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MTV Auctioning Pop Artists' Memorabilia (AP). AP - A handmade dress worn by Destiny's Child, a poster signed by Jennifer Lopez and a guitar signed by Wyclef Jean are on sale in an MTV internet auction to raise money for hurricane victims in the Caribbean.

Desktop Search Race Heats Up (NewsFactor). NewsFactor - Anybody who is anybody in the Web-search realm -- and that list now includes Google, Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO), Ask Jeeves (Nasdaq: ASKJ) and Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) -- is acting quickly to stake a claim on the most lucrative piece of real estate in the search world: personal computer users' desktops.

Product Review: Sony-Ericsson Z500a Smartphone (NewsFactor). NewsFactor - Measuring 3.6 x 1.9 x .9 inches and weighing in at 110 grams, the new Sony Ericsson Z500a smartphone from Cingular Wireless enables road warriors to add a variety of highly effective tools to their mobile arsenals. Included are high-speed access to e-mail and the Internet, as well as a push-to-talk capability for instantly contacting fellow workers.

Former prime minister Turner hoping Ukrainian re-election will be open, honest (Canadian Press). Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - John Turner's team of electoral observers will help Ukraine achieve a fair and honest outcome in its second attempt to elect a president, the former prime minister pledged Friday.

Microsoft Patches Critical XP Firewall Flaw (NewsFactor). NewsFactor - Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) has released a patch for a potentially serious configuration flaw in the firewall that ships with the company's Windows XP Service Pack 2.

IBM Integrates RFID with WebSphere (NewsFactor). NewsFactor - IBM (NYSE: IBM) is rolling out a new version of WebSphere software, using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and middleware targeting retail operations.

NASA's Departing Chief Defends Hubble Decision (Reuters). Reuters - NASA's departing chief, Sean\O'Keefe, on Friday defended his decision to pursue a robotic\repair mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, days after a\panel of scientists said a shuttle mission would be better.

Five Die in Violent Storms in France (Reuters). Reuters - Violent storms lashed through northern\and eastern France on Friday, killing five people and forcing\officials to close a Christmas market and Paris tourist\attractions, such as an ice-skating rink on the Eiffel Tower.

Dollar Weakens in Thin Trading. NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar weakened against major currencies on Friday in thin holiday-season volume, as traders took profits after early-session gains.

Above the Clouds, the French Glimpse the Old Grandeur. Higher than the Eiffel Tower, the Millau bridge is a triumph of engineering and imagination.

Gazprom applies for participation in Yuganskneftegaz auction. MOSCOW, December 17 (Itar-Tass) -- Gazprom gas giant has applied to the Russian Federal Property Fund for taking part in the Yuganskneftegaz auction.

Forgeard becomes French co-chief at EADS. Nol Forgeard #39;s move to European Aeronautic Defence amp; Space company leaves shareholders needing to appoint quickly a chief at Airbus to avoid destabilising its management, analysts warned.

Desktop Search Race Heats Up. The turf battle for desktop search is heating up, with Microsoft, Google, Yahoo and now Ask Jeeves all fielding entries. Their strategies vary, but all hope to win the dominant position on personal computer users #39; desktops.

Morientes joins Liverpool?. Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez waries Bayern Leverkuzen, the tough and experienced team, who were 2001-02 Champions League finalist.

Yes, Options Really Are an Expense. FASB stares down the tech lobby and mandates that employee stock options must be expensed.

Stocks Trim Losses, Drugs and Oil Drag. NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks cut some losses late Friday afternoon as investors did some bargain hunting for drug stocks, which were beaten down to relatively cheap prices after a slew of negative reports earlier in the day.

American Express to Cut 2,000 Jobs. NEW YORK (Reuters) - American Express said on Friday it expects to record a fourth-quarter pre-tax charge of up to \$120 million and cut 2,000 jobs related to a restructuring of its business travel unit and the sale of some overseas operations.

InterContinental to Sell 13 Hotels. LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - InterContinental Hotels Group Plc <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=IHG.L target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">IHG.L</A> said on Friday it was selling 13 hotels to Hospitality Properties Trust <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=HPT.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">HPT.N</A> for \$450 million, as part of its strategy to sell hotels it owns and focus on franchising and managing instead.

A Hot Stock at 7 Times Earnings. Seaboard, a small agribusiness and transportation company, looks promising.

Consumer Prices Up in Nov. As Gas Calms. Consumer prices calmed down in November, helped by smaller increases in energy and food. That means the Federal Reserve probably will continue raising interest rates only gradually to keep inflation under control.

EBay #39;s Rent.com Purchase Fraught with Risk. In a real-estate market in which homeowners have been flipping properties almost as quickly as they would stocks, eBay #39;s getting in on the action.

Weary Eli, Giants Face Big Ben's Steelers (AP). AP - Eight months ago, the New York Giants were patting themselves on the back after engineering a draft-day trade to get Eli Manning. No one seemed to care the Giants mortgaged the franchise in the deal with San Diego for the No. 1 overall pick.

Phishing hole discovered in IE. com December 17, 2004, 11:40 AM PT. Microsoft is investigating reports of a new Internet Explorer flaw that puts people with the most secure version of Windows at risk of phishing attacks.

NTT DoCoMo Achieves 1Gbps Packet Transmission in 4G. According to JCN Network, NTT DoCoMo announced December 17 that it succeeded in achieving 1Gbps in downlink packet data transmission in a laboratory experiment using forth-generation (4G) mobile communication radio access equipment on August 20, 2004.

SA restricted on tame pitch. Port Elizabeth - England will definitely have been the more satisfied team to leave the field here at St George #39;s Park on Friday after the first day of the first Test against South Africa.

Major League Baseball Notes: DC official pleads for more time. WASHINGTON - Washington DC Council chairman Linda Cropp challenged Major League Baseball officials Thursday to extend the deadline for the city to approve a stadium financing package for a few months so the city can find private money to add to the deal.

McNair Finished for Season (Reuters). Reuters - Tennessee Titans\quarterback Steve McNair will not play again this season\because of a bruised sternum that has bothered him throughout\the year. He is expected to undergo surgery.

Cuba strikes back at American mission. Cuba retaliated for the US diplomatic mission #39;s Christmas display supporting Cuban dissidents by putting up a billboard Friday emblazoned with photographs of American soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners and a huge swastika overlaid with a

Report: Bertuzzi Near Plea Bargain. VANCOUVER (Sports Network) - Vancouver Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi is close to reaching a plea bargain in his assault case, according to the Vancouver Province.

U.S., Europe at Odds on Emissions Controls (AP). AP - Negotiators worked through the final day of a two-week U.N. conference Friday in search of a way to bring the United States back into long-term talks on controlling global warming. A key European official saw a "50-50" chance of compromise.

Knauss Tests Positive for Nandrolone. VIENNA (Reuters) - Austrian skier Hans Knauss, 33, has tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone.

EU and Turkey Seal Historic Deal on Entry Talks. BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union and Turkey struck an historic deal on Friday to start talks next year on admitting the vast Muslim nation to the bloc after last-minute haggling over Ankara's relationship with EU member Cyprus.

No Real Disruption Seen for Big Lender or Mortgage Market. Fannie Mae, the giant mortgage finance company, will probably not face major business disruptions from the \$9 billion write-off that federal regulators are requiring it to take, analysts and investors said yesterday.

Euro Disney shareholders back capital increase. Shareholders in French theme park operator Euro Disney (EDLP.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) on Friday backed plans for a capital increase of at least 250 million euros as part of a crucial restructuring effort.

Microsoft to Create Security Suite?. Microsoft announced today that it had bought New York software company Giant Company Software, which produces a robust anti-spyware tool.

Massive IE phishing exploit discovered. A vulnerability researcher posted details of a dangerous Internet Explorer (IE) flaw on Thursday that allows phishers to spoof Web sites more realistically than ever before.

Michael Walchhofer wins super-G as Austrians finish in top three. VAL GARDENA, Italy (CP) - Michael Walchhofer and the Austrian quot;Wunderteam quot; restored skiing to its normal pecking order Friday.

US aid enters Indonesia. BANDA ACEH, Indonesia -- After the devastation wreaked by the seas, a deluge from the skies deepened the misery for tsunami-stricken areas yesterday, triggering flash floods in Sri Lanka that sent evacuees fleeing and increasing the threat of deadly disease as survivors shivered in relief centers. The death toll was likely to hit 150,000.

White Sox claim Jenks off waivers. The Chicago White Sox claimed right-hander Bobby Jenks off waivers from Anaheim on Friday and designated righty Eduardo Villacis for assignment.

Our say: District pols strive to lose baseball, embarrass city. IF THE District of Columbia were conducting an abstract debate over whether sports stadiums should be built with as much private financing as possible, we #39;d side with DC Council Chairman Linda Cropp.

Afghan troops storm siege prison. KABUL (BBC) -- Afghan troops have stormed the main jail in the capital, Kabul, after an escape bid by inmates escalated into a day-long siege that left several dead.

NASA Readies "Deep Impact" Craft for Comet Smash. Scientists said the launch of NASA's Deep Impact mission has been delayed until at least January 12. The mission's goal is to smash a spacecraft into a comet on July 4, 2005.

Holiday Sky Show: Five Planets to Shine in Predawn. For the next few weeks sky-watchers can spot Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn in the same nighttime sky. The planets won't be visible together to the naked eye again until 2016.

Philips to sell monitor, part of flat TV ops to TPV. (SINGAPORE) Dutch electronics giant Philips said on Thursday it will sell its OEM monitor business and part of its flat-screen TV operations to Taiwan #39;s TPV Technology for US\$350

MS buys anti-spyware GIANT. Having been plagued with e-bugs, Bill and the Boyz say theyll use intellectual property and technology assets from the acquisition to provide Microsoft Windows customers with new tools to help protect them from the threat of spyware, and other

No Regrets, Says Departing NASA Boss. NASA (news - web sites) #39;s departing boss, Sean O #39;Keefe, said Friday he does not regret canceling the last shuttle mission to the Hubble Space Telescope

Equity analysts: Record inflows may lift stocks. SANTA ROSA, Calif. -- World stock markets may rise in January, lifted by flows into mutual funds that are poised to match the record pace set at the beginning of this year, according to Charles Biderman, president of TrimTabs Investment Research.

Update 4: Parmalat Owes Almost \$26B to Creditors. Italian dairy giant Parmalat SPA owes nearly \$26 billion to creditors including many big international banks, a judge ruled Friday in a decision that will affect who will become a shareholder in the reorganized company.

Video Search Gains Momentum. To help users find media files of all kinds, Yahoo and Blinkx this week went live with video search tools, adding to a cluster of services that includes the SingingFish streaming media offering.

White Sox claim Jenks off waivers, designate Villacis. Jenks was the Angels #39; fifth-round pick in 2000, but he has been limited by injuries the past two seasons. Jenks was 0-2 with a 10.71 ERA in four games for Triple-A Salt Lake and Class A Rancho Cucamonga before being shut down with elbow problems.

6 Palestinians killed in Gaza raid. GAZA CITY, GAZA STRIP - Six Palestinians were killed when Israeli troops raided a Gaza refugee camp on Friday in retaliation for militant attacks on a Jewish settlement in the past week.

Search Engine Forums Spotlight. Links to this week's topics from search engine forums across the web: Live from SES Chicago 2004 - White Hat/black Hat SEO Panel - So Now You Can Search Videos - Google Wins Major Legal Victory vs. Geico - Google Suggest Beta - The Dark Side of Exchanging Reciprocal Links

Funds close out 2004 with strong showings. NEW YORK -- Wall Street's fourth-quarter rally gave stock mutual funds a solid performance for 2004, with small-cap equity funds and real estate funds scoring some of the biggest returns. Large-cap growth equities and technology-focused funds had the slimmest gains.

The Chocolate-Coffee Conundrum. If coffee chains used better chocolate, Lawrence Meyers argues, they'd sell more coffee.

Stocks End Lower as Pfizer and Oil Weigh. NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks closed lower on Friday, weighed down by a number of negative reports from top drug makers, including Pfizer Inc. <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PFE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">PFE.N</A>, and a \$2 jump in the price of crude oil.

UAL Corp. Seeks Bankruptcy Exit Financing. CHICAGO (Reuters) - United Airlines has begun reaching out to potential lenders with its revamped business plan for financing to leave bankruptcy, the company said on Friday.

Arthritis drug a heart attack risk, study finds. United States drug giant Pfizer says a trial has found a sharp rise in heart attacks for patients using its blockbuster Celebrex arthritis and pain medicine.

Survey: FDA scientists question safety. Two-thirds of Food and Drug Administration scientists surveyed two years ago lacked confidence that the FDA adequately monitors the safety of prescription drugs, a report released Thursday shows.

Dolphins to Interview Minority Candidate (AP). AP - The Miami Dolphins will put their courtship of LSU coach Nick Saban on hold to comply with the NFL's hiring policy by interviewing a minority candidate, a team source told The Associated Press on Friday.

Titans' McNair to Sit Out Rest of Season (AP). AP - Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair will miss the final three games of the season and undergo surgery to strengthen the bruised sternum that has plagued him most of the year.

Microsoft Might Not Fully Benefit from Purchase. It #39;s only natural that Microsoft would want to develop and sell software supplemented by technology from its latest acquisition, anti-spyware company Giant Company Software.

Apple #39;s iTunes Hits 200 Million Mark. News that Apple has sold 200 million songs over its iTunes online music store came amid rumors that the company would collaborate with Motorola to launch an iPod phone in the first half of next year.

Vince Carter Traded to Nets (Reuters). Reuters - The Toronto\Raptors have traded All-Star swingman Vince Carter to the New\Jersey Nets in exchange for center Alonzo Mourning, forward\Eric Williams, center/forward Aaron Williams and two first-\round draft picks.

Titans QB to sit out final three games, undergo surgery for <b>...</b>. Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair will not play the final three games of the season and will have surgery to strengthen the bruised sternum that has plagued him most of the year.

European stock exchanges run out of steam at week's end (AFP). AFP - European stock exchanges retreated, weighed down by end-of-the-year profit-taking and amid concern over possible interest rate hikes in the United States.

Sharon Strikes Deal With Opposition Labor Party. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon struck a deal with the opposition Labor Party tonight to join his Likud government, which is likely to insure that Mr.

Vince Carter Traded to Nets. EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (Sports Network) - The Toronto Raptors have traded All-Star swingman Vince Carter to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for center Alonzo Mourning, forward Eric Williams, center/forward Aaron Williams and two first- round draft picks.

Senator to Revisit Judicial Travel Ethics (AP). AP - Sen. Patrick Leahy, contending a judicial panel has weakened ethics rules for judges who accept corporate-sponsored trips, said Friday he plans to reintroduce legislation to define standards.

IRS Releases Tax Tables for New Deduction (AP). AP - Making big splurges this holiday season? The IRS released tax tables Friday to help taxpayers calculate whether they would benefit from a new sales tax deduction.

Israeli 'Copter Fires Missile Into Gaza -Witnesses. GAZA (Reuters) - An Israeli helicopter fired a missile at an unknown target in Gaza City on Friday, witnesses said, hours after troops killed eight Palestinians in southern Gaza. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Knauss Tests Positive for Nandrolone. VIENNA (Reuters) - Hans Knauss, one of the best known and most experienced Austrian skiers, has tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone.

Cuba responds to US Xmas lights. Cuba puts up photos of abused Iraqi prisoners in front of the US mission in a row over a US Christmas display.

N.C. State's Hodge Puts Self Among Elite (AP). AP - Julius Hodge drove to the basket and scored, then turned to run back on defense. On the way, for a brief moment, he held the Heisman Trophy pose. It was the North Carolina State guard's not-so-subtle way of letting everyone know where he thinks he ranks among the elite players in the country #151; even if he had the wrong sport.

Oil Jumps 5 Pct on Cold, Bin Laden Threat. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices surged 5 percent on Friday as frigid weather lingered in the mammoth U.S. Northeast heating oil market and militant Osama bin Laden urged renewed attacks on Middle East oil installations.

Amex to Record Charge, Cut Jobs. NEW YORK (Reuters) - American Express <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=AXP.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">AXP.N</A> on Friday said it expects to record a fourth-quarter pretax charge of up to \$120 million and cut 2,000 jobs related primarily to a restructuring of its business travel unit and the sale of some overseas banking operations.

Russia to hold Yukos auction. Russia is set to go ahead with a sale of the main production asset of Yukos, the countrys embattled oil company, despite an injunction issued late yesterday by a US court.

Oil Jumps 5 Pct on Cold, Bin Laden Threat. Oil prices surged 5 percent on Friday as frigid weather lingered in the mammoth US Northeast heating oil market and militant Osama bin Laden urged renewed attacks on Middle East oil installations.

UPDATE 1-Exelon in talks to buy PSE amp;G - sources. Exelon Corp. (EXE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) is in talks to buy New Jersey utility Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. #39;s (PEG.

Amex to Record Charge, Cut Jobs. American Express (AXP.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Friday said it expects to record a fourth-quarter pretax charge of up to \$120 million and cut 2,000 jobs related primarily to a restructuring of its business travel unit and the

KLM buying two more 777-200ERs, Etihad orders five 777-300ers. SEATTLE - Abu Dhabi #39;s Etihad Airways confirmed an order for five Boeing 777-300ERs, and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines ordered two 777-200ERs, Boeing Co.

EBay To Buy Rent.com in \$415 Million Deal. The recent wave of mergers spread into the e-commerce space today when auction giant eBay said it would acquire Rent.com for US\$415 million in cash and stock.

Sony Ericsson amp; Cingular Wireless introduce Z500a. The Sony Ericsson Z500a is available for connection to Cingular #39;s EDGE (Enhanced Data for Global Evolution) network. The new mobile phone features a built-in digital camera with zoom, a built-in video camera

AstraZeneca Reports Poor Test Results (AP). AP - Drug manufacturer AstraZeneca PLC announced Friday that trials of its new lung cancer drug found it didn't help patients live longer. Its shares dropped more than 8 percent.

Falcons, Colts to Play in Tokyo in 2005 (AP). AP - The Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts will begin the preseason Aug. 6 in the American Bowl in Tokyo, the record 12th time an NFL game will be played in the city.

Red Bull gives Coulthard wings. McLaren discard David Coulthard has signed a one-year deal to race with the new Red Bull Racing team in the 2005 Formula One season.

Morientes interested in Anfield switch. MADRID, Dec 17 (SW) - Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes has expressed his desire to join English Premier League side Liverpool during the winter transfer window after limited playing time with the Galacticos this season.

Dolphins plan to interview minority candidate; Saban still top <b>...</b>. The Miami Dolphins will put their courtship of LSU coach Nick Saban on hold to comply with the NFL #39;s hiring policy by interviewing a minority candidate, a team source told The Associated Press on Friday.

Cuban billboards highlight US abuses. Cuba has erected several huge billboards near the US mission with pictures of abused Iraqi prisoners and American soldiers pointing a rifle at children.

Labour, Likud agree on unity government, eight Palestinians killed <b>...</b>. JERUSALEM (AFP) - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s Likud party and the opposition Labour agreed to form a national unity government, while at least eight Palestinians were killed during an Israeli army incursion in southern Gaza.

Bug found at UN Geneva HQ. GENEVA, DECEMBER 17: The United Nations said on Thursday a secret listening device had been found in a posh meeting room of its European headquarters in Geneva.

Indonesia tightens nationwide security after terror warnings. JAKARTA - INDONESIAN authorities have launched a nationwide security clampdown after warnings by several countries that terrorists are preparing to strike again in the run-up to Christmas.

EBay Buying Rental Web Site for #36;415M (AP). AP - In a diversification move, online auctioneer eBay Inc. is buying the privately held Rent.com, which specializes in Internet listings of apartment and house rentals, for about #36;415 million in stock and cash.

Cameras Lead Gadget Price Declines in October -NPD (Reuters). Reuters - Digital cameras led retail price\declines in U.S. consumer electronics in October, as\manufacturers looked to clear out older models ahead of the\holiday shopping season, according to an industry study\prepared for Reuters.

Why Sprint And Nextel Got Hitched (BusinessWeek Online). BusinessWeek Online - In the world of big-time telecom, the Baby Bells have been hogging the spotlight as they bulk up to compete against an onslaught of new technology -- and their arch-rivals, the cable companies. For competitors hovering outside the Bells' territory, that sends a stark message: Team up or get smashed. Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc. chose the former, announcing on Dec. 15 a #36;35 billion deal to merge into the third-largest wireless powerhouse. With a market capitalization of #36;70 billion, the new Reston (Va. ...

The Cash Heads Home (BusinessWeek Online). BusinessWeek Online - It's a cash bundle that would have made Howard Hughes blush: As U.S. multinationals such as IBM and Pfizer Inc. (PFZ) have extended their reach across the globe, they've built up a mountain of profits earned abroad -- as much as #36;750 billion, by some estimates. That's more than the annual economic output of Hong Kong, Ireland, and Switzerland -- combined. And up till now, they've kept all that moolah overseas, much of it in tax havens such as the Bahamas, Ireland, and Singapore to avoid the stiff 35 levy they'd face if they repatriated the funds back into the U.S.

Twenty States Must Cut Air Pollution by 2008-EPA (Reuters). Reuters - Governors of 20 U.S. states must\slash levels of tiny particles spewed by power plants, cars and\other sources by 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency\(EPA) said on Friday.

McNair to Have Surgery. Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair will miss the final three games of the season and undergo surgery to strengthen the bruised sternum that has plagued him most of the year.

Mattick Dies at 89. Bobby Mattick, who managed the Toronto Blue Jays in 1980 and '81 and helped produce two World Series championships, dies at 89.

Saban Still Top Choice. The Dolphins will put their courtship of LSU coach Nick Saban on hold to comply with the NFL's hiring policy by interviewing a minority candidate.

Pfizer's Celebrex Lifts Heart Attack Risk in Trial. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc. on Friday said its popular Celebrex arthritis drug more than doubled the risk of heart attack in a large cancer-prevention trial, a setback that comes just weeks after Merck Co. recalled its similar Vioxx drug due to heart safety risks.