Mud flies as Iraqis kick off campaign

The Iraqi election season officially kicked off yesterday, and the mudslinging started right away. Iraq #39;s defense minister, an ally of Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, blasted


Petrino out, Miles eyed in LSU's search for Saban's successor

Fresh off a victory in the Liberty Bowl, Louisville coach Bobby Petrino withdrew from consideration for the job at Louisiana State yesterday.


ABN AMRO Leads European Shares Higher (Reuters)

Reuters - European shares opened firmer on\Thursday led by ABN AMRO as investors applauded the savings the\Dutch broker will make from cutting jobs.


Saudis Set Up Checkpoints Ahead of Protest (AP)

AP - Police set up checkpoints and checked identity cards Thursday along streets leading to the area in the Saudi capital where anti-monarchists were expected to try to hold an illegal demonstration called by an exiled dissident.


Lakers' Bryant Would Apologize to Shaq (AP)

AP - Lakers star Kobe Bryant wants to apologize to former teammate Shaquille O'Neal for mentioning his name during a police interview last year.


Houston Astros Hope Wireless Is A Hit (TechWeb)

TechWeb - Baseball team keeps its eye on the technology ball by assembling an outside IT team to deploy Wi-Fi for fans.


Indonesia on alert after warnings of terrorist attack (AFP)

AFP - Indonesia was on high alert after British and Australian warnings of a terrorist attack before Christmas amid fears that Islamic militants wanted for the Bali bombings are poised to strike again.


Pronger, McKenzie Eye Hockey in 2006 (AP)

AP - NHL veteran Jim McKenzie thought about accepting a salary cap during the last lockout 10 years ago.


Social Security a Priority for White House (AP)

AP - THE PROBLEM: Social Security faces a  #36;3.7 trillion shortfall over 75 years.


British Cities Become Wildlife Safe Havens (Reuters)

Reuters - Britain's town and cities have become\key survival safe havens for the country's endangered wildlife,\according to a new survey published on Thursday.


Operating under cover

Brown ground. Fast grass. Except for on the tip of Cape Cod, it doesn't really look like skiing or boarding conditions around these parts.


Forgotten Stewart still waiting for his chance

Last night marked the first anniversary of Danny Ainge's bold, six-player trade with Cleveland in which Ricky Davis was the obvious attraction. The move generated plenty of controversy at the time, eventually cost the Celtics the services of Jim O'Brien and Dick Harter , ended a five-game winning streak, and now only Davis remains on the active roster of either ...


Top Iraq official shot dead

Gunmen shoot and kill a senior official in Iraq's communication ministry on his way to work in Baghdad.


A spot for Harvard, NU

Harvard running back Clifton Dawson, a sophomore, was named to the Associated Press Division 1-AA All-America football team yesterday.


An advantage? Good question

The NFL season has primarily been an exercise in watching the Patriots and Steelers dismantle their opposition on a weekly basis, and then trying to predict which one will blink first and lose home field for a possible playoff game.


Colombia captures rebel 'envoy'

Colombian security forces arrest a man they say  was in charge of the Farc  guerrillas' international ties.


Competition is sight for Clement

The Red Sox are one of seven teams that have an offer on the table to righthander Matt Clement , who came up in the Padres' system with Theo Epstein and remains one of the most attractive pitching options left on the market despite a career record under .500.


BALCO head Conte hit with suit from Jones

Olympic track star Marion Jones filed a defamation lawsuit yesterday against BALCO head Victor Conte, who told a national TV audience that he gave her steroids and watched her inject herself with them.


Mountain climbing

Leaving Beaver Creek, Colo., for Europe two weeks ago, Bode Miller had earned the distinction of being the best ski racer of the young World Cup season, and most signs were pointing toward extraordinary heights.


Transactions

BASEBALL Arizona (NL): Signed SS Craig Counsell. Boston (AL): Signed SS Edgar Renteria and P John Halama. Chicago (NL): Named Grady Little special assistant in player development and minor league roving catching instructor, and Randy Bush special assistant to the vice president and general manager. Cincinnati (NL): Signed Ps David Weathers and Ben Weber. Colorado (NL): Signed OF Reggie Taylor ...


Players: Gloomy outlook

NHL veterans Chris Pronger and Jim McKenzie think this lockout is far worse than the one that wiped out half a season 10 years ago.


Langer launches Aussie fightback

Justin Langer hits a century to help Australia reach 220-5 at tea on day one of the first Test in Perth.


Drugs from anywhere

FREEPORT, Bahamas -- At the back of the steel warehouse, pharmacists in lab coats are fetching bottles of prescription drugs from dimly lit shelves. They bear labels in French, Spanish, and Italian. Some come from New Zealand, 8,225 miles away.


Bombing mars launch of political campaign in Iraq

BAGHAD -- The Iraqi political campaign officially kicked off yesterday, colored by hope but tempered by violence that highlighted security concerns leading up to the national election set for Jan. 30.


Hijackers surrender in Athens bus standoff

ATHENS -- Two armed Albanian hijackers surrendered and released their hostages early today, 18 hours after seizing a bus in an Athens suburb and threatening to blow it up if authorities did not pay a ransom.


Militants beat man thought to be from US

HENDALA, Sri Lanka -- Day after day, locked in a cement room somewhere in Iraq, the hooded men beat him. They told him he would be beheaded. ''Ameriqi! quot; they shouted, even though he comes from this poor Sri Lankan fishing village.


Britain's Blair left with political headache after key minister resigns (AFP)

AFP - British Prime Minister Tony Blair was leaving for a key summit after a rapid and deeply unwelcome reorganisation of his government following the resignation of respected interior minister David Blunkett.


Top witness in Indonsian Bashir trial withdraws confession (AFP)

AFP - Indonesian prosecutors' bid to link a radical Muslim cleric to bomb attacks suffered another setback when a key witness withdrew a confession tying the militant to a regional extremist group.


Regulators Probing Tips on Offerings -WSJ

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. regulators are looking into  whether Wall Street firms are providing insider information on  upcoming offerings, either on purpose or inadvertently, the  Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.


Sprint, Nextel agree to join forces as No. 3 cellphone carrier in <b>...</b>

The freewheeling wireless industry, known for its upstarts and edgy competition, got a little more run-of-the-mill Wednesday when Sprint and Nextel Communications formally announced a merger


Web access on jets may grow

Seeking to speed the delivery of new communications services to US airline passengers, the government yesterday paved the way for at least one company to compete


YUKOS Surrenders to the Allies

Yesterday morning YUKOS filed an application in a bankruptcy court in Houston, Texas for restructuring according to American laws.


CPP board tabs Denison

TORONTO -- David Denison, current president of Fidelity Investments Canada, is taking over in January as the president and chief executive of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.


HP, Intel dissolve Itanium partnership

Hewlett-Packard Co., the No. 2 maker of personal computers, is retreating from its involvement in developing the Itanium computer chip with Intel Corp.


Seeking a little iPod 101? A few tips on this hot gift

Millions of people will buy or receive Apple Computers iPod digital-music players this holiday season. They are beautifully designed and easy to use.


Call him Jolly Ol #39; St. Rick

It took all of about five minutes of an introductory press conference Wednesday at Heritage Hall for USC basketball to gain something it never really had before.


Johnson lifts Suns past Jazz

Every other Suns starter has had his turn to shine in this season #39;s supernova. It was just a matter of time before Johnson stepped into the role of leading man, too.


Setting sights on Delgado

Fresh off the Pedro Martinez signing, the Mets didn #39;t waste much time before moving on to their next order of business. A baseball official with knowledge of the team #39;s plans


Duke women take life out of Gamecocks, crowd

The place known as much for its  quot;airball quot; chants as the winning basketball that is played there was silent when Shanika Freeman #39;s shot failed to hit the rim Wednesday night.


Comparisons inevitable in draft-day rematch

It will be a Saturday afternoon soap opera, with the man the Giants vowed to have and to hold and the one they left at the altar crossing paths on the floor of Giants Stadium.


It's a fitting honor for school's finest

He was an unparalleled star of his day, throwing touchdown passes, swatting home runs, and swishing baskets at Lynn Classical. Aristotle George Agganis, whose mother called him "Ari" and friends dubbed "Harry," was recruited in 1948 by football powerhouses including Notre Dame, but the Greek boy from Lynn chose to stay close to home at Boston University, where he instantly ...


Fed Raises Interest Rate to 2.25 Percent

The Federal Reserve pushed US interest rates up by a modest quarter-percentage point on Tuesday and expressed confidence that inflation could be kept at bay by slowly lifting credit costs from rock-bottom levels.


ABN AMRO Leads European Shares Higher

European shares opened firmer on Thursday led by ABN AMRO as investors applauded the savings the Dutch broker will make from cutting jobs.


Johnson  amp; Johnson buys Guidant for \$24 billion

US health titan Johnson and Johnson has reached a deal to acquire US heart device manufacturer Guidant Corporation, in a stock-and-cash deal valued at \$23.9 billion, based on \$76 a share, the companies said in a statement early this morning.


Euro, pound see slight rise on greenback

LONDON (CBS.MW) -- The dollar dropped sharply against the yen on Wednesday in Tokyo after the release of Bank of Japan #39;s tankan survey.


Casino deals itself short as IPO pops 61

Shares of casino operator Las Vegas Sands (LVS) jumped \$17.56, or 61, to \$46.56 in their first day of trading, hearkening back to the heady 1990s when initial public offerings would surge out of sight on their debut.


Ending will be far from perfect

NEW ORLEANS -- Poor Auburn. A 12-0 record and Southeastern Conference title would be enough to make the Tigers a front-runner for the national title most years -- or at least cause a spirited debate about who's No. 1.


Web Surfers Flock To Family #39;s  #39;Out Of Control #39; Holiday Display

Not only does he have 17,000 holiday lights on his Lafayette, Colo., house, he #39;s rigged up an interactive Web site to let virtual visitors turn the lights off and on with the click of a mouse.


This one has star quality

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The Bowl Championship Series national championship matchup between No. 1 Southern California and No. 2 Oklahoma in Tuesday night's Orange Bowl is rich with tradition.


Hawkeye heroics go a long way

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Warren Holloway has quite a story to tell at his next family reunion in Chicago.


Blunkett quits after Whitehall report

DAVID BLUNKETT resigned last night after an inquiry found his office was involved in  quot;fast-tracking quot; his ex-lover Kimberly Quinn #39;s nanny #39;s application to stay in Britain.


Iraqi minister accuses Iran of orchestrating insurgency to <b>...</b>

IRAQS national election campaign kicked off yesterday with angry accusations that Iran was masterminding the continuing insurgency in an effort to undermine democracy and bring about clerical rule.


Venezuelans Recall Catastrophic Floods

Five years after catastrophic floods and mudslides killed thousands along Venezuela's Caribbean coast, survivors in this town still see the signs of destruction - shattered concrete walls and tall weeds growing atop streets covered in dried mud.


US Recognizes Yukos Right for Court Protection

Boucher, asked during the press briefing whether the US government planned to get involved in the case, said, In terms of reaction, I think Id just have to say that Yukos management has the right to pursue any legal remedies it determines are in


Fiat and GM in secret talks

Fiat #39;s chief executive, Sergio Marchionne, yesterday pressed Rick Wagoner, General Motors chairman, to take over the struggling Italian group at secret talks.


Johnson  amp; Johnson to Pay \$25.4 Billion for Guidant

Johnson  amp; Johnson agreed to acquire Guidant Corp. for \$25.4 billion, adding electrical devices for treating heart disease to a lineup of thousands of health products including Band-Aids and cardiac stents.


Fannie Mae must restate its earnings

The staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission has ordered Fannie Mae, the nation #39;s largest buyer of mortgages, to restate its earnings over the last


United Technologies to Buy UK #39;s Kidde for \$2.8 Bln (Update5)

United Technologies Corp., which offers security services through its Chubb unit, agreed to buy UK fire-protection company Kidde Plc for \$2.8 billion in cash to expand its range of building-services products.


Intel acquires chip designers from HP

SAN JOSE, Calif. Intel has reached an agreement to hire hundreds of Hewlett-Packard engineers who helped design the Itanium microprocessor.


Apple Unveils iPod Photo  amp; U2 iPod in India

Apple has launched two new variations of the iPod - the Apple iPod Photo and the U2 iPod. A digital music player with a high-resolution color screen, the iPod Photo can hold up to 25,000 digital photos, alongside a music library.


Win a Limited Edition of MechAssault 2

With the release of MechAssault 2 looming for Xbox, Microsoft has kicked-off what could very well be the easiest competition you #39;ll ever encounter.


McLEISH OFFERS NO EXCUSES

Rangers manager Alex McLeish admitted his side had blown the perfect opportunity to reach the last 32 of the UEFA Cup. Rangers needed only a draw at home to Auxerre to qualify from Group F but were sunk 2-0


Britain #39;s Blair left with political headache after key minister <b>...</b>

LONDON (AFP) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair was leaving for a key summit after a rapid and deeply unwelcome reorganisation of his government following the resignation of respected interior minister David Blunkett.


Explosion marks first day of Iraq campaigns

Violence marred Iraq #39;s first official day of parliamentary election campaigning Wednesday as interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi announced his candidacy for the Jan. 30


Indonesia orders security clampdown after terror attack warnings

JAKARTA: Indonesian authorities on Thursday ordered a nationwide security crackdown after several foreign governments warned that terrorists were preparing to launch attacks against Western targets ahead of Christmas.


China urged not to forget poorer neighbours

Booming China has been urged to help its poorer neighbours by Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, who said a larger role by the nascent giant could boost development and improve regional security.


Court of appeal to make key ruling on terror suspects' detention (AFP)

AFP - Britain's highest court of appeal was due to rule on whether foreign nationals can be detained indefinitely without trial in the country, a case with sweeping constitutional and security implications.


Great Whites kill teen on surfboard in second Australian shark attack (AFP)

AFP - Two Great White sharks attacked and killed a teenage boy on a surfboard off a packed beach as his horrified friends looked on, in Australia's second fatal shark attack in five days.


London opens with gains on bid flurry

London equities opened in positive territory on Thursday as a raft of bid news helped lift sentiment on the market. The FTSE 100 started trade up 0.3 per cent at 4,740.1 and the mid-cap FTSE 250 stayed flat at 6,755.7.


Heating oil demand fuels price hike

Oil prices blasted higher yesterday, surging above \$44 a barrel after government data showed a slight decline in crude and heating oil supplies as a Northeast cold snap drove up fuel demand.


Bush to send signal on strong dollar

US President George W Bush has said he intends to  #39;send a signal #39; to financial markets that he is serious about a strong dollar by tackling the US budget deficit.


Latest Zafi Worm Wreaking Holiday E-Mail Havoc

The Zafi.D worm, which disguises itself as an e-mail holiday greeting, is currently the most frequently detected worldwide virus, software security company Panda Software said this week.


SAP offers automated security-check service

SAP on Wednesday unveiled a service, SAP Security Optimization, that offers automated security-configuration checks for customers #39; software.


Defoe pitches in for pal Joe (AFP)

AFP - Jermain Defoe has urged Tottenham to snap up his old West Ham team-mate Joe Cole who is out of favour with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.


Finish line, December 16

Olympics track athlete Marion Jones filed a defamation lawsuit Wednesday against Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative founder Victor Conte, who told a national television audience he gave her steroids and watched her inject herself with them.


Jets: Edwards says Pennington is still hurting

Jets coach Herman Edwards said yesterday that Chad Pennington still has some discomfort in his right arm, lingering effects of a strained rotator cuff.


Bryant offers an apology to O #39;Neal

Kobe Bryant apologized to Shaquille O #39;Neal on television Wednesday and would like to do so again in person for telling Eagle County, Colo.


Greek hijack siege ends peacefully

A Greek bus hostage siege has ended peacefully as all 23 passengers were freed and as police revealed the two armed Albanian hijackers had been bluffing when they threatened to blow up the bus.


EU Leaders Poised To Offer Entry Talks To Turkey

EU leaders were poised on Thursday to set a date to start accession talks with Turkey, as Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Brussels in an optimistic mood for a spate of last-minute diplomacy.


Pakistan urges China not to forget poorer neighours

Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz today urged booming China to help poorer neighbours, saying a larger role by the nascent giant could boost development and improve regional security.


Teen surfer killed by two sharks

A young Australian surfer has been killed in a horrifying attack by two great white sharks at a popular Adelaide beach, the second fatal attack in five days, rescue officials and witnesses say.


Shi #39;ites bombed as Iraq poll campaign begins

A bomb near a Shi #39;ite shrine has killed eight people and a fierce attack on Iran by a minister fuelled fears of sectarian strife as campaigning began for Iraq #39;s first election since Saddam Hussein #39;s fall.


Latest Zafi Worm Wreaking Holiday E-Mail Havoc (Reuters)

Reuters - The Zafi.D worm, which disguises\itself as an e-mail holiday greeting, is currently the most\frequently detected worldwide virus, software security company\Panda Software said this week.


Australian Teen Surfer Killed by 2 Sharks (AP)

AP - Two great white sharks attacked and killed a surfer while his friends watched in horror Thursday off a popular beach in the southern Australian city of Adelaide, authorities said.


Thai Zoo to Be Charged Over Illegal Orangutan (Reuters)

Reuters - The owners of a Bangkok amusement park\will be charged with importing endangered animals illegally\after DNA tests confirmed a group of orangutan had not been\born in Thailand, forestry police said Thursday.


Taiwan sparks Japan-China row

China warns Japan its granting of a sight-seeing visa to former Taiwan president Lee Teng-hui will harm ties.


It's career day for Pingree's Lloyd

Pingree's David Lloyd matched his career high of 34 points in the second half alone as he totaled a school-record 61 points yesterday in a 78-68 win over host Cambridge School of Weston. Lloyd, a senior guard, added nine assists and four steals.


J amp;J to buy Guidant for \$25.4bn

Johnson  amp; Johnson last night struck a deal to acquire Guidant, the US cardiac treatment group for \$25.4bn, in a move that will give it access to one of the fastest growing areas in health care.


ABN Amro to cut 2,800 jobs

AMSTERDAM, DECEMBER 16: Dutch financial group ABN AMRO said on Thursday it would cut 2,850 jobs in a restructuring in which it broadens group shared services (GSS) and refines its wholesale clients business unit.


Apple ships Mac OS X update

The 26MB upgrade to version 10.3.6 is available now via the OS #39; Software Update control panel and from Apple #39;s support web site.


quot;MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf quot; goes gold

Hot on the heels of Microsoft #39;s reigning king, Halo 2, comes the latest time killer, MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf. The sequel to the popular Xbox Live launch title is in the bag and will be in store shevles December 28.


McCoist blasts  #39;powder-puff #39; Gers

Former Rangers star Ally McCoist has described the current team as powder-puff following their UEFA Cup exit last night. Alex McLeishs side needed only a draw at home to Auxerre to progress to the last 32 but lost 2-0.


Expos move in jeopardy

WASHINGTON - Baseballs response to Washingtons lawmakers was strong, swift and ominous. Or, as Mayor Anthony A. Williams put it: The dream of 33 years is now once again close to dying.


Expos #39; relocation to Washington in peril

NEW YORK - Washington #39;s new baseball team shut down business and promotional operations indefinitely Wednesday as its move to the nation #39;s capital teetered on the brink of collapse.


Jets #39; failing  #39;O #39; is a sore spot

The Jets have big problems on offense. The quarterback has a sore throwing shoulder and some of his teammates have sore feelings. Chad Pennington, who returned two weeks ago from a strained


RUSSIA * ROSGIDROMET * KYOTO * OPINION

BUENOS AIRES, December 16 (RIA Novosti #39;s Yuri Nikolayev) - The mechanisms for compliance with the Kyoto Protocol are not focused on cutting greenhouse gas emissions yet, Alexander Bedritsky, head of the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and


Ruling due on terror detentions

Nine Law Lords are set to a make a major ruling on the extent to which the government can restrict human rights in its bid to combat terrorism.


Turning the Holidays Green

Looking for an eco-friendly gift for that special tree-hugger in your life? This guide has you covered, right down to the wrapping paper. By Lewis Wallace.


SEC advises Fannie Mae to restate earnings; \$9bn at stake

NEW YORK, December 16 (newratings.com) - According to a report in the Washington Post today, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has advised Fannie Mae (FNM.


MechAssault 2: Where everything is destructible

Gamers already eager to tear down their enemies with heavy weaponry have now become even more desperate. Microsoft Game Studios has announced that MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf for Xbox has gone gold and will be


Pedro exit official: Passes physical, set to join Mets

Pedro Martinez, who replaced Roger Clemens on the Fenway Park mound in the late  #39;90s, has now matched the Rocket in Red Sox stats, schedule annals as the free agent pitcher who got away.


Greece Appeals for Calm after Bungled Hijack Ends Peacefully

The Greek government appealed for calm today, fearing a public backlash against immigrants following the bungled bus hijacking by two Albanian gunmen.


Festive Season Brings Terror Warning Regarding Indonesia

The Australian government has warned that terrorists may try to bomb a Hilton hotel in Indonesia, and it is urging Australian citizens to stay away


Incumbent Mesic Leads Presidential Race in Croatia

ZAGREB, Croatia (Reuters) - Croatians voted for president  Sunday, with liberal incumbent Stjepan Mesic expected to win a  second term and help shepherd the former Yugoslav republic's  planned 2009 entry into the European Union.


Full Extent of Indonesia Disaster Slowly Revealed

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (Reuters) - Survivors huddle in  clearings without food or shelter above the water-damage line  all along the tsunami-ravaged coast of Indonesia's Aceh  province, and corpses float miles out to sea.


A boy named Tsunami Roy (Reuters)

Reuters - Six-day-old Tsunami Roy doesn't know what all the fuss about him is, as he hungrily suckles at his mother's breast before dropping off for a contented nap.


Retail sales show festive fervour

UK retail sales are better than expected in November as Christmas shoppers flock  to the High Street.


Blair calls for long-term effort to overcome 'global catastrophe' (AFP)

AFP - Prime Minister Tony Blair called for a long-term effort from the international community to help overcome the tsunami tragedy in Asia which he said was a "global catastrophe".


China's Local Growth Economy Still Strong (AP)

AP - China's investment in construction and factory equipment, a key growth indicator, slowed slightly in November on lower public spending, but local-level investments surged, the government reported Thursday.


HK delays Link REIT by 3 days (TheDeal.com)

TheDeal.com - The offering, which would be the world's largest this year, is now scheduled to float Dec. 20.


Bankruptcy plan  #39;will not deter #39; Yukos sale

YUKOS shareholders gave warning yesterday that the oil giants attempt to seek bankruptcy protection in the US was unlikely to prevent the Russian Government-ordered


Retail sales show festive fervour

UK retail sales were better than expected in November as Christmas shoppers began their seasonal flock to the High Street, figures show.


All new chips multicore, says Intel

Intel has confirmed that in future all its chips will be multicore and has revealed additional desktop, server and mobile processor plans.


DoCoMo to Offer Overseas Roaming-Capable 3G Phones (Reuters)

Reuters - Top Japanese wireless carrier NTT DoCoMo\(9437.T) said on Thursday it would launch a 3G phone equipped\for use overseas and including a video conferencing function,\getting a leg-up on its closest rival, KDDI Corp. (9433.T).


Skiles ejected, Bulls respond

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Although the Bulls have yet to record back-to-back victories, they quietly are putting together a solid stretch of games.


Oracle may feel PeopleSoft's pain (TheDeal.com)

TheDeal.com - After one of the most bitter takeovers in corporate history, the challenge is to stitch the two companies together.


Greece fears racist backlash

THE Greek government has appealed for calm, fearing a public backlash against immigrants living in the country following the bus hijacking by two Albanian gunmen.


US fears Iranian influence in Iraqi elections

Kicking off his country #39;s first democratic election campaign Wednesday, Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi declared his own candidacy, saying the country can handle the challenge.


Koivu Says Next NHL Season Also at Risk -- Paper

HELSINKI (Reuters) - The prospects of saving the National  Hockey League (NHL) season are grim and unless owners and  players start talking soon to end a lockout the 2005-2006  season is also at risk, Montreal's Saku Koivu said.


Humanoid robot learns how to run

Honda's new, improved Asimo robot is able to run, interact with people and shake his hips.


Nintendo DS plays music and video

Nintendo is making a media add-on for its DS game console that will let it play music and video.


DoCoMo to Offer Overseas Roaming-Capable 3G Phones

TOKYO (Reuters) - Top Japanese wireless carrier NTT DoCoMo  9437.T said on Thursday it would launch a 3G phone equipped  for use overseas and including a video conferencing function,  getting a leg-up on its closest rival, KDDI Corp. 9433.T.


Alleged Bin Laden Tape Criticizes Saudis (AP)

AP - A man identified as Osama bin Laden bitterly criticized the Saudi regime in an audiotape posted on an Islamic Web site on Thursday.


EU Leaders Poised to Offer Entry Talks to Turkey

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan  urged the European Union on Thursday to open its doors to  non-Christians after French President Jacques Chirac made a  vibrant appeal to bring Turkey into the EU.


Top UK Court Rejects Anti-Terror Detention Policy

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's highest court ruled on  Thursday against the detention of foreign terrorism suspects  without trial, in a major judgment on how far human rights can  be restricted in the "war on terror."


Tankan suggests why Japan hasn #39;t intervened in forex

TOKYO (CBS.MW) - The Bank of Japan #39;s latest tankan survey shows why Japan can afford to wait, and did not fight the yen #39;s strength against the dollar with currency intervention.


UK shoppers hit the streets in November

British retail sales rose much more than expected in November, driven by strength across nearly all categories running into the key Christmas holiday shopping season.


Dutch bank unveils 4,000 job cuts

The Netherlands #39; biggest bank ABN AMRO says it is cutting more than 4,000 back office and information technology staff as it aims to bring its cost base in line with its competitors.


EUROPE MARKETS

LONDON (CBS.MW) -- European stocks nudged higher Thursday, boosted by investors applauding cost cutting initiatives at Dutch bank ABN Amro and overnight gains from US shares.


Helicopters reach isolated Aceh

US helicopters start dropping food and medical supplies into parts of quake-ravaged western Aceh.


Preview: Steelers vs. Giants

Rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has made the New York Giants #39; decision to acquire top overall draft pick Eli Manning instead of him look like a bad one, at least in the short term.


Retail sales stronger than expected

Improved sales of household goods, clothing, footwear and food helped retail sales increase 0.6 per cent in November, increasing the likelihood of higher interest rates next year.


Tas university to play role in Saturn mission

The University of Tasmania will be part of a mission to Saturn #39;s largest moon in the new year. The university #39;s two radio telescopes will track the space probe Huygens as it decends into the moon #39;s atmosphere.


Fannie Mae 'should restate books'

US mortgage company Fannie Mae should restate its earnings, a move that is likely to put a billion-dollar dent in its accounts, watchdogs say


P2P Battle Reaches FTC

The trade commission hears what's right and wrong with file sharing, but there's no guarantee it will institute regulations. Michael Grebb reports from Washington.


Inside the Mac Revolution

Twenty years on, one of the engineers who helped create the Mac writes his memoirs. But programmer Andy Hertzfeld's account is no dry paean to code: It's funny, engaging and deeply human. Wired News interview by Leander Kahney.


Give Your Home a Brain for X-mas

X10's ActiveHome Pro modules let you turn your ordinary household lamps and appliances into smart devices that go on and off according to your habits. Product review by Amit Asaravala.


Media Wish List for 2005

Our columnist Adam L. Penenberg wishes he could snap his fingers and change the media landscape for the better. Among his 2005 wishes: getting bloggers to actually break news, abolishing the FCC and making news organizations watchdogs again.


Another Viewtiful Day

Capcom's Viewtiful Joe 2 offers a graphically impressive old-school beat-'em-up experience with unmatched stylistic flair. Game review by Chris Kohler.


Prepping to Pull the Plug on GPS

Tucked into the Bush administration's space policy is a plan to take the global positioning system offline temporarily during a national emergency. The goal: preventing terrorists from using the navigational technology.


Stocky Monkey in Himalayas Becomes Newest Primate Species

Scientists from India working in the Himalayas have discovered a new species of monkey.


When Shots Ring Out, a Listening Device Acts as Witness

Police agencies around the country may soon be able to equip street corners with microphones and video cameras to fight gun-related crime.


In Theaters Soon: 'My Winter Vacation'

Video cameras with three charge-coupled devices, or C.C.D.'s, can produce broadcast-quality images unattainable with a single-C.C.D. model. A look at four cameras.


Sprint buys Nextel for \$35 billion

The boards of both the US telecoms giant Sprint Corp and mobile phone operator Nextel Communications Inc have announced their intention to create the third largest mobile operator in the US, in a deal worth \$35 billion.


Time will pay \$510m in AOL settlement

TIME WARNER has agreed to pay \$510 million (262 million) to settle claims that America Online (AOL), its internet division, overstated its earnings capacity.


Fannie Mae  #39;should restate books #39;

US mortgage company Fannie Mae should restate its earnings, a move that is likely to put a billion-dollar dent in its accounts, watchdogs have said.


UK Retail Sales Rose More Than Expected in November (Update3)

Sales at British retailers rose a greater-than-expected 0.6 percent in November, led by household goods, clothing and footwear, as stores including Marks  amp; Spencer Group Plc offered discounts to lure holiday shoppers.


SAP offers new system security service

Business software supplier SAP is offering customers a new service to ensure the security of their SAP systems, the company said on Wednesday.


Nintendo adds media playing to DS

Nintendo is releasing an adapter for its DS handheld console so it can play music and video. The add-on for the DS means people can download TV programmes, film clips or MP3 files to the adaptor and then play them back while on the move.


India's parliament speaker threatens to quit (AFP)

AFP - The speaker of India's parliament has threatened to resign, saying some members' accusations that he was behaving like a "dictator" had caused him agony.


Hijackers of Greece Bus Surrender

The government asked its citizens not to retaliate against immigrants Thursday, a day after two Albanian gunmen hijacked a bus. The 18-hour standoff near Athens ended peacefully early Thursday after police


Bin Laden tape lays blame for Saudi unrest on regime

DUBAI (AFP) - An audiotape message attributed to top terror mastermind Osama bin Laden and broadcast on an Islamist website laid the blame for the unrest in Saudi Arabia on the kingdom #39;s regime.


World Racked by Political, Social 'Evil' -- Pope

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Social and political evil is  spreading through the world, causing war, injustice, violence  and desperation, Pope John Paul said in his annual peace  message on Thursday.


Baby turtle gives species hope

A baby spiny turtle has hatched  in Jersey, giving conservationists fresh hope for the endangered species.


Local telecoms

The area #39;s three major communication equipment makers said Wednesday they are optimistic about the proposed merger of Sprint Corp.


Suicide Bomber Kills 18 Iraqi Troops, 1 Civilian

BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) - A suicide car bomber hit a bus  carrying Iraqi National Guards on Sunday, killing 19 people in  the deadliest attack of its kind in nearly four months on  Iraqis cooperating with U.S. forces to secure a Jan. 30  election.


Bush vows to reduce huge deficits

US President George W Bush pledged on Wednesday to work with Congress to reduce the US #39; huge deficits, to assure markets that his administration supports a strong dollar.


CSM off after planning to sell sugar unit for 850m euro

LONDON (CBS.MW) -- CSM (NL:33426) eased 0.8 percent after saying it expects to sell its sugar confectionary unit for 850 million euros to private equity investor CVC Capital Partners.


Rains bring new misery to Sri Lanka tsunami victims (Reuters)

Reuters - Torrential rains brought fresh hardship to tsunami survivors in eastern Sri Lanka on Sunday, flooding refugee camps, forcing the evacuation of at least one and leaving others dotted with stagnant pools.


New Simian species found in Arunachal

India has once again proved itself as the land of contradictions as scientists have now discovered a new species of monkey in Arunachal Pradesh, despite the fact that India has some of the fastest retreating forest lands.


SAP launches remote security service

SAP AG has extended the scope of the SAP Active Global Support customer service portfolio with the addition of SAP Security Optimization, a remote service that investigates SAP systems for security vulnerabilities and proposes an action plan.


Magnificient Langer rescues Australia

Justin Langer batted all day for a superb unbeaten 181 as Australia reached 8 for 357 at stumps on day one of the first Test against Pakistan at the WACA on Thursday.


ENGLISH CRICKETS NEW TV DEAL

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has agreed a deal with pay-TV operator Sky Sports for all home Test matches, one-day internationals, Twenty20 and county action.


Purported new bin Laden tape surfaces

A new audiotape purportedly from Osama bin Laden appeared on Arabic Web sites Thursday, with the voice on the tape saying the current instability in Saudi Arabia is due to the regime there.


Distrust dominates Iraq election

BAGHDAD, Iraq - On the first official day of campaigning for the Jan. 30 elections in violence-racked Iraq, candidates were trying to figure out how to woo the voters.


Henin-Hardenne Ready for Comeback in Exhibition

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Former world number one Justine  Henin-Hardenne will return to action in an exhibition match  this weekend after being out for three months with exhaustion.


EU to Lift U.S. Sanctions Jan. 1

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission is sticking  with its plan to lift sanctions on \$4 billion worth of U.S.  goods on Jan. 1 following Washington's repeal of illegal export  tax subsidies in October, a spokeswoman said on Thursday.


Johnson   Johnson to Acquire Guidant

Johnson   Johnson will acquire the cardiac device manufacturer for \$25.4 billion. The acquisition is the largest business deal in J J's 118-year history


Sprint, Nextel Detail Merger Agreement

Sprint and Nextel formally announced a \$35 billion merger agreement Wednesday and gave details on how the corporate combination would affect employees and consumers. -The Washington Post


Dollar Eases Toward Record Low Vs. Euro

LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar eased toward last week's  record low against the euro on Thursday after capital inflows  data added to worries the United States may struggle to fund  its current account deficit.


Web access in sky set to take off

The dream of bidding on an eBay auction, sending an e-mail or even making a cell phone call while 30,000 feet in the air came one step closer to reality yesterday.


Netherlands CSM Sells Candy Operations

Dutch bakery ingredients company CSM NV said Thursday it will sell its candy business to investment company CVC Capital Partners Ltd.


Corus Expects First Full-Year Profit on Rising Prices (Update2)

Corus Group Plc, the UK #39;s biggest steelmaker, expects to report its first full-year profit after increasing prices four times since January.


Grocery outlook grimmer

The grocery workers union representing about 19,000 members in the Sacramento Valley have terminated a contract extension with Safeway, Albertson #39;s and Ralphs, increasing the threat of a strike at stores throughout Northern California.


You can #39;t move for desktop searches out there

Desktop Searches are nothing like buses. Not even buses arrive five at a time. But with Ask Jeeves and Microsoft both launching new desktop searches to rival Google #39;s, and with Yahoo!


Apple locks out RealNetworks with iPod update

Apple has updated the software for some of its iPod digital media players so that songs bought from RealNetworks will not play. The change affects Apple #39;s new iPod Photo, which was introduced in late October


New Simian species found in Arunachal:

World News: New York, Dec 16 : India has once again proved itself as the land of contradictions as scientists have now discovered a new species of monkey in Arunachal Pradesh, despite the fact that India has some of the fastest retreating forest lands.


Is an 80Gb iPod around the corner?

Toshiba has announced a new and improved 40Gb and 80Gb version of its small hard drive found in the Apple iPod. Toshiba claims the new drives are the world #39;s first hard disk drives based on perpendicular recording


Wednesday #39;s Sports In Brief

SAN FRANCISCO - Olympic track star Marion Jones filed a defamation lawsuit against BALCO head Victor Conte, who told a national TV audience that he gave her steroids and watched her inject herself with them.


Eli should envy friends of Ben #39;s

Ben Roethlisberger knows how good he has it in Pittsburgh these days with a talented supporting cast around him. And he knows how bad Eli Manning has it in New York without much of a supporting cast at all.


Women #39;s NCAA volleyball Final Four

Schedule: Semifinals (today), Washington vs. Stanford, 5:30 pm (tape delay on ESPN2 at 8); Minnesota vs. USC, 7:30 pm (tape delay on ESPN2 tomorrow at 1 pm).


Bin Laden Alive, Releases Audio Tape -- Web Site

An audio recording purportedly by Osama bin Laden, praising gunmen who carried out a Dec. 6 attack in Saudi Arabia, was posted on the Internet on Thursday, suggesting the al Qaeda leader is still alive.


Australian surfer eaten by sharks

Two Great White Sharks have killed a teenage surfer off a popular beach in southern Australia. The 18-year-old man was attacked after falling from a surfboard being towed behind a boat at West Beach in the city of Adelaide, authorities said.


Kidde Accepts Takeover by United Tech (AP)

AP - Kidde PLC, the British fire and safety company, said Thursday it had agreed to a 1.4 billion pound ( #36;2.8 billion) takeover by United Technologies Corp.


Wall Street Looks Set for a Mixed Start

PARIS (Reuters) - Wall Street looked set for a mixed start  on Thursday as oil prices remained near two-week highs and  investors braced for a clutch of economic data and earnings  from high-profile firms like Goldman Sachs GS.N and Nike  NKE.N.


Chirac backs Turkish EU entry

The French president throws his weight behind Turkish EU membership ahead of a key summit decision.


YUKOS awaits US ruling on break-up order

Embattled Russian oil group YUKOS (YUKO.RTS: Quote, Profile, Research) should hear later on Thursday whether a US bankruptcy court will attempt to hold up the


Aetna reportedly reaches deal in investor lawsuit

LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Aetna (AET) has reached a tentative accord with investors who accused the company of hiding accounting misstatements when SEC Chairman William Donaldson led the company, an Aetna spokesman was quoted as saying in Thursday #39;s Los Angeles


British fire and safety firm Kidde accepts takeover by United <b>...</b>

_ Kidde PLC, the British fire and safety company, said Thursday it had agreed to a 1.4 billion pound (\$2.8 billion) takeover by United Technologies Corp.


Cendant to buy Gullivers Travel for \$1.1 billion cash

LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Cendant Corp. (CD) said it #39;s agreed to buy privately-held Gullivers Travel Associates for \$1.1 billion in cash.


Travis Perkins to buy Wickes for 950m

British building materials merchant Travis Perkins Plc said on Thursday it agreed to pay 950 million (\$1.84 billion) for home-improvement chain Wickes, sending its shares down nearly 3 percent.


Nvidia TurboCaches GeForce 6200

Nvidia Corporation, a leader in graphics and digital media processors has introduced the Nvidia GeForce 6200 graphics processing unit (GPU) with TurboCache technology.


Law lords back terror detainees

Detaining foreigners without trial under emergency anti-terror laws breaks European human rights laws, law lords ruled today. The decision from nine of the law lords, who make up Britain #39;s highest court, throws


DUP Honour Commitments By Standing Up To Terrorism

I am extremely glad to see the DUP standing firm on commitments made to the electorate. The DUP made its case clear to both governments and to the public time and time again.


Baseball in Washington in jeopardy (USATODAY.com)

USATODAY.com - Washington's new baseball team shut down business and promotional operations indefinitely Wednesday as its move to the nation's capital teetered on the brink of collapse. The decision by major league baseball followed the D.C. Council's decision Tuesday to require private financing for at least half the cost of building a new stadium.


Google wins in trademark lawsuit

Google won a major legal victory when a federal judge ruled that the search engines advertising policy does not violate federal trademark laws.


FCC to consider allowing cell phones on planes

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday kicked off efforts that could reshape the communications services available to airline passengers.


Symantec to Buy Veritas for \$13.5 Billion

Security software maker Symantec Corp. has agreed to buy Veritas Software Corp. for \$13.5 billion, expanding into the backup and recovery software market, the companies said on Thursday.


Google hails adwords victory

A district judge has ruled that Google can continue selling advertising triggered by searches for trademarked brand names. Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled that the adwords program does not violate US federal trademark laws.


LSE still prey but deal seen likely

A new CEO, chairman, head office and corporate structure -- much has changed at the London Stock Exchange since Deutsche Boerse last proposed marriage to Europe #39;s biggest equity market four years ago.


Johnson  amp; Johnson to Buy Guidant

Johnson  amp; Johnson announced last night that will buy medical-device maker Guidant for \$23.9 billion in cash and stock. The deal, approved by both boards but subject to regulator approval, is one of the largest


Most services more expensive in

Consumers in Dublin pay more for basic goods and services that people elsewhere in the country, according to figures released today by the Central Statistics Office.


ABN Amro Plans to Cut 2,850 Jobs as Earnings Decline (Update6)

ABN Amro Holding NV, the largest Dutch bank, plans to cut 2,850 jobs, or about 3 percent of its workforce, to stem a decline in operating profit as revenue growth stalls.


No Marsh, Spitzer deal in  #39;04: WSJ

Company said settlement for bid rigging claim likely this month, but says investigation is ongoing. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos.


Central Bank Comments on China Aviation

Singapore authorities said Thursday China Aviation Oil #39;s US\$550 million losses in oil gambles could have happened  quot;in any other financial center quot; and said it had no plans to overhaul its corporate reporting and disclosure standards.


Ameritrade CEO Moglia Extends Contract

Online brokerage firm Ameritrade Holding Corp. said Thursday that chief executive officer Joe Moglia has agreed to extend his contract at least through the current fiscal year, which ends Sept.


Symantec to Buy Veritas for  #36;13.5 Billion (Reuters)

Reuters - Security software maker Symantec Corp.\has agreed to buy Veritas Software Corp. for  #36;13.5 billion,\expanding into the backup and recovery software market, the\companies said on Thursday.


New monkey species found in India

New Delhi - Scientists have discovered a new species of monkey in north-eastern India, 101 years after the last species of its kind was found, a member of the investigating team said on Thursday.


Adobe patches holes in Acrobat Reader

Adobe has patched two bugs in its Acrobat Reader application that could allow an attacker to take over a user #39;s system via a malicious PDF attached to an e-mail message.


Report: Linux Gathering Pace, Moving  quot;From Niche to Mainstream quot;

quot;When all manifestations of Linux operating systems are counted, Linux is clearly a mainstream solution, quot; said Vernon Turner, group vice president and general manager of Enterprise Computing research at IDC, as an IDC Linux market share and forecast study


Russian Space Agency to Supply Equipment for NASAs Mars Rover

NASA has released an inventory of the scientific devices to be put on board the Mars Science Laboratory rover scheduled to land on the surface of Mars in 2009, NASAs news release reads.


Net domain costs on the rise?

com December 16, 2004, 4:00 AM PT. Internet users may soon be required to pay an additional annual fee for each domain name they own, thanks to a virtually unnoticed requirement that will begin to take effect next year.


Wi-Fi access point squeezed onto single chip

Wireless chipset manufacturer Atheros announced on Wednesday that it has managed to fit the full functionality of a high-speed wireless access point onto a single processor.


Langer looking to  #39;hurt #39; Pakistan

Justin Langer plans to heap more misery on Pakistan after his opening-day unbeaten century revived Australia in the first Test at the Waca.


NJ would welcome homeless baseball team

Could the Meadowlands be the next stop for the vagabond Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals Major League Baseball franchise? That would be good move for the sport, according to New Jersey Sports


Defoe wants Cole at Spurs

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe wants former West Ham team-mate Joe Cole to join him at White Hart Lane. Cole, who has been a peripheral figure at Chelsea since the start of the season, is reportedly ready


Warriors go sleepwalking Hornets up record to 2-19

New Orleans -- Only one coach could praise his team #39;s effort following the Warriors- Hornets game on Wednesday night. New Orleans coach Byron Scott sat at the podium, looking weary but proud, and spoke freely about his team #39;s intensity.


Bosh front and centre

Chris Bosh faced the best power forward in the NBA last night and did not blink. The Raptors #39; second-year standout put together a career game, guiding his struggling squad to a 96-90 upset win over the powerful


Giants just can #39;t get the offense moving

That was one thing Jim Fassel wanted from his offense when he was head coach of the Giants. Break the huddle, get to the line of scrimmage, run the play, back to the huddle, back to the line, run the next play .


Leader Barcelona hosts defending champion Valencia in Spanish <b>...</b>

Defending champion Valencia #39;s recent improvement will be put to the test when it visits runaway leader FC Barcelona in the Spanish league #39;s 16th-round this weekend.


Osama Bin Laden is back: reports

A new audiotape reportedly of Osama bin Laden appeared on Arabic Web sites. The voice on the tape says current instability in Saudi Arabia due to the regime there.


Olympic training helped end siege

Anti-terrorist training received by Greek police ahead of this year #39;s Olympic Games helped resolve the Athens bus hijacking, the government has said.


Government Must Act  #39;Without Delay #39; over Detainees

The Government must act swiftly to either charge or release the nine detainees who are being held on suspicion of links with terrorism, civil liberties campaigners said today.


Iceland to home Bobby Fischer

Iceland is ready to provide a residence permit to worlds chess ex-champion Bobby Fischer whos now serving his sentence in one of the Japanese jails.


China, Pakistan call for closer army-to-army ties

China and Pakistan officials voiced their common aspiration of furthering ties between the two armies during a meeting here Wednesday.


Darfur rebels accuse Sudan of continuing attacks

Rebels refuse to return to AU-sponsored talks with Sudanese government until latter stops attacks in Darfur. ABUJA - Rebel leaders accused the Sudanese government of pursuing an offensive in the western region


Japan risks damaging China relations with Lee visa

The decision, which prompted an immediate protest from Beijing, was the latest sign that Japan is hardening its diplomatic stance towards China.


Australia #39;s Maritime Security Net Stirs Concern Among Neighbors

Plans by Australia to enforce an extensive new offshore security zone are causing concern among its neighbors. The Maritime Identification Zone announced by Prime Minister John Howard will extend 18-hundred


UK's Brown to Urge U.S. to Cut Deficits (Reuters)

Reuters - British finance minister Gordon Brown\said on Thursday he would urge the United States to tackle its\current account and budget deficits, and warned that the weak\dollar was hurting the British and other global economies.


Uncertain Landscape For Copyright Protection

An otherwise routine power shift on the Senate Judiciary Committee could have far-reaching implications for high-tech firms, movie studios, record companies and the future of downloading. -washingtonpost.com


During the Holiday Shopping Season, Beware of Identity Theft

I resisted shopping online for the longest time. I feared my credit card number would be stolen and that I would spend a few years of my life trying to explain that I did not buy a Hummer with my Visa card.


Justice Reviews Request for Probe Of Satellite Reports

The National Reconnaissance Office has asked the Justice Department to consider opening a criminal investigation into recent disclosures about a highly classified satellite program that has prompted criticism in Congress because of escalating costs, two administration officials said yesterday.


Dollar Falls as Deficit Worries Mount

LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar fell within half a cent of  last week's record low against the euro on Thursday after  capital inflows data added to worries the United States may  struggle to fund its current account deficit.


Oil Prices Drop from Two-Week Highs

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices fell from two-week highs on  Thursday, as traders took profits from dramatic gains on  Wednesday driven by renewed fears over fuel supplies for the  northern winter.


UK's Brown to Urge U.S. to Cut Deficits

LONDON (Reuters) - British finance minister Gordon Brown  said on Thursday he would urge the United States to tackle its  current account and budget deficits, and warned that the weak  dollar was hurting the British and other global economies.


Latin America sees strong growth

Latin America's economy grew by 5.5 in 2004, its best performance since 1980, while exports registered their  best performance in two decades.


Kerry Campaign Head Admits Miscalculations (AP)

AP - The campaign manager for Sen. John Kerry's failed presidential bid said Wednesday she regrets underestimating the impact of an attack advertisement that questioned Kerry's Vietnam War record.


Iraq Awards First Post-War Oilfield Contracts

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's oil ministry has awarded the  country's first post-war oilfield development contracts to  Turkish and Canadian firms, an oil official said on Thursday.


Symantec And Veritas To Merge

With aftershocks still fresh from the Oracle-PeopleSoft deal, another buyout has rocked the enterprise market - Symantec #39;s multi-billion dollar buyout of Veritas.


J amp;J #39;s Big Buy

NEW YORK - In its biggest purchase ever, Johnson  amp; Johnson is dropping \$24.5 billion to get into the fast-growing market for implantible devices that automatically restart stopped hearts.


Corus saves 1,700 steel jobs

Corus lifted a threat to 1,700 steelworkers #39; jobs today by securing the future of a major operation in the north-east. The company ended speculation over the imminent shutdown of its Redcar site with the announcement


Cendant to Buy London Travel Firms

Cendant Corp., the world #39;s largest hotel franchisor, said Thursday it agreed to acquire London-based Gullivers Travel Associates and Octopus Travel Group Ltd.


South Carolinian may be tapped for top NASA job

Retired Marine Maj. Gen. Charles F. Bolden Jr., a former space shuttle astronaut from South Carolina for whom the new military elementary school at Laurel Bay north of Beaufort was named


Jones files Balco lawsuit

Marion Jones is attempting to sue controversial Balco boss Victor Conte for alleging that she took drugs. The American sprinter is at the centre of a widespread probe into the activities of Conte #39;s laboratory


In a flash, DC baseball deal is near collapse

The news was stunning as it came out on Wednesday morning. After two years of the city selling itself to baseball, after all that time spent on finally landing a baseball team in the District for the first


Sky wins exclusive cricket contract

Sky has been awarded exclusive rights to show cricket, strengthening its hold over televised sports. In a move that has received a mixed response from licensees, the broadcaster has added cricket to a growing


Iraq election campaign under way, Bush warns Iran, Syria to keep <b>...</b>

BAGHDAD - Campaigning for the first post-Saddam Hussein elections got under way on Thursday amid more bloodshed, as US President George W. Bush warned Iran and Syria to stop meddling in Iraq in the run-up to the vote.


Israel FM calls for peace summit

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom has called for a new international summit to re-launch the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.


FedEx Profit Jumps, Outlook Is Raised (Reuters)

Reuters - FedEx Corp. , the world's top\air-express shipper, on Thursday said quarterly profit more\than tripled on strength in its international, ground and\freight businesses, and the company raised its full-year\earnings forecast.


Housing Starts Dive Unexpectedly in Nov.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. housing starts unexpectedly  plummeted 13.1 percent last month, the biggest dive in nearly  11 years, as groundbreaking activity fell sharply across the  nation, a government report showed on Thursday.


FedEx Profit Jumps, Outlook Is Raised

NEW YORK (Reuters) - FedEx Corp. FDX.N, the world's top  air-express shipper, on Thursday said quarterly profit more  than tripled on strength in its international, ground and  freight businesses, and the company raised its full-year  earnings forecast.


U.S. Jobless Claims Drop Sharply

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing  initial claims for jobless pay fell by much more than expected  last week to 317,000 in the steepest decline in three years,  Labor Department data showed on Thursday.


British retail sales get Christmas boost (AFP)

AFP - British retail sales bounced back in November, as Christmas shoppers kept the tills ringing in the crucial festive trading period.


Symantec and Veritas to Merge

Symantec (SYMC:Nasdaq - news - research) Thursday said it will acquire rival software company Veritas Software (VRTS:Nasdaq - news - research)in an all-stock deal.


Official: WTO Members Should Reach Accord

World Trade Organization members should be able to reach a binding accord to liberalize global commerce in 2006, the European Union #39;s new agriculture chief said Thursday.


Dollar #39;s weakness sending US investors overseas

Americans have been stepping up their international purchases of stocks and bonds as the dollar #39;s decline has accelerated and foreign investors have slowed their buying of securities in the United States.


HP engineers to join Intel

Intel Corp. has agreed to hire the team of Hewlett-Packard Co. engineers that helped design the chip giant #39;s Itanium microprocessors for server computers, both companies said Wednesday.


Nintendo DS Media Adaptor soon

Soon Japanese owners of the Nintendo DS (Dual Screen), their latest handheld console, and GameBoy Advance SP will be able to play music and video with a new adaptor on their pocket marvels.


Hidden fault may contribute to Bay Area earthquake risk

Earthquakes are not unusual in the San Francisco Bay Area, but a team of Penn State geoscientists believes that the hazard may be greater than previously thought because of a hidden fault under Marin County.


Marion Jones sues head of BALCO, challenges him to take lie <b>...</b>

SAN FRANCISCO Olympic track star Marion Jones is seeking 25 (m) million dollars in a defamation lawsuit against BALCO founder Victor Conte.


It was him

SHOAIB Akhtar completed a first-round knockout of his rival Matthew Hayden yesterday in a hell-raising opening to the Australia-Pakistan Test series in Perth.


Bin Laden points finger at Saudi regime

Osama bin Laden, in a purported audiotape message on Thursday, assailed Washington for meddling in Muslim states and laid the blame for deadly unrest gripping Saudi Arabia on the kingdom #39;s own regime.


AP: Yushchenko Sure Gov #39;t Poisoned Him

Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko speaks to members of the media during a press conference in Kiev, in this Friday, Nov. 19, 2004 file photo.


Iraq #39;s election campaign underway

MARK COLVIN: Iraq #39;s election campaign is officially underway and already it #39;s been hit by violence and fears that minority Sunnis will boycott next month #39;s poll.


Japan OKs Visa for Ex-Taiwan President (AP)

AP - Japan plans to issue a visa for former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui to visit this year, a government spokesman said Thursday, a decision that China urged Tokyo to reconsider to avoid damaging ties between the two countries.


Goldman Sachs Quarterly Profit Up 23 Pct.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc. GS.N on  Thursday said fourth-quarter profit rose 23 percent as its  fixed-income, currency and commodities business soared while a  rebounding stock market boosted investment banking.


Current Account Gap Widens to Record

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. current account deficit  widened slightly to a record \$164.71 billion in the third  quarter as the goods trade shortfall grew and the services  surplus shrank, the government said on Thursday.


Airbus sees big demand for huge jets

LONDON Airbus has predicted that an average of 830 passenger aircraft will be built each year for the next two decades and that the new Airbus jumbo A380 will be so successful that Boeing will be forced to develop a competitor.


iTunes Music Store Downloads Top 200 Million Songs

CUPERTINO, Calif., Dec. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple(R) today announced that music fans have purchased and downloaded more than 200 million songs from the iTunes(R) Music Store.


Sold down the river

The ECB #39;S decision is not a surprise. It #39;s crass but no surprise. The wind #39;s been blowing that way for ages. So there #39;ll be no live international cricket on terrestrial telly from the summer after next.


Virus poses as Christmas e-mail

A computer virus posing as an electronic Christmas card is spreading across the net in many languages.


US airport security loses 'bomb'

Security screeners at a US airport spot but then lose a bag containing a fake bomb, in a training blunder.


Battalions go in troops shake-up

Geoff Hoon announces a major restructuring of the Army, which will see four battalions cut and regiments merged.


Fast lifts rise into record books

Two lifts at the world's tallest building in Taipei have been declared the fastest on the planet.


Ukrainian Government Blamed for Poisoning

Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko said Thursday that he was sure he was poisoned by the Ukrainian government after a Sept. 5 dinner with the head of the country's security service.


Symantec to Buy Veritas for \$13.5 Billion

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Symantec Corp. SYMC.O, a maker of  security software, on Thursday said it would buy storage  software maker Veritas Software Corp. VRTS.O for \$13.5  billion, creating the world's fourth-largest software company.


Yukos awaits US bankruptcy fate

MOSCOW, Russia -- Embattled Russian oil giant Yukos is set to learn if a US bankruptcy court will try to block the sale of its main production unit this weekend.


Update 1: Goldman Sachs Posts Higher 4Q Profit

Investment banking firm Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said Thursday that fourth-quarter earnings rose 23 percent to beat Wall Street expectations.


FedEx Profit Jumps, Outlook Is Raised

FedEx Corp. (FDX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world #39;s top air-express shipper, on Thursday said quarterly profit more than tripled on strength in its international, ground and freight


Wheels of Justice Flatten Fannie

Can the Fannie Mae (FNM:NYSE - news - research) scandal now take its place as the Enron-sized debacle it long has been shaping up as?


Cendant Buys Two Leading Names in Travel Industry

Two leading names in the travel industry were today bought for 1.1 billion dollars (563 million) - the second major UK deal by US giant Cendant this month.


Plans Under Way for Exiled Iraqis to Vote -IOM (Reuters)

Reuters - Logistical preparations are under way to\allow at least a million exiled Iraqis to cast their votes in\the country's first free elections next month, a senior\organizer said on Thursday.


Panthers punter arrested for DWI, other charges

Carolina Panthers punter Todd Sauerbrun was arrested and charged with driving while impaired, a police spokeswoman said Thursday. Sauerbrun also was charged Wednesday night with speeding and with driving while


Britons outpace their own government in aiding disaster victims (AFP)

AFP - Britons, moved by stories of tragedy and heroism that even involved their own nationals, outpaced their own government in how much aid money they could raise for tsunami victims in Asia in the last week.


EU expected to approve talks with Turkey

BRUSSELS, Belgium - European Union leaders are expected to approve opening talks with Turkey on its wish to join the EU during a two-day summit opening Thursday, but they will likely impose stiff conditions on Ankara.


Mosque bombing mars beginning of election campaign

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A bomb targeting a prominent Shiite cleric killed seven people outside one of southern Iraqs holiest shrines Wednesday as campaigning began for Iraqs first post-Saddam elections -- a vote that is going ahead despite suicide attacks


Barroso Urges Turkey to Go Extra Mile on EU Talks

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission president  urged Turkey on Thursday to "go the extra mile" to show  Europeans it is ready for EU membership talks as the bloc  prepared to approve them despite misgivings by many EU voters.


Plans Under Way for Exiled Iraqis to Vote -IOM

AMMAN (Reuters) - Logistical preparations are under way to  allow at least a million exiled Iraqis to cast their votes in  the country's first free elections next month, a senior  organizer said on Thursday.


FedEx profit jumps, outlook raised

FedEx Corp., the world #39;s top air-express shipper, said Thursday quarterly profit more than tripled on strength in its international, ground and freight businesses, and the company raised its full-year earnings forecast.


Tunes Music Store Downloads Top 200 Million Songs, Apple Says

Apple Computer Apple announced Thursday that music fans have purchased and downloaded more than 200 million songs from the iTunes Music Store since its launch in April of 2003.


Now, show-off your solar panels

It sounds crazy, but its true! Scientists have developed wearable solar panels that can be sewed into clothing, helping charge music players, mobile phones, light batteries This innovative product is likely to hit the market in three years time.


Jones #39; lawyer claims Conte was rebuffed by track star

SAN FRANCISCO A lawyer for Marion Jones tells CBS the man accusing the track star of using steroids is a spurned admirer who tried  quot;for years quot; to establish a relationship with her.


UEFA Delays Decision on Soccer Quotas Amid EU Legal Concern

European soccer #39;s ruling body today delayed a plan to force clubs to rear more players from their own countries after the European Union said the proposal may be illegal.


Langer #39;s ice douses Shoaib #39;s fire

JUSTIN LANGER is fast mounting a case to be considered Australia #39;s most valuable cricketer following a brave and defiant century which laid the foundation for a rescue mission on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan in Perth yesterday.


Destiny and title awaits Taylor

SHANNAN TAYLOR will fulfil a lifelong dream when he steps into the ring for a world title shot at the Gold Coast in Queensland tonight.


Dickau #39;s big shot lifts Hornets

The Hornets have experienced a Christmas miracle and his name is Dan Dickau. The recently acquired PG paved the way for just their second win all season with his game-high 23 points in a victory over Golden State.


Mistakes hinder Knicks in loss

It will be labeled a learning experience, but that won #39;t remove any of the sting. Momentum was lost again Wednesday night as the Knicks blew a lead and lost 94-93 to the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden.


UK government loses terror appeal

BRITAIN #39;s highest court has ruled today that the UK Government cannot detain terror suspects indefinitely without trial. Nine judges in the House of Lords ruled in favour of a group of men jailed without charge for up to three years.


Scandal claims a tearful Blunkett

THE revenge of an ex-lover has forced the resignation of British Home Secretary David Blunkett, dealing a blow to Tony Blair less than six months before an expected general election.


UN broadens its presence in Iraq

UNITED NATIONS, New York The United Nations has announced that it is expanding its presence in Iraq outside of Baghdad to the cities of Erbil and Basra and planning to send a small addition of staff members into the country to assist in the elections


Current Account Gap Widens to Record (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. current account deficit\widened slightly to a record  #36;164.71 billion in the third\quarter as the goods trade shortfall grew and the services\surplus shrank, the government said on Thursday.


NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Symantec Corp. SYMC.O,  a maker of security software, on Thursday said it would buy  storage software maker Veritas Software Corp. VRTS.O for  \$13.5 billion, creating the world's fourth-largest software  company.


Goldman Profit Rises; Revenue Disappoints

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc. on Thursday  said fourth-quarter profit rose 23 percent on strong  fixed-income and commodities trading results and investment  banking gains, but shares fell as revenue missed expectations.


Stocks Open Lower; Data, Goldman Weigh

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened lower on Thursday,  as investment bank Goldman Sachs Group Inc. GS.N reported  smaller-than-expected revenues, while a slew of data gave a  mixed picture of the economy.


Symantec will buy Veritas for \$13.5B

Symantec Corp. will buy Veritas Software Corp. in an all-stock transaction, the companies announced Thursday. Based on Wednesday #39;s closing stock prices, the deal values Veritas at around US\$13.5 billion, they said.


Low US inventories of crude fuel price hike

An above expected chilly winter almost a week away from its official arrival date, with temperature already hovering below freezing; top it with a US government data showing a slight decline in crude and heating oil supplies is a wonderful recipe for


Update 2: Goldman Sachs Earnings Soar in 4Q

Net earnings at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. rose 23 percent in the fourth quarter as increased transaction volume and a rise in mergers and acquisitions, the brokerage announced Thursday.


FedEx #39;s 2Q Earnings Nearly Triple

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The FedEx Corp., the delivery giant, reported Thursday its second quarter earnings soared due to a strengthening economy and continued growth in overseas and ground shipping.


Cendant Acquires Two British Travel Cos.

Cendant Corp. said Thursday it has agreed to acquire Gullivers Travel Associates and Octopus Travel Group Ltd. of Britain for about US\$1.1 billion (euro820 million) in cash.


Westpac just gets stronger

WESTPAC said yesterday it was on track with its plans for the first two months of 2005 and expected to deliver strong full-year results, despite intensifying competition.


Governor wants to ban sale of explicit video games to minors

Gov. Rod Blagojevich plans to propose a ban Thursday on the sale of violent and sexually explicit video games to minors, something other states have tried with little success.


Adobe smoothes kinks in Acrobat

Software company Adobe issued a updated version of Acrobat for the Windows and the Macintosh OS X platforms this week, fixing three security holes that could be used to compromise a user #39;s system.


Mars Science Laboratory

As Spirit and Opportunity continue their treks through the Martian winter -- still on duty nearly a year after their arrivals, back down on Earth, NASA is already planning the robot rover that will follow them.


Sinister quake hazard may lurk beneath Mount Tam

A particularly sinister form of fault may lie beneath Marin County and could trigger an earthquake of up to 6.5 magnitude, perhaps during this century, scientists plan to report at the American Geophysical Union conference Thursday.


India to play full-strength team

Bangladesh maybe celebrating Victory Day today to mark the liberation of their country from the occupation by Pakistani forces, but their actual battle begins on Friday in Chittagong in the second Test against India.


Soccer: Germany overwhelms Japan 3-0 in Asian football tour opener

YOKOHAMA, Japan : World Cup heroes Miroslav Klose and Michael Ballack scored the goals on Thursday as Germany overwhelmed Asian champions Japan 3-0 in the opener of their three-game Asian tour.


Jakarta raises alert on terror attacks

JAKARTA The Indonesian authorities ordered a nationwide security crackdown Thursday after several foreign governments warned that terrorists were preparing to attack Western targets before Christmas.


Sudan #39;s Government Promises to Stop Darfur Offensive

African Union (AU) mediators at Darfur peace talks in Nigeria are trying to have rebel groups end their boycott, after receiving assurances from Sudan #39;s government it will stop its offensive.


Ill. Gov. Seeks Violent Video Game Ban (AP)

AP - Gov. Rod Blagojevich is proposing to make it a misdemeanor for businesses to sell violent and sexually explicit video games to minors, a step that other states have tried with little success.


Hoon sparks fury with army regiment shake-up (AFP)

AFP - The Black Watch army regiment, which lost seven soldiers during a recent mission in Iraq, is to be merged with other units as part of a major military overhaul, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon revealed.


Uncertain Landscape Ahead for Copyright Protection (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - In the final few weeks before the 2004 election, lobbyists for high-tech, entertainment and civil liberties interests were crammed into an icy room in the Dirksen Senate office building, trying to hammer out a bill that would have put Internet song-swapping networks like Kazaa and eDonkey out of business.


NEC develops CD, DVD, HD-DVD drive prototype (MacCentral)

MacCentral - Engineers at NEC Corp. have developed a prototype optical disc drive that supports the new HD-DVD format and is also compatible with CD and DVD formats, they said Wednesday.


US troops concluding storm relief operations in the Philippines (AFP)

AFP - A major US military airlift of relief goods for victims of deadly storms in the Philippines was winding down, a spokeswoman for the mission said.


Symantec Agrees to Buy Veritas Software (AP)

AP - Computer security giant Symantec Corp. is buying storage and backup program maker Veritas Software Corp. in a  #36;13.5 billion deal that will create the world's fourth largest software company.


Quantum Astronomy: Knowability and Unknowability in the Universe (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - This is the third article in a series of four articles each with a separate explanation of different quantum phenomena. Each article is a piece of a mosaic, so every one is needed to understand the final explanation of the quantum astronomy experiment we propose, possibly using the Allen Telescope Array and the narrow-band radio-wave detectors being build by the SETI Institute and the University of California, Berkeley.


Italian President Vetoes Contested Justice Bill

ROME (Reuters) - Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi  defied Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government on  Thursday and vetoed a bill aimed at reforming the legal system,  the president's office said in a statement.


Saddam, Defense Lawyer Meet for 1st Time (AP)

AP - Saddam Hussein met for the first time since his capture a year ago with a defense lawyer Thursday, two days after Iraq announced it will soon bring top figures of the fallen regime to court, the chief of the former dictator's legal team said.


Update 4: Symantec Agrees to Buy Veritas Software

Computer security giant Symantec Corp. is buying storage and backup program maker Veritas Software Corp. in a \$13.5 billion deal that will create the world #39;s fourth largest software company.


Google wins fight against Geico

Google #39;s motion to dismiss legal proceedings brought against it by insurance company Geico was granted on Wednesday by a US District Court judge.


US-based Glamis Gold plans US\$3.4B takeover bid for Canada #39;s <b>...</b>

TORONTO (CP) - Glamis Gold of Reno, Nev., is planning a takeover bid for Goldcorp Inc. of Toronto - but only if Goldcorp drops its \$2.4-billion-Cdn offer for another Canadian firm, made in early December.


New species of monkey found in India

A species of monkey unknown to science has been discovered in Arunachal Pradesh, according to the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society.


Lawmaker Wants To Ban Sale Of Violent Video Games To Minors

CHICAGO -- The governor of Illinois wants to make it a misdemeanor for businesses to distribute, sell, rent or make available violent and sexually explicit video games to minors.


UPDATE 1-Germany banish World Cup ghosts in Japan

Germany banished their 2002 World Cup ghosts with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Japan in the first match of their three-game tour of Asia on Thursday.


British gov #39;t loses key case over terror suspects #39; detention

LONDON (AFP) - A key but controversial plank of Britain #39;s post-September 11 security policy was thrown into disarray as the country #39;s highest court ruled that detaining terror suspects indefinitely without trial violated human rights laws.


Demobilized Soldiers Take Over Aristide #39;s Home Near Port-au-Prince

Dozens of demobilized soldiers have taken over the home of ousted Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in a Port-au-Prince suburb.


Today 121 articles about Russia appeared worldwide

YUKOS petition for bankruptcy protection was lodged to the US court to protect reputation of foreign managers, wont held the holders, M. Khodorkovsky said.


Lifetime in Prison...  With no Evidence?

\\My god this is disturbing :\\"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration is preparing plans for possible\lifetime detention of suspected terrorists, including hundreds whom the\government does not have enough evidence to charge in courts, The Washington\Post reported Sunday."\\"Citing intelligence, defense and diplomatic officials, the newspaper said the\Pentagon (news - web sites) and the CIA (news - web sites) had asked the White\House to decide on a more permanent approach for those it would not set free\or turn over to courts at home or abroad."\\... so all you have to do is be a "suspected" terrorist now and you can spend\the rest of your life in prison.\\


Cendant to Acquire Gullivers Travel for \$1.1 Billion (Update3)

Cendant Corp., which owns Days Inn hotels and Avis Rent A Car Systems Inc., agreed to buy the UK #39;s Gullivers Travel Associates and Octopus Travel Group Ltd.


J and J to buy US #39;s second-biggest heart device manufacturer

Washington - United States health titan Johnson and Johnson has reached a deal to acquire American heart device manufacturer Guidant, in a stock-and-cash deal valued at \$23.9-billion, based on \$76 per share, the companies said in a statement early on


India faces criticism on tsunami

Indian PM Manmohan Singh visits tsunami victims but faces more criticism over the handling of the disaster.


Parmalat Announces Suits Against 45 Banks

Parmalat SpA is suing 45 financial institutions to try to claw back money lost in the runup to its crash a year ago, the Italian dairy giant said Thursday.


Freebie to boost Powderfinger

AMERICANS are downloading Powderfinger #39;s music for nothing this week - and the Brisbane band couldn #39;t be happier. The track Stumblin #39;, from the band #39;s latest album Vulture Street, is the free download of the week on Apple #39;s iTunes Music Store in the US.


Baseball rejects DC plan

Major League Baseball is poised to cancel the move of the Montreal Expos to Washington after the District of Columbia Council Tuesday night amended the agreement for a riverfront stadium by requiring 50 percent private financing.


India's tsumani death toll jumps to 14,488 (Reuters)

Reuters - India raised the number of people killed or feared killed in last week's tsunami to 14,488 on Sunday, up by more than 1,700 since the previous evening's estimate.


Pacheco vs. Darchinyan: Finally, A Hidden Gem

by Paul Upham: It was a fight that was to receive national exposure in the USA on ESPN2 #39;s #39;Friday Night Fights on September 3, until the arrival of Hurricane Frances and it #39;s devastating impact on Florida caused the cancellation of the entire Warrior #39;s


Chicago Bulls Team Report - December 16

In 2003-04, the Bucks won three of their four contests with the Bulls. Overall, the home team has won 13 of the last 14 meetings. Milwaukee has won four of six and six of the last nine contests in this series.


Birmingham to sell Gronkjaer to Atletico Madrid

Birmingham City have agreed to sell Denmark winger Jesper Gronkjaer to Spanish side Atletico Madrid, the Premier League club says.


Turkish PM eyes  #39;positive #39; EU move, but sticking points remain

BRUSSELS, Dec 16 (AFP) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed Thursday the EU #39;s  quot;positive quot; approach to its bid to start membership talks, but said sticking points remain ahead of a crunch summit.


Britain Cannot Detain Terror Suspects Indefinitely: Court

Nine Law Lords ruled in favour of a group of men jailed without charge for up to three years. The British government had argued that the detention without trial of some terrorist suspects is a tough but necessary


Taliban deny hand in Turkish engineer #39;s murder

ISLAMABAD, Dec 16 (AFP) - Taliban militants on Thursday denied any hand in the abduction and murder of a Turkish man in Afghanistan, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported.


Virus poses as Christmas e-mail

A computer virus posing as an electronic Christmas card is spreading across the net.


U.S. Current Account Deficit Hits Record (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. current account deficit\grew to a record  #36;164.71 billion in the third quarter, less\than had been forecast, the Commerce Department said on\Thursday.


Fannie Mae Shares Fall on Accounting Woes (Reuters)

Reuters - Shares of U.S. mortgage finance\giant Fannie Mae  tumbled on Thursday after the\Securities and Exchange Commission said the company must\restate earnings because of accounting problems.


Symantec to Buy Veritas for \$13.5 Billion

Computer security giant Symantec Corp. has agreed to buy the storage and backup program maker Veritas Software Corp. for about \$13.5 billion in stock in a deal that would create a massive software company that provides a wide range of programs to secure and protect networks and computers.


U.S. Current Account Deficit Hits Record

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. current account deficit  grew to a record \$164.71 billion in the third quarter, less  than had been forecast, the Commerce Department said on  Thursday.


Fannie Mae Shares Fall on Accounting Woes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Shares of U.S. mortgage finance  giant Fannie Mae FNM.N tumbled on Thursday after the  Securities and Exchange Commission said the company must  restate earnings because of accounting problems.


Carnival Profit Cruises Up 43 Percent

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Carnival Corp. CCL.N<CCL.L>, the  world's biggest cruise group, on Thursday posted a 43 percent  rise in quarterly earnings as it benefited from a merger with  P O Princess Cruises last year.


E-Mail Program Lacks 'Wow' Factor

The Firefox browser has become an instant sensation, in just a few weeks gaining impressively against Microsoft Corp.'s market-leading but malware-beleaguered Internet Explorer.


Rite Aid Post Loss, Cuts Outlook

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Pharmacy chain operator Rite Aid Corp.  RAD.N on Thursday posted a quarterly loss, compared with a  profit in the same year-earlier quarter, and cut its full-year  outlook, citing worse-than-expected sales.


Missile team homes in on the Moon

A US firm is proposing to use guided missile technology to make an automated, precision landing on the Moon.


New rival for Verizon, Cingular

Round two of US wireless industry consolidation is officially under way, with Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc.making the much anticipated announcement that they have agreed to a \$35 billion merger Wednesday, Dec.


Yukos files for bankruptcy

The Yukos oil company has filed for bankruptcy in the US and appealed for a temporary restraining order against the auction of its main production unit, scheduled for Sunday.


UPDATE 1-Goldman Sachs 4th-quarter profit up 23 pct

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday said fourth-quarter profit rose 23 percent as its fixed-income, currency and commodities business soared while


Stocks creep higher as investors weigh climbing oil against M amp;A <b>...</b>

Stocks extended their rally with modest gains Wednesday, as Wall Street overlooked climbing oil prices to focus on strong results from Lehman Brothers and Sprint #39;s \$35 billion deal for Nextel Communications.


Cendant to buy Gullivers for \$1.1B

Deal to buy UK travel company expected to close next April, funded with Wright IPO proceeds. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Travel and real estate company Cendant Corp.


Johnson  amp; Johnson to Buy Guidant

Johnson  amp; Johnson (JNJ:NYSE - news - research) said Wednesday night that it would acquire medical equipment maker Guidant (GDT:NYSE - news - research) for \$23.9 billion in cash and stock.


PARMALAT: FT, BONDI WANTS 1 BLN DOLLARS FROM ITALIAN BANKS

(AGI) - Rome, 15 Dec - The special commissioner for Parmalat Enrico Bondi is ready  quot;to present over the next few days legal action seeking to recover over a billion dollars from dozens of Italian banks which aided the company #39;s finances before its


Ask Jeeves Introduces Yet Another Desktop Search Tool

Ask Jeeves yesterday joined Microsoft in introducing a beta desktop search application. Ask Jeeves states that its Desktop Search makes it easy for people to find information on their computers or the Internet.


iTunes Music Store downloads top 200 million songs

Well on its way to serving up a quarter-billion iTunes tracks by next Spring, Apple claims to have sold over 200 million tunes to date.


SAP launches security service

SAP AG this week unveiled a service that evaluates security settings across a customer #39;s SAP enterprise system. SAP Security Optimization helps customers identify and fix vulnerabilities, and minimise the


Iraq Considering Nominees for U.S. Ambassador (Reuters)

Reuters - Iraq's interim government is\considering nominees for the position of ambassador to the\United States for the first time since the 1991 Gulf War,\deputy foreign minister Hamid al-Bayati said on Thursday.


Panthers Punter Arrested on DWI Charge (AP)

AP - Carolina Panthers punter Todd Sauerbrun was arrested and charged with driving while impaired, a police spokeswoman said Thursday.


Plan to limit foreigners mooted

Arsene Wenger #39;s policy of bringing youngsters from across Europe to build his next Arsenal squad could be outlawed under a new UEFA ruling.


Pistons get gift from Knicks

They were in desperate need of a victory, and the New York Knicks gift-wrapped one for them on Wednesday. Detroit (11-10) pulled off one of its more improbable wins, getting a pair of


Cole pleads for Blues chance

Joe Cole has pleaded for another chance to prove himself at Chelsea as his Stamford Bridge future remains clouded in uncertainty ahead of the transfer window.


Iraqi Militants Say They Shot Italian (AP)

AP - Iraqi militants said they shot and killed an Italian citizen after he tried to break through a guerrilla roadblock on a highway outside the insurgent stronghold of Ramadi.


Police arrest stationmaster after rail crash (Reuters)

Reuters - Indian railway police on Thursday arrested one of two stationmasters blamed for a head-on crash between two passenger trains which killed at least 38 people and injured 53, officials said.


Bode Miller Faces a Tough Challenge

VAL GARDENA, Italy (Reuters) - American Bode Miller faces a  challenge to his domination of the men's World Cup when the  speed events return with three days of racing in the Dolomites.


Detroit Pistons Team Report - December 16

(Sports Network) - The Detroit Pistons start a three-game homestand, as they welcome LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight to The Palace of Auburn Hills.


Coming to America (to Die)

You know your country is messed up if people don #39;t even want to die there, much less live there. On Wednesday, Russia #39;s erstwhile oil giant, Yukos (Pink Sheets: YUKOY), attempted to commit corporate


Bush to tackle Social Security issues

The nation #39;s economy is growing, President Bush told attendees on the second day of a White House economic conference, but work remains to be done on Social Security, the deficit and what the president called  quot;fiscal restraint.


Google wins AdWords trade mark case

Google has won a trade mark dispute, with a District Court judge finding that the search engines sale of sponsored search terms Geico and Geico Direct did not breach car insurance firm GEICOs rights in the trade marked terms.


Goldman reports quarterly earnings up 36

Goldman Sachs reported strong fourth quarter and full year earnings of \$1.19bn, up 36 per cent on the previous quarter. Full year profit rose 52 per cent from the previous year to \$4.55bn.


Hershey Ups Wholesale Prices on Candy

People looking for that next chocolate fix might find it a little bit more expensive Thursday after Hershey Food Corp. said it will raise wholesale prices to offset higher raw material and other production costs.


J amp;J to buy Guidant for \$25.4 billion

Johnson  amp; Johnson said Wednesday night that it would acquire Indianapolis-based medical device manufacturer Guidant Corp. for \$25.4 billion.


Clorox Boosts 2Q, Year Guidance on Gain

Household products maker Clorox Co. on Thursday revised its second-quarter and year guidance higher to reflect the benefits of the stock exchange with Henkel KGaA and related financing.


Fannie Mae delays note sale announcement to Friday

Fannie Mae (FNM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the largest US home funding company, said on Thursday it will delay by one day until Friday announcing whether it will sell December benchmark notes.


Coke Enterprises Outlook Disappoints

Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. (CCE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world #39;s largest bottler of Coca-Cola soft drinks, on Thursday forecast its earnings in 2005 would be at


Ask Jeeves Launches Desktop Search

Ask Jeeves has launched a beta desktop search application, capping off a very busy year in the desktop search space. Just a year ago, consumer oriented desktop search was only available from a few small companies like Enfish, dtSearch, and x1.


Linux Poised for Takeoff

The market for Linux-based products, including servers, PCs and software, will reach \$35 billion by 2008, according to a report from IDC.


Yahoo! shows live traffic conditions

Company #39;s maps show local traffic conditions in the US, the first site to do so nationally. SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Yahoo! Inc.


Indian Scientists Discover New Primate Species

There are 19 macaque species in Asia and one in Africa, and they are said to be second only to human beings in their wide geographical distribution.


Nokia hologram to expose fake, unsafe batteries

Nokia has begun applying a holographic sticker to its mobile phone batteries in a bid to prevent fake power packs being inadvertently purchased as the real thing.


Nintendo Powers Up

The battle between the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP handheld game players just heated up again. Faced with the PSPs movie and music playback capabilities, Nintendo announced yesterday that it will be releasing


Zafi worm causes email mayhem

Mass-mailing Zafi-D worm, which disguises itself as a Christmas greeting, is infecting more than one in every ten emails. The worm, which spreads in a file attached to email messages containing the text Happy


UPDATE 1-Wenger fined for Old Trafford comments

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been fined 15,000 pounds (\$29,220) for improper conduct for comments he made after the champions #39; 2-0 defeat by Manchester United in October.


Cropp Not Shaken by MLB #39;s Reaction

WASHINGTON - DC Council Chair Linda Cropp isn #39;t shaken by Major League Baseball calling the DC Council #39;s measure requiring 50 percent private financing for a new stadium  quot;wholly unacceptable.


Kinnear resigns as Nottingham Forest manager

Joe Kinnear resigned Thursday as manager of struggling League Championship side Nottingham Forest. Kinnear took over at the City Ground in February and steered Forest out of relegation danger last season.


Three fans banned for racially abusing Yorke

Three men have been banned from football matches for five years after Birmingham City striker Dwight Yorke was racially abused at Blackburn Rovers last month, a court official said on Thursday.


Golden State Warriors Team Report - December 16

(Sports Network) - The Golden State Warriors lost to the New Orleans Hornets, 98-89, on Wednesday. The Warriors are 1-1 on their current four-game road trip.


Soccer to become football in Australia

Soccer will officially become football in Australia next year after the Australian Soccer Association announced Thursday it will change its name to Football Federation Australia.


Bode Miller Faces a Tough Challenge

American Bode Miller faces a challenge to his domination of the men #39;s World Cup when the speed events return with three days of racing in the Dolomites.


Ayoob to play football at Cal

With his infamous work ethic, Cal football coach Jeff Tedford isn #39;t really the kind of guy who goes for long, leisurely mornings in bed and afternoons spent napping on the couch.


Houston Rockets Team Report - December 16

(Sports Network) - Tracy McGrady scored a game-high 25 points and added six rebounds to lead the Houston Rockets over the Atlanta Hawks, 92-69, on Wednesday at the Toyota Center.


Barroso Urges Turkey to Go Extra Mile on EU Talks

The European Commission president urged Turkey on Thursday to  quot;go the extra mile quot; to show Europeans it is ready for EU membership talks as the bloc prepared


Alleged Bin Laden Tape Targets Saudi Rulers

An audio tape purportedly by Osama bin Laden praises gunmen who attacked a US consulate in Saudi Arabia on Dec. 6 and warns Saudi rulers they could be toppled like the Shah of Iran.


Syria rejects US accusations of meddling in Iraqi affairs

Syria on Thursday rejected accusations by US President George W. Bush and some Iraqi officials of meddling in Iraqi affairs as  quot;groundless, quot; the official SANA news agency reported.


Sudan will stop attacks if Darfur rebels do-official

The Sudanese government will stop its military operations in the Darfur conflict zone in west Sudan if rebels in the area stop violating a ceasefire deal, a top official in Sudan #39;s ruling party said on Thursday.


Japan urged to repeal Lee visit

China strongly demanded Japan immediately repeal its decision to issue a visa to former Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui, warning that if Tokyo allows the visit it will harm bilateral relations.


Abbas #39; own militants reject call to end intifida

Key Palestinian militant groups, including ones headed by Mahmoud Abbas, have rejected the leader #39;s calls to end their armed fight against Israel.


NZ first in coastal security zone rule

The Government may have been caught flat-footed by Australia #39;s announcement of a 1850km maritime security zone but it turns out New Zealand already has similar measures.


Panthers Punter Sauerbrun Arrested for DWI (Reuters)

Reuters - Carolina Panthers punter\Todd Sauerbrun was arrested Wednesday night and charged with\driving while impaired.


Source: New Warrants for NYRA Tracks (AP)

AP - Authorities are investigating whether bettors at New York's top thoroughbred tracks were properly informed when jockeys came in overweight at races, a source familiar with the probe told The Associated Press.


Panthers Punter Sauerbrun Arrested for DWI

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Sports Network) - Carolina Panthers punter  Todd Sauerbrun was arrested Wednesday night and charged with  driving while impaired.


Compensation for Pinochet Victims Approved (AP)

AP - Congress overwhelmingly passed a bill granting money and other compensation to some 28,000 former political prisoners, most of them victims of torture during the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet.


ADVISORY: Levi Strauss Story Withdrawn (Reuters)

Reuters - The story headlined "UPDATE 1-Levi\Strauss   Co says could face bankruptcy" is withdrawn. The\story was based on language included in a filing the company\made with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Such\language on risk factors is standard in most references to\indebtedness in regulatory filings by companies.


Iceland Offers Shelter to Fugitive Chess Player Fischer (Reuters)

Reuters - Fugitive chess master Bobby\Fischer has been offered a new home in Iceland, where he won a\classic victory in 1972, but it is unclear whether he will be\able to make the move from his detention in Japan.


Montreal man pleads guilty to arson in firebombing at Jewish school (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - MONTREAL (CP) - A 19-year-old man charged in a firebombing at a Jewish elementary school pleaded guilty Thursday to arson.


Symantec to Buy Veritas for \$13.5 Billion

NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Symantec Corp. SYMC.O,  the top global security software maker, on Thursday said it  will buy Veritas Software Corp. VRTS.O for \$13.5 billion,  expanding into the data storage and recovery business.


FedEx Profit, Outlook Up, Stock Down

NEW YORK (Reuters) - FedEx Corp. FDX.N  said quarterly  profit nearly quadrupled on in its international, ground and  freight businesses, but the stock slipped on disappointment  over the margins.