Circulating fluid keeps donated kidneys healthier

BOSTON (Reuters) - Machines that send fluid circulating through a donated kidney while it is being preserved for transplant keep the organ healthier than the standard method of simply immersing it in fluid and transporting it on ice, doctors reported on Wednesday.

Top Dell execs leave as PC maker restructures

BOSTON (Reuters) - Two top Dell Inc executives recruited to help turn around the No. 2 PC maker are leaving as part of the second major staff shake-up in the two years since founder Michael Dell returned as CEO.

Sharks have wimpy bites, study finds

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sharks have wimpy bites for their size and can crunch through their prey only because they have very sharp teeth -- and because they can grow to be so big, researchers reported on Tuesday.

Dell preparing senior management changes: report

(Reuters) - Dell Inc's president of global operations, Michael Cannon, and chief marketing officer, Mark Jarvis will leave their roles in moves expected to be announced soon, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people briefed on the matter.

NASA says Columbia crew had no chance to survive

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Astronauts on the shuttle Columbia were trying to regain control of their craft before it broke apart in 2003, but there was no chance of surviving the accident, a NASA report said on Tuesday.

Columbia crew had no chance, new NASA report says

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - There was no way the crew of the space shuttle Columbia could have survived the loss of their ship, but a NASA report aimed at making future accidents more survivable revealed on Tuesday that their safety harnesses and helmets had failed.

Tech companies push stylish, personal design

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - With consumers showing an appetite for stylish personal devices, PC and gadget makers will need more than just vibrant colors, rounded edges or an elegant metallic finish to stand out in a crowded market.

Facebook ban of breast-feeding photos sparks protests

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Are photographs of a mother breast-feeding her child indecent? The social networking site Facebook has sparked a massive online debate -- and protests -- and after removing photos that expose too much of a mother's breast.

Key gene linked to high blood pressure identified

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A gene that affects how the kidneys process salt may help determine a person's risk of high blood pressure, a discovery that could lead to better ways to treat the condition, researchers said on Monday.

Wal-Mart to start selling iPhones

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Friday it will start selling Apple Inc's iPhone on Sunday, but the popular cell phones that can surf the Web will not be priced as low as some anticipated.

China picks up 3G pace, Mobile completes gear deals

MACAU (Reuters) - China took another step toward its long-cherished goal of operating high-speed telecoms services, with China Mobile dishing out over $4 billion of deals and smaller rival Unicom hoping to win a 3G license soon.

Websites could get cinema-style ratings

LONDON (Reuters) - The kind of ratings used for films could be applied to websites in a bid to better police the Internet and protect children from harmful and offensive material, Britain's minister for culture has said.

Websites could get cinema-style ratings

LONDON (Reuters) - The kind of ratings used for films could be applied to websites in a bid to better police the Internet and protect children from harmful and offensive material, Britain's minister for culture has said.

Global chip makers eye sales drop in 2009

TOKYO (Reuters) - Global sales of semiconductors are likely to fall 2.2 percent in 2009 due to weak demand for electronics worldwide, industry group World Semiconductor Trade Statistics said on Tuesday, reversing its May forecast of 5.8 percent growth.

Discovery offers way of tracking cancer in blood

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Tiny sacs released from tumor cells and circulating in the blood carry genetic information about the tumor, offering a new way to track and treat the cancer, U.S. researchers said on Sunday.

Nokia sees cellphone market falling in 2009, shares drop

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Top cellphone maker Nokia Oyj said the world's mobile phone market would be weaker than it expected in the fourth quarter due to the economic slowdown and was set to fall further in 2009.

YouTube ventures into live event webcasting

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - YouTube will venture into webcasting later this month, in an effort to take the video sharing Web site's popularity to a new level by showcasing the talent behind its most viewed videos.

Microsoft nears search deal with Verizon: report

(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp is moving closer to an agreement with Verizon Wireless to become the default search provider on the wireless carrier's cell phones, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the discussions.

Web sites could get cinema-style ratings: U.K. minister

LONDON (Reuters) - The kind of ratings used for films could be applied to Web sites in a bid to better police the Internet and protect children from harmful and offensive material, Britain's minister for culture has said.

Egypt says has found pyramid built for ancient queen

SAQQARA, Egypt (Reuters) - Egyptian archaeologists have discovered a pyramid buried in the desert and thought to belong to the mother of a pharaoh who ruled more than 4,000 years ago, Egypt's antiquities chief said on Tuesday.

Wal-Mart to start selling iPhones on Sunday

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Friday it will start selling Apple Inc's iPhone on Sunday, but the popular cell phones that can surf the web will not be priced as low as some anticipated.

Chile says Chaiten volcano still poses danger

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chile's government said on Friday the area surrounding the Chaiten Volcano, which erupted in May for the first time in thousands of years, was still not safe and that a decision regarding the future of the town of Chaiten would be made in coming days.

Amazon claims record holiday orders in '08 season

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Online retailer Amazon.com Inc on Friday reported its best holiday sales season yet, even as sales and traffic at U.S. store chains were the weakest in decades, sending its shares up nearly 4 percent.

"Idols" TV producer Fremantle seals YouTube deal

LONDON (Reuters) - FremantleMedia, producer of the "Idols" reality-TV show format and soap opera "Neighbours," has agreed a deal to produce programs to be shown exclusively on YouTube and to split revenues with the video-sharing site.

Japanese firms to open Chinese virtual mall: Nikkei

TOKYO (Reuters) - About 100 Japanese firms will begin selling products via an Internet site in China next month, targeting combined sales of 4 billion yen ($44 million) in the first year of operation, the Nikkei business daily reported on Friday.

Judge orders Apple executive to stop work

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A U.S. District Court judge in New York ordered a newly hired Apple Inc executive to stop work immediately because he might be violating an agreement with his former employer, IBM .

Asia couchsurfers travel cheap

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - It's great for soaking up the sights on a shoestring budget, but as some Asians have found, "couchsurfing," or staying at a stranger's home, can be a culturally jarring experience, especially if you reciprocate.

Even a tiny bit of flab raises heart failure risk

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Even a little bit of extra weight can raise the risk of heart failure, according to a U.S. study published on Monday that calculated the heart hazards of being pudgy but not obese.

Scientists recreate nerve disease to study it

CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. scientists have created the first human model for studying a devastating nerve disease, which allows them to watch how the disease develops and could help researchers find a way to treat it.

Repairs start on Mediterranean telecoms cables

PARIS (Reuters) - Work began on Sunday to fix submarine cables under the Mediterranean suspected of being cut by a ship's anchor, disrupting Internet and international telephone service in parts of the Middle East and south Asia.

U.S. scientists recreate nerve disease to study it

CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. scientists have created the first human model for studying a devastating nerve disease, which allows them to watch how the disease develops and could help researchers find a way to treat it.

Hey there, hold the hullabaloo over Hulu

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - It wasn't supposed to be this way. When NBC Universal and News Corp. announced in 2007 that they were getting in business together to launch an online home for their TV and movie offerings, it became a laughingstock. Two media companies collaborating successfully? And online no less?

Undersea cable breaks cut Internet in Mideast, Asia

PARIS (Reuters) - Breaks in three submarine cables under the Mediterranean, possibly caused by a ship's anchor, have disrupted Internet and international telephone services in parts of the Middle East and South Asia, officials said on Saturday.

Last-minute gadgets for your hiker, biker or skier

NEW YORK (Reuters) - For anyone who has put off shopping until the last minute -- or is looking ahead to post-holiday sales -- here's a list of some top gadget gifts for the hiker, biker, skier or runner in your life.

UDPATE 3-Undersea cable breaks cut Internet in Mideast, Asia

PARIS (Reuters) - Breaks in three submarine cables under the Mediterranean, possibly caused by a ship's anchor, have disrupted Internet and international telephone services in parts of the Middle East and South Asia, officials said on Saturday.

India hopeful of strong bids at 3G auction: official

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India is hopeful an auction for third-generation (3G) radio waves next month will draw in bids at a "few times" the reserve price of 20.20 billion rupees ($415 million), a senior government official said on Tuesday.

Study clarifies steroid benefit in pre-term births

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A one-time set of steroid injections for pregnant women at high risk of giving birth prematurely can head off major problems for the baby, but more injections give no further benefit, Canadian researchers said.

Mobile teleconsulting can evaluate stroke patients

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Mobile teleconsulting is a feasible way to evaluate remotely located patients who have just had a stroke, according to a report in the current issue of the journal Stroke. Although researchers found that hospital-based, land-line systems still provide better quality communication.

Global LCD TV revenue seen sinking 16 percent in 2009

SEOUL (Reuters) - With the economic downturn set to continue into 2009, worldwide revenues for liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs are expected to fall for the first time since the category was launched, market research firm DisplaySearch said.

Father offers daughter to shoe-thrower

CAIRO (Reuters) - An Egyptian man said on Wednesday he was offering his 20-year-old daughter in marriage to Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi, who threw his shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush in Baghdad on Sunday,

Researchers find short-armed raptor in Argentina

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An unusual raptor dinosaur found in Argentina is the largest of its kind found so far in the Southern Hemisphere, with awkwardly short arms that made it resemble a Tyrannosaurus, researchers reported on Tuesday.

State aid seen prolonging chip industry's woes

LONDON (Reuters) - Governments in Taiwan and the German state of Saxony stepped in to help struggling chipmakers on Tuesday but such moves are more likely to prolong the industry's misery than to provide meaningful job security.

Atari blasts back from the past with new game plan

LONDON (Reuters) - For many gamers Atari is a blast from the past or just a logo on retro T-shirts but the company that dates back 36 years is looking to reclaim a stake of the videogame landscape.

Miley Cyrus, Obama items hot online sellers in 2008

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Teen star Miley Cyrus, pop diva Madonna, "The Dark Knight," hi-tech gadgets and Barack Obama were among America's top pop culture obsessions that turned into possessions in 2008, according to online market place eBay.

Compound lights up spreading cancer cells

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new type of imaging compound can literally light up spreading cancer cells and may offer a way to track the deadly spread of the disease, Japanese and U.S. researchers reported on Sunday.

Study sheds light on breast cancer drug failure

LONDON (Reuters) - The most commonly used breast cancer drug may cause tumors to spread in a small number of women with low levels of a protein which makes cells stick together, British researchers said on Thursday.

Ex-NY Gov Spitzer to write column for Slate.com

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, who resigned earlier this year over his involvement in a prostitution ring, will write a column for online magazine Slate.com about the economy and financial regulation.

Man wins case vs "human flesh search engine"

BEIJING (Reuters) - A man who lost his job and was harassed by strangers after his infidelity to his late wife was detailed online has won China's first case against Internet vigilantism, the China Daily said on Friday.

E-commerce technology sales holding up: NPD

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Consumer technology e-commerce sales rose 19 percent in the first two weeks of the holiday shopping season, industry tracker NPD Group said Friday, providing a bit of good news in an otherwise gloomy period for retailers.

Indonesia's "tree man" faces new operations

TANJUNG JAYA, Indonesia (Reuters) - An Indonesian man dubbed the "tree man" because of the gnarled warts all over his body said on Friday his condition had worsened again although he still hoped to recover and find a job.

Daddy day care: dinosaur fathers guarded the eggs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - You can call it dino daddy day care. Scientists who examined the fossilized remains of three types of medium-sized dinosaurs found with large clutches of eggs have concluded that the males rather than the females seem to have guarded the nests and brooded the eggs.

Man wins first case vs China's "human flesh search engine"

BEIJING (Reuters) - A man who lost his job and was harassed by strangers after his infidelity to his late wife was detailed online has won China's first case against Internet vigilantism, the China Daily said on Friday.

NY man pleads guilty to YouTube baby food threat

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York man pleaded guilty on Thursday to posting videos on YouTube in which he claimed he had arranged to poison millions of containers of Gerber baby food with the intent to kill babies.

FCC to consider free Internet, cable issues

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. communications regulators will consider a controversial spectrum auction plan for free Internet and new rules governing disputes between cable operators and programmers at their December meeting, the agency's chairman said on Wednesday.

Sketches behind da Vinci painting may be Leonardo's

PARIS (Reuters) - A curator at the Louvre Museum in Paris has stumbled upon some unknown drawings on the back of a painting by Leonardo da Vinci that look like they might be by the Italian master himself, the Louvre said on Thursday.

Cell phone market gloom spreads to LG, RIM

BARCELONA/SEOUL (Reuters) - Cell phone makers LG Electronics and Research in Motion warned on sales and profit growth on Wednesday, the latest sign a consumer spending spree on expensive gadgets has dried up amid economic gloom.

U.S. cable companies giving free equipment for digital move

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Comcast Corp and other U.S. cable companies said on Wednesday they would give free equipment to customers in the switch-over to digital signals, amid criticism that they were using the transition to promote more expensive packages.

Cable companies giving free equipment for digital move

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Comcast Corp and other U.S. cable companies said on Wednesday they would give free equipment to customers in the switch-over to digital signals, amid criticism that they were using the transition to promote more expensive packages.

Worries about Steve Jobs' health hits Apple shares

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple Inc's shares fell almost 4 percent on Wednesday on concerns about the health of its chief executive and whether the company had any new products planned after it said Steve Jobs would not deliver the keynote speech at its upcoming technology show.

Health, emergency staff get drugs first in pandemic

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Health care and emergency services workers who might help sick people during an influenza pandemic should take antiviral drugs throughout the epidemic, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in new guidance released on Tuesday.

Jobs won't deliver Macworld keynote

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc said on Tuesday that Chief Executive Steve Jobs will not deliver the keynote address at the Macworld trade show next month, reviving some investors' concerns about the state of his health and sending the company's shares down 3 percent.

Sony, Fox Sports offer 3-D college football event

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Sony Electronics and Fox Sports on Tuesday said they will beam the national college football championship game to 80 theaters in 3-D next month in the latest example of the sports world tapping into this new viewing technology.

LA Man pleads guilty in Guns N' Roses piracy

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A man accused of illegally posting songs on the Internet from an unreleased album by rock band Guns N' Roses pleaded guilty on Monday and faces up to one year in prison, a prosecutor said.

Apple U.S. Mac sales flat in November

(Reuters) - Apple Inc witnessed flat year-over-year overall sales in the United States for its Macs in November, while sales of rival Microsoft Corp's Windows PCs were up 7 percent, according to research firm NPD Group Inc, which tracks retail sales.

Yahoo unveils new toolbar for Web browsing

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Yahoo unveiled a new toolbar on Monday that will give Web users access to their e-mail as they surf the Web, the latest step in its strategy to make its products more open to users and third parties.

Ancient armored amphibian had world's oddest bite

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A peculiar amphibian that was clad in bony armor prowled warm lakes 210 million years ago, catching fish and other tasty snacks with one of the most unusual bites in the history of life on Earth.

Amish gene trait may inspire heart protection

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A rare genetic abnormality found in people in an insular Amish community protects them from heart disease, a discovery that could lead to new drugs to prevent heart ailments, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

U.S. Amish gene trait may inspire heart protection

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A rare genetic abnormality found in people in an insular Amish community protects them from heart disease, a discovery that could lead to new drugs to prevent heart ailments, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

Google wants "fast track" for its content: WSJ

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Google Inc has approached Internet carriers with a proposal to create a "fast lane" for its own content, countering its previously stance of equal network access for all content providers, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

U.S. nanotechnology plans fall short: report

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S. plan for the emerging field of nanotechnology lacks vision, fails to assess risk and leaves the industry vulnerable to public mistrust, the National Research Council said in a report released on Wednesday.

Yahoo shareholder urges sale of search to Microsoft

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ivory Investment Management LP, which owns 1.5 percent of shares of Yahoo Inc, urged the Internet company to sell its search business to Microsoft Corp, saying such a deal could more than double Yahoo's value.

Court readmits evidence in NASA astronaut case

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - The trial of former NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak for an attack on a romantic rival has been cleared to resume after an appeals court readmitted suppressed evidence from a police search of her car.

FCC cancels meeting at U.S. lawmakers' request

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Saturday it was canceling a December 18 meeting in response to a request by Democratic lawmakers that it pay more attention to a smooth transition to digital television early next year.

In-the-works videogames cater to music fans

DENVER (Billboard) - With more than $1 billion in sales and 50 million tracks downloaded between them -- on a base of only about 350 songs -- the "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" videogame franchises emerged this year as serious moneymakers for the music industry. But are they bringing in enough per track?

Music stars' digital strategies still in flux

DENVER (Billboard) - It's been more than five years since Apple's iTunes store changed music retail by introducing single-track digital downloads. But it wasn't until 2008 that most musicians and labels started to wonder out loud whether selling music by the track is good for their bottom lines.

In-the-works video games cater to music fans

DENVER (Billboard) - With more than $1 billion in sales and 50 million tracks downloaded between them -- on a base of only about 350 songs -- the "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" video-game franchises emerged this year as serious moneymakers for the music industry. But are they bringing in enough per track?

U.S. aerospace urges Obama to keep its flame bright

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chief trade group for arms makers and others in the U.S. aerospace industry said it was a job-creating bright spot in a bleak economy and urged President-elect Barack Obama to keep it that way.

Presidential videogame to hit retail shelves

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama faces many difficult tasks when he enters the White House, and now people who want to face similar challenges can give the U.S. presidency a try, too, in a video game.

Tiny Indonesia islands to honor British naturalist

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia's remote Moluccas islands plans to build a museum and an observatory in honor of British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, who in the 19th century spent many years in the area doing pioneering field work. Wallace was a leading expert on the geographical distribution of animal species and proposed a theory of natural selection around the same time his better known compatriot Charles Darwin published his famous theory in "On The Origin of Species."

FCC free internet plan faces lawmaker opposition

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top Democratic lawmaker is expected to ask the Federal Communications Commission on Friday to delay voting on a controversial auction of radio spectrum, which includes a requirement for free Internet services, said a source following the issue in Washington.

U.S. video game sales up 10 percent

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - U.S. sales of video game hardware and software rose 10 percent in November from a year earlier, market researcher NPD said on Thursday, as Nintendo Co Ltd reported its Wii console and DS hand-held system both set U.S. sales records in the month.

Fearing backlash, industry urges nanotech safety

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Fearing the emerging new field of nanotechnology will engender fears like those surrounding genetically modified foods in Europe, companies are pushing government agencies for a more coordinated effort to ensure the tiny nanomaterials are safe and environmentally friendly.

U.S. sues Sony Music over children's online privacy

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sony BMG, which is changing its name to Sony Music Entertainment, was sued on Wednesday by the U.S. government, which accused the music company of violating federal rules aimed at protecting the online privacy of children.

Economic package to include health tech

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior Senate Democrat said on Wednesday a planned economic stimulus package will likely include money and tax breaks for doctors and hospitals to buy advanced technology that will make it easier for them to share patient care information.

Perfume vials from Christ's era unearthed in Israel

ROME (Reuters) - A team of Franciscan archaeologists digging in the biblical town of Magdala in what is now Israel say they have unearthed vials of perfume similar to those that may have been used by the woman said to have washed Jesus' feet.

Turner, NBA team for 3-D "All-Star" game

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Turner Sports, the National Basketball Association and Cinedigm Digital Cinema will team up to broadcast TNT's coverage of "NBA All-Star Saturday Night" in live 3-D to 80 digitally equipped theaters across the United States. Scheduled for February 14, the broadcast will play on as many as 160 screens in 35 states.

More mobile phone makers back Google's Android

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Fourteen of the world's largest mobile phone and chip makers, including Sony Ericsson, Vodafone Group Plc and ARM Holdings Plc, joined the Open Handset Alliance on Tuesday to support the Android mobile device platform developed by Google Inc.

Turner, NBA team for 3-D 'All-Star' game

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Turner Sports, the National Basketball Association and Cinedigm Digital Cinema will team up to broadcast TNT's coverage of "NBA All-Star Saturday Night" in live 3-D to 80 digitally equipped theaters across the United States. Scheduled for February 14, the broadcast will play on as many as 160 screens in 35 states.

Cancer to pass heart disease as No. 1 killer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cancer is on pace to supplant heart disease as the No. 1 cause of death worldwide in 2010, with a growing burden in poor countries thanks to more cigarette smoking and other factors, global health experts said on Tuesday.

Sony Ericsson, Vodafone back Google's Android

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Fourteen of the world's largest mobile phone and chip makers, including Sony Ericsson, Vodafone Group Plc and ARM Holdings Plc, joined the Open Handset Alliance on Tuesday to support the Android mobile device platform developed by Google Inc.

Sprint eyes cost cuts, no new debt

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sprint Nextel Corp plans to cut costs and use cash to pay back its $3 billion of debt due in 2009 and 2010, rather than raise new financing in tight capital markets, its finance chief said on Monday.

Presidential video game to hit retail shelves

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama faces many difficult tasks when he enters the White House, and now people who want to face similar challenges can give the U.S. presidency a try, too, in a video game.

Falling stock markets spur searches for love online

NEW YORK (Reuters) - As stock markets across the globe have plummeted, more people have opted to try their luck looking for love online as a distraction from financial woes -- and to save themselves money, according to dating Web sites.

Microsoft to soon sell full range of Web software

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp will soon launch a full range of online versions of its software products, including the Office suite, and expects the weak economy to accelerate growth of the nascent Web-based software market, a senior executive said on Monday.

Lots of TV and Web harms kids' health

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Spending a lot of time watching TV, playing video games and surfing the Web makes children more prone to a range of health problems including obesity and smoking, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

Bad back may stop cane toad invasion

SYDNEY (Reuters) - It seems a bad back might be the only thing that can stop the relentless spread of Australia's poisonous cane toads, which are killing native animals as they hop across the nation, researchers say.

Time Warner eyes limited WiMax service late '09

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Time Warner Cable Inc plans to offer limited wireless services in late 2009 or early 2010 using the WiMax high-speed wireless network that Clearwire Corp is building, the cable company's finance chief said on Monday.

150 whales die in stranding off Australian coast

SYDNEY (Reuters) - At least 150 whales have died in a mass stranding off Tasmania's west coast, Australian authorities said on Sunday, despite the efforts of rescuers who managed to shepherd a small number back to the ocean.

Germany plans lab tests for airport "naked scans"

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany will begin laboratory tests in the next few weeks on full-body airport screening devices to see if they can produce images that do not show passengers naked, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday.

Walmart.com offers "thousands" of Wiis from Monday

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nintendo Co Ltd's Wii has emerged as one of the few hot products this holiday season, and Wal-Mart Stores Inc will offer "tens of thousands" of the hard-to-get video game consoles on its website starting on Monday.

Britain's DNA database violates privacy: court

STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - Britain violated the privacy of two people by storing their DNA profiles, Europe's human rights court ruled on Thursday, a decision that calls into question rules governing the use of the country's DNA database.

Digital market offers hope as music sales slow

DENVER (Billboard) - Ever since Apple's iTunes store launched in 2003, the digital music market has received an annual Christmas gift in the form of a sales boost, as consumers unwrap new iPods and gift cards for the holidays.

As music sales slow, digital market offers hope

DENVER (Billboard) - Ever since Apple's iTunes store launched in 2003, the digital music market has received an annual Christmas gift in the form of a sales boost, as consumers unwrap new iPods and gift cards for the holidays.

Nokia takes on rivals with N97 touch-screen phone

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Nokia launched a flagship phone to update its aging high-end offering, but analysts said the device would not be enough on its own to help the world's top mobile phone maker recover lost market share.

Toshiba to halt chip output due to weak demand

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp , the world's No. 2 maker of NAND flash memory, will halt chip production at two plants for nine days due to weak demand, in its first output break in seven years, broadcaster NHK reported on Friday.

Sephardic Jews leave genetic legacy in Spain

MADRID (Reuters) - From the 15th century on, Spain's Jews were mostly expelled or forced to convert, but today some 20 percent of Spanish men tested have Sephardic Jewish ancestry, and 11 percent can be traced to North Africa, a study has found.

Climate history may explain empires' fall

CHICAGO (Reuters) - An analysis of rings on a stalagmite from a cave near Jerusalem reveals a drier climate in the region at a time in history when the Roman and Byzantine empires were in decline, scientists reported on Thursday.

China, Russia to send probes to Mars next year

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will team up with Russia to launch two satellite probes to take pictures of Mars and one of its small moons in October next year as it seeks to cement its place in the select ranks of global space powers.

Industry sales good so far: Take-Two

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Black Friday sales for the video games industry were probably better than expected, but that's no guarantee of strong sales for the rest of the holiday season, Take Two Interactive Software Inc Chief Executive Strauss Zelnick said on Thursday.

Blockbuster offers 99-cent DVD rentals

NEW YORK (Reuters) - DVD rental company Blockbuster Inc said it will offer 99-cent DVD rentals for the first time to lure customers in tough economic times, and it is also renegotiating one-third of its store leases to cut costs.

Classical musicians get shot at fame on YouTube

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The video-sharing website YouTube will take classical music out of pricey concert halls and bring it to the masses by holding an online competition where the public chooses musicians to play at Carnegie Hall.

Sail online for thrills without danger

PARIS (Reuters) - Always wanted to sail around the globe but never had the nerve? Just sign up online and now you can compete in one of France's most beloved yachting events without ever having to leave your desk.

CBS to run Yahoo's Internet radio service

DENVER (Billboard) - Chalk up another Internet radio casualty of significantly increased royalty fees for airing music online. Yahoo Music, once the top music destination on the Web, is handing over the bulk of its Launchcast Internet radio operations to CBS Radio.

Cutting costs but still want a fancy phone?

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. economy's worst crisis since the 1930's depression may have some consumers questioning the wisdom of buying a fancy new cell phone just yet, but those who can't wait just might find some deals out there.

Ex-AOL boss seeks funds for his firm, not Yahoo: report

(Reuters) - Former AOL Chief Executive Jonathan Miller is trying to raise capital for Velocity Interactive Group, an investment firm focused on digital media where he is a partner, and not for buying Yahoo Inc, the New York Post reported.

Ex-AOL boss looking to raise cash for Yahoo bid

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former AOL Chief Executive Jonathan Miller is seeking as much as $30 billion from investors to buy all or part of Yahoo Inc, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, boosting shares of the Web search engine by 7 percent.

Start-ups knock on MySpace's door

NEW YORK (Reuters) - MySpace, the online social network owned by News Corp, sees opportunities to buy start-ups for a fraction of what they would have cost six months ago as the economic slump slices millions of dollars off their price tags.

FCC to mull free Internet plan at December meeting

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is likely to consider a plan this month to auction public airwaves with a mandate that the winning bidder set aside some for free Internet nationwide, a proposal staunchly opposed by the cell phone industry.

FCC to mull free Internet plan at meeting

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is likely to consider a plan this month to auction public airwaves with a mandate that the winning bidder set aside some for free Internet nationwide, a proposal staunchly opposed by the cell phone industry.

Time Warner Cable CFO sees tougher 2009

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Time Warner Cable Inc will likely sell fewer than expected video, Internet and phone subscriptions this year, and expects a further decline next year due to the worsening U.S. economy, Chief Financial Officer Rob Marcus said on Monday.

Qualcomm ruling affirmed, vacated in part: U.S. court

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. federal court on Monday affirmed a ruling against Qualcomm Inc in its long-running battle with Broadcom Corp over some video technology patents, but voided a part of the lower-court decision that said Qualcomm could not enforce the patents.

Endeavour touches down in California

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Astronauts aboard the space shuttle Endeavour wrapped up a 16-day mission to prepare the International Space Station for its first six-member crew with a flawless touchdown at NASA's backup landing site in California.

Nokia seen outlining smartphone, services push

BARCELONA (Reuters) - World cellphone leader Nokia is expected to bolster its offering of high-end phones at a media and industry event in Barcelona on Tuesday, where it is also due to outline a push into Internet services.

Space shuttle touches down in California

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Astronauts aboard the space shuttle Endeavour wrapped up a 16-day mission to prepare the International Space Station for its first six-member crew with a flawless touchdown at NASA's backup landing site in California.