BBC Says Dow Interview Part of 'Elaborate Deception'

LONDON (Reuters) - BBC World television said on Friday that  an interview it ran with a man it identified as a spokesman for  Dow Chemical, accepting responsibility for India's Bhopal  disaster, was inaccurate.


Giambi testified about his steroid use

Ripping the shroud further off one of baseball's dirty secrets, Yankees slugger Jason Giambi testified before a federal grand jury that he used performance-enhancing human growth hormone in 2003 and illegal steroids for at least three seasons, the San Francisco Chronicle reported yesterday, citing a transcript of the court proceedings.


Robiskie wants a fighting chance

Terry Robiskie would like to do what Joe Morgan did for the 1988 Red Sox: rattle off a bunch of wins and shed his interim coach label with the Cleveland Browns.


NESN's Red Sox video world-class

NESN's  quot;Faith Rewarded: The Historic Season of the 2004 Boston Red Sox quot; hits the retail stores today in both DVD and VHS formats.


A dirty job, but somebody has to do it

Heloise shipped along copies of her book,  quot;A Year's Worth of Stain Removal Hints, quot; but that was not enough. The hintful heroine was summoned for personal assistance.


Williams to remain retired

Ricky Williams, the 2002 NFL rushing champion, rejected a deal to serve a four-game drug suspension this season and return to the field next year.


Get Your Free Credit Report

I #39;ve heard that some people will now have free access to their credit reports. How do I get mine? Whether or not you can get a free credit report depends on where you live.


Carrier, union OK tentative labor pact

The union representing 6,000 reservation and customer service agents at US Airways yesterday reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract, just as attorneys for the airline were seeking


Is Meyer the man to get Irish up?

The timing of Notre Dame's firing of Tyrone Willingham makes no sense . . . unless the board of trustees had a replacement not only in mind, but in hand. The only coach Notre Dame would have to go after with such urgency is Utah's Urban Meyer, who reportedly is also on the short list at Florida.


Judge deals blow to stent maker

A federal judge yesterday ruled that Boston Scientific Corp. violated its agreements with an Israeli company when it set up a secret stent-making operation in Ireland in 1997, and he told the two companies to quickly reach a settlement or face a prompt trial he will hold to determine what damages, if any, Boston Scientific owes.


Key college games on TV

VIRGINIA TECH (9-2) vs. MIAMI (8-2) When and where: Tomorrow, 1 p.m., at Miami. TV: Channels 5, 6, and 9. Last season: Virginia Tech won, 31-7. AP rankings: Miami is No. 9, Virginia Tech No. 10. At a glance: The Atlantic Coast Conference's BCS bid will likely go to the winner of this game. Should Virginia Tech win, the Hokies ...


After playing stopper, UNH keeps going

The University of New Hampshire defense was under siege in the first half of last week's Division 1-AA playoff against high-octane Georgia Southern.


Looking for a sign

With Bank of America Corp. giving up on putting its name on the home of the Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins, how would Liberty Center or CVS Forum sound?


Frozen assets

BURLINGTON, Vt. -- A sensation of spectacular spaciousness greets you as you stand at the edge of Lake Champlain, your vision of life at that moment dominated by the Green Mountains on one horizon and the Adirondacks on the other. But if you meander up College Street, cross over a bustling Church Street with its shops and restaurants, stroll past ...


Crude futures tumble for second day in row

Crude oil futures nose-dived for a second day in a row yesterday, briefly dipping below \$43 a barrel, as traders focused on rising fuel supplies and the lack of cold weather. The two-day drop of more than \$5 a barrel picked up momentum from technical and speculative trading.


A Ryder revamp for US

The worst United States loss in Ryder Cup history led to a shake-up in the qualification process, a change geared toward making sure the Americans are on top of their game when the 2006 matches are played in Ireland.


Chelmsford (10-2) vs. A-B (12-0)

What: MIAA Division 1A Super Bowl. Where: Bentley College in Waltham. When: Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Last meeting: Sept. 17 (a 21-7 A-B win).


Doing a deal, Boston-style

There really ought to be a special place in heaven reserved for rich people who fight with each other, if only because of the great theater they provide for everyone else.


Department stores step back to electronic future

Some of the biggest fashion trends at department stores this holiday season have more to do with MP3 players than cashmere ponchos or fur-trimmed sweaters.


North Shore (10-2) vs. East Boston (11-0)

What: MIAA Division 3A Super Bowl. Where: Bentley College in Waltham. When: Saturday at 10 a.m. Last meeting: Schools have never met. .


Hyde Park learns to win

Worst to first is one of the hardest things to do in sports, but how do you go from winless to a Super Bowl berth with a diverse group of kids from a variety of backgrounds and neighborhoods, many of whom have never played football before entering high school?


BRA gives go-ahead for three projects

The Boston Redevelopment Authority approved projects that could add nearly 400 residences in the city, including an expansion in Charles River Park. The BRA gave the green light to developer Equity Residential to move forward with the West End Residences at Emerson Place. The residences plan 306 rental apartments, 15 percent of which will be affordable. Equity said the project ...


Howard meets Aboriginal star

Aboriginal sports star Michael Long highlights discrimination and poverty during talks with Australia's PM John Howard.


Jefferies Group probed over gifts to mutual fund executives

Jefferies Group Inc. , a New York-based brokerage, is under investigation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission as part of a probe into whether brokers doled out gifts to mutual fund executives to win trading business, people familiar with the matter said.


South Shore goes out a winner

It's not a Super Bowl, but South Shore Voke is not complaining. The Vikings, who won back-to-back Division 7 Super Bowls before moving up a division this season, capped their 2004 campaign by defeating Blackstone Valley, 16-6, last night in the Vocational Football Championship Series small school final at Chelsea High School.


Chissano suggests paying voters

Mozambique's outgoing leader Joaquim Chissano says more people would vote if they were paid.


Bishop Feehan (10-1) vs. Hingham (11-1)

What: MIAA Division 2A Super Bowl. Where: Curry College in Milton. When: Saturday at 4:15 p.m. Last meeting: Schools have never met.


SEC files civil charges in Kmart fraud case

Federal regulators yesterday filed civil fraud charges against three former Kmart Corp. executives and five current and former managers of big vendor companies, saying they engineered a \$24 million accounting fraud by the retailing giant in 2000-2001.


New York Times Co. cuts earnings outlook

The New York Times Co. told investors yesterday that its fourth-quarter and full-year earnings would miss Wall Street estimates on weaker-than-expected advertising in the fourth quarter and higher costs for promotion, printing, distribution, and newsprint.


Abp. Williams (10-1) vs. Westwood (10-2)

What: MIAA Division 3 Super Bowl. Where: Curry College in Milton. When: Saturday at 10 a.m. Last meeting: 1988 Super Bowl (a 13-0 Westwood win).


Dollar rallies, but continued weakness expected

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


UK #39;s Brown Says There Can Be No Guarantees #39; on Tax Increases

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown said it would be irresponsible #39; #39; to offer guarantees that there won #39;t be tax increases, while refuting accusations his spending plans aren #39;t affordable.


US Airways seeks order to prohibit walkouts

US Airways Group Inc. will seek a court injunction to prohibit a strike by disaffected unions that have threatened a walkout if a bankruptcy judge grants the airline's request to cancel their labor contracts.


This weekend on TV, radio

FRIDAY COLLEGE BASKETBALL/MEN 7:30 p.m. -- Memphis at Purdue, ESPN2 PRO BASKETBALL 7:30 p.m. -- Celtics vs. Toronto at the FleetCenter, FSN, WWZN (1510) 8 p.m. -- Detroit at San Antonio, ESPN 10:30 p.m. -- Indiana at Sacramento, ESPN BOXING 9:30 p.m. -- Friday Night Fights at Atlantic City: Rocky Juarez vs. Guty Espadas Jr. (featherweights), ESPN2 GOLF 1:30 p.m. ...


Iraqi PM lobbies German leaders

Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi visits Berlin to secure a German boost for his country's  reconstruction.


Will they again be dirt poor?

Neither is a man of La Mancha, but the two wandering Americans named Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish may feel like Don Quixote going against malevolent windmills today. Tilting with tennis rackets while 27,000 Spaniards screamingly try to drive them as cuckoo as old D.Q. himself.


Today's schedule

College basketball: Men -- Binghamton at Brown, 7 p.m.; Pioneer Valley Classic: Amherst at Westfield St., 8 p.m.


Transactions

BASEBALL Cleveland (AL): Named Felix Fermin hitting coach for Buffalo (IL). Houston (NL): Named Dave Clark manager of Corpus Christi (Texas League), Ivan DeJesus manager and Chuck Carr coach for Salem (Carolina League), Tim Bogar manager and Rodney Linares coach for Lexington (South Atlantic League), Russ Nixon manager of Greenville (Rookie League), and Sean Berry minor league hitting coordinator. Pittsburgh ...


Blunkett wins right to seek access

David Blunkett has won the first round of a High Court battle with his ex-lover over access to her son.


Fratello is Grizzlies' coach

Mike Fratello was hired as coach of the Memphis Grizzlies yesterday, leaving the TV booth and replacing friend and mentor Hubie Brown, who retired last week for health reasons.


Web 'may fuel suicide pact rise'

\\The internet may be fuelling a rise in suicide pacts, a leading psychiatrist has warned.


Pierce stands and delivers

After a night to cool off and think about what he'd done, Paul Pierce showed up at Celtics practice yesterday and apologized to his coach and teammates for staging a very public hissy fit with coach Doc Rivers late in Wednesday's game. Rivers accepted the mea culpa, said the two would talk before tonight's game with Toronto, and both men ...


10 vying to lead the Palestinian Authority

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- A former communist who runs a respected Palestinian human rights organization, a professor with ties to Islamic groups, and a lawmaker known for exposing government corruption are among the 10 candidates vying to lead the Palestinian Authority, in what analysts here say will be the first truly competitive presidential election in the Arab world.


Cold but resolute in Kiev

KIEV -- The weather plunges below freezing each night and the bitter winds swirl through the snow-lined streets, but the protesters filling the avenues and squares of Ukraine's capital have shown no sign of relenting.


Toll is 12 dead in latest spasm of violence in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- United Nations peacekeepers patrolled the streets of Haiti's capital as gunfire rang out yesterday, a day after a prison riot and shootouts killed a dozen people and left scores injured during a visit by Secretary of State Colin Powell.


In Sudan, monitors find task daunting

KABKABIYAH, Sudan -- Hidden among scrub brush not far from this remote, sandy outpost, Ibrahim Ali Hassan, a rebel fighter in Sudan's western Darfur region, spots the slow-moving caravan of 18 camels and their riders. They look like specks on the horizon.


Mass. man is Mexican town's Pied Piper

ATASCADEROS, Mexico -- This remote farming town in northwestern Mexico has tried just about everything to rid itself of rats: cats, poison, and even cash rewards for killing the thousands of rodents infesting businesses and destroying the corn harvest.


WHO urges poor nations to offer women deworming pills

PRETORIA -- The World Health Organization urged poor countries yesterday to offer deworming pills to pregnant women after a recent study in Nepal showed a 41 percent drop in the deaths of infants of mothers who took the pills before giving birth.


Judge allows early statements in abuse case

FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- A military judge ruled yesterday that prosecutors in the court-martial of Private First Class Lynndie England may use a pair of statements she gave describing the posing of naked Iraqi prisoners as ''joking around, having fun. quot;


Despite evidence, Rwanda denies incursion into Congo

JOHANNESBURG -- Rwanda denied yesterday it had sent troops into neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, despite repeated threats from Rwandan President Paul Kagame to attack ethnic Hutu militias that have harassed his nation from the area.


Thousands seek justice 20 years after Bhopal

BHOPAL, India -- Civil rights activists, survivors, and other protesters converged on Bhopal this week to mark the 20th anniversary of the world's worst industrial accident and demand justice for hundreds of thousands of people still suffering in the aftermath.


Venezuela appeals coup acquittals

CARACAS -- Venezuela's government asked the Supreme Court yesterday to overturn the acquittals of the military ringleaders of a 2002 coup against President Hugo Chavez to clear the way for fresh prosecutions.


Bonds Reportedly Testified He Had Unknowingly Taken Steroids

Barry Bonds testified to a grand jury that he used a clear substance and a cream given to him by a trainer, but said he didn't know they were steroids.


Will New Mayor Sweep Away Vice? You Could Bet on It

For Jorge Hank Rhon - gambling tycoon, racetrack operator and Tijuana's new mayor - scandals seem to swirl like mosquitoes.


RETAIL TALES

Sears Roebuck and Co. scored a surprising sales jump in November, but retail experts warned Thursday that disappointing sales at other merchants may foretell less-than-anticipated holiday gains.


Free Credit 101

A new federal law, entitled the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions (FACT) Act, went into effect this week enabling millions of Americans to get a snapshot of their credit history for free.


Wal-Mart's December Sales Jump 3 Percent (AP)

AP - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, announced Monday that it expects its December sales to have risen 3 percent at stores open at least a year, a figure that is at the top end of the company's sales estimate.


U.S. Stocks Higher; Wal-Mart, Oil Help (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. stocks opened with an upbeat\start to 2005, rising on Monday as oil prices tumbled, Wal-Mart\Stores Inc.  brightened its outlook for December sales,\and Goldman Sachs raising fourth-quarter estimates for Google\Inc.  and Yahoo Inc. .


CWA Board Clears the Way for Possible Strike by US Airways <b>...</b>

The Communications Workers of America #39;s national executive board voted unanimously to authorize strike action by 6,000 passenger service agents against US Airways, clearing


Eight is enough for upstart American team

The last time the USA went more than eight years without a Davis Cup championship was more than half a century ago and spanned a period when the


UPDATE 1-Inspired Jimenez surges ahead in Hong Kong

Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez fired a second-round 64 to grab the lead at the halfway stage of the Hong Kong Open on Friday. Jimenez claimed six birdies to open up a two-shot lead


Mission improbable, but strange things do happen

Impossible. Inconceivable. A Southeastern Conference team is in position to go 12-0 and get locked out of the national championship game.


Microsoft unveils new blog tools

Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled a new set of Web-based services allowing users of its MSN service to publish and track each other #39;s blogs.


Infineon execs face jail in DRAM case

Four executives from Infineon Technologies have pleaded guilty to price fixing in the DRAM industry, according to the US Department of Justice.


Bhopal victims still awaiting justice

Twenty years later, Union Carbide is still shortchanging the victims of the world #39;s worst industrial disaster. On Dec. 3, 1984, a toxic gas leak from Union Carbide #39;s pesticide factory in Bhopal, India, killed at least 7,000 people.


Danforth: Want to spend time with my wife

US Ambassador to the United Nations John Danforth wants to return to private life when President George W. Bush begins his second term.


Rwanda: UN  #39;feeling guilty #39;

Dakar - Smaller but mightier than its neighbours, Rwanda #39;s greatest clout may come from its nightmare past: a sense across the world that the country was largely abandoned in 1994 to face Hutu extremists who slaughtered more than a half-million people.


Up to 25 killed in two attacks in Baghdad

At least 14 people were killed and 19 were wounded when a car bomb went off in a Sunni area in the north of the city. The target of the attack is still not clear.


Top News ; 20 years on, they mourn Bhopal #39;s dead

Top News News, Bhopal,Residents, activists and intellectuals alike Friday mourned the death of thousands in the world #39;s worst industrial disaster that hit this central Indian city 20 years ago.


Baghdad hit in two major attacks

Iraqi capital Baghdad was the scene of two big attacks, which left at least 23 people dead, according to reports. A car bomb went off outside a mosque in an area called Adhamiya in the north of the city, killing 13 people.


Record labels cut deals with file-sharing companies

The major record labels, which refused initially to deal with the emerging online song file-sharing technologies, have turned over a new leaf.


Jones will be next to feel heat

Victor Conte, who founded the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, which is at the center of a federal investigation, says Marion Jones and Barry Bonds #39; trainer, Greg Anderson, received steroids produced by his lab.


Wenger Considers Petit Option

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he may consider re-signing former Gunners star Emmanuel Petit. The Frenchman is currently training with the Premiership champions as he bids to find a new club.


KMart Same-Store Sales Fall 4.6 Pct

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Kmart Holding Corp. KMRT.O on Monday  said sales at stores open at least a year fell 4.6 percent in  the November-December period -- an improvement from declines  earlier in the year.


Landslide leaves 65 missing in south China

A landslide struck a village in southwest China early Friday, destroying 25 homes and leaving 65 people missing, Xinhua news agency reported.


National news briefs

VIENNA, Austria - The UN nuclear agency agreed yesterday on a plan for policing Iran #39;s nuclear programs designed to avoid a showdown at the United Nations.


In Jamaica, Colin Powell #39;s departure viewed with sadness, regret

When Colin Powell was named US Secretary of State nearly four years ago, Jamaicans celebrated the stature achieved by the son of humble Jamaican immigrants.


Abbas Says He Won't Confront Palestinian Militants

GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said in a  presidential campaign speech Monday he would never take up arms  against militant groups whose dismantlement is part of a  U.S.-sponsored peace "road map."


Microsoft Sues 7 Spammers

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


Chipmakers Pump Up European Stocks (Reuters)

Reuters - European stock markets hit their highest\levels in nearly 2-1/2 years on Friday, pumped up by chipmakers\Infineon and ASML after industry bellwether Intel boosted its\quarterly revenue outlook.


Intel Sets Upbeat Tone on Wall Street

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. shares are set to open higher on  Friday, buoyed by Intel Corp. INTC.O after the world's  largest chip maker raised its quarterly revenue target due to  strong demand, but all eyes will be on jobs data before the  opening.


Oil Still Smarting from \$6 Rout

LONDON (Reuters) - Battered oil prices stayed weak on  Friday after a \$6 slump spurred by easing worries about winter  supplies.


VW Considers Building Cars in U.S. -Paper

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Continued depreciation in the dollar  is forcing Europe's largest carmaker Volkswagen to consider  building VW and Audi brand cars in the United States, the  company's sales and marketing head said.


Argentina can wait, says IMF

The IMF has said it will negotiate with Argentina after  the country's debt swap, that was delayed until 17 January.


Nokia loses top network executive

Finnish mobile giant Nokia is losing the head of its networks division, the second senior executive to leave the unit in two weeks.


Halifax predicts house-price fall

The Halifax bank, Britain's biggest mortgage lender, predicts a much-feared fall in the rampant UK property market.


Eurozone retail sales rise 0.7 percent in October (AFP)

AFP - Eurozone retail sales rose 0.7 percent in October from September but were down 0.2 percent compared with October 2003, the European statistics agency Eurostat reported.


Mervyn #39;s reverses ban on kettles

Bells will be ringing at Mervyn #39;s department stores this holiday season after all, store officials announced Thursday in a sudden reversal of a ban on Salvation Army collection kettles.


SEC names Pepsi executives in fraud lawsuit

A Michigan-based executive for PepsiCo Inc. of Purchase and two former executives of PepsiCo #39;s Frito-Lay division were sued by federal regulators yesterday for allegedly helping Kmart falsify its earnings.


Report: Bonds Admitted to Using Substances (AP)

AP - Baseball player Barry Bonds told a federal grand jury that he used a clear substance and a cream given to him by a trainer who was indicted in a steroid-distribution ring but denied knowing they were steroids, according to a report published Friday.


Serb War Crimes Suspect Surrenders -- Del Ponte (Reuters)

Reuters - A Serb officer indicted for war crimes\in the siege of Sarajevo during the 1992-95 Bosnian war was on\his way to the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague on Friday,\chief prosecutor Carla Del Ponte said.


4 execs to plead guilty

Four executives at Infineon Technologies AG, one of the world #39;s largest makers of memory chips, have agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges of price fixing in federal court, authorities said Thursday.


Broadband challenges TV viewing

The number of Europeans with broadband has exploded over the past 12 months, with the web eating into TV viewing habits, research suggests.


Halo 2 global sales pass five million units

Microsoft has released a swathe of new figures related to Bungie #39;s Xbox opus, Halo 2, revealing that the title has now sold over five million units worldwide and become the most popular game in the history of Xbox Live.


Decision on Collins next week

A decision on the fate of sprinter Michelle Collins will be decided Dec. 10 by a three-person arbitration panel of the American Arbitration Association meeting in San Francisco.


Cleveland cruises to easy victory

If Carmelo Anthony searched for a silver lining Thursday - and he could have used one - it was that the late start to the Nuggets #39; 92-73 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers forced Denver television viewers to choose between the game and the late local


Image is everything (USATODAY.com)

USATODAY.com - Box sets have always been a sound investment. Now visuals are plumping up the volume. Already a common component of standard CD releases, the bonus DVD is gradually making its way into pop music's grand artifact, the elaborately packaged, multi-CD career retrospective.


Head of networks division leaves Nokia (AFP)

AFP - The mobile phone giant Nokia said that Sari Baldauf, head of its networks unit and long seen as a possible successor to company chief Jorma Ollila, will leave the group early next year.


Agencies Find What They're Looking For (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - When computer users hunt for information on the Internet, they typically turn to Google or Yahoo. When analysts working for U.S. intelligence look for documents and data stored on computers inside their own agencies, they often turn to software made by a little-known firm from Northern Virginia.


BBC story on Dow Chemical responsibility a hoax: report

LONDON (CBS.MW) -- A source at the BBC told AFX News that their story alleging that Dow Chemical (DOW) has taken responsibility for the Bhopal disaster is a hoax, and Reuters reported that a spokesman for Dow #39;s Union Carbide denied the report.


U.S., China Count Down to Space Cooperation (Reuters)

Reuters - Space cooperation between China and the\U.S. may finally be getting off the ground a year after China\put a man in orbit, with the two countries holding their first\talks and planning a series of exchanges.


Shawn Fanning's Snocap touts vision of P2P heaven

Analysis Won't reach it without industry and download-service support


Intel sunny about holiday sales

Chipmaker Intel boosts its prediction of sales for the final three months of the year to \$9.3-9.5bn.


Mobile Phone Cheats Mar S.Korean College Exam

SEOUL (Reuters) - Police questioned 350 South Korean  students Friday and more were under suspicion in a widening  probe into cheating that has uncovered a link between two  national obsessions -- education and mobile phones.


Mission cleared for Titan plunge

The Huygens probe is on target and all set for its encounter with Titan, the mysterious large moon of Saturn.


Closures 'could benefit chemistry'

The UK might be "better off" with fewer - but larger and better-funded - chemistry departments, a leading academic says.


Retail sales sluggish as holiday season opens

The nations retailers had a disappointing start to the holiday season, reporting sluggish sales for November after a surge in Thanksgiving weekend business failed to materialize.


Microsoft Sues Spammers

Microsoft announced today that is filing 7 lawsuits against spammers for failing to label sexually explicit messages. The lawsuits were filed in Washington State Superior Court, alleging that defendants violated


India, Russia sign joint declaration

Indian and Russia signed Friday a Joint Declaration emphasizing strategic partnership between the two countries and taking note of the transformation in the global environment in recent years.


India-Russia sign joint declaration, accords

New Delhi: India and Russia on Friday gave a new thrust to their relations when they signed a joint declaration and eleven agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) to strengthen bilateral cooperation in banking, energy, space exploration


Cuba frees another jailed dissident

The Cuban government freed another jailed opponent yesterday, the sixth dissident released this week in a move widely seen as an attempt to repair relations with the European Union.


The Playlist: Sony and MP3, Together at Last

The consumer electronics giant is finally ready to build MP3 players that play MP3s. What does that mean to the industry?


Man Pleads Guilty in Tsunami Death E-Mail Case (Reuters)

Reuters - A British man admitted Monday to sending\hoax emails to friends and relatives of people missing since\the Asian tsunami.


Army Wages War on Modern Menaces

New ways of protecting U.S. troops from RPGs, biological weapons and more take center stage at a military science conference. There's even a morphine substitute that emerged from the rave scene. Noah Shachtman reports from Orlando, Florida.


How Long Is Your Digital Trail?

Relationships in the information age work best when you exercise restraint and courtesy. Especially after you break up. Commentary by Regina Lynn.


Daggers Sharp but Not Penetrating

You're unlikely to find a martial arts movie as beautiful as Zhang Yimou's House of Flying Daggers, but you'll need to look elsewhere for passion. By Jason Silverman.


Flaws Don't Scuttle Pirate Game

Pirates, the latest release by game developer Sid Meier, offers plenty of addictive play for those who want to virtually pillage the Caribbean. But repetitiveness and design flaws dampen the experience. Game review by Suneel Ratan.


Wired Tools 2004

The coolest geek shopping list ever: 129 of the best screens, cams, phones, games and gadgets of the year, from Wired magazine.


Not Tonight, I've Got an Advisory

The FDA probably will not approve a patch for women suffering from hypoactive sexual desire disorder, as an advisory board believes more evidence is needed to prove the drug is safe. By Kristen Philipkoski.


Fight for Public Domain Goes On

Archivists who want to digitize 'orphan works' -- books, movies and films that are no longer commercially viable but remain under copyright -- lose a court battle. But they vow to continue the war to rebalance copyright law. By Katie Dean.


Stocks Seen Higher Before Jobs Data

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures surged Friday  morning on the back of Intel Corp.'s INTC.O raised quarterly  sales forecast and lower oil prices, but strategists said the  market's early direction would be dictated by the monthly  employment data due out before the start of trading.


Apple iTunes 'overcharging in UK'

The Office of Fair Trading refers Apple's iTunes service to the European Commission on the grounds that it over-charges UK customers.


BT takes control of Italy venture

BT Group buys out its partners in loss-making Italian telecoms firm Albacom, as it continues its expansion into business services.


Unions in plea to Jaguar bosses

Unions are locked in talks with Jaguar bosses in the hope of  persuading them not to stop car production at the Browns Lane factory in Coventry.


Oil Still Smarting from \$6 Rout

Battered oil prices stayed weak on Friday after a \$6 slump spurred by easing worries about winter supplies. US crude oil futures (CLc1: Quote, Profile, Research) fell five cents to \$43.20


Ex-Rebel Leader Set to Become Kosovo PM (AP)

AP - The former rebel leader who was set to become Kosovo's new prime minister on Friday was recently interviewed by U.N. war crimes investigators, raising fears among some western officials that he could be indicted for his role in the 1998-99 war in former Yugoslavia.


Slow Pace in Iraq Surprises NATO Commander (AP)

AP - NATO commander Gen. James Jones on Friday expressed surprise at the slow pace of restoring security to Iraq, saying he had believed the insurgency here would have been brought under control faster than in Afghanistan.


Dow says no basis in BBC Bhopal report (Reuters)

Reuters - Dow Chemical Co said on Friday that there was no basis whatsoever in a BBC World report saying that it had accepted responsibility for India's Bhopal disaster.


Mission cleared for Titan plunge

The Huygens probe is on target and all set for its encounter with Titan, the mysterious large moon of Saturn. The 2.7m-wide robot lab has passed its final systems check-out and scientists


Petit may provide Arsenal with stop-gap solution - Wenger

Arsenal may consider signing French midfielder Emmanuel Petit as a stop-gap solution to their midfield injury problems, manager Arsene Wenger says.


NBA Star Shows Up In Baltimore  #39;Snitching #39; DVD

DENVER -- Denver Nuggets star and Baltimore native Carmelo Anthony said he doesn #39;t remember a conversation that has showed up on a homemade DVD.


Dow to Sell Stake in Venture to DuPont (Reuters)

Reuters - Dow Chemical Co.  on Monday\said DuPont Co.  will buy its remaining equity stake in\DuPont Dow Elastomers LLC, a 50/50 joint venture between the\two companies, for  #36;87 million.


Storms leave more than 600 dead in Philippines

REAL, Philippines - Flash floods and landslides triggered by back-to-back storms that lashed the northeastern Philippines had killed more than 600 people by Friday, with nearly 400 still missing, military officials said.


NTL banks on deal to sell masts for 1.27bn

NTL, Britains largest cable firm, has struck an agreement with a consortium led by one of Australias top banks to sell its network of masts for 1.27 billion.


W amp;D brews up takeover

WOLVERHAMPTON  amp; Dudley, Britains biggest regional brewer, said it was buying another beer-making company in a 119 million swoop as it posted improved profits for the year.


Water once present on Mars

Evidence from the Mars exploration rovers Spirit and Opportunity has led scientists to suggest that water was once present in large quantities on the red planet.


Mr World Wide Web gets new job

THE INVENTOR of the World Wide Web has got a job as a professor at the University of Southampton. That #39;s according to the This is Southampton web site, which said Sir Tim Berners-Lee will become chair of computer


India to enjoy cut-price Windows

Microsoft has confirmed that it is to start selling its cut-down, wallet-friendly, version of Windows in India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Russia.


Fuming Fergie demands FA clear up disciplinary confusion

MANCHESTER (AFP) - Fuming Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has demanded that the Football Association clarify their disciplinary guidelines.


Jimenez two clear in Hong Kong

Hong Kong (Sports Network) - Miguel Angel Jimenez fired a six-under 64 Friday to surge into the lead after the second round of the Omega Hong Kong Open.


NHL season hinges on new talks

By next Friday we should have a good idea as to whether the NHL will play this year or if we are to see the entire season lost. On Thursday the players association invited the NHL to meet next week for a bargaining session.


Security Council debate Rwanda-Congo

The UN Security Council has met to discuss the alleged incursion of Rwandan troops into neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).


China Aviation inquiry launched

Singapore police launch a criminal investigation into the \$550m  trading scandal surrounding collapsed jet fuel supplier China Aviation Oil.


Mitsubishi gets pledge of support

Japan's second-largest bank says it is committed to supporting struggling Mitsubishi Motors, despite denying it is preparing 100bn yen of fresh investment


Stocks Seen Higher Before Jobs Data

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures surged Friday  morning on the back of Intel Corp.'s raised quarterly sales  forecast and lower oil prices, but strategists said the  market's early direction would be dictated by the monthly  employment data due out before the start of trading.


Update 2: CalPERS Ousts Harrigan As Its President

The nation #39;s largest public pension fund fired its president Wednesday following a tumultuous year in which he became an outspoken advocate for reform in the board rooms of corporate America.


Alcan in Talks to Sell Greek Firm Stake

Canadian aluminum producing giant Alcan Inc. said Friday that it is in exclusive talks to sell the company #39;s stake in Aluminium de Grece SA to metals company Mytilineos Holdings SA of Greece.


Nowitzki's 53 Overshadows LeBron-Carmelo (AP)

AP - Dirk Nowitzki scored 53 points  #151; the most ever by a Dallas player and tops in the NBA this season  #151; and was just as dominant in other parts of his game, carrying the Mavericks past the Houston Rockets 113-106 in overtime Thursday night.


Toledo Beats Miami (Ohio) to Win MAC Title (AP)

AP - Bruce Gradkowski threw three of his four touchdown passes to Lance Moore, leading Toledo to a 35-27 win over Miami (Ohio) in the Mid-American Conference championship game Thursday night.


Nortel wins US\$5M contract for BT 10,000-worker virtual call <b>...</b>

LONDON (CP) - BT Group PLC has awarded a contract worth \$5 million US to Nortel Networks for voice-over-Internet technology designed to link almost 10,000 agents into a so-called virtual contact centre.


FOOTBALL: REDS ARE SAVED BY THE BELL

SIR ALEX FERGUSON was delighted to see Manchester United book a Carling Cup semi-final crack at Chelsea with a rapid-fire strike and no off-field dramas.


Valley resident tied for 20th

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Caryn Wilson of Rancho Mirage shot a 1-under-par 71 on Thursday and was tied for 20th place after two rounds of the LPGA Tour Qualifying School.


IOC chief calls on bidding cities stop  quot;Bickering quot;

Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee, has called for an end to the  quot;bickering quot; between the five cities seeking to host the 2012 Games.


Wenger ready to make Petit a Gunner again

LONDON (AFP) - Arsenal are on the verge of handing former Highbury favourite Emmanuel Petit a short-term contract as Arsene Wenger bids to shore up the Gunners crumbling defence of their Premiership title.


Official: Tevez To Corinthians

Goal.com had revealed earlier this week that the deal bringing Boca Juniors super-striker Tevez to Corinthians would be sealed by today, and this is precisely what happened.


Sharon to seek rival Labor #39;s aid on Gaza plan

Fresh from a painful parliamentary defeat, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel said yesterday he will turn to his old rivals in the Labor


China Landslide Leaves 65 Villagers Missing - Xinhua

A landslide destroyed 25 village houses in the southwestern Chinese province of Guizhou on Friday and 65 villagers, asleep at the time, were missing, Xinhua news agency said.


India, Pak to reopen 2nd rail link

ISLAMABAD: India and Pakistan on Friday agreed to begin the train service between Munnabao in Rajasthan and Kokhrapar in Pakistan #39;s Sindh province and lay down necessary infrastructure, but failed to reach an understanding on the time schedule to start


New EU finance chief slams call for budget cut (AFP)

AFP - The EU's new budget chief criticised calls by the bloc's richest states to limit EU spending to one percent of gross national income (GNI), saying it would not amount to a freeze but a big funding cut.


Turkey Policy on Minorities Spark Debate (AP)

AP - A furor in Turkey ignited by the title of a Christian spiritual leader on a U.S. embassy invitation has underscored concerns about the largely Muslim country's treatment of minorities two weeks before the European Union decides whether to open membership talks with Ankara.


Baghdad's Airport Road Symbol of U.S. Frustration

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - As U.S. forces bore down on Baghdad in  April last year, the first objective they took before the  assault on the capital itself was the airport.


Ex-Adviser Sees Rare Opportunity On Mideast Front

R   obert Malley , a former assistant to President    Bill Clinton  who rejects blaming only    Yasser Arafat  for the collapse of peace efforts four years ago, warns that a rare window of opportunity for engaging both sides "is not going to be eternally open."


Colombia to Free Rebels in Hostage Gesture

BOGOTA, Colombia (Reuters) - Colombia on Thursday said itwould pardon 23 jailed rebels to encourage Marxist guerrillasto free 72 hostages, including three Americans.


Documents Show CIA Knew of Venezuela Coup

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency knew dissident military officers were planning a coup in 2002 against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, according to purported U.S. intelligence documents posted on the Internet.


CIA Documents: U.S. Knew of Venezuela Coup


Dollar Set for Weekly Gains Against Euro, Yen Before Job Report

The dollar headed for its first weekly gain in more than two months against the yen and halted a seven- week slide versus the euro before a government report expected to show US employers hired 200,000 workers last month.


Norilsk votes against IAMGOLD deal

announced in a statement that, in accordance with its previously stated intentions, it had voted against the proposed IAMGOLD merger.


Dan Walters: Melodramatic spin aside, Harrigan #39;s CalPERS ouster <b>...</b>

Bee Columnist. Sean Harrigan and his acolytes are spinning a melodramatic tale about his ouster from the governing board of the huge California Public Employees #39; Retirement System - that he


Report: IBM Exiting PC Business

IBM (IBM:NYSE - news - research) is reportedly ready to exit the PC business, having long lost its dominance in the arena. The report said Lenovo Group, China #39;s top PC company, is among the interested bidders.


Former Executives Settle SEC Civil Charges in Kmart Fraud

AccountingWEB.com - December 03, 2004 - Five former executives from Kmart and its vendor companies settled Securities and Exchange Commission civil charges this week stemming from a \$24 million accounting fraud they oversaw at the retail giant, the


Halifax forecasts 2 house price drop

Banking giant Halifax today said that house prices would fall by 2 fall next year and that interest rates had peaked. Its negative outlook for the property market is in contrast to the 2 rise predicted by


Report: Bonds Admitted to Using Substances (AP)

AP - Baseball star Barry Bonds testified to a grand jury that he used a clear substance and a cream given to him by a trainer who was indicted in a steroid-distribution ring, but said he didn't know they were steroids, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday.


BBC Says Deceived by Dow Impersonator on Bhopal (Reuters)

Reuters - BBC World said on Friday it was duped in\an "elaborate deception" by a man who claimed to be a Dow\Chemical Co. spokesman and said in an interview the U.S.\company accepted responsibility for India's Bhopal disaster.


Napster creator reveals next step

Napster creator Shawn Fanning has spoken publicly about his new project - a licensed file-sharing service with an almost unlimited selection of tracks.


Young Christian Pastors Fight Porn

Youth ministers Mike Foster, left, and Craig Gross say they don #39;t want teens to get sucked into the world of online porm. (ABCNEWS.


BT switches its call centre network to VoIP

BT plans to migrate its UK call centres to a new VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) system over the next two years, allowing around 9,700 call centre agents on 124 sites to work as one team in a single, virtual, customer contact centre.


Players feel they have solution

Toronto Sun. They #39;re whistling a new tune in the lockout trenches, not quite the Hockey Night In Canada theme, but more pleasant to the ears than three months of bombast.


Kenya MPs rebel over constitution

Some 80 Kenyan MPs storm out of parliament in the latest twist in a row over a new constitution.


Japan sounds alarm on birth rate

\The Japanese government says urgent policy changes are needed to reverse the country's population decline.


Intel upgrades sales forecast

After putting a dreary October spin on its prospects for the final three months of the year, Intel allowed Thursday that Christmas may come to techdom after all.


Brown defends budget optimism

British Chancellor Gordon Brown has denied he was overly optimistic about the state of the British economy in Thursday #39;s pre-budget report.


Report: IBM #39;s PC business up for sale

IBM Corp. has put its PC business up for sale, according to a story published on Friday on the Web site of The New York Times. IBM is discussing selling the business to


US, China Count Down to Space Cooperation

Space cooperation between China and the US may finally be getting off the ground a year after China put a man in orbit, with the two countries holding their first talks and planning a series of exchanges.


Baseball legend Bonds testifies using BALCO substances: report

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Baseball star slugger Barry Bonds told a grand jury that he used a clear substance and cream from a firm embroiled in a doping scandal, but never thought they were steroids, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.


\$12bn hoax  #39;cruel #39;

Bhopal - A hoax played on the BBC that US giant Dow Chemical was to pay \$12bn to those maimed in the world #39;s worst industrial disaster was slammed Friday as  quot;cruel quot; in this city where thousands died.


Insurgents claim responsibility for Baghdad raid

MAXINE McKEW: In Iraq, the group led by the country #39;s most wanted insurgent has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on a police station in western Baghdad.


Stocks Seen Opening Higher, Data Awaited (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. stock futures rose on Friday,\spurred by lower oil prices and Intel Corp.'s   higher\sales forecast as Wall Street waited for monthly employment\data for clues about the economy's health.


Dollar Holds Above Lows as Data Looms

LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar drifted near recent record  lows against the euro and five-year lows against the yen on  Friday ahead of key U.S. jobs figures.


Stocks Seen Opening Higher, Data Awaited

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures rose on Friday,  spurred by lower oil prices and Intel Corp.'s  INTC.O higher  sales forecast as Wall Street waited for monthly employment  data for clues about the economy's health.


IBM Puts PC Unit Up for Sale - NY Times

NEW YORK (Reuters) - International Business Machines Corp.  has put its personal computing business up for sale in a deal  that could be worth as much as \$2 billion, the New York Times  reported on Friday.


Nov. Job Creation Number Lower Than Expected

The Labor Department said Friday that U.S. employers added 112,000 new jobs overall in November as the unemployment rate dropped to 5.4 percent.


November Job Growth Unexpectedly Soft (Reuters)

Reuters - A surprisingly soft 112,000 new U.S.\jobs were created in November, the Labor Department said on\Friday, casting a shadow across an already downbeat holiday\sales season with consumers apparently worried by scarce work\and high oil prices.


Before the Bell: Fifth Third Bancorp Off (Reuters)

Reuters - Shares of Fifth Third Bancorp \fell 7.6 percent before the bell on Friday the morning after\the ninth-largest U.S. bank said fourth-quarter profit will\fall well short of analysts' forecasts,


Report: IBM selling personal computer unit

NEW YORK -- International Business Machines Corp. has reportedly put its personal computer business up for sale in a deal that could fetch as much as \$2 billion and close an era for an industry pioneer which


US Dollar Continues Its Broad Decline

The US dollar sank anew against other major currencies yesterday, even though Japanese officials publicly raised the prospect of joining with European governments to brake its slide.


Jobs report a major letdown

US employers pulled back on hiring as they entered the holiday shopping season, adding just 112,000 new jobs overall in November. It was the weakest gain in five months and about half of what economists had forecast.


EU Calls for Official to Clarify Position

European Union officials on Friday called on the United States to clarify its position on a possible court challenge at the World Trade Organization over alleged unfair subsidies given to European aircraft maker Airbus.


Edwards Sees Delay in Answer on Trial

Edwards Lifesciences Corp. (EW.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Friday said it does not expect the US Food and Drug Administration to provide an answer on whether it can conduct a clinical


US Air agents agree to pay, benefits cuts

ARLINGTON, Va. - The union for 5,800 US Airways Group Inc. customer-service and reservation agents said it reached agreement on pay and benefit cuts the airline had sought to help emerge from bankruptcy.


Stocks Set for Firm Start to '05

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock futures rose on Monday, pointing  to a solid start to the New Year, as oil prices tumbled more  than a dollar and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT.N brightened its  outlook for December sales.


Report: IBM Selling Personal Computer Unit (AP)

AP - International Business Machines Corp. has reportedly put its personal computer business up for sale in a deal that could fetch as much as  #36;2 billion and close an era for an industry pioneer which long ago shifted its focus to more lucrative segments of the computer business.


Report: IBM Selling Its PC Business (PC World)

PC World - China's largest maker of PCs is one of the potential buyers, newspaper says.


Fellowship of the Ring: Customized Cell Tones (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - Whenever  his cell phone rings, which is a lot, Delvon Murray, 18, hears "My Boo," the Alicia Keys-Usher duet. Whenever his girlfriend's cell phone rings,  she hears "In Love Wit Chu" from hip-hop artist Da Brat.


BALCO Founder Says Marion Jones Used Steroids

NEW YORK -- The head of BALCO is saying US Olympian Marion Jones has used performance-enhancing stimulants. BALCO founder Victor Conte has told ABC #39;s  quot;20/20 quot; he witnessed the five-time Olympic medalist injecting


Moya puts Spain ahead in Davis Cup final

Carlos Moya fired Spain into a 1-0 lead over the United States in the Davis Cup final on Friday. Whipping up a record tennis crowd of 27,200, the former world number one bamboozled


Heidfeld given another chance to impress

Nick Heidfeld has declared himself happy with his first outing for Williams and in fact the team was also so impressed that they #39;ve invited him back for a second trial.


RYDER STARS FACING WEEKEND FIGHT

Five weeks after Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia were in a play-off for the Volvo Masters title, three more of Europe #39;s Ryder Cup heroes are battling for victory at the Omega Hong Kong Open.


February launch for Red Bull

The RB1, the Red Bull Racing teams challenger for the 2005 FIA Formula One World Championship, will be officially unveiled in Spain next February, it has been announced.


AWOL drug test stars charged

World athletics chiefs yesterday formally charged Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou with missing drugs tests on the eve of the Olympic Games.


Houston Rockets Team Report - December 3

(Sports Network) - The Houston Rockets fell to the Dallas Mavericks in overtime, 113-106, at AmericanAirlines Center on Thursday. Tracy McGrady also had an excellent game, scoring a season-high 48 points on


Nitties takes second-round Australian PGA lead

Former Australian amateur James Nitties, playing in his fourth professional golf tournament, shot a 7-under-par 65 Friday to take a one-shot lead after two rounds of the Australian PGA.


SuperGen Pulls U.S. Cancer Drug Application

NEW YORK (Reuters) - SuperGen Inc. on Monday said it has  withdrawn an application to market its pancreatic cancer  treatment in the United States due to insufficient data,  sending its shares down 17 percent.


Relief Effort Gains as Aid Is Reaching More Survivors

The international lifeline to save five million homeless victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami gathered strength on Sunday.


Indonesia presses Burma on Aung San Suu Kyi detention

Indonesia has accused Burma of trying to avoid the issue of the ongoing detention of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Burma was asked at an Asia-Pacific summit this week to clarify media reports that


Danforth resigns as US ambassador to United Nations (AFP)

AFP - The US ambassador to the United Nations, John Danforth, resigned less than six months after becoming the diplomatic face of Washington at the world body, the United States announced.


Moya Puts Spain Ahead in Davis Cup Final

SEVILLE, Spain (Reuters) - Carlos Moya fired Spain into a  1-0 lead over the United States in the Davis Cup final on  Friday.


Disease Risk Rise After Philippine Typhoon

REAL, Philippines (Reuters) - Flood waters receded in the  Philippines on Friday in the wake of a typhoon that killed at  least 35 people, but thousands more remained cut off from help,  hungry and at risk of disease after a week of severe flooding.


BBC Says Deceived by Dow Impersonator on Bhopal

LONDON (Reuters) - BBC World said on Friday it was duped in  an "elaborate deception" by a man who claimed to be a Dow  Chemical Co. spokesman and said the U.S. company accepted  responsibility for India's Bhopal disaster.


Steroid Scandal Deepens

Published reports say Barry Bonds has testified that he used a clear substance and a cream given to him by a trainer who was indicted in a steroid-distribution ring.


Transmeta licenses LongRun 2 to Fujitsu

Foundry partner gears up for second-generation 90nm Efficeons


Napster creator reveals next step

Napster creator Shawn Fanning introduces a new licensed file-sharing service with unlimited choice of tracks.


Nokia #39;s market share back above 30

In the three months to September, Nokia gained market share for a second consecutive quarter, helped by price cuts and new handsets.


Paul McIntyre: Switkowski carries too much baggage for the markets

The prospect of aA\$30 billion (\$32.39) share issue will tend to do that to a board, which dined on Tuesday night at a swish Sydney restaurant without their virus-infused chief executive - he was officially stuck at home with a crook stomach.


Job Growth Is Well Below Wall Street Forecasts

The economy added 112,000 payroll jobs in November, the Labor Department reported today, far fewer than the month before and not enough to keep up with average increases in the adult population.


Edwards sees valve trial delayed

Medical device company says FDA not likely to greenlight a clinical trial of heart implant in 2004. CHICAGO (Reuters) - Edwards Lifesciences Corp.


It #39;s official: Americans love SUVs

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Sport/utility vehicle registrations in the United States increased 56 percent in just five years, according to a report released Thursday by the US Census Bureau.


UK house prices predicted to fall next year

A leading British mortgage lender predicted Friday that house prices in the country will fall two percent next year after nine years of strong gains.


Microsoft sues for lewd  #39;spam #39;

Microsoft Corp. has filed class action lawsuits against vendors of sexually explicit commercial e-mail, the Seattle Post-Intelligence said Friday.


Napster #39;s Shawn Fanning Back With New Music Service

Napster founder Shawn Fanning is back in the music-downloading game, this time with a legal service that has the blessing of at least some significant members of the music industry.


Four Infineon Execs Plead Guilty in DRAM Probe

Samsung, Micron Technology and Hynix Semiconductor have acknowledged that they have received subpoenas related to the investigation.


Microsoft smitten by the blogging bug!:

Technology India: London, Dec 3 :Software giant Microsoft is now ready to take the plunge into the world of blogging by launching a test service to allow people to publish blogs, or online journals, called MSN Spaces.


Life could exist below Mars surface, scientist says here

Despite four decades of trying and some 40 space probes, the question of whether there #39;s life on Mars remains as elusive as ever.


Sun and Microsoft: True love or a marriage of convenience?

Microsoft and Sun may be going steady, but they aren #39;t quite sure where the relationship is headed. The companies gave an update on Wednesday to their  quot;ongoing dialogue quot; about product interoperability that


Nortel picks up \$5m BT call centre contract

Nortel has won a \$5m contract from BT to help the telco use Internet Protocol (IP) technology to upgrade its call centres around the UK.


HP Revises Cluster Plans

HP (Quote, Chart) is dropping its efforts to port some Tru64 Unix products to HP-UX with the help of storage player Veritas . The two companies announced a multi-year agreement Thursday that finds HP #39;s sales


Blu-ray read-only format to be finalized early 2005

Companies backing Blu-ray Disc will finalize the read-only version of the optical-disc format early next year, a Sony Corp. spokesman said earlier this week.


Sun Drafts New  quot;SCO-Sensitive quot; Open Source License

Without saying it has anything to do with its avowed determination to open source Solaris 10, Sun has sent over a newfangled open source license to the Open Source Initiative (OSI), the keeper of such things, for its approval.


VersaMail for the Treo 600

palmOne has released a modified version of its VersaMail 2.7 e-mail application for the its Treo 600 communicator. Although released last year the Treo 600 did not


Marion Jones denies new allegations

LONDON (Ticker) - American gold medal-winning sprinter Marion Jones has denied new allegations she has used performance-enhancing drugs.


Appleby leads by a stroke in South Africa

Stuart Appleby of Australia was the only player to break 70 Friday, shooting a 3-under-par 69 that left him with a one-stroke lead over Lee Westwood of England halfway through the Nedbank Golf Challenge.


Rangers #39; Euro Fate

Rangers 1-0 loss in AZ Alkmaar was a blow but by no means a disaster as far as their UEFA Cup hopes are concerned. Ibrox manager Alex McLeish knows it is still possible that his side


Heidfeld gets a second look

Nick Heidfeld will be given a second chance at landing the remaining full time ride at BMW-Williams. Team officials say the German will test with them again next week in Jerez, Spain.


Coach of disgraced Greek sprinters claims IAAF charges groundless

The coach of disgraced Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou says IAAF charges against the athletes are groundless and will not result in a suspension, according to reports Friday.


#39;I cannot be on the losing side #39;

In the clickety-clack of football shoes trudging into the bowels of Giants Stadium, in the blur of blank, numbed West Point faces marching toward the losing locker room, his was the unforgettable face.


Players, at charity game, express hope of having season

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Some NHL players who took part in a charity hockey game at the University of Michigan on Thursday were hopeful the news that the NHL and the players association will resume talks next week


Gerrard Stands Up for Anfield Chief

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard today rallied to the defence of beleaguered chairman David Moores by revealing how the Anfield supremos intervention convinced him to snub Chelsea and stay on Merseyside.


New blow for Zimbabwe's Moyo

Zimbabwe's controversial information minister looks set to be disappointed in his campaign to become an MP.


Sudan Agreement Endorsed by US Officials at UN

The US Ambassador to the United Nations, John Danforth, says the recently signed peace memorandum between the government of Sudan and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement offers the best


Germany Thwarts Possible Attack on Iraqi Leader

German police arrested three men suspected of planning an attack on Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, who was in Berlin on Friday.


Storms Kill More Than 650 in Philippines

Helicopters delivered food to survivors and picked up casualties Friday as flash floods began to recede in the northern Philippines, revealing the magnitude of a disaster


Russian President supports India #39;s UN bid

Russian President Vladimir Putin said here on Friday that his country supported India #39;s bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat but stopped short of favoring India #39;s veto power in the world body.


India, Pakistan to Reopen Key Rail Link

Rivals Pakistan and India have agreed to reopen a key rail link between the two countries that has been closed for almost 40 years.


Putin Sends Greeting to War Crimes Convict (AP)

AP - Russian President Vladimir Putin issued New Year's greetings Saturday to a former pro-Soviet partisan convicted in Latvia of killing civilians during World War II.


Fund Raising by Candidates, Parties (AP)

AP - Fund raising and spending in the 2003-04 election cycle by President Bush, Democratic rival John Kerry and national party committees:


OPEC Can't Rule Out Oil Production Cuts

LONDON (Reuters) - OPEC cannot rule out cutting oil  production if oil prices slide further before the producer  group meets next Friday, a senior OPEC delegate said on Friday.


Stocks Trim Gains; Intel Boosts Techs

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips trimmed gains on  Friday after a senior OPEC delegate said the producer group  cannot rule out cutting oil production if oil prices slide  further and monthly U.S. jobs data showed weaker-than-expected  growth.


Two More Top Nokia Execs Exit

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Nokia NOK1V.HE said on Friday the  head of its networks unit had resigned and another top networks  executive left, in the second major shake-up of top management  in two weeks at the world's top mobile phone maker.


Need a job? Get a card - arresting ID pitch to business

Analysis Redefining voluntary again...


Germany Says Thwarts Attack on Iraq PM, 3 Arrested

BERLIN (Reuters) - German police arrested three Iraqis in a  series of raids on Friday and the federal prosecutor said he  believed they were planning an attack on visiting Iraqi Prime  Minister Iyad Allawi.


UK govt takes iTunes gripe to Europe

Union trade regulators asked to probe 'one country, single store' policy


IBM Puts PC Unit Up for Sale - NY Times

NEW YORK (Reuters) - International Business Machines Corp.  IBM.N has put its personal computing business up for sale in  a deal that could be worth as much as \$2 billion, the New York  Times reported on Friday.


Last Xmas order date for the Antipodes

Cash'n'Carrion Get 'em in by Sunday


India, Russia Agree to Revitalize Traditional Ties

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Cold war allies India and Russia  sought on Friday to instill new momentum into their  longstanding relationship, tidying up energy and military ties.


Dollar Sags on Nov Jobs Disappointment

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar fell to within a whisker of  record lows against the euro on Friday, after an influential  report on the U.S. labor market turned out to be unexpectedly  weak.


Sony Vaio U70P Wi-Fi micro PC

Preview Smaller than a laptop, bigger than a PDA - the perfect PC size?


Yukos 'fails to halt sell-off'

Russian oil giant Yukos has reportedly lost a court case against the sale of its main production unit.


US and EU put air dispute on hold

Washington and Brussels say they will not escalate a dispute over subsidies to Boeing and Airbus.


Virgin wins most Indian flights

Virgin Atlantic has won the largest share of 21 additional direct flights between the UK and India, gaining 10 to BA's seven and BMI's four.


BBC Says Deceived by Dow Impersonator on Bhopal

LONDON (Reuters) - The BBC's international TV news channel  apologized on Friday after being duped into airing an interview  with a fake Dow Chemical spokesman who said the U.S. company  accepted responsibility for India's Bhopal disaster.


DS aims to touch gamers

Nintendo launches its new handheld console, the DS, which aims to change the way people play games.


ND officials take search for a coach to Utah

Notre Dame officials hope to be one step closer to obtaining a new football coach after getting to bed a little later than usual Thursday night.


Iran says suspension period six months maximum

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, chairman of Iran #39;s powerful Expediency Council, said on Friday that the maximum duration of Iran #39;s suspension of uranium enrichment activities was six months, the official IRNA news agency reported.


Putin arrives in India to cement several pacts

NEW DELHI President Vladimir Putin of Russia arrived Friday to hold talks on expanding trade and cooperation in defense, energy and space with India, a longtime ally of the Soviet Union during the cold war.


Ukraine court annuls poll result

Ukraine's top court annuls the result of the second round of the disputed presidential poll, paving the way for fresh elections.


Will IBM sell PC business?

p2pnet.net News - IBMs PC business is up for grabs - and the new owners could be Chinese, says the New York Times. While IBM long ago ceded the lead in the personal computer market to Dell and Hewlett


Job Growth Is Well Below Wall Street Forecasts

The economy added 112,000 payroll jobs in November, the Labor Dept. reported today, far fewer than the month before.


Serb general faces Hague tribunal

A Bosnian Serb general indicted for war crimes is to be transferred to The Hague, the chief UN war crimes prosecutor says.


The Fool's Look Ahead

Chips, animated clips, supermarket slips, and dot-com flashback trips will shape the week that lies ahead.


Our Holiday Guide to ... Holiday Guides

Sorting out which MP3 player is best, how to select a gaming console or making sense of high-tech TVs can become as much a chore as decorating your house for the holidays. Enter the ever-popular tech gadget gift buying guide. -washingtonpost.com


A Fool Looks Back

Winners lost. Cereals bowled. Online storefronts schooled their offline storefronts yet again. In sum, it was another week of twisted holiday cheer.


Five Cities to Make Olympic Presentations (AP)

AP - IOC president Jacques Rogge said the five cities bidding for the 2012 Olympics accepted his advice and agreed to stop complaining about each other.


Calpers battle on corporate governance may only just be <b>...</b>

The ousting of fund president Sean Harrigan from Americas largest pension fund has been viewed by many as the first Republican victory in a battle to undermine the influence of pension funds like Calpers on corporate governance issues.


Napster Creator Touts Legal File Sharing

Shawn Fanning's Napster software enabled countless music fans to swap songs on the Internet for free, turning him into the recording industry's enemy No. 1 in the process.


Intel Raises 4th-Quarter Sales Forecast

Intel Corp.'s fourth-quarter sales are on track to break a company record as demand for the chips that power computers was stronger than originally expected in the weeks leading up to the holiday buying season.


Microsoft Files Seven New Spam Lawsuits

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. <MSFT.O> filed sevenlawsuits against senders of spam, or unsolicited e-mail, fortransmitting messages without labeling them as sexuallyexplicit content, the world's largest software maker said onThursday.


Yankees and Mets Swap Relievers (Reuters)

Reuters - The New York Yankees and New\York Mets have reportedly agreed on a deal to swap lefthanded\relievers.


EBay Reorganizes Senior Management

EBay Inc. announced a senior management reorganization Thursday, increasing international responsibilities for three executives and underscoring the significance of the company's tremendously profitable PayPal division.


Comcast Plans Music Video-Web Offering

Comcast Corp. plans to begin offering music videos on demand to its broadband Internet subscribers early next year, part of a multiyear deal with the television network Music Choice.


High-Tech Publisher Tries 'Blogozine'

After Red Herring sank into the dot-com morass last year, Tony Perkins considered resurrecting the magazine that helped establish him as a Silicon Valley sage. He changed his mind when his college-age daughter scoffed and told him "Red Herring is so 1990s."


Appleby Leads Westwood at Nedbank Golf (AP)

AP - Stuart Appleby of Australia was the only player to break 70 Friday, shooting a 3-under-par 69 that left him with a one-stroke lead over Lee Westwood of England halfway through the Nedbank Golf Challenge.


Report: IBM Selling Personal Computer Unit

International Business Machines Corp. has reportedly put its personal computer business up for sale in a deal that could fetch as much as \$2 billion and close an era for an industry pioneer which long ago shifted its focus to more lucrative segments of the computer business.


Ukraine Supreme Court Invalidates Run-Off

The Supreme Court declared the results of Ukraine's disputed presidential run-off election invalid and ruled Friday that a repeat vote should be held by Dec. 26, bringing cheers from tens of thousands of opposition supported massed in Kiev's main square.


Three Arrested in Germany for Plot on Allawi

German authorities arrested three Iraqis with alleged al Qaeda links on suspicion they were planning an attack on Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi while he visited Germany on Friday, the country's chief prosecutor said.


Appleby Takes Halfway Lead in Sun City

SUN CITY, South Africa (Reuters) - Australia's Stuart  Appleby carded a second round 69 to move to five-under par 139  and a one-stroke lead at the Sun City Golf Challenge on Friday.


Chinese firm in trouble after losing \$550m in speculation

A listed Chinese company that sources jet fuel is in deep trouble after losing \$550 million (R3.16 billion) in speculative oil trades, triggering concern over other China-linked stocks on the exchange.


Telstra CEO steps down over  #39;differences #39;

The outgoing chief executive of Australian telecommunications giant Telstra said his departure was sparked by differences between him and the companys board of directors.


Head of Calpers Pension Fund Ousted

California officials on Wednesday voted to oust Sean Harrigan as president of Calpers, naming a former real-estate executive seen as more business


Merck KGaA, Biomira Shares Gain on Cancer Study (Update1)

Shares of Biomira Inc., a Canadian drug developer, jumped 94 percent and Merck KGaA, Germany #39;s fourth-largest drugmaker, rose as much as 6.4 percent after the companies said data from


Halliburton shakes up its top ranks

and NELSON ANTOSH. Halliburton on Thursday promoted the head of its KBR operation to the No. 2 job and announced that the highly regarded leader of its oilwell service group had resigned.


Lycos screensaver for anti-spam vigilantes

A screensaver that uses idle computing power to identify the sites of spammers and forward data traffic to them has been too successful, according to reports, generating so much traffic that the sites are being forced off-line.


MSN is latest to move into world of blogging services

LONDON - MSN is upping the stakes in the battle for online and desktop domination with the launch of a new set of communication services to include blogging and picture sharing.


Skulls.B worm spreads on Series 60 via Bluetooth

A new version of the Cabir  quot;Skulls quot; malware program is on the lose. The first version, discovered only a few weeks ago, was a trojan horse program that blocked access to built-in applications and erased data.


Newcastle boss Souness watched Rangers #39; Boumsong

Newcastle United boss Graeme Souness attended Rangers #39; UEFA Cup clash at AZ Alkmaar last night. Souness was checking on the form of Gers defender Jean Alain Boumsong, who will attract a serious offer from Newcastle when the January transfer window opens.


Tsunami Steals a Generation and the Future (Reuters)

Reuters - It took just a few seconds\for Shiva Shankari, like her village, to lose her future.


After 0-13 season in  #39;03, Ross #39; Black Knights hope to mimic <b>...</b>

For the 10th consecutive year, tickets for the Army-Navy game have sold out, and for good reason. Countless aspects of this 105-year-old rivalry command respect, from the thrill-inducing pageantry of the pregame


RAIDERS NOTEBOOK Schweigert might get start against Chiefs

One week after making his first NFL start, opening last Sunday #39;s 25- 24 win at Denver in the Raiders #39; 4-1-6 defensive package in place of strong safety Marques Anderson, rookie Stuart Schweigert may get the opportunity to start in the base defense as well


Fed Sees Growth, Measured Rate Hikes (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. economy should grow about\4.0 percent next year, giving the Federal Reserve room to\continue raising interest rates at a measured pace, \Philadelphia Fed President Anthony Santomero said on Friday.


OPEC Can't Rule Out Oil Production Cuts (Reuters)

Reuters - OPEC cannot rule out cutting oil\production if oil prices slide further before the producer\group meets next Friday, a senior OPEC delegate said on Friday.


Wal-Mart Launches Rare Newspaper Ad Blitz (Reuters)

Reuters - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. , hurt by\sluggish sales over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, on Friday\launched a rare advertising blitz in newspapers around the\United States focusing on its price cuts.


ECB lowers its growth forecasts

BRUSSELS - The European Central Bank has lowered its growth forecast for the eurozone economy this year to 1.8 from a previously projected 1.9, and to 1.9 from 2.3 in 2005, sources close to the ECB said.


Judge: Boston Scientific Violated Deal

NATICK, Mass. - Boston Scientific Corp. violated its agreement with an Israeli company and acted in  quot;bad faith quot; when it set up a secret stent-making operation in Ireland, according to a federal judge who ordered the companies to reach a settlement.


BT inks E3.75m contract with Nortel

BT has signed a E3.75m deal with Canadian firm Nortel for the supply of IP telephony equipment for a major new  #39;virtual #39; contact centre.


Rescue Teams Discover Magnitude of Philippines Storms Disaster

Soldiers who reached an isolated Pacific Ocean village in Aurora province reported finding about about 100 dead. In the worst-hit town of Real, in nearby Quezon province, TV images showed bodies buried under


China Mulls Measures After Textile Quotas Scrapped

China will consider adopting measures to protect its interests and those of its trading partners once global textile quotas are scrapped at the end of this month, a government spokesman said on Friday.


Attacker slashes twelve Chinese children, cuts own throat

BEIJING (AFP) - A man forced his way into a northeast China primary school and slashed 12 young children before cutting his own throat.


China Rules in Favor of Corning

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Corning Inc. GLW.N said on Monday  the Chinese Ministry of Commerce ruled that the company had not  dumped standard single-mode optical fiber into the Chinese  market.


Oil Slides Again on Weak U.S. Jobs Data

LONDON (Reuters) - Battered oil prices fell again on  Friday, extending this week's 14 percent slide, as  disappointing U.S. jobs data deepened a slump driven by easing  worries about winter supplies.


Wal-Mart Launches Rare Newspaper Ad Blitz

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT.N, hurt by  sluggish sales over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, on Friday  launched a rare advertising blitz in newspapers around the  United States focusing on its price cuts.


Christopher   Banks Disappoints

The women's apparel retailer surprised investors with surprisingly bad Q4 guidance.


Gaining an Investment Edge

Whitney Tilson demonstrates how to beef up your portfolio and beat the market.


Iomega rolls out low-end NAS

Iomega on Friday introduced a new network-attached storage appliance for Windows networks in small and midsized businesses.


Mobile phones: An ear full of worms

They're coming to mobile phones -- those nasty viruses, worms, and Trojan Horses that have, on more than one occasion, crippled PCs. No doubt about that. The question is: Will they be as bad?


Update: Four Infineon executives jailed for DRAM price-fixing

Four executives at German memory vendor Infineon Technologies and its U.S. subsidiary have pled guilty to charges of illegally setting prices for PC memory chips, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Thursday.


HP drops plans to put Compaq technology into HP-UX

Hewlett-Packard(HP) has abandoned plans to integrate a number of advanced technologies it acquired in its 2002 purchase of Compaq into its flagship HP-UX operating system. The Palo Alto, California, computer maker has instead decided to partner with Veritas Software to bring new file system and clustering capabilities to its Unix software, the two companies announced Thursday.


Report: IBM's PC business up for sale

IBM has put its PC business up for sale, according to a story published on Friday on Web site of The New York Times.


Report: IBM Selling Its PC Business

China's largest maker of PCs is one of the potential buyers, newspaper says.


ESPN Eyes Mobile Phone Market

Sports media company teams with Sprint to offer a branded cell phone service.


Search Engine Forums Spotlight

Links to this week's topics from search engine forums across the web: The Great SEO Myths of our Time - Let's Test Hijacking A Google Listing - Internet Searches Getting Re-directed - Search Engines Offering SEO Services? - Shopping Search Arrives as an Important Vertical - Is Having A Yahoo Directory Listing A Hindrance? - Google Not Reporting All Backlinks


News: Phishing losses overestimated - survey

Fraud losses from email phishing attacks will hit \$137m globally in 2004, according to a study from research and consulting firm TowerGroup.


News: Lycos antispam site taken offline

Lycos Europe appears to have taken down its controversial MakeLoveNotSpam site - temporarily, at least.


IBM Hires Merrill Lynch to Find Buyer for PC Unit, Person Says

International Business Machines Corp., seeking to exit an industry it helped pioneer two decades ago, hired Merrill Lynch  amp; Co.


Napster Creator Stands Atop Snocap

Napster creator Shawn Fanning is back with a new, legal file-sharing service called Snocap. The P2P service reportedly is close to signing a licensing deal with Universal Recording Group.


Berners-Lee returns to UK

p2pnet.net News - Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the man who invented the World Wide Web, is going home to England where he #39;s been appointed a professor at Southampton University.


Germany Says Thwarts Attack on Iraq PM, 3 Arrested (Reuters)

Reuters - German police arrested three Iraqis in a\series of raids on Friday and the federal prosecutor said he\believed they were planning an attack on visiting Iraqi Prime\Minister Iyad Allawi.


New Jersey Supreme Court Cancels Bear Hunt

TRENTON, NJ -- New Jersey #39;s top court shot down plans Thursday for next week #39;s bear hunt. The Supreme Court says the six-day hunt can #39;t take place because the state lacks a proper management program for the animals.


High Court to Hear ISP, Cable Dispute (AP)

AP - The Supreme Court said Friday it would consider whether Internet providers should be allowed to sell their high-speed service over the cable television system.


Germany Stops Assassination Attempt on Allawi

Three Iraqi citizens with alleged terrorist ties were arrested in Germany today under the suspicion that they were going to try to kill Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi during his visit to Germany.


Summit hopes for mine-free world

It is in the nature of international conferences, like the one that has occupied 1300 delegates in Nairobi this week, for a final declaration to have been written long before the conference starts.


Israel's Peres Urges Likud Hardliners to Back Coalition

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Labour Party chief Shimon Peres  appealed to hard-liners in Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud  on Friday to drop their opposition to forging a unity coalition  seen as vital to keeping Israel's Gaza withdrawal on track.


Hamas Hints It Is Open to Deal on Truce, Statehood

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - A Hamas leader said the  militant group could accept creation of a Palestinian state in  the West Bank and Gaza and a long-term truce with Israel,  signaling a possible new overture to end hostilities.


Weak employment report points to still-sluggish US economy (AFP)

AFP - A weaker-than-anticipated report on the US labor market, showing just 112,000 jobs added in November, disappointed some but confirms a still-sluggish pace of US economic growth, analysts said.


Halliburton Says Settlement on Track

Petroleum and energy services giant Halliburton Co. on Friday said that a district court judge has signed an order that will allow its settlement of asbestos lawsuits to take effect by the end of this month.


Retailers Seek To Block US Curbs on Chinese Textiles

The New York-based Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel argued the government #39;s Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements accepted petitions by textile makers based on arbitrary factors.


Microsoft Sues Spammers over Porn E-Mails

Laws require that sexually oriented solicitations be marked with a label warning users of the content in both the subject line and the initially viewable area of the message.


Spammers get taste of their own medicine

Internet users are being given the chance to hit back at the spammers that have become the scourge of the web, thanks to free software being distributed by Lycos Europe, the internet portal.


Jail terms for DRam price fixers

Four executives at German memory supplier Infineon and its US subsidiary pleaded guilty to charges of illegally setting prices for PC memory chips, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Thursday.


Mobile phones: An ear full of worms

They #39;re coming to mobile phones - those nasty viruses, worms and Trojan horses that have, on more than one occasion, crippled PCs.


Survey: More than 54 million broadband connections in Europe today

According to a survey conducted by the market research agency Nielsen/Netratings these days more than half of European Internet users are surfing the Net via a high-speed connection.


Murphy trial testimony ends; jurors to return

Testimony in the sexual abuse trial of former Houston Rockets star Calvin Murphy ended this morning. Jurors will hear closing arguments and begin deliberations Monday, state District Judge Michael McSpadden said.


BBC says it was tricked into bogus story

The BBC admitted Friday it was tricked into reporting that a US company accepted responsibility for the world #39;s worst industrial accident.


30 killed in attacks on Iraq police

REBELS launched two major attacks on police stations in Baghdad today, killing 30 people including at least 16 police officers. The attacks took place in the western Amil district and in the Sunni Muslim stronghold


US expresses  #39;deep concern #39; over Suu Kyi #39;s extended detention

WASHINGTON - The United States expressed  quot;deep concern quot; Thursday over reports that Myanmar #39;s ruling junta has extended the detention of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi for up to a year from September this year.


Khokhrapar-Munabao rail link to reopen, no timeframe:

World News: Islamabad, Dec 3 : Pakistan and India agreed Friday to an early resumption of the Khokhrapar-Munabao rail link but failed to agree on a time frame for this, Online news agency reported.


ABA Not Catching On

An attempt to bring back the American Basketball Association hasn't succeeded, as the league loses teams and changes cities weekly.


IBM Said to Be Leaving the PC Business

The company that has been synonymous with the term  quot;PC quot; since it was first created is getting out of the PC business. According to a report in the New York Times, IBM is in talks with China #39;s largest maker


Intel stock up on positive 4Q outlook

Intel Corp. #39;s shares climbed nearly 6 percent Friday after saying its fourth-quarter sales are on track to break a company record because demand for the chips that


Oil prices fall below \$43 in fourth day of selling

The selloff in crude oil futures continued for a fourth straight day Friday, with prices skidding below \$43 a barrel to roughly 14 percent below where they were at the beginning of the week.


Samsung phones outsell Motorola #39;s

Samsung is now the world #39;s second-largest mobile phone maker, behind Nokia. According to market watcher Gartner, the South Korean company has finally knocked Motorola into third place.


Weak Job Data Won #39;t Deter Fed

The sluggish pace of job growth in November hasn #39;t changed the odds for a quarter point interest rate hike later this month, but maybe it should.


Wal-Mart Launches Rare Newspaper Advertising Blitz

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., hurt by sluggish sales over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, on Friday launched a rare advertising blitz in newspapers around the United States focusing on its price cuts.


Biomira Shares Skyrocket on Promising Data

Shares of biotech company Biomira Inc. soared as it and a development partner, German drug maker Merck KGaA, reported Friday that the median survival in a study involving a lung cancer vaccine has yet to be reached after 23 months in a subset of patients.


Supreme Court to Decide Cable Internet Case

The US Supreme Court said on Friday it would decide what regulations should apply to high-speed broadband Internet service offered by cable television companies like Time Warner Inc.


Edwards Sees Delay in Approval of Trial

Edwards Lifesciences Corp. (EW.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Friday said it does not expect the US regulators to provide an answer by the end of the year on whether it can conduct a clinical


Nortel Wins \$5 Million Contract for BT Virtual Call Center

Nortel said that the Internet-protocol infrastructure at BT will reduce costs and boost efficiency by making it easier to operate agents across multiple sites,  quot;allowing dispersed teams to seamlessly work together as if in a single contact center location


WADA Chief Calls for Hearing Into Jones Doping

World Anti-Doping Agency chief Dick Pound has called for a hearing into allegations former Olympic sprint champion Marion Jones used steroids.


Williams to take second look at Heidfeld.

Nick Heidfeld #39;s pace on his first two days of running with the Williams-BMW team appear to have increased his chances of being included in next year #39;s race line-up, after the team confirmed that it would inviting him back for a second run next week.


Texas freshman awaits eligibility decision

Texas coach Rick Barnes says the school could find out from the NCAA on Friday when freshman Mike Williams will be eligible to compete for the Longhorns.


Packers seek NFL revenge on high-flying Eagles

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Revenge is on the mind of the Green Bay Packers as they enter a pivotal National Football League game Sunday at Philadelphia, where the Eagles made an amazing rally to oust them in last season #39;s playoffs.


Baghdad violence kills at least 25

people and stoking fears that sectarian divisions over when to hold elections could unleash further bloodshed. In a second dawn attack in the capital on Friday, guerrillas killed at


Explosions in Madrid After ETA Bomb Threat - Radio (Reuters)

Reuters - Four explosions were reported at petrol\stations in the Madrid area on Friday, Spanish radio stations\said, following a phone warning in the name of the armed Basque\separatist group ETA to a Basque newspaper.


Stocks Rise; Gains Trimmed on Oil Worry

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks trimmed gains on Friday  after a senior OPEC delegate said the producer group cannot  rule out cutting oil production if oil prices slide further.


U.S.-Bound German Plane Lands in Dublin After Alert

DUBLIN (Reuters) - A Lufthansa plane heading to the United  States from Germany made an unscheduled landing in Ireland on  Friday after the airline received a call saying there was a  suspect device on board, Dublin airport authority said.


3 Arrested in Suspected Plot to Attack Iraqi Prime Minister

German police today arrested three Iraqis who appeared to have been planning an attack on Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, who is visiting Berlin today.


Crude Oil Prices Slip Below \$43 a Barrel

Crude oil fell 55 cents to \$42.70 per barrel in early trade on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Inventories grew by 900,000 barrels last week to 293.3 million.


Singapore investigates China firm

SINGAPORE China Aviation Oil (Singapore), which this week asked Singapore #39;s high court for protection from creditors after disclosing \$550 million of losses, is being investigated by the Commercial Affairs Department, Singapore #39;s white-collar crime unit


Non-Farm Payrolls Grow by 112,000

The Labor Department said the unemployment rate in November declined to a three-month low of 5.4 percent from 5.5 percent. Wall Street economists were expecting non-farm payrolls to rise by 200,000 -- nearly


Expert Expects More Hurricanes Again Next Year

FORT COLLINS, CO -- Hurricane forecaster William Gray expects an above-average Atlantic hurricane season next year. Gray said he thinks next year will continue a trend of increased hurricane activity in the


Pats to test Browns defense again

While wondering if the Cleveland Browns (3-8) can hold their opponents under 60 points for a second consecutive week, in their defense it has to be said they #39;re in the tougher of the two conferences.


Bookies convinced UEFA Cup betting coup took place

Bookmakers are convinced a betting coup took place surrounding Tuesday #39;s UEFA Cup match between Greek side Panionios and Georgia #39;s Dinamo Tbilisi.


Nairobi summit reaffirms commitments to end landmine-caused <b>...</b>

The Nairobi Summit on a Mine-Free World concluded here Friday with 144 states that have banned antipersonnel mines reaffirming their commitments to end sufferingcaused by the deadly weapons.


Bonds Said Unknowingly Used BALCO Supplements

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - San Francisco Giants slugger  Barry Bonds told a grand jury last year that he unknowingly  used substances at the heart of the BALCO steroid scandal, the  San Francisco Chronicle reported on Friday.


LONDON (Reuters) - World Anti-Doping Agency chief Dick  Pound has called for a hearing into allegations former Olympic  sprint champion Marion Jones used steroids.


Nadal Nails Roddick to Give Spain 2-0 Lead

SEVILLE, Spain (Reuters) - Teenage rookie Rafael Nadal  blunted the world's fastest serve on Friday to beat Andy  Roddick and give Spain a 2-0 lead over the United States in the  Davis Cup final.


SuperGen Tumbles, Intel Up Before Bell

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of SuperGen Inc. SUPG.O  dropped 17 percent before the bell on Monday after the company  said it withdrew an application to market its pancreatic cancer  treatment in the United States due to insufficient data.


CSFB May Cut Jobs as Costs Outstrip Goldman, Lehman (Update1)

Credit Suisse Group, Switzerland #39;s second-biggest bank, may eliminate hundreds of jobs at its securities unit to lower costs that are among the highest on Wall Street, people familiar with the matter said.


Forecaster Sees Fewer Atlantic Hurricanes in 2005

Next year #39;s Atlantic hurricane season will again be more active than usual but is unlikely to be a repeat of this year #39;s disaster, a noted storm forecaster said on Friday.


Heidfeld Happy in Testing

Nick Heidfeld has declared himself happy with his first outings for Williams as he battles to retain his place on the Formula One grid.


Halifax keeps CIS basketball championships

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Halifax will remain as the host city for the men #39;s university basketball championships for the next three years.


Former star Murphy testifies in sex assault trial

HOUSTON - Taking the stand in his own defense, Hall of Fame basketball player Calvin Murphy denied allegations that he sexually abused five of his 10 daughters.


High Court to Hear Cable Internet Case

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court said on  Friday it would decide what regulations should apply to  high-speed broadband Internet service offered by cable  television companies like Time Warner Inc. TWX.N


L-3's Art of the Deal

Aggressive mergers and acquisitions have been troublesome for many companies, but not L-3 Communications.


Trump Lands on Mars

A sweet challenge leads to a sour taste in the mouth of Trump's right-hand woman.


Bally's Bully Tactics Backfire

An enormous number of consumer complaints shows investors why this company is hurting.


High Court to Hear Cable Internet Case (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. Supreme Court said on\Friday it would decide what regulations should apply to\high-speed broadband Internet service offered by cable\television companies like Time Warner Inc.


Wal-Mart Starts Rare Newspaper Ad Blitz

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT.N, hurt by  sluggish sales over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, on Friday  launched a rare advertising blitz in newspapers across the  United States touting price cuts.


CSFB May Cut Jobs as Costs Outstrip Goldman, Lehman (Update3)


Two More Top Nokia Execs Exit

Nokia (NOK1V.HE: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Friday the head of its networks unit had resigned and another top networks executive left, in the second major shake-up


UPDATE 2-Fed #39;s Santomero sees solid growth, measured hikes

The US economy should grow about 4 percent next year, giving the Federal Reserve room to continue raising interest rates at a measured pace, Philadelphia


Walgreen Profit Rises 30.5 Percent

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Walgreen Co. WAG.N, one of the  largest U.S. drugstore chain operators, on Monday posted a 30.5  percent jump in quarterly profit, its largest increase in four  years, boosted by higher sales of prescription drugs and  general merchandise.


Infineon Execs Plead Guilty in DRAM Probe

Individual penalties for the four Infineon executives who pled guilty in a price-fixing scheme follow a record \$160 million fine that Infineon agreed to pay in mid-September stemming from the same investigation.


Sun closer to open source Solaris with draft license

The ostensible confusion within Sun over the relationship between its first-born Solaris and sibling-rival Linux won #39;t be cleared up by the open source license it submitted to the Open Source Initiative (OSI).


MLB, Angelos Have Yet to Reach a Deal

Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos and Major League Baseball had not reached an agreement late last night on a financial package designed to offset the impact the Washington Nationals will have on the franchise.


Former 49er Owens accurately predicted team #39;s impending breakdown

Terrell Owens has been called a lot of names -- most recently, the heedless heathen whose staged embrace of a naked actress signified the nation #39;s moral decline.


Bush asked to nudge Musharraf on Pakistan's democratic future (AFP)

AFP - US President George W. Bush should find out how Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf plans to restore civilian rule in his country during their talks this weekend expected to be dominated by terrorism, analysts say.


SEVILLE, Spain (Reuters) - Teenage rookie Rafael Nadal  blunted the world's fastest serve on Friday to stun Andy  Roddick and give Spain a 2-0 lead over the United States in the  Davis Cup final.


U.S. Aims to Boost Electricity in Iraq to 20 Hours

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States hopes to boost the  availability of electricity throughout Iraq to at least 18  hours a day by the end of next year from 11 to 15 hours now,  the top U.S. aid official said on Friday.


Update 6: Crude Oil Prices Fall Below \$43 a Barrel

Crude oil futures prices fell below \$43 a barrel Friday, extending two days of sharp sell-offs as worries about low winter fuel inventories dissipate amid rising supplies.


SuperGen Tumbles, Intel Up Before Bell (Reuters)

Reuters - Shares of SuperGen Inc. \dropped 17 percent before the bell on Monday after the company\said it withdrew an application to market its pancreatic cancer\treatment in the United States due to insufficient data.


Infineon execs get jail time in price-fixing case

Four senior executives of German chipmaker Infineon agreed to jail time and steep fines for their role in a scheme to fix prices in the memory chip market, the US Department of Justice said Thursday.


Eagles Set for Pack Attack

Dec. 3, 2004 - Of the six teams the Packers have beaten during their winning streak, only Minnesota has a winning record. The Packers get a true gauge of their standing Sunday at Philadelphia.


IBM to Put Its PC Business Up for Sale

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - IBM IBM.N is looking to sell  its personal computer business in a deal that could be worth up  to \$2 billion, The New York Times reported on Friday, capping a  gradual withdrawal from the business it pioneered.


Why Else Would Wood Leave?

The PalmSource chief financial officer jumps ship. Does that mean it's sinking?


Forget IBM

Forget about IBM and all the other dinosaurs. But remember the investment lessons they offer.


U.S.'s Snow Won't Discuss His Job Future (Reuters)

Reuters - Treasury Secretary John Snow on\Friday said that any discussion about whether he continues in\his post or quits was a matter between himself and President\Bush.


Fired Broker Sues Morgan Stanley (Reuters)

Reuters - A fired female broker has sued Morgan\Stanley  for alleged sex discrimination, barely four\months after the investment bank agreed to pay  #36;54 million to\settle a landmark bias case.


Former native residential school students can sue as a class: appeal court (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Ontario's highest court has given the go-ahead for the first class-action lawsuit by former students of a native residential school.


SEC Could Slow Aggressive Rulemaking Pace (AP)

AP - Spurred to action by a wave of scandals that rolled through corporate America and the mutual fund industry, the Securities and Exchange Commission could slow its aggressive rulemaking pace in coming months as internal dissension and outside pressures intensify.


Danforth Quit U.N. Post to Return to Mo. (AP)

AP - U.S. Ambassador John Danforth said Friday he took himself out of the running for any job in President Bush's second term because he wanted to go home to Missouri.


Sudan War Marked Danforth's U.N. Tenure (AP)

AP - During his five months at the United Nations, U.S. Ambassador John Danforth has focused on one goal: bringing peace to Sudan, which has been engulfed in war for 21 years.


ETA Returns with Five Bombs in Madrid, No Injuries

MADRID (Reuters) - Bomb explosions hit five petrol stations  in the Madrid area on Friday after a telephoned warning from  armed Basque separatist group ETA, police said.


Stocks Flat as Jobs Number Offsets Intel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were little changed on  Friday as a disappointing jobs report was offset by strength in  tech stocks, after bellwether Intel Corp. INTC.O shot 6  percent higher after raising its sales forecast.


Appeals Court Rejects ABB Ltd.'s \$1.2 Billion Asbestos Settlement Plan

A federal appeals court has rejected a \$1.2 billion asbestos settlement plan for ABB Ltd., a setback for restructuring efforts by the Swiss-Swedish engineering company.


EADS Offers to Split Deal With Boeing

Airbus SAS's parent company has proposed splitting a contested U.S. Air Force contract for refueling tankers with its rival Boeing Co., the company said Friday.


Automakers Telling the Same Tale

The top two U.S. automakers continue to deal with declining sales while the little guy grows.


Ukrainian Justices, in Show of Independence, Order New Runoff

Ukraine's Supreme Court ordered that a new runoff vote between the two main challengers take place by Dec. 26.


Explosions Reported in Madrid After Warning

Bomb explosions hit five petrol stations in the Madrid area on Friday after a telephoned warning from armed Basque separatist group ETA, police said.


Pennington to Start

Jets quarterback Chad Pennington will start Sunday's game against the Houston Texans after sitting out the last three contests with a strained right rotator cuff.


McDonald #39;s CEO says strategy unchanged

McDonald #39;s (MCD) newly appointed Chief Executive Jim Skinner said Friday that there would be no change in strategy at the fast-food chain and a recent physical showed he is in good health.


Major Atlantic hurricane season forecast

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Hurricane forecasters are calling for an above-average Atlantic hurricane season again next year after one of the most destructive seasons on record.