SINGAPORE : Singapore #39;s Sikh community on Sunday celebrated the 400th anniversary of the first installation of its holy book - the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

Sikh community celebrates 400 years of installation of holy <b>...</b>


For 22 years, Ray Bourque had been preparing for last night. As he played each game of his National Hockey League career, he wasn #39;t cognizant

Consummate Bruin Bourque is enshrined among NHL #39;s finest


NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 5: One militant and a jawan were killed and three security personnel injured when ultras made an abortive bid to storm a BSF camp at Sopore in Baramullah district of Jammu and Kashmir in the wee hours on Saturday.

Militants attack BSF camp, two dead


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were mostly flat on  Tuesday as record oil prices and economic data showing  slower-than-expected growth weighed on the markets.

U.S. Stocks Flat as Oil Spikes Over \$51


The second round of the Canadian Open golf tournament continues Saturday Glenn Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario, after play was suspended late Friday due to darkness.

Golf: Round 2 of Canadian Open Resumes Saturday


Harmony Gold #39;s (HAR) offer and to vote in favour of the transaction with Canada #39;s IAMGOLD.  quot;Over the past six weeks you have been inundated with misinformation in support of Harmony #39;s value destroying, hostile

Gold Fields calls for halt to Harmony bid


J Sainsbury reported its first ever pretax loss after investing heavily in restructuring aimed at arresting a decline in its fortunes.

British grocer J Sainsbury rings up first ever loss


ADA, Okla. -- A hit-and-run driver allegedly involved in a traffic collision that killed an East Central University football player from Texas surrendered to authorities Monday and will face murder charges

Criminal charges anticipated in fatal traffic collision


Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:    ------      Early Puberty Increases Risk of Substance Abuse      Youngsters who begin puberty at an early age are more likely to experiment with and abuse alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana than kids who start puberty at a later age, says a Australian study in the September issue of the journal Pediatrics.      The study found that early puberty was more important than school grade or age in influencing this kind of behavior...

Health Highlights: Sept. 7, 2004


Microsoft's chief Trustworthy Computing strategist, Scott Charney, laid out the company's security efforts at the IT Forum today with all the seriousness one would expect from a former public prosecutor and U.S. Department of Justice cybercrime chief.

Microsoft talks security, Trustworthy Computing


Two Islamic Jihad militants are killed in an Israeli air raid in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian officials say.

Gaza strike kills two militants


Two of the world #39;s consumer electronics giants, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Sony Corp., have signed a cross-license agreement detailing mutual usage of patents across major product lines owned by the two companies.

Samsung, Sony Enter Cross-License Agreement


AP - Rescuers succeeded in freeing a minke whale that washed up on a beach in southeastern Brazil, the fire department said Thursday.

Rescuers Free Beached Whale in Brazil (AP)


Bush Administration seeks upbeat reports, will 'curtail' bad news.

Terrorism and Security: a Daily Update


While Toby Keith wailed country and western, and Gillette Stadium sizzled with excitement, Captain Rick Maloney stood at his post, a machine gun hanging from his neck.

Forces secure area


Sri Lanka made an unimpressive entry into the Champions Trophy as they overcame a magnificent Zimbabwe side by four wickets at The Oval.

Sri Lanka made an unimpressive entry into ICC Champions Trophy


The absence of an official patch from Microsoft for a known and widely exploited Internet Explorer flaw has spawned a cottage industry for homegrown fixes.

Beware of Third-Party IE Patches


MIAMI (Ticker) -- There #39;s no need for AJ Burnett to cash in his frequent flyer miles. Burnett allowed two hits in 6 1/3 innings and Miguel Cabrera and Alex Gonzalez homered as the Florida Marlins extended

SI.com


Suha Arafat #39;s rant against leaders of the Palestinian Authority and Yasser Arafat #39;s heirs apparent earlier in the week was revealing in many ways.

Plus ca change?


IRAN formally suspended its controversial uranium-enrichment programme yesterday, but doubts remain about its true intentions. The United States is convinced that Tehran is engaged in a clandestine nuclear weapons project.

Iran bows to UN threat over nuclear programme


Syracuse point guard Billy Edelin has been declared ineligible for the first semester of the academic year because he does not meet NCAA academic eligibility requirements, school officials said Tuesday.

Edelin Ruled Ineligible


AFP - Taiwan's telecommunications industry will need at least another two years before third-generation (3G) mobile phone services generate meaningful revenues, an industry chief executive was quoted in the Financial Times as saying.

Taiwan telcos need at least two years for 3G services to take off (AFP)


SINGAPORE (Reuters) - U.S. oil prices hovered just below  \$50 a barrel on Tuesday, holding recent gains on a rash of  crude supply outages and fears over thin heating oil tanks.

Oil Prices Hover Just Below \$50 a Barrel


Seiko Epson Corp. is developing a flying robot that looks like a miniature helicopter and is about the size of a giant bug. The company hopes it #39;ll prove handy for security, disaster rescue and space exploration.

Seiko Epson Develops Micro Flying Robot


Cape Town - If the giant asteroid Toutatis, which closely missed earth on Wednesday, hit a place such as the Mother City, the entire city and all its suburbs would have disappeared in an instant.

Asteroid Toutatis


Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly concluded that Kohl's Department Stores violated a state law that prohibits false advertising of sale prices, but he decided not to prosecute the company because the retailer convinced him the case was not worth pursuing.

Reilly won't pursue Kohl's over pricing practices


LONDON - The price of crude oil futures surged to new highs today despite assurances from Middle East oil producers that they were committed to bringing the price down as a strike began in Africa #39;s largest exporter.

Oil prices top \$53


A Samsung executive yesterday let it be known that Samsung would ship a mobile phone using the EV-DO high-speed data standard in early 2005.

Samsung i730, EV-DO, early 2005


Bob Evans, an IBM computer scientist who helped to develop the modern mainframe computer, died Thursday. He was 77. Evans died of heart failure at his at his home in the San Francisco suburb of Hillsborough, his son Evan told the Associated Press.

Bob Evans, mainframe pioneer, dies at 77


Don #39;t cry for Tyrone Willingham. Even after Willingham, a former Michigan State Spartan, was fired from his head-coaching gig at Notre Dame on Tuesday.

Willingham should hold his head high, wait for another job


Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard says he is ready to make his comeback at Middlesbrough after a two-month injury absence. Gerrard, who broke a bone in his foot during Liverpool #39;s 2-1 Premier

Gerrard ready for Liverpool comeback


SEPTEMBER 27, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Intel Corp. no longer plans to turn its latest batch of chip sets into wireless access points, citing a lack of interest from PC vendors and the proliferation of stand-alone access points.

Intel drops plans to make Grantsdale chip a Wi-Fi access point


AOL Enhances Its Google Powered  Search Engine\\Search Engines seems to be going the browser engines way. There are few popular engines and companies are using them with value added services to make their own. And as expected Google seems to be the #1 choice for most companies out there. ...


DESTINY #39;s child Michael Clarke hammered New Zealand but batting bunny Glenn McGrath received a guard of honour for breaking Kiwi hearts in Brisbane yesterday.

McGrath steals thunder


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

Vornado Buys 4.3 Pct. Stake, Shares Soar


washingtonpost.com - IBM's decision to sell its personal computer business to China-based Lenovo gives the world's third-largest nation the distinction of housing what will soon be the world's third-largest PC maker. On a deeper level, the deal also marks a changing of the guard in the PC business and rearranges the game board for rivals Dell and Hewlett-Packard.

IBM Gives Shanghai a Real Surprise (washingtonpost.com)


Rarely does a video game excel in every way - story, graphics, sound, accessibility and replayability.  quot;Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas quot; is such a rarity.

#39;GTA: San Andreas #39; excels in every area


The Spanish bank bidding to buy Abbey National insisted today that a rival offer from UK group HBOS would not necessarily derail its interest.

Spanish Bank  #39;Won #39;t Be Put off by Rival Abbey Bid #39;


Ellison #39;s revenge. Redux. After waging acquisition war on takeover target PeopleSoft for 16 months, software giant Oracle (nasdaq: ORCL - news - people ) may add insult to what some perceive as injury, again.

Catz: Oracle Exec Says May Drop PeopleSoft Bid By One-Third


BUENOS AIRES - Two homemade bombs have exploded at two banks in Buenos Aires, killing a security guard. The explosions occurred near ATM machines in branches belonging to Citibank and Banco Galicia, shattering windows and the building facades.

Bombs explode at Bueno Aires banks


(Hartford-AP Sept. 24, 2004 1:00 PM)_ A New Haven architect has been chosen to design the new Science Center to be built at Adriaen #39;s Landing in Hartford.

New Haven firm gets nod for center


Forget about the curse and the Sports Illustrated jinx. The Red Sox last night fell victim to a brief revival of their first-half defensive woes and

Sloppy Sox are sunk in Seattle


- Belgium #39;s Kim Clijsters, left, kisses Australian Lleyton Hewitt, center, after their  quot;love match quot; tennis game at the Expodroom in Bree, Belgium, in this Saturday April 17, 2004 file photo.

Tennis Stars Clijsters, Hewitt Split


Champaign, IL (Sports Network) - Taylor Stubblefield #39;s third touchdown catch of the day early in the fourth quarter sealed 15th-ranked Purdue #39;s 38-30 win over Illinois in the Big Ten opener for both schools at Memorial Stadium.

NCAA Top 25 Game Summary - Purdue at Illinois


The bears are growling again inside Travelzoo.com Inc. (TZOO.O: Quote, Profile, Research). Shares of the Internet travel site soared on Wednesday after plunging more than 20 percent a day earlier.

Travelzoo Shares Rally After Offering Rumor Fades


PARIS -- Three years after the Sept. 11 attacks forced the West to take a collective crash course on Islamic terrorism, the myths endure: The militants are impoverished and uneducated. Lifelong religious fervor drives them to embrace jihad. Al Qaeda aggressively recruits and brainwashes the men.

Friendships drive Islamic terrorists, CIA veteran says


MALLORCA, Spain (Ticker) - Sergio Garcia lived up to his billing as pre-tournament favorite perfectly when he cruised to victory in the Mallorca Classic at Pula Golf Club Sunday.

Garcia pulls away, wins Mallorca Classic


The faint tremors, which were detected beneath the town of Cholame, are similar to those discovered in the past two years in Japan and the Pacific Northwest.

Tremors Under San Andreas Studied


Something strange happened on the sun last week: all the sunspots vanished. This is a sign, say forecasters, that solar minimum is coming sooner than expected.

Solar Minimum is Coming


By byron kho. A consortium of movie and record companies joined forces on Friday to request that the US Supreme Court take another look at peer-to-peer file-sharing programs.

Petition asks high court to hear case on file sharing


Oil prices fell sharply Wednesday after a government report that US inventories of crude rose 3.4 million barrels last week, surprising many traders and analysts who had expected to see supplies shrink because of lingering production problems in the wake

Oil prices retreat as US supplies rise


Reuters - The next wave of iPod competitors is\coming.

IPod Rivals Square Off Against Apple (Reuters)


A judge set a trial date Wednesday for a lawsuit against the University of Colorado that touched off a scandal in the football program over allegations that sex, drugs and alcohol were used to lure recruits.

Trial date set for lawsuit that touched off Univ. of Colo. <b>...</b>


GUANGZHOU, China Few business executives watch the growth of the Chinese economy as closely as Michael Smith, the chief executive of Hongkong and Shanghai Banking.

Chinas economy: Fear and attraction


PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) -- Students returning to Washington State University this week found free Microsoft software waiting for them...

University Offers Free Microsoft Software to Students


Rockets guard Bob Sura was activated from the injured list prior to the game and had six points and six assists in 21 minutes. Sura missed the team #39;s first 14 contests after undergoing back surgery in September

NBA Game Summary - Denver at Houston


American Bode Miller faces a challenge to his domination of the men #39;s World Cup when the speed events return with three days of racing in the Dolomites.

Bode Miller Faces a Tough Challenge


Westfield Group has upped the ante in its expansion plans into the United Kingdom retail market with a \$1.48 billion cash bid to buy out Duelguide plc, the company which owns retail property group Chelsfield plc.

Westfield lands \$1.48b. knock out blow to Multiplex


AP - FIRST ON TAP: President Bush was meeting Monday with nine new senators and 41 new representatives joining the 109th Congress in a session that a spokesman said was aimed at

Summary: Bush Has Full Agenda for January (AP)


SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Fremont Investment Advisors agreed Thursday to pay \$4.1 million to settle federal and state regulatory allegations that it permitted market timing and late trading in its funds.

Fremont settles


Justices expressed little inclination to view drug policy as an issue by which states can displace regulation of homegrown marijuana.

States' Rights Defense Falters in Medical Marijuana Case


A US lawsuit brought by a company backed by rock group U2 is threatening to reopen old legal wounds for Microsoft. Californian technology company Burst.

Beautiful day? Not if you #39;re Microsoft


com October 20, 2004, 5:36 PM PT. Cyber threats, chiefly viruses like NetSky and Sasser, make security an ongoing concern as it holds steady over software infrastructure as the third top priority.

Online intrusion risks large identity cache


EILAT, Israel Oct. 7, 2004 - An explosion tore through a resort hotel in Egypt #39;s Sinai Peninsula, where Israelis were vacationing at the end of a Jewish holiday Thursday night, killing at least 30 people and wounding more than 160, officials said.

Blasts Kill 30 on Egypt-Israeli Border


The founder and chief executive of the largest private equity fund in Russia has said that the fate of Yukos stands entirely at the whim of President Vladimir Putin, but that

Putin holds key to fate of Yukos


Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia insisted that he was ready to face Chelsea in Sunday #39;s table-topping London derby despite a nervous performance on his Champions League debut, in Tuesday #39;s 5-1 win over Rosenborg.

Almunia feels he can hold on to his place


Dhaka, December 8: The 15-member Indian cricket team arrived in the Bangladeshi capital amidst unprecedented security following a death threat but captain Sourav Ganguly said the pre-tour developments would have no bearing on the performance of his players

India arrives amidst unprecedented security


Seoul, Korea (Sports Network) - Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova was an easy quarterfinal winner Friday at the \$140,000 Korea Open Tennis Championships.

Sharapova steamrolls into Seoul semis


With the announcement of its new search engine, Microsoft is all geared to spoil the search engine party of Google and Yahoo. The software giant today released a beta version of its new MSN search service, claiming

Microsoft To Spoil Google  amp; Yahoo #39;s Search Party


WASHINGTON -- The government needs to do a better job monitoring and inspecting hazardous materials shipped aboard airlines, according to a report released Friday by the Transportation Department #39;s inspector general.

Report urges hazmat inspection improvement


Microsoft will not be developing a fifth service pack for Windows 2000, but will issue a single security update called Update Rollup, which is due in mid-2005.

Windows 2000 to get its last major update


The commercial stocks of crude oil in the United States surged by 4.0 million barrels to 283.4 million barrels in the week ending on October 22, near the lower end of average

US commercial oil inventories up last week


Traffic on Web logs -- blogs for short -- and other political sites skyrocketed on Election Day, creating online audiences rivaling those of traditional media organizations. <FONT face=

Bloggers Gain Attention In 2004 Election


A four-day general strike in Nigeria is expected to end shortly, with neither the unions nor government giving ground.

Nigerian strike draws to a close


BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union has agreed to  implement last year's U.N. decision to lift economic sanctions  on Libya as well as ending its arms embargo on the North  African country, diplomats said on Wednesday.

EU Agrees to Lift All Sanctions on Libya


The court said Apple #39;s refusal to license FairPlay was not anti-competitive. It also pointed out the availability of other devices that are compatible with Virgin #39;s download site.

French Court Rules Apple Need Not Share FairPlay Technology


NEW YORK - The effect of new US overtime rules that go into effect today are the subject of intense dispute between labor groups and the Bush administration.

The Economy Is Killing Overtime


A global virtual library is one step nearer today after Google, the internet search group, announced it is working on a project to digitally scan the collections at seven libraries and make them available online.

World #39;s top libraries just a click away


com November 17, 2004, 5:03 PM PT. Organizations are replacing aging servers with newer more-powerful boxes, often Linux--based, and theyre also investing in storage.

Sun changing course on Itanium plans--again


INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - Michael Phelps pulled out of the  400 meter individual medley at the short course world swimming  championships with a sore back Friday.

Phelps Ruled Out of 400 Medley with Sore Back


JERUSALEM Sept. 9, 2004 - A group of prominent Israeli hardliners urged soldiers Thursday to disobey orders to dismantle Jewish settlements, widening the bitter divisions over Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s

Hardliners Appeal to Israeli Soldiers


AP - Thomas Handwerker leans close to a young orchid, just over from China, to inspect its deep green leaves. He knows exactly where a long, flowery spindle will sprout. He's a career horticulturist, but he doesn't know a thing about growing phalaenopsis orchids. Handwerker is counting on farmers along the eastern shore region of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia to do the work of cultivating this brood of 30,000 orchids.

Lab Helps Bring China Orchids to Maryland (AP)


Animal-rights activists demand a boycott of a Toronto screening of a flim about killing a cat.

Film on cat killers draws protest


It's getting harder to shrink chips, but Samsung has prototypes that show that the relentless pace of the industry continues.

Samsung demos future memory chips


AP - Strong winds and heavy rains lashed eastern Taiwan as Typhoon Nock-ten began battering the island Sunday night. One fisherman was missing, police said.

Typhoon Lashes Taiwan With Wind, Rain (AP)


AP - Annika Sorenstam has nothing left to prove this year. She has won seven times, claimed another major and went over the  #36;2 million mark for the fourth consecutive season. But that doesn't mean she came to the ADT Championship to relax.

Sorenstam Leads ADT Championship by One (AP)


The Internet search giant Google Inc. on late Wednesday unveiled Google Scholar, its next service aimed at listing scholarly literature such as theses, books and technical reports that appears to be most relevant to a search request.

Google for the scholarly community


Lithuania has pledged to take action to shut a Chechen separatist website operating from the Baltic state and used by warlord Shamil Basayev to claim responsibility for this month #39;s school siege in southern Russia.

Lithuania to close Chechen site


LONDON - Oil prices hit \$47 a barrel yesterday, the highest level in a month, as China showed no let-up in its strong import growth and US Gulf producers reported damage to offshore rigs from Hurricane Ivan.

Oil hits \$47 as supply worries


SYDNEY : Australia said it was considering signing a new security agreement with Indonesia to replace a treaty between the countries that was scrapped when Canberra sent troops into East Timor in 1999.

Australia considering new security pact with Indonesia


Modern pentathlon was devised by the founder of the modern Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, as the ultimate test of the  quot;ideal, complete athlete quot;.

Harland #39;s brave display


If Marwan Barghouti really wants to be chairman of the Palestinian Authority, he should withhold his candidature at this time and allow Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) to take responsibility for the transition into the post-Arafat era.

Malki: Abu Mazen should oversee transition


Santiago: US President George W Bush sharply warned Iran about reports that the Islamic republic has accelerated production of uranium material that could be used to make nuclear weapons.

Bush warns Iran on nuclear activities


Reuters - The Massachusetts Institute of\Technology on Thursday named Susan Hockfield as its first\female president, a breakthrough for the world-renowned school\that has churned out more than 50 Nobel prizewinners but which\ranks below the national average for its percentage of female\students.

MIT Selects Its First Female President (Reuters)


Israeli former nuclear technician Mordechai Vanunu is arrested, seven months after release from jail.

Vanunu arrested by Israeli police


AFP - Thwarted so far in his attempts to clamp down on mobile telephone use among deputies, the speaker of the Italian parliament has hit upon a sophisticated way of getting tough, a weekly newspaper reported.

Italian deputies drowned out in mobile phone clampdown: report (AFP)


WR Grace  amp; Co., a chemical company currently in bankruptcy proceedings, on Monday said it has settled litigation with Honeywell International Inc.

WR Grace, Honeywell Settle Lawsuit


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Friday signed into  law a measure authorizing an \$800 billion increase in the  credit limit of the United States, the White House said.

Bush Signs Into Law Debt Ceiling Increase


Reuters - Tens of thousands of Pakistanis\endured hours of stifling heat this week to accept an offer of\free mobile phone connections, a sign of the pent-up demand in\a country where cell phone usage has remained low.

Pakistan Mobile Phone Firms Vie for Pent-Up Demand (Reuters)


Richard Branson #39;s mobile phone group, which was listed in July, said first-half margins would be well ahead of last year and it expected capital expenditure, as a percentage of revenue, to be below 4pc in the first half and at a similar level for the full

Virgin Mobile sees earnings improvement


Unionized workers at four large San Francisco hotels went on strike Wednesday morning over issues similar to those causing an impasse between hotels and their workers at several large hotels in Washington.

San Francisco Hotel Workers Strike


African Union-sponsored peace talks between Sudan #39;s government and rebel leaders from its war-torn Darfur region began on Monday amid disagreement over the deployment of peacekeepers.

Sudanese peace talks open


May the Force be with Mike Degirolamo when he goes up against the city council of Gloucester Township, N.J. Missing Links

Jawa in Jersey


Customers of investor-owned electric utilities must cover all the expenses of these legal monopolies in the rates they pay. But what happens when a utility owner

When a Utility Saves Money, Who Benefits?


Reuters - A total of 70,000 people are estimated\to have died as a result of the conflict in Sudan's western\Darfur region, with hundreds still dying every day, a top U.N.\official said on Friday.

Death Toll in Sudan's Darfur Reaches 70,000 - UN (Reuters)


Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Carolyn Parrish, the maverick MP who gained notoriety for her outspoken anti-Americanism, has been turfed from the Liberal party caucus.

Maverick MP Carolyn Parrish turfed from Liberal caucus (Canadian Press)


BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Delegates to a United Nations climate conference discussed new ways to combat greenhouse emissions after the current agreement expires as nearly 200 countries continued meetings Thursday on the effort to limit a gradual rise of

Climate control delegates talk global warming


Cuba puts up photos of abused Iraqi prisoners in front of the US mission in a row over a US Christmas display.

Cuba responds to US Xmas lights


Reuters - A Sri Lankan truck driver held hostage by militants in Iraq for six weeks was reunited with his wife and three sons on Sunday, saying he had been beaten up at first but was then treated

Sri Lankan driver held in Iraq says was treated well (Reuters)


Seismologists believe there's an increased likelihood of a hazardous event at Mount St. Helens due to a strengthening series of earthquakes at the volcano. Mount St. Helens is about 55 miles northeast of Portland, Ore.

Volcanic Unrest in Mount St. Helens


The Buckeyes were able to get things back on the right track against Indiana. Ex-OSU captain Jerry Rudzinski takes a look at what the Buckeyes were able to get right against the Hoosiers.

Captain #39;s Corner: Buckeyes Show Improvement vs. IU


The latest Government computer crash at the Department of Work and Pensions shows the folly of the Government plans to axe all existing emergency fire control rooms.

Double Government Computer Failure Shows Plans to Axe all <b>...</b>


com November 4, 2004, 1:03 PM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been enterprise directories for several months, but for many IT managers, ERP (enterprise resource planning

IBM ups investment in modular-software push


The Reds added two pitchers to their bullpen today, signing veteran right-handers David Weathers and Ben Weber. Weathers, 35, signed a one-year deal with an option for 2006.

Reds add two to bolster bullpen


Glenn McGrath's maiden Test fifty takes Australia to 564-9 against New Zealand, ahead by 211 runs.

Cricket: Pressure mounts on NZ


TORONTO -- An Ontario court approved Air Canada #39;s restructuring plan yesterday, while one of Canada #39;s major banks sold off its debt in the airline.

Air Canada plan gets nod


Rafael Benitez says Liverpool #39;s remarkable 3-1 defeat of Olympiakos in the Champions League has proved to captain Steven Gerrard he does not need to leave to win trophies.

Gerrard can win with us, says Benitez


LANDOVER, Md. -- The past took center stage Monday night at Fed-Ex Field, and the feel of history was almost palpable. But when push came to shove, it wasn #39;t really the kind of history that the Washington

Same old song


US military officials say a series of air raids on Fallujah provoked a deadly counterstrike from Iraqi militants. The military says one soldier is dead and seven wounded in a rocket attack

Fallujah fighting intensifies


DETROIT - Chrysler is recalling 240,000 minivans because the radios may short circuit and cause a fire, the automaker said Monday.

Chrysler recalling 240,100 minivans


BOSTON - Curt Schilling allowed one hit in seven innings and Boston battered Kevin Brown in his return from a broken hand, beating the New York Yankees 11-4 Sunday in another flareup-filled game between the rivals.    Boston's Pedro Astacio and New York's Brad Halsey were ejected in the eighth inning for throwing inside to batters...

Red Sox Top Yanks in Flareup-Filled Game


Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has told Asian government leaders at a forum in Singapore that they could face patent lawsuits for using the Linux operating system instead of Windows software.

Microsoft warns of Linux dangers


Nortel Networks is eliminating 3,500 jobs and has fired seven more top executives as it struggles to deal with an accounting scandal that has prompted a criminal investigation.

Nortel cutting 3,500 jobs, fires 7 executives


With all the firepower the Red Sox have been displaying lately, its good to know the pitching staff isnt taking anything for granted.

Bullpen keeps up good work


Pakistan #39;s National Assembly elected Shaukat Aziz as the nation #39;s new prime minister Friday. Aziz won 191 votes to none for rival candidate Javed Hashmi.

Pakistan elects new prime minister


Microsoft settled with Novell for \$536 million. Novell also intends to file a new suit againt Microsoft regrading word-processing software.

Microsoft to Pay \$536 Million to Novell to Settle Antitrust Dispute


Reuters - Oil prices clung near the  #36;49 mark on\Tuesday, pausing from a 12 percent slide from record highs\ahead of key mid-week data on the health of winter fuel\stockpiles in the leading consumer, the United States.

Oil Hugs  #36;49, Concerns Over Heating Fuel (Reuters)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Greg Maddux tossed seven innings of  shutout ball and helped his own cause with a pair of singles as  the Chicago Cubs downed the Expos 5-2 in National League action  in Montreal Monday.

NL Wrap: Maddux, Sosa Lead Cubs to Victory Over Expos


he Florida Gators were upset 38-31 by Mississippi State, who entered the game with a 1-5 record, including a loss to Div-IAA Maine.

Gators upset again


From today home users will be able to get hold of Microsoft #39;s long-awaited update for Windows XP. The version of the SP2 security update for the Home Edition of XP has become available via its auto-update service.

Home users get key Windows update


Ziff Davis - Lexmark International is shipping new color laser printers with faster speeds, enhanced media-handling capabilities and cost-saving features.

Lexmark Spruces Up Color Lasers (Ziff Davis)


FARMINGTON, Pennsylvania (Reuters) - World number one Vijay  Singh fired an eight-under-par 64 to take a three-shot lead  when the first round was suspended for the day at the \$4.2  million Pennsylvania Classic Thursday.

Singh on Top of Pile Again in Pennsylvania


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened higher on Tuesday  after two separate reports showed inflationary pressure was  held in check in July and U.S. housing starts rebounded sharply  in the same month.

Stocks Open Higher on Housing, CPI Data


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

Symantec to Buy Veritas for \$13.5 Billion


WASHINGTON -- President Bush offered a powerful incentive to Palestinians yesterday to rally behind a moderate leadership, signaling the promise of US reengagement and a new opening for peace following Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's death.

Bush cites opening for peace, leadership


AFP - Millions of desperately poor workers, particularly women, will lose their jobs next year following the lifting of a global system of textile and clothing tariffs, a leading aid agency warned.

Aid group warns of jobs catastrophe with end of textiles quota system (AFP)


Buying a new mouse is kind of like buying a new toothbrush: you don #39;t realize you needed a new one until you actually make the switch and realize how bad the old one really was.

Modern mice use optical sensors, go wireless


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

Petsmart Earnings Rise, But Shares Slump


By ANNE D'INNOCENZIO    NEW YORK (AP) -- Sears, Roebuck and Co., which has successfully sold its tools and appliances on the Web, is counting on having the same magic with bedspreads and sweaters, thanks in part to expertise gained by its purchase of Lands' End Inc.    The company's venture into online sales of home furnishings and apparel, which officially launches Monday, may be considered late...

Sears Launches Online Sales Venture


AP - French Open champion Anastasia Myskina will quit Russia's Fed Cup team if Maria Sharapova joins the squad next year, saying she doesn't like the Wimbledon champion's father.

Myskina Issues Ultimatum Over Sharapova (AP)


WASHINGTON - Chinas embassy in Washington sowed confusion on Monday about an election-eve attack on President George W. Bushs policies that raised questions about whether Beijing was trying to gain favor with Democrat John Kerry.

China sows confusion over attack on Bush policies


Late last night in their game against Minnesota, the Penn State Nittany Lions needed to make a comeback. More appropriately, they needed their offense.

Gophers rumble past PSU


(CBS/AP) Blockbuster Inc., plans to eliminate late fees on games and movies as of Jan. 1. But there is plenty of fine print, which suggests that the nation #39;s biggest movie rental company is still struggling

Blockbuster Dumping Late Fees


Middle East island nation Bahrain is  to spend \$1.86bn upgrading its electricity network after Monday's blackout brought the country to a standstill.

Bahrain eyes power grid upgrade


A new list of the top machines is  about to be released and SGI, IBM and others are jostling for bragging rights.

This week in supercomputers


AP - Top-seeded Lindsay Davenport cruised past seventh-seeded Flavia Pennetta 6-2, 6-2 on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Western and Southern Women's Open.

Davenport Advances at Ohio Tournament (AP)


Reuters - The State Department finished an\intensive review this week on how best to spend  #36;18.4 billion\in U.S. aid to Iraq and may shift focus to smaller-scale\projects, U.S. officials said on Wednesday.

U.S. State Dept Finishes Review of Iraq Aid Plan (Reuters)


The Springboks have won the Tri-Nations title with a 23-19 win against the Wallabies in Durban. In a tense finish, the Wallabies scored twice in the final 10 minutes with the Springboks reduced to 13 men, but the home side held on for a deserved victory.

Boks snatch Tri-Nations


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors are expected to focus on oil  prices and corporate earnings outlooks next week, and the  slightest warning about company revenues could weigh on stocks.

Earning Reports Keep Investors on Edge


Automakers are pitching hands-free technology as a safe way to rein in the expanding clutter of gadgetry, but these devices are probably not as safe as you think.

Hi, I'm Your Car. Don't Let Me Distract You.


Reuters - A powerful typhoon loomed off\southwestern Japan Sunday, threatening large areas of the\country with fierce wind and rain.

Powerful Typhoon Poised to Strike Southern Japan (Reuters)


A World Bank expert said the year 2004 is going to be a good year for China as the country #39;s economy will grow rapidly with higher-than

9.3 economic growth for China in 2004 expected


AP - The French government plans to merge Airbus parent EADS with Thales, the country's largest defense company, to create a new European giant to rival Boeing Co., a leading financial daily reported Friday.

French Gov't May Merge EADS With Thales (AP)


THE growth of the world economy is poised to slow sharply next year as oil pressures continue and China attempts a soft landing, the World Bank said yesterday.

Global economy to slow sharply next year, says the World Bank


A government scientist had concluded last year that most antidepressants are too dangerous for children because of a suicide risk and a new study appears to confirm his findings.

Antidepressant Study Seen to Back Expert


Car bombers struck twice in rapid succession in the capital Sunday, killing at least 11 people including an American soldier, as US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld warned that violence may increase before the January election.

Car bombs strike in Baghdad, killing 11; Rumsfeld warns violence <b>...</b>


Bradford C. Bleidt, looking unwashed and haggard and wearing a neck brace, shuffled into a courtroom yesterday with his eyes downcast to face criminal charges of mail fraud in an alleged scheme that investigators said may have defrauded investors of \$45 million.

Once-high-profile planner ordered to undergo psychiatric exam


BAIJI, Iraq (Reuters) - The decapitated bodies of three  men, their heads strapped to their backs, were found dumped in  bags by a roadside north of Baghdad Wednesday, Iraqi police and  U.S. officials said.

Three Decapitated Corpses Found North of Baghdad


MELBOURNE: Josip Skoko scored twice to help Australia crush Solomon Islands 5-1 in their Oceania Confederations Cup first-leg qualifier in Honiara today.

Australia crush Solomon Islands


It should have been the perfect cap to another precious win for Corey Dillon. For the first time in his three games as a Patriot, Dillon

Stung by one that got away


After losing out on a bid to buy China #39;s Harbin Brewery Group Ltd. to rival Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc., Miller Brewing Co. #39;s owner SABMiller plc is planning to build an \$82.

SABMiller to build China brewery; Interbrew, AmBev complete merger


DUBLIN - Mourners lined up at a church in Ireland Wednesday as world leaders condemned the apparent killing of international aid worker Margaret Hassan.

World leaders condemn aid worker #39;s apparent killing


POLLS out today giving the coalition a lead over the Labor Party proved how close the contest would be, Prime Minister John Howard said today.

Polls show a tough fight: PM


Sony has announced a slimmed-down PlayStation 2 in an attempt to boost sales of the console.

Slimmer PlayStation launched


The European Union on Monday ended 11 years of sanctions against Libya and eased an arms embargo to reward the North African country for giving up plans to develop weapons of mass destruction.

EU Lifts Sanctions Against Libya


AP - The Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees opened the American League Championship Series Tuesday night, a rematch of New York's seven-game victory last year. Curt Schilling (21-6) started for Boston against Mike Mussina (12-9).

Red Sox, Yankees Begin ALCS Battle (AP)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks were set to open flat or  slightly lower on Monday as Microsoft Corp. <A HREF=

Stocks Set to Open Flat to Lower Today


A grim Mayor Anthony Williams said today that he was deeply pessimistic that Washington would be able to salvage its deal with Major League Baseball to bring the Montreal

Washington Mayor Says Council Puts Baseball in Capital at Risk


Fresh violence erupted yesterday with the bombing of a bar in Thailand #39;s mostly Muslim south, as villagers held a mass burial for some of the 78 protesters who suffocated in army custody this week.

Bombing kills 2 in Thailand; villagers bury 22 who died in custody


Morgan Stanley, the second-biggest US securities firm, on Wednesday reported lower-than-expected third-quarter profit on lower fees from trading stocks and bonds.

Update 1: Morgan Stanley and Bear Stearns crashed finance sector


Japan #39;s dominant wireless operator, NTT DoCoMo, has reached a basic agreement to offer its popular i-mode mobile internet technology to mmO2 OOM.

DoCoMo offering i-mode to mmO2


AFP - Senior executives at business software group PeopleSoft unanimously recommended that its shareholders reject a 8.8 billion dollar takeover bid from Oracle Corp, PeopleSoft said in a statement Wednesday.

PeopleSoft's board recommends shareholders reject Oracle takeover bid (AFP)


Here #39;s a quote from The Worm before the run:  quot;Just because Kiki #39;s my friend, he doesn #39;t have to give me this opportunity.

The Worm works out with Nuggets


Nortel Networks Corp., tarnished by an accounting scandal, has hired a new marketing boss to polish its faded global image. The Brampton-based telecom equipment maker appointed Clent Richardson, 43, as its

New boss rules Nortel marketing


Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova of Russia stretched her winning streak to 10 matches with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia in the second round of the Zurich Challenge on Wednesday.

Sharapova extends winning streak in Zurich Challenge


Oklahoma sports information director Kenny Mossman has a fresh, new story about quarterback Jason White that he #39;s dying to tell.

Special to ESPN.com


HARMONY has voted its 10,8 of Gold Fields shares against a planned reverse-listing of Gold Fields assets outside southern Africa into IAMGOLD of Canada, Harmony director Ferdi Dippenaar said yesterday.

Gold Fields to Shrug Off Harmony #39;s Voting Bid


King Tut


Microsoft has extended the reach of its business data platform, demonstrating new business intelligence capabilities for SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2005.

Microsoft extends SQL Server intelligence


The sudden boost trillions of cicadas dying en masse give to North American forest soils is apparent from a new study.

Death deluge makes forest mulch


GROZNY, Russia Under heavy security and with few voters visible in this hushed and abandoned capital, the republic of Chechnya on Sunday held a special presidential election, a step toward replacing a predecessor who was killed by a bomb.

Chechnya election has few voters


A turbulent situation at Notre Dame became even more stormy yesterday when outgoing president Rev. Edward Malloy, speaking at a panel discussion in New York, criticized the school's decision to fire football coach Tyrone Willingham last week.

ND's president speaks his mind


AP - Telecommunications giant Sprint Corp. is acquiring Nextel Communications Inc. in a  #36;35 billion deal that would create the nation's third largest wireless telephone service provider.

Sprint, Nextel Join in  #36;35 Billion Deal (AP)


AFP - A main rebel group in Darfur has called for the war-torn region of west Sudan to be placed under international protection, in a letter to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a copy of which was faxed to AFP.

Rebel group wants Darfur region under international protection (AFP)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oracle Corp. on Monday said it asked  Peoplesoft Inc.'s board of directors to immediately rescind a

Oracle to PeopleSoft: Rescind Poison Pill


Father #39;s rights campaigner Jason Hatch, dressed as Batman, waves to crowds as he protests on a ledge to the right hand side of the main balcony of the Buckingham Palace in London, Sept.

quot;Batman quot; intrudes Buckingham Palace


Sometimes it #39;s hard to be a woman: break through the glass ceiling, and you find yourself on the edge of a glass cliff. Alex Haslam, a social psychologist at Exeter University, told the British Association

Why women bosses live life on edge


Reuters - Rescuers across Japan were searching\Thursday for 40 people missing after a powerful typhoon raked\the country with heavy rains and high winds, killing at least\30 in floods and landslides.

Typhoon Kills 30 in Japan, at Least 40 Missing (Reuters)


LONDON, Nov 29 (SW) - The English Football Association has confirmed Bolton Wanderers striker El Hadji Diouf had been charged with improper conduct.

FA charge Diouf over spitting incident


BEDMINSTER, NJ--(BUSINESS WIRE)8 Octobre 2004--Siemens Communications va intgrer la technologie FLASHOFDM (R) (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing)  son portefeuille de solutions mobiles haut dbit.

Presse conomique / Telecoms


British police launched their own terrorism case Thursday against radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, already jailed in London under a US arrest warrant.

UK Launches Own Case Against Cleric Sought by US


The English Football Association says it plans to complain to soccer #39;s world and European governing bodies about racist chanting by Spanish soccer supporters at Tuesday #39;s under-21 game near Madrid.

England files complaint on racist chants


Hasselt, Belgium (Sports Network) - Seeded Italians Francesca Schiavone and Silvia Farina Elia led Tuesday #39;s parade of first-round winners at the inaugural Gaz de France Stars tennis event.

Italians Schiavone, Farina Elia post first-round wins in Belgium


TOKYO - Japan lodged a formal protest with Beijing Friday after concluding a Chinese nuclear submarine spent time in Japanese waters without identifying itself, says a report.

Japan accuses Chinese sub of entering its waters


The European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company is using patriotic imagery in its new marketing campaign to gain a toehold inside the Pentagon.

As American as Cowboy Boots?


Beijing (AsiaNews) - Sources in the Chinese capital revealed to AsiaNews that Jiang Zemin is going to step down tomorrow as chairman of the Central Military Commission, making way for President Hu Jintao to become the mainland #39;s undisputed leader.

Is Jiang Zemin stepping down?


The online advertising market is hot, but pioneer DoubleClick Inc. isn #39;t. The provider of Internet advertising services has decided to explore strategic alternatives, including a possible sale.

Update 2: DoubleClick Studies Sale, Other Options


Britain #39;s Barclays signaled a return to retail banking in South Africa after 18 years #39; absence, saying it was in talks to buy a majority of the country #39;s biggest retail lender Absa.

Barclays seeks majority stake in S.Africa #39;s Absa


SMITHFIELD, Va. Smithfield Foods Incorporated today forecast significantly higher earnings in the second quarter because of a 30 percent increase in live hog prices and improved pork processing margins in October.

Smithfield Foods expects earnings of 50 to 52 cents per share


Newly-promoted side Crystal Palace scored their first Premier League win of the season with a 2-0 victory over London rivals Fulham here on Monday.

Crystal Palace win season #39;s first league match


The presence of a particular type of hematite, a mineral mostly associated with water, along with large, sandy areas, indicates that the red planet once had water, said Robert Denise, a scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and a member of the flight

On red planet of life, blue screens of death


Things seem to be going New Hampshire's way. The Wildcats had a bye week and still moved up two places to No. 7 in the Sports Network Division 1-AA football poll.

Idle UNH still moves up


Manny Ramirez, who enters the 2005 season with 390 career home runs, has a 92 percent chance of joining the 500-home run club and a 44 percent chance of hitting 600, according to career assessments published in the  quot;2005 Bill James Handbook, quot; written by the statistical analyst whose stature in the game has not suffered by the Red Sox winning ...

Browsing the James 'bible'


Three Iraqi citizens with alleged terrorist ties were arrested in Germany today under the suspicion that they were going to try to kill Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi during his visit to Germany.

Germany Stops Assassination Attempt on Allawi


Oracle raised its hostile bid for rival business software maker PeopleSoft by 14 percent yesterday, aiming to bring a resolution to the long-running takeover battle between the foes.

Oracle boosts hostile bid for PeopleSoft to \$8.8bn


The following is a list of companies whose shares may make gains or losses in the Canadian market. This preview includes news that broke after markets closed Tuesday.

Algonquin Power, Microcell, Telus: Canadian Equity Preview


Engineer John Charlton takes an Apple Newton everywhere on his travels. He convinces himself it's a useful device, but in his heart he knows the truth: He simply wants to photograph it in front of landmarks. By Leander Kahney.

The Picture of Devotion


Toys  quot;R quot; Us Inc. swung to a profit in the second quarter from a loss a year ago, buoyed by a reversal of \$200 million in income tax reserves.

Toys  quot;R quot; Us Swings to 2Q Profit


AP - The distributor of file-swapping giant Kazaa on Friday welcomed a U.S. court's ruling that two of its rivals are not legally liable for the songs, movies and other copyright works shared online by their users.

Kazaa Owner Cheers File-Swapping Decision (AP)


Daimler-Benz #39;s \$34 billion acquisition of Chrysler Corp. in 1999, having wiped out substantial shareholder value, finally may be starting to justify the rationale of its architects.

Mercedes in 3Q Is Ugly Duckling to Chrysler #39;s Swan


BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbia's pro-reform Democratic Party  candidate won the powerful post of Belgrade mayor in the runoff  vote on Sunday, beating an ultra-nationalist rival, according  to a preliminary result by independent monitors.

Democrat Elected as Powerful Belgrade Mayor


Internet pirates have released illegal copies of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on the web just days shy of its official release.  quot;The proper authorities are investigating the theft and are continuing to investigate

Grand Theft Auto leaked on the web


SANTA FE, N.M. - Bracing for their final debate, John Kerry accused President Bush of favoring

Bush, Kerry Court Voters in New Mexico


IBM Corp has announced that it will launch a new low-budget version of its BladeCenter chassis for blade servers in an effort to make the blade machines more appealing to budget conscious customers in the small- and mid-sized market.

IBM offers low-cost blade chassis, bundles for SMBs


NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. are expanding the use of anti-rollover technology on their popular sport/utility models, addressing a major safety risk for the vehicles.

GM, Ford offering safer SUVs


CNET News.com's Charles Cooper says the board is only telling half the story behind the surprise firing of PeopleSoft's CEO.

Conway or the highway


KHARTOUM, Sudan (Reuters) - Villagers returning to their  homes in Sudan's Darfur region are living in fear of the Arab  militiamen who initially drove them away, the United Nations  said in a report received by Reuters Monday.

Darfur Displaced Return to 'Live in Fear' of Militia


At last, some signs of life in the head-master #39;s office. After a string of weak or wrong decisions, the Football Association beaks decided to take

FA show stern hand


Nortel Networks Corp., North America #39;s largest maker of telephone equipment, said revenue in the third quarter will decline from the second quarter #39;s \$2.

Nortel Says 3rd-Qtr Revenue Will Fall From 2nd Qtr (Update2)


As expected, Auburn is the odd team out of the BCS national championship game, and Texas has bumped Cal out of the Rose Bowl. In addition to the Longhorns #39; last-minute jump, there was another shocker: Texas

BCS shockers: Texas in Fiesta, Pitt to Rose


Cisco today unveiled what it claimed is the world #39;s first Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) enabled IP phone, in addition to a raft of enhancements to its Catalyst switching range designed to boost security, availability and performance.

Cisco Unveils Advanced IP Phone, Catalyst Switch Improvements


Ziff Davis - DES did yeoman security service for thousands of applications, says Counterpane Internet Security CEO Bruce Schneier.

We Owe Much to DES (Ziff Davis)


The battle for supremacy in the realm of the next-generation DVD heated up Thursday as The Walt Disney Co. announced that it will distribute its features on the Blu-ray format.

Disney to go with Blu-ray next-gen DVD


It #39;s not that there aren #39;t Unix attacks that work. It #39;s that pretty much everything the security industry does misrepresents the actual balance between attacks on Microsoft #39;s products and attacks on Unix and open source.

The Security Industry: Where Objectivity Is a Lie


\The 500th aniversary of the unveiling of Michelangelo's David is celebrated in Florence.

David celebrates 500th birthday


AP - Some in boxing were worried Riddick Bowe would get hurt making a comeback after eight years outside the ring. On Saturday night, he was the one doing the hurting.

Bowe Knocks Out Rhode in Second Round (AP)


High-stakes elections are likely to reinforce President Chen Shui-bian's drive to bestow more trappings of independence on this self-governing island despite warnings from the Chinese government and the U.S.

Taiwanese Vote Today May Boost Separatism


PRIME Minister Ariel Sharon was presiding today over the first ever cabinet meeting in Israeli history with ministers from just one party after he sacked his last remaining coalition partner.

Israeli PM hosts cabinet session


Microsoft is shaking up its plans for the next version of Windows to get the software off the drawing board and into PCs by the end of 2006.

Longhorn #39;s range shrunk for greater speed


It has now been confirmed by the Browns that Butch Davis has resigned as head coach of the team. The Browns will be holding a press conference with Team President John Collins at 2PM today.

Confirmed: Davis Out as Head Coach


ANAHEIM - The Anaheim Angels agreed to a \$4.5 million, one-year contract with right-hander Paul Byrd on Tuesday, and traded pitcher Ramon Ortiz to the Cincinnati Reds for a minor league pitcher.

Angels agree to deal with Byrd, trade Ramon Ortiz to Reds


WASHINGTON : US consumers #39; confidence skidded for the third straight month in October as they fretted over the outlook for jobs, a Conference Board survey showed Tuesday.

US consumer confidence slides for third month in October


Companies that have until 2005 to document their IT and financial controls under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act are using documentation software to help them prepare ahead of time.

Software helping companies beat Sarb-Ox deadline


A question. Is putting an inveterate gambler in charge of the world #39;s biggest bookmaker not dissimilar to handing Wayne Rooney the keys to the brothel?

Also from this section


SYDNEY: Salman Butt enhanced his claims for a recall to the Pakistan Test side with an unbeaten century in his team #39;s first official tour match in Australia yesterday.

Butt boosts Test chance with ton


Michael Vaughan has toasted England #39;s latest strategic plan after two of the new components starred in the win over India in the NatWest Challenge.

VAUGHAN LOVES IT WHEN ENGLAND PLANS COME TOGETHER


Free agent shortstop Omar Vizquel has agreed to terms on a \$12.25 million, three-year contract with the San Francisco Giants, a person close to the negotiations told The Associated Press on Sunday on condition of anonymity.

Shortstop Omar Vizquel to Play for Giants


LOS ANGELES: Nasa delayed a planned flight of an unmanned hypersonic jet designed to reach a record speed of Mach 10, 11,263 kilometre per hour.

Nasa delays Mach 10 flight


Ichiro Suzuki stroked two more hits Friday night to pass Ty Cobb in his inexorable march to overtake George Sisler. Raul Ibanez reached base five more times

Major League Baseball News


NAJAF, Iraq - Followers loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said Friday they were preparing to hand control of the revered Imam Ali Shrine to top Shiite religious authorities in a bid to end a two-week-old uprising in the holy city of Najaf.    Al-Sadr aide Ahmed al-Shaibany said he was on his way to the office of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's top Shiite Muslim cleric, to offer to present officials there with keys to the shrine...

Al-Sadr Aide: We Will Surrender Shrine


The U.S. and top financial institutions indicated that they were closing in on an agreement to forgive the debts of many of the world's poorest countries.

Debt Relief Deal for Poor Nations Seems to Be Near


Wednesday, November 24, 2004 -- UTEP is going bowling and won #39;t even have to leave the state. The Miners will accept an invitation to play in the 1.1 million dollar EV1.

Miners Head To Houston


Ashado grabbed the lead in the stretch and got the Breeders #39; Cup off to a rousing start for trainer Todd Pletcher by winning the \$2 million Distaff at Lone Star Park on Saturday.

Ashado Wins Opening Breeders #39; Cup Race


The level of sophistication it took to slaughter 48 newly trained Iraqi soldiers signals a new level of coordination among insurgents in Iraq.

Brutal attack on Iraqis shows greater sophistication


AFP - World leaders expressed horror at the bloody end to the Russian hostage crisis, calling it a tragedy which resulted from a  quot;nauseating quot; and  quot;barbaric quot; terrorist attack.

World horrified at bloody end to Russian hostage crisis (AFP)


Reuters - World Bank President James\Wolfensohn will leave his post at the beginning of June, when\his term expires, and a search is now under way for someone to\replace him, a U.S. Treasury spokesman said on Monday.

World Bank Head to Leave in June (Reuters)


Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has lost a key vote which would have seen the dovish Labour Party join the government coalition and salvage his Gaza disengagement plan.

Sharon #39;s Gaza plan hinges on vote


Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (HGST) this week said it will ship a line of Serial ATA hard drives designed for notebook usage in Q4.

Hitachi readies notebook Serial ATA hard drives


Reuters - UAL Corp.  on Monday\announced new cuts in employees' salaries as the parent of\United Airlines looks to make  #36;112 million in annual savings\and emerge from bankruptcy protection.

UAL Sets Salary Cuts; Aims for Savings (Reuters)


NASA has commissioned a panel of experts to work out what went wrong with the Genesis space probe, which crashed to Earth on 8 September.

Genesis wreck promises data


LSU head football coach Nick Saban met with officials of the Miami Dolphins Tuesday evening about the team #39;s coaching position, university officials announced Wednesday.

Saban meets with Dolphins


French retailer Pinault Printemps Redoute is in talks to sell its stake in Rexel, valuing the electrical equipment supplier at 3.7bn (2.57bn).

PPR in talks to sell Rexel stake


London museum takes charge of 100 flesh-eating beetles used to strip animal carcasses down to bare bones.

Museum welcomes flesh-eating bugs


HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hewlett-Packard Co. <A HREF=

HP Rolls Out Ultra-Low Priced PC in China


The man who emerged from a pile of baseball fans clutching Barry Bonds #39; 700th home run ball last month is now richer by \$804,129.

Bonds #39; 700th home run ball fetches 800 grand but legal battle <b>...</b>


ATHENS -- So this is how this strange and sour saga ends, with the Queen of Sydney playing Blind Woman's Bluff in the middle of the sprint relay. A blown baton exchange with Lauryn Williams, a fifth place in the long jump, and Marion Jones's trip to Olympus was over. Just like that. A record five medals in 2000, none ...

No fun in these Games for Jones


Four major races will be held tomorrow as earnest preparation begins for the Breeders' Cup at Lone Star Oct. 30. Belmont Park will host the \$300,000 Matron for 2-year-old fillies, at 1 mile, the \$300,000 Futurity, for 2-year-old colts, also at a mile, and the \$300,000 Ruffian Handicap for fillies and mares at a mile and one-16th. Woodbine will hold ...

Preview day for Cup contenders


By lunchtime Thursday, Bill Parcells already had five voice mails from friends, all with pretty much the same message.  quot;They #39;re saying, Hang in there.

#39;Next Sunday #39; keeps Parcells motivated


AP - An Islamic militant wanted in connection with the murder of American Journalist Daniel Pear was killed in a shootout with police, according to Pakistani authorities on Wednesday, who also announced the arrest of a suspect in the deadly bombing near the U.S. Consulate in Karachi two years ago.

Militant Wanted in Pearl Abduction Killed (AP)


MANO, SADO ISLAND, Japan (Reuters) - A former U.S. army  sergeant who deserted to North Korea four decades ago left a  U.S. military base near Tokyo on Tuesday to head for a new life  with his family in his Japanese wife's hometown.

U.S. Deserter Leaves Army Base for New Life in Japan


Offshore software development outfit woos potential workers in India by courting their parents. Can

Indian tech grads bring parents to work


As traditional as fruitcake, and less palatable, are the perennial holiday season snowball fights over displays, music, school programs and other expressions of angst that disrupt what we long to remember as  quot;the most wonderful time of the year.

Jangled jingle bells


Windows users who install Service Pack 2 should first scan their systems and remove any spyware, according to a Microsoft Executive.

Check for spyware before installing SP2 warns Microsoft


Description: The Environmental Protection Agency is taking its work to the friendly skies. After random testing found contaminants, the agency decided to start regulating the water aboard airplanes.

EPA Plans to Make Airline Water Safer


Wal-Mart didn #39;t completely kill downtown Tooele - but it came pretty darn close. Today, 14 years after the giant retailer opened one of its first Utah stores here, Tooele #39;s old

Tooele grapples with Wal-Mart


AP - Andrei Kirilenko signed a 6-year,  #36;86 million contract extension with the Utah Jazz, a deal that took three months of negotiations.

Jazz Sign Kirilenko to Contract Extension (AP)


Knicks general manager Isiah Thomas has his coaching staff in place. Now all he has to do is fire Lenny Wilkens. Yesterday, the Knicks said 71-year-old assistant Dick

Knicks: Suhr replaces Helm as assistant


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices bounced back on Friday,  ending this week's 8 percent slide as supply fears were  rekindled ahead of the winter heating season and dealers  squared their books in advance of next Tuesday's U.S.  presidential election.

Oil Prices Rebound on Supply Worries


Crude oil futures moved upward past US\$47 Tuesday, reflecting concern about tight distillate supplies despite expectations that a winter supply crisis will be averted.

Update 9: Crude Oil Prices Move Beyond \$47 Mark


BAGHDAD, Iraq - Shia militants and US forces battled in the Sadr City slums yesterday, and a mortar barrage slammed into a busy neighborhood in the capital in new violence that killed at least five Iraqis and wounded dozens of others.

US troops battle in Shia slums


AP - Michael Finley scored a season-high 26 points and led a huge third-quarter charge as the Dallas Mavericks beat Houston 102-78, handing the Rockets their biggest loss of the season Saturday night.

Mavericks Trounce Rockets, 102-78 (AP)


AP - On a damp, gray weekday morning on the Patuxent River, Harry Huseman is working hard for a few oysters.

Md. Studies Introducing Nonnative Oysters (AP)


Several hundred people come out in Kathmandu to press for an end to the country's long-running civil war.

Hundreds rally for peace in Nepal


Stocks kicked off the fourth quarter with a solid rally on Friday as investors bet the market would shake off continued uncertainty about the election, the

Stocks Begin Quarter With Solid Gains


AP - Three U.S. Army soldiers were killed in separate incidents in northern Iraq on Wednesday, officials said.

Three U.S. Soldiers Die in Iraq (AP)


ATLANTA The Memphis Grizzlies beat Atlanta 97-to-89 tonight for their third win in four games under new coach Mike Fratello. Mike Miller and Stromile Swift added 13 points, and Lorenzen Wright and Earl Watson each had eleven for the Grizzlies.

Grizzlies 97, Hawks 89


Microsoft Corp has upped the ante in its claims to offer better intellectual property indemnification than Linux vendors by extending to all end users its IP protection policy, which was previously only available to volume licensing customers.

Microsoft offers indemnification for all


LAS VEGAS - Three U.S. Federal Communications Commissioners on Wednesday said laws governing telecommunications need to be revamped, but said the agency will do all it can under the current rules to encourage deployment of new technologies and services.

FCC chiefs to work through outdated rules


Middlesbrough #39;s Spanish midfielder Gaizka Mendieta has been ruled out for the rest of the season with knee ligament damage. Mendieta requires surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament

Mendieta out for season with knee injury


After years of being deluged with ever-increasing loads of spam, Internet users are starting to turn to instant-messaging applications instead of e-mail.

MIKE WENDLAND: Messaging update is mostly good news


AP - Ingersoll-Rand Co. on Thursday said third-quarter profit jumped 54 percent, as revenue increased and the company sold assets as part of its transformation into a diversified industrial company.

Ingersoll-Rand 3Q Profit Surges 54 Percent (AP)


resident Bush spoke for an hour with President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan yesterday morning in a conversation devoted largely to the hunt for Osama bin Laden and terror groups, administration

Bush and Pakistani Talk, Skirting Army Role


France and Germany appeared headed for another industrial row on Monday over a French plan to merge Airbus parent EADS with French defense group

World #39;s Biggest Aerospace Company in Offing?


Reuters - The use of some antidepressant\drugs appears linked to an increase in suicidal behavior in\some children and teen-agers, a U.S. advisory panel concluded\on Tuesday.

Experts Link Some Drugs to Teen Suicide (Reuters)


Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - An armed hostage-taking at the height of morning rush-hour in front of Toronto's busy Union Station on Monday morning ended with a police sharpshooter killing a male suspect, broadcast reports said.

Toronto hostage-taker holds woman at gunpoint, shot dead by police: reports (Canadian Press)


LUFKIN, TEXAS - A 1.8-metre-long piece of the space shuttle Columbia was recently found in Texas, according to NASA. The shuttle broke up over the state on Feb. 1, 2003, killing all seven astronauts on board.

Large piece of space shuttle Columbia found


TOKYO, Oct 28 (AFP) - Japan raced against the clock Thursday to free a young Japanese hostage in Iraq but had little reason for hope hours before the deadline set by al-Qaeda-linked kidnappers for his killing.

Japan races against clock to free hostage in Iraq


Nintendo is hoping to retain its dominance of the portable game market with the launch of wireless Nintendo DS, a hand-held double-screen console.

Wireless Nintendo


NEW YORK In a deal estimated to be worth \$100 million a year for five years, Howard Stern, one of the most popular personalities in American radio, said Wednesday he had signed a contract with Sirius Satellite Radio and would leave his longtime job at

Howard Stern moving to satellite


KUWAIT CITY -- Foreign Minister Franco Frattini of Italy appealed for a  quot;civilized dialogue quot; between religions as he stood inside Kuwait's Grand Mosque at the start of a Middle East visit he hopes will help win the release of two Italian women kidnapped in Iraq.

Italy envoy aims to free 2 hostages in Iraq


WASHINGTON (Sports Network) - Owners of Major League  Baseball's more than 30 teams did not vote as scheduled  Thursday on the proposed move of the Montreal Expos franchise  to Washington, DC.

Baseball Owners' Vote on Expos Move Delayed


AFP - Developing countries chastized the IMF and the World Bank for what they said had been a failure to give them greater decision-making power in the two institutions and urged that the next World Bank president be chosen regardless of nationality.

Developing countries seek greater voice in IMF, World Bank leadership (AFP)


Russian President Vladimir Putin says existing business tax probes should not be seen a threat to other companies.

Putin aims to ease business fears


Reuters - When the San Francisco Giants\play baseball, slugger Barry Bonds and the other players are\far from the only ones thinking about hitting home runs.

Singles Seek Home-Run Date at California Ball Park (Reuters)


If you are an equipment manufacturer, parts supplier or content provider, the question has unquestionably been posed to you before.

To HD-DVD or not to HD-DVD?


Stocks were set to start mixed on Friday, as traders absorb a small drop in durable goods orders and the higher price of oil. On Thursday, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 70.

Stocks Set to Open Mixed


AFP - The House of Representatives, worried by abuse of Internet-age technology, has moved to crack down on video voyeurism by adopting a bill that makes secret production and distribution of pictures of people caught in their  quot;private moments quot; punishable by fines and up to a year in jail.

US House cracks down on Internet-age peeping Toms (AFP)


MacCentral - U2 has been a familiar sight to iTunes Music Store visitors in recent weeks, with the online music store featuring everything from a U2-themed iPod to a digital boxed set of the Irish rock band's recordings. And if Apple has its way, other musical acts will enjoy a similar promotional push as part of an effort to bolster business at the online store, the director of iTunes product marketing told a gathering of music industry executives Wednesday.

Apple pitches music industry on U2-style promos (MacCentral)


DoubleClick (DCLK:Nasdaq - news - research) vaulted higher Monday after announcing it had hired a financial adviser to explore options that include a possible sale of the company.

DoubleClick Rises on Buyout Hopes


The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has cleared the way for power companies to roll out broadband over power line service by approving a set of rules designed to limit interference to other radio frequency devices.

FCC approves broadband over power line rules


Palestinian mainstream Fatahmovement #39;s armed wing announced Sunday its commitment to the movement #39;s decision in choosing Mahmoud Abbas, chairman of thePalestine Liberation Organization

Fatah #39;s armed wing calls on Palestinians to support Abbas


Never mind the Bruce Springsteen-led Vote for Change movement, the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, punkvoter.com or even the two

'Axis of Evil' Lullabies: A Nod to Peace


Following todays seven-hour talks on the elimination of textiles quotas, the World Trade Organization Council on Trade in Goods will reportedly reconvene later this month for formal talks on the impact of quota elimination on Jan.

WTO takes up textiles quota issue


Swiss voters go to the polls Sunday to vote in a referendum on making it easier for children and grandchildren of foreigners living in the country to gain citizenship.

Referendum on Swiss Citizenship Takes Place Sunday


Members of the coaching staff, with the exception of Bryan Price, can pursue other opportunities. Price is under contract for the 2005 season.

Melvin will not return


MOSCOW (Reuters) - Gunmen attacked a police station and  voting centers in Russia's war-torn Chechnya, killing at least  11 people, Interfax news agency said Saturday.

Police Killed in Pre-Poll Chechnya Attacks -- Agency


Shareholders in Spain's Banco Santander Central Hispano approve the takeover of UK bank Abbey.

Abbey deal wins Spanish approval


SEATTLE -- For people trying to get their aging parents on the Web so they can read e-mail and get digital photos of the family, Microsoft Corp.

Microsoft targets older people for Web via TV


Shareholders in Yukos are pondering liquidation or filing for bankruptcy, after deciding against a rescue plan for the embattled Russian oil firm.

Yukos considers self-destruction


NEW YORK, September 9 (New Ratings) - The FDA has raised questions regarding AstraZenecas (AZN.NYS) blood thinner, Exanta. The leading pharmaceutical companys hopes had been pinned on Exanta, which

FDA questions AstraZeneca #39;s Exanta


Public sector oil companies have in the first seven months of the current fiscal lost Rs 3,646 crore on selling petrol and diesel below the imported cost.

Petrol, diesel prices likely to be raised


Quarterback Kerry Collins, who helped lead the Giants to the Super Bowl four years ago, came off the bench to lead the Oakland Raiders to a victory Sunday.

Collins Firmly Strides Into a Starting Role Without Any Misstep


It used to be the most popular online file-sharing software, but Kazaa #39;s long-term run at the top of the heap is now over. An online tracking firm says the new #1 site is the e-Donkey Overnet network.

Top Cyber News 10/22


CHICAGO -- Every day you see a little more evidence on the side of the Red Sox, the team that traded a Boston legend for two people most noted for their glove work.

Trade paying dividends in Boston


A sweet challenge leads to a sour taste in the mouth of Trump's right-hand woman.

Trump Lands on Mars


ATHENS (Reuters) - Americans Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs  beat an injured Natalie Cook and partner Nicole Sanderson of  Australia to claim the bronze medal in the Olympic women's  beach volleyball competition Tuesday.

U.S. Takes the Bronze in Women's Beach Volleyball


LONDON (AFP) - A British court slapped a 1,000-pound (1,880-dollar) fine and a five-year football ground ban on a fan for hurling monkey chants at Birmingham City striker Dwight Yorke.

Fan slapped with fine, five-year ban for racially abusing Yorke


She was shaking her hips, twirling her hands, letting that high-wattage smile shine and turning the arena into her own little disco.

America pays big price for small mistakes


AP - The future of Miami Dolphins general manager Rick Spielman might be less secure than he's suggested.

Miami Could Still Shake Up Front Office (AP)


Dhaka: Daniel Vettori captured six wickets as New Zealand completed a hattrick of victories over Bangladesh after clinching the opening Test by an innings and 99 runs on Friday.

Vettori sets up innings victory


AP - Duncan Oughton scored in the 41st minute, and the Columbus Crew extended their unbeaten streak to 18 with a 1-1 tie against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night.

Columbus Crew, Colorado Rapids Tie 1-1 (AP)


Boston -- Leaks in the Big Dig highway tunnel system are more widespread than officials have acknowledged, and top construction managers warned as far back as six years ago about problems that could cause waterproofing failures, records show.

Problem of Big Dig leaks widespread, records show


AFP - An Indian transport union spearheading a truckers' strike called off its week-long agitation after reaching an agreement with the government to form a panel to study a controversial tax, an official said.

Indian truckers call off strike (AFP)


ST. LOUIS - A lackluster unemployment report, troubling terrorism developments and fresh questions about President Bush's rationale for invading Iraq frame the second face-to-face encounter Friday night between Bush and John Kerry...

Economy, Terror Frame Bush-Kerry Debate


Mobile phone firms face a series of hurdles if they want to get their customers using their funky new handsets.

Mobile multimedia slow to catch on


AP - The consumer electronics arm of the Virgin Group is introducing a new 5-gigabyte hard-disk portable music player, bringing a powerful brand name in music to the increasingly crowded product space.

Virgin to Unveil Portable Music Player (AP)


Nineteen-year-old Salomon Kalou scored with four minutes remaining to give Feyenoord Rotterdam a 2-1 victory over NEC Nijmegen on Sunday, keeping it in fourth place in the Dutch first division, 11 points behind Eredivisie leader PSV

Holland: Kalou #39;s late goal saves Feyenoord


In a move that appears aimed at energizing CNN #39;s prime-time lineup, the cable news outlet announced yesterday that Jonathan Klein, a former executive vice

CNN/US names new president


Samsung Electronics said today that it has made a memory manufacturing breakthrough that allows it to produce a graphics memory chip that is faster than any other on the market.

Samsung doubles graphics memory density


AP - Members of a U.S. military commission are being challenged by defense attorneys who say their ties to the war on terror could affect their ability to fairly judge four detainees charged with war crimes.

Guantanamo Panel Members Face Challenges (AP)


Maurice Wilkins, the third man in the discovery of the structure of DNA, died Tuesday in London. He was 88. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1962 along

DNA Pioneer Maurice Wilkins Dies at 88


Some of India's top musicians are due to perform at a celebration to mark the 350th anniversary of the Taj Mahal.

Taj Mahal birthday party begins


(CBS/AP) SpaceShipOne was set to return to space Wednesday, in nearly a carbon copy of its historic flight in June, when it became the first privately-funded manned vehicle to go into space.

Ready For \$10M Space Try


Marking its first foray into server virtualization, Microsoft will release its oft-delayed Virtual Server 2005 on Oct. 1. The software allows multiple operating systems to run side by side on a single machine.

Microsoft set to ship Virtual Server 2005


A broad list of copyright owners, artists, law professors and state attorneys general on Monday asked the US Supreme Court to hear a controversial case on the legality of file-swapping software.

File-swapping case finds friends in court


It might be worth taking a good look at this stock, which has fallen far in the last 52 weeks.

VERITAS: Discounted and Attractive


CHICAGO Boeing CEO Harry Stonecipher (STOHN #39;-sy-fer) stepped up his attack today on subsidies for Airbus on the eve of a US-European Union trade meeting.

Boeing CEO pushes for halt to Airbus subsidies


When the University of New Hampshire published its 2004 media guide, redshirt freshman Ricky Santos wasn't even one of its featured quarterbacks.

QB Santos gets Wildcats running wild


Microsoft Entering the Anti-Spyware Market\\Microsoft decided to enter the Anti-Virus market sometime back when they bought Romanian antivirus firm GeCad in 2003. And they have been testing the application privately since sometime. No details are out on when and how they will release it. And now, they are contemplating entering ...


Plus: Original Mac designer trashes new Mac

News.com Extra: How the press gets pushed into phony stories


Long before Richard Branson dreamed of becoming the latest billionaire with a reality TV show, before he started his cell phone company, his airline and his record label, he sold music from the Virgin Record Shop on Oxford St.

Virgin Records enters the music download market Monday


Uruguay have put their World Cup qualifying campaign back on course with a controversial 1-0 win over Ecuador while Chile and Colombia shared four red cards and no goals in a grim encounter.

Uruguay back on World Cup course


Internet users are being given the chance to hit back at the spammers that have become the scourge of the web, thanks to free software being distributed by Lycos Europe, the internet portal.

Spammers get taste of their own medicine


Nasser al-Kidwa (ahl KIHD #39;-wah), who is also the Palestinian representative to the UN, delivered the 558-page dossier, plus X-rays, to the interim Palestinian president.

Yasser Arafat #39;s nephew hands over Palestinian leader #39;s medical <b>...</b>


PORTSMOUTH held on for their first Premiership win of the season after an Aiyegbeni Yakubu hat-trick helped them outscore Fulham in a seven-goal thriller at Fratton Park.

Yakubu lifts Pompey


JERUSALEM - Israel announced plans Monday to build hundreds of new housing units in the West Bank, following an apparent U.S. policy shift on settlements that the Palestinians warned

Israel OKs More West Bank Settlement Homes


Technology India Washington, Sep 16 : Scientists have proposed the building of a telescope in the Antarctic, claiming that the calm air above the icy landscape makes it the best place on Earth for astronomy.

Antarctic declared perfect place for astronomy!:


FT.com - Shares in Virgin Mobile fell back below July's float price on Tuesday as analysts and investors interpreted a trading update from the company as a surprise revenue warning.

Virgin Mobile update hits shares (FT.com)


Eight US marines are reported to have been killed and at least nine are said to be injured during an attack west of Baghdad. The US military gave no details on the deaths, which it said occurred in the western

Eight US marines killed in Iraq


The season started with a four-game homestand and mixed results for the Illinois football team. Phase II begins today for the Illini, who head into a rugged October schedule with a Big Ten Conference game at No.

October will be no fall festival for Illini football team


A computer industry group asks President Bush and Sen. John Kerry a dozen questions so voters can compare the presidential contenders' tech plans. By Staci D. Kramer.

Candidates Sound Off on Tech


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - British troops moved north from Basra  Wednesday to take over a deadly area near Baghdad and free up  U.S. troops for a possible attack on Falluja.

British Troops Head North for Mission Near Baghdad


SiliconValley.com - Now you can project different images of yourself on the mobile phone, depending on who's calling.

Software can make your day (SiliconValley.com)


BAGHDAD, Iraq - Shiite fighters in tracksuits and sneakers unloaded cars full of machine guns, mortars and land mines Monday as a five-day, weapons-for-cash disarmament program kicked off in Baghdad's Sadr City district - a sign of progress in the center of Shiite resistance in Iraq.    A lasting peace in the sprawling slum would allow U.S...

Some Iraqi Insurgents Turning in Weapons


AFP - At least four Georgian soldiers were killed and five wounded in overnight clashes in Georgia's separatist, pro-Russian region of South Ossetia, Georgian officers near the frontline with Ossetian forces said early Thursday.

At least four Georgian soldiers killed in separatist region clashes (AFP)


AP - Marion Jones should be stripped of her five Olympic medals if allegations that she used banned drugs before the 2000 Sydney Games are true, World Anti-Doping Agency chief Dick Pound said Friday.

Pound: Jones Should Lose Olympic Medals (AP)


Andy Roddick hopes to use home advantage to the maximum as he begins the defence of his US Open crown next week. Roddick, who opens this year against American

Open-Roddick can #39;t wait for  #39;electric #39; atmosphere


The UK's switch to digital television could begin as soon as 2007, according the media watchdog Ofcom.

2007 target for digital TV switch


Intel is capping its processor speeds at 3.8GHz in a move some have interpreted as the final humiliating climbdown of a difficult year.

3.8GHz Intel cap ends an era


But the Reds boss could not argue with the quality of performance from his players, and afterwards claimed that it was the best Liverpool had played under his management.

Benitez on Deportivo draw


Make sure that you think things through before you decide to borrow against your plan.

Retirement Loans: Is the Interest Deductible?


Israel #39;s pro-settler National Religious Party (NRP) decided to resign from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s coalition government after Sharon refused to put his disengagement plan to a national referendum.

Israeli coalition partner to quit over Gaza withdrawal


As a high profile NFL football player, you should be aware that just about anything you do on the field or the sideline will be caught by a camera.

Week 9 NFL Observations


MSN Search has a few features that go beyond Google, but it #39;s generally disappointing. Granted, the new MSN search is still in the  quot;beta quot; phase, and Microsoft is expected to make the technology part of its main MSN site early next year.

The News and Observer


Mining giant Gold Fields will know after a crucial shareholder vote on Tuesday if it has succeeded in ending a cheeky hostile takeover bid by its rival Harmony to create the world #39;s largest gold producer.

Gold Fields fate now in the hands of shareholders


Colin Montgomerie saw several Ryder Cup runs come to an end Saturday morning. When he and partner Padraig Harrington fell behind Davis Love and

Montgomerie #39;s win streak ends


AP - A top Palestinian security leader and relative of Yasser Arafat escaped unharmed when a car bomb exploded near his convoy in Gaza City, the latest sign of growing chaos as Israel's planned Gaza pullout nears. Israel, meanwhile, expanded its military operation in northern Gaza.

Arafat Relative Attacked, Escapes Unhurt (AP)


Sunday #39;s Chinese grand prix promises to be the biggest payday of Bernie Ecclestone #39;s 25-year career as the controller of formula one.

Ecclestone makes no apology for chasing China #39;s golden fleece


Asian stocks in the shipping, steel and trading sectors bounced higher Friday after China said its economy expanded 9.1 percent in the year to the end of September.

China, techs give Asia a lift


Sir Alex Ferguson #39;s 1,000th match as manager of Manchester United could be especially memorable with the Red Devils needing just a point against Lyon on Tuesday to reach the second phase of the Champions League.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson to coach 1,000th match <b>...</b>


Coca-Cola #39;s worldwide sales volume barely budged in the third quarter, while profits tumbled 24 percent. With those results, new Chairman and Chief Executive E. Neville Isdell was left to reiterate what he #39;s

Coke quarterly profit falls 24


AP - Tsunami scientists and public safety officials are closely watching an earthquake-prone nation with thousands of miles of crowded coastlines for signs of an imminent disaster. Indonesia? Japan? Try the United States.

Scientists: Tsunami Could Hit West Coast (AP)


Red-hot favourite Felix Sanchez made history for the Dominican Republic when he streaked to victory in the men #39;s Olympic 400 metres hurdles final.

Olympics-Athletics-Invincible Sanchez storms to gold


The Motion Picture Association of America has begun filing lawsuits nationwide against people who swap illegally copied movies over the Internet via file-sharing applications such as KaZaA, eDonkey and Grokster.

Movie pirates under attack


ADELAIDE (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch won shareholder  approval on Tuesday to move the corporate headquarters of his  \$48 billion News Corp. Ltd. media empire to the United States  and sever its Australian roots.

Murdoch Wins Vote to Shift News Corp.


The economy grew at an annual rate of 3.7 percent in the summer as a big rebound in auto sales offset weakness from an expanding trade deficit, soaring

US economy grew at 3.7 percent in summer


Countries like Brazil are shunning Microsoft's proprietary software in favor of open source Linux.

Developer world: Poor nations on front line of computer wars


Scientists drilling ice cores in Greenland have recovered what appear to be plant remains from nearly 3km (two miles) below the surface.

Ice yields ancient 'plant matter'


Older investors are facing tough economic realities as a result of the disappointing United States stock market this year.

Older Investors More Jittery as U.S. Markets Disappoint


If you're going to spend a lot producing a slick annual report, go all in.

Crazy 'Bout a Sharp Dressed K


Reuters - Dow Chemical Co.'s \third-quarter profit surged 86 percent on increased plastics\sales, but demand remains vulnerable to soaring energy costs,\the No. 1 U.S. chemicals maker said on Thursday.

Dow Chemical Third-Quarter Profit Surges (Reuters)


Our position is: Anthem #39;s ability to move forward with merger is an important victory for Indiana #39;s economy. Thanks to California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi #39;s decision to finally relent and approve

Anthem deal looks healthy for state


New York, NY -- New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera is reportedly dealing with a personal issue that could affect his availability early in the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox, which begins Tuesday in the Bronx.

Yankees Could Be Without Rivera Early In ALCS


Ziff Davis - Q A: The development alliance will give both companies a broader reach in the marketplace, with the first offerings coming in early 2005, says Buell Duncan, IBM's general manager of ISV and developer relations.

IBM Exec Outlines PeopleSoft Deal (Ziff Davis)


Arsene Wenger is aware of the pressure facing Arsenal ahead of the Champions League game with Panathinaikos. The Gunners, who have never gone past the quarter-finals, are yet to spark in Group E this season

Wenger handling European pressure


Space station astronauts Gennady Padalka and American Mike Fincke are scheduled to make the final spacewalks of their mission today.

Astronauts Prepare For Final Space Walk


AFP - A top minister said that Australia's military involvement in Iraq may have helped make it a terrorist target, three days after a deadly bombing at its Jakarta embassy.

Iraq role may have made us a terror target: Australian minister (AFP)


REVELATIONS of the  quot;self-righteous and aggressive looting quot; of Hollinger International by its former chief executive Conrad Black and his associates are so jaw-droppingly obscene it is tempting to conclude that, given the extremity of the behaviour Black

Shock, awe and obscenity of snouts in a trough of greed


European finance ministers have urged the US to revive the dollar, which stands near record lows against the euro, or wreak further damage on eurozone growth prospects.

European chiefs urge US to support dollar


Linux and identity management will be Novell #39;s biggest strengths, according to its chief executive Jack Messman. Messman told delegates at this year #39;s Novell Brainshare Europe event in Barcelona that the company

Linux and identity services key for Novell


US President George W. Bush, if he wins re-election in the Nov. 2 poll, is likely to tilt greatly in favor of Beijing over the issue of Taiwan.

New Bush administration may tilt in Beijing #39;s favor


AP - Oakland Athletics shortstop Bobby Crosby was just a vote shy of being a unanimous pick for AL Rookie of the Year, and Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Jason Bay won the NL award Monday.

Crosby, Bay Win Rookie of the Year Awards (AP)


Despite denying any problems in the past, England striker Michael Owen has finally admitted he may have to begin worrying if his first team exile at Real Madrid continues.

Owen Real-ly concerned


Three people who allegedly sent America Online customers millions of junk e-mail messages touting penny stocks and other Internet gimmicks went on trial Tuesday in the nation's first such felony case.

Defendants Accused of Sending Spam


Last week Nigel Martyn made his 800th senior appearance in a 17-year career spanning four clubs. In the 1-0 win over Fulham, Everton #39;s goalkeeper had little to do.

Martyn having time of his life


Prime Minister Tony Blair tells the BBC he believes time is running out on tackling climate change.

Blair 'shocked' by climate change


They were lined up at dawn Friday. They fidgeted with nervous energy. They could barely wait to get into those stores and start spending.

Violent videos and the holidays


LIBBY LENTON swam the fastest 100 metres freestyle relay split of all time to anchor a world-record effort by Australia #39;s women #39;s 4x100m medley relay at the world short-course championships in Indianapolis yesterday.

Lenton ensures we don #39;t come up short


Altria Group Inc. is beginning to make the needed preparations to possibly split up into several parts in order to maximize shareholder value, chairman and chief executive Louis Camilleri said Thursday.

CEO Louis Camilleri says Altria preparing to break up company


Two civilians have been killed in the Iraqi capital as violence flares in different parts of Baghdad. Guerrillas fired mortars into eastern Baghdad on Saturday, killing the two civilians, an Interior Ministry spokesman said.

Two killed in Baghdad attacks


MOSCOW (Reuters) - French Open champion Anastasia Myskina  has been voted Russia's female player of the year by the panel  of tennis journalists, coaches and officials.

Myskina, Safin Win Russia's Top Player Awards


NORTON, Massachusetts (Reuters) - Fiji's majestic Vijay  Singh took over as world number one from playing partner Tiger  Woods after winning the Deutsche Bank Championship by three  strokes at the Tournament Players Club Monday.

Singh on Top of the World After Deutsche Bank Win


A militant Islamic cleric accused by the United States of being a key terror leader in Southeast Asia goes on trial Thursday, charged in the Bali bombings and the JW Marriott hotel attack in Jakarta.

Indonesian cleric to face fresh terror charges amid questions over <b>...</b>


ATLANTA (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co. <A HREF=

Sluggish Global Sales Trim Coke Profit


A three-touchdown point spread and a recent history of late-season collapses had many thinking the UCLA football team would provide little opposition to rival USC #39;s march to the BCS-championship game at the Orange Bowl.

Bruins manifest spirit


Roger Clemens and Brad Lidge give the Houston Astros two reasons to think they will finally punch their ticket to a World Series. Clemens has gone 3-0 against the Cardinals this

Astros like chances with Clemens


LIMA, Peru (Reuters) - Peruvian authorities have detained a  former army major who led a three-day uprising in a southern  Peruvian town and are preparing to storm the police station he  took over with 200 supporters, a government source told Reuters  early on Tuesday.

Peru Arrests Siege Leader, to Attack Police Post


IBM on Monday will unveil free developer resources for Cloudscape, a small-footprint, Java-based database that the company recently contributed to the Apache Software Foundation as an open source project.

IBM to help Cloudscape developers


Hundreds of people are believed dead in Haiti following flooding in the wake of tropical storm Jeanne, rescuers and witnesses said Monday.

Tropical storm kills hundreds


Sgt. Christian Engeldrum, a New York firefighter who responded to the World Trade Center attack and died in Iraq, was mourned today in the Bronx.

Firefighter Killed in Iraq Is Recalled as a Hero


The fall season that greets us this month is usually the best time to make money with technology stocks. So, does the Nasdaq stock index, drooping with a decline of about 8 percent so far this year, really represent the investing world's view of technology right now?

Deciphering the Nasdaq


The Russian government delays a decision on whether to revoke Yukos' Siberian oil licences by three months.

Yukos escapes oil licence recall


AFP - Democratic presidential contender John Kerry accused President George W. Bush's administration of abandoning its responsibilities in Iraq as the two rivals intensified attacks ahead of the US election.

Kerry says Bush dodging and weaving with truth on Iraq (AFP)


Microsoft has launched a set of toolbars under the MSN brand. Plugging into Windows, Outlook and Internet Explorer, they index documents and email in the background and allow fast querying.

Microsoft launches desktop search


October 15, 2004 - Thanks to Eurogamer for the head #39;s up that Bungie posted a FAQ on Bungie.net regarding the Halo 2 leak: Is it true?

Bungie on Halo 2 Leak


Security experts say these traits are common among the thousands of viruses targeting Microsofts ubiquitous Windows operating system but are virtually unheard of amongst the Apple Macintosh community.

Mac virus alert - users #39; details at risk


AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - U.S.-based Wireless LAN operator  Airpath said on Tuesday it aims to run 20,000 public locations  for wireless computer access by late 2005, and connect to an  additional 30,000 hotspots through roaming agreements.

Airpath Joins Wi-Fi Hotspots for Easier Web Access


_ A federal judge in New Hampshire says shareholders can go ahead with a class action suit against Tyco International. The suit alleges accounting fraud and looting by former top executives.

Judge rules in favor of Tyco stockholders #39; lawsuit


The Motley Fool - Here's something you don't see every day -- the continuing brouhaha between Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL - News) and PeopleSoft (Nasdaq: PSFT - News) being a notable exception. South Africa's Harmony Gold Mining Company (NYSE: HMY - News) has announced a hostile takeover bid to acquire fellow South African miner Gold Fields Limited (NYSE: GFI - News). The transaction, if it takes place, would be an all-stock acquisition, with Harmony issuing 1.275 new shares in payment for each share of Gold Fields. The deal would value Gold Fields at more than  #36;8 billion. ...

Will This Takeover Plan Turn Into Gold? (The Motley Fool)


Fed Cup holders France will be without world number two Amelie Mauresmo for this month #39;s finals in Moscow, shortening the odds on a first title for Russia.

UPDATE 1-Mauresmo pulls out of Fed Cup finals


The sharemarket spurted ahead nearly 1 per cent in early business despite the Reserve Bank (RB) today raising interest rates for the sixth time this year.

Market spurts ahead after RB brings tightening to end


Reuters - South Africa has not received an\official request from Equatorial Guinea for the extradition of\Mark Thatcher, who is suspected of involvement in a coup bid in\the oil-rich country, officials said on Friday.

S.Africa Says No Extradition Request for Thatcher (Reuters)


Reuters - Staples Inc. , the top U.S.\office products retailer, on Tuesday reported a 26 percent jump\in quarterly profit due to higher sales of furniture,\back-to-school supplies and a strong performance in Europe.

Staples Profit Up; Sees 4th Qtr in Line (Reuters)


NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Dick Vermeil and Jeff Fisher #39;s last meeting was one that will live in NFL lore. Vermeil and Fisher will oppose each other for the first time since Super Bowl XXXIV on Monday

Kansas City vs. Tennessee


A brokerage firm #39;s negative outlook for the semiconductor industry pushed down tech shares yesterday, while the broader market was little changed as a jump in jobless claims offset investors #39; relief over declining oil prices.

Stocks off slightly despite oil news


ATHENS (Reuters) - The unbeaten U.S. women's basketball  team cruised to another victory Wednesday, pummeling Greece  102-72 to advance to the Olympic semi-finals.

Basketball: U.S., Russia Set for Semifinal Showdown


Suzuka - Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn said on Sunday the temporarily enforced format of qualifying and racing on the same day at the Japanese Grand Prix was not as difficult as had been expected.

Schumi: All in a day #39;s work


TORONTO -- Attention, Ontario parents: there may be a skull-cracking, car-stealing thug in your living room. Jim Watson, the province #39;s consumer and business services minister, put parents on notice Wednesday

Ont. puts parents on notice about new video game