AP - Chipper Jones' three-run homer capped an eight-run second inning, J.D. Drew hit a two-run double and the Atlanta Braves beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-1 on Sunday for a split of the four-game series.

Braves Score 8 in 2nd Inning, Beat Dodgers (AP)


BEIRUT, Lebanon - A car bomb exploded Friday in central Beirut, wounding a former Lebanese Cabinet minister and killing his driver, officials said.    Former Economy Minister Marwar Hamadeh reportedly suffered minor wounds and was in stable condition...

Bombing in Lebanon Wounds Cabinet Minister


WASHINGTON - Standing beside Iraq's interim leader, President Bush contended Thursday that insurgents could

Bush: Terrorists May Plan More Attacks


BRITAIN has made a televised appeal on an Arab satellite channel for Iraqis to help rescue British hostage Kenneth Bigley, who is being held under threat of death with two US kidnap victims.

Iraqis urged to help free Briton


AFP - Thousands of Jaguar car workers will begin voting next week on strike action over plans to halt production at a British plant with the loss of over 1,000 jobs, union leaders said.

Jaguar workers to vote on strike action, stage protest (AFP)


RUDI Voller had quit as coach of Roma after a 3-1 defeat away to Bologna, the Serie A club said today. Under the former Germany coach, Roma had taken just four league points from a possible 12.

Voller throws in the towel


Three of Citigroup's most senior executives are to leave the Wall Street heavyweight following last month's closure of its Japanese operations, reports say.

Citigroup loses three executives


Apple sold 860,000 iPods in its third fiscal quarter ended June 30, more than twice the 336,000 it sold in the same period in 2003.

iPod Lifts Apple


Java software provider releases a product designed to simplify the task of sending back-office information to mobile devices.

BEA mobilizes corporate data


AP - Sen. John Kerry has 237,400 reasons for hope in Ohio. That's the number of jobs Ohio has lost since President Bush won the state by 3.6 percentage points four years ago. Ohioans consider jobs and the economy their top concern, with terrorism and homeland security close behind.

Ohio Focuses on Job Growth for Elections (AP)


A federal appeals court has cleared the way for Alpharma Inc. (ALO.N: Quote, Profile, Research) to launch a generic form of Pfizer Inc #39;s (PFE.

UPDATE 2-Alpharma says court clears generic of Pfizer drug


Although business intelligence software can yield major benefits for companies, a variety of challenges can arise during implementations, said users at the Business Intelligence Perspectives conference.

Users: Data validity, security issues can arise during BI rollouts


PORTLAND, Maine - Whether its blue or spotted or stripped, the standard issue hospital gown is drafty and revealing. It's embarrassing for just about anyone who's spent a night in a medical center...

Revealing Hospital Gowns Redesigned


Novell is this week expected to spruce up a version of its Linux desktop aimed squarely at enterprise users. Built on the same core code base as Suse Linux Enterprise Server 9, Linux Desktop 9 is best suited

Novell extols desktop Linux


According to various professional snooping outlets, the world #39;s most popular golfer got hitched. The alleged venue was beach-adjacent in Barbados, which would seem to frame Tiger with an unbeatable sand trap.

Green jacket required for Woods wedding?


Achin for some Robbie but your iPod is in the shop? Fret not, for Robbie Williams new album is being made available on MMC multimedia cards.

Get your Robbie Williams fix on MMC


At least six people died in Shikoku after heavy rains from Typhoon Megi pounded the western Japan island on Tuesday and Wednesday, officials said.

6 dead in typhoon deluge


A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb in a commercial district in western Baghdad today, killing at least six people and injuring more than 50, authorities said.

Suicide attacker detonates car bomb in central Baghdad


SAN FRANCISCO - Sun Microsystems on Monday will update its Sun Ray platform with new workstations and server software that company executives believe will give the thin client devices a foothold among home users.

Sun eyes home users with Sun Ray update


The Washington Post Co. earned \$82.5 million in its third quarter, the company reported Friday, well above the \$19.9 million it earned in the year-ago period, when results were weighed down by expenses for

Update 1: Ad Sales Spur Growth at Washington Post


Russian Olympic shot put champion Irina Korzhanenko will lose her gold medal after testing positive for a banned steroid, the head of the Russian Olympic Committee #39;s anti-doping body said overnight.

Shot-putter Korzhanenko to be stripped of gold: Russians


AP - Investigators interviewed nine people injured in the brawl at the end of the Pistons-Pacers game, but no charges were imminent in the case, the county prosecutor said Monday.

No Charges Imminent After Basketball Brawl (AP)


This week we have seen numerous reports (a href= quot;http://www.tectonic.co.za/view.php?id=352 quot; gt;see here) in the trade press referring to Gartner UK analyst Annette Jump claiming that pre-installing Linux on PCs encourages piracy of Windows.

Open source industry challenges Gartner on Linux report


US 10-year Treasury notes had their biggest drop in a week in London, heading for a fifth week of declines, after a newspaper reported that China, the second- largest overseas holder of the securities, reduced its holdings.

US Treasuries Drop After Newspaper Says China Cut Holdings


OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada reported Monday that its airport  screening staff had lost more than 1,100 pieces of clothing and  identification this year but insisted the missing items posed  no threat to security.

Missing Airport Uniforms Pose No Threat, Canada Says


Hotel workers in Washington, DC, San Francisco and Los Angeles held out the threat of a strike on Sunday, but have told management they will resume contract talks, a DC union official said.

Hotel Workers in 3 Cities May Strike Sunday


Sony #39;s new double-layer DVD player for the Mac will give Macintosh users access to higher-capacity removable storage. The device, which is available in both internal and external versions, can record up to four hours of video on a single disk.

Sony Introduces Double-Layer DVD for Macintosh


UK interest rates may be too high because the Bank of England has wrongly forecast inflation levels, a House of Lords Committee says.

Rate rises followed 'MPC errors'


Accounting scandal continues to drag out as company once again delays reporting results for first half of 2004 and all of 2003.

Nortel delays financial report--again


A Singaporean IT products distributor is introducing radio tags to track inventory and delivery.

PC distributor puts RFID tags in goods


The US dollar dropped to a new all-time low yesterday against the euro, which rose to \$1.3335 even as new figures showed that US economic growth in the third quarter was stronger than previously estimated.

Dollar hits a new low despite strong growth


India captain Saurav Ganguly expressed his dismay and Australia #39;s Adam Gilchrist his delight as the grassy wicket in Nagpur became the centre of attention on the eve of the third test.

PREVIEW-Nagpur track plays into Aussie hands - Ganguly


NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Sport/utility vehicle registrations in the United States increased 56 percent in just five years, according to a report released Thursday by the US Census Bureau.

It #39;s official: Americans love SUVs


In the aftermath of the fiasco that was the Pacers-Pistons game last Friday night, you would think that pro sports leagues would be looking to move fans farther away from the action.

Best seats in the house aren't for everyone


AP - The 10 nations with the largest

Summary: Nations' Ecological 'Footprints' (AP)


Spanish glass manufacturer Vidrala SA said Thursday it will pay euro138.2 million (\$189 million) for two European production plants of Owens-Illinois Inc.

Spanish Glass Manufacturer to Buy Plants


According to a BBC Scotland report, Smith has been in talks with the Scottish Football Association about the job which became available after German Berti Vogts resigned earlier this month.

Walter Smith offered Scotland coaching job


VIENNA (AFP) - Iran and Europe continued efforts to see whether Tehran could unconditionally respect a commitment to freeze any nuclear fuel cycle work that could be diverted to produce atomic weapons.

Iran and Europe trying to save Iranian nuclear fuel suspension <b>...</b>


Taiwan rescue workers dug out seven bodies from mud and rock in a mountain village that was hit by a devastating landslide triggered by Typhoon Aere, but eight still remained buried, officials said on Friday.

Taiwan Rescuers Dig Out 7 Bodies Buried in Landslide


The US House of Representatives passed a bill this week that could allow criminal charges to be brought against individuals who use file-swapping Web sites or networks.

Tougher File-Trading Bill Moves Forward


KOROLYOV, Russia - A Soyu z spacecraft carrying two cosmonauts and an American astronaut docked smoothly Saturday at the international space station, where another Russian-U.S. team has spent the last six months...

Russian Capsule Docks With Space Station


Qantas Airways has raised its fuel surcharge on domestic and international tickets by \$4 and \$7, respectively, because of the high price of oil.

Qantas raises fuel surcharge


AP - American civil rights activist the Rev. Jesse Jackson visited the conflict-torn region of Darfur on Friday, urging the Sudanese government and African rebels to end the crisis that has killed thousands of villagers and driven more than a million from their homes.

Jackson Visits Darfur to Resolve Crisis (AP)


AP - Ten days after trading for Gary Payton, the Boston Celtics still have no idea if the nine-time All-Star will ever wear a Celtics' uniform.

Celtics Sign Gugliotta, Wait on Payton (AP)


What a difference a week makes! Seven days ago the popular wisdom was that if Manchester City failed to win their Saturday game manager Kevin Keegans job would be at risk.

Prem Preview: Manchester City-Arsenal


The midnight expiration of Oracle's tender offer for PeopleSoft shares will either end the software rivals' bitter, 17-month battle tonight -- or increase its ferocity.

Oracle, PeopleSoft prepared for midnight offer deadline


DCS specialises in high-end, commercial quality cooking equipment, maintaining a 300,000 square foot headquarters and factory in Huntington Beach, California.

F amp;P gets \$83m US footprint


roundup Plus: HP inks deal with energy firm...Holiday Inn welcomes Priceline...More colleges get cheap online music.

Briefly: Friendster hires ex-AOL ad exec


First you have to look at the Dallas Cowboys. Last year they won 10 games, made the playoffs, and of course lost to the Carolina Panthers who went onto the Super Bowl.

John Madden


Losers of four straight games, including Sunday #39;s home defeat to the San Diego Chargers, the Panthers found out Monday that they have lost tailback DeShaun Foster for the balance of the season.

Carolina rusher to have surgery on clavicle


AFP - Kemira, the Finnish chemicals giant, spun off its fertilizer business GrowHow by listing it separately on the Helsinki stock exchange with a launch price of 5.25 euros per share.

Finnish chemicals group Kemira spins off fertilizer business GrowHow (AFP)


Moscow, Oct. 6. (UNI): The new President of war-torn Russian republic of Chechnya, Alu Alkhanov took the oath of office in Grozny, the Chechen capital, amid very tight security throughout the region.

New Chechen President sworn in


British Airways today said it had resumed normal service for most of its operations as it reduced the number of cancelled flights to four.

BA services  #39;back to normal #39;


AP - Iran and the European Union will begin comprehensive talks on Tehran's nuclear activities next week, official media reported Saturday.

Iran, EU to Begin Nuclear Talks (AP)


NEW YORK, Sept. 2 -- The stock market went whisper quiet this week as Republicans convened in Madison Square Garden to renominate George W. Bush for president.

Wall Street Looks to Voters


AILING supermarkets group Sainsbury #39;s is slashing its dividend, axing 750 head office jobs and pouring 3,000 new staff on to the shop floor in a last-ditch attempt to revive its fortunes.

Sainsbury #39;s goes back to basics


A teenager dies from a suspected drugs overdose after apparently making a suicide pact with her best friend.

'Suicide pact' leads to tragedy


TORONTO (Reuters) - Shares of Manulife Financial Corp.  <A HREF=

Earnings Miss Dents Manulife Financial


German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer assured his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul here on Monday that Germany would give full support to Turkey #39;s bid to enter European Union membership talks.

Turkey can count on Germany when EU leaders meet: Fischer


US fans of the Metal Gear Solid series can at last start counting down the days till the release of Snakes next adventure, as Konami confirm that Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater will be released in the US on November 17th.

Snake Released In US Next Month


AP - Greenpeace activists scaled the walls of Ford Motor Co.'s Norwegian headquarters Tuesday to protest plans to destroy hundreds of non-polluting electric cars.

Greenpeace Protests Ford's Plans for Cars (AP)


falling repeatedly for spam scams that promise software at fire sale prices. In fact, one in five consumers surveyed bought software

Users Still Snookered By Spam


AP - Federal policy is meeting Western reality on the rangelands of Idaho, where wide-open spaces, technological glitches and bitter cold all are potential obstacles to plans to track livestock and protect the food supply from disease and bioterrorism.

Cattle Tracking Tested to Protect Food (AP)


The 10th crew of the International Space Station is scheduled to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Oct. 13 at 11:06 pm EDT for a six-month stay aboard the orbiting laboratory.

NASA Space Station Status Report 11 October 2004


veryone covets a piece of Apple Computer #39;s iPod. And for good reason. It essentially defines what consumers want in a digital music player: capacity, style, seamless integration with personal computers and

A Digital Divide


PayPal #39;s problems arrive at the very start of the crucial holiday selling season. Users began to note problems on Friday following a software upgrade, eBay said.

Problems with PayPal Persist for Fifth Day


The Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth, a native of Birmingham, says he is resigning from his position as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Shuttlesworth resigns as president of SCLC


TOKYO (Sports Network) - Roger Clemens pitched four-plus  solid innings and David Ortiz had a two-run single to highlight  a three-run sixth inning, as the MLB All-Stars downed the  Japanese All-Stars, 7-2, at the Tokyo Dome.

MLB All-Stars Rally Past Japan


Johnson  amp; Johnson announced that it will acquire Guidant Corp., one of the world #39;s top makers of cardiac devices, for \$25.4 billion US.

Johnson  amp; Johnson to acquire Guidant Corp. for \$25.4 billion US


Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, right, surrounded by an unprecedented number of bodyguards walks inside the Knesset, Israel #39;s parliament, in Jerusalem Wednesday Oct. 20, 2004.

Parliament Speaker Rues Sharon Policy


Weather models and satellite measurements of ocean heat all indicated Tuesday that Hurricane Ivan was likely to remain an extremely dangerous storm as it roared ashore.

Signs Point to Hurricane's Retaining Strength


Six California counties and cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, are suing Microsoft for allegedly overcharging them. The lawsuit seeks to recover some of the

Calif. cities, counties sue Microsoft


Putnam Investments will pay \$40 million to settle yet another regulatory probe, while corporate parent Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos. yesterday said it would cut 3,000 jobs in the fallout from the price-fixing and bid-rigging scandal enveloping its insurance brokerage unit.

Putnam to pay \$40m to settle SEC probe


The Federal Communications Commission, citing concerns about national security, has abandoned a 10-year-old policy and will no longer give the public access to information about past telephone network outages. <FONT face=

FCC Cuts Public Line To Phone Outage Data


CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. consumers' mood brightened in  early December, which may bode well for retailers in the key  holiday shopping season, a survey showed on Friday.

Consumers Cheer Up, Budget Deficit Swells


From the center of the ring, Andre Dirrell heard voices screaming at his back, warning him to circle away from the boxer closing in.

An American Fights, and Wins, to Make His Grandfather Happy


SANDY LANE BEACH, Barbados - Tiger Woods is back ashore in Barbados, with the Swedish model who is apparently his new wife. Witnesses say the golf star married Elin Nordegren in a spectacular sunset ceremony

Tiger Woods marries Swedish fiance in Barbados resort


The New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers spent yesterday trying to put the finishing touches on the megadeal that would move all-stars Randy Johnson, Shawn Green and Javier Vazquez.

Yanks Still Working On Deal for Johnson


The US Supreme Court agreed Friday to consider a case likely to have a significant impact on the music, video and electronics industries.

Supreme Court hears file sharing case


Strong explosions and heavy fighting in central Baghdad has left at least eight people dead, the US army and witnesses said. The clashes flared as the US military pressed on with new offensives aimed at retaking

Fighting in Baghdad kills eight


Circuit City (CC:NYSE - news - research) Monday said same-store sales fell 4.3 in the third-quarter, attributing the decline to decreased promotions as well as weaker sales of music and movie software and wireless products.

Tough Quarter for Circuit City


AFP - Britain is to ban smoking in most public places, according to reports ahead of the launch of an ambitious goverment effort to legislate its way to better public health.

Britain planning to ban smoking in most public places (AFP)


WASHINGTON - Contradicting the main argument for a war that has cost more than 1,000 American lives, the top U.S. arms inspector reported Wednesday that he found no evidence that Iraq produced any weapons of mass destruction after 1991...

U.S. Report Finds No Evidence of Iraq WMD


A federal judge in Houston Wednesday agreed to postpone for five months the criminal trial of several former executives in Enron Corp.'s Internet division, just one day after a leader of the unit pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.

Judge Delays Criminal Trial For Former Enron Executives


Spanish Bank Santander Central Hispano intends to cut about 3,000 jobs at Britain #39;s Abbey National if its proposed acquisition of the British bank is completed.

Santander To Cut 3,000 Jobs at Abbey


AFP - European nations have requested the Maldives authorities to give them access to activists detained after last week's pro-democracy demonstrations, diplomatic sources said.

European diplomats ask to meet detained activists in Maldives (AFP)


Sudan's government tells the BBC it is handling the crisis in Darfur better than the US is dealing with Iraq.

Sudan's Darfur 'safer than Iraq'


Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch/Shell and China Petroleum and Chemical Corp (Sinopec Group) have launched a US\$187-million service station joint venture, the companies said.

Shell, Sinopec launch US\$187m service venture


Captain Marvan Atapattu believes Sri Lanka could have beaten England if the rain had not cut short their match at the Rose Bowl. His side were 95-5 after 24 overs in reply to England #39;s 251-7 when bad weather forced play to be abandoned.

Atapattu laments weather


HOUSTON, United States : Australia #39;s third-ranked Lleyton Hewitt reached the semi-finals of the ATP Masters Cup by defeating Argentina #39;s Gaston Gaudio 6-2, 6-1.

Tennis: Hewitt beats Gaudio to reach Masters Cup semis


Talking to youngsters in the language of text could increase their access to services.

Texting teens use SMS for help


World record holder Paula Radcliffe pulled up in tears before the end of the women #39;s marathon today as Mizuki Noguchi ensured the gold medal would be returning to Japan.

Noguchi wins marathon as Radcliffe pulls up


Cisco forged a partnership with Fujitsu wherein the Japanese company will market Cisco #39;s CRS-1 core router to carriers and large enterprises in Japan.

Cisco Gets New Partner, Clients, Product in the Core


EMILIO Botin, chairman of would-be Abbey National owner Santander, and Spain #39;s highest-profile businessman, was yesterday ordered to stand trial on allegations that he helped clients evade taxes in the 1980s.

Santander chairman to stand trial for tax fraud


Nasa has announced that the launch of a pioneering mission to further understanding of the make-up of comets will take place in January next year.

Nasa plan comet mission


MONTREAL (Reuters) - Ryan Smyth scored twice and Martin St  Louis had a goal and an assist for the second straight game as  Canada eased to a 5-1 win over Slovakia in round-robin play at  the World Cup of Hockey on Wednesday.

Canada Routs Slovakia in World Cup of Hockey


Dollar fell to an all-time low of \$1.3068 against euro on Wednesday. Against yen, it slipped to 103.66, the lowest level since April 1. Market analysts contemplate the possibility of dollar-euro exchange rate reaching \$1.35 and 100 yen within months.

Dollar posted a new record low


The former prime minister of Spain, Jos Mara Aznar, mounted a vigorous defence of his decision to commit troops to Iraq yesterday as he became the first ex-premier to face questioning by a parliamentary commission.

I still believe in Eta train-bomb link, says Aznar


A businessman is suing Michael Jackson for \$3m alleging he is owed for unpaid loans and producing fees.

Businessman sues singer Jackson


Oil prices have neared last week #39;s record high after bouncing back above the \$50-a-barrel mark despite a peace deal between rebel gangs in Nigeria.

Oil prices bounce back over \$50 mark


Game on. Go time. The World Series returns to ancient Fenway Park tonight for the first time since 1986 when the Red Sox host the St. Louis Cardinals. With the region still hung over from the Sox' epic comeback against the Yankees in the American League Championship Series, Boston will be attempting to win the fall classic for the first ...

Red Sox Nation set for Game 1


A court suspends all newly-elected office-bearers on India's cricket board citing election misconduct.

BCCI officials suspended


AP - Shaquille O'Neal scored eight of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, leading the Miami Heat to a 101-96 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.

Shaq Leads Heat Past Bucks 101-96 (AP)


Pfizer Inc. said today that it had found an increased risk of heart troubles in some people taking higher dosages of Celebrex, its popular arthritis and pain relief drug.

Study Raises Concern Over Safety of Pfizer Painkiller Celebrex


AP - Verizon Wireless is buying cellular capacity for 23 markets from bankrupt NextWave Telecom Inc. for  #36;3 billion, ending the government's long tug-of-war over the never-used licenses and bolstering Verizon against a big new rival created by the merger of Cingular Wireless and AT amp;T Wireless.

Verizon Wireless to Buy NextWave Licenses (AP)


ANCIENT OLYMPIA (Reuters) - American Kristin Heaston launched the shot 16.41 metres to become the first woman to compete at Olympia in the first athletics meeting in the tree-lined grove since the ancient Games were abolished in AD 393.

Shot put history in Olympia


BellSouth Corp. and SBC Communications Inc. have teamed up to buy the online directory publisher www.yellowpages.com Inc. for an undisclosed amount.

SBC, BellSouth to buy yellowpages.com


Ryan Longwell's 33-yard field goal as time expired gave the Green Bay Packers a 34-31 victory over their archrivals on Sunday after the Minnesota Vikings had rallied to tie it with two touchdowns in the final 2:53.

Favre Leads Packers Past Vikings, 34-31


AP - A quarter of online Americans have taken advantage of one of the Internet's true powers: the ability to let users collectively decide whether to trust a product, service or individual.

Americans Using Online Reputation Systems (AP)


I #39;ve had about all I can stand of the most overused football term since  quot;West Coast Offense. quot; And that #39;s  quot;fantasy sleeper.

Here are some real sleepers to watch


Broadband-for-business provider goes Hollywood, with the City by the Bay next in line.

Towerstream beams into Los Angeles


Britain said Thursday the Security Council should be nearly doubled in size to 24 nations, with Germany, Japan, India and Brazil becoming permanent members.

Britain says Security Council should be expannded to 24 nations


This week Connexion by Boeing, a Boeing subsidiary, announced a deal with Wi-Fi hot spot aggregator iPass.

Connexion by Boeing partners with iPass


Police in America have issued an arrest warrant for a North Yorkshire man who allegedly had sex with a teenager he met in an internet chat room.

Arrest over internet sex claims


The uncharacteristic performance of the Ravens' defense is still a touchy subject with linebacker Ray Lewis.

Ravens Look Ahead


American Express said it was suing Visa USA and MasterCard International, along with eight banks, for damages stemming from anticompetitive practices that prevented American Express from issuing cards through US banks.

American Express Sues Rivals


KABUL, Afghanistan The top challengers in the Afghan presidential election are conceding defeat to Hamid Karzai (HAH #39;-mihd KAHR #39;-zeye).

Chief rivals to Hamid Karzai concede election defeat in <b>...</b>


coming after last week #39;s purge of Prime Minister Khin Nyunt cast doubts over the process. seven-step  quot;roadmap to democracy quot; unveiled by the ousted prime minister last year.

Myanmar junta says talks to resume in Jan


Ziff Davis - Some users have said that after updating to Mac OS X

Apple's Mac OS X Update Brings Word of Firewire Problems (Ziff Davis)


Australian golfer Peter O #39;Malley is two shots off the pace after the first round of the European Tour event in Valderrama, Spain.

O #39;Malley in touch with Spanish leaders


Oil prices climbed more than \$2 higher on Friday on renewed concern over supplies of distillate fuels in all main consuming centers before the Northern Hemisphere winter.

Oil Jumps More Than \$2 on Winter Worries


Scientists unraveling the genetic history of head lice have found startling evidence that early humans mingled with a clan of hairy, distant cousins as recently as 25,000 years ago in Asia -- a

Genetic Study of Lice Hints At Clash of Archaic Humans


A singles victory Sunday sent Spain into the December Davis Cup finals against the United States. Rafael Nadal beat French player Arnaud Clement 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 to clinch a berth in the finals for the Spanish team.

Spain, US will meet for Davis Cup title


ST. PAUL, Minn. Saint Paul Travelers Companies says it has been subpoenaed by the New York attorney general for documents relating to its business practices.

St. Paul Travelers gets another subpoena in insurance probe


Despite being the Globe's top-ranked boys' soccer team the entire season, Stoneham has had one goal: winning an elusive outright state championship.

Stoneham takes next step


Owen scored the only goal of the game as Real Madrid beat Dynamo Kiev 1-0 at the Bernabeu to move level with Bayer Leverkusen and Kiev with six points.

Owen off the mark


Eritrea accuses Sudan of trying to assassinate their president, while Sudan says Eritrea backs Darfur rebels.

Eritrea and Sudan in war of words


VIENNA (Reuters) - Feliciano Lopez won his first careertitle by defeating sixth seed Guillermo Canas 6-4, 1-6, 7-5,3-6, 7-5 to claim the Vienna Trophy Sunday.

Lopez Defeats Canas to Capture First Title


Five years ago, after two NASA missions to Mars were doomed by elementary mistakes -- a software glitch and a mix-up between English and metric units -- the space agency devised more elaborate

NASA reveiws mixup that doomed capsule


It was a tough job to fill. Who could possibly be recruited two years ago to take over the Securities and Exchange Commission, and rescue it from several tumultuous years?

Tough Beat


St. Francis Heart Hospital in Tulsa, Okla., was built to be digital from the ground up. By Marianne Kolbasuk McGee. While many existing hospitals across the country are attempting to transform from paper-burdened

Heart Hospital Embraces Digital Future


afrol News, 9 September - US Secretary of State Colin Powell today made a statement saying his government had reached  quot;the conclusion that genocide has occurred and may still be occurring in Darfur.

US declares genocide in Sudan


Federal-Mogul, the engineering company whose bankruptcy in the US is threatening the pensions of thousands of workers at its subsidiary Turner  amp; Newall, is sizing up a sale of its UK businesses.

Federal-Mogul may sell T amp;N assets after pension offer snub


Verizon Wireless on Tuesday dropped its opposition to a plan to give Nextel Communications (NXTL) valuable airwaves, removing a big hurdle to a deal aimed at fixing cell phone interference

Verizon, Nextel set aside conflicts


Lycos Europe, a separate company than Lycos (United States), stated that all allegations of its  quot;Make Love Not Spam quot; campaign site being defaced by hackers are incorrect.

Lycos Europe denies attack on zombie army


As if he didn #39;t have the ball in his hands often enough in previous seasons, scoring machine Allen Iverson also is now the point guard for Philadelphia.

Marbury sees point in Iverson


AP - With poker's popularity growing because of televised tournaments, retailers are betting that playing cards and chips will be among the must-have items during the holiday shopping season.

Retailers Bet on Poker's Rising Popularity (AP)


Scientists are no closer to discovering what happened to the ill-fated space probe Beagle 2, which vanished while attempting to land on Mars, according to an investigation released Tuesday.

Failed European first Mars probe, Beagle 2, still a mystery


A car that can go 80 miles on a gallon of renewable fuel such as soy and canola would seem like an ideal solution to oil prices bumping around historic highs of \$50 a barrel.

Cost Conundrum Holds Up Diesel Hybrid Cars


JERUSALEM, 6 December 2004 - In a sign that relations strained by the Palestinian uprising were warming, Egypt freed an Israeli Druze jailed eight years ago for spying and the Jewish state released six Egyptian students.

Egypt, Israel Exchange Prisoners in Sign of Warming Relations


MARK COLVIN: All this year, the business world has been abuzz with talk about the board of Telstra, and whether Chief Executive Ziggy Switkowski could survive.

Ziggy speaks frankly and says he was pushed


The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, a previously unknown son of an Afghan political refugee, has captivated reading groups across the country.

Wrenching Tale by an Afghan Immigrant Strikes a Chord


The Prime Minister has arrived in Northern Ireland for crunch talks on the future of devolved government in the region. All the main political parties, along with Tony Blair and his Irish counterpart Bertie

Blair:  quot;Moment of decision quot; for Northern Ireland


New version turns off security, attempts to download malicious programs from Net--but it's not likely to get far.

Another Bagle variant tries to spread


British Airways top directors, including chief executive Rod Eddington, will be helping out at Heathrow airport today as the airline strives to avoid the flight cancellation chaos of the last few days.

BA Directors Join Workforce in Bid to Avoid More Chaos


\The red fire ant, vicious and sometimes fatal, has infested the Taiwanese capital Taipei.

Taipei battles ant infestation


NEW YORK, December 10 (newratings.com) - Ford Motor Company (FMC1.FSE) announced yesterday the resignation of its president, Sir Nicholas V Scheele, and Vice-Chairman, Allan Gilmour, early next year.

Ford President and Vice-Chairman to retire in February


NEW YORK, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Insurance payments to victims of Hurricane Charley are expected to reach \$7.4 billion, making it the second most costly hurricane to hit the United States, an insurance industry group said on Wednesday.

Charley #39;s insured losses seen hitting \$7.4 billion


Queenslander Adam Scott is VC Bet #39;s heaviest liability ahead of this week #39;s Australian PGA Championship. Scott #39;s opening quote of 7/1 was quickly gobbled up by punters who fancy the golden boy of Aussie golf #39;s

AUSTRALIAN PGA CHAMPIONSHIP BETTING ODDS NEWS


AP - Minnesota at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST). The Timberwolves, who had the Western Conference's best regular-season record last season, meet the defending NBA champions.

NBA Today (AP)


ATLANTA (Sports Network) - Jason Campbell threw for a  career-high 374 yards along with three touchdowns as  third-ranked Auburn stated its case for a spot in the Orange  Bowl with a 38-28 victory over No. 15 Tennessee in the  Southeastern Conference Championship at the Georgia Dome.

No. 3 Auburn Downs Tennessee for SEC Title


Auburn has won nine of its 11 games by 18 points or more. The Tigers are averaging 419.2 yards per game and will pound teams on the ground before going for the kill through the air.

SI.com #39;s BJ Schecter breaks down the SEC Championship Game


#39;Reaching a preliminary pilot agreement is the single most important hurdle they have to clear, but certainly not the only one.

Carriers attempt to stay afloat


AP - All the Buffalo Bills had to do to make the playoffs was beat a Pittsburgh team playing Brian St. Pierre at quarterback, Willie Parker at running back and a bunch of other no-names.

Sportsview: Effort Benefits Steelers (AP)


Smithfield Foods Inc. (SFD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday said quarterly earnings more than doubled due to higher hog prices and the hog and pork producer #39;s acquisition of Farmland Foods last year.

Smithfield Foods Profit More Than Doubles


LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - British advertising company WPP  <A HREF=

UK Ad Firm Clinches Bid for U.S. Rival


LONDON (AFP) - Liverpool may have battled back from the brink of defeat to book a League Cup semi-final berth but a penalty shoot-out win against Tottenham did nothing to alter manager Rafael Benitez #39;s view of a competition his club have won a record

League Cup still last on Benitez #39;s trophy list


The Conservatives today unveiled an eight-point plan to  quot;restore our saving culture quot; ahead of the publication tomorrow of the government #39;s long-awaited Turner report on pensions.

Tories unveil pensions crisis plan


AP - European defense companies know they must unite to keep up, as the gap in military spending between the United States and its NATO allies continues to widen. But a push to consolidate Europe's fragmented shipbuilding sector  #151; a minefield of national, corporate and labor sensitivities  #151; is proving slow and difficult.

European Shipbuilders Mull Mergers (AP)


A window display in London showing the financial prices, Thursday Nov. 25, 2004. The dollar has dropped to an all time low against the Euro.

US Dollar Hits Another Low Against Euro


Shoppers got their buying groove back last month, propelling sales at the nation #39;s retailers by a strong 1.5 percent. It was the best showing since March.

September Retail Sales Up by 1.5 Percent


A vast police operation in France and Spain netted at least 18 suspected members of the armed Basque separatist group ETA and large stocks of weapons, authorities said.

18 ETA suspects held in raids


AFP - Mobile telephone giant Vodafone reported a two percent fall in half-year underlying profits as the group added 7.4 million new customers.

Vodafone interim profits dip, dividend hiked (AFP)


AP - House and Senate members are proposing legislation to slow the revolving door carrying federal regulators into private banks, following revelations of the role played by a former U.S. examiner in the Riggs Bank affair.

Lawmakers Seek to Prevent Another Riggs (AP)


The chief investigating judge of Iraq's Central Criminal Court said Monday that he had

Iraqi Judge Dismisses Chalabi Case


Iran has promised to suspend its nuclear enrichment program by Monday #39;s deadline, the BBC reported. The head of Iran #39;s nuclear energy organization said work would stop at two

Iran promises to meet nuke deadline


LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Gold Fields (GFI) said Friday it welcomed a decision by a South African appeals court that Harmony Gold Mining (HMY) cannot exercise any voting rights from Gold Fields shares it may acquire from its early settlement offer until

SA court says Harmony needs competition approval


Universal has signed a handful of artists to a digital-only record label. Starting Tuesday, it will release songs through online services like iTunes.

Music Industry Is Trying Out New Releases as Digital Only


M amp;T Bank Corp. said Tuesday that its profit jumped 19 percent for the quarter ended Sept. 30, helped by a slight rise in interest income and loans during the period.

M amp;T Bank Posts Higher 3Q Profit


While the economic growth in the U.S. was significantly better than a previous estimate, it was still the weakest showing in more than a year.

Economy Grew at 3.3 Percent Rate in 2nd Quarter


BIRMINGHAM, Ala. That smiling Salvation Army bell-ringer may look a little frozen in place this holiday season, but it #39;s not because of the cold weather.

Salvation Army using cardboard bell-ringers to stoke donations


TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays agreed to buy SkyDome, the team #39;s ballpark, for about \$21.24 million. The 50,000-seat stadium, which opened in 1989, cost about \$375 million to construct and was mostly funded by taxpayers.

Team spends \$21.24 million for SkyDome


The Boston Red Sox ended 86 years of futility and won their first crown of the World Series since 1918 on Wednesday when they defeated the St.

Red Sox sweep Cardinas to win first crown since 1918


NTT DoCoMo, the top cellular phone operator in Japan, has unveiled what it calls the nation #39;s first prototype micro fuel cell aimed at boosting battery life for its powerful third-generation FOMA handsets.

First 3G prototype micro fuel cell unveiled


The Mars Exploration Rover mission is part of NASA #39;s Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic exploration of the red planet.

Water on Mars: More Evidences


SAN FRANCISCO -- Intel Corp. expects its first-generation WiMax chips to spawn devices for wireless broadband end-users that cost less than \$200 and won't require a visit by a service provider, a company executive said Tuesday.

Rosedale chips fuel Intel's WiMax drive


MBIA Inc. (MBI.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , a leading US bond insurer, on Tuesday reported a 2.3 percent drop in third-quarter earnings as investor demand

UPDATE 2-MBIA 3rd-qtr earnings fall 2.3 pct, stock off


Reuters - Indonesian police are close to\identifying the suicide bomber who detonated a minivan packed\with explosives at the Australian embassy in Jakarta this\month, killing 9 people, the police chief said on Wednesday.

Jakarta Police Close to Identifying Embassy Bomber (Reuters)


MARK Latham boiled over yesterday when questioned about the schooling of his three-year-old son. The Labor leader came under pressure amid confusion about whether his eldest boy, Oliver, would go to a private preschool.

Latham lashes out


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Business software maker Siebel  Systems Inc. <A HREF=

Siebel Systems Posts Quarterly Profit


With the NatWest Challenge a thing of the past, Cricket365 scours the papers to bring our readers what the Indian media are saying about their players.

Ganguly #39;s growling list of woe


The European Union said it would be very difficult #39; #39; to accept a US demand for a ban on government loans for new Airbus SAS programs as part of changes to an aircraft-aid agreement that also applies to Boeing Co.

EU Says US Demand for Airbus Aid Ban Is Difficult #39; to Accept


Less than a month after the death of Northeast football player Jamahl Jones, prosecutors dropped charges against the four suspects, citing insufficient evidence after a preliminary autopsy.

A Cry for Justice


Haute monde meets mass market. Friday saw Sprint (nyse: FON - news - people ) shares open higher and Nextel Communications (nasdaq: NXTL - news - people ) slide as the market digested news of a possible merger between the telecommunications firms.

Forsee: Sprint CEO Eyed As Likely Leader If Nextel Deal Inked


Computer Associates International Inc. (CA) expects to fill its chief executive officer (CEO) vacancy within the next 30 to 45 days, the company said Friday.

CA to name CEO in 30 to 45 days


AP - A new penal code approved by Venezuela's Congress would stiffen prison sentences for slander and libel, drawing criticism from opponents of President Hugo Chavez.

Penalties Stiff for Slander in Venezuela (AP)


The Loch Rannoch oil tanker isn #39;t exactly the place you #39;d expect to find cutting-edge computer technology. But the 850,000-ton ship owned by British Petroleum is home to an experiment in preventing critical breakdowns before they happen.

Dust Might


The Indian government says it #39;ll keep the retail cost of petrol and diesel steady despite rising global crude oil prices. The announcement follows a series of weekend meetings between Prime Minister Manmohan

Indian Government moves to cushion oil shock for consumers


France makes Steven Spielberg a Legion of Honour, in recognition of his film-making talent.

France honours director Spielberg


Sugar Punch, a 3-year-old filly owned in part by New York Yankees manager Joe Torre, held off Beautiful America by a neck yesterday afternoon to win the inaugural running of the \$66,500 Union Avenue for New York-bred fillies and mares at 6 furlongs.

Torre's filly packs a Punch' in win


Programs for computer-aided design, or CAD, have been around for decades, but eMachineShop.com appears to be the first service that checks whether a design can be made, tells the customer how much it will cost. If the customer wants the item the design goes to a

New Program Lets People Design 3-D Objects


German industrial conglomerate Siemens AG said Monday it was launching a second bid for Austrian competitor VA Technologie AG in an offer that valued the Linz-based maker of power generation and transmission equipment at more than euro800 million (US\$1

Siemens Launches New Bid for VA Technologie


AP - The Boston Red Sox clinched a playoff berth on Monday by beating the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 7-3.

Red Sox Clinch 2nd Straight Playoff Berth (AP)


Even the The Incredibles would have a hard time rescuing the Walt Disney Co. #39;s compensation committee from their current predicament.

Courts and Torts: Vetting Compensation


Switzerlands glaciers are melting faster than previously thought, losing almost a fifth of their total area between 1985 and 2000, experts said today.

Swiss Glaciers on the Slippery Slope


Reuters - Apple Computer Inc.  on\Wednesday reported its quarterly profit more than doubled, on\strong sales of its iPod digital music player and notebook\computers and said revenue and earnings for the current quarter\would top Wall Street estimates.

Apple Profit Doubles; Outlook Tops Views (Reuters)


AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A top judge accused Slobodan  Milosevic of behavior verging on the

Judge Says Milosevic Behavior Almost 'Puerile'


Nokia plans to release next month a new smart phone with a built-in megapixel camera, as part of an effort to expand its product portfolio.

Nokia unveils new smart phone


Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:    -----    Doctor Who Was Focus of Anthrax Probe Loses Job      A doctor who has recently become the focus of federal agents investigating the unsolved 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States has lost his job at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.      Dr...

Health Highlights: Aug. 19, 2004


Rancid revenues and restatements leave the bread and Twinkies maker on the verge of bankruptcy.

Stale Wonder Bread?


NEW YORK -- Ken Caminiti, the 1996 National League MVP who later admitted using steroids during his major league career, died yesterday. He was 41.

Former MVP Caminiti dead


That #39;s what Philip Morle told an Australian court, and he ought to know--he #39;s Sharman Networks #39; chief technology officer.

Access to Kazaa Not Blockable?


AFP - US Secretary of State Colin Powell sought Japan's input on resolving the North Korean nuclear impasse after rejecting Pyongyang's demands to resume stalled talks on resolving the deadlock.

Powell, Japanese seek ways to resolve North Korean nuclear crisis (AFP)


Reuters - The Mars rovers have found fresh\evidence that water was plentiful in both the hills and plains\of the now-barren Red Planet, scientists at NASA Jet Propulsion\Laboratory said on Thursday.

NASA Mars Rovers Find More Signs of Water (Reuters)


FOXBOROUGH -- The Revolution revived their playoff hopes again last night, the combination of a 2-0 victory over the Dallas Burn at Gillette Stadium and Chicago's tie with Columbus sets the stage for another dramatic finish to the regular season.

Revolution take matters in hand


Ajax Amsterdam were doubly relieved on Wednesday following their 3-0 Champions League win over Maccabi Tel Aviv and the resignation of Louis van Gaal as the club #39;s technical director.

Double relief for Ajax as Van Gaal quits


Malcolm Glazer has launched his third Stock Market raid in as many days to take his stake in Manchester United to 28.11. The American business tycoon has spent another 3.

Glazer launches new raid on Red shares


Reuters - Shares of Fifth Third Bancorp \fell 7.6 percent before the bell on Friday the morning after\the ninth-largest U.S. bank said fourth-quarter profit will\fall well short of analysts' forecasts,

Before the Bell: Fifth Third Bancorp Off (Reuters)


But users of the popular compression tool will need to upgrade to version 9 of the software.

WinZip offers fix for security flaw


Three skinny urchins, covered in sand from head to toe, arrived here at a base camp of the rebel Sudan Liberation Army the other day.

Sudan Government #39;s Attacks Stoke Rebels #39; Fury


AP - The top-giving corporate political action committees didn't hedge their bets in the fall elections despite the narrow division between the GOP and Democrats in Congress. They favored Republican candidates 10-to-1.

Top-Giving PACs Favor GOP Candidates 10-1 (AP)


The firm #39;s new Internet calling plan is cheaper than traditional phone service and has more features. AT amp;T has followed its recent announcement that it #39;s not marketing new residential telephone service by

AT amp;T will offer VoIP service in Hampton Roads


The Cubs , who are scheduled to begin a three-game series in Miami tomorrow, returned to Chicago to await a decision from government officials, who will determine whether tomorrow night's game will be postponed because of Hurricane Frances.

NL notables


Slovenia has overwhelmingly voted to oust the countrys Liberal Democrat government in favour of the centre-right at the weekends general election.

Right turn


Sven-Goran Eriksson is counting on David Beckham being able to prove his fitness for tomorrows vital World Cup qualifier in Poland despite a rib injury.

Beckham Main Worry for Eriksson


The Russian rage over the terrorists #39; slaughter of innocents in Beslan is still fresh. The world still stands in disbelief. And now, Russians wait for the response from President Vladimir Putin.

Breaking the Chechnya impasse


AP - Miami receiver Sinorice Moss looks a lot like his older brother Santana  #151; on and off the field.

'Little Santana' Makes Big Plays for Miami (AP)


Jeremy Jaynes of Raleigh, NC and his sister Jessica DeGroot, have been convicted of illegal spam activities under a Virginia law. Jaynes was sentenced to nine years in prison, while his sister received a fine of \$7500.

Spammer Found Guilty Sentenced To 9 Years In Prison


Voters in Belarus appear to have approved a referendum that will scrap term limits and allow the country #39;s authoritarian leader to seek a third term in office.

Belarus apparently votes to end term limits


SAN FRANCISCO Slumping stock brokerage Charles Schwab has promised to pay ten (m) million dollars in cash to recently ousted chief executive David Pottruck.

Schwab to pay deposed CEO \$10 million in cash plus stock


Germany #39;s Chancellor Gerhard Schroder and his wife Doris have adopted a three-year-old Russian girl who has been living with them for over a fortnight, Germany #39;s mass circulation Bild newspaper revealed yesterday.

Germany #39;s Chancellor Schroder and his wife adopt Russian girl


The story of the last week has been the fall and fall of the dollar with the currency touching daily record lows against the euro.

Weak dollar leaves central banks in a bind


Reuters - In this hillside village\known as the

Is Israel 'Swing State' That Could Tip U.S. Election? (Reuters)


WOBURN, England (PA) -- And so there were two. After the second round Friday, Padraig Harrington and David Howell are the only members of the European Ryder Cup team left in the Heritage Tournament at Woburn.

McDowell and Price share Heritage lead, as Monty and Poulter miss


The blue-chip Hang Seng Index rose 171.88 points, or 1.22 percent, to 14,066.91. On Friday, the index had slipped 31.58 points, or 0.2 percent.

Hong Kong Shares Close Higher


Microsoft launched the second beta release of MSN Search with little fanfare. There is no doubt it is good, but few consider it as a threat to Google for sometime to come.

Why MSN Search is good for the consumer?


French Finance Minister Nicolas Sarkozy is resigning when he meets today with Prime Minister Jean- Pierre Raffarin, freeing him to use his new position as head of the ruling party to prepare for the 2007 presidential elections.

French Ruling Party Head Sarkozy Resigning as Finance Minister


Red Hat Inc. has announced the general release of the third update to its Enterprise Linux operating system, as well as a new partnership with recent Linux convert Unisys Corp.

Red Hat updates Enterprise Linux and Unisys alliance


Amidst fresh hopes of release of three Indian hostages, their Kuwaiti employer company KGL today declared it had  quot;no presence quot; in Iraq and expected early end to the over month-long crisis as efforts were moving in a  quot;promising  quot;direction quot;.

Hopes renew as KGL responds to abductors #39; demand


Celtic star Neil Lennon today claimed that the Scottish champions were facing Barcelona at the best possible time. Manager Martin ONeill has admitted the Catalan giants should expect to take six points from their two meetings.

Lennon backs Celtic to beat Barca


Lindsey Kildow of the United States won a women #39;s downhill Friday to celebrate the first World Cup victory of her career. With compatriots Bode Miller and

Kildow Continues US Domination in Downhill Skiing


The last putt on the last hole of the last match. Bernhard Langer playing Hale Irwin and Langer has a six-footer for Europe to retain the Ryder Cup.

Cheers, jeers and overcoming fears in golf #39;s ultimate contest


HAMISH ROBERTSON: China #39;s enormous appetite for raw materials to fuel its economic boom is continuing to have spin-offs for Australia, with a new mining deal announced between the two countries.

Fortescue Metals capitalises on China #39;s boom


MIT researchers produce a tiny water-skimming robot prototype they think could monitor water supplies for toxins or skim contaminants off the top of water.

Robot Spider Walks on Water


A NASA spacecraft carrying solar particles that were captured a million miles from Earth slammed into the Utah desert yesterday and cracked open after its parachutes

NASA #39;s lofty hopes plummet


the world leader in production of the ultra-thin glass used by companies such as LG Philips LCD (NYSE: LPL), Sony (NYSE: SNE), Hitachi (NYSE

Corning #39;s Crystal-Clear Future


Canadian Press - GAUHATI, India (AP) - Bombs ripped through two buses, killing four people and wounding 39 others, and a series of blasts elsewhere injured 15 more as separatist violence surged Thursday in India's northeastern Assam state, police said.

4 killed, dozens wounded in separatist violence in India's Assam state (Canadian Press)


An implanted nanotube sensor has been developed that can track blood sugar, promising pain-free continues glucose monitoring for diabetics and future devices that can check other biological changes.

Implanted Nanotubes Track Blood Sugar


CHICAGO (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines <A HREF=

Delta to Cut 6,000-6,900 Jobs


Boingo Wireless and Vonage Holdings Corp., announced a relationship to bring VoIP services to the market bundled with wireless offers.

Vonage and Boingo Wireless to market VoIP together


Chinese authorities have refused to let a pro-democracy politician from Hong Kong visit Shanghai. The incident occurs just two weeks before an election that is being seen as a test of support for the city #39;s democracy movement.

China Refuses Entry to Hong Kong Politician


In the first half of 2004, commodities investors worried that a hard landing for China's economy could be disastrous for them, but those fears have not borne out.

Commodities Are Riding on China's Coattails


Bulawayo: England bowled out Zimbabwe to win their fourth ODI by 74 runs on Sunday to complete a 4-0 series whitewash. Darren Gough took four for 34 as England bowled out the hosts for 187, having set them a victory target of 262.

England complete whitewash


Egypt on Sunday defeated Cameroon 3-2 in Group 3 of the African qualifications for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Mohammad Shawqi put the Pharaohs in the lead with a nice headerin the injury time of the first half.

Egypt defeat Cameroon in World Cup qualifier


But fashion models turned as many heads as the tennis by replacing the traditional ball boys and girls on the main court. Costa, ranked 50th, claimed a 6-2 5-7 7-5 victory to advance to a second meeting with top-seeded Tim Henman.

Models steal Masters spotlight


The UK music industry is granted a court order forcing ISPs to reveal the names of alleged illegal file-sharers.

Music firms win 'pirates' ruling


AP - Scientists and European regulators are now questioning the safety of other pain relievers like Vioxx, saying these medications also might raise the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Report: Other Drugs May Raise Heart Risks (AP)


InfoWorld - Oracle at the Oracle OpenWorld conference in San Francisco the week of Dec. 5 plans to unveil Oracle Integration, a product that combines the company #8217;s application server with several other technologies for integration and enablement of SOAs (service-oriented architectures).

Oracle readies integration splash (InfoWorld)


BAGHDAD, 19 October 2004 - Buoyed by the apparent success of a Baghdad arms-for-cash program, Iraqs interim government yesterday announced plans to extend it to all of the country ahead of scheduled January elections.

Iraq to Widen Arms-for-Cash Program


The U.S. Army has leased a blimp from the nation's only airship manufacturer and outfitted it with sensors and cameras to determine how effective the electro-optical and infrared cameras are at detecting potentially threatening movements on the ground.

Army Floats a Trial Balloon


A U.K. survey finds little money left over for new investment, and that Linux is not leaving its mark on the desktop.

Upgrades, staffing costs squeeze British IT budgets


Champion jockey Kieren Fallon is among 16 people arrested over allegations of horse race fixing.

Fallon arrested in fixing probe


The nation's biggest technology companies will present an alternative method for valuing stock options that generally would allow them to report lower expenses.
<FONT face=

Tech Firms Ready Plan For Options


Jarno and Fernando in action for the team on the first day of testing at Monza ahead of the Italian Grand Prix.

Monza Testing, Day 1, 01/09/04


The UN demands access to hundreds of illegal migrants on Lampedusa as Italy continues to expel them by air.

UN seeks access to Italy migrants


DECEMBER 07, 2004 (REUTERS) - China #39;s largest PC maker, Lenovo Group Ltd., could announce as early as today that it is buying control of IBM #39;s PC-making business for up to \$2 billion, a source familiar with the situation said.

Lenovo, IBM may soon reveal PC unit deal


Oracle's attempted takeover of PeopleSoft can be seen as a harbinger of many more in a mature industry.

The New Silicon Valley: A Dog-Eat-Dog World


Several relatives of British soldiers killed in Iraq this week have called on their Government to withdraw all troops from the country.

Black Watch relatives call for UK troop withdrawal


WASHINGTON - The US House of Representatives will vote as soon as next week on a measure to crack down on deceptive spyware that hides in users computers and secretly monitors their activities, key lawmakers said on Wednesday.

House may vote on spyware bill next week


WELLINGTON (Dow Jones)--Insurer Tower Group Ltd. (TWR.NZ) said Monday it will go ahead with the spin-off of its Australian wealth management businesses and use the cash proceeds to grow and develop new businesses.

UPDATE: NZ Tower Spin-Off Could Pave Way For New Opers


A key issue in the \$140 billion bill involves removing Food and Drug Administration regulation from tobacco products. Updates in tax law to help agricultural cooperatives.

Tax bill modified; Harkin, Grassley disagree


Tehran: Iran was on Tuesday considering whether to approve a tentative agreement with Britain, France and Germany aimed at limiting its nuclear activities and easing international suspicions.

Iran mulls critical nuclear decision


BATON ROUGE, La. - LSU can thank an Oregon State kicker who could not make extra points for its season-opening victory...

No. 4 LSU Edges Oregon State 22-21 in OT


LONDON, September 24 (newratings.com) - Italian airline company, Alitalia (ALI.FSE), has reached an agreement with eight trade unions to support the plans to split the company into two separate entities, while the ninth and last union is expected to

Unions agree to Alitalia #39;s plan to split into two


Three people have been killed and 14 wounded in separate bomb attacks in the restive Iraqi city of Samarra. One of the blasts was a suicide attack.

Three killed in Samarra blasts


Schwab is cutting online equity commissions by 33 percent, options trade commissions by 60 percent and automated phone trades by 40 percent.

Schwab Cuts Online Commissions, Fees


SAN FRANCISCO - Barry Bonds hit his 700th home run Friday night, toppling another milestone and edging closer to Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron in his quest to become the greatest slugger in baseball history.    Bonds rewarded his fans in the opener of the San Francisco Giants' nine-game homestand with a 392-foot opposite-field homer to left center leading off the third inning...

Barry Bonds Hits 700th Career Home Run


It didn #39;t take long for Austin Croshere to figure out that the Indiana Pacers lost another one of their stars to injury.  quot;I saw the look on the X-ray guy #39;s face when he walked out, quot; Croshere said.

Nene leads Nuggets past banged-up Pacers


The first US cases of soybean rust, a fungus that hinders plant growth and drastically cuts crop production, were found at two research sites in Louisiana, officials said Wednesday.

Soybean rust invades US


AFP - Scotland's dazzling new parliament building was formally opened, as First Minister John McConnell encouraged Scots to look beyond the fact that it was three years late and 10 times over budget.

Scotland's pricey new parliament is formally opened (AFP)


Electronic Arts on Friday began shipping the long-awaited sequel to its hit PC game  quot;The Sims. quot;. The new version,  quot;The Sims 2, quot; builds on the theme of letting people play out simulated life stories of its characters

#39;Sims 2 #39; makes emotional debut


Mother Nature will offer a special treat this evening: a blood-red moon, just in time for Halloween. A total lunar eclipse, the last visible in North America until 2007, will begin tonight at 8:06 and continue until about 2 am Thursday.

Moon to cast red glow; could it be an omen?


The agreement would allow the city to provide wireless Internet access as a municipal service even if Gov. Edward G. Rendell (D) signs legislation to give Verizon the power to scuttle the project.<FONT face=

Philadelphia, Verizon Strike Deal on WiFi


Instead of its five-second delay, ABC Sports should have hit the delete button on its opening for the Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Cowboys game on Monday Night Football.

ABC #39;s  #39;MNF #39; crosses line with opening


Novell kicked off Brainshare Europe in Barcelona by outlining its strategy to make identity management the basis of all IT systems.

Brainshare - Identity management is key for Novell


Kansas had one primary goal defensively Monday night and that was to limit the touches of Nevada sharpshooter Nick Fazekas. Before the first half even ended, the Jayhawks knew if

Hawks rout Pack


There are strong indications that Clemson and South Carolina will not be allowed to play in bowl games following Saturday #39;s melee between the two teams, SportsLine.

Clemson, South Carolina might be kept from playing in bowls


Mahmudiya Sept 5: At least 44 people have been killed in one of the bloodiest days since the new Iraqi government took office, as police suffered heavy losses in two separate incidents and clashes raged between US forces and insurgents.

Iraq violence flares leaving 44 dead


We read where Tiger Woods not only hasn #39;t broken up with Swedish bombshell Elin Nordegren but that he is ready to marry her any day now in Barbados.

Water for Tiger, cash on Shaq


Junji Nakamura, president of Japanese publisher Tecmo, has slammed Sony #39;s plans for the PlayStation 3, accusing the firm of allowing its ambitions in the home appliance space to overshadow its commitment to games.

Tecmo president slams Sony #39;s PS3 plans


NEW YORK, October 27 (newratings.com) - Global Internet media giant Yahoo! Inc (YHOO.NAS) has introduced specialized web search services targeted at the mobile phone users in the US, within weeks of the

Yahoo follows Google; launches web search service for mobiles


Constellation Brands, which owns a broad portfolio of beer, wine and spirits brands, signed an agreement yesterday to acquire the California wine pioneer, the Robert Mondavi Corporation, for about \$1 billion.

Constellation Agrees to Acquire Robert Mondavi for \$1 Billion


US producer prices - a measure of wholesale inflation - rose by a faster than expected 0.5 in November, seasonally adjusted Labor Department figures showed this afternoon.

US wholesale prices climb in November


washingtonpost.com - America Online Inc.'s settlement with the Justice Department imposes a strict new set of controls on the company, including requirements that the Internet giant hire a corporate monitor and disclose serious wrongdoing discovered internally to the government.

AOL Settlement Includes Tight Controls (washingtonpost.com)


They left a leaflet in handwritten Thai saying this was in revenge for the innocent Tak Bai victims, an officer said of the attackers.

Asia ; Local Buddhist chief beheaded in Thailands restive south


PATTANI, Thailand (Reuters) - Bomb blasts rocked southern  Thailand on Friday as Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra  promised to get to the bottom of the deaths of 78 Muslims in  military custody and punish any

Thai PM Says Will Punish 'Wrongdoers' Over Deaths


AFP - US President George W. Bush rolled across this battleground state, rallying supporters ahead of next week's Republican National Convention, where he will formally be nominated for another four-year term.

Bush barnstorms battleground state ahead of party convention (AFP)


The International Space Station (ISS) crew made steady progress with maintenance work this week. Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA Station Science Officer Mike Fincke restored the primary oxygen

International Space Station Status Report: SS04-033


MADRID (Reuters) - Marat Safin defeated Andre Agassi 6-3,  7-6 in the Madrid Masters on Saturday with a powerful  performance that underlined his recent return to top form and  secured him a place in the final against David Nalbandian.

Safin Overpowers Agassi to Reach Madrid Final


com November 16, 2004, 12:19 PM PT. This priority retains its ranking at number five as more and more companies deploy Web services to share business logic, data and processes with each other and with clients.

MPAA touts lawsuits, new P2P-fighting software


Dallas Federal Reserve Bank president Robert McTeer, the self-styled inflation  quot;lonesome dove, quot; yesterday said he would step down to lead the Texas A amp;M University

Dallas Fed chief set to leave


TEXAS A amp;M (7-3) vs. TEXAS (9-1) When, where: Today, 3:30 p.m., at Austin, Texas. TV: Chs. 5, 6, and 9. AP rankings: Texas is No. 6, Texas A amp;M No. 22. Last season: Texas won, 46-15. Comments: For the 10th time in the history of the Lone Star Shootout, both teams enter the game ranked in the Top 25. The Longhorns ...

Key games on TV


IBM is selling its PC hardware business to number one Chinese computer maker Lenovo.

Chinese firm buys IBM PC business


WASHINGTON - Democrat John Kerry sought to link the Iraq war to U.S. economic woes on Wednesday, calling President Bush's move against Baghdad a

Kerry Links Iraq War, U.S. Economic Woes


LONDON (Reuters) - More than just a battle for Russian  bragging rights, Saturday's Beijing semi-final between Maria  Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova promises to be an enthralling  encounter and a fascinating clash of cultures.

Grand Slam Starlets Clash for Russian Bragging Rights


An Italian prosecutor says that Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi deserves an eight-year prison term for bribing judges. Berlusconi was not in court for to hear the request, the BBC reports.

Prosecutor: Italian PM deserves prison


AP - County Mayor Nancy Workman, facing criminal charges of misspending taxpayer money, announced she was withdrawing from the Nov. 2 election.

Embattled Salt Lake Mayor Quits Race (AP)


The Orioles lose first baseman Richie Sexson to the Mariners and are now considering a trade for Marlins pitcher A.J. Burnett.

O's Turn to Burnett


The next time you are in your bedroom with your PC plus Webcam switched on, don #39;t think that your privacy is all intact. If you have a Webcam plugged into an infected computer, there is a possibility that

Your webcam #39;s spying on you


NASA #39;s X-43 unmanned aircraft hit a record 6,600 mph Tuesday in the program #39;s final test flight, providing researchers with data for use on future ultra-high-speed aircraft and spacecraft.

X-43 hits 6,600 mph over Pacific Ocean


NewsFactor - Satellite radio provider XM Radio has hooked up with hardware\manufacturer Delphi (NYSE: DPH) on a portable device that moves the emerging\entertainment service out of the car and into the hands of users.

XM, Delphi Deliver Handheld Satellite Radio (NewsFactor)


SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Global oil prices raced to fresh  highs on Friday with U.S. crude approaching \$49, driven by  escalating violence in Iraq and unabated demand growth from  China and India.

Oil Near \$49 as Iraq Violence Escalates


The Source Code Club hackers are back, selling what they claim are files of Cisco firewall software.

Psst...now it's Cisco source code up for sale


Video game developer is moving in the right direction, despite an

Midway to Profitability


New Zealand's High Court halts attempts by Qantas and Air New Zealand to work together against low-cost carriers.

Court ditches Qantas-Air NZ deal


An anonymous essay criticizing video game publisher Electronic Arts is unleashing a torrent of complaints about work practices in the game world. Missing Links

No fun for game developers


Jeff Gordon believes the experience that has taken him to four titles in NASCAR #39;s top division could prove key as he seeks to overcome Kurt Busch #39;s 41-point title lead in the two remaining races.

Gordon  Experience key as chase comes to crunch.


Rubens Barrichello has set the fastest pole position time in the history of Formula One, claiming top spot for Ferrari in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix.

Barrichello claims fastest ever pole


The Bangladesh government confirmed Saturday the identity of one of its nationals taken hostage by militants in Iraq, officials said.

Bangladeshi hostage in Iraq identified, government appeals for <b>...</b>


Nine law lords have ruled that legislation allowing foreign nationals suspected of terrorism to be locked up indefinitely and without trial, contravenes human rights laws.

Anti-terror ruling: Your reaction


The risk of intestinal damage from common painkillers may be higher than thought, research suggests.

Painkiller risk to gut revealed


CHICAGO (Reuters) - Sears, Roebuck and Co. <A HREF=

Sears Up 5 Pct on Real Estate Enthusiasm


Reuters - Shares of Connetics Corp. \fell 15.5 percent before the opening bell on Wednesday after\the drugmaker said the U.S. health officials concluded that its\drug for treatment of seborrheic dermatitis was not effective.

Before the Bell: Connetics Falls (Reuters)


SOFTWARE giant Microsoft has signed multi-million dollar software partnerships with two of Indias leading outsourcing firms. The firms chief executive, Steve Ballmer, said it has also stepped up plans

Microsoft signs up for tie-up with Indian firms


Microsoft Corp. will announce the release date of the next version of its Exchange Server in the first half of 2005, but until the upgrade arrives users can expect more management tools for existing versions, a company executive said this week.

Exchange users to get more tools


TOKYO - Iraq's deputy leader pleaded with donors Wednesday to fulfill their promises of aid to help rebuild his war-ravaged nation, and accused the United Nations of failing to provide crucial support.    Of the \$13.6 billion in grants and loans promised last year by nations and lending institutions, only about \$1 billion has been deposited in World Bank and U.N...

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Pleads for Aid


Sprint announced plans to offer the Sprint PCS Vision Smart Device Treo 650 by palmOne, a CDMA version of the recently announced palmOne device.

Sprint announces plans for palmOne Treo 650


BJP on Sunday criticised Railway Minister Lalu Prasad over the stampede at New Delhi Railway station on Saturday, in which five people were killed and at least 10 injured.

BJP holds Lalu responsible for Delhi stampede


The judge who will decide whether to block defenses by PeopleSoft against Oracle's hostile offer urged both sides to agree on what issues remain in contention.

Judge Is Set to Decide Oracle-PeopleSoft Battle


Intel has unveiled its first Flash Software Developer Kit (SDK) for mobiles, promising that the Flash Data Integrator 6.0 (Intel FDI) will help developers boost performance of advanced applications for multimedia smartphones.

Intel polishes first Flash development kit for mobiles


US forces launched a  quot;precision strike quot; Saturday on a building in the rebel-held Iraqi city of Falluja where 15 to 20 guerrillas were training for attacks, the American military said.

US Forces Say Target Guerrillas Training in Iraq


NASA has agreed to fund the Mars rover project for six more months, allowing two robotic vehicles to continue to study the red planet.

Mars rovers roll on with new funding


A woman casts her vote at a polling station in Sivitsa, 70 kilometres from Minsk, October 17. AFP. MINSK (AFP) - Belarus officials said Monday that President Alexander Lukashenko handily won the right to seek

Lukashenko can keep power: Belarus officials


An Olympic Airlines flight from Athens to New York was diverted Sunday to London  quot;on a full emergency, quot; a spokeswoman for London #39;s Stansted Airport said.

Plane diverted after security alert


AP - Jay Fiedler has a cracked rib and A.J. Feeley has a concussion. So the Miami Dolphins may have to turn to third-string quarterback Sage Rosenfels when they play the Buffalo Bills this weekend in a matchup of the NFL's last two winless teams.

Dolphins May Turn to Third-String QB (AP)


Major League Baseball #39;s Washington, DC franchise finally got a name Monday, nearly two months after the team relocated from Montreal.

DC #39;s Team Will Be the Nationals


JAKARTA (AFP): Indonesia, the world #39;s most populous Muslim nation, urged Thailand Friday to bring to justice officers responsible for the deaths of more than 80 Muslims in the country #39;s violence-plagued south.

RI pushes Thailand to apply justice to restore order in south <b>...</b>


Ziff Davis - After 13 years, the Free Software Foundation will update the GPL, and the to-do list is a long one.

FSF Faces New GPL Challenges (Ziff Davis)


Household spending in France, Europe #39;s third-largest economy, unexpectedly fell in September, hurt by unemployment and rising oil prices.

French September Consumer Spending Unexpectedly Falls (Update1)


Vodafone is aiming for the iPod generation with its third-generation cell phones, putting music and video downloading at the heart of its sales push.

Vodafone Targets iPod


NBC will announce today that Conan O'Brien will succeed Jay Leno as host of the Tonight'' show at the end of Mr. Leno's current five-year contract, in 2009.

Conan O'Brien to Replace Jay Leno in 2009


EchoStar Communications Corp. (DISH.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday said third-quarter profit rose on an aggressive campaign to add more new subscribers.

EchoStar Posts Profit, Adds Subscribers


Anticipating the US Ryder Cup team will be the underdog - for perhaps the first time in decades - in the 2006 matches at The K Club outside Dublin, Ireland, newly named US captain Tom Lehman figures that will give his squad a psychological advantage and

Tough road awaits Lehman


In WASHINGTON story headlined  quot;IMF says loosening of yuan in China #39;s interest quot; please read in first paragraph ... undervalued ... instead of ... overvalued ... (corrects direction). WASHINGTON, Aug 25 (Reuters

CORRECTED - IMF says loosening of yuan in China #39;s interest


Military #39;s approach comes under fire from UN representative, who questions wisdom of the push for an early election. By Sameer N. Yacoub.

Car bombers target Iraqi police; 16 killed


Revenue from wireless data services could reach \$189 billion in 2009, according to a new report.

Ring tones, phone games to rake it in


ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and  Katerina Thanou won a two-day reprieve at the Athens Olympics  when a disciplinary hearing investigating their missed drugs  tests was adjourned until Wednesday.

Doping-Greek Sprint Duo's Hearing Postponed


Yesterday Deutsche bank were reported to be involved in talks on Monday with the Glazer camp about the possibility of replacing JP Morgan - not any more they ain #39;t.

GLAZER HOUNDED WHERE EVER HE GOES


Global cinema takings will rise steadily to \$22.8bn (12.6bn) by the end of 2004, a research body predicts.

Global box office rise forecast


The revitalized San Diego Chargers showed why they keep winning, and the distraught Kansas City Chiefs showed why they continue to lose.

Brees, Chargers still electrifying


Canadian Press - ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia (AP) - Hundreds of protesters ransacked and occupied the regional administration building in a southern Russian province Tuesday, demanding the resignation of the region's president, whose former son-in-law has been linked to a multiple slaying.

Government building in southern Russia seized in protest over multiple slaying (Canadian Press)


AP - Corey Maggette had 33 points and 11 rebounds, and Rick Brunson hit a key 3-pointer with 21 seconds left to lift the Los Angeles Clippers to a 102-98 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.

Clippers Nudge Nuggets 102-98 (AP)


AFP - Apple Computer is planning to expand its online music download service to more European countries, the company announced at the Popkomm music trade fair.

Apple wants to expand music download service across Europe (AFP)


SEOUL, Aug. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- One died and four others went missing as Typhoon Megi hit South Korea #39;s southern provinces with strong winds and heavy rains, reported South Korean Yonhap News Agency on Thursday.

One dead, four missing as Typhoon Megi hits S.Korea


One day before the 40th anniversary of Zambian independence from colonial rule, Zambia #39;s government publicly apologized Saturday to its founding father, Kenneth

Zambia Apologizes for Founder #39;s  #39;97 Arrest


Birmingham, England (Sports Network) - Manchester United was held to a scoreless draw at Birmingham City Saturday while Arsenal extended its league unbeaten streak to 49 games by beating Aston Villa, 3-1.

Manchester United held, Arsenal rolls again


Northwest Airlines Corp. canceled controversial fees on tickets bought through some travel agents after the agents and fare distributors objected and rivals didn #39;t match the higher cost.

NWA drops agent charge


That meathead tailgating you might pose more of a hazard that you think. Crash tests by insurance researchers have found that most cars don #39;t protect motorists very well against whiplash neck injuries in rear collisions.

Seats can fail in rear crashes


America West Airlines is in talks to buy all or part of ATA Holdings Corp., parent of ATA Airlines, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday night on its Web site.

AmWest in talks to buy ATA, report says


SPACE.com - In our current evening sky \  we have one of the earliest soap-operalike stories, with two independent plots \  becoming intertwined into one. Perhaps we could call it the celestial version \  of  quot;All My Children. quot;

Imagine That! Star Patterns to Ponder (SPACE.com)


Shareholders in The News Corporation Ltd (publisher of The Australian) voted overwhelmingly to endorse the final act in five decades of expansion: to shift the company #39;s domicile from the South Australian capital to the US state of Delaware.

Adelaide gives Murdoch another victory: Delaware


PINAR DEL RIO, Cuba - Packing ferocious winds and whipping up monstrous waves, Hurricane Ivan's eye brushed Cuba's sparsely populated western tip as a treacherous Category 5 storm - the most powerful - and barreled north toward the U.S. Gulf Coast...

Ivan Lashes Cuba With 160 Mph Winds


In 14 locations around the Washington area, MobilTrak devices are sensing which radio stations drivers are listening to by picking up electronic signals emitted from car antennas.
<FONT face=

Advertisers Tune In to New Radio Gauge


Radio One Inc.'s chief executive said Thursday he is lobbying District officials to support a plan to move his company's headquarters from Maryland to the District.

Radio One Considers Return to D.C.


With the unveiling of the new Nintendo DS handheld system, consumers were greeted with what has been touted as the most innovative gaming technology we #39;ve seen this generation.

Handhelds a Hit For Thanksgiving


AP - The nation's retailers are hoping furry ponchos, fur-lined flip-flops, and sweater sets adorned with multiple broaches will excite shoppers this holiday season and lure them into stores and malls earlier than in previous years.

Retailers Hope to Lure Shoppers Into Malls (AP)


New York Yankees fans snatch up  quot;who #39;s your daddy quot; posters before game 2 of the ALCS between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox in New York Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2004.

Yankees Lead BoSox 1-0 in Game 2 of ALCS


Listen up sports fans, ESPN #39;s about to bring its news, stats, scores, and video - to cell phones. The Disney-owned cable TV powerhouse has inked a deal with Sprint to launch the first ESPN-branded cell phone.

ESPN dials a cell deal


Two wildlife champions, Michel Masozera, Rwanda country director for the Wildlife Conservation Society, and Ali Kaka, executive director of Kenya's East African Wild Life Society, are this year's winners of the National Geographic Society/Buffett Award for Leadership in African Conservation.

Rwandan, Kenyan Named Winners of 2004 Conservation Award


Consumer confidence, which had been on the rise since April, declined unexpectedly sharply in August, a private research group said Tuesday.

Consumer confidence falls


The all-American matchup at the Olympic beach volleyball semifinals turned out to be no match at all. Top-ranked Misty May and Kerri Walsh made friendly rivals Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs scramble for every

May-Walsh beat McPeak-Youngs in Olympic semis


Nintendo is making a media add-on for its DS game console that will let it play music and video.

Nintendo DS plays music and video


Graham Henry and Steve Hansen - are pitted against a former pupil - Mike Ruddock. Wales coach Ruddock could not have had it much harder.

Ruddock sees need to take big scalp as trial by pace awaits Wales


Scientists have developed a speedy way to monitor the effectiveness of cholesterol-reducing statin drugs.

Scans monitor cholesterol therapy


Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas held talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad on the first official Palestinian visit to Syria since 1996 and said that inter-Palestinian dialogue has started and will continue internally

Abbas, Assad Pledge Consultations, Future Coordination PLO <b>...</b>


Joining the ranks of Windows #39; users who have been victimized by spoofed security alerts, Linux users this weekend received bogus messages directing them to download updates that are in fact Trojan horses, Red Hat announced Saturday.

Linux Users Spoofed By Bogus Security Alert


Two Hamas militants were killed when an explosion ripped through their vehicle in Gaza City on Monday in an Israeli air strike, the second in as many days.

Around the world


TOKYO (Reuters) - Electronics conglomerate Sony Corp.  unveiled eight new flat-screen televisions on Thursday in a  product push it hopes will help it secure a leading 35 percent  of the domestic market in the key month of December.

Sony Unveils New Flat TVs, Aims to Boost Share


Southern California greeted news of its first preseason No. 1 ranking since 1979 with ambivalence.

USC starts at the top


AP - Midway through Friday's Ryder Cup matches at Oakland Hills, English golf fan Sean Warden began to wonder: Was it tee time, or tea time?

Fans at Ryder Cup Proving to Be Quiet (AP)


Many detainees at Guantnamo Bay were regularly subjected to harsh and coercive treatment, several people who worked in the prison said in recent interviews.

Broad Use of Harsh Tactics Is Described at Cuba Base


LANDOVER, Md. -- Once again, the Minnesota Vikings collapsed under the weight of late-season pressure.

Vikings go down, but they're not out


Valero LP (VLI.N: Quote, Profile, Research) agreed to buy Kaneb Services LLC (KSL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Kaneb Pipe Line Partners LP (KPP.

UPDATE 1-Valero to acquire Kaneb Services, Pipe Line


LONDON -- Prime Minister Tony Blair said yesterday that British troops would only be redeployed to the more volatile, US-controlled sector of Iraq if it was militarily justified.

Blair denies politics plays role in decisions on troops


In the midst of tragedy, a wife asks if it is possible to retrieve and store some of her husband's sperm after his death.

In a Wife's Request at Her Husband's Deathbed, Ethics Are an Issue


NEW YORK - Stocks were narrowly higher Tuesday as oil prices remained higher and Wall Street weighed a lackluster report on retail sales, but light volume showed that many investors remained on the sidelines.    With Hurricane Ivan threatening oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, crude futures moved higher for the second straight day...

Stocks Rise Despite Retail Sales Report


JBoss has released a new version of its open-source business process management application, called  quot;jBPM. quot; It is the latest evidence that the open-source provider is serious about pushing

JBoss Brings Open Source to BPM


True, Monday #39;s thunderbolt from Tinseltown may not be enough to settle the DVD format war. But in a synchronized cluster bomb of press releases, the powerful content producers have sent a clear message to

ANALYSIS: Hollywood studios fire heavy salvo in DVD format war


Reuters - Every country in the world must come up\with a plan urgently to deal with an inevitable influenza\pandemic likely to be triggered by the bird flu virus that hit\Asia this year, a top global health expert said on Friday.

WHO: Flu Pandemic Inevitable, Plans Needed Urgently (Reuters)


Local and Shopping Search Are Growing Among Internet Users\\According to a recent consumer search behavior study conducted by BizRate.com and The Kelsey Group of 3,887 online respondents, findings show that while general search engines rank the highest in terms of usage, with 72 percent indicating they use general search engines ...


Union trade regulators asked to probe 'one country, single store' policy

UK govt takes iTunes gripe to Europe


The Houston Astros had one chance to get out of St. Louis with a victory. That was a rainout. A washout of Game 2 last night would have allowed the Astros to skip sacrificial

Cardinals power way to 2-0 lead in NLCS


Ford Motor Co. (FN: Quote, Profile, Research) reported a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit on Tuesday, but losses widened in its core automotive business

UPDATE 5-Ford posts profit, autos disappoint again


AP - Sandora Irvin had 28 points and 15 rebounds to lead Texas Christian to a 64-63 victory over No. 3 Georgia on Saturday night in the semifinals of the Rainbow Wahine Classic.

Texas Christian Tops No. 3 Georgia 64-63 (AP)


Birgit Fischer settled for silver, leaving the 42-year-old Olympian with two medals in two days against decidedly younger competition.

Birgit Fischer wins second medal in kayak


The internet #39;s bloggers soon got to grips with Rohan Jayasekera #39;s diatribe against the legacy of murdered Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh.

The Netherlands: Death of Theo van Gogh


Reuters - Oil prices struck another record high\on Thursday and remained supported above  #36;47 by a fall in U.S.\crude stockpiles and threats by insurgents in Iraq against oil\facilities.

Oil Above  #36;47 After New Record (Reuters)


RUBENS Barrichello delighted his home crowd as he led a Ferrari one-two in the second practice session for the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix.

Rubens sets Brazil abuzz


GENEVA (Reuters) - Washington and Brussels may have gone  for their guns in a fight over plane subsidies, firing off huge  tit-for-tat cases at the World Trade Organization (WTO), but  analysts say a peaceful deal may yet be done.

EU-US Plane Fight May Turn to Peace Deal


AP - North Pacific right whales may not be going extinct after all. Scientists have found twice as many right whales in the Bering Sea as previously spotted, giving them hope the rare and endangered whales can be saved.

Right Whales May Not Be Going Extinct (AP)


The Internet has emerged as a prime tool for Islamic radicals, who use its anonymity to coordinate secret operations and get their message to the public without fear of detection.

From a Virtual Shadow, Messages of Terror


Gunmen opened fire Thursday on a bus carrying female employees of Iraqi Airways to the Baghdad airport, killing one woman and wounding 14 others, an airline official said.

Gunmen ambush Iraq airline staff; UK to move troops


AP - Houston at San Francisco (10:15 p.m. EDT). Jason Schmidt goes for his 17th win for the Giants, a half-game ahead of the Chicago Cubs in the NL wild-card race and a half-game behind Los Angeles in the West.

Baseball Today (AP)


COLLEGE PARK, Md. The Red Sox won a World Series, so why can #39;t Maryland beat Florida State. The Terrapins got their first victory over FSU, holding off the fifth-ranked Terrapins 20-to-17.

Maryland 20 (5) Florida State 17


The first week of the US Open concludes on Sunday with Andy Roddick and Serena Williams the star attractions at Flushing Meadows. While many New Yorkers head out

PREVIEW-Open-Roddick and Williams to star on Sunday


Hong Kong #39;s Beijing-backed chief executive yesterday ruled out any early moves to pass a controversial national security law which last year sparked a street protest by half a million people.

Time yet right to reopen controversial law, says Tung


Wall Street, which forced Google, the Internet search engine, to lower the price of its shares sharply in its initial public offering in August, has decided that the company is worth a lot more today than it was then.

Google Shares, Once Devalued, Just May Be Winners After All


RBC, 09.11.2004, Moscow 09:25:54.Russia has successfully launched a new model of booster rocket, the Soyuz-2-1A. The rocket blasted off at 9:30 pm from the Plesetsk launch pad carrying a satellite model.

Russia successfully launches Soyuz 2-1A rocket


Reuters - Fiat and General Motors head for a\showdown this week as a one-year truce expires, opening the way\for them to go to court over whether Fiat can force the U.S.\group to buy its loss-mired car unit.

Fiat and GM Set for Showdown (Reuters)


CHENNAI: None had really thought that the elusive Kuse Muniswamy Veerappan would ever be caught. But after five decades of this menace in the jungles bordering Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala and 120 killings

How Veerappan made his millions


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer prices rose a mild 0.2  percent last month, but a sharp jump in lodging costs pushed  core inflation unexpectedly ahead at its quickest pace in five  months, a government report showed on Tuesday.

U.S. Core Inflation Hotter Than Expected


Intel Corp.'s Pentium M mobile processor is finally starting to gain ground against older mobile technologies in the eyes of U.S. consumers, 18 months after it was introduced to rave reviews, according to recent data from Current Analysis Inc.

Intel's Pentium M finally attracts US consumers


The humphead wrasse provides some of Hong Kong #39;s most expensive fish dishes, which, in a city with a strong tradition of luxury dining, is saying something.

The fish with a 100/kg price on its head set to win protector


Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world #39;s largest retailer, estimated November sales at US stores open at least a year rose about 0.7 percent, less than its forecast, as the company scaled back

Wal-Mart Says November Sales Fell Short of Forecast; Rose 0.7


NEW YORK - Republicans sharpened their attacks on John Kerry ahead of the opening of their national convention Monday, with Sen. John McCain suggesting it was fair game to criticize the Democratic candidate's anti-war protests three decades ago...

Republicans Sharpen Attacks on Kerry


The transfer of technological innovations from the campus to the capitalist marketplace has been a financial windfall for many schools.

Moving Ideas Off Campus


NewsFactor - F-Secure, the Finnish anti-virus software developer, has identified two new, fast-spreading versions of Cabir, the worm that infects cell phones using the Symbian operating system.

New Cabir Variants Quick To Replicate (NewsFactor)


Severn Trent, the UK water and waste group, saw first-half profits hit by the weak US dollar, as well as a 15m pension fund charge.

Biffa upturn helps to steady Severn


This week, as EU heads of state meet to decide the fate of Turkey #39;s candidacy for EU membership, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be preparing his own run for the Turkish presidency.

TURKEY AND THE EU A Sultan Looks West


MINNEAPOLIS -- Regis Corp. is acquiring Hair Club for Men and Women, the company made famous by commercials with founder Sy Sperling.

Regis Joins Hair Club For Men


Coca-Cola, the world's largest maker of soft drinks, issues a profit warning blaming

Coca-Cola issues profit warning


A week after releasing Windows XP Service Pack 2 to enterprises, Microsoft is trying to quell confusion over an apparent security flaw and applications that won #39;t work without adjustments.

Microsoft tries to clear confusion over SP2


Reuters - Retailer Saks Inc.  on Friday\said it will close eight of its luxury Saks Fifth Avenue stores\and three of its lower-price Off 5th stores, resulting in a\loss of 700 jobs at those stores.

Saks to Close 11 Stores,  700 Jobs Cut (Reuters)


IT professionals can expect a moderate increase in starting salary, a staffing firm says.

Average techie starting salaries to remain stable


Catalonia is not Spain quot; read the banner in the Nou Camp Stadium where, in front of 95,000 Catalans and on television screens in 86 countries, FC Barcelona decisively and beautifully deflowered Real Madrid as the kings of Spanish soccer.

Barcelona reigns supreme over Real #39;s fading stars


American oil company ConocoPhillips acquired the Russian government #39;s 7.6 stake in Lukoil yesterday, after bidding almost \$2bn (1.

ConocoPhillips pays \$2bn for Lukoil stake


PITTSBURGH - University of Pittsburgh alumni have won the Nobel Prize, played in the National Football League and unlocked the secrets of DNA. On Wednesday, the university celebrated a less prestigious but equally sweet accomplishment - the banana split...

Happy 100th Birthday to the Banana Split


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips declined slightly  early Monday afternoon, with gains in insurance company  American International Group Inc. <A HREF=

Blue-Chip Stocks Dip, AIG Rises


Leaving Beaver Creek, Colo., for Europe two weeks ago, Bode Miller had earned the distinction of being the best ski racer of the young World Cup season, and most signs were pointing toward extraordinary heights.

Mountain climbing


Australia #39;s Michelle Ellis is three strokes off the pace after the first round of the LPGA event in Portland, Oregon. Ellis fired a 4-under-par 68 to be two shots behind outright leader, American Brandi Jackson on 6-under.

Aussie Ellis third in LPGA event


A Frenchman has been shot dead in the Saudi city of Jeddah, in a killing which mirrored recent attacks by al Qaeda militants trying to destabilise the world #39;s largest oil exporter.

Frenchman shot dead in Saudi Arabia


poodle

Blair heads to US under growing pressure to shed


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rebounded on Monday after a  heavy selloff last week, but pared some gains after a U.S.  factory report showed employment was down in December.

Dollar Holds Gains After U.S. Factory Data


PRINCETON, NJ (CP) - Philadelphia Flyers head coach Ken Hitchcock is joining the coaching staff of Princeton #39;s men #39;s hockey team during the NHL lockout.

Back to School: Hitchcock joins Princeton


AP - The Phoenix Coyotes re-signed right wing Mike Johnson on Tuesday to a three-year contract.

Coyotes Re-Sign Right Wing Mike Johnson (AP)


Today the NASA/ESA/ASI Cassini-Huygens spacecraft makes a fly-by of Saturn #39;s largest moon Titan - the closest ever performed. At the time of the closest approach, which is scheduled for 18:44 CEST, the spacecraft

Cassini-Huygens makes first close approach to Titan


A rocket has landed in a busy street in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, killing at least one person. Witnesses say the rocket hit a side street in the Karrada neighborhood, a busy shopping area in the heart of the city.

Rocket Blast in Central Baghdad Kills One Person


With a weak back-to-school season behind them, US retailers are focused on the holidays and what steps they need to take to get consumers excited about shopping again.

Retailers may have to do some tweaking to get consumers back in <b>...</b>


BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO and Russia Tuesday agreed to  boost cooperation in the fight against terrorism after a spate  of attacks on Russian soil including the Beslan school siege  that ended with at least 335 deaths.

NATO, Russia to Boost Anti-Terror Cooperation


Carlton Fisk in 1975. David Ortiz in 2004. Twelfth inning both times. Hold on to those tickets for this afternoon's fifth game of the 2004 American League Championship Series. The left-for-dead Red Sox are still breathing.

The dream stays alive


Although the move was stunning, the outcome was predictable and the latest effort from our resident football/fishing genius may have finished off the Cardinals for good.

Green #39;s move has us fishing for answers


US food company Interstate Bakeries has said that it has had to delay filing its fiscal year report. The company had previously obtained an extension to last Friday for filing its Fiscal 2004 Form 10-K with

USA: Interstate Bakeries delays filing full-year report


Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs gentle query to General Musharraf to spell out the options to resolve the Kashmir issue and the Generals low key reply I will think and get back to you mark a new chapter in Indo-Pak relations.

Kashmir  the ball is back in Musharrafs court


NEW YORK: The seldom used auction system that Web search giant Google Inc. used in its initial public offering was expected by some to change the way Wall Street does business, but almost three months later, there has not yet been another deal like it.

Wall Street still digesting Google


A French court will rule on whether a new law bans three Sikh boys from wearing the under-turban to school.

French court to rule on Sikh boys


TORONTO (CP) - Q9 Networks Inc., a provider of outsourced Internet services, says it will open a high-security data centre in Brampton, Ont.

Q9 Networks Inc. to open Brampton, Ont., data centre after \$13M <b>...</b>


Competition Get those suggestions in

El Reg pledges to name BSA antipiracy weasel


For back-to-school shoppers, a new alphabet reigns, and it starts with E for electronics. With camera cell phones and the Apple iPod music player topping student wish lists, some of the hottest gadgets have little to do with pen or paper, much less studying.

Back-To-School Now Includes Electronics


LONDON British Prime Minister Tony Blair says it #39;s just more proof that Saddam Hussein was trying to pull a fast one on the United Nations.

Blair says Iraq report shows sanctions weren #39;t working


General Electric Co. violated the law by failing to fully disclose to investors the many perks lavished on its retired chief executive Jack Welch, the Securities and Exchange Commission said Thursday.

Update 3: SEC Says GE Violated Law Over Welch Perks