HONG KONG (Reuters) - The arrest in south China of a Hong  Kong pro-democracy politician for hiring a prostitute has  eroded support for his party and hurt its chance of victory in  the city's legislative elections next month.

Sex Scandal Rocks Hong Kong Politics


BCN Systems #39; routing architecture will be used to to speed development of converged networks for data, voice, and video. By Networking Pipeline News.

Cisco Buys Network Design Firm For \$34 Million


The success of a start-up magazine rests on many factors, not the least of which is a catchy name.

Bethesda Magazine  Aims to Market  'The Good Life'


AP - Darren Sharper is upset about the NFL's crackdown on pass interference.

NFL Pass-Interference Crackwon Draws Fire (AP)


Cisco Systems #39; collaboration with Microsoft to target the SMB market is starting to bear fruit as the networking vendor Monday launched a new application that integrates Microsoft CRM with its VoIP platform.

Call Of The SMB: Cisco Ties VoIP To Microsoft CRM


NEW YORK, Oct. 1 -- After building a 16-point lead with a big run, Nykesha Sales didn #39;t want to take a break for halftime. Sales scored 13 of her 15 points in the first half and the Connecticut Sun beat the

Sun Leads Liberty in East Finals Sun 61, Liberty 51


Stewart Cink used a 2-under 68 on Saturday to extend his lead at the NEC Invitational to five shots while Tiger Woods and David Toms faded.

Cink Excels at NEC


Britain #39;s Yngling crew Shirley Robertson (M), Sarah Webb (R) and Sarah Ayton celebrate at award ceremony after winning the first title at the Athens Olympic Games on August 21, 2004.

Athens champion album - Aug. 21 (1)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Red Hat Inc. <A HREF=

Red Hat Names CFO After Restatements


SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Australian ear implant maker Cochlear Ltd. (COH.AU) said Monday it has moved quickly to lift production to meet increased demand from doctors following

INTERVIEW: Australia #39;s Cochlear To Ramp Up Output


OAKLAND, Calif. - Mark Mulder has lost his edge, and the Oakland Athletics are in ever-greater danger of losing their spot atop the AL West...

Rangers Clobber Athletics 10-3


One analyst complains that the gear maker is in a

3Com lowers revenue forecast


AP - The U.S. ambassador helped broker a cease-fire Tuesday to halt the latest bloody infighting in Afghanistan, persuading a warlord to pull away from a provincial capital as U.S. warplanes circled overhead.

U.S. Brokers Halt to Afghan Infighting (AP)


More than by brain size or tool-making ability, the human species was set apart from its ancestors by the ability to jog mile after lung-stabbing mile with greater endurance than any other primate, according to research published today in the journal

Study: Humans Were Born to Run


ISLAMABAD: India and Pakistan on Friday agreed to begin the train service between Munnabao in Rajasthan and Kokhrapar in Pakistan #39;s Sindh province and lay down necessary infrastructure, but failed to reach an understanding on the time schedule to start

India, Pak to reopen 2nd rail link


Offering a simple,

Iraq Leader Tells Congress That Sacrifice Won't Be in Vain


PARIS, Nov 3 (AFP) - The Palestinian Authority is ready to work with whoever emerges as the winner of the US presidential race as long as he is prepared to push forward the Middle East peace process, a senior adviser to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat

Palestinians  #39;ready to work #39; with any US administration


AFP - Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by 201 runs in the first cricket Test here to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in Faisalabad Test (AFP)


AP - A prominent Cuban doctor who was denied permission to travel to Buenos Aires to visit relatives was staying at the Argentine Embassy on Thursday, but her son said she does not plan to seek asylum in a case that has raised tensions between the two nations.

Cuban M.D. Staying at Argentine Embassy (AP)


After hanging up on long distance, the carrier dials for profits through Net telephony.

AT T's VoIP Venture


AP - Colombia's government on Tuesday shrugged off warnings from Marxist rebels that a massive offensive is endangering the lives of dozens of hostages, including three Americans.

Colombian Government Won't Halt Offensive (AP)


GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands - Hurricane Ivan pummeled the Cayman Islands with floodwaters that swamped homes and fierce winds that ripped off roofs, then strengthened to an extremely dangerous Category 5 storm as it headed for western Cuba on Monday.    The slow-moving hurricane, one of the strongest on record to hit the region, killed at least 65 people across the Caribbean before reaching the Caymans and threatens millions more in its projected path...

Hurricane Ivan Rolls Towards Cuba


Reuters - U.S. planes unleashed a fierce\attack on rebel targets in Najaf early on Thursday, a Reuters\witness said.

U.S. Launches Fierce Air Attack on Rebels in Najaf (Reuters)


Owners vote to extend Bud Selig's term as baseball commissioner for three years through 2009 in a unanimous vote Thursday.

Owners Extend Selig


com September 27, 2004, 2:20 PM PT. Toshiba on Monday announced in Japan that it #39;s upping the song capacity of its Gigabeat line of hard drive-based digital audio players.

Toshiba presses play on 60GB audio player


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Chicago Cubs registered an  important victory in their battle for the National League  wild-card berth, edging out the Expos 2-1 over 11 innings in  Montreal Wednesday.

NL Wrap: Baseball-Cubs Edge Expos to Maintain Wild-Card Pace


AP - Hundreds of protesters demanding that a local leader step down clashed with riot police Wednesday in an impoverished region of southern Russia, authorities said.

Russia Protest Seeks Leader's Resignation (AP)


A relaxed buildup, out of the spotlight, has been the key to Hamish Carter #39;s Olympic success. Carter led home a New Zealand gold and silver finish in the men #39;s triathlon on Thursday night, beating home teammate Bevan Docherty.

Relaxed Buildup For Carter


There is a strange La Liga round of fixtures in store, mainly because its difficult to tell if more than one game is taking place.

Liga Weekend Preview: El Clasico Dominates


Real Madrid sought to dampen speculation over the future of Fernando Morientes by issuing a statement saying the striker was not for sale.

Morientes not for sale, say Real Madrid


One Najaf family's shifting view of the fierce fighting that surrounds them.

Desert hospitality, honor, and the war outside the door


This was the afternoon before Game 4 between the Yankees and the Red Sox, a beautiful October afternoon on Newbury St. in Boston, one of the great walking streets anywhere.

He #39;s at home with history


The chief of the Indian Army says it will start to reduce the number of troops in Kashmir in line with an announcement last week by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Indian Army to cut Kashmir troop numbers


The abrupt ousting of Bombardier Inc. chief executive Paul Tellier yesterday was the culmination of 23 months of growing differences and frustration between him and the controlling shareholder, the Bombardier family, industry sources say.

Tellier clashed with owners


Passengers identified for additional security screening will now have their passes checked for explosives using document-scanning machines.

National Airport Tests Boarding Pass Screens


The Australian mobile carrier units of Vodafone Group PLC and Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. have agreed to roll out a combined third-generation (3G) cellular network in the country, they said Friday.

Vodafone, Optus agree on shared 3G network in Australia


An Israeli army officer who repeatedly shot a 13-year-old Palestinian girl in Gaza dismissed a warning from another soldier that she was a child by saying he would have killed her even if she was three years old.

Israeli officer: I was right to shoot 13-year-old child


The off week could not have come at a better time for 13th-ranked Virginia with quarterback Marques Hagans hobbled by an injured hip.

Cavs Get Needed Rest


TOKYO - NEC Electronics Inc. restarted production at its Yamagata, Japan, factory on Monday evening after a series of strong earthquakes over the weekend halted manufacturing. However, two factories near the epicenter of the quakes remain off-line and the companies that operate them have no estimate for when they will be back online.

NEC restarts factory after earthquake


DHAKA (Reuters) - Extra armed police patrolled the streets  of the Bangladeshi capital and traffic was light on Sunday, a  working day, as shocked Bangladeshis woke up to the aftermath  of grenade blasts that killed at least 17 people.

Bangladesh in Shock as Blast Toll Hits 17


Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) has abandoned plans to integrate a number of advanced technologies it acquired in its 2002 purchase of Compaq Computer Corp.

HP drops plans to put Compaq technology into HP-UX


Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi headed to Mexico to seal a free trade agreement after pledging to push for stronger relations between Japan and Brazil, South America #39;s largest country.

Koizumi, Silva Discuss Stronger Ties


NASA, the American space agency responsible for putting a man on the moon but who also lost seven astronauts in its 2003 Columbia Shuttle voyage and seven astronauts in its 1986 Challenger take-off, says the first space shuttle mission since the disaster

NASA To Send Space Shuttle Discovery and Seven Astronauts on STS <b>...</b>


PARMALAT, the bankrupt Italian food company, is suing outside auditors Grant Thornton and Deloitte  amp; Touche, seeking 5.5 billion in damages.

Parmalat to sue auditors


British Foreign Office minister Bill Rammell said Thursday that British ambassador to the Democratic People #39;s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has visited the site of a huge explosion that raised fears of a nuclear weapons test.

British ambassador visits DPRK blast site


Google #39;s foray into the desktop search market has this week hit it #39;s first competition, as rival offerings have been launched by both Microsoft and Ask Jeeves.

Desktop Search wars heat up


Reuters - Sudan rejected an offer of African troops\to disarm rebels in Darfur as peace talks began in Nigeria,\insisting it was capable of neutralizing both pro-government\and rebel militia fighting in the western region.

Sudan Rejects Africa Troop Offer at Darfur Talks (Reuters)


By ALEX VEIGA    LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Despite evidence that sharing music and movies online remains popular, a report issued Tuesday by a committee of entertainment and university leaders says universities have made strides the past year to curtail online piracy.    The report, submitted to Congress by the Joint Committee of the Higher Education and Entertainment Communities, highlights steps taken by the universities to tackle Internet piracy but offers few details of their effectiveness...

Report Shows Universities Curtailing Online Piracy


The American dream of Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz has become reality with his purchase of Jaguar. The Austrian billionaire has been involved in Formula One for a decade

F1 Red Bull #39;s takes over Jaguar


HOUSTON (Reuters) - Halliburton Co. <A HREF=

Halliburton Posts Loss on Asbestos Charge


Some of YUKOSs assets will be sold through the Russian Federal Property Fund, the Justice Ministrys Main Department in Moscow said on Tuesday.

Parts of YUKOS to be sold


ATHENS, Greece Nov 1, 2004 - With a prosecutor expected to announce the results Tuesday of an investigation into a doping scandal that disgraced Greece #39;s two top sprinters, former Olympic champion Kostas Kenteris insisted he never tried to evade drug

Greek Sprinter Wants to Clear His Name


Oracle's \$7.7 billion takeover offer for PeopleSoft has been extended several times already and was set to expire today.

Oracle again extends PeopleSoft offer


Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFL Players Association, told team owners Wednesday that the league #39;s 1,700 players should receive a larger share of the

Upshaw: Players Want a New Deal


The discovery of remains belonging to a tiny species of ancient human has been hailed as one of the most sensational finds of its type in decades.

'Hobbit' joins human family tree


Tim Henman is already looking forward to the Masters event in Houston and believes he has a good chance of finishing the tennis season on a high.

Henman targets Houston


Nikolai Moiseyev informed space officials from other countries about Russia #39;s International Space Station program, which includes studies aimed at the exploration of the solar system and the use of automated spacecraft.

Russia May Have Moon Base by 2025


The organization of  quot;Qaida al-Jihad in the Mesopotamia quot; which is led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi said it had kidnapped one member of the Japanese forces in Iraq and threatened to execute him if Tokyo will not withdraw its forces from Iraq within 48 hours.

Al-Zarqawi group kidnaps one Japanese


Baghdad - US troops were preventing a Red Crescent convoy of emergency aid from reaching helpless residents inside Fallujah on Saturday after allowing it as far as the main hospital, a spokesperson said.

Red Crescent barred from city


AP - Pinch-hitter Ross Gload came through with an RBI single in the ninth inning, and the Chicago White Sox ended the Oakland Athletics' eight-game winning streak with a 5-4 victory Wednesday night.

White Sox Cool Off Athletics 5-4 (AP)


NEW YORK - The campaigns of President Bush and Sen. John Kerry are working on the final details for a series of presidential debates set to begin at the end of the month...

Bush, Kerry Tentatively OK Three Debates


SPACE.com - CLEVELAND, OH \-- As NASA readies the space shuttle fleet to fly again, \the agency's risk management teams are also paying attention to risk issues that \affect the International Space Station.

NASA Prepares for Future Space Exploration Risk (SPACE.com)


Russian officials are checking the identity of two female passengers in their investigiation into almost simultaneous plane crashes earlier this week.

Terrorists suspected of destroying Russian planes


New Zealand coach John Bracewell is sceptical about the preparation of the pitch for the Chappell-Hadlee Series decider, suggesting the Australians want to neutralise Black Caps spinner, Daniel Vettori.

Bracewell sceptical about pitch


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Output growth at U.S. Mid-Atlantic  factories eased in November but still suggested the  manufacturing sector was operating at a healthy clip.

Mid-Atlantic Factory Growth Slows in Nov.


AFP - Rockets rained on cities and military outposts across Afghanistan as the war-weary nation prepared to go to the polls in Saturday's historic presidential elections.

Rockets rain on Afghanistan ahead of vote (AFP)


Free daily eight-minute video featuring pollster-in-chief Frank Newport as a stand-up anchor talking about the firm's latest polling data goes online at 6 a.m. Monday through Friday. <FONT face=

Gallup Poll Moves Online With Webcast


The long awaiting video game, Halo 2, hit shelves this week with an expected take of \$80 million in first day sales. The Xbox game by Bungie Studios (acquired by Microsoft due to the success of the first Halo

Halo 2 an Immediate Success


The UN Security Council is due to vote on a draft resolution calling on Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon and respect Lebanese sovereignty.

UN vote due on Syria resolution


Reuters - The Xbox version of

'Doom 3' Game Unlikely for Xbox This Year - Id CEO (Reuters)


Companies expand security alliance to help businesses keep worms and viruses from getting onto networks.

IBM, Cisco tackle security's weak link


Crude oil futures prices fell Tuesday as concerns about reduced output in the North Sea were offset by expectations that an upcoming government report would show rising inventories of heating oil.

Crude Futures Fall Ahead of Weekly Stocks Report


Nvidia, a video chip maker, is to provide the graphics engine for Sony #39;s next-generation PlayStation. Nvidia shares rose more than 8 per cent on the news as analysts forecast

Nvidia to provide PlayStation graphics


Iraq's interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi announced that proceedings would begin against former Baath Party leaders.

War Crime Trials Against Saddam to Start Next Week


VIENNA (Reuters) - There is little hope U.N. inspectors  will find any secret Iranian atomic weapons program without  increased inspection powers, Western diplomats and a  non-proliferation expert said on Thursday.

UN Needs More Power to Find Any Iran Nukes -Envoys


Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said Rio Ferdinand had a calming influence on the team during yesterday #39;s 2-1 victory over archrival Liverpool, the defender #39;s first match after a drug ban.

Ferdinand Returns, Helps United Beat Liverpool 2-1 (Update1)


The World Health Organization is urging Southeast Asian nations to strengthen curbs on tobacco trade. Shigeru Omi, the WHO regional director for the Western Pacific, told a conference of the Association of

WHO Urges ASEAN to Curb Tobacco Trade


AP - The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to decide when governments may seize people's homes and businesses for economic development projects, a key question as cash-strapped cities seek ways to generate tax revenue.

Court Takes on Question of Seizing Land (AP)


A faster-than-expected thaw of the Arctic is likely to open legendary short-cut routes between the Pacific and the Atlantic, but experts say icebergs and high costs will prevent any transpolar shipping boom.

Arctic meltdown opens alternative sea routes


A view shows Gaza from an Israeli guard tower at the border area of the Gaza strip and the Jewish settelment of Nissanit. Photo: AFP.

2000 troops amass to stop Gaza rockets


AFP - If people in the sleepy northern English town of Kidsgrove ever wondered why their letters went missing, the jailing of postal worker Nicholas Fryer for stealing 133,000 items of mail might have provided an answer.

Postal worker jailed for stealing letters -- 133,000 of them (AFP)


LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair has  had a successful operation for recurrent heart palpitations and  is

Report: Blair Recovering Well After Heart Operation


The European Commission faces a new crisis after it was revealed incoming French commissioner Jacques Barrot has a fraud conviction.

Call for action over  #39;fraud #39; Commissioner


AP - Andy Roddick has yet to face a challenge in his U.S. Open title defense. He beat No. 18 Tommy Robredo of Spain 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 Tuesday night to move into the quarterfinals without having lost a set.

Roddick Wins in Straight Sets Over Robredo (AP)


Number Ten Ox writes  quot;According to The Register the BBC wants help to develop their open source video codec Dirac.  #39;Lead developer Dr.

BBC Wants Help With Dirac Codec


Celtic midfielder Alan Thompson insists fears Martin ONeill might have managed Celtic in Europe for the final time will prove unfounded.

Thompson Does Not Fear O #39;Neill Exit


Germany woke up to fears that the political tremors sparked by state elections in Saxony and Brandenburg on Sunday could lead to deeper division within their country and scare off investors.

Gains by Extremist Parties Troubling


COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Former Olympic gold medalist Alvin Harrison accepted a four-year suspension from the US Anti-Doping Agency on Tuesday for drug violations uncovered in the BALCO case.

Harrison Accepts Four-Year Suspension


Annika Sorenstam shot a second-round 68 to open up a three-shot halfway lead at the ADT Tour Championship at Trump International in West Palm Beach, Florida.

SORENSTAM STAYS AHEAD


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were poised for a bounce  at the open on Tuesday as investors hunt bargains a day after  surging oil prices sent the major U.S. stock indexes to their  lowest levels in weeks.

Stocks Seen Up as Value Hunters Step In


Sun execs say they're telling it like it is: HP's Unix offering is on its last legs. HP says they're flat-out wrong.

HP to Sun: Get the facts straight


China #39;s appetite for raw materials shows no sign of abating, with four Chinese steel mills agreeing to buy an extra \$3.2 billion of Australian iron ore over the next 10 years, global miner BHP Billiton said Tuesday.

Chinese steel mills still buying


A video purporting to show the killings of Nepalese kidnapped in Iraq was posted on a Web site linked to militants.

12 Nepalese Reportedly Executed in Iraq


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar weakened broadly on  Thursday, reversing a short-lived rally on news that China had  raised interest rates as the market decided Beijing's move did  not radically change dollar-bearish market fundamentals.

The Dollar Weakens Broadly


Tokyo stocks opened moderately higher Monday on bargain hunting following Friday #39;s losses. The US dollar was up against the Japanese yen.

Tokyo Stocks Open Higher, US Dollar Up


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

Delta Air Lines Posts a Larger Loss


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eastman Kodak Co. <A HREF=

Kodak Reiterates Outlook


The boy named by the Chinese authorities as the 11th Panchen Lama visits a temple in Tibet.

China's Panchen Lama visits Tibet


The death toll in one of China #39;s major coal mine disaster is set to rise to 204 with officials nearly giving up hope of finding the missing 148 miners alive in central China #39;s Henan province.

Hope for over 148 missing Chinese miners slim: Official


Move to save hundreds of thousands of dollars on short-haul flights, decrease turn-around time. DALLAS, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Cost cutting at American Airlines may cost passengers some sleep as the airline has removed pillows on about half of its fleet.

American yanks pillows


Player of the game: Minnesota QB Daunte Culpepper passed for 248 yards and two TDs, and also ran for a score. Key stat: The Bears had 14 penalties for 101 yards.

Hurtin #39; for certain Grossman injured late in Bears #39; loss to <b>...</b>


UK scientists say pollen enabled them to help to convict people in Bosnia on charges of genocide.

Pollen helps war crime forensics


LONDON (Reuters) - News German investor confidence had  plunged to its lowest level in almost 2 years gave the dollar  much needed support on Tuesday and European shares eased from  6-month highs after a mixed bag of earnings results.

Dlr Regains Poise After ZEW Slump


Whenever the deal gets done this time, it #39;s going to be done in its entirety. They #39;ll dot the i #39;s and cross the t #39;s and get the lawyers to sign off on each and every last collectively bargained word.

NHL vs. NHLPA


GENEVA (AFP) - Two-thirds of Swiss voters approved a new law that allows medical research on stem cells taken from human embryos but bars cloning, official results from a referendum showed.

Swiss voters approve stem cell research using human embryos


Motorola Inc. says it #39;s ready to make inroads in the cell-phone market after posting a third straight strong quarter and rolling out a series of new handsets in time for the holiday selling season.

Update 6: Motorola Expands Cell-Phone Market Niche


This book attempts to demolish the notion that ''new is better. quot; For the most part, it succeeds. Sergio Zyman and coauthor Armin A. Brott build a solid foundation for their argument that innovation can be disastrous for the bottom line. Innovation is like a sugar high, they say -- a quick fix that just doesn't work.

When business innovation leads to disaster


AP - Gen. Andi Muhammad Jusuf, a former Indonesian army chief who played a pivotal role in the rise to power of former dictator Suharto nearly four decades ago, has died. He was 76.

Indonesia's Gen. Andi Muhammad Jusuf Dies (AP)


Rivals XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio both have ventured again to the automotive industry in their latest efforts to land new subscribers, announcing separate distribution agreements Tuesday with Toyota Motor Corp.

Toyota strikes satellite radio deals with rivals XM, Sirius


washingtonpost.com - New laws aimed at prosecuting big-time Internet spammers, helping small businesses and elevating lacrosse to the status of

From Spam To Lacrosse, A Day for The Books (washingtonpost.com)


Microsoft says it has revised its proposal to weed out spam email to win over sceptical internet engineers who have been reluctant to adopt technology owned by the dominant software company.

Microsoft revises anti-spam standard


Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova flattened Anne Kremer of Luxembourg 6-0, 6-2 on Saturday and cruised into the Korea Open final.

Sharapova advances to Korea Open final


There #39;s something to be said for being the  quot;first mover quot; in an industry trend. Those years of extra experience in tinkering with a new idea can be invaluable in helping the first

Honda #39;s Perpetual Motion Machines


Rebel groups walked out of peace talks with the Sudanese government in Abuja, Nigeria, Saturday in protest of alleged attacks in the Darfur region.

Rebel groups boycott Dardur talks


Police are patrolling the streets of the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, after a series of grenade blasts killed at least 16 people. At least seven grenades were thrown at a rally yesterday of more than 3,000 supporters of the main opposition Awami League.

Dhaka tense after grenade blasts kill 16


Reuters - They rarely see each other, spend\winters in different countries and don't communicate for long\periods but pairs of a species of Icelandic migratory birds\know exactly when to return home to breed.

Scientists Puzzled by Synchrony of Migratory Birds (Reuters)


Miamis Frank Gore (3) runs past Georgia Techs Dawan Landry (20) during Saturdays game at Georgia Tech. Gore rushed for 127 yards on 25 carries.

Injuries piling up for thin Yellow Jackets


French President Jacques Chirac #39;s China visit is sure to boost Sino-French all-round strategic partnership, Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong said here Saturday.

Chirac #39;s visit sure to boost Sino-French strategic partnership <b>...</b>


CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Vince Carter scored 20 points as the Toronto Raptors completed their NBA pre-season with a 100-92 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Air Canada Centre on Friday.

Carter leads Raptors past Cavaliers


BAGHDAD, Iraq - Two American soldiers were killed and two others were wounded in separate attacks involving roadside bombs, U.S. officials said Thursday, and 20 Iraqis were arrested in the north in operations against those suspected of planting explosives...

U.S. Raises Alert in Baghdad's Green Zone


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A senior official in Iraq's  Communications Ministry was shot dead as he was driving to work  in Baghdad on Thursday, a source at the ministry said.

Gunmen Kill Senior Iraqi Ministry Official


Tony Delk and Predrag Drobjnak both scored 16 points as the Atlanta Hawks stunned the defending NBA champion Detroit Pistons 88-72 in National Basketball Association play Friday in Auburn Hills.

NBA Wrap: Hawks Stun Injury-Plagued Pistons


Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo has fired his army chief of staff, Gen Mathias Doue, the BBC reported Saturday. Gbagbo hired Col Philipe Mangou, the field commander

Ivorian president fires army chief


quot;disengage quot; from conflict with Palestinians by evacuating all Jewish settlers from Gaza and a few from the West Bank in 2005.

Israel kills five after renewed Hamas threat


WinZip Computing warned last month of a security flaw in WinZip, its compression/decompression tool that runs on the Windows platform.

WinZip patches security flaw


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Brown-Forman Corp. <A HREF=

Brown-Forman Earnings Jump 67 Percent


BHP Billiton today announced the approval of the US\$990 million Spence Copper Project in northern Chile. The project will have a designed capacity to produce 200,000 tonnes of copper cathode per annum and will have a mine life of 19 years.

BHP Billiton Approved \$990m Copper Project in Chile


Craig Smith can shoot 3-pointers. Honest, he can. And, if you let him, he can swoop in for the rebound, dribble up the court, and finish off the transition basket. His ballhandling skills have taken a quantum leap. Really, you should see it. But you won't.

Eagle eye


A new national backup system meant to ensure that millions of eligible voters are not mistakenly turned away from the polls this year as they were in 2000 could cause Election Day problems.

Backup Voting -- Could Be a Mess


The company behind China's leading Linux client distribution, Red Flag Software Co. Ltd., is shifting its main focus to its server operating system and enterprise customers, and planning to expand sales overseas, the company's acting president said in an interview on Friday.

China's Red Flag Linux to focus on enterprise


Despite showing strong growth, IVAX (AMEX: IVX) shares are getting pounded after the drug maker posted third-quarter results that still came in below analyst expectations and

Is IVAX Ailing?


Nortel Networks Corp. said Wednesday it intends to file its long-delayed financial statements for the first two quarters of 2004 on Jan. 10 of next year.

Nortel to File Statements Next Year


AP - Prime Minister Tony Blair, skirting a direct apology, acknowledged to his Labour Party Tuesday that intelligence used to justify the invasion of Iraq was wrong, but insisted the world was safer with Saddam Hussein in prison.

Blair Defends War, Urges Labour to Unite (AP)


Two friends of detained Orioles pitcher Sidney Ponson who escaped jail last week have been recaptured, and police are continuing an investigation into allegations that Ponson punched a judge on Christmas Day at an Aruba beach.

Two Friends of Ponson Detained


CHICAGO (Reuters) - Coventry Health Care Inc. <A HREF=

Coventry Health to Buy First Health


AP - Six gas company employees were sentenced to prison from three to six years Saturday over a gas well leak that killed 243 people in southwestern China, one of the country's worst-ever industrial accidents.

Employees Sentenced Over Gas Leak in China (AP)


Reuters - Gerald Rubin is looking for\someone who can take a picture of a thought.

Wealthy New Lab Aims to Capture Dreams, Literally (Reuters)


TORONTO -- A roaring jobs market in Canada and disappointing jobs data from the United States helped the Canadian dollar crack 80 cents US in trading yesterday for the first time in more than a decade.

Loonie hits 80 cents for first time in decade


As he hiked up a steep trail winding into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park a few days ago, Don Barger reached into his pack, pulled out his cell phone - and turned it off.

In a national park, the call of the wild: Is it cellular?


Reuters - SpaceShipOne completed the first\leg of its bid for a  #36;10-million civilian space prize with a\wild corkscrew-like ascent into space above the California\desert on Wednesday.

Private Rocket Ship Lands in California After Flight (Reuters)


The supermarket group Morrisons today revealed that Safeway #39;s performance had continued to decline, with like-for-like sales 7.9 per cent lower in the first half.

Morrisons find Safeway hard to digest


ATHENS -- A year ago in Anaheim, Calif., they were out of uniform and on crutches, their world meet over before it began, their careers in doubt. Annia Hatch had dislocated her left knee and torn her anterior cruciate ligament. Courtney Kupets had ruptured her left Achilles' tendon. Last night, they were both on the Olympic medal stand with medals ...

Hardware in store for Hatch, Kupets


Scientists believe measuring your waist could be a better indicator of future health than weighing yourself.

Waistline linked to health risks


Earthlink filed a federal lawsuit in Atlanta, Georgia, accusing 50  quot;John Does quot; of violating the federal CAN-SPAM Act and various other state and federal statutes, including the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the Georgia Computer Systems Protection

ISPs File Next Barrage of Anti-Spam Lawsuits


The No. 1 pick in the NFL was given the starting job Monday after coach Tom Coughlin benched two-time MVP Kurt Warner following losses in three of the last four games.

Giants turn to Manning


There were no fancy words or phrases tossed around yesterday by the man officially named the 10th manager in Blue Jays history. John Gibbons was never one for fancy talk either when managing the Jays on an

Gibbons on hot seat


PARIS (Reuters) - Police have detained five suspected  Islamic militants as part of a French inquiry into the Sept. 11  attacks, French judicial sources said on Wednesday.

French Police Detain Five in 9/11 Probe


Minnesota may have spoiled Boston University's final game at Walter Brown Arena by claiming a 2-1 victory at the old barn Sunday, but the Terriers weren't going to let the Golden Gophers ruin their inaugural game at Agganis Arena.

Grand opening for Terriers


The Web search company said it will commence its share  buyback offer today for the 23.4 million common shares it may  have issued improperly to previous and current employees and  consultants.

Stocks to Watch Tuesday


DALLAS - What do you get for that special someone who has just about everything? How about a personal zeppelin? The 12-seater could be yours for a mere \$10 million from the 2004 Neiman Marcus Christmas Book.    Other gifts in the book include a \$1.7 million winged submarine, jeweled Mr...

Neimen Marcus Selling Zeppelin for \$10M


The Thai authorities say they are to release 900 people detained six days ago during a protest in the south of the country in which 85 Muslims died.

Thailand to free 900 protesters


PARIS (Reuters) - Yasser Arafat's nephew said on Monday  that medical records released by France showed no trace of  known poisons in the late Palestinian leader but the cause of  death remained a mystery.

Arafat's Nephew Says Cause of Death Inconclusive


LONDON National Grid Transco, the owner of Britain #39;s power and natural gas grids, said on Tuesday that it would sell half of its gas-distribution networks for 5.

Gas lines in Britain to be sold


India's Supreme Court orders a key Muslim witness to explain why she changed statements in a Gujarat riot case.

Riot witness to clarify testimony


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks fell on Friday, pressured by  declines in the drug and semiconductor sectors and  by  slower-than-expected U.S. jobs growth in September.

Stocks Drop as Drug, Chip Sectors Weigh


ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast - A pro-government  quot;Jeune Patriote quot; militia supporter holds a sign in French which translates to  quot;We are ready to fight the rebellion quot; at a demonstration in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on Thursday, Nov.

Ivory Coast loyalists fear leader #39;s overthrow


The Scot told the Rovers playing squad of his decision this morning after agreeing to replace Sir Bobby Robson on Tyneside. In one of football #39;s strange quirks, Newcastle

Souness is Newcastle boss


Lower your monthly payment and get one easy bill with Loan to Learn #153;. Private student loans or private plus federal are accepted. Apply online for fast approval and competitive rates.

ADV: Shrink Your Monthly Student Loan Payment


President Vladimir Putin outlined plans Monday to

Putin Tightens Grip on Power in Russia


European Tour Members Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Lee Westwood share the lead with Australian Stuart Appleby after the first round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, South Africa.

Els, Goosen and Westwood Share the Lead in South Africa


US television broadcasters Monday labeled as inadequate planned legislation to ensure millions of consumers can still watch television once broadcasters begin airing only in digital.

US broadcasters object to planned digital TV bill


(CBS) I have no idea whether Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates stays up at night worrying about his empire but, if he does, he may very well be losing sleep over the Mozilla Foundation.

Can Mozilla Beat Godzilla?


Charlotte, NC -- LeBron James poured in a game-high 19 points and Jeff McInnis scored 18 as the Cleveland Cavaliers routed the Charlotte Bobcats, 106-89, at the Charlotte Coliseum.

NBA Game Summary - Cleveland At Charlotte


AP - Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez thinks his team's thrilling come-from-behind victory at Purdue could be the start of something special. The Badgers jumped four spots in the AP Top 25 to No. 6 after their 20-17 win over Purdue on Saturday and are primed for a run at the national championship.

Badgers Primed for Championship Run (AP)


Following the Celtics' 95-92 loss to the Bulls Tuesday night, Ricky Davis scanned the box score and shook his head.

A new line on Davis


US scientists have found a way to indentify exactly which desktop printer produced which document.

Printers betray document secrets


Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United States on Friday of pursuing a dictatorial foreign policy and said mounting violence could derail progress toward bringing peace and democracy to Iraq.

Russia #39;s Putin Calls US Policy  #39;Dictatorial #39;


A Boeing Co.-led team has successfully fired for the first time a powerful laser meant to fly aboard a modified 747 as part of a US ballistic missile defense shield, officials said on Friday.

US Airborne Laser Advances to  #39;First Light #39;


Health India: London, Nov 4 : Cosmetic face cream used by fashionable Roman women was discovered at an ongoing archaeological dig in London, in a metal container, complete with the lid and contents.

Roman women #39; beauty skin cream secrets revealed:


ROD LAVER, the last of only two men to win tennis #39; calender year Grand Slam, believes Roger Federer can become the first modern-day player to emulate his rare feat.

Federer can win all four: Laver


MARTINSVILLE, Va.  Ryan Newman on Friday put himself in position to make up ground in NASCAR #39;s Chase for the Championship by winning the pole for Sunday #39;s Subway 500.

Behind in Chase, Newman up front


Recep Tayyip Erdogan has come a long way in a short time. Just five years ago he was considered a dangerous subversive, sitting out a nine-month jail term for inciting religious hatred.

A Good European?


FLORIDA ST. (7-2) vs. N.C. STATE (4-5) When, where: Tonight, 7:30, at Raleigh, N.C. TV, radio: ESPN, WESX (1230). Last season: Florida State won, 50-44. Comments: Last week, the No. 11 Seminoles beat Duke, 29-7, but North Carolina State is reeling after three consecutive losses. Quarterback Wyatt Sexton will get the start for the Seminoles; he replaced Chris Rix last ...

College football on TV tonight


CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Sports Network) - Luther Head had a  game-high 17 points and Dee Brown added 15 along with nine  assists as top-ranked Illinois cruised to a 78-59 victory over  in-state foe Chicago State at Assembly Hall.

College Basketball: Illinois, UConn Cruise; Virginia Upset


OISKHARA, Russia - Against a backdrop of war and squalor, Chechens voted Sunday for a replacement for their assassinated president in a vote the Kremlin hopes will bring some stability to the violence-torn region. A man was killed when he attempted to blow up a polling station...

Blast Kills Man at Chechen Polling Station


Ford Motor Co. of Canada #39;s rivals will be watching closely today as the automaker makes a widely-anticipated announcement confirming its plans to build a \$1-billion flexible manufacturing plant in Oakville, Ont.

Rivals await Ford #39;s plans


Hank Kuehne and Jeff Sluman birdied four of the last five holes and beat Justin Leonard and Steve Flesch by two strokes at the Franklin Templeton Shootout on Sunday.

Kuehne, Sluman win second straight Franklin Templeton Shootout <b>...</b>


AP - The Detroit Lions signed rookie offensive line Sean Bubin from Jacksonville's practice squad on Friday.

Lions Sign Bubin From Jags' Practice Squad (AP)


JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African police said on  Thursday two suspects had been arrested in a probe into  violations of laws related to weapons of mass destruction  (WMD).

S.Africa Makes Two Fresh Arrests on WMD Charges


A father of a seriously ill premature baby has pleaded with the High Court not to allow doctors to let her die.

Don't let baby die, pleads father


RALEIGH, NC State lawmakers have approved a 242 (m) million dollar incentives package to bring a Dell computer manufacturing plant to the Triad.

Lawmakers approve \$242 million package for Dell


Why to watch: It seems like two months, not two weeks, since we last saw USC get by Virginia Tech and while the Trojans have maintained its hold on the number one spot in most polls, a little luster has come off this seemingly invincible team.

Week of September 11th, 2004 - Part 2


TODAY AUTO RACING 1:30 p.m. -- NASCAR Busch Series BI-LO qualifying at Darlington, S.C., Speed Channel 3 p.m. -- NASCAR Nextel Cup Mountain Dew 500 qualifying at Darlington, S.C., Speed Channel 8 p.m. -- NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Darlington 200 at Darlington, S.C., Speed Channel PRO BASKETBALL 7:30 p.m. -- Celtics vs. Charlotte at the FleetCenter, FSN, WWZN (1510) 8 p.m. ...

This weekend's sports on TV, radio


The nation's colleges and universities are taking more aggressive steps to curb rampant Internet music piracy, according to a report released today. <FONT face=

Colleges Rally Against Music Piracy


Bee Sports Columnist. BEIJING - The world probably gets smaller only a little bit at a time. When Peja Stojakovic watched Yao Ming moving gracefully through a sea of people here late Sunday

Mark Kreidler: An ocean away, an experience to savor


Payment system Paypal announces a tie-up with Apple's iTunes as it continues to secure new business with online retailers.

Paypal and Apple iTunes link-up


The Windows Future Storage (WinFS) technology that got cut out of Windows  quot;Longhorn quot; is in serious trouble, and not just the hot water a feature might encounter for missing its intended production vehicle.

Cut From Longhorn, WinFS Is in Peril


ROME: Rudi Voller (pic) quit as coach of Roma after just four league matches following their 3-1 defeat away to Bologna on Saturday.

Voeller dumps troubled AS Roma


TYPHOON Chaba is expected to bring heavy rain and high winds to large areas in south-western Japan over the weekend. At noon (1pm AEST), the typhoon was located at 290km west of Minami-Daitojima island, with

Typhoon Chaba nears Japan


Rivals to Internet search giant Google Inc. rode the momentum of its long-awaited initial public offering and saw mixed gains in early trading Thursday, but sank near the closing bell as Google #39;s shares remained

Update 1: Net Rivals Rise and Fall on Google IPO


Tens of thousands of Antarctic penguin chicks could starve to death in the next few weeks as a huge iceberg blocks access to coastal feeding grounds, a New Zealand official said today.

Penguin Chicks Face Starvation as Iceberg Blocks Food Route


The kids of the abuse-hysteria generation have grown up. Many are living with the fact that they were part of a big lie. Some, like Ed Sampley, are now trying to make amends.

Who Was Abused?


_ Olympic champion Nicolas Massu defeated Karol Kucera 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4 at the CA Trophy tournament on Tuesday. In the final set, the second-seeded Massu broke Kucera #39;s serve at 2-all and then closed out the match.

Olympic champion Massu gets win in Vienna


Oil prices inched closer to \$50 a barrel Thursday even as the Bush administration considered tapping the nation #39;s emergency stockpile of crude on behalf of refiners whose supply was disrupted by Hurricane Ivan.

Update 5: Oil Prices Climb Despite Gov #39;t Statement


The Florida Marlins are trying to make their move in the NL wild-card race. Damion Easley, starting because of an injury to Luis Castillo, hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning

Marlins #39; Miguel Cabrera reacts after hitting a two-run home run. <b>...</b>


FRANK Lowy #39;s Westfield Group dominates the listed property trust sector by size and remains a favoured stock among brokers. After the \$27 billion merger of the three Westfield trusts earlier

Westfield Group still a favourite


Magna International Inc., Canada #39;s largest auto parts supplier, offered to buy the shares that it doesn #39;t own in three units for as much as C\$1.

Magna International Offers to Take 3 Units Private (Update2)


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - An emerging wireless  communications technology called WiMAX, which can blanket  entire cities with high-speed Internet connections, will rival  DSL and cable as the preferred way to connect homes and  businesses to the Internet, Intel Corp. said on Tuesday.

Wireless Technology to Rival Cable, DSL - Intel


Rdiger Assion, a spokesman for General Motors, trying to persuade union members striking over the company #39;s plans to cut 12,000 jobs at its Opel plants in Germany that strikes would risk more jobs.

On the record: Rdiger Assion, Michel Camdessus, Stephen Roach


AP - The United Nations has condemned the rebel capture of a town in Darfur province, saying it violates a cease-fire agreement and jeopardizes the lives of tens of thousands of people who will not receive aid because of the fighting.

U.N. Condemns Rebel Capture of Darfur Town (AP)


About 200 colleagues of kidnapped aid worker Margaret Hassan, who went missing a week ago today, gathered at a rally in Baghdad to demand her release.

Baghdad Rally for Kidnapped Margaret Hassan


ATA Holdings Corp., parent of ATA Airlines, the nation #39;s 10th-largest carrier, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization yesterday, becoming the third US airline operating under court protection.

ATA Is Latest Airline to File For Protection


SANTA CLARA, CALIF. -- Noting two evolving areas of software licensing, Microsoft is pondering how to license when multiple instances of an application are run on a single computer, but is not eyeing a plan for utility-based computing, in which charges are based on individual usage.

Microsoft ponders licensing for app virtualization scenarios


Security experts say that attacks using image files could bypass established defenses.

JPEG exploit could beat antivirus software


AFP - Philippine carriers Smart Communications and Globe Telecom lead telcos worldwide in reaping revenues from cellular data transfers, according to a report in Business World.

Philippine telcos lead world in texting profits (AFP)


Reuters - Business software maker  Oracle\Corp. (ORCL.O) said on Thursday it extended again its  #36;7.7\billion hostile tender offer for PeopleSoft Inc. (PSFT.O), to\Sept. 10, as it awaits a U.S. District Court judge's ruling on\whether the takeover attempt can move forward.

Oracle Extends Offer for PeopleSoft (Reuters)


NAIROBI -- Wangari Maathai made a typically combative start to her first full day as a Nobel laureate yesterday, defending a recent suggestion that the HIV virus might have been made in a laboratory as a plot against Africans.

Nobel laureate defends her suggestion that AIDS stems from plot


Ministers were this weekend embroiled in a stars for Labour row after they were told to use their contacts with the rich and famous to get them to back the party.

Sunday Times:


Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of major league baseball players have taken steroids in the last few years. Yet no player has ever been suspended for steroid use.

Athletes cheat way to fame and fortune


Nokia has unveiled the Nokia NFC (near field communication) shell, which allows consumers to access services and exchange information with a touch gesture using NFC technology - a technology that emerged from the combination of contactless identification

Nokia unveils near field communication product


TONY EASTLEY: Residents of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, are bracing themselves for a big military assault, after Iraq #39;s interim prime minister warned that time for negotiations was running out.

Allawi threatens Fallujah with military assault


AP - Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on Tuesday said British spy masters have formally withdrawn the intelligence that Iraqi troops could deploy some chemical and biological weapons on 45 minutes notice, information used as a rationale for joining the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

Britain Withdraws Iraq Weapons Claims (AP)


Sun Microsystems plans to unveil on Monday the latest version of its flagship Solaris operating system. It also intends to offer a free version of the program to

Sun to Introduce Newest Version of Solaris Today


Iraqi soldiers and US troops Tuesday targeted seven mosques in Ramadi in a bid to roust insurgents and their weaponry, CNN reported.

US forces target seven Iraqi mosques


The Ministry of Commerce filed a protest Thursday over the possible imposition of quotas in the United States on five categories of garment imports.

Quota Move on Garments Riles China


ATHENS France, Britain and the United States issued a joint challenge Thursday to Germany #39;s gold medal in equestrian team three-day eventing.

3 countries will appeal in eventing


With the addition of the powerhouses Miami and Virginia Tech this year, there is little doubt that football has become the new money sport that drives the Atlantic Coast Conference. But the sport of champions in the A.C.C., for now, remains men's basketball.

The A.C.C. Runs Deep and Strong This Season


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two television advertisements for  Pfizer Inc.'s <A HREF=

FDA to Pfizer: Pull Wild Thing Viagra Ad


The purchasing power of kids is a big part of why the back-to-school season has become such a huge marketing phenomenon.

Kids Rule for Back-to-School


Charles H. Bell, the chief executive of the McDonald #39;s Corporation, is recuperating after another surgery, the company said on Saturday.

Chief of McDonald #39;s Has More Surgery


For those who would like more control over when and how they listen to radio shows, whether classical music in the afternoon or a soccer game at midnight, there is a new option from Griffin Technology: the RadioShark.

Gadget of the week: Catch and hold radio programs


The prosecutor in Oakland County, Mich., today filed criminal charges against five Indiana Pacers and five fans for their parts in a brawl last month in a game against the Detroit Pistons.

5 NBA Players and 7 Fans Are Charged in Brawl


While criminal trials await other former Enron Corp. executives, the Houston-based company #39;s former director of investor relations has agreed to pay \$1.

Ex-Exron exec to pay \$1.49M to settle charges


Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts Inc. (DJTC.OB: Quote, Profile, Research) , struggling to stave off a bankruptcy filing, has reached a preliminary agreement with investors to restructure

Trump said to strike deal to save casinos-NYTimes


Is Alicia Molik the great white hope of Australian women #39;s tennis? It might be unfair to burden the 23-year-old with that tag, but following her win over Maria Sharapova in the \$1.

Molik carries weight of expectation


The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says Darfur refugees live in fear, and  that rape is widespread.

Darfur 'fear and rape' decried


French Finance Minister Nicolas Sarkozy meets with counterpart Wolfgang Clement in Berlin on Monday in an attempt to heal the recent rifts in Franco-German industrial relations with plans for a shipbuilding alliance.

Mending the Franco-German Industrial Rift


On Wednesday, gunmen fired at a convoy carrying Ahmad Chalabi, a former Iraq Governing Council member and one-time US ally, wounding two of his bodyguards.

Gunmen fire on Chalabi convoy


United Air Lines is revamping the way aircraft mechanics get maintenance information and parts illustrations using global content management software from Enigma Inc.

United Air Lines takes off with Enigma content management


Taliban-linked kidnappers of three UN election workers, including a British woman, claimed today that a deal could be close for their release.

Hope Rises for Release of Afghanistan Hostages


Typhoon Meari swept across Japan Thursday, leaving 16 people dead and 12 missing in the country #39;s worst storm of the year. Casualties were especially high in four prefectures

Typhoon Meari leaves 16 dead, 12 missing


MG Rover is about to seal a 1bn agreement to help build 200,000 cars a year in China.

MG Rover on brink of China deal


At this week's Directions 2004 user conference, Sanjiv Sidhu, the co-founder, chairman and interim CEO of supply chain management software maker i2 Technologies Inc., talked about his company's plans.

Q A: i2's Sanjiv Sidhu on SCM strategies


AP - A nearly 13 million-year-old ape discovered in Spain is the last probable common ancestor to all living humans and great apes, a research team says in Friday's issue of Science magazine.

Ancient Animal Could Be Human-Ape Ancestor (AP)


Several organisations will celebrate Saturday #39;s International Software Freedom Day by hosting open source events around the country.

Celebrating Open Source


Two federal police agents were discovered wounded but alive on Friday near Cancun, a day after nine other people in the area were found slain in what appeared to be drug-related violence.

Wounded Mexican police appear day after 9 people found shot near <b>...</b>


John Terry made up for Chelsea #39;s attacking deficiencies by scoring in a third straight Champions League match and helping shut out CSKA Moscow in a 2-0 win.

Defender Terry Scores Again to Ease Chelsea #39;s Attacking Woes


BUCHAREST, Romania -- No parking spaces. Crippling traffic jams. Sky-high rents. Is this London, Rome, or Athens? No, it's Bucharest, where communism and capitalism have conspired to make it Europe's most crowded capital.

Communism, capitalism forge throngs in Bucharest


Have you noticed how women are beginning to dominate these Olympics? A week ago it was Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki who was a star of the show at the opening ceremony.

Inside Lines: Athens brings out the Games #39; feminine side


AFP - Egyptian investigators into car bombings at resorts on Egypt's Sinai peninsula which killed at least 30 people said that they had identified a number of suspects, as rescuers continued to sift through the rubble.

Egypt pursues suspects over deadly Sinai bombings (AFP)


Amy Acuff won #39;t leave the Olympics with a medal, but she will leave with thoughts of what could have been. The Calallen High School graduate settled for fourth, but

Time out for Acuff


United who fielded effectively a reserve side, overcame Crystal Palace with first half goals from Louis Saha and Kieran Richardson.

Carling Cup: United and Liverpool through as Newcastle are out


China will continue to drive East Asia #39;s growth next year, but the world #39;s fastest-growing region may have reached its peak in expansion, according to the World Bank.

World Bank: East Asia growth may have peaked


Dutch police have apprehended eight suspects (all young Moroccans and Algerians) in the killing of filmmaker Theo Van Gogh (yes, he is related) on Tuesday morning outside his flat in Amsterdam, an act which horrified Dutch citizens.

Filmmaker #39;s Murder May Spell End of Dutch Tolerance


Making the morning line is a difficult job, and Lone Star Park oddsmaker Rick Lee did not escape the wrath of trainer D. Wayne Lukas when Lee established the mare Azeri at 15-1 for the Classic during yesterday's post position draw for Saturday's Breeders' Cup. Pleasantly Perfect, the leading candidate to be Horse of the Year, ...

At odds with oddsmaker


Shares of drugmaker Merck  amp; Co. Inc. (MRK.N: Quote, Profile, Research) traded 1.52 percent higher on volume of more than 61,000 shares in pre-market dealings on Friday, a day after

Before the Bell- Merck rises 1.52 pct, 61,000 shares traded


MAPUTO (Reuters) - Mozambique used canoes and helicopters  to ferry ballot papers to remote rural districts for  Wednesday's election to pick a successor to President Joaquim  Chissano who spent 18 years in office.

Mozambique Votes to Elect Successor to Chissano


Ford Motor has agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused its chief executive of improperly accepting shares in the initial public offering of Goldman Sachs, which agreed to pay \$13.

Ford settles lawsuit over Goldman IPO shares


A Paraguay judge calls for the extradition of the country's former military ruler Alfredo Stroessner from Brazil.

Paraguay seeks Stroessner return


The relationship between President Bush and Wall Street has always been a tangled one, layered with paradox and outright contradiction.

In Mr. Bush's Neighborhood, a Peculiar Intersection


Barcelona came from a goal down to thrash Real Zaragoza in a one-sided Primera Liga match at the Nou Camp on Thursday and go level on points with champions Valencia at the top.

Xavi - netted Barca #39;s third. (Getty Images)


A battle over next-generation disc standards could create a rift in console game storage. Which side are you on? There are few who contest the fact that the acceptance of CD-ROM and then DVD-ROM standards

Spot On: Blu-ray bares teeth in format fight to the finish


NASA -- International Space Station Expedition 9 crewmembers, Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA Science Officer Mike Fincke landed on target in the steppes of Kazakhstan at 8:36 pm EDT Saturday after 188 days in space.

Expedition 9 Crew Returns to Earth


Boingo Wireless and Vonage are teaming to provide voice over Wi-Fi service as a complement to traditional VoIP. Initially, the companies will collaborate on a service bundle that combines Vonage #39;s

Boingo, Vonage Join on Wireless VoIP


Andrei Pavel's decision to withdraw from the tournament because of a back injury gives Roger Federer a walkover -- and a showdown with Andre Agassi on Wednesday night.

Federer Walks On


Cisco Systems, the world #39;s largest maker of equipment that routes traffic across the Internet, barely met analyst expectations on Tuesday when it reported quarterly earnings and noted a sequential decline in revenues for its IP router business.

Cisco #39;s router market takes a hit


LeBron James scored 33 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and the Cleveland Cavaliers moved above .500 for the first time in nearly four years with a 99-88 victory Monday against the visiting Golden State Warriors.

LeBron gets Cavs above .500


When your defense holds an opponent to 207 yards of offense and allows only one touchdown, you should win a lot of football games.

Steelers #39; defense, Bettis key win over Redskins


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush, who swiftly  reshuffled his foreign policy team on Tuesday, is planning a  more gradual overhaul of his top economic staff, people close  to the White House said.

Bush Econ Team to Undergo Gradual Changes


Bloated corpses and weeping relatives have filled morgues as Haitians face yet another tragedy in a year marked by revolts, military interventions and deadly floods.

Floods kill at least 573 in Haiti


NHL owners and players took turns rejecting each other #39;s proposals for a new collective bargaining agreement during a 3 1/2-hour meeting at league offices in Toronto yesterday, moving the league closer toward canceling the entire 2004-05 season.

Entire Season Could Be Lost After Latest Stalemate


Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Thursday that Germany #39;s national railway should be privatized by 2008 at the latest, a day after Deutsche Bahn backed off a target of selling shares on the stock market by mid-2006.

Update 1: Germany Wants to Privatize Railway


Ty Wigginton hit a two-run homer and Oliver Perez pitched 6 2-3 strong innings, helping the Pittsburgh Pirates stop a seven-game road losing streak with a 6-1 victory over

Pirates end Phillies #39; postseason hopes


(Sports Network) - Boston #39;s Curt Schilling wasn #39;t his usual dominant self on Tuesday in Game 1 of the American League Division Series versus Anaheim.

Schilling less than stellar, but it doesn #39;t matter


In the precious milliseconds it took to miss the exchange of an aluminum relay baton, American Marion Jones #39; brave smile gave way to a flood of tears.

Jones ends up short in relay, long jump


While running drills at the annual high school football conditioning camp in Woburn last week, John Fiore of Reading High School was the guy with the smile on his face, and quite possibly the little extra burden strapped on his shoulders.

Coach gets his chance to build on team's success


Gaming console giants Nintendo and Sony are enabling music and video playback on their popular gaming devices in an effort to dominate the lucrative market, expected to account for sales of \$2 billion in the United States this year.

Sony, Nintendo, Take Market Share Battle to New Heights


Youth was served in a big way for the Cardinals at Miller Park on Thursday afternoon. Rookies Yadier Molina and Hector Luna combined for six hits and all four RBIs as St.

Cardinals reach 100 victories


LANDOVER, Md. - Eagles offensive coordinator Brad Childress continually preaches the importance of  quot;having respect #39; #39; for the football, and his players have done an impressive job of practicing what Childress preaches.

Paul Domowitch  Birds suddenly careless with ball


SANTIAGO, Chile, Nov. 28 -- President Ricardo Lagos of Chile on Sunday proposed special pensions and other reparations for more than 28,000 Chileans who were tortured by government agents during the country's 1973-1990 military dictatorship.

Chile to Pay Torture Victims


Forget the bulls. Ignore the bears. The week ahead was made for wolves, hogs, and forgetful elephants.

The Fool's Look Ahead


LONDON, October 18 (newratings.com) - German automotive giant, BMW (BMW.ETR), has announced the resignation of its Rolls-Royce luxury cars unit head, Karl-Heinz Kalbfell, who had assumed his position just five months ago.

BMW #39;s Rolls-Royce unit head resigns; CFO named interim head


WASHINGTON - In a vote with election-year consequences, the House sought to assure that God's 50-year place in the Pledge of Allegiance will be safe from federal court challenges.    The bill, approved on a 247-173 vote Thursday, would prevent federal courts, including the Supreme Court, from ruling on whether the words

House Votes to Protect Pledge From Courts


High noon in Texas: the agriculture chief is making a stand against junk food. Can she win?

The Cafeteria Crusader


Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will raise by 7.8 percent the limit on the size of single-family-home mortgages they will purchase, increasing the pool of home buyers who will qualify for lower-cost financing.

Fannie, Freddie Raise Loan Limits


NASAs Cassini spacecraft pierced some of the thick veil of haze that hides Saturns giant moon at 8:25 pm CDT Tuesday as it passed within 750 miles of Titan.

Scientists Pore Over Pictures Of Saturns Mysterious Moon


A court acquits ex-paramilitary leader Jodel Chamblain of murder in a trial criticised by human rights activists.

Haiti court acquits rebel leader


Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning barely won re-election to the US Senate on Tuesday, edging Democratic challenger Daniel Mongiardo by about 2 percent of the vote in Kentucky.

Bunning, Osborne Win Re-Election Bids


The London-based security firm which employed four former Gurkhas killed in a rocket attack on their compound in Baghdad have paid tribute to them as  quot;brave and professional individuals quot;.

Tributes to tragic Gurkhas


Oil prices fell Thursday after moving close to US\$49 a barrel as markets digested news of a rise in crude inventories but lower-than-expected US heating oil stocks.

Crude futures fall despite renewed heating oil fears ahead of <b>...</b>


A match that assumed grave importance for India as a face saver of sorts has been cut short due to rain. The day was marked by rain and more rain and the only time the umpires decided to start play led to

Day one goes to rain, Australia


Florida Marlins right-hander A.J. Burnett will miss his next scheduled start because of elbow inflammation, an ailment that could hurt the team's chances in the NL wild-card race.

Marlins' Burnett to Miss Next Start


A foreign man is shot dead near a shopping complex in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh.

Foreigner killed in Saudi capital


Martin Petrov put the home side ahead early, but Kaiserslautern #39;s Carsten Jancker made it 1-1 with just eight minutes remaining.

Wolfsburg remains top


NEW YORK - Gary Sheffield and the New York Yankees battered Pedro Martinez, opening some breathing room in the AL East. Sheffield, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada homered off an ineffective Martinez, and Mike Mussina gave the Yankees another excellent outing Sunday in New York's 11-1 rout of the Boston Red Sox...

Yanks Rout BoSox 11-1, Extending AL Lead


The Chase for the Nextel Cup begins Sunday at New Hampshire International Speedway. The question is, are drivers truly going to chase it, or are they going to sit back and let it come to them?

Contenders may be pacing, not chasing


LONDON, September 24 (newratings.com) - Vladimir Putin has denied speculations about the government #39;s plans to re-nationalize the beleaguered oil giant, OAO Yukos Oil Company (YUSA.

Putin denies nationalization plans for Yukos, but state firms can <b>...</b>


NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Just days after settling one anti-trust lawsuit with Microsoft, Novell filed another one. According to a Novell (down \$0.

Novell files another Microsoft suit


ROME: Italy was in shock Friday at the execution of a kidnapped journalist in Iraq, which Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi slammed as a return  quot;to the dark times of barbarism, quot; but he pledged Italian troops would stay.

Italy shocked, outraged by hostage #39;s murder


Holidaymakers descending on Australia could see fares fall by as much as 30, as Virgin Atlantic and British Airways (BA) prepare for a discordant battle regarding routes to Australia.

Virgin and BA battle on discordantly


AFP - If Australian opposition leader Mark Latham wins the October 9 election it will be a new-found ability to bite his tongue, as much as a bold strategy platform, that delivers him the keys to the prime minister's office.

Reformed Australian opposition leader finds silence is golden (AFP)


With the deployment of a new financial accounting system for the IRS running a year late, officials involved with the project now say it will go live in October.

New IRS accounting system, a year late, nears completion


AP - Federal agents arrested a former government security agent on charges of kidnapping a leftist rebel in 1975, the second former official to arrested in the disappearance of Jesus Piedra.

Former Mexican Police Official Arrested (AP)


Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal, who #39;s kept a low profile since last month #39;s twin suicide bombing in southern Israel, made a surprise visit to Egypt on Sunday, holding talks

Hamas leader makes surprise trip to Egypt


Reston-based Upper Quadrant offers a subscription-based, Web-hosted application that enables companies to compile and share marketing information in a central database.

Advertising Customers Get the Right Message


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Electronic Data Systems Corp.  <A HREF=

EDS: 20,000 Job Cuts Over Next 2 Years


AUBURN HILLS, Michigan : Reigning champion Detroit spoiled National Basketball Association scoring leader Tracy McGrady #39;s debut alongside star center Yao Ming with Houston, downing the Rockets 87-79 here.

Basketball: Reigning NBA champs open by downing Yao #39;s Rockets


Bond prices edged higher Tuesday, following release of a report showing a dip in retail sales last month. The price of the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose 5/32 point, or \$1.

Update 1: Bond Prices Edge Higher at Close of Day


Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to seek a permanent UN Security Council seat for India in a speech in New York.

Indian PM to push for  UN seat


LIMA, Peru (Reuters) - Five Peruvian police officers died  in a shootout on Sunday with an armed group who took 10  hostages in the siege of a police station in southern Peru on  New Year's Day, RPP radio reported.

Five Dead in Peru Police Siege Shootout


Increases in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have sparked concerns on how the planet is coping with greenhouse pollution. Scientists have detected record rises in carbon dioxide, the main

Global warming clock  #39;ticks faster #39;


New Delhi - A meeting with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf brought an unexpected birthday present for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Birthday surprise has Indian leader smiling


FreeiPods.com is a service that offers users free iPod music players if they sign up for promotions and refer users to the services.

The heat is on FreeiPods.com


Three or four former El Paso natural gas traders who had been told they #39;re targets of a criminal investgation are expected to make an appearance before a US magistrate judge at 2 pm today.

El Paso gas traders have date with judge today


While most of the country #39;s attention has been focused on Iraq, a human-rights crisis has been unfolding in north Africa. In Darfur, Sudan, more than 50,000 people have been killed and 1.2 million displaced

In Our View: Sanctions not enough for Sudan


In yet another indication that he may renege on his pledge to step down as army chief by the end of the year, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said that  #39;the vast majority #39; of his countrymen want him in uniform as they fear that he would be

Pakistanis want me in uniform: Musharraf


The Red Sox lose for the first time in 11 games, falling to the Rangers 8-6 Saturday and missing a chance to pull within 1 1/2 games of the Yankees in the AL East.

Rangers Derail Red Sox


A tentative truce between rebels and government troops in Nigeria #39;s oil-rich south appeared to be holding Thursday as the two sides held a second round of talks in the capital, officials said.

Truce between rebels, Nigerian government, appears to be holding


A supercomputer being built by IBM for the US Department of Energy (DOE) has topped a list of the world #39;s fastest computers. The Blue Gene/L beta-system can perform 70,720 billion calculations per second, which

IBM tops supercomputing table


Bank of America Corp., which operates 25 branches in the Houston area, plans to cut about 2.5 percent, or 4,500 jobs, from its work force.

Bank of America to cut 4,500 jobs


Google plans to release a version of its desktop search tool for computers that run Apple Computer #39;s Mac operating system, Google #39;s chief executive, Eric Schmidt, said Friday.

Google plans desktop search tool for Apple PCs


The HyperTransport Technology Consortium today announced the first HyperTransport technology expansion connector specification. The new EATX Motherboard/Daughtercard

HyperTransport consortium approves HTX expansion spec


PACIFIC Hydro shares yesterday caught an updraught that sent them more than 20 per cent higher after the wind farmer moved to flush out a bidder.

Pacific Hydro lures bidders


Property group Lend Lease Corp. on Wednesday announced a return to full-year profit and forecast earnings-per-share growth of more than 15 percent in the current year.

Australia #39;s Lend Lease Returns to Profit


The fiesty software giant calls its recent slowdown in application sales a one-time fluke. Some say it's symptomatic of bigger problems

What ails Oracle?


Chechnya #39;s notorious warlord ShamilBasayev is behind the school hostage-taking in southern Russia that has led to the deaths of over 100 people, Russia #39;s Federal Security Service (FSB) said.

Chechen warlord behind school hostage-taking, says FSB


LeBron James became a father Tuesday and promised to be a better dad than the one he had.  quot;That #39;s my main goal, to try to be a better father than the one I had, quot; the second-year Cleveland Cavalier told the Akron Beacon Journal.

NBA star excited about fatherhood


Storage vendors Hewlett-Packard, Cisco, EMC, and Microsoft are trumpeting new products this week that foreshadow the near future of storage.

HP, others bolster future storage


Anil Kumble, the India spinner, has become only the ninth player to claim 400 Test wickets as Australia ended the first day of the opening Test in Bangalore on 316 for five.

Kumble breaks 400-wicket barrier


A law allowing Brazil's air force to shoot down suspected drug planes comes into force on Sunday.

Brazil ready to down drug planes


Ever heard of Giant Company Software Inc? Not yet, well perhaps from today as they became Microsoft Corporations latest purchase as Microsoft try to enter the anti-spyware industry as is being portrayed.

The end for spyware courtesy of Microsoft Corporation?


Iraqi kidnappers have released 10 Turkish hostages they had held for over a month after their Turkish employer said it would leave Iraq, Al Jazeera television said on Sunday.

Group Frees 10 Turks After Company Quits Iraq -TV


Computer users already associate Microsoft Corp. software with spyware and viruses. But the company hopes to someday be better known for eradicating them, not attracting them.

Microsoft enters anti-spyware fray


AP - Developed countries should do more for Africa, including opening their markets to trade, the head of the International Monetary Fund said Tuesday.

IMF Official Urges Nations on Africa (AP)


John Cerutti, a former Toronto pitcher and current Blue Jays television announcer, was found dead in his hotel room Sunday morning, the team said.

Blue Jays announcer Cerutti found dead in hotel room


STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Czech Republic reached the World Cup  semi-finals by outclassing Sweden 6-1 thanks to some efficient  counter-attacking hockey on Tuesday.

Czechs Trounce Sweden to Reach World Cup Semi-Finals


AP - President Bush ranked in the middle of his Air National Guard flight class and flew 336 hours in a fighter jet before letting his pilot status lapse and missing a key readiness drill in 1972, according to his flight records belatedly uncovered Tuesday under the Freedom of Information Act.

Lawsuit Uncovers New Bush Guard Records (AP)


The powerful search application may be too good at what it does, experts say.

Does Google Desktop Search Pose Risks?


A recently detected exploit code foreshadows a likely worm-style attack on Windows machines plagued with the JPEG vulnerability made public last week, security experts said Thursday.

Exploit Threat Ratchets Up On Windows Vulnerability


AP - Erik Ainge and Brent Schaeffer are trying to accomplish a feat that even Peyton Manning couldn't pull off at Tennessee  #151; start at quarterback in the season-opener as a freshman.

Tennessee May Start Freshman QB in Opener (AP)


Former US figure skating champion Christopher Bowman was arrested on charges he pointed a loaded gun at a friend while drunk. Police were called to Bowman #39;s apartment Wednesday night after a woman said he

Former US figure skating champ arrested on gun charge


SALES at consumer goods giant Unilever slumped 4 in its latest quarter, heaping yet more bad news on long-suffering investors. Just weeks after a devastating profit warning braced the markets for grim tidings

New blow for Unilever


AP - Industrial gas supplier Air Liquide SA said Monday its net profit rose nearly 10 percent in the first half of the year as industrial gas markets recovered in North America and remained strong in Asia.

Air Liquide Profit Up Nearly 10 Percent (AP)


China beat Hong Kong of China 7-0 but were still eliminated from the Asian zone second stage World Cup qualifying tournament on Wednesday.

China beat Hong Kong 7-0 but still eliminated


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer prices inched up just  0.1 percent last month as gasoline and car prices tumbled, the  government said on Thursday in a report that suggested the  Federal Reserve need not hurry to push interest rates higher.

August Consumer Prices Up 0.1 Percent


SALT LAKE CITY -- Marty Johnson tied a school record with four rushing touchdowns and No. 14 Utah held off Air Force, 49-35, yesterday, giving the Utes their best start in 10 years.

Johnson's 4 TDs boost Utah


STOCKHOLM, Sweden Oct 29, 2004 - Top-seeded Andre Agassi beat Spain #39;s Fernando Verdasco 7-6 (4), 6-2 Friday to reach the Stockholm Open semifinals for the first time.

Agassi Reaches Semifinals at Stockholm


BEIJING : Maria Sharapova will have Russian pride as well as a small measure of revenge in mind when she faces fellow Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova Saturday in the semi-finals of the 585,000 US dollar China Open.

Tennis: Grand Slam showdown set as Sharapova faces Kuznetsova in <b>...</b>


For most of the first 54 minutes of Sunday #39;s game, Indianapolis Colts cornerback Jason David was definitely a marked man, a rookie fourth-round draft choice who could almost

CB #39;s forced fumble halts Packers #39; attack


HOUSTON (Reuters) - Former basketball star Calvin Murphy  took the stand in a Texas court on Thursday to deny charges he  sexually molested five of his daughters.

Ex-NBA Player Murphy Denies Molesting Daughters


Stockholm - Evergreen Andre Agassi continued his career-long stranglehold over fellow veteran Jonas Bjorkman on Thursday when he beat the Swede 6-3 6-4 to move into the quarter-finals of the Stockholm Open.

Agassi rolls back the years


Reuters - Palestinian President Yasser Arafat\has partially emerged from his coma in a French hospital,\opening his eyes and communicating with his doctors, an Israeli\newspaper Web site said Saturday citing Palestinian sources.

Arafat Opens Eyes, Communicating - Israeli Report (Reuters)


NOVEMBER 22, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Firefox 1.0 appears to have sparked new activity in the Web browser market. The release of the open-source Web browser by the Mozilla Foundation earlier this month prompted Microsoft Corp.

Firefox lights up Web browser world


SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean government scientists  enriched a small amount of plutonium in a one-off experiment in  1982, the Science and Technology Ministry said on Thursday.

S.Korea Says Did Scientific Plutonium Test in 1982


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A former Fannie Mae employee whogave U.S. regulators information about alleged accountingirregularities will not testify as planned before acongressional hearing next week, the committee said Friday.

Fannie Mae Whistle-Blower Won't Testify


By DAVID B. CARUSO    PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The nation's fertility clinics vary widely when it comes to how they perform one of the most delicate aspects of their jobs: disposing of unused frozen human embryos that were created to help infertile women become pregnant...

Fertility Clinics Vary on Embryo Disposal Techniques


AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - IBM has signed a 7-year, \$969 million  contract with British bank Lloyds TSB to supply it with  Internet telephony and data services, The U.S.-based computer  giant said on Monday.

IBM Wins \$1 Billion Contract from Lloyds


Tyler airlines are gearing up for the beginning of holiday travel, as officials offer tips to help travelers secure tickets and pass through checkpoints with ease.

AIRLINES GIVE TIPS FOR TRAVEL SEASON


A global survey of consumer confidence released Wednesday shows that European consumers are generally pessimistic about the economic outlook for the next 12 months, people in the Asia-Pacific are optimistic and Americans lie somewhere in between.

Asia-Pacific Upbeat on Economic Outlook


Pennies make the difference as the teams sell products on a shopping channel.

What Can Trump Do for You?


PC maker sees potential profit at the end of the tunnel, boosted by new sales strategy.

Gateway trims loss in third quarter


Hewlett-Packard expects to spend \$200 million over the next six months on staff reductions, but it didn't say in which areas the cuts would take place.

Brief: HP to spend \$200M on layoffs


Scotland captain Barry Ferguson and defender Russell Anderson missed training on Monday and are struggling to be fit for the World Cup qualifier in Moldova.

Scotland captain Ferguson doubtful for Moldova qualifier


BAGHDAD, Iraq - A suicide car bomber bearing down on police in a Baghdad neighborhood killed eight people Friday, capping a bloody day across Iraq that left at least 52 dead.

Car bombing caps bloody week in Iraq


NEW YORK - A surge in oil prices and a disappointing report on retail sales kept stocks narrowly mixed in light trading Tuesday as many investors stayed on the sidelines.    With Hurricane Ivan threatening oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, crude futures moved higher for the second straight day, renewing investors' fears of a further drop-off in consumer spending due to higher gasoline prices...

Stocks Are Mixed on Surge in Oil Prices


Norwegian Lasse Kjus returned to the hill where he won a world championship and tore through the second run with the fastest time Saturday to win a his first World Cup giant slalom

Kjus edges Maier in World Cup giant slalom


MADRID, Spain Some computer users are about to find out if fighting fire with fire works when they fight spam with spam. German-based Lycos Europe offers a free screensaver program that hits back at spam senders by flooding them with junk traffic.

Lycos offers customers program to attack spam servers


Aug. 18 (Bloomberg) -- BHP Billiton, the world #39;s biggest mining company, more than doubled second-half profit as Chinese demand boosted commodity prices and said it may return as much as \$2 billion to investors, including through share buybacks.

BHP Billiton 2nd-Half Net Doubles on Commodity Prices (Update3)


The decapitated bodies of three men, their heads strapped to their backs and the corpses put in nylon bags, were found dumped by a roadside north of Baghdad Wednesday, Iraqi police and US officials said.

Three Beheaded Bodies Found North of Baghdad


The patch fixes a flaw in the e-mail server software that could be used to get access to in-boxes and information.

Microsoft plugs hole in Exchange


JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Militants stormed the  heavily fortified U.S. consulate in Jeddah in a brazen raid  Monday and 12 people died in gunbattles before security forces  regained control.

Twelve Killed in Attack on U.S. Mission in Jeddah


Detroit's Ben Wallace will not appeal the six-game suspension the NBA gave him for his involvement in Friday night's brawl with the Pacers.

Wallace Accepts Penalty


AP - A bomb exploded in front of a beauty salon in Colombia's capital Thursday night as a police car drove by, killing two officers and wounding two other people, authorities said.

Bogota Bomb Blast Kills 2 Police Officers (AP)


Jose Mourinho brushed aside sentiment as Chelsea beat his former club, defending champion FC Porto, 3-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Mourinho #39;s Chelsea beats his former club FC Porto 3-1 in Champions <b>...</b>


Earnings at News Corp., the media conglomerate run by Rupert Murdoch, rose 27 percent in the latest quarter on stronger results from broadcast television, cable networks and newspapers, the company reported Wednesday.

Update 1: TV Drives Up News Corp. Earnings


Google Faces Another Keyword Lawsuit\\Another lawsuit has been filed against Google because of the trademarked keyterms that companies bid for in the AdWords keyword advertising program.  Next week Google will head over to a German courtroom where it will continue to defend its technology against Metaspinner Media GmbH.\

Google Faces Another Keyword Lawsuit


Reuters - Oracle Corp.  Chief\Executive Larry Ellison said on Friday his company has talked\about revising its current  #36;21-per-share offer to buy rival\PeopleSoft Inc. , although it has focused more on\lowering the bid instead of raising it.

Oracle Talked of Lowering PeopleSoft Bid (Reuters)


McDonald #39;s Corp. #39;s second new CEO in eight months pledged Friday to keep up the fast-food giant #39;s momentum with more new menu items and a continued focus on restaurant improvements, adhering to a course that has reinvigorated the burger chain #39;s sales and

McDonald #39;s CEO Vows to Build on Momentum


A rift appeared within Canada #39;s music industry yesterday as prominent artists called on the CRTC to embrace satellite radio and the industry warned of lost revenue and job losses.

Musicians push for satellite radio


CHICAGO - Delta Air Lines (DAL) said Wednesday it plans to eliminate between 6,000 and 6,900 jobs during the next 18 months, implement a 10 across-the-board pay reduction and reduce employee benefits.

Delta to cut up to 6,900 jobs


By Thomas Watterson  Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor. Today #39;s sideways stock market is hard on mutual-fund companies.

A break for investors: lower fees on index offerings


Lycos #39; European anti-spam website was taken down only hours after it went live. The outage appears to be the result of a DDoS attack, most likely initiated by spammers in response to the search engine #39;s  quot;Make

Battle rages between Lycos and spammers


LONDON, UK : Sep 26 (PNS) - An unbeaten ninth wicket partnership of 71 runs between Ian Bradshaw and Courtney Browne led the West Indies to clinch the 2004 Champions Trophy Cricket Tournament defeating the hosts England by two wickets in the Finals

Windies Clinch The Champions Trophy Thriller


NEW YORK (Reuters) - America Online, the world's largest  Internet service provider, plans to offer its 23.4 million U.S.  subscribers a premium anti-virus software service, McAfee  VirusScan Online, for free in November.

AOL to Give Away Anti-Virus Software to Members


In a filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Delta Air Lines warned Friday that next week #39;s third quarter earnings report will include a bigger loss than it predicted earlier.

Delta warns it will post a big loss


AP - Special forces overpowered two suspected Islamic extremists Wednesday after a 15-hour armed standoff, adding to Dutch concerns that global terrorism has spread into their corner of Europe.

Dutch Forces Nab 2 Suspects in Standoff (AP)


Reuters - DaimlerChrysler AG  (DCXGn.DE)\has been hit with a multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed by a\paraplegic who says the automaker's heated car seats caused him\a severe burn injury.

DaimlerChrysler Sued Over Car Seat Injury (Reuters)


In a season filled with uncertainty and unpredictable play, the only dependable part of the Celtics' game-night drama has been the raised voice of coach Doc Rivers. With a rant that rivaled Rick Pitino in duration and decibel levels, Rivers scolded Boston for failing to play together last night at the Wachovia Center. In many ways, the Celtics' ...

Celtics cooked again


Roger Federer #39;s dominant win over Lleyton Hewitt was the lowest-rated US Open men #39;s final ever. Federer #39;s 6-0, 7-6 (3), 6-0 win over Hewitt on Sunday drew a preliminary national rating of 2.5 for CBS.

Ratings lowest-ever for US Open men #39;s final


IBM is aiming to take a larger share of the \$60 billion data-storage market with the introduction of two new disk-storage servers.

IBM Offers Disk-Storage Servers


THE HAGUE -- The Dutch parliament asked the government yesterday to draft legislation compelling mosques to employ only imams who have studied Islamic religion in the Netherlands.

Lawmakers seek to mandate Dutch-trained Muslim clerics


US Federal Reserve decided Tuesday to raise the federal funds rate, which commercial banks charge each other on overnight loans, by one-quarter percentage point to 2.25 percent from 2 percent.

US Fed boosts key interest rate to 2.25 percent


Roughly a month before its November 9 release, a pirated version of Halo 2 began to be widely circulated around the Web. Now, it seems the game is once again falling into gamers #39; hands earlier than Microsoft and Bungie had planned.

Reports: Halo 2 already on sale in Midwest


Shares of Altiris Inc. (ATRS.O: Quote, Profile, Research) fell 7 percent before the opening bell on Tuesday a day after it posted disappointing earnings.

Altiris Falls 7 Percent Before Bell


Australian scientists predicted a  quot;palaeontological gold rush quot; after the discovery of a new species of tiny human in neighbouring Indonesia in a find that will re-draw the human family tree.

Aussie scientists see palaeontology gold rush


EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Philadelphia Eagles wrapped up a fourth consecutive NFC East title the same way they won the first three -- with an awesome defense that made Eli Manning look like a rookie.

Eagles roll past Giants by smothering Manning


Almost three-quarters of likely voters think electronic voting systems should produce a paper record the voter can verify, according to a new poll. But that's not likely to happen for many of them in November. By Laila Weir.

Poll: Voters Want Paper Trail


The Minnesota Twins might have moved two steps back toward a return to Yankee Stadium next week for the first round of the playoffs when they got swept by the New York Yankees in a rain

Twins swept away; Yankees #39; dominance deceptive yet telling


BAGHDAD, Iraq - Police say a car bomb has exploded north of the Iraqi capital, killing two people and injuring four others, including a deputy provincial governor.

Car Bomb Explodes North of Baghdad


BSkyB launches a free digital satellite TV service which offers 140 channels for a one-off fee of 150.

Sky launches Freesat digital TV


SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Crude futures headed higher Tuesday to close at a new historic level near \$47 a barrel, following news that a Russian court has rejected a plea from oil giant Yukos to suspend government efforts to collect a \$3.4 billion tax ...

Yukos woes flare up again, offsetting Venezuela vote


The Mets are close to signing Pedro Martnez to a four-year contract for \$56 million, according to a person involved in the negotiations.

Mets Are on Verge of Signing Martnez as Boston Bows Out


AFP - At least 12 people were killed and about 160 injured when a train derailed in the dark and plunged down a slope in the Philippines, officials said.

Philippine train derails and plunges down slope, at least 12 dead (AFP)


ST. PAUL (AP) - Emergency calls made using new Internet telephone services ring in through a nonemergency line and often aren't answered immediately, according to an official who runs Ramsey County's largest 911 emergency call center...

Internet 911 Calls Receive Lower Priority


Tottenham climbed to fifth place on 10 points, six behind Arsenal and two short of Chelsea, who have been held goalless in their last two league games.

Spurs frustrate Chelsea


The message was, characteristically, all-Oracle: Consolidate, ditch the special-purpose data warehouses, and move to a version of Oracle Corp.

Users Applaud Idea of Oracle BI as Center of the Universe


Heavily armed insurgents, some with explosives strapped to their bodies, seized a school in southern Russia today and herded scores of people into its gymnasium.

Armed Attackers Seize School in Russia


Sub-Saharan bug builds huge, self-cooled nests. Research involves energy efficiency for skyscrapers.

Scientists to study termites for building tips


Jenson Button #39;s Formula One future should be decided on Saturday at a hearing that will also determine several other drivers #39; hopes of racing next year.

Judgement day looms for Button


Verizon (VZ:NYSE - news - research) Thursday posted a solid quarter as its wireless operation continues to pick up steam. For its third quarter ended Sept.

Verizon Wireless Plows Ahead


Islamist groups including one led by al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi vowed in a video obtained on Saturday to take their battle in the rebel city of Falluja to all corners of Iraq.

Islamist Groups Vow to Spread Fight Across Iraq


LONDON, England -- Britain has agreed to a US request to redeploy about 850 troops to central Iraq, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon told lawmakers.

UK agrees to US troops request


LONDON -- Ernie Els has set his sights on an improved putting display this week at the World Golf Championships #39; NEC Invitational in Akron, Ohio, after the disappointment of tying for fourth place at the PGA Championship last Sunday.

Els takes aim at his putting


PC World - Alternative browser features protection against online scams.

Mozilla Launches Firefox 1.0 (PC World)


Advocates for open government are creating search engines and websites to let citizens peek into the inner workings of official agencies. Now more than ever, they say, openness is essential to self-government. By Ryan Singel.

Web Won't Let Government Hide


Missouri will allow members of the military stationed overseas to return absentee ballots via e-mail, raising concerns from Internet security experts about fraud and ballot secrecy.

E-Mail Voting Prompts Security Concerns


STANFORD, CALIFORNIA - On Monday, the same day the California Senate passed a bill that would ban state agencies from contracting services out to companies that use overseas labor, opponents and proponents of offshore outsourcing clashed during a conference at Stanford University.

Outsourcing issue flares up at chip conference


WASHINGTON -- Another Revolution season concluded with an overtime elimination. Last night, the Revolution thrice rallied from deficits for a 3-3 tie with D.C. United in the Eastern Conference final, then lost in the first-ever Major League Soccer match decided by penalty kicks.

Lack of finishing kicks ends Revolution's run


Security firm Secunia has warned that most Web browsers are vulnerable to a simple  quot;phishing quot; technique that could make fraudulent content appear genuine.

Pop-up Loophole Opens Browsers to Phishing Attacks


Opener Virender Sehwag cracked a rapid unbeaten 82 as India rushed to 129 for one in reply to South Africa #39;s first innings 305 on the day two of the second and final test on Monday.

UPDATE 3-Aggressive Sehwag leads positive Indian reply


South African Richard Sterne carded a brilliant closing round of 65 to win the Madrid Open and a place on the European Tour for the next two years.

Sterne shocked by Madrid victory


Kevin B. Rollins, the new chief executive of Dell, talks about Dell's transitory slip in customer service, and why he sees a broader technology recovery taking place.

Switching Titles, if Not Gears, at Dell


The fomer director of the Iraqi war crimes tribunal said that interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi has taken over the court and could rush forward

Politics afoot in bid to rush Saddam trial, ousted tribunal <b>...</b>


The Inuit of the Arctic plan to seek a ruling from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that the U.S. is threatening their existence.

Eskimos Seek to Recast Global Warming as a Rights Issue


LONDON British Airways announced Friday that it was increasing its fuel surcharge on both short-haul and long-haul tickets because of rising oil prices.

BA raising surcharges as oil prices keep rising


ABIDJAN (AFP) - Ivory Coast government forces carried out bombing raids of former rebels on the country #39;s main northern town, Ivory Coast military officials told AFP.

New bombing raid on rebel I. Coast north, French say two dead


Landrum Bolling was the US 'back channel' to the Palestine Liberation Organization for years.

A recollection of time spent with Arafat


Special guest Oct. 11-24 on  quot;Radio Playbill quot; is Michael Kantor, who has spent much of the last decade on an epic project, the six-part TV miniseries,  quot;Broadway: The American Musical, quot; debuting Oct. 19-21 on PBS.

Sirius Satellite Radio:  quot;Broadway: The American Musical quot; Director <b>...</b>


Canadian Press - GENEINA, Sudan (CP) - Armed militiamen surged into a western border area where some Darfur refugees attempted to return to their raided village, United Nations security officials said Sunday, raising further concern about how quickly 1.4 million displaced Sudanese could return home safely.

Armed militia raises concern for refugees returning to Darfur (Canadian Press)


IBM has issued an upgrade of its WebSphere middleware product, adding autonomic troubleshooting capabilities that autmatically detects system problems and recovers Web-based business transactions that would take days to fix manually.

IBM Upgrades WebSphere Middleware Product


Nomar Garciaparra can become a free agent after the World Series and will consider returning to the Chicago Cubs, his team for the final two months this season.

Nomar will consider returning to Cubs


Scientists think they may know why the world's largest leatherback turtle was washed up on a Welsh beach.

Mystery of Wales turtle 'solved'


When it comes down to a choice between good politics and good policy, which usually wins? Let #39;s put it this way: We don #39;t call it the political Play of the Week for nothing.

Politics over policy


ST. LOUIS - Charter Communications became the latest company to offer Internet telephone service Monday, announcing agreements with Sprint, Level 3 Communications, and Accenture on Monday.

Charter to launch voice-over-IP service


EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ--In an odd way, the Washington Redskins had sensed that they were on the verge of a slippery outing. You see, since the beginning of training camp, the Redskins #39; quarterbacks have had trouble receiving snaps from the center.

Miscues haunt  #39;Skins


WASHINGTON -- A new \$50 bill with touches of red, blue and yellow will show up soon in banks, cash registers and wallets. A new \$10 also is in the works, the third greenback to get colorized in an effort to thwart counterfeiting.

New \$50 bill is colorized; the \$10 is next


US new home sales in July fell 6.4 percent to a 1.134 million annual rate, the year #39;s slowest pace and a sign housing may provide less fuel for the economy in coming months.

US Economy: July New Home Sales Fall, Durable Goods Rise


America #39;s largest tobacco companies go on trial on Tuesday as they face a \$280bn (156bn) government lawsuit. Opening arguments will be heard in the case, in which the Justice Department accuses the companies

US tobacco firms set for trial


Crude oil futures were little changed in New York after surging 5.4 percent on Nov. 19 on speculation falling temperatures in Europe will boost competition with the US for heating fuel.

Crude Oil Little Changed After Gaining on Heating Oil Concern


With the US team coming off its worst loss in the 77-year history of the Ryder Cup, it was expected the PGA of America would make some significant changes to its point-selection system.

PGA overhauls system for Ryder Cup points


TOKYO, Japan -- The Japanese woman who plans to marry former world chess champion Bobby Fischer says their feelings are genuine.

Chess legend wedding bid  #39;genuine #39;


IBM and Advanced Micro Devices have tacked a three-year extension onto their December 2002 collaboration agreement that could see the two companies work on chip-making technologies based on a 32-nanometer process.

IBM, AMD Work to Shrink Chips


Mike Hampton didn #39;t get the memo describing Citizens Bank Park as a great place to be a hitter. The Atlanta lefty, who wasn #39;t having the best August, must have been

Club gets two runs off Smoltz, but falls to Atlanta


27 October 2004 -- Iraqi authorities say an investigation has been launched into the massacre of 49 newly trained Iraqi Army recruits.

Massacre Of Iraqi Army Troops Investigated