TODAY'S NEWS IN BRIEF

Business & Finance

Symantec Corp., which makes Norton antivirus software, is nearing a
deal to acquire Veritas Corp., the leading seller of data-backup,
storage, and archiving software, The New York Times reported. The
potential $13 billion merger, which would be one of the largest
involving software companies, could be completed by week's end, the
Times said.

Bombardier Inc. turned to its chairman and his son to lead the company
after firing chief executive Paul Tellier Monday. Two members of the
board of directors also left. Laurent Beaudoin, two-time former chief
executive, was announced as head of a new "office of the president."
His son, Pierre Beaudoin, who directs Bombardier's aerospace division,
was named as one of two executive vice presidents. Bombardier, which
builds commercial jets and is the world's No. 1 maker of railroad
rolling stock, has been losing money and is in the midst of a
restructuring plan. It is Canada's third-largest manufacturer.

Critics slammed the announcement by Danske Bank of Copenhagen, the No.
2 lender in Scandinavia, that it's buying Northern Bank and National
Irish Bank for a combined $1.93 billion. Northern is the largest retail
bank in Northern Ireland, but National Irish Bank has only a 3 percent
share of the market in the Irish Republic, plus a checkered ethical
record. In July, regulators penalized it $85 million for overcharging
borrowers and for encouraging depositors to open tax-free accounts
using false addresses. The seller, Australia National Bank, also is
recovering from a scandal earlier this year involving the loss of $274
million in rogue currency trades.

In a deal valued at $1.2 billion, the owner of the Financial Times and
Penguin Books announced it is selling its 79 percent stake in Spanish
media group Recoletos SA to a consortium of investors. Pearson PLC of
London said the growing focus of Recoletos on sports publications
didn't fit with its predominantly business-news strategy.

Cardinal Health Inc., a medical products and services supplier, said
Monday it plans to cut 4,200 jobs as part of a restructuring plan. The
Dublin, Ohio, company, which has more than 500 facilities, including
sales offices and pharmacies, seeks to improve earnings by $500 million
a year.

United Airlines will impose pay cuts on its 8,500 non-union employees,
including an 11 percent reduction for top executives, it said Monday.
The company remains in difficult negotiations with its unions over the
bulk of givebacks it's seeking, hoping not to have to ask court
approval to put them into effect next month in lieu of a deal.

USA

The attorney for Scott Peterson, the former fertilizer salesman
sentenced to death Monday, said all possible appeals will be pursued.
Formal sentencing isn't scheduled until Feb. 25, but legal observers
consider it unlikely that the judge in the case will exercise the
option of reducing the penalty to life in prison. Jurors in the case,
in which Peterson was found guilty of murdering his wife, Laci, and
their unborn child, said the defendant's seeming lack of sorrow and
remorse was a factor in their decision in the high-profile Redwood
City, Calif., case. Peterson might not be executed for decades - if
ever - given the protracted appeals process and the backlog of death
row executions. California has carried out only 10 since 1978, but has
641 inmates on death row.

Google, the most-used Internet search engine, announced an ambitious
initiative Monday to scan books at the New York Public Library as well
as libraries at four high-profile universities - Harvard, Stanford,
Michigan, and Oxford in England. Although not a new idea, Google's
commitment marks a quantum leap in making hard-to-find books available
to the public. Google, which faces stiff competition from Yahoo Inc.
and Microsoft Corp.'s MSN, will provide unrestricted access to
materials no longer covered by copyrights.

While exploring the Red Planet on Monday, the Mars rover Spirit found
goethite, a mineral considered particularly important in the search for
geologic evidence of the planet's watery past. Goethite forms only in
the presence of water, although it may be in liquid, ice, or gaseous
form.

With New York federal courts facing 4,000 immigrant appeals cases, many
requesting asylum, the Justice Department is ordering hundreds of
lawyers across the US to help deal with the emergency, The Washington
Post reported.

In a White House ceremony, President Bush awarded the Presidential
Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award, to former CIA
director boss George Tenet, retired Gen. Tommy Franks, and Paul Bremer,
former administrator of the US-led occupation of Iraq.

World

War-crimes trials will begin next week for the first of former Iraqi
dictator Saddam Hussein's top lieutenants, interim Prime Minister Iyad
Allawi said. Hussein, however, won't be among them, he said, suggesting
that his trial will be saved for last. But the announcement drew scorn
from the Jordanian attorney who will lead Hussein's defense team. He
said Allawi "is dreaming" because much work remains to be done and
because the defendants, Baath Party leaders, were denied access to
counsel at critical times.

In related developments:

* Seven more people died in the second terrorist car-bomb explosion
outside Baghdad's Green Zone in two days.

* Construction workers near Sulaymaniya in Kurdish northern Iraq
uncovered another mass grave from the Hussein era estimated to hold as
many as 500 sets of human remains.

* The government of Poland announced it will withdraw one-third of its
troops beginning in February, leaving about 1,700 in place.

The presumed front-runner in the Jan. 9 Palestinian presidential
election told interviewers that the intifada against Israel has been a
mistake and must end. Mahmoud Abbas, however, said opposition to Israel
is "a legitimate right" that should continue without resorting to
violence. Analysts said his comments signaled a determination to change
the course of the Palestinian Authority in the wake of Yasser Arafat's
death.

The chief of security for fugitive Taliban leader Mullah Omar was
captured as he and a companion traveled in a van near Kandahar,
Afghanistan, authorities said. Their arrests came as President Hamid
Karzai offered Taliban remnants an amnesty. But police said Naqibullah
Khan and Qayoom Angar were carrying a satellite phone and "important
documents" that they hoped would lead them to Omar himself.

Suspicion immediately fell on Islamist militants for the death of a
Buddhist high school teacher via a drive-by shooting in southern
Thailand - the latest in a series of violent incidents that began in
early January and have killed more than 550 people. The unrest has
slowed tourism in the once-popular region to a trickle, and hours after
the shooting an upscale resort hotel announced that it will close Jan.
1.

In a second straight day of violence in India's restive Assam State,
terrorist bombings killed two more people and wounded at least 44
others. On Monday, two policemen died and seven civilians were hurt in
similar blasts in a crowded marketplace. Hundreds of miles to the
southwest, two passenger trains collided head-on Tuesday. Early reports
put the number of casualties at 27 dead, with more than 60 injured.

When it comes to honesty, Americans look to nurses

No other career grades higher with Americans than nursing for honesty
and ethical standards, according to results of the Gallup
organization's latest annual survey on the subject. Almost 80 percent
of respondents said nurses ranked "high" or "very high" on this basis.
Indeed, public servants in various fields did well - certainly better
than lawyers, politicians, and news reporters, each of whose
professions ranked near the bottom. Last on the list: car salesmen. The
top 10 finishers in Gallup's honesty and ethics poll:

1. Nurses
2. Elementary school teachers
3. Druggists, pharmacists
4. Military officers
5. Medical doctors
6. Police officers
7. The clergy
8. Judges
9. Day-care providers
10. Bankers

Missteps Cited in Kerik Vetting by White House
By ELISABETH BUMILLER
President Bush's enthusiasm for Bernard B. Kerik, and a
lack of candor from Mr. Kerik himself, were among the
factors that led to the collapse of the nomination.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/politics/15home.html?th

Iraqi Campaign Raises Question of Iran's Sway
By JOHN F. BURNS and ROBERT F. WORTH
The prospect of a Shiite leader with close ties to Iran
coming to power raises the brooding issue of Iran's future
influence in Iraq.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/internat.../15iran.html?th

Settlements Seen in U.S. Inquiries Into Time Warner
By GERALDINE FABRIKANT
Time Warner is expected to settle with the Justice
Department in its investigation of advertising deals
between America Online and smaller Internet companies.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/business...15media.html?th

QUOTATION OF THE DAY -

"Prospects for retiree health coverage are slowly disappearing for America's workers, and retirees who have it will be paying more."
- DREW E. ALTMAN, of Kaiser Family Foundation.


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/politics/15health.html?th

Cargo Flights Added to Cut Risky Land Trips
By ERIC SCHMITT
The Air Force is expanding its airlift of equipment to Iraq
to reduce the amount of military cargo hauled over land
routes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/politics...ilitary.html?th

Ex-Hussein Aides to Hear First Charges Next Week
By ROBERT F. WORTH
The first charges will be filed next week against former
members of Saddam Hussein's government, Iraq's prime
minister announced.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/internat.../15iraq.html?th

On the Air, Palestinians Soften Tone on Israelis
By GREG MYRE
Since the death of Yasir Arafat, the Palestinian news media
have adopted a more moderate voice toward Israel.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/internat...tinians.html?th

Retirees Are Paying More for Health Benefits, Study Says
By ROBERT PEAR
Retirees who receive health benefits from their former
employers saw premiums shoot up an average of 25 percent
this year, a new study says.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/politics/15health.html?th

States and Cities Must Hunt Terror Plots, Mass. Governor
Says
By PAM BELLUCK
Gov. Mitt Romney, the leader of a national working group on
homeland security, said that state and local agencies
should not rely only on federal intelligence.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/national/15secure.html?th

Water Contract Renewals Stir Debate Between
Environmentalists and Farmers in California
By DEAN E. MURPHY
The farms served by the Central Valley Project, the
country's largest irrigation system, get about 20 percent
of California's water supply.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/national/15water.html?th

Justice Dept. May Explore Leak on Spy Satellite Program
By DAVID JOHNSTON
The department has been asked to investigate whether
classified information about the surveillance program was
improperly disclosed to news organizations.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/politics/15leak.html?th

Lawmaker Seeks Inquiry Into Ohio Vote
By TOM ZELLER Jr.
The ranking Democratic member of the House Judiciary
Committee plans to ask the F.B.I. and a county prosecutor
in Ohio to explore "election tampering" in the state.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/politics/15ohio.html?th

Washington Council Approves Stadium, With Conditions
By JAMES DAO
The City Council narrowly approved a taxpayer-financed plan
to build a new riverfront baseball stadium late Tuesday
night.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/politics/15stadium.html?th

Flawed Device Places F.D.A. Under Scrutiny
By BARRY MEIER
The F.D.A.'s oversight of a defibrillator may reveal
shortcomings in its regulation of medical devices.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/business/15device.html?th

Fed Panel Lifts Rates and Says More Increases Are Probable
By EDMUND L. ANDREWS
As expected, the central bank raised the federal funds rate
on overnight loans by a quarter point, to 2.25 percent.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/business/15fed.html?th

For Sprint and Nextel, a Battle With Titans
By KEN BELSON
When Sprint and Nextel Communications merge, they will be
competing against their much larger rivals, Cingular
Wireless and Verizon Wireless.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/technology/15phone.html?th

No Bang for Our Cheap Buck
The Bush administration's weak-dollar policy has failed to
close the trade gap, and has only plunged us deeper into
debt.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/opinion/15wed1.html?th

Michael Leavitt Moves On
Leaving much unfinished business behind, the former head of
the Environmental Protection Agency faces new challenges at
the Health and Human Services Department.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/opinion/15wed2.html?th

A Trial for General Pinochet
The day seems to be approaching when Chile's former
military dictator will go on trial for crimes committed
decades ago.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/opinion/15wed3.html?th

Moving the Barnes
Relocating the Barnes Foundation to downtown Philadelphia
will afford proper care and a wider audience for its
collection.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/opinion/15wed4.html?th

The Poison Puzzle
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
Vladimir Putin is replacing Russia's former dictatorship of
the left with a dictatorship of the right.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/opinion/15kristof.html?th

California's Stem Cell Gold Rush
By WILLIAM SAFIRE
With the federal government hanging back, the states are
rushing to fill the void on stem cell research.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/opinion/15safire.html?th

Road Rules for Hedge Funds
By FRANK PARTNOY
Hedge funds should be the next frontier for financial
regulators, as long as the regulation isn't overzealous.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/opinion/15partnoy.html?th

Too Tired to Fight
By SCOTT ELLIOTT
Voters in Washington State are as tired of electioneering
as the ballot counters are of counting votes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/opinion/15elliott.html?th

- ON THIS DAY -

On Dec. 15, 1916, the French defeated the Germans in the World War I Battle of Verdun.

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/on...y/20041215.html

Details of Marines Mistreating Prisoners in Iraq Are Revealed
--------------------

By Richard A. Serrano
Times Staff Writer

December 15 2004

WASHINGTON — Marines in Iraq conducted mock executions of juvenile prisoners last year, burned and tortured other detainees with electrical shocks, and warned a Navy corpsman they would kill him if he treated any injured Iraqis, according to military documents made public Tuesday.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...0,4517683.story

Smaller Parties Jostle for Piece of Iraq Election Pie
--------------------

By Ashraf Khalil
Times Staff Writer

December 15 2004

HILLAH, Iraq — The only sound disturbing the rural stillness as Jawdat Obeidi laid out his election battle plan was the tinkling of spoons in dozens of tea cups.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...0,2498701.story

GOP Has Lock on South, and Democrats Can't Find Key
--------------------

A Times analysis shows that Bush's sweep of the region went even deeper than first appeared.

By Ronald Brownstein
Times Staff Writer

December 15 2004

WASHINGTON — The generation-long political retreat of Democrats across the South is disintegrating into a rout.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/na...0,2550502.story

No Deal Near in Holocaust Survivors' Suit
--------------------

Hungarian Jews, in a case against the U.S., are seeking compensation for property seized by the Nazis and recovered by the U.S. Army.

By Henry Weinstein
Times Staff Writer

December 15 2004

Facing a critical court hearing Monday, Justice Department attorneys and lawyers representing Hungarian survivors who have filed the only Holocaust reparations suit against the U.S. government are far from reaching a settlement, parties close to the negotiations said.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/na...eadlines-nation

Investments to Kick Off Social Security Discussion
--------------------

Critics prepare to block Bush proposal to shift payroll taxes into private accounts.

By Warren Vieth and Joel Havemann
Times Staff Writers

December 15 2004

WASHINGTON — It will be months before President Bush and members of Congress agree on how to restructure Social Security, if they come to terms at all. But the rough contours of what Bush has in mind have begun to emerge, and battle lines are forming.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/na...eadlines-nation

Many Firms to Keep Retirees' Drug Plans
--------------------

A national survey calms worries that employers would drop benefits after the new Medicare prescription coverage begins in 2006.

By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar
Times Staff Writer

December 15 2004

WASHINGTON — Most large companies plan to keep offering prescription coverage to their retirees after Medicare's new drug benefit takes effect in 2006, according to a national employer survey released Tuesday.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/na...eadlines-nation

Trials to Start for Heads of Former Iraqi Regime
--------------------

Saddam Hussein is not expected to be among those who are scheduled to go to court next week.

By Alissa J. Rubin
Times Staff Writer

December 15 2004

BAGHDAD — Iraq's interim prime minister announced Tuesday that some of the former regime's top officials would go on trial next week and warned that violence could worsen after next month's elections.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...0,7121855.story

--------------------
Doctor Who Criticized U.N. in Book Finds Himself Out of a Job
--------------------

The world body says his contract ran out. The author is fighting to have it renewed.

By Maggie Farley
Times Staff Writer

December 15 2004

UNITED NATIONS — U.N. officials have decided not to renew the contract of a doctor who was the coauthor of a controversial memoir about life on the front lines of U.N. peacekeeping in the 1990s.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...headlines-world

--------------------
U.S. Takes to Air to Move Cargo in Iraq
--------------------

With the persistent peril of roadside attacks on trucks, more freight is traveling by plane.

By John Hendren
Times Staff Writer

December 15 2004

WASHINGTON — U.S. commanders in Iraq have begun transporting more supplies to the country by aircraft in an effort to evade the roadside bomb attacks that have been killing or wounding about 100 American troops each month, the Air Force's top officer said Tuesday.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...0,4171625.story

PLO Leader Says Attacks 'Should Stop'
--------------------

Abbas says the violence hurts Palestinians and erodes the legitimacy of their protest. Bombing attempt leads to closure of a key border crossing.

By Ken Ellingwood
Times Staff Writer

December 15 2004

JERUSALEM — Mahmoud Abbas, the interim Palestinian leader, said in an interview published Tuesday that the armed struggle against Israel was a mistake and should end.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...0,4789006.story

Trials to Start for Heads of Former Iraqi Regime
--------------------

Saddam Hussein is not expected to be among those who are scheduled to go to court next week.

By Alissa J. Rubin
Times Staff Writer

December 15 2004

BAGHDAD — Iraq's interim prime minister announced Tuesday that some of the former regime's top officials would go on trial next week and warned that violence could worsen after next month's elections.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...headlines-world

U.S. Announces More Deployments
--------------------

From Associated Press

December 15 2004

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon announced Tuesday which ground units it would be sending to Iraq and Afghanistan starting in mid-2005.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...headlines-world

--------------------
Turkey Drifts Further From U.S.
--------------------

The government reflects its constituents' outrage over the war in Iraq, but still wants Washington's help on joining the European Union.

By Amberin Zaman
Special to The Times

December 14 2004

ANKARA, Turkey — When an American ambassador to Turkey asks to see the country's leader, the meeting usually takes place within days. But recently it took the current envoy six weeks to get an audience with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...headlines-world

Mandatory Health Insurance Is Urged
--------------------

Requiring all in the state to carry coverage would address healthcare crisis, backers argue. Critics say subsidies for the poor would be needed.

By Jordan Rau
Times Staff Writer

December 15 2004

SACRAMENTO — The concept of requiring all Californians to carry their own health insurance is gaining momentum in the Capitol, as some lawmakers and healthcare advocates see it as a politically viable way to deal with the state's 5.3 million uninsured.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-he...0,3412394.story

Trade Gap Widens to More Than $55 Billion
--------------------

A larger-than-expected deficit hits a record and suggests that economic growth may not be as strong as believed.

By Bill Sing
Times Staff Writer

December 15 2004

The U.S. trade deficit widened nearly 9% to a record $55.5 billion in October, the government reported Tuesday, raising further concerns about the nation's habit of buying more from foreigners than it sells to them.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-trad...0,2964034.story

Fed Raises Key Interest Rate to 2.25%
--------------------

The central bank makes its fifth quarter-point increase since June and signals plans to continue tightening credit.

By Tom Petruno
Times Staff Writer

December 15 2004

The Federal Reserve made it five-for-five Tuesday, raising its benchmark short-term interest rate to 2.25% from 2%, the fifth quarter-point increase in as many meetings since June.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fed1...0,7647969.story

Home Prices Hit New Highs
--------------------

The median in the Southland rises 23% in November from a year ago, while the number of houses sold dips.

By Annette Haddad
Times Staff Writer

December 15 2004

Defying some experts' predictions, home prices in Southern California reached new peaks in November as the pace of sales held steady in what was typically a slow time of year.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-home...0,4305757.story

3 Iraq Strategists Honored by Bush
--------------------

From Associated Press

December 15 2004

WASHINGTON — President Bush awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Tuesday to three figures who were central to his Iraq policy: former CIA Director George J. Tenet, former Iraq administrator L. Paul Bremer III and retired Gen. Tommy Franks.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/na...eadlines-nation

GOP Has Lock on South, and Democrats Can't Find Key
--------------------

A Times analysis shows that Bush's sweep of the region went even deeper than first appeared.

By Ronald Brownstein
Times Staff Writer

December 15 2004

WASHINGTON — The generation-long political retreat of Democrats across the South is disintegrating into a rout.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/na...eadlines-nation

--------------------
U.S. Takes to Air to Move Cargo in Iraq
--------------------

With the persistent peril of roadside attacks on trucks, more freight is traveling by plane.

By John Hendren
Times Staff Writer

December 15 2004

WASHINGTON — U.S. commanders in Iraq have begun transporting more supplies to the country by aircraft in an effort to evade the roadside bomb attacks that have been killing or wounding about 100 American troops each month, the Air Force's top officer said Tuesday.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...headlines-world

Detainee Abuse by Marines Is Detailed

By Thomas E. Ricks

Marines operating in Iraq over the past two years committed a variety of abuses against Iraqi prisoners, including burning a detainee's hands by igniting alcohol-based cleanser in August 2003, according to internal Defense Department documents released yesterday.

To view the entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...er=emailarticle

Hearing Set for Aides of Hussein

By Anthony Shadid

BAGHDAD, Dec. 14 -- Judicial proceedings will begin next week against some of the most senior leaders under former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, Iraq's interim prime minister said Tuesday in a surprise announcement that put the past government's crimes before a country preparing for elections on Jan. 30.

To view the entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...er=emailarticle

Keeping Faith in Reform, and Islam, in Iran

By Robin Wright

TEHRAN -- Mohsen Kadivar is a lonely voice in Iran these days.

To view the entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...er=emailarticle

Abbas Says Violence by Palestinians Should End

By Andy Mosher

JERUSALEM, Dec. 14 -- The front-runner in next month's election to succeed Yasser Arafat as Palestinian leader said in an interview published Tuesday that the violence employed by Palestinians in their more than four-year armed uprising was a mistake and that opposition to Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip should be expressed peacefully.

To view the entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...er=emailarticle