November 24, 2004

Report: Microsoft paid CCIA official in antitrust case. The antitrust settlement between Microsoft and the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) announced earlier this month included a payment of $9.75 million to the CCIA's president, according to a report published Wednesday. Almost half of the $19.75 million total settlement went to Ed Black, the president and chief executive officer of the Washington. D.C.-based industry organization since 1995, in a deal approved by the CCIA board, according to a report in the Financial Times (FT) newspaper, citing confidential documents. A spokesman from Microsoft declined to comment on the FT report while the CCIA in Europe referred questions to Black, who could not be reached. [InfoWorld: Top News] 1:24:16 PM

Canada in talks to aid Iraqi election: report CTV -  Ottawa could be preparing to play a leading role in the Iraq election planned for January, according to a published report of four-way talks between Canada, Washington, the interim Iraqi government and the United Nations. 12:59:04 PM

Worldwide shortages of doctors a 'perfect storm' for Canada, says ... Canada.com, Canada - A shortage of homegrown physicians, combined with the aggressive recruitment of Canadian doctors by other countries, is a "perfect storm" that threatens Canada's health-care reforms, the president of the Canadian Medical Association said Wednesday. Dr. Albert Schumacher said doctors in Canada who face 80-hour work weeks and ever-greater numbers of patients are either drastically reducing their patient loads or closing up shop and leaving to work in other countries. 12:57:31 PM

Phishers use zombie nets to automate attacks VNUNet.com - Hackers are achieving new levels of automation using software tools, zombies and bot nets to "vastly increase the potency" of their fraudulent campaigns, according to analysts. 5:59:59 AM