The imminent deal underscores how rapidly wireless is displacing the traditional land-line phone business. If the merger goes through, Sprint plans to sell off its local-phone business, which

The Logic Behind a Sprint-Nextel Deal


Microsoft Corp. wants to deliver its Windows Server 2003 update, known as  quot;R2, quot; in 2005. To make sure it will be able do so, the company is prioritizing its feature list and moving some R2 features into later releases.

Microsoft Trims Next Windows Server Release


KIRKUK, Iraq - After listening to two U.S. Army officers describe recent progress in battling the insurgency and stabilizing northern Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald H...

Rumsfeld: Iraq Must Grow Own Govt. System


AP - The Dodgers took a 3-0 lead over the St. Louis Cardinals after four innings in Game 3 of the NL division series on Saturday.

Dodgers Take 3-0 Lead Over Cardinals (AP)


EU agriculture ministers are to discuss urgent reforms to Europe's heavily subsidised sugar industry.

EU ponders sugar reforms


Royal Dutch/Shell has shut in another 30,000 barrels per day of oil output in Nigeria due to a protest by villagers over jobs, bringing its total cut to 100,000 bpd, a spokesman said on Tuesday.

Shell shuts 30,000 bpd more due to Nigeria protest


SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea declared Saturday it has no  plans to develop or possess nuclear weapons, but said it would  pursue scientific atomic research transparently in cooperation  with the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

S.Korea Hopes IAEA Will End Its Case in November


Still in beta form, new browser allows you to view pages as they would appear in IE.

First Look: Netscape's New Browser


45 Labour MPs urge a vote on Britain agreeing to a US request for UK troops to be sent to an area south west of Baghdad.

Labour MPs urge Iraq troop vote


ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India on Wednesday reiterated their commitment towards an early establishment of the proposed Kashmir bus service, a joint statement said.

Pakistan, India for early Kashmir bus service


Anyone who thought the browser wars were over when Microsoft overpowered Netscape in the 1990s should think again. After all, it's Firefox time.  <FONT face=

Firefox Flames Internet Explorer


The Mozilla Foundation #39;s launch of its open-source web browser last week prompted Microsoft to break its silence about Internet Explorer.

Firefox ignites web browser market


General Motors Corp. faces an investigation and potential recall of 69,000 Hummer H2 luxury sport-utility vehicles because of reports about a flawed steering part.

AUTO INDUSTRY REPORT: Hummer probe likely


SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazil's small PopularSocialist Party voted on Saturday to pull out of President LuizInacio Lula da Silva's government, a move that could make itharder for his administration to pass pending reforms.

Small Ally of Brazil's Lula Breaks with Government


\$150,000 mortgage for only \$610/month. Lower your mortgage - free quotes.

ADV: Refinance Rates Just Got Lower


In a surprise move, the business software maker fired CEO Craig Conway Friday, saying it has has lost confidence in the feisty leader who engineered the company's dogged resistance to a takeover bid by rival Oracle Corp.

PeopleSoft Removes Craig Conway as CEO


Alan greenspan #39;s official title is Chairman of the US Federal Reserve. But he functions as something akin to America #39;s economic Prognosticator in Chief.

The Money Man


WASHINGTON -- The black eye that goalkeeper Matt Reis was sporting as he stared down the next DC United penalty kick taker told the story.

United, Revs play RFK thriller


EVERTON are in talks with European champions FC Porto to sign South African striker Benny McCarthy, it was reported today. McCarthy was the Portuguese league #39;s top scorer last season with 20 goals but is not

Everton target McCarthy


During a negotiating session today in Toronto, NHL owners are expected to turn thumbs-down on last week #39;s proposal from the NHL Players Association.

Owners are likely to vote no


Make hot cocoa. Bundle up. Tell your friends: the best meteor shower of 2004 is about to peak on a long cold December night. It #39;s the Geminids.

The Geminid Meteor Shower


MICHELLE COLLINS, of the United States, the former world indoor 200 metres champion, was suspended for eight years yesterday for drug abuse in a landmark ruling in the fight against doping.

Landmark eight-year ban for US sprinter


Michael Jackson asks TV stations to stop playing Eminem's new video, which ridicules the pop legend.

Jackson anger over Eminem video


BASEBALL Florida (NL): Released Ps Billy Koch and Aaron Small and C Ramon Castro; added INFs Joe Dillon and Derek Wathan to roster.

Transactions


As a team, the Cavaliers have every intention of making this the season their running game becomes dominant, and a healthy Wali Lundy looks to lead the charge.

Healthy Ground Game


Microsoft has extended its partnership with Yahoo to deliver sponsored search results on its U.S. and international MSN sites, despite the software maker's recent declarations that it intends to be a major force in the search market.

Microsoft, Yahoo extend contract for Web ads


No matter what happened in the AL division series against Boston, Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia said Friday the suspended left fielder wouldn #39;t play in the postseason.

Outfielder #39;s season done


The day after Half-Life 2 hit the market, the second game to be powered by developer Valve #39;s Source engine followed suit. Activision announced that Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines has shipped for the PC.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines sinks teeth into retail


The supply of oil is still outstripping demand after OPEC, the producer of more than a third of the world #39;s output, begins to reduce production to prop up falling prices, the Qatari oil minister said.

Oil Supply Exceeding Demand After Cuts, Qatar Says (Update1)


The Cassini spacecraft now orbiting Saturn takes a wide-angle view of the ringed planet's extended moon system.     Astrobiology Magazine -- A stately Saturn poses for a portrait with five of its moons in this Cassini spacecraft wide angle camera view...

Cassini Snaps Saturn's Family Portrait


A contraceptive vaccine for men that temporarily blocks male fertility has come a step closer with a study showing it is possible to inoculate monkeys against their own sperm.

Vaccine makes war on sperm-making protein


Yasser Arafat was as unpredictable in death as he was in life. The longtime leader of the Palestinians lingered for days, with the world unsure of the severity of his medical condition.

FRIDAY #39;S EDITORIAL


WELLINGTON (Dow Jones)--Telecom Corp. (TEL.NZ), New Zealand #39;s biggest fixed line phone company, has denied its AAPT consumer business in Australia is on the market, the New Zealand Press Association reported.

NZ PRESS: Telecom Denies AAPT Consumer Unit Is For Sale


The super-rodents can run farther and about an hour longer than average mice. The new rodents also appear to resist weight gain in the complete absence of exerciseeven when fed a high-fat diet that led normal mice to become obese.

Modified Mice Stay Super-Fit -- Without Exercise


Costs for the Athens Olympics are climbing again, expected to top \$8.5 billion US because of the massive security and overruns in the last-minute scramble to get venues ready, a government official said yesterday.

Olympic Notes


Troubled Bank of Scotland Premier League side Livingston today appointed Richard Gough as their new manager. Gough emerged as the leading candidate for the post after captaining Rangers, Scotland and Everton

Gough gets Livi job


British mobile users will get a chance from next year to access i-mode, the runaway success Japanese entertainment service, after MmO2 yesterday agreed to adopt the technology pioneered by NTT DoCoMo.

MmO2 links with Japan entertainment service


Company also says upcoming PlayStation 3 will support Blu-ray discs.

Sony Shows Slim, Trim PlayStation 2


The sons of the founder of Der Spiegel are opposing minority owner Gruner  Jahr, saying that it threatens the venerable magazines editorial independence.

Der Spiegel Family Sees a Threat in Growing Corporate Control


TOKYO -- A report says the Japanese government has confirmed that a decapitated body found in Iraq is that of a Japanese man taken hostage by Islamic militants earlier this week.

Tokyo TV: Beheaded Japanese Hostage Found In Iraq


A powerful explosion kills six and injures at least 20 at a cafe in Baghdad popular with Iraqi police officers.

Bomb blast shatters Baghdad cafe


Microsoft has unveiled Host Integration Server (HIS) 2004, claiming that the legacy integration application will lower the cost of integrating existing IBM mainframe and midrange systems with Windows.

Microsoft unveils mainframe integration tool


After passing a physical on Tuesday, former All-Pro cornerback Deion Sanders ends his three-year retirement to join the Baltimore Ravens to win another Super Bowl.

Ravens Sign Sanders


Ziff Davis - HP says it has certified its complete business line of desktops, workstations and notebooks on Novell's Linux Desktop. It will sell and support the distribution to volume customers.

HP Certifies, Supports Novell Linux Desktop (Ziff Davis)


South Africa has rejected accusations that it let ex-leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide incite violence in Haiti from his place of exile in South Africa.

SA  #39;contempt #39; for Aristide claim


The Israeli military killed four Palestinian militants on Wednesday as troops in tanks and armored vehicles pushed into another town in the northern Gaza Strip, extending

Israeli Military Kills 4 Palestinian Militants in Gaza Operation


Here #39;s what you didn #39;t hear from the Dolphins on Tuesday: You didn #39;t hear anyone suggest this day helps them win. You didn #39;t hear anyone pretend this franchise is improved.

Coaching change won #39;t help Dolphins win


Reuters - Canadian immigration\officials won a victory on Tuesday in their bid to revoke the\citizenship of a former Nazi SS prison guard convicted of war\crimes in Italy.

Former Nazi Guard Loses Canadian Court Ruling (Reuters)


Miniature mobile phones, which already double as cameras, Internet devices and music players, are poised to merge with the largest of home appliances: the television.

Cellphone addition: high-definition TV


Marks   Spencer is poised to farm out its online retail business, the High Street retailer says.

M S in talks to offload website


They followed the Yankees across the summer and on into fall the way a young boy shadows his daddy. From June 1, the day the Yankees took over first place in the American League East, the Red Sox gave chase, falling to a seemingly hopeless 10 1/2 games back in mid-August, charging back, but never making it ...

Chase was on all summer -- now it's a dead heat


Israel is expected to promise Colin Powell, the US Secretary of State, today that it will take steps to facilitate Palestinian elections planned for January, including a cutback of its military presence in the West Bank.

Israel to give Powell pledge on West Bank troop cuts


Site Offer 12 great guides, 12 great prices

Programming experience up for grabs


AP - Weeks or months of occasional steam blasts and possibly some eruptions of fresh volcanic rock and ash are the most likely scenario at Mount St. Helens, scientists say.

More Steam, Ash Likely at Mount St. Helens (AP)


Sacramento Kings #39; Peja Stojakovic, left, of Serbia-Montenegro, and Chicago Bulls #39; Andres Nocioni of Argentina battle for a loose ball on the sidelines in Sacramento, Calif.

Kings Defeat Winless Bulls 113-106


Enron Corp.'s interim chief executive has asked a federal bankruptcy judge to award his firm a \$25 million

Interim Chief at Enron Asks for \$25 Million


BOISE, Idaho - No. 23 Boise State attempts to stretch the longest winning steak in Division I to 15 games Friday when it hosts Brigham Young of the Mountain West Conference.

No. 23 Boise State #39;s streak on line Friday


Supermarket group Tesco is launching itself into the world of digital music with an online download service designed to take on the might of Apple #39;s iTunes.

Tesco aims to take a bite out of Apple #39;s iTunes


JABALYA, Gaza Strip (Reuters) - Israeli forces thrust into  Gaza's largest refugee camp on Thursday, killing four  Palestinians including a 9-year-old boy, as the army tightened  its grip on the northern part of the coastal strip.

Israel Kills 4, Including 9-Year-Old, in Gaza


Professional soccer teams, their national and international governing bodies and anti-racism groups have been grappling with a number of incidents around Europe over the last month.

Racist Taunts Rattle European Soccer


South Korea and the United States agreed to push for an early resumption of negotiations to end the North Korean nuclear crisis as soon as the US presidential election comes to a close, top diplomats of the two nations said Tuesday.

S. Korea, US Agree to Resume 6-Way Talks After US Poll


Nomar Garciaparra stayed with the Chicago Cubs, Brad Radke remained with Minnesota and the New York Yankees looked ahead to deals with pitcher Jaret Wright and second baseman Tony

Nomar Garciaparra Stays With Cubs


ATHENS, Greece (Ticker) -- The dream of a second consecutive beach volleyball gold medal has become all but impossible for American Dain Blanton.

Americans lose second beach volleyball match


As the standoff gripped the nation, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis postponed his departure for a European Union summit in Brussels by one day until Thursday.

Europe ; Bus Hijackers Hold 11 in Athens, Demand \$1 Million


Crude oil and gasoline prices fell Wednesday as speculators seemed to lose hope that futures prices would continue ever upward. Crude oil dropped \$1.

Traders who had bet on a rise are bailing out


An exiled Iranian opposition group has said that Iran obtained weapons-grade Uranium and a design for a nuclear bomb from a Pakistani scientist who has admitted to selling nuclear secrets abroad.

Iran got nuke design from Pak: Report


Striking out against spammers (sounds good already!) Lycos have developed a screensaver that should help to put the nasty blighters out of business.

Lycos screensaver tackles spam websites


Attitudes toward burgers have changed, and that's good news for McDonald's.

Golden Times for Golden Arches


We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you something from October. Don #39;t touch that dial. The Astros may remember their 88th victory more for what it wasn #39;t than what it was.

It #39;s not just bats rising to occasion


House prices will suffer a  quot;modest quot; fall over the next couple of years, the Bank of England warned yesterday as it cut its forecast for economic growth.

Bank warns of fall in house prices as economy slows


RadioShack signs a deal to operate wireless phone kiosks in Sam's Club locations.

Shackin' Up With Big Sam


Concerns that Celebrex may increase the risk of heart attack could keep what is still a relatively safe medication away from patients who suffer from arthritis and other painful ailments, some doctors say.

Doctors Debate the Safety of Celebrex


KUWAIT CITY, Dec 6 (AFP) - US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Monday he would devote himself to transforming the military and bringing American troops out of Iraq as he confirmed he would remain in President George W. Bush #39;s administration.

Rumsfeld confirms will stay on, vows transformation of US military


Reuters - Two units of mutual fund company\Franklin Resources Inc.  agreed to pay  #36;20 million in\civil penalties to settle charges that they used fund assets to\pay for marketing and failed to adequately tell investors,\federal regulators said on Monday.

Franklin Funds Strikes  #36;20 Mln SEC Deal (Reuters)


While creative, Blockbuster's latest policy change will have little impact on Netflix.

It's Good to Be Right


Hastings, a multimedia retailer, trims losses and raises full-year guidance.

An Entertaining Holiday Pick


Jeromy Burnitz hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the eighth inning to overshadow Barry Bonds #39; 698th homer and lift the Colorado Rockies to an 8-7 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night.

Burnitz HR, not Bonds, steals show


Reuters - Genetic factors influence female\infidelity and the number of sexual partners women have,\British scientists said on Wednesday.

Genetic Factors Influence Female Infidelity -Study (Reuters)


Continental Airlines Inc. on Thursday said it will seek to cut \$500 million in annual wages and benefits on expectations of losing  quot;hundreds of millions of dollars quot; this year.

Continental to Seek Wage, Benefits Cuts


AFP - Hundreds of thousands of pro-Western and pro-Russian activists mobilized across Ukraine as the former Soviet republic headed into a stormy weekend vote that Washington warned would spark unspecified  quot;measures quot; if rigged by the state.

Ukraine votes for new leader as Russia and the West watch anxiously (AFP)


Fears of a broad retreat in car sales eased during September as key manufacturers such as General Motors Corp., DaimlerChrysler and Toyota and Nissan all posted double-digit sales increases.

Sept. Sales Boost GM, DC, Toyota


WASHINGTON - DC Council Chair Linda Cropp isn #39;t shaken by Major League Baseball calling the DC Council #39;s measure requiring 50 percent private financing for a new stadium  quot;wholly unacceptable.

Cropp Not Shaken by MLB #39;s Reaction


Shell Canada outlined \$4 billion worth of expansions and de-bottlenecking at its Athabasca Oil Sands Project yesterday. The work will eventually bring the project to 500,000 barrels per day in production.

Shell unveils \$4B in plans


AP - It's been possible for years to watch television on a personal computer, but not many people do. The reasons are simple: mediocre picture and sound quality and the ergonomics of it all. TVs don't need to boot up.

Review: Hi-Def TV May Be PCs' Killer App (AP)


SAN DIEGO -- Backup quarterbacks Doug Flutie and Philip Rivers each threw a touchdown pass and the San Diego Chargers warmed up for their first playoff game in nine seasons by beating the Kansas City Chiefs, 24-17, yesterday in what was little more than an exhibition. Having clinched the AFC West title two weeks earlier and the AFC's No. 4 ...

S.D. backups charged up


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Peyton Manning threw three touchdown  passes to move closer to the all-time season record as the  Indianapolis Colts routed the visiting Tennessee Titans 51-24  Sunday.

NFL Wrap: Manning Tosses Three TDs as Colts Win


The company announces a disappointing quarter and reduces full-year guidance.

Brown Shoe Sings the Blues


AFP - Nearly 60 percent of computer networks in Chinese offices, including those in the national defence department and the government, have been hit by Internet viruses or attacks, reported state media.

Nearly 60 percent office computers have been infected by Internet bug (AFP)


MILAN -- Leaders Juventus moved five points clear at the top of Serie A as goals by Alessandro Del Piero and Marcelo Zalayeta gave the club a 2-0 win over AS Roma on Thursday.

Del Piero, Zalayeta score in home win


Researchers at the University of Illinois in Chicago have confirmed what many high-tech workers have long suspected: The job market for technology workers remains bleak, years after the US recession officially ended in late 2001.

Hiring slump continues for many in high-tech


Printer makers can #39;t be very happy, as Lexmark has just lost what could have been a landmark case for its profits and the future of printer ink cartridges.

Lexmark loses ink cartridge battle


withdrawal of troops and settlers from occupied Gaza next year. Militants seek to claim any pullout as a victory.  quot;Islamic Jihad will not be broken by this martyrdom, quot; said Khaled al-Batsh, a senior political leader in Gaza.

Israel kills Islamic Jihad leader in Gaza strike


LONDON - Alemannia Aachen, a German second division team which reached its domestic final last season, is in the final 32 of the UEFA Cup competition and the Glasgow Rangers are out.

Aachen Makes Final 32 in UEFA Cup Play


Travel and real estate heavyweight Cendant said Wednesday it will buy travel Web site Orbitz for about \$1.25 billion, making it the No.

Cendant to buy Orbitz for \$1.25 billion


BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union and Turkey struck  an historic deal on Friday to start talks next year on  admitting the vast Muslim nation to the bloc after last-minute  haggling over Ankara's relationship with EU member Cyprus.

EU and Turkey Seal Historic Deal on Entry Talks


These disks are not remnants of the protostellar clouds from which the stars themselves formed, according to the astronomers, who plan to publish in The Astrophysical Journal.

Building planets is a slam-bang art


SANAA - A court here has sentenced two Yemeni Al-Qaeda militants to death and jailed four others for the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, which killed 17 sailors.

Two Yemenis get death for Cole blast


The new regulatory body for the United States audit industry said Thursday that its initial inspections of the Big Four accounting firms had found  quot;significant audit and accounting issues quot; in audits by all of them.

US regulator faults Big Four accounting firms - but gently


THE Australian Rugby Union has been swamped with inquiries from high-profile players here and overseas interested in joining the new Super 14 franchise in 2006.

Fourth team: players queue up


Conrad Black has had one of Canada #39;s most colourful business careers. But his fortunes have taken a tumble in the last 18 months.

Conrad Black #39;s troubles


LONDON: Subsea rail operator Eurotunnel unveiled yesterday a  quot;Project Dare quot; plan to cut jobs and services as it tries to dig its way out of a mountain of debt in the face of falling revenues and market share.

Eurotunnel to cut workforce


s captain of the United States Ryder Cup team, Hal Sutton will be more dictator than diplomat. Europe has won six of the last nine Ryder Cups heading into the biennial competition next month (Sept.

Ryder Cup Captain Sutton: Don #39;t Expect Mr. Nice Guy


Canadian Press - MOSCOW (AP) - Forensic tests have shown that some of the militants who took more than 1,000 people hostage in a school in the southern Russian town of Beslan last month were drug addicts, a senior prosecutor was quoted as saying Sunday.

Russian prosecutor says Beslan school attackers were drug addicts (Canadian Press)


The operator of a gambling news site on the Internet has asked a federal judge to declare that advertisements in U.S. media for foreign online casinos and sports betting outlets are protected by free-speech rights.

Free-Speech for Online Gambling Ads Sought


(IsraelNN.com) Egypts foreign minister and intelligence chief are scheduled to arrive for high-level talks in Jerusalem this morning.

Egyptian Officials Due to Arrive for Talks This Morning


Conference USA men #39;s basketball coaches said they expected a very close and difficult conference race, but that #39;s not how they voted.

Cardinals top pick in C-USA


A SMALL device planted outside the Indonesian Embassy in Paris exploded early today, slightly injuring nine people, including four embassy workers, authorities said.

Embassy blast hurts nine


Retired running back Ricky Williams has no immediate plans to resume his NFL career with the Dolphins, his attorney said.

Williams Stays Retired


Xavier Beitia kicks a 22-yard field goal with 1:03 to play to help No. 5 Florida State pull off a surprisingly close 20-17 victory over Wake Forest on Saturday.

Florida St. Boots Wake


Navy had one opening, one sliver of a chance to make it a game against Notre Dame yesterday. After the Midshipmen drove 81 yards for a field goal midway through the

Mids unlucky against Irish, again


The European Commission has opened an investigation into the planned acquisition of ContentGuard Holdings by Microsoft and Time Warner.

Europe Opens Another Inquiry Involving Microsoft


China has developed a light and removable spacesuit for its astronauts set to embark on China #39;s second manned space mission scheduled for next September.

Chinese astronauts to wear lighter outfits


Retailing entrepreneur Philip Green is to receive a 460m dividend from Arcadia, the Top Shop, Dorothy Perkins and Evans group he bought for 850m two years ago.

Green measures up for 460m pay day


SPACE.com - The tenth crew of the \International Space Station (ISS) made a short spaceflight early Monday to move a Russian lifeboat \to a new docking port and prepare the station for a pair of upcoming spacewalks.

ISS Crew Successfully Redocks Soyuz Spacecraft (SPACE.com)


Walking Barry Bonds intentionally to load the bases in the 10th inning turned out to be the wrong move for Florida - because Rudy Seanez then walked pinch-hitter A.J. Pierzynski on four pitches...

Walking Bonds Was Wrong Move for Marlins


\

 SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. filed nine new lawsuits\against spammers who send unsolicited e-mail, including an\e-mail marketing Web hosting company, the world's largest\software maker said on Thursday

Microsoft Sues Web Hoster, Others Over Spam


Reuters - No. 1 U.S. defense contractor Lockheed\Martin Corp.  reported a 41 percent rise in quarterly\profit on Tuesday, beating Wall Street forecasts, as demand\soared for its combat aircraft and information technology\services.

Lockheed Profit Jumps on IT, Jet Demand (Reuters)


ISMAILIA, Egypt: Egypt #39;s Suez Canal has been blocked by a broken-down oil tanker and could stay shut for another two days, the most serious closure of the strategic waterway for almost 30 years, shipping sources said.

Suez Canal blocked by crippled oil tanker


Swedish DJ Eric Prydz goes straight to number one in the UK chart with dance track Call on Me.

Call on Me hits number one spot


Utah football coach Urban Meyer was just where he was scheduled to be Thursday, at practice with his team. The New York Times reported earlier in the day that Meyer had been contacted by Notre Dame and that he would meet with school officials.

Meyer attends practice


MANCHESTER - Sir Alex Ferguson admits he has never seen a player make as impressive a debut as Wayne Rooney did on his hat-trick night for Manchester United in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Wonderkid Wayne walking on water


Microsoft on Wednesday made available the latest builds of its 64-bit version of Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003 Enterprise, that each features a handful of new improvements including the Luna user interface, Windows Messenger, Windows ...

Spruced up 64-bit Windows beta ready


NEW YORK - With a shot at claiming the No. 1 ranking, Amelie Mauresmo engaged Elena Dementieva in a contest called, Anything you can do, I can do worse.

A winsa win


General Electric Co. agreed to buy a Citigroup business that provides lending and leasing services to the trucking industry for \$4.4 billion in cash to build its commercial finance unit in areas where it already has expertise.

GE Buys Citigroup #39;s Truck Finance Unit for \$4.4 Bln (Update2)


Countries taking part in a conference on Iraq differ on how to assist the nation but strongly support the interim government #39;s

Disputes cloud international gathering on Iraq #39;s future


KUFA, Iraq - A mortar barrage slammed into a mosque filled with Iraqis preparing to march on the embattled city of Najaf, killing 27 people and wounding 63 Thursday, while the nation's top Shiite cleric arrived at the gates of the holy city in a massive convoy hoping to end three weeks of fighting.  ..

Mortar Barrage Kills 27 in Kufa Mosque


Brian Binnie (top left in image), grabbed previous Pilot #39;s Mike Melvill #39;s torch and flew the second leg of the X Prize competition in Burt Rutan #39;s SpaceShipOne.

SpaceShipOne has made Space History


Major League Baseball has yet to reach an agreement with Peter Angelos on on a deal that would financially protect the Orioles.

Deadline Looms


GERARD HOULLIER was today installed as the early favourite to succeed Sir Bobby Robson as Newcastle United manager. The former Liverpool boss is being tipped to take over with Magpies skipper Alan Shearer, who

Houllier favourite for Newcastle


Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Johan Santana threw seven shutout innings and Jacque Jones homered to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 2-0 victory over New York in the opener of a best-of-five American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium.

American League Playoff Game Summary - Minnesota at New York


DAVID Hicks, the Australian accused of fighting with the Taliban, appeared before a US military commission panel overnight, with defence lawyers challenging the impartiality of one panel member once praised for  quot;tracking and killing quot; Taliban fighters.

Hicks fronts military commission


Winds and water wreak havoc on the Kennedy Space Center. The damage could delay space flights scheduled for next spring.

Hurricane Hammers Shuttle Program


Olympic gold medalist Tyler Hamilton was fired by his cycling team two months after testing positive for blood doping. The Swiss-based International Cycling Union, or UCI, said Tuesday

Tyler Hamilton fired by cycling team, which is barred from pro <b>...</b>


A series of explosions at a political rally in Dhaka, Bangladesh killed more than 13 people and injured up to 80, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Agence France-Presse

Bangladesh Blasts Kill 13, Injure Opposition Leader, AFP Says


Both President Bush and Sen. John Kerry profess to be  quot;free traders, quot; opposed to tariffs and other impediments to commerce.

Divide over managing US #39;s wallet


Neither is a man of La Mancha, but the two wandering Americans named Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish may feel like Don Quixote going against malevolent windmills today. Tilting with tennis rackets while 27,000 Spaniards screamingly try to drive them as cuckoo as old D.Q. himself.

Will they again be dirt poor?


Christmas came early for some retailers: While Wal-Mart Stores (nyse: WMT - news - people ) and Limited Brands (nyse: LTD - news - people ) were having a slow start to the holidays, Sears, Roebuck  amp; Co.

Lacy: Sears Sales Show Holiday Surprise


Secretary of State Colin Powell is in China as part of a three-nation Asian tour to try to restart multi-party talks on North Korea #39;s nuclear program.

Secretary of State Powell in China for Talks on North Korea


quot;Everything is a trade-off, and the techniques used to find the bad guys will be balanced by our democracy and drive for rights of privacy, quot; said security expert Evan Scott.

BEST OF ECT NEWS Biometrics: ThinkPad and Beyond


The box score says John Smoltz and Brad Lidge did not figure in this Game 2 thriller. Typical of the  quot;win-at-all-costs quot; mind-set that the Astros and Braves carried into

Smoltz, Lidge big factors in Game 2


Search Engines Fueling Online Music Retailers\\Search engines are fueling the online hip-hop, rock, country and polka industries according to a new Hitwise study. 30.4 percent of U.S. visits to music retail Web sites in July 2004 resulted directly from search-engines and directories. According to a new report from Hitwise, an ...


AP - An ailing Yasser Arafat  #151; too weak to stand, unable to hold down food and spending most of Thursday sleeping  #151; agreed to leave his battered West Bank compound for the first time in more than two years and fly to Paris for urgent medical treatment.

Ailing Arafat Goes to Paris for Treatment (AP)


Almost one-third of Mesa Countys employers plan to hire additional workers during the final three months of this year, according to a survey by a nationwide temporary-services firm.

Jobs outlook brightens


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chief executive of McDonald's  Corp. is recuperating after another surgery, the world's  largest fast-food company said on Saturday.

McDonald's: CEO Resting After New Surgery


Text messaging users can use Google SMS to get specific search information such as prices, definitions, area codes, ZIP codes and phone listings.

Google introduces wireless service


Vijay Singh shot an eight-under-par 63 to take a two-shot lead over Tiger Woods after the second round of the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Singh storms into lead


LONDON (Reuters) - UK brokerage Cazenove effectively gave  up 181 years of independence on Friday when it sealed a joint  venture with J.P. Morgan Chase   Co., designed to lift the U.S.  bank's UK presence and give Cazenove a broader reach.

Cazenove Loses Independence with JPM Deal


The alliance between Britain and America is stronger than ever, President George W Bush has said following two days of talks with Tony Blair.

Bush hails Blair as  #39;visionary leader #39;


Before they were Eagles at Boston College, and before they were Hawks at Xaverian Brothers High, Peter Shean and Nathanael Hasselbeck were Vikings on the same Pop Warner football team. Through the years, Shean and Hasselbeck forged an inseparable bond.

A little game between friends


GENEVA - The United Nations has found another listening device planted in its offices, this one in the world body #39;s European headquarters in Geneva.

New bugging device found in UN offices


Retailers gearing up for their annual sales push are being forced to wait - thanks to a backup of cargo ships, railroads and truck lines.

Retail Stores Feel the Pinch of Cargo Caught in Transit Limbo


TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar edged up on Friday, building  on the previous day's rebound from multi-year lows on  speculation that a strong reading for upcoming U.S. jobs data  could highlight the long-forgotten attraction of U.S. assets.

Dollar Enjoys Solace Ahead of Jobs Report


ActiveGrid lands multimillion-dollar funding for plan to use open-source tools, low-cost servers for Web applications.

Start-up pitches high-end Web apps on the cheap


It took a year, but Quincy's volleyball team has bragging rights in the city again.

Quincy gets its revenge


AP - Submachine gun, check. Semiautomatic pistol, check. Personal digital assistant, check.

Handheld Computers Aid Convention Security (AP)


Shaquille O #39;Neal pulled down his 10,000th NBA rebound to lead the Heat to a 100-80 win over the Jazz. O #39;Neal needed eight rebounds entering the game to become the 31st player with 10,000 career boards.

Shaq #39;s career milestone as the heat wins


A home run by Albert Pujols and another strong pitching performance on the road by Jeff Suppan moved the St. Louis Cardinals into the National League Championship Series.

Cardinals Win Playoff Series From Dodgers; Braves Force Game 5


BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (Dow Jones/AP) -- Hilton Hotels Corp. on Monday posted a 79 percent jump in third-quarter profit, as strong summer travel demand and higher room rates helped the company #39;s bottom line.

Hilton Hotels profit zooms 78 percent amid summer travel surge


Technologies that let people record satellite and Internet radio broadcasts digitally are opening a new front in the recording industry #39;s war on music piracy.

New front: Recording of digital broadcasts


NASA #39;s older Martian robotic rover, Spirit, has found evidence that underground water changed a major rock formation called the Columbia Hills, scientists said Thursday.

Spirit captures some evidence that underground source created rock <b>...</b>


Not all the time, anyway. <i>Moneyball</i> author Michael Lewis says conventional wisdom creates inefficiencies.

Don't Listen to Buffett


Oil prices have risen for the fifth day in a row amid continuing concerns over the level of US stocks. The surge helped spark a 1.3 fall on Wall Street as investors worried it could lead to a fall in consumer spending and hit corporate profits.

Oil price surge hits Wall Street


AP - Former soccer great Diego Maradona returned to Cuba on Monday to resume treatment for cocaine addiction after a relapse confined him to a psychiatric hospital in his native Argentina and sparked unsuccessful attempts by his family to keep him at home.

Soccer Legend Maradona Arrives in Cuba (AP)


The pound rose for its second week against the dollar on speculation that the currency reflects too much pessimism about the outlook for the economy.

Pound Has Weekly Gain; September Retail Sales Unexpectedly Rose


Delta Air Lines Inc. #39;s plan to restructure some of its debt outside of bankruptcy has raised concerns among credit analysts who say the move could be tantamount to defaulting on the money the struggling carrier owes.

Industry report


In Eli Manning #39;s eyes, it has become a trust issue between him and his teammates. In a four-game string of declining performances, lowlighted by yesterday #39;s 4-for-18, 27-yard

Eli building trust


IBM will next week release editions of version 8.2 of its DB2 database software, featuring support for Linux clustering in addition to self-managing and tuning capabilities.

IBM adds extra Linux and automation to DB2


The Darfur crisis has laid bare an unspoken Arab-African fault line that runs from Mauritania in the west, to Sudan in the east.

In Sudan, No Clear Difference Between Arab and African


British Energy Plc (BGY.L: Quote, Profile, Research) , the UK #39;s biggest electricity producer, said on Thursday it had ended a dispute with investment firm Polygon regarding British Energy #39;s plans to delist its shares.

UPDATE 1-British Energy, Polygon end legal dispute


Andy Roddick, at heart, is an entertainer. So he loves the US Open and its Big Apple buzz, the fans who offer players high-fives, just the general state of hyperactivity.

Roddick vs. Federer could cap Slam season


A broad international peace conference that has reportedly been suggested by Egypt could be  quot;counterproductive quot; and shouldn #39;t be discussed until after the Palestinian election, Israel #39;s

Israeli ambassador calls peace conference idea  #39;counterproductive #39;


Rebel and government ground forces clashed and government warplanes mounted more bombing runs Friday, escalating hostilities a day after Ivory Coast abandoned a more than year-old ceasefire in its civil war.

Renewed clashes follow Ivory Coast government abandoning ceasefire


By our political staff. David Blunkett was hit by more revelations about his private life last night as it was reported that he had an affair with a civil servant nearly 20 years his junior.

Allegation of second affair with secretary in ministerial office


Ichiro leads the majors with 223 hits, 34 short of the all-time single-season record. He has 27 games remaining to reach the record of 257 hits, set by George Sisler in 1920 with the St.

Ichiro goes 5-for-5, needs 35 hits to break record


Editor #39;s Summary: At a supercomputing conference, Microsoft announced a new tool kit that will let developers create high-performance computing applications.

Microsoft intros supercomputing developer kit


AP - When Naoko Ito uses a public bathroom, she cringes in embarrassment at the thought that other patrons can hear the sounds coming from her stall. That's when she turns to the

Gadget Helps Women Use Bathroom in Japan (AP)


It's the first Dell PC to feature a multiformat expansion card reader.

Dell introduces new compact desktop PC


AP - J. Cofer Black, the State Department official in charge of counterterrorism, is leaving government in the next few weeks.

State Department Counterterror Chief Quits (AP)


Reuters - An Islamist group has freed two women\relatives of Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi but is\still holding his male cousin hostage, Arab satellite\television Al Jazeera said on Sunday.

Kidnappers Free Women Relatives of Iraqi PM -TV (Reuters)


Oracle Corp.'s hostile bid to acquire rival enterprise software maker PeopleSoft Inc. for \$7.7 billion is set to continue for a bit longer.

Oracle again extends offer for PeopleSoft


CHICAGO _ No one who has watched Harry Stonecipher over the years should be surprised that he has just thrown the biggest punch yet in Boeing Co.

Boeing bringing the fight to Airbus


In an effort to make it easier to sell, distribute and buy cell-phone applications, Nokia (Quote, Chart) has announced the launch of Preminet, a service to distribute certified Java- and Symbian-based mobile software.

Nokia Debuts Preminet Service


An unmanned NASA jet was launched over the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday in a bid to demonstrate a radical new engine technology by flying at a world-record 7,000 mph - almost 10 times the speed of sound.

NASA Launches Hypersonic 'Scramjet'


AP - In debt, jobless and fed up with power outages, Abu Qadouri and his wife have themselves frozen to be revived when life is better. Ten years later, they are thawed out.

Explosion of Postwar Humor Helps Iraqis (AP)


washingtonpost.com - Open-source software, namely Linux, is nipping more sharply at the heels of Microsoft, leading the software giant to defend itself more fiercely than ever against the insurgent rise of freely distributed, collaboratively coded programs.

The Open Source Threat (washingtonpost.com)


Nels Bergstrom loaded his wife and three children into a sport utility vehicle Friday morning and made the hourlong ride from his home in Delaware County to Walker #39;s Christmas Tree Farm in Carbon County.

#39;Tis the season to stop, chop and roll


BOSTON (Reuters) - The Boston Red Sox created history, now  they will try to make believers out of skeptics as baseball's  perennial also-rans take on the St. Louis Cardinals in a bid to  earn their first World Series title since 1918.

Boston Hopes to Make Believers Out of Skeptics


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday as a drop  in oil prices pulled down shares of energy companies and  health-care giant Johnson   Johnson <A HREF=

Stocks Close Lower as Energy, J J Weigh


ABIDJAN, Nov 13 (AFP) - Hundreds of frightened Europeans continued to flee the Ivory Coast Saturday as an uneasy calm returned to the troubled west African country one week after angry mobs went on a rampage against foreigners.

Ivory Coast in uneasy calm, as foreigners continue to flee


Groups tied to Abu Musab Zarqawi claim a major car bombing Tuesday, taking Westerners as hostages.

Abductions in Iraq a big business


In a rematch of All-Russian French Open championship match, Anastasia Myskina trounced Elena Dementieva 7-5 and 6-0 to win the Kremlin Cup final to retain her Moscow title on Sunday.

Myskina beats Dementieva to win in Moscow


Booed off at the interval by their lowest Premiership crowd of the season, Blackburn Rovers earned a rousing send-off an hour later for salvaging an unlikely point at the expense of a bemused Birmingham.

Hughes cheered by remarkable comeback


AP - Stunned fans of the North Texas-based heavy-metal rock band Damageplan jammed the group's Web site Thursday after a gunman's attack on the band during an Ohio concert left its guitarist and four other people dead.

Fans Mourn Slaying of Ex-Pantera Guitarist (AP)


AP - Six-time Olympic champion Michael Phelps was arrested last week and charged with drunken driving.

Gold Medalist Phelps Faces DWI Charges (AP)


DEMONSTRATORS set fire to United Nations offices and stoned United States soldiers in the Afghan city of Herat, a day after the government sacked its popular and powerful warlord as governor.

Violence as Karzai sacks governor


AP - Ask not why so few inaugural speeches resonate long after they are given.

Inaugural Speeches Often Don't Inspire (AP)


AFP - A legal dispute which is expected to be a decisive factor in whether rights holder Bernie Ecclestone continues to dominate Formula One racing began.

Formula One supremo Ecclestone faces legal challenge (AFP)


Who says Carly Fiorina doesn #39;t have a firm hand on the business? Hewlett-Packard (nyse: HPQ - news - people ) is working on software to choke the spread of Internet viruses and worms.

Fiorina: HP Readies Software To Choke Computer Worms


Once more, the eighteenth race of the season provided a perfect illustration of the young Spaniards tenacity and never-say-die spirit. Heres how

Brazil Race Debrief: Fernandos sterling drive


Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said Thursday that Mahmoud Abbas would probably win the upcoming Palestinian presidential elections, Egyptian television reported.

Mubarak predicts Abbas winning Palestinian elections: TV


AP - This isn't the first time Terry Francona has come back to Fenway Park with a two-game lead in a playoff series.

Red Sox Manager Francona in Familiar Spot (AP)


The murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh underscores growing tensions in the Netherlands over Muslim integration.

Dutch debate a 'values' divide after slaying


PARIS Despite its revelation that it has fired Tyler Hamilton, its leader and the winner of a disputed gold medal at the Olympic Games in Athens, the Phonak team lost its appeal to be included in bicycle racing #39;s reorganized structure, officials announced

Cycling: Even after firing Hamilton, Phonak #39;s  #39;attitude #39; derails <b>...</b>


ELEANOR HALL: Talks began today between the former asbestos maker James Hardie, the ACTU and asbestos support groups aimed at reaching a deal to compensate thousands of future victims of the company #39;s products.

James Hardie negotiations underway


. Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouthi, who is illegally jailed in Israeli occupation prison, will not run in the Palestinian presidential election, an official

Barghouthi Drops Palestinian Election Bid


For Americans, it #39;s just as well that the Olympics came to a conclusion Sunday. Over the weekend, the ends of America #39;s almost

At these Games, the big sports powers see less gold


The federal government has received bipartisan support for a proposed new security deal with Indonesia. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says it #39;s possible Australia could negotiate a security and anti-terrorism

Indonesia pact gets bipartisan support


Reuters - Scientists have discovered a new\species of flightless bird on a remote island in the\Philippines, the conservation group BirdLife International said\on Tuesday.

New Flightless Bird Species Found Off Philippines (Reuters)


Chris Byrd and Jameel McCline are good friends who both happen to make a living hitting people in the ring. They go to dinner together and hang out at each other #39;s houses.

Good friends outside the ring, Byrd and McCline meet for <b>...</b>


Adobe this week updated its Acrobat and Reader software to fix vulnerabilities spotted by security intelligence firm iDefense. Adobe this week updated its Acrobat and Reader software to fix vulnerabilities

Adobe Repairs Reader, Acrobat Flaws


US-based forensic expert Dr. Henry Lee who was investigating the March 19 shooting of President Chen Shui-bian () has concluded that the incident was not an assassination attempt.

Lee rules out assassination in shooting investigation


In his first public appearance since an Iraqi judge ordered his arrest three weeks ago, the Iraqi exile Ahmad Chalabi announced his return to Iraq #39;s political scene

Chalabi, Claiming Exoneration, Plans Another Comeback


Virgin Group Ltd., owned by billionaire British entrepreneur Richard Branson, said it will begin selling a portable music player to compete with Apple Computer Inc.

Virgin to sell digital player to compete with IPod


When Prime Minister Paul Martin travels to Haiti on Sunday, his arrival is expected to be welcomed by a rare gathering leaders from opposite ends of the island nation #39;s political spectrum.

Martin set for one-day visit to Haiti


JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's Harmony Gold has  made an unsolicited 52.9 billion rand (\$8.2 billion) bid to  take over bigger domestic rival Gold Fields to create the  world's biggest gold producer, it said on Monday.

Harmony Gold Bids for Gold Fields


The Irish government has given Kenneth Bigley - kidnapped in Iraq - an Irish passport in a bid to stress his non-British roots. It was issued following appeals from his family and his dual citizenship means

Bigley granted Irish passport


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw  said on Tuesday violence must not upset plans to hold  nationwide elections in Iraq, whose prime minister indicated  the government was gearing up to retake rebel strongholds.

Britain's Straw Says Iraq Elections Must Go Ahead


This middleware offering is touted as the first open source application server to achieve compatibility certification for the Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE) version 1.4 by passing the 23,000 tests of the test compatibility kit.

JBOSS Releases Application Server 4.0


AP - NASA has agreed to launch its largest scientific balloons from a site in northern Sweden, a spokesman said Tuesday.

NASA Picks Swede Launch Site for Balloons (AP)


THAT MEEKshy and retiring Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, has dared to suggest that Apple #39;s reassuringly expensive and beautiful iPods might be packed full of pirated music.

iPods  quot;packed with pirated music quot;


Gateway's new motherboard design helps machines run cooler and more quietly than other Gateway desktops.

Photos: Gateway's wind-tunnel design


Japanese game makers, faced with a shrinking local market and increasing competition from overseas rivals, are pinning hopes on mobile platforms such as handheld machines and cellphones to stir up demand.

Japan Game Makers Count on Mobile Gear for Growth


Mobile handset manufacturers Motorola, NEC, Nokia, Siemens and Sony Ericsson have announced their co-operation in the Mobile Broadcast Services work, launched under the auspices of the sector trade association, the Open Mobile Alliance.

Handset big five work together to drive mobile broadcast services


When will the bears admit that Kmart (KMRT:Nasdaq - commentary - research) is for real? When will they say,  quot;You know, the people who used to run Kmart were idiots and things are now better quot;?

Kmart Delivers, Bad News for Bears


Three powerful blasts from three wholly different regions in space have left scientists scrambling. The blasts, which lasted only a few seconds, might be early alert systems for star explosions called supernovae, which could start appearing any day now.

After Trio of Explosions, Scientists Say Supernova Is Imminent


Southeast Asian economic ministers met on Saturday with counterparts from powerhouses Japan and China, and made progress toward liberalizing trade and boosting business, officials said.

Southeast Asia, China, Japan Work to Boost Trade


The United States on Sunday applauded the decision by the Paris Club on slashing Iraq #39;s debts and urged other countries to follow suit.

Bush hails Iraq debts reduction by Pairs Club


Carly Patterson became the first American woman to win the gymnastics all-around competition since Mary Lou Retton in 1984.

Patterson Wins All-Around Gold


The FCC is set to vote unanimously for a record-setting fine against CBS-owned stations for violating broadcast decency standards with the network's January breast-baring Super Bowl halftime show, though some commissioners are expected to say the fines are not severe enough, FCC sources said.
<FONT face=

FCC Plans Record Fine Against CBS


He chipped in on one hole and then rolled in a long, downhill putt for another birdie a little later. During the stretch in which he seized control of the golf tournament

Palmer magical at Funai Classic


After settling a portion of a 5-year-old lawsuit involving its pension plan, Armonk, NY-based IBM Corp. (NYSE: IBM) will take a \$320 million charge on its third-quarter earnings.

IBM to take \$320M charge for pension settlement


UK regulator Ofcom decided to make geographic and non-geographic numbers available for VoIP (voice over IP) services. Non-geographic VoIP numbers will have a 056 prefix code, and will be available to all  quot;local

GB: Ofcom entscheidet ber Voice-over-IP Rufnummern Geographische <b>...</b>


The controversy erupted as the Congress prepared to return for a post-election session under pressure to pass legislation that would create a national director of intelligence.

Lawmakers Divided on C.I.A. Chief's Leadership


TORONTO -- The NHL rejected last week #39;s proposal by the players #39; association and then had its own counteroffer turned down Tuesday during a 3-hour negotiating session.

Bettman rejects proposal; counteroffer turned down


Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren says bureaucratic miscues continue to hamstring serious government action to combat cyberattacks.

Thumb twiddling on cybersecurity


A senior Rwandan government official signaled Wednesday Rwandan troops will attack the Congo-based rebels by saying that Rwanda will do all possible to defend her nationals if attacked by the militia.

Rwanda threatens to attack rebels in Congo


Plumtree Software further extended its portal-based, Web applications building and management platform Monday, announcing upgrades to its Content and Collaboration servers, APIs for search and collaboration, and support and services for J2EE and .Net platforms.

Plumtree upgrades portal package


AP - In a psychological war of words, Senate Republicans are issuing only slightly veiled threats against their Democratic counterparts if the minority party resuscitates its penchant for blocking President Bush's choices for federal judgeships.

More Battles Likely on Bush Judge Picks (AP)


Investors losing their shirts in Hollywood is an old story. Stars get in their eyes and, before you know it, the money is gone.

State Street's lost shirt


PHOENIX (Sports Network) - The Arizona Diamondbacks have  fired newly-hired manager Wally Backman and are expected to  replace him with Bob Melvin, according to a published report.

Diamondbacks Fire Backman


LOS ANGELES -- It wasn #39;ta save situation. But the Braves made sure Eric Gagne enjoyed a second consecutive depressing night, with some help from Johnny Estrada, who enjoyed another successful evening in his native state.

Braves get a win off Gagne


ATHENS -- Brett Heyl, the Norwich, Vt., native who had hopes of making the finals of the men's slalom kayak event, finished 12th in the morning heat yesterday, dropping him from the finals.

Heyl's spirits still afloat


AFP - Japan's government said it was trying to confirm news reports that the Islamic militant group of Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi had taken a Japanese citizen hostage in Iraq and threatened to behead him.

Tokyo checking suspected kidnapping of Japanese in Iraq (AFP)


LONDON (Reuters) - World number two Andy Roddick is set to  hook up with his U.S. Davis Cup assistant coach after firing  Brad Gilbert at the weekend.

Roddick Set to Link Up with Low-Key Coach


It is almost weird to see these big corporations trying to enter a field so soon one after the other that was ruled by small companies just few weeks ago.

Yahoo! wants a slice of Desktop Search Market


PARIS (CBS) A senior aide to Yasser Arafat said early Sunday that the ailing Palestinian leader was not comatose but still in intensive care.

Aide: Arafat Not In Coma, In ICU


TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar idled on Wednesday after the  latest round of U.S. inflation data failed to substantially  alter the outlook for gradual increases in interest rates.

Dollar Stuck After CPI Fails to Inspire


Reuters - European stocks jumped to fresh 6-month\highs on Friday, buoyed by lower oil prices and a strong rally\on Wall Street, but the dollar hung close to record lows\against the euro ahead of key U.S. jobs data.

Dollar Struggles Before U.S. Jobs Report (Reuters)


AFP - The mystery death of a middle-aged British tourist near Australia's world renowned Ayers Rock this week deepened following an autopsy that failed to establish the cause, police said.

Mystery death of British tourist at Ayers Rock deepens after autopsy (AFP)


There was a time when knocking out Mike Tyson was boxing #39;s equivalent to beating Ken Jennings at Final Jeopardy. It was the most Heruculean of labors and when it finally happened, it was an international event

A gentleman and a boxer


In his prime, Roy Jones was the greatest pound for pound fighter in the world. He dazzled us with electrifying speed, unmatched lateral movement, boxing smarts, and mad slipping ability.

ROY JONES JUNIOR.. A LEGEND THAT TIME CAUGHT UP WITH..


Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard said he thought his team was heading out of the Champions League midway through yesterday #39;s match against Olympiakos.

Captain Gerrard Helps Liverpool Overcome Champions League Odds


Chelsea full-back Wayne Bridge could return to the team after being out with a calf injury since 19 September. Celestine Babayaro (hamstring) could also feature in the squad along with Mateja Kezman (groin).

Man City v Chelsea


AFP - President George W. Bush thanked Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for pursuing a military offensive in a remote area where Osama bin Laden may be hiding, senior US officials said.

Bush thanks Musharraf for anti-extremist offensive (AFP)


BEVERLY Coach: Dan Bauer (second year). Last year's record: 4-7. Returning starters (7): Nate Boynton, OT/DT, 6-3, 290, Sr.; Armando Cuko, kicker/punter, 5-11, 180, Sr.; Justin Fisher, OL/DL, 5-9, 230, Sr.; Dan Abate, WR/DB, 5-8, 165, Sr.; Travis Anderson, WR/DB, 5-8, 175, Sr.; Chris Kruczynski, OL/DL, 6-1, 240, Sr.; Jason Comeau, C/DL, 6-0, 215, Sr. Returning lettermen: Nick Abraham, RB/LB, ...

Northeastern Conference


After going hitless in his previous 23 at-bats, Tony Batista came through at the perfect time for the Montreal Expos. Batista hit a one-out RBI double in the 12th inning and the Expos ended

Batista #39;s double in 12th beats Braves


Some outlets are reporting that Sony has decided to add native mp3 support to its digital music players, but the electronics giant says it has not yet made a final decision.

Sony considers adding native mp3 support to its players


New York Yankees bench coach Willie Randolph was hired as the New York Mets #39; manager, replacing the fired Art Howe. Randolph, 50, received his first managerial job late last night and

Mets Name Willie Randolph as Manager, Replacing Howe (Update1)


Check out your checking account -- and make sure you have enough money in it before you write any checks from now on.

New Checking Law Takes Effect


SAN FRANCISCO - Google looks set to start trading on the Nasdaq today after the web #39;s No 1 search engine asked regulators for final approval to price its closely watched initial public offering.

Google set to start trading


Research In Motion Ltd. added a record 317,000 new BlackBerry subscribers in its second quarter and saw revenue and profit skyrocket, but that wasn #39;t enough to keep some investors and analysts happy.

Research in Motion profit, sales soar in second quarter


Siemens issued a warning yesterday that some of its cellphones may emit a loud noise, possibly causing hearing loss for the phone user.

Cellphones could cause hearing loss


AP - Drew Brees was selected the starting quarterback of the San Diego Chargers on Monday, a move that was expected after he followed last season's miserable performance with a solid exhibition season.

Brees Keeps Starting Job With Chargers (AP)


Sprinter Marion Jones files a defamation suit against BALCO founder Victor Conte on Wednesday after Conte said that Jones had taken steroids.

Jones Sues BALCO


The government pledges to do all it can to secure the release of a British civil engineer kidnapped in Iraq.

UK 'working to free Iraq hostage'


English cricket captain Michael Vaughan blasted a 74, but it was not enough to keep India from scoring a 23-run consolation victory in the third and final one-day international at the Lords ground in London.

Cricket: India Scores a 23-Run Consolation Victory Against England


Pakistan appears no closer to crippling al Qaeda or snaring its leader, despite scores of militant arrests in recent months which highlighted

Qaeda Leaders Elusive Despite Pakistan Crackdown


French and German executives are in a bitter dispute over the leadership of aerospace firm EADS.

Row over Airbus boss intensifies


Jason Gillespie captured five wickets as Australia bowled India out for a paltry 185 to take a commanding 213-run lead on the third day of the third test on Thursday.

UPDATE 1-Five-wicket Gillespie puts Australia in control


The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says state seat belt use increased from about 69 percent in 2003 to 72 percent in 2004.

Tennessee seat belt use improves


Patrick Ryan, a titan of the insurance industry and fixture of Chicago-area business and civic institutions, revealed plans to step down as chief executive of Aon Corp.

Aon searching for new CEO, as Ryan steps down


The upstart miner has won a huge round as part of its hostile takeover bid for Gold Fields. It #39;s not money in the bank yet, though.

Harmony Gold Stakes a Bold Claim


Prosecutors say the trial is the nation's first felony prosecution of spammers and could lead to future litigation in the fight against spam, which experts say accounts for more than 70 percent of e-mails.

Three on Trial in Loudoun in Felony Spam Case


France launched the sale of at least 9.6 per cent of France Telecom, a move that could raise up to \$7.1 billion US that will be used to help the French government reduce its national debt.

Government launches sale of 9.6 per cent stake in France Telecom


America Online has shunned a Microsoft proposal to help weed out unwanted  quot;spam quot; e-mail because Internet engineers are reluctant to adopt technology owned by the dominant software company.

AOL won #39;t use Microsoft anti-spam standard


The seven-times Formula One champion spun out in qualifying on Saturday, putting him at the back of the grid. On Sunday, a combination of another spin and a blown tyre left him with a forgettable 12th place showing.

Schumi:  #39;Not my weekend #39;


Two Macedonian construction workers kidnapped south of Baghdad have been beheaded, and the group claiming responsibility accused the men of working as spies for US forces in Iraq, the Arab television network Al-Jazeera has reported.

Report: Macedonia workers beheaded


JUST when you thought the dark days were over for good, they came back with a vengeance. Perhaps it might not have needed Nostradamus to predict the outbreaks of violence at both Millwall and Chelsea this week.

THE DARKNESS


Some of Antarctica's glaciers have accelerated their seaward march, suggesting that ocean levels might be irreversibly on the rise for centuries to come.

Antarctic Glaciers Quicken Pace to Sea; Warming Is Cited


Two large American oil companies that received profitable vouchers to buy Iraqi oil under the United Nations' oil-for-food program said yesterday that the purchases complied with U.S. law.

Oil Firms Say Iraqi Purchases Were Legal


Prime Minister Tony Blair tried Tuesday to heal divisions over the Iraq war and unite his Labour Party to fight for a historic third term in power, acknowledging that intelligence used to justify the invasion was wrong but insisting the world was safer

Blair defends war, urges Labour Party to close ranks and fight for <b>...</b>


Circulation declined at most major US newspapers in the last half year, the latest blow for an industry already rocked by a scandal involving circulation misstatements that has undermined the confidence of investors and advertisers.

Newspaper circulations drop by 0.9, report says


European Union (EU) lawmakers gathered Thursday for a vote widely expected to appove the bloc #39;s new executive arm, ending three weeks of institutional limbo for the expanding bloc.

EU set to end limbo as lawmakers vote


Reuters - Near-record oil prices will slow\U.S. economic growth but won't be enough to derail a\self-sustaining expansion, U.S. Federal Reserve officials said\on Monday.

Oil Won't Derail Expansion -Fed Officials (Reuters)


The economy is growing and the war in Iraq is unlikely to short-circuit the recovery, Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., the vice chairman of the Federal Reserve Board said Tuesday.

Official: Iraq not likely to hurt economy


Hurricane Frances could cause between \$2bn and \$10bn in insured losses in the US, experts predict as the storm pummels Florida.

Hurricane losses may reach \$10bn


The dollar bounced off recent four-week lows against the euro and yen on Monday in thin August trade with investors focusing on US data and a speech by the Federal Reserve chief later in the week.

Dollar Bounces; Eye on Data, Greenspan


BANGALORE (Reuters) - Financial news and information  provider Reuters Group Plc said on Thursday it plans to make  Bangalore its biggest information-gathering hub, employing up  to 1,500 people, or 10 percent of its total workforce.

Reuters Makes Bangalore Biggest Info Hub


One week after making his first NFL start, opening last Sunday #39;s 25- 24 win at Denver in the Raiders #39; 4-1-6 defensive package in place of strong safety Marques Anderson, rookie Stuart Schweigert may get the opportunity to start in the base defense as well

RAIDERS NOTEBOOK Schweigert might get start against Chiefs


NEW YORK -- Delta Air Lines Inc. managers and pilots will meet again today, and likely negotiate through the weekend, to find a way to keep the airline staffed with pilots, as many opt for early retirement.

Delta seeks deal to keep pilots


Any road map assumes that there is a starting point, a destination and mileposts in between. But before a carload of travelers can begin a road trip, they #39;ve got to decide who is going to drive the car.

One step in Palestine


Economic ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations agreed Friday to liberalize 10 sectors as a first step toward the creation by 2020 of a regional economic community akin to the European Union.

Update 1: ASEAN Economic Ministers Work on Community


STARKVILLE, Miss. - Was Florida #39;s 38-31 loss Saturday to Mississippi State the final blow to Ron Zook #39;s hopes of remaining as Gators coach?

Florida #39;s latest loss may send Zook packing


FORMER World No. 1 Kim Clijsters is unlikely to play again this year after aggravating a wrist injury in the semi-finals of the WTA tournament today.

Clijsters setback


BERLIN (Reuters) - Olympic champion Justine Henin-Hardenne  has withdrawn from next week's Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in  Filderstadt because of a mystery virus.

Henin-Hardenne Confirms Filderstadt Withdrawal


AP - The Boston Red Sox were beating up on pitchers  #151; until they ran into Gil Meche.

Meche Shuts Out Red Sox; Colon Wins 15th (AP)


Iraqi authorities say a suicide car-bomb blast in central Baghdad killed at least seven Iraqis and wounded 19 other people Monday - the anniversary of Saddam Hussein #39;s capture by US forces.

Baghdad Suicide Bomb Attack Kills at Least 7


Shareholders in Airbus SAS have approved the launch of a new A350 passenger jet to rival Boeing Co. #39;s 7E7, a spokesman for Airbus parent EADS said Friday.

Airbus shareholders approve launch of new A350 to rival Boeing 7E7


A UN official calls for more aid for Sudan #39;s Darfur region, saying that 70,000 people have died there since March and the toll is rising by 10,000 every month.

UPI NewsTrack TopNews


From the Vatican to the Palestinian refugee camps of Jordan, tributes poured in today for Yasir Arafat, a man regarded as an international leader by many and a terrorist by others.

Tributes for Arafat Focus on Efforts for Palestinian State


Steve Francis and Shaquille O #39;Neal enjoyed big debuts with their new teams. Kobe Bryant found out he can #39;t carry the Lakers all by himself.

NBA: O #39;Neal wins in debut


The dollar held on to the previous day #39;s gain on Tuesday, supported by a retreat in oil prices and upbeat comments on the US economy from Federal Reserve officials.

Dollar Holds Gains, Fed Comments Help


NAGPUR: India stand-in captain Rahul Dravid refused to blame the Nagpur pitch for the team #39;s loss against Australia in the third Test, and instead, censured the batsmen for the team #39;s downfall, saying they were capable of much more.

Dravid blames batting for India #39;s debacle


When Wideload Games - set up by Bungie founder Alexander Seropian - made themselves known, all they revealed was that they are working on a  quot;wildly innovative game quot; using the Halo engine.

Zombie Wideboy


Firefox, the open-source alternative to browser heavyweight Internet Explorer has surpassed the 10 million download mark in the month that has passed since version 1.0 of the browser was released.

Firefox surpasses 10 million download mark


A Palestinian National Authority(PNA) senior official said Monday that the PNA welcomed a diplomatic reconciliation with Kuwait in a sign that the relations between the two sides were improving.

PNA lauds diplomatic reconciliation with Kuwait


Despite all of the hype surrounding WiMax, chip maker Texas Instruments Inc. remains unconvinced the technology will revolutionize the way that broadband Internet services are delivered to homes and offices, according to a company executive.

Texas Instruments is unconvinced WiMax will replace DSL


The search giants have tried localizing, but with fair success. Here #39;s a model that could work better. A new book shows how a change of ownership brought new life to the Boston Red Sox franchise.

Update 1: New York Foreign Exchange


Gunmen on Monday assassinated a member of an influential Sunni clerics #39; group that has called for a boycott of national elections, just a day after Iraqi officials announced the balloting would be held Jan. 30 in spite of rising violence in Iraq.

Iraq Sets Election Despite Fresh Violence


AP - Brian Ching and Cobi Jones, a pair of substitutes, saved the United States against Jamaica on Wednesday night.

U.S. Ties Jamaica 1-1 in Cup Qualifier (AP)


KIRKUK, Iraq - A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb Saturday outside a police academy in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk as hundreds of trainees and civilians were leaving for the day, killing at least 20 people and wounding 36, authorities said.    Separately, U.S and Iraqi forces clashed with insurgents in another part of northern Iraq after launching an operation to destroy an alleged militant cell in the town of Tal Afar, the U.S...

Car Bomb Kills at Least 20 at Iraq Academy


Tomorrow, Microsoft finally releases the beta version of its proprietary search engine. For over a year, webmasters and SEOs have seen evidence of MSNbot spidering their sites as MSN-Search gathered information and compiled its database.

Proprietary MSN Search Beta launches tomorrow


Yankees Manager Joe Torre bypassed Javier Vazquez in favor of Kevin Brown, the 39-year-old right-hander who has pitched in two World Series.

Torre Chooses Brown in Game 3


AP - Carlos Boozer had eight points and nine rebounds in his first preseason game for Utah, and free agent Keith McLeod finished with 11 points and six assists in the Jazz's 113-89 win over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night.

Boozer Makes Jazz Debut in Win Over Knicks (AP)


Radical Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev has apparently taken responsibility for a recent series of terrorist attacks in Russia.

Radical Chechen Rebel Leader Takes Blame for Terror Attacks


Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have proved what Popeye already knew -- spinach is an excellent energy source. It's so good that in 10 years, our cellphones and portable computers may be coated in a spinach-based material that provides their electrical power.

We're talking real 'green' energy


Spain #39;s Sete Gibernau has put in a storming qualifying lap to snatch pole position for Sunday #39;s Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island from title rival and defending world champion Valentino Rossi.

Gibernau grabs pole at Phillip Island


Grunting tennis pro. Evil brat. Marie Antoinette. What kind of roles are these for a young, blond Hollywood ingnue?

Kirsten Dunst Pretends to Be a Jock


The Mail on Sunday reported that the Chelsea striker had tested positive for a banned substance after a test conducted by UK Sport.

MUTU BACK IN LONDON


AFP - Britain's manufacturing industries experienced an unexpected drop in output in August, the first time since January 2002 that output has fallen for three months in a row.

British manufacturing output falls for third successive month (AFP)


Where would the Yankees be this season without Orlando Hernndez? Second place, of course.

All the Yankees Are Raving About Hernndez's Second Act


Debutant Michael Clarke made a sparkling 151 and captain Adam Gilchrist 104 to lift Australia to 474 all out on the second day of the first test against India on Thursday.

UPDATE 1-Clarke makes 151 on debut to lift Australia


NEW YORK (Reuters) - DirecTV Group <A HREF=

DirecTV Consolidates LatAm Satellite Ops


Camden has become the nation #39;s most-dangerous city, a national ranking company based in Kansas announced Sunday. Camden, which was ranked third worst last year, took the dubious honor from

Camden tops dangerous cities list


LANDOVER, Md. - Dallas quarterback Vinny Testaverde dropped back to pass and let a deep ball fly down the left sideline. Washington cornerback Fred Smoot stayed with Cowboys wide receiver Antonio Bryant step for step.

Testaverde keeps answering age-old questions


Demand for the Linux OS is gathering steam as it becomes more popular outside its core market of computer enthusiasts, helped in part by interest in open-source software from European governments.

Red Hat sees half of sales outside U.S. within a year


LONDON : Eidur Gudjohnsen #39;s first hat-trick in English football put the smile back on the face of Jose Mourinho and fired Chelsea to 4-0 win over struggling Blackburn.

Soccer: Gudjohnsen puts smile back on Mourinho #39;s face


The beheading of a Japanese hostage in Iraq renewed pressure on Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to withdraw his country #39;s troops, as the opposition blamed his pro-US policy for the slaying.

Killing of Japanese hostage by militants in Iraq pressures Japan #39;s <b>...</b>


Israel, for the first time, began building a section of its security barrier in an area of the southern West Bank, the Associated Press reported, citing unidentified Israeli government officials.

Israel Builds Barrier Section in Southern West Bank, AP Says


Jeff Kent threw his bat to the side and pumped his right fist as soon as the ball took flight, certain he was going to make a long-awaited trot around the bases.

Astros #39; Jeff Kent seizes the spotlight with game-winning shot


Rheumatoid arthritis sufferers who take a commonly prescribed steroid known as prednisone run a significantly higher risk of catching pneumonia than people on biologic medications.

Steroid Raises Pneumonia Risk in RA Patients


MIAMI - Mark Prior allowed five hits in 7 2-3 innings to out-pitch Carl Pavano, and the Chicago Cubs moved one percentage point ahead of San Francisco atop the NL wild-card standings by beating the Florida Marlins 5-1 in the first game of a doubleheader Monday.    Corey Patterson's two-run double in the second inning put the Cubs ahead to stay...

Cubs Defeat Marlins, 5-1, in NL Showdown


There are so many new faces, it #39;s hard to keep them all straight. But despite all the upheaval, all the contracts and controversy that so dominated the summer, Jerry Sloan believes the sheer

Kirilenko sparks Jazz with 8 blocks


PUNTA GORDA, Fla. - After getting a first look at the widespread damage left behind by Hurricane Charley, Florida residents were faced with the arduous task of sorting through the wreckage, and for some, starting over again...

Floridians Return to Storm-Ravaged Homes


Memo outlines converting four divisions into two, as company refocuses.

Novell creates new management posts


London 2012 leaders today called on their Madrid rivals to condemn the racist abuse suffered by black England players in the Spanish capital.

Olympic Bid Chiefs Condemn Racist Abuse


Richard Avedon's fashion and portrait photographs helped define America's image of style, beauty and culture for the last half-century.

Richard Avedon, Dean of Photographers, Is Dead at 81


AP - If the free-falling New York Mets have already decided to fire manager Art Howe, he wants to be let go immediately instead of after the season.

Howe Says to Fire Him Now if Decision Made (AP)


The Angels suffered a huge blow to their playoff chances Tuesday when they learned that second baseman Adam Kennedy suffered a season-ending knee injury in Monday night #39;s game.

Notes: Kennedy lost for season


Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa has made a surprising decision of resigning on Tuesday after he steered his country to their first Olympic soccer gold medal in Athens.

Bielsa quits Argentine coaching post


roundup Plus: Sprint to bake in BlackBerry for businesses...Microsoft ships updated Works...FaceTime pulls in \$16 million.

Briefly: Linux clusters gear up for simulated combat


Thomson Corp. completed its evolution into an electronic purveyor of financial, legal and scientific information today as it sold Thomson Media - the last of its traditional advertising-based publishing businesses -or \$350 million US.

Thomson sells publications group for \$350M


AFP - At least 40 British nationals are now confirmed as having been killed in the Asian tsunami disaster, according to latest figures released by the Foreign Office.

British death toll in tsunami disaster rises to 40 (AFP)


DAVIE, Fla. - Jay Fiedler was named Miami's starting quarterback for the fifth consecutive season Tuesday, beating out A.J...

Fiedler Beats Out Feeley As Dolphins' QB


FCC clears the way for more companies to offer the alternative form of Net access.

Broadband by Power Lines Moves Forward


WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- The average interest rate of 30-year mortgages in the United States declined to the lowest level in four months this week, US mortgage giant Freddie Mac reported on Thursday.

US rates on 30-year mortgages down to a 4-month low


French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier says government officials will go to Baghdad to work for the release of two French journalists abducted in the Iraqi capital.

French Officials to Visit Baghdad To Seek Release of Journalists


A union warns of

Strike threat to Christmas post


Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and visiting Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Thursday inaugurated a natural gas pipeline linking their countries beneaththe Mediterranean, news from Tripoli reported.

Libyan, Italian leaders inaugurate gas pipeline


Bob Melvin was fired as manager of the Seattle Mariners yesterday, a day after the team ended the season with its 99th loss.

After 99 losses, Mariners dump Melvin


Microsoft has started to send out its latest major security patch to home PCs--but some people won #39;t get it for a while.

Microsoft sends security update to home PCs


The dispute between the Prince of Wales and the Government over education intensified last night when a second Cabinet minister rebuked the prince for claiming the current system fuelled unrealistic ambitions.

Ministers line up to attack Charles as  #39;patronising #39;


Motorsport crowned a new king in the V8 Supercars last night when Ford #39;s Marcos Ambrose swept to successive championship titles in the final round of the season at Eastern Creek.

Ambrose wants hat-trick


President Bush on Sunday signed a stopgap spending bill that keeps the government running while Congress sorts out remaining issues related to a more permanent federal spending package.

Bush Signs Bill to Keep Government Going


KUFA, Iraq - A mortar barrage slammed into a mosque filled with Iraqis preparing to march on the embattled city of Najaf, killing 27 people and wounding 63 Thursday, while the nation's top Shiite cleric headed to the area in a massive convoy hoping to end three weeks of fighting.    Hours later, unidentified gunmen opened fire from an Iraqi National Guard base on thousands of Shiite Muslim marchers heading to Najaf, killing at least three and wounding 46, witnesses said...

Mortar Barrage Kills 27 in Kufa Mosque


Ziff Davis - The company's new carrier-grade servers will be compliant with the new ATCA specification, which allows carriers to buy off-the-shelf blade servers for high-bandwidth applications such as VOIP.

Sun to Heat Up Carrier Market with New Servers (Ziff Davis)


THE biannual Ryder Cup golf competition in Bulgaria finished with a narrow victory for the US team, which took a lead of three points to beat the European Union team.

US defeats the EU


p2pnet.net News:- Posting its first results as a publicly held company, Google says its third-quarter earnings and revenues have more than doubled from a year ago, riding on an  quot;online advertising boom that continues to gather steam, quot; says the Boston Globe

Google advertising boom


LONDON, September 14 (New Ratings) - Nokia (NOA3.ETR) has decided to enable the use of SD (Secure Digital) memory cards in its mobile devices.

Nokia to offer Secure Digital card capability in its devices


In an early morning match before a handful of fans, the US women's volleyball team, ranked first in the world, lost to the Dominican Republic, 26-24, 22-25, 27-25, 23-25, 19-17. The US had not lost to the Dominicans, ranked 13th, since 1999 and did not try to dress up one of the biggest upsets of the Games, a loss arguably ...

Dominicans shock US women


AP - Since the discovery five years ago that a ravenous insect was spreading grape-killing Pierce's Disease in California, grape growers have contributed millions of dollars to fund research projects they hope can end the scourge.

Project Shows Promise for Grape Growers (AP)


The purpose of the INDUCE ACT blog will be to consolidate available information concerning the Induce Act as well as to provide new and original content about it.

Inducing Infringement of Copyrights Act


NEW YORKUS blue-chip stocks ended barely higher yesterday as a spike in oil prices to record closing levels pared earlier gains and renewed concerns about the effect of high energy prices on consumer spending and corporate profits.

Stocks creep higher in New York


An Israeli aircraft fired two missiles at a vehicle traveling in the Gaza Strip late Thursday, killing two people including a senior Hamas member at the top of Israel's most-wanted list, a spokesman for the militant group said.

Israeli Missile Strike Kills Top Hamas Leader


CRM customers will be listening this week when Mike Lawrie takes the stage at the Siebel Systems Inc. #39;s user conference in Los Angeles for his first public appearance as CEO of the customer-relationship-management software pioneer.

Big Changes Ahead For Siebel Systems


Security-to-pest-control firm Rentokil Initial has ruled out a break-up as it reports back from a strategic review amid rumours the embattled company is in the sights of buyout firms.

Rentokil rules out break-up


World cricket boss Ehsan Mani hints England could pull out of Zimbabwe without penalty.

'Sympathy' for England over tour


Two separate studies by U.S. researchers find that super drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis are at the tipping point of a global epidemic, and only small changes could help them spread quickly.

TB May Be Global Threat Again


Security specialists are now in great demand, thanks to a boom in malicious attacks on computer systems by hackers and viruses, and an array of new communications technologies that carry new security risks.

Hackers force creation of more IT security jobs


Nexen Inc. has agreed to buy a UK-based subsidiary of EnCana Corp. in an all-cash deal worth \$2.1 billion, enabling Canada #39;s fourth largest oil explorer to expand into the UK sector of the North Sea.

Nexen to Buy EnCana Unit for \$2.1 Billion


LONDON: The Vijay Singh show, a long-running golf blockbuster in 2004, could earn one more rave review by the end of this week. Fijian Singh, firmly established as the game #39;s most dominant player, has a golden

Singh show not yet over for 2004


TOKYO - An unidentified submarine was detected moving in Japanese waters near Okinawa on Wednesday, prompting Japan #39;s Defense Agency chief Yoshinori Ono to dispatch a Maritime Self-Defense Force team to step up security in the area.

Unidentified submarine detected in Japanese waters


The acquisition by Microsoft and Time Warner of a company with a significant portfolio of patents covering digital rights management technologies generates scrutiny by European antitrust regulators. The main focus of the investigation: Microsoft. By Wendy M. Grossman.

EU Wants Windows Cleaned of DRM


TOKYO (Reuters) - Support for Japanese Prime Minister  Junichiro Koizumi and his cabinet slid sharply to 37 percent in  a poll taken after his decision to extend the mandate of  Japanese troops serving in Iraq, a national daily said on  Sunday.

Japan PM's Support Slides on Iraq Concerns -Paper


Credence Systems Corp., a maker of chip-testing equipment, on Wednesday said it plans to shut down two testing facilities and eliminate about 8 percent of its work force as it reshuffles its operations.

Credence to Close Two Sites, Cut Jobs


Pittsburgh Steelers: Wide receiver Plaxico Burress (hamstring) was downgraded from questionable to out for Saturday #39;s game at the Giants.

Receiver expected to miss game


General Electric says it #39;s buying SPX Corporation #39;s Edwards Systems Technology fire-and-security unit for more than a billion dollars in an all-cash deal.

GE Agrees To Buy SPX #39;s Fire-And-Security Unit For \$1.4 Billion


The Yankees tell the Diamondbacks they are no longer interested in trading for ace Randy Johnson given Arizona's 'unreasonable' proposals.

No 'Unit' for Yankees


Mobile network operator T-Mobile sheds light on three new Windows Mobile powered devices, including the SDA and SDA Music smartphones and the MDA Compact communicator.

Windows Mobile barrage from T-Mobile


Bee Columnist. BEIJING - The stories of Yao Ming and Liu Wei are told here, of course. They tell the stories here just as they do in Shanghai, if with a bit less of the obvious pride that

Mark Kreidler: Yao Ming epitomizes the Chinese athlete who is <b>...</b>


Malcolm Glazer #39;s patient acquisition of Manchester United continues, his shareholding in the Premiership club now standing at 28.

Glazer raises his share again


The electronics giant is betting that consumers are ready to spend a couple grand to up the quality of their home movies.

Sony readies high-definition camcorder


Golf analysts and fans will be discussing - and dissing - the US team #39;s flop for some time. Europe handed the US its worst defeat ever, 18 1/2 to 9 1/2, at Oakland Hills Country Club.

US Ryder Cup players need new incentive


Scientists say they have found a small, earlier cousin of Tyrannosaurus rex that had at least a partial coat of feathers. Includes image gallery.

New Dinosaur Discovered: T. Rex Cousin Had Feathers


NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe is said to be pursuing a job as chancellor of Louisiana State University.

NASA Chief Is Resigning After 3 Years, Officials Say


\An arthritis drug should have been taken off the market years before it was finally withdrawn, say researchers.

Arthritis drug warnings 'ignored'


At least six people including two peacekeepers are hurt in a blast in a popular Kabul shopping area.

Suicide bomber hits Kabul street


Reuters - Senior Chinese leader Li Changchun is\to visit North Korea next week, the Xinhua news agency reported\on Saturday as China tries to coax Pyongyang into fresh talks\on the crisis over its nuclear ambitions.

Senior Chinese Leader to Visit N.Korea Next Week (Reuters)


More than 650 items belonging to Johnny Cash and his wife June Carter Cash are being auctioned in New York.

Johnny Cash items up for auction


Italy #39;s government renewed its threat to let Alitalia die unless unions agree to a cost-cutting deal by September 15, saying the days of bailing out the loss-making airline were over.

No rescue for Alitalia warns Italy


Bowing to pressure from the US Department of Transportation, airlines that serve Chicago have agreed to cut the number of flights they send to O #39;Hare International Airport. The two most affected airlines are the only two that fly nonstop between O #39;Hare ...

United, American agree to  #39;de-peak #39; O #39;Hare


COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Former Ohio State tailback Maurice Clarett told ESPN The Magazine that he  quot;took the fall quot; for the school during a 2003 NCAA investigation into the football program.

Report: Clarett Claims Cash, Cars Among OSU Benefits


Lawrence Frank was watching on television when Dirk Nowitzki scored 41 points for the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night. The Nets #39; coach certainly was impressed, but also thankful that Nowitzki

Nets have Dirk cut out for them


HAMPTON, Ga. -- Ryan Newman won his fourth straight pole position at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday during Georgia-Pacific Qualifying Night.

Newman earns fourth straight pole at Atlanta


AP - Dell Inc. is recalling about 2.9 million AC adapters nationwide_ 4.4 million worldwide_ used with notebook personal computers because they can overheat and cause a fire and electrical shock hazard, the company and the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Friday.

Some Dell AC Adaptors Recalled for Risk (AP)


Families with autistic children are finding that techniques that have proved successful in the class can be tried at home.

For Families of Autistic, the Fight for Ordinary


Bob Melvin #39;s two-year reign as manager of the Seattle Mariners came to an end Monday morning, as the Mariners announced his dismissal at a press conference at Safeco Field.

Melvin Fired


A final decision on whether the Rev. Ian Paisley #39;s DUP and Sinn Fein can reach a deal this year to restore devolution and implement the Good Friday agreement should be known next week.

Parties huddle in final push to strike deal


Socceroo goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer says fans should not expect Australia to rout the Solomon Islands in Saturday #39;s first leg of the Confederations Cup qualifiers.

Schwarzer tips tough test in qualifiers


Oil prices are inflated by as much as \$15 a barrel by fears of shortages and geopolitical issues in the Middle East, Ali Naimi, the Saudi oil minister, said on Monday.

Fear has put \$15 on oil price, says Naimi


US Secretary of State Colin Powell and his Chinese counterpart Li Zhaoxing said they still supported a multinational effort to convince North Korea leader Kim Jong Il to end his nuclear

Powell, China Foreign Minister Affirm North Korea Talks Effort


The tired old refrain of the sporting times has become: Is nothing sacred? Well, apparently not the Ohio State-Michigan football game.

Michigan-Ohio State Is a Commercial Deal


MOSCOW Sept. 6, 2004 - Prosecutors tightened the screws on Yukos on Monday, calling in the oil giant #39;s top in-house lawyer for questioning after searching his office and apartment on the same day the company

Yukos Lawyer Summoned As Company Appeals


AP - Jason White threw for four touchdowns, two each to Travis Wilson and Mark Clayton, and No. 2 Oklahoma overcame its own mistakes to beat Kansas State 31-21 Saturday.

No. 2 Oklahoma Defeats Kansas State 31-21 (AP)


AMSTERDAM, Sep 30 (SW) - After the 4-0 defeat by Bayern Munich on Tuesday, Ajax coach Ronald Koeman feels it is time to decide on his future at the Dutch champions.

The club expects too much from the team: Ajax coach Koeman


Bloomington (Star report) --Boston Scientific Corp. has obtained exclusive rights to sell the most popular coating on heart stents, taking over the share previously held by Cook Inc.

Boston Scientific takes over Cook #39;s share of drug rights


AP - First lady Laura Bush said Tuesday night that her husband agonized through White House walks and somber suppers and took the United States into war against terrorism

First Lady Promoting Husband As Warrior (AP)


The tour is going ahead after a ban on several British journalists was lifted but the first of five one-day matches had to be called off.

England cricketers head for Zimbabwe


Hollywood News: Washington, Oct 16: Italians might think otherwise, but Robert De Niro definitely has no bad intentions towards Italy even though his recent actions seem to suggest otherwise.

Robert Di Niro loves Italy!:


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines Inc. <A HREF=

Southwest Airlines to Cut 88 Flights


He has a department at the company devoted to ensuring the four million-plus emails sent to him each day don #39;t make it to his personal inbox.

HAMMER OF THE SPAMMERS


PeopleSoft says its quarterly revenues will beat analyst expectations, thanks to an increase in the number of orders of more than \$1 million.

Peoplesoft Revenues To Beat Expectations


NORMAN, Okla. (Sports Network) - Jason White threw for three touchdowns and Adrian Peterson ran for 146 yards with a score, leading second-ranked Oklahoma to a 28-13 victory over Texas Tech at Memorial Stadium.

White, Peterson Propel Oklahoma Over Texas Tech


MANILA, Philippines Oct. 11, 2004 - A bomb planted by the brutal Abu Sayyaf group caused a ferry fire in February that killed over 100 people in the Philippines #39; worst terrorist attack, an investigation concluded Monday.

Philippine Ferry Blast Said Caused by Bomb


NEW YORK - Orlando Hernandez will try to continue his unbeaten season when the AL East-leading New York Yankees close out a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays.

El Duque seeks to stay unbeaten for Yanks


TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih  said Sunday he brought a message of friendship to Iran which  has been angered by charges it is stirring up tension in Iraq,  the official IRNA news agency said.

Iran Hosts Iraqi Official, Eyes Better Relations


Apple Computer Inc. on Wednesday encouraged users of its iTunes jukebox software to upgrade to the latest version, available from the company #39;s Web site.

Apple trims music purchases to iTunes 4.5 or higher


BATON ROUGE, La. Nov 10, 2004 - The first US cases of the fungus soybean rust, which hinders plant growth and drastically cuts crop production, were found at two research sites in Louisiana, officials said Wednesday.

La. Reports First Case of Soybean Rust


Online file-sharing is less of a problem for the movie industry because it has a much more diverse revenue model. In addition to the sale of movie tickets, money comes in from co-branding

MPAA Slaps P2P Networks with Lawsuits and Arrests


Move should open the way for the Linux seller to buy other companies.

Mandrakesoft in \$7.3 million stock sell-off


According to researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, counties with electronic voting machines were significantly more likely to show increased support for President Bush compared to counties with paper ballots or optical scan equipment.

University researchers challenge Bush win in Florida


A router software bug could lead to denial-of-service attacks--but only techies could launch one, an analyst says.

Cisco flaw opens networks to attacks


Cedric Benson ran for 165 yards and a touchdown Friday to lead No. 6 Texas to their fifth straight win over their fiercest in-state rival.

Longhorns Keep B.C.S. Bowl Hopes Alive


Baseball officials streamed into the winter meetings hotel all day. Troy Glaus was done for \$45 million before most arrived, Jeff Kent after arrivals.

meetings start with bang


RIM's new BlackBerry 7100t phone represents a radical departure from the company's text-centric roots.

First Look: A BlackBerry for Phone Lovers


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The body of British engineer Kenneth  Bigley, killed by his kidnappers last week after three weeks in  captivity, was dumped just south of Baghdad Friday, sources  close to the insurgency said Tuesday.

Sources: Body of British Hostage Dumped Near Baghdad


The Irish Bank Officials Association (IBOA) has held a strategy meeting about the future of National Irish and Northern Banks. It follows the recent High Court Inspectors report into National Irish Bank and

Future of National Irish and Northern Banks discussed by IBOA


Antwaan Randle El and Jerome Bettis gave the host Pittsburgh Steelers just enough offense for a 16-7 win at home against the Washington Redskins yesterday, and to keep their longest winning streak in 28 years going.

PITTSBURGH WINS 9TH IN A ROW WITH 207 YARDS


Ahmed Qureia, the Palestinian prime minister, today broke with calls for a ceasefire and said that Hamas would be  quot;justified quot; in taking revenge for an Israeli airstrike that killed 14 of its activists.

Qureia endorses Hamas revenge


AP - A Vatican handbook made public Monday questioned preventive war and denounced the

Vatican Handbook Questions Preventive War (AP)


JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) -- A team of scientists is traveling a 600-mile stretch of the Inside Passage this month to study the effects of cruise ship waste and other contaminants in Southeast Alaska waters.    The \$450,000 project is part of a nationwide look at the environmental health of coastal waters...

Scientists to Study Effects of Cruise Ship Waste


The trial of Slobodan Milosevic on war crimes charges has resumed in The Hague with the former Yugoslav president launching a spirited defense.

Milosevic War Crimes Trial Resumes


SEATTLE A central Pennsylvania company is named in a lawsuit filed by Microsoft on claims of counterfeit and illicit certificates of authenticity.

Microsoft files first authenticity certificate lawsuits


Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) has today launched a high-end Raid storage platform and software offering complex data management. The TagmaStore Universal Storage Platform (USP) is designed to provide up to 32

Hitachi broadens virtual storage horizons


Australian media empire Publishing  amp; Broadcasting Ltd. reported Thursday a 75 percent jump in earnings for the fiscal year ending June 30, thanks to a strong economy and a rebound in advertising revenue.

Australian Media Giant Posts Earnings Jump


Not even a World Series win helped. New England's outlook turned decidedly gloomy over the last year as consumer confidence plunged farther than any other part of the country, according to data released today. The Conference Board, a nonprofit economic research group in New York, said its index of consumer confidence for New England dove to 77.9 in November, down ...

Region's consumer confidence dives


AOL said it was intent on making travel an important part of its content expansion, which increasingly includes general Web properties that all Internet users can access as well as content just

AOL Books Reservation for Spot in Online Travel


AP - In a breathtaking discovery, scientists working on a remote Indonesian island say they have uncovered the bones of a human dwarf species marooned for eons while modern man rapidly colonized the rest of the planet.

Scientists Find Prehistoric Dwarf Skeleton (AP)