Gamecocks can expect fun, intensity from new Coach Spurrier

(Columbia-AP) Nov. 24, 2004 - Friends and colleagues of South Carolina #39;s new coach Steve Spurrier say he is a family man who jokes around and likes to play golf, just like his predecessor Lou Holtz .


Cricket-Lillee a victim of generational change, says spin guru

MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP) - Cricket Australia said it was better off hiring full-time coaches than employing bowling great Dennis Lillee, who has abruptly ended his long coaching involvement with the body.


British Media: Security Stopped Several Major Terrorist Attacks

A British television station and a newspaper are reporting that British security services believe they have thwarted several major attacks planned by terrorists linked to Osama bin Laden #39;s al-Qaida organization.


Portsmouth Manager Redknapp Resigns to Take Break #39; From Soccer

Harry Redknapp has quit as manager of English soccer Premiership club Portsmouth and said he wants a complete break #39; #39; from the game, the club Web site reported.


U.N.: N.Korea Sends Positive Message on Nuke Talks

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


Travelers Stuff Roads, Terminals

Traditionally, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year, and the American Automobile Association expected travel this year to hit pre-Sept.


No Changes for Certain Nortel Accounting

Nortel Networks Corp. (NT.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday that a far-reaching revision of its faulty financials will not require accounting changes for sales of certain fiber optic equipment.


Asia ; Freed UN Hostages Say Humbled by Support in Ordeal

The UN workers, who helped to run a presidential election won last month by US-backed incumbent Karzai, discussed their ordeal with him at his presidential palace in the morning.


Britain plans national ID cards

London -- Invoking a global threat of terrorism, the British government announced plans Tuesday to introduce national identity cards for the first time since the World War II era.


La. Becomes Latest Political Battleground (AP)

AP - The swamps, bayous and rice fields of Louisiana's Cajun country have emerged as the site of the nation's latest political battleground.


Bearcat qb has broken bone in throwing hand

CINCINNATI University of Cincinnati quarterback Gino Guidugli (guh-DOO #39;-lee) has a broken bone in his throwing hand, and may miss Saturday #39;s game at number-seven Louisville.


#39;Grateful #39; Kabul hostages look forward to returning to work

Three UN election workers who were freed yesterday nearly a month after being abducted in Afghanistan have spoken of their gratitude to the Afghan people for supporting them during their plight.


World Trade Organization holds off on sanctions over US anti <b>...</b>

The World Trade Organization held off Wednesday on approving stiff sanctions on US exports - ranging from cod to mobile homes - intended to punish Washington until it repeals the so-called Byrd amendment.


Iran Seeks to Amend Nuclear Freeze Deal (AP)

AP - Iran sought on Wednesday to partially roll back its commitment to freeze all uranium enrichment programs, demanding the right to run some equipment that can be used to produce nuclear arms.


Elderly 'need digital TV funds'

Vulnerable groups such as the elderly should be helped to buy digital TV equipment, a report says.


Microsoft, EU Officials in Procedure Meeting

Microsoft (Quote, Chart) and representatives of the European Union #39;s Competition Commission will sit down at the table together on Thursday, but it won #39;t be to eat.


Microsoft Will Replace Fake Copies of XP

U.K. users will be able to replace pirated versions of Windows that they have purchased.


US Travelers Face Weather Delays on Holiday Journey (Update2)

Travelers faced weather delays across the US as they took to the highways and airways today to begin what industry experts say will be the biggest Thanksgiving travel weekend since 2000.


Hearing Set After Microsoft Rivals Quit

The judge considering Microsoft Corp. #39;s appeal against European Union sanctions has called a closed meeting for Thursday to decide what action to take after two more major


MyTravel Wins Court Approval for Creditor, Shareholder Meeting

MyTravel Plc, an unprofitable UK tour operator, got the go-ahead from a London court to meet creditors for approval of a refinancing plan after it submitted a revised version.


Phishing on the increase, group says (InfoWorld)

InfoWorld - Online phishing schemes increased significantly in October as financial institutions struggled to combat attempts to steal private account information from online consumers, according to the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG).


E-Mail And IM Get Closer

ICQ, an IM service provider owned by America Online, and Mail2World Inc., a provider of messaging and collaboration services, this week revealed a free upgrade to the ICQmail service that


The East-West stakes over Ukraine

Russian and Western leaders are sharply at odds over the country's election crisis.


Weah returns to Liberia

Liberian legend George Weah returns to Liberia to launch his bid for the country's presidency.


Ruling delayed in Peoplesoft case

A crucial legal ruling in Oracle's takeover bid for Peoplesoft is delayed after a judge says he needs to hear more evidence.


Apple iPod holds sway in Japan

Juliana Sasaki did not bother checking out Sony #39;s digital music player in Tokyo before buying her iPod mini.  quot;I knew Sony and other companies had MP3 players, but they can #39;t beat the mini, quot; says Sasaki, 23, a language teacher.


Ohio State Bomb Dogs Irk Michigan Coach (AP)

AP - The intense rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan has gone to the dogs  #151; bomb-sniffing ones.


Time Warner, SEC near deal on AOL troubles

The Securities and Exchange Commission and Time Warner Inc. are nearing agreement on a deal in which the media giant would pay about \$750 million to settle wide-ranging allegations


Zimbabwe cricket tour collapses

England #39;s tour to Zimbabwe was on the brink of cancellation last night after David Morgan, the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, instructed Michael Vaughan #39;s team not to board a flight to Harare an hour before it was scheduled to leave


Spanish buy Luton airport operator in 551m deal

Luton Airport was bought by the Spanish yesterday as part of a 551m takeover deal which will net the men who run it almost 60m.


Jags #39; Leftwich likely to start on Sunday

Jacksonville, FL (Sports Network) - Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich participated in practice Wednesday and is expected to start this week against the Minnesota Vikings.


Annan Starts Reshuffling UN Staff for Reform Push (Reuters)

Reuters - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi\Annan on Monday chose the high-profile British head of a key\agency as his new chief of staff, the start of a reshuffle\aimed at instituting U.N. reforms and combating scandals.


Spaniards to run Luton airport after 551m deal

Luton, Cardiff and Belfast International airports are to fall into the hands of a Spanish toll motorways operator through a 551m takeover of the aviation group TBI by a Barcelona-based Abertis Infrastructure.


Judge Threatens to Punish MCI Over Fees It Has Paid

The judge who presided over the Securities and Exchange Commission #39;s fraud suit against MCI, the long-distance telephone company, threatened to punish the company yesterday for ignoring his


Agency sustains \$2 M hit

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission lost about \$2 million in revenue Wednesday as thousands of holiday travelers zipped through the toll booths for free.


Good Luck and Bubblewrap.com

Collard greens and black-eyed peas, a New Years tradition, on a chefs site; Virtual-Bubblewrap.com lets you punch holes with your mouse; KnowItAllVideo.com, where amateur instructional videos are posted and rated.


Lions have their work cut out for them against Manning

You see it every time Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning steps to the line of scrimmage before taking the snap. It #39;s like he #39;s going through his own little workout routine.


Chicago Bulls Silence Utah Jazz, 101-99 (AP)

AP - Ben Gordon scored a career-high 22 points, including four free throws in the final minute, to lead the Chicago Bulls past the Utah Jazz 101-99 Wednesday night to avoid an 0-10 start that would have been the worst in franchise history.


Science ; As ice thaws, arctic peoples at loss for words

Science News, Iceland, What are the words used by indigenous peoples in the Arctic for  quot;hornet, quot;  quot;robin, quot;  quot;elk, quot;  quot;barn owl quot; or  quot;salmon?


TSA  #39;pat-downs #39; cross the line for some fliers

Millions of holiday travelers nationwide are experiencing an all-too-intimate form of security screening that some say amounts to sexual groping - a  quot;pat-down quot; by government officials.


Skulls on your Symbian phone? Don #39;t panic!

PETALING JAYA: Virus experts at British software security firm Sophos Plc have advised customers not to panic, following media reports of a Trojan horse which infects cellphones.


Sid Meier #39;s Pirates! sets sail

The fourth-quarter deluge of top-quality games continued today, with Atari announcing that Sid Meier #39;s Pirates! had shipped to stores.


Streamlined Cable TV in a Card

An innovation called the CableCard, which slides into a slot on the back of many new TV sets, is meant to eliminate the cable box. So why aren't cable customers hearing more about it?


Dollar drops to new overnight low

The dollar hits yet another record low against the euro, causing concerns about the German and wider eurozone economies.


Here's the catch: Branch is back

Deion Branch lists the Revolution among his favorite soccer teams in his press guide biography. And Branch's Patriot season has mirrored that of the Revolution -- a long-term injury sustained in the second game, followed by a spectacular recovery after the halfway point in the season. Branch strained his knee in the Patriots' 23-12 win at Arizona Sept. ...


Cocky Arsene

Arsene Wenger is confident that Arsenal will make the knockout stages of the Champions League, despite needing to beat Rosenborg to make sure.


PSG lead race for second Group H berth

Such has been Chelsea #39;s dominance of their Champions League group that the other three teams including holders Porto are still all vying for a place in the knockout stage going into their final games next month.


Blast kills one, injures 15 in southwest Pakistan

QUETTA, Pakistan - A bomb fixed to a bicycle killed one man and injured 15 people in southwestern Pakistans restive desert province of Baluchistan on Thursday, police said.


Petrol sales boost Tesco turnover

The UK's largest supermarket - Tesco - says strong petrol sales aided a rise in third quarter sales across all parts of its business.


British grocer Tesco sees group sales rise 12.0-percent (AFP)

AFP - Tesco, Britain's biggest supermarket chain, said that group sales grew by 12.2 percent in the third quarter, driven by strong performances from its stores at home and abroad.


FBI Interviews Halliburton Whistleblower

Bunnatine Greenhouse, chief contracting officer of the Army Corps of Engineers, is seen in her official undated government photo. FBI agents recently spent a day interviewing Greenhouse, the Army contracting


More harmful drugs may be on the market

After writing about hundreds of individual and class-action lawsuits that have been filed on behalf of consumers who developed cancer, suffered heart attacks or other medical problems from hormone replacement therapy drugs and Vioxx, an FDA employee now


Court bars MCI from making payments

A federal court Wednesday barred No. 2 US long-distance carrier MCI Inc. from making further payments to cover more than \$25 million in unauthorized expenses related to bankruptcy of predecessor WorldCom.


Abductor kills self in Moscow region hostage freeing operation

MOSCOW, November 25 (Itar-Tass) - A special task force unit freed both women who were held hostage by two armed army deserters in the Moscow region.


UK minister visits Arafat grave

UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw lays a wreath at the grave of former Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat.


Judge: MCI may have violated court order on certain fees

NEW YORK A federal judge in Manhattan says MCI may have violated a court order by paying more than 25 (m) million dollars in professional services fees as part of its bankruptcy proceedings in excess of caps on such fees.


One killed, 15 injured in Khuzdar bomb blast

One person killed and 15 injured as bomb went off in a market in district Khuzdar of Balochistan, reports The News. According to police officials, the bomb was planted in a cycle.


Deacons Defeat Friars

Justin Gray leads Wake Forest with 21 points despite suffering a gashed face as the top-ranked Demon Deacons beat Providence, 79-67.


Intel puts in plug for Linux (SiliconValley.com)

SiliconValley.com - Intel is making a big push to help personal computer makers in China and India offer the Linux operating system on machines powered by the company's chips.


Intel Helps Asian PC Partners Ship With Linux (TechWeb)

TechWeb - Chipmaker provides Linux tools to reach growing market there.


France surges into Fed Cup final

Defending champion France surged into the Fed Cup final, completing a 5-0 sweep of Spain on Thursday behind singles victories by Nathalie Dechy and Tatiana Golovin.


Exeter uni cans chemistry department

In a move that has been dubbed as  #39;disastrous #39; by the Royal Society of Chemistry, Exeter University is to drop the teaching of chemistry as a subject.


Pro-pot groups says federal policies out of step with Canadians (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - A group which advocates legalized marijuana says a new poll shows federal pot policies are out of touch with public opinion.


Nintendo Returns to Profit (AP)

AP - Nintendo Co. returned to profit in the first half of the fiscal year from a loss a year ago as the Japanese video-game maker erased foreign exchange losses and turned more profit with game-software sales.


UN urges dialogue after Rwanda vows action

Rwanda insisted on Thursday that it would soon attack rebels inside the Democratic Republic of Congo unless they were disarmed, as the United Nations Security


Blues Misfit Joins Villarreal

Former Birmingham striker Luciano Figueroa has returned to the elite of European football with a move to Spanish club Villarreal. The Argentina international was signed by the Blues for 2.5million before


Hartson #39;s goal gives Celtic hope in Europe

They may not have exorcised their demons but Celtic certainly laid one ghost with a towering performance to come from behind to draw with Barcelona in the Nou Camp and take their


New drug extends multiple sclerosis options

25/11/2004 - The first in a completely new class of drug for multiple sclerosis has been approved in the US, opening up a new avenue of treatment for sufferers of the debilitating diseases and potential blockbuster revenues for developers Elan and Biogen


WTO backs Korea in shipbuilding dispute with EU

The World Trade Organization has ruled against European Union claims that the Korean government provided illegal subsidies to its shipbuilding industry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said today.


Golovin and Dechy lead France into Fed Cup final

MOSCOW (AFP) - Tatiana Golovin and Nathalie Dechy led holders France to a 5-0 mauling of Spain to set up a Fed Cup final clash against Russia.


Detailed View of Dione

Summary - (Nov 25, 2004) Cassini took this amazing photograph of Dione, one of Saturn #39;s larger moons, on October 27 when it was 1.2 million km (746,000 miles) away.


US-Israel ties hang on Palestinian Vote

In a pace-setting adventure next January that could herald a new beginning in the Middle East or spell disaster for all is the election of a Palestinian successor to the charismatic Yasser Arafat and a new Baghdad regime that could bring to an end the


Wiggins Siblings Honor Dad by Playing (AP)

AP - Candice Wiggins is a walking advertisement for the anti-drug effort. A star freshman for Stanford's basketball team, she showed up for a recent practice wearing a T-shirt reading: "No doubt about it. My health. My sport. My victory. I compete clean."


Deputy prime minister lauds decision of Ukrainian court in disputed election (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Deputy prime minister Anne McLellan has applauded the intervention of Ukraine's supreme court in that country's disputed presidential election.


NAIA Coach Nears Matching Smith's Total (AP)

AP - Harry Statham thought he was making a temporary stop when he took over as McKendree College's basketball coach in 1966. His dream was to win a state high school championship, but jobs at the premier high schools were hard to come by, especially for a young coach. Statham figured if he could put a few successful seasons together at McKendree, his alma mater, he'd be able to land a better job.


Madrid miffed!

The organisers of Madrid #39;s bid complained that Paris had broken the rules by using France #39;s embassies in Oslo and Kuwait to hold events to promote its candidacy, the newspaper said.


Probe Sought on Charges FDA Discredited Whistleblower

The head of the Senate Finance Committee called on the US Department of Health and Human Services to launch a probe of allegations that the US Food and Drug Administration went out of its way to discredit a whistleblower.


Monkey chant fan banned from football for five years

A football supporter who racially abused Dwight Yorke, the Premiership striker, was banned yesterday from every soccer stadium in England and Wales for five years.


Racist Blackburn fan cops five-year ban

A SOCCER fan was fined \$2400 and banned from soccer grounds for the maximum five years yesterday when he pleaded guilty to racially abusing Birmingham City striker Dwight Yorke.


Brown in line after Livingston sack Preston

LIVINGSTON have sacked Allan Preston as manager. The former Hearts and St Johnstone defender and his assistant, Alan Kernaghan, were dismissed after a run of seven defeats left the club


all in the beak: scientists find secret of homing pigeons #39; <b>...</b>

The sensitivity of a homing pigeon #39;s beak could provide an answer to the complicated story of how it finds its way home. Scientists have shown for the first time that homing


No. 17 Rutgers Stops South Dakota State (AP)

AP - Freshman guard Matee Ajavon scored 29 points to lead Rutgers over South Dakota State 68-50 on Thursday in the opening game of the Paradise Jam tournament in the U.S. Virgin Islands.


Protests in Canada over Ukraine crisis (AFP)

AFP - Hundreds of Canadians, many of Ukrainian descent, braved freezing temperatures to protest what they consider to be the fixed outcome of the Ukrainian presidential election.


Syria says it is ready for talks on peace

DAMASCUS, Syria - Syrian President Bashar Assad is ready to resume peace talks with Israel  quot;without conditions, quot; a top UN envoy said yesterday.


A threat to the West Bank pullout

The expected withdrawal from the Gaza Strip is substantively different from that which Israel will carry out in the northern West Bank, in the area of Jenin.


Yukos bosses in exile, its survival in doubt

Russian oil company Yukos, with shares near all-time lows and its bosses in exile, warned last night it is being driven toward bankruptcy.


Mediation efforts to end Ukraine crisis step up as Solana due in Kiev (AFP)

AFP - Attempts to mediate the political crisis in Ukraine are gathering pace with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski expected in Kiev.


US official murdered in Baghdad

WASHINGTON: A US State Department official who worked with the Iraqi ministers of education and higher education was murdered in Baghdad by a group linked to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the group claimed on Thursday.


Two US soldiers killed

KABUL -- Two US soldiers died and another was injured when a bomb ripped through their patrol in southern Afghanistan yesterday. The troops were attacked near Deh Rawood, a town 400 km southwest of Kabul where


Henry doubtful for Anfield clash

Arsenal striker Thierry Henry is doubtful for Sundays Barclays Premiership trip to Liverpool with a calf injury. The Frenchman aggravated the problem during Wednesday nights ill-tempered Champions League


Harry Flies Home after  #39;Kidnap Plot #39; Claims

Prince Harry flew back to the UK from Argentina today amid reports of a plot to kidnap him. Local media said that gunshots had been heard at a polo ranch where he was working.


Eras blend together perfectly

As the final seconds ticked down on the last home game of his high school career, Larry Abare glanced up the hill at the far end of Edward M. Leary Field and watched all the little boys in blue jeans and Acton-Boxboro jerseys, one of them scrambling through the leaves with a football tucked carefully under his arm. ...


Brockton upset makes Waltham's day

WALTHAM -- Paul Mayberry was dripping, Luis Cotto was weeping, and Alex Russo was kneeling on the sideline.


Cordio paves the way

For the last six years, the Leominster Blue Devils have endured a Thanksgiving Day filled with frustration instead of celebration.


Marzeoti (4 TDs) paces Shawsheen

For years, Shawsheen Tech and Greater Lowell have battled for the William J. Collins Cup on Thanksgiving Day.


Melrose comes up short

Melrose entered its Thanksgiving Day matchup with Wakefield as an undefeated powerhouse bound for the postseason. But Wakefield has tripped up the Red Raiders in recent years -- and yesterday was no exception.


A traditional victory for A-B

Ask anyone associated with the Acton-Boxboro football program about the secret to its success, and they'll say it's rooted in a winning tradition established long before members of the 2004 team ever strapped on a helmet.


Douglas, Fraser, and blue await you

Jim McLeod has a great day job, but a seasonal sideline is his  #39; #39;tree #39; #39; calling. Throughout the year, he #39;s president and owner of a software company called InfoCode Corp.


Police use stun gun to subdue T-Wolves #39; Olowokandi

Minnesota Timberwolves center Michael Olowokandi was arrested early yesterday after police used a stun gun to subdue him when he refused to leave an Indianapolis club.


Eight children stabbed to death as they sleep

A man broke into a school dormitory and stabbed eight sleeping children to death before fleeing. The murders at the Ruzhou No2 Senior Middle School in Pingdingshan, in the central province of Henan, was the


Darfur rebel group promises to respect truce

One rebel group in Sudan #39;s troubled Darfur region Thursday pledged to fully respect a truce with the Sudanese government amid contradictory statements and international concern about an escalation in fighting.


NBA brawl sends wrong message to all of us

Ever since last Friday night #39;s NBA brawl in Detroit, I have tried to make sense out of the whole mess. I have watched replay after replay of the ordeal, hoping to come up with some sort of reason


450 Colombian Paramilitaries Disarm (AP)

AP - Some 450 right-wing paramilitary fighters left Colombia's crowded battlefields, turning in their weapons and asking society to let them back into its fold.


Cal Quarterback to Enter NFL Draft (AP)

AP - California quarterback Aaron Rodgers will skip his senior season to enter the NFL draft.


Top Zarqawi Aide Captured in Iraq

A lieutenant of Iraq's most feared insurgent leader, Abu Musab Zarqawi, was captured this week, the country's national security minister said Thursday.


Yukos considers self-destruction

Shareholders in Yukos are considering liquidation or filing for bankruptcy, after deciding against a rescue plan for the embattled Russian oil firm.


Behaviour control by smartphone

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is developing mobile phones designed to learn users #39; daily habits so that they can predict what users will do, reports The Register.


US Airways, GE reach accord on airplane leasing and financing

The Wall Street Journal reports that the carrier #39;s largest creditor has agreed to an aircraft leasing and financing deal that would give US Airways a financial lifeline.


Four Hurricanes Hurting Florida Economy (AP)

AP - Normally at this time of the year, labor contractor Jose Luis Avalos would be assembling a crew of workers who could each earn  #36;1,500 to  #36;2,000 a week in the area's abundant citrus groves.


BT sells off stake in Eutelsat

BRITISH Telecom today announced the sale of its stake in one of the worlds largest satellite companies for 363 million. The telecoms giant said it was offloading its 15.8 per cent holding in Paris-based


Nintendo moving into online within 3 to 4 years

Comments attributed to Nintendo #39;s Shigeru Miyamoto in this week #39;s Famitsu magazine indicate that the company is planning to bring its systems online within a three to four year timescale, with DS leading the way.


Iran  #39;committed #39; to nuke freeze

Iran #39;s chief negotiator to the United Nations nuclear agency says Tehran is committed to the freeze on uranium enrichment agreed earlier this month.


Salvation Army says Target policy threatens fund-raising

ST. PAUL - Salvation Army officials say they #39;re worried that they may not meet their holiday fund-raising goal because they won #39;t have bell-ringers outside of Target stores.


Russia agrees to Dalai Lama visit despite certain anger from China (AFP)

AFP - Russia will allow Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to visit a southern Buddhist Russian region for the first time, the foreign ministry said in a move certain to anger China.


Hayden walks into strife

Spirit of Australia was on the skids last night after another example of double standards by the home side marred the opening day of the second cricket test against New Zealand in Adelaide.


WTO approves sanctions against US

The European Union, Japan and others will be able to impose heavy sanctions against US firms dumping goods from early next year.


Chicago to Hold EBay Auction to Raise Money for Cultural Programs

City officials hope there are people willing to pay plenty of money to own a vintage Playboy Bunny costume, toss green dye into the Chicago River or throw a dinner party prepared by Oprah Winfrey's chef.


Four employees of British security firm slain by mortar attack in <b>...</b>

A mortar attack killed four employees of a British security firm and wounded 15 others in the Baghdad #39;s Green Zone, a fortified area that houses the


Parties call for postponement of elections

Despite a new call Friday for a postponement of the Iraqi elections, President Bush said he hopes they still go forward. Seventeen political parties say the election should be put off for at least six months


India test-fires surface-to air missile

India has successfully test-fired a surface-to-air missile from a site in the eastern Orissa state on Friday, a government official said on condition of anonymity.


mmO2: i-mode launch looks certain

mmO2 and NTT DoCoMo are reportedly planning to launch a UK i-mode mobile service. November 26, 2004 4:35 PM GMT (Datamonitor) - The much-touted tie-up between NTT DoCoMo and mmO2 to bring i-mode mobile content to the UK looks to be a done deal.


Mounties left in dark by U.S. on deportation of Syrian-born Canadian (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - The Mounties provided information on Maher Arar to American authorities but were left in the dark when the U.S. deported the Canadian citizen to Syria, newly released documents show.


NBA Game Summary - Portland at Dallas

Dallas, TX (Sports Network) - Dirk Nowitzki scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead Dallas to a 92-83 win over Portland at American Airlines Arena.


Recording Industry, File-Share Face Off

The next chapter in the global legal battle between the recording industry and file-sharing services is due to unfold here Monday when the owners of the hugely popular Kazaa software go on trial on civil copyright infringement charges.


Board with Mukesh: Reliance

Mumbai, Nov. 26: Mukesh Ambani apparently commands the full support of the board on all recent decisions, including the controversial one that elevated him to the final authority in the group.


Winter on Saturday: Peace initiative in Spain shows Beckham #39;s <b>...</b>

David Beckham prevented a major incident between England #39;s fired-up players and their aggrieved Spanish counterparts in Madrid, according to an England insider yesterday.


Man held for slashing teens

Beijing - Chinese police have detained a man who they say murdered eight teenagers and injured four others in a school dormitory overnight, state press said late on Friday.


Toy Safety Report Released

checking for them by hand before buying -- because children could choke on them, consumer advocates said in an annual warning on toy safety.


Dollar Drops Further as Central Banks Reassess Reserves

The falling dollar reached new depths against the euro today as the dollar's status as the premier international reserve currency is growing more precarious.


Frisday #39;s Sports Transactions

BOSTON CELTICS_Activated G Delonte West from the injured list. Placed F Justin Reed on the injured list. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS_Activated G Aaron McKie from the inujred list.


Reliance battle seen getting messier in days ahead:

Business India: Mumbai, Nov 26 : The much talked about family feud over the control of Reliance Industries, India #39;s largest industrial house, is set to turn into a full-fledged boardroom battle that may entail a revamp of the company #39;s management.


W.T.O. Authorizes Trade Sanctions Against the United States

The World Trade Organization authorized about \$150 million in trade sanctions on the U.S. in retaliation for an import duties law that has been ruled illegal.


Land Rover aims new model at US

Land Rover will launch a sports tourer next year in a what is likely to be a test of British carmakers #39; ability to compete in the US.


Gone Phishing?

Zastrossi writes  quot;According to the Anti-Phishing Working Group, phishing sites--the practice of making sites that look and act like popular sites such as banks in order to steal personal information from customers--rose from 543 sites in September to


WR Grace Is Likely to Face Indictment in Montana Case

By Bloomberg News. WR Grace  amp; Company, a producer of chemicals and building material that filed for bankruptcy protection in 2001 amid thousands of asbestos-related claims, said yesterday


Forecast Frosty for U.S.-Canadian Ties

TORONTO -- The weather won't be the only thing that's cool when President Bush visits neighboring Canada next week.


SmartPhones Get Smart

In an attempt to become more useful, US researchers are developing new smartphone software which watches users calling and usage patterns and tries to learn how best to help.


India test-fires missile

NEW DELHI, Nov 26: India on Friday test fired Akash, the indigenously developed surface-to-air missile from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea, about 14km from Balasore (Orissa).


2 Ex-Officers Nabbed in Venezuela Slaying

National Guard troops arrested two brothers Friday in connection with a state prosecutor's killing, just days after two suspects in the car bombing case were shot dead by police, authorities said.


Stocks Finish Mixed in Early Close

Stocks finished mixed in post-holiday trading Friday as Wall Street meandered through a shortened session. The major indexes ended the week higher as investors looked forward to the results of the first weekend of holiday shopping and a key jobs report next week.


Hoyas Beat The Citadel

New coach John Thompson III gets his first victory as Georetown routs the Citadel, 69-34, behind 23 points from Brandon Bowman.


Gray was selected tourney MVP

Justin Gray went down to the Madison Square Garden court as soon as Mustafa Shakur inadvertently kicked him in the face while going for a loose ball.


Wake Forest survives at the NIT

No. 1 Wake Forest used a 19-5 second half run to take the lead and then held off Arizona 63-60 to win the preseason NIT. Mustafa Shakur had a chance to take the lead in the final seconds, but he missed a runner in the lane.


Iran, EU Negotiators Seek Nuke Agreement (AP)

AP - A key U.N. atomic agency meeting adjourned for the weekend, giving Iran time to consider a total freeze of a program that could make weapons grade uranium and for delegates to decide on further steps in policing Tehran's nuclear activities.


Apple enhances UK online shopping

The store adds such features as details of an expected dispatch date it the point where shoppers select a product. For example the Power Mac G5 Dual 2.5GHz is  quot;usually dispatched 1 - 3 Weeks


WTO Sanctions on US Exports Widens Gap in Congress

Angry over unfair subsidies paid to US companies from tariffs collected on goods imported here, the WTO has widened the gap with Congress by imposing sanctions of their own.


Nissan #39;s supply shortage sends steel stocks up

US steelmakers #39; shares rose sharply yesterday, with US Steel, Allegheny Technologies and Nucor (which operates a mill in Seattle) reaching their highest prices in at least seven years, after Nissan said the metal is in short supply in Japan.


Steel stocks soar as shortages are biting

Steel shares hit seven-year highs yesterday after Nissan said the metal is in short supply in Japan. US Steel rose \$3.30, or 7, to \$51.25, while Nucor surged \$2.90 to \$54.05, an all-time high.


Rison Free After Making Support Payment (AP)

AP - Former Pro Bowl receiver Andre Rison was released from jail Monday after paying  #36;10,000 in child support.


Backgrounder: Basic facts about ASEAN

Leaders from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are gathering in Vientiane, capital of Laos, for a summit meeting among themselves and a series


Iraq election delay  #39;considered #39;

Iraq #39;s electoral commission has said it will consider a request from leading political parties to delay general elections scheduled for 30 January.


Iraq commission examines request to delay polls

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraq #39;s electoral commission was due to study a call by top leaders to delay the January 30 polls because of violence gripping the country, as US-led troops continued their anti-insurgency crackdown.


Stephen Dodd leads Volvo China Open

Stephen Dodd took a three-stroke lead Friday after 36 holes of the Volvo China Open in Shanghai to stand six-under-par 138 after two rounds.


ASEAN to push Australia, New Zealand to sign non-aggression pact (AFP)

AFP - Southeast Asian foreign ministers said they would encourage Australia and New Zealand to accede to a non-aggression pact with their 10-nation ASEAN group that South Korea signed.


Yukos plans to fix itself before auction

The Russian oil giant Yukos said yesterday that management was putting together an emergency plan to continue running the company for a few months, even after the auction of its prize asset in December.


Holidays disrupts launch plans for da Vinci rocket team

KINDERSLEY, SASK. - A team from Ontario has delayed the launch of its private rocket until at least January. The da Vinci Project had planned to use a gigantic balloon to lift a rocket to 24 kilometres.


Serie A Preview: Inter-Juventus

The Derby of Italy is back on Sunday night as Inter host arch-rivals Juventus in a do-or-die encounter for the Nerazzurri. Inter-Juventus is never an ordinary match, even when both teams are not fighting for any major honours.


Rioters firebomb police station

TERRIFIED police have told how they feared they would die as a rampaging mob burnt down the police station in which they were trapped on Palm Island, off north Queensland.


Return of Relics to Rekindle Catholic-Orthodox Dialogue

VATICAN CITY, NOV. 25, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Theological dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches is expected to resume after the relics of Sts.


UN aid plane shot at in Ivory Coast

Abidjan - A United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) plane was met with gunfire and threats when it arrived in Man, western Ivory Coast, the UN said in a statement on Saturday.


Sixers-Wizards matinee doesn #39;t disappoint

Still home in Philly for the Thanksgiving holiday, we decided to hit the Sixers/Wizards matinee yesterday. One of the best decisions we #39;ve made in a long time.


It may be end of line for narrow track

Hurricane forecasters debate the usefulness of the  quot;skinny line quot; in tracking maps, and look at more accurate alternatives.


Violent video games slammed

p2pnet.net News:-The launch of the now much-maligned Kill Jack Kennedy Again game has achieved at least one thing: Its woken the mainstream media up to the fact that video games based on giving players a way to take part in virtual murder aren #39;ta


Alltel buys Cingular properties, expands network

Little Rock-based Alltel will expand its wireless phone service in Connecticut, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas in a \$170 million deal with Cingular Wireless.


Pompey start life without Harry with a win

London - Portsmouth have recovered from the shock of manager Harry Redknapp #39;s resignation in midweek to give new executive director Velimir Zajec his first win.


Game swings back and forth as Giteau toys with England  #39;s defence

After so many signs of a fresh enthusiasm and a new sense of adventure in the England side, they ended their autumn series on a backward note, losing to the side they had beaten in the World Cup final.


Climate change and unfamiliar species leave Inuit lost for words

Global warming is increasingly rendering Inuit and other Arctic peoples at a loss for words. They simply do not have names in their languages for the temperate species flocking up from the south.


US Army Deserter Jenkins Obtains Early Release from Detention in <b>...</b>

A former US Army sergeant who defected to North Korea almost 40 years ago - has been released after serving 25 days in military detention in Japan.


No. 5 North Carolina 63, No. 24 Villanova 56

The North Carolina Tar Heels put their lackluster first half behind them. Then they did the same to Villanova. After scoring just 25 points in the first half, the No.


Knicks Hold Off Raptors, 108-102

New York Knicks #39; Jamal Crawford puts up a shot against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter Saturday, Nov. 27, 2004. Crawford scored 30 points in the Knicks #39; 108-102 win.


The Shockwaves of Sumatra

The Indian Ocean earthquake of December 2004 produced     a shockwave that created tsunamis all across the Indian Ocean. The tsunamis hammered nearby Indonesia and struck as far as     the coast of East Africa. The death toll has climbed over 100,000 and continues to grow.    It also created social shockwaves.


Official: FARC Sought Bush Assassination

Colombia's main rebel group asked followers to mount an assassination attempt against President Bush during his visit to Colombia last week, Defense Minister Jorge Uribe said. There was no evidence Saturday that rebels even tried to organize such an attack.


The Egg Goes to The Plucky Rebels

Backup quarterback Robert Lane has 205 total yards with a touchdown pass and a touchdown run in Mississippi's 20-3 win over Mississippi State on Saturday.


Tax-Free Bonuses Tagged Out

Some taxpayers have been dusting off an old Internal Revenue Service ruling about signing bonuses in baseball contracts and using it to justify skipping payroll taxes and income-tax withholding on signing bonuses generally.


NASA Finishes Redesigned Shuttle Fuel Tank (Reuters)

Reuters - NASA has finished building a redesigned\space shuttle fuel tank that was reconfigured to eliminate the\debris problem that doomed the shuttle Columbia and its seven\astronauts, agency officials said on Tuesday.


Bucks Edge Pistons 96-90 (AP)

AP - Michael Redd scored 20 of his 29 points in the second half, Keith Van Horn added 20 points and the Milwaukee Bucks ended a six-game losing streak with a 96-90 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night.


Weather Data In Your Own Back Yard (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - WeatherBug wants to make meteorologists out of its users. The Internet weather service based in Gaithersburg has begun selling sensors that can turn anyone's back yard into a Web-connected weather station.


Virginia Tech downs Virginia, 24-10

The team that few thought could contend for an Atlantic Coast Conference title less than two months ago is now one game away from winning it on its first try.


Eurozone data to confirm slumping confidence, easing inflation

BRUSSELS (AFP) - Eurozone figures due out this week will confirm that confidence is slumping due to high oil prices and the rise of the euro, and that inflation is easing, economists said.


Death bell tolls for Russia's Yukos oil giant (AFP)

AFP - Russia's Yukos does not begin the week teetering on the edge of ruin where it has been for months now. The oil giant is flat on its back, gasping for its last breaths of air.


Time to look overseas for a healthier 401(k)

I change the mutual funds in my 401(k) plan about as often as the Red Sox win the World Series.


Rate hikes by Fed dull ARMs #39; luster

30-year fixed home loans remain appealing, but variable rates have been on the move up. By Sandra Block. If you #39;re hoping an adjustable-rate mortgage will help you afford your dream house, you may want to rethink those granite countertops.


SAY NEIGHBORS #39; WEAPONS LEAVE THEM VULNERABLE

Electrical engineering student Roozbeh Rahimi reflects a common sentiment among Iranians when he expresses hope that this famous tourist city will gain fame soon for its nuclear technology.


#39;SICKOS #39; HUNTING FOR DEER WITH A MOUSE

SAN ANTONIO - Forget about PlayStation 2 - Texas entrepreneur wants to kick computer gaming up to the next level by offering players a chance at some real-live killing via mouse and modem.


Bush won #39;t take Iran #39;s word for it

CRAWFORD, Texas As President Bush sees it,  quot;the only good deal is one that #39;s verifiable. quot;. He #39;s applauding the efforts of some European countries to get Iran to honor its commitment to refrain from developing nuclear weapons.


Pitt can crash BCS with closing victory

As if things weren #39;t bad enough for the Bowl Championship Series, it appears that Pittsburgh is going to represent the Big East with an 8-3 record.


FDA OKs Scientist Publishing Vioxx Data (AP)

AP - The Food and Drug Administration has given a whistle-blower scientist permission to publish data indicating that as many as 139,000 people had heart attacks that may be linked to Vioxx, the scientist's lawyer said Monday.


Annan Urged to Play Larger Role in Iraq (AP)

AP - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, under fire in Congress over a troubled oil program for Iraq, received some friendly advice last month in a private meeting with former U.S. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke and other foreign policy experts.


Sri Lanka army blames Tamil Tigers of failing to keep pledge

Sri Lanka #39;s army Sunday blamed theTamil Tigers for failing to attend a meeting Saturday which they had agreed to attend during a meeting with the international trucemonitors and the government troops.


Ravens' Offensive Coordinator Resigns (AP)

AP - Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh resigned under pressure Monday after meeting with head coach Brian Billick, who finally lost patience with the team's sputtering attack.


Illini hit on all cylinders, zap Zags

There #39;s no way No. 5 Illinois could have shredded THE Gonzaga, king of the mid-majors, the way it demolished its opponent at Conseco Fieldhouse on Saturday.


#39;Designer #39; Christmas tree growers target national holiday market

AURORA, Ore. The National Christmas Tree Association is hoping a push of designer trees will renew consumer demand for live trees.


Game itself needs repair

Last Sunday night, while announcing the suspensions of Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, Jermaine O'Neal, Ben Wallace, and others, the commissioner of the NBA, David Stern, spoke forcefully and eloquently about redefining  quot;the covenant between players and fans and between fans and fans, and making sure we can play our games in a very welcoming and peaceful setting. quot;


Rwandan  #39;motivated by riches #39;

Ouagadougou - Rwanda #39;s threat to launch military strikes in Democratic Republic of Congo would be motivated by the abundant mineral wealth in its giant western neighbour not by the desire to attack Hutu fighters based there, a Congolese diplomat said here


Wal-Mart Move Ominous Sign for Retailers (AP)

AP - Weaker-than-expected holiday shopping forced Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Saturday to cut its projected sales increase for November by more than half, an ominous announcement for retailers as their busiest time of year begins.


Fed Cup all tied up

FRANCE #39;S Russian-born Tatiana Golovin left the Fed Cup final hanging in the balance today as she beat Russia #39;s US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-1 to level the tie at 2-2 and take it to the final doubles match.


Sinn Fein Says N.Irish Deal Nears; No Bush Call (Reuters)

Reuters - The leader of Sinn Fein, Northern\Ireland's main Catholic party and the political ally of the\Irish Republican Army (IRA), said Sunday he believed his\Protestant rivals were ready to agree to a peace deal.


Sorenstam's Putt Sets Up  #36;300K Skin (AP)

AP - Annika Sorenstam calmly sank a short birdie putt on the ninth hole, earning a hug from Tiger Woods. More importantly, it kept  #36;250,000 in play in the Skins Game.


Redskins, Steelers Underway

Patrick Ramsey makes his first second start of the season as the Redskins face the AFC North-leading Steelers at a sloppy Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.


DEFOE DRIVES SPURS HOME

Jermain Defoe underlined his claims for an improved contract as he inspired Tottenham to a 2-0 win against 10-man Middlesbrough. New coach Martin Jol, who secured his first win in charge, may have been helped


Arsenal loses again in Premier League

Arsenal dropped five points behind Chelsea in the English Premier League on Sunday after losing 2-1 to Liverpool on an injury-time goal by Neil Mellor.


Trouble in PSP Land

November 27, 2004 - Things aren #39;t looking good for the PSP over in Japan. Well... maybe that #39;s not exactly true. If you #39;re Sony, and you want to generate lots of hype for your new portable system, things are looking very good.


Retail Sees Solid, Not Stellar, Holidays (Reuters)

Reuters - Holiday shopping got off to a flying\start in the United States this weekend.


Titans' McNair Hints at Retiring From NFL (AP)

AP - Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair hinted Sunday that his 10th season in the NFL could be his last.


Bills 38, Seahawks 9

Drew Bledsoe went all the way home to Washington state to help the Buffalo Bills collect a rare road win. Willis McGahee had 116 yards rushing and four touchdowns, leading Buffalo to a 38-9 win over Seattle


CBI calls for cuts in spending to reduce borrowing

GORDON BROWN faces a new warning today that he will have to raise taxes by 7 billion or cut swaths of government spending if Labour wins next years general election.


Surprise Chargers #39; air power changing Marty #39;s stripes

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The San Diego Chargers players couldn #39;t quite believe what they were hearing, nor would many in the crowd at Arrowhead Stadium if they were privy to it.


Bears Set to Sign QB Jeff George (Reuters)

Reuters - The Chicago Bears are expected\to sign quarterback Jeff George on Monday.


Giants #39; Frustration Seeps to Surface as Slide Continues

At about the moment a melee broke out on the Giants #39; sideline Sunday - after Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter hit Giants quarterback Eli Manning out of bounds


Signs of a Glut and Lower Prices on Thin TV's

Dont buy that high-definition TV yet. Competition may force the prices down further.


Holiday Shoppers Off to a Fast Start

Holiday shoppers spent 10 percent more Friday than they did a year ago, according to early reports, but Wal-Mart Stores Inc. dampened hopes for a strong start to the key retail season by


Hard-running Dillon #39;s difference in making champs even tougher

It wasn #39;t just to resuscitate one of the league #39;s worst rushing games. It was to make Dillon and that dreadful rushing attack allies when the weather and/or the opponent demanded it -- which they did Sunday


Discovery Channel Tests Power of Licensing

By rushing more than 700 products under the American Chopper brand as part of a new in-house licensing program, the cable channel is relying more heavily on licensing to market shows.


Int #39;l conference calls for mine-free world

Senior officials of 143 governments are calling for the total ban of production and use of anti-personnel landmine. Senior government officials of 143 countries across the world


Cambodia plays active role in ASEAN

Cambodia has been active and playing an increasingly important role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and regional affairs politically and economically


Tremor shook Japan

At least 14 people sustained injuries when a strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 hit a sparsely populated area of Japan #39;s northernmost main island of Hokkaido.


GAME DAY RECAP Sunday, November 28

Sandora Irvin had 23 points and 17 rebounds and TCU upset a ranked team for the second night in a row, beating Michigan State (No.


Fish top 49ers in Brutal Bowl

Dolphins 24, 49ers 17 The Dolphins spent the holiday week eating room service food and practising thousands of kilometres from home, all to prove they were the best of the NFL #39;s worst two teams.


Eagles 27, Giants 6

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - The Philadelphia Eagles won a fourth consecutive NFC East title by making Eli Manning look very much like a rookie.


Colombia reveals plot to assassinate Bush

Colombian rebels plotted to assassinate George Bush during his brief stopover in the port of Cartagena last week, according to the country #39;s defence minister.


Quarterback Brady enjoyed a field day

FOXBOROUGH -- Though more than \$300 million was invested in the construction of Gillette Stadium, part of it going to a state-of-the-art drainage system, the playing surface reminds Tom Brady of his high school field in San Mateo, Calif.


Zarqawi group claims Mosul killings

BAGHDAD -- Iraq's most feared terrorist group claimed responsibility yesterday for slaughtering members of the Iraqi security forces in Mosul, where dozens of bodies have been found. The claim raises fears the group has expanded to the north after the loss of its purported base in Fallujah.


Clearest view yet of Saturn #39;s largest moon

Scientists controlling the cameras aboard the Cassini spacecraft in orbit around Saturn have just recovered two extraordinary, contrasting images of the planet #39;s most intriguing moons.


ITA: Juventus blows 2-goal lead againt Inter Milan

Serie A leader Juventus wasted a two-goal lead in the second half and was held to a 2-2 draw by Inter Milan at San Siro on Sunday, losing ground to defending champion AC Milan.


Wal-Mart reduces sales forecast

Wal-Mart, the world #39;s largest retailer, has lowered its November growth forecast amid concerns that fuel costs may slow down Christmas retail sales.


Iraq to spend \$1 billion to expand oil production

Iraq is planning to spend more than \$1 billion in 2005 to boost its oil production capacity by about 15 percent to 3.25 million barrels a day, an Iraqi official said.


PA #39;s Abbas rules out interim deal with Israel

The Palestinians will not accept an interim settlement with Israel, Palestine Liberation Organization chief Mahmoud Abbas told the Arab League during a visit to Egypt yesterday.


Brighter Previews for Your Pictures

Epson's Photo Fine technology promises vivid, crisp colors on digital camera LCDs.


New Wi-Fi Nearly Doubles Speed

Belkin's Pre-N wireless networking line also dramatically improves range--even for 802.11b and 802.11g gear.


France #39;s American problem

PARIS -- US diplomats here respond to Jacques Chirac #39;s continued Yankee-bashing following George W. Bush #39;s re-election by saying the French president is out of step with his people, who are not nearly that anti-American.


Google Stumbles With New Desktop Tool

Google wants to help you effectively access the piles of information you store in the documents, e-mail messages, Web pages, and contact lists stuffed on your PC.


Oil Down 3 Pct. as U.S. Winter Stays Mild

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices slid 3 percent on Monday on  expectations that more mild U.S. weather at the start of the  New Year will limit heating oil demand.


The Next Giant Leap

Rendezvous quot; for the docking techniques he developed while at MIT earning his PhD in astronautics. Lessig: Technology over ideology!


Planned Grand Canyon Flood Seeks to Reverse Erosion

Description: Researchers flooded the Colorado River last week, in an attempt to reverse erosion in the Grand Canyon. NPR #39;s Liane Hansen speaks to Denny Fenn, director of the Southwest Biological Science Center, about the experiment #39;s preliminary findings.


Pakistan tests nuclear-capable missile

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan test-fired a short-range missile capable of carrying nuclear weapons on Monday, and said more tests are planned.


EasyMobile launch set for March

Denmark #39;s leading telecoms operator TDC says it will launch a low-budget mobile telephone operator dubbed  quot;easyMobile quot; with mobile network operator T-Mobile in Britain in March 2005.


More buyers choose artificial

Renee McDonald remembers the Christmas trees of her youth: spindly, fake and out of a box. They were hard to put up, and they just didn #39;t smell right.


Chip power, times 10

IBM, Sony Corp. and Toshiba Corp. on Monday unveiled some key details on the powerful new  quot;Cell quot; processor the three are jointly producing to run next-generation computers, game consoles and TVs.


SEO #39;s Multiplying Effect on Paid Inclusion

Paid inclusion (PI) has always been a hot potato. It #39;s not quite SEO (define) and not quite search advertising. No one wants to touch it.


Burger and Boks get IRB gongs

South Africa #39;s Schalk Burger has been honoured as international rugby #39;s player of the year in 2004. The Springboks, the reigning Tri Nations champions, also scooped the awards for Team of the Year and Coach


Myskina caps magnificent year for Russia

Anastasia Myskina capped a magnificent year for Russian tennis by leading her country to their first Fed Cup title with a dramatic win over holders France.


Universal, Warner Bros, Paramount, and New Line Support HD-DVD

Major movie studious Paramount, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros., and New Line Cinema all said today that they have adopted the new high definition DVD disc format (HD-DVD), and will begin issuing movie titles in the new format in 2005.


MetroPCS obtains Cingular air

com November 29, 2004, 8:33 AM PT. Wired  amp; Wireless continues its reign as the top IT priority among IT managers due to widespread IP telephony deployment and other network infrastructure upgrades.


Dillon enjoys a grand time

Corey Dillon keeps piling up the rushing yards for the Patriots, but he could care less. What Dillon wants to pile up is wins. He #39;s doing that, too, in his


Is this the end of IT as we know it?

Halsey Minor, CEO of hosted integration provider grand central Communications, has a powerful message for IT: In four years, ... basically the whole notion of enterprise application software is going to be dead. He believes application functionality will instead be available as hosted, pay-per-use services delivered by companies such as Salesforce.com. Putting his money where his mouth is, Minor has recently launched a \$50 million venture capital fund with his own money to fuel on-demand startups. For its part, Grand Central will handle data and process integration between enterprises and multiple on-demand services.


Mamma Search is Buying Copernic

Mamma Search is Buying Copernic\\Mamma.com Inc., the paid search company, and Copernic Technologies Inc. announced that Mamma has signed a letter of intent where they will acquire all of the shares of Copernic Technologies for a combination of cash and shares of Mamma.com Inc. The closing of the acquisition will ...


Toshiba claims Hollywood backing in war for next DVD standard (AFP)

AFP - Toshiba said four major Hollywood studios had thrown their crucial weight behind High Definition DVD (HD-DVD), one of two disc formats contending to be the standard in next-generation DVDs.


Toronto #39;s SkyDome sold for \$25 million

Toronto #39;s Major League Baseball franchise finally has a nest it can call its own. Blue Jays-owner Rogers Communications has reached a \$25 million deal to buy the SkyDome.


Court Declines to Hear Gay Marriage Case (AP)

AP - The Supreme Court on Monday sidestepped a dispute over gay marriages, rejecting a challenge to the nation's only law sanctioning such unions.


Sharon Survives 3 Parliament No-Confidence Votes

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Monday  narrowly survived three parliamentary no-confidence votes  sponsored by opposition parties over deepening poverty in  Israel.


Romania Faces Hung Parliament Risk After Vote

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania faced weeks of uncertainty on  Monday after inconclusive general elections in the poor Balkan  country, already struggling to stay on track to join the  European Union.  Partial results showed the ruling ex-communist Social Democrats  (PSD) of Prime Minister Adrian Nastase a whisker ahead of the  opposition centrists in Sunday's election but well short of a  majority in parliament.


Space Station Crew Moves Rescue Capsule

The maneuver frees the hatch on the docking station that the crew members will use for work sorties in January and March. In addition, the launch of an unmanned Progress cargo ship has been postponed one day to December 24.


Telekom Austria taps the Bulgarian market

Telekom Austria, Austrias largest telecoms operator, obtained access to the relatively underdeveloped East European mobile services market by winning the right to purchase the Bulgarian mobile operator MobilTel for 1.6billion (\$2.12billion).


Philippines GDP grows 6.3 on strong exports

The Philippine economy continued to grow robustly in the third quarter despite rising consumer prices, with the gross domestic product expanding by 6.3 per cent from a year ago


Tough courses  #39;killing excitement #39;

RICHARD Green is campaigning for a fair go for players in a bid to make home tour tournaments more exciting this summer. Green blasted the brutal course set-up for last week #39;s Australian Open, claiming it


Cost of  #39;12 Days of Christmas #39; now is \$66,000

PNC Financial Services says the luxury cars and vintage watch would cost you just as much as all the gifts listed in the Christmas carol  quot;The Twelve Days of Christmas.


Merck #39;s Board Adopts Severance Plan for Top Officials (Update5)

Merck  amp; Co., seeking to keep managers from leaving after the withdrawal of its Vioxx painkiller, adopted a plan to give severance payments to more than 200 executives should control of the company change.


Anxious wait for whale rescuers

RESCUE workers will know this morning if their attempts to save whales beached yesterday on Maria Island, off Tasmania #39;s east coast, were successful.


Musharraf Sees 'Light at End of Tunnel' with India (Reuters)

Reuters - Pakistani President Pervez\Musharraf said on Monday there were prospects for resolving all\disputes with India, including over Kashmir, through peace\talks now under way.


A U.S. brain drain?

A drop in engineering degrees combined with a fall-off in foreign students matriculating at U.S. colleges spells big trouble ahead.


Diouf Charged After Spitting Row

Bolton #39;s El-Hadji Diouf has been charged by the Football Association for spitting at Portsmouth #39;s Arjan de Zeeuw in Saturday #39;s 1-0 win for Pompey.


Bush Picks Kellogg CEO for Commerce

President Bush on Monday chose Carlos Gutierrez, the Cuban-born CEO of Kellogg Co (KN: Quote, Profile, Research) , as his nominee to be commerce secretary, his second selection of a Hispanic for a second-term Cabinet.


Sony, IBM, Toshiba Give Details of 'Cell' Chip (Reuters)

Reuters - IBM , Sony Corp. (6758.T) and\Toshiba Corp. (6502.T) on Monday revealed their plans for the\powerful new "Cell" processor the three are jointly producing\to run next-generation computers, game consoles and\televisions.


Bush Picks Kellogg CEO for Commerce

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Monday chose  Carlos Gutierrez, the Cuban-born CEO of Kellogg Co, as his  nominee to be commerce secretary, his second selection of a  Hispanic for a second-term Cabinet.


Pew Weblog Statistics

\\Interesting data  this morning (thanks Dan ) on weblogs:\\"Blog readership shoots up 58 in 2004 6 million Americans get news and\information fed to them through RSS aggregators But 62 of online Americans do\not know what a blog is"\\Read the PDF  for more stats (man I hate PDF).\\"27 of internet users say they read blogs, a 58 jump from the 17 who told us\they were blog readers in February. This means that by the end of 2004 32\million Americans were blog readers. Much of the attention to blogs focused on\those that covered the recent political campaign and the media. And at least\some of the overall growth in blog readership is attributable to political\blogs. Some 9 of internet users ...\\


Sudan backtracks on aid workers

Sudan reverses its decision to expel Oxfam and Save the Children's local heads, accused of political meddling.


South Korea, Singapore seal free-trade pact

Korea and Singapore sealed a free-trade agreement yesterday that covers nine broad areas, including electronics, finance and intellectual property rights.


Jordan prince loses succession

Jordan #39;s Prince Hamzah says he is conceding to the wish of King Abdullah II to strip him of his crown as heir to the throne.  quot;I obey the command of my elder brother out of my loyalty, love


Stelco Financing by Deutsche Bank Gets Court Approval (Update2)

Deutsche Bank AG #39;s C\$900 million (\$759 million) proposal to provide financing to Stelco Inc. was approved by an Ontario judge over the objections of rival bidders and Stelco #39;s unions.


Sun acquisition to boost IT services portfolio

Sun Microsystemshas agreed to purchase Ashburn, Virginia, IT services company SevenSpace, the companies announced Monday. With the purchase, Sun takes a further step away from its traditional focus on supporting only its Solaris operating system platform and beefs up its support for competing operating systems like Windows, HP-UX and AIX.


Six players suspended for one game

Six players from both Clemson and South Carolina will be suspended for one game next season for their participation in a brawl near the end of the rivalry game November 20th.


Bosox strike deal with Mirabelli; Yanks, Flaherty close

The Boston Red Sox have signed backup catcher Doug Mirabelli to a two-year deal worth \$3 million, making him the first of the World Series champions #39; 16 free agents to re-sign.


Iraqi Forces Foundering in Face of Killings and Threats by Rebels

Iraqi forces, whose performance is crucial to securing January elections, are riddled with problems, say local U.S. officials.


ACC Loses 2 Ranked Teams; Big East Get 2 (AP)

AP - The Atlantic Coast Conference's record run of seven ranked teams came to an end Monday.


Autonomy, Mamma.com Join Desktop Search Ranks

Not to be left out of desktop search, two search vendors on Monday leaped into the growing space for managing e-mail, documents and other hard-drive data.


America's Best Airline?

Hawaiian Airlines is putting up impressive numbers, including some that really matter to travelers.


Former Basketball Player Found Dead (AP)

AP - Mark Haymore, who played on Indiana's unbeaten 1976 NCAA championship team before transferring to Massachusetts, has died. He was 48.


Cyprus says could support Turkey EU bid

Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos said Monday he would not oppose Turkish European Union accession talks provided Turkey met European standards.


Nuggets Knock Off Hornets 76-67 (AP)

AP - Earl Boykins scored 22 points to help the Denver Nuggets overcome the absence of Carmelo Anthony and defeat the New Orleans Hornets 76-67 on Monday night.


Kansas State 76, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 42

Clent Stewart scored a career-high 15 points and Kansas State used stifling defense for a 76-42 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Monday.


NTT DoCoMo, Mm02 Sign Deal

TOKYO - Japan #39;s top cell phone operator NTT DoCoMo Inc. and major British mobile carrier mm02 plc reached an agreement that will allow mobile telephone users in Britain, Germany, and Ireland to surf the Internet on the handsets, DoCoMo said Tuesday.


Kansas Gets Chance For Revenge Against Nevada The Jayhawks were <b>...</b>

The second-ranked Jayhawks can redeem themselves for one of their most frustrating losses last season Monday when they welcome the Wolf Pack to Allen Fieldhouse.


Gold Fields wins appeal to fight takeover

Gold Fields Ltd. won an appeal on Friday in its battle to stave off a hostile \$7.1 billion takeover by Harmony Gold Mining Co. that would create the world #39;s largest gold mining company.


Toshiba wins HD DVD support

Four film studios are expected to release movies on the new HD format in the last quarter of 2005. TOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp.


#39;Breakthrough #39; on hydrogen fuel

US scientists had made a breakthrough in their quest to make low-cost hydrogen, a technology key to finding new sources of energy to end US dependence on foreign oil, they said.


Pentagon Disputes Red Cross Criticism (AP)

AP - A Pentagon spokesman said Monday that Red Cross officials have "made their view known" that the indefinite detention of terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, amounts to torture.


Super Bowl Advertisers Still in the Game After Scandal

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Advertisers may have been bitten once  by an indecency scandal at the 2004 Super Bowl, but they are  not shy about getting back into the game for the next U.S.  football championship.


Sony, IBM, and Toshiba Reveal Additional Details on Cell Chip

Initial versions of PlayStation 3 chip will not be produced with a cutting-edge chip-making technology. The four companies developing the Cell consumer electronics microprocessor released a few more details


Chirac puts retirement on hold

President Jacques Chirac passed his 72nd birthday yesterday locked in a struggle to maintain his relevance in the face of an intraparty challenge and continuing friction with the world #39;s only superpower.


EU draft draws fire in Turkey

BRUSSELS: Turkey will have to recognize the Republic of Cyprus, if only tacitly, if it wants to begin membership negotiations with the European Union, according to a draft document that was leaked here Monday.


Brett Favre Shines as Green Bay Mauls St. Louis

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Brett Favre celebrated his 200th  consecutive start by throwing three touchdown passes as the  Green Bay Packers destroyed the St. Louis Rams 45-17 at Lambeau  Field Monday.


Industrial output falls in Japan

Japan's industrial production falls in October while unemployment rises, providing more evidence of a slowdown in the world's second largest economy.


Kansas, Oklahoma State cruise to easy victories

NO. 2 KANSAS 85, NEVADA 52: At Lawrence, Kan. - Wayne Simien had his third double-double in as many games and Kansas routed Nevada on Monday night, avenging an embarrassing loss of a year ago.


With work, Dana-Farber learns from '94 mistakes

Nurse Teresa Mazeika has known the woman knitting in the blue reclining chair for months. But she asks Carolyn Harlow her name and birthday anyway, as she approaches with chemotherapy for Harlow's blood cancer. Mazeika, a 17-year nursing veteran at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, isn't taking any chances that she is about to give the drug to the wrong patient.


Day 3: Dravid, Ganguly take charge

India lost two wickets on the third day of the second Test against South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata today. South Africa bounced back from a miserable day on the field yesterday to remove the dangerous


Swedes Blast Gov't Response to Tsunami (AP)

AP - Hours after a tsunami flattened south Asia beaches  #151; a magnet for thousands of vacationing Swedes  #151; the Swedish foreign minister went to the theater.


Peru Launches Offensive to Retake Siege Town

LIMA, Peru (Reuters) - Peruvian authorities on Monday  launched an offensive to retake a police station and end a  three-day siege by former soldiers in a southern Andean town.


UConn awaiting invite to Motor City Bowl

Theres still one more domino to fall, but today the University of Connecticut football team is expected to be invited and accept an invitation to play in the Motor City Bowl in Detroit on Dec. 27.


Dubois helps Maine top Dartmouth

David Dubois scored a game-high 17 points as Maine held on for a 58-52 men's basketball victory over Dartmouth last night at Hanover, N.H.


Update 2: Report: Gazprom to Take Part in Yukos Sale

The newly-created oil unit of Russian gas monopoly OAO Gazprom, Gazpromneft, will take part in the auction of the embattled Yukos oil company #39;s largest unit, Yuganskneftegaz, Dow Jones NewsWires reported Tuesday, citing the news agency Prime-Tass.


Lawmakers Grill Citigroup Japan Chief

Citigroup #39;s top executive in Japan endured unprecedented questioning by lawmakers on Tuesday over a scandal at the firm #39;s private bank in the country, the latest turn in a high-profile case that has embarrassed the world #39;s biggest


Minaya ahead in count even if he strikes out

This is the way Mets fans wanted their team to do it with Vladimir Guerrero and Alex Rodriguez. They wanted the general manager of the moment, Steve Phillips or Jim Duquette, to get in there early.


Car Bomb North of Baghdad Kills 7, Wounds 19 (Reuters)

Reuters - A car bomb exploded near a U.S.\military patrol in the town of Baiji, north of Baghdad, on\Tuesday, killing at least seven Iraqis and wounding 20 people,\including two U.S. soldiers, doctors and the military said.


Musharraf Can Be Pakistan President and Army Chief

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's acting president signed a  bill on Tuesday that will allow military ruler Pervez Musharraf  to stay on as army chief despite his pledge to quit the office  by the end of the year.


Plane repos ready to take flight

At the airport, you hear all of the usual explanations: bad weather, mechanical difficulties, no crew available. But now there #39;s another excuse you might hear as times get tougher for cash


UK House Prices Rise at Fastest Pace Since July (Update3)

UK house prices unexpectedly rose in November at the fastest pace since July, reinforcing expectations real estate values will level out, avoiding a collapse from records, according to Nationwide Building Society.


Wall Street Set for a Flat Start (Reuters)

Reuters - Wall Street was set for a flat start on\Tuesday as investors braced themselves for a slew of data, with\a steadier dollar helping to offset the impact of firmer crude\oil prices.


Eurozone recovery struggles as monetary union fails to yield results: OECD (AFP)

AFP - Recovery in the eurozone is battling higher oil prices and a rising euro as monetary union has so far failed to spur sustained economic dynamism in the 12 nations using the single European currency, the OECD revealed.


Cosatu to meet over conflict with ANC

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said that it will hold a lunchtime press conference on Tuesday to discuss the controversial public spat between its leader Zwelinzima Vavi and the African National Congress (ANC) national spokesperson


REL asks quitting directors to rethink

Mumbai: The board of Indian power utility Reliance Energy Ltd. told the Bombay exchange on Tuesday it had asked its six directors who resigned last week to reconsider their resignations.


Renault unveils investment plan for Asian hub in South Korea (AFP)

AFP - French auto giant Renault SA said it will invest some 570 million dollars in South Korea over the next three years as part of its global strategy to become a key player in Asia, notably China.


OECD tips US growth slowdown in 2005

US economic growth will slow to 3.3 per cent in 2005, more than a full percentage point below this year, with the effect of high energy prices dragging on the economy for the next few quarters, the OECD said on Tuesday.


HP releases new products for enterprises

Launches OpenView Automation Manager, Service Desk version 5.0 and partnership with Cisco for reselling HP management software. MADRID: Hewlett Packard has launched its HP OpenView Automation Manager that


Philippine Floods Kill Hundreds

More than 300 people died after flash floods and landslides devastated three coastal towns and left swathes of the northern Philippines under water on Tuesday.


Clayton Offers to Buy Rexel for 2.6 Billion Euros (Update5)

Clayton, Dubilier  amp; Rice Inc. is leading a 2.6 billion-euro (\$3.45 billion) buyout of an electrical- equipment supplier from France #39;s Pinault-Printemps-Redoute SA, the New York-based firm #39;s third European acquisition this year.


Football Association charges Bolton striker over spitting incident

Bolton striker El-Hadji Diouf was cited for improper conduct by the Football Association on Monday after spitting in the face of an opponent.


USA: Smithfield Foods reports higher Q2 earnings

US meat processor Smithfield Foods has reported higher second-quarter earnings, as higher hog prices offset lower pork margins and a loss in its beef operations.


O2 to roll out i-mode

The deal, which was leaked to the press last week, will see the UK-based mobile operator deliver data services -- such as games, ringtones and entertainment -- through a platform that has been credited with making NTT DoCoMo the force that it is in


Screensaver Strikes Back at Spammers

New software allows recipients of spam to band together to target known websites behind the messages. The idea is to bombard the sites with messages, slowing them down and making them more expensive to run.


Study: Brain Scan Helps Diagnose Bipolar Disorder (Reuters)

Reuters - Bipolar disorder, a sometimes\misdiagnosed mental illness characterized by wide emotional\swings, may be identifiable by chemical abnormalities visible\in victims' brains, researchers said on Tuesday.


Princess Di's Ex-Bodyguard Disputes Claim (AP)

AP - A former bodyguard of Princess Diana on Tuesday dismissed her claim that one of her lovers was "bumped off."


Tech Firms Keep Riding Chinese Tiger

Microsoft watched a software deal with China go bust less than two weeks into the contract. And Beijing is pushing its government IT officials to buy local. But China remains a vibrant market where tech firms have to stay in play. -washingtonpost.com


Milan Mandaric statement

quot;Over the past two-and-a-half years the football club have currently paid 11.5million on transfer fees, loan fees and appearance payments to clubs for 25 players.


Cell Phone Virus Mutates, Carries Payload

Security company F-Secure warned of a variant on the Skulls Trojan horse that infects smart phones running the Symbian operating system.


Redknapp and Mandaric clear the air

Harry Redknapp maintained on Tuesday that he had nothing to hide from the transfer deals conducted at Portsmouth during his time as manager.


Log on to be a satellite spy

A Canadian inventor has created Internet-based technology that could soon see regular computer users acting as armchair spies. Vincent Tao, an engineer at Toronto #39;s York University


Sharman begins defense in Kazaa case

Sharman Networks, the company behind the Kazaa peer-to-peer file sharing software, began its defense in a Sydney court room on Tuesday against charges by members of the music industry that the company aided music piracy and copyright infringement.


Najeh to the rescue for Packers

No Ahman Green, no problem. At least that #39;s what it looked like on Monday night, as the Green Bay Packers ran roughshod over the St.


Bangladesh bars female swim

Pressure from an Islamic group halts a women's swimming contest in Bangladesh.


Music sharing continues to thrive

A steady growth in legal music downloads continues while illegal file sharing networks also flourish, analysts say.


Prosecutor: Pacers Players to Be Charged (AP)

AP - Indiana Pacers players will be charged for fighting with fans during the Nov. 19 brawl at the end of a game against the Detroit Pistons, Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca told The Detroit News.


Impact of euro played down

The damage to exports caused by a stronger euro has been played down by a member of the European Central Bank #39;s governing council in remarks highlighting the bank #39;s limited concern about the currency #39;s rise.


Chercher dans toute l #39;actualit

Italy ground to a halt as millions of workers observed a general strike in protest against the economic policies of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi #39;s centre-right government.


Oragenics Shares Up on FDA Clearance

Shares of Oragenics Inc. jumped after the biotechnology company reported Tuesday that the Food and Drug Administration allowed it to proceed with safety trials on a lifelong tooth decay protection rinse that


Australia give their neighbours no mercy

Australia wrapped up a 2-0 win in the series after beating New Zealand by 213 runs on the fifth day of the second and final cricket Test on Tuesday.


Oil Prices Slip, Winter Supplies Seen Up

Oil prices fell on Tuesday as an expected increase in US heating fuel supplies eased concerns over an inventory crunch should this winter #39;s weather prove colder than normal.


Clayton Dubilier, Merrill team in \$3.4B buyout

In what would be the largest European leveraged buyout of the year, Clayton Dubilier  amp; Rice has teamed with Merrill Lynch  amp; Co.


Ex-Guard Speaks Out About Di Tapes

(CBS) Newly-surfaced videotapes of the late Princess Diana address her sometimes bizarre relationship with Prince Charles. The tapes were recorded by Diana #39;s voice coach, Peter Settelen.


Waugh: Shoaib will test Australians

Former Australian skipper Steve Waugh says he thinks Shoaib Akhtar will test the home side when it tackles Pakistan at the WACA. Having recently watched Australia end a 35-year hoodoo in India with a 2-1 series


Panel Urges N.Y. to Pay \$14 Billion More for City Schools

Court-appointed referees recommended the state pay an additional \$14 billion over four years to improve New York City schools.


Poison Toads Leap Across Australia

Small, warty, and poisonous enough to kill crocodiles, the cane toad has wreaked havoc in parts of Australia. Experts say climate change is benefiting the invasive species.


Merrill, Wachovia, others fined for late reporting

NEW YORK: The NASD yesterday said it censured and fined 29 securities firms a total of \$US9.22 (\$NZ13.04) million for failing to properly disclose required information about their brokers more than 8300 times.


Tom Clancy #39;s Rainbow Six 4 Announced

As expected, Ubisoft today announced its plans to launch a new Tom Clancy #39;s Rainbow Six title on PS2, Xbox and PC. Rainbow Six 4 will introduce a new single player experience with a personal darker storyline


Lycos Europe Pushes Limits in Anti-Spam Fight

A new application from Lycos Europe aims to fight back against spammers, but some experts say the company may be enabling illegal activities.


Click Here for a Free Credit Report

Really. We mean it. Finally, a legit way to peek into your personal financial file.


Gough new Livi boss

FORMER Rangers, Everton and Scotland captain Richard Gough has been appointed as the new manager of troubled Scottish Premier League outfit Livingston.


Cardinals to Play Broncos

Boise State accepts a bid Tuesday to play Louisville in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 31, in a matchup of the nation's top two offenses.


Pinault-Printemps Redoute to sell holding in Rexel

LONDON, November 30 (newratings.com) - Pinault-Printemps Redoute SA (PPX.FSE) plans to sell its controlling stake in the electrical parts distributor, Rexel (RXL), to a group of private firms for 1.92 billion (\$2.55 billion).


Shifting signs in North Korea

Kim Jong Il dials back his personality cult as protest activities pick up.


New strain of Skulls Trojan hits smart phones

Mobile phones running Symbian's Series 60 operating system are the target of a new strain of the Skulls Trojan horse program. The new Trojan comes with the Cabir.B worm, which, unlike the first version of the virus, can spread to other phones within reach of Bluetooth broadcasting range.


Grinstein: Delta Pilots #39; Retirement Exodus Likely On Wednesday

At least 100 Delta Air Lines (nyse: DAL - news - people ) pilots are expected to retire effective Wednesday. That #39;s the starting date for the 32.5 pay cut agreed upon under Chief Executive Gerald Grinstein #39;s master plan.


Pedro Waits to Learn of Yankees' Interest (AP)

AP - With an offer in hand from the New York Mets, Pedro Martinez will wait to see what the New York Yankees do before deciding where he'll play next year.


EPA May Conduct Human Tests for Chemicals (AP)

AP - In setting limits on chemicals in food and water, the Environmental Protection Agency may rely on industry tests that expose people to poisons and raise ethical questions.


The Kremlins Leviathan

In Putins Russia Gazprom is by no means a mere natural monopoly, nor a newly established ministry for oil and gas. Gazprom is an instrument of public administration just like the pro-Kremlin United Russia


Ferguson stirs the pot ahead of Arsenal visit

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has raised the stakes before the Carling Cup clash with Arsenal at Old Trafford, by claiming that Chelsea are now the team to beat.


US-European mission explores Saturn #39;s moon mysteries

This Nasa image shows Saturn #39;s lonely moon Mimas (R) seen against the blue-streaked backdrop of Saturn #39;s northern hemisphere.


New Rainbow Six Franchise for Spring 2005

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - November 30, 2004 -Ubisoft, one of the world #39;s largest video game publishers, today announced its plans to launch the next installment in the Tom Clancy #39;s Rainbow SixR franchise for the Sony PlayStationR2 computer entertainment system


With Ban Pending, Hamilton Loses Ride

Tyler Hamilton, who won an Olympic gold medal for the United States in Athens, was fired last Thursday by Phonak, his Swiss cycling team, two months after testing positive for illegal blood transfusions.


Browns coach Davis resigns; Robiskie named interim coach

BEREA, Ohio (Ticker) - One day after admitting that his shaky job status was a  quot;distraction quot; to his players, Butch Davis resigned as coach of the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday.


Son Is Gone but Fervor Remains After Fallujah

After his son's life was ended by an American bullet, an Iraqi insurgent undertook a harrowing escape to a lonely exile in Baghdad, where he waits to fight another day.


SEC Delays Reviews for Some Firms

Securities regulators gave more than 2,000 public companies a brief reprieve from new rules requiring them to assess the strength of their financial safeguards.


U.S. Increases Growth Estimate For 3rd Quarter

Consumers and businesses boosted their spending a bit more quickly in late summer than previously thought, fueling faster overall economic growth, the government reported Tuesday.


Spurs 107, Mavericks 89

Devin Brown sparked a fourth-quarter spurt with two three-point plays and two dunks, helping the San Antonio Spurs beat the Dallas Mavericks 107-89 Monday night to spoil the pseudo-coaching debut of Avery Johnson.


FDA Warns Cyberonics on Manufacturing

CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. regulators warned Cyberonics Inc.  CYBX.O of manufacturing deficiencies at the Houston plant  that makes its sole product, an implantable device to treat  epilepsy, the company said on Monday.


Bush shields shrimp industry

The Bush administration yesterday said Chinese and Vietnamese shrimp are sold at unfairly low prices in the United States, siding with US fishermen as they try to fend off overseas competition.


Oil Prices Edge Below  #36;49 a Barrel (Reuters)

Reuters - Oil prices edged below  #36;49 a barrel\on Wednesday as traders looked ahead to an expected build in\weekly U.S. inventory data that would help bolster the thin\supply cushion ahead of peak northern winter demand.


Knicks: Crawford hits the one that counts

The old axiom is that it doesn #39;t matter how many shots you miss; if you #39;re a shooter, you have to keep shooting. Jamal Crawford missed 21 shots against the Atlanta Hawks last


Australia embraced by Malaysia at ASEAN summit

TONY EASTLEY: For years Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir blocked Australia #39;s closer involvement with the ASEAN group of nations.


Terms of Endearment

Seems that the Bush administration, unlike previous White Houses, is not necessarily averse to allowing its ambassadors to have second tours. For example, word is that    John     Thomas "Tom    " Schieffer , the Texas oilman who brought    President Bush  into the Texas Rangers baseball club partnership and who is now ambassador to Australia, is to hang out in the Pacific a while longer, this time as ambassador to Japan.


Cause of Indonesian Plane Crash Probed (AP)

AP - Investigators picked through the wreckage of an Indonesian passenger plane that crashed in stormy weather, killing at least 32 people in the county's worst air accident in six years.


Landslides, floods kill nearly 340 in Philippines

MARAGUNDON, Philippines -- A powerful rainstorm triggered landslides and flash floods that killed nearly 340 people in the eastern Philippines, officials said yesterday, and rescuers raced to save those stranded in three coastal towns before a typhoon strikes the hard-hit region.


#39;Throttle #39; viruses with software

Early next year, the computer maker will begin selling software designed to slow the spread of viruses from its ProLiant servers and ProCurve networking equipment, an HP executive said on Tuesday.


Eurostocks Nudge Up on Ericsson

PARIS (Reuters) - European shares nosed up on Wednesday as  Ericsson gained on news it had won part of \$4-billion Cingular  deal and with Glaxo buoyed after Pfizer affirmed its outlook.


Bettman stands firm in dispute

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has again dismissed proposals by the players #39; union for a luxury tax as the sport #39;s lockout continues.


Pentagon #39;s death toll in Iraq rising

WASHINGTON - November was the bloodiest month for US troops in Iraq since April, with at least 135 losing their lives and more than 50 falling in the two-week battle to evict insurgents from Fallujah.


EU to Pursue Legal Action Against Greece

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- The European Union #39;s executive commission said Wednesday it would open legal proceedings against Greece for its sloppy bookkeeping and underreporting its budget deficit by billions of euros between 1997 and 2003.


Unprotected PCs Fall To Hacker Bots In Just Four Minutes

The lifespan of a poorly protected PC connected to the Internet is a mere four minutes, research released Tuesday claimed. After that, it #39;s owned by a hacker.


Stocks to Watch on Dec. 1

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks to watch on Wednesday: IBM  CORP. IBM.N: The computer maker said it sealed deals worth  more than \$1 billion in new work with two European companies  from which the information technology company just acquired two  Danish services providers.


After the X Prize

Just weeks before the historic second flight of SpaceShipOne -- a trip that won him the \$10 million X Prize -- Burt Rutan, the ship's designer and builder, sat down for a chat with Wired magazine. Here's what he said.


Co-stars nearly steal show

IT was a match that didn #39;t run to the script but this is the land where life often imitates the silver screen. And for 64 minutes yesterday the USA Tomahawks were pure Hollywood


Murdoch novel reveals Alzheimer's

The last novel by the author Iris Murdoch reveals the first signs of Alzheimer's disease, experts say.


Local group joins suit to de-list endangered species

Bob Briggs wifes family has owned about 1,000 acres of redwood forest off Waddell Creek since 1913. He doesnt clearcut, and logs about once a decade.


Cingular to upgrade wireless data network

DECEMBER 01, 2004 (REUTERS) - Cingular Wireless LLC, the largest US wireless telephone company, said yesterday that it would upgrade its network next year to handle high-speed data transmissions.


Consumer Spending Up, Manufacturing Gains

Consumers spent briskly in October and the nation #39;s manufacturers saw robust activity in November, encouraging signs that the last quarter of this year is shaping up nicely.


NASA Cassini Image: Gazing Down at Saturn #39;s Rings

Cassini pierced the ring plane and rounded Saturn on Oct. 27, 2004, capturing this view of the dark portion of the rings. A portion of the planet #39;s atmosphere is visible here, as is its shadow on the surface of the rings.


UN panel proposes sweeping changes

UNITED NATIONS, New York The United Nations has proposed the most sweeping changes in its history, recommending the overhaul of its top decision-making group, the Security Council, and holding out the possibility that it could grant legitimacy to pre


Florida Election Supervisors Back Reforms (AP)

AP - Florida's 67 county elections supervisors proposed dramatic reforms, including replacing Election Day with 11 days of voting and doing away with voting precincts.


Fly Higher, Fly Lighter: 'Ballute' Technology Aimed at Moon Missions (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - BOULDER, Colo. -- Moviegoers may recall it as that nifty bit of high-speed technology used in 2010: The Year We Make Contact --  the space age equivalent of playing air bag bumper car with Jupiter.


Why 2004 was the year of the blog

A US dictionary publisher declares "blog" as one of the words of the year.


iTunes now selling Band Aid song

IPod owners can download the Band Aid single after Apple reaches agreement with the charity.


Microsoft sues over fake labels

Microsoft has sued eight US computer resellers who it says bought or sold counterfeit Certificate of Authenticity labels or genuine labels that had been separated from their related software, all in breach of copyright and trade mark laws.


Bush Backs US Tariffs on Shrimp

Foreign shrimp producers have denied they are selling shrimp at artificially low prices as a way to win a larger share of the US market.


India #39;s Nehra to miss Bangladesh series

Left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra has been left out of India #39;s squad for this month #39;s two-test series against Bangladesh due to an abdominal strain.


New Game in Town: ESPN Phone

ESPN will launch its own branded wireless phone service next year, the first in a series of branded cell-phone services planned by Walt Disney (DIS), which owns the cable sports channel.


Ford Sales Fall, Chrysler Posts Gain

DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co. F.N on Wednesday  reported its sixth straight month of weaker vehicle sales,  prompting the second-largest U.S. automaker to further cut  production of cars and trucks, while Chrysler posted another  sales gain.


Stocks Rise as Crude Falls More Than \$2

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday as crude  oil futures fell more than \$2 a barrel on a big jump in U.S.  petroleum supply, easing worries about the impact of energy  costs on corporate profits and economic growth.


Nektar Shares Continues Rise on Upgrades

Shares of Nektar Therapeutics remained active Wednesday following upgrades from two investment firms after drug giant Pfizer Inc. cited its inhalable insulin product in a recent pipeline report.


Palace Bans Two Fans

The Palace in Auburn Hills bans two men from events for their involvement in last month's brawl between the Pistons and Indian Pacers.


Cingular Sees Merger Savings Above Plan

Cingular Wireless, the nation #39;s largest wireless carrier following the company #39;s merger with AT amp;T Wireless, said Wednesday that it has completed integration activities ahead of schedule and now expects merger-related cost savings to exceed prior estimates


Pound soars amid wider currency fears

Sterling rose to its highest level against the dollar since Black Wednesday, the day in September 1992 when the pound was forced out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism, the forerunner of the euro.


HP Throttles Viruses

Hewlett-Packard has developed a software program that could slow the spread of computer viruses and worms by acting as a  quot;throttle quot; on unauthroized network activity.


AOL Upgrades Multimedia Search Site

com. America Online Inc. on Wednesday launched new features in its Singingfish search site for audio and video on the Web. AOL, a division of Time Warner Inc.


Crowton Steps Down As BYU Football Coach

BYU coach Gary Crowton walks off the field after BYU #39;s 28-27 loss to Boise State, in Boise, Idaho, in this Sept. 24, 2004 photo.


Mozambicans Vote for New President

Mozambique #39;s poor, many carrying small children, trudged along narrow dirt roads in oppressive heat Wednesday to pick a replacement for the president who has ruled


Turkey eyes \$15 billion investment years

ANKARA: Turkey is hoping to attract \$15 billion of foreign investment between 2005 and 2007 through reforms designed to overhaul its economy and ease the country #39;s entry into


Crowton Steps Down as BYU Football Coach

PROVO, Utah (Sports Network) - Gary Crowton has resigned  from his position as the head football coach at Brigham Young.


Moya says he #39;ll beat Roddick on Friday

Spains top singles player said he expects to beat American Andy Roddick in the Davis Cup final, which begins Friday at the Estadio Olimpico de la Cartuja.


Ford, GM report slow November sales

The nation #39;s two largest automakers on Wednesday reported weak November sales, but both expressed confidence that new products would help them pick up momentum.


Cheney Campaigns for House Candidates (AP)

AP - With two Louisiana congressional seats still up for grabs, Vice President Dick Cheney campaigned in the state Wednesday on behalf of Republicans who hope to sweep Saturday's runoff elections.


Cingular Planning Major 3G Wireless Rollout

Just as the AT amp;T buy helped Cingular move ahead of Verizon Wireless to the top of the industry in terms of size, the new network would likely give it an overall faster network, a distinction most say Verizon can now boast.


Bellion strike gives Reds 1-0 victory over Gunners

David Bellion scored 19 seconds after the opening kickoff as Manchester United #39;s backup team edged Arsenal #39;s youngsters 1-0 on Wednesday to reach the semifinal of the English League Cup.


Expectations too lofty for unlucky Willingham

Three seasons after hiring Tyrone Willingham as head coach of the football program, the powers that be in South Bend, Ind., fired the 28-year coaching veteran Tuesday, one month prior to the Fighting Irish #39;s scheduled matchup with UCLA in the Insight Bowl


Wet Seal Third-Quarter Net Loss Widens (Reuters)

Reuters - Struggling clothing retailer Wet\Seal Inc.  on Wednesday posted a wider quarterly loss\as lackluster demand for its teen-oriented fashions forced the\company to make bigger markdowns.


Gunfire Erupts During Powell Visit to Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) - Shooting erupted on  Wednesday outside Haiti's presidential palace while Secretary  of State Colin Powell was inside talking with the interim  leaders of the violence-plagued country.


Poland opens Katyn probe

Polish war crimes prosecutors examine the 1940 deaths of members of the Polish elite in Russia's Katyn Forest.


Britain: Body Isn't Kidnapped Aid Worker (AP)

AP - A mutilated body found in Iraq is not that of kidnapped aid worker Margaret Hassan, the British government said Wednesday. But the Foreign Office said it continued to believe Hassan had been murdered, although the evidence was not conclusive.


Judge Declines to Dismiss Steroid Case (AP)

AP - A judge declined to dismiss charges against four men accused of distributing steroids to top athletes amid accusations that prosecutors illegally searched a nutritional supplement lab and the house and car of Barry Bonds' trainer.


Judge declines to dismiss BALCO case

A federal judge said Wednesday that she would not immediately dismiss charges against four men accused of distributing steroids to top athletes.


Intel planning Centrino-like brand for desktops

Intel is preparing a marketing strategy that will brand desktop PCs with a similar label that made its Centrino notebook technology a household name, according to sources familiar with the company's plans.


Cavs to Go Bowling in Boise

The University of Virginia football team has accepted an invitation to the MPC Computers Bowl at 2 pm (EST) on Dec. 27 in Boise, Idaho.


Mutant book wins Guardian prize

A book about the evolution of mutants and the science of abnormality has won the Guardian First Book Award 2004.


Howard: Telstra Board Will Choose Its CEO

Australian Prime Minister John Howard said Thursday that Telstra Corp. #39;s board would choose its next chief executive, not the federal government, which has a majority stake in the telecommunications giant.


MSN Enters Blogging Fray with  quot;Spaces quot;

Microsoft #39;s MSN has introduced a beta version of its new blogging tool, MSN Spaces, which it expects will eventually be supported by advertising.


Sun And Microsoft Call A Truce

The longtime rivals claim that they #39;ll work harder to make their software work together. By Aaron Ricadela. Longtime rivals Microsoft and Sun Microsystems have made a  quot;180-degree U-turn quot; in their relationship


UConn Avoids Loss in Overtime

The eighth-ranked Connecticut Huskies narrowly avoided their first two-game losing streak in 12 seasons, beating South Florida, 75-65, last night with Barbara Turner getting 8 of her 23 points in overtime.


Indian State Eyes Faster Internet Project (AP)

AP - In a bid to give a big push to e-governance, an Indian state on Monday cleared a plan that will help its officials move Internet data thousand times faster than now.


Internet pioneer closes Manitoba pharmacy; blames dollar, uncertain climate (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - WINNIPEG (CP) - Just one year ago, Mark Rzepka was opening a  #36;1-million Internet pharmacy in the small Manitoba town of Niverville believing he would be able to quadruple his staff within 12 months.