• A French chef's Christmas dinner at home
    MONACO, Dec 20 (AFP) - Christmas is the one public holiday Franck Cerutti spends at home, a day when the top French chef cooks for his own family instead of labouring in the kitchens of the prestigious Louis XV restaurant.
  • Hitch Delays Trevi Extradition to Mexico
    SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) -- A last-minute hitch Friday over travel arrangements held up the long-awaited extradition of pop diva Gloria Trevi to Mexico, where she faces charges of kidnapping and corruption of minors.
  • Jones to Join Great Black Kentuckians
    LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Grammy-winning jazz musician Jonah Jones has been selected as the newest member of the Gallery of Great Black Kentuckians.
  • Judge's Ruling Leaves Rape Culprit Alone
    NEW YORK (AP) -- Imprisoned rapist Matias Reyes described it as "that feeling."
  • 'Father Xmas paedophile' convicted in South Africa
    CAPE TOWN, Dec 20 (AFP) - A 75-year-old Cape Town man dubbed the "Father Christmas paedophile" will spend the holiday behind bars in South Africa awaiting sentence after being convicted Friday for indecently assaulting pre-teen girls.
  • Women's Big Ten Conference Basketball Standings through Dec 20
  • Blue Jackets Activate Grand-Pierre
    COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- The Columbus Blue Jackets activated defenseman Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre from injured reserve.
  • Recap: LOS ANGELES 5, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 4 / Dec 19
    SPORTSTICKER NHL RECAP
  • NHL Box Scores from Dec 20
  • Montreal Canadiens Game-by-Game Log through Dec 20
    (Goal Scorers in Parentheses)
  • WCHA Conference Standings Dec 20
  • Men's World Cup alpine skiing results
  • Medstone Divests Interest in Medicredit
    ALISO VIEJO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2002--Medstone International, Inc. (Nasdaq:MEDS) today announced that it has completed a transaction regarding its investment in Medicredit.com Inc.
  • S. Africa Ruling Party Elects New Leaders
    STELLENBOSCH, South Africa (AP) -- The embattled ex-wife of former President Nelson Mandela made yet another political comeback Friday when the country's ruling African National Congress re-elected her to the top tier of party officials.
  • Blair calls Jordan's Abdullah to discuss Mideast "roadmap"
    AMMAN, Dec 20 (AFP) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair has telephoned Jordan's King Abdullah II to discuss efforts underway to re-activate the Middle East peace process ahead of a key meeting on the crisis Friday, officials said.
  • Britain Names Ambassadors to U.N., NATO
    LONDON (AP) -- Britain's ambassador to NATO will become its envoy to the United Nations, replacing the retiring U.N. representative.
  • Brain of Bader-Meinhof guerrilla is buried 26 years after death
    BERLIN, Dec 20 (AFP) - Twenty-six years after her death by suicide, the brain of Ulrike Meinhof, one of Germany's most notorious urban guerrillas, was finally buried in Berlin, her daughter said on Friday.
  • Deutsche Post chief urges government to sell its stake by 2007
    FRANKFURT, Dec 20 (AFP) - Deutsche Post chairman Klaus Zumwinkel hopes the German government will sell its remaining shares in the partially privatised postal authority by 2007, the deadline for liberalisation of postal services in Europe, he said in a magazine interview released Friday.
  • Tongan airline grounded after sole jet loses certification
    AUCKLAND, Dec 20 (AFP) - Royal Tongan Airlines (RTA) was plunged into crisis Friday after its solitary jet was grounded when it was found its certification had expired on the eve of an inaugural flight to Hawaii, Honolulu media reported.
  • Allaire Community Bank Announces 3 For 2 Stock Split
    SEA GIRT, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2002--Allaire Community Bank, Wall Township, NJ (ALCY-OTCBB) has announced a three-for-two split of its common stock, payable on February 11, 2003 to shareholders of record on January 15, 2003.
  • Boulder DA Reviewing Ramsey Slaying
    BOULDER, Colo. (AP) -- Boulder County authorities have begun a review of the evidence in the death of JonBenet Ramsey in response to her parents' complaints that police have failed to follow up on leads.
  • Electronics Boutique Cuts Full Outlook
    WEST CHESTER, Pa. (AP) -- Video game retailer Electronics Boutique Holdings Corp. on Friday cut its fourth-quarter and full-year earnings outlook, citing the economic climate and the shorter holiday shopping season.
  • Arkansas 2002-2003 Game-by-Game / Dec 20
    10 12/28 WESTERN KY, 3:00 PM
  • Some WSU Fans Angry at FB Coach Price
    SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- Mike Price is staying at Washington State through the Rose Bowl, even though he accepted the coaching job at Alabama. That doesn't sit well with many of the Cougars' fans.
  • 2002 Dallas Cowboys Roster through Dec 20
  • Lemieux Can't Explain Losing Streak
    PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Mario Lemieux is involved in nearly every Pittsburgh Penguins record of significance. He just never figured he'd have a hand in this one.
  • Boston Bruins through Dec 20
    Active- 23 On IRL-
  • IFONE Announces Availability of Portable GSM Secure Cellular System
    MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2002-- System Supports Type I Encryption for US Military Rapid Deployment
  • Thirteen members of Thai dance troupe killed in road accident
    BANGKOK, Dec 21 (AFP) - Thirteen members of a dance troupe have died in a horror road accident in northern Thailand when their pickup truck fell into a ravine, leaving just one survivor, police said Saturday.
  • Security review after second attack on foreign forces in Kabul
    KABUL, Dec 20 (AFP) - Peacekeepers in Kabul said Friday they were reviewing the security situation and US troops were told to avoid sections of the Afghan capital after three people died in a second attack on foreign forces this week.
  • Positions of five permanent members of UN Security Council on Iraq
    PARIS, Dec 20 (AFP) - Following are the positions so far of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council on Iraq's weapons declaration:
  • Allianz is not immediate target for hostile takeover: chairman
    MUNICH, Germany, Dec 20 (AFP) - The banking and insurance giant Allianz is in no immediate danger of becoming a target for a hostile takeover, despite the current low price of its shares on the stock exchange, the group's outgoing chairman Henning Schulte-Noelle said in a newspaper interview published Friday.
  • Downgraded Gulf summit convenes to the beat of US war drums
    DOHA, Dec 20 (AFP) - The annual year-end summit of the six Gulf Arab monarchies is to open here Saturday without most of the heads of state from the oil-rich bloc, despite mounting prospects of a US-led war against Iraq.
  • Australian shares expected to remain flat
    SYDNEY, Dec 20 (AFP) - The Australian sharemarket is expected to turn in a lacklustre performance next week as the festive season lull sets in, analysts said Friday.
  • Boeing Shelves High-Speed Sonic Cruiser
    SEATTLE (AP) -- Boeing Co. is shelving its proposed high-speed Sonic Cruiser passenger jet in favor of developing a more traditional but highly fuel-efficient airliner, the head of Boeing Commercial Airplanes said Friday.
  • ENR Magazine Selects Locus's EIM System as Innovative and Award-Winning Technology of the Year
    WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2002--Locus Technologies (Locus), a global leader in environmental information management, announced today that ENR Magazine has selected their Environmental Information Management(TM) (EIM(TM)) system, a part of their LocusFocus(SM) environmental web portal, as an innovative ...
  • At Least 11 Die in India Train Derailment
    HYDERABAD, India (AP) -- An express train derailed in southern India on Saturday, killing at least 11 people and injuring 70 others, police said.
  • Pelosi Makes Comments about U.S. Sen. Trent Lott's Decision
    San Francisco's congresswoman reacted to news today that U.S. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott will step down, following a whirlwind of controversy over his remarks about a segregationist campaign decades ago.
  • NWS Issues Coastal Flooding & High Surf Advisories
    As the second system of storms continues to pass over the Bay Area today, the National Weather Service continues to issue a number of advisories and warnings.
  • FirstEnergy Calls Off Sale of 4 Plants
    AKRON, Ohio (AP) -- FirstEnergy Corp. has given up plans to sell four power plants along the Lake Erie shore.
  • Magic Lantern Group Announces Filing of Resale Registration Statement
    NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2002--Magic Lantern Group, Inc. (AMEX:GML) today announced that is has filed a Registration Statement on Form S-3 to register 64,300,000 shares of common stock (of which up to 3,000,000 may be issued in connection with earn-out arrangements) for the resale of such shares from time to time ...
  • Sen. Lott Resigns As GOP Leader
    WASHINGTON (AP) -- Bowing to pressure from his fellow senators and the Bush White House, Sen. Trent Lott resigned his position as Senate majority leader on Friday after his colleagues openly began lining up behind Tennessee Sen. Bill Frist.
  • Cubs Sign Estes to One-Year, $3M Deal
    CHICAGO (AP) -- Shawn Estes is getting back to his roots.
  • No. 21 Xavier Routs Ball State, 87-58
    CINCINNATI (AP) -- David West sat on one side of the court, watching a ragged game. Twelve NBA scouts sat on the other side, watching David West.
  • Women's Big Sky Conference Basketball Standings through Dec 20
  • 2002 Denver Broncos Roster through Dec 20
  • Recap: NHL Recaps from Dec 19
    NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Jose Theodore is starting to look like a Hart Trophy winner again. Theodore came within nine minutes of a shutout and Yanic Perreault scored twice to lead the Montreal Canadiens to their fourth straight road win, 3-1 over the stumbling New York Rangers. After struggling for the first two months of the ...
  • ESQwire.com Announces: New Zealand Government Loses Newzealand.com Domain Name Dispute: In Landmark Decision, Panel Rules Government Engaged in Reverse Domain Name Hijacking
    CHERRY HILL, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2002--ESQwire.com announces a landmark ruling published today has held that the Government of New Zealand is not entitled to the domain name NewZealand.com.
  • Bush, South Korean President-Elect Talk
    SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- President Bush and South Korea's president-elect, Roh Moo-hyun, agreed during a telephone conversation Friday that they will boost bilateral ties and work for a peaceful resolution of North Korea's nuclear threat, Roh's office said.
  • New factory to destroy Russian chemical arms now "in full swing"
    MOSCOW, Dec 20 (AFP) - Russia, struggling to meet international targets to wipe out chemical weapons stocks, has destroyed a first batch of mustard gas in a new factory working full time on the project, an official said Friday.
  • Venezuelan banks to resume normal hours of operations
    CARACAS, Dec 20 (AFP) - Venezuela's banks will resume regular operations Monday, working half-time for the past two weeks in support of a general strike, Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel said Friday.
  • C-BASS CBO V Ltd. Rated 'AAA/AA/A-/BBB/BBB' By Fitch Ratings
    NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2002--C-BASS CBO V Ltd.'s and co-issuer C-BASS CBO V Corp.'s (collectively referred to as the co-issuers) $258.5 million class A floating-rate notes are rated 'AAA' by Fitch Ratings. In addition, Fitch rates the $40.75 million class B floating-rate notes 'AA', $5 million class C ...
  • Oil sector strikers determined to go on protesting
    CARACAS, Dec 20 (AFP) - Venezuela's striking oil workers Friday vowed to go on with their protest, claiming that a court ruling ordering them to back to work was unconstitutional.
  • Del Monte Foods Completes Acquisition of Select Heinz Businesses
    SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2002-- New Del Monte Becomes a Preeminent U.S. Branded Food Marketer
  • Alamos Minerals Ltd. and National Gold Corporation: Due Diligence Reviews Completed and Definitive Amalgamation Agreement Executed
    VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2002--The Boards of Directors of Alamos Minerals Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:AAS) ("Alamos Minerals") and National Gold Corporation (TSX VENTURE:NGT) ("National Gold") have completed their respective due diligence reviews and have today executed the definitive Amalgamation ...
  • Japan's emperor to undergo prostrate checkup
    TOKYO, Dec 20 (AFP) - Japan's Emperor Akihito will undergo medical examination next week due to a possible prostrate problem, a report said Friday.
  • Women's Sun Belt Conference Basketball Standings through Dec 20
  • MOBILE 86, Asheville 69 / Dec 20
    MOBILE (Ticker) -- Shea Seals led all scorers with 30 points and Bobby Simmons added 24 as the Mobile Revelers topped the Asheville Altitude, 86-69. Seals, who scored 33 in a game on November 17, converted an NBDL season-high seven 3-point field goals on eight attempts and pulled down six rebounds. He made his first six 3-point ...
  • Season Over for Steelers Punter Miller
    PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Steelers punter Josh Miller will have season-ending shoulder surgery and be replaced by former Denver standout Tom Rouen.
  • 2002 Major Harness Racing Stakes Results/Upcoming Races / Dec 20
    Results
  • Kafwain Tops Hollywood Futurity Entries
    INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) -- Kafwain heads a field of six entered in Saturday's $200,000-added Hollywood Futurity for 2-year-olds.
  • Rogge: Olympics Won't Adopt Trend Sports
    BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- IOC president Jacques Rogge won't let big money sponsors pressure the Olympics into adopting trendy sports that could lose popularity after a few years.
  • Oracle wins by three seconds in dramatic America's Cup racing
    AUCKLAND, Dec 21 (AFP) - Oracle survived a tactical blunder in the final stage of its America's Cup semi-final repechage race against OneWorld to hold on for a dramatic three-second victory here Saturday.
  • NCAA Div I Football Schedule by Conference for Dec 20
  • AsiaInfo Wins Billing Software Contract From China Mobile
    China Mobile Standardizes IP Billing System
  • Coalition war jet crash-lands in Afghanistan, no injuries
    KABUL, Dec 20 (AFP) - A warplane in the US-led coalition in Afghanistan crash-landed in a mine field at the Bagram air base north of Kabul, but the Danish pilot was not seriously injured, a military spokesman said Friday.
  • Middle East press headlines [Dec 20]
    Dec 20 (AFP) - Headlines across the Middle East on Friday
  • British playwright Pinter blasts Blair for Iraq-war stance
    LONDON, Dec 20 (AFP) - British dramatist Harold Pinter rapped Prime Minister Tony Blair on Friday for his alleged willingness to do the bidding of US President George W. Bush and go to war against Iraq.
  • EU to keep supporting would-be members Bulgaria, Romania
    BRUSSELS, Dec 20 (AFP) - The European Union will continue supporting efforts by Bulgaria and Romania to join its ranks following last week's EU summit which accepted 10 other states for membership by 2004, a senior European Commission official said Friday.
  • Premiere expects to be floated on stock exchange from 2005: chief
    FRANKFURT, Dec 20 (AFP) - Permira, the private equity group set to take over German pay television channel Premiere, plans to list the loss-making former unit of the bankrupt Kirch media group on the stock exchange from 2005, Premiere's chairman Georg Kofler said in an interview published on Friday.
  • Two percent of Spanish back US-led attack on Iraq
    MADRID, Dec 20 (AFP) - Only two percent of Spanish would support a unilateral US attack on Iraq, with 60 percent firmly against such action, according to survey results published Friday.
  • Ex-Hijack Suspect in Sweden Sentenced
    VAESTERAAS, Sweden (AP) -- A Swedish court sentenced a former hijacking suspect Friday to four months in prison for weapons violations, saying he hadn't intentionally brought a gun to an airport in August.
  • Jewish culture making a comeback in Russia's far east
    BIROBIJAN, Russia, Dec 20 (AFP) - Joseph Stalin deported them by the thousands to Russia's Far East, but those living today in the country's Jewish enclave have begun embracing a culture long denied them by Soviet doctrine.
  • Dollar Mixed, Gold Down in Europe
    LONDON (AP) -- The U.S. dollar fell against most other major currencies in European trading Friday. Gold was also down.
  • Managers Launches Total Return Bond Fund
    NORWALK, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2002--The Managers Funds LLC announced today the launch of its newest fund offering, Managers Total Return Bond Fund, to be sub-advised by Merganser Capital Management LP ("Merganser").
  • Abington Bancorp Increases Quarterly Cash Dividend
    ABINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2002--Abington Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ NMS:ABBK) announced today that its Board of Directors had approved payment of an increased quarterly cash dividend for holders of its common stock of $0.11 per share. The dividend is payable on January 17, 2003, to stockholders of record as of ...
  • Nigerian youth group declares republic to press for more oil revenue
    LAGOS, Dec 20 (AFP) - A youth group from Nigeria's oil-rich southern Niger Delta region has declared what it calls a future republic in a move to pressure the government to share oil revenue, witnesses said Friday.
  • American States Water Company Announces Earnings for 2002 Expected to be Below Consensus Estimates
    SAN DIMAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2002--American States Water Company (NYSE:AWR) today announced that earnings per share for fiscal 2002 are expected to be below the current street estimate of $1.35, due primarily to delays in rate proceedings and increased supply costs.
  • iBX Group Acquires theNETdigest.com Publishing Group With More Than 170 Domains and Web Sites
    iBX Group Acquires theNETdigest.com Publishing Group With More Than 170 Domains and Web Sites; Company Expects $750,000 in New Revenue
  • Pacel Corp. Announces Strategy for Accelerating Growth
    MANASSAS, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2002--Pacel Corp. (OTCBB:PCEL) announced today its strategy to establish itself as a primary player in the $43 billion a year PEO market.
  • Anworth Mortgage Announces Dividend of $0.50 Per Share
    SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2002--Anworth Mortgage Asset Corporation (AMEX:ANH) on December 18, 2002 declared a dividend of $0.50 per share. The dividend is payable on January 27, 2003 to holders of record as of the close of business on December 31, 2002 and the ex-dividend date is December 27, 2002.
  • Friday's Standard & Poor's Indexes [Dec 20]
    Standard and Poor's Stock Indexes for Friday.
  • Mo. Prosecutor Resigns Amid Allegations
    JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A rural prosecutor resigned Friday, a week after the state attorney general sought his ouster for allegedly using his office telephone to solicit sex in return for legal services.
  • Men Charged With Aiding Terror Detained
    DALLAS (AP) -- A judge decided Friday that four brothers charged with laundering money for a terrorist will remain in federal detention while the government appeals a decision to set two of the men free.
  • 13 Members of Thai Dance Troupe Killed
    BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- A truck carrying a dance troupe drove off a mountain road in northern Thailand on Friday, killing 12 female dancers and their director.
  • China acknowledges gaps in respect for human rights, US official says
    BEIJING, Dec 20 (AFP) - Chinese officials have acknowledged that their country's respect for human rights does not conform with international standards, a statement released Friday by top US human rights official Lorne Craner said.
  • NBA Team-by-Team Stats Central Division through Dec 19
  • Sports Transactions for Dec 20
    BASEBALL Anaheim Angels - Did not offer contracts to designated hitter-first baseman Brad Fullmer and pitcher Al Levine.
  • Miami Fla 2002 Game Recaps / Dec 20
    Game 1 - August 31 - (1) MIAMI FLA 63, FLORIDA A&M 17
  • 2002 Baltimore Ravens Roster through Dec 20
  • 2002 New England Patriots Roster through Dec 20
  • New York Rangers Game-by-Game Log through Dec 20
    (Goal Scorers in Parentheses)
  • Pompey to keep Stone
    LONDON, Dec 20 (AFP) - Runaway English first division leaders Portsmouth have signed former England midfielder Steve Stone on a free transfer from Aston Villa following his successful loan spell earlier this season.
  • US State Department advises against travel to Venezuela
    WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (AFP) - The State Department late Friday warned US citizens against travelling to Venezuela, and ordered the departure of non-essential embassy staff and family members from the country, on the 19th day of a crippling general strike there.
  • Taiwan to allow investments in China property market
    TAIPEI, Dec 20 (AFP) - Taiwan will soon allow local property developers to invest in China's real estate market, an official with the economics ministry said Friday.
  • Hong Kong government closes park after dead birds found
    HONG KONG, Dec 21 (AFP) - Hong Kong authorities Saturday closed water fowl ponds in a park after four birds were found dead, a day after officials sought to quell fears over a new outbreak of deadly bird flu.
  • Poland chooses Finland's Patria for 1.2 billion transporter contract
    WARSAW, Dec 20 (AFP) - Finnish company Patria Vehicles Oy has been chosen by the Polish government for a 1.2 billion euro (dollar) contract to supply armoured transport vehicles, official sources said on Friday.
  • US about to send 50,000 troops to Gulf region
    WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (AFP) - The United States will beef up its military presence in the Gulf region with 50,000 combat troops and tons of military hardware in early January, The Washington Post said Friday, quoting top defense officials.
  • Jordanian anger towards US grows as drums of war beat against Iraq
    AMMAN, Dec 20 (AFP) - Jordanian anger towards the United States is growing by the day despite the strong political and economic ties between them, as Washington steps up pressure towards launching a war on Iraq.
  • Judge Finds Madster in Contempt
    ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- The file-sharing service Madster and its founder could face $51,000 in fines for violating a court order barring the swapping of copyright songs.
  • French Flight Attendant Pleads Guilty
    ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- A former Virgin Atlantic Airways flight attendant pleaded guilty to falsely reporting a bomb threat aboard a flight from London to Orlando.