DeTrani drums up support for talks

December 09, 2004  A senior US official came to Seoul yesterday to create momentum for talks aimed at halting North Korea #39;s nuclear weapons program.


Russia Using Soviet Tactics Over Ukraine -- Warsaw

Russia #39;s refusal to cooperate with the West to ensure a fair election in Ukraine signals that Moscow is slipping back to Soviet-style tactics, a senior Polish diplomat was quoted Wednesday as saying.


Paisley rules out devolution deal

A deal to restore devolution in Northern Ireland will not be signed, DUP leader Ian Paisley confirms.


Lenovo Buys IBM #39;s PC Business for \$1.25 Billion (Update7)

Lenovo Group Ltd. agreed to pay \$1.25 billion for International Business Machines Corp. #39;s personal computer business, making the Chinese company the world #39;s third- largest PC maker and giving it a globally recognized brand.


Calpers reveals risky investments #39; cost

Calpers, the largest pension fund in the United States, has disclosed for the first time how much it paid the venture capitalists, hedge fund managers and others who handle its riskiest specialized investments, and how well those investments performed in


Mission is over for top astronaut

THE longest serving astronaut in history, who flew twice to the moon and commanded the first space shuttle mission, has announced his retirement after 42 years at Nasa.


PA Sues Online  #39;University #39; For Spamming

CousinLarry writes  quot;Online  #39;university #39; Trinity Southern University (Google cache of disabled site homepage) has been sued by the state of Pennsylvania.


Silverstone owners  #39;hopeful #39; for F1 deal

Silverstone #39;s owners say they are confident that a deal can be reached with Bernie Ecclestone, Formula One #39;s chief, to save the British Grand Prix.


Thistle see an end to wanderings

Inverness Caledonian Thistle will finally be allowed to return to their own ground after half a season #39;s wanderings following a change of heart by the Scottish Premier League.


China #39;s Lenovo acquires IBM #39;s PC business

Lenovo Group, China #39;s personal computer giant, Wednesday signed a definitive agreement with IBM to acquire Big Blue #39;s personal computer


Merck Sees 2005 Profit Hurt by Vioxx

Merck  amp; Co. Inc.(MRK.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , reeling from the recent withdrawal of its Vioxx arthritis drug, on Wednesday reaffirmed its 2004 earnings outlook but said earnings in 2005 will be lower than analysts had expected.


AutoZone Earnings Are Flat

Autozone #39;s (AZO:NYSE - news - research) first-quarter sales and earnings were virtually unchanged from a year ago, held back by higher fuel prices that made car owners skittish.


'The boat started shaking'

The BBC's Rachel Harvey meets a fisherman in the Indonesian city of Banda Aceh who survived the tsunami.


Telecom Tests Online Aromatherapy Service (AP)

AP - People play games, go shopping and meet dates on the Internet. So why not use the Web to download the perfect mood-enhancing fragrance?


BEA Rolls Out WebLogic Server 9.0 for SOA

SAN FRANCISCOBEA Systems Inc. took advantage of the proximity of Oracle Corp. #39;s OpenWorld conference here this week to introduce BEA WebLogic Server 9.0, which is designed to allow developers to rapidly


Want a PS2 this Christmas? You #39;ll be lucky!

Beleaguered parents hunting down a must-have games console for this Christmas are being told to keep on hassling their local games retailer - and keep their fingers crossed.


India, Pakistan say need more talks on Kashmir bus (Reuters)

Reuters - India and Pakistan were unable to agree on starting a bus service between the capitals of divided Kashmir in two days of talks which ended in New Delhi on Wednesday and said they would need more discussions.


Benni the toast of Portugal

Portuguese newspapers praised Porto #39;s Benni McCarthy on Wednesday after a late goal by the South African striker sent Chelsea crashing to a 2-1 defeat and won the club a spot in the knockout phase of the Champions League.


No appeal against Mols five-match ban

Utrecht #39;s Michael Mols is to start a five-match ban for knocking out a Graafschap Doetinchem defender in a game on November 28.


Vodafone seeks second place in Japan with slice of growing 3G market (AFP)

AFP - British giant Vodafone said it aimed to become the second biggest operator in Japan through an aggressive push in third-generation (3G) service which is taking off in the country.


Penguin Computing launches cluster in a box (InfoWorld)

InfoWorld - Armed with a new form factor and its clustering management software, Penguin Computing on Wednesday launched an aggressively priced Linux-based blade server targeted at the lower end of the market -- a market recently entered into by Dell Computer.


Finding the Best Programmer's Font

Becoming frustrated with source code not aligning in my favorite source editor I decided to hunt  for the best font. In particular, I began to hunt down the available fixed-width or monospaced fonts.    What are monospaced fonts you ask? From Xerox:Monospace fonts (Such as Courier or LetterGothic), or "fixed pitch" fonts, contain characters that all have the same character width, producing text that can be used to create forms, tabular material or documents that require exact text line lengths. An example of a fixed pitch font is Courier 12 pitch, which is a 10 point font that will print at exactly 12 characters per inch.    Why use  monospaced fonts? Primarily because the text will align more readily. Especially is areas like the comment block header. Updated versions of this document will be located at http://www.lowing.org/fonts/


Experts: Men Distort Religion to Justify 'Honour' Killings

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Men all over the world distort the  teachings of Islam and Christianity to justify abusing their  wives and daughters, leading to thousands of "honor" killings a  year for which courts provide virtual impunity, experts say.


Intel CEO: Company Recovered From Missteps

Intel Corp. chief executive Craig Barrett said Tuesday the company has "recovered" from product missteps that plagued the chip maker during the first half of the year.


HP Board Pondered Breaking Up the Company

\

 By Duncan Martell

 SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The board of Hewlett-Packard Co.\<HPQ.N> discussed breaking up the No. 2 computer maker three\times in the past, yet each time decided to keep it intact,\Chief Executive Carly Fiorina said on Tuesday, defending her\strategy for the company.


'EverQuest,' 'Warcraft' Polished

If my experiences with two new massively multiplayer online role-playing games have taught me one thing, it's that if I really wanted, I'd never have to interact face-to-face with another person again. I have all the friends and enemies I can handle thanks to "EverQuest II" and "World of Warcraft."


Update 2: GM Europe Pledges to Avoid Job Cuts

General Motors Corp. has pledged to avoid plant closures and layoffs in Europe as it seeks to return its money-losing European operations to profitability, worker representatives said Wednesday.


Sony selects NVIDIA for Playstation 3 chips

NEW YORK, December 8 (newratings.com) - Sony Corp (SNE.NYS) named NVIDIA yesterday as the supplier of the graphics chips required for its upcoming Playstation 3 video game console.


Lycos Anti-Spam Screensaver Inspires Trojan

Even though it #39;s been withdrawn, the Lycos anti-spam screensaver is not forgotten. Rollie Hawk writes  quot;And with this, the  #39;What #39;s Good for the Goose... #39; award goes to all those people trying to install that


Ancient brew discovered in China

People in ancient China may have been enjoying the delights of wine as long as 9,000 years ago, making them the first in the world to enjoy a tipple.


Napster founder back with new file-sharing venture

The kid who sparked the digital music revolution says he #39;s back to finish the job. As a 19-year-old college freshman, Shawn Fanning created Napster, the file-sharing software program


Pair say strip cheats

INTERNATIONAL Olympic Committee members Susie O #39;Neill and Kevan Gosper have called for the IOC to strip Sydney triple gold medallist Marion Jones of her medals if she is proven to be a drug cheat.


Gerrard Wants Fans To Play Their Part

Steven Gerrard has called on Liverpool #39;s supporters to play their part in inspiring the Reds to victory against Olympiakos tonight.


Indian cricket team in Dhaka:

Sports India, Cricket: Dhaka, Dec 8 : A 15-member Indian cricket squad Wednesday arrived here amidst tight security to play two Tests and three one-day internationals against Bangladesh.


Champions Trophy 2004

Pakistan #39;s Mohammad Saqlain (centre) raises his arms to celebrate the first goal against India during the six-nation Champions Trophy Tournament match at the National Hockey Stadium in Lahore, on Wednesday.


No Mideast peace deal yet: Palestinian official

JERUSALEM - A senior Palestinian official called reports of a Mideast peace agreement premature, but said Israelis and Palestinians have agreed on the logistics of the upcoming elections to replace Yasser Arafat.


Iraqi Officials Consider Extending Voting Period

BAGHDAD - Iraq #39;s Independent Electoral Commission said on Wednesday it may consider holding next month #39;s elections over an extended period, as Prime Minister Iyad Allawi had suggested.


Annan rejects resignation demands

United Nations: Buoyed by strong support from member nations including four out of five Security Council members, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has firmly rejected the demand of some American lawmakers to resign in view of allegations of corruption in


Pakistan does 2nd test of nuclear-capable missile in 10 days

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan- Pakistan on Wednesday test-fired a medium-range ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead but insisted it was not sending a signal to India amid continuing peace moves with its regional rival.


GREAT LAKES: African Union may help disarm militias

ADDIS ABABA, 8 December (IRIN) - With the threat of renewed regional conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the African Union #39;s (AU #39;s) Peace and Security Council announced on Tuesday that it would seek a greater role in helping to disarm


Stocks Open Higher, Lower Oil Prices Help

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened higher on  Wednesday, a day after a sharp sell-off, as oil tumbled  further, easing concerns about the impact high crude prices  have on corporate profits and consumer spending.


Saudi Arabia Questions Need for OPEC Move

CAIRO (Reuters) - Top OPEC producer Saudi Arabia on  Wednesday questioned the need for OPEC oil producers to rein in  supply, saying the kingdom would keep crude output at current  high levels as long as customers wanted it.


Toro Earnings Rise, Dividend Doubled

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Lawn-care equipment maker Toro  Co.TTC.N  on Wednesday reported stronger-than-expected  quarterly earnings and doubled its dividend, citing increased  sales and cost controls.


N. Korea Remains Are Not of Japan Citizen (AP)

AP - Japan lodged a formal complaint with North Korea on Wednesday after tests showed that human remains which Pyongyang claimed belonged to a Japanese citizen abducted decades ago by communist agents are those of someone else.


Wall Street set for steady open (FT.com)

FT.com - Wall Street futures were flat on Tuesday, as a lack of economic news led investors to focus on the falling price of oil and the falling dollar. Investors were also assessing the merits of IBM's planned sale of its personal computer division to Lenovo, the Chinese computer group, for  #36;1.75bn.


Australia to Upgrade Embassy Security (AP)

AP - Australia's foreign ministry said Wednesday it will boost security spending at its embassies by  #36;52 million after a terror attack on the U.S. consulate in Saudi Arabia left nine dead earlier this week.


Nobel Winners to Explain Discoveries (AP)

AP - Their discoveries may be hard for many to comprehend, but this year's Nobel Prize winners still have to explain what they did and how they did it.


IBM sells PC unit to Lenovo

International Business Machines Corp. agreed to sell its personal computing business to China #39;s largest computer maker, Lenovo Group Ltd.


GM Europe Aims to Avoid Forced Layoffs

General Motors aims to restructure its loss-making European operations without resorting to involuntary redundancies or shuttering any


Merck Sees 2005 Profit Hurt by Vioxx

Merck  amp; Co. Inc.(MRK), reeling from the recent withdrawal of its Vioxx arthritis drug, said Wednesday it expects 2005 earnings of \$2.42 to \$2.52 a share -- a decline from expected 2004 results.


Online university sued for selling fake degrees

Trinity Southern University, an online school based in Texas, has been sued by the state of Pennsylvania for allegedly using state and private Internet addresses to hawk fake graduate degrees and prescription drugs.


Muck of the Irish: Petrino staying at Louisville

Cross another name off the Notre Dame wish list. Bobby Petrino is expected to announce he #39;s stayng at Louisville. Dec. 8 Louisville football coach Bobby Petrino, who was contacted by both Notre Dame and Mississippi


Mid-East summit agreed as peace efforts pay off

THE depth and scale of the covert diplomatic manoeuvring to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was dramatically illuminated yesterday when Egyptian government officials confirmed their involvement in talks leading up to a mid-year peace conference


UN Council Warns Rwanda Against Attack in Congo

The Security Council, in an apparent warning to Rwandan President Paul Kagame, said on Tuesday it intended to consider unspecified measures against individuals who undermined the peace process in Congo.


Will More Power for Intelligence Chief Mean Better Results?

Congress is close to approving a broad intelligence overhaul, but the changes that will matter most still lie ahead.


Japanese get 'beautiful' housesitter with jellyfish-shaped robot (AFP)

AFP - A Japanese firm said it has created a jellyfish-shaped robot that can alert homeowners to burglars or housesit for their pets -- and, when not at work, lounge about and be "beautiful."


Israel's Sharon Lines Up Support for Likud Vote

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon  marshaled support for Thursday's Likud party vote to bring the  Labor Party into a government that would block snap elections  and pave the way for a Gaza withdrawal next year.


Blair Rules Out Iraq Civilian Death Toll Probe

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair  rejected a call Wednesday for an independent inquiry into the  civilian death toll in the U.S.-led war in Iraq.


French Court Convicts Mitterrand Son of Tax Fraud

PARIS (Reuters) - A French court Wednesday found the eldest  son of former French President Francois Mitterrand guilty of  tax fraud and sentenced him to a suspended 30-month prison  sentence.


Nortel to File Statements Next Year

Nortel Networks Corp. said Wednesday it intends to file its long-delayed financial statements for the first two quarters of 2004 on Jan. 10 of next year.


New sub-species of tiger found

A genetic study of the tiger family reveals a previously unknown sub-species of the big cats.


Israeli Forces End Northern Gaza Raid - Army

GAZA, Gaza Strip (Reuters) - Israeli forces ended an  operation in the northern Gaza Strip less then 24 hours after  they raided the area to try to stop cross-border rocket attacks  by Palestinian militants, the army said Monday.


Group formed to track IM threats

A group of internet security and instant messaging (IM) providers have teamed up to detect and thwart the growing threat of IM and P2P viruses and worms.


Aus beat Kiwis by 17 runs

Australia have won the 2nd one dayer against New Zealand by 17 runs to level the three-match series at 1-1. Australia were down to 161 for 6 at one stage, but then added another 100 runs.


Shanahan summit looks to improve game

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Behind closed doors, some of hockey #39;s most influential people met to discuss the game. It wasn #39;ta meeting to end the lockout, but how to improve NHL hockey once it gets up and running again.


Suicide Bomber Kills 3 in Baghdad Near Allawi HQ

BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) - A suicide bomber posing as a taxi  driver killed three people near the headquarters of Iraqi Prime  Minister Iyad Allawi's party in Baghdad on Monday as insurgents  pressed a bloody campaign to disrupt a Jan. 30 election.


Dell explores second factory in Europe

Dellis considering opening a second European production plant to support its steady growth on the continent.


IBM adjusts to harsh PC market

Perhaps it isn't quite as surprising as if Ford MotorCo. suddenly decided to sell the Mustang sports car brand to Hyundai. But IBM's decision to sell its PC business to China's Lenovo Group underscores the challenges that manufacturers face in the modern PC business, even for a company synonymous with the product.


IBM Sells Its PC Business

Companies say customers will see no change in product availability or support.


Dual DVD, HD-DVD Disc Developed

New disc could ease the transition to the next-gen DVD standard, company says.


Virgin Atlantic Inaugural Flight Lands in Sydney

The wait for Virgin Atlantics daily service from Sydney to Hong Kong and London is finally over, with Virgin Atlantics inaugural flight touching down at Sydney Airport.


Stocks sink on profit taking

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 106 points to 10,440. Decliners on the New York Stock Exchange outnumbered advancers by a three-to-one margin.


Arsenal in goalkeeper quandry

The Spaniard has played in two victories in his first three starts - a 3-0 win over Birmingham and a 5-1 triumph over Rosenborg in the Champions League - after replacing Jens Lehmann.


Benitez keeps eye on the prize

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez believes that his side have every chance of making the Champions League knockout stage tonight. The Spaniard is confident that the Reds can claim the 1-0 or two-goal win against


Stocks Climb on Decline in Oil Prices

A decline in oil prices is giving some stocks a modest boost. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 9 points in today #39;s early going.


Update 1: Gazprom Board Approves Plan for Yukos Bid

Russia #39;s state-controlled gas giant Gazprom approved a plan to bid for Yukos #39; core production unit Wednesday amid reports that the company was negotiating to secure a euro10 billion (US\$13 billion) loan from a group of Western banks to support its offer.


Aussies level series with win

A lower-order fightback was not enough to save New Zealand as Australia levelled the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series after a thrilling 17-run win in Sydney.


Black Watch mission  #39;exceptional #39;

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has played down suggestions that there could be further UK troop re-deployments in support of US operations in Iraq.


PMs publish devolution proposals

The British and Irish prime ministers are publishing their proposals to restore devolution in NI.


Saudi Questions Need for OPEC Supply Cuts

CAIRO (Reuters) - OPEC's top producer Saudi Arabia on  Wednesday questioned the need for the cartel to bolster oil  prices by cutting supply, saying the kingdom would keep crude  output at current high levels as long as customers wanted it.


Hoon plays down new Iraq troop move

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has played down the prospect of fresh deployments of British troops into the American-controlled sector of Iraq.


Toro Earnings Rise; Dividend Doubled

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Lawn-care equipment maker Toro Co.  TTC.N on Wednesday reported stronger-than-expected quarterly  earnings and doubled its dividend, citing increased sales and  its streamlining efforts.


Tax bill hits Russian mobile firm

Mobile operator Vimpelcom is the latest Russian firm to be hit with a heavy bill for back taxes


Goldman Cuts Wal-Mart Rating

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT.N, the  world's biggest retailer, suffered another blow to its star  status on Wednesday when a leading U.S. investment bank  downgraded the company's stock.


IBM Sells PC Biz to Lenovo for \$1.75B

, 12/8/2004. IBM #39;s awaited personal computing division sale to Lenovo Group Ltd. became official this morning with an announcement that Big Blue will pass the unit to China #39;s number one PC maker for \$1.75 billion.


TELECOM: FT, REORGANISATION MAKES COMPANY MORE  #39;NORMAL #39;

(AGI) - Rome, Italy, Dec. 8 - The merger between Telecom Italia and its mobile arm, Tim, will make the company more normal and will sign the  quot;end of the biggest Italian soap opera quot;.


Sports Car Revamp Revs Up Porsche Sales

German carmaker Porsche expects its streak of strong earnings to continue in the current fiscal year that ends in July, the company said on Wednesday.


Nortel expects drop in 2003 net earnings

TORONTO -- Nortel Networks Corp., which is in the process of resolving an accounting mess that will result in restatements of prior years #39; earnings, expects a 28 percent reduction in previously announced net earnings for 2003, compared with its previous


Mozilla Thunderbird 1.0 takes off

Mozillas latest launch, the standalone Thunderbird 0.9 email client, has captured the attention of the mainstream media who are happily trumpeting its arrival and linking it to the hugely popular Firefox browser, which is giving Microsofts Internet


NVIDIA Partners With Sony

NVIDIA, graphics card manufacturer, has reported that it #39;s partnering up with Sony on the graphics hardware for PlayStation 3. The companies have been developing a custom graphics processing unit (GPU) incorporating next-generation GeForce technology


Do they know it #39;s Christmas?

Watching the Jonathan Woss Show last week, I was more than impressed with U2 #39;s fabulous live performance, thinking that the Irish supergroup were right back at the top of their form.


Playstation Supplies  #39;Tight #39;, Admits Sony

Sony was forced to admit today that availability of its PlayStation 2 (PS2) games console in UK shops would be tight before Christmas.


PalmSource to Extend Leadership in Phone Software With Acquisition <b>...</b>

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PalmSource, Inc. (NASDAQ:PSRC), provider of Palm OS(R), a leading operating system powering next generation mobile devices and smartphones today announced


Thompson Does Not Fear O #39;Neill Exit

Celtic midfielder Alan Thompson insists fears Martin ONeill might have managed Celtic in Europe for the final time will prove unfounded.


High Court rules against Ecclestone in F1 case

The High Court ruled on 6 December in favour of the three banks which own 75 per cent of F1 #39;s commercial rights being permitted to appoint directors to Formula One Holdings.


Redknapp appointed Southampton boss (AFP)

AFP - Harry Redknapp was appointed manager of Premiership strugglers Southampton just two weeks after quitting their arch south-coast rivals Portsmouth.


Separation Makes Algeria, Morocco Bad Neighbors (Reuters)

Reuters - They share the same language,\religion and culture but the dramatically different political\histories of Algeria and Morocco have bred mistrust and enmity.


Ukraine Parliament Votes for Sweeping Electoral Changes

In the biggest shift, legislators gave themselves the power to elect the premier, removing that choice from the president.


Hold the Risotto, Make It Fried Rice

When the renowned cookbook author Marcella Hazan comes to New York, Italian food is not uppermost on her mind  she eats Chinese.


Colgate-Palmolive to Cut 4,000 Jobs

Description: Colgate-Palmolive says it will cut more than 4,000 jobs and close a third of its factories worldwide. The company plans to use the savings for advertising and new product development.


Court weighs wine shipping rules

Rogue Valley wine shippers hope the US Supreme Court agrees with arguments presented Tuesday on behalf of small wineries. The high court was told state laws barring people from buying wine directly from out


Apple Threatens Owner of iTunes Domain

Apple has taken steps to take ownership of the iTunes.co.uk domain name from its current owner, with the company formally complaining to Nominet, the UK domain name registrar, that it is entitled to the domain.


Halo 2 heralds traffic explosion

The growing popularity of online gaming could spell problems for net service firms, warns network monitoring company Sandvine. It issued the warning following analysis which shows that Traffic on the Xbox


PalmSource to build Palm OS on Linux

PalmSource is to create a new version of the Palm OS with Linux at its core, the company said today after announcing a plan to buy Chinese phone software company China MobileSoft (CMS #39;).


McCARTHY SLAMS HIS OWN  #39;STUPID #39; FANS

South African international Benni McCarthy has criticised Porto fans who taunted two Chelsea players with racist chants during their Champions League clash.


For Petrino, all that #39;s at stake is his legacy

So the slot machine stopped and flashed three cardinals. The University of Louisville is a winner. It gets to keep what it already possesses: football coach Bobby Petrino.


Vaughan misses the tour opener

ENGLAND captain Michael Vaughan has decided to rest for the opening match of their South Africa tour against Nicky Oppenheimer #39;s XI in Randjesfontein today.


Rawlings Accuses Obasanjo of Interference

Ghanaians went to the polls yesterday to elect a new President and members of Parliament with former President Jerry Rawlings accusing Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo of undue interference in the electoral process.


Merck #39;s Irrelevant Guidance

The Whitehouse Station, NJ-based drug giant held its traditional yearly conference call announcing earnings guidance for next year.


CalPERS unveils managmement fees in settlement of open records <b>...</b>

The nation #39;s largest public pension fund has agreed to disclose more than \$200 million in annual money management fees to settle a lawsuit by a media coalition.


Gerrard aiming high

Steven Gerrard insists he #39;ll not accept  quot;second best quot; by crashing out of the Champions League and into the Uefa Cup.


Red Bull tonic for David...

David Coulthard is to test for the Red Bull Racing F1 team in Jerez, Spain, this week. He will join the team to drive the team #39;s 2004 car, the R5.


Gazprom gets go-ahead for Yukos

Russian gas monopoly Gazprom gets government approval to make a bid for Yugansk, the main production arm of stricken oil firm Yukos.


Aetna Ends Magellan Mental Health Deal

CHICAGO  (Reuters) - Aetna Inc. AET.N on Wednesday said  it will end its contract with Magellan Health Services MGLN.O  for mental health coverage and bring those services in-house,  pushing shares of Magellan down about 3.5 percent.


Analysis: IBM adjusts to harsh PC market

DECEMBER 08, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Perhaps it isn #39;t quite as surprising as if Ford suddenly decided to sell its Mustang sports car brand to Hyundai.


Goldman Cuts Wal-Mart Rating

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world #39;s biggest retailer, suffered another blow to its star status on Wednesday when a leading US investment bank downgraded the company #39;s stock.


Iraqis Consider Extending Election Amid Violence (Reuters)

Reuters - Iraq may modify plans for its first\free election to give people more time to vote next month,\officials said Wednesday as suicide bombers and gunmen again\struck Sunni Muslim towns north and west of the capital.


Dual DVD, HD-DVD Disc Developed

Memory-Tech will start mass production late next year of read-only discs that can contain data stored in both DVD and HD-DVDs (High Definition/High Density-DVDs) layers, a company executive says.


PalmSource buys into China, Linux

com December 8, 2004, 7:53 AM PT. PalmSource, which makes software for mobile devices, said Wednesday that it has agreed to acquire China MobileSoft in a deal expected to expand the


Oracle, Dell to boost grid standards

Dell Inc. chairman Michael Dell announced a long-term partnership between his company and other hardware and software vendors to develop best practices in deploying a grid computing infrastructure.


Driver #39;s license gets new high-tech features

Governor Pawlenty unveils a new Minnesota driver #39;s license today -- one that contains high-tech features. The new license includes a reflective image of a row of loons that seem to  quot;float quot; when viewed from different angles.


Porto #39;s desire is winning factor

CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho said Porto #39;s better motivation earned them a place in the next phase of the Champions League and sent the Londoners crashing to their first defeat of the competition.


US ; NBA Wrap: Nowitzki Leads Dallas Past Minnesota

Dallas pulled away in the second half after leading by just four points at the half, out-rebounding the T-Wolves 54-35. Minnesota was without Latrell Sprewell, who was suspended for one game by the NBA for


MLB Players Open to Changes in Steroids Testing (Reuters)

Reuters - The Major League Baseball\Players Association announced Tuesday it would work toward a\new agreement with owners for tougher steroid testing.


Samarra sees repeated attacks, British defense minister visits <b>...</b>

Insurgents launched a string of assaults around the city of Samarra on Wednesday, trading gunfire with US forces, attacking a US convoy


Ukraine's Opposition Sees Path to Victory

KIEV, Ukraine (Reuters) - Opposition hopeful Viktor  Yushchenko said Wednesday a parliamentary vote to root out  cheating in elections opened the way for him to win a re-run of  a rigged presidential poll.


N. Irish Deal Stalls Over IRA Arms Pictures

BELFAST, Northern Ireland (Reuters) - A major push to seal  a political settlement for the turbulent British province of  Northern Ireland stalled at the last moment Wednesday over  demands for photographic evidence of IRA guerrillas scrapping  their arms.


IBM sells PC business to China

BEIJING - Lenovo Group has agreed to pay US\$1.25 billion (\$1.75 billion) for IBM #39;s personal computer business, lifting China #39;s largest PC maker to third in global rankings and giving it a globally recognised brand.


Crude oil prices rise near US\$42 as traders await US data, OPEC <b>...</b>

Crude oil prices rose Wednesday ahead of US petroleum inventory data and an OPEC meeting this week at which the group could decide on a production cut.


Yankees acquire new leadoff man

The Yankees have found a new leadoff man, signing free-agent second baseman Tony Womack to a two-year contract, Sporting News has learned.


Peru Gunmen Seize Police Station

The leader of a nationalist group that seized a remote police station, taking 10 police officers hostage, and later allegedly ambushed a police vehicle, killing four other officers, agreed Sunday to publicly lay down his weapons.


Survivors

For a vacationing family, it's been only two weeks since leaving a wintry Washington for sunny Sri Lanka, but it seems like several lifetimes ago. During those two weeks, they have seen both paradise and hell, and a surrealistic netherworld in between.


Blair rejects tally of Iraq war dead

Tony Blair has rejected a call for an independent inquiry into the civilian death toll in the US-led war in Iraq. The call came on Wednesday in an open letter to the


Cardinals Re-Sign Morris

The St. Louis Cardinals and pitcher Matt Morris agree to a one-year, \$2.5 contract.


Bank on course to freeze rates

Experts expect the Bank of England to leave interest rates on hold at 4.75 on Thursday.


Oil Rebounds on Winter Supply Worries

Oil prices jumped from a four-month low on Wednesday as slow growth in US heating fuel inventories heightened fears for tight winter supplies.


Branson Predicts Price War as Virgin Adds Sydney Flights

Virgin will use Airbus A340-600 aircraft on the London-Sydney route, but plans to increase capacity by using Boeing 747s or adding a second daily service.


Update 3: Merck Slashes Its 2005 Estimates on Vioxx

The withdrawal of painkiller Vioxx will reduce 2005 earnings of Merck  amp; Co. Inc. to between \$2.42 and \$2.52 a share, below the already diminished expectations of Wall Street analysts, the huge drug maker said Wednesday.


Update 1: Toro 4Q Profit Soars 23 Percent

Lawnmower manufacturer Toro Co. on Wednesday said its profit grew 23 percent in the fourth quarter, helped by higher sales across all of its product segments and a surge in overseas demand.


Wal-Mart suffers another blow

Goldman cuts No. 1 retailer #39;s rating to  quot;in-line quot; from  quot;outperform quot; on heels of weak November sales. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the world #39;s biggest retailer, suffered another blow to its star


Sirius falls after analyst says stock overvalued

Shares of Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. (SIRI.O: Quote, Profile, Research) fell as much as 27 percent in early trading on Wednesday after an investment firm said the stock was overvalued


Canadian Gold Doesn #39;t Glitter

No news was good news for South Africa #39;s Harmony Gold Mining Company (NYSE: HMY) today. Over at rival and takeover target Gold Fields Limited (NYSE: GFI), a shareholder vote was held to endorse


PalmSource to Acquire China MobileSoft, Develop for Linux

PalmSource today announced entry into an agreement for the acquisition of China MobileSoft Limited (CMS), a leading Chinese mobile phone software company with business operations headquartered with its wholly-owned subsidiary, MobileSoft Technology


Apple in cybersquatting fight over iTunes

US computer giant Apple is locked in a cybersquatting battle with a 22-year-old London Internet whiz kid over the itunes.co.uk website, a domain the company wants for its chain of iTunes online music stores.


Dell, EMC, Intel and Oracle Line Up on the Grid

Dell will provide an enterprise networked server infrastructure consisting of dual Intel Xeon and four-way Intel Itanium processor-based PowerEdge servers.


Chicken Genome Could Shed Light on Human DNA

A new US study says about 60 of the genes in chickens are closely related to those found in humans. In fact, the recently deciphered chicken genome should prove a valuable tool for learning about the human


NASA: Hubble Fix Pricey, Not Guaranteed

Earlier this year, NASA administrator Sean O #39;Keefe nixed a final shuttle service mission to Hubble scheduled for mid-2006, saying it posed too much of a risk to the lives of astronauts.


Minnesota will soon begin issuing new driver #39;s licenses that contain high-tech features to curb counterfeiting, as well as a  quot;status check quot; that will show a driver #39;s immigration status.


Witness against Sharman switched sides

One of the witnesses against Sharman Networks had at one time offered to be an expert witness for the company in the civil trial now taking place in Australia, according to Sharman #39;s attorney.


Microsoft in final testing on Windows Server 2003 SP1

The software was originally scheduled to ship by the end of the year, but in October Microsoft pushed the release date into the first half of 2005.


IOC Sets Up Disciplinary Commission To Investigate Jones Doping <b>...</b>

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Tuesday that IOC President Jacques Rogge has set up a Disciplinary Commission to investigate remarks on ABCs 20/20 Friday, made by Victor Conte, head of the California-based Balco laboratory, on ABC


Red Bull Racing confirms David Coulthard to join team for testing <b>...</b>

Red Bull Racing confirmed today that as part of the continued winter test programme, David Coulthard will join the team in Jerez (Spain) this week driving the 2004 car, the R5.


England openers lead victory charge

Marcus Trescothick and Robert Key led England to a convincing eight-wicket victory in their first match of the South African tour.


Utah hires Whittingham to replace Meyer

Utah defensive coordinator Kyle Whittingham was hired as the school #39;s football coach to replace Urban Meyer. Whittingham rejected an offer from rival BYU to take the Utes #39; job.


Prosecutor #39;s Announcement on Brawl Charges to Come

Wednesday brings the next step for Pacers players and Piston fans facing disciplinary action following the melee in Detroit. Various news reports say a prosecutor in Detroit is expected to make a major announcement this afternoon.


Putin, Annan emphasize role played by UN in settling international <b>...</b>

MOSCOW. Dec 8 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan have emphasized the unassailable central coordinating role played by the United Nations in resolving international


US urges China to bring North Korea to talks

The United States has urged China to work harder to persuade North Korea to return to talks over its nuclear weapons drive. US special envoy, Joseph DeTrani, has asked Beijing to step up efforts to bring Pyongyang


148 unarmed Palestinians killed in West Bank in 2004: Israeli army

The Israeli army said on Wednesday that a total of 148 unarmed Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank this year. A senior Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officer released


Security in Sudan Deteriorating, UN Official Warns

Throughout November violence in Sudan increased and there has been  quot;a marked deterioration quot; in Darfur, a senior UN official told the Security Council December 7. Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs


Pope condemns Iraq church attacks

Pope John Paul II has spoken out against attacks on Iraq #39;s Christian community after the bombing of two churches in the northern city of Mosul.


Oil Rebounds on Winter Supply Worries

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices jumped from a four-month low  on Wednesday as slow growth in U.S. heating fuel inventories  heightened fears for tight winter supplies.


Stocks Rise; Healthcare Sector Climbs

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday, a day  after a sharp sell-off, as value investors picked up shares in  lagging sectors such as healthcare.


Mortgage Applications Up - MBA

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New applications for U.S. home  mortgages rose last week as lower interest rates spurred  purchases, an industry group said on Wednesday.


Utah Hires Whittingham

Defensive coordinator Kyle Whittingham replaces Urban Meyer as the new head coach at Utah on Wednesday.


WestJet Estimates Cut on Load Factor Woes

MONTREAL (Reuters) - Analysts chopped their fourth-quarter  profit estimates for WestJet Airlines Ltd. WJA.TO on  Wednesday and braced for turbulence in its share price, mainly  because of computer woes that hurt its online reservations  bookings.


Download Tonight's Perfume

A Japanese firm pioneers a system to share fragrances over the internet.  Also: A Bollywood movie makes its debut on cell phones   hellip;. Merck smarting from Vioxx pull   hellip;. and more.


Milk shake-up as dairies merge

A Scandinavian and a Dutch dairy announce plans to merge and create a co-operative of 21,000 farmers.


Global Hawk Costs Soar

Cost overruns won't endanger Northrop Grumman's latest surveillance aircraft program, but federal budget cuts will likely hamper future defense contracts.


Enter your e-mail:

If you #39;ve been a computer user for as long as I have, you still remember the day in 1981 when IBM introduced its first PC. It was far from the first personal computer, but it quickly reinvented an industry that was just beginning to take off.


Trip for Clean Water Kits Proves a Tortuous One

By the time the first truckload of clean water solution reached the refugee camp in Desa Rueng Bakjok village on Sunday, about 50 of the 1,000 people living here on muddy ground under plastic tarps were suffering from dehydration and diarrhea.


Nomar Garciaparra Stays With Cubs

Nomar Garciaparra stayed with the Chicago Cubs, Brad Radke remained with Minnesota and the New York Yankees looked ahead to deals with pitcher Jaret Wright and second baseman Tony


India, Pakistan say need more talks on Kashmir bus

India and Pakistan were unable to agree on starting a bus service between the capitals of divided Kashmir in two days of talks which ended in New Delhi on Wednesday and said they would need more discussions.


Leiter rejoins Marlins pitching corps

MIAMI -- Pitcher Al Leiter has been high atop the Florida Marlins wish list for a while. Wednesday morning that wish came true at Pro Player Stadium during a conference call between team officials and the press.


NASD Warns of Risky Home-Equity Investing (Reuters)

Reuters - Too many house-rich Americans are\borrowing money against their homes to play the stock market,\brokerages regulator NASD warned on Wednesday.


IBM sells PC business to Chinese group

(KAAL) -- Last week it was announced that IBM might be selling part of it #39;s company, and now that appears to have happened. China #39;s biggest computer maker says it #39;s acquired a majority stake in IBM #39;s personal


Colgate To Cut 4,400 Jobs

For months, Colgate executives have been hinting that a restructuring was imminent. Still, the scope of the plan that has been unveiled is larger than many analysts had anticipated and is expected to cost \$550-\$650 million after taxes.


Merck Sees  #39;05 Earnings Decline, Stock Up

Merck  amp; Co. Inc. (MRK.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , reeling from the recent withdrawal of its Vioxx arthritis drug, on Wednesday said 2005 earnings will decline to


Satellite radio competitors engaged in a star search

The competition between the country #39;s two satellite radio companies began as a race to the stars, with each fighting to be the first to launch satellites into space.


Lilly Launches Clinical Trial Web Site

Drug maker Eli Lilly and Co. reported Wednesday that it launched its clinical trial database Web site after announcing its intention to create the site in August.


Indian Movie to Debut on Cell Phones (AP)

AP - An Indian cellular phone company plans to air a new Bollywood movie on mobile handsets for free and in full Thursday in a bid to promote its video-streaming service.


Bills' Campbell Out for Rest of Season (AP)

AP - Bills tight end Mark Campbell will miss the rest of the season because of an injured right knee.


Eli Lilly Launches Online Clinical Trial Registry (Reuters)

Reuters - Drugmaker Eli Lilly and Co.  on\Wednesday said it will make clinical trial information\available online amid calls by lawmakers and physicians for\more disclosure of negative trial results.


2004 Was Year of Netsky Worm, Web Firm Sophos Says (Reuters)

Reuters - Netsky-P, an email computer worm\allegedly written by a German teenager, was the hardest-hitting\virus of 2004, disrupting tens of thousands of businesses and\homes worldwide, Web security firm Sophos says.


Toshiba create dual layered DVD/HD DVD disc

Toshiba has announced a dual layered disc that will playback both HD-DVD and DVD formats strengthing its offering in the battle of the next generation DVD formats.


PalmSource to Port Palm OS on top of Linux

Palm OS 6.0 (Palm OS Cobalt) hasn #39;t even seen the light of day on any device yet, nor is there any sign it will soon. All the same, PalmSource is steering its unused OS 6.0 onto the Linux platform.


2004 Was Year of Netsky Worm, Web Firm Sophos Says

Netsky-P, an email computer worm allegedly written by a German teenager, was the hardest-hitting virus of 2004, disrupting tens of thousands of businesses and homes worldwide, Web security firm Sophos says.


#39;Human error #39; crashed DWP

Human error caused the crash that left 80 per cent of staff without access to benefits payment processing systems at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) last month, supplier EDS has acknowledged.


Wigley makes clean break from Southampton

Wigley had been under intense pressure at St Marys since replacing Paul Sturrock at the start of the season, with his position as head coach being questioned in the wake of some poor form.


Marlins welcome back Leiter

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - After spending the last seven seasons with the New York Mets, Al Leiter was feeling a little nostalgic. Leiter signed a one-year contract with the Florida Marlins, a team he helped lead to a World Series title in 1997.


Nomar could undoubtedly excel again

So it is with Nomar Garciaparra, who, less than a year ago, was regarded as one of the top dozen or so players in the major leagues.


Delgado bears no grudges, but doesn #39;t think Jays made serious <b>...</b>

TORONTO (CP) - Carlos Delgado says he is leaving Toronto with no grudges, although the first baseman doesn #39;t think the Blue Jays did all they could to re-sign him.


Cheers Greet Rescuers in Aceh, Children Suffer

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (Reuters) - U.S. helicopters shuttled  injured refugees, many of them children, out of some of the  worst-hit parts of tsunami-devastated Aceh province, as reports  surfaced of trafficking in orphans from the disaster.


EU urges China to exert moderation after textile quotas end (AFP)

AFP - The European Union called on China at a summit to rein in its textile exports after international quotas are scrapped next year.


IBM Data Reveals Rising Warranty Costs (PC World)

PC World - Costs have increased steadily in recent years, causing some to wonder about quality.


Apple in Cybersquatting Fight Over ITunes Website (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. computer giant Apple  is\locked in a cybersquatting battle with a 22-year-old British\Internet whiz kid over the itunes.co.uk Web Site, a domain the\company wants for its chain of iTunes online music stores.


Players and Fans Expected to Face Charges in Brawl

DETROIT (Sports Network) - Five members of the Indiana  Pacers and five Detroit Pistons fans are expected to be charged  Wednesday in the November 19 brawl that took place at The  Palace of Auburn Hills.


Amazon Burning Makes Brazil a Leading Polluter (Reuters)

Reuters - Burning of the Amazon and\other forests accounts for three quarters of Brazil's\greenhouse gas emissions and has made the country one of the\world's leading polluters, a long-delayed government report\showed on Wednesday.


Poll: Fla. Voters Had No Voting Problems (AP)

AP - Most Florida voters had no problem casting a ballot on Election Day and many say they are confident their vote was counted correctly, a poll shows.


Nobel Winner Urges Tree Plantings; Peace Row Brews (Reuters)

Reuters - Kenya's Wangari Maathai urged a fight\against deforestation on Wednesday on her arrival in Oslo to\collect the Nobel Peace Prize amid controversy about whether\the award has lost its way by embracing environmentalism.


Eli Lilly Launches Online Clinical Trial Registry

Drugmaker Eli Lilly and Co. (LLY.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday said it will make clinical trial information available online amid calls by lawmakers and physicians for more disclosure of negative trial results.


Pitcher Leiter Headed Back to South Florida

MIAMI (Sports Network) - The Florida Marlins have signed  pitcher Al Leiter to a one-year contract, one day after the New  York Mets decided not to offer the lefthander arbitration.


Biotech Crops Said on Rise Around World (AP)

AP - Biotech crops are flourishing in the United States, but they're also taking root across the globe, accounting for about  #36;44 billion in crops in five leading countries, according to a report Wednesday by an industry group.


Mitchell Switches Loyalties to Oklahoma (AP)

AP - If not for a technicality, Oklahoma linebacker Lance Mitchell might've been lining up against the Sooners in the Orange Bowl instead of for them.


US pledges \$20m to Palestinians

The US pledges \$20m to help Palestinians out of a financial crisis - a rare direct payment from Washington.


Like Jordan and Ruth, Hamm Has a Home in Sports Lore

Mia Hamm, who will retire on Wednesday, influenced millions of people and represented the possibilities available to women after the passage of Title IX.


Iraqi Officials Consider Extending Voting Period

Iraq's Independent Electoral Commission said on Wednesday it may consider holding next month's elections over an extended period, as Prime Minister Iyad Allawi had suggested.


London Bridge Software fined for using unlicensed software

Debt recovery software outfit pays out 39,500


Wippit to gain over 1m major-label tracks

Gets content from last-two-to-licence 'big four' recording firms


PalmSource to build Palm OS on Linux

Update Buys Chinese phone software firm to speed release


2004 Was Year of Netsky Worm, Web Firm Sophos Says

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Netsky-P, an email computer worm  allegedly written by a German teenager, was the hardest-hitting  virus of 2004, disrupting tens of thousands of businesses and  homes worldwide, Web security firm Sophos says.


Mosaid Says Court Denies Samsung Sanction Appeals

TORONTO (Reuters) - Mosaid Technologies Inc. MSD.TO said  on Wednesday that a judge has denied an appeal by Samsung  Electronics Co. 005930.KS of two remaining sanctions tied to  a patent infringement lawsuit.


IBM Gives Shanghai a Real Surprise

It's like Big Blue realized everyone's secret dream: lose weight and make money at the same time. But its \$1.75 billion sale of its PC business to a Chinese company portends big changes for the international technology game board. -washingtonpost.com


French winemakers take to streets

Winemakers worried by a slump in sales stage street protests calling on the French government for help.


Colgate to cut 4,400 jobs, close a third factories

Colgate-Palmolive Co., the consumer products giant, will close a third of its factories and cut 4,400 jobs, or roughly 12 percent of its worldwide workforce, as part of a


Luxury carmakers rev up profits

STUTTGART - Despite signs of a global economic slowdown, two of Germany #39;s leading luxury carmakers - Porsche AG and BMW AG - have said they are off to a strong start to their new business years.


Mozilla #39;s e-Mail Client Thunderbird 1.0 Launched

The Mozilla Foundation released the final version of Thunderbird 1.0, the standalone open source e-mail client application, which is available for public download.


Bush urges baseball to  quot;address ... serious problem quot; of steroids

WHITE HOUSE President Bush is joining the chorus of those who want Major League Baseball to crack down on steroid use. Press Secretary Scott McClellan says the president is calling on baseball players and owners to  quot;address this serious problem.


Lehmann admits surprise at Arsenal axe

Jens Lehmann is surprised to be considered only second choice goalkeeper at Arsenal Football Club. The German has lost his place in the Gunners line-up to Spaniard Manuel Almunia, following a string of errors between the posts.


Champions League: Group G review - Valencia crash out with Inter <b>...</b>

Spanish champions Valencia became the big casualties of Group G, as they crashed out of this year #39;s Champions League following their 2-0 defeat to Werder Bremen.


Malloy  #39;embarrassed #39; by move

Notre Dame president Rev. Edward Malloy said on Wednesday that he was upset about how his university fired Irish football coach Tyrone Willingham last week.


Piturca back as Romania #39;s boss

Bucharest, Romania (Sports Network) - Victor Piturca has been re-appointed as Romania #39;s national team coach. Piturca, 48, was fired four years ago after a dispute with Romania legend Gheorghe Hagi.


Bush Wants Baseball to Work Out Steroids Problem (Reuters)

Reuters - President Bush wants Major League\Baseball management and players to come up with a tough\steroids testing program on their own and believes progress is\being made, his spokesman said on Wednesday.


EU signals movement on China arms ban

THE HAGUE The European Union said Wednesday that it was not yet ready to lift its 15-year arms embargo on China amid concerns about human rights, but held out the prospect that the ban could be eased early next year.


Sharon offers calm in absence of Palestinian attacks

Israeli PM says his country Israel will  #39;maintain calm #39; in absence of Palestinian militants attacks. JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Israel would  quot;maintain the calm quot; in the absence of attacks


Lenovo reveals IBM warranty costs rising steadily

In detailing its agreement to acquire IBM's personal computing division, China's Lenovo Group revealed data about growing warranty costs for Big Blue's PC business, and in doing so raised questions about quality control issues.


New set of Linux security flaws unveiled

A security researcher has uncovered yet another set of security flaws in an image component, which could put Linux users at risk of system compromise if they view a maliciously crafted image.


IBM Data Reveals Rising Warranty Costs

Costs have increased steadily in recent years, causing some to wonder about quality.


Analysis: IBM Adjusts to Harsh PC Market

IBM's deal with Lenovo may signal a round of industry consolidation, analysts say.


ETFs and Falling Fund Fees

The pricing pressure from ETFs is good news for index investors. But don't forget the brokerage fees.


IBM Discloses Details Of PC Business Sale

Lenovo will pay \$1.75 billion for IBM #39;s PC business unit but will continue to use the IBM brand for five years. By Paul McDougall, and Darrell Dunn.


Ontario Teachers #39; Pension Plan buying Alliance Laundry Holdings <b>...</b>

TORONTO (CP) - The Ontario Teachers #39; Pension Plan has signed an agreement to buy Alliance Laundry Holdings LLC, a US laundry equipment maker, in a deal worth \$450 million US.


Siebel Infuses SMBs with CRM

Executives at Siebel Systems (Quote, Chart) said its competitors in the CRM (define) space aren #39;t doing enough to meet the needs of small- to medium-sized businesses (SMB).


Five Pacers Charged in Basketball Brawl (AP)

AP - Five Indiana Pacers players were charged Wednesday for fighting with fans in the stands and on the court at the end of a game against the Detroit Pistons last month.


BEA #39;s Devil of an App Server

Unwilling to sit back and let Oracle (Quote, Chart) grab all of the attention this week, BEA Systems (Quote, Chart) said a beta of its new application server, WebLogic Server 9.0, will be available for download next week.


Intel sheds light on 2005 desktop strategy

DECEMBER 07, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Intel Corp. #39;s products for the digital home and digital office in 2005 will give consumers and IT managers more capabilities than just raw performance, and the company plans to highlight those products as it did with


IMLogic Leads Group into IM Malware Battle

Most e-mail users are aware that opening an executable file (.exe) from an unknown source is a danger, but many don #39;t know what an IM threat looks like.


Bunning: We may need to tackle steroids

US Sen. Jim Bunning said Tuesday night that he expects Congress to have to get involved to resolve Major League Baseball #39;s steroid crisis.


Flashes #39; fifth win in a row breaks Creighton #39;s streak

Kent, OH (U-WIRE) -- Point guard DeAndre Haynes scored 13 points and added 11 assists as Kent State gave Creighton its first loss of the season, 67-58, in Omaha, Neb.


Car bomb blast hits US convoy in Samarra, four killed

A car bomb exploded at a US convoy in the northern Iraqi city of Samarra, killing at least four Iraqis and wounding many others, police said on Wednesday.


Update 8: Oil Prices Rise on Heating Oil Concerns

Crude oil futures prices rose Wednesday because of lingering concerns about heating oil supplies and fears that OPEC could rein in output when it meets later this week.


China oil chief arrested in trading scandal

China Aviation Oil chief executive, Chen Jiu-lin, has been arrested in Singapore in connection with an alleged 550-million-US-dollar trading scandal, involving his company.


Eli Lilly Bares All

Given recent furor regarding clinical trials of pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) has unveiled a Web site that will post clinical trial results, according to The Wall Street Journal.


This Genome Is Fowl

Researchers have sequenced the genome of the red jungle fowl, an early version of what we know today as the chicken, giving scientists new insight to many human diseases and possibly avian flu.


Palm OS goes Linux

Mobile device OS maker PalmSource sets out to acquire software house China MobileSoft, hinting of a Linux-based version of Palm OS being in the works.


AMD Joins Push for Cooler, More Efficient Server Room

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. #39;s announcement that its new PowerNow technology will be available on its Opteron line of processors could mean a lot to some enterprise customers.


Redknapp Planning Portsmouth Raid

Harry Redknapp maintained his conscience was clear today following his decision to join Southampton just two weeks after leaving south-coast rivals Portsmouth.


EU to Work toward Ending China Arms Ban

At an EU-China Summit on Wednesday, the EU said now was not the time to lift its arms embargo on China. However, EU leaders held out the prospect of ending the ban perhaps next year, despite opposition from the US.


US, North Korean officials meet at UN

US officials met twice last week with North Korean officials in New York to tell them the US was ready to resume nuclear negotiations and wanted to resolve the issue diplomatically, State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said.


UN Investigating Reports of Rwandan Violations in Congo

The UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo is investigating reports that Rwandan soldiers were responsible for violations of human rights in the east of the country last month.


Ghana Waits for Official Results from Tuesday #39;s Election

People in Ghana are closely following the vote counting after Tuesday #39;s election, with final results expected late Wednesday. After waiting patiently in line Tuesday to cast votes in their fourth consecutive


Cavs' Traylor Out With Broken Finger (AP)

AP - Cavaliers forward Robert Traylor will miss three to four weeks after breaking his left pinkie against the New Jersey Nets.


Aligning Interests? Yeah, Right.

Cisco's employees apparently can't sell their stock options fast enough. Suits the company just fine.


Circuit City's Sales Short-Circuit

The company reports a decline in same-store sales for the third quarter.


Eli Lilly Bares All

In the spirit of full disclosure, the Big Pharma company publishes clinical trial results online.


S. America creates single market

Presidents and officials of 12 South American countries are meeting in Peru to create an economic and political community.


IBM to customers: Expect business as usual

IBM may be selling its PC business, but it #39;s working hard to keep its PC customers. Still, competitors Dell, Hewlett-Packard and others are likely to come knocking in an attempt to pick off nervous customers


Kidde Opens Books to United Technologies

Kidde PLC, a British fire and safety equipment maker, agreed Wednesday to open its books to United Technologies Corp. after receiving a new takeover offer from the US engineering giant.


New DVD Format Being Marketed

One layer of the new disk is in standard DVD format, while the other layer will be in the HD DVD format. Such a combination lets film studios put a movie in DVD format on one side and, on the other, in HD DVD format.


Apple having problems getting iTunes.co.uk

It has been quiet sometime since we heard news related to domain name issues. Microsoft recently had some with a kid named Mike Rowe who opened up a site MikeRoweSoft.


Experts Urge People to Unplug Occasionally (AP)

AP - Katie Achille grew up with the Internet. She was 9 when she first tapped into it  #151; and quickly became an avid e-mailer, Web surfer and sender of instant messages. But when recent computer troubles left her without regular Web access, something unexpected happened: To her surprise, she suddenly felt free.


Crossing the great divide

Before Harry Redknapp had even been officially unveiled as the new Southampton manager, the first emotive pot shots that invariably accompany the bridging of entrenched football divides had been fired.


IBM Gives Shanghai a Real Surprise (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - IBM's decision to sell its personal computer business to China-based Lenovo gives the world's third-largest nation the distinction of housing what will soon be the world's third-largest PC maker. On a deeper level, the deal also marks a changing of the guard in the PC business and rearranges the game board for rivals Dell and Hewlett-Packard.


Malone vows not to return to NBA Lakers (AFP)

AFP - Add Karl Malone to the list of talent leaving the Los Angeles Lakers because of Kobe Bryant.


Online Music Store Wippit Signs Universal, Warner (Reuters)

Reuters - European digital music service Wippit\has signed a deal to license the catalogs of Universal Music\and Warner Music, enabling its customers to download songs from\all of the four major labels.


Best Buy Improves Its Supply Chain View (Ziff Davis)

Ziff Davis - Retailer Best Buy turns to i2's chain management/logistics software in the hopes of gaining more timely visibility into business operations on both the purchasing and logistics sides.


Pioneer IBM's exit from PC business seen as turning point (AFP)

AFP - IBM's deal to sell its personal computer business to China's Lenovo, a move likely to reshape the industry, signals the PC has evolved into a mass consumer item with little profit, analysts say.


New GameSpy terms threaten Mac to PC online gaming (MacCentral)

MacCentral - New software licensing fees dictated by GameSpy Industries Inc. may make it impossible for Mac game publishers to let their forthcoming games play against their PC counterparts. GameSpy's licensing fees have increased by a factor of five to ten in recent months, an amount that Mac game publishers say is unreasonable to expect them to pay.


Scientists Find Gene Clue in Hunt for AIDS Vaccine (Reuters)

Reuters - Scientists said Wednesday they have\identified key genes involved in the body's response to HIV,\which causes AIDS -- a finding that could narrow the search for\an effective vaccine against the deadly illness.


Could Dry Quicksand Explain Desert Disappearances? (Reuters)

Reuters - Could people and vehicles that have\mysteriously vanished in the desert have been swallowed up by\shifting sands?


Chicken Genome Should Boost DNA Research (AP)

AP - Here's something to ponder when you bite into your next chicken wing: A new study says about 60 percent of the genes in the critter you're eating have close cousins in your own DNA.


Continental Refutes Report of Charges (AP)

AP - Continental Airlines Inc. said Wednesday it was "outraged" at reports that French authorities want to prosecute the airline and several employees over the Concorde crash that killed 113 people in Paris four years ago.


Digital cameras aid Jessops sales

Specialist retailer Jessops says the popularity of digital cameras has helped to boost its profits.


Jay-Z to Head Def Jam Recordings Label, Executives Say

Rap star Jay-Z, who has little corporate experience, will become the chief executive for one of Universal's biggest divisions.


Indian minister says IT outsourcing raked in \$12.5 billion

Indian officials today disclosed details on revenues from IT outsourcing for the last year.\


Battle over Website Address

An internet entrepreneur today claimed he was fighting a David versus Goliath battle with computer giant Apple over the ownership of a website address.


NASA #39;s Longest-Serving Astronaut to Retire

The longest serving astronaut in history, who flew twice to the moon and commanded the first space shuttle mission, has announced his retirement after 42 years at NASA.


Industry Group Urges Bush To Address Cybersecurity

A group representing the cybersecurity industry has called for the White House to show  quot;greater leadership quot; in guarding the nation #39;s computer infrastructure from attacks by hackers and viruses


Cricket: Key unlocks Oppenheimer XI attack in England romp

RANDJESFONTEIN, South Africa : Stand-in captain Marcus Trescothick and the hard-hitting Robert Key took England to a comfortable win in the opening match of their South African tour against a Nicky Oppenheimer XI at the NFO private ground north of


Petrino Named Coach of the Year; LeFors and Brohm Also Earn <b>...</b>

Louisville, Ky. - Head coach Bobby Petrino, who has guided the University of Louisville to a No. 7 national ranking, has been tabbed as the Conference USA coach of the Year, while senior quarterback Stefan


Toro Earnings Rise; Dividend Doubled (Reuters)

Reuters - Lawn-care equipment maker Toro Co. on\Wednesday reported stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings\and doubled its dividend, citing increased sales and cost\controls.


Treasuries Up, Indirect Bidders Buy Big (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. Treasury prices built on early\gains on Wednesday after an auction of five-year debt drew\surprisingly strong demand from indirect bidders, which include\foreign central banks.


GM: See Red, Save Green;  #36;7,500 Cash Back (Reuters)

Reuters - General Motors Corp.  will offer\cash rebates as high as  #36;7,500 on some 2004 models in its new\"Red Tag" incentive program to be launched on Dec. 10 in an\effort to boost sales after two disappointing months, dealers\said on Wednesday.


U.S. Officials Raid Stores, Arrest 2 in Game Piracy

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Federal authorities raided three  Washington, D.C.-area video game stores and arrested two people  for modifying video game consoles to play pirated video games,  a video game industry group said on Wednesday.


Jerez Testing, Day 1, 08/12/04

A dry day in Jerez saw team drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Franck Montagny conducting tyre development for Michelin.


Liberty Hires Coyle

The New York Liberty bring former interim coach Pat Coyle on as their head coach on Wednesday.


Lufthansa reaches wages agreement

German airline Lufthansa reaches a deal with unions on pay and working hours for its ground staff.


Foodland says don #39;t sell

Australasian grocer Foodland Associated which owns major chains in New Zealand says the hostile takeover bid by rival Metcash is complex and risky, and is urging shareholders not to act on the \$920 million bid.


Dealers: GM  #39;Red Tag #39; deals up to \$7,500

Dealers describe General Motors #39; new incentive program which puts no-haggle prices on special tags. DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Corp.


UPDATE 2-Dynegy cuts 2004 profit view, shares slide

Electricity wholesaler Dynegy Inc. (DYN.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday slashed its 2004 profit forecast and said it expects a loss next year due to costs


Ontario fund buying Alliance Laundry for \$450 mln

Alliance Laundry Holdings, a commercial laundry equipment manufacturer, said its controlling shareholder Bain Capital agreed to sell the company to Teachers #39; Private Capital for about \$450 million.


Merck guides to lower-than-expected 2005 earnings

NEW YORK, December 8 (newratings.com) - Merck  amp; Co (MRK.NYS) has guided to lower-than-expected 2005 earnings due to the withdrawal of its blockbuster arthritis drug, Vioxx, and increased generic competition for its cholesterol drug, Zocor.


Mars Was Wet, Studies Say, But Was It Inhabited?

Scientists say there is no doubt that abundant water once soaked Mars. Now the big question is whether the red planet ever supported life. Some experts say the early signs are promising.


Pompeii Worms: Hottest Bodies on Earth?

Perhaps the most heat-tolerant complex organism on Earth, Pompeii worms burrow into the sides of hydrothermal vents found deep in the Pacific Ocean. Scientists aim to learn how the worms survive their hellish home.


Mozilla Launches Thunderbird E-Mail Client

A spokesperson for Mozilla said that Thunderbird is another milestone in cooperation between hundreds of open-source community volunteers.


PalmSource Embraces Linux Through China Buy

NEW YORK - PalmSource #39;s planned acquisition of China MobileSoft signals its desire to expand its presence in Asian markets, as well as to produce a new, Linux-based version of its handheld operating system.


Panel: Astronauts Should Rescue Hubble

This image taken by NASA #39;s Hubble Space telescope, and released Thursday Aug. 12, 2004, shows nebula N44F, which, at left, is being inflated by a stellar wind, creating an interstellar bubble.


Scientists Complete Chicken Genome

There #39;s quite a bit of clucking going on at Michigan State University: they have just sequenced the genome of a chicken. That #39;s a first for birds and agricultural animals


Oldest Astronaut John Young Retiring

While on the moon, John Young drove a motorized rover 16 miles and spent three nights on the lunar surface. He is the only person to go into space as part of the Gemini, Apollo and shuttle programs and was


Cyber-Security Group Pushes 12-Point Plan On White House

A policy and advocacy group called on the Bush administration Tuesday to put more muscle behind cyber-security, and urged the White House to act on a dozen proposals and recommendations to protect the country #39;s technology infrastructure.


Tech Leaders Converge To Form Project MegaGrid

Project MegaGrid has a mega-goal, but analysts said it is also an achievable one. Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group, said that whenever world-class players come together


Repair processes still up in air for May liftoff

NASA managers said on Monday that neither money or time would ease the requirements to repair the space shuttle on-orbit for the first launch since the Columbia tragedy.


The Complete Guide to iPod photo Pictures

If you #39;re reading this, you either have a brand new iPod photo or are thinking about getting one. In either case, you #39;re probably excited about carrying your entire digital photo


Cap Harnesses Human Thought to Move PC Cursor

Scientists say they have developed a non-invasive, brain-computer interface that enables a person to move a cursor across a computer screen just by thinking about it.


Dollar Rallies Against Major Currencies

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rocketed higher on  Wednesday as investors took a break from worrying about the  U.S. current account deficit and focused on relative interest  rates, which increasingly were expected to favor the dollar.


Birding Column: Scrub Jays' Peanut Feeding Frenzy

Birdman of Bel Air Michael Tekulsky shares stories about the feeding habits of scrub jays, birds that will voraciously dine on acorns, peanuts, bread, cheese #151;even tortilla chips.


Leiter returns to Marlins

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer. in New Jersey as a Mets fan. I #39;m taking away my experience as positive. #39; #39;. Burnett, plus left-hander Dontrelle Willis.


Cavs activate Scott Williams from injured list

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - The Cleveland Cavaliers activated forward/center Scott Williams from the injured list on Wednesday.


Closer, left fielder among most pressing needs

Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry got most of his holiday shopping done before the Winter Meetings this weekend in Anaheim. The Cubs signed Nomar Garciaparra and


Is Asian Bird Flu the Next Pandemic?

Most health experts agree that Asian bird flu poses a grave danger and will likely spread unless urgent steps are taken. But some virologists caution that alarmist warnings could harm preparedness plans.


Toro Earnings Rise; Dividend Doubled

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Lawn-care equipment maker Toro Co. on  Wednesday reported stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings  and doubled its dividend, citing increased sales and cost  controls.


Hoon visits British troops in Iraq

British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon visited his country #39;s troops in Iraq today and said he saw no reason to delay next month #39;s elections as preparations are on track.


Pakistan, India for early Kashmir bus service

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India on Wednesday reiterated their commitment towards an early establishment of the proposed Kashmir bus service, a joint statement said.


Action Update: Nov. 22 - Dec. 5, 2004

US Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Kabul on Nov. 22 and reiterated that the United States will continue to search for al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.


AutoZone Earnings Edge Higher

CHICAGO (Reuters) - AutoZone Inc. AZO.N, the largest U.S.  auto parts retailer, on Wednesday said quarterly earnings rose  less than 1 percent as high gas prices made customers choose  between paying for fuel or preventive maintenance.


GM: See Red, Save Green; \$7,500 Cash Back

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Corp. GM.N will offer  cash rebates as high as \$7,500 on some 2004 models in its new  "Red Tag" incentive program to be launched on Dec. 10 in an  effort to boost sales after two disappointing months, dealers  said on Wednesday.


NYSE Bans First Specialist in Probe

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The New York Stock Exchange on  Wednesday said it permanently barred a former Van der Moolen  Specialists USA VDMN.AS trader, the first individual to be  punished as part of a broader probe by regulators into NYSE  floor-trading abuses.


U.S. Senator Says Dollar Slide Worrying

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top Democratic senator on  Wednesday said lawmakers were concerned about a slide in the  value of the dollar and urged the Bush administration to step  up pressure on China to move to a more flexible exchange rate.


Jawa in Jersey

May the Force be with Mike Degirolamo when he goes up against the city council of Gloucester Township, N.J. Missing Links


Chinese Banks to Offer American Credit Cards

Two major state-run Chinese banks on Wednesday announced plans to roll out American credit cards, including the country's first dual-currency American Express Card.


Jay-Z to Head Def Jam Recordings Label

Rap star Jay-Z, who has little corporate experience, will become the chief executive for one of Universal's biggest divisions.


IBM's Win-Win in Exiting PCs

IBM is exiting the PC business, but it -- along with some PC competitors -- should benefit.


Five Pacers charged in basketball brawl

DETROIT - Five Indiana Pacers players were charged today with assault and battery in a brawl that broke out on the court last month and spilled into the stands at The Palace of Auburn Hills.


Sports briefs for December 8, 2004

It was the interviews made by Victor Conte, head of the BALCO lab in California, that led International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge to set up a disciplinary commission to investigate accusations Marion Jones used performance-enhancing drugs


Map of chicken DNA key to genetic comparisons

LONDON - Scientists have identified the one billion letters of the DNA code in chickens, a step they say could help them better understand our own biology and lead to better breeds for farmers.


PalmSource to buy China MobileSoft

PalmSource entered in an agreement with a major Chinese mobile phone software company China MobileSoft Limited (CMS) to acquire its operations.


Sony Taps nVidia for  #39;Cell #39; Console Graphics

Dean McCarron of Mercury Research said console designers are focusing on multicore, multi-threading technology that can allow multiple programs to run efficiently at the same time.


Group Calls on Feds To Bolster Cyber Security

The Cyber Security Alliance has outlined a 12-point plan for the US government to take a more proactive role in ensuring cyber security.


Harry Redknapp is new Saints boss

The former Portsmouth boss has been signed up to the Saints for 18 months, replacing Steve Wigley, who has decided to leave the club.


Coulthard #39;s back in action

Pedro de la Rosa may have destroyed the competition on the second day of testing at Jerez, but it was David Coulthard who captured the headlines making his Red Bull Racing debut.


UEFA to investigate behaviour at Valencia versus Werder

NYON, Dec 8 (SW) - The European governing body UEFA will be investigating both Valencia CF and Werder Bremen, following the clash between these two teams at Mestalla stadium on Tuesday.


Colts bring in Gramatica as kickoff specialist

Gramatica replaces Jason Baker, whose locker was empty Wednesday. The Colts have not yet officially announced how they made room on the roster for Gramatica.


Winter Meetings checklist

The offseason didn #39;t just start, even if you #39;re beginning to detect the first signs of life from Toronto. The Blue Jays have been lying low until this point, waiting


British minister sees Iraq vote on schedule

British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon, who visited troops in Iraq today, said he saw no reason to delay next month #39;s election as preparations are on track.


UN Investigating Reports of Rwandan Rights Violations in Congo

The UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo is investigating reports that Rwandan soldiers were responsible for violations of human rights in the east of the country last month.


Indonesia urges OPEC to raise benchmark price

Indonesia is likely to ask the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) during its scheduled meeting later this week to revise upward its crude oil price band so


Justices wade into wine sales

Doug LaVelle, owner of Elmira-based LaVelle Vineyards, says his winery and customers would benefit tremendously if he could ship wine directly to consumers in all 50 states.


Rangers sign C Alomar

Six-time All-Star catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. signed a \$550,000 contract Wednesday with the Texas Rangers to be a part-time player next season.


Treasuries Up, Indirect Bidders Buy Big

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury prices built on early  gains on Wednesday after an auction of five-year debt drew  surprisingly strong demand from indirect bidders, which include  foreign central banks.


N. Ireland peace deal left undone, Blair and Ahern admit

BELFAST : The British and Irish leaders conceded that their plan to restore power-sharing government to Northern Ireland was  #39;incomplete #39; but stressed that a definitive peace deal hinged on the sole dispute over how to carry out IRA disarmament.


Iraqis May Extend Election Amid Violence

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq may modify plans for its first  free election to give people more time to vote next month,  officials said Wednesday as suicide bombers and gunmen again  struck Sunni Muslim towns north and west of the capital.


Oil Firms After Touching Four-Month Low

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices firmed after touching a  four-month low on Wednesday, as a government report showing  that U.S. supplies of heating oil rose only slightly last week  kept dealers on edge ahead of Friday's OPEC meeting.


Stocks Rise as Merck Shares Help Lift Dow

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks traded higher on  Wednesday, with shares of drugmaker Merck   Co. MRK.N helping  to boost the Dow after its 2005 forecast offered relief to some  investors on Wall Street.


Sirius stock plunges on downgrades

Shares of Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. tumbled after two analysts issued downgrades, calling the stock overvalued. Sirius #39;s stock had nearly tripled in value since October, boosted by the company #39;s inking a


Pfizer Reports Positive Trial Results

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. said Wednesday that a long-term study of its Norvasc blood pressure treatment in patients with other heart disease risks was stopped early because of the drug #39;s significant benefits.


Apple Tries to Take Out iTunes.co.uk

Apple Computers is attempting to nab the domain www.itunes.co.uk from a British entrepreneur in a true David vs. Goliath battle. Benjamin Cohen registered his domain in 2000 for a music search engine called CyberBritain.


Five Pacers Hit with Criminal Charges for Brawl

Five Indiana Pacers, including NBA All-Star Ron Artest, were charged with assault and battery on Wednesday for their role in what authorities described as one of the worst brawls in US sports history.


Gilly puts NZ to sword

After Gilchrist was dismissed yesterday Australia continued to plough along at more than 6 runs an over, at least until the mini collapse halfway through the innings, anyway, but even until then the innings failed to sustain the don #39;t-stop-watching-in


White Sox sign Hermanson to two-year deal

The Chicago White Sox have come to terms on a two-year, \$5.5 million contract with pitcher Dustin Hermanson. He will earn \$2 million in 2005 and \$3 million in 2006, with the club holding an option for 2007 at \$3.5 million.


Soccer player loses finger on fence

A Portuguese soccer player lost a finger when he caught his wedding ring on a fence while celebrating a goal for his Swiss team. Paolo Diogo was injured after his late goal put Servette ahead 4-1 Sunday against Schaffhausen.


How did rape become a weapon of war?

Women #39;s bodies have become part of the terrain of conflict, according to a new report by Amnesty International. Rape and sexual abuse are not just a by-product of war but are used as a deliberate military strategy, it says.


Russia #39;s Upper House Passes Bill Tightening Putin #39;s Grip on <b>...</b>

Russia #39;s upper house of parliament has approved President Vladimir Putin #39;s controversial plan to end direct elections to choose regional governors, and allow the Kremlin to appoint them instead.


Snow to Stay at Treasury

President Bush asked Treasury Secretary John Snow on Wednesday to stay in his administration, and Snow agreed, keeping a key member of Bush's economic team in place.


Pricey Gas Stalls AutoZone

The retailer posts a flat first quarter, claiming high gas prices affect consumers' car budgets.


Pricey Gas Stalls AutoZone

High gas prices are a tough obstacle for most businesses, and the auto parts retail business is no exception. AutoZone (NYSE: AZO), the largest of the auto parts retailers, said this morning


Online Research Worries Many Educators (AP)

AP - Go to Google, search and scroll results, click and copy. When students do research online these days, many educators worry, those are often about the only steps they take. If they can avoid a trip to the library at all, many students gladly will.


Apple tangles with owner of itunes.co.uk

UK-based Internet entrepreneur Benjamin Cohen says that he got an unexpected shock last month after he checked his voicemail and heard a lawyer representing Apple Computer Inc.


Marino Doesn't See Return to Dolphins Soon (AP)

AP - Dan Marino misses being part of the Miami Dolphins, yet does not see a scenario where he'd soon consider returning to the team's front office.


Five players among 10 men facing assault charges in NBA brawl (AFP)

AFP - Prosecutors issued assault and battery charges against five National Basketball Association players and five spectators who fought in a November 19 brawl.


Romania ends negotiations to join EU (AFP)

AFP - Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana said his country had completed its negotiations to join the European Union in 2007.


Lieber Agrees to 3-Year Deal With Phillies (AP)

AP - Right-hander Jon Lieber agreed to a  #36;21-million, three-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday, rounding out a revamped starting rotation.


Samarra sees repeated attacks

BAGHDAD, Dec. 8. - Insurgents launched a string of assaults around Samarra today, trading gunfire with US forces, attacking a convoy, and blowing up a police station after looting its armoury, officials said.


Law enforcement, top tech firms join to halt online "phishing" scams (AFP)

AFP - A coalition of Internet and finance firms along with law enforcement agencies was launched in a bid to halt the growing number of online scams that lure consumers to fake websites to obtain personal and financial data.


Air India Board Approves Boeing Purchase (AP)

AP - The board of Air India's charter airplane operation has approved a plan to acquire 18 Boeing airplanes in a deal that could be worth more than  #36;1 billion at list prices.


U.S. Officials Raid Stores, Arrest 2 in Game Piracy (Reuters)

Reuters - Federal authorities raided three\Washington, D.C.-area video game stores and arrested two people\for modifying video game consoles to play pirated video games,\a video game industry group said on Wednesday.


Russia's VimpelCom faces  #36;158m tax bill (FT.com)

FT.com - Russian authorities on Wednesday claimed  #36;158m in back taxes from VimpelCom, the country's second-largest mobile phone company, raising fears of spreading political interference in private business.


Mozilla Releases Thunderbird 1.0 E-Mail Client (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - The open source Mozilla Foundation has released Thunderbird 1.0, an e-mail client, as a follow-up to last month's much-discussed debut of the group's Firefox 1.0 browser.


Tech Firms Partner on Instant Messaging Threat Center (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - IMlogic, a Waltham, Massachusetts-based firm, has partnered with McAfee, Sybari and AOL to establish an instant message and P2P threat center that will detect the spread of viruses, worms and other malware aimed at these online channels.


Apple tangles with owner of itunes.co.uk (MacCentral)

MacCentral - U.K.-based Internet entrepreneur Benjamin Cohen says that he got an unexpected shock last month after he checked his voicemail and heard a lawyer representing Apple Computer Inc. telling him to hand over his Web site domain, itunes.co.uk. Apple alleges that Cohen's CyberBritain Holdings Ltd is a "cybersquatter" just sitting on the domain hoping for a big settlement; Cohen denies the allegation.


Scientists Crack Chicken's Genetic Code (Reuters)

Reuters - Scientists have cracked the genetic code\of the chicken, showing it shares about 60 percent of its genes\with humans and has a common ancestor that lived about 310\million years ago.


Strange-Voiced Whale at Large in the Ocean -Study (Reuters)

Reuters - A lone whale, with a voice unlike any\other, has been wandering the Pacific for the past 12 years,\American marine biologists said Wednesday.


U.S. Defers Energy Leasing Near Cliff Dwellings (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. Bureau of Land Management's\Utah state office said on Wednesday it is deferring an auction\this week of oil and natural gas leases near the Hovenweep


Doctors Probe: Was Yushchenko Poisoned?

VIENNA (Reuters) - Poisoning remains one of the  possibilities behind Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor  Yushchenko's illness during election campaigning, Medical  experts investigating his ailments said on Wednesday.


Report: NASA Should Use Space Shuttle to Service Hubble (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - A report from National Academy of \Sciences released today recommends that NASA scrap plans to service the Hubble \Space Telescope (HST) robotically and instead use a space shuttle to get the job \done as originally planned.


Volcanic Activity Possible on Object Beyond Neptune (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - A large planet-like object out in the realm of Pluto shows signs of either a relatively recent collision or perhaps volcanic activity, astronomers said today.


Amazon Burning Makes Brazil a Leading Polluter

BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters) - Burning of the Amazon and  other forests accounts for three quarters of Brazil's  greenhouse gas emissions and has made the country one of the  world's leading polluters, a long-delayed government report  showed on Wednesday.


Armstrong Ponders Tour

Six-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong will decide in May whether he will return to defend his title in 2005.


Senate Expected to Approve Bill Overhauling Intelligence Today

As debate in the G.O.P.-controlled Senate opened, the chamber's leaders predicted the bill would easily pass.


Dollar Gets a Reprieve From Its Steep Losses

Traders expect the dollar's rebound to be short-lived because of persistent concerns about the United States' huge trade and budget deficits.


Nortel to Release Delayed Financial Results

The telecommunications equipment maker, mired in accounting irregularities, has missed three self-imposed deadlines for correcting its financial reporting.


Study: Companies struggle to capture business processes

When software projects go bad, the results can be disastrous. Every few months, a new horror story pops into the headlines -- like Hewlett-Packard Co.'s recent, flawed SAP deployment. The company had done dozens of smooth ERP (enterprise resource planning) migration projects, but when its latest ran into problems, the cascading disruptions contributed to HP missing its third-quarter financial projections.


Oracle working on database development tool

SAN FRANCISCO -- Oracle is working on a tool to provide a complete life cycle for building, managing, and updating database applications, a company executive revealed at the Oracle OpenWorld conference here on Wednesday morning.


Siebel creates cheaper, SMB software version

Siebel Systemshas quietly introduced a version of its CRM (customer relationship management) sales software tailored for midmarket companies.
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GM beefs up incentives after disappointing November sales

General Motors Corp., coming off a disappointing November sales period and battling to regain US market share, will launch a new promotion Friday that includes cash bonuses on many new models in addition to incentives already available.


Snow to Stay as U.S. Treasury Secretary (Reuters)

Reuters - President Bush on Wednesday asked\Treasury Secretary John Snow to stay in his job and Snow agreed\to do so, the White House said, ending weeks of speculation.


Hollywood allies sue DVD jukebox maker

A Hollywood-backed technology group is suing a high-end home theater system company, contending that its home DVD jukebox technology is illegal.


Hermanson accepts White Sox deal

CHICAGO The Chicago White Sox have worked out a two-year, five and a-half (m) million-dollar contract with pitcher Dustin Hermanson.


Phillies sign Lieber to three-year, \$21 million deal

The Philadelphia Phillies made a move to bolster their starting rotation by signing free agent righthander Jon Lieber to a three-year, \$21 million contract on Wednesday.


Rahal to have 3 cars

Rahal Letterman Racing will be a three-car team in the Indy Racing League #39;s 2005 season when team officials confirm Buddy Rice, Vitor Meira and newcomer Danica Patrick on Wednesday.


Dollar Rallies, Focus on Interest Rates

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rallied on Wednesday as  investors focused on relative interest rates, which  increasingly were expected to favor the dollar, and reversed  some bets against the currency.


Snow to Stay as U.S. Treasury Secretary

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Wednesday asked  Treasury Secretary John Snow to stay in his job and Snow agreed  to do so, the White House said, ending weeks of speculation.


Merck Sees Less Profit in '05, Shares Up

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Merck   Co. Inc., reeling from the  recent withdrawal of its Vioxx arthritis drug, on Wednesday  said 2005 earnings will decline to levels below Wall Street  expectations, the third straight year of lower results.


WestJet Estimates Cut on Load Factor Woes

MONTREAL (Reuters) - Analysts chopped their fourth-quarter  profit estimates for WestJet Airlines Ltd. WJA.TO on  Wednesday and warned of turbulence in its share price, mainly  because of computer woes that hurt its online bookings.


Sprint Sinks \$3 Billion into Wireless Network

quot;Mobile operators are rolling these things out because they have nothing better to do, quot; said Ken Dulaney, Gartner #39;s vice president of mobile computing.


Panel Urges Funds for Energy Security

US energy policy over the long term will require new nuclear power plants, cleaner coal and cars that get more miles per gallon, experts said Wednesday.


UPDATE 1-Ontario fund buying Alliance Laundry for \$450 mln

Alliance Laundry Holdings, a commercial laundry equipment manufacturer, on Wednesday said its private equity owners agreed to sell the company to Teachers #39; Private Capital for about \$450 million.


DVD technology faces legal test

The DVD Copy Control Association, the group that owns the copy-protection technology contained on DVDs, said a company called Kaleidescape is offering products that illegally make copies of DVDs.


Charges filed in Pacer-Pistons brawl

Ten people, five Pacers and five Pistons fans, have been charged with misdemeanor assault in the one of the worst brawls in US sports history.


New curling event in store for 2010 Olympics?

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - There could be more curling medals handed out at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, if a World Curling Federation proposal is accepted.


Armstrong to decide in May on Tour de France

Lance Armstrong will decide in May whether he will race in this summer #39;s Tour de France, which he has won the last six years. He said in Wednesday #39;s Austin American-Statesman he will ride for another two years


Russian Parliament OKs Election Bill (AP)

AP - President Vladimir Putin's plan to end the election of governors by popular vote passed its final hurdle Wednesday, when the Russian parliament's upper chamber approved the bill.


UN Members Back Annan with Lengthy Standing Ovation

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan received an unusual standing ovation in the 191-nation General Assembly on Wednesday following calls for his resignation from conservative US lawmakers.


Prairie farmers reap poor quality grain after cold, wet harvest:StatsCan (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - CALGARY (CP) - Farmers reported record numbers for grain stocks across the Prairies this year, but a crippling August frost, followed by soggy harvest conditions, took their toll on quality.


White Sox Sign Hermanson to Two-Year Deal

CHICAGO (Sports Network) - The Chicago White Sox have come  to terms on a two-year, \$5.5 million contract with pitcher  Dustin Hermanson.


Ukraine's Opposition Sees Path to Victory

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine's opposition hopeful Viktor  Yushchenko said on Wednesday parliament's vote to root out  cheating in elections opened the way for him to win a re-run of  a rigged presidential poll.


Rights Group Chides Mexico's Congress on Torture

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Human Rights Watch urged Mexican  lawmakers on Wednesday to overhaul a justice system that breeds  torture and feeds notorious rights scandals like the murders of  hundreds of women near the U.S. border.


Tramford Intl Up; Sells Security Products To Lenovo Group

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Shares of Tramford International Ltd. (TRFDF) rose nearly 50 Wednesday, on news that a customer agreed to acquire the personal-computer business of International Business Machines Corp.


Disney and Pixar push back their last joint movie effort to 2006

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Oscar-winning animated movie team Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios have delayed the release of their final joint venture  quot;Cars quot; until June 2006, they said.


UTC raises offer for UK #39;s Kidde

Shares of UK #39;s Kidde were higher on speculation that a deal with United Technologies could be close. LONDON (Reuters) - Britain #39;s Kidde Plc Wednesday said it received a revised offer of \$2.69 billion from


DANGER AHEAD

AFTER what seemed like the longest time, Arsenal have finally cleared the jam and got their cannons firing again. As the annals of Highbury history would record it, t #39;was the nightmare before


Can Williams Derail the Klitschko Express?

08.12.04 - By Paul Ruby - thepaulrubyhotmail.com -Although I do not agree with The Ring Magazines decision to anoint Vitali Klitschko as Heavyweight Champion of the World, I must admit I believe he is superior to every other heavyweight on the planet.


Kobe needs to step up, apologize to Malone

Staples Center is a multi-purpose venue. It not only houses the Lakers and Clippers, but other events as well, including the circus.


New Orleans #39; Gleason no Saint; fined by NFL

New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - New Orleans #39; Steve Gleason was fined \$5,000 by the NFL on Wednesday for punching the Panthers #39; Kemp Rasmussen during last Sunday #39;s 32-21 loss to Carolina.


Rahal Letterman Racing signs Meira

HILLIARD, Ohio (Ticker) - Finishing eighth in the IndyRacing League points standings this past year was enough for Vitor Meira to receive a contract extension.


Mubarak pushes for peace in Middle East

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak engaged Persian Gulf leaders Wednesday in an effort to build momentum toward peace in the Middle East, calling for support of the new Palestinian


Sharpe Comments Cause Stir in Denver (AP)

AP - Never one to hold back his feelings, former Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe criticized Mike Shanahan, saying the Denver coach's decision to make Jake Plummer his quarterback was a failed, ego-driven effort to turn a mediocre player into something better.


New Orleans' Gleason No Saint; Fined by NFL

NEW ORLEANS (Sports Network) - New Orleans' Steve Gleason  was fined \$5,000 by the NFL on Wednesday for punching the  Panthers' Kemp Rasmussen during last Sunday's 32-21 loss to  Carolina.


Montreal Might to Lose 2005 World Championships

TORONTO (Reuters) - Montreal could be forced to pull out of  hosting next year's world championships if help with funding is  not forthcoming, according to the chief executive of the  organizing committee.


Coming soon: Toy Story 3, Nemo 2?

Disney president says studio is pushing forward with sequels to popular animated films, Pixar or no. New York (CNN/Money) - The Walt Disney Company is pushing forward with plans to capitalize on the blowout


Bush urged to accept fuel emissions limits

The Bush administration and Congress should accept a mandatory programme of tradeable permits to limit greenhouse emissions and tighten fuel efficiency standards for vehicles


Nortel to File Restated Results Jan. 10

Nortel Networks Corp. (NT.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) put a specific date, Jan. 10, on when it will start filing its much-delayed restatement of financial results on


Dollar Starts 2005 with Slight Gains

LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar rose slightly in the first  trading session of 2005 on Monday, gaining more than a cent  from recent record lows against the euro as investor selling  paused ahead of U.S. economic data this week. However, analysts  said persistent imbalances in the U.S. economy will likely  continue to weigh on the dollar in 2005 after pushing the euro  up about 8 percent to record highs last year.


Thunderbird 1.0 Takes Wing

Yesterday, Mozilla launched version 1.0 of its Thunderbird e-mail client for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X in the hopes of winning over converts much like its browser cousin Firefox is doing in the browser space.