AFP -  quot;If you are showing the new Afghanistan, you cannot do it with a photo of a cemetery! quot; explains an exasperated worker with the media production house guiding Afghan presidential candidates into the murky world of political marketing.

Afghan election brings political marketing to wartorn country (AFP)


Episode 29 Or should that be 'Technology Centre'?

Introducing the BOFH-brand internet caf #233;


GORDON Brown will today challenge France and Germany to end the market-rigging which prevents British businesses from winning lucrative European Union contracts.

Brown attacks EU contract bias


The former Manchester United star has been handed a three-match ban and a 10,000 fine for his bust-up with West Bromwich Albion defender Neil Clement last month.

Fulham Football Club star handed ban


Description: Union and shipping company officials at the Port of Los Angeles held a lottery Thursday to fill 300,000 longshore jobs. More than 300,000 people applied for the dangerous but lucrative jobs. Results of the lottery will be posted on the Web ...

Lottery for Longshore Jobs Draws More Than 300,000


Toshiba Corp. is close to commercializing a new data storage technology that could significantly increase the capacity of hard-disk drives, it said Tuesday.

Toshiba to make 80GB 1.8-inch drives


EADS NV, Europe's largest aerospace and defense firm, is considering legal action after a former Air Force procurement official admitted sharing the company's pricing data on an Air Force program with rival Boeing Co.

EADS May Sue Over Pricing Data


Earthbound adventurers outfitted with special kites and harnesses are using wind power to reach some of the most remote spots on the planet.

Kite-Assisted Expeditions Cover New Ground #151;Fast


American blows a 17-point lead and loses, 82-76, in overtime to Virginia Commonwealth in a Preseason National Invitation Tournament first-round game.

American Collapses


For a moment, Julius Peppers #39; 101-yard interception return against Denver yesterday appeared to have turned abruptly from takeaway to giveaway.

Notebook: For Peppers, it #39;s the long and short of it


Skype Technologies is teaming with Siemens to offer cordless phone users the ability to make Internet telephony calls, in addition to traditional calls, from their handsets.

Skype Calls on Siemens Phones


Chelsea terminated Romania striker Adrian Mutu #39;s contract, citing gross misconduct after the player failed a doping test for cocaine and admitted taking the drug, the English soccer club said in a statement.

Chelsea Cancels Mutu #39;s Contract After Drug Admission (Update1)


The Himalayan Times #39; photographer Dwarika Ranjit was prevented from entering the hall at the Soaltee Hotel where Aziz was speaking on  quot;Promoting Regional Cooperation quot;.

Pakistan ; Aziz visit promotes Pakistan, not SAARC


NEW YORK/SEATTLE (Reuters) - Shares of Google Inc. <A HREF=

Google Rises in Market Debut


Gunmen kidnapped a senior official of the security forces in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, the latest sign of a surge in internal Palestinian unrest, witnesses said.

Senior Official Kidnapped in Gaza, Witnesses Say


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Outback Steakhouse Inc. said Tuesday it lost about 130 operating days and up to \$2 million in revenue because it had to close some restaurants in the South due to Hurricane Charley.

Hurricane Charley hits Outback


MIYAZAKI, Japan (Reuters) - Tiger Woods picked up his first  strokeplay title of a difficult year when he romped to an  eight-shot victory at the Dunlop Phoenix tournament on Sunday.

Woods Seizes First Strokeplay Title of Year


Major League Baseball is poised to cancel the move of the Montreal Expos to Washington after the District of Columbia Council Tuesday night amended the agreement for a riverfront stadium by requiring 50 percent private financing.

Baseball rejects DC plan


ClearSpeed Technology has doubled the performance of its high-performance computing co-processor for scientific workstations and server clusters by incorporating 96 separate processing cores on a single chip, the company announced Wednesday at the Fall Processor Forum in San Jose, California.

ClearSpeed races ahead on processor cores


The subscription software company adds 85,000 individual subscribers to its online customer information system.

Salesforce.com reports subscriber surge


CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Behind closed doors, some of hockey #39;s most influential people met to discuss the game. It wasn #39;ta meeting to end the lockout, but how to improve NHL hockey once it gets up and running again.

Shanahan summit looks to improve game


AP - Top congressional Republicans must decide the fate of a  #36;14 billion package for victims of hurricanes and drought, with the approach of Election Day leaving both parties in particularly generous moods.

GOP Must Decide Fate of Hurricanes Bill (AP)


Motorsport.com. One the eve of the start of the World Rally Championship season finale and what would have been the final WRC competition for Carlos Sainz, the Spaniard and co-driver

Sainz to sit out his farewell rally


AdWeek.com - The U.S. Department of Justice is scheduled to respond this week to a lawsuit claiming restrictions on online gaming ads violate First Amendment protections of free speech.

Online Casinos Await Answer From DOJ (AdWeek.com)


French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin declared Sunday that  quot;France will be extremely severe against those who perpetrate anti-semitism, quot; after visiting the Jewish social

Raffarin pledges to be  quot;extremely severe quot; against anti-semitism <b>...</b>


ONGC Videsh Ltd. (OVL) could emerge as the favored partner of Russian gas firm Gazpromneft in the latter #39;s bid for the assets of the beleaguered Russian oil giant Yukos.

Yukos assets...ONGC may bid with Gazpromneft


Global warming is set to continue, and bring with it an increase in extreme weather such as hurricanes and droughts, scientists from the United Nations #39; World Meteorological Organization warned on Wednesday.

2004 Signals More Global Warming, Extreme Weather: UN


LYON, France (Reuters) - Top seed Nicolas Massu of Chile  was ousted in the first round of the Lyon Grand Prix, losing  6-3, 6-4 to Argentine Agustin Calleri Tuesday.

Olympic Tennis Champ Massu Ousted in First Round


Reuters - U.S. communications regulators on\Tuesday exempted Internet telephone services from certain state\oversight, a boon for Vonage Holdings Corp. and other providers\aggressively pushing the new service.

FCC Exempts Web Phones from State Rule (Reuters)


Uncooperative Guantanamo Bay detainees were regularly subjected to highly abusive treatment over a long period of time, unidentified guards at the US military base, intelligence agents, and others who worked in the prison told The New York Times.

Newspaper cites abuse at Guantanamo


The central electoral committee of Lithuania said Sunday early results showed that opposition Labor Party held a wide lead over the center-left coalition government in the parliamentary elections.

Labor Party leads in early results of Lithuania #39;s elections


News Corp. (NWS.AX: Quote, Profile, Research) (NWS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the media company built by Rupert Murdoch, will join the Standard  amp; Poor #39;s 500 stock index after the close of trading on Dec. 17, S amp;P said on Tuesday.

Murdoch #39;s News Corp. to Join S amp;P 500


After years of self-doubt and housecleaning in the wake of Enron, corporate America has gotten a bit of swagger back in its step.

Wall Street's Designs on '05? A Merger Boom


U.S. consumers don't want to pay for low-power, high-performance chip.

New Toshiba notebooks highlight long-running trend


THE US Federal Reserve has raised interest rates for the third time this year in spite of a renewed surge in oil prices. The widely expected move took the funds rate up a quarter-point to 1.75 per cent, following similar moves in August and June.

Fed puts up US interest rates again


KAUAI, Hawaii (Sports Network) - Reigning U.S. Open  champion Retief Goosen shot a seven-under-par 65 on Tuesday to  take the lead after the opening round of the PGA Grand Slam of  Golf.

Goosen on Top at Grand Slam


Despite a wider quarterly loss, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia was  quot;optimistic quot; about a springtime advertising rebound and an overall strengthening of the company coinciding with Stewart #39;s release

Martha #39;s company upbeat


TOKYO -- Heavy rain fueled by a typhoon lashed southern Japan, leaving eight people dead and causing landslides and blackouts, officials said Thursday. Two people were missing.

Typhoon lashes southern Japan; 8 dead


New England Patriots have won 14 consecutive home games including play-offs and so on the face of it should be very confident of extending their unbeaten record.

NEW YORK JETS  NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS BETTING ODDS


AP - It may take up to two years to disarm the Arab militia in the Darfur region of western Sudan and secure the vast region for the return of 1.2 million people who fled the violence there, a senior U.S. diplomat said Friday.

U.S.: No 'Quick Fixes' in Sudan Situation (AP)


Ramallah - The race to succeed the late Yasser Arafat as Palestinian leader formally kicked off on Saturday, with the opening of the registration period for potential presidential candidates.

Palestinian candidates register


The Debian Linux group will not deploy the Sender ID anti-spam standard, because Microsoft #39;s license terms do not fit within its free-software guidelines.

Debian rejects Sender ID


SANTIAGO, Chile (Reuters) - A Chilean judge on Monday  formally charged former dictator Augusto Pinochet with homicide  and kidnapping in one of many pending cases related to human  rights abuses committed during his 17-year rule.

Chilean Judge Charges Pinochet in Rights Case


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Amelie Mauresmo's grand slam jinx  struck again when she lost 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 to Russian Elena  Dementieva in a dramatic U.S. Open quarter-final Tuesday.

Dementieva Ends Mauresmo's Title Hopes


Via Technologies Inc. will add 64-bit capabilities into Isaiah, a multimedia processor core design expected to arrive in 2006, the company plans to announce Tuesday at the Fall Processor Forum in San Jose, California.

Via readies 64-bit capability for Isaiah


Open your eyes to virtual color proofing. Explore the new pro/color site to learn how you can make your all-digital design workflow truly all digital. You #146;ll also discover what hues color the worlds of leading designers, tools and resources for achieving optimal color and more.  Dec 01

Hot Topic: Color


Madrid, Spain (Sports Network) - Real Madrid and English international defender Jonathan Woodgate re-injured his left thigh during practice Thursday.

Woodgate re-injures thigh during scrimmage


The scuttling of the chip raises the risk that Intel might fall behind AMD in the race to create the fastest processors. Some saw the move as desperate attempt to deal with the fact that

Intel Scraps Pentium 4 Chip for New Design


US marines are preparing for a major assault to whack rebels in the Iraqi cities of Fallujah and Ramadi, a senior commander said on Friday.

US marines prepare major assault in Fallujah


Paris - The European Space Agency (ESA) said on Monday that it had found concentrations of water vapour and the gas methane in the same places on Mars, a finding which strengthens speculation that the Red Planet could be a haven for microbial life.

Methane link strengthens life-on-Mars theory


Seeking to diversify beyond its sales-force-automation roots, Salesforce.com on Wednesday introduced a new on-demand call center and help desk application service called Supportforce.

Salesforce.com Touts Customer-Service Apps


Ten Internet phone providers are set to use its behemoth signaling network. Does the move take away business from the Bells?

VeriSign nears new Net phone deals


Aluminum, the stuff of cans, explodes in its nano form. A small start-up has decided to harness that property.

Start-up crafts nanoparticles for energy, explosions


The Dodgers #39; starter limits San Francisco to three hits as Los Angeles opens a 2 1/2-game lead. By Nick Peters -- Bee Staff Writer.

Prez shuts down Giants


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A funny thing happened on the way  to the consumer electronics store.

PluggedIn: Can Radio Kill the Digital Music Star?


The Los Angeles Dodgers hope to move a step closer to clinching the NL West when they continue their four-game series with the Colorado Rockies.

Dodgers hope to trim magic number to 2


Iran boasted on Tuesday it had defeated US efforts to send its nuclear case to the UN Security Council while warning that its uranium enrichment freeze would only last for a few months.

Iran Boasts of Victory Over US on Nuclear Case


MOSCOW. Sept 29 (Interfax) - A Moscow court has issued an arrest warrant for two Chechens suspected of involvement in the murder of Paul Klebnikov, a prominent American journalist and editor-in-chief of the Russian edition of Forbes magazine.

Arrest warrant issued for suspects in Klebnikov murder


LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Northern Irish drugmaker Warner Chilcott (UK:WCRX) said it #39;s received a third offer at a price of 837 pence a share - a 2.2 percent premium to the share #39;s 818.

Drugmaker Warner Chilcott: New offer at 837p/share


As part of a month long effort to highlight the dangers of online threats, the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and America Online (AOL) released survey results that paint a bleak picture of the home PC security landscape.

Home Users Flunk Web Security


AP - George W. Bush is telling voters in New Jersey  #151; a state that hasn't backed a Republican presidential candidate since 1988  #151; that his battle plan for fighting terrorists is better than Democrat John Kerry's.

Bush Hopes Terror Message Resonates in N.J. (AP)


Auto supplier #39;s shares rise after it says it will sell more companies that aren #39;t market leaders. By Jeff Green and Jeff Bennett / Bloomberg News.

ArvinMeritor posts \$153 million loss in quarter after unit sale


FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. aircraft launched a new  airstrike in the rebel-held city of Falluja on Saturday aimed  at killing supporters of a Jordanian militant who has led a  campaign of suicide bombings and kidnappings in Iraq.

U.S. Airstrike Targets Militants in Falluja


As the Salvation Army kicks off its annual red-kettle program today, a growing number of retailers, from Best Buy to Target, are banning Salvation Army bell ringers

Retail discord ringing over charity #39;s bells


You could be forgiven for thinking a military coup has just taken place on the south coast of England. Sven Goran Eriksson, Rupert Lowe and some other bloke.

Something about Harry


GAINESVILLE, Florida - University of Florida football coach Ron Zook, a Loudonville native, was fired today but will finish the season, a university source told The Associated Press.

Loudonville #39;s Zook fired as Gators coach, but will finish season


Juan Pablo Montoya finnished his four years with Williams in style as he won the season-ending Brazilian GP at Interlagos. The Colombian, who joins rivals McLaren next season

Montoya bows out of Williams with Brazil victory


Are toys in time-out? Today, Mattel (NYSE: MAT) echoed Hasbro (NYSE: HAS) in reporting earnings that were a bit of a bummer. In addition, the prognosis may not be too good for the upcoming holiday season.

Mattel #39;s Barbie Blues


Smiths Group Plc, which makes insulin pumps and anthrax-detection systems for the US Postal Service, agreed to buy Medex Inc. for \$625 million in cash to expand its medical-equipment division.

Smiths Group to Buy Medex for \$625 Million in Cash (Update3)


roundup Plus: Tech firms rally against copyright bill...Apple .Mac customers suffer e-mail glitches...Alvarion expands wireless broadband in China.

Briefly: Circuit City picks up AT T Net phone plan


BIRCHWOOD, Minn. --(Business Wire)-- Dec. 6, 2004 -- Wired today announced the immediate availability of its new MediaPress LE(TM) realtime MPEG encoding card for Macintosh.

Wired Introduces MediaPress LE realtime MPEG Encoder for \$2199


The gym I attend was buzzing with anticipation for the Monday Night matchup between The Minnesota Vikings and The Philadelphia Eagles.

Awe Freak Out!


Brazilian fans got a little bit too excited during the final of the women #39;s beach volleyball competition. Seeing that their team of Shelda Bede and Adriana Behar was struggling

Olympic diary: Day 12


AP - Wealthy countries are falling billions of dollars short of their promises to help fund reproductive health care and improvements in the status of women around the world, the United Nations said Wednesday.

U.N. Reports Progress on Health, Poverty (AP)


The entertainment industry is pushing Congress to approve a bill that could send thousands of Internet music and movie downloaders to jail, but the legislation faces opposition from groups that say it would unfairly punish consumers.

Congress May Act on Internet Piracy Bill


Insurance giant Royal  amp; Sun Alliance (RSA) is set to send over 1,000 jobs to India to cut costs and offer the company greater operational flexibility.

Royal  amp; Sun Alliance to axe 1,100 jobs in cost-cutting move to <b>...</b>


ATHENS, Greece - In an upset that was as historic as it was inevitable, the U.S. men's basketball team lost for only the third time ever in the Olympics on Sunday, 92-73 to Puerto Rico...

Dream Team Stunned by Puerto Rico 92-73


LOS ANGELES (CBS.MW) - Microsoft Corp. on Thursday said it filed seven lawsuits against so-called spammers who allegedly sent hundreds of thousands of sexually explicit e-mails to Internet users in violation of federal laws.

Says hundreds of thousands of e-mails sent illegally


Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said today that

Allawi Says 'Major Neglect' by U.S. Troops Led to Ambush


AP - Green Bay Packers receiver Javon Walker is technically Green Bay's third receiver. Really, though, Walker is becoming Brett Favre's favorite target as they head into their Monday night matchup with the Tennessee Titans.

Walker Becoming Favre's Favorite Target (AP)


Victory in tomorrow #39;s Belgium #39;s Grand Prix would not only seal a seventh world title, it would also be his seventh win at Spa in Ferrari #39;s 700th race.

Seventh heaven in Spa for Schumi?


AUTHORITIES found the decapitated bodies of three policemen as sporadic gunfire killed at least one civilian in Haitis capital on the second day of violent protests staged by followers of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Headless bodies of policemen found


The world #39;s largest miner, BHP Billiton, yesterday said that high oil prices were affecting spending worldwide but China #39;s demand for commodities over the longer term was heartening.

BHP confident of China demand


Australia #39;s champion leg-spinner Shane Warne has been sent home from India after breaking his thumb in training, ruling him out of the fourth Test in Mumbai, which begins on Wednesday.

Warne out of Mumbai


BAGHDAD, 24 September 2004 - The British government yesterday ruled out negotiations with the kidnappers of Kenneth Bigley in Iraq despite a personal appeal from the captive to Prime Minister Tony Blair to help save his life.

Britain Rules Out Talks as Bigley Pleads for Life


Frank Quattrone, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison for urging employees to destroy documents during a probe of Credit Suisse First Boston, was permanently prohibited by the NASD from working in the securities industry.

Quattrone barred from securities work


Just after unveiling a wireless network upgrade, AT amp;T Wireless has introduced a wireless messaging device called Ogo, which will provide instant messaging and e-mail from AOL, MSN and Yahoo in addition to direct text messaging.

AT amp;T Unveils Ogo, Text-Only Wireless Device


A MAN killed by a shark on the Great Barrier Reef was spearfishing amid a shark feeding frenzy, a crew sent to rescue him said today.

Victim swam in shark feeding frenzy


Leading independent games maker,  Argonaut, is put up for sale to try to save the UK firm from going under.

Leading games maker up for sale


Bayern Munich and Werder Bremen both recorded European Champions League wins in mid-week to add spice to an already mouthwatering Bundesliga match this Saturday.

Bayern, Bremen Lift Euro Hopes Ahead of Clash


Online DVD rental company Netflix Inc. raised its subscriber and revenue forecasts for the fourth quarter, saying a price cut had helped draw new customers.

Netflix ups forecast on price cuts


London revealed its detailed plans for hosting the 2012 Olympic Games today with bid chief Sebastian Coe promising they would be a  quot;games for the next generation quot;.

Coe outlines London bid for 2012 Olympics


The first study of a large group of workers breathing air with very low levels of benzene suggests that the chemical may harm the bone marrow.

Broad Study Suggests a Lower Tolerance for Exposure to Benzene


SANTIAGO, Chile (Reuters) - Chilean President Ricardo Lagos  received a chilling report on Wednesday from a government  commission that interviewed more than 30,000 victims to  chronicle for the first time the systematic use of torture  during Augusto Pinochet's 1973-1990 dictatorship.

Chile's Lagos Receives Torture Commission Report


AP - A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.8 shook Romania late Wednesday, Romania's Earth Physics Institute said. Authorities said there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Earthquake Shakes Romania; No Injuries (AP)


KPMG International, the world #39;s No. 4 accounting firm, will pay \$115 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over claims it helped Lernout  amp; Hauspie Speech Products NV artificially inflate sales for more than two years.

KPMG to Pay \$115 Mln to Settle Lernout  amp; Hauspie Suit (Update5)


They played a day-night singleheader at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, one game that felt like two, each with their own distinct heroes for the Angels.

Angels win tale of 2 games


OAKLAND, California (Sports Network) - Texas Rangers relief  pitcher Frank Francisco will face misdemeanor assault charges  for his part in a September 13 melee between players and fans  during his club's game against the Oakland Athletics.

Rangers' Francisco Faces Lesser Charge


Symantec Wednesday said fiscal second-quarter earnings more than doubled over the previous year as the company saw growth across all of its business segments.

Symantec Nearly Doubles Quarterly Revenue


NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Attorney General Eliot  Spitzer, who is suing insurance broker Marsh   McLennan Cos.  <A HREF=

Spitzer Denies Wall Street Journal Report


Continental Airlines Tuesday said Jeff Smisek, executive vice president and president-elect, has been elected to its board of directors.

Continental announces succession plans


Fujifilm #39;s Get The Picture Online service will be available starting this week through Windows XP #39;s updated Online Print Wizard, MSN Photos and Microsoft Digital Image Suite.

Microsoft, Fujifilm team on digital prints


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - US Airways <A HREF=

US Airways Says Not Selling Aircraft


Sports India, Cricket: Jaipur, Nov 15 : The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to get a formal communication from the international cricket body on the two-Test suspension of skipper Sourav Ganguly, an official said Monday.

BCCI yet to get intimation of Ganguly #39;s suspension:


LONDON - England coach Duncan Fletcher has cautioned his bowlers about bombarding West Indies captain Brian Lara with bouncers in tomorrow #39;s ICC Champions Trophy final at The Oval.

Fletcher issues Lara warning


Barry Bonds barely missed his 700th homer, but J.T. Snow connected following yet another walk to the San Francisco slugger and the Giants beat the Brewers, 8-1, behind Brett Tomko's four-hitter last night in Milwaukee.

Bonds: No HR in SF win


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Laila Ali will not fight Jacqui  Frazier in Kinshasa on the 30th anniversary of the

No Rumble in the Jungle for Ali and Frazier


Redshirt freshman Ricky Santos of Bellingham threw for 385 yards and a school-record five touchdowns to help Division 1-AA New Hampshire spoil Rutgers's season of great expectations with a 35-24 victory last night at Piscataway, N.J.

UNH deflates Rutgers


KPMG, the accounting firm under scrutiny for promoting tax shelters that were found to be abusive, discussed selling a new shelter highly similar to a banned version more than two years after the US Internal Revenue Service outlawed the original one and

A tax shelter factory bared in KPMG memos


SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Intel Corp. <A HREF=

Intel Names New CEO


Going in, this looks like a big weekend for the nation #39;s best two teams. The question is, will it look that way by Saturday night?

USC, Oklahoma wary of weekend 1-2 punch


Scientists believe that they have reconstructed the pivotal event that created the one-celled organism from which all animals and plants are descended.

Team Hopeful in Its Effort to Recreate Primal Life


The music group says it's filed suits against 762 people it suspects of song swapping, including students from 26 different colleges and universities. The RIAA has now sued roughly 5,400 people over the past year.

RIAA Fires New Round of Volleys


MP3 players -- technically, digital-music players, although almost all of them are used mainly to play songs saved in the popular MP3 format -- come in three sizes: tiny, big and really big.

Tech Buying Guide: Music


ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's top two athletes, facing a  state prosecutor's investigation over missed drug tests and a  motorbike crash, left hospital Tuesday declaring they were  innocent and should be allowed to compete in the Olympic Games.

Greek Athletes Shocked by Accusations


US rock star Melissa Etheridge cancels a tour after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Rock singer Etheridge has cancer


For a group that promotes the benefits of offshore outsourcing and the need to import foreign workers under the H-1B visa program, the nation #39;s largest IT trade group seems to be providing fodder for the John Kerry campaign.

Echo of the Presidential Campaign


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Embattled mortgage finance company  Fannie Mae <A HREF=

Fannie Mae Will Keep More Cash on Hand


AFP - Fidel Castro will Monday receive Chinese President Hu Jintao in Havana, a meeting between an aged leader clinging to his communist ideology and a younger one who has tried to reduce the party's profile.

Chinese leader to visit Havana for communist summit (AFP)


Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, today announced the launch of Virgin Digital, which will enter an increasingly competitive market for digital downloads.

Branson Launches Virgin  #39;Digital Megastore #39;


A man has invented a car alarm system that he thinks could save some of the children who die after being shut inside cars on warm days.

Crying Out When a Child Cannot


ENGLAND coach Phil Larder has threatened Australia with  #39;payback #39; when the world champions meet their favourite enemy at Twickenham on Saturday.

RUGBY UNION: NEVER AGAIN


CHICAGO: The huge US services sector expanded in October at a faster rate than expected, but a surprising dip in September factory orders created mixed signals for the US economy, reports showed yesterday.

US services sector up as factory orders slip


BANGALORE, INDIA -- Microsoft Corp. is hiring hundreds of new staff for its operations in Hyderabad over the next 12 months, the company's chief executive officer, Steve Ballmer told reporters Monday in Bangalore, India.

Microsoft will hire more staff at Indian facility


NEW YORK, 19 September 2004 - With a successive series of hurricanes ravaging the Caribbean and the southeast United States, US lawmakers and environmentalists met this week to examine if these climate changes are due, in part, to greenhouse-gas

Bush Accused of Blocking Arctic Report


West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez was more concerned about the 89 yards in penalties than the 300-plus yards of rushing offense piled up by his Mountaineers.

No. 17 West Virginia 31, Connecticut 19


MP George Galloway wins libel case against the Telegraph over claims he took money from Saddam Hussein.

UK MP wins Saddam libel case


Mexican group Cemex makes a 2.3bn (\$4.1bn) offer for UK-based RMC, the world's biggest supplier of ready-mixed concrete.

Mexican firm bids 2.3bn for RMC


Police were searching for suspects Friday after a pipe bomb exploded in the offices of a biotech company developing treatments for diabetes and liver disease.

Explosion investigated at Watertown biotech company


com October 5, 2004, 2:09 PM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half.

AT amp;T looks into closing Windows


Joey Harrington is still a starting quarterback. Drew Henson apparently is back to being a future starter. And Chad Hutchinson is looking like a starter by default.

Holiday leftovers: plenty of QB questions


Michael Schumacher drove his Ferrarito an easy victory in the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka on Sunday,winning the race for a sixth time.

Schumacher wins Japanese Grand Prix


California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi has sued MetLife, Prudential Financial Inc., Cigna Corp., and UnumProvident Corp.

Calif. insurance commish sues MetLife, Pru, others: report


As many as 3,500 officials voted to seek autonomy if the opposition continues to seek the presidency for Viktor A. Yushchenko.

Ukraine's Unity Is Under Threat by Vote Impasse


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 (Reuters)


AP - Serena Williams served notice that her shaky knee is holding up just fine, sweeping past Patty Schnyder 6-4, 6-2 Sunday to reach the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open. She faces yet another matchup with Jennifer Capriati, who beat Ai Sugiyama 7-5, 6-2.

Serena, Capriati, Roddick Advance at Open (AP)


Damascus: PLO chairman Mahmud Abbas Monday held historic talks with Syria #39;s president on the first official Palestinian visit since 1996 -- part of a post-Yasser Arafat push to forge stronger ties with Arab countries.

Abbas makes historic Palestinian visit to Syria


(SH) - In Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai defeated a raft of candidates to win his historic election. In Iraq, more than 200 political parties have registered for next month #39;s elections.

CLIFFORD D. MAY: Shouldn #39;t Palestinians have a real election?


NEWS Corp, the media company controlled by Rupert Murdoch, launched a shareholder rights plan today that appeared designed to fend off the possibility of a hostile bid.

Murdoch #39;s plan to block News stalker


Robert Polet, the new chief executive of Gucci, has vowed to double the size of the core Gucci brand over the next seven years. He also said that loss-making

Gucci chief designs a bigger future for the brand


Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic wraps up the opening statement of his war crimes trial defense on Wednesday after launching a counterblast to charges of ethnic cleansing in the Balkans in the 1990s.

Tribunal to Consider Defense Lawyer for Milosevic


NAJAF, Iraq (AP) Sporadic gunfire echoed through Najaf on Friday after a night of heavy US bombing that saw radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr order his fighters to hand control of a revered Najaf ...

Sporadic gunfire in Najaf after aide says radical cleric orders fighters to leave Najaf shrine


The Microsoft Download Centre has been updated with some graphical improvements on both the search, listings and item pages. Crucially in the new look download centre many application downloads are now being

Microsoft Download Centre Demanding OS Validation


The Washington-bound Montreal Expos have found someone to take one of the most tenuous jobs in sports. Jim Bowden, Cincinnati #39;s general manager from 1992-2003, will be announced as Washington #39;s GM on Tuesday

Source: Bowden to take Washington GM job


Sir Philip Watts, the former chairman of Shell, yesterday broke his silence with a blistering attack on the City regulator, which he accused of riding roughshod over his rights and writing a  quot;flawed quot; report.

Sacked Shell chairman hits back at FSA


Clothing maker Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. on Wednesday said its second-quarter profit jumped 49 percent. Quarterly net income was \$80.

Polo Ralph Lauren 2Q Profit Increases


With a fall in oil prices easing inflation concerns, the Federal Reserve is expected to continue its easy-does-it approach to raising interest rates, boosting a key rate by a moderate quarter-point today.

Fed to Boost Rate by a Quarter-Point


Kazaa users can freely exchange songs, movies and television programs without paying royalties to copyright owners. Record company lawyers are attempting to have Sharman Networks, Kazaa #39;s parent company, declared

Kazaa Faces Allegations in Copyright Trial


AP - As coach Butch Davis pulled out of the driveway at 76 Lou Groza Blvd. for the final time, he might have caught a glimpse of a brown-and-orange colored hearse across the street from Cleveland's team offices. The vehicle was parked. Davis was the one moving on.

Davis Quits As Cleveland Browns Coach (AP)


Manufacturing activity rose in August for the 15th consecutive month, but at a slower rate than reported in July, according to a monthly report released Wednesday by the Institute for Supply Management, a research group.

Manufacturing Activity Up for 15th Month


AP - Residential heating costs are projected to soar this winter to more than  #36;1,000 on average because of higher fuel costs and expected colder weather, the government said Wednesday.

With Cold Winter Ahead, Higher Fuel Costs (AP)


he Van Eck Associates Corporation, a manager of the Van Eck mutual funds, has said the Securities and Exchange Commission may seek civil penalties against it and two executives in connection with improper trading.

SEC Looks Into Van Eck


AP - A senior scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory says he is one of two employees being fired over an accident this summer in which an intern was injured by a laser.

Los Alamos Scientist Says He Was One Fired (AP)


One thing to remember about the playoffs is that it isn #39;t always the best team that wins, but the team that plays the best in October.

Bullpen moves could sway Twins-Yanks


NEW YORK - Former Michigan guard Jamal Crawford seems to be fitting right in with the New York Knicks. Crawford has led the Knicks in scoring four times during the exhibition season, including a 22-point

Crawford gives Knicks lift


New Blackburn manager Mark Hughes admitted today the job was an opportunity he  quot;couldn #39;t afford to miss quot;. Hughes was appointed last night following a few hours of negotiations

Hughes: I had to join Rovers


Reuters - Coca-Cola Co.  on Thursday\reported a 24 percent drop in quarterly net income due to weak\sales of its soft drinks, juices and bottled waters in Germany\and other key markets.

Coke Profit Hurt by Sluggish Global Sales (Reuters)


LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is ready to listen to kidnappers  holding a British hostage in Iraq but is not prepared to  negotiate with them or pay them a ransom, Foreign Secretary  Jack Straw said on Thursday.

UK Will Listen, Not Negotiate, with Iraq Kidnappers


JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has  approved building tenders for 1,000 more Israeli settlement  homes in the occupied West Bank frozen earlier to avoid  upsetting the United States, political sources said on Tuesday.

Sharon Allows 1,000 More Settler Homes in West Bank


London - British scientists have found a seemingly unlikely way to soothe anxious sheep, a report said on Wednesday - by showing them photographs of other sheep.

Sheepish portraits can calm woolly nerves


On Sept. 29th Members of the militant wing of Hamas fired a Qassam rocket across the Gaza border into the Israeli town of Sederot killing two small children.

The Israeli Invasion of North Gaza


The number of new applications filed last week for unemployment benefits fell sharply, offering a hopeful sign that the recovery in the job market may be gaining some steam.

Weekly Jobless Claims Fall Sharply


November 27, 2004 - The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission says it lost 2 (M) million dollars on Wednesday when tolls were waived on the first day of the toll takers strike.

Turnpike Opts Against Waiving Tolls Sunday


Reuters - India's wholesale price inflation surged to a new 3-1/2-year high of 7.96 percent in the week ended August 7 due to higher energy and manufactured product prices, prompting the government to slash duties on steel.

India cuts duties as inflation hits new high (Reuters)


Tennis stars Kim Clijsters and Lleyton Hewitt called off their wedding, according to her Web site.  quot;Kim Clijsters and Lleyton Hewitt jointly decided to put an end to their relationship for private reasons.

Love game over: Clijsters, Hewitt split up, according to her Web <b>...</b>


Bruce Arena pushed the right buttons in the United States national team's last match, against Jamaica in Kingston Aug. 18. Brian Ching and Cobi Jones entered the match with the US trailing in the second half, then combined for the tying goal, which could go far in advancing the team to the next round of qualifying for the 2006 World ...

Hawaiian punch: US finds time for Ching


Reuters - A terrified-looking man, rocking back and\forth in his chair with his hands tied behind his back, appeals\to the United States to leave Iraq and spare him death. Then a\hand with a knife appears to slice off his head.

Web Site Killings Raise Dilemmas for Media (Reuters)


Mumbai, Oct. 26 (NNN): The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday announced the busy season credit policy keeping the bank rate untouched at six per cent.

New Credit Policy: RBI Keeps Interest Rate Untouched At 6


AP - The criminal case against Kobe Bryant case collapsed Wednesday as prosecutors said they had no choice but to drop the sexual assault charge because the NBA star's accuser no longer wanted to participate.

Prosecutors Drop Sex Case Against Bryant (AP)


What is left of this interesting and repulsive week after the dust settles is not the lies, the ostensibly sudden betrayals, the payments to the ultra-Orthodox, the sleazy style, or even Ehud Barak #39;s horror show or Shimon Peres #39; maneuvers.

No great miracle here


MADRID - Tyler Hamilton, US Olympic time-trial cycling champion, had apparently failed tests to detect performance-enhancing blood transfusions, his Phonak team said yesterday .

Hamilton may lose gold medal


BAGHDAD, Aug. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Iraqi Defence Minister Hazem al-Shaalan on Wednesday demanded Shiite militants in the holy city of Najaf surrender within hours, or the Iraqi troops would launch a large-scale attack on them.

Najaf militants given hours to surrender or face lesson


In a lawsuit, the commission alleges that two companies engaged in unfair acts and practices with their marketing and software.

FTC takes aim at alleged spyware distributor


Reuters - Government scientists have warned\hikers and researchers not to go near the crater of the Mount\St. Helens volcano because there is an

Rumbling at Mount St. Helens Triggers Alert (Reuters)


NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- US stocks staged a late-day rally to end higher Wednesday, with the Nasdaq climbing for the seventh straight session, as investor appetite for attractively valued shares trumped concern over a spate of profit warnings and a new high

Oil sets fresh record, closing above \$52 a barrel


Vladimir Guerrero hit a pair of homers and drove in five runs to lead the Anaheim Angels to an 8-2 win over the Texas Rangers in American League play in Arlington on Tuesday.

AL Wrap: Guerrero Shines as Angels Heap Pressure on A #39;s


I've been explaining quite a bit of late about a new federal law that allows banks to convert your checks to digital images.

'Electronic check conversion' gaining


You'd better hope your computer doesn't break down today, because every self-respecting geek with \$10 and a pulse will be queuing up to see

Technology Rules in 'World of Tomorrow'


The US Justice Department #39;s crackdown on cyber crime has brought to light illegal activities, including credit-card fraud, to the tune of over \$215 million and resulted in dozens of arrests, a senior official said.

US Govt investigating cyber crimes worth \$215 mn


U.S. District Judge Kollar-Kotelly, the same judge who threw out the Microsoft break-up ruling, and backed the feds in the Gitmo case, issued a 157-page ruling today which rejects 15 of the 19 federal rules implementing the two year old US campaign finance law. While the ruling does not affect the law's key prohibition against large donations to political parties (known as

Judge Strikes Down Campaign Finance Rules


For the hundreds of thousands of New Englanders who will fill up the tank and hit the road this Labor Day weekend, a trip to the gas station is turning out to be a few dollars cheaper than it was on Memorial Day -- even though world oil prices keep climbing.

End-of-summer gas prices fall


AP - Congress passed and sent to legislation President Bush on Saturday that would give rape victims and convicted felons greater access to DNA testing.

Congress Approves DNA Testing Bill (AP)


com. The rumors that Pedro Martinez would be meeting with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner in Tampa started rippling through Red Sox Nation around midday on Tuesday.

Hot Stove heats up with Pedro-Steinbrenner meeting


LILLE, France, Nov 17 (AFP) - A French soldiers #39; advocacy group on Wednesday filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo for an air strike November 6 that killed nine French peacekeepers.

French soldiers group slaps Gbagbo with wrongful death suit


Cash'n'Carrion More campaigning apparel from NO2ID

Fight New Labour's <del>Poll</del> #160;Identity Tax


The National Basketball Association suspended four players involved in Friday night #39;s fight at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The NBA is expected to formally announce the suspensions as early as today for their

Artest To Get 30-Day Suspension For Brawl, Station Reports


Syria has turned over a senior Kurdish militant and six other rebels to Turkey in a sign of closer security cooperation between the former rivals, a Turkish security official says.

Syria hands Turkey senior Kurdish militant


Margaret Hassan, who has been murdered aged 59, devoted more than 30 years of her life to helping the disadvantaged people of Iraq.

Margaret Hassan


KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Nepal put its security forces on  alert on Tuesday to counter a threat by Maoist guerrillas to  blockade the capital, as tourists moved out of a luxury hotel  after a bomb blast blamed on the rebels.

Nepal Army on Alert, Hotel Shut After Bombs


Manchester United has made a second bid for Wayne Rooney, the 18-year-old striker #39;s club Everton said Saturday. The bid was higher than the unsuccessful 23.

Manchester United makes second bid for Wayne Rooney, Everton says


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A leading U.S. Senate Republican  this week demanded internal documents from Merck   Co. Inc.  <A HREF=

Lawmakers Question Merck, FDA Over Vioxx


AP - The Supreme Court declined Tuesday to allow a Wisconsin anti-abortion group to run political ads this fall that criticize Democrats.

Supreme Court Bars Anti-Abortion Group Ad (AP)


WASHINGTON - The world's major economic powers were far apart Saturday on agreeing how to provide debt relief for Iraq and the poorest nations, as finance officials began broader discussions about the global economy.    Treasury Secretary John Snow and Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan led the U.S...

Officials Far Apart on Iraq Debt Relief


Reuters - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. , the\world's largest retailer, said on Saturday it still expects a 1\percent to 3 percent increase in December sales at its U.S.\stores open at least a year.

Wal-Mart Still Sees Sales Up 1-3 Percent (Reuters)


Despite new federal and state laws aimed at spamming, theft or fraud while using computers, hackers continue to prowl the Internet perpetrating scams and outright theft.

Online insecurity


An approaching hurricane failed to faze the Tennessee Titans, and the Miami Dolphins offense didnt give them much trouble, either.

Miami plays nice


The Russian government set a starting price of \$1.93 billion (1.6 billion euros) for its 7.6 stake in oil giant OAO Lukoil at an auction set for next month at which ConocoPhillips Corp.

Russia Prices Its Lukoil Stake; Conoco Is Expected Top Bidder


These are the games college football programs spend years building toward, a chance to rise from the ranks of the also-rans to a place among the sport #39;s elite.

Cavaliers Have Been Programmed for This


Sean Harrigan, a figure in the corporate governance movement, said that he expected to be ousted as president of the board of California's large public pension fund.

California Pension Activist Expects to Be Ousted


Despite urgings from Congress and the Sept. 11 commission, U.S. commercial jets remain vulnerable to suicide bombers, aviation security experts said.

Airplanes Vulnerable to Bombers, Experts Say


SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Stockland (SGP.AU) said Thursday it will pay A\$825 million, plus working capital of A\$21 million, for Lensworth, the property development business of Foster #39;s Group Ltd.

Australia Stockland Pays A\$825M For Foster #39;s Lensworth-2-


Tour veteran Fred Funk shares the lead with rookie Zach Johnson as each enters the weekend at 8-under in the Buick Championship.

Bringing the Funk


AP - Plants like being talked to, right? Well, Spanish researchers want to know if yeast used to age sherry grows better with music loosely based on its own DNA.

Winemaker Tests Marriage of Wine and Song (AP)


Reuters - Most European stock markets followed\Wall Street lower Wednesday as crude oil's slide to three-month\lows hit heavily weighted oil shares, although a recovering\dollar was a plus for the region's exporters.

Falling Oil Hits Europe; Dollar Bounces (Reuters)


AFP - South Korea's Samsung SDI Co., the world's leading display maker, said that it has developed the first all-angle three-dimensional (3D) display panels for mobile phones.

Samsung SDI develops world's first '3D' mobile display (AFP)


Police make about 100 arrests in a major operation against mafia gangs in Italy.

Italy launches anti-mafia raids


Jacksonville, FL -- Byron Leftwich completed just 8-of-16 passes for 120 yards, but threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Ernest Wilford as Jacksonville hung on to beat Denver, 7-6, in a low-scoring affair at Alltel Stadium.

NFL Game Summary - Denver At Jacksonville


NEW YORK - The US Supreme Court struck a blow for the free market and consumer choice. The Justices today denied an appeal by Visa and MasterCard that prevented most US financial institutions from doing business with competing networks such as Discover.

US High Court Ruling A Win For Consumers


AP - Reserve forward Toni Nhleko knocked in a header one minute into stoppage time, leading the Dallas Burn to a 1-0 victory over the first-place MetroStars on Sunday.

Nhleko Scores As Burn Beat MetroStars 1-0 (AP)


AFP - The 2004 US presidential election is set to smash all spending records according to an independent study, which estimates that more than a billion dollars will be spent on the race for the White House by election day.

US presidential race most expensive in history: study (AFP)


Reuters - The scorecard of U.S. corporate\earnings ended on a positive note on Tuesday with  chip maker\Intel Corp.  and Internet media company Yahoo Inc\ reassuring investors that they were still growing\despite tough market conditions.

Intel, Yahoo Save Day for U.S. Earnings (Reuters)


Several powerful earthquakes rattled northwestern Japan over a span of two hours Saturday, toppling and setting alight homes, causing blackouts, cutting water and gas services and derailing a bullet train.

Earthquakes Kill 4, Injure 300 In Japan


Britain #39;s Prime Minister Tony Blair holds his Biometric card at the Passport Office in central London, Monday Oct. 25, 2004. Blair visited the Passport Office who are undertaking a Biometrics Enrollment trial

UK PM Announces Plans for ID Cards


The trouble with a good, or perhaps great, college football team is the competition, or the lack of it. Take No. 1 Southern California, for example.

Getting it together


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Occidental Petroleum Corp. <A HREF=

Occidental Profit Up 70 Pct


It doesn #39;t take a football genius to know that the New England Patriots are an amazing team. The organization #39;s ability to plug in players and keep winning over the last three years is a model

Perfection through a single season a tougher standard


For the 10 drivers competing in NASCAR's new 10-race playoff, there will be one key goal Sunday in Talladega: staying out of trouble.

Proceed With Caution


OLYMPIA, Greece -- US shot-putter Adam Nelson stood outside the throwing circle, his hands on the back of his head, his hopes just dashed by a foul on a throw that would have won the gold medal.

Silver lining melts foul mood


Parting with Syracuse and the Big East was such sweet sorrow for Boston College after the 17th-ranked Eagles, playing their final game as a Big East member, absorbed a ruinous 43-17 loss yesterday that prevented them from winning the conference title outright and clinching a Bowl Championship Series berth.

Hard feelings likely to linger


CORVALLIS -- When Oregon State played at Arizona last week, the Heisman Trophy was on display at the University of Arizona campus in Tucson.

USC #39;s Bush shows Heisman candidate form


Bank of America Corp. said yesterday it will bring 300 more jobs to Boston as part of its wealth management unit. The decision comes after the bank agreed

Bank of America to add 300 jobs


The countdown to the conclusion of the privately funded race for space is producing some last-minute surprises, with a key competitor postponing its bid just days before its scheduled flight.

Last-minute delay for X Prize rival


Militants claiming to hold three UN workers in Afghanistan have extended a deadline until tonight to allow the government in Kabul and the UN to negotiate with them.

Afghan militants extend hostage deadline


MacCentral - With its eyes on the future of home entertainment and a relatively uncluttered band of radio spectrum, Cisco Systems Inc.'s Linksys division on Wednesday unveiled a line of IEEE 802.11g/a wireless LAN products.

Linksys goes dual-band on Wi-Fi (MacCentral)


AIRBUS is poised to thrash archrival Boeing this year in the cut-throat battle to supply the world #39;s airlines with commercial jets, the European manufacturer #39;s parent company said today.

Airbus sales to trounce Boeing


Reuters - A series of bomb blasts killed\nine people and wounded 35 in northeastern India on Saturday in\the deadliest attack since a cease-fire with the main\separatist group in Nagaland began seven years ago.

Bomb Blasts in Northeast India Kill 10, Wound 35 (Reuters)


AP - Adrian Peterson ran for 225 yards and made many big plays when No. 2 Oklahoma needed it most, helping the Sooners grind out a 12-0 victory over No. 5 Texas and stretch their winning streak in the storied rivalry to five straight.

No. 1 USC, No. 2 Oklahoma Down Rivals (AP)


Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) President Purnomo Yusgiantoro said today that the cartel will monitor any impact on oil prices from the re-election of US President George W. Bush.

OPEC To Monitor Oil Prices in Wake of US Election


St. Louis Blues president Mark Sauer said the team will sell its American Hockey League Worcester IceCats to Bruce Saurs and Anne Griffith of Peoria, Ill., and move the team to Peoria for the 2005-06 season. The team will continue to operate as the Blues' AHL affiliate and be renamed the Rivermen. The sale and relocation are subject to approval ...

AHL's IceCats will be leaving Worcester for Peoria, Ill.


PANAMA CITY, Panama -- When US National Team assistant coach Curt Onalfo visited Panama back in July on a scouting trip, he didn #39;t know what he was going to encounter.

US means business on trip to Panama


GENEVA - The World Trade Organization on Friday approved lists of US products on which Japan, five other countries and the European Union plan to levy punitive tariffs in retaliation for a US failure to repeal an illegal antidumping measure.

WTO paves way for retaliatory tariffs on US goods


ATHENS, Greece -- Two armed hijackers have surrendered and released their hostages, 18 hours after seizing a bus near Athens, Greece.

Greek Bus Hijacking Ends With Surrender


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

Target Posts Higher Profit


AP - The record use of electronic voting machines on Nov. 2 led to hundreds of voting irregularities and shows the need for higher standards, a voting rights group said Thursday.

Group Cites Electronic Voting Problems (AP)


ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- In recent years, Division 1-AA teams that have lost close games to lower-echelon 1-A programs have scoffed at talk of moral victories. Therefore, it wasn't surprising yesterday to see Northeastern players disappointed after losing to Navy, 28-24.

Huskies fail to make Division 1-A Navy blue


The UN highlights the plight of children orphaned by the tsunami disaster, some of whose lives are at risk.

UN urges aid for tsunami orphans


Washington, DC - If you own a Dell laptop, you might want to check out the type of AC adapter that it uses. That is because the company has decided to recall nearly a million AC adapters because of a potential fire and electrical shock hazard.

Dell recalls nearly a million laptop AC adapters


A second-half strike from Benjani gave AJ Auxerre a 1-0 victory at struggling Olympique Marseille ina French first division soccer match on Saturday.

Marseille down on rank with loss to Auxerre while Lyon <b>...</b>


Computer Sciences Corp. won a \$1.35 billion contract to manage phone and computer networks for Ascension Health, the biggest US nonprofit health care system.

Computer Sciences Wins \$1.35 Bln Ascension Contract (Update1)


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Bookseller Borders Group Inc.  <A HREF=

Borders Cuts Forecast; Storms Hit Sales


Reuters - Sniffer rescue dogs trained to find\explosives or earthquake survivors buried in rubble may soon\have some competition -- rats.

New Way to Help Find Quake Survivors -Sniffer Rats (Reuters)


Immersion, a small firm that develops and licenses touch-related technologies, has been awarded \$82 million after winning a patent infringement lawsuit against PlayStation maker Sony.

Immersion wins patent case against Sony


Southampton, September 12: The Indian team might have regained its momentum with an easy victory over Kenya in their ICC Champions Trophy opener, but captain Sourav Ganguly wants batsmen Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh to strike form before the crucial

Ganguly wants Sehwag, Yuvraj to strike form


AFP - Scotland's Stephen Gallacher stunned a host of favourites to win the Dunhill Links Championship after winning an extra playoff hole against Graeme McDowell.

Gallacher wins Dunhill Links after playoff with McDowell (AFP)


Myanmar #39;s military government says it has released thousands of people from jail as promised, but there appeared few political prisoners among those emerging from Yangon #39;s notorious Insein prison.

Myanmar says thousands of prisoners freed


J.P. Morgan, the No. 2 U.S. bank, said that after its recent merger with Bank One, it could better manage its own technology and infrastructure.

J.P. Morgan cancels \$5B IBM outsourcing deal


HONG KONG Brushing aside Chinese warnings of a possible challenge at the World Trade Organization, a senior US trade official said here on Friday that the United States would limit apparel imports if American manufacturers provided evidence that such

US official backs producers on China apparel curbs


Cognos this week announced that Andrew Cahill, who was a senior vice president at the company, has been reassigned to other duties at Cognos after being indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with activities at his previous employer.

Cognos reassigns new exec after indictment


A US contender appears poised to recapture the supercomputer speed title from the Japanese world champion, Wednesday #39;s Wall Street Journal reported.

IBM Claims Fastest-Computer Title


_ Cleveland pitcher Kyle Denney was slightly wounded in the leg late last night, on the team bus as it left Kauffman Stadium for Kansas City International Airport.

Indians Pitcher Shot


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The pace of growth at U.S. factories  picked up in December, boosted by an increase in new orders and  despite a decline in employment, a report showed on Monday.

Pace of Factory Growth Climbs


AP - The government of Prime Minister John Howard, a conservative and a supporter of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, appeared to hold a narrow lead in polls published less than a week before Australia's presidential election.

Australian Government Leading in Polls (AP)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were set to move slightly  higher at the open on Friday with a \$1 billion share buyback at  Texas Instruments Inc. <A HREF=

U.S. Stocks Set for Slightly Firmer Open


AP - Buffalo Sabres center Daniel Briere agreed to a deal Wednesday with SC Bern of the Swiss league, becoming the latest NHL player to head to Europe.

178 NHL Players Now in Europe (AP)


AP - Bolstered by a hard-fought election victory, President Bush says the United States will vigorously pursue wars in Iraq and against terror and will not retreat from trying to spread democracy through the Middle East.

Bush Vows No Letup in Iraq, War on Terror (AP)


ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Reuters) - US Airways Group Inc. <A HREF=

USAir Asks to Skip Pension Payment


Jimmy Rollins homered in the 10th inning, helping Philadelphia complete a three-game sweep of Florida with a 9-8 victory Thursday night.

Phillies 9, Marlins 8, 10 innings


More Americans are quitting their jobs and taking the risk of starting a business despite a still-lackluster job market.

Report: Worker confidence up


special coverage Hostile bid for PeopleSoft hurts Oracle's image among IT professionals.

Oracle v. DOJ: A shadow over Oracle


Fourth seed Rainer Schuettler reached the second round of China Open here on Monday with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over unseeded Australian Paul Baccanello.

Schuettler outclasses Baccanello to reach the second round of <b>...</b>


Since Wednesday, a rising tide of attacks which could precede the arrival of a new worm have been attempting to exploit the Windows GDI (graphic device interface) for JPEG files, according to the Internet Storm Center, Bethesda, MD.

Hackers Smell Blood In Common Windows Interface


Ryan Smyth scored two goals to lead Canada to a 5-1 victory over Slovakia in the World Cup of Hockey last night in Montreal.

Canada, Sweden get home guarantees


AP - Have you ever gone online to get driving directions, only to leave the printout behind? Have you made movie plans, but forgot to jot down the show times? Or do you simply need an easy way to feed phone numbers to your cell phone? A trio of entrepreneurs believe they have a solution.

Web Data Transfer to Handsets Made Easier (AP)


Mexican transportation company Grupo TMM SA said Wednesday it has reached an amended agreement with Kansas City Southern to sell 51 percent of its railway unit to the US company.

Kansas City Southern to Buy Mexican Rail


AP - FCC Chairman Michael Powell said Tuesday that he would seek broad regulatory authority for the federal government over Internet-based telephone services to avoid stifling the emerging market.

FCC Chair to Seek Net Telephone Oversight (AP)


Government has dismissed speculation that declaring its readiness to serve as a Permanent Member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) could spark a diplomatic row with certain African countries.

Govt Confident UN Seat Won #39;t Spark Diplomatic Row


The Czech parliament voted Thursday to extend the mandate for its troops in Iraq by two months, Czech Radio reports. The Czech Republic has around 100 military police in Iraq.

Czechs extend mandate for troops in Iraq


Graeme Souness, a 33-1 outsider for the vacant managerial post at Newcastle this morning, has resigned his role at Blackburn and agreed terms with the Magpies, who he will join on Monday.

Souness ties up Toon deal


Universal said HD DVD can deliver enhanced picture and sound quality, greater storage capacity and increased interactivity. An additional benefit is backwards compatibility, allowing existing

Universal Pictures Backs HD DVD


It has been regretfully announced that three-times Rally Dakar winner Richard Sainct was killed today (Wednesday) while competing in Rally Egypt.

Dakar legend Sainct killed in Egypt.


DUBAI (Reuters) - A militant group headed by al Qaeda ally  Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has killed an American captive in Iraq  after the lapse of a 24-hour deadline Tuesday, a statement  posted on the Internet and an Arabic channel said.

Zarqawi Group Says Kills U.S. Hostage in Iraq


NEW YORK, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Insurer St. Paul Travelers Companies (STA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday said a bankruptcy court approved a \$502.5 million asbestos settlement for all pending asbestos court actions against its Travelers Property ...

Court approves St. Paul \$502.5 mln asbestos accord


Glitches between Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) and critical applications continue to emerge, with McAfee admitting its flagship VirusScan product prior to version 7.1 requires a customised patch to be operational with Windows Security Center, part of SP2

Microsoft plays down SP2 security glitches


Iphtashu Fitz writes  quot;CNet News is reporting that the US Secret Service in conjunction with authorities in six foreign countries have arrested 28 people in the last 48 hours on charges of identity theft, computer fraud, credit card fraud and conspiracy.

Massive Online ID Fraud Ring Busted


Alex Ferguson has urged the FA to punish Arsenal #39;s Robin van Persie for throwing an elbow during last night #39;s Carling Cup quarter-final.

Ferguson upset at Van Persie elbow


Toyota Motor and Chinese partner Guangzhou Automobile reportedly will invest 3.8 billion yuan (\$US459 million) to build a new plant in China, with an annual production capacity of 100,000 vehicles.

JAPAN: Toyota to build Chinese Camry plant with Guangzhou <b>...</b>


MINNEAPOLIS - The Yankees have held discussions with the Texas Rangers about trading Esteban Loaiza for prospects, but both sides have reservations.

Yanks, Rangers have second thoughts on Loaiza


CHICAGO -- Be prepared for the worst. That could be the message NHL Players Association executive director Bob Goodenow conveys to player agents at a meeting today.

Let Bob do his job: agent


Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. said Monday it had settled a three-year-old patent infringement lawsuit filed by Simmons Inc.

Bombardier Recreational Settles Lawsuit


The suit, whose plaintiffs include San Franciisco and Los Angeles, is the latest in a string of similar actions brought against Microsoft across the country.

California Cities And Counties Sue Microsoft For Antitrust


External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Mehmud Kasuri will be meeting for the second consecutive day today.

Kasuri to meet Singh, Kashmir separatists


Reuters - Washington wants the U.N.\Security Council to meet next month at the site of peace talks\in Kenya between rebels in southern Sudan and Khartoum's\government, U.S. Ambassador John Danforth said on Friday.

US Wants UN Council to Meet at Sudan Peace Talks (Reuters)


Inter Milan made sure of top spot in Group G of the Champions League on Tuesday, two goals from Nigerian Obafemi Martins helping them to a comfortable 3-0 win over Anderlecht.

UPDATE 1-Martins double secures top spot for Inter


Three new MyDoom variants have been found in the wild that contain not only malicious code but a plea for a job. MyDoom U, V and W attempt to download a Trojan called Surila onto users #39; computers, which would

Gizza job, plead virus writers


TAMPA, Fla. Soccer coach Tom Fitzgerald has died after a motorcycle accident in Tampa, Florida. He was 53. Fitzgerald coached the University of Tampa to the NCAA Division Two soccer championship in 1994, then led UCLA to the Division One title in 2002.

Soccer coach Tom Fitzgerald killed in accident


Lamar Odom supplemented 20 points with 13 rebounds and Kobe Bryant added 19 points to overcome a big night from Yao Ming as the Los Angeles Lakers ground out an 84-79 win over the Rockets in Houston Saturday.

NBA Wrap: Lakers Rally to Beat Rockets


Welcome to Canada #39;s least funny parlour game, launched by Paul Martin in his years as finance minister and carried on with great doggedness by the current minister, Ralph Goodale.

Ottawa #39;s unhealthy budget game


Are you nervous about viruses, worms, spyware and other threats to your computer? Wish you had the power to appoint an intelligence czar to safeguard your PC?

Windows upgrade helps hold down the fort


Companies will demonstrate how their technology will work together.

Sun, Microsoft to Detail Interoperability


Russian president Vladimir Putin has backed plans to end restrictions on the foreign ownership of shares in Russian energy giant Gazprom.

Putin backs Gazprom shares deal


CELTIC silenced their critics last night, and a fair chunk of the Nou Camp, by producing a remarkable display of defiance to dent Barcelonas omnipotence in their own backyard.

Battling Celtic bow out but Uefa Cup spot beckons


AFP - Microsoft will translate its blockbuster computer software Windows and Office into Quechua, the language of the indigenous Inca, for Andean nations from Argentina to Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, where it is spoken, the company said.

Quechua 1.0: Microsoft to launch Windows in the language of the Inca (AFP)


Just in time for the holidays, the US-Cuba propaganda war heated up Friday when Cuban authorities tacked up a huge banner outside America #39;s diplomatic post in Havana depicting the abuse of Iraqi prisoners.

Cuba counters US Christmas lights with anti-war banners


AP - Elizabeth Burnosky is a registered Democrat who voted for President Bush in 2000, opposes his policy on Iraq and calls Sen. John Kerry

Bush, Kerry Press for Women's Votes (AP)


It may be seen by some as the poorer relation to the Champions League but for those German teams in the UEFA Cup, it is an opportunity to go for European glory.

Germans Open UEFA Cup in Style


Yahoo Search's Slurp and How to Write for It\\As the world's second most popular search tool, Yahoo moves a tremendous amount of traffic and is a very credible alternative to Google. Yahoo receives over 2.76 billion page views per day from hundreds of millions of unique users. It boasts over ...

Yahoo Searchs Slurp and How to Write for It


Earnie Stewart and Alecko Eskandarian score as D.C. United defeats the MetroStars, 2-0, on Saturday night, taking a commanding lead in their first-round playoff series.

United Stuns MetroStars


Srinagar, October 24: National Conference president Omar Abdullah on Sunday escaped an attempt on his life when militants triggered a powerful blast as he reached a graveyard in Anantnag district to attend a ceremony for slain party leader.

Omar escapes bid on life, one killed


Two professors argue that seemingly innocuous reforms have caused a shift away from encouraging innovation in favor of exploiting patents largely for lawsuits.

Does the Patent System Need an Overhaul?


Taipei, Nov. 11 (CNA) The following are important events scheduled to take place Friday, Nov. 12: 09: 20, A seminar on Taiwan-Japan-India cooperation organized by the Taiwan Thinktank will open at the Westin Taipei.

EVENT LISTING FOR NOV. 12 IN TAIWAN


A difference of opinion about the genetic basis of race has emerged between scientists at the National Human Genome Center at Howard University and some other geneticists.

Articles Highlight Different Views on Genetic Basis of Race


Microscopic embryonic stem cells might hold the answer to afflictions from baldness, wrinkles, and age spots to the most intractable diseases.

Stem-cell science: Mirage or shining city?


Russia #39;s ambassador to the United Nations Thursday formally presented Moscow #39;s ratification of the Kyoto global warming treaty to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Russia presents Kyoto ratification to UN


SESTRIERE, Italy (Reuters) - With six victories already  this season, including a record-equalling triumph in every  discipline, Bode Miller is dominating the World Cup circuit and  rival Kalle Palander believes the American's emergence at the  top is just what the sport needs.

Miller Grows Up to Become the Hero Skiing Needs


NEW YORK - A grim combination of higher oil prices and lowered outlooks from companies including Colgate-Palmolive Co., Unilever PLC and The New York Times Co. sent stocks sliding Monday...

Stocks Close Lower Amid Rising Oil Prices


WASHINGTON -- Orders to US factories for big-ticket goods dropped in August, largely weighed down by a sharp decline in demand for commercial airplanes.

Manufacturing seen stronger despite fall in durable goods


Reuters - Europe is warming up\more quickly than the rest of the world, and cold winters could\disappear almost entirely by 2080 as a result of global\warming, researchers predicted Wednesday.

European Winters Could Disappear by 2080 - Report (Reuters)


But he said the gesture was not meant as a criticism of Washington by Iceland, a staunch US ally. no longer exists, according to laws that no one has been incriminated for before.

Iceland offers Fischer shelter


ASTANA, Kazakhstan -- President Nursultan Nazarbayev's party took an early lead in elections for parliament yesterday and his daughter's new party was running second.

Ruling Kazakh party leads early


Some large health insurers are feeling vindicated after Merck #39;s decision to withdraw its painkiller Vioxx from the market because long-term use raises the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Some insurers limited Vioxx


Ross Mayfield has an interesting take on the Lenovo/IBM deal and bringing open source to the desktop in his blog... I believe their commoditization strategy is more than hardware.

-Posted by dan.farber  7:29 am (PDT)


The Pantagraph #39;s parent company, Pulitzer Inc., which also owns the Post-Dispatch in St. Louis and 12 other daily newspapers, may be for sale according to a Friday report by the Reuters news service.

Pulitzer Inc. might be for sale, report says


Consumer confidence tumbled for the third consecutive month in October, private research group The Conference Board reported Tuesday.

Labor market haunts consumer confidence


Logan, UT (Sports Network) - Brent Guy, a former Utah State assistant, has been named the 25th head coach of the Aggies. Guy, who coached the Utah State linebackers from 1992-94, has spent the last four seasons

Bring that Guy back


\$2.5 million in prize money is on the line as gamers from Uzbekistan to Ecuador compete in the World Cyber Games.

Photo 4 of 8: Global gamers clash for cash


Serie A strugglers Atalanta have named Delio Rossi as their new coach, the club announced on its website on Tuesday. Rossi, the 44-year-old who previously coached Salerno and Lecce in Italy #39;s top-flight, replaces Andrea Mandorlini.

Rossi named new Atalanta coach


Mobile phone giants Vodafone and Nokia teamed up on Thursday to simplify software for cell phones written with the Java computer language that promises to bring cheaper, smarter handsets.

Vodafone, Nokia Team Up to Simplify Mobile Software


AP - A shipbuilder has agreed to stop using golfer Tiger Woods' name and a photograph of his yacht for financial gain.

Shipbuilder to Stop Using Woods' Name (AP)


AP - The start of the Utah-Wyoming football game was delayed nearly two hours Saturday night because of a brownout at War Memorial Stadium.

Utes, Cowboys Sit Through Power Outage (AP)


Reuters - Hypnosis can relieve suffering\and improve the quality of life of cancer patients, researchers\said on Thursday.

Hypnosis Effective in Relieving Cancer Pain (Reuters)


Microsoft #39;s financial chief said this week that the software giant is more likely to make big acquisitions than it has been in the past.

Microsoft eyes larger acquisitions


SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- Chris Costantino struck out Jacob Maxwell with the bases loaded to end the game as Lincoln, R.I., held on to beat Davenport, Iowa, 3-2, last night in Little League World Series action. Costantino finished with 15 strikeouts and allowed just four hits in picking up the win.

Costantino leads R.I. to win


November 19, 2004 -- ELI MANNING is The Prince summoned to make the Giants kings of the NFL again, and New York hasn #39;t hyperventilated over a quarterback like this since Joe Namath rode into town on his white horse and white shoes 40 years ago.

ELI EASES INTO ROLE AS SAVIOR


com September 21, 2004, 2:07 PM PT. With the economy slowly turning up, upgrading hardware has been on businesses radar in the past 12 months as their number two priority.

First game for AMD 64-bit chip emerges


Englewood, CO (Sports Network) - Veteran defensive tackle Luther Elliss of the Denver Broncos will miss the remainder of the season because of a herniated disk in his lower back.

Broncos DT Elliss out for the season


The brother of British Iraq hostage Ken Bigley says sources in Kuwait believe his sibling is being transferred by hard-line extremists to another group.

Reports: Iraq Hostage Transferred to New Group


Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - The tragic events aboard HMCS Chicoutimi may divert Paul Martin's first major foreign tour as prime minister.

Sub tragedy may divert Martin's first major foreign tour as PM (Canadian Press)


El Paso, TX (Sports Network) - Texas-El Paso accepted an invitation to play in the Houston Bowl at Reliant Stadium on December 29.

UTEP headed to Houston Bowl


Johannesburg, 12 October 2004 - International consumer law enforcers from 29 countries were yesterday urged to work together to combat the growing threat of spam.

Spam enforcers urged to work together


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rocketed higher on  Wednesday as investors took a break from worrying about the  U.S. current account deficit and focused on relative interest  rates, which increasingly were expected to favor the dollar.

Dollar Rallies Against Major Currencies


Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Monday announced that the economic team in her new Cabinet would stay for another term as the country is striving to solve its fiscal crisis.

Arroyo stays 4 economic secretaries in new Cabinet


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Dozens of international aid agencies  considered quitting Iraq Wednesday following the abduction of  two Italian women, and as the U.S. military death toll rose  above 1,000.

U.S. Deaths in Iraq Top 1,000; Aid Groups Eye Exit


Jimmie Johnson #39;s joy in winning the Subway 500 at Martinsville (Va.) Sunday was dampened by news of the crash of plane belonging to Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick in which 10 people died.

No winner in  quot;The Race is On quot;


one good (or at least pretty good) and one bad. In a way, that sort of bipolar news is typical of the roller-coaster ride the major stock markets have been on for the past few months.

Mathew Ingram


House prices in East Anglia will buck the national trend by holding firm or even continuing to grow, says a building society chief.

Regions house prices  #39;will buck trend #39;


Soaring energy costs and a surge in food prices contributed to a 1.7 percent rise in U.S. producer prices, the biggest gain in almost 15 years.

Producer Prices Jump on Energy Costs


US allies Britain and Australia on Thursday rejected a claim by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan that the war in Iraq was  #39; #39;illegal #39; #39; because

Major US allies rejects UN secretary-general #39;s claim that Iraq war <b>...</b>


British second seed Tim Henman came through an unexpectedly tough second round match with South Africa #39;s Wesley Moodie to reach the quarterfinals of the Swiss Indoors tournament Thursday.

Henman Battles Into Basel Quarterfinals


This is turning out to be the year of the upgrade for many computer gamers, thanks to the arrival of blockbuster game titles such as Doom 3 and Half-Life 2, on its way to retail shelves after a year's worth of delays. <FONT face=

'Killer Apps' Demand Computer Upgrades


CHICAGO  (Reuters) - Health insurer Aetna Inc. <A HREF=

Aetna Earnings Rise as Membership Rises


A previously unknown group calling itself Jamaat Ansar al-Jihad al-Islamiya says it set fire to a Jewish soup kitchen in Paris, according to an Internet statement.

Muslim group claims Jewish Paris attack


Reuters - A strong earthquake and over 200\aftershocks struck central California on Tuesday, rattling a\large chunk of the state along the San Andreas Fault, but\causing little significant damage.

Strong Quake Rattles Tiny California Town (Reuters)


Internet cafs in parts of India face closure if new regulations forcing them to provide police with names and addresses of all their customers are introduced. Under the new rules, visitors to Internet cafs will have to show their ID cards or be photographed.\

News: India mulls tough ID rules for cybercafs


AP - Numbers don't define Julius Peppers. He simply won't let them. Yet they follow him, and to everyone outside of the Carolina Panthers, they seem to measure his success. A lot of sacks means a good season, a mediocre number equals a down year.

Panthers' Peppers Out to Boost Sacks (AP)


The W.T.O. decided today to authorize sanctions against the United States in response to illegal antidumping rules.

W.T.O. Authorizes Anti-Dumping Sanctions on U.S.


Construction spending in August hit the highest level on record, fresh evidence that the housing market is helping move the economy ahead.

Construction Spending Hits Surged in August


The generic drug maker #39;s deal to buy King Pharmaceuticals was supposed to mark its arrival in the brand-name drug business. Instead, it put the spotlight on a new CEO #39;s strategy that billionaire investor Carl Icahn doesn #39;t like.

Mylan #39;s migraine


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Sears, Roebuck and Co. were  up about 20 percent on Friday after real estate company Vornado  Realty Trust said it raised its stake in the retailer, a step  that could mean Sears plans to convert some of its real estate  assets into cash.

Vornado Buys 4.3 Pct. Stake, Shares Soar


Malaysia #39;s Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has sketched out his vision of a regional body that could one day become the Asian equivalent of the EU.

Malaysia sees future in region


A Netflix policy has Bill Mann wondering -- is it because the company needs to, or it just can?

Arrogant, or Desperate?


The oil producing OPEC cartel Monday began reducing its oil output to maintain prices around current levels, the Wall Street Journal reported.

OPEC cuts oil production to hold prices


THE Australian team has arrived in the lush southern city of Bangalore for tomorrow #39;s first Test to be greeted by a pitch that is as cracked and dry as a Coober Pedy waterhole in a drought.

Test pitch a  #39;Kumble crumbler #39;


In one of the most electrifying moments in the history of a ballpark that's almost older than household electricity, slugger David Ortiz last night propelled the wild-and-crazy Red Sox into the American League Championship Series with a 10th-inning, first-pitch, two-out, two-run, walkoff homer into the seats above Fenway Park's left-field wall.

A Red Sox sweep for the ages


Sony Online Entertainment today announced that EverQuest II, the long-awaited sequel to SOE #39;s massively multiplayer online role-playing game, will ship simultaneously to North American and European retail stores on November 8. Four years in development

EverQuest II dated


A mini summit opened on Sunday night in Tripoli where the situation in Darfur was discussed. The Libyan leader, Muammar Qadhafi, had invited the presidents of Egypt, Chad, Sudan and Nigeria as well as the

African Union Summit meeting for peace in Darfur opens in Tripoli


An internet casino operator said it is offering Donald Trump \$US400 million (\$561.25 million) for a stake in his ailing casino company.

Trump offered \$US400m for casino stake


AFP - A combative Prime Minister Tony Blair refused to apologise for taking Britain into the Iraq war, as he rallied his governing Labour Party to unite and win a third straight term in a general election likely to take place in 2005.

Britain's combative Blair refuses to apologise for Iraq conflict (AFP)


MIAMI -- The signs are everywhere. From the absence of the dreaded balcony curtain inside American Airlines Arena to the giant poster on the outside of the building triumphantly announcing,  quot;Daddy's Home. quot; This is, indeed, one big daddy. Shaquille O'Neal always has had a larger-than-life persona, perhaps because he is, well, very, very large. His singular presence on the Miami ...

Starting a Heat wave


----------------------------------------------- GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) - Mike Johnson missed most of last season after undergoing shoulder surgery, but that didn #39;t stop the Phoenix Coyotes from giving him the veteran right wing a three-year contract ...

Coyotes re-sign RW Johnson to three-year deal


BASEBALL Major League Baseball: Suspended Texas 3B coach Steve Smith two games and fined him an undisclosed amount for inappropriate actions and comments made to umpire Jerry Meals during an Aug. 25 game; suspended Chicago Cubs P Kent Mercker three games and fined him an undisclosed amount for inappropriate actions during an Aug. 27 game; suspended Houston manager Phil Garner ...

Transactions


Pay-Per-Click Search Advertising Comes First\\There are a variety of advertising options available to online business owners small and large. There's traditional banner advertising, text ads of both static and contextual varieties, popups and popunders, layer ads and pay-per-click search engine advertising.\\For just about any business looking to advertise online, pay-per-click ...


TOKYO - NEC Corp. has begun marketing the SX-8, its latest entry in the supercomputer sweepstakes. The vector supercomputer features peak processing performance of 65 teraflops, which according to NEC tops rival IBM Corp.

Supercomputer sweepstakes heat up with new NEC entry


Reuters - European shares sagged on Tuesday as\broker downgrades hit mobile phone operator Vodafone  and two\of its peers, but UK clothing retailer Next shone on news of\strong summer sales.

Vodafone Weighs on European Shares (Reuters)


SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazil's drive to increase  computer software exports is beginning to show results and the  government expects the sector to sell about \$400 million abroad  this year, four times what it exported in 2001.

Brazil Making Progress on Software Export Drive


HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba ended a diplomatic deadlock with  eight European Union nations on Monday in response to proposals  by EU officials to stop inviting dissidents to National Day  receptions in Havana.

Cuba Restores Contacts with European Embassies


Worldwide semiconductor sales will reach \$226bn in 2004, a 27.4 per cent increase from 2003, according to the latest prediction from Gartner.

Semiconductor sales booming in 2004


HE RULED Australian snooker for two decades and played a part in transporting the game from smoky suburban parlours to prime-time popularity.

Pot Black ace loved pocket life


UBS AG, Europe #39;s biggest bank, said third-quarter profit fell 1 percent as gains from managing funds for millionaires cushioned a drop in investment-banking earnings.

UBS Net Falls on Investment Banking; Fund Unit Gains (Update1)


New York, NY (Sports Network) - Los Angeles Clippers forward Elton Brand was suspended Tuesday for one game by the NBA for shoving Charlotte #39;s Emeka Okafor during the fourth quarter of Monday night #39;s game.

Clippers #39; Brand suspended one game


His bullpen had already squeezed out 8 2/3 shutout innings and Dan Miceli was still available, making it logical for Houston Astros manager Phil Garner to take a chance

Astros bullpen steps up until Miceli slips up


com September 22, 2004, 5:38 PM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half.

PeopleSoft devotees in denial?


New options for managing your digital media means more than just mp3s in your pocket. October 14, 2004 - Microsoft held its Digital Entertainment Everywhere launch this past Tuesday and unveiled new products

Digital Entertainment Everywhere


Hamid Karzais rivals say its still too early to concede Afghanistans inaugural presidential election, despite the interim leaders dominant showing after three days of vote-counting.

Afghan Election  #39;Still Open #39; Say Rivals


Chelsea were dead right - it #39;s bad enough that most of these lads are overpaid anyhow but when they abuse their position to, if you #39;ll pardon the pun,  #39;rub our noses in it #39;, i #39;s out of order.

#39;Would Frank Lampard Have Been Sacked? #39;


UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - Secretary General Kofi Annan called on the UN Security Council to take urgent action over a US draft resolution on Sudan #39;s troubled Darfur region.

Annan Says Security Council Must Act Now On Darfur


OAKLAND, Calif. Alfonso Soriano had three hits and two RB-Is as the Texas Rangers beat the Oakland Athletics, 12-to-9. The win comes a night after Texas reliever Frank Francisco threw a plastic chair into the stands in Oakland and broke a woman #39;s nose.

Rangers 12, Athletics 9


For the first time since the war ended nearly 30 years ago, a US passenger jet was on its way to Vietnam on Friday. United Flight 869 took off from San Francisco

1st US Jet Since War to Land in Vietnam


Nanotechnology is confronting the U.S. with a familiar problem - assessing claims of innovation that do not match up neatly with the way patent examiners are trained to categorize them.

Tiny Ideas Coming of Age


After a meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell, China #39;s top diplomat accused the United States on Thursday of endangering peace in the Taiwan Straits by selling weapons to Taiwan.

China blasts US arms sales to Taiwan


Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is to ask voters to allow him to stand for a third term in 2006.

Belarus leader calls referendum


Bank president told Treasury Secretary John W. Snow that he will step down after a decade at the helm when his term expires in June.

Wolfensohn Confirms World Bank Departure


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc. <A HREF=

Do Not Rule Out Lower-Priced Apple iMac--Analyst


AP - Lucille Lamarca could feel her heart begin to beat at a worrisome pace as she lay there alone in the intensive care unit at Buffalo General Hospital with a heart condition. Then from a speaker came a reassuring voice.

Hospitals Use Technology to Aid Patients (AP)


UNITED NATIONS : The UN #39;s peacekeeping chief warned of a surge in violence after the massacre of Congolese refugees in Burundi and called on all parties to step back from the brink of war.

UN peace chief warns of more violence after Burundi massacre


Seven Network Ltd. shares had their biggest drop in four months after the broadcaster posted TV advertising growth that lagged the industry and on concern it won #39;t keep viewers attracted by its Olympic Games coverage.

Seven Network Shares Slide as Ad-Revenue Growth Lags Industry


NEW YORK - Oil and corporate earnings reports dominated the week. Oil bobbled around \$55 a barrel for much of the week. US Federal Reserve Gov.

The Business Week In Pictures


Reuters - Refugee camps in Chad housing\200,000 Sudanese fleeing fighting in Darfur are near capacity\and placing a huge burden on Sudan's impoverished western\neighbor, the United Nations said Friday.

U.N. Says Darfur Camps in Chad Close to Capacity (Reuters)


Monica Collins briefed her family, made a list of emergency phone numbers and, after consulting her fellow adventurers, selected a vehicle they figured would be safest for the journey, a rugged SUV.

S. Africans Venture to Black Township


IBM has introduced the BladeCenter Express, a lower-cost blade server chassis targeted toward small and mid-size businesses. The company also unveiled several new business-in-a-box packages

IBM Rolls Out Low-Cost Blade Servers


The cash-strapped airline said in a bankruptcy court filing today that it

United Airlines Likely to Terminate Pension Plans


Arabic TV network Al-Jazeera Sunday aired video showing three UN election workers taken hostage in Afghanistan. In the video, the kidnappers demand for the release of prisoners in Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Video shows UN hostages in Afghanistan


The University of Western Ontario is ranked third among Canada #39;s biggest universities in the annual Maclean #39;s magazine ratings that hit newsstands today.

Western tops Maclean #39;s rankings


JERUSALEM - Senior Israeli Cabinet ministers Tuesday approved the payment of cash advances to Jewish settlers who will be removed from their homes under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to leave the Gaza Strip - the government's first concrete step toward withdrawal.    The 9-1 vote in the Security Cabinet gave a boost to Sharon, who faces growing opposition...

Cabinet OKs Payment to Jewish Settlers


Fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz captured two wickets in four balls to help Australia restrict New Zealand to 67 for two at lunch on the opening day of the first test at the Gabba on Thursday.

Kasprowicz strikes twice for Australia


KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Interstate Bakeries Corp., the nation's largest wholesaler baker whose products include Twinkies and Wonder Bread, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection early Wednesday...

Twinkies Maker Seeking Ch. 11 Protection


LOS ANGELES--Although Maria Sharapovas picture is in newspaper ads and billboards around Los Angeles, tennis teen queen said she usually could go shopping incognito.

Sharapova lives up to expectations


For Hong Kong #39;s democracy activists, the results of legislative elections announced yesterday suggest that the deck will remain stacked against them for years to come.

Vote shakes Hong Kong democrats


Shares of Google Inc. (GOOG) surged nearly 22 percent in their market debut Thursday, the culmination of a unique and bumpy initial stock offering for the 6-year-old dot-com dreamed up in a college dorm room.

Google IPO Shares Surge in Market Debut


ARKALYK, KAZAKHSTAN -- A Soyuz capsule carrying a US-Russian crew back to Earth after six months at the international space station landed safely and on target in Kazakhstan early today.

Soyuz capsule lands safely


JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Opposition leader Shimon Peres said  on Tuesday he feared Israeli extremists might try to  assassinate Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the target of growing  far-right fury over a planned withdrawal from Gaza next year.

Peres Sharon Risks Assassination for Gaza Plan


A season which brought them their first Ryder Cup caps and a record-breaking win in Detroit now sees Luke Donald and Paul Casey gunning for World Cup glory.

RYDER CUP ROOKIES IN POLE POSITION


A UK space scientist has warned that a broken oxygen generator could spell disaster for the International Space Station (ISS). The Elecktron unit, which converts waste water into hydrogen and oxygen gases, broke

Broken oxygen generator threatens space station


Reuters - Thousands of U.S. and Iraqi\troops backed by heavy air support and armor have stormed into\the Sunni Muslim city of Falluja in the second major offensive\in seven months to try to recapture the insurgent stronghold.

U.S. Forces Storm Falluja, Bombs Rock Baghdad (Reuters)


United Airlines has begun approaching potential lenders with its revamped business plan for financing to leave bankruptcy, the company said on Friday.

United Starts Financing Search


CRICKET officials are under pressure to overhaul the game #39;s showpiece tournaments after embarrassing mismatches and England #39;s bleak weather threatened to turn the Champions Trophy into a farce.

ICC bagged over mismatch


politically correct

Australia's biggest city up in arms over


It was hard to tell Sunday who was the biggest deer in the headlights - Chris Simms, the new Bucs quarterback, for now; or Jon Gruden, who threw him to the Seahawks.

Bring A Chair: Panic Room Filling Up Fast


The cap, glove, water cooler and bag of paper cups Billy Wagner left in his wake on the Shea Stadium field Saturday explained how he felt about his premature exit.

Phils #39; Wagner livid after getting tossed


Quarterback Jeff Garcia and center Jeff Faine were placed on injured reserve, and the Browns continued to pluck talent from the Baltimore Ravens in a flurry of roster moves Tuesday.

Browns continue to pluck Ravens


AP - Investors will be looking to consumer spending in the coming week on Wall Street, as the government releases figures on consumer prices and retail sales and major retailers release earnings reports.

Investors Weighing Consumer Spending (AP)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar fell to within a whisker of  record lows against the euro on Friday, after an influential  report on the U.S. labor market turned out to be unexpectedly  weak.

Dollar Sags on Nov Jobs Disappointment


Senator John McCain plans to introduce legislation requiring Major League Baseball players to be tested for steroids.

McCain Calls for Tougher Testing Policy


Comment No more Mr Nice Liberal, apparently...

Reach out and sneer: Dem radicals speak to the Red States


NEW YORK : US technology group 3M, which makes everything from sticky Post-it notes to medical products, announced a surge in profits but failed to impress the markets.

3M says profits surges, fails to impress market


The hope is that Keith Pardy will put some fizz back in the company's market share stats.

Nokia taps Coke exec to refresh brands


Georgetown Prep's football team will not be allowed to play in the Interstate Athletic Conference, not because the Little Hoyas broke any rules, but because they're too good.

Prep Banned From IAC


AP - His wiry 6-foot-6 frame is better suited for basketball, except when it comes to reaching for a high pass in the end zone.

Moore Leaps to Great Heights for Ravens (AP)


ROME, Sept 29 (AFP):One of two Italian women released after three weeks captivity in Iraq said she was ready to go back to the war-wracked country to continue her aid work, and told of being given sweets by her kidnappers as a farewell gift.

Kidnappers treat  quot;well with a lot of respect quot; during captivity


The European Union agrees to lift its embargo on the sale of arms to Libya.

EU agrees to lift Libya sanctions


For those who think Saturday #39;s narrow victory over Oklahoma State proves that No. 2 Oklahoma isn #39;ta championship-caliber team, Sooners coach Bob Stoops has a message for you.

Sooners respond to Cowboys #39; challenge


The co-founder of Blogger, one of the original Weblogging services and now owned by Google Inc., is leaving the company by the end of the week.

Blogger Boss to Leave Google


WPP said on Sunday that it had won the bidding for Grey Global Group, the seventh-largest agency company, ending a summer-long takeover battle in which it outlasted Havas of France and a US private equity firm, Hellman Friedman.

WPP says it won bid


Columbia native and former astronaut Charles Bolden is on the short list to replace Sean OKeefe, who resigned Monday after three tumultuous years running the nations space program.

Bolden on list to lead NASA


BANGALORE, India -- For three generations, two families have fought over an acre of farmland in an arid stretch of southern India, each waving documents to support its claim.

In India, some farmers benefiting from a cyber-revolution


AP - Newspaper endorsements in the 2004 presidential campaign between President Bush, a Republican, and Sen. John Kerry, a Democrat.

2004 Presidential Endorsements (AP)


Fred Funk shot an eight-under par 64 to seize a one-stroke lead after the third round of the US PGA Tour Southern Farm Bureau Classic in Madison, Mississippi.

Funk seizes lead in Mississippi


The Mars rover Opportunity has found new evidence of past existence of water on the Red Planet, NASA said. Opportunity keeps finding new clues of past water as it continues probing Mars, said mission scientists

Mars rover finds more proof of water


washingtonpost.com - After 18 months of lawsuits and very public wrangling, Oracle Corp. finally roped software rival PeopleSoft Inc., proof positive that Larry Ellison's hardball tactics would get his company just what it put at the top of its Christmas list.

Oracle Softens up PeopleSoft (washingtonpost.com)


BASEL, Switzerland (Reuters) - World number one Roger  Federer, overwhelming favorite for this week's Swiss Indoors  tournament, has targeted a fairytale victory in front of his  home crowd.

Federer Sets Sights on 'Fairytale' Swiss Title


quot;It is easy for a CEO to say security is important, quot; says Ernst  amp; Young partner Kent Kaufield.  quot;But in actuality, I think they view it much like purchasing insurance --something that is good

Survey: CEOs Fail To Grasp Importance of Security


Black Watch troops spent their first day off the front line and thinking ahead to Christmas at home. The troops have returned to Basra after their controversial month-long mission to Camp Dogwood near the Sunni  quot;Triangle of Death quot;.

Troops set for Christmas homecoming


Reuters - India's annual wholesale price inflation rate fell to 7.81 percent in the year to Sept. 4 due to lower prices of oilseeds and poultry and a higher base effect, data showed on Friday.

Indian inflation falls to 7.81 pct (Reuters)


11.12.04 - By Umar ben-Ivan Lee: The boxing economy is a trickle-down economy in its basic nature. Wealth trickles down from the heavyweight division to the lower weights; because the majority of casual fans

Klitschko-Williams - Good Match-Up for Boxing, Bad for Some in <b>...</b>


Scotland #39;s biggest dairy firm, Robert Wiseman Dairies RWD.L , says it is in talks with farmers #39; co-operative First Milk, which supplies Wiseman with milk, about buying a 15 percent stake in Wiseman.

Wiseman Dairies in talks to sell stake