[kde-linux] Konqueror stealing URI

[Phil]

I am running KDE 3.5 on Debian testing.

I have configured KDE to use Firefox as the default web browser, 
however, when I click on a URI in an email message in Thunderbird, 
Konqueror grabs the URL, tries to download the web page and then directs 
Firefox to open the saved page. If Konqueror is successful at 
downloading the page, it does open in Firefox. But it is just the saved 
file, not the actual web page.

How do I get Konqueror to let go my URI?

Also, I can not get KDE to start Thunderbird as my default email 
software. How to I get this to happen. I would like to be able to click 
on an email address and have Thunderbird start with the "compose" page 
active.

Hmmm, shades of Microsoft...

Thanks in advance,

Phil. Sager