DefenceLab/ag_news · Datasets at Fast360

text stringlengths 100 1.01k	label class label 4 classes
SEC advises Fannie Mae to restate earnings; \$9bn at stake NEW YORK, December 16 (newratings.com) - According to a report in the Washington Post today, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has advised Fannie Mae (FNM.	2Business
MechAssault 2: Where everything is destructible Gamers already eager to tear down their enemies with heavy weaponry have now become even more desperate. Microsoft Game Studios has announced that MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf for Xbox has gone gold and will be	3Sci/Tech
Pedro exit official: Passes physical, set to join Mets Pedro Martinez, who replaced Roger Clemens on the Fenway Park mound in the late #39;90s, has now matched the Rocket in Red Sox stats, schedule annals as the free agent pitcher who got away.	1Sports
Greece Appeals for Calm after Bungled Hijack Ends Peacefully The Greek government appealed for calm today, fearing a public backlash against immigrants following the bungled bus hijacking by two Albanian gunmen.	0World
Festive Season Brings Terror Warning Regarding Indonesia The Australian government has warned that terrorists may try to bomb a Hilton hotel in Indonesia, and it is urging Australian citizens to stay away	0World
Incumbent Mesic Leads Presidential Race in Croatia ZAGREB, Croatia (Reuters) - Croatians voted for president Sunday, with liberal incumbent Stjepan Mesic expected to win a second term and help shepherd the former Yugoslav republic's planned 2009 entry into the European Union.	0World
Full Extent of Indonesia Disaster Slowly Revealed BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (Reuters) - Survivors huddle in clearings without food or shelter above the water-damage line all along the tsunami-ravaged coast of Indonesia's Aceh province, and corpses float miles out to sea.	0World
A boy named Tsunami Roy (Reuters) Reuters - Six-day-old Tsunami Roy doesn't know what all the fuss about him is, as he hungrily suckles at his mother's breast before dropping off for a contented nap.	0World
Retail sales show festive fervour UK retail sales are better than expected in November as Christmas shoppers flock to the High Street.	2Business
Blair calls for long-term effort to overcome 'global catastrophe' (AFP) AFP - Prime Minister Tony Blair called for a long-term effort from the international community to help overcome the tsunami tragedy in Asia which he said was a "global catastrophe".	0World
China's Local Growth Economy Still Strong (AP) AP - China's investment in construction and factory equipment, a key growth indicator, slowed slightly in November on lower public spending, but local-level investments surged, the government reported Thursday.	2Business
HK delays Link REIT by 3 days (TheDeal.com) TheDeal.com - The offering, which would be the world's largest this year, is now scheduled to float Dec. 20.	2Business
Bankruptcy plan #39;will not deter #39; Yukos sale YUKOS shareholders gave warning yesterday that the oil giants attempt to seek bankruptcy protection in the US was unlikely to prevent the Russian Government-ordered	2Business
Retail sales show festive fervour UK retail sales were better than expected in November as Christmas shoppers began their seasonal flock to the High Street, figures show.	2Business
All new chips multicore, says Intel Intel has confirmed that in future all its chips will be multicore and has revealed additional desktop, server and mobile processor plans.	3Sci/Tech
DoCoMo to Offer Overseas Roaming-Capable 3G Phones (Reuters) Reuters - Top Japanese wireless carrier NTT DoCoMo\(9437.T) said on Thursday it would launch a 3G phone equipped\for use overseas and including a video conferencing function,\getting a leg-up on its closest rival, KDDI Corp. (9433.T).	3Sci/Tech
Skiles ejected, Bulls respond MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Although the Bulls have yet to record back-to-back victories, they quietly are putting together a solid stretch of games.	1Sports
Oracle may feel PeopleSoft's pain (TheDeal.com) TheDeal.com - After one of the most bitter takeovers in corporate history, the challenge is to stitch the two companies together.	3Sci/Tech
Greece fears racist backlash THE Greek government has appealed for calm, fearing a public backlash against immigrants living in the country following the bus hijacking by two Albanian gunmen.	0World
US fears Iranian influence in Iraqi elections Kicking off his country #39;s first democratic election campaign Wednesday, Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi declared his own candidacy, saying the country can handle the challenge.	0World
Koivu Says Next NHL Season Also at Risk -- Paper HELSINKI (Reuters) - The prospects of saving the National Hockey League (NHL) season are grim and unless owners and players start talking soon to end a lockout the 2005-2006 season is also at risk, Montreal's Saku Koivu said.	1Sports
Humanoid robot learns how to run Honda's new, improved Asimo robot is able to run, interact with people and shake his hips.	3Sci/Tech
Nintendo DS plays music and video Nintendo is making a media add-on for its DS game console that will let it play music and video.	3Sci/Tech
DoCoMo to Offer Overseas Roaming-Capable 3G Phones TOKYO (Reuters) - Top Japanese wireless carrier NTT DoCoMo <A HREF="http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=9437.T qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news">9437.T</A> said on Thursday it would launch a 3G phone equipped for use overseas and including a video conferencing function, getting a leg-up on its closest rival, KDDI Corp. <A HREF="http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=9433.T qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news">9433.T</A>.	3Sci/Tech
Alleged Bin Laden Tape Criticizes Saudis (AP) AP - A man identified as Osama bin Laden bitterly criticized the Saudi regime in an audiotape posted on an Islamic Web site on Thursday.	0World
EU Leaders Poised to Offer Entry Talks to Turkey BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan urged the European Union on Thursday to open its doors to non-Christians after French President Jacques Chirac made a vibrant appeal to bring Turkey into the EU.	0World
Top UK Court Rejects Anti-Terror Detention Policy LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's highest court ruled on Thursday against the detention of foreign terrorism suspects without trial, in a major judgment on how far human rights can be restricted in the "war on terror."	0World
Tankan suggests why Japan hasn #39;t intervened in forex TOKYO (CBS.MW) - The Bank of Japan #39;s latest tankan survey shows why Japan can afford to wait, and did not fight the yen #39;s strength against the dollar with currency intervention.	2Business
UK shoppers hit the streets in November British retail sales rose much more than expected in November, driven by strength across nearly all categories running into the key Christmas holiday shopping season.	2Business
Dutch bank unveils 4,000 job cuts The Netherlands #39; biggest bank ABN AMRO says it is cutting more than 4,000 back office and information technology staff as it aims to bring its cost base in line with its competitors.	2Business
EUROPE MARKETS LONDON (CBS.MW) -- European stocks nudged higher Thursday, boosted by investors applauding cost cutting initiatives at Dutch bank ABN Amro and overnight gains from US shares.	2Business
Helicopters reach isolated Aceh US helicopters start dropping food and medical supplies into parts of quake-ravaged western Aceh.	0World
Preview: Steelers vs. Giants Rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has made the New York Giants #39; decision to acquire top overall draft pick Eli Manning instead of him look like a bad one, at least in the short term.	1Sports
Retail sales stronger than expected Improved sales of household goods, clothing, footwear and food helped retail sales increase 0.6 per cent in November, increasing the likelihood of higher interest rates next year.	2Business
Tas university to play role in Saturn mission The University of Tasmania will be part of a mission to Saturn #39;s largest moon in the new year. The university #39;s two radio telescopes will track the space probe Huygens as it decends into the moon #39;s atmosphere.	3Sci/Tech
Fannie Mae 'should restate books' US mortgage company Fannie Mae should restate its earnings, a move that is likely to put a billion-dollar dent in its accounts, watchdogs say	2Business
P2P Battle Reaches FTC The trade commission hears what's right and wrong with file sharing, but there's no guarantee it will institute regulations. Michael Grebb reports from Washington.	3Sci/Tech
Inside the Mac Revolution Twenty years on, one of the engineers who helped create the Mac writes his memoirs. But programmer Andy Hertzfeld's account is no dry paean to code: It's funny, engaging and deeply human. Wired News interview by Leander Kahney.	3Sci/Tech
Give Your Home a Brain for X-mas X10's ActiveHome Pro modules let you turn your ordinary household lamps and appliances into smart devices that go on and off according to your habits. Product review by Amit Asaravala.	3Sci/Tech
Media Wish List for 2005 Our columnist Adam L. Penenberg wishes he could snap his fingers and change the media landscape for the better. Among his 2005 wishes: getting bloggers to actually break news, abolishing the FCC and making news organizations watchdogs again.	3Sci/Tech
Another Viewtiful Day Capcom's Viewtiful Joe 2 offers a graphically impressive old-school beat-'em-up experience with unmatched stylistic flair. Game review by Chris Kohler.	3Sci/Tech
Prepping to Pull the Plug on GPS Tucked into the Bush administration's space policy is a plan to take the global positioning system offline temporarily during a national emergency. The goal: preventing terrorists from using the navigational technology.	3Sci/Tech
Stocky Monkey in Himalayas Becomes Newest Primate Species Scientists from India working in the Himalayas have discovered a new species of monkey.	3Sci/Tech
When Shots Ring Out, a Listening Device Acts as Witness Police agencies around the country may soon be able to equip street corners with microphones and video cameras to fight gun-related crime.	3Sci/Tech
In Theaters Soon: 'My Winter Vacation' Video cameras with three charge-coupled devices, or C.C.D.'s, can produce broadcast-quality images unattainable with a single-C.C.D. model. A look at four cameras.	3Sci/Tech
Sprint buys Nextel for \$35 billion The boards of both the US telecoms giant Sprint Corp and mobile phone operator Nextel Communications Inc have announced their intention to create the third largest mobile operator in the US, in a deal worth \$35 billion.	2Business
Time will pay \$510m in AOL settlement TIME WARNER has agreed to pay \$510 million (262 million) to settle claims that America Online (AOL), its internet division, overstated its earnings capacity.	2Business
Fannie Mae #39;should restate books #39; US mortgage company Fannie Mae should restate its earnings, a move that is likely to put a billion-dollar dent in its accounts, watchdogs have said.	2Business
UK Retail Sales Rose More Than Expected in November (Update3) Sales at British retailers rose a greater-than-expected 0.6 percent in November, led by household goods, clothing and footwear, as stores including Marks amp; Spencer Group Plc offered discounts to lure holiday shoppers.	2Business
SAP offers new system security service Business software supplier SAP is offering customers a new service to ensure the security of their SAP systems, the company said on Wednesday.	3Sci/Tech
Nintendo adds media playing to DS Nintendo is releasing an adapter for its DS handheld console so it can play music and video. The add-on for the DS means people can download TV programmes, film clips or MP3 files to the adaptor and then play them back while on the move.	3Sci/Tech
India's parliament speaker threatens to quit (AFP) AFP - The speaker of India's parliament has threatened to resign, saying some members' accusations that he was behaving like a "dictator" had caused him agony.	0World
Hijackers of Greece Bus Surrender The government asked its citizens not to retaliate against immigrants Thursday, a day after two Albanian gunmen hijacked a bus. The 18-hour standoff near Athens ended peacefully early Thursday after police	0World
Bin Laden tape lays blame for Saudi unrest on regime DUBAI (AFP) - An audiotape message attributed to top terror mastermind Osama bin Laden and broadcast on an Islamist website laid the blame for the unrest in Saudi Arabia on the kingdom #39;s regime.	0World
World Racked by Political, Social 'Evil' -- Pope VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Social and political evil is spreading through the world, causing war, injustice, violence and desperation, Pope John Paul said in his annual peace message on Thursday.	0World
Baby turtle gives species hope A baby spiny turtle has hatched in Jersey, giving conservationists fresh hope for the endangered species.	0World
Local telecoms The area #39;s three major communication equipment makers said Wednesday they are optimistic about the proposed merger of Sprint Corp.	2Business
Suicide Bomber Kills 18 Iraqi Troops, 1 Civilian BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) - A suicide car bomber hit a bus carrying Iraqi National Guards on Sunday, killing 19 people in the deadliest attack of its kind in nearly four months on Iraqis cooperating with U.S. forces to secure a Jan. 30 election.	0World
Bush vows to reduce huge deficits US President George W Bush pledged on Wednesday to work with Congress to reduce the US #39; huge deficits, to assure markets that his administration supports a strong dollar.	2Business
CSM off after planning to sell sugar unit for 850m euro LONDON (CBS.MW) -- CSM (NL:33426) eased 0.8 percent after saying it expects to sell its sugar confectionary unit for 850 million euros to private equity investor CVC Capital Partners.	2Business
Rains bring new misery to Sri Lanka tsunami victims (Reuters) Reuters - Torrential rains brought fresh hardship to tsunami survivors in eastern Sri Lanka on Sunday, flooding refugee camps, forcing the evacuation of at least one and leaving others dotted with stagnant pools.	0World
New Simian species found in Arunachal India has once again proved itself as the land of contradictions as scientists have now discovered a new species of monkey in Arunachal Pradesh, despite the fact that India has some of the fastest retreating forest lands.	3Sci/Tech
SAP launches remote security service SAP AG has extended the scope of the SAP Active Global Support customer service portfolio with the addition of SAP Security Optimization, a remote service that investigates SAP systems for security vulnerabilities and proposes an action plan.	3Sci/Tech
Magnificient Langer rescues Australia Justin Langer batted all day for a superb unbeaten 181 as Australia reached 8 for 357 at stumps on day one of the first Test against Pakistan at the WACA on Thursday.	1Sports
ENGLISH CRICKETS NEW TV DEAL The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has agreed a deal with pay-TV operator Sky Sports for all home Test matches, one-day internationals, Twenty20 and county action.	1Sports
Purported new bin Laden tape surfaces A new audiotape purportedly from Osama bin Laden appeared on Arabic Web sites Thursday, with the voice on the tape saying the current instability in Saudi Arabia is due to the regime there.	0World
Distrust dominates Iraq election BAGHDAD, Iraq - On the first official day of campaigning for the Jan. 30 elections in violence-racked Iraq, candidates were trying to figure out how to woo the voters.	0World
Henin-Hardenne Ready for Comeback in Exhibition BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Former world number one Justine Henin-Hardenne will return to action in an exhibition match this weekend after being out for three months with exhaustion.	1Sports
EU to Lift U.S. Sanctions Jan. 1 BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission is sticking with its plan to lift sanctions on \$4 billion worth of U.S. goods on Jan. 1 following Washington's repeal of illegal export tax subsidies in October, a spokeswoman said on Thursday.	2Business
Johnson Johnson to Acquire Guidant Johnson Johnson will acquire the cardiac device manufacturer for \$25.4 billion. The acquisition is the largest business deal in J J's 118-year history	2Business
Sprint, Nextel Detail Merger Agreement Sprint and Nextel formally announced a \$35 billion merger agreement Wednesday and gave details on how the corporate combination would affect employees and consumers. <FONT face="verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica" size="-2" color="#666666"><B>-The Washington Post</b></font>	2Business
Dollar Eases Toward Record Low Vs. Euro LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar eased toward last week's record low against the euro on Thursday after capital inflows data added to worries the United States may struggle to fund its current account deficit.	2Business
Web access in sky set to take off The dream of bidding on an eBay auction, sending an e-mail or even making a cell phone call while 30,000 feet in the air came one step closer to reality yesterday.	2Business
Netherlands CSM Sells Candy Operations Dutch bakery ingredients company CSM NV said Thursday it will sell its candy business to investment company CVC Capital Partners Ltd.	2Business
Corus Expects First Full-Year Profit on Rising Prices (Update2) Corus Group Plc, the UK #39;s biggest steelmaker, expects to report its first full-year profit after increasing prices four times since January.	2Business
Grocery outlook grimmer The grocery workers union representing about 19,000 members in the Sacramento Valley have terminated a contract extension with Safeway, Albertson #39;s and Ralphs, increasing the threat of a strike at stores throughout Northern California.	2Business
You can #39;t move for desktop searches out there Desktop Searches are nothing like buses. Not even buses arrive five at a time. But with Ask Jeeves and Microsoft both launching new desktop searches to rival Google #39;s, and with Yahoo!	3Sci/Tech
Apple locks out RealNetworks with iPod update Apple has updated the software for some of its iPod digital media players so that songs bought from RealNetworks will not play. The change affects Apple #39;s new iPod Photo, which was introduced in late October	3Sci/Tech
New Simian species found in Arunachal: World News: New York, Dec 16 : India has once again proved itself as the land of contradictions as scientists have now discovered a new species of monkey in Arunachal Pradesh, despite the fact that India has some of the fastest retreating forest lands.	3Sci/Tech
Is an 80Gb iPod around the corner? Toshiba has announced a new and improved 40Gb and 80Gb version of its small hard drive found in the Apple iPod. Toshiba claims the new drives are the world #39;s first hard disk drives based on perpendicular recording	3Sci/Tech
Wednesday #39;s Sports In Brief SAN FRANCISCO - Olympic track star Marion Jones filed a defamation lawsuit against BALCO head Victor Conte, who told a national TV audience that he gave her steroids and watched her inject herself with them.	1Sports
Eli should envy friends of Ben #39;s Ben Roethlisberger knows how good he has it in Pittsburgh these days with a talented supporting cast around him. And he knows how bad Eli Manning has it in New York without much of a supporting cast at all.	1Sports
Women #39;s NCAA volleyball Final Four Schedule: Semifinals (today), Washington vs. Stanford, 5:30 pm (tape delay on ESPN2 at 8); Minnesota vs. USC, 7:30 pm (tape delay on ESPN2 tomorrow at 1 pm).	1Sports
Bin Laden Alive, Releases Audio Tape -- Web Site An audio recording purportedly by Osama bin Laden, praising gunmen who carried out a Dec. 6 attack in Saudi Arabia, was posted on the Internet on Thursday, suggesting the al Qaeda leader is still alive.	0World
Australian surfer eaten by sharks Two Great White Sharks have killed a teenage surfer off a popular beach in southern Australia. The 18-year-old man was attacked after falling from a surfboard being towed behind a boat at West Beach in the city of Adelaide, authorities said.	0World
Kidde Accepts Takeover by United Tech (AP) AP - Kidde PLC, the British fire and safety company, said Thursday it had agreed to a 1.4 billion pound ( #36;2.8 billion) takeover by United Technologies Corp.	0World
Wall Street Looks Set for a Mixed Start PARIS (Reuters) - Wall Street looked set for a mixed start on Thursday as oil prices remained near two-week highs and investors braced for a clutch of economic data and earnings from high-profile firms like Goldman Sachs <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=GS.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">GS.N</A> and Nike <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=NKE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">NKE.N</A>.	2Business
Chirac backs Turkish EU entry The French president throws his weight behind Turkish EU membership ahead of a key summit decision.	0World
YUKOS awaits US ruling on break-up order Embattled Russian oil group YUKOS (YUKO.RTS: Quote, Profile, Research) should hear later on Thursday whether a US bankruptcy court will attempt to hold up the	2Business
Aetna reportedly reaches deal in investor lawsuit LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Aetna (AET) has reached a tentative accord with investors who accused the company of hiding accounting misstatements when SEC Chairman William Donaldson led the company, an Aetna spokesman was quoted as saying in Thursday #39;s Los Angeles	2Business
British fire and safety firm Kidde accepts takeover by United <b>...</b> _ Kidde PLC, the British fire and safety company, said Thursday it had agreed to a 1.4 billion pound (\$2.8 billion) takeover by United Technologies Corp.	2Business
Cendant to buy Gullivers Travel for \$1.1 billion cash LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Cendant Corp. (CD) said it #39;s agreed to buy privately-held Gullivers Travel Associates for \$1.1 billion in cash.	2Business
Travis Perkins to buy Wickes for 950m British building materials merchant Travis Perkins Plc said on Thursday it agreed to pay 950 million (\$1.84 billion) for home-improvement chain Wickes, sending its shares down nearly 3 percent.	2Business
Nvidia TurboCaches GeForce 6200 Nvidia Corporation, a leader in graphics and digital media processors has introduced the Nvidia GeForce 6200 graphics processing unit (GPU) with TurboCache technology.	3Sci/Tech
Law lords back terror detainees Detaining foreigners without trial under emergency anti-terror laws breaks European human rights laws, law lords ruled today. The decision from nine of the law lords, who make up Britain #39;s highest court, throws	0World
DUP Honour Commitments By Standing Up To Terrorism I am extremely glad to see the DUP standing firm on commitments made to the electorate. The DUP made its case clear to both governments and to the public time and time again.	0World
Baseball in Washington in jeopardy (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Washington's new baseball team shut down business and promotional operations indefinitely Wednesday as its move to the nation's capital teetered on the brink of collapse. The decision by major league baseball followed the D.C. Council's decision Tuesday to require private financing for at least half the cost of building a new stadium.	1Sports
Google wins in trademark lawsuit Google won a major legal victory when a federal judge ruled that the search engines advertising policy does not violate federal trademark laws.	2Business
FCC to consider allowing cell phones on planes The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday kicked off efforts that could reshape the communications services available to airline passengers.	2Business
Symantec to Buy Veritas for \$13.5 Billion Security software maker Symantec Corp. has agreed to buy Veritas Software Corp. for \$13.5 billion, expanding into the backup and recovery software market, the companies said on Thursday.	2Business

SEC advises Fannie Mae to restate earnings; \$9bn at stake NEW YORK, December 16 (newratings.com) - According to a report in the Washington Post today, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has advised Fannie Mae (FNM.

2Business

MechAssault 2: Where everything is destructible Gamers already eager to tear down their enemies with heavy weaponry have now become even more desperate. Microsoft Game Studios has announced that MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf for Xbox has gone gold and will be

3Sci/Tech

Pedro exit official: Passes physical, set to join Mets Pedro Martinez, who replaced Roger Clemens on the Fenway Park mound in the late #39;90s, has now matched the Rocket in Red Sox stats, schedule annals as the free agent pitcher who got away.

1Sports

Greece Appeals for Calm after Bungled Hijack Ends Peacefully The Greek government appealed for calm today, fearing a public backlash against immigrants following the bungled bus hijacking by two Albanian gunmen.

0World

Festive Season Brings Terror Warning Regarding Indonesia The Australian government has warned that terrorists may try to bomb a Hilton hotel in Indonesia, and it is urging Australian citizens to stay away

0World

Incumbent Mesic Leads Presidential Race in Croatia ZAGREB, Croatia (Reuters) - Croatians voted for president Sunday, with liberal incumbent Stjepan Mesic expected to win a second term and help shepherd the former Yugoslav republic's planned 2009 entry into the European Union.

0World

Full Extent of Indonesia Disaster Slowly Revealed BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (Reuters) - Survivors huddle in clearings without food or shelter above the water-damage line all along the tsunami-ravaged coast of Indonesia's Aceh province, and corpses float miles out to sea.

0World

A boy named Tsunami Roy (Reuters) Reuters - Six-day-old Tsunami Roy doesn't know what all the fuss about him is, as he hungrily suckles at his mother's breast before dropping off for a contented nap.

0World

Retail sales show festive fervour UK retail sales are better than expected in November as Christmas shoppers flock to the High Street.

2Business

Blair calls for long-term effort to overcome 'global catastrophe' (AFP) AFP - Prime Minister Tony Blair called for a long-term effort from the international community to help overcome the tsunami tragedy in Asia which he said was a "global catastrophe".

0World

China's Local Growth Economy Still Strong (AP) AP - China's investment in construction and factory equipment, a key growth indicator, slowed slightly in November on lower public spending, but local-level investments surged, the government reported Thursday.

2Business

HK delays Link REIT by 3 days (TheDeal.com) TheDeal.com - The offering, which would be the world's largest this year, is now scheduled to float Dec. 20.

2Business

Bankruptcy plan #39;will not deter #39; Yukos sale YUKOS shareholders gave warning yesterday that the oil giants attempt to seek bankruptcy protection in the US was unlikely to prevent the Russian Government-ordered

2Business

Retail sales show festive fervour UK retail sales were better than expected in November as Christmas shoppers began their seasonal flock to the High Street, figures show.

2Business

All new chips multicore, says Intel Intel has confirmed that in future all its chips will be multicore and has revealed additional desktop, server and mobile processor plans.

3Sci/Tech

DoCoMo to Offer Overseas Roaming-Capable 3G Phones (Reuters) Reuters - Top Japanese wireless carrier NTT DoCoMo\(9437.T) said on Thursday it would launch a 3G phone equipped\for use overseas and including a video conferencing function,\getting a leg-up on its closest rival, KDDI Corp. (9433.T).

3Sci/Tech

Skiles ejected, Bulls respond MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Although the Bulls have yet to record back-to-back victories, they quietly are putting together a solid stretch of games.

1Sports

Oracle may feel PeopleSoft's pain (TheDeal.com) TheDeal.com - After one of the most bitter takeovers in corporate history, the challenge is to stitch the two companies together.

3Sci/Tech

Greece fears racist backlash THE Greek government has appealed for calm, fearing a public backlash against immigrants living in the country following the bus hijacking by two Albanian gunmen.

0World

US fears Iranian influence in Iraqi elections Kicking off his country #39;s first democratic election campaign Wednesday, Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi declared his own candidacy, saying the country can handle the challenge.

0World

Koivu Says Next NHL Season Also at Risk -- Paper HELSINKI (Reuters) - The prospects of saving the National Hockey League (NHL) season are grim and unless owners and players start talking soon to end a lockout the 2005-2006 season is also at risk, Montreal's Saku Koivu said.

1Sports

Humanoid robot learns how to run Honda's new, improved Asimo robot is able to run, interact with people and shake his hips.

3Sci/Tech

Nintendo DS plays music and video Nintendo is making a media add-on for its DS game console that will let it play music and video.

3Sci/Tech

DoCoMo to Offer Overseas Roaming-Capable 3G Phones TOKYO (Reuters) - Top Japanese wireless carrier NTT DoCoMo <A HREF="http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=9437.T qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news">9437.T</A> said on Thursday it would launch a 3G phone equipped for use overseas and including a video conferencing function, getting a leg-up on its closest rival, KDDI Corp. <A HREF="http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=9433.T qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news">9433.T</A>.

3Sci/Tech

Alleged Bin Laden Tape Criticizes Saudis (AP) AP - A man identified as Osama bin Laden bitterly criticized the Saudi regime in an audiotape posted on an Islamic Web site on Thursday.

0World

EU Leaders Poised to Offer Entry Talks to Turkey BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan urged the European Union on Thursday to open its doors to non-Christians after French President Jacques Chirac made a vibrant appeal to bring Turkey into the EU.

0World

Top UK Court Rejects Anti-Terror Detention Policy LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's highest court ruled on Thursday against the detention of foreign terrorism suspects without trial, in a major judgment on how far human rights can be restricted in the "war on terror."

0World

Tankan suggests why Japan hasn #39;t intervened in forex TOKYO (CBS.MW) - The Bank of Japan #39;s latest tankan survey shows why Japan can afford to wait, and did not fight the yen #39;s strength against the dollar with currency intervention.

2Business

UK shoppers hit the streets in November British retail sales rose much more than expected in November, driven by strength across nearly all categories running into the key Christmas holiday shopping season.

2Business

Dutch bank unveils 4,000 job cuts The Netherlands #39; biggest bank ABN AMRO says it is cutting more than 4,000 back office and information technology staff as it aims to bring its cost base in line with its competitors.

2Business

EUROPE MARKETS LONDON (CBS.MW) -- European stocks nudged higher Thursday, boosted by investors applauding cost cutting initiatives at Dutch bank ABN Amro and overnight gains from US shares.

2Business

Helicopters reach isolated Aceh US helicopters start dropping food and medical supplies into parts of quake-ravaged western Aceh.

0World

Preview: Steelers vs. Giants Rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has made the New York Giants #39; decision to acquire top overall draft pick Eli Manning instead of him look like a bad one, at least in the short term.

1Sports

Retail sales stronger than expected Improved sales of household goods, clothing, footwear and food helped retail sales increase 0.6 per cent in November, increasing the likelihood of higher interest rates next year.

2Business

Tas university to play role in Saturn mission The University of Tasmania will be part of a mission to Saturn #39;s largest moon in the new year. The university #39;s two radio telescopes will track the space probe Huygens as it decends into the moon #39;s atmosphere.

3Sci/Tech

Fannie Mae 'should restate books' US mortgage company Fannie Mae should restate its earnings, a move that is likely to put a billion-dollar dent in its accounts, watchdogs say

2Business

P2P Battle Reaches FTC The trade commission hears what's right and wrong with file sharing, but there's no guarantee it will institute regulations. Michael Grebb reports from Washington.

3Sci/Tech

Inside the Mac Revolution Twenty years on, one of the engineers who helped create the Mac writes his memoirs. But programmer Andy Hertzfeld's account is no dry paean to code: It's funny, engaging and deeply human. Wired News interview by Leander Kahney.

3Sci/Tech

Give Your Home a Brain for X-mas X10's ActiveHome Pro modules let you turn your ordinary household lamps and appliances into smart devices that go on and off according to your habits. Product review by Amit Asaravala.

3Sci/Tech

Media Wish List for 2005 Our columnist Adam L. Penenberg wishes he could snap his fingers and change the media landscape for the better. Among his 2005 wishes: getting bloggers to actually break news, abolishing the FCC and making news organizations watchdogs again.

3Sci/Tech

Another Viewtiful Day Capcom's Viewtiful Joe 2 offers a graphically impressive old-school beat-'em-up experience with unmatched stylistic flair. Game review by Chris Kohler.

3Sci/Tech

Prepping to Pull the Plug on GPS Tucked into the Bush administration's space policy is a plan to take the global positioning system offline temporarily during a national emergency. The goal: preventing terrorists from using the navigational technology.

3Sci/Tech

Stocky Monkey in Himalayas Becomes Newest Primate Species Scientists from India working in the Himalayas have discovered a new species of monkey.

3Sci/Tech

When Shots Ring Out, a Listening Device Acts as Witness Police agencies around the country may soon be able to equip street corners with microphones and video cameras to fight gun-related crime.

3Sci/Tech

In Theaters Soon: 'My Winter Vacation' Video cameras with three charge-coupled devices, or C.C.D.'s, can produce broadcast-quality images unattainable with a single-C.C.D. model. A look at four cameras.

3Sci/Tech

Sprint buys Nextel for \$35 billion The boards of both the US telecoms giant Sprint Corp and mobile phone operator Nextel Communications Inc have announced their intention to create the third largest mobile operator in the US, in a deal worth \$35 billion.

2Business

Time will pay \$510m in AOL settlement TIME WARNER has agreed to pay \$510 million (262 million) to settle claims that America Online (AOL), its internet division, overstated its earnings capacity.

2Business

Fannie Mae #39;should restate books #39; US mortgage company Fannie Mae should restate its earnings, a move that is likely to put a billion-dollar dent in its accounts, watchdogs have said.

2Business

UK Retail Sales Rose More Than Expected in November (Update3) Sales at British retailers rose a greater-than-expected 0.6 percent in November, led by household goods, clothing and footwear, as stores including Marks amp; Spencer Group Plc offered discounts to lure holiday shoppers.

2Business

SAP offers new system security service Business software supplier SAP is offering customers a new service to ensure the security of their SAP systems, the company said on Wednesday.

3Sci/Tech

Nintendo adds media playing to DS Nintendo is releasing an adapter for its DS handheld console so it can play music and video. The add-on for the DS means people can download TV programmes, film clips or MP3 files to the adaptor and then play them back while on the move.

3Sci/Tech

India's parliament speaker threatens to quit (AFP) AFP - The speaker of India's parliament has threatened to resign, saying some members' accusations that he was behaving like a "dictator" had caused him agony.

0World

Hijackers of Greece Bus Surrender The government asked its citizens not to retaliate against immigrants Thursday, a day after two Albanian gunmen hijacked a bus. The 18-hour standoff near Athens ended peacefully early Thursday after police

0World

Bin Laden tape lays blame for Saudi unrest on regime DUBAI (AFP) - An audiotape message attributed to top terror mastermind Osama bin Laden and broadcast on an Islamist website laid the blame for the unrest in Saudi Arabia on the kingdom #39;s regime.

0World

World Racked by Political, Social 'Evil' -- Pope VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Social and political evil is spreading through the world, causing war, injustice, violence and desperation, Pope John Paul said in his annual peace message on Thursday.

0World

Baby turtle gives species hope A baby spiny turtle has hatched in Jersey, giving conservationists fresh hope for the endangered species.

0World

Local telecoms The area #39;s three major communication equipment makers said Wednesday they are optimistic about the proposed merger of Sprint Corp.

2Business

Suicide Bomber Kills 18 Iraqi Troops, 1 Civilian BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) - A suicide car bomber hit a bus carrying Iraqi National Guards on Sunday, killing 19 people in the deadliest attack of its kind in nearly four months on Iraqis cooperating with U.S. forces to secure a Jan. 30 election.

0World

Bush vows to reduce huge deficits US President George W Bush pledged on Wednesday to work with Congress to reduce the US #39; huge deficits, to assure markets that his administration supports a strong dollar.

2Business

CSM off after planning to sell sugar unit for 850m euro LONDON (CBS.MW) -- CSM (NL:33426) eased 0.8 percent after saying it expects to sell its sugar confectionary unit for 850 million euros to private equity investor CVC Capital Partners.

2Business

Rains bring new misery to Sri Lanka tsunami victims (Reuters) Reuters - Torrential rains brought fresh hardship to tsunami survivors in eastern Sri Lanka on Sunday, flooding refugee camps, forcing the evacuation of at least one and leaving others dotted with stagnant pools.

0World

New Simian species found in Arunachal India has once again proved itself as the land of contradictions as scientists have now discovered a new species of monkey in Arunachal Pradesh, despite the fact that India has some of the fastest retreating forest lands.

3Sci/Tech

SAP launches remote security service SAP AG has extended the scope of the SAP Active Global Support customer service portfolio with the addition of SAP Security Optimization, a remote service that investigates SAP systems for security vulnerabilities and proposes an action plan.

3Sci/Tech

Magnificient Langer rescues Australia Justin Langer batted all day for a superb unbeaten 181 as Australia reached 8 for 357 at stumps on day one of the first Test against Pakistan at the WACA on Thursday.

1Sports

ENGLISH CRICKETS NEW TV DEAL The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has agreed a deal with pay-TV operator Sky Sports for all home Test matches, one-day internationals, Twenty20 and county action.

1Sports

Purported new bin Laden tape surfaces A new audiotape purportedly from Osama bin Laden appeared on Arabic Web sites Thursday, with the voice on the tape saying the current instability in Saudi Arabia is due to the regime there.

0World

Distrust dominates Iraq election BAGHDAD, Iraq - On the first official day of campaigning for the Jan. 30 elections in violence-racked Iraq, candidates were trying to figure out how to woo the voters.

0World

Henin-Hardenne Ready for Comeback in Exhibition BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Former world number one Justine Henin-Hardenne will return to action in an exhibition match this weekend after being out for three months with exhaustion.

1Sports

EU to Lift U.S. Sanctions Jan. 1 BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission is sticking with its plan to lift sanctions on \$4 billion worth of U.S. goods on Jan. 1 following Washington's repeal of illegal export tax subsidies in October, a spokeswoman said on Thursday.

2Business

Johnson Johnson to Acquire Guidant Johnson Johnson will acquire the cardiac device manufacturer for \$25.4 billion. The acquisition is the largest business deal in J J's 118-year history

2Business

Sprint, Nextel Detail Merger Agreement Sprint and Nextel formally announced a \$35 billion merger agreement Wednesday and gave details on how the corporate combination would affect employees and consumers. -The Washington Post

2Business

Dollar Eases Toward Record Low Vs. Euro LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar eased toward last week's record low against the euro on Thursday after capital inflows data added to worries the United States may struggle to fund its current account deficit.

2Business

Web access in sky set to take off The dream of bidding on an eBay auction, sending an e-mail or even making a cell phone call while 30,000 feet in the air came one step closer to reality yesterday.

2Business

Netherlands CSM Sells Candy Operations Dutch bakery ingredients company CSM NV said Thursday it will sell its candy business to investment company CVC Capital Partners Ltd.

2Business

Corus Expects First Full-Year Profit on Rising Prices (Update2) Corus Group Plc, the UK #39;s biggest steelmaker, expects to report its first full-year profit after increasing prices four times since January.

2Business

Grocery outlook grimmer The grocery workers union representing about 19,000 members in the Sacramento Valley have terminated a contract extension with Safeway, Albertson #39;s and Ralphs, increasing the threat of a strike at stores throughout Northern California.

2Business

You can #39;t move for desktop searches out there Desktop Searches are nothing like buses. Not even buses arrive five at a time. But with Ask Jeeves and Microsoft both launching new desktop searches to rival Google #39;s, and with Yahoo!

3Sci/Tech

Apple locks out RealNetworks with iPod update Apple has updated the software for some of its iPod digital media players so that songs bought from RealNetworks will not play. The change affects Apple #39;s new iPod Photo, which was introduced in late October

3Sci/Tech

New Simian species found in Arunachal: World News: New York, Dec 16 : India has once again proved itself as the land of contradictions as scientists have now discovered a new species of monkey in Arunachal Pradesh, despite the fact that India has some of the fastest retreating forest lands.

3Sci/Tech

Is an 80Gb iPod around the corner? Toshiba has announced a new and improved 40Gb and 80Gb version of its small hard drive found in the Apple iPod. Toshiba claims the new drives are the world #39;s first hard disk drives based on perpendicular recording

3Sci/Tech

Wednesday #39;s Sports In Brief SAN FRANCISCO - Olympic track star Marion Jones filed a defamation lawsuit against BALCO head Victor Conte, who told a national TV audience that he gave her steroids and watched her inject herself with them.

1Sports

Eli should envy friends of Ben #39;s Ben Roethlisberger knows how good he has it in Pittsburgh these days with a talented supporting cast around him. And he knows how bad Eli Manning has it in New York without much of a supporting cast at all.

1Sports

Women #39;s NCAA volleyball Final Four Schedule: Semifinals (today), Washington vs. Stanford, 5:30 pm (tape delay on ESPN2 at 8); Minnesota vs. USC, 7:30 pm (tape delay on ESPN2 tomorrow at 1 pm).

1Sports

Bin Laden Alive, Releases Audio Tape -- Web Site An audio recording purportedly by Osama bin Laden, praising gunmen who carried out a Dec. 6 attack in Saudi Arabia, was posted on the Internet on Thursday, suggesting the al Qaeda leader is still alive.

0World

Australian surfer eaten by sharks Two Great White Sharks have killed a teenage surfer off a popular beach in southern Australia. The 18-year-old man was attacked after falling from a surfboard being towed behind a boat at West Beach in the city of Adelaide, authorities said.

0World

Kidde Accepts Takeover by United Tech (AP) AP - Kidde PLC, the British fire and safety company, said Thursday it had agreed to a 1.4 billion pound ( #36;2.8 billion) takeover by United Technologies Corp.

0World

Wall Street Looks Set for a Mixed Start PARIS (Reuters) - Wall Street looked set for a mixed start on Thursday as oil prices remained near two-week highs and investors braced for a clutch of economic data and earnings from high-profile firms like Goldman Sachs <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=GS.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">GS.N</A> and Nike <A HREF="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=NKE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote">NKE.N</A>.

2Business

Chirac backs Turkish EU entry The French president throws his weight behind Turkish EU membership ahead of a key summit decision.

0World

YUKOS awaits US ruling on break-up order Embattled Russian oil group YUKOS (YUKO.RTS: Quote, Profile, Research) should hear later on Thursday whether a US bankruptcy court will attempt to hold up the

2Business

Aetna reportedly reaches deal in investor lawsuit LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Aetna (AET) has reached a tentative accord with investors who accused the company of hiding accounting misstatements when SEC Chairman William Donaldson led the company, an Aetna spokesman was quoted as saying in Thursday #39;s Los Angeles

2Business

British fire and safety firm Kidde accepts takeover by United ... _ Kidde PLC, the British fire and safety company, said Thursday it had agreed to a 1.4 billion pound (\$2.8 billion) takeover by United Technologies Corp.

2Business

Cendant to buy Gullivers Travel for \$1.1 billion cash LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Cendant Corp. (CD) said it #39;s agreed to buy privately-held Gullivers Travel Associates for \$1.1 billion in cash.

2Business

Travis Perkins to buy Wickes for 950m British building materials merchant Travis Perkins Plc said on Thursday it agreed to pay 950 million (\$1.84 billion) for home-improvement chain Wickes, sending its shares down nearly 3 percent.

2Business

Nvidia TurboCaches GeForce 6200 Nvidia Corporation, a leader in graphics and digital media processors has introduced the Nvidia GeForce 6200 graphics processing unit (GPU) with TurboCache technology.

3Sci/Tech

Law lords back terror detainees Detaining foreigners without trial under emergency anti-terror laws breaks European human rights laws, law lords ruled today. The decision from nine of the law lords, who make up Britain #39;s highest court, throws

0World

DUP Honour Commitments By Standing Up To Terrorism I am extremely glad to see the DUP standing firm on commitments made to the electorate. The DUP made its case clear to both governments and to the public time and time again.

0World

Baseball in Washington in jeopardy (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Washington's new baseball team shut down business and promotional operations indefinitely Wednesday as its move to the nation's capital teetered on the brink of collapse. The decision by major league baseball followed the D.C. Council's decision Tuesday to require private financing for at least half the cost of building a new stadium.

1Sports

Google wins in trademark lawsuit Google won a major legal victory when a federal judge ruled that the search engines advertising policy does not violate federal trademark laws.

2Business

FCC to consider allowing cell phones on planes The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday kicked off efforts that could reshape the communications services available to airline passengers.

2Business

Symantec to Buy Veritas for \$13.5 Billion Security software maker Symantec Corp. has agreed to buy Veritas Software Corp. for \$13.5 billion, expanding into the backup and recovery software market, the companies said on Thursday.

2Business