Supreme court begins hearing final arguments in Ukraine's election dispute (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Tens of thousands of opposition supporters partied in Kyiv's main square Thursday, erecting a Christmas tree and waving orange flags in a show of confidence as the Supreme Court heard final arguments on whether to overturn disputed election results.


Martin says Bush assured him no plans for space-based weapons (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - The prime minister says he's been assured by President George W. Bush that the U.S. missile defence plan does not necessarily involve the weaponization of space.


Infineon Execs Pleading Guilty in US DRAM Probe

Four sales executives of German chip maker Infineon Technologies AG (IFXGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) have agreed to plead guilty to participating in a conspiracy


Panero: XM CEO Sees Cell Phones As Next Satellite Radio Frontier

quot;Magic can happen. quot; Sirius Satellite Radio (nasdaq: SIRI - news - people ) may have signed Howard Stern and the men #39;s NCAA basketball tournaments, but XM Satellite Radio (nasdaq: XMSR - news - people ) has its sights on your cell phone.


Miller #39;s winning streak ends at three as Goergl wins Super G

Bode Miller #39;s three-race winning streak ended Thursday, but the American still added to his commanding lead in the World Cup overall standings by finishing second to Austria #39;s Stephan Goergl in a Super G.


NHL, NHLPA to resume bargaining talks next Thursday in Toronto

NEW YORK (CP) - The NHL Players #39; Association made the biggest move of the 2-month-old lockout Thursday, inviting the NHL back to the negotiating table with the lure of a new proposal.


Fratello to Coach Grizzlies

Mike Fratello is hired as coach of the Memphis Grizzlies as a replacement for Hubie Brown, who unexpectedly retired for health reasons.


Albertsons on the Rebound

Things are slowly returning to normal in the embattled grocery world. This morning, Albertsons (NYSE: ABS), the No. 2 player in the group, reported an 18 jump in third-quarter net income


US long-term mortgage rates increase sharply

Long-term mortgage rates in the United States increased sharply this week, mortgage wholesaler Freddie Mac reported Thursday in its weekly nationwide survey.


Gateway Returns To Japan

Gateway is returning to Japan and will be launching some new desktop and laptop computers for the new market. Leveraging the distribution channels of its eMachines brand, the company now offers its new line


Villeneuve sets the pace as Heidfeld speeds up

Canadian Jacques Villeneuve has set the pace for Sauber while Germany #39;s Nick Heidfeld did his best to impress Williams in a wet and windy Formula One test session at Jerez.


Lindh #39;s killer has jail term confirmed

The confessed killer of Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh has had his life jail sentence confirmed by the Supreme Court after he appealed for leniency saying he was mentally ill when he stabbed her.


Intel Raises Quarterly Revenue Target (Reuters)

Reuters - Intel Corp. , the largest\maker of microchips, on Thursday raised its quarterly revenue\target, citing strong worldwide demand for its microprocessors,\and its shares jumped nearly 6 percent in after-hours trading.


Albertsons on the Rebound

The No. 2 grocer reports double-digit gains in sales and earnings after recent acquisitions.


UPDATE 2-US appeals court turns down ABB #39;s asbestos deal

A US appeals court on Thursday turned down ABB #39;s (ABBN.VX: Quote, Profile, Research) (ABB.N: Quote, Profile, Research) proposed \$1.2 billion settlement of an asbestos lawsuit involving the Swiss engineering group #39;s Combustion


Retailers Stock Up on Latest Gadgets (AP)

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


Comcast Plans Music Video-Web Offering (AP)

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


Quarterback's Slump Doesn't Faze Steelers (AP)

AP - The big plays don't come as regularly, and neither do the deep pass completions. He has led only two touchdown drives and was sacked 11 times the last two weeks even while facing losing-record opponents.


Infineon execs go to jail for DRAM price fixing

THE DEPARTMENT of Justice said that four employees of Infineon have pleaded guilty to charges of price fixing DRAM. Three German citizens and one US citizen will each pay \$250,000 in fines as well as serving between four to six months in jail.


Band Aid Single Now Available on ITunes (AP)

AP - Apple Computer Inc. has settled a dispute that was keeping the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" off its iTunes music store in Britain.


Intel Raises 4th-Quarter Sales Forecast (AP)

AP - Semiconductor giant Intel Corp. dramatically raised the range of its fourth-quarter sales forecast Thursday as it benefited from strong holiday demand for microprocessors, the brains of personal computers.


Report: Mobile Phone Sales Up; Nokia Gains Market Share (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - Mobile phone sales were up 26 percent in the third quarter, with Nokia (NYSE: NOK) solidifying its position as the leading manufacturer, while Samsung leapfrogged past Motorola (NYSE: MOT) for second in the global rankings.


About 1,000 Dead or Missing in Philippines Floods

Nearly a thousand people are dead or missing in flash floods and landslides that have devastated a large section of the northern Philippines, rescue officials said.


Dollar Rebounds After Setting Low Vs. Euro

The US dollar rallied after dropping to a record low Thursday against the euro amid uncertainty about whether officials would intervene to curb the currency #39;s slide.


Oracle in Merger Talks Beyond PeopleSoft (Reuters)

Reuters - Oracle Corp.  on Thursday\said it is in merger talks with other technology companies as\it pursues its  #36;9.2 billion hostile takeover bid for rival\software maker PeopleSoft Inc. .


IBM Makes a Power Play (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - IBM (NYSE: IBM) has established a new global organization to push the company's\Power processor platform, with an emphasis on establishing a foothold in\the potentially lucrative Chinese I.T. market.


Apple Launches ITunes Music Store in Canada (Reuters)

Reuters - Apple Computer Inc. on Thursday\launched its iTunes online music store in Canada, the 14th\country in which the popular service is available.


Headless Bodies Found at Mysterious Mexico Pyramid (Reuters)

Reuters - The discovery of a tomb filled with\decapitated bodies suggests Mexico's 2,000 year-old "Pyramid of\the Moon" may have been the site of horrifically gory\sacrifices, archeologists said on Thursday.


Brazil Finds New Europe-Related Dinosaur Species (Reuters)

Reuters - Scientists have found\well-preserved fossils of a new dinosaur species that lived 225\million years ago in southern Brazil but had its closest\relatives in what is now Europe, Brazilian paleontologists said\on Thursday.


US, Australia Team Up to Protect Vulnerable Reefs (Reuters)

Reuters - Guardians of two of the world's most\popular coral reefs joined forces on Thursday to protect their\fragile charges from the ravages of water pollution, coral\disease and people.


Canada Bans Greenland, Faroese Fishing Boats (Reuters)

Reuters - Canada said on Thursday it had banned\fishing boats from Greenland and the Faroe Islands from its\ports because of their "highly irresponsible" overfishing of\shrimp stocks outside Canadian waters.


With Proof of Ancient Water on Mars, Researchers Consider Life's Chances (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - Researchers can now say definitively that Mars once \supported a watery environment, but whether the red planet could have ever \supported life is still far from certain.


No Date Set for N. Korea Talks Resumption (AP)

AP - The United States and its negotiating partners are ready to resume talks with North Korea on its nuclear weapons program but North Korea has not agreed, a State Department spokesman said Thursday.


Intel Raises Quarterly Revenue Target

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Intel Corp. INTC.O, the largest  maker of microchips, on Thursday raised its quarterly revenue  outlook, citing strong worldwide demand for its  microprocessors, and its shares jumped more than 7 percent in  after-hours trading.


Stocks Dip, Nasdaq Rises Before Jobs Data

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks finished little changed on  Thursday, pausing after Wednesday's sharp rally, as investors  were cautious about making large bets before Friday's closely  watched jobs report.


Factory Orders Up, Jobless Claims Rise

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Orders at U.S. factories rose 0.5  percent in October as demand for military equipment surged, the  Commerce Department said on Thursday, but orders were flat when  defense was excluded.


3 Former Kmart Execs Charged with Fraud

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three former Kmart executives and  representatives of several major vendors were charged on  Thursday with fraudulently accounting for \$24 million of profit  before the retailer filed for bankruptcy in 2002.


Apple Launches ITunes Music Store in Canada

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc. on Thursday  launched its iTunes online music store in Canada, the 14th  country in which the popular service is available.


Marsh CEO Says Probe Near End

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Marsh   McLennan Cos. MMC.N will  wrap up its probe into its business practices by early January  and set aside more than the \$232 million allocated for legal  costs last month to settle bid-rigging claims, Chief Executive  Michael Cherkasky said.


Rwanda Denies Army in Congo, Threatens Only Rebels

KIGALI/KINSHASA (Reuters) - Rwanda denied on Thursday it  had pushed troops into Democratic Republic of Congo even as  United Nations peacekeepers said they had found compelling  evidence of an infiltration into the vast country.


Infineon Execs Pleading Guilty in U.S. DRAM Probe

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Four sales executives of German  chip maker Infineon Technologies AG IFXGn.DE have agreed to  plead guilty to participating in a conspiracy to fix the prices  of computer memory chips, the U.S. Department of Justice said  on Thursday.


Ryder Cup Criteria Puts Emphasis on Play

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


Babe's Bat Tops \$1 Million at Auction

Going, going, gone. The massive 46-ounce Louisville Slugger used by Babe Ruth to drill the first home run in Yankee Stadium history was sold for a record \$1.26 million Thursday to an unidentified private collector.


NCAA President Urges Coaching Diversity

NCAA president Myles Brand is urging athletic directors to take a closer look at minority coaching candidates this year.


Where are oil prices headed?

Experts are divided on the next move for crude futures, and even on the factors that influence them. NEW YORK (Reuters) - The biggest two-day slide in oil prices since 1991 may have brightened faces on Wall


Calpers Boardroom Reformer Shown the Door

The ouster of the president of the California Public Employees #39; Retirement System comes amid a growing backlash against corporate reform, but shareholder advocates expect the move to have little direct effect on the corporate governance movement.


Central bank keeps quiet about its euro options

FRANKFURT Will the European Central Bank intervene in the world #39;s currency markets to put a lid on the euro? It has become a tantalizing prospect for many Europeans, who are nervous about the economic impact


UK upbeat despite signs of slowdown

LONDON Faced with multiplying signs of an economic slowdown, Gordon Brown, the chancellor of the Exchequer, stuck to his guns on Thursday, predicting that Britain #39;s economy will keep growing at some of the fastest rates of any large industrial country.


Jobless rate climbs in Germany

BERLIN Germany #39;s unemployment rate rose in November to a six-year high, the government said Thursday, as Bayer and other companies announced job cuts.


Authorities to harden tactics on speculation

The government is likely to tighten supervision of domestic companies #39; trading futures on overseas markets after the China Aviation Oil (Singapore) Corp lost US\$550 million from


Ebookers sale lands 90m for boss

DINESH DHAMIJA, the chairman and chief executive of Ebookers, last night looked set to land a 90 million windfall after agreeing to a takeover of the online travel group he founded.


Fifth Third Predicts Lower 4Q Outlook

Fifth Third Bancorp predicted fourth-quarter results well below Wall Street expectations Thursday, citing a balance sheet restructuring aimed at reducing the risks associated with increasing interest rates.


US Air, Services Union in Labor Pact

The union representing US Airways #39; (USAIRQ.OB:OTC-BB - news - research) passenger service employees said it has reached a tentative labor agreement with the bankrupt carrier.


Update 2: Gambro to Pay \$350M to Settle Fraud Case

The nation #39;s third-largest operator of renal-dialysis clinics has agreed to pay the federal government \$350 million to settle civil and criminal charges that it defrauded Medicare, a US attorney said Thursday.


Celtics' Pierce Apologizes to Coach

Boston Celtics captain Paul Pierce apologized for arguing with coach Doc Rivers, one day after being benched for not hustling.


Infineon Execs Plead Guilty to Price-Fixing

Four Infineon (Quote, Chart) executives agreed to plead guilty to charges they conspired to fix prices in the computer memory sector, officials said Thursday.


Microsoft enters Google Territory with MSN Spaces

In the last couple of months, we have seen Google invading the Microsoft territory with GMail and Google Desktop Search. Now Microsoft is responding.


Microsoft files lawsuits against smut spammers

DECEMBER 02, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Microsoft Corp. is again using the courts to pursue individuals allegedly responsible for spam e-mail campaigns, this time going after those who send out unsolicited and sexually explicit e-mail.


Sun, Microsoft Say Alliance Paying Off for Interoperability

Microsoft and Sun Microsystems say that eight months into their 10-year cooperative alliance, dividends are already being paid in the form of increased interoperability of their products.


Antispam screensaver downs two sites in China

Lycos Europe #39;s  quot;Make love not spam quot; campaign has killed access to some of the Web sites of its target alleged spammers, Netcraft has found.


Reports Detail NASA Rover Discoveries of Wet Martian History

The most dramatic findings so far from NASA #39;s twin Mars rovers -- telltale evidence for a wet and possibly habitable environment in the arid planet #39;s past -- passed rigorous scientific scrutiny for publication in a major research journal.


Google modernizes Net community service

com December 1, 2004, 5:10 PM PT. This priority retains its ranking at number five as more and more companies deploy Web services to share business logic, data and processes with each other and with clients.


AOL Gives Voice to Consumers

America Online (Quote, Chart) launched a consumer version of its AIM Voice Conferencing (AVC) system today, underscoring the company #39;s stated belief that instant messaging is the new doorway to communication in the office and at home.


Sun proposes new open-source license

Sun Microsystems has quietly begun seeking official open-source status for a new software license that likely will be used to govern its Solaris operating system.


Satellite radio on mobile phones

2004-12-02  Accessing satellite radio on mobile phones would be possibile in the next five years. Hugh Panero, chief executive officer, XM Satellite Radio Holdings, has confirmed that his company is


Gateway #39;s Return to Japan May Be Symbolic

Gateway Computer is returning to the Japanese computer market, which it abandoned in 2001. But analysts wonder whether the computer manufacturer can make much money there; the market is mature, and it is dominated by local brands.


Goergl ends Miller #39;s winning streak at World Cup Super-G

Austrian Stephan Goergl of Austria won a World Cup Super-G race, ending American Bode Miller #39;s three-race winning streak Thurday in the Colorado Rockies.


UEFA Cup: AZ shock Rangers to advance, Auxerre crush Amica

ALKMAAR/AUXERRE, Dec 2 (SW) - AZ Alkmaar defeated Glasgow Rangers to advance to the third round of the UEFA Cup, while AJ Auxerre left group minnows Amica Wronki without a chance.


Scots prefer Smith to Strachan

In the end it came down to a straight choice between Walter Smith and Gordon Strachan for the Scotland manager #39;s job, and Smith won easily.


New York bidders launch international promo campaign

New York has launched a new phase in its bid for the 2012 Olympics, taking its message directly to the people who will select the host city.


US alter Ryder Cup qualification

The US has revamped the qualification system which determines its Ryder Cup team in the wake of the crushing 18- 9 defeat by Europe last September.


Grizzlies name Fratello as head coach

The Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday named Mike Fratello as the head coach, replacing Hubie Brown, who retired last week for health reasons, according to a NBA TV report.


Sorting through all the scenarios

Though not nearly as entertaining, it continues the theme that machines can hold power over humans, even when the people are fighting to regain control.


Israeli and Palestinian Politics in Uncertainty and Disarray

Israeli Prime Minster Ariel Sharon says he is determined to find new partners for his coalition government after suffering a major defeat in parliament.


Judge Criticises  #39;Dramatic #39; Handling of  #39;scoop #39;

In his 60-page judgment Mr Justice Eady made a series of strong criticisms about The Telegraphs dramatic and condemnatory handling of their Galloway scoop.


Minister condemns Suu Kyi detention

Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern has condemned a decision by Burma #39;s military government to extend the house arrest of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.


A High-Risk Election in Iraq

Judging by the statements of those who have the power to decide, an election will be held in Iraq on January 31 - come what may. Despite calls for a six-month delay from Iraqi political parties involved


Babe Ruth Bat Still Has Clout, Sells for \$1.26 Million

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Curse of the Bambino may have  ended this year but Babe Ruth proved to have plenty of clout at  the auction table as the bat he used to hit the first homer at  Yankee Stadium sold for \$1.265 million on Thursday.


Ex-NBA Player Murphy Denies Molesting Daughters

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Former basketball star Calvin Murphy  took the stand in a Texas court on Thursday to deny charges he  sexually molested five of his daughters.


Bulgaria Joins EU Mission in BiH

Bulgaria has started its first co-mission with the EU in Bosnia and Herzegovina, along with some 30 countries, including Canada and Turkey.


Philippines storm toll over 900 as new typhoon hits

MANILA: Over 900 people were dead or missing after a storm triggered landslides and floods in the Philippines this week, rescuers announced on Thursday as a new and even more powerful typhoon approached the main island of Luzon.


US  #39;concerned #39; on Suu Kyi #39;s fate

The United States has added its voice to a chorus of international concern over the continued detention of Myanmar #39;s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.


Central Baghdad hit by mortar attacks

Five shells exploded in Baghdad on Thursday, with several landing in the fortified Green Zone area. Clouds of black smoke were seen rising from the Green Zone area on the west bank of the Tigris river after


Sharon will meet Assad  #39;under certain conditions #39;

TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Thursday he was willing to meet Syrian President Bashar Assad under  quot;certain conditions, quot; an offer which Damascus swiftly turned down as unacceptable.


Rebels return to 'cleared' areas

In Fallujah, US forces are going through 50,000 houses one by one. But insurgents are coming back.


US presses Burma on Suu Kyi

The US calls on the military junta in Burma to release opposition leader Aung Sang Suu Kyi from house arrest.


Toothfish 'pirate' trial collapse

The trial of five men accused of poaching rare fish from Australian waters in a Uruguayan trawler collapses.


Brown defends economic record

Chancellor Gordon Brown has defended his stewardship of the economy, telling MPs there is no 10 billion black hole in the public finances.


EBay Reorganizes Senior Management

SAN FRANCISCO - EBay Inc. announced a senior management reorganization Thursday, increasing international responsibilities for three executives and underscoring the significance of the company #39;s tremendously profitable PayPal division.


Four Infineon execs face jail

p2pnet.net News:- Four Infineon Technologies AG executives face jail after pleading guilty to DRAM price fixing charges in what the US Department of Justice says is a, very active and far-reaching investigation into antitrust violations in the DRAM


Microsoft Launches MSN Spaces Blogging Tool

MSN Spaces, Microsoft #39;s new blogging service, accompanies a beta version of MSN Messenger 7.0 and updates to MSN Hotmail. MSN Spaces makes it easier for consumers to create and maintain a personal Web site, says Microsoft.


Apple finally launches Canadian ITunes service

ITunes finally launched in Canada on Thursday, bringing with it over 700,000 songs, exclusive tracks, celebrity playlists and multiple CD burning rights.


Google Launches Revamped E-Mail Groups

Google Inc. turned on the switch Thursday to its new e-mail list service that combines the Usenet archive with the ability to create and manage new groups.


Spain and US braced for Davis Cup battle

ARMED with a shiny baseball bat and facing Andy Roddicks infamous knuckle ball in a post-practice laugh-in, Rafael Nadal took three swishes and connected only with the mist his breath left hanging in the air.


Socialists in France give lift to EU charter

PARIS A resounding vote in favor of the European Union constitution by France #39;s opposition Socialist Party was welcomed Thursday across a Continent that faces a string of national referendums on the treaty next year.


F.D.A. Panel Says Sex Patch Needs More Testing

A hormone patch that works to restore a woman's sex drive should not be approved until additional studies to determine its risk, federal health advisers said today.


Rise in Rates Rips Fifth Third

Midwestern lender Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB:Nasdaq - news - research) warned late Thursday that fourth-quarter earnings will fall far short of analyst expectations because the bank #39;s securities portfolio got whacked by rising interest rates.


Spitzer Helps Loan Sharks

When the state doesn't allow companies to charge sufficient interest legally, the black market fills the void.


US holiday sales launch flops (AFP)

AFP - Crucial US holiday sales launched with a flop, retailers reported.


Canada gets iTunes finally

Apple fans in Canada would be happy to know that iTunes has finally made it to their country. Canada users of iPod can now use Apple iTunes store to buy and download music at 99 cents per song.


Gateway returns to Japan after three years

While taking a back seat to software and security efforts, hardware is still a big time concern according to our survey. Organizations are taking the opportunity to consolidate their environments as they replace


UEFA Cup: Rangers #39; unbeaten run ends

Alkmaar, the Netherlands (Sports Network) - Rangers #39; 16-match unbeaten run came to an end Thursday as it lost at AZ Alkmaar, 1-0, in a UEFA Cup encounter.


Els controls nerves and course

HARD to believe of a man who has won three major championships, been in the shake-up at numerous others and has been ranked among the worlds best for nearly a decade, but Ernie Els still gets nervous before a round of tournament golf.


Pongo #39;s backing the kids

LIVERPOOL hero Florent Sinama Pongolle wants boss Rafael Benitez to stick with the youngsters for next months Carling Cup semi against Watford.


Bat of the Babe sells for Ruthian amount

New York, NY (Sports Network) - A bat once used by legendary baseball player Babe Ruth sold for \$1.26 million at an auction on Thursday, marking the third- highest price ever paid for a piece of sports memorabilia.


US revamp Ryder Cup qualifying

WHEN Europe came away from the Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills, Detroit, in September with a record 18-9 win over the United States, they left behind a nation questioning what had gone wrong


Blue Jays sign Menechino

Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - The Toronto Blue Jays have signed utilityman Frank Menechino to a one-year contract. The deal is worth \$650,000 with an option for 2006.


Money Funds Tumble to  #36;825.62B This Week (AP)

AP - Assets of the nation's retail money market mutual funds fell by  #36;3.01 billion in the latest week to  #36;825.62 billion, the Investment Company Institute said Thursday.


Top General Eases Stance on Intelligence Bill

Gen. Richard B. Myers said that his concerns about the intelligence-overhaul bill had been resolved in the final version.


Mixed Bag for Neiman Marcus

Upscale retailer reports strong first quarter results followed by weaken-than-expected November sales.


Stocks End Flat; Intel Leaps After Bell

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks finished little changed on  Thursday, pausing after Wednesday's sharp rally. But after the  closing bell, shares of Intel Corp. INTC.O shot 7 percent  higher as the chip maker raised its revenue target.


U.S., EU Put Airbus-Boeing Spat on Hold

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and European Union  called a temporary time-out on Thursday in a cross-Atlantic  dispute over government support for aviation rivals Boeing  BA.N and Airbus EAD.PA.


Appeals Court Rejects ABB Asbestos Plan

ZURICH/NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on  Thursday rejected ABB's ABBN.VX ABB.N bid for a \$1.2  billion asbestos settlement that would end years of legal  wrangling and put a cap on asbestos claims filed by thousands  of former workers.


Apple Launches iTunes Music Store in Canada

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc. on Thursday  launched its iTunes online music store in Canada, the 14th  country in which the popular service is available.


US, EU Put Airbus-Boeing Spat on Hold

The United States and European Union called a temporary time-out on Thursday in a cross-Atlantic dispute over government support for Aviation rivals Boeing (BA.


Fighting to Keep Smut-Spam in a Brown Wrapper

Microsoft (Quote, Chart) has fired another salvo in its ongoing spam battle, this time against porn peddlers who don #39;t keep their smut inside the digital equivalent of a  quot;Brown Paper Wrapper.


Former Tottenham goalkeeper Bill Brown dies in Ontario at the age <b>...</b>

SIMCOE, Ont. (CP) - Bill Brown, a former Scottish international goalkeeper who went on to play soccer and live in Canada, has died after a lengthy battle with cancer.


Rover data makes return a must

Data from Nasa's Mars rover Opportunity shows its landing site is a prime spot for a return mission to look for life.


Industry 'denies chemical risks'

Industry denies proven links between some chemicals and childhood illness, a senior WHO official tells the BBC.


Fossil Egg Finds Yield Clues to How Pterosaurs Lived

Two new fossilized pterosaur eggs have been discovered. The fossils suggest that the dinosaur-era flying reptiles lived in colonies and raised their young, experts say.


Sun burn

An Australian man found himself in hot water, when he was arrested for taking pictures of topless sunbathers with his camera phone.


Oracle in merger talks with other firms

Oracle is in merger talks with other technology companies as it awaits the outcome of its \$9.2 billion hostile takeover attempt for rival PeopleSoft.


Lycos, spammers trade blows over screen saver

Just days after releasing a free screen saver program that uses computer downtime to swamp Web sites associated with spam, Lycos Europe has found itself caught in a fight with spammers.


Study: Managers misuse tech to control workers

Managers with outdated notions are misusing technology to monitor and micromanage employees, according to a new study by the London School of Economics.


Gartner: Lower prices, new users keep mobile phones hot

In traditionally weak quarter, sales increased 26 compared to last year.


Microsoft enters consumer Web logging market

Company launches free test version of service that fosters popular Internet activity.


Intel planning Centrino-like brand for desktops

Corporate customers will be pitched PCs that can be centrally managed and partitioned, in addition to security features.


NEC develops multicore cell phone processor

Demo shows the chip running a Java applet, a browser and displaying some video at the same time.


Microsoft, Sun claim progress on interoperability deal

In a conference call yesterday, Microsoft and Sun Microsystems officials touted the progress they have made in the 10-year alliance they forged in April, but they offered no major announcements.


IBM launches industry consortium for Power processors

IBM has formed an industry consortium of 15 companies from the software, consumer electronics, automotive and networking industries to open up the process of building Power processors.


ESPN to enter US mobile market

SAN FRANCISCO - The sports media company ESPN will introduce a branded mobile service and cell phones next year in the U.S., becoming the latest in a growing number of companies entering the mobile market on the strength of established audiences.


Oracle to tout business intelligence, content management

Oracle at the Oracle OpenWorld conference in San Francisco next week plans to focus on its Data Hub technology for business intelligence, content management for the masses, grid computing, and integration, an Oracle official said on Thursday.


Deepnet browser guards against phishing

SAN FRANCISCO - Internet users are getting more Web browser choices. On the heels of a new Netscape preview release and the launch of Firefox 1.0, a U.K. company on Thursday released a Web browser it claims is more secure than Internet Explorer (IE) or Firefox.


Intel will exceed previous Q4 revenue expectations

SAN FRANCISCO - Intel is planning for a happy holiday season this month, as it expects to exceed its previous revenue guidance and has made progress in reducing its inventory, the company said Thursday.


Microsoft files suits against smut spammers

Microsoftis again using the courts to pursue individuals allegedly responsible for spam e-mail campaigns, this time going after those who send out unsolicited and sexually explicit e-mail.


Former cybersecurity czar: Code-checking tools needed

Software vendors need automated tools that look for bugs in their code, but it may be a decade before many of those tools are mature and widely used, said the former director of cybersecurity for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).


Lycos, spammers trade blows over screensaver

Lycos is caught in a tit-for-tat struggle with spammers, just days after releasing a free screen saver software program that uses computer down time to swamp Web sites associated with spam campaigns.


Infineon Executives Guilty of DRAM Price-Fixing

Court documents say Dell, Gateway, and other major PC vendors were affected.


MSN Spaces Blog Service Launches

MSN Spaces Blog Service Launches\\What better day to announce a new blogging service than the day when we all learned that "blog" was the most popular word for an online dictionary. Was 2004 the year of the blog? If it was, MSN has found a great way to end it ...


Samsung Bullish On 2005

Samsung Electronics expects profit from mobile devices to pick up next year, despite a rating cut issued by an investment bank. During a presentation at the UBS investor conference in Seoul, Samsung


Wagers on oil price prove a slippery slope for CAO

State-owned, running a monopoly on imports of jet fuel to China #39;s fast-growing aviation industry and a prized member of Singapore #39;s Stock Exchange.


Stock Fund's 5.27 Gain In Nov. Biggest In A Year (Investor's Business Daily)

Investor's Business Daily - U.S. stock funds in November posted their best month in a year and made it three up months in a row, as stocks resumed their climb after a poor showing in the first half .


Americans sink or swim with Fish

quot;Take a hard hat and a pair of ear plugs, quot; was Lleyton Hewitt #39;s laconic advice to the United States team before they set off for the Davis Cup final against Spain.


Miller #39;s Winning Streak Ends at Three

BEAVER CREEK, Colo. - Bode Miller #39;s three-race winning streak ended Thursday, but the American still added to his commanding lead in the World Cup overall standings by finishing second to Austria #39;s Stephan Goergl in a Super G.


Westwood rises above hot odds

Lee Westwood fought the heat, a brutal course and the inexperience of a part-time caddie to shoot a two-under-par 70 for a four-way share of the lead after the first round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa yesterday.


Iraqi Sunnis threaten civil war

Iraq #39;s largest party of Sunni Muslims has warned of civil war if elections scheduled for Jan. 30 aren #39;t moved back six months, The Times of London reports.


Syria dismisses Israel #39;s conditional talks offer

Syria has dismissed an offer by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to meet with President Bashar al-Assad under  quot;certain conditions quot; as falling short of a proposal from Damascus.


News: Senior Republican charged in phone jamming plot

A former Bush campaign official has been charged with plotting to jam the phone networks of political opponents during the November 2002 election.\


News: UK police fingerprint system collapses

Computer problems have left police forces in England and Wales unable to run national fingerprint checks for more than a week.


Canadian iTunes Music Store

Apple launched its revolutionary iTunes Music Store in Canada, giving music fans in Canada the same innovative features and breakthrough price of \$.99 CDN per song that have made iTunes the number one online music service in the world. Dec 02


Speaking Naturally, Anew

How does version 8 of Dragon NaturallySpeaking dictation software stack up?


Dollar hits record low vs. euro

TOKYO (CBS.MW) - The dollar hit a record low against the euro for a second straight Asian session Thursday, as investors continued to test the resolve of the monetary authorities in Japan and Europe to try to stem the weakening dollar trend.


Intel Raises Quarterly Revenue Target

Intel Corp. (INTC.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world #39;s largest maker of microchips, on Thursday raised its quarterly revenue outlook, citing strong worldwide


Two young stars scuffle

According to Kenyon and Bromley #39;s simulation, such an encounter took place more than 4 billion years ago - 100-200 million years after the Sun #39;s birth.


Scientists confident liquid water once flowed on Mars

After studying thousands of images from Mars, scientists now are convinced that liquid water once flowed on the surface of the red planet, increasing the odds that life may have existed there in the distant past.


AOL Launches Presence-Based Voice Conferencing

In yet another product move designed for consumers, but sure to make enterprise IT and telephone services folks go nuts, AOL has introduced Consumer AIM Voice Conferencing, a service that


Early goal ends Rangers #39; run

RANGERS #39; 16-match unbeaten record was brought to an end with this UEFA Cup defeat in Holland today. Danny Landzaat grabbed the only goal of the game after just seven minutes, finishing off a move which involved Stein Huysegms and Martijn Meerdink.


Rogge orders bid cities not to fight dirty

Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee, is getting tough with the cities - including London -ho are bidding to host the 2012 Olympics.


NHL, Union to Resume Talks Next Week

The NHL and the players #39; association will resume talks next week in an effort to end the 78-day lockout and save the season. After nearly three months of silence on and off the ice


US to favour  #39;hottest #39; players

Still smarting from their 18-9 drubbing by Europe in September #39;s Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills, the Americans have decided to overhaul the way they pick their team for the next meeting, at the K Club in Ireland in 2006.


Jihad Will Boycott Palestinian Election

GAZA CITY, 3 December 2004 - Islamic Jihad said yesterday it would boycott a Jan. 9 Palestinian presidential election for a successor to Yasser Arafat.


Defiant Sharon vows Gaza pullout

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said he will complete his plan to disengage from Gaza next year, despite losing a key coalition partner.


Giants Place Bromell on Injured Reserve (AP)

AP - Lorenzo Bromell was placed on injured reserve by the New York Giants on Thursday, joining the team's growing list of defensive linemen whose season has been ended by injury.


Marines Find Alleged Iraqi Torture Chamber (AP)

AP - Down a steep staircase littered with glass shards and rubble, U.S. Marines descended Thursday to a dark basement believed to have been one of Fallujah's torture chambers. They found bloodstains and a single bloody hand print on the wall  #151; evidence of the horrors once carried out in this former insurgent stronghold.


Rogge raps Olympic rivals

The organisers of the London bid and its four rivals will be told this morning at a breakfast meeting here with the president of the International Olympic Committee to stop sniping at each other in the campaign to host the 2012 games.


Former Scotland goalkeeper Brown dies at 73

Bill Brown, former goalkeeper of theScottish national soccer team, has died at the age of 73. Brown, a member of Tottenham Hotspur #39;s 1961 double-winning side,died at Simcoe, Ontario


Harbhajan leaves South Africa to lick their wounds

South Africa will go into the five-Test series against England a fortnight today on the back of their worst sequence of results for three years.


Defending champion Shabana crashes out of World Open squash <b>...</b>

Australia #39;s former champion DavidPalmer came back from two games down to beat holder Amr Shabana ofEgypt in the quarter-finals of the World Open squash championship in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday.


Typhoon Forces Evacuation in Philippines (AP)

AP - A powerful typhoon sliced through the Philippines Friday, forcing more than 160,000 people to flee their homes to higher ground even as rescuers struggled to find the missing from an earlier storm that killed more than 420 people.


Australia's biggest city up in arms over "politically correct" Christmas (AFP)

AFP - The Lord Mayor of Sydney has sparked outrage among citizens of Australia's largest city by decorating town hall with a single tree in a modest "generic" festive show aimed at not offending the immigrant non-Christian community.


Kerik Named to Lead Homeland Security (AP)

AP - President Bush has chosen former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik, who helped direct the emergency response to the Sept. 11 terrorist strikes against the Twin Towers, to lead the Homeland Security Department, charged with safeguarding Americans from future attack, administration officials said Thursday.


Bush Adamant on Iraq Election Schedule (AP)

AP - President Bush rejected calls for a delay in next month's Iraqi elections, insisting Thursday that the vote was too important to put off even though violence and chaos still grip much of the country.


Kerry Campaign Keeping Eye on Ohio Cases (AP)

AP - John Kerry's campaign has joined a lawsuit by third-party presidential candidates seeking a recount in Ohio. A lawyer for the campaign said Thursday the campaign does not question the Democrat's loss but wants any counting to take place statewide.


Corzine Announces Bid to Be N.J. Governor (AP)

AP - Four years after spending more than  #36;60 million of his own money to get elected to the Senate, Democrat Jon S. Corzine announced Thursday that he is running for governor in 2005.


Sen. Boxer Tries Her Hand at Fiction (AP)

AP - Infighting and power, alliances and revenge  #151; it's just another day in the Capitol. California Sen. Barbara Boxer has mined her workplace for a suspense novel in which the main character is an activist senator who does battle with right-wing ideologues.


Central American Street Gangs Spread Across Mexico

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Violent gangs with roots in U.S.  crime culture are spreading through Mexico, with some setting  up shop in the capital, the government said on Thursday.


Brazil Rejects U.S. Call for Haiti Crackdown

BRASILIA, Brazil, (Reuters) - U.N. peacekeepers in Haiti  will not respond to international pressure to "use violence"  against armed gangs and will rebuild the country as a  "peacekeeping force, not an occupying force," the mission's  Brazilian commander said on Thursday.


Rover data makes return a must

Data from Nasa's Mars rover Opportunity shows its unique landing site is a prime spot for a return mission to look for life, scientists say.


CalPERS boss given marching orders

Sean Harrigan, the President of Americas biggest pension fund, California Public Employees #39; Retirement System (CalPERS), has been removed from his post.


US holiday sales launch flops

Sales of major store chains rose just 1.7 percent in November from a year ago, said a survey sponsored by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), after a year-earlier gain of 3.7 percent.


The Word of the Year is: Blog

Yes, boys and girls, the word for this year is  #39;blog #39;--that #39;s blog as in  #39;a website that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments and often hyperlinks.


XM CEO Sees Satellite Radio on Cell Phones

XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. XMSR.O chief executive officer Hugh Panero on Wednesday said he expected satellite radio and cellphone services to converge within the next five years.


Harbhajan spins India to victory

CALCUTTA: Off spinner Harbhajan Singh took seven wickets as India crushed South Africa by eight wickets to clinch the two-Test series 1-0 yesterday.


Former NBA star Jayson Williams to be retried

Former NBA star Jayson Williams,who was charged in the shotgun slaying of a limousine driver at his mansion, will be retried, a judge ruled on Thursday.


Intel lifts forecast

SEMICONDUCTOR giant Intel has dramatically raised the range of its fourth-quarter sales forecast as it benefited from strong holiday demand for microprocessors.


Dhamija nets 85m by selling Ebookers

Ebookers, the travel website, is being sold to US hotel and car rental giant Cendant in a 209m deal that means a huge windfall for chief executive Dinesh Dhamija.


Four Infineon execs heading to jail on price-fixing charges

Four Infineon executives will serve jail time after pleading guilty to being part of an  quot;international conspiracy quot; to fix the price of computer memory, the US Department of Justice announced today.


IMPlanet Weekly News Break

The free, hosted MSN Spaces service is Microsoft #39;s first consumer foray into providing a blogging platform. Spaces will enable MSN members to maintain a blog and control it with some sophisticated features that are not typical of all blogging services.


Microsoft  amp; Sun Get All Luvvy Dubby

Microsoft and Sun held a conference call yesterday to update the industry on where they are at in terms of their agreement to work together and interoperate more.


Smith Upbeat About Playing Sunday (AP)

AP - Fifteen years in the NFL have taught Emmitt Smith more than just how to slip tackles. He's also become an example of how to fight through injury.


Rangers slip up in Holland

Rangers fall to second in Uefa Cup group F after losing 1-0 away to Dutch side AZ Alkmaar. The home side looked impressive as their slick passing opened up the Rangers defence early on allowing Danny Landzaat to fire home past Stefan Klos.


Time is of the essence in this latest round

Next Thursday and Friday NHL executives, including commissioner Gary Bettman, will meet with their counterparts from the National Hockey League Players #39; Association in Toronto to determine the fate of the NHL season.


Nets G Zoran Planinic has hand surgery

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - New Jersey Nets guard Zoran Planinic had surgery to repair a broken left hand on Thursday and will be sidelined indefinitely.


Internet Could Spark Rise in Suicide Pacts -Expert (Reuters)

Reuters - The growing popularity of the Internet\could lead to a rise in suicide pacts in which several people\kill themselves together, a leading psychiatrist in Britain\said on Friday.


Your Old Inkjet Printer Could Aid Burn Victims (PC World)

PC World - Medical research team believes units could be modified to 'print' new skin.


No great miracle here

What is left of this interesting and repulsive week after the dust settles is not the lies, the ostensibly sudden betrayals, the payments to the ultra-Orthodox, the sleazy style, or even Ehud Barak #39;s horror show or Shimon Peres #39; maneuvers.


Japan Will Act on Yen Gains If Necessary #39;, Tanigaki Says

Japan will take action if necessary #39; #39; to stem the yen #39;s gains against the dollar and is keeping a close watch on currency markets, Japan #39;s Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki said.


Object database goes open source (InfoWorld)

InfoWorld - Startup company db4o #160;bjects next week is releasing its object database, db4o, under an open source format, with the product now available either under the GPL via open source or commercially as embeddable software.


Tokyo Stocks Advance in Early Trading (AP)

AP - Tokyo stocks were higher early Friday as the U.S. dollar rebounded against the Japanese yen, following through its strength in New York where players reduced heavy dollar-bearish positions.


Apple releases December Security Update (MacCentral)

MacCentral - Apple Computer Inc. on Thursday released its December security update. The 12.7MB download consists of several updated components including Apache, AppKit, HIToolbox, Kerberos, Postfix, PSNormalizer, Safari and Terminal.


U.N. Reports Suspicious Activity in Congo (AP)

AP - U.N. air and ground patrols have photographed freshly made encampments and unidentified well-equipped troops in east Congo, U.N. officials said Thursday, bolstering suspicions  #151; still unconfirmed  #151; that Rwanda is making good on its threat to send troops into its larger, weaker neighbor.


US leisure firm to buy Ebookers

US hotels and car-hire firm Cendent is to buy UK internet-based holiday company Ebookers for \$404m (201.2m).


Falluja Data Said to Pressure Guerrillas

Documents and computers found in Falluja are providing clues to the identity of home-grown opponents of the new Iraqi government.


NASA, Russians forging a deal for rides

NASA officials have confirmed Russian reports about an outer-space swap worth an estimated \$60 million or more. If approved by the US government, the deal could put off a looming


US manufacturing expands

Industrial output in the US has beaten forecasts in December, increasing for the 19th month in a row.


The Bambino strikes again

Of the roughly 300 people who filled the large auction hall at Sotheby #39;s on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, only two had come to bid on the bat.


Nets guard Planinic has hand surgery

New Jersey Nets guard Zoran Planinic had surgery on his broken left hand Thursday and will be out indefinitely. Planinic broke his hand in Wednesday #39;s game against the Washington Wizards.


Philippines battered by another typhoon after storm kills more <b>...</b>

A powerful typhoon sliced through the Philippines Friday, forcing more than 160,000 people to flee their homes to higher ground even as rescuers struggled to find the missing from an earlier storm that killed more than 420 people.


Chirac considers early vote on EU after Socialist  #39;yes #39;

President Jacques Chirac was considering bringing forward the date of France #39;s national referendum on the EU constitution yesterday after a resounding victory for the  quot;yes quot; camp


Top College Programs Focus on Bottom Line

Maybe it's finally time for every college with a big-time football program - or big-time basketball program for that matter - to turn pro.


UPDATE 1-Strike ballots sent to UAL flight attendants-union

The Association of Flight Attendants on Thursday mailed 21,000 strike authorization ballots to flight attendants at United Airlines, setting the stage for a work stoppage if the bankrupt airline repeals a collective bargaining


Update 1: EBay Shuffles Positions of 3 Executives

EBay Inc. said Thursday that it shuffled the positions of three senior vice presidents, promoting each in title and creating new heads for PayPal, eBay International and eBay North America.


Wal-Mart Give Retailers Upbeat '05 Start

\

 By Belinda Goldsmith

 NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. <WMT.N>, the\world's biggest retailer, on Monday said December sales would\be at the top end of its outlook on better-than-expected\post-Christmas spending, sending its shares up 2 percent.


Marsh cleared of allegations on kickbacks

Executives at the British operations of Marsh  amp; McLennan, the world #39;s largest insurance broker, breathed a sigh of relief yesterday after law firm


RFID Signal Strong in 2005

Radio Frequency Identification technology is going to ring in the new year in more ways than one.


Power.org Initiative to Advance Community of Electronics <b>...</b>

In a step sure to spark major innovation in the design of consumer electronics, networking, automotive, and IT systems, 15 companies today announced their intention to form Power.


Nadal gets to play, Ferrero out

SEVILLE: Mardy Fish will play Carlos Moya in todays opening singles of the Davis Cup final between Spain and the United States.


Bellion sounds United charge

DAVID Bellion scored after 19 seconds as Manchester United #39;s back-up team edged out Arsenal #39;s youngsters 1-0 to reach the semi-final of the English League Cup at Old Trafford yesterday.


In court vs. in the dugout

When Jason Giambi admitted to a federal grand jury in San Francisco in December 2003 that he had taken steroids and human growth hormone, he had been granted immunity from prosecution if he told the truth but faced a perjury charge if he did not.


5 Ways to Wreck Your Retirement

In the retirement game, sometimes the best offense is a good defense.


US Construction Spending Down in Nov

\

 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. construction spending fell\unexpectedly by 0.4 percent in November, as a cooling in\residential construction overpowered a small rise in public\spending, a government report showed on Monday.


Fratello Hired As Grizzlies #39; Coach

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


Manufacturing Activity Expands in December

Manufacturing activity expanded for the 19th consecutive month in December, a new report said Monday, suggesting that the industrial sector entered the new year with solid strength behind it.


UPDATE 2-Fifth Third balance sheet fix to cut profit

Fifth Third Bancorp, the ninth largest US bank, on Thursday said fourth-quarter profit will fall well short of analyst forecasts, as it takes \$340 million of


Firefoxs biggest obstacle is lazy programming

The biggest obstacle facing widespread adoption of the Firefox browser is lazy programming - not from the Mozilla Foundation but from corporates that have not tested their applications with anything but IE.


Rwanda Urged to Show Restraint in Congo (AP)

AP - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the Security Council urged Rwanda on Thursday to refrain from any military action in Congo after reports as many as eight battalions of Rwandan troops may be in Congo.


Jones was  #39;drug cheat #39;

MARIO JONES received illegal performance-enhancing drugs before winning five medals at the Sydney Olympics, according to accused steroid distributor Victor Conte.


Dan Olsen leads PGA qualifying school

Dan Olsen of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., shot a 7-under 65 Thursday to take a one-shot lead after two rounds of the PGA Tour qualifying tournament.


An angry Galloway wins 150,000 damages from the Telegraph

GEORGE Galloway yesterday scored another major libel victory, winning 150,000 damages over a newspaper #39;s claims that he was in the pay of Saddam Hussein.


Bronner: US Airways To Seek Injunction If Unions Walk; UAL Flight <b>...</b>

US Airways Group (otc: UAIRQ - news - people ) on Thursday said it #39;ll seek a court injunction to prohibit a strike by disaffected unions.


NHLPA requests meeting with NHL next week

Not likely, but at least it looks like there might finally be some negotiations about ending the NHL lockout. The National Hockey League Players #39; Association confirmed that NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow


Bush Calls for Full UN Oil-For-Food Probe

The Bush administration made clear on Thursday it would not take a position on whether UN Secretary General Kofi Annan should resign as it awaited the results of an investigation into the UN oil-for-food scandal.


Crude Oil Ekes Out Small Bounce (Reuters)

Reuters - Battered oil prices struggled on\Friday to shake off this week's  #36;6 slump, edging up from a\12-week low after a massive round of selling triggered by\easing worries about winter supply.


At Citigroup, a Shifting in Strategy at a Core Unit

The chief executive of Citigroup has taken a number of symbolic steps to address concerns by investors that his company is too immense to manage.


More Data Sought on Drug for Sex Drive

An advisory panel said that the first drug to enhance the sex drive of women should not be approved because of a lack of information about its long-term safety.


Tokyo Stocks Climb to a Two-Week High (Reuters)

Reuters - Tokyo stocks climbed to a two week high\on Friday after Tokyo Electron Ltd. and other chip-related\stocks were boosted by a bullish revenue outlook from industry\leader Intel Corp.


Music Industry Turns to Napster Creator for Help

Major record corporations say that a licensed file-sharing system could bolster their position in their fight against piracy as well as increase digital music sales.


Intel Forecasts Greater Revenue for 4th Quarter

Intel raised its revenue forecast for the fourth quarter, citing surprisingly strong demand across its line of chips for personal computers.


Tax talk not on Brown #39;s lips

Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown has told parliament he is meeting his fiscal rules but analysts say he is cutting it too close with public finances to call his approach prudent.


Calpers begins its search for new leader

By Sundeep Tucker in London and Scott Morrison in San Francisco. The board members of Calpers, the Californian state pension fund, will this morning start the process of choosing a new president following this week #39;s abrupt ousting of Sean Harrigan.


Steel crisis leaves Nissan output  #39;at risk #39;

The steel crisis at Nissan Motor might force the carmaker to reduce production by a further 15,000 vehicles next March on top of the 25,000 that have been


Update 4: Intel Raises 4th-Quarter Sales Forecast

Intel Corp. #39;s fourth-quarter sales are on track to break a company record as demand for the chips that power computers was stronger than originally expected in the weeks leading up to the holiday buying season.


Travel group widens horizons to compete online

Coming out of the lift on the 37th floor of Cendant #39;s New York office, visitors are greeted with a breathtaking view of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline.


8 Accused of Inflating Kmart Profit

The Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday filed civil fraud charges against three former Kmart Corp. executives and five employees of companies that supplied the Troy, Mich.


British Insurers in Turmoil Over Incentive Fees

The investigation of insurance practices by the New York attorney general, Eliot Spitzer, is causing wide ripples in the British market, the cradle of the industry.


UPS to take control of Sinotrans for \$100m

United Parcel Service, the US delivery company, is to take direct control of its core international express operations in China, paying US\$100m to buy out its local partner, Hong Kong-listed Sinotrans.


The Times Company Lowers Its Forecast for 2004 Earnings

The New York Times Company said yesterday that its profit for the year would fall short of what it had initially forecast, a casualty of higher costs and of advertising revenue that has


Salvation Army Seeks Online Holiday Donations

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Salvation Army is counting on tech-savvy Bay Area residents to help the organization meet its holiday fundraising goals with as much clicking of the mouse as clinking of coins.


Dollar Holds Gains After U.S. Factory Data

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rebounded on Monday after a  heavy selloff last week, but pared some gains after a U.S.  factory report showed employment was down in December.


KMart Same-Store Sales Fall 4.6 Percent

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


Dollar Builds on Gains Versus Yen

TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar edged up against the yen on  Friday, building on a rebound from a five-year low ahead of  closely watched U.S. jobs data.


Microsoft Unveils Blog Service

MSN Spaces debuted in its test form as Microsoft became the latest company to offer blogging to the masses. MSN Spaces, which allows users without highly technical skills to set up Web journals, is targeted


Water on Mars  #39;but not life #39;

Scientists analysing data from the Mars exploration Rover missions believe water was involved in the formation of rocks on the planet.


Microsoft and Sun #39;s difficult dance

news analysis Microsoft and Sun Microsystems may be going steady, but they aren #39;t quite sure where the relationship is headed.


Agencies Find What They #39;re Looking For

When computer users hunt for information on the Internet, they typically turn to Google or Yahoo. When analysts working for US intelligence look for documents and data stored on computers


iPod: How Long Will It Reign?

You don #39;t have to look around for long to see that Apple #39;s (AAPL ; S amp;P investment rank, 3 STARS, hold; recent price, \$67.21) iPod digital music player has made waves in pop culture.


AOL debuts voice conferencing for consumers

The AIM Voice Conferencing service incorporates AIM Instant Messenger #39;s  quot;presence quot; technology, which allows people to see if friends and family are online and available to chat.


W3C focuses on future at 10th anniversary meeting

Internet luminaries gathered in Boston Wednesday to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), honor its founder, Director and Web inventor


Speculation Grows on Early Exit by Snow

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Expectations that U.S. Treasury  Secretary John Snow would survive President Bush's Cabinet  make-over for at least six months are rapidly yielding to a  belief he may make a hastier exit, people close to the Bush  administration said on Thursday.


Tampa #39;s Fish Gets First Shot At Spain

The odds are long, but in a year that has seen the Lightning emerge from obscurity to drink from Lord Stanley #39;s Cup, who is to say the US team can #39;t


Spurs coach Jol: Arsenal have calmed Van Persie!

Tottenham coach Martin Jol says Arsenal firebrand Robin van Persie is already a calmer player than he was at Feyenoord! Jol said:  quot;At 18, Robin was in the first team at Feyenoord.


Benfica, Alkmaar Reach Last 32 of UEFA Cup Soccer Tournament

Benfica beat Beveren 3-0 and Alkmaar of the Netherlands defeated Rangers 1-0 to advance in European soccer #39;s UEFA Cup. Italy #39;s Lazio was eliminated.


Players lose in college coaching carousel

College footballs annual parade of the dead is in full march, and look whos watching from the back row again without so much as a folding chair.


PGA overhauls system for Ryder Cup points

With the US team coming off its worst loss in the 77-year history of the Ryder Cup, it was expected the PGA of America would make some significant changes to its point-selection system.


Shockey Gives the Giants a Blast From the Present

Tight end Jeremy Shockey, as flustered as anyone with the Giants #39; four-game losing streak, said Thursday that he had made a magnanimous offer to any teammate who thinks the Giants cannot make the playoffs.


Gradkowski stars despite injuries

DETROIT -- A broken hand and separated shoulder were not enough to stop Bruce Gradkowski from lifting Toledo to the Mid-American Conference championship.


Tokyo Stocks Climb to a Two-Week High

TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo stocks climbed to a two week high  on Friday after Tokyo Electron Ltd. and other chip-related  stocks were boosted by a bullish revenue outlook from industry  leader Intel Corp.


India, Russia aim to improve trade, military ties

President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi early on Friday for talks with leaders of India #39;s new communist-backed government amid expectations that India and Russia will bolster trade and military ties.


Two Iranian sites pose headaches for IAEA

VIENNA: Iran may be hiding the equipment its military bought and could be used to make nuclear-weapons-grade uranium, despite its agreement to freeze all such programmes and place them under UN supervision.


Mugabe calls for party unity amid suspensions

President Robert Mugabe called for unity in his ruling Zanu-PF party yesterday despite suspending six senior party officials over who will succeed the 80-year-old leader.


CIVILIAN KILLED: Mortar barrage rocks Baghdad

A barrage of mortar fire Thursday ended a brief period of relative calm in Baghdad, killing at least one civilian and wounding more than a dozen, while insurgents continued


A Rough Ride for Schwinn Bicycle

The rise and fall of companies such as Schwinn help explain why the economy has become less forgiving of workers who lack higher education or specialized skills.


Oil Prices Take Another Deep Drop

Crude oil futures nose-dived for a second day in a row yesterday, briefly dipping below \$43 a barrel, as traders focused on rising fuel supplies and mild fall weather in the Northeast and Midwest.


Blair to back 'optimistic' Brown

Tony Blair is set to back Gordon Brown's  pre-Budget report, amid concern over some of its forecasts.


Walgreen Profit Rises 30.5 Pct, Shares Up

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Walgreen Co. WAG.N on Monday posted a  30.5 percent jump in quarterly profit, its largest increase in  four years, boosted by sales of generic drugs and digital photo  processing.


U.S. Embassy Bans Use of Airport Road

Citing security concerns, the U.S. Embassy on Thursday banned its employees from using the highway linking the embassy area to the international airport, a 10-mile stretch of road plagued by frequent suicide car-bomb attacks.


Another Soldier From Md. Is Killed in Iraq

Erik W. Hayes told friends and family that he joined the U.S. Army to help save money for his future. And just last week, that future seemed more certain: He sent an e-mail from Iraq telling friends that he wanted to become an emergency medical technician when he returned to Maryland.


Distinct Men, Bound Now at Arlington

The medals and the American flag were almost too much for Kiona Bryant to hold as she sat yesterday at the grave of her high school sweetheart.


Microsoft Files Seven New Spam Lawsuits

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. MSFT.O filed seven  lawsuits against senders of spam, or unsolicited e-mail, for  transmitting messages without labeling them as sexually  explicit content, the world's largest software maker said on  Thursday.


Napster Creator Unveils Online Music Technology

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Shawn Fanning, once reviled by  record labels as the creator of renegade song-swap service  Napster, on Thursday launched a new service designed to turn  the threat of still popular peer-to-peer services into an  opportunity for music companies and artists.


Ukraine awaits court poll ruling

Ukraine's Supreme Court is due to rule on whether to overturn the result of the disputed presidential poll.


Venezuela's Chavez Says Bush Knew of Coup

President Hugo Chavez charged Thursday that the United States had been aware that dissident military officers were planning a coup in 2002.


Colombia Leader Pardons 23 Jailed Rebels

President Alvaro Uribe pardoned 23 jailed Marxist rebels Thursday as a goodwill gesture and said he hoped guerrilla leaders will respond by freeing hostages, though the leaders previously have said they would not reciprocate.


New dinosaur uncovered in Brazil

Scientists in Brazil find the bones of a new species of dinosaur that may be related to some found in Europe.


Landslide buries Chinese village

A landslide engulfs a village in southern China, leaving 65 people missing, state media reports


Conte Accuses Jones

Track star Marion Jones used a steroid and other banned drugs leading up to the 2000 Summer Games, according to BALCO founder Victor Conte, Jr.


Miami's Mama's Boy

Miami's Devin Hester -- one of the most exciting and dangerous players in college football -- would not be where he is today without his mother's guidance and inspiration.


Meyer a Wanted Man

Utah Coach Urban Meyer met with Notre Dame officials about the school's head coaching vacancy Thursday, and he is expected to meet with Florida's AD on Friday.


Agencies Find What They're Looking For

While the high-profile battle between the major search engines that scour the Web rages on, Convera Corp. in Northern Virginia has quietly carved out a niche for itself: selling software that helps U.S. and foreign intelligence agents search their databases.-The Washington Post


D.C.'s Cogent  Expands in 23 Markets

The business-internet firm plans to announce Friday the latest move in a recent buying spree, a deal the company said will give it 2,400 new business customers for its high-speed Internet service.-The Washington Post


Buffalo's Gamble Pays

Buffalo's decision to draft running back Willis McGahee in the first round of the 2003 draft is finally paying dividends.


Williams Stays Retired

Retired running back Ricky Williams has no immediate plans to resume his NFL career with the Dolphins, his attorney said.


'Future' Now for Hokies

For Virginia Tech's corps of freshman wide receivers -- Josh Hyman, Eddie Royal, Josh Morgan and Justin Harper -- the future seems very much in the present.


Nowitzki Breaks Out

Dirk Nowitzki sets a Mavericks franchise record with 53 points to lead host Dallas to a 113-106 overtime victory against Houston.


US Construction Spending Down in Nov

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. construction spending fell  unexpectedly by 0.4 percent in November, as a cooling in  residential construction overpowered a small rise in public  spending, a government report showed on Monday.


Bush Set to Name Ex-Chief of Police for Top Security Post

Bernard B. Kerik, the former New York City police commissioner, has been picked by President Bush to replace Tom Ridge.


Putin Backs Ukrainian Leader, Dismissing Call for New Runoff

The Russian president rejected the idea of new Ukrainian elections and criticized European efforts to mediate.


The Lesson for Today Is in Spanish

El Museo del Barrio's eye-opening survey of Latin American portraiture covers an exhausting tract of cultural ground.


Corzine to Run for Governor of New Jersey

The announcement by Jon S. Corzine, whose riches helped make him a U.S. senator, was widely anticipated.


This lens sheds a tear

According to an article on The Register, camera phones will soon have lenses made from nothing more than drops of oil and water.


Pace of U.S. Factory Growth Climbs in Dec

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The pace of growth at U.S. factories  picked up in December, boosted by an increase in new orders and  despite a decline in employment, a report showed on Monday.


Three  amp; Out

Two out of 117, do you like those odds? Thats 1.7 percent. Im not going to preach about the lack of minority head coaches in Division IA, but I just think if you sit back and try to comprehend that number


US Airways gets cuts from union

A union representing nearly 6,000 US Airways workers yesterday said it has struck a tentative concession deal with the airline, easing the likelihood


IBM reportedly puts PC business on the market

IBM, whose first PC in 1981 moved personal computing out of the hobby shop and into the corporate and consumer mainstream, has put the business up for sale, people close to the negotiations said Thursday.


Oil Down \$2 as U.S. Winter Stays Mild

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices slid \$2 on Monday on  expectations that more mild U.S. weather at the start of the  New Year will limit heating oil demand.


Wal-Mart Give Retailers Upbeat '05 Start

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT.N, the  world's biggest retailer, on Monday said December sales would  be at the top end of its outlook on better-than-expected  post-Christmas spending, sending its shares up 2 percent.


US Construction Spending Down in Nov (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. construction spending fell\unexpectedly by 0.4 percent in November, as a cooling in\residential construction overpowered a small rise in public\spending, a government report showed on Monday.


Says hundreds of thousands of e-mails sent illegally

LOS ANGELES (CBS.MW) - Microsoft Corp. on Thursday said it filed seven lawsuits against so-called spammers who allegedly sent hundreds of thousands of sexually explicit e-mails to Internet users in violation of federal laws.


Microsoft gets into blog role contest

Microsoft Corp. #39;s MSN Internet division late Wednesday debuted a preliminary version of MSN Spaces, designed to bring blogs to the masses.


IBM launches Power chip alliance

IBM has launched an alliance with 14 other companies to make Big Blue #39;s Power processor more adaptable and widely used. The partnership, called Power.


Bush: Fighting won #39;t stall Iraq vote

President Bush said Thursday that the United States was committed to having elections take place as planned late next month in Iraq, despite reports that Iraqi security forces


US dollar tumbles against euro

The US dollar yesterday dropped to a record low against the euro in Tokyo and fell to its lowest level in nearly five years against the Japanese yen.


NHL GMS HUDDLE

Only Gary Bettman knows whether he in fact will be willing to in fact negotiate a CBA that does not contain absolute cost-certainty.


RedHawks Fall to Toledo, 35-27, in MAC Championship Game

- The loss ended Miami #39;s six-game winning streak and prevented the Red and White from repeating as MAC Champions for the first time since 1973-75.


UN Denies Annan #39;s resignation

The United Nations says its Secretary-General Kofi Annan is not to quit despite US charges of his involvement into possible fraud in the oil-for-food program.


Pace of U.S. Factory Growth Climbs in Dec (Reuters)

Reuters - The pace of growth at U.S. factories\picked up in December, boosted by an increase in new orders and\despite a decline in employment, a report showed on Monday.


Sony Walkman takes on iPod

Sony is finally out with their first direct assault on the famed Apple iPod digital music player. As reported earlier, Sony has gone ahead and released their first MP3 supported Walkman.


NCAA Game Summary - Toledo at Miami-Ohio

This was the first MAC title game to be played at a neutral site...The Rockets captured the West Division while the RedHawks were the East Division champs in the regular season...Toledo #39;s four previous appearances in the MAC title game included three


Site still a disaster

The legacy from environmental irresponsibility still hangs heavily over the city of Bhopal in India. Two decades after the world #39;s worst industrial disaster, the site still needs to be cleaned up.


Tokyo Stocks Climb to a Two-Week High

TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo stocks climbed to a two-week high  on Friday after Tokyo Electron Ltd. and other chip-related  stocks were boosted by a bullish revenue outlook from industry  leader Intel Corp.


Intel sunny about holiday sales

The world's largest chipmaker, Intel, boosts its prediction of sales for the final three months of the year to \$9.3-9.5bn.


News: Berkeley Hack Sparks Legislative Backlash

An intrusion into a university research computer housing information on 1.4 million people leads to a proposed law that would cut researchers off from sensitive data. Opponents say important work would be hobbled in the process.


Lycos Europe confronts strong resistance in spam war

The online community/portal company #39;s offensive against spammers began this week, when it started distributing a screensaver that conducts a denial-of-service attack against sites that market products via spam.


US ambassador to UN resigns

US Ambassador to the United Nations John Danforth resigned on Thursday after serving in the post for less than six months. Danforth, 68, said in a letter released Thursday


Bank sees \$320M in losses as it girds for higher rates

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Fifth Third Bancorp cut profit forecasts late Thursday as the bank alters its balance sheet to prepare for higher interest rates.


4 Agree to Jail Sentences in Chip Price-Fixing Case

Three German citizens and an American have agreed to serve jail time as part of an investigation into price fixing in the computer memory market.


Rwanda Denies Army in Congo, Threatens Only Rebels (Reuters)

Reuters - Rwanda denied on Thursday it\had pushed troops into Democratic Republic of Congo even as\United Nations peacekeepers said they had found compelling\evidence of an infiltration into the vast country.


No. 15 Michigan St. Stuns No. 3 Notre Dame (AP)

AP - Lindsay Bowen made a game-tying 3-pointer and scored five of her 23 points in overtime to lead No. 15 Michigan State to an 82-73 victory over third-ranked Notre Dame on Thursday night.


No. 10 Duke Upends No. 4 Tennessee 59-57 (AP)

AP - Monique Currie scored six points in the final 1:41 and No. 10 Duke upset fourth-ranked Tennessee 59-57 on Thursday night, becoming only the seventh team in 17 years to beat the Lady Vols in Thompson-Boling Arena.


Venezuela's Chavez Says Bush Knew of Coup (AP)

AP - President Hugo Chavez charged Thursday that the United States had been aware that dissident military officers were planning a coup in 2002.


Nowitzki's career-best 53 launches NBA Mavericks past Rockets (AFP)

AFP - Germany's Dirk Nowitzki scored a career-high 53 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks past Houston 113-106 in over-time here in a National Basketball Association showdown.


College Basketball: Miss. State Beats South Alabama

STARKVILLE, Miss. (Sports Network) - Lawrence Roberts  scored 19 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead  15th-ranked Mississippi State to a 66-52 victory over South  Alabama at Humphrey Coliseum.


KC's Green Questionable for Sunday

KANSAS CITY, Mo., (Sports Network) - Kansas City Chiefs  quarterback Trent Green is listed as questionable for Sunday's  game against the Oakland Raiders with bruises to his ribs and  hip.


Yanks and Baseball Meet as Report Ties Giambi to Steroids

The Yankees may try to take action against Jason Giambi in the wake of a damaging report that he illegally used steroids.


Knicks Could Face a True Test of Strength

After a soft stretch in their schedule, the Knicks on Friday meet Orlando, their first opponent with a winning record since they beat Cleveland on Nov. 21.


Ganguly was not sure of a win

KOLKATA, Nov 2: If Sourav Ganguly reacted the way he did when Daryl Harper ruled Jacques Kallis  #39;not out #39; on Wednesday, it probably had something to do with what he thought the match then!


Nets #39; Planinic has hand surgery

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Zoran Planinic of the New Jersey Nets underwent surgery on his broken left hand Thursday and is sidelined indefinitely.


UPS Eyes China Domestic Service

HONG KONG (Reuters) - United Parcel Service Inc. UPS.N,  the world's largest package delivery firm, said on Friday that  it is evaluating China's domestic express market but is  concerned about the country's proposed postal legislation.


IBM Puts Its PC Business Up for Sale -NYT

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


OUTLOOK 05: Fiber Pact #39;s End May Mean China-US Trade War

(This is the first in a feature series about the regional impact of the Dec. 31 expiry of the Multifiber Agreement.) By Phelim Kyne OF DOW JONES NEWSWIRES.


UPS to Take Over China Network

United Parcel Service Inc., Atlanta, announced yesterday that it will pay \$100 million to take over most of the international express delivery operations of its Chinese partner, Sinotrans.


Napster Creator Touts Legal File Sharing (AP)

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


Napster Creator Unveils Online Music Technology (Reuters)

Reuters - Shawn Fanning, once reviled by\record labels as the creator of renegade song-swap service


Microsoft Files Seven New Spam Lawsuits (Reuters)

Reuters - Microsoft Corp.  filed seven\lawsuits against senders of spam, or unsolicited e-mail, for\transmitting messages without labeling them as sexually\explicit content, the world's largest software maker said on\Thursday.


IBM Puts Its PC Business Up for Sale -NYT (Reuters)

Reuters - International Business Machines Corp.\has put its personal computing business up for sale in a deal\that could be worth as much as  #36;2 billion, the New York Times\reported on Friday.


Irish are in Utah to talk to Meyer

SALT LAKE CITY -- Notre Dame began its pursuit of Utah #39;s Urban Meyer, with school officials arriving here Thursday to meet with him about becoming head coach of college football #39;s most glamorous program.


PGA alters system for Ryder Cup points

The PGA of America has radically altered the points system to determine future US Ryder Cup teams. Changes announced Thursday heavily weigh the points in favor of performances during a Ryder Cup year.


Iran #39;s Nuclear Issue

Sometimes it helps just to open an atlas and stare for a few moments. I did so this morning, checking out the Southwestern Asia map (#98) of the National Geographic Atlas of the World (a handsome volume, by the way).


Schwarzenegger Aide Outlines Fuel Plans (AP)

AP - A top aide to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger described the administration's plans to reduce California's oil dependence, calling Thursday for more conservation, fuel-efficient vehicles, and hydrogen power.


Feds to Consider Protection for Lamprey (AP)

AP - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has agreed to review whether four species of lamprey found on the West Coast should be protected by the Endangered Species Act.


Researchers Develop Salmon Parasite Test (AP)

AP - A new test could help scientists determine more quickly whether chinook salmon in the Klamath River are infected with a potentially deadly parasite.


Bhopal Marks Anniversary with Candlelight Vigil

BHOPAL, India (Reuters) - It was midnight when gas began to  leak from a Bhopal factory and killed thousands as they slept  in central India 20 years ago.


Dutch Hospital Practicing Infanticide

In 2001, the Netherlands became the first (only?) country in the west to permit "mercy killings". The law only allows such killings in very particular circumstances - a doctor can terminate the life of a person who was in great pain and had no hope of recovery. In addition, the law requires the informed consent of the patient.   A hospital in the Netherlands has asked to dispense with that annoying part about consent - and the equally annoying part about pain.


China Landslide Leaves 65 Villagers Missing - Xinhua

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


Wal-Mart Comes Back Swinging

After being outmaneuvered by aggressive competitors at the start of the holiday shopping season, Wal-Mart Stores (WMT ) is returning fire.


Ex-Kmart execs charged in \$24 million fraud

Federal regulators charged three former Kmart executives and five current and former managers of major vendors with accounting fraud, claiming they misrepresented


NHL, union agree to meet next week

After going nearly three months without speaking, the NHL has accepted an invitation from its locked-out union to meet next Thursday and Friday in Toronto.


National Basketball Association Game Capsules

Dallas, TX -- Dirk Nowitzki scored 10 of his career-high 53 points in overtime to lead the Dallas Mavericks past the Houston Rockets, 113-106, at AmericanAirlines Center.


Baseball notebook: Leiter, Marlins close to a deal

While the Mets brain trust huddled in organizational meetings at a Westchester County resort for a second consecutive day, left-hander Al Leiter appears close to accepting a contract offer from the Florida Marlins.


Cavaliers 92, Nuggets 73

The LeBron-Carmelo matchup wasn #39;t much of a contest, and neither was the one between the Cavaliers and Nuggets. LeBron James had 17 points, eight rebounds and nine assists Thursday night to help Cleveland


Bush rejects Iraq vote delay

President Bush rejected calls for a delay in next month #39;s Iraqi elections, insisting Thursday that the vote was too important to put off even though violence and chaos still grip the country.


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


eBay Goes Phishing

The popular online auction site rolls out a new approach in tackling account hackers: cut bait.


Beaten Rangers on Uefa Cup tightrope

Glasgow Rangers #39; hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the Uefa Cup suffered a major setback on Thursday when they went down to a 1-0 defeat against AZ Alkmaar.


Superb display by Nowitzki

Dirk Nowitzki netted 53 points - the top score in the NBA this season - as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Houston Rockets 113-106 in overtime.


Attack on Baghdad Police Station Kills 11

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Gunmen killed 11 Iraqi policemen and  wounded six Friday when they stormed a police station in  southern Baghdad, survivors of the attack said.


Dollar Enjoys Solace Ahead of Jobs Report

TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar edged up on Friday, building  on the previous day's rebound from multi-year lows on  speculation that a strong reading for upcoming U.S. jobs data  could highlight the long-forgotten attraction of U.S. assets.


Tokyo Stocks Climb to 2-Week Closing High

TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo stocks climbed to a two-week  closing high on Friday after Tokyo Electron Ltd. and other  chip-related stocks got a boost from a bullish revenue outlook  by global industry leader Intel Corp.


Pakistan suffer humiliating tour defeat

Cricket-India #39;s Laxman omitted for Bangladesh one-day series December 2, 2004 12:51:24 CALCUTTA, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Middle-order batsman Vangipurappu Laxman has been left out of India #39;s 15-player squad named on Thursday for a one-day series in


Bhopal marks anniversary with candlelight vigil

It was midnight when gas began to leak from a Bhopal factory and killed thousands as they slept in central India 20 years ago. At midnight on Thursday, some


Peres  amp; Sharon Seeking an Anchor

(IsraelNN.com) The Labor opposition party has already hammered out a preliminary agreement with the prime minister that would call for Labor remaining in a Likud-led coalition until November 2006, the scheduled date for national elections.


Baer Understands Challenges of ND Coach (AP)

AP - Kent Baer knows he has a difficult task as Notre Dame's interim head coach.


Nokia regains share of global mobile handset market

NEW YORK, December 3 (newratings.com) - Nokia Corp (NOK.NYS) continued to regain lost market share in the global handset mobile segment for the second consecutive quarter in 3Q, driven by new models and price cuts, according to a study conducted by the


Calpers to begin search for new President

NEW YORK, December 3 (newratings.com) - The Board members of the Californian state pension fund, Calpers (California Public Employees Retirement System), are scheduled to begin the process of selecting a new President today, after Sean Harrigan was


Lenovo Mulling Purchase of IBM PC Business

Lenovo Group stayed silent Friday about reports it is talking with IBM Corp. about buying the US company #39;s personal computer business, but an executive hinted that the Chinese company is looking to expand its PC operations.


Pathmark may look for buyer

Pathmark Stores, which owns 142 supermarkets in the city and throughout the northeast, hired Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein to advise it on options, including a possible sale of the company.


Californians still loving their SUVs

LOS ANGELES -- California #39;s love affair with the SUV has deepened since the early 1990s, with one in eight motorists driving the soccer-mom standby and registrations soaring 250 percent, a US Census Bureau report released yesterday said.


Wolves to devour Burtonwood

Pitcher and Piano owner Wolverhampton  amp; Dudley says it is buying smaller rival Burtonwood for 119 million pounds after meeting forecasts with higher annual profits.


US puts off Airbus case to next year

The US government will wait until next year to argue its case before the World Trade Organization over European aid to aircraft maker Airbus, a US trade official said.


House prices fall further

House prices fell for a second straight month in November, down 0.4 percent, mortgage lender Halifax says, predicting property prices will fall 2 percent in 2005 after nine years of gains.


Gordon Brown kicks awkward questions over touchline next May

IT WAS a great kick; a wondrous kick; high and long - and executed with Eyes Wide Shut. Scotlands rugby selectors looking for an unshakeable kicker into touch while the opposing pack thunders towards him


Elder Bush, Clinton to Lead Relief Effort (AP)

AP - President Bush has tapped former Presidents Clinton and Bush to lead a nationwide charitable fund-raising effort for victims of the Asian tsunamis, the White House announced Monday.


Out West? Get your free credit report

Starting Wednesday, US residents in select states can begin claiming one free credit report per year under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act.


World Muslims Begin Peace Prayers in Bangladesh (Reuters)

Reuters - Hundreds of thousands of Muslims from\around the world on Friday began a three-day annual Islamic\prayer meeting outside the Bangladesh capital, Dhaka, with\politics banned and sermons set to call for world peace.


Intel Sets Upbeat Tone on Wall Street (Reuters)

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


30 Killed in Pair of Major Attacks in Iraq (AP)

AP - Insurgents launched two major attacks Friday against a Shiite mosque and a police station in Baghdad, killing 30 people, including at least 16 police officers, the deadliest insurgent attacks in weeks.


Microsoft files 7 new spam lawsuits

Said the accused violated the  quot;CAN-SPAM quot; federal law requiring e-mail containing sexually explicit images to be clearly identified.


Canuck iTunes music to a fan #39;s ears

Canadians are finally getting a taste of Apple #39;s iTunes. The legal music download service finally launched in Canada yesterday, bringing with it over 700,000 songs, exclusive tracks, celebrity playlists and multiple CD burning rights.


Mars Rovers Reports Published

Both rovers were launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on central Floridas Space Coast. Spirit ascended in daylight on June 10, 2003.


Berners-Lee takes professorial chair at Southampton University

The man recognised as the inventor of the World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, is to begin work on the next version of the web at University of Southampton, where he has been appointed a professor.


Sharman counter attacks

Sharman Networks launched its counter attack against the record labels in the Australian Federal court yesterday. The company attacked the labels for their anti peer-to-peer tactic of deluging such services with so-called  #39;spoof files #39;.


Netscape prototype

An early version of Netscape #39;s much-anticipated browser kills two birds with one stone: it runs the recent and wildly successful Mozilla Firefox engine, but renders pages in Internet Explorer, too.


Blue-ray mass market move

Singulus Technologies will begin selling machines for mass producing read-only Blu-ray Discs next year. German firm, Singulus, will supply machines that make the discs, called BD-ROMs, by


More trojan programs showing up for the Symbian smartphones

In addition to the previously know Cabir, Skulls and a Skulls variant that incorporated Cabir, it is now known of a new threat industry experts are calling Cantimer.


Rwanda Entered Congo Briefly -- Diplomatic Sources (Reuters)

Reuters - Rwanda troops pushed briefly into\Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to attack Hutu rebels early\this week but have since returned home, diplomatic sources in\Africa's Great Lakes region said on Friday.


Steroid details rock sports

A simmering steroid scandal that has plagued baseball for nearly a year began to boil over Thursday, with the promise of more eruptions tonight.


Is Meyer the man to get Irish up?

The timing of Notre Dame #39;s firing of Tyrone Willingham makes no sense . . . unless the board of trustees had a replacement not only in mind, but in hand.


DC is on  #39;very, very top #39; of Red Bull #39;s list

Despite Red Bull Racing owner Dietrich Mateschitz #39;s comments earlier the season, David Coulthard could still be in a Formula One racing seat next season.


NHL UNION TO RESUME TALKS

The NHL and NHL Players Association will meet next week to review a proposal being prepared by the players, in a bid to end the lockout that has wiped out the first two months of the season.


Retired Ricky to stay that way

Ricky Williams has stuck it to the Dolphins one more time. By deciding once again he wants no part of playing football, he ruins any chance Miami had of trading him in the offseason for a No.


Marlins reeling Al back in

Al Leiter #39;s heart may be in New York, but the southpaw #39;s paycheck will come from the Marlins. Agent Randy Hendricks acknowledged  quot;serious discussions quot; are underway to return Leiter to Florida


Roddick May Be Key to U.S. Davis Cup Win (AP)

AP - Three months ago, Andy Roddick swept Rafael Nadal 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the U.S. Open. Don't expect it to be that easy when Roddick plays the 18-year-old Spaniard in the Davis Cup final Friday. This time, the match is on clay. And Nadal will be cheered by an expected record crowd of 26,600 at Olympic Stadium.


FDA Warns Cyberonics on Manufacturing (Reuters)

Reuters - Medical devices maker Cyberonics Inc.\ on Monday said it received a warning letter from the\U.S. Food and Drug Administration saying the company's \response to issues involving manufacturing practices at its\Houston operations has been insufficient.


BCS Set to Forge Failure

The Bowl Championship Series was created with the sole purpose of finally producing a true national championship game in college football.


Dow Accepts Responsibility for Bhopal -- Spokesman

Dow Chemical Co, in a major policy reversal, is accepting full responsibility for the 1984 Bhopal disaster in India, a company spokesman said on Friday.


Danforth steps down from UN post

WASHINGTON - UN Ambassador John Danforth submitted his resignation yesterday after six months in the position, an official said. Danforth, 68, had been mentioned as a successor to Secretary of State Colin


Oil price down on warm US weather

The price of crude oil falls by more than a dollar in New York, as mild weather in northern US states eases demand for heating oil.


Philippines: 1,000 dead or missing

REAL, Philippines -- Rescuers are battling to reach thousands of people left stranded in the Philippines, where storms have left 1,000 people dead or missing.


Bosnia peace troops swap insignia

The European Union took on its biggest military mission yesterday, replacing Nato in charge of 7,000 peacekeeping troops in Bosnia.


US demands immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi

WASHINGTON : The White House on Thursday demanded that Myanmar military authorities  quot;immediately and unconditionally quot; release opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and condemned her extended house arrest.


Militants kill 12 policemen in southern Baghdad

A group of militants raided two police stations in Baghdad on Friday, killing 12 policemen and wounding several others, police said.


Mortars hit Baghdad safe zone, killing one

BAGHDAD At least five mortar rounds exploded in central Baghdad on Thursday, including two in the Green Zone, the enclave that houses Iraq #39;s interim administration and several foreign embassies.


VW Offers Insurance to Lure U.S. Buyers

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The U.S. unit of Volkswagen will  offer a year of free car insurance to customers in two states  as a way of attracting business, Europe's biggest automaker  said on Monday.


Britsh press sees good result in French Socialist vote

LONDON, Dec 3 (AFP) - The vote by French Socialists to back the EU constitution bodes well for its ratification, even though the outcome of a referendum in 2005 is still uncertain, major British newspapers said Friday.


Roh: Korea needs to be vigilant on won #39;s strength

LONDON - President Roh Moo-hyun said on Thursday the country must be ready to guard against excessive currency moves and that channels for more international cooperation on exchange rates should be kept open.


BALCO Head Says Helped Marion Jones Use Steroids

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The head of the BALCO lab at the  center of a global steroid scandal said in an interview to be  aired on Friday that he witnessed track star Marion Jones using  steroids in a drug program he devised.


Marwan Barghouti : sentenced to life by Sharons justice  and <b>...</b>

Last June, at the very time Marwan Barghouti was sentenced to life emprisonment by Israeli justice, Franck Biancheri was writing an editorial saying that whatever Israeli judges were deciding, most probably Mr Barghouti will become the president of


Chissano coming

GABORONE - Out-going Mozambican President Joachim Chissano is expected to arrive in Gaborone today to bid fare well to President Festus Mogae before he leaves office after the December 1 to 2 general election.


Dollar rallies, but continued weakness expected

The dollar rallied after dropping to a record low yesterday against the euro amid uncertainty about whether officials would intervene to curb the currency #39;s slide.


Free online credit reports begin Wednesday

Consumers in 13 Western states will be able to grab free online copies of their credit reports starting Wednesday, as a new federal law is phased in.


Target Stores Ban Salvation Army Bell

The decision by Target Corp. to ban Salvation Army bell-ringers this year could take the jingle out of the collection bell, but the local Army operation hopes the community will rally so that doesn #39;t happen.


U.S. Suspects Iran Is Making New Missiles (AP)

AP - Interception of several technology shipments to Iran has bolstered U.S. suspicions that Iran is secretly developing an intercontinental ballistic missile that could threaten Europe and possibly the United States.


Summary: Senate GOP Set to Dump Filibuster (AP)

AP - THE FILIBUSTER: The notion of talking a measure to death dates to the Founding Fathers. In the 1950s and '60s foes of racial progress used it to block civil-rights legislation and in 1957 Strom Thurmond launched the longest one-man filibuster in history. He spoke for more than 24 hours.


Rookie Nitties Grabs Halfway Lead in Australian PGA

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Rookie professional James Nitties shot a  flawless second round of 65 to snatch the outright lead in the  Australian PGA Championship Friday.


Howell Takes Lead in Hong Kong as Poulter Misses Cut

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Ryder Cup player Ian Poulter missed  the cut at the Hong Kong Open after stumbling to a  five-over-par 75 in the second round Friday.


Supreme Court Mulls Ruling on Ukraine Poll Crisis

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine's Supreme Court considered final  arguments on Friday from two rivals in a contested presidential  election that has plunged the country into turmoil and kindled  distrust between Russia and the West.


Smith Outlines Scotland Vision

New Scotland boss Walter Smith has outlined his plans to improve the team - including approaching previously  #39;retired #39; experienced players, continuing Berti Vogts policy of selecting non-Scots born players and reducing the number of friendly matches.


NHL owners, union to meet next week

Jocelyn Thibault and the handful of his Blackhawks teammates still in town waiting out the lockout have stepped up their workouts recently just in case there #39;s a season.


Violence in Baghdad Kills at Least 25 Iraqis

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A suicide car bomber rammed into a  Shi'ite mosque in Baghdad during dawn prayers Friday, killing  14 people and stoking fears that sectarian divisions over when  to hold elections could unleash further bloodshed.


Rwanda Entered Congo Briefly -- Diplomatic Sources

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Rwanda troops pushed briefly into  Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to attack Hutu rebels early  this week but have since returned home, diplomatic sources in  Africa's Great Lakes region said on Friday.


Twelve Stabbed in Latest China School Attack

BEIJING (Reuters) - A man forced his way into a primary  school in northeast China Friday and stabbed and injured 12  grade-one pupils, the latest in a wave of recent school attacks  in China, Xinhua news agency said.