McDonalds boss steps down

Charlie Bell has stepped down as chief executive of fast food giant McDonalds seven months after taking up the top job. Bell, who was diagnosed with colon cancer earlier this year, is leaving the business to focus on fighting the illness.


Krispy Kreme results have holes

Krispy Kreme #39;s quarterly results fell sharply for the third consecutive quarter as sluggish sales and an intensifying government investigation raised concerns yesterday about whether the glaze was permanently off the once-hot pastry maker.


Congress OKs foreigners #39; jobs

WASHINGTON - Congress is letting employers hire an additional 20,000 foreign high-tech workers under a special visa program after businesses reached the annual ceiling on the first day of the government #39;s fiscal year.


NASA Concludes First International Workshop in Support of US  #39; <b>...</b>

NASA officials held an international workshop last week in Washington DC, with representatives from China, the European Union, and 17 other countries to consider opportunities and possible collaborations


HDTV: A Shopper #39;s Survival Guide

The words high-definition TV are enough to give many consumers the sweats. We #39;ll help you relax and buy smarter. Flat or fat? EDTV or HDTV?


McCaffery: Until fans strike back, players will still attack

Two days after Ron Artest and a similarly disposed mob of arrogant rich people did the unacceptable, David Stern attempted to do the impossible.


Sehwag flays SA attack

Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir flayed the South African attack to record India #39;s second-highest opening partnership in the first Test on Tuesday.


Baghdad Suicide Car Bomb Kills at Least 6 -- Police (Reuters)

Reuters - A suicide truck bomb attack on an Iraqi\security checkpoint near an entrance to the fortified Green\Zone complex on Tuesday killed at least six people and wounded\at least 40, police said.


UN hostages held for 4 weeks in Afghanistan freed

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Three UN workers kidnapped in Afghanistan four weeks ago were released unharmed today, a day after a string of raids by US and Afghan security forces.


TWO ANTI-VOTE SHEIKS SLAIN

November 23, 2004 -- BAGHDAD - Gunmen assassinated two influential Sunni clerics who called for a boycott of national elections, soon after Iraqi officials announced the balloting would be held Jan. 30 in spite of rising violence in the country.


#39;9/11 #39; PLOTS IN BRITAIN

Chilling plans for a 9/11- style terror onslaught - complete with hijacked planes -argeted London #39;s Heathrow Airport and famed financial district Canary Wharf, it was reported yesterday.


China wraps Latinamerican tour in Cuba

Chinese president Hu Jintao arrived this Monday in Cuba, the last stop of his visit to Latinamerica, and as happened in Brazil, Argentina and Chile, his host Fidel Castro expects to sign important bilateral trade and investment agreements.


Famous toy store to reopen

Upscale toy retailer FAO Schwarz #39;s flagship store on New York City #39;s Fifth Avenue will reopen Friday, nearly a year after its previous owners filed for bankruptcy-court protection.


Loss widens; 3 million customers seen by year #39;s end

TiVo said on Monday that its quarterly loss widened, citing increased marketing costs, but the maker of digital video-recording technology said it expects to have 3 million subscriptions by the end of the year.


Drive fast, turn left: The Chase made sense

In the end, NASCAR got what it wanted and the fans got what they didnt know they wanted. With the inaugural 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup now in the proverbial rearview mirror, even the naysayers


UN DR Congo sex abuses  #39;on film #39;

The United Nations is investigating some 150 allegations of sexual abuse by UN civilian staff and soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo.


Fury over  #39;shoot JFK video game #39;

A new computer game which recreates John F Kennedy #39;s assassination was branded despicable yesterday by late president #39;s family.


Keane dropped for Spurs defeat

Robbie Keane was dropped as dreadful Spurs crashed to their SIXTH straight Premiership defeat on Monday night. The Irish striker - who spoke on Sunday about a new-found freedom to express oneself at White


UN demands DR Congo poll

Visiting UN Security Council diplomats push for 2005 elections in DR Congo despite huge obstacles.


CNN cuts Hair as head of US unit

In a big management shakeup aimed at halting a brutal assault from rival Fox News, CNN has pushed aside the head of its US network.


Pent-up demand for travel is primed for holiday takeoff

As the high-pressure holiday travel season rolls in, the transportation industry is anticipating some of the highest numbers seen in four years.


Patriots streaking again

If Drew Brees was watching TV and saw the Kansas City Chiefs play pass defense last night, he must have been smiling and rubbing his palms together in anticipation.


From nada to Mega

Parking attendant Juan Rodriguez had just 78 cents in the bank and a whopping \$44,000 in debts when he hit a \$149 million Mega Millions lottery prize, bankruptcy documents revealed yesterday.


Martin glad to see

Sometime tonight, perhaps at tipoff, the memories may all hit Kenyon Martin at once, with the force of one of his punishing dunks.


Cendant Expected to Spin Off Wright Express, a Fleet Manager

The Cendant Corporation is planning to announce today that it will spin off its Wright Express unit in an initial public offering that is expected to raise more than \$1 billion.


INDUSTRY REPORT: Food  McDonald #39;s CEO resigns

McDonald #39;s Corp., the world #39;s largest restaurant chain, said CEO and President Charlie Bell has resigned to focus on his fight against cancer.


FAO Schwarz back in play

On a 22-foot-long piano keyboard, dancers jumped on giant keys, each step setting off a note of  quot;Chopsticks. quot;. Over by the soda fountain, blue-shirted servers learned to make the Volcano, a


\$149 million lottery winner:  #39;No idea #39; what comes next

Newly minted multimillionaire Juan Rodriguez, who won the \$149 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot, said Sunday he hasn #39;t quit his job at a midtown Manhattan parking garage yet.


EasyJet faces tough year ahead

An increase in passengers has propped up annual earnings for easyJet but the low-cost airline has warned it faces a tough two years as cut-throat competition drives down fares and fuel prices soar.


EasyJet caution despite profits rise

Budget airline EasyJet today reported a 21 improvement in annual profits but warned that it expected competition to remain intense this winter.


VHS Format Dies Quiet Death

quot;We #39;re saying goodbye to one of the most important products in the history of consumer technology, quot; Dixons marketing director John Mewett said.


New Linuxes, Old Problems

I have had a frustrating few weeks with Linux. I #39;ve lost count of the number of installations I #39;ve done, and I don #39;t want to think about the number of hours I #39;ve lost to troubleshooting.


MontaVista squares up to Symbian

CALIFORNIA #39;S MONTAVISTA HAS landed the deal to supply its Linux OS to two major Japanese handset providers, NEC and Panasonic.


Are Desktop Search Programs Ready for Prime Time? (PC World)

PC World - Copernic Desktop Search does the work without Google's security flaws.


Brady, Dillon provide touchdowns

KANSAS CITY -- The Kansas City Chiefs were supposed to have enough weapons to beat the New England Patriots, but the defending champs proved they have a healthy arsenal of their own on Monday night.


Chad hints: Shoulder healing slowly

Without denying the reports, Jets quarterback Chad Pennington yesterday tried to quell rumors that he #39;ll require arthroscopic surgery to have the strained rotator cuff in


Serf's Up in the Video Game Industry (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - Holiday season in the video game industry is the equivalent of television's sweeps week, which perhaps is why new reports painting game designers as 21st century-style Dickensian factory laborers are proving especially noteworthy.


Conference on Iraq to back the government #39;s war on insurgents

World leaders gathered in Egypt for an international conference on Iraq focused on another Mideast issue early Tuesday the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.


Arafat #39;s nephew calls medical file inconclusive

PARIS -- Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat #39;s medical records show no definite diagnosis explaining his death, his nephew said Monday.


<cite>Register</cite> restores ad service

Site Notice Some rough figures


Smartphones suffer Skulls attack

Owners of the Nokia 7610 are warned to look out for a malicious program that makes phones almost useless.


Help for lost and stolen phones

A national database is being set up to help return lost and stolen phones to their rightful owners.


Time Warner Nears Deal Over AOL Accounting

Media giant would pay \$750M to settle wide-ranging allegations of accounting irregularities at Va.-based America Online.
- The Washington Post


SEC Probes Firms-Advisers Gift Exchange (AP)

AP - Securities regulators are examining whether brokerage firms lavished golf outings, Super Bowl tickets and other gifts on mutual fund advisers to get them to bring their trading business to the firms.


Oil Surges to \$50 on Winter Fuel Worries

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices vaulted back above \$50 a  barrel on Tuesday as traders took out insurance ahead of weekly  U.S. data on Wednesday that is expected to show only a modest  increase in winter heating oil inventories.


Airbus Looks to Challenge Boeing's 7E7

PARIS/TOULOUSE, France (Reuters) - Airbus is eager to  produce a rival to Boeing Co.'s new 7E7 passenger jet and hopes  to make an announcement by the end of the year, the European  planemaker said on Tuesday.


Time Warner Shares Rise on Talks Report

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Time Warner Inc TWX.N rose  2 percent on Tuesday after a report that the world's largest  media company was near a settlement with regulators that could  limit potential shareholder lawsuits over probes into  accounting at its America Online unit.


U.S. FDA Adds Restrictions to Acne Drug

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Roche's acne drug Accutane and its  generic versions will face tighter prescription controls to  prevent harm to unborn children, U.S. health regulators said on  Tuesday.


Intel Shares Edge Lower After Downgrade

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Intel Corp. INTC.O shares slipped on  Tuesday after Credit Suisse First Boston downgraded the stock,  forecasting that the computer chip maker will have difficulty  outperforming the overall semiconductor sector next year.


Computer Associates Names IBM Exec as CEO

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Computer Associates International Inc.  CA.N on Tuesday named former IBM software sales head John  Swainson as president and chief executive, seven months after  Sanjay Kumar stepped down amid an accounting scandal.


Credit Raters' Power Abused, Borrowers Say

Corporations, municipalities and foreign governments have grown wary of the big three credit-rating companies as they have expanded into global powers without formal oversight.


Tax Reform Veterans See Hurdles Ahead

Two primary architects of Congress's last major tax reform say President Bush so far has failed to lay the groundwork for his ambitious tax agenda.


Brokers' Gifts Investigated

Securities regulators are opening up yet another front in their long-running investigation of the mutual fund industry, examining brokerage firms that allegedly gave mutual fund employees lavish gifts in exchange for business, officials said yesterday.


Top Economic Adviser to Bush Is Leaving Post

The departure Tuesday of Stephen Friedman, who left Wall Street to assume one of the top economic posts in the White House as director of the National Economic Council, will open a key economic policy position just as President Bush begins his ambitious push to overhaul Social Security and the tax code.


USDA Rules Out Mad Cow Disease in Animal

The result cheered the beef industry, which had braced itself to hear that a second case of mad cow disease had been discovered in the U.S.


Dollar hits new record euro low

The dollar hits yet another record low against the euro on speculation Russia may increase reserves of the single currency.


Wal-Mart approves unions in China

Wal-Mart is to allow its Chinese employees to join a trade union following pressure from the Chinese authorities.


China and Cuba sign trade deals

China and Cuba sign a multi-million dollar nickel deal as the communist nations seek closer ties.


Cingular announces 7,000 job cuts

US mobile phone giant Cingular announces plans to cut about 7,000 jobs in the next 12 to 18 months.


Fines prompt Yukos share drop

Shares in the Russian oil giant Yukos lose more than a fifth of their value, as the company faces a tax fine of \$2.5bn.


Rising material costs hit Heinz

Second quarter profits at ketchup maker Heinz are hit by higher material and transport costs.


Palestinian economy in decline

The Palestinian economy is in crisis, performing well below its potential, the World Bank says.


EADS 'ready' for US air force bid

European aerospace firm EADS says it is ready to tender for a bid to supply refuelling planes to the US air force.


WPP-Grey Global merger 'on hold'

Advertising giant WPP's purchase of Grey Global is temporarily put on hold after files submitted to EU regulators were found to be incomplete.


AG sues to stop apparent telecom scam

Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly moved yesterday to rescue nearly 200 Bay State businesses from an apparent telecommunications scam that bound many to pay \$100,000 or more for a black-box device called  quot;The Matrix quot; that turned out to be worthless.


Rather Quitting as CBS Anchor in Abrupt Move

The move came two months after Dan Rather acknowledged flaws in a report on President Bush's National Guard service.


Questions Are Seen on Merck's Stance on Pain Drug's Use

Merck officials had evidence far back as 2001 that Vioxx might not help thousands of users of the arthritis and pain drug.


On Wall Street, a Closer Look at Giving Gifts

Regulators are apparently not basking in the spirit of holiday giving, at least where Wall Street is concerned.


Jack Daniel's to the Rescue

Jack Daniel's puts on a strong performance as Brown-Forman's earnings grow strongly.


Dollar Tree Spreads Roots

Discount retailer meets expectations, forecasts 19 earnings gain next quarter.


Mylan's "Three-Ring Circus"

Icahn is involved in the Mylan-King Pharmaceuticals deal for his benefit only.


IBM to acquire life insurance processing, admin company

IBMis acquiring Liberty Insurance Services, or LIS, which is the U.S. business process services operation of RBC Insurance, IBM and RBC announced Tuesday. LIS handles life insurance and annuity processing and administration, and will become a new IBM subsidiary focused on that service.


Exploding Cell Phones a Growing Problem (AP)

AP - Curtis Sathre said it was like a bomb going off. His 13-year-old son Michael stood stunned, ears ringing, hand gushing blood after his cell phone exploded. Safety officials have received 83 reports of cell phones exploding or catching fire in the past two years, usually because of bad batteries or chargers.


Lobbyists Try to Kill Philly Wireless Plan (AP)

AP - Philadelphia's plan to offer inexpensive wireless Internet as a municipal service  #151; the most ambitious yet by a major U.S. city  #151; has collided with commercial interests including the local phone company, Verizon Communications Inc.


SEC May Be Near Settlement With AOL

Time Warner is close to settling a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into accounting at America Online, a person close to the negotiations said yesterday.


Mixed End to Light Trading as Oil Surges, Then Retreats

Shares shuffled to a mixed finish yesterday, rebounding from earlier lows as oil prices retreated after surging past \$50 a barrel.


Questions and answers about Trump #39;s bankruptcy filing

The company that operates Donald J. Trump #39;s casinos has filed for bankruptcy protection, along with some related companies. Here are some questions and answers about what this means for Trump, his employees, gamblers and creditors:


China #39;s SAIC cool on early Rover deal talk

Chinese carmaker Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC) has played down reports that it is about to sign a deal for a joint venture with MG Rover, the Times newspaper reports.


Drilling Programme at WMCs Olympic Dam Site Indicates it is the <b>...</b>

Total Mineral Resources at WMC Resources Ltd #39;s Olympic Dam mine in South Australia have increased by 29.2 as a result of recent drilling and an improved long-term uranium price outlook.


Stephen Friedman, who left Wall Street to assume one of the top economic posts in the White House, will return to the private sector Dec. 31 after two quiet years in Washington, White House officials announced yesterday.


Wal-Mart to allow unions in China stores

HONG KONG (CBS.MW) -- US retail giant Wal-Mart (WMT) has bowed to pressure and said it will allow unions in its stores in China to unionize if employees request it, the China Daily newspaper reported.


Richmond is in Top 10 list of dangerous cities

RICHMOND, Va. Richmond is now on the Top 10 list of the nation #39;s most dangerous cities -- according to one report. The research firm Morgan Quitno says Richmond now ranks ninth when compared with more than


Sirius Says Its Subscribers Top 800,000

By Reuters. Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. said yesterday that it passed the 800,000 subscriber mark and is on track to have one million by the end of the year, further fueling the company #39;s stock.


Home Resales Dipped Slightly Last Month

Sales of existing homes edged down 0.1 percent in October, but low mortgage rates continued to contribute toward what might become a record year in home sales, a trade association report showed on Tuesday.


Short-Handed Pacers Beat Celtics 106-96 (AP)

AP - Jamaal Tinsley scored 29 points and James Jones had a career-best 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead the suspension-weakened Indiana Pacers to a 106-96 win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.


FCC: 8M Wireless Users Keep Cell Numbers (AP)

AP - Nearly 8 million mobile phone users have switched carriers and kept their cell numbers since a new rule allowing that flexibility went into effect one year ago, the Federal Communications Commission disclosed Tuesday.


Williams to Be Reinstated After Suspension (AP)

AP - Ricky Williams will serve a four-game suspension beginning next month, then will be reinstated to the Miami Dolphins by the NFL, according to his lawyer.


No. 2 Kansas Defeats St. Joseph's 91-51 (AP)

AP - Wayne Simien had 20 points and 13 rebounds, and No. 2 Kansas shot 63 percent during a 91-51 rout of St. Joseph's on Tuesday night.


Iowa Upends No. 15 Texas 82-80 (AP)

AP - Pierre Pierce hit a 25-foot jumper with 44 seconds left to give Iowa the lead for good, and the Hawkeyes beat No. 15 Texas 82-80 on Tuesday night in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational.


Man Fined  #36;300K for Leaking 'Screeners' (AP)

AP - A federal judge has imposed the maximum fine of  #36;300,000 against a former member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who allegedly leaked "screener" copies of movies that were distributed on the Internet.


Three Big Music Labels Sign Up for Peer Impact (Reuters)

Reuters - Three of the Big Four music labels\have reached licensing agreements to provide their music to the\soon-to-launch Peer Impact network, a peer-to-peer service that\enables legal music file-sharing.


Midlevel Free Agents Signing With Teams (AP)

AP - While the stars take their time, midlevel free agents are starting to make deals.


Judge in EU-Microsoft Case Calls Meeting (AP)

AP - The judge deciding whether to suspend the European Union's antitrust order against software giant Microsoft Corp. pending appeal has called an unexpected meeting, two weeks after two longtime backers of the EU's case abruptly pulled out.


JFK Assassination Game Defended as  #39;Educational #39;

A British company has released a video game re-creating the assassination of President Kennedy. A spokesperson for the president #39;s brother, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, called the game  quot;despicable.


No. 11 N.C. Trumps Tennessee 94-81 (AP)

AP - Rashad McCants scored 27 points and North Carolina rode a sharp first half to a 94-81 victory over Tennessee on Tuesday night in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational.


Online casino buys  #39;holy #39; sarmie

An online casino said it placed the winning \$28 000 bid for a 10-year-old partly eaten grilled cheese sandwich said to bear the image of the Virgin Mary, and wants to take it on a world tour.


Artful Software Spots Faked Masterpieces

The method could also be used to determine if more than one hand was involved in creating the work, something physical forensic science has never been able to do.


#39;Skulls #39; Virus Attacks Nokia Smartphones

Once attacked by Skulls, the only things the smartphones can do is make and receive calls. The anti-virus lab F-Secure said it had produced guidelines for users to help them remove the program and get their phones working.


AMD announces Mobile Sempron 3000

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) expanded its Mobile Sempron processor family with a higher performing model and integrated EVP anti virus technology.


NASA changes with new budget

CLEAR LAKE - Johnson Space Center spokesman Kyle Herring said Tuesday that shuttle program project managers were looking at ways to reduce costs by about 5 percent, but said he did not know if job cuts would be a part of those efforts.


Torvalds, Windenius, Lerdorf Fight EU Software Patents

The three most famous European authors of open-source software today issued an appeal against software patents in Europe. Linux author Linus Torvalds, MySQL author Michael Windenius and


Video Game Makers Get a  #39;C #39; for Effort, Critics Say

Critics questions whether violent videogames like  quot;BloodRayne quot; should be played by children and teenagers. The videogame industry says games with mature themes have appropriate ratings.


VHS Format Dies at 26

A device that can record and play back video to and from videotapes (video cassettes). A trademark and industry standard for the tape format used in VCRs.


BT digital service returns power to artists

BT is launching a digital music service designed to  quot;revolutionise quot; the industry and give power back to artists, labels and traditional retailers at the expense of new entrants into the market such as Apple #39;s iTunes.


GIFT GUIDE 1: TECH  amp; TOYS

When the notion of creating high-definition, commercial broadcast television in the US first arose in the 1980s, few were ready for it.


Another Survey Says Mozilla Up, IE Down

Another Web browser usage survey is showing a familiar trend: Mozilla #39;s share is rising at the expense of Internet Explorer. Global usage share numbers released Monday by OneStat.


Gartner: Renegotiate software license deals now

com November 23, 2004, 10:44 AM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been enterprise directories for several months, but for many IT managers, ERP (enterprise resource planning) and open source initiatives are on the horizon.


Citrix to acquire SSL VPN startup

The company on Tuesday announced that it #39;s acquiring privately held security equipment maker Net6 for \$50 million in cash. The acquisition, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2004, will thrust


Microsoft Is No Threat To Google -- Yet

In the past decade, searching the Web has grown from an academic experiment to a multibillion-dollar business. Microsoft has not been a player, being content to outsource its MSN Search service to rival Yahoo!


Indexing of Copyrighted Photos Lands Google in Court

An adult Web site publisher is suing Google, saying the search engine company made it easier for users to see the site #39;s copyrighted nude photographs without paying or gaining access through the proper channels.


Phishers use more sites to reel in data on accounts

The number of Web sites used to steal private account information from online consumers surged in October, as banks and other financial institutions continued to struggle against Internet  quot;phishing quot; schemes.


Intel Helping Indian, Chinese Customers to Use Linux (Update3)

Intel Corp., the world #39;s biggest semiconductor maker, said it #39;s helping Indian and Chinese customers build personal computers that use the Linux operating system, an alternative to Microsoft Corp.


The Sims go to Varsity

The Sims 2 University will ship this March and gives players of The Sims 2 the ability to watch their Sims become young adults and put childhood behind them as they settle into an all-new university town.


Enterprise grid group adds Dell, two others (InfoWorld)

InfoWorld - The Enterprise Grid Alliance (EGA) on Nov. 30 plans to announce the addition of Dell, UBS Investment Bank, and value-added reseller Avarsys to its fold.


Blizzard ships World of Warcraft (MacCentral)

MacCentral - Blizzard Entertainment on Tuesday shipped World of Warcraft, its first entry into the popular Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) genre. The game ships in North America, Australia and New Zealand for Mac and PC in both Standard and Collector's Editions for US #36;49.95 and  #36;79.99. Further beta testing will be announced in Europe, Korea and elsewhere in Asia before the games are released in those regions.


Union Could Get Suspensions Lessened, Experts Say

NEW YORK - The NBA players union will win its appeal to reduce the suspensions doled out to Ron Artest and two other Indiana Pacers who brawled with Pistons fans last week, a sports business expert predicted Tuesday.


Goosen Forges One-Shot Lead at Grand Slam of Golf

South Africa #39;s Retief Goosen fired a seven-under-par 65 to take a one-shot lead over the season #39;s other three major winners after the first round of the 36-hole PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Kauai, Hawaii on Tuesday.


UNITED THROUGH

MANCHESTER, England: Manchester United qualified for the Champions League knockout phase with a 2-1 Group D victory over French champions Olympique Lyon last night.


Kings Defeat Rockets 102-96

Sacramento Kings guard Bobby Jackson, right, tries to shoot over the outstretched arm of Houston Rockets center Yao Ming, of China, left, during the fourth quarter in Sacramento, Calif.


2 arrested for alleged racial taunts at Yorke

Police yesterday arrested two men in connection with alleged racist taunts aimed at Birmingham City striker Dwight Yorke. YORKE... accused Rovers fans of making monkey gestures towards him last Sunday.


Real Madrid Faces Champions League Decider in Empty Stadium

Real Madrid #39;s all-star soccer team will play its sixth and final Champions League group game in an empty Rome stadium next month facing the prospect of first-round elimination for the first time in eight seasons.


Barcelona to take on Celtic

Join Group F leaders Barcelona take on Celtic today, knowing that a draw and a point will be enough for them to book their place in the last 16 of the Champions League.


No. 12 Louisville Routs Chaminade in Hawaii

Taquan Dean scored 21 points and the Cardinals bounced back from an opening-round loss to beat Chaminade, 93-63, yesterday in the consolation bracket of the Maui Invitational in Lahaina, Hawaii.


Goosen Leads Grand Slam by One Stroke (AP)

AP - U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen shot a 7-under-par 65 to take a one-stroke lead Tuesday over PGA champion Vijay Singh in the PGA Grand Slam of Golf.


Gene tops first day of Barcelona test

Marc Gene put in a good performance on his first day of testing with his new Ferrari team, setting the pace at Barcelona, Spain. Gene, who has spent the past four years testing for rival BMW-Williams, posted a top lap of 1:15.662 in the F2004.


It #39;s Official: Spurrier Is Hired to Coach Gamecocks

Steve Spurrier was hired at South Carolina yesterday after the school trustees #39; executive board approved a seven-year deal worth \$1.25 million a season for the former Florida football coach.


Henson Set to Start for Injured Testaverde

Dallas Cowboys Coach Bill Parcells said yesterday that the rookie quarterback Drew Henson would make his first NFL start tomorrow against Chicago  quot;unless things change appreciably with Vinny.


Chinese Space Official to Visit NASA Chief (Reuters)

Reuters - The head of China's space agency\will visit NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe next week, a move\one U.S. expert said could mean increased cooperation between\the two countries.


NBA Players' Union Appeals Suspensions

NEW YORK (Sports Network) - In a move that seemed almost  inevitable, the NBA players' union filed an appeal Tuesday on  behalf of the Pacers' Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine  O'Neal.


Arctic Nations to Make Scant Promises to Slow Thaw (Reuters)

Reuters - Eight Arctic countries will make\scant promises to slow a rapid thaw of the region linked to\global warming at a meeting in Iceland on Wednesday after U.S.\opposition to firmer action, delegates said.


Pakistan must act to prevent AIDS: UNAIDS

LONDON: Asian countries are at great risk from AIDS, but countries like Pakistan, where prevalence is low, can ward off potential epidemics through prevention programmes if they act quickly, the United Nations reported on Tuesday.


World powers and neighbours back Iraqi elections

SHARM EL SHEIKH: The worlds main powers and the Middle East countries put on a rare show of unity on Tuesday to support January elections in Iraq that UN chief Kofi Annan termed critical to quell rampant violence.


Report: Man in Jakarta bombing arrested

Indonesian media reports said the man alleged to be the field coordinator behind the bombing of the Australian embassy in Jakarta has been arrested.


Singh, Aziz to talk after India-Pakistan spat

Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz meets his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh on Wednesday to hold talks that are expected to put aside a recent spat over disputed


Britain plans tougher laws to fight terror

LONDON: The British government announced yesterday a range of new measures to fight global terrorism and organised crime, as Queen Elizabeth set out its new lawmaking agenda.


States Pull Out of Talks to Cut Aircraft Pollution (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. state and local air pollution\control officials said on Tuesday they are pulling out of\five-year-old talks to develop a voluntary program for reducing\pollution from aircraft engines.


Half of Brazil's Amazon Jungle Occupied-Study (Reuters)

Reuters - About half of Brazil's\original Amazon rainforest has been occupied by man, deforested\or used for industry like logging and its destruction is worse\than government data shows, a leading environmental group said\on Tuesday.


Clippers' Livingston Placed on Injured List

LOS ANGELES (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Clippers  placed rookie guard Shaun Livingston on the injured list  Tuesday with a dislocated right kneecap.


UK Plans New Laws Against Animal Rights Militants (Reuters)

Reuters - Britain proposed new laws on Tuesday to\stop increasingly militant animal rights campaigners from\harassing scientists involved in medical experiments.


EU Allows More Catches of Exotic Deep-Sea Fish (Reuters)

Reuters - EU fisheries ministers agreed quotas\on Tuesday for new member states to catch deepwater fish,\exotic but threatened species that are fast becoming an\alternative to mainstays like cod and hake, officials said.


Goosen on Top at Grand Slam

KAUAI, Hawaii (Sports Network) - Reigning U.S. Open  champion Retief Goosen shot a seven-under-par 65 on Tuesday to  take the lead after the opening round of the PGA Grand Slam of  Golf.


Fact vs. Fiction: 10 Questions to Test Your Space IQ (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - Science speeds along so fast that it can be hard sometimes to know exactly \  what's known. So now and then its helpful to pause and ponder the state of things.


Pope Receives Honorary Degree in Poland (AP)

AP - Pope John Paul II received an honorary degree Tuesday from Nicholas Copernicus University in his native Poland, calling it a "sign of dialogue" between science and faith.


Huge Black Holes Formed Quickly After Big Bang (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - Incredibly massive black holes had fully matured just a billion years after the birth of the universe, according to two separate studies.


Species-Threatening Snails Found in Colo. (AP)

AP - Tough and tiny snails that threaten to crowd out native species by hogging all the food have shown up in a Colorado creek for the first time, state wildlife biologists said Tuesday.


Sorenstam Keeps Alive Grand Slam Dream

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (Reuters) - Annika Sorenstam had  no sooner clinched her 10th win of the year at the LPGA's  season-ending ADT Tour Championship than she was already making  her plans for the future.


Groups Join, Seek Action on Global Warming (AP)

AP - More than a dozen conservation and public health advocacy groups joined on Tuesday to throw their collective support behind further legislative action to prevent global warming.


Union Appeals, Pacers Protest and 2 Fans Sue

The N.B.A. Players Association filed an appeal to Commissioner David Stern over the suspensions of the Pacers' Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal.


With Less Swagger, Spurrier Returns to SEC

Steve Spurrier arrived Tuesday at Williams-Brice Stadium to be introduced as the new football coach at the University of South Carolina.


Museum Addition Brings More Things to Try (AP)

AP - Kids arm-wrestle all the time, but over the Internet? And there's nothing unusual about checking your weight, but in gallons? And all of this to illustrate lessons about networks and the search for life in outer space?


Scientist Who Created K Ration Diet Dies (AP)

AP - Ancel Keys, the University of Minnesota scientist who invented the K ration diet used by soldiers in World War II and who linked high cholesterol and fatty diets to heart disease, has died at the age of 100.


Anger Management May Not Help at All

The brawl that erupted last week at a basketball game has exposed the weakness of a common assumption: that anger can be treated almost as if it were an infection.


Congress OKs  #36;2.6M for Oyster Research (AP)

AP - Congress has approved spending another  #36;2.6 million to research putting Asian oysters in the Chesapeake Bay.


Mourning Meets Ratner: Don't Ask

Alonzo Mourning again shook things up when he questioned the Nets' new owner, Bruce C. Ratner, on his motive for purchasing the team.


Branch return breathtaking

It took Deion Branch nine weeks to get his  quot;breath quot; back but when he did he left the Kansas City Chiefs breathless.


Pacers circle wagons

In the aftermath of the Friday night fight between the Pacers, the Pistons, and raucous fans at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle borrowed a phrase from Winston Churchill, saying,  quot;the imagination is baffled by the facts. quot; During a pair of news conferences at Conseco Fieldhouse yesterday that addressed the unprecedented NBA penalties levied against ...


They have bond

You may have seen Patriots owner Robert Kraft sitting with Red Sox owner John Henry at Fenway Park last season, and the two sat together at a playoff game in New York. They were together again Nov. 14 when the Patriots honored the Red Sox with a ceremony at Gillette Stadium.


Facet of KC offense was a bit run down

It was another record-setting day for the Kansas City Chiefs' offense last night, but New England proved it could get by with focusing primarily on stopping the run.


Artest Says 'Move On'

Ron Artest asks the public to "move on," as reports that an additional player was involved in the melee reach local authorities.


A Tragic Free Fall

The surprising death of Justin Strzelczyk, a former starter with the Steelers, leaves his friends and family with unanswered questions.


Hokies' Imoh Is Ailing

Virginia Tech tailback Mike Imoh won't practice this week because of a strained hamstring and a bout of the flu and is questionable to play in Saturday's game against Virginia.


Hollenbach Gets Call

Quarterback Sam Hollenbach will start Maryland's season-ending game against Wake Forest unless Jordan Steffy makes a highly improbable recovery from a concussion.


S. Carolina Gets Spurrier

Steve Spurrier takes over at South Carolina on Tuesday, returning to the college ranks after a three-year absence, and replacing Lou Holtz.


Coaches on Firing Line

The NFL coaches whose job security is under the most intense scrutiny these days are the Cleveland Browns' Butch Davis and the New Orleans Saints' Jim Haslett.


Pacers Pull Out Win

Jamaal Tinsley has a career-high 29 points and James Jones had a career-best 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead the suspension-weakened Pacers to a 106-96 win over the Celtics.


Terps Start Slow, Erupt

Maryland's potent offense erupts in the second half, scoring three goals in a four-minute span, as the Terrapins defeat Hofstra, 4-0, in an NCAA soccer tournament second-round game Tuesday night.


Rockets Blast Back

Bruce Gradkowski directs six second-half touchdown drives in Toledo's 49-41 victory Tuesday night over Bowling Green, putting the Rockets in the MAC title game.


UNC Stops Tennessee

Rashad McCants scores 27 points and North Carolina rides a sharp first half to a 94-81 victory over Tennessee in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational.


NBA Brawler Ron Artest, Playing a Different Tune

Yesterday morning things seemed pretty dicey for the NBA's Ron Artest, as chatter about "the poster boy for bad behavior" and talk of federal lawsuits, possible criminal charges and suspension appeals fluttered about the airwaves. Drama, people. Then there was the little matter of the \$5 million -- \$5 million! -- in lost wages, the kind of thing that happens when you hand out beatdowns to fans,  and end up being told to sit your heinie down for the rest of the season and repent.


We're not so inEFFectual

Letters Just you try battling the pigopolists, mate


Microsoft sees bespoke Windows everywhere

Analysis Premium hand-tuning service available


Reg readers stick it to big tech

Letters And just how long is a piece of string?


Google sued by nude photo website

A California-based pornographer says it is suing  Google for providing illegal access to its website.


Police tackle internet crime

For the first time outside London, Welsh businesses join workshops to speak to police about internet crime.


Queen unveils ID card scheme

Plans for a new compulsory ID card scheme are unveiled during the Queen's Speech.


Drivers 'ignoring mobile rules'

Many drivers are ignoring the ban on using phones while driving, a survey suggests as tough new measures are expected.


Napalm joke gets advert banned

An advert for a Vietnam War PlayStation 2 game is banned over a reference to napalm.


Global Chip Plant Use Falls as Slowdown Seen

TOKYO (Reuters) - The utilization rate of the world's chip  factories fell in July-September from the previous quarter, the  first decline in almost two years and the latest evidence of a  slowdown in the semiconductor sector.


Plasma TVs Lead Gadget Price Declines

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Falling prices in September for plasma  televisions and digital cameras sparked the biggest monthly  decline in U.S. consumer electronics prices in five months,  according to an industry study prepared for Reuters.


AMD: Chip Sales Rebound After U.S. Election

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Computer chip sales have  recovered from a "hiccup" caused by anxiety surrounding the  Nov. 2 U.S. presidential election, an Advanced Micro Devices  Inc. AMD.N executive said on Tuesday.


Honda's Minimoto Maxii Tops Kids' Wish Lists-Yahoo

An electric miniature motorcycle called the Honda 7267.T  Minimoto Maxii tops this year's holiday wish list, according to  Yahoo Inc.'s YHOO.O Yahooligans Web site, which compiled  votes from more than 185,000 U.S. youngsters aged 7 to 12 and  released its annual list of Top 10 Toys late on Monday.


Viacom Settles Outstanding FCC Fines

Broadcaster has agreed to pay a record \$3.5M to erase a number of proposed radio indecency fines, including one against the "Opie   Anthony Show" and another against shock jock Howard Stern.
- The Washington Post


FDA to Issue Guidelines On Biotech Food

Agency to publish draft guidelines that would encourage companies to submit voluntary safety evaluations of bioengineered crops that sometimes drift and cross-pollinate with nearby plants.
- The Washington Post


Hackers Use Web Sites, Ads to Infect PCs

Hackers co-opted several popular Web sites including comedycentral.com over the weekend, using them to infect thousands of computers with a virus that can be used to steal passwords, bank accounts and other personal information. -washingtonpost.com


Iran Rules Out Complete Nuclear Dismantling (Reuters)

Reuters - Iran will never be prepared to\dismantle its nuclear program entirely but remains committed to\the non-proliferation treaty (NPT), its chief delegate to the\International Atomic Energy Agency said on Wednesday.


Thanks to iPod, Apple's Rolling in Gravy

While saying grace over the holiday spread, Apple executives might toss in a "thank you" for an influential analyst whose rosy report on iPod's ability to spur sales helped drive the company's stock up to a four-year high. -washingtonpost.com


EU Judge in Microsoft Appeal Calls Meeting

The judge deciding whether to suspend the European Union's antitrust order against software giant Microsoft Corp. has called a meeting for this week after two key backers of the EU's decision pulled out of the case, officials said Tuesday.


Ukraine Opposition Renews Street Protests Over Poll (Reuters)

Reuters - Thousands of demonstrators pressing to\install Ukraine's opposition leader as president after a\disputed election launched fresh street rallies in the capital\for the third day Wednesday.


Car Bombers Strike Near Green Zone, 7 Dead

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A double suicide car bomb attack  devastated a police station just outside Baghdad's fortified  Green Zone on Saturday, killing seven people and wounding 57 in  the latest strike against Iraq's beleaguered security forces.


JFK Internet Game Assailed

Is this going too far? <br>JFK Reloaded, after all, is an online game that deals with the John F. Kennedy assassination and was made available yesterday -- the 41st anniversary of the president's death.


A Daily Look at U.S. Iraq Military Deaths (AP)

AP - As of Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2004, at least 1,229 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. At least 957 died as a result of hostile action, the Defense Department said. The figures include three military civilians.


Rejecting the Next Bill Gates

As Condoleezza Rice enters the State Department, she will face a number of pressing foreign policy problems that she cannot solve. This will not be for lack of effort or intelligence on her part. It's just that many foreign policy crises involve the interests and activities of countries across the globe, and changing them takes time. And even then, whether it's Iran, North Korea or Darfur, there is no quick fix that Washington can impose. But there is a growing danger for the United States that needs urgent attention, that can be solved and that is almost entirely within Rice's power to handle. It's the foreign visa crisis. Left unattended, it is going to have deep and lasting effects on American security and competitiveness.


More Visas For Foreign Workers

Congress is letting employers hire 20,000 more foreign high-tech workers under a special visa program after businesses reached the annual ceiling on the first day of the government's fiscal year.


Bill Aims to Protect Joint Patents

Patents that result from collaboration between universities and companies won new protections from legal challenge under legislation that passed Congress over the weekend.


Thai official shot by accident, not assassination: PM (AFP)

AFP - The most senior state official to be hurt in Thailand's restive south was accidentally shot and injured by one of his own guards, the Thai premier has said, discounting initial claims of an assassination attempt.


Viewing The Customer With Spite

It makes no sense, but when a huge, faceless corporation rejects you, it still hurts.


Mtl experts knew about C. difficile outbreak but didn't tell province:report (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - MONTREAL (CP) - City health officials knew about the deadly C. difficile outbreak at least five months before the provincial Health Department was informed, according to a broadcast report.


Bees survived dino extinction

Tropical honeybees survived the devastating nuclear winter thought to have helped kill off the dinosaurs.


Tests Show No Mad Cow, Cattle Prices Rise

WASHINGTON/CHICAGO (Reuters) - An animal suspected of  having mad cow disease was given a clean bill of health in a  second round of sophisticated testing, the U.S. Agriculture  Department said on Tuesday after cattle prices soared in  expectation of the news.


Waterloo lessons could aid medics

\The high survival rate among the injured at the battle of Waterloo could help inform modern medicine.


Prosecutor Blasts GOP for Shielding DeLay (AP)

AP - A Texas prosecutor who is leading an investigation into possible illegal campaign spending lashed out at congressional Republicans on Tuesday for changing their rules in order to protect House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.


AIG Nears Settlements with Justice, SEC

NEW YORK (Reuters) - American International Group Inc.  AIG.N, the world's largest insurer by market value, on  Tuesday said it reached preliminary accords to settle federal  criminal and regulatory probes into whether it helped two  companies fraudulently inflate earnings.


Oil Hits \$50 and Bounces Back Under \$49

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Tuesday but  retreated from an earlier break above \$50, as dealers awaited a  U.S. government report that is expected to show a small  increase in thin heating oil stocks ahead of winter.


N.C. Elections Board OKs Most Results (AP)

AP - The state elections board certified nearly all results from the Nov. 2 election on Tuesday, but withheld approval of the outcome of two statewide races that are the subject of protests.


Cingular to Cut About 7,000 Jobs

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Cingular Wireless will cut about 7,000  jobs, or 10 percent of its work force, to cut costs as it  integrates recently purchased AT T Wireless, the company said  on Tuesday.


Diplomats Question Ukraine on Election (AP)

AP - The United States urged the Ukrainian government on Tuesday not to certify pro-Russia Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych as winner of disputed presidential elections in the former Soviet republic because of suspected widespread fraud.


SEC, NASD Probe Gifts to Executives

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. market regulators are looking  into gifts of Super Bowl tickets, private jet rides, wine and  expensive golf outings by brokerage firms to mutual fund  executives, officials said on Tuesday.


Wash. GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Ahead (AP)

AP - Republican Dino Rossi kept a razor-thin lead in the Washington governor's race as counties raced a Wednesday deadline for recounting 2.8 million ballots  #151; and girded for yet another possible recount.


Two States Accuse Aventis on Flu Vaccine

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The governors of Illinois and New  Mexico accused French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis SASY.PA of  balking in providing data to U.S. regulators in the states'  attempts to secure flu vaccine in the midst of a national  shortage.


Holidays Looking Merry for Web Retailers

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - It's shaping up to be a very  merry holiday season for online retailers.


Ban Yo-Yo Water Ball Toy, U.S. Group Says

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Water-filled yo-yo balls should be  banned in the United States, a public interest group said on  Tuesday as it issued its annual survey of hazardous toys before  the holiday season.


Iran Rules Out Complete Nuclear Dismantling

BEIJING (Reuters) - Iran will never be prepared to  dismantle its nuclear program entirely but remains committed to  the non-proliferation treaty (NPT), its chief delegate to the  International Atomic Energy Agency said on Wednesday.


Three U.N. Hostages Freed Unharmed in Afghanistan

KABUL (Reuters) - Three foreign U.N. workers held hostage  in Afghanistan were freed unharmed on Tuesday, almost four  weeks after their abduction at gunpoint on a Kabul street  raised fears of a wave of Iraq-style kidnappings.


Iraq Meeting Presses Baghdad to Seek Dialogue

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (Reuters) - An international  conference on the political future of Iraq on Tuesday pressed  the interim Iraqi government to make sure as many people as  possible take part in Jan. 30 elections.


Court: Australian Suspect Was Al Qaeda 'Sleeper'

MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) - An Australian man was  refused bail Wednesday after a court heard he trained at an al  Qaeda camp in Afghanistan, saw its leader Osama bin Laden and  agreed to become a "sleeper" for the terror network.


Politicians Seek Debate on Blair's Iraq 'Misconduct'

LONDON (Reuters) - Parliamentarians will table a motion on  Wednesday demanding a debate on Prime Minister Tony Blair's  "gross misconduct" in leading Britain to war against Iraq.


Venezuelan Car-Bomb Suspect Killed, Weapons Found

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - A Venezuelan lawyer  suspected in last week's bombing murder of a top state  prosecutor was killed in a gunfight with police on Tuesday  after he tried to ram detectives with his car and opened fire  on them, officials said.


British Muslims push to integrate

They are working to repair an image tattered by homegrown radicals - and to find a place in mainstream society.


Ukraine set for talks on crisis

Ukraine's president and opposition agree to hold talks, as huge protests over disputed elections continue.


Smoking killing millions globally

\Smoking killed almost 5 million people around the world in 2000, researchers have calculated.


Outsource that reporter!

Reuters journalists are said to be close to striking over the outsourcing of reporting jobs to India.


South Asian PMs to hold key talks

Pakistani PM Shaukat Aziz is to continue dialogue with India in talks with counterpart Manmohan Singh.


Security Council visits DR Congo

UN Security Council envoys are visiting eastern DR Congo, where UN troops maintain a fragile peace.


Chirac makes historic Libya trip

French President Jacques Chirac is to go to Libya on Wednesday, for the first such visit since 1951.


Gimme some skin!

Sure, the Nintendo DS portable game machine is a technical wonder, with its super-sensitive touch screen, built-in wireless capability and


Burma to relaunch democracy talks

\Burma sets a new date for a constitutional conference seen as a first step towards democracy.


Football: Ferguson celebrates win

Sir Alex Ferguson is "ecstatic" as Man Utd reach the Champions League knockout stage by beating Lyon.


Zimbabwe bans cricket journalists

Zimbabwe denies British journalists entry - but England's tour still looks set to go ahead.


Sfor defends pursuit of Karadzic

The Nato head in Bosnia defends efforts to detain Bosnian Serb leaders ahead of a war crimes report.


World leaders back Iraqi election

World leaders end a conference on the future of Iraq with strong support for the January polls.


Hindu cleric faces fresh charge

A Hindu cleric facing murder charges in southern India is also accused of ordering an attack on a former devotee.


40bn criminal networks targeted

A new bill aimed at tackling organised crime will be published by the government on Wednesday morning.


UN probing charges of sex abuse by staff

UNITED NATIONS -- The UN is investigating about 150 allegations of sexual abuse by UN civilian staff members and soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with some evidence recorded on videotape, a senior UN official said yesterday. The accusations include pedophilia and rape, said Jane Holl Lute, an assistant secretary general in the peacekeeping department. Lute said that there ...


In Colombia, Bush vows aid in drug war

CARTAGENA, Colombia -- Under a security web of warplanes, battleships, and 15,000 troops, President Bush praised Colombia's battle against drugs and Marxist guerrillas yesterday and pledged to keep US aid flowing so that  quot;this courageous nation can win its war against narcoterrorists. quot;


U.S. Expanding Iraqi Offensive in Violent Area

U.S., British and Iraqi troops began a new offensive sweep across a region south of Baghdad known as the triangle of death.


Rally Against Ukraine Vote Swells

Opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko took a symbolic oath of office in his country's parliament Tuesday as supporters rallied to challenge official vote counts that gave an insurmountable lead to his opponent.


U.N. Election Workers Freed in Afghanistan

Afghan officials denied Tuesday that they struck a deal with kidnappers who released three foreign U.N. workers unharmed in Kabul.


Iraq's Forbidding 'Triangle of Death'

As the offensive against Fallujah ends, U.S. military commanders have begun turning their attention to other restive regions of Iraq, where an insurgency in Sunni Muslim-dominated areas has proved resilient, possibly endangering nationwide elections scheduled for Jan. 30.


Iraqi Prime Minister Encouraged to Meet Opponents

An international conference on Iraq is expected to call on the government of Prime Minister Ayad Allawi to meet with its political opponents to encourage them to participate in the country's first democratic elections in January, according to a draft of the conference's final communique.


U.N. Hostages in Afghanistan Freed

Three U.N. workers kidnapped in Afghanistan four weeks ago were released unharmed Tuesday, a day after a string of raids by U.S. and Afghan security forces.


Fatah Panel Nominates Ex-Premier for President

The most important decision about who will run for president of the Palestinian Authority was made Monday by the Fatah movement's 15-member Central Committee, which nominated former prime minister Mahmoud Abbas as the group's presidential candidate for the Jan. 9 election.


26 Charged in Va. In Document Fraud

Law enforcement officials said yesterday that they have broken up the largest known document fraud ring in Northern Virginia, charging 26 people in a scheme to sell identification to thousands of Indonesian immigrants nationwide.


 By Patrick Markey

 CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - A Venezuelan lawyersuspected in last week's bombing murder of a top stateprosecutor was killed in a gunfight with police on Tuesdayafter he tried to ram detectives with his car and opened fireon them, officials said.


Chavez Visit to Spain Sparks Coup Controversy

 By Daniel Flynn

 MADRID (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez'sfence-mending visit to Spain sparked political uproar onTuesday when Madrid for the first time backed his allegationsthat the former Spanish government backed a coup against him.


Venezuelan Car-Bomb Suspect Killed in Shootout


Controversial fund  #39;quite modest #39; claims chairman

The controversial multi-million pound fund set up by key directors of MG Rover parent company Phoenix Venture Holdings was  quot;quite modest quot;, chairman John Towers has claimed.


Canada may put levies on US imports

Canada may impose retaliatory duties on US imports for the first time since 1986, exposing strains in the world #39;s largest trading relationship.


UAL asks its pilots for steep cutbacks

Senior United Airlines pilots would have to fly more hours each month and be away from home longer under a sweeping cost-cutting proposal by the ailing carrier.


Eisner testimony countered

Walt Disney Chairman George Mitchell said he was asked to become company president before the job was offered to Michael Ovitz, disputing testimony by CEO Michael Eisner.


Wal-Mart will let Chinese union in

SHANGHAI, CHINA - Under pressure from the Chinese labor federation, the world #39;s biggest retailer, Wal-Mart Stores, said Tuesday it would permit branches of the official Communist Party-controlled union in its Chinese stores if employees requested it.


Euro Near New High; Asian Stocks Gain (Reuters)

Reuters - The dollar hovered near a record low\around  #36;1.31 per euro Wednesday but was steady against the yen\after Russia suggested it might buy more euros, while Asian\stocks rose on expectations of good earnings.


Package deals

One day, Ed Blain hopes to deliver sermons from the pulpit. This holiday season, he's happy to help sort packages.


Comcast will raise cable rates in January

In what has become as much of a Thanksgiving tradition as stuffed turkey and football, Comcast Corp. moved yesterday to raise New England cable television rates by an average 5.9 percent starting in January.


FDA backs new multiple sclerosis drug

The Food and Drug Administration strongly endorsed Biogen Idec Inc.'s new multiple sclerosis treatment, putting the Cambridge firm in position to expand the market for MS drugs and win greater market share. The drug, formerly called Antegren but renamed Tysabri, was developed with Elan Pharmaceuticals of Ireland. The FDA approved Tysabri for use on its own and in ...


Iconic grilled cheese feeds Internet frenzy

Diana Duyser will become \$28,000 richer today, stand at the center of a media spotlight, and embark on a nationwide tour starring herself -- and all it cost her was a 10-year-old sandwich.


Video game violence goes to next level

What most adults might consider games for kids are anything but, say video game industry critics and two US senators. BY CHARLES HOMANS.


Symbian Says Skulls May Not Be Malware

Symbian Ltd., the London-based maker of the Symbian operating system used on high-end smart phones from a variety of manufacturers, says reports of malware may be premature.


NASA Chief Sees Mandate for Bush Space Program

The budget increase Congress just voted for NASA is a clear endorsement of President Bush #39;s plan to send astronauts back to the moon and later Mars, the head of the space agency said Tuesday.


IBM #39;s Solid Stake on the Desktop

Its Workplace package is catching on with clients, and more software makers are signing on. Still, it #39;s no Windows smasher. IBM launched a bold foray into desktop computing last spring, when it took on Microsoft #39;s


Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Official Soundtrack Double CD

November 23, 2004 - You gotta hand it to the folks over at Rockstar games. They certainly know how to milk a good thing to maximum effect.


Software License Costs to Soar in 2005

New evidence from Gartner Group suggests that software licensing costs could see an overall increase of roughly 50 in the next year.


Scientists mimic lotus plant to create self-cleaning clothing

Sending your favourite suit to the dry-cleaners could one day be an infrequent practice when  quot;self-cleaning quot; clothing become the norm, thanks to progress in nano-technology, the American Chemical Society has said.


No end to news of brawl

The brawl has been over for four days, but there #39;s still plenty to fight about. There was action on several fronts yesterday as the players, the teams, the fans, and law


DWIGHT YORKE RACE TAUNTS: TWO IN COURT

Two men will appear in court today accused of racial public order offences involving Birmingham striker Dwight Yorke. Yorke complained to police that he was taunted with monkey chants and other racist abuse


Decision day arrives for Wenger to contest cheat remark

LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was to decide later yesterday whether to contest a charge of improper conduct arising out of last months controversial clash with arch-rivals Manchester United.


Leverkusen let nervous Real off the hook says Augenthaler

Coach Klaus Augenthaler believes Bayer Leverkusen let a nervous Real Madrid off the hook by allowing the Spanish side to grab a 1-1 Champions League draw on Tuesday.


Williams in Position for Return, But Likely Not to Miami

NEW YORK - The bizarre journey of Ricky Williams will end right where it started - back in the NFL. But it #39;s unlikely he will return to the Dolphins.


Surprising Sonics 10-2 after beating T #39;wolves

Rashard Lewis scored 27 points, Ray Allen added 24 and the SuperSonics again shot well from 3-point range in a 103-92 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night.


Cowboys pull away 90-65

STILLWATER, OKLA. - When Oklahoma State needs a spark, the Cowboys know just where to turn. John Lucas III scored 22 points - including three straight 3-pointers to break open a close game -nd No.


Labor welcomes terror arrests

THE arrest of four Indonesians accused of carrying out the Australian embassy bombing in Jakarta was a positive breakthrough in the war against terrorism, Labor said today.


Abbas to defend rights of Palestinian refugees

Palestinian presidential candidate Mahmoud Abbas has pledged to honour Yasser Arafat #39;s wishes and fight for the  quot;right of return quot; of Palestinian refugees to Israel.


Troops start new offensive near Baghdad

About 5,000 US Marines, British troops and Iraqi forces began an offensive yesterday aimed at clearing insurgents from a cluster of dusty, small towns south of Baghdad.


Israeli officer: I was right to shoot 13-year-old child

An Israeli army officer who repeatedly shot a 13-year-old Palestinian girl in Gaza dismissed a warning from another soldier that she was a child by saying he would have killed her even if she was three years old.


Euro Near New High; Asian Stocks Gain

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The dollar hovered near a record low  around \$1.31 per euro Wednesday but was steady against the yen  after Russia suggested it might buy more euros, while Asian  stocks rose on expectations of good earnings.


Cabrera on the Sox' short list?

The day after Orlando Cabrera beat his world champion teammates to meeting President Bush, Cabrera's agent said the Red Sox had yet to express any interest in re-signing the shortstop.


Gugliotta forced to take an injury timeout

To say forward Tom Gugliotta walked gingerly around the court during shootaround yesterday morning would be an overstatement. Dealing with lower back pain, he could barely shuffle across the paint. So, it was a no-brainer when coach Doc Rivers decided to place Gugliotta on the injured list. The tougher decision was who would take Gugliotta's place.


This week's picks

Westford over Acton-Boxboro -- This week at the Discovery Museum, check out the exhibit,  quot;Overcoming spectrophobia. quot;


We Need More Babies!

The Continent's plummeting fertility rate is a time bomb, threatening economic growth and social welfare. But what can governments do about it? How states are trying to get people to have more kids


UK Telecoms Watchdog Might Relax 3G License Rules

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain might relax rules about the  speed at which mobile phone operators have to build out  third-generation (3G) networks as part of a radical overhaul to  throw open the highly-regulated market for radio frequencies.


How To Film A Phantom

The screen version of the international stage hit is finally here. Can it revive the Hollywood musical?


US knew of 2002 plot on Chavez, papers show

WASHINGTON -- The US government knew of an imminent plot to oust Venezuela's leftist president, Hugo Chavez, in the weeks before a 2002 military coup that briefly unseated him, newly released CIA documents show, despite White House claims to the contrary a week after the putsch.


Abbas vows no retreat from refugee demand

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Palestinian presidential candidate Mahmoud Abbas vowed yesterday never to give up the late Yasser Arafat's bedrock demand that Israel recognize a  quot;right of return quot; of Palestinian refugees.


Freed UN hostages prepare for trip home

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Three UN workers held hostage for nearly a month were preparing to fly home after their release yesterday from an ordeal that suggested Taliban-linked militants are adopting the tactics of Iraqi insurgents.


Activists' tool for change in Iran:

TEHRAN -- A new movement of passive resistance is quietly sweeping young people in Iran, a response both to the reform movement's failure to introduce political and economic change and conservatives' control over who can run for office, according to Iranian student leaders and political analysts.


Secure Iraqi borders endorsed; concern on US troops

SHARM EL SHEIK, Egypt -- In the first regional conference on Iraq since the US-led invasion, 20 countries that had been sharply divided over the Iraq war agreed yesterday on several broad steps that would move the country toward a more secure future.


UN says children suffering the most

GENEVA -- The fighting in Iraq is ''wreaking havoc quot; on the children, all but preventing relief groups from working in the country, the UN children's agency said yesterday.


PeopleSoft, Oracle standoff likely to continue

The battle between Oracle and PeopleSoft is again at an impasse, with the possibility of a proxy fight that could continue into next spring.


U.K. deploys electronic image archiving in all hospitals

General Electric and EMC have won a \$200 million deal to install electronic image archiving systems in 70 hospitals in the U.K., as part of an effort to centralize communications and modernize technology throughout the national health system.


Brief: HP to spend \$200M on layoffs

Hewlett-Packard expects to spend \$200 million over the next six months on staff reductions, but it didn't say in which areas the cuts would take place.


CA officially taps Swainson for CEO job delays CA World

Computer Associates today officially announced that John Swainson, an IBM veteran, has been named president and CEO-elect, as well as a member of the CA board.


Near-Time touts content management tool for Mac OS X

The company's new Flow software aims to integrate information from various places under a single interface for ease of use and collaboration, and it generally works well, according to columnist Ryan Faas.


U.K. biometric ID card plan unveiled in the Queen's Speech

The U.K. government is proposing legislation that would create a system of ID cards with embedded biometric identifiers that everyone living in the U.K. would be required to have by 2011 or 2012.


CA officially taps Swainson for CEO job, delays CA World


HP quietly begins weblog experiment

Hewlett-Packard is the latest IT vendor to try blogging. But analysts wonder if the weblog trend is the 21st century equivalent of CB radios, which made a big splash in the 1970s before fading.


Law may snag Philadelphia Wi-Fi rollout

A proposed Pennsylvania law on its way to the governor's desk could pose a hurdle for Philadelphia's ambitious plan to provide broadband Wi-Fi service throughout the city by mid-2006.


Business Integration Glossary

This comprehensive glossary provides a definition of terms related to business integration


Torvalds comes out against EU patent directive

SAN FRANCISCO - Three prominent open source software developers, including Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux, have issued a statement urging the European Union Council to reject proposed legislation that would codify the practice of granting software patents in the E.U.


Enterprise grid group adds Dell, two others

The Enterprise Grid Alliance (EGA) on Nov. 30 plans to announce the addition of Dell, UBS Investment Bank, and value-added reseller Avarsys to its fold.


Observers find 201 e-voting problems in Maryland

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND - Poll observers in about 6 percent of Maryland's precincts recorded 201 problems with electronic voting machines during the Nov. 2 general election, according to a report released Tuesday by TrueVoteMD.org.


EU judge calls meeting in Microsoft antitrust case

The judge examining whether or not to suspend sanctions in the European Union's antitrust ruling against Microsofthas called a meeting to determine how the case should proceed following the withdrawal of two of its major participants.


HP to spend \$200M on layoffs

Hewlett-Packard(HP) plans to spend \$200 million over the next six months on staff reductions, the company said Tuesday in a regulatory filing. It did not specify in the filing which business areas the staffing cuts would affect.


Thomson, VeriSign to build content security service

Thomson said Tuesday that it is teaming up with VeriSignto build a digital authorization and authentication service that promises to secure delivery of content such as movies, music, and games.


AMD Releases New Mobile Sempron

Will the chip maker ever overcome Intel's advantage in the notebook market?


Thomson, VeriSign Secure Multimedia Content

Companies will offer a service that authenticates movies, music, and games.


Philadelphia Faces Wi-Fi Woes

Proposed law could prevent the government from offering broadband access.


Are Desktop Search Programs Ready for Prime Time?

Copernic Desktop Search does the work without Google's security flaws.


Rating Search Engine Disclosure Practices

Which search engines are adequately disclosing their paid placement and paid inclusion practices? Which ones are failing to do so?  A new report offers some surprising insights.


Stocks bounce back from their mid-day slide

Stocks shuffled to a mixed finish yesterday, rebounding from mid-day declines as oil prices retreated after surging past \$50 per barrel.


AOL NEARS SEC FRAUD DEAL

The Time Warner Inc. chairman and CEO and his legal eagles are said to be close to a deal with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Justice Department that would settle the dual


FDA backs new multiple sclerosis drug

The Food and Drug Administration strongly endorsed Biogen Idec Inc. #39;s new multiple sclerosis treatment, putting the Cambridge firm in position to expand the market for MS drugs and win greater market share.


Brokers #39; Gifts Investigated

Securities regulators are opening up yet another front in their long-running investigation of the mutual fund industry, examining brokerage firms that allegedly gave mutual fund employees


Advocacy group cites troubles in toyland

They are sold with colorful names like  quot;Pals on the Go!, quot;  quot;Click Clack Train, quot;  quot;Kinderland Kimy Bathtime quot; and  quot;Flashing Star Wand.


AMD #39;s Sempron Set for Holiday Showdown with Centrino

AMD has introduced its latest Mobile AMD Sempron processor 3000, which is designed for thin notebooks. Built to compete with Intel #39;s Centrino, the AMD processor offers Enhanced Virus Protection


IBM signs desktop-software partners

IBM has signed on 100 software companies to use software from its Workplace initiative, a plan to gain ground in desktop software.


Media watchdogs complain that video games are violent, oversexed

This season #39;s blockbuster video games give players the opportunity to hijack cars, mow down the walking undead with heavy artillery and ogle topless women.


Citrix to Acquire SSL VPN Provider

Citrix Systems Inc. on Tuesday announced that it is acquiring a small SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) VPN provider, a move that company officials hope will position Citrix as a major player in the remote-access market.


Donald Puddy, veteran NASA flight director

Veteran NASA flight director Donald R. Puddy, who supervised Apollo, Skylab and early space shuttle missions from Mission Control, has died.


Fergie toasts 1 000 games

Sir Alex Ferguson looked set to spend Wednesday with a splitting headache after threatening to toast his victorious 1 000th game in charge of Manchester United in epic fashion.


Hyypia Blasts  #39;Disgraceful #39; Decision

Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia hit out at the refereeing decision which could rob Liverpool of a place in the last 16 of the Champions League.


Wenger stands by Ruud remarks

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger vowed to fight his Football Association misconduct charge as he defended his right to criticise Ruud van Nistelrooy in public.


Donovan decides to return to Germany

New York, NY (Sports Network) - United States men #39;s national team captain and former San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Landon Donovan announced Tuesday he will return to Europe to continue his soccer career and development as a player.


SuperSonics 103, Timberwolves 92

Rashard Lewis scored 27 points, Ray Allen added 24 and the SuperSonics again shot well from 3-point range in a 103-92 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night.


Indonesian Police arrest Australian Embassy bombing suspect

PETER CAVE: Police in Indonesia believe they #39;ve arrested the kingpin behind the bombing of the Australian embassy in Jakarta earlier this year.


HIV cases rise among women, report says

Women are being infected with HIV at increasing rates in all regions of the world, and their numbers are now nearly equal to men, according to the United Nations and World Health Organization #39;s annual report on AIDS released Tuesday.


Iran sticks by belief that nuclear arms unIslamic: minister

Iranian deputy foreign minister Gholamali Khoshrou denied Tuesday that his country #39;s top leaders were at odds over whether nuclear weapons were un-Islamic, insisting that it will  quot;never quot; make the bomb.


Black Watch ready for new offensive

The Black Watch battalion is preparing to join US Marines and Iraqi forces in a major new offensive against insurgents. The operation - codenamed Plymouth Rock because it takes place around Thanksgiving - is


Britain to issue first identity cards since World War II

LONDON Invoking a global threat of terrorism, the British government announced plans on Tuesday to introduce national identity cards for the first time since the Second World War.


Hong Kong business more confident

Business confidence is rising in Hong Kong with a third of companies saying that economic prospects will improve in 2005.


Easy brand 'close to mobile deal'

Easy Group is near to closing a Deal with Deutsche Telekom to launch a UK mobile service, the Financial Times reports.


Home sales for month robust

#39;The ongoing stimulus of lower-than-expected mortgage interest rates was the primary driver of strong home sales in October. #39;.


Plasma TVs Lead Gadget Price Declines in Sept. -NPD

Falling prices in September for plasma televisions and digital cameras sparked the biggest monthly decline in US consumer electronics prices in five months, according to an industry study prepared for Reuters.


Harvard handles BU

Last Tuesday night, Harvard knocked off rival Boston College, which was ranked No. 1 in the country. Last night, the Crimson knocked off another


Infocus: SSH and ssh-agent

This article discusses how to take SSH Identity/Pubkey trust relationships to the next level, by using ssh-agent as a keymaster to manage a user's authentication needs automatically.


Pictures on the Go

#147;Carrying around a wallet full of pictures of the kids or the dog is so last year, #148; writes Cathy Lu in Digit.  #147;Apple #146;s iPod Photo makes it as easy to look at your most beloved pictures on the go as it is to listen to your favorite tunes. #148; Nov 23


Keeping Up with iPod

#147;I just received my sixth, an iPod photo, and if I loved my iPod before, I really love it now, #148; writes Bob LeVitus for the Houston Chronicle.  #147;The new iPod photo stores not only your songs, but also your digital pictures. The 2-inch color display is the best little color display I #146;ve seen, and I #146;ve heard many remarks about its clarity and rich, saturated images. Photos look amazing, and iPod photo stores and displays album art for songs which have cover art available. #148; Nov 23


Apple Certified Training

Register now for Apple Certified Pro training at DV Expo West. Apple representatives are conducting classes on Apple #146;s high-end video and music applications, including Final Cut Pro HD, DVD Studio Pro, Motion and Logic, Dec 5-10.\ Nov 23


Shhh ... Do You Hear Gunfire?

Police departments around the country turn to sound-analysis technology to detect and report gunshots. By Amit Asaravala.


Software Detects the True Artist

Dartmouth College computer scientists create software that uses statistical techniques to authenticate art, to sort out real works from fakes. Their first finding: A painting purportedly by Perugino may have been done by four different artists. By Noah Shachtman.


Court Documents Not Fit for Web?

States are rethinking their policy of publishing all court documents -- divorces, medical histories, arrests -- on the web. On one hand is the citizens' right to know how their government operates. On the other is their right to privacy. By Jacob Ogles.


A Kinder, Gentler Copyright Bill?

The Senate passes a copyright bill that is not as bad as digital rights activists had feared. The bill drops language that would have banned tech that would have allowed people to skip commercials. By Katie Dean.


You, Too, Can Assassinate Kennedy

Detractors are horrified, but the developer of a video game that lets players simulate the assassination of President Kennedy says the point is to bolster the lone-gunman theory and debunk the conspiracy theorists.


Suspicion of a Mad Cow Case Proves Unfounded, Tests Find

A cow that tested positive last week on preliminary tests for mad cow disease has tested negative on the follow-up, the Agriculture Department announced.


Coloradans Vote to Embrace Alternative Sources of Energy

Colorado voters approved a proposal this month mandating that 10 percent of the state's electricity must come from wind and solar power by 2015.


NASA Chief Sees Mandate for Bush Space Program

The budget increase Congress just voted for NASA is a clear endorsement of President Bush's plan to send astronauts back to the Moon and later Mars, said Sean O'Keefe.


In a Land Torn by Violence, Too Many Troubling Deaths

Colombia's Indian tribes are confronting a sudden rise in the suicide rate of their young members.


The Face of Nature Changes as Art and Science Evolve

The idea that artists and scientists glare at each other across a cultural divide is mostly fiction, as the work of the printmaker Joseph Scheer makes abundantly clear.


Your Train Will Be Late, She Says Cheerily

Amtrak's computer voice works on frayed nerves by remaining unshakably courteous and tirelessly chipper.


Judge Calls Conference on Microsoft

The European Court of First Instance judge called an unexpected hearing to reconsider the evidence that can be used in the Microsoft antitrust case.


Cingular to Cut 7,000 Jobs to Trim Costs After Buyout

Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest cellular phone company, plans to cut about 10 percent of its work force as a result of its purchase of AT T Wireless.


From Internet Arm Wrestling to the Magic of Math

The renovated New York Hall of Science's new shows include one of the oldest (and best): "Mathematica," a show that continues to inspire wonder and persistent curiosity.


UN: N.Korea Sends Positive Message on Atomic Talks (Reuters)

Reuters - North Korea gave a visiting U.N. official\a "very positive message" about resuming stalled six-way talks\on its nuclear programs, the South Korean Unification Ministry\said Wednesday.


Runway accident hampers aid bid

Relief efforts in Indonesia hit a setback when Banda Aceh airport is closed to flights after an accident.


Warriors Beat Hornets 115-109 in 3OT (AP)

AP - Speedy Claxton scored 21 points, including five free throws in the final 15 seconds of the third overtime, to help the Golden State Warriors beat the New Orleans Hornets 115-109 Tuesday night.


Criticism of U.S. Muted at Iraq Conference (AP)

AP - Criticism of the United States was surprisingly muted at an international conference in Egypt that drew fierce opponents to the U.S.-led invasion.


Ntini spell sparks India collapse as test heads for draw (Reuters)

Reuters - Fast bowler Makhaya Ntini grabbed three wickets to help bowl out India for 466 and give South Africa a 44-run first innings lead on the final day of the first test on Wednesday.


U.N. Battles Sex Abuse by Peacekeepers (AP)

AP - Linked in the past to sex crimes in East Timor, and prostitution in Cambodia and Kosovo, U.N. peacekeepers have now been accused of sexually abusing the very population they were deployed to protect in Congo.


No More QB Controversy in Miami: Fiedler Goes on IR

MIAMI (Sports Network) - Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay  Fiedler was placed on injured reserve Tuesday with a herniated  disk in his neck, ending his 2004 season.


Stocks End Little Changed on Oil, Intel

US stocks ended barely changed on Tuesday as a late retreat in oil prices pulled the market back from lows, although a broker downgrade of technology bellwether Intel Corp.


Oracle assails PeopleSoft board

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - Oracle Corp. executives, lobbying investors to support the company #39;s \$9.2 billion hostile takeover bid, came out swinging Monday against PeopleSoft Inc.


Behind the scenes at Eisner #39;s Disney

When Michael Eisner took the helm at The Walt Disney Co. in 1984, he was so unschooled in boardroom etiquette that he sought out a copy of  quot;Robert #39;s Rules of Order, quot; the guide to parliamentary procedure.


Boston Scientific takes over Cook #39;s share of drug rights

Bloomington (Star report) --Boston Scientific Corp. has obtained exclusive rights to sell the most popular coating on heart stents, taking over the share previously held by Cook Inc.


Multiple sclerosis drug approved

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved a drug for multiple sclerosis that has shown early evidence of being more effective than existing drugs.


Kuwait Detains Soldiers for Plot Against U.S. Forces

KUWAIT (Reuters) - Kuwaiti security forces have detained up  to eight Kuwaiti soldiers suspected of plotting to attack U.S.  forces in the Gulf Arab state, a security source said on  Monday.


Why some see a hero in simple sandwich

It #39;s an unlikely marriage of the sacred and the profane: a decade-old grilled cheese sandwich bearing the purported image of the Virgin Mary, sold to a gambling house that wants to tour the petrified snack around the country for charity.


HDTV: A shopper #39;s survival guide

Flat or fat? EDTV or HDTV? LCD or plasma? Anyone who #39;s on the hunt for a new TV set these days knows getting a dream screen can be more confusing than the plotline of Days of Our Lives.


IBM adds fingerprint sensor to ThinkPads

IBM has added biometric security to its ThinkPad notebook line, claiming the technology is now ready for prime time. IBM has added a fingerprint scanner to its T42 ThinkPad


NO BABY BLUES FOR GOOSEN

Retief Goosen has revealed that he almost decided not to make the trip to Hawaii after the birth of his daughter Ella last Friday.


Yorke: two due in court on race charges

Two men are due in court over alleged racist abuse aimed at footballer Dwight Yorke. The Birmingham City striker made a complaint after a game against Blackburn Rovers on Sunday.


NCAA case no worry for Spurrier

Shortly after Steve Spurrier arrived at Florida in 1990, the Gators were placed on NCAA probation for a year stemming from a child-support payment former coach Galen Hall made for a player.


Donovan bolts MLS for German soccer team

Landon Donovan is leaving the San Jose Earthquakes to rejoin Bayer Leverkusen in Germany, a move that costs Major League Soccer its most successful player.


FOOTBALL: REAL NAZI DISGRACE

SPANISH football fans shamed their country again last night by hurling racist abuse at Bayer Leverkusen players during the Champions League fixture at Real Madrid.


RUGBY UNION: NEVER AGAIN

ENGLAND coach Phil Larder has threatened Australia with  #39;payback #39; when the world champions meet their favourite enemy at Twickenham on Saturday.


Yao #39;s effort fails to lift Rockets

Chinese center Yao Ming had 29 points and nine rebounds but he could not save the Houston Rockets from the 102-96 defeat by the Sacramen to Kings Tuesday.


Notebook: Daniels making an impact

MINNEAPOLIS - After a dozen games, Antonio Daniels has established himself as one of the favorites to win the league #39;s sixth-man award.


Kansas trounces outmanned St. Joseph #39;s

St. Joseph #39;s picked a bad place and a terrible time to start life without guards Jameer Nelson and Delonte West. With the two stars who led the Hawks to an unbeaten 2003-04 regular season now in the NBA, St.


FIEDLER RULED OUT FOR SEASON

Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay Fiedler will miss the remainder of the season with a herniated disk in his neck. Fielder, who started seven games and played in another for the 1-8 Dolphins, suffered the injury in Sunday #39;s game with the Seattle Seahawks.


Legacy is lesson on fighting terrorism

If Yasser Arafat had died at birth, a Palestinian state would today likely be living side by side with a Jewish state, in peace. The Palestinian state would be called Jordan, which claimed and governed the


Raids mounted in latest assault on Iraqi region

US, British and Iraqi troops mounted raids yesterday in a swath of territory south of Baghdad in the fourth sizable assault since last month aimed at


US Blames Darfur Rebels for Latest Upsurge in Violence

US officials are blaming Darfur rebels for this week #39;s renewed violence in the troubled region of western Sudan. The Sudanese government says more than 30 of its policemen have been killed in Darfur clashes since Monday.


Ottawa talks of trade war against US

OTTAWA -- Just a week before George W. Bush arrives for a feel-good visit with Paul Martin, Ottawa is talking tough about a possible trade war with the United States.


Global server sales up 5.5 in Q3

NEW YORK: Global computer server sales rose 5.5 per cent in the third quarter to \$11.5 billion (6.2 billion) from a year ago, but growth was flat in dollar terms from the second quarter, market research firm IDC has said.


Post-merger work force at Cingular to shrink 10 percent

Cingular Wireless, the nation #39;s largest cellphone company, will cut about 10 percent of its 68,000 jobs over the next 12 to 18 months as it combines operations with the recently


Auditor targets drugs, native training

OTTAWA -- The federal government is wasting tens of millions on prescription drugs and its billion-dollar annual investment in native education is actually losing ground, Auditor-General Sheila Fraser said yesterday.


RBC sells Liberty Insurance to IBM

TORONTO -- Royal Bank #39;s RBC Insurance is selling Liberty Insurance Services Corp., its US business process services division, to IBM Corp.


A pitch for presents of peace

With only 30 shopping days till Christmas, there #39;s no time to lose. So here are some nifty gift ideas for the youngsters on your list: - JFK Reloaded.


Intel helping clients in Asia to use Linux

Intel, the world #39;s biggest semiconductor maker, said it is helping Chinese and Indian customers build personal computers that use the Linux operating system, an alternative to Microsoft #39;s Windows software.


IBM #39;s  #39;most secure laptop #39;  Rs 95,000

IBM India has launched its first ThinkPad with an integrated fingerprint reader at prices beginning from Rs 95,000. ThinkPad, the most secure notebook PC, now features a model that delivers simplified access


Ntini sparks Indian slump

India collapsed on the final morning of the First Test in Kanpur but the game was certain to end in a draw. Resuming on 401 for four, the home side were bowled out for 466 to give South Africa a first innings lead of 44.


He #39;s one of a kind

TORONTO -- All the batons had been twirled. The confetti had been shot into the air. The Arrr-gos chant had been repeated, oh maybe 100 times.


Actor Must Pay  #36;309,600 in Film Piracy Case (Reuters)

Reuters - Warner Bros. has secured\a  #36;309,600 judgment against an actor for allegedly making\promotional "screener" copies of "The Last Samurai" and "Mystic\River" available for bootleg DVD copying and unauthorized\Internet trading, the studio said Tuesday.


Mexican Mob Kills Two Federal Agents (AP)

AP - A crowd angry about recent child kidnappings cornered plainclothes federal agents taking photos of students at a school on Mexico City's outskirts and burned the officers alive, the latest example of mob justice in a country beset by corrupt police and high crime.


New mass offensive aimed at insurgents

US, British and Iraqi forces are focusing this time on a hotbed south of the capital. BAGHDAD -- About 5,000 US marines, British troops and Iraqi commandos launched raids and arrested suspected insurgents


SAVED FROM DEATH #39;S JAWS ..BY DOLPHINS

DOLPHINS herded four swimmers together then scared off a great white shark which had moved in for the kill. The 10ft predator circled as lifeguard Ron Howes, his daughter Niccy, 15, and two of her friends took a dip.


Firefox Browser Takes Market Share From Microsoft's IE (TechWeb)

TechWeb - Although Microsoft has nearly 90 of the browser market, its share is down a full five points since May of this year. Mozilla Firefox is doing the damage, with 5.6 million copies downloaded in the last two weeks.


Celtics Place Gugliotta on Injured List

BOSTON (Sports Network) - The Boston Celtics placed forward  Tom Gugliotta on the injured list Tuesday with lower back pain.


Congress Won't Block Tax-Return Provision (AP)

AP - A proposal to let more lawmakers see income tax returns is going to stay alive into December, thanks to Democratic complaints over how the one-sentence provision was stuffed into a gargantuan spending bill.


Finalists Named for O'Brien Award

FORT WORTH, Texas (Sports Network) - Oklahoma quarterback  Jason White was one of three finalists announced Tuesday for  the Davey O'Brien Award as the nation's top quarterback.


Singh, Aziz Hold Talks After India-Pakistan Spat

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz  and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh on Wednesday began  talks that are expected to set aside a recent spat over  disputed Kashmir and give a push to a plodding peace process.


Black Boxes Recovered from China Lake Crash Site

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese divers searching an icy lake  have recovered the two flight recorders from a commuter jet  that crashed seconds after takeoff killing 54 people, Xinhua  news agency said Wednesday.


This pair not pulling punches

The old order is passing in boxing and a potential new powerhouse has emerged. Timing always has been the ally of Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins. It is what made the former a six-time world champion and the latter the undisputed middleweight champion through more successful title defenses than any fighter in history.


Turnaround propels Eagles

Boston College had been given an early quarterfinal boot from the Big East tournament by the University of Connecticut three weeks ago, but thanks to sophomore back Sam Brill, whose family lives about a mile and a half from BC's home soccer field, it was the Eagles who prevailed by the same score of 1-0 yesterday afternoon in the second ...


Harvard handles BU

Last Tuesday night, Harvard knocked off rival Boston College, which was ranked No. 1 in the country. Last night, the Crimson knocked off another local foe, Boston University, 2-1, at Walter Brown Arena, which marked the first time since 1999 that Harvard had beaten them both in the same season.


Huskies line up to score

One line did most of the work as the Northeastern men's hockey team defeated Merrimack, 5-1, in a Hockey East contest last night in North Andover.


Transactions

BASEBALL Baltimore (AL): Named Jim Richardson, Mark Ralston and James Keller scouts. Cleveland (AL): Signed Ps Kenny Rayborn and Jake Robbins and OF Ernie Young to minor league contracts. Los Angeles (NL): Purchased contracts of INF Brian Myrow and OF Jason Repko from Las Vegas (PCL), Ps Franquelis Osoria, Ryan Ketchner, and Derek Thompson from Jacksonville (SL), and C Russell ...


Third-seed Schuettler crashes out of Chennai Open (AFP)

AFP - The ATP Chennai Open tennis tournament began on a dramatic note when unfancied Frenchman Oliver Patience knocked out third-seeded Rainer Schuettler of Germany in the first round.


Baghdad Suicide Car Bomb Kills at Least Four (Reuters)

Reuters - A suicide car bomb exploded on Tuesday\at a police post near an entrance to the fortified Green Zone\complex in Baghdad, killing at least four people, a policeman\at the scene said.


Skulls trojan targets Symbian smartphones

A new trojan on the internet attacks the Nokia 7610 smartphone and possibly other phones running Symbian Series 60 software.  quot;We have located several freeware and shareware sites offering a program, called


UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

MONTE CARLO, November 23 (Champions League) - A controversial Javier Saviola goal left Liverpool #39;s hopes of a place in the Champions League second round hanging by a thread as Monaco claimed all three points in the Principality.


CARROLL #39;S COCK-UP ON A VERY GRAND SCALE

WHEN he switches on the television on a Saturday night Sir Alex Ferguson must cringe at the sight of Peter Schmeichel in the pundit #39;s chair.


Question and Answer

Carol Williams, a family nurse practitioner and director of women #39;s services at the McDowell Healthcare Center in Phoenix, talks about World AIDS Day, Dec. 1. This year #39;s focus is on women and girls.


3 Kidnapped UN Workers Are Released in Kabul

The release of three United Nations workers who had been held hostage for more than three weeks took place early Tuesday in what appeared to be an orchestrated handover.


Japan will never war with China: PM

SANTIAGO: Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Monday his country would never go to war with China and that bilateral ties were satisfactory.


Sounding the alarm over too-loud toys

The growth in electronic toys that sing, provide realistic sound effects and make other noises has led to yet another hazard for children, a consumer advocate group said Tuesday.


Dell puts Sun in shade on server share

MARKET RESEARCH firm IDC said that revenues in the worldwide server market grew by 5.5 per cent in the third quarter of this year, valued at \$11.5 billion.


Nokia smart phones under attack

LONDON: All Nokia smart phones need to be on a watch out now, as a malicious wallpaper programme which hijacks the main page of the 7610 handset is on the prowl.


XFce 4.2 - the Future is Now!

No doubt, all of you have heard of Xfce and those who haven #39;t will hear about it soon anyway. I remember trying out Xfce for the first time back on SuSE 9.0.


Monaco 1, Liverpool 0

Fuming Rafael Benitez slammed the controversial Monaco goal which left his Liverpool side in desperate danger of missing out on the Champions League second round.


Fergie #39;s Keepers: the Good, the Bad, the Awful

Roy Carrolls blunder in Manchester Uniteds Champions League victory over Lyon at Old Trafford last night almost put a dampener on Sir Alex Fergusons 1,000th match in charge of the club.


Minority hiring activists miffed over USC  #39;search #39;

When South Carolina hired former Florida coach Steve Spurrier on Tuesday without conducting an organized search that included more than one candidate, it didn #39;t sit well with the Black Coaches Association.


ADV: Term Life Insurance - For Peace of Mind

ReliaQuote can bring you the peace of mind of term life insurance. Compare rates from top-rated life insurance companies online in minutes. Save up to 70 #37;. It couldn #39;t be easier!


China deal could see production increase

THE head of MG Rover has held out the prospect of increased production at the car giant #39;s UK factory under plans to link up with China #39;s biggest auto manufacturer.


Tomkins in focus in quiet start to London trading

An agreed bid for aiports operator TBI was the most notable feature for investors in a flat open to trading in London on Wednesday.


Martha wings it for 1st jail Thanksgiving

There probably will not be any polished silver, napkin rings or acorn craft centerpieces, but Martha Stewart #39;s Thanksgiving is sure to be unique this year.


Pornographer sues Google

A California-based pornographer says it has sued Google, alleging that its leading internet search engines are illegally allowing people to view hijacked versions of its nude photos and to access its website with stolen passwords.


Yorke staying at Birmingham City Football Club

Doubts had arisen over Yorkes future at St Andrews following the racial abuse he suffered at the hands of two Blackburn Rovers fans at Ewood Park over the weekend.


Reds give Ferguson anniversary present

Manchester United gave Alex Ferguson a 1,000th game anniversary present by reaching the last 16 of the Champions League yesterday, while four-time winners Bayern Munich romped into the second round with a 5-1 beating of Maccabi Tel Aviv.


Lethargy helps  #39;Cats #39; historic win, 91-89

The Pistons ended up on the wrong side of history Tuesday night at the Charlotte Coliseum. They became the first defending NBA champion to lose to an expansion team since


Middle East ; Iran Rules Out Complete Nuclear Dismantling

quot;Americans also have no right to raise something like this, quot; he said, adding that Iran had never used its nuclear power program for weapons production.


Four saved from death #39;s jaws  by a pod of dolphins

FOUR swimmers confronted by a great white shark off the coast of New Zealand were saved by dolphins that came to their rescue. The three-metre (10ft) shark came


Hearing Set After Microsoft Rivals Quit

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The judge considering Microsoft  Corp.'s appeal against European Union sanctions has convened a  closed meeting for Thursday after two more major opponents of  the U.S. software giant withdrew from the case, a court  spokesman said on Wednesday.


British Airport Owner TBI OKs Takeover

British airport operator TBI PLC said Wednesday it has agreed to a takeover by Spanish transport and communications company Abertis and Spain #39;s national airport authority Aena.


Toy makers, interest groups disagree on safety

WASHINGTON -- In an exercise that #39;s become as much a Thanksgiving tradition as turkey and football, the federal government and private interest groups yesterday released lists of dangerous toys and graphic video games they say should be avoided by young


Canada Mulls Trade Sanctions Against US

Canada said on Tuesday it was considering whether to slap trade sanctions on a wide range of US imports to retaliate for Washington #39;s refusal to abandon a controversial anti-dumping law.


Gold Fields acceptances up  Harmony

The number of acceptances received from world number four gold miner Gold Fields #39; shareholders is increasing, marketing director for world number four gold miner Harmony Ferdi Dippenaar said on Wednesday.