Description: A US senator is calling for the resignation of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Annan is being accused of fraud and lack of oversight in the Iraq oil-for-food program.

UN #39;s Kofi Annan Under Fire for Oil-for-Food Scandal


Barbie's going through a midlife crisis. After splitting with longtime boyfriend Ken this year, she has sought refuge in shopping, surfing, and partying with a crew of trendy pals in Jamaica. At 45, she made a bid for the White House.

Revamp aimed at getting Barbie's groove back


Microsoft #39;s CEO argues that Windows is cheaper and more secure than its open-source rival. Do the facts support him? By John Foley.

Ballmer #39;s Linux Spin


The BBC has demonstrated an open source video codec named Dirac which it claims offers twice the bit rate of MPEG-2. According to a story on The Register, the new codec was revealed at the LinuxWorld exhibition

BBC demos open-source codec


WASHINGTON - The committee writing the Senate's intelligence reorganization plan is recommending creation of a strong national intelligence director with spending power, while leaving the Pentagon in charge of some military spy agencies.    Sen...

Panel Wants Intel Chief With Budget Say


A trial is underway for 14 suspected mercenaries accused of plotting to topple the Government of Equatorial Guinea, an oil-rich country in west Africa.

Suspected mercenaries on trial in Equatorial Guinea


In its campaign to discredit Linux, the main rival to its Windows operating system, Microsoft (MSFT ) once published a witty print advertisement in Germany that showed four penguins standing in a row.

A Common Language for Penguins


American forces with their Iraqi allies penetrated the northern city of Samarrah for the first time in a month yesterday in an attempt to recapture territory that has slipped out of coalition control in recent weeks.

US enter Samarrah during new push against insurgents


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.  <A HREF=

Samsung to Sell U.S. High-Speed Phone in Early 2005


MacCentral - Apple Computer Inc. on Thursday released its third security update in recent days. Security Update 2004-09-16 fixes a security issue with Apple's iChat application that allowed Remote iChat participants can send

Apple issues iChat security fix (MacCentral)


Aaron M. Feuerstein's ambitions to buy back control of Malden Mills Industries Inc. suffered a blow recently when a major real estate partner said it was no longer interested in continuing a financing agreement.

Malden Mills buyback plan hits setback


Is there hope in the Middle East in the aftermath of Yasser Arafat #39;s death, or will the optimistic noises now being made fizzle out into the usual confrontation?

Can Arafat #39;s death lead to peace?


Talking in a teleconference this afternoon, David Richards insisted that the ending of the  quot;consultancy contract quot; between BAR and Prodive, and his subsequent departure from the team, was a mutual decision.

It was a mutual decision insists Richards


Reuters - An ambitious plan to turn\millions of desktop computers into hubs of wireless Internet\access has been shelved after PC makers balked at the price of\the feature, Intel Corp.  said on Monday.

Intel Shelves Plan to Turn Desktop Into Wi-Fi Hub (Reuters)


Before we talk about the possibility Rick Majerus is the greatest coaching hire in USC sports history, let #39;s acknowledge that his arrival Wednesday raised a number of questions.

Successful, respected coach usually has last laugh


Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) and Firaxis Games announced today that the highly-anticipated sequel to one of the most popular and loved titles in gaming history has shipped to retail stores nationwide.

Atari #39;s Sid Meier #39;s Pirates! Sails into Stores


Boston Celtics #39; Gary Payton scrambles over New Jersey Nets #39; Eric Williams after a loose ball during the first quarter Friday, Oct. 22, 2004, in Boston.

Nets Get 23 From Jefferson, Beat Celtics


Reuters - A huge explosion tore through a crowded\market close to the west Baghdad police headquarters on\Tuesday, killing at least 47 people in the deadliest single\attack in the capital in six months.

Blast in Baghdad Rebel District Kills at Least 47 (Reuters)


Legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus had Vijay Singh in mind recently when he talked about why some players endured and others did not.  quot;There are some guys who play as a means to an end, quot; Nicklaus said.

Vijay #39;s officially The Man


The U.S.B. flash drive  the portable memory device also known as a thumb or keychain drive  has become both essential utility and fashion object.

From Storage, a New Fashion


AP - A Turkish construction company said Tuesday it was halting operations in neighboring Iraq to try to save the lives of 10 employees kidnapped by militants.

Firm Halts Iraq Work to Save 10 Hostages (AP)


The Florida Marlins started a big series against the San Francisco Giants with a big inning. Alex Gonzalez hit a three-run homer to cap a seven-run first inning, and Mike Lowell drove

National League Roundup: Marlins rout Giants, 9-1


Martha Stewart beat the news media trailing her every move by announcing that she had checked into prison in West Virginia.

Eluding Press, Stewart Slips Into Prison Before Dawn


A pair of phishing vulnerabilities this week targeted at Google Inc. point to the kind of new threat Web companies can face as they expand their services into desktop applications, security experts say.

Web Desktop Moves Raise Security Alerts


US telecom giant AT and T will shrink even further, announcing on Thursday it would cut 20 percent of its workforce in 2004 and take an \$US11.

AT and T to cut workforce by 20


BCE Inc., Canada #39;s biggest telephone company, said third-quarter profit fell 78 percent because of costs for early retirement and severance packages to cut jobs.

BCE 3rd-Quarter Profit Falls on Employee Buyout Costs (Update2)


Phil Mickelson is a changed man. He #39;s altered the long-standing perception he couldn #39;t win a major, and his latest deviation finds him switching equipment just before golf #39;s pre-eminent team event.

Where #39;s Phil? US captain says decision to sit out not selfish


Hundreds of Italians who lost savings in the collapse of food company Parmalat Finanziaria SpA flocked to Milan #39;s courthouse, seeking to recover damages as part of the criminal investigation of Italy #39; biggest bankruptcy.

Parmalat Investors Flock to Milan Court Hearing Seeking Damages


Clorox Co., the largest US household- bleach maker, agreed to swap \$2.1 billion in cash, the Soft Scrub and Combat brands and its share in a joint venture to buy back Henkel KgaA #39;s 29 percent stake.

Clorox Swaps \$2.1 Bln, Two Brands to Get Henkel Stake (Update3)


Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi is deeply involved in the most critical chess game of his career. His country faces allegations it is secretly building a nuclear weapons arsenal under

Strategic games of atomic significance in Iran


European spacecraft Smart 1 is at the Moon #39;s gateway, the region beyond which the probe is tugged more strongly by lunar gravity than by the Earth #39;s.

Probe arrives at Moon #39;s gateway


Reuters - Sun Microsystems Inc. \and the University of Texas at Austin are set to flip the\switch on Friday on a unique supercomputer that will vastly\speed up massive data analysis and visualization to tackle\time-critical problems such as weather prediction.

Sun Micro, UT Austin, Team Up on Supercomputer (Reuters)


Leh, Nov. 8: Three days, nearly 40 delegations and hundreds of kilometres later, home minister Shivraj Patil believes he has walked a few steps forward on the long and winding road that could lead to peace in Kashmir.

Few steps towards peace peak


Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova had to fight off a strong challenge from Daniela Hantuchova before reaching the quarter-finals of the \$1.

Sharapova fights off battling Hantuchova


Two Hollywood stunt pilots and a space capsule full of stardust were on track for a historic mid-air encounter above the Utah desert on Wednesday at the end of

Systems  #39;Go #39; in Utah Helicopter Snag of NASA Probe


com September 27, 2004, 8:25 AM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half.

Adobe offers standard for raw photo formats


With a focus on educating members about Oracle's 10g database and 11i.10 E-Business Suite, the Oracle Application User Group plans to holds its Connection Point 2004 annual user conference next week in Orlando.

OAUG pushes on collaboration with Oracle, other users groups


SBC Communications announced Tuesday that it would offer residential Internet-based calling, joining what could be the future of home-phone service.

Internet telephone service planned by SBC in early 2005


Oracle Corp. Chief Executive Larry Ellison aimed his famously barbed tongue outside the technology industry Wednesday, taunting the owners of the San Francisco 49ers for refusing to sell the  quot;worst team in football.

Oracle #39;s Ellison taunts 49ers owners


AP - Atlanta at Los Angeles (10:10 p.m. EDT). The National League division leaders meet in the opener of a four-game series.

Baseball Today (AP)


PARIS (Reuters) - Top seed Andy Roddick and holder Tim  Henman, their minds perhaps on next week's Masters Cup, bowed  out of the Paris Masters in the third round Thursday.

Roddick, Henman Bounced from the Paris Masters


US oil giant ConocoPhillips yesterday paid nearly \$2 billion for a 7.6 percent stake in Russia #39;s Lukoil -- the world #39;s number two oil company by reserves -- in Russia #39;s biggest privatization.

ConocoPhillips buys \$2b stake in Lukoil


Swift Boat Veterans for Truth said it had raised \$6.7 million in a windfall brought about by its high profile in recent weeks.

Bush's Backers Donate Heavily to Veteran Ads


Jose Pekerman was hired Thursday as Argentina #39;s national soccer coach following the abrupt resignation of Marcelo Bielsa. Pekerman coached Argentina #39;s youth programs during the late 1990s and won several championships.

Pekerman hired as Argentina soccer coach


Storage software giant Veritas is moving its customers deeper into email archiving through its agreement to acquire KVault Software (KVS).

Veritas buys email archiver


The European Commission and President George Bush are in a war of words over subsidies given to aircraft makers Airbus and Boeing.

Europe and US in aircraft aid row


Faulty switches are identified as the most likely cause of the Genesis sample-return capsule's crash landing last month.

Switch problem on Genesis craft


A new variant of the Mydoom worm that exploits an unpatched flaw in Microsoft #39;s Internet Explorer browser is in the wild and posing particular risk to home and small business users, security experts warn.

New Mydoom Worm Exploits IE Flaw


washingtonpost.com - The presidential ad war online is beginning to look more like a skirmish.

Campaigns Spending Little on Web Ads (washingtonpost.com)


\

 SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Shares of Apple Computer Inc.\<AAPL.O> rose to an almost four-year high on Thursday ahead of\the launch of Hewlett-Packard Co.'s <HPQ.N> version of the iPod\digital music player and Apple's revamped iMac computer.

Apple Jumps Ahead of HP iPod, iMac Launch


It is a tribute to his fighting spirit that Evening Attire, at the relatively advanced age of 6, is still a serious factor in a \$1 million race. He is a force to be reckoned with in tomorrow's Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, an event he won in 2002, and he is going to keep racing as long ...

Runner for the ages


REDWOOD SHORES, CALIFORNIA - Oracle Corp. plans to finally ship the next version of its E-Business Suite of enterprise applications on Monday Nov. 8, company executives said Thursday.

Oracle sets Nov. 8 date for applications suite release


Ewing #39;s last 3-pointer came in the final minute, when he swished one with the shot clock winding down to give Duke a 78-73 lead.

Ga. Tech romps past Michigan


NEW YORK (Sports Network) - Two of the greatest shortstops  ever, Barry Larkin and Omar Vizquel, were among the 58 players  to file for free agency on Friday.

Larkin, Vizquel and Garciaparra File for Free Agency


Track star Marion Jones used a steroid and other banned drugs leading up to the 2000 Summer Games, according to BALCO founder Victor Conte, Jr.

Conte Accuses Jones


Boston #39; Northeastern University dropout Shawn Fanning, who tapped out the code to Napster in 1999, is back in the music downloading game.

Shawn Fanning downloading again


After peering inside NASA #39;s broken Genesis capsule with flashlights and mirrors, scientists said on Friday the craft #39;s unexpected crash landing left solar material

NASA: Genesis #39; Broken Capsule Holds Good Science


SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Japanese shares rebounded from  three-month lows on Tuesday but stubbornly high oil prices and  concern over their impact on corporate earnings capped gains.

Tokyo Shares Rise But Oil Worries Weigh


AP - Lou Henson will return to coaching but will be in a wheelchair when New Mexico State plays North Texas on Saturday.

Lou Henson Will Resume Coaching Saturday (AP)


The head of Brazil #39;s powerful PMDB political party has proposed it leave the ruling Workers #39; Party coalition government in what would be a serious blow to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva #39;s reform agenda.

Top Brazil party threatens to leave government


It looks like the US billionaires club isn #39;t quite as exclusive as it once was. The country now has 313 billionaires, the largest number ever and a huge jump over the 262 counted last year, according to Forbes magazine.

Forbes 400 sees surge in billionaires


Reuters - Shares of IBM  gained 4 percent\on Tuesday after the world's largest computer company posted\third-quarter results that marked a recovery from a weak\second-quarter performance, Wall Street commentators said.

IBM Shares Up Despite Services Doubts (Reuters)


Hoping to end weeks of fighting in Najaf, Iraq #39;s top Shiite cleric unexpectedly returned home from Britain on Wednesday armed with a new peace initiative and a call for Iraqis across the country to march on the holy city to demand an

Iraq #39;s top Shiite cleric returns home as fighting rages in Najaf


Canadian Press - (CP) - It's time for Canadians to stop paying lip service to climate change and start paying cash in the form of higher bills to tank up their cars and heat their homes, says a Senate report released Thursday.

Senate report says Canadians won't cut greenhouse gases until it costs them (Canadian Press)


The investigation of the disclosure of C.I.A. agent Valerie Plame's identity seems to have been both exhaustive and inconclusive.

Reporters Put Under Scrutiny in C.I.A. Leak


Hand-held entertainment gizmos don #39;t just play music anymore. They have morphed into general-purpose devices that display photos on full-color screens and, in some cases, even play video.

Music  #39;handhelds #39; are going visual


Jordan Ford announces that Robert Doornbos will be the teams third driver and will drive the teams third car (39) at the Grands Prix of China, Japan and Brazil 2004.

Doornbos is Jordans third driver in remaining 2004 Grand Prix


Shares in chipmaker Infineon (IFXGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) fell 3 percent on Tuesday after Philips (PHG.AS: Quote, Profile, Research) gave a cautious outlook for its chips unit and analysts worried the German firm

Infineon falls on Philips, fibre optics fears


They will be playing at home and this is not a playoff game, so the Kansas City Chiefs have every reason to expect that they will look like a completely different team when they face the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in a tussle between 0-1 teams.

Chiefs Staying Positive Before Home Game


Scientists nab prize for work on sense of smell just days after a spoof

Nothing fishy about sweet smell of Nobel success


AFP - Ukraine's civil servants went back to work for the first time in weeks as the opposition lifted its blockade of government buildings and a political crisis eased following a compromise with the ruling regime.

Ukraine government back to work as crisis eases (AFP)


ABB Inc. has reversed a decision to close its transformer plant in Guelph, Ont., saving 300 jobs, the union representing the workers said today.

ABB won #39;t close Guelph transformer plant


AP - From now until the start of winter, male tarantulas are roaming around, searching for female mates, an ideal time to find out where the spiders flourish in Arkansas.

Survey Records Pattern of Tarantulas (AP)


WASHINGTON - A London-to-Washington flight was diverted to Maine on Tuesday when it was discovered passenger Yusuf Islam - formerly known as singer Cat Stevens - was on a government watch list and barred from entering the country, federal officials said.    United Airlines Flight 919 was en route to Dulles International Airport when the match was made between a passenger and a name on the watch list, said Nico Melendez, a spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration...

The Former Cat Stevens Gets Plane Diverted


SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Labor problems will intrude on the Magic Kingdom in the next week, days ahead of Walt Disney Co. #39;s fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report.

Talks come ahead of Q4 report due Thursday


LOS ANGELES - The lawsuit shareholders have brought against Disney has come to resemble a Hollywood potboiler of betrayed friendships, secret meetings and wounded egos.

Disney trial often gets personal as Ovitz, Eisner testify


Reuters - Treasuries prices turned lower on\Tuesday in a classic buy-the-rumor, sell-the-fact reaction as a\reading on U.S. consumption proved not as weak as some had been\betting.

Treasuries Slip After Retail Report (Reuters)


roundup Plus: ContextWeb nabs \$3 million...Macromedia taps into AIM...Hewlett-Packard packages services for blades.

Briefly: TI touts combo chip with VoIP, Wi-Fi


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. ambassador to Kuwait and  other senior U.S. officials put pressure on Halliburton <A HREF=

U.S. Pressed Halliburton in Kuwaiti Deal


LONDON The possibility of a further slide in the dollar and a decline in demand for US assets has become a potential risk to financial stability, the Bank of England said on Monday in its semiannual Financial Stability Review.

Dollar #39;s decline concerns UK bank


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar slipped against the euro  and the yen early in New York on Tuesday immediately after the  release of data showing the U.S. current account deficit  ballooned to a new record of \$166.18 billion in the second  quarter.

Dollar Down on Record Current Account Gap


IBM today said it has demonstrated a technique that triples the performance of a standard semiconductor transistor with a process that is compatible with conventional CMOS technology.

IBM Extends Chip Performance with Germanium Layering Technique


Incoming EU Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso says he will not replace EU nominee Rocco Buttiglione as justice chief in a controversy over his views on homosexuality and marriage, an EU lawmaker says.

EU #39;s Barroso not to reshuffle team


The Federal Communications Commission is considering loosening a ban on using cell phones in airplanes.

Cell Phones In Flight Considered


p2pnet.net News:- Sakfield Holding Company SL, the operator of Spain #39;s Puretunes, has agreed to pay \$10.5 million to settle a copyright suit levelled by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America).

Puretunes settles: \$10.5M


(1010 WINS) SPRINGFIELD, NJ Nearly three-thousand people in New Jersey are proving hard to find by the IRS -- and it #39;s not because they owe money.

IRS Has Refunds For  quot;Lost quot; NJ Residents


TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's Toronto Dominion Bank <A HREF=

TD, Banknorth in Talks on Possible Deal


AP - The new U.N. administrator for Kosovo took control Sunday of the Serbian province, which has remained deeply divided along ethnic lines since the end of a 1999 war.

New U.N. Official Assumes Kosovo Control (AP)


AP - With Tom Brady as their quarterback and a stingy, opportunistic defense, it's difficult to imagine when the New England Patriots might lose again. Brady and defensive end Richard Seymour combined to secure the Patriots' record-tying 18th straight victory, 31-17 over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

Patriots Down Bills for 18th Win in Row (AP)


Samsung Electronics announced on September 20 that it has succeeded in developing a 1/2000, hair-thin (60 nm) 8-gigabyte NAND flash memory module.

Capacity for 4,000 MP3 Files


DETROIT (Reuters) - Shares of Sonic Automotive Inc. <A HREF=

Sonic, Asbury Cut Estimates, Stocks Fall


Albuquerque, NM (Sports Network) - Alex Smith passed for 167 yards and ran for a pair of touchdowns, leading No. 14 Utah to a 28-7 victory over New Mexico in a Mountain West Conference matchup.

NCAA Game Summary - Utah at New Mexico


New infrared observations of the disks of dust and rock around young stars reveal that many planets apparently form in an environment more violent and chaotic over a longer period of

A New Look at How Planets Are Formed


Describing the new iMac G5, Chris Taylor writes in TIME,  #147;What you get for that money is quite possibly the coolest personal computer yet created. The cool is more than merely aesthetic. Unlike a lot of previous Mac machines, on which you could almost fry an egg, the iMac G5 #146;s beautiful white surface does not get noticeably hot. Nor, at a whisper-quiet 25 decibels, does it make enough noise for most people to hear #133; #148; Sep 7

iMac G5: Coolest Computer Ever


Eli Lilly and Co. (LLY.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday said it expects 2005 earnings to rise as higher sales of its newer drugs offset a decline in its top-selling schizophrenia drug Zyprexa.

Lilly:  #39;05 Profit Driven by Newer Drugs


TOKYO (AP) -- A lunar orbiter that Japan had planned to launch this year could face further delays, possibly until next year or later, because of a funding shortfall and problems developing the probe's information-gathering capabilities, Japan's space agency said Wednesday.    The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, released a report to a government-run commission explaining expected delays to the launch of the \$135 million Lunar-A probe...

Japanese Lunar Probe Mission Facing Delays


The suspense surrounding Curt Schilling's possible return to the mound in the American League Championship Series intensified yesterday as the Red Sox indicated Schilling has found the footwear that would enable him to pitch if his injured right ankle permits it.

If the new shoe fits, Schilling may wear it


After years of anarchy, Somalia is poised to set up a new parliament which will elect a president.

Somalia forms central government


Fiat threw down the gauntlet to General Motors on Monday when the Italian industrial group dismissed the political and legal efforts by the American carmaker to avoid buying Fiat Auto, its heavily lossmaking car division.

Fiat dismisses GM threat that car unit might go bust


EBay Inc. said Thursday that it shuffled the positions of three senior vice presidents, promoting each in title and creating new heads for PayPal, eBay International and eBay North America.

Update 1: EBay Shuffles Positions of 3 Executives


Exelon, the US energy group, is in advanced talks to buy the Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) for about \$12bn in stock, according to people familiar with the talks.

Exelon in talks to buy PSEG for \$12bn


Prosecutors said the Georgia man, a former help desk employee at Teledata Communications, was involved in a scheme to steal the identities of up to 30,000 people.

Ex-Teledata employee pleads guilty in massive ID theft case


JONAY HERNANDEZ fears Dundee striker Steve Lovell could be set to follow Nacho Novo out of Dens Park. Lovell continued his impressive start to the season by shaking off a virus to bag a double

FOOTBALL: I FEAR LOVELL WILL LEAVE US LIKE NOVO


AFP - The 2004 Nobel prizes will be announced between October 4 and 11, the Nobel Foundation said, with US president George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in the running for the prestigious Peace Prize.

Nobel prizes to be announced in October, Blair and Bush in the running (AFP)


NEW YORK - While acknowledging mistakes in CBS anchor Dan Rather's

Brokaw, Jennings Show Support for Rather


Reuters - The Bush administration does not\plan to seek immediate sanctions against Tehran even if it\succeeds in getting Iran's nuclear program referred to the U.N.\Security Council, U.S. officials said on Wednesday.

U.S. Sees No Immediate Push for Sanctions on Iran (Reuters)


Efforts by Microsoft Corp. and the PC industry to expand into to the living room will get a boost next week as they show off technologies that try to balance Hollywood's piracy fears with the appeal of digital media.

Microsoft Looks to Expand Windows at Home


LAS VEGAS, Nevada (Reuters) - Danny Ellis posted the lowest  score but had to be content with a share of the lead on  eight-under-par with six other players after the first round of  the \$4 million Las Vegas Championship Thursday.

Ellis in Seven-Way Tie for Las Vegas Lead


Ford Motor Co. (FN) posted its fourth consecutive month of weaker US sales with a 7 percent drop in September results on Friday, and the automaker doubled its incentives on some models to kick-start sales this month.

Ford Down, Nissan Up in September Sales


Rob Huebel, a New York comedian and commercial actor, hopes to find the intersection of Madison Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard.

An Actor Working on Madison Avenue


Ex-Air Force official Darleen Druyun pleaded guilty earlier this year to a criminal conspiracy charge for her role in a deal that gave her a lucrative job with Boeing.

Former Air Force Official Convicted


quot;They know they cannot defeat us militarily. But they are hoping they can win the test of wills. It #39;s a battle of morale.

Rebel attacks hit Baghdad as Rumsfeld visits


LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices hit a new record near \$51 a  barrel on Tuesday as a prolonged U.S. production outage  following Hurricane Ivan attracted fresh speculative buying.

Oil Sets Record on Lengthy Supply Outage


Delta will cut up to 10 percent of its work force over the next 18 months as part of a restructuring plan that the airline said would save \$5 billion a year in costs by 2006.

Delta to Cut Up to 7,000 Jobs


Comedian Bruce Daniels once opened a show with a rant against the video game Grand Theft Auto:  quot;There #39;s this game that encourages you to pick up hookers, engage in sex, beat them then rob them

So much fun, it #39;s criminal


Sun Microsystems has opened a second front for its Linux-based desktop operating system in Asia with a Japanese win of sorts. Sun #39;s Java Desktop System has been picked as one open source OS of preference during

Sun #39;s Linux wins right to be considered in Japan


SPACE.com - A new research station at the bottom of the world may give future Antarctica researchers some special treats, like the ability to live above ground and look out a window.

Antarctic Living: A Space House for an Icy Land (SPACE.com)


AP - Presidents Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva of Brazil, Nestor Kirchner of Argentina and Sam Nujoma of Namibia are among the heads of state who have sent get-well wishes to Fidel Castro since he broke his kneecap and arm in a fall, official media reported Saturday.

Leaders Wish Castro Recovery From Fall (AP)


The International Air Transport Association is forecasting  quot;significantly quot; narrower losses for the global airline industry this year as reduced costs and rising demand for air travel help counter higher fuel prices.

Airline loss projections revised


The consolidation wave in the gaming industry has taken yet another somewhat shocking turn. Wednesday afternoon, casino and racetrack operator Penn National Gaming (Nasdaq: PENN

Penn National Bets on Argosy


AP - The debates of 2004 may be remembered more for pained facial expressions than ringing words. Is there one line that will survive the week, never mind the ages?

Memorable Moments of Presidential Debates (AP)


The Supreme Court is considering whether states may bar people from buying wine directly from out-of-state suppliers, a big-money question that could lead to sweeping changes

US Supreme Court hears dispute over interstate wine sales; Maine <b>...</b>


The Football Association of Wales have confirmed that they have received an approach for Mark Hughes from Blackburn. Wales manager Hughes yesterday revealed, via his representative, that he is keen to return

Blackburn move in on Hughes


Johannesburg, 15 September 2004 - Microsoft has suffered well-publicised losses to Novell SUSE Linux in the Norwegian city of Bergen and other local governments dotted across the globe, in what Novell staffers hope is the start of sales momentum for its

Novell intensifies government talk


washingtonpost.com - Congress yesterday cleared the way to keep access to the Internet largely free from taxes for the next three years, breaking a year-long deadlock.

Moratorium on Web Tax Advances (washingtonpost.com)


AP - Rape victims and convicted felons would both have greater access to DNA testing under legislation the House passed Wednesday.

House Passes DNA Testing Bill (AP)


Philip Watts, silent since being removed in March as chairman of Royal Dutch/Shell Group after a huge overstatement of the company #39;s proven reserves of natural gas and oil, has begun to fight back.

Shell #39;s ex-chairman makes counterattack


Microsoft Corp. has quietly begun giving some of its largest customers early warning of security problems with its products. Under the free program, some customers get three business

Microsoft Offering Early Security Warnings


A jubilant Ireland were celebrating their first victory over South Africa in almost 40 years on Saturday after beating the Tri-nations champions 17-12 at Lansdowne Road.

Rugby-Ireland erase tour woes with win over Springboks


GENEINA, Sudan -- Five hundred Sudanese militiamen in government service disarmed yesterday at a ceremony attended by UN envoy Jan Pronk, but denied they were Arab Janjaweed irregulars who killed, raped, and looted in Darfur.

Hundreds of militia disarm in Sudan


AP - New Mississippi coach Ed Orgeron was charged with repeated domestic violence more than a decade ago when he was an assistant at Miami, according to records obtained Friday by The Associated Press.

Miss. Aware of Past Orgeron Bad Behavior (AP)


There will be at least 20 cars on the Formula One grid to start the season in 2005. Energy drink maker Red Bull has completed the purchase of the Jaguar Racing team from automaker Ford.

Jaguar Racing sold to Red Bull


BURLINGTON, Vt. -- A sensation of spectacular spaciousness greets you as you stand at the edge of Lake Champlain, your vision of life at that moment dominated by the Green Mountains on one horizon and the Adirondacks on the other. But if you meander up College Street, cross over a bustling Church Street with its shops and restaurants, stroll past ...

Frozen assets


IBM Friday said it has filled out gaps in its virtualization portfolio, adding support for EMC #39;s remaining Clariion systems. The company added Clariion 300, 500 and 700 systems support for its SAN Volume Controller

IBM Rounds Out EMC Support


Imposing UN sanctions against Sudan to force the government to protect the endangered civilians of the war torn Darfur region could backfire with the government withdrawing its cooperation, a British minister said on Monday.

UK rejects UN sanctions on Sudan


AP - Oakland Raiders running back Tyrone Wheatley expects to miss 2-to-4 weeks with a shoulder injury.

Raiders RB Wheatley May Miss 2-4 Weeks (AP)


SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. <A HREF=

Microsoft Expands Software Indemnification Program


EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Notre Dame #39;s 28-20 victory over Michigan last Saturday set off a huge celebration as thousands of students joined the Irish players on field to form an impromptu mosh pit.

Irish ready for fired-up Mich. State


Rather than tell you, Dan Kranzler chooses instead to show you how he turned Mforma into a worldwide publisher of video games, ringtones and other hot downloads for mobile phones.

Mforma makes Marvel-ous deal


Two new fossilized pterosaur eggs have been discovered. The fossils suggest that the dinosaur-era flying reptiles lived in colonies and raised their young, experts say.

Fossil Egg Finds Yield Clues to How Pterosaurs Lived


Corey Pavin posted his best score for 14 years, firing an eight-under-par 62 to take a commanding three-shot lead after the first round of the inaugural \$4.

Pavin hits 62 to charge into three-shot Buick lead


PHILADELPHIA -- Andy Pettitte #39;s frustrating season officially came to an end Wednesday when the Houston Astros announced that the left-hander will undergo surgery to repair the torn flexor tendon in his left elbow.

Lefty done for season with torn left flexor tendon


Investigators submitted the case file on cleric Abu Bakar Ba #39;asyir to prosecutors on Wednesday, paving the way for his trial on charges of involvement in a string of terrorist attacks across the country.

Ba #39;asyir transferred to Cipinang, formal charges expected in days


MICROSOFT has found a new security flaw with its Windows XP operating system, warning an attacker could infiltrate other computers by persuading their owners to open a specialised graphics file.

New XP patch issued


Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. reported a wider-than-anticipated loss in the third quarter as higher costs related to programming initiatives and customer acquisition offset revenue gains.

Sirius misses Street #39;s target


TOKYO (AP) -- Sony Corp. (SNE)'s music unit is abandoning its CDs that use built-in technology that limits copying them, after pushing the program for two years...

Sony Abandons Copy-Control on Music CDs


Marlene Brookes is a shirt-presser, a quiet, conscientious woman who has looked after Bay Street #39;s demanding clients for more than eight years.

The wife, a stranger, the bully and a bullet


The early action on the second day of the US Open at Flushing Meadows in New York saw an easy victory for the number one seed, Belgium #39;s Justine Henin-Hardenne.

Henin-Hardenne advances


Lazard #39;s board is set to meet to consider a sale of shares to the public that could end a long history of private ownership at the independent investment bank and possibly buy out the bank #39;s founding family.

Lazard Set to Discuss \$3 Billion IPO


A day after returning from his visit to the University of Michigan, Price gave a verbal commitment to play basketball for the Wolverines on Monday afternoon.

Amaker gains another recruit


Survey shows workers less optimistic about job market, with fewer saying personal finances are getting better.

Study finds IT worker confidence slipping


Scientists from India working in the Himalayas have discovered a new species of monkey.

Stocky Monkey in Himalayas Becomes Newest Primate Species


The extent of Red Sox ace Curt Schilling's ankle injury virtually guarantees that he will not be in top form until surgeons repair his damaged right ankle after the season, according to medical experts.

Experts: Surgery only effective option


The Asian market accounted for 9.4 percent of Cisco #39;s sales in the quarter ended October 30, down from 10 percent last year. The spread of high-speed broadband Internet

Cisco, Fujitsu Ally on Router Sales in Asia


LONDON - Nobody has more problems at the start of the Champions League season than Real Madrid - unless it #39;s Italian side AS Roma.

Problem-hit Real and Roma in face-off


A previously unknown story and a letter ascribed to Ernest Hemingway have caused a dispute between those who want to see them published and those who don't.

Hemingway Bullfight Tale From 1924 Turns Up


AKRON, Ohio - Goodyear Tire  amp; Rubber Co. has announced the elimination of 340 jobs in its engineered products and chemical businesses a month after posting its first profitable quarter since 2002.

Goodyear to cut 340 jobs


The success of a deal to revive power sharing in Northern Ireland lies in the hands of Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern, they were told tonight.

Tuesday -  #39;D-Day for Northern Ireland Peace Deal #39;


Sudbury's Betty Zheng, a senior assistant captain on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology women's ice hockey team, will always remember MIT's Dec. 3 game against Chatham (Pa.) College.

Lincoln-Sudbury grad achieves her goals at MIT


KIEV (Reuters) - Liberal challenger Viktor Yushchenko  predicted on Friday that Ukrainian authorities would resort to  mass fraud to ensure victory for the establishment candidate in  an increasingly tense weekend presidential poll.

Ukraine Challenger Predicts Mass Cheating in Vote


They don't believe in the designated hitter over here in the National League, which is why Kevin Millar will be the designated sitter for tonight's Game 3 of the World Series.

Millar is ready in a pinch


U.S. law enforcement agents raided five homes and one Internet service provider on Wednesday in what the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) calls the first federal enforcement action against piracy on peer-to-peer (P-to-P) networks.

U.S. government cracks down on P-to-P piracy


Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine, a film about the historic 1997 chess match between Garry Kasparov and IBM's Deep Blue, focuses on whether humans interceded on the computer's behalf but fails to convince. By Jason Silverman.

Chess Conspiracy Unconvincing


Apple has been gaining share in the higher-margin laptop business, and its iPod franchise is a hit, but the company #39;s worldwide market share in PCs fell from a peak of 9.6 percent in 1991 to 2 percent last year.

New iMac Could Give Apple a Needed Boost


AP - Rashard Lewis scored a season-high 37 points, and the Seattle SuperSonics improved to 18-4 with a 108-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday night.

SuperSonics Top Lakers 108-93 (AP)


Weightlifting #39;s aggressive pursuit of drug cheaters will continue even if it jeopardizes its future in the Olympics, its top official said yesterday following six more positive doping cases in what is again becoming the Games #39; dirtiest sport. Five ...

Weight of drugs felt


TOKYO (AP) -- Japan's Sony Corp. (SNE) will begin selling a computer and home-server system in Japan with 1,000 gigabytes of hard-drive storage - enough to record six TV channels for a week straight - the company said...

New Sony PC Boasts 1,000 GB of Data Storage


Reuters - With the election in the rear view\mirror, this week Wall Street faces the next big obstacle --\higher interest rates.

Eyes on Rates with Election Over (Reuters)


Two bombs exploded at a gathering of Sunni radicals early Thursday in Multan in central Pakistan, killing at least 33 people and injuring dozens of others, said a police officer.

Two blasts kill 33 in central Pakistan


Trainer D. Wayne Lukas announced that former Horse of the Year Azeri will be entered in the Breeders #39; Cup Classic instead of the Distaff in Saturday #39;s World Thoroughbred Championships at Lone Star Park.

Azeri will run in Classic


Oil prices will only fall if global conflicts are resolved, the boss of oil producers' organisation Opec says.

Peace ' key'  to lower oil prices


washingtonpost.com - When I showed PalmOne's new Treo 650 to a co-worker who had just bought the Treo 600, my now-jealous colleague paid this new model one of the highest compliments imaginable: a two-word obscenity we can't print.

PalmOne's Treo 650: Hybrid Phones Keep Getting Smarter (washingtonpost.com)


Dissatisfied by the performance of three backups who have never taken a regular-season snap in the N.F.L., the Jets signed Quincy Carter.

Jets Turn to Carter to Back Up Pennington


NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Attorney General Eliot  Spitzer, who is probing bid-rigging in the insurance industry,  expects to file suit against insurance consultant Universal  Life Resources as early as Friday, a spokesman for his office  said.

Spitzer Expects to Sue Universal Life


Walt Disney Co. could have fired Michael Ovitz as president without paying him \$140 million in severance, a law professor testified Thursday in the trial of an investor lawsuit seeking return of the money.

Disney overpaid Ovitz, witness says


Martin Jol would embrace Tottenham #39;s tradition of flowing, passing football if he is appointed as the full-time replacement for departed head coach Jacques Santini.

Jol pledges to adhere to tradition


Medical device maker Guidant Corp. (GDT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday said it won an appeal of a patent lawsuit against St.

UPDATE 2-Guidant says it wins appeal in patent case


Corruption is rampant in sixty countries of the world and the public sector continues to be plagued by bribery, says a report by a respected global corruption watchdog.

EU-25 among least corrupt in global index


TEHRAN (Reuters) - All options, including cutting quotas,  are up for discussion when OPEC ministers meet in Cairo this  week to plan their response to a sharp fall in prices, Iran's  Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said Monday.

All Options Open for OPEC Meeting - Iran


Maybe it's finally time for every college with a big-time football program - or big-time basketball program for that matter - to turn pro.

Top College Programs Focus on Bottom Line


The benchmark 10-year US Treasury note #39;s yield may hold near 4 percent, the lowest since April, as speculation record high oil prices will slow the economy bolsters demand for government debt.

US 10-Year Treasury Note Yield May Hold Near 4, Survey Shows


SEPTEMBER 14, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - An antispam technology proposed by Microsoft Corp. as a standard way of identifying the senders of e-mail messages suffered a blow last week when a group within the

IETF deals setback to Microsoft antispam effort


South Africa won the gold medal Sunday in the men's 400-meter freestyle relay with a world-record time of 3 minutes 13.17 seconds.

No Gold for Phelps as Relay Team Falters


AP - Tiger Woods shot a 3-under 67 Sunday to win the Dunlop Phoenix by eight strokes for his first title since February and first ever in Japan.

Woods Ends Drought With First Win in Japan (AP)


AFP - New Jersey nets guard Ron Mercer underwent surgery on his left knee, a procedure that is expected to sideline him for the next eight weeks of the National Basketball Association season.

NBA Nets' Mercer undergoes knee surgery (AFP)


TCL Communication Technology Holdings Limited (TCL Communication), one of the leading mobile handset manufacturers in the Chinese mainland made its debut on HKEX (Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearings Limited) Monday.

TCL Communication makes satisfactory debut in HKEX


Struggling doughnut shop chain Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. (KKD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday reported a quarterly net loss because of impairment charges and store closing costs.

Krispy Kreme Posts Net Loss After Charges


Here comes the tricky part. By stunning the Cardinals in the first two games of the World Series, the Red Sox showed the rest of the baseball world what American Leaguers already knew: They are one mighty tough team at Fenway Park.

Ortiz hoping to be a hit in the field


Bank of America Corp., the third-largest bank in the United States, said Thursday that vice chairman James H. Hance, Jr., will retire at the end of January 2005 after nearly 18 years with the company.

Bank of America Vice Chairman to Retire


AP - The attorney for an Islamic charity whose office was searched by FBI agents last week says the charity has no ties to global terrorism or to a Sudanese group with a similar name that is under federal investigation.

Mo.-Based Charity Denies Terror Support (AP)


LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - The curse is over, and now Hollywood is reaping the rewards of the Boston Red Sox #39;s World Series victory.

Red Sox Victory Prompts  #39;Fever #39;ish Script Rewrite


In many professional leagues recently, the defending champion has had a smooth start to the season. Mexico proved to be an exception, though, as UNAM Pumas fell to Tecos, 1-0, losing two players and coach Hugo Sanchez to ejections Sunday.

A bit of a head-scratcher


Korean Grace Park shot five under par over her final five holes to set a course record and snatch the third-round lead away from Jill McGill at the Wachovia LPGA Classic.

PARK #39;S STRONG FINISH


Rubens Barrichello was left cursing the Brazilian weather after his hard luck story on home ground continued at Interlagos today. Barrichello had finished just one grand prix in his home city, a fourth place

Another Damp Squib for Barrichello


Adam Gilchrist punching the air and embracing his teammates after Australia got the last Indian batsman out in the third Test; the Australian players gathering in a huddle made famous by the Indians; Brett Lee calling for the Australian flag from the tour

We prepared from 2001: Gilchrist


The ICC Champions Trophy continued to run to form on Saturday when England and India disposed of their respective African opponents with consummate ease.

WRAPUP 1-England and India in crushing victories


Here's my description of the ideal big league backup catcher: he is smart, incredibly disciplined, extremely hard-working, a total team guy and he hits for power .

Backup keeps popping up


Vikram Solanki beat the rain clouds to register his second one-day international century as England won the third one-day international to wrap up a series victory.

Ton-Up Solanki Inspires Series Success


Indian asks Bangladesh to spare the lives of around 100 elephants which have strayed across the border.

India makes elephants appeal


Gateway Inc. is expected to announce on Monday a new lineup of business desktops based on a new PC chassis design that removes heat from the system and can help extend the life of a PC, according to the company.

Gateway brings BTX design to business desktops


To NASCAR fans, a pocket calculator is going to be as valuable today as an air gun for a tire changer. Depending on where they finish in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the 18

Chase for the Cup


NEW ORLEANS (Ticker) -- Dan Dickau gave the New Orleans Hornets the lead after three quarters and made sure it stood up in the final 12 minutes.

Dickau scores 23; Hornets get rare win


Apple rolled out on Tuesday a new iPod that allows users to view and share photos, a dramatic expansion that takes the most popular digital music player squarely into the multimedia realm, while spurring its rivalry with Microsoft and others.

Apple unveils iPod Photo, rocks with U2


AP - With the Republican National Convention less than two weeks away, federal agents and city police are keeping tabs on activists and others they believe might try to cause trouble. They are making unannounced visits to people's homes, conducting interviews and monitoring Web sites and meetings.

FBI Tracks Potential GOP Protesters (AP)


German police detain 110 people at a march to mark the death of Adolf Hitler's deputy, Rudolf Hess.

Neo-Nazis arrested at Hess march


Search giant Google has launched a beta of the UK version of its shopping search technology, Froogle. The site looks like its Google parent in design with the addition of links to recent popular product searches on the home page.

Google woos Froogle UK shoppers


Ireland claimed one of the most notable scalps in world rugby by sending Tri-Nations champions South Africa crashing to defeat at Lansdowne Road yesterday.

Rugby: Irish scalp Springboks


R everse the Curse ice cream has been the best-selling new flavor in the history of Brighams, a Boston-area ice-cream chain. Now, the ice cream, introduced last spring, is in danger of becoming obsolete.

Cursed either way


Reuters - Oil prices slipped further below  #36;55\a barrel on Tuesday, breathing easier after a Norwegian strike\threat receded but still anxious over the thin state of\pre-winter heating oil supplies.

Oil Prices Dip Toward  #36;54 (Reuters)


The remaining seven vacancies in the first knockout stage of the Champions League will be decided this week with some of Europe #39;s biggest clubs anxiously considering their fates.

Tension-Filled Nights Loom for Europe #39;s Big Guns


A year on, and the company's \$1 million tip-off program has nabbed just one (alleged) virus writer. Is it a bust?\

Virus writers elude Microsoft's bounty hunt


LOS ANGELES  Los Angeles outfielder Milton Bradley won #39;t be disciplined by the Dodgers for a clubhouse confrontation with a reporter he called an  quot;Uncle Tom.

Bradley won #39;t be disciplined


Notre Dame has failed and Florida has succeeded in hiring Utah Coach Urban Meyer, according to various family members.

Meyer Spurns Irish for Gators


IBM has reached an agreement to purchase Venetica, a privately held developer of content-integration software. The acquisition will enable IBM to provide improved ability to integrate unstructured

IBM Acquires Content-Managment Developer Venetica


Economic ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) finally agreed to beef up their commitment to push ahead the program of

ASEAN pushes ahead trade liberalization


Analysis If the antitrust lawsuit that Novell filed against Microsoft comes to court, it will reopen long-forgotten battles over technologies that most of us will even have trouble remembering.

Novell #39;s MS complaint: we wuz robbed


Oil giant BP today posted record profits of \$3.94bn (2.14bn) after fuel prices hit new highs. The third quarter performance of Britain #39;s biggest listed company came as oil prices rose to an average of almost \$50 a barrel.

1m an hour profit for BP


Dell's Photo All-In-One Printer 962 prints, scans, faxes and copies for \$179.

Photo: Dell's Photo All-In-One Printer 962


AP - German lawmakers expanded the rights of same-sex couples Friday, allowing registered domestic partners to adopt each other's children and making rules on splitting up and alimony similar to those for heterosexual marriages.

Germany Expands Same-Sex Couples' Rights (AP)


French President Jacques Chirac reiterated Friday its support for Turkish membership for the European Union (EU). Chirac noted that  quot;in any case, we should take all the necessary

Paris reiterates its support for Turkey #39;s entry into EU


UNITED NATIONS -- Kofi Annan is rejecting calls for his resignation, vowing to  quot;carry on quot; at the helm of the United Nations for the next two years.

Annan Rejects Calls For His Resignation


FRANKFURT, Germany-- Tough economic times in Germany have made Linux and other open source software products appear tantalizing to local businesses. Yet many remain hesitant to dump their Microsoft Corp. software completely, if for no other reasons than it performs relatively well, and nearly everyone in corporate Germany uses it. That was the general impression from speakers delivering presentations Tuesday at the LinuxWorld conference in Frankfurt.

Germans seek savings through Linux in tough economic times


Boston Scientific Corp. said Wednesday it expects overall third-quarter sales will miss analyst expectations as preliminary August sales of its Taxus heart device, which was involved in

Boston Scientific sinks on forecast


Antigua and Barbuda, the Caribbean island nation, won a World Trade Organization ruling that US legislation criminalizing online betting violates global laws.

WTO backs Antigua, rules US online gaming ban is illegal


AP - Symantec Corp.'s reported interest in acquiring Veritas Software Corp. for more than  #36;13 billion would represent the computer security giant's biggest step yet beyond its core businesses of defending against viruses and thwarting hackers. Investors weren't impressed, though, and Symantec's shares plunged 16 percent.

Report: Symantec in Talks With Veritas (AP)


BOSTON (CBS.MW) -- Federal investigators have asked Johnson  amp; Johnson to turn over documents related to the sales and marketing of its anti-anemia product Procrit.

Feds probe J amp;J Procrit sales


AP - Former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar on Friday called for the release of dozens of inmates in Cuba, charging they're political prisoners held

Ex-Spain PM Urges Release of Cubans (AP)


Reuters - Logistical preparations are under way to\allow at least a million exiled Iraqis to cast their votes in\the country's first free elections next month, a senior\organizer said on Thursday.

Plans Under Way for Exiled Iraqis to Vote -IOM (Reuters)


Wearing what she described as her  quot;micro-mini quot; outfit, third-seeded Serena Williams advanced to the third round of the US Open on Wednesday with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over fellow American Lindsay Lee-Waters.

Former champs Lleyton Hewitt and Serena Williams move on at US <b>...</b>


Tech giants set to launch TV, print, cinema and online ad campaign to market the digital lifestyle.\<br /> Photos: Microsoft's Media Center 2005 launch

Intel, Microsoft team to tout digital home


by staff. Various and sundry press releases from the Magny Cours round of the World Superbike series where James Toseland was awarded the crown.

Magny Cours World Superbike Quote Machine


You often see thoroughbred horses do it. Baseball teams have jumped out ahead in the standings and stayed there all the way through to a World Series victory.

From start to finish, it was always USC


PARIS, Nov 2 (AFP) - The first official medical report on the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has confirmed that he does not have leukaemia, the Palestinian representative in France Leila Shahid said Tuesday.

Arafat does not have leukaemia: official report


East Rutherford, NJ (Sports Network) - The New York Jets placed veteran cornerback Ray Mickens on injured reserve Wednesday and signed defensive back Terrell Buckley.

Jets place Mickens on IR, sign Buckley


A STATEMENT attributed to the al-Qaida group of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has called for the release of kidnapped British aid worker Margaret Hassan  quot;unless she is proven to be a collaborator quot;.

Terrorists calls for hostage #39;s release


Reuters - Oil prices ticked higher on Tuesday,\holding above  #36;42 a barrel as dealers awaited signs of any\renewed cold snap that would revive demand for winter heating\fuels in the United States.

Oil Edges Higher, Watches Weather (Reuters)


SALFIT, West Bank (Reuters) - Thousands of Palestinians  gathered at a West Bank park on Sunday, defying Islamic  militant disapproval, in the hope their pop idol would become  the first Palestinian to win an Arab song contest.

Palestinians Mourn Hero's Defeat in Arab Pop Contest


WASHINGTON  #151; Oil prices charged toward \$50 a barrel yesterday, and gasoline prices surged to \$1.92 a gallon last week, as petroleum output in the Gulf of Mexico returns at a slower-than-expected rate after Hurricane Ivan, and geopolitical unrest keeps traders on edge.

Crude prices set N.Y. record


Adorned with Turkish and EU flags, Turkey #39;s newspapers hailed Thursday an official EU report recommending the country start talks to join the bloc, while largely ignoring the stringent conditions attached to the announcement.

Turkish press jubilant over green light for EU accession talks


SIR Jackie Stewart remains cautiously optimistic that the British Grand Prix will go ahead next year after it was included yesterday on the Formula 1 draft calendar for 2005.

Stewart hails Silverstone progress


He should have been in jail. Or maybe locked down in a hospital. Or maybe in a life-altering boot-camp drug treatment program. Some doctor, some jailer or some judge should have known to save Ken Caminiti from himself.

Caminiti, left to fight alone, needed allies


The speedy GeForce Go 6800 mobile graphics chip from NVidia helps power high-end, wide-screen notebooks. Plus: new Microsoft accounting software.

In Brief: Product Pipeline


AP - Microsoft Corp. announced Wednesday that it would offer a low-cost, localized version of its Windows XP operating system in India to tap the large market potential in this country of 1 billion people, most of whom do not speak English.

Microsoft Unveils Windows XP for India (AP)


p2pnet.net News:- A three-day problem with MSN Messengers had nothing to do with Funner, the newest e-bug to bite Microsoft.  quot;MSN Messenger, Microsoft #39;s instant message service, is back up and running this

Funner e-worm no joke


The Bloomberg administration announced today that it will sign a 20-year contract with one of the nation's largest recycling companies, a move that assures the city's broad recommitment to recycling.

Mayor Recommits to Ambitious Recycling Pact


Rafael Benitez could continue the flurry of activity at Anfield before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

Liverpool set for flurry of transfers


Lithuania #39;s second round of general elections got under way on Sunday, with a recent-formed party threatening to force its way into government.

Lithuanian vote in second phase


Authors of a performance review tell the beleaguered state government it could save millions of dollars by adopting open-source software and Internet-based phone calling.

California urged to use open source, VoIP


The man suspected of killing a Dutch filmmaker critical of Islam was probably driven by extremist Islamist motives and was already known to the national security service, the government said on Wednesday.

Dutch Murder Suspect Had Possible Islamist Ties


GamePC have thrown up their review of Microsoft #39;s Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005! Here #39;s a snip. Windows XP Media Center Edition was originally launched roughly two years ago, and was the first variant

Your Daily Tech News Service...


AP - President Bush signed messages of condolence Monday at embassies of the four nations hit hardest by the tsunami. The messages also were signed by First Lady Laura Bush and former Presidents Clinton and Bush. Here is what the president wrote in each book:

Bush's Messages to Nations Hit by Tsunami (AP)


The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, arrived in Sudan #39;s troubled Darfur region this morning to witness the devastating results of Arab militia attacks on the indigenous black African population.

Straw sees Darfur #39;s pain


The Associated Press By Ted Bridis

News: Homeland Security signals effort to promote cybersecurity chief


Chalone Wine Group has completed an unusual agreement to sell to France #39;s Domaines Barons de Rothschild in a deal valued at \$160 million, while retaining the right to shop itself to other bidders.

Chalone to sell, pending other bids


BusinessWeek Online - The announcement sent ripples of anxiety through the tech world. On Sept. 15, J.P. Morgan Chase  amp; Co.  said that it was terminating a seven-year,  #36;5 billion technology-outsourcing deal with IBM. For many, it's an article of faith that corporations will gradually hand off ever more of their technology operations to big service providers such as IBM, Accenture , and Electronic Data Systems . Yet here was the nation's second-largest bank taking its tech back because it was strategically too important to be left to an outsider. ...

Commentary: Is Outsourcing On The Outs? (BusinessWeek Online)


Scientists of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration say its spacecraft Mars Odyssey will prolong its stay in space until at least September 2006.

Mars Odyssey to prolong stay in space


AFP - Buddhism, enthusiastically followed by the majority of Myanmar's 53 million people, is being exploited as a propaganda tool by the military junta, monks and analysts said after the curtain fell on a world Buddhist meeting held here.

Myanmar regime using Buddhism as an instrument of propaganda (AFP)


The Sooners are difficult to defend because they are so balanced, averaging 242.2 yards rushing and 227.2 yards passing per game. Sixth-year senior quarterback Jason White is like the forgotten Heisman winner

SI.com #39;s BJ Schecter breaks down a key Big 12 showdown


Almost a year ago, Brad Hodge wondered if he might be another Jamie Siddons -  quot;a good player but unfortunately didn #39;t get a chance at the next level quot;.

Hodge in for injured Ponting


At a press conference this week, Apple Computer Inc. introduced the new iPod Photo digital music player. Besides playing digital music, the iPod Photo lets users view and share photos.

Apple iPod Photo and U2 Partnership


After an absence of a decade, Philips Electronics is making personal computers again, the company said on Thursday. The Netherlands-based electronics conglomerate, which abandoned the

After a Decade, Philips Makes PCs Again


AP - Intel Corp., the world's largest computer chip company, is not suffering from overcapacity and new areas are emerging that will increase global demand for microprocessors, its chief executive said Friday.

Intel's Barrett Sees Room for Chip Growth (AP)


Charred and brittle bits of fabric are providing new insights into the lives of prehistoric people, thanks to advances in chemical analysis of textiles.

Textile Fragments Provide Details of Ancient Lives


AP - Sergio Garcia recovered from a poor start and survived a rules scare, closing the second round with two birdies for a 2-under 69 and a one-stroke lead Friday in the Volvo Masters.

Garcia Leads Volvo Masters by One Stroke (AP)


Mobster drama The Sopranos is favourite to take home the most trophies ahead of the Emmy awards.

Sopranos tipped for Emmys