large quantities of arms and ammunition\have poured into Darfur in the last two weeks and the\government appears to be preparing for a major military\offensive, the African Union (AU) said on Friday.


Canada Steals March on U.S. With Libya Visit (Reuters)

Reuters - Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin, keen\to play a greater role in a world dominated by the United States,\heads to Libya on Saturday for the latest in a series of\high-profile foreign trips.


Dravid and Gambhir plunder Bangladesh (Reuters)

Reuters - Rahul Dravid and Gautam Gambhir lashed big hundreds as India piled up 334 for two on the opening day of the second and final test against Bangladesh on Friday.


EU, Turkey Agree Terms of Entry Talks - EU Official

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders and Turkey  agreed on Friday the terms on which Ankara will start  membership talks with the bloc next October, an EU government  official said.


Cisco to open R D center in Japan next February

TOKYO -- Cisco Systems will open a Tokyo-based research and development center focusing on Internet software and routing technologies in February 2005, the company said in a statement on Thursday.


NTT DoCoMo's 4G research hits 1Gbps

TOKYO -- NTT DoCoMo, Japan's biggest mobile communications carrier, achieved a 1Gbpspacket transmission speed using fourth-generation (4G) mobile communication equipment on Aug. 20, the company said Friday.


IBM researchers eye 100TB tape drive

ALMADEN, CALIFORNIA -- IBM has begun work on new technologies designed to boost the capacity of tape storage devices by 250 times. Using "nanopatterning" techniques derived from the company's microprocessor division, researchers say they expect to one day build cartridges that can store as much as 100TB of data.


The Weirdest Games of 2004

Our favorite genre-busters will roll, creep, slither, bounce, and wriggle their way into your free time--if you give them a try.


Multicore Chips May Push Intel Off Its Bus

Chip giant will need to introduce integrated memory controllers or redesign its frontside bus, analysts say.


LATEST FOREX NEWS

WASHINGTON (AFX) - US consumer price inflation moderated in November after a sharp rise in the prior month, the Labor Department said Friday.


Annan plans visit to aid Indonesia

UNITED NATIONS -- Secretary General Kofi Annan said yesterday he will visit tsunami-devastated Indonesia to work with regional leaders to help coordinate aid and relief efforts on the ground. Annan said he will attend a regional meeting there Thursday. Asked how long he thought the reconstruction would take, Annan replied: "It will differ from country to country, but my own ...


Report: Murdoch offers \$44 million for Rockefeller apartment

_ Rupert Murdoch, the billionaire CEO of News Corp., has offered to pay \$44 million for a three-story penthouse apartment where Laurance S. Rockefeller once lived, according to a published report.


EBay to Buy Rent.com for \$415 Mln in Cash and Stock (Update3)

EBay Inc., the world #39;s largest Web auctioneer, agreed to buy privately held Rent.com for \$415 million in cash and stock as it expands into classified listings.


Cairn to oppose cess on output

Cairn Energy Plc, which plans to produce 80,000-1,00,000 barrel of crude oil per day from its Mangala and Aishwariya fields in Rajasthan, is disputing a tax that has been imposed on production.


Legal questions dog Microsoft buy

A legal row over software ownership could hinder Microsoft #39;s ability to offer products based on technology from its latest acquisition, anti-spyware company Giant Company Software.


Shuttle on track for launch, panel says

Members of the panel monitoring NASA #39;s effort to return the space shuttle to flight said Thursday that despite several open items, they see no reason why Discovery can #39;t be launched in May or June.


Microsoft Fixes  #39;Critical #39; XP Firewall Issue

Microsoft has quietly released an update to Windows XP to fix a potentially serious configuration problem in the firewall that ships as part of Windows XP Service Pack 2. Users who installed SP2 on their Windows


WRAPUP-1-Glamour ties dominate Champions League draw

Chelsea take on Barcelona, Real Madrid face Juventus and AC Milan return to Manchester, scene of their 2003 European Cup triumph, following Friday #39;s draw for the first knockout round of the Champions League.


Ruud to undergo injury scan

Ruud van Nistelrooy is set to undergo a scan on his calf today as concerns deepen about the lingering problem. The prolific Dutchman - who tops United #39;s goal chart this season with 12 - reported the injury


Morientes claims Liverpool interest

Fernando Morientes claims Liverpool have contacted him over a move from Real Madrid to Anfield. The Spaniard is frustrated with the lack of first team opportunities at the Bernabeu, and has been linked with a New Year move to Merseyside.


Japan, US agree on missile defence cooperation

Tokyo, Dec. 17 (VNA) - Japan and the United States signed an agreement on Friday that stipulates the details of bilateral cooperation on a ballistic missile defence system, according to Kyodo news service.


S.Korean President, Japanese PM to discuss visa, nukes

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will have a summit meeting in Kagoshima, Japan, on Friday to discuss issues of mutual interest, Chong Wa Dae said Wednesday.


Circuit City Disappointed in 3Q Sales (AP)

AP - Circuit City Stores Inc. reported a smaller-than-expected loss in the third quarter on store efficiencies and higher extended warranty sales, but the retailer's top executive said sales closer to the holiday season were slower than expected.


Treasuries Hit Again by Technical Selling

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasuries prices were swept lower for  a second straight session on Friday as technical selling from  different pockets of the market overshadowed a moderate set of  U.S. inflation numbers.


LeapFrog's Blue Christmas

LeapFrog sticks to its quarterly ritual of raining on the toy-making parade.


Good Night for a Good Knight

Phil Knight saved the best for last for the company he helped nurture into a brand superstar.


Banks freeze Gazprom loan

An international banking consortium has decided to suspend approval for the 10 billion (6.9bn) loan to Gazprom that would have financed the state-controlled company #39;s acquisition of Yukos #39;s most important oil production plant.


Circuit City narrows 3Q loss

Circuit City Stores Inc. on Friday reported a narrower third-quarter loss from continuing operations as sales of higher-margin warranties and improved distribution helped offset weak merchandise sales.


FASB Rules that Companies Must Expense Stock Options

AccountingWEB.com - Dec-16-2004 - In a long-awaited and sure-to-be controversial move, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ruled yesterday that companies have to begin expensing for stock options given to employees as part of compensation packages.


Ebay snaps up Rent.com for \$415 million

Ebay Inc. has agreed to acquire property listings site Rent.com Inc. for US\$415 million in its latest move to expand beyond online auctions, the company said late Thursday.


France chooses Forgeard for joint control of EADS

PARIS (AFP) - French interests named the head of Airbus, Noel Foregeard, to be one of two new pilots running the EADS aeuronautics group after weeks of reported tension over his role.


Cisco plans to invest \$12m in Japanese R amp;D centre

Cisco Systems, Inc. has announced its intent to open a research and development centre in Tokyo, Japan. The company informs that the facility will open in February, 2005, and will represent an initial \$12


India looking to submerge Bangladesh in run deluge

Chittagong, Dec. 17 (PTI): India will look to pile up a huge first innings score to back their bowlers on a flat, lifeless track in the second and final cricket Test against Bangladesh, vice-captain Rahul Dravid said here today.


Gaming Projector Geared to Xbox Users (PC World)

PC World - Boxlight Raven's black chassis matches the Xbox.


It could have been me

A Territorian yesterday told how he watched in horror as two sharks savaged a man to death at a popular beach. Chris Niemoeller had been swimming near the same spot minutes earlier.


Bosnian foreign minister banned from US

ISN SECURITY WATCH (17/12/04) - Bosnian Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic has been banned from entering the US, as Bosnian Serb officials come under pressure for failing to arrest Europes two most-wanted war criminals, Bosnian Serb wartime leader Radovan


Japan's i-mode Internet mobile service to enter Russia (AFP)

AFP - Japan's top mobile operator NTT DoCoMo said it was launching its i-mode Internet service in Russia and three other former Soviet republics through an agreement with Russia's largest provider Mobile TeleSystems (MTS).


IBM BladeCenter specification picks up speed (InfoWorld)

InfoWorld - IBM on Friday announced it has signed up 115 companies since early September to develop for its eServer BladeCenter open specification it co-authored with Intel.


NATO Eyes Closer Ukraine Ties if Yushchenko Wins (Reuters)

Reuters - NATO is ready to speed Ukraine toward\closer ties and membership if pro-West presidential frontrunner\Viktor Yushchenko wins a revote on Dec. 26, alliance sources\and diplomats said on Thursday.


Israeli Army Raid Into Gaza Kills 6 Palestinians

GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli tanks and troops raided southern  Gaza on Friday in response to increasing Palestinian mortar  attacks, killing at least six Palestinians and prompting  hundreds to flee their homes, witnesses and medics said.


Darfur a 'Time Bomb' Waiting to Explode - AU

ABUJA (Reuters) - Astronomical quantities of arms and  ammunition have poured into Darfur in the last two weeks and  the government appears to be preparing for a major military  offensive, the African Union (AU) said on Friday.


Ivory Coast MPs discuss key laws

Ivory Coast's parliament start to debate proposed laws which lie at the heart of the two-year conflict.\</b>


Six Killed in Afghan Jail Break

Two Pakistani prisoners were holed up in Kabul's main prison Friday after a bloody breakout attempt that left at least six dead and eight wounded, officials said.


EBay Expanding Into Online Rental Listings

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


Mathematicians crochet chaos

Mathematicians have made a model of the stable manifold of the origin of the Lorenz system - in crochet.


Pfizer Celebrex Trial Stopped After Heart Attacks

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc. on Friday said patients  taking its blockbuster arthritis drug Celebrex in a long-term  cancer-prevention trial had more than twice the number of fatal  or non-fatal heart attacks as those taking a placebo.


Treasuries Hit by Selling for 2nd Day

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasuries prices were swept lower for  a second straight session on Friday as selling from different  pockets of the market overshadowed a moderate set of U.S.  inflation numbers.


Stocks Open Little Changed, Pfizer Falls

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened near unchanged on  Friday as oil prices hovered above \$44 a barrel while drug  company Pfizer Inc. PFE.N shares tumbled after it released an  research update.


InterContinental Sells 13 Hotels

LONDON (Reuters) - The world's biggest hotelier  InterContinental Hotels Group Plc said on Friday it was selling  13 hotels in the Americas for \$450 million as part of its  strategy of selling assets while still managing the hotels.


Siebel to acquire edocs for \$115 million

Siebel Systems has agreed to acquire edocs, a maker of e-billing and customer self-service applications, for \$115 million, Siebel said Friday.


Pfizer #39;s Celebrex is under a cloud

Pfizer (PFE) said Friday that is has received new information about the cardiovascular safety of its popular arthritis drug Celebrex, based on an analysis of a long-term cancer trial.


US CPI and Core rates rise 0.2pc in Nov

US consumer price inflation moderated in November after experiencing a sharp rise in the prior month, the Labour Department said today.


CarMax posts lower earnings

Auto retailer reports that profit fell 6 percent in the third quarter as sales of new cars declined. DETROIT (Reuters) - Auto retailer CarMax Inc.


Along the ocean, a tourist destination copes with death

PHUKET, Thailand -- Day after day, the bodies keep arriving at Wat Lam Kaen. The Buddhist temple in the Khao Lak beach section of this popular resort is one of several temples in the area that have been turned into makeshift morgues, where the calming aroma of incense has been overcome by the sulfurous smell of decay.


gdSuite Version 1.1 Released

gdSuite is an add-on to Google Desktop. With Google Desktop and gdSuite, you can instantly find emails (from Outlook and Outlook Express), chats (in AOL and AOL Instant Message AIM), and web pages you #39;ve viewed in Internet Explorer.


Zafi computer virus shows up in  quot;Happy Holidays quot; e-mail

(National-NBC) Dec. 17, 2004 - The Christmas Grinch on the Internet this season is a new computer virus called  quot;Zafi. quot;. Zafi pretends to be an e-mail with holiday greetings, according to the antivirus firm Symantec.


Dravid first to score centuries in 10 Test-playing nations:

Sports India, Cricket: Chittagong, Dec 17 : Consistent Rahul Dravid Friday became the first batsman to smash a Test century in all 10 Test playing nations when he scored his 18th ton in the second Test against Bangladesh here.


Wartime blogs serve as dispatches sent from bloody front

LOS ANGELES -- ''Baghdad Girl" fills the pink pages of a Web log with photos that show a skinny, dark-eyed teenager hugging her cats and classroom essays beginning with sentiments such as: ''Childhood is a beautiful stage in our life."


Japan, US Sign Missile Defense Pact

Japan and the United States have signed an agreement to encourage cooperation on developing a missile defense system. Japanese Defense Minister Yoshinori Ono signed a memorandum of understanding


Afghan soldiers storm jail to end standoff with inmates

Afghan troops stormed a notorious prison Friday in an assault aimed at ending a standoff sparked by a bloody escape attempt by four


Yahoo Games and GameSpot Partner for Gaming Content\\Yahoo Games and GameSpot a web source for unbiased gaming information, today announced a partnership through which GameSpot's comprehensive PC and video game content offering will be provided to Yahoo Games users, starting in the first quarter of 2005.\\As video games become increasingly ...


Google Froogle Adds Product Reviews

Google Froogle Adds Product Reviews\\Almost at the end of the Holiday online shopping season (unless you're going overnight delivery) Google has broken the mold of their Froogle shopping comparison search engine (not the Jello mold, but the Beta mold) and added 3rd Party product reviews.\\Google said that the product reviews ...


Google AdWords Content Changes Yield Results\\Search Engine Lowdown's Andy Beal had a chance to speak with Google's Mike Mayzel regarding the changes Google made to their AdWords (or AdSense) contextual ad network over the past year. Here are some findings from the conversation.\\Andy on AdWords:\\In partnership with Atlas, Google looked ...


Does Your Copy Look Fake To the Search Engines?

Does Your Copy Look "Fake" To the Search Engines?\\From the early days of search engine optimization, keywords and content have always been vital to achieving your goals. Starting back in the days when we used to shove every slightly relevant keyword into our Meta tags, it has been obvious that ...


I Want My blinkx TV! Television Search Engine\\blinkx today announced the availability of blinkx TV, the first search engine that allows you to search TV across news, sports and entertainment programming. blinkx is the first search engine to make such TV programs fully searchable on demand. Because blinkx captures and ...


News: Report: DHS cyber security lagging

Inspectors find weak passwords, buffer overflows and mystery modems at the Department of Homeland Security.


News: Symantec snaps up Veritas Software for \$13.5 billion in stock

The Associated Press By Michael Liedtke


Columnists: Zero Viruses In 2005?

It's the time of year to reflect on the good security choices you've made over the year, the defense-in-depth strategy that you've decided to follow, and plan for your response to future threats and virus outbreaks.


The Right Tools for Research

Now with centralized management of their more than 1000 Mac, PC and UNIX computers, scientists at the University of Maryland #146;s College of Life Sciences have more freedom than ever to focus on their research. For many of them, the Mac platform is all they need. Dec 16


iTunes Tops 200 Million Downloads

Music fans have purchased and downloaded more than 200 million songs from the iTunes Music Store. The 200 millionth song, part of  #147;The Complete U2, #148; was purchased by Ryan Alekman from Belchertown, MA. iTunes has made it easy to give the gift of music this holiday season with \$15 and \$25 iTunes prepaid cards available from retailers including Amazon.com, Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA, Kroger, RadioShack, 7-Eleven, Target, as well as the Apple online store and Apple retail stores. Dec 16


Smaller Is Better on Battlefield

Armed with miniaturized medical devices, surgeons bring advanced care to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan just moments after they're hurt. By Randy Dotinga.


Vaporware Nominees: Bring 'em On

Technology companies love talking up products that are just about to hit store shelves. And every year, it turns out a bunch of them are full of ... steam. Send us your nominees for Wired News' annual Vaporware Awards. By the Vaporware Team.


Cell Phones That Do It

Mobile phones can check e-mail, browse the web, keep your calendar and even let you make a telephone call. Is it any wonder that we're also turning them into sex toys? Commentary by Regina Lynn.


P2P Needs a Fix, but What?

The FTC's peer-to-peer workshop brings opposing sides together, and they agree something should be done, but it's that uncertain something that is causing trouble. Michael Grebb reports from Washington.


Aviator Keeps Feet on the Ground

Martin Scorsese's portrayal of aviator/billionaire/loony Howard Hughes is brilliant in places, but it fails to translate his fire and passion to the screen. By Jason Silverman.


Panel Sees Shuttle Flights Resuming Soon

NASA should be able to meet all the requirements for resuming space shuttle flights next spring, an oversight panel said.


Celebrex Trial Stopped After Heart Attacks

Pfizer Inc. on Friday said a government-sponsored cancer-prevention trial of its blockbuster arthritis drug Celebrex was halted after patients taking it had more than


Technology Challenges Sprint-Nextel Merger

The proposed merger of Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc. could face a shaky start as the companies work to run and eventually merge two wireless technologies without losing a ton of money or customers.


Hang up and fly

HAVE YOU ever been stuck within earshot of a loudmouth with a cell phone on a BART train or Muni bus? Just imagine the annoyance of having to sit near a chronic caller on a five-hour flight from San Francisco to New York.


Pfizer News Sends Blue Chips Down

The Dow Jones industrial average fell on Friday after Pfizer Inc. (PFE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) shares opened nearly 19 percent down on trial data for its popular arthritis drug Celebrex that showed increased risk of heart attack.


Murdoch offers record price for Manhattan penthouse

Rupert Murdoch has offered the highest price ever for a Manhattan residence to buy a penthouse once owned by the Rockefeller family.


US November Consumer Prices Rise 0.2; Core Up 0.2 (Update3)

Prices paid by US consumers rose for a fourth straight month in November, supporting forecasts that Federal Reserve policy makers will keep raising interest rates.


United, US Airways Making Progress On Labor Cost Cuts

DECEMBER 17, 2004 -- United Airlines #39; pilots union leaders last night agreed to send a new tentative agreement to its members for a ratification vote, according to a message sent to company employees.


Airbus #39;s Forgeard to Be EADS Co-Chief, Replace Camus (Update1)

Airbus SAS Chief Executive Officer Noel Forgeard, who turned the European company into the world #39;s largest planemaker, will replace Philippe Camus as co-CEO of its parent, European Aeronautic, Defense  amp; Space Co.


DaimlerChrysler, Ford to Invest in Ballard

Fuel cell maker Ballard Power Systems Inc. on Friday said exercised its right to call a \$55 million Canadian investment from DaimlerChrysler AG and Ford Motor Co.


The Fool's Look Ahead

The holiday leaves us a short trading week as a present. Let's unwrap it to see what's in store for us.


Apple iTunes Hits 200 Million Sales

Apple announced yesterday that over 200 million songs have been sold via the iTunes online music store. According to Eddie Cue, Apples VP of Applications, the amount of sales/downloads from iTunes has vastly accelerated since its launch in April 2003.


Illinois governor: Ban violent kid videos

CHICAGO - Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich yesterday proposed the state ban the sale and rental of violent and sexually explicit video games for children under 18, a restriction that has failed so far elsewhere in the country.


Age Against the Machine : Technosexual revolution

Through its Windows  #39;Experience More #39; event in Singapore, Microsoft let Super! cop a feel of the slickest hi-tech goodies way before they hit the streets.


Broadcast satellite launched successfully from Cape Canaveral

CAPE CANAVERAL -- An Atlas 5 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral just after dawn Friday carrying a broadcast communications satellite designed to provide subscribers with direct-to-home video and broadband services.


Hollywood Targets File Swapping Networks

The Motion Picture Association of America this week started an aggressive legal campaign against the eDonkey, BitTorrent, and DirectConnect file swapping services, filing suit against individuals operating servers for the peer-to-peer file swapping


Cisco Set To Open Japanese R amp;D Center

Cisco Systems will open a research  amp; development (R amp;D) center in Tokyo that will focus on IP-based technologies including IPv6, multicast and wireless for both its mainstream routers and its IOS and IOS XR software.


Court decision may lower cost of MP3 players

MP3 players could become even more popular in Canada thanks to newer, lower price tags made possible by a recent court ruling. The drop in price could be possible after the Federal Court of Appeal #39;s decision


Chile Wins Trade Sanctions Against U.S.

GENEVA (Reuters) - Chile on Friday became the eighth memberof the World Trade Organization (WTO) to win the right to hitthe United States with sanctions over an illegal anti-dumpinglaw known as the Byrd amendment.


Draw Sets Up Reunion in Barcelona

Jose Mourinho will take Chelsea to Barcelona, the club where he honed his raw coaching talent, for the most glamorous tie of the first knock-out phase of the Champions League.


Human eyes can #39;t detect offside position in sports:

Health India: Washington, Dec 17: A new study published in the British Medical Journal suggests that the human eye is unable to detect an offside position during a football match.


Will the Yankees Sign Randy Johnson?

(New York -WABC, December 17, 2004) - The New York Yankees already are close to completing deals with starting pitchers Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright.


IU names Hoeppner football coach

Miami of Ohio football coach Terry Hoeppner will be named the next football coach at Indiana University, sources confirmed early today.


New bugging device found in UN offices

GENEVA - The United Nations has found another listening device planted in its offices, this one in the world body #39;s European headquarters in Geneva.


Killer shark  #39;will be destroyed #39;

A great white shark which killed a teenage surfer should be hunted down and destroyed, officials say. But the dead boy #39;s father has said he doesn #39;t want the creature to be killed.


No miscarriage of justice in Colombia: Harney

The Tnaiste, Mary Harney, has said she has no reason to believe that a miscarriage of justice was involved in the case of the three Irishmen in Colombia given lengthy jail sentences for training left wing guerrillas.


Darfur a  #39;Timed Bomb #39; Waiting to Explode - AU

Astronomical quantities of arms and ammunition have poured into Sudan #39;s Darfur region in the last two weeks and the government is poised for a major military offensive, the African Union said on Friday.


Celebrex Trial Halted After Heart Attacks

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A government-sponsored trial of Pfizer  Inc.'s PFE.N blockbuster arthritis drug Celebrex was halted  after patients taking the medicine had more than twice as many  heart attacks as patients taking a placebo, the company said on  Friday.


Oil Rises on Winter Weather Worries

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices rose sharply on Friday as  worries a cold spell in the United States could erode already  depleted winter fuel inventories spurred the market higher.


Russia to U.S. Court: YUKOS Not Your Worry

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Friday it would go ahead  and sell Yuganskneftegaz, the main oil production unit of  YUKOS, despite a U.S. bankruptcy court order seeking to block  Sunday's auction for 10 days.


Santa's Bag of Tech Mergers

'Tis the season for mergers, as technology firms go on a buying binge this holiday season that is starting to rival the great M A spree of the 1990s. -washingtonpost.com


Hyundai Recalls 120,000 Elantra Sedans

Hyundai Motor Co. said Friday that it is recalling about 120,000 2004 and 2005 model Elantra sedans because of a software problem with its air-bag system.


In Brief: NetSuite integrates with WorldPay to boost e-commerce

NetSuite has unveiled the availability of multicurrency credit card processing for its e-commerce customers. The new feature was made possible by integration, announced this week, between NetSuite and WorldPay, which is part of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group. NetSuite's e-commerce capability enables companies to transact business on the Web while automatically linking into internal customer relationship management, financial, and warehouse systems. With the new multicurrency credit card processing feature, NetSuite e-commerce customers can now accept credit card payments in 120 currencies and receive settlement in 14 currencies. More information about NetSuite e-commerce is available at www.netsuite.com/netcommerce1.\\


Natick #39;s edocs to be acquired by West Coast #39;s Siebel for \$115M

Natick-based edocs Inc. is being acquired by San Mateo, Calif.-based Siebel Systems Inc. for \$115 million in cash. The deal #39;s size could expand if edocs meets unspecified performance goals next year.


Update 1: German Business Sentiment Rises in Dec.

German business sentiment improved unexpectedly in December after slumping sharply in November over concerns about high oil prices and worries that the strengthening euro could damage exports, a closely watched survey showed Friday.


Water of Life and Other Scientific Highlights of 2004

Science judged that the runner-up to the discovery of water on Mars was the finding of another species of dwarf human which lived on the remote Indonesian island of Flores as little as 13,000 years ago.


MS plugs weak XP firewall

Microsoft this week quietly fixed a security weakness in the configuration of the built-in firewall component of Windows XP. The firewall - turned on by default by XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) - can leave files


Fergie may rest Ruud until European campaign

Alex Ferguson is willing to write Ruud van Nistelrooy out of Manchester Uniteds Premiership title push for the next two months to ensure he is ready for their assault on Europe.


Kidnapped mother of wonderkid Robinho released

The mother of Brazilian football prodigy Robinho has been released following her kidnapping on November 6. Marina De Souzas release will now enable Robinho to play for Santos in a title-decider this weekend in the Brazilian championship.


Los Angeles Lakers Team Report - December 17

(Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Lakers begin a season-high six-game homestand tonight against the Washington Wizards at the Staples Center.


Japan and US sign missile accord

TOKYO Japan and the United States signed an agreement on Friday to improve cooperation in their missile defense programs. The agreement, a memorandum of understanding allowing the two allies to share information


Talks on Ivory Coast Continue in Pretoria

Talks on the political future of Ivory Coast are continuing in Pretoria today with President Thabo Mbeki expected to join the discussions later in the day.


IAAF Receives Explanations From Kenteris (AP)

AP - Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou submitted written explanations to the sport's governing body, detailing the reasons why they missed drug tests on the eve of the Athens Olympics.


Cuba Erects Sign Linking U.S. and Fascism (AP)

AP - Cuba responded Thursday to the U.S. diplomats's refusal to take down Christmas decorations by putting up a huge billboard in front of the U.S. Interest Section emblazoned with a swastika and showing photographs of Iraqi prisoners being abused by American soldiers.


It's time to pass torch, younger Dems say (USATODAY.com)

USATODAY.com - A wave of young Democrats is demanding not just to be heard but to take charge.They are opining, organizing and running for party chairman.


Walchhofer Leads Austrian Super-G Sweep

VAL GARDENA, Italy (Reuters) - The Empire struck back in  the men's Ski World Cup on Friday with Michael Walchhofer  winning the super-G as a trio of Austrians pushed overall  leader Bode Miller off the Val Gardena podium.


Microsoft Purchases GIANT Anti-Spyware

Microsoft Purchases GIANT Anti-Spyware\\Here's an interesting story. Microsoft, who's Internet Explorer browser is full of holes which make it able to accept browser programs and add-ons which  sometimes can be spyware, has now purchased an Anti-Spyware company. Something kind of stinks here. \\Why not fix Internet Explorer security holes ...


Apple iTunes Hits 200 Million Sales

Apple iTunes Hits 200 Million Sales\\Apple announced yesterday that over 200 million songs have been sold via the iTunes online music store. According to Eddie Cue, Apple's VP of Applications, the amount of sales/downloads from iTunes has vastly accelerated since its launch in April 2003.\\It took Apple nearly a year ...


Sudan 'plans huge Darfur attack'

Sudan's government is preparing a major offensive in Darfur, says the head of the African observer team.


Iressa Drug Failure Deals AstraZeneca Fresh Blow

AstraZeneca Plc suffered its third setback in two months on Friday as lung cancer drug Iressa failed to help patients live longer


Libraries in a Net future

The news that Google will digitize more than 15 million books and make them available online didnt dominate headlines all week, but it would have if editors had a longer view for historical impact.


Illinois Governor proposing ga

Governor Rod Blagojevich seeks law to punish those who sell violent and sexually explicit games to minors. It #39;s as if the Governor of Illinois never heard of the Entertainment Software Ratings Board.


Nokia Targets Fake Phone Batteries

Nokia has launched a program to help consumers spot counterfeit mobile phone batteries. The company has begun labeling batteries with holographic labels containing a series of symbols and a 20-digit authentication code hidden under a scratch-off area.


Violent, sexual video game tests child #39;s sense of reality

quot;Hang on, I #39;m going to pick up a prostitute, quot; my boyfriend told me during a weekend trip to Pennsylvania. Steve pulled up to the curb as a girl in hot pants strutted past.


Linux can gain from the Firefox ad

Mozilla took out an ostensibly dual-purpose ad in the New York Times yesterday. One reason was to thank everyone who contributed to the open source browser project and, as such, the ad included some 10,000 names, in small print of course.


Seedorf: We Are Ready

The Milan midfielder believes that the Rossoneri are ready to take on Juventus on Saturday night. Clarence Seedorf will be facing his former coach at Real Madrid, Fabio Capello, this weekend, but hed rather


Foreigners Killed in Attack in Iraq #39;s Mosul

Gunmen attacked a car in the northern Iraq city of Mosul on Friday, killing three foreigners and their Iraqi driver before cutting off the head of one of the victims in a daylight attack.


Drug Failure Deals AstraZeneca Fresh Blow (Reuters)

Reuters - AstraZeneca Plc suffered its third\setback in two months on Friday as lung cancer drug Iressa\failed to help patients live longer in a major clinical trial,\sending its shares down as much as 9.2 percent.


Lilly Adds Warning to Strattera Label (Reuters)

Reuters - Eli Lilly and Co  said Friday\it added a warning to the label of its attention\deficit/hyperactivity disorder medicine, advising patients with\jaundice or a liver injury to stop taking the treatment.


Hyundai Recalls 120,000 Elantras in U.S.

DETROIT (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd. 005380.KS is  recalling about 120,000 Elantra sedans sold in the United  States because of a possible problem with deployment of their  airbags.


Oil Up \$1 on Winter Weather Worries

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices rose a dollar on Friday as  worries a cold spell in the United States could erode already  depleted winter fuel inventories spurred the market higher.


Sprint deal #39;s job impact unclear

Sprint Corp. #39;s acquisition of Nextel Communications Inc. might result in more jobs in the company #39;s local telephone service segment.


EBay buys Rent.com

EBay today announced plans to purchase Rent.com, making its entrance into the online real estate category in a deal valued at approximately \$415 million.


Yahoo! to test desktop search engine in January

GOOGLE caused a stir when it announced recently that its search engine can now look for data that is stored in users #39; computers.


Cisco Invests \$12 Million in Japanese R amp;D Center

Cisco #39;s Tokyo R amp;D center will focus on advanced Internet technologies such as IPv6, multicast, and wireless, in addition to improving existing security and quality-of-service (QoS) technologies.


Newspaper: RedHawks coach accepts IU offer

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Miami (Ohio) football coach Terry Hoeppner reportedly has accepted the head coaching job at Indiana. The Bloomington Herald-Times quotes sources close to the IU program as saying that


Liverpool V Bayer Leverkusen Key Battles

Liverpool seem to have been handed one of the easier last-16 draws after the group phase of the Champions League. But Rafael Benitez will be careful not to under-estimate the experienced


Scottish driver David Coulthard signs for Red Bull for 2005 season

Scottish driver David Coulthard signed a one-year contract with Red Bull Racing for the 2005 Formula One season, the Austria Press Agency reported on Friday.


Sharon opens a new era of peace in Middle East

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, addressing an academic conference, said that it is the horrible disaster for both people when one nation is occupied by another.


Bugging device found at UN headquarters

GENEVA - The United Nations said on Thursday a secret listening device had been found in a posh meeting room of its European headquarters in Geneva.


Bad Day for Drug Companies - and Patients (Reuters)

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


Steelcase Posts Profit (Reuters)

Reuters - Steelcase Inc. , the world's\largest office furniture maker, posted a quarterly profit on\Friday, reversing a year-earlier loss, as orders increased and\it passed on higher costs to its customers.


France chooses Forgeard for joint control of EADS (AFP)

AFP - French interests named the head of Airbus, Noel Forgeard, to be one of two new pilots running the European aeronautics and defence group EADS after weeks of reported tension over his role.


Gazprom Hits Funding Snag on YUKOS Bid

BERLIN/LONDON (Reuters) - Bankers now in talks with Russian  gas firm Gazprom about paying for its bid for the oil  production arm of YUKOS will not go against a U.S. ruling that  the sale was illegal, banking sources said on Friday.


Bush passes US intelligence bill

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


Europe Asks Turkey to Hold Membership Talks Next Year

The 25 prime ministers and presidents said they expected Turkey to start normalizing its trade relations by then with Cyprus.


Bad Day for Drug Companies - and Patients

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


Oil Up 6 As US Heating Stocks Fall

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


EBay Expands Into Online Rental Listings

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


Board: Stock Options Must Be Treated as Expenses

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


Al Qaeda video shows execution of Iraqi officers

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


Militants increase support for Abbas

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


Cisco To Open R amp;D Center In Japan

The networking vendor will focus on developing new Internet technologies for one of the world #39;s leading broadband markets. By Paul Travis.


Microsoft Patches Critical XP Firewall Flaw

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


Sean OKeefe Departs

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


Titan clouds seen to come and go

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


Record Industry Sues 754 for Internet Song Swaps

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


Parma hits back to keep Italian hopes alive

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


Human eye  #39;cannot spot offside #39;

Writing in the British Medical Journal, Dr Francisco Belda Maruenda says the human eye is unable to detect an offside position during a match.


Rivals target Miller scalp

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


COULTHARD  #39;SIGNS FOR RED BULL #39;

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


India in full control in Chittagong

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


UN spy-bug shock

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


Capriati Sidelined by Shoulder Injury (AP)

AP - Jennifer Capriati dropped out of an exhibition charity match Saturday against Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova because of a right shoulder injury.


Four Killed in Mosul Gun Attack

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


HP  amp; Intel Team Up on Servers

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


Music downloaders sued

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


Correction: Of-Mutual-Interest Story (AP)

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


Bad Day for Drug Companies and Patients

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


FedEx Is Flying High

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


Lilly warns doctors on Strattera use

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


Apple Smacks Real Down

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


Adobe temporarily pulls Acrobat update for Mac

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


A Saturnian one-two punch: Flybys of Titan and Dione

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


NTT DoCoMo #39;s 4G research hits 1Gbps

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


Official: Coulthard joins Red Bull for 2005

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


Austria #39;s Walchhofer wins men #39;s World Cup super-G

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


Viloria knocks out Priolo in flyweight bout

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


Report: Bertuzzi close to plea bargain

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


Shares close lower on drug woes on both sides of the Atlantic (AFP)

AFP - Leading shares closed the session under pressure, hit by weakness in heavyweight pharmas after AstraZeneca admitted a key cancer drug had failed tests and poor trading in New York, dealers said.


Eight killed in al Qaeda jailbreak

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


IRS Revises Standards for Tax Attorneys (AP)

AP - Lawyers, accountants and other professionals who offer tax advice must meet stricter ethical standards under guidelines issued by the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service on Friday.


U.S. Slaps Sanctions Against Bosnian-Serbs (AP)

AP - The United States imposed sanctions against Bosnian Serb political leaders Thursday for failing to arrest and turn over war crimes suspects to an international tribunal.


Bosnia Serb PM Resigns, Rejects Western Pressure

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


Pfizer #39;s Heart Attack

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


AOL: Is Half a Billion Enough?

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


Lilly Warns Doctors on Strattera Use


eBay Grabs Rent.com for \$415M

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


US Airways, attendants in tentative accord

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


Adobe Reader 6.03 update

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


DoCoMo has 1Gbps link

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


More Blutarski than Roethlisberger

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


Herniated disk discovered in pitcher #39;s lower back

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


Yearender: Mideast peace roadmap reaches dead-end in 2004

Looking back at the major events that took place in the Middle East in 2004, the death of veteran Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is undoubtedly a world-shaker.


Feds Want Baker Hughes' Iraqi Oil Info

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


Microsoft dodges anti-spyware charge accusations

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


HP Says Bye Bye Itanium: Carly Finds Way To Trim Another \$100m

HP, whose contributions made the Itanium so confoundedly complicated, has dropped out of the 10-year-old partnership with Intel that saw them develop the 64-bit chip.


Red Cross Caught in P2P Fracas

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


Xavi: Chelsea Play Like Valencia

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


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


Bronc's Elliss Out for Year With Bad Back (AP)

AP - Broncos defensive lineman Luther Elliss will miss the rest of the season because of a herniated disc in his lower back.


Bihar, Jharkhand and Haryana to hold elections in February (Reuters)

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


Officials Rap Kerik on Background Check (AP)

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


Russia Says to Hold YUKOS Sale Despite U.S. Ruling

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


Symantec-Veritas Tie-Up Targets Microsoft

Simon Robinson of 451 believes that the market for storage virtualization technologies will undergo a  quot;significant realignment quot; over the next 18 months.


Drug approval process flawed

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


Pfizer, AstraZeneca Pummel Drug Stocks

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


Microsoft Takes Giant Step against Spyware

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


Broncos lose DL Elliss for season

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


Hot Stove Truth  amp; Rumors: Dec. 17, 2004

In order for the three-way trade between the Yankees, Dodgers and Diamondbacks to go through, Shawn Green must first waive a no-trade clause and agree to land in Arizona.


Kidnappers free Brazilian soccer star #39;s mom

SAO PAULO - Kidnappers freed the mother of Santos forward Robinho, one of Brazils most talented young players, on Friday, 40 days after seizing her at gunpoint while she was attending a barbecue.


Deadly Palestinian Mortar Fire Prompts Israel Raid

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


AU: Sudan Appears to Be Preparing Military Offensive in Darfur

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


Colombia Troops Being Hired for Iraq Jobs

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


What's the Deal With CarMax?

Underpromising in order to overdeliver can't make up for sluggish operating results.


Fannie Mae's Institutional Arrogance

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


Study Raises Concern Over Safety of Pfizer Painkiller Celebrex

Pfizer said today that it had found an increased risk of heart troubles in some people taking higher dosages of Celebrex.


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


eBay Buys Rental Listing Firm

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


CarMax Earnings Fall, Stock Up on Outlook

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


The end for spyware courtesy of Microsoft Corporation?

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


Illinois  #39;violent videos #39; ban

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


Motorola/Apple Phone Details

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


Sony sees PSP Asia launch in spring

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


IBM Gains Support for BladeCenter Spec

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


NASA head steps down

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


DoCoMo Hits 1 Gbps Wireless Data Speeds In 4G Tests

Japanese wireless operator NTT DoCoMo said Friday that it has achieved wireless speeds in the laboratory of 1 Gbps. The operator has said for more than a year that it is working on


IIHF bars Bertuzzi #39;s transfer to Europe

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


Former Blue Jays Manager Mattick Dies

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


Human Eye Can #39;t Spot Offside Soccer Players, Study Finds

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


Broncos DT Elliss out for the season

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


Wenger backs Lehmann for Germany

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


Wounded GIs get front-row Mavs tickets

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


UN Ends Failed Listening Device Probe

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


Ivory Coast rebels agree to speed peace process

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


Saudis Dissident Says He Won #39;t Give Up

A Saudi dissident said Friday his group will not give up its efforts for peaceful action against the royal family even though its call for a second day of anti-monarchy protests went unheeded.


US economy to grow by 3.5 percent in 2005: White House (AFP)

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


November Consumer Prices Rise 0.2 Percent

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


Drug Sector's Bitter Dose Downs Stocks

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


Circuit City Cautious on Outlook

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


The Weirdest Games of 2004 (PC World)

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


In Brief: MySQL announces new affordable consulting packages (InfoWorld)

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


Legal Questions Dog Microsoft Acquistion (PC World)

PC World - Anti-spyware company had granted another company rights to its software.


Sun God Gets Burned (The Motley Fool)

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


Suez Canal Officials Try to Keep Spill from Port (Reuters)

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


Johnson Move to Yankees Under Threat

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


Europe, U.S. in Deadlock on Climate Talks' Last Day (Reuters)

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


Maverick U.S. States Prove Popular at Climate Talks (Reuters)

Reuters - Not all Americans are\unpopular at this week's U.N. conference on climate change.


Italy Industry Faces Emissions Uncertainty in 2005 (Reuters)

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


Kidnappers Release Robinho's Mother

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


No Regrets, Says Departing NASA Boss (AP)

AP - NASA's departing boss, Sean O'Keefe, said Friday he does not regret canceling the last shuttle mission to the Hubble Space Telescope  #151; or anything else during his three years on the job.


CEO held over student sex video

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


Forecasters face losing key tools

Microwave frequencies vital for Earth monitoring are being lost to commercial uses, weather forecasters say.


Gamer buys \$26,500 virtual land

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


Los Angeles Groups Agree to Airport Growth, for a Price

An \$11 billion plan to expand and modernize Los Angeles International Airport includes \$500 million in measures to ease the effects on surrounding communities.


Kidnappers Release Robinho's Mother

 By Joao Carlos Assumpcao

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


Court to rule on stay of EU sanctions against Microsoft

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


Legal Questions Dog Microsoft Acquistion

Anti-spyware company had granted another company rights to its software.


Boeing Eyes In-Flight Live TV

Connexion broadband service also will be used to deliver four channels, company says.


Pfizer: Painkiller may pose increased cardiovascular risk

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


Symantec Slammed

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


FDA Warns About Pesticides Found in Ginseng

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


Murdoch: Media Mogul In Record Manhattan Real Estate Deal

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


Lockheed Martin to Hire About 500 Engineers

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


Indiana Hires Miami of Ohio's Hoeppner (AP)

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


Human spaceflight the key for new NASA boss

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


NTT DoCoMo Achieves 1 Gbps Packet Transmission

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


Champions League draw unveiled

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


Martinez blasts ex-teammate Schilling

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


Mavericks fans offer front-row seats to wounded soldiers

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


At Least 6 Palestinians Killed in Israeli Raid on Gaza

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


News: MS plugs weak XP firewall

Microsoft this week quietly fixed a security weakness in the configuration of the built-in firewall component of Windows XP.


Stocks Drop Under Drug Sector's Weight

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


What's in the Box, Jack?

An earnings restatement driven by accounting changes doesn't change the big picture.


Browsing for Stocks

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


Celebrex Lifts Heart Attack Risk in Trial

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


Pfizer #39;s Celebrex could have a problem

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


White House Sees 2005 Economic Growth Slowing to 3.5 (Update2)

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


China #39;s BOE To Buy More of TPV Technology

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


Update 2: DaimlerChrysler, Ford to Invest in Ballard

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


Zafi Slows, But Experts Urge Vigilance

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


DoCoMo Tests 4G Equipment

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


U.S. Forgives  #36;4.1 Billion in Iraq Debt (AP)

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


White House Expects Steady Economic Growth (AP)

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


Former Toronto Manager Bobby Mattick Passes Away

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


Bosnia Serb PM Resigns, Rejects Western Pressure

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


UAL Corp. Begins to Seek Bankruptcy Exit Financing

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


Five Nabbed On Phishing Charges In Germany

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


Indiana hires Roethlisbergers ex-coach

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


US extends an olive branch to Taliban's 'moderates'

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


UAL Corp. Seeks Bankruptcy Exit Financing

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


Take-Two Sacked on Fourth Down

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


Give the Gift of Cash

Fool contributor Tim Beyers screens the market for underpriced stocks that give like Santa.


Russia Sets YUKOS Sale, Ignores U.S. Ruling

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


Red Bull Racing bet big on Coulthard

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


Report: Bertuzzi near plea bargain

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


Buttle, Sandhu sit second and third after Grand Prix Finals short <b>...</b>

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


MTV Auctioning Pop Artists' Memorabilia (AP)

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


Desktop Search Race Heats Up (NewsFactor)

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


Product Review: Sony-Ericsson Z500a Smartphone (NewsFactor)

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


Former prime minister Turner hoping Ukrainian re-election will be open, honest (Canadian Press)

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


Microsoft Patches Critical XP Firewall Flaw (NewsFactor)

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


IBM Integrates RFID with WebSphere (NewsFactor)

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


NASA's Departing Chief Defends Hubble Decision (Reuters)

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


Five Die in Violent Storms in France (Reuters)

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


Dollar Weakens in Thin Trading

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


Above the Clouds, the French Glimpse the Old Grandeur

Higher than the Eiffel Tower, the Millau bridge is a triumph of engineering and imagination.


Gazprom applies for participation in Yuganskneftegaz auction

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


White House Expects Steady Economic Growth

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


Forgeard becomes French co-chief at EADS

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


Desktop Search Race Heats Up

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


Morientes joins Liverpool?

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


Yes, Options Really Are an Expense

FASB stares down the tech lobby and mandates that employee stock options must be expensed.


Stocks Trim Losses, Drugs and Oil Drag

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


American Express to Cut 2,000 Jobs

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


InterContinental to Sell 13 Hotels

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


Tax Deductions for Home PCs

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


A Hot Stock at 7 Times Earnings

Seaboard, a small agribusiness and transportation company, looks promising.


Consumer Prices Up in Nov. As Gas Calms

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


American Express to Eliminate 2,000 Jobs

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


EBay #39;s Rent.com Purchase Fraught with Risk

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


Weary Eli, Giants Face Big Ben's Steelers (AP)

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


Microsoft Moves On Spyware To Stymie Firefox

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


Phishing hole discovered in IE

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


NTT DoCoMo Achieves 1Gbps Packet Transmission in 4G

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


SA restricted on tame pitch

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


Major League Baseball Notes: DC official pleads for more time

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


McNair Finished for Season (Reuters)

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


Former Blue Jays Manager Mattick Dies (AP)

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


Cuba strikes back at American mission

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


Report: Bertuzzi Near Plea Bargain

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


U.S., Europe at Odds on Emissions Controls (AP)

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


Knauss Tests Positive for Nandrolone

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


EU and Turkey Seal Historic Deal on Entry Talks

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


Circuit City cautious on outlook

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


No Real Disruption Seen for Big Lender or Mortgage Market

Fannie Mae, the giant mortgage finance company, will probably not face major business disruptions from the \$9 billion write-off that federal regulators are requiring it to take, analysts and investors said yesterday.


Euro Disney shareholders back capital increase

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


Microsoft to Create Security Suite?

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


Massive IE phishing exploit discovered

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


Zafi.D Infects 1 in 10 E-mails

which spreads through e-mail that appears to contain a holiday greeting -- infected as many as 10 percent of all e-mail traffic at one point this week.


Michael Walchhofer wins super-G as Austrians finish in top three

VAL GARDENA, Italy (CP) - Michael Walchhofer and the Austrian  quot;Wunderteam quot; restored skiing to its normal pecking order Friday.


Benitez pleased to have avoided Italian team in draw

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


US aid enters Indonesia

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


White Sox claim Jenks off waivers

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


Our say: District pols strive to lose baseball, embarrass city

IF THE District of Columbia were conducting an abstract debate over whether sports stadiums should be built with as much private financing as possible, we #39;d side with DC Council Chairman Linda Cropp.


Afghan troops storm siege prison

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


NASA Readies "Deep Impact" Craft for Comet Smash

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


Holiday Sky Show: Five Planets to Shine in Predawn

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


Philips to sell monitor, part of flat TV ops to TPV

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