November Job Growth Unexpectedly Weak

The US economy created only 112,000 new jobs in November, the government said on Friday, about a third October #39;s total and weak enough to deepen a shadow of uncertainty hanging over the holiday sales season.


UPDATE 1-Citigroup says committed to asset management -memo

Citigroup Inc. (CN: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world #39;s largest financial services company, said it remains committed to asset management, rejecting a published report it might


Mars Once Ripe for Life, Rovers Discover

Water once covered thousands of square miles of Mars, creating an ancient environment that hints at the possibility that life might be present there yet today, scientists reported.


Apple iTunes Opens in Canada

Apple announced yesterday the launch of its iTunes music store in Canada, making it the 14 country where iTunes is available. Apple said that the iTunes music store in Canada has more than 700,000 songs and


Nintendo gets touchy feely

Nintendo wants you to know that its new handheld is not just another blob of circuitry encased in cold silver plastic. To make this point, my review copy of the Nintendo DS came in unusual packaging.


And the Winner Is...

Guess what is the most popular search word in the online version of the Merriam-Webster dictionary? It #39;s blog. In case you didn #39;t know, that #39;s short for Web log, a form of online expression that has come into


Samsung: Memory, LCD prices to drop; sales to rise

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


Iomega NAS Line Boasts Improved Speed, Capacity

Iomega Corp. updated its network-attached storage line Friday with the NAS 400r, a rack-mounted NAS line featuring faster processors and improved capacity.


Bonds Denies Steroid Use, Admits Using  #39;Substances #39;

SAN FRANCISCO - For the second morning in a row, there is a major development in the on-going scandal involving steroids and star athletes.


3 Arrested in Suspected Plot to Attack Iraqi Prime Minister

German police today arrested three Iraqis who the chief federal prosecutor said appeared to have been planning an attack on Prime Minister Ayad Allawi of Iraq, here for talks with Chancellor Gerhard Schrder.


House Arrest Extended for Burmese Pro-Democracy Leader Suu Kyi

Burma #39;s military junta extended the house arrest of pro-democracy leader Aung Sun Suu Kyi for one more year. According to CNN, the Bush Administration is calling on.


Pennington Set to Start Sunday (Reuters)

Reuters - New York Jets\quarterback Chad Pennington is expected to start Sunday's game\against Houston after missing the last three weeks with a\rotator cuff injury.


Earnhardt Jr. Wins Most Popular Driver Award

NEW YORK (Sports Network) - Dale Earnhardt Jr. was voted  the NMPA NASCAR Most Popular Driver of the Year for the second  consecutive year. The announcement was made Friday during the  National Motorsports Press Association's breakfast at the  Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.


Pennington Set to Start Sunday

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (Sports Network) - New York Jets  quarterback Chad Pennington is expected to start Sunday's game  against Houston after missing the last three weeks with a  rotator cuff injury.


Miller Wins Downhill for Fourth Win in Five Races

BEAVER CREEK, Colorado (Reuters) - American Bode Miller won  a men's World Cup Alpine skiing downhill Friday to celebrate a  phenomenal fourth win in five races.


Supreme Court to Hear ISP-Cable Dispute

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


Kelly: Perennial Winner Southwest In 14.1 Traffic Jump <b>...</b>

Southwest Airlines (nyse: LUV - news - people ) on Friday said its traffic jumped 14.1 in November. The discount carrier carried 9.6 more passengers during the month than in the year-ago period.


Microsoft discovers blogging

The beta version of MSN Spaces, web-logging service that enables consumers to create their own personal place on the web has been launched for current users of Hotmail or MSN webmail services.


Napster Creator Launches New Music Service

Napster founder Shawn Fanning is returning to the music downloading arena with a brand new offering that is receiving reasonable support - given their histories together -rom the music industry.


Mozilla Outfoxing Microsoft

pardon the pun -- and for good reason. Web surfers looking for a reliable alternative to Microsoft #39;s (Nasdaq: MSFT) Internet Explorer have been busy over the last


Sun Offering Free, Open Source Solaris 10 - Not Quite Yet

II #39;m reading everywhere that Sun is making Solaris 10 free and open source ( http://www.rednova.com/news/display/?id=106224). environment.


Nintendo Sells 500K DS Systems Thus Far

Shoppers snapped up more than 500,000 Nintendo DS systems during Thanksgiving week, representing more than 90 percent of all units available in stores across the United States.


Match-fixing fear prompts Uefa inquiry

Betting patterns described as  quot;the most suspicious ever seen in football quot; yesterday prompted European football #39;s governing body to begin  quot;gathering information quot; about a Uefa Cup match - in Newcastle United #39;s group - on Wednesday.


F1 test vetoed

NICK Heidfeld #39;s test with Williams has been brought forward after BAR blocked plans for Anthony Davidson to drive its Formula One rival #39;s car.


Mailbag: Readers right? You be the judg

First, thanks to all those Bengals fans who wrote to complain about the dig on their team #39;s uniforms. Yeah, this time of year I like pumpkin pie and sweet potatoes, too, but not when I have to wear them on Sundays.


Microsoft Sues Porn Spammers

Microsoft said on Thursday that the company filed seven lawsuits against spammers that have sent sexually explicit emails on the Internet without adhering to federal laws.


Lycos Europe Withdraws Its Spam-Fighting Screensaver

just a couple of days -- before newfound Lycos Europe enemies organized a multi-pronged counter-attack with delirious affects that forced Lycos to turn tail and


MSN upgrades Messenger, Hotmail

The MSN network of Internet services has introduced updates to its free communication services to make e-mail, instant messaging and online sharing easier and more personal for consumers.


Napster creator develops Snocap

Napster was a revolutionary product. It practically gave birth to the p2p industry on the Internet. It has lead to a stage that big corporations of the music industry are practically scared of losing a major chunk of their business from this phenomenon.


Probe of UN oil-for-food cheating endorsed

The State Department yesterday endorsed a Senate investigation into possible fraud in the United Nations oil-for-food program while sidestepping a senator #39;s


#39;Security Council can #39;t be eroded #39;

NEW DELHI: Russian president Vladimir Putin has, in one pithy paragraph, poured cold water on India #39;s hopes of making it as a card-carrying member of a reformed UN Security Council.


Barghouti Release Would Reward Terror

consecutive life terms, plus another 40 years, by an Israeli civil court that found him guilty of five cases of murder of innocent citizens, attempted murder and membership in a terror organization.


Palestinian Militant Shot to Death in West Bank

Israeli army officials say soldiers killed Mahmoud Hammad, a member of the militant group Islamic Jihad, as he tried to escape from a house in the village of Raba, close to the West Bank town of Jenin.


Holiday sales outlook dims with retailers November results

The outlook for the holiday season dimmed yesterday as several of the nation #39;s large retailers reported disappointing sales for November, which included an uninspiring Thanksgiving weekend, The Associated Press reports.


Salvation Army using cardboard bell-ringers to stoke donations

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - There #39;s a reason that smiling Salvation Army bell-ringer looks a little stiff this Christmas season, and it #39;s not the cold weather.


Moody #39;s may raise ratings on AES Corp.

Moody #39;s Investors Service on Friday said it may raise its ratings on global energy company AES Corp.(AES.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , citing lower debt and improved cash flow.


Fed Officials: No Inflation Alarm Bells

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve, while  remaining watchful as prices and interest rates tick higher, is  holding to its mantra that rate increases will be "measured,"  senior Fed officials indicated on Friday.


Halliburton Says Court Clears Asbestos Settlement

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Halliburton Co. on Friday said a  federal court had signed an order that would end the company's  asbestos liability later this month, clearing another hurdle  for two of its subsidiaries to emerge from bankruptcy.


iTunes Canada Launched

iTunes, a legal music download service from Apple, previously unavailable in Canada, finally launched its much anticipated Canadian online store yesterday.


The Best Way to Grow

Operating cash flow is the best growth path there is, and Kenneth Cole is on it.


DATE WITH DESTINY FOR COLLINS

The fate of American sprinter Michelle Collins, who has been charged with doping violations, will be decided next week. Collins, last year #39;s world indoor 400metres champion, has been implicated in the BALCO


Expos move closer to DC

Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Owners voted 29-1 on Friday to approve the proposed move of the Montreal Expos to Washington for the 2005 season.


30 killed in pair of major attacks against mosque, police station <b>...</b>

In some of the worst violence in recent weeks in Baghdad, insurgents launched attacks Friday against Iraqi security forces in the north and west of the capital, killing at least 30 people.


India, Pak end technical talks on rail link

NEW DELHI, Dec 3. Technical level talks, led by railway officials of India and Pakistan, concluded in Islamabad today with an agreement to start the rail link, but no agreed dates on which to launch the train.


Blair aiming for  #39;opportunity and security #39;

Tony Blair paid tribute to the chancellor #39;s handling of the economy today and made a pre-election promise to hand more power to the British people.


FACTA  amp; your credit

A new federal law that entitles consumers to free credit reports sounds great, but the devil is definitely in the details. The Fair


There #39;s a reason that smiling Salvation Army bell-ringer looks a little stiff this Christmas season, and it #39;s not the cold weather.


Nielsen Counts 54.5 Million Broadband Users in Europe

The number of people in Europe surfing the Internet over a broadband connection reached 54.5 million in October 2004 -- an increased of 60 from 34.1 million a year earlier -- according to the latest report from Nielsen/NetRatings.


Paper: Second Samsung 7G line to process larger substrates than <b>...</b>

Samsung Electronics may process 2,0002,300mm glass substrates at a second seventh-generation (7G) line in the beginning of 2006, according to the South Korea-based Electronic Times, Seoul.


Jones denies using performance-enhancing drugs

The accusations were levelled by Victor Conte, founder of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO), the firm at the centre of the biggest doping scandal in sporting history.


NOVO PROMISES RANGERS REACTION

Striker Nacho Novo expects Rangers to respond in style to their UEFA Cup setback in Holland because of the prevailing  quot;great spirit quot; in the squad.


Jimenez fires 64 for lead at Omega Hong Kong Open

Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez took his customary position when a superb six-under-par 64 hauled him into the halfway lead at the US\$800,000 Omega Hong Kong Open today.


Thousands Uprooted by Clashes in East Congo - UN

Thousands of civilians have fled their homes after clashes in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations said on Friday, although it was unclear who was behind the violence.


US Congresswoman says she was denied Vietnam visa (AFP)

AFP - A US Congresswoman who has criticised Vietnam's human rights record has been denied a visa to visit the communist country for the second time, she said.


Apple Falls After Analyst Cuts Rating

Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) shares fell 4 percent after a Needham  amp; Co. analyst lowered his investment rating on the stock to  quot;hold, quot; saying


Arbitrator to Hear Artest Appeal Petition (AP)

AP - An arbitrator ruled Friday that he has jurisdiction to decide whether the brawl-related suspensions given to Ron Artest and other NBA players can be appealed to someone other than commissioner David Stern.


Lycos UK turns anti-spam vigilante

Internet firm Lycos UK released free screensaver software that allows users to attack spammers using the same mass mailing techniques the spammers themselves use to fill up the worlds inboxes.


European broadband access up 60 on 2003

In the past 12 months, the number of people actively surfing the web from home each month in Europe has grown by 12 per cent to 10m, according to numbers from internet research firm Nielsen NetRatings.


Prince of Persia 2 on shelves

Young royal returns to adventure in Ubisoft #39;s Warrior Within; darker storyline and new fighting system highlight the multi-console title.


SI.com #39;s BJ Schecter breaks down the SEC Championship Game

Auburn has won nine of its 11 games by 18 points or more. The Tigers are averaging 419.2 yards per game and will pound teams on the ground before going for the kill through the air.


UN seat yes, veto no

While India and Russia signed a joint declaration signalling a push to their strategic partnership on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin fired a Brahmos on the issue of  #39;veto #39; for new UNSC members which India is seeking.


Mullah: Iran bids to join nuclear tech club

Mullah Rafsanjani said here Friday that Tehran expects it would become a member of the club of countries possessing nuclear technology.


Bedding Blip? Rest Assured

Just as you are getting comfortable, Select Comfort's stock collapses. But don't let Mr. Market's nightmares scare you away.


Oil prices pause for breath after two-day rout

London - Oil prices edged lower on Friday after a two-day rout that saw the value of crude drop 12 percent amid easing fears over a northern winter supply shortage, traders said.


Blair backs Brown

Tony Blair has given his staunch backing to Gordon Brown #39;s pre-Budget report, insisting that its spending pledges are  quot;fully-funded quot;.


US job creation disappoints

The US jobless rate dropped in November, but analysts are surprise and disappointed by the weak job creation numbers reported by the US Labour Department.


Cable Internet case goes to Supreme Court

The US Supreme Court will decide whether cable operators that provide high-speed Internet connections, like Time Warner Inc., should be required to open their networks to other Internet service providers.


Southwest Air Traffic Jumps

Southwest Airlines (LUV:NYSE - news - research) said demand for tickets outstripped increasing supply in November, allowing the carrier to fill more seats on its planes than a year ago.


Its Sno Napster

Napster founder Shawn Fanning tries to convince record companies and peer-to-peer networks to switch from lawsuits to making money on downloads.


Prince of Persia: Warrior Within Ships

Ubisoft has announced that its sequel to the amazing Prince of Persia, Prince of Persia: Warrior Within has shipped and is now available at retailers.


HP drops plans to put Compaq technology into HP-UX

Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) has abandoned plans to integrate a number of advanced technologies it acquired in its 2002 purchase of Compaq Computer Corp.


Meyer attends practice

Utah football coach Urban Meyer was just where he was scheduled to be Thursday, at practice with his team. The New York Times reported earlier in the day that Meyer had been contacted by Notre Dame and that he would meet with school officials.


England clinch sevens title

England tonight won their first ever Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens title by beating a fiery Fijian side 26-21 in a pulsating final.


NCAA probation for little engine that could

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. The Division Two school that won an NCAA Division One championship in volleyball last year is on NCAA probation for four years.


30 killed in insurgent attacks in Baghdad; Two US soldiers die in <b>...</b>

In the deadliest insurgent violence in weeks, militants stormed two police stations and a mosque in Baghdad on Friday, killing 30 people.


California Diocese Settles Abuse Cases for Record Amount

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange County, Calif., has reached a settlement with 87 victims of abuse by priests and lay employees that includes the largest payment ever agreed to by the church.


Consumers snap up credit reports online

Credit reporting agencies reported a rush of traffic and a few glitches as a new federal law requiring free access to credit data went into effect.


Napster Star Changes His Tune

Napster creator Shawn Fanning, who turned the music industry on its head with his file trading technology, has re-emerged with a new company that hopes to facilitate agreements between peer-to-peer services and the record companies, making it easier for


Internet Explorer Loses European Share to Firefox

Firefox is the second most popular Web browser in Europe, with 5.51 percent of the market share at the end of November, according to Adtech.


US finishes 1-2 in World Cup downhill

Beaver Creek - In an unprecedented result for American men in World Cup skiing, Bode Miller and Daron Rahlves finished first and second in today #39;s World Cup downhill race on Beaver Creek #39;s Birds of Prey course.


Arbitrator Sets Hearing

An arbitrator rules that he has jurisdiction to decide whether the brawl-related suspensions given to Ron Artest and other NBA players can be appealed to someone other than commissioner David Stern.


Big Blue news a sign of PC market #39;s graying temples

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


Oil Futures Drop Below \$43

Around noon on the New York Mercantile Exchange, benchmark January crude futures were down 50 cents to \$42.75 a barrel, well off their intraday low of \$42.05, a three-month low, but still a sharp decline on the day.


Select Comfort down; lowers sales expectations

NEW YORK - Select Comfort Corp. stock fell after the bed maker lowered is sales forecast, citing slow sales during the Thanksgiving weekend.


Radio Stocks Fizzle on Analyst Downgrade

Shares of radio station operators sank in Friday trading, saddled by a report raising concerns that future growth could be limited as advertising demand wanes amid fierce competition from personal media players and satellite radio.


#39;Morning Edition #39; Returns: Webster #39;s Most Wanted

Description: The most requested word on Merriam-Webster #39;s Web site isn #39;t in the dictionary yet. The word is blog. It will be in the next edition.


Roddick played well in Friday #39;s loss

Andy Roddick has never fought harder in a Davis Cup match and has never experienced a team loss like he did in his 6-7 (6), 6-2, 7-6 (6) 6-2 defeat to Spanish 18-year-old Rafael Nadal on Friday in the US-Spain Davis Cup final.


Utah #39;s Meyer to pick Florida over Notre Dame today?

Maybe Urban Meyer is notheaded to Notre Dame after all.According to a report in the Palm Beach Post, Meyer has beenmade an offer to replace Ron Zook as Florida #39;s coach and isexpected to accept it as early as Friday afternoon.


Clubs hit back over match fixing claims

The two clubs at the centre of a UEFA investigation into an alleged match fixing scam angrily denied any wrongdoing. European football #39;s governing body announced they were opening an inquiry into Wednesday #39;s


Bad-news West good for Hawks

The NFLs meekest division is in no position to contest the issue, and thats fine by the Seattle Seahawks. Were in first place despite the general feeling you get when people talk about us, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said Wednesday.


Russia #39;s Putin Calls US Policy  #39;Dictatorial #39;

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United States on Friday of pursuing a dictatorial foreign policy and said mounting violence could derail progress toward bringing peace and democracy to Iraq.


Somalia plans landmine ban, seeks patience

Somalia, one of Africa #39;s most landmine infested countries, said on Friday it was considering signing a treaty aimed at banning the deadly devices, but asked the international community to be patient as it rebuilds its war


India and Pakistan agree to reopen second rail link

ISLAMABAD : Pakistan and India have agreed to restore a second rail link between the countries which was severed nearly 40 years ago.


Man knifes 12 primary school children in north-east China :

Beijing, Dec 3 : A man intruded into a primary school in north-east China #39;s Jilin province today and slashed 12 grade one pupils, four of them seriously.


Arms sales ban at the centre of China-EU talks

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) - The EUs ban on arms sales to China will be the main topic at next week high-profile diplomatic talks between China and Europe.


Dollar Dives to New Lows

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar slid to a new record low  against the euro on Friday amid disappointing U.S. jobs data  and a perception that the United States was in no hurry to stem  the dollar's fall.


Fed: Inflation Not Setting Off Alarms

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve, while  remaining watchful as prices and interest rates tick higher, is  holding to its mantra that rate increases will be "measured,"  senior Fed officials indicated on Friday.


Treasuries Rally on Weak Jobs Report

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasury debt prices soared on Friday  after the latest employment figures suggested U.S. job creation  continues to lag, soothing worries the Federal Reserve might  raise interest rates more aggressively.


Fla. Businessman Sues Ex-NYSE Director

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Florida businessman has sued former New  York Stock Exchange director Kenneth Langone for \$1.8 billion,  claiming he made false statements about data management company  Seisint in hopes that ChoicePoint Inc. CPS.N could buy it for  a low price.


Halliburton: Court Clears Asbestos Deal

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Halliburton Co. HAL.N on Friday said  a federal court had signed an order that would end the  company's asbestos liability later this month, clearing another  hurdle for two of its subsidiaries to emerge from bankruptcy.


Snow says strong dollar  quot;foundation quot; of US policy

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Treasury Secretary John Snow said a strong dollar is the  quot;rock solid foundation quot; of US policy, but its value is best set in open currency markets.


Star elephants aid Thai clean-up

Six elephants from the film Alexander join rescue teams to clean up debris-strewn forests in parts of Thailand.


Lycos Pulls Anti-Spam  #39;Vigilante #39; Campaign

Just days after Lycos Europe #39;s launch of an anti-spam DDoS tool raised eyebrows in the security space, the company appears to have scrapped the campaign.


Swiss Blocks Accounts in Oil Co. Probe (AP)

AP - Swiss justice authorities have blocked bank accounts containing  #36;100 million in an investigation of an alleged bribery scandal tied to a subsidiary of Halliburton Co., the oil services company formerly headed by U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney.


Appleby breaks 70 to lead in Sun City

Stuart Appleby got his putter working to score a 69 and take the lead at 5-under-par after the second round of the Sun City Golf Challenge in South Africa on Friday.


Lincou seals world squash triumph

DOHA, Qatar -- Thierry Lincou has become the first Frenchman ever to win the world squash title. Lincou beat top-seeded Englishman Lee Beachill 5-11 11-2 2-11 12-10 11-8 on Friday, saving a match point at 9-10 in the fourth game.


Rwanda singled out as Great Lakes peace threatened (AFP)

AFP - The EU added its voice to a chorus of international concern over the presence of Rwandan troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that threaten to undermine the fragile peace in the region.


China Launches New Class of Nuclear Sub (AP)

AP - China has launched the first submarine in a new class of nuclear subs designed to fire intercontinental ballistic missiles, U.S. defense officials said Friday.


BALCO Head Conte Admits Role as Steroid Mastermind

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Victor Conte, the head of BALCO  lab at the center of a global doping scandal, has detailed his  role in doping some of the top names in sport.


Davis Cup: Spain Leads U.S. 2-0 as Roddick Loses

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


Triumph for People Power After Ukraine Vote Annulled

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor  Yushchenko declared victory in an "orange revolution" on Friday  after the ex-Soviet state's top judges annulled a rigged  election and ordered a new vote on Dec. 26.


Thousands Uprooted by Clashes in East Congo - U.N.

GOMA, Congo (Reuters) - Thousands of civilians have fled  their homes after clashes in the east of the Democratic  Republic of Congo, the United Nations said on Friday, although  it was unclear who was behind the violence.


United Airlines to Cut Up to 825 Jobs

CHICAGO (Reuters) - UAL Corp. UALAQ.OB, parent of United  Airlines, on Friday said it would lay off up to 825 ramp and  customer service workers as the airline continues its fight to  emerge from bankruptcy.


Cocoa Up on Fund Buying, Ivorian Tensions

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Cocoa prices rose 3.5 percent on  Friday as commodity funds bought on technical signals, a  falling dollar and prospects of more political violence in  Ivory Coast, grower of 40 percent of the world's cocoa.


Cyclical pressures likely to weigh heavily on tech in 2005 and <b>...</b>

Technology stocks have underperformed the rest of the market this year, and professional investors have reduced their commitment to the industry as a growing number of analysts question the outlook for the sector.


FDA Chief to Meet with Top Lawmaker Regarding Vioxx

US Food and Drug Administration (news - web sites) Acting Commissioner Lester Crawford on Friday agreed to meet with a top Republican lawmaker about the agency #39;s handling of safety concerns over Merck  amp; Co Inc.


Spam the spammers: Lycos

p2pnet.net News:- If you #39;ve wondered just how much people hate spam, wonder no more. A couple of days back, Lycos Germany launched a vigilante screen-saver to beat people sending out advertiusing junk mail at their own game.


UN #39;s Kofi Annan Under Fire for Oil-for-Food Scandal

Description: A US senator is calling for the resignation of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Annan is being accused of fraud and lack of oversight in the Iraq oil-for-food program.


Supreme Court to Decide Cable Internet Case

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


Supreme Court to Hear ISP, Cable Dispute (AP)

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


An Invisible Technology May Slow Piracy (AP)

AP - Invisible technology could soon point the finger toward the camcorder-wielding pirates responsible for that bootleg copy of "The Incredibles" hawked on the street or posted on the Internet.


High-Tech Publisher Tries 'Blogozine' (AP)

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


Napster Back In Music Scene

Napster founder Shawn Fanning has returned to the online downloading arena with the approval of some significant members of the music industry.


Infineon Execs Plead Guilty in DRAM Price-Fixing, Face Jail Time

Four executives at Infineon Technologies AG and its US subsidiary, Infineon Technologies North America Corp., are to plead guilty to participating in an international conspiracy to fix prices in the DRAM market, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) said


Skulls mobile trojan learns Bluetooth

The Skulls trojan horse we warned you about last month didnt do much since users had to install it themselves (thats why its called a trojan).


U.S. Dad Wins Custody Battle in France (AP)

AP - A 4-year-old girl at the center of a trans-Atlantic custody battle that drew attention at the highest levels of French government was turned over to her American father on Friday.


WADA chief wants hearing into Jones doping

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - World Anti-Doping Agency chief Dick Pound thinks allegations that Olympic sprint champion Marion Jones used steroids are serious enough to warrant a hearing.


Bush Signs Internet Tax, Special Ed Bills (AP)

AP - State and local governments will be barred from taxing connections that link people to the Internet for the next three years under legislation signed Friday by President Bush.


Baldauf, Bergqvist to Leave Nokia Posts (AP)

AP - A pair of top executives in charge of the networks division at mobile phone giant Nokia Corp. are leaving the company for personal reasons, the Finnish company said Friday.


Mozilla Outfoxing Microsoft (The Motley Fool)

The Motley Fool - Firefox is catching fire -- pardon the pun -- and for good reason. Web surfers looking for a reliable alternative to Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT - News) Internet Explorer have been busy over the last month downloading the new version of the Web browser. The Mozilla Foundation, a network of programmers jointly developing open-source technology, reports more than 8 million people have downloaded the program since early November.


Reports: Blasts Rock Madrid Gas Stations

MADRID, Spain - Spanish media are reporting that at least one explosion -- and possibly as many as four blasts -- have gone off in Madrid following a warning from a Basque (search) group.


Danforth Says No Tension with Washington Over UN Job

US Ambassador John Danforth dismissed suggestions on Friday he resigned from his UN post after just five months because he bridled at orders from the Washington


Kosovo elects ex-rebel as PM

Kosovo #39;s Albanian-dominated parliament has elected former rebel commander Ramush Haradinaj as prime minister, ignoring Western concern that he may be indicted for war crimes any day now.


Dog released by Calgary pound to new owners back with original family (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - CALGARY (CP) - Zack the dog was home with his original family Friday, but it's not a happy ending for everyone involved.


Apple Falls After Analyst Cuts Rating (Reuters)

Reuters - Apple Computer Inc. \shares fell about 4 percent on Friday after a Needham   Co.\analyst lowered his investment rating on the stock to "hold,"\saying much of the potential upside to the company's business\is reflected in the current stock price.


U.S. Study Says Sage Grouse Not Endangered (Reuters)

Reuters - A government study has concluded the\greater sage grouse is not an endangered species, a finding\ranching and oil and gas interests in the West had lobbied hard\for, a congressional spokesman said on Friday.


UN Talks to Review Where 'Dangerous' Warming Starts (Reuters)

Reuters - A decade after the world pledged to\prevent "dangerous" global warming, 194 nations meet next week\to review whether rare heatwaves and a fast Arctic thaw may\signal that the planet is nearing the brink.


Forecaster Sees Fewer Atlantic Hurricanes in 2005 (Reuters)

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


King Tut Exhibit Could Prove to Be Gold Mine (Reuters)

Reuters - The gilded treasures of King\Tutankhamun are on their way back to the United States in what\could prove a gold rush for Egypt and big business.


Rare Event: Jupiter to Hide Behind the Moon (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - A rare and spectacular event will occur in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Dec. 7 when the brilliant planet Jupiter and three of its largest satellites pass behind Earth's Moon.


Supreme Court to Decide Cable Internet Case (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. Supreme Court said on\Friday it would decide what regulations should apply to\high-speed broadband Internet service offered by cable\companies like Time Warner Inc., a key case that could decide\whether such lines must be opened to competitors.


What Do You Say to An Extraterrestrial? (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - I once thought that worrying about what we should broadcast to extraterrestrials made as much sense as fretting over the small talk I'd venture with King Carl XVI Gustaf if I won the Nobel Prize. I reckoned there was no need to dwell on the problem, as it was both hypothetical and irrelevant.


Smithsonian Exhibit Explores Orchid Lore (AP)

AP - An oversized model train speeds over the heads of visitors to guide them through 200 species of orchids.


Experts Nix Endangered Status for Grouse (AP)

AP - Interior Department biologists have recommended against adding the sage grouse to the endangered species list, a determination that could wind up benefiting natural gas and oil producers but add to environmentalists' concerns.


Major Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast (AP)

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


U.S., Iran Join in Rare Gulf Security Conference

MANAMA (Reuters) - A conference on regional security  threats opened in Bahrain on Friday, in a rare gathering of  senior officials and strategists from Gulf Arab states as well  as Iran, Iraq and the United States.


Quirkiest News of 2004: Flatulent Fish and Beyond

See our top ten picks of the oddest and most unexpected discoveries of the year, from cat cloning to hobbit-like humans to bloodsucking bedbugs.


"I Am David" Film Puts Human Face on Refugee Crisis

Opening in the U.S. today, the movie <i>I Am David</i> depicts a Bulgarian refugee's struggle in post-World War II Europe. The film is being used by the UN to highlight the plight of current-day refugees.


Price of 5 Golden Rings Plummets

The cost of Christmas rose this year, but some surprising elements got cheaper.


Analysts: Lenovo an Odd Inquirer for IBM #39;s PC Biz

A report in The New York Times that IBM is poised to sell off its PC unit has provoked mixed reactions and tentative interpretations from analysts who follow the historic company.


World oil prices slip, capping sharp weekly decline

NEW YORK (AFP) - Global crude prices fell, capping a 13-percent, three-day plunge triggered by news of an unexpectedly sharp gain in US petroloeum stockpiles.


Russia welcomes oil firms to bid for Yukos

NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 3: Thanks to his old hand in oil diplomacy, Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar was able to reap as much as possible from a brief 12-minute meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.


High court agrees to hear dispute over cable Internet access

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court is taking up the issue of whether cable-based broadband is a telecommunications service that makes it subject to the same FCC rules that apply to phone companies.


McDonald #39;s CEO Vows to Build on Momentum

McDonald #39;s Corp. #39;s second new CEO in eight months pledged Friday to keep up the fast-food giant #39;s momentum with more new menu items and a continued focus on restaurant improvements, adhering to a course that has reinvigorated the burger chain #39;s sales and


SUV sales in Tennessee jump fastest in the country

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Sales of sport utility vehicles jumped 151 percent in Tennessee between 1997 and 2002 - faster than any other state and three times the national rate, a new government report says.


Microsofts New Blogging Service

Microsoft quietly launched its new blogging service, MSN Spaces, earlier this week. The quiet launch has already attracted more than 250,000 users to the new service, still in beta.


Napster Creator Creates Way To Pay For Traded Files

The man whose Napster software let lots of music fans swap songs on the Internet for free is now working to help the music companies who once sued him out of business.


HP drops plans to put Compaq technology into HP-UX

DECEMBER 03, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Hewlett-Packard Co. said yesterday that it has abandoned plans to integrate a number of advanced technologies it acquired in its 2002 purchase of Compaq Computer Corp.


Nortel Wins \$5M Virtual Call Center Contract with BT

A new system from Nortel will replace British Telecom #39;s existing distributed infrastructure based on Nortel Meridian private branch exchange products.


Irish botch chance to hire Meyer

Doesn #39;t anyone watch The Apprentice? The Donald drove home the point Thursday night that you never underestimate your enemy, and that #39;s precisely what Notre Dame did apparently assuming it could low-ball Meyer


Owners vote to move team

The president of the re-named Washington Nationals, Tony Tavares, told WTOP Radio the vote was overwhelming. Tavares said the deal to move the Expos remains contingent on the DC Council giving final approval to a stadium plan.


Suicide strike kills 14 in Iraq

: A suicide car bomber ploughed into a Shia mosque in Baghdad after dawn prayers today, killing 14 people and stoking fears that sectarian divisions over when to hold elections could unleash further bloodshed.


REGION: Iran making a lot of mistakes

WASHINGTON: US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Thursday Iran was making a lot of mistakes but said any action to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons was a call for President George W Bush and other leaders to make.


Munabao-Khokhropar: Pakistan, India agree to re-open another train <b>...</b>

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India agreed on Friday to re-open the Khokhropar-Munabao railway link, which was severed nearly 40 years ago.


North Korea nuclear issue must be resolved peacefully, South <b>...</b>

LONDON - South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said on Friday the nuclear standoff with North Korea must be resolved peacefully, despite hawks in the United States pushing for a more hardline approach.


Sharon steps up efforts to form national unity govt

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon stepped up efforts on Friday to overcome resistance in the ranks of his right-wing Likud party to an enlarged government coalition with the centre-left Labour, ahead of a decisive party meeting.


British death toll from tsunami could approach 200: foreign secretary (AFP)

AFP - Forty Britons have died in the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster and 159 others were missing and "highly likely" to have died, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said, suggesting the death toll could approach 200.


Disney World increases daily ticket prices; offers other options

Walt Disney World, revamping its admissions policy for the first time in at least two decades, is dramatically restructuring its ticket pricing structure by offering lower prices for longer stays and other options.


Spain on top in Seville

Rafael Nadal has repaid the faith shown in him by defeating Andy Roddick in four sets to hand Spain a 2-0 lead after the first day of the Davis Cup final in Seville.


Double act can bring Old Firm fans back

TOMMY BURNS #39; appointment as Walter Smith #39;s assistant had nothing to do with politics and everything to do with him being the right man.


Yanks, Mets close to deal

In a change-of-scenery deal, the Yankees are close to a trade that would send left-handed reliever Felix Heredia to the Mets and put Mike Stanton back in pinstripes.


Five 2012 Bid Cities Make Presentations To European Olympic <b>...</b>

Prior to their 10-minute presentations before the general assembly of the European Olympic Committees in Dubrovnik Croatia, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge spoke to the five cities bidding to host the 2012 Summer Olympic


Madrid blasts after ETA warning

Five explosions hit Madrid at Friday evening rush hour -- three of them at gas stations -- after a warning from the Basque separatist group ETA, police said.


Donation Line For Flooded Philippines

Floodwaters have receded in the northern Philippines, following a week of severe flooding and four typhoons, but thousands of people remain cut off from help.


Yankees Send Lofton to Phillies for Rodriguez

The begin reshaping their roster, sending Kenny Lofton and cash to the Phillies for setup man Felix Rodriguez and nearing a trade to reacquire Mike Stanton from the Mets.


UPDATE 1-Aon sells much of Endurance holding for \$320.5 mln

Insurance broker Aon Corp. (AOC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Friday it sold nearly all of its equity investment in property and casualty insurer Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd.


East Carolina hires Skip Holtz as football coach

Holtz replaces John Thompson, who was forced out about two weeks ago after a 3-and-20 record in two seasons with the Pirates. Holtz has spent six years as assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach at South


Treasuries Rally as Job Doubts Reemerge

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasury debt prices soared on Friday  after the latest employment figures suggested U.S. job creation  continues to lag, soothing worries the Federal Reserve might  raise interest rates more aggressively.


Oil Prices Fall Below \$43

Crude oil futures sank for a fourth straight day Friday, settling beneath \$43 a barrel for the first time in nearly three months and capping a 14 percent decline for the week.


Head of Lockheed's Aeronautics Division to Retire

The head of the aeronautics division of defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. will retire next year, the company announced Friday. The division makes fighter jets and other planes for the United States and foreign armies.


Microsoft Sues Porn Spammers over  #39;Brown Wrapper #39; Violations

Spam that includes sexually oriented content viewable in the e-mail message violates the  quot;brown paper wrapper quot; rules that are part of the CAN-SPAM law, as well as Federal Trade Commission rules.


Lycos pulls the plug on anti-spam screensaver

Lycos Europe has yanked its  quot;Make Love, Not Spam quot; anti-spam screensaver from its site, leaving only a cryptic message of  quot;Stay Tuned quot; in its place.


Expos move gets owner backing

MLB owners have voted 29-1 to approve the proposed move of the Montreal Expos to Washington for the 2005 season. The decision is still subject to the District of Columbia government enacting funding for a new stadium.


Vizcaino gets one-year deal

Houston Astros: The Astros re-signed utility infielder Jose Vizcaino to a one-year contract. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Vizcaino made \$1.2 million last year.


Holtz introduced as East Carolina #39;s football coach

East Carolina introduced former South Carolina assistant Skip Holtz as its head football coach on Friday, welcoming him as the man to lead the program  quot;into a new era.


Holtz Introduced As East Carolina Coach (AP)

AP - East Carolina introduced former South Carolina assistant Skip Holtz as its head football coach on Friday, welcoming him as the man to lead the program "into a new era."


Meyer Headed to Univ. of Florida

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Sports Network) - In a surprising turn  of events, Urban Meyer is expected to be named head football  coach at the University of Florida.


Yankees Re-Sign Catcher Flaherty

NEW YORK (Sports Network) - The New York Yankees re-signed  catcher John Flaherty to a one-year contract on Friday.


Dow chemical given poison well water to mark mass Bhopal deaths (AFP)

AFP - A group of activists on Friday delivered to Dow Chemical a container of poisoned well water from the Bhopal gas disaster site to mark the 20th anniversary of the world's worst industrial accident in India.


Bush asks defence chief to stay

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld accepts a request from President Bush to say in his job, a senior official said.


Supreme Court Takes Broadband Regulation Case

Grotius writes  quot;Reuters reported that the Supreme Court will hear a broadband regulation case that may determine whether FCC regulations apply to cable companies providing broadband services.


Weak employment report casts doubts over US economic strength

WASHINGTON (AFP) - A weaker-than-anticipated report on the US labor market, showing just 112,000 jobs added in November, cast fresh doubts over the pace of growth of the world #39;s largest economy.


ANNWhat does Asia want from China?

Asians tend not to be very straightforward. They avoid precise questions and exact answers, even on matters of paramount importance - like money.


Microbes on Mars pose risk to Earth

Earth #39;s defences may need to be boosted against the risk of potentially deadly microbes returning on board space probes sent to study Mars, according to leading scientists.


Death toll reaches 35 in Philippine typhoon

MANILA - Powerful Typhoon Yoyong, which pounded the main Philippine island Luzon from late Thursday, killed at least 35 people in landslides, electrocutions and by falling trees, disaster officials said Friday.


US Treasury report finds no forex manipulation

None of the United States #39; major trading partners manipulated their currencies to gain economic advantage in the first half of 2004, the US Treasury Department said in a report released on Friday.


Kildow Continues US Domination in Downhill Skiing

Lindsey Kildow of the United States won a women #39;s downhill Friday to celebrate the first World Cup victory of her career. With compatriots Bode Miller and


Flaherty agrees to stay with Yankees

Backup catcher John Flaherty decided to stay with the New York Yankees, agreeing Friday to an \$800,000, one-year contract. Flaherty, 37, hit .252 in 127 at-bats but was the key to several New York wins, hitting six homers and driving in 16 runs.


Treasury Report Finds No Manipulation

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - None of the United States' major  trading partners manipulated their currencies to gain economic  advantage in the first half of 2004, the U.S. Treasury  Department said in a report released on Friday.


IBM in talks to sell its PC business

IBM is in talks to sell its personal computer manufacturing business which, if successful, would mark the end of an era in the brief history of the PC, a machine the company helped to invent.


Office Depot Aims for Business Customers

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Retailer Office Depot Inc. ODP.N is  making over its brand, appealing to small business customers  who still find it hard to distinguish its staples from those of  its biggest rival.


US Study Says Sage Grouse Not Endangered

The US Fish and Wildlife Service said on Friday its senior biologists have recommended that the greater sage grouse not be listed as an endangered species, a finding for


Rothschild Buys Stake in Liberation Paper

When the leading left-wing tabloid sells a sizable stake to a Rothschild heir, you know things are getting desperate for France #39;s newspaper industry.


Mervyn #39;s Welcomes Back Salvation Army Bell Ringers

Mervyns announced Thursday it is lifting its ban on Salvation Army bell ringers and is making an exception to its no solicitation policy for the Armys annual Christmas Kettle Drive.


McDonald #39;s CEOs display pattern of chronic disease

Embattled McDonald #39;s has lost its second CEO in the past year after Charlie Bell resigned today to continue his battle with cancer.


Wal-Mart Brightens Dec. Sales Forecast

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT.N, the  world's biggest retailer, on Monday brightened its outlook for  December sales at U.S. stores open at least a year, now  expecting sales to increase 3 percent.


Lycos Europe Appears To Have Canned Its Spam War

Earlier this week, the online community/portal company started distributing a screensaver that conducted the attacks by making requests from servers  quot;verified to be spam-advertising sites, quot; Lycos said.


Stocks Set to Start '05 on Upbeat Note

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures gained on Monday as  oil prices slid lower -- pointing to an upbeat start to 2005  when Wall Street opens.


Singulus to support Blu-ray Disc mass production

DECEMBER 03, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - TOKYO -- Blu-ray Disc will take an important step forward next year when Singulus Technologies AG begins selling machines for mass producing read-only versions of the discs, the company said this week.


HP laughs off Tru64 promises, welcomes Veritas

HP has given up on trying to bring key parts of Compaq/DEC #39;s Tru64 operating system over to HP-UX and decided instead to buy similar technology from Veritas.


Kazaa launches file-swap defence

Lawyers for file-swapping software firm Kazaa have begun their defence in a landmark Australian music piracy case. Kazaa said its software, which allows users to exchange copyrighted music over


Prince of Persia: The Warrior Within is Now Available!

Ubisoft has announced that Prince of Persia: The Warrior Within is now out for all platforms, including the Nintendo GameCube. Developed by Ubisofts Montreal studio, the same that brought you Prince of


From the sidelines

SI.com spoke to Sports Illustrated senior writer Jon Wertheim, who is in Seville, Spain, covering the Davis Cup final for the magazine.


Reports say Meyer is gone

Amid widespread media reports that he has accepted the job as head football coach at the University of Florida, Utah #39;s Urban Meyer was at his home Friday afternoon in Sandy, a suburb of Salt Lake City.


John Flaherty is a career .255 hitter with 78 homers and 384 RBIs. <b>...</b>

NEW YORK -- The Yankees made their first player signing of the 2004-05 offseason on Friday, inking backup catcher John Flaherty to a one-year contract.


Egypt, Israel Work to Resolve Dispute (AP)

AP - In the latest sign of improving ties, Egypt and Israel moved closer to resolving a simmering dispute Friday, a day after President Hosni Mubarak called Israel's prime minister the best chance for Mideast peace.


A sovereign Quebec would help trade between Quebec and northeast: Duceppe (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - (CP) - Trade between Quebec and the northeastern United States is a natural and a sovereign Quebec would help make it easier, Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe said Friday.


Danforth's moderate leanings tested in politics and at UN (AFP)

AFP - John Danforth, who has resigned as US ambassador to the United Nations, is a respected moderate within the Republican establishment and an ordained Episcopal priest sometimes nicknamed "Saint Jack."


Kiev Parties as Court Orders Re-Run of Rigged Poll

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine begins preparing on Saturday for a  new election after its highest court annulled a rigged poll,  breaking a political deadlock and triggering a night of  ecstatic street celebrations in Kiev.


Powell Says U.S. Can't Hunt Iran Nukes in Caves

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State Colin Powell said  on Friday that Washington had no way to force Iran to allow  U.N. inspectors unrestricted access to suspected nuclear sites  despite U.S. doubts Tehran would come clean on its own.


Wal-Mart Brightens Dec. Sales Forecast (Reuters)

Reuters - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. , the\world's biggest retailer, on Monday brightened its outlook for\December sales at U.S. stores open at least a year, now\expecting sales to increase 3 percent.


Hornets, Mavericks Swap Armstrong, Dickau (AP)

AP - The New Orleans Hornets traded veteran guard Darrell Armstrong to the Dallas Mavericks for third-year player Dan Dickau on Friday.


Monaco record first Ligue 1 win in nine games

Two first half goals within two minutes gave Monaco a 2-0 win over Stade Rennes on Friday, ending a series of eight Ligue 1 games without a win.


Abbas making progress on a truce

TEL AVIV Mahmoud Abbas, the new leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the man expected to be elected president of the Palestinian Authority, has been making progress in persuading radical groups like Hamas to hold their fire against Israeli


DRC FORCES ALERT AS CIVILIANS FLEE

The Democratic Republic of Congo has placed it troops on alert and is deploying soldiers to the east of the country, after reports that Rwandan troops have infiltrated the area.


November Job Growth Unexpectedly Weak

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy created only  112,000 new jobs in November, the government said on Friday,  about a third of October's total and weak enough to deepen a  shadow of uncertainty hanging over the holiday sales season.


IBM Reported to Put Its PC Business Up for Sale

IBM (IBM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) is reportedly in talks to sell its personal computer business in a deal that could be worth up to \$2 billion and would cap a


Oil prices fall 14 per cent in a week

NEW YORK - Crude oil futures fell for a fourth day Friday, settling below \$43 a barrel for the first time since August and extending the week #39;s decline in oil prices to 14 per cent.


Salvation Army using cardboard bell-ringers to stoke donations

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. That smiling Salvation Army bell-ringer may look a little frozen in place this holiday season, but it #39;s not because of the cold weather.


Fidelity still fighting independent chair rule

Fidelity Investments hasn #39;t given up its opposition to a rule that requires the boards of mutual funds to have an independent chair, and the senior US senator from New Hampshire is backing that effort.


Moody #39;s revises FedEx outlook to stable from negative

Moody #39;s Investors Service on Friday revised its outlook on FedEx Corp. (FDX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) to stable from negative, citing expected improvements in FedEx #39;s profits


Forbes Removes Ad-Sponsored Links on Site (AP)

AP - Forbes magazine is removing paid advertising links from stories that appear on its Web site, abandoning an experiment it began in August.


Microsoft Sues over Lewd Spam

In seven newly filed lawsuits, Microsoft alleges the purveyors of unsolicited obscene e-mail messages violated federal restrictions.


Napster #39;s Fanning Back in the P2P Game

The idea behind Snocap, Napster creator Shawn Fanning #39;s new endeavor, is to give rights holders the level of comfort they need to make their content available on P2P networks.


MS Rolls Out Second Interim Beta of SQL Server 2005

Microsoft Corp. on Friday released its second Community Technology Preview of SQL Server 2005 and rolled out a new, free tool to manage SQL Server 2000 and MSDE (Microsoft Desktop Engine) 2000.


PlayStation 3 chip goes easy on developers

com December 3, 2004, 3:26 PM PT. SAN FRANCISCO--The  quot;Cell quot; processor that will power the next version of the PlayStation game console will also be adaptable for advanced scientific


Sun submits mystery license to open source group

A Sun engineer chartered with directing the engineering effort to open source Solaris has published a new software license that could be used for the open-source release of Sun #39;s Unix operating system.


Lycos Europe Ends Spam-Fighting Campaign (AP)

AP - The Web portal Lycos Europe on Friday terminated a spam-fighting campaign that had been criticized as a breach of Internet civility.


Jones to sue Conte over doping claims

US sprint queen Marion Jones says she will sue accused steroid peddler Victor Conte over his allegations that she received banned drugs before winning five medals at the Sydney Olympics.


Holtz Introduced As East Carolina Coach

GREENVILLE, NC Dec 3, 2004 - East Carolina introduced former South Carolina assistant Skip Holtz as its head football coach on Friday, welcoming him as the man to lead the program  quot;into a new era.


EBay Adds 'Want It Now' Feature (Reuters)

Reuters - EBay Inc.  has added a\new "Want it Now" feature for people to request exactly what\they want on the online marketplace, a spokesman said on\Friday.


IBM Reported to Put Its PC Business Up for Sale (Reuters)

Reuters - IBM  is reportedly in\talks to sell its personal computer business in a deal that\could be worth up to  #36;2 billion and would cap a gradual\withdrawal from the business it helped to pioneer in 1981.


Kabila sends 10,000 troops to border

KINSHASA, Friday - The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Thursday began deploying troops to the east of the country amid reports that Rwandan forces were operating in the area and thousands of civilians were fleeing clashes.


Rescuers scramble to help survivors of Philippines floods; more than 650 killed (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - REAL, Philippines (AP) - Helicopters delivered food to famished survivors and picked up casualties as flash floods began to recede, revealing the magnitude of a disaster triggered by back-to-back storms that left more than 650 people dead and nearly 400 missing in the northern Philippines.


Report: IBM To Spin Off PC Unit (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - IBM (NYSE: IBM) is selling its PC business, marking the end of an era for the\personal computing pioneer, according to a story published today in the


Air India trial ends after 19 months, judge to decide verdict March 16, 2005 (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - VANCOUVER (CP) - The Air India bombing trial concluded Friday, leaving only a judge to decide the verdict of two men accused of plotting Canada's worst mass murder and one of the world's worst acts of terrorism.


Apple Shares Fall on Needham Downgrade (AP)

AP - Apple Computer Inc. shares fell Friday after Needham  amp; Co. downgraded the stock to "hold" from "buy."


How Global Warming Can Lead to a Big Chill (Reuters)

Reuters - Global warming could lead to a big\chill in the North Atlantic, at least if history is anything to\go by, researchers reported on Friday.


Owners Approve Move

Baseball's owners vote to approve the relocation of the Expos to Washington for the 2005 season despite a lone objection from Orioles owner Peter Angelos.


Lycos Fights Spam With DDOS

Lycos Europe has recently joined the fight against spam by releasing a screensaver as part of its "Make Love Not Spam" campaign, which uses its participants machines to bombard websites that advertise through spam e-mails with data, effectively launching a distributed denial of service attack against them, with the intent being to push up bandwidth bills of the spammers who operate these websites.    Is this an effective new front in the battle against spam?


HP must open source Tru64 goodies - users

Letters DEC/Compaq hands in pain


IBM Reported to Put Its PC Business Up for Sale

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - IBM IBM.N is reportedly in  talks to sell its personal computer business in a deal that  could be worth up to \$2 billion and would cap a gradual  withdrawal from the business it helped to pioneer in 1981.


EBay Adds 'Want It Now' Feature

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - EBay Inc. EBAY.O has added a  new "Want it Now" feature for people to request exactly what  they want on the online marketplace, a spokesman said on  Friday.


BellSouth Prepares Network Upgrade for Video

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - BellSouth Corp. BLS.N, the No. 3  U.S. local telephone company, plans to upgrade its network to  offer video services and speedier Internet access to about 80  percent its customers by 2009, industry sources said.


Supreme Court to Decide Cable Internet Case

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court said on  Friday it would decide what regulations should apply to  high-speed broadband Internet service offered by cable  companies like Time Warner Inc., a key case that could decide  whether such lines must be opened to competitors.


Court Says Interior Dept. Web Site Can Stay Online

The U.S. Interior Department can keep its computers connected to the Internet despite the fact that hackers could manipulate royalty payments owed to American Indians for use of their land, an appeals court ruled Friday.


IBM Putting PC Business Up for Sale

International Business Machines Corp.'s possible exit from the personal computer business would be the latest move in what amounts to a long goodbye from a field it pioneered and revolutionized.


High Court To Decide if Rivals May Use Cable for Web Access

The US Supreme Court said today it will hear argument on whether online cable access must allow rivals to use its equipment. The case could ultimately decide whether cable operators must allow use of their


White House: China Abides by Currency Law

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration said Friday that neither China nor any other major trading partner of the United States is violating a US law against currency manipulation to gain unfair trade advantages.


Walgreen Quarterly Profit Rises (Reuters)

Reuters - Walgreen Co. , one of the\largest U.S. drugstore chain operators, on Monday posted a 30.5\percent jump in quarterly profit, boosted by increased sales of\prescription drugs.


Former cybersecurity czar: Code-checking tools needed

DECEMBER 03, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - WASHINGTON - 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 US


McLeish #39;s confidence tempered by Boumsong interest

SIMILAR to the actors role, the art of supreme defending is all about timing. The maxim will not be lost on Jean-Alain Boumsong, who is already guaranteed to secure the vote of player of the year from virtually every Rangers supporter.


Reports: Meyer accepts Florida job

It looks like Florida is going to get its first choice this time. Turned down by Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops and Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan three years ago before


History says UT could pull upset

Auburn will enter Saturdays SEC championship game as a heavy favorite over Tennessee, and for good reason. While Auburn dominated opponents on its way to the SEC West title, Tennessee looked more vulnerable


Eta explodes ceasefire hopes with five bombs in the Spanish <b>...</b>

ETA, the Basque separatist organisation, detonated five small bombs in Madrid last night, signalling that, despite recent setbacks, it was not yet ready to renounce violence.


Q A: ISS exec on security threat prevention

Tom Noonan, the CEO of Internet Security Systems, talked with Computerworld about why companies need to stop simply reacting to security threats and focus on preventing them as well.


Lack of tests could block virtualization

Attendees at Gartner's annual data center conference said their packaged applications have to be tested on servers equipped with virtualization software before they can adopt the technology. But some vendors may not have the wherewithal to do the testing.


Intel to exceed previous Q4 expectations

Intel officials said yesterday that the company's fourth-quarter revenue will total between \$9.3 billion and \$9.5 billion, pushed up by demand for its desktop, notebook and server processors.


HP drops plans to put Compaq technology into HP-UX

Hewlett-Packard has dropped plans to add a number of technologies acquired in its purchase of Compaq Computer to its flagship HP-UX operating system, and will instead partner with Veritas Software on new file system and clustering capabilities.


IDC: IT spending to grow 6 in 2005

In its annual predictions for the upcoming year, IDC predicted that worldwide IT spending would grow 6.1 in 2005, a year that will be marked by "enormous turbulence" as well as significant consolidation and realignment in several key sectors.


Lycos pulls antispam screen saver from site

Lycos Europe NV drew criticism from some members of the security community who said the company is engaging in vigilantism and crossing the line by launching what are essentially distributed DOS attacks on spammers' sites.


Q A: IBM security chief puts focus on compliance, cyberattacks

Stuart McIrvine, IBM's new director of corporate security strategy, said he's working to better align the company's various IT security offerings to help users cope with regulatory compliance requirements, cyberattacks and other issues.


PLM vendors eye SMBs with alliances, tools

A growing interest in product life-cycle management capabilities by small and midsize manufacturing companies is fueling vendor attempts to make PLM technologies easier to deploy and use.


Update: IBM's PC business reportedly for sale

IBM is discussing selling its PC business to Lenovo Group Ltd., China's largest maker of personal computers, and at least one other potential buyer, according to The New York Times.


Apple releases December Security Update

Apple yesterday released a 12.7MB security update that consists of several revised components including Apache, AppKit, HIToolbox, Kerberos, Postfix, PSNormalizer, Safari and Terminal.


Update: AOL to adapt WebEx services for AIM consumers

America Online and WebEx Communications are evaluating ways to adapt some of the online meeting services they currently offer to business users of AOL's AIM instant messaging network to make these services appealing to AIM consumers.


Update: TheGlobe.com subsidiary guns for IM interoperability

Voiceglo, a subsidiary of TheGlobe.com, has released a test version of an application designed to create interoperability among four major consumer instant message (IM) networks.


U.S. Supreme Court to review cable Internet case

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review an appeals court ruling that opens up cable networks to competing Internet service providers (ISPs).
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Solaris 10(TM) OS: Position your business ten moves ahead.
Solaris 10 OS has arrived and provides even more\reasons for the world's most demanding businesses\to operate on this, the leading UNIX platform.\Like the fact you can run Linux and Solaris applications\side-by-side and run the same OS on SPARC(R),\AMD Opteron(TM), and Intel processor-based systems.\Discover more reasons and how Solaris 10 OS can move\your business ahead today.


Sun submits mystery license to open source group

A Sun Microsystems engineer chartered with directing the engineering effort to open source Solaris has published a new software license that could be used for the open-source release of Sun's Unix operating system. Though Sun is vague on details about the license, called the Common Development and Distribution License (CDDL), it is incompatible with Linux's software license.


Bush signs Internet tax moratorium

WASHINGTON - U.S. President George Bush on Friday signed into law a three-year moratorium on Internet access taxes.


Supreme Court To Hear Cable Modem Case

It is unfair that DSL products deemed telecom services have been regulated much more tightly than the primary competition -- cable modems -- telcos have complained.


Dickau sent to New Orleans

The Dallas Mavericks, seeking depth at point guard, will acquire veteran Darrell Armstrong from New Orleans in a trade for the inexperienced Dan Dickau, the Mavs announced Friday.


Selling Advertising on Your Website

Selling Advertising on Your Website\\The number of sites on the Web today is almost infinite, with new ones popping up every day. There are multiple types of sites: portals, "brochureware," content sites, directories, search engines, and ecommerce sites, to name a few. Those that do not sell product or services ...


Getting Listed in Netscapes Open Directory Project

Getting Listed in Netscape's Open Directory Project\\When you are deciding on the major search engine directories that you want your website to be listed in, you should not overlook one of the most important ones: the DMOZ (short form for Directory Mozilla). DMOZ is just another name for the Open ...


Napster Creator Unleashes New File Sharing Service\


Blog Declared Word of the Year

Blog Declared Word of the Year\\US Dictionary Merriam-Webster rsquo;s has announced that the word  #8220;blog #8221; is their word of the year in their annual pronouncement of the Top 10 words of 2004, which also bizarrely included the words cicada and defenestration. Webster rsquo;s defines a blog as  #8220;a Web site that contains ...


MSN Spaces Blog Service Review

MSN Spaces Blog Service Review\\This review started nearly 10 hours ago when MSN Spaces first went live, and its taken this long to complete due to the continual downtime of the site. It was originally going to be longer and in more depth, but I rsquo;d didn rsquo;t have all day and ...


World of Warcraft

Immerse yourself in the World of Warcraft, released simultaneously by Blizzard for both Mac and PC and get ready to play one of the years most anticipated games, released simultaneously for Mac and PC. Dec 03


.Mac Affiliate Program

Partner with .Mac  #151; Apple #146;s suite of Internet essentials  #151; as a .Mac affiliate. More than half-a-million people use .Mac to make the Internet the ultimate experience. Learn how your customers can, too. Dec 03


Chancellor reveals pension rises

Poorer pensioners will get an extra 4 a week from April - or 6.10 more for couples - according to figures in the Pre-Budget report.


Lycos Europe Pulls Spam-Fighting Screensaver

Analysts say a new twist on the war against spammers in Europe isn #39;t likely to spill across Unites States borders, but is rather an opening salvo more likely to fizzle than to explode.


Universal on Board with Napster Founder #39;s New Venture

Shawn Fanning #39;s latest peer-to-peer (P2P) venture, Snocap, may have a long way to go to prove its success in the current online music landscape.


Blog Declared Word of the Year

US Dictionary Merriam-Websters has announced that the word blog is their word of the year in their annual pronouncement of the Top 10 words of 2004, which also bizarrely included the words cicada and defenestration.


Bonds Could Have Unknowingly Taken Steroids

Barry Bonds took creams and oils that could have contained steroids, but did so unknowingly out of blind faith in his trainer and best friend, the baseball player #39;s lawyer said on Friday.


Villeneuve the fastest in test session

LONDON: Canadian Jacques Villeneuve set the pace for Sauber while Germanys Nick Heidfeld did his best to impress Williams in a wet and windy Formula One test session at Jerez on Thursday.


Olazabal in hunt for US invitation

Jose Maria Olazabal has revealed that his participation on next year #39;s regular US Tour now hinges on receiving sponsors invitations.


No Kidd-ing, Jason Back?

com. Two Eastern Conference Championship banners hung by the rafters with care in hopes that Jason Kidd soon would be there. Nets fans have been singing this twist on the old holiday


Series of small explosions shake Madrid

The explosions hit five gas stations simultaneously, after a telephone warning from the armed Basque separatist group ETA. Two police officers were slightly wounded by one of the bombs.


Scramble to Reach Philippine Survivors

MANILA, 4 December 2004 - With floods receding, rescuers raced to deliver food to famished survivors in northeastern Philippine villages isolated by back-to-back storms that left more than 650 people dead and almost 400 missing.


Reporter finds poor security at Heathrow

Sky News reports its undercover look at security shortcomings at London #39;s Heathrow Airport has sparked a government investigation.


Oil prices continue pullback

New York - Oil prices continued to plummet on Thursday, falling almost five per cent to hit a 12-week low. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, the January contract for light sweet crude was down \$2.24 US


Employers Add 112,000 New Jobs in Nov.

Employers slowed their hiring as they headed into the holiday shopping season, adding just 112,000 new jobs in November for the weakest gain in five months.


Forecast for next year: fewer nasty hurricanes

Storm weary residents of Florida and the rest of the Southeast can take a little consolation from the first forecast of tropical weather for next year.


Microsoft rolls out blogging service

Microsoft #39;s entry into the blogging realm with MSN Spaces will cause an exponential growth in popularity for the Web-based communications technology.


International track body meets to choose 2009 World Championships <b>...</b>

The International Association of Athletics Federations will select the venue of the 2009 world track and field championships from three bidding European cities during its two-day meeting this weekend.


Hornets trade Armstrong for Dallas #39; Dickau

Hornets general manager Allen Bristow said the move would allow the Hornets, off to a 1-13 start, to give more playing time to new, younger guards Junior Harrington and Alex Garcia.


American Lindsey Kildow wins first downhill, Turgeon top Canadian <b>...</b>

LAKE LOUISE, Alta. (CP) - Lindsey Kildow of Vail, Colo., won her first World Cup downhill race Friday, continuing the American domination of the early part of the ski season.


Former rebel leader elected Kosovo prime minister

The Kosovo parliament on Friday elected former rebel leader Ramush Haradinaj, an ethnic Albanian, as prime minister of the UN-controlled southern Serbian province.


Hamas May Accept Statehood in West Bank (AP)

AP - The militant group Hamas will accept a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and a long-term truce with Israel, a leader said Friday, apparently softening Hamas' hardline stance and boosting hopes for renewed peace efforts after Yasser Arafat's death.


Supreme Court to Hear ISP, Cable Dispute (AP)

AP - The Supreme Court agreed Friday to consider whether cable companies must open their high-speed lines to rival Internet providers.


134 Nations Drop Death Penalty; 62 Still Have It

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A total of 134 countries have  given up capital punishment, 10 more than had done so at the  start of 2003, a campaigner against capital punishment reported  on Friday.


Wal-Mart, fending off rivals, slashes prices on 24 items

Bruised by aggressive promotional pricing by competitors over the Thanksgiving weekend, Wal-Mart on Thursday announced a counterattack.


Microsoft Bends On NT Support

Faced with continued customer foot-dragging on license renewals and deployment, Microsoft said Friday has decided to offer  quot;custom quot; Windows NT 4.0 support contracts to enterprises that still haven #39;t migrated to later versions of the network operating


Hornets trade Armstrong to Mavericks for Dickau (AFP)

AFP - The New Orleans Hornets, who have the worst record in the National Basketball Association, looked to the future as they traded Darell Armstrong to Dallas for Dan Dickau, the Mavericks said.


Drugs in sport: Jones denies fresh Conte claims over injecting <b>...</b>

Marion Jones denied the allegations that emerged yesterday from Victor Conte, the man at the centre of the Balco doping scandal, who claimed that he had witnessed her injecting performance-enhancing drugs he supplied.


OAKLAND, Calif. (Reuters) - Barry Bonds took creams and  oils that could have contained steroids, but did so unknowingly  out of blind faith in his trainer and best friend, the baseball  player's lawyer said on Friday.


Kettle crew not on Target

The Salvation Army #39;s red kettles are being banned from collecting outside Target #39;s 1,313 stores nationwide, costing the charitable organization an estimated \$9 million in holiday donations and


NTL to sell broadcast business for 1.84bn

UK media company NTL has entered into an agreement to sell its broadcast business to a consortium led by Australian firm Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group (MCG) and other third party investors for a purchase price of 1.84bn.


Moya lands opening point for Spain

SEVILLE, Spain (AFP) -- Carlos Moya fired Spain into a 1-0 lead on Friday at Seville #39;s Olympic Stadium, defeating Mardy Fish of the United States 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 in 1hr 57min.


F1: Button  #39;misguided #39; over move

FORMULA One star Jenson Button admits his attempts to secure a move to Williams were  quot;misguided quot;. The 24-year-old declared his intention to leave BAR in August to rejoin his first team but the move was blocked


Area sports in brief

One of the people free-agent right-hander Carl Pavano wanted to talk to on his trip to Detroit was Tigers pitching coach Bob Cluck.


Weak employment report casts doubts over US economic strength (AFP/File)

AFP/File - A weaker-than-anticipated report on the US labor market, showing just 112,000 jobs added in November, cast fresh doubts over the pace of growth of the world's largest economy.


US Study Says Sage Grouse Not Endangered

A government study has concluded the greater sage grouse is not an endangered species, a finding ranching and oil and gas interests in the West had lobbied hard for, a congressional spokesman said on Friday.


Music industry asks Napster founder, former arch foe, for help

LOS ANGELES: The recording industry has turned to its former arch-nemesis, the founder of online music file-swapping service Napster, to help it beat the piracy that it once accused him of spawning.


Germany  #39;thwarts attack on Iraqi premier #39;

BERLIN: German authorities arrested three Iraqis yesterday on suspicion that they planned an attack on Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi while he was visiting Germany, the country #39;s chief prosecutor said.


Deliberations Begin in Air India Bomb Trial

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - Nearly two decades  after Air India Flight 182 exploded over the Atlantic Ocean  killing 329 people, the fate of the two Sikh extremists charged  with the bombing is finally in hands of a judge.


Chemical Plant Explosion Rocks Houston (Reuters)

Reuters - An explosion at a southwest Houston\chemical plant was felt as far as 15 miles away on Friday\night, witnesses told Reuters.


Possible boycott at Target stores due to opposition of holiday <b>...</b>

(December 3, 2004, 7:38 pm) Target stores may soon be the focus of a boycott because of a new holiday policy. In January, Target officials informed the Salvation Army that their holiday bell ringers could


Conte blows the whistle on Jones

After 18 months of leaks, slurs and broken reputations the biggest doping scandal in sports history took its most dramatic twist yesterday when the man at the centre of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative investigation claimed he had devised and


Drugs in Sport: Baseball rocked by Bonds and Giambi admissions

The ever-widening Balco scandal has sent new shockwaves through baseball, as it emerged that Barry Bonds, arguably the best player in the game, had used suspicious substances


Norgren on the move at PGA

Swedish golfer Marcus Norgren picked up three shots through five holes in today #39;s third round of the Australian PGA Championship on Queensland #39;s Sunshine Coast.


Amateur body pencils Bolton hero into plans for a golden future

Amir Khan will be the favourite to win gold in the lightweight division at the World Amateur Boxing Championships in Mianyang City, China, next November - assuming, that is, that the three-time champion and double Olympic gold medallist Mario Kindeln


NBA Sues to Stop Review of Brawl Suspensions

The National Basketball Association has filed a lawsuit to block the players #39; union obtaining an independent review of the lengthy suspensions which followed the mass brawl in last month #39;s game between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit


Notre Dame Says Coach Search Is Ongoing (AP)

AP - Notre Dame's Plan 'A' appears to be heading to Florida.


China #39;s Risk of Hard Landing #39; for Economy Remains, US Says

China #39;s policy of fixing the value of its currency to the dollar has made government efforts to slow its economy more difficult, the US Treasury Department said in a semi-annual report


Bush Signs Internet Tax Moratorium (PC World)

PC World - Action doesn't cancel existing taxes on Internet sales, however.


Rise Of Virtual Wireless Firms (Investor's Business Daily)

Investor's Business Daily - Operating a wireless phone company is hardly a license to print money. Many wireless firms struggle to generate cash flow. It normally takes years to break even.


IBM Reportedly Set To Sell Its Personal Computer Business (Investor's Business Daily)

Investor's Business Daily - Big Blue might be ready to lose another key link to its hardware legacy.


Studies: Captive Elephant Breeding Hard (AP)

AP - Elephants in zoos are living as long as those in the wild, but their population in captivity is dwindling because it is so difficult to breed them, according to studies released Friday.


Putin Accuses U.S. of Double Standard (AP)

AP - Russian President Vladimir Putin sharply criticized the United States on Friday, accusing it of a double-standard in fighting terrorism and questioning whether any election in Iraq can be democratic when fighting is raging in the country.


Thousands Uprooted by Clashes in East Congo -U.N.

GOMA, Congo (Reuters) - Thousands of civilians have fled  their homes after clashes in the east of the Democratic  Republic of Congo, the United Nations said on Friday, but it  was unclear who was behind the violence.


Salvation Army Bell Ringers Welcomed Back To Mervyn #39;s

MONTEREY, Calif. -- Salvation Army bell ringers will be back in time for the holidays, at least at one nationwide store chain that had banned them.


Bush Signs Internet Tax Moratorium

President George Bush on Friday signed into law a three-year moratorium on Internet access taxes. The law extends a ban on Internet taxes that expired on November 1, 2003.


Prince Of Persia Returns

Ubisoft has released its holiday flagship title, Prince of Persia: Warrior Within for all major consoles, including the Nintendo GameCube.


Busch Picks Up Honors at NASCAR Awards (AP)

AP - Kurt Busch's busy week of celebration was capped Friday night with his acceptance of NASCAR's Nextel Cup championship trophy.


Bonds Tries to Clear His Name

Barry Bonds -- the biggest name in baseball -- has now been smeared by the steroid scandal known as Balco, and the San Francisco Giants superstar tried to clear his image through his attorney Friday.


Williams suffer fresh bout of road rage

If Sir Frank Williams hoped a complete change of drivers for 2005 would eradicate the tensions that raged so publicly between Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya last season, the British team principal appears mistaken.


Princeton #39;s Steep Climb Finally Ends

Having established itself as a women #39;s soccer power in the Ivy League, Princeton made a significant leap into the NCAA #39;s upper echelon this year by reaching the College Cup for the first time.


Hearing set for Pacers #39; Artest

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Suspended Indiana Pacers forward Ron Artest will take the first steps in hopes of saving his NBA season next week.


Transmeta licenses low-power technology to Fujitsu

Transmeta has licensed its LongRun2 power management technology to Fujitsu, the second customer to purchase the rights to use the technology, Transmeta said Thursday.


States Begin Security Checks of Driver's License Photos

Fraud crackdown begins with with photo comparisons and invisible security numbers.


AOL to Adapt WebEx Services for AIM Consumers

Voice over IP, online presentations, and multiparty video conferencing under consideration.


Napster founder goes legit

Shawn Fanning, founder of Napster and former scourge of the music industry, has set up his own firm in an attempt to legitimise online file-sharing.


Tigers, Pavano optimstic after visit

com. Free agent pitcher Carl Pavano, whose visits to five American League cities in a week will set up the most talked-about pursuit at the Winter Meetings, left the Motor City on Friday


Australian Official Travels to Iraq (AP)

AP - Defense Minister Robert Hill traveled to Iraq Saturday to meet with some of the 900 soldiers Australia has stationed there as part of the U.S.-led coalition, the ministry said.


Brehaut Takes Lead in PGA Tour Qualifier (AP)

AP - Jeff Brehaut shot an 11-under 61 Friday and took a two-stroke lead halfway through the PGA Tour's final qualifying tournament.


Bush Appealing to Congress on 9/11 Bill (AP)

AP - President Bush will make a final appeal to Congress to find a way to pass legislation before the end of the year that would make the Sept. 11 commission's terror-fighting recommendations law, White House officials said Friday.


Halifax forecasts 2 house price fall

House prices will decline 2 per cent over the next year as the market experiences a  quot;measured slowdown quot;, the Halifax said yesterday.


Wolves  amp; Dudley agree Burtonwood takeover

Wolverhampton  amp; Dudley, the brewer and pub group, announced a 120m offer for Burtonwood of Cheshire, sparking speculation about a wave of sector consolidation.


Watchdogs: Don #39;t Scale Back Nuke Cleanup

The US Department of Homeland Security plans to scale back the level of cleanup recommended after detonation of a dirty bomb, policy watchdogs assert.


Ubisoft Ships Prince of Persia: Warrior Within

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - December 2, 2004 -bisoft, one of the worlds leading video game publishers, today announced that Prince of Persia: Warrior Within is now available on store shelves for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, Xbox


On a Slow Court, Spain Is Quicker

The first day of the Davis Cup final between Spain and the United States made history as a record 27,200 spectators took their seats under the temporary roof in the Estadio Olimpico.


Yanks May Have to Pay to Send Giambi Away

The Yankees are making plans for the 2005 season, desperately hoping that Jason Giambi will be a former Yankee but operating, at least for the moment, as if he will be with them.


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

Austrian Stephan Goergl ended American Bode Miller #39;s three-race winning streak by taking a World Cup Super-G race in the Colorado Rockies on Thursday.


Confusing week coming to end at Utah

Eventually, the Utah Utes will know who they #39;re playing, where they #39;re playing and who will be coaching them in the future.


NBA, Union Debate Brawl Before Arbitrator

NBA, Players #39; Union Go Before Arbitrator to Debate Suspensions of Four Players Over Mich. Brawl. A fan wearing a T-shirt with a message about the Indiana Pacers watches a large television screen during the


Mosul clashes plague forces in North Iraq

American and Iraqi forces clashed with insurgents in several areas of Mosul yesterday, killing at least 11 attackers in a key northern city that has seen a surge in violence recently, officials said.


Far Fewer Jobs Were Added in November Than Forecast

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


Weighing I.B.M.'s Possible Absence in the PC Market

I.B.M. is in discussions to sell its PC business to Lenovo, the largest maker of PC's in China - a burgeoning market that Hewlett-Packard and Dell covet.


Coupons in Hand, Shoppers Welcome Markdowns

Shocked by a mediocre post-Thanksgiving weekend, merchants are rushing to mark down their merchandise - before the majority of holiday shoppers have even seen it.


Some Officials Seeking Shift From Pensions

Some California officials are proposing that the state get out of the pension business and give state and municipal workers a 401(k) plan instead.


Rare bird falls to avian malaria

An extremely rare Hawaiian bird dies in captivity, possibly marking the extinction of its entire species only 31 years after it was first discovered.


Pound: Jones Should Lose Olympic Medals (AP)

AP - Marion Jones should be stripped of her five Olympic medals if allegations that she used banned drugs before the 2000 Sydney Games are true, World Anti-Doping Agency chief Dick Pound said Friday.


Pacers Activate Miller From Injured List (AP)

AP - Guard Reggie Miller was activated from the Indiana Pacers' injured list Friday, and the franchise's career scoring leader will make his season debut this weekend after serving a one-game suspension.


Even though the Yankees are trying to develop a case against Jason Giambi, they are skeptical about ever getting his contract voided.


Mets Cut Ties With Hospital

The Mets were one of the first professional sports franchises to enter a long-term, multimillion-dollar agreement with a hospital in which the hospital paid for the right to have its doctors treat members of the team.


Nationals Open Shop

A 1,000-square-foot gray trailer in the parking lot of RFK Stadium serves as the first retail outlet fans can get Nationals gear.


Pennington to Start

Quarterback Chad Pennington is scheduled to start for the New York Jets when they face the Houston Texans on Sunday.


Portis Will Be Busy

Running back Clinton Portis should get the ball often against the Giants as the Redskins plan to rotate Ladell Betts in less often.


Pavano on Tour

Coveted free agent pitcher Carl Pavano will visit five cities, including Baltimore, in less than a week to decide where to sign.


Cavs Cage Tigers

Freshman Sean Singletary scores 25 points and Devin Smith has 23 on Friday night as No. 24 Virginia overcomes a huge game by Auburn freshman Toney Douglas to edge the Tigers, 89-87.


Wizards Pummel Hawks, 114-90 (AP)

AP - Larry Hughes scored 19 points and Juan Dixon added 17 to lead Washington to a 114-90 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night, moving the Wizards four games over .500 for the first time in almost three years.


Microsoft introduces new blog service

Microsoft Corp., worlds largest software maker, has entered the blog market with its new MSN Spaces beta service that it started offering to end-users starting Thursday.


Miller in downhill win

BODE Miller earned his fourth win of the season when he and fellow American Daron Rahlves finished a first-ever 1-2 in a World Cup downhill today.


Magic Defeat Knicks, 104-98 (AP)

AP - Cuttino Mobley scored 34 points in his second game back from a groin injury and made two key hustle plays down the stretch to lead the Orlando Magic past the New York Knicks 104-98 Friday night.


Powerful drug kingpin extradited to US

Drug kingpin Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela, wearing handcuffs and a bulletproof vest, flew late Friday aboard US government plane for trial in the United States, becoming the most powerful Colombian trafficker to ever be extradited


Meyer Spurns Irish for Gators

Notre Dame has failed and Florida has succeeded in hiring Utah Coach Urban Meyer, according to various family members.


Supreme Court to Hear Case on Cable as Internet Carrier

The Supreme Court on Friday stepped into one of the most heated debates over the future of the Internet: how to classify high-speed Internet cable service for purposes


New McDonald #39;s Chief Vows to Keep Strategy Unchanged

The new chief executive of the McDonald #39;s Corporation, James A. Skinner, promised yesterday to continue the positive momentum the company has had for the last 18 months and make no significant


Congo Tells Rwanda Troops to Stay Out

President Joseph Kabila accused Rwanda on Friday of trying to cause a confrontation with Congo in an effort to disrupt Congolese moves to secure the country and move toward elections next year.


Man stabs 12 children in northeast China

A man stabbed and injured 12 first-grade children at a primary school in northeast China Friday morning before being seized by police, Xinhua news agency said.


IBM Focuses on Services, Outsourcing Units (AP)

AP - International Business Machines Corp.'s possible exit from the personal computer business would be the latest move in what amounts to a long goodbye from a field it pioneered and revolutionized.


Chiefs' Green Expected to Start Sunday (Reuters)

Reuters - Kansas City Chiefs\quarterback Trent Green is expected to start in Sunday's game\against the Oakland Raiders despite suffering from bruises to\his ribs and hip.


CORRECTED: Tundra Study Backs Longer Oil-Search Season (Reuters)

Reuters - Snow is more important than\ice in protecting the delicate tundra from disturbances, a\finding that holds promise for a longer oil-exploration season\in Alaska's rapidly warming Arctic, state officials said on\Friday.


Jamal Lewis Out Versus Bengals

BALTIMORE, (Sports Network) - Baltimore Ravens running back  Jamal Lewis will miss his second straight game with a sprained  right ankle when his club takes on the Cincinnati Bengals this  Sunday.


Explorer Says Titanic Should Be Protected (AP)

AP - Legendary explorer Robert Ballard was nervous this summer as he prepared to return to the Titanic for the first time since he discovered the famous shipwreck nearly two decades ago.


Backman Sentenced to 10 Days in Jail

KENNEWICK, Wash., (Sports Network) - Wally Backman, briefly  the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, was sentenced to 10  days in jail Friday for violating his probation.


Scientist: Prairie Dogs Have Own Language (AP)

AP - Prairie dogs, those little pups popping in and out of holes on vacant lots and rural rangeland, are talking up a storm. They have different "words" for tall human in yellow shirt, short human in green shirt, coyote, deer, red-tailed hawk and many other creatures.


Yankees and Mets Swap Relievers

NEW YORK, (Sports Network) - The New York Yankees and New  York Mets swapped lefthanded relievers on Friday, with the  Yankees shipping Felix Heredia across the East River in  exchange for Mike Stanton and cash considerations.


Bodies Found in Nicaragua May Be Briton, American

MANAGUA, Nicaragua (Reuters) - Nicaraguan police found two  bodies on Friday on a volcanic island and said they were likely  the remains of an American and a Briton who went missing last  month.


Tech Stings Bulldogs

Stephanie Higgs scores 16 points to lead Georgia Tech to a 55-49 upset of No. 6 Georgia, which shot just 29 percent Friday night in Atlanta and lost for the second time in a week.


Ukrainian Court Orders New Vote for Presidency

Ukraine's Supreme Court overturned the results of the country's disputed election and ordered a new runoff by Dec. 26.


Germans Say Plot Against Allawi Foiled; 3 Arrested

German authorities said they disrupted a possible plot to attack Iraq's interim prime minister, Ayad Allawi, during his visit here Friday, arresting three Iraqi men and conducting raids across the country.


Suspicion Swirls Around Bonds

The lawyer for Barry Bonds confirmed Friday that the San Francisco Giants left fielder used a clear substance and a cream given to him by his personal weight trainer


Pennington Scheduled To Start for the Jets

Quarterback Chad Pennington is scheduled to return to the New York Jets #39; lineup tomorrow against the Houston Texans at Giants Stadium.


Miami Heat Crush the Bulls 105-81 (AP)

AP - Shaquille O'Neal didn't dominate and didn't need to Friday night. Reserve Christian Laettner scored 23 points  #151; making 10 of 13 shots  #151; Eddie Jones added 21 and O'Neal 18 as the Miami Heat moved the ball around the floor, shot 50.6 percent and beat the Chicago Bulls 105-81.


Baseball Owners Tentatively OK Expos Move (AP)

AP - Baseball owners took another step toward moving the Montreal Expos to Washington next year, giving conditional approval Friday but hinging their decision on the September agreement that did not cap the cost of a new ballpark.


Eustachy Returns to Iowa, but Loses Game (AP)

AP - Larry Eustachy returned to Iowa with a new look and a new attitude. He also picked up a technical foul. Some things never change.


Weighing a PC Market After a Retreat by I.B.M.

I.B.M. is in discussions to sell its PC business to Lenovo, the largest maker of PC's in China - a burgeoning market that Hewlett-Packard and Dell covet.


Salvation Army Hurts After Target Denial

The sound of bell ringers has always been heard at Target stores, but this year the bells have been silenced, and that silence is having tremendous effects.


US Newspapers and their Audience

USA Today is read by people who think they ought to run the country but dont really understand the Washington Post. They do, however, like their smog statistics shown in pie charts.


Spurs Hold on to Beat the Pistons 80-77 (AP)

AP - Ben Wallace's return from a six-game suspension couldn't help the Detroit Pistons overcome San Antonio, with Tony Parker scoring 20 points and Brent Barry hitting two critical free throws in the final seconds as the Spurs held on for a rugged 80-77 victory Friday night.


Spain lead United State 2-0 in Davis Cup final

Rafael Nadal upset Andy Roddick 6-7 (8-6), 6-2, 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 to give Spain a 2-0 lead over the United States in the Davis Cup final in Seville, Spain, on Friday.


Celtics 91, Raptors 89

Gary Payton saved his biggest contribution for last, going scoreless for the first time in Boston but stealing the ball in the final seconds to help the Celtics hold off the Toronto Raptors 91-89 Friday night.


Russia opposes veto powers for India

NEW DELHI, Dec 3: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday expressed his opposition to veto powers for India or any other country seeking to become member of a revamped UN Security Council.


England emerge champions

England made their first-ever appearance in the IRB Emirates International Dubai Sevens a winning one by posting a 26-21 win over a Fijian side twice reduced to six men on the field.


Rockies #39; Neagle arrested for solicitation of prostitution

Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Colorado Rockies pitcher Denny Neagle was arrested early Friday for allegedly paying a woman \$40 for oral sex, the Rocky Mountain News reported.


Annan #39;s Post at the UN May Be at Risk, Officials Fear

United Nations officials fear that Secretary General Kofi Annan may have lost the confidence of the organization #39;s most powerful constituent, the United States.


Sharon faces uphill battle to form new coalition

JERUSALEM (AFP)- Israel #39;s prime minister stepped up efforts yesterday to overcome resistance within his right-wing Likud party to include Labour in an enlarged government coalition, ahead of a decisive party meeting next week.


Rare bird falls to avian malaria

An extremely rare Hawaiian bird has died in captivity, possibly marking the extinction of its species only 31 years after it was first discovered.


Rockies Name Third Base Coach (AP)

AP - The Colorado Rockies named Mike Gallego their third base coach and Jeff Bridich as manager of minor league operations on Friday.